Tag Archives: Mythology

White Tiger by Kylie Chan

Overview
White Tiger

Title: White Tiger
Author: Kylie Chan
Series: Dark Heavens #1, Dark Heavens Trilogy #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Australian authorsDemonsMythology
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Voyager
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘Understood, sir,’ Leo said.

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Synopsis

ACTION, INTRIGUE, DEMONS AND DRAGONS.

Kylie Chan creates a fast and furious story balanced between the celestial and the mortal, the powerful and the innocent…

Emma Donahoe has just started her new job as nanny to Simone, the daughter of John Chen, a very rich Hong Kong businessman. She understands that Simone may be a target for kidnappers but she does not expect to be drawn into a world of martial arts, magic and extreme danger, where both gods and demons can exist in the mortal domain.

When John and his American bodyguard, Leo, teach Emma their particular style of martial arts, they begin to realise that Emma herself is more than she seems…

Thoughts

This was one of the books Mum bought me years ago, back when she still bought me books because I didn’t have the serious bibiliophilic problem that I have today. And I remember giving it to my sister to read when she was younger. It’s the reason that she too has started to create her own library – there’s just something about this fast-paced, fun and intriguing book that has drawn both of us in from the very first page.

Admittedly, I went to reread this book a year ago, and at the time it just really didn’t fit my current mood. I just didn’t want to read a book that featured a woman who is willing to do anything and give up anything for love. However, now I’m in the right mood again. And it was just as amazing as I remember. And just as difficult to put down. And just, really, in general, lots of fun and fantastic. Now that I’m older, I do find Emma’s commitment a little bit more difficult to understand, because I’m not blinded by the idea of true love and the romance of sacrificing everything for somebody else. I still believe in it, I still believe in Emma’s brand of love to be honest, but I don’t think it is as amazing and sweet a choice as I used to. Now I understand just what sacrifice she is making. And this is just the first book!

I’ve already mentioned a bit about how Emma sacrifices a lot to be with the Chen household, but she is also an incredibly strong and great heroine. The story is all completely written from her point of view, and I love the tone and insight that this lends to the tale. You discover the secrets as she does. And the fact that she is Australian lends an extra level of familiarity to me… there are moments of colloquial and cultural understanding that already belong to me, and it makes me feel like I too could travel to Hong Kong, find a rich businessman and fall into a world that is not my own… or not. I could just stay on my comfortable, Australian couch…

 <- Small Shen ReviewRed Phoenix Review ->
Image source: Booktopia

Small Shen by Kylie Chan & Queenie Chan

Overview

Small ShenTitle: Small Shen
Author: Kylie Chan & Queenie Chan
Series: Dark Heavens #0.5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, DemonsGraphic novels, Mythology
Pace: Medium
Format: Graphic novel, Novel
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: How long before the spirit could be restored and you would become more than an animal again?

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Synopsis

In the tradition of the bestselling White Tiger series, Small Shen follows the adventures of cheeky troublemaker Gold who seduces a dragon princess, fights demons and causes headaches for the gods of Chinese mythology. When Gold is ordered to join the household of John Chen, the Dark Lord of the Northern Heavens, he discovers he will do anything to save John and his family from danger…

Small Shen is a stunning combination of Kylie Chan’s action-packed storytelling and Queenie Chan’s illustrations and manga comics.

Thoughts

I love the combination of mediums in this novel. Flicking between prose and images makes this journey really fun and different. Especially when you place it within the context of the Dark Heavens series. Following Gold through the years and his ability to get into all kinds of trouble is entertaining to say the least. The fact that his numerous mistakes are accompanied by actual facial expressions, well, it’s priceless.

As well as the mixed medium, the storyline jumps between time periods. When it is telling the more modern-day story of Michelle and John, there is only prose. The characters that I have grown to love throughout the series are still only witnessed in my mind’s eye. Which I like, nothing destroys a series I have long loved more than being shown another’s image of what the character looks like… only to find out that someone else’s idea is completely different to my own. Yet, when the past is visited and the Gods are seen, there is some vivid and thoroughly enjoyable pictures which can accompany this. Not only do I like the fact that Leo, Emma and Simone aren’t really witnessed throughout this tale, but using pictures to tell a lot of one storyline and not another help to further distinguish between the two timelines and reduce the confusion.

I can remember reading White Tiger years and years ago. And I did kind of wonder just what Gold and Jade had done to be forced into servitude. I also wondered at what kind of woman Michelle was and how the relationship with her was so different to that of Emma’s relationship. This small prequel helps to answer a lot of the questions that I had when I started this series. It’s enjoyable to read this before or after reading the Dark Heavens trilogy. Or really at any point within the great Dark Heavens series.

