Showing posts with label Philippa Gregory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philippa Gregory. Show all posts

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Philippa Gregory Author Page

The Story: Well, she had the adult historical fiction books, and yeah, when I heard that there was a YA series coming, well, I just had to read it! So great, and I can't wait to read more!

Website

Series: Order of Darkness.

Order of Darkness: Changeling and her site, my review, Stormbringers and her site, my review, Fools' Gold and her site, my review, Untitled.

Monday, May 20, 2013

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #102, May 20th

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week...and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well...you never know where that next "must read" book will come from!

What happened in the past week:

Weekly Memes:
It's Monday! What Are You Reading #101
Teaser Tuesday #110
WWW Wednesday #110
WOW #106
Will the Time Come #103
Third Sentence Thursday #93
Random Reads #77
First Lines Friday #98
The Reward Challenge Round 75 Part 1
Follow Friday #80
In My Mailbox #102

Week 20 Reviews:
Stormbringers
Play With Me
Ryan Hunter
Dead Ever After
Fantasy Lover
The Darkest Night
Dark Prince
Dark Desire
Dark Gold
Dark Magic

Random:
We Have the Cover of Divergent #3!!!!
We Have the Title of Daughter of Smoke and Bone #3!!!!

OK, so I got 19 posts in 7 days, and boy, did I like all the book developments that happened this week! Can't wait for next week!

So this week I want to read Night Pleasures, Night Embrace, The Darkest Kiss, Poison Study, Assassin Study, Magic Study, Fire Study, Power Study, Ice Study, Wait for You, Shadowfell, Raven Flight, The Princess Diaries, and Bitten.
Dear Reader,

Have you ever wanted to know what it's like to be immortal? To journey through the night stalking the evil that preys on humans? To have unlimited wealth, unlimited power? That is my existence, and it is dark and dangerous. I play hero to thousands, but am known to none. And I love every minutes of it.

Or so I thought until one night when I woke up handcuffed to my worst nightmare: a conservative woman in a button-down shirt. Or in Amanda's case, one buttoned all the way up to her chin. She's smart, sexy, witty, and wants nothing to do with the paranormal--in other words, me.

My attraction to Amanda Devereaux goes against everything I stand for. Not to mention the last time I fell in love it cost me not only my human life, but also my very soul. Yet every time I look at her, I find myself wanting to try again. Wanting to believe that love and loyalty do exist.

Even more disturbing, I find myself wondering if there's any way a woman like Amanda can love a man whose battle scars run deep, and whose heart was damaged by a betrayal so savage that he's not sure it will ever beat again.

Kyrian of Thrace
Dear Reader,

Life is great for me. I have my chicory coffee, my warm beignets, and my best friend on the cell phone. Once the sun goes down, I am the baddest thing prowling the night: I command the elements, and I know no fear. For centuries, I've protected the innocent and watched over the mankind, making sure they are safe in a world where nothing is ever certain. All I want in return is a hot babe in a red dress, who wants nothing more from me then one night.

Instead, I get a runaway Mardi Gras float that tries to turn me into roadkill and a beautiful woman who saves my life but can't remember where she put my pants. Flamboyant and extravagant, Sunshine Runningwolf should be the perfect woman for me. She wants nothing past tonight, no ties, no long-term commitments.

But every time I look at her, I start yearning for dreams that I buried centuries ago. With her unconventional ways and ability to baffle me, Sunshine is the one person I find myself needing. But for me to love her would mean her death. I am cursed never to know peace or happiness— not so long as my enemy waits in the night to destroy us both.

—Talon of the Morrigantes
She has tempted many men...but never found her equal. Until now.

Though she has lived for centuries, Anya, goddess of anarchy, has never known pleasure. Until Lucien, the incarnation of death--a warrior eternally doomed to take souls to the hereafter. He draws her like no other. And Anya will risk anything to have him.

But when the merciless Lord of the Underworld is ordered by the gods to claim Anya herself, their uncontrollable attraction becomes an anguished pursuit. Now they must defeat the unconquerable forces that control them, before their thirst for one another demands a sacrifice of love beyond imagining...
Choose: A quick death…Or slow poison...

