Title: Shades of Gray (US)/ Shades of Night (UK)

Author:Jackie Kessler & Caitlin Kittredge

Genre: Fantasy (Superheroes)

When Jet and Iridium – best friends turned enemies – came together to bring down a supervillain, they inadvertently destroyed the secret Corp-Co transmitter, whose frequency kept the New Chicago’s heroes of in-line – and sane. Now the city is plunged into chaos as these heroes are suddenly the biggest threat. Corp-Co brings in a new Squadron from India – but when heroes are tied into a system of sponsorship, only money, and not a sense of duty, can persuade them to save the day.

As they haggle, Everyman sets out to destroy the powers with a group of enhanced super-soldiers, and the mysterious villain Doctor Hypnotic is lulling heroes and supervillains alike into his seductive web – a dream-world where everything is perfect, but nothing is real. Once again Jet and Iridium are forced to set aside their hatred of each other to do what they were born to do: save the world.

Publisher: Spectra (US) / Piatkus (UK)
Publication Date: Jun 22 2010/ Jul 1 2010
Paperback: 432 pages

Stand alone or series Book 2 in the Icarus Project series

Why did I read the book: I read Black and White the first in the series last year, and loved it.

How did I get the book: ARC from Spectra

Review:

“ Dear Diary:

Today I start reading Shades of Gray. I really loved Black and White, please let the sequel be at least as good. I am supposed to review this in three days, hope I can make it (I blame it on the World Cup).”
Excerpt from Ana’s Journal, June 18th 8am.

Shades of Gray is the sequel to Black and White and part of the Icarus Project series. I read the first book last year as soon as it came out and I loved it. I thought the book was fun and clever by both paying homage to previous books and comics and giving the superhero lore a new spin. With alternating chapters from each of the main characters’ – Jet and Iridium – PoV and then chunks of chapters alternating between Now and Then, the authors created a world full of possibilities, based on an intriguing Origins premise and wonderful characters.

Shades of Gray starts with the aftermath of what happened in the end of book 1. After Iridium helped bring down the Corp and their commlinks system that kept the superheroes under control, all hell broke loose with Superheroes rebelling and turning villains and/or rabid, attacking citizens, creating havoc, etc or simply quitting. Only a handful of Heroes remains, led by Jet, trying to re-organise the Squadrom and bring order to the city. If things weren’t already chaotic, difficult and tiring, shit really hits the fan when supervillains escape from Blackbird prison, including the most dangerous of them all, Doctor Hypnotic, a former superhero turned rabid who starts turning people into mindless zombies.

“ Dear Diary:

I barely only started reading Shades of Gray and already love it, although the beginning is a bit slow. Why is my lunch break so short? I wonder if I can smuggle the book into this afternoon’s meeting.”
Excerpt from Ana’s Journal, June 18th 2pm.

On the other side of town, Iridium is dealing with things her own way, which as we know, is not less heroic than Jet’s, only slightly less orderly. Like for example, she was the one who helped some of the villains, including her father, Archlight, escaping prison.

The thing is, in this world, villainy and heroism is officially determined by the Corp and since book 1, we all know how THAT works. On top of that, other threads continue to be explored: like the relationship between Corp and the Icarus Project and we learn what it all means.

The plotting is very, very complex. The ideas, the clues are spread out in small journal snippets at the beginning of each chapter. Plus, once more the book alternates between NOW and THEN. The NOW chapters alternate between Jet and Iridium and deals with the chaos resulting from book 1 . But there is a big difference this time because the THEN goes back in time to tell the story of the first generation of superheroes, the one with the heroines’ parents with alternating point of views between those characters.

It sounds confusing but it really is not – in fact, I am delighted, surprised by how awesome and complex it was. I do admit that at first, I thought the pacing to be super slow and with less action sequences than a superhero novel ought to have. But folks, it works. Because this is less of a book about fighting (although there are some really good fighting sequences) and more about the characters and what it means to be a superhero. In the same vein of the comics Irredeemable or the novel The Rise of Renegade X (both recent releases) it investigates the psyche of the superhero and how not everyone who is a superbeing is necessarily equipped for the task – this is both sad and terrifying. I mentioned an Origins story and in the end all the pieces of the puzzle come together to form an astonishing story.

“ Dear Diary:

Couldn’t read last night. But just read a few chapters on the train from London and HOLY SHIT.
Excerpt from Ana’s Journal, June 19th 7pm.

As astonishing and complex as the plotting was, nothing matters more to me than the characters. Both Jet and Iridium whom I already loved from book 1 and whose arcs are further developed: these two have to deal with their parents’ reputations and fall from grace and create their own path. It is not easy; especially when it comes to Jet whose Shadow power basically dooms her to mental illness as it has doomed every single Shadow hero before her.

