5/31/2019

Blackwood Briefe An Mich by Britta Sabbag

This was my first novel written by the author. And every minute worth I´ve spent reading it. And after a little while, I could see why the dust jacket shows a dragonfly. Absolutely thought through. If you love novels about Ireland and how people feel and think about the mythological side of this part of the world, then this is your book. And in combination with some pretty hilarious dialogues and scenes, you will have some great reading time.

Blackwood-Briefe An Mich*

by Britta Sabbag
Publisher Fischer FJB on March 27, 2019
Genre Novel
Pages 442
Format Hardcover
Source Publisher

Goodreads

✶✶✶✶

Would one want to read a letter from his future self? That´s not a question for Gesine. Of course, she would. Because after the death of her mother she has to move alone to a relative in Ireland. In the small, sleepy village of Blackwood, she has no one to talk to about her grief. Nor about Arian Mary, the outrageously handsome son of the local butter dynasty. In addition, the villagers make her crazy with stories about all sorts of supernatural stuff. All nonsense thinks Gesine. Until she finds in a mysterious old desk a letter from her future self, which confuses her world … (personally translated blurb by ©Vi at Inkvotary).

Story

Gesine is as sad and unhappy as a teenager, who just lost his mother, can be. And with all the myth´s her aunt is having in her house, she doesn´t know if she will last there long. The truth seems nothing people want to hear and at school, she´s not only a total stranger but no matter what she does or says, she also seems to be the looser. Or how is she supposed to understand it, that she obviously isn´t able to make friends, but everyone knows her biggest secret?

Style

I like the sensitive and soft writing style Britta Sabbag has. She shows you the beauty of Ireland, the sense of mythology that seems for everyone but the Irish weird and that the love and care of a family is everything. I was laughing out loud when I´ve read the scene, where Gesine sits in Mimi´s little shop and enjoys a biscuit while hearing how much butter it contains. Her face must have been the hit.

Britta Sabbag has lots of great scenes, dialogues, and hilarious stuff in this novel and that is what makes the charm of the story. Good, towards the end, I had one shocking moment and thought how dare you, author! *smile* Only to discover a page later that it was only for the wellbeing of the story. Phew!

Characters

I am in love with Gesine. She is mourning, starts a new life in a place she barely knows and though she speaks English, the Irish dialect is a bit of a problem at first – which causes some hilarious scenes. It takes her a while to get used to Irish life but in the end, she knows what to do and how. Well done girl.

Arian is quite the opposite. Rich, handsome, and with a secret, his girlfriend dies to get to know. He is there when Gesine has her moments. And starts to understand that life is powerful and gives you sometimes the best you can have.

Conclusion

A beautiful novel about love, Irish mythology, and how you can find your own way in life if you only believe in yourself. Yes, this book contains it all. A great prince, the breathtaking but heartless beauty and a heroine who stumbles from one embarrassing situation to the next and still conquers everyone´s heart by storm. Highly recommended.

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 Fischer FJB in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Britta Sabbag

When Britta Sabbag came blowing the idea of “Blackwood” across the North Sea, she knew immediately that this story was something special. She followed her idea over the sea to Ireland, where she was completely enchanted by the magic of the land and its inhabitants. The bestselling author has already written successfully for children and adults and now unites these talents in one big and rousing all-age novel. She lives with her husband and her little son near Bonn, Germany.

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5/22/2019

Waiting On Wednesday #96 – Outfox by Sandra Brown

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.

As an old Sandra Brown fan, I am absolutely excited about this upcoming new release. Her name is a guarantor for quality and reading pleasure. And I am expecting exactly that from this one too. What I like most about her work is the fine balance she manages in the language of her story. Always close to the edge of obscenity, but never without a style. And with the blurb of this one, I hope that this will be a thrilling read too.

