It's been quite some time since I last posted anything to this blog - I'm hoping to get back on track with the coming of the fall season!
Kushiel's Legacy by Jacqueline Carey. This is probably the first book series in quite some time that's thoroughly engrossed me, I'm pleased to report! Kushiel's Legacy - starting with Kushiel's Dart - is a reinterpretation of Renaissance Europe and Christianity. Terre d'Ange, this world's France, the D'Angelines are connoisseurs of all things beautiful and luxurious, and live by a single religious precept - Love as Thou wilt. So it was decreed by Blessed Elua, an Earthly angel born from the blood of Yeshua ben Yosef (aka Jesus Christ), the tears of the Magdalene, and the soil of the Earth. For years this Christ like figure wandered the earth, an outcast from the One God's heaven, spreading his doctrine of love until he gained seven companions, angels who turned their back on the One God in order to attend to Blessed Elua. Now fast forward a few thousand years and the story focuses in on Phedre, a girl who is sold by her parents into the indentured servitude of the Night Court, a place where girls and boys train themselves in the arts of Namaah, one of the Seven Companions who used her body and lay with strangers in order to make sure that Elua was always provided for. Now, the arts of love, sex, and essentially prostitution have become a sacred calling in Terre d'Ange. Always considered imperfect due to the brilliant scarlet mote in her left eye, Phedre is destined to live only as a servant, but is soon brought into the house of Anafiel Delaunay, who recognizes her as one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, destined to experience pain and pleasure as one. Anafiel ensures her tutoring in the arts of Namaah, but also covertcy. As Phedre grows and becomes more proficient as a courtesan, as well as a spy, she finds herself emrboiled in the middle of plots of political intrigue, power, sex and more and Phedre comes to know the special role she'll play in shaping the course of future events, for others as well as herself.
I have to say I've actually known about this book series for years now, but I was reluctant to pick it up because it sounded so..... extreme might be the word I'm looking for. I wasn't looking for some alternative reality laden with themes of S&M, but it was quite remarkably rich. Carey has a natural gift as a writer and an excellent mastery over the English language, so it was a particularly good treat because although it is a plot driven story it definitely exceeded my expectations in terms of the writing. The characters, though, are what make this series the absolute best! I LOVE Phedre, and the author does an excellent job of making sure she is not a one-dimensional character. Another thing I loved was that Carey was willing to take certain risks to ensure the integrity of her story (i.e. like killing off well loved characters...) and it works beautifully (although I am momentarily depressed). It's a hefty first book, some 900 pages, so you'll have your hands full with this one! My recommendation is DEFINTELY READ THIS SERIES! You won't regret it!
***** 5 Stars!
Series Includes:
1. Kushiel's Dart
2. Kushiel's Chosen
3. Kushiel's Avatar
and a second trilogy around another character is as follows
4. Kushiel's Scion
5. Kuhsiel's Justice
6. Kushiel's Mercy
I'm actually reading Kushiel's Scion right now, so if you liked the first three I imagine you'll be doing the same.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
it's been quite some time I must say, but now that I'm starting to adjust to the new pace of my new life I think it's time to update this blog...
