Red Waters Rising

Today’s post is on Red Waters Rising by Laura Anne Gilman. It is 350 pages long and is published by Saga Press. As it is the third volume in the Devil’s West trilogy you need to have read the first two to understand the story. The cover has Isobel and the river spirit on it. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of the main characters Isobel and Gabriel. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- In the last novel of The Devil’s West trilogy, Isobel, the Devil’s Left Hand, and Gabriel ride through the magical land of the Territory to root out evil by the way of mad magicians, ghosts, and twisted animal spirits.

As Isobel and Gabriel travel to the southern edge of the Territory, they arrive in the free city of Red Stick. Tensions are running high as the homesteading population grows, crowding the native lands, and suspicions rise across the river from an American fort.

But there is a sickness running through Red Stick and Isobel begins to find her authority challenged. She’ll be abandoned, betrayed, and forced to stand her ground as the Devil’s left hand in this thrilling conclusion to The Devil’s West Trilogy.

Review- An excellent conclusion to a great series but I want Gilman to write more! Isobel comes into her own in the novel and she is more than just the Devil’s Left Hand. She is silver-touched, which in this world is very important and powerful in its own right. Everything from the first two novels comes together and the finishing is great. Gilman did a wonderful  job with this trilogy, from the world building to how the characters grew and changed over the course of the novels. Gilman is a wonderful writer and this trilogy is everything that a weird west fantasy should be. I highly recommend this trilogy and Gilman as an author. 

I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this novel from my local library.

Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre

Today’s review is on Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks. It is 286 pages long and is published by Del Rey Books. The cover is white with a red giant footprint and a human footprint inside it. The intended reader is someone who likes horror novels, monster novels, and Bigfoot. There is mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this novel. The story is from first person close of Kate, the main character, and other first hand interviews about the Rainier massacre. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- As the ash and chaos from Mount Rainier's eruption swirled and finally settled, the story of the Greenloop massacre has passed unnoticed, unexamined . . . until now.
But the journals of resident Kate Holland, recovered from the town's bloody wreckage, capture a tale too harrowing--and too earth-shattering in its implications--to be forgotten.
In these pages, Max Brooks brings Kate's extraordinary account to light for the first time, faithfully reproducing her words alongside his own extensive investigations into the massacre and the legendary beasts behind it.
Kate's is a tale of unexpected strength and resilience, of humanity's defiance in the face of a terrible predator's gaze, and inevitably, of savagery and death.
Yet it is also far more than that.
Because if what Kate Holland saw in those days is real, then we must accept the impossible. We must accept that the creature known as Bigfoot walks among us--and that it is a beast of terrible strength and ferocity.
Part survival narrative, part bloody horror tale, part scientific journey into the boundaries between truth and fiction, this is a Bigfoot story as only Max Brooks could chronicle it--and like none you've ever read before. 

Review- A wonderful horror novel by Brooks, that brings Sasquatch and classic monster Killer movies into the modern-day. Brooks frames this novel as an investigation that he gets involved in when he's contacted by the main character's older brother as he continues to search for her. The story is told in first-person narrative of the journals left behind by Kate and of the interviews done by Brooks. The writing style is absolutely fantastic, The narrative is compelling, and at times the plot had me very anxious about how everything was going to turn out. Brooks managed to get around the main problem with monster attack stories, which is caring about the characters when you know they're all going to die. He does this very successfully and you care about the people who die, some more than others of course, and in the end you're left with questions and wanting to know what exactly happened up there. There is no doubt that the Bigfoot killed everyone but did they kill everyone or where enough left behind to start killing the Bigfoot? It's not clear but it is a good ending to a surprisingly well-written horror novel.

I give this novel of Five out of Five Stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library. 

