Written by Melissa Marr, Fragile Eternity is book 3 in the Wicked Lovely series.
This book follows Seth as he struggles to deal with his humanity in a circle of immortals - including his girlfriend. On his quest to become Faerie, Seth meets the reclusive Sorcha, Queen of the High Court, and strikes a deal: one month a year in Faerie to become one. Unbeknownst to him, one day in Faerie is 6 in the real world. When he finally serves his month, 6 have passed and Aislinn has turned to Keenan to give their Summer Court a true queen to his king.
I did not like this book at all. While the bits about the High Court and his deal with Sorcha were fine, the angsty love triangle/rectangle was a little much. Keenan was still trying to win over Aislinn, and when that didn't work, he stuck it out with Donia. However, when Seth went missing, he immediately dumped Donia to be at Aislinn's side. Aislinn starts to feel strongly about Keenan with the approach of summer, so instead of being open with Seth, she hides it from him. Seth, for his part, knows that something is up with Aislinn and decides to completely change to be with her.
Those elements are wrong on so many levels. I can forgive Aislinn and Seth since they're young and dumb, but Keenan is 900 years old. You'd think that having to back off for 100 years-ish, would be super easy, especially now that his powers are unbound. Instead, he actively tries to seduce Aislinn and then when Seth is gone, he jumps at the chance to soothe her. His only saving grace is that when she offers her body, he turns her down.
Aislinn's behaviour at Seth's disappearance is pathetic. She becomes reclusive, to the point of shutting out her grandmother and close friends, and she leans heavily on Keenan - who I believe she had no right to demand that kind of attention after turning him down so often. She even offered to sleep with him to make herself feel better!
And Seth? Seriously? He seemed to be the only character who was completely satisfied with who he was. Until he got it in his head that he needed to be with Aislinn forever and went against everyone's wishes to do it. I believe that compromise is necessary in a relationship; but changing who and what you are to be with someone? On top of that, Seth has a Persephone-esque contract: 6 months in Faerie and 6 months with Aislinn. As much as I like happy endings, I almost hope this ruins their relationship. I think it would be too tidy to have Keenan and Donia together, as well as Aislinn and Seth.
I guess I'll find out eventually. The next book, Radiant Shadows, is available now. I, however, am going to read Mockingjay next, book 3 of the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins!!!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Magic Bleeds
Magic Bleeds - book 4 of the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews - explored Kate's relationships with various people and groups in the different aspects of her life.
For familial relationships, Kate meets her crazy aunt Erra - and has to stop her from killing everyone Kate has ever loved. Going against every lesson taught her by Voron, Kate has finally accepted others in to her life and in order to save her friends, Kate is willing to sacrifice herself. Even disposing of her aunt could draw unwanted attention from her father and Kate doesn't believe herself strong enough for that confrontation yet (and really, Ilona Andrews is contracted until book 7 so it can't end now!).
Regarding romantic relationships, Kate and Curran have finally hooked up. However, due to their stubborn personalities - plus the shapeshifter politics - has caused huge headaches and huge compromises for both parties. Kate has officially chosen Curran, and his Pack, over The Order, and as Curran's mate, she is now the alpha of all alphas. Changing her status within the Pack caused a huge upheaval, especially when Curran was in the coma; however, Kate was determined to prove herself worthy - against the better judgement of her advisors!
Kate's friendship with her best friend Andrea is now strained, since Kate was free to quit The Order when the Pack needed her. As an estranged beastkin who could have been killed in her youth by other shapeshifters, Andrea feels more loyal to The Order. Even the prejudices of Moynohan aren't enough to dissuade Andrea's faith in the core belief of The Order.
There was an interesting take on biblical stories as well, keeping with the author's theme of mythology. The author chose to use the story of Esau and Jacob, with Esau being the first vampire created by Roland. Another take was on Samson; in this version Samson being one of Erra's crazy offspring - who was growing out his hair because he was balding.
