The Dark Mirror by Samantha Shannon

Title: The Dark Mirror

Author: Samantha Shannon

Genre: Dystopian, Urban Fantasy

Series: The Bone Season # 5

Publication: February 25, 202,5 576 pages

Source: Personal Library, Purchase

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Paige Mahoney is outside the Republic of Scion for the first time in more than a decade – but she has no idea how she got to the free world. Half a year has been wiped from her memory.

As she makes her way back to the revolution, her journey takes her to Venice, where she learns a dangerous secret – one that could change the face of the war between humans and immortals. Before she can return to London, she must help the Domino Programme unravel the sinister Operation Ventriloquist.

And it soon becomes clear that the one person who could recover her memories – Arcturus Mesarthim – might also hold the key to saving Italy.

MY THOUGHTS

I was a little worried going into The Dark Mirror after reading the synopsis and learning that six months had passed since the last book and Paige had lost her memories. It's not a trope I typically enjoy, but I had faith that if anyone could pull it off, it would be Shannon. At the start of the book, we find Paige in Poland, where she's reunited with a friend who eventually leads her back to the Domino Programme. The Domino Programme gives Paige another assignment that takes her to Italy, where she once again goes head-to-head with Scion.

We're now five books into this series, and Shannon is neither letting up nor pulling any punches. What I realized I'd been missing since the last book was the Seven Dials crew, and I was so happy to finally see some familiar faces again. Same crew, another adventure together. Of course, there are other factions that come into play, and everyone wants Paige.

There were so many moving pieces throughout the book, and questions from previous installments finally began forming a bigger picture as we hurtled toward the ending, which was incredibly satisfying. The twist at the 80% mark literally had me gasping out loud, and everything that followed was nonstop action right to the very end. I loved every moment. It was like the Trafalgar Square scene from book one and the scrimmage scene from book two multiplied by ten. And it was brilliant of Shannon to have it all unfold in Rome, at the Colosseum of all places. I thought it was the perfect setting.

I also loved seeing Arcturus and Paige's relationship develop further. For once, they're finally being honest with each other about their feelings. It's been so rewarding to watch this slow burn unfold over the course of five books, seeing them grow from skeptical allies to true allies, then friends, and finally lovers.

I'm also glad we got to see more of another character, one I know we're supposed to despise, but who's such a compelling and fascinating character. I can't wait for The Moth Reborn to come out next year. It's been a wild ride so far, and I have no doubt the final two books will be nothing short of masterpieces.

Drink Deep by Chloe Neill

Title: Drink Deep
Author: Chloe Neill
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Chicagoland Vampires # 5

Trade Paperback, 321 Pages
Publication: November 1, 2011 by NAL

Source: Personal Library

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Clouds are brewing over Cadogan House, and recently turned vampire Merit can’t tell if this is the darkness before the dawn or the calm before the storm. With the city iself in turmoil over paranormals and the state threatening to pass a paranormal registration act, times haven’t been this precarious for vampires since they came out of the closet. If only they could lay low for a bit, and let the mortals calm down.

That’s when the waters of Lake Michigan suddenly turn pitch black-and things really start getting ugly.

Chicago’s mayor insists it’s nothing to worry about, but Merit knows only the darkest magic could have woven a spell powerful enough to change the very fabric of nature. She’ll have to turn to friends old and new to find out who’s behind this, and stop them before it’s too late for vampires and humans alike.

Neill has a spinoff series, Wild Hunger, from her Chicogoland Vampires releasing next week and I thought maybe I should go back and try to finish the series. I last left off with Hard Bitten and it ended there because I was too devastated to continue. Ethan, the Master of Cadogen House died! But I took the plunge and started reading Drink Deep long after the series ended. It was surprisingly easy to re-immerse myself in the series as if I read Hard Bitten yesterday and not 6-7 years ago. However, the spark I found in the first three books were totally lost in Drink Deep; which made it difficult to get through the book.

Drink Deep read like a whodunit novel with very little action. The natural elements in Chicago was going haywire because the balance of good and evil were being mixed and Merit and Jonah were running all over the city, going from one supernatural group to the next asking if they done it or knew who did it. That pretty much summed up 80% of the book and the other 20% involved turmoil in-house thanks to the GP rep Frank. Drink Deep left me so bored. And the characters weren’t making anything better. Yes, I understand everyone is still grieving two months after Ethan’s death but it made for very emo characters (those within the Cadogen House). All the other characters were bland, two-dimensional or irritable/angry. No one likes reading those type of characters. Thus making the entire reading experience unpleasant.

