#BookReview – Imagine A Fly by Martin Sommerdag

The blurb reads,

“Just like a common housefly, a man’s love cannot be contained in a jar and must be set free. A story about love. A true love story, if you can imagine it.”

This was really unlike any other book that I’ve read before. The storyline is weird and lyrical and it made me think. The author gets one thing right, you do need to imagine the story to feel it, to understand it.

Life is fickle. Death is even more fickle. Losing a loved one is never easy. The feeling you get when life is taken away is horrible. And what is even more horrible is not being there with your loved one.

I understand the need to contain your love and hold on to it as strongly as possible. Sometimes love makes you want to just hold on to your loved one and never let him go. I feel that several times. But that’s not the right way. Love breathes when it is let free. You have to trust that your love will draw the person back to you. And that I feel is the essence of this book.

To love and then to let go trusting that the love will return back. That in itself takes a herculean effort.

This was a good read. It involved considerable mind chow which I like and a fair bit of imagination. But the message is beautiful and clear. Martin is a filmmaker and I love how filmmakers can put across things just ever so beautifully.

Martin can be found on Facebook! Go check out his work and his films for some excellent viewing!

#Overwhelming- The Frenchman by Leslie Young

The Blurb reads,

Fleur Smithers rarely veers off the straight and (excruciatingly) narrow. So moving to the seaport town of Toulon to live with her newfound biological mother—an inspector with the French National Police—for one year is a pretty major detour.

Son of France’s crime royalty family and international rugby star, Louis Messette, is devoted to his sport, famille and nothing else. But the carefree American he meets one night changes everything. She sparks a desire in him like no other. Possession takes root. She will do as he commands.

Bit by bit Fleur slips into the Frenchman’s realm of wanton pleasure agreeing to his one condition: that she keep their affair secret. She serves up her heart without reservation in the hub of the glittering Côte d’Azur, and the along the soulful Seine in Paris, unaware of the danger she is in. For her new lover’s family business will pit her against her mother, the police woman sworn to bring down the Messettes. And by then, far more than Fleur’s heart will be on the line.

 

I’ve been very judgemental about reading romances in the past. I had a very cynical view of romances in general and how they tended to corrupt your mind. It’s got something to do with how I was raised and the sort of view I took of the world. That happy endings came only in movies and the like. I’m not a pessimist, just a tad so in terms of romance.

Things changed for me when I met my special someone and slowly, he converted me into a believer. I found myself smiling often, and as we read, I felt true hope. Somewhere. It has been a wonderful journey and I long for more.

The point I’m making is, that I realised I didn’t get anything by being judgemental or editorial about romances. They are all fundamentally the same, they touch people’s lives and make them look at life a little more brightly.

I didn’t have much of a charitable thought for this book because there were elements that I deeply resented. But then I just finished reading another romance by Barbara Freethy and it made me somehow soften my view.

My original review tended to rant at how much of an asshole Louis was. I hate men who are possessive and controlling to the T because I like to wiggle my own toes when I like. Besides, I want the relationship to be balanced. And I detested everything Louis was.

Let me explain:

Louis follows Fleur. He dominates her completely. He dictates where they go, what they eat. He calls all the shots.

I’m not entirely over Louis and what a big asshole he is. But I can stretch myself to understand his love for Fleur. It was evident he tried to control his love and failed.

Fleur IS the highlight of this book. She is light. She is innocent. She looks at the world thinking nobody can do wrong. And somehow when you read about such characters who take life in such a positive way, it reminds you that at some point of time, you looked at life with rose tinted glasses too.

Fleur is the lifeblood of this book. She runs, she laughs and she discovers France and her biological mother. Fleur and Louis share a torrid love story, one fraught with secrets and lies.

I felt for Fleur. She discovered her biological mother and took a brave step deciding to spend some time with her. I’ve always had mixed thoughts about adoption, and while I may consider it purely from the point of view of giving a child a second lease of life, I don’t know how open I’d be to have my child go and hunt for the person who gave them up. For any reason. That aspect of the book really struck me. Fleur’s mother back in Texas is an underrated character. She allowed Fleur to find her footing without once feeling an ounce of betrayal or any such megalomaniac emotion. It was a pure selfless deed on her part and I appreciate her for it.

