As you may have heard, this past weekend the LA Times Festival of Books took place at my alma mater, UCLA.

Over the weekend of April 24th – 25th, thousands of book lovers, authors, book sellers, publishers and other industry folks made their way to Westwood. And I’m happy to report that I was one of the throng, thoroughly enjoying the (basically) free panels, stages, author signings, book tents, and other assorted bibliophile paraphernalia. I’ve been going to the LA Times Festival of Books since I was a wee baby froshling, but this is the first time I’ve gone with the intent and capacity to blog about it – so it’s kinda cool. And new. And different.

Here are my adventures in the wild hills of Westwood (the 2010 edition):

Day 1: Saturday, April 24, 2010

After dragging the poor, reluctant boyfriend (who is soooooo not a reader) with me to the festival (hereafter LATFOB), finding a place to park, and hiking our sorry asses to campus (we’re both UCLA grads, so it was something of an eerie experience), we finally got situated and mapped out what areas we needed to hit immediately. First on the list was…

Mark Waid in conversation with Jonah Weiland – Saturday 1PM, Etc. stage

It’s no surprise that we Smugglers are a fan of Mark Waid’s – Ana’s recently given rave reviews for his Boom! Studios original “superhero” comic, Irredeemable (Vol 1 & 2), and of course we are both fans of his multiple Eisner Award-winning Kingdom Come, of his 52, and other remarkable works. The fact that Jonah Weiland, executive producer of the always excellent Comic Book Resources was the interviewer? Well, that just added icing to the cake. As a relatively newbie to the comic scene and someone that hasn’t been to many author events in the past, it was quite a treat to see these two in conversation!

Amongst the topics Mr. Weiland and Mr. Waid covered were the idea of comic books and their rise to fame, especially on the Hollywood front. Comics adapted to movies are increasingly popular, as major studios in film and television push out multiple adaptations a year, when there used to be only one every few years. Both men remarked that they do not think the bubble is going to burst any time soon, and that it will take more than a few box office duds (hello The Spirit, Ghostrider, Superman Returns) to staunch the flow. I found it kinda funny and really cool that Mark Waid admitted that when he heard that Iron Man was going to be adapted to the big screen, he (and other industry pros) kind of laughed and did a, “good luck with that.” If it weren’t for Robert Downey Jr.’s perfection as Tony Stark, Iron Man would not be the phenomenon that it now is – and I tend to side with Mr. Waid on that front. On the movie note as well, both men have high hopes for Green Lantern…

Also discussed were the digital application of comics in the form of Motion Comics, which neither Jonah nor Mark seemed to be very enthusiastic about (if you’ve seen the Watchmen motion comic with its weirdo voiceovers, you’d totally get why). But both were supportive of the move to digital media for actual comics themselves, via the iPad, and other webcomics.

Unfortunately, not a single mention, not even a passing throwout of female superheroes was made during the full hour.

Other observations and musings:

- Apparently, though Batman is the fan favorite (according to a good majority of the audience, myself included), Mark Waid says we are ALL wrong and Supe’ is where it’s at.

- Mark Waid thinks of himself as an incurable optimist – with the overarching theme of “hope” running through all his books. Which is pretty uplifting, given that a lot of books (comic and prose alike) tend to take the more jaded, cynical approach.

- Of all his work, Waid’s favorite, most notable accomplishment is his first issue of Fantastic Four.

- WIll Waid do 52 again in the future? Only if the dream team reunites.

In terms of future projects, Mark Waid talked about Boom! – he hopes that his Irredeemable universe will continue to grow over the next few years (also, Waid wearing a sweet Irredeemable hat). In the pipeline is a Stan Lee collaborative project which sounds really gorram cool – Stan is starting a line with Boom to create an ENTIRELY NEW universe of superheroes. How freakin’ awesome is that?

Overall, I was really, super impressed by both Jonah and Mark. They seemed like nice, sharp, funny guys – and I got my own copies of Irredeemable (volumes 1 & 2) signed by Mark Waid after the panel, after only a few name misspelling issues.

Then, it was on to…

Blood, Fangs, and Temptation: Everything Vampire with Richelle Mead, Rachel Caine, Heather Brewer, & Melissa de la Cruz
Moderated by Aaron Hartzier

I only stopped by this stage pretty quickly to listen to Rachel Caine (one of my favorite contemporary UF authors) and Richelle Mead – and both ladies were undeniably cool. Everyone read an excerpt from their latest book, talked a bit about vampires in fiction and their own particular series’. I tried to stick around to get books signed at the end of the event, but holy CRAP was the line long. The stage itself was super crowded, and considering this was the first year the LATFOB had a YA stage, it was pretty impressive – and indicative of the popularity of YA fiction overall. For while there were many eager, fangirl teens at the event, there were also some equally eager mothers and older readers (like myself), eating up what each of these talented authors had to say.

The Bloggers…

After a long, sun-drenched day of squirming my way through crowds (SERIOUSLY, the crowds were so thick and muggy that it was like how I imagine being born feels), I made my back to Westwood to meet with a delightful group of bloggers. Even though we don’t necessarily read the same books, these were some sweet ladies (and gentleman) – so a huge thank you to Lisa (Books on the Brain), Florinda (3R’s Blog), Ti (Book Chatter), Amy (My Friend Amy), Danielle Smith (There’s a Book), Trish (Hey, Lady!), Jen (Jen’s Book Thoughts), Jill (Fizzy Thoughts), Leah Hasenoehrl (Amused by Books), and Ashley (Ashley’s Library).

Day 2: Sunday, April 25, 2010

Day 2 of the LATFOB proved even more action packed than the first – this was the day I explored every tent on campus (multiple times for some), and ended up buying a few books (gaaaaaaaaaah).

Books Purchased include Feed by Mira Grant (YESSSS!!!! Love Seanan McGuire!) and Boy Proof by the remarkable Cecil Castelucci (every geek girl’s hero). Also walking around I stumbled upon VMK Fewings, author of A Stone Master’s Reckoning, which I reviewed last year. Vanessa had her very own (very coolly decorated!) booth, and even remembered who I was and gave me a free copy of her new book. SQUEE!

As for the day’s panels…

Comic Books: Indie and Beyond with Ed Brubaker, Simon Oliver & Mike Mignola
Moderator: Geoff Boucher

When I saw that Mike Mignola was on a panel, it was an autobuy for me. You may have noticed that we Smugglers love Hellboy. And with another big name in Ed Brubaker (Captain America writer, at the moment) and Simon Oliver, I was sold. This panel was interesting, especially in comparison to Mark Waid’s interview the day before – while Waid was funny and more softspoken, this crew was more boisterous. Less interested in superheroes, and moregenerally chatty. After seeing how hopeful/non-cynical Mark Waid was, it was funny to hear Ed Brubaker, who is a wryly cynical as they come (but not necessarily in a bad way). Ed Brubaker was late to the panel.

Mike Mignola is awesome, incredibly humble and wonderful, and he kinda looks like a friendly Tom Colicchio. He talked a bit about what he’s working on – he just came back from a 10 day stint in New Zealand helping with a segment of Guillermo del Toro’s The Hobbit, and hopefully his work will make the final cut. SImon Oliver (of The Exterminators fame) was kind of marginalized, but funny and interesting when he did speak.

On new projects – Brubaker talked about how he lost a pilot he wrote specifically and originally for TV; but has Secret Avengers out later this year (and a follow up to Incognito – which is awesome – later too). I’m super stoked for Mignola’s new chapter in Hellboy/BPRD (as Hellboy has quit, and apparently we can expect LOTS of changes). Simon Oliver has a new crime noir book out at somepoint soon, but can’t remember the artist’s name (a huge LOL moment).

Following the panel, I got to meet up with Kris, awesome book blogger behind Voracious YAppetite – who shares a LOT of the same YA interests as Ana and I. We met briefly at the YA Stage (after I mistakenly harassed a girl that fit Kris’s clothes description – whoops), and talked about our book plans before bullying an innocent bystander into taking a picture of us. All in all, a fun time!

After that, it was time for my last panel of the event – and the most entertaining one, at that.

Book: New Media Meets Publishing with Pablo Defendini, Dana Goodyear & Wil Wheaton
Moderated by Carolyn Kellogg

For pretty obvious reasons, I was most looking forward to this panel addressing New Media and publishing, especially since I (kind of) know one of the panelists. Pablo Defendini is someone Ana and I knew from Tor.com. Recently (as in, one month ago) he left the MacMillan imprint to join Open Road Integrated Media (the new, e-book company brainchild of Jane Friedman, former CEO of HarperCollins). And, in person, (well, from my audience seat) Pablo is freakin’ AWESOME. He even used headdesking in a sentence. Come on now. (And, I might mention, in a festival FULL of mystery/crime/thrillers and literary fiction, it was cool to hear from a fellow SF/F geek – name droppin’ Scalzi, Gaiman, Elliot and others!)

Wil Wheaton, actor, blogger, self-published author is adorable and really, *really* goddamn funny. Like, integrating LOLCAT speech funny. Poking fun at stuck-in-the-1900s-publishers funny. He had a lot to say about self publishing that doubtless helped many aspiring authors in the audience.

Dana Goodyear had a lot to say too about her work – she’s a regular contributor to the New Yorker and founder of Figment, a new mobile platform for readers and writers of young-adult fiction, based on the bestselling Japanese form of cell-phone novels. Figment sounds pretty cool – although I’m not sure how well it will work out in its early days here in the United States (especially considering Japan’s very…different culture of cellphones), but it’s an intriguing, forward thinking concept. And we’ll be keeping our eye on Figment, which launches this summer.

Of all the panelists, Pablo was the most enlightening. One of the most interesting things he talked about was how when they launched Tor.com (which I remember like it was yesterday!), the site offered free e-books – the first book in assorted SF/F series’ (i.e. Scalzi’s Old Man’s War, Kate Elliot’s Spirit Gate) – which panelist Carolyn Kellogg likened to the pusher mentality of “the first hit’s free” (hilarious). Pablo then talked about how after that first hit DID the job, at Tor he started getting desperate requests from readers that WANTED to pay money for the ebook version of the rest of the books in the series – but were for, whatever reason *cough*MacMillan*cough* unavailable in e-book format. Pablo described this as the most headdesking moment evah.

