Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Publication Date: June 4th, 2013
Finished Date: May 26, 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Format: Hardback
Pages: 432
Series: The Grisha #2
My Rating: 4.5/5

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Blurb from Goodreads:
Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

My Review

*Received a retail copy from NOQ Store*

SIEGE AND STORM is reminiscent of the seventh installment of the Harry Potter series, IMO. It’s got the whole gloomy outlook and landscape, a growing evil force, a girl looking for the objects that will hopefully bring an end to said evil thing down pat, but with a tad more romance and politicking.

S&S starts off where SHADOW AND BONE ended, with Alina and Mal onboard the Verhadder, sailing for the shores of Novyi Zem where they hope they’ll earn enough coins to travel out of the Darkling’s insidious reaches. But we know how these stories go, don’t we all? Happy ever after never comes easy. The Darkling survived the Fold, gaining a horrible scar and terrifying new powers and soon catches up to them. He has plans for Alina and Mal, but along the way, they meet unexpected allies – though Malina are still unclear of said allies’ true motives and allegiance – and barely escapes the Darkling.

This story has a very different style of plot layers than most other High Fantasies. Most others have complex storylines, a number of other subtle plotlines happening concurrently as the main story arc. However in S&S, it’s about mindplay as much as politic maneuverings, betrayals, deceptions and the ultimate battle/showdown between good and evil. During their short stay in Novyi Zem, Alina is happy, but she is also not. She feels this loneliness and discontent because she’s got to hide her powers and she can’t ever wield it again if she and Mal are to live in the shadows. She doesn’t like it, but what the Darkling said was true – they are similar, and no others will ever be like them.

Throughout the novel, most of Alina’s issues happens inside her head and with the new love interest – who I’m still pretty conflicted about – the pace of the story did slow down quite a bit. There wasn’t as much adventure and fighting as the previous installment, though there were plenty more problems dished out to our protagonists. I did like seeing more of the world outside Ravka though, and of course the new characters that were fleshed out.

The new love interest, Sturmhond, is a privateer with a secret identity with a very off-hand, witty attitude that can turn steely and dangerous the next second. Alina prefers to call him pirate though. He’s…well, he’s cool and funny and the captain of a very awesome bunch of crew and his secret identity is even more awesome… but I’m still Team Mal cause nothing shouts true love like a guy that gives up his present, his future, his friends and his other passions just to be with and protect his girl, so, GO MAL! Beat that stuck-up pirate! Hahaha, moving on.

After helping Alina and Mal escape the Darkling, Alina feels the guilt and burden of the lives lost in Novokribirsk where the Darkling used her powers to expand the Fold, and of the bajillions other Ravkans now that the Fold is constantly expanding. She feels responsible for these people, and so she goes back to Ravka and devises a plan to, well, essentially to save the world.

I feel that Bardugo did a superb job with the internal turmoil in Alina. I feel and surprisingly sort of understand her obsession with finding the amplifiers, her confusion of whether or not it is her thirst for power or genuine desire to save her people, and the rift that it causes between her and Mal. I can feel her helplessness as it happens, her heartbreak and feeling of inevitability. I was just so invested in her I read S&S in two sittings! I did feel a little dirty after putting it down though, because the decisions Alina had to make were terrible and I did just go through it all the way with her.

THAT ENDING. I pity Alina and ARGH, Mal. What is a girl supposed to do with you. I’m Team Mal, but…ARGH, I can’t put this into words! The situation between them isn’t anyone’s fault, and I just can’t stand this…situation. ARGH.

Anyhoo, I thought that SIEGE AND STORM is another brilliant addition to the High Fantasy genre and definitely an awesome sequel to an amazing debut.

P.S. I really don’t get the draw for the Darkling that other girls are squealing about!! He’s not really a bad boy, brooding type. He just seems…relentlessly annoying and weird…and old. :/

My Rating

       

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ARC Review: Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

Publication Date: April 1st, 2014
Finished Date: February 16th, 2014
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Format: eARC
Series: The Malediction Trilogy #1
My Rating: 3.5/5

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Blurb from Goodreads:
For those who have loved Seraphina and Graceling comes another truly fabulous fantasy...

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

My Review

STOLEN SONGBIRD is rather like an amalgamation of Hobbit The Movie and Alice in Wonderland, telling of young Cécile's unwitting abduction to Trollus, homeland of the trolls, beneath the Lonely Forbidden Mountain, a magical tale full of intrigue, deceit and whimsical, off-with-her-head monarchs. As her debut book and start to a new fantasy series, STOLEN SONGBIRD's pretty amazing!

A (not so brief) Rundown

Under the fallen rocks of the Forbidden Mountain is rumored to be home to a whole city of a mystical species - the trolls. To enter Trollus, one must navigate the labyrinth of tunnels and evade the sluag, a slug-like creature that nullifies troll magic and strikes fear even in the hearts of the mighty trolls. It is said that Trollus contains piles of gold and riches (ahem Erebor), but many who ventured in never returned.

Cécile de Troyes is a farm maiden of Goshawk Hollow but with the voice of an angel. During a trip home from the city one day, she came upon an old friend but was kidnapped and brought to Trollus to marry the troll prince, Tristan de Montigny. Apparently, the trolls were cursed centuries ago by a human witch to never be able to step foot out of the mountain and a prophecy was told that a marriage between the troll prince and human girl with hair like fire, blue eyes and an "angel's voice" will break the curse.

