Blooms on Sunday - 31 Jul 2011 - Before and After

The new veggie garden beforeAnd after....it's still a little wild and wooly and only the tomatoes and peppers are doing much.. And the pumpkin we didn't plant.....

The 'Funky Garden' before......

And after.....just look at that crop of sunflowers...we have some happy bees and birds now

DARKEST EDGE OF DAWN: Charlie Madigan Book Two - Kelly Gay

From the back of the book: It takes a strong woman to keep the peace in a city of endless night....

Deep beneath Underground, a cunning bid for power and revenge has begun---one that threatens to make Atlanta the new battleground in the ultimate confrontation between good and evil. The posers of hellish Charbydon have the upper hand after plunging the city into primordial night. And under the cover of darkness, a serial killer targets the most powerful Elysians in the city, the angelic Adonai. For Detective Charlie madigan and her siren partner Hank, tracking deadly predators is all in a day's work.....but this case will test the limits of their strength and friendship as it draws them into a deadly world of power plays, ancient myths, explosive secrets, and a race against time that risks all that Charlie holds dear.

*******************************

I admire Charlie Madigan. Career women with a family is hard enought, but Charlie is a single mother with a tough job as an Atlanta Police Homicide Detective. This in a world that has humans and beings from the worlds of Charbydon and Elysian. All living in a city that is in full on darkness. Charlie is smart and has the best stubborn desire to make everything right.

This is urban fantasy at its finest, with fab world building of above and below ground Atlanta, believable creatures and beings, good and evil and all that falls in between.

I absolutely loved the first in the series, THE BETTER PART OF DARKNESS, http://iyamvixenbooks.blogspot.com/2010/04/better-part-of-darkness-kelly-gay.html

and cannot wait to read THE HOUR OF DUST AND ASHES that comes out on 30 Aug 2011. My copy is pre-ordered!

Five sparkly UF at its finest diamonds......

NIGHT RISING: Vampire Babylon Book One - Chris Marie Green

From the back of the book: Stuntwoman Dawn Madison is a girl with a lot of attitude. And a lot of issues, mostly about living up to the legacy of her mother, a world-famous movie star and sex symbol, whose untimely death left Dawn to be raised by her dad, Frank---nobody's notion of single-father-of-the-year.

Still, he is her dad. So when he vanishes while investigating the bizarre sighting of a supposedly long-dead child star, she comes home to Tinseltown to join the search for him---only to discover and erotic and bloody underground society made up of creatures she thought existed only on the screen.

They are devious. They are deadly. And some of them are dangerously attractive.....

***********************************************

WOOF! This was a pretty exciting start of a series and I highly look forward to reading the rest of it.

That said, it took me a bit to like the main character, Dawn. Her daddy and mommy issues bugged me at first, but I realized I couldn't really hold that against her and I moved on. Glad I did.

The premise of the story, especially the vampire lore, was unique. It's part of why I love reading paranormal/supernatural books. Each one has a new bead on the lore.

The grit and grime of Hollywood added to the story. Everyone seemingly wanting to stay in the spotlight, remain desirable by the public and what they are willing to do to obtain it.

I don't typically dig on erotica/romance in my paranormal and I had to get past my *er* factor, but they are well written scenes and the action was more on the street (or under them) than between the sheets, so I was fine.

Favorite character had to be Kiko, one of the investigators at Limpet & Associates. My favorite kind, Smartass funny.

Four WOOF sparkly diamonds.....

FUNDRAISING THE DEAD: A Museum Mystery - Sheila Connolly

From the back of the book: At the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society, fundraiser Eleanor "Nell" Pratt solicits donations---and sometimes solves crimes. After all, murder is not good for public relations....

At the museum, a few missing documents could be a major embarrassment. When a collection of George Washington's letters is lost on the day of the Society's grand gala, heads will certainly roll....but no one expects an archivist to be found dead.

Fundraiser Nell Pratt is frustrated when the Society president---whom she also happens to be dating----doesn't seem to be pushing for an investigation. And when Nell goes digging for answers herself, she just may uncover a long, rich history of crime.....

