Etiquette and Espionage (Finishing School #1) by Gail Carriger

It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to finishing school. 

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is the bane of her mother's existence. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea--and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. 

But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish, all right--but it's a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine's certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in the other kinds of finishing: the fine arts of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries. Sophronia and her friends are going to have a rousing first year at school.

Okay, confession time. I have the first book in Carriger's Parasol Protectorate adult series and haven't actually gotten to read it yet. :) I had an opportunity to read her YA mostly out of curiosity. What was all the fuss about? I knew it was the same world (25 yrs prior to the other series) so I thought this would be a good place to start.

I was not disappointed. The writing, the whole tongue-in-cheek way of thinking and talking really had me smiling. It was fun. And I just really enjoy a book that is all about the fun. I really enjoyed the main character, Sophronia (although I'd love to hear it pronounced... not in my head... LOL). She was quite juvenile before going to the school, but in some ways reminded me of Anne Shirley (Green Gables). Someone who's curiosity is more than her common sense. In a time where women were seen as property, I always enjoy this type of rebellion. :)

Sophronia grows up fast and is put in a place that is quite confusing at first. In fact, I still don't know exactly what the school's end game really is, but oddly enough that never bothered me. Her time there has her realize her potential and Sophronia shines.  Her growth is exponential and while seeming almost 10 years old in maturity at first, she is quite grown up in just a few chapters. It's like a light went on within and she really shined at the school.

There is intrigue and adventure. Loved the secondary characters especially Soap. No real romance to speak of, but hints that it may come at a later time. I understand that this is the first in 4 books and I can't wait to start on the next. Oh and it has me wanting to dive into the other series even quicker.

I give this book 4 1/2 stars. I really enjoyed my time here and I recommend it to those that enjoy fun YA, inquisitive girls, or just want to get their feet wet in steampunk. I don't think you'd be disappointed.

I received this book from NetGalley and Little, Brown and no compensation for my review was given.

Sins of the Sun (Grigori Legacy #2) by Linda Poitevin

A detective with a secret…
When homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis sees a photo of Seth Benjamin on a police bulletin, she knows that Heaven’s plan to halt Armageddon has gone terribly wrong. As the only mortal aware of Seth’s true nature, only she can save him.

An exiled angel turned assassin…
Aramael was a hunter of Fallen Angels until a traitor forced him into earthly exile. Now, with no powers and only a faint memory of Alex, his mortal soulmate, he will stop at nothing to redeem himself—even if it means destroying Seth in the name of the Creator.

A world with little chance of redemption…
As Alex’s need to protect Seth sets her on a fiery course with the determined Aramael, the coming conflict between them may push the world over the edge—and into the very chaos they’re trying to prevent.

 Although I did have a few problems in the first book, this book still had some of those same problems for me. Not much was clarified. However, I have to say, I didn't bug me like it did in the last book. In fact, it didn't bother me at all. It might be because we deal more with the "real" world than the heavenly one.

This one was more about suspense and thrills. Plus, the world was established for the most part in this series. I was fully involved with Alex in this book and there also ends up being a few questions about how she fits in and how their decisions affect the coming books in the series. I have to admit that now, I'm fully involved and want to know what else is going to happen. What are the consequences?

I have to warn those that don't care for love triangles that this one has a whopper of a triangle. One that is built on solid legs that doesn't seem to collapse any time soon. Decisions are made but doors remain open. I actually would love to see those that normally hate triangles read this one. There are no weak decisions, no weak connections to each option within this triangle. And despite this, I have to say I'm not convinced that there was enough romance for either choice. I do suspect that that may be coming in the series. I also understand completely why it didn't happen here. If it did, it would have actually been a distraction instead of helping the story along.

I give this book 4 stars. I am really liking the way this world is shaping up. I recommend it to those who like thrillers and UF.

I received this book from the publisher, Pocket and no compensation for my review was given.

Sins of the Angels (Grigori Legend #1) by Linda Poitevin

A detective with a secret lineage. An undercover Hunter with a bullet-proof soul. And a world made to pay for the sins of an angel… 

Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis answers to no one. Especially not to the new partner assigned to her in the middle of a gruesome serial killer case-a partner who is obstructive, irritatingly magnetic, and arrogant as hell. 

