Review: Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh

Archangel's Blade (Guild Hunter #4)

by Nalini Singh

Urban Fantasy Romance

As both Annie and myself (Suzanne!) have read this one, we decided we would interview ourselves regarding the book as a nice change in format for our joint review. Enjoy!

Descirbe Dmitri in two words....

Annie: Sensual. Lethal

Suzanne: Dangerous. Carnal

How do you think Honor and Dmitri were as a couple?

Annie: They were perfect. I wondered how Singh would find someone who could bring Dmitri to his knees. He's a prideful man, and to see a vulnerability in Honor made me love her more.

Suzanne: I agree with Annie, they were perfect. They had sexual chemistry in abundence, seriously read this with your partner or B.O.B close at hand, not only that they complimented each other, Honor brought out a Dmitri's mortal heart and Dmitri in his oft times cruel ways made Honor a survivor rather then a victim.

Holly Chang. What did you think of her journey in this book?

Annie: Poor girl, she has endured so much! I liked seeing the playful part of her even though she's broken beyond repair. While I much enjoyed reading about Dmitri and Honor more, Holly's story was great. I'm sensing something going on between her and Venom. Anyone else feel that too?

Suzanne: I always thought Dmitri and Holly were going to pair up, but it seems she brings out a different kind of affection from him. I really feel for Holly, who has had a bit of a name change in this book, she is in a dark place at the moment and I can't wait to read more about her. I am feeling the Venom and Holly vibe as well!

What was your favourite thing about Archangel's Blade?

Annie: Dmitri. I loved everything about him. He was not my favourite of the Seven. But that was before I learned of his past. He is both a menace and mesmerizing. And I was captivated since page one as Singh described him beautifully.

Suzanne: My favourite aspect of this book was the slow building of the trust and sexual tension between Dmitri and Honor.It was brilliantly done, Nalini Singh seems to be an expert at building up the emotions between two characters until you are on the edge of your seat reading about them.

Anything bug you about Archangel's Blade?

Annie: Hmm, that there wasn't enough pages in the book? Despite reading slowly and rereading pages, I wish it lasted forever!

Suzanne: There wasn't anything that really got on my wick too much, but I did find the continued repetition of certain words a little irritating. I was contemplating doing a count of the words "sensual" "cruel" and "lethal" and see how many times it is possible to repeat those three words in just one book!

Why should people read Archangel's Blade?

Annie: Singh is a master at crafting stories. Both her Guild Hunter and Psy-Changeling series prove that. People should read Archangel's Blade because it's the darkest book yet and kind of reminds me of Zsadist's book, Lover Avenged from BDB. The least liked character walks in and manages to break your heart and make you fall in love with them with their story.

Suzanne: I am with Annie on this one, it was an excellent book, it was emotionally charged, sexy as hell and a little heartbreaking. I wasn't really a fan of Dmitri before this book, but after I was just a quivering puddle of goo.

UK or US cover?

Annie: I want both for my shelves!!

Suzanne: Wellllllllll if you have read my whinging updates on Goodreads you will probably already know the answer to this question! But the UK cover, I love it, it is so beautiful, even if the woman has no hips to speak of and a series case of hypothermia!

Which of the Seven would you like to climb like a monkey and ride to the ground?

Annie: Just one? I want Venom, Illium and Jason. All at the same time. I'll get the handcuffs.

Suzanne: That is a good point Annie, why pick just one? In which case AODHAN, and then I am going to have to nick Venom from you. Oh look Annie, Paul Marron's behind you! *Grabs Venom and runs away* 

I hope you have liked our review! And comment and tell us what you thought of Archangel's Blade we are especially interesting in your answer to the last question, 'cos we are nosy ho bags like that!

Purchase Links: Amazon



Review: Crave by JR Ward

Crave (Fallen Angels 2)

by J.R. Ward

Urban Fantasy

Alright BDB fans...Before you read this review, put aside your love for the Brothers just for a minute because I know everyone is dying for their next Brother fix. Once you’ve done that, pick up your copy of Crave if you haven’t already and just read. Don’t flip to the back to read the Lover Unleashed excerpt and don’t read Crave simply to spot Brother cameos. Read it because you love J.R. Ward’s writing style and you want to support her.

Now, where do I even start? I thought Covet was a great read. It had interesting and complex characters, steamy love scenes, and some good old heart n’ soul mixed into it. But Crave seems to be my favourite out of the two.

