The Iron Traitor Review

 

Page count: 304 pages

Expected publication: October 29th 2013 by Harlequin Teen

Original title: The Iron Traitor

Edition language: English

Iron Fey series website:https://www.theironfey.com/

Series:The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2, The Iron Fey #6

Characters: Razor, Ethan Chase, Kierran, Kenzie

ISBN: 9780373210916

Price: USD 9.99

*Spoiler Alert* If you haven’t read any of the Iron Fey books, please do not proceed. This review will be a spoiler fest.

The Iron Traitor is the 6th book from the Iron Fey series. I have been following the the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa for quite some time now, and the latest Iron Fey book, the Iron Traitor, is by far the most frustrating one among all other Iron Fey books! It’s a good that that instead of buying the books, I read iron fey series online free. Well, sort of. I’m a Netgalley member, and an advance reader, and therefore, I’m entitled to review books before it’s published.

So the story starts where the The Lost Prince left us off. Ethan and Kenzie is back in the real world, but trouble ensues and they are forced to go back to Nevernever in quest to stop the Forgotten from destroying faes from all court with their glamour sucking abilities.

The story is pretty much infuriating, really. Well, at least to me it feels infuriating, especially when I can’t really feel the chemistry between the characters the way I felt for the original characters, Meghan, Ash, Puck and Grimalkin. Unlike reading the original iron fey series where I could actually feel that I’m thrown into Nevernever and experienced the adventures and romance first hand, the Iron Traitor did not give me the same feeling. It feels like I’m standing outside of an aquarium and just looking at the fish swimming…yups, it feels like I’m reading something from a third person point of view, and it’s not really fun. Reading the new Iron Fey series is like reading a fanfiction, and to be able to really enjoy the new iron fey series, I really have to forget about the original ones….something I cannot do….not when I could actually feel the intense chemistry between the characters. So far Iron Traitor felt like a fanfiction, through the storyline and plot is quite amazing.

To be honest, I struggled to read the first few chapters of the Iron Traitor. It not only lacks chemistry, but draggy as well in the beginning. The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa only gets interesting after awhile, where readers are thrown into the whirlwind of adventure once again.

But I’ll give credits where it’s due. There’s major character’s development where Ethan and Keirran is concerned. If you hate Ethan Chase in the previous book, then you’ll probably find that he is much more likable in the new iron fey series. In this book, you’ll see that Ethan has matured greatly. From an obnoxious brat, he became somewhat a man who will do whatever he can to protects his family and his loved ones, though not to an extend where he would do something foolish in order to accomplish his goal, unlike Keirran, the prince of the Iron Court  (Keirran is the son of Ash and Meghan Chase. He was first featured in an alternate universe, where his personality is different and altered. In Iron’s Prophecy he is seen by his mother, Meghan Chase in the Dreaming Pool. He is immortal and ageless)

Ethan knows the limit of his sacrifices, and despite the fact that his girlfriend is dying from cancer, he refused to make a bargain with the faeries to keep her alive any second longer should the time come. Now, that is something I applaud; his bravery to let go instead of hanging on to something inevitable. Apart from that, Ethan finally understood and forgave Meghan’s action and kept a distance from him once he saw what the Oracle showed him; the prophecy that starts it it: his death at Keirran’s hand. Another brownie point for Ethan Chase.

Keirran, on the other hand, did the most terrible thing just so that he could keep his love, Annwyl, a former handmaiden to Queen Titania who was banished and exiled from the Summer Court alive when her existence is threatened by the forgotten. Yes, Keirran is willing to do anything for that summer sidhe, and  that includes killing Ethan without giving it a second thought. He’s willing to destroy everything and starts a war just for her, something that irritates me greatly because I know so little about his love story with the summer fae, Annwyl.

I felt that what he did was not justified at all. All we know about Keirran and Annwyn is just a tidbit here and there. I couldn’t relate. I couldn’t feel the passion, and couldn’t empathize with their relationship because all it was revealed in the Iron Traitor is just snippets of their initial meeting. And to make it worst, it was revealed at the end of the story that Annwyl was commanded by Queen Titania of the Summer Court to get the attention of the said Iron Prince and seduce him before betraying him. (Though we come to understand later that Annwyl really did fell in love with Keirran for real afterwards). To me, it is not worth to destroy everything for just one girl, who in my opinions, lacks backbone and character.