Like many others, I don’t plan on continuing with this series. I don’t have the desire or care to see Merit’s journey through. Not anymore. Ironically, I still plan on checking out the spin-off, hoping that the spark that I originally loved about this series can be found again. 

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

Title: Silver Borne
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Mercy Thompson # 5

Hardcover, 342 Pages
Publication: March 30, 2010 by Ace Books

Source: Personal Library

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Mercy is smart enough to realize that when it comes to the magical fae, the less you know, the better. But you can't always get what you want. When she attempts to return a powerful fae she previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secrets - and the fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side - leaving Mercy to cover for him lest his own father declare Samuel's life forfeit.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she may not have many more... 

I can’t believe it’s been eight years since I read the last Mercy book. With that said, going in and starting Silver Borne was effortless. To my own surprise I remembered exactly where things left off and what occurred in the previous books. That’s a true testament to Briggs for creating such an amazing world and characters. You honestly cannot define the Urban Fantasy Genre without the Mercy Thompson series. It’s truly a UF staple, must have and reading requirement for everyone that loves the genre.

After a traumatic attack on Mercy’s person in Bone Crossed, both Mercy and Adam are trying to work out their relationship; trying to get back to how things were before the attack. But the momentary reprieve from trouble is short-lived when Mercy’s friends get kidnaps and a dangerous fae searches for a book…a book that Mercy is in possession of.

There were multiple subplots happening simultaneously but Briggs weaved the plots seamlessly that every single contained situation fit perfectly all together. In addition to deal with the fae kidnapping, Mercy had to attend to the the usual business of her business, pack business and help her friend, Samuel and his wolf through a crisis. Mercy definitely had her plate full, but then again when doesn’t she?

I really enjoyed Silver Borne and learning more about the supes in Mercy’s world. I am amazed at how much Briggs was able to pack in one single book without it feeling like too much or info-dumped. Silver Borne was a great addition to the series and a solid read. If you haven’t read this series yet; I highly recommend it! 

Between a Vamp and a Hard Place by Jessica Sims

Title: Between a Vamp and a Hard Place
Author: Jessica Sims
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Midnight Liaisons #5 (?, possible standalone)

Mass Market Paperback, 384 Pages
Publication: December 29, 2015 by Pocket Books

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Lindsey Hughes loves antiques and couldn’t be happier to make a living in the estate sale business. But when her assistant accidentally buys an entire estate without her approval, Lindsey is forced to clean up the mess herself.

Lindsey travels to the newly purchased, age-old house in Venice, Italy, and soon discovers more than she (never) bargained for. While digging through the hoarder’s trove that fills every floor, she finds a secret staircase behind a wall that leads to a strange coffin…with an even stranger inhabitant.

Vampire Rand FitzWulf has been in his coffin for 600 years. But now that he’s awake, he’s ravenous, and there’s a delicious-smelling woman with a rare blood type in his basement. Luckily, Lindsey has more to offer than blood: she agrees to travel throughout Europe with Rand to help him get revenge on the one who turned him. But as the unlikely pair grows closer, will the billionaire vampire be overtaken by his thirst for blood—or his thirst for love?

It’s been a long time since I read a Paranormal Romance novel. Between a Vamp and a Hard Place was a fun, light read…and I forgot how much I missed and enjoyed them. This is my first Sims book but like all Paranormal Romance it features a different main couple, location and plot/problem. In Between a Vamp and a Hard Place, readers are introduced to Lindsey and her BFF/business partner Gemma, antiques dealers who make a living by hunting for valuables at estate sales. Lindsey and her friend have been in a slump and struggling with bills but finally hit a possible jackpot with an empty apartment in Italy. To their surprise they find a trove of valuable porcelains among other treasures…..and a 600-year-old Vampire.

For the most part, I liked Between a Vamp and a Hard Place. However, the overall plot has been used a few times before. Human girl meets sexy vampire. Sexy vampire seeks revenge on those who’ve wronged him; in this case who staked him and left him vulnerable and lost in the 21st Century. And said human girl falls for sexy vampire. At times I found Lindsey hilarious and likable but other times she just had me scratching my head. The whole ‘I’m attracted to you, not attracted to you’’ was getting a little tiring. She came off as confusing and indecisive…especially since she threw her career/job on the back burner. Rand, the 600-year-old Vampire was an okay male lead. I don’t know. Now that I finished reading the book…I don’t have anything really good or bad to say about him. Sadly he wasn’t memorable, nor was the overall plot of the story.

Between a Vamp and a Hard Place was a quick and light read, definitely what I needed to read this moment. As I’ve said, I enjoyed it but it didn’t have that ‘oomph ’ to make a lasting impression on me. Between a Vamp and a Hard Place is in the same vein as Molly Harper’s Half Moon Hollow series, so if you enjoy those books, you’ll definitely enjoy this one as well. If you’re looking for some light, brain candy, check this series out!

