Turn Coat (The Dresden Files #11)

Dresden time!!

Turn Coat

5 out of 5 Grey Stars

"I love being a wizard. Every day is like Disneyland."

You've done it again, Mr. Butcher. Bravo. How is it possible to keep creating such fantastic stories with new plots and subplots and sub-subplots and tying everything together and making it seem so easy? I know it's not, it's really hard, but Butcher makes it seem effortless, which makes The Dresden Files such a great series. We're really stepping up the game now!

"Okay, listen up. Things are about to get sort of risky."

Plot-Line:

I admit, I was a bit worried starting Turn Coat. I've never been a fan of Morgan, and I knew after reading the synopsis that he is going to be an important character in this installment. See, Morgan's been framed for the death of a Senior White Council member, and the only one who can help him is Harry. And Harry, being the good guy that he is, isn't going to turn Morgan away, especially since he believes that Morgan didn't commit the crime. Now the real killer needs to be found to clear Morgan's name, to stop any other killings from happening, and most importantly, to find the traitor inside The White Council. How much has The Black Council grown, how much are they affecting and changing matters in the White Council? There are lots of players, lots of mystery, and lots of twists and turns and new schemes in play throughout this novel. Just know that whatever you think is going to happen is even worse than you imagined, and that things are even more terrible than they seem.

"Doom, doom, and doom. Damn. How the hell was I supposed to do the right thing if there wasn't a right thing?"

Notable Parts:

Ohhhh, so much new information! We've got new creatures, new places, and new knowledge. Butcher really knows how to seamlessly add in information and reveal answers to questions you didn't even know you had. Skinwalkers are making their appearances, called naagloshi, which are bigger and badder than you'd ever imagine. Maybe even too much for Harry himself to handle. We get to see White Council headquarters, which is awesome, and we get some changes with Demonreach, the scary island that featured in Small Favor. Harry's got his relationship with Luccio, some great moments with Murphy, and the Alphas are back! Gotta love those college werewolves. The Gatekeeper shows up again (which I've been not-so-patiently waiting for) and he's dropping some alarming hints about the future. I'm trying to figure out what he means, but knowing Butcher, whatever happens will not be what I'm expecting. Oh, and Thomas has got some serious crap to deal with, poor guy. I just seriously love how Butcher keeps creating new ideas, setting up new plots, and how he develops his characters in ways you wouldn't expect. He's 100% right when he writes that the Council isn't about justice, it's about restraining power -- which is something Harry's going to have to keep learning the hard way.

"If I did the smart thing every time matters got dangerous, the world would probably come to an end."

Overall:

Harry's really stepping up his game now, and I love seeing his character maturing! There really is no single path to victory, and Harry's learning to set matters up in a way where he can have more than one way to win. Brilliant. The White Council's future is changing quicker than we thought, and I have no idea what's in store for future wizards, only that it's really not looking too good (like, at all). There are quite a bit of aftereffects to deal with in the next installment of The Dresden Files (titled Changes) and I'm so excited to see what happens next!

"Everyone dies. Everyone. There's no 'if.' Only 'when.'"

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

With Christmas coming around the corner, I've been getting in the spirit by listening to some amazing Christmas music by the fantastic band Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Oh, who am I kidding. I've been listening to their Christmas CDs non-stop since Thanksgiving was over. Yes, I am one of those people. My flatmates forbid me from putting up Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving had passed. I restrained myself (barely) and now the place looks like Christmas threw up everywhere. Beside for the mini-tree, wreaths and stockings with candy canes on them, I've really enjoyed making paper snowflakes. Cheap, easy decorations to make the place seem festive! And of course I needed to listen to some wonderful Christmas music while all this decorating was happening, hence Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) 24/7!  

