Book Review: Wake by Anna Hope

Wake by Anna Hope

Completed: February 21, 2014
Length: 304 Pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A brilliant debut for readers of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, in which three women must deal with the aftershocks of WWI and its impact on the men in their lives—a son, a brother and a lover. Their tragic connection is slowly revealed as the book unfolds.

Wake: 1) Emerge or cause to emerge from sleep 2) Ritual for the dead 3) Consequence or aftermath.

Hettie, a dance instructress at the Palais, lives at home with her mother and her brother, mute and lost after his return from the war. One night, at work, she meets a wealthy, educated man and has reason to think he is as smitten with her as she is with him. Still there is something distracted about him, something she cannot reach...Evelyn works at the Pensions Exchange through which thousands of men have claimed benefits from wounds or debilitating distress. Embittered by her own loss, more and more estranged from her posh parents, she looks for solace in her adored brother who has not been the same since he returned from the front...Ada is beset by visions of her son on every street, convinced he is still alive. Helpless, her loving husband of 25 years has withdrawn from her. Then one day a young man appears at her door with notions to peddle, like hundreds of out of work veterans. But when he shows signs of being seriously disturbed—she recognizes the symptoms of "shell shock"—and utters the name of her son she is jolted to the core...

The lives of these three women are braided together, their stories gathering tremendous power as the ties that bind them become clear, and the body of the unknown soldier moves closer and closer to its final resting place.

Fiction or Non-Fiction? Genre?: Historical Fiction.

What Lead You to Pick-up This Book?: hm... I think I saw it on a list of books out in 2014 and thought it sounded good. It was on Netgalley, so I grabbed a copy.

Summarize the Plot: This book takes place over 5 days. WWI is over, but the men and women of this novel are still dealing with things in their own way. The novel follows three women over these five days: Hettie, Evelyn, and Ada. Hettie is a dance instructor at a local dance club. She is one of the women that men pay to dance with. She is still living at home with her mother and her emotionally-disturbed brother. One night she meets a wealthy man and takes a shine to him. She thinks that he likes her as much, but things are not always as they seem. Then there is Evelyn. She is wealthy, but chooses to live in a flat and work for the war department at the Pension Exchange. She is dealing with her own loss from the war and trying to deal with her brother who is dealing with different demons in different ways. Lastly, there is Ada. She has not taken the loss of her son well and her husband has grown distant from her. Then a young man shows up at her door and sets everything back in motion for her. The three characters wind up with unknown connections to each other, but they are also connected by the moving of an unknown soldiers body as it moves towards its final resting place.

What Did You Like Most About This Book?: I really liked that the book took place after the war. It still illuminates the tragic events, but it also shows what it is like for the people afterwards. The war may be over, but there are still many things to deal with. It is a very humanizing story. Plus, it is about the women who don't always get as much attention in the overall picture of war. It doesn't just show them, though. They interact with men and we get to see their sides of things, too.

What Did You Like the Least?: There is a question that specifically pertains to my problem with this book, so I will mention it there. Otherwise, I quite enjoyed this book and have no major complaints.

What Did You Think of the Writing Style?: This is a debut novel, but all ready Anna Hope is a fantastic author. I was drawn in right away and found that I was eager to turn the pages and find out what happened next. I actually was having e-reader issues when I first started this book and read the first half or so on my computer. I didn't mind at all. I really look forward to seeing where her writing takes her next.

What Did You Think of the Main Character?: As I mentioned above, the book follows Hettie, Evelyn, and Ada. I have to say that I enjoyed them all. In many ways they have grown up very differently and had very different experiences during the war, but on the other hand they are very much the same. The war touches everyone and makes complete strangers similar to one anther. It does turn out that there are connecting lines between the characters, but that isn't entirely apparent in the beginning and doesn't always mean the characters themselves are even aware of it. I enjoyed learning about all three of them and seeing things from their points of view.

What Did You Think of the Ending?: *ahem* I finished this book in February. It has taken me this long to review the book... I still remember the book very clearly considering it has been so long. I would even go to say that it might have been one of my top reads of the year... And then the ending happened. I was reading an e-galley and thought maybe there was something wrong with it. I finally got definite confirmation today that there was nothing at all wrong. What do I even say? I hated the ending. I glanced around Goodreads, though, and no one said anything about it... I am not sure if I would have liked it better if I didn't think it was some sort of error?

