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Steal the Light

Book Review of Steal the Light, by Lexi Blake

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Steal the LightI downloaded a copy of Lexi Blake‘s Steal the Light from the Amazon free list. At the time of posting, it was still free.

Description from Goodreads:
When dealing with demons, the devil’s in the details…

Stealing mystical and arcane artifacts is a dangerous business, especially for a human, but Zoey Wharton is an exceptional thief. The trick to staying alive is having friends in all the wrong places. While having a witch and a werewolf on the payroll helps, being partners with a vampire really opens doors.

Zoey and Daniel were childhood sweethearts until a violent car crash took his life and left her shattered. When Daniel returned from the grave as a vampire, his only interest in Zoey was in keeping her safely apart from the secrets of his dark world. He has vowed to protect her, but his heart seems as cold as the night he calls home.

Five years later, a mysterious new client named Lucas Halfer offers Zoey a fortune to steal the Light of Alhorra. The search for the Light leads Zoey into the arms of an earthbound faery prince. Devinshea Quinn sweeps her off her feet, showing her everything the supernatural world has to offer, but Daniel still calls to her heart.

As the true nature of the Light is revealed, Zoey discovers Halfer is a demon and much more than money is at stake. Per her contract, she must give him the Light or spend an eternity in Hell. What’s a girl to do except fight for her soul…and her heart.

Review:
There were certain aspects of this book that blew my socks off. The most important one (to me at least) was the very real sense of longing between Zoey and Daniel. This is highlighted even more by the fact that the author states in her forward that these books (the series, I suppose) were the ones she wrote while waiting for someone to return to her. Thinking the emotions I felt in the book might be an echo of her very real ones was almost excruciatingly beautiful.

I also really liked the characters. Zoey was strong and sarcastic, without ever becoming suicidally mouthy. Daniel was the silent type, but he had a surprising vulnerability to him. There were also saucy side kicks, sexy bits on the side and even a beautiful bouncing baby.

I did find the book quite repetitive. We are told the same things over and over again. I really can’t abide by love triangles (and honestly, it’s the triangle that makes me consider not continuing the series) and I don’t AT ALL understand Zoey’s decision at the end of the book (I was a bit infuriated by it.), especially since she knows Daniel is coming back.

I also found the tone of the sex scenes inconsistent with the rest of the book. By this I mean that while the whole book is soft, hazy, true love the sex is of the raunchy, gritty, fuck-you-into-the-mattress kind. Now, I like that kind just fine, but it didn’t at all fit the rest of the book or the characters outside of the bedroom.

All-in-all, I found it a well written, funny fantasy romp.

The Ruins of Mars

Book Review of The Ruins of Mars, by Dylan James Quarles

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Ruins of MarsI snagged a free copy of Dylan James Quarles‘ The ruins of Mars from the Amazon free list.

Descripton from Goodreads:
Set against the turbulent backdrop of the near future, The Ruins of Mars opens on the discovery of an ancient city buried under the sands of the red planet. Images captured by twin sentient satellites show massive domes, imposing walls, and a grid work of buildings situated directly on the rim of Mars’ Grand Canyon, the Valles Marineris. With the resources of Earth draining away under the weight of human expansion, a plan is hatched to reclaim Mars from the cold grasp of death. A small band of explorers, astronauts, and scientists are sent to the red world in mankind’s first interplanetary starship to begin construction on a human colony. Among them is a young archaeologist, named Harrison Raheem Assad, who is tasked with uncovering the secrets of the Martian ruins and their relation to the human race. Aided by the nearly boundless mind of a god-like artificial intelligence; the explorers battle space travel, harsh Martian weather, and the deepening mystery of the forgotten alien civilization.

Review:
I’m a bit torn on how I feel about this book.  It’s obvious that the author put a lot of thought into how the mission should be run. But the pages and pages and pages dedicated to ship specifications, food processing, genetic alterations, AI design and development, etc is, honestly, dull.

The crew doesn’t reach Mars until the start of part three, 60% in. And almost all of the previous 60% is dedicated to pseudo-science lectures and crew soap-opera relationships (not so much romance, but who shacks up for the four month journey through space). Very, very little is about the alien race or the amazing discovery that Mars had been populated. And even then, after reaching Mars, due to circumstance, nothing happens to progress the plot until about 90%.

Viewed as the first 200ish pages in a series that looks to break 1,000 pages, I suppose it’s pretty good. Certainly, an interesting plot is set up, all that techno-babble might become important to know eventually. But as a single book, read alone…the honest, unvarnished truth is that I was bored.

