A Shadow of a Dream Author: Isabella Carter Title: A Shadow of a Dream Series: None Genre: High Fantasy Pairing: M/M Length: Novel Rating: Five Petals On the Author's Website: http://marrontenshi.blogspot.com/p/published-stories.html Summary: Solving a murder is never an easy matter, even when circumstances are ideal. For Basil, circumstances are far from ideal. The murder is far more complicated than at first it seems, and before he can even begin to solve it Basil must contend with a council that refuses to listen to him, a partner he despises, and a thief who is a temptation that Basil cannot seem to resist... Maggie's Review:
In my opinion, Isabella Carter is one of the most under-acknowledged M/M authors and A Shadow of a Dream proves why. The book is very well thought out so each aspect of the plot is interesting and necessary, the world is dynamic, and overall it was a very good book. Basil is an odd creature. He doesn't know what he is, but at some point in his recent past he had a run in with a demon and that changed him irrevocably. He works for an organization tasked with finding magical creatures and stopping them before they're able to hurt anyone. As a magical creature himself, Basil knows he's working for the enemy, but his job allows him to find and stop the truly evil people using magic to hurt others so he persists anyway. That amount of intricacy in such a small aspect of the plot is just a small example of what Carter was able to create. The rest of the book is just as well crafted. The magic in the book is also very interesting. There is a second world called the Reve where all magic originates, but that world has been corrupted by nightmare. The nightmare is slowly leaking into the real world, which is what Basil fights every day. I thought this was a very unique take on the two worlds idea. I was disappointed that Basil didn't have the opportunity to try to save the Reve, but that wasn't his story. Someone else will have to save the Shadow King in the Reve, but as this story is not part of a series I will just have to imagine it for myself. The only problem I had with the book were some formatting issues. A good example of this are the conversations conducted via telepathy. In the beginning of the book those conversations are in italics. In the middle of the book those conversations are only in quotations. By the end of the book those conversations were both italicized and in quotations. The lack of consistent formatting was distracting, but since it didn't detract from the overall story I didn't remove any petals for it. Maggie's Recommendation: This is definitely one of the better M/M romance books I've read. I highly recommend it. The plot, the magic, and the world were so intricately crafted that I can't help wanting more. I am planning on reading more of Carter's work, so expect to see more reviews soon.
2 Comments
Witches Protection Program Author: Michael Phillip Cash Title: Witches Protection Program Series: None Genre: Paranormal Pairing: M/F Length: Novel Rating: One Petal On the Author's Website: http://michaelphillipcash.com/home Summary: Wes Rockville, a disgraced law enforcement agent, is given one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he's reassigned to a 232 year old secret government organization. The Witches Protection Program. His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar Cosmetics company’s diabolical plan of using witchcraft for global domination, while protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds. Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes must learn to believe in both witches and himself. Filled with adventure, suspense and a rousing good time, Michael Phillip Cash creates a tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern day New York City. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not finish reading this book. I was only able to slog through the first third of the story before I had to put it down and it was so bad that I won't be giving it a second try. On the surface, the premise for this book is an interesting one. There are two types of witches in the world, the good Davinas and the bad Willas and they are in an ongoing feud. For a reason that was extremely poorly explained, the government is helping the good witches by relocating them to new homes under a form of witness protection. It's a plot that has been done before, but can be a good read if executed properly. This story was not well executed. I can't decide which part of what I read I disliked more, so I'll just list them in any order. Wes, the main character, is boring, whiny, and stupid. He refuses to even try to learn the world of witchcraft that he is suddenly thrust into. He starts off the story a grown man whining to his father because he failed something important and is being demoted, then spends the next part of the book acting sullen because he didn't get his way. Had the author meant for Wes to come across that way, I could have dealt with it until the attitude faded, but I got the feeling that Cash was trying to get Wes to sound lost and desperate instead of needy and obnoxious; Cash's