MAGIC TO THE BONE: Book 1 Allie Beckstrom - Devon Monk

From the back of the book: "Using magic meant it used you back. Forget the fairy-tale, hocus-pocus, wave a wand and bling-o, sparkles and pixie dust crap. Magic, like booze, sex, and drugs, gave as good as it got."

Everything has a cost. And every act of magic exacts a price from its user--maybe a two-day migraine, or losing the memory of your first kiss. But some people want to use magic without paying, and they Offload the cost onto innocents. When that happens, it falls to a Hound to identify the spell's caster--and Allie Beckstrom's the best there is.

Daughter of a prominent Portland businessman, Allie would rather moonlight as a Hound than accept the family fortune--and the strings that come with it. But when she discovers a little boy dying from a magic Offload that has her father's signature all over it, Allie is thrown into the high-stakes world of corporate espionage and black magic.

Now Allie's out for the truth--and must call upon forces that will challenge everything she knows, changer her in ways she could never imagine...and make her capable of things that powerful people will do anything to control.

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Holey schmokes!!! I mowed through this book rather quickly for many reasons: to make one more book for my book journal this month, to get one more review in for the mini-challenge over at Literary Escapism/League of Reluctant Adults...but, most of all, I couldn't seem to stop reading this superb book! I obviously had to stop to sleep or go to work, dagnabbit (how else does one support a bookholic habit?), but I wished I could have stayed home to continue reading. Some points, I had to sleep from the feeling of exhaustion in response of all that Allie went through on hour-to-hour, minute-to-minute basis.

This is why I love reading the urban fantasy genre, it's dark, action packed, putting the main character into situations they'd rather not be in, but take care of anyway because it's how they are wired. They keep going in the positive aiding direction even after the point of exhaustion, after getting injured...they just keep going. Makes me wish I could be that heroic/stoic, but I'm not so I read about the character who are that way.

That's Allie through the book, aiding those weaker than she and in need of help. She gets assistance from the mysterious Zayvion, the Savant Cody, and her best friend Nola who lives in the magic-free countryside. Mostly, though, Allie stands on her own two feet and gets what needs doing accomplished. She learns along the way, even with losing some of her memories of her past through the use of magic. Using magic has its consequences. And Allie knows it only too well.

The atmosphere of the genre seems best set in the Pacific Northwest, rain seems the prevailing weather adding to the dark mystery. Cold, drizzly, always there rain....

I cannot wait to get and read the rest of this series. This one is going on the keeper shelf, it's a fab book that I will revisit and my good book buddy, Jenna, got it for me and had Devon Monk sign it. I don't keep many books, but this one is definitely one of the few that stays in Casa IYamVixen.

Five rain adds to the magic diamonds.....

THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE: COMPLETE PROTECTION ROM TH LIVING DEAD - Max Brooks

THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE reads exactly like a how-to guide in the event of a zombie infestation. Should a George Romero movie ever come true, this is the guidebook to have at your side. It will be dog-earred, creased, smudged, and well used.

What I learned:
~Best place to hole up: Military bases and oil derricks at sea
~Best way to kill the undead: take off the heads
~Best way to evade: stay quiet and keep moving and stay alert and um...stay away from the teeth....
~Best grooming habits for you: tight clothes and short hair keeps them from getting a handful and jerking you close for bad chompin'

Very much looking forward to reading the next one on my Max Brooks lineup, WORLD WAR Z: AN ORAL HISTORY OF THE ZOMBIE WAR.

Four skanky (in a good way) undead beans...

WIDDERSHINS - Charles De Lint

It took me forever to get to this book simply because it is so freakin' BIG! Trade paperback size and 560 pages, it was a daunting book to look at. My sister sent it to me and highly recommended it, yet still I hesitated. Until October rolled in and I knew it was time for me to get to it. It's on three challenges for the year and I like to read only paranormal books for the month.

I picked it to be my bedside book since it's too big to be a purse book. This left not much reading time with it, so it went more slowly. Once I started reading it, I really wished I could just stay in bed and only read. It is an AMAZING book and it is going on the keeper shelf.

The chapters are named for the person telling that particular part of the story and it works wonderfully. Jilly, Geordie, Grey, Walker, Lizzie, bogans, all take a turn telling their tale. Each one moving the story to a very satisfactory end.

