Rutabaga's Reads 2019: Part 10

Since I’ve mostly been preferring three-book posts when it comes to compilations, I decided a trilogy would be perfect for a post. I’ve had these books since their respective publication dates. I’ve simply been very behind in my reading and was so behind on this one that I figured I might as well wait until I had all three to read. The author may disagree (apologies to Kiersten White), but better late than never, right?

And I Darken (June 28, 2016) by Kiersten White.

Ladislav “Lada” Dracul (or Dragwlya) is everything her father wanted … if she’d been born a boy. The ruthless military governor (tyrant) of Transylvania, Vlad Dracul, a prince of Wallachia, has a gargantuan ego and is appalled that his seed could produce a daughter. He expects that she’ll at least be beautiful “so we can get some use out of her,” but she is the very opposite. However, she appears to have all the rage and ferocity befitting a Dracul. She can be as ruthless, too, but still a conscience lies beneath. That’s mostly attributed to her brother, Radu, who has all the beauty that Lada does not and is sensitive to boot, much to the disgust of their father. Lada understands that ruthlessness is necessary for survival, and this is tested when their father takes them to Edirne in the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans are their enemies, yet this is where their father fled with them to. It is here that Lada and Radu meet Mehmed, the least-favored son of Murad, sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Lada’s attraction to the charismatic Mehmed is overshadowed by the fact that he’s heir to the enemy empire, one which she’s vowed to fight against, while Radu loves Mehmed so much that he might as well wear his heart on his sleeve. It’s a toxic triangle, and there are traitors in their midst.

            To imagine Vlad the Impaler as female, look no further than Lada. The first in the And I Darken YA trilogy, the course of the story seems to be heading toward grisly times in the next two installments. That isn’t to say that discouraged me away from the story. Quite the opposite. “And I Darken” is a multi-faceted jewel, albeit one where the facets are dark, fierce, cunning and violent. It’s brilliantly twisted and as sharp as a freshly sharpened blade. It’s complex, but also disturbing. From her entrance as an angry, squalling babe in 1435 to a fierce and angry teenager through 1451, Lada has made her mark. And it’s ferocious and razor-sharp.

            Best lines: “On our wedding night, I will cut out your tongue and swallow it. Then both tongues that spoke our marriage vows will belong to me, and I will be wed only to myself. You will mostly likely choke to death on your own blood, which will be unfortunate, but I will be both husband and wife and therefore not a widow to be pitied.” -- Lada, in response to attempting to be married off (p. 101).

            “Wait! Please, she did not mean any harm. She was teasing. In Wallachia, it is customary for … betrothed couples to … threaten each other. As a sign of affection. When our parents were betrothed, our mother told our father she would disembowel him and wear his intestines around her neck as jewelry.” -- Radu, trying to smooth over what Lada recently said (p. 103).

Now I Rise (June 27, 2017) by Kiersten White.

Demand the crown. Lada has declared herself the ruling prince of Wallachia, but she hasn’t actually secured it. She left the Ottoman Empire with her most loyal men, leaving behind Sultan Mehmed. His idea of helping her to her throne as prince is to keep Wallachia under Ottoman control. Lada will have none of that and spreads her fury across the countryside. The smallest slight can set off her wrath like a match near a gas leak. She leaves in her wake violent, bloody destruction. She’d never say it aloud (and if she did, odds are she’d kill the person she inadvertently told out of fury with herself), but she needs her younger brother Radu. He’s subtle yet charismatic. But, for the first time in his life, Radu did not choose her. Lada’s got her best friend Bogdan and faithful men like Nicolae and Stefan. And she begrudgingly forms a precarious alliance with a former enemy, one John Hunyadi, a brilliant military commander for Hungary.

            Radu’s desire to please Mehmed burns bright like a lighthouse beacon, but Mehmed has sent him to Constantinople. He’s “defected” per Mehmed’s advisement to infiltrate enemy territory. His wife, Nazira, goes with him to Constantinople, for appearances sake. They “escape” the Ottoman Empire with Cyprian, an ambassador of the court of Constantinople. Cyprian has a good soul and counts Radu and Nazira as friends, which makes Radu feel all the worse for the lies he’s told him in order to secure safe passage to and within Constantinople. But he does this for his Mehmed and the Ottoman Empire. However, the way Cyprian sometimes looks at him makes him pause.

