I’m so, so glad that Navessa talked up this book so much! I’ve avoided erotica, and all but my favorite authors’ romance books, for the better part of
I’m so, so glad that Navessa talked up this book so much! I’ve avoided erotica, and all but my favorite authors’ romance books, for the better part of a year. I live for romance in my stories, but all the manufactured drama added to the fact that sex scenes are mostly boring to me now has kept me well away.
But this. The Rose. Man. I would have been missing out if I had not picked this up. I haven’t picked up anything by Tiffany Reisz before because, from what I’ve understood, most of her books deal with the punch-you-in-the-gut sorts of erotic stories. The kind where they make you incredibly uncomfortable. The ones that you end unsure how to even classify it. And while that may be great writing and a fantastic story….it’s just not for me. I don’t like to feel gut-punched anymore. It’s why I don’t read true crime, or Jodi Picoult, or Nicholas Sparks.
Lia watched her father, Spencer, the fifteenth Earl of Godwick, chatting with Augustine Bowman, no doubt talking of important manly things like football, old Scotch and how very grand it was to go through life with a penis.
Which makes me that much more surprised that I so thoroughly enjoyed this book. This has none of that. There’re no gut-punches. There’s no manufactured drama. What there is, is good, sweaty, hot-as-hell sex, coupled with genuine character and relationship development. In fact, I’d put it right up there with some of my favorite erotica writers, like Cherise Sinclair, for the way it effortlessly (seemingly) combines fan-yourself-and-take-a-shower sex scenes with an HEA I can believe in.
The Rose also blends in the most beautiful mythological and fantasy moments. Those moments out of mythology’s history are so stunningly written that I felt like I was there with those people, there in that moment, experiencing what they experienced. I cannot say enough good things about these scenes. They were absolutely gorgeously written.
It’s the little things that garnered a large amount of my appreciation. Things like the subversions of the darkness found in how women are treated, and have been throughout history. The history and reality is well acknowledged, which is something amazing all on its own. But the fact that Lia and August find ways to subvert it, subtly, making it so much more feminist - I love it. They take myths, which are typically very brutal to women in general, and turn them on their heads. And it's done in such a subtle way. I don't mean that you can barely see it, but that it feels so natural and unjarring.
For example, when Lia has a forced-seduction fantasy...Let me sidebar for a moment, because non-consenual scenes are, for me, almost universally a rage-quit moment. I recognize this is personal, because of my own experiences, but if an author includes one of these I (a) want to know about it in advance, and (b) need it to be done well. Thankfully, Navessa warned me about this one, because the way that Lia explains this fantasy is ... not good. It's a difficult fantasy to talk about, because rape is a very real, brutal, horrific, and terrible thing. Which makes fantasies about wanting to lose control to a captor...difficult. However, here Lia gives explicit consent. So while it's a little borderline non-consensual in the beginning of the mythology time-travel scene, it's also very clear that it's all completely consensual. Tiffany Reisz takes that moment and makes it something completely unexpected, at least for me.
It's so rare that a book portrays sex workers and does it in a way that diminishes the stereotypes instead of reinforcing them. But, The Rose does. In fact, every aspect of it is sex-positive. From open relationships, to sex work, to simply enjoying sex because we all should be able to. It fills every moment and nuance in the contemporary scenes and the mythological time travel scenes. It's everywhere. Every moment.
"Can't you please let me complete my walk of shame in peace, Mother?"
"Walk of fame, darling. Walk of fame. We do not buy into those sexist and outdated notions that girls aren't allowed to have as much fun as boys are."
Lia and August are quite simply awesome together. They have some amazingly funny moments, mixed with the perfect amount of tender, sprinkled in amongst the fan-yourself sex. The respect that built between them, the care and concern...it's easy to understand why they fell for each other.
It's not a long novel, so it didn't surprise me that there wasn't much development of Lia's friends. But her family, man that's a different story. I love her parents. They had me laughing out loud more than once.
"I am not going to show him my tapestry," Lia said. "Or anything else."
"Sex really is very fun, darling."
"My kingdom for a normal mother."
The Rose was a book that I didn't expect - in all the best ways. I'll definitely be looking for more of this sort of story from Tiffany Reisz.
It's hard to resist that sell: "Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin's Creed..." *points to self* HUGE Harry Potter (world) fan. HUGE Assassin's Creed fan.It's hard to resist that sell: "Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin's Creed..." *points to self* HUGE Harry Potter (world) fan. HUGE Assassin's Creed fan. I should really know better than to listen to those types of comparisons. Yes, on the surface, I get it. She's a beast charmer. He's an assassin. Makes sense. But it doesn't really feel like either one of these. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing - but expectations matter. I was talking to a friend this morning and it's clear that Sourcebooks marketing team is on-point. They know how to pull me in and make me one-click a book. But - expectations matter.
I expected an amazing world, filled with incredible beasts, and an action-packed plot. Kingdom of Exiles delivered on most of it.
There is a world that seems absolutely amazing - one I'd like to visit actually. One that I'd like to get to know a lot better. The story takes place in the kingdom of Wilhelm, though we really only hear about it in passing. It's clear that there's a large world to explore and get to know. There are so many areas I want to visit. I'm not sure I fully see the land yet, but I'm hoping for a map in the final book. Yes, I'm a map geek. Sue me. It's hard for me to picture the geography of the world. They travel for 3 or 4 days, but I'm unsure which way they travel, or how that relates to anything else.
While we're traveling around with Leena and Noc, we get these tantalizing hints of things that have happened in the history of the world. These peeks into where the story is heading. I need more of that. I'd also love to know more about the politics and overarching history of the world. Just in-passing mentions of The First War, and some to-come doom left me dying for more information. It's obvious that there's a bigger picture plot that's happening in that larger world. The set-up is there. I wish we'd gotten more of it.
