5/31/2018

Victorian Rebels-Mein Schwarzes Herz by Kerrigan Byrne

I like the black and gold contrast with the barely to see flowers and ranks the cover shows. Is in stark contrast to the romantic cover, the English edition has. Which is titled "The Highwayman". I still don´t know why I hit the request button – but this novel came with so many surprises, that I stopped asking myself that question. And be warned. There are some very hot scenes in it. And with hot I mean HOT.

Victorian Rebel-Mein Schwarzes Herz*

by Kerrigan Byrne
Victorian Rebels Series #1
Translation Inka Marter
Original Title The Highwayman
Publisher LYX on May 25, 2018
Genre Novel
Pages 406
Format Paperback
Source Publisher
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

When a love goes through the deepest darkness ... Farah Mackenzie never wants to tie herself to a man again. Too painful is the memory of her first love, Dougan. However, when she encounters the notorious criminal Dorian Blackwell, her life gets out of hand again. Blackwell, who worries her, but also touches something deeply in her heart, kidnaps Farah to Scotland - allegedly for her protection. But every moment she spends with the seemingly ice-cold man leads her to a truth that threatens to break her heart again ... (personal translation ©Vi at Inkvotary)

Story

Farah is a little girl when she meets for the very first time Dougan and knows instinctively that he is the one. They give each other comfort and ease the loneliness and cruelty they experience in the orphanage. But life gets even worse when Dougan tries to protect her from a priest and gets hit. From that moment on, Farah´s life changes dramatically.

Style

Unlike the title, this is everything but a kitschy romance novel. Romance yes, all the other things you might expect you won´t find. I was positively surprised while reading this novel and it was very entertaining. Kerrigan Byrne has a wonderful to read and very divisive writing-style. She describes a time where women need the protection of a man. Life is hard if you don´t have any money or a title. And society is not nice to all those who aren´t born into a life of light and money. And the Highlands are a wild place. London too. Though in a different way. The author shows how Farah made her way at Scotland Yard. How she lives and what she does to protect others. You wouldn´t believe that she is not what she seems to be and that she is hiding a huge secret. The moment she meets Dorian in a cell to do her work, she knows that something is changing. She can´t tell precisely what it is, but somehow, he seems familiar. In combination with the hilarious dialogues, the wit and humor some figures show, and the backstory you will find out that you can barely let this book down.

Characters

Farah is a great woman. She has a heart, trusts her instincts, and does what she wants, when she wants and how she wants it. And everything with style and grace. She wants to help those who can´t help themselves, wants to make a difference. She is fearless, enjoys the freedom she has as a widow, and is certain that she can go on with her life the way it is. Her smart head is one thing that makes her special. The other thing is, she listens. She doesn´t judge. And when she loves, she does it with her entire heart.

Dorian is a man who has suffered a lot. And his revenge is as cold and bloody as his heart is passionate about the woman he loves. He is torn apart when he meets Farah and realizes who she is and that he wants her. But she wants to touch him, and he can´t bear it.

Conclusion

This novel is great! Passion, heart, adventure, and an intriguing plot give you wonderful reading time. And the scenes between Farah and Dorian are hilarious. Witty dialogues, some intrigues, and two main figures who know how to catch each other´s eyes. Read!

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by LYX/ Lesejury in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

*This title was published in the English language The Highwayman by St. Martin´s Press on September 1, 2015.

Kerrigan Byrne

Kerrigan Byrne has done many things to pay the bills, from law enforcement to belly dance instructor. Now she's finally able to have the career she'd decided upon at thirteen when she announced to her very skeptical family that she was going to "grow up to be a romance novelist." Whether she's writing about Celtic Druids, Victorian bad boys, or brash Irish FBI Agents, Kerrigan uses her borderline-obsessive passion for history, her extensive Celtic ancestry, and her love of Shakespeare in almost every story. She lives at the base of the Rocky Mountains with her handsome husband and three lovely teenage girls but dreams of settling on the Pacific Coast.

