books

Shapechangers – Chronicles of the Cheysuli #1 by Jennifer Roberson

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Title: Shapechangers

Author: Jennifer Roberson

Series: Chronicles of the Cheysuli

Sexual Content: suggested

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads): The first book in the Chronicles of the Cheysuli spins a tale of magical warriors and shapeshifters as they battle the sorcerers that threaten their existence

They were the Cheysuli, a race of magical warriors gifted with the ability to assume animal shape at will. For centuries, they had been allies to the King of Homana, treasured champions of the realm. Until a king’s daughter ran away with a Cheysuli liege man and caused a war of annihilation against the Cheysuli race.

Twenty-five years later the Cheysuli were hunted exiles in their own land, feared for their sorcery, their shapeshifting.

This is the story of Alix, the daughter of that ill-fated union between Homanan princess and Cheysuli warrior, and her struggle to master the call of magic in her blood, and accept her place in an ancient prophecy she cannot deny.

*Note: I am reading the omnibus edition, Shapechanger’s Song, but I will be reviewing the books seperately as they were originally published.

I picked up Shapechanger’s Song on something of a whim. I’d been in a bit of a reading slump but wanted to read. I just didn’t know what. So, I looked at my book shelf and my eyes fell on Shapechanger’s Song. It has been on my shelf for quite some time so I decided it was now the time to read it.

In the omnibus edition, there is an introduction from the author, Jennifer Roberson, which I kind of wish I hadn’t read because I think it may have influenced my expectations a little. The gist of it is that Alix, the main character, is supposed to be a strong female character who changed some reader’s perspectives on women.

Now, this book was originally written in 1984 and people’s world views would be different than they are now.

I started this book, expecting a great female character, a woman that younger women reading this book could really look up to and aspire to. This isn’t quite what I got.

Alix is seventeen years old, a crofter’s daughter, who has lead fairly simple and sheltered life. She meets the prince of the land, Homana, quite by accident and the two of them form a relationship that isn’t quite romantic, but could potentially be. One day, when the two meet, they are abducted by a Cheysuli warrior and brought to the rest of the Cheysuli against their will.

This is the catalyst for the entire story. The warrior, Finn, who abducts the two, desires Alix. Because of the king’s purge of the Cheysuli race, their numbers are dwindling and some warriors have started taking Homanan women to bear children. It is soon discovered that Alix isn’t the simple crofter’s daughter she has always believed. In fact, she is the King’s granddaughter and Cheylusi.

Earlier in this review I said that Alix is supposed to be a strong female character, and while I wouldn’t say that she isn’t, there are very few other women in the story to actually compare her too. There are a couple of other women who appear, but their appearances are so brief as to be inconsequential.

There are things that Alix does and decisions that she makes that I can’t really agree with. In one case I was even disappointed in her choice. This book is very male dominated, and no less than three men are in love with Alix. Though she ultimately chooses who she will be with, she was never given the choice to not be with anyone. The misogyny was fairly irritating.

Despite it’s flaws, I did enjoy reading the book and have continued on to the second part, The Prince of Homana.

My rating for Shapechanger is 3 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to fans of older, classic fantasy.

Shaman Rises – Walker Papers #9 – By C.E. Walker

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Shaman Rises by C.E. Murphy

Title: Shaman Rises

Author: C.E. Murphy

Series: The Walker Papers

Sexual Content: suggested

Objectional Content: Violence, Language

Synopsis (from Goodreads):Joanne Walker has two choices:

Defeat the enemy…or lose her soul trying

For over a year, Joanne has been fighting the Master—the world’s most abiding evil entity. She’s sacrificed family, friendships, even watched potential futures fade away…and now the Master is bringing the final battle to Joanne’s beloved Seattle.

Lives will be lost as the repercussions of all Joanne’s final transformation into her full Shamanic abilities come to her doorstep. Before the end, she’ll mourn, rejoice—and surrender everything for the hope of the world’s survival. She’ll be a warrior and a healer. Because she is finally a Shaman Rising.

