April Book Reviews
I’ve been in a reading funk for most of this year (I think Shadowfever was the only book I was even remotely motivated to read) and though I picked up a couple of good books by good authors (Diana Rowland’s Mark of the Demon and Lisa Shearin’s Con and Conjure, and one particularly bad book by a previously good (fanfic) author (Dianne Sylvan’s Queen of Shadows (based on the Vampire Diaries-based fanfic, The Signet Series, I so often used to rave about here), I just couldn’t get my head in the game.
That’s why, when I dug up Meljean Brook’s Guardian series from the depths of my e-book folder (a series I considered a must-have after the delight that was The Iron Duke), I was determined to see at least one of books through to the end. And I knew if even Brook couldn’t get me through my slump, there would be no other choice but to let my addiction resurface whenever the hell it felt like it.
I admit I only skimmed the short prequel, Falling for Anthony. I found the characters therein of no interest whatsoever, even the three that would later star in their own novel-length adventures. Of course my opinions of these characters changed as I got deeper into the series, but as it stood at the time, my brain didn’t want a prim and proper historical romance and I think that’s what stopped me from really caring about the characters.
Unfortunately I began Demon Angel with the same mindset and found myself disappointed that it was more of the same. Not that I don’t enjoy historical romance novels; I do. I just wasn’t in the mood to read any. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to read, but I know it wasn’t that.
But I kept on reading, because I promised myself I would. And I’m so glad I did.
Anyone who’s already read Brook’s books or seen the reviews flying around the webz will probably already know that the Guardian series is hard work in some regards. There are no info dumps in these books, you’re not spoon-fed the information, the plot can often seem too complex to really grasp in its entirety and her writing style, though smooth and compelling, is sometimes far too vague and ambiguous for such a weighty story.
For me, this made slugging through the first half of the book a bit of a chore. But I kept at it, because there was just something about the characters that pulled me in. I found Lillian fascinating because she wasn’t a typical heroine nor a typical villain. She wasn’t inherently good underneath it all, nor was she inherently evil. And her relationship with Hugh was complex, beautifully developed and believable.
I liked Hugh, but I loved Lillian, and she pushed me right into the second part of the book, in which the plot finally gained momentum and the story found its balance. I suddenly found myself so immersed in this world that I wanted to know more. Brook crafted Lillith and Hugh and their relationship so subtlety that I didn’t even realise that I’d begun to care about these characters and their story until I reached that last page and found myself sighing contentedly, reluctant to leave their world behind for another.
I cracked the second book without hesitation, mostly because I knew it would be Colin and Savi’s story, and I don’t think there were two secondary characters I enjoyed more in the first book.
The second instalment still suffered from the same ambiguity and tangled prose, but I learned from the first book not to try too hard to clarify what was going on, because a later scene or snippet of information would clear up a lot of my confusion. What I’ve learned having read the rest of this series is that Brook tends to always refer back to something that may have been previously unclear and detangles it slowly but surely without bogging the reader down with too much exposition. She might not clear things up in the same book, but all I can say is… trust the author and trust yourself and the story arc will settle into your bones, until you realise you’re comprehending more than you originally thought you were.
Demon Moon is still my favourite instalment romance-wise. This was the book that first highlighted Brook’s talent of taking secondary characters and fleshing them out into fully-realised, three-dimensional people without writing the mystery and intrigue out of them. Colin isn’t any less than he was in the first book and neither is Savi, and Brook seamlessly adds layers upon layers to their characters, all the while refusing to justify or explain away their flaws to make them a more suitable hero or heroine. She doesn’t rip them down or change them so drastically that they’re barely recognisable, just to make it easier to push them together under the pretense of romance. The conflicts that keep the two leads apart, that keep the tension alive, are genuine and woven into the overall story arc, and this is true of every relationship in every instalment.
Colin is not a hero. He’s not even trying to be. He recognises that he’s not particularly worthy of Savi but he doesn’t wallow in the fact. Both have their insecurities and their strengths. It was easy to understand why Savi was so reluctant to give in to Colin in the beginning. I agreed with her practicality; I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t shy away from the intensity of such a connection when you know, deep down, you would never find it with anyone else ever again. And because the conflicts keeping them apart were so genuine, I found myself mourning that potential loss right along with Savi.
I liked the fact that Colin wasn’t just another character the author felt she needed to redeem just to reach her happily ever after quota. Colin is integral to the plot; his connection with Chaos means he will no doubt remain a major player throughout the series. And though Savi’s transformation isn’t often referenced or used in the later books, it’s clear she represents the beginning of some major changes in the Guardian world. Where before there were only demons, Guardians, hellhounds, nosferatu and vampires, now there’s Savi, bringing something new to the mix, vampire and hellhound both. Lucifer isn’t the only one able to create these dark creatures anymore. And though little has been said about what Savi’s transformation will mean for the story, I’m sure that it will come into play at some point (on saying that, there are only two books left in the series, so maybe not? With Brook’s habit of letting her readers figure things out for themselves, maybe it doesn’t really need commenting on).
