Category: Fantasy
Slumber by Tamara Blake
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
Once upon a time, Ruby believed in magic…
When Ruby volunteers to take her mother’s housecleaning shift at the gothic Cottingley Heights mansion, she thinks it’s going to be business as usual. Clean out the fridge, scrub toilets, nothing too unusual. But nothing could prepare her for the decadent squalor she finds within. Rich people with more money than sense trashing their beautiful clothes and home just because they can. After the handsome Tam discovers her cleaning up after him and his rich friends, Ruby has never felt more like a character from her sister’s book of fairy tales.
Tam sees beyond Ruby’s job and ratty clothes, and sweeps her off her feet, treating her like a real princess, but Ruby is sure this beautiful boy is too good to be true. And as one tragedy after another befalls Ruby and her family, Ruby painfully learns that magic is all too real, and it always comes with a price.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ARC ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
I decided to request Slumber through NetGalley despite my misgivings about it being a typical Cinderella fairytale romance where fairies are only said to be vicious but are actually pretty tame. Boy, was I wrong.
Tamara Blake’s fairies go back to the roots of their legends and are really, truly vicious bordering on sadistic. Well, maybe passing into sadistic quite frequently rather than just bordering on it. They live a spoiled party life and have exactly zero morals or qualms about treating humans like dirt for their own amusement. It doesn’t take Ruby long to figure this out and although she slips down to their level a couple of times she actually comes out of the story with her human values intact. Trust me, considering she lived with the fae in Cottingley for a while, that is an enormous accomplishment.
Ruby was an awesome narrator. She falls in love with Tam slowly but never, ever puts her love for him ahead of her family. When her family gets in trouble and she learns that living with him at Cottingley is her only choice, she does. And although she loses sight of her goal through something not entirely her own fault, she remains loyal to her family in the end. As I said, she still retains her values by the end and I was incredibly impressed with that. So many narrators in YA books lose sight of their old lives when they’re swept up into a magical world of parties and riches, but not Ruby! She was truly amazing and carried the story on her shoulders.
At the same time the plot was actually quite fast-paced without leaving out character development. There is no sort of middle bloat as the middle is actually where Ruby discovers that she’s the cause of her mother’s illness and that there’s only one way to save her life. And just when you think things have settled down at the end, Tamara Blake threw a huge twist into the happy ending that leaves me with no doubt there’s a sequel coming. Tam and Ruby’s story isn’t finished and I can’t wait for the sequel, even though Slumber was technically just published three days ago.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
*Only available as an ebook.
Feyland: The Dark Realm by Anthea Sharp
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
WHEN A GAME…
Feyland is the most immersive computer game ever designed, and Jennet Carter is the first to play the prototype. But she doesn’t suspect the virtual world is close enough to touch — or that she’ll be battling for her life against the Dark Queen of the faeries.
TURNS REAL…
Tam Linn is the perfect hero — in-game. Too bad the rest of his life is seriously flawed. The last thing he needs is rich-girl Jennet prying into his secrets, insisting he’s the only one who can help her.
WINNING IS EVERYTHING…
Together, Jennet and Tam enter the Dark Realm of Feyland, only to discover that the entire human world is in danger. Pushed to the limit of their abilities, they must defeat the Dark Queen… before it’s too late.
[Full disclosure: I received a free paperback copy from Anthea Sharp in exchange for an honest review.]
After reading Janet McNaughton’s Tam Linn retelling, An Earthly Knight, I didn’t think any other retelling could compare. Still, I gave Feyland: The Dark Realm a try and went in with an open mind. In the end, I’m so glad I did.
At first we’re just introduced to Jennet, who gets a part of her stolen by the Dark Queen inside Feyland the game. Unfortunately this has real world consequences and when she switches schools she’s desperate to find another gamer, a champion, to help her defeat the Dark Queen and get her soul back. So when she finds out that Tam Linn, despite being incredibly poor and with little access to a simulation game despite, is an excellent gamer you can really feel her desperation to get him on her side. When she finally does they both still don’t trust each other’s motives but eventually do become friends.
What struck me the most about Feyland: The Dark Realm was not only the amazing world of Feyland itself, but the plot twists Anthea Sharp gave her story. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, something else happens instead. She’s definitely not one of those authors that goes easy on her characters and both Tam and Jennet get put through the proverbial wringer. At the same time, these plot twists allow her to develop all of her characters thoroughly. Jennet starts out a little spoiled and naive about the tough side of life and Tam is thoroughly suspicious of this apparent spoiled rich girl and her motivations. Still, they change throughout the story as Jennet feels the Dark Queen draining her life’s essence and as Tam learns to trust and maybe even love Jennet.
