Across the Sands of Time

Serpent's Kiss by Thea Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did. It blew me away. I had that feeling I have missed about reading a great book that sucked me in. I actually savored the words and the writing. It was great as an audiobook narrated by Sophie Eastlake. She brought the characters to life for me. I mean they are vivid and wonderfully written, but hearing the dialogue was another level of experience.

This one of those books where you love the hero and heroine equally. I loved how Rune is so low key for a Wyr. His sanguine nature is well matched with Carling's melancholic personality. He's playful and he brings that out in a woman who has been so serious and is really ancient (although she looks like she's 30, she has the demeanor of an older woman). They are magic together. I felt that fate had continued to bring them together and in unique ways and cemented their bonds. I wasn't expecting the time traveling angle (and I'm kind weird about time travel romance tbh), but it really works for this book. I think Rune is very cool and I love him, but I'm really girl crushing over Carling. I love a heroine who is mature and has a thoughtful way about herself.

Compared to the first two books (honestly each one, as I'm currently doing a re-read of Storm's Heart) feels so different from each other. They are clearly related but the mood, pacing and thematic elements of each book are beautifully suited and unique to the stories being told. I really loved Dragon Bound, and I think this one might have edged it out. I feel that there was so much mutuality in their relationship, which I really love. In Dragon Bound, I do feel that Dragos had more power in their relationship (although arguably Pia has a lot of power that you might believe she would). In this book, I feel that Rune and Carling are on a more level playing field. There are moments where this might seem different in the story that I can't go into because of spoilers, but overall I think I'm right in my feelings. The steam was a perfect level, and I really felt like sighing as I read this book.

Now, for the storyline. This works just as well as fantasy as romance to me. Again, excellent world-building. I enjoyed how the world keeps expanding and we meet more of the Elder Races. I'm pretty intrigued with the characters I meet in this book who are in subsequent books, and I told me sister I will probably be binging these books all summer. It makes me glad that I didn't get a chance to read them until now, because I really need the distraction and something to take my mind off of real life.

I admit I kind of over vampires, but then I read a really well-written vampire book and I get drawn in again. I liked that this was a vampire romance in a way, but then it wasn't. It was about a really old vampire that might be facing the end, but maybe life and love has a different say. The descriptions of the past and just in general were heartbreakingly beautiful. Thea Harrison can really write. She inspired me in a way I needed right now. I've been focusing on growing as a visual artist, but words are another kind of magic that an artist can use, and wonderful writing like this makes me want to write more. Also, it's just a joy to read.

I'm sort of running out of words. Writing a review for an elegant beautiful novel deserves good words from me. Maybe I'll think of other things I want to take about and I'll add them later. If not, I'll end by saying check out this series if you haven't read it yet. Or maybe just do a reread. I doubt you'll be disappointed.


View all my reviews

Dark Prince by Christine Feehan

Dark Prince by Christine Feehan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


When I try to evaluate this book, I close my eyes and picture old-fashioned weighing scales. On the left, is the negative aspect about this novel. On the right, the positives will be measured.



The negative

Truly, there was only one. My only real complaint was this:

I've noticed that Ms. Feehan will use very long sentences, and as many words as possible in most sentences to convey her story. She will write things repetitively, instead of just once (although I think a lot of authors have this tendency). It makes the narrative very dense, resulting in somewhat difficult reading. This effect is especially noticeable when I am tired, or I want a quick read.

Out of all of her books that I've read, this was the hardest book to read. The good news is, this was her first book. I am not a published author, and I may never become one (only time will tell). But this is my philosophy: I give writers the respect due to them. Despite the fact that it was tough reading at times, I did like this story, and I got a vivid picture of what Ms. Feehan was writing about with her story. I think she wrote a singular book here. Because this was her first book, I definitely give her leeway, and experience has shown that she has learned to use words more economically since this first endeavor (although she will never be a succinct writer). Knowing her writing style, I read her when I'm in the mood. And when I am in the mood, I usually go away from her stories very happy. I had heard this book was pretty bad, and I'd have to disagree with that statement. I feel it's probably a matter of personal tastes, really. Although, I will freely admit, it was a somewhat difficult read.



The Positives

*I really, really like this concept of the Carpathians. I think Ms. Feehan has taken the vampire romance and put her own personal stamp on it. Something about these lonely people, primarily men, doomed to succumb to their own dark natures, yearning for a woman to complete them, to make them whole--it calls to me. I like the dark nature of the men, and how love has the power to save them. I'm sappy that way.

* I love the vividness of the world she has created. The rules are clear cut, and make sense to me. It's such a fascinating world for me.

* I love the drama, even if sometimes I did smile when it seemed pretty over-the-top. Heck, that's what I like when I read paranormal romance. If I wanted run of the mill romance, I wouldn't reach for a vampire romance.

