Review: Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd

Title: Grim Lovelies Series: Grim Lovelies #1 Written by: Megan Shepherd Published: October 2, 2018 by HMH Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Anouk envies the human world, where people known as Pretties lavish themselves in fast cars, high fashion, and have the freedom to fall in love. But Anouk can never have those things, because she is not really human. Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime. Now, the world she always dreamed of is rife with danger. Pursued through Paris by the underground magical society known as the Haute, Anouk and her fellow Beasties only have three days to find the real killer before the spell keeping them human fades away. If they fail, they will lose the only lives they’ve ever known…but if they succeed, they could be more powerful than anyone ever bargained for. From New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd, Grim Lovelies is an epic and glittering YA fantasy. Prepare to be spellbound by the world of Grim Lovelies, where secrets have been long buried, friends can become enemies, and everything—especially humanity—comes at a price.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher at ALA in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I was really excited to read this book immediately after learning that it existed. It has so many things I am looking for in a fantasy read. There is a unique magical system, a Parisian setting, and a dark fantasy feel. I felt like I was going to love this book and I did like it but it was not what I was hoping for.

One thing that I did love about this book was the fantasy elements. I am definitely been in the mood for dark fantasy this fall and I feel like this book did a great job of fitting that bill. It had so many really fantastic magical elements. First you had the Beasties, which were very cool magical creatures. beasts becoming human isn't exactly a new concept in fantasy but I felt like Shepherd did a good job in making them feel unique and different. Plus there were rules and specifics behind them being human which I really appreciated. But the larger magical system in this book was even cooler. I am always looking for a unique magical system and that is absolutely what I found here. There is a magical system with spells that require specific words in a different language along with certain physical requirements. There is also a hierarchy with those inhabit the world. I was definitely fascinated with the world and it was definitely one of the best part of this book.

As far as the setting goes, I do think that is was interesting and a unique setting but it wasn't what I was hoping for. I've desperately wanting to read books with historical Paris as its setting and I thought that was the setting for this book. It was Paris, but it was more of a modern setting. Paris and France as the whole is always a fun and engaging setting but I feel like this book had a hard time establishing that time and place. I wanted Paris to come alive and it just didn't here. There were a few mentions of things like the Eiffel Tower and the lavender fields in Provence but this really could have been anywhere. I wish that it had done a better job in establishing Paris as the backdrop for the story.

I also felt like the plot and pacing of this book didn't quite blow me away in the way I was hoping. Again, it's not that the plot was bad. There was a lot of action and adventure which I totally appreciated, but I think this book just suffered from a little bit from first book syndrome. It was one of those books that took a very long time to set the stage for the plot. There was a ton of exposition in the beginning of the book. Like so much exposition that the synopsis gives away more than half of the book. I thought this was going to be a heist novel but that was really only about the last third of the book and by that point I had lost a little bit of interest. Which is really a shame because that was some of the best parts of the book.

But I think what I liked least about this book was the characters. It's not that the characters were bad, they just didn't feel like they were as complex as they could have been. The main character of Anouk was likable enough but I felt a little bit like she was a Mary Sue. She was just really good at everything including magic and there wasn't really an explanation as to why. I think if there was more of an establishment as to the reason she was so perfect than I would have problem enjoyed her a little bit more. There were also a lot of secondary characters who all kind of blended together in my mind. Like I couldn't tell you the difference between Luc and Beau because they just felt like male Beasties. Which is really problematic because Luc wasn't in most of the book. The one character I did like however was Viggo. I felt like he had fantastic development throughout the book and I wish more of the characters were as complex as he was.

On the whole, Grim Lovelies was an okay read but didn't blow me away in the way I was hoping. It did have a great magical system and a thrilling plot I just wish that the pacing was a little bit better and that the characters had more depth to them.

I give Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. I think if you are looking for dark fantasy there are probable better books out there but if you are looking to get into Urban Fantasy for the first time and want a low key intro into the world then get this one from the library.

Have you read Grim Lovelies? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1 Written by: Laini Taylor Published: September 27, 2011 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.  In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.  And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war.  Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.  When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

I'll be honest, I never really planned to read this series. I know so many people love it but I just didn't think it was my thing. But I loved Strange the Dreamer and I heard this audio was really good so I decided to pick it up on an Audible sale ages ago. And finally this month I decided to give it a try (in secret in case I hated it) and I am so glad I did because it was amazing.

