Tag Archives: England

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Black Lion’s Bride

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black lion's bride

Black Lion’s Bride (Warrior #2)

I was pulled into this story from the very beginning with a premise that took us out of the usual locale in England and to the deserts of the Middle East. I had already fallen partially in love with Sebastian Montborne in the first book in this series, but it was locked in with his appearance here. I have never been a big fan of  historical romance but I find myself loving these for some reason, though it is probably because they make me feel like a part of the action. I get a chance to know the people and come to care about them and the world they inhabit. The characters both new and old are very well written and make you feel that you would like to know them.

The Crusades have been raging and Sebastian of Montborne has ridden and fought with King Richard while his brother remains at Montborne looking after the estate. In the desert port of Ascalon near Jerusalem. King Richard has set up his encampment as they rally for their march on Jerusalem to take the city for their church. In the hills surrounding them is a guild of assassins who have sworn to kill all the infidels in their lands, but they really would like to kill Richard, feeling this will make the others less likely to stay in their country. To this end they are plotting to get an assassin within striking distance of him.

Zahirah has been taught to hate the Franks who have come to her land in order to bring their religion and wipe out the faith of those who have for centuries resided in these desert lands. Viewing them as no more than crude animals with no morals she is more than willing to kill in order to keep what they have. But while it is always easy to judge people from afar when she finds herself surrounded by these people and one man in particular it becomes harder to hate them and easier to see where they are more alike than different.

I knew what was coming for some of the story but there were a lot more twists and surprises than I was ready for. I really liked Zahirah because even though she was a bit of a villian, she was able to grow and see what was right and important. I had hoped that I would also get to see something of what had happened with Griffin and Isabel since they are the reason that I have found myself so wrapped up in this series. I laughed a bit, cried a bit, and was mad at all at one point or another but was very happy that things worked out the way I wanted in the end.

If you want a romance that is star crossed and seems unlikely then this is the story for you. I recommend to anyone who loves some historical accuracy with their intense romance. Hot enough to make you blush but tame enough for a beginner. Enjoy!

 

 

 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 

 

“I need to get out of here at once, Halim. The captain has already voiced his suspicions that the chase through the souk may have been some sort of trap. It won’t be long before he starts to wonder how I might fit into the puzzle.” “Then you must take steps to ensure that his suspicions do not focus on you,” Halim answered pointedly. “He is a man of some youth and virility from what I have seen; I doubt he’d refuse you. It should not require much to keep him distracted from your true purpose, even for a girl of your limited skills.”

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Guest Post by Georgiana Derwent, author of the Cavalier Trilogy

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Oxford Blood (The Cavaliers, book #1) by Georgina Derwent – Review  Georgiana Derwent

 

Me: I would like to know about your interest in vampires ?
Georgiana: I first got into vampires in my early teens (I’m now 27). I read LJ Smith’s The Secret Circle, which is about witches, and absolutely loved it, so decided to find out what else she’d written. The only other books in my school’s library was the Vampire Diaries, and I really wasn’t sure I’d like it – I didn’t think vampires were really my thing! But I decided to give it a go, and although I’ve since read books that I’d say are technically better, I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed reading a book quite so much in my life.
I then went on a bit of a mission to track down similar books, and over the course of the next year or so, read pretty much every vampire book I could find – although this was in about 2001, and there were far fewer options. I didn’t really enjoy any of the others quite as much, although I did love watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Around about that time, I decided that at some point, I would write a vampire book, and I wrote a very brief outline. I then went off the university and forgot all about it. By the time the whole Twilight craze started up and triggered a flood of vampire books, I was pretty much over the genre. I read Twilight itself, but I really didn’t enjoy it. The vampires were just too nice, and fundamentally, too human for my tastes. And then someone lent me the first of Charlaine Harris’ True Blood books. It was a great read and really reignited my interest in vampire books. I was visiting my parents that weekend, so I dug out my old teenage notebook, found the note about the book (which had been lurking at the back of my mind for years) and immediately made a start on finally writing the thing.
There are several reasons I like vampire stories so much. I wrote about that in more detail on my blog here: http://georgianaderwent.com/2013/01/21/why-i-like-vampire-novels-so-much-introduction/
Basically, it’s a combination of the forbidden love, the element of danger, and the history and folklore. There’s something so sexy about a romantic scene featuring a vampire, partly because you know things could go too far at any moment. That said, I’m picky about my vampire books. If they are basically just super-attractive super-powerful humans, I’m not interested. To capture my imagination, they have to do at least some of kill/drink human blood/only be able to come out at night while still retaining some human emotions. I also like to see a really developed mythology.
Me: How did you decide on the setting?
Georgiana: I attended Oxford and absolutely loved it. I started writing Oxford Blood about two years after I graduated, when I was really missing it and wanted to reminisce. That said, I genuinely think it makes a great setting for a novel. Firstly, because it’s such a beautiful place, full of centuries old buildings. Secondly, because it has such strange traditions, lots of which I explore in the book. And finally, it gathers together some of the cleverest young adults in the country, about half of whom are quite rich, and the other half of whom have had to work super hard and defy the odds to get there. It makes them live close together (at my college, at least, everyone had to live within walls for all three years) and puts them under lots of pressure to succeed. It’s a recipe for rivalry, for close friendships, and for romantic tension. All of which combines to practically give you a ready made novel before you even factor in the vampires!