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5/30/2018

Waiting On Wednesday #72 – The Wicked King by Holly Black

is a weekly event that was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme is a place that spotlights upcoming releases that we´re eagerly anticipating with pure joy.

There are a lot of new books coming out each year and some of them catch my attention and will get a spotlight in my Waiting on Wednesday post. While some of them will finally end up here at my place, others won´t. I am joining Tressa at Wishful Endings and her meme Can´t-Wait Wednesday.

Though I haven´t had the time yet, to read The Cruel Prince yet, the moment I saw this cover I was WOW-that is bomb! And the summary sounds thrilling and so damn intriguing. How would I not want to read this? I do hope that it is a great read because the first book I read by the author wasn´t impressing me at all. So fingers crossed that I haven´t made a mistake here with my already placed pre-order.

The Wicked King

Author Holly Black
The Folk Of The Air #2
Publishing Date January 8, 2019
Publisher Little Brown Books For Young Readers
Format Hardcover
Goodreads

You must be strong enough to strike and strike again without tiring. The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished. When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

And what are you waiting for? Let me know your thoughts about this one or leave me the link to your WoW and I check it out.

Happy reading & waiting on

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5/29/2018

Iron Flowers-Die Rebellinnen by Tracy Banghart

At first, I wasn´t sure if I really wanted to read this novel. Sure, I was kind of intrigued by its cover and back text, but also not jumping to get it. And yet something kept me coming back to it again and again. Oh, and by the way, the original title is "Grace and Fury". Maybe this novel will remind you of another trilogy were some girls try to catch the prince´s attention and heart to become the one and only for him. This one is different, though. And shows you two sides that couldn´t be more different.

Iron Flowers-Die Rebellinnen*

by Tracy Banghart
Iron Flowers Series #1
Translation Anna Julia Strüh
Original Title Grace And Fury
Publisher Fischer Sauerländer on April 26, 2018
Genre Children 14+
Pages 377
Format Hardcover
Source Publisher

Goodreads

✶✶✶✶½

They are sisters, could not be more different and yet are inseparable. Nomi is wild and fearless, Serina is beautiful and graceful. And she is determined to be chosen by the heir to the throne as Grace, freeing her family from poverty and oppression. But on the day of the selection, everything is different: the sisters are torn apart - and forced into a life on which nobody has prepared them. (personal translation ©Vi at Inkvotary)

Story

Serina was raised and educated to do whatever the prince is asking of her. Her only purpose in life is to look radiant, beautiful, and to become the Great Grace who will bear him the so much wanted next heir to the throne. Her sister Nomi was taught all her life that she had to serve her sister and help her to stay alive in the royal palace. But as life is, nothing goes as planned. And soon Nomi finds herself in a position she never wanted nor was trained for and Serina has to fight for her life.

Style

The setting reminded me very much of Venice. Lots of wonderful bridges, the canals, and bold dresses. And dangerous. Very dangerous. Imagine a world in which women have no rights, except to bear children. They aren´t allowed to learn how to read or write and for sure not to have their own opinion. The highest achievement is to become a Grace. One of the many women who live in the palace with the heir to the throne. To do what he wants them to do when he wants it. A free mind or will isn´t appreciated. This novel is written in a simple to read, but very impressive language and style. Lots of twists and turns show you two worlds on the same planet. Both are as deadly and life-threatening as the other. The one is the palace with its decadent lifestyle and many dangerous places and luxury, ruled by a bored, sick, and very reckless king. The other a Vulcanic island, where people fight for everything in order to survive. 

Tracy Banghart has a great way to bring both sides, the bright and the dark one, together and to make clear that both are as dangerous and life-threatening as the other.

