Deathmaker by Lindsay Buroker

Goodreads: Deathmaker

Ah,  Lindsay Buroker . . .  

A lady who can spin a mean yarn!!!! 

This one is full of pirates, flying machines, and a sharp-shootin' gal who who can skin your nose with a rock from a hundred yards away. 

Set in a steampunk world complete with magic, war, adventure, plenty of escapes, and a good dollop of a fancy gooey concoction with remarkable metal-melting properties, it's brilliant stuff. I just loved it. 

In fact, my traitorous heart even thinks it prefers this little number to Lindsay's Emperor's Edge series!! 

How is that possible when I do love Amaranthe and Sicarius so much? (If you haven't read those books you are doing yourself a serious disservice, and I would suggest you rectify that oversight without further ado.)

But as much as I love A&S from Emperor's Edge, Cal and Tolemek from Deathmaker have absolutely stolen my heart. 

Cal is the ultimate impetuous shoot-first-ask-questions-later heroine. 

Tolemek - despite his dastardly nickname Deathmaker - is a smart, Captain Jack Sparrowish (Pirates of the Caribbean) hero with a penchant for making gooey substances (from snake and spider venom) with both deadly and benign properties. 

The chemistry between these two sworn enemies is fun to read, although, unlike Balanced on a Blade's Edge (the first in this series) this is more of an adventure than a romance. For those who loved Balanced on a Blade's Edge, Ridge, Sardelle and Jaxi also appear in this one. That said, Cal and Tolemek are definitely the show-stealers.

As we can expect from Lindsay, the action is fast-paced and riddled with her usual witty dialogue. There is even an unexpected twist at the end to keep it from becoming predictable. 

And . . . tara tara . . . no deluge scene! No water at all! To understand this reference see my Blade's Edge review. 

So, after this rave review, what didn't I like? 

Okay, I admit, this sounds shallow, but the cover . . . 

I know, I know, I did choose this one when Lindsay posted her options on Facebook for comment, but it was the best of a boring lot . . . 

Maybe it's just me, but I find the blue very dull. Tolemek deserves better . . .

So, if you haven't read this yet, I suggest you rush out and buy it. And in case you are wondering how much Lindsay paid me for this review . . . nada - other than a free copy for comment. 

But, let it be said, hand on heart, this is my honest opinion of a fantastic story. I can't wait to read more about these guys. 

cheers
Gwynn

Balanced on the Blade's Edge by Lindsay Buroker

Lindsay Buroker is one of the few authors for whom I will rearrange my reading schedule, so when she called for reviewers for her latest book, Balanced on the Blade's Edge, I was there. Just like I stopped what I was doing on Facebook (mindless trawling, if I'm honest) to follow the link to her help-me-choose-a-cover-for-said-book post. Happy to announce that I picked the cover she finally went with. Don't you just love it?

So, all this might lead you to believe that I am biased about her writing and that you can in no way trust this review. Not so. I love Lindsay's work but I'm not totally blind to her quirks and foibles. To find out more, read on . . .

Balanced on a Blade's Edge is a gripping, fun read in which we meet two charming characters: Ridge and Sardelle.

Ridge is a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants colonel with more demerits than medals who is sent as a punishment to command a vital prison mine in a hostile environment. I loved him. Great character and I would definitely like to read more of his exploits. How about some novellas of his early days, Lindsay?

Sardelle is a sorcerer who went into stasis three hundred years ago and woke to find her world destroyed, and now a bunch of blood-thirsty, sex-crazed miners are rummaging through the rubble. Luckily the new commanding officer is hot and seems to have a interest in this strange new 'prisoner'. . . Sardelle has all the usual kick-butt qualities we expect from Lindsay's heroines. But what made her interesting was that although she has mega-power in a world of mundanes, she can't use any of it in case the numbskulls burn her at the stake for being a witch. Nice twist. It also made for a sizzling ending.

So with characters in place, what follows is a typical Lindsay Buroker extravaganza. Regular readers of her works will recognise - and love - the usual sharp-witted banter that flows so easily from her pen. They will also be familiar with another of her favourite plot devices . . . yes, there is another deluge scene. Lindsay does love destroying things with water, and it makes fun reading even if it is a bit predictable. There, you see, not a blind reviewer throwing out bouquets - there's an implied criticism there. I admit to an eye roll when the water came, and yes, it robbed the story of its fifth star. But maybe that's just me . . . The rest of her readers may still love the water.

What I did love, though, was the freshness of the:
1. Setting. A prison mine that was once the home to a dynasty of sorcerers. Good stuff!
2. The magic. I loved the concept of Jaxi, the soulblade who could speak in Sardelle's mind. To find out more about that, you will just have to read the book.
3. Flying. That was fun, but I would have loved to know more about the flyers Ridge flew. 
4. The ending. Coooool! And so unpredictable. Only trouble was, I was miserable when it was all over.

So, yes, I loved Balanced on the Blade's Edge and would definitely want to read more about these characters. I am sure that world has a place for a wild flyer colonel and a displaced sorcerer. 

How about it Lindsay?

Cheers
Gwynn

The Narrowing Path by David J Normoyle

The Narrowing Path (Goodreads)

I found this gem of a book on Netgalley and was struck by the cover: definitely intriguing. The blurb clinched the deal, luring me in . . .

Only the strongest, smartest and most ruthless will survive.

Every six years, the world draws nearer to the sun. In Arcandis, those who want to live must claim the limited places in the Refuge, a series of underground caverns cooled by the sea.

The teenage boys of noble birth are sent out into the city to demonstrate their wits and strength. Some prove themselves in combat, others display their empire building skills, still others attempt to kill off their rivals. Out of over a hundred, only six will be selected by the leaders of the great families and allowed a place in the Refuge. The rest will perish, one way or another.

Not only is thirteen-year-old Bowe younger and weaker than most of the other boys, he has no family to support him. He is expected to die on the very first day of the narrowing path. Instead he begins a journey no one could have anticipated.

Unable to resist The Hunger Games feel of it, I immediately requested it and am delighted to say that it delivered on all its promises. I started reading in the evening and found myself still awake at three in the morning when I turned the last page on my Kindle. I was so impressed that I filed it into it's own category under the author's name. I only ever do that if I intend reading more of an author's work. The rest of the books get shoved into a genre category.

Okay . . . so what made it so good?

The book is definitely dystopian (thoroughly brutal in fact) but it has a high fantasy setting! Anyone familiar with my blog will know that fantasy and sci-fi are my first loves. That said, one of my reading delights this year has been the discovery of some great cross-over books that mash different genres together - like this one - making for a fascinating read. As far as I can see, it's mainly indie-authors who are daring to write like this, and David J Normoyle has done it very well in The Narrowing Path.

The plot kicks off without too much backstory or preamble and we are in the world of Arcandis, following the fortunes - and misfortunes - of Bowe Bellanger, our young hero. I was instantly sucked in even though the first few pages bombarded me with names and titles and quite complicated aspects of Arcandis life. I admit, it could be an overwhelming beginning, but I was so intrigued by the action that I barreled through it and was hooked. 

Bowe Bellanger is a delightfully flawed hero with a giant-sized heart. He captured my sympathy instantly and although sometimes he made some really stupid decisions as he battled to stay alive on the 'path', I was rooting for him all the way through. Be warned though, this book is not for the faint-hearted: deaths - gruesome ones - occur every few pages. In that aspect it makes The Hunger Games look like a church picnic. 

Bowe also has some strange ideas about girls. But given his background and age, I found it quite acceptable. He is the perfect gentleman to the high class damsel in distress, but cannot cope with the tough, kick-butte peasant girl (whom he secretly fancies) who helped save his life a few times. I suspect this is going to be an area explored by Normoyle in subsequent books and I imagine young Bowe is going to learn some short, sharp lessons about dealing with women. I can't wait to read about them.

From that, you can guess that I will be reading the next two books in the series: The Treacherous Path and The Collapsing Path. You can bet on it.

So how many stars for The Narrowing Path? A solid four star read!

I will be doing an interview with David Normoyle on Wednesday when I will be giving away a couple of his books. It will be well worth stopping by for a chance to win.

Cheers

Gwynn

A Study in Silk by Emma Jane Holloway

A Study in Silks (Goodreads)

I love stumbling upon books which leave me longing for the next in the series. A Study in Silks is definitely one of those. Happily, I don't have to wait to long because the next two books will be out before the end of the year. I will definitely be reading them. 

I saw A Study in Silks on Netgalley and was beguiled by the premise. . .

In this steampunk whodunit, Emma Jane Holloway weaves an imaginative story around Sherlock Holmes's niece, Evelina Cooper. Evelina is a girl caught between two worlds: her childhood spent as a trapeze artist in the circus (a legacy from her father) and her opportunity as a young debutante facing her first season in London to find a gentleman husband (a legacy from her mother who happened to be Sherlock Holmes's sister). Add Evelina's bright, inquiring mind and her magical abilities - kept secret because she lives in a age when knowledge of magic is a crime punishable by death - to the mix and we have a rollicking read. 

The book opens with a murder at Evelina's best friend Imogen's family home where Evelina is staying for the season. Encouraged by Imogen's rakish brother Tobias, whom she is secretly crushing on, Evelina quickly becomes embroiled in the investigation. To add to the confusion, Evelina's childhood sweetheart Nick, a circus performer, appears in her bedroom moments before the murder is discovered. But for all this, Evelina's only concern is to protect the reputation of Imogen's family and to keep her magical abilities hidden. Her task is greatly challenged by Imogen's father who seems to be deeply implicated in the murder, and a whole lot of other clandestine activities involving sorcery and a collection of fascinating, but dangerous steam-driven constructs.

The many other characters who share the stage with her are richly depicted and interestingly flawed. There isn't one of them - including Evelina - who comes off squeaky clean and sparkly. Everyone has an agenda, everyone has a price, usually exacted by the powerful steam barons who virtually control life and death. Even Sherlock Holmes, who makes an appearance, is successfully blackmailed by them!

A Study in Silk is a fun read that kept me riveted for my entire plane flight from Cape Town, through Dubai, and onto Newcastle. I just couldn't put it down. Even better, the story stayed with me for days afterwards as I pondered how each character's motives added to the convoluted plot. The more I thought about, the more excited I got for the next book: A Study in Darkness due in October.

So if you love steampunk, mysteries, bitter-sweet romance, and fascinating characters, then this one is definitely for you.

Stars? Definitely a four star read.

cheers
Gwynn

A brilliant ending to an amazing series: Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

Shades Of Earth (Goodreads)

For pure originality, depth of characters and imaginative world-building you cannot beat the 

Across The Universe series. (Goodreads) 

In this, the final book in the series, Amy and Elder and fifteen hundred of the Godspeed residents land on their new home, planet Centauri-Earth. Unfortunately, they quickly discover that the planet is far from welcoming. Hostile is how I would describe it. The stories they had been told before leaving the Godspeed about 'monsters' are real. They are being picked off like flies, with someone dying - often brutally - every day. But before Elder can even establish his leadership, Amy immediately sets about unfreezing her parents and the other military personnel and scientists. This brings instant conflict. So instead of working together, the Earthborn and Shipborn fight each other instead of their common enemies - the aliens who already inhabit the planet.

So what did I think of Shades of Earth? 

I admit it took me a while to get into. But that was for a very simple reason: Amy made some early decisions that made me really cross. (I tend to get very invested in books I love) But in hindsight, if she hadn't been so selfish and stupid I suppose we wouldn't have had such a thrilling read. So I guess I forgive her. Elder did, so how can I be so hardhearted?

The pace is fast, the tension high, and the characters hopped off the page. 

Beth Revis needs a round of applause for her world-building. 

As she says in the acknowledgement section of the book: 

"the problem with discovering a whole new world is that it could be anything, and without the guidance of Ben Schrank and Gillian Levison, Centuri-Earth would be nothing but a pale imitation of what it is now. They made me dig into the sandy soil and uncover what lay beneath the surface of the planet; they tilted my head to the skies so I could see the pteros flying there, and they led me to the poisoned heart of the world and helped me to discover a way to cure it."

And what a thrilling ride that journey was.

 Once over my fit of pique with Amy, I sucked Shades of Earth up like I was there.  I felt every bit of tension, every pain, every loss (and trust me, people die in this book. There are no sacred cows. If a character needed to die to move the plot along, then . . . off with their heads)

The book definitely showed us the seamy side of human nature. Greed. Prejudice. Fear. Beth Revis asks us to decide what really makes a person a human being. Very thought-provoking.

The Heroes?

For me, the real hero of this story is Elder. He became a man in this book, a leader anyone would be proud to follow. Amy? She got off to a slow start, but by the end she had found her place in the world and became a person of real substance. I salute what she made of herself, despite the horrendous challenges she was put through.

The Love?

The romance was there, but it definitely took a back seat to the action. And that suited me fine. A love triangle threatened, and for a moment I thought Amy was going to do something really unforgivable, but her love for Elder held true to the end. I was very pleased about that. I think I would have coughed up a pteros egg if a love triangle had developed.

Stars?

Five gleaming galaxies. 

Other series Across the Universe competes with

If you love the Under the Never Sky series (my reviews here and here), then you will enjoy this too. Other brilliant series which also run neck to neck with Across The Universe are: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (My reviews here and here) and The Grisha. That gives you an idea of how amazing these books are.

Have you read the series? If so leave a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

cheers

Gwynn
P.S.  In case you're wondering, I own two copies of this book: The Kindle version and the paperback. I bought both. Why the paperback? I had to complete my paper collection. I love looking at the covers!

INDIEpendence Day bloghop from 2 - 5 July

Indie-authors? Some of us love them. Other won't touch them. 

Me?

I have read as many awful traditionally published books as I've read indie. 

And I've read as many brilliant indie books as I have read traditional. 

So as long as the indie book has been properly edited, I'm there, happy to dive in and enjoy the ride.

What do you think? Leave a comment and let's chat.

In the meantime . . .

This week, as part of INDIEpendence Day (hosted by the Indelibles), I'm sharing my all-time favourite indie author with you: Lindsay Buroker.

If you're new to my blog, you probably don't know that I'm involved in a passionate love affair with Lindsay Buroker's Emperor's Edge series (Goodreads). For my previous raves and to read my review of the first book click here and here! 

Today, it's the turn of Book Two - Dark Currents, (Goodreads) - to be loved. 

But first, what's it about? 

The Goodreads blurb sums it up beautifully . . .

It's been three months since former enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon and the notorious assassin Sicarius thwarted kidnappers and saved the emperor's life. The problem? Nobody knows they were responsible for this good deed. Worse, they're being blamed for the entire scheme. With enforcers and bounty hunters stalking them, and the emperor nursing a personal hatred for Sicarius, it's going to be hard to earn exoneration. When Amaranthe's team discovers mutilated bodies in the city aqueducts and a mysterious illness incapacitates thousands of citizens, she and Sicarius see an opportunity to solve the mystery and prove their loyalty. But they'll have to defeat vengeful shamans, man-eating predators, and deadly mechanical constructs, all while dodging imperial soldiers who would rather kill them than accept their help. Nobody said exoneration would be easy.

 Okay, with that out the way, let me tell you why I loved Dark Currents.

1. It's written from two POV's.

Amaranthe and Books, the disgraced history profession turned outlaw, share the stage.  

This adds real depth because not only are we following the main adventure, we also learn about Books, his background, fears and weaknesses. His sub-story adds to the richness of the plot. I'm glad Buroker chose to highlight him first because he seemed to me to be the weakest character. Not anymore. After Dark Currents, he's a vital asset to the team. And what would Maldynado do without Books to tease?

2. The plot and the setting are so original. 

Come on, high fantasy (which I love) set against an era of steam! How can that not thrill? Then you throw in the crazy magic with soul constructs and amazing mechanical devices and you're off to a hectic ride. 

3. More twists and turns than a spiral staircase. 

Honestly, the plot grabs you by the throat from the first page and doesn't let go until the last, leading you along such a convoluted path that it's impossible to second guess what will happen next. The tension is unremitting, broken only by the relentlessly funny dialogue.

4. The dialogue.

It's so sharp with endless one-liners which left me laughing out loud. Lindsay Buroker writes brilliantly.

5. The characters.

As I've said before, they're so real, I swear they live and breath in a parallel universe. 

Now, I'm not the only obsessed idiot out there. There's vibrant Fan Art page on Pinterest where other (more talented) hopeless cases like myself have created some stunning pics of the characters. I share three of these with permission from Lindsay Buroker. 

A great new Emperor's Edge group scene from Vaudevillian on the EE forum: the-emperors-edge... #fantasy #steampunk 

Amaranthe (in front) Sicirius (in monochromatic black) Books (leaning over the manuscript) Maldynado (disowned aristocrat, turned gigolo, turned outlaw) with his outlandish hat. Aksytr (wannabe magician . . . I mean Practitioner) pouring over a Made (Magical) Construct. Bald-headed Basilard.

Now for a look at the two POV characters in Dark Currents . . .

Our heroine, seen through the eyes of Jennifer, EE Fan Artist. 

I think it's a pretty good rendition of what the kick-butt Amaranthe looks like.

I must admit, this is not how I pictured Books. 

I saw him as much older and  . . .  fussy, almost like an old woman with wet knickers. By the end of Dark Currents, I held him in much higher esteem!

Pity the artist didn't leave a name. 

Well I think that's enough raving for one day. Anyone would think Lindsay is paying me to say all these nice things. I promise you, she isn't! I bought this book with own hard-earned cash. 

Stars?

Need I say it? Five, of course.

Where can you buy Dark Currents?

Firstly, I must tell you that book one, Emperor's Edge, is free everywhere.

Dark Currents is available on Amazon/ Smashwords/ Barnes & Noble

TO FIND THE OTHER BLOGS ON THE HOP, CLICK HERE

Cheers

Gwynn

PS.  The next EE series review will be of Deadly Games (Goodreads) which I will post next week. As a special treat I have an interview with Lindsay Buroker that I'm excited to share with you. I will also be posting a couple more pieces of fan art. In the meantime, don't forget to check out the link on Pinterest.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman: Review

Mention dragons and my must-have-buy-now obsession goes into overdrive. Add this alluring cover, and well . . .  I'm toast. I read Seraphina in two days, unable to put it down. Now the long wait until 2014 for the sequel. Sometimes I really hate series  . . .

Seraphina's plot is pretty straight forward. For forty years, dragons – which can shift into human form - and normal humans have shared a fragile peace in the land of Goredd. That's about to change. On the eve of the anniversary of the peace treaty, a member of the human royal family is murdered in draconian fashion. Seraphina, a talented court musician with a lethal secret, is drawn into the investigations of the prince’s death. Together with the Captain of the Guard, Prince Lucian Kiggs, she exposes a plot to destroy the Goredd royals and the leader of the dragons who had signed the peace accord. In doing so, she is forced to reveal her own terrifying secret. 

Simple enough. Now enter the dragons!

