Currently Reading List

As of September 30 of the year 2014, I am currently in the process of reading:

1.  Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Collection

This includes all 4 novels as well as a number of short stories.  I'm actually not certain I will write a review for this one.  For a lot of books, actually, it's just enough for me to rate it on GoodReads and leave well enough alone.  I think this will be one of those cases--if I even do that much.

2.  The Wounded by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

This woman could make an onion cry with her writing.  Not long after this successor in The Woodlands Series was made available to me, I dropped almost every other book in order to read this.  I'm over half way right now and keep stalling over finishing it because I just don't want to deal with the aching fallout of reading the ending of it.  Despite/especially knowing that the fourth and final book will closely follow my reading of those last pages.

3.  The Eye of Tanub by M. E. Cunningham

It's really not her fault that I'm still only on chapter 6 despite having this book in my grips for months now.  Really it has to do with my aversion to e-reading versus real books and then she has to blame Miss Taylor for sucking me into The Wounded instead.

So those are the works I'm currently in the process of fighting through.  Sherlock is proving to be the most daunting, as I'm not even half-way through the first Volume in the 2 Volume collection yet I've finished two of the novels already and a handful of the short stories.  I never knew there were that many Holmes stories.  But I'm not regretting it.

There you have it.  Just in case you needed a bit of an update as to why there are no more new posts.

Book Review: Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews

Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform © 2013

Paperback Edition

Urban Fantasy

Reviewed by Leah

Clean Sweep on Amazon

This book has, without a doubt, made it onto my top favorite reads shelf.  The wit encased in this novel is superb and I will be quoting much of it to the point where no one wants to talk to me anymore.  This may even get itself thrown onto the "instant reread" pile.

Summary:

Dina Demille owns a Bed and Breakfast in a quaint Texas suburb and appears to be a completely normal person.  Unless, of course, you're the local officer who suspects her of pretty much everything in the neighborhood.  Or the new arrival werewolf who she calls out about defending his territory when dark doings start happening.

In reality, the B&B is really an Inn for all kinds of travelers (mostly from other galaxies) and is a sentient being who thinks--and maybe feels--for itself.  Having been abandoned almost to the point of quite literal starvation, it is Dina who rescued Gertrude Hunt from her near-death-experience and together they've managed to gain two stars on the Inn Ratings list.  Though not the five stars Dina is aiming for, it's certainly not a bad start.

But everything is put into jeopardy the moment some local dogs wind up brutally murdered.  Dina, sick of the slaughter, immediately zeros in on the new werewolf in town.  Realizing fairly quickly that he's not the dog-killer, she makes it clear that he better own up and defend his new territory, or stay out of her way while she defends everything outside of hers.

Though Innkeepers are meant to stay neutral and not get involved in anything that does not pose a threat to the Inn, Dina cannot sit back and do nothing as monstrous creatures roam through her neighborhood and put her neighbors' lives at risk.  It's just not in her nature.  And when her first solo mission as savior ends in a very exhausting victory, it draws the unwanted ire of Sean the werewolf.

Now, Dina and Sean are preparing to take on a whole new monster who was actually trying to lay low.  Baiting him in seemed like a great idea … until vampires from the house of Krahr show up and demand they stay out of it.  Which Dina wouldn't have a problem with … if their involvement was more helpful than harmful.  With the secrets bottled tight, Dina will have to decide how much she's willing to risk … and how much risk is now posed for the Inn.

Initial Thoughts:

This book came into my thoughts at just the perfect time.  Having a book craving for a light, funny, snarky read, I could not have been more pleased when I picked up Clean Sweep.  Dina's voice is instantly relatable, her thoughts are what any normal young woman would think (in her position) and you're immediately brought into her world where things are nothing like you would expect.  Overall, I wasn't bogged down with backstory, every little flash of memory was relevant to what was happening in the moment, and there was no disappointment in the snark-factor!