Characters

Being a rebellious young woman with a mind that wants to be free and self-determined, isn´t easy or healthy when you live in a world where women have no rights at all. Where you can get killed for the mere thought of wanting to hold a book, not to mention reading it. A woman does what her man tells her. No questions asked. And you better become the mother of a son very quick. Because daughters are only a burden.

Serina is a beauty. Knows exactly what to say and when to get a man´s attention. But when she meets the prince, she obviously isn´t the only one who knows how to catch his attention. Soon she finds herself in a position she´d never thought she´d be in one day and for sure not as planned. But she is used to doing what others expect of her and to change sides with her sister isn´t as bad as thought. After all, she has to keep her sister alive in a place they both were hoping to get in.

Conclusion

What an unexpected reading pleasure. You never know what you might find on the next page. And the way how the author unfolds her story wasn´t at all what I´ve expected. This novel caught me by surprise and I am absolutely happy that I had the change to read and enjoy it. 

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer Sauerländer in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

*This book will be published in the English language Grace and Fury by Little Brown Books for Young Readers on July 31, 2018.

Tracy Banghart

Tracy Banghart is an Army wife and mom has an MA in Publishing and an unhealthy affection for cupcakes. Her quiet childhood led to a reading addiction, writing obsession, and several serious book boyfriends. She currently lives in Hawaii with her husband and young son, where there are a lot of volcanoes, none of which she’s made her home.

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5/28/2018

Follow-By-Email, RSS-Feed And Follower-Gadget

Due to the law changes, DSGVO/GDPR, my blog got a little makeover on the outside, and a huge one on the inside. As you might have noticed, my blog was offline over the past few days. I was busy to read myself into the new law stuff, to understand what I was reading and what it literally meant for me and my blog Inkvotary. At times it was nerve-racking to deal with and it took me some days to adjust to it as best as I could. I had to make some decisions, concerning Inkvotary and its appearance as well as to work my way to all the technical things to make Inkvotary as DSGVO/GDPR compliant as possible.

At least from my side.

Some of those things I had to change will probably apply to you too. If you follow Inkvotary e.g by eMail keep reading. My blog is still a “work in progress” since I have some smaller adjustments left to check and change, but with new books arriving each day and some reviews that need to be brought online, I didn´t want to keep Inkvotary any longer offline.

The changes I made (so far).

During the past days, I threw out Google´s original follower-gadget and replaced it with the graphic-link you can now see on my blog´s sidebar. And to be honest, I like that look much better though I can´t see your lovely pictures anymore. But as long as I know that you are still with me, I am happy. If you need more information on that, please read my privacy policy. Don´t get confused when you see the page starts in the German language. I had to put that first, but below on that same page, you´ll find everything in English. I promise!

Another change is, that you won´t find any reading widget, at least for the time being, on my blog anymore. Goodreads hasn´t responded to my email yet and it doesn´t respond to its members and their questions on the forum as well.  The only answer they give is the usual blabla which isn´t really convincing. I might install the reading-widget a German forum called Lovelybooks is offering (if I can find the English editions of books I read there as well).

So far, no decisions made yet.

Also, not sure is, if I keep the Follow-By-Email-gadget. I am still thinking about it since it seems to be one of those things that are in a judicial grey zone. Some say so, others say so. And lawyers aren´t sure about it either. You get it, I guess. Currently, I am looking closer to an alternative I found, but I need a bit more information before I will speak about it. I am testing it right now and as soon as I made a decision whether or not, I will tell.

If you like to follow my blog via RSS-Feed, you can of course still do that. You can either use the subscription Posts (Atom) link at the bottom of each page or click on the RSS sign at the top of my About Me section. I will post something about it soon with a bit more information for you.

Just note that the RSS works best when you use the browser Mozilla Firefox. At least that´s my experience with it. Google Chrome is only providing so far, a confusing data salad. Hope they fix that soon. Looks awful to me *smile* And no, that is no commercial for those browsers. Just telling simple facts.