The Ephermera Duology by Anne Bishop - another couple of books from this classic favorite of mine. These two books (wishing there were more...) recount the story of Sebastian and his uber-powerful cousin, Glorianna Belladonna. Like a breath of fresh air, Bishop returns to themes of extreme power, darkness, and the will and choices of the one woman who wields them (closer to The Black Jewels, rather than Tir Alainn). Ephemera, once a unified land, was broken into separated landscapes by warriors of the light in order to trap the Eater of the World, the darkest of evils, into an isolated landscape. Years later, to get from one landscape to another people have to cross stationary bridges, but there are also resonanting bridges - those that resonate with your deepest desires, taking you to the place you truly belong to. Sebastian is a half-inccubus living in the Den of Iniquity, a dark landscape full of vice and little virtue - but to Sebastian, the Den has been more a home to him than the 'light' landscape of Wizard City, where he was shunned and neglected as a child when not taken home by his kind, landscaper aunt. Now, dark forces are stirring and landscapers and bridges, those people who create parts of the world and keep them connected, are disappearing and someone, or something, is trying to free the Eater from it's dark prison. It's up to Sebastion to help save Ephemera from its untimely doom and those he loves while preparing for the ultimate battle which will come to his cousin, Glorianna. Probably the most powerful of landscapers, and outcasted by her own kind, Glorianna is the only one with power strong enough to face the Eater of the World, but at what cost to herself and those she cares about? Stay Tuned! I've got to say this was like a breath of fresh air for me - I had purchased Sebastian nearly 3 years before and had yet to pick it up because I was worried it was going to be a step down from the Tir Alainn trilogy. I love Bishop, but of everything I've read so far by her, Tir Alainn was my least favorite (although still entertaining!). But Ephemera was a return to some of the darker themes that were more characteristic of The Black Jewels. I will say that I wish Ephemera had been expanded into at least a trilogy, because some parts of the story could have used a little more development (for example the relationship between Glorianna and Michael...), but perhaps Bishop intended the story to have this sense of immediacy with all the focus being in the present, rather than the future. Either way, I enjoyed these two books, and recommend them - I'll probably be re-reading them during my annual re-read next year!
**** 4 stars
Duology Includes:
1. Sebastian
2. Belladonna
The Ephermera Duology by Anne Bishop - another couple of books from this classic favorite of mine. These two books (wishing there were more...) recount the story of Sebastian and his uber-powerful cousin, Glorianna Belladonna. Like a breath of fresh air, Bishop returns to themes of extreme power, darkness, and the will and choices of the one woman who wields them (closer to The Black Jewels, rather than Tir Alainn). Ephemera, once a unified land, was broken into separated landscapes by warriors of the light in order to trap the Eater of the World, the darkest of evils, into an isolated landscape. Years later, to get from one landscape to another people have to cross stationary bridges, but there are also resonanting bridges - those that resonate with your deepest desires, taking you to the place you truly belong to. Sebastian is a half-inccubus living in the Den of Iniquity, a dark landscape full of vice and little virtue - but to Sebastian, the Den has been more a home to him than the 'light' landscape of Wizard City, where he was shunned and neglected as a child when not taken home by his kind, landscaper aunt. Now, dark forces are stirring and landscapers and bridges, those people who create parts of the world and keep them connected, are disappearing and someone, or something, is trying to free the Eater from it's dark prison. It's up to Sebastion to help save Ephemera from its untimely doom and those he loves while preparing for the ultimate battle which will come to his cousin, Glorianna. Probably the most powerful of landscapers, and outcasted by her own kind, Glorianna is the only one with power strong enough to face the Eater of the World, but at what cost to herself and those she cares about? Stay Tuned! I've got to say this was like a breath of fresh air for me - I had purchased Sebastian nearly 3 years before and had yet to pick it up because I was worried it was going to be a step down from the Tir Alainn trilogy. I love Bishop, but of everything I've read so far by her, Tir Alainn was my least favorite (although still entertaining!). But Ephemera was a return to some of the darker themes that were more characteristic of The Black Jewels. I will say that I wish Ephemera had been expanded into at least a trilogy, because some parts of the story could have used a little more development (for example the relationship between Glorianna and Michael...), but perhaps Bishop intended the story to have this sense of immediacy with all the focus being in the present, rather than the future. Either way, I enjoyed these two books, and recommend them - I'll probably be re-reading them during my annual re-read next year!
**** 4 stars
Duology Includes:
1. Sebastian
2. Belladonna
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
New book, new review!