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear...
Yelena, the heroine of Maria V. Snyder's stunning debut novel Poison Study, is on her way to her ancestral homeland of Sitia to be reunited with her family and to learn more about her magical powers. An order of execution hangs over her head should she ever return to Ixia. But her true love, Valek, quickly learns that an assassin has taken it upon himself to make sure Yelena doesn't reach her destination.

As Ixia's chief of security, and a highly skilled assassin himself, can Valek track down the killer in time to save Yelena's life?
You know your life is bad when you miss your days as a poison taster...

With her greatest enemy dead, and on her way to be reunited with the family she'd been stolen from long ago, Yelena should be pleased. But though she has gained her freedom, she can't help feeling isolated in Sitia. Her Ixian background has changed her in many ways—and her newfound friends and relatives don't think it's for the better...

Despite the turmoil, she's eager to start her magic training—especially as she's been given one year to harness her power or be put to death. But her plans take a radical turn when she becomes involved with a plot to reclaim Ixia's throne for a lost prince—and gets entangled in powerful rivalries with her fellow magicians.

If that wasn't bad enough, it appears her brother would love to see her dead. Luckily, Yelena has some old friends to help her with all her new enemies...
The apprenticeship is over—now the real test has begun.

When word that Yelena is a Soulfinder—able to capture and release souls—spreads like wildfire, people grow uneasy. Already Yelena's unusual abilities and past have set her apart. As the Council debates Yelena's fate, she receives a disturbing message: a plot is rising against her homeland, led by a murderous sorcerer she has defeated before....

Honor sets Yelena on a path that will test the limits of her skills, and the hope of reuniting with her beloved spurs her onward. Her journey is fraught with allies, enemies, lovers and would-be assassins, each of questionable loyalty. Yelena will have but one chance to prove herself—and save the land she holds dear.
Ari and Janco deal with a Sandseed Story Weaver and a cocky young soldier while Valek is off helping Yelena.
This is a short story about Yelena and Valek as they race to keep the powerful Ice Moon from a rogue magician.
Neryn has finally found the rebel group at Shadowfell, and now her task is to seek out the elusive Guardians, vital to her training as a Caller. These four powerful beings have been increasingly at odds with human kind, and Neryn must prove her worth to them. She desperately needs their help to use her gift without compromising herself or the cause of overthrowing the evil King Keldec.

Neryn must journey with the tough and steadfast Tali, who looks on Neryn's love for the double agent Flint as a needless vulnerability. And perhaps it is. What Flint learns from the king will change the battlefield entirely—but in whose favor, no one knows.
She's just a New York City girl living with her artist mom...

News Flash: Dad is prince of Genovia. (So that's why a limo meets her at the airport!)

Downer: Dad can't have any more kids. (So no heir to the throne.)

Shock of the Century: Like it or not, Mia Thermopolis is prime princess material.

Mia must take princess lessons from her dreaded grandmére, the dowager princess of Genovia, who thinks Mia has a thing or two to learn before she steps up to the throne.

Well, her father can lecture her until he's royal-blue in the face about her princessly duty--no way is she moving to Genovia and leaving Manhattan behind. But what's a girl to do when her name is Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo?
Elena Michaels seems like the typically strong and sexy modern woman, She lives with her architect boyfriend, writes for a popular newspaper, and works out at the gym. She's also a werewolf.

Elena has done all she can to assimilate to the human world, but the man whose bite changed her existence forever, and his legacy, continue to haunt her. Thrown into a desperate war for survival that tests her allegiance to a secret clan of werewolves, Elena must recon with who, and what, she is in this passionate, page-turning novel.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Week 20 Review: Stormbringers

From Goodreads:
Italy, 1453. Luca and Isolde grow more and more attracted to each other as they continue their journey to unravel the mysteries throughout Christendom. But their travels are delayed by the uprising of an intense religious crusade that threatens the balance of the civilized world. Death lingers in the air as war ravages on, but this religious conflict is nothing compared to the arrival of an intense and deadly storm.

Caught in the midst of unimaginable chaos, Luca and Isolde must rely on one another in order to survive.

The second in Philippa Gregory's four-book series delves further into a forbidden romance and an epic quest. And the tension builds as secrets about The Order of Darkness are finally revealed...