These Vengeful Souls

Today's review is on These Vengeful Souls by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas. It is 287 pages long and is published by Swoon reads. The cover is a blue gray with a pendant in the center that has a lock of hair in it. As it is the third volume of These Vicious Masks trilogy you need to have read the first two books in order to understand the story. There is very mild foul language, no sexuality and Mild violence in this novel. The story is told from third-person close of the main character Evelyn. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- England, 1833. On the run with the grieving Sebastian Braddock, Evelyn wants two things: to be reunited with her friends, and to get revenge on the evil Captain Goode. Not only has he misused his and Sebastian's powers to rack up a terrible death toll, but he's also completely destroyed any hope of Evelyn or her friends regaining the lives they once knew.

Evelyn is determined to make Captain good pay for what he's done, but is her revenge worth risking the lives of Sebastian and her friends? Or is it better to flee the city and focus on staying alive? And with the Captain spreading lies about Sebastian in an attempt to flush them out of hiding and turn the populace against them, does she even have a choice at all? 

Review- Good but slightly unsatisfying ending to a fun trilogy. We pick up exactly where the last volume left off with Evelyn and Sebastian hiding in a church trying to find their friends. Captain Goode has taken complete control of the society either by force or by promises. In addition he has used his influence to turn London against Evelyn and her friends’, Sebastian in particular. So there's lots of problems to solve in this volume and not a lot of time to solve them in. In the end the bad guys are dealt with, the good guys win, and all's right with the world. But I felt unsatisfied with the ending. I think part of that is because we don't get to see Evelyn and Sebastian really do anything . The epilogue is a letter that Sebastian has written for the next person who will inherit his poison powers, and that's the end. I don't think the authors are intending to write any more following these characters, but I would like them too. I would like to see when Evelyn and Sebastian do, they talked of going to India to help fight against the colonial powers but that's all. So I would have to say that this volume is the weakest of the trilogy but if you've read the other two you should read this one just to follow them all the way to the end and to see Evelyn finish her character development. 

I give this final volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing from my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

The Promised Neverland, vol. 1

Today’s review is on The Promised Neverland, vol. 1 by Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump Advanced. The cover is a picture of the three main characters on it looking at the reader. There is no foul language, no sex, and implied and discussion of violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of different characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Emma, Norman and Ray are the brightest kids at the Grace Field House orphanage. And under the care of the woman they refer to as “Mom,” all the kids have enjoyed a comfortable life. Good food, clean clothes and the perfect environment to learn—what more could an orphan ask for? One day, though, Emma and Norman uncover the dark truth of the outside world they are forbidden from seeing.

Review- Fantastic first volume and a new series with an incredible start. The Promised Neverland starts off very slow with the reader not being sure anything is wrong until well into the first chapter; all you see the idyllic life that the children are lead, some of them are adopted and some of them are not but they all get enough to eat, their clothes are clean and they receive an education, everything that they could possibly need to thrive including a woman that they call Mother. But by the end of the first chapter our main characters Emma and Norman realize that they are being raised as food for things they call Monsters. From there the story continues slowly with them discovering the limitations that they have on them, how far they can go, and how tragically little they know of the real world. Emma is a driving force in the manga and she is determined to save every one of her siblings that she can, even though she understands that no matter what she does a lot of them are probably going to die. I look forward to seeing where this manga goes and what the outside world is really like.

I give this manga a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing from my review and I bought this mango with my own money. 

Gunparade March volume 3

Today's book review is on Gunparade March volume 3 Hiroyuki Sanadura. It is 241 pages long and was published by ADV Manga. The cover has four of the main characters on it with dramatic looks on their faces.As is the third volume in the series you need to read the first two in order to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who has read the first two volumes, likes Mecha manga, and very Japanese story lines. The story is told from third-person close of the main character Hayami.  There is mild foul language, implied sexuality, and violence in this manga. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The war against the Phantom Beast rages on, and absolute victory for Army Unit 5121 seems impossible. Hayami’s latest preoccupation with heroism won't stop the enemy from easing its way through the gun smoke, and these extraterrestrial invaders don't play by the rules of war! with enough bone-splitting mecha under their belts to flatten the teenage troops, the Phantom Beast will stop at nothing to annihilate the soldiers of Earth!

