Review: Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed

May 162012

Throne of the Crescent Moon is the debut novel from Saladin Ahmed, who has been a finalist for both the Nebula and Campbell awards. It was released February 7th, 2012 by DAW books.

The Blurb

The Crescent Moon Kingdoms, land of djenn and ghuls, Khalifs and killers, is on the brink of civil war. To make things worse, a series of brutal supernatural murders strikes at the heart of the Kingdoms. And it’s up to Doctor Adoulla Makhslood to solve them.

“The last real ghul hunter in the great city of Dhamsawaat,” Adoulla just wants a quiet cup of tea. But when an old flame’s family is murdered, he is drawn back to the hunter’s path. Recruiting old companions and new, Adoulla races against time–and struggles against his own misgivings–to discover a plot for the Throne of the Crescent Moon that threatens to turn Dhamsawaat, and the world itself, into a blood-soaked ruin. [On Goodreads]

The Review

Y’know. I had this whole 2,000 word review all typed up where I ranted about a review of this book that, essentially, called it misogynistic and shit writing. But I don’t feel like editing that crazy rage-fest.

So here’s what I’ll say instead: that review was wrong. So very, very wrong. I admit, there was one moment while reading this book where I had a fly-off-the-handle-feminist moment. Then, I took a step back, a deep breath, and realized that one stray thought by a character balanced against the incredible ass-kicking action of all the females in this book makes my initial knee-jerk invalid.

Does this novel fail the Bechdel test? Erm. Without double checking to be 100% sure, I’m gonna say – yeah, it does. Are there about a bajillion other fantasy novels out there that are also Bechdel fails but that are just as worthy of a read? Also yep.

So why read this one? Because it’s worthy in a different way. Ditch your European-grown fantasy roots and saddle up for something a little more “birthplace of civilization” flavored. Did I fall in love with this novel? I have to admit that, no, I didn’t. Did I enjoy it? Yep, quite thoroughly actually and I found it completely worth the time I invested in it.

There’s just one piece of my rage-fest rant that I have to relate here. One of the beefs the review I read had (and to which I am not going to link to here) was that one of the main female characters is a sort of were-lion and her powers are inaccessible to her during menses. So, of course, there was a bit of feminist rage about “OMG why does she have to be powerless three days out of the month simply because she’s a woman that’s so misogynistic!!!1!one” (paraphrasing, not a direct quote).

To which I say:

1) Traditional mythology, fable, and even other fantasy books all have tons of references to a woman’s power being tied to her menstrual cycle. This is not new, and ranting simply because a MAN dared to use it as a plot device is, frankly, in my opinion very silly.

2) Why do we even have to look at it as “She’s being stripped of her power for being a woman!” at all? For one: her power is being limited, which can only be a good thing. She is still a bad-ass, shape-shifting lion who kicks ALL KIND OF ASS during all the crazy fight scenes. (Seriously – super exciting fight scenes!) Remember “absolute power corrupts absolutely”? How about, “unlimited power makes for a boring fucking character”? (Hm. Sounds like something Chuck Wendig would say, but I digress.) Her power is being limited in a way that not only makes sense within the confines of the world, but it’s being done in such a manner that she’s forced to look at the world not as an animal but as a human being and, yes, a woman. Which brings me to my next point…

3) Why is it okay for other fantasy writers (even men) to write werewolves as creatures who are tied to the same sort of lunar cycle but not in this case? Because this author came right out and tied it to menses instead of being coy about it? Honestly, I’d rather have it this way. At least it gives some sort of vaguely scientific reasoning – more so than “the moon made her turn into a monster!”.

Creating a strong feminine character doesn’t mean stripping her of everything that makes her a woman. In fact, that’s quite the opposite. I see the author here creating a character who, while being constrained by the fact that yes, she is actually female, works within those limitations to become that much more powerful. Which is how it works in real life, isn’t it?

Bottom line: do you want another cookie-cutter, leather-wearing, bed-hopping Bond knock-off with an X chromosome or would you like to maybe see an actual girl dealing with all the things a girl has to deal with? Which includes, for those unwilling to face it (both in fantasy reviews and in modern politics!), menstruation and thinking about child-bearing.

Argh. I swore I wouldn’t rant, and I did it anyway.

One of my favorite things about this book is that our heroes are mostly old people (there are a couple of young ones, a displaced youth and an apprentice, but they are rash and young and smartly idiotic in the way that only teenagers really can be). It’s refreshing to see a fantasy that ISN’T a coming-of-age story. Our hero, Adoulla, is around sixty and world-weary and feeling ready for his long-overdue (at least in his opinion) dirt-nap when we meet him. There is a charm to the elderly in that they are fearless and unafraid of looking foolish (whether it is being overly sentimental about worldly possessions or absurdly proud of their own flatulence). This book captures that perfectly, and I hope to have 1/10th the sass at that age that any of these characters do.

Just read this book. Especially if you enjoy unique fantasy settings, such as N.K. Jemisin’s The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms or Brandon Sanderson’s A Way of Kings. It’s worth it, and it’s a fraction of the size of other door-stopper fantasies written by the likes of Rothfuss, Jordan, Sanderson, et al. You can read it in a weekend, form your own opinion, and wedge your mind open just the tiniest of fractions. It’ll be good for you. But don’t take it from me. Read the damned book already and stop taking advice from opinionated strangers on the internet!

Review: Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig

Books, Reviews 3 Responses »

Apr 232012

This book will be released April 24th, 2012 from Angry Robot. It is the first in a new series from Chuck Wendig, the foul-mouthed penmonkey behind the website Terrible Minds.

The Blurb

Miriam Black knows when you will die. She’s foreseen hundreds of car crashes, heart attacks, strokes, and suicides.

But when Miriam hitches a ride with Louis Darling and shakes his hand, she sees that in thirty days Louis will be murdered while he calls her name. Louis will die because he met her, and she will be the next victim.

No matter what she does she can’t save Louis. But if she wants to stay alive, she’ll have to try. [Goodreads]

The Review

Blackbirds is a hauntingly macabre book. It was so intense that I read it in two nights, which I spread over three days. I had to take a night off in the middle just to recover from all the violence. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is ugly and vicious and cruel, actually, and that fingernail’s edge of hope that Wendig gives us may not be enough for some readers.

