Tag Archives: Strong Women

Rebirth by Kelley Armstrong

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
rebirth

Title: Rebirth
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld #0.1
In: Tales of the Otherworld (Kelley Armstrong)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: Always remember that it’s a gift, and gifts from God are to be used in his service.

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Synopsis

About Aaron and how he got reborn into a vampire.

Thoughts

It took me a little while to place exactly who Aaron was in the Women of the Otherworld universe. However, after two pages, I was able to finally understand who this illusive do-gooder was. The appearance of Cassandra helps to further the identification of this character – a vampire member of the supernatural council.

Armstrong’s use of vampirism in her stories takes yet another turn which I didn’t expect – it is not just a process which occurs through biting, but also an inherited trait for some. This different take on what is possibly a genetic mutation to enhance a member of society’s survival was a really nice new approach. As was Aaron’s approach to the required one death a year, and even those whom he fed off of. Although he feels guilt at the taking of another’s life force, he finds a way in which to do it in a conscientious way.

<- Otherworld ChillsInfusion ->

Image source: Goodreads

Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

Book Review, , , , , ,

Overview

men-of-the-otherworld

Title: Men of the Otherworld
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld Companion
In: Men of the Otherworld (Kelley Armstrong)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Short story collections, Strong women
Pace: Medium
Format: Collection
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: What’s that?

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Synopsis

As a curious six-year-old, Clayton didn’t resist the bite—he asked for it. But surviving as a lone child-werewolf was more than he could manage—until Jeremy came along and taught him how to straddle the human-werewolf worlds, gave him a home…and introduced him to the Pack. So begins this volume, featuring three of the members of the American Pack—a hierarchical founding family where bloodlines mean everything and each day presents a new, thrilling, and often deadly challenge. For as Clayton grows from a wild child to a clever teen who tests his beloved mentor at every turn, he must learn not only to control his animal instincts but to navigate Pack politics—including showing his brutal archnemesis, Malcolm, who the real Alpha is…

Thoughts

These four short stories may be centred upon the North American werewolf pack, but for me, it was mostly about Jeremy. With the first short story telling of his origins, and the last explaining them and his quirks to his adult (and fully realised) self. Whilst Clay’s story is also outlined throughout this, it is also told in the light of his devotion to Jeremy – after all, until Elena, Jeremy is also the centre of Clayton’s world.

Although I have loved every single character and story that Armstrong has rolled out in her Women of the Otherworld series, it is always Elena and the werewolf Pack that I enjoy returning to the most. Maybe because they are the ones I first fell in love with, maybe because there is just something about their characters that continues to draw me back. Regardless, reading a collection of short stories that focus upon their origins and history left me with a novel that I found impossible to put down.

<- Baby BoomTales of the Otherworld ->

Image source: Amazon

Gogo Mama by Sally Sara

Book Review, , , , , , ,

Overview

gogo-mama

Title: Gogo Mama
Author: Sally Sara
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Biographies, Feminism, Memoirs, Non-fiction, Strong women, True stories
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: If you go to fetch for water or firewood and people start running, you have left your children and run alone.

Synopsis

I’M SITTING IN A $30 HOTEL ROOM IN UGANDA WONDERING WHAT THE HELL I’VE GOT MYSELF INTO. THIS IS DAY ONE OF GOGO MAMA. I DON’T EVEN KNOW ALL THE NAMES OF THE TWELVE WOMEN WHO WILL FILL THIS BOOK; ONLY THE JOURNEY WILL REVEAL THEM.

Gogo Mama is a journey of discovery into the lives of a dozen very different African women. They include the survivor of a brutal attack by Ugandan rebels; an Egyptian belly dancer turned movie star; an escapee from slavery in Ghana; Zanzibar’s most famous living diva; a former child soldier from Liberia; a grandmother fighting AIDS in South Africa; and a pioneering midwife from Timbuktu. They speak with complete candour both about their astonishing experiences and about the way they live now, in some of the most hostile and exotic parts of the continent.

While introducing these inspiring women, award-winning journalist Sally Sara takes us on a trip across Africa, in all its complexity – from the frenetic townships of Johannesburg, to a clifftop village in Mali; from the horror of the frontline of war in Sudan, to the glamour of Cairo nightclubs.

Gogo Mama is a vivid, illuminating and haunting composite picture of an extraordinary land, in the words of the people who know it best.

