Nerdy Werewolf

Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews My rating: 4 of 5 stars “Catalina,” Grandma Frida called out behind me. “When you’re done cutting up the body, call me. I’ll help you hide it.” I turned and looked at her. Grandma flexed her arm. “Ride or die.” I already really liked Catalina going into this. I liked her before I read Diamond Fire . I was actually pretty eager to delve more into her and Arabella's story and man, was I not disappointed! This is probably my favorite family/extended family in the UF genre. The only others that come close are the Price clan (from Seanan McGuire's Discount Armageddon series) and I really don't even want to compare them. The Baylors are so much fun . They are all strange and lovable in very different ways and honestly, I'd read a book starring any of them. I love how everyone in this universe has unique-to-them powers and the politics between Houses. It's like the romanticized Mafia with supernatural abilities and no law enforcement. ...

Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews My rating: 4 of 5 stars "Arabella moaned and dramatically slammed her head on the table. Mom and Grandma Frida put down their utensils and clapped." I adore the Baylor clan. This novella is about Nevada's wedding, but we're also getting our first look at Catalina's perspective. I love the Andrews' because every time I read something they've written, I kick myself for not reading it sooner. I always have a good experience. I'm glad I started with the Kate Daniels series, because you could kind of watch them perfect their art (storytelling) and by the end, it was all worth it. Now, it's like they've got it nailed down and you know what? They don't seem to have character molds. It's like they're all really separate people and that's just worth appreciating. We got to meet Mad Rogan's mom and extended family in this one, as well as get to know Catalina. We also get lots of wedding tantrums from...

Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox by Forthright . My rating: 4 of 5 stars “I don’t understand.” “Which part, miss?” Tsumiko would have thought it obvious. “How can I inherit a person?” So, this was a really interesting book. I'll start with saying that despite certain misgivings, I'm interested in finding out what happens next in this well-painted world. Firstly, the heroine was a little tricky. She's this 20-year-old girl, right? Everyone assumes she's young-minded and naive, but she's inquisitive to the extreme and generally makes sound, thought-out decisions. There is still a certain amount of wide-eyed youth, but it's as if she's got what's called an "old soul"? The antagonist/hero of the story is introduced as a very wizened, curmudgeonly fellow with an ethereal type of youthfulness in appearance. He's also a Fox in the Japanese-folklore type of way, so he's a trickster on top of everything else. So, therein lies my scru...

Vicious by V.E. Schwab My rating: 5 of 5 stars "But these words people threw around—humans, monsters, heroes, villains—to Victor it was all just a matter of semantics. Someone could call themselves a hero and still walk around killing dozens. Someone else could be labeled a villain for trying to stop them." Damn, damn... DAMN . This was a wicked-cool book. I went into this with the idea that it was "a dark superhero story." It is, but it's also so much more. What if you suspected that people with super-human powers actually existed? What if you were in college and decided to try to prove it as your thesis? What if you figured out how to create the correct circumstances to become ExtraOrdinary ? What if you and your best friend decided to try it out? What if you were both sociopaths? Interested now? This turned out to be as much of an Urban Fantasy as a study of psychology. It was also effortless and entertaining to read. There are many singular ...

Sweep in Peace by Ilona Andrews My rating: 4 of 5 stars "My imagination painted a huge brawl in the ballroom and Her Grace quietly sneaking off with a bloody body." What an astonishingly well-done follow-up. The first book gave me just enough to leave me wondering what would happen next to each of the characters and this story followed through with answering just enough to still leave me wanting more, while also planting some new seeds in my ever-questing brain-space. Dina is such an excellent heroine. She talks herself down before getting worked up almost every time someone or something gets to her. Watching her thoughts versus her outward reactions makes her so damn relatable! Orro is my new favorite character. He's a diva in the very best sense and I loved him from the moment he was introduced. I also quite enjoyed learning about the three cultures introduced here and you know who else was a standout character? Gertrude Hunt. Well done. Her Grace... wh...

Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews My rating: 3 of 5 stars "My magic rolled from me in a powerful wave. The inn creaked in alarm. Nice going. I was scaring the house." Overall, this book was very, very good. It definitely has the potential to grow into an un-put-downable series. While I was reading it, I was hooked, but not completely sold. It wasn't until after I'd finished it and started thinking about all of the ( new! ) concepts introduced that I got really excited about reading the next one. The heroine, Dina, is not your typical ass-kicking queen, but rather a very down-to-earth (heh) , rational, normal, adult woman. Except for the magic, or...science or...stuff. You'll just have to read it. I'm not giving anything away! I'll leave you with this. It has introduced several species of supernatural creatures (werewolves, vampires) in a refreshingly different way with mythologies that are surprising and new. It's given me at least four chara...

Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs My rating: 4 of 5 stars "I was on my third set of clothes today and it wasn’t even noon. I’d like to say it was a record, but it wasn’t even close." Perspective is everything, isn't it? I have no idea how I would feel about this story if I wasn't so in love with the world and the characters already? I'm good with that. This one was primarily about witches, zombies and goblins-which is AWESOME. We're already in a world with established ghosts, mythological creatures, fae and werewolves. So, yes, more, please! Mercy is one of those main characters that you just know you'd love if you met her in real life. She's not full of herself, but she's confident. She's not mean, but she can hold her own ground. She thinks of others first, but doesn't always make the right decisions. She's really easy to relate to. It doesn't hurt that her established relationship doesn't take away from the stor...

A Shifter's Curse by Raven Steele My rating: 4 of 5 stars ""I heard about what you did. That took some balls." "Ovaries,” I corrected. I'm one of those people that curses like a sailor around people I know won't be offended. If that's a turnoff for you, don't bother with this series. You will think the heroine is juvenile and crass. Personally, I don't mind swearing and I like my heroes to have room to grow and learn rather than being flung in front of me fully-formed and all-knowing. That's what the wise, teacher character is for. Still with me? Good. I was pleasantly surprised by the use of fairly common tropes that didn't leave me feeling bored or like I had the answers already. I can see where a lot of things are heading, but I was given just enough information to ponder without the answers being plain-as-day. I feel like that's the best way to describe this book. "Exceeded expectations." My favorite ...

Wild Country by Anne Bishop My rating: 5 of 5 stars "Humans. Couldn’t live with them; couldn’t eat them all." I'm not entirely sure when this series jumped to the front of my "Can't Wait" list, but it absolutely has. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of people in this story that I was already aquainted with from previous books. It made getting to know the newer characters more layered. I was learning about the people I didn't know anything about right along with them. I still can't put my finger on exactly what makes these books such an absolute treat to read. I'm generally into fast-paced, fun adventures with amazing character development, but these are more of a slow burn. Maybe a quick trot? Maybe all three? Whatever it is, it always leaves me feeling thankful to be a part of this amazing world and longing for what happens next. View all my reviews

Raven Cursed by Faith Hunter My rating: 3 of 5 stars "What is it about supernatural creatures needing to eat humans when they go to the dark side?" Jane's learning...kind of. It's like she's becoming more self-aware, but insecure about it. It'll be progress if she keeps it up. Beast continues to be the best-ever. She's hilarious because she thinks most people (including Jane) are stupid. A lot. The writing is solid. It's easy to get from point A to B and not have to stop because it's boring. It's gets a little description-y here and there, but it's not a deal-breaker. The style and story keep it moving. I have very mixed emotions about the outcome of the book. It took place in a different setting, which was refreshing. It had a nice mix of old and new characters (ready for more Adelaide...she was cool.) It got really personal, though, which is not bad at all. It just makes me feel so many feelings. I want to punch Jane and...

Mercy Blade by Faith Hunter My rating: 4 of 5 stars There were always vamp parties. They lived for them. Well, parties, sex, and blood. And conspiracy. And power plays. Oh, Jane. Jane, Jane, Jane. She's like a friend, right? Like, you like her as a person, but she's that friend that always makes decisions that make you want to smack her upside the head. Endearingly, of course. Surprise! Were-creatures! We got some symbiotic relationships with other non-were supernatural creatures, new myths about the "Cursed of Artemis" and a wholly new supernat that I don't think I've ever read about before. On top of that, there are international, government and vampire politics to be had. The mystery was an interesting one and it was fun watching Jane put it together. Something's still up with the witches, though. The end of the book left me feeling 'eh' because of how I feel about certain characters, but overall, I liked it much better than the se...

Blood Cross by Faith Hunter My rating: 3 of 5 stars 2nd Read-2019: "I was centered. I was always centered. Whatever the heck that meant." I don't know...I've got so many mixed feelings about this one. I definitely liked the first one better, but this was still fun. It's another mystery in New Orleans and Jane decides to stay and help. You know, for money. Jane vs. Beast is still a riot and I've yet to discover who's really in charge. We got into the backstory of the vampires in this series, which was pretty cool and draped in Christian mythology. I enjoyed getting to know Jane's best friend, Molly, and her quirky daughter, Angelina. I hope we get more about them in the future. As far as the big bad(s), I felt a little disconnected from that part. The whole thing focused much more on the bigger picture than the 'whodunit.' That left me feeling robbed of something at the conclusion of the story. As if it didn't matter as much a...

