I'd forgotten how easy it was to fall into a Nora Roberts story. It reads like all Nora Roberts stories tbh: a bit (well, a lot) corny, a little old- I'd forgotten how easy it was to fall into a Nora Roberts story. It reads like all Nora Roberts stories tbh: a bit (well, a lot) corny, a little old-fashioned, all good reading.
Essentially this is the beginning of a contemporary romance trilogy about three women who are descendants of witches, and their lives are pretty much mirroring their ancestors. To find their happily ever afters, they need to embrace their witchy powers and break the cycle of pain their ancestors started.
I liked the main characters and I liked the other two whose stories are to come...more
I only read Kelley Armstrong's story (starring Eve), which was too short to get a feel for anything, really. I only read Kelley Armstrong's story (starring Eve), which was too short to get a feel for anything, really. ...more
On the one hand - I liked pretty much all the characters. It goes without saying that Jeremy is an A+I am not quite sure what to say about this book.
On the one hand - I liked pretty much all the characters. It goes without saying that Jeremy is an A+ for me. Jaime was.....I don't even know. Likeable enough and smart enough, and yet there were moments when I wanted to shake her and be like "ma'am be serious. You are 44 yrs, not 4 yrs." So I dunno. The magic - necromancy and the backdrop (TV show with spiritualists and ghost hunters), and the human-sacrificing magic group....I dunno. I didn't disliked any of these elements, nor was I even squicked out.But I just....I dunno.
So yeah. It was a good book, I enjoyed it, and have no qualms about returning to it sometime(s), and probably will, but my feelings and thoughts haven't quite settled.
I do wish I had seen more of Jeremy/his perspective, though. But this was Jaime's story to tell, and not his. Ah well. ...more
This is a collection of short stories about events in the life of Clay and Jeremy (well, the lion's share is Clay's story). The subject matter was not This is a collection of short stories about events in the life of Clay and Jeremy (well, the lion's share is Clay's story). The subject matter was not always palatable-these werewolves inhabit a very violent and unforgiving world and seeing it from young Clay's eyes highlighted that fact even more, but it was fascinating. That's all I have. I was enthralled from beginning to end.
Also, even more than Clay, I love Jeremy to bits, without reservation....more
mean, what else is there to say? Catalina and Alessandro's second adventure was fun, fast-paced, intriguing, but it left me with more questions than amean, what else is there to say? Catalina and Alessandro's second adventure was fun, fast-paced, intriguing, but it left me with more questions than answers. 1. What is it about Linus that Alessandro figured out? Why aren't we following it? 2. Why won't someone just put Victoria Tremaine out of her misery already and free us all (she irks me). 3. Has everyone forgotten about the Caesar and New Rome conspiracy? Did it just die out with Nevada and Rogan's main arc ending? 4. It doesn't make sense to me that Rogan declined to be the assistant warden of Texas. It doesn't fit....but what do I know.
Ah well, onward to the third book in series when it comes out, because despite myself, I really did like the book. ...more
This should be one star, really - that's how bad a story it is - but a whole 'nother star goes to the editor here, who managed to absolutely REFUSE toThis should be one star, really - that's how bad a story it is - but a whole 'nother star goes to the editor here, who managed to absolutely REFUSE to indulge Jennifer Estep and her inability to use personal pronouns. She deserves a medal, in my opinion. Okay, so on to the plot itself:
Everleigh Something Something Blair is sent to live in the castle with her relative the queen and her family after her parents are murdered. In a world where magic power is everything, Everleigh is immune to magic, but has the good sense to keep it secret, so everyone around her thinks she's a dud. This relegates her to persona non grata in the castle. From Everleigh's narration, eeeeevery single noble is a vain, shallow, conniving bastid, with the queen's daughter, Vasilia, who's also heiress to the throne, being the worst of all.
With the help of traitors from an enemy neighboring kingdom, Vasilia pulls a coup and slaughters everyone in her bloodline, except for Everleigh, who narrowly escapes death, and joins a troupe of gladiators, led by former palace guards. Together they plot to kill Vasilia and take back the queendom.