Something else I wish we'd gotten more of: the beasts. I want more time with them, exploring them, their unique personalities and gifts. I feel like we heard about a dozen of them, saw maybe a half-dozen in their full glory, but I'm not confident I really understand the beasts, the relationship the Charmers have with them, or the history behind it all.
Unfortunately, the pacing is where things really fell apart for me. This book is long - 448 pages - much longer than most romances (fantasy or not) that are out there. And sometimes it feels every bit that length. I cut my teeth on epic fantasy, I'm used to long, detailed stories. But I caught myself skimming and my mind wandering more than once while reading.
It's a bit frustrating, because by the end of the book Leena and Noc's story isn't over. There's more to do there. I'd have appreciated if more time had been spent on world-building, tightening up the pacing, and less time on the romance. The romance could have solidified in book 2 and 3, which I assume will also follow Leena and Noc. I'd also love it if more people realized that there is nothing wrong with a slow build romance. In fact, I appreciate it more than an insta-love.
Characters are another area that I'm struggling with. I think the romance could have been less of a focus, and more time spent on really developing Leena and Noc. I'm honestly struggling to tell you much about them other than Leena's a beast charmer that was betrayed, and Noc is an assassin that is cursed. This is probably why I'm having a hard time figuring out why they fell in love. Leena and Noc knew each other for a few days, didn't trust each other for at least half of that, were adversaries and one was trying to kill the other for nearly the entirety of it....them falling in everlasting love by the end? Not realistic to me.
I get why they like each other; Sure. Something to build on; yep. But risk everything, be my mate, forever-and-ever, love? Not yet. And SO MUCH TIME was spent on the romance, the angst, the sex...*sigh*
There was also the cliche brotherhood of assassins, though thankfully it seemed more robust and inclusive - there were females AND those that weren't really assassins in the group. I ended up really liking the dynamic and possibilities with the Cruor, but when I initially read about them I thought about every other paranormal romance I've read in the last 10 years. I wondered how long until we'd get stories about the other members of the Cruor. Maxym M. Martineau did a good job of pulling me past that and I stopped thinking of the cliche around half-way through the book.
Oh! Speaking of inclusivity - gay characters abound. Kingdom of Exiles shows that being in love with any gender is completely and totally normal. Noc had loved, and lost, a man before. It was completely casually mentioned, just like it would have been if he'd loved and lost a woman. There's no stigma, no concern, no care. It's just beautifully, wonderfully normal. God, I can't tell you how much I appreciated the hell out of that.
Sidebar: I'm bi-sexual. I don't talk about it a lot because my sexuality is my business - mine and my wife's. My friends and family know, but it doesn't define me. However, I've become increasingly frustrated with LGBTQ+ books in the past several years, to the point where I've mostly stopped reading them. I keep adding them to my to-be-read (TBR) because I'm sure there's gotta be better representation of people like me sometime, but I rarely actually start them because I've been let down so much.
Bi- people are typically depicted as one of three things: (i) evil, and/or the antagonist that's trying to steal the heart of the protagonist from the love interest; (ii) really just gay/straight and when they enter into a monogamous relationship they find out which; and/or (iii) MUST have both male and female love to be satisfied, cannot be monogamous. Rarely are we ever understood to just love and appreciate both males and females. I don't need botha man and a woman to be satisfied. I just don't care if it's a man or a woman that I'm with. I'm not a lesbian because I'm married to a woman. I'm still bi. I still find men attractive. And I sure as hell am not here to ruin relationships. I'm not even beginning to touch on the depth of my appreciation for how Ms. Martineau handled love and sexuality in this novel. Especially if she follows through, like I think she will, with more gay relationships.
There's so much here to appreciate and look forward to. I think a lot of my detractions are actually first book syndrome more than anything else. Some balance between the romance and everything else would have easily made this a 5 star read for me.
There's so damn much potential here. I can see it, on the horizon. I want more in the world, I want more of the characters, I want tons more beasts. I'm happily adding book 2 to my to-read list. Because the set-up for the overarching plot, and the potential in the world? I'm intrigued as hell and am excited to see it all come to fruition.
This was a hard one to rate. I think I'll settle on 3.5 stars, though honestly if the pacing in some of the spots had been more even it would have been a solid 4.5-5 star read. This was an Advance Review Copy, so it may change in the final version. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this review copy.
I alternated reading this between audio and kindle. I loved listening to the story during my 2 hours in the car every day, and couldn't stop wanting mI alternated reading this between audio and kindle. I loved listening to the story during my 2 hours in the car every day, and couldn't stop wanting more of the story as we neared the end over the last couple of days.
Kate Reading and Michael Kraemer make me incredibly thankful that I'll have their interpretations and voices to listen to while I continue hearing this story. And ... I can even get my wife to listen to one of my absolute favorite series, ever.
"...let the Promised One be born of the mountain, according to the prophecies, as he was in ages past and will be in ages to come. Let the Prince of the Morning sing to the land that green things will grow and the valleys give forth lambs. Let the arm of the Lord of the Dawn shelter us from the Dark, and the great sword of justice defend us. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time."
2. 18%
He had no choice but to go, but he would come back to Emond’s Field, however far or long this journey was.
3. 24%
"One of the Prophecies says that the Stone of Tear will never fall until the People of the Dragon come to the Stone. Another says the Stone will never fall till the Sword That Cannot Be Touched is wielded by the Dragon's hand." Thom grimaced. "The fall of the Stone will be one of the major proofs that the Dragon has been reborn."
4. 26%
"I whispered in Arture Hawkwing's ear, and the length and breadth of the land Aes Sedai died. I whispered again, and the High King sent his armies across the Aryth Ocean, across the World Sea, and sealed two dooms. The doom of his dream of one land and one people, and a doom yet to come."
5. 27%
"And what did you see?"