Crave is a lot more gritty and darker than the first book. Danger seems to be lurking in all corners this time and it’s interesting to see how Jim and his boys will handle Devina the second time around.

J.R. Ward is a genius at plotting so there are a few unexpected twists that are sure to remind readers that she’s got talent. Things pick up quick in the beginning and Ward’s storytelling grips you until the very end. Also, we get the answers to some of the questions that were raised in Covet.

One of my favourite things about this book is Ward’s writing style. It’s raw and gritty, but there’s so much heart in this little book. Ward is able to pull on your heart strings and make you feel sympathy for everyone, even the bad guys. Not to mention, there are a few great quotes in there that are sure to make you laugh out loud.

And the romance between Grier and Isaac is so explosive, it’s hard to believe that Isaac is a stone-cold killer and she is a sympathetic attorney trying to save his ass. The little ways in which Isaac slowly opens his heart to her is so sweet and beautiful. It rivals the sort of love you see in the BDB series.

So if you’ve read Covet and thought, “Meh, the BDB series is better”, give Crave a shot because not only has Ward stepped up her game, but she has proven that she’s able to write more than just about her sexy vamps. If Crave is any indication of how the Fallen Angels series will turn out, then Jim, Adrian and Eddie sure as hell need to be ready for a whole lot of fan-girlies coming their way. Because The Fallen Angels have arrived...

Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: Covet by JR Ward

Covet (Fallen Angels #1)

by JR Ward

Urban Fantasy

Jim Heron has been recruited. But not by the usual head hunters though, he has been chosen by both Heaven and Hell to either redeem or condemn the whole of mankind. All he has to do is guide seven souls each contaminated in some way by evil, for Heaven to win he has to guide them on to the right path. Jim's first assignment is Vin DiPietro, a man driven by avarice, the need to have more and more better and better. Can Jim save him, and is Marie-Terese the prostitute with the sad eyes his way to Heaven or the road to damnation?

I really liked this book, when I got to the serious business of sitting down and reading it, it had me completely hooked, from the prologue from the demons point of view to Jim being flat on his ass outside the pearly gates with the "Four Lads." This has the WARDen's familiar writing style which seems to have a rhythm and flow all of its own, although I am grateful that she has toned down on all the street slang, I was actually able to read this without once having to reach for an Urban Dictionary! But like I said she has a style all of her own that is both beautiful and earthly and has a tendency to grab you and not let you go until you are done.

I have marked this as both an UF and a PNR because it kind of is, although there is a romance and it is the central focus of the book and there is also more to it than that, the story doesn't end when the characters pair up, and although Jim is the "hero" of the story he isn't the one with the HEA. That is another point about this that I like the romance was a product of the plot and not the other way around, with a plot a by-product of a romance. This lead it to having a much stronger story and although this one felt like a warm up till the next one it was still great and kept me interested all the way through.

Although I have seen very mixed reviews about this book, I loved it; it had the typical JR Ward style and a great story with the potential to go in so many different directions that I truly can’t wait to see what happens next.

Favourite Quote

Staring up into his face, she felt a stirring deep down as she realized he was her real life fairy tale: Standing before her, he was willing to do battle for her, on whatever killing field the war took place...He was prepared to accept wounds and make sacrifices for her...He was the dragon slayer she had looked for when she was younger and had lost faith in ever finding as she'd aged.

Review: Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead

 

 

Succubus Revealed

(Georgina Kincaid # 6)

by Richelle Mead

Urban Fantasy

There are two things that Richelle Mead does amazingly every time.


The first is that she is able to end a series perfectly. Whether it be ending an epic Young Adult series or an Urban Fantasy one, Mead knows exactly how to satisfy her readers after bringing them on a rollercoaster ride. What an amazing ride we've been on with Georgina Kincaid!


Succubus Revealed is the sixth and final book in the Georgina Kincaid series and while we’re glad about what happens in this book, we’re still sad to see it end as a fan. The book starts out fun and light-hearted, hitting the high notes with lots of jokes and silliness. But there is that usual angst that comes with Georgina. As they say in the book, Georgie can be a little melodramatic. But the woman has a reason to be!


Right when her world seems to be perfect, she gets a notice of transfer from Hell. Wondering that the hell brought this on, Georgie recruits her friend, Roman aka The Nephilim to help her figure this out.


But the real mystery is how Seth knew Georgina’s real name from the fifth century...


This answer and more is revealed in this book. How appropriate that Mead called it Succubus Revealed. Because, really, EVERYTHING comes together in the end.