 

[REVIEW] Wicked Circle by Linda Robertson

Title: Wicked Circle
Author: Linda Robertson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Persephone Alcmedi #5

Mass Market Paperback, 432 Pages

Publication: December 27, 2011 by Pocket Books 

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Source: Publisher 

|SUMMARY|
Persephone Alcmedi has helped her waerewolf lover Johnny unlock his powers. Now she must come to the aid of Menessos, the vampire overlord she has secretly marked. Beset by a trio of truth-seeking vampire sisters so dangerous their own kind keep them confined in stone, he now needs her more than ever...and she realizes her need for him. Seph has magical promises to fulfill for the waeres, multiple mundane family challenges to meet, vampire politics to confront, both the supernatural males in her life to balance, a dragon to deal with...and then a government investigator shows up to complicate matters.

In the previous book Heldrige, one of the vampire lord sired by Menessos was on his way to VEIN to report a crime against Menessos. At the start of Wicked Circle, Heldrige succeeds in obtaining an audience with the big vampire honcho, Excelsior. Heldrige reports that the Quarterlord Menessos was mastered by his EV witch, and not the other way around like many believed. The Excelsior sends his father Mero and a trio of of truth-seeking vampire witches (more like harpies/owls…they can change their appearance from beautiful women to grotesque owl-bat with wings) to question Menessos, and to see if Seph is really a threat.  A lot of new characters are introduced again (like the previous book) but this time they’re vampires, and poor Seph…she never catches a break.

The author mixes things up in this installment by writing from multiple view-points, unlike the previous four books which were all told from Seph’s POV. In the beginning the multiple view points were a little confusing but after awhile I got in the rhythm of things. The multiple view points were all written in third-person and it switches back and forth to first person with Seph. Johnny and Seph’s relationship takes its toll in Wicked Circle as being Domn Lup takes most of Johnny’s time. To make matter worst, whenever they found the time for one another…Johnny’s inner beast rears its head, dominating his man-mind. In one scene after performing a ritual for Johnny and his pack…Johnny’s beast takes over and tries to kill Seph. While that is a red flag in all/any relationship, ever since Johnny unlocked his power ...his attitude sucks! He is cocky and arrogant, two qualities no one likes…thankfully we don’t have to add cheater to the list. And talking about cheaters, the whole Seph-Menessos-Johnny being bound to one another was already...ehh. I was happy that the relationship between Seph and Menessos stayed the way it was, just flirtatious. Nope, everything changes in this book and toward the end we have a love-triangle going on…WHY GOSH, WHY?! I don’t know if people count kissing as ‘cheating’ but I do…especially when it isn’t a peck on the cheek!

While there were some obvious downer scenes, there were also some highlights of the book! Readers finally get to learn about what happened to Johnny 8 ½ years ago, the life he had before he was inked and turned. I found this part of the story fascinating/heart-breaking at the same time. There was a twist involving his past that I didn’t expect, and it will definitely impact him in the next book.  We also got to learn more about Menessos and his involvement with the truth-seeking vampire witches. 

Regardless of all the things I didn’t really like in this installment, it was still a well-written addition to the series. I like Seph for most of the series, but making out with Menessos is a big no-no, and Johnny’s attitude for most of the book didn’t make him endearing either. It’s like the two most important characters did 180….well except Menessos but I was always whatever about him. Overall I did enjoy this book, it didn’t suffer from middle book syndrome like book #2-#3…I just wasn’t happy with the choices the characters made. I hope things will fare better in Shattered Circle, and I can’t wait to see how things play out for Johnny and that twist I mentioned earlier.

Spider's Revenge by Jennifer Estep

Title: Spider's Revenge
Author: Jennifer Estep
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Elemental Assassin #5

Mass Market Paperback, 367 pages

Published September 27th 2011 by Pocket Books 

 

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Source: Won through a contest/giveaway 

|SUMMARY|

Old habits die hard for assassins.

And I plan on murdering someone before the night is through.
 