 <- Black Scales, White Fur Review White Tiger Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Dangerously Fierce by Deborah Blake

Overview

Dangerously FierceTitle: Dangerously Fierce
Author: Deborah Blake
Series: Broken Riders #3, Baba Yaga World #6
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: FaeMythology, Paranormal romance
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Deborah Blake
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: She’d bang her head against the bar a couple of times, but with her luck, she’d just crack that too.

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Synopsis

The Riders… three legendary brothers who kept the Baba Yagas safe. The Riders’ immortality was stripped away, along with their mission. But they are still much more than Human, and their story is far from over…

His brothers may have found new paths to follow, but Alexei Knight isn’t even looking. If he can’t have the life he was meant to lead, there is no second choice. So he is bent on drinking and brawling his way across the country until he winds up on Cape Cod in a bar called The Hook and Anchor, where he finds challenges he was never expecting, a feisty red-haired bartender, and maybe a lot more than that…

Bethany McKenna left behind an almost-completed law degree to return home and care for her cranky disabled father and run his bar for him. If that wasn’t enough, she also agreed to foster a very pregnant Great Dane. She has enough to deal with without adding in a giant bearded brawler, no matter how appealing he is. Yet somehow he ends up living in the guest-house, taking care of her father, and sneaking his way into her heart…

Alexei and Bethany both think the lives they wanted have come to an end, but after dealing with a mysterious sea monster, pirates, dragons, and some adorable puppies, they might just discover that love is the greatest adventure of all…

Thoughts

I’m really glad that Blake decided to self-publish this book. As soon as I received it I was kind of frustrated, the book was so much bigger than the rest of the books in the Broken Riders series. And then I read the forward – the publishers decided not to go ahead with Alexei’s story, so Blake did instead. And, I for one, am very, very, very glad. I would have been constantly wondering what happened to the third brother and how he found his happy ending.

There is a bit of a difference in reading a self-published book and one that is produced by a publishing house. And it’s fairly obvious when reading Dangerously Fierce. But other than a few slight issues in the grammar or spelling, this story is just as amazing as the rest of Blake’s stories. The romance is sweet and endearing, the characters vivid and all strong in their own way, and the sense of pain in Alexei is heart-rendingly real.

My favourite thing about this story was the fact that it was set in a bar on the coast. The nautical feeling (including the presence of pirates) fed perfectly upon the idea of a small bar run by a busty red head. I’m not sure why red heads always seem to be feisty and busty, but it works perfectly in this tale. Especially when she gets out her baseball bat and threatens a bar full of large lads. From the very beginning, this had such a great vibe and a great feel to the setting. It might actually be my favourite Baba Yaga world location – there is just something about a bar on the sea.

 <- Dangerously Divine Review Dangerously Driven Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

The Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan

Overview

The Demigod DiariesTitle: The Demigod Diaries
Author: Rick Riordan
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians Companion
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Mythology, Urban Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Penguin
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: What happened exactly one month ago?

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Synopsis

IN THIS ACTION-PACKED SHORT-STORY COLLECTION, RUNAWAY DEMIGODS LUKE AND THALIA FACE UNTOLD DANGERS ON THEIR WAY TO CAMP HALF-BLOOD.

Percy Jackson and Annabeth must rescue stolen goods from a fire-breathing giant who doesn’t take kindly to intruders.

And Leo, Piper and Jason have to dodge a band of party-loving maenads and stave off an explosion – in one hour or less…

Discover these three never-before-seen short stories starring the Heroes of Olympus and Percy Jackson – PLUS interviews, puzzles and much more.

Thoughts

This was a fun little collection of short stories in the Percy Jackson universe. The three stories help to build on the adventures throughout both series, and the smatterings of interviews and games in between are kind of fun. Honestly, I kind of wish that I had discovered this when I was a bit younger… it would have been incredibly enjoyable!

The typical modern day spin on Greek and Roman myths that I have come to expect from Riordan is littered throughout these stories. But, that doesn’t mean that there is any form of predictableness in the storylines. After all, it’s a modern take, and there is constantly something unforeseeable and unexpected happening. Personally, I loved the short story about Percy and Annabeth best. Not just because it was typically surprising (if that is even a thing), but also because it features my favourite couple throughout the series.

I think the thing that I loved the most about this book was that it was just fun and easy. The Percy Jackson series and Heroes of Olympus series are both high stakes. Filled with destiny, journeys and epic danger. These stories are just easier, but with the same fun and humour that is threaded through all of Riordan’s work.