Other tidbits of note:

- PDFs suck for e-books (duh). Mobi should be taken out back and shot, placed in a shallow grave. EPUB is sooooo where it’s at.

- Thieves will always be thieves; but people WILL buy e-books and print copies too. Whether it is a print “souvenir” (as Dana Goodman says of Japanese readers that purchased the prose versions of the cellphone novels they participated in) or to just have a concrete copy of a book, or if it’s a Scott Sigler type of deal (who changes his story with each iteration of a book – and his books are awesome by the way. Start out with Earthcore).

- A lot of people are driven to illegal downloads because they have no other alternative! This especially applies to international readers…which is something, as an international blog, we can relate to.

- They touched on pricing of ebooks – how people do not want to pay these expensive dollar amounts for books. Inherently, people know that spending the same amount of money on a print book as an e-book just doesn’t make any sense. (And on that note, the moderator kind of misses the point by suggesting that people who have already spent hundreds on a reader should be able to afford to give authors a few more bucks…yeaaaaah, that’s not quite the issue at hand. If I’ve paid hundreds of dollars for an e-reader, you damn well better bet that I want MORE bang for my buck, and I am not going to be complacent paying ridiculously inflated costs for an electronic version of a book that should by virtue of common sense be cheaper than its printed counterpart.)

The coolest thing about this panel? I saw Trish of Hey Lady! walking in, and we grabbed a seat together. Which made for a fun panel, especially with some of the…colorful characters in attendance.

Gripes about the Festival:

This was a great, fun weekend, no doubt about it. I was SO stoked to see a YA stage and YA section this year 0 and holy crap it was crowded all weekend long!

My only gripe, however, was that there was shockingly ZERO representation for Speculative Fiction (that is SF/F/H). I love that comics are becoming a bigger part of the festival, even earning their own graphic novel award this year, but….come on dudes. SF/F/H is a HUGE market too, with tons of die hard fans. Don’t we deserve a little reppin’ too?

On that note, there was ZERO Romance either! As Ana is a romance reader, and as I have many blogging buds that are dedicated romance readers and reviewers, and considering that romance is the best selling genre of fiction, period, this strikes me as a bit bizarre. There’s something wrong with this picture.

Hopefully next year, we’ll see some better representation. And who knows? Maybe even a panel about blogging or something of the like!

Overall, a successful, lovely weekend. Next stop – BEA!

Title: Unknown

Author: Rachel Caine

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy

Publisher: Roc
Publication Date: February 2010
Paperback: 308 pages

Stand alone or series: Book 2 in the Outcast Season series, a spinoff of Rachel Caine’s Weather Warden books

My name is Cassiel, and I was once a Djinn — a being as old as the Earth herself, rooted in her power. I cared little for the small, scurrying human creatures who busied themselves with their small lives.

Things have changed. Now I am a small, scurrying human creature. In form, at any rate. Thanks to a disagreement with Ashan, the leader of the True Djinn, I can only sustain my life through the charity of the Wardens — humans who control aspects of the powers that surround us, such as wind and fire. The Warden I’m partnered with, Luis Rocha, commands the powers of the living Earth.

I have made mistakes, in my short existence as a human. I have made promises I could not keep. I have lost those I learned to love.

I will not let it happen again.

Even if every instinct tells me I must.

Living among mortals, the djinn Cassiel has developed a reluctant affection for them-especially for Warden Luis Rocha. As the mystery deepens around the kidnapping of innocent Warden children, Cassiel and Luis are the only ones who can investigate both the human and djinn realms. But the trail will lead them to a traitor who may be more powerful than they can handle…

How did I get this book: Review Copy from the publisher

Why did I read this book: I am a Rachel Caine-a-holic. Seriously. The Weather Warden books rank in my top 3 all time favorite Urban Fantasy series’ and this spinoff is seriously awesome. I loved Undone, so it was with immense glee that I voraciously tore into Unknown.

Review:

In this second installment to Rachel Caine’s ongoing Outcast Season series, the former Djinn Cassiel is thrown back into the fray. One of the Old Ones, cast out by Ashan for her refusal to destroy humanity, Cassiel has come to rely on the Wardens for her very survival. And, she’s even begun to care for them – even love them. After the murder of her former Warden conduit, Manny Rocha, and his wife, and the subsequent abduction of his five year old daughter Ibby, Cassiel – once cold, distant, and disinterested in the lives of puny mortals – is hungry for vengeance. Teaming up with Luis Rocha, Earth Warden and brother to the late Manny, the two will stop at nothing to get Ibby home safely. But much more is at stake than the life of a single young girl – Ibby’s abductor and the murderer of her parents, the deranged, powerful, former Djinn Pearl, is kidnapping other Warden children around the world and brainwashing them, ruthlessly awakening their latent powers. Pearl has no scruples in destroying these children, using them to fight the already-stretched-thin Wardens and unsuspecting humans, burning out these children like so much disposable rubbish. Cassiel finds herself at an unimaginable crossroads. Pearl must be stopped before she destroys the planet, and the Djinn – and the only way to stop her is to destroy all of humanity. But, as Cassiel becomes more human and less of a Djinn each day, the burden of her grave responsibility grows ever heavier.

Let me start off by saying, yet again, how much I *love* the Weather Warden and Outcast Season books – and I love how closely connected the two series’ are. For a bit of context, Unknown takes place concurrently with Cape Storm (book 8 of the Weather Warden series), though Jo, David, Lewis and company are nowhere in sight. The crisis in Florida, however, is certainly felt in Unknown, as the New Djinn are fragmented without David as their conduit, and the Wardens are confused and weakened, unable to help Cassiel and Luis. While Jo and company are battling Demon Marks and Bad Bob, Cassiel and Luis fight on another front in an entirely different – but no less cataclysmic – war. One thing I adore about these linked series’ is how high stakes everything is – the world is in constant peril, and these poor characters are always operating at full capacity, at the edge of their limits. There are so many ways the world can be destroyed between Unknown and Cape Storm, and only these magnificent, flawed characters can stop the inevitable end of the world. Nailbiting doesn’t even begin to cover how intense these books are.

Per Ms. Caine’s usual, the plotting in Unknown is a white-knuckle thrill ride from opening sentence to bittersweet end; and it’s addictive as hell. There’s a lot of plot – the abduction of children, the missing Ibby, Pearl’s actual goals – and it’s all expertly done. (An aside: If you haven’t read Caine yet, you should know that you absolutely cannot skip around – you gotta start at the beginning, and make sure you have ALL the books close at hand, because I guarantee you will finish these bad boys in one big reading binge.)

And, as per Ms. Caine’s usual, the characters are made of awesome. I love Cassiel – on the same level that I love Joanne Baldwin (and that’s saying something). I love how she is ever changing. Cassiel’s narrative is so memorable because she is so alien – as a Djinn, she’s disconnected, even cruel by some interpretation – but she’s starting to feel human. Love. Anger. Fear. Pain. Cassiel is utterly believable because of this sense of change from immortal, immutable Djinn, to fragile flesh and bone mortal – and it makes her irresistible as a heroine She’s the complete opposite of Jo, but she’s no less memorable or unique. And then, there’s Luis Rocha – former gang member, Earth Warden, and Cassiel’s new conduit…and more. The relationship between these two characters is fraught with sexual tension, and a budding, deeper attraction. It’s intoxicating stuff. Luis is strong without being your typical hero/macho UF character, and I love the understanding he and Cass have in their relationship with each other. Both are in constant Mortal Peril, but they aren’t melodramatic or overprotective of each other – which is a welcome relief.

What else can I say about this book? Unknown is yet another winner from Rachel Caine. Fast-paced, high stakes, and danger-laden, this series keeps on going strong. If you’re a fan of Rachel Caine’s, you will not be disappointed with Unknown. The only drawback – as other Caine fans can attest to – is the long wait between fixes. Luckily, book 3 of Outcast Season, Unseen, is only a year away.

Notable Quotes/Parts: From Chapter 1:

So many missing children.

Their faces looked at me from the flat surfaces of posters and flyers, tacked to a long board opposite the row of chairs — a sad parade of even sadder stories.

Although several young girls with brown hair and vulnerable smiles looked back at me, Isabel Rocha’s picture was not on the wall. I found some comfort in that. I will find you, I promised her, as I did each day. On your mother and father’s souls, I will find you.

I had allowed her mother and father to be murdered. I would not allow Isabel to share the same fate.

I sat with Luis Rocha in the hallway outside of the offices of the FBI, which he had carefully explained was a place where I could not, for any reason, cause trouble. I failed to understand why this hallway should be any different from any other in the city of Albuquerque, but I had agreed, with a good bit of annoyance.

Luis was in no mood to debate with me. “Just do it,” he’d snapped, and then fallen into a dark, restless silence.

I watched him pace in front of me as his dark gaze took in the wall of photos, a tense, revolted expression on his face. He stopped, and the expression altered into a frown. He pointed one flyer out to me. “That’s Ben Hession’s kid. Ben’s a Fire Warden.”

I nodded, but I doubt he noticed. He lowered his finger, but his hands formed into fists at his sides, emphasizing the sinuous flame tattoos licking up and down his arms. Once again, I wondered at the choice; Luis Rocha controlled Earth, not Fire. In that, he and his brother Manny had been alike, though Luis’s power outstripped Manny’s by leagues.

Manny had been my Warden partner, assigned to me by the highest levels of his organization to teach me to live as human, and use my powers — for I still had some, although nowhere near as many as I had as a Djinn — usefully. How to become a Warden in my own right. Manny had been a sweet, patient soul who had given of himself to sustain me in this new life.

And I had let him die. Now it was Luis’s responsibility to look after me.

And mine to never allow such a thing to happen again.