I didn’t exactly like the picture of France that Fleur saw, but then I’ve heard a lot about France being that way, so maybe the media has romanticised France too much for international travellers. Not all is well in that society too.

I loved certain parts of this book. I maintain my stance about not liking Louis. He was manipulative. And while I can stretch my understanding to his love for Fleur, I found he had basic character defects. He was rude, manipulative and very cold. The fact that he stretched an olive branch in the end didn’t change my opinion.

All my ratings here are for Fleur. All of them. Even though the sex was hot, Fleur won my heart out and out!

My Rating: 3/5

Addicted to Elae- The Paths of Alir (Pattern of Shadow and Light #3) by Melissa McPhail

The blurb reads,

In Melissa McPhail’s award-winning epic fantasy series, A Pattern of Shadow & Light, she introduces her readers to the realm of Alorin and a magical Adept race facing extinction. The race’s tragic decline is the result of Malorin’athgul, powerful beings from the fringes of Chaos, whose presence in Alorin has caused a shift in the cosmic Balance. Fate bends to their will, and this is set upon Alorin’s destruction. Alone in understanding the threat they pose, Alorin’s Fifth Vestal, Björn val Gelderan, has launched a desperate plan to stop them: a “great game” played upon the tapestry of mortal life. Now, in Paths of Alir, A Pattern of Shadow & Light Book 3, Björn’s Players have taken the field:
Along the lush Caladrian coast…the truthreader Tanis returns to the place of his birth and finds mysterious and wonderful workings waiting for him. But the zanthyr warns Tanis that ominous events lie ahead, and the lad soon wonders if even his mother’s magical lessons will be enough to keep him alive.
In the dungeons of Tal’Shira…held prisoner by the Adept Inquisitor Taliah hal’Jaitar, Prince Trell val Lorian is facing a life of enslavement. Only two paths lie open before him: one means an eternity of torture fighting Taliah’s attempts to break him; the other requires surrendering to her will. But can he really sacrifice everything he is to walk Taliah’s path of twisted magic known as mor’alir?
In the snow-bound Castle of Tyr’kharta…Prince Ean val Lorian must choose between saving his brother Sebastian or his loyal men. But to choose his men means leaving Sebastian to an eternity of enslavement; while rescuing Sebastian means abandoning his friends along with his honor. Either decision will test Ean’s newfound skills as well as his conviction, for as the prince soon learns: once a man becomes a Player in the First Lord’s game, not even death can give reprieve.

So I’d written a very nice and a long review for this. But wordpress and my internet decided to act like a bitch and delete my review which is why I must type this again!

This was definitely the pinnacle of the books in this series. I still remember. I had requested for a physical copy for Cephrael’s Hand, the first book in this series. I somehow managed to completely to completely forget about the book and missed the blog tour and made it up reading it for the second tour for Book 2. I remember being completely wowed by Melissa’s work.

This series, for some reason, I thought, ended with Book 3. And I was impatient. Everything felt all over the place after The Dagger of Adendigaeth. I wondered how everything could come together in Book 3. I could feel Bjorn slowly taking control of the game as the book progressed and I knew the story from the blurb didn’t look like it was coming together. I was so delighted when I realised this was just one book in the series. Melissa (the author) hadn’t even planned the number of books she intended to write. I asked her on Twitter.

So with my mind at rest, that one of my favourite series wasn’t ending, I started reading this one.

And I was completely enraptured. My life stood still because I just had to read this book ALL the time. And I kid you not. I HAD to read it ALL the time. I just couldn’t resist finding out what role Tanis had to play and how he would manage to sway Pelas, the Malorin’athgul who threatened to destroy Alorin.

I could feel for Ean you know. Haven’t we all had those times when we’ve been burdened by expectations? And not just everyone else’s expectations. Our own expectations have hurt a lot, often hindering us and pulling down our self esteem. He bore the burden of remembering all the journeys and learnings of his past lives so he could save the realm now. And indeed, you could see how far he had progressed, from being the hot-headed prince he was in Book 1 to the level headed and thinking prince he was now. You could see the impact of all the lessons that everyone had given him and the slow release of memories his subsconscience had permitted him.

I somehow was attracted to Trell. My special someone is exactly like him. Trell exemplifies all those qualities I find extremely desirable. He is devoted, he is strong and he carries honour like an armour. And my special someone is exactly like that.

