REVIEW: The Nymph by Kate Austin

ISBN 978-1-60088-453-5

Series: The Pleasure Club

(c) 2009, Cobblestone Press

Kate Austin's website

Rating: 3 stars

Buy Links (ebook): Cobblestone Press, Fictionwise

"Short, hot read. Perfect dessert after lunch."

Professor Geoffrey Jones contracted the services of The Pleasure Club to make his fantasy a reality. When he finally met with his assigned Pleasure Guardian, Calliope, he felt sure he knew this woman from somewhere...

The Nymph is truly a very short read, something you could finish in under thirty minutes. The intimate scene of their assignation comprised the entirety of the story, with the POV shifting between Geoffrey and Calliope and their thoughts about the other. If you're looking for a short escape from the tedium of life, you might want to read this and share in Geoffrey's adventure of having an assignation with the perfect nymph of his fantasy. If you want a more satisfactory read with more romance and story, you have to look elsewhere.

REVIEW: The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter

ISBN 978-0-373-77246-9

Series: Lords of the Underworld, Book 1

(c) 2008, HQN

Gena Showalter's website

Rating: 3 stars

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"Mythology with a twist."

Fascinating.

That was my first impression upon reading the first few pages. The author created a world that was based on Greek mythology, most specifically Pandora's box and the demons let loose in the world.


Maddox is the keeper of the demon Violence, and more often than not, he found himself subject to the demon. A warrior of the gods, he and several others did a very foolish thing thousands of years ago in a fit of jealousy and pride. And they suffered for their actions.

On the other hand, Ashlyn Darrow is a woman with a strange ability. She only need to stand in a certain place and she'll hear all the conversations that had ever taken place there. When she learned that there were "angels" who lived on top of a hill who could help her silence the voices, she sought them out. Indeed, Maddox was able to help her in this respect.

Maddox's world is certainly interesting, especially as he and the other warriors like him, lords as they are called, now have to battle ancient enemies who are determined to wipe them out. Though the romance aspect is focused on Maddox and Ashlyn, the events in the story concern the other lords as well, such that I feel this book has more of an ensemble cast than main protagonists. The events served as a backdrop to Maddox's and Ashlyn's romance, yet I feel that the journey of their story and the development of their feelings are somewhat rushed and not all that believable. Maybe because the "screen time" that should've been used to chronicle this development was instead given over to the introduction of more characters or setting the stage for the next books. Their dialogue/conversation could use an improvement as well. The appearance of Anya, who seems a silly creature to me and not at all like a demi-goddess, puts another damper on things. Still, the resolution of Maddox's and Ashlyn's problems were nicely done, and what Ashlyn did for Maddox is especially touching, depicting the essence of true love.

That said, Gena Showalter has certainly cooked up an interesting world with the promise of more in the succeeding books. I'd love to see Torin's (Disease) and Paris's (Promiscuity) stories, but definitely Torin's. Or Kane's (Disaster). I think Cameo's (Misery) would be very interesting as well.

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Entwined by Fate by S.A. Price

ISBN 978-1-60767-077-3

Series: American Ophidians, Book 1

(c) 2010, Tease Publishing

S.A. Price's website

Buy Links (ebook): All Romance Ebooks

"A fabulous world about sexy snake shifters, action, adventure and romance!"

Elise Rizdon has long believed her mate John Merrick to have perished fifteen years ago while on a mission. But missing women and an evil cult threatening the American Ophidians' existence brought him out of hiding and into her life again. Having made a life for herself all these years, Elise didn't know whether she dared trust him once more and risk having her heart broken all over again.

S.A. Price created a fabulous, believable world about sexy snake shifters (ophidians) and the evil that stalked them. Action and adventure, subterfuge and political machinations peppered the entire book. Elise's position, for example, as Archon (leader) was undermined due to the appearance of John Merrick, leaving her with conflicting feelings about his re-emergence from the dead, not the least of which was betrayal at his long silence.

The main romance centered around Elise and Merrick, with two secondary romances featuring their "subjects". I felt that the book at 144 pages (uncorrected ARC) was too short to give justice to the development of the romances, especially the secondary ones, which didn't feature much conflict, or if there was, it was solved quite easily. Another issue I had with the story was how easily the main villain (Christof) perished and not even at the hands of the good guys (no satisfaction for the reader after the build-up throughout the story). Even the ensuing possibility that he might not be dead and then was confirmed so was done in the background. Nevertheless, I find myself caught up in the story and rooting for the good guys, hoping they'll be able to defeat the bad guys in time to rescue the missing women.