****************************

http://iyamvixenbooks.blogspot.com/2010/11/one-bad-apple-orchard-mystery-1-sheila.html is my review of the first book in Sheila's Orchard Mystery series. I really liked ONE BAD APPLE, one bean more than FUNDRAISING THE DEAD. Not sure what magic was missing for me, but I do believe I will try the next one, LET'S PLAY DEAD, just to make sure.

I hope to connect better with Nell and her friends and coworkers. I do like the premise. I love learning new things and I know I learn something new no matter what I read. Getting to know some background on fundraising and artifacts from back in the day made the pages turn even if the mystery was sort of solved (for me) halfway or so through.

Four second time will be the charm beans......

I am a Gleek!

I know I am late to the party, but Lady K and I have started watching Glee http://www.fox.com/glee/ repeats and are wondering what took us so long. Hilariously funny, warm, excellent tunes...
Definitely something to add to the DVD collection.

BAD TO THE BONE: WVMP Radio Book 2 - Jeri Smith-Ready

From the back of the book: Turn On. Tune In. Drop Dead.

If you're just joining us, welcome to radio station WVMP, "The Lifeblood of Rock'n'Roll." Con-artist-turned-station-owner Ciara Griffin manages an on-air staff of off-the-wall DJs----including her new boyfriend Shane McAllister---who really sink their teeth into the music of their "Life Time" (the era in which they became vampires). It's Ciara's job to keep the undead rocking, the ratings rolling, and the fan base alive-----without missing a beat.

For Halloween, WVMP is throwing a bash sure to raise the dead. They've got cool tunes, hot costumes, killer cocktails---what could go wrong? Well, for starters, a religious firebrand ranting against the evils of the occult preempts the station's midnight broadcast. Then, when Ciara tracks down the illegal transmission, the broadcast tower is guarded by what appears to be....a canine vampire? And behind it all is a group of self-righteous radicals who think vampires suck (and are willing to stake their lives on it).

Now Ciara must protect the station while struggling with her own murky relationship issues, her best friend's unlikely romance with a fledgling vampire, and the nature of her mysterious anti-holy powers. To make it to New Year's in one piece, she'll need to learn a few new tricks.....

*****************************************

I do love this series!! WICKED GAME rocked! (http://iyamvixenbooks.blogspot.com/2009/06/wicked-game-jeri-smith-ready.html) And I have absolutely no idea why it's taken me so long to get back to Ciara, Shane and the rest of the WVMP peeps.

BAD TO THE BONE deals with Ciara learning about her new abilities as a sort of vamp healer, new owner of the radio station, and being a girlfriend.

And there's the attack on the station with frequency interference during radio shows by what appears to be a hate group.

Bright side is Ciara finding the coolest dog ever! I want a dog like Dexter. I think I could make it work even if he is a vampire dog. We have a mancave, we could put in blackout curtains down there. I could find dog blood for him...as a vampire dog, I'm sure he's hyperallergenic, so DH would be good.

Supremely quick and delish read for me. It made for the best swing shift in a very long time.

Go visit Jeri @ http://www.jerismithready.com/ She has a nice stable of books out and more in the future. I can't wait to read each and every one. WVMP Radio series is on my keeper shelf, especially thanks to Jeri sending me bookplates to put inside each book. LOVE HER!

Five big sparkly vamps rock it diamonds.....

Kool-Aid Hair

Lady K has been wanting to have her hair Kool-Aid-ed for some time. We ran out of time the last two Spa Weeks and I promised her that, one chickie day, we'd try it out. Today was that chickie day.One packet of Kool-Aid and enough conditioner to make a paste....Mix it up in a bowl....Coat as much hair as you can with the mixture you have, then wrap it with cling wrap. Keep it on as long as you can stand it..longer is better.. Rinse and *viola* you have Kool-Aid hair

PURE BLOOD: A Nocturne City Novel - Caitlin Kittredge

From the back of the book: In the shadows of Nocturne City, witches lurk and demons prowl, and homicide detective Luna Wilder must keep the peace---while living life as a werewolf. Now bodies are turning up all over town, the brutal murders linked by a cryptic message: We see with empty eyes.....

