Review: Identity Theft

Identity Theft by John Abramowitz

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy/Legal Thriller
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of urban fantasy and legal thrillers
Book Available: April 16, 2013
Trigger Warnings: murder, violence, mind control

My Thoughts: This is the second book in the Hunter Gamble series, following Atticus for the Undead (review linked here where formatting allowed).

So, the first book in the series ended by giving me a kick in the teeth. This one ended on a complete and total mindfuck. I mean... I literally finished reading, my eyes were as big as saucers, and I said, “Holy fuck.” Wow. What an awesome series this is shaping up to be! I wonder how many books Abramowitz plans to write? I wonder where he's going to go with this?

One of Abramowitz's strong suits is definitely characters. Flynn especially is one I really liked; his bow ties amused me, because I remember a lawyer I had in Portland, OR who, prior to a deposition, asked me and his receptionist whether he should go with a standard tie, or a bright-red bow tie. It was a joke, of course—he wore the regular tie—but I was reminded of this great memory by Flynn and his bow tie. I like where he's going with Sabrina, too, and Holly was an interesting addition to the group. Anyway, there really isn't a lot I can tell you, as these books are short novels and it would be easy to spoil them, but I think fans of urban fantasies and legal thrillers will love this interesting mashup of the two styles. This book should be available on April 16, so be sure to keep your eye open for it and grab a copy, and don't miss the first book in this series while you're at it. Highly recommended!

Disclosure: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: A man walks into the Texas Capitol. Shots ring out. A young aide lies dead. The killer's excuse? He was under a spell.

Sounds like a job for Hunter Gamble, right?

Wrong. After his disastrous "victory" in the trial of Samuel Pollard, Hunter has turned his back on defending oppressed vampires, mages, and zombies. Having accepted a position at his father's giant litigation firm, he's trying the glamorous cases, working in a corner office, and making a six-figure salary—and hating every minute of it.

As Hunter plots his exit strategy, he finds himself inexorably drawn to the case of the Capitol shooter, who is an old friend from law school. As he works to clear his friend, Hunter discovers that there is much more at stake in this case than whether one man was under a spell. Before long, he finds himself pulled into a magical conspiracy dating back to before the Unveiling—and with a singularly cold-blooded wizard at its heart.

The clock is ticking. The search for answers is on. And the author of Atticus for the Undead invites you to come along for the thrill ride—and get the magic back.



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Review: Atticus for the Undead

Atticus for the Undead by John Abramowitz

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy/Horror/Legal Thriller
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of horror and legal fiction and urban fantasy
Trigger Warnings: violent death

My Thoughts: I've had this book for over a year. Recently I was approached by a friend who runs blog tours to ask if I'd consider reviewing the 2nd book in this series, Identity Theft from an ARC copy. Since I already had this and another book by this author, and they sounded like the sort of thing I'd enjoy, I agreed. So, here we go!

This book's ending is a total kick in the teeth and completely unexpected, but wow, what a great story! Hunter is a very interesting character, full of idealism and anger over what he perceives to be injustice. I saw a lot of parallels with any type of civil-rights action you might consider: racial relations, GLBTQ issues, what have you. The book makes no secret that these issues are being addressed via the idea that people are prejudiced against those they perceive as “abnormal”. It's a very typical human reaction: if someone is different, that makes people afraid, and what humans fear, they seek to destroy. Age-old idea. As such it is often very uncomfortable to read the book, and that is yet another reason I enjoyed it so much; I like a story that will make me question and think and consider. So, a high recommendation from me, whether you enjoy horror, urban fantasy, or legal thrillers, this combines the best of the lot. Check it out, and watch for my review of the upcoming book Identity Theft next.

Disclosure: I picked up this book a bit over a year ago when it was on the Amazon KDP program because it sounded like the kind of thing I'd enjoy. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: The next chapter in the struggle for equal rights begins!

Hunter Gamble is an idealistic young attorney in a very special area of the practice: arcane defense. Funded by enigmatic billionaire Charles McClain and aided by shy-but-energetic research attorney Kirsten Harper, he's making the world a better place—one vampire, zombie, or werewolf client at a time. After all, they deserve their day in court too, right?