Outfox

Author Sandra Brown
Publishing Date August 6, 2019
Publisher Grand Central Publishing
Format Hardcover
Goodreads

FBI agent Drex Easton is relentlessly driven by a single goal: to outmaneuver the conman once known as Weston Graham. Over the past thirty years, Weston has assumed many names and countless disguises, enabling him to lure eight wealthy women out of their fortunes before they disappeared without a trace, their families left without answers and the authorities without clues. The only common trait among the victims: a new man in their life who also vanished, leaving behind no evidence of his existence … except for one signature custom. Drew is convinced that these women have been murdered and that the man he knows as Weston Graham is the sociopath responsible. But each time Drex gets close to catching him, Weston trades one persona for another and disappears again. Now, for the first time in their long game of cat and mouse, Drex has a suspect in sight. Attractive and charming Jasper Ford is recently married to a successful businesswoman many years his junior, Talia Shafer. Drex insinuates himself into their lives, posing as a new neighbor and setting up surveillance on their house. The closer he gets to the couple, the more convinced he becomes that Jasper is the clever, merciless predator he´s sought – and that his own attraction to Talia threatens to compromise his purpose and integrity. This I Drex´s one chance to outfox his cunning nemesis before he murders again and eludes justice forever. But first, he must determine if the desirable Talia is a heartless accomplice … or the next victim.

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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5/22/2019

Ricochet by Sandra Brown

The design of the cover is a feast for the eye. Simple, a few colors dominate everything and behind the dust jacket a picture that shows a real beauty. Pure but very eye-catching. But that what lays between the two book-cover is a story of its own. Thrilling, full of passion, power, and the all and everlasting desire for more.

Ricochet

by Sandra Brown
Publisher Simon & Schuster on August 15, 2006
Genre Thriller
Pages 385
Format Hardcover
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶½

When Savannah detective Duncan Hatcher is summoned to an unusual crime scene, he knows discretion is key. Influential Judge Cato Laird´s beloved trophy wife, Elise, has fatally shot a burglar. She claims self-defense, but Duncan suspects she´s lying and puts his career in jeopardy by investigating further. Then, in secret, Elise makes an incredible allegation, which he dismisses as the lie of a cunning woman trying to exploit his intense attraction to her. But when Elise goes missing, Duncan finds that trusting the wrong person could mean the difference between life and death for both of them. 

Story

Detective Hatcher is stunned when Judge Laird in his presence suspends the case against criminal Savich over a minor incident. Duncan sees himself again at the beginning of his investigation against Savich and drowns his frustration about it in whiskey and to turn on judge Laird´s wife Elise at a ceremony. When he is then called to death by nightfall and finds himself in the judge´s house, the initial desire for Elise soon becomes a desire that Duncan finds difficult to control. With the investigation, in this case, begins for Duncan an exhausting time full of lies, things that do not fit together, and a woman who sends him on a sensory roller coaster.

Style

Sandra Brown wrote the thriller in the usual style. Direct, sharp, and tending to the limit of obscenity. Everything fits together beautifully, the choice of words, the characters, the plot. In the beginning, the story is rather calm, even if the author starts with a crime in two ways. The author has an excellent command of telling the thriller in a varied and logical way and encourages the reader to think along with her narrative style. The suspenseful story is full of surprises and twists and the reader is sent on an exciting journey of discovery in which nothing seems to be as it is portrayed. I especially liked the end of the book. In it, Sandra Brown has developed a sophisticated psychological game between the characters to the absolute showdown and offered the reader an excellent conclusion, the logical answer to any questions from the plot, and ensures a brilliant finale.

Characters

Some characters do not get smart at the beginning of the story. Sandra Brown skillfully plays with various traits such as greed, murder, corruption, and abuse of power. It is a pleasure to put yourself in the figures and to observe them. Nothing seems like it is and the reader pats relatively long in the dark regarding some characters and their real motives.

