Fictional Books Blog

Succubus Heat Review

2012-02-27T16:48:00.000+08:00

Title: Succubus Heat
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Georgina Kincaid/Succubus series #4
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Succubus, Angels, Demons, Nephilim, Erotica

Review:

Listened to the audiobook versions of this series has been a good decision of mine since I was able to finish the this one is less than 2 days. I am also becoming a fan of the narrator Elisabeth Rodgers and expect for her to keep narrating on this series if in case Richelle Mead decides to continue the series for the seventh time (if ever).

After the ground-shaking ending to Succubus Dreams, we felt Georginas pain. Hell, the ending to book three had me crying. (Richelle Mead knows how to make everyone ride the emotional rollercoaster in the third books, doesnt she?) While time has passed since the big breakup, at the beginning of Succubus Heat its clear Georgina is not coping well. She still works at the bookstore with Maddie. Has to talk to her. Be friends with her. See her all smoochy and cozy with Seth. And act like its nothing because, naturally, no one knew she and Seth had ever been a couple.

Instead of moving on, shes fallen into a spiral. Shes dating Dante who everyone agrees is not good enough for her and makes her extra bitchy, she drinks a great deal, has taken back up smoking and is corrupting as many mortal souls as she can. Youd think her archdemon boss Jerome would be happy with his main succubus tagging quality souls for hell. Hes fed up her moping, though. Sick of seeing her so not Georgina. So, he decides shell be getting away. He outsources our girl to another archdemon in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The little problem shes sent to fix seems beneath her, and Georgina is convinced its part of a diversion dealing with demons fighting over territory boundaries. She thinks she has a fix thereon when Jerome goes missing. Shes one of the few willing to work to find him, and gets herself caught up in some big power plays.

I wont give things away where things go with Seth. I will say they both still love each other and there is promise here. Expect character development and self-reflection in Succubus Heat along with lots of groundwork for future books.

Succubus Heat isnt as emotionally taxing as the previous book. The mystery plot is one of the best so far, with a good surprise (not quite as good as the Roman reveal in Succubus Blues, but good). And, I promise you, this book will give you hope for Georgina being happy again, for finding love. Youll feel the pain of her longing for a husband and children again, but also wonder if theres a chance she might finally get that ideal.

The Devil Inside Review

2012-02-24T14:24:00.000+08:00

Title: The Devil Inside
Author: Jenna Black
Series: Morgan Kingsley #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Demons, Exorcism, S & M,

The Devil Inside by Jenna Black is book one of the Morgan Kingsley urban fantasy series. There are four more books in this series -- The Devil You Know, The Devil's Due, Speak of the Devil, and The Devil's Playground.

I thought The Devil Inside would be about a female exorcist battling the Devil. But it isn't, even though it features demons. The Devil Inside is mainly about a heroine running from one bad situation to another while having a titillating sex life.

The book's first-person protagonist, Morgan Kingsley, is a Philadelphia exorcist, although she only performs two exorcisms in this book. Morgan likes to dress daringly and she has a tattoo, which seems to be the norm for an urban fantasy heroine. Months earlier, bad guys drugged Morgan and got a demon inside her. Slowly she realizes that she is possessed, which is her worst nightmare. But her demon can't do anything initially, because Morgan is so strong.

Morgan's "almost-perfect" boyfriend is Brian Tyndale. They waste no time getting to know each other, demonstrating their sexual chemistry not only in bed, but also over the phone and in his car. Midway through the book Morgan decides to stay away from Brian for his own safety.

Morgan has other demons to deal with besides her own. Her big brother, Andrew, willingly consented to host a demon, wanting to be a hero. Morgan cared for her brother, but she despises the demon now controlling him, and the dislike seems to be mutual.

Policeman Adam White, head of Special Forces, who is a demon himself (his human host isn't even mentioned), hires Morgan to do an exorcism on fireman Dominic Costello. The law requires the exorcism of any demon involved in a violent crime, no matter the circumstances. Dominic is devastated by the loss of his demon, and Morgan feels guilty for doing her job. By the way, Adam and Dominic are both hunks. All the men in this book are hunks. Adam and Dominic are also a gay couple, with a penchant for S&M.

Blood Rites Review

2012-02-21T14:32:00.000+08:00

Title: Blood Rites
Author: Jim Butcher
Series: Dresden Files #6
Genre: Detective, Private Investigator, Urban Fantasy, Wizards, Vampires

Review:
Another solid entry in The Dresden Files, Blood Rites only suffers therein Death Masks, the previous volume, was so superlative. Blood Rites is no less entertaining. Indeed, it's one of the series' funnier books. But Jim Butcher relies a bit too heavily on clichs in the effort to bring more depth to Harry Dresden's character and backstory. True, Butcher is a savvy enough writer to know when he's doing this, and he's smart about deflecting the most damaging effects of a clich by owning up to it right away with a bit of the ol' self deprecating wit. But "shocking revelations" and buried secrets that turn everything our hero has believed upside down, while certainly providing good dramatic meat, are also fairly hackneyed devices. In the end it's down to Butcher's raw storytelling skills practically unparalleled in contemporary urban fantasy to bring the story home.

As with all of the other volumes, Blood Rites opens with a deceptively simple story that becomes more twisted and dangerous as Harry unravels all of its clues. As a favor to the vampire Thomas, Harry agrees to investigate who might be trying to kill Thomas's buddy Arturo Genosa, an improbably avuncular porn empresario. Two of Arturo's female employees have already bought it, in melodramatic fashion. Harry goes spying as a production assistant on the set of Arturo's latest skin flick. I got a particular kick out of this, as I 've worked as a P.A. on virtually every kinda film and television shoot except porn. I'd make a crack about some guys getting all the luck, except I suspect being present while it's all going down live is probably as dull disgusting as Butcher describes.

City of Demons Review

2012-02-20T14:14:00.000+08:00

Title: Succubus Dreams
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Georgina Kincaid/Succubus series #2.5 (Part of the Eternal Lover anthology)
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Succubus, Angels, Demons,

Review:
I am reviewing ONLY the novella in this anthology by Richelle Mead, City of Demons. I plan to read the other novellas eventually, but since right now I am reading the Georgina Kincaid series, this is the only one I was interested in at this point in time. In the timeline of the series, this little novella takes place between books 2 & 3.