To make matters worse for Luna, she can't get wolfishly handsome Dmitri Sandovsky out of her mind. The last time he helped her with a case Dmitri suffered a demon bite that infected him with a mysterious illness...and now his pack elders have forbidden him from associating with Luna. But she'll need his help when high-level witches start turning up slaughtered. Because a war is brewing between rival clans of blood witches and caster witches---a magical gang war with the power to burn Nocturne City to the ground.

************************************

Luna took care of business in book one, got the guy and all should be better. Not so much. Her cousin, Sunny, a caster witch has returned home to their grandmother's and away from Luna's influence.

And the guy, Dmitri, is back in Ukraine with the elders of the Redback clan. So the house is empty feeling and Luna throws herself into her work. There's a clan war between the witches and it's brutal.

Luna is a strong character, keeps moving forward through heartache, brutality on the job, dark magic. I look forward to reading the rest of the series, SECOND SKIN, WITCH CRAFT, and DAEMON'S MARK.

Five magical beans.....

NIGHT LIFE: A Nocturne City Novel - Caitlin Kittredge

From the back of the book: The first book in a thrilling, addictive new series by a talented new voice in dark fantasy. Welcome to Nocturne City, where werewolves, black magicians, and witches prowl the streets at night.....

Among them is Luna Wilder, a tough-as-nails police officer whose job is to keep the peace. As an Insoli werewolf, Luna travels without a pack and must rely on instinct alone. And she's just been assigned to find the ruthless killer behind a string of ritualistic murders---a killer with ties to an escaped demon found only in legend....until now.

But when she investigates prime suspect Dmitri Sandovsky, she can't resist his wolfish charms. Pack leader of a dangerous clan of Redbacks, Dmitri sends her animal instincts into overdrive and threatens her fiercely guarded independence. But Luna and Dmitri will need to rely on each other as they're plunged into an ancient demon underworld and pitted against an expert black magician with the power to enslave them for eternity.....

*******************************************************

Caitlin Kittredge is no longer a 'new voice' in dark fantasy. She has Nocturne City series, Icarus Project (with Jackie Kessler), Black London and Iron Codex. All highly excellent either from the reviews or actual books I've read.

I won the first two books of the Nocturne City series from Bitten By Bookshttp://www.bittenbybooks.com/ a couple of years ago and, for whatever reason, the two books sat in the third drawer of chest of drawers number one since. I started my campaign of clearing the drawers and shelves before buying more books...at least in theory...and found the two waiting for me. I pulled the two of them and brought them to work since it's been so quiet. And read them in quick succession.

Luna Wilder is indeed tough. She has to be since she's a lone werewolf in a world that knows supernatural beings exist and not everyone is happy about it.

She and Dmitri don't exactly get off to a good start since Luna is positive that Dmitri is the prime suspect in the deaths of women all around Nocturne City and Dmitri is all alpha pack leader macho which rubs Luna the wrong way to say the least...as much as she's drawn to him. Makes her nuts.

I don't like paranormal romance and this could read that way, but it's more action on the streets than in between the sheets.

Five action on the streets beans.....

BURIED DREAMS: A Lewis Cole Mystery - Brendan DuBois

From the back of the book: Fatal plunder. New Hampshire magazine columnist Lewis Cole hadn't known Tyler Beach resident and amateur archeologist Jon Ericson long, but well enough to call him friend, and was angry enough to want to know who killed him and why. His death was preceded by an excited phone message to Cole: Ericson believed he had found the elusive proof that Tyler Beach was the original Viking settlement. Had this discovery cost him his life?

