Review: Urban Enemies ed. by Joseph Nassise

Urban Enemies edited by Joseph Nassise is an anthology of short stories about the villains from several popular urban fantasy series. Most of the stories are told from the villain's point of view rather than just being about the villain. Some of them are written in such a way that you can actually feel a moment of empathy for them. Others showcase just how evil they really are.

In total there are 17 stories from the following:  "Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files), Kelley Armstrong (The Cainsville and Otherworld series), Seanan McGuire (October Daye), Kevin Hearne (The Iron Druid Chronicles), Jonathan Maberry (Joe Ledger), Lilith Saintcrow (Jill Kismet), Carrie Vaughn (Kitty Norville), Joseph Nassise (Templar Chronicles), C.E. Murphy (Walker Papers), Steven Savile (Glasstown), Caitlin Kittredge (the Hellhound Chronicles and the Black London series), Jeffrey Somers (The Ustari Cycle), Sam Witt (Pitchfork County), Craig Schaefer (Daniel Faust), Jon F. Merz (Lawson Vampire), Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock), and Diana Pharaoh Francis (Horngate Witches)." (List of authors from Goodreads)

I wasn't expecting to empathize with any of the villains. And I found some of them downright scary. I was not familiar with all of the series. In fact, I was hoping to gain some idea of other urban fantasy series I might enjoy. It was a success in that regard. All of the stories were well written no matter the angle they took. I think my favorite though is the story by Jim Butcher from the Dresden Files. This was one of the authors I had not previously read, but will definitely seek to read again. In truth, I would reread this whole anthology in addition to seeking out other works by the authors. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Urban Enemies is due out August 1, 2017 from Gallery Books. If you enjoy urban fantasy, definitely check this book out.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and freely given.

Waiting on Wednesday #198/Can't Wait Wednesday: Cold as Ice by Julie Mulhern

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

This week the book I can't wait to get my hands on is Cold as Ice by Julie Mulhern. It's due out October 17, 2017 from Henery Press.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Ellison Russell’s life resembles a rollercoaster ride. And rollercoasters make her ill. Her daughter Grace has a crush on a boy Ellison doesn’t trust and she’s taken to hosting wild parties when Ellison goes out for the evening. Worse, the bank which represents Grace’s inheritance from her father may be in trouble.

When a meeting with the chef at the country club leads to the discovery of a body, Ellison can’t afford cold feet. She must save the bank, find the killer, and convince Grace (and herself) that powerful women don’t need men to rescue them.

Why am I waiting on this one? I've enjoyed the other books in the Country Club Murders series. I'm curious to see how this one goes with the tagline saying "she must convince Grace and herself that powerful women don't need men to rescue them." It sounds like Ellison really has her plate full. And it's from Henery Press. The mysteries like this one generally have some sense of humor to them. I hope that's true this time as well. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: Bitter Thirst by SM Reine

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I traveled a lot for work so I had a lot of stories. My identity getting stolen at a Mojave gas station, friends being kidnapped by demons, giant spiders trying to eat my coworkers. You know how it goes.

~Agent Cesar Hawke narrating at 8% through on my Kindle

Bitter Thirst by SM Reine was released for Kindle March 27, 2017. It's the 8th book in the Preternatural Affairs series.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Review: Dark Rites by Heather Graham

When the book opens, there have already been several attacks on people in the Boston area. Each one was beaten and left with a note comprised of an old warning about witchcraft. Professor Alex Maple, Vickie Preston's close friend, was among those attacked, but now he's gone missing. Vickie is convinced that it has to do with the same people that attacked him.

Shortly afterward, Vickie begins to have visions of a woman with her throat slit. The question becomes who is this woman? And who is orchestrating the attacks on people in Boston and why? And why are the perpetrators ready to die rather than be caught?

On the eve of their trip to Virginia, Vickie Preston and her beau Special Agent Griffin Pryce are caught up in the search for Alex. They are also involved in finding out who is perpetrating the attacks and why.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. Heather Graham once again does a wonderful job blending fact and fiction as they search for Alex and the killers. The characters are well drawn and sympathetic. The plot moves along at a good pace. And the mystery kept me guessing. I thought the leader was one character when he really turned out to be another. The main characters are the same as they were in Book #21 in the Krewe of Hunters series. You could read this as a standalone, but it would be better to at least read the book before it to get a better understanding of the characters and to see the beginning of the relationship between Agent Pryce and Vickie. I would recommend this book and the series to readers who enjoy romantic suspense with a paranormal bent.

