This book is more bittersweet than most romance novels. The time slip storytelling beautifully weaves together the rise and fall of Sera and Malcolm’s marriage. Watching the characters grow through love, loss, grief, and pain is worth the read. Sera’s sisters are a hilarious bunch that wonderfully counterpoint the heartache of Sera and Mal.
Neither Malcolm nor Sera are innocent in the destruction of their marriage. There is plenty of blame to go around, and a large part of it can be placed on their parents. His parents’ coldness causes Malcolm to have attachment issues; Sera’s mother talks her into going along with a plan that backfires in her face. After that, the downhill slide rests solely on their shoulders, ultimately culminating in Sera storming the House of Lords demanding a divorce.
This end begins the summer hijinks in this book. The push and pull of the main characters, coupled with a boisterous supporting cast, create a book that I couldn’t put down. I especially loved the interactions between the sisters and Malcolm as they gave him hell and tossed societal norms out the window.
I enjoyed the book’s time slip nature as past events were revealed and brought more nuance to different characters’ actions and fleshed out referenced events. It made both Malcolm and Sera more sympathetic characters. The final scene was groan-worthy over-the-top but showcased how both characters had grown, making it worthwhile.
This book is different from most romance novels, and that is a good thing. I had not read anything by Sarah MacLean before, but I will be on the lookout for her books now.
Neither Malcolm nor Sera are innocent in the destruction of their marriage. There is plenty of blame to go around, and a large part of it can be placed on their parents. His parents’ coldness causes Malcolm to have attachment issues; Sera’s mother talks her into going along with a plan that backfires in her face. After that, the downhill slide rests solely on their shoulders, ultimately culminating in Sera storming the House of Lords demanding a divorce.
This end begins the summer hijinks in this book. The push and pull of the main characters, coupled with a boisterous supporting cast, create a book that I couldn’t put down. I especially loved the interactions between the sisters and Malcolm as they gave him hell and tossed societal norms out the window.
I enjoyed the book’s time slip nature as past events were revealed and brought more nuance to different characters’ actions and fleshed out referenced events. It made both Malcolm and Sera more sympathetic characters. The final scene was groan-worthy over-the-top but showcased how both characters had grown, making it worthwhile.
This book is different from most romance novels, and that is a good thing. I had not read anything by Sarah MacLean before, but I will be on the lookout for her books now.
The premise made this book look intriguing, but it was never able to hold my interest. The main characters were too wishy-washy for me to like, and plot lines were either not fleshed out or left unresolved.
I didn’t care for either of the main characters, the longer I was exposed to them. Clara is strong enough to carry out her own ruin to get away from a miserable betrothal. She never really stops running, though. At the slightest provocation, watch her lift her skirts and run for the hills. The background information feels like it belongs to someone else since she comes across as a timid character in the main story.
Hunt is the opposite. He’s been told his whole life that he’s under a curse and so he’s determined to live life to the fullest but avoid any entanglements that might lead to children. Of course, those ideas fly out the window after he crashes into Clara. It annoys me when a character does an about-face like this solely because they’ve met the other main character.
The curse was actually one of the most frustrating parts of the book. Characters either fully believed in it or poo-pooed it. With the events at the beginning of the book, I expected more supernatural elements or even just a fleshing out of exactly how the family came to realize it was cursed. It also aggravated me that a skeptic like Clara didn’t investigate the curse’s origins or ways to break it. Instead, the characters treated it as a fait accompli and became a very morose bunch. Which, needless to say, makes for dull reading material.
By the end of the book, I was more interested in whatever happened to the prized bull than the main characters. The concept was appealing, but the execution was lacking. Ultimately, the ending made me roll my eyes, as it’s a cliffhanger for the next book in the series.
I didn’t care for either of the main characters, the longer I was exposed to them. Clara is strong enough to carry out her own ruin to get away from a miserable betrothal. She never really stops running, though. At the slightest provocation, watch her lift her skirts and run for the hills. The background information feels like it belongs to someone else since she comes across as a timid character in the main story.
Hunt is the opposite. He’s been told his whole life that he’s under a curse and so he’s determined to live life to the fullest but avoid any entanglements that might lead to children. Of course, those ideas fly out the window after he crashes into Clara. It annoys me when a character does an about-face like this solely because they’ve met the other main character.
