Book Review: The Heretic Queen

The Heretic Queen: A Novel

Michelle Moran

Paperback, 416 pages

Crown Publishing Group
September 01, 2009

 

This is Michelle Moran’s second novel, after Nefertiti, and it picks up around twenty years later when the old religion has been restored, the capital has moved from Amarna back to Thebes, and all that remains of the Heretic Queen’s family is her niece Nefertari. 

Due to her ties with Akhenaten and Nefertiti, the young princess is reviled, feared, and distrusted.  She’s tolerated by her peers solely because of her friendship with Ramesses, the heir to the throne of Egypt.  But when she’s overlooked as Ramesses’ first wife for the beautiful but vapid Iset, granddaughter to a harem wife, Nefertari is filled with dread and doubt, unsure of her place at court and heartbroken at the thought of Ramesses with another. 

When the High Priestess of Hathor – and Ramesses’ aunt – offers to take her under her wing, she reveals a plan to supplant Iset and make Nefertari the young king’s Chief Wife, thus thwarting the plot of her scheming sister (the High Priestess of Isis) to put Iset on the throne in exchange for wealth and power.  Nefertari’s intelligence and knack for foreign languages makes her a valuable asset to the kingdom and she slowly starts to win over the people with her wise and fair judgments in the Audience Chamber.

With enemies surrounding her, Nefertari knows that the only way for the names of her family to be written back into the scrolls of history is to become Chief Wife and to be crowned Queen of Egypt.  She must use all her wiles to avert the many attempts to besmirch her name and turn Ramesses against her.  And to make matters worse, the Nile has not flooded in four years and the Hittites are threatening to invade, and while the kingdom is on the verge of famine and war the people are quick to blame Nefertari. 

But when she puts her own life at risk to ride to war beside Ramesses and uses her mastery of foreign languages to weed out enemy spies, she finds herself surrounded by even more dangers as desperation drives her foes to new heights of treachery.

In my opinion The Heretic Queen was equally impressive as Moran’s début novel, Nefertiti, and I immediately connected to Nefertari and felt what it was like to be harshly and unfairly judged by the wrongdoings of relatives.  And while at first I was a bit disappointed because I thought it was a continuation of Mudnojemet’s story, I was quickly won over by Nefertari and her love of languages and sharp wit.  Ramesses was a very likeable character and I admired how he always treated Iset with love and respect even when she was at her whiniest and behaved like a spoiled brat.  And when Nefertari finally got the opportunity to ruin her, she couldn’t bring herself to do it and my admiration for her deepened. 

It was well researched, fast paced, and I loved the writing style.  My only complaint is that it was too short and I didn’t want it to end.  I desperately wanted to see what happened years into Ramesses’ reign as he built the impressive reputation that remains with him to this day. 

I preemptively gave this book a spot in my Top 10 Historical Fiction list, hoping that it would be well deserved and I’m happy to say that it was.  Who knows, maybe I’ll come across a book in the future that bumps it out (maybe Moran’s next book, Cleopatra’s Daughter?), but for now it’s definitely worthy.

On a side note, I recently had the privilege of visiting the travelling King Tut exhibit at the De Young museum in San Francisco and I was absolutely awestruck at the site of the 3,000 year old artifacts from a civilization that I’ve been fascinated by my entire life.  I actually saw Tutankhamun’s crook & flail, Nefertiti’s bust (breathtaking, even lacking a nose), Queen Tuja’s sarcophagus, and larger than life statues of Akhenaten.  Sadly, the boy king’s golden funerary mask isn’t allowed to travel so I didn’t get to see it, but hopefully someday I’ll find myself in Egypt, walking under the same sky and upon the same sand as the ancient kings of the greatest empire ever known.

 

Musing Mondays: February 8th

I’ve seen several bloggers mention reading multiple books this week. Do you frequently read more than one book at a time? Do you try to limit this to a certain number? Do you have different books for different purposes/topics?

