The Kate Daniels series, books 1 to 6

Magic Bites, Magic Burns, Magic Strikes, Magic Mourns, Magic Bleeds, and Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews, (6 books - 1669 pages)

The Kate Daniels series takes place in a post-apocalyptic world that has, and is constantly ravaged by magic. Now this isn’t the fun kind of magic that you see in books like Harry Potter, this is wild magic. Magic that washes over the world in waves without any warning. Magic that stops technology, kills electricity and erodes buildings. With this apocalyptic onslaught comes various monsters, vampires, shapeshifters, and psychotic magic users. Kate’s job is to make sure the world doesn’t spiral further down the drain.

These books and this series, have quickly become favorites of mine. Not only do they feature a lot of action, some elements of steampunk, and well developed fantasy world, they also have a completely believable lead character. One that doesn’t have to survive by luck or rely on her friends, one that is willing to get the job done, sometimes in very gruesome ways.

I would highly recommend this series to everyone that has read anything fantasy by Kenyon, and want something with more action than lust.

The Infinite Sea

The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey, 3oo pages

Cassie and the Others are back!  The alien race known as the Others watched earth for thousands of years before their invasion which left only small groups of teenagers and children left as population: planet earth.  The second novel, The Infinite Sea, picks up right where The 5th Wave left off.   The action opens up with Cassie in an abandoned motel with a group of refugees from the Others' internment camp.  The rest of the novel reads basically as a war novel complete with recon missions, secret plots, traitors, psychological mind games, torture and true love with an alien (okay, maybe that last only happens in Yancey's dystopian future).    

A lot of reviewers of this book complained that it was too slow and contemplative and confusing.  As it is told through a series of flashbacks and through the perspective of multiple characters, I can understand the confusing part if you are not used to that style, but I really liked Yanceys's choice to let everyone share in the story.  I really liked how the focus expanded to include more of Ringer's story.  Don't get me wrong, Cassie is great and she is a survivor and all, but Ringer is badass!   For those who missed the focus on the Cassie/Evan love story, I would just say, war is dirty and confusing filled with long stretches of boredom interrupted by brief bursts of violence.  More importantly, wait for the third book!  In any trilogy, book two is a classic set up book for the showdown that is sure to come in book three (full disclosure: The Two Towers is my favorite LoTRs novel and Christmas Eve is my favorite holiday, so maybe I am an anticipation junky).
The 5th Wave was one of my favorite books of 2013, so I eagerly awaited its sequal.   At the beginning of the novel, I really struggled to remember all the characters from The 5th Wave (as in, I probably should have done a re-read because I totally forgot who everyone was) which made the beginning super challenging for me.  Once I got into Ringer's chapter, I couldn't put it down.  Also, the chess scene.  "Checkmate, bitches" is my new go-to line for everything. 

Immortal Empires books 1 and 2

God Save the Queen and The Queen is Dead by Kate Locke, 351 and 337 pages

These are the first two books in Locke’s Immortal Empire series. The series takes place in a semi modern day London with some key differences. The first being that Queen Victoria is a vampire with vampires as the ruling class. And secondly that there are werewolves and goblins.

The story follows a woman named Xandra a member of the Royal Guard and sworn to protect the nobility. But when her sister disappears everything starts to come apart. What follows is a journey that forces her to reexamine her deepest principles and beliefs. There is also a supernatural love story.

 Despite this series being somewhat corny and at times predictable I still found myself enjoying it. With multiple layers of story intertwining together in explosive ways(literally in some cases) the story was never dull and seemed to end faster that I would expect for 300+ page novel. I think people that enjoy supernatural romance novels would also enjoy this series, even with the romance taking the back seat.

Onyx Webb: Episode One: The Story Begins

Onyx Webb: Episode One: The Story Begins by Richard Penton & Andrea Waltz    130 pages

Sometimes I buy a book solely for its cover. If I had seen this short novel in my local indie bookstore, I would have been intrigued. The title would have made me leery, but on flipping through it, the antique photos of the main characters creeped me out enough to make me want to purchase it. Lucky for me, I didn’t have that conundrum. The authors sent me a copy.

At the beginning, it seems as if the book is told in vignettes without any rhyme or reason. But a few sections into it, the reader sees there is a pattern. The four main plot lines move between 1904 St. Louis (which is a favorite for me since I live in the Gateway City), Savannah 1979 and 2010, and Onyx’s 2012 journal. Each vignette is also divided by quotes from Onyx and other famous and not-so-famous personalities. While I cannot say I found the book spine-tingling, I was compelled to read…in fact, I read it in one evening.

The first story of Onyx and her daddy Catfish visiting the 1904 World’s Fair reminded me a lot of Erik Larsen’s Devil in the White City.  As I read, my spidey sense was getting that “this isn’t going to turnout well” sense.

The second story of Juniper and Quinn Cole also raised a few hairs. Child piano prodigy leaves all that behind as she grows up. We see her headed out to her high school prom, and again, my spidey sense starts getting nervous.

The third story is about a young man who manages to blow $20 million dollars in a short period of time. This one, well it didn’t give me the same anxious feeling the other two did.

The fourth plotline, Onyx’s journal, seemed out of place and just stuck in there. I’m sure it will start to gell in later episodes.

I have some issues with this structure: first, while there are resolutions, there is the overall sense that the whole story isn’t told.  I felt let down when I reached the end. The authors warned me: Episode One. I’m not sure that I would pick up Episode Two unless it was immediately available. Give me six months, and I won’t be interested. Second, the authors got some of their facts wrong (which drives me nuts): Tennessee Williams was wasn't born until 1911, and, therefore,  could not have been the “celebrated playwright” in attendance at the 1904 Louisiana Exposition. Arrggghhhhhh. Nor was there ever (that I could find), a St. Louis News Dispatch newspaper. Double arrggghhhhhhh. Third, there is the introduction of the Southern Gentleman near the end. I’m sure that’s to add spice and anticipation for Episode Two, but it annoyed me.

Overall, I’m not sure I would classify this as paranormal, but that could be confirmed I future volumes. The writers have talent, no doubt. I wish the story had been more linear with less creepy photos and quotes. Still I’m giving the story 4 stars…I liked it but I won’t be talking about it in six months.