Review: A Gift of Time

A Gift of Time by Beth Flynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Holy hell... I cannot even begin to describe how amazing this series is! I am so sad that it's ending but also a little stoked at the possibility of a Mimi spinoff!! A Gift of Time is heart-warming and gut-wrenching all at the same time, but nevertheless, if you haven't already fallen in love with these characters you will. I just want to do a little happy dance at the perfection that is the end of this book. At five am I had to concede defeat knowing I wouldn't be able to finish and at least try to sleep three hours before work this morning. If you have somewhere to be and an unhealthy disrespect for the time like I do, I suggest you hold off until the weekend to start this one.


Just in case there happens to be a spinoff I've left spoilers below.

***Spoilers***
A Gift of Time starts off when Kit finds out that Grizz isn't really dead, and that he left a way for her to contact him if she even needs him. Grizz claims a boy named Pretty in jail because he noticed the boy working on a computer and exchanges protection for Pretty, who he renames Bill, erasing everything about him from all police databases and websites. Bill ends up marrying Carter, Kit's best friend who lives in their old house. Mimi knew about Grizz long before her parents ever revealed their past which caused a rift in their family that is slowly starting to heal. We also learn that Sarah Jo is an evil bitch who not only was the real "Wendy" who orchestrated Kit's rape back at the motel but is also who helped set up Grizz to go down for Kit's kidnapping. Tommy finds out Grizz isn't his real dad but that Red is. When Tommy gets killed during a random robbery Kit is beside herself and so are her children. She knows Grizz is in town but she wants nothing to do with him. He slowly works his way back into her life being very respectful and patient (and it's glorious!). Some douchebag named Nick Rosman wants to make a name for himself in the biker world and decides that seducing and raping Grizz's daughter Mimi is the best way to do that. Luckily Anthony Bear's son Christian finds out about what he has planned and races to where she is to save her but unfortunately gets pulled over and taken to jail. He's been in love with her since they were kids and wanted to protect her but calls his brother Slade when he can't go himself. He waits too long to make his move and eventually Grizz and Kit get remarried and relocate to start their lives over again. Christian decides since his father kidnapped his mother, and Grizz kidnapped Kit then if he wants Mimi he will do the same thing. The book ends with Grizz, Kit, Jason, their two twins Dillon and Ruthie and Grizz's dad Micah (preacher) getting their last call from Mimi as she heads off to church camp for ten days. She tells her mom she loves her and that she saw a friend and has to go but will text when she is almost there and when she leaves in ten days.



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Review: The Cuckoo's Calling

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I wouldn't consider this the typical genre of book that I read, but with all the hype surrounding it, I wanted to give it a try. It isn't a fluff read, you need to pay attention, but it's totally worth it. After reading The Cuckoo's Calling, I am thinking about reading Rowling's other books. Yes I know, I'm the only person that hasn't read them.
Cormoran Strike is ex-military, working as a PI. He recently broke up with his fiance, and for now, is sleeping in his office. He lost one of his legs and is the illegitimate son of a famous rock star. If all of that isn't bad enough, he is so far behind on bills, and loans that he has no hope of paying them.
Robin is working temporary jobs while seeking permanent employment. When she gets assigned to Strike as a secretary, she has no idea that he can't pay her, and never asked for a replacement of his last temp.
When a wealthy lawyer, John Bristow, comes to him requesting his service, he is adamant that his sister was murdered and did not commit suicide as the police believe. Strike doesn't believe that it was murder, and tells him up front he doesn't feel right taking his money. John loses his temper, and Strike agrees to take the case.
From that point on, we get a glimpse of how the minds of investigators work.




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Review: Marked in Flesh

Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


So I'm a big fan of The Others series because it's refreshing when an author can recreate the paranormal using beings that are new and haven't been overdone a million times (with sparkles..). The terra indigene are shifters but they are only part of what makes up the whole community of others. The Elders, known as Namid's teeth and claws are not fond of the humans, and as the HFL (Humans First and Last) movement is gaining steam and their leader Nicholas Scratch is hell bent on reclaiming part of the wild country for the humans to expand things are not looking good. Humans memories are short and every couple of generations they must be reminded of what happens when they break their agreements with the Others.

