Jun 30, 2017 | reviews, romance
She’s never met a man she couldn’t deceive…until now.
She’s braved battlefields. She’s stolen dispatches from under the noses of heads of state. She’s played the worldly courtesan, the naive virgin, the refined British lady, even a Gypsy boy. But Annique Villiers, the elusive spy known as the Fox Cub, has finally met the one man she can’t outwit.
The Spymaster’s Lady, by Joanna Bourne
Sometimes something saves a book that might otherwise fall flat for you. I think that if this book had been left to stand solely on the hero and heroine, charming though they can both be at times, I would have considered it a middle of the road book. Solid, but I wouldn’t have been pushing to read the sequel as soon as possible (and grateful that soon is hopefully later this evening). Introduce a solid cast of secondary characters, however, and wow.
The Spymaster’s Lady is set in Napoleon’s France and features a battle of wits between our hero, who spies for the English, and our heroine, who spies for the French. Or at least for some of the French, as we quickly discover, since the book opens with both of them held prisoner …by the French. I won’t spoil anything for you but the author does a fantastic job of getting us to care about the characters and quickly, as well as saving one or two plot twists I didn’t see coming.
The first half of the book is excellent, as we meet a few characters who look to have their own stories. (Stories I’m sure we’ll get to, since this is book one of the Spymaster series.) There’s some nicely fast paced action and deception on both sides. The second half feels like it slows down a little more, and some of the plot twists become a little more convenient (and feel a little less natural). There are a few decisions that feel glossed over, to some extent, and the ending leaves a fair bit unresolved. Also, for those who care, the scene where our hero and heroine finally make love can be a little questionable on the consent side, depending on how you read it. I think the text ultimately makes it clear that it is her decision, but forewarned is forearmed.
(I know a lot of this review is very vague and that is because I want to keep your read as spoiler-free as possible, since I think the book is best enjoyed that way.)
I forgive the book all of its flaws, however, because I love the depiction of the comradeship between the spies. You get the strong sense that these are complex individuals, fully developed, and I at least wish I could be part of that group. Every page gives you something different about one of them. For me, the story itself became secondary to these people as characters who I want to get to know even more, which is why I’m so eager to dive into the next book. Give me more tidbits and insights into these people!
Jun 24, 2017 | fantasy, reviews, romance, young adult
Callypso Lillis is a siren with a very big problem, one that stretches up her arm and far into her past. For the last seven years she’s been collecting a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she’s received. Only death or repayment will fulfill the obligations. Only then will the beads disappear.
Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want … at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects.
But for one of his clients, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s just a chaste kiss—a single bead’s worth—and a promise for more.
For the Bargainer, it’s more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that’s been awoken.
If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.
Rhapsodic, by Laura Thalassa
I’ve been on a paranormal kick recently. This is perhaps a little inconvenient, in part because I am supposed to be working on the next book (it’s in progress, I promise!) and in part because we’re going to London shortly for a vacation/family wedding/research trip. Because what kind of a Regency romance author would I be if I didn’t jump all over this opportunity to explore London?
But sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants (as a romance author knows all too well) and so I’ve been trolling through some of the Amazon offerings and found this one. I wish I could remember how.
Rhapsodic is on that strange border between young adult and paranormal romance. It probably falls into the new adult category that I am less familiar with. (I will freely confess that book categories can really confuse the heck out of me and what I put something in is probably very different than what someone else would say.) It’s the first of a series that is, of yet, incomplete — and while each book does wrap up its part of the story, there are some cliffhanger elements. Fair warning for those who dislike that sort of thing.
This is one of those books where I’m not sure how I feel about it. (This can frequently happen with books in this genre.) Callypso is a flawed heroine. There are times I don’t like her very much. She’s had some difficult experiences in her past (relating to sexual assault) and sometimes it’s hard to tell what is her working through the consequences of that and what is just her. Still, there are flashes about her past that have me curious and I don’t actively dislike her.
Desmond, on the other hand, is a fascinating character to me. Probably the main reason I kept reading (and then read book two). He’s mysterious, has some incredibly protective instincts without coming across as smothering, and smolders. Oh boy does he smolder. I really enjoyed getting to know him over the course of the book. The plot too does an excellent job of helping to drive the book forward — it’s very well paced, I think. I could have appreciated a little more world-building; there’s a number of questions I have about how much the “real” world knows about the “supernaturals” that’s never really talked about, for example, but these are probably minor quibbles.
If the best measure of a book is how hard it is to put down, this one certainly achieved that. I really enjoyed it and look forward to the next book in the series. (I’m hoping it’s the conclusion to the overarching storyline, because in my experience those are hard to carry off longer than a trilogy.)
Also, on a superficial level, the cover design for this series is gorgeous.
Jun 16, 2017 | reviews, romance
Control. Precision. Family. These are the principles that drive Silver Mercant. At a time when the fledgling Trinity Accord seeks to unite a divided world, with Silver playing a crucial role as director of a worldwide emergency response network, wildness and chaos are the last things she needs in her life. But that’s exactly what Valentin Nikolaev, alpha of the StoneWater bears, brings with him.