Especially the figure of Elise Laird gave me riddles at the beginning. Was a contradiction in itself. As a cool, blonde beauty with a maddening effect on the men, I first had a picture of a woman in front of me, who is aware of their effects, but this does not use intentionally and can adapt to the situation perfectly. In addition, I had the impression she is extremely fragile and can not say a word independently without the presence of her loving husband. She seemed like a chameleon to me. But the superficial wealthy, who takes everything for granted, is far from them. With her chasms revealed, which stand in stark contrast to their appearance as a happily married judge´s wife, the reader experiences this in a very impressive, enthralling, and convincing way.

A very different character, however, is Detective Duncan Hatcher. He has principles that are so incontrovertibly concreted in his life and profession that he falls into an absolute emotional disaster when he realizes that he is about to drop it for a few moments of fulfillment. But he does his job as usual. Incorruptible, consistent, and always relying on his professional and human instincts. Nevertheless, the otherwise strong man shows a surprisingly soft side when it comes to organizing his thoughts and keeping a clear and cool head: he plays the piano.

Conclusion

A thrilling thriller full of human chasms, sex, betrayal, and murder mixed with blood and the search for new challenges with a certain kick. Should not be missing on the shelf of a Sandra Brown fan!

Happy reading

Sandra Brown

Sandra Brown is the author of 63 New York Times bestsellers. Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into thirty-four languages. A lifelong Texan, Sandra Brown was born in Waco, grew up in Fort Worth and attended Texas Christian University, majoring in English. She is much in demand as a speaker and guest television hostess. Her episode on truTV´s Murder by the Book premiered the series in 2008. She appeared in 2010 on Investigation Discovery´s new series, Hardcover Mysteries. In 2009 Brown detoured from her thrillers to write Rainwater, a much acclaimed powerfully moving story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression. Brown holds an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University where she and her husband Michael Brown, have instituted the ELF, a scholarship annually awarded to a student pursuing a fiction-writing career. In 2008, she was named Thriller Master, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer´s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America´s Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2011 she and four colleagues went on a week-long USO tour to Afghanistan, meeting with service members on numerous bases. Sandra is the past president of the Mystery Writers of America in 2012. She lives in Arlington, Texas, with her husband, Michael Brown.

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5/21/2019

Der Schwarze Thron-Die Kriegerin by Kendare Blake

Two Dark Reigns is a very cruel and bloody novel about sisters who fight for what they want and believe in. But only one of them is the one and only Queen. This was no book you expect after the things happening in part two. Yes, it was a reading pleasure, and yes, I had a wonderful time with it. But some chapters were a bit too long in terms of what happened in them.

Der Schwarze Thron-Die Kriegerin*

by Kendare Blake
Three Dark Crowns Series #3
Translation Charlotte Lungstrass-Kapfer
Original Title Two Dark Reigns**
Publisher Penhaligon* on March 25, 2019
Genre Fantasy
Pages 509
Format Softcover
Source Publisher

Goodreads

✶✶✶✶

Throughout her life, poisoner queen Katharine has been waiting for this: She wears the crown of the island kingdom of Fennbirn. But her reign is cruel and challenged – rumors are coming to her that her sisters are still alive and wanting to overthrow Katharine. In fact, Mirabella and Arsinoe have survived and are hiding on the mainland. But they are not safe: Arsinoe is haunted by terrible dreams. The Blue Queen, a figure from Fennbirn´s legends, urges her to return to the island. Because it is not Katharine, through which the empire threatens to sink – it is the eerie fog off its coast, which brings them all in danger … (personally translated blurb by © Vi at Inkvotary). 

Story

Katharine is in a precarious situation. The dead queens in her blood are demanding new blood and to keep them under control she has to fight their desire every minute of the day. But without them she wouldn´t be the Queen of Fennbirn, so she has no other choice but to reign with them as her inner advisors. A secret she has to hide, no matter what costs. When she finds out, that her other sisters might have survived and are back on the island, she sees no other way but to play all her skills to keep what she calls her own and to protect her people. The only problem: she is not in control of the situation.

Style

Visually absolutely stunning and with a depth that made want more. Yes, there are pages and chapters where the entire story becomes flat and things seem to drift. But the more you read, the more things change. Kendare Blake uses the same language and writing-style she used in her other books in this series. And though I don´t agree with everything that happened in here, in the end, I was again stunned, shocked, and had the wow-effect. Because the last scenes are quite something.

