Mystique: Amanda Quick

 

"A tantalizing tale of a legendary knight and a headstrong lady whose daring quest for a mysterious crystal will draw them into a whirlwind of treachery--and desire.

"When the fearsome knight called Hugh the Relentless swept into Lingwood Manor like a storm, everyone cowered--except Lady Alice.  Sharp-tongued and unrepentant, the flame-haired beauty believed Sir Hug was not someone to dread but the answer to her dreams.  She knew he had come for the dazzling green crystal, knew he would be displeased to find that it was no longer in her possession.  Yet Alice had a proposition for the dark and forbidding knight:  In return for a dowry that would free Alice and her brother from their uncle's grasp, she would lend her powers of detection to his warrior's skills and together they would receive his treasured stone.  But even as High accepted her terms, he added a condition of his own: Lady Alice must agree to a temporary betrothal--one that would soon draw her deep into Hugh's great stone fortress, and into a battle that could threaten their lives...and their only chance at love."

This is yet another Amanda Quick novel which has sat upon my shelves unread for many years.  I really enjoyed another of her novels just prior to this one and enjoyed it so much that I thought I'd grab another of her stories from my shelf (or, rather, the floor of my office because my husband has yet to finish hanging shelves for me...).

I finished reading this book rather quickly.  The pacing was good and it kept me interested.  I wouldn't call it quite the page-turner "Dangerous" was, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.  I enjoyed the premise of a bastard knight seeking to bring honor to his family's history and finally have his own place in the world, yet he drags along with him an intelligent, whip-tongued young woman on a mission of her own.  Hugh brought a new facet to the knightly archetype.  He was neither entirely "black knight," but nor was he a straightforward "white knight."  He was known for his ruthless, relentless drive and skills on the battlefield; his dark coloring and penchant for wearing only black; and everyone knew of the venomous feud between Hugh and his father's family.  However, he was also intelligent (not just braun over brains), unfailingly true to his word, and honorable.  Alice was also a play on the typical headstrong, outspoken woman.  If anything, she was almost more outspoken than a great many of the other "headstrong" female leads I've encountered.  She seemed to suffer from a severe lack of manners or filter.  I can see how her struggles in life could have created this attitude, but it even made me cringe on several occasions.  I think this may be the reason why I didn't enjoy her as much as I could have.  By all accounts, Alice was extremely intelligent, capable, strong, and brave...but she also sometimes came across as crass or even petty -- especially once Hugh frees her from her uncle's care.

I did also notice a very definite trend in Quick's writing (maybe because I just so happened to read this one immediately after "Dangerous").  Both female leads were considered "odd," they were older sisters to younger brothers, orphans who felt they were in charge of finding their brothers better lots in life, and they fall in love with their male leads rather easily despite being so strong and seemingly content to be without a romantic relationship.  The male leads are both dark in coloring of their hair and clothing, as well as their attitudes and reputations, they're both bastards (or, at least, they're presumed to be) after their fathers become attracted to seemingly-unsuitable women who put them at odds with their families and their plans, their fathers have scorned fiancees, they each have a male first-cousin with whom they have a great amount of enmity, and they both have amber-colored eyes.  As you can see, there were a great many similarities in these plots and the development of these characters -- almost too many where it felt a bit "recycled."  To be fair, I think Quick found a formula which worked; I cannot really blame her for reusing it.  The different layers of history and current conflict create an interesting plot.  The strong personalities and opinions of her characters make for amusing and entertaining action.  What might have helped some differentiation between these stories (besides the very different eras in which they're set) would probably have been some better identifying characteristics of the male leads.  The female leads are fairly well-described; I felt like I could picture them.  The male leads...not so much.  Other than the color of his eyes, hair, and clothing, I got almost no sense of what Hugh looked like.  Did he have bold, stormy brows?  Was his nose slightly crooked from having been broken so many times in battle?  I longed to know more about Hugh's appearance and I think we missed out a lot on his characterization because of this.

