Jessica Strider

Pros: lots of intrigue, very interesting characters, great plot and pacing, limited use of magic

Cons: 

Down on his luck Maliverny Catlyn is very surprised to be offered a commission as bodyguard to the skrayling ambassador.  Like most Christians, he has heard that the skraylings are demons from the New World, and magic users.  But he needs the money to keep his insane twin brother in decent accommodations at Bethlem hospital.

Meanwhile, a troupe of actors, Suffolk's Men, are building a new theatre in which to perform a play for the ambassador, something not everyone in London is thrilled about.

With a lot of political intrigue, spies and plots, The Alchemist of Souls has something for everyone.  There's even a touch of romance (both gay and straight).  The book's opening reminded me very much of Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner, due to the setting and the mismatched friendship between Mal (nigh on penniless but son of a gentleman) and Ned (clerk and sometimes swindler).  The book quickly diverged from this pair and broadened in scope, adding more actors and political players, for which I was grateful as the relationship in Swordspoint annoyed me (I couldn't understand what St. Vier saw in his lover, as all he seemed to do was act sullenly and get St. Vier into fights to defend him).

Indeed, at times the number of offers to betray the ambassador Mal received - and the cross dressing Coby - put me in mind of Lev Rosen's All Men of Genius, though The Alchemist of Souls is by no means a comedy.  It does have a playfulness and I had to remind myself that treason had serious consequences, and that Mal's life was endangered each time he received such an offer.

The characters are fascinating, from Mal who must learn quickly how to maneuver as a spy to Coby's attempts to not let her sex be known and Ned's run in with ruffians.

The book is very accurate with regards to Elizabethan times, though it is definitely alternate history (Queen Elizabeth marries Robert Dudley and has two sons, and the skraylings are an imagined race).  Lyle uses archaic words sparingly to give a sense of place and time to help immerse you in the world she's recreated.

Magic is used very sparingly and really comes into play only at the end of the book.  Given the beliefs at the time I was impressed that some of the skrayling ‘magic' was passed off as advanced learning in medicine and technology.  The limited use of real magic helped keep the world real, despite the skrayling race.

The skraylings themselves were well defined, with their own beliefs on the afterlife, way of dress, traditions, language, etc.  They really feel like a different species.

The cover makes it look like a book with either assassins (there are some, but not your traditional fantasy variety) or swashbuckling action (there's some of this, but not much).  If you're looking for a lot of fight scenes, look elsewhere.  If you like good fantasy or historical fantasy, pick this book up!

Pros: interesting world-building, great protagonist

Cons: banter between Jane and Rochart didn't quite match Jane and Rochester

Jane Eliot has worn an iron mask over half of her face since the end of the fae war 5 years ago, when she was cursed with rage. The mask keeps the rage at bay, but marks her as an ironskin, a reminder of worse times, and shunned by society. Upon the engagement of her sister to an aristocrat greatly above their station, she takes a post as governess to a young girl who's... different. Jane believes she knows how to reach the child, but Dorie is not an ironskin like Jane. And as Jane starts to fall for her brooding new master, she wonders if she's the right person to help Dorie after all.

This is a fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre. But while the plot remains largely the same, there are a lot of major and minor differences. At times when she diverges from Jane Eyre, Connolly writes in a nod to the original. For example, Jane in this one never went to a boarding school, but she did teach at one and comments that she's glad she never had to attend it, given the horrible conditions the girls faced. The ending is noticeably different, so don't think that having read Jane Eyre will preclude your enjoying this book or remove all the plot surprises.

I really enjoyed the fae aspects of the book, from the war to the curse to learning about the dwarvven and their interactions with the fae. I liked that the fae had understandable reasons for the war (that you discover at the end of the book). And I liked that the book kept much of the traditional view of fairy stories (the Irish and Welsh versions where someone who know someone was kidnapped by the fairies and later returned), rather than modern literary fairy tales.

Jane, as with her namesake, was a great protagonist. Though young she's determined and hard working, stubborn and loving. I didn't feel the same connection between her and Rochart as I did between Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester, their banter not hitting quite the same notes, but the relationship did grow naturally over time, which I appreciated. Their ending surprised me as things got pretty bleak fast and I wasn't sure how the author would be able to resolve things.

One of the main divergences from the original is the fact that Jane has a living sister with whom she has a complicated relationship. Both of them envy and resent things about the other. It was nice to see how things developed between them as well as Jane's relationships with the other female members of the staff.

This is the start of a series and I'm curious to see where the author will take things, as book two is from her sister's point of view.

Pros: great characterizations, tackles tricky POV

Cons: pack politics seem insane

When the Roanoke wolf pack's enforcer, Andrew Dare, finds the lone wolf he's been tracking in their territory, he's horrified to discover the woman's been tortured into madness. He vows to help her find a home and take down whoever did this to her before they can strike again.

There are a lot of characters in the book, as several packs of werewolves are mentioned, though the author focuses of a few select people from each pack. Because of all the people mentioned, however briefly, there's a fantastic variety of temperaments and strength levels shown (ie, some women are dominant, others submissive, one man's an alpha and a coward, another's brave but submissive, etc). This allows each character to feel like an individual rather than an archetype in the pack hierarchy (alpha, beta, mate...).

Silver's character is particularly interesting as she's able to modify her pack status depending on the result she needs from those around her. But her manipulations are only possible when she's lucid enough to use them. Which she isn't, most of the time. The author treats her madness with care, showing that, though she's not always aware of her surroundings, she's still a person with her own will and the right to make decisions for herself. This is particularly important when her lucidity improves and people refuse to listen to her because all they see is the madwoman she was (and may be again). I loved that it wasn't clear if Silver's visions of Death were hallucinations (as Andrew believes) or a real manifestation of their religion's embodiment of evil.

