Tagged: masq1
You Are Mine by Janeal Falor
(Cover picture courtesy of Crash Boom Bang.)
Serena knows a few simple things. She will always be owned by a warlock. She will never have freedom. She will always do what her warlock wishes, regardless of how inane, frivolous, or cruel it is. And if she doesn’t follow the rules, she will be tarnished. Spelled to be bald, inked, and barren for the rest of her life—worth less than the shadow she casts.
Then her ownership is won by a barbarian from another country. With the uncertainty that comes from belonging to a new warlock, Serena questions if being tarnished is really worse than being owned by a barbarian, and tempts fate by breaking the rules. When he looks the other way instead of punishing her, she discovers a new world. The more she ventures into the forbidden, the more she learns of love and a freedom just out of reach. Serena longs for both. But in a society where women are only ever property, hoping for more could be deadly.
[Full disclosure: You Are Mine caught my eye on a blog a while back so I requested a review copy from Janeal Falor in exchange for an honest review.]
I thought this was going to be a wishy-washy romance with some good fantastic elements when I requested You Are Mine. I was willing to ignore the romance in exchange for a well-developed world, but Janeal Falor completely blew away my expectations. Trust me, the romantic elements don’t pan out like you expect them to.
Serena is one of those characters that you’re not sure how you feel about her in the beginning, but you learn to love her after the first few chapters or so. What I like is that she rebels against a male-dominated society in her own ways and yet doesn’t go into stereotypical girl power mode that would be completely unbelievable considering her upbringing. When you’ve been tortured by your own father for minor infractions like she has, you’re not exactly going to be ecstatic about marrying some wretched barbarian who killed your admittedly horrible intended. Understandably, she’s more than a little terrified of Zade especially when he doesn’t punish/torture her like her father does even though he technically owns her and that kind of behaviour is expected of him as a warlock.
The plot of You Are Mine is not fast-paced, but that’s really not the point of the whole story. I’d say this is more character-driven and that makes it a much better book than it would have been if it were plot-driven. We get to intimately know the world of Chardonia through Serena’s eyes and get a little outsider perspective from Zade, the ‘barbarian’ foreigner. I love how Zade really isn’t all that he appears to be and that his real character is revealed by the end of the novel. It’s plot twists like that rather than crazy pacing that made me like You Are Mine.
Where do I start with the world-building? The warlocks completely dominating women by making them less than human, the tarnished outcasts, the magic? In short, Janeal Falor has created a patriarchal society that is both believable because of the power warlocks have and is terrifying because of how women are treated like property. And of course warlocks are allowed to destroy their property any time they see fit, which leads to women being tarnished (aka hexed into being bald, tattooed and barren). It’s a horrible society and you can definitely see why Serena acts the way she does around Zade even when it’s obvious to the reader that Zade isn’t like Serena’s sadistic father.
I thought that the plot dragged a little too much in some places (even if it was primarily character-driven), but that’s my only real complaint. Other than that, Janeal Falor has written an amazing debut novel and I can’t wait to see more of her work in the future. Especially with that huge cliffhanger ending!
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
(Cover picture courtesy of The Streetlight Reader.)
To reach greatness you must step on bodies, and many brothers lie trodden in my wake. I’ve walked from pawn to player and I’ll win this game of ours, though the cost of it may drown the world in blood…
The land burns with the fires of a hundred battles as lords and petty kings fight for the Broken Empire. The long road to avenge the slaughter of his mother and brother has shown Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath the hidden hands behind this endless war. He saw the game and vowed to sweep the board. First though he must gather his own pieces, learn the rules of play, and discover how to break them.
A six nation army, twenty thousand strong, marches toward Jorg’s gates, led by a champion beloved of the people. Every decent man prays this shining hero will unite the empire and heal its wounds. Every omen says he will. Every good king knows to bend the knee in the face of overwhelming odds, if only to save their people and their lands. But King Jorg is not a good king.
Faced by an enemy many times his strength Jorg knows that he cannot win a fair fight. But playing fair was never part of Jorg’s game plan.
I believe I said this before, but it bears repeating: Jorg is like Genghis Khan if he’d gotten started on the whole conquering business in his teen years. Trust me, King of Thorns and the whole of The Broken Empire trilogy is brutal in terms of blood, guts and gore. It’s not for the faint of heart.
With that said, I still love Jorg as a character. Mark Lawrence has managed to create a character that is far from sympathetic, but is more empathetic. Readers get an in-depth understanding of who Jorg is and why he is the way he is, but it’s hard to feel sorry for him very often. Rather, he’s an interesting character so you can’t help but keep on reading to find out what happens to him. Although the narrative was a little more disjointed, you can certainly tell how Jorg has changed from the first book now that he’s eighteen years old. Is he any less ruthless? No. But he does feel at least a little sympathy for some human beings by this point.
