This is a romance novel in a Sci-Fi setting. As the author's previous series, she has found a niche in that sub-genre and is doing a grea*** 3.55 ***
This is a romance novel in a Sci-Fi setting. As the author's previous series, she has found a niche in that sub-genre and is doing a great job, as far as I am concerned. I am never completely convinced of how well she does on both fronts, the romantic and the sci-fi, but the combination, even with its flaws, is usually compelling enough for me to keep coming back for more. In the tradition of most recent (and by recent I mean in the last 25 years) romances, there is too much insta-love, too vague sci-fi tech, and just enough political or military intrigue to keep things interesting. Perfect book for a lighter read and with likable characters. I am definitely going to read the next one, when it comes out:) ...more
"...“Anyone lucky enough to be entrusted with your heart would be a fool to treat it carelessly.” ― Jessie Mihalik, Aurora Blazing..."
This sec*** 4 ***
"...“Anyone lucky enough to be entrusted with your heart would be a fool to treat it carelessly.” ― Jessie Mihalik, Aurora Blazing..."
This second instalment in the Consortium Rebellion Sci-Fi Romance series is just as fun as the first one. I have been surprised at how much I have enjoyed the writing of this author. She stays in her lane with the sister of the first book protagonist and the theme of war between the powerful families of the Consortium. Bianca is considered a grieving widow, a has-been, used goods. She has never shared all she went through in her arranged marriage and hopes she would never have to. Her strongest allies are the siblings of House von Hasenberg , who always try to be there for each other. Her biggest temptation and weakness is the chief of security for the family and more specifically, her father, Ian Bishop . Bianca has been attracted to him for years, but it has never been reciprocal. In fact, Bianca suspect that Ian strongly dislikes her and the only reason he ever gets close to her is because of his job. However, she is about to spend a bunch of time around her, because someone abducts her eldest brother, the heir of House von Hasenberg, and she is determined that her special skills of decoding and decrypting data and communications, she is the perfect person to find and bring him back. So she throws herself head first into her goal, while Ian Bishop throws himself after her to try and protect her, while still looking for her older brother...
"..."Despite rumors to the contrary, I am not a robot. When I trust someone and they break that trust, it stings."..."
The pace is not as fast as in Polaris Rising, the first book, where Ada von Hasenberg was the leading lady. This has a lot to do with the differences in character between the sisters. Where Ada was physical, confrontational, and all together a bad-ass, ready to deal some violence when she feels cornered, Bianca is more contemplative, she is not in good physical shape and is often sickly, and her main power is technology. She would much rather work in the shadows and have no confrontations, choosing to go through virtual data rather than hand-to-hand combat. Thus, while the first book had a lot of action and even got steamy quickly, Aurora Blazing takes its time to develop, slows down the action and we get the picture of a young woman who is insecure despite the power and prestige her birth family grants her, and who is in a lot of physical and emotional pain most of the time. To get this character and add an initially not very likable dude trying to tell her what to do, and still come up with a believable romance and almost cyber-punky Sci-Fi which could hold its own, I think that takes some talent! I am looking foreword to seeing where the author goes from here:)
This is a Romance first and foremost, set in the background of a Science Fiction story. Do not go into this series expecting pure Sci-Fi. It is not. It isn't an erotic no plot story either. It seems to hit the perfect balance between the romance and the somewhat actiony plot, with a tiny bit of sexy times at the appropriate "climax" of the story:) This makes it appropriate for all but the youngest of readers. No gratuitous violence, no explicit anything. A safe read, in my opinion. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have...more
Absolutely delightful! After all the non stop battling, running and hiding for couple of years, Amaranthe and Sicarius are taking an island v*** 4 ***
Absolutely delightful! After all the non stop battling, running and hiding for couple of years, Amaranthe and Sicarius are taking an island vacation for their equivalent of Christmas. Their only directive - have fun and be merry. Amaranthe is totally up to the challenge. Sicarius is unequipped to deal with it. I guess our girl will have to teach the scary assassin something after all ...more
Obviously one of the author's earlier work, so not as good as I have come to expect from her, but not terrible either. The insta-love-lust thing alwayObviously one of the author's earlier work, so not as good as I have come to expect from her, but not terrible either. The insta-love-lust thing always bothers me, and I didn't feel much chemistry between the characters. Also, the plot was quite thin and she has not yet developed the typical for her banter the readers have come to adore. Either way, I plan on continuing with the series and hope it gets better ...more
A Buddy Read with the Fantasy Buddy Reads Group, because we love G. G. Kay!
Have you ever read a book and felt completely inadequate to wri*** 4.75 ***
A Buddy Read with the Fantasy Buddy Reads Group, because we love G. G. Kay!
