Review: Demon Dance (A Sundancer Novel #1) by Brian Freyermuth

Published: 
Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Format: ebook
Source: provided for honest review

Goodreads Summary

You can run all you want, but the game's in your blood. And blood never forgets…

Nick St. James was born different. His extraordinary gifts have saved him time and time again, but they couldn't save the one thing he loved most: his wife.

Now he just wants to forget his old life, but more importantly, he wants to forget the magical underworld that lives beneath the "real" world. A place where a man's faith can determine the very fabric of reality. Where ancient forgotten gods walk hidden among us, and angels and demons fight for our very souls. 

But nothing stays hidden forever. Nick's peaceful world is ripped apart when a demon slaughters his ex-partner and marks him for death. Now he must use all his gifts to find the one who summoned the nightmarish creature, but more importantly, he needs to find the one thing he lost long ago.

Himself.

Demon Dance (A Sundancer Novel #1) by Brian Freyermuth

“I wish. Spending my hard-earned cash on dancers and cheesy shows sounds like paradise compared to the mess I’m in.” The minivan swerved to miss a slow-moving Honda, and my ribs began a riotous argument with my stomach. I gasped.

“Compared to the crap you’re always in,” Jake grumbled. “I thought you retired.”

“I keep trying to tell the monsters that. They won’t listen.”

The Good

Nick St. James is my type of hero. He’s far from perfect, isn’t all powerful yet he knows how to win.  He’s the guy you root for just wanting something to go right and not blow up in his face. I personally really enjoy the detective style books involving the super natural. Plus there is plenty of action to go along with an entertaining story.

The Bad

The bad for me would be lots of interesting characters popping up throughout the book that I would love to get to know better. But if this leads to follow up books where I get to learn more about them count me in.

The Romance

While the romantic overtones are there between our hero and a young woman named Thelma, Nick is still haunted by the death of his true love Ann.

Conclusion

If you enjoy action and supernatural with an imperfect hero, then you will love this book. The main demon Nick fights with is new and interesting. I had little problem breezing through this one. It’s really a hard book to put down.

Excerpts

I slowly put the dragon scale in the pocket of my jacket. The wind picked up again, sending a chill deep into my bones. Rain was coming. The blond woman was nowhere in sight. I wasn’t sure she had ever existed. When one as powerful as Coyote takes notice of you, the fabric of the reality tends to bend a bit. He told me a storm was coming, and looking at the sky I believed it. Now, if it was only the weather I had to worry about.


“Hey, Jake’s on his way over. You have help this time. This isn’t Boston.” 
I patted her hand and put the croquet ball down on the table. The cheerful red paint mocked me. “I know. We’re the three Ghostbusters, except the marshmallow man’s from Hell.”

“Some say they’re Illuminati, some say Masons,” I explained to her, “but no one knows. They constantly work to keep normal people innocent of the whole supernatural world, and they have the power to do it.” 
“So they’re the good guys?” 
I laughed without humor. “It depends on your definition. They’re only interested in keeping the status quo. They don’t care about fairness or who’s in the wrong.”

My smile disappeared as I stood up. “I’ve seen things you couldn’t imagine. Ghosts, legends come to life, demons, and angels. But I don’t have faith in any of it. Life is all chance, and it’s just our job to muddle through it.” 
She stood with me, leaned forward, and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Once again the smell of jasmine washed over me, but this time the Pain drowned it all out. “And yet you still fight,” she whispered with a smile. “That’s courage.”

The girl walked up to me as I looked at the picture. “You squashed the bad man,” she whispered. “Are you an angel?” 
I looked at her. “Me? I’m no angel. Just…kinda like a superhero. My power is the power of sarcasm. The word is mightier than the spur…” I stopped. “And you have no idea what I’m talking about.” She giggled again. “But thank you for the picture.”

Demon Dance (A Sundancer Novel #1) by Brian Freyermuth

Review: The Queen of Zombie Hearts (The White Rabbit Chronicles #3) by Gena Showalter

Published: September 30, 2014 Harlequin Teen
Genre: YA, Paranormal Fantasy
Format: ebook
Source: Purchased

Goodreads Summary

I have a plan.

We'll either destroy them for good, or they'll destroy us.

Either way, only one of us is walking away.

In the stunning conclusion to the wildly popular White Rabbit Chronicles, Alice "Ali" Bell thinks the worst is behind her. She's ready to take the next step with boyfriend Cole Holland, the leader of the zombie slayers…until Anima Industries, the agency controlling the zombies, launches a sneak attack, killing four of her friends. It's then she realizes that humans can be more dangerous than monsters…and the worst has only begun.

As the surviving slayers prepare for war, Ali discovers she, too, can control the zombies…and she isn't the girl she thought she was. She's connected to the woman responsible for killing-and turning-Cole's mother. How can their relationship endure? As secrets come to light, and more slayers are taken or killed, Ali will fight harder than ever to bring down Anima-even sacrificing her own life for those she loves.

Getting shot makes us cranky, I see.

