Tag: fantasy

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Pet Peeves with Female Fictional Character Traits

I tend to gravitate towards female authors because they predominantly write from a woman’s perspective which I enjoy being a woman myself, but after finishing another novel where I was disappointed in the female lead I wondered what was the point to this character? Why even write about her? I started to doubt myself. Is it just the way I’m reading this book? My mood? Admittedly, being a strong willed woman myself I have little patience for reading  from a weak heroines perspective and I definitely have my favorite female personalities. I have also noticed that if I’ve had a rough day at work I have little patience, and I do keep that in mind.

Why is it that romance novels show so many female main characters as being weak and submissive to a man? I’ll admit, I like to read romances where the man is take charge. However, if the woman is in jeopardy too much or is too submissive it takes my head out of the story. I get a little offended for womankind that this is supposed to be a fantasy or role model for women who read these novels. Am I supposed to like this?

YA novels actually do a great job of giving their readers strong female role models. Authors like Sarah J. Mass and Victoria Aveyard wouldn’t be caught dead with a weak female heroine. Worlds would collapse and Kingdoms lost! Their heroines aren’t perfect by any means, but they always learn a lesson and grow as characters. (Although I have my doubts about Mare). I am ecstatic that YA authors seem to take their roles seriously? Why give younger women weak role models to emulate when we can teach them to lead countries and conquer worlds?

Some romance authors make a living by writing novels that let men control their woman. Alexa Reilly comes immediately to mind. They write really well, but their formula is a weak brainless woman who is seduced by the man’s money and will. I’m sure you’ve guessed this isn’t my thing. But why is it anyone’s? People rave about Jamie McGuire’s aptly titled Beautiful Disaster. That female lead was a hot mess! People give 5 star reviews to that book. It amazes me. I know, I know, reading, like admiring art, is in the eye of the beholder. It’s totally subjective. I love that! I do really get fired up about having bad role models for women though, even if it’s just fiction.

My favorite female to read is the warrior. Even if a woman is just a lawyer fighting for a cause I get a charge out of it. If she’s in a fantasy world wielding a sword even better! in romance that sword could be words and clever dialog with her man. I do see a place for learning what NOT to do from reading about weak willed characters. Or those women who start off weak and learn a great lesson and use that knowledge to change their life. Those women are redeemed!

OK, I’m sure you’ve heard me rant enough. I want to ask you, what kind of women do you like to read about?

If you are a writer and have a perspective or thought on why some female authors write about women in the victim role I’d love to hear it!

What books have you read where you’ve LOVED the female lead character? I’m always looking for a new book to read and if the female lead is awesome I definitely want it on my radar!

Until next Sunday,

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads15 Comments

This Chick Read: Covert Game (A Ghostwalker novel) by Christine Feehan

Ms. Feehan I salute thee for writing so prolifically and successfully! I think I read recently that this is her 75th novel? Well, Covert Game is the 14th novel in the Ghostwalker series and I’ve ready about five of them. The great thing about a series with a lot of novels is that you can usually read them as stand alone’s and catch up with the personalities pretty quickly and this novel fell into that category, so don’t let the number in the series scare you away.

Covert Game  started off really quick with our heroine Zara Hightower in China getting ready to deliver a speech about artificial intelligence to a Fortune 500 foreign company. However, not everything is as it seems! Zara is a secret agent placed there to steal secrets from Cheng’s (said business owner) computers while simultaneously giving her AI speech. (You may ask how that can be? Let’s just say she’s got more in her head than her wit and common sense!) Of course things go wrong, Zara is held captive and tortured (pretty horrifically!) and our Ghostwalker team with hunky hero Gino Mazza come in to rescue her from captivity to the evil Bolan Zhu who wants her for his personal submissive.

Like I said, it got off to a really quick start!  I liked Zara a lot. She was plucky, held out against telling secrets while being tortured and just an overall good person. These were my thoughts pre-Gino, anyways. Our hero Gino is introduced to us as a very conflicted guy. Orphaned and brought up by his uncle who is a Crime Lord, Gino is a Ghostwalker with his cousin Joe. Raised together, he always had his cousin’s back. Joe wasn’t in this novel too much, but my understanding is that although he is the leader of these Ghostwalker’s he’s a pretty likable guy. Gino, not so much. Other than when with his brothers in arms, Gino flies solo. Think dark, broody, silent type hero. When they receive their mission to save Zara, he becomes slightly obsessed. Once she is in his hands he doesn’t let go and she doesn’t want him to, becoming totally dependent upon him for her safety.