Review-  An interesting conclusion to a complex series, that asks more questions than it answers within the frame of the story. So it's discovered that the Phantom Beasts are actually humans who have somehow been transformed through despair or something along those lines in their heart, it's not very clear. The war is won, if not very clear how, but at the end of the volume Humanity has somehow managed to push the Phantom Beast back. I did enjoy this series. I found it a very nice mix of the different series that I have watched and read over the years in particular Fafner in the Blue and Neon Genesis Evangelion, but without all of the Christian imagery. Revelations of the title which is apparently a song about soldiers carrying on no matter how bad circumstances look, and that was nice to see where the title came from. If you can get your hands on this, as ADV is a defunct company at this point, I would recommend the series if you enjoy mecha stories.

I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this mango with my own money. 

Gunparade March, volume 2

Today's review is on Gunparade March, volume 2 by Hiroyuki Sanadura. It is 190 pages long and it was published by ADV manga. The cover has three of the characters on it in an action scene. The intended reader is someone who has read the first volume likes of Mecca manga in war storm . There is very mild foul language, mild sexuality, and warlike violence in this volume. The story is told from third-person close of the main character Hayami. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Full Phantom Force!

 50 years since the Invasion, the Phantom Beast devastating extermination of the human race continues. With its body count Rising, Japan was forced teenagers into the battle. Army unit 5121 is no exception. Victory is that is fine, but when the realities of War feel the pangs of hunger and the desire to live another day, will these battle-hardened teams have the strength to face failure and tragedy? survival and Triumph or Not Guaranteed, but count on the brave teens of the world to fight courageously in Gunparade March!

Review-  We pick up right after the ending of the first volume with unit 5121 going back into the battlefield after their Beach vacation. Akira has been given AMAC to fight in and the first half of the manga is dealing with that battle and the biggest loss being losing Akira to the Phantom Beast in spite of everyone's best efforts. Shibamura has to face herself and deal with feeling like she let her honor and her friends down. But the most interesting thing that happens in this manga has to do with how Hayami really joined unit 5121.  We find out more about his past, that he was some kind of test subject. What we see of the lab that he was in, there were Phantom beasts and other children in there. I hope in the last volume it explains what's going on; are the children Phantom beasts, are the Phantom Beast human, or some or is some other kind of strange experiment going on to try and stop the Phantom Beast? With a lot of threads to clear up with only one volume left I'm curious to see how Sanadura can do it. 

I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this mango with my own money.

Vampire Hunter D volume 1

Today's post is on Vampire Hunter D volume 1 by Hideyuki Kikuchi, Yoshitaka Amano and translated by Keith Leahy. It is i 235 pages long and is published by Dark Horse. The cover is a beautiful illustration of D and Doris on his horse in the moonlight. The intended reader is someone likes unique fantasy, science fiction, and horror stories. There is some foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of different characters to give insight into this very strange world. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- It is the year 12,090 A.D. The world has ended, ravaged in a firestorm of man's wars and madness. But from the wreckage a few humans manage to survive. A few humans... and something else.
Doris Lang knew what her fate was when the vampire lord Count Magnus Lee bit her. An agonizing transformation into one of the undead, to be stalked by her fellow villagers or cursed to become the bride of the unholy creature and face an eternity of torment, driven  by the thirst for human blood. There was only one chance, and as she watched him ride in from the distance she knew there was hope. Salvation... from a vampire hunter named D.

Review- As someone who loves anime and has watched the two movies many times, I really enjoyed reading this first novel. The writing is so beautiful with the images that Kikuchi makes are so surreal but fully imagined. The world is so strange with interesting and frightening creatures in it. D is interesting and so different from how he is in the movie; in the movie he is very stoic not speaking much but in the novel he is more verbal and I liked hearing things from him. He is still mysterious with who he really is and what he really is doing as he travels the wasteland but he feels more real because of the verbal interactions. The villains were interesting and different from each other with different motivations for their actions and some are not 'real' villains just on the other side of the story. I look forward to reading more in this interesting world as D travels.

