REVIEW | Anne BISHOP: Written in Red (The Others, #1)

Per gli amanti di fantasy ed urban fantasy italiani stò seriamente incrociando le dita perché, prima o poi, venga pubblicata una delle migliori serie urban fantasy da me lette negli ultimi anni. L’avventura di The Others è iniziata nel marzo 2013 con Written in Red e a cadenza annuale è proseguita con Murder of Crows e Vision in SIlver (in fast-review-upprogramma poi altri due titoli nei prossimi due anni). L’autrice, Anne Bishop, ha vinto diversi riconoscimenti nel mondo fantasy e con questa sua “nuova” serie si sta dimostrando una vera forza della natura. Il primo volume, Written In Red, di cui stò per andare a parlarvi è stata una rivelazione quando uscì…una storia innovativa, dark ma allo stesso tempo con accenni di umorismo, estremamente contemporanea e reale.

Written in Red
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Rating: ★★★★½
Editore ROC
ISBN 9780451417909
B008RD34VO
Prezzo $ 7.99 mm paperback
Pagine 487
Uscita 05 march 2013
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Written in Red
Anne Bishop

The Others, book 1

No one creates realms like “New York Times “bestselling author Anne Bishop. Now in a thrilling new fantasy series, enter a world inhabited by the Others, unearthly entities–vampires and shape-shifters among them–who rule the Earth and whose prey are humans.
As a “cassandra sangue,” or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut–a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard–a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

Anne Bishop lives in upstate New York where she enjoys gardening, music, and writing dark, romantic stories. She is the author of fourteen novels, including the award-winning Black Jewels Trilogy. Her most recent novel,Twilight’s Dawn, made the New York Times bestsellers list. She is currently working on a new series, which is an urban dark fantasy with a bit of a twist. Crawford Award (2000)

review
Il mondo, Namid, costruito dall’autrice per la serie è un mondo estremamente simile al nostro, se non per gli essere che lo dominano: gli Altri (the Others). Namid ha creato tutte le creature esistenti ed oltre agli Altri, esseri dai diversi poteri tra cui la metamorfosi in animali, anche quelle creature terribili e meravigliose che sono le cassandra sangue. Come già il nome fa intuire, sono persone in grado di predire il futuro… tramite l’attento procedimento di tagliarsi con un rasoio. Ogni taglio è attentamente controllato perchè dia la miglior visione possibile e per questo è da tempo che le cassandra sangue vengono tenute “protette” in centri privati ad uso e consumo di coloro che possono permettersi i loro servigi. Le ragazze (non si conosce di cassandra sangue di sesso maschile) vengono quindi cresciute in cattività, addestrate meticolosamente, abusate e gettate via quando la loro utilitià si è ormai esaurita. Meg Corbyn, la protagonista, è una cassandra sangue fuggita da una di queste prigioni che, all’inizio del romanzo, trova rifugio presso il Lakeside Courtyard, un luogo di contatto costruito dagli Altri per poter interagire con gli umani, da loro ritenuti cibo intelligente. Ciò che colpisce il lettore immediatamente in questo romanzo è proprio il popolo degli Altri. Non sono persone, non è possibile identificarle come tali. Sono creature superiori, per forza o poteri paranormali, che ragionano come animali o forze della natura in grado di distruggere qualsiasi cosa gli si ponga di fronte, ma che hanno consapevolmente deciso di interagire con gli umani perché loro utili dato che li riforniscono di invenzioni e creazioni. La terra è di loro proprietà e solo grazie a concessioni gi umani hanno potuto costruire i loro insediamenti e prosperare. Il rapporto tra le due specie però rimane estremamente fragile, qualsiasi paso falso umano (solitamente dovuto ad arroganza e sconsideratezza) può portare a conseguenze terrificanti come la completa distruzione di un insediamento. Sarà l’incontro tra una ingenua e spaesata cassandra sangue (comunque umana anche se speciale) e questi esseri a far iniziare, in questo primo romanzo, qualcosa di unico e mai visto prima. Politica, intrighi, nuove scoperte, assassinii a sangue freddo… questo e molto altro è Written in Red. Un libro davvero da non lasciarsi sfuggire.

REVIEW | Shelly LAURENSTON: The Unleashing (Call of Craws #1)

The Unleashing (Call of Crows #1) by Shelly Laurenston
Rating: ★★★★½
Editore Kensington
ISBN 9781617735059
Prezzo $ 15.00 paperback
$ 9.99 ebook
Pagine 373
Uscita 31 march 2015
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WINGING IT

fast-review-upKera Watson never expected to face death behind a Los Angeles coffee shop. Not after surviving two tours lugging an M16 around the Middle East. If it wasn’t for her hot Viking customer showing up too late to help, nobody would even see her die.