When a young zombie walks into Hunter's office accused of murder (by brain-eating), Hunter's idealism is tested as never before as he struggles to secure the man's freedom. To do so, he must square off against a savvy and ambitious district attorney, contend with a judge who is deeply biased against arcanes, and stand up to a human-supremacist group which will stop at nothing—not even Hunter's own death—to see his client convicted.



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Review: Midnight

Midnight by Stephen Leather

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy/Occult Detective
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of urban fantasy, esp. male-oriented, action-filled stories
Trigger Warnings: murder, ritual murder (including children), suicide

My Thoughts: This is the second book in the Nightingale series, following Nightfall (review linked here where formatting allowed).

I'm really enjoying this series, and definitely want to read the third book, Nightmare, when I have a chance. I don't actually have a copy yet, though, so that will have to wait.

Jack Nightingale is an interesting character. He's very self-centered and doesn't pay much attention to those around him, which can be intensely frustrating to said people; however, he's also very loyal and cares deeply for people, and is willing to go to outrageous extremes to try to help him. He also tends to make some pretty serious enemies, including Superintendent Chalmers, his old boss when he was on the force.

Despite the fact that this was an ARC it was quite well edited. This is a great series for people who enjoy more action-oriented, male-oriented type urban fantasies, which I definitely do. Check it out if that sounds like your sort of thing.

Disclosure: I received a paperback galley from the Amazon Vine Last Harvest program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: “Your sister is going to hell, Jack Nightingale.” Somehow, variations of that line keep former police negotiator Jack Nightingale's life careening in wild, unforeseen directions. And now, as a PI trying to put his life in perspective after his last go-round with the ultimate evil, the chilling phrase returns again. This time it is uttered by a dead woman hanging over a staircase, her neck broken by the laundry cord she tied around it before tossing herself over the banister. But Jack and his sister have been separated since birth! How can he save someone he's never met? Jack goes on the hunt for the sister he never knew, but everyone he talks to about her dies horribly. It's as if someone—or something—is determined to keep them apart. If he's going to save his sister, he's going to have to do what he does best: negotiate. But any negotiation with the forces of darkness comes at a terrible price, and first Jack must ask himself a question: is every soul worth saving?



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A number of random giveaways!

Here are six random giveaways you can enter. Please note: I am not responsible for providing the winner's copies. I am merely providing another outlet for these giveaways. Winners will be contacted by the official tour host for each giveaway. Good luck!

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Delays in Independent Reviews

Just a quick note, in case you've missed my notifications elsewhere.  The Amazon Vine program is changing their policy.  Whereas previously I could leave up to 20 percent of the books I received unreviewed, and could take my time to read and review them, now they are requiring 100 percent of the books received to be reviewed within 30 days, starting May 15.  I have 39 books, three audio books, and a computer program that I need to read/listen to/use and assess in the next 5 weeks, so unless I have promised I'd read the book as part of a blog tour, I am having to hold off reading any outside books for review until I've caught up on those Vine books.  My deepest apologies; some of you have already been waiting an exorbitantly long time.

If you want to check the status of your book, you can check your book's page on Goodreads and see what shelf I have your book on.  As long as that book is still on my "aa_read_review" shelf, you are still in line. If you see it on the "on_hold" shelf, that means I started it but wasn't in the mood and plan to try again in the future.  If it's on the "unfinished" shelf, I just could not enjoy it.  Odds are I left only a short review saying why I wasn't able to finish it, and I usually do not cross-post those to Amazon.  You can, of course, always contact me if you're taking part in a blog tour or promotion (after the end of May) and I'll do my best to coordinate my reading and review of your book with that time frame, but for now... it's all on the back burner.

My deepest apologies.