"When you're all in a group? Sparks swirling around you, thousands of them, and a big shadow, darker than midnight. It's so strong. I almost wonder why everybody can't see it. The sparks are trying to fill the shadow, and the shadow is trying to swallow the sparks." She shrugged. "You are all tied together in something dangerous, but I can't make any more of it."
"All of us?" Rand muttered. "Egwene, too?"
"The girl? She's part of it. And the gleeman. All of you. You're in love with her." He stared at her. "I can tell that even without seeing any images. She loves you, too, but she's not for you, or you for her. Not the way you both want."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"When I look at her, I see the same as when I look at [Moiraine]. Other things, things that I don't understand, too, but I know what that means. She won't refuse it."
"What do you see when you look at...the rest of us?"
"All sorts of things," Min said, with a grin as if she knew what he really wanted to ask. "The War...ah...[Lan] has seven ruined towers around his head, and a babe in a cradle holding a sword, and..." She shook her head. "Men like him--you understand?--always have so many images they crowd one another. The strongest images around the gleeman are a man--not him--juggling fire, and the White Tower, and that doesn't make any sense at all for a man. The strongest things I see about the big curly-haired fellow [Perrin] are a wolf, and a broken crown, and trees flowering all around him. And the other one [Mat]--a red eagle, an eye on a balance scale, a dagger with a ruby, a horn, and a laughing face. There are other things, but you see what I mean. This time I can't make up or down out of any of it."
"What about me?"
"The same kind of things as the rest. A sword that isn't a sword, a golden crown of laurel leaves, a beggar's staff, you pouring water on sand, a bloody hand and a white-hot iron, three women standing over a funeral bier with you on it, black rock wet with blood--"
"All right," he broke in uneasily. "You don't have to list it all."
"Most of all, I see lightning around you, some striking at you, some coming out of you. I don't know what any of it means, except for one thing. You and I will meet again."
6. 47%
"Leafblighter means to blind the Eye of the World, Lost One. He means to slay the Great Serpent. Warn the People, Lost One. Sightburner comes. Tell them to stand ready for He Who Comes With the Dawn. Tell them..."
7. 49%
"In the last, lorn fight 'gainst the fall of long night, the mountains stand guard, and the dead shall be ward, for the grave is no bar to my call."
8. 65%
"I believe in tradition, I do, but look what it got us last time. Luc dead in the Blight before he was ever anointed First Prince of the Sword, and Tigraine vanished--run off or dead--when it came time for her to take the throne..."
9. 76%
"This I Foretell," Elaida replied, "and swear under the Light that I can say no clearer. From this day Andor marches toward pain and division. The Shadow has yet to darken to its blackest, and I cannot see if the Light will come after. Where the world has wept one tear, it will weep thousands. This I Foretell."
Elaida continued to star into Rand's eyes. She spoke again, barely moving her lips, so softly that he could barely hear her less than an arm's length away. "This, too, I Foretell. Pain and division come to the whole world, and this man stands at the heart of it. I obey the Queen," she whispered, "and speak it clearly."
10. 79% (ties into the one at 47%)
"Before he left, he told a curious tale which he said he meant to carry to Tar Valon. He said the Dark One intended to blind the Eye of the World, and slay the Great Serpent, kill time itself."
11. 91%
...and his eyes lit on Perrin. "A Wolfbrother! Do the old times truly walk again then?"
Suddenly the Green Man spoke to Rand.
"Strange clothes you wear, Child of the Dragon. Has the Wheel turned so far? Do the People of the Dragon return to the first Covenant? But you wear a sword. That is neither now nor then."
Later: "Avendesora is not here. I have not rested beneath its ungentle branches in two thousand years."
"The Tree of Life is not why we can...In there is."
"I will not go in with you," the Green Man said. "I was set to guard it long, long ago, but it makes me uneasy to come too close. I feel myself being unmade; my end is linked with it, somehow. I remember the making of it. Some of the making. Some. ... It was the first days of the Breaking of the World, when the joy of victory over the Dark One turned bitter with the knowledge that all might yet be shattered by the weight of the Shadow. A hundred of them made it, men and women together. The greatest Aes Sedai works were always done so, joining saidan and saidar, as the True Source is joined. The died, all, to make it pure, while the world was torn around them. Knowing they would die, they charged me to guard it against the need to come. It was not what I was made for, but all was breaking apart, and they were alone, and I was all they had. It was not what I was made for, but I have kept the faith." He looked down at Moiraine, nodding to himself. "I have kept faith, until it was needed. And now it ends."
12. 97% (glossary) - it's mentioned several times in general, but this is the most concise reference I can find:
Dragon Reborn: According to prophecy and legend the Dragon will be born again at mankind's greatest hour of need to save the world. This is not something the people look forward to, both because the prophecies say the Dragon Reborn will bring anew Breaking to the World, and because Lews Therin Kinslayer, the Dragon, is a name to make men shudder, even more than three thousand years after his dead.
13. 97% (glossary):
Far Dareis Mai: Literally "Maidens of the Spear." ...it admits women and only women. A Maiden may not marry and remain in the society, nor may she fight while carrying a child...These children are treasured...prophesied that a child born of a Maiden will unite the clans and return to the Aiel to the greatness they knew during the Age of Legends.
Quotes I like
Best prologue ever.
Tam's fevered mutterings:
1.
"They came over the Dragonwall like a flood," Tam said suddenly, in a strong, angry voice, "and washed the land with blood. How many died for Laman's sin?"
2.
"Avendesora. It's said it makes no seed, but they brought a cutting to Cairhien, a sapling. A royal gift of wonder for the king....They never make peace. Never. But they brought a sapling, as a sign of peace. Five hundred years it grew. Five hundred years of peace with those who make no peace with strangers. Why did he cut it down? Why? Blood was the price for Avendoraldera. Blood the price for Laman's pride."
3.
