Book Review: Alpha (Rachel Vincent)

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE FAYTHE...

The unscrupulous new Council chair has charged Jace, Marc, and me with trespassing, kidnapping, murder, and treason. Yeah, we've been busy. But now it's time to take justice into our own hands. We must avenge my brother's death and carve out the rot at the heart of the Council.

It's not going to be easy, and loss seems unavoidable, but I have promised to protect my Pride, no matter what. With a target on my back and Marc at my side, I'm heading for a final showdown that can--that will--change everything forever. A showdown I'm not sure I'm ready for.

But life never waits until you're ready.

Alpha is my first Rachel Vincent read and though it is the final book in the Shifters Series, the first I have read of it. While I'm not very fond of Urban Fantasy, even I will admit this is one bloody good read! I enjoyed this book a whole lot - action-packed, romantic and thrilling, Alpha is one very engaging read.

The book is really built as part of a series. It begins right in the middle of the conflict, and if I'm not wrong, directly after the events of the preceding book. Throughout the plot it also consistently refers to events and characters from previous books. Not much is explained and the book half assumes the reader is aware of what happened previously, but what really made me stick to it is the fact that instead of putting me off, it only enticed me to read the previous books. So if you have not read the series yet, this is a brilliant time to start - you don't have to impatiently wait for the next installment!

The primary character, Faythe, is by no means perfect. Her faults are laid out as it is from the very beginning. She's stubborn and heedless, yes, but also strong and unwavering. In Alpha, Faythe struggles with her affection for both Marc and Jace, two toms who vie for her heart. While I cannot begin to understand how she can love both of them, her indecision and guilt over hurting either of them is palpable in her actions. And while I vehemently stand against her infidelity to Marc, her acknowledgment of this mistake and the punishment she endures placated me.

Out of all the characters, I like Marc the most. Sure, he has a temper, is easy to provoke and is angry for most of the book. But he is such a genuine character; this may sound funny - but I do see a cat in his personality. I love his every word in this book - they are so honest and so genuine, and his hurt is strongly present. I'm glad he is not as forgiving to Faythe at all. His anger gives a sharp edge to the romance, and I'd be damned if I did not enjoy every single second of it!

Alpha is not all about romance - there is also a huge thrill surrounding politics, loyalties and disputes. It is in this part that Alpha fails to make me feel like I have grasp the whole of what is happening. I believe this part heavily refers to occurances in the previous books. There is a lot of tension involving the werecat council and a war amongst shifters is brewing - Faythe is in the thick of it. Tied to this is a very thrilling action interspersed throughout the book. Despite the fact that I lack previous knowledge about what led to certain events in Alpha, I loved being part of Faythe's world. The action, the thrill, the sense of danger following her footsteps is exciting!

I wish the ending was longer - it appeared too abrupt for my liking. Here's to hoping for more!

Simply put, Alpha is one exhilarating read. Forget werewolves, werecats are definitely in. And I just have to add this - I am in lust with the consistency of the Shifter Series' covers!

Four Stars.

* Copy provided by publisher for review. Thank you!

Book Review: Spy Glass (Maria V. Snyder)

An undercover mission leads to danger, adventure and an impossible choice...

After siphoning her own blood magic in the showdown at Hubal, Opal Cowan has lost her powers. She can no longer create glass magic. More, she's immune to the effects of magic. Opal is an outsider looking in, spying through the glass on those with the powers she once had, powers that make a difference in the world.

Suddenly, the beautiful pieces she makes flash in the presence of magic. And then she discovers that someone has stolen some of her blood - and that finding it might let her regain her powers. Or know it could be they are lost forever...

Firstly please note that I am reviewing Spy Glass as a stand alone novel and not as part of a series. Spy Glass is the third and final book of Maria V. Snyder's Glass Trilogy.

Having said that, I thought Spy Glass is more about adventure than suspense. Granted, it's one very dangerous adventure, but there was not as much suspense as I would have expected. Again, my lack of knowledge about previous books played a big role in what I think is my failure to grasp the importance of the turn of events. The plot was easy enough to follow - really, the plot is solid for a stand alone novel, but there is a lot of references that felt like they have implied meaning and relevance, as well as actions, words and phrases that appears to mean more that what I understood. Most of the characters were very easy to read about - however, there are a few characters who I felt weighed more than two sentences' worth of introduction. There was not much depth in as these characters have been written about in the previous books. For those reasons, I felt that my reading experience was not complete.