My Review

Going into Shaman Rises, I really didn’t know what to expect. There were a lot of elements that I felt needed to be tidied up. I wasn’t sure how it was all going to come together and I was apprehensive about how it would end.

Once I started Shaman Rises, I did not want to put this book down. There are so many twists and turns, I just had to keep reading. This book was so emotional. I admit I cried quite a bit. There were several times where I knew if I were Joanne, I would have just sat down and given up.

I’m a bit sad to see this series end as I’m sure there is more the author could do with it if she wanted. At the same time, I’m very satisfied with the ending and wouldn’t want to see it drag on and lose out on quality.

I honestly can’t recommend this series enough! If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy, I strongly suggest giving this series a read. My rating for Shaman Rises is 5 out of 5 stars, and my rating for the Walker Papers overall is 5 out of 5 stars. I think fans of Mercy Thompson would really like this series as there are similarities between the main characters.

Have you read the Walker Papers? Please let me know what you think!

And as always, thanks for reading!

Mountain Echoes – Walker Papers #8 – by C.E. Murhpy

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Mountain Echoes, Book 8 of the Walker Papers by C.E. Murphy

Title: Mountain Echoes

Author: C.E. Murphy

Series: The Walker Papers

Sexual Content: suggested

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads): You can never go home again.

Joanne Walker has survived an encounter with the Master at great personal cost, but now her father is missing – stolen from the timeline. She must finally return to North Carolina to find him – and to meet Aidan, the son she left behind long ago. 

That would be enough for any shaman to face, but Joanne’s beloved Appalachians are being torn apart by an evil reaching forward from the distant past. Anything that gets in its way becomes tainted – or worse. 

And Aidan has gotten in the way. 

Only by calling on every aspect of her shamanic powers can Joanne pull the past apart and weave a better future. It will take everything she has – and more. 

Unless she can turn back time… 

My Review

After her adventures in Ireland, all Joanne Walker really wants is to sleep for about a week and maybe eat everything in sight. A phone call from an old friend sends her back to North Carolina. Her father is missing and whatever is going on is Joanne’s kind of problem.

Mountain Echoes, like Raven Calls before it, is basically non stop action. Joanne barely has any time to recover from her previous ordeal in Ireland when she’s thrust into another harrowing situation. And then another.

In previous books, we learn some of Joanne’s past, of how she grew up with her father, how she has twins when she was 15 and how the little girl didn’t survive and the boy was put up for adoption. Being back in Qualla Boundary, other things about Joanne’s past come to light. I really enjoyed learning all these things about her and seeing her look at her past from a new, more mature, perspective.

There was honestly nothing about this book I didn’t like. From beginning to end, I was riveted. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat and didn’t want to put the book down for a moment. C.E. Murphy has a knack for ending books on a cliffhanger. I can’t wait to start the final book in the series, Shaman Rises.

My rating for Mountain Echoes is 5 out of 5 stars. I would highly recommend reading the previous books if you haven’t already. I think anyone who enjoy Urban Fantasy would love this series.

Thanks for reading!

Raven Calls – Walker Papers #7 – by C.E. Murphy

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Raven Calls by C.E. Murphy

Title: Raven Calls

Author: C.E. Murphy

Series: The Walker Papers

Sexual Content: suggested

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Something wicked this way comes…

Suddenly, being bitten by a werewolf is the least of Joanne Walker’s problems.

Her personal life in turmoil, her job as a cop over, she’s been called to Ireland by the magic within her. And though Joanne’s skills have grown by leaps and bounds, Ireland’s magic is old and very powerful…

In fact, this is a case of unfinished business. Because the woman Joanne has come to Ireland to rescue is the
woman who sacrificed everything for Joanne—the woman who died a year ago. Now, through a slip in time, she’s in thrall to a dark power and Joanne must battle darkness, time and the gods themselves to save her.

