Unless you’re a very experienced and skilled flyer, avoid showing off your barrel-rolls and riskier moves amongst the mountains. Ending up a shattered heap at the bottom of a chasm isn’t a good way to go.
Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my Picky Eaters series. All proceeds for the duration of the publishing life of Picky Eaters, first book in the series, are donated to mental health charities. The second book, Flame & Blame, and the third book, Trouble With Dwarves, are now available.
Don’t waste time with a young queen you fancy telling her all about your hunting skills… your feats of flying… your combat victories. Instead, get her to talk about herself… her likes and dislikes… her favourite places to fly. Better still, make her laugh – but ensure it’s with you, rather than at you. Queens can be sneaky that way.
Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my Picky Eaters series. All proceeds for the duration of the publishing life of Picky Eaters, first book in the series, are donated to mental health charities. The second book, Flame & Blame, and the third book, Trouble With Dwarves, are now available.
This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books they’ve read and share what they have got up to during the last week.
It’s been a good week. On Monday afternoon, I was able to attend the monthly Swanbourne Poets meeting. As ever, it was a thoroughly enjoyable occasion. The quality of the poetry is impressive, as most of those who attend are published poets and it’s a joy to listen to their latest work.
I’ve had sufficient energy this week to start properly contributing to household chores, like regularly cleaning the bathroom and doing the laundry. And while that might not sound like a big deal, it really is. On Friday, I took one of my friends out to celebrate her birthday at the Sea Lane Café. We were lucky enough to get a corner table looking out over the beach and had a lovely time exchanging news and just enjoying each other’s company – the first time we’d done so since before the first lockdown. It was such a treat!
Himself and I have a weekend to ourselves as Oscar is off to watch Everton play with his stepdad. We popped into Rustington yesterday, as Himself had a hair appointment and enjoyed a leisurely coffee together before returning home. This morning, we nipped out intending to go to the beach, but ended up having a coffee at the Harbour Lights café and wandering along the riverside walk. That’s where the pictures were taken. The RNLI – the wonderful folks who risk their lives to rescue folks caught in bad situations at sea – were having a barbeque on the river front. And as you can see, there is lovely sunshine, though there is a northerly bite to the wind which means we can’t shed coats or sit out in the sunshine. Nevertheless, it’s a treat to see that shiny orb in the sky, instead of perpetual cloud and rain😊.
Books I’ve read this week: Chosen – Book 5 of The Grey Gates series by Vanessa Nelson Demons on the loose. Ritual murders. An ancient vampire breathing down her neck. Some days Max just doesn’t know where to start. The problems facing her city are piling up, and there seems no end or solution in sight.
Max’s job used to be dealing with supernatural creatures. Now she’s got to tackle demons from the underworld who are far more powerful than anything she’s come across before, and who seem intent on bringing an end to the daylight world.
Part of Max would love to sit this one out. Let someone else save the world for a change. But was it ever really a choice? I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this series, so it’s with some sadness I’ve come to the end. I’ve particularly enjoyed Max’s two delightful shadow hounds, who accompany her on all her adventures. The good news is that Vanessa is busy on a new series – which I’m pleased about as I really enjoy her writing. 9/10
AUDIOBOOK – High Stakes – Book 3 of the Bo Blackman Boxed Set series by Helen Harper It may be less than a month since the doors of New Order opened but that doesn’t mean Bo Blackman isn’t busy. It’s not just daft allegations about vampire dogs and complicated relationships that she has to deal with, however.
When a woman is brutally assaulted, barely escaping with her life, Bo ensures she forms an integral part of the investigation. The trouble is that she may end up being confronted with a darkness that she’s simply not ready for… This time around, I fully bonded with Bo. During the first two books, she slightly annoyed me at times. But while she’s still apt to go off on her own, ignoring advice and generally haring towards trouble – her innate kindness towards Kimchi, the alleged vampire dog, as well as a huge act of sacrifice had me thoroughly rooting for her in this adventure. I’m very glad there’s more books to come in this series. 9/10
Dragons Beyond the Pale – Book 7 of Jane Austen’s Dragons series by Maria Grace After months in Bath mentoring Dragon Keepers and Friends, Dragon Sage Elizabeth Darcy actually anticipates traveling to London for the Keeper’s Cotillion. Which says a great deal considering the she-dragons who make up the Cotillion board would very much like to show the Sage her proper place.