Cole sets out to find what Jon had learned and whom he'd told, and confronts some odd characers, including an estranged brother with a grudge, as he stumbles upon a bitter feud between historians and academics. When someone seriously tampers with his car, Cole knows he's made an enemy. Vengeance may not be the purest of motives for the truth, but Cole's got his reasons...as well as the determination to do whatever it takes---on either side of the law---to make sure Jon Ericson is avenged.

*************************************

A new-to-me author and series....I love finding these and especially so when they turn out to be a gritty quick-turn-the-page-gotta-see-what's-gonna-happen-next type of read. BURIED DREAMS sort of feels like an amateur sleuth mystery in that Lewis Cole is a magazine writer and he wants to solve his friend's murder. But he has a past with the government and the grit factor ratchets up with Cole's friend Felix Tinios, a 'security consultant' (at least on his tax returns).

Together they work to investigate on their own the death of Jon Ericson. The book begins at Jon's funeral and told in flashbacks throughout. This method can sometimes confuse this reader, but it worked really well here. I got to know Jon a little better and saw what caused Lewis Cole to care so much and need to find his friend's killer.

I look forward to finding the rest of this series. Looks like there are seven books in the series so far, BURIED DREAMS is the fifth according to Fantastic Fiction http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/brendan-dubois/

Five murder and archeology beans.....

SUMMER KNIGHT: Book Four of the Dresden Files - Jim Butcher

From the back of the book: Harry Dresden - Wizard. Lost items found. Paranormal investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.

Ever since his girlfriend left town to deal with her newly acquired taste for blood, Harry Dresden has been down and out in Chicago. He can't pay his rent. He's alienating his friends. He can't even recall the last time he took a shower.

The only professional wizard in the phone book has become a desperate man.

And just when it seems things can't get any worse, in saunters the Winter Queen of Faerie. She has an offer Harry can't refuse if he wants to free himself of the supernatural hold his faerie godmother has over him---and hopefully end his run of bad luck. All he has to do is find out who murdered the Summer Queen's right-hand man, the Summer Knight, and clear the Winter Queen's name.

It seems simple enought, but Harry knows better than to get caught in the middle of faerie politics. Until he finds out that the fate of the entire world rests on his solving this case. No pressure or anything....

******************************************

I've been listening to James Marsters narrate Harry Dresden's files since finding out that Recorded Books carried most of the series and that James Marsters (*sigh* James Marsters). I can highly recommend this series as a fab one to listen to, especially for long distance roadtrips.

That said, I found SUMMER KNIGHT in one of the ten drawers full of books in my room after coming back from Spa Week last June and DH mentioning that he'd tidied my room....and found my stash of books in the two chest of drawers....

So I decided I'd best start clearing some of these books and SUMMER KNIGHT was one of those. It didn't hurt that I already love this series as does my sister and, amazingly, my dad. He loves the private investigator aspect more than the wizard part, but he doesn't mind the magic. I figured I could add this to the stack of books to trade with Dad for his visit next month.

****

Poor Harry. I don't know how he keeps going on when everything gets thrown at him and he's low on sleep and funds and patience. He keeps pushing forward, with a little help from his friends. This time it's the werewolves and teeny pixies who love pizza and Harry's faerie godmother and, of course, Murphy, Harry's Chicago PD detective bud.

I enjoy reading this series to learn more about Harry and his supernatural world. The mixture of wizardry and investigation is seamlessly blended. Harry's humor keeps me coming back for more, too. It is entirely possible I have a crush on Harry.

Five sparkly crushin' on Harry diamonds.....

A BAD DAY FOR SORRY - Sophie Littlefield

From the back of the book:
Winner of the Anthony Award for Best First Novel!
Stella Hardesty dispatched her abusive husband with a wrench shortly before her fiftieth birthday. A few years later, she's so busy delivering home-style justice, helping other women deal with their own abusive husbands and boyfriends, that she's barely got time to run her sewing shop. Since Stella works outside of the law, she's free to do whatever it takes to be convincing—as long as she keeps her distance from the handsome devil of a local sheriff, Goat Jones.
When young mother Chrissy Shaw asks Stella for help with her no-good, husband Roy Dean, it looks like just another standard job. But then Chrissy's two-year-old son is taken, and Stella finds herself up against a much more formidable enemy.
A Bad Day for Sorry won an Anthony Award for Best First Novel and an RT Book Award for Best First Mystery. It was also shortlisted for Edgar, Barry, Crimespree, and Macavity Awards, and it was named to lists of the year's best mystery debuts by the Chicago Sun-Times and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
**********************************