Okay, I guess that was it for the moment. I keep you updated on whether I deactivate the Feedburner thing or not. For now, I am happy that my blog is back online again. Means I can go and do again what I want to do the most: Reading and blogging about books I read and loved or maybe didn´t love that much *smile*

Happy reading

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5/24/2018

Deathline – Ewig Wir by Janet Clark

The cover is gorgeous! The design is mysterious and beautiful. I am kind of swooning only by looking at it *sigh* And it fits perfectly in the design the first book had. Over months I wasn´t sure if I would get the opportunity to read and review this novel. Lucky me I was able to get my hands on it. And it was worth every moment I had to enjoy it. What a perfect conclusion to the first part.

Deathline-Ewig Wir*

by Janet Clark
Deathline Series #2
Publisher cbj on April 10, 2018
Genre Children 13+
Pages 392
Format Hardcover
Source Publisher

Goodreads

✶✶✶✶

After 16-year-old Josie spent a fateful summer finding her great love in the fascinating young Yowama Ray, she now wonders if her love really is stronger than death. Because Ray has gone over the Deathline to save his tribe and Josies´ world from ruin. But the mysterious events in Josie´s hometown do not stop, and she desperately tries to send Ray a message. If she fails to do so, not only is her home dedicated to the underworld but her love for Ray as well … (personal translation ©Vi  at Inkvotary)

Story

Josie is in desperate need to get an answer from Ray. But no matter what she asks him, he is not answering. The fact, that one of her friends keeps telling her that she just needs to listen to him, isn´t very helpful. So, when she one day sees beautiful blue butterflies in the forest, she believes that Ray is telling her something. And he does. Only that Josie reads his answer completely wrong.

Style

There is magic and mysterious beauty between the pages – amazing. I am not quite sure how the author did it, but with every word, every scene, and every aspect of the native life she got me more and more. Janet Clark´s writing style is simple. Her words full of meaning and yet it is easy to understand that something is wrong. Not wrong with the writing, but within the story. Something dark is getting more and more power and the people of Angels Creek are in fear. Josie knows that the solution lays by the Yowama, but it seems that more and more of them vanish. Her conflict, whether to tell authorities about what she knows, grows by the minute and her friends are not happy with her decision.

Characters

Josie is a young teenage girl who just had survived a deadly situation. But the danger itself isn´t over yet. Not for her, not for her family and for sure not for her friends. The author describes her figures over their actions. Sure, you get briefly told how they look, but the more you read the more you see them through what they do and how they feel. 

For Josie life has changed completely since her love Ray crossed the Deathline. The connection she once felt between them is gone, and for some reason, Josie isn´t able to get it back. Though others are telling her, that she is the one, the girl who has to solve it. Her struggle to find answers, to fight against an enemy she can´t see only feel, and to understand what she has to do and when is brought to the reader in a wonderful to read a story.

Conclusion

A wonderfully written end to this dilogy. With many unexpected twists and turns and an absolutely convincing main figure. Good, the end was in a way that I thought wasn´t necessary, but for the plot itself a fitting finish. If you are a fan of ghosts, mystery elements, and the magical knowledge of the native people combined in a thrilling and intriguing story, this book is for you. 

Happy reading

*This book was, at the time this review was published, only available in the German language. It was kindly provided to me by cbj in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. 

Janet Clark

Janet Clark, born in Munich, Germany, didn´t know for a long time what she wanted to be. After a twelve-year-long journey through France, Belgium and later England, she finally went back to Bavaria, where she lives with her husband and her three kids.

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5/23/2018

Waiting On Wednesday #71 – Of Blood And Bone by Nora Roberts

is a weekly event that was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme is a place that spotlights upcoming releases that we´re eagerly anticipating with pure joy.

There are a lot of new books coming out each year and some of them catch my attention and will get a spotlight in my Waiting on Wednesday post. While some of them will finally end up here at my place, others won´t. I am joining Tressa at Wishful Endings and her meme Can´t-Wait Wednesday.

