The Burning Sky – Sherry Thomas

Posted on August 9, 2013 by EHL

burning skyA tumultuous political world of magic exists in hidden folds of Victorian London. Prince Titus, a powerful mage, does not truly have authority in his realm because he and his kingdom are under the thumb of a super-power mage, The Bane. It has been foretold that Titus would meet and protect a unique elemental mage who would destroy The Bane. Iolanthe is the elemental mage who is totally unaware of how special her powers are. Titus and Iolanthe form an uneasy alliance to get the task done. The first in a planned trilogy, there are many characters and details to absorb. The world building was rather choppy. I was trying to get a handle on the magical world when suddenly we were in Victorian London. For readers wanting action, adventure, good vs. evil, tinged with romance, this offering should suffice.

eGalley review    Publication date 9.17.13

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Bones of the Lost: A Temperance Brennan Novel – Kathy Reichs

Posted on August 9, 2013 by EHL

bones of the lostTemperance Brennan, forensic anthropologist, is all set to start examining some Peruvian mummy dogs when an apparent hit and run takes her attention. The girl has no identification, no house key, and no personal belongings except for a tiny pink shoulder purse. She seems so alone. Temperance is determined to find out who she is and why she is alone. To complicate things, her impending ex asks her to be a consultant in a military inquiry. It seems that a marine, a nephew of a friend, has been accused of murdering unarmed civilians in Afghanistan. The bodies are about to be exhumed and Temperance has been asked to determine bullet trajectory. And, by the way, she needs to fly to Afghanistan immediately.

This quick paced adventure takes us from Georgia to Afghanistan and back. The background detail is great, especially in Afghanistan, where the constant threat from insurgents is felt on every page. I like Temperance. She is a very believable character with a great personality. Although it required a stretch of the imagination to accommodate the interweaving of all the plot threads, I enjoyed this well-written book.

eGalley review Publication date 8.27.13

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Raven Flight – Juliet Marillier

Posted on August 9, 2013 by EHL

ravenflightHer first weeks at Shadowfell were spent resting, eating and slowly gaining strength after her long and perilous journey.   Neryn now feels comfortable and secure.  All the people around her are so loving and caring.  Well, almost all.  Tali is cold, harsh, obviously doesn’t like Neryn at all. Unfortunately Neryn is now spending time with Tali, working hard to build her strength and learning to defend herself.  But the work doesn’t last long.  Time is short and Neryn needs to find the three Guardians to complete her training as a Caller.  The rebels trying to overthrow Keldec and end his harsh rule are depending on Neryn.  So with Tali as a reluctant bodyguard she leaves the security of Shadowfell to find the Hag of the Isles.

This sequel to Shadowfell starts slowly, catching up readers on the events of the first book.  I enjoy the Celtic setting with the Scottish accent of the Fae Folk and the background descriptions are detailed and alive.  This book was full of both, but I missed the tension of the first book.  It’s a quiet book, not a great deal of excitement, as Neryn carefully learns to use her abilities.  Much of the action and plot development occur in the last few chapters, setting the scene for book three. Mostly, it’s a book about putting aside personal preferences in order to achieve a greater cause.

NetGalley review    Publication date 7.9.13

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Unthinkable – Nancy Werlin

Posted on August 9, 2013 by EHL

unthinkableIn this sequel to Impossible, Frenella, who inadvertently started the family curse by the Faerie lord, pleas for death after 800 years confined in faerie.  The fey appear to have little compassion to her plight but agree by setting conditions for accomplishing her wish.  She must commit three acts of destruction . . . on her own family.  I have enjoyed the author’s books for years.  I favor her suspense/mystery dramas a tad more than her books on the faerie realm.  I did enjoy the cleverness in Impossible.  However, Unthinkable, seems a bit forced.  After all those years in faerie, Frenella should know that the fey are not altogether straightforward in their bargains.  And the love interest happened awfully quick.  In learning Frenella’s life history, I did feel sorry for her, but I just don’t see the draw to her.   She does not seem to have a winning personality, then again, she has been through a great deal.  The best character is Ryland, the prince turned advisor cat.  Teens who enjoyed Impossible will appreciate the follow-up.

