reviews July 21, 2013

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles 1) by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen. She struggles to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. Ethan Wate finally meets the girl who haunts his dreams. On her birthday, she must choose good or evil. In a town with no surprises, this secret could change everything. (Goodreads)

Lena moves to Gatlin to live with his uncle and ends up in pretty much middle of nowhere where you’re an outsider if you’ve lived there for 50 years. She meets Ethan who has been having dreams about this girl who’s face he never sees but when Lena shows up, he realises it her. He finds out that Lena is a Caster (witch) and on her 16th birthday something bad is gonna happen.

I was fearing this would be too YA and it kinda was. I liked that it was dark but it went little too overboard. Especially the first half was just I’m soo alone here, no one understands me kind of crap. Only thing that was missing was suicidal thoughts. Of course the cheerleaders were straight from Mean Girls.

It was refreshing that it was from male’s point of viw but unfortunately I just didn’t feel any connection with him, nor with Lena. The people I liked was Lena’s uncle Macon and Ethan’s great-aunts.

After all this bashing I have to say the second half was better. It took too long to actually start but after that there was parts when I was curious what would happen. So I ended giving 3 instead 2.5.

3/5
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (2010)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 563
Source: library

reviews July 21, 2013

The White Boar by Marian Palmer

The White Boar by Marian Palmer

Richard III, last of the Plantagenet Kings, could condemn the author of that crude doggerel to a traitor’s death but he could not stem the inevitable tide of history. Richard’s emblem, the white boar, commanded the loyalty of able men like Lords Catesby (the Cat) and Ratliff (the Rat), and Francis Lovell (our Dog). It could not withstand the onslaught of the Tudor rose.

The White Boar is a dramatic historical novel that vividly recreates the life and times of England’s controversial King Richard III. Shakespeare portrayed him as evil incarnate, a hunchback who gained the throne by murdering his two nephews. Conversely, many historians argue that he was an innocent scapegoat and might have been one of history’s great monarchs had his reign not been so tragically short.

In this novel one issue concerning Richard’s life is never in doubt – that he held the unfaltering devotion of two extraordinary men, Phillip and Francis Lovell. And it is through their eyes that the reader of this remarkable book sees the last Plantagenet – the man and the King.

Marian Palmer presents a striking chronicle of England in the last half of the fifteenth century: the pomp and pageantry of the royal court; the treason and the intrigue which were the death of the Plantagenet dynasty; and the bitter struggle between the Yorkists and the Lancastrians that was the War of the Roses.

The author does not offer a solution to the riddle of Richard III; rather she presents him as he might have appeared in his own lifetime to the two men who were, above all else, his friends. The character which emerges is as unforgettable as Shakespeare’s misshapen monster. (Goodreads)

The story is told by the Lovell cousins Philip (pretty sure he’s fictional) and Francis. Francis is given is wardship to Warwick and goes to Middleham. There he meets Philip after long time and for the first time sees Richard, Duke of Gloucester. There’s lot more going on but I don’t even try to tell it. Wikipedia is your friend.

I did enjoy this but it was bit dry on points and some of the phraisings does show the book’s age. But I liked how the characters were described, especially Richard. He was neither too good or too bad. I loved how Anne Neville’s rescue was portrayed.

It was nice to read that Francis and his wife Anna had their happy moments. They are always portrayed hating each other and while this either didn’t end happily there was some good too.

4/5
Published: Hodder & Stoughton (1969)
Format: hardrback
Pages: 374
Source: my own

reviews July 20, 2013

Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

Drums of Autumn (Outlander 4) by Diana Gabaldon

It began in Scotland, at an ancient stone circle. There, a doorway, open to a select few, leads into the past—or the grave. Claire Randall survived the extraordinary passage, not once but twice. Her first trip swept her into the arms of Jamie Fraser, an eighteenth-century Scot whose love for her became legend—a tale of tragic passion that ended with her return to the present to bear his child. Her second journey, two decades later, brought them together again in frontier America. But Claire had left someone behind in the twentieth century. Their daughter, Brianna….

Now Brianna has made a disturbing discovery that sends her to the stone circle and a terrifying leap into the unknown. In search of her mother and the father she has never met, she is risking her own future to try to change history…and to save their lives. But as Brianna plunges into an uncharted wilderness, a heartbreaking encounter may strand her forever in the past…or root her in the place she should be, where her heart and soul belong…. (Goodreads)

Jamie and Claire lives now in America They have some lands in the middle of wilderness and they’re ready to settle to “normal” married life. The local Indians are relatively peaceful and Jamie’s nephew Ian becomes good friend with them.