Silver's physical disabilities, particularly her arm that no longer works, are also dealt with well. Her acceptance of her new limitations and lack of depression and self-pity are directly contrasted when another character is injured at the end of the book. She's shown as a character with true strength, despite her limitations.

I liked that the romantic elements were understated and felt real rather than forced. The romance enters late and encounters realistic roadblocks caused by the plot and the problems the characters face.

Werewolves aren't my favourite subjects because I find the pack politics of dominance and ‘no one matters outside our pack' mentality insane and unsustainable. Most of the problems in the book could have been solved easier and faster had the various packs communicated what was wrong. The book therefore caused a bit of cognitive dissonance for me as I tried to wrap my head around how their system worked and railed against it's stupidity. And I acknowledge that this is my problem not the book's.

On the whole I enjoyed the book and am interested to see how things progress in Tarnished.

Pros: great characters, several interconnected stories

Cons: slow

During the mime of Hercules commissioned by Senator Saxa to commemorate his becoming Consul, the special effects suddenly become much better. While the Senator and many in the audience believe the vision they're seeing is manufactured, Saxa's children, Varus and Alphena, his third wife Hedia, and Varus's friend Corylus know it's a real representation of danger facing their city of Carce.

This is the second Book of the Elements novel, taking place only a short time after the events of book one. While it's not necessary to have read the first book - enough background is given to bring you up to speed - it is worth it.

Once again I loved the characters and how they interact in this not quite historical Roman empire. Hedia is unable to use her sexuality and poise to advantage when when naked and capture by enemies who don't care about her rank, but that doesn't stop her. Her determination is admirable, as is her ability to manipulate those around her. Alphena's story showed more personal growth, which was great to see. She's learning that her unbridled anger and petulance aren't as powerful as Hedia's weapons, and so tries to emulate her stepmother. Varus shows some growth as well, becoming more self-aware as his powers grow.

Several of the characters again find themselves in alternate worlds, a device that arranges for them to be at the right place at the right time.

I enjoyed the various storylines that formed the plot, and how each principle character played an important role in the ending. I did find the story quite slow though, especially the opening which involved a fair amount of exposition.

The ending surprised me a bit in terms of how unsympathetic the principles were to the Atlantean's plight. But we're shown so little of them, and what we see is negative, which I guess is meant to excuse the violence.

As with the first book the historical setting is great with some wonderful protagonists. While the story is slow, it has a satisfying ending.

Pros: very unique dystopian situation, very good opening, terrifying potential fate for Lark, end reveal of Lark's abilities was interesting

Cons: protagonist is conflicted, middle dragged, it became tiresome watching Lark get saved over and over again

For Parents: one swear word, some violence (killing), no sex

At sixteen Lark is older than the other kids at school, but she won't become a full adult until she's harvested for her magic and assigned her place. Magic runs the city and keeps up the wall that protects them from the ravaged outside world. When she's finally called, she's apprehensive about the procedure no one talks about and curious why they waited so long to harvest her.

An unescorted jaunt around the famicility shows her someone's horrific fate, a fate she soon realizes she might share. She's able to regenerate her magic, a lost skill and valuable - for harvesting. Fleeing for her life and her sanity, she breaches the wall and discovers how bad things outside really have become. She knows she will be hunted. She also knows there are other people outside the wall who are like her.

Kudos to Spooner for creating a dystopian setting that was substantially different from the rest. It has touches of steampunk and a truly terrifying fate for Lark should she remain in the city. After Lark leaves the city however, the setting becomes commonplace, post-apocalyptic (even if the apocalypse was caused by magic).

While I liked Lark, she waffled between competent and needing to be saved too often. I understand that she didn't know how to survive in the wild, and I was ok with Oren helping her, but having him leave and come back to rescue her over and over again became tiresome. This repetition made the middle section feel too long and drawn out. She also waffled between altruism and necessity when it came to violence and dealing with those she met outside the wall.

The ending picked up the pace again and returned to the high tension, and high stakes, of the opening. While I wasn't keen on Lark's choices at the end of the book, it was an exciting ending.

A good book for those who want a different dystopian setting.

Pros: thought provoking ending, didn't read like a dystopia but ended like one

Cons: protagonist is very naive and makes some questionable decisions

Natasha Wiley lives in America-Five, one of several enclosed cities set up by the Alphas to protect the people from the evils of the outside world: suffering and death.  She works in the Office of Mercy, whose job it is to end the suffering to the tribespeople living outside their walls, by giving them a quick, merciful, death.

But she starts to doubt her mission and the ‘wall' she's been taught to keep up between herself and the humans living outside.  She empathizes with them, and when she comes face to face with some tribesmen, she makes choices that forever change her life and the lives of those around her.

This book was problematic for me in that I had certain expectations about what was going to happen, given that it's a dystopian novel, that the author didn't follow.  The bad thing about this was that I spent a lot of time thinking about how I would have done things to elicit the response I thought the author was going for rather than enjoying the fact that this dystopian novel was going in directions I couldn't predict.  Looking back on the book after finishing it,  it followed the dystopian conventions, just not in a way that's easily recognizable while you're in the middle of it. 

Natasha is a complex individual.  She's learned the propaganda of the inside and has helped ‘sweep' (ie kill) tribespeople in the past via the intelligence she's gathered on them.  However, her upbringing has left her surprisingly naive with regards to the tribespeople.  Despite watching them on screens in the Office of Mercy she doesn't seem to understand how difficult life outside really is.  And while her sheltered upbringing does make it understandable that she not comprehend how people relate to each other in a war like situation, some of her decisions are still frustrating to read.  Instead of understanding them as separate people with their own motivations and drives, she projects her own desires on the tribespeople, something she's been very specifically trained to avoid doing, and makes decisions based on faulty reasoning.  Indeed, she makes decisions that lead to consequences she never considered possible.