My Review

After the cliffhanger that Spirit Dancers left on, I couldn’t wait to start Raven Calls. I was devouring it, I couldn’t put it down! And then…I just stopped. And I don’t know why. This book is so good! It’s basically non stop action from start to finish. At some point I had to put it down and then I just didn’t pick it back up again for quite some time.

When I did pick it back up, I finished it in one session and honestly I’m kicking myself for not picking it up again sooner.

Joanne is in Ireland for this book, trying to find a cure for the werewolf bite she got at the end of Spirit Dances. Along the way, she ends up time travelling, meeting her own ancestor and joining up with a cousin in Ireland. Shennanigans ensue. It feels odd to say that, but it’s probably the best way to describe it. It’s all one thing after another and the entire book takes place in the span of about a day.

It’s hard to say much more about Raven Calls, as it’s the seventh book in the series. The characters are mostly established and the few new ones that come in aren’t necessarily going to be around for the next book.

I’m really excited to read the next book, and I really hope I don’t put it down for months at a time.

My rating for Raven Calls is 5 out of 5 stars and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves Urban Fantasy. Just don’t forget to read the previous books in the series.

5 Ways to Maximize Your Reading Time

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We all want to read more, right? There’s so many books out there just waiting for our attention. So, how do we get more words into the day? Here’s 5 way to maximize your reading time!

  1. Keep a book with you wherever you go. You never know when you’ll have some time to kill. If you find yourself waiting for any reason, instead of pulling out your phone, pull out your book and read.
  2. Audiobooks can be a good way to absorb a book. Listening while exercising, doing chores or driving can really increase the amount of books you get through.
  3. Replace TV time with reading time. It’s very easy to get home after a long day and just flop on the couch and watch random youtube videos. Grab a book instead and devour the written word!
  4. Forgo socialization. No need to spend time with your friends or family. They are only distracting you from more reading. Ignore those messages asking you to go out and have fun and bury your nose in a book instead.
  5. Don’t have children! Kids are the ultimate time consuming thing on this planet. They demand constant attention and supervision. Remain childfree and your reading time will never be cut short. Already have them? Well, they’re probably old enough to fend for themselves, right?

Have you tried any of these steps? How did they work for you? Were you able to maximize your reading time? Do you have any tips for cramming in more reading time in your day? Share them in the comments.

Note: this list is meant as satire and should be read as such

Spirit Dances – Walker Papers #6 – By C.E. Murphy

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Title: Spirit Dances

Author: C.E. Murphy

Series: The Walker Papers

Sexual Content: suggested

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

For Seattle detective Joanne Walker, spring is about new beginnings. She’s mastered her shamanic abilities (mostly), survived a cannibalistic serial killer (barely) and now she’s facing the biggest challenge of her career–attending a dance concert with her sexy boss, Captain Michael Morrison. But when the performance–billed as transformative–actually changes her into a coyote, she and Morrison have bigger things to deal with.

And there’s more. Homeless people are disappearing, a mystical murder puts Joanne way out of her jurisdiction and with the full moon coming on, it’s looking like the killer is a creature that can’t possibly exist.

But Jo could probably handle all of that, if one ordinary homicide hadn’t pushed her to the very edge….

My Review

I literally just finished this book and I am basically chomping at the bit to start the next one because OMG! this series just keeps getting better and better.

Joanne Walker may have accepted her life and powers as a Shaman, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t above epically screwing up still. Her intentions are always good but sometimes, unexpected things just happen.

I would really love to see a real performance of the Ghost Dance that happens in this book. I’m sure that the written description couldn’t begin to do justice to an actual dance like that.

I was not expecting the ending of this book at all! It absolutely floored me. The moment I am done writing this, I’ll be picking up the next book.

I can’t recommend this series enough! 5 out of 5 stars! If you haven’t read it yet, go pick up Urban Shaman and get started!

