Alyssa Cole is an author well-liked by other authors I like. Her Off the Grid trilogy is especially popular, but the post-apocalyptic setting isn’t my favorite. I did like her historical short story Agnes Moor’s Wild Knight so when An Extraordinary Union came up for pre-order, I didn’t hesitate. I paid a full sawbuck for this e-book, y’all. That’s how much faith I had that I was going to like it. An Extraordinary Union did not disappoint. The short version: Ellen Burns uses her eidetic memory to serve […]
In which I learn I am definitely over the YA love triangle
“There are lots of stories about the children of gods. But what about those cursed by the gods, and their descendants…” This line is catnip. This is story I definitely want to read. This is not quite the story Descendants tells. The set-up: El has lived a safe, if sheltered life, raised with her grandparents in a country cottage. Her grandparents keep her away from others because El has a gift: she has powers of persuasion she cannot control. She works part-time as a docent at […]
Tonight, at The Pit, everyone’s identity is revealed
Before I get started, this is the sixth book in a series. (I’m sure you guessed this by the title.) There are going to be some spoilers. Make good choices, dear reader. Previously in Action Figures: Carrie Hauser is a 16 year old superhero on a team of 16 year old superheroes. The Hero Squad–they know the name is lame, thanks–is apprenticed to local hero team, The Protectorate. Carrie’s friends are Stuart (doubles as tank Superbeast–keep the previous aside in mind, it’ll save us all some […]
How much wood would a druid chuck if a druid could chuck wood?
Since Staked is the 8th book in the Iron Druid Chronicles, don’t start here. High level overview of the story: Atticus O’Sullivan is a Druid who has spent the last 2,000 years laying low from the Celtic gods as well as the vampires who wiped out all the Druids for some unknown reason. By the time the reader reaches Staked, Atticus isn’t the only Druid walking the earth, and he’s also very firmly on the radar of ALL THE GODS EVERYWHERE. (This is what happens […]
I had my Deathday and all I got was this lousy quest
Alex Mortiz is a bruja* and really doesn’t want to be one. She comes from a long line of brujas and brujos. Both her older and younger sisters have come into their gifts, but Alex is low-key hoping hers don’t kick in. Magic has never made anything in Alex’s life better; in fact, it has been key in making a lot of things worse. Alas, if Alex’s powers never came in, this would be a very short story. When they emerge in full force, Alex […]
Wherein they ditch the jalopy and I’m okay with it
As a kid, I was as likely to beg my mom to buy me an Archie Comic as a candy bar in the checkout line. She would buy them even when I didn’t ask and then I’d have to wait for her to finish to wrest each new double digest from her. More than once, I contemplated sending away for the fan club advertised in the back pages. I loved the whole crew. Archie. Betty. Midge and Moose. Rare appearances by Valerie! I loved the […]