Alien Tango ~ Gini Koch

Publisher’s Summary:
“It’s been five months since marketing manager Katherine “Kitty” Katt started working with the aliens from Alpha Centauri, and she and Jeff Martini are getting closer. But when an experimental spacecraft is mysteriously returned to the Kennedy Space Center, Kitty and the rest of her team are called in to investigate. Now the team must survive murderous attacks, remove a space entity from a group of astronauts, and avoid an unhinged woman with a serious crush on Kitty’s high school boyfriend. And that’s all before evil masterminds decide Kitty’s extermination is vital.”

Honesty is the best policy, right? Here it is then: I am completely biased towards this series. I love the characters, plots, the Dos Santos covers, and I think Gini is fantastic, constantly going out of her way to acknowledge and chat with her readers as she does. In short order, Touched by an Alien became one of those books that I could not talk about objectively. And now I find myself in the same position with Alien Tango because, as I mentioned to Gini, she continued to bring on the awesome with this second book.

Alien Tango is unadulterated fun. I laughed, I sighed, I reread mid-read and started over again once it was done. This story took everything that was wonderful about Touched by an Alien, amped it up, and threw in a few alligators for good measure.

And since I’ve already established that I cannot write a concise, balanced review, some stuff I loved:

• Kitty. She is the same resourceful, ready to rumble gal with eclectic musical taste, a bag worthy of Mary Poppins, and a heart. I know, I know, that sounds so clichéd, but Kitty’s humanity, her vulnerability and willingness to embrace her fears and hurts make me love her that much more. Plus, she’s a smart girl, loves dogs, and had the good sense to hook up with Martini. Which leads me nicely to the man himself…
• Jeff Martini. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Actually, I won’t, ‘cause if I did you’d be scrolling for days. Suffice to say, I love everything about the man, er, alien, and his dedication to and love for Kitty make him that much more appealing. One, if by one I mean me, can never have enough of Jeff Martini.
• The awesome secondary characters. All of them. Yes, all of them.
• Meeting Kitty’s oldest best male friend, Chuckie. I was so glad he appeared in the excerpt for Alien in the Family and I hope he turns out to be a series regular.
• ACE. I cannot, however, go further without including spoilers, and that I won’t do. Too much of the fun is in the discovering.
• Who am I kidding? I loved it all.

While I am immensely grateful that DAW releases two books a year, the wait in between is interminable. My copies are practically falling apart from the many times I’ve gone back to them. I will gladly, happily buy new copies when they finally give out from overuse. But I digress…

I can’t say if this series is for everyone – biased, remember? – but I’m so glad I found it, and I absolutely will be with Kitty and Jeff for the long haul.

Alien Tango will be released on December 7th.

Cover & Summary: Elizabeth Bear’s The White City

Publisher’s summary:
“For centuries, the White City has graced the banks of the Moskva River. But in the early years of a twentieth century not quite analogous to our own, a creature even more ancient than Moscow’s fortress heart has entered its medieval walls.

In the wake of political success and personal loss, the immortal detective Don Sebastien de Ulloa has come to Moscow to choose his path amid the embers of war between England and her American colonies. Accompanied by his court–the forensic sorcerer Lady Abigail Irene and the authoress Phoebe Smith–he seeks nothing but healing and rest.

But Moscow is both jeweled and corrupt, and when you are old there is no place free of ghosts, and Sebastien is far from the most ancient thing in Russia…”

I had this one pre-ordered back in July when I first realized it was coming out. As you may recall, I loved both New Amsterdam and Seven for a Secret, and desperately wanted more of Sebastien; the release of The White City makes me a happy camper indeed.

Anticipating: How I Stole Johnny Depp’s Alien Girlfriend – Gary Ghislain

Just look at that cover. Isn’t it sweet? In a retro-awesome way? Then there’s the title. (I will forever be a Cry-Baby girl. I have the shirt that proves it.) And finally, the summary:

“David Gershwin’s summer is about to take a turn for the weird. When his dad’s new patient Zelda tells him she’s from outer space and on a quest to take Johnny Depp back to her planet, he knows he should run away screaming. But with one look from her mean, green eyes, David’s hooked, and soon he’s leaping across rooftops, running from police, and stealing cars just to stay by her side. He might not be a typical hero, but David’s going to get the girl even if it takes him to the ends of the earth—or beyond.”

Now if only I didn’t have to wait until April 20, 2011 to read it.

How I Stole Johnny Depp’s Alien Girlfriend will be published by Chronicle Books.