The curse was actually one of the most frustrating parts of the book. Characters either fully believed in it or poo-pooed it. With the events at the beginning of the book, I expected more supernatural elements or even just a fleshing out of exactly how the family came to realize it was cursed. It also aggravated me that a skeptic like Clara didn’t investigate the curse’s origins or ways to break it. Instead, the characters treated it as a fait accompli and became a very morose bunch. Which, needless to say, makes for dull reading material.
By the end of the book, I was more interested in whatever happened to the prized bull than the main characters. The concept was appealing, but the execution was lacking. Ultimately, the ending made me roll my eyes, as it’s a cliffhanger for the next book in the series.
When a book starts out with a wet dream, I always get leery of reading further. Fortunately, this book didn’t go entirely downhill. It was a bumpy ride, but at the end of the day, it’s a decent story, but Charley’s attitude annoyed me.
The premise is very intriguing as the dead are drawn to her, which leads to plenty of work for her PI and police consultation business. I like that she is well-established and does not fall prey to the trope of not being able to pay her bills. She never complains about money and has a long client list.
Charley has two projects currently in the works: three homicides that woke her up at 4:34 in the morning and figuring out who the mystery man is that is invading her dreams every night. These plot elements work well and are what kept me reading. Just what the mystery man is was a unique concept, and continuing that plotline might be enough to make me pick up the second book.
Charley, herself, is the worst part of the book. She cops an attitude with everyone, and it’s no surprise that her stepmom and sister are not on good terms with her. She is unprofessional with her uncle’s colleagues on the police force, and I have to wonder how much flack he takes for continuing to bring her around. Her inner monologuing is also an issue. Depending on your personality/mood, it is either entertaining or annoying.
I don’t think I would have as much of an issue with her attitude if she didn’t show that she can be caring and compassionate…when it comes to the dead. She is far kinder to the dead than the living people that surround her. She will pass messages on to those left behind, and she has more patience with a ghost that she just bumped into than someone she has worked with for years.
I can see the potential with the series that starts with this book. But, Charley’s attitude keeps this series from being at the top of my pile to complete. It’s not awful, but it’s not great, and so it gets three stars.
The premise is very intriguing as the dead are drawn to her, which leads to plenty of work for her PI and police consultation business. I like that she is well-established and does not fall prey to the trope of not being able to pay her bills. She never complains about money and has a long client list.
Charley has two projects currently in the works: three homicides that woke her up at 4:34 in the morning and figuring out who the mystery man is that is invading her dreams every night. These plot elements work well and are what kept me reading. Just what the mystery man is was a unique concept, and continuing that plotline might be enough to make me pick up the second book.
Charley, herself, is the worst part of the book. She cops an attitude with everyone, and it’s no surprise that her stepmom and sister are not on good terms with her. She is unprofessional with her uncle’s colleagues on the police force, and I have to wonder how much flack he takes for continuing to bring her around. Her inner monologuing is also an issue. Depending on your personality/mood, it is either entertaining or annoying.
I don’t think I would have as much of an issue with her attitude if she didn’t show that she can be caring and compassionate…when it comes to the dead. She is far kinder to the dead than the living people that surround her. She will pass messages on to those left behind, and she has more patience with a ghost that she just bumped into than someone she has worked with for years.
I can see the potential with the series that starts with this book. But, Charley’s attitude keeps this series from being at the top of my pile to complete. It’s not awful, but it’s not great, and so it gets three stars.
Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairytale, because it is the one where the couple’s love doesn’t happen at first sight. I am always interested in reading an author’s take on the classic tale and how they see the couple coming together. I read several glowing recommendations for this book and was excited to give it a try. Unfortunately, my only thought as I closed the book was, “What a waste of potential.”
The premise is intriguing and sounds like a different, unique take on the tale. A scarred Waterloo veteran that was betrayed to the French by a comrade hides from society on his estate and takes out his temper on his father’s extensive collection of Ming porcelain. A beautiful orphan tries to protect her younger sister from their money-hungry aunt and uncle and the suitor who ruined her reputation in polite society a decade before. She turns to the only peer in the area powerful enough to protect them, even if it means offering herself to the Beast.