A few days ago, I got aware of this new book by Nora Roberts. The first book is already waiting for me and so it is kind of natural for me, that I have to have this one too *smile* And look at that gorgeous cover! Isn´t that a beauty? Besides, as an old NR fan, I am of course eager to get my hands on every book she is writing. Good, that sounds as if I can´t live without the author´s books. But for me, the author is a guarantee that I get something thrilling, haunting, and very entertaining one way or the other.

Of Blood And Bone

Author Nora Roberts
Chronicles Of The One #2
Publishing Date December 4, 2018
Publisher St. Martin´s Press
Format Hardcover
Goodreads

They look like an everyday family living an ordinary life. But beyond the edges of this peaceful farm, unimaginable forces of light and dark have been unleashed. Fallon Swift, approaching her thirteenth birthday, barely knows the world that existed before – the city where her parents lived, now in ruins and reclaimed by nature since the Doom sickened and killed billions. Traveling anywhere is a danger, as vicious gangs of Raiders and fanatics called Purity Warriors search for their next victim. Those like Fallon, in possession of gifts, are hunted – and the time is coming when her true nature, her identity as The One, can no longer be hidden. In a mysterious shelter in the forest, her training is about to begin under the guidance of Mallick, whose skills have been honed over centuries. She will learn the old ways of healing; study and spar, encounter faeries and elves and shifters; and find powers within herself she never imagined. And when the time is right, she will take up the sword, and fight. For until she grows into the woman she was born to be, the world outside will never be whole again.

And what are you waiting for? Let me know your thoughts about this one or leave me the link to your WoW and I check it out.

Happy reading & waiting on

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5/12/2018

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #64 – DSGVO: Panic Or No Panic?

With the Weekly Book Wrap-Up, I give you a bit of an insight into all the new books that have arrived at my place. No matter if I won a giveaway, got approved for a reviewer´s copy, an ARC or just bought one myself. Everything that I add to my shelves, in what way ever and read during the past week or am still reading, I will write about it. And maybe I tell you a bit about the upcoming things on Inkvotary, that is if I don´t forget it and have something to share with you *smile*

I am linking up with Tynga´s Reviews and Caffeinated Reviewer and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #64

After months of waiting, I finally could welcome the Sarah J. Maas novella A Court Of Frost And Starlight.  Compared to her other books, it IS really thin. I had actually planned to show here now pictures I will use on my Instagram account too. But with all the upcoming law changes, I had no time to be creative.

And I have to say thank you to Fischer for sending me Girl in Pieces (you see below the German cover of this book) by Kathleen Glasgow. 

Bought Books

Reviewer Copy

Girl in Pieces

Sunday Post #21

This part could become a long one, but I need to get it out in the open or I will burst. In 2016 it was decided that a new data protection law will enter into force as of May 25, 2018.

When I created my blog in 2015 and started it seriously in 2016 I wasn´t aware of that law. Not to mention that I had never heard of it. Sure, I heard in the following months from time to time in my newsletter from an e-law-company that the DSGVO (internationally called GDPR) would come. But I didn´t saw a reason that I had to go into action and change some things. My blog is a very small one and I am not making any money with it. And some things Google offers you in the blog´s dashboard I haven´t even activated.

How wrong I was.

About two weeks ago I was even joking with another German blogger in her Tweet about the upcoming law that it was a huge mountain of work she had to do on her countless blog posts to make all those changes happen.

It literally hit me some days later that I had to deal with it as well when I noticed that many blogs vanished from the community because they didn´t know back then if and what they had to do and how to keep their blog legal. Panic started raising. Not me, no, but many others went into that mode.