The she-dragons, though, are no match for what Sir Fitzwilliam Darcy finds waiting for him in London. Threats to the Order on every side, and Lord Matlock demands he keep them secret from Elizabeth. No one keeps secrets from Elizabeth.
In the meantime, Anne and Frederick Wentworth arrive in London with hopes of finally being accepted in good Blue Order society, unaware of the burgeoning maelstrom about to engulf them.
Darcy manages to keep matters under control until a fairy-dragon’s prank unleashes sinister forces who perpetrate an unthinkable crime that could spell the end of the Pendragon Accords and usher in a new age of dragon war. Can Elizabeth and Darcy, with the Wentworths’ help, restore balance to the Blue Order before the dragons decide to take matters into their own talons and right the wrongs themselves? This story took an unexpected turn. I flew through this gripping instalment of Grace’s exceptional series, thoroughly enjoying the way the author cleverly negotiates Austen’s world with the addition of dragons. I am trying hard to spin this series out, because I know that there will be a HUGE book hangover when I come to the end of these delightful books. 10/10
While a battle-hardened alpha lord is obviously a dangerous opponent, don’t underestimate his beta equivalent. To have survived multiple combat situations, the beta will have resorted to sneakiness. So you probably won’t see his attack coming until it’s too late.
Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my Picky Eaters series. All proceeds for the duration of the publishing life of Picky Eaters, first book in the series, are donated to mental health charities. The second book, Flame & Blame, and the third book, Trouble With Dwarves, are now available.
This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books they’ve read and share what they have got up to during the last week.
The second week of the Easter holidays has just slipped by and I don’t know where the days have gone. Monday was a milestone for me. I accepted an invitation to read a selection of my writing at the monthly Arts evening at The Victoria Institute in Arundel. Before I became ill, I regularly stood up in front of audiences to either read my work, or give a talk on various aspects of writing. But this was the first time I’d faced an audience since the end of 2019, given we went into lockdown in early 2020. So it was a very big deal for me. I wasn’t even sure that I’d enjoy performing anymore, given I’m still so diminished compared to the person I used to be. In the event, the venue was cosy and welcoming and the audience friendly and responsive. It was also wonderful to be surrounded by other creatives in an evening of poetry, comedy, and a monologue interspersed with excellent live music and I came home buzzing. The photo is the outside of the building in Arundel – it’s an absolute warren inside.
Sadly, that meant I was very, very tired on Tuesday and Wednesday and had to take it easy until I recovered my energy levels. Having Ethan home was lovely and on Thursday he and I joined in a painting day that Himself had organised with his guitar teacher, who is also a very keen gamer. I painted a few of the Wood Elves I used to game with when we played Warhammer Fantasy, but I had to stop after a couple of hours as my eyes grew blurry. The day ended with a delightful board game that John brought along called The Grand Carnival, where each player has to make a fairground and add attractions and guests. We all joined in and had a lovely time. Friday saw Ethan returning to uni and tomorrow Oscar returns to school.
Meanwhile the evenings are drawing out and we’ve had a couple of sunny days, although everywhere is still very wet and Littlehampton made the national news on Wednesday when the River Arun flooded the homes and businesses along Rope Walk on the west bank due to the spring tides and the aftermath of a storm that brought onshore winds. It doesn’t help that river levels are so very high/, anyway.
Books I’ve read this week: The Witchwood Knot – Book 1 of the Victorian Faerie series by Olivia Atwater The faeries of Witchwood Manor have stolen its young lord. His governess intends to steal him back.
Victorian governess Winifred Hall knows a con when she sees one. When her bratty young charge transforms overnight into a perfectly behaved block of wood, she soon realises that the real boy has been abducted by the Fair Folk. Unfortunately, the lord of Witchwood Manor is the only man in England who doesn’t believe in faeries—which leaves Winnie in the unenviable position of rescuing the young lord-to-be all by herself.