Rachel Hartman's dragons are not described in images of gloriously coloured scales, sinister eyes and grasping talons. No, that's not the strength of this book. Hartman takes us into her dragons' cold, analytical minds while they are in human form - known as saaranta. This made them more real to me than if she'd provided photographs! Brilliant characterization. 

Seraphina - tutored by a dragon maned Orma (my personal favourite) - also shares a wealth of highly original dragon-lore with us, creating such a believable world in which dragons are not just possible but are absolutely real. I came away utterly convinced. The human characters are also beautifully sketched. I really like Seraphina - even with all her flaws and insecurities. 

As can be expected, there is some love in this book, but I wouldn't call it a romance. It's more of a mystery/adventure. Given the sophistication of the writing - beautifully descriptive prose - I would say this book is less of a Young Adult and more of a cross-over. That, coming from me, is strong praise indeed. I usually hate descriptive passages because they bore me to death. I'm the kind of reader who scans the page looking for dialogue! (It drives my editor crazy because she keeps telling me to add more description to my own writing. Blah!)

Anyway, back to Seraphina. I really loved this book. Because I read it so fast to get the story, I know I will go back to it soon to savour every morsel. I can't wait. 

I give this book five razor-sharp dragon talons.

Cheers

Gwynneth

Days of Blood and Starlight: Laini Taylor: Review

Epic. Sweeping. Heart-breaking. Gut-wrenching. In a word: Brilliant. It’s going to be a long year waiting for the final book in the Daughter of Smoke and Bone saga.

The blub on the back of my copy of Days of Blood and Starlight says: ‘Once upon a time an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a new way of living.’

Trust me, the world Laini Taylor takes us to could not be further from Akiva and Karou’s dream. She thrusts us into a war between the seraphim and the chimaera, waged with barbarism, brutality, and betrayal. No one is safe.

The book picks up quickly after Karou learns about her past in Daughter of Smoke and Bone. But instead of remembering Akiva’s plea to love and forgive him for what he unwittingly did to the chimaera, she is filled with anger, hatred and vengeance. The exact emotions which led Akiva to harm her people in the first instance. Learning nothing from his experience, she returns to the chimaera, driven by a relentless thirst to make Akiva and the seraphim pay – with blood if necessary.

Akiva, too, returns home to his half brother and sister. But he has undergone a total change of heart. All he wants is peace with Karou and the chimaera – even if it means he has to betray his own kind in the most brutal way to achieve it. I loved Akiva in this book. He’s a fascinating, compelling character who never fails to amaze. He's become one of my favourite book boys.

I wish I felt so kindly towards Karou. I understand her misery at death of her family, but I could not forgive her mindless hatred of Akiva. He did everything he could to convince her he was sorry, but she is set on a course of destruction. It will take a great deal of effort on her part to win my affection again. She definitely has work to do in book three. Thankfully, towards the end of Days of Blood and Starlight she begins to see that the wholesale slaughter of the seraphim is not the answer. I can’t go into too much detail without giving away spoilers, but I was very impressed with her final deception. There is hope for her yet. I’m now anxious to see how this plays out in the final book.

Although Days of Blood and Starlight is brimming with new characters – all beautifully draw – Akiva, Hazael and Liraz (Akiva’s half brother and sister) are without doubt my favourites. Their relationship is poignant and their love and loyalty to each other carries right to the end. It’s in stark contract to what is happening in Karou’s world.

Be warned, this book is not a light read and I found myself taking short breaks from the gruesomeness and brutality. (Think Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins – only on steroids) The only comic relief comes from Zuzane and Mik, Karou’s two friends, who join her and the chimaera. Their banter and light-heartedness bring in the only light in this epic of horror, misery and debauchery.

Do I recommend this book? You can bet your life on it. If you haven’t read it, you are missing out. Big Time. I give it five brilliant blood-stained stars.

Cheers

Gwynneth

The Throne of Glass Novellas: Julia J Mass: Review

You love Throne of Glass? Yeah, sure you do. Then answer these few questions . . . Who is Celaena Sardothien really? How did she become Adarlan’s greatest assassin at only sixteen? Who betrayed her, sentencing her to nine lives’ worth of labour in the Salt Mines of Endovier? To answers these you need to read the four eBook novellas that precede Throne of Glass. (Review of Throne of Glass here)

In reality, these four thrilling stories could have been edited into one longish novel as they flow seamlessly into each other. Although we see glimpses of Celaena's early life and training with Arobynn Hamel, the king of the Assassins, that is not the main focus. These books recount the how and the why of her betrayal and capture. The story starts with the event that changed Celaena’s life forever.

The Assassin and the Pirate King (review)

Celaena and Sam free two hundred slaves from Rolfe, the Pirate King. Unfortunately, Arobynn was going to profit from the sale of those wretched people and he had his heart set on the cash. He never forgives Celaena and Sam for that act of mercy. Celaena’s life spiralled from there.