Part of me wanted Natasha to get away with her plans, as ridiculous as they seemed, so she could have a happy ending.  And part of me wanted to see her come face to face with the consequences of her actions in a true coming of age style ending.  Because I wasn't sure what the author was up to, the conclusion took me completely by surprise.  In retrospect all the clues were there, but my uncertainty with regards to what message the author was trying to get across made the ending more exciting.

In the middle of the book Natasha falls in with a group of malcontents in the community who also believe the sweeps should stop.  I found it interesting that rather than portray these people as freedom fighters in her eyes, they came off as crackpots.  Even when she was working with them.

There are several discussion possibilities for this book with regards to how people are portrayed and how/if we project our own beliefs on them rather than seeing them for who they are.  I was surprised that a group with the opportunity to brainwash their citizens so easily (as propaganda does to the young) would end up with so many malcontents without some sort of outside force giving opposing views.  Do people question their beliefs if they're not faced with a reason to?  Under what circumstances?

The book uses several conventions from both post-apocalyptic and dystopian novels.  The ending packs a punch though some of Natasha's decisions are hard to swallow and may turn off readers who want a grittier read.

Pros: examines real life issues, sympathetic protagonist who gains inner strength

Cons: ending seemed too simplistic given the problems the protagonist faced

For Parents: minor sexual content and descriptions of self-inflicting wounds

Melissa Miller is a cutter. It's the only way she can deal with the emotions surrounding her. She knows others wouldn't understand. Her ex-boyfriend called her a freak when he saw her scars, and broke up with her.

Even so, she doesn't take it well when the personification of Death arrives with a package and tells her her blade's going to slip. Death knows the worst is yet to come for Missy and he's chosen her as the new incarnation of WAR.

Though this book is better written than the first of the series, Hunger, in terms of characterization and details, I found myself unable to properly understand Missy's reasoning for cutting herself. She was entirely sympathetic as a protagonist and yet, while without being anorexic I could relate to Lisabeth Lewis, I had a harder time relating to Missy's way of dealing with her problems. I imagine this will not be as much of an issue for most teens (who are deep in the trials of high school), whether they're at risk or not.

I also felt the message here overshadowed the story more than in Hunger.

I found the ending problematic. Things got wrapped up too quickly for me to feel that the character was honestly going to change how she dealt with things, learn to trust others and become a strong woman in control of herself and her life. I imagine cutting yourself for psychological reasons takes a fair bit of time and effort to overcome. With her parents continuing their neglect of her and the few weeks of intense pressure at school due to the incident that causes her blade to slip, I can't see her rehabilitating as quickly as the ending seems to suggest.

On the other hand, the protagonist does start to deal with her problems and learns that she can't overcome some things by herself. She learns there are time when you must trust friends and learns to believe in herself. In addition to this, it has a good message for youth and adults alike, and treats a difficult issue that's relatively ignored when it comes to fiction.

Pros: lots of black and white photographs, several maps, detailed explanations, enough historical background to fit the works into their setting

Cons:

The book is separated into two parts, the first being the historical background of Jews in medieval European society, specifically how Christian writers addressed their continuing presence and necessity while condemning them for not accepting Christianity. This section also goes over some of the Jewish writings of the time, how their interpretations of the Talmud changed and their polemics regarding Christians. Finally this section examines the development of female personifications in the ancient world into Christian personifications of Church (Ecclesia) and Synagogue (Synagoga). Part two consists of the three case studies on Reims, Bamberg, and Strasbourg. These are the first 3 cities to include life sized sculptures of Church and Synagogue on their cathedral portals.

The first section of the book is informative and lays good groundwork fo the rest of the book and anyone interested in jewish-Christian relations in the middle ages. While other authors shy away from mentioning Jewish polemics and how certain Jewish practices could be seen as mocking Christianity (whether or not that was the intent) sheds important light on the complexities of the period. Jews were not passive victims, nor did their own scholarship lag into the Christian portrayal of preserving scripture for the Christians to use. Their society was vibrant, educated, and engaged with the times.

The case studies are highly detailed with a lot of excellent black and white photographs illustrating the author's points. If you're not interested in the minutiae of what sculpture specific workshops were responsible for or how the smile of an angle on one cathedral is similar to that of another, the chapters are still useful for the historical data regarding how Christians utilized the spaces (for example, the portals with these statues tended to be where ecclesiastical judgements were made and punishments meted out). I also appreciated learning how the Jews fit into the city better, how close they lived to the cathedrals and how this would have affected them.

If you're interested in Jewish-Christian relations, life in the middle ages, or cathedrals and medieval art, this is an excellent book.

Pros: top notch action, tense, understandable motivations on all sides/

Cons: denouement wasn't offset from climax, have to pay VERY close attention/

Things quickly come to a head in the third and final revivor's novel. Fawkes flips the switch that turns unsuspecting humans into revivors using the HUMA virus. But he's also made some adjustments to the virus' code, which FBI agent Nico Wachalowski slowly realizes are as much of a threat as the other weapons Fawkes turns on the city./

Meanwhile, Motoko Ai's war room is abuzz and Zoe Ott has some visions of what happens after the coming event. Visions that make her question whether Fawkes is really element zero after all./

Once again the writing is tight and the motivations realistic. It's often hard to tell which side is worse: Fawkes, willing to destroy the city and perhaps humankind or Ai and her people, who use their powers of mind manipulation indiscriminately. The book is action packed but never loses sight of the humanity of its protagonists - forcing difficult decisions on them and watching them deal with the consequences. And each new revelation causes you to switch sides, first hoping something happens, then hoping it doesn't./

My only complaints were that the denouement at the end wasn't offset from the climax, so it took a moment to reorient myself to the protagonists change of location. I also found issues of dating problematic (whether this book took place 2 or 3 years after the previous one) - though that's more likely caused by my own lack of attention. You have to keep your wits about you reading these books. Let your mind wander and you've just missed something crucial./

Tense plotting, great characters and a satisfying conclusion make this series worth reading.

