Returning to Ashok K. Banker’s brilliant #OwnVoices, epic fantasy world of the Burnt Empire, first introduced in Upon a Burning Throne, A Dark Queen Rises features Krushita and Karni, two women on quests to protect the innocent and bring down tyrants.
A dark queen rises is the third part in the series, The Burnt Empire Saga, after Upon a buring throne Part I and Part II.
Blurb:
Queen Aqreen of Aquila leaves her husband Jarsun and flees across the Red Desert. She is determined to keep her daughter from being used by Jarsun to stake his claim to the Burning Throne of Hastinaga, seat of the all-powerful Burnt Empire. But Jarsun is powerful and vengeful, and can summon legions of demoniac forces at will. The Red Desert is vast, and the journey epic.
Aqreen and Krushita’s caravan of ten thousand wagons will take several years to reach the only safe harbor, the queendom of Reygar. Jarsun’s pursuit is relentless and his vengeance terrible, but hope shines from the growing powers of little Krushita herself, along with the four-armed twin-bodied Vanjhani wagon train leader and their band of valiant desert militia. Fierce battles are in store.
There are other players in this great game of demigods and mortals, each pursuing their own agendas. The powerful seer-mage Vessa seeks to join Krushita’s talents with that of Drishya, an avatar destined to confront and kill Tyrak, Jarsun’s diabolical son-in-law. Ladislew the assassin aligns with Tyrak for her own reasons. All paths culminate in a feverish finale on the hot sands of Reygar, as father, mother, and daughter confront each other in one final showdown.
Review:
I greatly enjoyed reading the first two books and I was excited to read this one. Unfortunately, this was a bit of dissappointment.
I’m very intrigued by Mahabharata and love reading different versions and new takes on it. The first two books were fact paced thriller retelling of the Mahabharata. This book just felt too drawn out. It is a 632 page book and took me a lot of time to read it.
In this book, we finally get to the birth of Krishna and Draupadi. I enjoyed those parts but the bit with Aqrueen and Krushita felt too drawn out with unnecessary information and same things repeated again and again. I struggled to get through the middle of the book. It definitely got interesting in the end. Even parts with Vasurava got repetitive repetitive really soon in the first half of the book. Tyrak (or Kamsa) was my favorite character to read in the book.
I won’t talk more about the plot so I can keep this a spoiler free review.
I had hoped to read more about all the characters we were intoduced to in the previous books. Their stories ended on cliff hangers. It’s also difficult to remember so many names, backstories and all the details.
I’m really curious where this story goes and looking forward to read the next book in the series. Hopefully, it will have a memory refresher. I do know that Mahabharata is a vast story with so many substories but the timeline in this feels very confusing.
As always, the writing of Ashok K Banker is very crisp and interesting. I did have to google some words. This book might have been a 4 star read for me if it was shorter and more to the point to the story. It could also have been cut into two parts like the last one.
If you are looking for an interesting retelling of Mahabharata in a whole new fantasy setting, The Burnt Empire Saga is for you.
ಇಂದು ನವೆಂಬರ್ ಒಂದು, ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರಿಗೆ ವಿಶೇಷ ದಿನ – ಕನ್ನಡ ರಾಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸವ. ಕನ್ನಡ ರಾಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸವದ ಹಾರ್ದಿಕ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು. ನವೆಂಬರ್ ೧, ೧೯೫೬ರಂದು ಕನ್ನಡ ಮಾತನಾಡುವ ಎಲ್ಲ ಭಾಗಗಳನ್ನು ಸೇರಿಸಿ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಾಜ್ಯ ವನ್ನು ರಚಿಸಲಾಯಿತು.
Karnataka Rajyotsava or Kannada Day, also known as Karnataka Formation Day or Karnataka Day, is celebrated on 1 November of every year. This was the day in 1956 when all the Kannada language-speaking regions of South India were merged to form the state of Karnataka.
The Rajyotsava day is listed as a government holiday in the state of Karnataka and is celebrated by Kannadigas across the world. It is marked by the announcement and presentation of the honours list for Rajyotsava Awards by the Government of Karnataka, hoisting of the official Karnataka flag with an address from the Chief Minister and Governorof the state along with community festivals, orchestra, Kannada book releases and concerts.
ಈ ದಿನವನ್ನು ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಸಂತಸ ಹಾಗೂ ಸಡಗರದಿಂದ ಆಚರಿಸಲಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ನಾನು ಈ ದಿನ ಹಾಗೂ ಈ ತಿಂಗಳು ಕನ್ನಡ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳನ್ನು ಓದಬೇಕೆಂದು ನಿರ್ಧಾರ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದೇನೆ.
I’ve decided to read Kannada books this day and the whole month to celebrate the rich language and culture of Karnataka.
My November TBR:
1. ಧರ್ಮಶ್ರೀ (Dharmashree by S L Bhyrappa)
This novel marks the beginning of the literary journey of the great novelist, SL Bhyrappa. Religion, values, life – these fundamental aspects of human life find reflection in the novel and leads to logical analysis of the society at large. This novel holds a prominent position in the literary tradition of the Kannada language. Four decades after being published, the novel retains its freshness and relevance. This stands as testimony to its abiding populairty.
Satyanarayana is forced to choose between his upbringing and values, and his love and financial needs. But he is unable to live with the choices he makes. How does he find his path? His salvation?
2. ಹಸುರು ಹೊನ್ನು (Hasuru Honnu by Dr. B G L Swami)
“ಕಾಲಾನುಕಾಲದಿಂದ ನಮ್ಮ ಬದುಕಿನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಒಂದಲ್ಲ ಒಂದು ರೀತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಒಡನಾಡಿಗಳಾಗಿ ಬೆಳೆದುಬಂದಿರುವ ಕೆಲವು ಗಿಡಮರಗಳ ಪರಿಚಯ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಡುವುದು ಈ ಬರವಂಇಗೆಯ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನ” ಎಂದು ಮುನ್ನುಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆ, ಶ್ರೀ ಸ್ವಾಮಿ.
3.ಅಡವೆಂಚರ್ (Adventure by KP Poornachandra Tejaswi)
A translated summay of Gerald Durell’s book Three singles to adventure.
4. To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.
The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?
5. Divergent series by Veronica Roth
In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
Hopefully, I’ll stick to the TBR and read all of these.
I’m really excited to pick up Kannada books.
ಭವ್ಯ ಇತಿಹಾಸದ, ಶ್ರೀಮಂತ ಪರಂಪರೆಯ, ಸಾಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಕ ವೈವಿಧ್ಯದ, ಗಂಧದ ಗುಡಿಯ ನುಡಿ ಕನ್ನಡವನ್ನ ಉಳಿಸಿ ಬೆಳೆಸುವುದಕ್ಕಿಂತಲೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಗಿ ಎಲ್ಲೆಡೆ ಕನ್ನಡವನ್ನೇ ಬಳಸಿ. ಕನ್ನಡ ಕುಲದ ನನ್ನೆಲ್ಲ ಬಂಧುಗಳಿಗೆ ಕನ್ನಡ ರಾಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸವದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು.
It is my request to all Kannadigas, let us celebrate this day by exploring the abundant literature in Kannada.
Happy Karnataka Rajyotsava!
Which is your mother tongue? Do you read books in that language?
How are we already at the end of October??? 2020 has been really long and really short at the same time.
Anyway, I read only 5 books this month (excluding review copies and ARCs). I wanted to read more but I was busy in binge watching 👀.
1. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 I would definitely give it ten stars if I could.
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone. . . .
A convict with a thirst for revenge
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager
A runaway with a privileged past
A spy known as the Wraith
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes
Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.
I love this world and this book so so so much.
Oh my, oh my why didn’t I read this book before!? It is the perfect read for me. A heist with six outcasts, sign me the hell up! I love morally grey characters and especially theieves and survivors in a fantasy setting.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Six of Crows was an amazing book on its own but Crooked Kingdom was a blessing I didn’t know I needed. It left me heartbroken and hopeful in the end. The book was just so so so so good. Expect the detailed review soon.
Welcome to the world of the Grisha.
Kaz Brekker and his crew of deadly outcasts have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives.
Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties.
A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets – a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.
3. Blood & Honey (Serpent & Dove #2)
🌟🌟 This book was unfortunately very disappointing. It messed up everything that was built in Serpent & Dove.
After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Dames Blanches, Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel are on the run from coven, kingdom, and church—fugitives with nowhere to hide.
To elude the scores of witches and throngs of chasseurs at their heels, Lou and Reid need allies. Strong ones. But protection comes at a price, and the group is forced to embark on separate quests to build their forces. As Lou and Reid try to close the widening rift between them, the dastardly Morgane baits them in a lethal game of cat and mouse that threatens to destroy something worth more than any coven.
Nothing happens for 80% of the book. The group decides they need allies if they’re going to fight this and go to meet different people for it. That’s it, that’s the story. It’d have been so much better if the author could cut that part short.
Most importantly, I felt like Reid and Lou were different poeple from the last book. Character growth is good but completely changing characters? Lou did magic in the last book too but there was no point where her magic was hsrmful or destructive. But this time around everyone is worried about Lou’s magic. I also thought the growth in Reid’s character is supposed to be the realization that magic is not inherently evil but it could be used to serve evil purposes. Now if we say that Lou becomes evil the more she uses her magic , won’t that make magic evil???
🌟🌟 This book was as bad as you would expect. It had so much fat shaming and that much more bad writing. It was clearly written keeping a movie in mind, Chetan Bhagat could have skipped the book and directly written a movie script. I’m in the process of writing a rant review. Expect it soon.
Keshav has set up an investigation agency with his best friend, Saurabh. Can the two amateur detectives successfully solve another murder case that affects them personally? And where will it leave their friendship?
‘Ever since you found Prerna, I lost my best friend’ is what I told Saurabh. Hi, this is Keshav, and Saurabh, my best friend, flatmate, colleague and business partner, won’t talk to me. Because I made fun of him and his fiancée. Saurabh and Prerna will be getting married soon. It is an arranged marriage. However, there is more cheesy romance between them than any love-marriage couple. On Karva Chauth, she fasted for him. She didn’t eat all day. In the evening, she called him and waited on the terrace for the moon and for Saurabh to break her fast. Excited, Saurabh ran up the steps of her three-storey house. But when he reached…
Welcome to One Arranged Murder, an unputdownable thriller from India’s highest-selling author. A story about love, friendship, family and crime, it will keep you entertained and hooked right till the end.
5. Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Schwab
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.
France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.
But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.
I love V.E Schwab’s writing so much. I became a fan when I read A Darker Shade of Magic series but this book took it another love. Her writing is poetic but it’s not too much. This book was just perfect.
This was my October. How was yours? How many books did you read? Which was favorite?
Oh my, oh my why didn’t I read this book before!? It is the perfect read for me. A heist with six outcasts, sign me the hell up! I love morally grey characters and especially theieves and survivors in a fantasy setting.
No mourners, No funerals
Kaz leaned back. “What’s the easiest way to steal a man’s wallet?” “Knife to the throat?” asked Inej. “Gun to the back?” said Jesper. “Poison in his cup?” suggested Nina. “You’re all horrible,” said Matthias.
I read the book first time in June this year and that’s what I felt but I didn’t know how to review it. I just finished listening to the audiobook of Six of Crows and I decided to just write what I felt while listening to the books.
The following is less a review, more what I felt while reading it. There will definitely be mild spoilers ahead.
I had actually read the chapter 1 before. It is mildly interesting but I don’t even know why I stopped reading there before. This chapter is from the perspective of Joost. I didn’t understand what was happening at all in the first 50 to 80 pages because I haven’t read the Grisha trilogy and didn’t know anything about the magic system actually anything at all. So if the book wasn’t so popular I probably wouldn’t have continued reading it. I just wish the book could’ve started off differently. Or maybe it’s already perfect. I don’t know.
Another thing I felt while reading the book was that, it is impossible for Kaz Brekkar to be 17! I don’t think the whole crew is teenagers. I’ve imagined them all in their 20s in my head. Jasper and Matthias would be in late 20s, Inej, Wylan and Nina in early 20s and Kaz would be in his mid 20s. It just makes more sense to me with all they’ve gone through in their life and how they think.
A gambler, a convict, a wayward son, a lost Grisha, a Suli girl who had become a killer, a boy from the Barrel who had become something worse.
Speaking of Kaz and Inej, omfg, I love them so much! They’re my favorite couple although it’s hard to believe that all six people in the crew are paired. I lived for all the Kaz and Inej scenes. God I wanted more. I wanted so much more. Also, I love Inej because she recognized that she wanted more from Kaz for her to stay and she chose her dreams over it.
He needed to tell her…what? That she was lovely and brave and better than anything he deserved. That he was twisted, crooked, wrong, but not so broken that he couldn’t pull himself together into some semblance of a man for her. That without meaning to, he’d begun to lean on her, to look for her, to need her near. He needed to thank her for his new hat.
I love the book more because it takes all cliches of a fantasy story with a choosen one and throws it out the window. Kaz and Inej and Nina and Matthias and Jasper and Wylan, none of them are chosen. They are the opposite of chosen. They are all just survivors trying to live their life. I also would have definitely loved a separate book on each of these six people. They definitely all had enough story to tell.
Let’s talk about Nina and Matthias. I absolutely love enemies to lovers. Since I read Serpent and Dove before this, I felt that they’re literally Lou and Reid. But this is better because Nina is not some kind if a princess, she is a soldier fighting for a cause and so is Matthias. I just loved the dynamic and everything between these too. Nina is also my waffle queen!
Wylan and Jesper weren’t the focus in this book but the development in Crooked Kingdom is amazinggg. So I don’t have much to talk about them here except that I love them ofcourse!
The heist was very clever and interesting but I was drawn to the story because of the characters and their development. Kaz was my absolute favorite. Who was yours?
I can’t believe the ending. I’ve just started Crooked Kingdom for the second time and I’m so excited.
Have you read Six of Crows? Did you enjoy it? Who was your favorite character?
Greek mythology is fascinating. Circe is one of my favorites. It is on the top of my rereads. I don’t how to describe the book except to say ‘Truly Spellbinding’.
Blurb: In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.
Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.
But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.
Review:
Circe felt out of place among the nymphs and gods from the moment she was born. She was fascinated by human beings. What did her life look like when she was exiled due to pure politics. What did she make of her life? The book covers the total of the immortal life of Circe. It is one of the best Greek mythology books out there.
The narration was a little confusing sometimes because so so much happens in this small book. We cover the 300+ years of Circe’s life. I loved the all the references to popular Greek mythologies. You get them only if you know about Greek mythologies but even if you don’t it is a great read.
It is a common saying that women are delicate creatures, flowers, eggs, anything that may be crushed in a moment’s carelessness. If I had ever believed it, I no longer did.
The writing is so good. These quotes should give you an example. It is also renowned as a feminist retelling of Circe’s story. I wished there were more women characters and more interactions of Circe and other nymphs or goddesses or just other women to completely call it a feminist retelling. Other than that, I’ve no complaints.
I thought once that gods are the opposite of death, but I see now they are more dead than anything, for they are unchanging, and can hold nothing in their hands.
But gods are born of ichor and nectar, their excellences already bursting from their fingertips. So they find their fame by proving what they can mar: destroying cities, starting wars, breeding plagues and monsters. All that smoke and savor rising so delicately from our altars. It leaves only ash behind.
This is such a bad review but I really don’t know how to review. I hope you pick this up and help me review it!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I would give it 10 stars if I could. I’m soon picking up the book ‘Song of Achilles’ by Madeline Miller. I’ve heard so much about it and I already love her writing from Circe. I hope it as good as this.
What are you currently reading? What was your last 5 start read?
Soul Spoken is a place where experiences have been characterized by living emotions. It is a book which has been brought together with 28 extracts and 2 poems. It is a perceptive interpretation of a young girl’s journey where aspects such as conflict, love, ego, selflessness, restlessness, inspiration, aspiration, contentment have been personified. A magical interplay between the mind, heart and soul, designed for young adults
Firstly, the book cover is beautiful. The book consists of journal entries of sorts of a girl and narrates her life experiences. The writing is beautiful, with metaphors to convey the depths of what she’s feeling.
“That’s the beauty of intensity, like a bouquet of different flowers, flagrantly smiling at her.”
I just felt sometimes that they became too much and maybe author could’ve tried conveying the emotions in a simpler way.
It is a short book of around 74 pages. It is captivating and I read it one go. It’s an intimate, personal and uncut revelation of a transformation, untangling bits and pieces of her life in the various levels of lenses she sees them in. It is as if the book has been written by looking in the depths of a soul. Hence, “Soul Spoken”.
“Freedom shouldn’t have a price to pay, And you cannot pre-plan what you have to say, Doubtful instances left at the end of the day, Downfall is never the reason to fade away. “
Overall, I enjoyed reading the book. I’d recommend it to poetry lovers. If you enjoy a book that takes time to understand and enjoy (like poetry), this book is for you.
Take it as a diary or a personal narrative, bringing out true sentiment, naturally in rhyme.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
Qotd: Do you like books with deeper meanings and metaphors?
After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Dames Blanches, Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel are on the run from coven, kingdom, and church—fugitives with nowhere to hide.
To elude the scores of witches and throngs of chasseurs at their heels, Lou and Reid need allies. Strong ones. But protection comes at a price, and the group is forced to embark on separate quests to build their forces. As Lou and Reid try to close the widening rift between them, the dastardly Morgane baits them in a lethal game of cat and mouse that threatens to destroy something worth more than any coven.
This series should have clearly been a duology because literally nothing happened until the very end of this book. Also, what the fuck happened at the very end?? I’ve many questions and many more complaints.
First of all this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020. Serpent and Dove was a surprisingly excellent read. All the things developed throughout that book fell flat in this book. Why did you do this Shelby???
The book picks up right where it left off in the last book. I definitely recommend rereading Serpent & Dove before this. I had forgotten names of side characters who make appearances in this one. Also, why did Lou forget that she took the memories of Bas? It was so pointless. Actually, most of the book was pointless.
Nothing happens for 80% of the book. The group decides they need allies if they’re going to fight this and go to meet different people for it. That’s it, that’s the story. It’d have been so much better if the author could cut that part short.
Most importantly, I felt like Reid and Lou were different poeple from the last book. Character growth is good but completely changing characters? Lou did magic in the last book too but there was no point where her magic was hsrmful or destructive. But this time around everyone is worried about Lou’s magic. I also thought the growth in Reid’s character is supposed to be the realization that magic is not inherently evil but it could be used to serve evil purposes. Now if we say that Lou becomes evil the more she uses her magic , won’t that make magic evil???
I’m a witch , Reid. A witch . I have the power to protect the ones I love, and I will sacrifice anything for them. If that makes me a monster—if that makes me aberrant —I’ll don the teeth and claws to make it easier for you. I’ll get worse, if that justifies your twisted rhetoric. Much, much worse.
Those who loved the book for it’s slow burn romance in the last book will be so dissappointed by this book. The dynamic was interesting in the first say 50 pages. The rest of the book is just unnecessary conflicts and fighting between the two. I can understand the fighting to some extent because of their beliefs but Lou says this at one point:
We’re natural enemies, Reid. You’ll always be a witch hunter. I’ll always be a witch. And we’ll always bring each other pain.
Wasn’t this the conflict of the last book?? There are smut scenes in this book too but nothing leading upto it. I did enjoy reading the sex scene before the climax.
Reid is a witch now but it was handled very weirdly. I see that it would be very confusing to someone who have hated magic their whole life. Lou and Reid refuse to talk about it and Reid concludes that it’s best for Lou to not use magic. I hope to god there is better character growth in the next one. They did resolve the conflicts but I just didn’t get it. Reid comes to term with Lou’s magic and him being a witch.
You don’t get to leave me. Do you understand?” Cupping my face, he wrenched me backward and kissed me hard. His voice was fierce. His eyes were fiercer. They burned into mine, angry and anguished and afraid. “You don’t get to do this alone. If you retreat into your mind—into your magic—I’ll follow you, Lou.” He shook me slightly, tears glistening in those frightened eyes. “I’ll follow you into that darkness, and I’ll bring you back. Do you hear me? Where you go, I will go.
I crept into his lap. “What am I, Reid? Say it again.” “You’re a witch.” “And what are you?” He didn’t hesitate, and my heart swelled. “I am too.” “Only partly right, I’m afraid.” My smile—now genuine—grew at his confusion, and I leaned forward, rubbing my nose against his. He closed his eyes. “Allow me to fill in the gaps for you.” I kissed his nose. “You are a huntsman.” Though he recoiled slightly, I didn’t let him escape, kissing his cheek. “You are a son.” I kissed his other cheek. “You are a brother.” His forehead. “You are a husband.” His eyelids and his chin. “You are brave and strong and good .” And, finally, his lips. “But most important, you are loved.
Also also God’s are involved in the plot now?? Please define the rules of the magic system and the universe you’ve created. Please. It gets very confusing. The moment Claud Deveraux was introduced, I knew he’d play a major role later on. But a God!? He did have the wild old man persona throughout the book. He said things like:
A snake,” I replied, breath hitching. “I suppose . . . I’m a snake. A liar. A deceiver. Cursed to crawl on my belly and eat dust all the days of my life.” “Ah.” To my surprise, Claud’s face didn’t twist in disgust or revulsion. He nodded instead, a knowing smile playing on his lips. “Yes, I would agree with that assessment.” Humiliation hung my head. “Right. Thanks.” “Louise.” A single finger lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him. Those eyes, once warm, now blazed with intensity, with conviction. “What you are now is not what you’ve always been, nor is it what you always will be. You are a snake. Shed your skin if it no longer serves you. Transform into something different. Something better.
How old are you?” I asked again, louder this time. “Very old.” Odd, indeed. I stared at him. “ What are you?” He chuckled, his eyes cutting to mine. “I simply . . . am.” “That’s not an answer.” “Of course it is. Why must I bind myself to fit your expectations?
So he is a God but it still does not solve the problem. Why? I’ve no idea. It also feel like many characters were brought bacl from book 1 for no reason at all, especially the whole climax involving Reid’s old lover, Celie.
I can’t even begin to process Ansel’s death. He was the one character I had liked throughout the book. Why did you have to do this 😭
The book ends with a huge cliffhanger. I’m not going to mention what it is, but even it feels pointless. I was so excited to read this book ever since I read Serpent and Dove but this time I don’t really care. I’m going to read the next book when it comes out, sure but I’m only just mildly interested with what happens to Lou and Reid now.
Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.
Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.
The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.
And love makes fools of us all.
As the blurb says, unexpected circumstances leads to the marriage between the witch and the witch hunter: Lou and Reid.
You’re to be my wife.” Catching up to her in two strides, I reached out to grab her arm, but stopped short of touching her. “That means you’ll obey me.” “Does it?” She raised her brows, still grinning. ” I suppose that means you’ll honor and protect me, then? If we’re adhering to the dusty old roles of your patriarchy?” I shortened my pace to match hers. “Yes.” She clapped her hands together. “Excellent. At least this will be entertaining. I have many enemies.
I really enjoy enemies to lovers trope especially in a fantasy setting with a magic system. When I first read the book a year ago, I really really enjoyed their banter. But now the similarities in the personalities between Nina (from Six of Crows) and Lou and Reid and Matthias (from Six of Crows) is way too much. I hadn’t read Six of Crows before but now I can’t even distinguish between the pairs although the settings are different. It doesn’t mean I didn’t like reading it.
I really liked the magic system of this universe. Magic works differently for everyone and you don’t get sometjing for nothing. You need to trade something from your life everytime. That is a very fascinating idea.
SPOILERS AHEAD
I didn’t really understand how just singing a pub song aka indecent as Ansel called it makes Ansel goes against the only instruction he was supposed to follow. It also distracts the witches in the middle of an attack. How?? I can atleast make some sense of Ansel part.
Big Titty Liddy was not very pretty , but her bosom was big as a barn
Her creamery knockers drove men off thir rockers, but she was blind to their charms
Apart from this, I love love the book. My only complaint would be that the “falling in love” part happened a little too quickly or maybe I just wanted more of their banter and Lou being annoying.
My favourite character was Ansel and I hope he will be developed well in the sequel.
I read this book in anticipation of the sequel, Blood & Honey. It is finally in my hands. Expect a review soon.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Qotd: Did you read Serpent and Dove? Did you enjoy it?
I had the opportunity to interview the author of the book ‘A Blue Moon Interlude’, Viji. Do check out the book.
1) What inspired you to write? Have you always wanted to be a writer?
The urge to write a novel has always existed in some corner of my mind. It burgeoned into a passion in recent times. Through my childhood and teenage years, I have often woven stories in my head. It was that private space where I could escape and spin a fairy world. Many times, while reading fiction, I would try to imagine an alternate situation and wonder how the story could have progressed differently. Also, the reason for my successful stint as a teacher was my story-telling sessions which my students looked forward to. Their keen interest in my stories led to writing. But writing as a full-time occupation happened suddenly. I wrote a few reviews on television shows and one of the page administrators asked me to write a fiction based on the show. The unexpected success of that story impelled me to write further, and now I do not let a day go by without writing at least one page.
