Libriomancer

Libriomancer
Jim C. Hines
Magic Ex Libris
Urban Fantacy

Summary
Isaac Vainio is now a librarian but he was once more than that, he is a Libriomancer. Libriomancer's are wizards that have the ability to pull objects and magic from books. A light saber from star wars, sting from the hobbit or a mental fish that translates languages from a hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy.

A few years ago he made a mistake and it almost got him killed so now he is band from using his magic. Until the day 3 different kinds of vampires pulled from the pages of books attacks his library and he is forced to use his magic again.

Isaac services the attack but learns from an old Dryad friend that the vampires are on the attack and the founder of his order Gutenberg the creator of the printing press has been kidnapped. With little time and his friends in danger Isaac must once again dive in to the books he loves and the magic that has been taken from him, but will he be strong enough to stand against the darkness that is coming for them all?

Review
Libriomancer is one of the most interesting and original books I have read in a long time. Who among use has not dreamed of pulling the tools and magic from favorite books. In a way this is a fantasy version of something that we already do. As readers we take the ideas, magic and the science out of these books and make them part of our lives. Because of that this books magic and world often feel more real than other fantasy story told in the modern era.

The book is also interesting in its plot and the characters are fun and easy to connect with. The twist and turns are not hard to guess but are interesting in there execution. There are some parts that are a little slow and the author sometimes gets stuck in his own love of books and references. So if you also love fantasy/sci-fi books then its fun but it can get a little distracting at parts.

Over all this has a super fun read that I would recommend to anyone who loves books as much as I do.

I would give this book an 7.9 out of 10.

Warcross

Warcross
Marie Lu
Sci-fi
Warcross #1

Summary

Emika Chen has led a cursed life. Her mother left her, her father died from cancer and with a huge gambling debt to the mob. Emika was arrested for hacking and could not graduate from high school. Now she lives in a crappy studio apartment with her unemployed friend, eviction notice on the door and 13$ in her account.

The only good thing in her life is Warcross. Warcross is a full dive video game in which two teams try to steal each other’s team stone. At the opening game of the world championship Emika tried hacking one more time and ended up glitching in to the game.


Instead of going to jail or being sued by the Warcross creator Hideo Tanaka, she is offered a job. Someone is hacking the game and Hideo wants her find him them before the hacker does something truly bad. To do that Emika will be offered a once in a life time opportunity, a spot in the world championship.


Review
This book is a great read. I have tried reading books by Marie Lu before and I did not care for them but I could not put this one down. She has created a future that I think we can all see coming and a main character that we all have been at one time or another. This story feels real but with enough action and mystery to keep the reader on their toes.

The future that Marie Lu brings to light is a natural step from the world we are in now. It feels both sci-fi and real at the same time. The tech is interesting without bogging the story down in a lot of technical mumbo jumbo that the reader does not need.

The main character Emika is interesting and strong. She is smart, funny and feminine. She feels like a friend I've known before but at the same time she is unique and interesting. The other character both allies and enemies all feel well thought out and three dimensional.

The story is fun, interesting and easy to follow but with enough action and surprises to keep the reader coming back for more.

I give this book an 8.5/10.

Magic Bites

Magic Bites
Ilona Andrews
Kate Daniels Series
Urban fantasy

Summary

50 years ago the world fell apart when the magic shifts came a destroys everything. Now the world keeps switching back and forth between tech and magic ruling our lives. One day cars work, guns fire and you can watch your favorite show. The next day wizards are summoning a hydra to attack the city and shape shifters are fighting vampires in the streets.

Kate Daniels is a mercenary. When something goes bump in the night and you have money you call the mercenary guild. When her childhood guardian is found dead on the streets of Atlanta Kate will do everything within her power to find who did this and kill them.

But finding the killer will be harder than anything she has had to do before and will take her from one end of the city to the next. Will she be able to find the thing that killed her guardian or will the hunter become the hunted.

Review

I loved this book. it has action, comedy, mystery and just a touch of romance. Fans of the Dresden files and Shadowrun will love this original and interesting look at the magical post-apocalyptic world that Ilona Andrews has created.

Often this book it put in to the romance section but I think that is a mistake. Although later in the series there is a far amount of romance it is both natural and appropriate while still being hot and romantic later in the books. This is 100% a book that men and women can enjoy and will love.

I found this book late last year and I have already reread the whole series four times. These books are quick and easy to read but with the depth and substance of much longer books. They are smart but can be read and enjoyed by all people.

I truly cannot same enough about how good this series is. The main character is smart and interesting. she is a women who is independent and fights way outside her magical wait class for the little guy and those who need her help. At the same time the men in the story feel like men they are strong and smart and interesting.

The author has created a world of fear and chaos but in that she has shown us that even the worst of times there is light and good people everywhere. This book is amazing and I hope everyone gives it a chance even if it’s not your thing.

This book and the series as a whole get 10 out of 10.

Scythe

Scythe
Neal Shusterman
Sci-fi
Arch of a Scythe #1

Plot

In the not so distant future, mankind discovers immortality. Anyone can turn back the clock on old age. Diseases, pain and even death are a thing of the past, but for one exception, the Scythe.

When the world saw that death was no longer a problem the world lost its drive to overcome and change. This lead to them gave over control of the government to a sentient super computer. The only thing that the thunderhead does not control is the Scythdom.