I do feel like, overall, the plot was interesting.  Alice sometimes came off a bit unlikable, but I think she was a brave female lead.  I loved how she stuck up for her brother and for women in general (you'll have to read to find out what I mean -- I promise it's worth it).  I liked Hugh's multifaceted personality; however, I wanted a bit more of a description of him.  That left a bit of an unfortunate gap in a novel of this genre.  I liked the blend of realism and legend in this story.  I don't often read books set so far back in history (and I haven't often enjoyed all of them) mainly because I sometimes struggle with the living conditions and mentalities of these ages (even just a few centuries make a world of difference, believe it or not), but I did find this one enjoyable.  It was a quick read with pleasant pacing that kept the story moving along.  I liked the conflict and found the dialogue to be very in-character.  I do recommend this book, though not as much as I did my other recent Amanda Quick read.

The Vatican Princess: A Novel of Lucrezia Borgia: C. W. Gortner

"INFAMY IS NO ACCIDENT.  IT IS A POISON IN OUR BLOOD.  IT IS THE PRICE OF BEING A BORGIA.

"Bestselling author C. W. Gortner effortlessly weaves history and drama in this captivating novel about one of the world's most notorious families.  Glamorous and predatory, the Borgia fascinated and terrorized fifteenth-century Renaissance Italy, and Lucrezia Borgia, beloved daughter of the pope, was at the center of the dynasty's ambitions.  Slandered as a heartless seductress who lured men to their doom, was she in fact the villainess of legend, or was she trapped in a familial web, forced to choose between loyalty and survival?

"With the ascension of the Spaniard Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander VI, a new era has dawned in Rome.  Benefitting from their father's elevation are the new pope's illegitimate children--his rival sons, Cesare and Juan, and beautiful young daughter Lucrezia--each of whom assumes an exalted position in the papal court.  Privileged and adored, Lucrezia yearns to escape her childhood and play a part in her family's fortunes.  But Rome is seductive and dangerous:  Alliances shift at a moment's notice as Italy's ruling dynasties strive to keep rivals at bay.  As Lucrezia's father faces challenges from all sides, the threat of a French invasion forces him to marry her off to a powerful adversary.  But when she discovers the brutal truth behind her alliance, Lucrezia is plunged into a perilous gambit that will require all her wits, cunning, and guile.  Escaping her marriage offers the chance of happiness with a passionate prince of Naples, yet as scandalous accusations of murder and incest build against her, menacing those she loves, Lucrezia must risk everything to overcome the lethal fate imposed upon her by her Borgia blood.


"Beautifully wrought, rich with fascinating historical detail, The Vatican Princess is the first novel to describe Lucrezia's coming-of-age in her own voice.  What results is a dramatic, vivid tale set in an era of savagery and unparalleled splendor, where enemies and allies can be one and the same, and where loyalty to family can ultimately be a curse."


At the risk of stating the obvious, it took me a very long time to read this book (as evidenced by the gap in dates between my last review and this one).  I flew through the latter half of it, so I'd have to say the cause of this delay was the fact that the beginning -- the part leading up to Lucrezia's marriage to Giovanni -- dragged on a bit.  It was interesting and filled with rich details; I can see parts were integral to setting up the characters and backstory, but I just wanted the book to get going.  There was nothing "wrong" with the first part of this book, per se, but I guess I just expected a book on the Borgias to be filled with subterfuge and intrigue right off the bat.  It took a bit to get going, but I will say that there was more than enough of this to keep me satisfied as the story progressed.


I enjoy European history, but I must admit that I knew surprisingly little about the Borgias before I picked up this book:  1) They were scandalous, murderous, cunning, ruthless, and powerful.  2) They resided in Italy.  3) They would stop at nothing to see their family succeed.  See?  That doesn't amount to much when you do even a little bit of digging and find out the rumored and true depths the Borgias went to in order to help see their family into the heights of power.  I knew even less about Lucrezia Borgia as an individual.  I recall reading some rumors about incest and murder, but this book's aim appears to have been to dispel some of these stories.


