The BiblioSanctum

Book Review: The Grendel Affair by Lisa Shearin

Posted on January 9, 2014 2 Comments

The Grendel Affair by Lisa Shearin

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of SPI Files

Publisher: Ace

Date of Publication: December 31, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars – “A solid introduction to a promising new urban fantasy series; features an endearing protagonist and an action-filled story line full of fun and energy”

Quirky and energetic, The Grendel Affair is the first book which kicks off the new SPI Files series by Lisa Shearin, featuring a mash-up of police/government agent procedural elements with urban fantasy. Think The X-Files meets Men in Black — except instead of aliens, Supernatural Protection & Investigations is in charge of tracking paranormal creatures and keeping the public safe from them. Unfortunately, they also don’t have those handy flashy neuralyzers thingies to help hide the truth of their existence from the general populace.

The book follows Makenna Fraser, a southern seer who moves to New York City to persue her dreams of becoming a world famous journalist. However, not long after starting her first job as a trashy tabloid reporter, she is recruited by the NY branch of SPI for her special ability to see through any kind of glamour, veil, spell or shield that a supernatural baddie can come up with.

Mac’s duties generally don’t require her to be on the front lines, but a sudden string of murders by something not human puts SPI on high alert. From then on it’s all hands on deck, especially when the murders are linked to a bigger plot to expose supernaturals to the world on the night of the biggest party of the year — New Year’s Eve in Time Square. Thousands more will die if the SPI doesn’t stop their adversary in time, and the only person who can see through the disguises of the killer creatures is Mac.

First of all, can I give a big yay for Grendel? Yes, we’re talking the Grendel of Beowulf fame. The monsters that SPI goes after in this book are creatures like Grendel, probably even his descendents, and that is just way too cool. In a series that also features the usual fare of urban fantasy creatures like vampires, werewolves, ghouls and goblins, it’s a nice as well to see a touch of inspiration from Old English literature and mythology.

Other than that, this book is what you would expect and quite typical of the genre, complete with an action-filled mystery plot, a budding office romance, and clever snappy dialogue but without a lot of the snark. Mac is an interesting character, not being an outwardly kickass or sassy kind of protagonist but she is still very endearing in her reluctant-heroine awkwardness…to say nothing of her cookie-gobbling ways and the fact she carries a fake handgun loaded with tequila. Also, I enjoy the fact that her business partner and fellow SPI agent Ian Byrne is not the kind of arrogant, cheeky-posing-as-charming love interest I generally have the tendency to dislike on sight. These two are both down-to-earth and will be very good together, I can already tell.

It’s true that those who read a lot of urban fantasy probably won’t find anything too new about the overall premise or story in this book, but The Grendel Affair is still a very solid introduction to the SPI Files as well as a promising beginning to the series. Those looking for a fun read will not be disappointed.

4 of 5 stars

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Be My Enemy by Ian McDonald

Posted on January 8, 2014 Leave a Comment

Be My Enemy by Ian McDonald

Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Fantasy

Series: Book 2 of Everness

Publisher: Jo Fletcher

Date of Publication: June 6, 2013 (ed.)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars – “When it comes to delivering excitement and adventure, Ian McDonald knows his stuff; take everything that made Planesrunner great, dial it all up and you get this book”

With its intriguing application of quantum physics and topic of parallel earths, Planesrunner secured its spot as one of the most unique young adult novels I read last year. And of course, who could forget the heart-pounding airship battles? When it comes delivering excitement and adventure, Ian McDonald knows his stuff, and I could not wait to get my hands on the next book. Seeing as the third installment of the Everness series is already on the horizon, I thought it best to get right on that post-haste.

But first, bear in mind that this review may contain spoilers for book one, since Be My Enemy immediately picks up where Planesrunner left off. Last time we saw Everett Singh, he had managed to escape his enemies by transporting himself and his new Airish friends to another parallel earth. His computer device holding the Infundibulum and the key to the multiverse is safe for now, but it’s only a matter of time until their pursuers catch up. Plus, Everett still needs to figure out a way to rescue his father, a seemingly impossible task, seeing as Tejendra Singh is now stranded somewhere on any one of the possible parallel worlds — 10 to the power of 80 of them, to be exact. Yep, it’s a big multiverse.