Me: Are some of the characters based on people you knew while you attended Oxford?
Georgiana: The characters who are closest to being directly based on someone are Tom, who has more than a passing similarity to my fiancé, and Adelaide, who is like an exaggerated version of my Mum (for better and for worse). Someone once claimed that first novel are always autobiographical, and while I hope she’s not just a carbon copy, Harriet certainly has a few things in common with me, or at least with me at nineteen.
At the other end of the spectrum, a few very minor characters (usually random Cavaliers and their victims) are named after and broadly based on people I’ve met once or twice.
What I do more often is take different aspects of different people and mix them together to create a character. So Josh, for example, looks like one music student I knew and has the broad personality of another. And there are certain scenes that involve one character, and in reality, something similar happened, but it didn’t involve the person they are based on.
I used to try to hide the fact I’d written these books from university acquaintances in-case anyone took offence, but several people have read them now and love to come up with theories about who is based on who. At least three people claim that George is based on them, which only goes to prove how arrogant some people can be!

 

BOOK TOUR REVIEW: Oxford Blood by Georgiana Derwent              Screaming Spires (The Cavaliers #2) by Georgiana Derwent                 21848242

 

Thank you Georgiana for giving a look into what made these books possible!

 

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Ivory Terrors

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21848242

Ivory Terrors (The Cavaliers #3)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have enjoyed this series from the first book and actually wish that we could have just one more so that I could see how things turn out for everyone after they have gotten past the worst. I love the fact that historical facts as well as fictions are interwoven giving it a richer feel and giving a fuller life to the characters. I have fond characters that I really liked and some that were kind of annoying but always got some type of reaction from me, which means they are well established in mind as more than two-dimensional. Descriptions of locations are so vivid that you can almost see them. I was immediately drawn back into the story of vampires who have forgotten their humanity and see killing a few people as nothing in the grand scheme of things.

The action starts right on the heels of the last book with Harriet still unconscious after George has mesmerized her and kidnapped her from the summer party. She is not allowed to wake until they arrive at their destination and finds herself in France with him, her mother and the man she has always believed to be her father, though he, was supposed to be dead. What she finds is that she has been brought to a man/vampire who wishes to kill her enemies but also wishes to kill the only father she has ever known, Augustine, who he hates for abandoning him. He wants Harriet’s help in setting up all his enemies and gaining him the power to take the Cavaliers in another direction. But does Harriet want to see Augustine dead, even if he is somewhat ruthless he has always been good to her.

The Roundheads are still out there and plotting their own retribution for the Cavaliers unaware of a third-party plotting to decimate their ranks. They are also not aware that a traitor has infiltrated their ranks and is working against them. When things finally come to a head everyone will be surprised by what is learned and what is lost.

