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Christina Haynes (148 KP) rated The Wicked Deep in Books
Mar 26, 2018
The Wicked Deep
By Shea Ernshaw
Review: Christina Haynes
Two centuries ago, three sisters, Marguerite, Aurora and Hazel Swan arrived on the coast of a town called Sparrow. There they made their new home, in the back of a perfumery shop which they owned and would create and sell beautifully smelly perfumes. However, this isn't the only thing that they did so well. They made men fall in love with them instantly, it didn't matter if they were older than them, if they were betrothed or married, they all fell in love with the sisters. Some people from the town claimed they were witches, others knew it. But the truth was the sisters were not witches, yet.
In June they were drowned for witchcraft, they had stones tied to their feet and pushed into the sea and died. But every year after that on June 1st the day they were all born - one year apart. They come back from the sea for revenge on the town that killed them. They take control of three girls and each murder a boy, by making the boy fall in love with them. They then call the boy into the sea and he drowns like they did weeks after their birthday. These weeks are called 'The Swan Season'
The girl's whose bodies they possess have no idea that they have become a Swan Sister and no one else knows either. Only the Swan Sisters know. Even the boys are unable to tell they are being drawn to their deaths. You see the sisters weren't witches before their deaths, but in a way, they were after them. By being drowned into the sea, they live their deaths under the waves at the bottom of the Pacific. They then reprise on to land in the month of June like magic.
Penny Talbot can see the sisters, she is the only person who can. Year after year for three years she has been able to see them underneath the girls whom they possess. Like many locals she as accepted the towns fate, that is until a boy names Bo arrives in town looking for work and a place to stay does she soon start to fall for him and realise that he is not safe, because the sisters don't just kill the boys who are from this town they take any boy who arrives. Tourist for the Swan Season, local or even just a visitor it doesn't matter, as long as they cannot resist the call of the sisters, and no one is unable too.
Penny must decide if she will save Bo from the Swan Sisters and keep him safe, or save herself.
Love, Christina
4 – I REALLY LIKED IT
By Shea Ernshaw
Review: Christina Haynes
Two centuries ago, three sisters, Marguerite, Aurora and Hazel Swan arrived on the coast of a town called Sparrow. There they made their new home, in the back of a perfumery shop which they owned and would create and sell beautifully smelly perfumes. However, this isn't the only thing that they did so well. They made men fall in love with them instantly, it didn't matter if they were older than them, if they were betrothed or married, they all fell in love with the sisters. Some people from the town claimed they were witches, others knew it. But the truth was the sisters were not witches, yet.
In June they were drowned for witchcraft, they had stones tied to their feet and pushed into the sea and died. But every year after that on June 1st the day they were all born - one year apart. They come back from the sea for revenge on the town that killed them. They take control of three girls and each murder a boy, by making the boy fall in love with them. They then call the boy into the sea and he drowns like they did weeks after their birthday. These weeks are called 'The Swan Season'
The girl's whose bodies they possess have no idea that they have become a Swan Sister and no one else knows either. Only the Swan Sisters know. Even the boys are unable to tell they are being drawn to their deaths. You see the sisters weren't witches before their deaths, but in a way, they were after them. By being drowned into the sea, they live their deaths under the waves at the bottom of the Pacific. They then reprise on to land in the month of June like magic.
Penny Talbot can see the sisters, she is the only person who can. Year after year for three years she has been able to see them underneath the girls whom they possess. Like many locals she as accepted the towns fate, that is until a boy names Bo arrives in town looking for work and a place to stay does she soon start to fall for him and realise that he is not safe, because the sisters don't just kill the boys who are from this town they take any boy who arrives. Tourist for the Swan Season, local or even just a visitor it doesn't matter, as long as they cannot resist the call of the sisters, and no one is unable too.
Penny must decide if she will save Bo from the Swan Sisters and keep him safe, or save herself.
Love, Christina
4 – I REALLY LIKED IT
Louise (64 KP) rated Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Books
Jul 2, 2018
The school year is just about to start and once again Harry finds himself back at 4 Privet Drive with the Dursley's. Harry Potter is to attend his second year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry but for some reason a strange house elf named Dobby appears in his bedroom one evening warning him that he cannot go back to school as it is unsafe. This Dobby creature doesn't let Harry know how he has got such information but when Harry doesn't agree to stay away he starts making life even more unbearable with the Dursley's.
