Cry Wolf - Patricia Briggs

Cry Wolf
Patricia Briggs
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 2008
9780441016150

From the back of the book:

Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack...and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she'd learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cormick, the enforcer - and son - of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.

Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna's inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf - a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten the entire pack.

This is a re-read of Cry Wolf, the first book in the Alpha and Omega series. My original review of the book is here. I have to say I enjoyed the read, staying up far too late last night and finishing it this morning. Cry Wolf was as good this time as it was last time.

The story picks up after Patricia Briggs' short story in the anthology On The Prowl, which introduced us to the character Anna Latham, now Anna Cornick. We've already met Charles Cornick briefly in the Mercy Thompson series. You don't have to have read the Mercy Thompson books (which begin with Moon Called), but it does help set up the world and the situations the characters in the Alpha And Omega series find themselves in.

Patricia Briggs has done something somewhat different with this series than she did in the Mercy Thompson books. Where those ones are in a first person viewpoint and are entirely from the view of Mercy Thompson, this series is a more standard viewpoint and does include scenes from other characters views: Charles, Walter and the Moor's as well as others.

While I personally prefer the Mercy Thompson books, I have to say these are so very close a second that there's very little to choose from between them. I'm waiting for the next book following Hunting Ground eagerly.

What Would You Recommend? - Shantaram

This is a question I get asked all the time working in the bookstore: "What would you recommend for somebody who loved "_________"? (fill in the blank)" Usually I can come up with something, but that something can be a bit of a wild guess if it's not a book or genre I normally read. This is where you helpful people come in. If you have a suggestion, I'd love to hear it.

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts is one of those books on my "to read" list, although I haven't gotten a copy yet. Everyone seems to have enjoyed it, and over the last few years I've had a lot of people in the bookstore looking for it. Based on that, I know I have to read it some day. From the back cover and the Chapters.ca computer write-up I get the feeling that this is a cross between a novel and a biography, but I'm not certain.

Now, what would you suggest as a recommedation for someone who liked reading Shantaram? I'm pretty sure that the author doesn't have any other novels available (or not widely available, anyway). I'm thinking that the book A Place Within by M. G. Vasanji, a biography which has also been getting a lot of good reviews would be one possible recommendation. Of course, I have to admit that I haven't read either of them, so I can't say for sure. What would you recommend?

Olympic Torch Relay

I know it's nothing to do with books at all, but I just have to share these photos from the Olympic Torch Relay this morning. There wasn't much of a crowd at this spot so I got some great photos. I think I'm finally getting into the Olympic spirit.

 

  

  

  

  

  

I knew the torch was going to be passing by that location, but I hadn't expected as good a view as I got (was expecting a lot more people to be there, but most went to the party-spots (I went to one of them later in the morning and it was absolutely packed), so I got a great view (and one of the free flags). I thought all I was going to see was the torch going by. What a surprise when the flame got passed to the next bearer right in front of me. I think the photos tell the story of that well enough on their own.

The Elephant Keeper - Christopher Nicholson

The Elephant Keeper
Christopher Nicholson
William Morrow (Publisher)
Copyright: 2009
978-0061651601

Amazon.com product description:

"I asked the sailor what an Elephant looked like; he replied that it was like nothing on earth."

England, 1766: After a long voyage from the East Indies, a ship docks in Bristol, England, and rumor quickly spreads about its unusual cargo—some say a mermaid is on board. A crowd forms, hoping to catch a glimpse of the magical creature. One crate after another is unpacked: a zebra, a leopard, and a baboon. There's no mermaid, but in the final two crates is something almost as magical—a pair of young elephants, in poor health but alive.
Seeing a unique opportunity, a wealthy sugar merchant purchases the elephants for his country estate and turns their care over to a young stable boy, Tom Page. Tom's family has long cared for horses, but an elephant is something different altogether. It takes time for Tom and the elephants to understand one another, but to the surprise of everyone on the estate, a remarkable bond is formed.
The Elephant Keeper, the story of Tom and the elephants, in Tom's own words, moves from the green fields and woods of the English countryside to the dark streets and alleys of late-eighteenth-century London, reflecting both the beauty and the violence of the age. Nicholson's lush writing and deft storytelling complement a captivating tale of love and loyalty between one man and the two elephants that change the lives of all who meet them. 