What happened to plucky heroine Zara? Well, she did get the sh*& kicked out of her, but she absolutely dissolved. I hated that for her. Gino wasn’t that bad a guy, he actually cared for her, but he really wanted her under his thumb and she allowed herself to be there. Now, before everyone goes crazy on me I will back down a bit. You can read a novel like this and take it two ways. One, there is someone for everyone. Gino had a rough life, so did Zara, and they seemed to need what the other person was capable of giving. Sounds pretty reasonable. I fell into the other column.  To me, Zara was a victim that wanted a strong man to take care of her and Gino was that guy who wanted to keep his woman safe and dominated. I was so conflicted! I really don’t like love stories where the woman is a victim. Covert Game started off really good, but the middle was a muddled mess, and then the action amped back up and gave the story a purpose again. A mixed bag for me.

How do you rate a novel that was well written but just did not hit any of my hot buttons? It was a fantasy so I gave it some leeway, but please Ms. Feehan give women a role model in their heroine, not a doormat. For those of you who don’t have trouble reading victim love stories, you’ll love this one. Don’t let my opinion turn you away. ❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this ARC for my honest review, and it was honest!

Covert Game

Click this link to purchase! Covert Game (A GhostWalker Novel)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: Uppercase Box- March ’18 Reveal

I had a little package waiting for me yesterday and I couldn’t wait to open it!

rubbing-hands-together-gif-14

Have I read last months book yet? Nope! However, I have gotten through a few that had been on my TBR. So I’m feeling ok about adding another YA book to the list. I’ll get to that book in a moment. Uppercase Box is always fun because of the bookish gifts that come in the envelope along with the actual book.

Ink notebook

I love collecting notebooks. I actually carry one around with me and write down my thoughts. I have one that I write notes on at book signings and others that I use for my work notes, so this was a useful gift for me.

bookish magnet

There was a cute little comma necklace and a fun magnet titled Bookish. I like to collect these kinds of gifts to include in giveaways on my blog, so I’m going to add them to my stash. 😉

But what about the book? It was one that I’ve had my eye on. The cover is pretty and the synopsis sounds great! Steam-punk fantasy? Sounds different, but I love Gail Carriger novels so have ventured into the steam-punk genre before. Fun! This sounds right up my fantasy loving alley!

Ink Iron and Glass

Synopsis:

A certain pen, a certain book, and a certain person can craft entirely new worlds through a branch of science called scriptology. Elsa comes from one such world that was written into creation, where her mother―a noted scriptologist―constantly alters and expands their reality.

But when her home is attacked and her mother kidnapped, Elsa is forced to cross into the real world and use her own scriptology gifts to find her. In an alternative Victorian Italy, Elsa finds a secret society of young scientists with a gift for mechanics, alchemy, or scriptology―and meets Leo, a gorgeous mechanist with a smart mouth and tragic past. She recruits the help of these fellow geniuses just as an assassin arrives on their doorstep.

In this thrilling debut, worlds collide as Elsa unveils a deep political conspiracy seeking to unlock the most dangerous weapon ever created―and only she can stop it.

What do you think? The book just came out on 2/20/18. Is it on any of your TBR’s?

If you’ve read this novel give me a shout and let me know how you liked it!

Until next Sunday,

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads7 Comments

This Chick Read: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Crooked Kingdom gets a very quick start as Kaz and his crew come up with a plan to save Inej, who at the end of Six of Crows was taken hostage by Wylans father Van Eck. There is a clear cut line of good and evil in Crooked Kingdom with Kaz, Nina, Matthias, Jesper, Wylan and Inej all cast on the side of good, even though they are the best of the worst part of Ketterdam. Van Eck is an easy villain in comparison with Wylan who is the angel among thieves, and the easiest to identify with in the crew. Kaz, as the mastermind behind all of their plans plays puppeteer to all of their marionettes. Even as I tried to figure out the plans direction and guess as to the outcome it would change on a dime and I would try to read faster to play catch up. Crooked Kingdom had a beginning, middle and end I just didn’t end up where I thought the path was leading and it was wonderful!

