This week Abigail and I have the opposite of a “perfect game” going on. There are many titles that received unanimous approval, but we also have a perfect record of asynchronous thumbs down going on. Not one title got two thumbs down this week. In a few instances, we mentioned the exact same detail and then went our separate ways (my favorite is the battle axe rock star). Feel free to chime in an help us break all these ties.
 | Title: Hunt the Moon
 Sexual Content: Several sex scenes Rating:
Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. |
Cassandra Palmer recently defeated a god, which you'd think would buy a girl a little time off. But it doesn't work that way when your job description is Pythia-the world's chief clairvoyant. Cassie is busier than ever, trying to learn about her power, preparing for her upcoming coronation, and figuring out her relationship with the enigmatic sexy master vampire, Mircea.
But someone doesn't want Cassie to become Pythia, and is willing to go to any lengths to make sure the coronation ceremony never happens- including attacking her mother before Cassie is even born.
It has been a few years since I followed the Cassie Palmer series closely, somewhere back around book three I lost track of her and the too-smooth Mircea. HUNT THE MOON not only brought me back up to speed with the action and politics of Cassie's life, but it made me fall in love with these characters in a way none of the other books ever had.
I was charmed by Cassie's insight into vampire culture, Pritkin's steadfast support, and even Mircea's glossy persona took on nuances I had never noticed before. While I fall firmly into Pritkin's camp romantically, HUNT THE MOON contains moments that show both men to stunning advantage.
As for the action that is so characteristic of this series, Chance does a much better job writing chase scenes than I do at reading them. Though HUNT THE MOON has it's share of cart, car, and train chases that left me in the dust, Chance also gave me camaraderie, comedy and snappy dialog enough to balance it all out.
Sitting here, having just finished the book, I’m fighting the urge to pick it up and revisit certain scenes all over again. A quiet moments with Marco, or when Pritkin and Cassie sat next to each other on a lounge chair, his hand around her ankle, or the moment when Cassie looks up at the stars, bloody, broken, and for the first time in her life, utterly without doubt... I am as surprised as anyone to have book five of a series stand me on my head and dazzle me, and even more so as I realize I could pick up HUNT THE MOON and these characters would do it again and again and again.
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Book Description:
Four tales of urban fantasy and paranormal romance explore body art that is more than it seems—in a world of magic and mayhem that always leaves it mark . . .
New York Times bestselling author Karen Chance's "Skin Deep" tells the tale of a war mage in Las Vegas who stumbles across an ominous magical ward that appears as a dragon on her skin--and has a mind of its own…
When New York Times bestselling author Marjorie M. Liu's demon slayer Maxine Kiss investigates a grisly murder at a high-class soirée, she finds herself involved in a conspiracy dating back to World War II--and a secret mission that her grandmother may have carried out for the US Government, one that involves the mysterious "Armor of Roses."
In USA Today bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn's "Etched in Silver," a supernatural agent is on the trail of a sadistic serial killer, when an unexpected ally comes to her aid, setting in motion a magical ritual that may end up binding them together, body and soul.
When the heavily tattooed body of a man is found in a Northern California town, FBI Agent Lily Yu is drawn into the case. Trouble is, the victim wasn't human--and the killer isn't finished in USA Today bestselling author Eileen Wilks's "Human Nature."
*Note* I will be reviewing each story in this anthology in separate posts.
Review:
Skin Deep by Karen Chance. Karen’s story once again features War Mage/were Lia (who is featured on the cover) and her werewolf love interest Cyrus. If you want to read all of the stories about these characters (and you should because they are fantastic) the reading order would be:
Each of these stories can be read alone, but if you can, I recommend reading them all.
