Snake Ropes by Jess Richards

An island off the edge of the map......it could be anywhere but the setting reminded me of the description of the Outer Hebrides in Island of Wings by Karin Altenberg so that's where I let my imagination take me.

An isolated community in which the men farm and fish and the women craft beautiful broideries, knitting and weaving......and snake ropes. Seldom does anyone leave the island and their only contact with the outside world is with the tall men in boats who regularly come to trade.

A matriarchal society steeped in old superstitions and beliefs. Within the weaving room the women make decisions, pass judgement on the wrongdoers and hold the key to the sinister sounding Thrashing Room.

The story is told by two 18-year-old narrators. Mary is island-born and lives with her fisherman father and her three-year-old brother who she loves dearly. But boys have been disappearing from the island and Mary fears for Barney especially when the tall traders come. When Barney does go missing Mary is determined to find him and eventually her life intersects with a girl from the other side of the island.

Morgan's parents fled the mainland and barricaded themselves behind high walls beyond which Morgan has never been. With her only solace the books she loves Morgan longs for freedom.

Snake Ropes has a voice so original and creative it is very hard to describe in a way that does it justice. Magic abounds - keys and toys that speak, ghostly shapeshifting owls, dreams captured for art and ropes that bite. There are myths of the sea and the mist-shrouded islands woven into the story and at its heart a sad and very human tale is slowly revealed. 

Written in beautiful and imaginative prose and I loved it!

What's in a Name Challenge 5 - a creepy crawly in the title.

Review: The Dragon Queen by Alice Borchardt

Genre: Historical Fantasy
Publisher: Transworld, 2002
472p


It is that time known as the Dark Ages. The Romans have abandoned Britain's shores, leaving behind a country riven by terrible strife, warfare, superstition and wild magic. Born into this cruel world, Guinevere, daughter of a mighty pagan queen, is both a threat to her people and a prize to the power-crazed sorcerer Merlin.


Sent into hiding, Guinevere grows up under the protection of a shape-shifting man-wolf and a cantankerous druid, watched over by dragons. Through his dark arts, the malign, all-seeing Merlin will stop at nothing to track her down for he knows her extraordinary destiny. He knows that should Guinevere become queen and Arthur king, they will bring a peace to this ravaged land that will leave him powerless.


 Alice Borchardt has taken the legendary tale of Arthur and Guinevere and put her own vividly imaginative spin to it, creating a fantasy grounded by a strong historical background and characters I can relate to even if they are presented in a very different light than usual. An evil Merlin in cohorts with Igraine takes some getting used to!
This Guinevere is no mere mortal. She has inherited powers of her own that will rival Merlin's once she learns to control them and so as she grows up she is faced with a number of trials to test her strength and magical skills. One of the things I liked most in this book was the the portrayal of women as intelligent and resourceful - I find the warrior women of Early Britain more acceptable than those depicted in a medieval Camelot.

I don't read a great deal of fantasy but when I do this is how I like it. The author writes lyrical and beautiful descriptive prose and her fantasy worlds are breathtaking at times. Dragons, shapeshifters and strange monsters contrast with raiding Saxon war parties and Uther Pendragon's court at Tintagel and all woven together with Celtic myth and legend. There was a lot to enjoy but towards the end I began to lose interest. I became confused with the continuous changes in time and place and to tire of Guinevere's endless challenges, many of which added nothing to the storyline. I'd also discovered that this book is the first in a trilogy which I hadn't realised when I started reading. The later stages of Guinevere's life are so well known I can see no incentive to read any further.

I'd recommend The Dragon Queen to fantasy lovers and to those who like to explore the different interpretations of the Arthurian legend.

Review: The Ghost Writer by John Harwood

Genre: Gothic Ghost Mystery
Publisher: Jonathan Cape, 2004
374p

Gerard Freeman spent his childhood in the small Australian town of Mawson enchanted with the stories his mother told him of her growing up at the home of her grandmother in England. Until the day he opened a locked drawer in his mother's bedroom where he found a photograph and an old manuscript.....and suffers his mother's rage when she discovers him.


Gerard finds solace in his penpal friendship with Alice Jessel, a young English girl left parentless and crippled after an accident. It's a friendship that over the years becomes an obsessive love . More manuscripts also come to light, hinting at his mother's role in a catastrophe that might be a crime and eventually Gerard travels to England hoping to unravel the family mystery and unite with Alice.