I am glad I don't rate books because I am not sure what I would even give this one... A great rating for the book and then a separate rating with the ending? It has been a couple months and I still have no idea what to think.

So, recommended, but with a warning...

World War I: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley

World War I: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley

Completion Date: November 25, 2012
Reason for Reading: Review copy received through Netgalley.

History for busy people. Read a concise history of World War One in just one hour.

World War One brought with it the world’s first experience of Total War, involving all of the world’s great powers, polarized between the Triple Entente, lead by Britain, France and Russia, and the Central Powers, dominated by Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary. Around 9 million men lost their lives in a conflict that introduced the horrors of trench warfare, machine guns and toxic gas attacks.

WORLD WAR ONE: HISTORY IN AN HOUR gives you a clear overview of the road to war, the major turning points and battles, and the key leaders involved, as well as the lasting impact the Great War had on almost every country in the world. WORLD WAR ONE: HISTORY IN AN HOUR is essential reading for all history lovers.

I have been hearing about this series of historical events, places, and people told in 1-hour. When I saw this book offered on Netgalley I thought it would be a good chance to see what they are all about.   I am not sure starting with something I know was a good idea. I didn't really learn anything new from this book. I am pretty good with my WWI and WWII history. I was mostly just curious how these books were presented. And, if I knew nothing about WWI I would have learned the important facts in a short period of time. I have no doubt about that.

My biggest problem was this book is put out by the British version of Harper Collins. This means that the facts are based around the history of WWI and how it related to people from that country. This meant that other countries got less of a mention. And other countries were important, too, so it would disappoint me if this was the only book people read about WWI. I live in Canada and I read forever before they were even mentioned. I was wondering if they were just being grouped in with the British. The U.S. got a bit more mention, but they joined the war later. The thing is, I may not have noticed this is if I didn't know so much about WWI going into the book. This is why I am thinking it was a bad idea to start with a subject I know so much about.

Ultimately, this is a good introduction to the events of WWI. I am not sure such a big event is the best subject to cram into such a small space, but it was mostly done effectively. I can't imagine reading this book and being satisfied  I think I would want more details instead of the basic facts, but I love history and reading about it to begin with. At some point I would like to try one of the books on events or a person I know very little about.

Recommended for a good introduction. If you know what it is all about; nothing new will be learned here.

A Short Story Interlude

Z: Zombie Stories edited by J.M Lassen

When the zombie apocalypse comes, it's not just those crusty old folks who will struggle against the undead, it's young people.

What happens when you come of age during the zombie apocalypse? Z: Zombie Stories has the answer to that question.

Z: Zombie Stories gathers together some of the hottest zombie fiction of the last two decades, from authors including Kelly Link, Jonathan Maberry, and Catherynne M. Valente.

These stories focus on those who will inherit a world overrun with the living dead: a young man who takes up the family business of dealing with the undead, a girl dealing with her abusive father... who has become a zombie, a poet who digs up the wrong grave, and a Viking maiden imprisoned with the living dead...

I seem to be have technological problems. I requested this book from NetGalley, loaded it on my e-reader, and now it absolutely refuses to let me read the next story. I even tried re-dowloading it. It wouldn't go to the next page, so I tried to skip to a later page. It won't do anything. I am a bit disappointed, so I will have to get a print copy when it comes out. In the meantime, I did get to read the first story, so I figured I might as well at least talk about that.

Family Business by Jonathan Maberry

I was thinking I was getting a bit tired of short stories lately, but a collection of short stories about zombies sounded right up my alley. I was a bit disappointed it was PDF format. I hate PDF format, but I was determined to get beyond that because there are stories by Kelly Link and Catherynne Valente in the collection. Plus, some new-to-me authors, like Jonathan Maberry. I thought it would be a great read to finish October with since I have completed Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman.

The first story was really quite good. Imagine a world where there was a huge epidemic and a large part of the population became zombies. The people that were not affected had to move to smaller areas in order to stay safe. The zombies took over everything else. The story focuses on two brother. The younger one is close to the age of 15, and in that society it means he has to find a job soon. His brother is a considerable amount older and has his own business. The younger brother does not want to work with his older brother, so he decides to try anything else but. The only thing is that the jobs do not work out.