This book was a good read. It wasn't as action packed as the others and Kate's heartache coloured her decisions; however, it was nice to see Kate act more human for a change - it's hard to relate to a character who feels no fear and doesn't have the same emotions as everyone else. I definitely think it's a shame that I'm going to have to wait 8-9 months before I can read the next book. I also do look forward to reading more about Kate's world, her friends and even her family.
For familial relationships, Kate meets her crazy aunt Erra - and has to stop her from killing everyone Kate has ever loved. Going against every lesson taught her by Voron, Kate has finally accepted others in to her life and in order to save her friends, Kate is willing to sacrifice herself. Even disposing of her aunt could draw unwanted attention from her father and Kate doesn't believe herself strong enough for that confrontation yet (and really, Ilona Andrews is contracted until book 7 so it can't end now!).
Regarding romantic relationships, Kate and Curran have finally hooked up. However, due to their stubborn personalities - plus the shapeshifter politics - has caused huge headaches and huge compromises for both parties. Kate has officially chosen Curran, and his Pack, over The Order, and as Curran's mate, she is now the alpha of all alphas. Changing her status within the Pack caused a huge upheaval, especially when Curran was in the coma; however, Kate was determined to prove herself worthy - against the better judgement of her advisors!
Kate's friendship with her best friend Andrea is now strained, since Kate was free to quit The Order when the Pack needed her. As an estranged beastkin who could have been killed in her youth by other shapeshifters, Andrea feels more loyal to The Order. Even the prejudices of Moynohan aren't enough to dissuade Andrea's faith in the core belief of The Order.
There was an interesting take on biblical stories as well, keeping with the author's theme of mythology. The author chose to use the story of Esau and Jacob, with Esau being the first vampire created by Roland. Another take was on Samson; in this version Samson being one of Erra's crazy offspring - who was growing out his hair because he was balding.
This book was a good read. It wasn't as action packed as the others and Kate's heartache coloured her decisions; however, it was nice to see Kate act more human for a change - it's hard to relate to a character who feels no fear and doesn't have the same emotions as everyone else. I definitely think it's a shame that I'm going to have to wait 8-9 months before I can read the next book. I also do look forward to reading more about Kate's world, her friends and even her family.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Ink Exchange
Melissa Marr is an amazing writer with a soft spot for tattoos - this affection is apparent in her book Ink Exchange, book 2 in the Wicked Lovely young adult series.
This book follows Leslie, Aislinn's best friend, who goes in for a tattoo and ends up as an energy conduit to help feed the Dark Court. Coddled in the Dark Court, Leslie's spirit starts to wither and she starts to tend towards destructive behaviours (ie, starting fights) just for a fleeting glimpse of any emotion, even pain. Only the combined power of Aislinn and Donia (the Summer and Winter Queens, respectively) can free Leslie since she desperately wishes to belong to a world that does not include the faeries.
What struck me the most about this book was the spirituality placed on the tattoos. To Leslie, a tattoo was the one thing that she had control of and the inking was her way to reclaim her body. Looking at the process of picking a design and getting it etched permanently onto one's body was fascinating from the perspective of someone who has never gotten a tattoo (but who really wants one!). The machinery, the inks, the whole process was interesting and was told so vividly that for someone with a curiousity like mine, it was greatly appreciated! And at the end of the story, Leslie comes to realization, with a maturity that is not too common, that it was her own actions and choices that defined her and changed her situation - not the tattoo itself.
I was also greatly surprised when at the end of the story Leslie opted out of the Faery world and out of the lives of Irial and Niall. While I believed that Leslie would have to make a hard choice at the end, I honestly believed that it would be a choice between the guys - but not choosing to leave them both. Again, that shows a maturity not normally found in books for young adults.
Overall, I'm highly impressed by the character of Leslie in this book: on the outside she doesn't seem like such a wonderful person, but she's a survivor and her story is one of survival. I would definitely recommend this story to others - if you like stories involving faeries, even better! I already know the next story follows Niall and his leadership in the Dark Court but I am still looking forward to reading about it!
This book follows Leslie, Aislinn's best friend, who goes in for a tattoo and ends up as an energy conduit to help feed the Dark Court. Coddled in the Dark Court, Leslie's spirit starts to wither and she starts to tend towards destructive behaviours (ie, starting fights) just for a fleeting glimpse of any emotion, even pain. Only the combined power of Aislinn and Donia (the Summer and Winter Queens, respectively) can free Leslie since she desperately wishes to belong to a world that does not include the faeries.
