reviews August 9, 2013

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Darkfever (Fever 1) by Karen Marie Moning

MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks…until something extraordinary happens.

When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae….

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane–an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book–because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands…. (Goodreads)

After Mac’s sister is murdered in Dublin, Mac travels to Ireland without her parents’ blessing. Soon after arriving there she meets mysterious Jericho Barrons, and learns that there’s whole other world hidden in there. Mac discovers she’s sidhe-seer; someone who can see through fay’s glamour. She can also sense powerful fae objects and Barrons sees an opportunity to find the book he’s after.

I’ve heard so much about these books and about Barrons that I finally craved in and started reading. It seems like I’m the last one to read these but oh well…

I liked the Ireland setting and Dublin’s darkness which was, thankfully, the opposite of Mac’s character. For me the biggest problem with the book was Mac. When the book starts she’s this, naïve, not-so-bright, I love all things pink-bright-fluffy-rainbows-clothes-makeup kind of girl that I wouldn’t want to be locked in the same room with. The kind who nearly gets driven over by a car and the first thing is if your hair looks good. It just made her sound little shallow and there was just too much telling what kind of nail polish she uses and stuff.

Also the book is told by first person Mac, but by Mac in the future. She would tell these annoying hindsight things that got old very quickly.

Or so I thought. It would turn out to be just one more of those things I was wrong about. Soon, we would be living inside each other’s pockets, whether we liked it or not.
And believe you me, we didn’t. pg. 75

Believe you me? I certainly won’t but apparently the editor does.

I’ve been reading so much about Mac and Barrons and I was waiting to see some attraction between them but nada. Nothing. I guess that’s for later books. I didn’t hate Barrons but I didn’t see that something that everyone else seems to see.

All in all the book was enjoyable but not great. But I’m curious enough to see if that will change in future books to read more.

3/5
Published: Delacorte Press (2006)
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 309
Source: library

reviews August 9, 2013

Pendragon’s Banner by Helen Hollick

Pendragon’s Banner (Pendragon’s Banner 2) by Helen Hollick

At age twenty-four, King Arthur has the kingdom he fought so hard for and a new young family. But keeping the throne of Britainand keeping his wife and three sons safeproves far from easy. Two enemies in particular threaten everything that is dear to him: Winifred, Arthur’s vindictive first wife, and Morgause, priestess of the Mother and malevolent Queen of the North. Both have royal ambitions of their own. (Goodreads)

Arthur is now king of Britain but discovers it’s far from secure. Now he has to find the way to keep it and to get the loyalty of his people. Arthur tries seek peace and tries to make offers on agreeable terms, but his men and his wife doesn’t always understand his reasons and this causes fractions on his marriage on the way.

It’s been too long since I read the first book and I had no idea how the last book ended. But I do remember thinking the first half of the book was ok but really liked the second half. I think this one was better and it was gripping from the start.

I haven’t read much about Arthur but I like how the people are described here. There’s no magic or fantasy elements and it feels real. I love the relationship between Arthur and Gwenhwyfar; it wasn’t an easy marriage and it sure had its rocky patches but I love it’s not all happily ever after – stuff. Arthur can be an asshole, numerous times, and he sure loves women but it sounds more realistic than that they both were faithful. Doesn’t stop me wanting to smack him so many times but believable.

I really enjoyed this and I’m looking forward reading the last book of the trilogy.

4/5
Published: Sourcebooks (2009)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 496
Source: library

reviews August 9, 2013

To Be Queen by Christy English

To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Christy English

After her father’s sudden death, fifteen-year-old Eleanor is quickly crowned Duchess of Aquitaine and betrothed to King Louis VII. When her new husband cannot pronounce her given name, Alienor becomes Eleanor, Queen of France.

Although Louis is enamored of his bride, the newly crowned king is easily manipulated by the church and a God that Eleanor doesn’t believe in. Now, if she can find the strength to fight for what she wants, Eleanor may finally find the passion she has longed for, and the means to fulfill her legacy as Queen. (Goodreads)

When Eleanor of Aquitaine was young, she was raised to be her father’s heir to be Duchess of Aquitaine. Soon after her father’s death, Eleanor is wed to Dauphin Louis of France and the young pair has mutual affection for each other from the start. Louis was meant for the church but his elder brother’s death changed everything. He remained very pious his whole life, preferring church to his wife.
Eleanor tries to be a good wife but she soon learns that she may not compete with the church her husband is so devoted to. When her marriage starts to deterioate, she starts to think about divorce.
And when she meets Henry Plantagenet, Eleanor sees a new start for herself.

I liked that the book focused on Eleanor’s early life because it’s less often written about. Eleanor’s marriage to Louis is usually overshadowed by her marriage to Henry II of England and I was intrigued to read about them and I wish there was more books about them.

Eleanor was determined, fierce, no-nonsense person but there were just times I wanted to shake her and yell “Why did you do that?!”. And of course all the rumours of affairs had to be included. It would have been interesting to hear Louis side of the story too.