Witchwood Manor is bigger than its inhabitants realise, however, and full of otherworldly dangers. As Winnie delves deeper into the other side of the house, she enlists the aid of its dark and dubious faerie butler, Mr Quincy, who hides several awful secrets behind his charming smile. Winnie hopes to make her way to the centre of the Witchwood Knot through wit and cleverness… but when all of her usual tricks fail, who will she dare to trust? I thoroughly enjoyed this Victorian gothic fantasy, complete with haunted house and family curse. Winnie makes a particularly sympathetic protagonist. 9/10
The Lucky Starman – Book 3 of the Leif the Lucky series by Colin Alexander Is Leif really lucky? Stranded in orbit, viewing a destroyed civilization on Earth through the screens of a starship almost out of fuel and food, he doesn’t feel that way. It wasn’t supposed to be like that. As the starship Dauntless returns from a successful mission to the planet called Heaven, Earth holds no attractions for Exoplanetary Scout Leif Grettison. He wants only to complete the mission and leave for another star, along with ace pilot Yang Yong. In fact, he would be happy spending the rest of his life flying the starways with her. But they and the rest of the ship’s skeleton crew awaken from hibernation to find Earth’s solar system dark and silent—no signals, no responses to their transmissions. When they make orbit, the magnitude of the disaster becomes clear.
An apocalyptic war has killed billions and destroyed every last source of power and tech that 22nd-Century humans relied on to survive. Getting down to Earth is only the beginning of Leif’s problems. Those few who survived the apocalypse are still divided, fighting over what’s left. The disastrous re-entry to Earth leaves him with no resources or allies. He lands in the middle of a makeshift family that needs him more than he’s comfortable with and hears stories—even nursery rhymes—that speak of a lucky starman. For once, he’s the only person with tech—but if he’s caught using it, they might kill him. Can a man back from the stars end the warfare on Earth, or will he make it worse? Can he save a family that might become his? Is he everyone’s lucky starman? As I don’t read blurbs, the apocalyptic tone in this third book in the series caught me by surprise. Leif is a sympathetic character, whose overwhelming talent is for surviving in tricky situations when those around him tend to die… He’s not sure whether that makes him all that lucky and I tend to agree. Nonetheless, this one had me turning the pages to find out what happens next and ended on a doozy of the cliff-hanger that will definitely have me getting hold of the next book in the series. 8/10
AUDIOBOOK – Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz When editor Susan Ryeland is given the tattered manuscript of Alan Conway’s latest novel, she has little idea it will change her life. She’s worked with the revered crime writer for years, and his detective, Atticus Pund, is renowned for solving crimes in the sleepy English villages of the 1950s.
As Susan knows only too well, vintage crime sells handsomely. It’s just a shame that it means dealing with an author like Alan Conway…. But Conway’s latest tale of murder at Pye Hall is not quite what it seems. Yes, there are dead bodies and a host of intriguing suspects, but hidden in the pages of the manuscript there lies another story: a tale written between the very words on the page, telling of real-life jealousy, greed, ruthless ambition and murder. Magpie Murders is also a successful TV drama that I thoroughly enjoyed. But listening to this entertaining story-within-a-story, I found the book far more engrossing than the TV version. If you enjoy a really twisty plot told within the conventions of the golden age of crime aka Agatha Christie, then go hunting for this one. The audiobook version is superb, given the quality of the narration by Samantha Bond and Alan Corduner. 10/10
AUDIOBOOK – Magic Burns – Book 2 of the Katie Daniels series by Ilona Andrews Down in Atlanta, tempers – and temperatures – are about to flare…
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As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate’s going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one.
When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta’s paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realizes much more at stake. During a flare, gods and goddesses can manifest – and battle for power. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug-of-war between two gods hoping for rebirth. And if Kate can’t stop the cataclysmic showdown, the city may not survive… I enjoyed the first book in this series, but wasn’t sure whether to continue or not until one of my book-blogging buddies assured me that this series goes on steadily getting better. This slice of Katie’s adventures certainly is brimful of action, but I also like that she looks into her future and isn’t thrilled at the thought of growing older and alone. I will be getting the next book in this series in due course. 8/10
Sinister Magic – Book 1 of Death Before Dragons series by Lindsay Buroker I’m Val Thorvald, and I’m an assassin.
