JanineB Reviews / B+ Reviews / Recommended Readsfamilies / Hidden Legacy / Houston / magical powers / monsters / private investigators / Romance / texas / Urban-Fantasy21 Comments

Sirius and I enjoy discussing the books in the Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews, and we did it again with Emerald Blaze, the most recent of the books. -Janine “As Prime magic users, Catalina Baylor and her sisters have extraordinary powers—powers their ruthless grandmother would love to control. Catalina ... more >

April 29, 2020

What Janine is Reading in Winter 2020

JanineA- Reviews / B+ Reviews / B- Reviews / Book Reviews / C Reviews / Reading Listsamnesia / death / Duke / engineer / Fantasy / hidden identity / historical romance / humorous / leadership / Reading lists / secret agent / seige / stage manager / superheroes / terminal illness / theater / Urban-Fantasy8 Comments

The Rook by Daniel O’Malley A couple of you mentioned enjoying this book in our December open thread. It had been languishing on Mount Kilimanjaro my TBR pile for years, and the love in the open thread prompted me to actually read it. Myfanwy (rhymes with Tiffany) Thomas comes to ... more >

February 24, 2020

REVIEW: False Value by Ben Aaronovitch

JanineB+ Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Readsbiracial hero / diversity / London / Magic / POC / police procedural / UF / Urban-Fantasy12 Comments

PLEASE NOTE: If you haven’t read Lies Sleeping, the previous novel in the Rivers of London series, and wish to avoid spoilers for that book, skip this review. Big events took place in Lies Sleeping that are mentioned in this review of False Value. Dear Ben Aaronovitch, I’ve enjoyed all ... more >

August 29, 2019

JOINT REVIEW: Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews

JanineB Reviews / B+ Reviews / Recommended Readsfamilies / Hidden Legacy / magical powers / private investigators / romantic-elements / texas / UF / Urban-Fantasy35 Comments

Janine: Wherein Sirius and I discuss the latest Hidden Legacy novel. Let’s jump right. In a world where magic is the key to power and wealth, Catalina Baylor is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, and the Head of her House. Catalina has always been afraid to use ... more >

May 31, 2019

REVIEW: The October Man by Ben Aaronovitch

JanineB+ Reviews / Recommended Readsgenius loci / Germany / Magic / police procedural / Recommended Reads / Urban-Fantasy18 Comments

Trigger warning (for the book, not the review) Dear Mr. Aaronovitch, I’m a longtime reader of Rivers of London, your Urban Fantasy series featuring detective constable Peter Grant of the London Metropolitan police. When I heard you were working on a new, Rivers-of-London-adjacent short (216 pages) book set in Germany ... more >

January 28, 2019

REVIEW: Minimum Wage Magic (DFZ#1) by Rachel Aaron

SiriusB- Reviews / Book ReviewsUrban-Fantasy5 Comments

The DFZ, the metropolis formerly known as Detroit, is the world’s most magical city with a population of nine million and zero public safety laws. That’s a lot of mages, cybernetically enhanced chrome heads, and mythical beasties who die, get into debt, and otherwise fail to pay their rent. When ... more >