The interactions between the primary ensemble are what I like the best about the book. I especially enjoy the relationship between Thane and his staff. While they are more outspoken than typical servants, they know that Thane will never turn them out despite his gruff blustering. His aunt, Mabel, also stands by him and refuses to be cowed by his anger or tantrums. When they are on good terms, the bantering between Thane and Astrid is quite comical. Astrid and her sister, Isobel, clearly love each other and want to do what’s best for one another, even when they don’t agree on a course of action.
Sadly, there are many issues with the book that bog it down and make it unenjoyable.
With many external issues available, the tale could have Thane and Astrid coming together to fight against their common or now shared enemies finding love along the way. Instead, the tired, old trope of viciously pushing the other away to protect themselves is used to the point of wanting Astrid to walk away because it’s happened so many times. Thane continuously calls himself a monster, and he resists any effort to tell him otherwise.
The book is also plagued by vanishing plot points. One example is the changing situation with Astrid’s majority when she will come into her inheritance. In the first chapter, it is a year away from her majority. Later, in the same scene, it’s months away. Then when there is a confrontation with her uncle sometime later, she’s reached her majority without any note of it’s passing even though she stated earlier in the day that she hadn’t come into her inheritance. I had to go back and re-read the previous pages to see if I missed it. That is just one example of items that seem essential to the story and could have made excellent points of the couple working together that disappear, reappear, and change at random.
While a smaller issue, in the long run, the historical inaccuracies when it came to Astrid’s clothing kept jarring me out of the story. When a period is as favored for romance fiction as the Regency, there is an expectation that an author is aware of what would be acceptable in polite society, whether clothing, conduct, or other factors. Darker colors and a tighter fit did not begin to come back into fashion until the late 1820s, at least six years after this story setting, and Regency undergarments would not allow for a low cut back to a dress. Beyond that, tight corsets to the point of having trouble breathing would not come back into style until the Victorian era, which began in 1837.
Lastly, modern jargon is used throughout the story, especially about women’s rights. Astrid is in a very vulnerable position at the beginning of the book and the correct person to bring this subject up. But whining about equality is frustrating when the main couple never carries through with it. Even the final coup de’ grace against the villain is entirely one-sided. This annoyance only deepens when the mentor-like “liberated” woman shows no inclination for using her power to affect politics, serve as a patron for aspiring women, or any other type of leadership role which, while eccentric, was not unheard of in the period. Instead, she beds the footmen and indulges in naughty needlework.
The Beast of Beswick had real potential. I wish that it had lived up to it.
The premise is intriguing and sounds like a different, unique take on the tale. A scarred Waterloo veteran that was betrayed to the French by a comrade hides from society on his estate and takes out his temper on his father’s extensive collection of Ming porcelain. A beautiful orphan tries to protect her younger sister from their money-hungry aunt and uncle and the suitor who ruined her reputation in polite society a decade before. She turns to the only peer in the area powerful enough to protect them, even if it means offering herself to the Beast.
The interactions between the primary ensemble are what I like the best about the book. I especially enjoy the relationship between Thane and his staff. While they are more outspoken than typical servants, they know that Thane will never turn them out despite his gruff blustering. His aunt, Mabel, also stands by him and refuses to be cowed by his anger or tantrums. When they are on good terms, the bantering between Thane and Astrid is quite comical. Astrid and her sister, Isobel, clearly love each other and want to do what’s best for one another, even when they don’t agree on a course of action.
Sadly, there are many issues with the book that bog it down and make it unenjoyable.
With many external issues available, the tale could have Thane and Astrid coming together to fight against their common or now shared enemies finding love along the way. Instead, the tired, old trope of viciously pushing the other away to protect themselves is used to the point of wanting Astrid to walk away because it’s happened so many times. Thane continuously calls himself a monster, and he resists any effort to tell him otherwise.
The book is also plagued by vanishing plot points. One example is the changing situation with Astrid’s majority when she will come into her inheritance. In the first chapter, it is a year away from her majority. Later, in the same scene, it’s months away. Then when there is a confrontation with her uncle sometime later, she’s reached her majority without any note of it’s passing even though she stated earlier in the day that she hadn’t come into her inheritance. I had to go back and re-read the previous pages to see if I missed it. That is just one example of items that seem essential to the story and could have made excellent points of the couple working together that disappear, reappear, and change at random.