<- The Demigod Files Review The Demigods of Olympus Review ->
Image source: Amazon UK

Percy Jackson and the Greek Heroes by Rick Riordan

Overview

The Greek HeroesTitle: Percy Jackson and the Greek Heroes
Author: Rick Riordan
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians Companion
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Mythology, Urban Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Puffin Books
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘Yes,’ the eldest sister agreed, thinking, A much older, smellier husband.

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Synopsis

IF YOU LIKE MUTILATIONS, MURDERS AND FLESH-EATING FARMYARD ANIMALS, KEEP READING…

My name is Percy Jackson. I’m a modern-day demigod – the son of Poseidon. I’ve had some bad experiences in my time, but the heroes I’m going to tell you about were the original old-school hard-luck cases.

So get your flaming spear. Put on your lion-skin cape. Polish your shield and make sure you’ve got arrows in your quiver. We’re going back about four thousand years to decapitate monsters, shoot a few gods in the butt, raid the Underworld and steal loot from evil people.

Then, for dessert, we’ll die painful, tragic deaths.

Ready? Sweet. Let’s do this.

Thoughts

I’m fascinated by ancient mythology. And, as one of the most prevalent and well-known mythologies of the modern world, Greek mythology is normally at the top of my list. Which sometimes makes it a little difficult for me to read modern adaptations of the stories of Greek heroes. Especially in children’s books, as they have to be kind of PG, and I really like the originally, incredibly sleazy versions of the tales…

Having said that, I thought that Riordan did a great job of retelling twelve of the Greek myths. It’s a fine line between making it suitable for children and just twisting it out of all recognisable shape and form. Luckily for my enjoyment, and continued love of Riordan’s work, he toed this line perfectly. The stories were still PG, but tales like Hercules actually started with him going mad and killing his family. Unlike the Disney version which has him as an innocent child, forced to take on the mantle of hero. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Disney movie, but when you’re aware that this is probably a child’s first foray into the world of Greek Mythology… maybe sugar coating everything isn’t the way.

I loved the humour with which these tales are told. They’re Greek tragedies, not really any happy endings and generally pretty epic ways to die. So, being told by Percy’s persona throughout with such a healthy dose of humour made it a lot more enjoyable. And, somehow, a little less tragic.

<- The Greek Gods Review The Demigod Files Review ->
Image source: Penguin Books Australia

Dangerously Divine by Deborah Blake

Overview

Dangerously DivineTitle: Dangerously Divine
Author: Deborah Blake
Series: Broken Riders #2, Baba Yaga World #5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: FaeMythology, Paranormal romance
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: Even from halfway across the room, she could tell that something wasn’t right.

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Synopsis

The Riders: Three immortal brothers who kept the Baba Yagas safe, now stripped of their summons to protect. But fate is not finished with them – and their new callings are even more powerful…

Though his physical wounds have healed, Gregori Sun, the eldest of the Riders, reamins in spiritual turmoil. His search for his mother, the one person able to heal his soul and save his life, is failing – until he crosses paths with a beautiful and fascinating librarian who might be the key to his salvation…

Ciera Evans’s bookish ways are just a guise. The product of a difficult past, she has dedicated her life to saving lost teens – by any means necessary. She works alone, but when a dark, brooding stranger proposes they team up to solve both their problems, she is tempted – in more ways than one…

After Ciera and Sun’s plans are derailed by dangerous enemies, they find themselves entangled in an ungodly affair – one that will force them to find new strength together, or be forever haunted by their pasts alone.

Thoughts

I read this story in a day. Which is always a good indication that it was amazing and I loved it. Alright, I’ve basically done this with each of the stories set in the Baba Yaga universe, but there was something about Dangerously Divine that I especially loved. Maybe it was the fact that although there was still the aspect of the Otherworld throughout, it didn’t have as large a place in the storyline. Something a little different to the other tales in this series. There were no journeys into the Otherworld, and, although there are gods and goddesses throughout, the fact that the entire story is based in one city with some very mortal enemies was a great change of pace.

After meeting Gregori a little better in Dangerously Charming, it was hard to imagine what kind of woman he would end up with. Honestly, I had kind of imagined somebody who was immensely spiritual, and maybe a little bit of a hippy. Ciera is nothing like that. And her tragic past just make her all the more engaging as a heroine. I’ve loved every one of the women and characters throughout the Baba Yaga series, but the fact the Ciera was from such a troubled past, and battled her own inner demons as much as Sun does kind of made me lover her the most.