I never used to read multiple books at once (except for when I was in school), but I recently took up the habit and I’m really glad I did.  What made me decide to give it a try was that the book I was reading at the time (Drood) was heavy and huge and unwieldy and it was really annoying trying to read it while riding my stationary bike.  So I grabbed a paperback off my TBR pile and had two going at the same time.  Since then, I’ve kept that up and have even thrown in a third and fourth at times.

I like to read different genres at once too, so I can choose based on my daily moods.  Maybe a fantasy and a historical fiction or a vampire or paranormal book with straight up fiction.  It’s nice to be able to mix it up! 

Right now I just finished the paperback I was reading so I’ll start a new one tonight and then I’d like to try to start working in non-fiction titles along with the gigantic hardcovers I read before bed. 

I thought I wouldn’t like juggling books because I would lose track of what was happening or mix up plots, but it’s actually been really easy and it’s nice to not feel so restricted!

My biggest problem is choosing which books to read from my TBR pile!  Sometimes I just can’t really tell what I’m in the mood for.  But I’ve decided to start in on all the ones I’m borrowing from people so I can return them while we’re young.    At least that narrows things down somewhat.

 

BTT: Winter Reading

Winter Reading February 4, 2010

The northern hemisphere, at least, is socked in by winter right now… So, on a cold, wintry day, when you want nothing more than to curl up with a good book on the couch … what kind of reading do you want to do?

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

Definitely historical fiction, preferably one that takes place in Britain.  I want swirling petticoats, lavish gardens, and noble families plotting against each other to win the king’s favor.  High fantasy would be a close second.  Sadly, in Southern California it’s not often that we get the kind of weather that would make for a perfect, cozy day of Winter reading.  But we did have several storms last week and I took every advantage of curling up under a blanket with my favorite pastime.  If only my fireplace was in working condition!

What about you?

 

Top 10: Historical Fiction

History is one of my passions and when it’s combined with my love of reading, I’m in absolute heaven. I love being transported back in time to experience the world decades or centuries ago, and to see what life was like through the eyes of royalty, peasants, soldiers, and fools alike.

Here’s a list of my favorites so far (in no particular order)…

1. The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George

Actually this is one of my favorite books of all time so naturally I can’t recommend it enough, especially if you’re interested in Egyptian or Roman history. George’s Cleopatra comes to life and is depicted as an extremely cunning and effective ruler as well as a loving wife and devoted mother as she struggles to keep her lands and people safe in the face of drought, famine, and war.

2. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

This book is beautifully written and is just a classic. It follows the story of Chiyo, a nine-year old fisherman’s daughter who’s sold into slavery by her father, and her transformation into one of the most successful and renowned geisha of her time. Although it’s a story of suffering and heartbreak, it’s also one of love and passion, and of doing whatever it takes to change your destiny and achieve your dreams.

3. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

Everyone seems to be in a Tudor frenzy at the moment, and I’m no exception. I’ve always been familiar with the story of the doomed second bride of Henry VIII, but this was the first novel I’d read about her life. It’s told from the point of view of Anne Boleyn’s sister, Mary, who is the first to be ensnared by the young king’s affection and follows the family as they rise to power. It’s quite an intense read as it puts you right in the heart of the Tudor court, where one wrong step could lead you to the Tower of London and into the hands of the executioner.

4. River God by Wilbur Smith

Okay, if you’re obsessed with ancient Egypt like I am then you need to read this and the other Taita books by Wilbur Smith. I guess technically I should classify them as historical fantasy because there are elements of magic involved in some of them. This is the first one and it takes place during the reign of Mamose when Egypt is invaded by the Hyksos. Taita is a fascinating and mysterious character who you’ll want to follow through the twists and turns of the political intrigues and warring kingdoms of the Nile valley.

5. The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George

More Tudor hysteria? Yes please! This book is a massive undertaking but well worth the almost 1,000 pages. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I started it, in fact I went into it thinking I wasn’t going to like it just because I thought it would be impossible to sympathize with Henry. I couldn’t have been more wrong. It was frighteningly easy to slip into his mind, walk in his shoes, and understand why he did the things he did. It starts with his childhood and the death of his brother that leads to his marriage to Katherine of Aragon and we see through his eyes the scheming and manipulation of his courtiers and the radical separation from Catholicism that threw his kingdom into turmoil. Fantastic read.

