Tuesday's Hot-Hot Hottie: Sebastian Rulli

Today's Hot-Hot Hottie is the Argentinian Model and Actor 

Sebastian Rulli.

Review: The Darkest Day by Britt Bury

Title: The Darkest Day

Author: Britt Bury

Series: Immortal Heat, book 1

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Source: Review copy from publisher

Format: E-book

“ALL-CONSUMING DESIRE . . . 

Izel Campbell was raised to believe she is an immortal Fionn with the magical skills of persuasion. But when she travels to Scotland to visit her ancestral home, Izel discovers that she is actually the world's last living human. Forced to run for her life, Izel crosses paths with Kelvin Kerr, the Campbells' greatest foe-and the most magnificent warrior she has ever seen.

BURNS BRIGHTEST . . .

A thousand-year-old battle chief of the Kerr clan, Kelvin lives only to avenge his father, who died at the hands of the bloody Campbells. Honor demands he kill the Campbell heir, but when he learns that the lovely Izel is both Campbell and human, Kelvin is torn between duty and desire . . . 

ON THE DARKEST DAY” 

The Darkest Day is the first book in the new series Immortal Heat by Britt Bury.

Following her grandfather’s summons Izel Campbell travels to his house in Scotland, but when she arrives she finds the house deserted with no sign of her grandfather.

Sworn enemies Campbells (Fionns) and Kerrs (Pookahs) have been battling for over thousand years; Kelvin Kerr, the Kerr’s battle chief has been waiting for years for the arrival of the Campbell’s heir also known as The McCall. Killing The McCall is his only objective in life. He is lie in waiting for him to arrive but to his great surprise the McCall is not a He is a She, Izel Campbell.

Soon after Izel’s arrival something starts to happen to her, a spell placed on her at birth by her grandfather starts to lift, bringing in her radical physical and emotional changes. Izel never felt any kind of emotion in her life and now all this new feelings are coming rushing to her. And not only that, but her physical appearance also changes from a very simple woman to a voluptuous and sensual one.

Kelvin doesn’t know what to think, to fulfill his plans for revenge for the murder of his father he needs to kill Izel, but not only she is a woman, according to his “nose” she is also the last full human on earth and also if his nose doesn’t lie, she is his mate; talk about complications.

Izel doesn’t know who Kelvin is; she has lived all her life in the States, far from the Campbells and with almost no information of her family. Kelvin offers to help her look for her grandfather and with no other option she accepts his help. Kelvin’s plan is to take her to Kerr castle before deciding what to do with her. But Izel being a full human complicate things, he scent is maddening and if any creature that feed of blood or flesh gets her smell her life will be in peril. Now not only he can’t kill Izel, he will have to protect her to bring her safe to Kerr castle.

I liked that Izel had a good sense of humor and have a great inner strength, but sometimes I wanted to slap her. I understand everything was new to her, I can’t imagine living for twenty-five years without feeling a thing and then suddenly getting all the rush of emotions. That must be more than overwhelming, but it was not a valid reason to made decisions that were childish and irresponsible, decisions that put her life and Kelvin’s in danger. At the end she was a lot better, she fought for what she wanted and she became a real leader to her people, I admired her for it. 

Kelvin is great hero; he is not only a mix of highlander warrior with immortal sexy on the side but he is also an honorable, caring and protective man. One thing that had me rolling my eyes a little bit was his razorback nature, every time it was mentioned I was picturing this wild pig and I didn’t find it sexy. I’m glad it was just his essence and he didn’t shift into it. I think the razorback was a weird choice of animal for Mrs. Bury.

Kelvin and Izel’s relationship was one of “Mine” at first sight; in this case it works because of Kelvin’s nature. I loved how they fought their attraction, building the tension page after page. Also because of Kelvin’s nature he can only mate with his fate female during the winter’s solstice, if he has sex with her before that night they won’t be mated. This helped build the tension even more because I didn’t want them to have sex before that night.

There is an array of secondary characters; we meet some characters from the Pookah side of the family and some from the Fionns. Some I would love to learn more about like Kelvin’s brother and cousins and Izel’s friend Ramsey. We also learned about other creatures like witches, demons, vampires and more.

