Fateful by Claudia Gray

First off, I must say that setting a young adult paranormal on board the tragedy of the Titanic is a fantastical idea. 

That said, there is plenty more to like about Fateful by Claudia Gray. There is the heroine, Tess Davies, a young ladies' maid hoping to change her fortunes once the Titanic docks in America; there is Alec Marlowe, the tortured first class passenger who harbors a strange, heart-breaking secret; there is Myriam, a third class Lebanese traveler whose friendship Tess comes to value in many ways; there is Irene, the young woman Tess cares for who has secrets all her own; and there is the Titanic itself, steeped in all the tragedy and grandeur of history. Tess is a young woman ahead of her time, determined to escape the life of a ladies' maid and live on her own in America, and her family's personal tragedy propels her to take chances she might otherwise avoid. Once on board the Titanic, however, her strange encounter with with a wolf on the streets of Southampton turns into an even deeper mystery when Tess finds herself stalked by the creepy Mikhail; her very life comes into danger when she realizes just whom--and what--she is dealing with.

I really enjoyed Fateful with its fast plot, evil villain, and paranormal aspect. The fact that Ms. Gray was able to weave her story among the great ship and its real life passengers was very enjoyable for this Titanic buff, and she explains her liberties fully in the author's note. If the characters are a little too cardboard caricature, it's all right since the story fulfills its purpose and ends on a particularly unexpected measure. My biggest issue was with the idea that no one would report or raise a cry when a rather large wolf escapes and kills a man; that particular scene was really unrealistic, even for a paranormal. And though I loved the "romance" between Alec and Tess, I seriously doubt his ability to fall in love with a ladies' maid, even one who knows his secrets and rescues him. But still, it's a young adult novel and it's a paranormal so I can overlook that little qualm because the ending makes up for every single issue I had. I'm hopeful there will be a sequel or two because this story certainly isn't over. Fun and engaging with a unique setting. 


~taminator40

Forever

Forever is the final book in the Mercy Falls trilogy, and it's just as gripping and filled with emotion as the first two, Shiver and Linger. Beginning a few months after Grace has shifted into a wolf, we find Sam and Isabel waiting for her return as the weather warms, and Cole still intent on discovering a cure. Meanwhile, suspicion has turned on Sam due to Grace's disappearance, and Isabel's father is determined to rid Boundary Woods of all wolves, no matter the cost. When he gets lawmakers on his side, Isabel knows time is running out and she has to do something.

I love Cole St. Clair. I just had to say that. He is comic relief, determination, arrogance, and romance all rolled into one character, and while his story is secondary, he's actually the one I felt closest to throughout Forever. I loved the banter between he and Isabel, and the scene in her mother's clinic is perfect. Don't get me wrong, I love Sam as well, but Cole...he's the most three dimensional figure in the series.


Forever runs mostly on emotion, with the love and longing of Grace and Sam taking center stage. I love how these two work together and I swear I could feel the longing between the two when Grace kept shifting. Both characters have a lot of childhood issues to deal with in Forever, and things don't always work out as planned. It's during those times that both Isabel and Rachel shine; I would want both of these girls on my side in a crisis.


Possible spoiler...While I loved Forever, and feel it's a strong finale, I am disappointed in the ultimate ending. For the last of a trilogy, it's just too open-ended. I can imagine what I hope will happen, and the title of the book gives me a clue that perhaps I'm right. But to leave things unsettled really bothers me, to the point that I took a star off my final review. I felt as though, rather than making a statement, the ending was almost a cop out; perhaps the author had originally intended for either Grace or Sam to die and then just couldn't do it herself so she left the possibility? And if she wanted them to live, why not just extend the book a bit more or add an epilogue? It just doesn't make sense in a series that has been carefully plotted and developed so well up to that point. Don't get me wrong, I loved Forever and will recommend this series to others. I just will always wish the author hadn't left it up to me to decide the ultimate fates of two people I'd grown very close to over the course of three books. One way or the other, I needed more closure than was provided, and that mars my overall enjoyment (slightly) of this book.

~taminator40

Lord Have Mercy

I adore Mercy Thompson. She's what I want in a heroine--she's loyal, she's vocal, she's determined, she's tough yet loving. She doesn't take crap from anyone, which is, of course, one of the reasons Alpha werewolf Adam Hauptman has fallen in love with her. In short, there's very little not to love in such a fierce, demanding, emotional character; yet it is to Ms. Briggs's talent that the other people inhabiting Mercy's world can often be just as compelling. With that in mind, I have to admit that I was exceedingly happy to see Stefan back in action early on, as well as the fact that I got to visit with Warren and Kyle and Jesse. Just wish I'd seen more of them as the novel progressed.