What struck me the most about this book was the spirituality placed on the tattoos. To Leslie, a tattoo was the one thing that she had control of and the inking was her way to reclaim her body. Looking at the process of picking a design and getting it etched permanently onto one's body was fascinating from the perspective of someone who has never gotten a tattoo (but who really wants one!). The machinery, the inks, the whole process was interesting and was told so vividly that for someone with a curiousity like mine, it was greatly appreciated! And at the end of the story, Leslie comes to realization, with a maturity that is not too common, that it was her own actions and choices that defined her and changed her situation - not the tattoo itself.
I was also greatly surprised when at the end of the story Leslie opted out of the Faery world and out of the lives of Irial and Niall. While I believed that Leslie would have to make a hard choice at the end, I honestly believed that it would be a choice between the guys - but not choosing to leave them both. Again, that shows a maturity not normally found in books for young adults.
Overall, I'm highly impressed by the character of Leslie in this book: on the outside she doesn't seem like such a wonderful person, but she's a survivor and her story is one of survival. I would definitely recommend this story to others - if you like stories involving faeries, even better! I already know the next story follows Niall and his leadership in the Dark Court but I am still looking forward to reading about it!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Magic Strikes
Be still my heart!
I am absolutely in love with this series. In book 3, Magic Strikes, Ilona Andrews returns us to Kate Daniels' alternate Atlanta, and she has done a remarkable job of including many more styles of mythical creatures from other cultures, such as Viking, Hindu, Japanese and Chinese.
When Derek returns on the verge of death from a secret mission involving a fighting group called The Reapers, Kate takes a personal affront to it and demands vengence. In order to get her revenge, she must fight in an underground tournament called The Midnight Games - a pasttime which Curran has strictly forbidden all shapeshifters from becoming involved in. When Kate and Jim investigate The Reapers, they discover that they are rakshasas - born warriors who are masters of illusion and have no problem eating human flesh. The rakshasa have also teamed up with Roland to destroy The Pack, with the aid of Hugh d'Ambray, past apprentice of Kate's dad.
Now Kate has the double worry of keeping her friends alive in the ring as well as keeping her identity a secret from Hugh - and by extension, Roland.
Kate is remarkable. She cares so much about her friends that she is willing to impale herself on a sword to save her friends and destroy her enemies. When Derek finally pulls through, Kate is so emotional that she dry heaves with relief. She is also willing to step in to a ring and potentially face discovery, just so her friends don't have to fight short-handed.
Kate is reckless, impulsive and has authority issues; but she is also funny, protective and willing to put on airs so her ward will no longer be alienated at school. She also has a cool head - when she stops to use it. Despite the electricity flowing between her and Curran, she refuses to give, since she is convinced that Curran only wants her because she refused him. And I love that aspect. Eventually she'll give in, but she's making him work hard for it and it's fun to see her deny any sort of mutual attraction - even to herself.
I can't wait to read Magic Bleeds, and see what sort of fun Ilona will come up with next!
I am absolutely in love with this series. In book 3, Magic Strikes, Ilona Andrews returns us to Kate Daniels' alternate Atlanta, and she has done a remarkable job of including many more styles of mythical creatures from other cultures, such as Viking, Hindu, Japanese and Chinese.
When Derek returns on the verge of death from a secret mission involving a fighting group called The Reapers, Kate takes a personal affront to it and demands vengence. In order to get her revenge, she must fight in an underground tournament called The Midnight Games - a pasttime which Curran has strictly forbidden all shapeshifters from becoming involved in. When Kate and Jim investigate The Reapers, they discover that they are rakshasas - born warriors who are masters of illusion and have no problem eating human flesh. The rakshasa have also teamed up with Roland to destroy The Pack, with the aid of Hugh d'Ambray, past apprentice of Kate's dad.
Now Kate has the double worry of keeping her friends alive in the ring as well as keeping her identity a secret from Hugh - and by extension, Roland.