Sighhhh. What should have ended up being an interesting tale of intrigue and revenge turns out to be so unbelievable boring....and juvenile too. D for effort. Never once did I believe Everleigh's fighting prowess - nor the progress she supposedly made to become a skilled fighter. And the dialogue! Lord help me, it was so bad as to be laughable.
And don't get me started on the characters. Now I don't mind one-dimensional villains at all, but these bad guys here were so cartoonish as to be silly.
Finally, Everleigh herself was not a character I liked at all. Yes, she'd suffered a lot of tragedy, and supposedly was trying to protect herself from being trodden on again. but nothing about her characterization made her affable. On the contrary, she was so miserable. Her sarcasm came off as mean-spirited, and there was nothing about her behavior, in my opinion, that suggested she was so inherently better than those mean, evil nobles. She was exactly like them, just without any power. Shrug. Don't even get me started on that beginnings of a 'romance.'
All in all, not a good book. Will I read the second-in-series, probably. Why? Because I am a glutton for punishment, that's why....more
What a wild ride! The plot was top-notch: nonstop action throughout. I think I even got a bit of whiplash from it all. Character-wise, Catalina felt lWhat a wild ride! The plot was top-notch: nonstop action throughout. I think I even got a bit of whiplash from it all. Character-wise, Catalina felt like a rehash of Nevada, I'm not gonna lie. They have pretty much the same inner voice, and same narrative characteristics. Initially, I thought Alessandro also read like a less-interesting Rogan, but I was wrong. He turned out to be a revelation, and interesting all on his own. I really like his character and am curious to know more about him. Also, Bug is absolutely hilarious! ...more
Grace Draven writes so beautifully. I am always left in awe of her word choices. They paint such pleasant, magnificent imagery. Even in the moments whGrace Draven writes so beautifully. I am always left in awe of her word choices. They paint such pleasant, magnificent imagery. Even in the moments when I think the writing is overwrought, I cannot help but marvel - she does it so well. She's an amazing wordsmith and I am in awe.
As for the story you can imagine my pleasure and surprise when I finally realized that Meggido is (was?) the monk left behind when Brishen and Serovek and the other guys from the Wraith Kings series, well, became Wraith Kings. I was so pleased to find myself in the same world that Brishen and Ildiko once inhabited, even if it is centuries and millenia later.
This lil novella left me wanting to know more - but not about Silhara and Martise. I wanted to see more of my Wraith Kings, and watch Meggido get back to his own time and get his own happy ending. Because if ever there was a character that deserves only good things, it is Meggido....more
I love Ilona Andrews, I really do. They're my favorite urban fantasy authors. And this is my third read-through of this series. I think Nevada and herI love Ilona Andrews, I really do. They're my favorite urban fantasy authors. And this is my third read-through of this series. I think Nevada and her family and Rogan are a wonderful, badass cast of characters, and also nuanced in a way I don't often encounter in urban fantasy. I like the supporting characters too. I thought the plot was engaging and witty, and I enjoyed most of it. The writing is superlative. But then again, all this is par-for-the-course with Ilona Andrews.
However, I found the attempt to humanize the villains (of the previous book) pretty weak. Yes, everyone is more than one thing, and people capable of great evil are also capable of great love. IT doesn't make them any less culpable. Sani Abacha was apparently a very devoted dad to his children (from how hid daughters always pipe up to defend him). Does that diminish the reign of terror he unleashed on Nigeria?
Olivia Charles loved her own daughter so much that to secure her daughter's happiness she joined an archvillain group that plotted to destabilize Houston, killed innocent people, and endangered children. She did all this and was a very loving mother and grandmother as well. Ok....so what? Should that make her more relatable, or her choices more understandable? Coupled with all the hand wringing from Nevada (oh I killed this absolutely horrible woman who loved her grandchildren, so they won't have a grandmother growing up), I wanted to beat her a little, not gonna lie.
Nevertheless, I hugely enjoyed (re-)reading this installment too.
Very lovely, very heartwarming, at-times funny and sweet, at-times painful and heartbreaking, always impeccably written book. There was so 4.5 stars.
Very lovely, very heartwarming, at-times funny and sweet, at-times painful and heartbreaking, always impeccably written book. There was so much to love here, in plot and characters. Very enchanting read. I'm very impressed and cannot wait to read the next book in series! ...more
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