Seth & Georgina are away on a long romantic weekend, when Jerome calls Georgina to Los Angeles to take his place on a jury for the murder of a demon by a demon. There are three demons being tried and it is the jury's responsibility to figure out which one of them committed the murder and then that demon will be tortured for the next 500 years. Georgina is the only juror taking the trial seriously. The others are there simply to do the bidding of the demon who can offer the highest bribe. Luis is the judge for the trial and he used to be Georgina's boss. He is really the only other person, besides those being tried, that is also interested in a fair outcome.

Because this is a novella, I am assuming that nothing that happens here will actually affect the flow of the series, but I am so glad that I read this story. I feel like it added a lot to Seth & Georgina's commitment to each other despite the strains that her powers create on their relationship.

Seth is such a stand-up guy. He can't have sex with Georgina and she has given him permission to have sex with others simply to take care of his physical ache. He is faced with that temptation in this book. It also really showed what a truly good person Georgina is. As a succubus, a lot of times she makes the wrong decisions based upon getting caught up in the physicality of the moment. In this book, she is tempted with the ultimate temptation of what she wants most in this world, but is unwilling to sacrifice someone else for that. I really liked the added knowledge about these characters.

Also, it was truly a well-written story. As a novella, a lot of the times I feel that these books are too short, but this was a really good, well-developed story with enough twists and turns that it thoroughly engaged my imagination. If you are reading this series, I highly recommend that you add this novella to the To-Be-Read pile too!

Succubus Dreams Review

2012-02-16T14:58:00.002+08:00

Title: Succubus Dreams
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Georgina Kincaid/Succubus series #3
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Succubus, Angels, Demons,

Review:
Succubus Dreams was utterly engaging with plot and prose to keep readers rapt.

Succubus Georgina Kincaid is doing her best to balance her demon-promised duties and her relationship with mortal Seth Mortensen. The two love each other, and do their best to make things work, but Georgina refuses to give in and kiss Seth for more than a few moments. His soul is so pure, and the succubus part of her would quickly pull years off his life for a taste of someone so good. The no-sex thing would be much easier if she didnt have to sleep with other men to exist.

After her latest fix of a good soul, Georgina climbs into bed next to a sleeping Seth. And she dreams. It feels so real, and the content is so simple : her washing dishes, a bit girl playing in the next room. She awakes and nearly all the energy she gained the night before is gone. Shes even as low as before. No one can explain what might have happened, and her boss arch-demon Jerome has no interest in hearing about some fluke drain on energy.

Death Mask Review

2012-02-15T17:02:00.001+08:00

Title: Death Mask
Author: Jim Butcher
Series: Dresden Files #5
Genre: Detective, Private Investigator, Urban Fantasy, Wizards, Faeries, Werewolves

Review:

Today I present to you a book that has been out awhile, but represents a huge pivotal point in an ongoing series. If you havent read The Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher, you are seriously missing out. Butcher blends magic, mystery, and sarcasm in the perfect ratio to produce what I (and many who have read them) consider the best Contemporary Fantasy books available. I have recommended this series to probably a thousand folks in the past eight years and not one has ever returned one or complained they didnt like it. That said, on to the review of Death Masks, which is Book 5 of the series.

Without giving away plot points, and thereby ruining the story or series for others, let me just say that so much happens in Death Masks that you dont realize half of whats happening until you are reminded of it in later volumes. This novel is a major turning point in the series in this it introduces a plethora of new characters that really help to flesh out the world of the protagonist.

Summer Knight Review

2012-02-08T17:00:00.000+08:00

Title: Summer Knight
Author: Jim Butcher
Series: Dresden Files #4
Genre: Detective, Private Investigator, Urban Fantasy, Wizards, Faeries, Werewolves

The great virtue of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files novels is that Butcher understands where the line is between taking your escapism too seriously versus just seriously enough so that the fun is n't hamstrung. There have been a number of Harry-Come-Latelies in the wake of this series, and I 've been surprised at how many of them either get far too dour when they should be amping up the adrenaline, or far too jokey when they should be establishing a real sense of danger and tension. Butcher's narrative radar never fails him. He expertly dodges all of the ample pitfalls stories like these are prone to. I suppose there's still plenty of room for him to cock the whole thing up at some point. But four books into this perennially popular series, he's found a winning formula that's working like gangbusters.

That formula can be summed up as follows : 1) Establish a hero who, though he possesses magical ability, is still much your everyday, relatable "ordinary joe." 2) Beat the shit out of him. 3) Repeat 2 until climax. 4) Offer triumphant conclusion while reminding us our hero's peace is but temporary. If Hitchcock's maxim about storytelling was that it is "to put the audience through it," Butcher has taken that enthusiastically to heart. Poor Harry Dresden is the most put upon, hard-done-by, beat-down hero in contemporary fantasy. Sometimes even friends and lovers turn on him. But he always rises to the occasion, because, like all maverick heroes who think following the rulebook is not necessarily the best way to get the job done, he recognizes a duty to a world larger than himself, and that it's worth the fight.

This time Dresden's foes are, well, everybody. The vampiric Red Court, who want revenge for the events in Grave Peril ; his own White Council of wizards, run by the usual cowardly appeasers and bureaucratic weasels ; and last but not least, the Sidhe, the creatures of the fey, whose opposing houses of Summer and Winter keep one another equally balanced so as to avoid overmuch power in any one set of hands. But the balance has been disrupted. Someone has murdered the Summer Knight, that realm's champion to its queen, Titania. The Winter Queen, Mab, has been blamed, and she makes Harry an offer he pretty much ca n't refuse : if he helps her to find the Knight's murderer and clear her name, she'll help him. All Harry has to do is help avert an all out war between Summer and Winter. Piece of cake, right?.

Read more »

Dark Descendant Review

2012-02-05T15:17:00.001+08:00

Title: Dark Descendant
Author: Jenna Black
Series: Nikki Glass #1
Genre: Detective, Private Investigator, Urban Fantasy, Greek Mythology

SUMMARY:
From the acclaimed author of the Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist books comes the gripping first novel in a new series about a private eye who discovers, to her surprise, that she’s an immortal huntress.

Nikki Glass can track down any man. But when her latest client turns out to be a true descendant of Hades, Nikki now discovers she can’t die. . . . Crazy as it sounds, Nikki’s manhunting skills are literally god-given. She’s a living, breathing descendant of Artemis who has stepped right into a trap set by the children of the gods. Nikki’s new “friends” include a descendant of Eros, who uses sex as a weapon; a descendant of Loki, whose tricks are no laughing matter; and a half-mad descendant of Kali who thinks she’s a spy. But most powerful of all are the Olympians, a rival clan of immortals seeking to destroy all Descendants who refuse to bow down to them. In the eternal battle of good god/bad god, Nikki would make a divine weapon. But if they think she’ll surrender without a fight, the gods must be crazy. . .