Pros: great characters, fast paced, honest chills, no romance

Cons: too short!

For Parents: no content

The real reason behind Jane's numerous brushes with death is too crazy for anyone but her fellow ‘creep sister' to believe. So when she starts hearing voices and seeing things - in addition to her already extreme sleepwalking and migranes - she only tells her friend Lexi what's really going on. Somehow, she's picked up a ghost. One who wants her dead, and is able to use her own shadow - and body - to kill her.

This is a brilliantly written teen novel. The chapters are short and punchy, making it very fast paced and quick to read. The characters are fully fleshed: Jane's parents who love their daughter and want to help but don't know how. Jane, who wants to explain but knows they won't believe her. Lexi, whose father left when she was young, and who makes dark films in order to understand the world.

The story is explained through quick flashbacks to Jane's various deaths, her friendship with Lexi and dealing with the present. There is a love interest, but it's kept low key and just barely factors into the plot.

The ghost is suitably terrifying, as is it's reasoning for wanting Jane. There is some adult creepiness involved with the ghost's past that comes into play with Jane's present, but it's passed over with limited details.

It's a great book for younger teens to adults who want a decent - but not gory or too terrifying - scare.

Pros: good mystery, afterward explaining what's true and where he took liberties, lots of detail

Cons:

Damiata, once lover of Juan, Duke of Gandia, and mother of his illegitimate child, is accused by Pope Alexander VI (the duke's father) of aiding in his murder. In order to clear her name and reclaim her son she must uncover the true murderers. She is sent to Imola, where a recent string of murders has uncovered an amulet belonging to Juan and where the Pope's first born son, Cesare Borgia, Duke of Valentinois, is brokering a peace with the condottieri (mercenery fighters) Damiata is certain killed her lover.

Meanwhile, Imola is also home to the Florentine secretary Nicolo Machiavelli, who fears that Cesare's peace with the condottieri will mean the destruction of his beloved Florence. Joining forces with Damiata and Cesare's engineer general, Leonardo da Vinci, Machiavelli tries to solve the murders and make his study of human nature, that eventually lead to the writing of The Prince.

Ennis does a fantastic job of blending known history with his murder mystery. He makes certain assumptions regarding events and characterizations based on primary sources (which he discusses briefly in an afterward to the book so the reader has a better idea of what's true and what he fabricated for the novel).

The first part of the book is told by Damiata, with the rest by Machiavelli. As the characters get closer to discovering the identity of the murderer, Ennis manages to maintain a spirit of uncertainty, making it hard to guess who the real culpret is. This is helped by the number of likely suspects being investigated and the difficulty in performing the investigation.

There is a lot of good detail regarding the characters and the setting, especially with regards to Machiavelli's beliefs on human nature. There are also a few illustrations in the novel, showing scientific principles important to the plot and diagrams drawn by da Vinci.

I'd recommend this to fans of Umberto Eco (particularly The Name of the Rose) and Karen Maitland's Company of Liars.

Pros: highly descriptive writing, lots of interesting characters, complicated plots, cool monsters, decent world building

Cons: several info dump chapters in a row

When a tied up girl is 'sold' to ‘the jew' of London's Wellclose Square, several plots are set into motion. Because that's the safe house of the last remaining hand of the Oversight, a group of people with supranatural abilities who keep the ordinary people of England safe from the creatures that go bump in the night.

There's a large cast of characters, but the author's attention to detail makes it easy to remember who's who. And the various protagonists and antagonists are all distinct enough to keep them separate along with their varied plots, worries and actions. I loved that there's a mixture of rich, poor, beautiful, horrible people, able-bodied and not, in the book. There are several female characters in major roles, allowing for a large variety here too, in terms of temperament and actions.

The descriptive writing does make the opening a bit slow but it really helps to ground you for when the plots start to multiply. Indeed, the necessity of paying close attention for the first few chapters pays off as the book continues, as it becomes very easy to remember what's happening to whom, and where.

I loved the monsters in the book, the Slaugh and the Alp. Both were suitably horrifying, as befit faery-style creatures.

There's a lot of information you need to know in order to understand this alternate Victorian England. Unfortunately, this required several information dumps. While the author tried to vary these by working them into different conversations, the fact that these take place one after the other in successive chapters makes them feel contrived. The first one especially felt contrived, as it has a member of the Oversight explaining what the organization is to one of the creatures it oversees, a creature who should (and you discover does) already know what the Oversight is. Some of the other conversations would have sounded natural, had there not been so many other info dumps around them.

The ending is good, with several plot points being tied up while others are left open for the forthcoming sequels.

Pros: political intrigue, gritty realism, great setting, lots of plot twists, gorgeous cover

Cons: so much is happening I didn't get to connect with any of the characters as much as I'd have liked

It's Venice, 1407. Marco IV, ‘the simpleton', is Duke in name only. His mother, Duchess Alexa, co-rules with her hated brother-in-law, the Regent, Prince Alonzo.

One thing they agree on is the upcoming wedding of their niece Giulietta di Millioni to King James of Cyprus. But Lady Giulietta is 15 and unwilling to wed. And Alonzo has sinister reasons for agreeing to the nuptials.

Meanwhile, the numbers of Venice's royal assassins have dwindled. Their head, Atilo il Mauros, needs an heir and fins potential in a chance meeting with a pale faced, silver haired young man. A young man named Tycho, who was freed by chance from a special prison aboard a Mamluk ship.

The plot changes focus frequently, dealing with the politics of Alexa vs Alonzo, Atilo and his new apprentice, Giulietta and others. In this book alone are: werewolves, a vampire, a stregoi, several fights (including a naval battle), unrequited love, frustrated love and true love. Many people die.