Valentin has never met a more fascinating woman. Though Silver is ruled by Silence–her mind clear of all emotion–Valentin senses a whisper of fire around her. That’s what keeps him climbing apartment buildings to be near her. But when a shadow assassin almost succeeds in poisoning Silver, the stakes become deadly serious…and Silver finds herself in the heart of a powerful bear clan.
Her would-be assassin has no idea what their poison has unleashed…
Silver Silence, by Nalini Singh
I’ve written before about how much I love the Psy/Changeling series, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that I was counting down the hours to the release of Silver Silence this week. Literally. Did you know that Amazon releases on Kindle can take up to 15 minutes after midnight (or in my case, 9pm, because living on the West Coast means getting the new release 3 hours before midnight) to show up? It’s agonizing, let me tell you! (At least in this case, I was able to finish cooking dinner. So thanks for that, Amazon. I guess my husband didn’t starve to death on Monday night because your infrastructure is slow.)
Silver Silence marks a transition point in the series. The last book, Allegiance of Honor, wrapped up the first “season” (to use Nalini’s term for it) and revisited a lot of favorite characters without having a central couple to focus on. Now, in Silver Silence, we’re starting the second season, looking out at a world very different than the one we started in, all the way back in Slave to Sensation. (On a subtle note, I love the way she’s marked the transition with a break in the pattern of three word titles for the main novels. I look forward to seeing if she sticks with two word titles going forward.)
Of course, it’s still the world that all the characters we love inhabit and I was really excited to see that this book featured Silver Mercant as the heroine. She’s been an intriguing character since we first met her as Kaleb’s aide, always very controlled and precise. She’s clearly got brains, to be able to keep up with Kaleb, and has stepped up to take on a bigger role in the new world the Trinity is building. Of course, this makes her something of a target for those who aren’t interested in change. Good thing for her the bears are watching out for her.
Or rather, one bear in particular. Valentin might be the alpha of StoneWater but for Silver, he’s more than willing to be her teddy bear. He even says so himself. Repeatedly, if that’s what it takes for her to accept it. It’s our first introduction to the bear changelings, although we’ve certainly heard about them before, and they’re a charming, family-oriented bunch. Also more than willing to party — no one parties like the bears!
Needless to say, this kind of laid-back attitude is rather at odds with the rigid control Silver has maintained all her life and it’s interesting to watch what happens as she tries letting go. I don’t want to spoil this for anyone, especially since the international release only came out yesterday, but suffice it to say that I was desperately rooting for the happy ending.
My expectations were high but Silver Silence did not disappoint. I’m already counting down to the next book in the series and planning both a reread and a listen to the audiobook once I finish my current one. It’s accessible to new readers, if you haven’t read any of the Psy/Changeling books, but I’d still recommend going back and starting with Slave to Sensation if you haven’t read them — you have so much to look forward to and the world will be that much deeper by the time you get to Silver Silence!
Jun 9, 2017 | reviews, romance
The impecunious Lady Fortescue, widowed and alone save for two loyal, unpaid servants, has sold off almost all of the furnishings in her large Bond Street home and faces a grim future as a member of the aristocracy too proud to seek employment or charity, yet too poor to survive on the infrequent largess of wealthy relatives oblivious to her plight. Salvation arrives in the unlikely form of old Colonel Sandhurst, an equally impoverished retired military man who falls at her feet in a hunger-induced faint one afternoon in Hyde Park. The two decide to join forces: the Colonel will share Lady Fortescue’s home, and they will invite others of their station and situation to live with them and pool their resources. Thus is born what eventually becomes one of London’s most popular hotels, The Poor Relation, to which the nobility flocks to enjoy the novelty of being waited upon by members of their own class.
Lady Fortescue Steps Out, by M.C. Beaton
This week’s read was a short one, from a somewhat older set of Regency novels. (Older being a relative term, of course, but the professional reviews are dated from 1992 which suggests that was the publication date, so it certainly predates what I would think of as the “modern” renaissance in romance.) The description caught my eye, focusing on those who were somewhat older and down on their luck, instead of the normal cast of characters that we see in most of the novels these days (my own included!).
Unfortunately, the short length of the book also means that there’s a minimum amount of time for character development. A lot of what I would expect for a more modern book isn’t there, with a lot of the description focusing on action and telling what is happening. The style feels very facts-forward with no time or energy devoted to the characters’ internal thoughts or really getting to know them as people. This works well enough for the side characters, at least one of whom I remain ambivalent about and others whom I would like to see succeed or fall in love with each other, but feels flat when applied to the hero and heroine. My diet of modern romance novels leaves me wanting more motivation and insight into what they’re thinking and why.