The world Mrs. Bury has created is somehow different from the rule; I liked how in this world due to evolution humans are an extinct species, I think that was a nice and different touch. I also liked how rich in mythology this book is, but at the same time I would have liked to learn a lot more about the different kind of creatures, I think some things were too vague and would have need more information. I’m hoping to see that in future books.

There was a glossary at the end of the book that would have helped me a lot if I had seen it before reading the book.

The end was a good end, one that let things open for future books. I’m looking forward to second book of this series.

All in all, The Darkest Day is a good and fun debut novel, one that will leave you wanting for more. I recommend this book to paranormal romance lovers.

My Verdict: 4 Paws

Other reviews Goodreads

Visit Author’s Website

Movie Trailer: The Odd Life of Timothy Green

"Academy Award®–nominated director/writer Peter Hedges (“Dan in Real Life,” What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?”) brings enchantment to the screen with “The Odd Life of Timothy Green,” an inspiring, magical story about a happily married couple, Cindy and Jim Green (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton), who can’t wait to start a family but can only dream about what their child would be like. When young Timothy (CJ Adams) shows up on their doorstep one stormy night, Cindy and Jim—and their small town of Stanleyville—learn that sometimes the unexpected can bring some of life’s greatest gifts."

Trailer

Release Dates

Visit Official Site

Early Review: Red by Kate SeRine

Title: Red

Author: Kate SeRine

Series: Transplanted Tales, book 1

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Kensington Publishing

Source: Review copy from publisher

Format: E-book

“ ‘My name is Tess Little. But everyone calls me Red.’

Once upon a time, a spell went awry, stranding Make Believe characters in the ordinary world. Since then, Tess “Red” Little—a/k/a Little Red Riding Hood—has worked as an Enforcer for the Chicago branch of the Fairytale Management Authority. But, consider yourself warned—she’s not just some waif with a basket of goodies. All grown up and with nothing to lose, a gun and combat boots is more her style. And Red’s new assignment threatens to be short on happily ever afters…

Someone is murdering transplanted Tales in gruesome fashion. The list of fictional characters capable of such grisly acts is short and includes more than one of Red’s old flames. And if that wasn’t bad enough, there’s another complication, in the form of sexy, enigmatic Nate Grimm, the FMA’s lead detective and part-time Reaper. Used to following her own rules and living life on the edge, Red has managed to avoid taking on a partner until now. But Nate’s dark side makes him perfect for a case like this. That is, if she can trust him. Because if there’s one thing Red knows for sure, it’s that believing in the wrong person can have big, bad consequences…”

Red is the first book in the new Transplanted Tales series by Kate SeRine.

After a spell went awry some of the characters of Make Believe (Tales) were expelled to the world of Here and Now. After years of living with the Ordinaries (normal people) they have an organized society controlled by the Fairytale Management Authority (FMA).

Tess “Red” Little is one of those Tales. Red is not only a well-known Tale she is also one of the most feared enforcers of the FMA.

When Tales are being murdered is a grisly way Red is call to investigate, but this time she won’t be alone, she will be partnering with Nate “Death” Grimm.

This case is completely different from anything Red has worked before, for once there are only a handful of Tales capable of committing those crimes and from the short list three of them are Red’s old flames, including the first man that broke her heart, the one she hasn’t been able to forget, Seth “Big Bad” Wolf. If that wasn’t enough for her to deal with, there is something weird going on between her and Nate, something she doesn’t want to feel, attraction… or is it love?

After Julie from Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks told me how much she loved this book I decided to give it a try, but I have to be honest, I was a little bit skeptical about it, I went into it not knowing what to expect and thinking that Red was going to be another of many common takes on Fairy Tales, but to my great surprise Red is like nothing I had ever read before, ok, it’s a take on Fairy Tales but completely fresh and original.

Tess “Red” Little a.k.a. Little Red Ridding Hood is a great character. She is smart, witty and with a very strong personality. She doesn’t trust easily and prefer to be alone than to experience again another betrayal. We learn the “truth” behind her tale, how she fell in love with Seth “Big Bad” Wolf and what happened after that. We see how his actions affected her life and made her the woman she is nowadays.

