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Book Review: Ginger Storm, by J.P. Rice

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I received an Audible code for a copy of The Scarlet Dragon Saga (books 1-3), by J. P. Rice. However, I chose to listen only to Ginger Storm (book 1) at this point. It was narrated by Liz Brand.

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I’m the most notorious magic thief in the world.

I shouldn’t have let the Morrigan teach me how to steal black magic through blood rituals. Now that I’m filled with deadly magic, I struggle to control the darkness.

My powers also make me a prime target for jealous Gods and the stupid magic councils.

But when an enchanted relic that has haunted me for most of my life goes missing in my old city, I shove fear aside and return to the place where everyone wants me dead.

To find Lugh’s Spear, I’ll need to team up with former enemies and figure out which one of my allies is lying to me. The Bounty Huntress from the Supreme Magic Council is hot on my heels too.

With several powerful entities closing in on me, I could leave town and take the easy way out.

To the chagrin of some supernatural tough guys, that’s not happening. I never take the easy path. I plan to find Lugh’s Spear and return it to the Celtic Gods.

My black magic blood can turn me into a murderous maniac at the drop of a hat. If I can control my inner darkness, I might be able to solve the mystery.

my review

I hate to say it (especially since what I actually have is the compilation of books 1-3), but I was not a fan of Ginger Storm. Is this a spin-off of another series, or something? I really feel like nothing was developed enough for me to be invested in…or sometimes even understand. Mythical characters came and went, creating a disconcerting soup and no notable world-construction.

Plus, I spent most of the book waiting and waiting and waiting for a plot to pop up. And when it finally did (way, way, way late in the book) June seemed able to manifest abilities at will. I didn’t feel like she was a well-delineated character, so much as if the author just randomly pulled whatever out of their hat when they needed it.

But worst of all—for me—was that it’s so cliched in the way every man either loves or perves on June (for real or with ulterior motives) and almost every single woman in the book (other than June) is either nameless arm candy, slutty, murderous, or just vile in some other way. I don’t actually know anything about J.P. Rice, but I’d bet dollars to donuts they’re a man. The unconscious male-gaze is that kind of strong in this one. Not misogynistic, just subtly but clearly from the mind of a man. Which isn’t a bad thing, in and of itself. But it’s not something I enjoy, personally.

I don’t know that I hated this enough to not finish the compilation (because unfinished audiobooks linger and annoy me). But I disliked it enough to not want to listen to another right now.

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Book Review: Winter’s Orbit, by Everina Maxwell

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I borrowed an audio copy of Everina Maxwell‘s Winter’s Orbit through my local library. It was narrated by Raphael Corkhill.

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While the Iskat Empire has long dominated the system through treaties and political alliances, several planets, including Thea, have begun to chafe under Iskat’s rule. When tragedy befalls Imperial Prince Taam, his Thean widower, Jainan, is rushed into an arranged marriage with Taam’s cousin, the disreputable Kiem, in a bid to keep the rising hostilities between the two worlds under control.

But when it comes to light that Prince Taam’s death may not have been an accident, and that Jainan himself may be a suspect, the unlikely pair must overcome their misgivings and learn to trust one another as they navigate the perils of the Iskat court, try to solve a murder, and prevent an interplanetary war… all while dealing with their growing feelings for each other.

my review

I borrowed an audio copy of this book in order to have something to listen to as I folded laundry and such. Then, I spent about a day and a half finding other chores to do, so that I could keep listening. This is both the curse and the blessing of a good audiobook.

I very much enjoyed this—the story, writing, and the narration. The story kept me engaged, the romance was worth rooting for, the writing was crisp and easy to follow (with some pointed humor in it), and the narrator did a good job. Though he (the narrator, Raphael Corkhill) did start audibly swallowing about half way through and that irritated me a little.

I thought both Kiem and Jainan were marvelous character and the difficulty of both of their situations came across well. I did think their continued misunderstanding of one another went on too long and it became notably artificial. But it did make the resolution feel like a payoff for putting up with it. I liked the side characters and the world in general. So, all in all, I’d call this a winner and I’ll be back for more of Maxwell’s writing in the future.

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Other Reviews:

Winter’s Orbit – LGBT Book Review

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Book Review: Anchored, by Bridget E. Baker

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I picked up a free audio copy of Bridget E. Baker‘s Anchored on Google Play. It was narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya.

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Two worlds, one fate…

Alora was born with the ability to Lift, a power no other women on Terra possess. If the wrong people find out, there’s no telling what will happen. But when she almost kills a man in self-defense, her secret is exposed and she’s forced to run for her life.

On Earth, Alora’s running from something else: hazy memories of her parents’ death and the social worker who wants to separate her from her brother. When she sees the man she almost killed on Terra at work, she’s flummoxed. She’s never recognized anyone from there before—after all, Terra exists only in her dreams…

When her dreams begin to leach into reality, something incredible awakens in Alora. But she knows better than anyone that everything comes with a cost. As the barrier between worlds crumbles, Alora must decide which is safer, which is more powerful, and which world is worth saving.

my review

It’s not that I didn’t like this, it’s just that I was ready for it to be finished way before it actually was. The book is loooooong and it feels even loooonger than the 412 pages (14 hours 27 minutes) it is listed as. And I get it—the book contains two interconnected, but not completely overlapping stories. So, I understand why it’s required a lot of pages to tell the tale. But good lord, I thought it would never end.

The writing is fine. The narrator did a good job. As far as I can tell in audio, the editing seems fine. But I was just a little sick of the special-special snowflake that was Alora. She was the best at everything, important to almost every named male character in the book (be it familial love, attraction, or fanatic hate) and there didn’t even seem to be any other female characters of note. Plus, Alora was too wrapped up in her own head, too many characters showed up and then were dropped as unimportant as the story progressed, and the ending wasn’t particularity satisfying. Not enough of the overarching issues were actually explained and the last minute attempt to make the villain relatable fell flat for me.

All in all, I didn’t hate it. But I’m not in any hurry to read more of the series either.

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Other Reviews:

Iheart Fictional People – Review: Anchored, by Bridget E. Baker

Ya Books Central – Anchored