2) What books or authors have most influenced you?
All genres of fiction, in general have influenced me. Thriller, mystery, romance, fantasy; have all managed to make an impression on me. Foremost on the authors list is Shakespeare. His characters have intrigued me in great measure, especially Hamlet and Othello. Dan Brown’s novels spurred me to look deeper into our own history and mythology. Amitav Ghosh’s writing made me realize that Indian English literature has refined enormously to produce classics on contemporary settings. Amish Tripathi, Chetan Bhagat, Anand Neelakandan, Khaled Hosseini, Chitra Banerjee, Sydney Sheldon, Jeffery Archer, Anne Mather have inspired me in their own ways.
3) Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the blurb?
‘A Blue Moon Interlude’, is a contemporary thriller which is steeped in ancient South Indian history, an area of both history and mythology which has largely remained unexplored, not just in fiction but also in the history textbooks of our schools. Ancient Tamil History dating back to the earlier period of first millennium, like Greco-Roman Egyptian History, is that period which falls on the blurred lines between history and mythology, where history and folklore seamlessly merge with one another. Contemporary Chennai, the urban heart of Tamil Nadu, is a confluence of this history and this mythos, and the young adults of the Information Age. The story is unique, because while it belongs to one of the most popular genres of adult fiction in India in the recent past, it also explores a relatively untouched area of history in contemporary fiction.
4) Do you have a favourite character that you have written? If so who? And what makes them so special?
All my characters are special but some are dearer than others. Nilagriva Chandra Shekhar, the main protagonist is special because of his growth from a distant stranger to someone who fights for his love, family and land with passion is remarkable. However, my favourite character is the eighty- year-old Nedumaran. His age and wisdom notwithstanding, Nedumaran makes a strong impression. Carrying a powerful and blessed truth in his heart for years, he wants to divulge it to the appropriate legatee. Caretaker of the ancestral estate of industrialist Arunachalam Chettiar in the temple town of Chidambaram, Nedumaran’s long white beard and wise eyes contradict his unapologetic habit of smoking weed. Devoting his solitary life to spiritual pursuits, his occasional straying into the forbidden path generates an interest in the younger generation.
5) If you could go back in time and change something about your book, what would you change?
So far so good. I have drafted so much and edited so much more that I hope there is nothing that I would like to change in the book now. Having said that, I must add that with every novel, a writer learns and grows. Also, with feedback, I might get a better perspective on my work.
Yes, very much so. I am very grateful that Become Shakespeare.com has made my dream of publishing a novel come true. The person assigned to my project, Miral Bheda has been very helpful and has guided me appropriately. The journey so far has been smooth and enjoyable.
7) If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?
Well, my dream team would be…as Nilagriva Chandra Shekhar, I can’t imagine anyone but a young Amitabh Bachchan, a younger Sridevi as Sindhoora and a young Shashi Kapoor as Jeeva Velu Stane. These are the three main characters and all three require strong screen presence.
8) Writing can be exhausting and stressful. Any tips for aspiring writers?
I have always found writing exhilarating. In spite of that, there are days when I have got stuck with words and faced writers’ block. In such situations, the best way to overcome it, would be to take a break, get into physical activity or indulge in a favourite hobby. Once you have overcome the exhaustion and relaxed your mind, you will be ready to get going. Making a daily schedule and following a set deadline also help to come up with fresh ideas.
9) Are you working on anything at present that you would like to share with your readers about?
Yes, I am writing a fantasy-romance based on time travel. There are two parallel plots set in different eras. How the two plots would get connected is what would keep the readers guessing. An ancient prophecy that was written on the banks of an immortal river and an odyssey through time to unravel a timeless secret is the logline of the story.
10) What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
a) One of the key ingredients of a book is the ‘Feel good sentiment’ that follows the completion of an engrossing story and hence, I hope that my book will leave the readers with a similar feeling. b) A faint lingering desire for the continuity of the travel that grips one at the end of a good journey is what I expect of ‘A Blue Moon Interlude’. c) The other most important thing that I hope that the readers would take away from this book is a revival of curiosity and interest in the history of our temples and folk legends.
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