REVIEW
Nikki Glass thinks the call rescuing her from the boring blind date is a lifesaver. Little does she know how much her world is going to change.

Nikki is a private eye, currently working a case involving an ex-girlfriend and a mysterious cult. A call from a client sends her to the cults mansion and thats when things get a bit strange. Now Nikki finds herself in the midst of a group of people claiming they are Liberi Deorum (children of the gods). Even stranger, they claim that Nikki is one also and she now finds herself targeted by a rival group calling themselves the Olympians. Both groups want Nikki but for what purposes?.

Wow! DARK DESCENDANT is full of twists and turns from practically the first page. Jenna Black plunges the reader into a fantastic world where mythology clashes with the present times, and surprises lurk around every corner. I cant rave enough about the world building in DARK DESCENDANT as the complexity is both astounding and intriguing.

Nikkis character is key to the success of such an intricate world, however. Her disbelief is understandable, even as she sees wounds miraculously heal. In fact, it is her disbelief that makes the unbelievable seem, well, believable! Nikki's character is easy to like. From the moment we meet her on her boring blind date, Nikkis voice shines through clearly.

DARK DESCENDANT is the first book I've read by Jenna Black but I can guarantee it wont be the last. One nice change from the current trend in the book industry - DARK DESCENDANT doesn't end in a cliffhanger. Yes, there are obviously more mysteries to be unveiled in future books but we arent left with a story that is incomplete. It's a really good book that I think will appeal to Urban Fantasy fans

Moon Called Review

2012-01-30T18:05:00.000+08:00

Title: Moon Called
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Mercedes Thompson #1
Genre: Paranormal, Skinwalkers, Werewolves, Vampires

My Thoughts - The first chapter of Moon Called is used to set the scene, with the author providing a huge amount of information about Mercy (a coyote shape-shifter), her family and friends and her connection to the werewolves therein story. Although all the information was interesting and crucial to the story, I couldnt help but feel that all of this information was crammed in too quickly and I ended up feeling a bit bit overwhelmed by it all. But once the introductions had all been made, the story immediately turns to action, which does not stop until the very end of the novel. I loved this as the book moved along at such a fast pace and held my interest all the way through. I just could not put this book down and I found myself waiting with baited breath for what would happen next.

I love the character of Mercy. She is strong, brave, intelligent and funny. She doesnt back down easily, but at the same time she knows her place in the grand scheme of things something that comes from spending so much time around werewolves whilst growing up. I found the history between Mercy and Sam (an old boyfriend of hers who just happens to be a very powerful werewolf) intriguing but I did spend lots of time hoping that something would happen between her and Adam (the alpha of the local werewolf pack). There was just something about him that made me feel as though he would be a better match for Mercy and he certainly made me feel a bit bit weak at the knees! We dont really get to find out much about Sam in Moon Called. He keeps himself to himself and a lot of what we do find out about him is either from Mercy or his father, the Marrok. I do hope to find out a little more about him in future books in the series though as he is definitely an interesting character.

Grave Peril Review

2012-01-26T11:33:00.001+08:00

Title: Grave Peril
Author: Jim Butcher
Series: The Dresden Files series #3
Genre: Paranormal, Wizardry, Detective

Vampires and demons and ghosts, oh my! In his third outing, Jim Butcher's put upon Windy City wizard Harry Dresden goes to the mat against all manner of evil and undead beasties, coming out as usual much the worse for wear but living to fight another day. In Grave Peril one gets the first real impression that the series is sliding into a comfortable episodic groove. It does so so comfortably, in point of fact, that its eventual transformation into a SciFi Channel TV show seems inevitable. (I haven't watched it, but from fan complaints I 've read about the deviations SciFi made from the source material, I think I'd probably be unimpressed.).

So far, Butcher is managing to keep the adrenaline level high. There are a few basic rules to turning out great escapist entertainment. Stay on message ; make your audience bond with your characters so hurt those characters as much as you possibly can ; keep the action coming ; and do n't let anyone get bored enough to want to change the channel. Butcher has all of these down. Now I 'm eager to see how long he can go before violating the most important one : it's better to burn out than fade away. I 've seen all too many series that have begun with great promise, only to lose steam a few books in and drag on ad infinitum despite the fact the well ran dry long since, simply because neither the publisher nor the author can bear to see a lucrative property perish. I fervently hope Butcher retains both his creative energies and integrity for a preternaturally age, and that he knows when it's time for Harry Dresden to hang up his duster and staff with grace.

Now is not that time, happily enough. Grave Peril opens about a year after the events of Fool Moon, and has Harry and his allies the Catholic swordsman Michael ; Murphy, the tough but tender cop ; his spunky girlfriend journalist Susan facing the consequences of taking down a sorcerer whom Harry stopped in the act of raising an exceptionally nasty demon. Ghosts are woooing around Chicago like crazy, and Harry believes someone, or something, has sufficiently weakened the boundaries between this world and the spiritual Nevernever in order to draw sinister power from these rampant hauntings. Through some of Butcher's most impressively intricate plotting up to now, Harry ends up facing off against not only the demon and the ghost of the sorcerer, but learns to his dismay that the events may even be linked to his old nemesis, Bianca St. Claire of the Vampire Court. Who really, really, really wants to kill Harry. And if this were n't enough, there's Harry's godmother, a vengeful sidhe dead set settle a bargain made long since.

Secret Guide to Dating Monsters Review

2012-01-26T10:24:00.000+08:00

The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters is a nice prequel to the Secret McQueen series. It gives the reader an introduction into the life of Secret McQueen and what shes all about. Secret is snarky but not in an obnoxious way and I loved her crisp humor. Shes your average UF heroine : single, struggles in the romance department, a killer, and of uncommon heritage. However, she is a fun and engaging heroine and Im looking forward to seeing how her character progresses Overall I enjoyed the authors voice and the brisk pace of this novella. The characters are memorable, the action scene is exciting and there is a kiss scene that is straight up hot!.

