The Fall of Fair Isle - Rowena Cory Daniells

A complete trilogy on one volume, this is the story of the The Last T'En, a majestic epic fantasy from the best selling author of The Chronicles of King Rolen's Kin and The Outcast Chronicles.

600 years have passed since the events of The Outcast Chronicles occurred and much T'En knowledge has been lost, hidden or cloaked by lies. 

This is the story of Imoshen, named for her ancestor, Imoshen the First. The last pure T'En woman, she is a throwback to the mystics who settled Fair Isle. 

When the Ghebite invader, General Tulkhan, conquers her island she is torn between her duty to smooth the transition of power and her betrothal to Reothe, last throwback T'En male who leads the rebellion against Tulkhan. 

My thoughts:

This was 3 books in one, luckily I had a fever this weekend so I did nothing else than read ;)

In a way I should have reviewed them one and one, but I did read it like one huge book, so...but remember, this is of all 3 books then.

600 years ago the T´En left their home and came to Fair Isle (that is another trilogy and you do not have to read that one before to understand this trilogy.) They blended with the population and lived there peacefully. Well sort of, after a while, and after the T'En powers died out, and full blooded t'en could not marry and have kids. So, yeah.

Anyway, story! Barbarians come, plunder and kill. Imoshen is a true T'En, a throwback of her bloodline. And the only one left of the royal family. Tulkhan the barbarian warlord fancies her, and it's a way to survive and save her people so she uses that knowledge. The road is long, there are rebellions, betrayal, a fine line to walk, and the whole them and us thing. 

Fair Isle was a nice place where women had power. Tulkhan's society was not. Women had no souls, were owned by their males, and could not even look a male in the eye. So yes that whole cultural thing was a clash of titans. And I did agree with Imoshen when she called him a barbarian, I mean no souls! Damn church of his. Women were less than cows.

The story, well 3 books, lots happen...

Imoshen and Tulkan. Sigh, still on p 800 he was still all I do not trust her. But then why would he. It's just, she trusted him! And she came to love him, whole he constantly thought she was betraying him. Stupid male. So this is not a romance. It's a fantasy book where love is a chess game. He trust her first at the end, she was told to get preggers by him and secure the island.

Read it as an omnibus or in 3 parts. It works either way :) You get political intrigue, sieges, betrayal and magic.

Cover

Tulkhan looks like a troll

Paperback, 847 pages
Published March 10th 2015 by Solaris
The Fall of Fair Isle #1-3
Fantasy
For review

Carole Reviews: Born of Persuasion - Jessica Dotta

Author: Jessica Dotta

Title: Born of Persuasion (Price of Privilege #1) 

Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Mystery, & Romance

Pages: ebook

First Published: 2013

Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon freebie)

The year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston’s position has never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.

With two months to devise a better plan, Julia’s first choice to marry her childhood sweetheart is denied. But when a titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, a realm of possibilities opens. However, treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian society as titles and decorum, and Julia quickly discovers her present is deeply entangled with her mother’s mysterious past. Before she knows what’s happening, Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between two of the country’s most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she must unravel the secrets on her own. But sometimes truth is elusive and knowledge is deadly. 

How on Earth was this a Christian Fiction novel? It was SOOOO dark and a wee bit depressing, because Julia has a lot of bad things happening to her. And how on Earth do I stumble upon these CFs once in a while and not realize that they are CFs? Why do I keep reading when I learning that fact? Okay...I have found a couple good ones in my life, but overall I cannot stand them. They normally end with a character finding God and all is fixed. However, I must pat this book on the back, because this was not the case. Which thank goodness, because there was too much at play in this novel for a simple "I found God" to fix it. Especially with a psycho named Mr. Macy running around. 0.o 

I really wished I could say I liked this book. It sounds SO good in the summary, but alas....this almost ended up as a DNF which is rare with me, because I am a creature of torture and I cannot stop myself from reading even the most horrible of books. Oh you can bet I skimmed and skipped like a crazy kid, but I have the hardest time giving up on a book. Again, I must obviously like torturing myself.