I bought this book at the beginning of the year from the library sales shelf with the intention of saving it for the RIP challenge. Just as well I didn't look at it more closely because if I'd known it would be as good as it was I'd have read it long before now.

The Ghost Writer is exactly how I like my ghostly horror stories. Although a contemporary novel the writing style has a Victorian feel about it , the suspense builds slowly and a good deal is left to the reader's imagination.
There are stories within the story . The manuscripts Gerard finds are short stories written by his great-grandmother and four of them are included in the book. Wonderfully spooky and creepy ghost tales with sinister fog, a strange portraits, a porcelain doll  and a musty old green gown, apparitions guaranteed to send shivers down the spine. Stories that Gerard comes to realise have a connection to events in his own life.

The ending does not come wrapped up nice and neatly. I've read some reviews this morning in which readers say they were disappointed and confused by the ending. I wasn't - the book is cleverly constructed , the clues are all there for the reader to find and if I still have a couple of questions that only means I've missed a clue and if I look I'll find the answer.

I loved it!

Aussie Author Challenge
Femme Fatale Challenge

RIP VI Challenge

Review: Black & Orange by Benjamin Kane Ethridge

Genre: Horror/Dark Fantasy
Publisher: Bad Moon Books, 2010
423p

This year the sacrifice has come...


Forget everything you know about Halloween. The stories are distortions. They were created to keep the Church of Midnight hidden from the world. Every October 31st a gateway opens to a hostile land of sacrificial magic and chaos. Since the beginning of civilization the Church of Midnight has attempted to open the gateway and unite with its other half, the Church of Morning. Each year they've come closer, waiting for the ideal sacrifice to open the gateway permanently.


Don't you love it when your expectations of a book are turned upside down? The cover of Black & Orange suggests the typical Halloween horror tale as does the prologue. Maniacal, pumpkin-headed fiends chomping at everything in their path - 'a horde of orange pit bulls' - and a sinister suited bad guy called Chaplain Cloth ripping out hearts. My own heart quailed at the graphic gruesomeness!

But despite my initial doubts what I ended up with was one of the best fantasy horror books I've read in a long while. The author has taken the Halloween/Samhain theme of the veils between the worlds parting and put his own very imaginative twist on it . The result is a well-written, well-paced story with a perfect mix of  realism and magic and a battle between Good and Evil that makes compelling reading.

The two central characters, Martin and Teresa, are Nomads, battle-hardened people who lack identity and are forever road-bound on an endless mission to guard the sacrifice. Their only direction is from notes left from a mysterious person called the Messenger. But matters have become even more complicated this year. Teresa has quickly lost ground battling cancer, while Martin has spiraled into a panic over being left alone. His mind may no longer be on the fight when it matters most...because ever on their heels is the insidious representation of a united church: Chaplain Cloth.
Though they move in a fantastical world Martin and Teresa come across as very real people tackling very real human issues which made it easy to connect with them emotionally and become invested in their future.

The writing style is simple, straightforward and easy to read and yet the author still manages to create the most vivid and original descriptive prose - always a winner with me - and I loved the humour.
Entertaining reading - I enjoyed it very much.

Bram Stoker Award Winner - Superior Achievement in First Novel

I received Black & Orange to read and review from Pump Up Your Book promotions.

RIP VI Challenge

Quick reviews

Leonardo's Swans by Karen Essex


Set amidst the turmoil and political intrigue of late 15th century Italy this is the story of two sisters, Isabella and Beatrice d'Este,  the men they loved and the men they married.

Locked in a fierce rivalry they fight to be the one immortalised by the court painter, Leonardo da Vinci.
I liked how the sisters relationship developed over the years and really enjoyed the detail of the historical background and the glimpse into the life and work of the great Leonardo.

Historical Fiction Challenge

Virgin Widow by Anne O'Brien


Anne Neville is the daughter and heiress of Warwick the Kingmaker. Trapped in a deadly tangle of political intrigue, she is a pawn in an uncertain game, used by the houses of Neville, York and Lancaster.
With its focus on the love between Anne and Richard of Gloucester, later Richard III, it is essentially an historical romance, which normally I might avoid, but this story I already knew was beautifully portrayed and made for engrossing reading. The historical background to the War of the Roses is complex but the author doesn't make the mistake of having too many characters to confuse the reader - I'd recommend this book to those who are beginning to read about this period . I enjoyed it.