Anyway, back to the story. Alyneri was someone who reminded me of myself in a way. The part when she met Trell made me cry. I bawled. I literally did.

The point I am trying to make is that this book surpassed all of my expectations. It switched focus completely away from what the first two books focused on and in that sense, gave me a new angle to look at Alorin from. This made me aware of more details about Alorin which I am sure will be useful to me as I read the next few books.

Pelas and Tanis and their dance around each other took center piece in this book and I did not mind because their discussions and their talks especially centered around one issue which made me ponder deeply about my life. We often go through life playing the victim card and Tanis, in his uncharacteristic wisdom, believes that “We Always Have A Choice”. Deep words to live life by. Indeed, they shift the momentum of the book.

The end of the book was something I did not expect at all. I was completely stumped. My mind immediately went over everything in the book and the previous 2, making new connections and feeling absolutely awed about how Bjorn and indeed how Melissa had played it all. It was sheer brilliance.

I am miffed about the fact that the next book comes out only next year. I absolutely cannot wait for it. From my vantage point here, 2016 seems like decades away. But I suppose perfection cannot be rushed.

I CANT RECOMMEND THIS BOOK ENOUGH. I’VE DROPPED MY JAW ENOUGH! JUST PICK IT UP AND READ IT ALREADY!

Light and Fresh- A Timeless Romance Anthology: All Regency Collection

The blurb reads,

Six brand new regency romance novellas by best-selling authors Anna Elliott, Sarah M. Eden, Carla Kelly, Josi S. Kilpack, Annette Lyon, and Heather B. Moore.

In THE WEDDING GIFT: A PRIDE AND PREJUDICE STORY, an enchanting novella by Anna Elliott, the story opens two weeks before Elizabeth Bennet’s wedding to Mr. Darcy. He has given her the perfect wedding gift, and now she must come up with one for him. But what do you give a man who has everything? Elizabeth soon discovers that the gift of love is more important than any one thing.

DREAM OF A GLORIOUS SEASON, a sweet novella by Sarah M. Eden, we meet Elizabeth Gillerford who envies her sister only one thing—that she’s been intended for Julian Broadwood since they were children. The trouble is that Elizabeth is hopelessly in love with Julian too. When Julian discovers that Elizabeth has been denied a Season because her older sister is yet unwed, he undertakes his own stealthy measures to introduce her to society, only to find himself falling in love with her himself.

In THE MENDER, a captivating story by Carla Kelly, Thankful Winnings takes a sea voyage with her cousin on the Ann Alexander, in a last adventure before she settles down to marry one of her beaus. Unexpectedly they come upon the aftermath of a fierce ship battle, and Thankful is commissioned to help in the place of an injured surgeon on one of the Royal Navy ships. Adam Farnsworth, surgeon, has been at sea for years. Tired of war, but devoted to his post, it takes a resourceful lady such as Thankful to give him the hope of love and help heal his own wounds, the ones that show and the ones that don’t.

In BEGIN AGAIN, a charming novella by Josi S. Kilpack, Regina Weathers gives up on marrying for love the day that Ross Martin walks out of her life. Now, fifteen years later, Ross shows up at a ball and thinks he can woo Regina. But she is set on her lonely path and stitched-up heart, no matter the excuse Ross gives for his years of silence and neglect. When Ross insists he wrote many letters during his military years, Regina discovers a secret long-since buried by her father, and the revelation might be enough to thaw the coldness of her heart.

In Annette Lyon’s endearing story, THE AFFAIR AT WILDEMOORE, Mrs. Ellen Stanhope escorts her three daughters to a ball. As her oldest flirts with a beau, Ellen is reminded of her courtship and early years of marriage with Anthony, before tragedy struck with the death of their infant son. The marriage has faded and dulled. Not until she sees Anthony dancing with a woman he courted years before does Ellen realize how much she misses him, still loves him, and yearns for him to yet feel the same way for her.

In the delightful novella, THE DUKE’S BROTHER, by Heather B. Moore, Mr. Gregory Clark is having an awful day, and it only gets worse when he’s ran over by … a woman. Mabel Russell reluctantly visits her sister in London for the Season, even though she’d rather stay in the country cataloging insects and aphids. When she runs into Gregory Clark, quite literally, she’s afraid to show any interest, especially since he’s a member of the dreaded ton. But getting to know Gregory becomes an unexpected delight.