River Marked is different than the other books in the series in that almost 90% of it takes place away from familiar settings and among people we haven't previously known. Mercy and Adam have finally tied the knot (love the surprise wedding!) and have embarked on a perfect honeymoon camping in the woods not too far from home. But this being Mercy, things are of course complicated, and it doesn't take long for Mercy and Adam to realize that the loan of a camper and the offer of a free stay at the campground might have come with a hidden price. The problem? Seems there's a humongous river monster living in the local river, devouring pretty much everyone it comes in contact with. Its minions include some fierce fey known as otterkins, and once it gets a taste of Mercy, it knows high quality when it sees it. Mercy, a walker who can shift into a coyote at will, soon finds out that she is needed to fulfill an ancient Indian tale of a coyote defeating the river devil, something neither she nor Adam are happy about. Oh, and did I mention Mercy's father makes an appearance?


Like many other reviewers, I am so enamored of Mercy and her world that I still loved River Marked despite the fact that it isolated Mercy and Adam and introduced a slew of unknown characters about whom I frankly could not get excited. In a series filled with fey and otherworldliness, the river devil aspect sort of left me cold; I mean, would a town really not mark an area off bounds when families and individuals seem to be disappearing at a rather alarming rate? And while I loved Coyote and the whole mystery surrounding Mercy's birth, I found myself missing my good buddies Zee, Jesse, and even Stefan (though I'm very glad I got to spend a bit of time with him). The story itself is well done but I hope Ms. Briggs keeps things in the arena we've come to know and love in the future; there's a reason she has so many loyal fans, and she needs to have mercy on those of us who have developed such a strong relationship with her characters.


Still, I can't really say anything bad about the storyline, and Mercy is naturally her usual kick butt self. I love the relationship between she and Adam, and his exasperation with her is greatly tempered by the deep bond they share. The author can certainly use the power of words to make us understand the horror of the monster causing harm to small children, and the fact that the monster is virtually unseen until late in the story adds a creepiness factor. I can still recommend this installment and look forward to more time spent with Mercy in the future.
 
~taminator40

Shiver

In Linger, the sequel to Shiver, Sam is beyond excited that he's stayed human through the cold months of winter, which means he's cured of his werewolf nature. He's looking forward--cautiously--to being with Grace forever, though the loss of Beck and the other wolves still hurts. Grace, meanwhile, has begun to worry her parents with her devotion to Sam, and when they catch him in her room one night, the hammer of doom descends. Which would be bad enough, but there's something wrong with Grace, something really awful, and she is beginning to realize she's not going to be around for much longer.

Linger is captivating from the first chapter and doesn't let go with the last page. Mixed into the deep connection between Grace and Sam, we also get the stories of Isabel, Grace's friend, and Cole, a newly turned wolf who also happens to be a rock star looking for a way out of his life. The viewpoints shift frequently in Linger; while I might not have been enamored of Cole especially in the beginning, I came to care equally for all four by the time the book closed. It's that good.

There are lots of emotions packed into Linger, and a sense of forboding surrounds almost every page. The stress Grace feels and the doubt that continues to permeate everything Sam does is palpable, and I actually liked the dynamic that Cole brings to the wolves. There is desperation, denial, and hope all wrapped up in Grace's life, and a sense of urgency kept me turning the pages. This one lived up to my expectations fully, and I'll be waiting eagerly for the final installment, Forever.

~taminator40

A New Spin on Werewolves

Grace remembers being attacked by wolves when she was eleven, but what she remembers most is the wolf who stopped the attack and saved her. For years his yellow eyes have haunted her, and she's watched fervently each winter for his return to the forest near her home. Somehow she knows he will always be there to watch over her. And then the unthinkable happens; a fellow classmate is not only attacked by wolves, he is killed by them. What will happen to Grace's wolf when the town is on the rampage, running to destroy the animals?

Sam has watched Grace for years but their first "official" meeting is more than a little awkward; he turns up, naked and shot, on her deck. Suddenly he's actually talking to the girl he feels he's known forever, and she's responding. And though he tries to keep his true nature in check, he knows it's just a matter of time before he will once again disappear from her life. But that certainly doesn't stop the feelings that rapidly develop between them, and now how will Sam be able to face a future without Grace's touch and love?

