Between the Blade and the Heart (Valkyrie Book One), by Amanda Hocking ~ 3.5 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, LGBT Relationships, Norse Mythology, Supernatural, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now 

319 Pages

Synopsis: Valkyries have one great responsibility to return immortals to the afterlife by slaying them. As a Valkyrie, Malin has always known that the balance of the world rests on her ability to carry out orders. But when Malin discovers that her mother spared the life of an immortal who was destined to die, her world is thrown into chaos.

Malin not only wrestles with the knowledge that her mother might not be who she thought—-she’s also thrust into the path of a gorgeous blue eyed guy named Asher who needs her help slaying the rogue immortal who destroyed his family. The balance of the world is at stake. And, as Asher competes with Malin’s ex for her love and loyalty, so is her heart.

I’ve enjoyed Amanda Hocking’s previous books and when I first heard about this new series with Valkyries my eyes immediately lit up. I LOVE Norse mythology! Between the Blade and the Heart wasn’t perfect, but it’s a pretty decent start and has me hopeful that some of the kinks will be worked out in the next book.

I wound up with mixed feelings about the heroine of the story, Malin. She’s bisexual which made me very happy. She’s kick-ass with a tough attitude which is perfectly in keeping of what a Valkyrie should be. But then there’s a love triangle between the new guy in her life, Asher, and her ex-girlfriend and as I’m not a fan of love triangles, naturally this got on my nerves. Making it worse was that I didn’t buy into the relationship that Malin had with either of them. There just didn’t seem to be any depth to them. And her helpless dithering between the two of them just didn’t  fit with the rest of her personna. 

Besides the Norse mythology, there’s a lot of other supernatural and mythological creature that live in this world. I had mixed feelings about this as well. There was a lot I liked, but at times it almost felt like too much was being introduced. That said, Amanda Hocking always impresses me with her world building and what she does here did not disappoint. It’s detailed and wonderfully descriptive and it’s most definitely unique. The plot itself was exciting and kept me turning the pages and I finished this in two sittings.

Overall, Between the Blade and the Heart left me feeling a slightly disappointed, but there are enough positives that I’m still looking forward to reading From the Earth to the Shadows, the second book in this duology. And I just won an ARC in a Goodreads giveaway so I’m a happy camper. So, if you’re a fan of Norse mythology I recommend you give this a try, especially if your already a fan of Hocking.

 

Advertisements

The Immortalists, by Chloe Benjamin ~ 3.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Literature, Family Relationships, Historical Fiction, LGBT Relationships

Thanks to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

352 Pages

Synopsis: If you knew the date of your death, how would you live your life?

It’s 1969 in New York City’s Lower East Side, and word has spread of the arrival of a mystical woman, a traveling psychic who claims to be able to tell anyone the day they will die. The Gold children—-four adolescents on the cusp of self-awareness—-sneak out to hear their fortunes. 

The prophecies inform their next five decades. Golden-boy Simon escapes to the West Coast searching for love in ‘80s San Francisco; dreamy Klara becomes a Las Vegas magician, obsessed with blurring reality and fantasy; eldest son Daniel seeks security as an army doctor post-9/11; and bookish Varya throws herself into longevity research, where she tests the boundary between science and immortality. 

A sweeping novel of remarkable ambition and depth, The Immortalists probes the line between destiny and choice, reality and illusion, this world and the next. It is a deeply moving testament to the power of story, the nature of belief, and the unrelenting pull of familial bonds.

The Immortalists is a work of literary fiction not really fantasy or magical realism as the synopsis suggests. I personally didn’t have a problem with that as I like literary fiction, but I just wanted to warn anyone thinking this was going to be more magical than it is. 

The book focuses on how knowing the date of their death affects these four siblings and the life choices they make over the course of fifty years, While the debate over fate vs. self-fulfilling prophecy is brought up here and there, it’s not fully explored in depth which disappointed me. 

My main issue though was with the characters. It’s not that they’re unlikable. It’s just that I didn’t find any of them particularly memorable. Simon’s story I actually found predictable and manipulative. I thought Klara who winds up in Vegas as a magician would be interesting, but wasn’t. I did like Daniel who becomes an army doctor and in the course of his work discovers something about the psychic who made the original predictions. But Varya was my favorite. As a scientist researching longevity with monkeys, I thought her story and perspective quite thought-provoking.

