Lips Together Three Times by Laini Taylor

Lips Together Three Times by Laini Taylor, 265 pages
(3 short stories)

Quite honestly the only thing I enjoyed about the three stories in this book were the illustrations. They were absolutely amazing and fit so well as a mini-preview of each story. Of the three stories, I liked "Goblin Fruit" and "Hatchling" the least. "Spicy Little Curses" had more of a plot line making the story more enjoyable than the others. Because they are short stories, to say anything about them would give too much away. I will say that the first deals with goblins and will have you shaking your head at the very stupid main character. The second deals with hell and back - and is intriguing. The last is just way out there.

The Queen Is Dead by Kate Locke

The Queen Is Dead by Kate Locke, 337 pages
(Book 2 in The Immortal Empire series)

I wasn't so impressed with this book as I was with the first. It seemed that the author simply tried to "tidy up" from her first novel and make connections. One particular character that comes back from the past left me shaking my head. The quick change from viewing certain characters as "evil" and then as heroic was a bit odd. The end seemed to be rushed and didn't have as much action as the first book in the series did. All in all -- I didn't dislike the story, but it could definitely have been much better.

God Save the Queen by Kate Locke

God Save the Queen by Kate Locke, 354 pages
(Book 1 of Immortal Empire series)

This was a great read and I'm looking forward to finishing the series. Xandra's youngest half sister, Dede, has gone missing and she will do anything to find her. Nevermind that the authorities found a body that her sister and brother agree is Dede. Xandra senses something odd is at foot and starts out on a road that will lead her to startling discoveries about herself and the world she lives in. Xandra is a halfie - half human and half vampire. Vampires rule this world controlled by the Monarchy. Queen Victoria is still alive and kicking - ruling for 175 years now. Goblins, Werewolves and other creatures that go bump in the night are very much real. This is your classic Sci-fi/Fantasy Steampunk novel complete with twists and turns that will keep your head spinning. To say anymore would give too much away. This is a definite - must read for yourself book. It does have language, violence, torture, sex and some pretty graphic parts, but considering you have vampires, werewolves, goblins and humans ... it's kind of hard not to.

Kiss of Shadows by Laurell K. Hamilton

Kiss of Shadows by Laurell K. Hamilton, 637 pages

Merry Gentry is in hiding, from her aunt, who of which is the queen of the unseelie court. She is doing fine until one of the cases she works on out her as the princess of the unseelie court. No more hiding. She is then summoned home to fulfill her queen's wishes in becoming the heir to the throne. But only if she is to get pregnant. Is Merry going to go through with it or is she going to take a chance on the queen's wrath?

God Save the Queen by Kate Locke

God Save the Queen by Kate Locke - 351 pages

One word...Superb! I was not expecting this. When I first seen this book I was sceptical, did not know what it was all about. When I read the back of the book it was all about vampires and werewolves. I thought cool this should be preaty good. Boy was good a poor choice to use on this, it was fantastic.

Alexandra - Xandra/Xandy to family and friends- is a halvie and  part of the Royal Gaurd for the original Queen Victoria and the year is 2012. Yes, Queen Victoria in 2012. She is a vampire the rules Britatin with an iron fist and no one is to stop her. But maybe Xandra?

God Save the Queen by Kate Locke

God Save the Queen; The Immortal Empire #1 by Kate Locke --- 351 pages

Well the premise of the book certainly piqued my interest, but unfortunately the author failed to deliver the goods.

Although it's being labeled "steampunk" in actual fact this book is set in an alternative 21st century London where an undead Queen Victoria still sits the throne, so I'd call it more of an urban paranormal fantasy --- and that's where the problems start because it seems like the author just decided to throw in a whole bunch of paranormal elements without much thought for how they would mesh, and most importantly the underlying "science" takes so much explaining it makes you wonder if the author herself really understands what she's talking about. Supposedly the Black Death created a genetic mutation in the survivors --- the "aristocracy" of Great Britain--- that over centuries turned the English nobility into vampires and the Scottish nobility into werewolves. And this mutation  --- as far as I could make out --- is also regressive in some humans, and when vampires or werewolves mate with these humans they produce halfbreed offspring with some vampire or werewolf enhancements.  And very, very occasionally, when the genes are just right, a full vampire or werewolf results. Which is vitally important because apparently the full vampires and werewolves have a very low success rate at birthing babies on their own. 

So we have the vampires and werewolves in charge, with their halfbreed children trained to support, protect and defend the status quo. Humans survive in a state of seething rebellion not quite at the bottom of the social heap. The bottom of the heap is reserved for the goblins, the nightmare offspring of vampires mating with werewolves, monsters who lurk underground and feed on everyone else.

This is the first of a projected trilogy but Locke's writing skills are already stretched in this  volume trying to do too many different things at once.  It has the self-absorbed focus of a teen novel. The cover art reinforces that. The adolescent sensibility doesn't work too well with the more adult plot elements. It's particularly apparent in the humor --- the heroine's trying to be so cool and worldly-wise and yet the plot depends on her being absolutely clueless about what's going on all around her. And like too many Americans, Locke thinks all she has to do to sound "British" is to ham it up with lots of British slang.     

Readers who like either paranormal romance or urban fantasy will find this one just a little too cute for their taste.