When magical bad guys hurt people, I take care of them. Permanently. This doesn’t make me popular with the rest of the magical community—as you can tell from the numerous break-ins and assassination attempts I’ve endured over the years. But thanks to my half-elven blood, a powerful sword named Chopper, and a telepathic tiger with an attitude, I’ve always been able to handle my problems with aplomb. Maybe some cursing and swearing, too, but definitely aplomb.
That changes when my boss is afflicted with a mysterious disease, a government agent starts investigating me, and a godforsaken dragon shows up in the middle of my latest job. I’ve taken down vampires, zombies, and ogres, but dragons are way, way more powerful. And it doesn’t look like this one is going to like me.
Worse than that, he wants to use his magic to compel me to do his bidding, as if I’m some weak-minded minion. That’s not going to happen. I’d die before being some dragon’s slave. But if I can’t figure out a way to avoid him, save my boss, and get rid of the government spook, I’m screwed. Or dead. Or screwed and dead. And that’s never comfortable. I always enjoy Buroker’s mix of snarky humour, action and engaging protagonists. Val is definitely one of the more bloodthirsty characters and could so easily have been just another sword-swinging gal who blends in with the crowd of similar-sounding heroines. She doesn’t. Her gutsy decision to stay away from her daughter and her lumpy relationship with her mother makes her stand out, for starters. I appreciate Buroker’s stance that if you live a violent, dangerous life there are consequences. Especially if magic is involved. I will definitely be reading more of Val’s adventures in due course – a very strong start to the series. 9/10
Generally, it’s beneath your dignity as a fit dragon lord to go stealing kills from other creatures – but if you must, then remember to avoid a basilisk’s intended dinner as they poison their prey. If it doesn’t kill you, it’ll incapacitate you and their other nasty trick is to turn their victims to stone.
Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my Picky Eaters series. All proceeds for the duration of the publishing life ofPicky Eaters, first book in the series, are donated to mental health charities. The second book, Flame & Blame, and the third book, Trouble With Dwarves, are now available.
When paying court to an attractive young queen, whatever you do – don’t flirt with her mother. Not only will your prospective mate be rightly incensed at your disrespect, so will her sire. And if he’s successfully raised a family, he’s liable to be a lethal, more experienced fighter than you.
Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my Picky Eaters series. All proceeds for the duration of the publishing life of Picky Eaters, first book in the series, are donated to mental health charities. The second book, Flame & Blame, and the third book, Trouble With Dwarves, are now available.
This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books they’ve read and share what they have got up to during the last week.
A very happy Easter Sunday to those of you who celebrate. And for those of you in the UK – let’s take a moment to cope with the fact we lost an hour of sleep when the clocks jumped forward last night… It’s been a tricky fortnight. I spent last Saturday sorting through my deceased sister’s personal possessions, which was every bit as terrible as I’d feared. If I hadn’t had my fabulous sister, Marianne, alongside to help, I don’t think I would have got through it. And the following few days were grim. The weather wasn’t remotely helpful, with lots of wind and rain.
But both boys have now broken up for Easter and Ethan is back at home – except when he’s back in Portsmouth at work, or off visiting friends. They are both going away for a holiday with their Dad and other siblings for a few days, which will be lovely for them and give Himself and me a bit of time for ourselves. As luck would have it, it’s his long weekend off, so we hope to be able to have some ‘us’ time. We went out together on Good Friday – and this courgette and lemon cake was my Easter present to myself. I justified it by claiming that it covered two of my five-a-day… And yes, it was every bit as delicious as it looks😊.
Books I’ve read this last fortnight: Shadow Rites – Book 10 of the Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter Jane is keeping the peace between visiting groups of witches and vamps in the city, but then trouble comes knocking on her doorstep. When her house is magically attacked, the wild chase to find her assailants unearths a mystery that has literally been buried deep.