There were also some things about the author’s writing style that put me off such as completely random sexual references. For example, here’s how the book begins: “Varya is thirteen. New to her are three more inches of height and the dark patch of fur between her legs. Her breasts are palm sized, her nipples pink dimes.”Wait, what? Why on earth would you begin a book like this? There wasn’t any rhyme or reason to it and right there I started thinking “Uh oh.”

Overall, I thought The Immortalists to have some intriguing ideas that just weren’t fleshed out completely. When you couple that with fairly mundane characters and a predictable plot, the story didn’t quite live up to its premise. I personally think there are other books out there about families that make much more of an impact, including: Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng; and Watching Glass Shatter, by our own James J. Cudney. The Immortalists isn’t a bad book. It’s just not one I’m going to remember in the long run. That said, this is getting a lot of 4-5 star reviews on Goodreads, so if you’re intrigued, I encourage you to check, it out for yourself.

 

 

Maledicus (The Investigative Paranormal Society Book 1), by Charles F. French ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Family Relationships, Friendship, Historical Fiction, Horror, LGBT Relationships, Mystery, Paranormal, Suspense

Thanks to the author for sending me a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now 

333 Pages

Synopsis: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” (Edmund Burke)

Roosevelt Theodore Franklin attempts to make it through life day by day. Roosevelt is a widower, who lost his beloved wife to cancer and a retired history professor, and he has not stopped grieving. Along with his two closest friends, also retired and who also have lost loved ones, the three men form a paranormal investigation group. They hope to find an answer to the question: is there life after death?

When asked by a local teacher to investigate a possible haunting of her house, the group discovers an evil beyond anything they could have imagined. This is no mere ghost. Maledicus, who was in life a pimp, torturer, and murderer during Caligula’s reign in Rome, in death has become a sociopathic demon that attacks the weak and innocent. Maledicus threatens a five year old child’s life and soul. Terrified by what they have discovered, Roosevelt and his friends must choose to either walk away from this threat, or do battle with this ancient creature at the potential loss of their sanities, their lives, and their souls.

When our fellow blogger, Charles French, asked if I’d be interested in reading and reviewing Maledicus, the first book in his Investigative Paranormal Society series, I immediately said yes after reading the premise and I’m so glad I did, because I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Maledicus is definitely a character driven book, and just about everyone involved is well-rounded and completely relatable. The Paranormal Society itself is made up older gentlemen: Roosevelt, Jeremy, and Sam. Each of them has suffered the loss of a loved one and as a result have formed this group to investigate strange occurrences and either confirm and dispel meddlesome spirits, or debunk them. The focus in this story is mainly on Roosevelt, but you still get a good sense of who the others are as the author alternates POVs and timelines. Even the demon, Maledicus’ backstory is thoroughly explored, and let me tell you he is one nasty piece of work.

My only criticism is that I felt the dialogue was a little awkward at times and there was some repetitive words and phrasing. But there wasn’t enough of this to spoil my overall enjoyment of the book. I also wish that the IPS’s latest client Helen, had been a little more developed. I don’t know if she’ll be appearing in future books, but I wouldn’t mind seeing her again.

The plot itself is classic horror. Instead of relying on blood and gore, there’s a continual building of chilling suspense and fear. I was mesmerized from the very first page. Everything is so detailed, from the characters backstories, to the afterlife where Maledicus is unleashing his campaign of terror, that I was completely invested in what was happening.

In the end, I believe Maledicus is an auspicious debut for Charles French. With its believable characters and themes of love, friendship and devotion coupled with the horror, suspense and mystery, it’s a captivating tale and one I highly recommend. I’m looking forward to reading the next supernatural adventure of this intrepid group.

~

If you haven’t checked out Charles’s blog at https://charlesfrenchonwordsreadingandwriting.wordpress.com I recommend that as well. You won’t be disappointed. 

Into the Drowning Deep (Rolling in the Deep #1), by Mira Grant ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Diversity, Horror, LGBT Relationships, Marine Life, Science, The Environment

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date: Available Now

512 Pages

Synopsis: Seven years ago, the Altargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy. 