But this time around what really made the book to me was the THEN parts. I can’t begin to describe how good the chapters about the first wave of superheroes were: Vixen, Luster (before coming Archlight), Blackout, Angelica and Night. By showing how Corp first started using the comms links, how they used and controlled most of them and how of course, there was a sense of impending doom throughout because we knew already how tragic their lives were. We just didn’t know how much: love, paranoia, betrayal, madness, death, everything was there and this was by far my favourite part of the novel because it all has repercussions in the worldbuilding and in the current lives of the protagonists.

“Dear Diary:

Today a book made me cry. I love when that happens. Also: Luster and Vixen FOREVER.”
Excerpt from Ana’s Journal, June 20th 3:30pm.

I have to give kudos to the authors for this collaborative work – it can’t be easy to create such a polished, smooth read. In the end, I laughed, I cried, I rooted for the heroes and against the villains and when I closed the novel, I knew I was going to miss the characters. That makes it for a great read, in my books.

Notable quotes/Parts: I loved all the scenes with Vixen and Luster, the Angelica/Hal/Blackout love triangle. They were powerful and so, so sad.

Additional Thoughts:Come back later today for a guest post with one of the co-authors, Jackie Kessler, who talks about how comics and Neil Gaiman’s kiss inspired her as a writer and for a chance to win a signed copy of Shades of Gray.

Verdict: Picking up where the first book left off and further developing the themes of heroism and the hero’s psyche, Shades of Gray is an even better book than its predecessor. It is also an extremely fun book to read and with awesome characters to boot.

Rating:8 – Excellent

Reading Next:Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding

For the past few months, we have been including an “On our Radar” section in our weekly stash for books that have caught our eye; books we heard of via other bloggers, directly from publishers, and/or from our regular incursions into the Amazon jungle. This is how the Smugglers’ Radar was born, and because there are far too many books that we want than we can possibly buy or review (what else is new?) we thought we could make it into a weekly feature on its own – this way YOU can tell us which books you have on your radar as well!

On Ana’s Radar:

Ah, Kresley Cole’s IAD series is my Cheetos Reading: guilty pleasure at its best and there are two new stories to look forward to:

The first is a story in Deep Kiss of Winter (out now)

Under the cover of wintry dark shadows, passion’s magic ignites a fire too hot to touch — and too wicked to die….

KRESLEY COLE delivers a breathtaking tale of a brutal vampire soldier about to know love for the first time…and a Valkyrie aching to be touched.

Murdoch Wroth will stop at nothing to claim Daniela the Ice Maiden — the delicate Valkyrie who makes his heart beat for the first time in three hundred years. Yet the exquisite Danii is part ice fey, and her freezing skin can’t be touched by anyone but her own kind without inflicting pain beyond measure. Soon desperate for closeness, in an agony of frustration, Murdoch and Danii will do anything to have each other. Together, can they find the key that will finally allow them to slake the overwhelming desire burning between them?

GENA SHOWALTER puts a daring spin on a tale of huntress and hunted…and concocts a sensual chemistry that is positively explosive.

Aleaha Love can be anyone — literally. With only skin-to-skin contact, she can change her appearance, assume any identity. Her newest identity switch has made her an AIR (alien investigation and removal) agent and sends her on a mission to capture a group of otherworldly warriors. Only she becomes the captured. Breean, a golden-skinned commander known for his iron will who is at once dangerous and soul-shatteringly seductive, threatens her new life. Because for the first time, Aleaha only wants to be herself….

Watch the Deep Kiss of Winter Trailer!!

Click on the link HERE to read an Excerpt and to download an exclusive FREE Immortals After Dark novella, The Warlord Wants Forever or visit simonandschuster.com

And….Pleasure of a Dark Prince, the book I have been waiting for since book 1 in the series. (out February 16)

Lucia the Huntress: as mysterious as she is exquisite, she harbors secrets that threaten to destroy her—and those she loves.

Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae: the brutal Highland warrior who burns to finally claim this maddeningly sensual creature as his own.

From the shadows, Garreth has long watched over Lucia. Now, the only way to keep the proud huntress safe from harm is to convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do this, Garreth will ruthlessly exploit Lucia’s greatest weakness—her wanton desire for him. . . .

A Vampire and a Lykae story: NOM NOM NOM (Vampire trumps demons anytime. And Lykaes trump everything)

I love the cover for Shades of Gray, the next in the Black and White series by Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge (about two superheroines!). This cover is SO much better than the one for the first book. Can’t wait (the book is not out until June though, BOO)

I also can’t wait for the second book in the YA series Soul Screamers, by Rachel Vincent (out in January)

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad’s ironclad curfew and putting her boyfriend’s loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls for a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for
eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can’t possibly understand. Kaylee can’t let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk….