Succubus on Top Review

2012-01-14T00:16:00.000+08:00

Title: Succubus on Top
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Georgina Kincaid/Succubus series #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Category: Demons, Angels

Summary: Georgina’s story of impossible love and treacherous circumstances continues in book 2 of the Succubus series. This book begins with Georgina receiving an award from Hell’s inner circle for “outstanding performance in seduction, damnation, and corruption of human souls.” Quite a coveted award, don’t you agree? Georgina responds with an enthusiastic “Um, thanks. This is…cool.” As usual, Georgina isn’t exactly a fan of her professional responsibilities, other than the simple fact that the job allows her to continue living on Earth rather than in Hell.

In this second installment of the Succubus series, Georgina is faced with solving a mystery that has touched her circle of human friends from the bookstore. Her co-worker, Doug, has been changing; he and his band are suddenly more talented, but they are also displaying some violent behavior. The mood swings have Georgina convinced that there is an addiction involved, but her senses tell her that the new drug of choice is not from the human world. She is sensing a supernatural power when she is near the band. Who could be tampering with the human population in her territory?

Elsewhere in Seattle, Georgina has been dragged into an unusual situation by a friend from her demon circle of friends. Bastien, an Incubus with the same responsibilities as Georgina (except targeting women versus men), needs her help for an undercover operation. Bastien is working very hard to seduce a religious zealot who has been wreaking havoc on hell’s quota numbers. While playing Bastien’s sister Tabitha Hunter, Georgina gets drawn into a world of bigotry and judgement where she is definitely not comfortable. But to help her friend, she’ll go much further than she expected.

Throughout the book, the ongoing love story between Georgina and Seth continues while the hopelessness of the situation becomes harder to deal with. As much as Georgina loves Seth and his family, she won’t risk being physically intimate with him and taking years off of his life. But at the same time, she has no choice but to fulfill her succubus responsibilities or she will be banished from the human world. This means lots of random sex for Georgina and zero sex ever for Seth. They are both frustrated by the barriers between them, but for now there is no other option.

Full Moon Rising Review

2012-01-11T10:39:00.000+08:00

Book Title: Full Moon Rising
Author: Keri Arthur
Series: Riley Jensen Guardian - Book 1

Review:

The night was silent.

Almost too silent.

There is a specific sensation of worry and foreboding in addition to a touching of understanding and self-referential sensation of humor that is palpable in these first collections of FULL MOON RISING by Keri Arthur.

Indeed, the feeling may reach visitors as well known, saying even, but FULL MOON RISING is hardly a traditional thriller. Indeed, when the character Riley bemoans the "Hollywood images" of unnatural wildlife of the evening --- the beliefs and half-truths spread by well-known testimonies of the unnatural --- those primarily well known first two collections become ingrained with the sensation of humor and self-awareness of a creator who knows what is predicted of the category she is operating in and who is established to challenge the apparent and escape the predicted.

For Riley is under no circumstances your common femme fatal; instead, this sexy and wryly crazy redhead is a unusual cross of Creature of the night and Werewolf. And her unusual embodiment of the capabilities of two such intense and highly effective unnatural creatures is both a advantage and a issue as she challenges hidden opponents and solid enemies who are directed at her --- and seem to want something from her --- because of her unique capabilities.

Dragons of the Hourglass Mage Review

2011-12-30T18:58:00.003+08:00

So I just finished reading Dragons of the Hourglass Mage, and by extension, Dragonlance all together. Never before has a book so completely wrapped up a story as this one has. It was sublime, moving to the point of tears, and absolutely fulfilling in ways that i did not know i had even wanted.

The story, as we know, fills the large gap in Spring Dawning between Raistlin's disappearance from the Perechon at the very beginning and his return as a black robe at the very end. It delves into the transformation between the weak, jealous young red robe and the resonating tower of self confidence we know and love in Legends. And along the way, HM wraps all of the little disparate gaps left in Chronicles--gaps that in hindsight were always answered with the core text. HM merely illuminates what we all should have seen from the outset.

I'm not going to spoil the plot for you, as the story is worth delving into for any true, or even casual, dragonlance fan. And yes, I highly highly recommend either reading Spring Dawning before you start this book, or doing as I did, and having both in front of you, and alternating between the two. I also recommend having recently read Soulforge, for a bit of reference. This book, with its weight of finality, is the true end point for the Heroes of the Lance, and Raistlin himself, in a way that Summer Flame and the War of Souls tried so hard to be. It's only fitting, then, that Dragonlance as a series end where it started, with a handful of would be heroes thrust into a spotlight they never wanted in order to save a world that didn't want them.

Hourglass Mage covers a very interesting aspect of Raistlin, one that we've never seen before. In this story, he's an awkward adolescent, eager to please his new masters, and eager to seek out the power he so desires. He's not the shady, shy young man of early chronicles, and he's most certainly not the master of past and present that he becomes. He's a man who has thrust off the red robes, not out of a general evil, but because he doesn't care about anyone else but himself. He wants desperately to fit in with the so-called 'cool kids' who wear the black and follow the queen, but he discovers that they are as shallow and lifeless as the groups he left behind. Raistlin's maturation is dealt with a grace and splendor that I honestly hadn't thought Weis and Hickman capable of. Their writing has been less than great as of late, and this book shines with their love and skill in a way that hasn't been seen in decades. It's as if they themselves knew that this was going to be the last hurrah for their journey on Krynn, and wanted to make sure it was a good one.

Perfect Shadow Review

2011-12-28T15:10:00.000+08:00

Book Preview:
Discover the origins of Durzo Blint in this original novella set in the world of Brent Weeks' New York Times bestselling Night Angel trilogy."I got a bit of prophecy," the old assassin said. "Not enough to be useful, you know. Just glimpses. My wife dead, things like that to keep me up late at night. I had this vision that I was going to be killed by forty men, all at once. But now that you're here, I see they're all you. Durzo Blint."Durzo Blint? Gaelan had never even heard the name.Gaelan Starfire is a farmer, happy to be a husband and a father; a careful, quiet, simple man. He's also an immortal, peerless in the arts of war. Over the centuries, he's worn many faces to hide his gift, but he is a man ill-fit for obscurity, and all too often he's become a hero, his very names passing into legend: Acaelus Thorne, Yric the Black, Hrothan Steelbender, Tal Drakkan, Rebus Nimble.But when Gaelan must take a job hunting down the world's finest assassins for the beautiful courtesan-and-crimelord Gwinvere Kirena, what he finds may destroy everything he's ever believed in.

