Tagged: masq1
Novella: Iced in Shadow by Cynthia Luhrs
(Cover picture courtesy of Wicked Green Smoothies.)
Beware… there’s a nasty spirit threatening to ruin Christmas. Come spend the holiday at Ravensmore Castle with your favorite Shadow Walkers. Iced in Shadow may be read standalone. It takes place after Desired by Shadow.
If you enjoy persnickety gods, supernatural creatures and ghosts with the ability to manifest physical bodies, then try Iced in Shadow.
[Full disclosure: Cynthia Luhrs contacted me and asked me to review her novella after seeing my reviews of the first two books in the series. She provided me a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.]
Most novellas in series don’t actually add anything to the series. They’re just sort of a slice-of-life of the characters that can be read as a standalone novella or are just rehashings of events already covered in the previous novel(s). This is not the case in Iced in Shadow! It’s not necessary to read before Reborn in Shadow (book 3) but it does some really important setting up for the novel that gives it a little more depth.
Hamish, Colin’s brother that quite deliberately caused his downfall, is back as a Shadow Walker. How does such a villain get to fight on the side of good, the side that protects humans? Is he really all that evil in the first place? I won’t spoil too much but I have to say that maybe things aren’t as straightforward as they seemed in regards to Hamish’s character from the first two novels. He’s more complicated than I thought and it adds quite a bit of depth to someone who’s shaping up to be a very three dimensional character.
Also unlike a lot of novellas, this one actually has a plot. There’s a very deliberate reason behind writing this and I loved the surprise ending. I don’t want to give too much away again but let me just say there’s going to be some family in-fighting in Reborn in Shadow because of the confrontation at the end of this novella. I also think there will be a little more romantic tension between our two Shadow Walkers and their wives because of the events that take place here.
Yes, this can be read as a standalone but you will get so much more out of it after you read Lost in Shadow and Desired by Shadow. It really builds on the story and it makes me even more eager to get a start on the third book, Reborn in Shadow.
I give this novella 5/5 stars.
Third Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn
(Cover picture courtesy of The Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment.)
The Third Daughter of the Queen wants her birthday to arrive so she’ll be free to marry for love, but rumors of a new flying weapon may force her to accept a barbarian prince’s proposal for a peace-brokering marriage. Desperate to marry the charming courtesan she loves, Aniri agrees to the prince’s proposal as a subterfuge in order to spy on him, find the weapon, and hopefully avoid both war and an arranged marriage to a man she does not love.
Third Daughter is the first book in the The Dharian Affairs Trilogy (Third Daughter, Second Daughter, First Daughter). This steampunk-goes-to-Bollywood (Bollypunk!) romance that takes place in an east-Indian-flavored alternate world filled with skyships, saber duels, and lots of royal intrigue. And, of course, kissing.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
I almost didn’t pick Third Daughter to request because the cover gave me the impression it would be a stereotypical Bollywood sort of novel with no real substance. Still, the blurb was good enough that I decided to ignore the cover and give it a chance. And honestly, thank goodness I did!
I’ll be honest with you guys in that I really haven’t read much steampunk. It was only really last year that I actually picked up my first steampunk novel. Still, I absolutely loved the world-building in Third Daughter. It’s set in an Eastern-flavoured world on the verge of an industrial revolution. Many courts like the ones in Dharia favour the old-fashioned styles of dress with corsets and starched skirts, but at the same time there are things similar to handheld computers for long-distance communication and airships. It’s a time of upheaval as new weapons are being created and the kingdoms engage in subtle power plays for supremacy. Really, Susan Kaye Quinn couldn’t have chosen a better time as a setting for her fantasy world.
The characters are wonderful. I absolutely loved Aniri. She’s sort of your typical rebellious princess in the beginning but when she agrees to go on a mission for her mother you really get the feeling that she also cares about her country. Aniri isn’t selfish, even if helping her country means leaving behind the courtesan she loves and pretending to be engaged to a ‘barbarian’ prince. She and Ash (the aforementioned prince) develop slowly over the novel and their feelings for each other become more and more complicated as emotion gets in the way of duty. There’s a lot of romantic tension in this novel but it’s not a romance novel per se.
The plot was truly wonderful. I loved the twists and turns that kept me guessing right up until the end. I sort of knew who was behind the big airship plot but it turns out I was only half right. That’s the thing about Third Daughter: it keeps you guessing and just when you think you’ve figured everything out, Susan Kaye Quinn throws you for a loop.