The number of characters and places/settlements continues to grow and it's a bit hard to keep up with at times. I don't think it's vitally important to know exactly which person comes from where but it does get a bit confusing. The pace of Marked in Flesh wasn't up to par with the previous three books and almost felt like more of a filler. Bishop is killing me with dragging this romance out with Meg and Simon, we get it she's fragile but not even a kiss?! Meg and all of the Cassandra Sangue have become such an integral part of the courtyards and Intuit settlements which have allowed them to bridge the gap between some of the humans, the terra indigene, and the simple life folk. Meg and her naivety may be all that stands in the way of death for the human pack of Lakeside.

Read the spoilers section below for a quick recap before starting book number five, Etched In Bone which is expected to be published in 2017.

***Spoilers***
The HFL lost all of their support and countless lives of humans throughout Thiasia and Cel-Romano when they attached all of the wolf packs. Some of them were able to escape with the warning from the Cassandra Sangue, but Joe and his pack from Prairie Gold weren't one of the lucky ones. All of the pups and their nanny made it out but none of the rest of their pack survived. The Elders are furious at the number of murders the HFL is responsible for and they won't be silent long. Montgomery is ablet o get his mother, sister, and nieces out of Toland before it's destroyed but very few human settlements make it out alive. His mother Twyla is a welcome addition to the human pack that the wolves especially appreciate because she makes the children listen with no room for argument. Meg has discovered a way to ask for answers and speak the prophecy using cards instead of the deadly cuts and she is hoping to show the rest of the Cassandra Sangue. Though she is still addicted to the euphoria of cutting her cards point her in the direction of Simon for a possible replacement for that euphoria. Unfortunately, we don't get to see, hear or read anything regarding romance but it's definitely coming!!

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Review: Blood in Her Veins: Nineteen Stories from the World of Jane Yellowrock

Blood in Her Veins: Nineteen Stories from the World of Jane Yellowrock by Faith Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I've given a quick review with no (or minimal) spoilers below for some of the short stories in Blood in Her Veins. Catching up with Jane, Beast, and the gang from very early on until right before book 10 fills in a lot of holes and gives more information about some of the events that take place. It's a long read, 19 stories, and 542 pages but enjoyable nonetheless.

Wesa and the Lumbar King- This story is set in the late 1800's or early 1900's and Wesa (Jane) is still very young. Beast is the more dominant of the two and it will be interesting to see how that changes.

The Early Years- Unfortunately, The Early Years starts out when Jane is leaving the group home at eighteen. She was found wandering the forest at twelve(ish) so it's only been 6 years but she has no memory of her time before she was found. At least a hundred years of time is missing because Jane is using Mapquest to find the rock she has always seen in her dreams. Once she finds it she realizes her memories are correct and Beast is able to shift.

Snafu- This was just a short story about Jane's first interview with a PI firm after leaving the children's home.

Cat Tat's- Cat Tat's is a little back story on Rick Lafleur. He started out in the New Orleans police academy but was picked up to work for the federal government in some undercover infiltration of the vamps. After chatting up a pretty vamp Isleen he wakes up in a barn restrained by his hands and feet. The psycho vamp apparently has an old grudge with Katie who happens to be a long lost relative of Rick. Isleen has a young witch Loriann tattooing his skin with a spell to bind him to her, not sure why she isn't able to do it the normal way other than she has to be sick in some way. Where she has taken blood from the Loriann and Rick the skin hasn't healed but became infected. Loriann reveals that Isleen has her brother locked away with her scions and won't give him back until she completes the binding. For some reason, she trusts Rick after spending a few days with him and provides him a weapon and also provides Katie with the address of the barn. Rick stakes her but misses. Luckily Katie and Leo show up in time to kill Isleen and save them all.

Kits- Jane saves Angie and reveals herself to Molly which she was only acquaintances with before but now is good friends.