My only complaint about King of Thorns is the disjointed narrative. We get treated to excerpts from Katherine’s diary, Jorg’s point of view four years ago immediately after the events of Prince of Thorns and the current wedding day/battle. During each of these points in the narrative there are flashbacks within the flashbacks, so I admit it did get a little confusing. Could Mark Lawrence have written this in a better way? Probably. Does it still work out? Yes. The plot is tied up nicely by the final battle and even though Jorg has changed, his last main action at the end of the novel is so completely in character you can’t help but laugh. Then again, maybe you won’t because I personally have a morbid sense of humour.
What I really liked about this second book in the trilogy is that Jorg is an even better character than before, but also that we got to see more of his world. This post-apocalyptic quasi-Medieval world is absolutely fascinating! You can tell Mark Lawrence really put effort into world-building because we get all kinds of subtle hints at the events that brought along the apocalypse as well as how it changed the world. I don’t want to give things away, but from the sounds of the Builders and the political strife that occurred after their fall it’s no wonder Jorg is the way he is. It’s a brutal, cruel world and seemingly good men like the Prince of Arrow are swallowed up by it.
Overall, I absolutely loved King of Thorns. It was fast-paced if a little disjointed at times, the characters acquired more depth and the world-building was expanded upon. If you like dark fantasy/post-apocalyptic fiction you’ll love The Broken Empire trilogy.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
The Devil Incarnate by Jill Braden
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
There’s no rest for the wicked… especially the Devil.
While QuiTai recovers from her last adventure, Levapur is turning into a police state. The Ponongese are pushed to the brink of rebellion against their colonial masters, the Thampurians – but who is behind it, and why? As the new Devil, QuiTai must wield her power and use her brilliant mind to outsmart her mysterious nemesis before a bloody uprising erupts.
[Full disclosure: After seeing that I loved The Devil’s Concubine so much after reviewing it for NetGalley, Jill Braden’s editor contacted me and sent me a free paperback copy of this second book in exchange for an honest review.]
After The Devil’s Concubine was so good, could The Devil Incarnate live up to my expectations? Or would it suffer from the dreaded Book 2 Syndrome?
Once again, Jill Braden blew away my expectations. I won’t say that the second book in the series was any better or worse than the first book, but it was certainly different. Different in a good way. In this second book, there was a much bigger focus on the world of QuiTai in regards to the geography as well as the history. We get to learn so much more about how Ponong was conquered by the Thampurians as well as QuiTai’s life before becoming the Devil’s concubine as we met her in the first book. The thing with this backstory is that it’s spread all throughout the book so I didn’t feel overwhelmed at any point in time.
Of course we have our old favourite character QuiTai and Kyam, who spend most of their time apart in this book. Consequently, we’re introduced to a lot of interesting new characters both directly and indirectly like Grandfather Zul (Kyam’s grandfather), Ma’am Thun and Lizzriat. Each of these new characters have very different personalities, motivations and backgrounds so they add to the overall plot rather than just existing so the main characters have someone to talk to.
The thing that constantly impresses me about The Devil of Ponong series is the beautiful imagery Jill Braden uses. When QuiTai roams the streets of Levapur, I feel like I’m there. I can feel the hot, humid air as she strolls among her people and Thampurians; I can taste the rice and see QuiTai stumbling along in her Thampurian disguise on her way to The Dragon Pearl. Since Jill Braden chose to write a fantasy set in a non-Eurocentric world, she really did need to convey the completely different atmosphere of tropical climates and cultures. She most definitely succeeded in that regard.
As always with her writing, I never saw her plot twists coming. Especially the huge one regarding poor Kyam at the end and QuiTai’s secret victory over her new nemesis. The plot was a little slower in this book than in the first one, but there’s no point where it really drags, even in the middle. Instead, Jill Braden chose to slowly ratchet up the tension and wrote from a few different points of view to give us a glimpse at the larger politics taking place on Ponong. It kept me up reading into the early morning hours, at any rate.
I’m constantly impressed with Jill Braden’s writing and still can’t believe that this is her first published series. Her third book, Tempt the Devil isn’t out yet but I can’t wait to see her writing improve even more. If you’re looking for non-traditional fantasy, this is definitely the series for you and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Cameron’s Law by Mia Darien
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
Vampires are people, too.
Cameron’s Law has made all supernatural creatures legal citizens, and the boy next door has suddenly become the werewolf next door. With Sadie Stanton, vampire and one of the public faces of the legislation, calling the little town of Adelheid, Connecticut home, it can’t help but be a focal point for these once mythical beings.
But when vampires start attacking werewolves without provocation, Adelheid draws the attention of those that would seek to have Cameron’s Law repealed and would send the preternaturals back into the shadows they used to hide in, but without the safety of their anonymity and their law.
Can Sadie keep the city’s two biggest species from descending into chaos and war before it brings all of them to harm? And can she do it when she herself gets thrust into the spotlight?
[Although I’m publishing this review in conjunction with the Adhelaid blog tour, I downloaded an ebook copy for free because I was interested in Cameron’s Law anyway and the tour gave me an excuse to read it. As always, this is still an honest review.]
I’ve become almost immune to books with action-packed beginnings, but when a book starts out with someone getting staked you know it’s going to be good. And when the character that gets staked is heading to the police station even though they’re a vampire, you know there’s a whole new exciting world yet to be revealed.