Ciera and Gregori’s battles collide in this great book, and, ultimately deal with a serious issue in our culture. Drugs, homelessness and violence collide with freak snow storms, mystical healing abilities and a sense of justice that prevails above all else. This intense collision is one that is going to stick with me for a long time. It was everything that I want in a good paranormal romance.

 <- Dangerously Charming Review Dangerously Fierce Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Dangerously Charming by Deborah Blake

Overview

Dangerously CharmingTitle: Dangerously Charming
Author: Deborah Blake
Series: Broken Riders #1, Baba Yaga World #4
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: FaeMythology, Paranormal romance
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2016
5th sentence, 74th page: He leaned down to pocket the ball.

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

Synopsis

The Riders are three immortal brothers who protect the mythical Baba Yagas. But their time serving the witches has ended – and their new destinies are just beginning…

Ever since a near-fatal mistake stripped Mikhail Day and his brothers of their calling to be Riders, Day has hidden from his shame and his new, mortal life in a remote cabin in the Adirondack Mountains. But when a desperate young woman appears on his doorstep, he cannot resist helping her – and cannot deny how strongly he’s drawn to her…

For generations, women in Jenna Quinlan’s fmaily have been cursed to give up their first born child to the vengeful faery Zilya. When Jenna finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, she is determined to break her family’s curse and keep her baby, even if it means teaming up with a mysterious and charismatic man with demons of his own…

To unravel the curse, Jenna and Day will have to travel deep into the Otherworld. But the biggest challenge of the journey might not be solving an ancient puzzle but learning to heal their own broken hearts…

Thoughts

I liked that the point of view was switched a little in this story. The Baba Yaga stories had a strong female lead who travelled around (and then eventually found their loved one). I loved this fact, but after three novels, a change was certainly needed. Dangerously Charming provided this, but kept me in the world that I have fallen madly in love with.

Following the first of the (now mortal) Riders, Dangerously Charming still has a strong female lead. It still has all of the paranormal and mythological aspects that I have fallen for. But, it has a differently damaged lead – a now mortal immortal. It also took someone who was damaged and trying to find a new way in life and helped them to find the way. Yes, this is still a paranormal romance. And it is still predictable that the main characters are going to fall for one another. But really, I don’t mind that kind of predictability. The ways in which they fall, and how they beat the baddy (in this case, a not-so-big, bad faery) are just murky enough that it is impossible to put the book down.

I liked Jenna’s spunk and vulnerability. Pregnancy makes most women emotional (or so I’m told), but somehow she manages to combine this with a strength and gumption that is completely unique. The Baba Yagas are supposed to be strong. And, quite frankly, are expected to be more than a little kick ass, but that’s not expected of a pregnant mortal. Yet, Blake takes these differences and gives Jenna a strength and independence all of her own. One that was actually all the more relatable for the increased vulnerability.

 <- Wickedly Spirited Review Dangerously Divine Review ->
Image source: Penguin Books Australia

Wickedly Spirited by Deborah Blake

Overview

Wickedly SpiritedTitle: Wickedly Spirited
Author: Deborah Blake
Series: Baba Yaga #3.5Baba Yaga World #4.5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: MythologyParanormal romanceWitches
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: InterMix
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: What if she wasn’t as powerful as they all said?

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

Jazz, the powerfully magical teen first introduced in Wickedly Powerful, is now being trained as a Baba Yaga—and she’s determined to free the Broken Riders herself.

Jazz had a rough life before meeting her guardian, and she knows she’s lucky that Bella is training her to be a Baba Yaga. But the gifted young witch is frustrated by the slow pace of her lessons. Jazz knows she’s capable of even greater magic, and she wants nothing more than to find a spell that will give the Riders back the immortality they lost.

With the reluctant assistance of Bella’s dragon-turned-cat Koshka, Jazz travels to the Otherworld to get the necessary ingredients to perform the spell. A willful young witch, dangerous magic, and one powerful wish—what could possibly go wrong?

Thoughts

Jazz was a fun introduction in Wickedly Powerful. She’s sassy, powerful and full of energy. The fact that there is a novella available that features her was kind of a welcome surprise. Although, it really wasn’t what I expected, and sadly, I read it before Dangerously Charming, which was kind of a mistake – after all, the acts in this take place after Mikhail Day’s story and it kind of had some spoilers.

