Tag Archives: Technology

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Tales From Ara

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Since the end of January, I’ve been attempting to read this book but have only reached page 162. No matter how many times I tried—and there were many—I couldn’t engage with the story. The characters, especially the main one, Harlette, didn’t captivate me enough to continue reading. Harlette often behaves in a childlike manner, despite being portrayed as a seductive woman. She frequently whines, throws tantrums, and behaves like a petulant child. The king of the land she enters is needlessly harsh and vexing to her and to anyone not in his immediate circle.

Harlette, single and a hopeless romantic, is an ordinary girl with just two dreams: to fall in love and to find her place in the world.
Her life, rather unremarkable until now, changes dramatically when she’s whisked away to another world, Ara, without any explanation or even proper clothing.
Clad only in underwear and stilettos, she ends up in Nimrod’s forest, where she is captured by Karayan, the elven king, and his guards. Nimrod is the mightiest kingdom in Ara, and Karayan is the most formidable of elves.
Although Karayan takes a strong interest in her, the appearance of humans in Ara is rare and often considered an ill omen, leading him to treat Harlette with suspicion and hostility…
Caught amid an escalating interdimensional conflict, branded as an intruder, and with no way back home, Harlette is thrust into a whirlwind of adventures. She soon realizes that this fairy tale, regardless of its cruelty or beauty, is not a figment of her imagination. Love is not as straightforward as in romance novels, and she must toughen up if she is to withstand the storm of events ahead.
Will Harlette uncover the reason for her abrupt transport to Ara, and does she possess the strength to confront the obstacles in her path?

The first thing I thought of when I started reading this was The Wizard of Oz because it has that same feel to it. Like a fairy tale that has a dark side but you have to really look deep to find it. There are elves, which makes the Oz thing not so much.

Though I could not find my way into the story someone else may. This just was not my cuppa on any level.

My rating: ✮

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Birthright Trilogy

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the arrival

The Arrival (BirthRight Trilogy #1)

I am giving this 4.5 stars, not amazing but as close as you can get without being there. This story unfolds slowly but moves along to lay out what is important so that you can see it all tie together. The characters get a chance to develop in a natural way without having having to wait until the end to feel like you know who they are. Even the pets are allowed to have personalities that need a chance to get to know. The foundation is set to allow you to see that the girls are being prepared for all the things that they are going to encounter during their adventure and beyond. The thing that made this just a bit dizzying for me was the fact that it is told from the perspective of all the characters, even though they let you know at the beginning it is sometimes hard to be sure who is speaking/thinking until a name is given. It does make for more interesting however because you do not wonder about what they think about situations.

Catherine, Sian, Kassandra, and Laura are best friends and have known each other for years. They do everything together and support each other in all their separate and joint endeavors. Before the girls attend a costume party Sian convinces them to perform a spell to find their soul mates when they return home. When they arrive home they perform the spell and then all fall asleep on the floor right after never believing it would really work. When they wake up they find themselves in another place and confused as to how they got there, and also to how they can find their way home.

These girls found themselves in a land very different from the one they left behind but a place of magic, myth, and technology. They have a destiny that they would never have dreamed possible and the love that they sought.

I don’t know what I was expecting but this was way more than I thought I would get. Once The story started moving I found I did not want it to end because I was coming to really like all the characters. The idea that all those creatures we think of as only existing in fairy-tales and as part of mythology are real and can be a part of your life. The romance is sweet and romantic, not just a sexual attraction but that kind where you want it to be special. I flew through this book because I was just completely entranced by the whole thing. And now I need to get to the next book because it left me on a cliff and I want to know if things work out.

 

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

 

 

awakening-birthright

Awakening (BirthRight Trilogy #2)

I fell in love with this trilogy with the first book and am glad to have continued. After being a bit confused with the writing style at first, changes between character pov was hard to follow, I was ready this time and it was much easier to follow who was being focused on. The main characters have grown and are becoming even more real for me. The situations are getting more tense and the side characters are starting to come more into focus as they start to interact more with the girls. The relationships are deepening and coming to mean more to everyone. I really appreciate that they are growing into their love for each other and not simply in the midst of instant love.

The story begins 2 months after the attack at the end of book one with Cat and Alek both asleep after stopping Jenviet, while everyone waits for them to Awaken. The other girls have been given the whole truth about their situation and have chosen to deal with it in their own ways. Loi ( Laura) has stayed at the castle to wait for them to wake up, while Sian has gone to stay with Citaan and Gredel to help the soon to be parents, and Kassie has gone to the home of her man, Rumal, to get away from the pressure. No matter where they are though, they still want their friends to finally wake up.

When Catherine finally wakes she is told something which changes her way of thinking about her past and present. She at least has a little time to assimilate it all while she waits for Alek to wake up as well. When he finally does it is time to start training in earnest for the attack to destroy an enemy who has no conscious and would do anything to gain their powers. But as they train they are also aware of the fact that they all may not come back, including the men they have grown to love.

