All posts by skyebjenner

Water Bound by Christine Feehan

Book Review, , , , , , ,

Overview

Water BoundTitle: Water Bound
Author: Christine Feehan
Series: Sisters of the Heart #1, Sea Haven #8
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: The Coast, Elements, Family, Magic, Paranormal romance
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Jove
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: She rubbed her itching palm down her thigh and then pressed her hand hard against her tummy.

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Synopsis

The last thing Lev Prakenskii remembered was being lost in the swirling currents of the ocean and getting sucked deeper into the nothingness of a freezing black eddy off the coastal town of Sea Haven. Just as quickly, just as miraculously, he was saved – pulled ashore by a beautiful stranger. But Lev has no memory of who he is – or why he seems to possess the violent instincts of a trained killer. All he knows is that he fears for his life, and for the life of his unexpected savior.

Her name is Rikki, a sea-urchin diver in Sea Haven. She has always felt an affinity for the ocean, and for the seductive pull of the tides. And now she feels drawn in the same way to the enigmatic man she rescued. But soon they will be bound by something even stronger, and their tantalizing secrets will engulf them both in a whirlpool of dizzying passion and inescapable danger.

Thoughts

This might have been one of my favourite paranormal romance books. Not because the romance was anything amazing. Not because the obstacle thrown in their way was momentously different from any of the other Feehan books (and other paranormal romance tales) that I have read. But, honestly, because the lead woman was autistic. I NEVER seem to find good books that deal with autistic people. Realistically delve into how differently the world is seen through autistic eyes, and, more than that, finding a way to make a great storyline and couple that doesn’t feature this aspect of the character, but has it there as part of who they are. Completely in love with this. There need to be more books out there about people who are not mainstream. About people being able to find love when they don’t fit into others’ ideals of the ‘norm’. I could honestly wax on and off about this all day…

Water Bound starts off a whole new sisterhood in the Sea Haven universe, and although the Drake Sisters are mentioned from the very beginning (it starts on the day of their wedding), they are not intimately involved in the storyline. Which I quite liked. Hidden Currents gave all of them a happy ending, and now it is time for a new batch of women to get theirs. The fact that I think these women are going to be a lot darker and more experienced with the horrors of the world actually makes me far more interested in this series than I thought. Rikki has a few horrors in her past, and although she manages to fall for a certified killer, he helps her to heal and move on.

Lev Prakenskii is the first of Ilya’s brothers to find his new home in Sea Haven, and although I felt like his story was mostly finished at the end of Water Bound, there are a few lingering doubts about their happily ever after that make me want to hurry up and read the rest of the story… so I suppose it’s time to crack the spine of Spirit Bound and find out what happens with the next brother to find his way to this amazingly picturesque town.

 <- Hidden Currents Review Spirit Bound Review ->
Image source: Christine Feehan

Hidden Currents by Christine Feehan

Book Review, , , , , ,

Overview

Hidden CurrentsTitle: Hidden Currents
Author: Christine Feehan
Series: Drake Sisters #7, Sea Haven #7
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: The Coast, Family, Magic, Paranormal romance
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Jove
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: We made it faster than we expected, and the girls are waiting.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

From afar, Sheriff Jackson Deveau has always loved Elle Drake, the youngest telepath of seven sisters. After a long time away, she’s finally returning to the small coastal village of Sea Haven. But someone has other plants for Elle, someone who doesn’t want her to make it back.

When Elle fails to arrive home, her disappearance strikes fear in the hearts of everyone who loves her. Now it’s left to Jackson to uncover the mystery of Elle’s vanishing and rescue her from an unseen danger. But Sea Haven is no longer safe for anyone, and it will take the powers of all the Drake sisters and their men to survive the oncoming storm.

Thoughts

I picked this book up because I had had a panic attack, and the first six books in this series really helped to settle me. After all, they are filled with romance, family, love and all sorts of nice things. And while Hidden Currents is certainly like that – it was also the worst possible book to read when I wasn’t in a great headspace… Elle is in some serious trouble within the first three chapters. Trouble that was so bad I almost threw up, wanted to throw the book across the room, and was just generally feeling shocked and shattered. Feehan is such a brilliant writer that it wasn’t difficult at all to imagine all of the bad things that were happening. It’s the first time I’ve ever wished someone wasn’t that good at writing to be honest.

But it’s okay.

It gets better from there. In the fourth chapter the bad things stop, and it becomes about the love story and the two leads again. You just have to get over that initial HOLY CRAP, WHAT IS HAPPENING feeling. Then it is completely amazing, like the rest of the Drake Sisters stories and it becomes incredibly easy to immerse yourself in. The fact that I wanted to see the bad guy get his comeuppance also meant that I didn’t stop reading this book, even carrying it around the house and kitchen while I was cooking tea (very interesting to do one handed if you’re curious).

