The Empress Chronicles by Suzy Vitello

Published by Diversion Books


The Empress Chronicles by Suzy Vitello
Publication Date: September 4th 2014
Buy the Book:
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In this dazzling first book in the EMPRESS CHRONICLES series by the author of THE MOMENT BEFORE, one courageous girl seeks keys to the past to unlock the future…

When city girl Liz is banished to a rural goat farm on the outskirts of Portland, the 15-year-old feels her life spiraling out of control. She can’t connect to her father or his young girlfriend, and past trauma adds to her sense of upheaval. The only person who seems to keep her sane is a troubled boy who is fighting his own demons.  But all of this changes in one historical instant.

One-hundred fifty years earlier, Elisabeth of Bavaria has troubles of her own. Her childhood is coming to a crashing end, and her destiny is written in the form of a soothsaying locket that has the ability to predict true love. But evil is afoot in the form of a wicked enchantress who connives to wield the power of the locket for her own destructive ends.

When Liz finds a timeworn diary, and within it a locket, she discovers the secrets and desires of the young Bavarian princess who will one day grow up to be the legendary Empress of Austria. It is in the pages of the diary that these two heroines will meet, and it is through their interwoven story that Liz will discover she has the power to rewrite history—including her own…

Readers of books like Rachel Harris’s MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY will love THE EMPRESS CHRONICLES

The Short
The Empress Chronicles is a fun and promising start to a new series. This first book really builds up towards the end. I am certainly intrigued, however I feel like the ending was cut short a little too abruptly. I would have loved to have been introduced to some of that excitement a little earlier.

The two main characters, Liz and Sisi, have very distinct voices, which worked wonderfully for the dual points of view. Their development throughout the story was wonderfully executed, and I loved getting to know the two characters.


The Long




About the Author
Suzy Vitello is a proud founding member of a critique group recently dubbed The Hottest Writing Group in Portland, and her short stories have won fellowships and prizes (including the Atlantic Monthly Student Writing Award, and an Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship).

suzyvitello.com | goodreads.com/suzyvitello | facebook.com/SuzyVitelloBooks | twitter.com/suzy_vitello

Masks of the Lost Kings by Tom Bane

I received this book for free from the author's marketing representative in exchange for an honest review.


Masks of the Lost Kings by Tom Bane
Released: March 3rd, 2012
Series: Suzy da Silva Series [Book One]
Format: eBook
Publisher: Telemachus
Pages: 374
Source: Marketing Rep.
Buy it: The Book Depository (free shipping) | Amazon

Following the sudden disappearance of treasure hunter Ben Sanders in Mexico, beautiful archaeologist Suzy da Silva is snatched from the cloistered environs of Oxford University and thrust into a deadly maelstrom of intrigue and discovery.

Joining forces with astrophysicist Tom Brooking she crosses four continents, to unlock the dark secrets of Tutankhamun's tomb, the Holy Sepulchre and the mysterious Mayan Temple of Inscriptions to reveal a mysterious truth. Together they risk their lives, pursued by martial assassins and renegade special forces, fighting the forces of evil to discover hidden knowledge so precious that it has lain dormant for over a thousand years

Synopsis

The Short
Masks of the Lost Kings was a fascinating and gripping story. The historical elements were very interesting - I am so intrigued by Egyptian history! Furthermore, the action and suspense kept me wanting to know what was going on and how everything would unfold. The ending was certainly not what I was expecting; it was a revolutionary ending within the story's world that I didn't see coming.


The Long
Suzy was a feisty little thing. She had a very interesting back-story that was quite touching which led to some traits which made her pretty bad-ass and strong both physically and mentally. Suzy is very intelligent and knows how to take care of herself.

The story had a slower pace during the first few chapters, with the exception of the first chapter. You are introduced to Suzy's world and interests through lectures concerning Egypt and although I feel that it was necessary to understand the mysteries of the story, it did slow down the pacing. Personally, I have always been extremely fascinated by Egyptian history, so I did not find all of the information boring. Some may not find this very enjoyable reading, but in all honesty I am surprised by how intrigued I was! I don't usually read books with such strong historical knowledge, I generally prefer to jump into action from the get go. That first chapter though kept you in anticipation for later action, and curious as to what the heck just happened!