Heart-Shaped Box ~ Joe Hill

Publisher’s Summary:
“Aging death-metal rock legend Judas Coyne is a collector of the macabre: a cookbook for cannibals…a used hangman’s noose…a snuff film. But nothing he possesses is as unique or as dreadful as his latest purchase off the Internet: a one-of-a-kind curiosity that arrives at his door in a black heart-shaped box…a musty dead man’s suit still inhabited by the spirit of its late owner. And now everywhere Judas Coyne goes, the old man is there—watching, waiting, dangling a razor blade on a chain from his bony hand.”

After finishing Joe Hill’s Heart-Shaped Box I thought: Well, that was certainly readable. It was one of those books that, though ambivalence was the name of the game in regards to the characters, the plot quickly propelled me through the pages, and with only a few bumps in the road along the way.

In my mind, the horror in this book is divided and offers both the psychological, mess-with-your-mind brand of horror and straight to the point slasher horror. The most effective to me, by a country mile, was the former, because let me tell you, there were moments, shortly after Jude receives the heart-shaped box and the suit within, that made my skin creep. In fact, the entire first section, during which time the ghost is incorporeal, made me want to look over my shoulder. Or not, in case there was something there. But then, as the story unfolded and Jude and his companion hit the road and the ghost became more of a physical, violent threat, well, it almost became…mundane. It was no longer fraught with that psychological tension, or the uneasiness that comes with it. (Unless blood and violence in the context of a horror novel is scary enough for you, in which case it won’t be the same experience. And the ghost was still a ghost, so there’s that.)

Along with the supernatural horror was the horror of the characters’ reality. None of them, not one, had it easy. Child abuse and molestation shapes the plot as much as it does the characterization, but Hill manages to pull off something interesting: the characters aren’t sympathetic by default. Jude (and Georgia, or Marybeth as she’s later called) is not a likeable character. He experiences emotional growth as the story progresses, and there are times when he does something that tips the scale a bit, but…he’s not someone you’d call a nice guy. While I might have been ambivalent towards Jude and Georgia, I appreciated how layered they were; Hill created complex, flawed characters.

What I didn’t care for was the convenience factor: Jude’s rock star status, for example, and the fans who provided him with insight into the occult through gifts they had given him, and Jude’s uncanny ability to flash onto a solution or temporary fix (even if he didn’t realize it was such) just when he needed it. Also, and this is hugely subjective, there were dogs. Protective dogs. And you know what that means. I will admit, when I saw it coming, I skimmed. That’s just something I cannot read.

Heart-Shaped Box was a solid effort and successful on several levels. When next I’m in the mood for a horror novel, I’ll definitely seek out more of Joe Hill’s work.

Revolution ~ Jennifer Donnelly

Publisher’s Summary:
“BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.”

Praise for Donnelly’s Revolution built up around me; it was, many said, moving, heart-breaking, a must read. Having read and fallen hard for the lyrical beauty of Donnelly’s A Northern Light, I concurred: Revolution was a must read. And so I dug out the ARC I had received and seventy-eight pages later nearly put it down. I’ll explain why – or try to – but I can’t end this paragraph on a seemingly negative note because a little time and distance has allowed me to draw the conclusion that despite any personal reservations I may harbor, in the end, I liked Revolution.

Andi, the story’s contemporary protagonist, is uneasy company to keep. Especially early on, before she reaches Paris, and then even a bit during her time in the city. In those first chapters, the reader has a superficial understanding of Andi’s past; we know she’s on medication to stem the grief that flooded in after her brother’s death, and we know she’s thought of taking fatal measures to end that pain. It was easy to see that her emotional wounds (self-inflicted and otherwise) ran deep – her attitude and behavior telegraphed that loud and clear – and yet sympathy was surprisingly absent. There was a wall between Andi and me, one that didn’t come down for a very long time.

And then came Paris. And Alexandrine’s diary. And the revolution. And the story shifted for me. I still wasn’t engaged by Andi’s narrative, but I was drawn into Alexandrine’s. For all of the parallels between Andi and Alex, it was Alex’s honesty that won me over; her ambition was damning, her willful disbelief of the facts in front of her selfish, and she knew it. There’s more to it, but without the benefit of knowing the story, to talk about any of it here would serve no purpose. Suffice to repeat, I was riveted by Alex’s diary, her tribulations and her fate, and that more than anything pulled me into the story. But then just as I felt that the tide had well and truly turned, the story took a turn that was not hard to see coming – the summary even hints at it – but was too obvious a ploy and one that, unfortunately, did not work for me.

