Tagged: masq1
Second Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn
(Cover picture courtesy of Susan Kaye Quinn’s site.)
The sequel to the steampunk fantasy romance Third Daughter (The Dharian Affairs #1) is here!
Assassins, skyships, and royal intrigue…
With plans for a second skyship exposed, Third Daughter Aniri fears her sister, Seledri, will be caught in a war between the three Queendoms. Seledri is the Second Daughter of Dharia, which means she had no choice in her arranged marriage to the First Son of Samir—a country with whom they may soon be at war. As Aniri fights to free her sister from a husband and a country she does not love, she questions her own rushed betrothal to Prince Malik, the noble barbarian who controls the skyship—and whether a love pledged in the heat of adventure can survive the looming threat of war.
Second Daughter is the second book in The Dharian Affairs trilogy (Third Daughter, Second Daughter, First Daughter). This steampunk-goes-to-Bollywood (Bollypunk!) romance takes place in an east-Indian-flavored alternate world filled with skyships, assassins, royal romance and intrigue.
[Full disclosure: After seeing my 5 star review of Third Daughter, Susan Kaye Quinn provided me with a free ebook of her second book in exchange for an honest review.]
As you guys know, I really don’t read much steampunk. It’s never really appealed to me as a genre but I’ve picked up the odd one here and there. I almost didn’t request Third Daughter on NetGalley several months ago, but I’m so glad I did. I was even happier when Susan Kaye Quinn contacted me about reviewing the sequel. I mean, after that doozy of a cliffhanger, how could I resist?
I definitely wasn’t disappointed with this second installment in the Dharian Affairs. It has just the right amount of romance, intrigue and action to make it an enjoyable sequel. What I really liked about Second Daughter was that not everything is as it seems: the people you think are villains are a little more ambiguous later on. I don’t want to reveal too many spoilers, but I will tell you that all of the plot twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat.
I like how Aniri has matured a little bit after her adventures in Jungali. She’s clearly in love with Ash but at the same time she’s getting cold feet about the impending wedding since she’s only known the guy for a couple of weeks. These doubts make the whole thing a little more realistic and allow Aniri to decide what she really wants out of life. Add to that the fact her sister is pregnant in a country that is on the verge of a civil war between the two princes and you’ve got the perfect recipe for some adventure. She meets her old lover Devesh and things quickly turn complicated but I promise you that this is not your typical love triangle. It’s pretty far from that, trust me.
As I mentioned earlier, the plot was insane. It wasn’t action movie fast but it was so interesting I couldn’t put my ereader down. After learning about the second skyship at the end of the first book, I knew things were going to be exciting. What I didn’t know was just how exciting this book would be! There’s so much intrigue George R. R. Martin would be proud. When I say things aren’t always what they seem in this book, I really do mean it.
If you haven’t yet checked out Third Daughter, you really should. Even if you’re not a huge steampunk fan, it’s worth giving it a try because the Dharian Affairs trilogy is just amazing. And if you’ve read the first book, getting Second Daughter is a no-brainer. It’s just that good.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Threats of Sky and Sea by Jennifer Ellision
(Cover picture courtesy of Two Ends of the Pen.)
Sixteen year-old Breena Perdit has spent her life as a barmaid, innocent to her father’s past and happily free from the Elemental gifts that would condemn her to a life in the Egrian King’s army. Until the day that three Elemental soldiers recognize her father as a traitor to the throne and Bree’s father is thrown in jail—along with the secrets from his last mission as the King’s assassin. Secrets that could help the King win a war. Secrets he refuses to share.
Desperate to escape before the King’s capricious whims prove her and her father’s downfall, Bree bargains with him: information for their lives. It’s a good trade. And she has faith she’ll get them both out of the King’s grasp with time.
But that was before the discovery that she’s the weapon the King’s been waiting for in his war.
Now, time is running out. To save her father’s life and understand her own, Bree must unravel the knot of her father’s past before the King takes his life– and uses her to bring a nation to its knees.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
You know, at first glance it would seem like Threats of Sky and Sea has it all: an interesting plot, some fantastic world-building with new takes on old tropes, a tough main character and plenty of intrigue. Except when I finished reading Jennifer Ellision’s debut novel I was left feeling kind of hollow.