            The middle installment in the And I Darken trilogy is both disturbing and absolutely riveting. White’s characters are charismatic (Radu), toxic (Lada) and cunning (both). As twisted historical fiction, it is painstakingly-detailed and magnificent in scope. The complexity continues in this story, and it’s good that Radu is away from Mehmed for most of the story. His desperate love for him can be, well, annoyingly desperate. I want him to grow as a character and make it through all the darkness that has been his life thus far.

Bright We Burn (July 10, 2018) by Kiersten White.

Wallachia is her mother, and she has taken back her throne. No boyars (many of whom she’s killed) or false allies (killed) or sultans/cousin-kings/allied-kings (wants to kill) will stand in her way. Lada is a prince of Wallachia. She knows she will spend her life defending her throne and someday she will lose. But for now, it is hers. Her closest friends are her best men (such as Bogdan and Stefan), but she is also losing them. Mostly to death. She refuses to acknowledge Sultan Mehmed, self-declared emperor, Hand of God on Earth and Caesar of Rome. In fact, it’s better if the Ottomans stay away, for they likely won’t return. Their corpses will stand as grotesque, rotting, stinking sentinels in a gory display of putrefaction. Welcome to Tirgoviste, capital of Wallachia.

            Radu wishes for a life of quiet, which means, of course, that he does not get it. He’s a bey of the Ottoman Empire under Mehmed. Where once he’d have rejoiced at any special attention from Mehmed, Radu’s feelings have shifted. Radu is not the same person he was before Constantinople and also prior to knowing Cyprian. They were parted when Radu entrusted his wife (in name only) to his care when he’d also admitted his betrayal. Radu has gone to Tirgoviste to make Wallachia a strong country again. Lada has tried to by killing, destroying crops, killing, taking or destroying towns and killing. Radu is the planner, and he’s got sense and charisma. Lada’s approach is more kill-first-and-don’t-bother-asking-questions-later. She loves her country, but at her rate, she will destroy it before it can be truly strong. Wallachia has a chance if Radu will be hers again, at least for a time.

            This concluding novel in White’s And I Darken  trilogy is as brilliantly violent as millions of fireworks lighting up the night sky. Lada is ruthless and violent. And just because she’s a fiercely independent woman doesn’t mean that I automatically, unequivocally rooted for her. Because sometimes, I didn’t root for her. I like that she didn’t win all the time. I didn’t root for those she lost against, either, though I always rooted for Radu. He’s the calm to Lada’s constant storm, a voice of reason against an onslaught of blood. White’s trilogy has been epic, engrossing, complex and nose-crinkling (all those dead bodies really stink after a time). “Bright We Burn” is a worthy finale to a saga filled with passion, love, hate, faith, revenge, loyalty and friendship.

Rutabaga's Reads 2019: Part 9

While I continue to maintain that I read more YA fiction than anything, it is true that I read a lot of inspirational/Christian fiction. Not only is this the second inspirational fiction compilation post of this year, it also purposely includes books that were all released this year. Interestingly enough, they also released on the same date (surprisingly enough, that was not on purpose).

Code of Valor (Jan. 1, 2019) by Lynette Eason.

*This is the third book in a series.*

As a financial crimes investigator for a bank, Emily Chastain is no stranger to tracking vast sums of money. She’s been tracking some accounts with strange movement that happen to involve someone from her past. Her best friend, Heather Gilstrap, a reporter, has been putting her investigative skills to use and tracked this particular someone. Unfortunately, Heather is now missing, and Emily is rescued by Detective Brady St. John, who’d been trying to vacation in a cabin normally closed for the winter season, but had sweet-talked the owner-friends into letting  it to him for two weeks. It’s clear that Emily had been abducted and was likely to be killed. More life-threatening events try to smother the both of them, so Brady sticks to Emily almost like glue. The killers clearly want information from her that she doesn’t have. Why do they think she has that info? What’s more, are there actually two different groups trying to get to her first?

            Mutual attraction is almost immediate. Brady is handsome, brave, strong and compassionate. He is unlike any other man Emily’s known, which is why she wants to keep her distance and keep safe her heart. Emily is no waif and states she’s not even close to a size 6. She’s always been self-conscious of her size, which is slimmer than it was, but it remains a struggle. She’s become accepting of herself over the years, but that doesn’t stop doubts from sneaking in. Can Brady truly see past her physical appearance to the person beneath? Signs seem to say that he can and with ease. Will Emily open her heart to him?

