Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble by H.P. Mallory

Review by Dana (daedelys)

This was definitely not one of the best books that I’ve taken
the time to read.  I do have to admit that I was initially a little excited
to see a paranormal romance series that I hadn’t read yet, but when I sat
down to read this, I discovered why people will procrastinate finishing a
novel.

I found that the author’s writing style is just too simple.  I
like reading a book with lots of description to make me feel like I’m there,
able to experience the surrounding almost like the characters, and this one
just didn’t deliver.  I quickly got sick of short, vaguely descriptive
paragraphs that very often only had one sentence.  These short abrupt bursts
of thought by the writer just didn’t do well when it came to trying to pull
me into the story.  I found it rather sad that the author, or publisher,
didn’t take the time to use a more critical eye when it came to editing the
rough draft because that’s what this “finished” piece really feels like.
It’s just abundant with choppy, random thoughts that disrupt the flow of the
story.

I also was distracted by the either inappropriate or just plain
stupid analogies that the author, who’s name I hope to forget after this
review, constantly peppered throughout the story.  When I’m reading a steamy
scene, I don’t want frenzied breathing compared to a deer being shot.  This,
coupled with the writer trying to make up new words like “teletransport”
instead of just using “teleport” so that her story has something unique in
it was another eye-roller for me.

There’s also just too many things happening that I feel that the
author added because she felt she need to get it all into one novel.  At
times, I felt more like I was reading a series of short stories put together
instead of one long continuous one.   Plus, I this book just doesn’t deliver
what I’ve come to consider “romance” substance.  If you’re looking for some
hot sex, you won’t find it in this one.  Mostly, there’s just a lot of
teasing and some petting (no pun intended as Jolie does even manage to date
a werewolf-give her time, I’m sure she’ll find a vampire, too) that is at
best awkward and, thankfully, brief.

The characters in this story are all so vapid that it would
amaze me if much thought was given into developing them.  You are pretty
much going to know if they are to be “good” or “bad” in the story
immediately upon our heroine meeting them and letting us know what she
thinks of them.

That is, if she could think.  Overall, I found the female lead
in this book to be TSTL (too stupid to live) as she bumbled her way
throughout her printed adventure.  Jolie, as she is called, appears to think
of herself as a down-to-earth, Plain-Jane who’s been holed-up from the
dating world and just isn’t attractive to men.  Yet, after being outed as
witch, just about every Tom, Dick and Harry in the Underworld that she comes
across is attracted to her and she just can’t help but be attracted to just
about all of them.  I mean really, a girl who remembers her first, and only,
time as being unpleasant is not going to be constantly wanting to ice her
own cupcake over ever guy she trips over like the one in this book does.  It
just made me want to gag, because I guess I expect a romance to actually
have a couple who were going to experience something romantic, but instead
it felt like watching some teenage drama with the new girl in high school
flirtingly teasing all the boys and then not understanding why the guys get
upset.  The goody-goody turned sex-kitten just got old fast.

Jolie’s best friend, Christina, isn’t much better and I was put
off by the “best friend” who flirts with Jolie’s (albeit initial) love
interest.  Once again, another reason to dislike our lead character is when
we wonder why she would keep such a friend who needs to be bespelled in
order to NOT hit on, Rand, one of Jolie’s “men”.

I would get into describing the men in this book, but why
bother?  If they’re good guys, they are probably going to be described as
delectable and if they are bad they will be sinister and menacing.  The
author’s not very creative and I don’t see her being able to write a truly
gripping suspense novel any time soon.

As for their magic and special abilities, I found the characters
just too powerful to keep the story interesting and me wondering what would
happen next.  Even for a fantasy world setting, this book really stretches
the “believable”.  It has a very Charlaine Harris-like feel to the world,
which just gets beyond ridiculous at times.  The spells that are used, and
their frequency, might have sounded wonderful to the author when she wrote
the book, but they are really quite lame for anyone who’s spent time reading
fantasy novels where characters can’t just “focus” anything they need into
being.  I felt that these types of scenarios just made the story lose
credibility when any little problem equivalent to a hang-nail could, and
would, be solved in two, okay maybe three since they are short, paragraphs.

