jaymi elford

I got this series because I love urban fantasy. It seemed low-budget and weird, but once I got into the first book, Shaman, Healer, Heretic I quickly changed my mind. I realized that I was reading something really good, great even, and very special. I was hooked, and devoured book after book until the end. At the end, I was hooked, it was over, and all I wanted was more.

As a pagan, I loved this series even more. Green did her homework. Many urban fantasy series name drop witches, shamans, or other paranormal creatures into their worlds. With the Techno-Shaman series, Green doesn't just write about a shaman, she weaves realistic shamanism practices into each story. Livy searches the underworld, and over-world for lost souls; she has her spirit helpers; and she understands the delicate balance that being a healer brings in a world. Green proves how worthy and how deep the work of a “real” shaman can be. Green world weaves these realistic practices in with technology and gets away with it.

Shaman, Healer, Heretic
Book one starts out like most other urban fantasy series. We're introduced to Livy, the heroine, a shaman who heals others using her shaman practices. Green builds a realistic world of LA, showing readers how a fringe healer operates. Shamans in this world use technology to interact with the various planes to do their work. There are tight rules as to how shamans operates and we're given a great book to read.

Shaman, Friend, Enemy
The world wakes up and realizes that shamanism healing powers are real. Livy is catapulted into the spotlight. She now heals the rich, along with the poor, and attempts to be a better healer. She learns more about her abilities as a lightning shaman. She also researches into ways she can cope with her past. Book two not only extended the series but took Livy's journey to a personal level, deep within her own spirit.

Shaman, Sister, Sorceress
In this book, Livy descends further into the shamanistic world by exploring a Hopi Reservation. As readers we learn more about her shaman capabilities and how the Hopi spiritual realm works. We also get exposed to a greater prophesy affecting her and those she loves. In this book, Green expands the shaman world to include other shamanistic cultures and viewpoints. It's a fun romp to see how expansive this world goes.

Shaman, Priestess, Pawn
Book three takes Livy and SK deep into the amazon forests where they attempt to seek out a old ally who might be able to temper Livy's shamanic power. The world-building in this book was exceptional.
Green takes no prisoners as she amps up the plot and tension while building a great world.

Shaman, Lover, Warrior
Livy's survived through all the challenges the world, and her foes have tossed at her. Her powers continue to grow and she's faced with her hardest challenge yet: freeing her hometown from the “Mafia”-esque Russian shamans. This was a trippy book that gave us a nice ending to this series. However, I hope that Green returns back to Livy and her world for more adventures.

Disclaimer: Dixie Vogel gave me a free ePub of her book in 2012 in exchange for an honest review. Despite the fact that it took me forever to read and review this book, here's my review. (Added after contacting the author: Dixie and I have been chatting via email and she told me that since this version came out, she's gone back and revised the book a bit. She even added all the minor arcana cards. Her goal for this volume was to see if she could publish a book and obviously, she succeeded in that goal. I applaud her for having gotten something out and for continuing to write and share it with the world.)

I have a hard time with books that have been converted from blog posts. While I love reading short articles focused around my favorite interests (tarot, decluttering, games, productivity, etc.) they're usually a hit or miss deal. The same thing holds true for this volume. Dixie Vogel collected some of her articles from her blog “A Fool's Journey” and converted them to this book. She goes through each card and then gives her personal opinion and story to go along with each of the major arcana cards.

What I liked: I love reading personal stories that connect the cards to the reality of one's life. This book covers that in spades. Vogel writes poignant articles connecting each card, Astrology, and her family and life. I like that she also includes reversed cards and how they relate to her world as well. In some cases Vogel selected two articles to reflect a single card. At the end of each essay, she poses a wonderful question that helps the reader delve into their own connection to the card. Seeing these questions alone excited me because it actually gave the book a push away from being “yet another blog to book” conversion.

Where I had problems: Like I stated in my introduction, blog to book articles aren't the same thing. There are many inside things in Vogel's articles that I had issues following. I'm a huge tarot buff but when it comes to connecting the Astrology in general and to tarot, I need a lot of hand-holding and explanation. When I read an article that talks about the planet or sign's effect on a person, I expect them to tell me more about that planet, how this relates to the card and to the story they're telling. This book fell flat in that department. Due to this nature, and some of the awkwardness of the prose, it was very hard for me to read and want to keep reading, despite the amazing insights into the cards Vogel has. (This is also why the book received the GoodReads two-star review for “it's okay”). The inconsistency of the formatting and the loose editing was apparent throughout the eBook.