writing ability was not up to the task. The next part of the book that I disliked were the giant plot holes. The first page of the book starts with Wes being yelled at for some failure with an old lady. There are no details given about what he failed at doing, how he failed, or even what the assignment was in the first place. Wes is too busy whining about his dyslexia and Cash lets Wes continue instead of reigning him in and providing real description. Details were lacking in every scene of the book that I read. It was also clear that zero research into police procedure had been done to write this book. Wes failed his first and only assignment, and is immediately threatened with firing. It doesn't work that way in the real world. There are disciplinary actions and demotions, sure, but for a rookie like Wes, nothing as dire as Wes' father (possibly the police chief, but details were never provided) elaborates, at length, on. Then, Wes is shuffled to the office in charge of witches protection. His only training is to watch a five minute infomercial, after which his new boss hands Wes an unfamiliar weapon and immediately takes him out on assignment. There's a big difference between learning on the job and being utterly stupid, and Cash seems intent on making every character in the book sound and act like an unprofessional idiot. I also noticed a lot of parallels with Men in Black, the movie. I won't say this book was plagiarism, but it's definitely skirting the fine line. I could keep going, but I've written the major issues and I don't want this review to devolve into a rant. The rest of the problems were more minor, like the fact that the font was huge to the point that it started giving me a headache. The book is being sold for $12.99, a ridiculous price for a paperback (not trade paperback, just regular paperback). I think Cash inflated the number of pages by enlarging the font and adding blank pages between every chapter in order to charge more. It feels like a scam to me. Maggie's Recommendation: Stay as far away from this book as you can. It's poorly written, the characters are completely unlikable, the plot poorly fleshed out, and it skirts the line with plagiarism. I cannot recommend this book. Steal the Dragon Author: Patricia Briggs Title: Steal the Dragon Series: Sianim 2 Genre: High Fantasy Pairing: M/F Length: Novel Rating: Three Petals On the Author's Website: http://www.hurog.com/books/stealDragon.shtml Summary: Slave. Swordwielder. Spy. Some girls have all the luck... When Rialla was young, slave traders from Darran ambushed her clan, killing all the men and enslaving the women and children. For years, Rialla lived in bondage, until she escaped and fled to the mercenary nation of Sianim. Now she can strike back at her former masters. A lord in Darran seeks to outlaw slavery—but there are plots to kill him before he can. Rialla is chosen by the Spymaster of Sianim to prevent the murder—and is plunged into a world of deadly magic... Maggie's Review:
I first read Steal the Dragon, book two in the Sianim series, after When Demons Walk, book three, and I've always been glad I did read them out of order. Steal the Dragon is not a bad book, at all, but it's not anywhere near as good as When Demon's Walk. Something just feels stilted in the story and sometimes I feel I should be cringing during certain scenes even when it's clear from the tone of the writing that the author disagrees with my reaction. Rialla is sent on a mission to keep a prince from being assassinated and to do that she has to don the guise of a slave, a life she once escaped. The entire premise of slavery is unpleasant and, while Briggs definitely agrees with that, she wrote scenes that made me feel uncomfortable to read and treated them like any other part of the plot. I needed a bit more negative emotion from Rialla to really feel like the issue was being portrayed properly. Much of the book lacked any emotional weight, which detracted from the horror of slavery and the plot as a whole. The romance in the story also felt ill timed. Rialla is masquerading as a slave and, when she's injured, Tris is the healer entrusted to get her well enough to return to slavery again. It's not a match made in heaven, but rather a match made in convenience and mutual respect. Again, I was missing the emotion that would have elevated their relationship to something beyond friendship. With all the bad stuff out of the way, let's turn to what I did like. The world of Sianim is a very complex one with layers of plot and intrigue that Briggs has laid out very neatly. The twists and turns were perfectly timed and kept me flipping the pages through to the end. Steal the Dragon is worth reading just for the plot. It is also the only way to really understand what happens in When Demons Walk because Steal the Dragon actually explains the war and the politics that went into the invasion, information that was unfortunately left out of When Demons Walk. I particularly liked the concept of the sleeping gods and how one child could wake a god and suddenly change the world. What was once normal in Masques, book one in the