This was a great way to end a series that has been riff with conspiracies from the very beginning. Betrayals were a way of life for all those involved whether human or vampire, love was given and taken away only to be redirected, lying was taken to a high art. I was very glad to get the full story behind Augustine because he was a big part of this and finally knowing what he had gone through to make him who he was made this so much more interesting. The only thing that annoyed me was who Harriet ended up with, really, him! While I loved everything else that was my one sticking point. Harriet went up and down for me because she was so mercurial about everything from her family to the men she claimed to love, but in the end she did what I would have done.

If you want to step off into a world that has beautiful men, fabulous parties, and more death than the law allows, then you have to read these books. I’d still like another one! 🙂

Look for the arrival of this last in the Cavaliers trilogy on May 1st.
  “Harriet dreamt of someone well dressed and flamboyant, who spoke like the lead in a black and white film, who drank champagne like other people drank Carling and who could talk about history and philosophy and life for hours, without making themselves sound like an idiot. Someone who made romantic gestures, who was generous to everyone and extravagant towards her. Someone, for preference, who rowed and had the muscles to prove it. When she was really having a bad day, someone with a title. Every time a well-meaning access scheme leaflet tried to reassure her and all the other state school applicants that Oxford wasn’t wall to wall Old Etonians permanently dressed in tuxedos, she died a little inside.”  ― Georgiana Derwent, Oxford Blood
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Screaming Spires

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Screaming Spires (The Cavaliers #2)

Lets start with the fact that I give this 4.5 stars.

This book picks up pretty much where the first book, Oxford Blood, leaves off. The story is flawless in its continuation of the plot line making for a great reintroduction before moving forward. All the elements that made the first book so enjoyable are here again with the added pleasure of getting to know a bit more about some of the secondary characters as well as some mains who were not fully fleshed out. This is keeping me so engaged partially because of the triangle which developed early on and does seem to be resolved, even though you expect it to be, things have just gotten that much more tense. The introduction of new characters only deepens the mystery of what is going on and adds another layer to what/who is involved. I can only guess at the language, which can be a bit confusing sometimes, thank goodness for BBC America, I can at least understand most of the terms without a translator. 🙂 There are multiple factions and multiple plots playing out so knowing the players makes it easy to keep track.

Harriet is back at Oxford for her second year after a summer break that left her in a broken condition. She and Tom are still dating but George is never far from her thoughts which makes her feel disloyal. When George does something for her, which he claims was out of love, she cannot think straight about what she should do. Two vampires, both Cavaliers, and both claiming they have feelings for her. After all the revelations she has had to deal with, this does not make her life any easier. The one bright spot for her is the return of her best friend Caroline.

There are also darker forces gathering who do not have Harriet nor the Cavaliers best interests at heart. They are bent on revenge and anyone who gets in their way is fair game. Someone close to her also has an agenda and it may or may not be to her benefit. Harriet is going to learn the hard way that while she may be considered vampire royalty for her lineage, she must decide how to live with what she continues to find out about those around her.

I was drawn back into this world swiftly and thoroughly with the first few sentences. I had really liked Harriet when I read the first book but feel a bit more ambivalent about her now, because she seems just a bit more wishy-washy than she did before. Even though she was young she seemed to have more of a backbone and did not allow herself to be pushed or swayed one way or the other. I’m partial to Tom even though he may not be the strongest, he does seem to have more integrity than any of the others. I am enjoying this series because it has everything I like in a vampire novel, blood, sexy vampires, romance, sexual tension, rivalries, revenge, and well-defined friendships. This cliff-hanger killed me because I had no idea how long I would have to wait to find out the conclusion. I know what I want and can’t wait to find out what happens. I would recommend this series highly.

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White Lion’s Lady

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18866183

White Lion’s Lady (Warrior #1)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am so not a fan of historical romances but this has changed my mind about the genre, at least where this author is concerned. I may even try others. 🙂 This was a great read with characters I could feel down to my toes and in my heart. The settings were so vivid that I could see them in my mind, which is a wonderful experience when you can become that immersed in a book. This grabbed me and refused to let me put it down without a fight as I moved from chapter to chapter wanting to find out just one more thing before putting it down for the night.