 The Assassin and the Desert Goodreads

As punishment, Arobynn sends her to the Silent Assassins in the Red Desert. But instead of humbling the incorrigible Celaena, she wins the head assassin’s favour. (And charms his gorgeous son!) At the end of her training, the leader sends her home richer, more arrogant, and even angrier with Arobynn than when she left. That did little to restore their relationship.

 The Assassin and the Underworld Goodreads

It did however lead to a touching love story with Sam. They defiantly leave the Assassin's Keep, breaking away from Arobynn. Trust me, the title of this book is no exaggeration. After Maas dragged us through the underbelly of Adarlan society, I felt I needed a bath. But, like all her books, there is virtually no bad language and no sex. It's the environment Celaena and Sam live in that is so awful.

 

The Assassin and the Empire (Goodreads)

Celaena's and Sam’s rebellion led to the death knell of her relationship with Arobynn – a man who doesn’t like sharing his ‘belongings’. I won’t tell you what happened to Sam, but it was a defining moment for Celaena. We see her at her best – and her worst. Her betrayal and capture follow soon after. Although I knew it was coming, my heart was pounding and my hands sweating as the noose pulled tight. For real! I’m that invested in these characters. 

These novellas are quick reads but so worthwhile if you love the series. And if you are planning on reading Throne of Glass for the first time, I would suggest you read these first. It will make it that much more fun.

All told, I give these four novellas a combined 4.5 brilliant stars. Now it’s a long wait until August 2013 when book two - Crown of Midnight - comes out. I will definitely be pre-ordering. What about you?

Cheers

Gwynneth

Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas: Review

I saw this book yesterday on a few blog I follow, fell in love with the cover and immediately downloaded it onto my Kindle. I then jumped it to the head of my reading queue. I'm so glad I did. I love sci-fi and this didn't disappoint.

Retta lives on Mars, which has been inhabited by humans for two hundred and fifty years. The first colonies were build by Androids. But instead of the machines being dismantled after the building was done, they became more complex, replicating humans in almost every way. They now look so similar that it's almost impossible to tell them apart. Androids think, feel, have souls, procreate and love - just like humans do. But, like all draconian societies driven by prejudice, it's forbidden by law for humans and Androids to marry, even though they live side-by-side in their domed cities. Even being friends is frowned upon.

Of course, something as silly as that does not stop Retta and Hemingway - a super hot, sexy Android - from falling in love. Their relationship catapults them into a rebellion against the government. What follows is an action-packed, fast-paced adventure with a sweet love story.

Nicole Grotepas is not scared to explore some interesting concepts about intelligence, the soul, and humanity. A lot of her views resonate with me. But don't think this is a heavy philosophical book. It's not. It's a quick, fun read with a well-devised plot, interesting characters and amazing world-building.

The book is narrated by Retta and I enjoyed being in her head. She's a fiery eighteen-year-old who can't be kept down by hate or prejudice - even when it comes from her own family. I especially liked Hemingway. He reveals himself to be tough and forthright, but also gentle and protective when it comes to the human girl he loves.

Initially the love between Retta and Hemingway seemed a bit insta, and there's the usual amount of teenage angst one finds in many young adult reads. Happily, their love developed into something credible that I believe will last. One of the things I really liked was the involvement of both Hemingway's and Retta's families. That's very refreshing for a young adult read where absentee parents are usually the norm.

Although I enjoyed the book, there were a few things that bugged me enough to knock off half a star. It's two hundred and fifty years since these people arrived here, but Retta still refers to celebrities, fashion icons and culture from twenty-first-century Earth! It kept ripping me out of Nicole Grotepas's very credible Mars world-building. Surely, after all this time, they'd have there own culture?

In one part of the book they're being chased by very determined government officials. Their images are being flashed to every citizen on Mars. This added greatly to the tension. But as soon as it no longer suited the plot, all their pursuers vanished and no one recognized them. Hmm. That doesn't work for me. But these two things are definitely minor niggles that shouldn't stop you reading this fun book.

All in all I give it three and a half shining Mars moons.

cheers
Gwynneth

Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott: Review

Because I loved FrostFire, I immediately looked for other books by Zoe Marriott. I found Daughter of the Flames, the first book in the Ruan series. It’s a poignant, heart-wrenching story that takes us through war, betrayal, racial hatred, and finally, love.

Zira was orphaned when the Sedorne invaded her country, Ruan. For ten years she’s been hiding, training to be a warrior priestess. That’s until she recklessly – but nobly – rushes to the aid of Lord Sorin, the Sedorne ruler of her district, when he’s attacked in the market place. This single act changes Zira’s life. King Abheron, who had paid the assassins, is none too pleased when Sorin survives. Zira and Sorin are thrust together in a fight to free Ruan from Abheron’s brutal reign and to restore the rightful queen to the throne. (I’ll leave it to you to figure who that queen might be!) To her credit, Zira and her sword proved more than capable of taking on that war. She is a girl who can definitely kick-butt if she has too. But she also has a vulnerability that is very appealing.