The panic wave that went across the blogosphere was and is still huge. Because the DSGVO (GDPR) in Germany will be the strictest one in Europe and does not distinguish between a small company´s website with under 250 workers in the background or a hobby blogger who blogs about his passion. Whether it is crafting or blogging about books. The fact that everyone around the world can access your blog by knowing your URL or searching for it on Google and then click the shown link makes your blog no longer a "private" one. Though it feels like one. And I know that many other hobby-blogger see it that way too. But the law thinks otherwise.

Many Google bloggers moved their blog to the free Wordpress platform or went self-hosted. Others turned their blogs to a “private” one which can only be accessed by a bunch of people via password. Setting the blog in the private modus isn´t really an option when you blog about books and work together with publishers who send you free books.

Though I have to admit that a few nights ago I thought about either closing my blog, moving it or setting it on private. The flood of law information and the uncertainty about some things was simply TOO MUCH for me and my brain. One day I thought I can manage everything and keep my blog, the next I got even more information and off the good feeling went.

According to the news a few days ago, Chancellor Merkel wants to relax parts of the law last minute. And I know from one blogger that she has written an email to a famous TV show called SternTV where she asks them to talk about the DSGVO (GDPR) in one of their shows. She did that because many small bloggers, like her, are very frightened by the upcoming changes and she and some others had obviously a massive loss in followers.

I would have loved to provide you links to those posts or the news article, but they aren´t in English, so I leave it by only telling you.

My blog is hosted by Google and I am only able to do some of the required changes myself because I have the possibility in my dashboard. Sure, I can do way more than a blogger can do on the free Wordpress version, but SO MANY things are still unclear, and it is nerve-racking to have to wait and see WHAT and HOW Google will come up with what needs to be changed.

Yes, there is some progress to see on Blogger/Google, no question, and I can say that Google is obviously working in the background and I know that Wordpress will bring a DSGVO (GDPR) conform update on May 15, 2018. But nobody, not me on Google and not my friends on wp com know exactly how that will look like.

No doubt, data protection is good and necessary and very much needed. But not everyone can afford a lawyer who looks over the blog and tells you what you need to do and what isn´t of your concern because you are not meant in a certain law section.

No matter what´ll happen during the next twelve days, my blog will get a makeover. Partly has already. Some things will only go away for the time being until I know what I can legally do with them and how.

Others will vanish for good or just get a new place on my blog. Currently, I´m trying to get my Legal Details ready. If I can manage it, I will hopefully be able to provide them in an English version too. But so far, I am happy when I get the German version online.

Phew, now I am feeling better. Thanks for reading my words.

I am reading

 Left shows the English cover, on the right the German edition

Happy reading

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5/09/2018

Waiting On Wednesday #70 – AMANI Heldin Des Morgenrots by Alwyn Hamilton

is a weekly event that was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme is a place that spotlights upcoming releases that we´re eagerly anticipating with pure joy.

There are a lot of new books coming out each year and some of them catch my attention and will get a spotlight in my Waiting on Wednesday post. While some of them will finally end up here at my place, others won´t. I am joining Tressa at Wishful Endings and her meme Can´t-Wait Wednesday.

This is the German edition of Hero At The Fall. I have read books one and two and now I want to know how things will continue and end with Amani and the rebellion. I am displaying the cover of the German edition, because the original US edition is already out, as you all know, and I have on my shelf the other two books with the German covers – so I like to finish it in the same style.

                           

AMANI-Heldin Des Morgenrots

Author Alwyn Hamilton
Rebel Of The Sands #3
Publishing Date September 10, 2018
Publisher cbj
Format Hardcover
Goodreads

The sultan of Miraji is about to win. The rebels are scattered to the winds, the prince is in captivity and Amani remains few allies in the fight against the relentless tyrant. Armed only with her revolver and her Demdji powers, she has to find a way through the desert to the legendary city of Eremot, which does not even exist on the map. As more and more companions lose their lives, Amani almost despairs: does she lead the rebels inexorably to ruin? Will she be able to free the prince? (personal translation)

And what are you waiting for? Let me know your thoughts about this one or leave me the link to your WoW and I check it out.