Throughout the entire book I felt like I was in a game of tug of war. There was certainly plenty to applaud: The history, how rich and detailed it was, the music, the present day genetic research of the heart thought to belong to the lost dauphin, etc. But there was just as much that got under my skin: Andi and some inconsistencies in her character, that one section I mentioned in vague terms, secondary characters that sat on the page, and so on. And, too, my own expectation worked against me; I thought to find the same beautiful prose that marked A Northern Light, but Revolution delivered a different kind of poetry, one that took me a while to appreciate.

As soon as I finished the book, I went online to look up some of the players mentioned in the story. It was then that I realized it got to me, that, at least on some level, I was moved. Moved enough to want to know more. To keep the story close a little longer. And it was even later that I examined the idea of an internal revolution and how it applied to the characters, how Donnelly successfully carried out the theme. After all that, I can honestly say I liked it, and can see how others loved it.

Reviews: Steph Su Reads The Compulsive Reader Reading Nook

Author Website | Book Trailer

In the Library Reserve Queue

Just last night I added these four titles to my library reserve queue: (All summaries provided by the publisher)

The Lost Gate - Orson Scott Card (Jan 2011)

“Danny North knew from early childhood that his family was different — and that he was different from them. While his cousins were learning how to create the things that commoners called fairies, ghosts, golems, trolls, werewolves, and other such miracles that were the heritage of the North family, Danny worried that he would never show a talent, never form an outself.

He grew up in the rambling old house, filled with dozens of cousins and aunts and uncles, all ruled by his father. Their home was isolated in the mountains of western Virginia, far from town, far from schools, far from other people.

There are many secrets in the House, and many rules that Danny must follow. There is a secret library with only a few dozen books, and none of them in English–but Danny and his cousins are expected to become fluent in the language of the books. While Danny’s cousins are free to create magic whenever they like, they must never do it where outsiders might see. Unfortunately, there are some secrets kept from Danny as well. And that will lead to disaster for the North family.”

I’ve only read one other Orson Scott Card novel – Ender’s Game – but knew I’d read more of his work at some point. I may not quite yet be ready to head back into Ender’s world, but the summary above immediately hooked my interest. All those secrets proved to heady to resist.

Clara and Mr. Tiffany – Susan Vreeland (Jan 2011)

“It’s 1893, and at the Chicago World’s Fair, Louis Comfort Tiffany makes his debut with a luminous exhibition of innovative stained-glass windows, which he hopes will honor his family business and earn him a place on the international artistic stage. But behind the scenes in his New York studio is the freethinking Clara Driscoll, head of his women’s division. Publicly unrecognized by Tiffany, Clara conceives of and designs nearly all of the iconic leaded-glass lamps for which he is long remembered.

Clara struggles with her desire for artistic recognition and the seemingly insurmountable challenges that she faces as a professional woman, which ultimately force her to protest against the company she has worked so hard to cultivate. She also yearns for love and companionship, and is devoted in different ways to five men, including Tiffany, who enforces to a strict policy: he does not hire married women, and any who do marry while under his employ must resign immediately. Eventually, like many women, Clara must decide what makes her happiest—the professional world of her hands or the personal world of her heart.”

There isn’t a thing about this novel that doesn’t fascinate me: the World’s Fair, stained glass, Tiffany. That lovely cover.

The Witch’s Daughter – Paula Brackston (Jan 2011)

“In the spring of 1628, the Witchfinder of Wessex finds himself a true Witch. As Bess Hawksmith watches her mother swing from the Hanging Tree she knows that only one man can save her from the same fate: the Warlock Gideon Masters. Secluded at his cottage in the woods, Gideon instructs Bess in the Craft, awakening formidable powers and making her immortal. She couldn’t have foreseen that even now, centuries later, he will be hunting her across time, determined to claim payment for saving her life.

In present-day England, Elizabeth has built a quiet life. Her solitude abruptly ends when a teenage girl named Tegan starts hanging around. Against her instincts, Elizabeth teaches Tegan the ways of the Hedge Witch, in the process awakening memories—and demons—long thought forgotten.”

There’s something about this one – Gideon, I think – that seems foreboding, and that despite the pointy-shoe’d cover. Between this one and the last, it would appear I’m keen to read some historical fiction.

Love Letters – Katie Fforde (Jan 2011)

“Sarah is a wedding planner hiding a rather inconvenient truth—she doesn’t believe in love. But as the confetti flutters away on the June breeze of yet another successful wedding season she finds herself agreeing to organize two more events, on the same day, and only two months away. And while her celebrity bride is all sweetness and light, the other bride, Sarah’s own sister, quickly starts driving her crazy with her high expectations and very limited budget. Luckily, Sarah is aided in her seemingly impossible task by two best friends, Elsa, an accomplished dress designer, and Bron, a multitalented hairdresser. All three are very good at their jobs, but romance doesn’t feature very prominently in any of their lives. As the big day draws near, every moment is spent preparing for the weddings, and they certainly haven’t got any time to even think about love; or have they?”