Opal is a spirited character - she's independent, smart, sometimes rash, but brave. I'm not very fond of her, and she's not very likeable. I disliked many of her decisions, especially those that pertain to her safety and those which has to do with love. With a mind of her own, she often has the tendency to overestimate or underestimate, but never right. She's fiery to a fault, and I dislike the way she seems selfish in that she forgets the people around her, but I grant that she's her own character.

I am big on commitment and loyalty, and as much as I love romance, I was heavily disappointed in Opal's actions in Spy Glass. I might be getting her wrong, but there commitment is commitment and in a relationship, it is very fundamental. I'm in no position to comment as to who she ends up with, as I don't feel like I know their characters in depth, but I do know that whether the man in question is right for you or not, I think it is basic courtesy to end the relationship before diving into another one. She got that one incredibly wrong, and I did not feel like she had the chance to feel remorseful. Of course, she's entitled to make mistakes, but it rattled me, I suppose.

Spy Glass has a strong mythology, only one I cannot relate to. I personally think the book works as a stand alone novel. However, even I can appreciate the beauty of its fantasy world and the strength of its plot. I'm not certain if those who have been following this series will find it an excellent novel as I have no frame of reference of the previous books, but I'm sure more than a few will. So while I don't recommend reading this as a standalone, I would encourage readers to have a go at the series, in order of course.

Three Stars.

* Book received for review from MIRA. Thank you!

Book Review: Dark Road to Darjeeling (Deanna Raybourn)

For Lady Julia Grey and Nicholas Brisbane, the honeymoon has ended...but the adventure is just beginning.

After eight idyllic months in the Mediterranean, Lady Julia Grey and her detective husband are ready to put their investigative talents to work once more. At the urging of Julia’s eccentric family, they hurry to India to aid an old friend, the newly-widowed Jane Cavendish. Living on the Cavendish tea plantation with the remnants of her husband’s family, Jane is consumed with the impending birth of her child—and with discovering the truth about her husband’s death. Was he murdered for his estate? And if he was, could Jane and her unborn child be next?

Amid the lush foothills of the Himalayas, dark deeds are buried and malicious thoughts flourish. The Brisbanes uncover secrets and scandal, illicit affairs and twisted legacies. In this remote and exotic place, exploration is perilous and discovery, deadly. The danger is palpable and, if they are not careful, Julia and Nicholas will not live to celebrate their first anniversary.

Dark Road to Darjeeling is my first ever Deanna Raybourn read, and although I have no prior knowledge of the first three books in the series, I am looking forward to discover the undoubtedly thrilling books that began this series.

To say I've enjoyed the perfect mix of mystery and romance of this novel is to say very little of the wonderful elements of this book. Often when I read historical romance novels, the blend of romance and mystery is very poor, the mystery being much overshadowed by romance - not in this book. In Dark Road to Darjeeling, mystery and adventure is well ingrained within the romantic plot and vice versa - I doubt you can get better than this.

I personally loved the enigmatic, stubborn and unruly Julia - together with her sister Portia and brother Plum, they become a hugely entertaining trio which I don't think I can ever get tired of reading. Their banters are witty yet endearing, and they complement each other in a way only siblings can. Superb characters!

And while on the subject, let me also say that Brisbane - and Julia does refer to him by his last name despite being the new Mrs Brisbane herself - is another wholly engaging characters. I have not quite known him from the previous books, as I have mentioned, but he is undoubtedly magnetic, with a rough exterior of a man with secrets to protect. Julia and Brisbane are a gorgeous couple - they are, in many ways, an equal. Both stubborn, both brilliant and equally passionate, they often clash in wills and personality. Their marriage - no matter how in love these two are - is not a smooth road, despite their luxurious eight-month, around the world honeymoon. The adjustments that both have to make in the marriage is well portrayed, as well as their need to accept each other as they are. This realistic portrayal do nothing but highlight why these two fit together like missing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

While I thought setting was going to be a strong part of the book, the mystery and investigation seem to override this. While in India, Julia finds herself surrounded by eccentric people - and she cannot resist the lure to begin the hunt for the murderer, despite her husband being so adamant about her not doing so. It was engaging to have my suspicions raised in time with Julia's and to have some of it dashed and others renewed. The presence of the March siblings and Brisbane only added to the delight of solving the mystery - Dark Road to Darjeeling is a superb book for lovers of historical, romance and mystery alike.

I completely adored it!

Four Stars.