Rating: 3 stars

Buy Links (ebook): All Romance Ebooks 

* Note: The review copy was supplied by the author.

REVIEW: Hunter's Need by Shiloh Walker

ISBN 978-0-425-23150-0

Series: Hunter Series

(c) December 2009, Berkley Sensation, Penguin Group

Shiloh Walker's website

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

"Well-written, Hunter's Need is a fascinating tale of vengeance and a race against time"

Psychic Analise Morrell stumbled upon a mystery up in Alaska where she lived, where the ghosts of murdered girls battered at her psychic shields. She didn't know why they chose to disturb her, but something in the mountains made her uneasy, which prompted her to call the Hunters for help.

The Hunters are a group of special men and women with extraordinary powers that help them right a terrible wrong. Hunters include psychics, witches, weres, vamps, shifters, etc. However, although Ana is a psychic, her powers aren't strong enough for her to become a Hunter.

She didn't expect the assigned Hunter to be Duke Lawson, the shifter she betrayed years ago when she lured him into the clutches of a feral vamp. Though he was later rescued after undergoing unimaginable torture, Ana was forever swamped with a conflicting mix of desire and guilt with the certainty that Duke hated her.

For his part, Duke could understand Ana's motivations for her betrayal, though he couldn't agree with her methods. He was mostly angry at himself for what he deemed was foolishness on his part, for being so clouded with lust for her that he wasn't aware she was leading him into danger. Foolish because he still lusted after her so many years later and despite what she'd done to him.

Shiloh Walker has written a fascinating and horrific tale of ghosts seeking for vengeance against their killer and the characters' race to identify him before he killed another girl. The world is also a fascinating one, with the concept of a powerful group of men and women battling evil forces in the world and trying to make things right, kinda like the X-Men. That said men and women also have their own personal issues they should go through make it intriguing. Though Hunter's Need is generally well-written, especially toward the end, the story didn't quite resonate with me, maybe because the characters didn't quite click with me.

The reason may be because some of the characters' actions didn't seem logical to me. Like, there's this scene in the middle of the book, when Duke arrived in Alaska due to Ana's call for help, and they met for the first time in a year. I would've have thought they'd discuss the case first since that was the reason for his being there and the reason she called for help from the Hunters, but no. They had to indulge in their lust for one another. And this being Ana's first time, Duke wasn't even gentleman enough to do it on the bed. No, the floor is fine, because he's in a hurry. Well, that, and maybe because he didn't care enough about Ana, since she betrayed him, so she deserved to be uncomfortable. I'm sure that's not how the author meant to portray it, but that's the impression I got.

This is the first book in the series I read, so that may have a bearing on the level of my enjoyment of this book. However, although the book does refer to things that has happened in the past, which I assumed were detailed in previous books, the author did a good job of highlighting the events without info dumping and drawing you right into the heart of the conflict.

Rating: 3 stars

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

REVIEW: Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey

REVIEW: Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
Series: Kushiel Series (Imriel Trilogy)

Author Website

Summary:

Imriel de la Courcel no Montreve, son of traitor Melissande Shahrizai and foster son of the realm's heroine Phedre no Delaunay de Montreve and her consort Joscelin Verreuil, has grown up and is torn between wanting to be good and giving in to his nature--that of his desire for sadistic, violent pleasures. Though many people suspected him of having designs on the throne, Barquiel L'Envers being one of them, Imriel had no such intentions. Wanting to escape the atmosphere at the palace, he sets off for Tiberium for a year of studies, where he was plunged into intrigue, mayhem and war.

Review:

I have to be honest. I initially picked up this book because I wanted to read more about Phedre and Joscelin. Therefore, I was a bit disappointed when there were only bits and pieces about this dynamic duo (especially Joscelin!), especially when Imriel left Terre d'Ange for his year at Tiberium.

This book is very different from Phedre's larger than life tale, because from the start, Phedre already knew what she was and what she wanted. Even when she was young, Phedre has the self-assurance of mature young woman, and her loyalty and her heroism were at her core. Imriel, however, was a confused young man, brought about by his heritage and his childhood experiences. Hence, this first book in the trilogy can be said to be a coming-of-age story where Imriel tries to search for his identity.

