Tag Archives: High Society

Minute Review: Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

Adult, Fantasy, Minute Review, Period Romance, Reviews, Young Adult, , , , , , , , ,

Shades of Milk and Honey (Glamourist Histories, #1)
Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal (Glamourist Histories, Book 1)
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

The room had vanished, its walls replaced entirely by arching trees; the ceiling, a sky overhead which shimmered with the light of stars and the moon. The trees rustled in response to a conjured breeze, which carried with it hints of jasmine and the pleasant, spicy scent of loam.

This is a sweet, quick romance, full of the imagery of a Regency English countryside, and I really enjoyed it. The hint of fantasy added a flair to the usual Austen-esque themes without turning it into a full-fledged fantasy novel.

Recommendation: Read this if you are intrigued by the idea of Regency romance with a touch of fantasy, or if you’re curious about the artistic possibilities of folding glamours.

Review: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Fantasy, LGBT, Paranormal Romance, Young Adult, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Carry On

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am going to die kissing Simon Snow. Aleister Crowley, I’m living a charmed life. – Baz

Of all the things I was most excited about after finishing Fangirl a few weeks ago, the release of Carry On was at the top of the list. Now I have the supreme joy of reviewing it (then maybe starting it again from chapter one).

At first I wasn’t sure what to expect since Carry On takes place over the course of Simon Snow’s 8th year in magic school, with at least 7 years of back story that need to be incorporated without boring or confusing the reader. It only took me a couple of chapters to realize that this wasn’t going to be a problem – Rowell did an amazing job of quickly building the world, magic system, and relationships.

I don’t want to go too far into the plot, because discovering that is part of the story’s charm, but I do want to say a few words about the romance. I loved the dynamic between Simon and Baz. It was everything I hoped for, especially concerning Baz. I know some readers wished that there had been more romance time, but considering they begin the book as mortal enemies, it seemed completely reasonable that their relationship would need time to evolve. Besides, the romantic bits that were included were fabulous.

I’ll finish this off with one final note: you don’t need to have read or enjoyed Fangirl to read and enjoy this book. It is completely self contained – just know that it’s a bit of a parody of both Harry Potter and fanfiction.

Recommendation: If you love Harry Potter, wizard schools in general, pop culture references, British slang, Rainbow Rowell, and/or adorably quirky romances, YOU NEED TO READ THIS!

Minute Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Fantasy, Minute Review, Paranormal Romance, Young Adult, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rhysand stared at me for long enough that I faced him.

“Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don’t feel anything at all.”

This series opener is set in an amazing fantasy world that revels in the darker side of fairy tales, and I’m totally bummed that the next book isn’t due to be published until May, 2016…

Recommendation: Read this if you love the idea of a Hunger Games/Beauty and the Beast mashup.

Review: Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

Adult, Fantasy, Suspense, , , , , , , , , ,

Rosemary and Rue (October Daye #1)

Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire is the first book in the October Daye series, which is currently up to book 9 and is still going strong. The series is steeped in the world of fae lore, connecting creatures of many cultures, and it falls squarely in the category of paranormal mystery/adventure. In this first in series, we get to know October “Toby” Daye, a half-faerie private detective, while she investigates the murder of a friend, trying not to get herself killed in the process.

All in all, this was an okay read for me. There were things I really liked, things that started to drive me crazy, and a general sense of apathy that kept me from getting pulled into the story too deeply.

What I liked: The world McGuire built was amazing, full of way more cultural faerie lore than I even knew existed. This was especially great for starting a series because there are so many facets to explore. I also liked some of the side characters, namely Tybalt, Sylvester, and Luna – I really wanted to read more about them.

What I didn’t like: Toby really wore on me. She just seemed so bland and generally average. She was supposedly knighted due to merit, but I have no idea what she actually did to earn it. Her faerie abilities are absurdly weak, which she freely admits, and I was hoping her cunning and personality would make up for it. For me they just didn’t.