Then, the story took a turn for the worse when Jolie is pretty
much compared to as some sort of messiah to the Underworld she’s become part
of by being discovered to be a witch.  It was at that point, that I realized
even though I would finish this book, I didn’t want to see what the rest of
the series would turn out to be like.

Don’t get me wrong, there were a couple of moments where I
thought that the book had taken a turn for the better and I would be diggin’
it and it would be great, but it would usually do something to nose-dive
shortly afterwards and I would again find myself playing some Black Ops
because getting pwned repeatedly by thirteen-year-olds was infinitely better
than having to trudge through the pages of something bad.

Call me crazy, but I felt I came away from this novel feeling
quite pessimistic.  Perhaps it was the author’s way of writing that the cup
is half empty instead of half full that left me feeling bitter.  The world
described through the lead character’s eyes seems to be one in which
everything that surrounds the Jolie either annoys her or is out to get her
(music’s too loud, no one’s paying attention to her, too many people are
paying attention to her, etc.).  I understand that in the past, previous
authors have pioneered contemporary romance into something that is fun and
cheeky and fresh.  But, when someone like this author figures they can do it
to make a buck, too, they haven’t figured out the saying “Less is More”.
The quips were cute at first but eventually made me want to gnaw on
something like an angry puppy.  The lack of originality just becomes more
apparent with each flip of a page.

Will I read anything by this author again?  I certainly hope
not.  But, if you are an easy-to-please reader, you may like this book.  I
tend to find myself too easily distracted by poor writing to truly enjoy a
story like this because I hope to discover something more worth my time out
there.

A Thousand Cuts by Simon Lelic

Review by Cheryl R. (Spuddie) 

Note that the book was originally published with the title “Rupture” in the UK–a much more appropriate title, I thought. Blast publishers who feel the need to tweak titles in different countries!

This is a first novel, a police mystery about a school shooting in London where the perpetrator was a teacher who shot several students, a fellow teacher, and then himself. The teacher, Samuel Szajkowski, was the new history teacher at an exclusive prep school and had apparently endured unremitting bullying and pranks from everyone from the headmaster down to the students almost from his first moments at the school.

The investigation is conducted by DI Lucia May, who is unwilling to glide through her investigation–which on the surface, seems cut and dried. We know whodunit–does it really matter why? Eventually, Lucia wonders if the shooting was connected somehow to the vicious beating of another student that had already been under investigation. She also wonders why her boss is so eager to put the ‘closed’ stamp on the case and is attempting to rein Lucia and her investigation in well before she thinks it’s time.

The story is told partially in first-person as Lucia listens to the various witnesses, and partially in third-person narrative from Lucia’s point of view, alternating chapters. It’s a very effective and interesting tool, and the author skillfully brings each witness into focus without ever naming who they are. A very timely piece of fiction, focusing on bullying, which has been so much in the news of late.

I can’t say I really enjoyed the story itself–the whole scenario is just plain gut-wrenchingly horrible. But I did very much enjoy the author’s thought-provoking telling of the story. Going to be looking for more from Mr. Lelic, to be sure!

Sandman Slim: A Novel by Richard Kadrey

Review byBowden P. (Trey)

Well, that was interesting – three stars, easy.

After working on Shadow of the Torturer and Claw of the Conciliator, I needed a break and something easy. Sandman Slim came up as that break.

James “Jimmy” Stark, aka Wild Bill, aka Sandman Slim is a murderous soul (don’t call him Jimmy, he doesn’t like it and you wouldn’t either). But wouldn’t you be after 11 years in Hell as the only living human down there? When we meet him he’s only just escaped and literally jumped right into the fire. All he has is Abaddon’s dagger, the Key to the Room With 13 Doors and a Veritas coin with an attitude. And he’s dead set on avenging himself against those that sent him to Hell and murdered the only person he ever loved.

