Review for 'Blood Faerie"

"Blood Faerie" is the first book in India Drummond's 'Caledonia Fae' series.

A disc of blue agate lies on the earth, scrawling black runes swirling into his surface. To one side a scythe like dagger curves following the natural sphere of the disc. A small teardrop shape of gold lies at the bottom of the disc while nature creeps in around the sides of the page.
Eilidh has the spent the last century trying to survive in a world that is not her own, alone and even afraid at times. The dark and grimy streets of Perth are nothing compared to the beauty of the faerie lands she hails from, and can never return to, her banishment the sentence for just being who she is. But when another faerie exile commits a ghastly murder just steps from her front door, she can't turn a blind eye to his crimes or the danger to the people of her city.
What I liked:

• The author manages to convey the otherworldly sense of Eilidh and Saor very well. They don't act like humans and they don't recognize human customs, which as true magical beings they probably shouldn't.
• The reasons for Eilidh exile weave a compelling and interesting note into the story. Sentenced for being who she is not what she has done, never given the chance to prove she's not the evil the others think she is. 
• The relationship between Saor and Eilidh though complex feels real. His sense of possession, jealously, bitterness, and even ego flow like the natural reactions of someone with no concept of anything but what they want, which historically faeries have also been prone to. His desire to sever her from her powers just to keep her to himself makes me loath him.
  
• The addition of police officer Quinton turns Blood Faerie from a simple fantasy tale into a murder mystery with flare.

What I disliked:

• I can't help but think that the villain was just a little too crazed to be taken seriously. Sure it makes him a baddie and unpredictable but then he becomes a surface character, I like my villains with a little meat on their bones. 
• How is it that the blood faerie has found all these druids if they are considered so rare?
• How have the azuri faeries reproduced so quickly?
• How did Quinton know the oath before he even knew she was fey?
• As you can see they are alot of unanswered questions but the true drawback is the anti-climatic climax. It felt flat and emotionless. Lives are snuffed out in a sentence without regard for buildup or emotion. It should have been heart pounding page turning tear wrenching, but it just fell short. Which is a real shame after a spectacular leadup.

I originally intended to give 'Blood Faerie' a 5 crown rating but the rush to the finish detracted just enough to bring it down to 4.5. Up until then it was a magnificent urban fantasy jaunt through Scotland and murder. I am however still looking forward to the other books in this series, as I would love to see Quinton mature in his powers as a stone druid and his relationship with Eilidh move beyond the simple fixation of a magical bond into something more real and concrete. At the time of this review 'Blood Faerie' is available for the kindle for free. Its worth your time. The other books in the series, 'Azuri Fae' and 'Enemy of the Fae' are both $3.49, 'Druid Lords' and 'Elder Druid' are both $4.39, and 'Age of Druids' is $4.99. If you've fallen in love with Quinton and Eilidh looks like you'll have plenty to keep you occupied.  You can find out more about the author and her books at www.indiadrummond.com

4.5 out of 5 crowns

Recommended for urban fantasy readers, those with an interest in Faeries, and Scotland. If you like Jim Butcher you may very well like India Drummond. Mature teen readers and up due to a small amount of nudity/sexual situations.




Synopsis: "Unjustly sentenced to death, Eilidh ran--away from faerie lands, to the streets of Perth, Scotland. Just as she has grown accustomed to exile, local police discover a mutilated body outside the abandoned church where she lives. Recognising the murder as the work of one of her own kind, Eilidh must choose: flee, or learn to tap into the forbidden magic that cost her everything."

Art Uncovered 4.3

Ooops, I did it again. Completely forgot about our weekly Art Uncovered episode. Seems like I'm always a day late and dollar short these day. I'v been rather busy these past couple of weeks so I don't have a whole lot of anything new to offer you here.  So I went back into my archives and picked out one of my older fairy pictures to share. This one is one of my absolute favorites.

Review for "The Kinshield Legacy"

"The Kinshield Legacy" is the first book in K.C. May's 'The Kinshield Saga".

A leather square attached to a thong sprawls across a blue inklined map. The elegant portrait of a wolf is tooled on its surface.
Gavin Kinshield is a haunted man. At night he dreams of the family he lost, by day the runestones whisper in his head demanding to be solved. But whoever solves the runestones will become King of Thendylath.  And that's something Gavin isn't prepared to do.

What I liked:

• Gavin Kinshield is the perfect reluctant hero. A man with a past that gives him a reason to steer clear of the extra responsibilities instead of a wavery feeling against it. Yet as a good hearted man of character he can't help but help those in need. He does have his flaws but they make him more real and likeable.
• The Viragon Sisterhood is an interesting addition. There aren't alot of sword and sorcery novels out there that feature women as fighters who don't need the help of a man.
• The flip of traditional roles between monarch and champion.
• Every single character that is introduced in the story has a place, every single one. Characters that you think are just there to be world builders or character builders wind up being essential to the grand story line in an impressive display of weaving.
• Brodas Ravenkind is a chilling ruthless ego maniacal villain. The tiny glimpses into his world only serve to make us hate him all the more.
• The mirror images of fate between Gavin, Ronar, and Arek make perfect sense, and lead to intriguing future possibilities.
• The author manages to make The Kinshield Legacy an amazing stand-alone novel while at the same time creating and building upon our expectations for the series.

