Top 5 Sundays #13 - Fictional Worlds You'd Love to Live in!

Okey dokey, boils and ghouls, this week's Top 5 Sunday post is a little late. Okay, it's a lot late and technically it's last week's Top 5 but let's all just try to ignore that little detail, alright?

Now, this week's post is a truly special one - it coincides with the 100th, yup, ONE HUNDREDTH, such post over at Larissa's Bookish Life, the originator of this feature. Congrats, Lar! After just 13 posts I can totally understand the work the work that goes into them - and that's minus the headaches of coming up with the themes each week! Way to go, Ship #1!

Regarding this week's post, it's a hard one. Sure there are a lot of characters I'd love to trade places with but that doesn't necessarily mean I'd want to vacation - let alone live - in their world. I mean, heck, look at Karen Marie Moning's Fever series. Between the bookstore, Barrons, and the cars, I wouldn't mind having Mac's life, especially knowing that she survives her experiences as Priya and everything else her world throws at her. Others in her world, however, are no where near that lucky. In fact, when the walls come down, most of the Earth's population found itself collateral damage. So, yes, nice place to read about, great characters I wouldn't mind swapping places with, but not so great a substitute for the world as is, thanks but no thanks.

Another thing to bear in mind is that when it comes to the worlds of urban fantasy and paranormal romance, there tend to be two kinds: the worlds that know about the things that go bump and the worlds still in the dark about the vamps and weres and witches, oh my! If I'm going to be living in these worlds then I most certainly, most definitely, want to be in the know regards of what the rest of the world knows. I'm not saying I'd necessarily want to be one of the bumpers, but, seriously, what's the point of world swapping if you're not even going to know about the OMFG huge difference that just went on?

So, that being said, without further ado, I give you Calliope's Domain (belated) Top 5  Fictional Worlds I'd Love to Live in!


#5 - The World of Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews

Okay, so the magic's a little wild and unpredictable but even still this is one heck of a world. Vampires are the mindless, vicious undead piloted by necromancers. Shapeshifters are the result of a virus and live in clans overseen by one hell of a hunky alpha. Magic based crimes and problems can be investigated and dealt with by any one of a number agency, including The Order of Merciful Aid featuring knights and the mercenary run Guild. Sure, it has its problems - what fantasy world doesn't? - but by and large its interesting, unique blend of the magic and mundane. Literally.


#4 - The World of Jane Jameson by Molly Harper

Now this world has it all - vampires, werewolves, ghosts, legal rights - what's not to love? Plus, when you get Turned into a vamp, the (not even remotely) friendly neighbourhood vampire council sends you over a Welcome to your Undeath basket full of all your basic vampire starter needs. The fact that things will probably go horribly wrong soon afterwards is, well, to be expected. On the bright side, if Jane can survive, anyone can!

#3 - The World of the Metawars by Kelly Meding

Admittedly, this world gets off to a rocky start mostly on account of all the collateral damage inflicted during battle after battle of superheroes vs. supervillains. Fast forward fifteen powerless years though and the world has itself something of a reboot. Now superheroes are back and once more saving the day and, truly, who wouldn't want to live in a world so much like the one read about in comics? I mean...have you ever seen an ugly superhero? Exactly. Saving the world makes for hunky business.


#2 - The World of Sarah Dearly by Michelle Rowen

Picture a world just like ours except with vampires thrown into the mix. And by "vampire" think immortal, blood drinking undead human with super speed, super strength, super senses, and a couple other super gifts tossed into the mix. No reflections though. What I love about this world is that it has all the comforts of home tweaked with a supernatural slant. Heck, it's even set in Toronto.


#1 - The World of Kitty Katt-Martini by Gini Koch

This is a world with a secret agency run by alien who, to quote Kitty, "come from Planet Hunk, sent to Earth to protect and serve. And make the ladies happy." Yes, it's dangerous, with a varied mix of political intrigue, intergalactic subterfuge, and homegrown terrorism putting one's survival on the line over and over again. But it has hunky aliens. And an adorable super consciousness. And they use alligators as attack dogs at least once. Believe me when I say that if I could apply for employment at Centurion Division and/or its embassy, I would. Oh, how I would. Well, provided they offered adequate health insurance that is.

And there you have it! This (by which I of course mean "last") week's Top 5! Stay tuned...later today or tomorrow, LOL, for the next feature!

Top 5 Sundays #12 - Fictional Houses You'd Love to Live in!

One of my friends has an addiction to the HGTV network. In particular, she has a thing for House Hunters, or as I like to call it: "That show that walks you through pretty houses you wish you could have but will probably never afford." And now the show's spun off to go international. That's a lot of pretty houses to be wishing for. Point being, I've got some experience when it comes to dream house fantasy which, as it turns out, is a rather handy tool to bring to bear when writing up a list of fictional houses I'd love to call home.

So, without a further ado, here is Calliope's Domain's Top 5 Fictional Houses You'd Love to Live in! Someone - quick! - cue the drum roll. (Oh! And FYI - the pictures? Those are just close takes on my imagination's vision of the mentioned homes and are in no way official that I know of.)