And lookie! The Brazilian cover of The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss: I will sure be picking it up when I go home for Christmas!

On Thea’s Radar:

This book came out in July, but I have just seen the eye-catching cover recently…and I wants it.

First in a brand new series from the author of the rogue mage novels

Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind-a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires and hunts vampires for a living. But now she’s been hired by Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie’s Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampire who’s killing other vamps…

Love this title, this gorgeous cover, and the dystopian premise:

What Happens when bio-terrorism becomes a tool for corporate profits? And what happens when said bio-terrorism forces humanity to the cusp of post-human evolution? In The Windup Girl, award-winning author Paolo Bacigalupi returns to the world of “The Calorie Man”( Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award-winner, Hugo Award nominee, 2006) and “Yellow Card Man” (Hugo Award nominee, 2007) in order to address these questions.

This cover FLOORS me. And the premise ain’t too shabby either…

926. New York. The Roaring Twenties. Jazz. Flappers. Prohibition. Coal-powered cars. A cold war with a British Empire that still covers half of the globe. Yet things have developed differently to established history. America is in the midst of a cold war with a British Empire that has only just buried Queen Victoria, her life artificially preserved to the age of 107. Coal-powered cars roar along roads thick with pedestrians, biplanes take off from standing with primitive rocket boosters and monsters lurk behind closed doors and around every corner. This is a time in need of heroes. It is a time for The Ghost. A series of targeted murders are occurring all over the city, the victims found with ancient Roman coins placed on their eyelids after death. The trail appears to lead to a group of Italian-American gangsters and their boss, who the mobsters have dubbed ‘The Roman’. However, as The Ghost soon discovers, there is more to The Roman than at first appears, and more bizarre happenings that he soon links to the man, including moss-golems posing as mobsters and a plot to bring an ancient pagan god into the physical world in a cavern beneath the city. As The Ghost draws nearer to The Roman and the center of his dangerous web, he must battle with foes both physical and supernatural and call on help from the most unexpected of quarters if he is to stop The Roman and halt the imminent destruction of the city.

AND, finally, just got this in the mail, and I cannot WAIT to read it:

Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for himself, his mother, and his sister Mari. Ironically, the only thing of value he has is something he can’t sell. For as long as Han can remember, he’s worn thick silver cuffs engraved with runes. They’re clearly magicked-as he grows, they grow, and he’s never been able to get them off.

While out hunting one day, Han and his Clan friend, Dancer catch three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. After a confrontation, Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to ensure the boy won’t use it against them. Han soon learns that the amulet has an evil history-it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana’Helena, Princess Heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She’s just returned to court after three years of relative freedom with her father’s family at Demonai camp – riding, hunting, and working the famous Clan markets. Although Raisa will become eligible for marriage after her sixteenth name-day, she isn’t looking forward to trading in her common sense and new skills for etiquette tutors and stuffy parties.

Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea-the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems like her mother has otherplans for her—plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.

The Seven Realms will tremble when the lives of Han and Raisa collide in this stunning new page-turner from bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima.

What about you? Any books you are really looking forward to reading? Do share!

Title: Street Magic

Author: Caitlin Kittredge

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

Publisher: St. Martin’s
Publication Date: June 2, 2009
Paperback: 352 pages

Stand Alone or Series: Book one in the new Black London series.

Why did I read this book: I had read Ms. Kittredge’s Nocturne City books, and though was not blown away by them, I liked her voice enough to see what else she could do. When Karen Mahoney (book pimp extraordinaire) told us about this new, darker series, I was intrigued…and when I received a copy of Street Magic in the mail, I pulled a greedy, selfish executive decision and told Ana that I was hoarding the book and she’d just have to wait! Yes, I am Eeeevil like that.

Summary: (from Amazon.com)
Her name is Pete Caldecott. She was just sixteen when she met Jack Winter, a gorgeous, larger-than-life mage who thrilled her with his witchcraft. Then a spirit Jack summoned killed him before Pete’s eyes—or so she thought. Now a detective[MSOffice2] , Pete is investigating the case of a young girl kidnapped from the streets of London. A tipster’s chilling prediction has led police directly to the child…but when Pete meets the informant, she’s shocked to learn he is none other than Jack. Strung out on heroin, Jack a shadow of his former self. But he’s able to tell Pete exactly where Bridget’s kidnappers are hiding: in the supernatural shadow-world of the fey. Even though she’s spent years disavowing the supernatural, Pete follows Jack into the invisible fey underworld, where she hopes to discover the truth about what happened to Bridget—and what happened to Jack on that dark day so long ago…

Review:

Confession: I really did not expect to like this book so much as I did.