The Venice of the story is gritty, dirty and dark. The underside is better detailed than the palace scenes, which are brutal in their own fashion.

While going back to the origins of his creatures (Tycho can't abide sunlight or cross water comfortably), he still makes them unique.

The one downside to the book is that scenes change so fast you can't really connect with the characters. On the other hand, this makes it easier to move on when principle characters start dying.

A fantastic novel.

Pros: lots of action, powerful characters had limitations, complex plot gets resolved

Cons: hard to believe just how much Lucas's group achieves with so little rest and time to heal from previous injuries

This is the second volume of the Stryker Syndicate duology that started with Mind Storm. The action starts directly where Mind Storm ended, with Lucas and his group heading to the Arctic while their actions in Buffalo cause problems for the Strykers, the Warhounds and the World Court. The World Court continues their preparations for leaving the Earth, even as Lucas undermines their efforts.

This is a quick moving book with a lot going on. Lucas pushes his people on mission after mission, which, considering the amount of damage they take each mission gets a bit hard to believe. On the other hand, it makes the psions less uber powerful, so the fights have more of a challenge to them. Indeed, I really liked the fact that psions as powerful as Lucas and Jason had limits to their abilities. I also liked how lower powered psions could link their abilities, making their enemies powerful as well, even though they're not as highly ranked.

There's non stop action in this book, with so many missions and so many plot threads that all come together in a final, climactic battle that no one, neither psions nor the humans around them, is left unscathed.

If you like post-apocalyptic societies and characters with super powers, you'll love this duology.

Pros: interesting plot, fun characters

Cons: relationship waffling

This is book two of the Incarnate series, and as such this review contains spoilers for book one.

Some time has passed since Templedark consigned dozens of souls to a permanent death. Sam and Ana rest away from Heart for a time. A new gift and Menehem's notebooks indicate that Sylphs may be more intelligent than previously believed. Meanwhile, back in Heart, fears of more newsoul births and an inability to punish Menehem for his actions turns popular anger towards Ana.

I really enjoyed the plot in this book and the fact that things went in directions I did not predict. You learn answers to some of Ana's questions, which was great.

The ‘will they won't they' aspect of their relationship got frustrating, as after a year of being together Ana seemed to still get defensive a lot and misconstrue things easily, regardless of how open and loving Sam was. While I appreciated the question of whether it's appropriate for a 5000 year old soul to have a relationship with an 18 year old soul, that's a question that should have been addressed by Sam much, much earlier.

Despite their relationship woes, I love Sam and Ana. Ana remains passionate about helping other newsouls and discovering more about how she came to be.

As with the first book, it was a very quick and enjoyable read.

Pros: interesting characters, great premise, highly passionate characters

Cons: minimal world-building, highly passionate characters

The people of Heart have been reincarnated hundreds of times, some believe by the will of Janan. When Li and Menehem's child was not the reincarnation of Ciana, people feared what it meant for them. Eighteen years later, Ana wants to leave the cottage she was raised as a nosoul by her hateful mother and find answers regarding her birth in Heart. After a terrible night, she's rescued by Sam, who becomes her friend with the possibility of more.

I really liked Ana. I liked how conflicted she was, uncertain of the world after the physical and mental abuse she suffered under her mother. I liked that she constantly questioned Sam's motivations, constantly waiting for things to go bad. It showed real, persistent, trauma. I also liked that Sam's previous deaths bring their own form of trauma for him to overcome later in the book.

The premise, of people who all know each other because they've been reborn together over and over again, was great. Throw in the possibility that they could die and not return, and their fear of Ana and what she represents is understandable.

The characters - Ana in particular - were often very passionate about life. Towards the end this got to be a bit much for me. It's understandable in Ana, but the others are all old enough to be past the vagaries of first youth. While Sam's age (and subsequent hormones) could account for some of his issues, he should have had an easier time coming to a decision about what sort of relationship he wanted with Ana.

The world was pretty interesting, but not developed very much. The author lists several creatures that live in the world, but you only actually see two of them. And the way they're mentioned, always as a list, makes them feel more like window dressing than actual inhabitants of the world. Having said that, I greatly enjoyed what I learned but hope the later books explain more of the wider world.

This was a very quick read that kept me turning pages. And while the book ended up going in wildly different directions from what I'd expected, I really enjoyed it.

Pros: frame story that pulls the collection together, high quality writing, diverse stories

Cons: some of the stories were more interesting than others

The collection starts off with an introduction by Robert Block, author of Psycho, followed by a prologue by John Llewellyn Probert. The prologue sets the theme and tone of the series, and gives it cohesion. There are periodic brakes in the collection that returns the reader to the prologue's scenario. This is a great technique as it gives an inherent reason for the collection. The book ends with short bylines for the contributing authors. At the end of most of the bylines, is a paragraph or two explaining why the author wrote their story.

The quality of stories is consistently high. My reviews of the stories are, of course, subjective. I gave the scariest stories higher ratings as this is a horror anthology. There's a good variety of tales, and while most of the stories deal with psychotic murderers, there are a few that don't.

If you like stories of psychos, mysteries and / or scaring yourself, this is a fantastic collection.

*** Prologue, Casefiles & Epilogue by John Llewellyn ProbertA journalist goes for an interview with the head psychologist of a prison for the mentally insane, but before the interview, the psychologist insists on a quiz: to guess which case files he shares are true and which are false. - This is a frame story for the collection but has its own inner logic and conclusion. I was impressed that the casefiles segments refered to the stories around them, giving a real sense of cohesion to the collection.** “I Tell You It's Love” by Joe Lansdale
A sadomasochistic couple experience true bliss. - A creepy story about what people will do for those they love.