6. Empress Orchid by Anchee Min

This book actually reminded me a lot of Memoirs of a Geisha, although it takes place in China rather than Japan, but the writing style and character development were similar. Although, Empress Orchid was far more gritty and dark, which suited me just fine. It tells the story of the last empress of China in memoir-like fashion, from her childhood to becoming a royal concubine and then one of the emperor’s wives, who ends up ruling the empire for over four decades. I was fascinated by life in the Forbidden City and the role of the women there as Orchid fought to stand out among the countless other concubines to win the favor of the emperor. I haven’t read the sequel, The Last Empress, yet but it’s in my TBR queue and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

7. Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

This was Michelle Moran’s debut novel, set in 14th century B.C. Egypt, and I found it to be very well researched and absolutely thrilling. It’s told from the point of view of Nefertiti’s sister Mutnodjmet during the reign of Amenhotep IV, who takes on the name Akhenaten after casting out the old religion and replacing it with a monotheistic one worshipping the sun disc Aten. It was fast-paced, yet detailed and descriptive, and I became invested in all the characters – including Nefertiti, despite her selfishness and thoughtless behavior toward her sister. Towards the end it got pretty stressful as the people blame Akhenaten and Nefertiti for the plague that sweeps through the capital and everyone in the royal family fears for their lives. I couldn’t believe this was Moran’s first novel. Incredible story telling!

8. The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran

I’m actually not quite finished with this one yet but it’s every bit as good as Nefertiti was and I can already tell it deserves a place on this list. It picks up about 20 years later when the old religion has been restored, the capital has moved from Amarna back to Thebes, and all that’s left of the heretic queen’s family is her niece Nefertari.  The young princess is feared and despised because of her ties to Akhenaten and Nefertiti and when she becomes the second wife of her childhood best friend and first love, the young pharaoh Ramesses, she knows the only way for her family to be written back into the scrolls of history is to become Chief Wife and to be crowned the queen of Egypt.  She’s surrounded by enemies but with her intelligence and the help of some influential allies she strives to do whatever it takes to win the love of the people and take her place on the throne.

9. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Again, this is more accurately historical fantasy due to the time travel element – and I included it in my top 10 fantasy books too, sorry for the repetition – but it’s a truly amazing read.  I absolutely could not put it down and when I was finally forced to, I couldn’t stop thinking about the Scottish highlands and the world that Claire finds herself in after stumbling through ancient standing stones and travelling back in time two hundred years.  It’s written so well that it seems perfectly plausible that in the blink of an eye you could magically appear in another century.  Claire is such a compelling character with real emotions and flaws and I defy you not to fall in love with Jamie Fraser.  This entire series is great but Outlander knocked my socks off.

10. Mary Queen of Scotland & The Isles

Yes, another book by Margaret George.  What can I say?  She’s a master of her craft.  Meticulous research, great pacing, thought provoking writing and characters that you can connect with.  Mary is a true heroine.  Her tragedy was my tragedy, her triumphs were my triumphs, and I got so caught up with her story that I lost touch with reality while reading the book.  With all the indignities she suffered, Mary remained proud, refusing to give up hope or give in to defeat. 

I highly recommend all this books to fans of historical fiction!  Out of all the titles I’ve read in this genre, they’re my favorites.  I feel it might be worthwhile to mention a few that I was less than enthusiastic about, surprisingly from these very same authors.  I couldn’t stand Margaret George’s Helen of Troy.  As much as I tried to get into it I simply couldn’t.  Helen as a character just fell flat and I couldn’t have cared less whether she or Paris lived or died, that’s how detached I was from the story. 

