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.