In the end, the two brothers get the chance to work together. It turns out to be a learning experience for both the readers and the younger brother. He had an idea about his brother that turned out to be entirely wrong. The story actually turns out to be rather heart-warming. If I say too much more, I will give the story away, so that's all you get. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the rest of the stories in this collection at some point.

I will be back later today with my next edition of Friday Reads.

Becoming Marie Antoinette (Marie Antoinette Trilogy, Book 1) by Juliet Grey

Becoming Marie Antoinette (Marie Antoinette Trilogy, Book 1) by Juliet Grey

Completion Date: August 30, 2011

Reason for reading: Received review copy from Ballantine Books via NetGalley.

This enthralling confection of a novel, the first in a new trilogy, follows the transformation of a coddled Austrian archduchess into the reckless, powerful, beautiful queen Marie Antoinette.

Why must it be me? I wondered. When I am so clearly inadequate to my destiny?

Raised alongside her numerous brothers and sisters by the formidable empress of Austria, ten-year-old Maria Antonia knew that her idyllic existence would one day be sacrificed to her mother’s political ambitions. What she never anticipated was that the day in question would come so soon.

Before she can journey from sunlit picnics with her sisters in Vienna to the glitter, glamour, and gossip of Versailles, Antonia must change everything about herself in order to be accepted as dauphine of France and the wife of the awkward teenage boy who will one day be Louis XVI. Yet nothing can prepare her for the ingenuity and influence it will take to become queen.

Filled with smart history, treacherous rivalries, lavish clothes, and sparkling jewels, Becoming Marie Antoinette will utterly captivate fiction and history lovers alike.

There was some popularity with Marie Antoinette books a couple years ago, but despite glancing in their direction I never really read any of them. This book had been making the blog rounds lately, though, and I was curious. It is the first book in a trilogy, so even though there will be a lot of info provided by the end, it is broken up into 3 books. I thought this was a lot more practical than the chunskters I have seen on the book store shelves about her.

It is obvious that the author did a lot of research for this book. She explains at the end of the book what was true and what was a bit of tweaking on her part. It makes for a very interesting look at one of France's tragic queens. Many people know the basic story of what happened to Marie Antoinette, but this book goes back and starts when she is just a little girl and then carries on to when she marries her prince and becomes the first lady of France. Her mother tried to prepare her the best that she could, but she was very young and naive. It was an over-whelming experience for her and sometimes she did not handle things very well. It is a lot of responsibility for one so young.

It was rather interesting to watch her transformation. In order to become the dauphine of France, they have a lot of criteria for her. She needs more education, for starters. This is something that never really works for her. When she goes to France she essentially has to leave everything of Austria behind, so she also has to work on her accent. Then, there is her appearance. By rights, Marie was a very pretty little girl, but she did not meet the standards of the French monarchy. She has to drastically change her hair styles, she has a man in who painfully straightens her teeth, and she really needs to develop more. She is very slow compared to her sisters and still has a way to go when she is deemed acceptable by France. Nothing will be easy for her. She is still so young, so it has always amazed me what these young monarchs must both endure and accomplish.

This book was really quite good and I am looking forward to the next book. I want to see what Marie Antoinette accomplishes next. With history, even though you know what is going to happen, a small part of you is hoping for a different outcome. I know it is silly, but I know what lays in store for Marie and her family. I still look forward to reading on. Juliet Grey has brought France alive in this book and I look forward to living in it again next year.

I recommend this book to both historical fiction fans, readers who love Paris, or simply reads that like a compelling story.

This book counts for the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge.

Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy

Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy

Completion Date: August 22, 2011

Reason for Reading: Review copy from Harper Collins via NetGalley.

Simon Van Booy brings to the page his unique talent for poetic dialogue and sumptuous imagery in this his remarkable debut novel of love and loss, dependence and independence. Rebecca has come to Athens to paint. Born and raised in the south of France, Rebecca's mother abandoned her and her sister when they were very young, left to be raised by her loving yet distant grandfather. Young and lost, she seeks solace in the heat of Athens. George has come to Athens to translate language. Dropped off at a New England boarding school when he was a child, he has close to no relationships with anyone, except the study of ancient language and alcohol. Henry has come to Athens to dig. An archaeologist, Henry is on-site at Athens during the day, and roams the Agora on the weekend. Three lost and lonely souls whose worlds become inexorable enmeshed with consequences that ripple far among the ruins of ancient Athens.

