Saga, Volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughn (Writer), Fiona Staples (Illustrator)

Saga, Volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I didn't like this one as much as previous volumes. Probably because Marko is separated from his family for most of the book, and the focus on Marko's ex, although I do like the little girl the bounty hunter rescued from Sextillion. It seems like the goal is to get increasingly x-rated with the content. Plenty of violence and some really overly sexual imagery in this book. I still like the concept and the fact that it's narrated by young Hazel. Alana and Marko are compelling characters and their star-crossed love story definitely appeals. Not to mention cute little Hazel. I just don't think the storytelling is as strong at it was initially.

View all my reviews

The Lone Wolfe by Kate Hewitt

The Lone Wolfe by Kate Hewitt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A little different from what I expected. I thought Jacob would be more approachable based on his appearances in the other books.  However, it makes sense to see him so cold, so disconnected from life.  Especially with his fears of hurting others and doing violence as a legacy of his father's abuse and substance abuse. 

The metaphor of a gardener painstakingly and lovingly transforming and rehabilitating a neglected garden to its former glory reflects how Mollie helps Jacob to come to terms with this fears and his isolation and open himself up to her love. With her gentle, loving care, she coaxes him back to an emotional life.  Jacob always was a family man, no question. He loved his brothers and sister deeply, and the only reason he left and abandoned them was to save them.  This sets the pattern for twenty years of running away and isolating himself.  He was out in the cold and while it was for his survival and protection of others, it was to his detriment. When he returns to Wolfestone Manor and becomes involved with Mollie, he is able to put his demons to rest.

For a short book, Hewitt creates a believable emotional journey.  The fact that she does have all the siblings come together at the end as a family is the absolutely crucial element I needed.  It was the resolution of this eight book journey that left me ultimately satisfied, even though I am not 100% sure that Kate Hewitt's writing style reached me as much on an emotional level as I wished.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I would have preferred a deeper connection, since I have wanted to read Jacob's book from the very beginning.  I am sad to see this series end. I grew very attached to the Wolfe family. I can at least be satisfied that they are all happily married and beloved by their spouses and others, with a hopeful future.  When I finished this book, this desire was fulfilled, and that is a good thing!



View all my reviews

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Wow. This book really snuck up on me. I wasn't sure at first, because the writing seemed as though a lot had been cut out initially. I didn't think I was getting the whole picture. I honestly think that this book was not written for the YA market, but it ended up as one because of the younger aged characters. I felt as though the author might have been asked to edit some parts out to make it more 'suitable' for younger readers, and I felt that initially. As CS Lewis has expressed, I think that a good children's book is one that an older person will love just as much, so I don't really agree with writing books 'younger' to make them fit into the YA genre. So that feeling I had when I first started this book sort of threw me. I have read Sarah Rees Brennan before, a short story in The Eternal Kiss: 13 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire, which I enjoyed immensely. So I knew she was a good writer. And the storyline of two brothers fighting demons and evil humans together called my name, as a huge fan of the Supernatural TV series and the Cal Leandros books by Rob Thurman. I was already excited to read this book. So, the beginning was so barebones, I got a little worried. I shouldn't have worried. This turned out to be an excellent book. So excellent, that I really can't knock it down from five stars despite its shaky start.



Ms. Brennan took a story that seemed all laid out for the reader, and gave it depths and twists that had me truly surprised. I didn't expect what happened at all. I had some ideas, and questions, and then things fell into place. I wondered about Nick, how he was so different from Alan. But I thought that maybe it was a matter of having more of his mother in him. Or maybe he was just wired differently from Alan. I think that humans are so unique, we can't expect each person to react the same way to the same set of circumstances. Even close siblings can be very different. But the twist, it makes sense.



This is an edgy book, and quite dark. I think that Brennan can definitely bring it when it comes to this kind of storyline. I don't assume that female writers don't know how to go there, and writers like Brennan show women writers do have the chops to pull off this kind of book.



That sibling bond is the lynchpin of this story. It takes what you think you know and you find you didn't know as much as you thought. You think that you know what love is capable of, but you don't have a clue. People often find their views of the world shaken by the events that occur, and from that point it's either adapt or die. It's a leap of faith to walk through a dark, twisted path, with no light in the horizon. But what choice do you have? Alan, who's so seemingly frail in need of protection, he will surprise you. Nick, who seems so strong and invulnerable, he has a core of need that shows you that strength sometimes is an illusion, maybe even a fallacy. Because we can't be a lonely, inviolate rock and survive in this world. We need an anchor. We need that tie of emotion to keep us grounded, to keep us healthy, sane, alive. Such is the case with Nick. There's definitely some symbiosis between Alan and Nick.



I'll add this series to my favorites about family and siblings because it captures so much that I love about this theme, and so starkly and beautifully. All the pieces fall into place, and the resultant picture is worthy of more than a second glance. It stands up against scrutiny in all the ways that count.