Characters

I am still trying to figure out if Katharine is/was a living Dead or simply the result of many years of poison-abuse and the fact that she got out alive of the crevice. One thing is for sure. The mystery factor is high but not as high as in the other two books. The sisters fight each in their own way, and the scene where Jules bound ability breaks through and shows her real destroying power is one of the best scenes of this novel. Yes, it was not easy to watch her suffer afterward, and what had become of Camden, the animal, but the way how the author shows the curse that has now been unleashed, that was quite amazing.

As in the other books, the sisters are not able to do anything other but fight for what they were raised for. They have to deal with something, that never happened before and the secret they are about to unravel is giving all the answers they and the reader had. Only to bring up new questions. I am impressed by how the author has created the sisters and how she shows their characters. The individual abilities, strength, and power they have inside them. 

Conclusion

This novel is cruel, bloody, and at the same time surprisingly uneventful. Don´t get me wrong. There is a lot of action in here, many dead to mourn and a queen who is kind of out of control. But I missed a bit of the feeling and atmosphere I found in the other two books. Despite that, it was still a reading pleasure. And I can´t wait to get my hands on the next book.

Happy reading

*This book 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.

**Title was originally published Two Dark Reigns by Harper Teen on April 9, 2018 

Kendare Blake

Kendare Blake holds an MA in creative writing from Middlesex University in northern London. She is the author of Anna Dressed in Blood, a Cybils Awards finalist. Her books have been translated into eighteen languages, have been featured in multiple best-of-year lists, and have received many regional and librarian awards. Kendare Blake loves animals of all kinds and is also fascinated by Greek mythology. She lives and writes in Kent, Washington.

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5/18/2019

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #73 – A Very Quiet Week

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 / Reading Reality and Caffeinated Reviewer and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #73

In terms of buying books, I was a pretty good girl and bought none. In terms of requesting books, I was a pretty bad girl, because the list is long and for almost all of them, I got the approval already. Some are still hanging in the air. So, fingers crossed!

Sunday Post #30

The past week has been a pretty annoying one. I am thinking about giving my blog a new design. I am playing with the thought, to change from the playful one I use at the moment, towards a clean one that is more grown-up in its design and appearance. Thanks to the fact, that the support for the current template is gone.

The coaching isn´t going very well, and my coach is putting more and more pressure on me. I feel cornered and since I am refusing to let every problem being answered with “this or that anxiety is the problem and therefore you can´t open up the way you´re supposed to”, my coach has changed her behavior towards me. All of a sudden I seem to be a person you can´t speak normally with or in a proper manner or tone. I told her to change her behavior towards me in an instant or I am out of the room and training. I was shocked and angry and still am. Don´t get me wrong. Anxieties are a serious thing and you shouldn´t take them lightly. Which I don´t. But on the other hand, there is a reason why not everyone can help a person with anxiety. No matter how much they want it.

During my thirties, I was participating over months in a depth psychology program as a volunteer. I didn´t watch a stranger putting her life on the table and work through all the stuff with a psychologist. No. It was me, Vi, whom we used to go through the program. Everything I went through, everything I learned back then, I learned from a professional who “saw and treated” me as a person that undergoes therapy with him as a guide. Believe me, during those months I´ve learned more about me than any other person or program could have taught me. I visited the darkest places inside me, learned a lot about my fears, and why I did some things the way I did and do. It was fascinating and I am very grateful for that time in my life. And because of that knowledge, I know that my current coach has not the ability to go with me there.

I Am Reading

Happy reading

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5/17/2019

The Search by Nora Roberts

I consider this novel one of Nora Roberts´ best work. The fact that I´ve read the printed edition while listening to the audiobook countless times guess says it all. The US edition is one hell of an entertaining mix between a romance novel, contemporary romance, and thriller. Simply magnificent.