Which leads me to the second thing that Richelle Mead does extremely well - and that is plotting.


It’s amazing how she is able to match things up perfectly with all her events. You come to understand Jerome’s don’t-give-a-fuck attitude towards Georgie, you find out Carter’s real purpose in Seattle, you learn why Seth’s darling sister is sick. It all matches up and we love seeing an author who takes pride in making sure there is continuity in her work.


For once, we can truly say that we figured this one out. We had my theories going into this book and we think Mead went the right way with this ending.


Not only is the ending what every Georgina Kincaid fan wants for our Succubus girl, but it was very touching as well. We didn’t expect to be so emotional over this book. We’ve gone from loving Seth to preferring Roman, and back to loving Seth so many times throughout the series that we were a bit torn going into this book. That being said, Seth hasn’t been my favourite person throughout this entire series, but you just know when two people are meant to be together and it’s clear that Seth and Georgina are meant to be.


This passage really proves this point:

I tightened my arms around him and drew him toward the bed. “I’m still alive, aren’t I?”
“Yes,” he admitted, letting himself be drawn along. “But are you sure you don’t want to just wait?”
Hugh had said something after booking my flight. Everything changes when you’re mortal. You don’t know what tomorrow will bring.
“I’ve waited long enough,” I told Seth, just before kissing him.
And that was the moment I knew what it was like to have my soul back.

But it isn’t the love between Georgina and Seth that makes this book so good. It’s also Roman’s selfless act that blew my mind. There are no words. After what he’s done in the past, we weren’t sure what to expect of him. But his actions in this book redeem him completely. We absolutely adore him and wished there was a way to read more about him.

And last but not least, Carter. We are in love with Carter. Sexy angel!!! Someone please tell me there will be a Carter spin-off because we would be devastated to know there’s no more Carter coming up.

What would a heroine be without her friends? We couldn’t have asked for more, it was everything we wanted and then some.


All in all, Succubus Revealed is the perfect ending to an amazing series. We’re sure fans will be satisfied with Georgina’s final book when they flip that last page. We know we were.

 

 

Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: One Grave At A Time by Jeaniene Frost

One Grave At A Time (Night Huntress #6)

by Jeaniene Frost

Urban Fantasy

Here at Under the Covers we love the Night Huntress series, between the three of us all the guys in this series have been taken and hidden away in our harems to be boinked brainless at our leisure…*trails off into a day dream involving silk ties, whipped cream and big... fangs* Anyway you can see we were really looking forward to this book; however, we are mutually of the opinion that this isn’t one of the best books in the series so far.

Cat’s got her hands full in this one. As the Red Reaper, she’s been on death’s door plenty of times. But when she receives a plea for help from a ghost who is seeking to kill another ghost she faces one of her biggest challenges, how can you kill something that’s already dead? But vengeance must be served and Cat is more than willing to dish it out. Kramer is a sick-minded ghost who has the ability to become flesh and bone on All Hallows Eve so that he can torment and rape women before he then burns them at the stake, believing all women to be either whores or witches.

We felt that one of the main reasons this book wasn’t as good as the other was that it felt like a novella that had been stretched as much as possible to try and reach a full length novel. There seemed to be tracts of time where not much seemed to be happening; the beginning felt lacklustre with little action and the plot slowly plodding along. It did pick up towards the end and there was a really good action scene towards the end, but then it ended really abruptly leaving us turning the pages looking for more.

Mencheres and Vlad also weren't present in this book, which was a little disappointing we look forward to seeing them almost as much as Cat and Bones, they have become crucial members of the Night Huntress gang. However, we did have Spade, Denise and Ian in this, so we saw a different set of the gang. And Ian! Can’t wait for his book, love his character’ watching him wind up Cat and Justina were some the funniest bits in the book.

Now, finally, Cat and Bones, they are a solid couple now so all the drama that we saw in the first books in this series has gone, so instead of this we get to see the deepening of their relationship instead, which was all "aww" but it isn't as exciting as when they first got together. And is there a Chapter 32 3.0 ‘fraid not but there is a nice scene that gets the heart racing but it is more heart then heat. But it is these moments where you see the deep bond between Cat and Bones and are torn between murderous jealousy towards Cat and feeling happy for her.

Overall, this book was still a solid instalment to the ever-growing series. And we are anxious to read the next one!