Written from the first-person perspective, I found the voice in this book to be interesting.  It covers Lucrezia's life across approximately a decade, seeing her from a naïve girl -- the apple of her powerful Papa's eye -- to a woman no longer disillusioned that her family will protect her if it goes against their own interests even in the slightest.  Shortly after her father ascends (bribes and threatens his way) to the height of religious power as Pope, Lucrezia engaged at thirteen to a man in his twenties.  The alliance is created to suit the Vatican's political aims and hopes to quell any issues with the powerful Sforzas (another recognizable name in Italian history).  She and her three brothers are the children of Rodrigo Borgia, the new pope, and a married woman, Vanozza.  Cesare is the eldest and Lucrezia's beloved elder brother.  He's handsome, talented, intelligent.  Though the Spanish title of the Borgia's is his birthright, his father forces him into the Church instead, with the aim of making him a Cardinal.  Juan is the adored favorite by both parents.  He's brash, ill-tempered, poorly-behaved, and the rivalry between Juan and Cesare which began into the cradle extends throughout their lives, encompassing even their younger sister.  After Lucrezia comes Gioffre.  She adores her younger sibling, though it becomes clear that Rodrigo is uncertain whether or not the child is actually his.  He is hesitant to issue word that he's the boy's father, but he allows him to use the Borgia name and makes sure that he's well married to suit the Borgia aims.


As the story progresses, so do the voice and narration style.  Lucrezia very slowly comes to terms with the evils of her family and learns (imperfectly) to play their games.  She realizes that, as a woman, she is a pawn; however, she is not without weapons of her own.  She falters and feels helpless at times, leaning, when she can, on Cesare.  As time passes, Lucrezia learns that her desires account for very little on the chessboard of Renaissance Italy.  She is bartered for alliances and even used as a spy against her own husband -- a matter made more complicated when she learns one of her brothers may be involved with him.  One of the more complex subplots is the relationship between Lucrezia, Juan, and Cesare.  The brothers have always been pitted against one another; their sister's favor is just another area in which they compete, though Cesare is the clear favorite over the cruel, bloodthirsty Juan.  The complex relationship creates an undertone of attraction between Lucrezia and Cesare, both confusing and terrifying for the girl.  Juan takes note of this and discovers the perfect way to have his revenge upon them both.  This sets into motion a turn of events which will forever change the Borgias.  Murder and secrets, revenge and covetousness are the plagues of the Borgia -- and it seems even Lucrezia is not immune.


After the dissolution of her first marriage to Giovanni, Lucrezia returns to society harboring a dark secret.  She is given little reprieve before she is informed of her father and eldest brother's newest machinations to see her married off in yet another alliance.  This time, they seem to have taken her interests into account.  They've allowed her to have the final say...and this time, she won't settle for anything less than love.  Finally, it seems like Lucrezia is allowed to have some happiness in her life.  She learns of what it truly means to be a wife after the farce of her first marriage and she finds protection in the arms of her second husband.  Unfortunately for Lucrezia, the Borgia reach is far and intimate.  Her happiness cannot last forever -- not as long as Borgia interests take precedence.


While the love between Lucrezia and her second husband blossoms, her relationship with Cesare becomes more strained and dangerous.  Cesare, having shed his role of Cardinal, becomes a powerful tour de force in Italy's complicated and often violent military history.  He throws himself into his tactical ventures, determined to see the name Borgia carved forever upon Italy -- he will see them live on infamy with the other great Italian empires.  Lucrezia, who knows her brother best, notices there is something terribly wrong with him.  Gone is his cool cunning, replaced with an almost irrational and violent nature.  He is ill.  And it seems that he'll stop at nothing to achieve what he most covets, even if that means destroying what little peace Lucrezia has been able to obtain.


