REVIEW: The Spymaster's Lady

Source: Bought

Annique Villiers, a French spy known as the Fox Cub, is trapped in a prison. And not just with any other prisoners, but with two premier English spies: Robert Grey, one of the leaders of England's spy network, and a high-ranking spy called the Hawker. Still, they all want out and make a temporary alliance to help each other. Grey wants nothing more than to capture the Fox Cub and bring her back to London for questioning about the much-desired Albion Plans (Napoleon's plans for invading England). Taking advantage of a moment of weakness, Annique is bribed with water and captured by Grey and his henchmen. On the road to England, though, Annique becomes aware of a budding attraction to Grey, complicating matters considerably. Locked in a battle of wits, Grey and Annique get closer to each other.

OK, here's the thing…I really thought I'd like this book, and it didn't work for me. Which was super disappointing. I mean, there's a positive blurb on the cover from Diana Gabaldon (who is one of my favorite authors). So I was totally bummed. Here's what I did like. The plotting itself was very, very well done. The only reason that the ending dragged for me was due to my dislike of some of the characters (more on that later). Starting from the beginning, there was plenty of action, including an absolutely awesome scene where Leblanc, a French spy trying to get to Annique before the English can question her, open fires at the English spy headquarters. There's romance, fighting, politics, and they're all well-balanced throughout.

The romance itself between Grey and Annique developed well, and I liked that they were engaged in a battle of wit and skills that began to turn into a romance. Their attraction didn't seem forced, and it was not a love-at-first-sight kind of thing (which can work, but can also be a dull plot device). Instead, it's based on their appreciation for each others' intellect and skills as much as physical attraction.

Unfortunately, I need to like the main characters (especially in a romance), and I just didn't like Annique. At first, I did like her skill and smarts, and she's certainly one of the most independent romantic heroines I've seen. But, jeeez, this woman talked none stop. Every time she was explaining something or responding to something, she just went on and on. It got to the point where I couldn't even figure out her point, there was so much crap in there. I think it was a sort of cover; if she's chattering away, no one knows her mind is busy calculating. It sounds good in theory, but I just couldn't see Annique being able to do it. I definitely think she's one smart gal, but there were moments when she makes incredibly stupid mistakes (like falling for Grey's initial trap). True, Grey makes mistakes, too, but they seemed more like a way to make them seem more equal. I don't know, she just seemed a little less resourceful and clever than others made her out to be. But even that wouldn't have bugged me, if she hadn't chattered constantly. Plus, Ms. Bourne makes the effort to have the dialogue sound French (apparently she lived in France, so I assume it's pretty authentic), which is fine, but it became tedious because she talked way too much.

I did, however, like the English, especially Adrian and Doyle. I liked how easily they interacted with each other and with Annique, and my favorite part of the novel is when they're on the road to England. There's a lot of joking around, despite the seriousness of them trying to escape, and it was a lot of fun to read. They made up an interesting team, and the parts where they got to work (like when they posed as Germans on holiday) was really cool to read. This is where I could see how competent Annique was; for some reason, she just seemed to fade as a cool, competent woman and turned into a compulsive chatterer. It was an odd development, and her character didn't seem consistent to me. The last part of the novel is based on Annique coming to terms with who she is (which, by the way, was a so-so plot twist to me…I was expecting something grander, the way they went on about it), so the ending focusing on her and less on the entire cast made the ending drag for me. I just wanted it to end so she's stop talking.

Overall, the story is well-plotted, the writing is excellent throughout, and most of the characters were interesting. I just couldn't stand Annique, which just ruined the entire experience of reading the book. I do plan to read the next book, to see if some different characters change my experience of reading Ms. Bourne's books. I do really like her writing. I'm still bummed that this one didn't work for me. Still, definitely give this book a try; Annique is a cool character, and the story is excellent. Plus, you might really like her.

Grade: 3/5-only because I wanted to smack Annique on a number of occasions

REVIEW: Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Source: Bought

Lisabeth Lewis was interrupted during her suicide attempt by none other than Death himself, who informed her that she was now Famine, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. She thinks it's just a dream until she wakes up to find a horse that no one else can see eating her mother's shrubs, and a set of ornate scales that vanish and appear at random. As Lisa struggles with her new office, she also struggles to maintain the appearance of normalcy, for she's not just a Horseman, she's also anorexic.