Nate “Death” Grimm is the dark, mysterious and sweet Grimm Reaper, don’t take me wrong he can be vicious if needed but usually he is gentle and caring. He is the perfect gentleman the men what to be and women want to do. Nate is a delightful character to read and very easy to like.

From the beginning there is an obvious attraction between Nate and Red. Nate cares deeply for Red and Red fights the attraction every step of the way until there is nothing left for her to do but to accept her feelings. That’s not as easy as you may think, Red’s history has made her wary of men, but Nate is a persistent sweetheart that earns her love by caring for her. *swoon*

The secondary characters in this book are incredible original and multidimensional. You may be asking how are they original if they are the Fairy Tales characters we know since childhood? My answer is they are the same and much more, the way Mrs. SeRine writes them made them new and completely brilliant. I can guarantee you after reading this book you won’t see Snow White with the same eyes and you will never wish for a Prince Charming in your life.

This new world Mrs. SeRine has created has not only Fairy Tales characters, but also expect unexpected characters from legends, literary works, and so much more.

Mrs. SeRine writing is clever, well paced and fluid, and even though I guessed fairly on who was the villain in the story I can honestly say that that didn’t deter my enjoyment of the book.

I recommend Red to anyone who wants to read something fun, fresh and different, especially if you like kickass heroines and swoon worthy heroes.

I’m really looking forward to reading the second installment in this new and ingenious series, The Better to See You (February 2013).

My Verdict: 4 ½ Paws

Other books in the series

Red (August 2^nd)

The Better to See You (February 2013)

Along Came a Spider (TBA)

Other reviews Goodreads

Visit Author’s Website

CATS-ilicious Thursday

Early Review: Moonglow by Kristen Callihan

Title: Moonglow

Author: Kristen Callihan

Series: Darkest London, book 2

Genre: Paranormal Historical Romance

Publisher: Forever

Source: Review copy from publisher

Format: E-book

“Once the seeds of desire are sown . . .

Finally free of her suffocating marriage, widow Daisy Ellis Craigmore is ready to embrace the pleasures of life that have long been denied her. Yet her new-found freedom is short lived. A string of unexplained murders has brought danger to Daisy's door, forcing her to turn to the most unlikely of saviors . . .

Their growing passion knows no bounds . . .

Ian Ranulf, the Marquis of Northrup, has spent lifetimes hiding his primal nature from London society. But now a vicious killer threatens to expose his secrets. Ian must step out of the shadows and protect the beautiful, fearless Daisy, who awakens in him desires he thought long dead. As their quest to unmask the villain draws them closer together, Daisy has no choice but to reveal her own startling secret, and Ian must face the undeniable truth: Losing his heart to Daisy may be the only way to save his soul.”

Moonglow is the second installment in the Darkest London series by Kristen Callihan.

After completing her year of mourning, widow Daisy Craimore is ready to live her life to the fullest and leave the memories of her awful marriage behind. During her first outing as a free woman she and her companion discovered the mauled body of her best friend and are attacked by a monster, her companion didn’t survived the encounter.

Lord Ian Ranulf is on his way home when the smell of blood and werewolf calls to him; immediately he goes to investigate. A Lycan himself he knows how to recognize the different smells. He finds two mauled bodies and a victim in shock. A need to protect awakens in him when he sees the woman who survived the attack. He takes her to his house; he needs to know who she is, what happened and how much she knows. But his real excuse is to have her close to him. What he doesn’t know is that this woman is not other than Miranda’s sister, Daisy (Firelight, first book in the series).

When Daisy awakes she realizes she is in a strange house and soon after all her memories from the attack come to life.

Ian explains to her that he is a doctor and he found her and brought her to his home to treat her.

After some investigating he realizes Daisy is still in danger from this werewolf. He wants to keep her close to protect her but convincing Daisy of this it’s not as easy as he may have wanted, especially when Daisy discovers he is the infamous Lord Ian Ranulf.