"Their women fight alongside the men, sometimes, but why they had let her come, I don't...gave birth there alone, before she died of her wounds...covered the child with her cloak, but the wind...blown the cloak away...child, blue with the cold. Should have been dead, too...crying there. Crying in the snow. I couldn't just leave a child...no children of our own...always knew you wanted children. I knew you'd take it to your heart, Kari. Yes, lass. Rand is a good name. A good name."
*cries*
Tale of Manetheren:
"Weep, if you have a heart, for the loss of them, for the loss of even their memory. Weep, for the loss of their blood."
*bawls*
The Song the Tinkers search for:
"What was that about a song?" Egwene asked.
"That's why they travel," Elyas said, "or so they say. They're looking for a song. That's what the Mahdi seeks. They say they lost it during the Breaking of the World, and if they can find it again, the paradise of the Age of Legends will return....They don't even know what teh song is; they claim they'll know it when they find it. they don't know how it's supposed to bring about paradise, either, but they've been looking near to three thousand years, ever since the Breaking. I expect they'll be looking until the Wheel stops turning."
Sometimes even heroes die. Are you a hero, Rand al'Thor? Are you a hero, sheepherder?
"You can't give up, Loial. You can't ever give up. If you give up, you might as well be dead." Rand...
"Yes, that's the way of your kind, isn't it?" The Ogier's voice changed, as if he were quoting something. "Till shade is gone, till water is gone, into the Shadow with teeth bared, screaming defiance with the last breath, to spit in Sightblinder's eye on the Last Day."
"The rose petal floats on water," Lan recited softly. "The kingfisher flashes above the pond. Life and beauty swirl in the midst of death."
"Lord of the Seven Towers," Agelmar said with a frown. "An ancient title...Not even the High Lords of Tear have older, though the Queen of Ander comes close." He heaved a sigh, and shook his head. "He will not speak of it, yet the story is well known along the Border. He is a king, or should have been, al'Lan Mandragoran, Lord of the Seven Towers, Lord of the Lakes, crownless King of the Malkieri."
...
"The first peal of the doom of the Seven Towers had been struck. There was no time to gather aid from Shienar or Arafel, and no hope that Malkier could stand alone, with five thousand of her lances dead in the Blasted Lands, her Borderforts overrun.
"Al'Akir and his Queen, el'Leanna, had Lan brought to them in his cradle. Into his infant hands they placed the sword of Malkieri kings, the sword he wears today. A weapon made by Aes Sedai during the War of Power, the War of the Shadow that brought down the Age of Legends. They anointed his head with oil, naming him Dai Shan, a Diademed Battle Lord, and consecrated him as the next King of the Malkieri, and in his name they sword the ancient oath of Malkieri kings and queens....To stand against the Shadow so long as iron is hard and stone abides. To defend the Malkieri while one drop of blood remains. To avenge what cannot be defeated.
"...the infant...was given over to twenty chosen from the King's Bodyguard, the best swordsmen, the most deadly fighters. Their command: to carry the child to Fal Moran.
"Only five of the Bodyguards reached Fal Moran alive, every man wounded, but they had the child unharmed. From the cradle they taught him all they knew. He learned weapons as other children learn toys, and the Blight as other children their mother's garden. The oath sworn over his cradle is graven in his mind. There is nothing left to defend, but he can avenge. He denies his titles, yet in the Borderlands he is called the Uncrowned, and if ever he raised the Golden Crane of Malkier, an army would come to follow."
"I should have known you'd be a king."
"I am not a king...Just a man. A man without as much to his name as even the meanest farmer's croft."
"Some women don't ask for land, or gold. Just the man."
"And the man who would ask her to accept so little would not be worthy of her. You are a remarkable woman, as beautiful as the sunrise, as fierce as a warrior. You are a lioness..."
"A Wisdom seldom weds...But if I go to Tar Valon, it may be that I will be something other than a Wisdom."
"Aes Sedai marry as seldom as Wisdoms. Few men can live with so much power in a wife, dimming them by her radiance whether she wishes to or not."
"Some men are strong enough. I know one such."
"All I have is a sword, and a war I cannot win, but can never stop fighting."
"I've told you I care nothing for that. Light, you've made me say more than is proper already. Will you shame me to the point of asking you?"
"I will never shame you...I will hate the man you choose because he is not me, and love him if he makes you smile. No woman deserves the sure knowledge of widow's black as her brideprice, you least of all."
*melts into a puddle*
"The Prophecies will be fulfilled," the Aes Sedai whispered. "The Dragon is Reborn."
I’ve missed the wolves of SnowDancer. They, and DarkRiver, will always have the most special place in my changeling-loving heart, simply because they I’ve missed the wolves of SnowDancer. They, and DarkRiver, will always have the most special place in my changeling-loving heart, simply because they were the first. I’ll never get over their unique personalities, their love and care, or the vastness of their packs. They are large packs, but still family. You can feel it in all their interactions, and it’s like coming home for me.
Fair warning. Spoilers abound for any and all of the previous books in the series. Just trust me and go start at the beginning with Slave to Sensation. Even if you don’t love every book as you go along (and there are eighteen now), the world building alone is worth continuing this series. One of my favorites things about this series is the inclusiveness, and it's something I've only briefly touched on before.
The characters are wildly diverse and unique, to the point where it feels celebrated. The characters come from so many different cultures and have varied customs, making the world feel every bit as interesting as it is. The subtle and strong underlying theme of differences being not only accepted but being necessary for survival in the world is refreshing. If I could ask for one thing, it would be more LGBT inclusion. I recall a couple of side characters shown as gay earlier in the series. Silver Silence added a couple more that we actually got some page time with. I'd just love to see more.
That wish aside...when I re-read every year, the romances get me right in the heart. This ever-expanding cast of characters and how well they love each other continues to capture my heart and mind.