Evermore - by Alyson Noel. When Ever survives the car crash that takes the lives of the rest of her family, she returns back to the living with strange new abilities. She is able to 'read' peoples' auras and hear their thoughts (I know, I know....Edward you started this all!). Once the most popular girl in school, Ever now dresses in oversized clothing, dark sunglasses, and loud earbuds to drown out the voices and retain some anonymity. A strange new student in an unfamiliar school, Ever's life has taken a nose dive for the worst - until the super sexy, dark Damen shows up. He's everything a girl would want - rich, good-looking, kind, and best of all, he makes the voices in Ever's head go away. But Damen is not your average guy, and there's more to him than meets the eye. What is it about him that causes the supernatural abilities Ever has to stop working? Soon Ever's world is turned upside down as she tries to cope with the truth about Damen, and her very own existence.... Ok, I have to be honest, not the best book I've read . It seems that now I'm reading a string of 3 stars to counter all the 5 stars I reviewed when I first started this blog. What didn't I like about it? RUSHED STORY! Like previously stated, this could've been a really great book, the concept was really cool and it took the supernatural to a new level (aka not a Twilight rip-off). But the romance was rushed, there seemed to be no reason why Ever was suddenly in love with Damen, and in terms of the bad guy, that definitely could've been fleshed out a bit more in order to create a more satisfying ending. One other thing I didn't like was the immature language of the writing - which I promptly realized was characteristic of Noel's writing, since previously she had only published teeny bopper stories about girls in Laguna Beach, etc etc. All in all, I was glad I read it, but I really don't understand what some of the hype was about (in every bookstore this was featured in the teen section as a must read). It was, on a very basic level, entertaining, but lacking in any real substance. I may possibly check out the sequel (due out this July), but only if I can't find anything else to catch my attention.
*** 3 stars
'Evermore' is book one in Noel's "Immortals" series - I believe book two is called "Blue Moon"
Evermore - by Alyson Noel. When Ever survives the car crash that takes the lives of the rest of her family, she returns back to the living with strange new abilities. She is able to 'read' peoples' auras and hear their thoughts (I know, I know....Edward you started this all!). Once the most popular girl in school, Ever now dresses in oversized clothing, dark sunglasses, and loud earbuds to drown out the voices and retain some anonymity. A strange new student in an unfamiliar school, Ever's life has taken a nose dive for the worst - until the super sexy, dark Damen shows up. He's everything a girl would want - rich, good-looking, kind, and best of all, he makes the voices in Ever's head go away. But Damen is not your average guy, and there's more to him than meets the eye. What is it about him that causes the supernatural abilities Ever has to stop working? Soon Ever's world is turned upside down as she tries to cope with the truth about Damen, and her very own existence.... Ok, I have to be honest, not the best book I've read . It seems that now I'm reading a string of 3 stars to counter all the 5 stars I reviewed when I first started this blog. What didn't I like about it? RUSHED STORY! Like previously stated, this could've been a really great book, the concept was really cool and it took the supernatural to a new level (aka not a Twilight rip-off). But the romance was rushed, there seemed to be no reason why Ever was suddenly in love with Damen, and in terms of the bad guy, that definitely could've been fleshed out a bit more in order to create a more satisfying ending. One other thing I didn't like was the immature language of the writing - which I promptly realized was characteristic of Noel's writing, since previously she had only published teeny bopper stories about girls in Laguna Beach, etc etc. All in all, I was glad I read it, but I really don't understand what some of the hype was about (in every bookstore this was featured in the teen section as a must read). It was, on a very basic level, entertaining, but lacking in any real substance. I may possibly check out the sequel (due out this July), but only if I can't find anything else to catch my attention.
*** 3 stars
'Evermore' is book one in Noel's "Immortals" series - I believe book two is called "Blue Moon"
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Another trilogy by my favorite adult romance writer, so here it goes...