Bottom Line: If you are bored and want to read a quick personal read on how people relate to each tarot card, then this is your book. The questions at the end of each section are great to use for exploring your own connections to the cards as well.

Disclaimer: I received a eBook from netgalley.com in exchange for a honest review.

The cover drew me to Chasing Embers. A red dragon tail, floating above a city. I love dragons and dragon mythologies. James Bennett has done a brilliant job of finding space for dragons in the urban fantasy genre. In this first book, we meet Ben Garston, a dragon living under the guise of a human. He's part of the old myths, critters (fae, gods, etc.) that existed long ago and have faded to myth. While Ben lives by the the Pact, Lore and rules designed to protect both humans and Reminants alike, he suddenly finds himself thrown into a intriguing series of events that threatens the very existence of all he knows.

Bennett's writing is a strange mix of poetry and prose. It reads like a mix of faerie tales and urban fantasy. The characters are well rounded with merits and flaws. The world we're thrust into is also well rounded. There are many groups whose interests border on saving or harming the world they live in. Alliances are made and strategy formed.

In the end, this is a fun read and I'm quite curious to see where Bennett takes Red Ben in the future.

This seemed to be the book that everyone had just got done reading this summer. My friend Jenn recommended it to me and then I got it from the library and suddenly everyone else was telling me they had read it or started to. Wow. What a story and especially for a first publication. This is a story of lovers and love and of time and how nothing can keep it all apart. Not even time itself. Traces of this book will linger with me for a very long time to follow.

Disclaimer: I kickstarted this book in 2015. Just after backing it, I became a staff writer for Lo Scarabeo. They are not paying me to write this.

Lo Scarabeo's Tarot Fundamentals is the first in a trilogy of books that uncovers the information they have gathered from 20+ years of publishing tarot decks. It's a collaborative effort written by many of the top authors in the tarot industry. This book's purpose was to be a cross between a lovely tarot coffee table book, with shiny pictures and a introduction to tarot, its uses and meanings. Tarot Fundamentals blends card meanings, card comparison, history, and a beginner's guide to working with tarot into one volume. In fact, I would go far as to call it a wonderful tarot textbook. The book has heft–it is over 600 pages long, glossy and full color pages–it contains wide margins, which gives me the impression that this book is to be used, highlighted, and written on.

What I liked: I liked the wide variety of topics contained in the text. It lends well to quick and easy reading despite the size. Even though some may seem like this is Lo Scarabeo's book to showcase various decks they've published over the years (it is, sort of), I liked the decks they included. An aspect of tarot study is to compare various decks and this book does that brilliantly. I also liked the way that this book introduces tarot history, repeating material in word as well as graphics. It accounts for the various ways of learning and I can see younger readers finding this a good resource.

What I didn't like: The book has a unique chart representation of the court cards and their relationship to one another. I'm calling this the Court Cards Quadrant. It has the power to be a powerful tool but as written it falls short of expectation. We get a short single paragraph introduction in the green pages. Then each court card gets it's unique chart and keywords in the pages that describe each card's meaning. However, the longer explanation on how to use it is hundreds of pages back in the Techniques section. I'd have preferred this little gem to be together in it's own article. It is introduced in one paragraph in the book's beginning, shown in visual and keyword format in each court card's description, and then explained how to use back in the Techniques section. There are also parts of the book where information is almost duplicated, and that space could have been saved for more meaty content. The scale of the book seems a bit larger than normal... many non-tarot images take up a huge amount of page real estate and the text is in large print.

Bottom Line: If you are looking for a tarot book that leads you through the mysteries of the card by hand, then this is your guide. I imagine that Tarot Fundamentals is the textbook Hogwarts uses in their Beginning to Tarot classes. As a seasoned reader, I did get a lot out of this book, so don't let the introductory tone fool you. There are some surprises in here.

This book, a gift from my friend Taylor, surprised me a bit. Its about balancing your inner self through a series of compassionate exercises. The book talks about buddhicitta, a way of awakening yourself by walking a middle path. It shows you how to sit with yourself and accept all the things that make you an individual– the good and the bad. Just sitting around is something I don't do often and I know I need to face up to what I am rather than just being a human doing. I know I've picked up some good ideas for things I can do and be more aware of and know that another two or three readings of this book is in order. Overall, an interesting read and a good one for those who want to delve deeper into their own being.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC through netgalley.com.

