Daughter of Smoke and Bone // Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (★★★★☆)
By: Laini Taylor
Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (1)
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy ~ Urban
Pages: 420
Format: eBook
Features: Where to begin???

Well, now.

I like to read. A lot. Typically when I read a book by a new author, if I find I enjoy it, I'll set it aside and come back to it later, read it again, and think about whether or not I'll pursue additional works by the same author.

That is NOT the case here. Laini Taylor has captured my imagination with Daughter of Smoke and Bone. The end is merely alluded to in the title, not to be understood until you manage to make it all the way through to the end. And what an amazing end it was.

I had my doubts early on. Karou talking about her drawings of Brimstone and the others made me think of something more along the lines of comic book characters. When the narrative went into conversations she had with these creatures, I raised my eyebrow and wondered what I had gotten myself into. And, wishes? Simple, silly wishes based off of a bead?

Then we actually get to MEET Brimstone, and the entire dynamic changes. We hear more about the other kinds of wishes, and his job of collecting teeth, we see the relationship that Karou has with the chimaera inhabiting the shop. We start getting glimpses hear and there into Karou, her life, and her "job". The split life of someone who works for creatures who don't dare show their faces outside the shop on one side, and who attends an arts school who has friends and relationships on the other side.

Of the chimaera who are merely shopkeepers and caregivers in need of teeth to carry out some unknown purpose on one side, and highly valuable members of an entire race of beings on the other side.

The intricacies of these relationships are handled very well. I was pleased with the continuity, the flow of the story and of the writing. It moved at a very good pace to keep me engaged without being overwhelmed or bored.

Then the angel appeared. It was as if from that point on, the entire story became one gigantic whirlwind of "WTF?!" - which was appropriate considering, had this all been real, Karou's life probably would be about there as well.

The ending revelation wasn't as big of a surprise as I'd hoped, and it was there that I started feeling things got a little too drawn out - a little too... cookie-cutter. From that point on until the end, everything pretty much went as expected, which was a sad turn from earlier.

No matter how you look at it, though, Taylor spins a good story. My imagination was thoroughly engaged, visualizing these characters with all these different features, the remarkable dress of Karou's, the whole idea of... well, I won't spoil that for you. It's one of the biggest curiosities of Karou's throughout the book, and now I can certainly understand why. I thought it was pretty brilliant, myself.

If you're looking for the next great thing in fantasy set in modern times, this is a book you definitely need to add to your collection.

The Omen Machine // Terry Goodkind

The Omen Machine (★★★☆☆)
By: Terry Goodkind
Series: The Sword of Truth (12)/Richard and Kahlan (1)
Genres: Epic Fantasy
Pages: 514
Format: eBook

Unfortunately, Terry Goodkind started to loose me with this one.

I loved the last 3 books of the Sword of Truth. They were philosophical, really dug deep into Richard, both his character and AS a character. He’s a free will kind of person and by god it showed.

The Omen Machine does not detract from this – however, it starts veering from a philosophical slant (taking place after the war detailed in the last books of the SoT) into a more theological. Prophecy practically becomes religion.

However, he once again engages the reader using a variety of unusual and intriguing plot twists and manipulates the story and its characters masterfully, as always. I’m intrigued as to what the “Omen Machine” will turn out to be – but I was not so engaged as to have to immediately run out and purchase the next book. I could easily see this turning into another epic saga, and after completing SoT, reading all of the books written in the Terre d’Ange world by Jaqueline Carey, and STILL not managing to complete the WoT books yet, I don’t think I have it in me to become emotionally involved in yet another massive epic – especially if it’s going the direction this book indicates.

Hardcore fans of Terry Goodkind will, of course, love it – and what’s not to love? You have your old, cranky/cheeky wizard, the dark, brooding and (sometimes overly) powerful sorceress of questionable morality, the noble, charismatic and steadfast protagonist and his ever-lasting love of pure beauty and goodness, countered by antagonists that make you grit your teeth and, despite their being purely fictional, have it in them to inspire hatred in even the most grounded of readers.

However, digging past the surface of what makes Terry Goodkind such an engaging writer, there is definitely something lacking in The Omen Machine that was present in the preceding books – I just can’t put my finger on what it is.

