Review: The Blue Salt Road - Joanne M Harris

An earthly nourris sits and sings
And aye she sings, "Ba lilly wean,
Little ken I my bairn's father,
Far less the land that he staps in.
(Child Ballad, no. 113)

So begins a stunning tale of love, loss and revenge, against a powerful backdrop of adventure on the high seas, and drama on the land. The Blue Salt Road balances passion and loss, love and violence and draws on nature and folklore to weave a stunning modern mythology around a nameless, wild young man.

Passion drew him to a new world, and trickery has kept him there - without his memories, separated from his own people. But as he finds his way in this dangerous new way of life, so he learns that his notions of home, and your people, might not be as fixed as he believed.

Beautifully illustrated by Bonnie Helen Hawkins, this is a stunning and original modern fairytale.

Visit Joanne M Harris' website or Bonnie Helen Hawkins' website for more information

Review:
The Blue Salt Road is a fantastic folktale written by Joanne M Harris and beautifully illustrated by Bonnie Helen Hawkins. It's the kind of book to pick up on a blustery autumn day when you're tucked up somewhere nice and warm in front of a fire with a mug of hot chocolate and a few free hours to spend reading - you'll definitely want to finish it in one sitting!

If you're familiar with selkie folktales you'll already know that they can remove their skin and walk on land as humans but that if someone steals their skin then they will be trapped in their human form and unable to return to the sea. Joanne M Harris built her story around this premise and has created a story of curiosity, young love, betrayal and devastation.

The selkies have long known that people of the Folk can't be trusted but one young selkie prince is looking for adventure and starts spending more and more time on land, ignoring the advice of the other selkies and sea creatures. Eventually he meets a young girl and when she falls pregnant desperation leads her to take drastic measures to make sure he marries her. I don't want to go into more detail about the story so you'll just have to read it for yourself but Joanne M Harris did a brilliant job of capturing his confusion about what has happened to him and his yearning for something he can't quite put his finger on.

This is a story that will pull you in and make you feel like you're right there with the characters, you'll feel the salt spray on your lips as he joins his father in law on a whaling ship and you'll feel his horror when he starts to understand just what the Folk are capable of doing to the creatures he used to consider friends. I honestly thought I knew how the story would end but it ended up going in a surprising direction and I really liked that the author was able to surprise me.

Alongside the fantastic writing you have the incredible illustrations from Bonnie Helen Hawkins that really help bring this world even more to life. Honestly I'd love to frame some of these pictures because they really are beautiful and even though I was sent a proof copy from Gollancz in exchange for an honest review I'm definitely going to be buying myself a hardback copy to treasure. I had to include just a couple of the gorgeous illustrations in this review so you can see exactly what I'm talking about:

Source: Received from Gollancz in exchange for an honest review

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Hardback / Kindle:

Review: Marine Biology - Gail Carriger

A short tale of seduction, selkies, and sushi.

Alex is a werewolf with problems – he’s unexpectedly alive, he’s quite definitely gay, and he’s been ordered into a partnership with one very flirty merman.

In this LBGTQ sweet short love story, New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger brings her comedic voice to contemporary fiction and m/m romance. Prequel to The Sumage Solution.

Delicate Sensibilities?

Contains confused lovelorn werewolves and very pretty ex-Goth mermen who are exclusively interested in each other. May also contain fish, Irish mafia, and a shocking lack of tea.

(11,000 words ~ 43 pages) First published in The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2 (2010).

San Andreas Shifters Series:
Marine Biology (Short Story)
The Sumage Solution

Visit Gail Carriger's website for more information

Review:
Marine biologist Alex is a werewolf with secrets and the fact that he's gay is the least of them. He just doesn't fit in with the other werewolves in his pack and that makes life extremely difficult for him. They don't understand his love of fish over steak and he's never going to enjoy drinking and partying the way they all do. When the wolves are approached by some merfolk who need help investigating the illegal activities of the selkie mafia Alex is given the job of liaison. His family are hoping he'll fall for the beautiful mermaid Giselle but Alex is much more interested in her brother Marvin.