Brook really upped the stakes with the sexual tension and chemistry in this book, too. I knew these two would be hot together before I even finished the first chapter. What I liked most about this book, though, was the obvious connection between Colin and Savi when they were together. It’s a running theme throughout this series. Brook has a great way of getting into the heads of her characters, especially the women, during her sex scenes, and seems to understand that every woman is different, with different sexual hang-ups, different kinks, different buttons to press. What works for me is that Brook never shies away from acknowledging them; sometimes the heroine is afraid to embrace them, sometimes she’s not, but Brook always places their sexuality firmly in their hands, allows them to own it in a way all women should, but some never have the power to do.
After reading the first two books, I was, without a doubt, fully enamoured of Brook’s world. I preferred the next book, Demon Night, for its plot development rather than its relationship (I personally liked Charlie more than Ethan). The story really begins to unfold in this instalment, introducing the nephilim and a little more Guardian backstory. In fact, I actually found that I was reading the later books more for the plot itself rather than any of the relationships.
I loved Jake in Demon Bound ; Brook developed his character so naturally and it was nice to actually be a part of history in the making. Unlike the other Guardian and vampire heroes, Jake’s story hasn’t really happened yet. He’s young by Guardian standards and it isn’t until this book that Brook really starts to weave him into the bigger picture. And I liked that him becoming part of the overall story arc didn’t subtract from his character. He added a much-needed light heartedness to the book, which was a great counterpart to Alice’s dry countenance.
Though Alice isn’t my favourite heroine of the series (I think Savi will always hold that spot for me), I did like that Brook didn’t make her a complete recluse, cut off completely from everything and everyone. Despite her demon bargain, despite never having quite managed to let go of her Victorian upbringing, she still has friends. She still laughs and smiles and makes fun of herself. It made it more believable that she would open herself up to someone like Jake despite her concerns.
Another great thing about this instalment were the new plot developments. Up until this book, I didn’t really think much to Michael. I knew he was going to be a part of the overall story arc; that much is obvious. But he never seemed to connect to any of the characters, never seemed to show a flicker of genuine humanity. For the first few books he read more like a tool, a weapon, than a character.
Demon Bound begins to rectify that, or maybe it would be fair to say that this is the first time Brook has the opportunity to delve into Michael’s history. With the introduction of the prophecy and Ariana, and the developing history of the Guardians, Michael is drawn further into the plot. Though Brook doesn’t give us much, she does give us a brief glimpse into who Michael is, the kind of person he is, and though I can’t say he came off as more humane, he did start to catch my interest.
By the end of Demon Forged, wherein the plot really started to pick up, I found myself invested enough in his character - and his budding relationship with Detective Taylor - to be shocked and intrigued by the turn of events in the last few acts of the book. While I wasn’t invested in Irena and Alejandro’s relationship (Irena rocks, but Alejandro was too clean-cut hero material for me) and I was actually more enamoured of Rosalia than Deacon in Demon Blood, it was safe to say that, after devouring these latest instalments within days of each other, Brook well and truly had her claws in me.
There’s two more books left, one of which will be Michael’s book. I know a lot of Brook fans are waiting with baited breath for his story, especially now that it’s obvious Detective Taylor is going to play a big part in it. I know I’d like to know more about him, the world of the Guardians and the whole mythos itself. I want to know about Taylor, what it means to be Doyen, how she’s going handle meeting Michael again after what he’s been doing to her, and how she’s going to find it in herself to forgive and adapt to her new life.
Yes, it’s safe to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this series. It’s got me out of my reading funk and it’s given me the motivation to return to an old series which I’m a few books behind on. I’m currently re-reading Kim Harrison’s Hollows series, an old favourite that I’ve been with since book one. I haven’t read Black Magic Sanction or Pale Demon yet, which is not like me at all because I usually jump on Harrison’s books the moment they come out. But I like to re-read this series when a new book comes out because there’s so many things happening in Rachel’s life that I have to remind myself of the finer details. Not that I’m complaining. These books never get old. Although A Few Demons More kills me dead every time. Le sigh.
I also read Kalayna Price’s Grave Witch, which I did enjoy and fully intended to write a review for. But I’ve found I’ve actually forgotten most of the characters names, which is… not a good thing, really. I did like the book, but it was very ABC. It’s a formula that works for a lot of these kinds of books, sure, but with the genre becoming so saturated now, it takes a little more for a book to impress me. The next instalment, Grave Dance, has been added to my Maybe list, but I’m in no rush to buy it.