Review
This is my second short story/novella that I have read among my collection of e-books as I rarely read novellas unless it serves as a prequel of a book series that interests me. This week I was able to finish reading Brent Meek's "Perfect Shadow" which is a prequel to the Night Angel trilogy series.

The story setting is somewhat similar to Anne Rice's Interview with a Vampire to which the protagonist Gaelen Starfire (which is one of Durzo Blint's past name before the start of the Night Angel trilogy) is telling his life story to a young redhead Yvor Vas who later on was revealed to have an interest in "acquiring" the Black Ka'Kari from Durzo to no avail.

This novella is a must read for those who want to start reading the Night Angel series as this will give you an overview about Durzo Blint's history.

Halfway to the Grave Review

2011-12-22T14:09:00.002+08:00

Catherine Crawford eliminates the undead (particularly vampires). She is been reaching the cafes to discover immortal to wipe out since she turned 16 and her mom lastly informed her what she is: half-vampire. Amazingly unusual, Cat's mom was raped by a creature of the night. She supports the creature of the night aspect of her child against Cat. That means our heroine is doing her damnedest to take out everyone of those killers she can. As a half-vampire, Cat has greater rate and feelings, but you will not discover her enjoying blood for nutrition.

This plan proved helpful just excellent until the night she met Bone. The expert creature of the night placed her as tracking his type instantly. On the benefit, he also eliminates undead. The resources seeker hits up a relationship with Cat. He’ll practice her, make her more powerful and she will get to wipe out undead — just the ones he selections. Cat's on panel, but stays the months of training disliking Bone. In the process, though, Bone difficulties Cat to identify who she is and take that being aspect creature of the night is certainly not a bad thing. She has this powerful tendency designed in for their type, often at the cost of her own self-esteem. Bone creates her concern her lifestyle, who she is and makes her to decide if she can really really like herself. Oh, and he’s extremely hot. Advantage.

Jeaniene Frost creates characters you want to know in the real life — or in the case of the big bad, maybe you are delighted he’s fantastic. Both Cat and Bone come with baggage. They're real, and it creates it that much easier to fall for them. The loving tale arc is natural and advances with a lot of pondering. This is certainly not a supernatural ambiance where the heroine without consideration drops for the leading man. Cat creates him work for her have confidence in, her really like, and the viewers experience the benefits.

Halfway to the Grave is action-packed, crazy and attractive. It’s the supernatural trifecta. Jeaniene Frost should be on your to-buy list. I guarantee, after reading Halfway to the Grave, you might want to read the rest of the Night Huntress series.

Fool Moon Review

2011-12-20T22:20:00.000+08:00

In this second installment of Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files. Harry Dresden, a wizard, has been having a run of bad luck with luck–meaning there hasn’t been any lately for him. But then a murder comes a long one that involves the full moon, paw prints and grisly murdered bodies. Now Harry must help find the ones responsible before more bodies show up.

I loved this novel; you can literally see things progressing, not only the plot but future relationships between Harry and Susan Rodriguez and his friendship with Karrin Murphy. Also we get new characters that will be showing up in more books.

There is a good amount of action and mystery in this novel that keeps till the end and suggests more to come in the next installment as well. Like with the first novel, Gentleman Johnny Marcone–a crime lord–is also in this novel as well and somehow related to everything that is going on. I have to say though he is a ‘bad guy’, I really like him as a character in this novel and the last and look forward to seeing him more.

Good paced plot, awesome characters, action, mystery and more–altogether a great novel.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who read and liked the first book and anyone who is looking for a good paranormal/urban fantasy series.

The Nymphos of Rocky Flats Review

2011-12-12T10:24:00.001+08:00

Book Title: The Nymphos of Rocky Flats
Series: Felix Gomez series
Author: Mario Acevedo

Review:

The Nymphos of Rocky Flats is the first novel (in a series of three so far) written by Mario Acevedo featuring vampire PI Felix Gomez. Felix Gomez is a vampire tormented by guilt. While fighting as a soldier in Iraq he accidentally killed some civilians. He was then made into a vampire shortly afterwards (so he could suffer his guilt for longer) and his guilt has led to him refusing to drink human blood.

The vampires in this novel are a mixture of classic vampire myth and the author’s own inventions. They can go out in the day if they wear sunscreen and makeup and while Felix doesn’t have to sleep in a coffin, he prefers to. They can shapeshift into the form of a wolf and can hypnotise mortals (leaving the humans confused when they wake up posed in compromising situations with no idea how they got there.) They can survive on animal blood although they lose their vampire powers and this is the case with Felix. His loss of vampire powers is a real problem for him as he has a team of crack vampire hunters on his trail and will need all his strength to avoid getting staked.

The Nymphos of Rocky Flats has many elements of hardboiled detective fiction - an unlikely detective hero who gets beaten up quite a lot while solving the case and getting the girl (or dryad in Felix’s case) - mixed with a large dose of humour. The humour is derived from the author’s observation of everyday strangeness turned bizarre - conspiracy theories, government bureaucracy and aliens all feature prominently in this story. While it appealed my appreciation of the bizarre it is amusing rather than laugh out loud funny. Probably the best way to describe the style of this novel would be to say that it reminds me of the works of Jim Butcher. And yes, I know that Carl Hiaasen doesn’t write about vampires - but if he did the results might be something like The Nymphos of Rocky Flats.

I could compare the humor of Nymphos of Rocky Flats a bit closer to the Keith Melton's Zero Dog Wars to which the there are full of funny sarcasm and snarky remarks.

The Nymphos of Rocky Flats is both entertaining and thrilling but above all it makes for fun reading. If you like both mystery novels and vampires, and have an appreciation for the bizarre, you are going to enjoy this novel.

Clockwork Angel Review

2011-12-01T23:33:00.000+08:00

Clockwork Angel is the first book in the new Infernal Devices series by YA fantasy author Cassandra Clare. The Infernal Devices books are set in Victorian London and are written as a prequel to Clare’s bestselling Mortal Instruments urban fantasy series.

Clockwork Angel gets this new series off to a good start, introducing a whole new world populated with all new characters. The story’s main protagonist is 16 year-old Tessa, a seemingly normal girl who after journeying from New York to London to be reunited with her brother, finds herself kidnapped upon her arrival. Held captive by the Dark Sisters, Tessa is forced to access hitherto unknown shapeshifting abilities by the Sisters, who threaten the life of her brother Nate. There are some obvious parallels to Clary from the Mortal Instruments here – once again we see a girl who thought she was completely normal suddenly exposed to a hidden supernatural world when she finds out that she’s got supernatural powers. Like Clary she ends up with no one to turn to except for the Shadowhunters, who offer her refuge and explanations for the world she’s suddenly found herself in.

