(book) THAT WHICH BITES | (author) CELIS T. RONO

DESCRIPTION:

The Gray Armageddon has destroyed most of humanity. Vampires have slinked out of hiding, penning the few human survivors as blood cattle. Young Julia Poe survives the horror. She has dodged the undead since she was eight years old in downtown Los Angeles and has the only untapped vein in the new realm. Now she celebrates her 22nd birthday as a cattle rustler, fighting the vampire factions alongside a gun-toting nun with an even bigger vendetta. Kaleb Sainvire, the master vampire and architect responsible for `milking cattle,’ is first on Poe’s list. That is, if she isn’t taken by his vampiric allure.

THOUGHTS:

This is a gritty and gruesome story in post apocalyptic LA. The setting and tone are perfectly in sync with Poe, who having been alone since watching her family die as a child and then later becoming a mercenary, is the product of her environment – grit and gore and all. She is slow to trust and quick to act out with violence but at the same time supremely likable. This book may not be for everyone – it is gruesome (which I may have mentioned) but it is refreshing and original. If you enjoy the darker side of the urban fantasy genre, I can’t recommend it highly enough (after all I stayed up until 3am to finish it!) – there’s a lot of action but enough side and back story for character development and a wonderfully created dark world in which it all takes place.

]]> http://readingamuck.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/that-which-bites-julia-poe-chronicles/feed/ 0 amuckamuckamuck that which bites http://readingamuck.wordpress.com/2010/02/20/quiz-ilona-andrews/ http://readingamuck.wordpress.com/2010/02/20/quiz-ilona-andrews/#comments Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:37:10 +0000 Reading Amuck http://readingamuck.wordpress.com/?p=41 ]]> For fans of the Kate Daniels series there’s a great quiz over at Ilona Andrews website!!! My results are below

BITTER NIGHT (Horngate Witches 1)

DIANA PHARAOH FRANCIS

DESCRIPTION:

SOMETIMES YOU CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES. AND SOMETIMES, THEY CHOOSE YOU…

Once, Max dreamed of a career, a home, a loving family. Now all she wants is freedom…and revenge. A witch named Giselle transformed Max into a warrior with extraordinary strength, speed, and endurance. Bound by spellcraft, Max has no choice but to fight as Giselle’s personal magic weapon — a Shadowblade — and she’s lethally good at it. But her skills are about to be put to the test as they never have before….

The ancient Guardians of the earth are preparing to unleash widespread destruction on the mortal world, and they want the witches to help them. If the witches refuse, their covens will be destroyed, including Horngate, the place Max has grudgingly come to think of as home. Max thinks she can find a way to help Horngate stand against the Guardians, but doing so will mean forging dangerous alliances — including one with a rival witch’s Shadowblade, who is as drawn to Max as she is to him — and standing with the witch she despises. Max will have to choose between the old life she still dreams of and the warrior she has become, and take her place on the side of right — if she survives long enough to figure out which side that is….

THOUGHTS:

Max is the perfect urban fantasy heroine. She has been enslaved by someone she once considered a friend to serve as her protector, the betrayal has made her bitter, stronger and a bit nihilistic. She continually throws herself into situations full steam ahead, without regard for herself, while still clinging to a sense of duty and friendship toward those she considers hers to protect. These dueling motivations make for a perfectly conflicted character with a lot of depth. There is also just the right amount of romantic tension throughout the novel between Max and her rival counterpart Alexander, although there seems to be potential for a different romantic lead as the series continues (one that I would be excited to see develop). Top all this off with great world building and you get my favorite new series.

Author’s Website: http://www.dianapfrancis.com/horngate-witches-books/

So this is my first post on my brand new blog!!! The video is a scene from Hocus Pocus and the origin of my fondness for “amuck” and the inspiration behind the blog name. Being a new blog, content my be slow in coming at first but I hope to at least post one review per week at a minimum and fill in additional content as well.