The first third of the year is almost complete and there is a feeling of anticipation for the coming months. Longer days, warmer weather and lots more time spent in the garden. Hopefully!😉🤞🏻 There are all sorts of plants popping … Continue reading
Dark Lair Trilogy: Wyvern by Mr D J O’Brien
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Wyvern is book one of The Dark Lair trilogy of fantasy tales.
The reader is introduced to a world at war in a battle against a Dark Lord.
The prologue introduces the reader to Brinn, a baby boy gifted with magical powers from his parents, whom he lost on the night of his birth. Years later, Brinn is a soldier in an elite specialist group known as Pathfinders.
A great battle is being fought between East and West in this imaginary realm. Hoping to secure aid from a neutral kingdom, the Princess of the West is sent to make a marriage-bargain. However, she is kidnapped; Brinn and the Pathfinders are sent to rescue her.
What I liked:
I liked the idea of The Pathfinders and events with this small band were some of my favourite parts of the story.
The book description and the prologue also intrigued me; however, I didn’t feel that the book description truly reflected the tale that I read, and assume it is more an overview of the whole trilogy.
What I didn’t like so much:
The world-building was a bit hit and miss; while there was a good map at the start of the book and a sprinkle of magic throughout the tale, I thought that it reflected our human world too closely, especially the eras of the Crusades and the European medieval period. I thought that there were lots of missed opportunities to give the rare magic and fantasy elements a much larger role.
The author tried hard to give the multiple storylines equal attention, but as they reached the denouement it became a chaotic tangle with a late introduction thread about lost crystals which, given the book description, I had expected to be a main theme throughout the tale.
There wasn’t enough difference in the characters’ individual dialogue to make the main characters stand out, and there was a tendency to overuse contemporary clichés.
I was looking forward to the role of the wyvern and other mythical creatures—yes there is also a dragon—but sadly both have only one small part each, which was odd considering the book title.
The quantity of characters was overwhelming, with many walk-on parts. Cutting back on the minor players would allow the much needed development of the main characters; I wanted to like Brinn and learn more about him, but the huge cast swamped him.
Overall:
There’s the potential for a good story within these pages, but to make it shine, I would suggest further editing, perhaps with the help of an experienced development editor.
View all my reviews on Goodreads
Book description:
The lost crystals of power have been found, now all they need is the Key…
The Prince of Shade stirs and grows impatient. The time is close… soon he will be free, and the world will burn!
War plagues the lands anew, and unity is lost. Three thousand are the years that have been counted since the Evil was vanquished. Three were the races who stood against the hated Foe, and three the number of crystals used to bar the door to his prison.
But the glory days have gone. The mighty heroes are no more, and the races no longer commune. Man has turned against man, while the true enemy grows strong.
Time… runs short…
Soon the torment will begin… again!
Dark Lair Trilogy:
Save a princess, win a lost war, defeat Evil, and stay alive…
Today’s team review is from Olga. Olga blogs here https://olganm.wordpress.com/ Olga has been reading Caught Dead-Handed by Jennifer Wright-Berryman I’ve read this book straight after finishing book 1 in the series (book 2 has just been published), and much of what I … Continue reading
The Mermaid Riot by Joy E. Held
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Mermaid Riot is a young adult historical fantasy set in 1876.
This is a tale of mermaids, sea spirits and folktales, with the entire story taking place in just a handful of days. Serena and Tobi, once childhood friends, come together again to rescue a mermaid called Mari-Morgan.
The story takes place in a fictional town in South Carolina, and parts of it give a nod to circus acts of the era like those once showcased by P.T. Barnum; these were some of my favourites sections.
Serena and Tobi are both in their late teens with Tobi already employed full-time at the docks.
However, I wasn’t sure about the actual roles of the characters. While the story with the mermaid seemed suited to younger readers, other parts dealt with more adult themes. I understand that it can be hard to find the right balance for historical characters to make them appealing to today’s reading audience, but I thought that the story tried too hard to achieve a combination that would suit both ages of readership.
I did like the stormy atmosphere and the location of the town on its confluence between two rivers and the sea; I thought that the author did a good job with these parts, especially the opening scenes.
View all my reviews on Goodreads
Book description:
SERENA ROBINSON and TOBI DOYLE have been friends for sixteen years. Living next door to each other along the Ainsley River in South Carolina, they built sandcastles, played pirate ship, and collected shells virtually every day until a freak accident at the Robinson Phosphate Mine Company takes away someone near and dear to Tobi’s heart. From then on, Tobi’s mother, Mrs. Doyle, blames Serena’s father, Mr. Robinson and his thirst for money for her husband’s death. Serena and Tobi are torn apart by their parents’ animosities, and the lifelong friends must go their separate ways in a town devastated by a recent war.
When Serena and Tobi witness the neighbourhood apothecary DR. NATHAN TRASK lifting a limp body from his fishing boat, they don’t realize they will be forced back together in a life-or-death effort to save the mermaid, MARI-MORGAN, from Dr. Trask’s greedy plans. Serena has tried for years to convince Tobi that mermaids are real—her nanny ROSIE told her so—but he doesn’t believe. However, Tobi discovers that not only do mermaids exist, but they have magical charms that are almost impossible to resist.
Serena may lose her best friend unless she can return the bewitching merwoman to the sea before she takes Tobi’s heart and soul to the bottom of the ocean.
I’m joining in with a year long readathon hosted by Lory at Entering The Enchanted Castle blog (read her review and thoughts around book #1 of the collection here.) And CurlyGeek04 from The Book Stop blog. The readathon is slow paced, running … Continue reading
Today’s team review is from Sherry. Sherry blogs here https://sherryfowlerchancellor.com/ Sherry has been reading The Dying Five 2: Caught Dead-Handed by Jennifer Wright-Berryman. While there was a lot to like about this book, I had a few problems with some … Continue reading
I’m joining with some of my fellow gardeners from the #SixOnSaturday group to bring you a new series of posts that will include some easy plant propagating ideas and conversations about favourite gardening tools. Propagating Echeveria In the UK my … Continue reading
The above image sums this week up and no more words are needed😏 However, the garden is marching onwards: flowers bend in the winds🌬, a few plants are lifting their skirts on chilly days❄ and the wind is drying the … Continue reading
Today’s team review is from Jenni. Jenni has been reading The Fall by Anton Eine. Full disclosure, I’ve known about, and been looking forward to, this book for over a year. Eine told me he was working on it back … Continue reading
Today’s team review is from Fiona. Fiona has been listening to La Petite Boulain by Gemma Lawrence. Five stars I enjoyed Gemma Lawrence’s take on Elizabeth the First, so was very pleased that she has turned to Anne Boleyn. Anne … Continue reading
A book a day is bliss😍
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bestselling author, also known as Victoria Hawthorne
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Rosie Amber 