Even if you’re not the biggest steampunk fan out there, I’d definitely recommend Third Daughter. It has great characters, is set in a well built fantasy world and the plot is fast-paced and unpredictable. You can’t ask for more.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Kiya: Rise of a New Dynasty by Katie Hamstead
(Cover picture courtesy of Sharon Bayliss.)
Tut has grown into his position as Pharaoh, but he is a wild young man. Naomi fears for him, not only because of his recklessness, but because he has put his trust in Ay–the man determined to destroy Naomi—despite her and Horemheb advising against it.
Meanwhile, death and slavery hang over Naomi and her family. With fear of the booming Hebrew numbers causing talk of enslaving them, conscription is reinstated and Naomi fears
for the lives of her other children. Especially since Ay’s children are now adults, and just as dangerous as their father. They threaten to take Itani, conspire against Tut, and pushing for power.But Tut is in trouble. While Ay’s daughter draws Horemheb’s attention, and Naomi deals with the struggles of her family, everyone’s distraction could spell death for the young Pharaoh.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
First off this is historical fiction, but it isn’t exactly historically accurate. Yes, the broad strokes are there (Kiya being Akhenaten’s wife, Horemheb ascending the throne, etc) but the things like the Hebrew enslavement have no basis in archaeological fact. There’s some dispute about things like Horemheb’s reign length but I’m willing to overlook things like that because it is still an controversy among Egyptologists. Normally historical inaccuracies would bother me, but this is far from the case in the Kiya trilogy.
The fact is, Kiya: Rise of a New Dynasty is a great story. It’s got everything from tragic unrequited love to political intrigue. Naomi is now in her thirties and Tutankhamun is now a wild young man instead of a shy, frightened boy. I like how Katie Hamstead emphasized Tut’s reputation for being a bit of a wild Pharaoh who loved riding chariots far too fast and hunting. It’s an important part of his characterization but there’s also that sensitive side of him we see with his mother. He’s not a perfect child (sometimes he’s actually rather horrible) but he is essentially a good, if flawed, human being.
I like how Naomi has changed. She’s very much in love with her husband Malachi but Horemheb is still an important part of her life. Katie Hamstead couldn’t have solved the love triangle better than she did at the end of this novel, to be honest. I don’t want to spoil anything but it’s a very satisfying, almost happy ending to what is a pretty sad novel. Naomi must navigate everything from trying to advise her teenage son to influencing the politics of his royal court and it’s interesting to see how she handles things. She’s far from perfect but she’s one of my absolute favourite characters. Of course I still have a special place in my heart for Horemheb because although I’m not much of a romantic, I have a weakness for the tragic unrequited love trope.
Of all the novels in the trilogy I’d have to say that Rise of a New Dynasty is probably the most fast-paced. It covers quite a large span of years and a fascinating time period in history. Some of the dramas are made up but it does make for a good story and this trilogy was never presented as being very meticulously researched and true to the facts.
If you’ve read the previous two books in the trilogy, you’re going to love the conclusion. It’s fast-paced, interesting and the characters are very well fleshed-out. Basically, this was the perfect end to a great trilogy.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Feyguard: Spark by Anthea Sharp
(Cover picture courtesy of Anthea Sharp’s blog.)
Superstar gamer Spark Jaxley’s life might look easy, but she’s part of an elite few who guard a shocking secret; the Realm of Faerie exists, and its dark magic is desperate for a foothold in the mortal world.
Aran Cole hacks code and sells his gaming cheats on the black market. It’s barely a living, and one he’s not proud of. But when he turns his skills to unlocking the secrets behind Feyland—the most exciting and immersive game on the market—he discovers power and magic beyond his wildest dreams.
Spark’s mission is clear; pull Aran from the clutches of the fey folk and restore the balance between the worlds. But can she risk her life for someone who refuses to be rescued?
[Full disclosure: I requested and received a free ebook from Anthea Sharp in exchange for an honest review.]
In Feyland: The Twilight Kingdom one of my favourite characters was the teenage gaming superstar Spark Jaxley. She was sassy, tough and a talented gamer and I wanted to learn more about her. Imagine my surprise and happiness when I learned that the first book in the spin-off series would actually feature Spark as a main character.