Off the Grid- Jane is sent to Clan Glass in Tennessee after they requested Leo's help. She finds out upon arrival that their head of security, Heyda Cohen had a meeting with the local cult church leader and went with them willingly. Her security team didn't think anything of it until she failed to return. Ming Zhane, the Glass Clan Blood Master, wants Jane to rescue Heyda as soon as possible. While doing her research, Jane finds that Nell Ingram and her late husband own the property next to the church. Nell is different but Jane isn't sure at first what she's feeling from the young woman. Nell is their best chance of rescuing Heyda if they can convince her to help.

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Review: Off the Grid

Off the Grid by Faith Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jane is sent to Clan Glass in Tennessee after they requested Leo's help. She finds out upon arrival that their head of security, Heyda Cohen had a meeting with the local cult church leader and went with them willingly. Her security team didn't think anything of it until she failed to return. Ming Zhane, the Glass Clan Blood Master, wants Jane to rescue Heyda as soon as possible. While doing her research, Jane finds that Nell Ingram and her late husband own the property next to the church. Nell is different but Jane isn't sure at first what she's feeling from the young woman. Nell is their best chance of rescuing Heyda if they can convince her to help.

Nell's character will have a spin-off series titled Soulwood, with the first book Blood of the Earth coming out August 2nd. Nell has a checkered past and an interesting story which should make for a good addition to the JY world.

Read the spoilers section below for a quick recap before starting book number 1 of the Soulwood series titled Blood of the Earth.

***Spoilers***
Jane learns when visiting Nell at her home that she has some kind of magic, that isn't witch magic, but connects her to the forest around her. She also learns that Nell somehow escaped the cult but she is very private with the details. She's only 22, didn't graduate high school but is self-educated. The cult had blocked local law enforcement from searching their property after receiving complaints of child abuse. While rescuing Heyda, the group also assists the cops in getting onto the property where 138 children are rescued from physical and sexual abuse. Yummy, nicknamed by Jane, was one of the vamps in the rescue mission who Jane sincerely likes because of her kindness to two of the girls held hostage. She takes off with the leader and hopefully tortured him with the same malice he abused his people with. At the end, Jane visits Nell and tells her that because of their involvement she may not be safe anymore but that she is sending Rick and Psyled who may be able to help her. She tells Jane to go away and leave her in peace.

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Review: Shadow Rites

Shadow Rites by Faith Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Things are getting a lot more complicated in New Orleans. Dealing with the vampires, their clans, the weres, and the treacherous ex should be enough to keep anyone busy but now Jane is also dealing with the witches. She's been tasked with the job of security for the peace negotiations between the Master of the City and the witch council. When she is awakened by a spell scanning her and her home she realizes that she's in for trouble and it's only just beginning. Bruiser is perfection and I am so happy for the way things are working out on that front! Jane may not be ready for it but her family is growing and although a family of humans, a skinwalker, witches and possibly an Onario is unusual Jane and Beast are both happy with the changes.

Read the spoilers section below for a quick recap before starting book number 11 Cold Reign.