Shiver is a new, unique spin on the werewolf genre. In Stiefvater's world, it is the cold temperatures that bring on the shift from human to wolf, and each year the time to shift back to human comes later and later until one day there's only wolf. Knowing that there is a definite deadline to their love, Grace and Sam fight the cold as best they can, hoping for a miracle that will allow them to stay together. But the newly created wolf, Grace's classmate Jack, throws kinks into their plans as his unstable nature puts others in jeopardy. Stiefvater gives the story just the right balance of poignancy, anger, and hope, with Grace growing more self-assured as she wrestles with Sam's impending departure. Stiefvater also fills the pages with a longing between the two that kept me enthralled, and a back story that fleshes out the reasons behind unexplainable actions. I was engaged and I was entertained, but mostly I was just captured by the beauty of the frozen world of Shiver. Excellent and creative.

~taminator40

Iron Kissed: Mercy Thompson, Book 3

The third book in the Mercy Thompson supernatural series, Iron Kissed centers on Mercy's former boss Zee, a gremlin who is taking the fall for a series of murders that have taken place on the fae reservation. Mercy, called in to help Zee locate clues as to the real killer, becomes angered and entangled in the investigation because she knows Zee is innocent. Unfortunately, the fae community doesn't appreciate her meddling in their affairs, and Adam isn't pleased to know Mercy's not being safe as well. Of course Mercy doesn't back down easily, and when a friend is in danger, she places herself in the line of fire in attempting to exonerate him.

Iron Kissed is a thoroughly gripping novel, with lots of different kinds of fae involved and plenty of death defying incidents. Mercy's tough girl personna takes a major hit after a nasty trick leaves her physically and psychologically harmed. There is still a romance in the air, however; Adam's possessiveness forces Mercy to take a hard look at what she actually wants. Simply put, this novel has many layers, with characters taking unexpected turns and gut-wrenching plot twists. Ms. Briggs handles her story well, giving us enough information to understand but helping us to figure things out along with Mercy. This series just keeps getting better!

~taminator40

A Couple of Reviews

A couple of reviews; both paranormal, one young adult and one not; both good but for different reasons. 

Ghost Huntress: The Guidance, is the second book in Marley Gibson's series featuring Kendall Moorehead, a sixteen year old girl who is experiencing her psychic "awakening" just as she moves to Georgia with her family. Kendall has assembled a ghost huntress team upon realizing her abilities, and along with new hottie boyfriend Jason, the group seeks to find ghosts and help them cross over to the light. This time out, the focus is on the Civil War era home of teen Stephanie Crawford and her mother as an unsettled Union soldier seizes his moment and possesses the body of hateful cheerleader Courtney Langdon. Kendall and her gang decide that despite Courtney's general skankiness, they can't allow a ghost to run free and wild with her, and they take action, rounding up both local psychic mentor Loreen Woods and the Episcopalian priest, Father Mass, to help them rid Courtney of her unwelcome intruder. 

Of course that's not all that goes on in this volume: Among other things, Kendall's mother forces Kendall to undergo pyschological and physical testing to rule out psychosis as a reason for her "awakening", which is actually a very reasonable yet irritating thing for a mother to do when her child suddenly goes around talking to ghosts. Kendall's not so amused; her reaction is entirely normal for any teenager. Naturally Courtney is around to make Kendall's life a pain by trying to get Jason back and generally doing everythig she can to undermine Kendall's sudden popularity. There is also friction between Kendall and Jason, as well as the ever-present spirit guide Emily trying to help Kendall (and sometimes "over" helping). Lots of action, lots of interaction; mostly believable as far as ghost hunting goes. 

The Guidance is a good story that kept me turning the pages, yet I seem to be getting pickier with the series as I read this one. Kendall's ghost hunting techniques are quite spot on (even though she's really more of a medium) but it is sort of surprising how much she's learned how quickly. There's a little of everything thrown in, including references to auras, herbs, exorcisim, Reiki spiritualism,spirit guides, and tarot cards--almost too much, really. I also have a problem with the stereotypes being reinforced here: cheerleader=bad, Goth girl=troubled/running from something, boyfriend=hot and instantly in love. The idea that a medium in a high school setting would be so very popular is also pretty out there; I'd say most high schoolers would react with disdain if not outright derision for such high profile antics as Kendall provides. Also, the references to current pop culture were distracting, and especially so when specific songs were not only mentioned, but lyrics that will be outdated within another month were quoted. I also have to point out that Southerners, and Georgians in particular, don't ask one another if they want a soda to drink. 

Interruption to regularly scheduled review: It is soooo, soooo annoying to name drop brands. I don't care that Kendall crossed her "Timberlanded foot". Get over it. Interruption over. 