The Elephant Keeper is a book I picked up on a whim (or rather, I was looking for something to read, after abandoning Lorri Moore's A Gate At The Stairs) thinking it looked interesting. It was indeed. Originally this was going to be the book I reviewed for Royal Reviews, but then I just discovered that I'd marked down the wrong row, and I'm supposed to have a YA novel for that one. I've still got time to get that done though, and therefore I'm reviewing this one here.

It's a book that constantly makes you question whether or not you're reading a novel. It's written as if it's a biography of a young man who has ended up making his life through caring for an elephant. At times it almost felt like I was there.

The whole book is written from his perspective, save for the last chapters, as he struggles with the task of writing a history of the Elephant, the history of Jenny, the elephant it has become his task to care for. At the same time we learn about the young man's life, the changes that caring for the creature has made, and the effects it has had on how he lives. Through the course of the book, Tom becomes very real and you feel for the highs and the lows.

I loved the 'dialogues' between Tom and the Elephant (Jenny). They're just charming. It's as though she's another person in the story, rather than just an animal. She's as much of a character (or more than) as any of the people walking around on two legs in the book.

Christopher Nicholson's book has a very ambiguous ending that left me questioning everything about it. Even the book's status as a novel. Is it based on fact? is there a true story behind this book somewhere? I'd love to know, but then that might take away some of the magic of the story.

Bone Crossed - Patricia Briggs

Bone Crossed
Patricia Briggs
Berkely Trade
Copyright: 2009
9780441016761

From the cover of the book:

Welcome to Patricia Briggs's world, a place where "witches, vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters live beside ordinary people" (Booklist). It takes a very unusual woman to call it home - and there's no one quite like Mercy Thompson.

By day, Mercy is a car mechanic in the sprawling Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shapeshifter with some unique talents, Mercy has often found herself having to maintain a tenuous harmony between the human and the not so human. This time she may get more than she bargained for.

Marsilia, the local Vampire Queen, has learned that Mercy crossed her by slaying a member of her clan - and she's out for blood. But since Mercy is protected from direct reprisal by the werewolf pack (and her close relations hip with its sexy Alpha), it won't be Mercy's blood Marsilia is after.

It'll be her friends.

This is a re-read, as I first read Bone Crossed last year when it came out in hardcover. My original review is here.

The sequel to Iron Kissed, Bone Crossed takes up the story within a couple of days of the ending of the previous book. Mercy certainly doesn't get a break! While she's dealing with the aftermath of the events of Iron Kissed, the events of Blood Bound come back to haunt her. As she knew they would, just not when.

At the same time, she's made her choice between Samuel and Adam. As I said in my last review of Iron Kissed, I'm definitely feeling sorry for Samuel, and I hope Patricia Briggs has something nice planned for him in the future. Charles has his own series: the Alpha and Omega series, so it would be nice if there's something similar planned for his brother.

Definitely a good read, and there's plenty more for the next book, Silver Borne, due out in April (I think). I can't wait. The way the Mercy Thompson series has been going, it should definitely be good. Overall, this is a series that you can read at least twice (probably more, the way I'm enjoying it this time).

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is now hosted at One Person's Journy Through A World Of Books. This is the one meme that I tend to do every week, so I'm really glad to see it continuing.

Anyway, last week I read:
Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs
The Lazy Investor by Derek Foster
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
The Last Colony by John Scalzi

However, from Friday onwards, it's been a bad week. I'm only reading one book at the moment:
The Elephant Keeper by Christopher Nicholson. This one I need to get done, as I'm intending it for a guest review over at Royal Reviews.

Books I intend to read this week:
Honestly, I haven't a clue. I just don't know what I feel like reading this week. I've picked up and put down several different books over the weekend (and ended up watching several movies).

What Would You Recommend? - Alex Rider, Maximum Ride, Cherub

This is a question I get asked all the time working in the bookstore: "What would you recommend for somebody who loved "_________"? (fill in the blank)" Usually I can come up with something, but that something can be a bit of a wild guess if it's not a book or genre I normally read. This is where you helpful people come in. If you have a suggestion, I'd love to hear it.

Not quite "What would you recommend?" this time around, but similar. I've been recommending the above series interchangeably to people who like one or the other of them, but I've started to wonder for the younger readers if the content levels are the same. The reading level looks similar to me, but I haven't read any of the books. I'm recommending them simply based on how many times I've had customers ask me about them (and the positive reviews I've seen on blogs I read).