            This third story in the Blue Justice series further cements how awesome it’d be if the St. John siblings were real. I’d want to be their friend. Some may be unmoved by what they feel is a predictable tale, and I don’t fault anyone for that line of thinking. I appreciated that it was fast-paced and faith-based without being preachy. Fans will have already snapped up this story. For those who haven’t found Lynette Eason, give her books a try if you’re looking for energetic and intense thrillers with strong faith bases (by at least one main character and definitely both by the end). Also, thanks to this book, I think I’ll take up scuba diving and earn my PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certification. No, I won’t. But perhaps you will?

            Book One: Oath of Honor

            Book Two: Called to Protect

Flights of Fancy (Jan. 1, 2019) by Jen Turano.

*This is the first book in a series.*

When she gains unwanted attention from the lecherous and creepy Duke of Montrose, Miss Isadora “Izzie” Delafield is sent packing. Not by her family, as her father is abroad and her mother would love nothing more than for Izzie to marry into a title, but by her family’s butler and her best friend’s family’s butler. She responds to an ad for a housekeeper at Glory Manor, though she isn’t qualified in the least, and is shocked to find that it is a farm. She’s there under the assumed name of Mrs. Izzie Delmont. She can’t fake looking old, but she’s sporting hideous spectacles (with clear lenses). She also can’t fake to know all that she doesn’t, but she’s adept at organizing and becomes an efficient household manager, plus the four children that Aunt Birdie and Uncle Amos took in (permanently) come to love her rather quickly.

            33-year-old Ian MacKenzie is a businessman who expects much of those he does business with. This means Izzie should’ve been sent packing before her trunk made it in the house, but she gave him a business proposal he couldn’t refuse. Also, he needed to rush back to Pittsburgh, so he was desperate for a housekeeper. He’s shocked by Izzie’s not-old age and is almost offended that she won’t “set her cap” for him. Ian’s long declared that he’s looking for a woman of a certain social station, so a housekeeper wouldn’t allow him to marry up. Why, then, does he find himself thinking of her? And she of him with all of his manly muscles?

            Adventure in the American Heiresses series (the year is 1885) doesn’t stem from a high-seas escapade, a dramatic quest or even a cross-country journey. Instead, it stems from the busyness of country life and the antics of four children, all under the age of 10. Izzie learns the hard way how she’s taken the luxuries of life for granted and how demanding she can be, so it was refreshing to see the positive growth and change in her. It’s also encouraging to see Ian’s eyes open up as well. Although his early years were rough, he seemingly forgot what it was like to grow up that way, knowing that numerous others place themselves in that sort of danger every day to try to provide for their families, while he’s been striving to increase his impressive fortune even more. Both have been selfish, but both are open to growth and betterment within themselves. “Flights of Fancy” is a strong start to a new series, and I look forward to reading Turano’s next installment.

Under the Midnight Sun (Jan. 1, 2019) by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse.

*This is the third book in a series.*

Ever since her dad died, everything has been very different. Too different. Her mom’s grief has turned toward money and overseeing all of the family’s vast business holdings. Tayler Grace Hale has defied the expectations of society ladies in 1929 and gone to college. Her dad was her biggest supporter as she worked her way to becoming a highly skilled botanist, naturalist and interpreter. Her brother, whom she’d been so close to before their dad died, has seemingly closed himself off from them, returning to New York City after the funeral to oversee his own successful business holdings. Her mother has turned to trying to force Tayler into marrying Emerson Pruitt. Having known him since childhood, they were once engaged. Well, he still maintains that they’re engaged, but she repeatedly witnessed his womanizing ways a few years back and called off the engagement. She flees to her job in Colorado and, ultimately, runs away to Curry, Alaska, when an opening comes about. There, she finds a group of employees so close-knit as to be a family, blood ties or no. It’s here that she meets Thomas Smith, one of her coworkers. He judges her because he doesn’t want to get close to her and wrongly assumes that she doesn’t have the skills she supposedly totes because she’s a woman, so she deems him brooding and untrusting, which are both qualities very unlike him. It’s obvious to everyone before it’s clear as crystal to the two 23-year-olds that attraction – and perhaps love – have set in. When the part of life she ran away from shows up in Curry, will Tayler have the grace to forgive and fortitude to stand her ground? And when someone brings forth unbelievable accusations against Thomas, will his Curry family stand behind him? Will Tayler?

            Just as I have with the first two books in The Heart of Alaska series, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It is a story of faith and [work-] family, camaraderie and teamwork, knowing to listen, being willing to learn, keeping a smart mind and recognizing whom to trust. There are many dynamics occurring, thus creating a multi-layered story with distinguishable characters, including familiar faces from the previous stories. Because of these books, I want to see where the actual Curry Hotel once stood. I want to visit Denali. Anyone up for a trip to Alaska?