While a smaller issue, in the long run, the historical inaccuracies when it came to Astrid’s clothing kept jarring me out of the story. When a period is as favored for romance fiction as the Regency, there is an expectation that an author is aware of what would be acceptable in polite society, whether clothing, conduct, or other factors. Darker colors and a tighter fit did not begin to come back into fashion until the late 1820s, at least six years after this story setting, and Regency undergarments would not allow for a low cut back to a dress. Beyond that, tight corsets to the point of having trouble breathing would not come back into style until the Victorian era, which began in 1837.
Lastly, modern jargon is used throughout the story, especially about women’s rights. Astrid is in a very vulnerable position at the beginning of the book and the correct person to bring this subject up. But whining about equality is frustrating when the main couple never carries through with it. Even the final coup de’ grace against the villain is entirely one-sided. This annoyance only deepens when the mentor-like “liberated” woman shows no inclination for using her power to affect politics, serve as a patron for aspiring women, or any other type of leadership role which, while eccentric, was not unheard of in the period. Instead, she beds the footmen and indulges in naughty needlework.
The Beast of Beswick had real potential. I wish that it had lived up to it.
I knew from the synopsis that this would be a gory book, but I did not expect how gruesome it would be. Rape, mutilation, sexism (going both ways), and unlikable characters made this challenging to finish.
This book doesn’t pull its punches when going into detail about the methods used for removing organs. You are also subjected to the psychology of it, both by the suspect and a disturbingly creepy Zucker. I was more disturbed by him than the suspect due to the way he reveled in the murders.
I could have handled the unsettling story if the characters had been more appealing to me. Unfortunately, bitterness and disrespect seem to be the normal state of affairs in the Boston PD homicide department. Disgusting practical jokes are aimed at the only female on the team, Rizzoli, and she is left out of group discussions on her case. I’d be more sympathetic towards her if she didn’t have a chip on her shoulder the size of a Redwood tree. She snaps at anyone who comes close to her, including her family members, and she sulks when the lieutenant follows proper procedure and points her on desk duty. There is also a plotline where she spitefully retaliates against another officer for refusing to cover up a massive error in judgment on her part. This book is a battle royale of the sexes, and neither gender fares well.
I enjoyed the episode of Rizzoli & Isles that I caught on TV. The Surgeon has made me leery of reading any more of the series the show’s based on.
This book doesn’t pull its punches when going into detail about the methods used for removing organs. You are also subjected to the psychology of it, both by the suspect and a disturbingly creepy Zucker. I was more disturbed by him than the suspect due to the way he reveled in the murders.
I could have handled the unsettling story if the characters had been more appealing to me. Unfortunately, bitterness and disrespect seem to be the normal state of affairs in the Boston PD homicide department. Disgusting practical jokes are aimed at the only female on the team, Rizzoli, and she is left out of group discussions on her case. I’d be more sympathetic towards her if she didn’t have a chip on her shoulder the size of a Redwood tree. She snaps at anyone who comes close to her, including her family members, and she sulks when the lieutenant follows proper procedure and points her on desk duty. There is also a plotline where she spitefully retaliates against another officer for refusing to cover up a massive error in judgment on her part. This book is a battle royale of the sexes, and neither gender fares well.
I enjoyed the episode of Rizzoli & Isles that I caught on TV. The Surgeon has made me leery of reading any more of the series the show’s based on.
The theme for this book is that no one can escape their past. The death of her husband haunts the investigator, Tessa. Libby and Justin are trying to avoid the mistakes that their parents made. No matter how much money you have, it can’t solve all your problems, only mask them for awhile.
The beginning of the book was tough to get through due to the slow, mournful pacing. Methodical pacing is one thing that I dislike in the suspense genre, and it is used full force in this book. This pacing is somewhat a byproduct of the other item that frustrates me in this book. No one is happy. You either have a traumatic history, secrets that you want to keep at all costs, or are a career-climbing automaton. Of the main cast, Wyatt Foster seems to be the most put together, but even he has some unhappy memories in the closet.
Fortunately, the latter half of the book makes up for the short-comings of the beginning. The investigative teams begin to thaw out around each other, and emphasis turns to the kidnapping and wrangling the multitude of suspects. The book does an outstanding job of keeping you guessing about who is the one behind the crime.
While one of my early guesses ended up being correct, the book was a great ride once it picked up momentum. If you like suspense novels, this one is worth checking out.