***Spoilers***
When the witches scanned Jane and her home they also marked her with a spell. That spell along with all of the other times she has been marked by a magic user, especially Gee are more harmful than she first suspected. While doing a sweep of the grounds around Jane's home he finds the item the witches dropped while fleeing from Jane, Eli, and the cops. He shows her the peacock brooch which looks antique and tingles with magic but neither are sure what to make of it. Later that night while at the vamp headquarters, while sparring with Gee he stabs her while under a magic compulsion and is horrified when he realizes his mistake. Somehow the spell prevents Jane from changing and she is unable to heal herself. Luckily there were plenty of vamps nearby to heal her and Jane agrees that he was acting against his will and Leo spares his life. Edmund is also becoming closer with Jane especially after she helped knock off some of his time in service to Leo and move up in vamp hierarchy. He insists on calling her master and has suggested becoming her Primo which is something unheard of since Primo's have only ever been used with Master vamps. While they were at vamp HQ Bruiser followed the brooch's pull to a swampy area with two trap doors set underground and which feels like strong magic. After opening the door they find Ming Zoya former blood master of Clan Mearkinis who was presumed dead after her disappearance. She's been starved and left to rot underground in a hole filled with swamp water. Instead of stark raving mad from starvation, she is compliant due to the identical peacock brooch pinned to her skin. When Jane is finally able to speak with her, Ming tells her she knew the human who first kidnapped her was Antoine Bush who Jane had killed in the fight with the Damours. His wife Marlene and daughter Tau had taken over where he left off in their fight against the witches and vampires though Tau had used the blood of Ming Zoya to turn herself into something like an Onario called Senza Onore which roughly translates to Dark Onario. Leo reassigns Edmund Hartley's last 19 years of servitude to Jane as her Primo, even though she doesn't want that. Molly tells her that she doesn't think it's a bad idea because with a Primo she is essentially a Master. According to the Vampira Carta, it is a common protocol for a Primo or Enforcer to fight the blood duel for their master. When the Euro vamps visit this could work in her favor, especially since Edmund is powerful in his own right. Edmund shows up with Brute and after a brief argument, he pledges himself as protector of not only Jane but all of the Yellowrock clan including Eli, Alex, Molly, Evan and the kids. Angie then swears to take care of Edmund, and though she is just a baby she is extremely powerful already with both parents passing the witch gene down to her. Edmund doesn't hold her to the promise, much to her dismay. Even though Marlene and Tau have pulled several more stunts, Jane hasn't been able to locate them until they show up at the meeting between the witches and vamps. Tau is extremely powerful and though Jane saves her people she and Leo are taken hostage by the two and restrained with magic. Jane allows Leo do drink her blood so he can heal enough to use his compulsion to save them. He is able to get them free and the witches were turned over to the witch court where they would be either severely punished or stripped of their magic. The vamp/witch accords were signed aligning the two factions for peace.

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Review: Dark Heir

Dark Heir by Faith Hunter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Jane Yellowrock is growing, evolving and getting better with each new book in the series. Beast is right there with her making the two of them together an unstoppable duo. There is no shortage of characters, each one of them multi-dimensional and adding to this ever evolving world of the Mithrans. Eli and Alex are becoming part of the family that will hopefully expand permanently to include Bruiser. One minute I want to stake Leo myself and then he shows another side that I think Jane is one of the few who gets to see it. There were so many laugh out loud moments while reading Dark Heir it can only be a five star.

When the Son of Darkness, one of the oldest living vampires, Joses Bar-Judas escapes his prison below the New Orleans Council House Jane is charged with bringing him back. Luckily she has her partners Alex and Eli (who I absolutely love by the way) to help. Though Jane is easily one of the most skilled vampire hunters, the SOD is not your typical fanghead. When he escapes he puts all of the humans in New Orleans at risk and he makes it clear early on he has no intention of making things easy. Leo wants Jane to bring Bar-Judas back alive so he has a bargaining chip with the European Council but the more Jane learns about the old one the more she wants him dead.

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Review: Broken Soul

Broken Soul by Faith Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm a little behind on the Jane Yellowrock series but looking forward to catching up. Jane is in charge of upgrading Leo's security at the Vamp headquarters in preparation for the European Mithrans visit. Leo pays top dollar to have Jane fulfill these duties which should have been Jane's first clue that things weren't as they seem. Before the expected guests even arrive we have a few new unexpected but no less evil guests making themselves known in the New Orleans Territory. Add to that the reappearance of the glittery/ rainbow thing that Jane can barely see, but who seems to be attacking or at least following her. If all of that wasn't enough, something strange is going on at the vamp headquarters and Jane's love life seems to be on an upswing. I am all for this new development because it is exactly what Jane needed!

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Review: Tall, Dark & Lonely

Tall, Dark & Lonely by R.L. Mathewson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


First of all, Chris is by far my favorite character. The book really picked up for me once he was introduced. Otherwise, it would have just been mediocre. I enjoyed reading about the Pyte & Sentinels, and do plan to continue for that reason. Hopefully, with the second book things will continue at the speed they left off.

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