Everett’s search for answers eventually leads him to E1, the first Earth to develop a way to jump between parallel universes. It’s also the only world amongst the ten known Earths that is sealed off, quarantined, nothing going in and nothing coming out. I won’t deny it, I was thrilled that the characters ended up here. The speculations drove me insane in the first book, leaving me wondering and guessing what could have happened to E1 to make everyone so afraid, and now thanks to this sequel, I finally know why. And the reasons are hair-raising indeed! I doff my hat to you, Mr. McDonald.

But wait, that’s not all. One thing about this book is that it simply does not stop with the surprises, and not least of them is the lengths the bad guys will go to in order to get what they want. Everett’s enemies have some wily tricks up their sleeves, stopping at nothing to gain control of the Infundibulum. All I’ll say is that in time, the perplexing introduction to Be My Enemy, not to mention that curious title, will be explained. I can’t even begin to ponder the future implications of everything that happened here. Take everything that made Planesrunner so great, dial it all up and you get this book:

Action? Check. In fact, this story has it in spades.

Cleverness? Check. No doubt the book fudged a lot of the science, but it’s done for the sake of top-notch storytelling. In spite of that, this book does not patronize the reader, which makes me think this series would appeal to adults and young adults alike.

Interesting characters? Check. This book gave me a more in-depth look into Everett’s personality, in the most unexpected and unique way possible. As for the supporting cast, I feel like I finally have an idea of who they are. I never gave much thought to Sen in the first book, but now I find her to be a delight. I loved the brief glimpses of the story told from her perspective, and couldn’t help but think how awesome an entire novel in her point of view would be. I can dream, can’t I?

And what about the world building, you ask? Big check. Absolutely fantabulosa.

After all, anything can happen when it comes to a story about parallel earths. I was impressed with Ian McDonald’s imagination at work in Planesrunner, the way he brought the Airish culture to life and the incredible way he described the world of E3. True to form, he does not hold back for the sequel either, giving the same creative treatment to settings like E1 or the frozen wasteland at the beginning of the novel, despite these being much bleaker and darker worlds.

You never know where the story might take you, or what amazing things you’ll see next, and that’s one of the main reasons why I’m having so much fun. Bring on the third book, I’m ready!

4.5 of 5 stars

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

US Cover

Waiting on Wednesday 01/08/14

Posted on January 8, 2014 Leave a Comment

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!

Mogsy’s Pick

The Silk Map by Chris Willrich: May 6, 2014 (Pyr)

I can’t remember the last time I came across a book like The Scroll of Years — action-adventure fantasy, gorgeously written but with such wit and an elegant touch! The Silk Map is the sequel, and I am looking forward to reading more about Imago Bone and Persimmon Gaunt.

“It’s Brent Weeks meets China Mieville in this wildly imaginative fantasy adventure featuring high action, elegant writing, and sword and sorcery with a Chinese flare.

At the end of The Scroll of Years, the poet Persimmon Gaunt and her husband, the thief Imago Bone, had saved their child from evil forces at the price of trapping him within a pocket dimension. Now they will attempt what seems impossible; they will seek a way to recover their son. Allied with Snow Pine, a scrappy bandit who’s also lost her child to the Scroll of Years, Gaunt and Bone awaken the Great Sage, a monkeylike demigod of the East, currently trapped by vaster powers beneath a mountain. The Sage knows of a way to reach the Scroll — but there is a price. The three must seek the world’s greatest treasure and bring it back to him. They must find the worms of the alien Iron Moths, whose cocoons produce the wondrous material ironsilk.