Aramael is a Power—a hunter of the Fallen Angels. A millennium ago, he sentenced his own brother to eternal exile for crimes against humanity. Now his brother is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm. To find him, Aramael must play second to a human police officer who wants nothing to do with him and whose very bloodline threatens both his mission and his soul. 

Now, faced with a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse, Alex and Aramael have no choice but to join forces, because only together can they stop the end of days.

This is a good thriller detective story with lots of paranormal happenings. It all stars when Alex is investigating a serial killer they just can't seem to find a lead. Alternatively, Aramael is the only angel in heaven willing to take on both the demon wreaking havoc on mortals and protect a Nephilim whom the angels consider anathema. I admit I was pretty captivated with the story and what twists I was going to encounter.

I did have a few problems, however, with this book. One was with The One. Although I loved that it was a she, I was not too happy that she was seen more as human and alternated with being omniscient. It was if the character couldn't decide what to be nor how to handle the situation at hand... and YET know what was going on while being in the dark. It was quite frustrating to me and confusing at the same time.

I would have also liked more build in the relationship with Alex and Aramael. They were avoiding the obvious most of the time so when they finally admitted to themselves that they felt for each other, there wasn't much time building on that, so it felt a bit hollow.

Despite these problems, I still found this book enjoyable and am curious as to how things will sort itself. It doesn't end with a cliffie, but with a huge opening. I liked The One at bit better toward the end as well, so I'm hoping all that happened in this book will make me understand her character better as the series goes on. I give this book 3 stars. I recommend it for those that love detective thriller stories with a side of PNR.

First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson #1) by Darynda Jones

A smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper 

Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.” But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely. 

This is a thrilling debut novel from an exciting newcomer to the world of paranormal romantic suspense.

I've really been wanting to read this book for a while now. I finally got the opportunity through an audio book. I don't often do audio, but I thought I'd give it a try. I'm glad that I did. It was snarky, funny, and the secondary characters were great. In fact... they were often "hot". This takes place in Albuquerque NM. I've been to the Northern part of NM often. So, I have to ask... where is she meeting these guys??? All I've gotten when I go there are jerks who tease my dogs. Granted, it's my fault for going to tourist traps with my pups, so I don't often meet the locals so right there that may be the problem (and the locals I know aren't dating material... married!). But still... I think I need to track down Charley and just hang with her. I mean, she's real and the "hot" men she hangs out with are real too, right?

I also liked that it was set in N. NM which I feel is a part of where I'm from, so the colloquiums used (with the exception of one which I will forgive since it is used for those not from here) were quite familiar to me. I felt right at home with the narrator. It was also easy for me to get lost in this story. I can also see many of the places she rode around.

What? Go back to the hot guys? Well, there were 2 in particular. One was Reyes. Oh man... Reyes. *sigh* That hot hunk of a man could visit me incorporeally or corporally any day... or night. ;) I mean YUM. Face of an angel and a temper of the devil. Still did so much to help anyone who he thought was weak. *sigh*

Oh and the other one? Garret. Dark, tall and handsome. I might be able to forgive his status as a cop since he is so hot and seems to really care for Charley. Plus, he totally didn't freak out at her with her abilities. Totally points in his direction for that one. Ah yes... both very suitable for the man harem. *drifts off into fantasy*

*ahem!* Oh sorry... I give this book 4 1/2 stars. It was just what I needed at the time. Entertaining distraction with a couple of hot guys to drool over. The narrator, Lorelei King did a grand job and held the pace well. I would so listen to another book she narrates. I also suggest this book for those that love UF, PNR with a side of humor.

Dark Time by Dakota Banks

From Dakota Banks website:

Susannah Layhem, a healer unjustly accused of witchcraft in the 17th century, is ripped from her husband's arms and thrown in jail. Abandoned by her husband and friends, she's tied to a stake and set afire. Her raging bitterness draws one of seven ancient Sumerian demons. The demon Rabishu pulls her from the flames, and she signs a contract to live forever—if she does his evil work. Susannah becomes the Black Ghost, an Ageless assassin gifted with otherworldly skills and superbly trained in martial arts.

