Corpselight - Angela Slatter

Life in Brisbane is never simple for those who walk between the worlds.

Verity's all about protecting her city, but right now that's mostly running surveillance and handling the less exciting cases for the Weyrd Council – after all, it's hard to chase the bad guys through the streets of Brisbane when you're really, really pregnant.

An insurance investigation sounds pretty harmless, even if it is for 'Unusual Happenstance'. That's not usually a clause Normals use – it covers all-purpose hauntings, angry genii loci, ectoplasmic home invasion, demonic possession, that sort of thing – but Susan Beckett's claimed three times in three months. Her house keeps getting inundated with mud, but she's still insisting she doesn't need or want help . . . until the dry-land drownings begin.

V's first lead takes her to Chinatown, where she is confronted by kitsune assassins. But when she suddenly goes into labour, it's clear the fox spirits are not going to be helpful . . .

My thoughts:

I had forgotten she was preggo! Oh my poor brain, I mean they must have found out at the end. But yes she is pregnant and she does have a really dangerous job. Not all is well is Brisneyland.

Let us first start with the fact that it takes place in Brisbane, that does feel refreshing since I read so many US based UF books. And it does have this other feel to it too, I just can't put my finger on it.

This one has a few twists in it and the ending...well yes it is a sort of cliffhanger. All is well, for a while and then things will, oh you will see when you read it. It did make me want to read the next book to find out.

Verity might not show her kick-ass side all the time like other heroines, but that does not mean that she does not kick some ass. She is smart, resourceful and knows how to get the job down. She does her investigations even if it takes weeks. I like her. I like that she already has her man and that she is happy.

Her investigations in this one gives us kitsunes, mud and a few revelations that I did not see coming at all. I like the world created her and all the different beings she brings to life. But I must say that I had not heard of one at all, a Swedish creature. One would think I would know, but nope. So I learned something new about the dark hidden paranormal world.

Conclusion:
A good series with lots to offer. I look forward to more.

Paperback, 400 pages
Expected publication: July 13th 2017 by Jo Fletcher Books
Verity Fassbinder #2
Urban fantasy
For review

Vigil - Angela Slatter

Verity Fassbinder has her feet in two worlds. The daughter of one human and one Weyrd parent, she has very little power herself, but does claim unusual strength - and the ability to walk between us and the other - as a couple of her talents. As such a rarity, she is charged with keeping the peace between both races, and ensuring the Weyrd remain hidden from us.

But now Sirens are dying, illegal wine made from the tears of human children is for sale - and in the hands of those Weyrd who hold with the old ways - and someone has released an unknown and terrifyingly destructive force on the streets of Brisbane.

And Verity must investigate - or risk ancient forces carving our world apart. 

My thoughts:
This could be UF, but I do not want to group it with that, because it is just so much more and different. The author herself says she writes dark fantasy, so dark urban fantasy mystery then. If you read UF you know how those go, kick-ass, fast etc etc. But this was fiction traced with the weyrd. Read it find out.

First we do have to start with Fassbinder, I had to google it, it means Cooper. What? I had to, mostly to see if it had something do do with her dad's occupation. Ahem. No, but he was a kinderfresser, and if you want to know what that is then you have to read this book. If you are well versed in German myths you might have heard of them.

When I have that out of the way. Verity can walk both worlds, Weyrd and Normal. They live among us, and for the most part cause no trouble.  But it is very us and them. She is the one the Weyrd sends out to deal with things, she is the one that deals with the cop that knows about them. The two mysteries she has to solve is who is stealing children and who is killing sirens. The first one brings her back to her past, the second one, well who can make a woman with wings fall to her death? Intriguing.  It was a good mystery, and it brought us deep into this world. Which was great because I wanted to know more about the Weyrd and I did.

Verity herself was a nice heroine, mostly because even though she has quite the strength inherited from her dad, she was just normal you know. There are those heroines that are all kick-ass, but Verity felt normal. Which is why this book was more fantasy fiction in that aspect. It felt like there is this underworld to the streets of Brisbane. Oh, which I totally loved too. It's nice to read some Au fic for once.

I lost my train of thought, in the middle of my review! I could go on and on...

It was a good book, one that you have to take your time with. Some books should not be rushed, which does not mean that I did not read it in a day. Sure I read it in a day, but I took it slow. To savor it.

Conclusion:
I look forward to more in this world. Great potential there.

Cover
nice

Kindle Edition, 351 pages
Published July 7th 2016 by Jo Fletcher Books
Urban fantasy Mystery
For review