Tag Archives: urban fantasy

born of metal

Book Review: Born of Metal (Rings of the Inconquo #1), by A.L. Knorr & A.D. Schneider

I received an Audible code for a free copy of Born of Metal, by A.L. Knorr and A.D. Schneider.

born of metal

Her family is all that matters, too bad they may be the death of her…

Ibby’s parents gave up everything for a chance at a better life. So, after a terrible accident leaves her alone in London, Ibby works her internship at the British Museum and goes to her classes to make them proud.

She hopes to one day bring her uncle, her only living relative, to the UK. Family is what matters. But, when Ibby finds a hidden artifact and encounters a mysterious stranger in the bowels of the museum, she learns that its her lineage, the very origins of her family, that will put everything at risk. That, and metal is starting to do some pretty bizarre things around Ibby.

A powerful artifact, a secret society, an ancient evil. Can Ibby embrace her destiny as Inconquo guardian before an ages-old demon is unleashed on London?

If you love strong female characters and millennia old secrets, you’ll love the origin story of Ibukun Bashir, metal elemental. Welcome to the world of the Inconquo.

my review

I thought this was a middle-of-the-road enjoyable read (or listen, rather). I liked Ibby. I liked the immigration aspect of her character. I liked the idea of the ability to control metal. I liked her self-sufficiency and smarts. However, I never felt particularly immersed in the world. This may be because the book is a spin-off from another series (which I didn’t know when I decided to listen to it). It may be because the book is all running here, being attacked there. It never settles enough for the reader to catch a breath and start caring. Plus, there’s a pretty big deus ex machina moment toward the end.

I see several people in the reviews complaining about the narrator. I had little problem with her. I thought she was a little dry with some characters (the demon, for example), but was mostly fine. I’d listen to her again.

born of metal

wings of fire

Book Review: Wings of Fire, by Stephanie Mirro

I received a free Audible credit for a copy of Wings of Fire, by Stephanie Mirro.
wings of fire

I wasn’t always the bad guy…

Once upon a time, I was simply Veronica Neill: daughter, sister, phoenix. But now I’m all alone, and life as the Falcon—an avian shifter and acquirer of fantastical things—is dangerously sexy and fun.

Some might even call me a thief, just never to my face.

But when my latest acquisition is stolen before I arrive and a gruesome murder is blamed on me, I’ve got a choice to make: 1) get taken in by the hotter-than-hell agent sent by the Death Enforcement Agency and let them charge me with a crime I didn’t commit, or 2) wait for my bloodsucking client to realize I’ve failed at the job he hired me for.

I don’t like either door, so I’ll take the window instead: track down the real killer and clear my name.

If I don’t solve this murder, and fast, then I might just be facing a lifetime in a grim prison—or worse, a lifetime of servitude to the man who hired me, a man who’s turning out to be more dangerous than I realized. And my kind lives for a very long time.

my review

I thought this was entertaining, but a little on the shallow side. Veronica tells us she’s badass because she’s trained her whole life to be. But you don’t really feel it. It’s just something we’re told and pops up conveniently when needed. Need weapons…oh look, she has a secret stash. Need to get around a security issue…oh look, her BFF is a hacker genius. Need to fight demons…oh look, she happens to have a demon fighting sword. Need to fight vampires…oh look she happens to have wood filled bullets. But nothing about her feels like a hardened, trained warrior or someone who has had to live the sort of life that would require it.

I liked the ‘love’ interest well enough, but he’s a cardboard cutout with the personality to match. The villain is evil for the most cliched reasons ever. I bet if I told you their gender alone, you’d be able to guess their motiviations. And I’d figured out the twist at the end very early one.

And lastly, on a purely personal pet-peeve sort of level, “Wings of Fire: A Kickass Urban Fantasy With Romance (The Last Phoenix, Book 1)” is pretentious. What the hell is that “A Kickass Urban Fantasy With Romance?” It’s not part of the title. That’s not where you’d put a tag line. It’s just this random assertion in an unexpected place.

I know that all sounds negative, and certainly the book could have been less cotton-candy like, but I did enjoy it for the mere escapism of it.

wings of fire stephanie mirro

blood heir

Book Review: Blood Heir, by Ilona Andrews

I borrowed a copy of Blood Heir, by Ilona Andrews from the local library.

blood heir ilona andrews

Atlanta was always a dangerous city. Now, as waves of magic and technology compete for supremacy, it’s a place caught in a slow apocalypse, where monsters spawn among the crumbling skyscrapers and supernatural factions struggle for power and survival.

Eight years ago, Julie Lennart left Atlanta to find out who she was. Now she’s back with a new face, a new magic, and a new name—Aurelia Ryder—drawn by the urgent need to protect the family she left behind. An ancient power is stalking her adopted mother, Kate Daniels, an enemy unlike any other, and a string of horrifying murders is its opening gambit.

If Aurelia’s true identity is discovered, those closest to her will die. So her plan is simple: get in, solve the murders, prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled, and get out without being recognized. She expected danger, but she never anticipated that the only man she’d ever loved could threaten everything.

One small misstep could lead to disaster. But for Aurelia, facing disaster is easy; it’s relationships that are hard.

 my review

I enjoyed this, as I have almost all of Andrews books. I love post-shift Atlanta. It did suffer, as most spin-offs do, for having to cram a whole series worth of backstory and reminders into its narrative, which gets annoying, even when necessary. Also, as much as I love Aurelia, I feel like we had to sacrifice Julie at her alter to get her. They do not feel like the same character. 8 years is a lot to time to cover between books and it conveniently allowed Julie to become almost god-like Aurelia. Having said all that, I’ll be waiting with baited breath for the next book in the series.

blood heir