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

Bigfoot Loose and Finn Fancy Free - Randy Henderson

Finn Gramaraye is settling back into the real world after his twenty-five-year-long imprisonment in the otherworld of the Fey. He's fallen in love again with Dawn, the girl next door who waited for him. He's proved his innocence of the original crime of Dark Necromancy, and he's finding a place in the family business--operating a mortuary for the Arcane, managing the magical energies left behind when an Arcane being dies to prevent it from harming the mundane world.

But Finn wants more. Or different. Or something. He's figured out how to use the Kinfinder device created by his half-mad father to find people's True Love, and he'd like to convert that into an Arcane Dating Service. It's a great idea. Everyone wants True Love! Unfortunately, trouble always seems to find Finn, and when he agrees to help his friend, the Bigfoot named Sal, they walk right into a Feyblood rebellion against the Arcane Ruling Council, a rebellion being fomented by unknown forces and fueled by the drug created by Finn's own grandfather. 

My thoughts:

What would I compare this book too, oh I forgot that I hate comparing books. Ok let's not compare it to another book. Instead let me tell you that it is urban fantasy mixed with humour and a mystery. 

Finn is not a kick-ass hero. No, he is nerd lost in time since he spent 25 years getting his memories sucked out of him and not experiencing anything new (read book 1 to understand.) He is clumsy at times, but trying his best. And for that I like him, he is really normal, well for the exception that he is a necromancer.

In this book he decides to use an invention to find true love for people, well people and people.... His first client is Bigfoot, and soon Finn is in trouble. The Fey are up to something. The Arcana Council are asses as always. War seems to be brewing again. And can poor Finn ever find the time to get time for a date with his girlfriend?

Like I said, humour! I always like that. A mystery as someone is dead, but what really happened? That got really complicated. 

I did find the book even better than book 2. Something I do like when that happens. And at the and I found myself looking forward to book 3. Everything ended well enough, but yes there is something going on....

Conclusion

An amusing urban fantasy tale

Paperback, 512 pages
Publication: February 16th 2016 by Titan Books
Finn Fancy Necromancy #2
Urban fantasy
For review

Review: Alloy of Law - Brandon Sanderson

In the three hundred years since the events of the Mistborn trilogy, science and technology have marched on. Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads, electric lighting, and even the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds.

Yet even with these advances, the magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy continue to play a role in this reborn world. Out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, they are crucial tools for those attempting to establish order and justice.

One is Waxillium Ladrian, a rare Twinborn who can Push on metals with his Allomancy and use Feruchemy to become lighter or heavier at will. After twenty years in the Roughs, Wax must now put away his guns and assume the duties incumbent upon the head of a noble house—until he learns the hard way that the mansions and elegant tree-lined streets of the city can be even more dangerous than the dusty plains of the Roughs.

My thoughts:

I do like Sanderson's works, but please focus on one thing! He has a crazy amount of books going on. This one, that is a stand alone continuation of the Mistborn series will have a follow up in 2014. Or whenever. And will it be a real follow up? I do not know, but I hope so as things sure were left unfinished.

Still it was a good, if weird fantasy novel. As it takes place after the Mistborn apocalypse (or whatever we should call it). The world has turned to steam and guns. It's a western world. And it certainly is nothing I have come across. I am sure some would talk about steaampunk too, but nah, would not say that it's that. Just normal progress,

Into this returns Lawkeeper Wax to become Lord of his House. A pretty cool guy. A nice sidekick turns up too. Wax tries to be a good Lord, and he also tries to marry to get some money into the house. All while things and people are stolen in the city and he is soon on the case.

Conclusion:

So we are left with a western fantasy mystery. An easy read that I enjoyed. Still maybe to new for me. I like my fantasy old. I also wanted more and I do hope I get come closure.

Cover Cool

Series: Mistborn #4
Genre: Fantasy, mystery, "fantasy mystery western"
Pages: 392
Published: 2012 by TOR
Source. own

Review: The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker

The Strangely beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Hieber

Book 1

Genre: Paranormal Historical Gothic
Pages: 320
Published: 2009

What fortune awaited sweet, timid Percy Parker at Athens Academy? Hidden in the dark heart of Victorian London, the Romanesque school was dreadfully imposing, a veritable fortress, and little could Percy guess what lay inside. She had never met its powerful and mysterious Professor Alexi Rychman, knew nothing of the growing shadows, of the Ripper and other supernatural terrors against which his coterie stood guard. She saw simply that she was different, haunted, with her snow white hair, pearlescent skin and uncanny gift. This arched stone doorway was a portal to a new life, to an education far from what could be had at a convent-and it was an invitation to an intimate yet dangerous dance at the threshold of life and death...

I think I have to go against everyone else once again. I mean the book was ok, but, I struggled with the first 100 pages and was kind of bored by it all. Then it got better and then it had me enthralled, but I still remember that first struggle.

This is the tale of Persephone Parker who comes straight from a convent to a school in London. She is 18, almost 19 and older than the rest of the pupils. But she wanted something else than the convent, and she is a strange young woman. White hair and the skin of a ghost. Not to mention having strange visions and seeing dead people.

The school is guarded by 6 people awaiting prophecy and they fight the darkness in London while waiting for their 7th.

So yes I found it kind of boring at first. Wanted to give up and try something else, but I hung in there. I think it was when Professor Alexi Rychmann really made an entrance that I got interested. He was so dark and brooding and clinging to his thought that when their 7th comes it will be his soul mate, and that just makes a girl melt into a puddle on the floor. I was smitten and I wanted to know how it all would end.

She falls for him, he knows it is wrong, forbidden love and no one makes a move, I was on the edge of my seat. All while she is falling deeper and deeper while having visions, something strange is going on.

I liked that she took in the myth of Hades and Persephone (too bad she made him all evil, I always had some kind of weird crush on Hades.) Then there are the ghost, mysteries, and Jack the Ripper killing women in White Chapel. There is also the Phoenix and muses, that was cool.

But there was something that made me a bit upset, I would be so pissed, but she kind of just forgave, I guess she is just nice. hm.

An ok book, and worth it cos of a hunky brooding Professor.

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner:  pretty and blue

Reason for Reading: Own copy

Final thoughts: Nice mix of genres.