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Book Review: The Poisoner, by I.V. Ophelia

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I purchased an e-copy of The Poisoner, by I.V. Ophelia.

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Amidst the gaslit alleys and cobblestone streets of Victorian London, two killers find themselves entangled in a waltz they cannot escape.

Alina Lis, a botanist and hobbyist poisoner, has a pastime of killing unsavory men in her twisted sense of poetic justice. When she targets the conceited playboy, Silas Forbes, only to find him in her apothecary the following week, she discovers human men are the least of her problems.

The pair’s unlikely association sparks gossip among affluent society. As their mysterious bond deepens, a chilling truth emerges—concealed identities, lurking foes, and questions as plentiful as the hydra’s head brew within this haunting Gothic tale of violent passion.

Will Silas and Alina find themselves in each other’s arms, or will the shadows of their past keep them apart?

my review

I really enjoyed the sheer chaos of the first 2/3 of this. I liked the characters and the world. Plus, the writing was easily readable. But I feel like the plot diverted too far in the last third. Plus, I feel like Silas’ character lost a lot of his previously established strength. He just felt useless in the face of the challenges at the end. I realize the situation was part of that, but those are the poisoner photocircumstances the author chose, and she undermined him as a character, IMO. (There better be significant groveling in book 2!)

I still liked the book. It’s like the author read The Lost Apothecary and then said, “Now add vampires.” If the second were out, I would have jumped right in. (Though I was disappointed by the cliffhanger, since I didn’t know it was part of an unfinished series.) But I didn’t love it as much as I could have (and expected to).

Other Reviews:

Books, Burgers, and Backpacks: The Poisoner

Somebody to Open: The Poisoner

 

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Book Review: Wake and Fade, by Lisa McMann

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Some years back, I picked up a second-hand copy of Lisa McMann‘s Fade at a charity shop somewhere because it was signed. I do love a signed book. I didn’t know anything about it at the time, least of all that it is 2nd in the series. Well, as I’ve challenged myself to read my physical TBR books this year (and have, so far, managed to stick to it), I borrowed Wake from the library. I reviewed them as I finished them.

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For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people’s dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie’s seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can’t tell anybody about what she does they’d never believe her, or worse, they’d think she’s a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn’t want and can’t control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else’s twisted psyche. She is a participant.

my review

Wake:

This was a seriously quick read. I started it after dinner, and by the time I went to bed around 11, I’d finished it and about a 1/3 of Fade (book 2). And to my complete surprise (because I’m sometimes iffy about YA), after a somewhat slow start, I enjoyed it. I liked the almost diary-like setup (part of why it reads so fast) and the main characters. I found the side characters to be pretty clichéd and unexciting. However, the book primarily focuses on the main character, who is a practical sort of girl in a tough situation, and her male counterpart, who is particularly endearing in his caregiving.

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Fade:

I thought this was a finely written book, but I didn’t like it anywhere near as much as book one. I suffer from pretty severe rape-fatigue when it comes to rape in the books I read for entertainment and…yeah, I could go the rest of my life without reading one more book centered on men taking advantage of girls. So, the plot was a flop for me. But I can still acknowledge that I like the character and her love interest and appreciate McMann’s YA writing. There, technically, is a 3rd book in the series (and the library probably has it). But I feel like this book stopped at a good place for a break.

Other Reviews:

JKR Books: Wake & Fade

 

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Book Review: The Forgotten Empires, by Jeffe Kennedy

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Several years ago, I won a copy of Jeffe Kennedy‘s The Fiery Crown. As a second book in a then-unfinished series, it has sat on my shelf ever since. But I am making an effort to read more of my physical books. So, I borrowed The Orchid Throne from the library, and when they did not have a copy of The Promised Queen, I purchased one.

A PRISONER OF FATE

As Queen of the island kingdom of Calanthe, Euthalia will do anything to keep her people free—and her secrets safe—from the mad tyrant who rules the mainland. Guided by a magic ring of her father’s, Lia plays the political game with the cronies the emperor sends to her island. In her heart, she knows that it’s up to her to save herself from her fate as the emperor’s bride. But in her dreams, she sees a man, one with the power to build a better world—a man whose spirit is as strong, and whose passion is as fierce as her own…

A PRINCE AMONG MEN

Conrí, former Crown Prince of Oriel, has built an army to overthrow the emperor. But he needs the fabled Abiding Ring to succeed. The ring that Euthalia holds so dear to her heart. When the two banished rulers meet face to face, neither can deny the flames of rebellion that flicker in their eyes—nor the fires of desire that draw them together. But in this broken world of shattered kingdoms, can they ever really trust each other? Can their fiery alliance defeat the shadows of evil that threaten to engulf their hearts and souls?

my review

I’m going to write a single review for this whole series, since it is a single story. Each book picks up just as the last ends.

I adored this wholly. There was a moment in book three when I thought Kennedy brought in some pointless kink to write to the market, and I was annoyed. But even that turned out not to be pointless after all. So, I basically just loved all of this.

Con and Lia are marvelous characters. He’s just the Goodest of Good Boys when he’s not being a dangerous, murderous rebel. She’s smart and poised. She’s also 26, if I remember correctly, and he is of a similar age. So, they’re full adults. There’s no young or new adult angst over self-discovery or sex. Nor is there any artificial misunderstandings or third-act breakup. The side characters are also marvelous and complicated. Ambrose is my favorite, though I enjoyed them all.

True, there isn’t much of a sense of the rest of the world, outside of the immediate happenings the forgotten empires photoof the book. Where did Con’s army go, for example? Once the Illustrious Toad was deposed, what of his court and the regular people? But the world and magic are interesting. The pacing is also, admittedly, uneven. But that was something I noticed, and then I shrugged. It didn’t particularly bother me.

All in all, Jeffe Kennedy (who I’m relieved to discover is not male) is definitely on my watchlist now.

Other Reviews:

Nerd Girl Loves Books: The Forgotten Empires