One thing I really loved about this book was the world-building. Laini Taylor is definitely the master of building a world that draws you in. Her writing is beautiful in the way it establishing a mysterious and atmospheric setting. In this series you first have the backdrop of Prague which in and of itself is unique and compelling, but then you add the underground of the magical creatures. I am not usually a fan of books about angels however I think here it worked. I think because I often forget that we were talking about angels. The seraphim just felt like one more magical creature that this world was built about. Speaking of magical creatures, the more interesting ones were the chimera. I was fascinated by characters like Brimstone and Issa, then eventually Madrigal in the flashback. It gave the book a really subtle Urban Fantasy feel to it which I really enjoyed.

As far as the plot goes, this definitely felt like it had some pretty serious first book syndrome. A lot of the book was just exposition. It seemed like it's main goal was to set up the future books. Which is fine for me because I decided to marathon the series but overall I think the book misses out on something because of that. I have heard some criticism from people about how they lost interest when the book began focusing on the flashbacks, but for me that was the best part. That was the part that interested me because that was the part that had plot implications for the series. But overall it did feel like two different stories, both of which were important but gave the book a disjointed feel.

But I think what redeemed things a bit for me was the characters. I really enjoyed the characters in this Book. First and foremost we had Karou. Karou is smart and quick-witted in the best possible way. She's tough and stands up for herself and the people she cares about in ways that will make you laugh and root for her at the same time. She's the kind of character that I always love reading about because she's so charming. But she's also mysterious. A lot of this book is about her figuring out who she is and how she fits into this world of chimera and seraphim. I was more than happy to figure that out with her.

The secondary characters however were maybe even more amazing. Karou's chimaera family were so interesting and I wanted to learn more about them which really drew me into the plot. I also really like Akiva. He's got a tortured past that could easily become cliche but it never does. And while I'm not fully committed to their relationship yet, I don't hate it. The idea of falling in love with an angel however star-crossed that love may be isn't something I usually enjoy but here I like the way it is developing at least. But the best character, without a doubt, is Zuzanna. Zuze is a tiny and fierce spitfire who is there for Karou no matter what and as a reader who is there as well she's very relatable. Plus she's just a total bright spot in what might otherwise be a pretty bleak book.

All in all, Daughter of Smoke and Bone was a fantastic read. I can see why so many people love this series and I am glad I took the time to read it. It has all the things that I love about YA fantasy. There's a unique and compelling world, interesting and likable characters, and a good story of personal development. I do wish there had been less exposition though.

I give Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you have wanted to read this series and like me you have been dragging your feet, stop waiting and go read it. Also I would definitely recommend the audio if you are fans of audiobooks.

Have you read Daughter of Smoke and Bone? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Audiobook Review: Talon by Julie Kagawa

Title: Talon Series: Talon Saga #1 Written by: Julie Kagawa Published: October 28, 2014 by Harlequin Teen (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser. Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George. Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher at BEA four years ago in exchange for an honest opinion. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

When I was deciding that I wanted to do a dragon themed month I looked through some of my backlist books to see what I might have that fit and I found this one. Not only do I have an ARC I got at my first BEA but I also has an audio. So I felt like I needed to read it. And I'm glad I did because I really liked this book, in fact I liked it more than I expected.

I went into this book expecting it to be a paranormal romance that felt like an urban fantasy kind of book. And yes, there were those elements. This had all the trappings of an old school YA. There was a predictable love triangle, and a lot more romance than I really care for in my books. At the beginning I found myself getting a little annoyed at these elements but in the end it kind of won me over. I think I may have even shipped it in the end. I felt like the love triangle kind of worked even though it was so obvious who the main character likes. Normally these kinds of things would make me not like a book but here it was only a minor frustration.

I think that is because I did actually like the characters here. We kind of have three main characters even though two  get most of the attention. Arguably the main character is Ember. She is a dragon who is being trained by a shadowy agency for dragons called Talon. She is headstrong and independent, questioning everything. I really liked that about her and it made her a good main character. I wanted to know all the secrets and meanings along with Ember. The other main character is Garret, a soldier and dragon hunter. Garret is the prefect soldier but he is also kind and caring. Both he and Ember have similar development throughout the book as they learn what they have been told by their organizations may not be entirely true. It them likable and complex characters and allowed me to overlook some of the other character elements.