There are two worlds, the one we live in and the Otherworld. Both are populated by humans, the magical folk of Native American lore known as the Cousins, who appear as both human and their animal form. There's also the Celtic faery folk who came over on the ships way back when. There's animosity between the two magical sides and it begins to explode when evil bogans, of the Celtic faery folk, kill one of the Cousins, the daughter of one of the main players, Walker, the Deer. The humans become involved when Lizzie Mahone, a Celtic fiddle musician comes upon the bogans and their kill, in the form of a doe. Lizzie has been raised with the stories of faery and is fairly certain they exist. Now here is proof before her.

There is an altercation, the bogans depart after getting their asses handed to them. Lizzie doesn't feel right about leaving the body behind and buries the body and plays a dirge for the fallen. Walker appears and, in thanks, tells her she can call upon him at any time of need.

The rest of the story continues with Lizzie's Celtic band being called upon to help, along with fairy folk and Cousins.

It is really hard to this justice and I won't try to.

This is a wonderfully magical book and I look forward to a time to read it again.

Five magical beans.....

MILK GLASS MOON - Adriana Trigiani

I don't know my reasoning for starting MILK GLASS MOON, setting it aside for so long, then picking it up again at this time. I only know I am so very glad that I picked it up again and finished it. It is now my favorite of the series...at least until I read HOME TO BIG STONE GAP.
The book is in wonderful segments of home, New York City, home, Italy, home, Italy. It flows quickly in years skipped, but events are highlighted.
Ave is still alternately aggravating and endearing in her worries over her relationship with her husband, Jack, and her daughter, Etta. I see a lot of myself in the character in her concerns and the way she handles (and mishandles) situations. Etta is growing up and going through the teenage years in her own way. She acts out in the beginning of the book and loses her chance of going to New York with Ave to visit Ave's lifelong best friend, Theodore. Ave is definitely blessed in her friends as well as her family. Theodore helps her work through her issues with Etta and Ave's past love, Pete, who is also in New York. Is Ave still attracted to Pete? Yes, but won't act on it. She knows she is deeply in love and in like with Jack and always will be.
The next segments have all of the characters older and wiser. Ave's best girlfriend, Iva Lou (my favorite character of the series), is diagnosed with breast cancer. Everyone concerned goes through growing pains with this news. Years go by again and there is a trip to Italy to Ave's father's home for a long visit. Etta also sees her crush, Stefano, but is older and wiser in how she is with him. Stefano appears several times throughout the book and is part of Etta's maturing into a fine young woman. And the consternation of Ave. She is reluctant to have her little girl grow up any quicker than she should, but Etta has always been her own person, rather strongwilled, but very intelligent and full of common sense.
This is such a warm and wonderful book and a great addition to the series. It is staying on my keeper shelf.
I know a part of my enamour for the series is that Big Stone Gap exists and this area is where my husband grew up. I had the chance to see many of the locations this summer when we went back to his home area for his nephew's graduation from University of Virginia at Wise. I smiled each time I read a familiar place name.
Five enthusiastic Appalachian beans!

TALES OF A FEMALE NOMAD: LIVING AT LARGE IN THE WORLD - Rita Golden Gelman

What an amazing read!! It's been on Mt Git'r'Read for a while even after I eagerly ordered it from Our Lady of the Books, Pamala of Bartlett after hearing so many wonderful recommendations. I added it to the TBR Challenge and still it languished. I have a slight aversion to nonfiction, non-mystery genre books and this is definitely fitting of both.
Yet something drew me finally..in the mood, color of the cover...something. And very glad I fell for the draw.
Rita is in an uncomfortable lifestyle. She has money, a pretty decent husband, two wonderful kids....but she feels she is missing something in her life. She tells her husband that she needs a break. She suggests two weeks. HE suggests TWO MONTHS! This terrifies her, but she decides to go to Mexico. And not just the tourist Mexico. No, she finds a village, asks to live there as an anthropologist. She finds she likes this lifestyle, terrifying as it is. Not scary danger of loss of life and limb terror. Rather it's what she will discover about herself kind of terror.
She decides that she is also on the search for spirituality. Her travels take her on this path.
My favorite of her settlements has to be New Zealand. Rita seems finally so at ease with herself, she is able to completely immerse herself into the Kiwi life and enjoy it. Plus the fact that I've always wanted to travel there.
This gets a very enthusiastic five beans!