Kate is remarkable. She cares so much about her friends that she is willing to impale herself on a sword to save her friends and destroy her enemies. When Derek finally pulls through, Kate is so emotional that she dry heaves with relief. She is also willing to step in to a ring and potentially face discovery, just so her friends don't have to fight short-handed.
Kate is reckless, impulsive and has authority issues; but she is also funny, protective and willing to put on airs so her ward will no longer be alienated at school. She also has a cool head - when she stops to use it. Despite the electricity flowing between her and Curran, she refuses to give, since she is convinced that Curran only wants her because she refused him. And I love that aspect. Eventually she'll give in, but she's making him work hard for it and it's fun to see her deny any sort of mutual attraction - even to herself.
I can't wait to read Magic Bleeds, and see what sort of fun Ilona will come up with next!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Magic Burns
I've decided to catch up on this series (I have books 1-4) before reading any new ones. If I don't catch up, I may never get around to finishing it. Plus you lose the flow of the story and characters and then you start to wonder which name belongs to which person. And I'm especially glad I continued since the second book was laden with mythology, both Greek and Celtic, a subject that I absolutely adore. If I thought it would be a viable job option, I would study mythology for a living. Honestly.
Magic Burns is book 2 in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews.
In Kate's world, technology and magic are at war for complete supremacy, with magic slowly winning. According to Kate, "[t]heory said that magic and tech used to coexist in a balance. Like the pendulum of a grandfather clock that barely moved, if at all. But then came the Age of Man, and men are made of progress. They overdeveloped magic, pushing the pendulum farther and farther to one side until it came crashing down and started swinging back and forth, bringing with it tech waves. And then in turn, technology oversaturated the world, helped once again by pesky Man, and the pendulum swung again, to the side of magic this time" (p 16). Every seven years a magical flare arrives, where magic and tech shift more frequently, with the magic building up each time, and never truly going away. And right now they're leading up to a flare.
This book you learn more about Kate's magic: Julie, an orphan that Kate takes under her wing is a human m-scanner: a sensate. She can determine the magic used by its colour. She is also able to blend into the magic so it doesn't sense her; however, when under attack, Julie finds Kate's magic too alien to blend with. It is also impossible for Kate to ever be infected with the Lyc-V (lycanthrope virus) or the vampire bacterium.
The story explains how Kate's mom sacrificed herself so that Kate and her father may survive. And how Kate's father (who is actually not her birth father) was a warlord by the name of Voron (meaning 'raven') and how he left it behind for Kate.
Mostly, the story focuses on mythology: first Greek, with the sightings of the Stymphalian birds and then on to Celtic myths; more specifically on Morrigan, her son Morfran and their battles with the Fomorian. Since, y'know, every deity needs a foe to fight. There's even an triumvirate Oracle to consult, which lives in the belly of a giant tortoise.
This book was extra fun because of the mythology. It has made me want to read up on Celtic myths, as well as Merlin and King Arthur, since Morrigan and Morfran are part of the stories. Due to the magic waxing on and becoming more powerful, I expect the next book to contain even more mythos! I also do expect something to happen between Kate and Curran. My favourite part of the story was right at the end when he leaned in for a kiss, then said "psych" and walked off.
I find Kate and her many boys interesting. Normally it annoys me when all the guys want to get into the pants of the main female; however, I think Kate's attitude towards it is refreshing. She knows that Saiman only wants her because she said "no" and that Bran is only doing it because she's female. And she doesn't think of them that way. The way she looks at Curran now makes me laugh because she is convinced that the only reason why she finds him sexy is because she needs to get laid; however, to listen to her talk to Julie about sex, it makes me think that there's more to Kate than she lets on. While she definitely isn't waiting for marriage before having sex, I think that she does place more importance on it than just a one-night stand. And I find it refreshing.
Magic Burns is book 2 in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews.