I have my favorites in the series, I think everyone does, and when they show up again for more screen time in the newest book it always makes me grin. Wolf Rain gave me plenty of reason for smiles. Being back in California, with SnowDancer ensures that we’re going to meet with plenty of previous heroes and heroines. I loved seeing Lucas, Sasha, Hawke, Mercy, Kaleb, and so many others. It was a nice moment when we got to see their lives happily continuing on, even when some of them aren't mentioned by name.
As usual, at least for me, the main couple took center stage. I immediately fell in love with Memory. She’s a fascinating and strong heroine that I couldn’t get enough of. I loved that even though we were in her heart and head a good portion of the time, we began to understand her at the same rate Alexei did. She doubted her own self enough, in the beginning, that she was a bit of an unreliable narrator. I think it’s easy to know – because this is Nalini Singh, after all – that she was a “good” person. There is good reason for her to think that her Psy talent is more a curse, and that just made this so much more interesting.
Alexei, we’ve met before, but I loved seeing deeper into his soul and heart. He’s got this huge heart that only wants to protect everyone, even from himself. I loved his playful side, and his courting. Seeing the wolves court their mates is one of my favorite things.
It was easy to see why they fell in love with each other. Their interactions with each other are incredibly sigh-worthy.
I really appreciated that despite the fact that they both had legitimate concerns about how they may harm someone they love, they worked through it together. It didn’t stop them from talking about it. Nor did it keep them apart. There was no manufactured drama here. Even when fighting their own feelings, they both understood what they had with each other and fought for that.
This book combined all of my favorite elements – the “original” changelings, Psy and Changeling falling in love, favorite characters come back for more screen-time, and some very real pressing and imperative obstacles and concerns.
As always, I can’t wait for the next Nalini Singh book. I think I’ll go re-read all 18 books (and the many short stories and bonus stories) in this series in the meantime.
I first read this book immediately upon receiving it for review. I ADORED it. Utterly and completely. Just as much as I loved the first book, Polaris I first read this book immediately upon receiving it for review. I ADORED it. Utterly and completely. Just as much as I loved the first book, Polaris Rising. But life got in the way and I never ended up reviewing it. By the time life had settled down a bit, I wanted to do a re-read so I could do Bianca and Ian justice.
Then my wife started reading Aurora Blazing, randomly, because I'd loaded in on her Kindle. She didn't know that it was book 2 in the series. She just loved it and it made me want to read the entire series all over again. So I did.
The last several days have been a true joy. This is my first re-read of this series, but I can guarantee that it won't be my last. It kept me on the edge of my seat even the second time through, bringing me joy and frustration, love and happiness.
The Consortium Rebellion series is, easily, going to be one of my favorites series. It's got everything I look for. Amazing characters, an intricately built world, and a tight, interesting plot.
Aurora Blazing picks up shortly after Polaris Rising. And though I'll always advocate for reading series in order, and definitely for reading Ada's story, you can easily read this as a stand-alone. You'll get some spoilers for book 1, but it's nothing horribly egregious.
Bianca intrigued the hell out of me when we met her. I knew she had a lot more going on underneath the surface, and I loved seeing what that was when we got to this book. I really, really, really appreciate how Jessie Mihalik makes the women in the series so utterly competent. They're not over-confident, they're not yelling about how strong they are. They are just there, getting the job done, time after time. Bianca's utter honesty in assessing herself and her capabilities, her pride and confidence in them, and her actions showing them, consistently made my love for her multiply.
I hurt for Bianca after knowing what Ian did to her when they first met. It's not an easy thing to get past, but I love how these two characters do. There's no simple apology and forgiveness. What there is, is a consistent proving of the truth of their respect and care, over and over again.
I enjoyed watching Ian pull his foot out of his mouth and seeing Bianca begin to build that fragile trust in him. Taking that leap, especially after being burned before, is a hard thing. But she does it, like so many other difficult tasks she accomplishes.
Bianca says at one point that she and Ian would be an unbeatable team - she means in information gathering, and problem-solving. And they are. But the truth is that when these two come together, in any way, they're absolutely unbeatable. And the foundation on which they build their relationship is rock-solid.
The story begins to show us how things are heating up in the budding war within the Consortium. Because the war started before anyone was really ready for it, things haven't progressed a lot. And still this book is action packed. From a interstellar chase, to an illegal crime syndicate party, to sneaking into enemy territory...there's not a moment that goes by that isn't fraught with some tension.
Now, I'm simply dying - all over again - with the wait for book 3, Chaos Reigning. Catarina's story is going to be amazing. I cannot wait. I know it's supposed to be the last book in the series, but I really hope we get Ferdinand, Benedict, and Hannah's stories, too. Someday. A girl can dream.
I'm incredibly late to reviewing this novella. Not because I haven't read it, but because I always struggle with reviewing my favorites. I devolve intI'm incredibly late to reviewing this novella. Not because I haven't read it, but because I always struggle with reviewing my favorites. I devolve into a gibbering mess of large hand gestures and stuttering sentences that consist of 'Just...You gotta...Read it...NOW!'
Diamond Fire is no exception, even if it is just a novella. A lot of novellas are short stories, short on character development, short on world development, short on plot. That's not the case here. Diamond Fire expands on the world that we already know (and LOVE) from Nevada and Rogan's story - the Hidden Legacy Series, so we know a good number of the characters, we understand the world. But I read this time with an eye towards not knowing any of this, and I still think that Ilona Andrews pack more into their novellas than some authors put in their full-length novels.
An advantage, and disadvantage, of reviewing this more than a few weeks past release day is that hundreds of other people have already reviewed it. Disadvantage because it's hard to say something new when it's all already been said. But, I think in this case especially, it's an advantage because I can speak to some things that I wouldn't have even thought about discussing before because they never occurred to me.
We join Catalina in this book as she's trying to be the wedding planner for Nevada and Rogan's wedding with her sister, Arabella. Nevada's sisters have taken this over because Nevada has fired the last couple of wedding planners she tried to hire. Nevada also suddenly demands lilacs in her bouquet. Enough people complained and talked about these demanding, Bridezilla (their words, not mine), sort of actions from Nevada that seemed out of character from what we knew, that Ilona herself addressed it on her blog.