The prose is visceral and brutally beautiful. Miriam is a wonderfully flawed character who moves through her life like a tidal wave. Her path rains destruction down on everyone around her, but she is helpless to stop it. Imagine knowing that the people kindest to you in your life are destined to die horribly and the more you try to stop it, the more inevitable that death is. Now imagine living with that for a few years.

Miriam’s story is a disturbing and fascinating look at the fatal romance of inevitability and finality. In fact, “fatal” is the perfect word for Miriam. She’s caught in the twin grips of fate and death. No. Not death, but dying. That’s an important distinction. Miriam’s “gift” is not concerned with what comes after life, but only with those final, horrifying moments of leaving it.

Wendig does dark and brutal very, very well. His Atlanta Burns novella, Shotgun Gravy was similar in tone. I now find myself perversely wishing that I could read a light-hearted Wendig story, just for contrast sake.

Rating:

Review: The Gathering of the Lost by Helen Lowe

Books, Reviews 6 Responses »

Apr 092012

This is the second book in Helen Lowe’s The Wall of Night series. It was released March 27th in the US.

The Blurb

Garrisoned by the Nine Houses of the Derai, the towering mountain range called the Wall of Night is all that separates the people of Haarth from the terrible Darkswarm.

Five years have passed since the Wall was breached and the Keep of Winds nearly overrun. Five years since the Heir of Night, Malian, and her friend and ally Kalan went missing in the wild lands of Jaransor.

Now, in Haarth’s diverse southern realms, events are moving. From the wealthy River city of Ij to the isolated Emerian outpost of Normarch, rumors of dark forces and darker magics are growing. As the great Midsummer tournament at Caer Argent approaches, Haarth will have one opportunity to band together against an enemy in which few believe . . . or be lost forever. [Barnes&Noble]

The Review

Lowe writes in jigsaw puzzle pieces. Each book is a story unto itself but also reveals only a small, tantalizing bit of the larger story. I thought I knew what that larger story was after the first book. I was sure I knew the ultimate goals, and after finishing book two the only thing I’m sure of is that I knew nothing. I both admire her technique (as a writer) and hate it endlessly (as a reader). Her books are tidbits, small tastes of a glorious feast and it is torture to wait so long between mouthfuls.

I admit that I read the first few chapters of the book completely bewildered by everything. Here was a whole new set of characters that had never been mentioned before. I started to wonder if I had even remembered the earlier book’s plot correctly at all. After awhile, I was nearly frustrated enough to put the thing down. Where was Malian, the Heir of Night, our heroine from the first book? Dead, came the rumor, whispered through the pages. I was horrified that perhaps the rumor was correct and the series would now go in a completely different direction.

Then, just before I decided to throw the thing down forever, there trod back onto the pages the Heralds from the previous book: Tarathan of Ar and Jehane Mor. Okay, I thought to myself, maybe this is going somewhere after all. I’ll give it just a little while longer. The new story was fascinating, after all, even if it wasn’t what I had expected. Even if I had no idea how it related to the previous book at all.

Just as I had settled in to reading about nearly a whole new set of characters, the sucker punch came flying. I would like to say that I saw it coming, but that would be a lie. It knocked me on my ass! I won’t tell you what it is, because that would ruin the surprise (and hey, I don’t want to be the only one sitting here all stunned and dismayed and delighted, now do I?) Suffice to say that things are not what they seem in this book. Not at all.

From that moment, I was committed to finishing this book that I had thought I would put down forever. When I first finished it, I felt like the story hadn’t advanced at all, and I was a bit disappointed. What had they accomplished of the original goals of the story? It didn’t feel like very much. More and more obstacles were thrown in the paths of our heroes, and it seemed like they were worse off than ever.

After having some time to dwell on it, I have to say… That I was absolutely correct. Our heroes are further from accomplishing their goals than they ever were. Instead of going forward, the story has progressed in a direction that I hadn’t expected. But I’m no longer disappointed by that. It has grown deeper, wider. What we have now is no longer simply a traditional hero’s journey with a new twist. The Heir of Night was a book all about seclusion, isolation, and walking lonely paths with few allies.

The Gathering of the Lost is completely different and new. It is a book about companions: friendships and everything that those things entail. We see loyalty, betrayal, lust and love. The story didn’t go as far forward in length as I would have liked, but what it did not it made up for in sheer breadth and scope. The more I consider it, the more I realize that this book completely changed the game. And that is amazing. Lowe has managed to shake the very foundations of her world (for the reader, at least, as presumably she knew this was coming all along), while paradoxically remaining true to the expectations she laid out in the very first book.

I honestly don’t have any idea how she managed it, which just goes to show that as a writer I have much to learn. As a reader, I will be gnashing my teeth in wait for the next volume. That is the trouble with reading advanced copies of things. It seems like you have to wait even longer for the next one!

Review: Discount Armageddon by Seanen McGuire

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Apr 022012

Discount Armageddon is InCryptid #1. It was published by DAW on March 6, 2012.

The Blurb

Ghoulies. Ghosties. Long-legged beasties. Things that go bump in the night…

The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity-and humanity from them. Enter Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she’d rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and is spending a year in Manhattan while she pursues her career in professional ballroom dance. Sounds pretty simple, right? It would be, if it weren’t for the talking mice, the telepathic mathematicians, the asbestos supermodels, and the trained monster-hunter sent by the Price family’s old enemies, the Covenant of St. George. When a Price girl meets a Covenant boy, high stakes, high heels, and a lot of collateral damage are almost guaranteed.

To complicate matters further, local cryptids are disappearing, strange lizard-men are appearing in the sewers, and someone’s spreading rumors about a dragon sleeping underneath the city… [Goodreads]

The Review

I found this such a refreshing, engaging read. Verity Price is my kind of girl… Well, except for that whole ballroom dancing thing. Very is an independent woman with a long family line who’s trying to balance her family’s expectations with her own wants and dreams. She’s tough and smart, but also human. No crazy powers, no desperate flaw in her character. In fact, she’s just a nice, normal girl. Not counting the excessive weaponry, jumping off of buildings, slutty work uniform, and chanting religious mice in her living room, that is.