Only Mira Grant could write a scientifically accurate, character driven horror book that leaves you wishing the next book in the series was out. Parasite is a wonderful what-if book of the future where designer drugs that make many illnesses a thing of the past. Whereas, you'd be thinking this was a prelude to a zombie novel, you're wrong. Very wrong. The hint of what's to come lies in the novel's title.

At its core, Parasite, is the story about survival and the pitfalls of designer drugs. Sally, our protagonist, survived a fatal car accident, mostly due to a new drug manufactured by SymboGen. Six years later and Sal is owned by the company, for testing. They want to know how their product helped her survive. Of course, this being a horror book, things in this world, go horribly wrong and Sal finds herself at the core of a new global threat.

Grant writes wonderful worlds that are built as much as one can on reality. She has done her home work to make the designer drug featured in Parasite as real as she can. The results of the book are amazing and one heck of a fun ride. The characters, are very much alive and each has their own personality. The way the book cliff-hangs just begs the readers in wanting more faster.

I really enjoyed this book. In fact, I read it straight through and could not put it down because I wanted to know what happened next. I recommend this book for all of Mira Grant's fans, and those who want to delve into a horror series that isn't as gory as most of the books can be.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC from netgalley in exchange for a review. I also purchased this book for my library.

Tarot and creativity go hand in hand. In fact, many readers view their tarot spreads as stories to be unfolded and told. I've always believed tarot is a perfect creativity companion: in story creation, cheerleading, and inspiration. Enter The Creative Tarot by Jessa Crispin. A writer, a reader, and a creativity coach, Crispin has written a good book for creatives looking to learn and use tarot in their creative works. She carefully introduces tarot to the creative audience by describing the tarot history and mythology. Then she delves into the cards themselves by describing the images on a standard Rider Waite Smith Deck, describing how the cards relate to creative projects, and inspiring all types of creatives to use the cards. The back of the book includes some good spreads and tips on how to read for oneself and for others.

This is an all-inclusive book. Crispin pulls creative examples from all over the spectrum: writing, acting, dancing, art. Every card has wonderful stories and examples from the real world which brings each card forward and relatable. At the end of each description, Crispin has added material for further review and study. There's songs, movies, and books in this section. I found myself bookmarking items and looking at the prints of artwork online.

Bottom Line: Want to learn more about the connections tarot has to the creative process? Interested in having a book chock full of good inspirational ideas? Want some good spreads on using tarot with your projects? Then you'll like The Creative Tarot. I believe it's accessible for all levels of readers and is a fun and enjoyable read.

Given to me by my mother-in-law, I was a bit hesitant. It's urban fantasy (which I love) with some romance thrown in. Thinking it'd end up some being steamier than it was, I can honestly say I was a bit surprised. It's a love story, with magickal workings thrown in. The characters are well rounded and quirky, the plot kept me on my toes (even if I found it a bit slow to begin with), and totally engrossing (started it yesterday and finished in under a day). Some good quotes in this one that I'll be transcribing.

Information architecture, or how we structure data, intrigues me. When I am online, I love using my RSS feeds to keep me up-to-date with all the blogs and sites that interest me; I love looking at websites and their navigation structures (it shows me how each person uses the web and web tools to organize their interests); and I love collaboration tools. Tools like wikis, that help disseminate and organize information in organic systems.

Wikipatterns, by Stewart Mader, gives readers a guide to using and implementing wikis in their organization. This is a book for non-techies, as it tells you how to use a wiki with your projects, rather than how to install or extend the wiki software with plug-ins. This slim book starts out by offering what a wiki is and what it can offer your project. It then takes the reader through championing and implementing a new wiki. It also covers tips and tricks on getting people to quickly use your wiki and how to avoid or minimize obstacles that could tear down your wiki usage.

What I liked
Mader starts out strong with his introduction on wikis. By the time you are done reading this material, you will be able to articulate what a wiki is and how to use it. You'll understand how a wiki differs from other content management systems like a knowledge base or blogging software package. You will know that a wiki works best when there's less structure, and that having less structure and control lends a wiki the power to work and adapt to any organization's structure and methodologies. You'll be able to use all these bits of information to get the rest of your team, department or company to buy into the benefits of what a wiki can do for you.

