Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance v. 4.0

[ants]

Added the below to the second post.  

On 11/13/2019 at 11:32 AM, ants said:

Recommended

• Bareback by Kit Whitfield is a fantastic stand alone book set in a world where everyone is a werewolf except a handful of people born "bareback", with no fur.  A really good story, it deals with prejudice and abuse, and the themes are very adult.  It also has a good mystery which the story centres around.  I've used this book for "serious readers" who "think  fantasy is a joke genre for serious writing".  

A few which are good, but not great.  I'd recommend them to read.  

• The Karma trilogy is a nice series, one of those dealing with people who are archetypes (a little like the Indexing books by Seanan Mcguire). You can buy all three as a single kindle book on Amazon pretty cheaply (moved from the recommended to good categories). 
• Speaking of which, Seanan McGuire's Indexing books (2) are both good books dealing with a protagonist who is struggling to avoid being an archetype, and stop fairy tales from taking over the world.  Varies between the slightly silly and very seriously adult.  Very enjoyable books.  
• Arcadia Bell series by Jenn Bennett.  A nice series about someone who summons demons.  The series is solid, a good read, although it hits you over the head with the romance.  The books use a reasonably unique system of magic, so you're not seeing the traditional werewolves and vampires here (by memory...)  
• The Sarah Jane Beauhall books by J. A. Pitts is a nice little series of 4 books which centre around a lesbian blacksmith for Movies and re-enactment festivals.  The series doesn't blow you away, but are a good, solid read.  
• J.C. Nelson's Grim Agency books are a good read with another reasonably unique magic world.  The main protagonist works for the Grim Agency, which is an enterprise that sells wishes from the head of the agency, a Fairy Godfather.  The books mix a little of ridiculous high adventure in, but generally are a lot of fun.  Not unexpected Marissa Locks the protagonist has a bit of a special history, but frequently she has to manage with a lot less assets up her sleeves than those around her.     
• Melisa F Olson's Scarlett Bernard & Disrupted Magic series (same character, really the same series) are set in a traditional vampire/werewolf world.  The difference being that the protagonist is a null.  She's hired out by the supernatural community to clean up after them.  The series is well written, and the world is pretty good despite the standard supernatural creatures.  There are further spin-off books set in the same world.  
• Susan Illene's Sensor series, is another series where the main protagonist has a slight twist in a reasonably standard world of werewolves and vampires.  In this case it is that she is a sensor, and can detect supernatural creatures.  Sensors are rare because supernaturals see them as a huge risk.  The series is solidly written, although it moves into a slightly more extreme high magic world as the series progresses.  The romance is hit you over the head stuff obvious, and involves an Alpha male to boot.  There are also spin-off books in the same world.  The series is good enough to recommend, not good enough to tell people to hunt down.   
• Jacqueline Carey has two good urban fantasy series. The Agent of Hel trilogy are a rural fantasy series which is reasonably by the numbers, but solidly written and good books.  The protagonist Daisy Johanssen is the enforcer/cop for a town which is protected by Hel, and has a strong tourist trade.  Crimes and evil abound, and Daisy has to stop it.  Good writing, good plotting, but nothing blows you away.  
• Jacqueline Carey's second completed urban fantasy series is the Santa Olivia and Saints Astray books.  Its about the bastard child of a werewolf growing up in a town that is stuck in a neutral zone between the USA and Mexico after a pandemic/wall building exercise.  Werewolf is probably not the greatest descriptor, since these have no real connection to the traditional stereotype, but are really more genetically injured soldiers.  The books have a strong theme around prejudice, isolation, and are very good to read.  However, the special abilities Loup Gannon have does make her over-powered a little bit.  But the books are still a powerful read and very recommended.  More of a traditional fiction book than a high (or medium) action fantasy books however, as they explore Loup's growing up and exploration of who she is.  
• The Man from U.N.D.E.A.D books are a very different beast from the ones I've listed above.  Set covering a spy character think of them as a James Bond series with more humour.  They are full of action, are over the top, and about a character saving the world in a very spy, action movie kind of way.  But fun.  
• Simon R. Green's Nightside books are short, high action, over the top noire books about a detective in the nightside.  Very adult themes, and runs the line between ridiculous and fun.  Have a strong action movie, James Bond feel like the Man from U.N.D.E.A.D book above.  Although also a bit of a feel of Harry Dresden.
• Helen Harper has a LOT of urban fantasy books.  Most of her series are IMO ok, without really being strong enough to move to the "Good" list here.  Generally very light hearted, simple plots with out a huge amount of substance.  Her The Lazy Girl's Guide To Magic Book series is the exception.  It just has a perfect blend of humour and good plots, which moves it onto my Good list.  