The Sign of Seven Trilogy by Nora Roberts - In the small town of Hawkin's Hollow, every seven years, during the seventh month, for seven days a darkness infects the residents and creatures living within its borders causing them to act wayyyyy out of character and do the most horrific and unspeakable things to each other. The main protagonists are three men who are inadvertently responsible for this spooky and dangerous phenomenon - as ten year old boys they snuck into the dark woods of the Hollow and performed a ritual to make themselves blood brothers, but they also unwittingly released an evil force which had been imprisoned in the Pagan Stone - an altar like boulder that lay center of the clearing. Escaping with their lives, they walk out of the clearing with the ability to regenerate and heal inhumanly fast and each is granted a particular pyschic ability. Since that time, each "Seven," as Roberts dubbs it, is getting progressivly worse and Cal, Fox, and Gage have vowed that this upcoming Seven of their 31st birthday (oh yeah they all share the same birth date), will be the last. In come three women - Quinn, Layla, and Cybil - who bring fortitude, brains, skill, and determination to the table in order to help stop an evil from perpetuating itself, for all involved know that this is the final win or lose, live or die battle against evil. But have the women arrived there by coincidence? I think not - everyone is connected and Quinn, Layla, and Cybil have something very important to bring to the fight, even if they're unaware of it. Can 6 ordinary people with some extradordinary abilities stop, once and for all, the darkness plaguing their town? Stay Tuned! Like I'd written previously, The Key Trilogy by Roberts is still my all time favorite of her supernatural stories (there is one that is about vampires, which I may write about later but that one falls flat in the third and final book). I enjoyed the Sign of Seven trilogy, considering I've already read it twice since I've purchased it, but that's hardly surprising since I normally re-read most, if not all, my Roberts. The idea is really great, the execution is somewhat mediocre. The story still has those typical literary devices that make Roberts' fiction enjoyable, and I enjoyed the romances (especially between the first two couples), but there is one thing that really really really drove me crazy, which became apparent the second time I read it.... and that is Roberts' over-writing of the "All for one, and one for all" theme she had going. I understood the need to emphasize the group effort to thwart the evil bad guy, because hey, everyone had something to contribute to the weapon they ultimately try to use, BUT, every freaking chapter seemed to contain at least one Cub Scout Campfire scene. The story probably would've benefitted from fewer of those scenes and a little more development between the characters or something. It became pretty apparent pretty soon that this was a group - don't really need to be reminded of it all the time. Other than that, it was enjoyable, if very easy to read. Again, perfect for the beach or the commute to work or whatever.
*** 3 and 1/2 - 4 stars
Trilogy Includes:
1. Blood Brothers
2. The Hollow (my personal fave)
3. The Pagan Stone
The Sign of Seven Trilogy by Nora Roberts - In the small town of Hawkin's Hollow, every seven years, during the seventh month, for seven days a darkness infects the residents and creatures living within its borders causing them to act wayyyyy out of character and do the most horrific and unspeakable things to each other. The main protagonists are three men who are inadvertently responsible for this spooky and dangerous phenomenon - as ten year old boys they snuck into the dark woods of the Hollow and performed a ritual to make themselves blood brothers, but they also unwittingly released an evil force which had been imprisoned in the Pagan Stone - an altar like boulder that lay center of the clearing. Escaping with their lives, they walk out of the clearing with the ability to regenerate and heal inhumanly fast and each is granted a particular pyschic ability. Since that time, each "Seven," as Roberts dubbs it, is getting progressivly worse and Cal, Fox, and Gage have vowed that this upcoming Seven of their 31st birthday (oh yeah they all share the same birth date), will be the last. In come three women - Quinn, Layla, and Cybil - who bring fortitude, brains, skill, and determination to the table in order to help stop an evil from perpetuating itself, for all involved know that this is the final win or lose, live or die battle against evil. But have the women arrived there by coincidence? I think not - everyone is connected and Quinn, Layla, and Cybil have something very important to bring to the fight, even if they're unaware of it. Can 6 ordinary people with some extradordinary abilities stop, once and for all, the darkness plaguing their town? Stay Tuned! Like I'd written previously, The Key Trilogy by Roberts is still my all time favorite of her supernatural stories (there is one that is about vampires, which I may write about later but that one falls flat in the third and final book). I enjoyed the Sign of Seven trilogy, considering I've already read it twice since I've purchased it, but that's hardly surprising since I normally re-read most, if not all, my Roberts. The idea is really great, the execution is somewhat mediocre. The story still has those typical literary devices that make Roberts' fiction enjoyable, and I enjoyed the romances (especially between the first two couples), but there is one thing that really really really drove me crazy, which became apparent the second time I read it.... and that is Roberts' over-writing of the "All for one, and one for all" theme she had going. I understood the need to emphasize the group effort to thwart the evil bad guy, because hey, everyone had something to contribute to the weapon they ultimately try to use, BUT, every freaking chapter seemed to contain at least one Cub Scout Campfire scene. The story probably would've benefitted from fewer of those scenes and a little more development between the characters or something. It became pretty apparent pretty soon that this was a group - don't really need to be reminded of it all the time. Other than that, it was enjoyable, if very easy to read. Again, perfect for the beach or the commute to work or whatever.