I have been hearing a lot of good things about Simon Van Booy, so when I saw there was a chance to get a copy of this book through NetGalley I jumped at the chance. I was very happy when I was approved and I finally got around to reading it the last few weeks. This is really the joy of book blogging. I have never heard of Simon Van Booy before, but suddenly bloggers that I respect were gushing about his books. I was intrigued, but my library didn't have anything by him. I was a bit hesitant to buy my own copy because I am not a huge fan of descriptive, flowery language. They have to be written just right to attract my attention. This book wound up working very well and I wouldn't have regretted it if I had bought a copy.

This is the story of Rebecca, Henry, and George. They are three strangers who circumstances conspire to bring together. Rebecca and George meet first, then Rebecca meets Henry over a book in the local market, and finally Henry's boss almost runs George over bringing Henry and George together. It makes for interesting story-lines and makes you think about coincidences, fate, however you want to look at it. I thought that all three characters were written really well. The book is not very long, but you still got a good taste of who they were and who they become. I like getting to know the characters that I read about in very personal ways. The book changes narrators so you get to see the world through all three sets of eyes before the end.

My biggest problem with this book has nothing to do with the author. There are letters included in the book and I couldn't get them to a size where I could actually read them. They are typewritten on a very bad type writer in a size that you would need a magnifying glass to read comfortably. I struggled through them for a bit, but eventually I gave up and just hoped the actual story revealed enough that I wasn't really missing anything. I am not sure if this is a problem with eReaders in general or just mine, but it really turned me off for a while there. I was getting really annoyed when I should be enjoying the story. Otherwise, I don't really have any complaints with the book. It was well-written, I enjoyed the settings, and I enjoyed the characters. I think the only reason I am not gushing like other people have been is because the writing style is a bit out of my general comfort zone.

I am very happy that I took a chance on this book and I look forward to reading more Simon Van Booy in the future. I think I could grow to love him like other people do, but I need to get comfortable with him. I am not sure if that makes sense, but it's the only way I can think of to word it. A strongly recommended read and an author that deserves all the praise he is receiving!

Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman

Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman

Completion Date: August 16, 2011

Reason for Reading: Received review copy from Harper Collins via NetGalley.

Tom Violet has failed, once again, to have sex with his wife.

And that’s not the worst of it. Besides his latest false start in the bedroom, there’s the 9-5 office job that’s slowly crushing his spirit, his lovelorn stepfather who’s in constant need of counsel, and the strange realization that his boozy stepmother is sort of stalking him. Then, of course, there's his own inappropriate crush on a 23-year-old colleague, the growing suspicion that his wife is having an affair with someone from her gym, and the family dog, Hank, who suffers from acute anxiety. And then there’s the novel—the one he’s been slaving over for years, all the while haunted by the fear that it will never see the light of day. Too young to have these kinds of problems, but too old to see any easy way out, Tom finds himself mired in hopeless inaction. And then his philandering, borderline-estranged father, Curtis, shows up in the middle of the night and tells him: a) that he’s just been thrown out of his own house by wife #3; b) that he’ll be moving in with Tom for who knows how long; and c) that he’s just won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

Pushed to the brink, Tom decides to take things in an entirely different direction by enacting a series of truly stupid plans for revenge and self-improvement that, of course, go completely haywire.

Let us be honest here, I have no idea why I read this book. It does not sound like my kind of read at all. I suppose that is what drew me to it. I have seen a few positive reviews, it was on Net Galley, and it is good to spice things up once in a while. The result? I found this book very fun and am so happy I broke out of my comfort zone to give it a read. I consider it a strong recommendation when someone says they loved a book that they normally would never even read. This is an example of that from me.