Unlike with many books, I know exactly why I was feeling hollow by the end: there really wasn’t that much action in the whole novel. Yes, there’s action when Bree is plucked from her home and there’s quite a bit of action near the end of the novel but there’s really not all that much in the middle. Despite the minor plot surrounding the king and the king’s generally evil intentions, I was left feeling that the plot lacked something. I mean, Bree’s in a court where pretty much everyone hates her because of her father’s betrayal of the king. Surely some people would try to remind her of her place, of her rough upbringing? Surely there would be some other intrigues! When it comes to novels I’m not that demanding in terms of plot pacing but I do like for there to be a little more substance to the plot.
Still, despite that I really loved the characters in this novel. Bree is strong and brave but she at least learns when to keep her mouth shut, unlike a lot of YA heroines. She’s definitely not your traditional heroine in the looks department either because she has short brown hair (gasp!) whereas the current trend usually has heroines with red hair. Not only that, Bree really does love her father but that doesn’t mean she isn’t annoyed and hurt by his betrayal. He told her nothing of her birth, of her abilities for sixteen years and you can’t expect someone to forgive another person (even their own parent) for a betrayal like that. She grows to forgive her father, yes, but it’s a long path in that regard.
For a first novel, the world-building in here is fantastic. Even for a second, third or tenth novel as a matter of fact. I like how people born with elemental powers are both feared and respected as the king takes them in to fight for his army. Not only that, I like how there is still quite a bit not known about where the powers come from, how and when they manifest, etc. It makes it a little more realistic than Bree’s crazy teacher having all of the answers about everything. Not only that, Jennifer Ellision has given quite a great deal of thought to the rest of her fantasy world and you can tell that we’re going to see a lot more of the other kingdoms mentioned in the next few books.
So aside from the lack of substance in the middle of the novel I was very impressed with Threats of Sky and Sea and I can’t wait to see what Jennifer Ellision dreams up next.
I give this novel 4/5 stars.
Blue Violet by Abigail Owen
(Cover picture courtesy of Masquerade Tours.)
2013 Bronze Medalist for Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror eBook at the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPYs)
2014 eLit Awards Bronze Medalist for Fantasy/SciFi
Book #1 of the Svatura Series
Ellie Aubrey is a centuries-old gypsy princess whose extraordinary abilities once inspired her Roma ancestors’ fairytales (or nightmares). Along with her twin-brother, Griffin, Ellie has spent most of her life hiding from the Vyusher, a rival tribe who destroyed their entire powerful family. But after a mysterious dream, Ellie risks discovery in order to find and watch over the Jenners, another group of similarly gifted people. She refuses to let them suffer the same fate.
Alex Jenner has come home to protect his family. His adopted mother can sense danger coming, but not who or when. Suspicious of the new girl in town, Alex challenges Ellie in ways that will spark one of two possible outcomes: they’ll spontaneously combust, or she’ll lose control of the one power she’s fought so hard to contain.
When the Vyusher once again threaten everything she holds dear, Ellie will have to face her worst fear, and Alex will have to face an impossible decision. In this fairytale, the dragon that the prince must slay is also the princess who holds his heart.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy in conjunction with the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.]
When I signed up for the Black Orchid blog tour I really wasn’t all too sure about whether I’d like the books or not. However, the thing that convinced me was that I had read Andromeda’s Fall by Abigail Owen as well and loved it. Why not give her other series a try? And let me tell you: I’m so glad I did. It’s just as good as Andromeda’s Fall and I am now a huge Abigail Owen fan.
The beginning made me cringe, I’ll admit. New girl in a small town going to yet another new school after moving around lots. Thankfully this trope was not played straight and soon we learn that Ellie really isn’t all that she seems and neither is the insanely attractive Alex. Things get awesome pretty quickly so don’t be fooled by Blue Violet‘s unassuming beginning!
Ellie is now one of my favourite heroines. Yes, she can agonize over Alex but she has the self-awareness to at least realize that he’s a college student and he’s probably not going to be interested in his little sister’s new high school aged friend. When she realizes that the Jenners also have abilities similar to hers, her first instinct is to protect them, no matter how coldly Alex treats her. I think the most interesting part about Ellie’s character was her second ability, the one that terrifies her the most. Abigail Owen really works hard to not only portray her obvious fear of it but also to portray the temptation to use it, especially when the Vyusher come knocking.