Harry's second year at Hogwarts is not all plain and simple as he was hoping, he appears to attract attention from unwanted people...mostly Draco Malfoy. When Students start being petrified into a coma like state and a message informing the 'Chamber of Secrets' has been opened.... Harry, Ron and Hermione take it upon themselves to find the culprit.
There were some new characters introduced in this second edition of Harry Potter, we meet Dobby the house elf, who is trying to persuade Harry not to go to Hogwarts this year. I loved that we got another magical creature into the book and that he was a house elf/servant and explores classes, his relevance in the story is explained as the story progresses. Gilderoy Lockhart is the new professor for the defence against the dark arts, Lockhart is a self obsessed, pompous, egotistical character that is very annoying. Then we have Moaning Myrtle the ghost that haunts the girls toilets, it's in the name really she moans a lot and feels sorry for herself and always crying but again with every character in the book, she has relevance to the story. Ginny Weasley the last of the Weasley clan has started school and is very shy around Harry, it appears she has somewhat of a crush. We have all the same characters as the first book and you get to see Harry, Ron and Hermione grow and develop.
There is a lot of repetition in this book, I think you could read this second book without reading the first as she explains things over again, It is the shortest book among the series but it is fast paced, packed full of adventure and written in true J K Rowling style. It has you gripped all the way through. This isn't my favourite book of the series and I think that is because there are a lot of annoying characters in my opinion.
Favourite character of the book for me so far is Hagrid, I like the way he is written as big softy and the dialect of the dialogue makes him more endearing.
This book is an excellent continuation of the Harry Potter series and definitely recommend the book to anyone.
Harry's second year at Hogwarts is not all plain and simple as he was hoping, he appears to attract attention from unwanted people...mostly Draco Malfoy. When Students start being petrified into a coma like state and a message informing the 'Chamber of Secrets' has been opened.... Harry, Ron and Hermione take it upon themselves to find the culprit.
There were some new characters introduced in this second edition of Harry Potter, we meet Dobby the house elf, who is trying to persuade Harry not to go to Hogwarts this year. I loved that we got another magical creature into the book and that he was a house elf/servant and explores classes, his relevance in the story is explained as the story progresses. Gilderoy Lockhart is the new professor for the defence against the dark arts, Lockhart is a self obsessed, pompous, egotistical character that is very annoying. Then we have Moaning Myrtle the ghost that haunts the girls toilets, it's in the name really she moans a lot and feels sorry for herself and always crying but again with every character in the book, she has relevance to the story. Ginny Weasley the last of the Weasley clan has started school and is very shy around Harry, it appears she has somewhat of a crush. We have all the same characters as the first book and you get to see Harry, Ron and Hermione grow and develop.
There is a lot of repetition in this book, I think you could read this second book without reading the first as she explains things over again, It is the shortest book among the series but it is fast paced, packed full of adventure and written in true J K Rowling style. It has you gripped all the way through. This isn't my favourite book of the series and I think that is because there are a lot of annoying characters in my opinion.
Favourite character of the book for me so far is Hagrid, I like the way he is written as big softy and the dialect of the dialogue makes him more endearing.
This book is an excellent continuation of the Harry Potter series and definitely recommend the book to anyone.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Heartbeat Thief in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Strangely enough, I enjoyed <i>The Heartbeat Thief</i>. Senza is the most perfect character I've ever met she's flawless, admired, wealthy, loved, intelligent. She knows it, but she doesn't want to flaunt it, which is what I really liked about Senza as a character. She hates going to parties and balls, and she dreads getting married off to a man that she doesn't want. I think I have a thing for characters who have an inner rebel in them.
Senza seems to have a perfect life until her grandmother dies. After that, she seems lost and obviously wants to carve her own path in life instead of letting her mother take the reins from her. Her discovery of eternal life is almost like a deal with a devil. She has to sacrifice her life to become immortal and keep her looks forever, but she has to carefully steal the heartbeats of another if she wants to keep her immortality. If she's not careful, those around her would be able to find out about her and accuse of witchcraft or something equally sinister.
<blockquote>Your spell must be fed, one heartbeat at a time. You must learn to steal them from the living. One here, one there. A person will not notice a skipped beat, and they must never know it is you who is making them skip. And you must do it, or the spell will fade and die.</blockquote>
Krafton's latest novel is a book I'm just interested in how the story will play out. Senza doesn't really come across as a selfish person in general until she decides to play with the strings of fate. As time goes by, she has to disguise herself from those around her so they don't find out what she did. Senza goes from place to place and she meets all kinds of people from all walks of life throughout the book. There's not exactly a clear plot going on here, and I almost expected a tragic ending where karma decided to finally bite back at Senza.