The novel is told from the viewpoint of Tom Violet. Tom is an aspiring author, a family man, and is very unhappy in his job. On the night that the book begins he has just failed to have sex with his wife for what turns out to not be the first time. Then, his daughter comes rushing to their room to say someone has broken into the house. It turns out to be Tom's father, Curtis, who technically owns the house to begin with. After this, anything is possible. Curtis was never the best father, but he is one of the best writers in the world. This is shown by the fact that he has just won the Pulitzer prize. I love books about books. I really would love to be able to read Curtis Violets books because they sound fantastic! Tom and his whole family are big readers, so there are lots of bookish mentions. This book is a book nerds dream!

The problems in Tom's domestic life were the things I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy. Tom is having troubles having sex, there is a cute young girl at his work, and his wife has met someone at the gym. Marriage problems in books are never something I rush out and read about, but they didn't destroy the book for me. There were moments where I felt things were a bit too predictable, but nothing that took away from my enjoyment of the overall story. I enjoyed the characters. Even the dog, Hank, has a presence in the story and is fun. Tom is also very easy to relate to. He has been working at a job that was never meant to be his career, but he has stuck around for many years. The economic crisis plays a big part in the book, so he uses that as an excuse to continue to hold onto a job that brings him only unhappiness. Tom grows in this book, though, and maybe he doesn't do the smartest things in the world to come about that growth, but it makes for entertaining reading!

I could go on and on about this book. I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed it. There is a lot going on. The thing I enjoyed is that the book manges to be fun while still tackling some very difficult issues. I closed the book with a smile. I look forward to reading more by Matthew Norman. He has a fantastic writing style, writes great characters, and manages to appeal to the bookish nerds of the world. All in all a very fun and successful read.

Next to Love by Ellen Feldman

Next to Love by Ellen Feldman

Completion Date: August 11, 2011

Reason for Reading: Received review copy from Random House via NetGalley.

"War . . . next to love, has most captured the world's imagination."-Eric Partridge, British lexicographer, 1914

A story of love, war, loss, and the scars they leave, Next to Love follows the lives of three young women and their men during the years of World War II and its aftermath, beginning with the men going off to war and ending a generation later, when their children are on the cusp of their own adulthood.

Set in a small town in Massachusetts, the novel follows three childhood friends, Babe, Millie, and Grace, whose lives are unmoored when their men are called to duty. And yet the changes that are thrust upon them move them in directions they never dreamed possible-while their husbands and boyfriends are enduring their own transformations. In the decades that follow, the three friends lose their innocence, struggle to raise their children, and find meaning and love in unexpected places. And as they change, so does America-from a country in which people know their place in the social hierarchy to a world in which feminism, the Civil Rights movement, and technological innovations present new possibilities-and uncertainties. And yet Babe, Millie, and Grace remain bonded by their past, even as their children grow up and away and a new society rises from the ashes of the war.

Beautifully crafted and unforgettable, Next to Love depicts the enduring power of love and friendship, and illuminates a transformational moment in American history.

I tend to read all over the place, but there are a few trends in my reading. I enjoy books connected with World War 1 or World War 2. There is just something about those time periods that appeal to me. I enjoy reading about their lifestyles, the sacrifice, and the repercussions of countries at war. It is not a pleasant time in our history, but it has had lasting effects on the world that we live in today. I think that is why I love history as a whole. I enjoy watching the country evolve and pin-pointing changes throughout history.

I had been seeing reviews of this book here and there and it sounded right up my alley. This is a book about 3 women on the Homefront and what it was like for them during and after the Second World War. That is not a subject I see a lot of books about; so I was interested to see how Feldman pulled it off. I cannot even imagine what it was like to either be off fighting during the wars or what it was like for those that were left behind. These women had to fend for themselves and never entirely know if their loved ones would make it back alive. And, if they did, they would be drastically changed from the men they originally said good-bye to.

What I really enjoyed about this book, though, was it went many years beyond the war and showed just how lasting its effects could be. I found that all really fascinating, to be honest. It was something I have thought a lot about. My grandfather fought in World War 2 and I didn't come around until many years later and you could still tell the war stuck with him. He refused to talk about it except to say how disheartened he was by the aftermath. He used to say it sickened him how the men he knew came home and drowned their sorrows in alcohol because they knew no other way to cope. There were packages to give money to returning soldiers, as is shown several times in this book, but there was not always the support. These men came home different people and it was up to them and their loved ones to adapt. It was not always easy.