As far as the fantasy elements, very well done. Magicians equal sorcerers in this book. Magic ties heavily into demonology. The theme is inherently dark, but it's not so dark that it makes for unpalatable reading. But dark enough to be credible. Along with the fantasy are the cautions that humans of any persuasion can appreciate. Power comes at a cost. Do we really want to pay that cost? Really? Power corrupts and destroys. But love can change that prognosis in ways we never thought possible.



Yeah, it's clear that I am a fan of this book. I am highly recommending it to people who love the theme of brothers against the world, fighting the bad guys--real demons, and their own emotional ones.





Other books with similar themes you might enjoy:





Nightlife by Rob Thurman

Chimera by Rob Thurman

The Devil You Know by Felix Castor

Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison

Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland



View all my reviews

Chimera by Rob Thurman

Chimera by Rob Thurman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When I picked up an urban fantasy novel by this author called Nightlife, I had no idea then how big a fan I would become of her writing. Since then, she’s been an autobuy for me, because of my love for Cal and Nik Leandros, and how Ms. Thurman managed to show the depths and the power of the relationship between siblings. With Chimera, she does it yet again. One might be encouraged to dismiss this book about a man’s quest to find his brother who was stolen from his family ten years ago a rehash, but it truly is not. Because there are so many stories of siblings to be told. No two brothers have the same relationship, and in this story, she has conveyed a completely different relationship between Stefan and Lukas/Michael-- with depths that are equally fathomless, but one that is utterly distinct from the brotherhood between Cal and Nik.



Stefan Korsak is a young man who has lived for one thing for the past ten years, to find his younger brother, and bring him home. He has literally given what was left of his soul to this quest. He has even entered the family business. Stefan’s father is a big Russian Mafiya boss, and now Stefan works for one of his dad’s ‘friends’ as a byk, a bodyguard. He doesn’t do the enforcer dirty work, much, other than having to beat people up occasionally. But he’s a lethal guy all the same. He has acquired lots of skills that will help him in his quest to find his brother. When his source for information on his brother, Saul, finds out that there was a boy in a field trip at the mall matching Stefan’s brother’s description, Stefan gets a ray of hope for the first time in ten years. With Saul’s help, he breaks his brother out of the strangely prison-like medical facility that his brother has been living. But that’s only the beginning. He has to keep himself and his brother safe from a very scary man who runs the facility, the mob faction that are on the hunt for Stefan, and convince Michael that he is his long-lost sibling.



I can easily visualize this as a movie. It has that feel, with clear images and a story that draws the eye and the focus of the reader. Stefan is damaged, fascinating; a character who inspired a lot of loyalty and devotion in this reader. In his mind, he doesn’t think much of himself. He feels that his potential for a good life is over, since he failed to protect his brother so many years ago, and has sold his soul in the family business. But he’d do just about anything to give his brother a second chance. This book reminded me very strongly of the TV show Supernatural, with the relationship between Dean and Sam. Dean is much like Stefan. He has little self-worth, and all his love is for his brother. He was raised from a very young kid to always watch out for his brother, and if he does nothing else in life, he will complete this mission. Other than that, they aren’t that much alike. But I saw that cord of recognition in Stefan, and the author builds a very different man from this foundation.



What I liked about this story was being inside Stefan’s head, and seeing what he views himself as, but knowing that he is much more than that. I totally fell for him. I loved seeing how having his brother back healed the broken parts of his soul, and gave him hope, a four letter word that was alien of his vocabulary for a long time. I liked seeing how much of a survivor he was. He’s a street-smart, clear-thinking young man, who has his own moral compass. Not purely black and white, but more focused on the greater good, which is taking care of his brother. If he has to steal a car to do that, no problem. He doesn’t want to be a killer, but if it takes that, he’ll do it. I wanted Stefan to be happy, and I hope that he will be. I hope that he will have more to his life, so much more, than he turned his back on. He certainly deserves it.



Michael’s character was also great. He was raised in this facility for one purpose, to kill. Every lesson learned focused on making him the optimal assassin, and nothing more. However, Michael found out the hard way that he didn’t have the heart for it. His days were numbered as the ‘program failures’ tended to disappear in the middle of the night. Fortunately, a man claiming to his brother (a fact he doesn’t believe) takes him away. Given the choice of going with this man or staying in the facility, it’s a no brainer. Now, Michael has to learn to be a normal human being, which is somet hing he has little experience with. Although Michael has a lethal ability, an incredibly intelligent brain, and enhanced healing abilities, he’s still a seventeen-year-old kid. He acquires a serious junkfood habit that Stefan indulges although worries enough about him to buy vitamins. He is curious about sex and girls, and he purchases a ferret. And along the way, he becomes attached to this guy who is determined to convince him that he is Michael’s long-lost sibling. The love he develops for his ‘brother’ scares him, because he could one day lose Stefan, and he has nothing in his short life that belonged to him for keeps, if at all.



