Gazelles On Crack Rotating Header Image

Book-It! Please send pizza

Book Review Paranormal Style: Walker Papers #7 – Spirit Dances

Oct 5th, 2011
by gazelle.
1 comment

Spirit Dances (Walker Papers, #6)Spirit Dances by C.E. Murphy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMFG. Seriously. I wouldn’t have classified the Walker Papers series in my top paranormal romance picks before #6 here. I mean, I’d read them all, but hadn’t paid much attention to when #6 was being released (like I do w/ my Kate Daniels & Mercedes Thompson books). In fact, I believe this actually came out in April. That’s right – five whole months before I even noticed.

BUT BUT BUT – I read it in one sitting, have subsequently read it again, and have read the last half of the last chapter 1 million times (approximately). LOVE LOVE LOVE.

ANYWAYS – On to the review:

The Story
Joanne Walker reluctantly entered the world of the supernatural in Book 1 (Urban Shaman) when she was skewered by Cernunnos and given the choice to live as a shaman or die. Much like the choice between cake or death, it seemed an easy one at the time. However, once reality set in, she spent a lot of time sulking and/or screwing up royally. (One of the reasons I was not obsessed with the first five books – it took her that long to get a grip, grow up, and take responsibility for her powers.)

She is a detective with the Seattle PD, and one half of SPD’s only paranormal detective team. Her partner, Billy Holliday (his parents maybe didn’t think that one through), sees dead people (or, more accurately, murdered people). Her best friend, Gary Muldoon, is a 74-year-old cab driver who ran off to San Diego for the duration of this book (my only real complaint – I love Gary), and the other major players are Billy’s wife Melinda (a bruja!), Joanne’s friend/spirit guide Coyote (Cyrano), and her boss, Morrison.

This book takes place around St. Patrick’s Day, or, more specifically just before the spring equinox and during the full moon. Someone in Seattle is kidnapping the homeless and murdered (supernaturally, of course) the lead dancer in a Native American dance troupe. Joanne must work with Billy, Mel, and Morrison to find the supernatural killer before more people die.

BUT – I can’t tell you the best part of the story (I hate spoilers), and it likely wouldn’t BE the best part if you hadn’t read the previous five books. There is romantic build up that happened for five previous books! And FINALLY. Something came of it. BUT, that something happened in the last half of the last chapter. And then? Nothing! DAMN YOU CE MURPHY! (PS – Book #7 comes out in March 2012.)

The Score
Romance/Sexytimes: A+ – Okay – so it was slow in coming (hee), and there wasn’t a lot there, but OMFG (again), YAY!

Writing: B+ – I enjoy the writing. It’s definitely on the level of my other favorite paranormal series(es?), and I am finally liking Joanne a lot more, too.

Paranormality: A- – First off, I love books set in places I can visit. Secondly, I like the gradual exposure to the Seattle paranormal world. Nothing seems forced or completely off the wall. It’s all very believable; especially with some of the mysteries that remain – like what’s the deal really with Mel’s power & Gary’s ability to drive with the Force?

Book Score: A – Solid A for reals…..so much love for this book. Perhaps I will read it again tonight. And every day until #7 comes out in March. I wish I was the kind of person who got advanced reading copies. I need to know someone.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Little Bee

Sep 21st, 2011
by gazelle.
2 comments

Little BeeLittle Bee by Chris Cleave

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a book club pick, and I actually really enjoyed it. If I’d done the rating/review before the book club discussion, I probably would’ve given it four stars. However, our discussion really changed my viewpoint.

The Story
Little Bee is a 16-year-old Nigerian refugee who has been held at a detention center in the UK for *mumble mumble* time before being released. However, the release was not so much on the up & up, and she’s still illegal.

Sarah & Andrew O’Rourke are a British couple with a young son (Charlie, who refuses to take off his Batman costume) and a marriage that is falling apart.

Sarah, Andrew, and Little Bee were inextricably tied together by events on a Nigerian beach in the most ill-advised free, marriage saving vacation ever. (Hey sweetie, I know that I’ve done you wrong, but I’d like to take you on this free vacation to a war-ravaged country, and then we’ll ignore the armed guards on the beach & just wander off, secure that our whiteness is all the protection that we need!)