There's a delicate, successful balance of history and fiction contained within this book.  Ripe with names, dates, and actual historical events, you feel as if you're learning something while you enjoy a work of fiction.  Granted, there is a great deal of literary license to be taken with a family as secretive and complicated as the Borgias were (the author even notes that little is known about what actually took place behind closed doors with the Borgias), but it does seem as if a great deal of research and thought was put into this book.  I would recommend a basic knowledge of the Catholic Church, the historical role of the Pope, the power the Vatican held, and the history of Italy prior to picking up this book or you may be a bit lost.  You don't have to be an expert, just have some basic knowledge or there's a chance you might not appreciate the strength, power, and influence of the Borgia family.  Lucrezia, I felt, was a great narrator and main character.  She changed and grew over time, learning that she may be a beloved Borgia daughter, but that amounted to little in the grand schemes of her family.  Cesare was another dynamic character.  He went from hero to villain, from beloved brother to selfish rival.  I wanted to believe his love for Lucrezia would win out over his own ambitions, but we learn over time that this was not to be.  The first half of Lucrezia's life was rather tragic, marked with only a few brief periods of joy before her family, once again, intervenes with their own designs.


The book took a bit to get going, but I did eventually get sucked in.  I'm glad that I stuck it out.  If you're a fan of historical fiction based upon real people and events, then this is right up your alley.  If you have an interest in infamous Italian/Spanish families, then all the better.

Love at First Bite (Contains Dark-Hunter Series, Book Eighteen): Sherrilyn Kenyon, L.A. Banks, Susan Squires, Ronda Thompson

“PRIMAL KISSES. EROTIC SECRETS. ETERNAL PASSION.

“Sink your teeth into these sexy supernatural stories from some of today’s hottest authors.

““Until Death Do Us Part” by Sherrilyn Kenyon

“Over five hundred years ago, Esperetta’s soul was bound to her husband’s by dark magic, and when Velkan became a Dark-Hunter, to her horror, she became immortal as well. Now, they must come together to fight an old enemy…and the passion that threatens to consume them once more.”

Need I say how much I love Kenyon’s works? She’s the reason I bought this book!!! Anyhow, this was a fantastic short story! I loved the characters and the plot was unique—even for her Dark-Hunter Series. I was very impressed! I thought the story behind this tale was brilliant and so well-thought-out. Her characters were very likable (as always) and they easily become very dear to the readers. So far, this is one of my absolute favorite short stories by Sherrilyn Kenyon!

““Ride the Night Wind” by L.A. Banks

“Dark dreams haunt Jose Ciponte, dreams of a woman so beautiful he aches for her—and a deadly enemy who stalks them in the night. And now those dreams have become a reality…”

Well…another work by L.A. Banks…I still feel bad about reviewing her works whenever I read them… I don’t think it’s very fair because—as I have stated before—the writing is just not for me… I will admit that this is the best work that I’ve read by this author, but that’s where I will stop.

““The Gift” by Susan Squires

“All major Davis Ware wants to do is propose to the beautiful Emma Fairchild. Instead, he is called back into battle, and a desperate fate. And Emma will venture into hell itself to save him.”

This story was a bit hard to follow at first, but it quickly got me caught up in the fast-moving plot. I liked the characters and the story a good deal. The plot, itself, was unique and fun (Well…as fun as a vampire war can be!) It had new twists and I really liked that a lot. Overall, it was a sweet, fun, and interesting short story.

““The Forgotten One” by Ronda Thompson

“Lady Anne Baldwin longs to break free from her proper bonds. When she meets the mysterious Merrick, whose eyes glow like a wolf’s, she may have found more than she bargained for.”

I’ve read Ronda Thompson before and this short story definitely lived up to my expectations. I really enjoyed her writing the other time I read it and this was just as good. I like her style and her characters are very, very likable. Her plotlines are captivating and (though there was a little bit at the end that I wish she’d explained a little better). I very much look forward to reading more of Thompson in the future.