My Review:
So first off, I want to say, I'm so lucky that I got an ARC of this book! So go, Simon and Schuster Canada, for sending me this, because it was just so good! I enjoyed the first book, but I enjoyed this book more, in no small part because I can look at it on my shelves!

So this book is the second mission that Luca is sent on. Well, more accurately, it's the second case that he deals with. Because the words of the child prophet, and what they inspire people to do, well, yeah, that's something that his group deals with.

Things have changed in this book, after all the events of the first book happened! And their minds were changed pretty easily, which, speaking as someone whose mind also changes pretty easily, it's not really a good thing!

But oh, what happened in this book was pretty sad, all those innocent people, just following someone who turned out to be wrong. It could've been worse, but Freize survived, so yeah, that was really great! And now we're ready for the next book!

Such a great book, really great sequel, great look at what the leader was doing, which was really interesting, and yeah, can't wait to read more!

Author: Philippa Gregory
Series: The Order of Darkness #2
Read: May 12th, 2013
Source: Publisher for Review
Reason Why: Loved the first book, and it's a Historical Fiction 2013 Book and a Sequel Challenge 2013 Book!
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Expected Publication: June 1st 2013
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Week 5 Review: Changeling

From Goodreads:
Italy, 1453. Seventeen-year-old Luca Vero is brilliant, gorgeous—and accused of heresy. Cast out of his religious order for using the new science to question old superstitious beliefs, Luca is recruited into a secret sect: The Order of the Dragon, commissioned by Pope Nicholas V to investigate evil and danger in its many forms, and strange occurrences across Europe, in this year—the end of days.

Isolde is a seventeen-year-old girl shut up in a nunnery so she can't inherit any of her father's estate. As the nuns walk in their sleep and see strange visions, Isolde is accused of witchcraft—and Luca is sent to investigate her, but finds himself plotting her escape.

Despite their vows, despite themselves, love grows between Luca and Isolde as they travel across Europe with their faithful companions, Freize and Ishraq. The four young people encounter werewolves, alchemists, witches, and death-dancers as they head toward a real-life historical figure who holds the boundaries of Christendom and the secrets of the Order of the Dragon.

The first in a series, this epic and richly detailed drama is grounded in historical communities and their mythic beliefs. It includes a medieval map of Europe that will track their journey; and the interior will include relevant decorative elements as well as an interior line illustration. 

And look for a QR code that links to a note from the author with additional, detailed information about the setting and the history that informed the writing. With Philippa Gregory's trademark touch, this novel deftly brings the past—and its salacious scandals—vividly and disturbingly to life.

My Review:
Yes! This book was really fantastic! I haven't read any of her adult novels, since that's not my sort of thing, but I have heard of them. Which is why I was so excited to hear about this book, a YA book-and series at that!-written by Philippa Gregory, well, I just had to read it!

First off, I really, really enjoyed these characters! Isolde, whose situation was just totally unfair, she was supposed to inherit her father's estate, but because of plottings of the guys, is sent to a nunnery. Luca, a young man who has recently been inducted to a secret group, and sent to investigate curious things out in the world. And both of their servants, Ishraq and Freize. They were so great to read about!

Then there was the mystery, of what was going on at the nunnery. Because Isolde isn't a witch, and neither is Ishraq, but the nuns are still sleepwalking and the various odd and strange things. And what it turns out to be, well, yeah, that was just a little bit sinister!

Really enjoyed the ending, because this is the start of the series, and yeah, this ending, was just perfect! They're going on the journey, together because it's convenient, to go apply for help, and go on to investigate the next case. And maybe, kinda, falling in love, the two couples!

This was a really great, fantastic book, and I can't wait to read more!

Author: Philippa Gregory
Series: The Order of Darkness #1
Read: January 29th, 2013
Source: Library
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a Historical Fiction 2013 Book! And it came out on my birthday!!!
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: May 24th 2012
5/5 Hearts
4/5 Books
3.5/5 Stars

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Teaser Tuesday #95, January 29th

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) "teaser"sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Today's teaser comes from Changeling by Philippa Gregory, page 89.

"Enough of this. My damned sister was a sinner, a heretic, a witch, and now a thief."

That's a heck of a thing to say about your sister! And pretty awful! What about you guys? Happy reading!