Teenagers never do what they’re told – or at least, I know that I rarely did. If I was given an order, I needed to understand why, otherwise I’d merely take it as a suggestion. Which is kind of like Jazz. She is told not to play with higher powers again and again. But, because she doesn’t understand why Bella says these things, she’s a little more fluid in her adherence to the rulings. Which is why you can see that she’s going to get into trouble from a mile off. The trouble that she finds herself in is completely unexpected though. Actually, I was quite taken back by the results of her rebellion and I can’t wait to see how this factors into the greater series…

 <- Wickedly Powerful Review Dangerously Charming Review ->
Image source: Penguin Random House

Rise of the Blood by Lucienne Diver

Overview
Rise of the Blood

Title: Rise of the Blood
Author: Lucienne Diver
Series: The Latter-Day Olympians #3
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Mythology, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: If they (or an agent for them, since I hadn’t yet been struck by lightning or another freak storm) were behind the note, what was the purpose?

Synopsis

Weddings can be war.

Great. Tori Karacis’s face is on the front of yet another tabloid “news”paper, linked to Hollywood hottie Apollo Demas. It was ONE dinner, and she was pissed with him at the time. But that’s the least of her worries. Just before leaving for her cousin’s destination wedding in Delphi, she learns that her arch nemeses, Zeus and Poseidon, have escaped police custody.

Despite looking forward to seeing Detective Nick Armani in a tux, her bad pre-flight jitters are confirmed when Apollo, with his sexy new co-star on his arm, boards the same plane. A plane that a freak storm nearly tears out of the sky.

What awaits them atop Mount Parnassus is even more deadly. A prophecy, a kidnapping, and a bloodletting that stirs up the mother of all trouble—literally. Rhea is awakened, and she’s none too happy with her offspring for losing their usurped dominion over the Earth.

The Olympians have fallen. It’s time for the Titans to rise again. Which means it’ll be a bad day for anyone standing in their way.

Product Warnings
Bloodbath or blissful union…either way, the stakes are high in this destination Delphi wedding high atop the peaks of Mount Parnassus. Passions will flare, Titans will rise, monsters will awake, blood will boil and some will spill.

Thoughts

Every time I open one of the Latter-Day Olympians stories, I know that Tori has managed to find herself in trouble. Of some kind. Again.

Normally that trouble starts of pretty minor, but very quickly expands into a cacophony of danger that she is trying to escape. While working on her relationship with Nick. And ignoring her attraction to Apollo. And being a good bridesmaid to her cousin. Gaea’s attempt at revenge and rising not only tends to put a bit of a spanner into these plans, but it is also the catalyst for a very large change in Tori’s life. One that is going to be really interesting to follow in Battle for the Blood.

Rise of the Blood also helps to reveal a little more about Tori’s ancestral history. We know that she is a descendant of one of the Gorgons, but it turns out that she’s also a descendant of Pan. Which explains so much about her brother, although, it is obvious Tori inherited her many interesting traits from her other ancestor. I love the total chaos that Tori’s family creates. Not just in her life, but the insanity of their love and roles in life. Tori is still very much the outcast, but you can see where she gets her crisis handling from. After all, the only family that is more chaotic than Tori’s is the Olympians themselves. Something that is a huge driver in the final battle of the story.

Although this novel does sort of end with an epic battle, it also ends with Tori finally making a decision about who she is going to choose. Nick or Apollo. It’s the very last scene of the story, so whether it sticks or not will be seen in the next novel. But, it’s definitely a tale that I’m looking forward to reading.

 <- The ParlorBattle for the Blood ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Demigods of Olympus: An Interactive Guide by Rick Riordan

Overview
The Demigods of Olympus - An Interactive Guide

Title: The Demigods of Olympus: An Interactive Guide
Author: Rick Riordan
Series: Percy Jackson and the Olympians Companion
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy readingMythologyUrban Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Choose-Your-Own-Adventure
Publisher: Puffin Books
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘The little paper cups flew everywhere.

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

You are the demigod, and your quest begins! Use your skills in this interactive and customizable e-book. Combining four short stories, “The Two-Headed Guidance Counselor,” “The Library of Deadly Weapons,” “My Demon Satyr Tea Party,” and “My Personal Zombie Apocalypse,” your choices will have consequences in this demigod adventure.

Thoughts

I love choose-your-own-adventure stories. I can remember reading a lot of them when I was younger, there is something nice about being able to read a story that you have control of. And the fact that this choose-your-own-adventure was placed within a fantasy world that I love just made it all the more enjoyable!

Although I can’t wait to go on another journey with Zane, every choice that I was able to make led me to a slightly different outcome. This choose-your-own-adventure fits beautifully into the world of Percy Jackson, but it was also different enough that it was difficult to predict where the storyline would go.

<- The Demigod Diaries ReviewThe Ultimate Guide Review ->
Image source: YA Interrobang