So like I said – she’s my kind of girl.

I also love that Very’s family is a group of hereditary cryptozoologists. The combination of supernatural and science is a new and enticing allure. Each chapter also includes a wise quote from one of what I believe is Very’s ancestors. They include such anecdotes as:

A lady is never truly embarrassed. And if she is, a lady is never gauche enough to leave survivors.

As well as:

A proper lady should be able to smile pretty, wear sequins like she means it, and kick a man’s ass nine ways from Sunday while wearing stiletto heels. If she can’t do that much, she’s not trying hard enough.

This is on top of Verity’s own astute – and hilarious – observations of city life. She’s warm, she’s personal… She can hide a gun in a tango dress. She’s more fun than an entire New York subway system full of dragons! I recommend you run out right now and get this book. I can’t imagine a world where you’d regret it.

Magic Most Foul Giveaway

Books, Giveaway, Recommendations 3 Responses »

Feb 142012

Annnd… Because I’m a huge dork who forgot to include it in the previous post. There is a giveaway attached to the lovely Leanna Renee Hieber’s guest post, sponsored by her Greatness and courtesy of her dear publisher, Sourcebooks Fire.

Giveaway is for one (1) copy of Darker Still and is open to any human person on the planet Earth who leaves a comment either here or on the previous post (I’ll combine them) before midnight in the Eastern (my) time zone on February 19th.

Thank you all and sorry that didn’t get included on the original posting. February has left me flabbergasted this year.

Guest Post: 5 Things to Look Forward to in Magic Most Foul by Leanna Renee Hieber

Featured 5 Responses »

Feb 142012

A Note from Kia: You’re in for a treat today, kiddies. Our dear friend Leanna Renee Hieber has stopped by to give us an exclusive look at all the things we are eagerly awaiting in the next Magic Most Foul novel. (And oh, YES, we certainly are, aren’t we?) Said novel even has a name now: THE TWISTED TRAGEDY OF MISS NATALIE STEWART!

Edit: Also there is a giveaway! Post comment here to win copy of Darker Still! Rules over here.

So now without any further chit-chat, let’s let Leanna have her say!

Five things to look forward to in the next Magic Most Foul novel (Releasing this November!) In no particular order:

Adventure! On Trains! Natalie and Jonathon as heroine and hero continue to lead the series. Our brave young lovers escape from New York City to dodge the after-effects of magic but have to dodge some additional problems along the way.
There’s an homage to Frankenstein in a most disturbing way.
There’s an homage to both The Exorcist and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in one new character.
A Victorian Goth club. AKA “Her Majesty’s Association for Melancholy Bastards” – And I, the author, am a card-carrying Goth and member, so there.
Making out in train cars and carriages. Enough said.

Stay tuned at http://leannareneehieber.com – http://facebook.com/lrhieber – http://twitter.com/leannarenee

Reasons to check out DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul if you haven’t already:

There’s a haunted painting. A British Lord is trapped inside. And he’s really good looking. (See, that’s three reasons just in one).
Natalie Stewart, a spirited and opinionated young woman everyone can cheer for, overcomes danger, incredible personal odds and adversity to save lives and save the day.
It will give you the shivers. Lots. Promise. I’ve been told that Natalie’s dreams aren’t to be read right before bedtime.
It’s full of danger, intrigue, mystery, curses, magic, nightmares, disguises and pretty dresses!
It was chosen as an INDIE NEXT recommended book by the American Booksellers Association and it’s a trilogy, so you’d best start now…

Cheers!Leanna’s website: http://leannareneehieber.com and Twitter: http://twitter.com/leannarenee and FB: http://facebook.com/lrhieber

About Leanna

[Source] Author, actress and playwright Leanna Renee Hieber grew up in rural Ohio inventing ghost stories. She graduated with a BFA in Theatre from Miami University, a focus in the Victorian Era and a scholarship to study in London. She adapted works of 19th Century literature for the stage and her one-act plays such as FavoriteLady have been produced around the country. Her novella Dark Nest won the 2009 Prism Award for excellence in the genre of Futuristic, Fantasy, or Paranormal Romance.

DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul, first in Leanna’s Gothic Historical Paranormal trilogy for teens (Sourcebooks Fire), hit the Kid’s/YA INDIE NEXT LIST as a recommended title by the American Booksellers Association. Seventeen Magazine said of DARKER STILL: “This chilling tale will draw you in and keep you guessing until the very last page!” The book has been praised by Shelf Awareness, The Chicago Tribune, Pixie Magazine and more. DARKER STILL will also be translated into several languages.

Review: Double Dead by Chuck Wendig

Books, Featured, Reviews 2 Responses »

Jan 302012

Double Dead is the first full-length novel from Penmonkey Chuck Wendig. It features a vampire who wakes up in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. It rocks. It was released November 15th, 2011 from Abaddon. I read the e-book.

The Blurb (as posted on Terrible Minds)

Poor, poor Coburn. Once the king of his castle — his castle being New York City — he awakens from slumber to discover that his city and his world have been gobbled up by a zombie apocalypse.

Most of the humans are dead.

Which means his food source is spoiled. Vampire can’t live on dead blood, after all.

And so the vampire must move from predator to protector, a shepherd who must find a food source and stand vigil over the herd. It’s not an easy transition, of course. The monster is still a monster, after all.

(This ain’t Twilight, folks. Only way Coburn glitters is if he kills and eats a stripper.)

Along the way, what will he discover about the world? About the girl he protects? And about himself?

Gotta read it to find out.

A vampire in zombieland.

Featuring:

A teenage girl with a healing gift!

Zombie evolution!

Wal-Mart cannibals!

An army of Route 66 Juggalos!

A little white terrier named “Creampuff!”

And, of course, one cranky-ass cocky fuck of a vampire: Coburn.

My Review

I pretty much agree with Chuck. The only way a vampire should glitter is if he eats a stripper. Because – and this may be news to some of you, so if you feel light-headed go ahead and please sit down… Vampires eat people. The idea of a “vegetarian” vampire is ridiculous and should only be used for comedic purposes. (What would be the vampiric equivalent of Crohn’s disease? Now that would have made Twilight much more interesting!)

