Princess of the Midnight Ball (Princess #1)

 4 stars
Jessica Day George

 Galen is a young soldier returning from war; Rose is one of twelve princesses condemned to dance each night for the King Under Stone. Together Galen and Rose will search for a way to break the curse that forces the princesses to dance at the midnight balls. All they need is one invisibility cloak, a black wool chain knit with enchanted silver needles, and that most critical ingredient of all—true love—to conquer their foes in the dark halls below. But malevolent forces are working against them above ground as well, and as cruel as the King Under Stone has seemed, his wrath is mere irritation compared to the evil that awaits Galen and Rose in the brighter world above. Captivating from start to finish, Jessica Day George’s take on the Grimms’ tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses demonstrates yet again her mastery at spinning something entirely fresh out of a story you thought you knew.  


George starts with a familiar fairy tale; this time, it's "The Twelve Dancing Princesses". Rose is the eldest princess, cursed along with her eleven sisters (all named after flowers) to dance every night at the ball of the King Under Stone. Galen is an soldier returned from war, now an undergardener with some unusual skills. Now they must work together to free Rose and her sisters from the dreadful bargain made long ago between the King Under Stone and the queen, who died years ago. As in most fairy tale retellings, the author has to add complexity in order to make a short tale into a longer book, and George does a good job with this. She adds political intrigue around the proposed betrothals of the princesses, so that their kingdom is threatened not only by the King Under Stone but by enemy countries above ground. It's tough to make the twelve princesses distinguishable from each other, but she manages at least to give each one or two unique characteristics, and some are more complex than that, notably Rose. Though it was a bit confusing in trying to keep all the princesses names straight And I really loved Galen -- he knits! And it's an important plot point! More than that, he and Rose develop a nice relationship and make it believable that they would end up together at the end, beyond the simple "and the soldier chooses the eldest daughter" solution at the end of the fairy tale. I would recommend this book to any who would enjoy a fairytale with a bit of flair.

The Highlander's Touch (Highlander #3)

4 Stars
Karen Marie Moning

A Warrior of Immortal Powers 
He was a mighty Scottish warrior who lived in a world bound by ancient laws and timeless magic. But no immortal powers could prepare the laird of Castle Brodie for the lovely accursed lass who stood before him. A terrible trick of fate had sent her 700 years back in time and into his private chamber to tempt him with her beauty—and seduce him with a desire he could never fulfill. For this woman he burned to possess was also the woman he had foresworn to destroy.

A Woman Caught in the Mists of Time 
When Lisa felt the earth move under her feet, the fiercely independent 21st-century woman never dreamed she was falling... into another century. But the powerful, naked warrior who stood glaring down at her was only too real... and too dangerously arousing. Irresistibly handsome he might be, but Lisa had no intention of remaining in this savage land torn by treachery and war. How could she know that her seductive captor had other plans for her... plans that would save her from a tragic fate? Or that this man who had long ago forsaken love would defy time itself to claim her for his own....

 I have been exploring genres other than YA and happened to stumble upon the Highlander Series by Karen Marie Moning. I'm not one who usually gets into romantic novels, but as far as books go this series is pretty good. As you can see this is the third in a series of 8 and though the previous two books were intriguing they did not add up to this book. I LOVED this book which is why I gave it 4 stars. All the other books have the woman time traveling meeting a glorious warrior and losing him and then in the end getting back together, this book had so many curves in it I was always wondering what was happening next. Lisa is taken from the 21st century and thrown back in time to the 14th century now normally a pretty horrible thing all things considered she leaves behind a pretty crappy life, she would most likely leave it all behind and live in the 14th century if not for her dieing mother. In comes Circenn Brodie Scottish Warrior extraordinaire who accepts her being from the future and has many secrets of his own. He ends up engaged to her and unable to help her return to her century sets about to making her the most comfortable in his century. They form a lovers bond so strong it bares all emotion for their partner to see which is how Lisa comes to find the Circenn is hiding something. When he finally reveals his secret he is forced to ride off into battle, leaving Lisa to sort through everything by herself. She calls upon the fairy Queen who offers her two choices stay or go back, Lisa knowing not what to choice becomes a fairy toy (as all mortals do). Circenn feels the moment she leaves time and is thought that she is lost. Vowing to get revenge upon Adam Black whom he has built up great anger and resentment for making him what he is  and thinking he has killed Lisa. Adam Black is the key to understanding what he is and when the last piece of the puzzle is revealed I was left ambushed by a fact I didn't see coming. Things turn out well though and with his new knowledge Circenn even makes Lisa's life all better againm bringing them back together with a happy ending. I don't know if I will like all the stories this much but I just had to share this one.