*** 3 and 1/2 - 4 stars
Trilogy Includes:
1. Blood Brothers
2. The Hollow (my personal fave)
3. The Pagan Stone
Friday, June 5, 2009
So I took a chance and read a book by a new author who's taking her own little dip into the vampire young adult genre...
Evernight by Claudia Gray - When Bianca is forced to attend the prestigious, yet eerily gothic, Evernight Academy she recognizes that something is seriously wrong at the school. Stuck there since both her mother and father are teachers at the school Bianca, painfully shy to the point of anxiety attacks, hates every moment - until, during a weak runaway attempt, she meets the handsome Lucas Ross. The two have an instant connection and chemistry, emphasized by Lucas' strangely overprotective tendencies towards Bianca. But things are not really what they seem at Everynight - it turns out to be a school, and safe haven, for vampires. As certain events unfold, Bianca discovers the lengths she's willing to go to be with Lucas and make sure their love survives.... Where to start? This was an interesting read, but I felt that Gray could've taken it to the next level and didn't. The worst part of the story wasa how rushed the plot felt, for example Lucas and Bianca had great instant chemistry and connection almost immediately, but for some reason Gray just decided to go from that to instant, head over heels love without really having the characters discover each other beyond a superficial level. The unfortunate thing about that is she had the opportunity to write a really great romance, one that comes with all the confusion, misunderstandings, and heartache that usually precedes a satisfying happy ending but not of that was present in the novel. The one thing I did like was that (SPOILER) Gray made Bianca the vampire here, not the boy. Yet again, however, there was no indication that Bianca was a vampire until half-way through the book, which I found really unusual since the story is told from her perspective. A revelation like that would've been more appropriate from third party perspective but not in this case. I also thought Lucas' reaction to the new was unusual considering his role in the book. Gray also ripped off the Stephenie Meyer tool of making the prologue the ending, and then having the first chapter go back to earlier events. All in all, it was an ok read, one that really would've benefitted from more plot development since everything was rushed, not well explained, and the ending was a bit anticlimactic - seriously could've had anywhere from 100 - 150 extra pages with no lag in the story. I'll probably pick up the second book because I'm curious to see what happens to Bianca and Lucas next, and because Evernight felt like the very brief introduction to what will hopefully be a more rich, and complex story (but I won't be holding my breath in hopes that the Evernight series becomes a particular favorite of mine).
*** 3 stars (barely...)
Series so far includes:
1. Evernight
2. Stargazer
Evernight by Claudia Gray - When Bianca is forced to attend the prestigious, yet eerily gothic, Evernight Academy she recognizes that something is seriously wrong at the school. Stuck there since both her mother and father are teachers at the school Bianca, painfully shy to the point of anxiety attacks, hates every moment - until, during a weak runaway attempt, she meets the handsome Lucas Ross. The two have an instant connection and chemistry, emphasized by Lucas' strangely overprotective tendencies towards Bianca. But things are not really what they seem at Everynight - it turns out to be a school, and safe haven, for vampires. As certain events unfold, Bianca discovers the lengths she's willing to go to be with Lucas and make sure their love survives.... Where to start? This was an interesting read, but I felt that Gray could've taken it to the next level and didn't. The worst part of the story wasa how rushed the plot felt, for example Lucas and Bianca had great instant chemistry and connection almost immediately, but for some reason Gray just decided to go from that to instant, head over heels love without really having the characters discover each other beyond a superficial level. The unfortunate thing about that is she had the opportunity to write a really great romance, one that comes with all the confusion, misunderstandings, and heartache that usually precedes a satisfying happy ending but not of that was present in the novel. The one thing I did like was that (SPOILER) Gray made Bianca the vampire here, not the boy. Yet again, however, there was no indication that Bianca was a vampire until half-way through the book, which I found really unusual since the story is told from her perspective. A revelation like that would've been more appropriate from third party perspective but not in this case. I also thought Lucas' reaction to the new was unusual considering his role in the book. Gray also ripped off the Stephenie Meyer tool of making the prologue the ending, and then having the first chapter go back to earlier events. All in all, it was an ok read, one that really would've benefitted from more plot development since everything was rushed, not well explained, and the ending was a bit anticlimactic - seriously could've had anywhere from 100 - 150 extra pages with no lag in the story. I'll probably pick up the second book because I'm curious to see what happens to Bianca and Lucas next, and because Evernight felt like the very brief introduction to what will hopefully be a more rich, and complex story (but I won't be holding my breath in hopes that the Evernight series becomes a particular favorite of mine).