In other news, my driving test is booked and fast approaching! God, so nervous. I can drive. I know I can drive. I drive my own car all the time and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with my driving. But it’s just so damn easy to fail these days and I know my nerves are going to get the best of me. I hope they won’t, because I’d love to be driving by the time summer gets going; I have many-a-road trip planned!
That’s why, when I dug up Meljean Brook’s Guardian series from the depths of my e-book folder (a series I considered a must-have after the delight that was The Iron Duke), I was determined to see at least one of books through to the end. And I knew if even Brook couldn’t get me through my slump, there would be no other choice but to let my addiction resurface whenever the hell it felt like it.
I admit I only skimmed the short prequel, Falling for Anthony. I found the characters therein of no interest whatsoever, even the three that would later star in their own novel-length adventures. Of course my opinions of these characters changed as I got deeper into the series, but as it stood at the time, my brain didn’t want a prim and proper historical romance and I think that’s what stopped me from really caring about the characters.
Unfortunately I began Demon Angel with the same mindset and found myself disappointed that it was more of the same. Not that I don’t enjoy historical romance novels; I do. I just wasn’t in the mood to read any. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to read, but I know it wasn’t that.
But I kept on reading, because I promised myself I would. And I’m so glad I did.
Anyone who’s already read Brook’s books or seen the reviews flying around the webz will probably already know that the Guardian series is hard work in some regards. There are no info dumps in these books, you’re not spoon-fed the information, the plot can often seem too complex to really grasp in its entirety and her writing style, though smooth and compelling, is sometimes far too vague and ambiguous for such a weighty story.
For me, this made slugging through the first half of the book a bit of a chore. But I kept at it, because there was just something about the characters that pulled me in. I found Lillian fascinating because she wasn’t a typical heroine nor a typical villain. She wasn’t inherently good underneath it all, nor was she inherently evil. And her relationship with Hugh was complex, beautifully developed and believable.
I liked Hugh, but I loved Lillian, and she pushed me right into the second part of the book, in which the plot finally gained momentum and the story found its balance. I suddenly found myself so immersed in this world that I wanted to know more. Brook crafted Lillith and Hugh and their relationship so subtlety that I didn’t even realise that I’d begun to care about these characters and their story until I reached that last page and found myself sighing contentedly, reluctant to leave their world behind for another.
I cracked the second book without hesitation, mostly because I knew it would be Colin and Savi’s story, and I don’t think there were two secondary characters I enjoyed more in the first book.
The second instalment still suffered from the same ambiguity and tangled prose, but I learned from the first book not to try too hard to clarify what was going on, because a later scene or snippet of information would clear up a lot of my confusion. What I’ve learned having read the rest of this series is that Brook tends to always refer back to something that may have been previously unclear and detangles it slowly but surely without bogging the reader down with too much exposition. She might not clear things up in the same book, but all I can say is… trust the author and trust yourself and the story arc will settle into your bones, until you realise you’re comprehending more than you originally thought you were.
Demon Moon is still my favourite instalment romance-wise. This was the book that first highlighted Brook’s talent of taking secondary characters and fleshing them out into fully-realised, three-dimensional people without writing the mystery and intrigue out of them. Colin isn’t any less than he was in the first book and neither is Savi, and Brook seamlessly adds layers upon layers to their characters, all the while refusing to justify or explain away their flaws to make them a more suitable hero or heroine. She doesn’t rip them down or change them so drastically that they’re barely recognisable, just to make it easier to push them together under the pretense of romance. The conflicts that keep the two leads apart, that keep the tension alive, are genuine and woven into the overall story arc, and this is true of every relationship in every instalment.
Colin is not a hero. He’s not even trying to be. He recognises that he’s not particularly worthy of Savi but he doesn’t wallow in the fact. Both have their insecurities and their strengths. It was easy to understand why Savi was so reluctant to give in to Colin in the beginning. I agreed with her practicality; I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t shy away from the intensity of such a connection when you know, deep down, you would never find it with anyone else ever again. And because the conflicts keeping them apart were so genuine, I found myself mourning that potential loss right along with Savi.
I liked the fact that Colin wasn’t just another character the author felt she needed to redeem just to reach her happily ever after quota. Colin is integral to the plot; his connection with Chaos means he will no doubt remain a major player throughout the series. And though Savi’s transformation isn’t often referenced or used in the later books, it’s clear she represents the beginning of some major changes in the Guardian world. Where before there were only demons, Guardians, hellhounds, nosferatu and vampires, now there’s Savi, bringing something new to the mix, vampire and hellhound both. Lucifer isn’t the only one able to create these dark creatures anymore. And though little has been said about what Savi’s transformation will mean for the story, I’m sure that it will come into play at some point (on saying that, there are only two books left in the series, so maybe not? With Brook’s habit of letting her readers figure things out for themselves, maybe it doesn’t really need commenting on).
