Started Reading: January 21, 2008
Finished Reading: January 22, 2008

Naturally, I couldn’t stop myself from reading the sequel. This, too, was all right, though the last part of the book confused me a bit at first.

I’ve not much to say since…I’ve read this in a rush because I couldn’t study until I finished it and I had to finish revising a paper for the next day. I can’t remember whatever complaints I’ve had - if I had any. It’s not my favorite but it didn’t bore me. The resolution was a bit disappointing to me, though I can’t explain why right now. Heh.

Started Reading: January 20, 2008
Finished Reading: January 21, 2008

This was a pretty good book. I’m not entirely in love with series books because they take forever and I don’t like waiting. But I feel like I’d keep on reading the novels about Lily and Rule and their other friends in this little world created by Wilks. I haven’t really read any “werewolves vs goddesses” stuff. Lily is a very strong character with a mysterious (and interesting) grandmother whose history I wouldn’t hesitate from reading. And she’s a female cop (a role I don’t see often cast to a protagonist in novels).

Her bond with Rule was also well-developed that you’d know it’s not just a physical bond. She and Rule had to work together and trust each other. So I’m very satisfied with how they became a couple. The plot was good and even the minor characters had past and personality that they don’t seem so flat.

 I’ve actually read this back in October. I was glad about the development in the relationship of Harper and Tolliver. It’s been so obvious that they needed each other and depended so much on each other.

The kind of murder dealt with in An Ice Cold Grave was different with the others. It’s a serial killer now and also a threat to the two step-siblings. It also dealt with aspects about juvenile criminals and how human or monstrous could a kid really be. Do kids who find pleasure in killing animals, for example, really end up as criminals? How sane or insane are they? I mean, is there just a psychological abnormality to them that can never be cured?

I liked the way Harris handled these issues and written this particular novel. =) I’m still wondering what would happen when Harper finally encounters her sister in the future. As a victim, enemy, or stranger?

Started Reading: April 1, 2007
Finished Reading: April 1, 2007

I believe I’m now more scared of the fae - the dark fairies, specifically - after reading the novel. They creep me out even more than vampires. And they weren’t even real in this novel; they were just described so well to the point that I could imagine them clearly and the images aren’t pretty. No, when you’ve got evil fairies flying about your head, it isn’t pretty. It was scarier than the time I visualized the vampire who suddenly attacked Mercy in her trailer (Blood Bound, Patricia Briggs).

I guess I’m pretty slow in suspense/mystery types of novels because I didn’t really get what was happening until it was all explained in the end. Heh, the explanation really was badly needed.

I’m going to lay off these kinds of novels first. I’m trying not to imagine pixies hovering over the window…

Started Reading: March 31, 2007
Finished Reading: April 1, 2007

Touch the Dark has interesting characters, though not all were as well-built as the female protagonist, Cassie. Most of the vampires had dark personalities (not that I’d expect anything other than that), but it’s very hard to see them as honest (as opposed to other vampire books that I’ve read - some vampires may be jaded, but they have honor and honesty). I mean, the best advice I’d give Cassie would be never to trust any vampire. Even if it was someone whom you thought was…good and gentle.

The plot was a bit dragging. The characters talked too much for pressing problems to be immediately addressed, and the book didn’t even give a conclusion to one of the major plots or problems - the battle between Rasputin and the Senate or whatever happened to it. Sure, Cassie became Pythia but it seemed that after that, the whole vampire deal doesn’t matter anymore. The book just stopped there. And that wasn’t a good closure if you’d ask me.

Otherwise, the novel was good. Not as good as, say, Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampires but not as bad as Jennifer Armintrout’s Blood Ties. I’m hoping more things will be explained in the second novel, but I’ve read the first two chapters in Karen Chance’s website and it seems that Carrie has another problem to handle. I’m starting to suspect Mircea is an evil mastermind. D: