Urban-Fantasy

Recommended Reads Saturday: Hard Magic by Laura Anne Gilman

Recommended Reads Saturday: Hard Magic by Laura Anne Gilman

From the words of E: I am recommending this book because Set in the Cosa Nostradamus world HARD MAGIC is book one of the Paranormal Scene Investigations series. It introduces a group of mostly 20-somethings currently who are all very determined, have their own particular skills involving the use of Current (magic), and are invited(…)

REVIEW:  Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch

REVIEW: Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch

Dear Mr. Aaronovitch, Back in March, I read and reviewed your terrific debut, Midnight Riot (Rivers of London in the UK), an urban fantasy/police procedural narrated by an endearing London police constable named Peter Grant. Peter is a new recruit in a secret (and very small) department of the London Metropolitan Police which investigates supernatural(…)

REVIEW:  The Origin by Wilette Youkey

REVIEW: The Origin by Wilette Youkey

Dear Ms Youkey, The promotional information for your self-published, professionally-edited novel, The Origin, listed several ingredients I like. It’s a superhero-themed romantic Urban Fantasy, which seemed like it would be a refreshing change from the usual vampires, werewolves, demons, etc. that dominate the subgenre. Plus, it looked to have one of my favorite character types(…)

Recommended Reads Saturday: Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk

Recommended Reads Saturday: Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk

From Darlynne: I am recommending this book because The fantasy genre of magic users in urban settings is turned on its head and re-imagined in this Portland, Oregon-based series about Allie Beckstrom, magic Hound and reluctant daughter of the city’s most powerful businessman. Magic is available to all, but the use of it exacts a(…)

Recommended Reads Saturday: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

Recommended Reads Saturday: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

Recommendation Magic Bites  by Ilona Andrews is recommended by Angela James, Executive Editor of Carina Press, and general lover of books.  Angela: I am recommending this book because Magic Bites and the rest of the books that follow are one of my favorite urban fantasy series. As a fantasy reader, i find myself interested in and compelled to read(…)

REVIEW: Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch

REVIEW: Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch

Dear Mr. Aaronovitch, I’ve been recommending enough books here lately that I have started to worry that my grades are overgenerous. But when a book is as much fun as your debut urban fantasy/police procedural, Midnight Riot, what is a reviewer to do? I picked up Midnight Riot (also known as Rivers of London in(…)

REVIEW: Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla

REVIEW: Shaedes of Gray by Amanda Bonilla

Dear Ms. Bonilla, If there’s one character type I love seeing, it’s assassins. Especially female assassins. I could probably stand to see less redheaded assassins though. Seriously, what is it with fantasy and redheaded assassins and/or redheaded women? Still, the promise of a female assassin was enough to lure me into picking up your debut.(…)

REVIEW: Fate’s Edge by Ilona Andrews

REVIEW: Fate’s Edge by Ilona Andrews

Dear Ms Andrews, I must confess, I am a fan. You are one of those authors I count on to consistently deliver good stories. The presence of your name on the cover of a book will motivate me to buy what I would otherwise pass. I’m hooked on your Kate Daniels series of Urban Fantasy(…)

REVIEW: Death Magic by Eileen Wilks

REVIEW: Death Magic by Eileen Wilks

Dear Ms. Wilks: I loved the first and second book in this series but as the worldbuilding evolved and became bigger, I felt like I lost an understanding of the world. The book started out as a Pack book for me (Pack = werewolf) and has been transmogrified into world where every kind of magic(…)

REVIEW: Hellbent by Cherie Priest

REVIEW: Hellbent by Cherie Priest

Dear Ms. Priest, I was first introduced to your work with Four and Twenty Blackbirds, your Southern gothic debut. I remember liking it but for some reason, I never picked up another book by you again. It happens. So when I saw this book pop up on NetGalley, I glanced at your backlist and was(…)

REVIEW: Archangel’s Blade by Nalini Singh

REVIEW: Archangel’s Blade by Nalini Singh

Dear Ms. Singh, Archangel’s Blade opens with a flashback in the vampire Dmitri’s POV, one that takes us back to Dmitri’s human life. In the flashback, dark, ruthless Dmitri is revealed to have once, a thousand years ago, been a loving and tender hearted man devoted to his two children and to his wife. Smiling(…)

REVIEW: Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

REVIEW: Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong

Note: This review contains major spoilers for Waking the Witch, the previous book in the series. Dear Ms. Armstrong, I’ve been a fan of yours ever since Bitten was first published. In the years to follow, urban fantasy exploded as a subgenre which was great for you because your Women of the Otherworld series found(…)

REVIEW: Feast by Merrie Destefano

REVIEW: Feast by Merrie Destefano

Dear Ms. Destefano, I haven’t been an avid reader of urban fantasy for some time. Like many people, I burned out on the subgenre when it seemed like 10 books were coming out every month. That said, I do occasionally check out new releases from new(ish) authors in the hopes of finding something that sounds(…)

REVIEW: Shadowflame by Dianne Sylvan

REVIEW: Shadowflame by Dianne Sylvan

Dear Ms. Sylvan: I recommended your first book, “Queen of Shadows”, to the DA readership but now I regret it. The core readership here is romance and I thought QofS had a great romantic subplot in the overall urban fantasy setting. In fact, it easily could have been marketed and sold as a paranormal romance.(…)

REVIEW: Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

REVIEW: Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

Dear Ms. Harris: I must admit to a bittersweet experience reading Dead Reckoning, in part because I know there are only two more books to come in a series that has given me such reading pleasure for almost ten years now (I came to the series a couple of books in). Sookie is one of(…)