I really just loved the world-building in Blue Violet. Not only are the different abilities unique and pretty darn cool, there are believable backstories for even the villains like the Vyusher. Of course there are still a couple of questions about abilities and such but this really is only the first book in the series and all of the most pressing questions are answered. In the beginning we learn pretty quickly of Ellie and Griffin’s abilities, which is refreshing considering writers’ tendencies to drag things out for as long as they can. Not so in Blue Violet!
Now, with a blurb that focuses on the inter-character relationships you’d think this would be more of a slow paced novel. It’s definitely not. While it is character driven to a large extent, you’re never going to get bored as both the personal drama and dangerous outside forces come together to create one heck of an epic climax. And there’s just a little cliffhanger so you’re eager to read the next book.
All in all, this is definitely not your typical urban fantasy novel and I can’t recommend it enough. Seriously, go buy it!
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Perfected by Kate Jarvik Birch
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
As soon as the government passed legislation allowing humans to be genetically engineered and sold as pets, the rich and powerful rushed to own beautiful girls like Ella. Trained from birth to be graceful, demure, and above all, perfect, these “family companions” enter their masters’ homes prepared to live a life of idle luxury.
Ella is happy with her new role as playmate for a congressman’s bubbly young daughter, but she doesn’t expect Penn, the congressman’s handsome and rebellious son. He’s the only person who sees beyond the perfect exterior to the girl within. Falling for him goes against every rule she knows…and the freedom she finds with him is intoxicating.
But when Ella is kidnapped and thrust into the dark underworld lurking beneath her pampered life, she’s faced with an unthinkable choice. Because the only thing more dangerous than staying with Penn’s family is leaving…and if she’s unsuccessful, she’ll face a fate far worse than death.
For fans of Keira Cass’s Selection series and Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden series, Perfected is a chilling look at what it means to be human, and a stunning celebration of the power of love to set us free, wrapped in a glamorous—and dangerous—bow.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
This is another book where I honestly don’t know where to start because there are so many things wrong with it. I’ll try my best, though.
Okay, so the premise of Perfected is that genetically perfect humans are being engineered and sold as pets. This is not quite stupid but so ridiculous my eyes nearly popped out of my head when I realized that Kate Jarvik Birch was tone-deaf about things like politics or social movements. I would have believed this premise had she actually done some decent world-building instead of just setting this in what seems to be the present. There’s a lot of problems with setting it in the present but I’ll start with the main one: the American people would never again accept slavery.
Yes, there is illegal slavery all around the globe, even in the United States. But for it to be ingrained into the legal system as actual legislation when the government can’t even pass the simplest bill right now? That’s ridiculous. It would be political suicide in this current culture to even mention something that might possibly be resembling slavery, let alone outright slavery of human beings. No one can even agree on genetically modified food, for crying out loud! How do you think making designer babies would go over in the next five years? And for them to be made into slaves? Yeah, right.
Like I said, I would have been more lenient with the premise of the books had the author done her work and did some real world-building. I could have understood maybe slavery coming about after some catastrophic events that reshaped the American social and political environments forever. Something like a world war, perhaps. At least then it would have an aura of possibility. But as it is, saying that the legislation got passed simply because of corporate donations and pressure is so simplistic it’s insulting to the readers. I’m Canadian and I understand that it’s not that simple in American politics, even with outrageous amounts of money.
It doesn’t take a cynical reader like me to realize that young, beautiful girls being bought by wealthy old men is a recipe for sexual slavery. It’s alluded to in the novel and is revealed as the reason Ella’s predecessor was removed from the home but it’s never really explored or even presented realistically. The fact that Ella doesn’t even know what kissing is beggars belief when these girls are trained to go into the homes of wealthy men. Add that to the fact they’re sold into prostitution when they’re no longer cute and you have to wonder why the ‘breeders’ (the people who create these girls) don’t have them spayed (their word, not mine) in the first place or at least teach them basic sex ed. Yes, I know they’re kept naïve and innocent but some things are just too unrealistic.