I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I bought this book with my money and I get nothing for my review.

A Darker Shade of Magic

Today's post is on A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab. It is 398 pages long and is published by Tor Books. The cover is white with two circles, one red and one black, with a figure between them going into the red one. The intended reader is someone who likes fantasy, interesting magic systems, and fast paced plots. There is foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the two main characters moving as the story does. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Kell is one of the last Antari— magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.
Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.
Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.
After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.
Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.

Review- This book is so good that I am not sure where to begin. The characters, the plot, the magic, the bad guys, all of it is just the best. Our two main characters are fun, clever, quick on the take to what is going on, and they do not give up just because that would be easier. They are not afraid of the hard road. The plot is interesting with just enough of the past being shown to intrigue without getting bogged down in the details. The magic is fun, not original as it is blood magic, but still a fun way to take blood magic without being all blood magic is evil. The bad guys are crazy, power-mad, and quite evil, even to their own minds. I had so fun with this book and I look forward to reading the next one.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.

These Vicious Masks

Today's post is on These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker, Kelly Zekas. It is the first in their These Vicious Masks trilogy. The cover is grey with a black mask in the center and red ribbon trailing from it. The intended reader is someone who likes historical fantasy, Victorian X-Men, and fast plots. There is very mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from the first person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they’re not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true—and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared.  

Review- I loved this book so much. X-Men in Victorian London is right up my alley. The writing is tight, the characters are fun, and the plot has just the right amount of action, mystery, and love story. The powers are varied and very interesting because they change the how that we see the character, not just how the other characters interact with each other. Evelyn is great, she has the healing powers and she can share them with others around her. The villain is nicely evil enough and I believed that he would do anything to get his end goals, which to him were good but to everyone else he was crazy and beyond help. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next volume and explore more of this world.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this volume from my local library.

The Cold Eye

Today's post is on The Cold Eye by Laura Anne Gilman. It is the second on her The Devil's West series, so to understand the story you need to have read the first one. It is 330 pages long and is published by Saga Press. The cover is sky blue with Isobel in the left hand center with her hand up showing the Devil's Mark and a reaper flying above her. The intended reader is someone who read the first one and likes alternative history. There is mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the the two main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- In the anticipated sequel to Silver on the Road, Isobel is riding circuit through the Territory as the Devil's Left Hand. But when she responds to a natural disaster, she learns the limits of her power and the growing danger of something mysterious that is threatening not just her life, but the whole Territory.
Isobel is the left hand of the old man of the Territory, the Boss—better known as the Devil. Along with her mentor, Gabriel, she is traveling circuit through Flood to represent the power of the Devil and uphold the agreement he made with the people to protect them. Here in the Territory, magic exists—sometimes wild and perilous.
But there is a growing danger in the bones of the land that is killing livestock, threatening souls, and weakening the power of magic. In the next installment of the Devil’s West series, Isobel and Gabriel are in over their heads as they find what’s happening and try to stop the people behind it before it unravels the Territory.

Review- This volume picks up just days after the last one with Gabriel still healing and Isobel realizing the real limits of her new job. But there is no rest for the wicked and something very wicked is going on. Isobel wakes up with something telling her to go and she follows the voice into trouble and broken land. There is some more world building in this volume and I still really like this world. Isobel grows so much over the course of this book. She still has far to go but she covers so much ground. Gabriel is going to have to choose where his loyal is and to who.With the United States wanting to come into the Territory and as long as they are just looking the Boss cannot do anything to stop them. But Isobel can and that the real point of this volume. I hope that it will be more than one more book but that said I cannot wait to read the next one.

I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Exile for Dreamers

Today's post is on Exile for Dreamers by Kathleen Baldwin. It is the second in her Stranje House series. It is 384 pages long and is published by Tor Teen. The cover has the main character with her back to the reader walking to Stranje House. The intended reader is young adult, likes historical fiction with strong romance themes, and just a little magic. There is no foul language, no sex, and only mild violence in this book. The story is told from first person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- It’s 1814. Napoleon has escaped his imprisonment on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And at Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, five young ladies are secretly being trained for a world of spies, diplomacy, and war.