I won't rehash that, but I can say - easily - that Nevada's actions never struck me as Bridezilla, demanding, or high-maintenance. She fired the first wedding planner because the planner kept telling her she couldn't do something, when she really meant she wouldn't. Would you keep a wedding planner that wouldn't do what you wanted at your wedding? She fired the second wedding planner because the wedding planner was LYING to her. Sorry, not really, but I wouldn't accept that either.
The one demand that I hear her make in the entire story is that she wants lilacs in her bouquet. As Grandma Frida says: "If she wants lilacs, just let her have lilacs. What's the harm?" Indeed. It's not ridiculous to have the flowers you want in your bouquet. The wedding is for the people getting married. No one else.
I had a small, intimate wedding with my parents, our kids, and my sister-in-law in attendance. I wore red, my wife work black. Not traditional, but it's what we wanted. I wouldn't have tolerated anyone telling me that my vision of my wedding wasn't possible. Clearly it's possible because it happened.
Anyway, Nevada was never demanding and rude. Just firm and expected the respect that comes when you hire someone. All the other drama that came about because of Catalina and Arabella planning the wedding had to do with Rogan's excessively large family and the stress of Prime life. Nothing else.
Anyway, I think I spent just as much time here talking about it as is spent on it in the book itself. Everything else focuses on Catalina coming into her own. We get to see her work an investigation, use and learn more about her magic, and get inside her head.
I can already tell I'm going to love Catalina. Though to be fair, I knew that way back in Burn for Me. I'm excited to read Sapphire Flames - honestly, the prospect of a review copy sent me on a five-day binge re-read of the series that made my heart happy.
This was the fondant on the perfect cake that was Nevada and Rogan's story. I get to see their wedding and get invested in a whole 'nother Baylor. I can't wait for more.
Wow. That was my first thought upon finishing this book - which I devoured; I couldn't stop reading. This was the abRelease day - February 5th - Today
Wow. That was my first thought upon finishing this book - which I devoured; I couldn't stop reading. This was the absolute best way to start 2019. There's so much I want to talk about, where do I start??
Okay. World-building. Damn. This is everything I'm ever looking for in sci-fi. I've never been one of those readers that loved all the technical and/or military overtones that some sci-fi has. I don't want to be drowned in techy words, detailed descriptions of said technological marvels, and pages upon pages of the minutiae of war. I do like my world to be detailed, thorough, solid, and feel real. And this one does. I can picture myself walking around the ships, even digging into some of the details about how they run. When we step on a planet, I feel the gravity, the sun blazing, the weight of the history of that particular place.
World-building is more than just places, it's also the history of the people that built and inhabit those places. Polaris Rising excels there as well. A good eighty percent of this book takes place away from the center of that history, but it's still deftly woven into the fabric of this book. We learn from Ada as she moves through the story, so that when we do encounter the core of these worlds, I was fully invested and clamoring for more. Jessie Mihalik delivered.
Ada, oh Ada. I love you. I've rarely felt such an instant connection and love for a character. In fact, only one other comes to mind. She's smart, honorable, strong, and kick-ass. Her morals and values are hers regardless of what is expected of her as a House member. The dichotomy of her privilege and her chains is fascinating and something that I really enjoyed exploring. Ada is everything I ever hope for from a heroine. And more than a match for Loch.
I don't want to say too much about Loch, because his secrets are his to tell, but I don't think it's a spoiler to say that I always felt how trustworthy he was. Never mind that our first glimpse of him is when he's chained to a wall. Peeling back the layers on his history is fascinating. If I thought him a little too alpha at times, well, it never crossed over the line to unacceptable. He has a core of respect and never steps over Ada's boundaries, regardless of what he wants.
Their romance feels slightly rushed, but I think that's more me than the book. I've been primarily reading Urban Fantasy and Fantasy for the last year or so. Relationships develop much more slowly there. Still, Ada and Loch progressed their relationship at a believable pace for all that was happening around them. They were forced to find out if they could trust each other, and intense situations always bring out intense feelings. I thought I would complain about the "misunderstanding" in the book when it came up. And, honestly, I did roll my eyes when I saw it. So often I want to shake the characters and demand they talk. But you know what these guys did? They TALKED. AND each took responsibility for their part in the argument. Love. Love, love, love.
Ada was also driven by much more than just her feelings and hormones for a love-interest. She felt responsible for millions of people, and moved forward on things because she knew them to be right, sometimes in direct contradiction to Loch's desires and needs. And there were times when he did the same. I think one of the things I loved the most is seeing how these two came to terms with each other's independence and compromising on how to deal with the things the other couldn't or wouldn't change about themselves. Their acceptance of each other and how they got there was amazing.
I am absolutely dying for the next book, and many more, in this series. I've already marked it on my calendar and am counting down the days.
The published version is even better than the serial - considering how much I loved that....<3 <3 <3 Review to come.
January 2019 - online serial versioThe published version is even better than the serial - considering how much I loved that....<3 <3 <3 Review to come.
January 2019 - online serial version. I love this world. Can't wait for more. Review to come of final purchased edition, when available....more
**Content and Trigger Warnings** (rape, assault, slavery, murder, torture, gore, and violence)
The threat of rape, and then the actual torture and rape**Content and Trigger Warnings** (rape, assault, slavery, murder, torture, gore, and violence)
The threat of rape, and then the actual torture and rape, at the beginning of this book - of both the main characters - really put me off. It took me a long time to get past it enough to actually continue reading. I'm not sure why it hit me so hard here, in this book. So many books use it. So many books use it and then forget it was ever a problem. It's exhausting. As if being burned alive, or being a slave gladiator isn't bad enough....there's rape on top of it.