So, did I like it? Enough to give it three stars and write a review, but not enough to be singing its praises to the rafters. Its not bad, and as urban fantasy noir, its excellent. Jimmy has a good voice, with a quick wit, ready with a quip and a nasty black sense of humor. But I don’t really like him. He doesn’t even begin to move to redeemable until near the end of the book, and at several points he ponders going back to Hell.

Stark is supposed to be cool – and myself from my teens and twenties probably would have thought him intensely cool. At forty, he doesn’t look all that sympathetic. He’s all but invulnerable (personifying the phrase “That which does not kill me makes me stronger”), has the Key, a powerful magician, a fighter, an assassin and can shoot with the best of them. The problem is, he’s not exactly likable. He’s very violent, impulsive, destructive, self centered and on and on. Outside his love of Alice, he’s not all that human. Still, that rapier quick wit offers something… And he does decide there are better things than returning to pit fights in Hell.

Despite Stark’s flaws as a character, Richard Kadrey has a great ear for dialogue and came up with those quips Jimmy drops left, right and center. For the dialogue and using Vidocq as a character I’ll forgive him for Stark’s failings.

Likes: Stark’s big mouth overloading his small behind; Eugene Vidocq; Use of traditional and non-traditional Christian mythos, no Lovecraftian monstrosities here; Dialogue.

Dislikes: I’m supposed to like Stark? In addition to all his flaws I mentioned above, he’s angsty.

Verdict: «««A fun, fast read. Not the deepest thing, but fun.

Suggested for: Urban Fantasy fans, fans of Dashiell Hammett (particularly The Continental Op), Andrew Vachss‘ Burke books

HAND OF ISIS by Jo Graham

Review by Kelly P. (KellyP)

Like the song says, I’m proud to be an American and I can’t imagine being from anywhere else. But, when I read a book like Hand of Isis by Jo Graham, I wonder what it would be like to be from a country with a documented and chronicled history going back to ancient, ancient times.

The years that Cleopatra ruled (51 BCE – 30 BCE) were practically modern times when compared to the history on which her reign rested. Alexandria, founded by and named after Alexander the Great (three hundred years earlier, let it be noted) was a rich and vibrant place, rich in culture, history and education as well as in grain, gold and other treasure.

Set against the backdrop of Alexandria, this book is about Cleopatra, told from the first-person perspective of Charmian, one of Cleopatra’s two half-sisters who were also her handmaidens and confidantes. We are given glimpses of the childhood the three girls shared, and the responsibilities to Egypt they all three bore as daughters of Pharaoh. The story carries us through Cleopatra’s rule of her country, where she was loved and revered as Isis incarnate, her great love affairs with Julius Caesar and Marcus Antonius, her political skill in very unsettled times for her country, and ultimately the death she chose for herself.

The book is well-researched & well-written. It has wonderful depth and well-developed characters – primary and secondary. One of the most fascinating subplots to me is the author’s portrayal of the relationship both the Roman and Egyptian people had with their gods.

One recurring theme throughout the book is reincarnation – that the same soul will come back time and time again. For example, that Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great were one and the same soul. That three hundred years before Charmian was born to be Companion to Cleopatra, she had been Companion to Alexander as one of his bodyguards. While I found this aspect of the book very interesting, it may be off-putting to other people.

The book is loosely structured in the style of flashbacks. Charmian has died and is standing before the court of Isis and Osiris having her life reviewed and judged so that her afterlife is appropriate to the life she led. As she tells her story to these two deities, we get the main story. We don’t have these interludes before the gods very often, just enough to bridge different elements of the story, add depth and understanding to some of the events, give a little more clarity to Charmian’s thinking, etc.

Isis and Osiris are joined at one point by Mikhael, angel to the Jewish god, because one of Charmian’s great friends is Dion, a Jewish scholar and inventor from Alexandria. When Mikhael walks into the ‘court,’ he is made welcome by Isis and Osiris, but his presence is questioned. He answers that where Charmian’s path crossed Dion’s, he (Mikhael) was there and he wanted to speak of what he knew about Charmian’s life. This was a very nice touch – and served to underscore the acceptance of all people in Egypt during this time.