The Iron traitor ends with a terrible cliffhanger, where Keirran stabs Ethan with his sword, and the last page ends there: Ethan Chase all shocked, bloodied, and dying; just because Keirran thought that it is all right to kill his own uncle so that Annwyl can be saved. So great! First Kierran made a bargain with the Queen of The Summer court, Titania so that she would consider lifting Annwyl’s exile and allow her to go back to the Summer court only to kill off a mystical creature deep in Tir Na Nog and starts a war with the Winter Court, then he go and stabs his own uncle, Ethan just because The Queen of The Forgotten told him that’s the only way to give Annwyl a chance to live and make the human believe in faeries again. Can it get any stupider? Well, I don’t doubt it can, but of course, I will have to wait til 2014 to read what happened to all of them.

So, did I enjoy the book? Well, yes. Kinda. In a way I enjoyed it…the adventure part, but not the rest of the book. Like I said earlier, I couldn’t feel the chemistry, passion and romance between the characters, and therefore I find it difficult to relate, unlike the original iron fey series where I felt that I am one of the characters. Reading the new iron fey series is like reading fanfiction, and from author;s point of view, I feel that the entire spinoff is just portraying the author’s writing skill instead of a real storytelling. 🙁 The saving grace for this book is still the minor appearance of Meghan, Ash, Puck and Grimalkin.

Overall, it is an okay read…if you’re into teen angst, that is. I rate this book a 3 out of 5 stars for the story and plot development. I received an ARC of the Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa from Netgalley, and I was not compensated in any ways for writing this review.

The Iron Traitor: Call of The Forgotten Book Trailer

Book description

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as “normal” as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he’s forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, “normal” simply isn’t to be. For Ethan’s nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan’s and Keirran’s fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan’s next choice may decide the fate of them all.

Intrigued but new to the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa? The world of iron fey can be quite confusing, so here’s the iron fey series in reading order:

( Iron Fey series .epub and Iron Fey series .pdf)

  1. The Iron King (Harlequin Teen) #1
  2. The First Kiss (free short story #1.25 – Ash’s POV)
  3. Winter’s Passage (The Iron Fey) (#1.5 - the novella that takes place between The Iron King and The Iron Daughter)
  4. The Iron Daughter (Harlequin Teen) #2
  5. The Iron Queen (Harlequin Teen) #3
  6. Summer’s Crossing (The Iron Fey) (#3.5 – a novella that takes place between The Iron Queen and The Iron Knight)
  7. Ash’s Letter to Meghan (#3.6 – free on author’s website)
  8. The Iron Knight (Harlequin Teen) #4
  9. An Iron Fey Valentine (#4.4 – free short story from author’s website)
  10. Iron’s Prophecy (The Iron Fey) (#4.5 – a novella)
  11. The Lost Prince (Iron Fey #5)
  12. The Iron Traitor

The Iron Legends: Winter’s Passage/Summer’s Crossing/Iron’s Prophecy

Where you can get the iron fey series: :https://www.theironfey.com/ or check out the Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

The author of the iron fey series, Julie Kagawa has also compiled a song list along with extras for each of the books, so you can check em out here too in the Iron Fey Exclusives.

 

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Are Angels Aliens or Vice Versa?

Guest post by Dina Rae, author of Halo of Nephilim

We’ve all heard about UFO sightings, alien abductions, burnt crop fields, and cattle mutilations. Roswell, New Mexico and Area 54 are the meccas of American X-files. Bright discs are seen everywhere around the world. What does the Bible have to say about extra-terrestrials? Were things so different three thousand years ago? Or are we just using a different vernacular?

Anyone who has ever picked up the Bible knows the story of Noah and the ark. God chose him and his family because they were ‘pure’ (Genesis). The question is pure heart or pure bloodline? Angels mated with women back in those days, producing a half breed called nephilim. These beings were described as giants with superhuman powers. Could the nephilim be an old version of modern day aliens of a mixed race?

Angels and aliens are always described as glowing with light. Ezekiel, an Old Testament prophet, vividly describes a spaceship in his book. Enoch’s writings about angels were controversial enough to be edited out of the Bible. More of his writings were found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. He regularly communicated with angels and ascended up to Heaven to speak with God on behalf of their shortcomings. Possible abduction?