A missing master vampire, presumed long deceased, is found chained in a pit…undead, raving mad, and in the company of two human bodies. Now it’s up to Jane to find out who kept the vampire hidden for so long and why, because the incident could tip already high supernatural tensions to an all-out arcane war. I’m dawdling through this classy, well-written shapeshifter series because I don’t want to come to the end. Though I’m encouraged to see there’s a spin-off series, too. Once again, Jane’s adventures are an engrossing, thrilling read. 9/10
Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky Professor Arton Daghdev had always wanted to study alien life up close. Then his wishes become a reality in the worst way. His political activism sees him exiled from Earth to Kiln’s extrasolar labour camp. There, he’s condemned to work under an alien sky until he dies.
Kiln boasts a ravenous, chaotic ecosystem like nothing seen on Earth. The monstrous alien life interacts in surprising, sometimes shocking ways with the human body, so Arton will risk death on a daily basis. However, the camp’s oppressive regime might just kill him first. If Arton can somehow escape both fates, the world of Kiln holds a wondrous, terrible secret. It will redefine life and intelligence as he knows it, and might just set him free . . . Loved this one. Tchaikovsky at his clever, witty best. 10/10
The Dragons of Kellynch – Book 5 of Jane Austen’s Dragons series by Maria Grace One would think Anne Elliot, a baronet’s daughter, would find the marriage mart far easier to navigate than a more ordinary woman. One would be wrong.
After refusing a poor, but otherwise perfect sailor, on the advice of her friend Lady Russell, Anne finds an unhappy choice before marry deathly dull Charles Musgrove or hope against hope that another suitable proposal might come her way before she becomes a spinster on the shelf.
Anne’s disgracefully independent choice to refuse Charles’ offer turns her world entirely arsey-varsey and not in the expected turned upside down sort of way. She begins to see things … hear things … things like dragons. And once one sees dragons, one talks to them. And when one talks to them, nothing is ever the same again. Must a young lady marry well if she hears dragons? I love this series. Grace’s addition of dragons to Austen’s world is clever and takes the classic stories into slightly unexpected places, but at no stage was I unhappy with the premise and I’m FUSSY about my Austenesque adventures. Very well done. 9/10
Kellynch: Dragon Persuasion – Book 6 of Jane Austen’s Dragons series by Maria Grace Keeping a hibernating dragon should have been a simple thing. Should have been, but it was not. Apparently, nothing involving dragons was ever simple, at least not for Anne Elliot, junior Keeper to dragon Kellynch.
With the estate in debt, Anne’s father in denial, and the dragon’s treasure missing, Kellynch’s awakening is shaping up to be nothing short of catastrophe. Not to mention, there was the pesky matter of her own broken heart and resentment against the old friend who had caused it.
Captain Frederick Wentworth had spent his life making something of himself in the Navy. With the war that kept him employed at an end and a small fortune in prize money, he found himself beached and at loose ends. What was he to do with himself now—take a wife like Laconia, his dragon Friend, insisted? Not when none compared to the woman who had broken his heart.
Working as an agent of the Blue Order, managing dragon matters across England, seemed a much better alternative. At least until investigating one such matter sent him directly in the path of Anne Elliot, the woman who had ruined him for all others. Now a royal dragon rages, a sleeping dragon lurks, and too many treasures have gone missing. Can Anne and Wentworth lay aside resentment, pride, and heartbreak to prevent Kellynch’s awakening from ending in bloodshed—or worse? This continues Grace’s clever retelling of Persuasion, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The fact that I read these two back to back is proof I’m finding this series irresistible. 9/10
AUDIOBOOK – The Blighted Stars – Book 1 of The Devoured Worlds series by Megan O’Keefe When a spy is stranded on a dead planet with her mortal enemy, she must first figure out how to survive before she can uncover the conspiracy that landed them both there in the first place.
She’s a revolutionary. Humanity is running out of options. Habitable planets are being destroyed as quickly as they’re found and Naira Sharp knows the reason why. The all-powerful Mercator family has been controlling the exploration of the universe for decades, and exploiting any materials they find along the way under the guise of helping humanity’s expansion. But Naira knows the truth, and she plans to bring the whole family down from the inside.