The copy I read was an ARC and there were a few cumbersome paragraphs and passages that I hope got cleaned up in final edit. There is also one rather explicit sex scene; so out of character with the rest of the book that I questioned its purpose. But, in reading the interview with the author, I discovered she had a very definite reason for including the scene.

The book comes complete with a map, a glossary and an interview with the author – wonderful bonus material!

I really enjoyed this book; I give it a resounding 5 out of 5 rating and would recommend it to anyone interested in reading a book about Cleopatra, told from the Egyptian point of view rather than the more customary Roman (or western) POV.

Tell Me No Lies by Elizabeth Lowell

Review by Cynthia F. (frazerc)

This is a great romantic suspense read with a heartwarming ending, lots of sizzle between the protagonists and some fascinating information shared about Chinese art, the very Chinese concept of ‘face’, and how international politics game is played by the big boys.  It is a mid-90s release and a book I re-read fairly regularly.

The story revolves around a possible theft of literally priceless antiquities from China.  The FBI wants to find them [or better yet, NOT find them] while protecting their information sources from the Chinese who are also investigating.   To this end they bring in Lindsay Danner, an American expert on Chinese bronzes whose reputation is utterly impeccable.

The story is set at the time when Capitalism had just started to edge its way into the Chinese culture, shepherded by Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.  Several of the ‘committee’ sent to investigate the supposed thefts would love to find evidence of the theft with US fingerprints on it and use it as a slap against Xiaoping and his policies… All would like to find out as much about the US information gathering system and sources as they can – and the ‘theft’ gives them that chance.

Enter Chen Yi, titular head of the Chinese committee and a man with many agendas.  One of which is to protect Lindsay – her parents were Chinese missionaries and her mother once saved Chen Yi and Chen Yi’s son.  To this end he uses Jacob MacArthur Catlin, current expert in Pacific Rim relations and ex-CIA agent, by requiring him to repay a debt he owes to the Chen family.   His only job is to aid Lindsay in finding the bronzes and protect her along the way.  To accomplish this they plan to set up a ‘sting’, lure the sellers to where they can be caught.  To do this they must appear to be lovers…

The search is a convoluted and fascinating trip through the high-end art world.  As the book progresses Lindsay is exposed to the seamier side her reputation had protected her from – but as Catlin’s lover and art expert she is assumed to be more ‘flexible’ than previously thought.  Revelations are made that show her own truths in a new and sometimes painful light.

Lindsay is a strong and independent woman but one who is relatively innocent of the uglier truths about international politics, black market art dealing, and the pain associated with living a lie.  Catlin knows all those arenas well and he understands betrayal at his deepest core.  But he has never met a woman like Lindsay…

The interaction between Catlin and Lindsay is compelling – he promises never to lie to her and he doesn’t, even when the truth is unpalatable.  Even so he is gentle and tender with her, helping her to persevere.  But Lindsay is not a woman who can easily lie to the world and she starts losing track – about what is truth and what is lies…  And is Catlin lying to her, giving her what she needs to maintain – or is the attraction real?

It’s a keeper for me.

The Hanover Square Affair by Ashley Gardner

Review by Jerelyn (I-F-Letty)

The Hanover Square Affair is the debut mystery novel from Ashley Gardner.  A damaged army Captain returns to England after the Peninsular War.  Lacey is struggling to come to grips with his past and how to get on in life.  He is no hero, nor is he rich.  He is an honorable man who takes it upon himself to find the missing daughter of a man shot down in cold blood.  Danger comes when his inquires come too close to the powerful.  The dark side of London society is exposed; sexual previsions and complicity stand in stark contrast to Lacey’s code of honor.  The conflict between Lacey and his ex-best friend and ex-commanding officer is reignited; old wounds are opened when Colonel Brandon wife Louisa tries to broker peace between the two men.

