Review: Frost Burned

Title Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson #7)
By Patricia Briggs
Genre Adult Urban Fantasy
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis
When Mercy's husband Adam and his whole pack gets abducted she'll have to step up and use her standing as his mate to bring him home and find who's behind his kidnapping.


First Sentence
"You should have brought the van," said my step daughter.






Remember a few days ago when I reviewed Homecoming, a graphic novel based on this series? Well this is one of the actual novels in the series. Number 7 to be exact. I'm trying to catch up. There's 10 books in the series so far.

If I haven't said much about this series you need to know a few things. Things that encompass my love for the whole series can also be said of what I loved about this book in particular.

I love the characters. Besides Adam, Mercy's husband, I adore all the characters in this world. Mercy is smart and independent. Why she chose Adam, I'll never know, but whatever. Even the characters you hate you love to hate. The world is so fun too!

I've been reading this series since 2009. I'll read one and then go for sometime before I pick up the next but every time I do pick up one of these books I'm easily brought right back into the story and knew exactly what's going on. The author does a great job of reminding you what's happening without bogging down the story. I love it!

Should You Read It
Yes, but hopefully you read all the books in the series!

Review: Artemis Fowl

Title Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl 1)
By Eoin Colfer
Genre MG Urban fantasy
Pages 280
Recommended by Me

First Sentence Ho Chi Minh in the summer.

Synopsis
Artemis Fowl is a 12 year old genius determined to return his family to the wealth and status they once had. Holly Short is a elf and a member of the LEP. Their two worlds are about to collide.



What it has going for it
It's been far too long since I read a MG that wasn't dumbed down in its simplicity. I know it's written for a younger audience but do they always have to be so stingy on vocabulary? Anywho, it was a relief to read this one. I read this one because the author was coming to my local library and I wanted to have at least read one of the books in the series. The author, btw, was absolutely hilarious! Seriously, it was like seeing a stand up comedian...a really funny one! The book was clever and fast paced and both Artemis and Holly, though on opposite ends of a "small" disagreement were both worth rooting for. I wanted both to win and I think the conclusion was satisfying.

What's lacking
Artemis Fowl isn't a likable character. That's OK, he isn't exactly supposed to be. However I felt like the whole thing with his mother was thrown in there to gain our sympathy.
*Side Note*  It might have been a mood thing or just the type of story this was but I struggled to really get into this one and don't particularly want to read the rest of the series. But that's not really the book's fault. 

Favorite moment
A few hilariously written lines during the fight between Butler and the troll. So funny! 

Yea or Nay?
Yeah, it if sounds like your sort of book I think you'll really enjoy it.   

Review: The Demon's Lexicon

Title The Demon's Lexicon (The Demon's Lexicon 1)
By Sarah Rees Brennan
Genre YA Urban Fantasy
Pages 322
Recommended by Melissa and Cait

First sentence The pipe under the sink was leaking again.

Synopsis
Nick and Alan have been on the run their whole life from magicians and demons. The magicians want their mother and a charm she possesses. When a brother and sister come to them for help removing a demon mark, the brothers are swept into a race for their lives and Nick is about to find out more than he bargained for.

For those of you who don't know, I wrote a post a few days ago asking for guesses on what people thought I'd like and what I'd hate about this book. Yeah, I'm bored of the same boring reviews. Anywho here's what people said:

 fakesteph

This is what I liked, that I hope you will like too: Nick and Alan's complicated relationship, all the violent talk that makes me go giggly in a good way. Love those brothers.

K, Steph, I started out not knowing what I thought about these brothers. I mean, Alan was portrayed through Nicks eyes and Nick seems to love him but...well...it's complicated. ;) I was mad at Alan most of the time because I was sympathizing with Nick but by the end I was all teary eyed about them both. Their relationship was definitely the highlight of the book.  Nicks dark attitude and violent streak was fun, wasn't it?

melissa @ 1lbr

Pretty much, I think you'll like Nick and Alan. They are guys and they are realistic and I think they might just remind you a little bit of Cassel. I hope that's what you'll like (though, it's been quite some time since I read this one, so I might be way off base...) Oh, and I think you'll like the demon thing. The whole world of demon fighting and such. Vague enough? As far as hating...not sure. Maybe the girls? :)

Yep, Melissa, by the end I loved them both. As for reminding me of Cassel...nope not at all, but that doesn't mean I didn't like them and enjoy the book. The demon fighting reminded me of Supernatural the TV show I LOVE so I did enjoy that and the twist at the end (even though I saw it coming from page one) was fun! I definitely want to know what's going to happen next.  LOL! Yep, Mae drove me nuts!

Well, as I only got two responses/guesses, I'll expound a little more, if you don't mind.

The best thing about this book is Nick and Alan's relationship. By the end I was seriously crying over their love for each other...especially Alan's love for Nick. I LOVED the "special-ness" of Nick. I saw it coming from page one, in fact the whole book was ridiculously predictable, but I have an obsession with MCs being special and unique in a cool way and become crazy invested in them.