Set in the same world as her Cassandra Palmer’s series, in Skin Deep Karen Chance has created two of my favorite urban fantasy characters in Lia and Cyrus. This time out, Lia is recruited by Sebastian, one of the werewolf clan leaders, to track down his brother/her lover Cyrus who disappeared while hunting a killer who has been skinning werewolves alive. Like all the stories in this anthology, tattoos play a major role serving as magical runes with different magical abilities (Lia has owl tattoo that can enable her to see in the dark) that take the form of tattoos once invoked. And the golden dragon tattoo that Lia is wearing on the cover of Inked is more than just decoration…
I’ve been slightly critical in the past of Karen’s tendency to over plot some of her books, but in the short story format, she is always in fine form. Skin Deep is a great combination of stellar world building, fast-paced action, and that perfect dash of romance between a tough yet vulnerable heroine (with a deliciously dry wit and a rich history) and the ultimate alpha male. I loved every page and can’t wait for the next story (long or short) featuring these two.
Sexual Content: A brief, but graphic oral sex scene.
My Rating (out of 5): 
Click HERE to read an excerpt of Skin Deep
Paperback: 448 pages Disagree with my review? Email me your review for this or any other book I reviewed and I might use it for 2nd Opinion Review
Karen Chance was kind enough to stop by today and answer some questions about her upcoming urban fantasy anthology Inked (available January 5th) which I've been drooling over for months now (how gorgeous is that cover?) January 5th is a huge day for Karen because in addition to Inked, Death's Mistress (Dorina Basarab, Book 2) is also releasing tomorrow and Karen has generously offered a copy of Death’s Mistress for one of you to win (see below for complete giveaway details).
Book Description: Four of today's hottest urban fantasy writers together for the first time! From today's most provocative authors come four tales of urban fantasy and paranormal romance exploring body art that is more than it seems-in a world of magic and mayhem that always leaves its mark. This captivating tattoo theme surrounds each author's popular characters and worlds: Karen Chance's war mage Lia de Croissets, Marjorie M. Liu's demon-hunter Maxine Kiss, Yasmine Galenorn's Otherworld Intelligence Agency operative Camille D'Artigo, and Eileen Wilk's Lupi world.
Interview
ATUF: “Skin Deep” is the title of your story in Inked. Can you give us a teaser of what it's about?
KC: It’s about Lia de Croissets, a half-werewolf who works with the War Mage Corps, a kind of supernatural police force. Her boyfriend, a werewolf named Cyrus, goes missing about the same time that the corpses of other Weres start showing up having been skinned alive. The story is about her search for Cyrus while also attempting to find out who the killer is. I have the first chapter posted to my site at http://www.karenchance.com/books_sd.html.
ATUF: "Skin Deep" is a continuation of the characters you introduced in the Wolfsbane and Mistletoe anthology story "Rogue Elements" and the Strange Brew anthology story "Vegas Odds." What order should we read these in? Can "Skin Deep" be read as a stand alone?
KC: The order is “Rogue Elements”, “Vegas Odds” and “Skin Deep”, but I believe they all pretty much stand alone. I try to make all of my shorter pieces do so, as not everyone buys every anthology.
ATUF: “Skin Deep” is set in the same world as your Cassandra Palmer and Dorina Basarab series. Any chance we'll run into some familiar characters?
ATUF: How did you come up with the idea of the War Mage Corps? And can you tell us a little about this supernatural police force?
KC: Every society of any complexity needs a peace keeping force of some kind, and it seemed reasonable that a magical community would need a strong one because of the abilities of the people they have to reign in. The War Mage Corps is therefore made up of mages with greater than usual powers, who are trained to keep the magical community safe and, as much as possible, law abiding. They tend to be a lot more autonomous than human police, with the ability to act in emergencies without direct orders from above. Think a bunch of supernatural James Bonds and you kind of have the idea. Of course, people with that kind of power can be dangerous if they get out of control themselves, which makes for some interesting story lines.
KC: Thank you, I enjoy writing both of them. As for their own novel, it’s something I would like to do, but that decision rests more with the powers that be at my publishing company than with me. I do plan to write more about them, though, in some format.
ATUF: What are some of the challenges unique to writing short stories/novellas as opposed to full length novels? Do you have a preference?
KC: I vastly prefer writing novels. A short story has to incorporate all the aspects of a novel—characterization, plot, world building, etc.--in a much more compact form. I always find them far more challenging than doing longer works, although I always like my shorter pieces when they are finished.