I liked Daisy since the moment I met her in Firelight, I love her strength and her love for life. I loved how close she was to her sisters, I loved that even in a bad marriage where she was unhappy she always found something to smile for.

In Moonglow she was all that and much more. Now she can breathe in peace, her abusive husband is dead and she is out of mourning, she is ready to live to the fullest again without caring about what society thinks.

I loved how despite all the suffering caused by her husband she is still a happy and kind person; that more than anything else shows us her strength.

In Firelight I wasn’t sure what to think about Lord Ian, I liked him and I didn’t liked him. But in Moonglow we learn more about his past; after that it’s easy to understand his actions and there is no other option left to us but to like him and wish him the happiness he so much deserves.

Ian and Daisy are perfect for each other; both have strong personalities that balance each other perfectly. Even though there was an attraction since their first encounter the relationship developed slowly. Daisy doesn’t trust his intentions because she knows he was infatuated with her sister Miranda. And Ian has promised himself never to get involved with a “mortal” again. But the more time they spend together and know each other the harder it is for them to find excuses not to be together.

I love the banter and the tension between them. Mrs. Callihan is an expert in building tension between characters, keeping us eagerly waiting for the next touch, the next stolen kiss, until that final encounter that steams the pages.

I loved how Mrs. Callihan interweaves the character from Firelight to this story. We see where Lord Archer and Miranda are in their lives; we also learn more about Daisy and Miranda’s older sister, Poppy. We also see more of Poppy’s husband Inspector Winston Lane.

In Moonglow we are also introduce to new and interesting characters, one of them is Ian’s valet and almost friend, Jack Talent. I really loved him, I love how protective he was of Ian and I loved that he always spoke his mind. I really hope to see more of him in future books.

The world Mrs. Callihan created in this series is extraordinary. I loved how she masterfully combines the historical and paranormal aspects of the story, bringing us something new and refreshing in each book.

I have to be honest, I was a little bit worried about reading Moonglow, I loved Firelight so much that I was afraid this second installment wouldn’t meet my expectations, but I’m happy to inform you that Moonglow is an excellent sequel, one I liked as much if not more than Firelight.

The end of Moonglow is not a cliffhanger but one that left me looking forward to the next installment of this series, Winterblaze. Winterblaze will feature Poppy and her husband Winston.

Moonglow could be read as a stand-alone but I won’t recommend you to do that, Firelight is also a great book that deserves to be read. I recommend you to read them in order to better understand the motives behind the actions of the characters.

I’m looking forward to February 26^th, 2013 to the release of Winterblaze.

My Verdict: 4 ½ Paws

Other books in the series

Ember (Novella-prequel)

Firelight

Moonglow (July 31^st)

Winterblaze (February 26^th, 2013)

Other reviews Goodreads

Visit Author’s Website

Tuesday's Hot-Hot Hottie: Danell Leyva

Today's Hot-Hot Hottie is the Cuban-American gymnast Danell Leyva. Leyva is the world champion on the parallel bars and the U.S national all-around gold medalist. He will be representing the U.S. in the next Olympic Games in London. 

Review: The Siren by Tiffany Reisz

Title: The Siren

Author: Tiffany Reisz

Series: The Original Sinners,

book 1

Genre: Erotica, BDSM

Publisher: Harlequin

Source: Review copy from publisher

Format: E-book

“The Siren is a modern-day retelling of My Fair Lady with uptight English literary fiction editor Zachary Easton as an unwilling Professor Higgins and well-known wild child Nora Sutherlin as his erotica-writing Eliza Doolittle.
 Zach only has six weeks left at Royal House New York before he heads to Los Angeles to take over as Chief Managing Editor at Royal West. When his boss orders him to help Nora Sutherlin rewrite her latest novel, Zach agrees to work with her only if he is given complete control over the fate of her book. If Nora doesn’t rewrite it to his satisfaction in six weeks, Royal won’t publish it.”

The Siren is the first book in The Original Sinners series by Tiffany Reisz.

I have to start this review by telling you that this is not your normal romance, don’t expect a HEA and expect many out of the comfort moments.