Historical Fiction Challenge

Those Who Come After by Elisabeth Holdsworth


Juliana Stolberg tells the story of her life from her early years spent in post WWII Netherlands as the child of an aristocrat family, their emigration to Australia when she is 12 and the struggle to adapt to a new country.
It's the story of the events and experiences of one woman's life , most of them rather sad and depressing, but it's told with an emotional detachment that prevented me ever becoming involved as I would have liked to. I enjoyed the part set in the Netherlands but didn't feel Australia at all which may be an indication of how the author feels as it is a novel based on her own life experience.  I also found the sudden change from one time period to another very confusing at times.

Aussie Author Challenge

Black Swan Rising by Lee Carroll


New York jeweller Garet James isn't the same as everyone else. She just doesn't know it yet! 
Take one girl...........add a Pandora's box, a vampire, an Elizabethan alchemist, the King of the Faeries and it all adds up to a wonderful blend of history, magic and mythology amid the streets of Manhattan. 
Urban Fantasy is not a genre that normally appeals to me so the fact I enjoyed this immensely does indicate it's a little different than the usual offering. 
Lee Carroll is the pseudonym of a favourite author of mine, Carol Goodman, and her husband, and I look forward to their next book.


Once Upon A Time Challenge  

Review: Child of the Prophecy by Juliet Marillier

Magical storytelling!

Child of the Prophecy brings to a conclusion the original Sevenwaters trilogy. Early in 2010 I read the the first, Daughter of the Forest, a book I'll always think of as one of my all-time favourites, and one which took me from being a reader not particularly enthused about the fantasy genre to finding the sort of fantasy I really loved. Then I read the second, Son of the Shadows, but it's taken me until now to finish the series.

The central character in this story is Fainne, the child of the ill-fated lovers Niamh and Ciaran who were forced to leave Sevenwaters and make their home far away in Kerry. Losing her mother at an early age Fainne is raised in isolation by her druid father who passes on to her his druidic knowledge and trains her in the art of magic.

When she is sixteen her grandmother appears , the evil sorceress who will go to any lengths to destroy Sevenwaters and the people who live there. Fainne is an essential part of her plan and she forces the young girl to bend to her will by threatening the well-being of the father she loves.

Fainne is sent to live at Sevenwaters burdened with a terrible task. She must use whatever powers she has to prevent the Fair Folk winning back the Islands, no matter what the cost. But as she learns to love the family she has never known so the weight of guilt and fear grows forcing her to confront terrifying choices.

" Had I just proved my grandmother right? She had told me I bore the blood of a cursed line, a line of sorcerers and outcasts. It seemed I could not fight that: it would manifest itself as it chose. Were not my steps set inevitably towards darkness? I turned and fled in silence."

Once again I was enchanted by the ability Juliet Marillier has to weave words into patterns of beautiful descriptive prose and vivid characterisation ; her writing has an emotional intensity that never fails to move me to tears.  I particularly liked the skill with which she portrayed Fainne's inner conflict with  good and evil , the greater focus on the arts of sorcery and magic than in the previous books because of Fainne's gifts.......and the heartbreakingly beautiful ending.
Highly recommended!

What's In A Name Challenge 4 ( a life stage in the title)

Once Upon A Time Challenge V

Review: The Bride That Time Forgot by Paul Magrs

Meet the good, the bad and the bitten!

The white witches of Whitby vs The bride of Frankenstein

It was the Whitby word that motivated me to bring this book home because I've visited that Yorkshire town with it's new part perched high on the clifftops and its quaint old part nestled below in the harbour. It seemed to be the perfect setting for a cosy mystery which is what I first thought this book was. It does have the requisite elderly sleuths - Brenda who runs the B & B and Effie, her friend next door with the junk antiques shop and these septugenarian ladies do solve crimes but not in the ordinary way.

For Whitby is a place that has a portal through which creatures of darkness can pass and Brenda and Effie are white witches whose reponsibility it is to keep these vampires and night walkers from causing murder and mayhem. As this story begins the relationship between Brenda and Effie has become strained because of Effie's gentleman friend who isn't having a positive influence on her.  Meanwhile, at Whitby's new mystery bookstore, new Goth-girl in town Penny is drawn into the strange works and worlds of Edwardian lady novelist Beatrice Mapp. The surprising discoveries she makes will impact on all the ladies of Whitby, especially Effie.

Although I haven't read any of the previous books it is actually the fifth in a series which I can only call cosy fantasy. In the first part of the book I found the constant references to events from earlier books a bit irritating and unnecessary but overall it was a good choice for a relaxing Sunday afternoon.
Totally daft escapism, fun characters and plenty of humour kept the pages turning.