I know vigilante-ism is wrong, but I cheered for Stella the whole time. She took matters into her own hands by killing her abusive husband. She kept their sewing shop open, but has found that lately her off time is getting less and less off and more and more about her other job. She helps other women who want out of abusive relationships.

Stella is my favorite type of woman and character. She is full of piss and vinegar (to use a favorite phrase of my mother), she gets the job done no matter the task or jackass she has to fix.

A BAD DAY FOR SORRY is such a fantastically strong debut. I cannot recommend it enough. I enjoyed my time with it so much, A BAD DAY FOR PRETTY, second in the series, is already on its way and A BAD DAY FOR SCANDAL, third in Stella's story, is on the WWBL to get as soon as it's out in TPB.

Visit Sophie at http://www.sophielittlefield.com/books.php

Five piss & vinegar git'r'done sparkly diamonds.....

Earthworms for the Garden

Thanks to GardenStew @ http://www.gardenstew.com/
Some Basic Earthworm Facts:
Earthworms are present in almost every type of soil but the healthier the soil the greater the numbers. A healthy soil permits lots of air and moisture, both of which are needed by the earthworm for a continued existence. Earthworms have no lungs like you or me but instead breathe through their skin. Their whole skin absorbs oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. They also need moisture to assist them in respiration but too much moisture is not good for them.
There are four types of earthworm that you may run into:
Nightcrawlers: 8 to 10 inches long and the fisherman's favourite.
Garden Worms: 5 to 7 inches long and found commonly in damp soils.
Manure Worms: 4 to 5 inches long and found in manure rich soils.
Red Worms: 3 to 4 inches long and the most commercially available.

Why Earthworms in the Garden?
A garden without earthworms would miss out on all of the great benefits that they bring to it. Their first job is to till the soil by tunneling through it. Tunnels created allow air and moisture to pass easily through the soil, creating a healthy environment for plants. Tunnels retain water that the plants can take up and also hold air to help bacteria break down organic matter within the soil. After digestion earthworms produce excrement about the size of a pin head. This excrement is called "castings" or "vermicompost" and is an excellent soil conditioning material. It improves properties of the soil such as porosity and moisture retention, aids plant growth and helps in the fight against pests and diseases.

**************
Lady K and I went worm hunting this morning as we walked to take her to BASE. We've been getting really nice rain the last week or so. Every afternoon the clouds roll in and the rain falls for twenty minutes or an hour or more. Last night's storm brought hewgah thunder and lightning and about 2.5 inches of rain.
And worms....
I know, I know, not everyone gets it, but Lady K and I like worm hunting after a big rain. She's been bummin' as the wigglers have not been out much the last week of mornings or afternoons after the rains we've been having and worm hunting has been slim to none.
We scored big this AM, though. We headed out and immediately found a bunch in the cul-de-sac we live on. We tossed them onto the berm in our front lawn and started off again. And found more worms in a couple more steps. We decided it was worth our time to go back to get the 'worm kit' which consists of a plastic peanut butter jar and a wet cloth (those worms get sticky when getting picked up).
Good thing we did, we found a buncha buncha on the walk to school.
And, boy howdy, was Lady K the popular chickie upon arrival at BASE. Nothing like a jar full of earthworms to bring the kids a runnin' and hoverin'. Lady K said she felt like she had her own paparazzi. *grin*
Much as she wanted to keep the jar with her all day, I reminded her of the reason we picked them up in the first place and brought the jar back with me. Found more along the walk home and put them in the vegetable garden. They were a little shocky, so next time we need to remember the dirt in the bottom of the jar.
Yay for rain, Yay for worms!!