Tess Aubreyson can’t run far enough or fast enough to escape the prophetic dreams that haunt her. Dreams bring nothing but death and grief, and Tess refuses to accept that she may be destined for the same madness that destroyed her mother. Until her disturbing dreams become the only means of saving Lord Ravencross, the man she loves, and her fellow students at Stranje House. Tess’s old friend, the traitorous Lady Daneska, and Ghost, the ruthless leader of the Iron Crown, have returned to England, intent on paving the way for Napoleon’s invasion. Can the young ladies of Stranje House prevail once more? Or is England destined to fall into the hands of the power-mad dictator?

Review- An excellent sequel that will leave you wanting more. I really enjoyed the first Stranje House novel but I was worried about changing main characters for the second story. I should not have been. I loved reading about Tess and Gabriel's story. They are fun characters who get in over their heads but act like it was all their own idea the whole time. With Tess' fear of passing down her visions, she believes that she cannot be with anyone. Gabriel, now that he has found someone to love, he is not going to just let her be. Add in all the drama of a French invasion, a half-mad American inventor, and all of the personalities of the other young women and you have one interesting and fun tale. Tess grows so much over the course of this book and I'm sad to see her take a background place from now on but I really had fun with her. I can't wait for the next volume in this series.

I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this novel from my local library.

Ghost Talkers

Today's post is on Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal. It is a stand alone novel best I can tell. It is 299 pages long and is published by TOR. The cover multicolored with the main character in the center and a dead man at her feet. The intended reader is someone who likes historical novels with something extra, interesting worlds, and plots that keep you guessing. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Ginger Stuyvesant, an American heiress living in London during World War I, is engaged to Captain Benjamin Harford, an intelligence officer. Ginger is a medium for the Spirit Corps, a special Spiritualist force.
Each soldier heading for the front is conditioned to report to the mediums of the Spirit Corps when they die so the Corps can pass instant information about troop movements to military intelligence.
Ginger and her fellow mediums contribute a great deal to the war efforts, so long as they pass the information through appropriate channels. While Ben is away at the front, Ginger discovers the presence of a traitor. Without the presence of her fiance to validate her findings, the top brass thinks she's just imagining things. Even worse, it is clear that the Spirit Corps is now being directly targeted by the German war effort. Left to her own devices, Ginger has to find out how the Germans are targeting the Spirit Corps and stop them. This is a difficult and dangerous task for a woman of that era, but this time both the spirit and the flesh are willing…

Review- This is one of the best books I have read last year. The plot is wonderful with just enough mystery to keep moving, the characters are interesting with lots of personality, and the world building is fantastic. The war is in the background of the story, it is something that is everywhere but it is not overwhelming. Ginger is a good heroine. She is interesting, she is curious, and she is brave. She does what needs to be done because it is right and if she doesn't do it who will? Kowal builds a very real world of people who can talk to ghosts. I wonder is she is going to continue in this world and what other magic may exist in it.

I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Scarlet Devices

Today's post is on Scarlet Devices by Delphine Drysen. It is the second in her Steam and Seduction series. It is 279 pages long and is published by Berkley Sensation. The cover has the two main characters on it with a steam train behind them. The intended reader is someone who likes steampunk, romance, and travel stories. There is mild foul language, sex, and mild violence in this novel. The story is told from third person close of the main characters moving as needed over the course of the story. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- DRIVEN TO WIN.  DRAWN TO LOVE.
Fresh from university, Eliza Hardison is determined to crusade for workers’ rights until her cousin Dexter, the Makesmith Baron, prevails on her to represent Hardison House in the American Dominion Sky and Steam Rally.
The competition is fierce, but only one opponent really matters to Eliza. Dexter’s protégé, Matthew Pence, was always like a big brother to her. But now she’s grown up, and Matthew has made a break from Hardison House with his own business venture—and made his own entry in the rally.
Matthew intends to win while keeping Eliza safe on the perilous route from New York to San Francisco. As the threats escalate through treacherous skies and uncharted American wilds, though, Eliza and Matthew must work together, discovering a bond deeper than either could have imagined…but is winning the rally more important than winning at love?

