I had high hopes for this second book in the authors Nachtmahr-trilogy. And the cover with all its blue, silver and white in combination with the motive gave me a really good reason to read this book. Oh yes, me and a wonderful to look at the cover. How can someone resist a wonderfully designed and balanced cover motive when it is created with my favorite colors? Well, for sure not me.
Nachtmahr-Die Schwester Der Königin*
by Ulrike SchweikertNachtmahr Trilogy #2
Publisher Penhaligon on June 29, 2015
Genre Fantasy
Pages 415
Format Softcover
Source Publisher
✶✶✶
Lorena is a Nachtmahr – and a danger to all who love her. In order to protect her fellow men from her dark side, she goes to the house of the mighty Lady to begin her education. But then Lorena learns that the Nachtmahre have detected her sister. Lucy was kidnapped as a child because she was held for the Eclipse mentioned in the prophecy. Now Lorena goes to San Francisco to free her sister from Alcatraz. But she does not suspect that a dark conspiracy is under way, in which no one reveals his true motives … (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary)
Story
Lorena´s life has changed completely. Not only that she has learned that her sister Lucy is still alive, but her private life is now totally different as well. She is training like hell to become as good, strong, and powerful as she´s ought to be. And her feelings for Jason are as strong as never before. But the moment, the mighty Lady wants to degrade her as an object of purpose and tries to intervene in her relationship with Jason, Lorena is on a warpath.
Style
The story goes from the cold London to the warm San Francisco, where Lorena must fight for her life, that of her sister and her love for Jason. There is a lot of action and, no doubt, characters who know how to handle every situation. But for some reason, sparks won´t fly between the story and the reader. I simply couldn´t get in touch with Lorena, Jason, or any other figure. The famous style of the author was only partly to see, and her brilliant and virtuosic writing-style is barely visible. Sad, but again, a wonderful cover doesn´t make a great novel.
Characters
With her figures, the author is in a bit better position. Good, Lorena isn´t as great as she was in the first book. Somewhere between book one and this second part she has changed. Now that she knows that she can´t ignore her dark side and that she needs to train herself to stand her ground against the mighty Lady and her evil plans, she does everything within her power to keep the love of her life out of danger and to rescue her sister.
But life isn´t a fairytale and for sure not always playing nice.
And Jason has his own troubles to cope with the fact, that he can´t help Lorena. Not the way he would like to. In this novel, the man isn´t the strong, protecting partner. It is the other way around. A fact Jason isn´t happy about.
Conclusion
The start of this book was fantastic. And if it would have been all the way to the end like its beginning, this would have been an absolute reading pleasure. Unfortunately, it wasn´t. Sad, but only average for me. My hopes for the third book are very low …
Happy reading
*This book was, at the time this review was published, only available in the German language.
Ulrike Schweikert
Ulrike Schweikert studied geology and journalism. She has been one of the most successful German authors of historical novels since her fulminant romance book Die Tochter des Salzsieders. Her trademark: fascinating, close-to-life heroines. The author lives and works in Baden Württemberg, Germany.
Follow