Synopsis:
As former military hero Duke Kieri Phelan ascends the throne in half-elven Lyonya, the neighboring realm of Tsaia faces a threat from the long-forgotten blood magery of the Verrakai family.

Review:
Oath of Fealty follows directly after the events that concluded Elizabeth Moon’s Deed of Paksennarion trilogy, and as such is a bit tricky to synopsize, particularly in only one sentence. And it’s clearly the first book of a series, so it’s mostly set up.

That’s not to say that the book lacks action–hardly! The bulk of the plot concerns the newly discovered plan of the evil Verrakai family of nobility, who alone of the ruling class continue to practice magery. They keep their powers through blood sacrifice to the evil god Liart, such as the rituals practiced upon the paladin Paksenarrion in Oath of Gold. Dorrin Verrakai, who ran away from her family at a young age and pledged herself as a Knight of Falk, a holy saint, has now been elevated to Duke and charged to scour the land of her toxic and murderous kin. She discovers that their blood magery runs so deep that hidden Verrakai now wander freely throughout Tsaia, and that she alone has the power to resist them.

Meanwhile, two new kings have emerged in Tsaia and Lyonya. Plot-wise, the book mainly concerns itself with the politics of ascension, as Moon lays the groundwork for much intrigue to come. And then, in a subplot, we follow Arcolin, who has taken over now-King Kieri Phelan’s cohort, in a nice little military tale within the larger story.

Moon has a knowledge of military strategy that is par excellence, but she’s also a masterful storyteller who doesn’t let herself get bogged down in minutiae. Her prose moves things along and she’s got a good ear for dialogue. And she stages one helluva fight scene! Much here to recommend and endorse, and I hope the next one comes out sooner rather than later!

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Synopsis:
In Austin for the day for a job interview, a middle-aged man finds himself reflecting on loves present and past as the spectre of terrorism stalks his every turn.

Review:
I got kind of addicted to the prose stylings of Next, with author James Hynes weaving past and present and possible future effortlessly together to create a tapestry of need, hurt, longing, and passion. The “day in the life” gimmick really worked here–at least until the “where did that come from?” ending–because Kevin’s angsty struggle feels cosmic not whiny. Author James Hynes creates a great sense of atmosphere, both physical and emotional, and brings even the minor characters deftly to life. Unlike many contemporary writers of experimental prose, Hynes genuinely has something novel to say.

Many thanks to Hachette Book Group for the review copy.

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Sheila, Sandy Jay, and Julie, use the contact form below to send me your mailing addresses because you have all won copies of Wherever Nina Lies!

Be sure to indicate the name of the book you’ve won in your comment.

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Synopsis:
Forced to marry after an indiscretion at a ball, Charlotte and Shad resign themselves to a marriage of convenience that may not be as unlively as they had assumed.

Review:
Improper Relations has a cute premise, and I enjoyed the little hints of decadence that author Janet Mullany threw into her Regency setting. She does a good job creating the tension between Charlotte and Shad, and throws in just enough originality in her plotting to mask the requisite predictable complications arising from assumptions and misunderstandings. It’s a nice, fun read that even surprised me a little.

Many thanks to Little Black Dress for the review copy.

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Synopsis:
Having recently come out of her shell, Mia now enters her sophomore year with two goals: getting her driver’s license and getting over her cheating ex-boyfriend Tim.

Review:
While there were some things I admired about Mia the Magnificent, I was disappointed by other aspects of the third book in the Mia Fullerton series by Eileen Boggess.

I really liked the characters, especially Mia. The girls were all bright and outspoken without being overly sassy, and the boys were a nice mix of doltish, caddish, and space cadet-ish. Mia’s family life was goofy and warm, but not sappy, and felt authentic.

But for me, some of the humorous scenes were a bit over-the-top. I have blogged before that I’m not a fan of the chick lit cliché of the klutzy heroine who’s always getting into embarrassing situations, especially in front of the guy. I get that it makes her vulnerable/accessible, but I just wish authors could find another way to do that. However, I may be in the minority on this because it’s still such a common trope.

And this is the second young adult/middle grade book I’ve read where a teacher forces a reluctant girl to kiss a boy during play rehearsal. I guess I don’t understand how this is okay? Eileen Boggess is a middle school teacher herself so maybe I’m just too prudish. ‘Tis possible.

Many thanks to Bancroft Press for the review copy.

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Synopsis:
Morgan and Jimmy were best friends, perhaps on the verge of something more, when tragedy strikes.

Review:
Back when I was in high school, Say Goodnight, Gracie was one of my favorite books, and I was curious to see if it held up so many years later. I can remember being drawn powerfully to their friendship and aching over Morgan’s grief. I wanted a best friend like Jimmy, though it wasn’t until reading it now that I realized that author Julie Reece Deaver had planted some seeds showing that they might also be finally falling in love. That was a nice touch that made Morgan’s anguish all the more poignant.

The book feels a bit quaint, now, with some archaic touches like a doctor who smokes in her office, and references not to pop culture but to George Burns and Fred Astaire. Morgan and Jimmy don’t feel like 21st century kids, but I found that refreshing. The story has emotional honesty and resonance and it remains a beautiful read.

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The winners of my Dragon Keeper Giveaway are Sheila and Amanda! Use the contact form below to send me your mailing address and your copies will be on their way!

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Synopsis:
As Alvin Maker heads out for his apprenticeship, the French conspire to rouse the Reds against the Whites for a war that will win all of an alternate America for Napoleon.

Review:
I am a big fan of how Orson Scott Card has created an American history that encompasses just enough of our reality to feel authentic, but then skewed to include magic and mysticism. In Red Prophet, Card turns Tecumseh into Ta-Kumsaw, and gives him a brother named Lolla-Wossiky whose transformation will affect young Alvin Maker’s life and destiny.

If my computer weren’t jumping my cursor around inexplicably, I’d write more, but I don’t have the patience. Further explication will be forthcoming when I read book three.

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Synopsis:
An unwed mother tries working in an impoverished boarding school and finds herself yearning for the nurse she fell in love with back when both were working in a military hospital in England during WWII.

Review:
My Father’s Moon is the first of three books in The Vera Wright Trilogy, an autobiographical series that has long been out-of-print. Highly praised in its time, Elizabeth Jolley’s work wasn’t widely known outside of her native Australia until now.

Based on My Father’s Moon, I daresay Ms. Jolley’s reputation at home deserves to be expanded abroad. Her writing combines an elliptically modernist structure with classically rigorous character work, and I suppose she bears comparison to Virginia Woolf in that regard.

Vera is an oddly slippery character, in that it’s hard to understand her motivations and choices. I’m not saying this as a criticism; rather, it’s a result of the way that Jolley has chosen to tell the story, using flashbacks that are sometimes indistinguishable from the main action. She links the different times together using Vera’s invocation of the name Ramsden, the last name of the woman she loved. It’s a powerful technique, evoking longing and regret in equal measure.

I was quite impressed by Jolley and glad for the opportunity to be exposed to her work.

Many thanks to Persea for the review copy.

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Synopsis:
In the near future, a high-functioning autistic man is presented with the opportunity to be “fixed,” causing him to wonder if he was ever really broken.

Review:
I first read Speed of Dark a few years ago, on the recommendation of a friend. I really enjoyed revisiting it, especially now that I’m a mom and have friends who have kids on the autism spectrum.

I really loved how Elizabeth Moon made Leo a real, relatable character, to the point where I really wanted him to stay just as he was. I grew to love him, including his autism, because she made him a person to me. She skillfully integrated the futuristic elements with a really compelling emotional journey. Definitely recommended!

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