I really appreciated the attention to detail, but could have done with fewer training sessions and trips to the practice room. But since we were there so often it would have been nice to get more background on Patel and Rashid since we got so much more into Ignatius and his warped thinking. I do not like Iggy, he is a creepy guy who thinks he is better than everyone and is a nasty kind of voyeur. Once again we end things with a cliff-hanger (not my favorite thing)but it was a good one and I just have to know what happens next. This left me in tears because I so wanted things to be different. I say, go for it.

 My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I started this series with a one click free book and found myself loving the world that it took me too. The characters became friends that I wanted to see get everything that they wanted, I worried about them and did not want to have anyone hurt or killed. I am totally caught up in the lives of the four girls and their soul mates. While I was waiting for the conclusion, I don’t think I am really ready for it to end. With that said I still find that things drag a great deal with a little more description about nothing filling up when we could use more about what they are feeling or actually doing.

Alek and Yakov have been kidnapped by Jenviet and presumed dead or broken. Cat’s link to Alek has been severed by Elena in order to keep her sane and spare the death of the man she loves. They are finally sailing to confront and destroy the evil that has tried to take over their world for centuries, she has only fueled their hatred by her actions of taking those they love. The girls are as ready as they can be for what lies ahead.

Ignatius is taking full advantage of Cat’s loss and hopes to worm his way into her affections and find himself as her King. But what they find at the end of their journey will surprise them all and bring back the hope they thought was lost.

I do love a happy ending and was afraid I was not going to get it this time. This is a great ending that ties everything up wonderfully and gives each of the characters a chance to shine in their own right. Good action, good romance, great villains!

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“Soldiers and allies of Elion, denizens of Gar’nyse, today we gather to do battle. Today we make a stand for those who can’t, for the innocent lives snatched, for those who stood against her and lost. For our loved ones in far away realms. I can’t guarantee any of us will make it home, but I can promise that victory will protect those loved ones and realms we left behind. Freedom from tyranny is a luxury few on Gar’nyse know. Here today we make a stand against the tyrant. Against those who desire to possess our world. Whether we rise or fall, all will know of this battle, of this stand we make. We will shake the ground. We will topple the castle and we will bring about the end of the DeNaga line!”
― Nicole MacDonald, Feel the Burn
“They said you’re an Elemental. You don’t look like an Elemental, more like a cheap maid from Slemnask.’ She spat the words out, the inference obvious. My rational voice had a field day while I observed her costume; a belt for a skirt and a belt for a top. ‘Pot, meet kettle,’ I replied in a pleasant tone.”
― Nicole MacDonald, The Arrival
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Slade

by

17694765

Slade (Tales of the Were: The Others #2)

I really love the Tales of Were series and am always glad to get a chance to get back to it. It took me longer than usual to read but that is no reflection on the writing or the story being told. The characters are interesting and help to push the story forward because you believe in them. The attraction between the mains is believable if you give yourself over to the concept of fated mates and not just love/lust at first sight. The language is pitch perfect because you know they talk like you would expect someone from their part of the country to speak. Everything that happens helps to further the bigger story that plays in the background about the evil that is trying to surface.

Kate is a priestess of the Lady who has come to live in the territory of the Redstone Clan and been welcomed by their matriarch. While welcoming the Sun one morning she feels a great evil close by that shatters the hearts of the Redstone brothers. When their mother is killed they go all out to find the culprit and in their grief could expose all shifters to humans.

Slade does security for the Lords and other special assignments as needed. He is sent by Rafe and Tim to Nevada to make sure that Griffon Redstone and his brothers do not expose them all. Slade has secrets which he has kept even from the Lords which he shares with Grif in order to get him to trust him. When he meets Kate the assignment takes on a whole new dimension for the usually loner cat.

I loved the heat level since it built up before they got to indulge in anything physical. The romance is sweet and Slade is good kitty to have around the house. Kate is a strong woman who can hold her own even though she has had a hard life. Everything to love and nothing to hate here. Enjoy it!

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“Slade lowered his head to kiss her lips once, very gently. “They will love you because you’re the only woman in the world who can complete me. They will love your kind heart and gentle ways. Your fierce courage and Goddess-given magic. How could they not, when I love you with all my being? They’ll see what I see when I look at you.” He kissed her again, this time with more passion. “They will see a bright and loving future for not only us, but for the Clan. Great-grandmother will especially love the fact that you are a priestess.” “I hope you’re right.” She bit her lip nervously, but Slade kissed her again, taking her lip between his own teeth for a quick, painless nip before letting her go again. “Trust me, kitten. I know them as well as I know myself. Eventually, you will too. Snowcats live a very long time. You’ll have centuries to get used to them.”
― Bianca D’Arc, Slade
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Lacuna: Demons of the Void

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Lacuna: Demons of the Void (Lacuna #1)Lacuna: Demons of the Void by David  Adams

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

True rating would be 3.5 stars. II was not sure what to expect when I started this except another space opera. It turned out to be a little more than that. The protagonist is a woman, Melissa Liao, who has dedicated her life to the Chinese Navy. When the earth is attacked and multiple cities destroyed and millions killed she is tapped to command one of three new warships being built on the moon. She takes to this mission and goes to face the enemy with an iron will.

This story also has a romance element which is surprising considering the fact that it is about military might. But it fits with what is going on around them.

What’s not to like, aliens, romance, space battles, and loss.