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August 2013

reviews August 8, 2013

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir

Historical expertise marries page-turning fiction in Alison Weir’s enthralling debut novel, breathing new life into one of the most significant and tumultuous periods of the English monarchy. It is the story of Lady Jane Grey–“the Nine Days’ Queen”–a fifteen-year-old girl who unwittingly finds herself at the center of the religious and civil unrest that nearly toppled the fabled House of Tudor during the sixteenth century.

The child of a scheming father and a ruthless mother, for whom she is merely a pawn in a dynastic game with the highest stakes, Jane Grey was born during the harrowingly turbulent period between Anne Boleyn’s beheading and the demise of Jane’s infamous great-uncle, King Henry VIII. With the premature passing of Jane’s adolescent cousin, and Henry’s successor, King Edward VI, comes a struggle for supremacy fueled by political machinations and lethal religious fervor.

Unabashedly honest and exceptionally intelligent, Jane possesses a sound strength of character beyond her years that equips her to weather the vicious storm. And though she has no ambitions to rule, preferring to immerse herself in books and religious studies, she is forced to accept the crown, and by so doing sets off a firestorm of intrigue, betrayal, and tragedy. (Goodreads)

Jane Grey’s parents desperately wanted a son and Jane was a disappointment from the start to her parents and her mother, Frances, was very strict to her. As Jane grows she goes to live with Queen Katherine Parr and finally finds some happiness in her life. But the queen’s death changes everything and once again Jane finds herself to be a pawn in her parents hands.

This was my second fiction book I’ve read from Weir and I remember liking the book about Elizabeth more. I found Jane to be extremely boring and too self-righteous. She spent lot of time just whining and judging other people.

One of the problems was that there was way too many POV’s. There was like 9 POV’s and the good thing was that it was clearly stated who’s chapter it was. I understand the need of shifting viewpoints but enough is enough. Some people like Jane Seymour had just one chapter and I didn’t see point of it.

Jane’s mother Frances was showed to be overly strict mother who punished Jane for even the smallest things. I’m sure there was other strict families so I don’t see the point of hammering this detail so thoroughly.

And who doesn’t love to learn new words like “zounds”. You know, the words you can use in everyday life? Especially when the book is written in so modern day style words like zounds just fits naturally there…

I’m thinking I should stick with her non-fiction books from now on. But I do have her book on Eleanor of Aquitaine in here somewhere…

2/5
Published: Hutchinson (2006)
Format: Hardback
Pages: 408
Source: my own

reviews August 8, 2013

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

Wolfsbane (Nightshade 2) by Andrea Cremer

This thrilling sequel to the much-talked-about Nightshade begins just where it ended.Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemy, and she’s certain her days are numbered.

But then the Searchers make her an offer,one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack and the man she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive. (Goodreads)

The book starts right after the last one ended. Calla wakes up in the custody of the Searchers and they make her an offer; to help them to take down the Keepers. She’s still trying to choose between Shay and Ren and along the way she learns more about the history of the Guardians, Keepers, and Searchers.

I really loved Nightshade and I’ve wanted to get my hands on this one but I have to say I’m kinda disappointed. The first half was so boring with page after page telling the history of the war but it got better towards the end.

Calla goes through huge change in this book, and not all for the best. Gone is the confident leader and she’s turned to this unsure, easily-trusting-person who probably lost half her IQ along the way. I mean she grew up thinking The Searchers are the enemy and she spent a week in chains and when they unchain her explaining they need her help, she just agrees? Just like that. I’m not convinced it’s should be that easy. At all. There were few times that I just wanted to slap her really hard to get her to understand. There were so many hints dropped that even I figured that out and I’m not exactly rocket scientist…

There was way too much telling about the history with dialogs that went on and on and quite frankly I just skipped most of them. Maybe I missed something but I just don’t care.

I’m not sure if my biggest complain is that there’s hardly any Ren in the book. I started to think if I read the books just for him and I just might be right…

I still find Shay very annoying and for the life of me can’t understand why Calla would choose him! I wasn’t fan of him in the first book and I’m even less in this. He gets mad pretty much every time someone mentions Ren and can’t remember that’s its him that stole another’s intended mate in the first place?!

We get bunch of new characters who are Searchers and I liked Connor. I really hope he’s in the next book too! I wasn’t huge fan of Adne but I think she would be good with Shay. Especially if it means Shay won’t be with Calla… Then there is Ethan. Guardians killed his brother and he hates Calla from the start, and all the guardians. But when he sees Sabine he is awestruck from the first. Seriously?!

All in all it wasn’t bad but it could have been so much better and it did get better towards the end. I’m hoping the next one is better but I’m fearing for the worst. I read couple reviews of Bloodrose and I’m already having problems with it…

3/5
Published: Atom (2011)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 390
Source: library

reviews August 8, 2013

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

 Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

That morning, my brother’s life was worth a pocket watch . . .

