Review: The Rules of Magic (Practical Magic #0.5) by Alice Hoffman

Did Not Finish The Rules of Magic (Practical Magic book 0.5) by Alice Hoffman.

Once again, I did not finish reading the Practical Magic series, but it is not for lack of trying.

The story starts out well, in fact, more than just well. There is an air of mystics that coats the characters and I like to read on to unravel the mystery surrounding the three siblings, two sisters and a brother, who keep trying and failing to break away from their magical lineage. Alas, what is meant to be is bound to happen, whether they approve or not. What’s done cannot be undone. What’s set into motion takes on a life of its own... Does it not sound interesting? It certainly does.

Unfortunately, at more than halfway mark of the book, there is a twist to the story, a twist which I find unnecessary and thus, hard to accept. And with that, the whole story tumbles downhill. Fast. I struggle on some and then decide that enough is enough. 60%.

Review: Practical Magic (Practical Magic #1) by Alice Hoffman

Did Not Finish Practical Magic (Practical Magic book 1) by Alice Hoffman.

Too much hype can hurt a story, especially when readers realize that their expectations have not been met.

Well.. Practical Magic certainly fails to live up to my expectations. Either the magic in the story is way too practical for my taste or the practical setting of the story is too far removed from my idea of magic. In any case, the story is not magical nor exciting enough to sustain my interest.

There are a total of four parts to the story, namely Superstition, Premonitions, Clairvoyance and Levitation. I manage to finish Part I only to find myself struggling to move beyond 36% at Part II.

Sometimes we have to decide whether it is worth turning the page or whether it is time to close the book. In this case, I choose the latter by closing the book with a flourish.

Review: Breath of Fire (Kingmaker Trilogy #2) by Amanda Bouchet

2.5 stars for Breath of Fire (Kingmaker Trilogy book 2) by Amanda Bouchet.

I dread writing this review. Seriously, I do not enjoy singing the praises of a debut author in one review and then turn around to criticise the same author in my next post. But still, I grit my teeth and get it done.

Having thoroughly enjoyed Book 1 Promise of Fire, this book is a disappointment. I feel bad for saying this but the author has set the bar too high in book one of the trilogy which, unfortunately, cannot be kept up to in the subsequent instalment.

Though I still enjoy the story, there are actually more things to dislike than like in Breath of Fire. More often than not, I feel like I am the one breathing fire because the story does not seem to get moving. The dynamics and special relationship between the protagonist and the hero is overplayed; whereas in book 1, it ignites fire and makes my heart skip a beat, in this book, it sets fire and makes my blood boil instead. To put it simply, the story goes stale - as the chemistry between the lovey-dovey duo fizzles out - because it feels like listening in to a radio station that has gone haywire and kept looping the same songs over and over.

Above all, I cannot help but feel that the story and plot mirrors that of my favourite Kate Daniels series by author Ilona Andrews; the gladiator style Agon games bears too much resemblance to the Midnight games in Magic Strikes. It is not in me to compare authors and their books as I have never done so in any of my earlier reviews. I guess the increasing lack of originality brings out the worst in me. But I am sure hard-core fans of Kate Daniels will agree with me.

A fantasy romance that oft feels much more like an urban fantasy, I am not sure if I will have the heart to read and review the final book, Heart on Fire, which is likely to be published and available one year from now.

Review: A Promise of Fire (Kingmaker Trilogy #1) by Amanda Bouchet

5 stars for A Promise of Fire (Kingmaker Trilogy book 1) by Amanda Bouchet.

It has been a long time since I last read a fantasy novel. Add in the romance and the idea of starting the year with a fantasy romance story appeals to me no end.

Naturally I am wary of my choice author as not many can get away with striking a good balance between fantasy and romance. As it turns out, this debut author exceeds my expectations. A Promise of Fire starts out promising and continues to live up to its promise right down to the last page. I am not only awed by the fluid writing that emits sparks of fire and magic at every turn of the story, my heart flutters and is set aflame at practically every turn of the page.

So, what - or rather, who - is a Kingmaker? A Kingmaker is a person who brings leaders to power through the exercise of political influence, without being a viable candidate. Here, the Kingmaker is a woman who hears the lie and knows the truth and is sought after by many to assist in royal succession. Long story short, it is about Power Bid.