A tired-looking man in a rumpled suit stepped outside of his office and gestured to us. As he did, his coat swung open to reveal the holstered butt of a gun attached to his belt. For an ice-cold instant I had an unguarded memory, a sense-memory of the shock and rage washing over me as I watched the bullets strike Manny, strike Angela …

It’s a memory I don’t care to relive.

You can read the full chapter online HERE.

Additional Thoughts: Though book 3 in the Outcast Season series, Unseen, won’t be out until early 2011, fellow Caine-ites have something else to hold us over in the meantime – check out the cover and teaser excerpt…

The Port of Miami looked weatherbeaten, but under repairs, and as far as I could tell, life was going on just fine. That seemed … odd. I stood at the rail and watched people strolling the boardwalks, coming in and out of shops with hands full of bright-colored bags, eating at outdoor cafes. It seemed so normal.

It didn’t seem like the end of the world as we knew it. In the movies, everybody’s looking up at the skies (conveniently, all at the same daylight hour, everywhere in the world, all at once) when the big disaster is coming. In real life, people just carry on until the disaster’s in their face, and sometimes, even after. I’ve lost count of the number of people I’ve personally fished out of flooded homes and businesses during hurricanes, for instance – and the ones that the Wardens couldn’t save. All because they denied the ability of the world around them to destroy them.

There were potentially big losses of life brewing everywhere around the world, but so far they were just breaking news stories happening (for most people) somewhere else. Interesting and tragic, not personal and panic-bringing. Nothing to interrupt dinner at Pascal’s on Ponce over, for sure.

That would change, very soon. I knew it, even though I couldn’t sense the aetheric disturbances anymore. Wardens were talking about it, and I could sense the suppressed anxiety in their voices.

This lovely day in Miami was the last we might ever see. I had a sudden, crazy impulse to start yelling like some wild-haired, sandwich-board-wearing street preacher, but I held my breath until it passed. Doomsaying wouldn’t make anybody’s day better. Or postpone the inevitable.

The ship was maneuvering up to the docks, and I could see, in the distance, a massive presence of cars, vans and trucks. I nudged Lewis, who was standing next to me at the railing. “What is that?”

“The transportation you arranged,” he said. “Cars and vans to shuttle people where they need to go.”

“All of that?”

“Plus the press.”

My palms immediately got damp, and I scrubbed them against my blue jeans. “What’s our plan to handle them?”

“Benign neglect. We’re going to be neck-deep in Apocalypse tomorrow. I can’t see how issuing a press release is going to make a damn bit of difference, so we’re not talking.”

Worked for me. “David’s going with me. To the Oracles.”

Lewis didn’t take his eyes off the docking process. “Good. I didn’t like sending you alone.” He paused, and then said, very quietly, “I don’t like sending you at all. You know that.” Yeah, and I knew why. So did David. Uncomfortably personal territory, so I skipped it.

“It’s a dirty job, but that’s why you picked me to do it,” I said cheerfully. “Besides, if I can pick up some of my powers along the way, this might not be the rush to martyrdom you think.”

“It’s a big if, Jo.”

“It’s a gi-normous if. Not to mention an embarrasingly large how. So let’s not dwell on it. Besides, you’re the one going up against Djinn and insane planets with a grudge. I’ve got the easy job.”

He shrugged, because I wasn’t wrong; nobody was guaranteed to come out of this thing with a whole skin – Lewis, the most powerful Warden in several hundred years, least of all. The most powerful you were, the more the bad things tended to want you dead. At least, in my experience.

Which meant I was practically bulletproof right now, ironically. I literally wasn’t worth noticing. Was that a comfort? I really wasn’t sure.

“You’ve been taking the hits for a long time,” Lewis said. He hadn’t even glanced at me, but he could read me just fine. “Let the rest of us get the battle scars for a change. We’re big kids.”

“Did I ever say you weren’t?”

“No, but your hero complex scares the crap out of me,” Lewis said, and straightened up. “Here we go.”

I thought he meant that we were ready to disembark, but he turned toward me, and before I even knew he was intending to do it, he kissed me. Not one the desperate kind of kisses he’d given me in the past, none of that longing or anguish or pure lust I knew was still locked up inside of him. This was surprisingly … pure. Chaste.

It was a goodbye kiss.

I didn’t fight it.

He didn’t say another word, and it wasn’t necessary. I watched him stride away, already calling orders to Wardens who flocked around him like birds, swooping in to get instructions and then breaking off on their own.

That left me alone at the rail, until I sensed a warm presence next to me, and looked over to see that David had joined me. He had no particular expression on his face. It was just – studiously neutral.

“You saw,” I said.

“Yes. I know what it was,” he said. “And he’s right. We might never see him again. I’d kiss him myself, but he might kill me.”

Which made me laugh, as he intended. Though, knowing how ancient David was, I wasn’t entirely putting that kind of flexibility past him, either. “You’re a good man,” I said.

“Am I?” He frowned down at the docks, as if it was a difficult question. “Maybe I was, once. Maybe I can be. But I’ve done a lot of things that wouldn’t qualify as good. I think – I think this is a chance to remember what that means.”

“Bullshit,” I said crisply. “We’re not in the navel-gazing business, my love, we’re in the world-saving business. Don’t you forget it.”

That surprised a smile out of him, a spark that reminded me of the fire he’d had before … before the island, and that black corner. “I won’t.”

You can read the full excerpt online HERE. (Beware. Crappy cliffhanger ensues!)

Rating: 8 – Excellent

Reading Next: The Girl With Mermaid Hair by Delia Ephron

Heidi-ho! It’s another Sunday, and another stash. We hope everyone’s having an awesome Valentine’s Day, whether you’re out doing romantic crap, enjoying your time with friends, or happily on your own!

(We are loving these dorky Valentine’s Day Cards – and so want to share you with you, dear readers.) Now, down to business!

Lisa McMann’s Gone Winners:

We have TEN lucky winners to announce! Drumroll please…

Flash Giveaway: The Valentine’s Day Edition Winners:

And the winners are:

Congratulations to the winners! You know the drill. Send an email to contact AT the book smugglers DOT com with your snail mail address, and we will get your winnings out to you as soon as possible. Thanks to everyone that participated!

Around the Interwebs and Other News:

This week, we were interviewed over by author Sam Sykes, debut novelist of the forthcoming Tome of the Undergates. He asked us about book standards, covers, and – most interestingly – about what women expect out of their reading. You can check out our answers over HERE.

Jessica, the ridiculously intelligent and eloquent woman behind Racy Romance Reviews has a great article up right now: “Feminist Critique of Romance: Ur Doin It Wrong.” Jessica takes a look at Rochelle Hurst’s “THE BARRISTER’S BEDMATE: Harlequin Mills & Boon and the Bridget Jones Debate” (Australian Feminist Studies, Vol. 24, No. 62, December 2009) and has some very interesting findings. In addition to misattributed and out-of-context quotes, Ms. Hurst’s fundamental analysis, argument and logic are shockingly flawed. Make sure to check it out, if you haven’t already.

Also, it’s been all over the place, but we have to reiterate because we are just that. damn. excited. The title and cover of the third and final volume of Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series has been officially revealed! Feast your eyes on this gorgeous beauty:

According to Scholastic’s On our Minds blog and an interview with Scholastic’s VP Editorial Director, David Levithan, we can expect the following of Mockingjay:

I am not, under any circumstances, allowed to divulge the contents of the third Hunger Games book. Nada. Nothing. Not a peep. I can, however, share with you five things that will not be appearing in the new book:

- Panem is not shaken up when District 9 is nominated for a best picture Oscar.

- At no point does President Snow utter the line, “This is Snowmageddon, baby.”

- Despite internet rumors to the contrary, it is not revealed that Cinna has been secretly designing outfits for a Capitol operative known as “Lady GaGa.”

- All rumors of a crossover appearance by Geronimo Stilton are false.

- In a tough editorial call, we decided not to have Katniss win the Hunger Games…only to be interrupted by Kanye West.

Ok, so that’s not very helpful. But holy crap, it’s the third book in the series! Mockingjay comes out on August 24th – guess we’ll just have to wait until then.

Also:

That is all.

Finally, in TVlandia news, we Smugglers have an announcement to make. Ahem. Episode 2 of the Sixth and Final Season of LOST – “What Kate Does” – totally, unconscionably SUCKED. Who cares about Kate any more? She’s gorgeous and we love Evangeline Lilly, but good god is Kate the most ridiculously stupid character ever. Also, no more mystical Japanese dude. Please. Only fifteen episodes to go (if you count the two-part finale is as two separate episodes). Let’s get back on the ball, writers. Please.

(Next week, “The Substitute” is a Locke-centric epi. We are pleased. Bring it!)

This Week on The Book Smugglers:

On Monday, Thea kicks off the week with a review of Jen Nadol’s debut young adult speculative fiction novel, The Mark. Later in the day we interview Jen Nadol about her new book, her influences, and her favorite authors and titles.

Tuesday, it’s time for another Alert Nerd Mega-Crossover-Linkup-Bonanza! We posted about it briefly before, but Tuesday is the official day for our very own “True Geek Confessions,” in which we reveal our deepest, darkest, geekiest secrets. Everyone can participate – all you need do is post your own Geek Confessional on Tuesday, and add your link to the Alert Nerd list. You can read all about the official event HERE. Later in the day, Thea reviews Rachel Caine’s newest, the second book in her Outcast Season spinoff series (in the Weather Warden universe) Unknown.

Wednesday is another huge day – it’s our official stop on the Harper Teen 28 Days of Winter Escapes Blog Tour & Book-a-Day Giveaway! We will have a joint review of Delia Ephron’s The Girl With the Mermaid Hair, and also an exclusive Q&A with the author. Make sure to stop by the official Winter Escapes website on Wednesday too, for a chance to win The Girl With the Mermaid Hair and an iTouch.

Thursday, Ana gives her review of Blood of the Demon, Diana Rowland’s highly anticipated sequel to last year’s Urban Fantasy novel Mark of the Demon.