As with the Mortal Instruments, the London Clave or "Enclave" is inhabited by several other young Shadowhunters, who provide companionship, adventure and a romantic interest. The main character here is Will, the Shadowhunter who rescues Tessa from the Sisters, and although the author drops hints about a dark secret and a hidden torment, readers are left guessing to what it might be. There are clear similarities to Jace from the Mortal Instruments, he’s a confident fighter and brash young man who continually rubs Tessa the wrong way, right up to the point where she’s about to fall into his arms…

Zero Dog War: Zero Dog Missions Book 1 by Keith Melton

2011-11-08T00:03:00.000+08:00

Book Preview

The first bullet is always free. After that, you gotta pay.

Zero Dog Missions, Book 1

After accidentally blowing up both a client facility and a cushy city contract in the same day, pyromancer and mercenary captain Andrea Walker is scrambling to save her Zero Dogs. A team including (but not limited to) a sexually repressed succubus, a werewolf with a thing for health food, a sarcastic tank driver/aspiring romance novelist, a three-hundred-pound calico cat, and a massive demon who really loves to blow stuff up.

With the bankruptcy vultures circling, Homeland Security throws her a high-paying, short-term contract even the Zero Dogs can’t screw up: destroy a capitalist necromancer bent on dominating the gelatin industry with an all-zombie workforce. The catch? She has to take on Special Forces Captain Jake Sanders, a man who threatens both the existence of the team and Andrea’s deliberate avoidance of romantic entanglements.

As Andrea strains to hold her dysfunctional team together long enough to derail the corporate zombie apocalypse, the prospect of getting her heart run over by a tank tread is the least of her worries. The government never does anything without an ulterior motive. Jake could be the key to success…or just another bad day at the office for the Zeroes.

Warning: Contains explicit language, intense action and violence, rampaging zombie hordes, a heroine with an attitude and flamethrower, Special Forces commandos, ninjas, apocalyptic necromancer capitalist machinations, absurd parody and mayhem, self-deluded humor, irreverence, geek humor, mutant cats, low-brow comedy, and banana-kiwi-flavored gelatin.

My Thoughts:
Captain Andrea Walker is the fearless leader and frat mom of a hyperactive band of mercenaries named The Zero Dogs. A eclectic band of warriors comprised of a sexually repressed succubus, a gay demon, a decidedly un-empathic empath, a lazy vampire, a wanna be ninja, and a werewolf with a penchant for all things naughty. When The Zero Dogs are contacted by Homeland Security to find and eradicate a rogue necromancer who is using zombies to make gelatin to eventually rule the world, they get more then they bargained for in the form of Captain Jake Sanders. A professional soldier, having Jake on their team is a non negotiable condition to getting the job. The pages sizzle with the force of Andrea’s attraction to Jake but Andrea doesn’t trust him. Too many cooks spoil the soup and she’s not used to sharing her authority or her team. Andrea soon learns she’s going to need all her skills to survive this battle.

Overall, The Zero Dog War is a fun book, easy to read, a little light on characterization but definitely worth picking up and I will most likely read the next one when it comes out.

Jim Butcher - Storm Front (Book 1 of the Harry Dresden files) Review

2011-10-31T23:22:00.000+08:00

Storm Front is my first venture into the the everyday life of Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden (lots of wizards/magician names combined) introduces us readers to Harry’s everyday life as Chicago’s (and probably the world’s) only modern day “Wizard P.I.”.

This book also introduces us reader to a couple of his closest “friends” in Chicago detective Karin Murphy, Susan Rodriguez, a reporter for the Chicago Arcane, a yellow magazine that covered all sorts of supernatural and paranormal events throughout the Midwest (who also has a hots for Harry),Bob the Skull which technically is a air spirit/fairy of sort which is confined in skull at Harry’s laboratory. He also serve as Harry’s information guy as Bob has served several wizards on his lifetime. And then there’s Morgan, a sword-wielding warden assigned by the White Council to check on Harry if ever he violates the Laws of Magic.

Throughout the story Harry Dresden has shown his witty and street smarts which I could compare to Patrick Jane, the protagonist of the TV series “The Mentalist” which is one of the reasons I loved reading this book. Another thing that I love about this book (an probably the whole Dresden Files series) is how Harry interacts with his information skull Bob to which is so hilarious specially when it involves women (Bob has a penchant to be a horny little S.O.B. despite the lack of physical vessel).

Overall, Storm Front is a good mix of action, drama, and comedy that you won’t stop reading. Kudos for Jim Butcher for creating this very compelling character and series.

Review: Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

2011-10-15T13:16:00.000+08:00

Succubus Blues
by Richelle Mead

General Summary:

Succubus. An alluring, shape-shifting demon who seduces and pleasures mortal men. Pathetic. A succubus with great shoes and no social life. See: Georgina Kincaid.
When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. Her boss is a middle-management demon with a thing for John Cusack movies. Her immortal best friends haven't stopped teasing her about the time she shape-shifted into the Demon Goddess getup complete with whip and wings. And she can't have a decent date without sucking away part of the guy's life. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore--free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't.

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny...

Book Genre Preview: Urban Fantasy

2011-10-11T15:21:00.000+08:00

Urban Fantasy has been the popular book genre today. Urban fantasy is a subset of contemporary fantasy, consisting of novels and stories with supernatural and/or magical elements set in contemporary, real-world, urban settings--as opposed to 'traditional' fantasy set in imaginary locations.

Many urban fantasy novels are told via a first-person narrative, and feature supernatural beings such as vampires, shapeshifters, fairies, witches, sorcerers, and demons. Urban fanatasy stories tend to have a high amount of suspense and action, and sometimes include mystery, romance, humor and/or horror in the plotline.

Some of the today's popular Urban-Fantasy books are the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer, Mortal Instrument Series by Cassandra Clare, Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, Dresden Files Series by Jim Butcher, Grave Hunter series by Jeaniene Frost and Mercy Thompson by Patrica Briggs among others.

Amazon Kindle Fire: E-book reader and more

2011-09-29T20:15:00.002+08:00

Amazon recently surprised everyone by announcing the Kindle Fire, a full-fledged tablet that runs Android OS on a dual core processor and implements cloud storage. It also focuses on your basic multimedia needs- web browsing, checking e-mail, watching videos, listening to music, playing games and of course, reading e-books.

