Review: Storm Front

Storm Front by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I put this off for ages because my copy is a battered second-hand that looks like crap and so I underestimated it, and WOW, what a funny coincidence because the same could be said for our hero who seems to look like crap 99% of the time but turned out to be kind of a badass.

So in summary: this book was fkn GREAT!

So much fun! Gahhhh I forgot how much I enjoyed urban fantasy with mystery! Dresden is a great hero in that he gets his ass kicked constantly but he's a low-key super-wizard with crazy power and an attitude that sees him determined to only use his power for good.

He has the weird connections that make the story interesting, and some equally interesting opponents. There is the typical abundance of beautiful women that all want to flirt with our hopeless, washed up hero, but I found they weren't so overdone that I was bothered by it. I actually really liked Murphy, and the way their relationship was written, and the other girls had enough individual personality that I didn't mind them so much.

I loved the way magic was used but not taken for granted, nor ridiculously powerful. Dresden is such a gritty character that half the time you forget he can actually do magic. It makes for quite a riveting story, because can never predict what he'll do.

Added to the fantastic characters and magic system is the brilliance of the mystery - not too gory, but disturbing enough to leave a mark and make you want to solve the crime as badly as our hero.

I was absolutely hooked from the start and loved it all the way through. A highly addictive read and one that has me keen to carry on with this series.

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Review: Twenty-Six Letters

Twenty-Six Letters by Charlotte Nash
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A delightful, feel-good read that kept me invested the entire time.

The plot sees aimless Wil searching for more info about the past of her deceased mother, after belatedly receiving a stack of letters written before she passed.

Wil's a bit of an unintentional train wreck - she doesn't quite know what she wants from life, and her choices always seem to end badly for her, no matter how innocent her intentions. I loved that she wasn't intentionally a black sheep - things just kind of ended up like that for her.

The mystery of her mother's words takes her to an English village which I really loved. It was such a cosy setting, and the writing really drew me there. I loved how fanciful her mother seemed - despite the fact that we only hear from her through letters, she holds a strong presence in this book - and how that is echoed in Wil without her really noticing it.

The characters drew me in easily, and I love how naturally the relationships developed. I could so easily picture these characters, and I felt everything they did. It was easy to sympathise and yet really understand all the layers to each character. Even Wil's father, Cameron, had a good side, despite very much seeming a 'bad guy' to begin with. I really appreciated that these characters weren't just 2D cliches; there was a depth to each that showed multiple facets of their personality.

The mystery of the letters is fun, and we get enough of them to keep us hooked. You can tell the story Wil's mother is telling has quite a lot of twists and turns, and it makes you eager to see where it's all heading. At the same time, we get satisfaction from Wil's investigations - the tidbits she gets from locals, and the info she digs up herself. There's plenty here to keep us entertained for the entire duration of the novel.

A little predictable, but most books are for me these days! There's not a lot I read now that hasn't been done before, so for me it's more about the delivery of the twists than the actual twists themselves. I loved how this whole story unravelled, so there was no loss for me in guessing at what would happen.

This book kept me entertained the entire time, and had me really immersing myself in Wil's emotions. I became quite invested in her story, and I generally enjoyed how this story warmed my heart.

A wonderful, light read with a mystery to keep you hanging for more. Highly recommend.

With thanks to A&U for an ARC

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Review: InuYasha, Vol. 4: Lost and Alone

InuYasha, Vol. 4: Lost and Alone by Rumiko Takahashi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really liked the ghost story. The manten henten benten whatever saga was YAWN but the ghost story totally redeemed it. It was a lot of fun and had a lot of heart.

I've been reading this series so slowly but I'm still keen to continue because I know better characters are in the near future! Keen!

Please consider this the best review I can give at this time. Reviewing manga and comics is exhausting, yo.

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