Finally, on Friday we close out the week with Ana’s review of historical romance novel In For A Penny by Rose Lerner. Plus, we’ll have Rose over later in the day to talk about her Inspirations & Influences!

It’s another suicidal hectic week here – we hope you enjoy it!

“On The Smugglers’ Radar” is a new feature 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 – so YOU can tell us which books you have on your radar as well!

On Thea’s Radar:

*rubs hands together* I cannot freaking wait for this upcoming anthology, that includes the likes of Diana Peterfreund, and is edited by the formidable duo of Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier. Can we say, AWESOME?

Edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier, this teen anthology asks the question: which is better and badder, the zombie or the unicorn?

Saw this cover over at Aidan’s blog, A Dribble of Ink, and am intrigued. I have The Adamantine Palace on my TBR (and will be reviewing it in the next two weeks), so I’m excited to see more form Stephen Deas!

When Berren makes the mistake of stealing a purse from a thief-taker, it should have condemned him to a short and brutal life in the slave-mines. So when the thief-taker offers to train him as an apprentice instead, he can’t believe his luck. The thief-taker has secrets of his own, though, and Berren is soon sucked into a faraway war, filled with mercenary soldiers, necromancers who brew potions that can change your destiny, and a psychotic girl-princess with a penchant for cutting pieces out of her lovers’ souls.

It’s no secret that I am an unabashed Rachel Caine fangirl – her Weather Warden series is amongst my top 3 favorite currently running UF series’ PERIOD. New cover art is out, and I. Am. Stoked.

Did you know Dan Simmons has a new novel coming out this year? Hmm? I am a sucker for anything this man writes. He, like Neil Gaiman, is a Writing God in my mind. I cannot wait for Black Hills.

When Paha Sapa, a young Sioux warrior, “counts coup” on General George Armstrong Custer as Custer lies dying on the battlefield at the Little Bighorn, the legendary general’s ghost enters him – and his voice will speak to him for the rest of his event-filled life.

Seamlessly weaving together the stories of Paha Sapa, Custer, and the American West, Dan Simmons depicts a tumultuous time in the history of both Native and white Americans. Haunted by Custer’s ghost, and also by his ability to see into the memories and futures of legendary men like Sioux war-chief Crazy Horse, Paha Sapa’s long life is driven by a dramatic vision he experienced as a boy in his people’s sacred Black Hills. In August of 1936, a dynamite worker on the massive Mount Rushmore project, Paha Sapa plans to silence his ghost forever and reclaim his people’s legacy-on the very day FDR comes to Mount Rushmore to dedicate the Jefferson face.

Also, as the release date draws ever closer, I am really getting excited for the next installment in Claudia Gray’s Evermore books. And I really like this cover for Hourglass.

Bianca will risk everything to be with Lucas.

After escaping from Evernight Academy, the vampire boarding school where they met, Bianca and Lucas take refuge with Black Cross, a fanatical group of vampire hunters. Bianca must hide her supernatural heritage or risk certain death at their hands. But when Black Cross captures her friend—the vampire Balthazar—hiding is no longer an option.

Soon, Bianca and Lucas are on the run again, pursued not only by Black Cross, but by the powerful leaders of Evernight. Yet no matter how far they travel, Bianca can’t escape her destiny.

Bianca has always believed their love could survive anything . . . but can it survive what’s to come?

I just recently saw the formidable Danielle of Opinionated, Me? review this older YA book, and immediately thought: MUST HAVE.

Since the war and the bombs, Hatfork, Wyoming, is a broken-down, mutant-ridden town. Young Chaos lives in the projection booth of the abandoned multiplex, trying to blot out his present unable to remember his past. Then the local tyrant, Kellogg, reveals to him to over a can of dog food that the bombs never fell. The truth is a little more complicated. With a fur-covered girl and an automobile, Chaos sets out on journey, following the empty highway to the edge of the American nightmare, ins search of a missing identity and a stolen love. The truth he finds,is indeed a little more complicated. or a lot . . .

And finally, saw this over at Angie’s blog, Angieville. Now, I am a huge fan of Moira J. Moore’s Hero books. I *love* Taro and Lee. But seriously, these covers blow chunks. Instead, compare the lovely art from Chris McGrath and imagine if THIS was the art for Ms. Moore’s wonderful books.

On Ana’s Radar:

I am currently madly, unhealthly in love with Angry Robot’s entire catalogue. They have what appears to be, some crazy shiz coming out. Evidence #1:

On the streets of Indianapolis, the ancient Arthurian cycle is replaying in the lives of rival street gangs. Told through the eyes of King, as he gathers like-minded friends and warriors around him to venture into the fastness of Dred, the notorious crime lord, this is a stunning mix of myth and harsh reality. A truly remarkable novel.

Evidence #2:

There is a box. Inside that box is a door. And beyond that door is a whole world.

In some rooms, forests grow. In others, animals and objects come to life. Elsewhere, secrets and treasures wait for the brave and foolhardy.

And at the very top of the house, a prisoner sits behind a locked door waiting for a key to turn. The day that happens, the world will end…

and I know that this is way more like Thea’s cup of tea, but I liking the sound it so..evidence # 3:

Botanica is an island, but almost all of the island is taken up by the Tree.

Little knowing how they came to be here, small communities live around the coast line. The Tree provides them shelter, kindling, medicine – and a place of legends, for there are ghosts within the trees who snatch children and the dying.

Lillah has come of age and is now ready to leave her community and walk the tree for five years, learning all Botanica has to teach her. Before setting off, Lillah is asked by the dying mother of a young boy to take him with her. In a country where a plague killed half the population, Morace will otherwise be killed in case he has the same disease. But can Lillah keep the boy’s secret, or will she have to resort to breaking the oldest taboo on Botanica?

I mean, don’t these sound fa-bu-lous?

Earlier this week, Thea sent me the link to this YA book. I have never read any of Carrie Vaughn’s books, but her new series may be a good place to start:

On one side of the border lies the modern world: the internet, homecoming dances, cell phones. On the other side dwell the ancient monsters who spark humanity’s deepest fears: dragons.

Seventeen-year-old Kay Wyatt knows she’s breaking the law by rock climbing near the border, but she’d rather have an adventure than follow the rules. When the dragon Artegal unexpectedly saves her life, a secret friendship grows between them—even though the fragile truce that has maintained peace between their two species is unraveling around them. As tensions mount and battles begin, Kay and Artegal are caught in the middle. Can their friendship change the course of a war?

In her young adult debut, New York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn presents a modern tale of myths and machines and an alliance that crosses a seemingly unbridgeable divide.

And finally, this one, by my new author crush, John Green. Apparently there is no blurb and all we know is: it’s out in April and it is about two guys named…Will Grayson.

What about you? Any books on your radar?

Welcome to Smugglivus – Day 24!

Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2009, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2010.

Today’s Guest: The lovely Sarah Kuhn, one of the good, hardworking folks behind the geektastic blog Alert Nerd. Sarah also happens to be an author – her debut novel One Con Glory was released this year (and both of us Smugglers LOVED it).

Please give a warm welcome to Sarah!

So I’m looking back on my year of reading (reflecting, if you will – just imagine me gazing pensively out the window at some generic body of water while CW-approved power ballads tinkle away in the background). It’s been a pretty fantastic twelve months: I’ve greeted many newly-published works with open arms, but I’ve also discovered a lot of swoon-worthy stuff from previous years.

In other words…I have tons of unhealthy new obsessions to take me into 2010! Yay! Ring the gong and prepare the fannish-bordering-on-inappropriate message board postings!

I’ve decided that the only proper way to really look back on this year is to give out awards. Or maybe I should say “awards” since the recipients don’t actually get anything except a mention here and my undying devotion.

Ready?

Best New-to-Me Book: Wicked Lovely, Melissa Marr

I devoured Melissa Marr’s first tome of urban fairy courts on a road trip – reclined back in the passenger seat, fingertips gripping the book so hard, I thought I was going to bend it in half. My addiction was instant and undeniable; as soon as we docked at our first destination, I tore out of the car and to the nearest book store so I could buy the next one. I love that this series is so lushly, unabashedly romantic, but also gives us teen girl characters who demonstrate their considerable strength in complex, perfectly believable ways. No idealized damsels here, folks.

Best Actually New Book: Going Bovine, Libba Bray

Look, I basically love everything Libba Bray does, whether she’s penning her kick-ass Gemma Doyle trilogy or donning a cow suit for promotional purposes. So it was kind of a given that I’d love this, but goddamn…“love” might not be strong enough a word? Bray’s heady mix of mad cow-afflicted teen, sugar-addict angel, and hypochondriac dwarf is hilarious and acerbic and deeply, deeply witty…but it will also totally break your heart. Like, it will sneak up on you in the middle of the page and rip your poor heart out of your chest and stomp all over it until you’re bawling your head off. I mean all this as the highest of compliments

Best New-to-Me Heroine: Mercedes “Mercy” Thompson from Moon Called, Patricia Briggs

I have Thea to thank for this one. When you read as much urban fantasy/paranormal romance as I do, the heroines occasionally start to blend together. Like, “Oh, this chick, she’s really strong or whatever and she can do some way frakkin’ cool supernatural thing and she rocks a leather jacket and every guy she meets is totally into her, but…hey, she’s just a regular girl. You know.” Mercy – mechanic, shapechanger, actual regular girl – is a thoroughly distinctive breath of fresh air. She’s believably flawed, but she knows who she is and doesn’t angst all over the place about her supernatural lot in life. From page one, her voice is fully-realized and totally easy to relate to.

Best Actually New Heroine: Calliope Reaper-Jones from Death’s Daughter, Amber Benson

Here’s another voice that grabbed me from the very first paragraph. Cally – who actually is Death’s Daughter, thank you very much – instantly engages you with her motormouthed inner monologue. It’s kind of like getting on a speeding train – a hilarious, quippy, delightfully boy-crazy speeding train – without knowing exactly where you’re going. And yet, to misquote Liz Lemon, you really want to go to there. Or I sure did, anyway.

