Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older

Title: Shadowshaper
Author: Daniel José Older 
Genre: Urban Fantasy, YA
Series: Shadowshaper # 1

Paperback, 297 Pages by Scholastic Inc.

Source: Personal library.

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Sierra Santiago was looking forward to a fun summer of making art, hanging out with her friends, and skating around Brooklyn. But then a weird zombie guy crashes the first party of the season. Sierra's near-comatose abuelo begins to say "No importa" over and over. And when the graffiti murals in Bed-Stuy start to weep.... Well, something stranger than the usual New York mayhem is going on.

Sierra soon discovers a supernatural order called the Shadowshapers, who connect with spirits via paintings, music, and stories. Her grandfather once shared the order's secrets with an anthropologist, Dr. Jonathan Wick, who turned the Caribbean magic to his own foul ends. Now Wick wants to become the ultimate Shadowshaper by killing all the others, one by one. With the help of her friends and the hot graffiti artist Robbie, Sierra must dodge Wick's supernatural creations, harness her own Shadowshaping abilities, and save her family's past, present, and future.

I’m a big fan of Older’s Bone Street Rumba Series, an Adult Urban Fantasy which takes place in New York and deals with spirits/ghosts just like Shadowshaper. I think Older is a talented writer and he certainly has an amazing online present as well; so I figured I was bound to love his Young Adult series since his personality and style is evident in his writing: bold, real, honest and with the right amount of humor.

Shadowshaper deals with ancestry and magic. Our main heroine comes from a family of Shadowshapers who are able to embed all forms of art with spirits and control them. For example, Sierra can paint or draw an image with a piece of chalk and transfer spirits she attracts into the art and compel them to do her bidding if she wishes. Spirits tend to have more power in that type of art form.The concept of Shadowshaper is very unique and I haven’t read any book like it. But there’s just something about the book that didn’t fully grab my attention. The plot was simplistic, which is fine but I never felt invested in the the story or the characters. Sierra and her friends seemed cool and kids i'd find in my own neighborhood but at the same time they felt very two-dimensional. The plot, world building and character development all could've been fleshed out better. The book is fairly short and full of action scenes (which I love) but I still felt very ‘meh’ about everything…I think it might be because the stakes weren’t high enough and Wick, was a pretty awful and nonthreatening villain.

Overall Shadowshaper is a decent and quick read but I was expecting more. I neither loved it or disliked it. I’d still recommend this book though, for those looking for a new spin on ghosts/spirits. 

Vox by Christina Dalcher

Title: Vox
Author: Christina Dalcher 
Genre: Dystopian, Medical Thriller, SF
Series: N/A

Hardcover, 336 Pages
Publication: August 21, 2018 by Berkley

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

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Set in an America where half the population has been silenced, VOX is the harrowing, unforgettable story of what one woman will do to protect herself and her daughter.

On the day the government decrees that women are no longer allowed more than 100 words daily, Dr. Jean McClellan is in denial--this can't happen here. Not in America. Not to her.

This is just the beginning.

Soon women can no longer hold jobs. Girls are no longer taught to read or write. Females no longer have a voice. Before, the average person spoke sixteen thousand words a day, but now women only have one hundred to make themselves heard.

But this is not the end.

For herself, her daughter, and every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice.

Aphasia is without a doubt a terrifying and heartbreaking communication disorder. I’d know because my father had a stroke four years ago and I remember that first month when he had a combination of Aphasia and temporary Amnesia (blood vessel ruptured in the brain). He didn’t remember anything let alone his children’s names and when the PT/Doctors tried to get him to read certain words, all you could hear were grunts and moans. It was one of the worst moments of my life. 

When I was first pitched Vox, I honestly didn’t read/look too much into the synopsis. All I remembered was the tag-line: What would you do if you were limited to only 100 words a day? The tag-line immediately caught my attention and I wanted to know more. I’m always up for a good Dystopian. But Vox isn’t just a regular Dystopian about the oppression of women. It’s a cautionary tale about how life as we know it can change before we even realize it, slowly creeping in until it’s too late and everyone becomes enslaved by their own ignorance and obliviousness; and taking certain things for granted and in Vox that’s our speech, language, ability to communicate…our voice. I loved that Dalcher incorporated the real disorder of Aphasia and made it the foundation of her story. I don’t think it’s a well known disorder and glad it’s being highlighted. I mean, I never knew about it until my dad was diagnosis with it. So with that said, with Aphasia as the foundation of the novel, I can relate there but Dalcher also brings up a lot of other issues which I think women can relate to in some way or another. 