But it didn't.

Cécile has always dreamed of the romantic wedded life her friends have gossiped wistfully about, but Tristan is far from a loving husband. He is one of the most handsome dudes she has ever laid eyes upon but he is also crude, rude, mostly cold and always confrontational. He picks fights with her at every opportuninty and sleeps on the couch. But in the darkness of the gardens where Cécile goes to sing to calm her riotous emotions, Tristan lets down his guard enough for her to see another side of him - the kind, gentle and loving side.

As Cécile comes to know, Trollus is not just about the amazing architecture and beautiful glass gardens (no sunlight). Humans and half bloods with little or no magic are seen as little more than slaves and any small misstep gives their owners the right to sentence them to be left in the tunnels to be sluag fodder or anything the owner sees fit. A rebellion is brewing and the factions are not clearly delineated. Tristan may seem like an insolent brat six out of seven days, but Cécile knows there is defeinitely more to him than he's showing. What does he do in the early hours of morning, sneaking out of their room and palace? Where does he factor in in the rebellion? And what has any of it to do with her?

My Thoughts

Kudos to the author for her effort to reimagine trolls - from 3m, club-swinging, wart-covered monstrosities (I'm thinking of the one in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) to an intelligent, magic-wielding race. Some look human (just 10000000 times more beautiful), but some are disfigured and some not even remotely human-looking. However apart from that, the concept is really just taking the characteristics of Shakespeare's faries and naming them trolls. Jensen's trolls can't lie which makes them experts at the art of manipulating words, their promises are binding, their thank-you's are favors to be repaid, they have True Names which enables full control over the troll whose name is known, and one of the side characters, Anäis  (yes, their names have lots of squiggly-wiggly or dots on top of their alphabets) mentioned that the name for their people isn't trolls, it's "Fai--" then she stopped herself. Well now, it's not that difficult to complete her statement now.

So I didn't really buy the "fresh" new idea of trolls.

But the plot is full of political intrigues, deceptions, and dangers for our protagonist that I was pretty invested in her story. It may be subjective though because like the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, STOLEN SONGBIRD is about Cécile finding out about trolls, their issues (the social discrimination and off-with-your-head variety) and her transformation from scared maiden to strong woman who found love and her determination to help in the rebellion. There is a sort of non-ending at the end, a sort of closure but we're not even close to the true ending. Just like how Bilbo and the dwarves were dropped off some god-forsaken cliff in the middle of nowhere and the Lonely Mountain was a speck in the horizon and the show ends. Yeah, something like that.

Not to say that it wasn't a good read (Goodreads, haha), Jensen had a very descriptive, simple yet witty style of writing. I loved the typical, easy countryside way of life at Goshawk's Hollow (Gordric's Hollow?!?!), the terror Cécile felt when she was in the sluag tunnels, the awe she felt at Trollus and her heartbreak when she thought that she was doomed to have a loveless marriage. There were quite a few secrets revealed along the way and plot curves dished out, and the alternating POV, which most of the time serves only to unveil secrets early and lessen suspense, worked pretty well here.

The characters!!! Apart from Tristan and Cécile, I thought that the secondary cast of characters were pretty fleshed out. We get to see glimpses of who each of them were really like and all of them had their own distinct personalities - there is mysterious but fiercely loyal Marc with a face split in half, each half having handsome features but freaky when seen as a whole; the Queen and her sister Duchesse who are joined together at the back so one of them has to walk backwards; the twins Vincent and Victoria who're constantly competing to see who should be Baron/Baroness of their house though their competitions are mostly jokes (like archery but with only one foot on the ground and with blindfolds on).

I don't want to spoiler anything more, but I'd definitely recommend this to fans of YA Fantasy. It's got the complicated political drama, the whole-new-world feel and magical boomz of a good fantasy, it's just that I felt that the plot and emotional development were dragged out too much that sometimes it felt like we were going in circles and the ending didn't give enough of a closure for me.

That said, though, there was a tiny part near the end that hinted at a parallel world that lives alongside Trollus and the outside world. This series is heading in a very promising direction with lots of action, suspense and romance, so yes, I will be picking up book 2 to see where Jensen takes Cécile and the rest of the crew.

~eARC courtesy of Netgalley and Strange Chemistry. Thank you!~

My Rating

      

 

Christmas Countdown -- 13 days to go!

Countdown Christmas is an event at A Bookalicious Story to celebrate the coming of Christmas in 2 weeks time. There'll be fun interviews, Christmassy excerpts and giveaways just brimming with bookish-goodness ranging from YA Fantasies to New Adult Contemporary Romances to Adult Historical Romances. I hope y'all will join in this celebration! The more the merrier, aye? ;)

13 days to Christmas, what are y'all planning to do on this lovely wintery day? :) Today, I'll be featuring Livia Blackburne's self-published novella, POISON DANCE, prequel to MIDNIGHT THIEF which will be published next year July by Disney-Hyperion.

