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Category: Series

Review: The Road to Rome by Ben Kane

[ 3 ] June 1, 2011
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Reviewed by Caleb Shadis

The Road to Rome by Ben Kane is the third and final(?) book in the Forgotten Legion series. I gave final a question mark because even though it was a good finish, there was enough question of what Romulus was going to do next for another book to be possible. As far as The Road to Rome is concerned, I think it held up well. The second book, The Silver Eagle, did not quite have the same effect on me as the first, The Forgotten Legion, and I think The Road to Rome was a great way to wrap up the series.

The book starts off exactly where the The Silver Eagle left off, with Romulus and Tarquinius having just been conscripted into the Roman legion in Egypt. Having caught a glimpse of Romulus, Fabiola is in a boat being rowed out to a ship that will take her away from the rebellion and back to Rome. After being separated for almost eight years, both are given a moral boost knowing that the other still lives.

Fabiola goes forward with her plans to have her ‘father’ murdered for the rape of her mother. She convinces Brutus to let her buy the Lupanar, the famous brothel she had once been a prostitute in. Fabiola thinks it will be an easy way to find those willing to help her execute her plan. Little does she know that another shadow from her past will make her life a lot more difficult.

Romulus was drafted and is on campaign with Julius Caesar as he attempts to quell the rebellion in Egypt. He eventually gets in trouble but through his punishment he receives the greatest prize he ever hoped for. He eventually meets back up with Fabiola only to have disappointment thrown in his path again.

Overall, I found The Road to Rome to be another excellent book that is sure to transport the readers back to ancient Rome. It portrays both the grandeur and the filth that went hand in hand in the empire. If you like stories about Rome and the ancient societies give this series a try.

Rating: 4/5

Check out Caleb’s reviews of The Forgotten Legion and The Silver Eagle

Caleb is a software engineer and amature woodworker living in southern Minnesota. He has more hobbies than he has time or money for, and enjoys his quiet time reading.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by St. Martin’s Press. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: The Fall by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

[ 5 ] December 27, 2010
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Reviewed by Elizabeth T.

A horrific virus has been unleashed in New York City, creating savage vampires that hunt indiscriminately. Civilization has nearly crumbled, leaving anarchy in the vampires’ wake. There is only a small group of people that oppose these powerful creatures, including former CDC employee Ephraim Goodweather and his son, elderly Abraham Setrakian, Nora Martinez, and exterminator Vasiliy Fet. They stand alone between the strigoi and total human annihilation.

The story continues immediately after the group’s attempt to destroy the Master, the powerful vampire behind the epidemic. Setrakian hopes to obtain a book from the 17th century that could give him the key to destroying all the vampires, but every time this book has surfaced, disaster has followed. To make things worse, Eldritch Palmer, a very rich and sickly man, is giving the Master his full support; Ephraim’s ex-wife turned vampire is stalking the small group of heroes to turn her loved ones. Through all these obstacles, can Ephraim and his hodgepodge group save the human race?

Usually, the second book of a trilogy drags and falls flat, simply succeeding in setting up the characters for the grand finale. The Fall is not the typical second book. It is just as compelling as its predecessor, but very bleak. The vampires Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan created aren’t your standard tall, dark, handsome, or sparkling types that have become popular in recent years. They are disgusting and their only interest in humans is for food and transmitting the virus so that it will spread as far as possible. This view of vampires is refreshing since there are so few truly dangerous vampire stories out there. I like that the physiological changes as one turns from human to vampire are described in detail – it lends a sense of realism to a typically fantastical creature.

There are a few new things in The Fall that I found particularly interesting and compelling. The first is the concept that human love is corrupted and changed in the conversion from human to vampire, leading the new vampire to infect their loved ones with the virus. It makes the epidemic all that more devastating when even love is not safe. This theme recurs throughout the novel and proves to be toxic to the protagonists.

Vampire children are introduced when children blinded by the eclipse are kidnapped and turned into troops that don’t rely on eyesight to fight the enemy. These creatures are incredibly disturbing and difficult for the humans to deal with since they still appear to be children. Another new addition is the small group of original ancient vampires that oppose the Master because they view vampirism as a great gift to be given with discretion to only the most deserving. It makes sense that vampires wouldn’t want to overtake humans and thus deplete their own food source.