Returning Series That Continues to Kick My Ass: WVMP Radio, Jeri Smith-Ready

The first WVMP Radio book, Wicked Game, was probably my favorite read of 2008: undead DJs, awesome ex-con-artist protagonist, startlingly unique take on the vamp mythos (no voluminous black leather dusters involved!). Also, sex that’s actually…um, sexy. I was a little worried that Smith-Ready’s follow-up, Bad to the Bone, couldn’t possibly get under my skin in the same way. Foolish worries! Bad to the Bone is stuffed with twisty underworld intrigue, amazingly realistic relationship issues, and perfectly-placed touches of humor. Oh, and more sexy sex. Third book cannot get here quickly enough.

Coupling I Would Most Like To Write Fanfic About (If I Actually Wrote Fanfic): Mercy Smith/Riley Kincaid, Branded by Fire, Nalini Singh

Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series is another Awesome Thing I found out about thanks to Thea and Ana. And while I enjoy that each book focuses on a new pairing (and we get little updates on previous pairings, since it’s all set in the same world)…I really would not object at all if every book from now on was about Mercy and Riley. Over the course of Branded by Fire, these two strong, excessively stubborn personalities are pushed together, hate each other, have great sex, and eventually fall in love. The sex happens first, but the way Singh develops their relationship from a deeply emotional standpoint is what really got me.

Love Interest I Most Want To [REDACTED]: David the Djinn, Weather Warden series, Rachel Caine

Ah, David. What can you say about David, really? My brain transforms itself into a mush-like substance just thinking about it…him. Whatever. Daaaaaaviiiiiiiid.

Most Heart-Attack-Inducing Cliffhanger: Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins

OH MY GOD. SERIOUSLY.

Most Anticipated Reads:

(2009) Beautiful Creatures, Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

This gorgeously-designed doorstopper of a book is tempting me so hard from its perch on my overloaded bookshelf. The only reason I haven’t cracked it yet is I’m in the middle of like five other books I should finish first. Right? Right?! Anyway, this Southern Gothic tale of magic sounds beautiful and atmospheric and supernaturally romantic and lots of people I respect have said it’s the best thing ever. In other words: crack for Sarah.

(2010) Guardian of the Dead, Karen Healey

I have long admired Karen Healey’s writing – she’s one of the smartest, funniest, most insightful (I almost typed “insightfulest,” which shows you why, perhaps, I am always blown away by people with such obviously big brains) comic book bloggers around. She often makes me think of elements within four-color fandom that never would’ve occurred to me, or looks at said elements in a way that has me shrieking “right onnnnnnnnnnnnn” at my computer screen. Healey’s debut novel is full of (to quote her website) “M?ori mythology, magic, theatre, earthquakes, monsters, boarding school, tae kwon do, and the other horrors of a Christchurch winter.” Don’t you wish you could read this right now? Where is my freakin’ time machine?

Thanks Sarah!

Next on Smugglivus: Jeff of Alert Nerd

Title: Cape Storm

Author: Rachel Caine

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher:Roc (Penguin)
Publication Date: August 2009
Paperback: 320 pages

Stand alone or series: Book eight (eek!) in an ongoing series. And take it from me, this is a series you’re gonna want to read in order!

Why did I read this book: The Weather Warden books are among my top three ongoing Urban Fantasy series’. Ever since reading Ill Wind a couple of years back, I have been addicted to the adventures of Joanne Baldwin and the writing of Rachel Caine.

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin and her new husband, the Djinn David, are running from a malevolent hurricane bent on destroying her. Joined by an army of fellow Wardens and Djinn onboard a hijacked luxury liner, Joanne has lured the storm into furious pursuit. But even their combined magic may not be enough to stop it-nor the power-mad ex-Weather Warden controlling it…

**Please note that as this is a review of book 8 in an ongoing series, it will contain spoilers for the previous 7 books! If you have not read these books yet, I highly advise you to look away from this review! (And start reading these already!)**

Review:

I should preface this review by saying again that I am an enormous Rachel Caine fangirl. The Weather Warden series is one of my all time favorites for its empathetic heroine, the palpable danger that leaps off each page, the romantic entanglements, and most of all for the incredible world-building. And, as each book ends on a cliffhanger, my expectations for each novel are always of the highest order – and somehow Ms. Caine manages to deliver time and time again. And book 8 in this ongoing series is no exception.

If you’ve read the Weather Warden books this far, you know just how hectic poor Jo Baldwin’s life is. Cape Storm picks up immediately following the events of Gale Force. Instead of enjoying a lovely wedding with her husband and leader of the New Djinn, David, she’s given an early present from the supposedly dead Bad Bob Biringanine – a big, nasty, irremovable demon mark. Instead of enjoying a leisurely honeymoon, Jo, David and the Wardens are on a commandeered cruise liner trying to outrace an antimatter fueled storm out to kill them, and possibly destroy the universe. And, to add insult to injury, Jo’s demon mark is growing each minute, overtaking her body and mind with its thirst for power. Jo needs to find a way to keep her sanity and to stop Bad Bob from destroying herself, the Djinn, and everything she holds dear.

Like every other book in this series, Cape Storm is the equivalent of a three-hundred page adrenaline rush; Jo doesn’t get a moment of rest, and neither does the reader. This time around the stakes are even higher, as Bad Bob’s return and his new toy of antimatter – the long, toxic crystalline shards undetectable by Djinn and can erase them from memory of existence – threatens to rip a gash in the fabric of the universe itself. Ms. Caine writes with her trademark flair for action and plot contortions – for “twists” seems too tame a word to describe the places Ms. Caine takes this series. At the forefront of conflict, there’s the antimatter problem (which we saw in Gale Force), Jo’s marriage to David and the impact on the Djinn (by his making a vow to a human, David as The Conduit has made all Djinn susceptible to enslavement by humans once again, incurring the rage of Ashan and other Old Djinn), and Joanne’s loss of control as she goes over to the dark side. Once again, Ms. Caine’s writing is hopelessly addictive and damn-well done. Granted, this isn’t exactly War and Peace or truly challenging reading, but it is a impeccably written thriller, imaginative and well-paced. I would be remiss if I did not say how much I loved the new setting of the story – almost entirely at sea, on a luxury cruise ship no less, Jo doesn’t get to drive a single car in this book! I loved the change of pace and change of scenery (in addition to the cruise liner, Jo also swims through shark infested waters, there’s a secret fortress, and of course appearances in the aetheric), but I do miss Jo’s sweet american muscle cars.

In addition to the usual plot happenings, the character development advances in a way we haven’t really seen in the series yet. One gripe I know many readers have is the feeling that this series isn’t going anywhere, that it’s all noise and action without forward motion – and to those readers, I would say read Thin Air (book 6) and Cape Storm. As Thin Air was a bit of a reboot but then a change of heart for Joanne, Cape Storm shows her descent into powerhungry madness, as she becomes nothing more than a tool of Bad Bob’s. It’s terrifying and so very effective because the whole thing is narrated in the first person by Jo herself – she decides not to care about the people she hurts, including Kevin, Cherise, even Lewis and ultimately David. And, because it’s all told from her perspective, readers know that she’s being consumed by her demon mark, but her justifications and change of heart are a scary thing to read – it’s a very ballsy decision on Ms. Caine’s part, by having Jo cross that line. As always, Jo is driven to a fault, but her desire to save the world is turned on its head in this book, which is a nice change of pace.

And as for the other characters, all the old familiar faces are here, going strong. Cherise is adorable and quirky as usual, but makes some big decisions in this novel proving once again why she’s such a worthy best friend. Kevin is back too, and his relationship with Jo has long been one of my favorites – I love the hostility and distrust, blended with reluctant admiration on both sides. And then, there are the two main men – Lewis and David. I’ve always been a David girl since the beginning, but I love Lewis too. And whoo-boy – let me just say, there are some near tear-jerking moments with Lewis in this book. There are developments, and we learn more about the most powerful human on the planet – not just the extent of his powers, but also what Lewis is made of. It’s a different, more ruthless side, and it’s one I hope we’ll see much more of in the next book. And of course…there’s David. The ongoing relationship between David and Jo is one of my current favorites, and Cape Storm doesn’t disappoint in the slightest.

I loved Cape Storm, from beginning to end. It’s another win by Rachel Caine – with the only drawback? Waiting another year for book nine!

Notable Quotes/Parts: I love the exchanges between Cherise and Jo:

“Jo?” The mattress dented on my left side as Cherise perched on the edge. “You crying?”

“No,” I lied. “Fuck.” I swallowed hard. “I can’t do this. We can’t do this. We’re sailing away into the middle of nowhere with a bunch of innocent people and we’re all going to die, Cher. I can’t stop it. God, we’ve screwed this up.”

“Hey.” She moved my arm away from my eyes and looked down at me with such gravity that she didn’t look like Cherise at all. “What’s going on?”

“Did you hear me? We just about got our asses kicked!”

“But you didn’t,” she siad. “You told me before we got on this ship that it was going to be hard, and people were going to die, because you can’t go to war if you don’t expect casualties. You didn’t want me to come with, remember. You wussing out on me now, Rambette?”

I sniffled. “No.”

“Good, don’t even. You’re a Warden. You don’t let anything stand in the way of what you think is right. You have the most lustworthy guy I’ve ever seen madly in love with you. You have fabulous hair. You’re strong and beautiful and smart and evil pees itself when it sees you coming. So don’t you fold up on me, Jo.” Cherise’s mask slipped, just a little. “Because if you do, I don’t think I can keep it together on my own.”

“Bullshit,” I said. “You’re way tougher than me.” I hugged her. “I’m just so tired. I just want to rest.”

“Then rest,” she said, and let go. I settled back on the bed. “But don’t you dare think you’re not up to this. You’re a hero, babe. Heroes don’t wuss.”

“Do they whine?”

“Only to their bosom sidekicks.” She flashed me her bosom to prove she had the cred. Cherise, motivational speaker to the stars.

