Review: Tempest's Fury by Nicole Peeler

Title: Tempest's Fury
Author: Nicole Peeler
Release date: July 2012
Publisher: Orbit
Series: Jane True #5
Genre: fantasy/paranormal romance

Description: Supernatural halfling Jane True's not happy. She's been packed off to England to fight a war when she'd much rather be getting busy with her boyfriend Anyan. Unfortunately, Jane's enemies have been stirring up some major trouble and attracting a lot of attention - making it rather tricky for Jane and Anyan to get any alone time.
Catapulted into the role of Most Unlikely Hero Ever, Jane must lead supernatural races in a desperate battle to combat an ancient evil. But she'll also have to fight her own insecurities, as well as the doubts of those who don't think she can live up to her new role as Champion - the most powerful supernatural leader of all . . .

My thoughts: The fifth book in Nicole Peeler's 'Jane True' series about a half-human half-selkie woman from the Northeast USA, Tempest's Fury finds Jane in London, to help fight a war. In this book, Jane must learn to use the extra power she's been given, and wield the giant axe (labrys) which she'll be able to use against their enemies. Most of the usual gang are here - Blondie, Anyan, and some new British friends.

I have to confess this isn't my favourite book in the series. It took me a lot longer to read, as the plot allowed me to get distracted by other books. Basically this book is about Jane's development, while they visit various places in England chasing down ancient enemies.

One thing I did really enjoy about this book is how Ms Peeler paints England through Jane's eyes. You can tell that she has visited the country and seen things for herself - her observations (through Jane) are spot on with what I'd noticed in reverse going to America: the size and shape of houses, the way streets are different, the differences between what a 'city' looks like in the two countries.

With the book ending the way it does, I'm very glad #6, Tempest Reborn, is already out - I'll be reading it soon to find out what happens! I love the series, but this one just didn't hold my attention like the others. Overall, I give it 6 out of 10.

~Ailsa

Letterbox Love/Stacking The Shelves

Another week has gone by, so it's time to look at the new books again! I haven't bought anything myself this week, and unfortunately I was ill for a lot of the time, so I didn't get the reviews written that I wanted, but that just means I'll have more to post about this coming week.
Although I didn't get any myself, my boyfriend sent me three books from my wishlist that I'm really looking forward to reading.

Title links go to Goodreads.

'Tempest's Fury', by Nicole Peeler. This is number 5 in her 'Jane True' series, about a girl who is half selkie. I have the first 3 on audiobook and they're my 'comfort listens', for when I'm sick and stuff like that - I'm really excited to read about what's next for Jane and her boyfriend Anyan.

'Midnight Blue-light Special' by Seanan McGuire - 2nd in her series about the Price family, who study and take care of cryptids, or supernatural creatures, this one continues to follow Verity, who we met in the first book. I've actually read the first couple of chapters of this one, and I'm really happy to finally be able to read the whole thing. It also features some of my favourite made-up creatures, the Aislin Mice, who I'll talk about when I review it. (You can see my review of book one by clicking here.)

'Chimes At Midnight' by Seanan McGuire - 7th in the 'October Daye' series. This one came out at the start of the month, and I really want to see what happens to Toby. Despite being definitely an adult, she did a lot of growing up in the last book, and it'll be interesting to see how much of that she's managed to hold on to here, and how the events of the last book have affected her. Even with strong plots in all of them, I think this is a very character driven series. 

So, I'm very excited about all three of these books! How about you, what did you get this week?

Book review: Eye Of The Tempest, by Nicole Peeler

Title: Eye Of The Tempest

Author: Nicole Peeler

Publisher: Orbit (UK), Little, Brown (US)

Pub date: October '11

Source: Christmas present

Notes: Book 4 in the 'Jane True/Tempest' series - review may contain spoilers for earlier books.

Description: There's something lurking in the depths...

Supernatural halfling Jane True was hoping for a nice welcome home to small-town Rockabill - but instead an ambush awaits her and her new love interest. Coming under attack awakens a terrible new power within Jane, and she almost destroys herself when she unleashes it.

When Jane wakes, weeks later, she discovers that she's not the only thing stirring. Something underneath Rockabill is coming to life - something ancient and powerful, something that just might destroy the world. Whatever is rising from the waters must be stopped - and Jane has a feeling she's just the hlafling for the job.

My thoughts: If you're at all interested in publishing, or maybe even if you aren't, you'll have heard people talk about author "voice" before. Like many people, I didn't quite get it, but Nicole Peeler has it, in spades. I started following her on twitter a couple of months before I got the first book (Tempest Rising), and as soon as I started the book, I could see it - the writing is so totally Nicole. The way she talks on twitter is the way she writes in the books, and I love it. I haven't reviewed any of the others before (which I have as audiobooks - this is my first time reading a paper copy), so I get to gush about it ;-)

The book starts with Jane waking up on Anyan's sofa, them having just returned from the Alfar compound, where Ryu, Jane's ex, has been elected leader. Jane and Anyan have finally revealed some of their feelings for each other, and I was looking forward with this book to finally seeing them get past the awkwardness and just get together already! Unfortunately they're attacked before anything fun can happen, and by the end of chapter two, Jane wakes to find herself in hospital, next to a father who suddenly knows about all the supernatural creatures living in Rockabill. Although I'm glad he finally knows about everything that's going on, and what his daughter is, I did think it was a bit sudden for Mr True to know about everything. We miss the actual reveal, and I almost feel like that was taking the easy way out.

This wasn't my favourite book in the series so far as plot goes, it just wasn't as interesting as I felt like the others were, and I think the end result was pretty predictable once you see what's going on. I did still really enjoy it, and you can see how much Jane has changed since we first met her in Tempest Rising. I also really love the steamy scenes we get between Jane & Anyan in this book - talk about leaving the reader on edge! Haha.

I can't wait for the next book, mostly to see how the Jane/Anyan relationship continues to turn out, but also to see how Jane deals with this new challenge. I love these books for just how much fun they are - Jane narrates in a voice much closer to my inner monologue than a lot of tough fantasy heroines. Nicole Peeler writes in such a way that I find myself laughing out loud as I read. I highly recommend this book and the series, especially to people who want a little more light hearted urban fantasy, without losing the plot or romance elements that make grittier stuff good.

I give this book 7 out of 10.

~Ailsa

(P.S. - have you entered the birthday giveaway yet? Just leave a comment there, then each additional comment gives you 3 extra entries!)