Although there is another series (Sisters of the Heart) that continues the Sea Haven world, Hidden Currents beautifully completes the overarching tale of the Drake Sisters. It is primarily about Elle and Jackson, but it pulls in the rest of the seven couples beautifully, giving a great insight into the ways in which they have all lived their lives since the completion of their own stories. A fantastic (albeit a little distressing) ending to one of my favourite series…

 <- Turbulent Sea Review Water Bound Review ->
Image source: Christine Feehan

Eternal Strife by Dara England

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

The Mammoth Book of Irish RomanceTitle: Eternal Strife

Author: Dara England

In: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Trisha Telep)

Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)

My Bookshelves: Celtic, Fae, Family

Pace: Medium

Format: Short story

Publisher: Running Press

Year: 2010

5th sentence, 74th page: We would not have one fewer sweet blossom in this meadow than that we already have.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Siobhan wants to save her mother. And everytime she finds an ingredient for a potion, she is forced to make a deal for her life. What will happen when she has to cash in her favours?

Thoughts

This was a fun and easy little story. A girl is going across the countryside in an attempt to save her mother. Every time she finds part of the potion that she needs, she is also forced to make a deal that could put her in possible jeopardy. It’s kind of obvious what trouble she is about to get into throughout, but I couldn’t wait to see what would happen at the end of the tale.

I actually quite liked the end of this story. It wasn’t the outcome that I expected. And it took me by surprise. But it was sweet. And quaint. And just an easy, alternative ending to a small journey through the meadows that eventually saved a woman’s life.

 <- The Eternal Warrior Review Quicksilver Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Lifeblood by P.N. Elrod

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Lifeblood

Title: Lifeblood
Author: P.N. Elrod
Series: Vampire Files #2
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Gangsters, Paranormal fantasy, Vampire noir
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace fantasy
Year: 1990
5th sentence, 74th page: He opened the door and Maureen walk in.

Synopsis

Jack Fleming was an investigative journalist in Prohibition-era Chicago until he got shot by an unknown assassin, bitten by his vampire girlfriend, and became one of the undead. Now, this nice-guy nosferatu has a bunch of crazy vampire hunters on his trail armed with crosses, silver bullets, and sharp wooden stakes. He doesn’t know how they found out about him or why they are “out for his blood,” but it’s not a problem for this street-wise gumshoe, until someone starts shooting. Jack himself may be bulletproof, but his friends are not. And Jack is determined to get some answers, even if it kills him-again. It’s a case of the living versus the undead. But who’s hunting whom?

Thoughts

Elrod does it again. She takes this great world of the 1930’s with gangsters and mobsters and creates an amazingly fun and intriguing crime story. Which happens to feature a vampire. It isn’t overly heavy handed on the idea of vampirism and Fleming’s new life, but it does make it all about it in its own, unique way. Honestly, I loved this story from beginning to end. It romanticises a time that I’m sure wasn’t’ even remotely romantic, and makes me think of club singers and back door deals and a time before really good security systems (because, let’s face it, none of this storyline is plausible in our current day and age of technology).

Bloodlist explained Fleming’s death and helped him come to terms with his new vampirism. But there is the mystery of Maureen, the woman who turned him. And, although Lifeblood doesn’t answer all the mysteries related to this past love, it does help to explain her disappearance. And honestly, it was a cause and creation which I really wasn’t expecting. And definitely enjoyed.

So far, the Vampire Files stories aren’t insanely fast paced. I tend to pick them up and put them down again. It is really only in the last quarter that it becomes very difficult to put the tales down. This is because of the way in which Elrod uses the majority of the storyline to set up the big finale. It’s a well-paced, fun book and one I can justify picking up when I have a lot of other, more responsible things to do…

<- BloodlistBloodcircle ->

Image source: Goodreads

Impressions

Blog,

I must be fair and start this (for those few who actually read what I write, if there is anyone)… by saying that this does involve a bit of discussion about rape.

Yesterday I was at a wake for a family friend with my parents. And as is usual at these things, we saw some people that we haven’t seen for a while and decided to catch up a bit. As the conversation meandered from topic to topic, we started talking about a friend of a friend who was in jail.

This man is in jail for murder. But the man who was telling us about this said he didn’t do it. (Insert slightly sarcastic comment from my Mum here). Then he tells us why. And it was this that I found interesting…

Apparently this man had a female relative who was raped. And as soon as we were told this the three of us (my mum, dad and I) literally went aaaaahh… somehow that very fact made something previously completely heinous a little more understandable.