* “The Green Hour” by Reggie Oliver Private detective Dupin is asked to help solve a series of murders associated with the Paris World's Fair. - A classic ‘who done it' with a few twists. * “The Secret Laws of the Universe” by Steve Rasnic Tem Ed knows he can be more than he is, but not so long as his wife's alive. - Ed's casual attitude towards the talking inanimate objects and the deaths he causes is quite chilling.* “The Recompensing of Albano Pizar” by Basil Copper A literary agent treats the widow of one of his former clients badly, and faces her terrible vengeance. - Another creepy and well written story. Reminded me of one of Poe's stories.** “Night Soil Man” by David Sutton
A workman tries to hide from a bad influence of his past - I liked the story but found the dialect hard to read.

** “Let My Smile Be Your Umbrella” Brian HodgeThe narrator has a one-sided discussion about an attempted suicide that should have succeeded. - An interesting story that deals with some deep issues. I'm not sure I understood the ending.* “The Trembling Living Wire” by Scott EdelmanIz is a music teacher who will go to any lengths to help his most promising students reach their full potential. - A fabulous story about obsession.* “The Undertaker's Sideline” by Robert SilverbergAn undertaker has an unexpected side business. - Brilliantly creepy.** “The Long Shift” by Joel Lane
Jim's going for revenge against the manager who belittled and forced numerous people out of their company. - Loved the ending.

** “The Man Who Photographed Beardsley” by Brian LumleyA dedicated artist creates modelled photographs out of famous drawings. - More description of Beardsley's work would have been helpful for those unfamiliar with his work (like me), but it's not necessary to get the gist of the story.** “Hollywood Hannah” by Lisa Morton
A producer's intern gets more of an education on the movie industry than she expected. - An interesting story about how little acts can eventually corrupt.

** “I Spy” by Paul McAuleyAn abused kid looks for what's special in himself. - This was a sad, disturbing story.* “Reflections on the Critical Process” by Mike Carey
A book critic faces an author who is murderously unhappy by the review his gothic novel received. - While I enjoyed the critic's sense of humour, the implausibility of the story made me lower its score. At no point does the protagonist think of calling the cops for help. It is, however, a true gothic tale.

** “The Finger” by David SchowA man watches in surprise as a finger bone he finds slowly grows into a monster. - The reasonable tone of the narrator somehow makes this story feel less horrific than it is.* “Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes” by Lawrence BlockAn attractive woman, tired of the stares of men constantly following her, goes for a wild night on the town. - This story does a great job of showing the protagonist's discomfort and has a great ending.1/2 “Hush... Hush, Sweet Shushie” by Jay RussellA former child star's wild ex-wife asks him for help. - An intriguing story with several flashbacks to flesh out the characters and situation. * “The Gatecrasher” by R. Chetwynd-HayesA seance unleashes a spirit that possesses a man and makes him do terrible things. - It centres on a creepy premise that is skillfully told. ** “That Tiny Flutter of the Heart I Used to Call Love” by Robert Shearman
Karen's older brother Nicholas teaches her a ritual to perform on her dolls that affects her later in life. - A disturbing story with a sudden ending.

*** “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan PoeThe narrator's evil deed comes to haunt him. - A brilliant story.** “Got to Kill Them All” by Dennis Etchison
A game show host plans revenge on his cheating wife. - An interesting story with a chilling ending.

*** “Essence” by Mark MorrisA middle aged couple target a college girl at a pub. - A very disturbing story.* “The Beach” by Michael Kelly
A woman bemoans her loneliness and the loss of growing up. - A sad, somewhat bleak story.

** “Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper” by Robert BlochSir Guy Hollis asks a psychiatrist's help in tracking down Jack the Ripper in 1945 Chicago. - I rather enjoyed this story, though I predicted the ending. I should also point out that there is some now politically incorrect language used.** “See How They Run” by Ramsey Campbell
Mr. Foulsham is a juror at the trial of Mr. Fishwick. But his concerns about the case don't end when the trial does. - A compelling read.

** “Manners” by Conrad WilliamsA man living on his own has an unusual diet. - The ambiguous ending allows for a few interpretations of what's going on. (Though the author's byline implies that the obvious ending is the correct one.)* “Bryant & May and the Seven Points” by Christopher FowlerTwo detectives investigate a side show for a missing spy. - A highly detailed story. Easily solved, but intriguing nonetheless. * “All the Birds Come Home to Roost” by Harlan Ellison
Michael Kirxby laments his past relationships, before his former lovers, inexplicably, start looking him up again. - A strange but interesting story that ends too soon.

*** “Wide-Shining Light” by Rio YouersAfter separating from his wife, Martin attends a school reunion and meets up with his old best friend, Richard, who helps him get back on his feet in return for a favour later on. - A complex story with a satisfying conclusion. * “Feminine Endings” by Neil GaimanA man's love letter to his beloved. - A creepy story with a fantastic ending.* “Eater” by Peter CrowtherIt's nighttime at a precinct where three guards are watching a serial killer who ate his victims. - This is a terrifying story.** “Mister Mellor Comes to Wyside” by Peter Crowther
Mr Mellor visits a new town. - A continuation of the previous story, with equally horrific connotations.

*** “Failure” by Michael MarshallA man suspects that his son has taken a wrong turn in life regarding his treatment of women. - Fantastic plot with a great ending.* “The Only Ending We Have” by Kim Newman
The shower scene stand in for Hitchcock's Psycho flees the studio with something precious. - An unsettling story with parallels to Psycho.

** “Kriss Kross Applesauce” by Richard Christian Matheson
Mrs. Harris writes her annual Christmas letter. - The story's short but packs quite a punch.

Pros: lyrical writing, intricate and complex plot, exotic setting, Can's bitbots are cool

Cons: have to pay close attention (sudden flashbacks/memories, lots of minute details), minor character & place names are unusual and similar enough that they're easily confused when jumping between so many storylines (Ogun Saltuk, Selma Ozgun, Oguz, Ozer)

The novel is set in the Istanbul of 2027. Turkey is part of the EU. Nanotech is used to give people a mental edge, especially in businesses like trading and finance. And the lives of the people from the Dervish House at Adem Dede Square are about to change.