 Book description:

Book review:

Halo of Nephilim is a very engaging biblical fiction, if I may call it that. Filled with fantasy and vivid imagination, the author will whisk you away into a world that you can never imagine. It’s been awhile since I’ve read such a riveting story and I couldn’t help but feel drawn to the characters in the story. Very well written and it’s definitely a keeper. Very fast-paced and will keep you flipping the pages. I find the book very difficult to put down and read it twice in one sitting.

Highly recommended for those who loves a good fantasy read or for those who are looking for a short escapism. I easily rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Book description:

Can a fallen angel, his band of broken souls, and his nephilim children change the world? Armaros the Cursed, Satan’s favorite of the Fallen, falls once again after breaking the rules. Fearing an eternity of punishment, he desperately attempts to save himself by sending a bird to his island. The SOS message is received by his beloved congregation. They prepare the great Armaros’ kingdom for his return. Can his loyal worshipers rescue him from the pit?

Halo of the Nephilim is the sequel to Halo of the Damned. The story begins with Armaros’ arrest. Reporters are duped into believing he was gunned down while awaiting trial. Declared dead, his only known surviving daughter, Joanna Easterhouse, proves her relation and inherits everything. She catapults her career from an entry-level advertising assistant to the head of Armaros’ advertising empire. Life couldn’t be better: a windfall inheritance, real power within a major industry, a loving relationship with a former demon, and a baby on the way. She should be on top of the world, but knows everything good must come to an end.

Joanna’s sister, Kim Easterhouse, becomes Kim Slattery after marrying Sean, her dead mother’s probate lawyer. Joanna generously includes them as key players in her advertising chain. They, too, have much to smile about, but a string of events leads them back to old family secrets. Wickedness looms over the Easterhouse family once more, forcing them into an unlikely showdown filled with page-turning excitement. Like Halo of the Damned, Halo of the Nephilim is filled with conspiracy and angel lore taken directly from scripture and other ancient writings. Nephilim meander the earth in confusion, constantly questioning who they are and where they stand in terms of good and evil. More mind control themes top off this tale of doom.

Author Bio:
Dina Rae is a new author that is here to stay. As a former teacher, she brings an academic element to her work. Her research on the Yezidi religion and love of art inspired her story telling for Halo of the Damned.
Her second novel, The Last Degree, is a fictionalized account of the Freemason’s role in the New World Order. Dina’s grandfather was the Most Worshipful of his lodge. The subject has always held a personal interest.
Her latest novel, Bad Juju, is about an old Haitian bokor who mentors two teens in the dark arts. A unique blend of horror, romance, and literary fiction meant for adults and mature teens. Dina lives with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs outside of Chicago. She is an avid reader, tennis player, movie buff, and self-proclaimed expert on conspiracy theories. She has appeared in several literary blogs, newspapers, e-zines, and radio shows as a guest

 

Halo of the Damned explores the idea of angels breeding with humans. Stop by Dina Rae’s website and enter to win $200 worth of her novel-themed prizes at: https://dinaraeswritestuff.blogspot.com/p/rafflecopter-for-halo-of-nephilim.html

@haloofthedamned

Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/dinaraebooks/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DinaRaeBooks

 

 

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TEN

I was really excited when I saw this book in my mailbox the other day.  It’s been awhile since I received a paperback for reviewing purpose ever since I moved in to the new (but inconvenient) place. This book was sent to me by the author Shamini Flint herself. I’m not sure if any of you remembered her or not, but I’ve blogged about her last year. She’s well noted for her ‘Inspector Singh’ series, and to say that I have high expectation on her books is an understatement.

This book is not a part of her famous Inspector Singh series, but a standalone Children/YA fiction. Yup. You got it right. A children book. It’s been awhile since I devoured a children book for escapism purpose, and I was expecting something really light, something that could take my mind off from things, but to my surprise, this book does not have the same effect on me.

This book is more like a coming of age book where the story is about a girl who loves playing football but lives in a conservative society where playing football is frowned upon, and she practically had to fight in order not to succumb to society’s expectation on her.

Quite a serious story, and so, I followed the girl’s journey with immense interest and I have to say that I could relate with her, even though I’m a child no more. I suppose, like the protagonist, I too have dreams that I feel hard to achieve because of the ‘roadblocks’ in the form of family, relatives and friends.

