Friday Favorites: Urban Fantasy

 

Urban Fantasy is a genre that became more popular starting in the 1980s. In Urban Fantasy, the magical shares our world, but is often hidden in some way. It differs from Magical Realism in that in Magical Realism, the magic is accepted as a normal part of the world. Not everyone has magic, but those that do or those around them more or less accept it as part of the status quo. When you think of Urban Fantasy, think about perhaps some of the magical people/creatures living underground in old subway tunnels. Or perhaps inhabiting an arts studio where their eccentricities might be discounted rather than really noticed.

My introduction to Urban Fantasy came with the book Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint. It is a collection of short stories that take place in the fictional city of Newford. Since the birth of Newford, the author has gone on to write many more stories that take place there as well as in other locations. Newford is a favorite of fans as are some of the characters that inhabit there such as Jilly Coppercorn and The Crow Girls.

Terri Windling is also of note as she has been editor, writer, artist and more in the genre and beyond starting when it became more popular.

Some other favorites of mine include, but are not limited to:

C.E. Murphy - The Walker Papers

Faith Hunter - The Jane Yellowrock series and the Soulwood series

Seanan McGuire - The InCryptid series and October Daye series

SM Reine - Preternatural Affairs and more

Kim Harrison - The Hollows series

Patricia Briggs - The Mercy Thompson Series

Jennifer Estep - The Elemental Assassin Series

Jim Butcher - The Dresden Files 

Kevin Hearne - The Iron Druid Chronicles

If you enjoy contemporary fantasy, you will most likely enjoy urban fantasy. I remember being surprised at how many people chose to use a blend of Celtic and Native American beings. For example, in book one of the Walker Papers, Urban Shaman, Joanne Walker discovers that she is a shaman and must save people from the Wild Hunt. Some other authors design a magic system virtually from scratch - the Elemental Assassin series for example.

Question: Is it possible to have urban fantasy in a historical city setting such as Boston? An example here would possibly be The Whimbrel House series by Charlie N. Holmberg.

Please understand this is not a definitive list, but rather some Urban Fantasy authors I have enjoyed over the years. If you have a favorite you don't see here or have something you'd like to add, please feel free to do so in the comments. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: Spellsmoke 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!

"An impressive kill means an impressive killer." She shot a look at Lincoln, her cheek stretched back in the thin line of a smile. "This will be a glorious hunt."
Inanna was a glorious nutjob, as always. At least some things didn't change.

(31% through on my Kindle)

The above quotation is from Spellsmoke by SM Reine. It's book two in A Fistful of Daggers series. It was released July 25th, 2018.

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!

Teaser Tuesday: Wretched Wicked 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!

"Honestly, I don't wanna work on cases with dead people because it's depressing."

Fritz blinked. "How's that?"

"There's no upside to people dying, right?" Cèsar asked. "I don't want to deal with that much misery. At least when I'm chasing cheating wives, the wives are having a good time. Someone's happy." (29% through on my Kindle)

Wretched Wicked is a novella by SM Reine that was released November 20th, 2018. It's #9.5 in her Preternatural Affairs series. I find that I really enjoy the character of Cèsar. He's such a good guy. And he plays nicely with Fritz in this increasingly strange world they find themselves inhabiting in this urban fantasy 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!

Teaser Tuesday: Lonesome Paladin by S.M. 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! 

Cèsar lunged at them again, pulling his chains tight. He wanted to say, "Hey, please let me out, I don't like this. Also, I'm bored and lonely. Can I please have some grapes?"

The only thing he managed to do was snarl. The guards looked at him with open disdain, shaking their heads.

"The dude's deranged," muttered one to the other.

~ 73% through on my Kindle

Lonesome Paladin (Fistful of Daggers Book One) by S.M. Reine was published April 16th, 2018. It's a well-written urban fantasy novel.

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!

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!

Teaser Tuesday: Shadow Burns 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!

Whether or not I wanted to deal with it, I was going to have to find out how Isobel had died. And I was going to have to do it while she haunted my apartment and grieved for herself.

~p. 163

Shadow Burns is the fourth book in SM Reine's Preternatural Affairs series. Agent Cesar Hawke is the one speaking. And Isobel isn't a ghost. Or a zombie. They really aren't sure what her status is. 

Shadow Burns was published September 24, 2014 by Red Iris Books. As novels go, it's on the short side. I gave it 4 stars out of 5. I find I really enjoy the characters in this series, especially Agent Cesar Hawke. And the series is loaded with action. 

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

Teaser Tuesday: Cast in Hellfire by SM Reine

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
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!

The weaker Marion got, the hungrier Seth felt, and the worse the distraction became. Marion wasn't the only one getting screwed up by too much time in Sheol.

~60% through on my Kindle

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. Happy Reading!

Review: Cast in Angelfire by SM Reine

Marion is a 19-year-old woman who wakes up clueless in the hospital. She can't remember how she got there nor can she remember much about who she is and what she is capable of. She gravitates towards Dr. Lucas Flynn who identifies her as half angel and half witch which makes her a mage. Mages are relatively rare and powerful beings.