As far as the plot goes it was definitely more advanced than I expected but still suffered from a bit of first book syndrome. I have the feeling that this is the start of a pretty good spy series full of action and adventure. There were traces of that here but it never really developed in the way that I would have liked. Now there were plenty of narrow escapes and a lot of twists and turns. There was a good amount of action and surprises to keep me reading from beginning to end. In fact the book did really built to an exciting conclusion which I did appreciate. I only wish there wasn't quite so much exposition, especially in the beginning.

But one of the things that there wasn't a lot of that I surprisingly enjoyed was world building. This is definitely a book about dragons and I loved seeing the dragons in action and learning about them and their history. There is a lot more to learn about the dragons, Talon, and the Order of St George in later books. Here we only got to learn a taste of all of that in this book. Julie Kagawa did a great job of building out the world by showing us instead of telling us about what it is like. It did a great job of drawing me in and engaging me in the book.

Speaking of drawing me in, this audiobook was really amazing. One of the main reason I picked up this audiobook is because it's narrated by MacLeod Andrews. He is one of my favorite narrators and he did an amazing job with this book. he brought Garret to life, toughness and caring and all. There were two more narrators as well. One who voiced Ember and one who voiced Riley/Cobalt. I love when audiobooks have multiple narrators and I appreciated that here as well. It gave the audio a lot of depth and helped make the characters as enjoyable as there were.

On the whole I enjoyed this book. It wasn't perfect but it had complex characters, a good plot, and an interesting world I want to learn more about. I am interested to see where the storu goes from here I just don't know when I would be able to finish the series.

I give Talon by Julie Kagawa 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you are a fan of paranormal romances or like reading books about dragons I would suggest this one. I'm a little late to the party so I think a fair amount of people have already read it. But if, like me, you haven't then I say pick it up.

Have you read Talon? What did you think? Also, if you're up to date with this series should I finish it? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking

Title: Between the Blade and the Heart Series: Valkyrie #1 Written by: Amanda Hocking Published: January 2, 2018 by Wednesday Books (St. Martins) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Valkyries have one great responsibility: to return immortals to the afterlife by slaying them. As a Valkyrie, Malin has always known that the balance of the world rests on her ability to carry out orders. But when Malin discovers that her mother spared the life of an immortal who was destined to die, her world is thrown into chaos. Malin not only wrestles with the knowledge that her mother might not be who she thought—she’s also thrust into the path of a gorgeous blue eyed guy named Asher who needs her help slaying the rogue immortal who destroyed his family. The balance of the world is at stake. And, as Asher competes with Malin’s ex for her love and loyalty, so is her heart.

**** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ****

I was so excited to read this book. I have been wanting to read more books about Vikings and Norse Mythology. So when I heard there was a book about Valkyrie I was over the moon. And I was even more excited to get a review copy. I made this my first read of 2018 because I was so excited. And while this was a good read it didn't blow me away.

One thing I did really like about this book is the plot. I am constantly reminding you all how much of a plot driven reader I am and this was perfect fodder for people like me who want a book with a strong and specific plot. In fact I think this book may have even had too much plot. So much happened in this book. There were surprises, thrills, action scenes, and lots and lots of adventure. The book definitely built to an exciting conclusion. But like I said, there was almost too much. It's one of those books where so much happens that it has to move super quickly from moment to moment. Because of that I think there was a lack of impact here. Everything was really good but I wasn't able to let it all sink in before we had already moved. I wish that it just had a little bit more of a weight to everything.

I also liked the world of this book despite the fact that it wasn't really what I was expecting. Because this book is definitely urban fantasy. I have not read any Amanda Hocking but I think this is probably what she does well. I don't read a ton of urban fantasy but it's nice every once and a while to read a book like that. This is a world that mostly combines elements from Norse Mythology. But what I appreciated is that it also pulled in some other mythologies as well. Most of the immortals were really interesting and unique which I really appreciated. Plus this book had that show instead of tell style of world building. There were multiple times where I found myself looking up the mythological figures that were mentioned to find out who they were. This was definitely an engaging world and one that was perfect for this kind of read.