Happy reading & waiting on

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5/04/2018

Dämonenglut by Jeaniene Frost

Is this really over? A different Jeaniene Frost but as great as ever. The Brightest Embers was a well worthy end to this trilogy and prove that nothing is carved in stone. It took me some hours to get my head clear again, after finishing this book. The end was full of shocking moments and I wasn´t prepared for them at all. But then, can a Jeaniene Frost reader ever be prepared for what she presents in her novels?

Dämonenglut*

by Jeaniene Frost
Broken Destiny #3
Translation Ira Panic
Original Title The Brightest Embers**
Publisher Mira TB on April 3, 2018
Genre Fantasy
Pages 378
Format Paperback
Source Publisher
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

The life of all people is in the hands of the young Ivy. In the war between the angels and demons, she is destined to destroy the kingdom of darkness forever. But her own life is in danger when she uses the holy weapon against the demons of darkness. Adrian, Ivy´s great love, wants to help her in the final fight. Only his demonic side seems strong enough to save Ivy – but the evil in him could forever destroy their love. In the fight for their lives, Ivy and Adrian have to face their fate … (personal translation)

Story

Ivy knows that if she wants to free all those humans trapped in the demon’s kingdom, she has to find and use the holy weapon. But is she really willing to give up her own life to free those, she doesn´t even know? And why is Adrian lying to her and keeping important information back? Is this his way of helping her? Or has he already betrayed her?

Style

The atmosphere is darker, and the main figure completely changed. Ivy is what we call a strong female character and she proves it on every page this book has. Thankfully, the irony, the cynicism, and the sarcasm are in this novel too. But the story itself is totally different from what I´ve expected. That her job is a matter of belief and faith, was clear to me, but that both were essential to fulfilling what Ivy was destined to do, which I thought was another story. Jeaniene Frost was able to keep her writing style. Many unanswered questions got an answer, and the novel brings some loose ends together. Once you´ve got started you can´t put it aside.

Characters

I was very happy, that Jasmine had only some short appearances. It was exhausting to see her reaction almost every time Ivy decided something Jasmine wasn´t happy with: she then turned into a hysterical screaming woman. The only good thing was, that the author made some positive changes in this novel regarding some of her figures. It was wonderful to follow Ivy´s new way of thinking, how she fought not only for herself but for others as well. And the one scene, where she tells Adrian how she really feels about him and their marriage – fantastic!

Conclusion

What an end! There is so much emotion between the pages, so many unspoken things you can see, and everything fits perfectly. And that end – holy smokes. The Broken Destiny trilogy is different from the author´s other series but absolutely worth your time.



Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Mira TB in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

**The original book The Brightest Embers, was published by HQN Books on November 28, 2017

Jeaniene Frost

Jeaniene Frost is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author whose works include the Night Huntress series, the Night Prince series, and the Broken Destiny series. To date, foreign rights for her novels have sold to twenty different countries. Jeaniene lives in North Carolina with her husband Matthew, who long ago accepted that she rarely cooks and always sleeps in on the weekends. Aside from writing, Jeaniene enjoys reading, poetry, watching movies, exploring old cemeteries, spelunking, and traveling – by car. Airplanes, children, and cookbooks frighten her. 

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5/02/2018

Palace Of Glass – Die Wächterin by C.E. Bernard

The book is the debut novel of a German author who writes under a pseudonym. I stumbled across it while searching through the publisher’s new program for another book. Somehow the cover made me curious - who could resist such a fantastic cover? For sure not me. And the summary sounded so intriguing too, so why not ask for it? Before we go into some details, I guess it is only fair that I tell you, that almost everyone in the German book blogosphere is thrilled over the moon about this novel. In the end, I can say, that I don´t share the excitement all the other readers have expressed in their reviews for this book. Not sure if it is the author´s style or that the story needed some time to get actually started. But judge for yourself.