Publication Date: September 24th, 2013
Finished Date: December 3rd, 2013
Publisher: Livia Blackburne (self-published)
Format: eBook
Series: Midnight Thief #0.5
My Rating: 3.5/5

Blurb from Goodreads

James is skilled, efficient, and deadly, a hired blade navigating the shifting alliances of a deteriorating Assassin’s Guild. Then he meets Thalia, an alluring but troubled dancing girl who offers him a way out—if he’ll help her kill a powerful nobleman. With the Guild falling apart, it just might be worth the risk. But when you live, breathe, and love in a world that’s forever flirting with death, the slightest misstep can be poison.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Author's Website

 Livia Blackburne

About Livia

Livia Blackburne started writing her debut novel MIDNIGHT THIEF while conducting research on the neuroscience of reading at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Since then, she’s switched to full time writing, which also involves getting into peoples’ heads but without the help of a three tesla MRI scanner. She still blogs about the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, and writing.

My Review

POISON DANCE is a fast-paced little read that neatly introduces us to a fantasy world of mercenary assassins and powerful noblemen called wallhuggers. The Guild's leader has recently passed away and the higher-ups are keeping it hush hush. James is a gifted assassin who doesn't necessarily like what he does and the new leader of the guild, but he's good in his trade and his new leader has this preconceived notion that James covets the title of top-dog.

In the midst of all these politicking and the daily bustles of Forge, there lives a dancing girl in a tavern called the Scorned Maiden. Thalia wasn't always a dancing girl, but she's here now with a mission - to kill a wallhugger. That's nigh impossible, what with all the Red Shields perpetually at their beck. She's a resourceful woman however, and she has chosen her mentor by eavesdropping on the tavern's many patrons' conversations - James. It's suicide to even think of assassinating a wallhugger, even if you're just an accomplice. James is a rational man, but Thalia's got outside connections and resources that might just be what James and his pals need to escape this stifling city. So therein begins an innocent woman's lessons in becoming a femme fatale and the (inevitable) romance between her and her enigmatic tutor.

Being a novella with an approximate word count of 14,000, there were parts of the story that were skimmed over perhaps a tad too much. Especially the ending, but we'll get to that.

The plot was engaging, though, and I grew to love the characters. They each have their distinctive characteristics, and I loved the development between James and Thalia. Though the "climax" in their romantic development wasn't all that fantastic, I was still rooting for them all the way. There was another subplot going on but it never got confusing.

I wasn't happy with the ending though! GAHHH, but that's because I'm a very one-track reader. I don't want to spoiler it too much, so you'll understand my frustration when you get there. That, and the ending was the part that was skimmed over the most. Blackburne's writing style was engrossing, up until a particular point and everything was tell instead of show. It was like all the details suddenly up and hid somewhere while everything was conveniently summed up without the hows.

That said, POISON DANCE shows much, much promise and I cannot wait to see what happens in MIDNIGHT THIEF, which sounds reminiscent of GRACELING by Kristin Cashore and all kinds of Fantasy goodness. I'm hoping to explore Blackburne's world in more depth and definitely to see more of James! ;) POISON DANCE reads more like a cross between YA and adult Fantasy, so younger readers should take note.

*An ecopy was provided by Livia in exchange for an honest review.*

Livia is giving away one (1) ecopy of POISON DANCE. This giveaway is international and will end two weeks after the last giveaway of the Christmas Countdown, Jan 8, 2014.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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Thanks for visiting! Be sure to come back tomorrow to see what bookish goodness is in store. ;) You can refer to Day 1's post for all the days of the countdown.

Review: My Lady Mage by Alexis Morgan

Publication Date: July 3rd, 2012
Finished Date: November 26th, 2012
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Format: Paperback
Pages: 316
Series: Warriors of the Mist #1
My Rating: 3.5/5

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Blurb from Goodreads:
A cursed destiny. A band of warriors. And one troubled kingdom. It is whispered in Agathia that the legendary warriors of the mist—cursed by the gods—can be summoned only when a champion is needed and the cause is just. Gideon, their captain, knows this to be the one path that will lead his men to redemption—lest they face an eternity of damnation. Years have passed since anyone has journeyed to the river's edge, but times are desperate. Oppressed by a cruel guardian whose dark magic threatens to destroy her people, the beautiful and courageous Merewen calls upon the bespelled warriors. In Gideon she finds more than a champion, and in his arms, more than protection. However, their enemies are fighting with a power darker than anything than they imagined, and should Gideon fail, she will lose everything she holds dear—including her heart.

My Review

MY LADY MAGE was a very nice blend of High Fantasy and Romance. There was a development of plot where we were initially plunged directly into the fear that Merewen constantly lives with, and how she found her way to the river where she could summon the warriors of the mist.

Just a brief summary of the story (a little more detailed than the official synopsis which might contain spoilers):

(view spoiler)In times of dire need, when a person deemed worthy by the gods stands beside the lake and summons the legendary Damned warriors of the mist, six champions will rise up and help rid the world of its evil. It has been centuries since the last time the gods have granted a request.

An evil has been growing in the heart of Agathia, but bringing it closer to home for our protagonist, Merewen, daughter of the recently-deceased Lord of a keep a few days ride from the capital of Agathia, her keep isn't in good shape at all under the government of her uncle, the new lord of the keep. Her uncle is a selfish ruler, a cruel husband, and just inherently a cold man who enjoys watching his subjects squirm and cower in fear or pain, or both. It is a bad time for Merewen and her people, and in the dusty tomes of her father's rather expansive library collection, she stumbles upon an ancient spell to summon help from the river.

