Your Reading Assignments
It’s been a while since I’ve pimped out a book anywhere other than Twitter/Facebook. What can I say? Busy trying to salvage a career here. I really don’t want to sling fries with the pimple set. Ever. So I come out of my manuscript cloud (picture letters and crumpled paper flying around the room like a monkey flings its own crap), to talk about a book and a series that I REALLY love.
I’m talking about Stacia Kane’s UNHOLY GHOSTS.
Stace and I met, like so many authors, online and hit it off, probably because we’re both very, very wrong. She and I were founding members of the League of Reluctant Adults–way back when there were just five of us–and started beta reading each other’s shit. Which brings me back to UNHOLY GHOSTS. I’ve had the chance to read all three of the books in the series (the other two are UNHOLY MAGIC and CITY OF GHOSTS) and I’m here to tell you, this is groundbreaking stuff.
Now, I’m not a HUGE fan of urban fantasy. Primarily because what I’ve read seems to be inspired by the genre itself and the heroes/heroines aren’t surprising at this point. What it takes to catch my interest is realistic characters. And that’s not to say what’s realistic for a TYPICAL hero or heroine of this genre, but what’s realistic for human beings. Stace’s character Cesaria (Chess) Putnam is damaged; she’s drug addicted; she lives in a dystopian world of systemic grief, where the majority of the population has been extinguished by an uprising of ghosts; a world where God does not exist. That’s all I’ll give away about the book and its premise. I’ve seen some reviews where Chess’s drug abuse was the breaking point for the reader, I love her for the complexity of her crutch. The necessity of it is masterful worldbuilding. And Stace’s protagonist is the perfect creation to explore the dark boundaries of heroism. I was in love from the first chapter.
Seriously, pick it up today!
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Another League of Reluctant Adults member, Jackie Kessler, is serializing HELL TO PAY, the last book in her fantastically saucy succubus series on her website. That means every week you can get your Jezebel fix, what could be more awesome. Plus, it’s free. What? Seriously? Spike up here!
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Yet another Leaguer, Michelle Rowen’s new Demon Princess book, REIGN CHECK is out today. You’ll be needing that one in your bag. You just will.
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Great news for two other Leaguers. Richelle Mead’s SPIRIT BOUND is #1 on the USA Today Bestseller list!!! Huge news because the USA Today list lumps all genres together. That’s a buttload of sales y’all. Our glowing ray of sunshine, Michelle Rowen sold the next book in her Living in Eden paranormal romance series. This one’s called THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC. Congrats ladies!
Unholy Ghosts sounds fantastic, Mark. Thanks for the recommendation. And big congrats to Richelle Mead. Out. Standing.
I trust your judgment. Ordered
I was pretty sure Richelle would make it to the top – that series (all of them, really) is fanfuckingtabulous.
Well, hope all is going well in you cave and glad to see you out to enjoy some fresh air.
Unholy Ghosts sounds like a great read. I am going to have to add it to the list to get. And it is way cool what Jackie is doing to get the last book of Jezebel out there for us.
Hope you don’t get lost in you cave. Thanks!
i r eally hate pimples, they can really ruin your day.;’*
If you like snark, you will like Chloe Neill. Ok, so the heroine (Merit) has a flaw. She’s a Jane Austen fan, which I am not. Despite that I found it funny and well developed, I liked the plot, the characters, and the world building.
If I had to say the number one thing that made this UF/PR genre book stand out, it was the ability to speculate. I’m creative. I don’t need the crime solved and neat at the end of every book. I want it messy and interesting. The more thought provoking the better.
My personal thoughts this week? Mr. Darcy sucks. I hate angsty lovers. Creativity rocks. Top pick authors currently are: Cherie Priest, Paolo Bachigalupi, and Chloe Neill.
My feelings might change tomorrow, cause I’m fickle that way!
there is no permament cure for pimples, you can only control its symptoms’”-
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