by Jasmyn | Jan 10, 2019 | Book Reviews, Readers, Science Fiction, Fantasy
I am a big fan of the Shannara world by Terry Brooks. And Grainne Ohmsford is one of the most intriguing characters I’ve run into in this epic fantasy series. Tanequil continues the story of her involuntarily journey into the Forbidding, a land full of demons and other nasty evil things, and her nephew Penderrin’s search for a way to bring her back.
Penderrin finds himself searching for a magical talisman that will allow him to enter the Forbidding, find his aunt, and bring her back. But as any reader of epic fantasy well knows, magical talismans come with a very high price. Terry Brooks does an excellent job of showing that payment isn’t always a physical sacrifice, sometimes it’s emotional as well. Penderrin’s experiences as he obtains the Tanequil were some of my favorite of the book.
Meanwhile, Grainne finds out the same thing in a slightly different way. Not all punishment is physical, and she begins to lose herself to the magic of the Forbidding. Enemies and allies in unexpected places really brought this realm to life. It truly is another world within Shannara, and I can see why the elves first sealed it away. I can’t wait to find out if she will be the same person or something completely different by the end of the series.
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Title: Tanequil (High Druid of Shannara #2
Author: Terry Brooks
Genre: High Fantasy
Content Rating: PG-13
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Dark magic has opened a gateway to the Forbidding and trapped within it Grianne Ohmsford, rightful High Druid of Shannara. Rescuing Grianne will be merely the beginning of the effort to return the Four Lands to some semblance of peace. Only her young nephew, Penderrin, has any hope of returning her to power. But to breach the Forbidding and bring Grianne back to the natural world, Pen must find the fabled Tanequil . . . and the talisman it alone can provide. That means journeying into the Inkrim-a dreaded region thick with shadows and haunted by harrowing legends. And there, Pen will strike a bargain more dire than he could ever imagine.
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by Jasmyn | Jan 9, 2019 | Book Reviews, Contemporary Fiction, Readers
This will be my last in the Sisterhood series for a while. While I totally understand the need for revenge, the graphic quality of what the group does to the man that killed Myra’s daughter just turned my stomach and made me sick.
In addition, after the things they have put Jack and his friend through, I find it beyond belief that he would even consider not continuing to try and find a way to stop them. If the books were less graphic, or more about the women finding ways to prove people’s guilt or trap them into confessing, I think this would be a far better series.
I will continue to read Fern Michaels’ Christmas and holiday books. They are so much different than this series. Perhaps I will come back some day and see if the Sisterhood takes a new direction.
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Title: Vendetta (Sisterhood #3)
Author: Fern Michaels
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Content Rating: R
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They Can Run, But They Can’t Hide From The Sisterhood. Once upon a time there were seven very different women who had been broken but not beaten by life. In those tough days of healing, they became the Sisterhood, a group of devoted friends who vowed to change their lives, empower themselves, and be there for each other, no matter what. Now, they’re ready to answer the call for the woman who started it all, Myra Rutledge.
Five years ago, Myra’s pregnant daughter was killed by a hit-and-run driver–the playboy son of an ambassador with diplomatic immunity. Myra was left to grieve while the murderer was free to return to his lavish lifestyle with no fear of ever having to pay for his crime. But not for much longer. As the air turns crisp the Virginia hills around Myra’s lovely old farmhouse, the Sisterhood has gathered for a little creative planning, and what they have in mind is a gift for Myra of long-awaited and very sweet revenge…
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by Jasmyn | Jan 7, 2019 | Book Reviews, Readers, Romance
I have always loved Blay. His quiet strength and fierce way of loving has always set him apart in the best of ways for me. Qhuinn, on the other hand, is the exact opposite, and part of me really wanted Blay to end up with someone better. But in other ways, they are perfect for each other – in the opposites attract fashion.
In true J.R. Ward style, this is more than just another paranormal romance. The story of the Brotherhood and their enemies takes another dangerous turn, and while some of the antics were far beyond belief, the war between the vampires and the lessers is really heating up.
I wish (and I say this often) that Ward would include more of the previous females in each book. We very rarely get to see them as anything more than a background plot device after they have fallen in love and mated their Male. These are strong and fierce women (vampire and otherwise), and I want to see them become a more integral part of the stories.
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Title: Lover at Last (Black Dagger Brotherhood #11)
Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Content Rating: R
Format: Audiobook
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Qhuinn, son of no one, is used to being on his own. Disavowed from his bloodline, shunned by the aristocracy, he has finally found an identity as one of the most brutal fighters in the war against the Lessening Society. But his life is not complete. Even as the prospect of having a family of his own seems to be within reach, he is empty on the inside, his heart given to another….
Blay, after years of unrequited love, has moved on from his feelings for Qhuinn. And it’s about time: it seems Qhuinn has found his perfect match in a Chosen female, and they are going to have a young. It’s hard for Blay to see the new couple together, but building your life around a pipe dream is just a heartbreak waiting to happen. And Qhuinn needs to come to terms with some dark things before he can move forward…
Fate seems to have taken these vampire soldiers in different directions… but as the battle over the race’s throne intensifies, and new players on the scene in Caldwell create mortal danger for the Brotherhood, Qhuinn finally learns the true definition of courage, and two hearts who are meant to be together… finally become one.
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