This was a really fun short story full of Gail Carriger's trademark witty banter and plenty of humorous flirting between Alex and Marvin. As a short story this didn't have much time to flesh out the characters but I thought they made a really cute couple even if I did want to spend more time getting to know them. Marine Biology works well as an introduction to the main characters but I'm glad that future books will be longer because I think this just needed a bit more page time to really give the characters a chance to shine.

Source: Purchased

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Kindle:

Review: Wickedly Wonderful - Deborah Blake

Known as the wicked witch of Russian fairy tales, Baba Yaga is not one woman, but rather a title carried by a chosen few. They keep the balance of nature and guard the borders of our world, but don’t make the mistake of crossing one of them . . .

Though she looks like a typical California surfer girl, Beka Yancy is in fact a powerful yet inexperienced witch who’s struggling with her duties as a Baba Yaga. Luckily she has her faithful dragon-turned-dog for moral support, especially when faced with her biggest job yet . . .

A mysterious toxin is driving the Selkie and Mer from their homes deep in the trenches of Monterey Bay. To investigate, Beka buys her way onto the boat of Marcus Dermott, a battle-scarred former U.S. Marine, and his ailing fisherman father.

While diving for clues, Beka drives Marcus crazy with her flaky New Age ideas and dazzling blue eyes. She thinks he’s rigid and cranky (and way too attractive). Meanwhile, a charming Selkie prince has plans that include Beka. Only by trusting her powers can Beka save the underwater races, pick the right man, and choose the path she’ll follow for the rest of her life . . .

Baba Yaga Series:
Wickedly Magical (Novella)
Wickedly Dangerous
Wickedly Wonderful
Wickedly Ever After (Novella)
Wickedly Powerful

Visit Deborah Blake's website for more information

Review:
Wickedly Wonderful is the story of Beka, the youngest of the three Baba Yaga witches currently residing in America. She has less experience than her fellow Babas and has much less confidence in her abilities thanks to the way she was treated by her predecessor but that doesn't stop her jumping in to help when the selkies and merpeople are forced to leave their homes due to a strange poison that is making them sick. The seafolk have been forced to leave everything behind in search of safe water and Beka is going to have her work cut out trying to figure out what is going on.

Marcus is an ex-Marine who has returned home and is helping his father run his fishing boat but the mysterious poison is affecting all sea life and all of the local fishermen are all struggling to make a living. Marcus is trying to convince his father to sell up so he can move away but the old man is stubborn and refuses to quit. Anyway, the last thing Marcus needs is a new age hippy like Beka hanging around but his father needs the money she is offering and agrees to take her out on the boat so she can carry out research.

In a lot of ways Beka and Marcus are complete opposites but they both have strong protective instincts and they're both prepared to do whatever it takes to protect the people they care about. Beka has to keep her true reason for being out on the boat a secret but it isn't long before Marcus gets suspicious and starts putting two and two together. Once he is onboard with the investigation things start to move a lot quicker but Beka has several people working against her trying to stop her getting to the bottom of things.

I had mixed feelings about the first book in this series, I love the way Deborah Blake has put her own spin on the Baba Yaga mythology and she's really brought the witches into the 21st century while still liking it through to the original stories but I felt a bit disappointed by the romance and think I'd have enjoyed the story more if there had been a bigger focus on the mystery. I'm happy to say I liked Wickedly Wonderful more, Beka was easier to relate to than her sister Barbara and I definitely felt more invested in the relationship between Beka and Marcus. They fit together really well and I liked how they started as enemies before becoming reluctant allies and eventually more. I also enjoyed the mystery side more in this book, it was a little too obvious who the bad guys were which is why this didn't quite hit 4 stars for me though. Either way this series is definitely improving and I'm looking forward to spending time with the third Baba, Bella, in the next book.

Source: Purchased

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Paperback / Kindle:

Quick Review: Hidden Holidays - R.L. Naquin

The holidays can be overwhelming for anyone, but Zoey is ready to explode when Maurice, her closet-monster roommate, takes celebrations to the extreme. When Zoey ducks out for a little fresh air, she finds a boy with a big problem -- a problem only a mythical creature can have and only Zoey can solve.

6,500 words

Hidden Holidays is a short story in the same world as the Monster Haven novels from Carina Press. This story can be enjoyed without having read the novels, but it takes place between book two, Pooka in My Pantry, and book three, Fairies in My Fireplace.