And so the rogues join a grand contest waged along three thousand miles of dangerous and alluring trade routes between East and West. For many parties have simultaneously uncovered fragments of the Silk Map, a document pointing the way toward a nest of the Iron Moths. Our heroes tangle with Western treasure hunters, a blind mystic warrior and his homicidal magic carpet, a nomad princess determined to rebuild her father’s empire, and a secret society obsessed with guarding the lost paradise where the Moths are found — even if paradise must be protected by murder.”

Book Review: A Guile of Dragons by James Enge

Posted on January 7, 2014 Leave a Comment

A Guile of Dragons by James Enge

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of A Tournament of Shadows

Publisher: Pyr

Date of Publication: August 21, 2012

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars – “Dynamic character relationships and an intriguing mix of fantasy elements in this adventurous tale about dwarves versus dragons”

James Enge’s A Guile of Dragons is actually the first book of a “prequel” series called A Tournament of Shadows featuring his celebrated character Morlock Ambrosius. Not having read the original books, I’m sure my experience is probably going to differ wildly from that of a reader who is already familiar with the world and character, but knowing beforehand that I was going into an origins-type story was good preparation for what to expect.

Most of the book covers the life of young Morlock. We begin at a point before he is even born, then watch as he is given to the dwarves as an infant. Morlock’s real father is Merlin — yes, that Merlin — though he is raised among the dwarven folk; as such things go, the character’s struggles with his birthright and mixed feelings about his heritage eventually emerge as one of the overarching themes of the story.

But on top of that, the book is also an adventure, with an ancient war between dwarves and dragons at its heart. When the dwarven territories are invaded, their defenders taken prisoner or placed under the corrupted influence of dragonspells, it falls to Morlock to protect his surrogate family and the people who raised him.

This was a good story, well told in its complexity and showing of relationships between different characters, but I have a feeling I’m not clicking with it as much as I should. I’m sure a lot of it had to do with the book and I getting off on the wrong foot, with the introductory chapters throwing me off with its pacing. The sections that take place before Morlock’s birth and up to the brief scenes of his childhood with the dwarves feel like they should have been a prologue, separated from the rest of the book.

I understand the importance of including this time of his life as part of his back story, but I don’t know if it meshes that well with everything that comes afterward. The first part of the book felt like a running commentary on the circumstances behind Morlock’s birth, resulting in a disconnect between myself and the character. Fortunately, the book really gets going once he reaches adulthood and we get into the meat of the story, when we encounter the dragons and their violent confrontations with the dwarves.

What follows is a very intriguing take on the history behind the dwarven-dragon conflict, and the intricacies in the nature of the two societies. The character dynamics also pick up, and as factors like bitter resentment or shifting loyalties start to come into play, things get a lot more interesting. The author throws in a lot of surprising twists, and I have to say one of my favorite aspects of this book is how Enge incorporates elements from legend and Arthurian fantasy into the world lore.

My overall feeling is that you can definitely read A Guile of Dragons on its own, but I have no doubt I’m also missing out on a lot of the subtleties. Yet despite delving into this one without any context, I was on the whole impressed. After seeing how the events of this book has shaped Morlock as a character, I admit I find myself curious about him and his future exploits.

3 of 5 stars

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Kushiel’s Mercy by Jacqueline Carey

Posted on January 7, 2014 Leave a Comment

Kushiel’s Mercy by Jacqueline Carey

Genre: Epic Fantasy, Romance, Erotic Fantasy

Series: Kushiel’s Legacy #6, Imriel’s Trilogy #3

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publication Date: June 2008

Author Info: www.jacquelinecarey.com

Wendy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Kushiel’s Mercy is the sixth book in Carey’s Terre d’Ange adventures, and the third book in the Imriel de la Courcel’s story. It is the conclusion of his trilogy and honestly, I only read it for the sake of completion. Thus far, neither of the two trilogies that followed Phédre no Delauney’s own have been nearly as good, mostly because of the main characters.

