The Last Necromancer by C.J. Archer (with Giveaway!)

Five years ago Charlotte Holloway accidentally raised her mother from the dead. Shocked and afraid, her vicar father declared her the devil’s child and banished her from his home. Forced to live on the streets Charlotte reinvented herself in order to survive. Posing as a 13-year-old boy “Charlie” is a valued thief in rag-tag, cutthroat gang of kids.

Nabbed for stealing an apple from a street cart Charlie is thrown in a group jail cell. The men inside decide Charlie is fresh and tender meat, and they want to take a bite. When a stranger tries to defend her he is killed – and Charlie’s necromancy saves her. She and her creation escape the rapists, the cell, and the prison, but incidents like that get talked about. Now Charlie is being hunted…and so is Charlotte.

The Last Necromancer is a riveting novel set in the Victorian era. Archer has constructed a captivating Gaslight plot, layered it with paranormal elements, and filled it with mysterious and interesting characters. Charlie is likable, believable, and sympathetic. Lincoln Fitzroy, head of a secret organization and Charlie’s likely love interest in future novels, is shadowy and secretive – provoking the reader’s curiosity. Seriously. I’ve already pre-ordered book two, Her Majesty’s Necromancer so that I can find out what happens next (and if they will ever kiss!!). 

I loved this book and have already purchased the second title in the series - seriously, it was that good. If you find the review intriguing and want to read more...enter this Giveaway for your very own digital (INTL) or paperback copy (US only)!! Just leave a comment to enter. This contest ends September 7th, the winner announced ont this blog entry by September 9th, and the book will be sent out at the end of the month.

If you just can't wait for the contest's results you can purchase your own copy at Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Read more about C.J. Archer, and the sequel, on Goodreads.

Archer, C.J. The Last Necromancer. Amazon Digital Services, 2015. 5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in the review are mine alone. 

Love in the Time of Scandal by Caroline Linden: Review and Giveaway!!

Publisher's Blurb: 
Penelope Weston does not like Benedict Lennox, Lord Atherton. He may be the suave and charming heir to an earl, as well as the most handsome man on earth, but she can’t forget how he abandoned a friend in need-nor how he once courted her sister, Abigail. He’s the last man she would ever marry. If only she didn’t feel so attracted to the arrogant scoundrel…

Once upon a time, Benedict thought he and Penelope got along rather well. But, though he needs a wealthy bride to escape his cruel father’s control, spirited Penelope just doesn’t suit his plans for a model marriage -- until a good deed goes awry, and scandalous rumors link his name to Penelope’s. She might not be the quiet, sensible wife he thought he wanted, but she is beautiful…beguiling…and far more passionate than he ever imagined. Can a marriage begun in scandal become a love match, too?

Penelope is another wonderful historical heroine: intelligent, stubborn, and independent. Though she grew up mingling with the aristocracy her father is in trade, tarnishing her appeal to eligible bachelors even as her fortune draws less savory, less authentic, suitors. She has seen true love and wants nothing less for herself. When circumstances force her into marriage with a man she doesn't like (even if he is oh, so sexy) she doesn't whine or complain. Instead she strives to make it a real marriage. 

I really, truly enjoyed this historical romance. I loved Linden's subtle riff on Fifty Shades of Grey (it seems there's an explicitly written series of pamphlets working the ladies of the ton into quite a heated dither!) and appreciated that it's inclusion adds to the plot but isn't the focus. The character's motivations and backstories were believable, and the skillful writing pulled me into the story. This is the third title in the series but can be read as a standalone. 

Continue following the Tasty Reads Tour to see what other reviewers think of this fantastic novel, and add the entire series to your Goodreads list (which is what I will be doing later today). 

Purchase your copy of Love in the Time of Scandal at your favorite online retailer:  Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo  

Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below!

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Linden, Caroline. Love in the Time of Scandal (Scandalous #3). New York: Avon, 2015. 5 Stars.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in the review are mine alone. The giveaway is national and not managed by Fun-Size Reads, nor does Fun-Size Reads have any influence on choosing the winner.