<i>The Heartbeat Thief</i> is a book with a unique storyline where one eventually realizes just what kind of price is really paid when death is defied. It's nicely done for a book where there's a character who doesn't have any flaws whatsoever.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-heartbeat-thief-by-aj-krafton/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Strangely enough, I enjoyed <i>The Heartbeat Thief</i>. Senza is the most perfect character I've ever met she's flawless, admired, wealthy, loved, intelligent. She knows it, but she doesn't want to flaunt it, which is what I really liked about Senza as a character. She hates going to parties and balls, and she dreads getting married off to a man that she doesn't want. I think I have a thing for characters who have an inner rebel in them.
Senza seems to have a perfect life until her grandmother dies. After that, she seems lost and obviously wants to carve her own path in life instead of letting her mother take the reins from her. Her discovery of eternal life is almost like a deal with a devil. She has to sacrifice her life to become immortal and keep her looks forever, but she has to carefully steal the heartbeats of another if she wants to keep her immortality. If she's not careful, those around her would be able to find out about her and accuse of witchcraft or something equally sinister.
<blockquote>Your spell must be fed, one heartbeat at a time. You must learn to steal them from the living. One here, one there. A person will not notice a skipped beat, and they must never know it is you who is making them skip. And you must do it, or the spell will fade and die.</blockquote>
Krafton's latest novel is a book I'm just interested in how the story will play out. Senza doesn't really come across as a selfish person in general until she decides to play with the strings of fate. As time goes by, she has to disguise herself from those around her so they don't find out what she did. Senza goes from place to place and she meets all kinds of people from all walks of life throughout the book. There's not exactly a clear plot going on here, and I almost expected a tragic ending where karma decided to finally bite back at Senza.
<i>The Heartbeat Thief</i> is a book with a unique storyline where one eventually realizes just what kind of price is really paid when death is defied. It's nicely done for a book where there's a character who doesn't have any flaws whatsoever.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-heartbeat-thief-by-aj-krafton/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Joan of Arc: The Image of Female Heroism
Book
The fame of Joan of Arc began in her lifetime and, though it has dipped a little now and then, she...
Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated Unsheltered in Books
Jun 22, 2018
Not a favorite
I am typically a big fan of Barbara Kingsolver's books. Her writing is exquisite and reads like a dream. She is usually one of the few writers of historical novels I read as it's not really my most favorite genre, but unfortunately this one was a total snooze-fest. I almost quit several times, I was just SO bored! Honestly, nothing really happens in this book, there are a few deaths, a shooting, and drama of beliefs with the push and pull of science vs. God, but it was just so uneventful and without buildup - I found myself really struggling to get through it.
The book is set in two different eras, in the same town, on the same street, in Vineland, NJ. Willa Knox, present day, is fictional. AS is her family. Mary Treat in 1871, is apparently a real person, a lover of science, plants and creatures. The connection between the two stories is a bit weak I felt. Not sure if it was intentional, but it just didn't really capture my attention in the way I believe it was supposed to. In 1871, Thatcher Greenwood (fictional as well I believe?) meets Mary, and they get along because their beliefs mesh well - they believe in science, and follow Darwin's teachings, and Thatcher finds himself in a bit of jam as the town is "ruled" by Landis, a strict believer that God has created everything, and science is witchcraft.
Willa, is struggling when we meet her - in fact, her entire family - every single one of them seems to have some serious issues! I found it depressing and really didn't find myself liking any of the family very much. We see some similar struggles to Thatcher (their houses are both falling down around them) but not much else mirrors the past.
I do know based on initial talk of this novel, and the title of course, that the joining of the past vs present is in the "Unsheltered" aspect of both of these stories, the way Landis mirrors Trump, the ways a world can come unraveled by rules and rulers, as well as the courage to stand for what you believe in. But it just wasn't there for me - it was so subtle, uninspiring, slow and boring.
I did LOVE the plants and stuff - it's the main reason I wanted to read this book, but sadly they just weren't too heavily featured. The little tidbits of random facts about Pitcher Plants and Venus Fly Traps, and some other plants and bugs was pretty fun and fascinating and I wish there was more of it.