Have you ever read a book and felt completely inadequate to write a review for it? Not that the book was that overwhelming in scope or plot lines, nor because it tackled some deep philosophical issues whose gravity would be impossible to put in several paragraphs. The ineptitude I find myself in, is because this is the forth book written by Kay I have read in the last couple of months and with each volume I become more and more enamored with his way of balancing Historical Fiction, some Fantasy elements, Romance, and Artistic expression in a hybrid which could not be put into a box, but feels like each of its parent's genres most favorite child. Even his unique outlook on Historical Fantasy is not enough to explain the magic he has woven in his tales. It is the way he tells the story, with an obvious nod to the old Bards, but with an updated language, using a prose which is open for all levels of readers - from novices to sages, using finesse and complexity more in the plot-lines than in the way he conveys them, crafting characters whose personalities vary on the gray scale of attributes, none of them perfect, none of them completely villainous, and makes us care for them even when we don't particularly want to. His ability to use simple words and moments, in a sea of overwhelming action and intrigue, which are so devastatingly poignant and touching, that make you want to weep with their raw exposure of the humanity in everyone, big or small, significant or just one of the crowd... His biggest talent lays with the knowledge of how to employee the writing style of the old masters and amplify the effect with his ability to pull it back and punctuate it by stripping the prose down to bare bones in the most consequential of junctures.
"..."“He was still on his feet, and before him was a man who stood in the path of...what? Of a great many things, his own dream of Gorhaut not least of all. Of what his home should be, in the eyes of the world, in the sight of Corannos, in his own soul. He had said this two nights ago, words very like this, King Daufridi of Valensa. He's been asked if he loved his country. He did. He loved it with a heart that ached like an old man's fingers in rain, hurting for the Gorhaut of his own vision, a land worthy of the god who had chosen it, and of the honor of men. Not a place of scheming wiles, of a degraded, sensuously corrupt king, of people dispossessed of their lands by a cowardly treaty, or of ugly designs under the false, perverted aegis of Corannos for nothing less than annihilation here south of the mountains.”..."
As with the previous books, this one takes place in a Fantasy world, whose England, Normandy and Provence are reflected in Valensa, Gorhaut and Arbonne around the 11-13th centuries. It is inspired by the culture of Provence at the time of the Troubadours and the age of gallantry, leading to the first cultural introduction of love as that of a young man pining for a married woman of status, as the ideal for true love, even if it is unrequited... It also speaks of the very heavily Pagan and matriarchal culture of the land, despite the introduction of the more male-oriented and homogeneous. Once again, by invoking the history of the Albigensian Crusade in spirit, and the influence of the never ending wars between the Anglo-Saxons and Normans, as well as the later political maneuvers in order to bring the South to France, we are given a microcosm of those events served with the nuances of the eternal battle between the Feminine and Masculine, be it in human culture or in celestial divinity. G. G. Kay always gives us a juxtaposition between the Male and Female, but he never gives us his answers as to which side he is on, or does he push us into choosing. In my opinion, he makes a beautiful argument for their complimentary strengths and weaknesses, advocating in his unobtrusive way for the need of their balance.
"..."“We must be what we are, or we become our enemies. ” ..."
Equal to his incredible ability of finding beauty even in the ugliest of situations, Kay views the world with a dose of irony and cynicism, which attributes the Male and Female sides with as many devious and uncompromising choices for achieving their goals as their counterparts. They do not shy from using every weapon in their arsenal, be it a weapon, poison, sex, flirtation, deception or political manipulation, disfigurement or murder, each with equal ruthlessness, that we see they only differ in the manner they are performed and the ultimate ideal they strive for, but not in the paths of obtaining them... Women and men are equally beautiful, desirable, smart, talented and strong, the author being able to show us positive qualities even in the most despicable of characters, that every loss, no matter on which side, becomes a wound in the reader's heart... If I only had one wish, it would be for more authors to be as thoughtful and purposeful in the way they structure a story, so I may never ever again read a book which might let me down:):):)
"..."“For all his frustrations and his chronic sense of being overburdened. He was proud of that; he’d always felt that it was worth doing a task properly if it was worth doing at all. That was part of his problem, of course; that was why he ended up with so much to do. It was also the source of his own particular pride: he knew--and he was certain they knew that there was no one else who could handle details such as these as well as he.” ..."
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and may you always find what you Need in the pages of a Good Book!!! ...more
Well, this was a treat for the soul! If you are like me and love the beauty of the violin in form and in sound, this would be a little less t*** 5 ***
Well, this was a treat for the soul! If you are like me and love the beauty of the violin in form and in sound, this would be a little less than an hour of listening bliss!!!! The story is mostly told in music with Sir Roger Moore intermittently telling a story of the violinist Raphael being invited in a European court in the 17th century to play. A mishap with his own violin leads him to an encounter with Antonio Stradivari, the greatest violin craftsmen in the world, and he receives a new one as a gift. The story is very short, touching and gentle, but is only the base on which the beautiful composition for violin is exhibited and it shines!!! Beautiful and so very calming... Loved it!...more
A buddy read with Evgeny and Maria, because we need our dose of Vorkosigan!!!
Let me start by saying once again - I am to partial to this *** 4.75 ***
A buddy read with Evgeny and Maria, because we need our dose of Vorkosigan!!!