Publisher: Headline,2011
352p

Once Upon A Time Challenge V

Review: The Final Alice by Alycia Ripley

Expect the Unexpected!

At the age of 30 Alice considers her life a waste of space. She has returned home. the Prodigal Disappointment,  to live with her parents knowing she has failed to live up to their expectations of what a young woman should have achieved by now. Added to which Alice has a very special great-great-grandmother......THE ALICE of Wonderland fame whose magic she tries to express in her writing but can find no evidence of in herself. She even prefers red to the blue and white her family favours.

But Alice's life is about to radically change. One day in the supermarket as she struggles to extricate herself from the car a voice offers to help and when she looks up....

".... a massive deer head took up the entire window. The antlers did not fit but the

head and face did. Its eyes were huge and yellow-brown; its lips pulled back to show teeth. I
screamed and clutched the steering wheel. Not having taken drugs in my younger days there was
no rational or chemical explanation but a flashback would be better than reality thrusting its huge
head inside."

With the appearance of Simmons, the talking deer,  the wild and wacky adventures of a very modern Alice begin. No rabbit hole for this girl - she faces her adversaries in the real world, in city and surburbia, in corporate businesses and family homes. Alicia Ripley has given her imagination full rein in creating the most wonderfully bizarre characters, friend and foe, and what fun it is to recognise those that are familiar from Wonderland under their new guises. It's the battle between good and evil and some of the villains are truly bad and their actions graphically gruesome - not something I'm always comfortable with but it was all so outrageously extreme that I found myself delighting in the gory details.

Alice's fantastical tale is her own but her experiences reflect the story of all us as we journey through the voyage of self-discovery, battling the demons of negative conditioning and the expectations of others and growing towards confidence and belief in ourselves. I really liked how this universal theme was woven into the story .

Great reading and I recommend !

Read more about Alicia Ripley and her writing at http://www.alyciaripley.com/main.asp

Once Upon A Time Challenge V

Review: A Chronicle of Endylmyr by Charles Hall

The Witches of Endylmyr

Full of ambition an Eastern despot seeks to control all magical items in the world of the novel.


These items, created in the distant past have become scattered over time, some coming into the possession of the Khan, others into the possession of a primitive pastoral people, and yet others into the possession of the European-like community of Endylmyr, located in the far reaches of the western plains. When the Khan sends armies to seize the devices, the various peoples of the North and West band together to resist, using the magical devices themselves to defeat the Khan’s schemes.
After a few misguided attempts to use the entire collection of magical items, Angmere, the historian, discovers an ancient rhyme that suggests three women are the key to the puzzle. Gwynyr, Hellwydd, and Hilst, acting the part of the three witches of Endylmyr, become a storm that has been brewing over the northern mountains and defeat the Khan’s attempt to seize the city. For the present at least, the peoples and cultures of the woods, steppes and plains are free from the threat of conquest.

When it comes to the fantasy genre and what I like I admit I'm a bit picky but Charles Hall has written a wonderful epic that had me captivated from the opening pages.

The story begins with a prologue..............Pendaran the Archer is lost in the woods and encounters The Winter Queen from whom he eventually receives three gifts. "Peregrine, as your companion; safe passage through my wood .... and an object that contains a portion of my magic."  The magical number three predicts a fairytale element in what is to come which as a lover of such stories really appealed.

"And so it was that Pendaran met Peregrine the magical falcon, and the two began their lifelong adventure together."

The time, the place and the people all felt very real which is something else I like. I can relate to a place of plains and mountains and there was a sense of a time when people were dependent on and lived in close harmony with nature. I loved the detail with which the environment and the animals, the clothes, the food , weapons and everyday activities are described and how skilfully these elements are woven into the story without ever overpowering or slowing down the pace of the action and adventure.

Great characters, exciting plot - add  mystery and magic and it was the perfect mix for me. I enjoyed this book immensely and look forward to more from Charles Hall.

Thanks to Elise at Outskirts Press for sending me a copy of A Chronicle of Endylmyr to review as part of the books virtual tour.

Genre: Epic Fantasy
Publisher: Outskirts Press, 2010
562p

Review: Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Paranormal
Publisher: Jonathan Cape, 2009
390p


This is a book that has been on my 'must read this year' list and the RIP challenge provided the perfect time. I'm one of the sad minority who weren't overly impressed by TTW but afterward, wandering through reviews, I noticed how many readers who loved it were disappointed or disliked HFS and hoped that for me it would work the other way round...........and it did! I really liked Her Fearful Symmetry.