eGalley review             Publication date 09.12.13

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The Unfortunate Son – Constance Leeds

Posted on August 5, 2013 by EHL

unfortunate sonA powerful and cruel nobleman throws out his newborn son because he was born with only one ear.  The nursemaid raises the child as her own and calls him Luc.  Hated by the man Luc thinks is his father, he finally has enough and leaves home for the welcoming fisherman’s family in the nearby fishing village on the French Mediterranean coast.   He blends in wonderfully with aging fisherman Pons, his sister Mattie and her charge, the Lady Beatrice.  Beatrice has her own story that of course is entwined with Luc’s.  While out fishing with Pons, Luc is captured by slavers.  In northern Africa, the wealthy, wise and respected Salah buys Luc and begins to educate him.  Luc has landed in the best possible situation and while still a slave, he is educated and loved.  Will Luc ever be reunited with Beatrice?

Set in the 15th century, the story alternates between France and Tunisia.  The author deftly weaves her well researched knowledge of the period into her characters.  Plenty of descriptions of food too!  Salah is the wise elder that everyone would be fortunate to know.  I need to go back through and note Salah’s many sayings.  More than historical fiction, it is the story of characters, culture, adventure, and perseverance.  Highly recommend!

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Rose Under Fire – Elizabeth Wein

Posted on July 17, 2013 by EHL

rose under fireHumanity is stripped to the basic levels of good and evil in this brilliant historical fiction novel that relates the horrors of Ravensbruck – a Nazi concentration camp.

During WWII, women pilots flew fighting planes to airfields.  The intent was to stay out of combat zones, but that was not always possible.  As the daughter of a pilot, Rose was raised to be a pilot.  Flying is in her blood.  She transfers overseas to England, where she meets Maddie, the heroic pilot from Code Name Verity.  After completing a mission to the newly liberated France, she is flying back to England when the German Luftwaffe forces her to land.  She is taken prisoner and experiences all of the horrors of the Nazi concentration camp, Ravensbruck.  The love and kindness of strangers, each in a desperate situation, fight against the evil horrors of their Nazi captors in the hopes of living another day and the mission to remember those who were killed – Tell the World!

Unlike Code Name Verity, that kept the reader guessing about the heroine’s fate, this story is told in flashback.  At first, this bothered me.  I wanted to be kept in the dark about Rose’s fate.  But no, the author is spot on perfect in this method of storytelling.  Weaving poetry into the narrative and using poetry as Rose’s lifeline is just one more example of the author’s genius.   Continuing Rose’s journey to include the Nuremberg Trials is the closure that the reader will long for.   Please read the author’s notes. Highly recommend.

NetGalley review     Publication date 9.10.13

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A Fatal Likeness: A Novel – Lynn Shephard

Posted on July 17, 2013 by EHL

fatal likenessThe aging Charles Maddox, once a renowned detective, still breathes, still lives, but has left all awareness behind, perhaps never to regain it, and the younger Charles Maddox has taken up residence in the house to be near his uncle.  A gentleman’s calling card was left for the elder Maddox, who of course, cannot reply. Young Charles decides to follow up, his curiosity piqued since the card belongs to Sir Percy Shelley, son of the famous poet. Sir Percy and his wife want Charles to investigate the possible use of some letters or papers to blackmail Mary Shelley. As Charles peels away layers of deception, the complicated life of Mary Shelley, her husband Percy, and her step-sister Claire Clairmont, begins to be revealed.  And Uncle Charles seems to have been involved.  Now if Charles can only find his great-uncle’s missing records concerning the case . . .