Thoughts

This story left me feeling… humbled. Just humbled. These twelve women will touch you in a way that you can’t imagine, and their lives set amidst the beauty of Africa are guaranteed to linger in your mind’s eye for years after you close the cover. It is just an incredibly powerful, moving and honest set of stories. The truth is met unflinchingly and without hesitation. Yet, in all of Sara’s interviews, there is no anger and bitterness, rather, a simple acceptance for what has been suffered and an optimism for what they may face in the future.

From a survivor of the Rwandan genocide to a world-famous belly dancer, each of these twelve stories is different and unique. They are insights into another country, another world. One which I can’t even fathom. The range of stories, from the downright depressing, to the uplifting are a fantastic window through which to view such a varied continent. There is no feeling of repetition or even judgement throughout the stories. Sara manages to shine the light on every single experience, use the nuances and feelings from every single interview to weave a textured tale that you will never forget.

Yet, it isn’t just the tales of Sara’s journey and the women whom she had the pleasure of encountering that makes Gogo Mama such an enthralling novel. It is the vivid descriptions of the African countryside, the daily activities that are undertaken in some of the most picturesque landscapes in the world. Picturesque, yet war-torn. The vividness and beauty of the countries plays a haunting note to the tales which are spun by women who, against all odds, have triumphed in their own lives and found a way to carve out their own reality.

<- My Fight / Your FightThe Upside ->

Image source: Goodreads

Ghostwriting by Traci Harding

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

ghostwriting

Title: Ghostwriting
Author: Traci Harding
In: Ghostwriting: Tales of the Supernatural (Traci Harding)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Fantasy, Ghosts, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Voyager
Year: 2002
5th sentence, 74th page: Amy kissed the pen that was her Holy Grail, a cool smile of satisfaction forming on her lips.

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Synopsis

Will Amy be able to find a way to become a ghost writer? What about the Holy Grail of writing?

Thoughts

This short story touched on a fear and worry that I myself, as a writer have – dying before I have finished telling the stories that are swirling around in my head. Harding’s grasp of this and her ability to twist this fear into a ghost story that had my spine tingling and left me internally cringing created a great short story which I am genuinely struggling to get out of my head. What better way to inspire a writer to actually write, than tell a story about one who is no longer able to put pen to paper?

As with all of the Traci Harding stories that I have had the pleasure of reading, Ghostwriting was heavy with symbolism, specifically the idea of the Holy Grail. I love that Harding is able to take esoteric ideals and themes, and present them within a more modern context. The manuscript about the Holy Grail, and Amy’s counterpart within her modern life and battle to find herself are compelling and intriguing – adding an extra layer of meaning and weight to the storyline.

I always love insecure heroines – they seem much more real and relatable to me. So, having Amy who is not only incredibly insecure, but immensely moody and prone to flashes of frustration made me love the story even more. Her constant desire to become a published writer (a dream that I too, share) hovers as she tries to not only find her literary voice, but also discover who she can truly be. The reminder throughout (often provided by Liam) to enjoy what she is doing and trust in herself is a lesson that I will take to heart. This tale for me was about more than I fear of never writing my stories, it was a reminder that sometimes you have to just sit down and write them.

 <- A Piece of Time Review The Detox Factor Review ->
Image source: Harper Collins Australia

Broken by Kelley Armstrong

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

broken

Title: Broken
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld #6
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘Oh, goddamn it!’ I snarled, fists pounding the carpet.

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Synopsis

Elena wasn’t looking for trouble. But when a half-demon calls in a favour, you don’t have much choice. 

The job seemed simple enough: steal back Jack the Ripper’s infamous “From Hell” letter from a shady Toronto-based collector. But nothing is ever that simple in the supernatural underground. When Elena accidentally triggers a spell placed on the letter, she opens a portal into the dark streets of Victorian London.

Bad enough that Jack the Ripper could now be on the prowl in modern Toronto – but there is something even more terrifying lurking in the shadows, just waiting to cross through…and only Elena and her Pack can stop it.

Thoughts

I loved, loved, loved revisiting Elena after three books in which she only had a passing role. The fact that she begins the story pregnant and actually enjoying her life with Clay just made everything better. Their unique blend of violence, sarcasm and passion still managing to burn brightly in spite of all they had been through in their relationship. Plus, Elena is one of the most unique and prickly heroines that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting – her non-traditional relationship with Clay helps to further echo this.