The Strain Trilogy brings vampires from the romance genre they’ve settled in back to their true horror roots. The Fall is a worthy follow-up to The Strain and continues this intensely addictive series in a worthy fashion! I cannot wait for the final installment, Eternal Night!

Elizabeth is a student at Cal State Long Beach. She laughs a lot, loves cats, and lives for music and books. You can read her blog here: http://titania86-fishmuffins.blogspot.com/.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by William Morrow. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: The Doomsday Key by James Rollins

[ 6 ] December 10, 2010
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Reviewed by Caleb S.

The Doomsday Key by James Rollins is the sixth book in the Sigma Force series, but reading the previous books is not required to understand or enjoy the book. This was my first book by Rollins and I enjoyed it so much I read the last half in a single evening. As a matter of fact, I now plan on reading the rest of the series.

Sigma Force is a special black ops group that has a very wide range of skills and duties, similar to ‘Mission: Impossible’. This time around, two separate and seemingly unrelated incidents peak Sigma’s interest for different reasons; the group soon discovers that they are very much related and are only the tip of the iceberg. Someone has found an ancient biological weapon and has plans for it’s dissemination –  all they need to do is find an antidote to protect those chosen. Sigma Force gets tangled up in the plot while trying to figure out who’s doing what and why.

The Doomsday Key was an exciting fast-paced ride that started on page 10 and didn’t stop to let anyone off. As a matter of fact, it kept picking up speed until the end. Helping keep the pace, the chapters were relatively short and each was broken down into sections with time stamps as we jumped back and forth between different groups doing things concurrently. I thought the book was well put together and really enjoyed the story. It captured my attention and didn’t let it go. I highly recommend it for those who enjoy spy thrillers of the action kind.

Caleb is a software engineer and amature woodworker living in southern Minnesota. He has more hobbies than he has time or money for, and enjoys his quiet time reading.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Pocket Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Blog Tour: Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning

[ 5 ] December 1, 2010
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Please join Karen Marie Moning, author of the MacKayla Lane novels, as she tours the blogosphere with TLC Book Tours!

To learn more about Karen Marie Moning and her books, please visit her website!

Review of Dreamfever – Book Four – by Jennifer J. (check out our reviews of Darkfever, Bloodfever and Faefever)

The 4th book in Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series, Dreamfever, picks up just about where Faefever left off. Now in the Lord Master’s clutches, Mac’s future isn’t looking too bright. No human has ever recovered from being seduced by the Fae. Mac’s thoughts are that of an animal, and she is only interested in one thing: more sex with the Fae. Once Dani rescues her from the Lord Master and Barrons takes her home to Barrons Books and Baubles, Barrons sets out to tame the beast that has become Mac. It takes months for Mac to recuperate, and when she realizes what Barrons had to do to bring her back, it drives a wedge even further between them. Now Mac is facing complicated feelings towards Barrons she didn’t want to acknowledge.

The barrier between the Fae world and the human world is crumbling fast, and Dublin is not how Mac remembers it. The Fae are rapidly taking over the entire world, and Mac fears for the safety of her adoptive parents. To set everything right again, Mac will journey into the dangerous world of the Fae, where losing all her sense of self could mean her death.

Karen Marie Moning’s Dreamfever is the darkest book in the Fever series yet. Mac isn’t the only one who has matured–the series has as well. The first 50 pages finally brought Mac and Jericho Barrons together in ways which I’m sure every reader has longed for since the very first book. The situation was dire, but I couldn’t help finding amusement at seeing Jericho more vulnerable and real than he has ever seemed before. I’m still in the dark about who–or what–Jericho is, and the shocking cliffhanger ending of the book left me with even more questions than I’d had to begin with.

I’ll be sad to see this series end with the 5th book, Shadowfever, though I’m glad that Moning has been so organized and concise with writing it and could see a definite ending. Hopefully all of the questions I have will be answered, and those who have it coming to them will get it in the worst possible way.

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

Review and giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Dell Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: The Legacy of Pemberley by Rebecca Collins

[ 8 ] November 10, 2010
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Reviewed by Meg M.