There’s plenty of things you can learn from this book, and that include perseverance and not sticking to the status quo. I definitely recommend this book to both parents and children alike, and could easily rate this book a 4 star out of 5 star. Recommended reading for children of 8 years and above.

I received a review copy of this book from Shamini Flint herself. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this review.

 

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Misteri Mayat Terapung di Resort Melati

I used to read a lot of Malay novels. LOADS of them. When I was still a teenager, that is. I borrowed them from the library. Unfortunately, as an adult, I don’t exactly read Malay novels anymore, and I realize that’s quite a shame, because local authors are not exactly bad. They are just undermined, and people don’t exactly look up on their work because the of the language that they used to deliver their stories and ideas is not exactly something that can go global.

Anyway, I made a point to hunt down at least one Malay novel during my recent trip to Big Bad Wolf Sale preview. I want to brush up Bahasa Malaysia a little bit. It’s been quite a while since I enjoyed reading books by local authors.

I dug  this book from the Malay books section. ‘Misteri Mayat Terapung di Resort Melati’ written by Kusyi Hirdan. Now, the cover is a tad unappealing, but I bought it nevertheless. I thought it would be interesting for me to read mystery in Malay language again. And I was right. The book is interesting.

Unlike most story in mystery genre, this novel started off a tad differently. The prologue kicks off with a broken marriage where a rich husband somewhat fell out of love with his wife, and fell for his sexy secretary. Like most Malay Muslim men in his predicament, he opted for polygamy, in which, hurt his wife deeply. Heartbroken, the wife insisted on divorce instead. The parents of the man disapproved, of course. In their opinion the new woman in their son’s life is just a gold digger and merely wants his money and inheritance. He insisted on marrying the other woman, and as the consequence, the parents transferred all of their money and inheritance to their daughter in law.

The real story began twenty years later, where a young woman who is not related whatsoever with the prologue came into the picture. She just broke off with her scumbag, gigolo of a fiancé. (Yea, he was really a gigolo. He cheated on her for money with his boss, who is way older than himself). Wanting to start afresh, she quit her job, and decided to work in the secluded Resort Melati as a PR Manager instead.

That is where the real story begins to unfold. She met a lot of people who have loads of dark stories to tell, and of course, stumbled upon a dead body that’s floating in the lake during the first week of her stay in Resort Melati, which is not the first dead body found in the said resort. Things gets really interesting from there on, and she found herself getting more and more involved with the people around her, who is probably a potential murderer.

What I really like about this book that it brought out plenty of issues up. Mainly; infidelities- the cause and effect of it on people who are involved. The story flow of this book is not bad. I finished this book in just a few hours, and I was really hooked and could really sympathize with certain characters in the story.There is some part of the story is a reflection of reality. Falling out of love, falling in love with another person, the heartbreaks that plagued those who were hurt in the process, etc etc.

The author relates one character with another pretty well, I must say and while the whodunnit part is pretty obvious, the story still keeps you guessing what will happen next.

A recommended read if you like mysteries. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

 

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Chain Letter 1 and 2

This is another one of those books that I tossed into the shopping box during my latest book hunt at the Big Bad Wolf Sale.  I used to read Christopher Pike’s books as a teenager, and I thought perhaps I should revisit my yesteryears a little bit by buying this book.

Chain Letter (Book 1) by Christopher Pike does not disappoint. Everything I like about mystery is there. I mean, I love how the story started; where a bunch of teenagers did something that will haunt them for the rest of their lives later on. I like how they buried a dead man in the dessert and decides to zipped up, and then, BOOM, somebody knows their dirty deeds and sends them a chain letter, instructing them do to things that will either humiliate themselves or they will be hurt by the sender.

Chain Letter (Book 1) is pretty impressive. I couldn’t guess who was the sender of the chain letter until the very end. the storyline unfolds perfectly, but I can’t exactly say the same with Chain Letter (Book2). ‘Chained Letter’ should have been left a standalone book. First book was all mystery and rational logic but second book ventured into serious paranormal and horror plus plenty of sexual reference? That did not exactly sit well with me. It should have been ok if it was paranormal in the beginning. I find it difficult to stomach, and I did not exactly like the ending of book 2. There’s too many questions left unanswered.