This was one of the books which I requested from I Am A Reader Book Blog. And while a few came before this one in the mail, I was in the mood for something light and picked this one.

This book was so fresh. It reinforced the supremacy of anthologies over normal romances, or atleast for me. It was refreshing to read short stories without worrying about whether I left a thread off somewhere or remembering an obscure detail which made sense 100 pages later. Also, this book played to my continued fascination for any story related to Britain. Regency or Tudor stories somehow end up as my favourites. I keep wondering, perhaps all England did was to enforce itself as a supreme nation, or a royal nation among most of the countries in the world. We bow down to the Queen, google the Duchess’s dress choices and wish them well from afar. Anyway, I digress.

The stories in this collection are delightful stories where the main characters discover each other and fall in love, or sometimes fall in love again. They are light and easy to read and endearing. I felt connected to every story I was reading. It never felt like I was reading something too heavy or something which didn’t pull me into a time warp. That was the sheer brilliance of these stories.

So, the book starts with The Wedding Story, which is a Pride and Prejudice story. I remembered the Pride and Prejudice story in brief, but for those who aren’t in touch with it, the story offers a small revision. The story feels like it is happening right in front of your eyes, and you feel so involved, it feels like you walk where Elizabeth walks and see what she sees. This really set the stage for the remaining stories.

Dream of a Glorious Season is my favourite story from the whole book. Julian and Elizabeth are such likeable characters. You can’t help but smile as they fall in love with each other and how the story turns out. This story made my heart burst with lot of love and it made me feel so ecstatic when Julian and Elizabeth come together. This is the power of stories. Even though life can get horribly tough and you may never get what you want, for the little while you read a story, you can believe that your dreams can come true.

The Mender is a story which deviates from the Regent and shifts to the United States of America and how Thankful finds herself a husband while she sets off on adventure. This story was great simply because you could see how revolutionary it was for Thankful to sail in those times. Thankful grows on you, as does the old language and the use of “thee” and such old words.

Begin Again probably is my least favourite because it felt too forced, somehow the character and the whole injustice that seems to be done to her felt very fake. I didn’t enjoy this one at all.

The Affair at Wildemoore is also a favourite simply because even among the Regency stories, this one dared to be different. After reading so much about different types of couples coming together, it felt so refreshing to see a couple rediscovering the love that they had for each other. In these times, it is even more essential for a couple to talk to each other, discover each other and ensure that they keep up the communication inspite of all the odds. Communication and indeed expressions of love are so important to keep that spark alive. If you don’t remember why you got together, then that becomes the biggest tragedies.

The Duke’s Brother was a really cute story, but by then it felt like I’d read a lot of the same line of stories. Mabel is a wonderful character and her spunky nature is what pulled this story together. She shines brightly like a star.

I hope I will have as much fun reading the other anthologies as I did reading this one. Anthologies made me realise how perfect short stories are and also the effort that goes behind curating and bringing one together. It made me respect the authors even more.

My rating: 4/5

Sweet and Simple Romance- The Heart of Annie by J.S Foote

The blurb reads

THE HEART OF ANNIE tells the story of Lilly Roche and Curtis Walker, whose lives have flourished socially and professionally, but who find themselves single through a combination of circumstance, choice, and heartbreak.

Lilly’s mother passed away when she was a teenager, leaving her to an adolescence spent coping with her father’s depression and her brother’s ceaseless bullying. The divorce of Curtis’ ill-matched parents at age thirteen, and later his own failed engagement, leaves him on emotional cruise control, surfing through dozens of patchwork relationships, unwilling to fully connect.

But one fall when Curtis’ uncle Bob Walker, dear to both Lilly and Curtis, suffers a heart attack, it brings Curtis from Los Angeles to Lilly’s Austin. Their unexpected reconnection-after first meeting as children-shocks them both awake to the desire to pursue love, and more awakened lives for themselves. Lilly begins to find her voice and stand up for herself against her brother. Curtis, at last, puts an end to a casual relationship with his girlfriend, Robin, and taking his first steps in the direction of developing healthier committed relationships, adopts an abandoned German Shepherd.

As Lilly and Curtis fall in love and navigate their new relationship, each character has to learn how to drop their defenses and re-examine their role in creating their own historically stagnant narrative. This insight allows Lilly to begin aggressively defining her boundaries with her family and pursue her own desires, while Curtis begins to shed his cynical abandonment of hope and to reimagine himself as a man worthy of a happy ending.