When I first heard about this book, I was so excited, because I thought the premise was really cool, but I wasn't really sure about how the anorexia would be treated. Nothing drives me more crazy than inaccurate depictions of serious psychiatric conditions, particularly in movies (seriously, guys, the DSM isn't a tough read, it really isn't), but I was pleasantly surprised. I don't have any personal experience with anyone with this disorder, but many of the really scary changes (missed periods, hair loss, fatigue, feeling cold constantly) were described vividly. Through it all, Lisa can only focus on the fact that she could do more (the "Thin voice", as she calls it, eggs her on). Not only that, but the way her disorder completely highjacked her life was also clear, since she had stopped speaking to her former best friend and was fighting almost constantly with her boyfriend. I got the sense that the author really did her research, since both the facts and the emotional impact of anorexia were presented accurately.

SLIGHTLY SPOILY PARAGRAPH FOLLOWING:

Onto the story itself-even though it's a really short book (174 pages), there was a really well-told story in there. I didn't feel like any single scene was just glossed over. I would have liked a little more info about the Horsemen, and who everyone was, but maybe it's something that will develop as the series continues. The plot unfolded nicely, and the final scene was just awesome. The way that Lisa's struggle with anorexia mirrors her struggle with War (let's just say they get off to a rocky start) was really nicely done; plus, that final scene was a cure-all, everything's better type of ending, either, which was great! Lisa had to do the real work of getting better herself. Again, that's the author's respect of how complicated the disorder is.

I liked everything about this book. Lisa was a great character, really tough and smart, and the writing was lovely. It's a pretty tiny book, but I felt pretty satisfied when I finished it. I really can't wait for the next book, Rage, which is due April 4, I think. It's about a girl who self-injures. I know the author had personal experience with eating disorders, which probably helped her get the thinking behind Lisa's actions, but I'm pretty confident she'll do her research to get the mindset behind self-injury right. Plus, part of the proceeds of both of these books go to the National Eating Disorders Association, which is pretty cool.

Grade-4/5

REVIEW: Initiate by Tara Maya

Source: Free review copy from author

http://www.librarything.com/work/10924931

Dindi wants nothing more than to be chosen by the Tavaedies, the society of dancers, but she can't even manage to stop dancing with faeries long enough to complete her chores. Still, she hasn't had her Initiation yet, and she won't give up hope. In another part of the world, Kavio has been exiled for performing a taboo dance and must now find his own way in the world. Both are outcasts in some way.

Now, this book is a perfect example of why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The cover I see on the Kindle app seems really, well, Disney princess. My initial glance through the first chapter seemed like this would be a cheery fairy story, but I was curious. Although there are certainly some nice moments, there is a much darker undertone, because the world in which Dindi and Kavio live is fraught with civil wars, clan disputes, and other evils that plague society. Even the Initiation, to which Dindi looks forward to, has a darker element to it, since not everyone lives through it. It seemed to me that the book started out quite innocent in tone, but became darker and darker until the climax-I thought this was a great backdrop for a coming-of-age story. As Dindi and Kavio leave the world they knew, they really see that the world is a much less friendly place.

There were actually some really, really dark elements, which I was not expecting (seriously, not matching the cover at all). When Kavio first runs into some other exiles, they have captured an old man, and proceed to cut of hunks of his flesh, roast, and eat it. Goodness. Then there were the Deathsworn, who collect the sick and condemned to kill them for society. Even all the faeries aren't good-the Blue faeries in the water wait to drag humans to their deaths. All these elements grounded the world and made it seem much more real. I wasn't expecting to enter a world where clans were at war, clans willing to capture children to make into slaves. Definitely not a happy-go-lucky world. But this means that characters are going to be facing real conflict, and conflict is what drives the story.