You can read an official excerpt from Chapter 1 HERE.

Additional Thoughts: For any other Weather Warden fans out there hungry for something to fill the year-long gap between Jo’s books, maybe this will hold you over…

WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE

My name is Cassiel, and I was once a Djinn — a being as old as the Earth herself, rooted in her power. I cared little for the small, scurrying human creatures who busied themselves with their small lives.

Things have changed. Now I am a small, scurrying human creature. In form, at any rate. Thanks to a disagreement with Ashan, the leader of the True Djinn, I can only sustain my life through the charity of the Wardens — humans who control aspects of the powers that surround us, such as wind and fire. The Warden I’m partnered with, Luis Rocha, commands the powers of the living Earth.

I have made mistakes, in my short existence as a human. I have made promises I could not keep. I have lost those I learned to love.

I will not let it happen again.

Even if every instinct tells me I must.

I loved book 1 of this series, Undone, and I cannot wait for Unknown! Unknown hits stores on February 2, 2010. You can read a full chapter excerpt online at Rachel Caine’s website HERE.

Verdict: Another winning novel from Rachel Caine. I loved Cape Storm, and absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series! Highly recommended. AND if you haven’t read this series yet, you really should get crackin’.

Rating: 8 Excellent

Reading Next: Perfume by Patrick Suskind

Hello there! Are we ready for another stash? Here we go!

Oh, oopsie. How did this happen? (And how could we forget Dean in our Bad Boy Weekend Poll yesterday??? Jaysus. Bad Smugglers, Bad Smugglers ).

Ok, ok, let’s get to work!

This Week On The Book Smugglers:

On Monday, we have a joint review of a new YA book: Give Up The Ghost by Megan Crewe.

On Tuesday, Thea reviews Forest Born by Shannon Hale, the fourth book in the Books of Bayern series…

On Wednesday we will have a mini Neil Gaiman special! Woohoo! We have been shortlisted for Best Graphic Novel for the BBAW so we decided to celebrate with a joint review of Murder Mysteries, a graphic novel we both have on our TBRs since like, forever. Also, on Wednesday, we will be giving away two copies of The Graveyard Book one of our favourite reads of 2008, in celebration of the upcoming release of the paperback edition. Stay tuned!

On Thursday, Thea reviews Cape Storm by Rachel Caine, book 8 in the Weather Warden series.

On Friday Ana reviews another upcoming YA book: Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Finally, on Saturday, it’s the Return of THE DARE! It’s been a while since we dared each other to read anything so we decided: no more. We are not going to chicken out! So, Ana gets to read The Drawing of the Three , book 2 in the Dark Tower series by Stephen King,Thea’s all-time favourite series; and Thea has to read Perfume by Patrick Suskind – one of Ana’s favourites. Bring.It.On.

Plus, throughout the week, we will be doing short posts (and some giveaways) connected to the Book Blogger Appreciation Week, as per the suggested daily blogging topics. Check them out and take part: we are all invited to the party!

Other news:

Our Catching Fire giveaway is still open! It runs till September 15th and it’s open to residents of Canada and US only – go here to enter and good luck!

Mary Pearson, author of The Adoration of Jenna Fox,a book that Thea read and loved (reviewed here) wrote an absolutely fantastic article for the Tor.com blog on Young Adult novels addressing questions such as: YA: Who writes it? Why do they write it? Who should read it? Who shouldn’t? What are the author’s responsibilities? What should their responsibilities be? What is YA lit? What is it not? Is it “safe” literature, and she basically voiced everything we think about the genre. Here is an excerpt:

“Recently I’ve heard some discussion about the “responsibility” of YA books and YA authors. Oh, I hate that word when it comes to books. I’ve heard complaints at both ends of the spectrum, far left and far right, wanting books to “guide” readers one way or the other. Their way, I imagine. Or not include sex or language or whatever, and sometimes the whatever is pretty ridiculous, under the guise that we must “protect” young minds. I have to say, I have seen just as much harm come to children who are over-protected as those who are not paid any mind at all. I have seen parents who sequester their children away from the world in order to protect them, but hey, the world is there, and one day the kid will be out in it. Do they really want to spring it on them cold turkey? Often the results aren’t pretty. Or wouldn’t they rather have their child test the waters while they are still under their wings and can come to them with questions?”

The article is here – make sure to read it because it is pretty damn good.

Also, we stumbled across these awesome Steampunk-ified Star Wars figurines from Sillof’s Workshop (via Aidan at A Dribble of Ink) and were immediately smitten. (Thea: I love Leia’s dress and Artoo’s awesome new look! And Vader’s lightsaber! And BOBA FETT’S HELMET! EEEE! I want them all.) Click to enlarge all images.

And look at how awesome Wedge Antilles looks! And Ewoks get NASTY!

This guy’s work is pretty awesome. Check out his Star Wars circa 1942 figurines too, or his Victorian Avengers while you’re at it!

On our Radar:

Contemporary Romance: (no one does it better than Julie James – BEST repartee in the style of old screwball comedies)

Of all the hotel rooms rented by all the adulterous politicians in Chicago, female Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde had to choose the one next to 1308, where some hot-and-heavy lovemaking ends in bloodshed. And of all the FBI agents in Illinois, it had to be Special Agent Jack Pallas who gets assigned to this high-profile homicide. The same Jack Pallas who still blames Cameron for a botched crackdown three years ago—and nearly ruining his career…

Work with Cameron Lynde? Are they kidding? Maybe, Jack thinks, this is some kind of welcome-back prank after his stint away from Chicago. But it’s no joke: the pair is going to have to put their rocky past behind them and focus on the case at hand. That is, if they can cut back on the razor-sharp jibes—and smother the flame of their sizzling-hot sexual tension…

YA: Cinderella retold

In the wake of her father’s death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King’s Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash’s capacity for love-and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

Entrancing, empowering, and romantic, Ash is about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where transformation can come from even the deepest grief.

YA: contemporary

At Fairfield High, everyone knows that south siders and north siders aren’t exactly compatible elements. So when cheerleader Brittany Ellis and gang member Alex Fuentes are forced to be lab partners, the results are bound to be explosive.

Neither teen is prepared for the most surprising chemical reaction of all – love. Can they break through the stereotypes and misconceptions that threaten to keep them apart?

YA: contemporary

For months, Cass Meyer has heard her best friend Julia, a wannabe Broadway composer, whispering about a top-secret project. Then Julia is killed in a sudden car accident, and while Cass is still reeling from her death, Julia’s boyfriend and her other drama friends make it their mission to bring to fruition the nearly-completed secret project: a musical about an orphaned ninja princess entitled Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad.

Cass isn’t one of the drama people. She doesn’t feel at home with Julia’s drama friends, and she doesn’t see a place for her in the play. Things only get worse when she finds out that Heather Galloway, the girl who made her miserable all through middle school, has been cast as the ninja princess.

Cass can’t take a summer of swallowing her pride and painting sets, so she decides to follow her original plan for a cross-country road trip with Julia. Even if she has a touring bicycle instead of a driver’s license, and even if Julia’s ashes are coming along in Tupperware.

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend is a story about friendship. About love. About traveling a thousand miles just to find yourself. About making peace with the past, and making sense of it. And it’s a story about the bloodiest high school musical one quiet suburb has ever seen.

Fantasy

Once, all power in the Vin Lands was held by the prince-mages, who alone could craft spellwines, and selfishly used them to increase their own wealth and influence. But their abuse of power caused a demigod to break the Vine, shattering the power of the mages. Now, fourteen centuries later, it is the humble Vinearts who hold the secret of crafting spells from wines, the source of magic, and they are prohibited from holding power.

But now rumors come of a new darkness rising in the vineyards. Strange, terrifying creatures, sudden plagues, and mysterious disappearances threaten the land. Only one Vineart senses the danger, and he has only one weapon to use against it: a young slave. His name is Jerzy, and his origins are unknown, even to him. Yet his uncanny sense of the Vinearts’ craft offers a hint of greater magics within — magics that his Master, the Vineart Malech, must cultivate and grow. But time is running out. If Malech cannot teach his new apprentice the secrets of the spellwines, and if Jerzy cannot master his own untapped powers, the Vin Lands shall surely be destroyed.

In Flesh and Fire, first in a spellbinding new trilogy, Laura Anne Gilman conjures a story as powerful as magic itself, as intoxicating as the finest of wines, and as timeless as the greatest legends ever told.

Fantasy

With their forces gathered, the revolutionary leaders within Lescar begin their bid to win the minds and hearts of the people, as well as the lands of the rival dukedoms.

Fantasy

Hoping for a better life, five war veterans colonize an abandoned island. They take with them everything they could possibly need – food, clothes, tools, weapons, even wives.

But an unanticipated discovery shatters their dream and replaces it with a very different one. The colonists feel sure that their friendship will keep them together. Only then do they begin to realize that they’ve brought with them rather more than they bargained for.

For one of them, it seems, has been hiding a terrible secret from the rest of the company. And when the truth begins to emerge, it soon becomes clear that the war is far from over.

With masterful storytelling, irresistible wit, and extraordinary insight into human nature, K.J. Parker is widely acknowledged as one of the most original and exciting fantasy writers of modern times. THE COMPANY, K.J. Parker’s first stand-alone novel, is a tour de force from an author who is changing the face of the fantasy genre.

And that’s it from us today, have a great week!
~ Your Friendly Neigborhood Book Smugglers

Title: Strange Brew – “Seeing Eye” by Patricia Briggs and “Death Warmed Over” by Rachel Caine

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: St. Martin’s
Publication Date: July 2009
Paperback: 384 pages

Why did I read this book: I have been anxiously awaiting Patricia Briggs’s new novella, “Seeing Eye,” since our interview with her this spring. Rachel Caine is another of my favorite (post-Anita Blake, heroine-centric) Urban Fantasy authors, so I was eager to see what her non-Weather Warden story would entail.

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Today’s hottest urban fantasy authors come together in this delicious brew that crackles and boils over with tales of powerful witches and dark magic!