 

So I couldn’t get a clearer cover for this from Goodreads which saddens me immensely because while navigating through my huge list of books on my Kindle, this was the one that stood out.

I picked this one on a whim and was immediately sucked into the world of Annie and Curtis. I could feel them, because I know how it feels to have someone suppress your thoughts and ideas. About having to conform and having to live life in a way different from what you planned.

Annie is socially awkward. She has a father and brother who do not care for her in the least and act as constant blood-suckers to her confidence. It is shattering to see how they treat her like garbage and often, while you are reading, you say, “Come on!!! Stand up for yourself”. But for someone who is getting their self-confidence and their ideas belittled and battered down, the fight gets harder as time progresses. You learn to not have a voice of your own.

Curtis is one of those persons who is stuck in his life. He does not appreciate the relationship he has. It lacks depth. His life feels too mechanical. It feels like it is pre-planned and run to the T. There are no surprises left, and somewhere along the way, he forgot to stop and pause. To appreciate life and its beauty. Curtis’s life story probably mirrors so much of our own. Too scared to do anything different, too rigid to make a difference and to change, too accustomed to doing nothing.

This book drew me in so much. There are some books where inspite of the best of settings, you fail to feel anything for the characters you are reading about. At the outset, let me tell you. There is nothing spectacular about this book. Or the characters. They may seem like people you have read about or people you know. But that is where I feel this book is a hidden genius.

I enjoyed this book for its sheer simplicity and characters whose peculiarities and weaknesses rang a little close to home. I don’t recommend this book if you didn’t like the blurb or like fast paced novels. This one was a cute and a slow romance which was built over time. There is no grandiose in the romance which develops over the pages. So think your way through if you want to read this one.

My Rating: 3.5/5

Sound of Music meets Paranormal – The Lady in Yellow by Alyne De Winter

The Blurb Reads,

Tonight will be a howling night, when the wolves will not be still…

You’ve heard of the Woman in White and the Woman in Black, now meet The Lady in Yellow

From an early age, Veronica Everly has had a hard life. After the deaths of her actor parents, left at age five with an alcoholic aunt, she ends up in a the Catholic orphanage of Saint Mary’s to be cared for by the nuns. Now, approaching her nineteenth birthday, she is a hired as governess to two motherless children living in a stately home in the wilds of Yorkshire. Identical twins, Jacques and Jacqueline are also androgynous, magical, and clever enough to spook Veronica with their macabre fascinations.

When she meets their gorgeous father, Rafe de Grimston, Veronica is both attracted and repulsed by him. A mixture of tenderness and menace, dark secrets shadow his eyes, torment, and dread of his own nature.

Belden House proves to be wilder than Veronica could have dreamed. A mysterious bell tolls, wolves prowl the grounds, and under the full moon, a lady appears in an antique yellow gown whose eyes run red at the sight of Veronica.

What is the nature of the curse on Belden House? What is the source of the anguish that drives Rafe de Grimston away? What of the old church, Saint Lupine’s, with its wolfish shrine? Who is the lady in yellow?

Veronica is faced with choices no one as young and inexperienced as her should ever have to make. Shall she do what she must to save those she has grown to love, and destroy her own soul?
Or does she flee, and allow evil to devour them all?

Formerly a well-received Novella, this Victorian Gothic Thriller is now revised and expanded to a full length Novel
Revised and Expanded 2013

There are some books which absolutely knock you over your head. Some which make you wish you never had any other work so you could just read that book all day.

This is one of those books. I can’t begin to say how much I have loved this book. Every bit of it.

The story starts off in a very Sound of Music like scene where Veronica, who never fits in with the nuns, is looking out for a job and is sent to Belden House.

Now, this house is a place where lot of misgivings happen. Old and ancient spirits roam and secrets are rife. And there are no answers. Why are the children so weird? What is that unexplained tolling bell? Why does Veronica have blackouts? What is the mystery surrounding Sovay, the twins’ mother? Amidst all this maelstrom, can Veronica stop her heart from doing something foolish? When nobody gives her answers, can she find out the secret to the twins’ eccentricities and uncover the secret of the Lady in Yellow?