I also liked Mader's 11 point system on wiki implementation. This is your road map: the things you need to think about and the steps you need to take to get your wiki up and going and usable for your project. He starts out by having you set time goals for the wiki and picking the right project and team. He offers a few tips to working with the wiki by keeping it small, how to keep excitement up, and setting some ground rules for using the wiki. Finally, he builds in the notion of personalization, extendability and long term support for the wiki. Each point gives you enough flexibility to incorporate it into your own project. Mader's writing style is straight forward, simple, and easy to understand. He says exactly what he needs to say about each point and then moves on.

Wikipatterns includes a wide variety of case studies. These companion chapters come in between the instructional chapters and help show real-life examples of what other companies have done to get their wikis in production settings. He's got interviews with big name software companies like Sun Microsystems, and small software companies. He also includes a few educational institutions, who use wikis in the classroom. It was nice to see such a wide variety of case studies, because it shows how a wiki can be applied to just about any project or discipline setting.

What I don't like
I'm reading Wikipatterns from the angle that the book gives me everything I need to know in order to implement a wiki for my organization. However, there were several times in the book where I felt it was more of a companion to the website wikipatterns.com, a community website that delves into uncovering helpful and hindering use patterns for wikis.

In each of the case study chapters, Mader asks the company he's interviewing to identify helpful and hindering wiki patterns that each encountered while working on their own wiki implementation. This is great to include in a case study, because it suggests things others should do or stay away from when they implement their own projects. However, without some basic understanding and definitions of what these patterns are, do, and mean to you then the book looses some meaning. In this case, you'd have to put the book down and go to the website to look up the names of each wikipattern. And hours later, you may or may not pick the book up because you've been lost once again to the internet. Mader just name-drops these terms, such as “WikiZenMaster” or “ThreadMode”, which left me feeling like it took away from the book's true purpose of being “a practical guide to improving productivity and collaboration in your organization.”

The other downfall of this book is that it focuses a bit too much on the enterprise wiki software. More specifically Atlassian Software Systems, makers of the Confluence brand of wiki. Mader comes right out in the beginning of the book to state that he is Atlassian's Wiki Evangelist and that it's his job to spread the word of wiki far and wide. I don't mind that, I am glad he took the route to tell the audience that his work and personal life blend together. The problem I have with this is that many of the case studies state they used an “enterprise wiki” to get the job done, without stating what package they went with. Out of all the case studies in the book, only one specified they used a “free consumer-oriented hosted wiki service.” This left me thinking that all enterprises use Confluence (even if this is not the case). It would have been nice to see a comparison of what the open source/free wiki packages (such as Media Wiki or PBWiki) can offer a project and how they contrast to their enterprise package counterparts.

Bottom Line
This is a good book for beginners wanting more information on wikis. It guides you through what a wiki is to implementing one in any organization. I also like its solid guidelines on integrating wikis in any business organization. If you've been wanting to give wikis a shot and don't know how to begin or already know what a wiki is but cannot get your coworkers or your organization to buy in then this is the book for you. Wikipatterns costs $29.99 (a bit steep for a book that's only 153 pages, not including the index) and is published by Wiley.

While camping last month, a friend and I got into a conversation about books that we read over and over and over again. Mine was Watership Down, affectionately known as “the bunny book”. It's one of those rare stories that never grow old for me. Last week, she loaned me Tailchaser's Song. This book, is the cat's version of Watership Down. It's the tale of Fritti Tailchaser, who's lost his friend from kittenhood; disturbed by this loss, he sets out to find her. The book describes his tour of the countryside as he learns the importance of freedom, friendship and what it means to be a independant cat. The ending, while very fitting, has left my eyes filling with some tears of happy-sadness and I know that after the pages ran out, Fritti discovered where he really wanted his life to roam. This book, helps add another fiction novel to my growing list of books for the summer. Yay!

Disclaimer: I received an ARC PDF from netgalley in exchange for this review. However, because I already love the series, I purchased an ePub the day it came out.

Tad Williams is a master storyteller. Happy Hour in Hell is the second book in his Bobby Dollar series. In this book, we get to follow Bobby down into Williams's version of Hell, as Bobby attempts to rescue his love, Caz, from the demon Eligor. Hijinxs ensure and we're treated to a very spooky, but well written second story into the life of Bobby Dollar.

Williams really can write. His vision of Hell is dark, gross, disgusting and every bit a horror as we can think. I'm impressed with the descriptions of the various levels and the critters that run around in the planes. It really does give us the impression of how crappy a place it is and how horrible it can be looking from an angel's perspective. We're also treated to Dollar's personality and quips as he runs around the underworld, looking for Casimira.