Now, a new crew has been assembled. But this time they’re not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life’s work. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.

Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves.

But the secrets of the deep come with a price.

Mira Grant, who also writes urban fantasy under the name Seanan McGuire, is one of my favorite authors. I know I can always count on her for her lush and exquisitely detailed writing and imaginative storytelling. So when I saw this latest was going to be about mermaids, I immediately began drooling. How awesome would it be to find out that these legends of fairytales were true? Well, unfortunately, the mermaids in this scarefest are less like our favorite fishy Disney princess:

and more like this:

Yeah. Not something you’d EVER want to meet! Into the Drowning Deep is the literary equivalent of what I call a popcorn movie. It may not be perfect, but it’s so much fun, that you just don’t care.

The story begins seven years after the ill-fated voyage of the Atargatis set out for the Mariana Trench to film a mockumentary about these legendary sea creatures. The boat was eventually found, covered in blood, but with no crew. Also found was footage documenting what happened. The public has been led to believe the film is a hoax, but others know better. And now, The Imagine Network has decided it’s time to send out another ship filled with scientists to prove once and for all whether mermaids exist. I know what you’re thinking. “This is a seriously bad idea!” And you’re absolutely right!

There are quite literally a boatload of characters in this book, and the story is a little slow in the beginning, because there are several who tell this story from third person povs. There’s a lot of introductions and plot set-up. The main character is marine biologist Victoria Stewart, who has a deeply personal interest in this quest as her sister was among those who perished on the Atargatis. She’s made it her life’s mission to discover what happened and bring some sort of closure to her family. While she tends to be impulsive at times, I really liked her stubborn determination to get to the truth. She also shows a much more compassionate side than some of her fellow scientists who only care about their experiments and findings.

There is a lot of diversity among the crew. Victoria is bisexual and there’s a sweet little romance that develops between her and an autistic reporter. Two of the scientists are deaf twins and there’s an over-the-top husband and wife team of big game hunters who add an additional level of insanity to the mix. 

The only other issue I had was with a technical problem with the ship. This was something that was put in place to safeguard everyone, yet wasn’t working when they embarked. While as a plot device it led to the reason why so many people get killed, I wound up obsessing over it because it didn’t make sense to me that after what happened to the first ship the company would be send out another where everything wasn’t working perfectly.

Once the ship arrives at the Mariana Trench, it doesn’t take long for the carnage to begin. Bloody and gory doesn’t begin to describe what goes on. I have a pretty strong stomach, but holy guacamole! There were scenes that had me squirming, gasping “Ewww!”, and wanting to cover my eyes!

One thing I’ve learned from reading Mira Grant’s previous books is that no one is safe. So of course one of my favorite characters is killed off in one of the scariest scenes I’ve read in quite awhile. Knowing the author’s predilection for killing off popular characters, this adds even more anxiety and unpredictability to an already frightening story.

Another thing I loved is that each chapter begins with quotes from the different characters, usually taken from interviews, books they’ve written or lectures they’ve given. They’re almost always these horrifying facts told in a droll manner.

Do I think they found mermaids?

Yes. Of course I do.

And I think the mermaids ate them all.

All righty then. I know this is dreadful, but there were several times I couldn’t stop laughing. The timing is always perfect and the dry humor gives the reader a break from all the mayhem. 

Overall, Into the Drowning Deep is another brilliantly executed science-based horror story by Mira Grant. I even learned a few things about aquatic life and the environment that I didn’t know before. The ending isn’t a cliffhanger but it leaves some things open, so I’m thrilled that there’s going to be at least one more book. There’s also a short prequel to this called Rolling in the Deep which details what happened to the Atargatis and her crew. I’m going to be reading that ASAP! I HIGHLY recommend this to fans of horror who don’t mind loads of blood and gore and body parts being ripped off. I can’t wait for the next book!

 

Ash and Quill (The Great Library #3), by Rachel Caine – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Alternate History, Fantasy, LGBT Relationships, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available Now

368 Pages

Synopsis: Hoarding all the knowledge in the world, the Great Library jealously guards its secrets. But now a group of rebels poses a dangerous threat to its tyranny…

Jess Brightwell and his band of exiles have fled London, only to find themselves imprisoned in Philadelphia, a city led by those who would rather burn books than submit. But Jess and his friends have a bargaining chip: the knowledge to build a machine that will break the Library’s rule.