I was excited to read Street Magic (enough so that I bogarted the book from Ana’s clutches), but upon starting Pete Caldecott’s book, I was nonplussed. A hundred pages in, and I was still waiting to be wowed – and I had it on good authority from Karen and Kmont that wowing would happen. I was dejected, resigned to being the party pooper once again, resigned to being the only person in the blogoverse that wasn’t digging on another hot new title.

But then, it happened.

The Wow. In the form of – wouldn’t you know it? – a pub.

Jack let go of her arms and lifted the gryffon-headed knocker on the pub’s door. He let it fall three times, and the red door swung open with a moan of ill-oiled age. Jack made a courtly gesture to Pete. “After you, luv.” He grinned as she stepped into oil lamps and noise and smoke. “Welcome to the Lament Pub,” Jack said. “And welcome to the Black.”

As Pete stumbles into a new world of dark magic, I inadvertently followed her. And it was damn awesome.

When Pete Caldecott was sixteen years old, she was enamored with the older, mysterious and devilish Jack Winter (who also happened to be her older sister’s boyfriend at the time). So, when Jack asked Pete to come with him on a dangerous, magical endeavor in a graveyard, Pete didn’t hesitate. The night would end in tragedy, however, as Jack summons a Wicker Man that he cannot control – and Pete leaves Jack, dead. The weight of Jack’s death has weighed on Pete’s heart and mind for years; her guilt and heartbreak has haunted her constantly. Years later, Pete is a detective for Scotland Yard and investigating a series of child kidnapping cases. A lead tips her off to the Grand Montresor Hotel, where she finds a strung out, heroin-addicted Jack Winter – who proceeds to tell her that the girl she is looking for will be at the entrance of the Highgate Cemetery the next morning. When Pete finds the missing girl the next morning – blinded and traumatized by whatever ordeal she has been through – Pete needs to find out how he knew about the missing girl…and how he is still alive. Little does Pete know that the trip will lead to a dark realm beyond her reckoning. Pete and Jack must work together to find the missing children, and to right the past wrongs between them.

Street Magic is a dark, evocative start to a solid Urban Fantasy series. Although, as I have mentioned above, I did have some initial issues getting into the story. There were two main obstacles to my initial enjoyment of the novel. First, that the language seemed over the top – the novel is set in London, and as such Pete and Jack speak (and think) with British slang and mannerisms. While I have it on good authority (from UK dwelling Ana, and Brit Karen) that the language is accurate, I can’t help but feel a bit nitpicky about the colloquialisms – since I know that Ms. Kittredge is American (and knew this coming into the story), I kept feeling that the mannerisms, the repeated “bollocks,” “buggers,” “sod offs,” or the many references to certain brands (i.e. ‘he drank a Newcastle Brown Ale,’ or ‘Pete nabbed a Parliament and lit the fag,’) etc were forced. By no means am I any expert on British slang or speech, but the point is that I could not suspend my skepticism; something about the language felt over the top to me and irritating to me. It’s kinda similar to how I felt about Emile de Ravine’s Claire on LOST or Lila on Dexter – yes, I know that both are Australian and British, respectively, but there was something about their accents (“CHYA-LAY! THEY AH TAYKING MY BAY-BAY!”) that just didn’t do it for me.

The second, more important factor that detracted from my immersion in the story was the slow-moving plot. Street Magic begins to the tune of a number of standard urban fantasy novels (heroine with save-the-world syndrome, sexy dude, nefarious crime underfoot), and at least initially there isn’t anything to separate this book from the usual genre suspects. Not until 100 pages or so into the novel do things really begin to get underway.

AND, when things do heat up – in the form of Jack introducing Pete to the Black as in the quote above – Street Magic really gets working. After a slower, shambling start, Street Magic gains its feet and managed to completely, wholly win me over.

Ms. Kittredge shines in this new series, which is easily the best book of hers that I’ve read. Street Magic is wonderful dark take on magic and legend. The descriptions of the creatures, magic and power in this universe are luscious, vivid and darkly consuming. Ms. Kittredge’s London is not a pretty place, and the creatures that live and interact with humans undetected in the Black are wraiths and fey along the lines of harsh myth, rather than the benevolent Disney version. There’s not a single werewolf or vampire to be found in Street Magic, and readers should know that this is a dark fantasy novel and in no way a paranormal romance. There is a shared history between Pete and Jack – in that as a young girl of sixteen, Pete was infatuated with Jack, and Jack encouraged her affection for his own self-serving reasons – but do not look for raw sexual heat or anything like that. Jack and Pete are layered, complex characters with a layered, complex relationship, and Ms. Kittredge draws these characters brilliantly.