*** 3 stars (barely...)
Series so far includes:
1. Evernight
2. Stargazer
Thursday, June 4, 2009
wow wow wow! Brand new series, totally awesome, and it needs mentioning!
The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare - by far, my new favorite series that I can remember in recent history (well, at least since Twilight :). Here's how it breaks down - on a typical weekend night, 16 y/o Clary Fray doesn't expect to witness a murder at her favorite Brooklyn club, much less committed by a group of teenagers covered in strange and elaborate markings. What follows is totally bizarre: Clary's mom randomly freaks, demanding they pack up and go, but goes missing before hand and Clary is confronted by the deliciously sexy Jace, a golden god, and one of the teenagers who participated in the previous night's "murder." Clary is sucked into the world of Shadowhunters, an elite group of people who are descended from the Angel Raziel and are committed to ridding the Earth of demon kind. With her perception of reality totally skewed, Clary discovers that the stuff of nightmares, and other unworldly creatures like vampires, werewolves, warlocks, and fairies, do in fact exist and live among us. Clary also develops the Sight, the ability that allows her to see this other world normally blocked to everyday humans. In doing so, however, she has to deal with questions about the circumstances of her birth and dealing with a new found ability unique to only her. Filled with drama, excitement, danger, love (and triangles!), and frustrations this was freaking AWESOME! I've loved a lot of the books I've recently read, but this is one of those series that I took with me to my new apartment in New York because I was unwilling to part with it and knew that two months from now I'm probably going to re-read it. And, the last book was recently published so for all those who take a shine to the Mortal Instruments, there is no waiting involved! I'm seriously psyched for the next series Clare writes (called the Infernal Instruments), even if that is still long in coming. Perfect for the summer and if you're looking for something that is totally engrossing.
***** 5 Stars!
Trilogy Includes:
1. The City of Bones
2. The City of Ashes
3. The City of Glass
The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare - by far, my new favorite series that I can remember in recent history (well, at least since Twilight :). Here's how it breaks down - on a typical weekend night, 16 y/o Clary Fray doesn't expect to witness a murder at her favorite Brooklyn club, much less committed by a group of teenagers covered in strange and elaborate markings. What follows is totally bizarre: Clary's mom randomly freaks, demanding they pack up and go, but goes missing before hand and Clary is confronted by the deliciously sexy Jace, a golden god, and one of the teenagers who participated in the previous night's "murder." Clary is sucked into the world of Shadowhunters, an elite group of people who are descended from the Angel Raziel and are committed to ridding the Earth of demon kind. With her perception of reality totally skewed, Clary discovers that the stuff of nightmares, and other unworldly creatures like vampires, werewolves, warlocks, and fairies, do in fact exist and live among us. Clary also develops the Sight, the ability that allows her to see this other world normally blocked to everyday humans. In doing so, however, she has to deal with questions about the circumstances of her birth and dealing with a new found ability unique to only her. Filled with drama, excitement, danger, love (and triangles!), and frustrations this was freaking AWESOME! I've loved a lot of the books I've recently read, but this is one of those series that I took with me to my new apartment in New York because I was unwilling to part with it and knew that two months from now I'm probably going to re-read it. And, the last book was recently published so for all those who take a shine to the Mortal Instruments, there is no waiting involved! I'm seriously psyched for the next series Clare writes (called the Infernal Instruments), even if that is still long in coming. Perfect for the summer and if you're looking for something that is totally engrossing.