In Kate's world, technology and magic are at war for complete supremacy, with magic slowly winning. According to Kate, "[t]heory said that magic and tech used to coexist in a balance. Like the pendulum of a grandfather clock that barely moved, if at all. But then came the Age of Man, and men are made of progress. They overdeveloped magic, pushing the pendulum farther and farther to one side until it came crashing down and started swinging back and forth, bringing with it tech waves. And then in turn, technology oversaturated the world, helped once again by pesky Man, and the pendulum swung again, to the side of magic this time" (p 16). Every seven years a magical flare arrives, where magic and tech shift more frequently, with the magic building up each time, and never truly going away. And right now they're leading up to a flare.
This book you learn more about Kate's magic: Julie, an orphan that Kate takes under her wing is a human m-scanner: a sensate. She can determine the magic used by its colour. She is also able to blend into the magic so it doesn't sense her; however, when under attack, Julie finds Kate's magic too alien to blend with. It is also impossible for Kate to ever be infected with the Lyc-V (lycanthrope virus) or the vampire bacterium.
The story explains how Kate's mom sacrificed herself so that Kate and her father may survive. And how Kate's father (who is actually not her birth father) was a warlord by the name of Voron (meaning 'raven') and how he left it behind for Kate.
Mostly, the story focuses on mythology: first Greek, with the sightings of the Stymphalian birds and then on to Celtic myths; more specifically on Morrigan, her son Morfran and their battles with the Fomorian. Since, y'know, every deity needs a foe to fight. There's even an triumvirate Oracle to consult, which lives in the belly of a giant tortoise.
This book was extra fun because of the mythology. It has made me want to read up on Celtic myths, as well as Merlin and King Arthur, since Morrigan and Morfran are part of the stories. Due to the magic waxing on and becoming more powerful, I expect the next book to contain even more mythos! I also do expect something to happen between Kate and Curran. My favourite part of the story was right at the end when he leaned in for a kiss, then said "psych" and walked off.
I find Kate and her many boys interesting. Normally it annoys me when all the guys want to get into the pants of the main female; however, I think Kate's attitude towards it is refreshing. She knows that Saiman only wants her because she said "no" and that Bran is only doing it because she's female. And she doesn't think of them that way. The way she looks at Curran now makes me laugh because she is convinced that the only reason why she finds him sexy is because she needs to get laid; however, to listen to her talk to Julie about sex, it makes me think that there's more to Kate than she lets on. While she definitely isn't waiting for marriage before having sex, I think that she does place more importance on it than just a one-night stand. And I find it refreshing.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Magic Bites
Magic Bites is book 1 in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews.
In this urban fantasy series, magic is contantly competing with technology for supremacy in the world. As it fluctuates back and forth, the people of the world have adapted to both by having access to both magical and nonmagical items: for example, feylanterns when magic is in control and electrical lights when tech is in. However, it seems like magic is currently in the lead, since Kate comments on how "[f]ew people owned cars that ran during tech. There was no need to invest in them, since it was plain that magic was gaining the upper hand" (page 90).
Magic also brought back the creatures of legends: vampires and shapeshifters. Part of a group called The People, the vampires were piloted by necromancers - or necronavigators - who would use them to spy on others from the safety of their office. The necronavigators would keep the vampire like a pet, feeding and raising them, but the mindlink between them would prevent the vampire from mindlessly destroying everything in its path during bloodlust.
The Pack, the faction of shapeshifters, were led by Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, who ruled over all the different alphas and their small groups. He was, of course, a lion. Most of these creatures were were-something (ie, werewolf, werecat, etc) which were creatures born human who could turn into an animal. However, there were also some creatures who were born animal and could shift into a human. Corwin was one such animal, a cat-were.
Another major player in this world is The Order: known as The Order of Knights of Merciful Aid. These people were trained and devoted to the destruction of harmful beings to humanity; unfortunately, they were also a form of justice unto their own. If enlisted, they would destroy anything that threatened humanity - even if it was your elderly aunt who would turn in to a harpy and sit in your tree.
Due to the fanatical nature of The Order, Kate dropped out before she became a full-fledged member. It was her failure to follow in the footsteps of her guardian that caused the rift between her and Greg. Armed with her magical saber, Slayer, she is determined to find out who killed Greg, even if it means going back to The Order.
