Thoughtful Thursday, 30 of June

Welcome to Thoughtful Thursday!

People might not believe it but some time ago I used to be a Harry Potter fan. Perhaps not a huge fan, not so totally in love with everything HP-related, but still. That's why this week I would like to discuss Pottermore, a new Internet-era addition to Potterverse. I got that idea while reading an excellent blog of Melissa (i swim for oceans) who asked similar question - you can visit and check it out here.

 Ok, so have you heard about it already? If no you might want to get it straight from the horse's mouth. Here is the video with J.K. Rowling annnouncing allegedly the next great attraction for all Harry Potter fans young and old...

What do you think of this kind of HP-based social network site cum playground ? Would you like to enrol at virtual Hogwarts and try it yourself? Would you consider it something good for your children/younger siblings? Would you recommend it to your friends? Would you like to purchase anything there, like Harry Potter e-books?  Is it really aimed at giving free rein to your imagination?

In general, do you think contemporary readers need and seek out this kind of experience? Or maybe  it's just another ingenious way to milk that splendid but already slightly exploited cow called Harry Potter by its lovely creator?

What's your opinion?

New poem of the month is published!

This time I chose just two short poems (enough of torturing you all with my madness)  written by a poet who is  an absolute classic - no need to translate anything this time either. Go, read it here and tell me what you think...

Mini review: Whitechapel Gods by S.M. Peters

Cover of Whitechapel Gods

Book info:


Form: e-book, pdf format
Genre: Steampunk, horror, sci-fi
Target audience: adults (too much gore to qualify it as YA)


Synopsis:

Victorian London. The Whitechapel section has been turned into a mechanized, steam-driven horrific hell, cut off and ruled by two mysterious, mechanical god-like entities- Mama Engine and Grandfather Clock. They have a virtually undestructible army of minions at their disposal, composed of people whose hearts have been replaced with coal furnaces and nerves and veins - with copper wiring. In short people turned into machines.

The rest of populace had had enough but the first time they were too weak to prevail - some years have passed since the Great Uprising and everything seemingly returned to the old order. However a few brave veterans of the Uprising have formed their own new Resistance-and are gathering for another attack. John Scared schemes to usurp Grandfather Clock's power while Oliver Sumner and other revolutionaries look to overthrow both gods for the benefit of humanity. Both sides have discovered a secret weapon that may finally free them-or kill them all...who will prevail this time?

What I liked:

· Steampunk at its best – reeking of metal, soot, oil and coal, almost tangible in its mechanical passion and glory. Sometimes the creatures like clickrats sent shivers down my spine.

· Some compelling questions are asked about humanity and technology. Very well.

· The main characters, Olivier and Missy, I found rather likeable (but I am not sure whether it was more pity than anything else...)

· The cover I find intriguing and fitting.

What I didn’t like:

· I found the book a bit too grim to be read in the summer, too neurotic and unnerving. Sometimes I didn’t feel like continuing reading. I do think this is the most gore I've ever seen in any Steampunk novel; it got downright bloody at times. There was also too little sense of humour to make up for it.

· The prose, especially at the beginning, wasn’t flowing smoothly enough to draw you into the narration and keep you interested.

· Mr. S.M. Peters has a lot to say on religion, philosophy and the horrors of the mind but sometimes those fragments overshadow the main action and heroes. It took me forever to figure out that Oliver was indeed the central character in the story. Why? Whitechapel Gods for an action-packed book about an uprising tends to get a little too abstract, especially towards the end (after all drug-induced dreams and hallucinations are not something you expect in a steampunk book).

· Some heroes and villains were a bit too generic.


Final verdict:

 I like steampunk so this one I found still interesting - I must admit the world that S.M. Peters created here was original and a very well developed… I just wish it was a bit more cheerful. Definitely not a relaxing summer read.

Better luck next time I suppose - I am willing to try another book of this author but mainly because of his...

Mini summer review: Elemental Assassin 01 – Spider’s Bite by Jennifer Estep

Book info:

Form: e-book (pdf format)

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal romance

Target audience: definitely adult females with a dark streak ;-)

Synopsis:

Meet Gin Blanco a.k.a Spider. She kills people for money and is very good at it. She's got the skills, blood doesn't bother her, she doesn’t have to work every day and the money is good so what’s the problem? There are several reasons why she chose that particular career path. First, as her whole family was murdered when she was in her early teens, she has been raised and trained by another good assassin – Fletcher Lane. Second, she is an elemental – it means she has some supernatural powers over an element, more precisely stone. Her minor talent is connected also with ice. Pretty cool, isn’t it? She can listen to rocks and gems, she can create a picklock made of ice or simply cool her drink at her will – economical and ecological, that’s her. However, as she lives in the corrupt Southern metropolis of Ashland, where other elementals mingle with vampires, giants, half giants and dwarves, she is never sure who her next victim will be. Or who will try to use her as a tool.