            Book One: In the Shadow of Denali

            Book Two: Out of the Ashes

Rutabaga's Reads 2019: Part 8

For this compilation, I’m pulling from multiple age categories and genres. While I don’t read every single sort of thing – for example, I avoid graphic novels, as I simply don’t care for them – I aim to be a well-rounded reader … most of the time. All these stories are works of fiction.

Analiese Rising (Jan. 8, 2019) by Brenda Drake.

YA mythological fantasy novel.

*This is a standalone novel.*

She sees gorgeous people. Analiese Jordan happens upon the paths of them, and they turn up elsewhere in a group like the most impressive Gorgeous Persons Clique ever. But here’s the catch: She doesn’t only sight them in her hometown of Philadelphia, but in Rome. Yes, Rome, Italy. Creepy! A man bequeaths his satchel to her as he lay dying and instructs her to find his grandson. Marek Comte wants to know what secrets his grandfather (Adam Conte) held, and it seems Adam has been training Marek for years to follow his trail of clues when the time comes. The time is now, and it’s why Marek convinces Analiese to go to Rome with him, Shona Jackson and Shona’s scary boyfriend Cain. Analiese and Marek are going to find out new facts that seem so outrageous at first that they might as well be make-believe … or mythology.

            My first impression of the lead female character was that she’s really annoying. I don’t mind sarcasm (most of us have at least a little bit in us), and I understand that Analiese is dealing with a fairly recent grief on top of her existing anxiety/panic attack issues, but no matter if this is considered a standard way to deal with either or both, it didn’t make for someone I rooted for. Her lack-of-filter outbursts and sarcastic remarks were grating, but I suppose that is not out-of-depth for a teenager. Teenage dramatics aside, this adventure was filled with secrets and puzzle-solving, new friends and new romance. While I thoroughly enjoyed Drake’s Library Jumpers trilogy, I cannot say the same for this standalone novel, though I did appreciate the representation of multiple lands’ mythologies.

Burning Magic (Apr. 10, 2018) by Joshua Khan.

Middle-grade fantasy novel.

*This is the final book in a trilogy.*

Away from Herne’s Forest and away from Castle Gloom, Thorn (a squire) and his best friend Lilith Shadow (a queen), are in the Sultanate of Fire where resides their other best friend K’leef. K’leef is the fourth son of the  recently deceased sultan. The mourning period has just ended and now the people revel in honor of the crowning of the next sultan. Sadly, the excitement of a new sultan is short-lived when he dies. It isn’t that his magic failed to protect him from the lava crown; he was murdered. But his death means the Sultanate still needs a sultan. It could go seamlessly to Jambiya, one of K’leef’s significantly older brothers, who happens to be blind and cruel, but K’leef challenges him. It’s a “trial by stupid,” according to Thorn, though it’s actually a trial by fire. This trial will take Thorn, K’leef and the narcissistic idiot Gabriel Solar across lands in search of a phoenix. Lily escapes those in the Sultanate who seek her power, only to become a prisoner to a traitorous relative of House Shadow who’s aligned himself with Jambiya. At least Thorn’s magnificent bat-steed Hades is along. Fighting monsters and defeating possibly murderous rivals have nothing on Hades, right?

            The third and final in the Shadow Magic trilogy, “Burning Magic” is a middle-grade fantasy novel resplendent with magic and shadow, caring and banter, loss and gain. The world is macabre, but in a delightful way. Zombie servants to unload the ship and carry your luggage?  Why not? While there is pain and death, battles and bereavement, there are light moments to break through the shadows. I originally read the first story because Rick Riordan mentioned it, and I never hesitated to pre-order the successive volumes. If you enjoy Riordan’s stories and also enjoy magic, fantasy and new lands, give this trilogy a try. While this story ends a trilogy, the story’s ending gives hope to what I’m hoping will be a new series.

            Book One: Shadow Magic

            Book Two: Dream Magic

Called to Protect (July 31, 2018) by Lynette Eason.

Inspiration fiction, romantic suspense novel.

*This is the second book in a series.*

For most of the St. John siblings, law enforcement runs in their blood. This includes Chloe, who’s a K-9 officer with her Dutch Shepherd¹, Hank. They’re a great team; he’s a terrific partner, albeit a furry one. Hank responds to commands in Dutch only and is super sharp and well-trained, but has a playful side as well. They get called in to find drugs, but they’re not sure which vehicle, as there has been a multi-vehicle crash. Hank doesn’t just find drugs, but young women who have clearly been abducted. With human trafficking suspected, Chloe and her siblings wonder if there is any connection to their cousin, Penny St. John, who’s been missing for six months.

