Playing Catch-Up

So I've read more than I've blogged lately, and I want to do a quick sum-up of what I've been reading.

I read River Marked by Patricia Briggs, and loved it as I have loved all of the Mercy Thompson books. I loved the foray into Mercy's Native American heritage and that she finally finds out more about her father. I was kind of hoping for more on Stefan, but at least he made a few appearances this go round. It leaves me hopeful that he might be back on board and ready for some vengeance in the next book.  All in all, 5 toes. Yes. I docked a whole toe for lack of Stefan the Scooby loving vampire. Come on. They can't all be sixes.

I've read Red Glove, which I blogged about. <3

Also, Defiance (Strange Angels) by Lili St. Crow was devoured. This has to be my favorite teen series. It is so deliciously enthralling. When I pick them up, I can't put them down again until the end. And this installment leaves you in very murky waters, wondering about the motives of a main character. I'm starving for more Strange Angels books. 5.5 toes.

And Abandon by Meg Cabot! (On shelves today!) I didn't really know what to expect from this book. I am a huge Meg Cabot fan, but I look to her for my funny fix. Since Abandon is a retelling of the myth of Persephone (You know, that chick that Hades kidnapped and took back to the underworld to be his bride? Only her mom towed her back out again and they made a deal where she'd spend half the year topside, and half the year down below, thus creating summer and winter?) I wasn't sure how funny the story would be. And really, it isn't funny at all. Not typical Meg Cabot stuff. But I loved it! I read straight through in one sitting. 5 toes.

My Easter read was Tangled Threads, the new Elemental Assassin book by Jennifer Estep. I'm loving the progression Gin Blanco is making from cold, hard assassin in the first book, to retired and world weary assassin, to retired assassin on the warpath for vengeance, into an almost superhero-esque figure fighting the evil crime queen of the fictional city of Ashland. I'm also loving that she's found a guy who gets who she is, and doesn't judge her for it. I'm kind of hoping Detective Donovan Caine will make a return cameo at some point so she can rub his nose in it. 6 toes!

 OH! I also read an ARC of her (Jennifer Estep's) new teen series Touch of Frost recently as well! Great stuff! Once again she's writing a supernatural series that is completely different from all the overdone vampire/were wolf mythology being churned out. This time it's a bunch of world myths thrown together in an elite private school. And there is a cute cameo from the Elemental Assassin series tossed in! 6 toes, more please!

Now I'm reading THIS:

So far, let me just say... squee!