Demon Hunts – Walker Papers #5 by C.E. Murphy

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Title: Demon Hunts

Author: C.E. Murphy

Series: The Walker Papers

Sexual Content: suggested

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Seattle police detective Joanne Walker started the year mostly dead, and she’s ending it trying not to be consumed by evil. Literally.

She’s proven she can handle the gods and the walking dead. But a cannibalistic serial killer? That’s more than even she bargained for. What’s worse, the brutal demon can only be tracked one way. If Joanne is to stop its campaign of terror, she’ll have to hunt it where it the Lower World, a shamanistic plane of magic and spirits.

Trouble is, Joanne’s skills are no match for the dangers she’s about to face—and her on-the-job training could prove fatal to the people she’s sworn to protect….

My Review

I don’t really have a lot to say about Demon Hunts. Honestly, I loved the hell out of this book! There was nothing I didn’t like about it. The Walker Papers just keeps getting better and better. I really enjoy reading it and I’m always looking forward to the next book. I think I will be sad when I finish the last one. Thankfully, I still have a few to go!

My rating for Demon Hunts is 5 out of 5 stars! If you’ve read the previous books, definitely read this one and if you haven’t read the previous books, what are you waiting for?

Walking Dead – Walker Papers #4 By C.E. Murphy

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Title: Walking Dead

Author: C.E. Murphy

Series: The Walker Papers

Sexual Content: none

Objectional Content: Violence, descriptions of rotting corpses

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

For once, Joanne Walker’s not out to save the world. She’s come to terms with the host of shamanic powers she’s been given, her job as a police detective has been relatively calm, and she’s got a love life for the first time in memory. Not bad for a woman who started out the year mostly dead.

But it’s Halloween, and the undead have just crashed Joanne’s party.

Now, with her mentor Coyote still missing, she has to figure out how to break the spell that has let the ghosts, zombies and even the Wild Hunt come back. Unfortunately, there’s no shamanic handbook explaining how to deal with the walking dead. And if they have anything to say about it — which they do — no one’s getting out of there alive.

My Review

I have to say, I loved this book! Joanne has finally accepted her Shamanic powers and what they mean for her every day life. She can now talk about her powers and the things she does without cringing at herself. She is a great character and it has been a joy watching her grow.

I don’t normally like to gush about books, even when I think they are amazing, because I don’t want to hype them up and then have other people be disappointed based on my opinion. Honestly though, I couldn’t find a single flaw with Walking Dead, there was nothing I disliked about it.

I am enjoying the hell out of this series and can’t wait to get started on the next book!

My rating for Walking Dead is 5 out of 5 stars and I highly recommend reading it if you’ve read the previous books. And if you haven’t read the previous books, I highly recommend you do so!

Have you read any of the Walker Papers? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

Coyote Dreams – Walker Papers #3 by C.E. Murphy

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Coyote Dreams book #3 of the Walker Papers by C.E. Murphy

Title: Banshee Cries

Author: C.E. Murphy

Series: The Walker Paper

Sexual Content: Suggested

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Much of the city can’t wake up. And more are dozing off each day.

Instead of powerful forces storming Seattle,
a more insidious invasion is happening.
Most of Joanne Walker’s fellow cops are down
with the blue flu–or rather the blue sleep. Yet
there’s no physical cause anyone can point to–and it keeps spreading.

It has to be magical, Joanne figures. But what’s up with the crazy dreams that hit her
every time she closes her eyes? Are they being sent
by Coyote, her still-missing spirit guide? The messages just aren’t clear.

Somehow Joanne has to wake up her sleeping
friends while protecting those still awake,
figure out her inner-spirit dream life and, yeah,
come to terms with these other dreams she’s
having about her boss….

Coyote Dreams starts with Joanne Walker waking up with one hell of a hangover and one very good looking man in her bed. Naturally, this is the start of a chaotic morning for Joanne. Her friend, Billy Holliday, is in a coma, and not long after, his wife. Soon, half the police force is asleep and nothing Joanne does seems to help them.