What I disliked:

• Some of the action and language was a tiny bit on the vulgar side. While it works to set up Gavin as a peasant and Brodas as a monster, I can't help but feel that maybe the end goal could have been achieved without it.
• The reincarnation type connection while it seems was supposed to be an earthshattering revelation I figured out rather quickly.
• The chapters and character jumps happened a little too quickly at first, but when our characters finally join forces it all evens out.

'The Kinshield Legacy' is an amazing, fast paced romp through a dangerous magical world. A wonderful addition to the sword and sorcery line of stories, 'The Kinshield Saga' has the makings of a beloved series to fans of the genre. K.C. May has managed to capture magic in a bottle. As soon as I finished the book I wanted to read more, and immediately put the remaining books on my wishlist. What's even cooler is that 'The Kinshield Legacy' is currently available for free. You have absolutely no reason to not pick up this gem of a story. The other books in the series 'The Wayfairer King', 'Well of the Damned', and 'Kinshield's Redemption' are all available for  $3.97 each. Which is a little pricey in my world of free kindle books but if they are at all like the first one, they're worth it. I'm excited to see how this series plays out. You can find out more about the author at her website, that's right I said her!, www.kcmay.com

5 out of 5 crowns

Recommended for fans of the sword and sorcery genre, as well as the broader scope of fantasy. Most teen readers and adults will have the maturity to shake off some of the not so pretty references and truly enjoy the story beyond.




Synopsis: "A mysterious stone tablet with five magical gems has sat abandoned in a cave for two hundred years. The kingdom is in ruins, with only warrant knights to keep the peace. But then, the gems in the tablet, one by one, disappear.

Warrant knight Gavin Kinshield is a man of many secrets. He's the one deciphering the runes in the tablet. Unless he can find a suitable replacement, he'll be Thendylath's next king. All he really wants is the letter written by his ancestor Ronor Kinshield, the last man to see King Arek alive... a letter he must earn by tracking down a common thief.

But when Gavin saves a woman's life, what should have been a simple task draws him face-to-face with his nightmarish past... and the truth of King Arek's demise."

Art Uncovered 4.2

I'm a few days late on this week's Art Uncovered episode. I'm beginning to run low on specific art mostly because I'm using up all my creation time on designing items for Zazzle.com. Tshirts, pillows, posters the like. Mostly simple design. I'll share a couple of fun ones with you in this episode.

I don't know about you but I think that witch is adorable!

Didn't you ever blow on a dandelion seed head and make a wish?

Review for 'Daisy Madigan's Paradise'

'Daisy Madigan's Paradise' is a novella in the 'Morgan Sisters' series by Suzy Turner.

A beautiful young woman stands as if she's looking unsurely in the direction of the reader. The cool autumn wind sweeps a beautiful riot of red curls around her face. In the background a crooked skeletal tree reaches into grey skies, a few tenuous leaves holding onto their perch. Cemetary headstones litter the ground.
Daisy Madigan had a beautiful life, a loving family, even if the kids at school never gave her a moment's peace. When Daisy's mother tragically dies everything falls apart. She is quickly left with nothing and retreats to the only place she feels safe, Abney Park Cemetary.

What I liked:

• The first part of this novel is amazing, gut-wrenching, tear producing. Real. Unfortunately it quickly turns downhill.
• The scary chick in the cemetary is indeed scary and her power over the ghosts is unique and chilling.

What I disliked:

• The story seems to jump from place to place without much to string it together. I get the feeling that the first part was inspired and then the author had to find a way to make it match later on.
• We never find out about Daisy's powers or see her father get the help he needs.
• We only see Daisy help one ghost and that just sort of happens.

I didn't realize that 'Daisy Madigan's Paradise' was written by the same author as the last book I reviewed 'Raven', until I sat down to write this one. Now it kind of makes sense. I think 'Raven' was marginally better than 'Daisy Madigan's Paradise'. This book is at the moment available for free for the Kindle. There are two other books in the Morgan Sisters series at the moment, 'The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw'  is also available for free while 'The Temporal Stone' is available for $2.99. Just from the little chapter excerpt from 'The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw' it's probably worth the time, especially if you liked 'Daisy Madigan's Paradise'. Again you can find more info about the author and her two series at www.suzyturner.com

3.5 out of 5 crowns

 Recommended for young adult readers with an interest in ghost stories. Also if you like The Ghost Whisperer tv show, you'll probably like this book.




Synopsis: "When tragedy falls upon 15 year old Daisy Madigan, she escapes to the only place she feels safe, the cemetery of Abney Park. There, in the company of the dearly departed, she realises she is changing, growing stronger and faster by the day. But in the darkness lurks a terror even she can't imagine facing."