The beginning of the book was tough to get through due to the slow, mournful pacing. Methodical pacing is one thing that I dislike in the suspense genre, and it is used full force in this book. This pacing is somewhat a byproduct of the other item that frustrates me in this book. No one is happy. You either have a traumatic history, secrets that you want to keep at all costs, or are a career-climbing automaton. Of the main cast, Wyatt Foster seems to be the most put together, but even he has some unhappy memories in the closet.
Fortunately, the latter half of the book makes up for the short-comings of the beginning. The investigative teams begin to thaw out around each other, and emphasis turns to the kidnapping and wrangling the multitude of suspects. The book does an outstanding job of keeping you guessing about who is the one behind the crime.
While one of my early guesses ended up being correct, the book was a great ride once it picked up momentum. If you like suspense novels, this one is worth checking out.
King of Ashes has a severe case of ‘First Book Syndrome.’ Introducing and maneuvering the main cast into position for Queen of Storms takes up the majority of the book. Thankfully, with the revelation of some of the political plotting at the end, Queen of Storms looks like it will be off to a good start.
Political intrigue is the primary driving force in this book, not a sole antagonist. Although, it does appear that there will be antagonists aplenty once the series hits its stride. Lodavico, Sandura’s king, is the instigator of the Betrayal in the prologue but lurks in the background for the rest of the book. The Azhante and Sisters of the Deep also seem to be future foes. The majority of those aggressively interacted with are bandits and unknown soldiers, so the true extent of these aggressors’ reach is yet to be seen.
I liked Declan and his story. He is hard-working and not afraid to get his hands dirty when needed. Hatu, on the other hand, frustrated me, primarily through the first three-quarters of the book. If he wasn’t brooding angrily about something, he was ruminating about his sexual desire for his childhood friend Hava. It got annoying rather quickly. Thankfully, his awakening took care of the first part, and circumstances took care of the second part.
Hatu grew up in Coaltachin, where he trained in the country’s powerful industries of espionage and organized crime. Through most of the book, it seems his true identity was an open secret among the community leaders. So, it bewildered me when some people appeared shocked by the revelation of his parentage. The council also made a choice that baffled me. When given options, they chose the one with the most potential to backfire and create a powerful enemy if it failed.
Overall, King of Ashes works well as an introduction to the world of Garn and the people there. As a solitary book, it doesn’t stand up so well. I hope it fares better as the prologue to Queen of Storms.
Edit: Queen of Storms absolutely makes reading this book worthwhile.
Political intrigue is the primary driving force in this book, not a sole antagonist. Although, it does appear that there will be antagonists aplenty once the series hits its stride. Lodavico, Sandura’s king, is the instigator of the Betrayal in the prologue but lurks in the background for the rest of the book. The Azhante and Sisters of the Deep also seem to be future foes. The majority of those aggressively interacted with are bandits and unknown soldiers, so the true extent of these aggressors’ reach is yet to be seen.
I liked Declan and his story. He is hard-working and not afraid to get his hands dirty when needed. Hatu, on the other hand, frustrated me, primarily through the first three-quarters of the book. If he wasn’t brooding angrily about something, he was ruminating about his sexual desire for his childhood friend Hava. It got annoying rather quickly. Thankfully, his awakening took care of the first part, and circumstances took care of the second part.
Hatu grew up in Coaltachin, where he trained in the country’s powerful industries of espionage and organized crime. Through most of the book, it seems his true identity was an open secret among the community leaders. So, it bewildered me when some people appeared shocked by the revelation of his parentage. The council also made a choice that baffled me. When given options, they chose the one with the most potential to backfire and create a powerful enemy if it failed.
Overall, King of Ashes works well as an introduction to the world of Garn and the people there. As a solitary book, it doesn’t stand up so well. I hope it fares better as the prologue to Queen of Storms.
Edit: Queen of Storms absolutely makes reading this book worthwhile.
If you’ve read the other books in the Dark series, then you’ve met the main characters of Dark Illusion. Julija Brennan first made an appearance in Dark Legacy. She was found by the Carpathians when they raided the lair of Sergey, a master vampire. Isai Florea is one of the ancient Carpathians from the monastery that was introduced in Dark Promises.
Isai does not make a good impression when he first drops in on Julija, literally. When he realizes she’s his lifemate (the woman who shares his soul), he reacts violently to her apparent rejection of him. He, in turn, rejects her. However, before they can completely turn their backs on one another, they have a mission to complete.
