Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Review: Endure by Sara B. Larson

January 5, 2016January 6, 2016 Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Defy #3

endure -sara B larson The remarkable third novel in Sara B. Larson’s bestselling Defy series!

At last, Alexa and King Damian are engaged to be married. But their lives are far from safe. The kingdom of Antion is under siege, and Rylan is a prisoner of the enemy. Even worse, Alexa remains at the mercy of the evil Dansiian Rafe, who controls her mind and can force Alexa to kill or harm Damian at any moment. Despite this, Alexa is determined to rescue Rylan, which soon leads her far from Damian and deep into enemy territory.

When she arrives, what awaits her is deadlier than anything she could have ever imagined: an army of black sorcerers, and a horrifying plot to destroy the world as Alexa knows it. Will she be able to gather the strength to free herself, protect the love of her life, and save the land? Will there ever be true peace?

Acclaimed author Sara B. Larson has woven a stunning, romantic, and evocative finale to the Defy trilogy, that is sure to leave readers breathless until the very last page.

3.5 Drink Me Potions

I have literally endured months for this novel to come out, and it doesn’t totally disappoint.

Endure picks up right from the top where we left off in Ignite with Rylan gone with the evil sorcerer Rafe and Alexa’s other friends a bit unnerved from the climactic events that had taken place at the palace. The action was on a furious high in this last installment, which I guess shouldn’t surprise me as it is supposed to be the ultimate conclusion. But for all you romance lovers out there, the cute, but albeit few and far between, romantic scenes between Alexa and her handsome king were definitely a highlight. The raw emotions between them really showed how strong their love was, to the point they were willing to let each other go into danger for the sake of the other.

I do believe my expectations were a little high due to the seemingly endless wait for this book. It was a fast and pleasant read. The evilness brewing in Dansii was every bit as creative as I had hoped, with plenty of grossly intriguing villains to hate. Alexa was her same strong self, the guard we’ve grown to love who could take down any man twice her size.

So….why can’t I give this a higher rating?

I guess Endure was missing something for me. It had action, and it had a little bit of romance thrown in there, but I guess I was hoping for some kind of fantastical twist that I would have never even dreamt of putting into the plot. Basically, this book reminded me of a story plot that even I had conjured up back in the good old days. It lacked a sort of pizazz if you will that would have greatly spiced it up to a 5 star rating. However, this could just be a me thing and should not be taken as a “I didn’t like it” sign.

Overall, Endure made for a lovely conclusion to a trilogy. The ending was sweet, but the whole story wasn’t all mushy-gushy. Sacrifices were made and not everyone survived. So it was a little bittersweet at the characters we had to say goodbye.

Overall Recommendation:
Endure was a cute little story filled to the brim with action against the unknown evils that were hiding in the kingdom of Dansii. Alexa Hollen, brilliant female guard, continues to shine in this concluding installment with her ability to stay alive no matter the crazy situations she’s thrown into. With bittersweet sacrifices and little intense romantic scenes with our favourite king, this novel mostly holds true to everything it promises, although may be lacking in the surprising twists department.

adult

Review: Safe in His Arms by Colleen Coble

December 30, 2015January 7, 2016 Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Under Texas Stars #2

safe in his arms -colleen coble Sometimes it takes a stranger to see you as you really are.

Born and raised on sprawling Texas land, Margaret O’Brien prides herself on her competence as a rancher. But her father believes she’s made for more than just dawn-to-dusk work. He wants her to have the love of a good man, to raise children, to build a life. But Margaret gave up such dreams years ago. She’s convinced no man would have her, that the ranch is her life now.

So when Margaret’s father hires Daniel Cutler as a new foreman, she’s frustrated and suspicious. Then an overheard conversation links him with a gang of bank robbers, and she’s downright worried. Daniel swears he’s not involved, but Margaret’s not convinced. She knows the man still has secrets. But would a criminal be so kind and talk so convincingly of his faith? As a series of tragic “accidents” threatens all she holds dear, Margaret must decide what to trust: her own ears, her best judgment . . . or what her heart keeps telling her.

4 Drink Me Potions

Stuck on a bus for 12+ hours, Safe in His Arms quickly turned from a wondrous distraction to a novel that I just couldn’t put down even when I should have used the time to sleep a little.

Following Margaret as our protagonist was initially hard to swallow as she wasn’t portrayed as the nicest gals in the previous novel, Blue Moon Promise. However, under that tall and strong skin was a woman who thought she was unloveable, even to God, and only wished to gain others’ approval, in particular her father’s.