Timebound // Rysa Walker

Timebound (★★★★★)
By: Rysa Walker
Series: Timebound (1)
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Pages: 258
Format: eBook
Features: time travel

I got this book as a Kindle First pick.

Now, that being said, after my first Kindle First Pick, I wasn’t expecting much. Plus, I see a LOT of repeat in fiction being written these days.

The subject matter alone made me sit up and pay attention. Rysa Walker has managed to create a unique and memorable experience with this book that I haven’t encountered in a very long time.

I won’t say much more other than I could praise this book all day no matter how crazy it made me sound. I really just wish everybody who encounters this will give it a try. It’s not your typical romance, as it deals with a protagonist that’s still in high school.

One bad thing. Since I got this through the first reads program… I have to wait even LONGER for the second book!

Hexed // Kevin Hearne

Hexed (☆☆☆☆☆)
By: Kevin Hearne
Series: The Iron Druid Chronicles (2)
Genres: Fantasy ~ Urban
Pages: 258
Format: eBook
Features: mythology

I tried. I really did. I was willing to give the series a chance after I was on the fence after reading the first book. However, my views on what fiction writing should and shouldn’t be prevented me from finishing the book.

I had personal issue with the first book due to the picture Hearne painted witches in, but I let that go as a product of creative license. However, I couldn’t continue to do that with this one. I like to think I have a pretty open mind when it comes to gods and goddesses, especially in regards to how they’re depicted in fiction, but again, I have certain views on what fiction writing should be, and having the writer’s personal bias shoved in your face is not something I consider acceptable.

I don’t think I was even a quarter of the way through the book when I had enough, and returned it to Amazon for a refund. A person can only see so much “the entire world hates Thor” or other such comments about other people or groups before one starts to wonder if the boundary of creative license has been crossed – and it was, for me. I will not be reading any more of these books, and likely nothing else from Mr. Hearne.

Witchy, Witchy // Penelope King

Witchy, Witchy (★★★☆☆)
By: Penelope King
Series: Spellbound (1)
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal
Pages: 329
Format: eBook
Features: Witches

I’ve heard a lot of fuss about these books, and I have to wonder why. Then again, I also have to wonder if I read too much or watch too many fantasy-type series on TV, because most of what I read these days reminds me of some other book or show or author. This one… just more of the same.

I had a number of moments where I flashed back to The Craft and The Secret Circle. Only difference is here (so far at least) there’s only 3 witches, but they’re still all teenage girls.

One thing I do like about Witchy, Witchy (though at the same time makes it too YA for my tastes) is these girls deal with normal, every day, teenage girl problems. Not all of their problems are magical, and they don’t try to use their magic to solve those problems, either. What a relief!

I think Penelope King has taken a much more realistic approach to the world of witchcraft in fiction than I’ve seen to date. Real people mean real problems, whereas magic has its own set of problems, and, occasionally, the two will overlap and, well, that’s when crap hits the fan.

I may continue to read on just because there are obviously a number of years ahead of these girls and I hope to see the books grow with them

Hounded // Kevin Hearne

Hounded (★★★☆☆)
By: Kevin Hearne
Series: The Iron Druid Chronicles (1)
Genres: Fantasy ~ Urban
Pages: 303
Format: eBook
Features: Mythology, Witches

I’m used to reading things of the caliber of Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind and Jacqueline Carey for my fantasy fix. While after reading Hounded I would never put Kevin Hearne in this category, I have to give credit where credit is due. He took a pantheon/mythological race that’s been done before and put a interesting, if not wholly pleasing spin on it.

I had to tell myself within the first 20 pages something I often tell myself when confronted with arguments about how the ancient gods and goddesses are portrayed in pop culture – they are what they are, and we are not, thus simply by being human we have to put them in a “box” of sorts. This is where the interesting spin came from, as Hearne managed a fictional take that I would consider almost believable. There simply is no such thing as a perfect god or goddess.

I do have an issue with how he portrays the witches. Hearne demonstrated enough knowledge of witchcraft, of both the Wiccan and less “traditional” variety that it made me wonder if it was simple creative license or a personal… delusion that caused him to paint them as little more than monsters in human skins.

As to the overall story itself, taking the book as a whole, I simply can’t say it was remarkably good or bad. It had its moments of both. I can say that I will pick up the next book in this series and continue reading, but I will give it only one more book to win me over.