The Scythe are the last form of death with natural death gone it was decided that an artificial for of death was needed to control over population. Those gleaning came about. Now hundreds of Scythe across the world most meet their death quote every year. These men and women answer to know one except for themselves and the Scythdom. So what happens when a scythe goes bad? Who or what can stop them?

Citra and Rowan are two teenagers who have been chosen to apprentice to become Scythe but only one of them will rise to become a Scythe and the other will go back to their old lives.

When the unrest in the Scythdom spills over in to their lives Citra and Rowan they will not just be competing for a job, they will be fighting for their lives.

Review

I loved this book. It was fresh and new. The look at how a world, that many man would dream of, could be just as messed up as our own is interesting and original. This future with no death is both inspiring and terrifying at the same time. This is a story that is about youth growing up but only those who understand death, as an adult does, can truly comprehend this novel.

The main two characters of the book share the first person perspective. The author jumps back and forth between them as needed by the story. The writing is well done and the flow of the book is quick, pulling you along as the read. There are little passages at the start of each chapter, they look like nothing but I recommend reading them as it adds a lot to the book.

I would recommend this book to everyone over the age of 14. It’s funny, interesting, and action packed. Personally I have already read it two times and it came out this year.

I give this book 9.5 out of 10.

The Winner's Curse

The Winner's Curse
Marie Rutkorski
Winner's Trilogy
Marshal fiction

"Summary"
In a world of violence and war a young girl, the daughter of the war leader, finds herself at odds with how she is told to act. Her father wants her to join the army. Her best friend wants her to get married and join society. Kestrel doesn't know what she wants, she just knows she is unhappy.

One day in the slave market Kestrel sees a boy. Unlike most slaves he is hot scared of her, he shows defiance and power. On a whim Kestrel buys the boy but he has a dark secret, and if she is not careful that secret will eat her alive and spit her out.

An empire at constant war, a people oppressed and enslaved, a boy consumed by rage, and a girl whose heart and mind are heading in to different directions.

"Review"
I really enjoyed this book. This book has the feel of a teen romance but in truth the book takes a much more interesting social stance. The book not only focuses on finding yourself and keeping love like most teen books but also on what makes an action a good one. how do you know what is right and when do we brake our own rules for the right thing.

So not only is this a interesting book with strong characters and a powerful plot line but it also will make the reader think and push them to be more then they where before.

I have found that more and more these day books are like candy it tasks good but does little for you. This book is more like a nice burger it task good but it also has everything you need to grow.

I would give this book an 8.3 out of 10

The Aeronaut's Windlass

The Aeronaut's Windlass
Jim Butcher
The Cinder Spires
Steam Punk

"Summary"
High above the earth floats the spires, the home of humanity. The Spires fight each other for resources and power in the sky. Captain Grimm is a pirateer for the Spire Albion. After being dismissed from the navy Captain Grimm got the ship Predator and now hunts the skies. After a bad fight that left Predator broken and the crew in dismay, Grimm is talked in to running an mission for the Spirearch, leader of Spire Albion.

Now with two crazy seers, two young navy cadets and one very pompous cat. The crew of the sky ship Predator will head of into adventure to protect their home from an unknown threat. Together will they be able to face what is coming and if they can will they see the threat when it before them?

"Review"
Jim Butcher has done it again. This book is amazing. Ever sense the genre of stream punk became popular I have been looking for a book which represented how I imagined a steam punk world to been, and until I read this book I had not found one.

I could tell you all about how well written this book is, or how interesting the characters are, or even how the unique world creates a whole new experience for the reader, but lots of books have these things. To truly understand how good this book is without reading it is impossible.

For me this book is everything I look for in a book but rarely if ever do I find it. This is not only a must read its a must own and a must read again and again.

I this book gets a 10 out of 10.

The Rithmatist

The Rithmatist
Brandon Sanderson
Rithmatist Series
Historical Fantasy

"Summary"
Joel wants to be a Rithmatist more then anything in the wolrd. He is more skilled at the geometric like magic, then anyone else his age sadly he is not a Rithmatist and he never will be. The Rithmatists are the only defense humanity has against the chalklings who threaten the united american islands.

When young Rithmatists start to disappear from there homes with out a trace. Joel and Melody are assigned to assist a Rithmatist professor to find out what is happening before the threat becomes to much for them to handle. The only problem is who can Joel really trust and can a norm really stand among the magical Rithmatists?

"Review"
Brandon Sanderson has done it again. His new book Rithmatist is a new must read for children and adults alike. The story takes place in an alternate america, where the states are all a collection of islands around the turn of the century. This makes the world really interesting because it is both historical and fantastic.

The magic in this book is just as interesting. Rithmatist magic is a mix of both math and Art. Using chalk the Rithmatist can make lines, circles, and other geometrical shapes to both protect themselves and attack there enemies. Rithmatists can also draw Chaklings, two demenchanal drawings that draw power from the Rithmatists artistic skill and emotional conection to the drawing.

Joel is an amazing character. He is both brilliant but also limited by his lack of Rithmatist power. He is therefore very easy to connect to and I felt that he was able to live the his adventure with him. The writing was a little more basic then most of his other work because this book is for young adults but that does not mean that is it lacking in quality at all.

I loved this book and I can't wait until the next one comes out. If you like his other books or are just looking for an amazing and quick read then check out his book.

I would give this book an 8.9 out of 10.