The world of Feyland is fantastic. Within the game you have all kinds of creatures you would expect to see in a world with fairies and a few that you wouldn’t. Some creatures will be familiar to people who like fairies (the Wild Hunt) and some will throw you for a loop completely. And of course, being a fairy world, nothing is as it seems. It’s just amazing!
I like how Anthea Sharp chose to end Feyland: The Dark Realm on a gentle sort of cliffhanger. It makes you want to read the next book, but you’re not furious at the author for failing to complete the story. I can’t wait to read the next book, Feyland: The Bright Court.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
The Devil’s Concubine by Jill Braden
(Cover picture courtesy of Salacious Reads.)
QuiTai, ruthless concubine of Levapur’s mysterious crime lord, the Devil, receives an unexpected invitation to cocktails with disgraced Thampurian Kyam Zul. She doesn’t trust Kyam enough to drink anything he pours, and won’t help him no matter how hard he begs – or threatens. But when QuiTai’s ex-lover is murdered, Kyam is the only one who knows the name of the killer, and he won’t tell QuiTai unless she helps him first.
The torpid back alleyways of Levapur’s tropical colony hide more than lovers. There are things with claws, beings with venomous fangs, and spies lurking in the jungle.
Most of them want to keep their secrets.
One wants QuiTai dead.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
I am seriously in awe of this book. Not only is it well written with amazing characters and a fast plot, but it also takes place in a fantasy world that’s not based on Medieval Europe! Instead, it’s based upon a tropical island culture with elements taken from both island and Asian cultures as well as some European ones.
QuiTai is now one of my favourite characters—ever. Considering how many books I read a year, that’s saying something. She is amazing! Sensual, manipulative, complex, intelligent, ruthless and at the same time, loyal to her conquered Ponongese people. Words can’t even do her justice. She’s such a strong woman but at the same time is seriously flawed when it comes to her lust for revenge and her distrust of people in general. Seeing her interact with the intelligent, snarky, disgraced Thampurian Kyam is fascinating especially when she becomes attracted to him. Trust me on this one though: she doesn’t fall in typical love and it certainly doesn’t blind her like it does other narrators.
I can’t get over Jill Braden’s fantasy world. It’s a little hard to get used to at first, but when you learn the backstory of Levapur you really appreciate how much detail she put into it. The Ponongese people, which seem to be almost human-snake hybrids have been conquered by the ‘sea dragons’, Thampurians. Thampurians can shape shift into a sort of fish, which I think is really cool. On top of being a colony to the ruthless Thampurians, every full moon the Devil’s werewolves lurk around threatening the populace even though QuiTai does her best to keep the island population safe from the werewolves. The dynamic between the Ponongese people and the Thampurians is ever-changing and full of tension and clearly demonstrates that Jill Braden actually understands politics.
Kyam and the Devil, much like QuiTai, are more complex than they actually seem. Each one has hidden motives that aren’t immediately apparent even to the suspicious QuiTai. The Devil seems to be your stereotypical crime lord who runs the island, but when we learn the real power behind him you can’t help but laugh. This real power also makes sense because of how the first book ends, but I can’t go into any more detail than that.
The plot is fast paced and Jill Braden constantly throws in plot twists to keep you on your toes. Even the characters themselves throw you off sometimes because just when you think you know their motives, their true motives are revealed. Especially when it comes to QuiTai as we slowly learn more of her backstory and how she came to be the Devil’s concubine. These plot twists are mostly unexpected, but they actually make sense within the story and are part of the greater politics of Levapur (especially when it comes to the island’s colony status). I guarantee you won’t see the ending coming; QuiTai has a revelation that will truly shock you.
The Devil’s Concubine was so good that I can’t wait to read The Devil Incarnate, the next book in The Devil of Ponong series. If you haven’t already read it, give The Devil’s Concubine a try. You’re pretty much guaranteed to love it.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Kushiel’s Justice by Jacqueline Carey
(Cover picture courtesy of LOVEandLIVEtoREAD.)
Imriel de la Courcel’s blood parents are history’s most reviled traitors, while his adoptive parents, Phèdre and Joscelin, are Terre d’Ange’s greatest champions. Stolen, tortured, and enslaved as a young boy, Imriel is now a Prince of the Blood, third in line for the throne in a land that revels in beauty, art, and desire.
After a year abroad to study at university, Imriel returns from his adventures a little older and somewhat wiser. But perhaps not wise enough. What was once a mere spark of interest between himself and his cousin Sidonie now ignites into a white-hot blaze. But from commoner to peer, the whole realm would recoil from any alliance between Sidonie, heir to the throne, and Imriel, who bears the stigma of his mother’s of his mother’s misdeeds and betrayals. Praying that their passion will peak and fade, Imriel and Sidonie embark on an intense, secret affair.