Love a good ghost story!

Julia and Valentina Poole are normal American teenagers - normal ,at least, for identical 'mirror' twins who have no interest in college or jobs. But everything changes when they learn that an aunt whom they didn't know existed has died and left them her flat which overlooks Highgate Cemetery in London. They feel that at last their lives can begin - but have no idea they've been summoned into a tangle of fraying lives.........and an aunt who can't seem to leave her flat.

Like many other people I have a fascination for cemeteries and love nothing more than to wander among old gravestones and imagine stories about the folk behind the inscriptions. I found all the information about Highgate and some of its occupants most interesting and , of course, it created the necessary creepy gothic atmosphere of a good ghost story. Death is symbolic for the end of a cycle, change and transformation.........the need to cope with loss, to bury the past or lay something to rest and move on with as positive attitude as possible. Most of the characters in HFS are stuck clinging to the past in some way and are...

Disturbed people in dysfunctional relationships

Normally I prefer to like at least one character but the fact that most of this lot are extremely unlikeable only seemed to add to the atmosphere. The twins and their parents, Robert and the dear departed Elspeth are seriously weird and totally incapable of making sane and sensible choices. I did like the love story between Martin , suffering from COD, and his wife, Marijke .......their problems are normal and visible which adds the necessary balance to the story.

For me this was a book where I was happy to suspend belief and let my imagination fly , to become engrossed in and totally enjoy a very good ghost story.  There is some lovely prose and imagery , it's original and creative and my only disappointment was the final pages seemed a bit rushed.

RIP V Challenge

Review: Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh

Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Publisher: Gollancz, 2010
339p

Sex, Death, Power!

Traditionally that is what vampires are all about and thank goodness Nalini Singh is doing her best to keep that tradition alive. No wimpy schoolboy vamps chasing young girls round the schoolyard in this book which also explains why the steam was rising from it in the adult section of the library .

What it's about!

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she's the best.......but she doesn't know if she's good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear-failure is not an option.....evn if the task she's been set is impossible.
Because this time it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.

First line:      "When Elena told people she was a vampire hunter, their first reaction was an inevitable gasp, followed by, " You go around sticking those sharp stakes in their evil putrid hearts?"

No, she doesn't - she sniffs them out with her supernatural vampire-smelling powers, captures them and returns them to their archangel masters.

Archangels?  My perception of archangels as loving and protective beings was seriously challenged and it took me a while to accept them as something very different .........lethal and powerful controllers of both humans and vampires. But with the help of the gorgeous Raphael I managed.

Not at all my usual choice of reading but part of the fun of book blogging is that it's constantly challenging one to put aside prejudice and try something new. The downside is I have nothing to compare it with so I don't know how it measures up to others of this genre. It is the first of Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series so I imagine that , as with all firsts in a series, there is a good deal of stagesetting and introduction of characters going on. I liked Elena - she's tough and independent if a little too agressive at times but I guess vampire hunters have to be.... and  Raphael , powerful and sexy - controlling , yes, because that's what power is about.
So all I can say is.....

I liked it!............it was a quick read that was original, fun and entertaining with sex, death and power aplenty and an ending tantalising enough to tempt me to read the next in the series.

SM5S: Wolfsangel by M.D.Lachlan

A fun way to add variety to review formats this meme was created by Alipet at That's A Novel Idea.

Jenners at Find Your Next Book Here has the Mr Linky each week so we can link up our posts .

1 Book I Read: Wolfsangel by M.D.Lachlan

2 Words that describe the book: Historical Fantasy

3 Settings and/or Characters I met:

• Set in the time of the Vikings - Authun is a Viking king who has no sons, no heir, until the witch queen tells of a prophecy that there is a child, a child of the Gods, who will lead his people to conquer the world. Authun must lead a raid on a foreign land to capture the child but discovers not one, but twin boys and he takes both.
• Vali and Feileg.......the twin boys are quickly separated - Vali will be raised by Authun as his heir, Feileg is taken by the witches to be raised by a family of berserks and later , by wolves. Eventually, destiny brings their lives together again.
• Adisla - the girl Vali loves, she is captured by raiders and Vali and Feileg set off on the quest to find her.

