A Curse so Dark and Lonely
Summary:
One night on the streets of Washington, D.C., 17-year-old Harper witnesses an attempted kidnapping. Ignoring the danger, the partially disabled young woman steps in. But the kidnapper releases his first prey and, after subduing Harper, takes her with him...
With the wave of a magic wand, Harper is transported to another world. She discovers a place that has all the makings of a fairy tale castle: an orchestra without musicians, an enchanted kitchen and, of course, a handsome and enigmatic prince. A cursed prince, in fact.
Stuck in an eternal autumn, Prince Rhen seeks to rid his people of a bloodthirsty creature. To break the curse, he orders Commander Grey to kidnap young women, season after season... But what he doesn't say is that he himself is the bloodthirsty monster. To break the curse, he must make himself loved before winter begins, before he starts killing again... Nothing could be easier, on the surface, for this attractive young man. Yet none of the hundreds of young women before Harper have succumbed to his charm.
Review:
I devoured this book so much I loved the story. It is worthy of the fairy tale it is based on, Beauty and the Beast, which is my favorite fairy tale, but I also really enjoyed the discrepancies that the story brings.
I was especially drawn into the story by the main characters, Rhen, Grey and especially Harper, who is a strong young woman despite her disability. I really liked her. Rhen also touched me a lot, with his pure heart and his torments.
And the end, of course, makes us want to dive into the next books to know what happens to the characters we discovered in this volume.
All saint high
Summary of the first volume:
He will do anything to satisfy his revenge... and his desire
Daria is captain of the cheerleaders. Miss Popularity. The one who makes the law at All Saints High, the one we admire and fear. Behind this facade, no one suspects the devastating secret that gnaws at her, and that's fine. But her throne as high school queen threatens to crumble when Penn comes back into her life...
Penn is the captain of the enemy high school soccer team, the one where all the dregs of society go. Penn is sexy, vindictive, and willing to do anything to break Daria. Even toying with the burning desire that drives them together. Since the tragedy of their first kiss four years ago, he's been plotting his revenge. And the perfect opportunity to fulfill it comes when he is placed in a foster home... with Daria.
Review (of the three volumes):
I have a mixed opinion on these three volumes. One can find a petty and childish mentality, with characters who are wrong with each other. As a result, I couldn't really identify with them. But the stories are good because they touch on strong subjects. And I especially liked the endings.
I liked volume 3 the best, because it has a more mysterious touch that immersed me in the plot with the character of Vaughn in particular, who we get to know through the three books.
Enchantement of ravens
Summary:
Isobel is a talented young painter who works for some very special clients: the dreaded fae, immortal creatures capable of casting terrible spells. But there is one thing that the fae envy the humans: their art, for they themselves are unable to draw a line with a pen or bake bread without turning to dust. Isobel's paintings are in high demand, until she receives her first exceptional commission from a member of the royal family, Cornelius, the Prince of Autumn. In painting his portrait, the young woman made a grave mistake: she depicted him with a glint of sorrow in her eye, such as only mortals experience. By betraying what is considered a weakness among the Fae, she has put Cornelius in a difficult position that could cost him his life. Furious, the prince forces her to follow him back to his kingdom to stand trial - but along the way, they both find themselves surrounded by enemies, and forced to rely on each other for survival...
Review:
Although the book is short, the story is very interesting. But for me, what is missing in this volume, was a deepening of some descriptions, which could have enriched the story, especially for the end which is too fast for my taste. I'm talking about some emotions that are not well detailed, the relationship between Isobel and Cornelius at the beginning that goes too fast and is not deep enough for me. It's a pity that some passages are not detailed enough because the story has a nice potential. Of course, this does not spoil the reading, which I enjoyed immensely, but it could have been even richer and more insightful.
Crescent City
Summary:
Bryce, a young woman who is half fae, half human, has a perfect life: she works during the day at an antique shop selling magical artifacts and parties all night with her friends, savoring every pleasure Lunathion - better known as Crescent City - has to offer. But one day, a terrible murder shakes the foundations of the city, and Bryce's world.
Two years later, her job is a dead end and she's drifting into oblivion as she scours the most famous clubs. But when the murderer strikes again, Bryce finds herself drawn into the investigation and must team up with Hunt, a mysterious fallen angel whose dark past haunts her every step. Hunt is the archangels' personal assassin and must protect the young woman, even though he has little interest in her.
In search of the truth, Bryce and Hunt will get to know each other and explore the underbelly of the city to the darkest levels of Hell where things that have lain dormant for millennia awaken...
Review:
I loved the story which is full of twists and turns and surprises that I definitely did not expect. That's what I liked the most about this book, because I could feel the same emotions as the characters. Plus, the characters are endearing, especially Bryce and Hunt, who I really liked.
But on the other hand, I still found the book long, sometimes hard to read with big descriptions in which I got lost, because after all, the book is about 900 pages long.
And the end, it is just perfect. It contains revelations, and a big surprise in the epilogue that really makes you want to know more and read the rest.
The Guinevere Deception
Summary of Volume 1:
Princess Guinevere arrives in Camelot to marry the charismatic King Arthur, but she is not who she says she is. Her true name and identity are a secret.
Magic has been banned in the kingdom and the banished sorcerer Merlin has found a way to protect the king: make Guinevere his wife... and his protector against those who want to see the young ruler's city fall.
To save Arthur's life, his new bride will have to navigate a court where old values that oppose change stand alongside new voices fighting for a better world.
But deep in the forest and in the dark depths of the lakes, the most terrible of threats awaits to reclaim what is rightfully his... Arthur's knights believe they are strong enough to face any danger, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.
From deadly jousts to betrayals and forbidden romances, Guinevere's Deception offers a compelling new reading of the greatest of all legends. The battle between magic and iron, good and evil. A strong, innovative and essential work.
Review (of the first volume):
Being a fan of the Arthurian legend, I found the plot super interesting. We already know that there will be twists and turns and these are super well conducted. On the other hand, I have a lot of unanswered questions (maybe I'll get my answers in the next volumes) and the ending goes way too fast for my taste. And some characters are not deep enough, I think. But I still want to read the sequel which will be released in December.
La carte des confins (The map of the confines)
Summary:
Callie is a master thief. She even managed to get hold of an enchanted marine compass. It would allow her to find the mysterious map of the Confines, a world beyond ours from which no one has ever returned. Exploring the Confines is the certainty of becoming a legend, the dearest desire of Blake Jackson, young captain of the Avalon, the most feared pirate ship on the seas. Ready to do anything to get what he wants, he will convince Callie to help him in his quest. The dangerous pirate and the mysterious thief become companions and gradually reveal and tame each other. But the heavy secret Callie hides could ruin their only hope of getting their hands on the Map... and change their lives forever.
Review:
This novel is a real favorite, I loved it from beginning to end. The characters are endearing, the plot is gripping (especially the ending, which makes you want to read the rest quickly) and above all I loved the verbal jousting between Callie and Blake, which is extremely funny.
There is adventure, humor and romance, everything I love in an original story. It's a combo just the way I like it. And it's very addictive.
Photo Credit : Candice & Amélie Marmonier
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