Palace Of Glass-Die Wächterin*

by C.E. Bernard
Palace Saga #1
Translation Charlotte Lungstrass-Kapfer
Original Title Touch That Fire
Publisher Penhaligon on March 19, 2018
Genre Fantasy
Pages 410
Format Softcover
Source Publisher

Goodreads

✶✶✶½

Rea Emris sins. When she thinks, when she feels, when she touches someone. That´s what they tried to tell her. Because Rea grew up in a society where touch is illegal. Only at night Rea strips off her gloves to get into the ring. There, the petite woman defeats one overpowering opponent after the other in the fistfight. Her talent, however, does not go undetected: When the British secret service detects Rea, she is abducted to the one place from which she wants to fell at any cost, but cannot: to the king´s court in the glassy Buckingham Palace. There the inconspicuous fighter receives a dangerous assignment: As a bodyguard, she must protect the life of the heir to the throne. Prince Robin, however, is aloof, arrogant and has his own secrets. But what he suspects least: Rea himself is Robin´s biggest enemy … (personal translation)

Story

London, 2054. Modern technology combined with the clothing of the 19 Century and a completely different looking Buckingham Palace. Everything is made of glass, looks sterile, and being close to a person or getting emotional is forbidden. For Rea a nightmare. She is a Magdalena. She can read and manipulate people’s minds if she touches them. Her need to feel other people´s skin and to see their thoughts is like an addiction to her. One, she isn´t allowed to live out.

Style

C.E. Bernard has a wonderful writing style, no doubt about that. But for me, this novel was anything but thrilling. At least during the first half, I didn´t feel that kind of excitement. The plot is fascinating, yes, and I always had a certain picture in my head while reading. But I missed some life within the pages. It was too quiet, too calmed despite all the action-filled scenes. While reading the first half, I couldn´t really connect with the figures or the story. That changed the moment I started reading the second half of this book. Suddenly, the author lights up a firework and shows that not everything is the way it looks at first sight. The king shows his real face, the queen proves that she is far from being perfect and Rea is in the biggest trouble she ever had to face.

But in my eyes that happened too late to give this novel more than the below-shown rating. Sure, you could say that at least it changed for the better, and for that, I am giving this fantasy novel a higher rating than I actually was about to give.

Characters

The author has a great way to create her figures. She doesn´t use many words to describe them, but those she uses, fit perfectly. Life at the palace isn´t all flowers and sunshine. There are many rules to obey and behind every corner is secret hiding.

Rea is on display every minute of the day. And she has to hide her ability very carefully. It would mean her death if the king or someone else would discover what she is. With that in mind, she is living her life the best way she can. She wants more, wants to be free, but is too afraid to really fight for it. I wasn´t very fond of the Rea who wants another life but has no clue how to get it. That Rea is hesitant, does everything to keep her secret hidden, and to not get any attention. The other Rea, the fighter, I liked very much. She is determined to do everything in her power to get what she wants. And she trusts her ability.

Conclusion

I was in some way entertained, yes. And I liked the writing style. But until the first half was over, I wasn´t really thrilled or got excited about the novel itself. Sad, but this story was only a bit above average for me. Despite that, I am still eager to find out, how Rea is doing in France. The setting for the second book of this trilogy.  

Happy reading

*This book was, at the time this review was published, only available in the German language. The Title was kindly provided to me by Penhaligon in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

C. E. Bernard

C.E. Bernard is the pseudonym of Christine Lehnen, who was born in 1990 in the Ruhr and since then has lived in Canada, the United States, Australia, and Paris. He short stories were awarded with the literary prizes of the Young Academies of Europe and the Ruhr Festival Recklinghausen. Since 2014 she teaches Literary Writing at the University of Bonn. In addition, Christine Lehnen studies English Literature and political science, does research on creative writing and stages plays with the Bonn University Shakespeare Company. 

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