In the 20th century Brianna is trying to find what happens to his parents. She’s also coming closer to Roger Wakefield, who helped Claire to trace Jamie. When Brianna finds old newspaper article about her parents she decides to go through the stones without telling Roger. When Roger finds out she has left, he’s determined to find her.

Yet another godd book by Gabaldon! I enjoyed it but still thought it to be the weakest book in the serie so far. But that doesn’t mean it was bad! I just found Roger so utterly boring. And there were too many pages from his point of view. He seemed more interesting in the future time.

I liked to see how Brianna and Jamie got to know each other and their relationship grow. AndI liked how well she get along with John Grey. But I didn’t understand how John could be so uninterested about his wife’s death.

The one thing I could have lived without was Brianna getting raped. I just didn’t see the point of it…

4/5
Published: Dell (1997)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 1070
Source: my own

reviews July 20, 2013

Child of the Northern Spring by Persia Woolley

Child of the Northern Spring (Guinevere 1) by Persia Woolley

In an age alive with portents and magic, a spirited young beauty rode out of the rugged Celtic lands to wed the great warrior king, Arthur. Now, at las, Guinevere herself unfolds the legend.

Born a princess, raised to be a queen, Guinevere traveled the length of England protected by the wise enchanter Merlin. As Britain struggled out of a long darkness, scattered armies raised the cry for war and old gods challenged the new in combats mortal and immortal. And Guinevere encountered her destiny in the fabled dreams of her king. She would reign as High Queen of all Britain, but her most perilous adventure was yet to come…the journey from royal innocent to passionate lover. (Goodreads)

Story starts when Guinevere is a child, the Romans has left and the Saxons are coming. Arthur isn’t King yet and there is no round table. I liked that there’s no dragons, magic or anything like that but it’s more based on fact.

I like that Guinevere is strong and independet who loves horses but the first half of the book was rather boring. It gets better after she mets Arthur. And the time jumps were annoying! I don’t like when time jump happens and it’s not clearly stated and you spend 2 pages wondering what the hell is going on.

This was a good start in a series and I’m curious to see how the story continues and hoping there’s more action in the future!

3/5
Published: Poseidon Press (1987)
Format: Hardback
Pages: 428
Source: my own

reviews July 20, 2013

The Magician’s Apprentice by Trudi Canavan

The Magician’s Apprentice (The Black Magician Trilogy 0.5) by Trudi Canavan

Taking place hundreds of years before the events of “The Magicians’ Guild, The Magician’s Apprentice “is the new novel set in the world of Trudi Canavan’s Black Magician trilogy.
In the remote village of Mandryn, Tessia serves as assistant to her father, the village Healer. Her mother would rather she found a husband. But her life is about to take a very unexpected turn.
When the advances of a visiting Sachakan mage get violent, Tessia unconsciously taps unknown reserves of magic to defend herself. Lord Dakon, the local magician, takes Tessia under his wing as an apprentice.
The hours are long and the work arduous, but soon an exciting new world opens up to her. There are fine clothes and servants and – to Tessia’s delight – regular trips to the great city of Imardin.
However, Tessia is about to discover that her magical gifts bring with them a great deal of responsibility. For a storm is approaching that threatens to tear her world apart. (Goodreads)

Tessia is the village healer’s daughter and has nearly an obsession with healing. After an incident in Lord Dakon’s house She shows that she has magic and her life is gonna change forever. Lord Dakon takes her as his apprentice and his other apprentice, Jayan, is none too happy about it. And soon Kyralia is being invaded by Sachaka, a neighbour country, who gave them their independence.

The other story follows a Sahaka woman named Stara who finds herself married because she has to get pregnant and her sister-in-law’s life depends on it.

I truly enjoyed this book! I loved the relationship between Tessia and Jayan. Jayan is from noble family and first thinks Tessia as simple peasant and is jealous about the time Dakon takes teaching her. I loved how they’re relationship changed with time and develops into friendship.

I thought it was interesting how the magician’s must obtain more power from the apprentice’s and aren’t all powerful once getting to certain level.

The only complain I have is that while I liked Stara and the story, I thought it was quite unnecessary. It was more like two completely different storys. Stara met Jayan and Tessia once for like 3 seconds and that was it. But it was kinda refreshing to move to other story for awhile.

I think it would have helped if I had read her other books before but it can stand as a stand alone.

5/5
Published: Orbit (2010)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 702
Source: my own