He’s the heir to the dynasty. Tarquin Mercator never wanted to run a galaxy-spanning business empire. He just wanted to study rocks and read books. But Tarquin’s father has tasked him with monitoring the mining of a new planet, and he doesn’t really have a choice in the matter.
Disguised as Tarquin’s new bodyguard, Naira plans to destroy his ship before it lands. But neither of them expects to end up stranded on a dead planet. To survive and keep her secret, Naira will have to join forces with the man she’s sworn to hate. And together they will uncover a plot that’s bigger than both of them. This is a compulsive listen. It would have been a 10 from me, but for the fact that I found the love story a tad annoying at times – especially as the unfolding puzzle surrounding the plot that puts them on the dead planet in the first place is both complex and very cleverly done. I’m definitely going to get hold of the second book in the series. 9/10
A Rip Through Time – Book 1 of A Rip Through Time series by Kelley Armstrong May 20, 2019: Homicide detective Mallory is in Edinburgh to be with her dying grandmother. While out on a jog one evening, Mallory hears a woman in distress. She’s drawn to an alley, where she is attacked and loses consciousness.
May 20, 1869: Housemaid Catriona Mitchell had been enjoying a half-day off, only to be discovered that night in a lane, where she’d been strangled and left for dead . . . exactly one-hundred-and-fifty years before Mallory was strangled in the same spot.
When Mallory wakes up in Catriona’s body in 1869, she must put aside her shock and adjust quickly to the reality: life as a housemaid to an undertaker in Victorian Scotland. She soon discovers that her boss, Dr. Gray, also moonlights as a medical examiner and has just taken on an intriguing case, the strangulation of a young man, similar to the attack on herself. Her only hope is that catching the murderer can lead her back to her modern life . . . before it’s too late. This time-travelling portal whodunit was sufficiently gripping that I stayed up way too late to discover who did what to whom. I very much liked the dynamic of an experienced cop finding herself in a teenager’s body and will be getting hold of the next book in this series. 9/10
AUDIOBOOK – Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea – Book 1 of the Tomes and Tea Cosy Fantasies series by Rebecca Thorn All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters… all complemented by love and good company. Thing is, Reyna works as one of the Queen’s private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn’t so easy.
But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she’s thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility–all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town that boasts more dragons than people, and open the shop of their dreams.
What follows is a cozy tale of mishaps, mysteries, and a murderous queen throwing the realm’s biggest temper tantrum. In a story brimming with hurt/comfort and quiet fireside conversations, these two women will discover just what they mean to each other… and the world. This enjoyable feel-good fantasy is more than a nod to Legends & Lattes, but it does differ in some important areas. Review to follow.
A Westerly Wind Brings Witches: A Cornish Odyessy by Sally Walker Moira Box, with not a lot going for her, legs it down to Cornwall to join a cantankerous coven of stroppy women. Shapeshifting poor Mogs back to The Burning Times, when women’s role in the lingering rural folkways was disappearing from Merrie England. But today, wild women wrapped in cloaks pop up amongst the Cornish standing stones on a full moon basis! Wriggling out of the closet woodwork, giggling and garnished with glitzy-witchy fashion accessories, still stubbornly non-compliant and undoubtedly up to mischief…
Witches and Wisewomen, reclaiming female spirituality, unearthing our buried pagan roots. An outside-the-box book, a feel-good tale, a pick-me-up for the perpetually put-down, a bag of comforts for the comfort eater. Sweep away the acceptable respectable and jump on your broomstick! Fly past perimeters, transcend our taken-for-granted reality and hang on tight for a bumpy ride! This is a quirky read that gave me some unexpected food for thought. Review to follow.
Strange Cargo – Book 3 of the Mennik Thorn series by Patrick Samphire What do a smuggling gang, a curse that won’t go away, and a frequently lost dog have to do with each other? They’re all here to disrupt Mennik Thorn’s hard-earned peace and quiet.