            One of the young women in the truck is “Beth.” She’s the daughter of Deputy US Marshal Blake MacCallum, and her name is actually Rachel. She was taken because her captors want Blake to kill the judge he shares detail in protecting after threats were made against him and his passionate stance on doubling down on human traffickers. With 20 or more cases where human trafficking was involved, and a time limit, how can they narrow down who the abductors are? And what’s their connection to the judge?

            Rachel has been rescued, but she has to find a way back. Not for herself or the judge, but for her best friend Lindsay. She doesn’t want to abandon her. Her dad says he will find her, and there is concern in his voice, but she knows he does not love her. After all, why would he?

            This inspirational fiction story is the second in Eason’s Blue Justice series. It is fast-paced, and the action does not halt until the last page acts as any stop sticks would. While all of the characters maintain their faith, I was most impressed with Rachel’s. Eason wrote her as such that she isn’t immune to wondering, “Why is this happening to me?” but embraces the doubt in an extreme situation, which I feel gave the character an increase in dimension and relatability. This story hits so many right targets with me, from dynamic characters to quick-footed action to plot-filled suspense and a budding romance that isn’t annoying, with plenty of faith, courage and heart.

            Book 1: Oath of Honor

¹The synopsis on the back cover states Hank’s a German Shepherd, but it says Dutch Shepherd in the book, so I went with the latter.

The Mermaid (Aug. 22, 2017) by Jan Brett.

Children’s picture book.

*This is a standalone book.*

A young mermaid named Kiniro is hungry and tired after hours of swimming with her puffer fish friend, Puffy. Curiosity gets the best of her when she swims upon a beautiful home comprised of seashells and coral. She tries an octopus family’s marine food, elaborate chairs and aquatic beds, each time favoring Baby’s items. Otōsan, Okāsan (Japanese for father and mother, respectively) and Baby are in for a surprise when they return to their saltwater dwelling, Baby sporting the floppy new hat she’s not happy about. “The hat was not happy either” (it is a live ray tied about Baby’s head with seaweed).

            In this dazzling and gorgeous rendering of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” readers swap land for sea, a young girl for a young mermaid and three bears for a trio of octopuses. “The Mermaid” features Brett’s trademark illustrations of beauty, activity and color. Her gloriously-detailed illustrations look as though they should leap from the page as we’re reading them, unbound by the confines of paper. The signature sidebar vignettes are there, primarily in the doings of the octopus family and then when the family returns and Kiniro is sleeping offstage, but they also include tropical fish. I will say that I also appreciated Brett’s twist in her main character: creating a character with East Asian features inspired by a trip to Okinawa, Japan, as opposed to the familiar girl with the golden tresses. A must-have for many (not just Jan Brett fans)!

Mind Game (Oct. 24, 2017) by Iris Johansen.

Adult suspense/thriller novel.

*This is part of a longstanding series*

Someone is reaching out to her, and it isn’t Cira. Jane MacGuire has already been spending time at Loch Gaelkar with Lord John MacDuff and Jock Gavin, where MacDuff continues his fanatical search for floodlights that will penetrate the unceasing mist. Is he finally close to finding Cira’s purported treasure? The woman trying to reach her is Lisa. Lisa Ridondo, and she is familiar to her, though she doesn’t know her. But Lisa is able to link with her, and it is obvious that the woman is in trouble. Lisa makes it clear that she does not want Jane to involve Seth Caleb, but as a force to be reckoned with, he often ignores what others want or manipulates them to get his way. After all, he has the blood gift and Persuasion happens to be a part of that gift. They will all need to work together and trust others as need be to track down the masterminds behind Lisa’s abduction.

            Although marketed as “An Eve Duncan Novel,” Eve is not the central character. Jane, Seth and even Lisa are. However, Eve has surprising news of her own …

            I wrote in a post last year that I thought maybe 2019 would be the year where I finally stopped pre-ordering Iris Johansen’s novels (I order them in mass market paperback form). *sigh* So far, this is not the case. As I’ve said before, these books are not bad; they’re simply very predictable. And I appreciate strong, independent female characters, but Johansen’s characters can often be strong-willed to the point of annoyance. Even so, as a fairly loyal reader, I continue to purchase her books. The story is action-packed, and the bad guys remain the cream-of-the-crop of baddies, as they consistently do in her novels. Predictably straightforward work from the author, but that’s fine, as the thriller element we all expect to be there is there.