Kady Cross' Sisters of Blood and Spirit

Twins Lark and Wren Noble couldn’t be more different. While their features are exactly the same, Wren has straight hair naturally colored a vivid red, which matches her vibrant personality and energy. Lark has a more muted personality and stark white blond hair. Oh, and Wren is dead. She was born dead. But she’s always been by her sister’s side. Wren’s the one who went for help when Lark tried to commit suicide. She protected Lark in the psych ward, making sure human orderlies and other ghosts didn’t hurt her sister when the anti-psychotic drugs made her vulnerable. Now Lark is back in school, trying to ignore the stares and whispers from fellow students, and pretending that Wren was a hallucination that she’s been cured of seeing. Some people know differently, though. Kevin, the medium Wren ran to for help when her sister cut her wrists; Mace, the guy Kevin called to go check on Lark; and the twins’ grandmother, who they now live with since their mom couldn’t handle Lark’s level of crazy.

When Roxi approaches Lark AND acknowledges Wren, Lark begins to have some hope that she could make a friend post-asylum. However, Roxi is just trying to lure Lark to a meeting with Mace - who she's been avoiding - and some of their other friends from school. It seems that the group has done something stupid. Cutting across the grounds of an old asylum one night they managed to piss off a malevolent spirit. They were marked, and now the ghost can reach them wherever they go, leaching energy out of them, haunting them, possessing them, even killing them. Of course, they don’t know that. One look and Lark can see it, though. Mace is asking Lark - and Wren - for help. He can feel that something is wrong even if his friends don’t, he believes in Wren, and he knows that the twins are their only hope for fighting the ghost off. Lark feels obligated to help Mace, but she and Wren have no idea what they’re going up against.

I picked up this book because it was by Kady Cross. I LOVE her Steampunk Chronicles and the Immortal Empire trilogy (adult books written under the name Kate Locke). Those novels were extremely entertaining, well written, and revealed a fantastic imagination. I had high hopes for this new novel, even though it was a departure from her steampunk worlds.

I wasn’t disappointed. Sisters of Blood and Spirit is all of the things you want in a novel. Told in first person point of view by both Lark and Wren (in alternate chapters) the narrative pulls the reader in on the very first page. The primary and secondary characters are really well thought out and have depth and purpose within the novel - providing a great framework for the twins. The story moves quickly, each scene advancing the plot and pulling the reader in even more. And did I mention that it has just the right amount of creepy without really falling into outright horror? Which is good, because I like to sleep at night. 

Cross, Kady. Sisters of Blood and Spirit. New York: HarlequinTeen, 2015. 5 Stars.

Uprooted by Naomi Novik: A folktale for adults

The Dragon, a powerful and fearsome wizard, protects the valley from the evil, encroaching Wood and the deadly creatures that inhabit it. As payment for this protection The Dragon chooses one girl every decade and takes her back to his tower. No one knows what happens at the tower, but after ten years the girl is returned, alive…but irrevocably changed. 

Kasia has been groomed all her life to be the next chosen. She is beautiful, graceful, and well-mannered; everything her best friend Agnieska is not. Agnieska loves her home, despite the ever-present malevolence of the Wood that borders her village. Clumsy, awkward, and stubborn, she too knows Kasia will be chosen, and already mourns the loss of her only friend.

When the choosing day arrives and The Dragon paces down the line of waiting girls it is Agnieska that causes him to pause. It is Agnieska that The Dragon, grudgingly, takes. Whether she wants to or not, Agnieska is about to find out what happens in that tower.

I have so many feels for this book that it is actually difficult to review. For me, Uprooted turned back time to my childhood, when I devoured fairy stories and folktales. It is as if Novik channeled the Grimm brothers and Andrew Lang as she was writing, creating a wonderfully faceted folktale for adults that is so reminiscent of those childhood stories that I had to research to find out if it was, indeed, a retelling of a traditional story (it isn't). This is no child’s book, however. It’s darker. And better. And it should be at the top of your to-read list.

Uprooted. Novik, Naomi. New York: Random House Publishing, 2015. Publication Date: May 19, 2015. 5 Stars

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in the review are mine alone. 

Mythology is twisted in Jenna Black's Dark Descendant

Nikki Glass, private investigator, is on a date. A really bad date. So when her client calls and asks her to meet him at a cult leader’s house to pick up his brainwashed girlfriend, Nikki ignores her gut instinct and leaps at the excuse to ditch her date. Nikki should have listened to her gut.