What really bothered me in hindsight though was the fact that there was an immediate assumption that a young woman was raped and one of two things had happened. 1. She was too afraid / uncomfortable whichever to report it. Or 2. She reported it and the man wasn’t convicted. Basically… there was an assumption that he probably wasn’t punished for his crimes (until said friend of a friend apparently got involved, but that’s really not what I’m talking about here).

In light of everything in the media at the moment it’s such a difficult and horrible subject to discuss. But it’s one we should talk about. Especially when as soon as you hear of a rape victim you say ah… now I understand why a man is supposedly in jail for the rest of his life.

As I said, I don’t actually k ow the particulars, it could be that this man doesn’t even exist, but the response of my family and I to hearing that a young girl was raped has definitely left me feeling incredibly uncomfortable. Definitely something we as a society desperately need to improve on.

Fixing Hanover by Jeff VanderMeer

Book Review, , ,

Overview

The Mammoth Book of SteampunkTitle: Fixing Hanover
Author: Jeff VanderMeer
In: The Mammoth Book of Steampunk (Sean Wallace)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Steampunk
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: By the time I reached the Emperor, received his blessing and his sword, I had nothing to say; he found me more mute than any captive, his instrument once more.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

The chief engineer of the Empire is hiding out in a sleepy coastal village. What will happen when they finally find him?

Thoughts

I’m kind of confused by this short story. Which, honestly, often happens when I read steampunk stories. There are so many layers to the worlds that are created in such a few words, and it becomes both an amazing world to dive into, and one which is almost impossible to actually understand. The fact that the narrators voice straddled two worlds (the Empire and the sleepy beach town) helped to add to this amazingly intricate and intriguing complexity.

The duality of the narrators’ past and present is further reflected (and enjoyed) in his description of Lady Salt and Rebecca. There is an acknowledgement that there are multi-faceted insights into a person’s persona. One that changes according to the role that they must play. The way that he interchanges her names highlights the different personalities which the alluring woman plays. Yet, it is her very last words that I really enjoyed and made this story so appealing. But, you’ll have to read it to find out what they were.

 <- Steampunk: Looking to the Future Through the Lens of the Past Review The Steamdancer (1896) Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Bloodlist by P.N. Elrod

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Bloodlist

Title: Bloodlist
Author: P.N. Elrod
Series: Vampire Files #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Gangsters, Paranormal fantasy, Vampire noir
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Year: 1990
5th sentence, 74th page: Escott was standing on the fender of the Nash, craning to get a better view of things.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

I’ve always had a weak spot for strange ladies. One very beautiful girl had even warned me that she was get this a vampire. But did I listen? No. Before you know it, I m being chased by an ugly thug with a gun, and a bullet blasts its way through my back, and believe it or not nothing happened. I survived! How? You guessed it. I, Jack Fleming, ace reporter, have been transformed into a vampire. Which has its advantages. You never die, you never grow old, you sleep all day…and best of all, you can hunt down your own murderer. This is the first book in the exciting vampire adventure series, The Vampire Files.

Thoughts

I am mildly obsessed with this story. It was a beautiful tale of the noir persuasion, set in Chicago in the 1930s. It was fiddled with mobsters and gangsters. Beautiful club singers and tough private detectives. And, also, a vampire. It worked just beautifully.

Jack Fleming is one of my favourite characters – he strikes me as gangly and a little odd. Somebody that doesn’t quite fit in, but still has found his own way in the world. Yet, for all of this, he is incredibly fun and not self-conscious at all. He just has this fun, gumptious way of living, that, even though he is undead, carries throughout the tale. His characterisation provides a great, fun counterpoint to the rest of the tale which is quite dark and convoluted.

I haven’t read many books that feature the 1930s. Or Chicago gangsters for that matter. So this was a fun, new world to step into. And there is something about this genre, this time in history, this style, that makes the story kind of fun and nostalgic. It almost makes you think of a “simpler time” as jack battles to unravel the mysteries of his own death.

Unlike most vampire tales, this one left me with some amazing dreams – dreams of the 1930s and prohibition and the romanticism of crime. Alright, this might not have all been realistically within the same time period, but in my brain they work seamlessly and now I can’t wait to see how the next of Jack’s adventures goes.

<- Dark LadyLifeblood ->

Image source: Urban Fantasy Wiki

Ode to Edvard Munch by Caitlin R. Kiernan

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance

Title: Ode to Edvard Munch
Author: Caitlin R. Kiernan
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance (Trisha Telep) & By Blood We Live (John Joseph Adams)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Vampires
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: But if she is Indian, the girl on Cherry Hill, she has no trace of an accent when she talks to me about the fountain or her favourite paintings in the Met or the exhibits she likes best at the Museum of Natural History.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

A lyrical waxing and waning of a man’s relationship with his vampire and the dreams that she brings with her.