Patti Roberts Start Pack giveaway

Hopefully most of you who follow my blog know Patti Roberts; she is an awesome author, and general all-around super person.  She has two series going right now, the Paradox series and the Witchwood Estates serial novels, as well as being involved in the First Five Chapters project and other short story collections.  For those who haven't heard of her, what we're doing today will be an especially great way to start finding your way through her worlds, as we're giving away the first book in each of her series to two people.  Two winners will each receive a copy of Paradox: The Angels are Here and Witchwood Estate: Going Home.  Because it seems there is never enough time for me to do everything, I have only reviewed the first book in the Paradox series; you can read that review here.  Because I have followers all over the place, and because Amazon makes it difficult sometimes to gift books from them to disparate geographic regions (and Patti is in Australia), I'm giving the winner the option of receiving the e-book from Amazon or from Smashwords.  If you're unsure if you can receive a gift from Amazon, it'd probably better to go with Smashwords, as they don't have those sorts of restrictions and problems.

Anyway, below you'll find a Rafflecopter form (and a trailer and a nifty picture!), so just fill it out, watch the trailer, take a look through my links (I've linked Patti's blog here), and next week two lucky folks will be introduced into Patti's worlds.  Good luck!

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Review: Nightfall

Nightfall by Stephen Leather

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I actually finished this book over 12 hours ago, but then I crashed and went to sleep. So here's the review.

Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy/Occult Detective
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of fast-paced and darkly humorous urban fantasy
Trigger Warnings: murder, suicide, pedophilia

My Thoughts: After reading Once Bitten a couple years ago (review linked here where formatting allowed), I went through Stephen Leather's available books and added a number to my wishlist. When Midnight, the 2nd book in this series, came available through Vine, I saw it was on my list and grabbed it and then bought this book (first in the series). My point is I enjoy this author's writing style and expected something that was dark but with a touch of humor, and that was exactly what I received. The story is fast-paced and furious, often quite dark and nasty, but with unexpected bits of humor to lighten things just when it is most needed.

The only major problem I had was that there was some sloppiness in the editing department. Not spelling and grammar, but problems with inconsistencies in the plot. For instance, Jack explicitly says several times that the master bedroom in Gosling manor has been cleaned perfectly, leaving no traces of blood spatter or chalk, yet when he finds the CCTV viewing area and looks at it through the CCTV cameras, he describes seeing the outline of the body and the chalk on the floor. At another point, when he first meets Rebecca, she opens her mouth and he describes her mouth as having no tongue, only ulcerated gums, yet two paragraphs later her tongue is described as being coated and later she actually speaks. These sorts of things should have been caught and fixed well before publication.

But not everyone is likely to have noticed that, I suppose; it's just one of those things I noticed. There was also a comment that really started me thinking. Someone said, “Apparently quite a few people who dabble in the occult top themselves.” Weirdly enough, this sort of attitude seems to be fairly wide-spread, because I had a doctor tell me as much at one point. A lot of people seem to think that people who are involved in the occult or supernatural or consider themselves Pagan because despondent as a result (for some reason). I don't think that's the way things work at all. I think people who tend to be despondent about how the world is tend to turn toward the occult and supernatural and Paganism as a place to belong, as a place where they won't be constantly judged and have fingers pointed at them and told they are going to hell. I think these people are just a lot more likely to take their own destiny into their own hands and decide to move on to what comes next sooner out of a hope that it is better than the mess this world is in. That's what I think.

Anyway, this is a book that is more focused on a male readership, I think. The pace is fast and the characters are developed, but the plot is mostly focused on action and not talking, and that's just fine with me. I really enjoy these sorts of stories, and I'll probably end up buying the final book in this series for myself to read before too much more time passes. In the meantime, I'll be moving on to the 2nd book in the series, Midnight, next.

Disclosure: I bought this book for myself. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: ‘You are going to Hell, Jack Nightingale.’ They are the words that ended Jack Nightingale’s career as a negotiator with the Metropolitan Police. But two years later, when Nightingale is a struggling Private Eye, the words come back to haunt him. Nightingale discovers that he was adopted at birth and that his real father, a confirmed Satanist, sold Nightingale’s soul to a demon from Hell. And on his thirty-third birthday – just weeks away – the demon is coming to claim its prize. 