Monster Haven Series:
Monster in My Closet
Ill-Conceived Magic (Short Story)
Pooka in My Pantry
Hidden Holidays (Short Story)
Fairies in My Fireplace
What Zoey Doesn't Know (Short Story)
Golem in My Glovebox
Demons in My Driveway
Transmonstrified (Short Story Collection)
Phoenix in My Fortune

Djinn Haven series:
(Spin off from the Monster Haven series but can be read separately)
To Catch A Stolen Soul
To Seize a Wayward Spirit
To Free a Captured Heart

Visit R.L. Naquin's website for more information

Review:
Hidden Holidays is one of several short stories that R.L. Naquin has published as companion stories to her Monster Haven series. These stories can pretty much be read at any point and you don't have to have read the full length books to enjoy them but I do think you'll appreciate them more if you're already familiar with the characters.

I don't really want to give too much away because this story is only 20 pages long but it's a really fun holiday read that gives us a bit of an insight into various Hidden holiday traditions. Closet monster Maurice is one of my favourite characters in the series and I'm sure anyone who knows him can imagine just how crazy he is about the festive period. Zoey isn't quite so keen on having her whole house overrun with decorations, she never really celebrated the holidays growing up and it seems strange to her to start now but she would never deliberately hurt Maurice's feelings.

This was a short and sweet story that made me smile and included most of my favourite characters from the series. I do prefer the full length novels but these are nice quick reads for when you don't have much time.

Source: Purchased

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Kindle:

Review: Tempest Rising - Tracy Deebs

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her Californian home and hang out with her boyfriend.  But Tempest is half mermaid and, as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide if she really does want to stay on land or if she wants to give herself to the ocean like her mother did before her.

When she meets Kona, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities also hint at an other-worldly life, the lure of the sea becomes too strong and Tempest finds herself in the midst of a battle for survival.  The entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

Is she brave enough, and strong enough, to help save everything?

Tempest Series:
Tempest Rising
Tempest Unleashed (2012)

Visit Tracy Deebs' website for more information

Review:
Tempest is fast approaching her seventeenth birthday but unlike most teenagers she isn't looking forward to celebrating.  As a half mermaid she knows she will be faced with a difficult decision - will she chose to stay on land with her family and friends or will she pick life in the ocean, abandoning her family just like her mother did six years ago?

I've read a few mermaid books this year and have enjoyed the different takes on mermaid mythology and the various underwater worlds that the authors have created.  Although I enjoyed Tempest Rising I don't think it was as strong as some of the other books I've read.  I'll have to warn you there will probably be a few minor spoilers in my review because I can't explain what I didn't like about it without giving some information.

My main problem was that I didn't really like the main character Tempest.  At first we meet a very laid back girl who is obsessed with surfing with her friends and boyfriend but who also cares deeply for her family and has helped raise her younger brothers since their mother deserted them six years ago.  Tempest obviously has issues since being abandoned by her mother and I really felt for her when she was worrying about the decision she needed to make for her own future.  She didn't want to be someone else who abandoned her family and left them heartbroken.  I even forgave her for the way she was so mean to her boyfriend Mark because she had so much going on.  Poor Mark has been her on again, off again (but mostly on) boyfriend for two and a half years and they are supposedly madly in love but she treats him appallingly.  For example, Tempest nearly drowns in a surfing accident, she is saved by Mark and then when he shows that he is concerned about her she gets really angry with him and refuses to talk to him.  Well excuse Mark for being a nice boyfriend - I guess you'd prefer him not to care that you nearly died!

Then Kona comes on the scene, the mysterious (but oh so hot) surfer that appears from nowhere and disappears just the same.  Tempest is so in love with her boyfriend Mark that she of course is immediately drawn to Kona and seems to completely forget that Mark even exists.  Kona obviously knows about her supernatural abilities and the choice she has to make but absolutely refuses to tell her anything which must make him completely trustworthy and just adds to the attraction (you'll have to forgive my sarcasm).  So when Kona disappears it makes perfect sense for Tempest (who previously was determined never to abandon her family) to follow him without a second thought.