Catching Butterflies

Ali Bell has gone through a ton in this series, and it didn't stop in Queen of Zombie Hearts. She's gotten so strong over time that she is a true force to be reckoned with which makes it even better that she's so often taken for granted since she looks like she stepped right out of a children's fairy tale book. This one starts off with an ambush that leads to a full-on war and the slayers are fighting two separate enemies (a horde of soul-eating zombies and the mad scientist group Anima). There are a lot of deaths which get harder with each book since I love every single character in this series.

The Blood Soaked Road

Text-speak gets annoying sometimes, but thankfully it's not used too much.

Gooey Center

Finally Cole and Ali have patched things up, but this one is in no way easy on their relationship. Ali finds out one of her relatives is responsible for Cole's mother's death. Much drama ensues. There are a couple of moments where Ali seems like that young girl idealizing love that you want to shake, but she corrects herself after a few chapters which is refreshing.

We Won

The concepts are unique, the story is very character-driven, and the plot just gets more intriguing. Each book is filled with more new characters to love, a ton of action and sass. Definitely recommended.

Excerpts

My darling Kat meant it in the nicest way possible, of course. She simply had no filter. she always spoke her mind, always stood up for what she believed - that her way was the best way - and lived by the motto I'm On Board the Awesome Train and You Can Hop On or Get Run Over.

"You're practically glowing with happiness." Mackenzie pretended to gag. "Tell me you're still capable of killing zombies and that you're not considering spraying them with rainbow dust." As if I'd waste rainbow dust on zombies.

I leaned over her, looking for any change. Her color was returning, pink flooding into her cheeks, and the dark circles under her eyes were fading. That. Quickly. A lady never smirks. Since when have I ever been a lady? I smirked.

Fandom Mashups [1]

Fandom Mashups is a feature hosted by Lunar Rainbows Reviews. There's a different scenario each week, and you choose a "dream team" of five characters from five different fandoms whom you think are best suited for the situation.

This week's topic is:

An evil King has taken up the mantle and declared that he is the supreme ruler of all. Who's going to help you overthrow him?

There are so many ways I can go with this one, but I'm going to mix it up quite a bit.

1) Gandalf - Lord of the Rings / The Hobbit

via GIPHY

What isn't great about Gandalf? He doesn't get tempted by the evil side, but staunchly stays on the side of good so the evil King can't get him to switch sides. He's incredibly intelligent and would most likely be the one I'd want drawing up the plans. He walks and labors for miles and miles with no complaint. He's able to get all kinds of help for all the favors he's bestowed. Plus, MAGIC!

2) Tinkerbell - Peter Pan

via GIPHY

Why Tinkerbell? She's tiny and can do a good deal of sneakery work. She can also pass on the ability to fly and I wouldn't turn that down anytime, much less when trying to take down an evil King. 

3) Groot - The Guardians of the Galaxy

via GIPHY

Groot would be the muscle. Not only would I enjoy having him as a companion on this adventure, but he can kick some major butt. Also, he's resistant to fire which would be a huge help.

4) Piper Mclean - The Heroes of Olympus

She is the daughter of Aphrodite and has the ability to charmspeak. Charmspeak is an incredible weapon that can make people do anything on command. Eventually the charmspeak wears off and the person has no memory of what they did or why they did it.

5) Arthur Pendragon - The Sword and the Stone

via GIPHY

He's trained by Merlin. He's kind, polite, and humble. We'll need someone to take over when the evil King is dethroned.

Who would be on your dream team this week?

Sunday Cover Scramble [137]

Let's have some fun! I am going to post covers on here every Sunday that are scrambled up graphically, making it hard to tell what cover it is. I would like your guesses on what cover you think I've posted. I won't answer you until I'm posting the next one to let you know if you are right, allowing others to guess as well. Some will be hard, and others may be easy. Let me know in the comments if you'd like some more hints and I'll offer some more if no one guesses it correctly.


I am pulling covers off the Most Popular Page on Goodreads.

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Harry Potter Moment of the Week [82]

This is a meme hosted by Uncorked Thoughts and Lunar Rainbows.The idea is to share a favorite moment, magical item, character, spell, quote, object from the books, films or J.K.Rowling herself! Click the links to the blogs to see how to join up &  upcoming topics.

Which books would you recommend to Harry?

via GIPHY

From the Potterverse, I'm going to go with:

• Merpeople: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Language and Customs by Dylan Marwood
• Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland
• Guide to Advanced Occlumency

I believe the first two may have helped him out with the tasks in the Triwizard Tournament. It would've been helpful to get a little background information on what he was dealing with. Even though he got great marks for rescuing the others under the lake, it's possible he would've come in first place if he would've known more about the merpeople. As for the third, Guide to Advanced Occlumency, he should've had Hermione read and tutor him on what she learned. Even though he ended up wanting to know what Voldemort was thinking and feeling, it probably would've been nice to turn it on and off at will. I would have included Hogwarts, A History but we all know Hermione could quote it from heart so there was no real need.

I couldn't think of any titles from our world so I'm going to make up some that he should definitely read:

• Ways to Avoid Becoming Obsessive and Impulsive
• How to Deal with Obnoxiously Foul Parent-Figures
• So that Evil Teacher Hates You...Tips and Tricks to Pay Them Back
• Idiot's Guide to Wooing Witches
• Why Women Love Scars
• When That Nagging Villain Won't Let You Be

What books would you recommend to Harry?