It all starts with a tram bomb. Necdet's on his way to work and is horrified when a woman blows her own head off. Traumatized by the event, he doesn't realize how badly he was affected by it until he starts seeing djinn everywhere.

Can Durukan, a 9 year boy, sends his computerized bitbot robots to the site of the bombing to see what he can see. Another robot attacks his and he's thrust into a mystery he's determined to solve.

Meanwhile, Ayse, an art dealer is offered a million Euro to find a legend, a Mellified Man.

Her husband has a deal of his own, a deal that could make him millions, or land him in jail.

Their stories and more intertwine to form a dazzling mosaic through 5 days in Istanbul. It's a sensory explosion, of names, places and actions. The plot becomes intricate fast, so pay attention when reading.

My only complaint was that so many names were similar enough between places and people, that when they were mentioned again I often couldn't remember who they were.

If you liked the lyricism of Guy Gavriel Kay's Under Heaven, you'll love The Dervish House.

Pros: excellent pacing and tension, nifty creatures

Cons: technology gets farcical, fun but stereotypical protagonists

For Parents: some violence

Will appeal more to kids than to adults. While it was a fun romp that made good use of the blog post format to help with pacing and tension building, by the end of the story the unbelievable technology and crazy creatures were a bit much for me.

Doug's guardian, Antie M, works for a secret weapon's laboratory. One night, while she's working late and he's playing videogames in the staff room, evil Dr. Roach and a group of mercenaries break in and steal equipment. Their goal: to digitize all the people in the world and create a utopic society using the protocal program and hotlink created by the lab.

As the first book in a series, this book introduces you to thirteen year old Doug - a boy who's not so good in school but rocks at videogames, and Jamie - a computer genious who wants to be a scientist when she grows up, and their Cyberskunk protectors.

The intended audience (10 and up) will love reading Doug's blog posts about how he's not responsible for the bombing of the medical facility near his town (actually the high tech weapon's laboratory). They'll love learning about the creation of the Cyberskunks and hearing about how Doug faces Dr. Roach and mercenary commander Hund. They'll sympathize with him when his digitized aunt comes online to tell him he has to finish his homework before doing another post.

Adults... well, it is a fun read, with some violence but otherwise no objectionable content. The short blog posts format helps create and maintain the tension in the story that's pretty intense anyway.

Pros: tight storytelling, several interesting viewpoints, complex characters

Cons: no book one synopsis/reminders

A year as Emperor hasn't brought Sarmin or his empire peace. His army, under General Arigu at the command of the previous emperor, has attacked Fryth. In an attept to mitigate the army's evils, Sarmin invites a Fryth envoy to discuss peace between their nations.

Cuious about the gifts of concubines he has received, Sarmin sends the untouchable Grada to follow the slave caravans that train the women.

Meanwhile, Sarmin's mother is worried that his new child will force the death of her own newborn son and a kitchen slave hears more than she ought while avoiding a fellow slave who likes to beat her. And Mesema finds Sarmin turning away from her as a dangerous emptiness spreads from Beyon's tomb.

If you haven't read the first book, The Emperor's Knife, you'll definitely need to before picking this book up. And if you haven't read the first book recently, you'll want to reread or skim it as this book has no recap for those with poor memories.

The writing is tight with several interconnected plots running through the book, showing various viewpoints. The characters are all complex, with some unrepentant scoundrels as well as serious growth by Sarmin and his mother.

As with the first book I highly recommend this series. And the ending really has me wishing the third book were already out.

Pros: fun, engaging protagonist, interesting alien races

Cons: takes Tula a long time to figure out something fairly obvious

For parents: kissing, some violence

Sixteen year old Tula Bane arrives on the Yertina Feray as a member of the Children of Earth on their way to colonize a new world. But when her questioning puts her at odds with their leader, Brother Blue, she's left for dead on the station as they move on.

Surrounded by numerous alien species who think little of isolationist humans, and with only limited knowledge of Universal Galactic, she wonders how she'll survive, let alone get her revenge on Brother Blue.

Tin Star is a fun, quick read. The protagonist is intelligent and quickly makes a place for herself on the station, with the help of another alien. It's interesting watching her interact with the various alien races and, when some humans arrive on the station, realize how little she now knows about her own kind.

The different alien races are only loosely described, allowing you some freedom in creating your mental image of them. Similarly, while it's clear that Tula learns how to understand them for trade purposes, a lot of their habits, customs, etc, are also left to your imagination. I personally enjoyed this, though I imagine some readers will wish for more descriptive and explanatory passages. The same goes for the political intrigues of the universe at large. Changes in the outside world affect the station, but - due to problems with their communications array - the station's information about the outside world is minimal.

There are minor romantic elements towards the middle of the book but the focus remains on Tula and her mission to get off the station.

My only complaint is that it takes Tula rather a long time to figure out something that seemed pretty obvious early on in the book. And that's a mild complaint as it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book nor did it seem the author was purposely making her blind. It's something a person in her circumstances wouldn't consider.

For parents wondering about content issues, there's no language or sex (though some scenes suggest sex may be happening off page, those passages can be interpreted either way). There's a little kissing and some minor violence (the protagonist is beaten in the first chapter).

The book is self-contained, but set up for a sequel. I really enjoyed this book and hope there's more to come.

Sixteen year old Nora is looking after her younger brother, keeping them both alive as they wander the wasteland that used to be the United States of America. Somehow, despite the horrors they've witnessed, her brother's held on to a sense of morality about how to treat others.

Twelve year old Julie Grigio is travelling with her parents, looking for the safe haven mentioned in the Almanac. But the Almanac is several months old, and news travels slowly while the zombie plague and other dangers spread much faster.