She obeys Rabishu's orders and remains a beautiful young woman. Then she's given an assignment she can't bear to carry out. She chooses the mortal path instead, and emerges from three centuries of reluctant service as the demon's slave. Now Maliha Crayne, she discovers the fine print of her contract. If she balances lives taken with lives saved, she'll ascend to a paradise straight out of Sumerian legend. If she fails, she faces eternal torment at Rabishu's hands. The ticking clock? Every time she saves lives, she ages. The deck is stacked against her. She's got her own agenda, though. Payback time—killing Rabishu and his kin before he gets his punishing claws on her.

Intimately tangled with Maliha's yearning for personal redemption is her thrilling quest to stop a villain from selling America's security to the highest bidder. For both goals, she will need to relearn what it means to be mortal, to reach out in friendship, and to dare to believe she can love again.

DARK TIME is laced with ancient legends, a heady dash of the supernatural, and the warmth of awakening relationships.

This story starts out in a very emotional way. In fact, I was upset for Susannah so much I almost put this book in the freezer (Friends reference... sorry). However, it does set things nicely up for the demon, Rabishu to take advantage of her torn up emotional state. It makes perfect sense. Time does go by and even though she had tried to shut off her emotions, after a few hundred years, her sense of right and wrong resurfaces. She stumbles on a way to redeem herself that has severe consequences on her skill and youth but takes that chance, even if it seems like a lost cause. While on her redemption quest, Susanna who renames herself Maliha, finds for the first time to have a family of sorts. Some of which know her little secret and are willing to help. 


This books is fast paced which starts at the beginning and doesn't stop until the end. It is based on Sumerian legends of gods and demons and this is the world and puzzle Maliha must solve. I found this world to be very interesting and I also enjoyed the secondary characters as well. Her big nemesis besides the demon is Subedei. He first has a very secretive nature but we also get to know him. I kinda wished he was still in the dark, not knowing his full agenda because I think he would have been a good challenge for her later on in the series. However, he was a good challenge in this story.


This book is a dark, urban fantasy. I give it 4 stars and recommend this to anyone who loves a lot of action. I enjoyed this book and can't wait to get to the next one.

"Poltergeist" by Kat Richardson (Greywalker #2)

From the book: Harper Blaine was your average small-time PI until she died-for two minutes. Now she's a Greywalker-walking the thin line between the living world and the paranormal realm. And she's discovering that her new abilities are landing her all sorts of "strange" cases. 

In the days leading up to Halloween, Harper's been hired by a university research group that is attempting to create an artificial poltergeist. The head researcher suspects someone is faking the phenomena, but Harper's investigation reveals something else entirely-they've succeeded. 

And when one of the group's members is killed in a brutal and inexplicable fashion, Harper must determine whether the killer is the ghost itself, or someone all too human. 

I enjoyed the this second book in the greywalker series more than the first. The book seems more cohesive than the first and I attribute this to only solving one case instead of several in one book. Much of the paranormal "stuff" was also described in the first, so the book also took off much quicker. It is still a detective novel first, and a paranormal book second. Still, it works.

The poltergeist could have made this book very scary, but fear not (pun intended) this book isn't scary at all. This could be a downfall for those who love the horror genre, but a plus for those that love detective stories. It does not get in the way of clues given along the way.

I give this book 4 stars and recommend this series especially for those that love a mystery.

Greywalker by Kat Richardson

From the book: Harper Blaine was slogging along as a small-time P.I. when a two-bit perp's savage assault left her dead. For two minutes, to be precise.

 When Harper comes to in the hospital, she begins to feel a bit ...strange. She sees things that can only be described as weird-shapes emerging from a foggy grey mist, snarling teeth, creatures roaring.

But Harper's not crazy. Her "death" has made her a Greywalker-able to move between our world and the mysterious, cross-over zone where things that go bump in the night exist. And her new gift (or curse) is about to drag her into that world of vampires and ghosts, magic and witches, necromancers and sinister artifacts. Whether she likes it or not.

If you love a detective stories and love paranormal stories but just don't know which to pick, I say pick this book. I know that this is book one of the Harper series and it lays the foundation for her adventures as a whole. There is quite a bit of back story as to how she sees into the "grey" and can walk through it. There are also several paranomal cases that she attempts to solve in her old human way while learning to control and use the grey. This keeps the action going, but it also lends to a lot of information squeezed into her and your learning curve. The question in the book eventually becomes if Harper will eventually learn to control the grey or will it eventually control her?

I gave this book 3 stars because I can see the series getting better as it goes along, but this one was just had maybe one case on her docket too many to really keep things moving.