Title: Changes

Author:  Jim Butcher

ISBN:  978-0451463173

Pages:  448

Release Date:  April 6, 2010

Publisher:  Roc

Genre:  Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Suspence

Source:  Library

Rating: 5.0/5

Summary:

Long ago, Susan Rodriguez was Harry Dresden’s lover – until she was attacked by his enemies, leaving her torn between her own humanity and the bloodlust of the vampiric Red Court. Susan then disappeared to South America, where she could fight both her savage gift and those who cursed her with it.

Now Arianna Ortega, Duchess of the Red Court, has discovered a secret Susan has long kept, and she plans to use it – against Harry. To prevail this time, he may have no choice but to embrace the raging fury of his own untapped dark power. Because Harry’s not fighting to save the world…

He’s fighting to save his child.

Review:

My first introduction to Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden was through the ill-fated television adaptation, entitled The Dresden Files.  When it was cancelled after a short first season, I was crushed.  Despite being an avid reader, I wasn’t clued into the fact that it was based on a series of books until a few years later.

During my pregnancy (2009-2010), I read through the series one book after another, and even brought an audio version of Changes that I had gotten from the library into the delivery room. Needless to say that even Harry’ snide wit and propensity to get into trouble couldn’t distract me. I didn’t even finish reading Changes for another week or so when I finally began to get more than one to two hours of sleep at a time.

When I decided that I wanted to add my own opinions on books to my website, I really didn’t know where to start.  I do have a list of books that have come out this year from my newest favourite authors, but don’t want to start cold in each series again. I decided to go back to Harry, to give him the uninterrupted attention that both he and Changes deserved to get from me the first time. I finished it in two and a half days and I’m so glad that I went back to it. Since my first, chaotic, read through, I had forgotten how much Changes really lives up to its name. The first chapter opens with the kicker:

I answered the phone, and Susan Rodriguez said, “They’ve taken our daughter.”

I sat there for a long five count, swallowed, and said, “Um. What?”

“You heard me, Harry,” Susan said gently.

“Oh,” I said. “Um.”

“The line isn’t secure,” she said. “I’ll be in town tonight. We can talk then.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Okay.”

I want to be really careful not to include any spoilers in this review, but I have to say that Harry loses almost everything that is important to him in this book.  He makes hard choices and this inevitably changes him as a person.  Jim Butcher has taken Harry to a whole new level and I can’t wait to see where he goes from here.

I can’t say that there is anything about this book that I disliked. The only concern I had was that there was one story point that I don’t feel got resolved. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that it directly ties into the ending, so I guess I’ll just have to go on to read Ghost Story to see if I’m right.

To conclude, Jim Butcher brings the reader through their own Changes as they read his book.  I went from emotion to emotion throughout the story, feeling like I was there, like I felt Harry’s urgency to find his daughter.  As always, Harry and his friends provided me with a few good laugh-out-loud moments and even one unexpected moment when I got goosebumps.  I recommend this book for anyone who likes a great story and doesn’t mind a cliffhanger at the end.

Thus far, I’ve been reading whatever interests me.  I get my books from friends, the library, the used bookstore, and of course, my favourite Canadian bookstore chain, Chapters. I’m on a paranormal fiction/YA kick right now but I like to read a variety of things including mystery (think Patricia Cornwell, Johnathan Kellerman), horror (Stephen King, Dean Koontz), fantasy (George R.R. Martin), sci-fi (Orson Scott Card) and the occasional autobiography (Howie Mandel was the latest). What I’m not into is erotica or a lot of non-fiction or how-to books.

If you feel like sending something my way, I prefer to read on my touchpad and I use calibre to convert books to be read on there. I’m always open to trading books with another author, as long as they’re okay with me giving my honest opinion. I hold myself to the same standard that I hold the bloggers who review my book, I’m honest, but will recommend the book to another type of reader if I didn’t like it.

I will always be honest about my reviews and, if the worst case should occur and I’m unable to finish a book because I really hated it, I won’t review it at all. Frankly, if you haven’t read the whole book you can hardly review it, plus I’d probably be hard-pressed to recommend it to anyone. If you’re an author and I have such an issue with one of your books, I promise to be as honest, yet tactful as humanly possible.

Right now I’m using a rating system out of 5, but frankly I don’t really like it. I know it gives an author a quantitative result, but it’s so hard  to explain why two books have different ratings if I loved them both. I’m going to wait it out and see if the rating grows on me, but if not, I reserve the right to ditch a rating system altogether and just give a free-for-all what I thought review.

If, after all this, you still want to send me something, click on the email icon in the Follow Me section to the right and drop me a line.

Beginning October 3, 2011, I will be posting reviews of the books I’ve been reading.  A new review should be posted every Monday.  I have a stockpile of already completed reviews at the moment, which should hold me through until after the new book is launched. Now my reviewer friends know why I have such a newfound appreciation of how hard it is to write book reviews – honestly, I know I’m not fantastic at the review process yet, but I’m hoping I’ll get better at it with time and practice.