As far as the characters go these ones were okay but I didn't totally connect with them. Malin was a fan main character. I appreciated her desire to make a difference and think she was tough and resilient but I finished the book a few days ago and honestly I remember very little about her, she just didn't make that strong of an impression. I do remember she had some complicated relationships with her family. Her mother was only minimally involved but I think their relationship was interesting. She was definitely was searching for approval from her because she admired her so much but she wasn't really getting that. It made for an interesting dynamic that's for sure but it didn't make for super interesting characters.

But I think my biggest problem with the characters and this book in general was the romance. I know I am really hard to please in the romance category but I just was not impressed with this book. One thing I did appreciate was that it has an on the page bisexual character. You saw her not only be attracted to both men but also women. But that just made for a weird love triangle situation. And neither of them I was really very invested in despite the fact that she seemed to be invested in both. I appreciate that she was so sex positive but I was just not into the romance and it kind of impacted my feelings on the rest of the book to be honest.

In general I think this was a good read. It had a great plot and an interesting world but I didn't love the characters but the overblown romance and super complicated plot just kept me from totally enjoying it. It had a lot of promise but it didn't completely live up to that.

I give Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are a fan of urban fantasy and are looking for a YA with a sex positive bisexual romance than maybe check this one out. It was interesting it just didn't super impress me.

Have you read Between the Blade and the Heart? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Spectacle by Rachel Vincent

Title: Spectacle Series: Menagerie #2 Written by: Rachel Vincent Published: May 30, 2017 by Harlequin Mira (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: In this riveting sequel to New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent's acclaimed novel Menagerie, Delilah Marlow will discover that there is no crueler cage than the confines of the human mind…  When their coup of Metzger's Menagerie is discovered, Delilah and her fellow cryptids find their newly won freedom brutally stripped away as they are sold into The Savage Spectacle, a private collection of "exotic wildlife." Specializing in ruthless cryptid cage matches, safari-style creature hunts and living party favors, the Spectacle's owner, Willem Vandekamp, caters to the forbidden fetishes of the wealthy and powerful. At the Spectacle, any wish can be granted—for the right price.  But Vandekamp's closely guarded client list isn't the only secret being kept at the Spectacle. Beneath the beauty and brutality of life in the collection lie much darker truths, and no one is more determined than Delilah to strip the masks from the human monsters and drag all dark things into the light.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

This is such a hard book to rate. I liked it in the moment but the more I sit with it and think about it I don't know how I feel. Despite originally DNFing Menagerie I ended up really liking it and actually being super excited for it's sequel. And while this was an interesting book with a complex and engaging world and likable characters, it still didn't blow me away.

One of the things that I did love about this book was the world. I don't reach much urban fantasy but I do really love the concept behind the subgenre. It's such an enthralling world as cryptids, aka mythical creatures and fae, walk among us and are treated as monsters, animals, and dangerous killers. In this book we saw that again but in an even more brutal way at the Savage Spectacle. It definitely creates this complex and engaging world that has all kinds of interesting themes about humanity, prejudice, and what makes you human.

And because much of the book is about those concepts, it makes for some really likable characters. In the course of the past two books I have become incredibly attached to these characters. Our main character is Delilah. Delilah is human but she is treated like a cryptid because she is the vessel for the spirit of vengeance. Delilah is everything a great character should be. She's smart, determined, and resourceful but she also has the great vulnerability to her as well. But I as much as I like seeing her make mistakes, it's even better to see the Fury rise. Don't we all sometimes wish a supernatural force could rise in us an destroy our enemies? I know I do. But just in general I really like Delilah as a character.

But this is a book full of interesting and complex characters. In some respects I felt like the first book had spread itself a little too thin with all the perspectives. That was resolved in this book. We saw many of the characters from the first book and even some new ones but there was a more narrow focus which was nice. But I did really like the secondary characters. Gallagher is a standout again in this especially now that we know his secret. Plus I did really like the relationship between the two of them. It's refreshing to see a strong friendship and a character who protects another without it being romantic.