series, is entirely altered by the time of When Demons Walk, and that is all due to the magic of the gods. I would have loved it if Briggs were able to elaborate more on that concept, but that would require an additional book in the series. Maggie's Recommendation: I do recommend this book, but with some reservations. There needed to be more of an emotional connection in the book to make it a great read, but the overall plot and the series as a whole makes it worth reading. I would suggest reading When Demons Walk first, and then reading Steal the Dragon to get the backstory of When Demons Walk. Dragon Trials Author: Ava Richardson Title: Dragon Trials Series: Return of the Darkening Genre: High Fantasy Pairing: M/F Length: Novel Rating: Three Petals On the Author's Website: https://www.facebook.com/AvaRichardsonBooks/ Summary: High-born Agathea Flamma intends to bring honor to her family by following in her brothers’ footsteps and taking her rightful place as a Dragon Rider. With her only other option being marriage, Thea will not accept failure. She’s not thrilled at her awkward, scruffy partner, Seb, but their dragon has chosen, and now the unlikely duo must learn to work as a team. Seventeen-year-old Sebastian has long been ashamed of his drunken father and poor upbringing, but then he’s chosen to train as a Dragon Rider at the prestigious academy. Thrust into a world where he doesn’t fit in, Seb finds a connection with his dragon that is even more powerful than he imagined. Soon, he’s doing all he can to succeed and not embarrass his new partner, Thea. When Seb hears rumors that an old danger is reemerging, he and Thea begin to investigate. Armed only with their determination and the dragon they both ride, Thea and Seb may be the only defense against the Darkening that threatens to sweep the land. Together, they will have to learn to work together to save their kingdom…or die trying. Maggie's Review:
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. If I were only basing this review on plot, setting, and characterization, this would be a four petal review. All three were excellently written. However, there is one very serious, glaring flaw in the book that meant that this story barely deserved two petals. I decided to split the difference and award three petals. The world building is probably the book's best part. The whole of the world isn't explained, just the parts that the main characters needed to know to move the plot forward, but it was enough of a glimpse that I can't help being impressed. Every five years young dragons are allowed to fly in search of their riders. They need a navigator, the person that guides them, and a protector, the person that fights for them. Thea and Seb are chosen by a rambunctious young dragon and must learn to work together to become dragon riders. With the threat of the Darkening hanging over them, a mysterious and not-yet-explained evil presence, Thea and Seb know they have to do something to save the dragons and the kingdom. It's a very well crafted plot and the world that supports it is amazingly detailed. The two main characters themselves, Thea and Seb, are fun to read as well. They each have a distinct personality and I could literally see them growing from children to adults in this book. They're definitely still young adults, but I really liked the way the Richardson wrote how they learned and grew throughout the story. I also really liked the cover art, which is what drew me to the book in the first place. I don't know who the artist is, but they deserve recognition for their work. However, as I said, this book is deeply flawed. Richardson needs to contract with an editor immediately. The book constantly switches tenses. I don't mean the italicized, present tense, internal thoughts of the characters, which the story does also contain. Rather, that in the narrative and descriptions the book kept changing from past to present tense. There were also a few misspelled words, misplaced punctuation, and a general lack of polish. The book was still legible--I've read worse--which is why I gave it two petals for these glaring issues instead of one, but this is something that needs to be fixed if the author wants to sell this book. Maggie's Recommendation: It's hard not to recommend a book as well crafted as this one. I really enjoyed the overall plot, the world building, and the characterizations. However, the lack of polish with the editing and formatting of the book made it difficult and even unpleasant to read at times. I do plan to read the sequel whenever it is released. Sunshine Author: Robin McKinley Title: Sunshine Series: None Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Pairing: M/F Length: Novel Rating: Five Petals On the Author's Website: http://www.robinmckinley.com/books/sunshine/ Summary: There are places in the world where darkness rules, where it's unwise to walk. But there hadn't been any trouble out at the lake for years, and Sunshine just needed a spot where she could be alone with her thoughts. Vampires never entered her mind. Until they found her... Maggie's Review:
Sunshine is the winner of the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature and it deserves every accolade it has received. My own copy of the book is heavily creased with loose pages and smeared text because I've read it so many times. Of all the books I've ever read--and I've read a lot--this is probably my absolute favorite and is my go-to when I need a hug. At its heart, Sunshine is about a young woman named Sunshine who is trying to figure out who she really is in the midst of a world gone to hell around her. There are vampires preying on innocent humans and other humans with demon blood being ostracized and experimented on by the government. Sunshine herself doesn't know what is in her blood or what her magical powers are. All she remembers is some time spent with her grandmother at a small cabin by the lake, learning something that might have been magic, but was more fun and games to a young child. One day she can't help driving to the cabin in the halfhearted hope of figuring herself out. Instead, she is kidnapped by vampires and inadvertently thrust into the larger, and very dangerous magical world. This book requires that I think when I read it. McKinley doesn't spoon feed explanations to her readers. I had to work for every bit of understanding I have about how the magic works in the world, how the vampire society is structured, and where Sunshine herself comes from. Every time I reread this book I learn something new, which makes each rereading a fantastic experience. My only disappointment with the book is the fact that McKinley shows no interest in writing a sequel. There are a few unanswered questions and there is so much potential for what can and will happen next, yet McKinley has made the decision to leave the book as a stand alone. All the pouting and begging of all her readers has not changed her mind, so I have learned to live with the disappointment and happily daydream of possible future plots. Maggie's Recommendation: Sunshine deserves every award it has received. McKinley doesn't spoon feed anything to her readers, instead relying on us to think and to learn from every page. This is one of the best books I've ever read and I highly, highly recommend it. In the Hours of Darkness Author: Tygati Title: In the Hours of Darkness Series: No Man's Land 1 Genre: Science Fiction Pairing: M/M Length: Novellete Rating: Three Petals On the Author's Website: http://tygati.blogspot.com/ Summary: On the frontier planet No Man's Land, Sheriff Charlie Colcord upholds the law and protects the people of Deadwood Gulch. His job is difficult and often dangerous due to the vicious native creatures which inhabit the plains and mountains of Noman, but Charlie and his riders have one advantage: dragons. But the dragons come with their own difficulties in the way of a secret known only to a few. Charlie is a man used to keeping secrets, and it's not the dragons' secret that keeps him up at night. His secret is known to only one other, and keeping it makes their lives complicated enough that hunting monsters on the plains of Noman is almost relaxing. Maggie's Review:
I first read this story when it was half-finished and posted for free on Tygati's livejournal. It had great potential then and I was very excited to learn it was going to be published. Unfortunately, I don't think it lived up to the hype. It was admittedly an interesting bit of fluff to read, but it also had far too many issues. The story reads like a long prologue. It works as an introduction to the series as a whole, which is probably its only saving grace. This is the planet we live on, this is the culture we've created, these are the monsters we fight, and these are the dragons we ride. While it was all definitely interesting to learn, there was a lot more explaining than there was plot. It was all very well written, though. The story begins in the middle of everything. Charlie is already sheriff, he's already in love, and his personality is already established. The only conflicts in his life are the complications that come with his job and, while his job fighting monsters is certainly exciting, overall he's a boring guy. Tygati would have been better off turning the story into a novel and starting with Charlie before he met his dragon. That would have afforded some plot and would have given Charlie depth as a character as he grew into the man we're instead handed in the book. In fact, the entire purpose of In the Hours of Darkness appears to be as an introduction to the main character in the second book in the series, Jeremy. His vanishing act is the only bit of plot this book has, as Charlie has to go save him. It establishes what type of person Jeremy is and the struggles he'll have to overcome to become better. I am planning on getting the second book in the series, but there was so much potential squandered in this first book that I can't help feeling disappointed. Maggie's Final Recommendation: This was a fun book, but it felt too much like a prologue to the series rather than an individual story. The main character was boring and the lack of plot made it hard to read. I will be getting the next book in the series, which