Overall, this is not really a bad book, but I really would have preferred if Chain Letter ended at book 1. I rate 4 stars for the first book, and a 2 star for the second.

 

 

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An Unexpected Angel

Retail: $8.99

120 pages

Genre: gift/holiday, inspirational

Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.

Release Date: October 9, 2012

 

It’s winter, and if you’re looking for a good book to curl up with during those dark and gloomy nights, then ‘An Unexpected Angel’ by Janet K. Halling is just the perfect thing you need. The book is not only inspirational, but heartwarming as well. I could easily relate to the character, Ella, and I found that the story is easy to absorb. This book is literally a book that feeds your soul. You just feel good after reading it.

To tell you the truth, I was low on spirit and feels pretty much lonely when I started reading this book, but this book made me think, and it made me feel that during the times of desperate need, you’re never actually alone. You may not realize it, but all you need is just take a breather and look around you whenever your world crumbles beneath your feet. You’re never actually alone. It’s just that sometimes, you overlook it because you’re too overwhelmed with negativities.

‘An Unexpected Angel’ is hard to put down, and definitely a keeper. If you’re looking for some chocolates for your soul, then this book is just the thing for you. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend this book to all those who would love to spend their time reading a very good book.

I received this book from the author herself as a part of her Blog Tour, and I was not compensated in any ways for writing the review for this book.

Book description:

Ella Davies, is focused, independent, and driven. Her hard work is finally paying off and she is on the brink of great success. But what no one knows is that her frantic drive is born not from a desire to succeed, but from a need to forget – forget her past, forget her guilt, and mostly, forget the tragedy that changed her life forever.

Ella’s strategy seems to be working but on Christmas Eve she meets Cohen, a strange man with an even stranger purpose. Cohen catapults Ella back through time and forces her to confront not only her own pain, but the pain of those long since passed. In the process, Ella learns about courage and compassion and that in the darkest hour, no one is ever alone.

About the author:

Janet K Halling discovered her love of writing at the age of six when her story of a lonely duck won a first grade writing contest. She has a degree in Marketing Communications and lives with her family in northern Utah. She is currently working on her next novel.

Wanna know more about her? She’s on Facebook. Check it out here:  Facebook.com/Janetkhalling

You may also watch the book trailer on YouTube. The book is available for purchase HERE.

 

 

 

 

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Belle de Jour: The Further Adventures of A London Call Girl

I got this book from the recent book sale that I went to. I bought it because… well, you know, I used to read Belle’s, a.k.a Dr. Brooke Magnati’s blog. She’s a real call girl and writes a really explicit blog. I found her blog really interesting (she jot down on how she works as a professional during the day and a call girl at night in her blog), and so… I bought this.

While I couldn’t really stomach ’50 Shades of Grey’; an erotic novel that in my opinion not quite worth reading, I can proudly say that I manage to skim through this book.

Not a very easy read, hard to concentrate, but I learned quite a few things from this book; not about sex, but more about relationship, and what is really going on in men’s head in general. I gained quite some understanding from this book through the perspective of someone who works in the sex trade.

From this book… I learned that men are visual creature, and more often than not, they are looking for fantasies, and people who can boost up their ego. As Belle said in her book, there are reasons why women are cooks and men are chefs. Men’s ego needs to be constantly stroked; which is not always done by a wife.

There’s another interesting thing that I noted when I was flipping through this book. Despite the fact that Belle is ‘professional caregiver, she does have terribly good insight on relationships; seeing how she have encountered plenty of men throughout her ‘adventures’.

What I couldn’t forget about this book is that Belle does have conscience and to think that a call girl would actually tell you that when your marriage fails and you feel that your spouse (wife, as she meant) doesn’t understands you anymore, you’re better off with condoms and 2 hour romp with a prostitute rather than having affair and ends up being emotionally involved and hurts everyone in the process hits me real hard.

When I saw what she implied in one of the pages, it hits me hard. Hey, I’m all for the to have and to hold, for better or worst and remaining faithful to your spouse throughout your marriage, but she’s really right. It’s better to find a prostitute for a sexual release rather than gets emotionally involved with someone else and hurts everyone in the end.

I hate to say this, but there are a lot of things in this book that made sense, and for that alone, despite the fact that I struggled to read the book chronologically and page by page, I give this book a 4 star. It’s kinda enriching and educational to say the least.