Crooked Kingdom showed an advancement in the relationship of all of the players. Kaz and Inej, Wylan and Jesper, Nina and Matthias all grew as individuals but also as couples. There wasn’t any time for more than a kiss here and there but the emotions behind those kisses were long drawn out and well thought. I was not disappointed in the final outcome to any of these players parts, although I did have a couple of teary moments. We got to know each of them and their reasons behind their actions so that even if I didn’t agree morally with what I thought they were doing I did understand why. Bardugo did a great job of making a band of miscreants honorable and likable. I rooted for them to outsmart their opponents and enjoyed the exchange of wits.

I know that I have not said anything about the plot of this book. I really feel that whatever I have to say can not do the intricacies of this plot any justice. All I can say is that I loved getting to know all of these characters and enjoyed reading their story.

One last thought on the city of Ketterdam. I am glad that it is a fictional destination. I would fear for any tourist who docked their ship in the bay where a sign reading Enter Ye At Your own Risk No Mourners, No Funerals greets their gaze. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Crooked Kingdom

Click this link to purchase! Crooked Kingdom: A Sequel to Six of Crows

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Burn Bright (Alpha and Omega) by Patricia Briggs

Burn Bright

Charles and Anna often investigate strange goings on in their pack, but also act as liaison’s to the federal government, traveling across the US to do so. Burn Bright stays very close to home. Bran, the Marrok, is off in Europe having helped Mercy when she was kidnapped in the novel Silence Fallen. Charles, acting Alpha until Bran’s return has to investigate a call he gets from one of his fathers wildlings. Wolves who live in the wild because they are kind of crazy and can’t live among the pack. He and Anna travel into the wilderness and find themselves in a magical fight for their lives and the lives of their pack.

I have been eagerly anticipating the release of Burn Bright because Anna and Charles are two of my favorite characters and one of my favorite couples. Since being introduced to them we have seen Charles Cornick, son to the Marrok and his enforcer, take on some really tough enemies. To the werewolves of North America he is one truly scary guy, brought in when something needs to be cleaned up. When he meets Anna and realizes she is his mate you see a subtle shift in his intensity. To those who don’t know him, he’s still intimidating as hell, but to those who do know him there is a slight softening. Anna, an Omega wolf, has a calming effect that’s often called upon in difficult moments, but Charles’ need to protect his mate and soothe her in return makes a difference in how his family and close friends see him and you can see that difference evolve as each book progresses. I love this progression in not only their relationship but in them as a couple with each novel showing their growing love and closeness.

Each novel in the Alpha and Omega series can be read as a stand alone with the central story a mystery that has a beginning, middle, and conclusion in each novel. However, I do think you’ll miss the subtleties in these characters and that is a huge part of my enjoyment in reading them. This series is a spinoff of the Mercy Thompson series. The timelines in both series are connected and if you read both series I think you get a boost of enjoyment, but once again, if you haven’t read Mercy’s stories I don’t think it will take away from enjoying Charles and Anna’s and Burn Bright was a really engaging story on it’s own merit.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received an ARC of this novel for my honest review and it was honest.

Burn Bright image

Click this link to purchase! Burn Bright (Alpha and Omega)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

The Chick Read: Lake Silence (The Others) by Anne Bishop

Lake Silence is the first book in a new series set in the same world as The Others. Taking place after the terre indigene decimated the Humans First and Last movement (HFL) reminding humans that they are not the dominant species on Namid. Vicki DeVine, our main protagonist, has received The Jumble, a rustic lake resort, in her divorce settlement. After spending a lot of money making it habitable she’s finally rented out one of the cabins. When she finds her renter, Aggie Crowgard, cooking up a human eyeball in the microwave she realizes there is a dead body on her property. Vicki calls it in and gets more trouble than help. That rather gruesome yet quick start sets the tone for the remainder of the story and I quickly ate it up (sans eyeball, thanks very much!)

Lake Silence is filled with a fantastic group of quirky characters. Vicki has self confidence issues stemming from the abused relationship she had with her ex. Seeing Lake Silence and the inhabitants through her eyes, you are given a very clear view of who are the good guys and who are the bad. When the police show up to investigate, Highway Patrol officer Grimshaw, reminiscent of Lt. Montgomery from the previous Others books, is completely honorable. Even in the face of the terrifying terre indigene, he looks past their scary faces and see’s the dangerous humans as more terrible. Ex-cop Julian, who previously worked with Grimshaw, is now a bookstore owner in the town of Sproinger. Friendly with Vicki, he becomes an integral part of the investigation and ultimately the conclusion. There is also a hint of a future romance between he and Vicki if he can get past her reticence to have any kind of relationship with a man. There are a couple of familiar characters, but other than a hint or suggestion of characters in previous novels, this is a whole new cast.  I was disappointed at first but quickly became enraptured with being back in this fascinating world and meeting a new group of terre indigene and humans I could come to like just as well as Meg, Simon and the other inhabitants of the Lakeside Courtyard. Lake Silence is not just a quick fix but I can easily see it becoming another addiction.