BLOOD OATH: The President's Vampire Book One - Christopher Farnsworth

From the back of the book: "Forget the War on Terror, Zach. This is the War on Horror. And you've just been drafted."

Zach Barrows is a cocky, ambitious White House employee working his way toward becoming the youngest chief of staff in history. But Zach's political rise takes an unexpected turn when he's abruptly transferred out of the White House and partnered with Nathaniel Cade, a secret agent sworn to protect the President. But Cade is no ordinary civil servant.

Bound 140 years ago by a special blood oath, Nathaniel Cade is a vampire. On the orders of the President he defends the nation against enemies far stranger---and far more dangerous---than civilians like Zach could ever imagine. And as a new threat looms, Zach has to learn to work with his undead partner, because the President's vampire is the only thing standing between the American dream and total Armageddon.

************************************************

I hope this series continues for a very long time. I can't get over how fantastic this first book was.

Zach cracked me up from the beginning with all of his arrogant manners that slowly became mellower as he learned to work with Cade. He wanted to walk his own path, but realizes this may be a better way, working with the vampire.

The story of Cade is a complicated one. He was found on a boat 140 years ago, covered in blood. He is bound to protect the President of the United States of all things supernatural and, apparently, there are plenty for him to be protected from.

Cade and Zach are now on the hunt for a creature wreaking havoc, a creature with a human face. No one is who they seem to be and no one is safe.

This is more than a supernatural thriller. It reads as a suspenseful page turner with a lead character who happens to be a vampire.

Five action packed diamonds......

THE WITCH'S GRAVE: An Ophelia and Abby Mystery - Shirley Damsgaard

From the back of the book: Cupid has cast his spell on good witch Ophelia Jensen. The practical, pragmatic, law-abiding librarian has just begun letting down her hair with Stephen Larsen, the author of some of the most scandalous crime exposes ever written. It's a match made in the stacks---until the would-be lovers take a quiet countryside stroll, and shots ring out.

A murderer, not magick, made Stephen disappear---and Ophelia might be next. The sheriff warns her and her grandmother Abby not to meddle, but after another shooting leaves them shaken the women can't help but get involved. A sinister stalker is slowly drawing closer to Ophelia, and she'll have to summon all her powers to prevent herself from ending up six feet under.

***************************************

Paranormal cozies have been on the nightstand lately. It's the neatest mixture of amateur sleuth and supernatural. And Ophelia and Abby are two of my favorite amateur sleuths, let alone amateur sleuth witches.

Ophelia is blessed. She has her wonderful grandmother Abby, her daughter Tink, and her best friend Darci. She loves her life as the head librarian, she's coming along in realizing and accepting her abilities as a witch. And along comes Stephen Larsen, hottie author of thrillers and true crime. He is also shot almost as soon as he and Ophelia meet. It's kind of like watching a Bonanza episode, those poor Cartwright boys never catch a love break either.

Ophelia needs to find out who is behind the shooting because of Stephen and because the sheriff is telling her she might have been the actual target.

Five witches and love beans......

Blooms on Sunday - 10 Jul 2011

We went to Steamboat Springs over Fourth of July weekend. We've been before and wanted to go again to this gorgeous area to see about getting away from the heat. That part didn't work out, it was in the 90s the whole time, but no worries, still had a good time fishing, hiking, shopping and finding good restaurants and people watching.
One of my favorite places in Steamboat is the Yampa River Botanic Park. This lovely garden has grown since our last visit a few years ago. It's all done by, I'm pretty sure, by volunteers and there's no admission fee! There is a donation box and donation program, but I know it can't cover the costs. Thank goodness for the volunteers. Russian Tulip

Wooly Yarrow...this one is a groundcover and I can't wait to find some to add to our gardens

Gaillardia or Blanket Flower "Arizona Sun"

I'm going to try this rock garden somewhere at our place

Would that I could grow poppies this wonderfully

I love this garden art statue!!

I kept seeing fields of this bloom and thought it was a sunflower. Found out it's Mule Ear, named so because of its leaves shaped like, well, mule's ears.