The book starts with a double murder of a shrink and an orderly in a mental asylum – Gin did them in but both victims clearly deserved their fate. Then our assassin is tempted by a very well-paid offer. However, it proves to be not exactly as simple and profitable as it seemed at first glance. She barely escapes with her life and her handler and mentor, Fletcher, is murdered with horrible cruelty. Mourning Gin decides to cooperate whit his son, Finnegan, in order to discover and punish the perpetrators. She also has to protect a very handsome although insanely law-abiding police officer, Donovan Caine who got mixed into the murder. These two fancy each other from the very start but Caine is hell-bent on fighting his attraction as Gin is also the assassin who had killed his former partner (of course he has yet to realise what a lowlife his partner was). He doesn’t have a cat in hell’s chance though, no matter how hard he tries (and in his efforts he is being simply pathetic to tell you the truth)

Titillating factor:

Oh, it is one steamy book - there is a lot of sexual tension connected with that nice but incorruptible cop. However, Gin is a woman who knows what she wants and she is not too shy or too inhibited to make the first or even the second move. Damn, it, even the third if the occasion demands it. As she is quite stunning in her own way she usually gets her man where she wants him, even somebody so unwilling as a sexy detective, Donovan Caine…

Apart from that we get references to rape and pedophilia, several brief but semi graphic sexual fantasies, a sex club with vague references to people having public orgies, a brief ménage a trios and one long, graphic sex scene. Definitely adult stuff - you have been warned.

One more thing and a positive one to boot: the author actually showed some responsibility – Gin is on the pill and admits it to her lover; Donovan has condoms stored in his wallet like a perfect gentleman and he doesn't hesitate to use them ;-).

What I liked:

• Gin Blanco is the type of female leads that appeals to me. A tough working girl but gutsy, with loyalty and integrity of a kind. One can only admire Gin's efficiency and effectiveness at her job along with the fact that she absolutely refuses killing children and pets.
• The action is fast-paced and very dynamic, keeping you interested all the time.
• The book is very bold . Violent, gritty, dark, not fluffy and pink. It suited me perfectly.  
• The characters have actually a sense of humour which takes the edge off some nasty scenes.

What I didn’t like:

• Well, the plot was anything but unpredictable. Honestly, if you know that it is the series and there are already four (or more) parts published you can hardly expect the main characters dying …in other words no thinking required.
• The first part ends with a cliffhanger so if you plan to read this series, do order at least two first books.
• As you might guess I had also some romantic issues...In normal life Gin came off as very masculine, especially in her encounters with Detective Donovan. Too masculine in fact. When she wants something she is an extremely aggressive woman in every sense of the word. An alpha female with a capital `A'. Her romantic overtures made Donovan almost look like a weak, oppressed Southern belle. It is true that he wanted Gin as well but we see the whole story only from her POV and the way she objectified him, the way he fought his lust in vain just because of his honest cop morality... I found it  a bit spurious if not straightforwardly off-putting. 

Final verdict:

This novel would appeal to all adult fans of dark paranormal romance, urban fantasy or anyone just looking for a witty, edgy  fantasy novel. Perfect for a summer holiday – no thinking, no mental challenge. I am quite willing to read other parts in my free summer time.

Mini summer review: Shady Lady (Corine Solomon 03) by Ann Aguirre.

Book info:
Form: e-book, pdf format
Genre: urban fantasy
Target audience: adults


Synopsis:

Because of her previous troubles Corine finds herself caught in the war between two powerful Latino druglords – Escobar and Montoya. A very dangerous position for her and everybody close to her heart. What’s more she must pay off a certain demon called Maury who saved her life in Kilmer. Not enough trouble? The little pawnshop, her pride and her only source of a stable income, has been blown up by a bomb planted by one of Montoya’s henchmen, killing an innocent man in the process. Plenty of grief, I know. Good thing is that Corine can always count on her friends, even those she knows very little about – Kel Ferguson saves her life right at the beginning of the novel and then assists her in more than one way. Shannon, Jesse, Chuch and Eva never fail to help her when she needs it the most. Apart from that plenty of things are explained in this one – Kel’s real identity, Corine’s dark secrets from her past and why she never felt exactly worth of Chance’s attention and company.

Titillating factor:

Yes, this time Corine goes all the way with one of her suitors (I won't reveal who), getting her short HFN. Then she makes some serious decisions concerning her private life. I wasn’t surprised by her choice but I couldn't help smiling at the cunning way Ms Aguirre plays with her readers. No mercy again. Oh and there is one rather disturbing scene of attempted rape. Well, if you deal with demons...