Favourite Quote: Ian, ever tactful, had another form of hello.
“Christ, Reaper, with your bald head and all that soot, you look like a mannequin someone attacked with a blowtorch.”
“Ian, if I weren’t holding this sod, you’d be on the ground right now,” Bones gritted out.
“I’m not holding anyone,” Spade said, and whacked Ian hard enough to make him stagger.

Review: Hunt the Moon by Karen Chance

Hunt the Moon (Cassie Palmer #5)

by Karen Chance

Urban Fantasy

Another day, another murder attempt, it is all getting rather old hat for Cassie Palmer the soon to be coronated Pythia. After killing Apollo she thought the crazy attempts on her life would be over but as Cassie says so succinctly in this book: Crazy is what we had for breakfast when we ran out of Corn Flakes. and this book further extends the whole mad-crazy status of her life.

Like all the others I really enjoyed this book, in fact I think it may be my favourite book so far, it had the fast paced action and completely gob smacking situations that Cassie some how finds herself in, but I thought it also had that little bit extra as well. We get a lot more insight in to Cassie's past and how that has effected her, which has given an already well drawn out and interesting character some more depth, but as well as this we get a nosey around the two men in Cassie's life pasts.

Mircea and Pritkin, I think everyone has their opnion on who they like the most (GO PRITKIN!) but how much to we really know about them? If you have read the Dory series you will probably know a bit more about Mircea, but in this book we get to have a look at the man behind the Master vampire, and WOW I almost swung to Team Mircea. Until of course Pritkin crashed in to the book and then I was firmly with him again, feeling only a little guilty over my wavering : D This book also has Pritkin revealing more of his mysterious and hellish past. This book also highlights the big differences between the two men. Mircea wants to protect and shield Cassie, frustratingly so at times, where as Pritkin pushes her to look after her self, and when I say push I mean that quite literally, in the first chapter he pushes her off a ledge of a mountain to see how she would react!

Also, did anyone realize Mircea had a foot fetish? How did I not know that!

This book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and I now can't wait for the next installment as they just seem to be getting better and better.

Which Man do you prefer? Here are some quotes to help you decide!

Mircea

The white terry cloth had made his skin look darker than normal, a deep rich caramel, but I didn't miss it. Not with the fire painting intriguing shadows on a body that was already intriguing enough. It gilded his muscles, cast a very incongruous halo around that adrk head and licked at the smug smile hovering about his lips. He took longer undressing than strictly necessary, because he was a bastard and a tease and because he clearly had no problem with nudity. I kind of suspected that Mircea liked nudity. Of course, if I had a body like that, I probably would, too.

Pritkin

Pritkin was annoying, stubborn, secretive, impatient and rude. He had the tact od a Parris Island drill sergeant and the charm of a barbed wire fence. He regularly made me want to slap him and other people want to shoot him, and that was without even trying. I;d probably yelled at him moe than anybody else in my entire life, and I'd known him less then two months. And yet he was also loyal and honest and brave and weirdly kind.

And here's another one cos I know you are all ho's and like a bit of smut!

It was sensory overload, hearing the sounds he made deep in his throat, smelling that particular mix of sweat and gunpowder and magic that may as well have been his signature cologne, feeling the assault of that mouth, all wet, silken heat and fiery passion, nothing safe, nothing sane-
And then he gently bit down.
And oh dear God.

Come and check out our Fantasy Cast of each of the characters HERE!

Review: The Deadliest Bite by Jennifer Rardin

The Deadliest Biteby Jennifer Rardin
(Jaz Sparks # 8)
Urban Fantasy

This is the last book in the Jaz Sparks series.  Did it really take me 8 books to realize that yes, Jaz is crazy? LOL  The woman not only hears voices in her head, but actually they play whole scenes for her and interact!  But in this book, it worked for me.  And they worked for her.  Teen Me, Inner Bimbo and Granny May were all very much present, very funny and actually helpful!

On top of her own voices, she has Brude still trapped inside her head, literally, and now the time has come for her to banish him forever.

All the lose end stories come up in this book, and still manage to keep the storyline interesting, action packed and totally hysterical.  Vayl has finally found his sons, even if not exactly in the way he had planned.  He has to fight to not get killed by them and to save them.  All the previous bad guys make an appearance in this book so we can finish them off.  It was great!

As always I enjoy the humor that's always mixed in with this series.  Bergman grows a pair so on top of being the smartest, most creative and funniest guy around, he actually helps save the day!  So proud of him.  Cole and his usual humor at the most inappropriate times.  And I love the pets (mascots?) robokitty (Astral) and Jack!