Nora Sutherlin is a famous erotica writer, she is working in her next book; the most special book she has written yet. She wants this book to be published by an important and respected publishing house.  Here comes Zachary Easton, editor of Royal West Publishing house. His boss approached Zach, he wants to publish Nora’s book and wants Zach to work with her as her editor. For Zach erotica isn't serious literature and the last thing he wants is to work with an erotica writer. He accepts the job with the condition he will have the last word about publishing the book, if he thinks the book is crap he won’t allow the book to be published.

Zach is completely opposed to the idea until he meets Nora. She is not the typical writer he is used to work with; she is a young and beautiful woman with an incredible sex appeal and so sure of herself that is refreshing and frustrating at times. After Zach reads her manuscript he realizes the book is not perfect, needs a lot of work but the potential is there, Zach recognizes that Nora is a talented and serious writer. The question left is will Nora be able to withstand the pressure he will inflict on her or will she break under it.

What Zach doesn’t know is that Nora is used to be under pressure and likes it. Nora is not only a writer, she is also a prominent figure in the BDSM world. She was a submissive for over thirteen years until four years ago when she ended her relationship with her Dom, Søren. After that she became a well-known Dominatrix. People pay her to inflict pain and humiliation, some cases ending with sex.

Nora has a “living-intern”; Wesley is a nineteen-year-old university student who is everything Nora isn’t. He is innocent and pure and he's in love with Nora. He is a good Christian boy who doesn’t approve of Nora lifestyle but is there for her, waiting for the perfect moment to proclaim her love for her.

There are books that affect you in a way you can’t understand and The Siren was one of those books. This book not only took me out of my comfort zone many times it also made me want to learn more about the D/s lifestyle to try to understand the issues this book touches.

Nora is bigger than words; she is one of the most complex characters I have ever read. She is a strong, self-assured woman who knows what she likes and wants and how to get it, but at the same time the more we know her the more we can see under her layers, and under that tough façade there is delicate and fragile woman in need of love and protection. We also see that after four years of having left her Dom (Søren) she is still pretty much in love with him. She has her reasons not to be with him but sometimes the heart overwrites the brain.

We learn about Nora and Søren’s relationship through the recollection her memories and their relationship was one of extremes. She fell in love with him when she was just fifteen years old, he was a lot older than her and in a position power over her, I don’t want to give much away about it, let’s just say I was very uncomfortable with it when I learned about it. To add to that Søren is a hard-core sadist, he trained Nora since a young age to be his submissive, they didn’t consummate their relationship until she was twenty years old but still their relationship was somehow disturbing. 

“Simple game—he’d fill a wineglass with one of his expensive reds and set it on the edge of the table. Then he would fuck me. Hard.” Nora grinned as Wesley flinched. “If I thrashed too much, or fought him and knocked the glass off…then the wine wasn’t the only red that we spilled that night." 

A night with him meant waning pleasure and waxing pain, waxing pleasure and waning pain. He brought her through the cycle over and over again. The pain brought her body to life. The pleasure was always most acute when it followed the pain.

Søren doesn’t have many page-time in the book but when he is present either in memories or in an scene he is one of those characters that overshadows the rest, his presence is like a big dark cloud that engulfs us all in its shade. I wanted to hate him for what he is and for what he does but I couldn’t, I’m not saying I liked him because I didn’t. But I couldn’t do more than to want to learn more about him, to try to understand the why of his actions, but now, after thinking so much about him I don’t think there is a “why”, he is who he is and that’s it.

Zach is an uptight man who lives a life in black and white and rarely steps out of the lines. All this changes when he meets Nora, but there are many complications in their situation, for once he shouldn’t be attracted to her, he works with her and a relationship between them is a no-no and for other part after a year he is still mourning the separation from the wife he still loves.

Wesley is like a ray of light that filters through the clouds in a dark day. He is only nineteen but sometimes he acts beyond his years. His heart is pure and we see it in clear contrast to the other characters. In a sense Wesley sees Nora as many of us readers see her, he doesn’t understand her lifestyle and her decisions but he accepts them and is there for her. He only wants love without pain for Nora, but what he doesn’t understand is that for Nora pain means love. For her the bruises left by Søren are marks that show his love for her, they also show that she belongs to him and she always wore her bruises proudly.