This novel follows Babe, Millie, and Grace. When their men go off to fight in the war, they are still very young. The before time was a time of innocence, but as the novel progresses and the war drags on you say a drastic change in them. It only gets worse when some of the men don't make it home at all and those that do have been changed drastically. When the war ends these women essentially have to start their lives over all over again. They always remain friends because of their bonds as young children, but it is apparent that things will never be the same. There are many moments where they do not understand each other at all.

Babe feels lost because she never has children of her own, despite wanting some, so has to find other ways to occupy her time. There are moments where she feels like as her husband is getting better, she is getting worse. It is through her that was experience the events of the Civil Rights and Feminist Movements. Through Millie we experience what it is like to be married to a Jewish man after the war has ended. The Americans fought against those that wanted to eradicate the entire religion, but when the ashes settle they do not always treat them very fairly considering they helped win them their freedom. Grace is struggling just to get by from day to day. She feels lost in this new world and doesn't always make the best choices.

Overall, I found this book was a great exploration of what it was like living during and after World War 2. My only major issue was that the author felt she needed to make sex such a big part of the story. I think the book would have been just as effective if she hadn't concentrated on this quite so much. The book was still written well enough that I enjoyed reading it, though, and I look forward to diving into Feldman's backlist. I guess what I am trying to say is that even though I didn't love this book, I still recommend it.

This book counts for the Historical Fiction Challenge.

The Vampire Voss by Colleen Gleason

The Vampire Voss (Regency Draculia #1) by Colleen Gleason

Completion Date: January 19, 2011
Reason for Reason: NetGalley ARC; Buddy read with Ames from Breezing Through

Regency London - a dizzying whirl of balls and young ladies pursued by charming men. But the Woodmore sisters are hunted by a more sinister breed: Lucifer's own. Voss, also known as Viscount Dewhurst, relishes the sensual pleasures immortality affords. A member of the Dracule - a cabal of powerful, secretive noblemen marked with a talisman that reveals their bartered souls - the mercenary Voss has remained carefully neutral...until Angelica. Angelica Woodmore possesses the Sight, an ability invaluable to both sides of a looming war among the Dracule. Her very scent envelops Voss in a scarlet fog of hunger - for her body and blood. But he is utterly unprepared for the new desire that overcomes him - to protect her

When I saw that Netgalley was offering up review copies of the newest book by Colleen Gleason I was very excited to get a chance to read it early. I was a big fan of her previous series. Ames is also a fan, so I encouraged her to get a copy so we can review it together. The entire review is posted below, but it is also cross-posted at Breezing Through. Enjoy!

Kelly: Colleen Gleason, the author of this book, is an example of how much blogging works. If it wasn’t for her presence in the blogging world, I probably would never have read her. She is shelved in the romance section, which I never visit, and even if I did I hardly ever see her on the shelf. I think I did buy one of her books at the store, though, because I seem to remember mentioning in a post how I snuck into the romance section for it. Just reading and enjoying Gleason is a big deal, especially a few years ago. Now I do venture into the romance department a bit, but before I never would have at all. This book I found to be more of a romance than the Gardella series, though.

As someone that reads a lot of romance novels and spends time in the romance section, what do you think?

Ames: I agree that social media is definitely a good tool to reach out to new readers. And I’m glad it has you venturing into the romance section from time to time. It definitely worked in the reverse that I venture out more often to different sections as well, fantasy and young adult being the main ones.

In regards to Vampire Voss being more romance-y than the Gardella series, I agree. The set up of it is definitely more in line with the genre. Unfortunately, I found the romance aspect of The Vampire Voss to be weak.

Kelly: I wasn’t really all that interested in the romance. It was just sort of there and you knew it was probably going to play out a certain way. When I read the book I was more interested in seeing how the vampires were portrayed and to experience the time period. There was a lot that was worthwhile overall, but there were a few things that were a bit weak, too.

Why did you find the romance aspect weak?

Ames: I was more interested in the world building and the vampire stuff more too. The romance was weak in my opinion because I didn’t feel any chemistry. Why were these two characters so drawn to each other? We were just told they were. And Angelica was afraid of Voss for quite a bit of that time. I think that’s what bothered me too, how long she was kept in the dark about Voss.