In the end - this just fell really flat for me. I know some of the people and events are real, but some are not (which was hard for me to follow) and Barbara's research and writing is top-notch. I just really wanted an engaging story, with a bit more interest, and a lot less heavy eyelid.
The book is set in two different eras, in the same town, on the same street, in Vineland, NJ. Willa Knox, present day, is fictional. AS is her family. Mary Treat in 1871, is apparently a real person, a lover of science, plants and creatures. The connection between the two stories is a bit weak I felt. Not sure if it was intentional, but it just didn't really capture my attention in the way I believe it was supposed to. In 1871, Thatcher Greenwood (fictional as well I believe?) meets Mary, and they get along because their beliefs mesh well - they believe in science, and follow Darwin's teachings, and Thatcher finds himself in a bit of jam as the town is "ruled" by Landis, a strict believer that God has created everything, and science is witchcraft.
Willa, is struggling when we meet her - in fact, her entire family - every single one of them seems to have some serious issues! I found it depressing and really didn't find myself liking any of the family very much. We see some similar struggles to Thatcher (their houses are both falling down around them) but not much else mirrors the past.
I do know based on initial talk of this novel, and the title of course, that the joining of the past vs present is in the "Unsheltered" aspect of both of these stories, the way Landis mirrors Trump, the ways a world can come unraveled by rules and rulers, as well as the courage to stand for what you believe in. But it just wasn't there for me - it was so subtle, uninspiring, slow and boring.
I did LOVE the plants and stuff - it's the main reason I wanted to read this book, but sadly they just weren't too heavily featured. The little tidbits of random facts about Pitcher Plants and Venus Fly Traps, and some other plants and bugs was pretty fun and fascinating and I wish there was more of it.
In the end - this just fell really flat for me. I know some of the people and events are real, but some are not (which was hard for me to follow) and Barbara's research and writing is top-notch. I just really wanted an engaging story, with a bit more interest, and a lot less heavy eyelid.
Sweet Baby Girl Halloween Fun - Spooky Makeover & Dress Up Party
Games and Education
App
Halloween is coming! Play with Sweet Baby Girl and have the most adventurous Halloween celebration...
Eilidh G Clark (177 KP) rated Nasty Women in Books
May 13, 2017
Nasty women is hard-hitting, eye-opening, and unashamedly honest.
‘Sometimes the role model you need is not an example to aspire to, but someone who reflects back the parts of yourself that society deems fit.’ -
Becca Inglis
Nasty Women, published by 404 ink, is a collection of essays about what it is, and how it feels to be a woman in the 21st century. When I first picked up the book, I assumed, like I think most readers would, that it would be an easy book to just pick up and put down whenever I had a spare ten minutes. Wrong, I was sucked into this book right from the beginning, and read it all in a day. That doesn’t mean it was an easy read, or perhaps easy is the wrong word – it isn’t a comfortable read - and it isn’t meant to be. Nasty women is hard-hitting, eye-opening, and unashamedly honest.
The book opens with ‘Independence Day’ by Katie Muriel. A story of mixed race and identity in Trump’s America, Muriel discusses her experience of inter-family racism, heightened by political differences, ‘This is not the first, nor is it the last family divide Trump will leave in his wake, but I refuse to think of him as some deity who stands around shifting pieces on a board in his golden war room.’ The anger in this piece is clear, but it is the rationalism and clarity of the writer that speaks volumes. Race, racism and xenophobia, is a prominent feature in these stories. Claire L. Heuchan, for example, talks about ‘Othering’ a term that readers will see repeatedly in this book, ‘Scotland,’ she writes, ‘is a fairly isolating place to be a black woman.’
Survival is a key trope in Nasty Women. Mel Reeve, in ‘The Nastiness of Survival,’ talks about being a survivor of rape and emotional abuse, ‘I do not fit the ‘right’ definition of someone who has been raped.’ This statement alone is filled with irony.
I was particularly drawn to Laura Waddell’s essay, ‘Against Stereotypes: Working Class Girls and Working Class Art.’ Laura talks about the difficulty of both gender and class inequality, and, in particular, the lack of working class writers and working class fiction being published, ‘I have read a lot of fiction’ she says, ‘I have read almost none from housing estates such as the one I grew up on. These stories are missing, from shelves, and from the record.’ As a Scottish fiction writer from a working-class background myself, these words resonate deeply.
