Review of: Photographs and Phantoms

April 23, 2011 | 3 Comments

Photographs and Phantoms

Brighton, 1855
As a member of the Order of the Round Table, Kendall Lake is overqualified to be investigating strange phenomena at a seaside photography studio. But since the photographer is related to the Order’s most powerful sorcerer, Kendall reluctantly boards a dirigible to Brighton.
Amy Deland is haunted by a shadow that appears in some of her recent portraits. In each case, the subject died within days of the sitting. Does she have her grandmother’s gift of foresight, or has she somehow caused the deaths?
As Kendall and Amy search for answers, their investigation draws them together in a most improper way-but it seems the evil presence in the studio is determined to keep them apart…


My Review:
  Photographs and Phantoms is my first steampunk book!  This book was an excellent choice for my venture into a new genre.  For starters, the book was not quite a novel, it is more a novella/ short story.  It took me only a few hours to read, but it contained all the elements of a great story, and I didn’t want to put it down.  Despite the length, this was a complete story, with world introduction, character introduction and development, mystery, and intriguing plot.
  Lord Kendall Lake is dispatched to help Amy Deland, a photographer, figure out what a mysterious shadow in her photographs is.  The photographs seem to be related to murders, and Amy thinks she may be the cause.  Amy and Kendall are worthy characters.  They are interesting, fun, and sensual.  I appreciate how  Cindy Spencer Pape develops the characters, giving them depth and background. In such a short book, this was very well done. I loved the combination of mechanics, magic, and historical England.  I enjoyed Photographs and Phantoms very much, and I am looking forward to reading more from this author, as well as explore the steampunk genre some more.

Follow Friday (april 22)

April 21, 2011 | 11 Comments

FOLLOW FRIDAY! This is a weekly blog hop for bloggers to meet new friends and check in with old ones.  Hosted by parajunkee, I want to give a quick shout out to today’s guest blog The Cait Files, everyone check it out!  Let’s check out today’s question:


Q. What is on your current playlist right now:


A.  Right now, I am listening to my run mix, here are some of the songs most listened to:
Firework by Katy Perry
Dog Days are over
More by Usher
The triller song from Glee (hey, it makes me wanna move around, helpful while running)


Happy Follow Friday everyone!  If you wanna join in on this follow, make sure to check out Parajunkee’s blog for directions and the linky!

Review of: Frost Moon

April 21, 2011 | 1 Comment

Frost Moon (Skindancer, Book 1)

Her Magic Will Get Under Your Skin
Her Story Will Fill Your Imagination
Dakota Frost’s Enthralling Saga Begins . . .
In an alternate Atlanta where magic is practiced openly, where shapeshifters party at the urban clubs and vampires rule the southern nights like gangsters, where demure witches sip coffees at the local cafes and mysterious creatures command the dark caverns beneath the city, Dakota Frost’s talents are coveted by all: She’s the best magical tattoo artist in the southeast: a SkinDancer, able to bring her amazing tats to life. When a serial killer begins stalking Atlanta’s tattooed elite, the police and Feds seek Dakota’s help. Can she find the killer in the dark fringe of the city’s magical Edgeworld? What kind of enemies and allies will she attract among the powerful outcasts and tormented loners, who see her as a threat, a seduction, an unexpected champion . . . or as delicious prey.
FROST MOON is Book One of the SKINDANCER fantasy series by debut author Anthony Francis. Filled with unforgettable characters, spine-tingling action, scenes of sheer wonder, kinky rebellion and edgy love, FROST MOON is storytelling at its most classic, and Dakota Frost is an irresistible new star of fantasy fiction.


MY REVIEW: **** 4 of 5 stars
  I was very pleasantly surprised by Frost Moon.  This urban fantasy book was so different from your average supernatural story, the characters unique.  The main character in Frost Moon is Dakota Frost, a magical tattoo artist with a Mohawk she calls a “Deathhawk”.  The story begins with Dakota being drawn into a murder investigation involving magic, tattoos, and possibly a werewolf.  While digging up information on the murders, and investigating the background of magical tattoos she’s scheduled to ink, Dakota becomes entangled in the dangerous supernatural underground.  
  I was on the fence as to how much I liked Dakota’s character for a good portion of the book.  I loved the tattoos, and they sound beautiful and creative, and really become part of the character.  However, there were a few aspects of Dakota that I wan’t too sure about.  Dakota, unsurprisingly, is a strong liberal, earth friendly gal.  The liberal wasn’t very surprising, but the earth-lover in her seemed a bit off.  She drives a vespa, loves the Prius, and even mentions global warming and sustainable coffee beans.  Also, I was a bit confused at times as to Dakota’s sexual persuasion, although it was cleared up later in the book (kinda).  There were so many facets to the character, I really had to process them all.  It seemed to me that some of these facets would work against each other. But, I guess is works for Dakota, and gives her character depth.
  The characters in Frost Moon really made the book stand out.  The characters all have different backgrounds and are associated with various supernatural entities.  There are werewolves, Men-in-Black, various were creatures, vampires, magicians, even a beast lord.  I love Cinnamon, a  young were tiger.  She is spunky, funny, and really good for Dakota.  This book is urban fantasy/science fiction, and as is NOT a romance, which really worked for this book.
  Frost Moon is a creative and intelligent urban fantasy adventure, where magic, vampires, werewolves, and shifters collide in a suspenseful supernatural tale.  After reading Frost Moon, I am looking forward to reading the next installment of the Skindancer series, and I am seriously craving another tattoo!

Review: Return of the Legacy

April 20, 2011 | No Comments

Return of the Legacy

Teaser Tuesday April 19

April 19, 2011 | 6 Comments

*Share TITLE AND AUTHOR so other TT participants can add the book to TBR lists 

What I’m reading: I am reading Return of the Legacy by K.H LeMoyne. My teaser comes from the very end of chapter 6:

Review of: Warrior’s Rise

April 18, 2011 | No Comments

Warrior’s Rise