Characters:

There was a lot to like about Dina.  Her voice and attitude are what you expect out of any ambitious, sarcastic, intelligent, and independent young woman.  She knows how to handle herself when it comes to her guests, and even more so when it comes to alpha strain werewolves who shamelessly mark her apple trees.  Only one thing kind-of irked me about Dina: her constant wishing that her parents were near or constantly thinking about them.  Though the reasons why are understandable, I just wished she could take the sentimentality down a notch, or at least not seem so much like a lost puppy whenever she mentioned them.  Just my own thought there.  Not a real critique or anything.

Sean is one third of the love triangle that somewhat forms throughout this novel.  Though I would securely call him the love interest since he's the only one who got to kiss the girl.  (Albeit while high on hormones.)  Sean is an alpha strain werewolf, which makes him rare, shunned, and stronger than all of the other Auul survivors.  He's also second generation, which means that he actually doesn't know anything about Auul, Innkeepers, or other worlds at all.  Not until he meets Dina and gets a crash-course in "things you didn't know about for almost thirty years".  Sean can be a patronizing pain in the ass.  He's also blunt, honest, protective, and a realist.  All of which brings a very sexy man to the table.

Arland is a vampire Marshal of House Krahr.  He's full of flowery speeches, immovable ideals, honor, and a sense of pride that leads him to seek retribution for even the slightest offense.  (Apparently that's a trait of the whole race and not limited to just him.)  He also has a killer smile, a sense of entitlement, and a habit of keeping dangerous secrets that could very well get all of them killed.  All in all, a competent competitor for Dina's hand … if he didn't look at her as a conquest more than a woman whose favor he'd wish to gain.

Caldenia is by far my second favorite character (other than Dina).  She loves Funyuns, Mellow Yellow, and the liver of werewolf--which is quite the tender delicacy; especially when sautéed in butter.  Having taken up a lifetime residency at the Inn due to the unfortunate revenge-killers that would have her serve justice for the deaths of millions, Caldenia is Dina's full-time guest and the relationship between them doesn't extend much beyond that.  Her witty interactions with each character, complimented with her cunning insight, easily make her an instant favorite of anyone who has enjoyed Hannibal Lecter.

Plot & Setting:

I cannot express enough my thanks that this book does not revolve around the romance.  Though there is some attraction and a passionate kiss, all of the energy in this book goes into dramatic action sequences and the hasty cover-ups.

I think I covered enough of the actual arc of the plot in the summary, so I'm not going to repeat myself. Rather, I'm going to bless the writers for their genius in having it flow from one point to the other.  Though it lacked a sense of urgency--that this dahaka creature had to die NOW--it flowed in that direction quite easily and at the right pace.  There is never a dull moment in the book where the dahaka's death is not absolutely the relevant thought on everyone's mind.  No breaks in important scenes occur due to intolerably girlish swooning.  Dina needs this thing dead, and she needs it dead ASAP.  Anyone not working towards that goal can just step the hell out of her way.  Even a sexy werewolf and his opposite but no less charming vampire competition.

Now, here's the thing I loved about the setting: I wasn't bogged down with too many useless details.  Give me the general outlook of a building, and I will build it brick by brick, and drywall sheet by drywall sheet until I have its entire image in my mind.  That is the kind of setting I always enjoy.

I also don't want to be fed fifteen million descriptions of backstories and galactic histories in a novel that pertains to certain events only.  We don't have time for that, a dahaka must die!  So when I get books that stick to the meat of the story and let the world building be left up to you, I am overjoyed.  No one wants a history lesson while they feel other things should be happening.  Yes, world-building should be done.  But if it's not pertinent, cut it.

Writing Style:

While I was aware of a few editing mishaps, I happily worship the ground these writers walk on.  Please, teach me the art of witty sarcasm and badass heroines, whilst also creating the perfect Alpha--who is neither a dick nor degrading of the heroine?  I'll beg if you want me to.  Just a thought…

Overall Thoughts:

I adore this book.  I recommend it to everyone.  And there BETTER be more!