Alice Tarbuck’s ‘Foraging and Feminism: Hedge-Witchcraft in the 21st Century’, is almost fun to read in a deeply devastating way. There is a desperate tone in this piece, and a desperate need to escape society. ‘There is beauty and bounty around us if we look for it, and perhaps that is all the magic we need. Or perhaps, what we need is real magic, whether that comes in the form of resistance and community or the form of blackthorn charms and skullcap tinctures, and howling to the moon.
I loved this book. This book gives women a voice. And it is loud! Well done 404 Ink, and all the contributors, for bravely breaking the silence.
Becca Inglis
Nasty Women, published by 404 ink, is a collection of essays about what it is, and how it feels to be a woman in the 21st century. When I first picked up the book, I assumed, like I think most readers would, that it would be an easy book to just pick up and put down whenever I had a spare ten minutes. Wrong, I was sucked into this book right from the beginning, and read it all in a day. That doesn’t mean it was an easy read, or perhaps easy is the wrong word – it isn’t a comfortable read - and it isn’t meant to be. Nasty women is hard-hitting, eye-opening, and unashamedly honest.
The book opens with ‘Independence Day’ by Katie Muriel. A story of mixed race and identity in Trump’s America, Muriel discusses her experience of inter-family racism, heightened by political differences, ‘This is not the first, nor is it the last family divide Trump will leave in his wake, but I refuse to think of him as some deity who stands around shifting pieces on a board in his golden war room.’ The anger in this piece is clear, but it is the rationalism and clarity of the writer that speaks volumes. Race, racism and xenophobia, is a prominent feature in these stories. Claire L. Heuchan, for example, talks about ‘Othering’ a term that readers will see repeatedly in this book, ‘Scotland,’ she writes, ‘is a fairly isolating place to be a black woman.’
Survival is a key trope in Nasty Women. Mel Reeve, in ‘The Nastiness of Survival,’ talks about being a survivor of rape and emotional abuse, ‘I do not fit the ‘right’ definition of someone who has been raped.’ This statement alone is filled with irony.
I was particularly drawn to Laura Waddell’s essay, ‘Against Stereotypes: Working Class Girls and Working Class Art.’ Laura talks about the difficulty of both gender and class inequality, and, in particular, the lack of working class writers and working class fiction being published, ‘I have read a lot of fiction’ she says, ‘I have read almost none from housing estates such as the one I grew up on. These stories are missing, from shelves, and from the record.’ As a Scottish fiction writer from a working-class background myself, these words resonate deeply.
Alice Tarbuck’s ‘Foraging and Feminism: Hedge-Witchcraft in the 21st Century’, is almost fun to read in a deeply devastating way. There is a desperate tone in this piece, and a desperate need to escape society. ‘There is beauty and bounty around us if we look for it, and perhaps that is all the magic we need. Or perhaps, what we need is real magic, whether that comes in the form of resistance and community or the form of blackthorn charms and skullcap tinctures, and howling to the moon.
I loved this book. This book gives women a voice. And it is loud! Well done 404 Ink, and all the contributors, for bravely breaking the silence.
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated Eternity in Books
Jun 12, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
300 years ago, Raven St. James was hanged for witchcraft. But she revives among the dead to find herself alive. She is an Immortal High Witch, one of the light. A note from her mother warns that there are others, those of the Dark, who preserve their own lives by taking the hearts of those like her.
Duncan Wallace’s forbidden love for the secretive lass costs him his life.
300 years later, he loves her again, tormented by hazy memories of a past that can’t be real. She tells him of another lifetime, claims to be immortal. Though he knows she’s deluded, he can’t stay away. And the Dark Witch after her heart is far closer than either of them know.
After reading and loving the Once Upon a Time boxed set by Maggie Shayne, I was super excited to find her book Eternity free on Smashwords. But while I liked it a lot, I didn’t like it as much as Once Upon a Time. Perhaps my expectations were too high.
Raven and her sister Arianna are both good characters. I like Raven’s spirit and loyalty a lot, as well as Arianna’s sass. Duncan is pretty fine himself. His devotion to Raven is incredibly sexy and I’ve always enjoyed a good Scottish brogue myself. In one scene, she heals him from a fever while trying to keep her identity a secret from him. That is a very delicious scene and it’s one of the first real tastes of magic we see. Gotta love that scene, as well as reading about Duncan trying to protect Raven in the Americas.