That established, I will say that Coburn is a bit of an asshole. To my mind, however, that’s to be expected when someone decides to make conversation with their food. If I tried to talk to a herd of cows, they’d probably think I was an asshole too. They’d be right. (Side note: mmmmm, steak!) He is ultimately motivated by self-interest, but as a reader you can’t really blame him for that. I’d be trying to protect my food supply, too, if the apocalypse was happening.

Double Dead isn’t for the queasy. Even the title is an adjective describing meat that has come from a diseased animal. One of Coburn’s meals (a fat guy) is described as “buttery”. The zombies are described in lovingly disgusting detail, and the Wal-Mart cannibals are absolutely horrifying. Yet somehow they are apt – especially their leader, who I will let you discover for yourself. I think I am grateful I’ve already vowed never to set foot in another Wal-Mart. Ever. Again.

This book is by turns revolting, touching, and hilarious. I loved the juggalos (though I wonder how many people out there would even get the reference?) It’s a big dose of horror, a little bit action-adventure, a dash of comedy, and a tiny bit redemption story. I loved it. Just when I thought I was absolutely sick of vampire stories, Double Dead came along and changed my mind.

Review: The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson

Books, Reviews 1 Response »

Jan 082012

The Alloy of Law is a Mistborn book, which takes place roughly 300 years after the events in the original trilogy. Theoretically, you could probably read this without reading the rest – but I wouldn’t recommend it, because you’d be missing out on some awesome world-building.

The Blurb

Three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds.

Kelsier, Vin, Elend, Sazed, Spook, and the rest are now part of history—or religion. Yet even as science and technology are reaching new heights, the old magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy continue to play a role in this reborn world. Out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, they are crucial tools for the brave men and women attempting to establish order and justice.

One such is Waxillium Ladrian, a rare Twinborn, who can Push on metals with his Allomancy and use Feruchemy to become lighter or heavier at will. After twenty years in the Roughs, Wax has been forced by family tragedy to return to the metropolis of Elendel. Now he must reluctantly put away his guns and assume the duties and dignity incumbent upon the head of a noble house. Or so he thinks, until he learns the hard way that the mansions and elegant tree-lined streets of the city can be even more dangerous than the dusty plains of the Roughs.

My Review:

More, please.

….

What? You need more than that? Oookay… if you say so. Sanderson is a brain-astounding world- and magic-system-builder. I enjoyed the punniness of the character names immensely. (You’ll see this almost immediately. If you don’t, hit yourself in the face a few times and start over at the beginning.)

Why is this book awesome? Let me count the ways: Allomancy! Gun fights! Kidnapped damsels in distress!* Train robberies! Sky-scrapers! Explosions! Do you really need anything more??

*Yes, I could choose to take issue with the damsels in distress. There appears to be only one** woman in the book who is anything resembling something that is not a damsel – and even she has her flaws. Namely, she is a pampered young lady who, while apparently being a crack shot with a rifle, has never been in a gun fight. She spends most of the book blushing. No, that is not an exaggeration. I’m willing to give Sanderson a break on this for one reason: Vin.

**No, I am not counting the woman who is murdered on what is, essentially, the first page. And no, that isn’t a spoiler because if you don’t see THAT coming about a nanosecond after the scenario is set up then you, Sir (or Madam) are an… Well, suffice it say that you may need to change your light bulb, and let’s leave it at that, shall we?

If you have not read Sanderson yet, then go scrounge in your couch cushions for your pennies and dimes and go out and GET SOMETHING already. You will not be disappointed. If you are disappointed, you should follow the parenthetical instructions in the first paragraph.

Rating:

Review: Midnight by Ellen Connor

Books, Featured, Reviews 1 Response »

Dec 142011

Midnight is the second book in the Dark Age Dawning trilogy from Ellen Connor. Ellen Connor is the pen name of dynamic writing duo Ann Aguirre and Carrie Lofty. Dark Age Dawning is an apocalyptic paranormal romance. This book was published September 6th, 2011 from Berkley Sensation.

The Blurb

Their desire destroys her defenses.
Their love gives him a reason to live.

Three years of wandering the post-apocalyptic wasteland has stripped Dr. Chris Welsh of humanity and hope. He’s a dangerous man now, full of dark energy and yen for violence. A harrowing loss drove him from his home, and he hasn’t stopped moving since. Grim and sardonic, he never found anything worth sticking around for – until now.

Rosa Cortez runs Valle de Bravo, a haven of civilization amid the chaos of the Change. Soldiers take their orders directly from her–the iron hand within a velvet glove. The last thing she needs is a feral loner upsetting the town’s tentative balance. However, for the good of her people, she lets the sexy doctor stay. He evokes a delicious new longing, but she won’t submit to any man.

Tension rises as bloodthirsty raiders strike again and again, bent on possessing Valle and its resources. Together Chris and Rosa battle hellhounds and dust pirates while also fighting desperate attraction. To save them, love must overcome the pain of the past–and build a future in this brutal Dark Age…

My Review

Let me as blunt as I can about this: I only volunteered to review this book because I saw Ann Aguirre’s name attached to it and hadn’t had the privilege of reading her work yet. I had no idea, at the time, what this book was about. I didn’t even know what genre it was in.

If I had known it was a paranormal romance novel – even a post-apocalyptic one – I probably would have passed on it. And that would have been a crying shame, because this is one damn fine novel. I plan to look up the books that came before and after this one so that I can find out more about the world. It’s fascinating. (Note: It is not at all necessary to have read book 1 prior to reading this one.)

Chris and Rosa are brave people doing their best to live in a brutal new world. Make no mistake that this is a romance novel. You will need the customary relationship suspension-of-disbelief and there is indeed a “happily ever after” of sorts. However, the setting is also fully realized (in vivid, blood-spattered technicolor) and the romance doesn’t overwhelm the other elements of the story.

Overall, I was surprised and pleased with how wonderful this novel is. In fact, I might just be re-evaluating my ban on romance novels, based solely on how well I genuinely enjoyed this book. Shocking, I know. Midnight has totally reset – and raised the bar for – my opinion of romance as a genre, something I never expected to be saying at all.