The Virgin’s Lover was my least favorite of Philippa Gregory’s books that I’ve read so far.  Elizabeth was a giggly, empty-headed grown child who couldn’t conjure up a single thought of her own, relying on Robert Dudley for every decision or opinion.  After reading The Queen’s Fool and seeing how strong and calculating Elizabeth was in that book, I just couldn’t understand how the same author could have portrayed her in such a contradicting fashion.  Maybe that was intentional in The Virgin’s Lover but I had to force myself to finish that one.  I wasn’t thrilled with The Other Queen (also about Mary Queen of Scots) either, but it was alright.  On the other hand, I loved the Queen’s Fool as well as The Constant Princess.  I got Gregory’s newest, The White Queen, for Christmas and I’m really looking forward to reading her take on the War of the Roses.

Here are some more titles currently in my TBR queue that I’m excited about:

1. The Last Empress, Anchee Min
2. The Last Queen, C. W. Gortner
3. A Thread of Grace, Mary Doria Russell
4. An Echo in the Bone, Diana Gabaldon
5. Cleopatra’s Daughter, Michelle Moran
6. The Last Days of the Romanovs, Helen Rappaport
7. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Lisa See

What are your favorite historical novels?  What are some you could have lived without?

 

Book Review: Fireworks Over Toccoa

Fireworks Over Toccoa

Jeffrey Stepakoff 

Hardcover, 272 pages

St. Martin’s Press
March 30, 2010

Note: I requested this Advance Readers’ Edition free of charge from the publishing company.

 

It’s July 1945. The fighting is over and the residents of Toccoa, Georgia are celebrating in the streets as the soldiers return home from the war.  Twenty year old Lily Davis Woodward knows she should be thrilled at the thought of her husband being among them.  But after spending only two weeks as husband and wife when they were seventeen before he was shipped overseas, Lily worries that he’ll come home a stranger.  After three years of waiting for her life to finally begin – to be a dutiful wife, to start a family, and take care of her perfect home – Lily is filled with anxiety and uncertainty just days before her husband Paul is scheduled to show up on her doorstep.

Then she meets Jake Russo, a young and handsome veteran of Italian descent (who speaks the language of the enemy), and her world is turned upside down in a heartbeat.  Jake’s family has been in the business of fireworks for centuries and the pair meet for the first time when Lily stops on the side of the road to watch some of his dazzling work as he tests his display for the upcoming July 4th town celebration.  Oblivious to the danger she’s in (“Didn’t anyone ever teach you not to stand under fireworks?”), Lily is tackled by Jake just as the debris rains down on her. 

A budding friendship quickly becomes more as Lily and Jake continue to see each other over the next few days.  As the daughter of a Coca-Cola executive/state senator father and proper southern mother, Lily knows what’s expected of her and that she’s treading dangerous ground as the affair goes on.  But she’s drawn to Jake’s passionate nature as he is drawn to her wild spirit.  They both know their time together is brief and Lily must make a choice.  Soon.  Can she give up her life and her husband, tearing her family apart in the process, for this man that she’s come to love in a matter of days?

Fireworks Over Toccoa was a delightful treat to read.  It’s not something I probably would have normally chosen, definitely not my style, but I loved every page.  Lily and Jake are wonderful characters and I was cheering for them to the end.  And even though Lily is thinking of leaving her husband who’s been away at war for this stranger, you sympathize with her completely.  And it was great to see the walls that Jake had built around himself during the war start to crack and tumble down as he opens up to Lily and gives her his complete trust.  They were both just really good people.  In fact, the whole book just seemed to radiate goodness and I have to say it left me feeling good too. 

I definitely got the impression that this would make a fantastic movie and I wasn’t surprised to learn that Jeffrey Stepakoff was a writer on The Wonder Years.  I could practically hear it being narrated, maybe in the voice of Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption, only a bit more southern. 

I really enjoyed his writing style.  It was very visual and descriptive (I could always picture myself in each scene - the smell of Cherokee roses, the taste of sweet summer corn, fireflies dancing in the warm, balmy Georgia air) without being too wordy.  The scenes flowed together beautifully and I can’t think of a single part that was slow for me.  One thing I noticed was that  Stepakoff tends to use long sentences (which I love, by the way) that helped me get into Lily’s frame of mind as her thoughts become frantic and torn.  And there’s so much tenderness that you can feel as you read Lily and Jakes’ thoughts, it’s easy to let yourself become swept away in their romance. 