There have been numerous biographies written about the Shelleys, but there are long periods when nothing is known, no letters survive, no mention in memoirs. Lynn Shepherd weaves a believable tale that fills the gaps in the known history of this unusual trio and seeks to explain some of their mysteries. The atmosphere is dark and gloomy, as befits a story about the author of Frankenstein, filled with truths and lies twisted together, hard to separate.  It is told in the first person, with the narrator looking at the action and occasionally making comments.  I like this unusual style very much.  I feel as if I’m standing at the edge of a scene, watching the drama unfold.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

eGalley review    Publication date 8.20.13

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A Really Awesome Mess – Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin

Posted on July 17, 2013 by EHL

really awesomeEmmy and Justin don’t really belong at this place.  Heartland, a boarding-school/rehab/therapy establishment for troubled youth, is for people who are much worse off than them.  Emmy is admitted for anorexia and anger issues, but really she was just trying to make her ex feel bad for dumping her.  And Justin wasn’t really trying to kill himself with all that Tylenol.  He was just making a statement.  Resistant to treatment at first, Emmy and Justin find themselves in a group of four other troubled high-school kids, and have to figure out how to work together.  Despite a rough start and some erratic adventures, the kids make progress and start to realize that they really do have some issues to work out.

The back-and-forth narration style between the main characters keeps the reader engaged.  The characters are well-written, believable, and charming.  Despite the rehab/treatment setting, the tone is light hearted, humorous, and captivating.  Though there is some colorful language, this story will appeal to a variety of readers.

NetGalley review    Publication date 7.23.13

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Falcon in the Glass – Susan Fletcher

Posted on July 17, 2013 by EHL

falcon in the glassThe author of one of my favorite books, Shadow Spinner, has once again put her thorough research into story.  Falcon in the Glass details the art of glass blowing and explores the history of Venetian glassmaking and the deadly undertakings to protect the secrets of their craft.  Renzo’s father was a highly regarded glassmaker and he is murdered in a twisted attempt to protect the Murano glassmaking secrets.  Now Renzo strives to master the basics well enough to be allowed apprenticeship as a glassmaker.  He must practice late at night, but he needs someone to stoke the fires and assist him.  He meets Letta, a young street girl, charged with the care of other orphans, each with a magical bond with a bird.  The authorities are after these children and are intent upon capturing them and executing them as witches.  Renzo and Letta must help each other to survive.

While I enjoyed this book, having been to Venice, and am mesmerized watching glassblowers at work, the target audience for this quick read is difficult to pinpoint.

eGalley review    Publication date 7.9.13

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The White Princess – Philippa Gregory

Posted on June 20, 2013 by EHL

white princessPrincess Elizabeth of York knows she will be England’s queen one day.  The problem is that she doesn’t know who will be king.  She is in love with the present king, Richard III, who has promised marriage, but she is betrothed to the pretender to the throne, Henry Tudor.  The battle between the two armies has begun; the battle that will seal her fate.   Richard must win.  Richard has the best army.  Richard is the rightful king.  But Richard is defeated and his body thrown into an unmarked grave.   Princess Elizabeth must marry her enemy.

Henry Tudor was raised in exile, knowing little of his birth country.  He won the kingdom at the Battle of Bosworth, but he has no idea how to keep it. The people hate him while loving his wife, and he cannot understand why.  As if that weren’t enough, pretenders to the throne arise, trying to steal his hard won throne.  He slowly realizes that his wife could help him on both fronts,  if he can earn her good will.  Tensions abound between the two royal enemies as they struggle to learn to live with each other.

Philippa Gregory has written another wonderful account of 15th century monarchs. History lives in her books.  The background is detailed and authentic, full of descriptions of clothes, food, sights and sounds.  The characters are real, complex people. People I can care about.  I truly enjoyed this book.  Highly Recommend.

eGalley review     Publication date 07.23.13

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Tarnish – Katherine Longshore

Posted on June 20, 2013 by EHL

tarnishThis superbly well written novel is the second in a series set in the court of King Henry VIII.  While Gilt covered Catherine Howard’s (wife #5) time at court, Tarnish focuses on Anne Boleyn’s  (wife #2) arrival at court to eight years before her marriage to the king.  The author excels in personalizing these prominent historical figures and also in explaining the intricacies of the court.  I never felt like I was reading a history lesson, yet the novel is quite credible with the attention to details and accuracy.  Teens will enjoy the romance, the intrigue, and the court politics wrapped in cleverly worded dialogue.  For readers who need a bit of background on the Tudor Court, please read the Author’s Note at the back of the book first.  Highly recommend.