  

Trans-Siberian Orchestra has been making wonderful music since 1996, and I love all their albums. They do other music besides Christmas stuff, which is awesome and I listen to throughout the year, but it's their Christmas CDs that I listen to the most. Blending Christmas ideas with lovely musical themes, TSO really captures the spirit of Christmas in their music and share it with their millions of fans. The have the upbeat, jazzy tunes, the classic ones, the slower, more emotional songs, and the ones that move you so completely that you have to listen to them again and again. They have a wide variety of singers, letting us hear all sorts of wonderful voices, and the amount of instruments they use create a phenomenal symphony that combine to produce something truly beautiful. I want to list some of my favorites for you guys, but it's so hard to choose! They are so many stunning, awe-inspiring Christmas songs that TSO has created, I don't know how to decide my favorites. But if I really had to pick, I'd have to go with Music Box Blues, Christmas Canon Rock, and This Christmas Day. Oh, and can't forget An Angel Returned! Seriously, they are all so fantastic, I highly recommend giving them a listen to help pump up your Christmas spirit. And if you don't celebrate Christmas, it's all good -- you can still listen to their Night Castle and Beethoven's Last Night albums, and can't forget their newest album: Letters From The Labyrinth. I am so extremely excited to hear the new album, fingers crossed it's a Christmas gift!

Merry Christmas and happy New Year! Enjoy the holidays everybody! 

Small Favor (The Dresden Files #10)

Continuing on with the adventures of Harry Dresden!

Small Favor

5 out of 5 Not-So-Small-Favor Stars

"I am wizard; hear me roar!"

Oh, Harry, you poor guy. Seriously, you can never seem to catch a break. But all these ordeals that you face make for some seriously great reads! Small Favor is no exception, and Butcher continues on with his plots for Harry in the best ways possible. Whenever we think something is resolved from previous novels, Butcher shows us just how talented he is, bringing back things most readers overlook. You'd think by book 10 I'd be better at figuring out what's going to happen, but that's what I love most about The Dresden Files -- I'm surprised again and again with each new installment. Mr. Butcher, you know how to weave a damn good story!

"There's nothing as exhilarating as being shot at and missed."

Plot-Line:

Let's jump right into the action! Butcher really knows how to grab his readers from the first chapter, and Small Favor does not disappoint. The sidhe are getting involved, and whenever that happens, we all know that matters are about to get extremely messy. Remember that time Harry made a deal with Mab and now owes her some favors? Well, the Queen of Air and Darkness has decided to cash in: Harry's to be her Emissary and protect a certain someone (whose name I'll omit to avoid any mini-spoilers, although you can probably take a good guess who it is). The Denarians are back to cause more trouble, and the Summer fae aren't too cozy with Harry either. Harry's got some dangerous enemies to face (as always) but his allies aren't exactly who you'd expect, adding a bit more tension to the novel. Good luck with this "small favor," Harry. You're gonna need it.

"Don't think, Harry. You know too much about what you're up against. Analyze, decide, and act."

Notable Parts:

The HUMOR. Oh, my gosh, Butcher, you've really outdone yourself! Harry's always been an entertaining character, but the snark and bits of comedy are phenomenal in this installment. Witty banter, hilarious situations, and grin-like-an-idiot-while-you-try-to-hold-in-your-laughter lines. Absolutely over-the-top fun. Of course, there's still danger and action and tension and whatnot, but Butcher's comedic skills really shine in this installment. Now, onto the serious stuff. Ivy and Kincaid are back, which is always cool to read about -- Ivy is one kickass kid! Our Knights of the Cross make their appearances, too, and without Sanya and Michael, Harry would be in some serious trouble. Luccio also helps out, and, I have to say, Gard is a pretty awesome character. The Denarians are great villains, and Nicodemus does not disappoint in his role of evil leader to the blood-thirsty gang of vicious fallen-angel hosts. We're introduced to some new powers, which I'm happy about, as I was wondering when we'd get into this area of magic. And then there's Harry, who seems to be acting a bit strange at times. Okay, maybe seriously strange -- but this is explained in the best way, and I love the shift in plot-lines here. What will be done with this new information?

“We're always disappointed when we find out someone else has human limits, the same as we do. It's stupid for us to feel that way, and we really ought to know better, but that doesn't seem to slow us down.” 

Overall:

I love this series! Have I said that enough yet? Probably, but I'm going to keep saying it anyways! Jim Butcher has created the most epic urban fantasy series, and I just love everything about The Dresden Files. There's always action, dangerous battles, character development, and changes that you don't see coming. I love the way Butcher intertwines plots and how he takes them in directions you don't always expect. Small Favor is a great read in a fantastic series, and I can't wait to see how things develop in future novels. So many great setups, where to next, Mr. Butcher? 

“Its amazing what you can get used to if your daily allowance of bizarre is high enough."