What I liked:

· The narration was chock-full with action – not even one boring moment. I love it!

· The glimpses of Corine’s sad past really made plenty of things we’d been told previously more logical, understandable and real – nice touch!

· No more ugly love triangles – finally!

· Kel has proven to be unique – I won’t say more in order not to spoil but somehow I tolerated his supernatural identity far better than usually.

· Corine becomes really though in this part and the more though she is the more compelling I find her.

· I wholeheartedly share the authoress’s take on bigger monkeys, dolls and clowns.

· The ending, although leaving plenty of leeway, was slickly done. No memories, no pain but is oblivion pernament? Somehow I don't think so.


What I didn’t like:

· Corine’s fight with a certain Knight of Hell was a bit…over the top? Too easy to be true? Unrealistic? I know, I know it’s a fantasy book but still…

· Montoya brothers…so powerful, so uncanny, so skilled…yet so stupid…give me more intellgent baddies, next time, please!

· Im general don’t like rape or attempted rape scenes. Perhaps this one was needed but it made me squirm.

· Chihuahua learned to write using Scrabbles tiles. Urgh. A veterinarian should examine it thoroughly. It is most certainly not a dog.

Finally the cover...meh and meh again!

Final verdict:

An almost-perfect summer read. I am looking forward to the next part, Devil’s Punch. Below you can see how  Shady Lady drink might look like:

Silent Saturday

Friday Flash Fiction

Amy C at Romance Book Wyrm and Dottie atTink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate - you publish your Fiction Flash  on Friday - 350 words, give or take. Below you can find the picture posted last Monday:

It is lovely indeed although a bit spooky. It put me in a cruel mood:

Tanisia hasn't feel so good for over hundred years - young, fit, slender and hauntingly beautiful again. She deserved it. Lately things were rough for her - she couldn't find the right host for a start and she felt her powers waning fast. She was becoming desperate and small wonder - every day she saw her withered, crinkled face and puffed up, horrible old body in a mirror she wanted to howl with rage. Depression was very bad for her, bad looks even worse. All because of some stupid words said in a wrong moment.

Giving your lip to a warlock is never a good idea. However, Tanisia was a bit drunk at that time and the warlock in question behaved in an outrageous manner, pawing  her in public, suggesting a price for her services, importunate jerk. She humiliated him in front of others and he never forgot. Soon enough she found out she has been seriously hexed. First her perfectly young host started to age very quickly, givning her bags under her eyes, headaches and bad breath in the morning. As if it wasn't enough, people started to avoid her in the streets - as soon as she looked at them they kept turning their heads and passing to the other pavement, sometimes running in the opposite direction. How a decent witch is going to find a new prospective host if she can't be socially acceptable? What's the point of being a powerful, immortal being without enjoying such perks as great looks and seductive powers?

She tried reconcilation, she really did, appologising and bringing gifts, grovelling and begging. The warlock turned everything down and laughed at her mercilessly. Then he kicked her down the stairs of his luxurious villa. From that time is was personal like hell. She started researching different hexes and plotting her revenge. Time was not on her side but the fact that she didn't have either to sleep or to attend any social functions helped. After months of fruitless research punctuated by occassional fits of rage she found what she was looking for. The solution would cost her everything she had but it was doable.

First she had to learn about the warlock's ancestors and to find the right tomb. It took her three months to locate it, three really horrible months as nobody wanted to answer questions asked by a wizened old crone who couldn't hold her urine anymore, stank to heavens and didn't have one single tooth left. Tanisia had to use  other agents which meant wasting time kidnapping people and then extricating the right info from them. Painfully time-consuming and boring process depriving her of her energies. Then she lured the warlock to the tomb by hiding her best treasures there. Luckily he was one greedy big-headed fool, unable to pass over such an occasion even if it might have been a trap. She knew her possessions would have been destroyed in the process but it was the required price. Finally the last bit - a proper new host had to be positioned in the tomb. She chose the warlock's last paramour, a dark, delicate beauty from an aristocratic but impoverished family. Tanisia had drugged her and kept well-hidden behind a coffin.

The spell hit them all like a flash of lightning. For a moment or two shell-shocked Tanisia wasn't sure whether it worked or not but she had hidden a mirror nearby for that purpose. When she felt strong enough she glanced at her own reflection and smiled. The warlock was obviously dead, her wizened old body- pulverized to nothing along with the treasures she had brought with herself but she was young and hex -free again. She started to laugh, swirling in extasy, spreading the folds of her midnight dark dress, dancing her way out of the tomb. She never noticed a small mole digging frantically with its paws and hiding in the ground.