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Review: Rapture: Book Three of the Bel Dame Apocrypha

Rapture: Book Three of the Bel Dame Apocrypha by Kameron Hurley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Dark fiction/Science Fantasy
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of dark fiction, especially of the science-fantasy type, intricate world-building
Trigger Warnings: murder, violence, torture, attempted genocide

My Thoughts: In this book, the world of Umayma really opens up, and we find out a lot more about the countries mentioned in the previous books, as well as many countries and peoples that are new to both us and to the characters in the book, such as Kiranmey, by the Wall at the northern end of the desert. In an earlier review I said it looked like the planet generally followed a form of Islam, but that was a generalization based upon a few statements like, “We all follow the same God.”

As I learn more about the different peoples, however, it looks like Nasheen, Chenja and Tirhan have a form of Islam, while Mhoria might be a form of Judaism, and Ras Tieg sounds like it is Catholicism. Drucians show up in this book, and I'm suspecting they aren't human, or at least not the same type of human as the rest of the world, but there is no information about their religious beliefs other than that they worship multiple gods, and the desert nomads, Kharians (I think; it's hard to keep track of all of them) have some mysterious and pagan sort of belief where it is hinted they worship wind and sand. The Mhorians segregate the genders to the point that M/M relationships are not only acknowledged, but preferred, and the Nasheenians tend to prefer F/F relationships and have a lot of disdain for men. Tirhan allows up to 4 wives per man, and the desert nomads and Drucians allow multiple husbands (or at least two). It's amazing to see this sort of variety; I'm not aware of any modern society that allows multiple husbands on Earth, although I believe some of the African tribes once did something like this.

To make it even more interesting, people on this world have evolved a form of magic dealing with insects and others have developed a form of shape-shifting; mostly into a single other creature, but in some extremely rare cases they are not limited at all and can shape-shift into anything, while other people have mutated in different ways. Basically, reading this series and figuring out the different peoples is like a particularly fascinating anthropology project. And you really do need to read the whole series before you even begin to have a feeling for the world outside of Chenja and Neeshan; that information is provided in dribs and drabs throughout the series, but more is given in this third book than in the first two combined. I would love to learn more about this world and its peoples; I wonder if the author could be enticed to write a sort of atlas of Umayma? That would be really cool, and I would definitely buy it. If nothing else, I do hope the series continues, because I'm sure there is a great deal yet to learn about this world. Maybe some prequels, or move on to other characters, unless Nyx is somehow re-made, because she's becoming pretty old for these types of things. Of course (speaking of age), apparently First Families can lives for centuries; one character mentions an “older” man and then later recognizes him as her great-grandfather's brother! Some of the details that come out regarding the First Families and how the world was settled are fascinating tidbits; again, I would love to know more.

At any rate, it's a pity that the problems that Night Shade is experiencing is putting the future of this series in jeopardy, because it is a really good one. I do hope the author will find a way to continue it, I really do. There is so much more to learn about this world, these people, and how it all fits together. Nyx may be retired, but there are other characters, and other stories to be told. I have seen the quality of these books improve with each story, and it is just now, in the third book, that the whole series is really coming into its own. Highly recommended for fans of dark fiction, well-crafted science-fantasy stories, and intricate world-building.

Series Information: Rapture is the third book in the Bel Dame Apocrypha (also sometimes called the God's War series). There is no word on whether the series will continue or whether this is the end of it.
Book 1: God's War, review linked here where formatting allowed
Book 2: Infidel, review linked here where formatting allowed

Disclosure: I received an e-galley from Night Shade Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: After years in exile, Nyxnissa so Dasheem is back in action in service to the bel dames, a sisterhood of elite government assassins tasked with eliminating deserters and traitors. The end of a centuries-long holy war between her country, Nasheen, and neighboring Chenja has flooded the streets of Nasheen with unemployed—and unemployable—soldiers whose frustrations have brought the nation to the brink of civil war.