This was a very good ending to the story, it cements the relationship between Vayl and Jaz as strong and everlasting, it answers all the questions you could've had and it gives you some unexpected surprises in the end.

Purchase From Amazon.com

Review: Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

Spell Bound

by Kelley Armstrong

(Women of the Otherworld # 12)

Urban Fantasy

I may have a girl crush on Savannah! This is the second book with her as the narrator, and I just love her! I love her personality, her spunk. She starts to do some growing up in this book. First of all, picking up right where Waking the Witch left off, she doesn't have any powers. And this is not the best time to be left without them as she is still dealing with a witch hunter.

But that is not the only threat her and Adam are facing in this book. Some of the previous storylines come back into play (immortality seekers, witch hunters, prophecies), some characters from previous books come back! Almost every character in the series makes an appearance! I don't want to give too much away, but lets just say that while Savannah is struggling to figure out how to regain her powers, she might get kidnapped, again, save a certain vampire, get drunk with a HOT demon on more than one occasion, and struggle with some major things with certain members of her family.

I definitely think this book was perfect to tie in lose ends and set up the last book. Yes, Kelley Armstrong has only been contracted to write 13 books, so the next one will be the last as far as we know. *pouts and makes a sad face* But I can tell it'll be amazing!

Savannah and Adam? Yes he will be her HEA, but there isn't a whole lot happening between them in this one. We do get one hot and emotional kiss, and a moment that I thought would be promising when they are both drunk and she falls asleep in his lap. Adam is adorable! He cares for Savannah so much, he really shows her he would put her above anything, protect her, take care of her and I can't wait to see them as a couple.

Savannah also realizes that she may not treat him with the respect that he deserves. So she has to change her ways.

Some of my favorite lines in this book though, came from Cassandra! Who would've thought? I loved her character in this book. I think is so cute that she's dating Aaron again to start with, and that has made her be a little bit more friendly. One of my favorite moments was when she texted Savannah if they really needed to talk to Eloise because she was soooo "O.M.G. I'm so excited to meet a vampire! fangirl".

So the final book I think will revolve around a "prophecy" that involves Savannah, Elena's twins, Rhy's grandchild, Jaz. This group we meet in this book thinks that it's time for supernaturals to rule the world. To come out in the open and have humans submit to them. I am really excited to see what happens with this as it seems it will be the final battle.

Review: Darkling by Yasmine Galenorn

Darkling

(Sisters of the Moon # 3)

by Yasmine Galenorn

Urban Fantasy

It's been a while since I read book 2 in the series, and with every book I always wonder if I might continue reading or if I should just stop. But I have OCD and have to know what happens next. So here I am.

I thought I would actually like Menolly's book, and I have to say I'm a bit disappointed. A lot of dark things came out in this book. It was a good story, but just a bit too rough and too dark for my taste. There was also a lot going on, as usual in this series, I find that there's a lot of descriptions and details and at times that can get boring.

This book brings out Menolly's past as the vampire who made her (against her will, and raped her, and tortured her) comes back! We get to relive some of what happened to her at his hands, which I will warn you was a bit disturbing. Because of that I understand more why she is so f*cked up! But, there was just a little healing in this book, she still has a long way to go in my opinion.

I also thought she would get with the head of the Vampires in the city, but he actually didn't play into Menolly's romantic interests in this book. We actually got some f/f sex because Menolly went for a puma shifter girl, and there was also some attraction with Jareth, whom she meets in her search for Dredge.

All the D'Artigo sisters make an appearance, I still can't stand Camille, Delilah is cute but she's still not 100% comfortable in her relationship with Chase, of course Camille has a few to choose from, Morio I actually like and he's a big help to them.

There's a lot happening with the fey. Their father and aunt are in hiding. There is a lot of action and things that happen in this book. But will I continue reading the series? Maybe after another long break, and when I'm in the mood for something a bit darker. 

Review: Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane

Unholy Ghosts
by Stacia Kane
(Downside Ghosts # 1)
Urban Fantasy
Find it on GoodReads!

This was a completely different read for me! Yes, it's urban fantasy, yes there's ghosts and Chess is somewhat of a ghost hunter, but I was not expecting the storyline to be what it was. To say I was surprised would be an understatement. So I figured the easiest way for me to review this is in a What I liked and What I didn't format.