I was far from disappointed, believe me. Spark sure is a sassy, tough and talented gamer but she’s also a teenager who’s lonely in her fame. Her fame makes it hard for anyone to see her as a real human being requiring company that’s on the same level. I liked the whole it’s-lonely-at-the-top angle Anthea Sharp gave her because it’s far more realistic than Spark revelling in her fame 24/7. Of course there are advantages (mainly the gaming itself) but I found it interesting to see Spark not just as a good gamer, but as a lonely teenage girl.
Aran Cole was also a fascinating character. He’s extremely poor and one of the best hackers out there when it comes to finding game cheats. He certainly has the motivation to improve his station in life and he’s not afraid to manipulate people to get what he wants. Aran’s not your typical cold-hearted criminal, though. Although he tries to hide and deny his feelings, he does feel quite a bit of guilt about his hacking. Especially when it lands Spark in danger later on in the novel.
So basically you have two awesome characters. How was the world-building? As with the original Feyland trilogy, the world-building is fantastic. I liked that Anthea Sharp focused more on the real world with this one, especially the gaming culture that Spark is so immersed in. It gives you a better picture of her imagined future where extreme wealth and poverty stand in stark contrast to one another. Of course she also adds some new stuff to Feyland itself, but the new information we learn is mostly about the real world.
The plot was so fast-paced that although I intended to only read a few chapters, I ended up finishing the whole book in one sitting. Spark is one of my favourite main characters and her and Aran’s story was fascinating. They’re both great characters in a fast-paced novel with three dimensional world-building. What more can you ask for?
I give this book 5/5 stars.
The Golden Apple by Michelle Diener
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(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
Kayla’s world has been turned upside-down . . .
Her father has made her the prize in a deadly, impossible tournament, and Kayla has retaliated in the only way she knows how; by choosing her champion beforehand. But taking control of the outcome changes the game completely, and when the real reason behind the strange test becomes apparent, Kayla realizes not just her life, but her entire kingdom is at stake.
Rane’s honor is torn in two…
In order to save his brother, Rane will do whatever he has to–including deceive and betray a princess. He knew nothing about this tournament would be easy, but when it turns into a deeper, far more sinister game, Rane is forced to see it through to the end, or leave his brother at the mercy of their enemy.
Now their fates are entwined, and they must venture into the deep, dark forest together . . .
Kayla and Rane are bound to one another by an enchantment and Kayla’s actions. But the sorcerer forcing them to do his will may have miscalculated, because no-one comes out of the Great Forest unchanged. No-one.
The Golden Apple is loosely based on the fairy tale The Princess on the Glass Hill.
[Full disclosure: I asked for and received a free ebook copy from Michelle Diener in exchange for an honest review.]
As you guys probably know by now, I’m not the biggest fan of fairytale retellings. Usually they’re simplistic, boring and utterly predictable. Usually.
The Golden Apple is anything but usual, however.
The thing I found most striking about this book is the complexity of the plot. This isn’t your typical straightforward quest where the heroes venture together, defeat the villain and come home to live their happily ever after. No, in this one Rane and Kayla are forced to confront their deepest fears, do things they never thought they would and work together to try to save their entire way of life as well as their lives. Just when you think Michelle Diener is going to wind things down for the conclusion she throws another wrench in the works. It’s definitely the kind of book that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
I found the complexity of the plot surprising, but my favourite element of this book was the characters. Kayla isn’t your typical pampered princess but neither is she a kick-butt action hero. She is not always able to defend herself but she does try and eventually succeeds as her abilities grow. It’s nice to see a female character who learns she has an ability and seeks to control and manage it rather than deny its existence and whine about it. Rane is also interesting. He loves his brother Soren and he’s willing to manipulate Kayla to free him but then he begins to fall in love with her. It’s not an easy journey for both him and Kayla but I like how the viewpoints alternated to show their different perceptions of the world around them.
Finally, the world-building was some of the best I’ve ever seen in a fairytale retelling. I loved learning about the history of the kingdom of Gaynor in small chunks as well as learning about the powerful sorcerers that live in Michelle Diener’s world. How wild magic is actually created was fascinating, but it makes sense. How the sorcerers deal with wild magic is just so in line with human nature that I had to laugh when I learned how they contained it. I don’t want to give too much away, but I guarantee that once you learn who created wild magic and why it seems confined to the Great Forest you’ll laugh too.
Basically, this is a great book. It’s one of the best fairytale retellings I’ve ever read and although it doesn’t come out until March 24 I can’t wait for the sequel The Silver Pear already.
I give this book 5/5 stars.