The Legacy of Pemberley, the latest novel from Rebecca Ann Collins, begins fifty years after Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth were married within the pages of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

This novel is the tenth in Collins’ The Legacy of Pemberley series, in which a number of new characters and tales of intrigue have emerged. The first part of the book begins with the last days of Elizabeth’s beloved cousin, Emily Courtney. For the remainder of the first portion of the novel, Emily’s children and extended family are discussed in great detail. Her son, Jude Courtney, is given her entire estate, which proves to enrage the rest of the family. But when Jude’s financial well-being is threatened, an unsuspected savior steps in to protect him.

In the second part, we are re-introduced to Georgiana, whose husband, Dr. Grantley, recently passed away. Georgiana and her self-absorbed daughter Virginia, move in to Pemberley until they can recover from their loss. Virginia visits Caroline Fitzwilliam, who has recently lost her husband, Colonel Fitzwilliam, as well. During this trip, Virginia and Caroline’s daughter Rachel encounter Daniel Faulkner and Adam Fraser, two men who lived in the colony of Victoria, Australia. Though Rachel suddenly finds herself developing feelings for the older Mr. Faulkner, Virginia throws herself into a romance with Mr. Fraser, who is soon revealed to me a man of duplicitous nature. Will Caroline and Rachel be able to prevent a disastrous union between the two?

[amazonify]1402224524[/amazonify]And in part three of the novel, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy accompany Mr. and Mrs. Bingley to Italy for the winter when it is announced that it would be best for Bingley’s health. In this portion, we are introduced to Laura Ann, the Darcys’ beautiful granddaughter. When she becomes captivated by the handsome, but not at all wealthy Thomas O’Connor, will she marry for love or submit instead to the expectation that she should marry a man of wealth?

The Legacy of Pemberley is an enjoyable narrative that explores the possibilities for characters that we’ve known and loved since Austen created them over 200 years ago. Collins expands upon this by adding delightful characters to the mix, along with the occasional devious man or woman we’ve all come expect in an Austen tale. And though I wish I would have read the rest of Collins’ Pemberley Chronicles series before reading this novel, after acquainting myself with the new characters, I very much enjoyed this book, which stays true to the witty and romantic attributes of Austen’s original.

Meg lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, Ryan. Marketing professional by day, freelance writer by night, Meg writes about life, entertainment and everything in between on her blog, Morning Cup With Meg.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Sourcebooks Landmark. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Blog Tour: Faefever by Karen Marie Moning

[ 6 ] November 10, 2010
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Please join Karen Marie Moning, author of the MacKayla Lane novels, as she tours the blogosphere with TLC Book Tours!

To learn more about Karen Marie Moning and her books, please visit her website!

Review of Faefever – Book Three - by Jennifer J. (check out our reviews of Darkfever and Bloodfever)

After MacKayla Lane sees her employer and educator-in-all-things-Fae Jericho Barrons step through a Fae Hallow covered in blood and carrying a dead woman, she decides he absolutely cannot be trusted. Against Jericho’s desires, MacKayla flirts with the idea of teaming up with two very unlikely alliances: Detective Jayne, who has been trailing her since his brother-in-law, the Detective who had been assigned Alina’s murder case was found dead clutching a piece of paper with MacKayla’s name on it; and V’lane, the Fae prince who offers her Alina back if she will help him get his hands on the Sinshar Dubh, a Fae Hallow written by the Seelie King himself.

As Halloween draws near, ancient rituals must be performed to keep the thin wall between Faery and the human world from crashing down. For just this night, enemies who are fighting for the same cause must set aside their differences and work together. But the Fae who have been taking over Dublin have their own plans, and MacKayla and her friends might be too late to stop them. Who will be left standing the day after Samhain?

[amazonify]0440244390[/amazonify]I have been hooked on this series since reading Darkfever, the first book in Karen Marie Moning’s Fae series, and Faefever was by far the most addictive in the series thus far. MacKayla has come a long way since the first book; she has become hardened, independent, and cunning. There is nothing new revealed about Jericho except for a few tiny pieces of information. MacKayla puts him through a few small tests to try and determine who–or what–he is. I find these scenes lightly humorous, and a welcome insertion between all the moments of pure chaos. I still don’t know what Jericho is, but I think now I have a pretty good guess and I’m just waiting for the big reveal.

Faefever has tested MacKayla in all sorts of ways: strength, courage, loyalty, and human desires. I was in shock by the last page. Karen Marie Moning has a definite end goal in sight for this story, and I am just in awe at the choices she made as an author. This series just keeps getting better and better!