It's not long before they find out that Marion has a price on her head and various beings, including some of the Fae, are ready to collect. At this point it becomes clear that Lucas Flynn is more than just a good doctor; he is as good at protecting her as he is at healing his patients. Lucas and Marion embark on a journey together to return her to her home and try and help her remember more about who she is and what happened to her.

Honestly, I wasn't crazy about Marion at first. The more that it explained what kind of person she felt herself to be (young, arrogant, and powerful), the less I liked her. BUT, as the book goes on, she becomes a little more human and likeable. By the end, I was rooting for her to succeed in her goal, even if I wasn't sure what the ramifications would be of her success.

It's a pretty fast moving novel. There is a lot of action because of the price on Marion's head. And it's hard to tell who she can really trust other than Lucas. The ending has a twist to it that I hadn't quite figured out in advance. All in all, it's a good book. I'm looking forward to the sequel to see what happens to Marion and Dr. Lucas Flynn. I give the book 4 stars.

Cast in Angelfire is the first book in the new Mage Craft series by SM Reine. It was published March 13, 2016 by Red Iris Books. The second book in the series, Cast in Hellfire, is due out April 3, 2016.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Teaser Tuesday: Cast in Angelfire by SM Reine

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
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!

Her voice was a low hiss, the whisper of wind through cadavers dangling at the gallows. "I'll keep them busy as long as possible, but... don't take your time crossing the street." 

~ From 88% through on my Kindle, Charity is speaking about creating a diversion.

Cast in Angelfire is the first book in the Mage Craft Series by SM Reine. It was released March 13, 2016 by Red Iris Books. A preview and description are available on the author's site, here. 

What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. Happy Reading!

Review: Once Darkness Falls by SM Reine

Once Darkness Falls by SM Reine is Preternatural Affairs series #7.
After a rude awakening by Fritz, Cesar is transported to Reno which has recently been devastated by the mother of all demons, Yatai. Someone in the Office of Preternatural Affairs (OPA) has screwed up and Cesar is tasked with finding out who before Lucrezia de Angelis shows up in Reno. Anytime he deals with Lucrezia, his career and his life are on the line.

Fritz tells Cesar, "Don't trust anyone, especially me." But there are usually a few people he can trust to some degree. His partner Suzy isn't working with him, but has a separate mission. Malcolm Gallagher, a Union guy, seems to be helpful, but frequently drunk. Can he trust a Union guy? Something freaky is going on with the Union. People disappearing to who knows where.

As usual, Cesar is up to his ears in trouble and then some. But he's still making wisecracks pretty much no matter what's going on. You can count on him for witty banter in the face of danger. Cesar is the main character and my favorite in the series.

Aside from the humor, there is plenty of action and danger for all of the characters. Isobel is probably the only one who doesn't see battle of some sort. The plot is fast paced and the book was hard for me to put down. I can hardly wait for the next one in the series to come out. Right now it's tentatively scheduled for December of 2016.

I give this book 4 stars out of 5. It's a well written, fast paced, paranormal mystery. If you haven't given SM Reine a read yet, consider trying out one of her books. There are excerpts available on her website to give you a taste of things to come.

Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #127: Cast in Angelfire by SM Reine

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Eighteen-year-old Marion can’t remember anything before waking up in the hospital. All she knows that a lot of people want to kill her. And her would-be assassins are not human…

Vampires are real. So are faeries and angels.

They all want Marion dead.

Surrounded by enemies, Marion turns to Lucas Flynn: a mysterious doctor who seems to know more than he’s letting on. He’s as good with a gun as he is with a scalpel. He fights like a demon but claims that he’s human. And he’s hellbent on protecting Marion.

Lucas claims that Marion is a mage: half-witch, half-angel with terrifying powers that could crack the world. But Marion can’t remember how to cast magic any more than she can remember where she comes from.

Marion must find her identity and her power…before the forgotten sins of her past catch up with her.

This is book one in the Mage Craft Series and is due out March 13, 2016 from Red Iris Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I've read other SM Reine books and have enjoyed them. One of them had the character of Marion in it and I thought she was interesting. This book looks like it explores who she is and what she can do more in depth. 
You can read an excerpt on the author's webpage: SM Reine

 Have you read any of SM Reine's books? If so, what did you think?

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out.

Teaser Tuesday - Omega by SM Reine

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Miz B of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can participate, just do the following:

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

Omega  (War of the Alphas Book 1) by SM Reine was released April 2, 2015 by Red Iris Books. Book 2 in the series, Beta, was just released April 22, 2015.

I know it's more than two sentences, but it needed to  be more to paint the picture more accurately.

"Is he dead?" Deirdre asked.

"Probably not. Nightmares are hard to kill." Gage thumbed the switch on the battery pack off. "But I don't think he'll be bothering you again any time soon." The timer on the oven dinged. He grinned. "Can I stay for dinner?"

Omega is a dystopian urban fantasy. The world ended and people were reborn. Those that were reborn often had special abilities. Deirdre became a shapeshifter that can't change into whatever animal she's supposed to be. And she can't be coerced by any Alpha to do so. She is known as an Omega, the weakest member of the pack. She becomes a key figure in a war between two Alphas and maybe the only chance that one of them has to win.

What's your teaser this week? Leave it or a link in the comments so we can check it out.

Happy Reading!