Killing used to be my regular gig, after all. Gin Blanco, aka the Spider, assassin-for-hire. And I was very, very good at it. Now, I’m ready to make the one hit that truly matters: Mab Monroe, the dangerous Fire elemental who murdered my family when I was thirteen. Oh, I don’t think the mission will be easy, but turns out it’s a bit more problematic than expected. The bitch knows I’m coming for her. So now I’m up against the army of lethal bounty hunters Mab hired to track me down. She also put a price on my baby sister’s head. Keeping Bria safe is my first priority. Taking Mab out is a close second. Good thing I’ve got my powerful Ice and Stone magic—and my irresistible lover, Owen Grayson—to watch my back. This battle has been years in the making, and there’s a good chance I won’t survive. But if I’m going down, then Mab’s coming with me . . . no matter what I have to do to make that happen.

|REVIEW|

Spider’s Revenge is the fifth book in the Elemental Assassin series, and what readers been waiting for since book one…the showdown between Gin and Mab. The action starts immediately in chapter one, where we have Gin trudging up Mab’s roof going for the kill shot.  To Gin dismay right when she was about to take an aim at Mab, she misses! She narrowly escapes with her life, but Gin chances at Mab has just gotten harder when she finds out bounty hunters from all over has come to retrieve an award on her.  Anyone able to catch the Spider dead gets $5 Million, alive $10 Million.  Gin not only has to make sure that doesn’t happen but also to make sure her friends and family don’t get caught in the crosshairs. 

I’ve been a big fan of this series since I read the first book a couple of years ago, and like most readers was excited to finally see Gin take down the most feared woman of Ashland. I was expecting a crazy battle that will blow me away but was kind of let down. It was a good fight scene, and we got to see more of what Gin’s ice power can do (the apparently weaker of the two elements she has) but it didn’t give me goose bumps or have me at the edge of my seat. While not the best of the series, it was good enough. I enjoyed seeing the usual Gin Gang (Owen, Finn, Bria, Xavier, Roslyn, and the Deveraux sisters, they’re all great secondary characters that shape the main heroine of the story and the world of Ashland. 

Overall a good read, but again there were a couple of flaws, one that bugged me the most was repetition. One of the flaw was Gin calling Bria ‘baby sister’, I don’t know…it just sounded weird and awkward to me. I don’t go around calling my siblings ‘hey big brother, or hey big sister lol.  Second flaw is Ms. Estep repeats a lot of the information over and over…it was either every chapter or every other chapter. I didn’t think it was necessary to tell readers that Gin is an assassin, that she’s the spider,  or that she kills people for a living every other page. This is the fifth book in the series, I think those reading it, get it. This was a similar issue I had with her young-adult series, and after the second book I gave up. I’ve devoted a lot of time and connection with Gin, the other characters and the world that I didn’t want to do the same to this series. I just hope in the future books there will be less repetition, otherwise I don’t think I would continue with this series. 

Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews

Title: Magic Slays
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Kate Daniels #5

Mass Market Paperback, 308 pages

Published May 31st 2011 by Ace

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Source: Bought for myself

|SUMMARY|
Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job.

Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but she’s still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be—now that the Order is disparaging her good name, and many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate’s mate.

So when Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. Turns out this is not an isolated incident, and Kate needs to get to the bottom of it—fast, or the city and everyone dear to her might pay the ultimate price . . .

|REVIEW|

Man, oh man…you can never go wrong with a Kate Daniels novel. Magic Slays, the fifth book in the Kate Daniels series just keeps getting better and better. Kate has left the Order and is now running her own business The Cutting Edge. Kate’s first big assignment involves tracking down a device that obliterates all magic, meaning if you have an ounce of magic you’re dead (The People, The Pack, or Kate herself). If Kate hopes to track down the device and the mad-man that created it, she’s going to need help from all the supernaturals of Atlanta.  

There was a lot going on in this book. Kate and Curran are officially mated, so readers see how their relationship is adjusting. Kate and Curran’s relationship is still strong but kind of lost its flirty-sizzling banter thing they had going on before they got together. As the book progress you can see their relationship grow, and they’re still learning things about one another. I love seeing Kate in alpha mode in front of the pack. The pack thinks they can give her a hard time, but we know Kate…she’s never one to back down from a fight. The readers also learn more about Kate’s past, family, and the ugly truth about her mother and Voron (the man that raised and trained her).  There were plenty of Kate and Curran throughout the book, with my other favorite characters like Derek, Andrea, Julie, getting their page time. Sadly, no Raphael in the book (but don’t worry that’s what Gunmetal Magic is for LOL) but we did meet a new bouda character, Ascanio…and I hope we get to see more of him in the future books. 

Magic Slays is a great addition to the series; it’s everything you expect from an Ilona Andrews novel. This book, and its predecessors before it is full of Kate’s trademark snark, an emotional rollercoaster on every page, and nonstop action. The world-building is always expanding, with complex and multilayered characters that grow with each book making it one of the best urban fantasy series around. I can’t wait till Magic Rises; book 6 in the series comes out! I highly recommend this series to everyone, definitely a series that will stay with for a long time and a series that never get tiring. Book five...still going strong!