Dark Rites by Heather Graham is #22 in the Krewe of Hunters series. It's due out July 25, 2017 from MIRA.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and freely given.

Waiting on Wednesday #197/Can't Wait Wednesday: Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

This week the book I can't wait to get my hands on is Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang. It's due out November 7, 2017 from St. Martin's Press.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Orphaned, raised by wolves, and the proud owner of a horned pig named Merlin, Weylyn Grey knew he wasn’t like other people. But when he single-handedly stopped that tornado on a stormy Christmas day in Oklahoma, he realized just how different he actually was.

That tornado was the first of many strange events that seem to follow Weylyn from town to town, although he doesn’t like to take credit. As amazing as these powers may appear, they tend to manifest themselves at inopportune times and places. From freak storms to trees that appear to grow over night, Weylyn’s unique abilities are a curiosity at best and at worst, a danger to himself and the woman he loves. But Mary doesn’t care. Since Weylyn saved her from an angry wolf on her eleventh birthday, she’s known that a relationship with him isn’t without its risks, but as anyone who’s met Weylyn will tell you, once he wanders into your life, you’ll wish he’d never leave.

Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance tells the story of Weylyn Grey’s life from the perspectives of the people who knew him, loved him, and even a few who thought he was just plain weird. Although he doesn’t stay in any of their lives for long, he leaves each of them with a story to tell. Stories about a boy who lives with wolves, great storms that evaporate into thin air, fireflies that make phosphorescent honey, and a house filled with spider webs and the strange man who inhabits it.

There is one story, however, that Weylyn wishes he could change: his own. But first, he has to muster enough courage to knock on Mary’s front door.

In this warm debut novel, Ruth Emmie Lang teaches us about adventure and love in a beautifully written story full of nature and wonder.

Why am I waiting on this one? It's billed as magical realism, but it sounds like it's a blend of other things as well like folk tales and general fiction. The reviews I've read are mostly positive. I want to see how this one goes.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: The Vigilante Vignette by Larissa Reinhart

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Deputy Luke Harper neither liked nor trusted the Bear. The feeling was mutual. 
By asking the Bear for assistance, I'd be furthering my trouble with Deputy Luke Harper. But the way I figure, by not admitting he'd been with some trashy Honkers' girl, the trouble was reciprocal.

~25% through on my Kindle

The Vigilante Vignette by Larissa Reinhart was published in this Kindle edition April 1, 2017 by Past Perfect Press.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Review: The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley

Picture it, Sicily... but not really. Really it's South America - Peru in fact, circa 1859, the home of some very important trees that are the source of quinine, a treatment for malaria.

The Bedlam Stacks opens in a run down estate in Great Britain. Merrick and his dog are wandering the grounds. He thinks he sees one of the statues move.  A tree explodes. His brother questions Merrick's sanity.

Merrick is approached to go on an expedition to Peru to get some cuttings of trees that produce quinine by the India Office. India is in the throes of a major malaria epidemic. Faced with the decision to stay in England and work as a man of the cloth or have one last adventure, Merrick chooses adventure. He and a close friend ship off to Peru in search of the trees they need. It's awkward and dangerous because of his injured leg, his friend's altitude sickness, and the fact that often expeditions in search of the cinchona trees end up dead or missing.

The characters are well-developed and flawed. No one is perfect reflecting the real world. Merrick has physical flaws and some mental ones that are revealed as the story goes on. His friend Clem makes me think of the phrase "ugly American" even though he is quite British. Raphael is multilayered. He comes across at first as only a bit of a scoundrel. Only later is he revealed for what he truly is. I also liked the minor character of Inti. She was a take charge kind of woman and accomplished in spite of being physically handicapped.

The story has elements of magical realism. There are, for example, statues that move, lamps that are powered by glowing pollen and bits of clockwork, and exploding trees among other things.

The plot jumps around a little in place and time. The sections are clearly labeled though, so it's not hard to follow. The story of how Merrick's leg got hurt is interesting. And it goes to further characterize him as well. All the parts ultimately blend together. Everything is useful and not as extraneous as it might seem at first.

The way the community of Bedlam functions is interesting as well. There is a salt and bone border between the community and the jungle. Merrick and Clem are told that no one passes over the boundary from the community without risking certain death.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. Overall it's well written both plot wise and character wise. It's a good book for people who enjoy a bit of an adventure story with some fantastical elements.

Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley is due out August 1, 2017 from Bloomsbury USA.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Waiting on Wednesday #196/Can't Wait Wednesday: Haunted Nights ed. Ellen Datlow and Lisa Morton

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

This week the book I am waiting on is Haunted Nights edited by Ellen Datlow and Lisa Morton. It's due out October 3, 2017 from Anchor Books.

Sixteen never-before-published chilling tales that explore every aspect of our darkest holiday, Halloween, co-edited by Ellen Datlow, one of the most successful and respected genre editors, and Lisa Morton, a leading authority on Halloween.

In addition to stories about scheming jack-o'-lanterns, vengeful ghosts, otherworldly changelings, disturbingly realistic haunted attractions, masks that cover terrifying faces, murderous urban legends, parties gone bad, cult Halloween movies, and trick or treating in the future, Haunted Nights also offers terrifying and mind-bending explorations of related holidays like All Souls' Day, Dia de los Muertos, and Devil's Night.

"With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfbane Seeds" by Seanan McGuire 
"Dirtmouth" by Stephen Graham Jones"
"A Small Taste of the Old Country" by Jonathan Maberry
"Wick’s End" by Joanna Parypinski 
"The Seventeen Year Itch" by Garth Nix
"A Flicker of Light on Devil’s Night" by Kate Jonez
"Witch-Hazel" by Jeffrey Ford
"Nos Galen Gaeaf" by Kelley Armstrong 
"We’re Never Inviting Amber Again" by S. P. Miskowski
"Sisters" by Brian Evenson
"All Through the Night" by Elise Forier Edie 
"A Kingdom of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds" by Eric J. Guignard
"The Turn" by Paul Kane
"Jack" by Pat Cadigan
"Lost in the Dark" by John Langan
"The First Lunar Halloween" by John R. Little

Why am I waiting on this one? Halloween is my favorite holiday. I really enjoy stories that center around it. Ellen Datlow is an excellent editor. And Lisa Morton is considered "a leading authority on Halloween." The two working together on a book of Halloween short stories seems like could be a stroke of genius. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: In for a Penny by Kelsey Browning and Nancy Naigle

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teague paused next to Maggie and Sera's table. Was it too much for a guy to pick up a to-go box and eat with his feet up at his desk? Maybe he needed to start wearing a ski mask when he wanted a break. (p. 179)

In for a Penny by Kelsey Browning and Nancy Naigle is the first book in The Granny Series. It was published November 5, 2013 by Crossroads Publishing House.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #195/Can't Wait Wednesday: The Emerald Circus by Jane Yolen

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

This week the book I can't wait to get my hands on is The Emerald Circus by Jane Yolen. It's due out November 14, 2017 from Tachyon Publications.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Enter the Emerald Circus and be astonished by the transformations of your favorite tales. Ringmaster and internationally bestselling author Jane Yolen (Briar Rose, Sister Emily’s Lightship) spins modern fantasy classics in tales that go well beyond Wonderland and Oz, down the rabbit hole and back again.

Where is Wendy? Leading a labor strike against the Lost Boys, of course!

It’s time to go back to—and beyond—the treasured tales you thought you knew: The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and many more. Ringmaster and internationally bestselling author Jane Yolen (Briar Rose, Sister Emily’s Lightship) spins modern fantasy classics for delighted readers. A girl blown away from Kansas returns as a sophisticate with unusual gymnastic abilities. A talented apprentice, forging her first sword, is suddenly left to the mercies of Merlin. Alice’s infamous nemesis has jaws and claws, but also lacks the essential: a sense of humor.

Witty and bold, and unexpected, these tales go well beyond the rabbit hole and back again.

Why am I waiting on this one? I enjoy Jane Yolen's writing. She is very talented and capable of writing in multiple genres and formats. I like the idea that "these tales go well beyond the rabbit hole and back again." While many of the tales have a basis in familiar stories, it sounds like they will stretch the imagination.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

As the boat drifted by cliffs that grew taller and taller, cut with fine waterfalls that fell from so high the sources were lost in the clouds, I tried to think of someone who might have made me run away as soon as I saw him - and not just run, but turn back from a good fire on a sleeting night. All I could think of was Irishmen talking quietly over dynamite boxes. 
(p. 107 from a pdf arc)

The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley is due to be released August 1, 2017 from Bloomsbury USA. The above quote was taken from an uncorrected proof and may appear differently in the final version.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!