About the action: it was intense! The violence could get a little visually gruesome at some points, but it added so much suspense to the story. The identity of the assassins was a well kept mystery until later on in the book, leaving me guessing who was after Suzy and why. My assumptions constantly changed as new information was revealed that led me to question new people.


The Good 
Egyptian history, action, mystery solving!


The Bad
Slower pace at the start, didn't feel a strong connection with characters

Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

I received this book for free from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown
Released: 12th June, 2012
Series: Lies Beneath Series [Book One]
Format: e-book
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Source: Netgalley
Buy it: The Book Depository (free shipping) | Amazon

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistible good looks and charm on unsuspecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

Image & Synopsis

Lies Beneath was the first mermaid novel I had ever read. And it was awesome (to put it simply). I went into this book not knowing what to expect. At all. I was pleased to find that,
1. There were KILLER MERMAIDS!
2. Calder's sisters were just so very evil
3. It was dark and mysterious
Let's just say that I like darker stories.

There were some twists and turns that I certainly did not see coming. Now that I think about it, they seemed a little obvious so I'm not certain if that is just due to my ignorance or not. Either way, the story was very intriguing and kept me hooked.

The story is from the perspective of Calder, a merman. It is always refreshing to read from a males point of view, and this was no different. But I will admit that I certainly wasn't expecting it, considering the cover which hints towards a more feminine approach to the story. It was interesting to see the contrast between Calder and his sisters, particularly on their mission to take revenge for their mothers death.

Calder personally, was an interesting character. I liked him more by the end of the story, because he was just a little creepy to start out. He was very charismatic, but sometimes a little too much, coming off very cocky on some occasions. He was extremely determined and strong-willed. I can understand why he did what he did with predatory motives, but they were still very stalker-ish. His initial interactions with Lily made me cringe. And she in turn reacted in an appropriate way.

Lily wasn't completely compelled by Calder straight away, rather she tried to avoid him as much as possible. She was intelligent and wasn't afraid to tell him to back off (even though he didn't listen). Their relationship developed and grew at a more gradual pace throughout the entirety of the story, however the shift between "AHH GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU CREEP" and "Actually, he's not so bad.." was a little quicker than I would have thought.

This book has opened me up to the world of mermaid in an unexpectedly good way. I wasn't aware that there was a sequel to Lies Beneath when I started reading it, but I am interested to see how things will resolve.

In the Shadow of Vesuvius Blog Tour

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.



Today I am here with a review of In the Shadow of Vesuvius by Liz Carmichael. If you are interested in reading it, head to Amazon between July 2nd-4th for free!


In The Shadow of Vesuvius by Liz Carmichael
Released: 3rd April, 2011
Series: n/a
Format: e-book
Publisher: Smashwords
Source: Author
Buy it: Amazon

Vesuvius is Awakening. Mira, a fifteen-year old slave who saw the coming death and destruction in a vision. Now it is time to fulfill the vow she made to the mother of the Roman child in her care.

To do this, she must escape the watchful eye of the slave ordered to guard her, and the stubborn father who refuses to believe there is any danger. Before Mount Vesuvius erupts and buries the town, she has to convince her guard to go with her or suffer the fate of Herculaneum and all who have not yet fled to safety.

Seeing his neighbours leave, her owner decides to join them, but first he will make sacrifices to the gods. To Mira’s dismay he takes them to the temple farthest from the best escape route.

Mira thinks about killing the slave keeping watch on her, or even better the child’s father, then they can all run from the certain death she knows is on its way.

But can she commit murder, even if to save the life of the child she loves?

Image & Synopsis

In the Shadow of Vesuvius takes you back to a horrific event from history through the intriguing adventure of a young slave. The story is fast-paced and keeps you wanting to know who survives.

The story flows at a quick pace and although the plot is pretty intense, it doesn't linger on some of the devastating moments. Liz Carmichael executes this in such a way that Mira doesn't appear dismissive, rather she is deeply compelled to protect the child in her care. She looks out for his needs first, telling herself not to waste time thinking about things that she cannot control. She is a very strong and determined character.

Furthermore, it is highly engaging. The suspense of wanting to know what happens to Mira and her little entourage keeps you reading. As a historical event, we know how things end at Mount Vesuvius, making this story all the more engrossing - does Mira share the same fate as so many others? Or does she manage to escape?