* I think the men are pretty sexy. Yes, they are pretty old world in their values. They are kind of dark and scary and primitive in some ways. I'm not afraid to admit that works for me when I'm in the mood for it. It's not my real life, and I don't read to see my real life played out. How boring would that be. I want escapism, drama, extraordinary stories. I get that with the Carpathian books. Although the Carpathian men are "I see, I take" kind of men when it comes to their life mates; at the same time, they seem to value womankind, holding them in very high esteem. You could see how much Mikhail truly treasured Raven. He would die if she died. The other Carpathians watched over her very carefully, and saw her as the hope for their race. I don't see these men as brutal misogynists at all. I cannot ascribe modern day rules to a man who is practically immortal, and who has lived millenia. I realize that this kind of story won't work for everyone. I'm not ashamed to say that it does work for me, when I accept the rules of this world, and I look at it from a different perspective. I have read contemporary, non-paranormal books with heroes who were much worse than the Carpathians, some by a very famous author who is well-loved (and I love a lot of her books too, although there is one where I hate the hero with a fiery burning passion), and I've found the heroes to have many worse traits than the Carpathians, and it didn't make sense for them to be that way. The Carpathian way of life feels genuine for what it is in these stories.

*I liked how each Carpathian introduced in this story was distinct. I personally did not find Mikhail too overbearing. I think that Raven handled him pretty well. She made it clear she was going to do what she wanted. Her love allowed her to give in on things to him, but he knew he wasn't going to win all the battles. And having her be happy was very important to me. I saw a lot of give and take in that relationship, personally. I have to admit that Gregori stole the show. I want to go back and reread Dark Magic (well, all the ones I've read because I want to see them in light of reading the first book).

*The action scenes were dark and intense. I like that when I read a Carpathian book, it's like reading a horror book but with a good romance. Like a lot of old school vampire scare and romance mixed together nicely.



Final Tabulations

Minus One for Writing Flow, Plus Four for Characterization, Worldbuilding, Entertainment Level, and Sexy Romance. That adds up to Four Stars.



If there are readers who have made this their first Feehan book, I'd recommend reding some of her more recent books, and you may find that the writing works better for you. I can only speak for myself. There is something that draws me back to Christine Feehan's books, again and again. She writes such dramatic, intense, imaginative, very romantic stories--elements that I absolutely love in a book.



So, I have to say that I am glad I finally read Dark Prince. Although it was a chore at times, it was worth it.



Disclaimer: This is just my opinion, to be taken with a grain of salt. I do not advocate any behavior in this book for real-life man/woman relationships. It's just fiction to me.



View all my reviews

Dark Gold by Christine Feehan

Dark Gold by Christine Feehan


My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
What is it about these Carpathians? I can't seem to stay away from these books. This time I lasted three months. I started reading this book, and soon I was fully immersed in this world of dark sensuality and supernatural beauty, where the creatures of the night are a race of ancient immortals who live on blood. They fight against their own dark natures, and against their brethren who have succumbed to the darkness and became the evil vampires who pray on humans and destroy them. They walk through centuries hoping they will find the one woman who will be their other half, their salvation from the darkness inside of them.

Poor Alexandria was just trying to get a job when she encountered the vampire who would change her world irrevocably. And the whole time she was dealing with foul creature, I was waiting for Aidan Savage to make his appearance. As typical for Carpathians, he made a dramatic entrance. I was like, "It's about time!"

Alexandria didn't sign up to be a lifemate, to live in the darkness, to have to drink blood to survive, but Aidan had little choice but to change her, since she had been fed on twice already by the vampire he destroyed, and forced to drink its blood. The third time was when he thought she was a vampire herself and was going to bite her to kill her. But meeting her was fortuitous to him, because he sees colors. That's a sure sign to him about something....He knows she's his lifemate, and he's selfish enough to want her to live and to be in his world, for she is his salvation. But Alexandria won't come into his world alone. She has a little brother that she loves dearly, and has cared for alone, since her parents died.