Rating:

Review: Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

Books, Featured, Reviews 1 Response »

Dec 072011

Darker Still is a paranormal young adult novel published on November 8th, 2011 from Sourcebooks Fire. It is the first entry in the new Magic Most Foul series.

The Blurb

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart’s latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing…

Jonathan Denbury’s soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

My Review

Leanna is careful to use authentic Victorian vernacular in her novels, and this book is no different. The rhythm and poetry of the language is almost like meditation: it forces you to slow down and breathe and savor. That’s what I like so much about her work – even when there’s a killer on a rampage, there’s a tranquility to it that somehow serves to heighten the tension even more than if the pace were frantic instead. To give an era-appropriate example, it’s a technique that Poe used well and it’s similarly effective here.

If I could ask the author one question, though, I would want to know why Natalie needed to be a mute. Maybe that’s a factor that comes to play more of a role in the sequels, but our heroine’s background at a Victorian-era “school for the deaf” is mentioned several times but seems not to make much of an impact on the story line itself. (Natalie struggles, but is able to talk eventually when she needs to.) It’s not that I don’t like to see diversity in my reading (I do). It’s more that I’d like my diversity to have a purpose rather than be a “token”. I honestly don’t think Leanna has put this in as a token gesture, though. I just don’t understand her motivation yet.

I will say, though, that if the only purpose was to give Natalie another tie to Denbury and his painting (she can talk there but not in the real world), then that’s kind of weak. It works, but it’s a poor psychological trick to play on a supposedly strong female protagonist. On the other hand, she’s a teenager. Natalie does have more sense than some recently-in-the-news female protagonists inhabiting YA novels (who will remain nameless). So there is that. It’s always a good sign with a YA when I have to stop and remind myself that the characters’ motivations annoy me because they’re being written effectively as teenagers.

In short, Leanna has me hooked. As usual. If you’re a YA or paranormal (or both) fan, then you can do worse than spend an evening or two reading Darker Still.

Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

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Oct 102011

Graceling

The Seven Kingdoms #1

Written: Kristin Cashore

Published: October 2008

Publisher: Harcourt Children’s

ISBN: 9780152063962

Obtained via: Gift

Blurb:

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

My Review:

This book kept me up until 2am. I had no intention of staying up this late, and even though I read this on a Friday, I am still ticked off about it.

Katsa is the teenage assassin of a king. Her job is to kill or torture anyone her king points her toward. So – it’s your typical coming-of-age story, really. Katsa struggles to find herself while under the yoke of her king and then strikes out on her own to solve a mystery, fall in love, and save the world.

It’s what I wanted as a teenager. Didn’t you?

This book also has the creepiest bad guy I’ve run across in a long, long time. I won’t spoil it for you, but – Wow. Creeptastic.

The romance is sweet and tender. I love that it’s so clear and true – no ambiguous love triangle, like I’ve seen in so many other young adult novels lately. Stable couples have become a personal preference of mine.

Only pick up this book when you’re ready to devote the time to finish it. One page will hook you and you’ll look up hours later to realize you’ve spent all day (or night) caught in the grip of Kristin Cashore’s world.

You’ve been warned.

Rating:

Signal Boost! A Walker Papers Kickstarter Campaign

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Oct 022011

If you’re a CE Murphy Walker Papers fan – or just want to toss a great author an extra few bucks, then check out this Kickstarter campaign for a new novella and possibly extras!

It’s been 24 hours and the campaign is already fully funded but you still have a few weeks to jump in and get this story if you’d like to be included.

In other WFF news – don’t forget to add a comment to this post to win a digital copy of L.J. McDonald’s newest book!

Review: Dragon Virus by Laura Anne Gilman

Books, Featured, Reviews 4 Responses »

Aug 292011

Dragon Virus

Written: Laura Anne Gilman

Published: June, 2011

Publisher: Fairwood Press

ISBN: 1933846259

Obtained via: Purchase

Blurb:

It began soon after the Millennium. Reports of newborns with strange malformations, too weak to live . . . caused by a single genetic mutation. Or, as the press quickly dubbed it, the Dragon Virus. Scientists predicted that it was an evolutionary dead end; that the mutation would burn itself out quickly; that it was nothing to be worried about.

They were wrong.

Every racial type. Almost every continent. No known cause. Human-created, maybe. Or just God, throwing the dice. Infecting us, warping us. Tied into our genetic code, from here on in. No known treatment. No idea where even to begin.

Everything was about to change.

My Review:

The Apocalypse. It’s been written of in many, many ways over recent years: viral plagues, meteors, zombies, climate change, earthquakes, vampires, hurricanes and floods. Dragon Virus is another of those apocalyptic stories – but it’s not at all the same. As the title pages says, this is ‘a tragedy in six evolutions /an evolution in six tragedies’. Or, as T.S. Eliot famously said,’This is the way the world ends/Not with a bang but a whimper.’

What Dragon Virus gives us is six glimpses of a unique apocalypse that spans generations. Generations during which humans manage to breed themselves out of existence. The titular disease is actually a genetic mutation, an aberration which scientists originally said would be a short-lived mistake of Mother Nature.

They were wrong.

This is no X-Men-esque story, where beings of special looks and talents (though there are those) become both humanity’s villains and saviors. As so often happens in real life, the true villain of the story is human nature. It is human nature that causes the rift between homo sapiens and other. And it is “human” nature in both – shall we call them species? – that causes the eventual implosion of society and culture as the rift tears the world as we know it apart.

From the body of a tiny stillborn Dragon child, to the pitiful remains of a human baby so loved by her Dragon brother that he smothers her in her crib rather than see her persecuted for being “different”, this is no happy story. Gilman has left us no shreds of hope here that homo sapien will triumph – indeed, this is a true apocalypse, as when the story is done humanity no longer even exists at all. This is an unflinching look at the most brutal parts of society and people in general: prejudice, persecution, violence, suicide, violation, murder.

Dragon Virus is a small, unassuming volume. Slim and nonthreatening, even with it’s bloody cover art. Don’t be fooled. Between it’s covers is a truly frightening look at how easily humanity could really fall apart.