4 Things I liked/disliked about the book:

• I liked the historical background - a glimpse into Viking life and culture .
• I liked the fantasy. Well researched and based on Norse mythology and sagas , witches, wolves and werewolves weave themselves effortlessly into the human experience.
• I liked the writing style. It's pure storytelling - I've never listened to an audio book but I can imagine this would be like sitting at the feet of a Nordic bard spinning his epic tale of glorious adventures. Brave heroes, mad berserks and gory battles , viking raids and rune magic - it's stirring stuff!
• I liked the fast pace and the action. Not my usual choice but it was exactly what I needed at the time to provide something different in my reading.

5 Stars or less for my rating:

4 Stars.............I like fantasy when it is magic with a foundation of realism and Wolfsangel's mixture of history, mysticism and mythology combined with an exciting narrative and vivid descriptive prose made wonderfully entertaining reading. 

Review: Ever by Gail Carson Levine

Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: HarperCollins, 2008

244p

Summary: Teenaged Kezi is to be sacrificed to the Hyte god because of a rash promise made to her father, but young Olus, Akkan god of the winds, falls in love with her and together they try to change her fate through a series of quests.

Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine has created a stunning new world of flawed gods, unbreakable vows, and ancient omens. Her story about love, destiny, and belief is spellbinding.

I would wholeheartedly agree. Not venturing often into YA I haven't read any of her other books, although I've seen them mentioned , but I spotted this one on the library display shelf and needing something to finish off a challenge I brought it home.

This author has the gift of weaving magic from words and her mythical story, narrated alternately by Kezi and Olus, is filled with romance and adventure while also raising issues of belief and faith.
A delightful tale which I really enjoyed.

Once Upon A Time Challenge

Review: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Title: Wicked Lovely
Author: Melissa Marr
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: HarperCollins, 2007

331p

Aislinn has always seen faeries, though they would certainly blind her if they knew of her Sight. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. But now faeries are stalking her. One of them, a beautiful boy named Keenan, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Now it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King and has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost......

Maybe it's because I'm not a teenager but there wasn't a great deal I liked about this book. As an admirer of Brian Froud's Faeries I did at first like the way the faeries were described - I feared frills and magic wands - but then their behaviour increasingly annoyed me. They seemed rather mean and nasty.

I found it very hard to relate in a positive way to the main characters. Both Aislinn and Keenan lacked the something special they'd surely need to be faerie royalty and Aislinn's mortal boyfriend, Seth ,  is so nice and caring and protective it's impossible to believe that such a paragon of virtue could exist.
Disappointing !

101 Fantasy Challenge

Once Upon A Time Challenge

Review: Angelology by Danielle Trussoni

Genre: Fantasy/Thriller
Publisher: Penguin, 2010

452p.

'THE NEPHILIM WERE ON THE EARTH IN

THOSE DAYS'

Genesis 6:4

When Sister Evangeline finds mysterious correspondence between Mother Innocenta of the Saint Rose Convent and legendary philanthropist Abigail Rockefeller, it confirms that angels walked among us - and their descendants, the cruel Nephilim, still do.

Indeed the Nephilim are hunting for artefacts concealed by Abigail Rockefeller during WWII - objects that will ultimately allow them to enslave mankind - and they have so far been prevented from reaching their apocalyptic goal by one, clandestine organisation: the Angelology Society.

And if the Angelologists are to stand any chance of winning this new battle they must find the artefacts first.....

History, theology, myth and legend.......the thrill of a chase , adventure and discovery - Danielle Trussoni has taken these elements and woven them together into an imaginative and well researched story of the age old battle between good and evil.
Set during two time periods but not in the back and forth format most often used. The story begins and ends with Evangeline in modern day New York while the middle section moves back to Paris during WWII where Evangeline's grandmother Gabriella and Celestine are student angelologists. This is the part of the book I  liked best and the preparations for and the resulting expedition to retrieve the lost artefact from a cave in Bulgaria are full of suspense, danger and an exciting conclusion.
So for me it peaked too soon and the last part couldn't hold the pace or tension and became a bit flat and predictable until the final page which was unexpected and rather left one hanging which suggests a sequel is planned.

Despite those reservations overall the storyline and subject matter really appealed and I did enjoy it.

Once Upon a Time Challenge IV

Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman

Title: Fragile Things; Short Stories and Wonders
Author: Neil Gaiman
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Headline, 2006

359p

Let me tell you a story

No, wait, one's not enough

I'll begin again.....

