The court of James I is a treacherous place -- and that's even before the Fae are involved. And now that Joan Sands, magical metalworker blessed by OgThe court of James I is a treacherous place -- and that's even before the Fae are involved. And now that Joan Sands, magical metalworker blessed by Ogun, has been made a reluctant lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne, she must navigate a course between petty enemies, the deadly hatred of Robert Cecil (the king's spymaster), his lovelorn and manipulative son William, and the Fae queen herself, Titanea. With her godfather Baba Ben imprisoned in the Tower, it's up to Joan to find a way to reforge the ancient Pact between humans and the Fae -- before the entire Orisha community is destroyed.
Whew, this second book in the Forge and Fracture Saga was loaded with action! Not only does Joan have to find a balance between proper behavior for the court and drawing on her magical power to fight enemies, but her family and her colleagues among The King's Men (Shakespeare's theatre company) have their own hazardous parts to play. While there isn't a huge amount of new character development in the book, I loved seeing how Joan was able to tap into her connection with Ogun and explore her own powers. The fight scenes were thrilling to read, and Shakespeare and his troupe always entertain me.
I'm still enjoying this much more colorful Elizabethan/Jacobean world (more characters of color, more range of gender and sexuality) and can't wait for the final book of the trilogy. 4 stars.
Thank you, Amulet Books and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own....more
Siren Seven has just wrapped up their farewell concert tour, and Ariel del Mar, youngest of the seven sisters, wants to take a break. Unfortunately, hSiren Seven has just wrapped up their farewell concert tour, and Ariel del Mar, youngest of the seven sisters, wants to take a break. Unfortunately, her father (the group's manager) has lined up a solo album for her, and she feels pressured to do it so that her sisters can follow their own dreams. But when Ariel sneaks out in disguise one night to catch the Battle of the Bands and the up-and-coming StarCrossed band, she runs down a thief trying to steal the guitar of StarCrossed's front man, Eric Reyes -- and ends up catching Eric's eye. After the concert, they spend the night walking around New York City, enjoying each other's company, and since Eric doesn't want to leave her, he offers her a spot on his band's national tour, leaving the next morning. When Ariel returns home at last, late for the big announcement about her solo career, she ends up fighting with her father, packing her bags, and leaving -- just in time to join Eric's tour.
This homage to Disney's "The Little Mermaid" (in the Meant to Be series) offers plenty of nods and winks to the movie but ultimately delivers a more mature and less problematic romance. Ariel, 25, has spent 15 years in her family's musical empire, and while she loved the music and the fans, she also knows there's something else she would rather do and wants the chance to explore it -- if only she could feel less pressured to look out for her sisters. Her sisters are a regular presence throughout the story, even if only through the group chat, and their total support helps Ariel follow her own dream. Eric has Prince Charming vibes from the start, but he, too, has family issues he has to work through in order to become his best self. And while he knows he falls in love too easily, he can see from the start that Ariel is someone he can connect with more deeply.
Great side characters, too, like Eric's bandmates and manager, the bus driver Oz, and even some of the people they meet on tour. The happily-ever-after is well worked through (they have a number of issues to address and do so with care). Overall, it's a fun but grown-up update to a childhood favorite. 4 stars.
Thank you, Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own....more
Torn on my rating for this: 3 stars for writing, plot, but 1 star for personal enjoyment. Way more disturbing than I really wanted to read in an increTorn on my rating for this: 3 stars for writing, plot, but 1 star for personal enjoyment. Way more disturbing than I really wanted to read in an increasingly dystopian pandemic-ridden world....more
Gripping retelling of Peter Pan, with the suspense building from page 1. Read the excellent review by Adri because I can't do it justice.Gripping retelling of Peter Pan, with the suspense building from page 1. Read the excellent review by Adri because I can't do it justice....more
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