As the sole freelance mage in the city of Agatos, Mennik is used to some odd clients and awful jobs. But this time, one of his clients isn’t giving him a choice. Mennik might have forgotten about the smugglers whose operations he disrupted, but they haven’t forgotten about him. Now he is faced with a simple help them smuggle in an unknown, dangerous cargo or flee the city he loves forever. Time is running out for Mennik to find an answer, and things are about to get completely out of control. This is a shorter book that doesn’t have quite the bite of the other two books I’ve read. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoy Mennik’s chaotic adventures – no one attracts trouble quite like him – and I’m looking forward to tucking into the fourth book in the series sometime soon. 8/10
You may be in the habit of furling sisters or dams within your wings in the privacy of your lair – but when out in company, keep your wings well and truly folded across your back and nowhere near any queens. No lord wants to be accused of being a lecherous wing fondler…
Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my Picky Eaters series. All proceeds for the duration of the publishing life ofPicky Eaters, first book in the series, are donated to mental health charities. The second book, Flame & Blame, and the third book, Trouble With Dwarves, are now available.
I was blown away by Elizabeth May’s Falconer trilogy – see my reviews of The Falconer,The Vanishing Throne and The Fallen Kingdom – with its blend of a sympathetic, well written heroine and savage action given a softer edge by Derrick, the stroppy pixie. Even though it was seven years ago, I remember these books as outstanding reads.
I also enjoyed The Seven Devils duology with May co-wrote with Laura Lam – see my reviews of Seven Devils and Seven Mercies. So when I saw this one pop up on the Netgalley dashboard, I immediately requested it, knowing it would be a well-written, engrossing read.
BLURB: Using ancient secrets, Galina and Sera’s mother grafted gods into their bones. Bound to brutal deities and granted forbidden power no commoner has held in a millennia, the sisters have grown up to become living weapons. Raised to overthrow an empire―no matter the cost.
With their mother gone and their country on the brink of war, it falls to the sisters to take the helm of the rebellion and end the cruel reign of a royal family possessed by destructive gods. Because when the ruling alurea invade, they conquer with fire and blood. And when they clash, common folk burn.
While Sera reunites with her estranged lover turned violent rebel leader, Galina infiltrates the palace. In this world of deception and danger, her only refuge is an isolated princess, whose whip-smart tongue and sharp gaze threaten to uncover Galina’s secret. Torn between desire and duty, Galina must make a choice: work together to expose the lies of the empire―or bring it all down.
REVIEW: Both the main protagonists are young women with grim backstories which shape their current lives and form them into the rebels they are. Part of their history is a shared one, which accounts for their particular closeness. I always enjoy books which feature strong friendships between women.
The struggle between the obscenely wealthy alurea, the ruling class whose might comes from the dragons imprisoned within their bodies, and the truly wretched commoners who scrabble to get by on starvation rations is the narrative engine of this book. The setting is an empire that looks very much like Imperial Russia back in the days before the Revolution. As Sera and Galina work towards putting their plan in place to bring down the very unpopular Empress, I found the tone a tad bleak. Which isn’t a criticism of the book – but more than I struggled with the downbeat mood due to my own mental state at present.
However, the inevitable seriousness around a gritted struggle for survival against a merciless and very powerful oppressive ruling class is nicely alleviated by the sparky relationship between Sera and her former lover. He pops up right at the wrong moment, endangering Sera’s careful plotting and appears blithely unconcerned at her fury. After following the women, who aren’t exactly brimful of careless joy as they start to execute a plot that could see them facing an agonising death – his humour and real joy at having found Sera is a shaft of light in the gloom.
I was fond of both Sera and Galina, but my particular concern was for poor Katya – the handmaiden to the Empress, who has to endure all sorts of humiliations and painful punishments meted out by her harsh, capricious mistress. I had figured that Sera and Galina would probably survive to the end of the book – but I wasn’t sure that Katya would. So I followed her progress through the plot with real concern.
Overall, this is the engaging, well-written adventure I was expecting. And while it might not have the fresh immediacy of the Falconer trilogy which had me devouring those books in greedy gulps and recalling the series with fond clarity years later, I still had a thumping good time with the characters and look forward to reading the second slice of this adventure in due course. While I obtained an arc of To Cage a God from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own. 9/10
Brainfluff 