As a teenage girl once myself, I understood and immediately bonded with her over her insecurities, especially with her feminine attractiveness. She just couldn’t believe that any man would ever want her, and the only guy she thought would even consider marriage to her had fallen in love with a beautiful, dainty girl whom Margaret now called a best friend.

In came Daniel. It was hard to determine what he was up to in the beginning. The way Coble described his secretive plans for being in the town of Larson made him seem very sketchy indeed. I wasn’t certain if he was fully a good guy or not, or if his past was truly catching up to him.

Their attraction to each other felt natural. It may have started off as admiring the others’ outlook, but it became over time a product of mutual respect and reliance on one another. I loved the way Daniel got under Margaret’s defenses and tried to show her that she was a beautiful woman, inside and out. At the same time, the string of robberies around Larson and the secretive nature of Daniel’s ties to them were brewing and had me on the edge of my bus seat to determine how it could possibly end well for all of them.

The mystery wasn’t a huge highlight in the novel, and it did take a drastic turn that became predictable right before the end. However, I have to say that Colleen Coble’s done it again with amazing me with her amazing storytelling skills. I don’t really enjoy historical novels all that much, but with her? I absolutely adore them. That in itself already says a lot about this book.

Overall Recommendation:
Margaret was immediately a well-rounded character that I could easily connect with on her insecurities and wish to be loved and respected by the predominantly male characters in her life. Daniel was the perfect mix of a gentleman and mystery, with a dangerous past linked to his reasons for being at Margaret’s ranch. I loved the setting of Safe in His Arms and the overall lessons that Margaret had to learn about herself. The romance was absolutely a delight, and well-loved characters from the previous novel definitely make an appearance here too. I would most definitely recommend this cute duo series.

Review: The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

December 26, 2015 Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: The Winner’s Trilogy #1

the winner's curse -marie rutkoski Winning what you want may cost you everything you love…

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

4 Drink Me Potions

There were many things that I absolutely adored about The Winner’s Curse, and also left me feeling like a complete wreck.

Kestrel was aptly named. She was as fierce and fearsome as the bird for which she was named after. She may not be an excellent fighter, which was unique in itself, ’cause these days a lot of heroines in fantasy novels are the best fighters out there. No, that wasn’t where her skill lies. It was her ability to see through the lies people try to weave and her amazing aptitude at strategizing for war and battle tactics. It was like a game of chess, or in this world, a game of Bite and Sting. You’ve got to know your opponents, but most importantly, you gotta know where their weaknesses and strengths lie. You’ve got to know them better than yourself.

Kestrel, however, wasn’t ruthless, as the above description may have depicted her. Yes, she was good at strategizing, for which her general father was extremely delighted about. But, she hated to take a life and just wanted to stay at home to play her piano and make music. In a moment that had seemed like weakness, she ended up buying a slave at an auction that changed her whole life. That slave, Arin, would change her whole perspective.

Arin and his people the Herrani were captured and made into slaves 10 years ago when Kestrel’s people, the Valorians, in particular her father, had overrun and won the Herran War. Their city was captured, their homes taken and their families were separated or lost as casualties of war. In the midst of all the party-going and boring fun that the Valorians were enjoying after a decade of luxury, a rebellion was quietly brewing.

The Winner’s Curse is full of action and adventure, heartbreaking decisions and misunderstandings. Kestrel and Arin come from two different worlds, yet they could find it in themselves to fall for one another for simply who they were inside. Was it possible that a Valorian and a Herrani could care for one another like that? The romance wasn’t explicitly dwelled upon. Sure, there was a kiss or two, but it was the kind of romance that brewed beneath the surface. One that kind of snuck up on you without either party knowing how they could have such strong feelings for the other, to the point that they would sacrifice for one another.

I loved how it was a story that was just simply a romance centering on two star-crossed lovers. It wasn’t just a story of war either. It was a whole mess of everything put into one, with betrayals and heart stopping outcomes. All I can say at the end of it was that I couldn’t wait for more, and I surely hope there would be a happy ending for two such strong characters as Kestrel and Arin. This was a brilliant start of a series. I hope the rest won’t disappoint.

Overall Recommendation:
The Winner’s Curse had elements of many things that I enjoyed. I always love a good ol’ story of forbidden love that seems to conquer all. Kestrel and Arin’s story was that and way more. Their peoples are brewing for war and it seems they’re caught up in the middle of it. With a hefty amount of strategizing and a conclusion that swept my heart away with sorrow, I’m holding my breath for more and can’t wait to see how their story continues from here. This is one series I would recommend giving a shot.