Now I absolutely hate a cheater so when Tempest hooks up with Kona despite the fact that she is still dating Mark that immediately gets my back up.  As nice as Kona is and as much as they are obviously meant to be together I don't care about either of them anymore and am not interested in their relationship.  What made it even worse was the way the author tried to justify Tempest's actions.  When Tempest returns nobody knows that she has been unfaithful but her friends are happy to tell her that Mark has been looking at another girl.  So although Mark hasn't cheated and Tempest has it is Mark who looks like the bad guy and Tempest doesn't bother to put anyone right.  In fact she just makes herself feel better by letting Mark off the hook, telling him that it's ok if he wants to be with someone else & that they're better off as just friends.  I was about ready to throw the book at that point so don't even get me started on the ending.  I'm not going to spoil it by telling you what happens but it irritated the heck out of me.

As much as I've complained about the book I did really like the underwater world that Tracy Deebs has created, the mythology around the mermaids, their history and the enemy that Tempest has to face were all really interesting and were what kept me reading.  The action scenes are well written, the author was able to play on my heart strings and I did feel for Tempest before she started two timing Mark.  I actually really liked Kona too, just not the way Tempest's relationship with Mark wasn't resolved before she got together with him.  So despite the problems I'd still say it is worth giving Tempest Rising a try if you're looking for a mermaid story and I probably will pick up the sequel when it comes out next year.

Source: I was given this book by my lovely friend Kirsty from The Overflowing Library

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Review: Tempest Rising - Nicole Peeler

Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society.

During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures that are terrifying, beautiful and deadly - all of which perfectly describe her new 'friend' Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.

It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal you with a lick, spirits bag your groceries and whatever you do, never - ever - rub the genie's lamp.

The Jane True Series:
Tempest Rising
Tracking the Tempest
Tempest's Legacy (August 2011)
Eye of the Tempest (October 2011)
Tempest's Fury (TBC)

Visit Nicole Peeler's website for more information

Review:
Jane has always been considered an outsider in her hometown, ostracised because of her mother's behaviour and a tragic incident when she was just a teenager, she has become used to the stares and whispers and tries hard to fit in and not draw attention to herself.  She keeps her nightly swims in the icy cold ocean a secret knowing that people wouldn't understand her need to be in the water.  When she finds a dead body she is unwittingly drawn into a world of supernatural creatures that she thought only existed in stories but the most shocking discovery is that she is only half human herself.  Trying to make sense of a world turned upside down isn't easy - especially when someone is murdering halflings and it looks like you're next on their list.  Luckily she has her new boyfriend, vampire Ryu, and her newly discovered supernatural friends to support her but can they find the killer before it is too late?

I'll happily admit that it was the cover that drew me to Tempest Rising and made me want to read it but I'm pleased to say that it is the writing and the characters that will make me continue with the series.  I love urban fantasy stories and have read a lot of them over the years but Tempest Rising stands out for it's range of unusual supernatural creatures - I'm not going to tell you which ones so you'll have to read it for yourself to find out - some that I've heard of and others that I've never come across in UF before.  Nicole Peeler has created a world that I want to spend more time in with characters that I'm looking forward to getting to know better.

Jane is a unique heroine with a likable voice and a sense of humor that had me laughing out loud.  She is completely out of her depth in the supernatural world that she is just starting to discover and I liked the fact that she had a vulnerable side to her and isn't just your standard kick ass heroine.  That isn't to say that she is a weak character, she is actually a lot stronger than she thinks she is and I'm looking forward to seeing her blossom even more as she comes to terms with what she is and learns about her abilities.  Love interest Ryu is a sexy but mysterious character and although I liked him and Jane together I do feel like I need to get to know him better.  I'm sure he has some secrets and can't wait to discover what they are.

There is a whole range of fun (and in some cases completely insane) characters that I'm looking forward to spending more time with.  I enjoyed the fact that there are so many unusual supernaturals but that there are also some important human characters who are there for Jane.  I wouldn't say the story is particularly fast paced but it was still a quick read with wonderful world building.  Although I enjoyed the murder mystery it was the characters and mythology that captivated me and left me wanting more.  If you're a fan of urban fantasy and like a humor filled story with strong characters and a little spice I would definitely recommend giving Tempest Rising a try.

Source: Received from Orbit in exchange for an honest review

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