Not everyone likes this tenuous and unpredictable "peace," however, and somebody has kidnapped a key politician whose death could trigger a bloody government takeover. With aliens in the sky and revolution on the ground, Nyx assembles a team of mad magicians, torturers,and mutant shape-shifters for an epic journey across a flesh-eating desert in search of a man she's not actually supposed to kill.

Trouble is, killing is the only thing Nyx is good at. And she already left this man to die...



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Review: Infidel

Infidel by Kameron Hurley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Dark fiction/science fantasy
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: fans of dark fiction, deep thoughts.
Trigger Warnings: killing, biological warfare, murder and torture (including of children)

My Thoughts: This is the second book in the Bel Dame Apocrypha series, following God's War (review linked here where formatting allowed). The third book was recently released, and it is called Rapture.

This book is very dark, but there were rare moments of humor that brought a laugh out of me, like this one: “Nyx had finished off a fifth of vodka for breakfast, since she'd sworn off whiskey.” I really enjoy Kameron Hurley's descriptions, too, such as, “...Suha spit and mutter and bang around the hub like a woman possessed by gun-loving angels.”

At its root, I am starting to believe this book is very much about a world at war with itself and unable to find a way to stop fighting. As Nyx says, “All you do is learn how to fight a war... Nobody ever teaches you how to stop.” As such, the story is very dark, and very intricate, since there are several disparate groups of people involved at different levels. Definitely a book that needs to be read at its appropriate point in the series; not to be read on it's own. If you like a dark story that will make you think, then definitely check out this book, and this series.

Disclosure: I bought this e-book for myself. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Nyx is a bodyguard in Mustallah, the capital city of Nasheen. The centuries-long holy war between Nasheen and Chenja is taking its toll, with shortages and rationing causing the Queen to lose power and popularity. While protecting the daughter of a Ras Tiegan Diplomat, Nyx is attacked by a group of assassins. Nyx survives, but begins to suffer from a strange, debilitating condition that nobody can identify. Caught up in a whirl-wind of intrigue involving Bel Dame Assassins plotting against the Queen, Nyx must learn who the rouge Bel Dame is, and find a cure for her illness, while avoiding the wrath of the queen she is trying to protect. The danger that swirls around her may have finally become to much, and Nyx's colleagues and friends began to die. Will Nyx be next?



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Review: Resonance

Resonance by A.J. Scudiere

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Please note: I read this book in August 2011 after winning a copy via LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review. I'm just adding some formatting.

Truth Behind the Tale: According to geological records, the Earth’s magnetic pole switches about every 60 million years. The last such swap was about 65 million years ago – about the same time as the last massive dinosaur die-out. The Earth is 5 million years overdue …

My Synopsis: The story revolves around a group of scientists and doctors – Jordan and Jillian are physicians with the CDCP who work under Dr. Landerly; David is a geologist; and Becky is a biologist. Each of them start noticing things around the same time – Jordan and Jillian notice that people are slipping into comas after being hit by what appears to be some sort of stomach flu and not waking up; David finds evidence of a magnetic reversal being responsible for the die-out of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, and further evidence hinting that the same thing has happened about every 60 million years; and Becky finds a small area in the Tennessee backwoods with a large number of mutated frogs. There doesn’t seem to be any connection, until the four coincidentally meet up and pool their resources – what they discover is terrifying. The world is due for another magnetic reversal, and it appears to be starting.

My Thoughts: Some reviewers have mentioned that they found the beginning slow and the ending abrupt. I found the beginning to be fascinating as each group makes their discoveries and tries to figure out what is happening. The middle I found incredibly confusing – there is some really weird stuff going on and nobody seems to understand what is happening. But it is all explained, so don’t let the weirdness scare you off – the idea Scudiere comes up with is both fascinating and really scary, but at the same time incredibly nifty! The ending was a bit abrupt – there is no real discussion about the overall effects of the magnetic reversal upon technology, for instance. It seems to me that the magnetic upheaval would have wreaked havoc upon computer systems and networks, as well as the guidance systems and so forth, but this isn’t mentioned and once the actual snap occurs, everything is business as usual. Nonetheless, I found it a very enjoyable read and would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good bio-medical sci-fi thriller. Check it out!



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