Skinwalker by Faith Hunter My rating: 4 of 5 stars "Unlike more primitive peoples, intellectual, well-educated humans just pretended the things they didn’t understand didn’t exist." Well, it looks like I'm rating this book a 4 out of 5 the second time around, too. I think it just hit all my buttons. The last time I tried to listen to it in audio. Didn't like it. This time, I did the ebook, which I enjoy because I highlight everything . Jane is not the most sociable creature to begin with, but she also shares her mind and body with a big cat named Beast. Beast is all about the baser instincts and everything that that probably implies. She wants to be dominant, fight everyone and have some 'kits.' It's fun watching their interaction whether Beast or Jane is in charge at the time. The mystery was a little lacking because I had suspicions, and then was thrown for a loop, but it ended up being the person I originally suspected. I didn'...

Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews My rating: 4 of 5 stars “Where is the fight?” Douglas demanded. “I already killed everybody,” I said. “You gotta be faster next time.” And....we're back. I have to admit, this was difficult to continuously read because I didn't want it to be over. I kept finding things to do that I normally wouldn't just to put it off a bit longer. So many things I feel. -Happiness because the book was awesome. There was enough random callbacks to remind you of situations that were relevant or funny without overtaking what was happening now . -Sadnesss because it really looks like the Kate Daniels chapter of this story is over. Rightfully so and well done, but over nonetheless. -Eagerness because there are clearly more stories from this world in our future based on Hugh's previous book and the way this one ended. Mainly, though, I think I feel satisfied. When I was at 90% in the book I was having a mild panic-attack because th...

Star Witch by Helen Harper My rating: 4 of 5 stars "Did I want a torrid love affair or did I want to catch an evil murderer? Both, of course, but given the choice between the two it was a tough call." Oh, man, I am really enjoying this series! It's not one of those dense ones you feel like you're asked to read for a school assignment. It's fun to read. The mystery was a quirky little thing, taking place during the filming of Ivy's favorite reality TV show in Scotland. Again, she's in The Order's crosshairs and even though she'd rather be at home dozing, she can't just let everything fall to pieces. I continue to enjoy her interactions with Winter, the Ipsissimus, Iqbal and of course, Brutus the talking cat. View all my reviews

Wildfire by Ilona Andrews My rating: 5 of 5 stars "Vincent rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe I have to say this. You there, dashing male secretary! Drop the frying pan.” Mad Rogan continues to be the ultimate alpha male with a heart of gold. Yes, IA has a type they write about. And while I agree with almost everyone on that point, Mad Rogan is still completely different from other IA alpha males. ::cough, cough CURRAN cough cough:: I love that. We finally found out more about both Catalina and Arabella. The Baylors are finally coming up in a world full of magical politics, Primes and Houses. We get more about Bern and Leon (the cousins) as well and I continue to love Rogan's adoption of Bug and his dog and how loyal his people are in general. So much progression in this installment! And even though the main plot is probably going to continue into Catalina's series (!!!) , I'm good with it. I feel like what needed to be resolved was and I'm st...

White Hot by Ilona Andrews My rating: 5 of 5 stars “Does anybody else find this whole idea of a ferret heist mildly absurd?” Augustine looked around the room. I freaking love these books. The politics, the magic, the intrigue...the humor! Honestly, it was the covers that put me off but I'm starting to see I can't judge those bare-chested dudes. Thank you to everyone who recommended these to me. This one has a couple really subtle twists and references that I just adored. We learn a tad more about Nevada's wacky family and of course, there's epic fighting going down. We gain a few allies and make a few nasty enemies. Oh, and the romance is really, really top-notch. I love a slow burn. View all my reviews

Slouch Witch by Helen Harper My rating: 4 of 5 stars "One minute you are almost tolerable, the next I want to throttle you.’ ‘Most people feel that way about me,’ I said cheerfully. This book was a blast to read. The heroine is absolutely self-aware and constantly making decisions based on how she actually feels rather than trying to please everyone. It's refreshing. The mystery was a light except the few instances where it got a little intense, but it wasn't dense or hard to follow. I like how there are several different personalities and her talking cat is hilarious. I've already started the next one! View all my reviews

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse My rating: 4 of 5 stars “Let’s go, kids. The monsters aren’t going to kill themselves.” Rating: 3.9 Stars A post-apocolyptic world with a surly heroine and an assload of Native American mythology. I mean, I had to be in, right? I didn't too-much connect with the heroine, Maggie/Chíníbaá (girl who comes forth fighting). She was definitely interesting and she shared her thoughts just fine, but she's kind of determined to be a loner and doesn't really recognize signs of warmth. I'm hoping this is an opportunity for growth, because the story was awesome. The book starts out looking for a fight and delivers almost before we know what's going on. It establilshed a clear tone that was carried throughout. The longer you're in the story, the more the world opens up and you guys, it was a really cool world. The mythology and the the magic and the creatures...and the characters. It all made sense. it's one ...