In uncountable years of service to the Allfather Odin, Ludvig “Vig” Rundstrom has never seen anyone kick ass with quite as much style as Kera. He knows one way to save her life—but she might not like it. Signing up with the Crows will get Kera a new set of battle buddies: cackling, gossiping, squabbling, party-hearty women. With wings. So not the Marines.

But Vig can’t give up on someone as special as Kera. With a storm of oh-crap magic speeding straight for L.A., survival will depend on combining their strengths: Kera’s discipline, Vig’s loyalty… and the Crows’ sheer love of battle. Boy, are they in trouble.

review
The best book I’ve read since this year started. Period.
This book was exactly what I needed to read. Not some cheesy romance but something paranormally funny and refreshing. Yeah, ok…if truth has to be told, there is a bit of cheesy romance here too but there are also big, bad Vikings so things are balanced for me. XD

As usual the book is not at all perfect. It’s always a matter of moment/needs/likings that flash green or red lights in my reader mind. Even if the good part of the story starts only near the middle of the book, when the real action begins and the basic knowledge required to understand things is settled for all the parties involved (means both the reader and Kera), the overall feeling was definitely a BIG green. In the first part, there was a bit of confusion and sometimes I felt irritated with Kera and the other Crows, this group of powerful women who are the harbingers of death. Given a second chance in life by the Goddess Skuld (for whom they work) they are, after entering the Crows Clan, part of the Norse pantheon of Clans in wait of Ragnarok, the great and final battle. However they are also noisy, blood thirsty, cat-fight-loving, rowdy women and Kera, has an ex Marine with OC syndrome and the “new girl” in the Clans, finds herself in the middle of a major complicated mess.

Anyway, I liked very much the way the author used the Norse mythology for her story, even if I was often picturing in my head the “Marvel movies” Thor every time I was reading about the Raven Clan (you’ll undersand when you’ll read this). Finally, I absolutely loved Vig, the big bear of a Vinking that helps Kera in her new life, and Brodie, the cutest pitt-bull ever in the history of books… but I hope Kera will grow and settle in her Crow new status because she really needs it.

A couple of my favourite quotes from the book:

Vig walked back to his truck. That’s when Stieg drily asked, “Do you need another minute to blush coquettishly and dream about your perfect white wedding?” As Vig walked around the front of his vehicle, he grabbed Stieg by the hair and slammed him face-first into the hood.

“Okay then.” She nodded. “Then let’s do this.”
“Now before we start, there is one thing you always need to keep in mind during this process.”
“What?”
“That everyone, at some point in their life, wants to fly. And soon you’ll actually be doing it.”
“Which means . . . what? Exactly.”
“That you’re better than everyone else.”

REVIEW | Nalini Singh: Rock Hard – Rock Kiss series #2

 Rock Hard (Rock Kiss #2) by Nalini Singh
READ AN EXERPT
on the author website
Rating: ★★★★½
Editore TKA Distribution
ISBN 9781942356059
Prezzo $ 4.99 ebook
$ 13.60 paperback
Pagine 351
Uscita 10 march 2015
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Rock Hard
Nalini Singh

Rock Kiss #2

Wealthy businessman Gabriel Bishop rules the boardroom with the same determination and fast-review-upruthlessness that made him a rock star on the rugby field. He knows what he wants, and he’ll go after it no-holds-barred.

And what he wants is Charlotte Baird.

Charlotte knows she’s a mouse. Emotionally scarred and painfully shy, she just wants to do her job and remain as invisible as possible. But the new CEO—a brilliant, broad-shouldered T-Rex of a man who growls and storms through the office, leaving carnage in his wake—clearly has other plans. Plans that may be equal parts business and bedroom.

If Charlotte intends to survive this battle of wits and hearts, the mouse will have to learn to wrangle the T-Rex. Game on.

review

As you can see, Rock Hard was a great read for me. I waited, excited and impatient, for it to be in my hand and when I started reading it I was in the perfect state of mind to appreciate it wholly. I’m not saying it is perfect because it has its low moments. I’m just saying it was right for me in that moment and then Nalini’s magic did the rest. Therefore for me it’s a full five star book.

The first time I was drawn to Charlie and Gabriel was when I first read Rock Addiction, the first book of this new series. Even then, these two characters where perfectly defined and were showing us that something that speak about great things to come in a romance book. Something that can maybe be classic, speaking of the story, because here we don’t have rock stars at all instead Charlie is an employee and Gabriel is the new CEO of the company where Charlie has worked in the last years. Nonetheless, Rock Hard will leave you with an heart filled to burst and with an eager sigh on your lips.