Once I got past that, it was much easier to get into and enjoy the story. The world is fascinating. Though there is an evil Empire to fight, the main battles are much more personal and close to the characters. This really drew me into their story.
We first meet Gilene as she's being taken from her village to become a Flower of Spring. The capital city burns many women each year as tribute.What the Empire doesn't know is that Gilene has power over fire, and that she's been her village's tribute for the last several years. Every year she goes under illusion of someone else, so that no one in her village has to die. She's as much a prisoner of her village as she is a victim of the Empire. She can go to be raped and burned year after year, or they can kill her family.
Despite these pretty horrific facts of her life, Gilene is both loyal to her family, kind to those she can be, and smart. When everything changes for her she doesn't bemoan her fate, she figures the odds, calculates the best path, and chooses. This is what happens when she meets the Gladiator Prime.
Azarion has been a gladiator in the city, a slave, for the last 10 years. He is the best they have. His skill at killing has captivated this blood-thirsty city, and their blood-thirsty Empress. Azarion's torture occurs in the pit and in the Empress' bed. But Azarion doesn't give up, doesn't forget that he has a people to go back to. And when he sees a Flower of Spring, the women to be burned on the pyre that he's sure he's seen in years past, he knows this is the time to act.
I thought I would have issues with the power-imbalance between Azarion and Gilene. He threatens her family, her village, and herself to get her to cooperate with his plan. He takes her prisoner and orders her to do many things. In his mind he's doing what needs to be done to get back to his family and to avenge the wrongs done to him. He knows he'll never truly hurt her, knows that he's bluffing. But she doesn't.
What I enjoyed a lot is that Gilene doesn't just bow under the pressure Azarion presents. She challenges him and the status-quo consistently. She never lets him forget that she's not there willingly. That she has no reason to trust him. And though it takes him a while to understand this, when he does it's beautiful.
Regardless of this power imbalance, there is a consistent emphasis in this book on consent. Sometimes it's more subtle than others, but it's always there.
When I finished the book and began to think of what I would write in my review, examining Gilene and Azarion's relationship specifically, I began to think about Stockholm Syndrome. I think that someone else could probably better argue why this is or isn't that, but I'll say that it never felt squicky or wrong to me. The development of their romance was organic. Occurring only when the power imbalance had been resolved.
I appreciated so much that Azarion came to see her as something more because of her inner strength, her choices, and who she was as a person. It all made her more beautiful to him. Inside and out.
Gilene developed so much, but never beyond who she was. She gained the strength to become - on the outside - who she always was on the inside.
A lot of time is spent on Azaraion's and Gilene's separate but intertwined journeys. Their romance is a slow burn that captivated my romantic heart . I couldn't get back to them quickly enough when they were separated in the last third of the book. That part of the story dragged a bit for me.
Despite a rocky start - because of my own personal triggers - I really enjoyed this book. Grace Draven is definitely becoming one of my go-to authors for fantasy romance....more
I admit, I dreaded reading this book. It's the final book in what has been an intense series for me. I loved many books, hated some moments. Some charI admit, I dreaded reading this book. It's the final book in what has been an intense series for me. I loved many books, hated some moments. Some characters I can't stand, others I adore - even for all their faults. There have been a million ups and downs, mistakes made, and the best choices in bad situations. But it's never been dull. I didn't want to see it end, and yet I knew it had to. The best series do end - at some point. Or at least pause. Maybe this is a "pause" sort of ending. Maybe it's the end. I don't know, but I do know that this took me on a hell of a ride, sprinting to the finish.
"You often see the good you do as bad and just as often make terrible decisions in service to what you think is good. You are so wonderfully damaged."
There have been many times while reading this series where I wondered what the hell he was thinking. Even as I understood his rationalizations, they often fell short when looking at it from more than a 3-foot distance. At the same time, I understood Atticus. He's fully himself, owning his mistakes just as much as his wins. He always strove to be better, but the fact of the matter is that Atticus proves that immortality doesn't make one wise. 2,000-year-old beings are just as prone to cocking things up as anyone in the world. Despite best intentions.
I love Atticus. He's grown as I've watched, learned from each victory and each misstep. I've watched him try to do the right thing, over and over, digging himself a deeper hole each time.
And I am just honest enough with myself to realize that I would probably make those same decisions again, for that is how deeply flawed I am.
We spend a lot of time in a lot of places in this book. With many characters that we've come to know throughout the series. Others are relegated to the sidelines as their part in the story is either over or not needed here. I did miss some of them, and found myself somewhat disappointed in how large the world had grown that the druids spend the majority of this book apart. Understandable, but ... sad.
The entire time reading I found myself fully invested in each characters story, whether it was Granuaile, Owen, or Atticus. They all had something to learn and something to do, and I loved reading each bit. Owen's grown on me quite a bit, though I may always hate Greta. Granuaile became her own person throughout the series, and I like that she isn't simply Atticus' hanger-on.
Looking back now, though, I find that things seemed to move a bit too fast. The battles feel like they were over too quickly. Perhaps that is because we were jumping from one thing to another, to another. We moved from one point of view to another, so quickly in the middle of the battle, that there was hardly a moment to catch your breath. That can be a good thing, and a bad thing, in a story. It keeps the tension high, and the story moving, but it doesn't ever really allow you to connect with the moments occurring either. The story has been building to Ragnarok for some time, I think I would have enjoyed a bit more long-term tension in this book. It's a minor complaint, overall.
Finishing this series is bittersweet. Or dolofabolo as one character calls it. Finishing this book made me happy because I appreciated how it ended. But it also left me sad, because it is the end.
Time for you and time for me, And time yet for a hundred indecisions, And for a hundred visions and revisions, Before the taking of a toast and tea.
You may know Hugh from my much beloved Kate Daniels' series. You may love him. Maybe you hate him. Honestly, I think you're mostly meant to hate him. You may know Hugh from my much beloved Kate Daniels' series. You may love him. Maybe you hate him. Honestly, I think you're mostly meant to hate him. He's an epic asshole.