So many questions! And a brilliant book full of thrilling and spooky events happening. It felt like reading an extended version of R.L Stine again from childhood.

When Veronica wouldn’t get the answers she wanted, I would be confused too. The housekeeper Mrs. Twig displayed the classic signs of how to NOT deal with a problem. We all HATE dealing with problems, or getting into arguments. And so we AVOID. And that only exacerbates the original problem. I am glad Veronica persisted in her quest for the truth.

The other point I liked was that Veronica kept her faith. Science has argued for centuries about the non-existence of God. Yet miracles happen and we continue to experience atleast a small modicum of grace in our lives. I felt it was so nice that Veronica stuck to her faith in her God. It was great.

Indeed, like the book itself makes an analogy, Rafe de Grimston reminded me of the Beast from Beauty and the Beast with his brilliant blue eyes.

What do I even say about Sovay? What a character!!! Sent shivers down my spine every time she entered the picture.

I have absolutely enjoyed this book. I really recommend anyone and everyone to go for it!

 

My Rating: 4/5

Can It Get Any Better? – The Dagger of Adendigaeth (Pattern of Shadow and Light #2) by Melissa Mc Phail

The Blurb Reads

At long last, the reason for the blessed Adept race’s decline has been discovered: powerful beings known as Malorin’athgul are disrupting the Balance and preventing Alorin’s Adepts from awakening to their gifts. Who are they? Where are they? And how can they be stopped when they wield a power meant to unmake the universe itself?

In T’khendar…Prince Ean val Lorian has forsaken his companions in blood and battle to join the traitorous Fifth Vestal in T’khendar in the hopes of gaining some insight into the tragedies that plagued his Return. Now he must confront the man he’s long thought of as his enemy and discover the role he is meant to play in the First Lord’s darkly magnificent game.

The Vestal Raine D’Lacourte has followed his traitorous oath-brother Björn through six kingdoms and into the distant realm of T’khendar seeking explanation and atonement. But the condemned realm harbors shocking secrets, and Raine soon realizes he’s facing his greatest enemy yet—not in Björn, but in the truth.

Elsewhere in Alorin…the young truthreader, Tanis, faces a new villain in the fiery-eyed man he followed from the café in Rethynnea; the soldier Trell struggles to reconcile his growing feelings for the girl he rescued from the river against the guilt of his unknown past; and in Tambarré, another truthreader named Kjieran van Stone treads the incense-filled hallways of the Prophet Bethamin’s temple hoping to uncover a plot of treachery and betrayal before the Prophet demands his soul.

The time has come for each player to claim his role in the First Lord’s masterful game. All will be tested, but only time will tell how many can survive the dagger of Adendigaeth.

SO I finished book 1 and sat down to read Book 2. Right then, I realised this book would be the bridge. At that point, I still thought that this was a trilogy for some odd reason. So I figured this book was the bridge and the next book would tie all the loose ends together.

This book introduces more characters and is also as complex as Book 1 is. Perhaps, the only reason I was able to finish it so fast was that I was more attuned to the characters and I anticipated a few things based on the Epilogue in Book 1.

I am really wondering what I should do with my life, now that I have finished Book 2. I will purchase Book 3 immediately and start reading it, but the mere thought of being separated from this series is too much to bear.

When I was going through the reviews for Book 3, I realised that this wasn’t a trilogy and my happiness was…!!! I have never squealed so loudly, at 2AM in the morning! EVER! Well, you would, if you knew your favourite series has a lot more books to come.

The Dagger takes a huge leap in terms of Ean. This book was his to own through and through. And it belonged to the Prophet. The scenes with the Prophet filled me with dread and I felt chilled knowing that there were people who existed in the real world, those who had twisted minds like this.

Prince Ean val Lorian discovers his powers when he takes a leap of faith and joins the First Lord. Trell discovers his soulmate and love in Alyneri and also his identity. What happens when paths clash? What happens when Raine has to confront his largest fears? Why is Ean so important to the First Lord’s game? Why does everything follow a twisted pattern? Where is Tanis, the truthreader off to? What does he discover?

Ah! Questions and more!! This book spun around Ean and Tanis and how they discover the world. Ean traverses time and space as he pushes his boundaries. He must discover his identities, his growing fondness for Björn’s sister, Isabel and manage to cope with Markel Morrelaine’s gruelling lessons. Trell deals with attempts on  his and Alyneri’s life and Tanis explores the world with one of the Malorin’athgul. He faces grave danger but yet knows that his purpose may just have been to avert one of the demons from destroying the Adept race.

