Helen of Troy by Margaret George

SYNOPSIS
Bestselling novelist, Margaret George, here imagines the story of Helen of Sparta and Troy, one of the most amazing female mythical characters, ancient or modern. A war, which lasted for 10 years, was fought over her and nearly all the stories of the heroic age were bound into her story - a measure of her capacity to galvanise men into action. Using her unique gift for research and recreation, Margaret George brings to life a Helen who was a tantalizing enigma from the very first, flesh and blood certainly, but also immortal, as the daughter of Zeus. Her beauty is so overwhelming and dangerous that, as a child, she is protected from seeing her reflection. Kings and princes compete for her hand in marriage, and she marries Menelaus of Sparta, but before marrying him all her other suitors swear to help bring Helen back should she ever be abducted again. When she falls for Paris of Troy it is assumed that he has taken her by force, when her actions are far more complex. The suitors are obliged to honour their oath and so the Trojan War begins - the most pivotal event in the history of ancient Greece ...and the tragedy of these individuals.

MY VIEW
I was totally gripped with this, I'm ashamed to say I don't know a lot about Helen of Troy and this was a great insight told from Helen's point of view.

As a child she is not to look at her own reflection also as the daughter of the God Zeus she had many wanting to marry her and settled with Menelaus and bearing him a daughter only at the age of 24 falling for the Trojan Prince, Paris and leaving her daughter and husband.

This has been reviewed to be not as good as the Autobiography of Henry VIII and yes for me it wasn't as good as that but, I can't help feeling did I not enjoy this as much because it is a story I am not as familiar with? Maybe but, either way whether this is accurate or not it was a brilliantly told story that has given me an interest to find out more about Helen.

Witch Blood by Anya Bast

SYNOPSIS
Water witch Isabelle Novak must form an uneasy alliance with earth witch Thomas Monahan to hunt and destroy a demon of tremendous power, even though Thomas's very presence stirs deeper desires than she ever knew she had.

MY VIEW
This is the 2nd book in the Elemental Witches series and I would recommend reading Witch Fire before reading this.

This book is about Isabelle Novak's revenge for the murder of her sister. She fails to find the demon in question and so attempts to take her revenge on the leader of the warlocks.

However, things don't quite go as planned and there is a more urgent mission in that more witches are being killed by the same demon who killed Isabelle's sister. Thomas Monahan is the leader of a local coven and he first appeared in the first Elemental Witches book, Witch Fire.

Lots of action, lots of sex and romance this one was not as engrossing as Witch Fire however, it still flowed along nicely and was a good read without having to think about it too much.

I have the next 2 books in the series very high up in my TBR pile, this is a really good series if your inot paranormal romance especially the witches side of things - makes a change from were's and vampires.

This Charming Man by Marian Keyes

SYNOPSIS
Lola has just found out that her boyfriend – charismatic politician Paddy de Courcy – is getting married. To someone else. Heartbroken, Lola flees the city for a cottage by the sea. But will Lola’s retreat prove as idyllic as she hopes? Journalist Grace wants the inside story on Paddy de Courcy’s engagement and thinks Lola holds the key to it.

Grace knew Paddy a long time ago. But why can’t she forget him? Grace’s sister, Marnie, might have the answer but she also has issues with the past. Her loving loving husband and beautiful daughters are wonderful, but they can’t take away memories of her first love: a certain Paddy de Courcy. What will it take for Marnie to be able to move on?

Alicia Thornton is Paddy’s wife-to-be. Determined to be the perfect wife, Alicia would do anything for her fiancé. But does she know the real Paddy? Four very different women. One awfully charming man. And the dark secret that binds them all...

MY VIEW
This book, I found was a little more deeper than Marian's other books as with all Marians books this was easy reading but, had a much darker side, TBH I wasn't expecting that at all.

I wasn't much keen on Lola maybe it was the way she was writing and I came so close to abandoning this but, as I hate to do that I persevered and am so glad I did. The other characters were far more engrossing and made the book for me.

I'm not going to say too much as I may spoil it for some but, if you love Marian read it, even if you don't you may like it too as its a little different to her usual fare.

Having said all that I still haven't found a Marian book to top Watermelon- I love that book!

Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice

SYNOPSIS
After 6000 years of stillness, Akasha, mother of vampires and Queen of the Damned has risen from her sleep. Her monstrous plan of ruling the worlds of the living and the undead must be stopped. The challenge is left to the vampire Lestat, for it was he who woke her from her sleep.

MY VIEW
I was a bit dubious about starting this book which is possibly why I didn't read it when I read IWTV & TVL four years ago as this was described as universes within universes which I thought might be a bit confusing but, it wasn't at all in fact I found the different stories really engrossing.

All the characters get a turn here Armand, Marius, Louis, Pandora, Lestat of course to name a few. We also see a return of the young reporter who originally wrote Louis story.

This is definitely s good as IWTV if not better this really is amazing I couldn't get enough of it!

Having watched IWTV I know for sure I definitely won't watch QOTD as from the description it deviates a lot from the storyline in the book seeing some characters killd that asn't in the book - the film would spoil it forme for sure.

The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice

SYNOPSIS
'Ah, the taste and feel of blood when all passion and greed is sharpened in that one desire!' Lestat: a vampire - but very much not the conventional undead, for Lestat is the truly alive. Lestat is vivid, ecstatic, stagestruck, and in his extravagant story he plunges from the lasciviousness of eighteenth-century Paris to the demonic Egypt of prehistory; from fin-de-siecle New Orleans to the frenetic twentieth-century world of rock superstardom - as, pursued by the living and the dead, he searches across time for the secret of his own dark immortality.

MY VIEW
The second ofthe Vampire Chronicles I read four years ago, here is my original review:

The follow-up to Interview With The Vampire, this is the story of LeStat. I have heard many people say that they were not fond of Lestat from IWTV but, changed their mind after this one. I agree with that, you see things from a different angle than before.

Lestat is the son of a nobleman from the 18th century. The first part of this book is basically Interview With The Vampire but, from Lestat's view, which personally I did find could have been a bit shorter but, I wouldn't say it detracts from this being a brilliant book, which it is.

It starts as Lestat as a rock star in the 1980s, then goes back to him being in Paris in the 18th century, then goes forward to present day.

I personally prferred IWTV but, this is brilliant, I have yet to read all the Vampire Chronicles so not sure yet which are my favourites but, this one is excellent, and essential if you plan on reading the whole of the Chronicles.

I enjoyed this heaps more this time around than originally not sure why that was but, that said I still don't think it was a patch on IWTV.

Anne Rice has created such an amazing world with these books and all other Vampire books pale into insignificance, these just seem more grown up and so sensual. I know Anne now writes religious books and heard somewhere that she repents the Vampire books she wrote I hope that wasn't true because these books are amazing.

Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice

SYNOPSIS
In a darkened room a young man sits telling the macabre and eerie story of his life - the story of a vampire, gifted with eternal life, cursed with an exquisite craving for human blood. Anne Rice's compulsively readable novel is arguably the most celebrated work of vampire fiction since Bram Stoker's Dracula was published in 1897. As the Washington Post said on its first publication, it is a 'thrilling, strikingly original work of the imagination ...sometimes horrible, sometimes beautiful, always unforgettable'.

MY VIEW
I have actually read this book before, a friend of mine was talking about Anne Rice on Facebook and I just thought I've only read the first two books and there are over 10 in the series and I must get cracking! I first read this about 4 years ago so thought it should be re-read, actually I am reading the omnibus of the first three books but, thought I would review them seperately rather than all in one hit.

My review of four years ago:

This book is based on four very different Vampires.This is the story of Louis who became a vampire after his brothers suicide, he tells of how Lestat made Louis a vampire for economic reasons and aside from that he also wanted a companion. Lestat has Louis as a vampire only because as far as Louis knows there are no other vampires he can turn to.

Over the years he turns to distaste for Lestat, and Lestat who in his efforts to keep Louis by his side he takes a young girl whom Louis had fed upon and makes her a vampire.He knows Louis would never abandon her.The girl is called Claudia, she seems to accept what has happened, she is just a young girl and can barely remember her childhood. She does manage to get away from Lestat with Louis and its on their travels to Paris they encounter Armand.

This is quite a depressive story, Louis is not a happy Vampire! This is a classic book that everyone should read most especially if you love horror or occult.


Having re-read the book even though I loved it first time around I seemed to enjoy it more this time, strange but, true. Since I originally read this I have read lots and lots of Vampire books and in all honesty there is nothing like this its amazing, its engrossing so sensual.

A lot of other vampire books have a bit of a chick lit edge to them (not all just some) this is more your grown up Vampire tale.

The Knight of the Sacred Lake by Rosalind Miles

SYNOPSIS
Last in a line of proud queens elected to rule the fertile lands of the West, true owner of the legendary Round Table, guardian of the Great Goddess herself . . . a woman whose story has never been told--until now.

As High King and Queen, Arthur and Guenevere reign supreme across the many kingdoms of Great Britain. Still, Guenevere secretly mourns the loss of her beloved Lancelot, who has returned to the Sacred Lake of his boyhood, hoping to restore his faith in chivalry in the place where he learned to be a knight. In a glittering Pentecost ceremony, new knights are sworn to the Round Table, including Arthur's nephews, Agravain and Gawain. After many years of strife, peace is restored to Guenevere's realm.

But betrayal, jealousy, and ancient blood feuds fester unseen. Morgan Le Fay, now the mother of Arthur's only son, Mordred, has become the focus of Merlin's age-old quest to ensure the survival of the house of Pendragon. From the east comes the shattering news that Guenevere may have a rival for Lancelot's love. A bleak shadow falls again across Camelot--and across the sacred isle of Avalon, where Roman priests threaten the life of the Lady herself. At the center of the storm is Guenevere, torn between her love for her husband, her people, and Sir Lancelot of the Lake.

With rare and intuitive magic, Rosalind Miles brings to life a legendary woman's bravery and passion, and all the pageantry, heartbreak, violence, and beauty of an age gone by.

MY VIEW
Following on from Guenevere, Queen of the Summer Country this is the middle book of the trilogy and I wasn't expecting any great shakes as personally I find middle books not that great! Actually, this was just slightly better than the first book ...

Arthur in this book seems like quite a weak character which is not how I imagined him to be and Guenevere seems a little more grown up than she was in GQOTSC. This book continues after Guenevere's affair with Lancelot and she has sent him away after Arthur's incestuous relationship with his sister, Morgan La Fay.

This book mainly covers Merlin's attempts in finding Mordred and Lancelot returning to Camelot, although the series is predominantly Guenevere's you do get the viewpoints of other characters thrown in for good measure.