promises to be the exact opposite of this first one. I would recommend you read In the Hours of Darkness, if only so you're prepared to read book two. NightseerAuthor: Laurell K. Hamilton Title: Nightseer Series: None Genre: High Fantasy Pairing: M/F Length: Novel Rating: Two Petals On the Author's Website: http://www.laurellkhamilton.com/book_series/nightseer/ Summary: Keleios the Half-Elf was but five years old when she saw her mother murdered by the evil witch Harque. For years she has asked the gods for the strength she'll need to avenge this foul death, and it seems the gods have answered her. She's been granted an array of powers never before seen in one person, but she has also acquired a most terrifying burden, a demonmark. This mark can open the door to undreamed abilities, but it can also open her soul to the forbidden dark side of magic. Keleios must choose between the demonmark's tainted power and the lives of those she holds most dear. In an epic battle of good versus evil, of enchanted swords and shapeshifting dragons, of unquenchable hatred and unlikely love, Keleios must face her own demons—before she can acquire the most important power of all: the power to forgive. Maggie's Review:
Nightseer is a novel about magic and it is the crafting of the magical powers in the world Hamilton created that is truly remarkable. There are powers for good and there are powers for evil, but each is taught and respected equally under the auspices of their individual gods. The struggle between good and evil is very interesting to see when those being taught the different disciplines share living space and classrooms while at school. I really enjoyed reading about that dichotomy . I also liked how diverse and well thought out each person's magical power is. There is power over weapons, through dreams, via potions, or by crafting spells, to name a few. Each form of magic has been given a life of its own, which is so much fun to read. The book falls short in many different ways. All the characters in the book are too perfect in such a way that even their flaws are only present to enhance their perfection. For example, Keleios, the main character, has a dark past and a demon mark inscribed in her skin because of that, but she is inherently a good person. In fact, she's so good she's the epitome of a Mary Sue. She's pretty, she's powerful, she's overcoming the evil inside of her as she fights to save everyone she loves. She even has beautiful men fighting for her love. There is romance in the book as well, but like anything that has to do with the characters it is far too perfect. Keleios hates him, then she sees the necessity of him, and then she marries him because he's a beautiful man who wants nothing more than to fall deeply in love with her for the rest of their lives. There's some politics involved as well, but Hamilton conveniently forgot about that halfway through the book. The absolute worst part of the book was the ending. It's left on a cliffhanger where many of Keleios' friends are still in dire jeopardy, the world is in imminent danger of war, and she recently escaped a politicized arrest for crimes she didn't commit. Yet, Keleios is more concerned with her marriage bed, which is extremely awkwardly written. I would have read the sequel to Nightseer because I did enjoy the magic and the overall plotting wasn't bad, but Hamilton never wrote it. I was left in the middle of an uncomfortable bedroom with the cliffhanger of the rest of the plot lying in wait, and there is zero chance of ever having resolution to it. Maggie's Final Recommendation: This wasn't a bad book, but it also wasn't particularly good. I found it to be a fun read overall, particularly about the various magical disciplines, even if I can't recommend it. I would have read a sequel had one ever been written. When Demons Walk Author: Patricia Briggs Title: When Demons Walk Series: Sianim 3 Genre: High Fantasy Pairing: M/F Length: Novel Rating: Four Petals On the Author's Website: http://www.patriciabriggs.com/books/demons.shtml Summary: Sorceress. Lady. Mistress. Thief. Just call her an overachiever. To survive, Sham has spent most of her young life stealing from Southwood's nobility. Now, as the city's nobles fall prey to a killer, Sham is called on to help, and must use all of her magical wisdom to send the demon away. Maggie's Review:
This was the first book I ever read by Patricia Briggs and since then I've read everything she's written. It's difficult to be entirely impartial about an author I respect a lot, but I'm going to try to keep my review focused solely on this particular book. When Demons Walk was written at a time when high fantasy was primarily written for boys. The original cover had a mostly naked woman on it and sometimes I still have trouble believing I willingly picked up something so visually distasteful. I am so very glad I did anyway. (The cover of the recent reprint is much more appealing.) Sham is a young woman who has already experienced the worst life has to offer. When her home is invaded by foreigners and her parents murdered, she is forced to find a way to survive as a thief on the streets. Her mentor was tortured by the invaders, preventing him from being able to perform magic, and he is also eventually murdered. Yet, despite all of the sadness in her life, Sham is a very pragmatic person so she moves onward as best she can. I liked her character very much. I found her to be interesting and relatable, which was true for all the characters in the book. Sham is quickly pulled into solving the murders and moves into the castle where she starts working for the leader of the invaders. Someone is killing the nobles using a strange sort of magic. Since the invaders somehow refuse to believe that magic is real, Sham is forced to rely on her skills as a thief as well as a magician to find and stop the killer. I found the plot to be very interesting. The balance between Sham's magical powers versus people who refuse to see the evidence right in front of their faces made me laugh. The plot with the demon killing people was also well done. I have zero complaints about any of that. This book is a stand alone story set within the world of Sianim. It has aspects that remind a reader it's part of a larger plot, but When Demons Walk serves as a singular story. For the most part, Briggs appears to have forgotten to connect this book back to the series as a whole. The invaders are part of a force created in the previous books, yet its not well explained here. The system of magic Sham uses is one shared by the rest of the world, but it's only mentioned as an afterthought. I personally think that a sequel is needed in order to finish the few loose ends and to tie this portion of the series back to the world as a whole. I doubt that would ever happen, but I can still hope. Right? I also didn't feel that the romantic relationship was fleshed out properly. There's so many other issues occurring at the same time, from the murders and the demon, to the politics of a land governed by invaders that is trying to find a way to peace. The romance begins to feel like something added only because the author thought it was necessary rather than to enhance the book. Again, a sequel that gave the relationship more time to blossom would help, but as it is now, it feels too much like a case of Stockholm Syndrome for me to enjoy it properly. Maggie's Final Recommendation: I would recommend this book. It's a good read about magic and politics and how to be a good person even in the worst of situations. It is missing a strong connection to the series and the romance feels like an afterthought, but the excellent plot and characterizations make up for that. I have read the rest of the series and will be reviewing it soon. Rhapsody Trilogy Author: Elizabeth Haydon Title: Rhapsody, Prophecy, and Destiny Series: Symphony of Ages Genre: High Fantasy Pairing: M/F Length: Novel Rating: Four Petals On the Author's Website: Haydon does not have a website Summary of the first book in the trilogy, Rhapsody: Rhapsody is a woman, a Singer of some talent, who is swept up into events of world-shattering import. On the run from an old romantic interest who won't take no for an answer, Rhapsody literally bumps into a couple of shady characters: half-breeds who come to her rescue in the nick of time. Only the rescue turns into an abduction, and Rhapsody soon finds herself dragged along on an epic voyage, one that spans centuries and ranges across a wonder-filled fantasy world-- a world so real you can hear the sweet music of Rhapsody's aubade and smell the smoldering forges deep within the Cauldron. Maggie's Review:
There are a few things that I have to explain before I get into the actual review. First, I rounded up my rating from three and a half petals to four. The series is good, but it has its flaws, and according to my rating system that means it should only get three petals. Yet, I enjoy reading and rereading the trilogy so much I couldn't help wanting to give it a higher rating anyway. Also, I am only reviewing the Rhapsody Trilogy rather than the entire Symphony of Ages. The Trilogy has a contained plot that makes it a stand alone series in its own right. There is more about why I'm not reviewing the entire series below. On my my review! The best part of the Rhapsody Trilogy is the world Haydon has created. It's magical in nature with every aspect of it having been touched by special powers in its own way. For example, when the old world is destroyed, every person who crossed the meridian of the planet to find a new world was given some small measure of power. How their budding powers as they explore the new world effect their perceptions and actions is brilliantly crafted. Even the dragons, who are inherently magical in every way, are touched by new magic and watching their growth as people in the new world is remarkable. I also really enjoyed the characters. Each person in the book has a unique voice. How a person says things is just as important to the narrative as why, which is an effect few authors are ever able to master. Some characters are more likable than others, but Haydon makes this seem like part of the greater design of the book. One of the most unlikable characters, a