 

 

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The Rules of Magic: On the Balance of Chaos and Order

Guest Post by: Charlotte Henley Bab

 

In writing about a fairy godmother, I’ve done a lot of thinking about the rules of magic. How magic works, what it can and can’t do, and what it costs, is a pillar of all fantasy, whether set in an otherwhere or in the midst of an urban slum. In some ways, fantasy exists because of a tension between the “real” world of Newtonian physics and observable phenomena and the “fantasy” world of unseen energies, illusions, glamour, and quantum physics.

A symbolic oversimplification would describe this tension as Order and Chaos.  According to nearly all creation stories around the planet, the Creative Intelligence (under whatever name) started with Chaos and created Order, the clockwork of the Universe.

But if you’ve read a lot of science fiction and fantasy, you’ll note that the effects of Order can be as destructive as the randomness of Chaos. A dynamic balance must be maintained, and often those on the magical side must keep this balance. This view of order has developed with the Industrial Revolution and the concept of people as machine operators. Robots do a better job of controlling equipment when precision is needed, but people do better when judgment and skill is needed. Treating people like machines never works out well. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Think about the last decade and the scandals in big banking and big business.

One trope of my magical system is that the temptations to do magic for oneself, to go into one’s own story as both heroine and magical helper, leads to becoming an evil queen/sorceress. The temptation to control others, to make them into puppets and minions always turns out badly because the one thing that most magic systems agree on is that love trumps magic. While a practitioner might make a love spell or potion, the result is at best an aphrodisiac, a glamour, which always fades to reveal the lie and the betrayal.

Fiona has fought this temptation for most of her life, as she is very powerful. She restrains herself, denying herself the luxury of having things her way, although she has sent some of her former fairy godmothers into a story where their power is limited until the story plays out. And a few she has sent to their death at the claws of Grizelda the Troll.  Fiona oversees the wishes being granted, but she does not try to control all the magic that might be done in Faery, and she has no jurisdiction anywhere else.

The limits Fiona has set for herself have kept her from becoming evil. She is also helped by her partner, Belle, so that she is not without love, and Belle’s very practical nature, despite dealing with the mini-dimension of Twilight Lounge, keeps both Belle and Fiona grounded.

Maven tips the landscape a bit more toward Chaos, making the edges between the two a bit less defined, and opening up the possibility that a few more women will get their wishes granted. In her way, Maven keeps the dynamic balance of Order and Chaos from leaning too far to the side of order, rigidity and death.

Charlotte Henley Babb is the author of Maven Fairy Godmother: Through the Veil, available from  Muse It Up Publishing (https://bit.ly/MavenFGM), Smashwords, Amazon and B&N. Her websites are https://charlottehenleybabb.com and https://mavenfairygodmother.com

Author Bio:

Charlotte Henley Babb is the author of Maven Fairy Godmother: Through the Veil, available from  Muse It Up Publishing (https://bit.ly/MavenFGM), Smashwords, Amazon and B&N. Her websites are https://charlottehenleybabb.com and https://mavenfairygodmother.com

Blurb:
Maven’s new dream job–fairy godmother–presents more problems than she expects when she learns that Faery is on the verge of collapse, and the person who is training her isn’t giving her the facts–and may be out to kill her. Will she be able to make all the fractured fairy tales fit together into a happy ending, or will she be eaten by a troll?

 

Buy Links:

Amazon Kindle:  https://amzn.to/M   B&N Nook:  https://bit,ly/Maven-bn     Smashwords:  https://bit.ly/MavenSW

Where to find Charlotte:   
Goodreads:   https://bit.ly/Ma | Website:http://charlottehenleybabb.com/

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Adam dan Hawa

image

List Price: RM 19.90
ISBN: 983-124-216-5
Page count:  512
Weight: 450 gram
Publication date: 23rd Nov 2005

Publisher: Alaf 21 Karangkraf

As of late, I find that reading Malay novels is pretty much refreshing. It’s really quite a break from my usual fare, and I find myself enjoying it a bit more than the English novels. It’s usually intriguing, full of drama and romantic, but the scenes never goes beyond PG-13, which is quite fascinating for me. Malay novels usually evoke quite a lot of emotion within it’s pages and inspire me to read more and more of it. I got to admit, they are quite addictive in some ways. You just need to keep turning the pages to find out what will happen next.