But I think my biggest criticism for this book is with the plot development. It was an interesting plot and it developed in a much more steady way unlike the first book which had huge pacing issues. However, it just didn't feel cohesive. It felt like two different stories. One in the beginning and one at the end. They were connected but it still felt jarring when a twist occurred shifting the plot development completely. And to be entirely honest I don't think the plot was any different from the first book. There is so much potential to explore within the world and a lot of opportunity for drama but it didn't really deliver on that for me. I enjoyed it but it didn't take things to the next level for me.

On the whole this was an interesting read and I do like the series. It has such a fascinating world and complex and likable characters but I wanted a little more from the plot. I think there is a lot more to explore and I am excited to do just that in the next book.

I give Spectacle by Rachel Vincent 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you enjoyed the first book in this series, check out this one. Also, if you like urban fantasy and you have not read this series I definitely recommend it. It's definitely a good read that I would recommend to fans of the genre or anyone wanting to try it out.

Have your read Spectacle? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Audiobook Review: White Cat by Holly Black

Title: White Cat Series: Curse Workers #1 Written by: Holly Black Published: May 4, 2010 by Margaret K. McElderry (Simon and Schuster) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Cassel comes from a shady, magical family of con artists and grifters. He doesn't fit in at home or at school, so he's used to feeling like an outsider. He's also used to feeling guilty; he killed his best friend, Lila, years ago.  But when Cassel begins to have strange dreams about a white cat, and people around him are losing their memories, he starts to wonder what really happened to Lila. In his search for answers, he discovers a wicked plot for power that seems certain to succeed. But Cassel has other ideas and a plan to con the conmen.

I picked this audiobook up because I needed something to listen to at work and I put the call out to Twitter asking what I should listen to. This was the clear winner and it worked out really well because I was kind of in the mood for something dark and urban fantasy-esque. And while White Cat was a good read with a fantastic world and great characters, I'm not sure it really blew me away.

One thing I did love about this book was the world and the magical system. For one thing, this is a book about con men and organized crime. That right there is enough to intrigue me. And Holly Black did a great job with creating that world. It wasn't over the top and cliche in any way. The crime aspects was subtle which honestly made it complex. And while she did explain "the art of the trade" as it were throughout the book it didn't feel like info-dumps and came off as a good show not tell style of world building. I really enjoyed seeing the that all at play here.

I also think that I liked the world so much because it was tied to the magical system, a magical system I found totally interesting. If you have been around for awhile you know that I love magical systems that are similar to superpowers, and that's what this was here. The "curse work" gave the people who could do it their own individual powers, some more serious and dangerous that others, but all slightly dark and sinister. With just a touch they could make a person forget, dream whatever you wanted, or even kill them. It loved seeing the magic at work and learning more about it as the book developed.

However, as fantastic as the world and magical system was, the plot left me wanting more. On the whole it was interesting and engaging but it didn't totally blow me away. I think what was missing was the mystery elements. The mystery of the book definitely left a little to be desired. That isn't to say that there weren't surprises in this book because there were. There were a few that caught me off guard, but in general I did kind of feel as if they seemed a little bit predictable. Or not necessarily predictable as not revealed in a timely way. I didn't feel the shock with the mystery that I think would have given this book and the plot development on the whole that extra something for me.

But the world and the magic also made for interesting characters, There was a large cast here with both Cassel's family and those at his school. And while some of them were hard to keep track of and got mixed up in my head they still felt interesting enough that I wanted to know more. Plus I did really like Cassel, the main character. He's a great kind of protagonist in that he perfectly walked the line between good and evil. He is of course a con artist but in a family of workers and members of the world of organized crime he has a surprisingly good moral compass. Because of that, it's easy to root for him and that on top of his inquisitive nature and resourcefulness makes him all the more likeable.

And a lot of my thoughts on the character was due to the fact that I listened to the audiobook which was narrated by Jesse Eisenberg. Jesse did a great job with creating Cassel. He felt complex and likable in his uncertainty but intelligence. But at the same time, many of the other characters just sounded very similar. I usually prefer when narrators very the voices enough that I can tell the characters apart and that didn't feel like the case here. But he did do a good job creating the atmosphere and world of the book. I felt like that part really came alive and felt both complex and dark. I think it was a good audiobook but nothing that I would add to my favorites list.

But I think that basically sums up my feelings of this book. It was good, I liked it, but it's not going to be a new favorite. The world and magical system were fantastic, the characters were interesting, but the plot development and mystery left me wanting more. I'm not sure that at this point if I will continue with the series but I'm not opposed to it.