During the investigation, many interesting clues come out as to what Kate actually is. Her connection with the undead and being able to cross a blood ward to destroy a powerful vampire hint that she has blood ties with Roland - the legendary father of the undead. However, a standoff with a necromancer at the end of the book suggests that her actual father was much more powerful than Roland. And much older. It explains why she destroys any traces of her blood left behind with fire and why she never allows Nataraja (the vampire leader) to force her to show her full power. Unfortunately, the nature of Kate's ancestry isn't explored any further in this book.
I found this book to be an easy read and I liked how the author left some things to the imagination (like Kate's history) and is gradually doling it out in small doses. Since I read a lot, there are times that I'm able to guess the storyline before it happens - which can ruin surprise endings if I have it figured out well in advance. I did like how Crest was painted poorly and ended up innocent in the end; I had him pegged as suspicious from the moment he met Kate, so I was surprised that I was wrong.
I love new angles to old stories, so I'm excited to see how this pans out. The next book in the series is Magic Burns, but I'm not sure if I'll read that one next or another one. I downloaded some cool new books on to my Kobo that I'm really excited about, so right now it's a case of not being able to choose which story to read. For the sake of continuity, I may read the next one, but we'll see.
In this urban fantasy series, magic is contantly competing with technology for supremacy in the world. As it fluctuates back and forth, the people of the world have adapted to both by having access to both magical and nonmagical items: for example, feylanterns when magic is in control and electrical lights when tech is in. However, it seems like magic is currently in the lead, since Kate comments on how "[f]ew people owned cars that ran during tech. There was no need to invest in them, since it was plain that magic was gaining the upper hand" (page 90).
Magic also brought back the creatures of legends: vampires and shapeshifters. Part of a group called The People, the vampires were piloted by necromancers - or necronavigators - who would use them to spy on others from the safety of their office. The necronavigators would keep the vampire like a pet, feeding and raising them, but the mindlink between them would prevent the vampire from mindlessly destroying everything in its path during bloodlust.
The Pack, the faction of shapeshifters, were led by Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, who ruled over all the different alphas and their small groups. He was, of course, a lion. Most of these creatures were were-something (ie, werewolf, werecat, etc) which were creatures born human who could turn into an animal. However, there were also some creatures who were born animal and could shift into a human. Corwin was one such animal, a cat-were.
Another major player in this world is The Order: known as The Order of Knights of Merciful Aid. These people were trained and devoted to the destruction of harmful beings to humanity; unfortunately, they were also a form of justice unto their own. If enlisted, they would destroy anything that threatened humanity - even if it was your elderly aunt who would turn in to a harpy and sit in your tree.
Due to the fanatical nature of The Order, Kate dropped out before she became a full-fledged member. It was her failure to follow in the footsteps of her guardian that caused the rift between her and Greg. Armed with her magical saber, Slayer, she is determined to find out who killed Greg, even if it means going back to The Order.
During the investigation, many interesting clues come out as to what Kate actually is. Her connection with the undead and being able to cross a blood ward to destroy a powerful vampire hint that she has blood ties with Roland - the legendary father of the undead. However, a standoff with a necromancer at the end of the book suggests that her actual father was much more powerful than Roland. And much older. It explains why she destroys any traces of her blood left behind with fire and why she never allows Nataraja (the vampire leader) to force her to show her full power. Unfortunately, the nature of Kate's ancestry isn't explored any further in this book.
I found this book to be an easy read and I liked how the author left some things to the imagination (like Kate's history) and is gradually doling it out in small doses. Since I read a lot, there are times that I'm able to guess the storyline before it happens - which can ruin surprise endings if I have it figured out well in advance. I did like how Crest was painted poorly and ended up innocent in the end; I had him pegged as suspicious from the moment he met Kate, so I was surprised that I was wrong.
I love new angles to old stories, so I'm excited to see how this pans out. The next book in the series is Magic Burns, but I'm not sure if I'll read that one next or another one. I downloaded some cool new books on to my Kobo that I'm really excited about, so right now it's a case of not being able to choose which story to read. For the sake of continuity, I may read the next one, but we'll see.
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