The other things that got to me were the occasional unbelievable scenarios and the apparent lack of editing. For example, when you bleed all over a bus handrail right in front of the driver, the cops are going to get called, especially when iron poisoning is dampening all of your faerie “don’t notice me” vibes. As far as editing goes, passages like this kept distracting me from the actual plot:

I didn’t see what came next. I opened my eyes to see Dare leaping onto her brother’s back, momentum sending them both crashing to the floor. The gun went off when it hit the floor…

What was that about not seeing what came next?

Overall, my interest in the world and side characters mostly balanced out my occasional annoyance, resulting in a wash. I’m glad I gave the series a try but I probably won’t read any further.

Review: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Fantasy, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Uprooted

Uprooted by Naomi Novik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Uprooted is a standalone fantasy novel by Naomi Novik. It tells the story of Agnieszka and her valley, living in the shadow of the Wood and relying on a wizard to keep its corruption at bay. I wouldn’t exactly call this a young adult novel, simply because I think it is equally accessible to everyone.

I always have the hardest time writing reviews for books I’ve loved, and this is definitely one of those. Finding the words to describe all of the aspects I most enjoyed seems like such a daunting task, and I’m always tempted to write, “Just read it, because of all the reasons!!” and leave it at that. So keeping this in mind, please bear with me while I try to express these so-called reasons a little more thoroughly.

The setting took my breath away. There was just enough descriptive detail to breathe life into the valley without overwhelming the reader with landscapes, and with Agnieszka as the narrator, understanding her connection to her home was so simple. As an integral part of this setting, the Wood was a fantastic villain! I loved that the antagonist of the story isn’t an evil wizard or power-hungry king – it is a corrupted Wood that is both natural and personified.

“I’m not stupid, nor a liar,” I said, “and if I can’t do any good, I can at least do something.”

Throughout the story, Agnieszka is not perfect, and she downright fails at many things, but she is amazing. She faces each new calamity the best way she can, drawing on the wisdom and intuition that comes from her childhood roots in the valley, regardless of whether she has the support of others. I also loved the contrasts between her and the Dragon, the valley’s lord and magician. Where he reveres order, perfection, and precision, Agnieszka only knows instinct and improvisation. This balance set the stage for hysterical interactions, a lot of magical growing pains, and a seemingly unstoppable partnership once they learn to work together.

Magic was singing in me, through me; I felt the murmur of his power singing back that same song.

Lastly, there is so much story in these 435 pages! I never felt like the adventure was dragging or went on too long, but it did feel like I was reading a much larger book. The plot development and growing excitement kept me reading at a good pace.

One final note for anyone looking for a couple of concrete comparisons: While this story was completely its own, the representation of nature and Agnieszka’s central role in returning balance reminded me of several of my favorite Hayao Miyazaki movies (think Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind with a little Howl’s Moving Castle and Princess Mononoke thrown in).

As I said, I adored this book, and I will definitely be reading it again (and again). I’m also excited to read more from Naomi Novik, particularly her Temeraire series. Hooray for new book loves!

See my review on Goodreads.

Review: Shadow Rising by Kendra Leigh Castle

Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, , , , , , , , , ,

Shadow Rising (Dark Dynasties, #3)

Shadow Rising by Kendra Leigh Castle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

NOTE:  This review is for a book with mature content and sexy times!

Shadow Rising by Kendra Leigh Castle is the third book in the Dark Dynasties series. It follows the story of cat shapeshifting assassin Damien Tremaine, and the secluded Grigori named Ariane. Like books one and two, this story is part of a complex world steeped in immortal politics. Because of that, I wouldn’t recommend this as a standalone; read the other two first!

This has been my favorite book of the series so far. It is a bit more of a complete package with a good balance of world building, series plot progression, and believable character growth. I did not get lost and confused as Damien and Ariane’s relationship progressed (while this seems like it should be a given, it was one of my biggest issues with the first two books).