Brook really upped the stakes with the sexual tension and chemistry in this book, too. I knew these two would be hot together before I even finished the first chapter. What I liked most about this book, though, was the obvious connection between Colin and Savi when they were together. It’s a running theme throughout this series. Brook has a great way of getting into the heads of her characters, especially the women, during her sex scenes, and seems to understand that every woman is different, with different sexual hang-ups, different kinks, different buttons to press. What works for me is that Brook never shies away from acknowledging them; sometimes the heroine is afraid to embrace them, sometimes she’s not, but Brook always places their sexuality firmly in their hands, allows them to own it in a way all women should, but some never have the power to do.
After reading the first two books, I was, without a doubt, fully enamoured of Brook’s world. I preferred the next book, Demon Night, for its plot development rather than its relationship (I personally liked Charlie more than Ethan). The story really begins to unfold in this instalment, introducing the nephilim and a little more Guardian backstory. In fact, I actually found that I was reading the later books more for the plot itself rather than any of the relationships.
I loved Jake in Demon Bound ; Brook developed his character so naturally and it was nice to actually be a part of history in the making. Unlike the other Guardian and vampire heroes, Jake’s story hasn’t really happened yet. He’s young by Guardian standards and it isn’t until this book that Brook really starts to weave him into the bigger picture. And I liked that him becoming part of the overall story arc didn’t subtract from his character. He added a much-needed light heartedness to the book, which was a great counterpart to Alice’s dry countenance.
Though Alice isn’t my favourite heroine of the series (I think Savi will always hold that spot for me), I did like that Brook didn’t make her a complete recluse, cut off completely from everything and everyone. Despite her demon bargain, despite never having quite managed to let go of her Victorian upbringing, she still has friends. She still laughs and smiles and makes fun of herself. It made it more believable that she would open herself up to someone like Jake despite her concerns.
Another great thing about this instalment were the new plot developments. Up until this book, I didn’t really think much to Michael. I knew he was going to be a part of the overall story arc; that much is obvious. But he never seemed to connect to any of the characters, never seemed to show a flicker of genuine humanity. For the first few books he read more like a tool, a weapon, than a character.
Demon Bound begins to rectify that, or maybe it would be fair to say that this is the first time Brook has the opportunity to delve into Michael’s history. With the introduction of the prophecy and Ariana, and the developing history of the Guardians, Michael is drawn further into the plot. Though Brook doesn’t give us much, she does give us a brief glimpse into who Michael is, the kind of person he is, and though I can’t say he came off as more humane, he did start to catch my interest.
By the end of Demon Forged, wherein the plot really started to pick up, I found myself invested enough in his character - and his budding relationship with Detective Taylor - to be shocked and intrigued by the turn of events in the last few acts of the book. While I wasn’t invested in Irena and Alejandro’s relationship (Irena rocks, but Alejandro was too clean-cut hero material for me) and I was actually more enamoured of Rosalia than Deacon in Demon Blood, it was safe to say that, after devouring these latest instalments within days of each other, Brook well and truly had her claws in me.
There’s two more books left, one of which will be Michael’s book. I know a lot of Brook fans are waiting with baited breath for his story, especially now that it’s obvious Detective Taylor is going to play a big part in it. I know I’d like to know more about him, the world of the Guardians and the whole mythos itself. I want to know about Taylor, what it means to be Doyen, how she’s going handle meeting Michael again after what he’s been doing to her, and how she’s going to find it in herself to forgive and adapt to her new life.
Yes, it’s safe to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this series. It’s got me out of my reading funk and it’s given me the motivation to return to an old series which I’m a few books behind on. I’m currently re-reading Kim Harrison’s Hollows series, an old favourite that I’ve been with since book one. I haven’t read Black Magic Sanction or Pale Demon yet, which is not like me at all because I usually jump on Harrison’s books the moment they come out. But I like to re-read this series when a new book comes out because there’s so many things happening in Rachel’s life that I have to remind myself of the finer details. Not that I’m complaining. These books never get old. Although A Few Demons More kills me dead every time. Le sigh.
I also read Kalayna Price’s Grave Witch, which I did enjoy and fully intended to write a review for. But I’ve found I’ve actually forgotten most of the characters names, which is… not a good thing, really. I did like the book, but it was very ABC. It’s a formula that works for a lot of these kinds of books, sure, but with the genre becoming so saturated now, it takes a little more for a book to impress me. The next instalment, Grave Dance, has been added to my Maybe list, but I’m in no rush to buy it.
In other news, my driving test is booked and fast approaching! God, so nervous. I can drive. I know I can drive. I drive my own car all the time and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with my driving. But it’s just so damn easy to fail these days and I know my nerves are going to get the best of me. I hope they won’t, because I’d love to be driving by the time summer gets going; I have many-a-road trip planned!