Prince Imriel de la Courcel is the son of the beautiful traitor, Melisandre Sharizai. He was kidnapped into slavery, rescued and later adopted by Phédre and her consort, Joscelin, and has since gone off on his own adventures. In the last book, he was betrothed to a woman he didn’t love, but then perhaps matured with the brutal murder of his wife and unborn son and the subsequent vengeance he enacted upon the culprit. And within that all of that, he fell in love with Sidonie de la Courcel, the dauphine of Terre d’Ange, and daughter of the queen whom Imriel’s mother sought to depose. Unsurprisingly, there are those who are quite opposed to their union, in spite of the precepts of blessed Elua: “Love as thou wilt.” Queen Ysandre will only allow them to be married, if Imriel brings his long missing mother to justice. But before he is able to do so, Prince Astagal of Carthage orchestrates an incredible piece of magic that ensorcels half of Terre d’Ange, even convincing Sidonie that she not only has never loved Imriel, but that Imriel does not even exist.

This wasn’t a bad story. It contained all of Carey’s epic, world hopping fantasy, her beautiful people, intriguing characters, wonderful mythology and theology that touches on our reality, while still being wholly hers, sweeping political intrigue and more. The problem is that, at the centre of all this are Imriel and Sidonie and their cloying romance. I can be as hopelessly romantic as the next person, but it gets tiresome when it’s the main plot and purpose. The beauty of Phédre and Joscelin’s romance was that they didn’t spend the whole time pining for each other, even when they were together. But Imriel and Sidonie’s story is made to be a fairy tale romance (and is repeatedly referred to as such). I suppose it doesn’t help that the characters have never endeared themselves to me. I appreciate them, but they lack the depth of their predecessors. And Imriel spent the last two books being an annoyingly self-centred teenager.

One thing I do find annoying about the subsequent books in this series is the constant and repeated reference back to past events. It’s usually quite unnecessary, though perhaps it might be less so for someone who has not read the previous books. However, I do appreciate the scope of the history Carey creates with each new epic addition to her world.

Authors Just Wanna Have Fun: Freya Robertson

Posted on January 5, 2014 1 Comment

It’s one thing to love an author’s books, especially when you recognize how much of themselves they put into their written worlds. It’s something more when you realize that these authors are actually *gasp* real human beings with hopes and dreams and even similar interests!

Freya Robertson isn’t shy about her love of gaming and it’s no secret that one of her favourite past times has snuck into her epic fantasy, Heartwood. I love the gorgeous world of Anguis she has created and the epic sense of adventure she has packed into the quests her characters undertake. I could certainly feel that MMORPG influence and was very excited to discover that she counts Guild Wars 2 as one of her many influences. She even writes fanfic about the adventures of Freya Wildstorm for the Chronicles of Tyria.

I love doing author interviews and digging beyond the story they’ve written, but this time, I just wanted to have fun with someone who clearly shared my love of a wonderful game. Freya indulged my whims and voila! We ended up running around Tyria completing hearts, poking at strange objects, exploring…

And, in honour of our uncoordinated gaming club, we even dared to try a jumping puzzle or two, making it almost all the way to the top before we crashed and burned!

We had such enormous fun, that we called for everyone to come! That is, we invited my co-bloggers Tiara and Mogsy to hop on board for the Winterfest Infinitarium dungeon. After overcoming obstacles that included overheating laptops and chicken wings, we successfully completed the dungeon.

Many thanks to Freya, her husband and Mogsy and Tiara. Gaming is always that much better with friends and it was fantastic to get to spend the time with you!

YA Weekend: Pantomime by Laura Lam

Posted on January 4, 2014 Leave a Comment

Pantomime by Laura Lam

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Series: Book 1 of Pantomime

Publisher: Strange Chemistry

Date of Publication: February 5, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars – “An extraordinary and surprising coming-of-age novel with a unique story of self-discovery and self-acceptance at its heart”

Okay, can I first just say how misleading the description of Pantomime is and how blatantly it underrates the value and extent of its content? Honestly, it does not do this book justice! One look at it gives the unsuspecting reader the impression of a Young Adult paranormal romance, featuring a story of star-crossed love between a daughter from a noble family and a low-born circus scalawag, perhaps. But no, no, no, that’s just all wrong!