#5 - Gin's house in Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin series

In the first book, Gin lives in an apartment that's pretty Spartan aside from a cluttering of books, weapons and cooking implement. By the second book, she's moved into the house she inherited from her mentor, Fletcher. A mismatch of architectural styles and defense precautions on the outside, the inside is a warren of hallways, stairwells, hidden passages, and rooms. Great if you never know when enemies of deadly intent might be dropping by...

#4 - Charley's apartment in Darynda Jones' Charley Davidson series

They say when it comes to real estate, it's all about the location. Charley Davidson lives in a small apartment in the building she was brought to as a kidnap victim in her childhood. There is the ghost of an elderly Asian man standing in one corner with his back to the room and her front door may as well be revolving for all the traffic it sees - usually regardless of Charley's opinion on the matter. But all that besides, her best friend lives a couple of doors down and her office - which is upstairs from her father's bar - is literally across the parking lot from her apartment building. Ultimately, everything balances out just fine, LOL.

#3 - The Beast's castle from Disney's Beauty and the Beast

 Of all the Disney princesses, Belle has, hands down, the best living accommodations. I mean, West Wing aside, her first night in there, Belle's dinner entertainment is a musical number put on by the silverware, dishes and candlesticks. Yup, that's right, the furniture? It's alive. Not to mention that, for the first time, we've a Disney romance based on time spent together and mutual interest as opposed to love at first sight. And, heck, did you see those gardens?

Oh, who am I kidding? We all know the number one reason for wanting to call this castle home and it has nothing to do with the talking teapot. THIS is why:

#2 - Barrons Books and Baubles from Karen Marie Moning's Fever series

It has books, it has beautiful antique architecture, it offers several rooms above, it has Barrons, it has an intricate and developed underground, it has books, it abuts to a garage filled with beautiful expensive cars, and it can claim one heck of a security system. Oh, and did I mention the books? It's a wondrous, wonderful home and damn if I don't envy Mac like crazy for owning it by series' end.

#1 - American Centurion Embassy from Gini Koch's  Kitty Katt series

This is not your standard embassy. It has secret underground levels sporting even secreter underground laboratories. It has teleporting gates. It has little balls of fluff that can grow to man-size and devour people. It has aliens. And the very best part of all? It has wonderful invisible elves (for which there is a complicated, logic-based scientific explanation) that take care of the cleaning and laundry as well as ensuring an infinite supply of any beverage you can name. Literally. Add to that all the yummy aliens walking about and this embassy is as close to Heaven as you can get. You just have to overlook all the bad guys gunning for the lady and master of the house.

And there you have it! Until next week, lovies. ^^

REVIEW: Gini Koch's Alien Diplomacy

Book: Alien Diplomacy

Author: Gini Koch

Series: Katherine "Kitty" Katt

Publishing stats: April 3rd 2012 by DAW (USA)

Genre: Science Fiction

Cover Blurb: Being newlyweds and new parents is challenging enough. But Jeff and Kitty Martini are also giving up their roles as super-being exterminators and Commanders in Centaurion Division while mastering the political landscape as the new heads of Centaurion's Diplomatic Corps. Enter a shadowy assassination plot and a new set of anti-alien conspirators, and nothing will ever be the same...

First line: “Missus Martini, can you please explain the proper way to greet a visiting dignitary from China when you are also in the company of dignitaries from Japan, Russia, Thailand, and Bangladesh?”

What I liked: What I've always loved most about this series is its humour. Whether Kitty is thinking through the evil plot, changing diapers, or chatting it up with the Big Bad there's always a sardonic and ironic tone that can't be missed. Of particular amusement is the interaction between Kitty and her uncle-in-law, former Pontifex Richard White. Imagine Mel Brooks' take on a retired James Bond partnered with a female Deadpool, up the sarcasm to eleven, and you've got a pretty good idea on how this partnership works and, damn, but its funny.

What I didn’t like: I think the past books spoiled me because this book...well, with everyone being shuffled about job-wise, there just wasn't as much interaction with the secondary characters as I'd come accustomed to. I was disappointed. In the previous book, Ms. Koch has done a remarkable job balancing page time between established friends and family and new characters, both good and bad. A lot of Diplomacy, however, was given over to the new with what felt like mere glimpses slipped in of such beloved characters as Reader, Christopher, Lorraine and Claudia. Not that the new characters weren't awesome - Olga and Senator Macmillan in particular were fantastic - but I regretted not having the banter and interaction I'd come accustomed to in the past books.

Overall: If I had to sum up the overall theme of this book with one word, it would be frustrated. The characters were frustrated on several levels. The transition into their new roles rough and awkward; everyone realized the necessity and accepted the responsibilities their new jobs entailed, but between trying to live up to expectations of one kind or another and dealing with the actual demands of their jobs the overall impression was that they'd run away screaming if they could. The Bad Guy Plot was largely unknown resulting in, you guessed it, frustration. Multiple assassination attempts, the appearance of several poorly disguised strangers and clues and hints that only lead to questions and no answers only add to the frustration. I honestly have no idea if this is a good or a bad thing - I guess it depends on the reader. Personally, this was not my favourite in the series but it was by no means a bad book, quite the contrary in fact.

Would I read this author again: Yes - there has yet to be a book in this series that has not made me laugh and, really, what's not to be loved about that?

My rating: ♥♥♥/5

To purchase the book for yourself, you can find it at Chapters.Indigo.ca, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, or The Book Depository. Enjoy!