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Tuesday 19 October 2021

SWEEP OF THE BLADE


The Book

Sweep Of The Blade by Ilona Andrews
Book 4 of the Innkeeper Chronicles series
Read by Natalie Naudus
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobookAudiobook


About Sweep Of The Blade:
Maud Demille was a daughter of Innkeepers. She knew that a simple life wasn't in the cards, but she never anticipated what Fate would throw at her.

Once a wife to a powerful vampire knight, Maud and her daughter, Helen, had been exiled for the sins of her husband to the desolate planet of Karhari. Karhari killed her husband, and Maud had spent a year and a half avenging his debts. But now all the debts are paid. Rescued by her sister Dina, Maud had swore off all things vampire. Except she met Arland, the Marshal of House Krahr. One thing led to another and he asked for her hand in marriage. She declined.

Try as she might, she can't just walk away from Arland. It doesn't help that being human is a lot harder for Maud than being a vampire.

To sort it all out, she accepts his invitation to visit his home planet. House Krahr is a powerful vampire House, and Maud knows that a woman who turned down the proposal from its most beloved son wouldn't get a warm reception. But Maud Demille never shied from a fight and House Krahr may soon discover that there is more to this human woman than they ever thought possible.

Published as an online free serial before the book is compiled and self-published shortly after completion.
Source: Info in the "About Sweep Of The Blade" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37712577-sweep-of-the-blade on 09/08/2020.

Buy Link(s):
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Books In The Innkeeper Chronicles:


Review

Vala tree
My Thoughts:
Another wonderful instalment to the Innkeeper Chronicles! This time around, the reader is taken to the homeworld of House Krahr, Daesyn! It's about Maud, Arland, and Helen, this time around.

Looking at the cover, the sword is too big to be practical. Very reminiscent of the "too-big" sword wielded by Olasard in the animated movie "Saga of Olasard" watched by Helen. As Maud describes it, "Went a bit overboard with his sword". And Arland responded, "More dramatic this way". So big swords... it's more about entertainment than practicality.

As usual, as per trademark of this series and of this author, the story telling quality is very compelling! The world building is wonderful! The plot is solid. There is absolutely nothing not to like about this book!


Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 5
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 5
World building = 5
Cover art = 5
Pace = 5
Plot = 5
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 cherries



FTC Disclosure:
Copies of the book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.

Tuesday 5 October 2021

Review: TANGLE OF NEED

Tangle Of Need by Nalini Singh
Book 11 of the Psy-Changeling series
Narrated by Angela Dawe.
Genre: adult urban fantasy
Format: hardback & audiobook

About Tangle Of Need:
Adria, wolf changeling and resilient soldier, has made a break with the past — one as unpredictable in love as it was in war. Now comes a new territory, and a devastating new complication: Riaz, a SnowDancer lieutenant already sworn to a desperate woman who belongs to another.

For Riaz, the primal attraction he feels for Adria is a staggering betrayal. For Adria, his dangerous lone-wolf appeal is beyond sexual. It consumes her. It terrifies her. It threatens to undermine everything she has built of her new life. But fighting their wild compulsion toward one another proves a losing battle.

Their coming together is an inferno…and a melding of two wounded souls who promise each other no commitment, no ties, no bonds. Only pleasure. Too late, they realize that they have more to lose than they ever imagined. Drawn into a cataclysmic Psy war that may alter the fate of the world itself, they must make a decision that might just break them both.
Source: Info in the About Tangle Of Need was taken from http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12059093-tangle-of-need on 15/08/2013.

My Thoughts:
This is the book which brought my "following" of this series to a halt. It took me several years to finish reading this book even with the convenience of the audiobook. I guess it gotta happen sometime, to any great series or good author. Hopefully, Nalini Singh would have gotten her grove back by the next book...

This is the first Angela Dawe book that I've listened to. She reads with a cadence that is almost like a singsong that I am not fond of at all. However after a while, as I get sucked into the story, the singsong fades into the background. However one has to listen carefully because she does not pause between scenes. She reads on. So if you were not paying full attention, you get confused about the story line changing without notice. So not good in an audiobook bought for the convenience of an audiobook... I often listen to audiobook while driving to work and home. So i don’t really pay 100% attention to the audiobook as I am paying more attention to the road. In other words, not the kind of audiobook I can play while driving. Brings the rating of this book down to the boots!

Empirical Evaluation:
Story Telling Quality = 4
World Building = 3
Character Development = 3.5
Writing Style = 4.5
Plot = 3.5
Pace = 1
Story Itself = 1.5
Ending = 4
Narration = 1

Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5 cherries


Books In The Psy-Changeling Series:


 
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