The Kindle Fire will come with a price tag of only USD $199. That's less than half of what most tablets cost these days. Granted, it will have limited capabilities, but really, the Kindle Fire has pretty much everything you need in a tablet.

Update:
For a detailed information about the Kindle Fire, you can visit the official Kindle Fire website.

Poll: Alternatives to Vampires and Werewolves

2011-09-26T14:26:00.000+08:00

Paranormal based books are mostly dominated by vampires and werewolves in terms of story themes and only some have story about demons(succubus), angels(nephilims), faeries, witches and warlocks. Aside from the two which paranormal entity would be the next theme would you like to read.

Please do vote for your favorite paranormal entity which is located on the website sidebar.

The City of Fallen Angels Review

2011-09-18T19:09:00.002+08:00

City of Fallen Angels, The fourth installment of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series was a slight shift in terms of the storyline as the focus of this story now involves Simon Lewis, the vampire "daywalker" and Clary's best friend. The series main protagonist Jace Weyland/Morgentstern/Lightwood/Herondale and Clarissa Fray/Morgensterm are still present as well as others (Alec and Isabelle Lightwood; Clary's mother Jocelyn Morgensterm, Luke Garroway; Maia the werewolf and Magnus Bane, the head warlock of New York) and a cast of new characters particularly Jordan Kyle a member of Praetus Lupus and a new antagonist in demon Lilith, 'The mother of all warlocks".

The fourth installment was not deprived of drama, romance and some light comedy which fans love from the first three books. On this book, you will find out that Jace and Clary's relationship has encountered some "rough" times also the afformentioned new threat.

Overall, City of Fallen Angels is a good start to the second trilogy of the Mortal Instruments Series even though the Mortal Instruments are no longer the focus of the story.

Dragonlance Book Guide Site

2011-09-17T13:15:00.000+08:00

Dragonlance has been one of the top fantasy book novels written by RPG gurus Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. A few authors has also contributed to expand the Dragonlance universe which increases the number of novels to over 50 books. If your a newbie reader and want to start reading Dragonlance books but done want to get confuse which books to start reading, then I would recommend you follow the original series canon which is demonstrated on the Dragonlance Book guide website.

This website will guide the reader to the chronological order of the original canon of the story of the Companions. Aside from the original canon series, there will be other books that are no longer in line with the series canon but will also further tell the story of the characters and event that happened in Krynn.

Lucifer's Daughter Review

2011-09-14T23:45:00.001+08:00

The first ever romance/erotica book that I have read although for a man to read this is quiet unusual I tried it out since it was recommend to me by a friend on Goodread.com. The book is a story about Muriel who is Satan's daughter having to struggle to find her one true love and found her man who was actually an angel. The book showed some balance of romance, erotica and very good deal of comedy. The comedy portion of this book is somewhat compare to a sitcom on TV. Overall it's a good book to read on specially if you want to take a breather on some the paranormal, science fiction or fantasy books.

Martview, an attractive PDF reader that lets you share publications

2011-09-08T21:58:00.000+08:00

Martview is basically a PDF reader that you have put steroids in the eye, thinking nothing more than touch screens. The appearance is what draws the most attention, with a modern design and useful. The program runs full screen and the menu bar is hidden at the top. We have several ways to view the documents, but the most striking is what allows us to turn the pages as if they were pages of a book, but we can resort to more usual methods, with a vertical or horizontal. In addition, it has the usual functions of zoom or display an index of pages through thumbnails.

Supports two formats: PDF and MART, the reader himself. However, we can convert images (JPEG, GIF and PNG), ZIP, RAR and PDF format them with the internal converter MART. Recommend it to PDF because that program performance is better. For testing, I tried to convert a pair of compressed files but there was no way, though I had better luck with images only, where I worked without problems.

Martview offers a service that allows you to download content uploaded by other users or increase our own using a small integrated manager. And of course, have the ability to share what they are reading at that time through Twitter and Facebook. For every click you make someone share the link, you will be given 5 points. When you reach a certain number of points you can unlock certain categories of publications that initially you can not access.

Among the "buts" that you can put the program is it lacks a function to mark pages and will only be able to read PDF, apart from the proprietary format. Also missing is an option to turn the interface and use it in portrait mode, something that would be wrong. In addition, it consumes considerable resources and recommended for use with other programs closed, so we can not be very useful if we have it to look up information as we work.

No doubt, a very attractive option in the panorama of desktop readers, but more suitable for prolonged reading or files that contain many images. I find it very convenient for when you feel only to read but not for everyday use constant consultation. His appearance is very pleasant and the experience of reading with this program seemed more pleasant than with other readers lighter. MartView is free and works on any Windows from 2000 to Windows 7. No further specification is available on its website, but if you have installed Java 1.6, you can not install the program. This lack of specifications is also a bug, so I recommend you be careful where you install, does not work or you do not do it halfway.

You can get the program in its own official website.

Resource: ArticleBase

Under Creative Commons License: Attribution No Derivatives

Podcast for Fictional Book readers

2011-09-06T22:09:00.000+08:00

Aside from reading books, I am also an avid podcast listener and I have been listening to several podcast genre's on my iPod. There's one podcast show for sci-fi/fantasy and book afficionado called "Sword and Laser"

The Sword and Laser is a science fiction and fantasy-themed book club and podcast, hosted by Veronica Belmont and Tom Merritt. The main goal of the club is to build a strong online community of sci-fi / fantasy buffs, and to discuss and enjoy books of both genres.

You can follow the show the the Sword and Laser website as well as subscribing on iTunes just search for "Sword and Laser"

Social Networks For The Booklover

2011-09-04T15:18:00.000+08:00

Most booklovers share two things in common: (1) the love of a great book and (2) sharing that book with friends. From book clubs to reading groups, social networking has always played a part in the avid reader's life. It is no surprise this love has gone digital.

Book social networks are those focused on reading and sharing books with others through book lists and reviews. Not only are these book-based social networks a great way to share good books, they are also an excellent way to find new books to read.

Social Networks for Booklovers

Review: City of Glass (book 3 of 3 of the Mortal Instruments)

2011-09-03T12:54:00.002+08:00

Finally posted my review for the 3rd installment of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series City of Glass

The third and final installment in the first Mortal Instruments trilogy definitely lives up to the reputation of the first two – City of Bones and City of Ashes .City of Glass picks up a short time after City of Ashes ends.Clary has a mission. Madeleine, her mother’s friend, is possibly the only person who knows how to wake her mother from a coma.Clary will have to travel to Alicante in Idris to get what she needs.

