Intrigues by Mercedes Lackey

Title: Intrigues
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Series: Book Two of The Collegium Chronicles (book one was Foundation)
Genre: Fantasy fluff
Setting: Valdemar, at the founding of the Collegium in the time of King Kiril.
Reason for Reading: Lackey's books never quite get bad enough to make me swear off her.
Finished In: Days. I admit it, all right? Days.
Pages: 328
Copyright Date: 2010
Cover: One of the standard ones by Jody A. Lee – it's in greens and golds and shows a boy on a galloping horse with leaves blowing past them.
First line: “Mags slapped the palm of his hand against the blue-painted wood of the stable door, and it banged open, whacking into the frame as Mags hurried through it.”
Best part: Lackey books when they don't explicitly suck are like warm comforting crack to me.
Worst part: Something went really wrong with the ending of this one, specifically the “tearful reunion of friends” part.
Imaginary Theme Song: “This is the song that never ends... it just goes on and on my friend...”
Grade: C+
Recommended for: Inveterate Lackey fans. Anyone who isn't familiar with Valdemar would really be better served starting with Arrows of the Queen or at least the first book in the trilogy (I assume it's a trilogy) Foundation.
Related Reads: Foundation, Arrows of the Queen, and Burning Brightly by the same author.

The Walls of Air by Barbara Hambly

(Note: I am many books behind in my reviewing at the moment. If I post more than two or three reviews today I'll start putting subsequent ones behind cuts so I don't overtake your friends page.)

Title: The Walls of Air
Author: Barbara Hambly
Series: Darwath Trilogy, Book 2
Genre: Alternate universe fantasy.
Setting: The kingdom of Darwath. Our two main characters are still from SoCal but Earth is only present in their dreams.
Reason for Reading: The first book was really good.
Finished In: Days. Maybe a week total.
Pages: 297
Copyright Date:
Cover: Looks like something out of Star Wars. Obi-Wan and Leia are standing in front of a holoscreen. Leia has a sword and staff in her hands.
First line: "The setting was the Shamrock Bar in San Bernadino on a rainy Saturday night."
Best part: I continue to find the ongoing political intrigue in this series of great interest.
Worst part: The plot twist near the end seemed very obvious to me.
Imaginary Theme Song: "A Whole New World" from Aladdin, but only because "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto" doesn't have a song AFAIK.
Grade: B-
Recommended for: I think fantasy fans should give this series a look, but it should definitely be read from the beginning.
Related Reads: The Time of the Dark by the same author.

The Armies of Daylight by Barbara Hambly

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Thresholds by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

Title: Thresholds
Author: Nina Kiriki HoffmanN
Series: None.
Genre: Modern fantasy.
Setting: Spores Ferry, Oregon, which seems to be based on an actual ferry, though not an actual town.
Reason for Reading: I really like this author and try to keep an eye out for her new books.
Finished In: Days
Pages: 243
Copyright Date: 2010
Cover: A young androgynous figure looks at a glowing shape in her hand. There are stars behind her.
First line: "It was Maya's second week in the new house."
Best part: The descriptions of art in the book - sketches and music.
Worst part: The sinking feeling that the main character was getting herself into a lot of trouble.
Imaginary Theme Song: I'll Fly Away
Grade: B
Recommended for: Fans of YA fantasy, people curious about YA fantasy.
Related Reads: A Red Heart of Memories by the same other. Saffy's Angel by Hilary Mackay.