I give White Cat by Holly Black 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are in the mood for something that's kind of dark, kind of urban fantasy, with an interesting magical world then maybe check this out from your local library. I did like it and would recommend it to fans of YA fantasies but it's not something that blew me away.

Have you read White Cat? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Written in Red by Anne Bishop

Title: Written in Red Series: The Others #1 Written by: Anne Bishop Published: March 5, 2015 by Penguin Group (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: No one creates realms like "New York Times "bestselling author Anne Bishop. Now in a thrilling new fantasy series, enter a world inhabited by the Others, unearthly entities--vampires and shape-shifters among them--who rule the Earth and whose prey are humans.  As a "cassandra sangue," or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut--a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg's Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard--a business district operated by the Others.  Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she's keeping a secret, and second, she doesn't smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she's wanted by the government, he'll have to decide if she's worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow

I have owned a copy of this book for a while now. I got the Kindle version for only $2 and it took me awhile to read it. I'm not entirely sure why because I've heard nothing but good things from blogging friends. It was a really good adult urban fantasy with lots of mystery and a great world, despite an extremely slow plot development.

One of the things I liked most about this book was the world. Written in Red is Urban Fantasy. I'm not a big Urban Fantasy reader, honestly I can't really think of many UF that I have actually read, so I didn't really know what I was getting into as far as the world of the book. But I was blown away by how complex and engaging it was. Anne Bishop created a really unique alternate North America. It is a world where supernatural creatures inhabited the land before humans and then when they came, they had to deal with them. I loved what she did with her terra indigene. She took things that are familiar to us like shapeshifters and vampires but still made them creative and interesting. Then she created something truly unique ones like with the blood prophet, ponies, and Elementals. They were all so fascinating but I feel like we've only begun to scratch the surface with these supernatural creatures. We've also only begun to scratch the surface with the relationship of the terra indigene and their relationship with humans. This book brought up a lot of complex things that I'm sure will come into play later in the series.

But a lot about this book was just that, barely mentioning things that will come into play later in the series. It led to investment in the series but it did make this book hugely guilty of First Book Syndrome. Written in Red is not a fast-paced book. It took me a lot longer to read than I expected. There was a lot of exposition to this book which slowed down the pacing and plot development a little bit. It's a lot of world building. A lot of explaining about the world and the characters. A lot of explaining about the prejudices that exist in the world. Not to mention a lot of what I think was supposed to be mystery in the beginning that came off as dramatic irony. Eventually things did pick up but not until about 250 pages in. I usually prefer a more plot-driven read and while I did really like the direction of this book it was just so slow. I had been warned about that from fellow bloggers who read it before.

But what made up for the slower pacing at the beginning was the characters. I really enjoyed every single perspective here. And there were a lot of them. Sometimes it was a little jarring to switch mid-chapter between Meg, Simon, and any number of secondary characters but all the perspectives were enjoyable. It gave us a well-rounded look at the world and what was happening within it. This added a lot to the drama and gave you the sense that things were going to build to something huge and it definitely did. Plus seriously, they were all so likable. Meg was a fantastic main character in particular. She's out experiencing the world for the first time but has this basic understanding of it. She's like a time traveler or a foreign exchange students, slightly naive but curious and inquisitive. She doesn't fit into either world but also fits into both which is what makes her even more perfect. And while I liked Simon, for me he did seem a little cliche from time to time. He's your typical tough guy adviser romantic lead who has a heart of gold. Not my favorite trope but I did like him and Meg together. There were also some fantastic secondary characters. I am particularly fond of Henry, Sam, and Tess who were really great terra indigene who I want to learn more about.

On the whole Written in Red was a good first book in a series that I am interested in continue at some point. It had a fascinating world, interesting characters, and a lot of drama. It did suffer from First Book Syndrome but I'm interested in continuing on and seeing how everything develops.

I give Written in Red by Anne Bishop 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow (or buy the w-book for $1.99). Despite the fact that it took me a good two weeks, maybe more, to read this one because of the slower pace I did enjoy it. I would recommend this book to fans of Urban Fantasy or anyone looking for a book with supernatural creatures that doesn't feel like the same old thing.

Have you read Written in Red? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!