This Carpathian book started very dramatically, and the tone didn't abate. Simply put, I really enjoyed this book. I guess it goes without saying that I am a pretty big fan of this series. I like the uniqueness of it, the old world Carpathian men with their heavy air of mystery and magic. I like the dramatic, flowery language, the scary fight scenes in which the nasty vampires pull all sorts of monstrosities out of their bag of tricks, only to be vanquished by the Carpathians and their lifemates. I like the elegant nature they have, their constant struggle with the dark side, and their reliance on their women to save them. Their behavior is on the edge of what's acceptable in a modern day romance. They don't have much qualms against carrying their lifemates off and 'convincing' them that their future is tied to their own. Some are a little more cavemanish than others (Rafael I'm talking to you). In the spectrum of un-PC-ness of some of the Carpathians , Aidan was practically a New Age male. I feel that Aidan tried to give Alexandria room. Her situation was tough in that he really didn't have much choice about changing her since the vampire had already started the conversion, and she would have died if he didn't give her his blood. He did try to give some freedom and time to adjust, as much as possible. Alexandria was in denial about her new nature, and I can't blame her too much. I'd be a bit upset if I found out I had to stay out of the sun, and drink blood to survive (Although I don't think I'd mind the hot guy saying I was his lifemate too much). Not to mention the fact that her new lifestyle would preclude her being a full mother to Josh in some ways (no baseball games and stuff like that). Aidan really showed a lot of patience with her, only getting mad when she freaked out and ran out into the full sun, and got one heck of a sunburn. Otherwise, they had a fairly gentle courtship for a Carpathian and his lifemate.

It's hard to condense down what appealed to me about this book. It was fun and interesting. When I read this series, it's unlike any other that I've experienced, and in a good way. I like this world, although it's pretty dark and scary. I like the concept of these ancient males searching through centuries for their other halves. I like the humor and the passion, the intensity of emotions that the characters experience. And the action scenes are very good also. Although I can't typically read these books back to back, when I pick one up, I fall in deep and enjoy the time I spend reading them. Dark Gold was no different.

Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.

View all my reviews >>

Be Mine Tonight by Kathryn Smith

Be Mine Tonight by Kathryn Smith


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book made me cry like a baby towards the end. It reminded me of what it was like to lose my father to cancer. It reminded me of the vicious hatred I have for that disease, and the message of this book hit home with increased potency because of seeing my father succumb to this disease, and how Pru suffered in this way.

Yet it was a wonderful book to read. It had the elements of a traditional vampire story that I love. Good versus evil is a part of this story, but Ms. Smith poses a question that gave me food for thought. Was Chapel evil merely because he was a vampire? Was he a monster and an abomination just because he had to take the blood of humans to live? Or, like Professor Broome asks in Hellboy, 'What is the measure of a man?' Like Hellboy, Chapel is a creature of the night, born from what is considered evil. But fundamentally, like Hellboy, he makes a choice not to be evil. And this defines who he is ultimately.

This story has a lot of lessons for me. It also speaks of living one's life to the fullest, a lesson I still need to work on. Through the eyes of Pru, a woman doomed to die young by her disease, I was shown to see that life is so precious that it is important to grab at every experience of value to us with both hands.

She was tough on Chapel for what she considered him wasting hundreds of years brooding and feeling sorry for himself. It seemed harsh, but she was right. He was tormenting himself for his part in his love Marie's suicide. Tormenting himself wrongly, I believe. His past love had made a choice. We all make choices. And it's not fair for us to hold ourselves accontable for the choices that others make. I love the scene where she calls Marie, Chapel's long deceased love, a 'cow.' That was classic and really true. Pru knew that a woman in love should look past the surface and to the man beneath, although Marie could only see the beast. Granted Marie lived in a time where the church had a stranglehold over reason and a strict and narrow view of black and white. Yet, Marie didn't try at all to see what Chapel was, her beloved.

Chapel could not see the goodness inside of himself, and from the beginning, it is clear that Chapel is a very good man. I am a lover of antiheroes and dark heroes, and there is no darkness in this hero. He might be a vampire. He might have killed in the past. He might have a raving thirst that he has to control, but in his heart, this man made a choice to do right, and he didn't stray from that path. Simply put, I loved Chapel. He frustrated me in his insistence not to change Pru into a vampire, but I could understand from his frame of reference (of many years indoctrinated by the church) that he was an abomination likely damned to hell. He loved Pru far too much to allow that to happen to her. I never, ever doubted his love for Pru.

Chapel had to go on a journey of enlightment and although Pru, his friend and companion priest Molyneux, Marcus, the young archaeologist looking for the Holy Grail to save Pru's life, and her father Thomas, urged him along to see himself clearly, he had to learn to look inside his heart and see the truth for himself. I liked the message about faith, and how what we believe personally, and how we know God intimately is much more important than what a group or a church might have us believe. And lastly, the messages about forgiving oneself and accepting that God's gifts may come in a different form than what we are expecting.

This book broke my heart reading about Pru's progression in her cancer, but I truly enjoyed the beautiful relationship between her and Chapel. There is a little bit of adventure, but the true joy of this story is the blossoming love betwee Pru and Chapel, and its power to save them both.

This is going in my top favorites from the delightful Kathryn Smith. She is an authoress who knows how to write a beautiful and poignant love story. I really appreciate how she took the vampire myth and gave it so much life and skillfully interwined it with a moving and delectable romance.


View all my reviews >>