When Imriel sets off for university, he is actually setting off for an adventure, as in Tiberium, he comes into contact with the Unseen Guild and even receives the same offer as Anafiel Delaunay, Phedre's patron. He dives into an affair with a married woman and learns about the arts of covertcy from her. He thwarts an attempt on his life, survives a riot, and eventually helps his friend Lucius wins a war in his hometown. In the process, he grows up.

It's a good start to the trilogy, but I can't say I like this book very much. Though it was interesting to off on a journey with Imriel, yes, I miss Phedre and Joscelin. Somehow, this book didn't have the same awe-inspiring wonder as the Phedre trilogy.

Book Rating: 3.0

REVIEW: Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop

Series: Black Jewels Series

Author's Website

Summary:

This book is a collection of four short stories which fills the gap in the Black Jewels Trilogy books. Here, we see the origin of the magic, how Saetan lost his third child, how Lucivar met and married his wife, and what happened to Daemon and Jaenelle after Queen of the Darkness. In this sense, this book should be read after the Black Jewels Trilogy in order to appreciate the novellas better.

Comments:

I'll try not to include any spoilers, as I don't want to ruin the reading experience for those who haven't read this book yet. (I've come a long way from the time I since first blogged.)

One good point about this book is that it fills in the holes made by the Black Jewels Trilogy books and rounds out the entire picture of the series for the readers. However, I'm a bit miffed by the blurb (back cover summary), which is misleading because if I remember right, it talks about "three men, sworn enemies". These three men are Lucivar, Daemon and Saetan, and the words "sworn enemies" is not very descriptive of their real relationship, in addition to the fact that if they are indeed enemies at all, it was of a very superficial kind.

(The reason for my feelings was because I hadn't read any of the books yet at that point. In fact, I was scoping out all the blurbs of the books and deciding if I want to read this series or not. When I saw the blurb of Dreams Made Flesh, I thought the three men would fight over Jaenelle.)

That said, my favorite novella in this book is Lucivar's story. I find that I relate better to Marian than to Jaenelle, maybe because we get to see things from Marian's point of view and her thoughts and feelings. Theirs was an enjoyable romance, and it was interesting to see Lucivar finally falling for a woman he longs to cherish, so different from his violent feelings toward the queens in Tereille (when he was still a slave).

With regard to Daemon's and Jaenelle's story, I like knowing how things ended (or came together) for them. I think it's so romantic the way Daemon cared for her recovery and the scene of their wedding ceremony was priceless. The only thing I have against this story is the external plot wherein some deluded woman thought to lure Daemon away from Jaenelle and get him for herself. Apart from the fact that I think this subplot is rather weak, it didn't even have any bearing on Daemon's and Jaenelle's story. They still would've gotten together in the absence of this deluded woman and her antics. The subplot though, serves another purpose, which to reveal would be a spoiler. All right! For those who want to know, it concerns Daemon.

Overall, it's good to read this book, if only to complete the knowledge gaps created in the first trilogy books.

Book Rating: 3.0

REVIEW: The Thirteenth House by Sharon Shinn

Series: The Twelve Houses

Author's Website 

Summary:

The Thirteenth House is Book 2 of The Twelve Houses series, the first of which is Mystic and Rider. Here, we have the story of Kirra Danalustrous, who together with her companions, rescued the Regent Lord Romar Brendyn from his kidnappers. In the process, she and the married lord fell in love and conducted a tumultuous affair while the world fell into chaos around them.

Comments:

Sharon Shinn is a good writer. Almost against my will (more on that later), I was drawn into the adventure and I couldn't stop reading. Her characters took on a life of their own, and here, Kirra has her own personality and she was depicted quite convincingly different from Senneth (from Book 1). In fact, I quite like Kirra, when she wasn't mooning over Romar Brendyn.

In Book 1, we see Kirra as the flirtatious serramarra and happy-go-lucky shiftling. In Book 2, we realize she's restless by nature, and yet, she can be serious and responsible when the situation calls for it. In the end, she has to make a hard choice, and I admire her strength in being able to do so. She does not see only what's good for Kirra Danalustrous, but for the whole country, and she can act on it.

That said, I don't like one point in this story: the adulterous nature of Kirra's liaison with Romar Brendyn. I've been a long time reader of romance (interspersed with other genre), and because of that, it was hard for me to swallow the idea of an adulterous heroine. That, more than anything, made me reluctant to start this book, but because I wanted to know more about Senneth's and Tayse's developing relationship, I plucked up the courage to read this book.