The Search

by Nora Roberts
Publisher G.P. Putnam´s Sons on July 6, 2010
Genre Novel
Pages 488
Format Hardcover
Source Purchased

Goodreads

✶✶✶✶✶

To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life – a quaint house on an island off Seattle´s coast, a thriving dog-training school, and a challenging volunteer job performing canine search and rescue. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare. Several years ago, she was the only survivor of a serial-killer – a madman who stalked and abducted young women strangled them, and left them buried with a red scarf on their bodies. As authorities were closing in on the Red Scarf Killer, he shot and killed Fiona´s cop fiancé and his K-9 partner. On Orcas Island, Fiona has found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life. Yet all that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for her help. He´s the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy, foisted upon him by his mother. Jaws has eaten through Simon´s house, and he´s at his wit´s end. To Fiona, Jaws is nothing she can´t handle. Simon is another matter. A newcomer to Orcas, he´s a rugged and intensely private artist, known for creating exquisite furniture. Simon never wanted a puppy, and he most definitely doesn´t want a woman. Besides, the lanky redhead is not his type. But tell that to the laws of attraction. As Fiona embarks on training, Jaws and as Simon begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into Fiona´s life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands …

Story

Fiona Bristow is the only survivor who has escaped the assassination of a serial killer. And with which the serial killer of then still has an open bill. She moves to the island of Orcas and builds up a new life together with her three dogs. Fiona is part of a dog rescue squad and trained for their livelihood the dogs of others. This is how she meets Simon Doyle, who comes to see her with his puppy Jaws one day – in despair. Between Fiona and Simon, it crackles from the first moment, and for both is clear, against an affair between them is no objection. But one day Fiona gets the message that there has been another victim – a so-called imitator has come into action. Everyone involved then quickly realizes that Fiona is his ultimate goal. For Simon, a completely unfamiliar situation, especially as his feelings for Fiona are stronger than he thought, and Fiona has to struggle again with the panic attacks and nightmares of that time. 

Style

Nora Roberts wrote a wonderfully coherent and atmospherically dense novel with a sophisticated thriller impact, which absolutely captivated me from the first page on. The reader gets to know the protagonist Fiona as well as Simon, some other characters, and the idyllic life on Orcas Island. In front of the reader´s eye, the author draws a magnificent landscape, forms cozy houses, at the same time peps them up with the announced evil in one of the first chapters. Immersed in the developing affair between the two main characters, the reader experiences a story that is constantly gaining in light by thoughts and views of Fiona and Simon. Once again, this novel reveals that Nora Roberts excels in her craft, writing, and is also very familiar with the male species. In beautiful entertaining dialogues, especially those with Simon are the hit, concise language, and extremely deliciously designed male characters, the author presents the reader with humorous insight into the mindset of men. Hilarious.

Characters

Strong-willed personalities meet each other, who complement each other perfectly in their interaction and act brilliantly together. Whether it´s Fiona´s friends, the FBI, or the scene where Fiona meets her tormentor of yesteryear. An extremely brilliant scene. Fiona no longer sees herself as the victim of that time. After all, the women in this novel are all strong personalities. The men are in no way inferior, even if they are often to be regarded with a smile. The reactions to the tree stump and its determination is more than amusing and shows once again that less is often more. Fantastic.

What I found particularly interesting is the portrayal of the serial killer of yesteryear and his imitator. Here Nora Roberts has succeeded admirably in presenting the evil in such a way that on the one hand it is perfectly clear that two sick characters are acting here, but this was presented with the necessary respect for the human nature of a figure and put into words. Here a psychological subtlety came to light, between the two serial killers and Fiona´s way of thinking to their approach and accomplished deeds, which I can just describe as remarkable. This perspective brings a brilliant kick in this novel, forming, so to speak, the thriller components that make the action of the characters to a fantastic experience. 

Conclusion

The novel has a fascinating atmosphere and, in my opinion, is one of Nora Roberts´s best works. The reader is well entertained with a varied and colorful plot. Passion, hate, and courage are the key elements that convince and turn this novel into a real experience.