AN UNINVITED GHOST: A Haunted Guesthouse Mystery - E J Copperman

From the back of the book: Welcome to Alison Kirby's guesthouse.

Ghost sightings twice daily.

No breakfast is served, but murder is included.

In exchange for help entertaining her guests on "spooky" vacations, Alison Kirby told her resident gumshoe ghost that she'd help him on the occasional case. But she didn't think she'd have to go through with it---after all, who goes to a dead private eye? The answer: other ghosts.

The deceased Scott McFarlane got roped into a prank that may have killed a prominent local resident. With some snooping, it turns out the woman is alive---that is, of course, until she's murdered....in Alison's house.

Now, between the demands of the guests at her Jersey Shore guesthouse and the arrival of a reality TV crew, Alison must find the killer---before she sees reality from the other side.

********************************************

Alison, her daughter Melissa, her mom, and her resident ghosts Maxie and Paul have their hands full with the now up and running guesthouse, filled with a tour of senior ghost hunters and a pack of "reality" show cast and crew.

And they all want something: the cast and crew of "Down the Shore" need space to do their 'reality' gig. (I know this book is fiction, but I do believe Copperman has confirmed my thought that 'reality shows' definitely get that ' ' I keep adding to the phrase 'reality show'.....)

The senior citizen ghost hunters want to see ghosts..or at least witness ghostly activity. Maxie and Paul, the resident ghosts, are just the two to get the activity going. In return, Paul wants Alison to help him help another ghost who thinks he's killed someone.

Maxie wants the attic.

This is a really fun series to read and E J Copperman can't write them fast enough as far as I am concerned. There were neat surprises along the way and I love surprises, so long as they don't feel forced. These were smoooooth.

Five smooooooth beans.....

SIXTY-ONE NAILS: The Courts of the Feyre Vol I - Mike Shevdon

THERE IS A SECRET WAR GROWING BENEATH THE STREETS OF LONDON.
A dark magic will be unleashed by the Untainted...Unless a new hero can be found.
The immense Sixty-One Nails follows Niall Petersen, victim of a suspected heart attack on the London Underground, into the hidden world of the Feyre, an uncanny place of legend that lurks just beyond the surface of everyday life. The Untainted, the darkest of the Seven Courts, have made their play for power, and unless Niall can recreate the ritual of the Sixty-One Nails, their dark dominion will enslave all of the Feyre, and all of humankind too.

********************************

Another book I found thanks to Becky at NoMoreGrumpyBookseller
http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/
(sorry, can't seem to embed links any more)

The story weighs in at 524 pages, but it's a smokin' fast 524 pages. Following Niall as he discovers existence after a life-altering heart attack in the London Underground. He is saved by a woman named Blackbird who also becomes his guide and mentor. Niall is one of the rare forms of the Tainted, half-human and half-fey. The Untainted are purebloods who want the half-breeds eradicated and are well on their way to getting this accomplished.

It's up to Niall, with Blackbird's help, to ensure that this does not happen.

I was told that since NEVERWHERE is one of my absolute favorite books in the world, that I would definitely dig SIXTY-ONE NAILS....and Becky was ab-so-tively correct!!

Five sparkly the Feyre in London diamonds...

MIDNIGHT RIOT - Ben Aaronovitch

From the back of the book: Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London's Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he'll face is a paper cut. But Peter's prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter's ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

*****************************

Urban fantasy at its finest!! Peter Grant dives right into the world of the supernatural after finding out he can talk to ghosts and then finds out there's a whole lot more out there. He is especially happy that he won't be a paper pusher with Case Progression Unit. He will, instead, apprentice with DCI Nightingale and learn all that there is to know in the supernatural world as a wizard.

MIDNIGHT RIOT has grit, snort laugh humor, and very excellent look at London above and below.

Off to buy MOON OVER SOHO. I really have to see what Peter and DCI Nightingale are going to get up to next.

Five sparling wizards and ghosts diamonds.....