Available as a limited, signed, numbered hardcover edition from Fairwood Press, there are still copies available. (I received copy #26.) I can tell that I personally debated the price point for quite some time, before I admitted that I was intrigued enough by the blurb that I needed to be able to read it. I wasn’t at all disappointed in what I got back for my money.

It’s no secret that I think Gilman is one of the oft-overlooked masters of the craft. Dragon Virus, although not for the faint of heart, is not only worth the money – it’s worth the nightmares afterward, too.

Rating:

Review: In the Dead Volume 1 by Jesse Petersen

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Aug 152011

In The Dead: Volume 1

Companion to Living with the Dead Series

Written: Jesse Petersen

Published: July 2011

ISBN: 0012768200

Obtained via: Author

Blurb:

When the Zombie Apocalypse began in Seattle and spread within days to almost the entire western half the country, the survivors had to figure out how to deal with the plague and live one day at a time. These are their stories.

If you liked Jesse Petersen’s zombie comedies Married With Zombies, Flip This Zombie and Eat Slay Love, these nine stories are set in the same world, but from the perspective of other survivors.

My Review:

This is a collection of shocking and compelling stories telling of the human condition during and after a zombie outbreak. Some are tender, some filled with the resilient human spirit of hope… and just a few end in despair. All of them are likely to break your heart at one point or another. This volume is an excellent introduction to Petersen’s work, or a must-have addition to a fan’s shelf. And, this digital edition is easy to carry in case of Zombie Apocalypse!

It also has a wonderful price point — only $2.99 over at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.

(And my deepest apologies to the author. I thought I’d posted this review two weeks ago, and turns out it hadn’t gone up as planned. Oops!)

Rating:

White Trash Zombie Giveaway Winners

Books, Featured, Recommendations 4 Responses »

Jul 212011

I am insanely late with announcing these winners, since the contest ended on — what? the 14th?

I can only apologize profusely. I forgot. No excuses — I just completely forgot.

So here’s what I’m going to do. I only had 3 comments on this giveaway. So everybody wins!

Christine, Pamela (Spaz), and Blaise please send your mailing addresses to kiara (at) waitingforfairies (dot) com. I will send each of you a copy of Diana Rowland’s wonderful White Trash Zombie and probably a bonus or two as well. I have some extra copies of things lying around, and you guys deserve it for being so patient.

So get your info to me and I’ll get your prizes out all lightning-like!

Review: Hounded by Kevin Hearne

Books, Reviews 1 Response »

Jul 152011

Hounded

The Iron Druid #1

Written: Kevin Hearne [website]

Published: May 3, 2011

Publisher: Del Ray

Obtained via: Purchase

Blurb:

Atticus O’Sullivan has been running for two thousand years and he’s a bit tired of it. After he stole a magical sword from the Tuatha Dé Danann (those who became the Sidhe or the Fae) in a first century battle, some of them were furious and gave chase, and some were secretly amused that a Druid had the cheek to defy them.

As the centuries passed and Atticus remained an annoyingly long-lived fugitive, those who were furious only grew more so, while others began to aid him in secret. Now he’s living in Tempe, Arizona, the very last of the Druids, far from where the Fae can easily find him. It’s a place where many paranormals have decided to hide from the troubles of the Old World—from an Icelandic vampire holding a grudge against Thor to a coven of Polish witches who ran from the German Blitzkrieg.

Unfortunately, the very angry Celtic god who wants that sword has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power, plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good, old-fashioned luck of the Irish to kick some arse and deliver himself from evil.

You can read the first six chapters of HOUNDED for free right here.

My Review:

Kevin Hearne is my newest discovered favorite author. I read both Hounded and Hexed (book 2 in the series) in a row, and I’d have read the third, Hammered, too, if I’d only been able to find it. (It will be released the day after I am writing this, on July 5th!)

Atticus O’Sullivan’s voice has all the snark and pop culture references of Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden without the tinge of misogyny that drives some people batty. (For the record – not me.) And, as much as we all love Harry (and we do, don’t we?), that series has gone to some very dark places recently. Except Atticus is really nothing like Harry at all, and making that comparison does both men a disservice. Saying, “X is just like Y!” is sort of disrespectful to the work both authors have done to make their work unique. Although, let’s be honest, I’ll lie a bit and make the comparison anyway if it gets some people to read this series. I’m sneaky that way.

Anyway!

Atticus is a 21(hundred)-year-old Druid living in today’s Tempe, Arizona (which, let’s face it, is basically Phoenix – unless you live there, in which case it Totally. Isn’t.) His best friends are his telepathically linked Irish Wolfhound, Oberon; the nice old Irish lady from his neighborhood, who likes to drink whiskey and sexually harass him when he mows her lawn; and Morrigan, the Celtic goddess of death and the battlefield, who usually takes the form of a crow with glowing red eyes and would just as soon eat him as look at him.

With a pissed-off love god coming to kill him to reclaim a legendary Irish sword, the Tempe police tailing him because of a dead body in the desert, and a coven of Polish witches meddling in his affairs, Atticus can’t tell his friends from his frienemies. He’s used to running away from his problems, but this time he decides to take a stand.

I loved this book, and I can see even just from the following volume that the author’s work is getting even better. I look forward to following this series through a long and prosperous life.

Rating:

Review: My Life As A White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland

Books, Featured, Reviews 3 Responses »

Jul 072011

My Life As A White Trash Zombie

White Trash Zombie #1

Written: Diana Rowland

Published: July 5, 2011

Publisher: DAW

ISBN: 9780756406752

Obtained via: Purchase

Blurb:

Teenage delinquent Angel Crawford lives with her redneck father in the swamps of southern Louisiana. She’s a high school dropout, addicted to drugs and alcohol, and has a police record a mile long. But when she’s made into a zombie after a car crash, her addictions disappear, except for her all-consuming need to stay “alive”…

My Review:

For a hot pink book featuring a wonderfully white-trashy, Louisianna-bayou-living redneck heroine with a pill addicion, this book has it’s surprisingly deep moments. I loved it to pieces (pun intended).