Gabriel is an ex rugby pro player. He is a strong character that will reminds you of the Alpha males we are used to in the Psy/Changeling series. He is very protective and, if you don’t behave, he can growl at you as a SnowDancer wolf. 😉 Charlie, on the other hand, is a character that develops during the book. Starting as a little mouse afraid of her shadow, with Grabriel’s help (and their banter) she slowly blossoms. I liked her very much. Her strength and courage that, during the book, will allow her to regain a freedom long lost.
Gabriel as well has his dark moments linked to a difficult childhood, but Charlie’s love will help him deal.

In conclusion, a must read for Nalini’s fan and for those who are in search of a classic romance story that will have the effect of making your heartbeat increase and ruin you to all the real boyfriends out there.

“Charlotte arrived at work at seven thirty the next morning to find Gabriel Bishop’s office door open, but no carnivorous predator inside.”

Gabriel’s growling so… be careful of what you are going to say.

Il romanzi della serie:
Rock Addiction Rock Courtship Rock Redemption by Nalini Singh Review

REVIEW | D.R. Graham: One Percenter – Noir et Bleu MC club #1

 One Percenter by D.R. Graham - Noir et Bleu MC Club 1
FREE EXCERPT HERE
Rating: ★★★½☆
Editore Entangled, Embrace
ISBN 9781622663002
Prezzo € 0.99 ebook
Pagine 300
Uscita 23 february 2015
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One Percenter
D.R. Graham

Noir et Bleu MC club #1

99% of bikers obey the law. The other 1% make their own…

Eighteen-year-old Tienne Desrochers grew up in the rough world of the Noir et Bleu Motorcycle Club. Bikers. Family. Outlaws. But after her dad’s murder, she decides she’s had enough. Refusing to end up like her drug-addicted mom, Tienne grabs her younger brother and leaves it all behind…including her boyfriend, Aiden Gyllenhall.

More comfortable in the middle of a bar fight than at a country club, living with her wealthy aunt and uncle is an adjustment, to say the least. No swearing. Designer shoes that pinch. And fast-review-upcharming, corporate types like Leland Crofton instead of super-sexy, tattooed Aiden. But even the upper class can’t escape the toxic touch of underworld violence. And this time, Tienne won’t just learn who she really is—she’ll learn who has her back.

review
If you’re the daughter of an MC member and engaged to another one…how can you leave that violent life behind? Fortunately for Tienne and her brother, it seems that life is starting to change in better. After her dad is killed her aunt and uncle have taken her and her brother to live with them. In that glamorous part of the city the most frightening thing that can happen to you is to wear the wrong dress to the country club. Been beaten or murdered along the road, to assist to the lenght your mother would go to have a dose… she can now leave all that in the past. Her brother can be what he is, without fear of reprisals, and she can follow her dream of becoming an actress.

“I know.” I give him one of my pillows and lay facing him. “You don’t have to take care of her, you know. She never took care of us.” “I want to.” I smile and brush his bangs away from his eyes. “Have you got your outfit picked out for your first day at a fancy private school?” “Flat front trousers and an argyle sweater. How about you? What are you wearing to your first day at a corporate job?” “Frumpy skirt and grandma blouse.” “Sexy.” I laugh. “Night, Lucky Boy.” “Night, T Bear.”

There is only one shadow that hovers over her. It’s the think of leaving Aiden, her best friend since childhood…her boyfriend now. The love of her life. However, she must leave him. He is a member of the MC club and she doesn’t want anything to do with that life anymore.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Everything. I can’t imagine my life without Aiden, but I can imagine it with him, and it’s not good. “Will you pick me up in front of my old house, please?” “Of course. Are you all right?” “No.” “What happened?” I exhale and glance down the street I grew up on. All the shitty old houses with the chewed-up lawns and beat-up cars out front. “I don’t want my mom and dad’s life. I want a fresh start.” “I’ll be right there.”

And then… then there is Leland. So… so obvious in his pursuit, but oh so charming…and better yet, so right in this new life of her. The easier thing to do is to be with him.
To be normal. To fit in.
Even if this is wounding both her heart and Aiden’s.

One Percenter is not really an MC story. The story follows Tienne and is focused on her growth. On her struggle to find her way, to be better and not make the same mistakes of her parents. The path she has chosen, however, is not the easiest and dangers can be found in every place, not only in the most obvious one.
To find her happiness she will have to fight…and fight hard.