That’s the problem with publisher descriptions, I suppose. I understand about wanting to save some surprises for the book. I get that, I do. But it’s another thing when it makes a book sound so average and conventional, when in reality it’s anything but! Hiding behind the official synopsis here is a story that’s a lot more significant and extraordinary. Yes, I was surprised and I loved this book for being so much more than its description. But on the other hand, had I know earlier what Pantomime is really about, then maybe I wouldn’t have shrugged it off as “just another YA romance” and waited so long to get to it!

Having said that, I am now at a dilemma. How do I talk about how much I enjoyed this one without giving the story away? After all, I did just criticize the description for misrepresenting the book, and yet here I am being vague. At the same time, I was really surprised when revelation about the characters hit me, and spoiler or not, I wouldn’t dream of taking that away from anyone else thinking of picking up this book. I loved the story more for it, and it’s definitely something you have to read for yourself. Or bah, who knows, maybe the “secret” is actually common knowledge by now. Suffice it to say, I’m sure there are many other reviews out there that have divulged it if you’re still curious and want to know, but you probably won’t be getting the details from me.

What I will say though, is how impressed I am with the character development and how this coming-of-age story deals with matters of sexuality and identity. These are issues portrayed with sensitivity and attention, as well as the associated emotions that come along with the characters’ struggles to understand what they want versus what society expects of them. There’s action and drama and romance in Pantomime, but at its heart is a very unique journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance, and ultimately it’s this aspect that sets this book apart and makes it so special.

I’m also a sucker for circuses, especially in fantasy stories. What an amazing setting and community Laura Lam has created here, complete with atmosphere and all the cultural dynamics. What’s incredible is how she so perfectly captures the magical nature of a circus, without actually including much of what we’d think of as traditional magic. And yet there are plenty of other fantastical elements, and I find myself intrigued by the rich history of Ellada as well as the mysteries of Vestige. Still, nothing quite beats the vivid descriptions of the circus along with the performers and their acts.

As Angry Robot’s YA imprint, Strange Chemistry has come a long way since its launch. I find some of their older titles to be pretty decent, though a few of their more recent books have been just incredible. I’ve always attributed that to the publisher gradually coming to find its groove over the last year. Little did I expect though, that I would find such a gem in Pantomime amongst some of their earliest publications. It is simply wonderful.

5 of 5 stars

Graphic Novel Review: Locke & Key vol.6: Alpha & Omega by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Posted on January 4, 2014 Leave a Comment

Locke and Key, Vol. 6: Alpha & Omega by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Genre: Horror

Series: Collects Locke and Key Omega #1-5 and Alpha #1-2

Publisher: IDW Publishing

Publication Date: February 2014

Wendy’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Dodge has all the keys, as well as little Bode’s body and, with all the prom kids in the horrible cave, he’s all set to unleash hell on earth and build himself a nice demon family. Kinsey, Ty and all those that aren’t dead or under Dodge’s control must fight desperately to stop Dodge from making his violent dream come true.

As far as epic battles go, this one is brutal. With all the keys at his disposal, Dodge unleashes all manner of chaos and debauchery, turning their friends and loved ones against Kinsey and Ty, while savagely murdering others. Once again, the seemingly cute and wide-eyed innocence of Rodriguez art powers through all of this, and then settles back into the quiet comfort and pain of a family dealing with all of their losses, hoping they can somehow heal.

But the end disappointed me. It felt too abrupt and too … perfect. It was a Pyrrhic Victory, and I expected it to be so and shed the appropriate tears, but I was disappointed in one particular aspect of the ending that wrapped things up too nicely. I’m not a fan of forced happy endings, but otherwise, I appreciate the steps the story went through in the end, especially with Ty.

With thanks to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Iron Night by M.L. Brennan

Posted on January 3, 2014 1 Comment

Iron Night by M.L. Brennan

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Book 2 of American Vampire

Publisher: Roc

Date of Publication: January 7, 2013

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars – “Awesome sequel that was everything I’d hoped for, bringing back all the things I loved about the first book and taking them even further. PERFECTION!”