Captain Gideon and his men has been asleep in the cold, winter river for many centuries and only been slightly jolted awake a few times by failed summons, however, this time his gods are allowing them to rise up from their sleep and allowed time on land for three months. Three months to feel the sunshine on their face and smell the scents of fresh grass - and to rid the land of an evil far larger in scale than just Merewen's uncle. If the warriors fail, him, his men and Merewen would have to spend the rest of eternity wandering the cold depths of the Afterlife together. Gideon has enough on his mind so far, but add in to his plate is a brash but kind, loyal and sweet woman who has opened his heart up after all these lonely centuries...

END of summary.


MY LADY MAGE was an enjoyable read, very relaxing and engaging, however, it is quite a typical High Fantasy novel plot-wise, and the romance was ummm...it could have been developed a little more. I mean, where's the sexual tension and suspense? Not that I'm against the attraction at first sight stuff, but I would've preferred if it was dragged out a little more, and if they didn't started kissing and all quite so soon after they met.

The characters were lovable! Merewen was the usual courageous and headstrong heroine now commonly found in High Fantasies and more often than not, Urban Fantasies and Paranormal Romances, even Contemporary and Historical fictions; Gideon and his men were very, VERY similar to the dudes in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward! Especially Kane! Kane was the ultimate doppelganger of Zsadist, I swear! With that dark mage mark on his cheek, that mysterious, you-mess-with-me-and-I'll-skin-you-alive-dice-you-into-pieces bad boy thing going on. He's cool. And add to that, each of the warriors had an avatar that can be called to life from their shields, which were animals that could form a mental link with each of the warriors. All the avatars had a personality of their own which was very endearing. And of course, Kane had the coolest avatar. (view spoiler)[Highlight to read (spoiler)] A GARGOYLE!! *swoon* haha.

Morgan was writing mainly in the selective third person POV, but often switching from one character to another. It was mainly Merewen's and Gideon's, but she does switch to the other warriors' and Alina's (Lady of the keep) and even Fagan's, Merewen's evil uncle. It didn't get confusing at all throughout the entire novel and I thought that that spoke a lot about Morgan's stellar writing style.

Overall, I thought that MY LADY MAGE was a light and enjoyable read, some quite-intense fights here and there (not reaaaaally considered battles), and a few intimate scenes, and the building of an even greater plot up ahead in the following sequels. It wasn't as intense as I first expected it to be, that's why I didn't give it 4 stars.

My Rating

 

Review: The Curse of Gremdon by Ciara Knight

Published Date: December 19th, 2011
Finished Date: December 20th, 2011
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Format: eBook for Blog Tour
My Rating: 3.5/5

Blurb from Goodreads:
In a world where marriage is forbidden, sex is only granted to male warriors, and the outer realm is full of murderous creatures, Arianna fights to protect the life of her only living relative, her brother.

Tardon, an elite warrior, is granted anything he desires by the Elders, but finds little joy in the voluptuous women presented to him. Born for the bloodlust found only in battle, complicated emotions emerge when he discovers his equal in the alluring warrior, Arianna.

Charged by the Elders with saving the castle from attack, Tardon and Arianna risk the curse when they traverse the vast outer realm to retrieve serum from the Tree of Life. If successful, the Elders have promised Tardon the right to marry and Arianna the cure for her brother’s death fever. Will their love carry them through or will the discovery of a great deception be their ultimate demise?

My Review

THE CURSE OF GREMDON is a very unique mix of Fantasy and Romance that really captivated me. Usually Fantasy novels will focus less on the romance and more on the wars and conflicts going on in their respective worlds, but TCoG has equal portions of both, and that's what I loved about it. I'm a romance junky, but I'd occasionally also like to pick up a Fantasy novel. There aren't too many of them that have a good romance to back the story up, so I usually steer clear of it. That's why I'd rushed to grab the chance to read TCoG when I read the synopsis and it started going on a tour, and boy, was I glad I did.

**My Summary with Spoilers**

Arianna and her brother are orphans. In order to support him, she has to train and fight to be an Elite Warrior. She's one of the best in her field, but there's just one teensy problem - everytime she's near Tardon, she feels a spark between them. Thing is, women are not allowed to have sex, only those that are given as gifts to the male warriors are permitted the pleasure (sexism is so unbecoming of them! Grrr). Arianna controls her urge well, but it is when her brother falls prey to the deadly glutovirus fever, Tardon comes to her aid by providing her a place to stay in his room in the castle, that with both of them alone in the same room, a fire is ignited within them.

But the secret does not stay hidden from the Elders for very long (only a few seconds, actually. They were ripped apart before they did it), and now the two of them are tasked with an impossible mission, one that killed all others who partook it before - to travel beyond the Outer Circle, into the forests of Gremdon and retrieve the sap from the Tree of Life. Without it, the people will die, but to go beyond the walls of the city is to fall to the curse and turn into one of those hideous creatures, like all the others who went before them.

But as they travel futher out, they discover treachery and betrayals, and an ultimate battle to save their city from the ones who are truly evil...