Happy reading

Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts, born in Silver Spring, Maryland, is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels. During the now-famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981. Having spent her life surrounded by men, Ms. Roberts has a fairly good view of the workings of the male mind, which is a constant delight to her readers. It was, she’s been quoted as saying, a choice between figuring men out or running away screaming. Nora is a member of several writers groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the publishing industry. Recently The New Yorker called her “America’s favorite novelist.” She is also the author of the bestselling futuristic suspense series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

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5/15/2019

Waiting On Wednesday #95 – Vicious by V. E. Schwab

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.

My WoW, this time is the German edition of Vicious by V. E. Schwab. I guess you could translate its title with Vicious-The Evil In Us. Don´t ask me why they had to put the second line to the original title. But it is as it is. If my reading keeps the way it is so far, very slow that is, then there might be a good chance, that this will be the very first book I´ve ever read from the author. Yes, V. E. Schwab is completely new to me, although I am already owning A Darker Shade of Magic. But that one is still on my TBR.

The cover design got me the second the author posted a picture of it on her Instagram account. Or was it on Twitter? Anyway. The red somehow got into my brain *smile* and the blurb sounds very fascinating. Good, I admit, I haven´t read adult fantasy combined with Science Fiction in a very long time, if at all, but why not give this a try and see how it fits into my reading habits? Sometimes you just NEED to break them, to discover new things. Am I right? I do hope that I will like this. Since the weekend I know when the second one will be published in Germany and that is already on my request list as well. Oh boy, going to be a very busy fall and winter 2019/2020 *lol*

Vicious-Das Böse In Uns

Author V. E. Schwab
Villains #1
Publishing Date November 27, 2019
Publisher Fischer TOR
Format Softcover
Goodreads

Victor Vale and Eli Ever want to die. Not to stay dead, but to resurrect with extraordinary abilities. As young, brilliant medical students, they know exactly what they are doing. They plan the experiment meticulously and have success: Both come transformed back into life. Eli develops and amazing regenerative power and becomes virtually immortal, Victor can inflict or take pain to others. What they are not in control of is the tragedy triggered by their experiment. Because superpowers alone do not make heroes …

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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5/14/2019

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

As always, the cover caught my attention first. And the idea with dragons and shapeshifters sounded also very intriguing. So why not give it a try? It might not have thrilled me, as expected, but this book left me thinking about some things.  No doubt, the author started a wonderful reading experience here.

Firelight

by Sophie Jordan
Firelight Trilogy #1
Publisher Harper Teen on September 7, 2010
Genre Fantasy
Pages 336
Format Hardcover

Goodreads

✶✶✶✶

With her rare ability to breathe fire, Jacinda is special even among the drake – the descendants of dragons who can shift between human and dragon forms. But when Jacinda´s rebelliousness forces her family to flee into the human world, she struggles to adapt, even as her drake spirit fades. The one thing that revives is the gorgeous, elusive Will, whose family hunts her kind. Jacinda can´t resist getting closer to him, even though she knows she´s risking not only her life but the draki´s most closely guarded secret. 

Story

Jacinda lives among people. She is always in danger of betraying herself and her species, the Draki. Whenever she is in danger or afraid, she threatens to transform herself and reveal her biggest secret. But people are not allowed to know anything about it because her secret also means protecting her race from human hunters. Above all Will. To him, Jacinda feels a special connection. For her mother, this means only one thing: The Draki in her daughter must be killed. A thought that horrifies Jacinda. But it does not work as easily as her mother imagines. And for Jacinda begins a fight for her identity and her love for Will, which puts everything else in the shade.   

Style

The reader impressively experiences an unusual story that has often made me very thoughtful. Sophie Jordan´s writing style is slightly subdued and very calm, yet colorful and very expressive – not to say visually stunning. The author has a real knack for entertaining her readers with a colorful and in some cases surprisingly profound story, even if the novel shows weakness over a few chapters and runs the risk of slipping into triviality. At the end of the book, it was really thrilling again.  Even though the novel did not fascinate me as much as I had hoped, the vivid descriptions of the scenes, the successful pictorial language, and the love story between Will and Jacinda still inspired me.

