Violet Tendencies Review

Title: Violet Tendencies
Author: Jaye Wells
Series: Sabina Kane #2.5
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Assassins, Vampires, Demons, Mages, Nymphs, Faeries

Review:

Violet Tendencies takes place right after the conclusion of Mage In Black and before Green-Eyed Demon. This novella is considered a "fill-in" as there would be a missing character at the beginning of Green-Eyed Demon (which makes this novella a must read if in-case you went straight into Green-Eyed Demon). 

As with the first two books, this novella is no short of action and humorous sarcasm that you will surely enjoy reading. Personally I would really consider this as the first couple of chapter for Green-Eyed Demon. We also get a look at the different "class" of demons in Irkalla and scoop a tidbit of information about the time surrounding Demon existence.

I would recommend reading this novella before going into Green Eyed Demon as this would really make sense on some aspect of the series

Skinwalker Review

Title: Skinwalker
Author: Faith Hunter
Series: Jane Yellowrock #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Hunters, Shapeshifters, Skinwalkers, Vampires, Witches.

Review:

Since the 7th installment of Mercedes Thompson is still far from finished, I decided to read another "walker" book in Faith Hunter's "Skinwalker". Unlike Mercedes Thompson who is a walker and shapeshifts only into a coyote, Jane Yellowrock is a full-on skinwalker who can shapeshift into any animal as long as she has the proper mass to carry the change. For this series, she prefers to shapeshift into mountain lion more than any animal.

Another difference between the two protaonists is that Mercy is more of a mechanic than a hunter who only gets into action when forced into while Jane is a mercinary vampire hunter by trade.

The story starts when Jane is called to New Orleans by an old vampire named Katie, who hires her to track and kill a rogue vampire preying on not only the humans but other vampires in the city. Turns out this rogue vampire is a lot more older, more powerful, and much more harder to track than Jane thought. While on the hunt, she is introduced to the vampire world: the politics, lifestyle, and the who's who of vamp society.

Skinwalker is a breath of fresh air for me personally as I was able to read another "skinwalker" theme book that as a good as the Mercedes Thompson series (maybe better in terms of action). The caveat on this story is that there are two point of views: When Jane is in her human form, the conversation is conventional but when Jane shifts into her "big cat" form, Beast takes over the persona and the conversation is like someone is dictating a list of word (you'll know what I mean once you read the book).  

Mage In Black Review

Title: Mage In Black
Author: Jaye Wells
Series: Sabina Kane #2
Audiobook Narrator: Cynthia Holloway
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Assassins, Vampires, Demons, Mages, Nymphs, Faeries

Review:

Mage in Black is the second installment of Jaye Wells "Sabina Kane" series. The story picks up almost immediately where Red-Headed Stepchild left off, with Sabina and company on the way to New York City to meet her long lost twin sister Maisie and further learn about her mage side of the family.

Upon arrival, Sabina gets to continue her training under the supervision of an elder mage. With here financial resource cut off by the Dominae, Sabina and her demonic minion Gighul joined demonic version of the "Fight Club" own by a former Dominae assassin name Slade. Sabina also gets to survive several assassination attempts which lead to uncovering a mysterious plot from a secret group call the "Cast of Nod" which lead the to the Dominae  attacking the Hekate council which was later reveal to be a diversion inorder to kidnap Maisie. 

Over all, Mage in Black is a great follow up to the "Red-Head Stepchild" as there was a clear progress to the story with a great balance of action, humor (mostly from Giguhl who now becomes this series' comic relief much like Jenks in Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan series and Bob the Skull in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series) and romance. 

Dead Witch Walking Review

Title: Dead Witch Walking
Author: Kim Harrison
Series: Hollows / Rachel Morgan #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Witches, Vampires, Demons, Bounty Hunters, Faeries

Review:
Dead Witch Walking is the first installment of the Rachel Morgan/ Hollows series by urban fantasy writer Kim Harrison.

The story sets in an alternate universe Cincinnati on which all supernatural entities like vampires, werewolves faeries, etc. At this time these beings are now called "Interlanders" At the time there are several agencies that handle the enforcement of these Inderlanders, one of which is the Federal Inderland Bureau which the new moniker of FBI and it's rival agency the Inderland Security or I.S.

Our story protagonist is Rachel Morgan, a witch who works as an I.S. runner which is basically a contract bounty hunter who hunt illegal Inderlands with Jenks a pixie as her backup and her colleague a "living" vampire name Ivy who is I.S. best runner.

The story gets interesting when all three decided to quit the agency they are working for and create their own "bounty hunter agency" which they become a target by their former employer's assassins. They also found themselves a string of inter agency conflicts as well as a rodent fighting ring with the rodents turn out to be people that have been turned into one.

What I really love about this book is the comical banter between Rachel and Jenks as they remind me of another Harry Dresden and Bob the Skull in Urban Fantasy hit Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.

All in all, I really love the direction of the story as this book is considered a great introduction of all characters involve. I'm looking forward to the next book of this series.

Red-Headed Stepchild Review

Title: Red-Headed Stepchild
Author: Jaye Wells
Series: Sabina Kane #1
Audiobook Narrator:Cynthia Holloway
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Assasins, Vampires, Demons, Mages, Nymphs, Faeries

Review:

While waiting for Widow's Web to be released (which is month's away), so I to read another urban fantasy assassin book and I choose Jaye Well's Red Headed Stepchild. What's interesting about this book (and the series) is that Sabina Kane,the protagonist is half-vampire and half-mage. Red-Headed Stepchild is set in a world where vampires, mages, demons and faeries exist mostly unnoticed by its largely human population. The vampires in this world are not undead but are living supernatural beings that are born, rather than made. They have a lot of the usual strengths and weaknesses of vampires but their origins, and their genetic red-hair, are linked back to original bible myth (they are the descendents of Lilith and Cain).

During the course of the novel Sabina is forced to re-evaluate the relationship she has with her grandmother and the Dominae - rapidly coming to the conclusion that she has been a useful tool rather than a loved family member. Sent to infiltrate a group of rival supernaturals and assassinate its leader, she has to think on her feet and make some new friends if she wants to avoid her assignment turning into a suicide mission…

What I love about this book is the comical banters between Sabina and her demon/cat familiar Giguhl on which resembles the banters of Harry Dresden and Bob the Skull in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series and Rachel Morgan and Jenks in the Hollows series by Kim Harrison (which I will be writing a review soon).

All in all, Red-Headed Stepchild is a great introduction for the protagonist's personal history and to the series as a whole. I am glad that I already have the next audiobook "Mage in Black" in queue.

Legend of Drizzt: My Next Fantasy Book Journey

I have been a fantasy book reader for a long time and I admit, I have been focusing too much on the Dragonlance series that I was not able to explore other fantasy series although I have read some of J.R.R Tolkien's books (as well as movie adaptation of "The Lord of the Rings") and the recent TV adaptation of George R. R. Martin series "A Song of Ice and Fire" titled A Game of Thrones. Of these famous fantasy stories, I have not yet explore the world of the Forgotten Realms world which is based on the classic RPG game Dungeons and Dragons.

One particular series in the Forgotten Realms world that I intent to follow religiously is The Legend of Drizzt series which chronicles the journeys of the Drizzt Do'Urden, a drow elf ranger/warrior who is considered by many as the most popular character of in this story setting.

As of this writing, I just finished listening to the audiobook version first book "Homeland" which tells the story about Drizzt history and early life. I am now currently listening to at the first chapter of the second book "Exile".