**End of Summary**

Arianna was a very strong, very resilient woman who would struggle all the way to the end. When an Enforcer (man who are much stronger than warriors but too stupid to be one) caught her in Tardon's bed, he had her neck in his grip, hanging her like nothing but she still continued to fight him. And after the Enforcer dropped her on the ground and she was burning in the inside because of the Elder's magic, she still continued to stay conscious and fight it. She's amazing. Not only that, she is a very sensual woman and she gives voluptuous a whole new meaning, I tell you! Tardon couldn't stop harping on about her overflowing breasts and imagining it burst her vest! Haha, I'm messing with you, but yes, Tardon pointed out that fact a number of times.

As for Tardon, he is the best elite warrior there is in the castle, but he is what the saying calls, "brawn without brains". Not necessarily without brains, just not that much grey matter in that thick skull of his. Lol, but he is a very desirable male. He's strong, he's caring, and um, he's good in bed. 'Nuff said.

The plot wasn't an overly-fantastical one, and I took away that 1.5/5 because it got a little dull sometimes. But there was action (plenty of fightin'), adventure, suspense, and best of all, romance. There wasn't too much emphasis on the last bit. Like I said, it's all about the balance in here. When Arianna and Tardon ventured out into Gremdon, I was so unsure of their fate! But when they saw all those beautiful sceneries, the ones they had before the "curse" descended upon them, it was very heartwarming. Very heartwarming to see them finally acting on their feelings, being happy, and when they finally decided to free the people from the "curse". You'll see the reason for the quotation marks after you've read the book.:)

Overall, I thought this was actually a pretty above average Fantasy novel - the reason for the conflict and conflict itself were a little typical, but I loved the romance and action. It isn't common for a Fantasy book to have that balance, and I read it in two sittings. I'd consider this a very good find! I'd recommend this to any Fantasy fans out there who also wants a little romance.

My Rating

      

ARC Review: Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh

Published Date: November 22nd, 2011
Finished Date: November 20th, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne
Format: eARC from Netgalley
Series: Royal House of Shadows #4
My Rating: 4.25/5

Blurb from Goodreads:
Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.…

As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy.

Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who’d cursed Micah. She sees past Micah’s armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember. Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.

My Review

As always, Nalini Singh comes back to tease us with more unconditional love and hot sex scenes! Oh man, this is so wrong on so many levels for someone my age, but sigh. I have always loved Singh's writing, and it was no different in LORD OF THE ABYSS.

Liliana is the ugly daughter of the infamous, powerful and ruthless Blood Sorcerer, the one who murdered the previous King and Queen of Elden who were peaceful, just people, the one who caused 4 children to be orphaned. The Queen, using the last of her life's force, scattered her children to the corners of the realm where the Blood Sorcerer would not be able to find them. The youngest of the 4, Micah, who was but a babe of 5 years, ended up in the lower floors of the Abyss's castle, and a few years later took the helm as Lord of the Black Castle, and Guardian of the Abyss.

The Castle held within it the gateway to the Abyss, where the servants of evil were banished after death to suffer eternal torment at the hands of the basilisks and the serpents. Technically, our equivalent of hell, and Micah was its Guardian, the one who would hunt those shadowed beings of evil and thrust them into the Abyss. And that was where Liliana was headed. To find the Lord of the Black Castle, the youngest heir of Elden, and a crucial member to save Elden from the evil clutches of her father.

Liliana's plan? To infiltrate the castle, get to Micah, and help him remember a past that he cannot recall, and get him to Elden by the midnight in a few days time to defeat her infallible father. Her job's tough enough as it is, and the longer she stays at the castle, the harder it gets. As the more time she gets to spend with Micah who doesn't only see her flawed exterior, but to the true woman inside, the more he gets under her skin, and gradually to her heart. But how can she allow this to happen, when the only way she can kill her father is through a killing spell which would require a sacrifice - her.

I thought that the collaboration between four authors idea - Gena Showalter with book one, LORD OF THE SHADOWS, Jill Monroe with book two, LORD OF RAGE, Jessica Andersen with book three, LORD OF THE WOLFYN, and Nalini Singh with book four, LORD OF THE ABYSS - for this series was ingenious, really. But I've started out with Singh's masterpiece first, since I am a die-hard fan of ANY and every of her books. Yep, she is that good, no matter how many times my sister says otherwise. (Curse you, sista! Lol, kidding. I'm above that.)

LORD OF THE ABYSS started out with a brisk pace, throwing Liliana right into the midst of the throne room in the Black Castle. So the suspense and thrill level has always been on the up high. And from there, it never got boring.

I was a little miffed that the heroine was ugly, deformed, and just very flawed on the outside. Yes, yes, I am one of those who loves her heroine pretty and badass. What can I say? Cliches are cliches for a reason. Micah's reaction to her was very lukewarm too initially, which was only natural. I wouldn't put it past many authors nowadays in the PNR-UF line to make an instantaneous and revolting connection between the protagonists. So again, I applaud Singh for her pragmatism which ultimately made the book more believable. But as the story progressed, and Micah and Liliana got to know each other better, the romance that developed was so sweet! The way Micah behaved around Liliana made her forget about her imperfections... Made me forget her imperfections. He made her feel hot and beautiful. All that and both personas' basal characters held firm. Bravo, Nalini. Bravo.