I really don’t want to get into the plot of the story anymore than I already have since each element builds up to a great climax. I will say that at one point our characters play a game called Murder, which is similar to the game Clue that we all played as kids.  When the terre indigene offer up their own version of the game you really see the contrast between being terre indigene and being human. I loved the dark humor that Anne Bishop added to that scene and Vicki’s internal dialog was pretty funny throughout the book. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

Lake Silence

Click this link to purchase! Lake Silence (World of the Others, The)

Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved.

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Joint Review: Sweep in Peace by Ilona Andrews

Joint Review: Sweep in Peace by Ilona Andrews

Joint Review: Sweep in Peace by Ilona Andrews


— Read on bookbinge.com/2018/02/joint-review-sweep-in-peace-by-ilona-andrews/

You all know How much I love Ilona Andrews books. I found this really fun review of Sweep In Peace on Book Binge and wanted to share it with you. I can tell when bloggers are having fun and not only did these ladies love the book but they had a great time sharing their opinions.

If you haven’t read Sweep in Peace it is the second novel in the Innkeeper Chronicles. A wonderful fantasy series by Ilona Andrews!

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Fate’s Edge (The Edge #3) by Ilona Andrews

I have been listening to the audio books of all of Ilona Andrews books. I have read all of them before, but listening to the narration by Renee Raudman has given me a new appreciation for some stories that I haven’t read in quite a few years. Fate’s Edge is one of those stories and Renee Raudman’s characterizations were spot on and her delivery engaging.

The Edge series is pretty dark. When I listened to Bayou Moon (book 2) I thought wow, there are some pretty grim and gruesome details in this book! There’s something about listening to a book that make those details really stand out. Fate’s Edge tells the story of Kaldar and Audrey. We had met Kaldar previously in Bayou Moon. He was kind of a crazy character and I wasn’t sure how they’d write a whole book about him and didn’t remember if I liked him or not. Turns out I LOVE him. Being inside Kaldar’s head gives us insight into why he does all of these crazy things. When he meets Audrey he’s working for the Mirror (think CIA) trying to find the team that stole some magical bracelets that the Mirror doesn’t want out in the world. Audrey is one of the thieves who stole those bracelets and he is gobsmacked when he meets her. She is drop dead gorgeous and a natural con artist. Something he really admires.

The greatest thing about these two characters is that they understand each other perfectly. They are very similar, both are con artists, both are great actors and both have been disappointed by life. When they meet, Audrey knows immediately that Kaldar is her soul mate but she is determined to keep him at arm’s length because she knows to be involved with a grifter is to doom yourself to a disappointing love life. Kaldar doesn’t immediately know that Audrey is his one and only, he just knows he wants her. Their back and forth dialog, along with their adventure while retrieving the bracelets is lighthearted and fun. A refreshing departure in this dramatic series! Eventually those interactions and adventures makes it apparent to Kaldar that Audrey is meant for him. When he comes to this realization your heart squeezes at the emotion he is feeling.

Along for the ride in this adventure are George and Jack. Rose’s little brothers from The Edge, the first novel in the series. They provided some humor as well as their own little heart tugging moments. When the story ends, you just don’t want to let the two of them go, they are so adorable. I can’t wait to listen to the Innkeeper series because my sister told me that George and Jack show up as an adults and I can’t quite remember his part in that story and it’s driving me mad. These novels are interconnected in ways that I didn’t realize and by listening to them all at one time, I’m seeing and hearing things that I missed on the first reading. What fun!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Fate's Edge Click this link to purchase! Fate’s Edge (The Edge, Book 3) Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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This Chick Read: Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega #1) by Patricia Briggs #Giveaway

The Giveaway for Cry Wolf has ended!

Burn Bright, Patricia Briggs’ fifth novel in the Alpha & Omega series, is being released on March, 6, 2018. In honor of that release Berkley Publishing and I am going to be giving away a copy of Cry Wolf the first novel in the series.