The characters...meh. I did like Mr. Macy oddly, because he is a psycho and so complex that I had no idea what he is playing at. 

Julia...grow a back-bone. And why the Hell did you think marrying Mr. Macy was a good idea. Really? *sighs*

Edward...you confuse me.

Elizabeth...you are to blame for everything pretty much. You need a punch in the face.

Henry...you are little better then Elizabeth.

The only real redeeming part of the book was the last 75%-98% of the book. It was great and I was enthralled! However the beginning and middle lost me...and the last 2% annoyed me. This is part of a series. Nothing was really resolved and nothing really gained. Edward and Julia are back at square one and have no idea what to do. It was a huge cliff-hanger (but a calm one...hard to explain) and I did not like it. Why? Why drag this story on more then it has to? WHY?!!!! UGH!

I shall stop my rambling now.

This was...a total let down. Yes, a small section of the book was enthralling and I am so glad that when the character "found God" nothing was really solved, but the rest...meh. I recommend this if you want a book full of idiots or are looking for an Amazon freebie. Out of five stars, I stamp this with 1 star.  

Favorite Character(s): Mr. Macy & Churchill (the only one making sense in anything) 

Not-so Favorite Character(s):  Everyone else pretty much

#FitReaders: Weekly Check-In March 20 2015

#FitReaders hosted by Geeky Bloggers Book Blog  and That’s What I’m Talking About.

Sun, 1.50 h walk

Mon, 8 km bike, 45 zumba toning, 30 min walk

Tue 1 hour walk, 4 km bike, 1 hour yoga

Wed 45 min walk, 4 km bike

Thu 30 min walk, 4 km bike

Fri  30 min walk, 4 km bike

I had a setback this week (it did not help that zumba classes got cancelled). But I was all, why bother? I am still on the same weight. Hey I weighed less when I did not exercise this much.

And then the battery died on my fitbit, sigh. But actually that was kind of a relief, cos I am obsessed with my 10 000 steps.

Yes no DNFS, so here is a pic of Luci instead

Bayou Blues - Sierra Dean

When your sister has saved the world, you have a lot to live up to.

Genie McQueen thought she’d seen it all after helping her big sister Secret stop the Apocalypse. The dead walked, New York City burned, and things nearly went to hell in a hand basket. After it was all over, the world knew about vampires and werewolves, and Genie’s life would never be the same.

But now, three years later, someone doesn’t want werewolves or any supernatural creatures to live alongside humans. A new anti-werewolf church with a charismatic leader and a cult-like following has declared open season on Genie’s whole species. When a member of her pack is kidnapped, she decides it’s time to stop going with the flow and to step up and fight for her people.

Tagging along for the ride is a handsome troublemaker, Wilder Shaw, a pack outsider who just wants to save his brother, but will leave Genie’s head spinning in the process.

Equally troubling are the ghosts of her past she can’t quite shake, the nightmarish figures who haunt her even when she’s wide awake, and a dark magic inside her she hasn’t yet learned to tame. 

Things are about to get messy in the bayou. 

My thoughts:

First, oh those churches and sects. Here we have another crazy one that is all, death to all things supernatural! But hey people kill people everyday, but weres are just rabid animals so death to them all. See this is why we can't have nice things.

As you can see the baddies made me really upset. I am still all grrrrrr. But that is great. You need a good I hate you baddie, that you still can like while you hate him. And by like do I not mean LIKE, no I hated them, him. But emotions are good.

Genie then. She had some growing to do. Step by step and she shows her worth. I was a bit unsure about her first, she seemed so young and unprepared. But there is nothing like a crazy church leader to bring out the wolf in a woman.

We have action, baddies (well he needs mentioning again), and hints of romance.

I did not like her boyfriend, oh he was all wrong for her. Dump him! And go with the wolf instead. But then, there is that whole mate thing...who will that be?

Conclusion:

Interesting start to this series. 

Cover

I do like it, but, hm, maybe how she as before?

Kindle Edition, 247 pages
Published March 20th 2015 by Sierra Dean
Genie McQueen #1
Urban fantasy
For review