Speaking of plot, I felt that the pace of the story was pretty well-paced. It's a tad confusing until about halfway through, because the novel is divided into sections within chapters that focus on specific characters, and it's somewhat tricky seeing how they'll all come together, but it came together smoothly. I felt like this element worked, especially because the story is still told in third person, so a unique voice wasn't necessary for each person. Basically, the narrator was able to keep the same way of talking, but each character felt unique in personality/actions, i.e. the uniqueness of each character felt natural, not forced, and switching between characters' first person narratives would have been very exhausting to follow. It was well-balanced.

I will say, though, that I have mixed feelings about the ending. I won't say what it is, just that it can be seen as a cliffhanger (I think it is). Technically, the plot of the novel is resolved, but in such a way that it's clear that not everything has been taken care of. Yes, it's a series, so of course there has to be more story to move on to in the next book, but I really like it when a book feels complete by itself, without leaving issues for the next book. I think I want to see how the story continues before I make a final opinion about the ending, because it might work nicely in context of the next book. Having said that, if you're the kind of person who can't stand unresolved issues and what to know everything that happens, you might want to wait until you have the next book before reading this one, or you might feel frustrated. I did, because I felt that the scene stopped halfway through, and that was the end; it was too quick for my taste.

As for the characters, I liked Dindi and Kavio. What's pretty cool is that romance wasn't a huge element in this book (not that it's bad, but every YA novel doesn't need overly passionate romance). I assumed, once Kavio was introduced, that they'd end up together. Of course, romance in later books would work, but this book actually stayed focused on Dindi's experiences leading up to her Initiation, and Kavio dealing with exile and helping avert a massacre. These are Very Big Events, and forcing a full-fledged romance into all that action wouldn't have worked. Both characters are figuring out where they belong, and I liked that that was the focus throughout. I really liked Dindi, because she had trouble fitting in but wasn't self-pitying or whiny, and she was unique. I keep seeing the same female leads over and over: pretty and stupid, ass-kicking and unappealing to men, awkward yet pretty. Dindi's independent, a very skilled dancer, but socially awkward and aware of her flaws. She accepts them, and doesn't whine about them. Kavio had plenty to complain about, but he was very much about moving on, and I liked that he had a strong moral compass that both led him to help others, but also got him into trouble. The characters were much more complex and interesting than I was expecting, which was really great.

Finally, the writing in this book was excellent. Another, rather unfortunate, trend in YA fiction is an overabundance of lackluster, even completely sloppy, writing. I feel like part of the writing process is chewing over words and phrases, then editing over and over to make sure that all the elements are working. I don't appreciate reading a novel where it seems like the author couldn't be bothered to do this, and I am always delighted to read a sentence that creates a vivid description or emotion. Take this:

            "Their voices hummed hypnotically, enticing her forward step by step. The lullaby lure of the faery ring shimmered all around her, a mixture of light and song. The fae clasped hands together, closing the circle about her. A chain of pixies undulated in the air, the sprites linked up, and then, in the last gap in the circle, a heron-winged kinnara soared toward the dancers to close the circle. 'Come dance with us, Dindi. Come dance with us forever…'".

            That's a lovely paragraph, and the writing stayed consistent throughout the entire. That, plus characters with depth and a plot driven by very tangible conflict, created a wonderful story.

Grade: 4/5-very enjoyable, but I'm still a little bummed by the ending

REVIEW: Elfland by Freda Warrington

Source: Bought

This is the second installment in the Women in Fantasy Challenge, and another absolutely fantastic one, at that. In this world, Aetherials live alongside humans, although the Gates to the Otherworld are usually open so that the Vaethyr (Aetherial living on earth) can get back to their roots and reconnect with their true selves. However, the Gatekeeper, Lawrence Wilder, who controls when the Gates are to be open, has shut them and kept them shut, telling everyone that it's for their own good.

With this background, we are introduced to two very different families: the highly dysfunctional, dark family of Lawrence Wilder and his sons, Sam and Jon, and the tightly-knit, loving family, the Foxes. I don't want to go into all of the plot details: there's love, adventure, a fantastically beautiful world to discover-basically, everything I love in a good story! The characters and their relationships drive the story, which I always like in a story (as opposed to Lord of the Rings, which is plot-driven, with characters I don't relate to, which I found terribly dull at times).