“I don’t expect you to change for me, Damien, and I realize that you have obligations because of what you are. But if this is going to work at all, you need to understand that I have obligations too. To what I am, who I am.”

Ariane is an intriguing mix of naive and realistically wise. She spent the first 900 years of her immortal life sequestered in the desert with the rest of the Grigori, having no memories of her life as a human. After venturing out on her own, every encounter is original and she soaks them in like a sponge.

At the same time, Ariane has 900 years of reading and personal reflection under her belt. When Damien tells her he cannot offer anything beyond the moment, she accepts it. Later, as Damien struggles with his growing dependence on her, she doesn’t resent him for it. Better to enjoy what they have while it lasts. Her 900 years has taught her what she really needs out of life, and regrets or settling for less do not make the cut.

There is also plenty of Damien snark to go around, which makes for a quick, entertaining read. He has spent most of his vampiric life slowly becoming numb to everything, including both positive and negative emotions, and his reactions to feeling them again are always amusing.

Damien had never had so little interest in work. Of course, he’d never spent so many consecutive hours wondering where he’d fucked up so badly, either. So it was a new and fabulous experience all around.

Also, hooray for the purring 😉

The intensity of her focus on him was as pleasurable to Damien as a caress. To his shock, he had to swallow back an inadvertent purr. He didn’t purr for anyone. Anyone. And certainly not for something as cheap as a little attention.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and it left me looking forward to reading Bay’s story in Immortal Craving. (Not to mention the next step in the series plot! These books love the not-quite-cliffhanger endings!)

See my review on Goodreads for Some Particulars, including a steam rating!

Review: The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

Period Romance, , , , , , , , , ,

The Grand Sophy

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer is a Regency romance and is perhaps one of Heyer’s most popular books. It tells the story of a feisty young woman named Sophy, who is the product of an unconventional upbringing and a wonderfully unique personality. Like all of Heyer’s Regency romances, the story is funny, over the top, and full of witty dialogue.

If you are a fan of old school Regency romances, romantic comedies with a hefty dose of absurdity, or want a fun way to brush up on your SAT words, I definitely recommend this book.

A Regency Character Summary:

The Grand Sophy: Sophia Stanton-Lacy is our plucky heroine, and she is quite a character! She wishes the best for everyone and seems to believe that it is her duty to turn everyone’s troubles to right. Fortunately, she is clever enough to figure out how, in most cases, and in this book she has set her sights on fixing the woes of her Aunt’s family. She also has no qualms about setting down those who are quite accustomed to getting their way.

“Now, that,” said Sophy, “I am very glad to know, because if ever I should desire to please you I shall know just how to set about it. I daresay I shan’t, but one likes to be prepared for any event, however unlikely.”

Mr. Charles Rivenhall: While not the patriarch of the Ombersley family, Charles does control the purse strings and has become the dictator over his parents and siblings. He begins the story engaged to an equally oppressive woman, Ms. Wraxton, who brings out all of his worst qualities. Charles’ obnoxious manner of ruling the house and his poorly matched engagement are among the trials that our dear Sophy takes it upon herself to fix.

Lord Charlbury: Charlbury is in love with one of the Ombersley daughters, Cecilia, who has unfortunately fallen in love with a young poet. Despite his many virtues, he fell victim to being her family’s chosen match for her, as well as a poorly timed case of the mumps that kept him away for several weeks.

Lord Charlbury might be constitutionally incapable of addressing her as Nymph, or of comparing bluebells unfavorably with her eyes, but Lord Charlbury would infallibly provide a cloak for her if the weather were inclement, lift her over obstacles she could well climb without assistance, and in every way convince her that in his eyes she was a precious being whom it was impossible to guard too carefully.

Mr. Augustus Fawnhope: The young poet in question, Augustus is CONSTANTLY working on his verse and is generally oblivious to pretty much everything else going on around him.