Underneath the decomposing bodies, blood, and brains is the story of a girl with mentally ill and alcoholic parents who has hit rock bottom via a horrific accident that left her wandering overdosed and naked on the side of a swampy road. A mysterious benefactor has saved her life and gotten her a job at the local morgue (and – oh, yeah – turned her into a zombie!) Except a serial killer starts depriving people of their brains, and Angel suspects a fellow zombie has gone rogue. Since the cops don’t even realize zombies exist, it’s up to Angel to stop the killer. In the meantime, Angel has to deal with a selfish, criminal boyfriend; her alcoholic dad; her own pill addiction; as well as avoid arousing the suspicion of her co-workers as she steals the brains she needs to survive.

Rowland manages to mix the macabre with the sincere in this book, balancing the grotesque with the sarcastic, and the desperate with the ordinary. In case you can’t read between the lines: this book has its revolting and hilarious moments. I mean, we’re talking about a zombie who’s a morgue tech. If you can’t assume we’ll have some blood and guts and some callous disregard for the dignity of corpses, then you probably shouldn’t be reading at all, okay?

This is a fun book, with a bit of depth if you care to look for it. The romance plot line is subtle enough for us anti-romance-ers (okay, me), at least until the bottom of the ninth when it kind of smacks you in the face. But it’s a gentle smack, at least, and I give Rowland props for not using the “in love in less than two days” scenario that so many books do. The “twist” ending isn’t very twisty but it’s enjoyable, if a smidgen on the abrupt side. The book is worth buying just for Dan Dos Santos’ amazing cover (even if it is pink!), but happily the inside is just as yummy as the outside.

I’m going to give it 4 and 1/2 stars, not because it isn’t awesome, but because I think it will get even better as we go along.

Oh, and I almost forgot…. If you’ve read this far, you get a special surprise! I promised the author herself I’d give away two copies of this book on my blog. And I’m fulfilling that promise. Comment on this post if you want entered to win your very own copy of WTZ. Contest closes July 14, 2011 at midnight in the US Eastern time zone. I’ll ship anywhere in the US, mostly because I can print that postage online. (If it requires a trip to the post office, it won’t get done for a very long time. I’m lazy. Sorry. Just ask my previous contest winners!) Note: I don’t care where you actually live, as long as you give me a US address to mail to. If you have a friend who’ll forward it, that’s good enough for me!

“Zombie Super Powers, Activate!”

Rating:

Review: Dead Iron by Devon Monk

Books, Featured, Reviews 1 Response »

Jul 052011

Dead Iron

Age of Steam #1

Written: Devon Monk [website]

Published: July 1, 2011

Publisher: Roc

ISBN: 9780451463968

Obtained via: Author

Blurb:

Welcome to a new America that is built on blood, sweat, and gears…

In steam age America, men, monsters, machines, and magic battle for the same scrap of earth and sky. In this chaos, bounty hunter Cedar Hunt rides, cursed by lycanthropy and carrying the guilt of his brother’s death. Then he’s offered hope that his brother may yet survive. All he has to do is find the Holder: a powerful device created by mad devisers-and now in the hands of an ancient Strange who was banished to walk this Earth.

In a land shaped by magic, steam, and iron, where the only things a man can count on are his guns, gears, and grit, Cedar will have to depend on all three if he’s going to save his brother and reclaim his soul once and for all…

My Review:

This book is the steam punk story I’ve been waiting for since my husband forced me to watch Full-Metal Alchemist. Lots of authors seem to think that if only they throw a couple of gears into the story that it will qualify as steam punk. Dead Iron, though, is the only story I’ve found that manages that same creepy, brass-plated, “playing with powers beyond mortal ken” kind of feel that FMA had. But it is the human elements of both stories that call to me: among the steam-powered robots and creepy alchemical creatures is a tale of sorrow, loss, and love. Of course, there are also some kick-ass fight scenes and incredibly funny moments, too.

With werewolves, witches, fey creatures, steam punk robots, and railroad tycoons all mixing it up in the Old West, one would think that the story would be jumbled with too many disparate elements. It isn’t. I don’t know how the author does it, but she does it well. If you are of the inclination that Dead Iron might be a fluke – you need to read her short story collection, A Cup of Normal. Monk does strange as naturally as breathing, and just as practiced. The only disappointment I have with the story is that there wasn’t another 3,000 or so pages of it. I can’t wait for the next volume so I can see what happens next!

Rating:

Review: Eat Slay Love by Jesse Petersen

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Jun 272011

Eat Slay Love

Living With the Dead #3

Written: Jesse Petersen

Published: 07/01/2011

ISBN: 1849835292

Obtained via: NetGalley

***************************

The blurb for this book has what some may consider spoilers for the previous two volumes. Please continue with caution.

****************************************************

Blurb:

Sarah and David have survived the zombie apocalypse. They stood side by side and fought the undead, mad scientists, and even bionic monsters until the unthinkable happened. A zombie bite. But not even that could stop them. Now, with a possible cure in hand, they’re headed east, looking for a safe zone behind the rumored “Wall.” They’re feeling pretty optimistic.

That is until Dave stops sleeping and starts lifting huge objects.

Eat. Slay. Love.

Because they haven’t got a prayer.

My Review:

This series is my favorite recent zombie tale. I love that there’s a stable romantic couple in the lead. I love the crazy gross zombies and the weird surprises of the story. (Cult leaders! Mad scientists! Investigative reporters!) I especially love the snarky narration of the main character, Sarah.

I just enjoy this series to pieces. Each book has been more enjoyable than the last, and I can’t wait for the next (and concluding… for now) volume. They’re fairly short works, compared to some of the monster fantasies I’ve read in the past (I’m looking at you Pat Rothfuss!), only 250 – 300 pages. That means you can read each of them in a day or a weekend – making them wonderful beach reads or a great way to spend a lazy summer weekend.

If you’re already reading this series, you don’t need me to convince you to buy this book. If you’ve not yet picked this up, go back to Married with Zombies and get started!

Rating:

Interview with Vicki Pettersson, Author of Signs of the Zodiac

Books, Discussion, Featured, Interviews, Recommendations 1 Response »

May 292011

Welcome to Waiting for Fairies’ first ever author interview! Vicki Pettersson, author of The Signs of the Zodiac series, Feathered and Sequined Goddess of the Southwestern Desert, graciously agreed to “break [us] in”, so to speak. She even agreed not to do the interview by smoke signal as originally planned. My signal fire was a little weak that day, what can I say? This premiere interview is awfully fitting, since the very first book review ever posted at Waiting for Fairies way back in March of 2007 was Vicki’s first book: The Scent of Shadows!