Kelly: Yes, it was a strange romance. It was inevitable, but at the same time I was rather clueless why. I think it should have been explored in more detail or with more enlightenment. Instead, we knew who Voss really was for quite some time before Angelica was let in on the secret. I liked Voss, though, for whatever I thought about the romance. He was an interesting character. He played himself as a dark character, but he had a side to him that he attempted to keep hidden that was nicer. Angelica, too, was a good, strong female character. I never really had any major complaints with her. Her ability was strange, but not over the top. I am not so sure I would like to possess the same abilities, but that is just me.

What did you think of Angelica and Voss as characters?

Ames: I liked Voss. Yeah he was a 100+ year old vampire but he was open to change. I like how he wasn’t uber-perfect. An example of that is when the Mark overtook for a moment and he bit Angelica. There was a real dangerous aspect to him that way. Also, looking at his past, he realized he made some mistakes and he was looking for something different.

Angelica. I’m a bit torn on Angelica. But I think just in regards to her reaction to Voss. Every other way, she was strong and smart. When it came to Voss, not so much. Also, I feel like her ability was made a big deal out of at the beginning and then towards the last half of the book, it wasn’t as important. Like once Voss got what he wanted from her, her ability...and her to a certain degree, didn’t matter anymore.

That’s another thing. I had to remind myself about ⅔ of the way in WHY Voss was even interested in Angelica in the first place.

Kelly: Yes, Voss was admirable in wanting to change after all the years of living. I liked that about him, too. As to Angelica, I suppose I had forgotten that her ability all but erased itself from the book. It was mentioned a lot in the beginning, but then after a while it was just sort of hovering in the background. I think it would have been interesting if it had played a bigger role and it wasn’t just about the vampires abilities. Angelica and her sisters had interesting abilities that I would have enjoyed seeing more from.

What did you think of the secondary characters that played a part?

Ames: I thought a few of the secondary characters were frustrating beyond belief. I couldn’t stand Maia , Angelica’s sister and Chas, their brother. Chas doesn’t even show up until the last half of the book and that tells you something that I couldn’t stand him.

Maia I thought was irritatingly stubborn and tried to be bossy but was just annoying. I know she’s coming from a perspective of wanting more respect from the people around her, but I felt like she went about it the wrong way.

Chas. I felt like his storyline came in too late. All this other stuff is going on and then boom, Chas and his lover are introduced and they get a sex scene and it just seemed a bit out of place for me. I can see this couple getting their own book, but felt their introduction was in an awkward place. And what frustrated me with him was his secrets. He was trying to protect his sisters, but he’s been gone leading this other life and they’ve made do without him. He should have given them some credit and told them what was going on so they could have been better prepared.

Dimitri was an interesting character but I could see right away how his story was going to play out - and looking at the next book, I wasn’t wrong.

Kelly: Oh, yes, I couldn’t stand Maia either. I understand where she was coming from, but she drove me nuts. That’s why I am a bit worried about the next book. It’s a bit apparent that she will play a central role, so I am a bit worried about how things will go. And, yes, Chas... That’s a strange and undeveloped storyline. I feel like he should have been in the book before he was, but if he was then it probably wouldn’t have changed a lot of what happened and then Angelica and Voss might not have ended up together. So, I can understand why he wasn’t in it sooner, but he is a mystery at this point. He’s a Vampire Hunter in love with a Vampire. Obviously, there needs to be a bit more elaboration on why that happened. And, you are right. Normally he takes off and leaves his sisters with little to no supervision when anything possible could happen because of his work. He should give them more credit! They are obviously very able to take care of themselves, but they should have been made aware of the dangers that could present themselves.

Dimitri is interesting, but he also seems like a very stereotypical male figure from classic literature. I could see Mr. Darcy and Mr. Thornton in him easily, but the vampire version. I think Gleason was trying to make him seem more appealing by making him familiar, but then not at the same time. I am not sure if it will work, but I guess it is something to figure out in book two when he plays the central role.

So, what do you think of the book overall? Will you be reading book two?