Okay, even if I ignored all of the things wrong with Kate Jarvik Birch’s premise and world-building I still wouldn’t be a huge fan of this book. Ella has been bred and taught to be compliant so she makes a ridiculously boring narrator. She’s not interesting and not even really that sympathetic. Penn, just don’t get me started on him. One minute he hates the sight of Ella the next he’s got his tongue in her mouth. Ugh. I really, really, really hate Insta-Love.
The plot is moderately paced but there are absolutely no surprises. Of course the previous girl got pregnant with the Congressman’s child and was killed. That’s why his wife was so opposed to getting a new ‘pet’. Of course Penn and Ella try to escape and claim refugee status at the Canadian border. There were no real twists or turns to the plot and I don’t think you have to be a cynical reader like I am to figure out what’s going to happen in the end. Mind you, it ends on sort of a cliffhanger so they can make a franchise out of this if it does indeed become the new Chemical Garden series or The Selection.
Don’t be fooled by pretty covers, folks. It’s not worth it.
I give this book 1/5 stars.
Sins of the Lost by Linda Poitevin
(Cover picture courtesy of the book tour a couple of months ago.)
From the author of Sins of the Angels and Sins of the Son comes the newest novel in the “electric, thrilling and extremely intelligent” (Ex Libris) Grigori Legacy series.
Heaven and Hell are on the brink of war as Lucifer builds his Nephilim army and waits for his new agenda to become a reality — that of having a Nephilimchild of his own bloodline to lead his forces to cataclysmic victory.
With rumors of the pending war rampant on Earth, Alex fights to save humanity from its own panic – leaving little time for her fledgling
relationship with Seth, the man with heavenly origins who has captured her heart. But when Nephilim children begin to disappear, along with Alex’s own vulnerable niece, the inevitable war between Heaven and Hell becomes as personal as sin.Heaven has its own plans to fight the coming apocalypse, but first it needs Seth back. Asked to betray the man she loves, Alex must turn for help to the soulmate she thought she’d given up — the Archangel Aramael, who may be her last chance to save her family and humanity from the ashes of Lucifer’s Armageddon.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through the blog tour a while back in exchange for an honest review.]
The phrase ‘action-packed’ is bandied about quite carelessly when it comes to describing books, but let me tell you I’m dead serious when I say that Sins of the Lost is action-packed.
Not only is poor Alex trying to stop the oncoming apocalypse, she’s lost her soulmate and is trying to love another (who just happens to be the possible catalyst for said apocalypse). To say that there’s a lot of drama and tension in this third book in the Grigori Legacy is an understatement. It never gets into soap opera ridiculous drama levels but it really is the kind of book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. That’s why I ended up reading this book until four in the morning when I had to work at 8:00am; I just couldn’t stop no matter how much I tried to exercise my self-control.
Alex is of course my favourite character, just like in the previous two installments. This time she’s dealing with even more psychological scars and although some readers may be frustrated with her I believe her reluctance to join in the fight between Heaven and Hell is more realistic than if she were gung-ho about the whole thing. Let’s face it, she’s gone through a lot and it’s all because of their idiotic war that could have been prevented. While Alex is my favourite character, Seth is the one with the most surprises up his sleeve. His character arc, looking back, is very realistic but at the time you really don’t know where his character is going to go. He’s wonderfully ambiguous which ratchets up the tension even more. As for Aramael, I can’t really say much without giving away some major spoilers but let’s just say that his fans will be pleased.
As for the concept, I believe that some would call it ‘blasphemous’ or ‘heresy’ but I love how Linda Poitevin has arranged her versions of Heaven and Hell. God being a woman doesn’t even touch some of the other unique spins on classic Christian theology. I won’t go much further into it because I don’t want to bring my personal beliefs into things but if you’re reading this series, take it for what it is: fiction. It’s not intended to offend or harm and Linda Poitevin does an amazing job at world-building.
I can’t believe it took me so long to finally get to Sins of the Lost but I’m really glad I did. The only bad thing about it? Because of that insane cliffhanger I’m now desperate for the fourth book to come out. I guess that’s just the mark of a great book.
I give this book 5/5 stars.