However, Kirra did try to do the right thing at the start by rebuffing Romar's flirtatious attempts. I could even label her as honorable. But her yearnings for her own romance, coupled with her attraction for Romar and his "courtship" made her cross the line into a forbidden passion. It made me wonder though, is this usually how people fall into affairs in real life? Perhaps there was resistance on the part of one party, a conscious act not to betray one's code of honor, but the other party's persistence eventually wore his/her resistance down and made him/her succumb.

And succumb she did, even toward the end, until something woke her up. A hard slap to reality that she needed.

I wish we could've read more about Kirra's real happy-ever-after romance, but perhaps her adulterous liaison mirrors the unrest boiling in the country and how often we seek for love and acceptance in the wrong places. On the other hand, I admire the author in tackling this subject that isn't often seen in either romance or fantasy, and Kirra's emotional journey and her ultimate choice.

Another thing I noticed is how Romar is portrayed so very differently from Tayse. Though Tayse has feelings for Senneth over the course of Book 1, we don't see him actually "courting" Senneth. He was even denying his feelings for her and suffering from insecurity. However, here we see Romar Brendyn, "courting" Kirra with words and actions. Which would have been romantic had he not been married. I actually liked him for a time, until I remembered he was married and quite consciously deciding on cheating on his wife.

Like Senneth's story, I think we will see more of Kirra in the next books. I hope so. I want to know what happened to her and Donnal.

Speaking of Donnal, I don't like the way Kirra took him for granted. But perhaps, we tend to do that to friends who have been at our side for a long time, and it is only when said friend is gone that we come to value him and his friendship. What I like best about this entire book was the scene of Donnal's leaving. I almost cried.

On the whole, I think the gods dealt harshly with Kirra in this book. She went through hard trials and difficulties, betrayals and abandonment. Though Romar professed to love her, I think he's very selfish. He didn't want to leave his wife, yet he wanted to have Kirra as well. Where does that leave Kirra? What kind of life is he subjecting her to? He's like a man who wants to have his cake and his pastries and eat them. Then again, this book is about choices--Kirra's choices--and we also see her growth and development as a character. 

Book Rating: 3.0

REVIEW: The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind

Series: The Sword of Truth

Author Website

Summary:

The story revolves around Richard Rahl and the love of his life, Kahlan, the Mother Confessor, whose touch brings death to any man, except well...Richard. He grew from a simple woodcutter to the ruler of his realm and the books contain magic, politics and religions galore, including 1,000-year-old magic-users who live in an age-slowing palace.

Comments: 

I love the first four books in this series. I think they're well-written and the world-building and magic believable enough to make me suspend my disbelief. I love some of the plot twists the author employed, and believe it or not, one of my favorite sub-plots was the budding romance between Warren and this older magic-user who lived in that age-slowing palace I wrote about.

However, Book 5 (Soul of the Fire) seriously threatened my disbelief suspension. A chicken that was not a chicken? Is that for real? And, who would believe that Richard and Kahlan preferred to live with the Mud People over decent shelter with plumbing? Okay, my bad. Maybe it's my prejudice and background showing through. Maybe as ruler and consort of a world/country, they're into immersion.

I also grew to hate Kahlan with each successive book. She's an independent woman, sure, and as an independent woman, I ought to admire her. Yet, she's irritating and bossy and she always thinks she's right because she's the Mother Confessor who has seen the world while Richard, even if he's the ruler and a war wizard, is really only a simple, backward woodcutter.

From there, the series went downhill for me. We got pages and pages of narration and how Richard had to find the perfect wood to whittle figurines in Faith of the Fallen. And since Richard's life is so blah while he waited for Kahlan to recover from a life-threatening wound, the author came up with other characters whom we should take an interest in. Well, we would, if they were interesting.

Needless to say, I didn't finish reading Faith of the Fallen, nor did I pick up the other books. I've read that the entire series is now published, so if any of you has finished reading it and loved it, let me know. I might decide to re-read and complete the series. 

Book Ratings: 

Wizard's First Rule: 4.0
Stone of Tears: 4.0

Blood of the Fold: 4.0

Temple of the Winds: 4.0

Soul of the Fire: 3.0
Faith of the Fallen: Not Rated since I can't finish it (too boring)

Note: I wanted to include all the book covers, but for some reason, Blogger won't allow me.

