InDescent by KZ Snow (146 pages)
It seemed to take me a bit to get started on this one but once I got going I didn't want to stop. More of Jackson (wizard) and Adin (former vampire). Jackson is feeling conflicted about his relationship with Adin, he hardly gets to see him and misses him and some weird shit is starting to happen. At the same time his wizard enemy has devised a cockamamie plan to suck Jackson into a magical crystal and be free of him at last. (Cue evil laughter) While Jackson's trying to figure out what the hell is going on, Adin comes to visit and is starting to revert to vampire which causes problems for the couple as well. In the end Jackson finds out he has to enter the crystal and repair some damage which is letting other worldly creatures out and has to face up to his relationship fears and deal with Adin. It's a very complex story with a spirit guidey thing and Polish fairy tale characters thrown but I really enjoyed it. Some humour, some tears, some danger. I was especially impressed with all the stuff inside the crystal, the imagination (unless KZ's been in said crystal) and also with Jackson having to face up to the realities that is his relationship with Adin and his own personal truth about himself. So a terrific read. I'm looking forward to the next book this weekend. Oh, one of my favourite sentences with a phrase I am going to try and use in the next week or so: Miki had always struck him as a half-bubble off plumb.
Utopia X 4: Finding Utopia by KZ Snow (95 pages)
This is the final book in the Utopia X series and a fine wrap-up. The guys are finding it impossible to engage the Celestine crystal with sexual energy since they all have their own men and really don't want to be together that way. They go off to the head office to explain and while they are gone Pablo heads out to the clubs with his old friends. Win gets home and finds Pablo passed out, a used condom next to the bed and their house trashed. After a fight Win kicks him out and Pablo can't remember what happened but is sure he'd never cheat and is determined to find out what really did happen. Meanwhile some dark elves are planning to take over the city and manage to capture the three guys causing Win to shift because he's so upset about Pablo and the whole situation. Pablo manages to ride to the rescue (on a scooter? LOL) and save the day thanks to some magical help. You really have to read the whole series to read this one or you'll be lost. But they are so worth it. I loved that when Pablo gets kicked to the curb he doesn't resort to that whining "but let me explaaaaaiiiinn" stuff and gets just as pissed off and leaves in a righteous huff when Win is so harsh. (Though it did look bad.) I also liked that he was willing to come back and fix things once he'd figured it out. There weren't 40 pages of him being stubborn and refusing to address the issue. So that I loved. I did wish there had been more Ridley but as KZ said, it was almost impossible to include everyone from the other books so she chose and I can live with that. There is more about their neighbor Skeep and a run-away elf he helped which would be fun to find out more about and you find out more about Andrew and his background. So lots of fodder for future explorations of this world which maybe some day she will write for us. So I thought it was a very appropriate ending, with some relationship drama, some action and a nice HEA for all concerned. Great series though, really, for those who like fantasy or UF it's so worth it.
So that's it. Not much in way of quantity but definitely higher quality than a few of late. Have a super weekend.
18 comments:
I was going to say something about your cute Fri guy, and your lovely reviews, but since you selected two completely incompatible items for me to write about, then just shrugged your shoulders over it, all at Kris's blog, well, I...*hmph* And THEN I was going to tell you how much I loved Go Fish!
No, no. You're right. I got myself into that mess. I'll just have to write myself out of it... :)
Amnesia Wren, amneisa. That's the ticket. Maybe. :-) I wish you luck, but I'm sure you don't really need it.
Glad you enjoyed Go Fish.
See how you are?!
So what was the book before InDescent?!?
I have Shades of Grey to read, too. Hmm...
I refuse to believe your sidebar widget, that you've only finished 1/20 books for the M/M Challenge.
I'm mean Chris. Never denied it. :-P
Obsession which I read in December is before InDescent. There are a couple of m/f before that I think but Obsession really starts the Adin/Jackson story and there are enough hints dropped about stuff that came before that you can figure it out.
3, I promised only to count books that are over 90 pages. I was going to change it this afternoon. If I count shorts I'd be finished in a week or so. LOL
I counted shorts, so I'm done that way with the 20+, technically. I figured I'll ultimately read hundreds, so... (Book total, not limited to m/m, but including shorts, was 811...)
Chris: Yay you. Definitely a book slut. :-D
I think I read around 450 or so counting shorts. Not exactly sure. I guess I'll count this year.
Tam, are you suggesting that I HAVE amnesia, or that I should develop some?
Amnesia is for wimps!
Lord knows Wren is no wimp so I better stop harrassing her.
Yes, TGIF and TG for your hunk! :)
I wouldn't mind helping your hottie of the day with his crick in his where ever... ;)
How many books does the Utopia X series count? Is it a good series as a whole for someone who is a rather inexperienced paranormal reader?
Hi Janna. There are 4 books in the series. I think it's a good start. They are very well written and complex. I mean that in a good way. There is lots of world building done. They aren't hugely long either, so it's not like 1000 pages to read the whole series. I think it's great anyway, very much worth the time and expense.
Have a great weekend.
I've had InDescent in my TBR for ages. Don't know why I haven't read it yet.
As for the Utopia series, I've seen it at Loose Id but always hesitate to buy it. I'm not very fond of fantasy but it sounds good. I'll have to keep it in mind.
As for your hottie, I'm ready and able to help with his neck, or for that matter anything else he needs. Send him my way, please. :)
I'm not a huge fantasy fan Lily but it's not tooooo wacky. The world building is kind of earth-like as we know it so it's not hard to slide into that other world. You might try the first book and see if it appeals.
Do you have room under that blanket where you stashed that other hottie? Two might be pushing it. :-)
I've got a magical blanket that's always just the right size.
Thanks Tam, that sounds doable for me :) I like it better when the world building is earth-like too. I'm just not a big fan of too many strange creatures or incomprehensable politics or society rules to wrap my brain around... ;)
Hi, Tam!
So you've set up shop now too, eh? I like your window dressing. ;-) I wouldn't have found you, though, if Google hadn't alerted me.
FYI to readers: the Utopia-X world is a kind of future Earth and, I think, very accessible; it isn't heavy on sci fi elements.
Hey, thanks so much for giving my books your attention. I deeply appreciate your email feedback, too.
I shall return!
Hey KZ. Damn google. :-D Not that I don't want you here. LOL
I've been set up for a while but no one knew where I was so I just yammered away to myself. Now the outside world is creeping in. I'll need to plaster over the cracks soon.
We're kind of like an infestation of rodents, aren't we? :-)
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