I loved this book. The characters are so real and, for the most part, likeable. The exception of course is Mad King Abheron. He’s a great bad guy. A complex man with twisted, but very believable motives, he’s one of the best villains I’ve met in ages – perhaps since The Darkling in Smoke and Bone.

The relationship between Zira and Sorin is anything but predictable. For her, he’s a Sedorne – the enemy – whom she hates. But as the blurb on the cover asks: What if your true love was your deadliest enemy? Zoe Marriott develops this love so sensitively. It was a joy watching it unfold.

As for the world building . . . I could smell the dust in the streets and taste the prawns frying in the marketplace. Ruan is as real as my own back garden.

I give Daughter of the Flame five stars. I will definitely be reading it again.

Cheers

Gwynneth

PS: Don't forget to enter my Kick-Butt Blog Hop giveaway in which you can stand a chance to win a copy of FrostFire by Zoe Marriott or Throne of Glass by Julie J. Maas

FrostFire by Zoe Marriott: Review

FrostFire was one of the best books I’ve read all year, and it was such an unexpected treat. I was trawling through my daughter’s bookshelf and spotted this lovely looking cover. I picked it up on impulse and didn’t put it down until I had closed it the next morning.

Frost is cursed to share her soul with a ravening wolf. The problem is compounded because no one but her and her mother know the wolf exists. Everyone else thinks she’s possessed by a devil. Superstitious hatred drives the people in the many villages where they’ve lived to violence. Unfortunately, violence awakes the wolf. Every time Frost is hurt, she goes mad, leaving a trail of bodies behind her. When her mother dies, she sets off alone to the temple of the Goddess in the Fire whom she hopes will cure her. (It’s the same temple and goddess as in Daughter of the Flames. This is the second book in this series, but it works just as well as a standalone.)

Instead of finding the temple, she meets Luca and Arian, the leaders of a band of soldiers responsible for flushing out the bandits who have occupied the shrine. Luca offers to help Frost control what he calls her ‘battle rage’. He appoints Arian to train her as a soldier. What unfolds is a beautiful adventure filled with love, loyalty, betrayal, and despair - with the ultimate prize of hope and honour at the end.

Frost is a fascinating mix of courage and fear. She can take on any danger without flinching, but the constant threat of the wolf keeps her cautious, almost submissive and naïve. That changes utterly by the end of the book.

Luca is an enchanting man whom one cannot help but love – as Frost very quickly discovers. Little does she know, he loves her to. But it is Arian, Luca’s friend, a man as tortured and wounded as Frost, who publically seems to win her affection. So yes, this book does have a bit of a love triangle, but it’s solved in the most unexpected (and tragic) way.

Although romance plays a part, this book offers so much more. The plot is clever and the characters are vivid. And the all-important world building? Ruan, where the action takes place, is so real I could taste the spiced chickpeas, hear the singing around the campfire and see the Goddess in the flames.

The day I finished reading it, I bought my own copy, which now has a place of honour on my bookshelf. I know I will be reading it again and again. I give this book a galaxy of stars.

Cheers

Gwynneth

PS. Luca is good competition for Perry (Under the Never Sky) as my book boyfriend!

Nightspell by Leah Cypress: Review

Nightspell wins first prize for originality! This story swept me away into a kingdom where ghosts linger amongst the living. Together they reside in a castle that parties all night and sleeps by day. That, of course, is when the inhabitants – both living and dead – aren’t intriguing against each other. That skulduggery often leads to murder – the reason there are so many ghosts in Ghostland Kingdom. The dead are supposed to return just long enough to kill their killers, but, unfortunately, most of them enjoy their half-life too much, seeing it as an opportunity to terrorise the living and party to their hearts’ content!

Darrie’s sister Carrie was trapped here as a child. Now Darrie has a chance to save Carrie if she agrees to a betrothal with the prince of the dead. From the moment Darrie arrives in Ghostland she discovers that nothing is as it seems. Even her little sister has changed in ways she could not have believe possible.

  

 This book was such fun, keeping me riveted from the beginning to the end. I loved the characters – especially Cassie. Darrie was a tough-as-nails warrior too. But most of all I fancied Prince Kestin. Even though he’s dead, he still managed to command the page, leaving me with a lasting impression of his latent ‘hotness’ and intelligence. Too bad he’s a ghost. (Yes, I know. I’m very shallow)

But the thing that really grabbed me about Nightspell was the world building. Leah Cypress’s writing is beautifully evocative. The flagstones were hard and cold under my feet as I followed the characters and their convoluted adventure around the castle. I was so sad to leave and really hope she writes a sequel. I just cannot believe there’s no hope for that tortured prince! In fact, that was my only complain about this book. The ending was inconclusive, leaving me to think that she is planning a sequel.