One night fifteen-year-old Lina, her mother and young brother are hauled from their home by Soviet guards, thrown into cattle cars and sent away. They are being deported to Siberia.

An unimaginable and harrowing journey has begun. Lina doesn’t know if she’ll ever see her father or her friends again. But she refuses to give up hope.

Lina hopes for her family. For her country. For her future. For love – first love, with the boy she barely knows but knows she does not want to lose . . . Will hope keep Lina alive?

Set in 1941, Between Shades of Gray is an extraordinary and haunting story based on first-hand family accounts and memories from survivors. (Goodreads)

In 1941 the Soviets are gathering people they think as anti-Soviets, mainly from university, army, teachers. When NKVD comes knocking on their door, 15 year old Lina’ life turns for the worse. She along with her mother and 11 year old brother gets deported from Lithuania to freezing Siberia with crowded train car that’s labelled as thieves and prostitutes. As in worthless people.

This was such a great and emotional book. There isn’t many books about Stalin’s regime and even fewer about the Baltic countries and it was great reading about those for change.

They were given very little food and water which resulted in people dying of hunger and disease. Under those circumstances people react differently. Some fights back and won’t give up, some are just desperate and some has given up. Lina’s mother is good example of someone who has courage and stays strong through it all. Even with small rations of wood, she always has food to give to those who needs it. She’s the one who keeps it all together.

The NKVD officers treated them worse than human beings. They were there to do their job and often saw it as a game. But it also made me thinking if there were some who had sympathies for the victims and who for their own good did nothing. I mean they would have gotten themselves killed otherwise most likely.

I would have liked to hear what happened to the other half after the camps were separated. And why they were separated in the first place. I also wondered what happened to that one guard and I found having more symphaty for him than I probably should have.

I’m not usually huge fan of historical YA but don’t let it fool you. This was amazing book and I’m glad I read it!

And it always makes me excited when Finland is mentioned in a book lol :)

4,5/5
Published: Puffin (2011)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 344
Source: my own

reviews August 7, 2013

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

Prince of Thorns (The Broken Empire 1) by Mark Lawrence

When he was nine, he watched as his mother and brother were killed before him. At thirteen, he led a band of bloodthirsty thugs. By fifteen, he intends to be king…
It’s time for Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath to return to the castle he turned his back on, to take what’s rightfully his. Since the day he hung pinned on the thorns of a briar patch and watched Count Renar’s men slaughter his mother and young brother, Jorg has been driven to vent his rage. Life and death are no more than a game to him–and he has nothing left to lose. But treachery awaits him in his father’s castle. Treachery and dark magic. No matter how fierce his will, can one young man conquer enemies with power beyond his imagining? (Goodreads)

9 year old Jorg Ancrath sees his mother and brother killed. Soon after he leaves his father and becomes consummated with rage, and guilt for not being able to save them. He flees with group of men freed from the dungeons and 4 years later he is the leader. At the age of 15 he vows to be king.

Although the main character is a teen, this is not a book for kids and Jorg is not very likeable character. And his actions are even less likeable. But I loved it!

The book starts when the gang is torching a village and it sets the pace for the book from the start. There’s no hero to root in this book for sure. At first I thought it weird that he’s so young and still the leader of them and how he grew up to be so cold. There’s flashback’s from the past that explains some of the things and while I’m not usually fan of too many flashbacks, I think it worked here.

I liked the relationship between Jorg and Makin. Makin used to be the king’s guard and he knew Jorg before he flees from home and he’s the one who really knows him. Or at least as much as anyone is able. But it makes Jorg more humane anyway.

My only complain will be the references to “our world”. Like at some point someone mentioned Shakespeare and stuff like that. I prefer my fantasy to be totally in other world. But it only happened few times so it wasn’t that big of a deal.

I really enjoyed this book and it was truly wonderful debut book. I can’t wait for the next book to come out and I hope I get my hands on it! But this may not be for everyone so be warned…

4,5/5
Published: Harper Voyager (2012)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 399
Source: publisher

reviews August 7, 2013

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels 1) by Ilona Andrews

When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate’s guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way out of her league—but she wouldn’t have it any other way… (Goodreads)

Kate works as a mercenary instead of working for the Order. When her guardian is killed she finds herself working on their behalf for finding the killer. And she must work with shapechangers and vampires to do so, and with the Beast Lord.

I liked the book and I thought it was great one to start a new serie. There’s magic, shifters and vampires so what’s not to like? I would have liked to learn more about the world and how everything came to pass, like how the magic came back and shifters and vampires too.

I liked Kate who knew how to stand up to herself and was no damsel in distress. She’s not afraid of Curran the Beast Lord of the city, and I’m not sure if she should be. You can see there’s something between them but there’s no romance yet but I hope there will be! We don’t really learn much about Curran yet but I’m sure he’ll be more in the next books.

It was good first book, maybe not the best, but I’ve heard those get better. Can’t wait to read more!

3,5/5
Published: Ace (2007)
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 260
Source: my own