Their time is running out. To survive, they’ll have to choose to live or die as one, to take the fight to their enemies–and to save the very soul of the Great Library…

The third installment in the Great Library series, Ash And Quill picks up immediately where Paper And Fire left off. To quickly sum up the mythology of the series: The Great Library of Alexandria exists in this alternate reality. Sadly, this isn’t a good thing. You see, they insist they’re there “to contain the knowledge of the world in the name of the greater good.” What this really means is no one outside of The Library is allowed to possess actual print books. If they want to read they’re given “blanks”, into which stories can be temporarily downloaded. There are all sorts of other rules and restrictions, but the biggest and most serious offense is possession of a real book. It’s not only a serious crime, it’s one that may cost you your life.

This is shaping up to be one of my favorite YA series, which isn’t a huge surprise as I’m a huge fan of Rachel Caine’s previous books. While I found the last book a little slower paced, here the action began on the very first page and never stopped. And what I really liked was that everything that unfolds in this book is obviously setting things up for the last two. 

What truly stands out though are the characters. In the previous two books there were times where I felt somewhat disconnected from Jess and his friends. Here, they literally spring to life. The dynamic between them is wonderful and they each contribute something vitally important to their mission. Although romance understandably takes a backseat in this eventful story, what is there is lovely, whether it’s between Jess and Morgan; Wolfe and Santi; or Dario and Khalila. And best of all, there is no angst and no annoying love triangles!’

The world-building continues to be spectacular and with Jess and his fellow rebels spending a majority of the story with book “Burners” in Philadelphia, you get to see what The Great Library has done in a different light. The ending is a heart-rending cliffhanger and I can’t believe we have to wait an entire year for the next book! I swear this series is going to kill me before it comes to a close! 

Ash And Quill is definitely my favorite of this series thus far. Full of magic, adventure, friendship, and of course–BOOKS!–this is a series not only for teens, but adult book lovers as well, and I really can’t recommend it highly enough! 

 

 

 

Now I Rise (The Conqueror’s Saga #2) by Kiersten White ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Family Relationships, Historical Fiction, LGBT Relationships, Ottoman Empire, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

496 Pages

Synopsis: Lada Dracul has no allies. No throne. All she has is what she’s always had: herself. After failing to secure the Wallachian throne, Lads is out to punish anyone who crosses her blood-strewn path. Filled with a white-hot rage, she storms the countryside with her men, accompanied by her childhood friend Bogdan, terrorizing the land. But brute force isn’t getting Lada what she wants. And thinking of Mehmed brings little comfort to her thorny heart. There’s no time to wonder if he still thinks about her, even loves her. She left him before he could leave her.

What Lada needs is her younger brother Radu’s subtlety and skill. But Mehmed has sent him to Constantinople–and it’s no diplomatic mission. Mehmed wants control of the city, and Radu has earned the unwanted place as a double-crossing spy behind enemy lines. Radu longs for his sister’s fierce confidence–but for the first time in his life, he rejects her unexpected plea for help. Torn between loyalties to faith, the Ottomans, and to Mehmed, he knows he owes Lada nothing. If she dies, he could never forgive himself–but if he fails in Constantinople, will Mehmed ever forgive him?

As nations fall around them, the Dracul siblings must decide: what will they sacrifice to fulfill their destinies? Empires will topple, thrones will be won…and souls will be lost.

