Friday, August 11, 2017

Tempting Danger by Eileen Wilks | A Combination of All My Favorite Series!

Tempting Danger by Eileen Wilks
First Published: 2004
Kindle
Adult, Urban Fantasy
Rating:
Re-Readability:
National bestselling author Eileen Wilks draws readers into a bold new world where the magical and mundane co-exist in an uneasy alliance--and a cop balanced on her own knife-edged struggle is their only hope against a cold-blooded killer.
Lily Yu is a San Diego police detective investigating a series of grisly murders that appear to be the work of a werewolf. To hunt down the killer, she must infiltrate the clans. Only one man can help her--a were named Rule Turner, a prince of the lupi, whose charismatic presence disturbs Lily. Rule has his own reasons for helping the investigation--reasons he doesn't want to share with Lily. Logic and honor demand she keep her distance, but the attraction between them is immediate and devastating-and beyond human reason. Now, in a race to fend off evil, Lily finds herself in uncharted territory, tested as never before, and at her back a man who she's not sure she can trust.
Once upon a time, a young girl by the name of Nitzan added a book by the name of Tempting Danger to her To Be Read list. And promptly forgot she ever did, or why. Years passed, and she saw the book discounted on the wonderful land of Kindle. She did not get it then, for the cover was not captivating enough. But the gods had other plans for Nitzan.

They urged her to organize her TBR and reduce it. And so, she stumbled upon the book again. Confused--why had she added it?--she read the synopsis and realized that it sounds just like the book for her. Hastily she returned to the land of kindle and got it.

Becuase it was simply meant to be.

It was obvious by the third chapter - Tempting Danger is a wonderful mix of some of my all time favorite series while not being a copy of those series, by no stretch of the imagination, it's simply something that makes me think of these things I love but is great on its own. So if you like the urban fantasies Kate Daniels and Mercy Thompson series, or the mystery In Death series, this book is THE one for you.

But let's get a little more in depth into this book review/recommendation. There are a few things I can tell you so you could make an informed decision whether to read this or not.

If you like your heroines kick-ass, determined, pragmatic, dry witted and very passionate about their job, you will love our main character Lily Yu. She's a young homicide detective who takes no one's shit. She is extremely intelligent, capable and rational. And her job means the world to her. Which is why she didn't count on any of this happening to her, but there you have it. Sometimes, shit happens. And when it does, you just have to deal with it.

If you like your heroes to be charming, confident and utterly devoted to their better half even when they never expected to love someone, you will love Rule. I know I did. Rule is basically a werewolf prince. So that means he is handsome as all get out, rich (kind of) and, naturally, has no shortage of women flock to him. Normally, that would make for a certain type of hero. BUT RULE IS NO JERK!

I know, I know, this is utterly shocking. I was blown-away, too! But this guy is just a sweetheart, even before he falls for the seasoned detective. And after he does... let's just say, he is the perfect blend of Alpha and devotion. Very rarely do I find a book boyfriend who is so inherently alpha, but uses barely any high handed maneuvers (though for no lack of worry and protectiveness) and listens to what his partner actually has to say... and agrees when she's right. Be ready to swoon boys, gals, and nonbinary pals! (Someone here may have been watching too much Thomas Sanders as she was typing this review...)

Now, clearly, I highly recommend the characters. But do I recommend the romance? I think it's fairly obvious I do. The romance hits both parties hard and unexpectedly, and there is the whole "soul mates" part of it. But unlike many novels that use this as a device to excuse insta love and forgo showing the reader the two are meant to be together, Wilks uses this as the catalyst to their falling in love process beginning.

Rule and Lily are forced together by an otherworldly being. Now they have to decide if they even like each other. Spoiler alert: yeah, they do. It's all so organic in the way they react to their predicament. They don't fall in love over night, but over time, forced to spend time together and eventually open up to each other, finding comfort in one another. IT'S GLORIOUS AF, OKAY?!

In fact, the romance is probably my favorite part of this novel, because it is the crux of it without overwhelming the story and plot.

Now, let's talk about the world, especially because I talked about Mercy Thompson and Kate Daniels before. You can definitely see some similarities, especially in the uneasy truce and bigotry between the human world and magical beings, but Wilks created a really intriguing beast with the way she blends those and adds the layer of realms with different rules and creations into the mix.

I can't wait to read more of this series, and I say that as someone who already read the next book just 'cause she couldn't help herself lol

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Maggie Stiefvater | Authors Who Win the Cover Lottery #1

A new segment here on the blog that will spotlight gorgeous covers and the authors who nail them repeatedly. 

Take a moment. Breath these cover in. Let their beauty cure all your ills. Imagine yourself stroking and hugging them close. Then marvel at how damn lucky can one author be to win the cover lottery again, and again, and again!

I don't know if it's because Maggie is an artist, or if she even has a say in her books' covers, but damn. Even her earlier works, like Lament and Ballad, or the anthologies she's in like The Curiosities and The Anatomy of Curiosity have really pleasing covers.

But I chose to focus on the eight above.

The Shiver series is the earliest of the ones displayed, and I have to admit I like all the iterations of this series. The ones I put above are the original ones, which I think are the best. I like the simplicity of them, the branches, and the way you suddenly see the wolf there. The new covers follow a similar theme, but I don't like how the color just overtakes everything. I feel like the white works a lot better.

The next covers are of the raven cycle. God almighty, I think those are the most gorgeous covers EVER. Seriously they are at the top of the top of my favorite list. It starts all the way with the first book, The Raven Boys with the cool raven made of brush strokes and the red beating heart, The Dream Thieves with my hubby Ronan so beautifully drawn atop it, Blue Lily, Lily Blue which fights with The Raven King for my favorite of the favorites. Both of them utilize the gorgeous brush strokes, and create such beautiful drawings I CAN'T EVEN THEY ARE SO PRETTY!!!

And then there is the newest addition, All the Crooked Saints. Another pretty one that uses the theme of branches and flowers. It's just SO PLEASENT to look at. Seriously. The colors beautifully mash, the typography and the way the veins climb through it and AHHH I want it already just so I could stare at it all day.

Another cover that I debated putting in but eventually decided against (since the original one is pretty ugly) is the second hardcover version of The Scorpio Races and the second paperback version.  Again, both are so nice to look at.

By the way, I love how Maggie's covers often utilize the white and blank spaces. It makes the actual illustration POP out.

*I link to the amazon buying options where they exist, or to the GR page if you can't buy it anymore.