This book is just the perfect thing someone needs when they have a nice evening to spend. The evening will vanish into nothingness and you will be left totally zapped with the book and how it has gone. I have absolutely loved every minute of reading this book! IT also helped me with my studies because I was tense with an upcoming exam. The book helped to calm my nerves down!

 

If you haven’t picked up the books yet, I really recommend you do.

#Thriller or #SciFi- Van Laven Chronicles: Throne of Novoxos

The blurb reads

Sometimes the enemy within is worse than the enemy without…

Lord Comron Van Laven is the brave but deeply troubled heir to throne. Lady Vaush Bastionli, is the spirited daughter of his mortal enemy, the one woman he should never love. But when a cruel twist of fate forces them to rely on each other for their very survival, old hatreds are supplanted by something far too powerful for them to resist.

But a startling revelation about Vaush’s true origins threatens to destroy Comron’s kingdom. Meanwhile, his own deeply disturbing family history may prove to be his undoing. Possessed by his fiery passion for Vaush, yet compelled to protect his realm, Comron embarks on a thrilling, inter-planetary odyssey that plunges the couple into the midst of epic battles and raging political power struggles.

Those seeking to kill or control Vaush relentlessly hunt the two as they race to Novoxos where Comron can help Vaush fulfill her destiny and save the Empire from a horrible, apocalyptic fate. If only Comron’s internal chaos doesn’t destroy them first

When I started reading this book, I thought it would be another one of those where the two characters would meet and then fall in love and they would fight. I thought it would take a romantic turn and be a cliche!!

BUT NO! I couldn’t have been more wrong.

This book had so much of depth and twists and turns at every moment.

The book starts off with The Crown Prince of Nethic, Comron Van Laven, and his family at an execution for people who have revolted against the empire. Tables turn when Nethic finds out that it is under attack and something has to be done urgently.

On the other side, Vaush Bastionli, from the Ti-Laros family is on her way to conclude negotiations with a buyer. Nethic and Ti-Laros are sworn enemies of each other and enemities have run deep for several years. Generations have held on to that hatred and this has propagated the spewing garbage that they feel for each other.

Slight spoilers ahead..

Their worlds flip when the plane that Vaush and Comron are on, is hijacked and crashes and maroons them on an island with little known civilisation. Vaush escapes unhurt but Comron is at the doorsteps of death. What happens next, changes the lives of not only these two, but the whole futuristic world.

I was so hooked on to the book. It was lengthy, I must admit, but having said that, there were twists at every step which made me want to find out what happened next. The whole journey from their rescue to the events that transpire next, really brought a futuristic world in front of me.

The only thing I was marveling here was that, I don’t clearly recall any date or year. Neither was it scientifically inundated with improved technologies and genetic mutations. The planet all these countries were on, resembled earth and that helped me with getting more comfortable with the story.

I found Comron to represent the Yang element, the open, the loud, the angry and the testosterone element from society. He was the insane, the humane and the driven one. His commitment and love for Vaush drove me to tears and his insanity when Crausin invaded his mind, made me fear him. He is a true alpha male.

Vaush on the other hand, embodies Yin perfectly. Yin, the cold element, yet the feminine and gentle one. Vaush embodied everything good. She took on many characteristics which made her admirable in my eyes. Her disregard for societal classes, her social work, her focus on the downtrodden, in the efforts to make the world a better place. She was the total embodiment of yin in terms of being soft, delicate, feminine, sensual and confident.

I absolutely did not anticipate how events would unfold when Vaush and Comron fall in love. What happens next totally rocked my socks out. I did not expect the curveball that comes Vaush’s way and also how Comron risks everything to help her.

The Murkudahl twist was something I really loved. It took my attention from the small struggle that Vaush and Comron were facing into something of national, heck worldwide importance. It took the book to a whole new level.

People. This book has a FANTASTIC ENDING!!!!!! I could really feel for Comron and Vaush. I felt for them and I could feel their anguish doing whatever they were doing. I felt like the book ended at a perfect stage, laying a brilliant foundation for the next two books.

I CANNOT CANNOT CANNOT wait for the next two books!

 

My Rating: 4/5