Julija has never had an easy life. Her upbringing as part of a High Mage family, enemies of the Carpathian species, gives her every reason to fear Isai. She is on the run from her family and has only one friend, Elisabeta, a female Carpathian that was held captive by Sergey for centuries. Julija’s goal is to destroy the book that would give her family access to spells that could be used to destroy entire species.
As Isai gets to know Julija and her past, he comes to realize that things aren’t as clearcut as he initially thought. He helps Julija begin to work through the physical and psychological trauma that she had endured since childhood, but he never actually apologizes for his initial actions.
As a change of pace for the series, vampires are not the main threat in this book. Instead, the mages take center stage. The mages have been a lurking threat through much of the series, so it is very satisfying to have them as the main antagonists. However, other than through Julija’s recollections and battle scenes, there isn’t much interaction with them.
The fight scenes are quite different from previous books because of the difference between fighting Mages and vampires. The spells slow down the pacing, and I preferred it when they weren’t written out. Hopefully, a short-hand or alternate language is developed if Mages continue to function as primary antagonists. I also found the use of crossbows to be an odd choice, given how long they take to reload, even with preternatural speed. Christine is excellent at keeping fight scenes unique, and she definitely managed that nicely in this book.
Overall, this is a solid entry in the Dark series. New forms of old enemies emerge, and another ancient finds his lifemate.
Isai does not make a good impression when he first drops in on Julija, literally. When he realizes she’s his lifemate (the woman who shares his soul), he reacts violently to her apparent rejection of him. He, in turn, rejects her. However, before they can completely turn their backs on one another, they have a mission to complete.
Julija has never had an easy life. Her upbringing as part of a High Mage family, enemies of the Carpathian species, gives her every reason to fear Isai. She is on the run from her family and has only one friend, Elisabeta, a female Carpathian that was held captive by Sergey for centuries. Julija’s goal is to destroy the book that would give her family access to spells that could be used to destroy entire species.
As Isai gets to know Julija and her past, he comes to realize that things aren’t as clearcut as he initially thought. He helps Julija begin to work through the physical and psychological trauma that she had endured since childhood, but he never actually apologizes for his initial actions.
As a change of pace for the series, vampires are not the main threat in this book. Instead, the mages take center stage. The mages have been a lurking threat through much of the series, so it is very satisfying to have them as the main antagonists. However, other than through Julija’s recollections and battle scenes, there isn’t much interaction with them.
The fight scenes are quite different from previous books because of the difference between fighting Mages and vampires. The spells slow down the pacing, and I preferred it when they weren’t written out. Hopefully, a short-hand or alternate language is developed if Mages continue to function as primary antagonists. I also found the use of crossbows to be an odd choice, given how long they take to reload, even with preternatural speed. Christine is excellent at keeping fight scenes unique, and she definitely managed that nicely in this book.
Overall, this is a solid entry in the Dark series. New forms of old enemies emerge, and another ancient finds his lifemate.
There is certainly a lot of paranormal stuffed into Touch the Dark, the first entry in the Cassandra Palmer series. Vampires, ghosts, witches, and more populate the world of Cassandra “Cassie” Palmer and most of them want to use her powers for their own ends. While this is a paranormal fantasy book, there is a fair amount of sexual content, including sex scenes.
Cassie thought she’d left the world of the supernatural behind after she had her vampire boss, Antonio, thrown in jail. Unfortunately for her, they’ve found her again, and everyone has an agenda. Fortunately for Cassie, she grew up surrounded by vampires and is willing to forge her own path even when it means defying the wills of the vampire Senate and others. I like the fact that she is not terrified of the more disturbing elements of vampire culture because she grew up with it. This means that she is cautious of their power but not cowed by them.
The ghosts are my favorite side characters, especially Billy Joe, Cassie’s regular companion. It is especially amusing that other supernatural creatures cannot see or hear them. So, they are often surprised by events that Cassie sets into motion with them.
The plot is fast-paced and full of action as Cassie dodges assassins and hunts down answers about her parents. Some of the elements are not all fully explained in this book. Cassie is just coming into her powers, so we readers are just as blind about them as she.
This book is an excellent first book in the series, and hopefully, further entries will flesh out the world-building and Cassie’s place in the hierarchy.