The themes of the book really resonated with me.  Duty versus instinct, following your heart or living up to your responsibilities.  And most of all, living for the moment because life is fleeting.  When Lily asks Jake if he thinks the war changed him he says, “What I’ve come to believe is that you have to cherish…this, the present.  Life and death…it’s a matter of a breath, a hearbeat…a single footstep.”  I think we all need to be reminded of that from time to time.  I know I do.

 

Let’s Talk About Sex!

Here’s a random question for you all…does an author’s gender have any bearing on how much you like a book?

I recently saw a thread on the Book Blogs forum that addressed this issue and it got me thinking.  Several women said that they don’t like to read books by male writers because they felt  the writing lacked emotion, had too much cussing, or they just couldn’t get into the characters.  They said that there was just something about a woman’s voice that made them connect to the story in ways that a man’s voice couldn’t. 

Granted, a few women responded saying they prefer male authors to females, but it seemed like they were the minority.  A guy also replied saying he was the exact same way but with male authors and he hadn’t even realized it before reading the discussion, but he thought about it and realized that 90% of the books he owns were written by men.  His thought was that in general people tend to read books written by authors of the same sex.

Reading this thread, I realized that I’d never really considered this before, but I went over a mental list of my favorite authors and it seems to be pretty gender balanced.  I think men are just as capable of depicting emotion and romance and women can be just as gritty, violent and crude.  I tend to read books from many genres though, so maybe that’s why I’ve never developed a preference?  When I’m browsing for new buys I don’t even glance at the author’s name (assuming it’s a new author to me and I wasn’t drawn to it precisely because of the author) until I’ve checked out the cover, the title and the synopsis.  If the writing is good, I connect to the story and care about the characters.

To be honest, the discussion made me feel kind of sad that presumably there are many people out there that are missing out on so many wonderful books just because of the author’s gender.  I mean, I understand that it’s the general writing style that doesn’t appeal to them and they’ve probably given it several tries, but still…I guess for me, an author’s gender has never been a factor (that I’m aware of, anyway), but to each his (or her) own! 

Anyway, I thought it was quite an interesting topic so I thought I’d pass the question on to you.  Do you tend to read only male or female authors?  Had you ever even considered it before?

 

Book Review: The Twisted Citadel

The Twisted Citadel

Sara Douglass

Mass Market Paperback, 672 pages

HarperCollins Publishers
May 01, 2009

 

The Twisted Citadel is the second book in the Darkglass Mountain trilogy, which can be read alone but I highly recommend starting with her Wayfarer Redemption series.  I noticed that the characters kept alluding to some really big events that I missed since I haven’t read the last three books in that series yet.   On a side note, it’s kind of confusing, but the six books in that series were actually written as two separate trilogies (The Axis trilogy and the Wayfarer Redemption trilogy), but in the U.S. they were published as a six-book series instead.  Anyway…

Kanubai, the evil god of chaos, has been devoured by the glass pyramid that imprisoned him and something much worse has risen in his place. Styling himself the One, the physical manifestation of Infinity walks in the guise of a man with skin made of green glass.  After the skraelings pledge their allegiance to him, Maxel, Ishbelle, Axis, and Isaiah quickly surmise that this new enemy they face is much more powerful and dangerous than Kanubai ever was.

The One unleashes millions of skraelings to wreak havoc on Isembaard, and Maxel’s army splinters into factions as soldiers fear for their families left behind.  Maxel, having fully accepted his role as Lord of Elcho Falling, continues north toward Serpent’s Next - Ishbelle’s former home – where he will attempt to raise the lost citadel. 

The knowledge needed to unlock the key to raise Elcho Falling has been passed down for generations, but so much time has past that Maxel fears he won’t be able to access enough memories to succeed.  He looks for strength in Ishbelle, despite the countless prophecies and warnings that she will cause his demise and bring the world to ruin. 