Many reviewers said Vox was just a Dystopian, a mere Science Fiction novel that’s pretty far-fetched. I disagree. Some of the political, gender, cultural, religious, and racial climates found in Vox can be seen to some extent in our current reality. And everything that was portrayed/happened to the women in Vox can actually happen. Many reviewers stated that: No it would never get that bad. Never come to that. It’s not realistic…or something similar along those lines. Funny because that’s exactly what Jean thought too. Everything that Jean and the other women were subjected to was undeniably scary, abhorrent, immoral, unethical...and totally plausible! This is the type of Dystopian I don’t normally want to read about, are too hard to read and at the same should be read. Because it's so realistic. Possible.

I thought the concept was brilliant and unlike many others that read Vox; I enjoyed the medical terminology, science aspect of the novel. It was fascinating. Dalcher’s writing flowed perfectly and the combination of the short chapters and fast-paced story made for an engaging read. I read it all in one sitting! The only downside to Vox was the character development, or the lack of it. The only character that was somewhat developed was Jean, an exception because she was the main character and it’s a first person narrative. Lorenzo, Lin, Patrick, Morgan and the secondary characters weren’t fully realized in my opinion thus making it hard to connect to anyone. I also wasn't a big fan of Jean herself. She's strong and a fighter but she's also a cheater. That's not a quality I like in any character/person. And yes, characters among world building is extremely important in any book I read. However, I still give Dalcher much props for writing this book and having whatever little character development she had because she wrote this book in two month. Yes, two months you guys! That’s pretty awesome and amazing.

I won’t lie, it was very hard reading Vox. There were so many time when I stopped reading during a passage because I was shocked, angry and left speechless. They did not just do that. They/He did not just say that. That did not just happened. Those were  some my thoughts as I read. Let’s just say Dalcher isn’t afraid of writing the hard stuff and went where most wouldn’t. While Vox is a frightening and plausible possibility at what could be, and as much as it made me angry and had me questioning a lot of things (I don’t want my personal beliefs to interfere, so I won’t go into details)…but I think that’s part of the reason why it’s so important that everyone reads this. Men and Women. Because this book will certainly make you think, a lot. All I can say is read it, you won’t regret it!

A Red-Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire

Title: A Red-Rose Chain
Author: Seanan McGuire
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: October Daye # 9

Mass Market Paperback, 358 Pages
Publication: September 1, 2015 by Daw

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

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Things are looking up.

For the first time in what feels like years, October “Toby” Daye has been able to pause long enough to take a breath and look at her life—and she likes what she sees. She has friends. She has allies. She has a squire to train and a King of Cats to love, and maybe, just maybe, she can let her guard down for a change.

Or not. When Queen Windermere’s seneschal is elf-shot and thrown into an enchanted sleep by agents from the neighboring Kingdom of Silences, Toby finds herself in a role she never expected to play: that of a diplomat. She must travel to Portland, Oregon, to convince King Rhys of Silences not to go to war against the Mists. But nothing is that simple, and what October finds in Silences is worse than she would ever have imagined.

How far will Toby go when lives are on the line, and when allies both old and new are threatened by a force she had never expected to face again? How much is October willing to give up, and how much is she willing to change? In Faerie, what’s past is never really gone.

It’s just waiting for an opportunity to pounce.

A Red-Rose Chain is the ninth installment in the long running October Daye Series. The October Daye series is one of my all-time favorite Urban Fantasy series with the likes of Kate Daniels and Mercy Thompson. October is no stranger to danger because she always finds herself in the middle of it whether intentionally or not. In this latest addition, October is sent to the Kingdom of Silence to broker a peace treaty with their king. But instead of peace talk, the false king and queen are determined to incite a war. And as usual it’s up to Toby and her friends to save the day.

I enjoyed A Red-Rose Chain for the most part but I couldn’t help but feel like this was just a filler book. There wasn’t much happening plot-wise. This is the beginning of a new arc in the series but there was no progression to the story or the characters. It was cool seeing a different area of Faerie but that’s about it. The plot felt recycled and uneventful. I also thought the ending was anticlimactic and resolved way too quickly. Once again Toby easily sacrifices herself for the greater good but of course is saved/cured immediately. A little too convenient if I must say. Many reviewers mentioned the overkill in recaps and I definitely agree. I don’t think every single little thing needed an explanation.