Characters

With her characters, Sophie Jordan has created creatures who all carry their burden and have secrets. It focusses mainly on the hidden features, the profoundness of their characters, their idiosyncrasies. The reader has time over the entire novel to befriend the individual characters or to find them unsympathetic – whatever you prefer. The first-person perspective of the novel gives the person who reads a special way of looking at the rest of the characters. Jacinda shows her feelings, thoughts, and her view of things very clearly, which intensifies her experiences and feelings. The minor characters, however, are left to the imagination of the reader, as far as their appearance. Only their characteristics are clearly visible.  

Conclusion

This novel has not torn me into a veritable rapture of enthusiasm but still lingered in me for a long time. The storyline is not bizarre, but it´s all the more thoughtful. It is rather the soft sounds that have captivated me and made me realize that this book will undoubtedly polarize its readership. If you want to get involved in a nice and slightly melancholic story, the novel should be exactly right for you. 

Happy reading

Sophie Jordan

Sophie Jordan grew up on a pecan farm in the Texas hill country, where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she´s also the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Avon historical romances and the Firelight series. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she´s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes and Diet cherry Coke preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with true-crime and reality-TV shows. Sophie also writes paranormal romances under the name Sharie Kohler.

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5/11/2019

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #72 – Bittersweet Mother´s Day

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 / Reading Reality and Caffeinated Reviewer and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #72

During the past few days, I received an RC from Fischer TB. Due to some other things, I am barely able to actually buy books. Therefore, my behavior on that front is pretty decent at the moment.

Reviewer Copy

Sunday Post #29

I am writing this to ALL MOTHER´S because for some of us, this day is a bittersweet one. Not every mother has a living, breathing, and healthy child at home. Some of us are mothers of a stillborn child. Some of us lost a child shortly after birth through the so-called “crib death” or “cot death”. Some of us lost their child because it was born without a brain. No matter how it happened. Every woman who had to suffer, to endure such a loss one way or the other I still consider a MOTHER. For me, it doesn´t matter if your child is alive and growing every day, week, month, or year.

We keep those children in our hearts and souls. They are never forgotten. To every woman who finds herself in the above-written words:

Today is also YOUR (bittersweet) Mother´s Day.

I Am (Still) Reading

Happy reading

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5/11/2019

The Pagan Stone by Nora Roberts

It was one great pleasure reading this final book in the Sign-of-Seven-trilogy. I seldom enjoyed reading a book that is so obviously set in the horror genre but without being a plain horror novel at all. Yes, that does sound weird, but when you know the author´s style, and how she uses to bring things together, then you understand and know what I mean. This book is written in the soft style the author has and yet filled with horror, blood, and cruelty without giving the reader the feeling that he/she´s missing something the name Nora Roberts usually promises. Entertainment.

The Pagan Stone*

by Nora Roberts
Sign Of Seven Trilogy #3
Publisher Jove Books on November 25, 2008
Genre Novel
Pages 336
Format Paperback

Goodreads

✶✶✶✶✶

Years ago, after their blood brother ritual, Gage, Fox, and Caleb each emerged from the woods with a piece of bloodstone. Now, it will become their weapon in the final fight against the demon they awakened. Winner takes all … Shared nightmares, visions of blood and fire, and random violence begin to plague the longtime friends and the women bound to them by fate. None of them can ignore the fact that this year, the demon has grown stronger – feeding off of the terror it creates. But now, the three pieces of the bloodstone have been fused back together. If only they could figure out how to use it. A gambling man like Gage has no trouble betting on his crew to find a way. And though he and Cibyl share the gift of seeing the future, that´s all they share. But Gage knows that a woman like Cibyl – with her brains and strength and devastating beauty – can only bring him luck. Good or bad has yet to be determined – and could mean the difference between absolute destruction or an end to Hawkins Hollow´s nightmare …