For anyone who’s ever wondered what lies beyond the limits of reality, who’s imagined the secret spaces where witches wield fearsome magic, come and drink deep. Let yourself fall under the spell of this bewitching collection!

REVIEW:

“Seeing Eye” by Patricia Briggs

In “Seeing Eye,” Patricia Briggs returns to the world of Mercy Thompson, but follows an entirely new character – the witch (Wendy) Moira Keller. When Tom Franklin, werewolf and second in the Emerald City pack, shows up on Moira’s doorstep asking for her help in finding his kidnapped brother Jon, Moira cannot refuse him, even though it could mean her death. For Moira is no ordinary witch, and she has a dark past connected to those who have taken Jon – the Samhain Coven, led by the cruel and power-hungry Kouros. Together, Moira and Tom set out on Jon’s trail, using her magic and Tom’s strength to discover Jon’s fate, and to face Samhain once and for all.

I am continually awed by Patricia Briggs’s ability to write a complete, engaging story in a such a short amount of space. “Seeing Eye” is on par with another of her exceptional novellas, “Alpha and Omega,” and marks the beginning of a new, exciting character in the Mercy Thompson universe. Though readers of the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series’ have seen witches in prior books, they have never been fully explored or examined in detail before this story. As with werewolves, walkers, vampires and the fae, Ms. Briggs gives her own take on witches, and in this universe they amass power through death, sacrifice and pain, at the expense of others, or themselves. Moira’s power has come at an extraordinary cost, as Tom soon discovers.

As always, the characters in this story are vivid and compelling – like the Alpha & Omega book (and novella of the same title), “Seeing Eye” is told in the third person but with insights to both Moira and Tom’s thoughts. Moira, as a completely new character, holds her own with Mercy and Anna even in these short pages. A dash of Mercy’s straightforward attitude, a touch of Anna’s compassion, but with a deep strength that is entirely her own, Moira stands out as yet another winning Briggs heroine. She is, as the story blurb admits, blind, but the nature of her blindness is a twist that is guaranteed to shock readers – in a very good way (and I refuse to say more, for fear of spoiling it!).

Similarly, Tom (whom we met briefly in the Alpha & Omega series) is another compelling leading character. As a cop and a dominant werewolf Tom is intimidating in his own right, only made more formidable because of his irreparably scarred face, keepsake from a run-in with a fae knife a few years earlier. Though we barely get to meet Tom and Moira, the chemistry is immediate and undeniable. Though things wrap up nicely by the end of the story, I cannot help but hope that another series may be underway – a sentiment I am certain many readers will share.

Verdict: “Seeing Eye” is worth the book alone, especially if you are a fan of the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega books. Another superb, tightly-written story from the formidable Patricia Briggs.

Rating: 8 Excellent

“Death Warmed Over” by Rachel Caine

Rachel Caine’s contribution to Strange Brew focuses on a world apart from her Weather Warden urban fantasy series, in a world where witches moonlight in extremely specialized fields. Holly Caldwell is one such witch with a rare affinity for resurrecting the dead, working at her day job when she receives a last minute email from her other boss, Sam – a request for a “disposable,” or a long-term resurrection from the local police department. Holly has sworn off disposables ever since her first and last job – because of the pain her impossible relationship with the resurrected caused her. Now, Sam and the police want Holly to raise the same man from her past, a powerful witch named Andrew Toland who died in 1875 fighting an army of resurrected dead gone violent (or more commonly, zombies). Though it pains her to reopen a relationship that is in all ways impossible, Holly breathes life back into Andrew. Unfortunately for them both, only later do they learn that someone has been killing resurrection witches, and Holly is next on the list.

As with “Seeing Eye,” “Death Warmed Over” is another self-contained novella, and one that is deftly plotted. Rachel Caine’s Weather Warden books are among my top three all-time favorite Urban Fantasy series’, in part because of her gift for writing storylines with high stakes and at break-neck speeds. In this sense, “Death Warmed Over” is familiar territory. Ms. Caine’s “Death Warmed Over” is an urban fantasy novella in the mystery/whodunit light, as someone is taking out all the local witches who specialized in resurrection. Though the ending seems a touch rushed, the overall plot is exceedingly well executed. I have to repeat myself – just as with Ms. Briggs’s entry, I am awed by Ms. Caine’s ability to write such a thrilling story with a clear beginning, middle, and ending in all of 50 pages.

“Death Warmed Over” also has more of a romantic slant, and the relationship between Holly and Andrew is nicely portrayed. One thing I admire about Ms. Caine’s writing is her ability to write different characters – her adult urban fantasy heroines, Jo and Cassiel are markedly distinct, and Holly is a worthy addition to their ranks. And as for Andrew, well, he’s unlike a character far removed from Djinn or mere human, and I can guarantee that romance readers will feel right at home with his charm.

I was most impressed with Ms. Caine’s take on witches and magic in this novella. The idea that witches possess hereditary gifts, and are only able to really practice in an extremely specialized niche is intriguing – especially concerning the actual physical acts of resurrection. Something else Ms. Caine writes exceptionally well is the actual visualization of magic. For example:

I parted his clay-cold lips and poured in the first, massive dose of the potion. It pooled in his mouth, liquid silver, and then I performed the part that nobody else could do.

I kissed him, very gently, on the lips and completed the last step of the preset spell. I felt a line of power spooling out of me, traveling through the dark and connecting, with a jolting snap of power, with the spirit of Andrew Toland.

And it only gets better from there.

Verdict: Strange Brew has another winner with this short story. Smart, engaging, sexy, “Death Warmed Over” is another solid entry from Rachel Caine.

Rating: 7 Very Good

Additional Thoughts: If you haven’t read either author’s books yet, you really need to get on board.

Patricia Briggs writes the Urban Fantasy Mercy Thompson series in the following order: Moon Called, Blood Bound, Iron Kissed and Bone Crossed. Book 5, titled Silver Bourne is out February 2010 (with two more books under contract). She also has another current Urban Fantasy series with a more romantic bend with the Alpha & Omega books, in the following order: “Alpha and Omega” (in the On the Prowl anthology) and Cry Wolf. Book 3 in the series, titled Hunting Ground is out next month (check out the first chapter online HERE). If that’s not enough Briggs for ya, her Mercy books have been turned into comic books by the Dabel Brothers – the first four issues are collected in the Homecoming storyarc, available in graphic novel form on August 25th. You can read more about Patty on her website, HERE.

Rachel Caine is the author of the Weather Warden Urban Fantasy series, with books in the following order: Ill Wind, Heat Stroke, Chill Factor, Windfall, Firestorm, Thin Air, and Gale Force. Book 8, titled Cape Storm is out next month. She also has another series set in the same universe as her Warden books called Outcast Season, with one book published, Undone. She also writes a very popular YA series, the Morganville Vampires. For more info on Rachel Caine, check out her website HERE.

Reading Next: Darkness Calls by Marjorie M. Liu

Ana here, to wish you all a Happy Sunday! What are you doing today? Me, I am fulfilling a childhood dream: I am going to see Bruce Springsteen today at Hyde Park! Hooray! I simply can not wait!

Before I leave though, a few bits and bobs to take care of:

Giveaways:

The 5 winners of the Namaah’s Kiss giveaway are:

Sarah M
Sarah Kay
Carol
Danielle
Kristen

The winner of the Don’t Tempt Me giveaway is:

Roxy!

Congratulations!!You know the drill: Please send your snail mail address to: contact AT thebooksmugglers DOT com, and we will send you the books ASAP.

This week on The Book Smugglers:

On Monday, I will be reviewing Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh, her new exciting installment in the most excellent Psy/Changeling series.

On Tuesday Nalini Singh is our guest for the day, talking about Inspiration and Influences. This is when you get a chance to win a copy of Branded by Fire in a Flash Giveaway (because we just know how anxious you all are to read it – as you should be!)

On Wednesday, it’s Novella Day when Thea reviews two stories in the Strange Brew anthology: Seeing Eye by Patricia Briggs and Death Warmed Over by Rachel Caine

On Thursday , it’s Thea’s turn again with the review of Darkness Calls by Marjorie Liu. Word on the Book Smugglers’ grapevine is that it’s even better than the first in the series The Iron Hunt (which Thea really loved!)

Finally,on Friday I will be reviewing a book that first caught my attention because of its beautiful cover and after reading it, became one of my favorites of the year so far. It is the YA novel Eyes Like Stars by debut author Lisa Mantchev. While you wait for our review, just have a look at the book’s awesome website: Theatre Illuminata

Upcoming:

We have a Very Special Event upcoming! Our very own Young Adult Appreciation Month – from July 19th to August 16th, we will be talking about this genre that we love. This is a teaser of some of the books we will review:

Plus, a lot of interviews with authors such as Kelley Armstrong, Diana Peterfreund, Karen Mahoney, Lisa Mantchev and others plus guest posts by YA bloggers and YA editors, and of course, giveaways. We are super excited – what about you?

Other news:

Joel Sutherland , writer of Frozen Blood (reviewed by Thea here) is running a cool contest with loads of possible prizes on his blog to celebrate his nomination for the Bram Stoker award.

Kaaron Warren, author of Slights, the horror novel that Thea considers one of the best of the year, is doing a countdown for the release of the book. In Slights, a character writes a story within a story, in the margins of library books. Kaaron is counting down to the release by writing a bit about each book the character writes in (because of course, each book was not picked at random!) . Check it out here: Kaaron Warren’s Livejournal

And that’s it from us today,folks!

~Your Friendly Neighborhood Book Smugglers

Title: Undone

Author: Rachel Caine

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Roc
Publication Date: February 2009
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages

Stand Alone or Series: Book 1 in the new Outcast Season series, but set in the same universe and overlapping with the events of Rachel Caine’s Weather Warden books.

Why did I read this novel: Rachel Caine’s Weather Warden books are probably my second favorite ongoing Urban Fantasy series, short only to Kim Harrison’s The Hollows books. I absolutely love Ms. Caine’s fantastic Wardens universe, her break-neck paced writing and tight plotting, and her incredible characters. When I heard she would be starting a new series set in the same universe, I was ecstatic. No brainer.