I liked the view of the United States through a windshield and roadside motels. The mundane which is very fascinating when one takes the time to look at it. If you have ever taken a road trip across America (or any small part, you know what I mean). Every state and even parts of the same state has a distinct feel, but the overall flavor is “This is America.” This motif reminded me of Supernatural, as the Winchester brothers spend their lives on the road, going from hunt to hunt. In this case, Stefan and Michael are running for their lives.



Another refreshing aspect to this story was the inclusion of Stefan and Michael’s Russian heritage. Although Stefan’s Russian is the colloquial, everyday, user-friendly version, he retains a very strong sense of the culture. His dialogue is realistically seasoned with Russian terms (which is great since I am learning Russian right now), and his values reflect those of a second-generation Russian-American, with a background in the Russian mafiya thrown in for extra flavor. Miss Thurman showed the daily life of a man born into this crime life very authentically. Stefan had a father who was cold enough to order men killed at the dinner table, and his job as a Mafiya boss was the elephant in the room for Stefan growing up. All his uncles were associates in the family business. Clearly, it was difficult for him to divorce himself from that life and to yearn for something better. But Stefan would have willingly left it behind, if he could have found his brother without those resources. Because his true family is his brother, especially with Daddy Dearest gone underground to elude the Feds on his case.



This is a deeply personal story. It is one of those speculative fiction stories that throws you a loop, because it’s really about people, and the relationships we have with those we are related to by blood, and obligation. There is enough of the sci-fi element to earn its place in that genre, but moreso it’s about humanity and relationships, one in particular. I became deeply involved with this novel, and I found that I came to regard Stefan and Michael as real people. I really appreciated that about this story, and the lessons it contained. Love doesn’t give up, ever. Love sacrifices. And love recognizes what is lost. What is family? It’s not always what we believe it is. It’s a lot more than we can imagine.





View all my reviews

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor was a lovely little morsel to get me into the Christmas spirit (or at least more into it, since I've already started listening to Christmas music on the satellite radio--I'm a Christmas junkie. What can I say?). It was also a great introduction to Ms. Kleypas' new contemporary series. I am very happy with it, and eager to read about Mark's brothers finding their HEAs.



I really loved the heart-warming vibe of this story. I love books that show the incredible bond that can form between a man and a woman (or any group of people who become their own family), and encompass children, either through their own union, or that they have brought into their lives. This book was definitely one of those stories. I have never felt that family has to be limited to the traditional idea of a nuclear bond. Blood bonds are important, but are completely unnecessary in forming a family. This book has that message.



Mark has the magnetic charisma that Ms. Kleypas is so stellar at endowing her heroes with. He also has a little bit of the tortured hero to him, not much, but enough. His family life wasn't great, and after losing his sister, he has taken on the role as guardian to her daughter Holly, not sure if he's up for it, but determined to do his best. Somehow, along the way, his heart is changed from the man who barely does the family thing, to a father who would do anything for his daughter, even if she's only his niece. And his brother Sam also finds an incredible sense of purpose through helping to raise Holly.



What's interesting is the dynamic between Mark, Holly, and Maggie. Initially it seems as though Maggie will be the fairy godmother who comes and makes everything right with Mark and Holly. But it turns out that Mark and Holly do a lot of healing for Maggie, who is still trying to recover from losing her husband, and has sworn off marriage and having kids of her own, afraid and believing she has nothing left to give.



Lisa Kleypas is one of my favorite authors for a reason: She knows her stuff. When I read her books, I am getting a full experience. She puts the heart, a wonderful, exciting love story, the beautiful description, a great, engaging narrative, humor, and pathos all there for me to enjoy. She has a wonderful way with words, a skilled artist who paints a visually-arresting landscape with her prose. Her books never feel flat to me, they are as three-dimensional as if I was there in the scene. I have discovered this sudden urge to go to Washington and explore Friday Harbor, and hope that I will walk past Maggie's toy store, or Mark's coffee-roasting business. I want to look up Rainshadow Vineyard while I am in town. I don't know when I'll get to Washington, but I know I will definitely want to revisit Friday Harbor and its inhabitants again, and this book is short enough to pick up every year to get that lovely Christmas spirit infusion, and to stop by and visit with my new friends that I have made.



If you need a little pick-me-up, and a book to remind you why Christmas is more than just a hassle and a marketing gimmick, but a wonderful time of year to enjoy family and friends, and to remember the most important thing about the season, you will find that in Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor. Because this book shows the power of love to warm hearts and to make bonds where there was no hope for a sense of connection. The power of love to heal what is broken. If you don't believe me, just give this book a read.



View all my reviews