Cassie thought she’d left the world of the supernatural behind after she had her vampire boss, Antonio, thrown in jail. Unfortunately for her, they’ve found her again, and everyone has an agenda. Fortunately for Cassie, she grew up surrounded by vampires and is willing to forge her own path even when it means defying the wills of the vampire Senate and others. I like the fact that she is not terrified of the more disturbing elements of vampire culture because she grew up with it. This means that she is cautious of their power but not cowed by them.
The ghosts are my favorite side characters, especially Billy Joe, Cassie’s regular companion. It is especially amusing that other supernatural creatures cannot see or hear them. So, they are often surprised by events that Cassie sets into motion with them.
The plot is fast-paced and full of action as Cassie dodges assassins and hunts down answers about her parents. Some of the elements are not all fully explained in this book. Cassie is just coming into her powers, so we readers are just as blind about them as she.
This book is an excellent first book in the series, and hopefully, further entries will flesh out the world-building and Cassie’s place in the hierarchy.
This book may have been written over thirty years ago, but it holds up well. Ben Holiday’s crazy adventure after purchasing the throne of a fantasy kingdom, Landover, shows that some things never change, no matter what world you’re in.
Ben Holiday is a well-known lawyer in Chicago who has been spiraling downwards since his wife was killed in a car accident. Deciding that he has nothing to lose, he buys a fantasy kingdom from a Christmas Wishlist catalog. Landover is not what he expected but is beautiful, even in its rundown state. From trees that function as a complete, balanced meal to sentient castles and G’home gnomes, Landover has many fantastical elements that bring it to life.
Landover also has a diverse population. It feels like every fantasy archetype has its own little part of this world. Ben manages to find himself in each area of the country at some point. Whether visiting the medieval feeling holdings in the Greensward or the home of the sprites and nymphs in the Lake Country, each area feels unique.
Ben is the glue that holds the story together, and he works well as the lead character. His background in the law gives him a unique perspective when trying to draw the different groups together. At the same time, he goes on rollercoaster downers of feeling inadequate and pining after his wife. These abrupt changes in attitude did get annoying, and I was glad when, with the help of a lot of magic, his emotions finally got settled.
The supporting cast is entertaining as well, especially Questor and Abernathy. Some of their arguments were highly entertaining. Willow and the situations around her didn’t resonate with me, mainly when they resulted in another of Ben’s about-faces.
Landover is well worth visiting, and I expect to return again, especially since there are another five books in the series.
Ben Holiday is a well-known lawyer in Chicago who has been spiraling downwards since his wife was killed in a car accident. Deciding that he has nothing to lose, he buys a fantasy kingdom from a Christmas Wishlist catalog. Landover is not what he expected but is beautiful, even in its rundown state. From trees that function as a complete, balanced meal to sentient castles and G’home gnomes, Landover has many fantastical elements that bring it to life.
Landover also has a diverse population. It feels like every fantasy archetype has its own little part of this world. Ben manages to find himself in each area of the country at some point. Whether visiting the medieval feeling holdings in the Greensward or the home of the sprites and nymphs in the Lake Country, each area feels unique.
Ben is the glue that holds the story together, and he works well as the lead character. His background in the law gives him a unique perspective when trying to draw the different groups together. At the same time, he goes on rollercoaster downers of feeling inadequate and pining after his wife. These abrupt changes in attitude did get annoying, and I was glad when, with the help of a lot of magic, his emotions finally got settled.
The supporting cast is entertaining as well, especially Questor and Abernathy. Some of their arguments were highly entertaining. Willow and the situations around her didn’t resonate with me, mainly when they resulted in another of Ben’s about-faces.
Landover is well worth visiting, and I expect to return again, especially since there are another five books in the series.
Change is in the air as Mercy and Adam embark on their married life. It will be eventful if their honeymoon is a sign of what’s to come. Far from home, Mercy and Adam find themselves in trouble as the River Devil takes an interest in Mercy. It’s a wild ride with plenty of danger and new allies, but I found myself missing the usual gang.
The antics are on par with the other books for the inadvertent mayhem that Mercy gets caught up in. Standouts are the betting going on about the wedding and Mercy ending up in a fight in Walmart. These situations had me giggling.