The Lealfast, a race that is half Icari and half scraeling, want nothing more than to form a nation of their own and rid themselves of their halfling identity, and they will stop at nothing to achieve their goals – even betraying their allegiance to Maxel and joining forces with the One. 

As the group nears Elcho Falling, loyalties are tested, enemies are engaged, and Maxel and Ishbelle must make a choice that will either save or doom mankind.

I’m really enjoying this series so far, and this book kept the momentum going and held my interest all the way to the end.  I was very upset to learn that the third book isn’t out yet and I’ll have to wait to see what happens.  I’m still invested in the characters and what I love about the writing style is that I always know what motivates their actions. 

The only parts that were slow for me were the ones that focused on Armat - I just couldn’t get into his character for some reason.  I’m not sure if it was because he wasn’t a central character from the start or that I didn’t get a feel for his back story.  Whatever the case, I just couldn’t connect with him and I found myself reading his chapters quickly so I could get back to Axis or Maxel. 

Also, I couldn’t stand Ravenna and her incessant pleading with Maxel to set Ishbelle aside before she doomed them all.  I don’t know if that was the idea, but after a while I was thinking if she mentions that prophetic vision or how she loves Maxel and is only trying to save him one more time I would scream.

From the beginning of the first book I wasn’t really sure what to make of Ishbelle.  At times I sympathized with her but didn’t really like her, and other times I was rooting for her all the way.  By the end of this book, however, she won me over completely.  All it took was once scene of ruthless, gutsy badassery to do the trick. 

Axis, I’ve loved from the first Wayfarer Redemption book and I just found out that Maxel is actually a character in a standalone book about his seventeen years as a slave in the mines, called Beyond the Hanging Wall.  I’ll definitely be checking that one out!

Overall, I highly recommend the first two books in this trilogy, as well as the Axis trilogy, to any and all fantasy readers!

 

BTT: Favorite Unknown

Who’s your favorite author that other people are NOT reading? The one you want to evangelize for, the one you would run popularity campaigns for? The author that, so far as you’re concerned, everyone should be reading–but that nobody seems to have heard of. You know, not JK Rowling, not Jane Austen, not Hemingway–everybody’s heard of them. The author that you think should be that famous and can’t understand why they’re not… 

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!

  

 

 

 

I can think of several good choices here but the first person I thought of was Patrick Rothfuss, author of Name of the Wind.  

Here’s a blurb from his website: 

THE POWERFUL DEBUT NOVEL FROM FANTASY’S NEXT SUPERSTAR
Told in Kvothe’s own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen.The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet’s hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard. 

I’ve already mentioned this book in several posts because I cannot stress enough how incredible it was and how much I loved it.  Every fantasy reader should own a copy.  I couldn’t put it down and I’ve been waiting for the sequel ever since.  After I read it,  I made my husband and then my cousin who then made her husband and no one has been disappointed yet, despite the major praise I gave it beforehand.  To me, it was fantasy perfected. 

I’m sure when the sequel finally does hit the shelves I’ll devour it like a crazed person and then wait in agony until the third installment is released. 

Bravo, Mr. Rothfuss, and please keep your work coming!  I’ll be waiting with as much patience as I can muster.

Have you read this book?  Who’s your favorite unknown?

 

Book Review: Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy

Richelle Mead

Paperback, 336 pages

Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
August 16, 2007

 

Rose Hathaway and Lissa Dragomir are no ordinary runaway teens.  Lissa is a Moroi, a living vampire with incredible powers of healing and compulsion as well as the ability to use elemental magic.  Rose is a Dhampir, half human and half vampire, who’s fiercely protective of her best friend and will do anything to keep her from harm.  The pair have fled St. Vladimir’s Academy and have been on the run for two years when the story unfolds.