Some of the tragedies that happen along the way were a little too extreme and created some soap opera drama, but I also felt like they worked in the story. It is a different world, after all, and the tragedies were necessary for the plot to move along as needed. One tragedy in particular (don't want to spoil it, but, trust me, you'll know it when you get there) was disconcerting, but it was rather necessary to allow the romance between Rosie and Sam, and it involved a character's image to shift.

Having said that, on to the characters, since I don't want to vaguely ramble about the plot in an effort to not spoil the story: the story is told by all the characters, switching the focus from character to character multiple times in a single chapter. This never bothered me, because it followed the action well (as in, a fast-paced scene wasn't interrupted by some unrelated conversation happening miles away, although it sometimes took a while to see how everything linked together). There were a few cliff-hanger moments, which was frustrating at times when the action was really picking up, but it was never halted for too long, and the aside was necessary to the plot of the other scene. I can't remember grinding my teeth as the perspective shifted to another character.

The most interesting characters were the ones whose roles weren't well-defined at the beginning. First, there's Sam Wilder, who goes from complete psycho to Rosie's secret love, and there's Sapphire Wilder, the wicked stepmother, who might be evil, but whose actions might also be justified in another light. Even the characters who are traditionally "good", like Rosie Fox's almost perfect parents, Auberon and Jessica, don't remain static and have secrets of their own. This made the story much more interesting (and the plotting was already wonderful, as it was); it added another layer of richness to the story.

The main element that I loved was the romance between Sam and Rosie. Now, yes, it does create utter chaos and ruins Rosie's marriage, which she never should have consented to. If you aren't a big fan of romance, and lots of drama centered around a love triangle bugs you to no end, this book won't work so well for you. But this was another interesting element-the love triangle that seems to be really common (especially in YA books) was there, but it wasn't like the Twilight love triangle, with teens gazing longingly after each other. These characters are in their early 20s, so the complications they faced were so much different. Marriage and duties to the family created complications that seemed much more realistic than characters with infinite time to weep and wail over their love lives. There is some element of that to the story, of course, but the tragedy was real, as a marriage fell apart and another relationship got off to a rocky start. The romance was wonderful, but there was also a realism to it, too, that helped ground it.

Then, there was the wonderful Otherworld that Sam and Rosie are forced to travel through. It was so beautiful, and I could so easily visualize it, since Ms. Warrington creates vivid descriptions. The world was very cool. Now, here is where I admit that I have never actually read a book focused on faeries (not sure how it's been so long since I finally read one, but, there it is). This world might not be completely original, I wouldn't know. It is completely new to me, and I found it just wonderful. The adventure, which really didn't pick up until the very end, with a very fast-paced climax, made the pacing a tad odd, since it was romance, romance, then, boom, crisis. In fact, I wasn't 100% sure that all the plotlines would be resolved, until it became clear in the last 50 pages that they were. The ending was very satisfying, which cemented my enjoyment of the book.

Here's an aside concerning the reaction other readers from this challenge have discussed. I can completely understand why this book might not work for everyone (see the review from Jawas Read, Too!, and the great discussion below it). I was perfectly happy for there to be a romance at the center of the story, and fantasy/magic elements just serving as a backdrop, but I also read a lot of romance. I was very content, because I had interesting, likeable characters, wonderful prose, and a fantastic world, plus a very, very satisfying ending. Although there were a few elements I didn't like as much (I'll admit, the soap opera drama did get a little tiresome), the main things I look for in a good romance were there. I think it also helps that I don't read enough fantasy to expect a certain amount of elements beyond the romance story, though; I think my background possibly helped me enjoy it more than a really avid fantasy reader might (but if you read lots of fantasy and like the romance element, that's cool, too!). I'm working off the comments left-it seemed like some people were bothered that the romance took over the story, and the world of the faeries was less important, for the most part. This makes sense, and I do agree that seeing more of the Otherworld would have been very cool. Still, I'm always happy with a good romance!

Grade: 5/5-absolutely wonderful, I loved every second of it! I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel!

Next up: The Initiate, which I'm half-way through! Again, so sorry for the delay!