On the subject of characters, though Pete is ostensibly the main protagonist, Street Magic is really all about Jack Winter. As a mage, Jack isn’t a “hero” character; in fact, he’s selfish, heroin-addicted, manipulative, and responsible for so much of Pete’s heartache and the source of her nightmares. And yet…there’s something irresistible about the knave. Jack Winter reminds me a lot of another Jack: he, of the beanstalk and of Bill Willingham’s Fables, a conman and with a tendency to get in over his head. They both have that charismatic charm that draws people in, against their better judgment – including readers, and the normally levelheaded Pete. As for Pete herself, I couldn’t ask for a better heroine. She’s tough without being abrasive, completely ballsy, and good at her job. Of course, in all likelihood someone like Pete wouldn’t be an investigator for very long considering her penchant for risk-taking and refusal to elaborate on how exactly she solved the kidnapping cases, but I was willing to suspend disbelief. Together Pete and Jack make a fabulous pair – Jack with his brashness and raw power, Pete with her cleverness and no-b.s. attitude.

I cannot wait to read more of the formidable duo in Demon Bound, this December.

Notable Quotes/Parts: Without a doubt, the climatic scene when Pete confronts the source of her recurring nightmares and discovers what really happened to her and to Jack many years before. Ms. Kittredge’s writing is incredible. But I won’t quote and spoil that for you! Instead, here’s a look at one of her descriptions.

“He’s back there, alone. As usual.”

Pete’s gaze was drawn to the back corner of the pub, where roof beams and lamplight conspired to create a slice of shadow. A solitary figure sat, fragrant green-tinged smoke from his pipe rising to create the shape of a crown of young spring leaves before dissipating.

Jack nudged her arm. “Come on.” He picked up the two pints of Newcastle Brown and started toward the table with a measured step. If Pete didn’t know better, she’d call it reluctance, or a sort of respect.

The man seated alone and smoking was unremarkable as far as men went. Pete would pass him boarding the tube or in a queue at the newsagent’s without a glance, although he did have lines of mischief at the corners of mouth and eyes, and they glowed pleasantly brown. He was older than Jack, wearing a well-trimmed black beard and a soft sport coat patched at the elbows.

Jack set the pints down on his table and grinned. “Been a long time, Knight.”

When the man turned to look at them, Pete heard a rushing sound, as if a spring wind had disturbed a sacred grove, and with great clarity she saw a tree, ancient, branches piercing the sky while the roots reached down and grasped the heart of the earth.

“Well,” said the man. “Jack Winter. I next expected to see you lying in state at your premature funeral, yet here you are disturbing my evening. Well done.”

Shaking his head, Jack gestured between the man and Pete. “Detective Inspector Caldecott, Ian Mosswood. Mosswood, this is Pete.”

Also, you can check out an extended excerpt of the first chapter HERE.

Additional Thoughts: Head on over to author Caitlin Kittredge’s website for a chance to ask Jack Winter a question, and for a chance to win copies of Street Magic and an ARC of her upcoming Nocturne City book Witch Craft. Here’s the skinny:

This coming Friday I’m doing a “Freaky Friday” over at Bitten By Books, wherein a character from Street Magic gets interviewed.

Of course, I picked Jack.

So here’s the deal. Submit questions for the interview in comments throughout the week (up to midnight Wednesday, because I need Thursday to collate and answer them.) I’ll pick out the best ones for the interview and out of those questions, one random entrant will get a signed copy of Street Magic and an ARC of Witch Craft.

But the real prize is having Jack answer your burning questions.

Trust me, I’m an author.

Go forth and enter HERE. You have until midnight!

Verdict: Street Magic is a dark, delectable fantasy novel and a promising start to a new urban fantasy series. I cannot wait for more from Jack Winter and Pete Caldecott. Absolutely recommended.

Rating: 7 Very Good

Reading Next: You Are So Undead To Me by Stacey Jay

Title: Black and White

Author: Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge

Genre: Fantasy – Superheroes

Publisher: Bantam Dell
Publishing Date: June 2, 2009
Paperback: 464 pages

Stand Alone/ Series: book 1 in a new series but can be read as stand alone (i.e. no huge cliffhanger)

Summary: It’s the ultimate battle of good versus good.

They’re both right. And they’re both wrong. Because nothing is as simple as Black and White.

Why did I read the book: the Extraordinary Karen Mahoney recommended it to me and let me borrow her ARC.

Review:

When I first heard about Black and White, I thought, what a GREAT idea – there aren’t enough superheroes novels out there, if you ask me. Vampires, Werewolves, Fairies, Demons, yes. Superheroes? No. On the other hand, I thought – what could one possibly add to the superheroes’ lore that hasn’t already been done in comics? I mean – all the cool superpowers have been taken, all the cheesy lines delivered and even all the Dark Side of superheroes has been explored with Batman Graphic Novels and the Watchmen. Could Black and White offer something fresh to the genre?