Blessed Elua founded Terre d’Ange and bestowed one simple precept to guide his people: Love as thou wilt. When duty calls, Imriel honors his role as a member of the royal family by leaving to marry a lovely, if merely sweet, Alban princess. By choosing duty over love, Imriel and Sidonie may have unwittingly trespassed against Elua’s law. But when dark powers in Alba, who fear an invasion by Terre d’Ange, seek to use the lovers’ passion to bind Imriel, the gods themselves take notice.
Before the end, Kushiel’s justice will be felt in heaven and on earth.
Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised at Kushiel’s Justice. Not only did we get to see more of the politics in the countries around Terre d’Ange, but Imriel really grew as a character. He’s so much more mature by the end of the book than he was at the beginning, let alone the beginning of his trilogy.
Poor Imriel! Contrary to the precepts of Elua, Ysandre sends Imriel off to marry an Alban princess named Dorelei in a political match. This is especially heartbreaking as Imriel and Sidonie finally realize just how much they really do love each other. What surprised me most about Imriel is his maturity about the whole arranged marriage, especially by the end of the book. Although he loved Sidonie he put duty first and I don’t want to give too much away, but you just know that it will end badly for Imriel and Dorelei. And although Imriel is heartbroken at having to part Sidonie, he still sucks it up and eventually learns to treat Dorelei as she deserves and learns to love her in his own way.
The plot is not what I’d call fast-paced, but that’s really not the point of the book. The point is Imriel’s amazing adventure across Jacqueline Carey’s vivid fantasy world as well as his own inner journey. Jacqueline Carey is hardly easy on poor Imriel, which makes him a better character for it. Background characters like Sidonie and Dorelei are three dimensional as well and although we only see them through Imriel’s eyes, you get the feeling there’s far more to them than just being love interests/plot devices.
If you loved Kushiel’s Scion, you’ll enjoy Kushiel’s Justice even more. Imriel grows as a character and does learn to overcome some of his demons from the past and confronts every challenge he faces. He’s a loyal, determined and caring person who makes for a great narrator that you can’t help but fall in love with. That doesn’t mean he does have flaws—he certainly does—but that he learns to overcome some of those flaws and is a better person for it. His unexpected action at the end of the book just reveals how much he has changed.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
(Cover picture courtesy of TV Tropes.)
With A Feast for Crows, Martin delivers the long-awaited fourth volume of the landmark series that has redefined imaginative fiction and stands as a modern masterpiece in the making.
After centuries of bitter strife, the seven powers dividing the land have beaten one another into an uneasy truce. But it’s not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters of the Seven Kingdoms gather. Now, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed while surprising faces—some familiar, others only just appearing—emerge from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges of the terrible times ahead. Nobles and commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages, are coming together to stake their fortunes…and their lives. For at a feast for crows, many are the guests—but only a few are the survivors.
Wow, whatever I was expecting out of A Feast for Crows definitely didn’t happen. You can say whatever you like about George R. R. Martin, but you can’t claim he’s predictable.
You know the tension between the Faith (the traditional seven gods) and the religion of the Lord of Light that was starting in the last book? Well, it’s definitely cranked up a notch in this one and I really want to see where it goes in the next few books. Without giving too much away, I think Cersei created a pretty disastrous situation for herself there. This increasing tension as well as the growing tension between the factions competing for control of Westeros just shows how well Martin really does understand politics. There are subtle plays for power, hidden alliances and outside factors that influence the politics as well.
Although I understand his reasons for doing it, I wish he would have included the points of view of Daenerys, Tyrion and Jon Snow. I’m incredibly biased since two of the three are my favourite characters, but I’m also curious about how their stories are playing out in the scheme of things. However, as a sort of consolation prize, getting the points of view of both Cersei and Jaime as well as new points of view from Dorne were great. Not only does it give you a far better understanding of said characters, it also allowed for a different perspective on the current political situation. Jaime’s disgust with Cersei, Cersei’s increasing instability and the power politics in Dorne centering around Myrcella were all fascinating.
For a book that’s nearly a thousand pages long, there weren’t that many places where the plot dragged along. Of course I got a little bored dealing with some of my least favourite characters, but the plot never crawled to a halt as it sometimes does in fantasy novels with multiple viewpoints. In typical George R. R. Martin fashion, there’s a heck of a cliffhanger at the end of the novel from pretty much every single viewpoint and I’m actually scared of reading A Dance with Dragons because then I’ll have to wait years for the next book. I am not necessarily the most patient person in the world when it comes to awesome series like this, that’s for sure.
If you haven’t started A Song of Ice and Fire you need to read the series from the beginning. Ignore the fact that there’s a TV show and enjoy the books before you decide whether or not you want to watch the show. Ignore the hype and judge the books on their own merit. And most of all, if you just finished reading A Storm of Swords you’ll love A Feast for Crows.
I give this book 5/5 stars.