‘”Lo, as a careful housewife runs to catch One of her feather’d creatures broke away!”‘

Miss Eugenia Wraxton: Ms. Wraxton is an infuriatingly abhorrent character, passive aggressively knocking down everyone she dislikes under the guise of behaving as a “proper” young lady should. I pretty much wanted to strangle her the entire story. Sophy, on the other hand, handles her admirably and even manages not to harbor her any ill will (miracle of miracles).

***

I do feel compelled to say that, yes, this story does involve a romance between first cousins. While this happened all the time during this book’s historical time period, it’s understandable that some are super skeeved out by this given today’s standards. I just imagined that they weren’t actually blood relatives and was able to put it out of mind.

My one major issue with this book (and the reason I docked an entire star) was the random Jewish moneylender that cropped up in the middle of the book. I know a lot of other reviewers have mentioned this, but I couldn’t write my own without addressing it. The character depicts every horrifying Jewish stereotype, and it was disgusting to read. I don’t know if this is a product of the Regency Era, the 1950s when this was written, or Heyer’s own prejudices. Either way, it was unnecessary, out of place, and severely detracting from the story.

All in all, I really liked the writing and main characters, the story and relationship nuances was hilarious, and the plot was entertaining. While Venetia is still my favorite Heyer, I’m going to keep working my way through the rest of them!

3 of the 9 words I looked up while reading this book:

urbanity – suavity, courteousness and refinement of manner
Nabob – a person of conspicuous wealth or high status
rodomontade – boastful or inflated talk or behavior

Click here to see my review on Goodreads.

Review: A Devilish Slumber by Shereen Vedam

Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Period Romance, , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Devilish Slumber (The Rue Alliance, #1)

A Devilish Slumber by Shereen Vedam
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Devilish Slumber by Shereen Vedam is the first book in The Rue Alliance series, and it is set in a Regency Era paranormal/fantasy version of London. The main characters are Lady Roselyn Ravenstock and Sir Phillip Jones. Rose is a powerful shapeshifter, a gift inherited from her mother’s lineage, and Phillip is a love from her past and a covert agent of sorts. When he begins investigating a murder that points right to Rose, they fall back into each other’s lives and adventures ensue. The tale was inspired by the story of Sleeping Beauty.

I was immediately whisked away by this book. The intrigue begins immediately and I loved the nature of the murder mystery that is at the heart of the plot. I also quickly found myself drawn to the characters, especially Rose. Having suffered an excessive amount of loss in her life, she gave up on living and merely existed for several years. When her only friend is murdered and Phillip re-enters the picture, it is as though the spell is broken and she reawakens to the world.

Part of this reawakening is an acquaintance with the Rue Alliance. The Rue Alliance is a band of shifters with all manner of talents, including Rose’s. Meeting this underground community was by far my favorite part of the book. They are such a lively, loyal, and varied group of people. I can’t wait to read more about them!

The one element that kept this from being a higher rating for me was the occasional overly strong presence of stereotypical gender roles. I know this is a pretty subjective area when it comes to enjoying a story (especially in romance novels where “alphas” and the “man’s man” run rampant), but there were a few gender-related moments that crossed a line into awkward. For example, “He had shown Ben the worst side of himself. His male side.” Huh?

Overall, I really enjoyed this one, and I’m excited to read book two, A Scorching Dilemma. Especially since it tells Daniel Trenton’s story, a fire-starter affectionately known as Cinder Fella 🙂

*** UPDATE ***
Upon finishing this review, I looked up some other works by Vedam and discovered A Beastly Scandal. While not part of the Rue Alliance series, this book takes place in the same setting and with overlapping side characters. Some of its major events are mentioned in A Devilish Slumber. I certainly had no problem enjoying this book never having read the other, but it might be a good idea to start there!