What I didn't like was the direction that this series took quickly... we went from book one where we introduce our protagonist, the setting, and how Heaven and Hell work to this book where we see our protagonist jump straight down to hell to rescue someone he had a weekend fling with. It seems a bit contradictory to everything that I've read in the genre but... then again, I can only wait to see where this is going.

Bottom Line: If you're a fan of Tad Williams, good gumshoe urban fantasy novels, and dark views of Hell, then this is the book for you.

If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. It's a beautiful, haunting, and enchanting story. Thank you Morgenstern for breathing life into it and thank you Mr. Clarke for keeping it alive for so long.

The Hex Hall series is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA series. The writing is crisp, the characters are snarky and realistic and the books are just fun to read. On the other hand... OMG... way to end this book on a cliff hanger. Hawkins, I hope you release the next book soon cos... darn it, I NEED to know how this ends.

Quite honestly, this was the first book I've read of Hoffman's. I've seen Practical Magic and have always thought about buying it, but other books caught my eye. This one was on my amazon wish list and given to me by my best friend. I was expecting a more coming of age book but instead got treated to a wonderful story set in a mythic age. It reminded me more of oral stories written by Native Americans than a traditional tale. Our heroine, comes to grips with herself and her position within an amazonian society that's poised on the edge of a new dawn... where they need to learn how to fight with cunning and words, rather than spears and weapons. Hoffman's diction brought this world into very vivid realism in my mind. This fits into my goal by being fiction. Yay for fiction.

I've known Galenorn when she was writing wicca 101 books and knew that she had a flare for storytelling. So when I spied the first three books of her Otherworld series on my mother-in-law's bookcase, I knew that I'd hafta get a set of my own. She's not that bad of a story spinner either. This book, written in first person perspective by the eldest of three sisters (who are half-fae and half-human), Camille– a witch who draws her magic from the power of the moon– jumps right into the action. It tells the tale of how the sisters have to deal with a daemon attack on the Earthbound (aka Earth) plane. The writing feels a bit over the top, as there seems to be too much goodness about these characters but I'm hoping as the series continues, that the writing as well as the characters smooth out a bit and lose some of the fae-glam and get a bit real. We'll see. Over all, a fun book to read; and didn't take that long... gulped in down in less than a day.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC from netgalley.com. I also purchased a copy so i could “highlight” and make notes.

Deborah Blake is an every day witch. She's married her spiritual and her mundane life together and has written this book to help guide the rest of us into doing the same. Blake says this is the spiritual successor to her earlier book Goddess in the Details. I have not read that title, yet. However, I do love books that help us witchy types through bringing more of what we believe in our daily life.

Blake's got a great sense of humor. In her “Note on Names,” she discusses how she should've taught us all to be “better Bubbas.” This made me laugh and I can totally envision myself being a “bubba” to others. Ahem.

Okay, the ideas in this book are great. Some are good reminders of how to bring the spiritual back into our lives, no matter how much we're doing. She also includes voices from other pagan authors who are living the life of an everyday witch. Everyday Witchcraft also includes many 5 minute rituals and spells that anyone can use to connect to their divine throughout the day.

Bottom Line: If you live a full life and want gentle reminders and ways to imbue your life in a witchier way... then Everyday Witchcraft is for you.

Disclaimer: I received a free eARC of this book through netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Ah, the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck. A deck created 100 years ago. A deck that influenced all the decks that have come since. But where did Smith get her inspirations from? What is the real story behind this deck? That's what drove Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin to write Secrets of the Waite-Smith Tarot. They spent a lot of time researching into the past, to bring out documents, images, and letters to tease apart many of the decks secrets.

What I liked: This book works best like a history story–where we understand who Waite and Smith were as people and mystics. Where we relate real-life locations of Smith's past as backdrops to the cards. I loved learning more about “Pixie” and her design aesthetics, of seeing other paintings she done, and understanding how she translated the design instructions into art. I enjoyed how they related these tidbits back into many of the cards, as a way to unlock meaning inside the cards.

What I didn't like: Once we get out f the extensive card by card descriptions (which were great), we get into a few smaller chapters of murkyness. These chapters have interesting spreads in them but seem to be stuffed in at the last minute. There's no real explanation on how to use or lay out the cards. It's as if the authors decided to “stuff more into an already big book” because they can.