Let me tell you stories of the months of the year, of ghosts and heartbreak, of dread and desire. Let me tell you of after-hours drinking and unanswered phones, of good deeds and bad days, of breakibg down and making up, of dead men walking and missing fathers, of little French ladies in Miami, of trusting wolves and how to talk to girls.

There are stories within stories, whispered in ears in the quiet of the night, shouted above the roar of the day, and played out between lovers and enemies, strangers and friends. but all, all are fragile things made up using just 26 letters arranged and rearranged again and again to form tales and imaginings which ,if you let them, will dazzle your senses, haunt your imagination and move you to the very depths of your soul.

A delightful collection of short stories interspersed with a few poems. Some of them have been published before in various anthologies but as I've only ever read one other of Neil Gaiman's books they were all new to me. I'm not really a lover of short stories but found that reading one or two at a time worked better than trying to read the whole book at once and I enjoyed them immensely. There is an introductory chapter with a short piece on each story, the how and why it came into being , which adds a little extra to each tale.

 My favourite was October in the Chair - the months of the year gather together and one tells a story. October - 'his beard was all colors, a grove of trees in autumn, deep brown and fire-orange and wine-red, an untrimmed tangle across the lower half of his face"- tells of a young boy who runs away from home and meets another boy.........a 'dry run' for The Graveyard Book, the author describes it as and I'm intrigued enough to see myself reading that one soon.

Once Upon a Time Challenge IV

Review: The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Title: The Time Traveler's Wife
Author: Audrey Niffenegger
Genre: Romance/Fantasy
Publisher: Jonathan Cape, 2004

528p

This is the story of Henry and Clare, who have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was 36, and were married when Claire was 20 and Henry 28. This is possible only because Henry is one of the first people diagnosed with chrono-displacement-disorder - allowing him to travel in time.

I liked the concept of the story even though it's taken me a long time to get around to reading it. Unfortunately TTW and I had problems from the very first word.
Clare! A young woman called Clare and a book about time travel?

Suddenly I'm doing my own time travelling...........back to the 1990's and standing in my library I pick up a book - a lovely big, chunky book that sounds fantastic and so it would prove to be. It was called Cross Stitch , the debut novel of an author called Diana Galbadon. Her heroine was called Claire and she time travelled......and met a wonderful young man except his name was Jamie, not Henry. Although I have to say every time I read 'Henry' I thought of Henry James.

Not too happy about Clare but if the book had been something special I probably would have got over this little glitch. Except it wasn't.......

I didn't like the writing style.........it was jerky and had no flow. There was a lack of descriptive prose and far too much dialogue. And all that jumping around in time .........back and forth all over the place . And so all these things I didn't like, plus its not hard to pick how it's all going to finish up, stopped me from becoming completely involved emotionally with Clare & Henry and their personal story. Halfway through I almost gave up but it got a little better so I persevered with my tissues at the ready but I didn't really need them . I must admit to being a little blurry eyed during those last few pages..........the ending was very moving and the best part of the whole book but overall I simply wasn't impressed.

Big disappointment! 

101 Fantasy Challenge

Review: Hearts Blood by Juliet Marillier

Challenge 9: Same word, different book.

Challenge Description: Find two books that have the same word in the title. Read both books and write about them. (Worth 2 entries because you have to read two books).

My word is blood - the books I've read are Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier and Blood Royal by Vanora Bennett. Here is the review of the first .....

 
Title: Heart's Blood
Author: Juliet Marillier
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Publisher: MacMillan, 2009
 
405p



A haunted castle. A cursed castle. A girl running from her past and a man who's more than he seems to be. A tale of love, betrayal and redemption........
Whistling Tor is a place of secrets, a mysterious wooded hill housing the crumbling fortress of a chieftan whose name is spoken throughout the district in tones of revulsion and bitterness. A curse lies over Anluan's family and his people; the woods hold a perilous force whose every whisper threatens doom.
And yet the derelict fortress is a safe haven for Caitrin, the troubled young scribe who is fleeing her own demons. Despite Anluan's tempers and the mysterious secrets housed in the dark corridors, this long-feared place provides the refuge she so desperately needs.

As time passes, Caitrin learns there is more to the broken young man and his unusual household than she realised. It may be only through her love and determination that the curse can be lifted and Anluan and his people set free............

I love Juliet Marillier and I wasn't to be disappointed with her latest offering for once again she has taken the threads of myth and fairytale, history and mystery, and woven them into beautiful and magical tale .