REVIEW: At the Bride Hunt Ball by Olivia Parker

My first book by Olivia Parker. I read this because several bloggers had recommended it, and when an author whose books I love also recommended it, I knew I had to pick it up. I bought the ebook version from Fictionwise.

Summary:

The Bride Hunt ball is for the Duke of Wolverest's younger brother to find a bride. Madelyn Haywood is the only one who doesn't want to be included in this scandalous bride-to-be elimination ball, but the duke finds himself very interested in her.

Comments:

I love historicals. I don't know why I'm addicted to them, but I just love them and I've read a lot. A few stand out in my mind and others are forgettable. This one is somewhere in between.

I like the author's voice, which is light and fun. The heroine is refreshing and her actions are true to her words. I don't remember any laugh out loud moments, but my impression of the book was good, overall.

However, there were a few typos, but this is a minor point. I don't know if this is because I read an ebook version rather than the print one, but in my opinion, this shouldn't be the case. I mean, if a publisher would put out an ebook version, it should have the same quality as the print one.

There were also some parts in the story wherein I didn't understand what was happening, when the action wasn't fully described or explained. Like, after dinner, the duke suddenly left his guests and walked out of the music room. This came after he and the heroine spent a lovely time together. There also arrived a "rival" who had asked for the heroine's hand the Season before. One would've thought the duke would want to stay in the music room to keep an eye on this rival. But no, he left, all the while ruminating about how he didn't want to leave. Huh?

There was another scene toward the end, when the duke declared his love to her and offered marriage. But she wouldn't accept because he wanted to change her to fit Society's convention of a duchess. Then, miraculously, this wasn't a problem at all. During the night of the ball, we saw the duke thinking as to why he had said those words in the first place, when he hadn't meant them at all. I mean, hello! If he didn't mean them, why did he say them in the first place? To test her? And he should've told her right there and then, tell her he was joking or what, instead of acting all offended and waiting a few nights later until the ball before he thought to tell her.

These are just some things that marred my enjoyment of the book.

Book Rating: 3.0

REVIEW: Mystic and Rider by Sharon Shinn

Series: The Twelve Houses

Author Website

My first Sharon Shinn book. Mainly, I tried this book because I heard good things about this author on blogs, and because as a romantic at heart, I want to read Tayse's declaration of lurve to Senneth, which one blogger had said was the most romantic she'd ever read.

Summary:

Senneth, a mystic, was sent by the king to check if there was trouble in the south of the kingdom. She was accompanied by the King's Riders (elite soldiers), Tayse and Justin, and three other mystics.

Comments:

Basically, the adventure is to seek information and then report back to the king. I was afraid there would be no plot at all, just a linear telling of events, but thank goodness there's a little bit of plot--in the romance arc of Senneth and Tayse.

The author's writing is easy to read and get into, and the worldbuilding of the series is not complex, which is good, because I don't have to remember too many new names nor do I need to keep different subplots in mind.

What I don't like is there are some sections which contain info dump. I realize the author needed to explain the workings of the different Houses, as well as the history of each of the characters, but I believe it could be written in a better manner. She used the device of having a new character join the group, which entailed that the group needed to explain things to this person, and in effect, informing the reader as well. It's not a bad technique, but there are better ones that could be employed.

With regard to the declaration, it's romantic in the context of the story and with Tayse's character, but as compared to other romances I've read, it's not that romantic. If you were inspired to read this story in order to read about Tayse's declaration, don't. I wouldn't recommend it. You'll just be sorely disappointed.

However, the lack of things happening in this book is due to the fact that this first book is just the starting point of things in the overall picture. Here, we are made aware of evil plans brewing, even threats made by the villains against the king, but there's no action at all by these villains on their evil plans. As I understand it, there's an overall arc that spans the entire series (all five books). In the light of this context, the series has a good beginning in this first book, in that the background of the social order and the problem was shown and explained.

In case you're wondering, yes, I will read the next books, because I want to know how the series panned out.

Book Rating: 3.0

REVIEW: Scarecrow by Matthew Reilly

This is my first time to read a book by Matthew Reilly, and also my first to read a book in this genre.

Summary:

Scarecrow, a top US Marine who has saved the President's neck in a previous book, is now the target of a bounty hunt. And he didn't even know why.

