Review: Late Eclipses by Seanan McGuire

Late Eclipses
Author:Seanan McGuire
Release Date: March 1, 2011
Publisher: Daw Books
October Daye Book #4
ISBN:  0756406668
ISBN13: 9780756406660
Genre: Urban Fantasy

IT'S DARKEST JUST BEFORE THE DAWN

With Blind Michael and his Hunt safely behind her, October "Toby" Daye is doing her best to settle back into a normal routine—or as normal of a routine as she can manage, with her personal Fetch now paying half the rent. Still, things seem to be mostly under control...until the events of a single night send everything reeling. Now, with the Queen of the Mists watching her back and the Lady of the Tea Gardens deathly ill, Toby has no choice but to get involved, no matter how much she wants to avoid it.

The trials ahead will be some of the worst faced by Toby and her strange band of allies, and not even Tybalt will be able to escape totally unscathed. What's worse, the Luidaeg is unavailable to help them. This time, they're on their own. And people keep making Toby wear dresses, which is just adding insult to dangerous injury...

Im going to start out saying that I want Tybalt and October to just get together already. The tension is getting ridiculous and I'm 100% team Tybalt over Connor.  I love the world that Seanan has created, it is full of a wonderful cast of people and places and all of her books have kept me wanting to read what she has to say. There are a lot of questions answered in LATE ECLIPSES, as well as the start, ending and clarification of events, relationships, and heritage. *cough cough go away Connor cough cough*  Some friends are lost which was sad but it went with the book and didn't seem to pull it down any. Book 4 continues to have wonderful world building and original concepts. If you have enjoyed October Daye in the past you will want to continue to read her now and in the future.

I gave it 4/5 stars

New Releases March 14- 20

Tues March 15

Midnight (The Vampire Diaries: The Return: ) by L.J. Smith
Shimmer (Riley Bloom #2) by Alyson Noel
Steel by Carrie Vaughn

Thursday March 17

Chime by Franny Billingsley
The Screaming Season (Possessions #3) by Nancy Holder

If you see a mistake or know of another release that is not listed let me know!! Happy Reading

Review: Under Wraps by Hannah Jayne

Under Wraps
Author:Hannah Jayne
Release Date: March 1, 2011
Publisher: Kensington
Underworld Detection Agency Book #1
ISBN:   0758258925
ISBN13: 9780758258922
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Sick of wrongful-death lawsuits every time a full moon comes around? 

Call the Underworld Detection Agency.
 As a human immune to magic, Sophie Lawson can help everyone from banshee to zombie transition into normal, everyday San Francisco life. With a handsome werewolf as her UDA boss and a fashionista vampire for a roommate, Sophie knows everything there is to know about the undead, the unseen, and the uncanny. . .

Until a rash of gruesome murders has demons and mortals running for cover, and Sophie finds herself playing sidekick to detective Parker Hayes. Dodging raging bloodsuckers, bad-tempered fairies, and love-struck trolls is one thing. But when Sophie discovers Parker isn't what he seems, she's got only one chance to figure out whom to trust. Because an evil hiding in plain sight is closing in. . .and about to make one wisecracking human its means to ultimate power. . .



As others have mentioned this book is not like the cover. The cover is fantastic and one of the big reasons why I picked up the book in the first place, it makes it seem like Sophie is going to be a kick butt fighting chick which isn't the case. The book is light, fun and filled with a fantastic cast of different paranormal creatures. Sophie is the only mortal with the UDA and gets involved in a case with a sexy detective from the mortal world police. She is incredibly guy crazy and her inner banter can get a little annoying to read but all in all she was a very likable character and it was fun to follow along on her adventure. The plot was engaging, the mystery of the book wasn't predictable, and there is a nice cliffhanger at the end to get you wanting to read the next book in the series when it comes out.  I didn't Love it but I enjoyed reading it and will continue the series with UNDER ATTACK when it comes out.



I gave it 3/5 stars

Week in Review 3/6-3/12

Books Ive Bought/received

* Deception by Lee Nichols- Signed- Win from Goodreads First Reads

* Surrender the Dark by L.A. Banks- From Publisher for blog tour


Books I read

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
Banished by Sophie Littlefield
Deception by Lee Nichols
Blood Smoke and Mirrors by Robyn Bachar
Embers by Laura Bickle

Reviews posted

This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
River Marked by Patricia Briggs
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

* New Releases for the week.

* Alayna Williams Giveaway winner has been posted.

* Dianne Duvall Giveaway winner has been posted.

* Robyn  Bachar Author of Blood Smoke and Mirrors joined us this week with a guest post. She is having a blog tour wide giveaway check out her post for more details. 

* Want to win a Kindle 3?? UFI Is participating in Moira Roger's Wilders Mate Kindle Contest stop on by the post to see how you can win. 

* Have you been wanting to read Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler? Here is your chance to get it for $2.99 strait from Orbit.

Review: Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Demonglass
Author:Rachel Hawkins
Release Date: March 1, 2011
Publisher: Hyperion childrens
Hex Hall Book #2
ISBN:  1423121317
ISBN13: 9781423121312
Genre: Young Adult
Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?
  
DEMONGLASS picks up right where HEX HALL ended. The plot has many twists and turns. There was not as much action as book 1 provided and I was kinda bummed about that. Rachel's characters are well developed and easy to like. Sophie travels to spend time with her father and learn more about who she is. I really like Sophie's dad he wasn't at all how I expected him to be. I'm not crazy about the whole Archer/Cal love triangle, I am 100% team Cal as I dont feel that Archer and Sophie really had anything special going on and I'm not really sure what she sees in him. The council... All I can say without giving away spoilers is WOW I did not see that coming at all. There is a pretty big cliff hanger at the end that defiantly leaves you wanting to read the next book NOW and I will definitely grab it when it comes out.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

Review: River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Personal Demons
Author:Patricia Briggs
Release Date: March 1, 2011
Publisher: Ace
Mercedes Thompson Book #6
ISBN:   0441019730
ISBN13: 9780441019731
Genre: Urban Fantasy


Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any others of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River-one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help...

I really like this series it is always full of adventure, action and mystery. Mercy is always involved in something that puts her life in danger. This installment of the series is actually the first one that doesn't involve the wolf pack or anyone else in previous books but Adam and Mercy.  We meet new characters that provide many answers to questions that I have been wondering about which includes information about who walkers are, Mercy's heritage and proof that Mercy isn't the only one. I loved watching Adam open up and relax since he didn't have to be the Alpha in front of his pack and it really brought out a whole new Adam. I have always liked Adam but now I like him so much more. I dont want to give away any spoilers but I love this series, will continue to read every book it produces and would highly recommend starting it if you haven't already.


I gave it 4/5 stars

Winner: Dianne Duvall Giveaway

Thank you to everyone that entered!!

PRIZE: The winner will receive One Signed copy of Darkness Dawns.

The winner chosen by Random.org is…

donnas

Congrats!! I have emailed winner who has 48 hours to respond with mailing address or I will pick another.