Heart's Blood is set in Ireland during the time of the Norman Conquest in the 12th century and has a darker atmosphere than the other books I've read by this author - a Gothic story filled with strange and spooky supernatural forces that surround Whistling Tor and lurk within its walls. Victims of black sorcery, the ghosts are anguished and suffering and like Anluan have given up hope that life can ever be anything different.

The arrival of Caitrin brings hope. When she found the courage to flee her abusive aunt and cousin she took the first step towards understanding that the power for change lies within her own hands. As she battles to overcome her fears a strong and independent young woman begins to emerge who is determined to help and heal the inhabitants of Whistling Tor. The love between her and Anluan develops gently and with a great many misunderstandings - both have wounded hearts and must learn to trust again and to speak the truth of their thoughts and feelings.

There are some wonderfully individual, and suffering,  supporting characters as well and I found myself as much concerned for their welfare as I was for Caitrin and Anluan.
Inspired by the fairytale Beauty and the Beast  those familiar with the true tale will recognise familiar elements such as the garden, the library and the mirrors but with a new and unique twist from the pen of a magical storyteller. It wasn't hard to pick the villian early on and the middle is a tad slow moving but that's not a complaint - the sheer pleasure of reading Juliet Marillier's evocative and captivating prose is enough for me!

Highly recommended for lovers of fantasy and fairytale.

Once Upon a Time IV Challenge.

The Moon Spun Round by Elinor Gill

Title: The Moon Spun Round
Author: Elinor Gill
Genre: Mystery/Supernatural
Publisher: Harper Collins, 2008

303p

The cat went here, and the cat went there,

And the moon spun round like a top,

And the nearest kin of the moon,

The creeping cat looked up.

............W.B.Yeats

The grey cat with eyes as clear as iced moonlight was there when Sally first came to the stone cottage. It looked small and harmless.

Sally Lavender has been betrayed. With the sharp, jagged remains of her life still capable of drawing blood, she takes refuge in the village of Hallowfield, a place of peace where she lick her wounds. Slowly her pain is eased, the emptiness filled - where she expected solitude, she finds friendship, and a strangely insistent sense of connection.

As the moon slowly turns, Sally discovers how strong and deep are the ties that bind her to this place and to the five very different women who take her under their protection.

When one of the five is murdered those ties demand retribution .

A contemporary murder mystery.

Wiccan spirituality.

Past life memories.

History of the persecution of  'witches'.

.............and a small grey cat casts a long shadow in this gripping tale of love, hate and envy.

Loved that cat!

Loved the story!

Cat Book Challenge

Four Month Reading Challenge

Review: Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Title: Prophecy of the Sisters
Author: Michelle Zink
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Supernatural
Publisher: Atom, 2009

343p

Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves uncovering a lifetime of secrest. Secrets that could destroy everything.

Lia and Alice don't know who they can trust.

They only know they can't trust each other.

What an inspired choice I made when I stood , confused and uncertain, before the library YA shelves. Having decided it was time I read something from this category so many people love I had no idea where to start but this striking cover and the synopsis on the back did sound promising.

I wasn't disappointed. Quite the opposite.........I loved every reading minute. I was drawn into the story from the first page and found it hard to put down as the plot turned and twisted every which way. The writing style is fluid with a slightly old fashioned touch which suits the 1880's time period perfectly and dark  undercurrents add  a gothic creepiness .

I like my fantasy to have a foundation with an earthly reality : it provides balance and strengthens the otherwordly imagery. Outwardly Lia ( the narrator) and Alice, despite being orphaned ,have a normal home, family and friends and Lia also has a young man to provide a romantic interest but as the story develops not all of these people will be quite what they seem.

Light and Dark.

Good and Evil.

The age old battle between the two reflected in the sisters but the boundaries are not clearly defined. Something that made sense once I realised that this is only the first book of a trilogy. Lia is good, Alice is bad, but these are still young girls confronting a destiny they don't fully understand  which is complicated by a confusion as to birth order and each one is still fighting both forces. Even knowing that Alice is the 'dark one' I couldn't help feeling sorry for her as she stands alone watching her sister with her new friends.

Angels and druids, mediumship, astral travelling , Celtic myths and spirituality - all subjects I'm interested in and are woven together very well in this fascinating and satisfying story. I look forward to the second book 'Guardian of the Gate' which I understand will be published later this year.

I also think the book's presentation is worth a mention. The black and silver cover is very attractive but what I really loved was inside. At the bottom of every page and at the beginning of each chapter are borders of entwined thorny branches and I thought this really added  something special to the reading experience.

Highly recommended.