Review for "Raven"

'Raven' is the first book in Suzy Turner's 'The Raven Saga'.

The cover features a pale young woman with a daring black upswept pixie cut looking over her shoulder at you. She looks angry and accusing.
Lily Taylor lives in England in a small flat and walks to school everyday. Cursed with a mother who is angry with her all the time, a father who doesn't care, and canned food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Lily's life isn't exactly ideal. It gets worse when her family disappears. Suddenly she's shipped off to the wilds of Canada and a world and family she can barely imagine. Her new family welcomes her with open arms and secrets untold.

What I liked:

• Lilly seems to be a fairly likeable girl, quiet, well-behaved, compassionate, and lonely.

What I disliked:

• The sudden all consuming first glance romances
• Contradicting story line - Rose's husband's disappearance, why didn't Sammy revert
• The story throws too many characters/species in it, for seemingly the sheer hell of it. They would be better introduced slowly over the series, not all at once.
• Anti-climatic
• Who are the ravens at the window?

'Raven' was an entertaining afternoon read. The writing is simple but mostly error free. 'Raven' is available for free for the Kindle. The second book in the series which focuses on Lilly's friend back in England  'December Moon'  and the third book in the series 'The Lost Soul' are both available for $2.99. You can find out more about the author and her other books at www.suzyturner.com

3.5 crowns out of 5

 Recommended for young adult readers and mature kids. Parents should be a little wary of the young age at which several of the characters marry and have kids.




Synopsis:"After the inexplicable disappearance of Lilly Taylor's parents, she has no choice but to move to Canada where she unravels some frightening yet intriguing family secrets...
Her whole life had been based on a lie. Lilly had grown up in a loveless home with a father who she had barely ever seen and a mother who was... well, not very motherly.
After they mysteriously disappear without a trace, Lilly is sent to Canada where she finds a whole new way of life. A life filled with love and people who care for her. But that's not all she discovers, Lilly also finds out that she isn't who, or what, she thinks she is.
Lilly has a very special ability and it's just a matter of time before her true self starts to shine. And when it does, her life will never be the same again.
Raven is a fantasy novel for children and young adults set in the beautiful province of British Columbia."

Honestly August

As you know I decided at the beginning of last month to stop measuring and weighing every day. I have since then opted for a once-a- week weigh in, usually on Monday. The first three weeks of July I measured in at 142.2.  The exact same measurement for three weeks in a row. It was more than a little disheartening but at least I wasn't gaining. Then in the final week I got up fully expecting to see 142.2 again. I was pleasantly surprised by 140.6. I almost didn't believe it so I waited to write this post to make sure that the measurement was true. It was! Not too shabby considering I'm no longer quite so strict with my diet and our gym use has shrunk to once, maybe twice a week. My waist measurement has fluctuated every week. As low as 25.6 and as high as 26. I've really been toying with the idea of taking a class at the gym. My fir
My husband has been having a difficult time keeping up with his diet. I've allowed him to have a cheat day once a month as a reward, but he seems to have a hard time going back to his diet even though its only one day. We're still working on keeping up with this delicate balancing act that is diabetes. It's important to remember that now that he is diabetic sickness is something that we have to keep an even closer watch on. We had a scare this month. Hubby went to bed complaining of sore muscles. He woke up shaking in the middle of the night, chilled to the bone. When morning came he was miserable, lethargic, and hurting. I took his temperature and it was 100 point something. I gave him two tylenol and expected it to pass quickly. An hour later I rechecked his temperature. It had soared up to close to 102. I know that 102 is threshold danger range for an adult. We called the dr. and she got him into her office within thirty minutes. She ordered blood work to rule out a kidney problem or an poisonious inscent bite, as well as a urine test. Within an hour the office called back with the order for antibiotics and directions to rest and drink Gatorade. Gatorade?! I don't think she realized the amount of sugar in a single serving. I opted to buy him a store brand pedialyte, instead. With the antibiotics and pedialyte he was feeling better by the next morning. Which is when we found out that he had been diagnosed with an agressive UTI, which are apparently very common among diabetics. She warned us ominously that if he had waited even one day to come in he would have been hospitilized. Stuff like this is the reason diabetes is so scary! It's not the diabetes itself that is so harmful its all the complications that arise from it.
As for my 50 books a year aspiration. This past month I read another 5 books. Add that to my previous total of 26 and I am now at 31. I have somewhere between 20 and 21 weeks left to finish my goal. I have 19 books left to read. Awesome that at least here I can find some success.
There's not much else to report on any of the other fronts, though I am getting antsy about some of the house remodel elements. I think we've decided to build our own benches to match the table. It should be a fun relatively easy project. When I get around to it I'll share it with you.
Well that's it for now. Looking forward...

Art Uncovered 4.1

Today this image speaks to me more than I can explain. I have dubbed it 'Fighting an Invisible Enemy" . You'll remember that this is the sister to the brother I posted for last weeks episode. The ones who had in for a 'play session' a few weeks ago. In the original image she really was holding swords, wooden ones that is.