In one word: yes.

For starters, there is the fact that the two main characters here are women – The Superhero Jet and the SuperVillain Iridium. Former best friends who find themselves at different sides of the Law. Jet is the do-gooder hero, the face of the City, the one that always follows the rules set by the Corps. Iridium is the rabid ™ vigilante who rules the underworld. They have been at odds with each other since their time at the training academy for superheroes and since Iridium has turned her back at the official rules.

But as the book’s tagline says: nothing is black and white in the world that Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge created. Jet is the strict chick sorely in need of loosing up (think Superman) whereas Iridium, well, Iridium rules, quite frankly and even though I would like to say more on the subject of Iridium, I simply can’t as it would be spoilery.
But their relationship goes way beyond simply good x evil.

The chapters alternate between Iridium and Jet’s POV (Jackie K. writes Jet and Caitlin K. writers Iridium by the way and each has a very distinctive voice) and at every few chapters the story alternates between Now and Then. Now being the current developments of the story in which Jet is trying to get Iridium who is trying to get…something big which I shall not spoil (I am feeling quite restricted in this review!). And Then, following the two in their five years at the Academy where they met and where they received their training until they broke apart .

Then there are the powers themselves – Jet may be the face of the City, may be the superheroine everyone looks up to, but she is far from being stable and that is because of her power of Shadow-wielding. Because this an unique power that few superheroes possess , she is rather alone with the knowledge that all Shadow heroes will eventually go crazy – and that is part of why she follows the rules set by the Corp so closely, it is a way of keeping tight control on herself. Iridium wields Light and is cocky and smart-mouthed and together they are a perfect foil to each other’s strengths and weaknesses and their present-day enmity is all the more interesting to read about by having this insight into their early lives.

The two may well be, the Black and White of the title, not only because of their positioning in the world but also because of their powers. But the Black and White may also refer to the world they live in – the year is 2112 and society is divided between those that like having superheroes around and those that don’t. Then there are the Corps – the Corporation that train and shape the superheroes since they are children. The supes go to the Academy (like a high school) where they mingle with other superheroes, learn to fight and in a more complex and fresh twist, get “branded” – every superhero goes through tests and talks to establish what is the best way to market themselves -from their uniform , to their aliases. They even have to test the lines they will say when fighting villains and before leaving the Academy every superhero needs to get a sponsor. It is all very market- centred and if preludes the motive for Iridium going a different way.

There is a narrow line that both walk (be it sanity or insanity/law or out-law) and as the story progresses with events that bring to the front the fact that not all humans want to be saved by superheroes as evidenced by the actions of the Everyman society and the disappearance of a reporter who have found a connection between the mythical Icarus Project and the Corps. More interesting events occur, and the line between Jet and Iridium and others blur and more engaging the book becomes till the final blow-out with the Villain, like all Cool Villains, revealing all to the hero.

But I think the Black and White ALSO refers to the book itself: this is a story and a world that both pay tribute (the opening pages are so clearly a declaration of admiration to the Watchmen!) and make a parody of Superheroes. It works and it is cool.

Notable quotes/ Parts: The entire book is actually wicked cool. The fighting sequences, the on and off relationship between the girls, sometimes even the poignancy of it all. Iridium’s lines were awesome.

Additional Thoughts: The authors have created a website for the series called Icarus Project (yay, there is another book coming called Shades of Gray!) with a list of characters, details of the world and a gallery with for example the Corp-Co’s Extrahuman Division Logo and a wanted poster for Iridium.

Clearly, these two authors are having fun with these books, and it shows.

Verdict: Superheroes in the future with different powers and a very interesting-to-read relationship between the two protagonists: what’s not to like? Good fun and definitely recommended for YA as well.

Rating: 7 – very good.

Reading next: Frederica by Georgette Heyer

Weekend is almost gone: has everybody watched The Watchmen yet? NO? What are you waiting for?

Contests Winners:

As promised, we’d like to announce the giveaway winners for our two running contests!

The Winner of Angels’ Blood by Nalini Singh is: Lindsey Ekland!

And the winner of Black and White by Caitlin Kittredge and Jackie Kessler is Renee!

Congratulations to all our giveaway winners! You know the drill – send an email to contact AT thebooksmugglers DOT com with your snail mail address, and we will get your winnings out to you as soon as possible. A huge thanks again to Nalini Singh, Caitlin Kittredge and Jackie Kessler for the interviews and giveaways, and to everyone for entering!