***** 5 Stars!
Trilogy Includes:
1. The City of Bones
2. The City of Ashes
3. The City of Glass
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Trying to plow through the series as I read them....
The Key Trilogy by Nora Roberts - so I haven't recently read this, but of all the trilogies Roberts writes of the paranormal variety, I consider this to be the best one. In a small valley town in Pennsylvania, three women get exclusive invites to enjoy an evening at the beautiful, and mysterious Warrior's Peak - the dominating architectural wonder that stands guard above the valley. Mallory, Dana, and Zoe are all at crossroads in their lives, and are offered by the eccentric young couple who live there a chance to turn their misfortunes around. The terms? Each woman has exactly one month, with the help of a clue, to find a magically charged key. If the first succeeds, the following two have a shot at recovering their respective keys. If anyone fails, the whole thing is caput. The prize: $1 million, scotch free, and the penalty of failure: the loss of one year from their lives. While this may seem like a simple game initially, Mallory, Dana, and Zoe soon learn that the keys unlock the chest which holds imprisoned three souls of young demi-goddesses, daughters of the King of the Gods. The curse says that only the hands of mortal women can undue the spell, and while the women struggle with finding a key that could be anywhere, they are also hindered by the evil Kane, the god who trapped the souls in the chest in the first place and will do anything to make sure they don't suceed. Filled with intrigue, adventure, danger, and most important, love, this is a great series, one that I have read multiple times. I think the reason I like it so much is mostly because the characters are really awesome and the relationships aren't so trite - Roberts clearly establishes a connection between them that doesn't come off as contrived or mickey mouse 'clubby,' which she'll have problems with in some of her later writings. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the bad guy is super sexy in a dark, malicious, I like killing mortals kind of way. Quite possibly one of my favorites by her, and I've read EVERYTHING she's every written so that's a pretty good recommendation!
***** 5 stars
Trilogy Includes:
1. The Key of Light
2. The Key of Knowledge
3. The Key of Valor
The Key Trilogy by Nora Roberts - so I haven't recently read this, but of all the trilogies Roberts writes of the paranormal variety, I consider this to be the best one. In a small valley town in Pennsylvania, three women get exclusive invites to enjoy an evening at the beautiful, and mysterious Warrior's Peak - the dominating architectural wonder that stands guard above the valley. Mallory, Dana, and Zoe are all at crossroads in their lives, and are offered by the eccentric young couple who live there a chance to turn their misfortunes around. The terms? Each woman has exactly one month, with the help of a clue, to find a magically charged key. If the first succeeds, the following two have a shot at recovering their respective keys. If anyone fails, the whole thing is caput. The prize: $1 million, scotch free, and the penalty of failure: the loss of one year from their lives. While this may seem like a simple game initially, Mallory, Dana, and Zoe soon learn that the keys unlock the chest which holds imprisoned three souls of young demi-goddesses, daughters of the King of the Gods. The curse says that only the hands of mortal women can undue the spell, and while the women struggle with finding a key that could be anywhere, they are also hindered by the evil Kane, the god who trapped the souls in the chest in the first place and will do anything to make sure they don't suceed. Filled with intrigue, adventure, danger, and most important, love, this is a great series, one that I have read multiple times. I think the reason I like it so much is mostly because the characters are really awesome and the relationships aren't so trite - Roberts clearly establishes a connection between them that doesn't come off as contrived or mickey mouse 'clubby,' which she'll have problems with in some of her later writings. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the bad guy is super sexy in a dark, malicious, I like killing mortals kind of way. Quite possibly one of my favorites by her, and I've read EVERYTHING she's every written so that's a pretty good recommendation!
***** 5 stars
Trilogy Includes:
1. The Key of Light
2. The Key of Knowledge
3. The Key of Valor
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