NetGalley review  Publication date 6.18.13

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The Humans: A Novel – Matt Haig

Posted on June 18, 2013 by EHL

the humansProfessor Andrew Martin is dead.  His body is now inhabited by a member of a highly intelligent species from the far side of the universe. The original Andrew Martin has just solved the Riemann hypothesis, which will lead to amazing technical advances. Unfortunately, the alien society decided that humans are not to be trusted with these advances and everyone who might know of this achievement must be eliminated.  This is the mission of the new Andrew Martin.  Disgusted by appearance of humans, especially their noses, and confused by their customs, the new Andrew Martin learns about human society quickly, by reading a copy of Cosmopolitan.  Unfortunately, he fails to notice that he’s the only person not wearing clothes, an oversight that immediately gets him into trouble with the law.

After reading the first few pages of this book I thought it was just another look-at-human-foibles-through-alien-eyes satire.  I almost stopped right then.  I am so glad I continued reading, for it turned out to be very good.  Satire, yes, sometimes funny, sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes chilling. When the author begins to look at human emotions it becomes beautiful and moving.  It makes me realize that being a human is a good thing.  Highly recommend.

eGalley review   Publication date 7.2.13

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A Moment Comes – Jennifer Bradbury

Posted on June 18, 2013 by EHL

moment comesBefore the British pulled out of India, they were tasked with creating the borders for Pakistan.  Religions that used to live in harmony within India had grown intolerant of each other.  It was decided that a separate Muslim nation be created.  Margaret, the daughter of a British cartographer working on the boundaries, begins to learn about India and appreciate the people while remaining naïve about the unrest between the Muslim and Sikh peoples. Anupreet, a beautiful Sikh girl, bares the scar from a violent encounter with a Muslim man.  She comes to work for Margaret and her mother.  Tariq, an earnest young Muslim who seeks a recommendation to Oxford also joins the cartographer’s household as an assistant.  Their lives intertwine during this time of death, danger and uncertainty as tension between the religions rises.

Having enjoyed the author’s mystery, Shift, I was eager to read more from the author.  Superb!  Genuine characters placed in a vital time in history depicted with the stellar writing I am coming to expect from the author make this an excellent historical fiction novel.  The novel appears well researched and led me to read further about this time in India’s history.  Highly Recommend!

eGalley review    Publication date 6.25.13

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Another Little Piece – Kate Karyus Quinn

Posted on June 18, 2013 by EHL

anotherlittle pieceAnnaliese thinks she has amnesia.  She’s alone and far away from where she was reported missing by her parents.  As she puts together the mystery of her past, the truth is rather horrific.  At first I thought Annaliese had lived multiple lives and that was about it – typical deal with the devil type scenario.  But the creepiness dripped into the story with the blood of a half-chewed heart.  Eerie and gross, but hard to put down, this book is great for all older teens.

eGalley review   Publication date 6.11.13

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Linked – Imogen Howson

Posted on June 18, 2013 by EHL

linkedOne struggling planet colony limits families to two children.  Twins are unknown, not having been born for years and years. Or were they?  Teenager, Elissa, has strange visions accompanied with extreme headaches or bruising as though she was experiencing what is happening to someone else.  It turns out that twins have been born on the colony, but secreted away for government experiments.  Elissa meets her twin and they are on the run.

This science fiction adventure is told in a rapid pace and teens should like it.  For me, it was too much minutiae in the day- to-day technology of the colony that got in the way of the story.  It was a bit unbelievable that someone with a strong future in the military would throw it all away so quickly and easily.

eGalley review     Publication date 6.11.13

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