Speaking of giveaways: recently we gave away an ARC copy of White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison under the condition that the winner wrote a review of the book. Bridget Locke, the lucky winner, wrote hers and posted at her place. Go check it out: here

The Announcement:

One of the most anticipated releases of 2009 is Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre – The first book in the Corine Solomon series comes out on April 7th. The blurb says:

Right now, I’m a redhead. I’ve been blonde and brunette as the situation requires, though an unscheduled color change usually means relocating in the middle of the night. So far, I’m doing well here. Nobody knows what I’m running from. And I’d like to keep it that way…

Eighteen months ago, Corine Solomon crossed the border to Mexico City, fleeing her past, her lover, and her “gift”. Corine, a handler, can touch something and know its history—and sometimes, its future. Using her ability, she can find the missing—and that’s why people never stop trying to find her. People like her ex, Chance…

Chance, whose uncanny luck has led him to her doorstep, needs her help. Someone dear to them both has gone missing in Laredo, Texas, and the only hope of finding her is through Corine’s gift. But their search may prove dangerous as the trail leads them into a strange dark world of demons and sorcerers, ghosts and witchcraft, zombies—and black magic…

And, as part of her Virtual Tour, Ann Aguirre will be here at The Book Smugglers this Wednesday with a guest post where she will generously GIVE AWAY 5 ARCs of the book. Come back then for more details!

Here is the complete list of stops during the tour.

Blue Diablo Virtual Tour:

Guest blog & ARC giveaway at The Book Smugglers — March 11
^^^That’s us!!!
Guest blog at Jennifer’s Random Musings — March 25

Guest blog at Magical Musings — March 26

Guest blog at SciFi Chick — March 27

Guest blog at Angieville — March 30

Interview at Lurve a la Mode — March 31

Guest blog at Babbling about Books — April 1

Guest blog at Fantasy Cafe — April 2

Guest blog at Stacy’s Place on Earth — April 3

Interview at Confessions of a Romance Addict — April 6

Guest blog at The Book Smugglers — April 7
^^^ THAT’S US AGAIN! ANN AGUIRRE WILL WRITE A SPECIAL POST ABOUR HER INFLUENCES AND INSPIRATIONS FOR THIS NEW SERIES
Guest blog at Writer Unboxed — April 7

Interview at Cynthia Eden’s blog — April 8

Guest blog at The Thrillionth Page — April 9

Guest blog at Reading Adventures — April 10

Guest blog at Urban Fantasy Land — April 13

Guest blog at The Book Binge — April 14

Guest blog at Ramblings on Romance — April 15

Guest blog at Fantasy Debut — April 16

Guest blog at The Discriminating Fangirl — April 17

Guest blog at Cubie’s Confections — April 20

And that’s it for today!
Have a great Sunday, folks!

Thea and Ana ~ Your Friendly Neighborhood Book Smugglers

Our wonderful, pimptastic, official Honorary Smuggler Karen Mahoney strikes again! When we decided to have this Watchmen Weekend, Karen mentioned that two of her fellow writers, fellow Deadline Dame Jackie Kessler and way-popular Urban Fantasy author Caitlin Kittredge, have an upcoming book about superheroes called Black and White and that they would most likely be down with doing a guest blog.

Naturally, we jumped at the opportunity and were ecstatic when both Jackie and Caitlin agreed! Since the book is written from two different characters’ points of view (with Jackie writing the superhero character and Caitlin writing the supervillain), for their guest post we Smugglers decided to ask the two main characters of Black and White a few questions.

What’s more is, Jackie and Caitlin have graciously offered to give away an ARC for Black and White! Details follow at the end of the post.

Ladies and gents, we proudly give you…

She Said/She Said, Superhero-Style
By Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge

In June 2009, a new book hits the shelves: BLACK AND WHITE. Once best friends at an elite superhero training academy, Iridium and Jet are now mortal enemies. Jet is a by-the-book hero, using her Shadow power to protect the citizens of New Chicago. Iridium, with her mastery of Light, runs the city’s underworld. For years the two have played a dangerous game of cat and mouse. But now playtime’s over. A looming evil threatens both them and the world they share. As Jet works with a “normal” man who has an extraordinary ability to make her weak in the knees, Iridium teams with a mysterious vigilante called Taser. Both Jet and Iridium are convinced that the other woman is the key to a catastrophe of apocalyptic proportions. And one of them is right.

Forget the old formula of hero versus villain, because in a world where both the bad guys and the good guys are cloaked in shades of gray, nothing is as simple as…BLACK AND WHITE.

Jackie Kessler writes in the POV of Jet; Caitlin Kittredge writes in the POV of Iridium. Yes, Jackie is the tortured hero, and Caitlin is the evil genius. Guess who gets all the great lines?