Mistake after mistake built on one another to lead the Pack into a danger unlike any other that they had faced. Elena’s mentions of Logan and Pete, the two Pack members lost five years prior helped to highlight the sense of loss that she still feels keenly. Although this mention was slight, it was also a fantastic way in which to remind us that the loss of a loved one is forever felt. Although time may heal the worst of the hurt, a dull echo will forever remain, and this is certainly true for Elena, to the point that even socially-disadvantaged Clay is able to feel empathy for this sense of bereavement.

In Bitten and Stolen, although Elena is incredibly loveable, she is still an inherently selfish and immature girl. Yes, she will do anything to save her small family (the Pack), but she will do it in the way that she feels is best. And it really doesn’t matter what cooler heads have to say. Although this does work out at times throughout the past tales, it does put Jeremy, and especially Clay in awkward positions as they try and rescue or protect her. However, with the advent of motherhood, Elena is not only better at listening to others and respecting the need to work as a team, but she is also more careful to think through her actions. It is nice when she actually realises that her life isn’t just about her – but Clay, Jeremy and her unborn child.

<- BargainThe Case of El Chupacabra ->

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Haunted by Kelley Armstrong

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
haunted

Title: Haunted
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld #5
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Orbit
Year: 2005
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘I’m sure they would be indebted to us for our mercy.’

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Synopsis

Eve Levine – half-demon, black witch and devoted mother – has been dead for three years.

It’s not so bad. She has a fantastic love life and can’t be killed again – which is handy when you’ve made as many enemies as Eve. If she could just find a way to communicate with her daughter Savannah she’d be content.

But fate – or more exactly, the Fates – have other plans. Eve owes them a favour, and they’ve just called it in. She must track down the Nix – an evil spirit who feeds on chaos and death.

The Nix is a terrifying enemy – previous hunters have been sent mad in the process. If Eve wants to avoid their fate, she’ll need something extraordinary – an angel’s sword.

There’s just one problem. Eve’s definitely no angel…

Thoughts

In the previous Women of the Otherworld books, Eve Levine is painted as a woman of questionable morals and motives, it was nice to finally get to know a little more about the elusive black witch, half demon woman. Although I expected it from Armstrong’s past writing, Eve’s sass and lack of respect for the rules were thoroughly enjoyable. Her motherly instincts and love however were a lot more softening and warm than I expected.

It’s always difficult to imagine the rules behind the afterlife – is there reincarnation? Heaven and hell? What does it look like? Armstrong created this world in such a vivid and realistic way that I can quite happily imagine spending my own afterlife in this realm. The creation of the different layers of hell was incredibly unique and independent way. Much like the literary punishments that she dolls out to the serious sinners in life such as serial killers.

Although Haunted is about the battle between good and evil within the ghost world, and all the shades of grey in between, it is also about motherhood, love and letting go. Eve’s teenage daughter is a big driver within all of her actions throughout the story, especially in the beginning. But she also has a lover who wants her back, and a choice to make between her priorities. It’s a question that must be asked in every parents’ life – when do you let your child grow and make their own decisions?

 <- Wedding Bell HellAdventurer ->

Image source: Goodreads

Crazy in the Blood by Lucienne Diver

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

crazy-in-the-blood

Title: Crazy in the Blood
Author: Lucienne Diver
Series: The Latter-Day Olympians #2
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Mythology, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: At least one person’s already been killed.

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Synopsis

Hell on Earth. It’s not just an expression anymore.

It’s an ill wind that carries bad news, and Tori’s just had a double load of it blow through her door.

Just a few weeks after she prevented some rogue gods from blowing L.A. into the ocean, more dead bodies are turning up near the leftover crater. Bodies that have been shredded by something too big to be…shall we say, of this world? Worse, Uncle Christos has disappeared after stumbling onto a deadly cult masquerading as the Back to Earth movement.

The connection: Dionysus. Yes, that Dionysus. He’s resurrected his bloody fertility rite, complete with frenzied female groupies who tear men limb from limb. And he’s lured Demeter, goddess of the harvest, over to his side by finding a way to get her daughter away from Hades for good.

Predictably, Hades isn’t about to let her go without a fight. Unless Tori finds a way to bring her back, he’ll abandon the gates of Tartarus. At which time all hell will, literally, break loose.

Between saving the world, the woman, and cultists and her crazy uncle? So much for getting to the beach before all the good spots are taken…

Product Warnings
The wine country is going through a heat wave of epic proportions, and it’s not all about the weather. Beware steamy gods with seduction on their minds or brimstone in their blood.