The author does a fantastic job crafting the three realms (Sinta, Tarva and Fisa) and breathing life into each of the characters through the use of Greek mythology which I so love. We have Cerberus (the three-headed Hound of Hades), Charon (the Ferryman of Hades), Athena (the Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War), Poseidon (the God of the Sea) and Zeus (the God of the Sky and ruler of the Olympian Gods) to name a few. The author's choice of Greek myth fascinates me so much so that I have a strong desire to read up more on the ancient Greeks, their origins and the lives and adventures of their gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines and mythological creatures.

This novel is flawless on all counts, almost that is, and unquestionably a good genre and splendid story to start the year with. *** Spoiler Alert *** The only grievance I have is the excessive graphic account of steamy scenes in the later part of the book. However, there is the good that results from these encounters as it does not all go downhill from there. It actually makes the heroine more vulnerable and the story even more forward looking.

A Promise of Fire, a fabulous book to start the year with. A promise to a great story which guarantees to set the reader on fire. I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy - the dead tree version - of book 2 Breath of Fire.

P/s: Ophs! I know I'm supposed to keep it short and sweet. This review is still sweet, just not that short. Sorry guys, I can't help it.. 👅

Review: Dark Angel by T. J. Bennett

4 stars for Dark Angel by T. J. Bennett.

Dark Angel is a memorable historical fantasy romance with a intriguing plot that is filled with mysterious magical forces.

The author writes beautifully by weaving an enchanting, gripping gothic fairy tale with richly detailed settings, in which a woman with a troubled past shipwrecks on a mysterious island whose master has dark, deadly secrets of his own.

Reading Dark Angel reminds me of the story of Beauty and the Beast. It feels almost like a re-telling of this classic love story where appearance does not matter; love lies in the eyes of beholder; and ultimately love transcends all.

Publisher: Entangled: Edge
Publication date: 21 Oct 2013

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When young widow Catherine Briton is washed ashore, the sole survivor of a violent shipwreck, all she wants is to go home to London. But injured as she is, she can't escape when a shadowy stranger rescues her and takes her to his castle - where she's healed with suspicious, almost magical speed.

The more time Catherine spends in the castle, the more her curiosity rises where her fiercely handsome new "master," Gerard, is concerned. As she begins to investigate, though, her discoveries only bring more questions. It seems Gerard isn't the only one on the island keeping secrets...

The small town is full of strange mysteries and townspeople who know more than they should about her. And when a hulking beast that stalks the nearby hills and valleys catches up to her, Catherine must figure out what's going on before it's too late.

*Blurb from FantasticFiction*

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Review: Master of Crows by Grace Draven

5 stars for Master of Crows by Grace Draven.

Master of Crows is an enthralling tale of romance, danger and magic.

Grace Draven brings fantasy romance to a totally different level by writing beautifully, a storyline that centers on not just the romance aspect but fantasy as well. It is not solely a love story with the male protagonist in mage robes casting a few dark spells here and there, masquerading as fantasy; it is a plot, rich and deep in a vividly painted fantasy world, with well developed characters dipped in heavy doses of light humor immersed in a slow buildup of romance.

My only grievance is that the initial 10% of the story is slow-moving as the author lays the foundation of her world building. But once that is done, I have a hard time steering my eyes away from the story. It has such a fierce grasp on me that I happily obliged to ride the journey alongside the characters.

All in all, an enchanting and magnificent fantasy romance, one of the rare few whereby the characters leave deep impression long after the book is read.

A jewel of a story with an equally matching gem of a book cover.

Publisher: Grace Draven
Publication date: 8 Aug 2011

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What would you do to win your freedom?

This is the question that sets bondwoman, Martise of Asher, on a dangerous path. In exchange for her freedom, she bargains with her masters, the mage-priests of Conclave, to spy on the renegade sorcerer, Silhara of Neith. The priests want Martise to expose the sorcerer’s treachery and turn him over to Conclave justice. A risky endeavor, but one she accepts without hesitation–until she falls in love with her intended target.

Silhara of Neith, Master of Crows, is a desperate man. The god called Corruption invades his mind, seducing him with promises of limitless power if he will help it gain dominion over the world. Silhara struggles against Corruption’s influence and searches for ways to destroy the god. When Conclave sends Martise as an apprentice to help him, he knows she’s a spy. Now he fights a war on two fronts–against the god who would possess him and the apprentice who would betray him.

Mage and spy search together for a ritual that will annihilate Corruption, but in doing so, they discover secrets about each other that may damn them both. Silhara must decide if his fate, and the fate of nations, is worth the soul of the woman he has come to love, and Martise must choose continued enslavement or freedom at the cost of a man’s life. And love.

*Blurb from author's website*

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