“Kid, Søren could eat you for breakfast and not even need to chew. Don’t ever fuck with a sadist, Wesley. For Søren, torture’s just foreplay.” “Why did you stay with him?” he’d whispered. Nora had grinned at him, and she saw a new fear in Wesley’s sweet brown eyes. “I like foreplay.”

As I said before this is not a traditional romance, The Siren is a lot more. It’s a book about conflicted characters that are shadows of their own selves because they are missing their other half. It’s also a not-easy journey of self-discovery and acceptance.

Tiffany Reisz writing is fluid and organic, and perfect paced. The world Mrs. Reisz created is complex and unique. As I said before The Siren took me out of my comfort zone and it made experience and feel things no other book has ever done before. The topics touched in this book are not for the faint of heart but the way Mrs. Reisz writes them are so masterfully done that you can only accept them as necessary in the story.

With The Siren I broke my personal record on most re-read paragraphs, some I re-read because I wanted to understand the situations better, some others because I wanted more. Fortunately, the second book in the series, The Angel, will be release on September 18^th, saying I’m eagerly waiting for it is an understatement.

The Siren is one of my favorite books of the year, one I recommend to anyone with an open mind who is willing to be taken out of her/his comfort zone by an extraordinary book.

My Verdict: 5 Paws

Other books in the series

The Siren

The Angel (Sept. 18^th 2012)

The Prince (November 2012)

Other reviews Goodreads

Visit Author’s Website

Movie Trailer: Cosmopolis

"New York City, not-too-distant-future: Eric Packer, a 28 year-old finance golden boy dreaming of living in a civilization ahead of this one, watches a dark shadow cast over the firmament of the Wall Street galaxy, of which he is the uncontested king. As he is chauffeured across midtown Manhattan to get a haircut at his father's old barber, his anxious eyes are glued to the yuan's exchange rate: it is mounting against all expectations, destroying Eric's bet against it. Eric Packer is losing his empire with every tick of the clock. Meanwhile, an eruption of wild activity unfolds in the city's streets. Petrified as the threats of the real world infringe upon his cloud of virtual convictions, his paranoia intensifies during the course of his 24-hour cross-town odyssey.

Packer starts to piece together clues that lead him to a most terrifying secret: his imminent assassination. Cronenberg revisits subjects that fascinate him: how the organic and the psychological are inextricably intertwined, society's anxieties and phobias, and letting repressed impulses and paranoia run wild. COSMOPOLIS is a culmination of his masterpieces that addresses the alarming global financial crisis of today's world.

It is a hauntingly prophetic fable that turns the future into history and suggests that the archaic might be our eerie future.ROBERT PATTINSON."

Trailer

Release Dates

Visis Official Site

Review: The Maid and the Queen: The Secret History of Joan of Arc by Nancy Goldstone

Title: The Maid and the Queen: The Secret History of Joan of Arc

Author: Nancy Goldstone

Genre: Non-Fiction Historical

Publisher: Penguin Group

Source: Review copy from publisher

Format: E-book

“The untold story of the extraordinary queen who championed Joan of Arc. 

Politically astute, ambitious, and beautiful, Yolande of Aragon, queen of Sicily, was one of the most powerful women of the Middle Ages. Caught in the complex dynastic battle of the Hundred Years War, Yolande championed the dauphin's cause against the forces of England and Burgundy, drawing on her savvy, her statecraft, and her intimate network of spies. But the enemy seemed invincible. Just as French hopes dimmed, an astonishingly courageous young woman named Joan of Arc arrived from the farthest recesses of the kingdom, claiming she carried a divine message-a message that would change the course of history and ultimately lead to the coronation of Charles VII and the triumph of France.

Now, on the six hundredth anniversary of the birth of Joan of Arc, this fascinating book explores the relationship between these two remarkable women, and deepens our understanding of this dramatic period in history. How did an illiterate peasant girl gain access to the future king of France, earn his trust, and ultimately lead his forces into battle? Was it only the hand of God that moved Joan of Arc-or was it also Yolande of Aragon?”