Liliana, though flawed and with a low self-esteem, had a heart so pure and compassionate. I loved her, and Micah (who wouldn't?). They were just too cute together, especially since Micah's never been around courting couples and as such, he is, in a way, very child-like when it comes to wooing Liliana. He's very honest about his feelings, very straightfoward and explicit in showing what he wants. He loves to tease Liliana as well, oh those parts I like! Example:

 “I beg you don’t forget that, or I  might forget which is the salt and which the chili.”

Ignoring her threat, he waved her forward. “Pour me more chocolate—” the order of an emperor to his con-cubine “—then you may go and bathe.”

She really wanted to smash the teapot over his head, but she poured the luscious liquid into his cup, watched his eyes glaze over for an instant as his mind tried to drag him into the past. It was the truth she’d told. She hadn’t ensorcelled either the cinnamon or the chocolate—but some sensual memories were strong enough to act as spells on their own. “Now, may I go?”

“My lord,” he said, licking out his tongue to capture a drop of chocolate on his lip.

Her entire body hummed. “What?”

“You forgot to add ‘my lord.’”

She grit her teeth and put down the teapot with extreme care. “May I go, my lord? ”

He took a sip of his chocolate, paused for a second.

"No."

Ahahaha, I love you, Micah. All the taunting and teasing...They are really so adorable together. There is a lot of affection between them that made reading it such a joy. The sexual tension's a killer too. It got so intense that I cracked my finger bones unknowingly while clenching my fist too tight. Oh, and one more thing about him - he REALLY knows how to make a woman blush. That is all.

The plot's a little fantasy-like with the usual Paranormal Romance touch. But I daresay it bordered on being an Erotica. There were quite a number of explicit sex scenes in here! Not that I'm complaining, but it did slow down the plot. Upped the sexiness, but debilitated the action.

All in all, I did like this book. A lot. I loved the action, the romance, the suspense, the characters... Everything! People said that there wasn't that feel of finality in LORD OF THE ABYSS, and they blame it on having different authors write each book in the series, but I thought it was there, just not talked about too in-depthly. The three siblings were mentioned and given minor roles in the final chapters of book four, so I guess it still constitutes as a wrap-up. The epilogue's mainly about Liliana and Micah, which is fine by me since I haven't read the first three books yet. Think I'll try book one to three soon!

*Egalley courtesy of Netgalley and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.*

My Rating

Review: Two Moons of Sera by Pavarti K. Tyler

Published Date: November 1st, 2011
Finished Date: November 10th, 2011
Publisher: Fighting Monkey Press
Format: ebook
My Rating: 4/5

Blurb from Goodreads:
In a world where water and earth teem with life, Serafay is an anomaly. The result of genetic experiments on her mother's water-borne line Serafay will have to face the very people responsible to discover who she really is. But is she the only one?

All the Fun of YA written for Adults

Two Moons of Sera is a Fantasy/Romance and will be released in a serial format. The first volume is just shy of 20,000 words and will be priced at $0.99. Anyone who purchases it will receive all future volumes for free. However if you wait to get it until later, the price will go up with each addition.

My Review

2MOS was a pleasantly quick, light, and sweet read. It got off to a slow start, describing the little cave in which Sera and her Sualwet mother lived in, their daily routines and stuff like that. And since Sera's world is confined to a cave, it wasn't very exciting. But her mother has her reasons to restrict Sera from wandering out into the world - Erdlanders are barbaric beings who experiment on the hairless, underwater creatures called Sualwet. A.k.a. Sera's mother.

Sera was a mistake. A half-Sualwet-half-Erdlander who was never meant to be, and it made her an outsider on both the Sualwet's and Erdlander's front. But amidst all this discriminations, Sera remained a happy and carefree half-fish.

Her desire to explore the world beyond the cave has been suppressed long ago, up until the day an Erdlander (or so she thinks) steals some papers from her. Now, that desire has been rekindled; And the more she spends time with that thief with his towering stature and intensely blue eyes, the more she longs to see the world. She remained faithfully by her mother's side, but when the Erdlanders' and Sualwets' war encroaches onto the beach where her cave is situated, Sera would have to leave her home and escape with her thief. Can she survive in a world where she's never stepped foot in before? And who, or what, is Tor?

Well, I can't get any more spoiler-y than that, because the book is only a portion of the whole story, which would be released in a serial format. I was excited to start reading 2MOS, and it didn't fail me. There was action, and a teeeensy weensy bit of a hint of romance (or at least I'm hoping that it is), and a little bit of magic thrown into the mix. I've never really been a fan of Sci-fi/Fantasy, but I think I'll make an exception for 2MOS.

Tyler's words and phrasings are very unique and, to me, very cool. An example would be:

"But don't let that fool you; they don't possess the wisdom of the sea, only the cruelty of the sun."

Doesn't that just scream poetry/philosophy? It's just so freaking cool.

Just a little kink that bugged me. Sera's attraction to her thief, Torkek, or Tor for short, was a little too quick off the mark. I mean, he stole something that her mother gave her which was quite precious, but along with the "Oh no, give it back" feeling, she was also a little intrigued and attracted to him. Intrigued, yeah I guess I understand that that's what isolation will do to you, but attracted? Hm, that's debatable, I guess. But other than that, the friendship between the two was very pure and innocent.

I'd recommend this one to the lower age range of the YA genre.