When Nikki arrives at the house she puts herself in the hands of men who believe themselves to be immortal, powerful progeny of gods. These psychopaths tell Nikki she’s the descendant of Artemis, and by mowing down one of their merry band of maniacs with her car she’s taken his immortality for herself. Trapped at their mercy in a tiny basement cell Nikki is sure they’re all insane…except that the mortal wounds she incurred in the car accident have healed. Now Nikki has to make a choice, stay with these guys (none of whom she trusts and one of which is actively trying to kill her) or join the Olympians, a group of descendants who want to use her supernaturally powerful manhunting skills (thanks, Artemis) to track down people they want to kill.

This urban fantasy novel starts off with a bang and the action doesn’t stop. It’s an original premise skillfully written, with intriguing characters that engender emotion. For those who have triggers, I should point out that the plot is gritty and violent and occasionally disturbing, but all of these elements are pivotal to the story. If you’re a fan of Jeanine Frost or Patricia Briggs, or badass females, you’ll definitely enjoy Dark Descendant. 

Note: I read the audiobook version of this novel and highly recommend it. 

Black, Jenna. Dark Descendant (Nikki Glass #1). New York: Pocket Books, 2011. Five stars

Review of Maplecroft by Cherie Priest, or, Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave Cthulu 40 whacks...

Infamous Lizzie Borden and her sister, Emma, live an odd life in Fall River, Massachusetts. Though Lizzie was acquitted of the murder of their father and stepmother the verdict was not the end of the sisters’ troubles. Mrs. Borden’s sea glass necklace still whispers from the depths of the pit under the cellar, and strange predatory creatures, perhaps drawn by the sea glass’ hypnotic call, come to Maplecroft in the night. As they are the only ones aware of the deadly creatures invading the town of Fall River Lizzie cannot, in good conscience, leave the area unprotected. She spends most of her time researching ways to destroy the things. Her experiments, trials, and tests have all failed. So far, the only success she’s had is hacking them to pieces with her axe. And still more come tapping, slapping, at the walls of Maplecroft, looking for a way in.

Meanwhile Emma, a frail woman stricken with consumption, does her own research on marine biology. She picks up samples from the beach and studies them, writing articles for prominent journals and corresponding with biologists and professors under the pseudonym E.A. Jackson. She sends a particularly interesting, and odiferous, sample to biology professor Phillip Zollicoffer at Miskatonic University, a frequent correspondent.

Professor Zollicoffer, despite Emma’s warning about the sticky smell that accompanies her find, examines the sample without gloves or protective clothing. He is immediately fascinated by what it could be. He feels compelled to “take care” of it, entranced by it’s tentacular, slimy beauty and immune to it’s horrid stench. He names the creature Physalis Zollicoffris and quickly succumbs to her allure, following her instructions and catering to her desires. 

And as Zollicoffer begins his descent into madness Fall River experiences a wave of violence and illness, and the creatures multiply. 

This novel was incredibly creepy and very well written. The basic facets of Lizzie Borden’s historical record are expanded with fiction and interlaced with Lovecraft’s peculiar mythos and creatures. This weirdly wonderful blending of history and horror is told gradually in journal entries and letters by several characters, each delivering their perspective on the story, enriching the narrative and creating a sense of intimacy for the reader. The deliberate pacing and gothic tone of the novel create a feeling of unease in the back of the mind that grows as the novel progresses. I highly recommend this shiver-inducing novel.

Priest, Cherie. Maplecroft (The Borden Dispatches Series, Book 1). New York: ROC, 2015. 5 stars. 

Pirate's Alley by Suzanne Johnson: Review and interview!!

I was lucky enough to get an advance readers copy of this book and...OMG!!!

Wizard sentinel DJ Jaco thought things might settle down, at least a little bit. No such luck, since New Orleans post-Katrina is still full of the preternatural, and they really don't get along. The major factions, the elves, the vampires, and the fae, are trying to create a council that will rule the city together. If they can't make this work, it could mean war.

Meanwhile DJ is assigned a simple guard/spy duty. Unfortunately her "client" is the sexy pirate Jean Lafitte, who has just returned from his latest "death" with vengeance foremost in his mind. He's sneaky and doesn't play fair, and he has the council - and DJ - very worried.

As if this weren't enough, New Orleans is experiencing some very unusual weather - it's freezing, snowing, sleeting, etc. Eugenie, DJ's best friend, also has an unusual condition to report - and this one will test loyalties. While DJ is on the side of what's best for her friend, her shifter boyfriend, Alex, is firmly on the side of duty. For him everything is black and white, no matter the consequences for the people involved.