ANYWAYS – The characters are such that it is hard to really like them. They are so flawed. However, I don’t feel that detracts from the story. I’m okay with having characters I don’t like (and regardless of the opinion of other book club members, I actually rather enjoyed Charlie/Batman – little tyke was dealing with a lot of shit, and if he needs to be Batman to process the fact that his parents are neglectful douches, then I think that is A-OK).

The story covers what happens when Little Bee reunites with Sarah & Andrew in the UK as well as what happened to link them all together in the first place.

I think it was well-written, evoked a lot of emotion, and was a very interesting and depressing story. However, I do think the ending was anti-climactic, rather stupid, and not nearly as realistic/well-written as the rest of the story. Sarah’s character is so impulsive and rash, and the more I read of her and thought about her, the more I couldn’t deal with her actions, even on a fictional level; she seems unable to learn from the mistakes of the past, and her impulsive actions endanger herself, and more importantly, her pre-school son.

So – I think it’s absolutely worth reading. There is no way that I will go see this when the movie comes out. And I’d be interested to hear the opinions of others who’ve read it…..

View all my reviews

Book Review: Hold Me Closer, Necromancer

Sep 14th, 2011
by gazelle.
Comments are off for this post

Hold Me Closer, NecromancerHold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So – I read this for my 2nd book club. My YA book club. This is the first book in the series, and while I was immediately taken with the title (because, really? hee!), when I first started the book, I didn’t think I was going to enjoy it.

The writing style is a bit juvenile, and although it’s a YA book, since there’s sex and violence (and necromancy), one would expect the book to have a more A than Y tone. BUT, as the book went on, the story, although not complex, engaged me, and I was able to move past my initial reservations about the writing and just enjoy the ride.

The Story
Sam (short for Samhain) is a college dropout who works at a local Seattle fast food joint. His co-workers include best friend from birth (or at least 5th grade) Ramon, junior employee Frank, and Brooke – who the boys are torn between lusting after and protecting like a sister.

A quick game of parking lot hockey (with brooms and a potato, natch – this fast food joint must actually cut their own fries – FANCY) results in a Mercedes with a broken taillight. When the owner comes in, he spots Sam, asks some inexplicable questions, makes some vague threats, and starts Sam’s (and the other characters) down a twisted path of death, destruction, and a first-hand glimpse into the magical world that they never suspected existed.

Sam finds out that he’s a necromancer, and the meanie car owner (Douglas Montgomery) offers to take him as an apprentice. This offer seems a bit sketchy (due to the violence inherent in the system perpetrated against Sam & his friends as motivational tools), and when Sam visits his mom to find out what she knows about this, he finds out that she was not only aware of his necromantic tendencies, but that she’s a witch who’s been trying (and lying) to protect him all these years.

Douglas Montgomery is up to more than just trying to take a new apprentice, and his minion (a werewolf named Michael) accidentally kidnaps the daughter – and heir – of the leader of the fey hounds. She is half fey hound & half werewolf, and when she is thrown together with Sam, their lives get pretty interesting.

The Score
Romance/Sexytimes: B+ – for a YA book, there was a bit of steamyness. Apparently throwing together a half were wolf who needs a LOT of physical activity to stay sane (and to not eat people) with an impressionable young man leads to…exactly where you’d think. Hee.

Writing: B – Like I mentioned above, the writing didn’t thrill me. I mean, it’s not Twilight bad or anything. The author seems to have a decent grasp of how sentences work, but it wasn’t what I would necessarily call really good or anything. It was an enjoyable story, though.

Paranormality: A- – I love me a book with secret magical worlds that the protagonist must discover. The magical hierarchy and world were not well-developed, more just taken as fact. I would’ve liked to see more, but I’m assuming there will be sequels (if there’s not already – I should look into that), that might do more world-building.

Book Score: B+ It was an enjoyable story. A light & easy read. Nothing earth-shattering or ground breaking, or even thought-provoking, but pleasant, interesting, engaging, and, well, werewolves! – I love werewolves!

View all my reviews

Favorite Fall Facts Friday

Sep 9th, 2011
by gazelle.
2 comments

Since I missed three thing Thursday due to actually having to work, I am, instead, going to talk about why I love fall, and why I might have a break-down if the weather doesn’t break soon. (Although, I do love the PNW – my weather channel app keeps sending me weather alerts due to our unseasonable heat. Highs in the low 90s. I love this climate.)

Autumn leaves. Cool morning temps. Wood fire smell. Geese flying in formation. Sweaters. Soup. Sitting outside after the sun goes down. Garden tomatoes. Chrysanthemums. New Castle episodes!