CRY WOLF

“Anna never knew werewolves existed until the night she survived a violent attack…and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she’d learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. But Anna is that rarest kind of werewolf: an Omega. And one of the most powerful werewolves in the country is about to recognize her value as a pack member—and as his mate.”

REVIEW

I will be reading and reviewing Burn Bright soon, but it had been awhile since I’ve read the other novels in the series. I decided to listen to the audio book as a re-read. Narrated by Holter Graham I again enmeshed myself in this fabulous Urban Fantasy series about Anna, a female werewolf, who finds herself mated to Charles, son of the Marrok or premier Alpha of all werewolves in the United States. As stated in the synopsis above, Anna, only a werewolf for three years was told she was a submissive, a werewolf at the bottom of the pecking order in a pack. Dominated and brutalized by a pack that should’ve protected her. She finds her self confidence and place in werewolf society with her mate Charles an enforcer for the Marrok, his father. He often gets sent on missions by his father and in Cry Wolf, he and Anna investigate a rogue werewolf.

There are so many things I loved about listening to this novel. Holter Graham does a wonderful job narrating. He imbues Anna’s voice with a strength and cleverness that she is only now discovering for herself. Charles who is described as being the strong silent and deadly type is voiced with a kind of nasal intelligence. Other werewolves have seen Charles as being kind of dumb, when in fact he is very smart as well as deadly.  Holter Graham’s voice for Charles gave him more cleverness than my own voice in my head. It made me see him differently than I had when I first read the novel. His gentleness with his new mate fit his characterization to a tee. Anna’s courage and sass strengthened as the novel moved forward and Holter Graham did a great job of starting off shy and moving towards an independence and self confidence that you wouldn’t think would come across in a narration. It did and it was so well done! So, not only was the writing fantastic, but that narration was brilliant as well. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

This series, I believe starts and runs congruently with book 4 of the Mercy Thompson series, but you do not have to have read that series. This one stands completely on its own. The mystery is well thought out and the fantasy paranormal elements believable. Please enter the giveaway below to win a copy of Cry Wolf. I hope you will enjoy this novel as much as I have and want to re-read it or listen to it in the future as well!

Cry Wolf

Click this link to purchase! Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega, Book 1)

Enter here for the Giveaway! US only!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Patricia Briggs is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson novels Silence Fallen, Fire Touched, and Night Broken, among others. Her Alpha and Omega novels include Burn Bright, Dead Heat, Fair Game, Hunting Ground, and Cry Wolf. She lives in Washington State with her family and a small herd of horses.

 Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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This Chick Read: An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

An Enchantment of Ravens is a fairy-tale fantasy about a girl named Isobel who is a portrait artist to the fair folk. In the town of Whimsy, the fair folk come and purchase craft from the artisans. In return they exact payment in the form of spells. Isobel has learned at the tender age of seventeen to be very exact in her negotiations because the fair folk are not honest in their negotiations and what seems an innocent wish for true love may become an obsessive infatuation. When Rook, the Prince of the Autumn lands comes to have his portrait painted Isobel see’s something in his eyes that she must paint on canvas. Unfortunately what she paints is a humanity that the fair folk do not wish to see, and Rook spirits her away to stand trial for her error. During this journey she and Rook come to an understanding finding friendship and love which is against the fair folk’s laws.

I was captured by the charm and spirit of this novel. The author painted her words so they flowed lyrically across the page. The melding of commonly heard folk tales such as the fae can’t speak a lie, with a new fair folk history made the story both familiar and foreign, making it easy to huddle into my blanket on the couch and immerse myself into this enchanted land.

Isobel for being a seventeen year old girl, was wise beyond her years. She was essentially the adult in her household, responsible for her two sisters and her aunt. When she is spirited away by Rook, she gives in to the adventure, worrying about her family, but also seeing new shapes and colors in every hill and tree opening her eyes to the world as a whole rather than Whimsy’s summer colors and sounds. I loved how her emotions were painted in colors.

Rook was an interesting hero. He was one of the fair folk and his glamour was beautiful, but underneath that glamour was a reality that contrasted with that beauty they all wanted to portray. That contrast between fae reality and glamour was found throughout the story giving this a real fairy tale feel, more Grimm than Disney. He and Isobel’s love ran a similar juxtaposition from her innocent first love to gritty heart wrenching pain. I loved how this novel ran from one spectrum to the other in a rainbow of colors from light to dark and back again. The story and the feelings all those colors imbued captured me completely.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase! An Enchantment of Ravens Copyright 2018 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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