Why I'm asking is because at the store I work at, Stormbreaker (and the rest of the Alex Rider series) is located in the 9-12 year old's section. The Maximum Ride series and the Cherub series is found under "teens". Are there likely to be any issues with recommending them interchangeably?

And then, there are the kids who've read them all already. What other suggestions could I make? I've been (when I remember) recommending the Young James Bond series, but I don't know of any other books or series I could recommend as well. What would you recommend?

Iron Kissed - Patricia Briggs

Iron Kissed
Patricia Briggs
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 2008
9780441015665

From the back of the book:

I could smell her fear, and it satisfied something deep inside me that had been writhing under her cool, superior gaze. I curled my upper lip so she could get a good look at my sharp teeth. I might only weigh thirty or so pounds in my coyote shape, but I was a predator...

Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape - but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not

Mercy's loyalty is under pressure from other directions too. Werewolves are not known for their patience, and if Mercy can't decide between the two she cares for, Sam and Adam may make the choice for her...

This is a re-read of this book, which is the sequel to Moon Called and Blood Bound. My original review from last March is here. I have to say I liked it as much this time as I did last time. However, I also found that Iron Kissed is the most disturbing of the series so far, given what happens to Mercy at the climax of the book.

I have to admit, I found myself feeling sorry for Samuel by the end of Iron Kissed, and I hope the author has something nice in mind for him in the future. He's certainly had enough sorrows in his life from what we've seen in the books so far.

As the title suggests, Iron Kissed is the book about the Fae, the way Blood Bound was for the Vampires. We find out a lot more about how they live, the reservations, and their abilities among other things. Also, about the attitudes towards them from the humans who've only recently found out about their existence.

One thing I've found funny about the whole series this time around is Mercy's musings about how useful her history degree is (or isn't). I've had the same thoughts at times too (only Classical and Medieval history), given that I don't use it at all in my job, and the only jobs that come to mind for the degree are things like teaching.

Overall, the whole series is five star, and if you haven't tried them yet, you should.

The Lazy Investor - Derek Foster

The Lazy Investor
Derek Foster
Foster, Underhill Financial Press
Copyright: 2007
9780973696011

The blurb from the Stop Working Website:

The Lazy Investor: Start with $50 and no Investment Knowledge was written for beginner investors. The book details a step-by-step plan for you to gradually accumulate wealth over time without falling victim to the high fees many beginner investors pay. A strategy simple enough for anyone to understand and one that runs on “autopilot” once it’s set up. Derek’s children are currently using this strategy to accumulate wealth.

This little book is written for Canadians who are interested in getting started with investing. It's designed for people who are starting with no knowlege of the subject. Which, I have to say fits me exactly. The book is short (I read it through in one evening), and simple. It's also written in a way that made me feel that this is something I can do.

The idea of being able to start investing without needing a lot of money is an intriguing one. The claim on the cover is that you can start with as little as fifty dollars CDN. Inside it turns out to be a bit more, but not by much. The initial purchase as described still comes out to less than a hundred dollars.

The author gives suggestions for some good companies to start with (including their histories) and also goes over the process of getting started and buying your first stock certificates step by step. I haven't gone out and tried it yet, but the process looks like it makes sense and the book is clearly and simply written.

At the back of the book is included a list of further books on the subject that your could read if you want to learn more.

The one thing that makes me a bit hesitant is that the book was written before the great crash of the last couple of years and quite a few of the companies the author looks at are banks. On the other had, they're all Canadian ones and my understanding is that we made it out a lot better than some of the other countries.

Blood Bound - Patricia Briggs

Blood Bound
Patricia Briggs
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 2007
9780441014736

From the back of the book:

Under the rule of science, there are no witch burnings allowed, no water trials or public lynchings. In return the average law-abiding solid citizen has little to worry about from the things that go bump in the night. Sometimes I wish I was an average citizen...

Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places - and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind.

But this new vampire is hardly ordinary - and neither is the demon inside of him...

Blood Bound is the sequel to Moon Called. I should note this is the second time I've read and reviewed this book on this blog. The first time is here. I'm loving the Mercy Thompson series as much this time around as I did last year. I'd forgotten the details enough that it was almost like reading the book for the first time again.