My Rating

Review: Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

Published Date: December 20th, 2011
Finished Date: October 4th, 2011
Publishers: Harlequin
Format: eARC from Netgalley
Series: Healer/The Power Book One

Blurb from Goodreads:
Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.


Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life....

My Review

I have never really been taken by the whole Fantasy genre with their olden kingdom politics and magicians running amok, bonding together, rebel against some crazy, evil king, then The End. But this, this book has changed my perception of it.

(Fanasy novels conain much world-building and plot details, and since this book is no exception, I shall try my best to give a short and succinct summary. Doubt I can tho..IT WAS SO EVENTFUL!)

Healers were once a respected group of individuals, but ever since the plague swept thru the entire Fifteen Realms and wiped out two-thirds of their entire population (woah, bubonic plague much?), people grew panicked and fingers started to point. Now, the healers are believed to be murderers, earning themselves bounties placed upon their heads. They were hunted down and executed by the people they loved or by their friends, and by the people in the towns where they have lived in and whose people they helped healed, to near extinction.

In the midst of all this, Avry, a healer, a fugitive, and the last of her kind, has been running and hiding almost all her life, but after healing a child in one of the villages she stopped in, she was betrayed and handed to the authorities. However that night in the cell that she was given, a mysterious man and several of his companions broke her out and is forcing her to heal his friend, Prince Ryne.

Thing is, Prince Ryne is a terrible tyrant, or so Avry first thought, and she refused Kerrick's (mysterious guy's) "request". Well, more of a demand, really. When she refused, he made her his prisoner. Obviously that didn't pull any sway to her decision, but she gradually grew comfortable with his groupies, all very loyal and very hospitable. They grew to be like family, and she is starting to doubt the rumors that has helped shaped her perception of Ryne. It's not all easy-going and simple obstacles, not all happy-gayness and daisies, the other factions are becoming more aggressive and they are very eager to unite the Fifteen Realms - to put it more shrewdly, they are ambitious little bastards who wanted more land to rule. And how much more powerful can they get if they had the last remaining healer on their side?

I loved it how Snyder didn't rush thru with the romance. (Sorry I kinda always start off with the romance part of the books I review. What can I say? I'm a romantic person. Lol, pfft. Yeah right, coming from a person who have never had a bf. Heh. Confessions of a nun, huh.XP No offense meant to any nuns out there) Lover boy and Avry started out hating each other, but we all know that they were going to end up together, so it was fun watching them piss each other off. She dragged out the tension between them, Lover Boy only softening towards her about a little more than halfway thru the novel, but when they finally admitted their feelings for each other.. Wow, you'll be thinking how worth the wait was. It was amazing, magical, and one of the sweetest love scenes I've seen in a long while.

Example: " “You need to disappear. If he finds you…” I shooed him away then turned to find the path.

“Avry,” Kerrick said.

I stopped. He stepped behind me. I felt his warmth on my bare back and I resisted the urge to lean against him.

“Tohon isn’t mistaken.” Kerrick traced one of the scars along my shoulder blade. “I would be…upset if he succeeded in luring you away.” "

Tohon's the antagonist by the way. Very evil, very crazy, very greedy, and very powerful. A very dangerous combination. What's worse is that he isn't all old, wrinkly and gnarled, clawed hands. Instead, he was so very handsome, and his charming personality a terrifying arsenal that he uses with ease. He even convinced me at some points that he was one of the good guys! So handsome and smart.. Too bad he's got a black heart..

I liked Avry a lot. She was smart, very smart actually, very brave, very righteous, just, compassionate, witty, and self-sacrificing.

I thought that the plot and storyline were very convincing and believable for a Fantasy novel. Very political and there were the usual amounts of skirmishes between the countries, bounty hunters, merceneries, etc.

I loved Snyder's humor and wit in TOUCH OF POWER. It's so........fantasy-like. Lol, um duh, yes I know. But well, it's such a cute way of putting things. Cute, yes, that's the word I was searching for. A cute, witty humor.

Example: " When we reached the door, Belen stepped in the way. “If any harm—”

“Comes to her, you’ll rip out my arms. Got it,” Kerrick said.

“I’m serious,” Belen said.

“I know. Do you really think I’d put her in danger?”

“Not on purpose, but things happen that are beyond even your control.”

 Kerrick gave him a tight smile. “You mean I’m not omni-potent?”

 “You’re not even semi-potent.”

“Is that even a word?” Kerrick asked.

 “He probably meant you’re impotent,” I offered.

 It was worth Kerrick’s glare to hear Belen’s deep chuckle. "

Cute, right?

One little thing that I noticed. Even tho we're constantly in Avry's head, Snyder doesn't reveal everything that she's thinking nor about everything that had happened in the past. It's effective in building up the suspense and adding in the thrill factor. It's cool. Just a little thing that I picked out that other novels seem to not be able to duplicate. Nothing major.

I've told you that I don't usually like Fantasy novels, right? I'll tell you why I loved this book: Snyder can WRITE. Even tho the plot wasn't all that different to any other Fantasy novels, it never, never got boring. Her description of the lush forests, the adrenaline-pumping actions scenes, and romantic scenes... They were absolutely, wonderfully delivered, and her words carried me to the end. Will definitely try her other series (I think it is called Poison series) soon!

