Wednesday Reads: Blood and Bullets

Ok, so for those of you who know my taste in the darker stuff (the kind without sparkles), I like it when things die, when there's blood, and when things go boom. So, you know, just look at this title. Blood and Bullets by James R Tuck is two words: Bad. Ass.

Whether you're tired of the female dominated Urban Fantasy world, or want a little something new, Deacon Chalk definitely hits the mark. He's rough and callous with just enough empathy to make him indispensable to the good fight--killing vampires.

Synopsis:

He lives to kill monsters. He keeps his city safe. And his silver hollow-points and back-from-the-dead abilities help him take out any kind of supernatural threat. But now an immortal evil has this bad-ass bounty hunter dead in its sights. . .
Ever since a monster murdered his family, Deacon Chalk hunts any creature that preys on the innocent. So when a pretty vampire girl "hires" him to eliminate a fellow slayer, Deacon goes to warn him--and barely escapes a vampire ambush. Now he's got a way-inexperienced newbie hunter to protect and everything from bloodsuckers to cursed immortals on his trail. There's also a malevolent force controlling the living and the undead, hellbent on turning Deacon's greatest loss into the one weapon that could destroy him. . .

First line: "Some nights are destined to go to hell."

Ain't that the truth? LOL Deacon's straight forward attitude is a lot of fun and his voice matches him and his image (big, tattooed, bouncer-type dude).

Brownie Points: I think Deacon gets the props, he's just awesome and fun to read. Also, the world he exists in is super cool and a unique enough twist on the monsters to keep it fresh.

Recommendation: Anyone who loves Urban Fantasy, male readers who love any sort of fantasy or shoot-em-up stuff.

Would I represent it? You bet! I think there's a limited market for male protag Urban Fantasies, but I'd definitely be open to them. And of course, I love this type of nitty-gritty with a female protag too.

Happy Reading!

Wednesday Reads: Hounded

Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. A very nice change of pace from women-centered Adult Urban Fantasy, comes a rich, multi-folktale/myth, male-centered Adult Urban Fantasy. With a really cute (big) doggy.

Synopsis:

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.

Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

First Line: "There are many perks to living for twenty-one centuries, and foremost among them is bearing witness to rare birth of genius. It invariably goes like this: Someone shrugs off the weight of his cultural traditions, ignores the baleful stares of authority, and does something his countrymen think to be completely batshit insane. Of those, Galileo was my personal favorite. Van Gogh comes in second, but he really was batshit insane."

I had to give you the full first paragraph. Atticus has a really fun, witty, at times wry, at times in your face, voice. It's always consistent, and I felt immediately connected to Atticus, despite his experience and gender. (Sometimes older beings can come off really superior and *not nice word*)

Brownie Points: I already mentioned the doggy. Who has his own awesome voice, combination silly dog and intelligent being. And yes, I said the dog has a voice. Don't worry, it isn't wacky. It ties in with Atticus's powers and works really well.

Also, I love the world. It's complex and involves names, gods, powers, and names that I've never heard of and cannot pronounce, but I was never lost. Plus, so many different myths and gods are pulled in and introduced you can't help but laugh out loud and marvel at the intricacy of it all.

Recommendation: For readers looking for a fantastic UF but a change of pace, plus a complex world and great characters. For writers, if you have a male voice that readers are unable to connect with--either too masculine for a female audience, or too feminine for a male character--you must read this.

Would I represent this? Yes! I'd love a male-centered, or even partial male-centered UF. The key to a really great UF is the world building. Must. Be. Done. Amazingly.

Happy reading!

Happy New Year!!!

My resolution this year is to read as many Adult novels (in my preferred Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy) as Young Adult. I struggled with this last year just because there are so many great YA novels. Of course, this goes hand in hand with a goal I've had for a while: sign some Adult clients (not that my clients aren't big kids already).

What are your reading/writing resolutions for the New Year?

Also, check out this week's Authornomics on the agency blog--the interviewee today is our own Andrea Hurst, talking about writing, advice, and resolutions. And enter to win a developmental edit with her! If you don't know, every week Andrea Hurst and Katie Flanagan interview someone in the industry, from new writers to best sellers, agents to editors. Check in every week because you never know when something great might be given away.

Happy resolutioning!

Bad Ass Chicks in Leather

One of the reasons I love Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy is the excessive use of leather. I do have to wonder though, are leather pants and leather bustiers really all that comfortable to run and fight in? But I guess that's why our imaginations are so tantalized by the imagery.

Points go to, of course, JR Ward for putting her vampire, demon-fighting good guys in leather pants and shit kickers. Oh those boys...

But I have to love Hannah Jayne's main character in her Underworld Detection Agency series because she does not wear leather, though her vampire roommate certainly does.

Personally, I'd go with camo/canvas pants, but hey, if I were in a novel I'd run around in four inch boots as well.

What other aspects of ParaRom and UF do you love that you'd be hard pressed to find in other genres?

Happy reading!

Change of Topic

For the next month or so, I'll be taking a break from talking about YA--on the blog. I still represent YA, am still looking for YA, and still love my YA clients. But I've been going nonstop on the blog about YA for about a year, so it's time for a genre switch. All my Wednesday Reads will be Adult Paranormal Romance or Urban Fantasy. All my discussion topics will revolve around the same genres.

From you, dear reader, I'd like to get a list of your favorite ParaRom and UF novels (to add to my already ridiculous TBR pile).

Also, any topics you would like to see addressed or discussed, please leave comments, suggestions, and questions in the comments of this post.

Happy writing!