In the Shadow of Vesuvius is a wonderful and enjoyable read. It is easy to whizz through and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. I recommend giving it a try!

The Girl in the Park by Mariah Fredericks

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.


The Girl in the Park by Mariah Fredericks
Released: March, 2011
Series: n/a
Format: e-book
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 224
Source: Author
Buy it: Book Depository (free shipping) | Amazon

When Wendy Geller's body is found in Central Park after the night of a rager, newspaper headlines scream,"Death in the Park: Party Girl Found Strangled." But shy Rain, once Wendy's best friend, knows there was more to Wendy than just "party girl."

As she struggles to separate the friend she knew from the tangle of gossip and headlines, Rain becomes determined to discover the truth about the murder.

Image & Synopsis

The Girl in the Park was not an overly complex story, but the mystery was not easily predictable for me and managed to keep me guessing as it unfolded. My assumptions for who Wendy's killer was, were proved very wrong.

The beginning was pretty slow. It took a few chapters to really get into what the story was actually about and start delving into the mystery. There was just way too much backstory right at the start. It did eventually pick up a few chapters in a got really into the mystery around the middle of the book. Towards the end, I found my heart racing as the truth is revealed and I was anxious to see how things panned out. That being said, I was expecting a much more dramatic scene when the killer is confronted.

Rain was a very unique and interesting main character. She has a cleft pallet and as a result is understandable shy and insecure. She avoided a of human interaction with her judgmental and teasing peers. There is some character development as the story progresses. She is very determined and starts coming out of her shell and standing up for her deceased friend.

All of the characters were very believable and pretty well drawn out, but unfortunately I felt very disconnected from them all, and even Rain.

Far From the War by Jeffrey David Payne

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Far From the War by Jeffrey David Payne
Released: September 17, 2011
Series: Far From the War Series [Book One]
Publisher: Roche Harbor Books
Pages: 366
Source: Publisher
Buy it: Book Depository (free shipping) | Amazon

Economic ruin and Partisian rancor have pushed America to the brink of a new civil war. Esther is caught in the middle, serving as a page in the United States House of Representatives when rogue politicians and military leaders stage a modern day coup d'etat. When the coup turns violent, she abandons Washington, D.C. for home. She must learn to survive on her own as transportation and financial networks fail, as the war disrupts food and water supplies. The result is a cautionary tale about political extremism and the true cost of war.

Image

I will admit that I have never read a book based around politics and war. I was surprisingly pleased with it, though, and thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

The beginning was just a little slow for me. I am completely clueless and politics and all that, even more so considering it is American politics, so I was confused with all of the technical and political parts explored towards the beginning.

Esther was an interesting character to follow. I loved her wit and humour. Whenever Esther engaged in conversation with others, she managed to pitch in and provide some funny one-liners. I also really admired her boldness, bravery and determination. When it came to the war aspects, Esther's mind was set on survival. She was determined to get home and did whatever it took to get there. Not once did she consider giving up.

On the other hand, when the love interest was introduced, Esther took the initiative to make a move herself. I loved seeing the roles reversed with their relationship, and it was done in such a way that the male was not deemed as any less of a "man", so to speak. She was bold and did not hesitate to take chances. I loved the relationship between the two characters. Although I felt it was a little rushed, I understand that the story occurred over a long period of time, and it skipped forward a few months every so often.

The people Esther met and befriended on her journey home added so much depth to the story, and unfortunately more tragedy and pain for Esther. She grew so close with a select few, and the war ripped them away from her. This was bitter sweet - Payne crafted lovable and humorous characters, and just as you grew attached to them (alongside Esther), a sudden turn of events would take them away.

The action in this book was quite graphic and gruesome. This was shocking and confronting, but I did not have any issues with it, in all honesty I liked how Jeffrey Payne did not attempt to hide the harsh nature of war. It assisted with the realism and visual impact of the novel, but for those of you who may have an issue with this, be wary of the fact that it gets a little bloody. I would not recommend this book for younger readers, because of this factor. It is set during a civil war, and the conflicts Esther faces are described in a little bit of detail.

I loved how the book ended. It wrapped up quite nicely, yet still leaves you wanting to know what happens next, and how things turn out with the love interest. The second book, The Mail Still Runs is released next year, and I am really looking forward to continuing on with the story!