Alicante is the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters.It is known as the City of Glass because of the beautifully tall glass towers that guard the city from harm.The only way to get to Idris is through a portal and Magnus, the warlock, has arranged one.Clary is planning to go through the portal with Jace and the Lightwoods.The only problem is, Jace doesn’t want Clary to go so he lies to her about when he and the Lightwoods are leaving.He thinks it is too dangerous for Clary.

After being left behind, Clary eventually finds her way to Alicante.She uses her ability to create runes and makes a portal for herself.Being new to the Shadowhunter world, Clary doesn’t know that using a portal and entering the city without permission is against the law. If she is found she could be put to death.

Once in the City of Glass, Clary is thrown in the middle of the largest battle the Shadowhunters have ever had to face.Valentine’s evil plans are in the final stages and everyone is on full alert, not knowing what he will do next.Jace and Clary’s complicated relationship keeps them just as confused as ever, but provides great excitement for the reader.

To Read: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

2011-09-03T12:28:00.000+08:00

Preview:
"In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut--young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister.

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives."

A Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards, Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game (the 1st book of the Ender's Saga series) is a must read for all Science Fiction fanatics.

Future Reads: Constantine

2011-08-30T10:25:00.000+08:00

"Hidden from mortal eyes are the angels and demons that coexist with mankind...supernatural beings who seek to influence our lives for better and for worse. Amoral and irreverent renegade occultist and paranormal detective John Constantine is blessed and cursed with the ability to interact with this secret world. When Constantine teams up with skeptical L.A. policewoman Angela Dodson to solve the mysterious suicide of her twin sister, their investigation catapults them into a catastrophic series of otherworldly events — even as the forces of Hell conspire against Constantine to claim his immortal soul...."

Even though I have seen the Keannu Reeves film of the same title, reading the book has a bit different feel apart that not all aspects of the books is being portrayed in the movie. So to enjoy "Constantine" more, I intend to add this book into my bucketlist of e-books to read.

Tips on buying the E-book Reader

2011-08-24T23:26:00.001+08:00

Here’s a list of things to consider when selecting a new eBook reader.

Screen type

Remember when an eReader display pretty much meant E Ink? Well, the arrival of the Apple iPad as a viable eReading device has since changed that.

When picking an eReader, ask yourself if you don’t mind reading books on an LCD screen or prefer the more paperlike look of something like E Ink. Each has advantages and disadvantages. E Ink tends to reduce eye strain and greatly improve battery life. An LCD screen can display color and typically comes with touchscreen capabilities as well. Then you have hybrid readers such as the Barnes & Noble Nook and Spring Design Alex, which feature both an electronic paper display and LCD touchscreen at the same time.

For electronic paper displays, make sure you compare screens because some have better contrast than others. Sony’s PRS-300 Reader Pocket, for example, has great white levels and tack-sharp text whereas its siblings the Reader Touch and Reader Pocket have grayer screens.

Size and weight

Size matters. Especially on just how portable you want your eReader to be.

Fortunately, there are all sorts of options out there when it comes to size. Sony’s Reader Pocket, for one, actually fits in my jeans pocket, but its 5-inch screen is still big enough for comfortable reading. It’s also pretty light and is easy to take with you on the go. In the middle of the pack, you have devices such as the Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Spring Design Alex, and Sony Reader Touch and Reader Pocket. Then you’ve got the huge devices, such as the Kindle DX and Apple iPad, which sport screens that are about 10 inches in size. Unless you’re a kangaroo, you ain’t fitting those in your pocket anytime soon. But they’re pretty good if you value a screen with larger real estate.

Interface

Controls for eReading devices are typically based on either buttons, touchscreens or a combination of both. Button-based controls require less power and are more accurate but can be more cumbersome to use. Touchscreens are more intuitive but can be laggy, smudge-prone, and typically suck more juice from your battery.

Button-based devices include Amazon’s Kindle 1, 2, 3 and DX models, plus Sony’s Reader Pocket and the Kobo eReader. The Nook and iPad are almost exclusively touch-based. Sony’s Reader Touch and Daily, and Spring Design’s Alex use both touch- and button-based controls.

Manybooks.net: a Great eBook Resource

2011-08-24T20:18:00.000+08:00

Just thought we would give you a heads up on a great resource for eBooks. The website Manybooks.net features some of the classics in literature. from John Quincy Adam to H.P. Lovecraft. They are available in many different formats and are advertisement free.

Manybooks.net features approximately 29,000 titles and you can search by looking up the author, language, or genre. Lots of great short stories and hard to find titles from ages past are available.

Review: City of Ashes (book 2 of 3 of the Mortal Instruments)

2011-08-24T14:57:00.000+08:00

Clary Fray is having some major issues. Her best friend, Simon, is falling in love with her; her bad-boy crush, Jace, just might be her brother; her mom is in the hospital in a coma — oh, and did we mention that her dad is summoning an army of demons in a plot to take over the world?

It’s enough to make any girl want to scream, but Clary isn’t just any girl — she’s a Shadowhunter, and in Cassandra Clare’s new book, City of Ashes, her life gets a lot more complicated.

Book Review: City of Bones (book 1 of 3 of the Mortal Instruments)

2011-08-19T17:36:00.000+08:00

The first book that I read after years of not reading fictional books because of my busy schedule. To be honest the main reason why I read this book (and looking forward in reading the succeeding books) is that I saw this book on the bookstore while I was buying some educational supplies for my daughter. As I read the overview at the back of the book, it got me intrigued. Since I prefer reading this as an e-book, I got online and purchased all three e-book of the Mortal Instruments series.

A Blog about Fictional Books

2011-08-19T16:10:00.000+08:00

During my early years (before then internet and portable devices), I like to read books, particularly fictional books. Most of my genre of choice where about fantasy, medieval, futuristic or sci-fiction, gothic and mystery. My favorite books before and up to know are the Dragonlance books (my favorites where those where written by either or both by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman). When good books title are hard to find on our local bookstores, I decided to stop and focus more on other forms of entertainment.

With the emergence of E-book readers and portable devices, I decided that I was time for me to catch up on reading again. My first "journey" back to reading was a gothic genre book series called the "Mortal Instruments" written by Cassandra Clare. As of this writing, I'm on the third book right now entitled "City of Glass".