There were a few things that bothered me...come on, this is me we're talking about. ;) I was bothered, for some reason, that the book was written in third person. The book stuck with Nicks point of view the whole time, why did it need to be in third person? I was also slightly irritated with how predictable it was but in the end the "twist" was expounded on and I found myself smiling really big and thinking, "COOL!" And, alas, the other thing that truly drove me crazy was all the telling! Soooooo much telling not ANY showing. I'm hoping that things get better in the next books. Yes, I definitely plan on reading them.

Thanks for helping me write a different type of review, everyone! Hope you enjoyed.

Review: The Minority Council

Title The Minority Council (Urban Magic 4)
By Kate Griffin
Genre Adult Urban Fantasy
Pages 414
Recommended by Me

First sentence I had been in Deptford, hunting vandals.

Synopsis
Being only half human, a sorcerer AND the Midnight Mayor takes a serious toll on Matthew Swift. The new drug on the street, fairy dust, is wreaking havoc in London and when Matthew's associates, the Alderman, start working behind his back, what's the Midnight Mayor to do?

What it has going for it
No other series of books has ever done what this series does to me. I'll be so excited for the next book, finally get my hands on it and start reading, and...devour it? Nope. I love these books soooooo much I force myself to put them down so I won't finish. Because if I finish it then I won't be in the pages of these wonderful books anymore. I won't be able to walk the streets of a magical London with the awesome, funny, kinda scary Matthew Swift. I won't be able to see the world through his telling, neon blue eyes, or catch a hilarious and often sweet conversation between him and his apprentice Penny, or desperately wish he could get a shower and some sleep before something else goes wrong. So, you see? I take as long as humanly possible to read these books so I can prolong the pleasure. Alas, it only works for so long before you have to finish the book and see if Matthew will survive another day to keep on fighting. Cause, let's face it, something inevitably will come up and he'll have to fight again.

As much as I absolutely adore these books I'm sadly realizing they're not for everyone but, oh, if I could let you enjoy them as much as I do, let you even glimpse what I do, I would! Kate Griffin, the author, says no book is perfect for anyone but it's just not true. These books are perfect to me.

What's lacking
Really? Did you honestly think I'd have anything bad to say?

Yea or Nay?
Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! And I really hope you can see why I love them so much!

Review: Infinity

Title Infinity (Chronicles of Nick 1)
By Sherrilyn Kenyon
For Fun
Pages 480
Recommended by  Me

First sentence "I'm a socially awkward mandork."

Synopsis 
I don't even know! It was THAT all over the place.


General thoughts
Look at the cover! Look at the hot kid! Read this much better synopsis! Sounds and looks great huh? I bought it way back in 2010 when it first came out and, knowing my expectations were way too high, I just kept putting it off. Well, I finally picked it up and for some reason assumed it was about an older kid. More like 16 17. Alas, he was only 14 and though this is classified as YA it reads way more like a middle grade. Still, I just readjusted my perceptions and tried, really tried, to enjoy it! It was just all over the place! There were way too many characters, all with crazy weird names and the writing, while sometimes witty, was just not that impressive. I seriously all most gave up on it but at that point I was on page 350 and I didn't want to be beat by a stupid book! So, yeah, it had potential but it just wasn't written well enough for me. I like my stories a little better crafted.

Characters
Nick was a wisecrack and some of the things he said were funny but I just could never get a hold on his personality.  The rest? Well, I think a quote from the book would be best.

"Must be some mutant form of maternal bipolar disorder." 

Would I recommend it? 
I might have for a really young boy because there's so much ridiculous action but it's too long and needlessly complicated.

Review: Nightlife

Title Nightlife
By Rob Thurman
For Fun
Source I own it

First sentence Most kids don't believe in fairy tales very long.



Synopsis
Cal isn't your typical 19 year old. He's half human half something much darker, he's spent half his life running from his fathers side of the family with his loyal older brother Niko but trouble is bound to catch up to them, it always does.

General thoughts
Besides the background overload in the first hundred pages or so that made for a slower start, this was a heck of an action packed ride. Even with the background info, that we needed to know, there was still action going on. What I particularly loved about the book  was the hilarious dialogue between Cal and his older brother Niko and the inner dialogue in Cal's mind. The style and voice...is that the same thing?...was great. But what I enjoyed the very best was, despite all the action, there was still so much character depth and relationship building. Almost right away you care deeply about these characters and just want them to be OK.  The story was fast paced and well written and upon finishing I went right out and bought the rest of the books in the series...all of them. That there should tell you something.

Characters
Cal: I liked this kid...a lot. I can't wait to get to know even more about him.
Niko: I've got to be honest, while I loved his loyalty and love for his little brother, there was something a little too controlling that bothered me about him but I have authority issues so...
Robin: Again, someone I can't wait to get to know more about, he earned a place in my affections.
Promise and Georgiana: Ah, the love interests. I want to get to know them more too and I can't wait to see how it all turns out.

Would I recommend it? 
Yes, but this is urban fantasy. I say that because it seems like there are a lot of people out there who aren't huge fans. I for one love it and would recommend you give it a try, this one would be a great first taste for.