Review: Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas

Published: September 1, 2015 Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Format: ebook
Source: Purchased

Goodreads Summary

Sarah J. Maas's New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series reaches new heights in this sweeping fourth volume.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire-for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past...

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Celaena's epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena's story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

She was a whirling cloud of death, a queen of shadows, and these men were already carrion.

*Beware of spoilers if you have not read the entire series

The Good

This book! It's so good I feel like there's no possible way my review can do it justice, but I'll try.

Aelin Galynthinius is on a mission to take down 2 men and rescue 2 more. She has taken a long look at herself and her flaws and forgiven herself, fully embracing and loving who she now is. So much happens in this one. It's almost as if every act comes back full circle with karma responding. Every kindness repaid, every cruelty punished. I love how all the characters are brought back together with some new faces adding excitement to the mix. I LOVE these characters!! Every single character means a lot to me. There are "good" characters, those so flawed in-between characters, and those that are beyond easy to hate. So much action. So many changes.

It has that 'watch over here' while the characters are working on their plans, and I'm trying to figure out how they will possibly get out of the situations they find themselves in. I love the little surprises and pieces of plans that I don't find out until they happen (sort of like watching the Oceans 11 - 13 movies). This series gives me all the feels. I laughed out loud numerous times, got tears in my eyes others. Queen of Shadows is an amazing journey that revs things up and brings all the pieces together.

The Bad

Not one thing can be criticized by me in this one.

The Romance

I want me a Rowan please. If anyone knows a place to order one, let me know. Everything that came before pales in comparison. She didn't fully love or know herself yet so she couldn't offer that to someone else, but she's found her place in the world and her self-love so she's fully ready to share it with that worthy person.

Conclusion

I honestly can't believe everything that went down in Queen of Shadows and I already want to go back and read it again. In honesty, it was so epic that it felt like a gratifying finale to the series, and we still have two more to go! I devoured it in two sittings. Absolutely, 100% recommended!

Excerpts

“Actually, I believe the title our esteemed friends in the empire now like to use is 'fire-breathing bitch-queen.'"

At last she met his stare, with eyes that were too old, too sad and tired to be nineteen. It has been a mistake to ever call her a girl - and there were indeed moments when Rowan forgot how young she truly was. The woman before him shouldered burdens that would break the spine of someone three times her age. "If you're a monster, I'm a monster," he said with a grin broad enough to show off his elongated canines.

But Rowan didn't dare grab for Aelin's hand to see the ring. She didn't move; she didn't speak. She just sat there and stared at the wall of the carriage. A perfect, broken, obedient doll.

Aelin made to slip out, but Arobynn said, "Aren't you the least bit curious where we buried Sam?"

Review: Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas

Published: September 2, 2014 Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Format: ebook
Source: Purchased

Goodreads Summary

She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one.

Celaena Sardothien has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak—but at an unspeakable cost. Now she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth...a truth about her heritage that could change her life—and her future—forever.

Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. To defeat them, Celaena must find the strength to not only fight her inner demons but to battle the evil that is about to be unleashed.

The king's assassin takes on an even greater destiny and burns brighter than ever before in this follow-up to the New York Times bestselling Crown of Midnight.

“She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one.” 

*Beware of spoilers if you have not read the series

The Good

There is an entirely new setting for the book and a bunch of new characters. It's great to see this fortress for demi-fae to live and the different powers some of them possess. Celaena goes by about 3 different names and none of them seem to fit her until the end.

In the beginning, she's broken. She doesn't want to feel anything, just wants to complete her promise. She finally works through the grief and emptiness and emerges even more badass than she was before. Her other friends from the first two that are still alive, we get to follow what transpires for them as well. We swing back and forth watching different characters in their own situations.

I feel like the story keeps building and building. Each book is entirely separate yet a full piece of the puzzle. I'm so invested in the characters, especially Celaena, and really want to see her succeed.

The Bad

I was a little bored with the parts that followed Manon around, but I have faith that she serves a large purpose in the story so I'm happy to take it all in.

The Romance

There is no romance for Celaena in this one to speak of, though I've got to say I adore Rowan. I'm very much hoping something comes of this pair. Their bickering in the beginning turns into a solid understand and acceptance of each other as well as that feeling of being worthy. Everything that I couldn't see working out with the other two, I'm praying for with him.

Conclusion

Each book just builds and builds. While I'm reading, I'm right there with her, clenching my fists, and praying that she makes it through. The characters keep growing and mysteries keep coming up and getting solved only to have more mysteries revealed. Heir of Fire ends on both a heart-breaking and hope-filled note. If you haven't started this series, you absolutely should!

Excerpts

“Because I am lost," she whispered onto the earth. "And I do not know the way.” 

“The people you love are just weapons that will be used against you.” 

“As for Celaena," he said again, "you do not have the right to wish she were not what she is. The only thing you have a right to do is decide whether you are her enemy or her friend.” 


“It would not take a monster to destroy a monster - but light, light to drive out darkness.”