What I liked:

• The otherness of the story. Really. I haven't read anything quite like it. With so many books out there that all feel the same, this one does stand out.
• The names of the characters. I mean, come on, you gotta love a guy named Terrible, Bump, Slobag, Slipknot LOL
• The book was very well written, I enjoyed Ms. Kane's writing style, even at tough times it seemed to flow.
• Tortured heroine. Chess is a witch working for the The Church of the Real Truth banishing ghosts, and she is a hot mess! Not a character I could relate to, or actually like much, but we slowly start seeing why she's become the way she is. A product of bad foster homes, not knowing her parents, being used. I think her character was developed well.
• The concept of all religion being a thing of the past and the world now following The Church of Real Truth. I'm quite intrigued by the world building. And I also enjoyed the snippets from the Book of Truth
• The Dream Stealer. Excellent villain.
• Among this whole big mess, someone is trying to kill her with a "spell/magic". There was certainly no lack of action and intrigue!!
• Terrible was the perfect sidekick in this story. He was supposed to be there to protect her, and that he did in all circumstances.
• The language. Yes, I actually liked that they didn't speak perfect english because it went perfectly with the story.
  

What I disliked:

• The heroine's addiction to drugs. I felt at some point she had to overcome the problem, but that never happened. This was my major problem with the story. How could she be effective at performing her work while all she could think about is popping another pill or snorting a line?
• Some parts were a bit gross and disturbing. Mainly when Terrible got almost eaten alive by a book. Enough said.
• Lex. No, not his character. His character was alright. But did Chess really have to go there? I was annoyed by it, and it felt out of place and unnecessary.
• Then she's working for a drug lord, well, it's in her best interest since she seems to have a back debt for the drugs she's "bought" from him. But she's most excited about the prospect of some free drugs at the end of the deal. Is this her only concern?? She even admits at one point she wouldn't have to live in the crappy place she lives in if it wasn't for her drug habit.

Will I read the next book? Yes, but I'll have to better time when so I'm a mood to enjoy this story more, at least I won't be caught off guard again!

Review: Curse the Dawn by Karen Chance

             

                                

Curse the Dawn (Cassie Palmer #4)

by Karen Chance

Urban Fantasy

Find it on Goodreads!

I think I need a lie down and a nice cup of tea! I have read the four Cassie Palmer books back to back and frankly I am exhausted just reading the damn things! Which, makes me extremely grateful that I am not Cassie, the world's cheif clairvoyant (if they would only listen to her!), who has to put up with a lot of crap, from over protective sort-of husbands to a vengeful god who wants to enslave mankind. It all seems a little over the top when you think about it, how can one 5'4" strawberry blonde keep getting herself out of such impossible situations with only a few scars and a massive headache to show for it, well I guess you will have to read the books and find out!

So this was a nother fast and furious week or so in Cassie Palmers life and it doesn't look that much different from the last month, attacked by war mages, check! A dozen near death experiences, check! Wreck Dantes, check! A few out of body experiences, check! Ratchet up the sexual tension between herself and Mircea and herself and Prirkin, double check! Like the other books this was pretty non-stop as Cassie tries to make her wau through the magical world and get others to ackonwledge she is Pythia whilst trying to stay from the vampire senates control.

What I liked about this book was that it told you more of the inner workings of the Silver Circle, which is the organization the mages are under, and it finally allows you to see a way that Cassie can make peace with them. As much as I do enjoy that action in this book, it is going to start bein pretty repeatative unless it gets shaken up a little. We also see more about Cassie's parents which I imagine will have a further role in future books.

Pritkin is an onion, he has many layers and each one makes your eyes water, in this we a little more of the man behind the crazy war mage, and WHAT A MAN! The bits between Cassie and Pritkin were some of my favourite in the book. Not that Mircea is a slouch, but although I like him he doesn't come off the page like Pritkin does.

So I am still trying to catch my breath after the last 4 books! But can't wait to dive in to Cassie's next adventure when I finally get my hands on the book!

Something really hilarious happens in this book, so to give you a clue, here is my favourite quote!

"What's the problem?"

"There's no toilet."

"This is an old house," Pritkin said, like that explained anything.

"And they didn't need to pee in the past?" I demanded.

He groaned and threw an arm over his face. "There's a WC down the hall."

"A what?" I asked, a little desparately.

"A water closet. It's in a separate room."

"Why? Why not put it in the-"

"Because a bathroom is where one goes to bathe, hence the name."

"That's bizzare."

"No, Miss Palmer," Pritkin said savagely. "It isn't. What is bizzare is that I currently have a vagina."