What the book feels like, despite being 200+ pages long, is an extended prologue. The characters are introduced, the plot established, the mystery outlined and then it ends on a cliffhanger just when thing are set to finally get moving. Frustrating to say the least.

I found the dialogue stiff, partly because there are multiple nationalities speaking second (third, fourth…tenth) languages and AIs. I understand that, but it’s still stiff. The single sex scene was very purple. However, beyond these two complaints the writing was very good and I only noticed a few editing mistakes.

So, while I didn’t hate it, wouldn’t be opposed to finishing the series at some point, I didn’t fall in love either.

Book Review of A Case of Possession & Flight of Magpies, by K. J. Charles

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I borrowed copies of K. J. Charles’ A Case of Possession and Flight of Magpies (Magpies, #2 & 3). Thanks, T. I read and reviewed Book One of the series, The Magpie Lord, here.

18074870Description from Goodreads:
Lord Crane has never had a lover quite as elusive as Stephen Day. True, Stephen’s job as justiciar requires secrecy, but the magician’s disappearing act bothers Crane more than it should. When a blackmailer threatens to expose their illicit relationship, Crane knows a smart man would hop the first ship bound for China. But something unexpectedly stops him. His heart.

Stephen has problems of his own. As he investigates a plague of giant rats sweeping London, his sudden increase in power, boosted by his blood-and-sex bond with Crane, is rousing suspicion that he’s turned warlock. With all eyes watching him, the threat of exposure grows. Stephen could lose his friends, his job and his liberty over his relationship with Crane. He’s not sure if he can take that risk much longer. And Crane isn’t sure if he can ask him to.

The rats are closing in, and something has to give… 

Review: 
Not quite as marvellous as the first book but still quite enjoyable. I still like Crane and Day. I still adore Merrick. Yep, he’s by far my favourite of the lot. The new additions were nice too—other justicars, Leo, the men at the club.

The mystery itself was only ok, however. My complaints are very similar to book one’s. The villains seemed to come out of nowhere and there were bits of the story unexplained.

Despite those niggles I can’t wait to read the next book. Charles’ writing always grabs me. I love her dialogue and the subtle humour that often slips in.

21529170Description from Goodreads:
With the justiciary understaffed, a series of horrifying occult murders to be investigated, and a young student who is flying—literally—off the rails, magical law enforcer Stephen Day is under increasing stress. And his relationship with his aristocratic lover, Lord Crane, is beginning to feel the strain.

Crane chafes at the restrictions of England’s laws, and there’s a worrying development in the blood-and-sex bond he shares with Stephen. A development that makes a sensible man question if they should be together at all.

When a thief strikes at the heart of Crane’s home, a devastating loss brings his closest relationships into bitter conflict—especially his relationship with Stephen. And as old enemies, new enemies, and unexpected enemies paint the lovers into a corner, the pressure threatens to tear them apart.

Review:
The series is on an upswing. Again, the book is well written, with snappy dialogue and characters you can really feel. I simply adore Crane and Merrick’s relationship, build on decades of earned trust and shared hardship. Crane and Day are also hot together.

I did find myself squirming a bit with the domination/submission play of Crane and Day. I don’t normally have a problem with this, quite like is at times. Here however, being that Crane is, in fact, a Lord and Day a mere commoner and they bring those particular elements into the play, it felt too close to the way aristocrats, like Crane’s brother for example, take advantage of their position to abuse those of lower social classes. That’s probably a personal niggle, but it really squinked me out, possibly because it’s more strongly displayed here than in previous books.

On the other side of things, I’m not usually a huge fan of hearts and flowers and earnest declarations of love, but I did enjoy seeing Crane put it all on the verbal line for Day. It’s squee worthy (and yes that is a reference to this whole hoo-ha*). Despite not being a general fan of historical novels, I honestly can’t wait to continue this series.

*There has been a ‘storm in a teacup’ about disclosed or undisclosed friendships between readers and reviewers in my corner of the internet recently. And since I’ve commented on a couple of these threads I’ll make my disclosure here. It is a coincidence that I happened to be reading a book by K. J. Charles book at the same time that this (comments) exploded around reviewers of one of her other books.
I started this series before the kerfuffle got rolling. Since then, I have followed Charles on Twitter and was happily followed back. We have not however exchanged a single word, about reviews (which she’s clear on her blog that she doesn’t read) or anything else. I think she’s shown respectable restraint in staying out of the fray, even as others tried to pull her in, accused her of manipulation and suggested that she should be accountable and responsible for the actions of readers of her work.