I'm Back!!!

It's a new year! And I've made a new committment to be more active in my blog postings....so here's a recacp of the last couple of months:

National Novel Writing Month:  Didn't make it to 50k. The End....LOL I'll do better next year.

Reading:  Now while I haven't been posting I've DEFINTELY still been reading.  Haven't found many black vamps in my travels, but I've certainly caught up with a few of my favorite writers.   I'll get those reviews up this week.

I'll also be updating my "Reading, Read, Want to Read" lists as well so, keep an eye open for those updates.

I'll keep it short tonight  - but stay tuned for more updates.  2010 will be a great year!

Happy New Year and Blessings to all!!

Unclean Spirits, Mmmmm not so much.

I'm tossing in an extra review today, because I just recently completed, Unclean Spirits, Book One of The Black Sun's Daughter.  This isn't a vampire book, just something I picked up because the cover looked interesing. 

It's a story about Jayné Heller, a young college drop-out who inherits a fortune after her uncle Eric is murdered. But along with money, properties all over the world and endless options, she inherits something extra -- his unfinished business with a cabal of wizards known as the Invisible College.

Led by the ruthless Randolph Coin, the Invisible College harnesses demon spirits for their own ends of power and domination.  With the help of a scientist, former Jesuit Priest, a self-styled Buddhist and a two hundred year old man cursed by Coin, Jayné tries to finish the work her uncle started.

The first few chapters of this book had me hooked, but then the plot and action slowed to a crawl and that left me frustrated.  Hanover's take on the supernatural is interesting, -- all supernatural beings are actually demons, posessing a human body.  So Vamps, Werewolves, and all things that go bump in the night are controlling the human host and are trying to reproduce.  Another downside, Each chapter created more questions than answers.  Why does she have a tatoo? Why does she have special skills that only manifest when she's attacked?  It's not so much that these questions are asked and not answered -- more that they are woven into the story without a start or end.  It's just a fact that's presented in the story and the reader is left to "figure it out".  But no information is given to "help" you figure it out. That's annoying.

Hanover has completed Book Two, Darker Angels.  I haven't added this to my reading list yet -- not sure if I will.

BVC Rating: ** (2 Stars)
Avail on Kindle:  Yes

and the hunt continues....

The Flip Side of Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- I give you Danali Richards, Vampire Huntress!

Minion by L. A. Banks is Book One of a thirteen book series written by L. A. Banks. I have to say, Minion was a tough read for me. Not because the content was "bad" but -- I'm a die-hard Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan and this book initially reeked of rip-off innuendo from that series. Buffy is a Vamp Slayer. Damali Richards is a Vampire Slayer. Buffy - One Slayer dies - another is "activated". Minion - Slayers are born - but Damali is a MILENIUM Slayer. (Yeah this dates the book a little but go with it). Buffy is trained by Watchers. Damali has a group of Guardians. So you can see the similarities are a bit irritating.

However Banks is able to take this similar "type" of storyline and urbanize it. Damali is a rising African American spoken-word performer and her Guardians are her band members. By day, they perform concerts all over country and by night they are a kick-ass, vamp slayer group hunting and killing vamps and demons in the traditional good against evil war. Minion takes it’s time setting up the background for the reader, explaining the history of the Neteru, (Vampire Slayer) weaving in tons of paranormal, astrologic, Judeo-Christian, pseudo-African and mystical mythology that can at times, leave your head spinning. But the relationships between Damali and her Guardians and love interests lends for a great backdrop.

So I guess you’re wondering why I’m talking about this book at this point right? Well for all the crammed details – and mind blurring “think deep” pockets of the book – Bank’s creates the perfect setting for her Vampire Huntress Legend series that makes you want to move on to Book 2, The Awakening. The urban-hip-hop style of writing can be hokey at times – but when you focus on the storyline, you can see the potential.  As you continue through the series, you'll definitely get hooked.

BVC Rating: **** (4 Stars)
Avail on Kindle?: Yes


and the hunt continues....