This wasn’t the best or strongest book in the series but overall still good. I’m just excited that Toby and Tybalt are going to get married. With that said I hope the wedding is somewhere in the next two books. Or maybe we'd get to see Quentin's home. 

Stars Uncharted by S.K. Dunstall

Title: Stars Uncharted
Author: S.K. Dunstall
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: N/A

Paperback, 416 Pages
Publication: August 14, 2018 by Ace
Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

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Three people who are not who they claim to be:

Nika Rik Terri, body modder extraordinaire, has devoted her life to redesigning people's bodies right down to the molecular level. Give her a living body and a genemod machine, and she will turn out a work of art.

Josune Arriola is crew on the famous explorer ship the Hassim, whose memory banks contain records of unexplored worlds worth a fortune. But Josune and the rest of the crew are united in their single-minded pursuit of the most famous lost planet of all.

Hammond Roystan, the captain of the rival explorer ship, The Road, has many secrets. Some believe one of them is the key to finding the lost world.

Josune's captain sends her to infiltrate Roystan's ship, promising to follow. But when the Hassim exits nullspace close to Roystan's ship, it's out of control, the crew are dead, and unknown Company operatives are trying to take over. Narrowly escaping and wounded, Roystan and Josune come to Nika for treatment--and with problems of her own, she flees with them after the next Company attack.

Now they're in a race to find the lost world...and stay alive long enough to claim the biggest prize in the galaxy.

I’ve been trying to branch out on what I read, to read more Science Fiction instead of my usual Urban Fantasy/Fantasy. And for the most part, all the SF I’ve read so far this year has been great. And Stars Uncharted was no exception. Misfits in space? Sold! Stars Uncharted is written by two sisters and follows two incredible female leads: Nika, a renown body modder and Josune, an engineer. The book alternatives between the two ladies as they try to escape The Corporation.

The thing that always make me hesitate picking up a Sci-Fi novel is the world-build and jargon. They’re usually so complex that, at times, a reader can get lost and overwhelmed with all the technobabble. But I didn’t have any issue with Stars Uncharted. Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of information to digest but it was written in a way that was easy to understand and process. Nika and Josune lived in a world where anyone with enough credit/money can change their appearance or identity after a few hours in a machine. How cool and scary is that? And The Corporation, comprising of 27 companies rule everything with an iron fist. Their word law. One particular company, The Eaglehawk Corporation is after Nika because she holds the code to an invaluable, one-of-a-kind genemod capable of body swapping. While Josune may have a lead/knowledge of a way to find precious minerals that has been lost for over 80 years. Two different women on the run, only to have their path cross aboard, The Road, a cargo ship.

As I’ve mentioned time and time again I’m not a fan of multiple point-of-views, but Dunstall made it work and I found myself enjoying both Nika and Josune’s narrative. They’re smart, savvy and scrappy as heck. They do whatever it takes to stay alive and found rules more of a guideline than actual law. There were many times when the other characters would use the term “certifiably crazy” in describing Nika and Josune and I couldn’t agree more. Nika and Josune are rounded out with an eclectic crew consisting of the mysterious captain Roystan, chef extraordinaire Jacques, Carlos the engineer and Snow, a young modder obsessed with Nika Rik Terri. The characters were all well developed and unique, and often lighten more of the serious and dire scenes with their banter. I especially enjoyed Snow and Nika’s interaction and Snow’s obliviousness to who his traveling companion was.

Stars Uncharted was a fun action-packed adventure that captured me from page one. This space-opera was just complex enough to be enjoyable without going overboard with meticulous details. But what makes this book truly wonderful were the characters, who are all very diverse but worked great together as a team. The ending tied up nicely but I hope Dunstall plans to write more in this world, as there’s still so much to explore! And in the meantime, I plan to check out their back-list! I highly recommend Stars Uncharted, for Sci-Fi fan and those who want to read Sci-Fi but haven’t taken the plunge yet; this book would be a great place to start!