Isabel de Lamere(Izzy) meets the person who will fire her young imagination and heart when she is eight years old and finds herself lost in the forest. To her rescue comes Griffin of Droghallow, a boy who has dreams of someday becoming a great and honorable knight. They are in each others company for only a short time, but for Isabel it is long enough to form an attachment for the foster son of the Earl and to keep something dear to him for ten years in the hope that one day she can return it.

Ten years later and Isabel has had a hard life to contend with, she is the ward of the King and has been given in marriage to a man she has never met. This character is strong, confused, and knows her duty. I liked her because of all those traits but also because she could change and follow more than just the rules she had set for herself. She was also naive, but that was to be expected for the time period, she had been sheltered and really knew nothing of the world. Griffin on the other hand had seen to much of the world and had changed a great deal from that bright-eyed boy. His life took a dark turn and all he wants is to start fresh. When they meet again it is not a sweet reunion but one they will never forget.

This was an exciting story with sword fights, court intrigue, betrayal, romance, and some nice love scenes. It was both heart wrenching and pulse pounding in equal measures. I cried, laughed, and cheered. Great ending, just want I wanted and needed! I cannot wait to read the next in the series.

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Descent of Blood

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I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 

I have never been over fond of history, but if it had been written like this I might have enjoyed it a lot more.

Descent of Blood (The Red Veil Series, #0.5)          by Elizabeth Marx

The story begins in England in 1465 during the War of the Roses, a bloody time in British history. This is a time when the King Henry was defending his thrown against the usurper Richard. Some of the lords backing Henry were actually vampires who felt that keeping him on the throne would protect them from being found out by others. While this is happening you have separate factions who are using the turmoil to attempt to solidify their own positions.

But this more than just a tale about war it is about a connection between a vampire and a human, a connection so deep that it even has a name ‘The Red Veil’. It is a connection so deep that it calls to the individuals body, blood and soul. It can cause a connection which can lead to the brink of madness if they cannot be with the one they desire. Meridian is the daughter of Lord Neville and innocent, Lord Severian Pearce comes to her castle tracking a man who knows about vampires and is on the opposite side of their battle. Severian is well-known and feared by many but he wants more from his eternal life than that and Meridian could be exactly what he has been looking for.

This was one of those stories I could not put down once I started and had to keep reading until I found out how things were resolved. The characters seemed true to the time period, a girl who was modest and chaste, a man who was a warrior and every inch the hero. There are unexpected twists, political posturing, romance, betrayal, and a fair bit of violence. I am looking forward to the next entry because this one really caught my attention. Loved it!!

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Oxford Blood

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Oxford Blood (The Cavaliers, #1)Oxford Blood by Georgiana Derwent
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While the theme is familiar the setting and tone make it something
different. At first I was not sure about what time period we were
dealing with, but once I realized it was more of a present day thing it
made more sense.

The Cavaliers are an elite group of men within
the walls of Oxford who have a secret which has been kept for hundreds
of years. They are known for their lavish parties, beautiful members,
and complete exclusivity. They are the rich, well connected society that
anyone would be thrilled to be asked to join. The problem is that in
order to join you must make a large sacrifice that might haunt you for
eternity.

Harriet arrives at Oxford for her first year, she is
not posh, but a girl from a humble upbringing. Her first day she meets a
boy and instantly has feelings for him, as he seems to have for her.
Tom is a Cavalier, though Harriet does not know this. What ensues is a
kind of Romeo and Juliet story with vampires. There are a lot of secrets
which have been kept from Harriet and it all comes out as she attempts
to start a life in a new place with new friends. As Harriet learns more
about her family and their connection to the Cavaliers she becomes more
determined than ever to take her life into her own hands and not be
pushed into doing something she does not think is right.

Though
it starts out a bit slowly soon you are caught up with Harriet in the
world of Oxford and all the things which are going on around her. Their
is what I suppose is a subplot which is not really well played out, at
least to my satisfaction. I saw that coming from a mile away from the
start.

But if you love vampires and romance and blood and
political posturing then you will like this. I have to continue reading
the next book because now I want to see what Harriet is going to do
about her triangle.