However, all that said, I can endorse The Guidance because it is good fun and the storyline, while at times sappy, did keep me turning those pages. I like Kendall's spunk, and I like Jason's skepticism. I like that Kendall isn't living and breathing just being with her boyfriend, and I like that there is a set-up for future novels. I also like that the author has taken pains to make sure that the religious aspect of ghosts and psychic abilities has been established (going so far as to quote scripture!). So with this in mind, I will round up my initial reaction of 3.5 stars to a solid 4 and hope the next one gives me more action and less name-dropping.

Second up is the second in Patricia Briggs's Mercy Thompson series, Blood Bound:

In Blood Bound, the second book in Patricia Briggs's Moon Called Series, Mercy Thompson is back at work as a mechanic in the garage she owns, and hopefully done dealing with werewolf trouble. Thankfully, that does seem to be the case, unless you count the fact that her former love, Dr. Samuel Cornick, has moved into her trailer since he's decided to move away from his father's pack, and her new possible love, Alpha Wolf Adam Hauptmann, is so intense that it's making Mercy nervous. No, this time it's not the werewolves, it's the vampires; specifically it's Mercy's vampire friend Stefan, who needs Mercy to go on a visit to see a new vamp in town, the catch being that Mercy must go incognito as her walker self, a coyote. Mercy agrees (because really it's a payback) and during the visit, encounters evil so violent that she is shaken and physically harmed in the process. From there, things go downhill; Stefan turns up missing, along with three local werewolf pack members who had agreed to help Stefan find the demon vampire currently terrorizing the town. It comes down to Mercy to track the missing wolves and Stefan and take care of the truly evil vampire conjured in order to take over the local vampire seethe. 

Mercy's one tough cookie, and she's no less hardheaded in this installment. Her interactions with the local fae put her in danger, along with her determined attempts to find the demon vampire Littleton in order to rescue her friends from his decidedly demented plans. Mercy's ability to interact with ghosts also plays a role in this action packed novel, and even though she's not physically as strong as the wolves and vampires, she uses cunning and her religious senses to help her defeat evil. Her willingness to sacrifice herself for her friends is one of her best traits. But she's also got a dark side, and the ending of the novel leaves one with the sense that in Mercy's world, there is no gray area. Right or wrong, Mercy makes up her mind and forges ahead. 

This novel has a lot going for it, including an entirely scary scene where a demon bangs repeatedly on the side of her trailer throughout one very long night. Briggs has a way of pulling you directly into the story so that you have to know what happens next. The fact that Mercy's love life is complicated adds tension to the plot but never does she let it get in the way of getting the job done. Mercy's one smart chick and she's loyal but ruthless when necessary. This one's not for the squeamish. I admit it; I'm hooked!

~taminator40

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson isn't your run of the mill female protagonist; not only does she own and run her own car repair shop, she is what is known as a "walker"--she can shift shape into the form of a coyote at will. In her small town in the Pacific Northwest, she's one of a kind among witches, vampires, and werewolves. Comfortable in her own skin, Mercy's content with the way her life is until a young man shows up unexpectedly at her shop, looking for work, and Mercy, her animal instincts kicking in, recognizes him for a new werewolf in need of guidance. Unfortunately, the young man's not around long enough for her to make much difference in his life and when he turns up dead on her doorstep, a chain of events has been kicked off that will pull Mercy back into the world of werewolves that she thought she'd left behind years before.


With lots of plot twists and paranormal characters, Patricia Briggs's Moon Called is a terrific introduction into the series that finds a world of fey and other underground creatures existing just outside human knowledge. Mercy's ability to walk the line between the different creatures is her best asset, and her hard headedness holds her in good stead as she tracks down the killers of her new friend. Added into the mix is an old boyfriend to whom she must turn for help, and the local leader of the werewolf pack who seems to have some feelings for Mercy.


Ms. Briggs has an accessible, easy writing style that captured me very early in the book. Having previously set aside two different books that weren't engaging me, this one was a welcome surprise as I found myself intrigued by Mercy the tough girl from the first page. The story itself is interesting, piled high with pack politics and odd vampires with ulterior motives. I admit it; I'm hooked and I'll be looking for the next in the series as soon as possible.

~taminator40

Blood and Chocolate

I wish I had good things to say about Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause. It's not a bad book by any means, but I just never connected with any of the characters like I wanted to. Vivian, the main character, is sympathetic but I just kept wanting to like her more than I did. The mother was so self-absorbed and the entire pack of werewolves was dysfunctional. Aidan, Vivian's human boyfriend, was very interesting for a while, but then even he degenerated into someone I couldn't understand or like. This book has such an interesting premise but it just didn't deliver for me. Parts of it were good, I'll give it that much, and I'll probably try another Klause book in the future. However, take away the werewolf fantasy, and you've got just another teen angst novel.

Here's my review at amazon: http://tinyurl.com/33ndft

~tamintor40