Wild Hunger by Chloe Neill

Title: Wild Hunger
Author: Chloe Neill
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Heirs of Chicagoland # 1

Trade Paperback, 352 Pages
Publication: August 14, 2018 by Berkley Books

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

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In the first thrilling installment of Chloe Neill's spinoff to the New York Times bestselling Chicagoland Vampires series, a new vampire will find out just how deep blood ties run.
As the only vampire child ever born, some believed Elisa Sullivan had all the luck. But the magic that helped bring her into the world left her with a dark secret. Shifter Connor Keene, the only son of North American Central Pack Apex Gabriel Keene, is the only one she trusts with it. But she's a vampire and the daughter of a Master and a Sentinel, and he's prince of the Pack and its future king.

When the assassination of an ambassador brings old feuds to the fore again, Elisa and Connor must choose between love and family, between honor and obligation, before Chicago disappears forever.

A full disclosure, I didn’t finish the Chicagoland Vampires series. I stopped at Drink Deep. The last two novels I read weren’t doing anything for me and I felt like the love and spark I found in the first three books were long gone. And I was hoping to find that spark again in Wild Hunger, the spin-off series. Which I’m happy to report I did! True to its series name, Wild Hunger follows the heirs of the original characters of the Chicagoland Vampire series twenty years into the future, specifically Ethan and Merit’s daughter Elisa Sullivan.

I will admit there was some trepidation going into Wild Hunger, worried that we were getting a replica of the Chicagoland Vampire series. Yes, we’re in the same world and all but Elisa isn’t anything like Merit. Merit came into the supernatural world against her will and learned to love it as to Elisa was born into it and didn’t have a choice about anything…what she was and where she came from. So it was quite refreshing to see how mature and independent Elisa was; carving a new path for herself and starting anew in Paris going to school and volunteering her time by serving the house of Maison Dumas. Elisa has the best qualities of both her parent and none of their vexing quirks (Ethan and his strict rules and Merit’s childish antics). It was a welcomed change. And how appropriate that her BFF is none other than Mallory Carmichael’s daughter Lulu, whom is also not like her mother except she's petite and snarky.

As I said I never finished the Chicagoland Vampires series, so I wouldn’t know if Neill ever explored the shifters indepth. But I definitely loved seeing more of the shifters in Wild Hunger. And for Gabriel’s son, Connor Keene to be the love interest was just the perfect bonus. I always loved the shifters (Twice Bitten was my fave!) and found Connor an excellent male lead (never fancied Ethan as the lead in the CV series). I loved the whole friends to lover angle, even if they drove each other crazy as children. It also had the star-cross/Romeo and Juliet vibe (except their families aren’t immortal enemies and not all shifters have love for the vampires). I enjoyed seeing Elisa and Connor’s budding romance and can’t wait to see what’s in store for them; especially with Gabriel’s ominous warning in the epilogue.

Wild Hunger exceeded my expectation and I found myself enjoying everything about this new series starter. I like the new generation characters and am looking forward to seeing more of Elisa and Conner. Fans of the original series will be happy to see key characters making an appearance. All in all, a fantastic start. 

Everywhere You Want to Be by Christina June

Title: Everywhere You Want to Be
Author: Christina June
Genre: Contemporary
Series: N/A

Trade Paperback, 284 Pages
Publication: May 1, 2018 by Blink

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

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Matilda Castillo has always done what she was told, but when she gets injured senior years, she watches her dreams of becoming a contemporary dancer slip away. So when Tilly gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend the summer with a New York dance troupe, nothing can stop her from saying yes--not her mother, not her fears of the big city, and not the commitment she made to Georgetown. Tilly's mother allows her to go on two conditions: one, Tilly will regularly visit her abuela in New Jersey, and two, after the summer, she'll give up dancing and go off to college.

Armed with her red vintage sunglasses and her pros and cons lists, Tilly strikes out, determined to turn a summer job into a career. Along the way she meets new friends ... and new enemies. Tilly isn't the only one desperate to dance, and fellow troupe member Sabrina Wolfrik intends to succeed at any cost. But despite dodging sabotage and blackmail attempts from Sabrina, Tilly can't help but fall in love with the city, especially since Paolo, a handsome musician from her past, is also calling New York home for the summer.

As the weeks wind down and the competition with Sabrina heats up, Tilly's future is on the line. She must decide whether to follow her mother's path to Georgetown or leap into the unknown to pursue her own dreams.