The Maid and the Queen: The Secret History of Joan of Arc by Nancy Goldstone is the story of two remarkable women, Yolande of Aragon and Joan of Arc.

The title of this book could be a little bit misleading for some (it was for me). The Maid and the Queen: The Secret History of Joan of Arc is more about Yolande of Aragon involvement and manipulations that brought Charles VII to the French throne and consequently triumph of France in the Hundred Years War than about Joan of Arc, even though she is also included in great part of the book.

This book is divided in three parts, Before Joan, Joan of Arc, and After Joan.

In Before Joan we learn more about Yolande of Aragon’s childhood, marriage and involvement with the French monarchy. We also learn about Charles VI madness and the lengths his followers went to keep it hidden. We learn about his marriage to Isabella of Bavaria and the power struggle in the French court. We also learn how Yolande of Aragon “worked” to marry her daughter Marie to the Dauphin.

In Joan of Arc, we learn about the prophecy that brought Joan to the light, we also learn about the Dauphin’s inadequacy to take the reins of a country in dire need of a ruler.

The author doesn’t tells us that Joan of Arc was a pawn used by Yolande of Aragon but give us some information that make us consider it. Yolande needed a way to shake the Dauphin and make him start to believe in himself and Joan of Arc was that person. Joan made him believe he was the rightful heir to the throne and days later Charles VII was crowned. She also leaded the French army to some victories. But sadly as with many pawns when they were needed no more they were put aside and that same thing happened to Joan. But Joan couldn’t keep still, she needed to fight and without a strong support she left one more time to do battle only to end captured and sold to the English. Her capture as we well know ended in her trial for heresy and her condemnation to be burned at the stake.

Mrs. Goldstone gives us an inside to the trial and Joan’s last months of life. To the injustices that were committed against her and to the fear this young girl produced in others. She also shows us how Charles VII did nothing aid her.

The third and last part, After Joan, shows exactly that, what happened after Joan died and the consequences of her dead. We see how finally Charles VII reached an agreement with the opposite party (Duke of Burgundy), ending years later with the victory against the English and with that the end of the Hundred Years War. We continue seeing how important Yolande of Aragon was to this cause, but now she is old and ready to retire from court.

After twenty-five years of Joan’s execution an investigation authorized by Pope Callixtus III studied her trial, pronounced her innocent and declared her a martyr.

I found this book compelling but tedious at times. There were a lot of interesting facts but some parts were a bit boring. Also on the beginning keeping all the names straight took some work on my part.

I really liked to learn more about Yolande of Aragon, I knew who she was but I didn’t know the importance she had in all the events of the time. She was a very smart woman who was able to command in a world ruled by men. France not only owes a debt to Joan of Arc but to Yolande of Aragon.

My last thing to say is that this book is a non-fiction historical book; don’t expect a historical fiction novel because you won’t find it here. Saying that, if you are into non-fiction historical this book is for you, if not, keep away from this book.

My Verdict: 3 Paws

Other reviews Goodreads

Visit Author’s Website

CATS-ilicious Thursdays

Covers of the World: Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill

Today in Covers of the World we have Some Girls Bite. Some Girls Bite is the first book in the Chicagoland Vampires Series by Chloe Neill. 

1. From left to right: English US edition and English UK edition. 

2. From left to right: French edition and German edition

  

3. From left to right: Italian edition, Polish edition and Hungarian edition.

From these covers my favorite is the Polish edition, I love the model, the hair and the colors, I love how pale she is and her eyes, it almost shows her otherness. The others covers I could do without them...

The English US, Hungarian and Italian covers use the same formula, model infront of a big (Period) house. From those I like the colors of the Hungarian cover but the house looks as if it's falling apart and what is with the sunglasses in the Italian edition?

My least favorite is the English UK cover, followed closely by the French edition. The English UK edition with the light behind "Merit" looks more like a Scifi cover than an Urban Fantasy or Paranormal and my problem with the French edition is that the model doesn't look at all like Merit.

What do you think of these covers?