Check back for our review of the final MacKayla Lane novel, Dreamfever, coming soon!

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

Review and giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Dell Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: The Defector by Daniel Silva

[ 6 ] October 21, 2010
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Reviewed by Caleb S.

The Defector is the ninth book in the Gabriel Allon series. Gabriel and Chiara are recuperating at a villa in Italy while Gabriel is refinishing a painting for the Vatican. Both are laying low, off Ivan Kharkov’s radar, since Ivan’s family defected from Russia. Out of the blue, Grigori Bulganov, who defected at the same time as Ivan’s family, disappears from Britain. Moreover, it appears that he left on his own volition. Gabriel doesn’t buy it and decides to look into it, keeping a promise he made.

Gabriel is looking into Grigori’s disappearance and checking on other people who can be in on the hit list when his wife Chiara is kidnapped. Gabriel knows who did it and why. The question he wants answered is: can he get her back alive?

The Defector was my favorite Gabriel Allon book and it kept the action and suspense going without getting overpowering. Gabriel is a man with a mission, a mission that is deeply personal. He has an enemy who is rich and powerful and who also knows that Gabriel is coming. I relate this to a ‘man on fire’ kind of book: someone has crossed the line and Gabriel plans on making them pay. Lots of action, lots of excitement and a great spy story on top of it all.

Check out Caleb’s thoughts on another Gabriel Allon novel, The Rembrandt Affair, here.

Caleb is a software engineer and amature woodworker living in southern Minnesota. He has more hobbies than he has time or money for, and enjoys his quiet time reading.

This book was provided free of any obligation by Signet. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Blog Tour: Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning

[ 5 ] October 11, 2010
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Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)

Please join Karen Marie Moning, author of the MacKayla Lane novels, as she tours the blogosphere with TLC Book Tours!

To learn more about Karen Marie Moning and her books, please visit her website!

Review of Bloodfever – Book Two – by Jennifer J. (check out our review of the first book in the series, Darkfever)

After learning the identity of her sister’s killer at the end of Darkfever, MacKayla Lane is out to avenge her death in the second installment of the Fever series entitled Bloodfever. Mac has now traded in her pastels and pinks and wears sexier, edgier clothes in black. Her blond hair is now short, curly, and black to complete her new look. When Mac’s father arrives in Dublin to take her home, he barely recognizes his youngest daughter. Now an employee of Barrons’ Books and Baubles, Mac has created a new life for herself and refuses to leave Dublin with her father. Though it breaks his heart to leave her there, Mac cannot be persuaded otherwise.

Though Mac still doesn’t trust Jerricho Barrons, she must stay in Dublin to find out more about her birth mother. After her father reveals that the terms of their adoption included never letting their daughters set foot in Ireland, Mac’s curiosity is piqued. Sidhe-seers are rare, but after encountering a young girl who can also see Fae, Mac learns there is an organization lead by a mysterious older woman named Rowena that battles Fae. Mac must decide whom to trust, and none of her options are looking very good. Should she stay with Jerricho, especially now that she’s discovered he is hiding something mysterious underneath his garage? Should she turn to Rowena, even though the woman left her to die twice in the past? Or will the Fae prince V’lane seduce her with his glamours and appealing promises?

[amazonify]0440240999[/amazonify]Between Darkfever and Bloodfever, Mac has evolved quite a bit. She’s not the only one, though–the more that she discovers about the various Fae creatures, the more we as readers learn about them. Mac’s glossary is also included in Bloodfever, containing new terms and expanding on ones that we learned about in Darkfever. Like in the first book, Mac and Jerricho are still searching for the Dark Hallow called the Sinsar Dubh. The relationship between Mac and Jerricho is getting more and more complicated, and Jerricho is just as mysterious as he was in the first book.

I really love the direction that Karen Marie Moning’s series is taking. The characters are fantastic, the plot is fascinating, and the setting is breathtaking. I especially loved the glimpse we get of Faery in this book. I hope to see more of it in future books, as well as the return of some of Mac’s potential suitors and even some of her enemies.

Check back for our reviews of more MacKayla Lane novels coming soon!

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

Review and giveaway copies were provided free of any obligation by Dell Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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