There is plenty of drama as well. This is the first time that Mercy chooses to enter a conflict when she could freely walk away. It is a defining point for her character. On the other hand, Adam is faced with the fact that this is a situation that he cannot help with as it takes place around the river. For those who have read the other books, deep water and werewolves do not mix. I liked that there was evident growth on both their parts.
With everyone else left at home, a new set of allies enter the fray. It was neat to learn more about Mercy’s history and see others like her. Coyote, in particular, is highly entertaining as he has unique methods for gaining information. While there are some standouts, many of the newcomers faded into each other as the story progressed.
This is a solid entry in the series with many new aspects to the characters and friends that might make future appearances. I would have liked to see more of the old gang, but why would they bring them along on their honeymoon?
The antics are on par with the other books for the inadvertent mayhem that Mercy gets caught up in. Standouts are the betting going on about the wedding and Mercy ending up in a fight in Walmart. These situations had me giggling.
There is plenty of drama as well. This is the first time that Mercy chooses to enter a conflict when she could freely walk away. It is a defining point for her character. On the other hand, Adam is faced with the fact that this is a situation that he cannot help with as it takes place around the river. For those who have read the other books, deep water and werewolves do not mix. I liked that there was evident growth on both their parts.
With everyone else left at home, a new set of allies enter the fray. It was neat to learn more about Mercy’s history and see others like her. Coyote, in particular, is highly entertaining as he has unique methods for gaining information. While there are some standouts, many of the newcomers faded into each other as the story progressed.
This is a solid entry in the series with many new aspects to the characters and friends that might make future appearances. I would have liked to see more of the old gang, but why would they bring them along on their honeymoon?
Highland Jewel is the second book in the Royal Highlander series, and it can be read stand-alone. I do recommend reading Highland Crown first as characters and plot elements do carry forward from it. Highland Jewel starts before the events of Highland Crown in Edinburgh, where the protests are ramping up, and the government is cracking down.
Unbeknownst to her family, Maisie is heavily involved in the reform movement, to the point of founding the Edinburgh Female Reform Society with her best friend, Fiona. Her attitude towards her family made her a very unlikeable character to me for a large part of the book. She looks at her family contemptuously for not seeing past the docile persona that she shows them. She also firmly rebuffs her sister and her step-sister when they show concern for her. Niall calls her out on it, and she blithely tells him that she won’t inform her sister about her activities because she doesn’t want her to worry. Multiple near misses with the local militia and government agents are not enough to check her attitude.
She receives a harsh wake-up call when Fiona is dragged off the street by agents right in front of her. This scene is one of the most harrowing of the book and a true masterwork by Jim and Nikoo. The helplessness that Maisie feels comes to life as people walk by and pretend that nothing is happening even as she shrieks and calls for aid. The aftermath leads Maisie to re-evaluate her relationship with her sisters and begins her evolution into a character that I like.
Oddly enough, as Maisie becomes more likable, Niall becomes more frustrating and unlikeable. Niall is a Royal Highlander who resigned his commission after seeing the brutal response to Irish protesters by the government. This first-hand view drives his concern for his sister, Fiona, and her best friend, Maisie. He chides them for putting themselves in danger, encourages Maisie to tell her family, and rescues her when she attracts the attention of government agents. After his fears are born out by Fiona’s kidnapping, his personality starts on a downward spiral. Understandably, he would be standoffish after learning that Fiona was taken to get to him, but his actions after they’re reunited really irk me. He lacks any of the warmth from earlier in the book. At one point, Niall blatantly changes the subject instead of answering Maisie’s questions or even trying to allay her fears. He could have said that he will tell her everything as soon as he can and that would have changed my entire opinion of how his personality had changed. I never warmed back up to him before the end of the book.
Plotwise, there is almost too much going on in this book. Protests, work with the reformation society, Catherine’s plotline, fallout from Fiona’s kidnapping, and so on reduces the romance between Maisie and Niall to a subplot in their own book. The time that they have together is often marred by Maisie’s attitude. In one scene, she archly informs Niall that her brother-in-law had forbidden her to have any more interaction with him. The specter of hiding their relationship hangs over their relationship in Edinburgh.
Intrigue, civil unrest, and running for your life is not able to save this book from the lead characters and their secret relationship. One shining star is Morrigan breaking out as a character later in the book. She’s a spitfire, and I’m looking forward to reading more about her in Highland Sword.