You could argue, of course, that Heyer never spends any time focusing on what her characters are feeling — indeed, I would agree that her focus is very much on the story and the characters’ feelings are completely inferred from their actions, at least in my favorite of her books. But the story in Lady Fortescue Steps Out doesn’t quite achieve this either; she describes just enough that it feels like further description is missing, and the story isn’t quite enough to pull you along without noticing this. (To be fair, I think this is a very high challenge; like I’ve said before, there is a reason I don’t write Heyer-style romances.)
I still enjoyed the book; the premise was intriguing and there are enough loose ends left hanging that I would like to see resolved that I’ll probably borrow the second one through the Kindle Unlimited program. But I don’t know that I would have felt as satisfied if I had paid $5.99 for this book (the list price as I write this review). My interest in the series can be attributed to three characters at this point: Miss Tonks, Lady Fortescue, and Colonel Sandhurst. I hope that the next book moves them a little further away from being relatively simple caricatures (albeit believable ones) and more towards being actual people, but I don’t know how much I expect that to happen.
On the other hand, it was a short, light-hearted romance that choose to fade to black rather than descending into more explicit scenes, so if that is your cup of tea, I do think this would be an enjoyable read. Give it a chance, particularly if you are a member of Kindle Unlimited. (And I will say, I think the covers fit the tone of the book very well and look very good for a series together. Well done on that!)
Jun 2, 2017 | fantasy, reviews, romance
Sophia Westlake is an Extraordinary Seer, gifted with the ability to see past, present and future in Dreams and Visions. Her talent led to the destruction of the Caribbean pirates plaguing England’s shipping and gained her renown and the accolades of her peers. But when she accuses a prominent politician, Lord Endicott, of embezzling from the Army, her Dream is “proved” false and she is disgraced, her reputation ruined and her career in the Army’s War Office over.
Humiliated, Sophia returns to London, but Lord Endicott follows her, intent on making her life increasingly miserable. Furious and desperate, Sophia takes the only course left to her: she sets out to discover Lord Endicott’s criminal enterprises, to expose him as the fraud he is and bring him to justice.
Sophia’s allies are few, but loyal. Cecy, her best friend, supports Sophia in her quest, while her cousin Lady Daphne, an irrepressible Extraordinary Bounder, is always ready for a challenge that will strike at Lord Endicott’s heart. And always watching her is the mysterious Mr. Rutledge, who claims to be interested in Sophia’s friendship—and possibly more than that—but who has an agenda of his own.
But as Sophia delves deeper into prophetic Dreams, Cecy and Daphne begin to fear for Sophia’s health and sanity. Driven to collapse by her frequent Dreaming, Sophia is forced to reevaluate her motives: does she want Lord Endicott brought to justice, or is it revenge she seeks? As Sophia draws closer to the secret of Lord Endicott’s criminal enterprise, a counterfeiting ring, his torment of Sophia increases, until the two are bound together by their respective obsessions. Though Sophia insists she is in control, her friends fear she is turning into the man she most hates.
Sophia’s Dreams and Visions are leading her to just one place: the destruction of Lord Endicott. But the cost of her vengeance may be too high—and may demand the sacrifice of her own life.
Wondering Sight, by Melissa McShane
I really loved Burning Bright, the first book in the Extraordinaries series (you can see my review here). The worldbuilding was intriguing and I really enjoyed the magic system that was set up. I wasn’t sure at the end of that one if the next book would be a direct sequel or focus on new characters and I was happy to see that it did, in fact, star a new couple. So I was excited to dig in and read it.
Unfortunately Wondering Sight didn’t work nearly as well for me as the first one did. Sophia is a Seer and the plot revolves around her quest to clear her name and reputation with the War Office by proving that her Dream was not false. This quest is so important to her that she’s willing to cross several boundaries and hardly ever thinks of what effect it’s having on her health or on her relationships with people she supposedly cares about, despite being called out on this several times during the book.
This is the same drive that led her to make new discoveries when she was working in the War Office about how the Seers’ abilities work, but she ends up coming across as selfish and obsessed from the beginning. Her positive characteristics get subsumed by her quest, to the point where I found myself a lot more interested in the secondary characters than I was in her. Mr. Rutledge, for example, is a mysterious and interesting character — but then those questions don’t get fully resolved. I hoped for some clue of what Cecy’s illness might be, even if just in the afterword/acknowledgments, but that was also missing. I also liked Lady Daphne, who is clearly being set up as a potential future heroine in the series; her book will be an enjoyable read, I think (and so clearly my opinion on this book is not changing my mind about the series as a whole, which still offers a very interesting twist on the normal historical romance).
The book at least picked up in the second half, and Sophia became a slightly more likeable character for me. I could still wish for a little more explanation of the difference between Dreams and Visions in the first half of the book, and more interaction with Mr. Rutledge. I doubt I’ll find myself compelled to get the audiobook for this one though, like I did with the first book. I’ll still watch for the next one in the series though, and if you did enjoy the first one I recommend at least giving this one a shot. The secondary characters are worth meeting, and the end is better than the beginning!