Anyway, I was in MPH when I stumbled upon this book, Adam dan Hawa by Aisya Sofea. It’s on the top bestseller list and apparently, it has been adapted into a drama of the same name, currently showing in Astro Mustika HD (134) since 27th August 2012 at 10pm every Monday to Thursday.

Now, I don’ t have Astro at home, but I stumbled upon this trailer, and it’s quite interesting, I must say.

I can’t comment much on the drama adaptation of the novel, but I certainly can tell you what I think about the novel version of Adam dan Hawa.

First of all, I must say that the author chose quite a typical theme for her novel, which is the hero and the heroine is forced to get married due to unforeseen circumstances. In this case, the main character, Adam and Hawa was forced to get married because they are framed by Adam’s green-eyed monster ex-girlfriend and got caught in close proximity. Hawa, who happens to have a crush on Adam in the beginning of the story, loathe him after their marriage solemnization as he refused to declare that they did nothing wrong and decides to marry her instead to avoid gossips. She felt utterly violated as in her eyes, Adam is not qualified to be her husband. In her eyes, he is an ultimate playboy and a Casanova.

Interesting thing to note that despite the fact that Hawa hates her husband very much to the point that she ran away from him,  he does not detest her, and keep pining for her. The couple was separated for 8 years, and when they finally found each other again, Adam made a point to win her heart again despite of her hatred towards him. In my opinion, the story is rather romantic in nature, and I like how the author described Adam as a husband. He was in a way, like most husbands in Malay novels, is quite possessive and can be quite  romantic at times.

There’s plenty of rough patches here and there in the story. INSERT: Nasty ex girlfriend who wants him back, Hawa’s insecurities and jealousies, etc, but this book is definitely easy and enjoyable read. Plenty of characters development, and the pace is bearable too. This book radiates warmth, and you can easily feel the warm and fuzzy feeling after reading this book.

I would definitely pick this book up more than once, and quite a page turner if you like drama and romance. Personally, I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars for its emotional roller coaster ride.

Book description:

AIN HAWANI, zaman solonya ternoktah pada usia remaja. Hanya kerana silap perhitungan, timbul prasangka buruk, menyebabkan dia dan Adam Mukhriz terjerat. Rayuannya tidak dipedulikan. Lelaki itu pula diam membisu, seolah-olah benar apa yang berlaku. Akhirnya, ijab kabul antara mereka terlafaz dalam paksa dan tanpa rela.
Sayangnya, hubungan suami isteri ini hanya tertulis di atas kertas sahaja. Ain yang kecewa, pergi jauh mencari harga diri. Adam yang ditinggalkan, menghitung hari-hari nan sepi. Setiap saat rindunya terus melimpah. Namun Ain tidak pernah berpaling melihat cinta yang mekar di hatinya. Ah… Adam pasrah! Semua itu salahnya kerana tidak berani memaknakan kata-kata. Setelah lapan tahun pergi dan menanti, Ain dan Adam dipertemukan di depan pintu Majidilharam. Bagi Adam, kebetulan ini memang didoakan sekian lama. Ain pula terus membenci dan menganggap ikatan mereka sudah terputus. Hanya lafaz Adam yang ditunggu. Tapi tegarkah Ain? Sejak pertemuan itu, hati Ain berbolak-balik. Nafasnya bagai berombak, perasaannya jadi gementar dan hidupnya sudah tidak keruan hanya kerana Adam. Benarkah dalam hati ada cinta? Tapi keegoannya cuba menidakkan. Ingin diluah, mulut tak terkata. Ingin disimpan hati tak tertanggung. Bagi Adam, dia tetap menanti Hawanya biarpun lapan tahun lagi

ENGLISH TRANSLATION (sorry, I’m a bit rusty)

AIN HAWANI’s single life ended prematurely. Gossips, miscalculations, and misunderstanding imprisoned her and Adam Mukhriz in close proximity. She begged him to clear her name.The man chose not to say a word to clear the air, as if what they were accused of is really true. In the end, they were forced to be married.

Unfortunately, the marriage is just on made on paper. Frustrated, Ain left to seek for her pride again. Adam was left on his own, counting the days, pining for her. Ain never did bother to look back, to feel the love that she actually had for him deep inside her heart. Adam relented. It’s all his fault after all as he he was not brave enough to express his love for her.