But the initial meeting was a little lacking. Sure, it’s pretty powerful, having Duncan speak up on Raven’s behalf and then quit the Catholic church for her. I love the compassion he shows there, despite Raven telling him to stop before he’s hanged himself.
But they’re practically in love within two minutes of meeting each other. Sure, that would be fine if Raven, unaware of her immense power, accidentally put a spell on him. But she didn’t. There’s no real explanation for their insta-love. The most we get is their souls recognized each other. Yippee.
The insta-love wasn’t necessary, either. A young, idealistic man can be sickened by an execution without being in love with her. There was plenty of time to introduce more romantic feelings later.
Duncan and Raven in the Americas are excellent together, though. I wish we had seen more of them in the seventeenth century. Because Duncan in the twentieth is bland.
There’s no better word for it, really. He’s bland. Modern-day Duncan is easily confused and manipulated and even after he gets memories from his past life, he still doesn’t believe Raven when she tells him of their past. It takes him forever to realize Raven’s not mentally unbalanced and actually knows what she’s talking about.
There is a second book with Raven’s sister, Arianna. Even though I was a little disappointed in this book, I still might buy Infinity. After all, this wasn’t even close to being a bad book. It’s certainly well-written and entertaining. Now that my expectations for Maggie Shayne’s work has gotten a reality check– honestly, any book she wrote would have been a letdown after the two amazing love stories in Once Upon a Time.
Duncan Wallace’s forbidden love for the secretive lass costs him his life.
300 years later, he loves her again, tormented by hazy memories of a past that can’t be real. She tells him of another lifetime, claims to be immortal. Though he knows she’s deluded, he can’t stay away. And the Dark Witch after her heart is far closer than either of them know.
After reading and loving the Once Upon a Time boxed set by Maggie Shayne, I was super excited to find her book Eternity free on Smashwords. But while I liked it a lot, I didn’t like it as much as Once Upon a Time. Perhaps my expectations were too high.
Raven and her sister Arianna are both good characters. I like Raven’s spirit and loyalty a lot, as well as Arianna’s sass. Duncan is pretty fine himself. His devotion to Raven is incredibly sexy and I’ve always enjoyed a good Scottish brogue myself. In one scene, she heals him from a fever while trying to keep her identity a secret from him. That is a very delicious scene and it’s one of the first real tastes of magic we see. Gotta love that scene, as well as reading about Duncan trying to protect Raven in the Americas.
But the initial meeting was a little lacking. Sure, it’s pretty powerful, having Duncan speak up on Raven’s behalf and then quit the Catholic church for her. I love the compassion he shows there, despite Raven telling him to stop before he’s hanged himself.
But they’re practically in love within two minutes of meeting each other. Sure, that would be fine if Raven, unaware of her immense power, accidentally put a spell on him. But she didn’t. There’s no real explanation for their insta-love. The most we get is their souls recognized each other. Yippee.
The insta-love wasn’t necessary, either. A young, idealistic man can be sickened by an execution without being in love with her. There was plenty of time to introduce more romantic feelings later.
Duncan and Raven in the Americas are excellent together, though. I wish we had seen more of them in the seventeenth century. Because Duncan in the twentieth is bland.
There’s no better word for it, really. He’s bland. Modern-day Duncan is easily confused and manipulated and even after he gets memories from his past life, he still doesn’t believe Raven when she tells him of their past. It takes him forever to realize Raven’s not mentally unbalanced and actually knows what she’s talking about.
There is a second book with Raven’s sister, Arianna. Even though I was a little disappointed in this book, I still might buy Infinity. After all, this wasn’t even close to being a bad book. It’s certainly well-written and entertaining. Now that my expectations for Maggie Shayne’s work has gotten a reality check– honestly, any book she wrote would have been a letdown after the two amazing love stories in Once Upon a Time.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Knight Assassin in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Am I alone to say that this sort of felt like history + Downton Abbey + a little Arabian mythology? Perhaps it's the royal technicalities that make me think of Downton Abbey with its lords and ladies, despite the fact the book seems to be set around the Crusades and everyone seemed to be fighting over the Holy Land.
I was actually a bit reluctant to accept Knight Assassin for review for a few reasons:
1. It didn't sound very appealing A girl's mother gets murdered and she wants revenge. Then she meets a guy from her past who actually ends up being her enemy. Nope... not really for me, though the last part is semi-intriguing.
2. I don't know that much about the Knights Templar. I don't even remember that one book I read and it was nominated for a state award once.