Let me start by saying once again - I am to partial to this series to be able to separate my love for everything in it, thus rendering me incapable of an objective opinion. Thus I recognize that if there are weaknesses in any part of it, I am most likely going to overlook them, so be warned 🙂
This is the newest and hopefully not the last book in the Vorkosigan's Universe series and it is very different from most everything that came before it. It is not a Miles or Ivan advanture, it doesn't take place on a space ship, it is not a slap-stick Comedy, and there are no drama or angst whatsoever. It is a Romance of a sort, but not at all in the model of other romances I have read before. It is a book for adults but with nothing that would make you blush. However, it is a very cerebral romance between two people who have passed middle age, and have had a passion for the same man in their past. Now this person is gone and the two of them share in the pain of grieving for the one who was the center of both of their worlds. His persona was grand and all-consuming and with him gone, the two of them drift apart, each cocooned in their own pain, all alone... 3 years have passed since the Viceroy's aneurysm took his life force and Cordelia is ready to start living again. She and her late husband had frozen some eggs and sperm to have more kids later and she is determined to have the daughters she has always wanted no matter what. Oliver Joel, the man who had been an integral part of their lives, is about to turn 50 and thanks to the amazing genetic level and methods of procreation of the time, she offers him a chance to have posthumous children with AV. Oliver is taken aback, but the idea is planted and he starts thinking about having a family of his own... However, he grows more and more aware of wanting the chance to get Cordelia back in his life as well, this time on their own merits, letting each other shine and allow themselves a fresh start for a renewed lease on life.
Cordelia is one of the most amazing characters I have ever encountered on page and I am completely in love with her! In my eyes, none of those Barrayaran idiots deserve her, but I guess they do make them masculine and gorgeous, with just enough vulnerability to make them appealing, and as perfect as she is, she is only human... Oliver is a cool cat, as most males from his home planet, a military man who has risen to an Admiral. And Cordelia likes him, so I guess I should accept it... The only issue I had with the story, thus not the full 5 star rating, is the manner Joel and AV apperantly hooked up back in the day... It is just to out of character for the old Count to have started the afair in the manner suggested. I think, knowing both of the Vorkosigans, they would have talked about it and discussed the best way to approach Oliver in order for him to accept and not scare him away.. I think they would have acted as a team all the way, not just after... Apart from that, I loved everything else!
Miles showed up with all of his progeny and it was fascinating to observe him allowing for the fact that his mother is not only alive after becoming a widow, but is trying to reclaim her womanhood, become a mother and a lover to some other man who is not his dad, accept that she is a sexual being and learn how little he had known about his parents as anything other than his parental units. It is painful, it is a right of passage, and it is a moment of grief for not having the chance to learn more, being separated by space, time, regrets, and fear of not living up to our loved ones expectations.. Miles's questions to his mother of was he not enough, did he let her down, just demolished me!!! He is really growing up, in between his mother and his children not giving him any other choice... Miles is Miles, but slowly he is finally learning to let go and let be, a very difficult state of being for a control freak like him🙂.
"..."“When your young life offered its first disaster, naturally it loomed large. After you’d survived dozens, you basically just told the next one to take a number and get in line.”..."
As always, in the heart of the story there are the ethical dilemmas brought on not only by the advancement in genetics and methods of procreation, but also of the more common question of what makes a family? Could love persist between more than two partners? Can a person love either sex without prejudice and feel compleat with either? ( In my opinion the answer is yes, but I realize it depends on the person) Do our parents have a right on their own lives away from us? Can we forgive our parents for being only human??? Can we forgive ourselves for being to self-absorbed and not paying attention while we still could?... Those are only some of the questions Ms. Bujold raises and once again lets us come up with our own answers without judgement. I love you, Ms. Bujold 💗!
So, was this a perfect book - no. I would think you have to be in a quieter state of mind, stop and take deep breaths, shut out the stressors around you and enjoy this unconventional and a bit emotional tale of two deeply hurt people coming out of a period of grief and slowly reconstructing what is left of the wreckage into a future of fulfilment...
I love this author, I love this series, and I will await patiently for any glimpse in the Vorkosigan Universe I could get!!! Thank you.
"...“He blew out his breath and sat back. He’d almost wished for some clever evil plot, which they could then engage to out-clever. It could be surprisingly hard to counter Plain Stupid. Even by heroic measures.”..."
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and may you always find what you need in the pages of a good book!!!...more
This was not as convoluted as book #2, but it had waaaaay tooo much drama!!! Baby mama drama, that is. Leah is brokenhearted over her baby b*** 3 ***
This was not as convoluted as book #2, but it had waaaaay tooo much drama!!! Baby mama drama, that is. Leah is brokenhearted over her baby being stolen by the social worker and is going through a deep depression. All she wants is her baby back and she and her lover get married in order to appear as a stable family in front of the court. Erica is still infatuated with the unavailable good priest, but is able to move on with a new, younger and shinier beau. There is more angst and drama in this than erotica, so that let me down a bit. However, it was a decent conclusion to the series. However, I still prefer this author's pure erotica and short stories - they are what she shines in and are what her readers have grown to expect... And she is just better at that, than the scattered and angsty plot lines. Stick with your strengths, I would say:):) Or just write more regular romance under a different name, since there would be no expectations:):)
Read only as a part of the trilogy and only if you have no problem with TABOO Sex and themes. ...more
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