Book was ok; it was fairly quick and easy to read.

3/5
Published: NAL (2011)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 380
Source: my own

reviews August 9, 2013

The Second Empress by Michelle Moran

The Second Empress by Michelle Moran

After the bloody French Revolution, Emperor Napoleon’s power is absolute. When Marie-Louise, the eighteen year old daughter of the King of Austria, is told that the Emperor has demanded her hand in marriage, her father presents her with a terrible choice: marry the cruel, capricious Napoleon, leaving the man she loves and her home forever, or say no, and plunge her country into war.

Marie-Louise knows what she must do, and she travels to France, determined to be a good wife despite Napoleon’s reputation. But lavish parties greet her in Paris, and at the extravagant French court, she finds many rivals for her husband’s affection, including Napoleon’s first wife, Joséphine, and his sister Pauline, the only woman as ambitious as the emperor himself. Beloved by some and infamous to many, Pauline is fiercely loyal to her brother. She is also convinced that Napoleon is destined to become the modern Pharaoh of Egypt. Indeed, her greatest hope is to rule alongside him as his queen—a brother-sister marriage just as the ancient Egyptian royals practiced. Determined to see this dream come to pass, Pauline embarks on a campaign to undermine the new empress and convince Napoleon to divorce Marie-Louise.

As Pauline’s insightful Haitian servant, Paul, watches these two women clash, he is torn between his love for Pauline and his sympathy for Marie-Louise. But there are greater concerns than Pauline’s jealousy plaguing the court of France. While Napoleon becomes increasingly desperate for an heir, the empire’s peace looks increasingly unstable. When war once again sweeps the continent and bloodshed threatens Marie-Louise’s family in Austria, the second Empress is forced to make choices that will determine her place in history—and change the course of her life. (Goodreads)

Napoleon is desperate for an heir and is about to divorce his wife Josephine. For his second wife he chooses 18-year old Marie-Louise, daughter of the king of Austria and great-niece of Marie-Antoinette.
Marie-Louise is not happy to be married to a man she despises but she knows her duty which keeps her father from losing his crown and the country out of war. Agreeing to this she know she won’t be acting as her brother’s regent when the time comes, and must leave behind the man she loves.

In France she gets an enemy of Napoleon’s sister Pauline, Princess Borghese. Pauline believes Napoleon is set to be the next Pharaoh of Egypt and the would rule it together like the ancient Egyptians did. Pauline is very jealous of her brother and the women he marries.

Paul Moreau is Pauline’s servant who came with her from Haiti to France. He’s been in love with her for years from afar but also sees her faults and feels sympathy for the new empress.

I’m surprised how much I enjoyed this because I don’t know much about France and I’m not a fan of Napoleon. But this was fairly quick and easy read.

I liked Maria-Lucia, or Marie-Louise as she was known in France, and how she was portrayed. She had to mature fast to survive in France and she managed to act with dignity despite being humiliated by Napoleon on numerous occasions. I liked how she became friends with Josephine’s daughter Hortense and found some friendship there.

Napoleon isn’t portrayed here in good light but I didn’t have good image of him before either. Pauline went little to the crazy side but Napoleon was just an idiot.

Maria-Lucia was in love with Count Adam von Neipperg and in this book they were lovers before Maria-Lucia went to France. I know she and Adam got married later but it got me thinking how accurate this was. She was king’s daughter, and meant to be future regent, and was just having an affair that wasn’t even a huge secret? Her father just accepted it? This had me rolling my eyes but I liked Adam and he was way better than Napoleon so I’ll just live with that.

I would have wanted to read more about what Maria-Lucia thought about when she heard that Hortense was to be her lady-in-waiting and what she thought about Josephine.

This wasn’t her best book but then again I’m fan of Egypt anyway but I liked this. I’m curious about her next book because I haven’t read anything about India so that should be interesting.

3,5/5
Published: Quercus (2012)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 358
Source: library

reviews August 9, 2013

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent (Divergent 2) by Veronica Roth

One choice can transform you, or destroy you. Every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves, and herself, while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. (Goodreads)

The book starts where the last one ended and Tris is grieving for her parents who died on Divergent. Dauntless has been divided into two and the brainwashed Dauntless soldiers are hunting for Tris and others who managed to escape. She’s feeling guilty about killing Will, which is causing problems when the traitors attack.
New alliances are made and they will also meet people from the past.

I loved Divergent and I was little worried how this would turn out but I’m happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed.

I like Tris and she’s a great heroine. She has weaknesses like everyone else and she’s trying to cope with everything that happened, and having hard time doing that. Unfortunately it also makes her kinda suicidal. She’s volunteering to every dangerous operation like she’s hoping she won’t survive. I think it went little too far and caused unnecessary strain in her relationship with Tobias (Four).

In the end I don’t think this was as good as Divergent but I did love it. And it was evil way to end a book but it makes me even more to looking forward to the next book!

4/5
Published: Katherine Tegen Books (2012)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 525
Source: library