I have to say, I was nervous to do this interview. Who wouldn’t be nervous when speaking to a tall, leggy redhead who is not only a NYT best-selling author but could also probably Can-Can me into the ground? You have no idea how often I’ve double, triple, and quadruple checked that I have spelled that name correctly, every time, so I wouldn’t completely humiliate myself. (Especially after recently doing a review of Jesse Petersen‘s last book!) Luckily for me, Vicki is a classy lady who didn’t begrudge me my interview-ginity. And, P.S. – it’s Swedish and pronounced “Pet-ter-suhn”, in case you were curious!

If you’re unfamiliar with Signs of the Zodiac, you can read yesterday’s review, check out Vicki’s bio on her website, or just skip ahead for the interview!

Q1: The Neon Graveyard is the last book in the series. I’m sure Joanna is relieved her author won’t be off plotting new horrible things to do to her. Are you sad to be saying good-bye?

VP: Oh, sure – blame me!

Here’s a secret, one I’ve held close to my heart throughout this entire series: I didn’t initially think the series, or Joanna, was all that dark. I mean, I was always aware that she was tough, but the way I saw it, my job was to create antagonists and conflicts to rival that toughness. So Joanna created her enemies (and the plot twists) which then returned to shape Joanna, and on it went.

It wasn’t until I was having dinner with my editor – who loves the series as much as I do – that I realized just how dark I was going with this character. I casually mentioned that Joanna’s reactions didn’t seem all that extreme to me, and my editor looked at me like I’d just stolen her cocktail. Twice.

That said, I too started feeling Joanna’s fatigue, especially after CITY OF SOULS. How much can one woman go through? And it was the answer to that question that steered me toward ending the series. I didn’t want to throw new monsters at her just for the sake of conflict, or to merely extend the series. That would cheapen Joanna’s previous efforts, and dilute the emotion of such a hard-fought journey. So I’m happy with this ending, and thrilled that even after everything she’s been through, she can believably retain her toughness and go out swinging.

Q2: Speaking of those horrible things… You never, ever pulled any punches in this series. Was there ever a point where you stopped and said to yourself, “Man, this is getting pretty brutal”? I know you practically had a reader revolt on your hands after City of Souls. Man, that was a long, long year to wait for resolution! Did you ever want to be nicer to your cast of characters?

VP: That year-long wait was awful for me too. I wanted to tell each and every reader, “Just wait, please trust me. I know what I’m doing!” But I think that strong reader reaction came precisely because Joanna’s journey had gotten so brutal. It also had nothing to do with the story’s fantastical elements. Readers had put themselves in Jo’s shoes, and were feeling her emotional pain acutely, so that was a real turning point in the series. From the fourth book on, the series had less to do with fantastical new creatures, or the world of the Zodiac, than it did with Jo’s emotions and personal life.

Did I ever want to be nicer? Yes. But not as much as I wanted to tell the truth about her and her world.

Q3: Midheaven is an interesting aspect of the books, and I’ve always wondered what you intended when you describe it as a “woman’s world”. What did you want people to take away from that description? For instance, I found it beautiful and mysterious – yet also pretty savage (kind of like women in general can be at times). Were you trying to make a gender statement there or was it simply something to fuel the story?

VP: I believe the primary purpose of fiction is to entertain, so while I wasn’t trying to make a statement, I did want to explore this matriarchal society I’d set up in the Zodiac series. Preaching, or having some sort of authorial agenda is a no-no, yet novels are such a great way to explore haunting social or emotional questions. Would it really be so much better/different if a woman were running things? My conclusion was exactly what you stated: at their best, woman are beautiful and mysterious. At their worst, they can be savage. Exactly the same as men actually, if in different ways.

Q4: When we readers are finally ready to say good-bye to Joanna and company, it appears you have something else wonderful in the works. It’s being described as “a partnership between a supernatural private eye and a rockabilly reporter with a real nose for trouble.” What can you tell us about the new Celestial Blues series that we can’t already find out from your FAQ?

VP: The first book in the Celestial Blues series is called THE TAKEN. It alternates narratives between Griffin Shaw, a moody fallen* angel/P.I., and a female reporter named Kit Craig, who is full of modern-day rockabilly swagger. Mind, “fallen angel” is a bit of a misnomer. Grif hasn’t fallen as much as he’s been busted, and working with Kit is a by-product of his punishment. I’ve just handed in the first draft, so I promise you’ll be hearing a lot more about THE TAKEN very soon!

Q5: What authors are YOU reading right now? I know in the past you’ve praised the work of Richard Kadrey. Is there anyone else we should be checking out while we wait for Celestial Blues?

VP: Other than the usual suspects, I can recommend Sophie Littlefield, who does an amazing job in both mystery and UF. She’s quickly becoming one of my auto buys, and UF readers should definitely pick up her AFTERTIME. I got behind on my reading in J.D. Robb’s IN DEATH series, so I’m playing catch-up now. (Problem is, she writes faster than I can read!) Alie Condie and Suzanne Collins are my most recent YA reads; I’m really enjoying the dystopian YA trend. Other than that, lately it’s been a lot of thrillers. I also can’t recommend Diana Gabaldon enough to those who may not yet have picked up OUTLANDER. I actually feel sorry for people who haven’t read that book.

Q6: Thank you so much for stopping by and giving us a little bit of your time! Is there anything else you’d like to say to either long-time readers or those just picking up the series?

VP: I just want to say thank you to all my readers – no matter when they started reading. Without them, there wouldn’t be a Signs of the Zodiac series … or the upcoming Celestial Blues series. I also want to give props to those readers who’ve been with me the last four years. Following Joanna Archer hasn’t always been an easy journey, but I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.

Thank you, Vicki, for stopping by! I hope my readers out there will consider picking up Signs of the Zodiac if they haven’t already. This series has the Waiting for Fairies Seal of Approval! (Yes, I just made that up. I can totally do that. It’s my blog!)

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