They’re quickly captured and taken back to the academy in rural Montana (where young Moroi are schooled  in magic and other academic subjects and Dhampir are trained to become their guardians, protecting them from the evil Strigoi, vampires who are no longer living and thrive off killing humans and Moroi), where Rose narrowly escapes expulsion.  Instead she’s forbidden to leave her dorm room except for classes and training sessions with Dimitri, one of the school guardians who becomes her mentor.  Distracted by her intense attraction to him, Rose struggles to keep her head and protect Lissa from jealous peers and vicious rumors circulating about them both. 

Harmless rumors and idle threats soon turn to violent pranks, and Rose must tap into her newfound ability to sense Lissa’s emotions and see through her eyes in order to protect her, not only from her enemies but from herself.  The girls face a host of dangers from psi-hounds, the dreaded Strigoi, and worst of all, high school drama as Rose searches for the key to understanding the strange link that binds her to Lissa and what it means for her best friend that she shares similarities with the famed (and less than stable) St. Vladimir.

YA is a really hot genre with adults right now and since I enjoyed Harry Potter and Twilight so much I thought I’d venture out and try a few more and see if they’re too my liking.  I’m a little torn on this one though.  As entertaining as it was, Rose and her nonstop tough girl act drove me absolutely crazy.  And her obsession with Lissa was borderline creepy at times.  I know they’re best friends and she’s training to be Lissa’s guardian, but after a while I was thinking, “Yeah, I get it, you’re fiercely protective of her and you don’t care whose face you have to smash to make your point!” 

But I really liked the overall premise  and some of the other characters (particularly Dimitri and Christian, the brooding, scandalized Moroi whose Strigoi parents were murdered by guardians).    Also, all the vampire cultural taboos were fascinating (e.g. a Dhampire letting a Moroi drink blood during sex is considered the dirtiest act of all, and the term “blood whores” was thrown around quite a bit).  I got a little tired of all the high school social debacles, but I have to admit that I couldn’t wait to see what happened next and how it ended.

Hopefully Rose will grow on me because I plan on continuing the series.  I’ll also be interested in seeing how it compares to the first books in the Morganville Vampire and House of Night series, which I got for Christmas.

Have you read this or the other aforementioned series?  What’s your opinion of YA?

 

Book Review: Definitely Dead

Definitely Dead

Charlaine Harris  

Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages

Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated

March 27, 2007

Sookie’s vamp cousin Hadley has died, for the second time, and Sookie must travel to New Orleans to collect her possessions and take care of her affairs.  This proves to be a much more dangerous task than it should be after the Queen of Louisiana’s personal messenger is murdered in Sookie’s yard and she and Quinn, her latest gorgeous pursuer, are attacked by newly turned Weres. 

When she finally gets to Louisiana and begins to pack up her cousin’s things, she quickly realizes that the circumstances surrounding Hadley’s death are much more complicated than she thought after finding a gruesome surprise in the closet.  With the help of Hadley’s landlord, who is also a witch, they perform a powerful spell to try to piece together the last hours of the deceased’s life before more people are killed.

Not only does Sookie have to deal with solving the Hadley mystery and trying to save the newly married Queen of Louisiana from a dangerous plot, the Pelts are still hounding her for information about their daughter Debbie’s death.  And to top it all, Sookie finds out a shocking little secret about her heritage that suddenly makes things a whole lot more clear.

Another great Sookie Stackhouse book!  Although, through the first half of it I kept thinking I had accidentally skipped a book because of the way Hadley’s death was referred to.  It was as if I should already know all about it when I was completely in the dark.  That was a little distracting but I got over it soon enough when Quinn, the Were-tiger, entered the picture and things started to heat up.  The plot, that is! 

Eric and Bill were still around, although their roles were fairly small in this book.  I loved the parts when Sookie was at the Queen’s mansion interacting with her entourage (including a set of Saxon twins who never quite assimilated into the modern era).  After the last book in the series, which was predominantly about Weres and shifters, it was nice to finally be surrounded by vampire characters again. 

What can I say about this book besides I love the whole series!  They’re so much fun to read and Sookie is a wonderful character.  I can’t wait to read All Together Dead and see what’s been going on in Bon Temps lately.