ATUF: Do you have a favorite story in this anthology?
ATUF: All of the stories in Inked involve tattoos. Do you have any tattoos, magical or otherwise, that you can share with us?
KC: No. I’m a certified coward. I’m afraid that the idea of getting stabbed by a needle several thousand times doesn’t appeal.
ATUF: I don't think I've seen a cover for any of your books that aren't gorgeous (the Cassandra Palmer covers are consistently stunning), but Inked has to be my favorite so far. Did you have any influence on the final design?
KC: I have always been very fortunate in the cover art my books have received. And I was thrilled to discover that they’d decided to use Lia for the Inked cover. I hadn’t had any hints on that before I received it, so it was a very nice surprise. But other than for providing the subject, I can’t take any credit for the design.
ATUF: I love hearing about what my favorite authors are reading? Can you tell us some of your favorite urban fantasy books?
ATUF: What projects do you have coming up next?
KC: Well, I’m not sure if “next” is the right word, as it’s coming out concurrently with Inked, but my second Dorina Basarab novel, Death’s Mistress, hits the shelves in January. I’ve also just finished a short story for the Chicks Kick Ass anthology, due out in 2011, and I’m currently working on the fifth Cassandra Palmer novel.
Thank you so much Karen for letting me pick your brain a little. Come back anytime!
Books and anthologies by Karen Chance:
Cassandra Palmer series
1. Touch the Dark (2006)
2. Claimed By Shadow (2007)
3. Embrace the Night (2008)
4. Curse the Dawn (2009)
Dorina Basarab, Dhampir series
1. Midnight's Daughter (2008)
2. Death's Mistress (2010)
Anthologies
Karen is giving away a copy of her new book: Death's Mistress
Dorina Basarab is a dhampir—half-human, half-vampire. Subject to uncontrollable rages, most dhampirs live very short, very violent lives. So far, Dory has managed to maintain her sanity by unleashing her anger on those demons and vampires who deserve killing.
Back home in Brooklyn after the demise of her insane uncle Dracula, Dory’s hoping her life is about to calm down. But then she gets some visitors. A friend wants Dory’s help in finding a magical Fey relic, and the gorgeous vampire, Louis-Cesare, is desperate to find his former mistress Christine.
Dory and Louis-Cesare quickly discover that the same master vampire Christine is bound to is also rumored to be in possession of the relic. But when the master vampire turns up dead, they realize that there’s more at stake than a missing mistress. Someone is killing vampire Senate members, and if Dory and Louis-Cesare can’t stop the murderer, they may be next…
Read a sample chapter here. Look for Death's Mistress on January 5, 2010!
GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES
Synopsis: Lia de Croissets, half-human, half-Were, isn't considered an ideal employee. But her bosses at the War Mage Corps, the supernatural community's version of a police force, have found the solution-- make her the mentor to a group of raw recruits. It's a thankless job designed to keep her busy, useful and out of trouble. And it seems to be working--until Lia receives an early morning visit from her suddenly homicidal students. The mages may be young, but they know enough to be deadly. Lia soon finds her house in pieces and herself and her Were boyfriend, Cyrus, in little better shape. In the end, though, it's one of the students who lies dead on the ground--from Lia's own spell. An investigation uncovers the unsettling fact that the students were acting under a powerful illusion cast by someone with a long-standing grudge against Lia's family. Even worse, the spell hasn't been affected by the cadets' defeat, and if it isn't lifted soon they may all die. Only the mage who cast the spell can lift it, forcing Lia to track down an assassin with the ability to weave terrifying and very real illusions. Her Were heritage offers her some protection against these, but Lia is half-human, too. Can she find the killer before her own mind betrays her? –KarenChance.com
Review:
The longest story in Strange Brew is Karen Chance’s Vegas Odds coming in at 56 pages. The tale opens with a scene straight out of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Half-Were Lia and her boyfriend Were Cyrus destroy her house while under attack from a group of War Mages. From there, author Karen Chance does a wonderful job of creating a world full of magic and a strong instantly likeable heroine while never letting up on the non-stop action. This is probably my favorite story that Ms. Chance has written and I would love to spend more time in this world.