This one…The summary isn’t the same as what I’ve previously read; the one I read mentioned a curmudgeonly writer. It was that aspect of the novel that prompted me to put a reserve on it. Whatever the case, I’m always up for something light, a little different from my typical reads.

Dreadful Skin ~ Cherie Priest

Publisher’s Summary:
“Jack Gabert went to India to serve his Queen. He returned to London a violently changed man, infected with an unnatural sickness that altered his body and warped his mind. Eileen Callaghan left an Irish convent with a revolver and a secret. She knows everything and nothing about Jack’s curse, but she cannot rest until he’s caught. His soul cannot be saved. It can only be returned to God. In the years following the American Civil War, the nun and unnatural creature stalk one another across the United States. Their dangerous game of cat and mouse leads them along great rivers, across dusty plains, and into the no man’s land of the unmarked western territories. Here are three tales of the hunt. Reader, take this volume and follow these tormented souls. Learn what you can from their struggle’s against each other, against God, and against themselves.”

Dreadful Skin unfolds in three parts, each standing solidly on its own, all implicitly connected, and follows Eileen Callaghan, former nun, secret-keeper, monster hunter. The brevity of the book, which clocks in at 228 pages and packs a whole lot into every single one, doesn’t allow for a substantial amount of character development, and yet Eileen shines. Well, she shone for me, as Briar Wilkes did before her, which makes me believe that I have an affinity for Cherie Priest’s tough-as-nails, resourceful heroines. I enjoyed Eileen’s narrative and would very much like to encounter her again, though it would seem there are no plans for more. But onto the rest.

Part one, “The Wreck of the Mary Byrd,” opens five times over, focusing on five characters and their version of “how it happened,” which, really, are more accurately statements of how it began. This structure, a sort of fits and starts story telling, laid a thick layer of tension over the proceedings, keeping the reader a little off balance, constantly waiting for the quick-as-a-wink moment when everything was undoubtedly going to go wrong. And boy did it ever.

This first segment introduces John Gabret, more commonly known as Jack, who came back from India a changed man. Literally, as ever since Jack has a propensity to turn furry, fool moon or no. Though his crimes in London, before he fled on the Mary Byrd, were attributed to Spring Heeled Jack, a demonic creature that’s become something of an urban legend, were in actuality the work of Jack’s werewolf nature. And Jack is…brutal. His conceit, his desire to live, makes for a disturbing combination. Eileen knows what he is, but her knowledge of how to stop him is limited and flawed, and watching them grapple, literally and figuratively, amps up the aforementioned tension.

In hindsight, this was my favorite of the three stories, mostly because of the tight, claustrophobic quarters of the boat, the sense of real danger that went hand in hand with it, and a few excellent secondary characters. Additionally, the stakes were raised hugely for Eileen, and her continued pursuit of Jack takes on a much more personal tone.

Parts two and Three, “Halfway to holiness” and “Our Lady of the Wasteland and the Hallelujah Chorus,” are more closely related as they happen in short order time-wise and involve several of the same characters along with Eileen.

Rather than risk spoilers by discussing the plot arc, I’ll shift to a brief discussion of atmosphere because, for me, these last two parts had it in spades. However, I’m not sure how to convey the how or the why of it; my response to this aspect of the novel is specific to past exposure (through books, film, etc.) to roaming revivalist type camps, or, if not camps of the religious ilk than simply travelers, groups of people who feel the need to keep moving, keep pushing on to new places, especially within the States and in historical context.

I could see the dirt being kicked up under heavy feet; hear the songs; feel the clapping reverberating in my chest. I wasn’t a casual observer; for a time, I was there, in the middle of it all. (A caution: Priest draws her settings well, but this reaction came more from me than the words on the page. I wouldn’t exactly be surprised to find that another reader wanted more in terms of description (or what have you) in regards to atmosphere/setting. I thought we were given just enough and let the imagination fill in any gaps.)

With one exception – a lawman that enters the picture in part three – I wasn’t enamored of the characters in the latter half of the book. I was saddened for a couple, experienced a pang of heart-sick distress for one, but I couldn’t say I liked the majority of them.

This was a difficult review to write; I liked the book a great deal, but could just as easily see how someone else might not. As a result, I’m not sure if what I’ve written here makes sense. All I can say is that I liked Eileen, was intrigued by the story, and was therefore willing and able to look past things that others may take issue with.

One final note: that Jon Foster cover is gorgeous. The image up at the top doesn’t do it justice; the one found here is better.