Now I Rise picks up directly where the previous book, And I Darken, left off. Lada (the female version of Vlad the Impaler), is set on fulfilling her destiny to become Prince of Wallachia, leaving her younger brother, Radu, behind with Mehmed. The two siblings are separated during the entire book and this not only effects their relationship, but it further shapes them into the leaders they will become. In the first book, you saw how Lada’s brutal childhood at the hands of her father, made her a fierce, determined and courageous potential leader. In this book, all those traits are still visible, but her ruthlessness ultimately takes an even darker turn, resulting in her committing some truly horrific atrocities. You can see she’s not completely heartless by some of the relationships she has with those who are loyal to her. But by the end, she cares nothing about sacrificing innocents if she believes it’s in the greater good. Even some of those who have remained steadfast in their support, begin to question her. Lada is so fixated on her goal that she doesn’t realize she’s turning into someone far worse than her father. Seeing her transform is cringe-worthy at times, yet utterly mesmerizing. Meanwhile, Radu, who was always the lightness to Lada’s darkness, is facing a crisis of conscience. Still suffering from his unrequited love for Mehmed, he becomes a spy for him to aid in the conquest of Constantinople. The longer he’s there, the more conflicted he becomes over whether he’s doing the right thing. His anguish is heartbreaking, and the things he does changes him in many ways by the conclusion. I didn’t really care for Mehmed in the first book, and nothing in this one has changed my mind. Actually, I dislike him even more. He’s a manipulative, power-hungry ruler who has no problem using or betraying the people who care for him, as both Lada and Radu learn. He may be charming and charismatIc, but he continues to leave me unimpressed. There are quite a few secondary characters that stand out as much as the three main characters, and add interesting layers to the already complex story. Now I Rise is even better than it’s predecessor in terms of world-building, character development, and action. Kiersten White has my deepest admiration for her ability to bring history to life. She may veer away from total accuracy at times, but that doesn’t take anything away from the story. While this is technically a YA trilogy, due to the complexity and brutality of the story, I would suggest this for older teens and adults. You also definitely need to read these books in order because otherwise you’ll find yourself completely lost. The ending of this sequel leaves no doubt that Lada, Radu, and Mehmed are on a collision course, which has me eagerly anticipating the final book, which frustratingly won’t come out until next year. In the meantime, if you’re an adult who usually doesn’t read YA, but you like historical fiction, I cannot recommend these books highly enough! 

 

 

 

Cursing Fate (The Fated #2) ~ By Brenda Drake – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Bullying, Coming of Age Stories, LGBT Relationships, Paranormal Fiction, Romance, Suicide, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen Crave for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

220 Pages

Release Date: November 22nd, 2016

Synopsis: There’s something strange about the Layne sisters, and Wade Diaz wants nothing to do with them. Especially the one who ripped his heart out and set it on fire before tossing it in the garbage several months ago. Iris. He can’t even think her name without unconsciously rubbing the spot in his chest where she left a gaping hole. But now her sisters are claiming some evil spirit is after his soul, and Iris is the only one who can save him. Well, at least his heart would stop hurting, right? Didn’t sound so bad.

Iris Layne has always been the sweet sister. She’s kind to everyone, including her best friend Wade… Until she makes a horrible mistake and breaks his heart. All she wants is to go back to before ‘the dumping’. Of course, Wade would rather see her in hell first. But then Iris touches her sister’s tarot cards and unleashes an evil curse intent on playing a deadly game where no one Iris loves is safe, especially Wade.

How do you convince someone they need your help when you’re the one who hurt them the most?

After reading Touching Fate, I was curious as to where this series was headed next. I was hoping that Cursing Fate would continue to build upon the intriguing mythology of the first book, and I’m happy to say it exceeded my expectations. Unlike her older sister Aster, Iris isn’t a fate changer, but after finding Aster’s tarot cards, she unwittingly unleashes the cursed spirit who has brought such tragedy to the Van Buren family for decades. My main complaint with the first book was that the characters, especially the secondary ones weren’t developed enough. Although the sequel is even shorter in length, somehow the author completely makes up for this and I enjoyed it even more. In the first book, Iris was mostly an indistinct figure, but what I did see of her I didn’t really like. She came across as being flighty and shallow. Here she came across much more sympathetically and I was surprised at how much I liked her. She’s entirely aware of her flaws and she’s determined to correct them. She admires her twin Violet and aspires to be more like her. The romance between her and Wade is sweet and believable and is the heart of the story. While the main theme concerns the curse, Drake also explores bullying, suicide, and LGBTQ relationships in a thoughtful manner. Overall, Cursing Fate was a quick and fun read and its left me looking forward to reading more about the Layne family. I think this series will have wide appeal with teen girls.

Labyrinth Lost (Brooklyn Brujas # 1) ~ By Zoraida Cordova – 3.5 Stars

Tags

Family Relationships, Fantasy, LGBT Relationships, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

336 Pages

Synopsis: Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives. 

Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation…and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her with Nova, a brujo boy she can’t trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange marks on his skin.

The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland.

First, how creepily gorgeous is that cover? I’m going to admit that this is why I gravitated toward this in the first place. I also thought Labyrinth Lost had one of the most interesting premises I’ve seen this year. Brujas and Brujos. A whole hidden world of magic and menace. A fifteen-year-old girl, just coming into her powers, which may make her one of the most powerful witches, ever. And because of some tragic events related to magic which took place in her childhood, she wants nothing more than to reject her legacy and be just a normal teen. The story begins promisingly enough, touching upon Alex’s traumatic childhood, and following the event that lead up to her Deathday, where she’ll accept her powers and the responsibilities that come with them. All this completely captivated me right up until the Deathday ceremony goes horribly wrong, and Alex and the rest of her family literally descend down the “rabbit hole” into a world, Los Lagos, that’s part Alice in Wonderland, part Dante’s Inferno, and a little of Pan’s Labyrinth. While I appreciated the gorgeously descriptive world-building, I started losing my connection to the characters and for some reason, never got it back. As I was reading I kept waiting for something to happen that would shock and amaze me, but it never did. I think that this was in large part to the characters and their actions themselves. While I appreciated the cast’s diversity, no one really stood out for me, including Alex. As most of you know I read a lot of books in this genre, and Alex just wasn’t distinguishable from the multitude of heroines I’ve read about in other YA books. As far as the villain in this story, The Devourer, there wasn’t enough development to her character to make her sufficiently scary enough for me. There’s some romance to the story between Alex and her girlfriend Rishi, but to be honest I thought their relationship came off a little stilted and not believable. It was almost as if Rishi was simply created solely for the purpose of having a LGBT romance as part of the story. I know this sounds like I hated this book, but I didn’t. I think this may be a case of “it’s me, not you.” The world-building is breathtaking and I appreciate the author’s diversity in regards to the Latina flair and Alex’s bisexuality. I think this is one of those novels that if the premise intrigues you like it did me, than I encourage you to try it. 

The Ghost Of Buxton Manor ~ By Jonathan L. Ferrara – 5.0 Stars

Tags

Ghost Story, JM Barrie, LGBT Relationships, Love Story, Mystery, Peter Pan, YA Fiction

Thank you Jonathan for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 12th, 2016

400 Pages

Synopsis: There is not a single thing I remember about my life. I died nearly a hundred years ago, yet I haven’t the slightest idea to why I died at the young age of seventeen. ALWAYS I’m trapped within Buxton Manor, without any means of traveling beyond my quarters. I spend my time reading and writing. By the way, literature is my only connection to the physical world,must why that is another puzzle I can’t seem to solve. It’s rather lonely here, stuck IN such a grand manor, but I do enjoy rare visitors: Bloody Mary, the Weeping Bride, the Headless Horseboy, and of course, the jolly old ghost, my therapist of the Deceased. They’ve all tried to help me, aiding me in uncovering my unfinished business, but so far they’ve proven ineffective. All that is about to change. A new family is moving in to OUR family estate; the first family in over a a century, including a boy my own age (or at least the age I was at the time of my death). I don’t know what it is about him that I find so fascinating. It seems as though he might have seen me, or at least, dreamt about me, because you see, he’s drawn me. He’s an artist, rather good actually, and he has drawn me since he was a little boy. Aaron, this boy who I thought was a perfect stranger, he helps me remember…NEVERLAND.