The Iron Traitor (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2)

5 Stars
Julie Kagawa

ARC provided by Netgalley

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice. After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again. But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.
  
 Julie how could you! How could you just leave me hanging with an ending like that? I don't know how I'm going to make it til the next book comes out. This book was amazing I couldn't set it down I had to make sure I read it when I was off work just make sure I could concentrate. Ethan is back and just as awesome as ever! And let me just tell as much as I love Ethan this book seemed to really be focused more on Kierran (who is really beginning to make me hate him more as much as I love Ash and Meghan I hate their son) I know that the prophecy of faery's destruction is based around Keirran ,but let Ethan have some story time please. I would have loved for Kenzie's and Ethan's story be brought to light more. Ethan doesn't have much time after getting back to the real world before he is swept up in the craziness of faery and of course you can't stop Kenzie so it as interesting adventure. Keirran just seems to be in trouble no matter when we see him and with him losing his love just how far will he go to keep her from fading away? That's our biggest problem. We have a few glimpses of the old quartet which is always exciting! Puck was on parts of the journey which is probably why the three of them are alive for the most part and though there are only small parts of Ash being seen I was still pleased. The prophecy foreseen is coming true and the last battle seems to be unavoidable. Everything we have been waiting for has led to this moment which part of Keirran will win out the Human or the Faerie? What will become of our beloved cast? You'll just to have to read to find out and I promise you won't be dissapointed.

Rise

2 Stars
Anna Carey

When she lost her soul mate, Caleb, Eve felt like her world had ended. Trapped in the palace, forced to play the part of the happy, patriotic princess of The New America—and the blushing bride of her father's top adviser—Eve's whole life is a lie. The only thing that keeps her going is Caleb's memory, and the revolution he started. Now, Eve is taking over where Caleb left off. With the help of Moss, an undercover subversive in the King's court, she plots to take down The New America, beginning with the capital, the City of Sand. Will Eve be able to bring about a new, free world when she's called upon to perform the ultimate act of rebellion—killing her father? In Rise, Eve must choose who to leave behind, who to save, and who to fight as Anna Carey's epic tale of romance and sacrifice in the chilling dystopia of The New America comes to a stunning conclusion.

This series started slowly and I was hoping it would get better with the other books that followed, though it did answer a lot of questions I wanted answers to I never seemed to understand the characters. I tried to understand Eve and her reasoning of things, but she just never seems to learn from her mistakes. She just seems selfish to me, even after she finds out she is pregnant and claims that she is doing this for her baby, it just is another petty reason to do something stupid. She claims that love is what makes her do this, but that doesn't make sense! Be reasonable Eve stop endangering the people around you. She manages to poison her father and things seem to be working out, but then when going gets tough she doesn't care to get anyone else out except herself and her cousin who just happens to be with her. Not the man who has been her husband and protected her for months risked his life for her oh no just leave him behind. In the end she succeeds in killing her father and liberating the people of New America. The book ending leaves so much unacknowledged it just annoys me, we never know what happens to women she was with or Ruby or anything. Other than she finds Caleb is alive and rush to meet him. Well I hope they make a happy family.

Once

3 Stars
Anna Carey

 When you're being hunted, who can you trust? For the first time since she escaped from her school many months ago, Eve can sleep soundly. She's living in Califia, a haven for women, protected from the terrifying fate that awaits orphaned girls in The New America. But her safety came at a price: She was forced to abandon Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. When Eve gets word that Caleb is in trouble, she sets out into the wild again to rescue him, only to be captured and brought to the City of Sand, the capital of The New America. Trapped inside the City walls, Eve uncovers a shocking secret about her past--and is forced to confront the harsh reality of her future. When she discovers Caleb is alive, Eve attempts to flee her prison so they can be together--but the consequences could be deadly. She must make a desperate choice to save the ones she loves . . . or risk losing Caleb forever.