I Got Nothing, so…Musical Interlude!

I adore the entirety of the Howl’s Moving Castle soundtrack. It’s relaxing. Wonderful inspiration for a daydreamer like myself. This particular song, “Wandering Sophie,” is one of my very favorites.

Cover Feature: Hounded (and) Hexed by Kevin Hearne

Sometimes going through a (long) backlog of Twitter posts is a good thing. Last night’s time spent doing just that revealed a new to me author and series: Kevin Hearne’s Iron Druid Chronicles. And the cover? People, I want.

Hounded will be released next April by Del Rey. But that’s not all: Hexed, the second book in the series, will follow in May. And the cover…Just as nice.

And finally, the third book, Hammered, is set for a June release. All nice and tidy. Check out Kevin Hearne’s blog for more details on the series.

Indulgence in Death ~ J.D. Robb

Publisher’s Summary:
“When a murder disrupts the Irish vacation she is taking with her husband, Roarke, Eve realizes that no place is safe — not an Irish wood or the streets of the manic city she calls home. But nothing prepares her for what she discovers upon her return to the cop shop in New York City. . . .

A driver for a top-of-the-line limousine service is found dead — shot through the neck with a crossbow. The car was booked by an executive at a venerable security company whose identity had been stolen. Days later, a stunning, high-priced escort is found killed at Coney Island, a bayonet stuck in her heart. And again, the trail leads to a CEO whose information has been hijacked.

With a method established, but no motive to be found, Eve begins to fear that she has come across that most dangerous of criminals, a thrill killer, but one with a taste for the finer things in life — and death. Eve does not know where or when the next kill will be, or that her investigation will take her to the rarefied circle that Roarke travels in — and into the perverted heart of madness. . . .”

Thirty-one books into the In Death series and Robb hasn’t produced a bad book yet. (Knock on wood that trend continues.) That being true and, really, I can only say I love Roarke (and Eve, and the rest of the gang) beyond reason so many times, I’m going to focus on the plot of Indulgence in Death. Actually, more specifically, what I would have liked to have seen included or mentioned in the story. Just something I thought would have been cool…

The summary betrays that the crimes in this installment of the series are thrill kills; more than that, they are murders committed in the name of sport. A competition. A game. Man hunting man (or woman) with antiquated or specialized weapons, some of which would be used only on a hunting field. And once it was revealed to be so, a bell rang in my head, and I was immediately reminded of a  short story that, while it disturbed me to no end, could arguably be called one of my favorites: Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game.”

From Connell’s story:

“A new animal? You’re joking.”

“Not at all,” said the general. “I never joke about hunting. I needed a new animal. I found one. So I bought this island built this house, and here I do my hunting. The island is perfect for my purposes–there are jungles with a maze of traits in them, hills, swamps–”

“But the animal, General Zaroff?”

“Oh,” said the general, “it supplies me with the most exciting hunting in the world. No other hunting compares with it for an instant. Every day I hunt, and I never grow bored now, for I have a quarry with which I can match my wits.”

Rainsford’s bewilderment showed in his face.

“I wanted the ideal animal to hunt,” explained the general. “So I said, `What are the attributes of an ideal quarry?’ And the answer was, of course, `It must have courage, cunning, and, above all, it must be able to reason.”‘

“But no animal can reason,” objected Rainsford.

“My dear fellow,” said the general, “there is one that can.”

The victims in Indulgence aren’t put to the test, they aren’t given an opportunity to fight (or run) for their lives, but I saw a definite connection in motivation. And I would have loved for Roarke, well-read Roarke, to have referenced the story while he and Eve were working the case. My inner geek would have squeed So. Hard. As it was, Moby Dick made a cameo (the novel, not the whale. *cough* Obviously.) and that was neat, especially hearing Peabody intone “Call me Ishmael” and Eve being all “No.”

In any event, the crimes really take center stage in this book; there isn’t a whole lot of focus put on any of the relationships readers have come to know and love. Which is alright every once in a while. Especially because Robb doesn’t drop those threads entirely. Meaning, for example, Morris is still grieving, still in need of a shoulder, and Eve offers hers in her way.

If I have one complaint, it’s simple and not a big deal, and it’s that the opening bit, with Eve and Roarke in Ireland and the crime that went down there, seemed…out of place. Not entirely necessary to the plot. It was enjoyable, as it’s always enjoyable to see Eve out of her element, but in the puzzle that made up the story it was a jagged piece, stamped into place.

Because I love Roarke, and because I just have to, I’m going to close with one of his lovely observations regarding Eve:

“She was his daybreak, his sunrise after the long, hard shadows of night.”