All right, important things first: Urban Fantasy fans, you NEED to drop everything and check out Generation V by M.L. Brennan. Like, right now! I’ll wait. After you read it, you’ll be all caught up for Iron Night and then you will understand why I love this book so much, because if there’s one word I can use to describe this sequel, it is “Perfection”. I really enjoyed Generation V, but Iron Night takes things to the next level, and even goes further to address everything I had ever wondered or was skeptical about in the first book.

The best part is, you still get all the elements that made Generation V so great. Fortitude Scott is back, and though he may be one step closer to becoming a full-fledged vampire, he is still the underdog with a heart of gold that we know and love! Things seem to be finally looking up for Fort, too. His friendship with the kitsune Suzume Hollis is deepening, his brother is showing him the ropes to running the family territory, and though waiting tables isn’t exactly bringing in the big bucks, at least he’s got a job. And for once, he’s even got a pretty cool roommate.

It was all too good to last for Fort, though. That cool roommate of his ends up dead one night, killed by something unnatural. The powerful Scott family matriarch immediately throws her weight around and covers up the details, pinning the crime on a patsy. Fort is left as the only one trying to figure out the truth behind his friend’s murder, resolved to make the real killer pay. What he finds, however, is something more dangerous and terrifying than he could have possibly imagined.

First, what a great story, bolstered by incredible character development. If you’ve read Generation V you’ll already know that the protagonist Fortitude Scott was funny, sweet, cute, but — let’s face it — also kind of a doormat. Used and manipulated by everyone in his life, it almost got too painful to read! Like any underdog though, he comes into his own. I started to see that happening by the end of the first book, and I’d looked forward to seeing M.L. Brennan take that further in Iron Night and boy, does she ever! Fort’s kind heart and goodness still shines through and gets him into trouble, but he’s not letting just anyone walk all over him now (okay, Suzume still gets to but that’s because, well, she’s the Suze). A transitioning process like that has to be gradual and handled carefully, without making Fort go from “the little guy” to “top dog” overnight, and the author pulls that off flawlessly.

We also get to know more about the Scott family, along with those fascinating dynamics. Some of the best scenes in the book feature Fort’s interactions with his family members, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m actually beginning to really like his sister Prudence. I was very glad to see her greater involvement in this novel, even though she’s still insane and scary as hell. And finally, we get some answers and explanations into why Fortitude is “different” than his siblings. That was something I’d been itching to find out since the end of the last book!

Also, recall how I was completely blown away by the wildly original and unique ideas in Generation V. I bet you’ve never encountered vampires like M.L. Brennan’s vampires! She does it again in Iron Night, offering a fresh take on supernatural creatures…though this time, it’s with elves! Let’s just say after reading this book, I’ll never look at Legolas the same way again. And how can I review this book without talking about the humor? A lot of UF series these days feature humor, but this is one of the few that has actually made me burst out laughing. Incidentally, this was how I almost choked to death on the granola bar I was munching on while reading Iron Night, and that was only on page 2. Curse you, M.L. Brennan, your sharp wit will be my undoing!

There are just some amazing moments in this book. Having followed Fort’s story over these two installments, I am so invested in these characters, both main and supporting, and it’s nice to see the author has all kinds of surprises up her sleeve. I desperately wish I could go into one of my favorite scenes without revealing any spoilers, but for now I can only describe my reaction to it: the feeling I got at the end of the movie Se7en. All I can say is that the baddie in this book is one evil, ruthless monster. And it only made this story all the more awesome.

I can’t recommend these books enough. This sequel was simply amazing, and it was everything I’d hoped for and more. Earlier this year when I read Generation V, I knew this had the potential to become one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series. Well, Iron Night pretty much made that official!

5 of 5 stars

A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright

Posted on January 2, 2014 Leave a Comment

Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Series: Book 1 of the The Habitat Series

Publisher: Dragonfairy Press

Date of Publication: January 28, 2012

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Tiara’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars – This book was a nice mix of magic and steamy romance with a heroine who doesn’t take the typical tough girl stance but still manages to be tough in her own way.