Story

The Seven moves closer and the demon Twisse becomes stronger and stronger. Now he is even able to hurt Caleb, Fox, and Gage and this is extremely painful. But the love for three strong women, each intriguing and fateful in their own way, is what makes the three men stronger and willing to fight and win the final fight. For Gage, this also means enjoying the last few days and weeks and fighting for what is most valuable to him: Cibyl Kinski. As a professional player, she presents a breathtaking challenge to him, which he instinctively senses is the key to fighting Twisse along with him.

Style

Nora Roberts proposes brisk, open, and direct sounds. She remains empathetic anyway. The author completes logically and absolutely convincingly not only the background story of the Demon Twisse and the place Hawkins Hollow. She also leads the third of the male gang, Gage Turner, with an impressive love story to the side of the woman he loves and wants. Although some scenes in which the demon tries to persuade the Six to give up are very bloody and brutal, they still remain readable and empathetic by the unmistakable nature of Nora Roberts. Without taking the action tension or even big feelings. 

Nora Roberts increases the suspense of the sometimes subtle but also serious discoveries of the three women on the place Hawkins Hollow, the Hawkins family, and by going through again the already known facts, events, and experiences of the three men. It was absolutely mesmerizing to see the six friends working together. 

Characters

Cibyl and Gage are more in the foreground in the last volume. Both are independent beings who value their freedom and never spend a long time in one place. As usual convincing and extremely realistic Cibyl and Gage act in their fight against their feelings and against evil. Neither of them wants to admit or even accept that their love is fated and that it has led them to Hawkins Hollow. But Cibyl would not be Cibyl if she did not believe in the good and through her research, find a way to interpret the signs correctly and to interpret the knowledge around them. 

With Gage that looks a bit different. He not only fights against the demon but also against the shadows of his past in the form of his now dry father. Now a young man, he is unwilling to forgive his father or forget how much he has hurt him through his beatings, intoxication, and psychic violence.

Conclusion

A grand finale to this trilogy, which is bloody and very violent, but could not have been better. 

Happy reading

*This book will be published on August 20, 2019, by Berkley with this new cover. 

Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts, born in Silver Spring, Maryland, is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels. During the now-famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981. Having spent her life surrounded by men, Ms. Roberts has a fairly good view of the workings of the male mind, which is a constant delight to her readers. It was, she’s been quoted as saying, a choice between figuring men out or running away screaming. Nora is a member of several writers groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the publishing industry. Recently The New Yorker called her “America’s favorite novelist.” She is also the author of the bestselling futuristic suspense series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

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5/08/2019

Waiting On Wednesday #94 – Heaven´s End-Wen Die Geister Lieben by Kim Kestner

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 week I am presenting a book written by a German author: Kim Kestner. I know the author from her book “Anima” which was bloody brilliant. And though I am not very happy with the cover design - too nostalgic for my taste - I am looking forward to the story. The title of this one could be translated into English: Heaven´s End-Who the spirits love. A setting in Scotland, ghosts, and obviously some romance. Sounds very promising to me. And if the author has written it with only half the good style she used in Anima, this one should become a hit too.

                         

Heaven´s End-Wen Die Geister Lieben

Author Kim Kestner
Heaven´s End Trilogy #1
Publishing Date July 24, 2019
Publisher Fischer KJB
Format Hardcover
Goodreads

Where the sky ends, the world of spirits begins.

In Heaven´s End, a small Scottish coastal town, 15-year-old Jojo lives with her family – the living and the dead. Because Jojo can see ghosts and lives with a whole horde of crazy ancestors under one roof. Nobody is allowed to know anything about her special ability. Not at all Zack, the school swarm, whose sparkling eyes make Jojo stupidly quite tingling. But in the idyllic Heaven´s End, weird things are happening. How long can Jojo keep her secret? And what lurks beyond the world of the living?

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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