MANTLE OF MALICE by April Taylor

5 GOLD STARS

History, fantasy, magic

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE

Yes, she's done it - the third episode of the Tudor Enigma trilogy is by far the best of the three!  I loved it, and read it in just two days.

This third book has all the elements that made Court of Conspiracy and Taste of Treason so good, but so much more, too.  The series takes place in an parallel world in which Anne Boleyn carried Henry VIII's son to full term and they stayed married; Henry IX is now on the throne.  Much though I've loved the storylines of the other two books, about apothecary Luke Ballard and his associates and friends, I always wanted to know what else might happen in this alternative universe ~ and in Mantle of Malice we meet the Dukes of Northumberland and Somerset (Dudley and Seymour), along with Thomas Cranmer, Elizabeth and Robert Dudley, and find out what might have happened to other members of the Tudor court, too; I will say no more except that I think Ms Taylor views the Seymours and the Dudleys in the same way as I do....  

 Wolf Hall, home of the Seymours

I had absolutely no idea about who was the ultimate evil behind all the shocking events, and, as with the last book, was completely surprised by the ending.  A better outcome than I could possibly have imagined.  For those who like a definite romance element to a story, too, in Mantle of Malice we see much more of Luke Ballard the man, rather than just the elemancer and apothecary. 

I felt a little flat for some hours after I'd finished this book, and then realised why: I wanted to still be reading it.  I wanted to still be in the world on the pages.  Yes, it's one of those books.  If you like fantasy and magic you'll LOVE this series, and if you are interested in Tudor history, even better.  I'd recommend it to anyone, though.


COURT OF CONSPIRACY by April Taylor reviewed HERE 

TASTE OF TREASON by April Taylor reviewed HERE  

TASTE OF TREASON by April Taylor

5 out of 5 stars

Tudor history, fantasy, magic

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE

Taste of Treason is part two of April Taylor's Tudor Enigma series, which is a fantasy about an alternative history in which Anne Boleyn did not miscarry Henry VIII's son, and remained Queen. Henry IX is now King, and in this episode his wife, Madeleine, is expecting their first child.  But dark forces work against them...

Central to this series is apothecary Luke Ballard who happens to be an Elemancer, one who practices white magic.  Oh yes, and Anne Boleyn, still a force with which to be reckoned at court, is one of these fascinating beings, too; what a shame she wasn't in real life!  Luke works from the kitchen behind his humble shop, where he treats the sick.

I so enjoyed the first book in the series, Court of Conspiracy, having been interested in the Tudor aspect though dubious about the fantasy/magic.  But these books are a delight.  They're the sort of thing you want to read when snuggled up in a duvet with lots of pillows (as indeed I have been doing).  Ms Taylor paints wonderful word pictures; all the time I was reading this I wanted to be in the world on the screen of my Kindle.  She writes so beautifully, and this book was even better than the last, with a more suspenseful pace created by the changing of point of view at crucial points, most chapters ending on a cliffhanger.  I was unable to guess the outcome or the identity of the evil Nimrod, dispenser of dark magic; I had several guesses throughout the book and was pleased to find I was wrong every time!  

I think this book would appeal to anyone with an interest in the history of the Tudor period, and also anyone who enjoys clever fantasy.  This is such an unusual idea, and Ms Taylor has excuted it so well.  The third book in the series, Mantle of Malice, is due out on 23rd February; I shall be first in the queue!

COURT OF CONSPIRACY by April Taylor reviewed HERE

MANTLE OF MALICE by April Taylor reviewed HERE

 

Don't Touch (Null City Book 2) by Barb Taub

4.5 out of 5 stars

YA, urban fantasy

On Amazon UK HERE 
On Amazon.com HERE

Reviewed by me as part of Rosie Amber's book review team

Hmm, YA urban fantasy, right? I didn't even know what that WAS, let alone if I would like it or not. I bought this book because it was on offer, for a good cause (and still is, until the end of 2014!), and started to read it (as opposed to leaving it sitting on the Kindle with the hundred other unread ones) because I've read many blog posts by Barb Taub, and her smart, sharp wit is totally up my rue.

This is SO funny, I'd definitely recommend it. Lette (short for Roulette) Simoneau has a rare superpower. Each day, she has a new 'touch', which means that on a particular day everything she touches (with fingertips only) will turn into whatever her superpower has decided it will be that day. It might be jack-in-a-box toys, or roast beef sandwiches, or okra (that one made me laugh), or (hurrah!) diamond rings, or all manner of other things, including smells, or levitation. There are some real laugh out loud moments; it's very clever and witty, and completely off the wall. Barb Taub, I am going to get another Null City book soon, as long as you tell me one thing - what are you ON, and if you have any left, can I have some??!!

BECOMING BEAUTY by Sarah Boucher

4 out of 5 stars

Fairytale re-telling

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE

What a fun idea - a re-telling of a traditonal fairy tale! I'm not that well acquainted with the story of Beauty and the Beast, so I didn't know what was 'meant' to happen, and just enjoyed it for itself.




I'm amazed that this is Sarah Boucher's first novel - Becoming Beauty is extremely well written and intricately edited, too. It's smart, witty and clever. I loved the main character, Bella, who is the sort of female protagonist I like - a bit snarky, a bit cynical and not at all girly. I imagine that it is something of a tongue in cheek re-telling; the first section (when Bella is bemoaning her lack of success with men, and her need for luxury and comfort) is actually very funny, and I did rather hope it would continue to be so. The humour lessens, to be replaced by a mystery which adds another dimension to the story and is very satisfyingly resolved.

If this sort of book is up your street, I'd recommend it very highly indeed. Oh, and it's about the best formatted Kindle book I've ever seen, too!

COURT OF CONSPIRACY by April Taylor

5 out of 5 stars

Historical, Tudor, fantasy


Originally posted on Amazon UK HERE on 28 November 2014
On Amazon.com HERE

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this or not - a mix of Tudor history and fantasy/magic? I was pleased to find that it was excellent, and I read it in two days!

The author clearly knows her subjects very well indeed, which always makes such a difference. The history itself is detailed and accurate, and I very much liked the accounts of the day to day domestic life of the period. I'm fascinated by the thought of possible alternative lives, and the idea of what might have happened had Henry VIII believed his wife Anne Boleyn over the accusations of her enemies is an intriguing one. Of course all events have a butterfly's wing effect, and Ms Taylor imagined the fates of other members of the Tudor court cleverly. The politics of the day are so well described, too; how quickly, in those dangerous and turbulent times, one could fall from favour...

I am not usually one for magic/fantasy novels, but this element of the story was most convincing; it made me think of a more grown up and serious Hogwarts! I wonder how much of it was just the author's imagination and how much was taken from the beliefs and practices of the time; I imagine it's a combination of the two. I particularly liked the parts about numerology and the breaking of codes; oddly enough I was only watching a TV programme last night about the use of codes in secret communications during Elizabethan times, and Ms Taylor has all this spot on. To sum up, the fusing of history with fantasy is very successful, and I shall definitely be reading the next book in the series before too long. I think it would appeal to anyone interested in the Tudor period, and to those who enjoy reading believable fantasy.

TASTE OF TREASON by April Taylor reviewed HERE 

MANTLE OF MALICE by April Taylor reviewed HERE