And now, Jet and Iridium answer your burning questions.

THE BOOK SMUGGLERS: What makes a Villain or a Hero – Why do you do the things you do?

JET: All extrahumans train diligently at the Academy from the time they are twelve. And that’s after receiving an excellent Corp-sponsored education that provides the basics on heroing, right and wrong, the ethics of power, and branding. Not everyone is cut out to become a Squadron soldier, of course. But all extrahumans give their best to protect the citizens of New Chicago and the world. Duty first. Always.

IRIDIUM: Yes, she really speaks like that in public. Sad, isn’t it?

JET: [SNIFFS] Instead of criticizing me, why don’t you answer the question? Why are you a villain, Iri?

IRIDIUM: Listen, the world isn’t going to do you any favors. People don’t want heroes, not really. They only have extrahumans to look up to so that they have someone to tear down later on. My father taught me that.

JET: Along with how to pick locks.

IRIDIUM: And he also taught me that sometimes the world doesn’t need heroes at all. It needs villains.

JET: [SIGHS] I wouldn’t expect anything else from someone who cheated in the ethics classes.

IRIDIUM: [GRINS] The ones I didn’t ditch, anyway. Advanced Weaponry was my class.

THE BOOK SMUGGLERS: Vigilantes – Use ‘em or lose ‘em?

JET: Lose them. Any extrahuman who doesn’t follow the strict codes of Corp-Co doesn’t deserve the mask she wears. Operating outside of the law means breaking the law. And that’s inexcusable.

IRIDIUM: Some people don’t sleep with a code of conduct under their pillow, Jetster.

JET: The law is the law for a reason, Iri. Without it, we’d have anarchy.

IRIDIUM: A little anarchy is healthy. And fun!

THE BOOK SMUGGLERS: Values – The Greater Good vs. Moral Righteousness: which prevails?

JET: I don’t understand the question.

IRIDIUM: [ROLLS EYES] That’s because you’re a hard-wired do-gooder. The question is, do you kill a few, even innocents, to make the world a better place?

JET: Of course not! You can’t kill people — innocent or guilty! What sort of question is that?

IRIDIUM: One that a puppet like you couldn’t begin to understand. Sometimes, the ends justifies the means.

JET: Don’t go quoting Machiavelli at me. It’s not about ends and means. It’s about right and wrong. Killing is wrong.

IRIDIUM: You never could see the big picture. But then considering you’re not trained to think for yourself, I’m not surprised.

JET: You should hear what I’m thinking right now.

THE BOOK SMUGGLERS: Costumes – Who has the better wardrobe? Villains or Heroes?

JET: In terms of style? Villains. In terms of practicality? Heroes.

IRIDIUM: I’ve got a one-word answer for this one: me. I mean, look at me.

THE BOOK SMUGGLERS: The Love Life – Who gets more action? Villains or Heroes?

JET: [SIGHS] Who has time for a love life?

IRIDIUM: [SIGHS] Who has time for a love life?

THE BOOK SMUGGLERS: What do super villains and heroes do when they’re not destroying/saving the world?

JET: When I have down time, I like to curl up in my favorite rocking chair and read romance novels. It’s nice to read stories where love conquers all and there’s always a happily ever after. Real life so rarely ends well.

IRIDIUM: I catch up on my favorite cryptozoology reality show, Mysterious Chicago. Sewer mutants and monsters in Lake Michigan. Can you stand it?

JET: Sewer mutants? Really, Iri.

IRIDIUM: Hey, you never know.

THE BOOK SMUGGLERS: Jet, would you date a villain? Iridium, would you date a hero?

JET: Light, no. The whole “attracted to the bad boys” thing? Ludicrous.

IRIDIUM: Would, and did. Been there, done that.

JET: Seriously? Who?

IRIDIUM: [GRINS] I don’t kiss and tell.

JET: Not unless there’s a profit in it…

Jackie Kessler is the paranormal author of the Hell on Earth series. You can visit Jackie online at the Deadline Dames or at her website and blog.

Caitlin Kittredge is the dark fantasy author of the Nocturne City series and the upcoming Black London Adventures. You can visit Caitlin online at Fangs, Fur and Fey, The League of Reluctant Adults, or at her website.

A big THANK YOU again to Jet and Iri (and Jackie and Caitlin)! We cannot wait for Black and White, out this June.

Giveaway Details

Jackie and Caitlin have generously offered ONE ARC – Advanced Reading Copy – of their upcoming book, Black and White! In order to enter, all you need do is leave a comment here answering this question: Superhero or Supervillain — which would YOU rather be?

The contest will run until Sunday March 8 at 12 noon PST. We will randomly select and announce the lucky winner then. Good luck!