This installment of Sentinels of New Orleans was absolutely amazing. I loved getting sucked back into DJ's world even as the suspense almost killed me. I stayed up late reading, totally unaware of the time, because I just had to see what happened next. And the ending...WOW! I cannot wait to read book five! (Seriously. I'll be stalking the author's blog for teasers and hints.)

Johnson, Suzanne. Pirate's Alley (Sentinels of New Orleans Book 4). New York: Tor Books, 2015. Publication Date: April 21, 2015. 5 stars. 

Speaking of the author, I asked Suzanne Johnson five questions. Her absolutely honest answers may surprise you...

What song makes you dance no matter where you are? 

It varies according to what I’ve been listening to the most. Lately, it’s “Embarque ma Belle” by Kaïn, a Canadian band. The song’s about ten years old, but even if you don’t understand the lyrics, I defy you not to at least dance in your chair ☺.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure TV show? 

Er...um...sigh. “General Hospital.” I DVR it. Don’t judge. How long is it gonna take for poor Jason to regain his memory? And Elizabeth’s toddler, Aidan, has been napping upstairs for over a year!

What is your writing process? Do you outline and block out scenes, write the whole thing chronologically, or piece it together? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I don’t plot down to the color of the draperies, but I do map out every scene before I start writing it and know the beginning, ending, and major turning points and relationships in the book before I start. I spend about 2-3 weeks plotting before I start writing, then go straight from beginning to end.

Are you a collector? What do you collect? What would you collect if money and space were no option?

I’m a fickle collector. I collect obsessively, then get swayed by another shiny thing to collect and abandon the previous one. I’ve collected and sold collections of dolls, colonial blue thumbprint Fenton glass, and Early American Pattern Glass. Currently, I seem to be obsessively collecting art supplies. 

What traits have you picked up from your parents? 

I am a leg-jiggler, like my dad was. The creative streak comes from my mom, and, like her, I dabble in art. I come by stubborn honestly, from both of them.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in the review are mine alone. 

Spy novels aren't just for adults

Author Ally Carter's newest series is the culmination of her writing career (so far). The wit of Gallagher Girls, the intrigue of Heist Society, and the plots of both are combined with a whole lot of action and great characters. The result is perfect for Carter's current fans and teens who just like good stories. 

The Gallagher Girls series was a well-written, very funny series about teenage girls who go to a special boarding school. It looks like any other expensive boarding school, but really it’s a school for spies. Carter combined the insanity of being a teenager with the idea of teaching those same girls 24 ways to kill a man (one of which involves uncooked spaghetti) and then gave them mysteries to solve. The resulting plots and hijinks were riveting and hysterical. 

The Heist Society upped the stakes. In this series a teenage girl just wants to be normal, but gets pulled back into a life of high-stakes crime when her father disappears. Carter’s writing style matured and so did the plotline.

All Fall Down is the first book in Carter’s new series, Embassy Row. Grace, our main character, witnessed her mother’s death three years ago. Everyone says it was just an accident, but Grace knows her mother was murdered. After three years of psych evaluations and medication and people telling her she was wrong (i.e. crazy), she has learned to keep her thoughts to herself. 

When her military father is posted to a base that isn’t safe for families 16-year-old Grace is sent to live with her grandfather, the U.S. Ambassador to Adria. Adria could have been a new beginning, with new friends and the potential for romance. It might have been just that, too, if Grace hadn’t caught a glimpse of the very man who killed her mother; the man with the scar down the left side of his face. Now she’s lying to her friends, following a trained assassin through ancient tunnels, and generally risking her life to not only prove she isn’t crazy, but to stop the Scarred Man from murdering someone else. 

All Fall Down is skillfully written and plotted. Grace is a likable, intelligent, and witty character. Her new friends, Noah, Rosie, and Megan, are intriguing and I can’t wait to get to know them better. As for Alexi, well, WE know he isn’t just watching over Grace as a favor to her brother, even if she doesn’t realize it yet. And those plot twists at the end have me ready for book two NOW. Full of teenage drama and high emotion (hey, I'd be upset, too, if everyone thought I was crazy), this book is a must read for teens who like mysteries.

Carter, Ally. All Fall Down. New York: Scholastic Press, 2015. 5 Stars.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in the review are mine alone.