Welcome to Adhelaid, Sadie Stanton’s headquarters where she fights for supernatural rights. You see, only a year ago she helped pass Cameron’s Law, the law that made all supernatural beings citizens of the United States with full rights. As you can probably guess, there were a lot of people unhappy about that and they go to extreme lengths to express that unhappiness. You might be thinking that this sounds a little cliché but I’m vastly over simplifying all of the politics between supernatural beings and humans Mia Darien throws into her novel. If you were to read Cameron’s Law for one reason and one reason only, it would definitely have to be for the world-building. It’s impressive.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about Sadie in the beginning, but she’s definitely the kind of snarky character you can’t help but fall in love with. She’s snarky and she knows it’s a defense mechanism, but she’s also a little vulnerable when it comes to her heart. Let’s just say I love how she doesn’t fall in Insta-Love and that when she’s in love it’s not all rainbows and sunshine either. Especially when the mysterious murders of werewolves by apparent vampires cause tensions between the two supernatural communities.
Part of what I really liked about Cameron’s Law in regards to the plot was that it was fast-paced but there were some slow moments for readers to catch their breath. The slow moments aren’t boring and actually forward the plot, but it’s nice not to have constant action so you can get a little backstory. The interactions between Sadie and Vance are definitely slower than the greater conspiracy but they further both the plot and their characterization.
Even if you’re not really into urban fantasy or paranormal romance I’d highly recommend Cameron’s Law. I’m so glad that I got an opportunity to pick up a great book I otherwise would have missed because of Mia Darien’s blog tour. So seriously people, if you’re looking for a short but good read, pick up Cameron’s Law. You won’t regret it. Besides, it’s free right now on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble if you get it in their respective ebook formats!
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Surviving the Angel of Death by Eva Mozes Kor and Lisa Rojany Buccieri
(Cover picture courtesy of My Shelf Confessions.)
Eva Mozes Kor was just 10 years old when she arrived in Auschwitz. While her parents and two older sisters were taken to the gas chambers, she and her twin, Miriam, were herded into the care of the man known as the Angel of Death, Dr. Josef Mengele. Subjected to sadistic medical experiments, she was forced to fight daily for her and her twin’s survival. In this incredible true story written for young adults, readers will learn of a child’s endurance and survival in the face of truly extraordinary evil.
The book also includes an epilogue on Eva’s recovery from this experience and her remarkable decision to publicly forgive the Nazis.Through her museum and her lectures, she has dedicated her life to giving testimony on the Holocaust, providing a message of hope for people who have suffered, and working for causes of human rights and peace.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
Just so we’re all on the same page here I want you to know that this a review of Eva Mozes Kor’s YA version of her memoir Echoes From Auschwitz. Surviving the Angel of Death is meant for a teen or more sensitive audience because it does not go into as much graphic detail as her full memoir does. There are still nightmarish scenes considering the subject matter, but keep in mind that this particular version is more YA-friendly.
Eva and Miriam are twins in Hungary when the Second World War breaks out. Since they’re Jewish, Eva shows us how things steadily got worse for her family before they were finally rounded up and eventually sent to Auschwitz. Being twins, they heard the cry of “Zwillinge!” (Twins!) as the soldiers selected who would live and who would die. They were the ‘lucky’ ones, the ones chosen by Dr. Joseph Mengele for his twin experiments at Auschwitz.
We learn about the horrible conditions the twins were kept in even though they were ‘special’ and the experiments they were subjected to during their stay at Auschwitz. What really struck me about this memoir is the description of Dr. Mengele: “My first thought was how handsome he was, like a movie star.” It really brings home the fact that these atrocities were not committed by movie villain caricatures, but by real people. For a young adult first learning about the Holocaust, I dare say that would be a rude awakening. But it really drives home the point that the Holocaust did happen and that the atrocities we all hear about now were committed by people just like us.
What I found the best about Surviving the Angel of Death was that Eva Mozes Kor wrote about the liberation of Auschwitz and included information about where she and Miriam ended up later on. She includes snippets of later on in her life where she started campaigning for Holocaust awareness and how she came to publicly forgive the Nazis. It’s an intense personal journey and it’s one I’m glad she’s sharing in a more young adult friendly manner. Obviously I’m not saying teens can’t read her full memoir, but rather that I think this is a good book if teens are just starting to learn about the Holocaust.
The formatting on my Kindle was a little weird at times, but that didn’t even register for me. The fact is that this is an extremely emotional, honest memoir about one of the darkest periods in human history. It’s well-written and informative, which is what it should be. I would highly recommend it to teens who are just starting to learn about the Holocaust or sensitive people who don’t feel they’re ready for the full version.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
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***A note on comment moderation: I know the Holocaust is an extremely sensitive topic, especially on the internet. It’s also one that I personally am extremely sensitive about, for reasons I don’t want to discuss. Therefore, I will be moderating all comments on this post with a heavy hand and will forewarn you that any Holocaust denying comments will be deleted for sheer ignorance. Yes, this is censorship and no, I don’t care in this particular case.