Comments:

This book is fast-paced with plenty of action, guns, fast cars and incredible feats. It's a pretty exciting read, and the author describes the action well enough that you could almost see it. The mystery (reason for the bounty hunt) was also enough to keep me turning the pages. Damn, I want to know why! The author also kept me on my toes with surprise twists, though if I had thought about it, there were clues at the beginning of the book that should've pointed me to the right direction.

However, I find that the dialogue isn't that great. Also, nothing much was written about the characters' emotional process or the characters' emotions, but of course, since this is an action thriller book, I suppose that isn't the focus of the book.

Book Rating: 3.0

REVIEW: The Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop

Series: The Black Jewels Trilogy

Author Website

My first Anne Bishop books, and my first taste of dark fantasy.

Summary:

The Black Jewels Trilogy began with Daughter of the Blood, followed by Heir to the Shadows and concluded with Queen of the Darkness. The story follows Jaenelle, who was the Witch prophesied to come who would clean the realms and remind the Blood (those who have powers) what it means to be Blood. What's interesting about these three books is that although the protagonist is Jaenelle Angelline, the story is told from the point of view of other people. Never did we see Jaenelle's point of view.

Comments:

When I read Daughter of the Blood (DotB), I was enthralled. Ms Bishop has created a unique magic system (using the different jewels to denote the different levels of power) and a world which is peopled with intriguing characters, all with their own motives and conflicts and goals in the story. I love love Daemon Sadi, his brooding personality, his sadistic tendencies for people he despised, and I love knowing the dreams and softer feelings he kept hidden beneath a tough outward exterior.

The magic system was very good too. Inspired, even. Who'd ever thought of using jewels as a way to designate the degree of power each one possesses? I also like the concept of the Web and the Winds and using the Coach to travel the deeper colors.

I was shocked toward the end of the book (which is a good thing) at the utter horror and depravity of Terreille, which Dorothea SaDiablo (the villain) initiated and encouraged to spread. DotB was my first taste of dark fantasy and I was by turn fascinated and horrified and intrigued.

I wanted more.

So I read the second and third books. Sad to say, Daemon--that is, the Daemon in DoB--was gone. The things about him that captivated me were nowhere to be seen. It didn't help that he didn't have much page-time in Heir to the Shadows (HttS), and that he was insane during that time. In Queen of the Darkness (QotD), he followed Jaenelle around like a lost puppy.

Aside from that, all we see in HttS and QotD is how powerful Jaenelle is, and though she had to learn how to use some of her powers, like weaving the tangled webs, in essence, her power is innate, because she is Witch. What we see is Jaenelle being put into scenes after scenes of seeming impossibility, but which she is able to conquer because she is "all-powerful". And her solutions always left her adoptive father flabbergasted, whose reactions I sometimes find over the top (and unbelievable) because he is supposed to be Saetan, High Lord of Hell and what not, who has lived for over 50,000 years and has seen all and done all.

Having said that, I did enjoy reading about Jaenelle's all-powerfulness to a certain extent, especially in seeing the solutions she was going to come up with, but I would have enjoyed reading her growth as a main character more, especially in the matter of her learning the use of magic and growing in her ability. I would've enjoyed seeing more of her interactions with her friends, her adoptive father and brother, and especially with Daemon. I would've liked to see their relationship grow and see her conquer the emotional scars that she'd suffered in DotB. Instead, I was told about it--through Saetan, through Lucivar (her adopted brother) and through everyone else.

Also, the relationship between Daemon and Jaenelle left me vaguely unsatisfied. They did build sort of a relationship when Jaenelle was a child and it was a foregone conclusion that they would be a couple, but I didn't feel that there was any development of their feelings in the succeeding books, especially in QotD when they finally meet again. I felt that Daemon loved his idea of Witch, and not who Jaenelle had become (Though he said so in the book. But how could he if he didn't even have the time to get to know the grown-up Jaenelle?)

As to Jaenelle's feelings toward Daemon, I felt it was more of in the matter of sex than anything else. She'd had a bad experience and Daemon was the only man to make her feel sexually alive, or whom she wants to have sex with, strictly speaking.

Also, this made me realize that though I loved seeing things from so many different points of view, I missed seeing things through the heroine's eyes. This made me feel a little detached from the story.

Book Rating:

Daughter of the Blood - 4.0 out of 5
Heir to the Shadows - 3.0 out of 5 (if only because you need to read this to complete the entire story)
Queen of the Darkness - 3.0 out of 5 (if only because you need to read this to complete the entire story)