[RedEyedGhost]

On 5/8/2020 at 3:26 AM, Jen'ari said:

What did you think of it?, I’m also a big fan of this series, while I enjoyed it a lot, I didn’t think it was quite as strong as some of the others.

I liked it, but didn't love it.  Probably the least engaging of the series for me.  I know it was supposed to feel smaller, after the end of the previous book, but that definitely led to that lack of engagement.  I actually preferred The October Man which I read right before it.  

 

I also read the latest Alex Verus novel - Fallen.  Blazed through this one, after the first 40% was feeling like more of the same it kicked off in a big time way. 

Real sorry to see Arachne exit, but we knew it was coming.  Luna had such a small role in this one, and with her feeling at the end it seems like she'll be taking a step back too.  I did like the way that after Alex finally levels up there were immediate consequences with the fateweaver binding tighter and tighter as he accesses its powers.  That fight with Cinder and Onyx was fantastic, as was the way his plan to get Deleo to break away from Richard at the end.

  Very glad I started taking a bit of time in between the latter books of the series, as now I don't have to wait quite so long before the next one is released.

[ants]

On 5/30/2020 at 2:38 PM, RedEyedGhost said:

I also read the latest Alex Verus novel - Fallen.  Blazed through this one, after the first 40% was feeling like more of the same it kicked off in a big time way. 

  Hide contents

Real sorry to see Arachne exit, but we knew it was coming.  Luna had such a small role in this one, and with her feeling at the end it seems like she'll be taking a step back too.  I did like the way that after Alex finally levels up there were immediate consequences with the fateweaver binding tighter and tighter as he accesses its powers.  That fight with Cinder and Onyx was fantastic, as was the way his plan to get Deleo to break away from Richard at the end.

  Very glad I started taking a bit of time in between the latter books of the series, as now I don't have to wait quite so long before the next one is released.

I really love the way that the Alex Verus world has developed.  It is extremely grey, with the bad guys often winning and the good guys frequently grey, if not black.  And it really encapsulates that if you want power and to wield it, there are consequences.  

What happened in Fallen really shows development of the character, but not necessarily (in a pure white/black sense) in a good way.  So much to be resolved yet.  

[C.T. Phipps]

Just picked up the newly released AMERICAN DEMON by Kim Harrison.

[ants]

It downloaded last night and I've been waiting for the weekend.

Not sure how to feel about this one.  It was one of my favourite series and I really liked how it wrapped up.  She also has a history of killing some pretty major characters.  So I both look forward to it and am also bloody worried about how I'll feel at the end of it.  

A bit like the last Black Jewels book where I really hated how Anne Bishop treated a long term character.  

[C.T. Phipps]

On 6/19/2020 at 2:15 AM, ants said:

It downloaded last night and I've been waiting for the weekend.

Not sure how to feel about this one.  It was one of my favourite series and I really liked how it wrapped up.  She also has a history of killing some pretty major characters.  So I both look forward to it and am also bloody worried about how I'll feel at the end of it.  

A bit like the last Black Jewels book where I really hated how Anne Bishop treated a long term character.  

Honestly, I hated Nina and Ivy (Rachel and Ivy forever!) while Trent and Rachel is an iffy end for me. Still, I don't read the books for the destination but the journey.

Ivy also has a bigger role in this book, which highlights that she'd been moving away from the heart of what made the books awesome.

[ants]

I ended up having to work a chunk of the weekend, so I've saved this for when I can focus just on it.  Hopefully this weekend.

Was it good?  

[C.T. Phipps]

On 6/22/2020 at 7:58 PM, ants said:

I ended up having to work a chunk of the weekend, so I've saved this for when I can focus just on it.  Hopefully this weekend.

Was it good?  

I'm 70% of the way through it and I very much am enjoying it. The biggest issue is that the new character Pike is better for Rachel and/or Ivy than their current love interests and the story is struggling with the divide it's artificially created between Rachel and Ivy.

