Read two Urban Fantasy novels in a row.
Touch the Dark by Karen Chance
I haven’t heard much about Karen Chance, to be honest. Other Urban Fantasy novelists such as Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, Rachel Vincent, etc. seem to get more airtime. But I picked up the On the Prowl anthology because Briggs was a contributor and I really liked Chance’s story.
My reaction to the novel, Touch the Dark is a bit mixed. The world-building is quite dense but Chance’s voice by and large holds up and doesn’t descend into infodump (much). I thought the world interesting, at times even fascinating, and I liked the heroine’s gift. I always love time travel when the author thinks things through. Lots of action too. Almost too much at times, at the expense of some character development, perhaps.
However, some downsides to the novel. No matter how gorgeous the vampire, if he’s giving off uncle vibes when it comes to the heroine, I just can’t find him sexy. Though it is true that immortal vampires and young woman have an age gap and perhaps it is more honest to put it out there so obviously. I don’t think Chance is unaware of all this—it’s UF, not romance—but I like to enjoy the sexy vampires, not be kinda turned off by it. Plus, my favorite secondary character makes choices I cannot like and I don’t get to enjoy him and his sexiness much either.
Nevertheless, I will read the next in the series and see where she goes with it.
Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
I love this title for the third book in the Mercedes Thompson series. The first book’s focus was werewolves, the second vampires and in Iron Kissed we learn more about the fae. There’s good, interesting world-building here, nevertheless, my favorite Mercy book is number two, Blood Bound. I’m not entirely sure why, but I wasn’t as focused a reader with this one as the earlier two.
I liked how Briggs resolved the love triangle, though I do worry for the one who’s no longer Mercy’s love interest, even if I did want her to be with the one she is with. (Aren’t I being quite good about spoilers?) I also understood why she couldn’t choose. Other than that, not a lot to say, though I’ll be reading the next book and I also look forward to Charles and Anna’s story.
There are two, more informative reviews of Iron Kissed at Dear Author, with grades of A- and C+. Note that the second review has spoilers.
Also avidbookreader gave Iron Kissed an A.
ETA: Forgot to say I love Ben. I think he should get his own book. It would be interesting to have a non-dominant werewolf as the focus. (And I’m a sucker for the type of scene he’s in near the end, though I know not everyone liked it. I did.)