Review- This is a fun second in the Steam and Seduction series. The characters were fun, the plot was really interesting, and I liked traveling in this world. The real plot is about people who have gone missing. The race is just the way to get there. Eliza is fun, she is a very well educated wealthy woman, who wants to make a difference in the world. Matthew wants to make his own way in the world. Together they both want to win this race. But something more is going on the background of the race. People have been going missing and no one knows anything about it. So with the race, the missing persons, and the romance, this is one fast-paced story. If you read the first one and liked it, then you will like this one too.

I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

A School for Unusual Girls

Today's post is on A School for Unusual Girls by Kathlenn Baldwin. It is the first in her Stranje House series. It is 334 pages long and published by TOR Teen. The cover has the main character on it with her back to the reader moving towards a house in the distance. The intended reader is someone who likes alternate history, strong female characters, and spy plots. There is mild foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from the first person perspective of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- Welcome to Stranje House.
It’s 1814. Napoleon is exiled on Elba. Europe is in shambles. Britain is at war on four fronts. And Stranje House, a School for Unusual Girls, has become one of Regency England’s dark little secrets. The daughters of the beau monde who don’t fit high society’s constrictive mold are banished to Stranje House to be reformed into marriageable young ladies. Or so their parents think. In truth, Headmistress Emma Stranje, the original unusual girl, has plans for the young ladies—plans that entangle them in the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.
After accidentally setting her father’s stables on fire while performing a scientific experiment, Miss Georgiana Fitzwilliam is sent to Stranje House. But Georgie has no intention of being turned into a simpering, pudding-headed, marriageable miss. She plans to escape as soon as possible—until she meets Lord Sebastian Wyatt. Thrust together in a desperate mission to invent a new invisible ink for the English war effort, Georgie and Sebastian must find a way to work together without losing their heads—or their hearts…

Review- I had a wonderful time with this book. Georgie is great, she is full of fire and vinegar. She refuses to be just tossed aside by her parents and family. She is going to take some control over her life and she does. But she does it in way that she could not have foreseen. The setting it interesting, the history does get played with but that is why its alternate history. The romance is mild and mixed in with the confusion of what is going on. I liked Sebastian and did not find him too annoying. I believed that Georgie did sweep him off his feet and all the problems that brings with it. The first book is about Georgie but the books that will follow are about the other girls. I have mixed feelings about this. I want to see what is going to happen with Georgie and Sebastian but I do like the other girls enough to read about them. I look forward to seeing where this story is going to go.

I give this novel a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Rurouni Kenshin volume 20

Today's post is on Rurouni Kenshin volume 20 by Nobuhiro Watsuki. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump. The cover has Kenshin in the foreground and Enishi in the background looking over his shoulder. It is the twentieth volume in the long running series. You have to have read the first nineteen in the series to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes historical stories, manga, and interesting characters. There is no foul language, no sex, but some violence in this series. The story is told from third person close following different characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- To build a new age, must one truly be mad enough to turn from the extreme justice that political allegiance requires? Deep in the Japanese countryside, far from the gore-spattered streets of the capital, a man who never knew what happiness was begins a new life as husband to a woman who claims to have nowhere else to go. If a man cannot fight to protect the woman he loves, what will become of the nation? Can one woman alone be enough to hold back the madness?

Review- We continue with Kenshin's tragic past in this volume. How he met Tomoe, how he fell in love with her, and the volume ends with him fighting to save her from the people she was working for. The story moves very quickly and is full of historical facts for the history lovers. We get to see Enishi as a child and he is not very different from the man he will become, just a little less crazy. We do get a break from the very sad tale to see what Enishi is doing. He is lying to the men he is working with and while I think that Enishi is going to make it out alright I cannot say the same for those men. Whatever Enishi is planning is going to pretty terrible. The volume ends with Tomoe refusing to sell Kenshin out and Kenshin is in a fighting rage. More Action and Drama Ahead!