After eight years being separated, Ain and Adam were reunited at the entrance of Masjidilharam. To Adam, this is a prayer answered. Ain, on the other hand, continue to hate him and takes their relationship as nothing more but  a piece of paper, and all she’s waiting for is for the talak. But is that true? After their reunion, she feels unsettled with his presence. There’s mixed feelings for Adam.

Is it true that there is love deep inside? Her ego says no. Can’t word things out, can’t keep it bottled in. For Adam, he will wait for his Hawa, even for eight years more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Huber Hill and the Brotherhood of Coronado

Title: Huber Hill and the Brotherhood of Cornado

Publisher:Cedar Fort

Imprint:Sweetwater

Pub Date: October 09, 2012

ISBN: 9781599559810

Author:B.K. Bostick

 

Truth be told. I’m not really in the mood for reading these days. Okay, okay… that’s a half-baked truth. I’m not in the mood for anything at all these days. Things are really overwhelming on my side of the world, I’m practically zombified. I feel as if I’m on a verge of a breakdown and lot of things turned me off.

Out of the sudden, I remembered that my author friend, B.K. Bostick has personally asked me if I wanted to host a blog tour for his latest book last month, and I thought, hey…I’ve completely forgotten about that, and I actually owed him a review since he had sent me the ARC of his book. (Gosh, it really slipped my mind!)

Anyway, to cut the long story short, I decided to re-read the first installment of Huber Hill  to refresh my memories on the storyline, and read the installment of it afterwards.

I may feel melancholic before starting to revisit the characters and the story of Huber Hill , but re-reading the story gives me a thrilling effect. I fell in love with it over and over again, and I fell in love with the installment of the series, Huber Hill and The Brotherhood of Colorado. 😀

Huber Hill and The Brotherhood of Colorado emancipate me as an adult. It is pure, exciting, child-like escapism and it’s been a really, really long time since I last read something so wonderful as this. In a modern literary world that is infested with vampires, werewolves and dark tales, Huber Hill and Brotherhood of Colorado is definitely refreshing and brings back the good old feelings when I was still a child where children and YA books are never dark or infested with serious social issues. This book is  definitely a keeper. 😀

The story itself is an adventure with plenty of twist and turns that keep you going on and on. And by the time I reached the last page, I wished that it does not have to end there as the book brought smile to my face with the character’s antics. This book is not only action packed, but filled with mystery and a tad of playful and innocent romance as well.

Definitely one of my favorite children book so far, and I will not hesitate to recommend this book to educators, parents and children of 6 years old and above. This book deserves gleaming 5 stars for purely wonderful fun.

Book description:

The Dead Man’s Treasure has been stolen! When Huber receives a revelatory message from a girl in Spain regarding the treasure’s location, the gang hatches a plan. Convincing their parents they are part of a study abroad program, Huber, Scott, and Hannah travel to Salamanca, Spain- an old city full of secrets.

While in pursuit of their goal, the group becomes dangerously entwined with a secret society called the Brotherhood of Coronado- a ruthless organization led by three self-proclaimed kings, bent on reacquiring the lost fortunes of the Spanish empire for nefarious purposes.

Their only hope of finding the stolen treasure and escaping the city with their lives requires trust in new-found friends and in a cloaked figure who reveals clues leading to the Brotherhood’s hiding place. But in a city of strangers, who can you trust?

With a plot that will keep you guessing, Huber Hill and the Brotherhood of Coronado is a study abroad adventure you’ll want to be a part of!

I received the unedited ARC of this book from B.K Bostick himself. 😀

B.K. Bostick, author of Huber Hill and the Brotherhood of Coronado and the best-selling book, Huber Hill and the Dead Man’s Treasure, resides among the magnificent Rocky Mountains. In addition to writing, he has spent his career in education. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Utah and his Masters in Psychology from Utah State University. He has worked as a teacher, after school program coordinator, teacher mentor, and currently as a counselor for the Open High School of Utah. He loves spending time with his lovely wife, son and two dogs. In his spare time, he enjoys eating cheetos and watching old episodes of the Twilight Zone.

To read my old interview with B.K Bostick, click HERE. To find out more about this book, please visit https://www.bkbostick.com and https://www.huberhill.com

 

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