Iron Kissed

I've mentioned how much I love kick ass heroines, right?  Well, if I haven't...

I have to say, I think Mercy is quickly becoming a favorite.  I love the fact that she knows she's not really qualified to deal with all the crazy, preternatural stuff that keeps popping up in her life and she gets her ass handed to her on a regular basis, but still handles her business.  That's just so...  Awesome.  I have never been a big fan of the whole damsel in distress thing.  Granted, I know my limits and when to ask for help.  And so does Mercy, for the most part.  Well, so long as you don't count the whole getting involved with Fae, vampires and werewolves.  She doesn't make the wisest choices, but she does make sure she sticks to her guns.

My question is: Where were Rachel Morgan, Mercy Thompson, and even Dante Valentine when I was a girl??  I think I would have a totally different outlook if I'd had these as a kid.  Mind you, my mom has always been a "I'll fix it my own damned self!" type, and I'm a bit like that as well.  I don't tend to sit on my hands and let someone else solve my problems for me.  Just doesn't sit well, you know?  I think it'd be nice to have a more PG version of these in YA books.  Are there ones I don't know about??

Book Haul (3)

I've dived right back into reading voraciously.  Which makes me a pleased panda.

Starting from the top:

1. Patricia Briggs, Iron Kissed: I've actually already finished this one.  Started it last night and just could not put the darned thing down.  I'll do a review tomorrow.

2. Patricia Briggs, Bone Crossed: the next book after Iron Kissed.  I hate going too long in between the next book in a series.  I much prefer being able to read the whole series through in a short period of time...  Note to self: finish the Wheel of Time soon before you forget what has happened in the last forty (kidding, there's only thirteen) books. 

3. Patricia Briggs, River Marked (forgot to include it in the stack): See note above re: books in a series.  They must be read all at once.  At once, I tell you!!

4. J.V. Jones, Fortress of Grey Ice: I almost didn't pick this up, but I have til January to finish it, and I will likely bookwhore it and read it while I read other stuff.

5. Chuck Palahniuk, Snuff: Okay, I love me some Palahniuk.  Weird, morbid, strange as his stories are.  I love them all the same.  They're so damned clever and...  Just, holy crap.  They're good.  If you've not read anything by Palahniuk, be prepared.  He's sort of out there.  Start with Fight Club, if you've not had any experience with him.  It's not tame, per say, but it isn't as out there as, say Invisible Monsters (which is my favorite).

6. Stephen King, The Gunslinger & The Drawing of the Three: So, I've read both these, but never finished the series.  I'm beginning to see a trend here.  I promise, I do finish a series.  Eventually.  Writers should, you know, write faster.  I'm stoked about the end of this series.  I love the sci-fi, western, fantasy combination King has done here and how many elements and characters from his other novels tie in.  It's massively engrossing.

7. Chuck Palahniuk, Rant: Another I haven't read. 

8. Gillian Flynn, Sharp Objects: I went in search of Gone Girl, and should have known better, since it's on the best seller list currently.  So, I selected this instead.  We shall see.

Best. Pick up line.  Ever.

Blood Bound

Have to say, Patricia Briggs doesn't disappoint.  And, I'll say it again, I love my kick ass heroines.  Mercy is such a blast to read about.  She's so...  Human, pardon the pun.  She just has so many layers, and I'm totally enjoying how Briggs chooses to reveal them.  Granted, I don't know how I feel about the love...  Square?  Quadrilateral?  Anyway, whatever it is, I'm not sure how I feel about it.  Definitely adds a bit of drama to the story line... And, admittedly I like a little romance added to my urban fantasy.  So what?

So, I'm looking forward to hitting the library tomorrow evening after work to pick up the rest of the series.

Book Haul (2)

Oh my word, I haven't been to the library in forever, it feels like.  I forget how much I absolutely love going.  Granted, my local library has a few issues in the YA section...  As in I could find ABSOLUTELY NONE of the Percy Jackson books.  Which made me a sad, sad panda. 

So, today's Book Haul:

Starting at the bottom--
1. The Icewind Dale Trilogy, R.A. Salvatore - FINALLY got my hands on this, which explains why they don't have a copy of The Halfling's Gem. I'm so excited to read this.  The library will be closing from the holidays starting the beginning of November (it was all I could do to not shout "What the actual @#$%?"  Who closes a library for three months?).  Anyway, finally getting to Halfling's Gem. 

2. Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury - Mind you, I have read this.  A long flipping time ago.  But, every good book is well worth a re-read.

3. Under the Dome, Stephen King - Never finished this last time around, and I plan on it this time.

4. Blood Bound, Patricia Briggs - The next Mercy Thompson novel.  I love my kick ass urban fantasy heroines.  Plus, who wouldn't want to be able to shape shift?

5. The Legacy, R.A. Salvatore - the next installment of the Drizzt books after Halfling's Gem. 

I'll have to go back Tuesday after work and pick up a bunch more books to last me through winter. I may quite possibly finish the Drizzt books, and perhaps the Dark Tower as well, though at this point, I'll have to do a complete run through, as I have no clue where I left off and won't remember what all is happening.

New Releases!

This month's segment of new releases features some books that aren't coming out for awhile, but I am excited anyway.  Not to mention, I just found out about some of them!!

1. Ever After - Kim Harrison, January 2013: Hooo Boy, am I excited about this one.  I love me some Rachel Morgan.  She's just such a funny character.  It never fails that I can pick up the Hollows series and it puts me in a good mood.  There is apparently also one more book after this.  **Also, there is apparently going to be a series on CW.  SQUEEEEE!

2.  A Memory of Light - Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson, January 2013: Oh my, oh my.  Finally.  I don't say that in the sarcastic, whiny way.  It's more of the reverent sort of way.  I'm excited, I'm anxious.  I'M STILL NOT DONE WITH THE FIVE BOOKS THAT PRECEDE IT!!!!!  For those that don't know, Robert Jordan passed away in 2007.  And he's another of my idols.  One that I know I will never, ever be able to emulate, let alone touch.  Somehow, Stephen King is more real to me.  Maybe it's the fact that his On Writing gives some insight.  Maybe it's also the fact that he's still alive.  But, I admire Jordan and adore the series.  One of my 2013 challenges will be to finish this series.

3. Touchstone - Melanie Rawn, December 2012: I am ambivalent about this one.  I love Melanie Rawn.  I do.  Or maybe I should say that I love the Dragon Prince novels.  Those were awesome covered in awesome sauce with a side of.... awesome.  Ruins of Ambrai was lovely.  After she had some personal things to deal with and decided to set RoA aside, I was so annoyed that I refused to pick up any of her other novels.  I currently have The Golden Key checked out from the library.  So, we'll see after I read The Golden Key as to whether or not I pick up this one.  This is technically already released, but it's slated for paperback at the end of this year.

4. Cold Days - Jim Butcher, November 2012: If you've not read about the world's most attractive wizard private investigator, now is the time to do so, since this one is released in November (just in time for my birthday, cough cough).  I love these books.  Harry has to be another one of my favorite characters.  These books are more of those kind that can just make me feel good by reading them.  Harry Dresden will cure whatever ails you.

5. Still Life with Shapeshifter - Sharon Shinn, November 2012:  I read Shinn's Samaria series.  They were interesting and I enjoyed them quite a bit.  I'll have to put my hands on The Shape of Desire, as Still Life is the second in a series.  It sounds quite interesting. 

That's all for now!!

A Cavern of Black ice - J.V. Jones

Forgive my lack of posting this week.  It is still chaotic at work, and I am not getting in until after 8 pm most evenings.  On top of that, I am trying to organize a raid team (if you've got a puzzled look on your face at that last statement, remember this is the blog of a nerd girl.  I stab orcs, slay the undead and do battle with the Empire on a regular basis).

It took me THREE WEEKS, but I finally finished Cavern of Black Ice today.  Why did it take me that long to read a good book, you say?  Well, this WAS a good book.  Don't get me wrong, but gosh it just had so many different angles to build the plot from that it really made for slow reading.  I got very distracted several times during my reading, which doesn't often happen with me. 

Now, it wasn't slow in the sense that the story never picked up.  Cavern had it's moments from the very beginning and I was immensely curious about the dynamic present between Ash and her foster father, Penthero Iss.  In looking over the next few books in this series, it looks as though the story continues in fragments, but it also sees the separation of paths with Raif and Ash.  (Which is disappointing, as I want them to be together!!)

I'm not sure if I'll continue the series or not.  I likely will, I just hope I can get engrossed in them like I usually do with a good series.  I like Jones's writing--The Barbed Coil was an excellent read.  So, we shall see.