Get Your Towel!

It doesn't seem like it to look at the books I review, but fantasy is my favorite genre. I love all things mystical and magical. I love Sci-fi as well, but I have trouble getting a mental image for what the author is talking about sometimes. I prefer my sci-fi on television so I can see what they're talking about.

One sci-fi book that I fell in love with is Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. What's not to love? Vogon poetry? The meaning of life? Towels, anyone?

I found out (via Facebook, naturally!) that today is Towel Day. I thought I'd mention it on my blog because it's a reading thing and I take every opportunity to flaunt just exactly how geeky I am.

So, grab your towel and get your thumb ready to honor the late Douglas Adams, author of Hitchhiker's Guide and its subsequent sequels. No Vogon poetry, please.

Warrior Ascended by Addison Fox

The first in the Sons of the Zodiac series and the debut novel for author Addison Fox, Warrior Ascended sets the bar high for the series. Themis, the Greek goddess of Justice has been allowed by Zeus to create 12 groups of 13 immortal warriors to protect humankind from evil. However, he has pitted her against his daughter Enyo, goddess of war.

Immortal Leo warrior Brody Talbot is working undercover as an archaeologist on a mission to translate the Prophecy of the Summoning Stones. He meets Ava Harrison, curator of the stones' exhibit and daughter of the archaeologist who originally discovered the stones, Russell Harrison. Brody is immediately drawn to Ava, despite her horrid gray sweater. He follows her home and protects her from Enyo's warriors, the Destroyers.

Eventually Brody is forced to reveal exactly who and what he is to Ava after his lion tattoo manifests itself in the middle of the streets of London in order to aid Brody in fighting yet another set of Destroyers. She accepts this supernatural aspect of Brody's with much less questioning than I would have, presumably because each time she gets near one of the Stones, she sees visions.

Brody and Ava end up fighting to avert an Apocalypse, and I began wondering how she will top that for her next book! Buffy did it show after show, so I have no doubt that Ms. Fox can as well. I can just imagine the warriors asking Themis what they're going to do and Themis replying "Same thing we do every day, boys. Try to save the world from an Apocalypse," a la Pinky and the Brain.

This was a quick, enjoyable read. I will definitely pick up another one of Ms. Fox's books again in the future. If you like astrology, romance, and the paranormal, you'll enjoy this book.

Working for the Devil by Lilith Saintcrow

I feel like I've been missing out on this awesome author! Lilith Saintcrow has published several different series, both for adults and for young adults. I am in the midst of reading the Jill Kismet series, but picked up this first of the Dante Valentine novels while I was waiting for the next.

I love the strong female characters in Saintcrow's books. They're the type of women that I would love to hang out with myself, the type of woman that I want to be.

Danny Valentine is a Necromance, a psionic trained to raise the dead for the legal purposes--to discover who murdered them or to clear up contract issues. One day, as she is about to consult her tarot cards, there is a knock at the door. It is Japhrimel, a servant of the Prince of Hell. He's come to escort Danny to Hell for an audience with the Prince. Turns out that the Prince wants Danny to work for him, and he doesn't give her much of a choice. However, he also gives her a familiar, the demon Japhrimel.

Danny has a reason to want revenge on Santino Vardimal. Her best friend Doreen was killed by this demon escapee. Japhrimel also has a reason to want Vardimal dead--he escaped while being guarded by Jaf. Danny gets help from another Necromance, Gabriele aka Gabe and her partner Eddie, a dirtwitch. She also runs into Jace, a former lover and former Mob enforcer.

Along the way, there is magic, there is action, there is romance and discovery. There are so many twists and turns in this novel that if I share too much about it, I'll spoil it. I highly recommend this one--it will rock your socks off!