The Ghost Of Buxton Manor is one of those books that is going to be difficult to review without letting slip any spoilers, but I’m going to do my best because I honestly think it’s an absolutely lovely and inspirational story that you just have to experience for yourself. I will tell you that it’s based on an unsolved mystery connected to the author JM Barrie, and the Davies family who served as the inspiration for Peter Pan. What makes it especially moving is that it’s also reflective of Jonathan and his husband Aaron’s (who designed the cover as well as the simple yet elegant thumbprint hearts at the beginning of each chapter) own relationship and it makes this an intensely personal story. Rupert, the narrator, is an incredibly sweet character. Despite having spent the last century being completely isolated, he’s funny and self-deprecating. He’s not a ghost who wallows in self-pity or turns angry and bitter at his circumstances. Even as he begins to discover the circumstances surrounding his untimely death, he still views the world and its inhabitants with optimism and an innocence which is lovely to behold. Aaron, his soulmate, is the perfect partner for the lonely Rupert. They just bring out the best in each other. The dialogue between them is at times funny, as well as heart-wrenching, but it’s never boring. The other characters are wonderfully written, particularly Aaron’s parents, and Rupert’s ghostly friends. They all play important roles in this story, but they never take away from what this book is truly about, Rupert and Aaron and their amazing journey. The settings are beautifully detailed, both in the present day as well as the past. The mystery is slowly and methodically laid out, and when the true villain is finally unmasked, I can honestly say I was completely shocked. The ending is one of the best I’ve ever read, and not for the first time while reading the book, I found myself tearing up. If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know that I read many, many, books including some I’ve thought quite outstanding. Every once in a while though, one comes along that is a true treasure, and stays in your mind long after you’ve finished reading. The Ghost Of Buxton Manor is a perfect example of this. It’s a beautiful mix of historical fiction, mystery, ghost story, and most importantly, heart-breaking love story, and it’s obvious that Jonathan poured his heart and soul into it. It’s an inspiring story for older teens as well as adults, and I honestly cannot recommend it enough! I hope the synopsis and this review intrigues you enough that you’re left with an overwhelming need to try this. If you are interested, I think Jonathan may still be looking for early reviewers, so please go over and take a look at:

https://husbandandhusband.net

In summation, The Ghost Of Buxton Manor is a wonderful gift to give yourself or someone you love. As for me, it’s a book I know I’ll re-read many times in the future.

And I Darken ~ By Kiersten White – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Alternate History, Dracul Family, Historical Fiction, Islam, LGBT Relationships, Ottoman Empire, Wallachia, YA Fiction

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: June 28th, 2016

Synopsis: NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL.

And Lada Dragwyla likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend–and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against–and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

And I Darken has been a much-hyped book since last year, and has been compared to George R.R.Martin’s Game of Thrones. While I didn’t find much in the way of similarities between the two books, I wound up really enjoying this. The story is told in the third person and alternates between Lada and Radu who are both fascinating and memorable characters. Lada gives new meaning to the term anti hero. The first part of the story focuses on her and Radu as young children. Even at the young age of five, it’s obvious that Lada is very different from most girls. To be perfectly honest she’s scary as hell. She’s basically a feral child who is violent even toward her year-younger brother Radu who isn’t as adept at defending himself. Growing up, their personalities pretty much stay the same, with Lada maintaining her ferocity and Radu being weak. When they’re thirteen and twelve they’re traded by their power hungry father to the Ottoman Empire and this is when things really start getting interesting. Held as political prisoners and completely on their own, Lada and Radu’s relationship becomes closer, although Lada can still be fairly brutal in her treatment of him. She believes he’ll be better off toughening up, in a certain way she’s right. As they both reach their late teens, Lada’s temper and violent nature become a little more controlled, and Radu becomes quite adept at traversing the political undercurrents of the Sultan’s court. They’ve also become close friends with Mehmed, the Sultan’s youngest son and an interesting love triangle develops. Lada does everything she can to deny her feelings for Mehmed, who represents everything she hates about her predicament, while Radu struggles with his embracing of Islam, and his growing feelings for Mehmed. He’s torn between his love and loyalty for his sister, and his yearning for what may be an unattainable relationship. I actually found Radu to be the most interesting and sympathetic character out of the three. I don’t know very much about the time period and the Ottoman Empire, but it seems as though the author definitely has done her research. And the idea to have the historical figure the world has come to know as Vlad Tepes, or Dracula, be female is sheer genius! I do think there’s some parts of the story that are a bit slow and at almost 500 pages, it could have been edited a bit more. But I still finished this in three days, mainly because I became so emotionally invested in Lada, Radu and Mehmed. While the ending isn’t a cliffhanger per se, it’s obvious that a second book is in the works, and I’m definitely looking forward to it. And I Darken has made me want to do more research on both the time period and the characters, and for me, right there, makes the book a success. I highly recommend this to older teens and adults who like historical fiction with a bit of a twist.