Summary: (from Amazon.com)
A brand new series from the author of the weather warden NOVEL S, WHO’S AS “Swift, sassy, and sexy as Laurell K. Hamilton.” (Mary Jo Putney)

Once she was Cassiel, a Djinn of limitless power. Now, she has been reshaped in human flesh as punishment for defying her master—and living among the Weather Wardens, whose power she must tap into regularly or she will die. And as she copes with the emotions and frailties of her human condition, a malevolent entity threatens her new existence…

Review:

Cassiel is an Old Djinn, or as she would say, a “True” Djinn–one of the originals, born from the Mother herself. After centuries as an all-powerful, coldly indifferent creature, her entire existence changes with one single word.

It only took one word to destroy me, after millennia of living in peace and security, and the word was No.

With her refusal of Ashan (whose spitefulness we are well acquainted with from his large role in the Weather Warden books), Cassiel is torn from her Djinn form and cast asunder. When she awakens, she is weakened and weighed down by heavy flesh and bone–she has become human in form, and a different type of Ifrit. Saved by leader of the New Djinn, David, and his lover Joanne Baldwin (intrepid heroine of the first series), Cassiel settles into human form and discovers that she can only live by the grace of humans. Unable to produce energy of her own, she must draw small amounts from the Wardens. Cassiel is partnered with Manny Rocha, an Earth Warden of medium powers in New Mexico–and both of them are forced to become comfortable and work with each other. When Cassiel meets Manny’s wife and daughter, and then later his brother Luis (who you may recall from Gale Force) she begins to understand human relationships and emotions. As she is told later on by a familiar face, Cassiel’s banishment is actually a gift–she has the chance to become more than what she was as a Djinn. When her human friends are threatened, Cassiel and Luis will stop at nothing to protect them. A deeper, older danger has awakened, and Cassiel is forced to reconsider where she stands–as an outcast Djinn, or something more.

It’s no secret that I go absolutely ga-ga over Rachel Caine’s books. Every single volume of the Weather Warden series is a heady blend of intense action, magic and danger. Needless to say, I had very high expectations for this new series–and I’m happy to report that Rachel Caine did not disappoint. Set in the same universe as her previous series, Undone features the same players–Wardens, the Djinn (both Old and New), and the Ma’at. One thing I really love about this Urban Fantasy universe is that there is not a werewolf, fairy, or vampire in sight. Instead, there are humans gifted with power over Weather, Fire or Earth (or in some cases, more than just one element) called the Wardens, who work with the Djinn (that’s more or less your traditional genies, except way cooler) to prevent nature from going absolutely crazy and obliterating every living thing on the planet (the natural order of things is: Nature is a bitch, and wants to destroy). It’s very innovative, in a kind of Captain Planet on crack way. As always, the worldbuilding is spectacular, from the ground level to the aetheric. The plotting too is fantastic–TONS of twists, and enough great action to keep you reading into the wee hours of the morning (I’ve tried not to go into too much detail here so that you can be just as thrilled by the twisting story as I was). I love a plot-heavy, action-laden book, and Ms. Caine always delivers…just as she does with her cast of characters.

In the case of Undone, our heroine is not the powerful Warden Joanne Baldwin, but rather a fallen Djinn named Cassiel. I was wary about whether or not I could love another heroine in the same universe even a fraction as much as Joanne Baldwin. True to form, Rachel Caine did not let me down. Undone is an adrenaline-packed treat, with an unusual yet strangely endearing heroine. I loved it. So much of the success of a series, particularly long-running Urban Fantasy type series’, depends on the hero or heroine. Jo Baldwin is one of my favorites for her big heart, her tenacity, and her Miu Miu-loving spunk. Cassiel, however, is an entirely different creature. A True Djinn, Cassiel begins the novel as cold and superior–she’s not haughty about being better than everyone else, she simply knows she is. As Undone is narrated in the first person, Cassiel’s thoughts and interpretations are unfiltered, allowing readers to see her transformation from aloof Djinn to someone more emotional and human. Whereas Joanne is impulsive and empathetic, Cassiel observes and analyzes. I loved her awkwardness and her interpretations of humanity, for example:

Manny and his family lived in Albuquerque, a town of hills and mountains…”It’s small, but we like it.” He seemed strangely anxious that I like it, too.

I nodded unsure of what to say. It was a box. Walls, floors, ceilings. Cluttered with bright furniture and toys. Angela picked up some and moved them aside, but not as if she were worried about my opinion; she simply did it automatically. Isabel, seeing her mother’s actions, imitated her, picking up a doll and carrying it by one arm to drop it into a primary-colored box in the corner of the room.

I wondered if I would be expected to do that, as well.

Some of the things I enjoyed the most in Undone were the interactions between Cassiel and the Rocha family, especially between Cassiel and Manny’s daughter Ibby. While it is somewhat cliched that the catalyst for Cassiel’s emotional growth lies in her feelings for a child, it was written so well that I could care less. Ibby’s open acceptance of “Cassie” (or the woman with the funny hair) rings completely true, and Cassiel’s reactions to Ibby’s attentions are wonderfully genuine as well. Similarly, the interactions between Cassiel and Manny have a great texture to them. It’s an intense, layered bond since neither of them begins on their partnership particularly liking the other–Cassiel sees Manny as a mediocre (hence ignorable) talent, and he sees Cassiel for the bizarre, superior creature she is. Yet both of them are dedicated to making the partnership work and to looking after each other, and with mounting threats on Manny’s life, Cassiel realizes she feels a protectiveness of him not just because he is her source of energy, but because he is her friend.

Scott was striding toward our small group, and his hangdog face was mottled red with fury.

I stepped out in front of Manny, taking the focus of his angry eyes, and Scott halted his advance.

“Are you threatening me?” he barked. I didn’t respond or move, except for the wind lashing at my white hair around my face. Somehow I knew that my very stillness would be more intimidating than an answer. “Manny! Call her off!”

“I don’t own her,” Manny said. “She’s a person. Talk to her like one.”

Scott clearly didn’t want to stoop so low, but he nodded stiffly. “Please step aside, Cassiel.”

I held my place for long enough to make him uneasy, then moved back, beside Manny.

Once again, I had acted to protect humans. It’s self-interest, I told myself. Nothing but that.

And then, there’s Manny’s brother Luis. As I mentioned before, readers of the Weather Warden books have come across this powerful Earth Warden before in Gale Force. When events take a drastic, tragic turn in Undone, the already distrustful Luis blames Cassiel and does not want to accept her help. Gradually they too begin to trust one another, as they bond over a common goal (if this sounds cryptic, it’s because I’m intentionally being vague. I don’t want to give up any spoilers!). There’s another layer here between Cassiel and Luis that isn’t present with Manny–the beginnings of an attraction. The tension and developing feelings between these two characters is a palpable force, but never to the detriment of the story. I really cannot wait to see where these two go next.

As a huge fan of the Weather Warden books, I appreciated seeing more than a few familiar characters. Joanne, David and Lewis all make cameos in Undone and lend some important perspective, timeframe-wise, to the continuity of both series’. Undone begins just as the events of Gale Force (with the inexplicable presence of anti-matter destroying the Djinn) are getting underway. As such, when Cassiel and Luis cause some trouble and discover another sinister plot, there are no Wardens around to stop them, or help them out. I’m a sucker for interrelated series’ with continuity that works, so I was very pleased with the overlap between Outcast Season and the Weather Warden books. Hopefully, whatever end that Cassiel and Luis are coming to will similarly affect Joanne and David’s problems too. Though Undone can easily be read as a stand alone novel, I think folks might appreciate it more if they also read the stellar Weather Warden series at some point.

In true Rachel Caine fashion, Undone ends with a cliffhanger…and I eagerly await book 2!

Additional Thoughts: As any fan of the Weather Warden books should recognize, Rachel Caine has a thing for cars and the open road. Though Cassiel doesn’t share Joanne’s passion for American muscle cars, she does have a thing for motorcycles–in particular, her brand new Victory Vision. As someone who doesn’t really know much about cars, I do love reading about them, and clearly Ms. Caine knows her stuff.

“You sure you can handle that?” the salesman asked me as I went over the controls. “That’s a lot of motorcycle, lady.”

Indeed, t was. The motorcycle was a sleekly designed Victory Vision in gray and steel, and it had cost the Wardens quite a bit of money. Still, I felt it was better than buying a car; I was doubtful that I’d want to be trapped in a steel box for hours on end, but this seemed freeing. Powerful.

I started the engine and savored the shivering purr of power. I pressed the throttle and listened to the finely tuned roar, and for the first time in my human life, it felt entirely natural to smile.

“It’s perfect,” I said. I put on the machine into gear.

The salesman waved good-bye to me in my rearview mirror. I concentrated on operating the motorcycle. It was a complex dance of balance, intuition, and control, and I felt a rush of excitement I had not felt since falling into flesh. This–this was freedom. I was alone, I had escaped my enemies, and for the moment at least, I could simply exist.

I opened the throttle as I left the city limits, and the motorcycle leaped eagerly into action with a deep-throated roar. The vibration rang through me, clear and clean, and there seemed to be nothing ahead of me but empty, open road. The wind pushed at me like a solid wall, seeking entrance to my clothes, my hair, fanning across my neck in a cooling jet.

For those interested in getting into Rachel Caine’s books, here’s order of the Weather Warden and Outcast Season books:

1. Ill Wind
2. Heat Stroke
3. Chill Factor
4. Windfall
5. Firestorm
6. Thin Air
7. Gale Force
8. Undone

Verdict: Undone is a fantastic start to another auto-buy series. Whether a newbie to the world of the Wardens and Djinn, or a veteran of the series, Undone will capture and thrill you. While I still think I prefer the Weather Warden books, Outcast Season looks to be every bit as wonderful, and I eagerly await the next book in this series.

Rating: 8 Excellent

Reading Next: Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception