Re-Read: His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik

Things never go as planned... doesn't that suck? Work is totally kicking my butt. My experiments aren't working ideally, having two new co-workers really put a cramp in my routine... and the pain is still there :( Seems like I'm having a sinusitis (well, according to deduction power + internet). The good news is that it's moved from the whole face to the right side of my face only. Still have pain in the cheek and teeth ache... the bad news is that Advil doesn't seem to have an effect. Good news is that the pain is intermittent. Ughhhhh!! I hate being sick, it's official!

I had plans to write this review while at work, but as I said, plans never go as planned :( This probably means all the posts I wanted to write will be delayed, sigh. Oh well, too bad for me, right? Still, I have time to write my review for my re-read, so it's not a total loss :)


My re-read this month is His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik. You can read my previous review here. I chose to re-read this book because of Renee's post about the Non-romance Romance here and it made me want to re-read His Majesty's Dragon. So thank you very much Renee :D


His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik
published by Del Rey in March 2006

Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain's defense by taking to the skies... not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons.

When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future-and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France's own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte's boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire.

Genre: fantasy
Series: Temeraire, book #1

The Story: His Majesty's Dragon takes place during the Napoleonic era, in a world where dragons exist and are valued as great warriors.

Basically, England and France are at war and Captain Will Laurence has accomplished quite a feat by finding himself in possession of a dragon egg. However, his life changes when Temeraire, the newly hatched dragon, chooses Will as his aviator. Now responsible for Temeraire, Will finds himself putting away his navy life and starting a new life as an aviator, which includes lots of training and a different mindset. However, in time of wars, Will will adapt for his Majesty... and his love of Temeraire.

My Opinion: There are five books in the series so far and His Majesty's Dragon is by far my favorite. I just love, love Will and Temeraire's relationship. Like Renee said, it's not romance, but a non-romance romance. There's just this connection between Will and Temeraire and yes, love. I love the way Will comes to care for Temeraire even though the beast changed his life completely. All these little things Will do for Temeraire, buying him jewelries, defending him, being proud of Temeraire's uniqueness. It's a blend of parent-child/older-younger brother/friend love.

As for Temeraire, he is simply just too cute LOL :) He's like a bright kid growing up, needing security, reassurance and love. He'll do anything to please Will. I love how Will comes first, no matter what where Temeraire is concerned. Also, like I said, Temeraire is just too cute and smart. I love Temeraire most in His Majesty's Dragon because there's this innocence to him. Strangely, I don't really like Temeraire's political stand and free-thinking in the subsequent books... and while their relationship is still as loving, the focus has shifted more to the plot... which is probably why His Majesty's Dragon is my favorite book in the series :D

Aside from Will and Temeraire, His Majesty's Dragon is wonderful for its world building. Seriously, dragons serving in the army? The whole logistic is mind-boggling, but Ms Novik is able to make it believable. The words flow and I, as a reader, is able to imagine it which is quite a remarkable feat. The plot is also quite interesting and the story keeps on moving, never remaining static or dragging. I find myself loving this book and going "awwww."

It might not have any "romance" as I know it, but the relationship between Will and Temeraire will make hearts melt. In addition, Temeraire's friendship with other dragons is also lovely. His Majesty's Dragon is simply a great, great book and if you enjoy fantasy and want something different, but I mean completely different, then this is for you :D

My Grade: A.

Review: Madhouse by Rob Thurman

How is everyone doing? I hope you're having a great week-end :)

I'm still recovering... I don't know, sometimes I feel better... Other times, I feel tired and hot. Of course, it didn't help I did something stupid - read instead of sleeping. Usually, I wouldn't mind, but yeah, when you need rest, that might not be the best idea, right? I stayed up Friday night till... hmmm, 3 or 4 o'clock to finish Tempt Me At Twilight by Lisa Kleypas ^_^;

Reading-wise, my week-end has been quite good. Finished Tempt Me At Twilight and Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong. Frostbitten was great :D and you know what? I might have the chance to meet Ms Armstrong next week-end at a convention!! Woohoo, I'm going to try my hardest to make it!

I got On the Edge by Ilona Andrews on Friday. Really lucky! It was fun this week, going after the books. I got Frostbitten on Thursday. The online showed that few bookstores got it on Wednesday, but I knew those bookstores wouldn't have it out on the shelves yet. Then, on Thursday, I saw that Coles had it. I immediately called... it was 3pm. The guy told me it was probably still in some boxes and that he'd be unpacking them, so he asked that I call back 1 or 1.5 hours later. That's what I did and he had it aside for me :D Easy peacy! :) Then, On the Edge... well that one showed up at Indigo... and let say I was determined to at least try, even though Indigo takes usually a few days to unpack their boxes. I got to the bookstore, didn't find the book on the shelf (duh) and no carts around... I finally asked one of the sale clerks and she was really nice. She looked at it on the computer and saw that the release date was September 29. She asked if I had a minute so she'd go check in the backroom. She came back 5 minutes later with it :D Wooohoo, so total score :D

So yeah, I basically spent my week-end sleeping and reading :) I cleaned up a little, but not enough... Will have to try to have my room cleaned up this week though. Otherwise, I won't have time...

Oh and I have a review up at Breezing Through. Hilcia and I buddy reviewed Madhouse by Rob Thurman. I'm actually very proud of myself for two reasons. It's quite rare that I review a whole series. I don't know why, but there's always a book that slip through my review mojo no matter how hard I try. The second reason? With Madhouse review up, that means I've reviewed all the books I've read in a month (August)!! Wooohooo!!! That is like unheard of me! Of course, it took me like 2 months to review them all and my reviews for books read in September have been scarce, but LOL :) I don't mind :)

So I hope you enjoy our review!! You can find it here.


Madhouse by Rob Thurman
published by ROC Fantasy in March 2008

My brother has spent a lifetime – mine, at least-telling me that I was normal, that I wasn’t a monster. With his help, I’d finally realized that as long as I could remain who I was, I could survive what I was. It was only bad genes...

Half-human Cal Leandros and his brother, Niko, aren’t exactly prospering with their preternatural detective agency. Who could have guessed that business would dry up in New York City, where vampires, trolls, and other creepy crawlies are all over the place?

But now there’s a new arrival in the Big Apple. A malevolent evil with ancient powers, dead set on making history with an orgy of blood and murder, is picking off humans like sheep. And for Cal and Niko, this is one paycheck they’re going to have to earn... if they live long enough to collect it.

Re-Read Challenge Reminder

How is everyone doing? I hope well :) It's been quiet on blogland... I know, I know. I say this often, but I can't help it when it's the truth, right? I hope everyone is busy with RL and not sick like me ^_^;

For those who are wondering, I did get Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong! Yay!! It wasn't too hard either... Just two phone calls, although I have to admit, I did feel a little bit bad ^_^; But that's another story. Here are the two covers, Canadian on the right and US on the left. Which one do you prefer?

I still haven't made up my mind... In a way, I find the Canadian one a bit weird... took me a while to figure out the image. I like the black and white look with a little color. Ms Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series are being re-printed in Canada with new covers, so this one fits right in... but me, I had most of the US covers... and so the US cover would fit better... but while I like the image, I don't like the yellow background. Ah well. Can't complain too much right?

Next on my hunting list is On the Edge by Ilona Andrews...

LOL and before I forget (which would be sad, because after all, this is the topic of this post), the Re-Read Challenge is for next week! :) End of the month is Wednesday, September 30 - so that will be the official date. However, feel free to post your review anytime between September 29 and October 1st to be eligible for the 10$ gift certificate :D I'll have the draw done on Firday, October 2nd :)

So have you done your re-read? I did mine (which is why this reminder is a bit late LOL)

Have a nice week-end all!

Review: Burn by Linda Howard

I'm still sick, but getting much better. The fever is gone and now, all I have is a stuffy nose and sore throat. The stuffy nose is annoying me. I hate having a stuffy nose, cos well it's stuffy ^_^; The skin around gets irritated and you can't breathe normally. Ugh.

Of course, being sick hasn't stopped me from buying books LOL :) Went to the bookstore and got a couple of interesting ones... such as Drawn in Blood by Andrea Kane, Wicked All Day by Liz Carlyle, Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen, etc. But guess what showed up in-store today? Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong. Now, I have to find a bookstore that'll put it in the shelves soon... or snoop around to look at carts and boxes. I'm hoping On the Edge by Ilona Andrews will show up soon too.

LOL, I'll let you know if there is any booking adventure :P


Burn by Linda Howard
published by Ballantine Books in July 2009

Money changes everything.

Money certainly changes Jenner Redwine's life when she wins a lottery jackpot. But it also costs her plenty: Her father rips her off and disappears, her fortune-hunting boyfriend soon becomes her ex, and friends-turned-freeloaders give her the cold shoulder when she stops paying for everything.

Flush with new money, Jenner can't imagine ever finding a place in the world of the wealthy. Seven years later, though, she's rubbing elbows with the rich, despite the fact she still feels like a party crasher. Luckily she finds an ally-and a guide to the rarefied realm of privilege-in shy, kind-hearted heiress Sydney Hazlett, who quickly becomes Jenner's confidante and surrogate sister.

When Sydney invites Jenner on a charity cruise aboard a luxury liner, Jenner reluctantly agrees. But while she's expecting-and dreading-two weeks of masquerade balls, art auctions, and preening glitterati, what she gets is more like a Hitchcock movie than a Love Boat episode. Taken hostage by a menacing stranger, Jenner must cooperate in a mysterious cloak-and-dagger scheme-or else. With nowhere to run, and with Sydney's life as well as her own at risk, Jenner is drawn into a game of dizzying intrigue and harrowing danger. But as her panic gives way to exhilaration, and fear of her captor turns to fascination, Jenner rediscovers feelings she hasn't had in years-and realizes she's found a life worth living. If she survives.

Genre: romantic suspense
Series: none

The Story: Jenner Redwine has never felt like she belongs. Then, the unexpected happens and the 23 years old meat packer wins the lottery... Sever years later, a socialite in Palm Spring, Jenner still doesn't feel like she belongs. She probably would leave and discover the world if it wasn't for her best friend, Sydney Hazlett.

Sydney and Jenner are scheduled to participate to a charity cruise and are given the stateroom next to the host, Frank Larkin. He is actually suspected of treason and has planned a meeting with the North Koreans during the cruise in order to exchange information. Cael Taylor is hired by the US government to do some surveillance and find out as much information he can. He and his team embark on the cruise, but they need Jenner's cooperation... which will not come easy.

My Opinion: So, I admit to be pleasantly surprised with Burn. The last new Howard I've read is Cover of Night which was really disappointing... I haven't read the last two releases, because... well I don't know, just didn't feel like it. Burn though intrigued me, especially the winning the lottery plot. Still, I was a little wary and that's why I borrowed the book at the library. Now, I'm thinking I'm going to buy the paperback when it'll be released... :)

So the blurb of the book was made to be quite intriguing... What attracted me to this book was the winning the lottery plot, but at the same time, I was quite worried about the H/H having a case of Stockholm Syndrome ^_^; It can pass in historical, but in contemporary romances, it's harder to make it work in my opinion ^_^; Okay, so what I was worried the most about was whether Cael was really a bad guy or a good guy in disguise... He turned out to be the latter, yay! The great thing is that was disclosed early in the book and readers weren't left to guess. I'm also very glad that the subject of Stolckholm Syndrome was addressed by the H/H.

What did I like about Burn? I quite enjoyed Jenner's character. She was strong, tough, level-head and prickly. On many levels, she reminded me of Sweeney of Now You See Her. She's also very clever and I liked the fact that she was able to figure out things. She was afraid, but didn't panic... she approached things calmly and once she was sure Sydney and her were safe, she started pushing the buttons LOL :) Cael was also an interesting character, but a little bit too unidimensional. He fit the profile of a military, alpha male, but I'd have liked to know a bit more about his background and past. I love their interactions, how both of them were attracted to each other and fighting it. Their dialogues were also very funny... I loved seeing Cael frustrated and annoyed, but still couldn't help liking Jenner :) There's something about a man being exasperated by a woman, but still loving her that I like... I guess I just find it cute LOL :)

I actually quite like the plot; I thought it was interesting and clever. Some parts could have been stronger, but overall it was good. There are some parts Ms Howard did good also not to please the reader... For example, I wished Cael would have told Jenner he was a good guy or has stopped handcuffing her earlier, trust her earlier... but that's my wish. Realistically, it wasn't in Cael's character and seriously, it would not be believable if such a man trust so easily. So that was well done by the author, although I still wished the part would have been shorter LOL :)

There's a lot of parts where I find myself wanting Ms Howard to expand: the secondary characters (there was a whole slew of them!), Cael's past, Jenner's past (for the part where Jenner wins the lottery to be longer, her arrival at Palm Spring), etc. It would have been nice and I think would have made the book a little more complete. Still, Burn was enjoyable, more than I expected. Looking forward to her next release now, though I'll still be a little cautious before getting it :)

My Grade: B.

Review: Moonshine by Rob Thurman

Hello everyone!

I hope you all had a nice week-end. The weather is being very nice lately, but the temperatures have definitively cooled down :(

I'm sick :( Stuffy nose and sore throat and perhaps a little bit of fever. The good news is that I don't have a cough, so it should not be the swine flu ^_^; I'm totally blaming my supervisor for this: stress and lack of sleep has weakened me. I loaded up on orange juice yesterday and I've been drinking a lot of water... Hopefully with a good night of sleep, I should feel better tomorrow.

Depressing no?

Onto better news though, here is my review of Moonshine by Rob Thurman. It is over at Breezing Through and my buddy this time is the lovely Hilcia :) You can find the review here. One more book and I'll have reviewed all the books read in a month! Wow, a first for me LOL :)

Enjoy!


Moonshine by Rob Thurman
published by ROC Fantasy in March 2007

I was born a monster. Although truthfully, I was only half monster. My mother was human; my father was something... else. Half monster or whole, in the end it didn’t matter. I had my weaknesses, same as anyone else.

And I was facing one of them now.

After saving the world from his fiendish father’s side of the family, Cal Leandros and his stalwart half brother, Niko, have settled down with a new apartment and a new gig – bodyguard and detective work. And in New York City, where preternatural beings talk the streets just like normal folk, business is good.

Their latest case has them going undercover for the Kin, the werewolf Mafia. A low-level Kin boss thinks a rival is setting him for a fall, and wants proof. The place to start is the back room of Moonshine, a gambling club for nonhumans. Cal thinks it’s a simple in-and-out job. But Cal is very, very wrong.

Cal and Niko are being set up themselves - and the people behind it have bites much worse than their barks...

More canoe pictures...

Sigh, long day today. I've been at the Fathers' place since 8.30am... my friend who usually does the morning shift has classes today. Ugh.

It's not bad though... I had time to work on two buddy reviews and I cleaned out my Gmail inbox. 577 emails labeled and archives. Go me!! LOL :) Yep, pretty proud of myself.

I said I'd post more pictures of my canoe adventures last week when my aunt would send them to me. So here are a few more...

Fist pic: that my uncle and me in the background of the pic... About 2 minutes after we left shore. Yep, somehow we ended up in the wrong direction ^_^;

Second pic: My uncle and I paddling.

Third pic: There were some waterfalls, so that's my sis and I. Pretty nice pic :)

Belated TBR Day: Duchess by Night by Eloisa James

Ugh, I didn't make it in time for the TBR challenge :( But I refuse to miss it twice in a row!! So I'm still going to review the book and put it under TBR challenge LOL :)

So the book is Duchess by Night by Eloisa James. It is not very old and hasn't been in my TBR pile for long, but it's okay, right? :) I'm not a die-hard fan of Ms James... I bought a couple of books of hers because other bloggers enjoy her. Then, she had this new series, the Desperate Duchesses, and I bought the first book... and the second... without reading any of them. Then, I wasn't sure whether I would buy the rest or not, but I found myself through different circumstances buying them LOL. So I own Duchess by Night thanks to Ames who loved it :D


Duchess by Night by Eloisa James
published by Avon in July 2008

A Mischievous Charade...

Harriet, Duchess of Berrow, is tired of her title and the responsibilities that come along with it. Enough with proper tea parties and elegant balls; what Harriet really wants is to attend an outrageous soiree where she can unleash her wildest whims and desires. But to attend such an event—especially if the event in question is Lord Justinian Strange's rollicking fete, filled with noble rogues and rotters, risqué ladies and illicit lovers—would be certain scandal. That's why she must disguise herself...