3. I had a pretty big review pile already
However, as I got started, I realized I was underestimating, and I actually enjoyed it in most cases. But what really started to get the ball rolling?
Zayn's mother gets accused of witchcraft and burned to death.
I know it sounds really mean and really odd of me that it would catch my attention. But think about it. If that happened to me (or any of us really), I would be looking for revenge as well after I get over my initial shock, which could last for who knows how long.
Zayn gah, I keep putting an e at the end. One Direction, this is not the time to slip into a review is probably by far one of the strongest heroines I've read about. She goes through so many trials throughout the book from her mother's murder to rape to finding out what she really is and hasn't broken down for most of the book. Definitely shorter than me, but Zayn seems to be pretty impulsive for a good half of the book.
For the first half, there's a lot of flashbacks throughout the beginning to Zayn's childhood, in which I sort of found pointless. I'm not exactly sure what the connection really is, aside from how she meets Guy de Molay and Earic Goodwin. It's not until the second half where the interesting stuff happens and there's not as many flashbacks, but the first half by all means isn't boring at all. I find that Zayn has a lot of backstory, which frankly makes her less of a pancake (flat characters).
The ending though, felt like a stand alone, but it didn't feel like a stand alone. I'm surprised this isn't a series to be honest. However, if you're the type who enjoys reading a bit of history and a little mythology, perhaps you should consider Knight Assassin. It's a nice change from other genres (particularly aliens and angels at the moment) as there aren't many books set in the late 1100s.
<b>Random Thought:</b>
<blockquote>I will never recover my male ego, so long as Zayn is around to humble me.</blockquote>
Perhaps where there's a Carter, Jace, Daemon or a Herondale, there needs to be a Zayn. She might be able to keep their ego in check... well, particularly the third one. ;)
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Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Owls
Advance review copy provided by publisher for review
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/03/arc-review-knight-assassin-by-rima-jean.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
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I was actually a bit reluctant to accept Knight Assassin for review for a few reasons:
1. It didn't sound very appealing A girl's mother gets murdered and she wants revenge. Then she meets a guy from her past who actually ends up being her enemy. Nope... not really for me, though the last part is semi-intriguing.
2. I don't know that much about the Knights Templar. I don't even remember that one book I read and it was nominated for a state award once.
3. I had a pretty big review pile already
However, as I got started, I realized I was underestimating, and I actually enjoyed it in most cases. But what really started to get the ball rolling?
Zayn's mother gets accused of witchcraft and burned to death.
I know it sounds really mean and really odd of me that it would catch my attention. But think about it. If that happened to me (or any of us really), I would be looking for revenge as well after I get over my initial shock, which could last for who knows how long.
Zayn gah, I keep putting an e at the end. One Direction, this is not the time to slip into a review is probably by far one of the strongest heroines I've read about. She goes through so many trials throughout the book from her mother's murder to rape to finding out what she really is and hasn't broken down for most of the book. Definitely shorter than me, but Zayn seems to be pretty impulsive for a good half of the book.
For the first half, there's a lot of flashbacks throughout the beginning to Zayn's childhood, in which I sort of found pointless. I'm not exactly sure what the connection really is, aside from how she meets Guy de Molay and Earic Goodwin. It's not until the second half where the interesting stuff happens and there's not as many flashbacks, but the first half by all means isn't boring at all. I find that Zayn has a lot of backstory, which frankly makes her less of a pancake (flat characters).
The ending though, felt like a stand alone, but it didn't feel like a stand alone. I'm surprised this isn't a series to be honest. However, if you're the type who enjoys reading a bit of history and a little mythology, perhaps you should consider Knight Assassin. It's a nice change from other genres (particularly aliens and angels at the moment) as there aren't many books set in the late 1100s.
<b>Random Thought:</b>
<blockquote>I will never recover my male ego, so long as Zayn is around to humble me.</blockquote>
Perhaps where there's a Carter, Jace, Daemon or a Herondale, there needs to be a Zayn. She might be able to keep their ego in check... well, particularly the third one. ;)
--------------------
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Owls
Advance review copy provided by publisher for review
This review and more can be found at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/03/arc-review-knight-assassin-by-rima-jean.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gi5Rk5yLloA/UtliaUbdL3I/AAAAAAAACbE/J27z92_qrYU/s1600/Official+Banner.png"; /></a>
ClareR (5726 KP) rated The Mercies in Books
Feb 25, 2020 (Updated Feb 25, 2020)
The Mercies is a slow burn of a novel, set in the Arctic town of Vardø in 1617 (Norway, the part that was called Finnmark). On Christmas Eve, whilst all of the men are out fishing, a storm blows in and kills them all. The women are left without their husbands, brothers and fathers, and must learn to fend for themselves. Maren Magnusdatter is one of these women. She watches as her father, brothers and future husband are drowned.