Lanore Vesta is a Supernatural, referred to colloquially as Supes. They boast such species as demon, shifter, and fairy. They possess powers that humans have come to fear. In their fear, humans created a solution. Humans have corralled these people, branded them according to species, and banished them to, what is essentially, a barred cage called Habitats. Normally, they’re not allowed outside their Habitats, and Lanore states that she’s never seen Miami where her habitat is located. However, it seems that there might be some instances when they can travel as Lanore also mentions a Purebreed who traveled to her Habitat from a Habitat located in Japan. Because of this isolation, they have very little knowledge of human history since it doesn’t apply to their lives. They just know they are hated.

I’m curious as to how humans were able to identify these beings and force them into these Habitats. That was never really explained. From what I gathered in this book, there are really no distinguishing features to make people think they’re not human (or at least, most of them don’t). Beings like fairies and demons keep up a glamour to make themselves appear human while shifters have a human form that they share with their beasts. Elemental witches look human by default. There was mention of one of the characters having strange markings on his skin, but it sounded like something that might pass as a tattoo. And there are a group of shifters who walk around partially shifted, but this is by choice. So, how in the world were humans able to impose their will on these people? Anyhow, moving forward.

These Habitats are a world of their own. Everything they need to make them a city is located in their walls from schools to strip clubs. The only human interaction they have is with the police force that’s staffed entirely by humans. The Habitat is populated by Purebreeds whose parents are the same species and Mixbreeds whose parents are different species. Despite both groups being shafted by humans, there is an intense hatred of Mixbreeds among the Purebreeds, and “mixies,” as they’re called, suffer through many injustices. Purebreeds don’t believe that Mixbreeds are as powerful as they are, and therefore, even though the Mixbreeds are starting to question this inequality, the Purebreeds don’t feel threatened by them.

Lanore is having a very bad night at the start of this book. For starters, the books she stole for her college classes had an alarm spell placed on them. As she’s fleeing the security troll (because even a Mixbreed is faster than a troll) with screaming books in hand, she’s accosted by two men who force her to unleash her powers. Finally, she witnesses a murder that she’s useless to stop, but she manages to alert the killer to her presence by screaming at them. She fears that the attacker will seek her out next. She finds that her suspicions are confirmed when she finds a cryptic note taped to her apartment door. Lanore isn’t going to stand by idly and wait for death. She plans to find the killer before the killer strikes.

Wright has created this wonderful, mythical world where magic reigns supreme. Reading about their magic-powered technology and how some of human history entwines with the history of Supes (such as the Black Panthers being actual black panthers) really made this story for me. The cruelty that Lanore endures in the Habitat felt dark, heavy, oppressive. She’s just a college student trying to do the best she can in a world that has decided she isn’t worthy of life. Instead of being the angry, aggressive female protagonist, Lanore is surprisingly peaceful, preferring to settle matters with as little fuss as possible. She wears a lot of herself–her fears, her joys, her wants–for everyone to see. She doesn’t even flaunt her powers until she has no choice. Lanore is a strong female character, but her strength is tempered with calmness.

This wouldn’t be a paranormal romance without the romance part. Lanore has two men vying for her attention. MeShack her childhood friend and former lover and Zulu a outspoken proponent for equality for mixies. Lanore isn’t sure what she wants. MeShack is familiar, and her feelings for him are planted deep in her heart. They grew up together, the kids of two drug addicts who felt they could look after themselves. They have a rich history together. Zulu represents something new. The passion that he pours into fighting for equality inspires her even when she doesn’t agree with his methods. Both men are fiercely protective of Lanore. Both men want to make her their mate. She straggles the fence on who she wants romantically, leaning back and forth as they try to convince her that they’re the right choice.

I thought this book was a nice mix of magic and steamy romance with a heroine who doesn’t take the typical tough girl stance but still manages to be tough in her own way. And if you’re a reader searching for fantasy/supernatural books whose lead is a woman of color, this book is definitely worth checking out.