Looking forward to a night of uninhibited pleasure, Lord Strange is shocked to discover that beneath the clothes of a no-good rake is the most beautiful woman in the room. Why is a woman like her risking her reputation at his notorious affair? And can he possibly entice her to stay... forever?

Genre: historical romance
Series: Desperate Duchesses, book #3

The Story: Harriet is the Duchess of of Berrow and also a widow, her husband having committed suicide after losing a game of chess. She is still the Duchess though because the heir, her husband's nephew, is still too young to assume the responsibilities. The problem is that Harriet is bored and finds herself boring. She's tired of people avoiding her, pitying her because of her husband's suicide... At the same time, Isidore, the Duchess of Cosway, is tired of waiting for her Duke to return from wherever he is and planned to force his hand: attend to one of the most scandalous house party hosted by Lord Justinian Strange, aka Jem. Harriet jumps on the occasion to accompany Isidore as her chaperon, disguised as a man to experience some adventures...

My Opinion: LOL, there's just something about cross-dressing stories LOL :) I've read many in kung fu novels and manga and enjoyed them a lot... I understand that in reality, it's much harder to do - especially in contemporary novels, but it was done quite well in Duchess by Night and I really loved it :)

I really liked Harriet's character. She's a simple woman and all she wants is to love and be loved. Her marriage was never passionate, she's tired of being pitied and ignored by the ton. What she wants is an adventure and she jumps on the first opportunity that presents to herself, i.e. attending Lord Stranger's party. She's a smart woman and I liked that she enjoyed herself, the freedom and anonymity that the men's clothes provided.

I also loved Jem's character. I liked his love for his daughter. Sure, he's not raising her in a conventional way, but at least, he's paying attention to her, spending time with her and he loves her, which is the most important. I think it made him stand out a lot for me. He's an eccentric and did not care about what people thought of him. He doesn't care about titles and aristocrats and the ton... He has money, but does not seek power. I felt that he assumed the responsibilities that money brought to him, in his own way. Definitively an interesting character. Like Ames, what I loved the most is that he even acknowledged his feelings when he thought that Harriet was Harry :)

I thought the first half of Duchess by Night was great. I loved the chase between Harriet and Jem, their interactions, the attraction between them... In With Seduction in Mind, I complained that there was no chemistry between the H/H... Well it definitively was not the case in Duchess by Night. It was even better when Jem and Harriet became lovers. You could see the tenderness between them and the playfulness. They seem so carefree and in love.

Villiers, Harriet and Isidore's dynamics were also very interesting, especially between Villiers and Harriet. The friendship between them is unlikely after the death of Harriet's husband, but it does occur and it was touching to see.

Oh and the whole thing was just sooo funny. I mean, can you imagine the situations that can happen when a woman dressed as a man? LOL, especially when other women hit on her. I think the funniest was when Kitty was seducing Harriet and she admitted: "I'm not a man" and Kitty thought Harriet meant she was an eunuch. LMAO.

I have to say, it's unfortunate that the second half lost momentum. I thought the storyline in the second half of the book was a bit forced, first with Jem's daughter's sickness and then the conflict. I understand the use of the child's sickness, bring all the characters closer and emphasized the love between Jem and his daughter... but at the same time, I felt it didn't fit the mood of this story. It was drawn out and too passive. As for the conflict, I also felt it was forced. Jem doesn't care about titles and nobles, so why would he cares that Harriet was a duchess? Did he really value the Games? I find it hard to understand why Jem rejected her exactly. Also, when he finally realized that Harriet was more important and came to apologize, I don't know, he could have grovel a bit more. I thought the whole situation - discovering she's a duchess and finding a way to be together, could have been more poignant. It takes two to fall in love, so why can't it take two to work to get their HEA ending?

So I definitively liked the first half of the book, the idea was great and interesting. I loved the characters, especially Harriet and Jem. They were a great couple and I had many laughs. Unfortunately, I thought the second half of the book was weak. It definitively could have been more and better, it had potential.

My Grade: B+.