I’m a little ashamed to say that Coyote Dreams is only the second book I’ve finished this year (and February is over tomorrow!). These last two months have not been great for me for reading. I’d gotten about half way through this book when I suddenly just stopped. Then, two nights ago, I picked it back up and wondered why I stopped reading to begin with!

Joanne has been reluctant from the start to accept her Shamanic powers and her role those powers give her in the world. She’s very good at denying her gifts and deflecting from talking about it by hiding behind sarcasm.

It’s here, in Coyote Dreams, that I think she really starts to accept what she is and what she should be doing. Until now she’s been running mostly on instinct, epically screwing things up while trying to fix something else.

Faced with the consequences of past actions and lacking her spirit guide, Joanne truly has to own up to her power, to accept it and take proper control of it. With no one to rely on but herself, Joanne doesn’t have much of a choice in the matter.

I think that Coyote Dreams is a really big turning point in Joanne’s character. She is really coming into her own and facing those parts of her that she refused to see for so long. The ending made me a bit sad, but it definitely will drive forward the rest of the series.

Coyote Dreams is a solid 4 out of 5 stars and I’d recommend to anyone who likes Urban Fantasy and magic systems based in Native American beliefs.

Thanks for reading!

The Official Spooky Season Book Tag

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Hello! I wasn’t tagged on this but I’m stealing it anyway because I think it sounds fun. I found it on Books Are 42′s blog.

This fun and spooky tag was created by Noly. 

The Rules

Tag the original creator (The Artsy Reader)
Use the official banner
Answer the prompts and questions
Tag 5 people
Have fun and get spooky!!!

Question 1: You hear a strange noise in the night – the monsters got inside! Which book character would you choose to protect you from harm? No questions, Cal Leandros. It’s basically his job to kill monsters and he’s pretty good at it.

Question 2: You go on vacation and your hotel is located right next to a cemetery. Which book character do you really hope is not hiding in the shadows? The Blade from Banshee Cries by C.E. Murphy. It’s a Banshee type creature that is all sharp angles and sounds scary as hell!

Question 3: It’s a particularly cold night and you decide to stay inside. Which three book characters would you like to spend a trivia quiz and board game night with? Hmm, let’s go with Harry Dresden, Mercy Thompson and Joanne Walker. No particular reason other than they came to mind lol.

Question 4: Time for a big adventure! The scary book you pick transports you into its world. Where do you end up? I don’t read a lot of scary books, so I can’t really pick one of those. However, I think living in the world of Game of Thrones would be pretty traumatic.

Question 5: No Halloween without Trick or Treat-ing! Which book character do you think has the sweetest tooth? Oh wow, I never thought about this. Um, I’m going to say Joanne Walker because she likes hot chocolate with a shot of mint and pastries.

Question 6: The fairies are angry and want a sacrifice from your bookshelf. Which scary book has to go and why? I think the only scary book I have is Rose Madder by Stephen King, so that would be the one to go.

Question 7: You decide you feel more autumnal rather than halloween-y today. Which book setting would you choose for a more cosy and less scary vibe? Hmm maybe somewhere real, like Chicago or Seattle in the fall.

Question 8: The witch is cooking up a spell in her cauldron and you have to add one magic ingredient. Which item from a book are you adding to the mixture? This is a really hard question! I can’t actually think of any kind of special plant or magic ingredient from a book.

Question 9: You get to decide which bookish place to visit for Halloween. Which book setting is the scariest – and gets crossed off the list? The Other World from Coraline. That place just seems horrid!

Question 10: The big day is finally here: it’s Halloween! Which book character do you dress up as, and what would be part of your outfit? Ya know what, I’m going to say Harry Dresden, even though I’m a woman. I would wear a long trench coat and carry around a wand of some kind.

I’m not tagging anyone but if you see this post and want to do this tag, please do so and let me know in the comments so I can read your answers too!