[ants]

14 hours ago, C.T. Phipps said:

I'm 70% of the way through it and I very much am enjoying it. .....

Spoilers man, spoilers! 

[C.T. Phipps]

No spoilers!

Though I am working on my review now.

American Demon by Kim Harrison review

Edit:

Review!

 

4.5/5

The Hollows are back! I am making a confession here that I am going to be totally biased to this installment of the series. It's a bit like a good friend having long since moved away, having dropped out of contact, only to come back even cooler than ever. So, yeah, if you're a Hollows fan then you should pick this up. I have a few minor issues with the book but that's just because I love the characters and seeing them go through a rough patch is hard.

The premise of the Hollows series is that a tomato-based plague has wiped out a large chunk of humanity. This isn't as bad as it sounds because it turns out that supernaturals were immune to the plague. Witches, vampires, demons, weres, and pixies inhabit the city of Cincinnati, Ohio in as great a number as the humans. Despite being the result of an apocalyptic plague, the setting is mostly silly and fun like the Discworld rather than dark or gritty. There's werewolf accountants, vampire Presidents, and witches who worry more about their kitchens than curses. Hell, the former vampire lord of Cincinnati ran a pizzeria.

Rachel Morgan is a witch investigator that teamed up with her living vampire partner Ivy to solve a variety of complicated plots and schemes that imperil their city. This book opens with a recap of the previous thirteen and if you want to avoid spoilers then I suggest you check out DEAD WITCH WALKING first. It's a great series and you won't regret it. From this point out, SPOILERS AHOY.

AMERICAN DEMON really begins with Rachel dealing with the fact her little family is breaking up. Ivy has moved in with her girlfriend Nia, Rachel and Ivy's church is destroyed, plus Rachel's relationship with elf crime lord Trent has gotten serious enough that they're considered married in some circles. Unfortunately, the public blames Rachel for freeing the demon race from their imprisonment in the Ever After and taking Trent from his elven princess bride. Given Rachel is now classified a demon herself, almost everyone thinks ill of her. Well, poor Rachel can't catch a break and someone has set a monster loose in Cincinnati that is causing people to murder their loved ones.

Much of the book is about dealing with change in relationships and how people drift apart. I absolutely hate the fact Ivy and Nina are moving away from Rachel because, well, I've always been a die-hard Rachel/Ivy shipper. I'm not a huge Nina fan, either, but that's related to the fact I was also a Kisten/Ivy/Rachel fan too. I always hoped that Kisten would end up returning but after a dozen books, I don't see that happening.

The relationship between Trent and Rachel is something that I was really impressed by and I've gone from not being a fan to really liking them (if not as much as Rachel/Ivy/Kisten). Trent used to be ruler of the world but he's taken a heavy hit to stick by Rachel. Really, you could sing the Coldplay song about him. Nevertheless, you can tell he's really happier with her than he was as a bad guy and I want to see where this goes.

The series is really like putting on an old pair of shoes (if I may mix metaphors). Everyone is exactly where we left them and the retcon of the flash-forward to just being a dream that Rachel had is something that allows us to have an exciting uncertainty about what's going to happen next. The baku is a decent-enough threat but a bit one-note as a villain. Landon is a much more interesting threat, even though I want to see him get utterly smashed.

Much of the book is the same good-natured humor and charm the previous ones won me over with. This is not a series to read for high stakes plots, though they occasionally happen, but the delightfulness of the characters. I especially liked newcomer Pike and kind of already ship him with both the heroines. Is it wrong I love this series primarily for the relationships? Well, if it is then I don't want to be right.

Edited June 27, 2020 by C.T. Phipps

[ants]

Well, my apartment got flooded from fire sprinklers next door, plus had to do work for work, so let's just say that reading this book got delayed another week.  Very frustrating. 

[C.T. Phipps]

My sympathies. Last week my basement was flooded by a sewer line breaking and the bathroom floor rotting out. So, bleah we had a huge amount of house repairs.

It's a nice fun book, though.

Edit:

I started Seanan McGuire's work for the first time this week by reaidng DISCOUNT ARMAGEDDON.

http://booknest.eu/reviews/charles/1939-discountarmageddon

Edited July 1, 2020 by C.T. Phipps

[ants]

On 7/2/2020 at 3:34 AM, C.T. Phipps said:

My sympathies. Last week my basement was flooded by a sewer line breaking and the bathroom floor rotting out. So, bleah we had a huge amount of house repairs.