Thoughts

I loved the lyricism in this short story. It gave the tale a sense of the old classics, written in the times when you didn’t just use one word to describe “tired” but an entire paragraph. And there was the same sense of multi-layered meanings. The idea that if I read this a hundred more times, I would find something else hidden amongst the intense symbolism.

Whilst the storyline is convoluted and dark, I love the symbolism and the descriptive language used throughout this story. It made every moment of convoluted story telling so much more vivid and intense. Something that makes me want to find more of Kiernan’s tales.

 <- Fade to Black ReviewFangs for Hire Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

The Elephant WhispererTitle: The Elephant Whisperer
Author: Lawrence Anthony
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Conservation, Inspiration, Non-fiction
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Pan Books
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: If he was shaking, it was with anger – not an overdose of electrons.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of ‘rogue’ wild elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd’s last chance of survival – dangerous and unpredictable, they would be killed if Anthony wouldn’t take them in.

As Anthony risked his life to create a bond with the troubled elephants and persuade them to stay on his reserve, he came to realise what a special family they were, from the wise matriarch nana, who guided the herd, to her warrior sister Frankie, always ready to see off any threat, and their children who fought so hard to survive.

With unforgettable characters and exotic wildlife, this is an enthralling look that will appeal to animal lovers and adventurous souls everywhere.

Thoughts

No matter how many times I read this book, I will still be in awe. Inspired. And wishing that I could return to South Africa. I actually originally bought this (and read it) on the way back to Australia from Johannesburg. And it was glorious. Impossible to put down, and one of the most inspiring conservation stories that I have ever read. Reading it the second time, well, my response really hasn’t changed in the slightest…

Lawrence Anthony is both an engaging storyteller and passionate conservationist. His maverick approach to problem solving and incredible gumption mean that you are on the edge of your seat the entire time you read of his exploits. And the fact that his life and exploits feature an amazing herd of elephants, and some incredibly picturesque scenery. After all, Africa has some of the most iconic animals in the world, and it is impossible not to imagine yourself going on game rides right alongside Anthony and his staff.

I love no-hold way in which this story is told. There is no sugar coating the difficulties of life in the bush and the horrors which it can entail. Nature takes its course, and rather than trying to redirect the ebbs and flows of life, Anthony partakes in all of its mystery. It reminds me why I love being out in the bush and just enjoying what our countryside has to offer, even if my countryside has far smaller animals than his…

 <- Babylon’s Ark Review The Last Rhinos Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Eat Pray Love

Title: Eat Pray Love
Author: Elizabeth Gilbert
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Inspiration, Memoirs
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: But Luca and his friends didn’t go out to a bar to cheer themselves up.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

Elizabeth is in her thirties, settled in a large house with a husband who wants to start a family. But she doesn’t want any of it. A bitter divorce and a rebound fling later, Elizabeth emerges battered yet determined to find what she’s been missing.

So begins her quest. In Rome, she indulges herself and gains nearly two stone. In India, she finds enlightenment through scrubbing temple floors. Finally, in Bali, a toothless medicine man reveals a new path to peace, leaving her ready to love again.

Thoughts

I’ve seen the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I thought that maybe the book would be mildly interesting since the movie was something I very much enjoyed. Especially since it’s supposed to be a great book about discovering yourself and finding your path in life. And, honestly, it was. The part that really shocked me though was the fact that it was so amazingly well and engagingly written.

Gilbert’s voice is one of those that you can see lingering throughout the next few generations. She discusses issues and realities that face every woman at some point in their lives. And she does so in a starkly honest manner. I love that in a world where we are constantly bombarded with the idea of women wanting to have children, and be the perfect housewives, this is a woman who wants to travel and has no interest in having children. And it’s a great reminder that it is COMPLETELY okay to feel this way. And it’s okay to go on a massive adventure to find yourself.

I loved how this novel was broken up – 109 small stories that all worked together but could also be read as somewhat separate tales. It made it very difficult to put down, but also gave great pausing moments when I actually had to be a responsible adult. It was so incredibly nice to have a small moment in which to disappear to Italy, India or Indonesia. A great moment in which to forget all about lives problems and travel on the wings of a woman who has truly experienced life at its fullest. And now I have to wait for the next few books I’ve order to arrive on my shelf…

 <- Committed ReviewEat Pray Love Made Me Do It Review ->
Image source: Book Cover Archive