bratty teenager named Jo, still made me smile on occasion and even cry once--although I won't say more so I don't spoil it. As I said before, this book does have its flaws. There is a lot of info-dumping. It's necessary in terms of teaching the new world to Rhapsody (and therefore the readers), who must learn everything about her new home very quickly. However, it causes a lot of drag. There are pages that I skip entirely when I reread the book just to avoid it. Another issue with the book is the romance. Haydon created a star crossed lovers romance, where attraction was instantaneous. The characters actually falling in love was never delved into, rather it was implied that love blossomed immediately upon their first meeting. Haydon also added a love triangle at every moment she could--most likely to add more drama to the series--but it quickly became tedious. The very worst part of the trilogy and the reason I will not read any further in the series, comes at the end. There's no denying that the end of the trilogy is as well crafted as the rest, but I got the feeling that Haydon dotted her last I and crossed her last T, and then realized that with the trilogy complete she had nothing else to write. It feels like she then went back into the ending and inserted a rushed scene in order to create an opening to write a fourth book. It's the only place in the entire trilogy where there's any indication that the story might continue and it ruins the flow and the completeness of the ending. Maggie's Final Recommendation: The Rhapsody Trilogy is definitely worth reading and I do recommend it. It is well written for the most part, but it does have flaws that cause it to drag at times. I particularly disliked the lone scene at the end of the series that Haydon inserted in order to force a book four, which is why I will not be continuing with the rest of The Symphony of Ages. Healing Hunter's Heart Author: Charlie Cochet Title: Healing Hunter's Heart Series: A Little Bite of Love 2 Genre: Paranormal Fantasy Pairing: M/M Length: Novella Rating: One Petal On the Author's Website: http://www.charliecochet.com/a-little-bite-of-love/ Summary: Months after being forced to leave his lover and mate Ari Jannsen behind, Hunter Devin settles into his role as Enforcer for the newly formed Deagan Clan under the rule of his new Alpha and best friend Tristan "Trip" Hagan. Along with Hunter’s brother Boone, their nephews, sister, and mother, Hunter finally has the family he’s always wanted, but without his little rebel Ari, his heart is incomplete. The Hagan Clan is unable to accept the Deagan Clan’s betrayal for walking away and taking the clan’s pups with them. War looms. As both clans plan their attack, a greater enemy plots against them. But Hunter is determined to get his Ari back. Bonds are put to the test and unexpected alliances are made as Hunter and his clan set out to protect their own and end the spreading heartache. Maggie's Review: To say that this book was disappointing is a great understatement. The first book in the series, An Intrepid Trip to Love, was fun, lighthearted, yet contained enough serious struggles that it didn't dissolve into fluff. Healing Hunter's Heart lacked everything that made the first book great. I should have realized something was wrong from the start. This ebook was severely overpriced. $6.99 for a novella is ridiculous and I finally bought the ebook only once it was on sale. It should only have been $3-4 given the length. The next disappointment was that it was so poorly written. I do have to question whether this book saw an editor at all. The prose was stilted, the flashbacks awkward, and the flow almost non-existent. The romantic relationship between the characters felt criminal, like an adult perving on a child, because it was never fully fleshed out. Ari felt like a high school student trying to escape from his mother's overbearing clutches the way any teenager might, while Hunter was the thirty year old man who couldn't let go of his own childhood and was taking Ari down with him. The struggle the two characters had to go through to finally be together felt fake and insincere. The mother was supposed to be a truly evil character, not a teenage drama creation, but the author failed in setting that up properly. All the wonderful potential left at the end of the first book was squandered in this one. In fact, I'm considering going back to the review of the first book and removing one petal from it; I scored it highly because of that potential and it never panned out. My only problem with the first book was that the wide world the author created was ignored. Only what the characters experienced in their own packs was allowed to flourish and it felt small and insular. This second book made that infinitely worse. Maggie's Recommendation:
Healing Hunter's Heart was a terrible disappointment. It's not worth the cost and doesn't fulfill the promise of greatness from the first book. I cannot recommend this book. |
Magnolia's Reviews
Maggie reviews paranormal and fantasy novels and novellas. She also interviews authors and hosts giveaways. Archives
April 2018
|