Ames: Well I found the world-building and the Dracule culture Gleason created to be very interesting. But my enjoyment over that was detracted from by my frustration with some of the characters and the romance. If the romance was made to be more of a background thing with a focus on the other stuff - I would think about reading book 2. As it is, I think I’ll wait to see what others say about book 2 right now. Maia would be a difficult character for me to get over.

What about you, are you planning on reading the 2nd book?

Kelly: Probably, because I did find Dimtri intriguing, but I am not so sure I will enjoy Maia all that much... She sort of annoyed me and probably an entire novel with her in it would be exasperating. That being said, I want to see how the vampire culture storyline develops and I am actually sort of wondering what is the story with Chas and his vampire romance. I am not sure that there has been enough of an explanation of it all yet. I think for the next book I am more curious about the on-going story than the one that will be developed, but that can change. Voss was not very complicated, but there is obviously a story about Dimitri that is sort of hinted at and I want to know the details...

Anything else that you want to mention?

Ames: Grades? This one gets a C- from me. It was ok, there was an interesting concept buried in there with some meh characters.

Kelly: I don’t really give grades, but I will say that I prefer the Gardella Chronicles better. Like you said, the concept is interesting, but the characters sort of brought the story down.

This book counts for the TwentyEleven Reading Challenge.

The Fallen Kings Cycle Book 1: The Sworn by Gail Z. Martin

The Fallen Kings Cycle Book 1: The Sworn by Gail Z. Martin

Completion Date: January 10, 2011
Reason for Reading: Received an ARC from Hachette Book Group through NetGalley

Summoner-King Martris Drayke must attempt to meet this great threat, gathering an army from a country ravaged by civil war. Tris seeks new allies from among the living - and the dead - as an untested generation of rulers face their first battle. Meanwhile, the legendary Dread are stirring in their burrows after millennia of silence and no one knows what hand wakes them and whom they will serve when they rise.

Now, Drayke turns to the Sworn, a nomadic clan of warriors bound to protect the Dread. But even the mighty Sworn do not know what will happen when the Dread awake. All are certain, though, that war is coming to the Winter Kingdoms.

THE SWORN is the beginning of a new adventure set in the world of The Chronicles of the Necromancer.

One of the things that really bothered me about 2010 was how little fantasy I read. I have decided to make reading more in 2011 an unofficial goal. With this in mind, I was browsing through the catalogue at NetGalley and saw this book by Gail Z. Martin. I have heard of her before and have the first book from her other series on my TBR pile, but for whatever reason never got to it. While this is a spin-off series, it didn't seem necessary to have read her other books first, so I decided to give this one a try. I am so happy I did! I put the book aside with about 50 pages left to go to sleep, and I wound up sneaking out to the living room at an ungodly hour to see how the book ended. I was so caught up in the story I had to know!

I have this thing with not reading the description of books that I plan on reading soon if I can help it. I picked this book entirely because I recognized the authors name. I had no idea what the book was even about. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. What I ended up with is a very good fantasy story with a paranormal connection. I felt no disadvantage from not reading her other series because she filled in the details if she felt they were important. I do plan to go back and read the other series now, though.

In the beginning, I was a little overwhelmed with all of the characters. I read a few chapters before they started repeating themselves again. As a result it did take me a bit to get caught up in the story, but once I did I was hooked. It was just refreshing to read a really good fantasy again. I feel like that didn't happen nearly enough in 2010. Even though there are a lot of characters, by the end I had everyone straightened out and now I am curious what will happen to them in the future. I do think that sometimes there was too much detail given about minor characters, but that is just because there are so many major characters to keep straight. In another book I would think that was a good thing. It might turn out that those major characters are important in later books.

When I was in the midst of this book I was reading a very detailed description of a woman and I commented on how you can tell this book is written by a man. The thing is, it isn't. It just slipped my mind who the author was for a moment. I am a girl who likes guys, so I really could careless how well-endowed a woman is in a book. Unfortunately, fantasy is stereotypically a male-dominated world and authors cater to that accordingly. I think that was my only major problem with the book and that is not really the authors fault. It is mainly just a pet-peeve of mine. Other than that, what you have here is a book that I really enjoyed and an author that I look forward to reading more from. The sequel, out in 2012, will definitely be on my priority list.

This book is listed to go on sale February 1, 2011.