Friday Mini Reviews (Audiobooks edition) #33: Anne Bishop, Anne Bishop & Jim Butcher





The Shadow Queen by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels #7)

bought on audio

Synopsis from Goodreads

The national bestselling Black Jewels saga continues

Theran Grayhaven is the last of his line, desperate to restore the land of Dena Nehele. But first he needs to find a Queen who remembers the Blood's code of honor and lives by the Old Ways.

Languishing in the Shadow Realm, Lady Cassidy is a Queen without a court. But when she is chosen to rule Dena Nehele, she must convince bitter men to serve once again.
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8.5/10

This was an unexpected turn in the series, ladies and gents! After many adventures of Daemon, Lucivar and Jaenelle, the focus goes back to a troubled land of Dena Nehele which desperately needs a new Queen. Lady Cassidy might not be a glamorous choice, but her gentle nature and steady approach slowly conquers her Warrior circle one by one, until Theran Grayhaven starts messing around with things he doesn't understand.

I have to say, that despite not knowing Lady Cassidy I liked her straight away and really enjoyed her story, so this is much recommended addition to this series.
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Прекрасное дополнение серии несмотря на то, что эта книга отходит от описания жизни Дэймона, Люсивара и Жанель и преподносит нам новых персонажей. Фокус сюжета на землях Дина Нахил, которые отчаянно нуждаются в новой Королеве, которой становится леди Кассиди по совету Жанель.

Кассиди мне пришлась по душе сразу же; своей милой натурой и твёрдой рукой она завоевала круг своих воинов одного за другим, пока идиот Тэйрон Грейхэйвен не привёл в её дом ядовитую гостью... Замечательная книга, очень советую читать!


 Shalador's Lady by Anne Bishop (The Black Jewels #8)

bought on audio

Synopsis from Goodreads

For years the Shalador people suffered the cruelties of the corrupt Queens who ruled them, forbidding their traditions, punishing those who dared show defiance, and forcing many more into hiding. Now that their land has been cleansed of tainted Blood, the Rose-Jeweled Queen, Lady Cassidy, makes it her duty to restore it and prove her ability to rule.

But even if Lady Cassidy succeeds, other dangers await. For the Black Widows see visions within their tangled webs that something is coming that will change the land-and Lady Cassidy-forever...
 Amazon US/UK | Amazon kindle US/UK | The Book Depository
8.5/10

Shalador's Lady continues with Lady Cassidy's story which is why I had to review both books together. It also ends it very nicely! Cassidy and her loyal Warriors move the court from Grayhaven to Shalador after Theron refuses to throw his guest out of the manor, and steadily the surrounding lands start to prosper. Soon the whole of Dena Nehele is looking up to Lady's Cassidy and wants to be under her rule while Theron's stupidity is slowly driving everyone away from him and out of his city.

Great books, I really enjoyed them both. Recommended!
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Леди Шаладора - это продолжение истории Кассиди, и именно поэтому я решила обе книги прорецензировать вместе. После того как она уезжает со своим кругом воинов из Грэйхэйвена и переселяется в Шаладор, тучи над Тэйроном сгущаются всё больше и больше, а он как последний идиот этого совершенно не видит.

В то же время Шаладор под руководством Кассиди процветает, и вот уже остальные земли Дина Нахил просятся под её правление, и Кассиди престоит сделать всё ввозможное, чтобы предсказание Жанель о судьбе Дина Нахил не исполнилось и гроза миновала её людей стороной. Милые книги, мне очень понравились!


Grave Peril by Jim Butcher ( The Dresden Files #3)

bought on audio

Synopsis from Goodreads

HARRY DRESDEN — WIZARD
Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.

Harry Dresden’s faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. All par for the course for Chicago’s only professional wizard.

But in all of Harry’s years of supernatural sleuthing, he’s never faced anything like this: the spirit world’s gone postal. All over Chicago, ghosts are causing trouble—and not just of the door-slamming, ‘boo’- shouting variety. These ghosts are tormented, violent, and deadly.

Someone—or something—is stirring them up to wreak unearthly havoc. But why? And why do so many of the victims have ties to Harry? If Harry doesn’t figure it out soon, he could wind up a ghost himself....
Amazon US/UK | Amazon kindle US/UK | The Book Depository | Audiobook
8.5/10

Wow, everyone I know was telling me how the series changes on the third book, and I have to say they were damn right! It goes up to a new level of tension, intrigues and grisly murders.

The new Harry Dresden is dark, and I'm loving it! I definitely felt the mood of earlier Anita Blake, and I think the narration was very tight and choke full of ghosts, faerie god-mothers, eery vampires and vengeful demons. Obviously, James Marsters sleek voice only added to the richness of this book. Very much recommended for the fans of old school dark fantasy.
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Ни фига себя! Я должна признаться, что все кто говорил о том, что эта серия радикально меняется к лучшему на третьей книге были чертовски правы!

Новый Гарри Дрезден - тёмен, мрачен и готов на всё, чтобы спасти своих друзей и любимых. Мне он очень пришёлся по душе! Между странными призраками, маниакальными вампирами, мстительными демонами и настойчивыми феями-крёстными матерями, книга подойдёт всем поклонникам тёмного фэнтези и особенно ранней Аниты Блэйк. Голос Джеймса Марстерса только добавляет глубины её напряжённой атмосфере. Очень советую!