Fall boots. Roasted Root Vegetables. Needing a blanket. Hallowe’en. Crockpot cooking. Vinter Varmer. Tweed skirts. Corn mazes. Fall spice smells (cinnamon & cloves). Blustery days.

Warm kitten bellies. Baking. Peacoats. Red wine. Fall fruits. My anniversary! Pumpkins. Thanksgiving. Snuggling. Fall runs in Forest Park. Apples.

Scarves. Pumpkin spice lattes. Flannel sheets. Canning season.  Pie.  Red wine. Argyle socks. No more mosquitos! Full rain barrels. Hot cocoa.

Apple cider. Chili and cornbread. Chocolate chip cookies. Slippers and robes. Good books on chilly days. The maple tree down the street. School supplies. Squashes. The sound of dying leaves under my boots.  Jack-o-Lanterns.

 

I just hope I survive this weekend heat wave and that autumn, and all its wonderfulness, starts soon!

Book Review, Paranormal Style: On the Edge (The Edge #1)

Aug 3rd, 2011
by gazelle.
2 comments

On the Edge (The Edge, #1)On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have a problem – when I really like a series by an author, and then I see that they have another series with different characters, I do not want to read that series. Because it won’t be the same. And that means it will be inferior. And I’m angry that they’re wasting time on this series when they could be spending more time writing the series that I want them to.

But, apparently Ilona Andrews is not my bitch (Yet.) (Ha! I jest! I haven’t even figured out where Ilona & her husband Andrew live!) and is writing another series that has nothing to do with Kate Daniels. Whatever. For some reason, I ignored my prejudices and bought this book.

The Story

Rose Drayton lives on the edge of two worlds – The Broken, which is like our modern world, with big box stores and no magic – and The Weird, with all the magic and none of typical modern conveniences. People who live on the Edge can go between worlds, although it’s really hard for inhabitants of The Weird or the Broken to go to the other worlds.

Rose is responsible for keeping her two younger brothers alive, fed and out of trouble, a task that doesn’t always come easy. One of her brothers is a cat shifter and the other has the unique ability to raise the dead.

Inhabitants of the Edge typically have some magical powers, and Rose worked for ages to show that although she was born just poor, white trash, Fancy was her name. Oops, wrong story. She worked for ages so that when it was time for show & tell (high school graduation, I think), she could prove that even though she wasn’t from the best family, her magic was still awesome. And it was. Magical ability is proved by “flashing” (not like that) your magic, and Rose flashed white, meaning there was some aristocratic blood in her background.

There were a lot of marriage proposals (most of which seemed to involve threats of violence), and she turned them all down. Things seem to be pretty mundane (in a manner of speaking), until some creepy monsters start appearing on a regular basis.

A couple mysterious men appear in her life, and there is romance! And magic! And action/adventure! And no plot spoilers, here!

Overall, an entertaining read. Ilona & Andrew have once again done a fantastic job world building, but I thought the character development was weaker than in the Kate Daniels series. I know the second Edge book is out, and the third is slated for release this fall, and I’ll probably read them (I have some airplane time coming up soon), but I’ll mostly be holding my breath for the next Kate release.

The score!

Romance/Sexytimes: B. Although the slow build-up of the romance was nice, and there was some wooing, it wasn’t really as exciting and sweaty-palms inducing as the Kate/Curran romance. (Should I stop comparing this book to the Kate Daniels series?)

Writing: A- I think that the writing is definitely one of the strong points in the Ilona Andrews books. It’s not slop, like some paranormal romances/urban fantasy books that are (apparently) relying on magic to carry the writing as well as the story line.

Paranormality: A+ Again – fantastic world building. I think that’s a major strength of Ilona Andrews books. The fantasy worlds of the Weird and the Edge merge very well with the more reality based Broken, and it all fits together seamlessly and believably.

Book Overall: B+ Again, I prefer the story of Kate Daniels, but this was a decent first book in the series. I could wish that the characters had a little more depth and a few more dimensions, but overall, I did enjoy it.

Series Overall: B+ Same grade as the book, since it’s the first in the series & I have nothing to compare it to. It’s been a couple of weeks since I finished it, and now that I’ve written about it, I am feeling compelled to pick up the second book. Dammit!

View all my reviews

← Earlier Posts Newer Posts →