This is definitely a book I wish I had written. How much more praise can I possibly give it? If it hadn’t been for the ending I would have given it five stars, but I will settle for four star-studded ghosts.  

Cheers

Gwynneth

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord: Review

Oh yeah! Talk about a rollicking good read. The beautiful, self-centred, and thoroughly lethal Celaena Sardothien bursts into life with a bang in this novella.

She and her arch nemesis Sam are sent to take delivery of a consignment of slaves from Rolfe, the Pirate Lord. For those who’ve know the series, it’s the same Sam Celaena talks about in Throne of Glass. Review here. 

Unfortunately, Celaena and Sam are assassins with a conscience. While murdering corrupt politicians and cheating spouses is quite acceptable to them, traffic in humans isn’t. Of course, Rolfe and his pirates see things quite differently. This leads to a page-turning adventure filled with brawls, skulduggery and suspense. Wonderful. I just love it.

Both Celaena and Sam are delightful heroes. In this book they do not get along, although there’s the occassional spark of what could happen if they just quit fighting each other . . . I’m looking forward to pursuing their relationship in the other three novellas in this series.

I really am in love with Celaena. She’s my favourite badass girl. But she’s also so human – so vulnerable - reminding me of my own daughters with her love of reading, parties and beautiful clothes. She's just sharpened with an unsurpassed ability to kill anyone who gets in her way. (Thankfully, my girls have stopped short of murder - although given how they squabble with each other, I sometimes wonder . . .)

Over the next few months I will be reading and reviewing the other three novellas in this series. In the meantime, if you loved Throne of Glass then The Assassin and the Pirate Lord is a must read. I give it four shiny stars.

Though The Ever Night: Review

New releases take a long time to reach our South African shores and I’ve been sitting on the edge of my seat for this book for nearly a year now. Finally my bookshop managed to bring me in a copy from the UK and this is what they sold me. Please take a good look at the cover; it’s relevant to my review.

I started reading immediately and (I wince in disbelief that I could be saying this), I was disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an exciting, fast-paced read, filled with all the characters we love, and a few new ones too. But still I felt that it didn’t live up to the promise of Under a Never Sky.

So, what went wrong?

It felt like a middle book. Veronica Rossi hauled out all the tropes so familiar to us in YA fiction. The classic love triangle is there with all its usual angst and betrayals. Misunderstandings abound.

But as a plus, I really liked Sable, the Blood Lord to whom Liv is betrothed. I can see myself enjoying him a lot in the next book. Yes, I know, he did something horrendous, but I happen to like bad guys if they have a fair balance of likeability and nastiness to their characters, and Sable has that in abundance. Well done, Veronica Rossi. But I must say, your masterful creation of Sable really had me scratching my head about the rest of your story . . .

I was hoping to see Aria and Perry work together, but no, they were thrust apart almost from the start. In some ways, Through the Ever Night felt like a bit of a rehash of Under the Never Sky. Aria is again on the run and there is a lot of walking across the countryside, dodging the Aether. This time without the excitement of the cannibals. And the beautiful unfolding of their love.

Then came the shock. Perry – Perry, rendered to Aria! - was put to the test in this book in a way that made my blood boil. For a while there I thought him shallow and fickle and stopped liking him. And that’s insane because he’s one of my favourite book boyfriends. (I know, I really should get a life) But it just seemed so out of character – Scires notwithstanding. I couldn’t get my head around it. 

Thankfully, Perry, didn’t waver, redeeming himself at the last minute. Still, I couldn’t see the point of it. It just looked like YA angst to me. I refer you back to the cover.

So, it was with real sadness that I went to Goodreads to rate this book with a measly 2.5 – 3 stars. Imagine my shock when I saw that all my friends and the people I follow (whose opinions matter to me) had rated it 4-5 stars. (98% of people thought it was amazing)

Did we read the same book?

           

Then I saw the difference. This is the book they read. Have a good look at the cover and spot his difference.

A World Torn Apart. A Love Under Siege. 

Two little sentences that changed everything.

Suddenly it all made sense. Suddenly I see how skilfully Veronica Rossi handled this assault on Aria’s and Perry’s love and the breakdown of The Tides under Perry's rule as Blood Lord. Even Reverie wasn't spared. And I stand in awe. The woman is a miracle worker. Yes, I will be re-reading Through The Ever Night and I know I will love it as much as I did Through A Never Sky.

So, stars? Two rotten little stars to the publishers who don’t understand the power of covers in marketing books.

And four glorious, Aether funnels to Veronica Rossi for a sensitive, gripping story that truly rips open the souls of her characters. (No doubt I will change that to five stars after my re-read)

So, here I am, yet again perched on the edge of the chair, waiting for Veronica Rossi’s next book. 

Cheers

Gwynneth

For another comment on the power of covers, see my Throne of Glass review.