So far, none of the books are more than short reads, but they're the type to keep you up far past your bedtime as you keep wanting to know "what happens next?". Both Moon Called and Blood Bound have kept me up past one in the morning, and Iron Kissed did the same thing last night.

Where Moon Called introduced us to the whole world Patricia Briggs has created, she focused on the werewolves in that book. This book has the story focus on the vampires who are both the good guys and the bad guys of the book. And, they are creepy! Stefan's not so bad but the others?

Mercy still hasn't made her choice between Adam and Samuel, which is leading to some tension in the pack, and tension between the two men. That's the main difference between this series and paranormal romances - the relationships take more than a book to set up and resolve.

I loved this book and the rest of the series. I'm pretty sure I said it the first time I reviewed Blood Bound and the others, but this is still my favorite urban fantasy series. Definitely five stars.

Book Rambling: Cookbooks (Again)

For some reason I keep coming back to cookbooks on these rambles. I've started joking that the cookbook section of the store is a dangerous one for me, as I keep finding books I want. This is even though I haven't tried most of the recipes in the books I have. The latest book to add itself to the "want" list is Ina Gartner's book Barefoot Contessa: Back To Basics.

The recipes and photos just look so good. Especially the roasted tomatoes and the buttermilk and cheddar biscuits. I'm sure if I look in my other books (most likely Marc Bittman's How To Cook Everything) I'll find something very close, so why do I want to get this one?

I know what attracts me to cookbooks. Simple recipes for food I'll actually eat, and good photographs. Jamie Oliver's good for that. I keep coming back to the two books of his that I have: Jamie's Food Revolution and Cook With Jamie. Most recently I tried the brownies and the sweet and sour squash out of the latter and they turned out really well (The brownies were a bit decadent, but they were good).

What catches your attention when it comes to cookbooks? The show the writer has on the T.V.? I have to admit that I've not seen one episode of any of the Jamie Oliver shows or any of the other cookbook writers either, so I don't know how much of a draw that is.

Is it the recipes themselves? That and the presentation are what does it for me.

The presentation? For all that this is what you'd think is the least important part of the book, it's the layout and the photos that pull me in. All of the cookbooks in my collection are laid out in a clear fashion that's easy to read at a glance, making it easier to check what I'm doing mid-recipe quickly.

And, when you do get a cookbook, do you find yourself sticking to just a few recipes or do you end up using most of the recipes in the book? So far I've just found myself using a few from each book repeatedly, but I'm also starting to work to change that.

Moon Called - Patricia Briggs

Moon Called
Patricia Briggs
Ace Fantasy
Copyright: 2006
9780441013814

From the back of the book:

Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me too.

Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercedes Thompson is not exactly normal herself... and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

Yes, this is a re-read of a book I read and reviewed last year. My original review is here. I have to say I loved reading Moon Called as much this time as I did last time. Admittedly, I'd forgotten a whole lot of the plot so events were surprising to me, as though I was reading it for the first time again.

I still think the characters are interesting and compelling, flaw, quirks and all. Mercy Thompson is an interesting character, and the world Patricia Briggs has created for her is interesting and coherent. It's rather neat seeing a world where some things are still secret, but others are coming into the open. Generally it's more of an "everything is hidden" or "everything is known about and has been for some time". The problems they're facing seem to work as well: racism, bigotry and the like.

Even having read Moon Called before, I found that the mysterious plots, twists and turns kept me enthralled late into the night (when I finally finished the book). Honestly, the Mercy Thompson series is my favorite urban fantasy series. I can't recommend the books enough.

The Last Colony - John Scalzi

The Last Colony
John Scalzi
Tor Books
Copyright: 2008
9780765356185

The Amazon.com product description:

Retired from his fighting days, John Perry is now village ombudsman for a human colony on distant Huckleberry. With his wife, former Special Forces warrior Jane Sagan, he farms several acres, adjudicates local disputes, and enjoys watching his adopted daughter grow up.

That is, until his and Jane's past reaches out to bring them back into the game — as leaders of a new human colony, to be peopled by settlers from all the major human worlds, for a deep political purpose that will put Perry and Sagan back in the thick of interstellar politics, betrayal, and war.

 The Last Colony is the sequel to Old Man's War and The Ghost Brigades, both fine novels of science fiction that could well go on to be classics. This third book in the series was just as good, keeping me up until I got it finished (around two in the morning). There's a timeless feel to these books that makes me think that they could last. I've seen comparisons to Robert Heinlein's books in other reviews, and there is definitely something of that style here.