It's a nice fun book, though.

Ouch.  My sympathies back!  At least in my case it's not too bad, and I'm not currently living there (I moved into my mother's farm during isolation/lock down as she lives on her own).  And the damage isn't too bad. 

Fingers crossed I'll get to it this weekend, although being financial year end (in Australia) I may be working it.

On 7/2/2020 at 3:34 AM, C.T. Phipps said:

I started Seanan McGuire's work for the first time this week by reaidng DISCOUNT ARMAGEDDON.

http://booknest.eu/reviews/charles/1939-discountarmageddon

Seanan McGuire's Toby Daye series is, IMO, amongst the best current urban fantasy series.  Great characters, strong writing and world building, strong multi-book themes.  

I'm less of a fan of her incryptid books, partly because I think they're not as good (but still good), partly as I dislike switching character POVs, and partly because getting them via a UK kindle is impossible.   Her Indexing duology is a nice read.  

Edited July 4, 2020 by ants

[C.T. Phipps]

Speaking as a superhero author (the only time I was ever a best-selling Amazon book), the VELVETEEN VS. series was where I discovered Seanan McGuire and hate the fact that they're not available on Kindle but only audiobook due to a deal she made with a small publisher. I actually tried to buy up the remaining copies so she could re-release it at one point but that didn't work out.

 

Edited July 3, 2020 by C.T. Phipps

[ants]

Talking of superheroes and ebooks, I really like Jennifer Harlow's Gallilee Falls trilogy, so I went to read her other books.  And hit the problem that the first book in her F.R.E.A.K.S squad book was quite good, but of the other 4 books, number 4 and 5 are also available on kindle, but 2 and 3 are not.  Or the final in the Andrea Cort trilogy that is only available as an audio book, or in german. How frustrating. 

I really find it staggering how many books aren't available via ebook, or not in all jurisdictions.  I'm staggered that lots of back libraries aren't available.  Without knowing the details, you would think that the cost of being available on distribution sites would be zero until a sale goes through.  But I suppose that can't be the case, or surely they'd all be there. 

[Poobah]

On 5/23/2020 at 4:01 AM, lady narcissa said:

Most interesting is I discovered why I can't read the Dresden Files. I tried to read them but I live in Chicago and the Dresden Files Chicago is just not Chicago.  And I've learned the reason for this from this chat - because the Dresden Files wasn't written as being in Chicago when Butcher started the series, it took place in  Kansas City.  But his agent (or maybe editor, I can't remember) told him it couldn't be set in Missouri because the Laurell K. Hamilton books were set in Missouri and there couldn't be two series based there.  (Which just seems bizarre.)  So he looked at a globe which only had DC, NYC, LA and Chicago labeled on the US, eliminated the other 3 cities, and decided to go with Chicago.

For me, the reason I love Urban Fantasy is I love sense of place in stories.  Stories that are shaped by their location and couldn't be the stories they are if they were in a different location.  The Dresden Files lacked this for me.  The location just felt like a much smaller city.  Which makes sense when you understand it was Kansas City.  I think its too bad he was made to switch locations like that.  It would have been interesting to see what he could have done with a location he actually knew as opposed to one he picked out from a globe.

That's really interesting! I knew Butcher didn't really know shit about Chicago, but I never knew he originally intended DF to take place elsewhere or the bizarre reason it was moved. As someone who's never been to Chicago I never really noticed but it certainly annoys me to one degree or other when my town gets misused in tv and movies so I can completely understand why this would be off-putting.

[C.T. Phipps]

Its also moronic because Kansas City and Saint Louis are about as far away from cities as you could get while still being in the same state.

He could also have just set it in the Kansas part too I suppose.

[ants]

Someone needs to tell all those authors locating books in London that they've been doing it wrong! 

[ants]

This sucks.  I was busy again last weekend, so didn't get to the book.  And they're piling up.  I've got the hollows book, the latest Lizzie Grace book, the latest Guild Codex, I still haven't got to the latest Kings Watch book from June, which is also when I found out there was a new Sarah Beauhall book (I thought that series was finished).  And now Peace Talks just turned up.  

I need a week off to get up to date with my urban fantasy reading! 

[C.T. Phipps]

Peace Talks is out!

Here's my review!

http://booknest.eu/reviews/charles/1955-peacetalks