Anyway, I loved it, and would recommend this to all Fantasy fans. Maybe if you would like to tone down on the gore and eroticism factor, you can try this YA Fantasy one! :)

*This eARC was provided by Netgalley and from Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.*

My Rating

Review: Son of Ereubus by J.S. Chancellor

Published Date: November 1st, 2011
Finished Date: September 14th, 2011
Publishers: Rhemalda Publishing
Format: Paperback
Pages: 292
Series: Guardians of Legend Book One

Blurb from Goodreads: Since time immemorial, man has lived in fear of losing his soul to the darkness of Saint Ereubus. For generations, the Ereubinians have wielded that power and ruled like gods. Three thousand years ago, Man irresolutely placed his faith in a mythical world. That world, Adoria, now holds Man's final hope. As the last stronghold of Man is threatened, the fates of three strangers become forever intertwined and everything they once believed will be irrevocably changed as they discover that their time has run out.

My Review

I loved the synopsis of this book, and after I read it, I immediately scrambled about to get it.

---------------------------------------------------------

That was my face when I saw the The End. Like..That's it? It wasn't even a proper ending. Ok, I shall continue harping about the ending later.

It had an action-filled plot, endearing characters, but written in a complicated writing style at times.

This review would be boring, cause the book didn't enthrall me, neither did it repel. Altogether rather lukewarm, really.

Ariana goes off into the woods to avoid the festivities going on in the town to mourn the day her mother died a few years back on that day. However while out in the wilderness, she met with an entire hunting party of the widely feared, cruel, soul-sucking Eidolon people (I don't know what their called..Eidolonians? No..Arh).

Garren, the High Commander of Eidolon, was leading that hunting party when he spotted her (for lack of a better word, prey), and started hunting her down. And nothing, nothing ever outruns him. But Ariana almost did, if not for that root that tripped her and made her sprain her ankle.

Everything began here. Garren straddled her hip and he had her at sword's point, but he just couldn't seem to deal the final blow looking into those eyes that blazed with determination and strength. So here's the thing: he gave her his cloak and let her go. And to fool his generals so that they wouldn't all go hunting her down like any wild game, he cut himself to show that a scuffle did ensue but that he killed the girl in the end.

My man, that one.

Anyway, from there, Ariana struggled to walk to somewhere where she could live and heal her wounds, when all of a sudden, an arrow whizzes thru the air and embeds into her side. Luckily for her, that arrow belonged to Michael, Archorigen of Adoria. In short, the king of the good guys.

But over there, she's having vision-like dreams of Garren, and she found out that she wasn't entirely human. And more bizarre stuff keeps popping up. But the tip of the shit pile is that her best and closest friend has been kidnapped by the Eidolon army and is kept there as a Breeder (true to its name, she's there to reproduce. Sounds kinda crass).

How can one girl break into the world swarming with cruel bastards that will sooner suck her soul than negotiate terms of release, and get her friend out all in one piece? What is her strange connection with Garren that ignites strange feelings in her and gives her such visions? What in the world is she, if she is not fully human? And why did her father keep her identity a secret from everyone, including her?

As I've said, the plot was suspenseful and was never dull. Something's always happening, and it kept me on the edge of my seat.

The only dull point that I can point out is that her writing seemed kind of complicated at parts, which made the scenes confusing. I couldn't follow thru when this happens, and so I breeze thru them most of the time. But other than that, the selective third person POV was handled perfectly.

Oh, I loved the humor in this one. Tho they were few and far between, every time one comes along, I would almost certainly smile or chuckle to myself.

Example: Jareth gestured to his little friend. "I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce you. This is Cryx. He's my faithful companion, useless in the most important of assignments, but comforting in the least of them. He tends to have a bit of a temper, so he'l pitch a fit if you don't pet him..."

Not really an explicit joke, more of a dry sentence that was funny. Hm, I didn't phrase that right.. But yes, I found the book funny. And with that medieval-like talking going on, it sounds to me like some hybrid form of poetic humor. Which is amazing.

I absolutely adored the entire cast. Ariana was strong, brave, independent, loyal, beautitful, kind, and compassionate; Michael was a loving, protective brother, an understanding friend, and a worthy leader; Garren was sweet, also very protective of Ariana, a man with strong faith, will, determination, courage, and character; Jareth was a charming angel boy, he stayed by Ariana's side and became her confidant when she felt very alone when she first arrived at Adoria, and he's always there with a smile. The Braeden - Adorians who sever off their wings when they were young to live amonst humans to protect them - also caught my attention. Most of them were battle-seasoned warriors, and they were all unexpectedly loyal to Michael. Atagonists were mighty evil, that was very well done too.

The ending leaves much to be desired. It was abrupt and uncalled for. It seemed more like the book was getting overtly thick, therefore they had to cut it off there. Which sucks. Cause now, I'm on some sort of cliffhanger with a fatal drop before me, and I have to wait for 2 more months for that "fishing hook" to hook me back away from that steep drop.

My review's getting wacky and weird, and it's a sign for me to stop. Doesn't bode well for this review if I continue..Who know's what other crap I'll write.:O

Anyway, book was above average. Loved the storyline, loved the cast, loved the scenery and world building, loved the development of the interactions between the characters, but got confused at some parts of the book, and the ending was dissatisfactory.

4 - 4.5 stars.

My Rating:

P.S. The next book, BLOOD OF ADORIA, will be out come November 1st, 2011. Look out for it!