I'm drawn to epic assholes - in literature anyway. What can I say. I love him. As soon as I met him, I wanted to know more, before I even knew his name. I've remained intrigued and enamored. Even when I've hated what he's doing - and he's done some despicable things - I love the foil that he is for Kate. So when Ilona Andrews posted on their blog that they'd be writing Hugh's full-length book, I was overwhelmed with excitement. Here was going to be a chance to learn more about the Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, through a different lens, and with different circumstances, than we do in the main series. Then I realized it was April Fools' Day.
Luckily, for me, there was such interest and excitement - which I think probably stoked Ilona and Gordon's interest - that they ended up making good on that joke. And not only do we get one full-length novel, we're going to get (at least) THREE!
I think you probably could start with Iron and Magic as your introduction to Hugh, and the world. The question is: with 9 full-length, and a handful of novella-length, stories, why would you want to? The Kate Daniels' series gives you Hugh as he was. Having that will allow you to better understand Hugh here. Iron and Magic does a good job of showing and explaining why Hugh is the way he is, but ... just go read Kate.
Hugh doesn't stop being an asshole. He is who he is. I think and hope he always will be. He's not redeemed in this book. It would be impossible to do so, but there is a start here. Hugh is free, for the first time - ever. He's calling the shots, living with the consequences, and making the decisions, all on his own. It's a new experience for him. Seeing all of this, seeing him be who he actually is - asshole and all - is a true treat.
Elara is Hugh's match in every way. She's powerful - the White Warlock you may have heard of (seriously, go read Kate if you haven't already). She's snarky. She doesn't take shit from anyone. And she's probably just as tortured as Hugh is.
It's, honestly, a match made in heaven - or wherever. The snarkiness, banter, and fighting between them is one of the best parts of this book.
I was invested and intrigued throughout the story as to what was happening, what was going to happen next, and trying to figure out everything I could about everyone we meet. Ilona and Gordon are amazing at expanding the world, creating a full cast of interesting and diverse characters, and continuously making me want more.
Now, I just wait for the next one. At least I am sure it's not an April Fools' Day joke now. :)
Nalini Singh is one of my go-to authors. I trust her to consistently take me on a journey that I adore. Ocean Light is no exception. This book has a mNalini Singh is one of my go-to authors. I trust her to consistently take me on a journey that I adore. Ocean Light is no exception. This book has a more introspective and character-driven approach. Despite the ticking time-bomb in Bowen's head, and the incredibly present mystery to be solved.
I quite enjoyed this pace and having the time to get to know them both. Bo, despite being a somewhat regular character in the story, has never really been someone that I was too intrigued with. I should probably stop being surprised by enjoying Nalini's human hero/ines nearly as much as her Psy and Changeling hero/ines. But Bo did surprise me. He was sweet, and almost boyishly charming. He was completely devoted, and unrelentingly supportive. I loved watching him pursue Kaia.
Speaking of Kaia - she's an amazing character. I love her playfulness and the way she doesn't step back from hard realizations. The fact that she can re-examine her beliefs and understandings, easily, when confronted with new information made me adore her. The way she understood Bowen, and cared about him, was everything he deserved.
Together they were easily my favorite part of the book. The mystery left me a little wanting, mostly because it was so much background for a good portion of the book. I was on the edge of my seat when the action picked up. Especially when my favorite character made an appearance near the end.
The only thing that brings my rating down from a solid five-stars is the coincidences here. Kaia has severe anxiety in certain situations, and because of certain specific experiences. It seemed like things just kept happening to exacerbate that anxiety. I began to wonder if it was plausible that so much could happen to her so quickly. Minor, honestly, but I did notice it.
This book definitely makes me want to re-read all the previous books in the series - all 16 of them (plus shorts and novellas). I was reading late into the night, on a work-night, and I was obviously entranced. As always, I can't wait to see where Nalini takes us next.
A little over a month ago I was in the airport, dreading the reason for my trip home. They'd found a mass on my mom's ovary. We didn't know what it waA little over a month ago I was in the airport, dreading the reason for my trip home. They'd found a mass on my mom's ovary. We didn't know what it was. Mom's surgery had been scheduled for the next day. I texted my friends and asked for the best recommendation they had for a fun read to take my mind off of everything for the next few hours. (Mom's okay by the way)
Navessa came through. She recommended, within seconds of my ask, The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. I have to admit, I balked at the $11.99 price. I do not pay that much for e-books. Not unless it's an auto-buy, favorite, never-let-me-down author (read: Ilona Andrews and Nalini Singh, for example). But I'd asked, and I trusted Navessa. So, using my personal hotspot on my phone, I downloaded The Hating Game to my Kindle.
The story pulled me in immediately. Lucy and Josh's banter, games, and playfulness - even with its level of competitiveness that bordered on crossing lines - made me grin from beginning to end.
I enjoyed the hell out of this book, and despite me never really having an issue, I can see where some readers may take issue with the way Josh is towards Lucy. For a good portion of the beginning of the book he's pretty horrible to Lucy. And while we know that this is straining and stressful to her, he doesn't - because Lucy gives as good as she gets. She doesn't let him see, she doesn't break, and she doesn't give in. In fact, she plays the games between them as well - or better - than he does.
So when she does finally break and show exactly how much this is stressing her out, how it hurts, Josh is shocked....and horrified that he's caused this reaction in her. Not only that, he apologizes and immediately sets about changing his behavior.
That is something I can definitely appreciate, and love. It makes their story incredibly satisfying and a simple joy to read.
Also - funny as heck. I don't like comedies. Not in books. Not in movies. It just never rings true. This, here, is the exception.
I can definitely see myself re-reading this book for years to come. I'll be looking for the next release by Sally Thorne. I doubt I'll be as hesitant to spend $12 on her again.
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