In terms of the story, this book picks up a few years after the ending of The Ghost Brigades, with John Perry and Jane Sagan living together in a colony with their adopted daughter Zoe. Although they're retired, it turns out that their adventures are nowhere near over. Not by a long shot.

I think for this book you really have to have read at least The Ghost Brigades, as quite a bit of the plot comes out of revelations and unanswered questions from that book. The Last Colony leaves quite the ending as well. One that feels like it could be the end of the series (and a satisfactory ending, too) even though there is a fourth book out: Zoe's Tale.

Overall, I've really enjoyed reading John Scalzi's books and if you like science fiction, I'd hope you'll give them a try. I'm certainly going to hunt down his other books in the future.

Mailbox Monday - February 1, 2010

This is what Marcia of The Printed Page blog has to say about Mailbox Monday:

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

 She's quite right too.

Anyway, this is what I bought myself this past week:

Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs.
The jacket blurb:

Welcome to Patricia Briggs's world, a place where "witches, vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters live beside ordinary people" (Booklist). It takes a very unusual woman to call it home - and there's no one quite like Mercy Thompson.

By day, Mercy is a car mechanic in the sprawling Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shapeshifter with some unique talents, Mercy has often found herself having to maintain a tenuous harmony between the human and the not so human. This time she may get more than she bargained for.

Marsilia, the local Vampire Queen, has learned that Mercy crossed her by slaying a member of her clan - and she's out for blood. But since Mercy is protected from direct reprisal by the werewolf pack (and her close relations hip with its sexy Alpha), it won't be Mercy's blood Marsilia is after.

It'll be her friends.

 I read and reviewed the book when it first came out in hardcover. Now it's out in paperback.

Covet by J.R. Ward
Amazon.com product description:

Redemption isn't a word Jim Heron knows much about-his specialty is revenge, and to him, sin is all relative. But everything changes when he becomes a fallen angel and is charge with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins. And failure is not an option. Vin DiPietro long ago sold his soul to his business, and he's good with that-until fate intervenes in the form of a tough- talking, Harley-riding, self-professed savior. But then he meets a woman who will make him question his destiny, his sanity, and his heart-and he has to work with a fallen angel to win her over and redeem his own soul.

 Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward
Amazon.com product description:

Caldwell, NY, has long been the battleground for the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society. It’s also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord and notorious nightclub that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he’s approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King, and leader of the Brotherhood. Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood, even though his sister is married to a member. Because he’s a sympath, his identity is a deadly secret- the revelation of which will result in his banishment to a colony for sociopaths. And as plots within and outside the Brotherhood take their toll against Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in a darkening world- Elhena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him- and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.

Another book I was just waiting for the paperback on.

The Hastur Lord by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah Ross
The amazon.com product description:

A never-before-published fantasy novel set in Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover universe.

The world of Darkover, a unique, isolated, and protected world, has long avoided becoming part of the technologically advanced Terran Empire. But things are about to change. Regis Hastur, lord of the most powerful of the seven Domains in Darkover, learns that the Empire is about to become a Federation, and is extending an invitation for all of the worlds to join. While the offer seems tempting to his people, Regis knows that Darkover would become little more than a military base, used for its unique planetary position, and will be sapped of its resources. He must now stop at nothing to save his world.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - Feb. 1

This is a weekly meme hosted by J. Kaye of J. Kaye's Book Blog each Monday. Thanks for keeping me (more or less) on track with my reading each week.

This past week I read:
Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton.
This is the latest book in the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series.

The Cost Of Dreams by Gary Stelzer.
Hard to describe, but a good read.



The Last Colony by John Scalzi.
Science Fiction, the sequel to The Ghost Brigades and Old Man's War. I don't have the review up yet, as I finished the read at almost two am this morning. Definitely a good book.

Confessions of a Radical Industrialist by Ray C. Anderson.
Nonfiction, a book about doing business in a way that has less of an effect on the environment. Another very good read.

At the moment, I'm reading Moon Called again. I really love the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs.

This week I intend to read:
The Hastur Lord by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah Ross.
The lastest Darkover novel. Whether or not it's the last, I don't know.

The Gate At The Stairs by Lori Moore.