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money. 

Gossamer Wing

Today's post is on Gossamer Wing by Delphine Dryden. It is the first in her Steam and Seduction series. It is 300 pages long and is published by Berkley Sensation. The cover has the two main characters on it and it so funny. It is the most cheesy steampunk cover ever but do not judge this book by its cover. There is foul language, sex, and some violence in this novel. The story is told third person close moving from one character to another. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- A Spy. An Airship. And a Broken Heart.
After losing her husband to a rogue French agent, Charlotte Moncrieffe wants to make her mark in international espionage. And what could be better for recovering secret long-lost documents from the Palais Garnier than her stealth dirigible, Gossamer Wing? Her spymaster father has one condition: He won’t send her to Paris without an ironclad cover.
Dexter Hardison prefers inventing to politics, but his title as Makesmith Baron and his formidable skills make him an ideal husband-imposter for Charlotte. And the unorthodox undercover arrangement would help him in his own field of discovery.
But from Charlotte and Dexter’s marriage of convenience comes a distraction—a passion that complicates an increasingly dangerous mission. For Charlotte, however, the thought of losing Dexter also opens her heart to a thrilling new future of love and adventure.

Review- This is a fun steampunk love story. As it is a romance novel the main point of the story is the two characters falling in love, so the steampunk stuff is just in the background. The dirigible is cool and I liked the scenes with it but this is a love story. I liked both characters. Dexter is very compassionate to Charlotte having to play at being in love when she is still mourning her husband but Dexter knows very quickly that he is in love with her. So he has to help Charlotte be okay with being in love with someone else. Charlotte just wants to get her revenge on the French agent that murdered  her first husband and she does not care if that kills her. That said she is not stupid. When they come together there is real passion. I had a fun time with this story and I look forward to reading the others in the series.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Rurouni Kenshin volume 19

Today's post is on Rurouni Kenshin volume 19 by Nobuhiro Watsuki. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump. The cover has Kenshinon the bottom with Enishi on top and Tomoe between them. It is the nineteenth volume in the long running series. You have to have read the first eighteen in the series to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes historical stories, manga, and interesting characters. There is no foul language, no sex, but some violence in this series. The story is told from third person close following different characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- It began with a sin, committed by Kenshin, back during his bloody days as hitokiri or a government-sanctioned slayer of men. Although stopping most of the assassins who still come seeking revenge should be easy enough, what of the innocent--Sanosuke and Yahiko (Kenshin's comrades), everyone at Akabeko Inn (Kenshin's friends), Kaoru (Kenshin's...?). For once there was another love in Kenshin's life, one which--given his nature--must by definition have been tragic. Can Kenshin escape the shades of his past, and find the will to fight for the real world--for the living--for reality?!

Review- We finish the two fights from the last volume and at last Kenshin's past is going to be revealed. Kenshin meets Enishi as he is returning to the dojo after his fight. Enishi explains what he is doing. He wants Kenshin to suffer and he knows that just punishing or even killing Kenshin will not make that happen. He is going to destroy everyone who has even spoken to Kenshin in passing. Enishi's very presence is playing with Kenshin's mind. He is starting to see things like skulls all around him and Tomoe beside Enishi. Until now the villains that Kenshin has fought were driven towards personal goals, or greedy, or mad. But from I have seen of Enishi so far is he just insane. He talks to Tomoe and hears her response to him. I am very excited about this last arc in Rurouni Kenshin and to see where everyone is going to end up.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money. 