You realize just how hard it was for the men that fought Napoleon only to come home to nothing.  He is wounded both physically and mentally.  He struggles to live as a gentleman retired on half pay.  He has an estate but no money to run it.  He loves a woman who is not his.  His wife has run off with his child leaving him just as the war began,  The reason he must find this abducted girl is that his child would be just about the age of the girl he seeks.

In his inquires Lacey deals with prostitutes, criminals and the underworld boss of London who see the threat that men like Lacey pose to his enterprise.  You also meet the toast of London society Grenville, rich, powerful and intrigued by Lacey.  Lacey doesn’t want anything from Grenville but friendship which is a novelty for Grenville everybody always wants something from him.

Great characters and a fine writing style.  I read it in one sitting.   The glitter and glamor of the Regency period are here but at the edge of Lacey’s world.  It is an engaging mystery there are five others in the series with a seventh due out in e-book format in September.

The Dom’s Dungeon by Cherise Sinclair

Review by Cynthia F. (frazerc)

Upfront warning:  this is a BDSM novel.  I don’t read many of them since a lot of BDSM novels frequently go way outside my comfort zone. This one was recommended by several different sources so I gave it a shot and I’m pleased I did.  Unlike many in this genre, it’s not about the act, it’s about the romance.  It’s a very good read.

Mostly this is a relationship novel.  The heroine, MacKensie, is trying to escape a past she has been unable to move on from.  The hero, Alex, is both kind and caring but definitely jaded by the subs pursuing him.  [He’s filthy rich, good looking, and an expert Dom – what does he expect?]

The heroine has participated in a ‘house exchange’ program so she can get to Seattle and interview for jobs as a veterinarian.  She is planning a total change of scene to avoid a murky past.  She is stunned when she finds her exchange ‘house’ is really a mansion.  It’s luxurious, beautiful, and the dog is charming – but there’s this locked room…

The hero is supposed to be headed to the heroine’s small Iowa house and to attend a convention and tour various family holdings in the area.  Problems at the airport make that impossible so he returns to his home figuring he could work out some arrangement with his houseguest.

Locked rooms really bother MacKensie.  Years in foster care gave her the skills to open most of them.  She is extremely surprised to find the locked door hides a private ‘dungeon’ obviously intended for BDSM play.  Surprised but intrigued…

Finding his young and pretty houseguest has violated the house exchange contract and unlocked the door and is now trying out the various equipment [naked!] is a shock; one Alex deals with in his best Dom manner by spanking her and making her apologize.  But when the adrenaline spike and low blood sugar combine to make her woozy he gathers her into his lap, wraps her in a blanket and holds her until she stabilizes.

She’s desperate, has no money to stay in a motel, and has given out his  address and phone as contact information to potential employers. He has a female ‘stalker’ who he thinks would be put off if he started showing up with a new sub.  He offers her a deal – she can stay but will appear in public a few times [the club, parties with like-minded friends] with him and give the appearance of being his newest sub – no abuse, no sex, no humiliation.  In return he doesn’t throw her out, report her to the house exchange people, or destroy her reputation.

The remainder of the story deals with the development of their bond.  Mac has serious issues and Alex works hard at giving her what she needs.  It’s about caring and showing love, with an alternative twist admittedly, not about the mechanics of the BDSM relationship.  Of course her past comes back to haunt her in a very real and very public way but with Alex’s help she finally manages to overcome it and put it firmly behind her where it belongs.

One of the author’s true skills is she gives each of her characters a strong and identifiable voice.  After the initial plot device [hero walking in on naked heroine bent spanking bench] I felt the behaviors of all the characters were consistent and believable.  They are people you would want to know.

This is a stand alone novel but she has two series as well as another stand alone novel – all of which I promptly went out and bought after reading this one.

Masters of the Shadowlands

Club Shadowlands

Dark Citadel

Breaking Free

Lean on Me

Make Me, Sir [ebook only at this time, amazon, loose-id]

Doms of Darkhaven

Master of the Mountain

Simon Says: Mine from Doms of Dark Haven

Master of the Abyss [ebook only at this time, amazon, loose-id]

Novels

The Dom’s Dungeon (2009)

The Starlight Rite (2010)