A dead man awakens near a river, unaware of everything. But as time passes, he remembers bits of his former life, even as a hunger starts to overtake him.

This is a prequel novella to Marion's zombie novel Warm Bodies. It's a self-contained story so if you haven't read the book, like me, you'll have no trouble following along or enjoying the story.

It's a pretty bleak tale, with some disturbing imagery (including some short but rather disgusting descriptions that I could have done without), but there's an underlying message of hope, that even when things are at their worst, some people continue to see the good in others and fight for a better world.

While on the longer side for a novella, it's still impressive how invested in the character you become. They're well fleshed out and interesting, with quirks, hopes and fears.

I've seen the film version of Warm Bodies, but this novella makes me want to read the book.

Pros: interesting characters, beautiful writing, heartwrenching story

Cons: will make you cry - a lot

When Sally, aka Monkey, was killed on the animal rescue farm where she was living with her daughter, she expected that to be the end of her story. But the ongoing stories of her estranged sister, curious niece, brother-in-law she was in love with, and catatonic daughter, prevent her from leaving.

Set in South Africa, the book has some speculative elements (the spirit watching over its family and the Sangoma that lives next door), but is essentially a story about family and dealing with loss. Sally's spirit follows several characters, allowing you to really get to know them. The family dynamics become more clear as time goes on, and you see how mistakes of the past compound and form emotional trials in the present. It's also highly effective that a lot of the story is told from the perspective of the 11 year old niece, who doesn't know what the word ‘genocide' means and has to look it up on her brother's computer and whose curiosity and nosiness subsequently gains her knowledge she's not ready for.

The writing is beautifully descriptive, with a lot of sensory information telling you how things look, smell and feel. The metaphors used are unique, but work within the context of the story. For example, “The morning sun beats through the muslin blinds of the bedroom window, making the room look as if it's been pumped full of golden gas”.

The ending, where you finally learn the extent of what happened at the farm when Sally dies, is gut-wrenching, but don't think that's the only sad part of the book. Books have made me cry in the past - for a chapter or two, when a character I loved died or something else irrevocably sad happened to them, but I haven't cried this hard in years. From the first few pages this book grabbed my heart strings and then kept pulling them over and over again.

I loved the portrayal of the Sangoma and how her story was resolved. I'm less sure about the massacre and the ‘black men are coming with machetes' message of the main story. I don't know enough about South Africa to know if this is still a modern fear or if the book plays on a remembrance of apartheid (which, though it feels like it happened a long time ago really didn't). But the book was written by a South African woman.

I loved this book. I loved the descriptive language. I loved the characters. I loved the setting. If you're looking for something different, give this a try.

Pros: compelling story, political machinations, minor romantic elements

Cons: slow opening

Conquest takes place roughly 16 years after the Illyri, a race similar to humans, take over the Earth. Syl, conceived among the stars and the first Illyri born on Earth, lives with her father, the governor of Britain and Ireland, in Edinburgh castle. On her 16th birthday she and a friend sneak out of the castle and encounter two human teenagers, members of the Resistance just as a bomb goes off on the Royal Mile. Events spiral into a series of political machinations that change the world as these 4 youths know it.

The book gets off to a slow start, as there's a lot of background information the reader needs to know in order to follow what happens after the bombing in Edinburgh. Once things start happening they happen fast. By page 100 I found that I couldn't put the book down, I was so invested in the characters and what was happening.

While a lot of the politics happen off stage, given the ages of the protagonist, there's still a fair amount of political maneuvering, among the humans (different resistance groups) but mainly among the Illyri (the sisterhood, the military and the diplomatic corps). It's the alien politics that fascinate, and I'm hoping the next book includes more information about the sisterhood.

There are a lot of SF elements borrowed from other sources, but the authors do a great job of using those elements in new ways. The addition of a burgeoning romance between one of the humans and Syl only enhances the difficulties the two races face. And the ending contained some great twists.

This book is more complex than humans: good, aliens: bad. Having protagonists on both sides makes both sides partly sympathetic. And partly not. It's a great start to a series.

Pros: fascinating premise, interesting protagonists

Cons: limited plot

400 years ago the Blast wiped out most of humanity. Now everyone is born as twins. One child, the Alpha, is perfectly formed. Alphas teach that the second child, the Omega, is born of the poisons that haven't entirely dissipated from the Blast, thereby explaining their deformities: a missing limb, an extra eye, the inability to speak. Visions. The Omegas, unpleasant to look at and more prone to disease, are sent away, but kept in decent enough conditions because when one twin dies, so does the other.

Cassandra is a seer, a rare Omega with no distinguishing features but the ability to sense things about the world around her. Raised with her twin brother Zach longer than usual, due to her unblemished appearance, both their lives are impacted. Zach's fear of Omegas and the rejection of his peers causes him to have ambitions that will change the lives of Omegas everywhere, starting with Cass.

I find myself somewhat conflicted about this book. I really liked the premise surrounding the twins and the political and ethical questions regarding the treatment of the Omegas, but there's very little plot. Most of the book is about Cass running away from her brother. That's not to say that the book isn't interesting, the characters pass through a cross-section of the world, and it's a very interesting world.

While I liked Cass and Kip - a fellow hunted Omega - I didn't end up with the emotional connection to them that I expected given the character driven nature of this book.

I liked that Cass had the idea that Alphas and Omegas shouldn't be considered separate groups, especially given their death connection, but the few times she brings it up her idea is shot down by others. I recognize how hard changing such ingrained beliefs would be and kind of hoped to see the author tackle it by having Cass bring it up more often, wearing her compatriots down or finding new and more concrete ways of getting her views across to more people. I'm wondering if book 2 will deal more with this.

The book was enjoyable to read but left me wanting more from it than I got.