I started this series out not liking the first book, because it didn't have any back story to it something that the author rectified in this book. Just when you think Eve could maybe finally be safe in Califia, along comes the hint of betrayal from the woman that she has been living and working with for the past few months. She isn't just another woman living in Califia she is considered a bargaining chip by the leaders something to guarantee protection from the King. Eve then gets news that Caleb is in trouble and she rushes off to try to help him leaving the safety of the colony. She finds out it is a ruse all too late and is captured by the very solider she spared the life of. She is taken to the capital of New America, but not before Arden is separated from her and placed in the very place that they were working so hard to escape. Eve grief stricken about her love and her friends that she can not save is then shown that she is not who she thought she was, she is much more important than she could have ever imagined. She just doesn't fit into this new life and dirty secrets about her parents are revealed. All she wants is Caleb and her old life back. When she receives word that Caleb is safe and in the city they meet up as dangerous as it is. She trades her happiness for a life and she has to play the new role she is given to make sure the one she loves can live. With the big reveal of who Moss is at the end really threw me for a loop, I was not expecting it. I was satisfied with information that was finally revealed and I feel like the story was much improved upon, I was actually looking forward to finishing the book. Needless to say that is book is a great work and I will be reading on the third and final book in the series.

Eve

2.5 Stars
Anna Carey


Where do you go when nowhere is safe?
Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—and the horrifying fate that awaits her. Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust... and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

 I have to say that this book moved very slow in my opinion. It started off well enough describing the world Eve lives in, but from there it just seemed to drag on and on and never gave away many details. It describes her life and the school she is currently at the horrible secret she discovers about her society, but it never gives back story other than "the virus" wiped out most of the population. That's it? That's all you're going to give me, no back story about where the virus came from or anything? So in this society New America it is ruled by a King who is using the orphans of the virus to build a new empire. Girls are taught to fear men to not trust them; that men are the root of all evil that befalls a woman. Eve is the exemplary student in every way, which of course is what gets her in trouble. She runs away after seeing the future that is in store for her. She is found by who other than a Man the very thing she has been brainwashed not to trust. After Caleb finally gets her to trust him and makes her believe that maybe the lessons might be wrong, things go all down hill. It is actually her naivety for the world she is in that ends her up in all the trouble. She is wronged by many men and left to her own defenses transforming her from the naive girl she was to a hardened woman who has seen much hardship and tragedy. And to top this off after reading it to the end and hoping for a good ending, it turns out to be a trilogy. So maybe some of the points about the back story not being built will be resolved with the following books.

The Last Romanov

2.5 Stars
Dora Levy Mossanen 

 She was an orphan, ushered into the royal palace on the prayers of her majesty. Yet, decades later, her time spent in the embrace of the Romanovs haunts her still. Is she responsible for those murderous events that changed everything? If only she can find the heir, maybe she can put together the broken pieces of her own past - maybe she can hold on to the love she found.

Darya Borodina is one hundred and four years old, living in the old Russian Entertainment Palace among the ruins, haunted by her life and her time with the Romanovs. Born of royal parents who were close friends with the Tsar and Tsarina of Russia, when Darya's parents are killed in a horrible accident she is brought to live in the household of the Tsar. There she became a companion to the royal children, the four Duchesses and the Tsarevich. Darya had healing powers which were important since the heir had hemophilia and could die at any moment. We watch royal life through Darya's eyes. Drawn to the arts, she and the Empress create an artistic salon to showcase the talents of Russia's sculptors, artists and ballet masters. We see the issues that begin in revolutionary Russia and how they begin to tear at the aristocracy . Darya is torn between these two worlds. She is loyal to the royal family, but madly in love with one of the artists, a Jewish painter she knows she can never acknowledge publicly. Through him, she starts to see the turmoil that will soon tear the country apart. After the Revolution and the assassination of the Royal Family, what keeps Darya alive is her belief that the heir was not killed that horrible day with the rest of the family. She spends decades searching for him, and now she receives word that 'the last Romanov' has been found. This starts her final journey to determine the truth once and for all. It was a very slow building book and I feel like the author dragged it unnecessarily. I understand it is a work of Historical fiction and therefore does not need to adhere to all facts, but the fact that all the bodies of the Royal family are accounted for and therefore the events at the end of the story could not have possibly happen annoys me and makes me like the book just a little less.