Sexual Content: A woman performs oral sex on a man in a brief scene that in not overly graphic.
*Vegas Odds is part of Strange Brew: An anthology of stories edited by P N Elrod. I will be reviewing the other stories in this anthology in separate posts.
Paperback: 384 pages 
Review: I liked this story from page one. Claire is a Null (or something more), someone who can nullify magic, a rarity that her 'family' wants to cash in on by selling her to the highest bidder. Heidar, a Light Elf, lends a hand in her rescue sending the two on the lam through the Faeire realm where, of course, romance and action ensue.
There isn't any explanation for the world in this story (I didn’t even realize that I was in the same world as in the Cassandra Palmer series until afterwards, which, considering how I reviewed the first Cassie book is probably a good thing); its like ours in most respects, except that it is populated with fey, weres, vampires, mages, trolls and even dragons. Some hardcore UF lovers might not enjoy this story as much as I did as the majority of the story takes place in the decidedly un-urban faeire realm, and in that sense feels more like straight fantasy. The characters, however, are strong with very modern mindsets. Claire specifically was sharp and witty with just the right amount of cynicism for my taste.
Another nice thing about this story is, that unlike a lot of anthology selections, this one actually has an ending. None of that, 'read the rest of the story in the next book...' And it feels like a complete story, something not all novellas do. I hope Ms. Chance plans on writing more about Claire and Heidar in the near future. *NOTE I WILL BE REVIEWING THE OTHER STORIES IN THIS ANTHOLOGY IN SEPERATE POSTS*
Sexual Content:
One semi graphic sex scene.
Touch the Dark (Cassandra Palmer, Book 1) by Karen Chance
Mini Review: Anyone who knows a thing or two about Greek mythology would instantly be intrigued about the heroine of this series because Cassandra Palmer is a seer. Urban Fantasy Land asked Karen Chance about the mythological inspiration for her character:
UFL: As far as my Greek mythology knowledge goes Cassandra is one of the most talented seer back in her time. As the myth goes she was cursed by the gods to make the greatest premonitions and yet no one to believe her. Is there some parallel between this Cassandra and your Cassandra?
KC:Quite a bit, in fact. Cassie came by her position in a roundabout sort of way, and as the series begins, few in the supernatural community are willing to accept her or pay much attention to anything she has to say. Also, the original Cassandra wasn’t cursed by the gods so much as cursed by a god, the lover she’d spurned. He’d given her her ability and expected to control her, although that didn’t turn out quite like he’d planned. Something similar happens to Cassie, who also tends to be rather independent minded. (click here to read the entire interview)
I’m a huge Greek mythology buff, so right out of the gate, I was psyched for this book (plus I still think the cover is beautiful). And in terms of the character of Cassandra, I wasn’t disappointed. Cassie is brave and resourceful, if a bit foolish and occasionally whiny, and I mostly understood her motives. But the problem for me was that I wish that the author has shown a bit--okay a lot--more restraint in the plotting of this book. As it is, there is so much going on in this book(ghosts, time-travel, paranormal senates, magical tattoos, body possession, vampire mafia, mages, witches, talking shrunken heads, Greek mythology etc.) that is hard to take in. In this first book alone, there is more than enough plot for an entire series. Not that the story or the supernatural world that Cassandra lives in isn't interesting, quite the opposite. But as a reader, I didn't get to enjoy it very much because I was constantly being crammed with plot, plot, and more plot (except for the abrupt and extremely graphic--and long-- sex scene that seemed very out of place given the tone of the rest of the book).
I would have liked to become more slowly immersed into the world rather then getting thrown in and never being allowed to come up for air. I would have read the rest of the series if the former had been true rather then the latter, assuming that the over the top graphic sex scene hadn't been included. Maybe Cassandra would have fared better too. Oh well.
Sexual Content: Two sex scenes (one of which is extremely extremely long and graphic).
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