BOTTOM LINE: This book makes me yearn for a first edition Waite-Smith deck. It gives me a connection to the deck in a way that many other books haven't. I feel like I now understand this deck and want to treat it like one of my other, modern day, favorites. Get this book to understand some of the background behind the deck.

This book has the potential to help anyone with any “demon” they have in their life, whether it is personal, professional, medical, mental or physical. I've used Allione's 5-step technique to help work on my own demons and am seeing benefits. Because of this, I'm telling everyone I know to read it, use it, and watch this process improve their lives.

“Be the change you wish to be...” and use this book to help you get there.

This is a great introductory title to the top 8 religions of the world. It sheds some light on how they function, who they worship (or not), their great books and people who exemplify on the path. This book has a lot of meat, but it still left me wanting to know more about the rituals that each religion perform. I also wished that Prothero encapsulated all the religions in a bullet point format as he did with Buddhism and Christianity in his Intro. I highly recommend everyone read this to try and grok what others believe.

I've always said that a pack of tarot cards can be used for more things than just fortunes. Calvino's book proves this theory. In it, he descibes a Castle and an Inn, where things aren't always what they seem. People who stay at these places... lose their voices and cannot speak. Instead, after meals...they spend their time crafting their stories using only a pack of tarot cards and wild gestures. The narrator of these two entertwined, yet separate tales, helps us decipher the meanings of each person's story as it unfolds out on the table. The book even uses the images from two Marcelles decks to help tell the tales. I found this book oddly intriguing and as each story was told, I found myself trying to follow along with the pictures of the tarot. This particular edition of the book, included Notes about how these stories and a pack of tarot cards haunted his writing life for years. He was constantly trying to refine stories and the patterns utilizing all 78 cards. All in all, I'm glad I discovered this writer and will definitely try and read more Calvino in the future. This fits into my goals by giving me another work of fiction under my belt.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this from netgally.com in exchange for a review.

The Younger Gods is a great book. It blends the urban fantasy genre with HP Lovecraftian vibes. This book tells the tale of Jacob Greene, ex-cultist, as he tries to save the world from the evils of his family. Jacob led a sheltered life, learning magic and prophesies of how his family would release The Younger Gods from their slumber. He escapes their grasp and flees to NYC in hopes he could start a new, normal life. However, his older sister follows and soon Jacob finds himself defending the city against the dark magics of his family.

A quick read, The Younger Gods sticks true to the urban fantasy genre. New York City plays an important part in this story, not just as a setting but as a character. Underwood really understands the importance of place in a story and the characters move in and around the city like dancers in an intricate play. Jacob's archaic voice lends to his ackwardness in a fun and playful way. The baddies in this book, bear names similar to those in HP Lovecraftian stories.

If you love Lovecraft tales and cities who have power all of their own, then you'll love The Younger Gods.

It was the image on the cover and the name that caught my eye when I was in the bookstore. And I'm gald I purchased it. Adding into what I call the Modern day faerietale and magic realism genres, this book tells the story of UnLondon, a world under and between our London. Smog (yes, the smokey stuff) has grown to intelligence and threatens to destroy this rich and lush world spun by Mieville. It's up to the heroine (seems like more books are choosing to write from the perspective of young women heroines these days) and her stalwart crew of unLondoners to save the day. The characters are real and have their quirks and flaws; all which help keep the action lively and fast paced. While this book is a nice fantasy created for younger readers, it's got a lot to keep adult readers engrossed and smiling at the turn of names and places. The ending, leaves room for a sequel; and I, do hope that Mieville makes a sequel. Again, not only does this book count into my goals as being more fiction than non, but it removes a big tome off my stacks.

The last of the books I own on the Wraeththu series, this one took me by storm (no pun intended). It pushes the Wraeththu mythology further along it's story and out of the past. This is the book I was hoping it'd be and now need to read the last one to know how it all ends. I'm very impressed and also very tired. (Finishing this book at 5am on august 14th.)

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this from netgalley.

In A Grimm Legacy, Andi, Quinn, Fredrick, and Dylan are swept away and dropped into the world of Elorium. The world from which fairy tales come from. This whole story revolves around them figuring out how they got there and how to get home. Sounds like a great premise for a new series, right?

It could have been, had the story been edited better, the characters constructed a bit more so they were real (I had issues keeping up with everyone's name and personality), and the twists of what tale belongs to which character been better scripted so that the mystery was harder to figure out.

I had high hopes for this book. It looked like a fun way to describe where our fairy tales came from, but in the end... it failed to captivate me.