See my review on Goodreads for Some Particulars

Review: The Charismatics by Ashley R. Carlson

Fantasy, Young Adult, , , , , , , , , ,

The Charismatics (The Charismatics, #1)

 

 

 
The Charismatics by Ashley R. Carlson
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

The Charismatics by Ashley R. Carlson is a debut novel, and the the first book in the Charismatics series. It tells the story of Duchess Ambrose Killaher and her fight to find a place in the land of Legalia. She’s recently been married to a Duke who clearly despises her and she has been placed into a puppet’s board position in Legalia’s government. She longs to do more to help the desperate lower class but isn’t sure how, and her only companion and true friend is Roan, her invisible “animal familiar,” if you will. Over the course of The Charismatics, Ambrose comes into her own, finding new friends and making a difference in her community.

Since I have some mixed feelings about this one, I’m splitting up my review a bit. There were a lot of elements I really enjoyed, as well as a couple prevailing issues that kept distracting me from the compelling plot.

What I liked: The plot sucked me in within the first chapter. I really was reminded of The Hunger Games and The Golden Compass as the synopsis implies, and I loved the idea of the Charismatics, those born with supernatural abilities. The writing was also very charismatic, which kept me from putting the book down for too long. Along with the plot, the natural aspects were wonderful! I loved the descriptions of Shinery’s frozen peaks, the Badenheim forest, and the rainbow oceans of Archipegalos.

“Beautiful, Lady,” Roan says quietly now, when I’m finished. I scoop him up and bury my face in his downy fur.

“He doesn’t want me,” I whisper. “He doesn’t love me.”

“But I do.”

Ambrose was a compelling character, and I LOVED Roan, her invisible, shape-shifting companion. He was an amazing friend, and their relationship was so natural that for a while I was hoping that he was somehow human and would be transformed into her love interest. There were so many good characters in this story; these were definitely highlights of the story.

What distracted me: This read a bit like a debut novel. There were so many ideas! I wish Carlson had separated them out to make three novels instead of one! Here’s an example of what I mean. The land of Legalia has all of the following: solstice festivals, “elected” monarchy, ballgowns, elevators, steam-powered dirigibles for air travel, radio, fairy-created technology, televisions, national news broadcasts, nuclear reactions, and people born with magical abilities. The world of The Charismatics had elements from so many sub-genres that I began to get lost in it all.

A related, but different, issue was that Ambrose and Vasser’s relationship felt a bit forced to me. There was a lot of declaring and little showing of the depth of their growing relationship. The situation with Giselle seemed especially strange.

All in all: I finished this book knowing that I wanted to read the sequel, mostly because I REALLY want to know what happens with the plot and all of the characters I’ve come to like. Here’s hoping for the sequel!

(This ARC was provided through Net Galley for an honest review.)

See my review on Goodreads for Some Particulars!

Review: Midnight Reckoning by Kendra Leigh Castle

Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Midnight Reckoning
Midnight Reckoning by Kendra Leigh Castle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

NOTE:  This review is for a book with mature content and sexy times!

Midnight Reckoning by Kendra Leigh Castle is the second book in the Dark Dynasties series. It begins several months after the conclusion of book one and follows the story of Jaden Harrison, Cait Sith vampire, and Lyra Black, Alpha’s daughter to the werewolf pack of Thorn. Hooray for both cat AND wolf shapeshifters 😉

Since this world is quite complex, I wouldn’t recommend this as a standalone; read Dark Awakening first!

I have mixed feelings. I wanted to really LOVE it. As it was, I did enjoy it, but it fell a little flat for me at times. I liked Jaden a lot, and his character drew me into the story as much as Tynan did in the first book. Unfortunately, also like the first book, I got lost toward the end – around two thirds through in this case. Something about the plot progression and character decisions started to seem muddled and I had a hard time understanding the shift of the natural flow.

The world building was great, as expected, and I loved learning more about all of the supernatural politics involved. The hook of each character’s personality and the complex world was certainly enough to entice me to read Damien’s story in Shadow Rising!

See my review on Goodreads for Some Particulars, including a steam rating.