Thoughts

Tori’s sass and inability to stay out of trouble continue in Crazy in the Blood. Her drive to find the illusive Uncle Christos is a great catalyst to the rest of the ensuing chaos. It is also a great reminder that although Tori is estranged from her apparently vast family, she has a strong connection to them and is unwilling to simply let her eccentric uncle disappear into the sunset. She risks everything (including her own life) to rescue him and bring him home for a wedding.

I thoroughly enjoyed Armani and Tori’s courtship in Bad Blood, so finding out how their relationship is progressing was a welcome revisit. The increasing tension between Tori and Apollo just helped to add drama to the situation. Apollo’s pure magnetism and the possible, serious consequences Tori faces in their courtship act as a fantastic counterpoint to Nick’s steadfast loyalty and ability to see behind her bravado.

The war between the Gods also gains traction throughout Crazy in the Blood. It also gives more meaning to the idea of The Latter-Day Olympians and future conflicts between such powerful characters, in more than one sense of the word. Hades, Persephone and Demeter’s personal war is a good window through which the greater disagreements between the Gods is explored. Not only is this a great new window through which to view a modern-spin on the battles of the Greek Gods, but it is also a incredible new twist on tales that have been around for a very, very, very, very, very long time.

<- Bad Blood Review The Parlor Review ->
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Bad Blood by Lucienne Diver

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

bad-blood

Title: Bad Blood
Author: Lucienne Diver
Series: The Latter-Day Olympians #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Mythology, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: It seemed the hardest thing I’d ever done to make myself move.

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Synopsis

The gods play…and mortals pay.

Tori Karacis’s family line may trace back to a drunken liaison between the god Pan and one of the immortal gorgons. Or…maybe it’s just coincidence that her glance can, literally, stop men in their tracks. While her fear of heights kept her out of the family aerobatic troupe, her extreme nosiness fits right in with her uncle’s P.I. business.

Except he’s disappeared on an Odyssean journey to find himself. Muddling through on her own, she’s reduced to hunting (not stalking, because that would just be weird) brass-bra’d Hollywood agent Circe Holland to deliver a message…only to witness her murder by what looks like the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Suddenly, all of her family’s tall tales seem believable, especially when Apollo—the Apollo, who’s now hiding out among humans as an adult film star—appears in her office, looking to hire her. She knows the drill: canoodling with gods never works out well for humans, but she’s irresistibly drawn to him. Maybe it’s her genes. Maybe not.

Given her conflicted feelings for one hot and hardened cop, it’s a toss-up which will kill her quickest. The danger at her door…or her love life.

Warning: Contains pot-boiling passion between a heroine who may—or may not—be a descendant of Medusa, and a hot god and a hunky cop with the…equipment…to handle her, even on her worst bad-hair day. Beware of killer kisses, trickster gods and bearded grandmothers Who Know Everything.

Thoughts

This was a great, easy read and I can’t wait to crack the spine of Crazy in the Blood. Diver takes the Greek myths and twists them to fit the life of a modern-day woman. Although Riordan has done this beautifully in his writing, Diver’s adaptation was much more subtle. I also loved how, where Riordan’s heroes are the descendants of Gods, Tori, Diver’s heroine, is the descendant of a Gorgon.

The combination of a steamy love triangle and a fast-paced mystery drew me in from the first page. The battle between what is good and bad extended not only from the murder and consequent occurrences within the story, but also in Tori’s battle to choose a partner. On one hand, there is the button-down, safe cop who makes her feel safe, on the other – a God. Undeniable attraction is one thing, undeniable attraction that has the potential to lead to a very uncomfortable end if the myths are anything to go by.

I loved Diver’s ability to take modern day issues and give them a mythically Greek spin. This is a fantastic start to a new series, and I can’t wait until I have the chance to read the next story in this saga.

 <- Trickster Blood Review Crazy in the Blood Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Trickster Blood by Lucienne Diver

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

trickster-blood

Title: Trickster Blood
Author: Lucienne Diver
Series: The Latter-Day Olympians #0.5
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Mythology, Paranormal fantasy, Strong women
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella eBook
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: Hard to make light of death and taxes, but he was always willing to try.

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Synopsis

Hermes, the god of tricksters, walk away from mischief and mayhem? As if.

Hermes (yes, that Hermes of Greek myth) has an unerring nose for mischief and mayhem, which comes in handy as a syndicated columnist for the Miami Sentinel.

