Chataine's Guardian by Robin Hardy

Summary:
Karel, Surchataine of the land of Lystra, fears for the safety of his only heir, the ten-year-old Chataine Deidre. So he decides to appoint to her a guardian, whose sworn duty will be to never let the Chataine out of his sight and to protect her life with his own until the day she marries. The one he selects to perform this perilous and wearisome task is a captain of the guard named Roman, a quiet, honest soldier who calls himself a Christian. Roman's stoic resistance to her charms and formidable temper arouses the curiosity of the beautiful young Chataine, and ND she becomes increasingly puzzled and intrigued by his mysterious faith. As the years pass, Deidre grows toward womanhood with her loyal guardian ever at her side - and gradually becomes aware of new feelings stirring to life in her heart... for Roman. Lystran law states that the Chataine may choose her own husband but Deirdre knows she must marry a Chatain of a power province in order to ensure Lystra's survival through the dangerous years ahead. Yet when the time comes to make her choice, she realizes her heart has already made it for her.


This sounds like the typical inspirational romance you'd pick up at any Christian book store. Fact of the matter is, it is so much more intriguing and adventurous than that. This dives into romance, death, faith, mystery, struggle, belief and so much more. This is my second time reading it and it won't be the last I'm sure.

Dust Lands - Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Summary:
To escape she will have to fight. To survive she will have to lead. Saba's world is shattered when her twin brother, Lugh, is captured by four cloaked horsemen. Determined to rescue him, Saba sets off into the lawless, wasted landscape left behind by the Wreckers. It's a brutal world where Saba discovers some surprising things about herself: She's a fierce fighter, a cunning opponent, and above all, an unbeatable survivor. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl warriors called the Free Hawks, Saba is off to save her brother - and maybe her whole world.


Blood Red Road is crazy. It starts out slow with what seems like a backwoods, redneck feel. Even the accents in the book make you feel like you're in the deep south fifty years ago. But that's where that feeling ends. This book is a dystopian fantasy that throws you for a loop just when you think you've got it figured out. There are eerie monsters, mad kings and alot of banter back and forth between some really interesting characters. I like Moira Young's writing style and how smooth it is. The only thing that made me stumble was her lack of quotation marks around the dialogue. Everything reads as factual sentences so sometimes you have to be careful how you look at it or you'll miss something important. All in all a good book, I look forward to finding the next one.

5 out of 10

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Summary:
My name is Meghan Chase. I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it. This time, there will be no turning back.


This is the third book in the Iron Fey series. I can't complain. So far each book has lived up to the reputation of the book before it. This time, Meghan returns to Faery but not to face the Summer or Winter courts. Instead, she returns to face the Iron fey once again. But it's not how you think. The Iron king is dead, right? Still, this book throws a twist in the story that will challenge Meghan and her willingness to sacrifice those she loves for the good of all. I can't wait to get the next book!I

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Summary:
Half summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey - iron bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.
Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.


This book is just as good as the first. I finished it in less than two days. Amazing character development and plot twists. If anything could happen in this imaginative novel it does. There are no limits to the crazy, the beautiful and the dangerous side of Faery land. There are the same main characters as well as some new allies and enemies. I am not disappointed in this second book.

7 out of 10.
Now excuse me as I dive into the next one.

Merry Christmas!

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Synopsis:
Meghan Chase has a secret destiny - one Snr could never have imagined... something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school... or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster  best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she never could have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now, Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face... and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.


Holy moly. This book took me 5 hours to read. It's a quick, easy read but had a captivating ploy twist and character development. From the synopsis it sounds like a really lame teenage drama but I was literally on the edge of my seat through the whole book. The fantasy is fantastic. And that's saying something because I'm not a huge fantasy fan. I'm usually left with a raised eyebrow of criticism because I can't believe what I'm reading. This book dares you to use your childhood imaginaton as winter and summer collide, dragons and trolls attempt to eat you for lunch and your favorite character is a cat. Seriously glad I had bought the first couple books in this series at the same time.

Note to readers: There is some swearing.

Great read. 7 out of 10. Go get it and enjoy.

The Autobiography of Henry VIII (with notes by his fool, Will Somers) by Margaret George

Henry VIII is known in history books as a cruel, bloodthirsty monster. This was an interesting take on someone who has always been portrayed in a bad light.
I've always had a keen interest in the kings and queens of old, especially about this king Henry VIII and his 6 wives and then later about his great niece, Mary, Queen of Scotland.
This book appears boring and I'll admit some parts here and there were really slow. But I sped pretty quickly through the 931 pages of history, betrayal, marriage, divorce, treason and madness. I won't go into too much detail in case any of you are brave enough to pick it up for yourself but here are some tidbits.

This book is written as a novel. The autobiography part of the title is due to it being written from the first person standpoint. This is basically Henry VIII's journal with inserts from his jester, Will Somers. So it's not all cut and dry facts.

It covers all 6 wives. Many know of Henry's first wife, Katherine of Aragon and his second Anne Boleyn... but not many know of the other four. Out of all 6... four died of natural causes. Only two were beheaded.

1. Katherine of Aragon - divorced
2. Anne Boleyn - beheaded
3. Jane Seymour - died right after childbirth
4. Anne of Cleves - divorced
5. Catherine Howard - beheaded
6. Kate Parr - Henry's widow

Little side note:
The relationship between Henry and Mary, Queen of Scotland was one of uncle and great niece. Henry's sister Margaret married the Scottish king and had James. James married Marie de Guise, a French princess and had two sons (both of whom died) and then had Mary, who became Queen as an infant. Henry had plans for Mary to marry his son Edward (by Jane) and to unite the two countries but it never happened.

It is worth the read because what I didn't know was that some of these wives were on good terms with the king their whole lives. He was friends with them even after their separation.

Anyway... what interested me the most was Henry's relationship with God. Henry was a messed up guy. He took down the pope and became the head of the church of England. But throughout the book when he wasn't under the influence of one of his wives or an advisor, Henry maintained his faith as well as he knew how. He shows the typical human natire of trying to follow God and failing miserably but always going back to God for forgiveness.

My opinion of Henry's VIII has been altered slightly. I do think he was cruel at times but also human and vulnerable to the whims of others.

This book was a good one to read. There was one or two explicit sex scenes that I skipped over so if you pick it up, be aware of that.

Over all - a biography type book - I'd give it a 5 out of 10.