Everywhere You Want to Be is a story of coming of age and self discovery. Tilly is expected to attend college come fall per her mother’s wishes but Tilly is stuck at a crossroad; debating if college is the right path or joining a dance troupe, her one and only passion. And she only has summer in New York to figure everything out. Follow her dreams or her mother’s.  

This book is said to be a modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, I could see some similarities but in my opinion it’s very, very loosely based. And honestly if it wasn’t part of the tag-line; I’d probably would of never made the connection. With that said I enjoyed June’s sophomore novel. She did a wonderful job capturing New York, I personally never been there but I can imagine it is just as she described. As for the character, Tilly was a pragmatic, kind and understanding heroine. In all profession, there is always someone who is willing to sabotage another to get to the top or to be noticed but Tilly was alway true to herself and did what she thought was right after being targeted relentlessly by another dancer in her class.

Another great thing about Everywhere You Want to Be is the strong and supportive female cast that surrounds Tilly from her Mother, Stepsister, Grandmother to Sage the dance director and roommate Charlotte. I absolutely loved that and it reinforces what type of person Tilly was or who she wanted to be. Tilly had a little quirk, she stress bakes as a type of release late at night. One scene I remember clearly was Tilly in the kitchen baking and then her stepsister Tatum and roommate came out to bake with her. They didn’t want to feel like she had to do anything alone; whether it was baking or what to do with her conflicted feelings about Sabrina, the other dancer. That scene perfectly describes this book: full of heart.

Overall an enjoyable, quick and light read about a young girl following her dreams and falling in love in the magical city that’s New York. Unlike most YA that are a bit too much drama borderline soap-opera, Everywhere You Want to Be found all the right balance for a realistic story of self, family and friends. 

Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews

Title: Iron and Magic
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Iron Covenant #1, Kate Daniels #9.5

Trade Paperback, 380 Pages
Publication: June 26, 2018 by Nancy Yost Literary Agency

Source: Personal Library

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No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy…But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work.

Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast.

Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify.

Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies?

As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.” Hugh and Elara may do both. 

Iron and Magic is the first book in The Iron Covenant Series and takes place between Book 9 and 10 in the Kate Daniel series. If you read the Kate Daniel series then you know who Hugh d’Ambray is, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs and Warlord of the Builder of Towers. He is the epitome of what it means to be maleficent and villainous. Like many of Andrews fan, I was skeptical of how they were going to redeem Hugh, it seemed impossible…but yet Andrews did it! They made Hugh, I dare say, likeable? Who would of thought?

Hugh was rescued from the streets at a very young age by Voron and Roland and from that moment on he knew nothing of pain or suffering...he had anything and everything he wanted. He was almost like a god among men until Roland abandoned Hugh. Roland was Hugh’s purpose for being and living and he didn’t know who he was without Roland. Thus began his descent into despair and darkness, drowning himself with booze to escape the real world. When someone hits rock bottom, there isn’t anywhere to go but up and that is exactly what Hugh did. Readers will watch Hugh grow and change over the course of the book. I loved seeing Hugh’s transformation to be a better person. There was a scene in the book where it literally hit Hugh that he was evil by the reaction of the people from nearby settlements that heard of him. He is loved and worshiped by his own Iron Dogs and Elara’s people eventually saw him as a protector but to have people recoil from him and fear to have their children around him was a rude awakening. There were a lot of changes for Hugh externally and internally, and it was great to see how far his character has come.

But it isn’t to say that Huge isn’t still a jerk…he is. And he has met his match in Elara Harper. She’s literally a girl version of Hugh! Elara who is known as The White Warlock is an enigma and very powerful. Elara’s people love her but everyone else is afraid of her and I am excited to learn more about her power and history. Hugh and Elara ends up getting married, a mere business agreement and from the moment they met they were determined to make eachother’s life a living hell. It was hilarious. No one does snark and witty dialogue like Andrews, and everything you love about their other series can be found in Iron and Magic; amazing character, world and mythology.

Hugh’s book started as an April’s Fool joke, but I am so glad that Andrews decided to turn it into a novel. Iron and Magic was brilliant and a great series opener and addition to the Kate Daniels series. Iron and Magic can be read as a standalone but any Kate Daniels fan out there, this must be read before the final book, Magic Triumphs which releases this month. I’m already looking forward to reading the next Iron Covenant book!