When a colleague offers to forgive a lost bet in exchange for checking on his father in Ft. Lauderdale, Hermes’s Spidey senses go on high alert. The father, it seems, has taken up with his much younger housekeeper. The suspected foul play has trickster written all over it.

The young woman who answers the door almost knocks Hermes back a step with her shining golden hair and laughing, kaleidoscope eyes. Oh yeah, there’s a trickster here. But which one? For once in his eternal life, Hermes isn’t sure whether he should stage an intervention, or leave the “happy couple” to their mutually assured destruction.

Especially since Farrah is much more than she seems, and Hermes is all about fun…and frolic.

Warning: Full of tricksters, trouble, and an intriguing temptress who may be more than our hero can handle. Not that he won’t give it his best shot!

Thoughts

After reading the first two books in The Latter-Day Olympians series, I thought that I knew what to expect from this short prequel. I was wrong. Taking the tale of one of Hermes’ exploits and tying it into Tori Karcasis’ life worked beautifully, albeit unexpectedly. The clever use of Hermes’ different guises as the Trickster also helped to further expand this world of mythology, something that I hope to see echoed in the next few of The Latter-Day Olympians stories.

The premise of a man keeping a woman he feels as his property because he loves him is not a new one. But, making that woman a djinn, or genie, was a great twist on this. Her entrapment is not only of the emotional and physical kind that is often displayed in life and literature, but also a magical one that ensures her continuing devotion to the man. In this, Hermes is not only willing to go against a fellow man, but he also makes his thoughts on this type of entrapment immensely obvious. The fact that Farrah is obviously a fellow trickster at heart and good looking to boot only helps this matter.

Overall, I thought that this story was almost too short. Where the main series focuses on Apollo and his interactions with Tori, there is something about the tale of a Trickster that really pulls me in. That’s not to say that I don’t look forward to reading the rest of The Latter-Day Olympians tales.

<- Blood Hunt Review Bad Blood Review ->
Image source: Lucienne Diver

Falling Pomegranate Seeds by Wendy J. Dunn

Book Review, , ,

Overview

falling-pomegranate-seeds

Title: Falling Pomegranate Seeds
Author: Wendy J. Dunn
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, History, Strong women
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: MadeGlobal Publishing
Year: 2016
5th sentence, 74th page: The bells on the harness of Queen Isabel’s mount rang a discordant sound as her eyes searched the men at her husband’s back.

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Synopsis

Dona Beatriz Galindo.
Respected scholar.
Tutor to royalty.
Friend and advisor to Queen Isabel of Castile.

Beatriz is an uneasy witness to the Holy War of Queen Isabel and her husband, Ferdinand, King of Aragon. A Holy War seeing the Moors pushed out of territories ruled by them for centuries.

The road for women is a hard one. Beatriz must tutor the queen’s youngest child, Catalina, and equip her for a very different future life. She must teach her how to survive exile, an existence outside the protection of her mother. She must prepare Catalina to be England’s queen.

A tale of mothers and daughters, power, intrigue, death, love, and redemption. In the end, Falling Pomegranate Seeds sings a song of friendship and life.

Thoughts

I don’t often read historical fiction, it’s not a genre that I’ve ever been exposed to. But, when I met Wendy through Swinburne University and decided to read her book… just wow, wow. I’ve never read such a heart-rending and fascinating story. The fact that it is based upon something that truly happened just made every moment of tragedy and triumph all the more powerful and poignant.

Catalina, or Katherine of Aragon as many came to later know her, had an immensely painful and tragic upbringing. This not only brings forward the strength of an incredible woman and one whom is often forgotten due to her replacement by Anne Boleyn, but it also highlights the plight of women. The mothers and daughters throughout this story constantly fight for their sense of self and lives. Their relationships are pressured and pursued by the needs of the men surrounding them, and they are constantly upheld to an ideal that is structured by others’ needs.

Telling the tale of Catalina through the eyes of her tutor, Beatriz, was a beautiful way in which to tell of the Holy War and a child growing too quickly into her mantle of responsibility. Every moment of peace and happiness present within the beginning of the story and childhood is offset by the pain and suffering that quickly causes such a vibrant young child to grow into adulthood.

This is a fantastic look into the history of one of the Tudors, but it is far more than that. Falling Pomegranate Seeds is an insightful look into the rights of women, the relationships between mothers and daughters, and coming of age in a world that is harsh and difficult.

<- More Wendy J. Dunn reviews Dear Heart, How Like You This? Review ->
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