Three years later, a Scot, Absalom Cornet and his young Norwegian wife, Ursa, arrive. Absalom has been appointed Commissioner of Vardø, and is adamant that witchcraft was the cause of the storm three years ago. The fact that the women are surviving and taking on the roles of their dead menfolk doesn’t help their case. Absalom only sees evil, and women who have forgotten their place as servants of God. He is a witch finder, and has been responsible for the prosecution and death of women at home in Scotland. Unsurprisingly, he’s not a very nice character, and I liked NOT liking him, although I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Ursa. She is shy and inexperienced in the ways of the world. She has been shut away, caring for her sick younger sister. She knows nothing of what is expected of her as a wife - in every sphere. She doesn’t know how to keep a house at all. This is where Maren steps in as an advisor. They become good friends, and there is the beginnings of something more than just a simple friendship. I loved the interactions between these two women. Maren, strongly independent, competent and lonely, and Ursa, inexperienced, unhappy and lonely. In other circumstances, theirs could have been a good friendship - but unlikely because of social status, I should think.
The writing in this is gorgeous. The descriptions of the landscape and the sea made me feel as though I was standing there with them (warmer though!), and I loved getting to know the women, even the ultra-religious women who were only too keen to give up their fellow towns-women as witches. This part doesn’t happen for quite a while, so we’re given the chance to become emotionally invested in these characters. So when we read of their treatment at the hands of Absalom and his fellow witch hunters, it makes it all the more appalling. If it wasn’t bad enough already.
I love historical fiction, and I really liked how this was written in such a way that these didn’t really seem to be women separated from us by 400 years. They were normal women, working hard to survive and make lives for the,selves. Which made it all the more sad. There’s no way I could detach myself and NOT read this with a modern woman’s eye. These women were punished for something that we take for granted: independence.
Despite the terrible things that happen, it’s a beautifully written, very enjoyable book that I would easily recommend to anyone, even though it’s just like I would imagine the landscape around Finnmark is: bleak, yet beautiful.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book to read and review.
Three years later, a Scot, Absalom Cornet and his young Norwegian wife, Ursa, arrive. Absalom has been appointed Commissioner of Vardø, and is adamant that witchcraft was the cause of the storm three years ago. The fact that the women are surviving and taking on the roles of their dead menfolk doesn’t help their case. Absalom only sees evil, and women who have forgotten their place as servants of God. He is a witch finder, and has been responsible for the prosecution and death of women at home in Scotland. Unsurprisingly, he’s not a very nice character, and I liked NOT liking him, although I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Ursa. She is shy and inexperienced in the ways of the world. She has been shut away, caring for her sick younger sister. She knows nothing of what is expected of her as a wife - in every sphere. She doesn’t know how to keep a house at all. This is where Maren steps in as an advisor. They become good friends, and there is the beginnings of something more than just a simple friendship. I loved the interactions between these two women. Maren, strongly independent, competent and lonely, and Ursa, inexperienced, unhappy and lonely. In other circumstances, theirs could have been a good friendship - but unlikely because of social status, I should think.
The writing in this is gorgeous. The descriptions of the landscape and the sea made me feel as though I was standing there with them (warmer though!), and I loved getting to know the women, even the ultra-religious women who were only too keen to give up their fellow towns-women as witches. This part doesn’t happen for quite a while, so we’re given the chance to become emotionally invested in these characters. So when we read of their treatment at the hands of Absalom and his fellow witch hunters, it makes it all the more appalling. If it wasn’t bad enough already.
I love historical fiction, and I really liked how this was written in such a way that these didn’t really seem to be women separated from us by 400 years. They were normal women, working hard to survive and make lives for the,selves. Which made it all the more sad. There’s no way I could detach myself and NOT read this with a modern woman’s eye. These women were punished for something that we take for granted: independence.
Despite the terrible things that happen, it’s a beautifully written, very enjoyable book that I would easily recommend to anyone, even though it’s just like I would imagine the landscape around Finnmark is: bleak, yet beautiful.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book to read and review.