Something Strange and Deadly

Today's post is on Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennnard. It is the first in her Something Strange and Deadly series. It is 388 pages long and is published by HarperTeen. The cover has the main character on it wearing a lovely black dress. The intended reader is someones who likes historical fantasy, unusual plots, and mild romance. There in mild foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from first person of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- There's something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia. . . .
Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about.
Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she's just read in the newspaper:
The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.
And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor . . . from her brother.
Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she'll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including the maddeningly stubborn yet handsome Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

Review- A fun and unusual historical urban fantasy. Eleanor does take a little while to grow on you but she is really up against a wall for the whole story. Her mother has wasted all their money and now they need her brother to return and save them from the poor house. Eleanor is a young woman of her time with needs and wants that are greater than they 'should' be. She wants to be more than just a woman of her time. She wants to be her own. I think that nercomacy which is the magic for this series is very fun and that zombies are being done right. They do not just raise, someone has to control the body. If the nercomancer loses control then the zombies go on a rampage of destruction. But there are lots of plot things and character things happening that are going to be dealt with in the next book. I am curious about where Dennard is going with the story.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Rurouni Kenshin volume 16

Today's post is on Rurouni Kenshin volume 16 by Nobuhiro Watsuki. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump. The cover has Kenshin and Kaoru on it looking very cool. It is the sixteenth volume in the long running series. You have to have read the first fifteen in the series to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes historical stories, manga, and interesting characters. There is no foul language, no sex, but some violence in this series. The story is told from third person close following different characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Is there such a thing as divine will or guidance...? Seta Sôjirô, stopping for a moment in mid-battle with Kenshin, may be beginning to think so. When Sôjirô made the fateful decision to ally with the monomaniacal Shishio Makoto, his family paid the ultimate price. But is the flesh of the weak truly the sustenance of the strong, as Shishio insists? Kenshin, whose Hiten Mitsurugi school places the protection of the helpless before all else, would surely disagree. In a world where might makes right only too often, what choice have "the wronged" but to wait for a savior? And when that savior comes too late...what then?

Review- This volume has only two fights in it. The ending of the fight with Sôjirô and the first round with Shishio. Kenshin makes Sôjirô questions himself and we get to see his background and how he came to be with Shishio. Then at last the final fight begins with Shishio. Kenshin and Shishio trade verbal barbs before beginning. At first it looks like Kenshin is going to win then Shishio does a trick with gunpower and Kenshin is down at the end of the volume. Only one volume left in the Kyoto Arc and I just do not see how Watsuki is going to be able to rap all this up but I am sure that he will. More fights, more action, and more drama ahead!

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Rurouni Kenshin volume 15

Today's post is on Rurouni Kenshin volume 15 by Nobuhiro Watsuki. It is 192 pages long and is published by Shonen Jump. The cover has Kenshin and Kaoru on it looking very cool. It is the fifteenth volume in the long running series. You have to have read the first fourteen in the series to understand the story. The intended reader is someone who likes historical stories, manga, and interesting characters. There is no foul language, no sex, but some violence in this series. The story is told from third person close following different characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- At the madman Shishio Makoto's headquarters, the long-delayed duel between Kenshin and Shinomori Aoshi concludes, while at Aoi-Ya, those left behind wage their own, desperate battle against Shishio's Juppongatana or "Ten Swords." The strength of one swordsman in particular seems monstrous, and defeat imminent...that is, until Kenshin's former Hiten Mitsurugi master, Hiko Seijûrô, takes the field. Will the respect of one warrior for another succeed where all else has failed? Elsewhere, Kenshin and Sôjirô cross swords at last. Although well-matched, Kenshin's victory is by no means certain...

Review- This volume is a group of three battles. Kaoru and company at the Aoi-Ya, Hiko Seijûrô and a giant, Kenshin and Sôjirô at the end. Kaoru does a wonderful job of keeping the others focused on what is going and not worrying about what could be. Yahiko makes Kaoru proud and Hiko saves not only the Aoi-Ya but the giant who faced him. The volume ends with Kenshin facing Sôjirô, who is a creepy kid. Shishio trained him and he has no emotions, no desires, and no way to stop. Kenshin, of course, at the beginning of the fight is not fast enough and that is where the volume ends. But Sôjirô did not get a killing hit when Sôjirô thought he had landed a killing blow. More action scenes, more drama, and more over-the-topness ahead!

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.