Shadows of Valor

On the surface, Graywall is content and booming. Lord Shaufton, who presides over the city, is a fine ruler. The poor are well-cared for, the area is popular, and morale is high—but within Graywall’s roots, something dark is stirring. This darkness threatens to overpower the once-peaceful town, until a mysterious figure appears: The Shadow.


As much a figure of fear to the unruly as legend to the innocent, The Shadow is an enforcer of justice and aid to the King. Due to an outrageous export tax set by King Edward, smuggling has tainted the kingdom, so The Shadow is sent to hunt the smugglers down. Contrary to legend, The Shadow is simply a man known as Sir Calan who, although talented and just, struggles to keep his dark thoughts of revenge from becoming ruthless action. 


Due to sheer coincidence, The Shadow learns of a deadly plot against Lord Shaufton on a journey to Graywall. Now, he must enter a pseudo courtship with Lord Shaufton’s daughter under his original guise of Sir Calan, all while old emotions are stirred by the lovely Elsbeth, Lord Shaufton’s niece. Elsbeth, it seems, is the only woman who can heal his troubled soul, but she has a story of her own. What transpires is a glorious tale full of deceit, greed, inner struggles, betrayal, and most of all—love.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Smuggling and plans of murder upset the town of Graywall in Elsie Park's Shadows of Valor. The two main characters become privy to a criminal ring and it's up to them to discover who is behind the raids and save the town leader. 

Elsbeth and Sir Calan take the leading roles in this novel. Elsbeth is a scarred young woman, having been burned badly in the fire fueled destruction of her family home. She's a religious woman who has used her unfortunate past to motivate her future. She spends her time acting as the town midwife and helping various members of the community, regardless of wealth or station. Readers will love Elsbeth's perspective, her gentle nature, and her selflessness.

Sir Calan has known Elsbeth since they were young, but has been away for ten years becoming The Shadow. As The Shadow, Calan works for the King, catching and arresting criminals across the country. Now he's working in Graywall to help break the smuggling ring and save the Lord from a mortal plot. Calan is distrusting and a bit cynical, yet courageous and brave. The combined efforts of Elsbeth and Calan to save the town will silhouette their abilities, strengthening the connection with readers.

The plot follows Elsbeth and Calan as they attempt to identify the criminals so they can be brought to justice before the Lord, Elsbeth's Uncle, is murdered for his land.  Working as The Shadow, Calan keeps his own identity a secret, recruiting Elsbeth to aid him in his investigation. Shadows of Valor is a gem in the genre of historical fiction with a heartwarming and, simultaneously, thrilling story. 

Rating: 4.5/5 cups

WWW Wednesday (95)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

   

01. Currently Reading:
In between books yet again this week. Starting a new one this afternoon. :)

02. Recently Finished:
Shadows of Valor by Elsie Park. When The Shadow comes to Graywall he uncovers a smuggling plot that may end in death.

03. Reading Next:
Finding Mother by Anne Allen. A woman, whose marriage is falling apart, goes on a cross country search to find her biological mother.

Teaser Tuesday (109)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers


Shadows of Valor (Kindle Loc. 238-39)
   - Elsie Park

"Farewell, then, Beth, and take heed. Illicit deeds arise at nightfall."

The Conspiracy Kid

A sonnet is penned and, lo, the Conspiracy Kid Fan Club is born. Beware. To read this sonnet is to join the Club. Membership is automatic and irreversible.
This is the story of the earliest unwitting Conspiracy Kid Fan Club members: Edwin Mars (poet), Joe Claude (billionaire), Walter Cornelius (werewolf), Muriel Cohen (chef),
to name but a few.
Or, as Edwin Mars, being a poet, puts it:

This is the story of Joe Claude and me,
And of my son and the sisters he loved,
And of their father, how he came to be
In a graveyard - naked and uni-gloved;
Hamburgers, hurricanes, murder and string,
Werewolves and waiters and barmen and cooks,
From Maine to Biloxi, Mayfair to Pring,
Furniture, ketamine, golfing and books;
Marriages made and broken and mended
Under the shadow of loved ones who died.
See how the grieving billionaire ended
Up in that prison where laughter’s proscribed.
Will he be rescued then? Read and find out
What The Conspiracy Kid’s all about.

*May Contain Spoilers*

E.P. Rose unites a motley crew of characters in his novel, The Conspiracy Kid. Whether read on accident or on purpose, The Conspiracy Kid Fan Club will welcome anyone as a member when all fourteen lines have been completed. 

There are an abundance of characters that coalesce to create the Conspiracy Kid network. And though, the Conspiracy Kid doesn't actually exist, he is, essentially, the main character. All other characters revolve around his fantastical nature. Readers, therefore, have the opportunity to relate to one supporting character of their choosing, or to a number of characters. The fact that every reader of this book is automatically in the Fan Club helps to create an initial connection to the characters, preceding the sonnet's story.

Edwin is the poet who is dealing with the loss of his beloved. Joe, the billionaire, struggles to discover what his life is missing, also dealing with the pain of his daughter's death. Iris and Muriel are estranged sisters who not only have just lost their mother, but are also about to lose their father. Richard, son of the poet, wants to run his own business. Connected by these five characters, the cast grows quickly as the membership count of the Fan Club steadily rising. 

The plot of the novel begins with Edwin writing the Conspiracy Kid sonnet and ends with a public production. Readers witness each character overcome their obstacles after becoming a club member, as if the Conspiracy Kid had something to do with that. Through death and life, success and failure, acceptance and learning, readers will connect with at least one character. Though the strength of the connection will be questionable, it won't stop readers from enjoying the novel's wit and unique writing style.

Rating: 3/5 Cups

WWW Wednesday (94)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

          

01. Currently Reading:
The Conspiracy Kid by E.P. Rose. A group of strangers are brought together in the Conspiracy Kid Fan Club.

02. Recently Finished:
Three Rules by Marie Drake. When a young girl's abuser is declared dead she thinks her path to happiness has finally appeared. (Blog tour post on May 5th)

03. Reading Next:
Shadows of Valor by Elsie Park. Plots of revenge and murder threaten to tear apart the peaceful town of Graywall.

Teaser Tuesday (108)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers


Three Rules (Kindle Loc. 1133-34)
   - Marie Drake

"I'm sorry. I had a nightmare," I say.
"That was no ordinary nightmare, Hope."

The Collection of Heng Souk

When her father dies, Sun Tieng visits his estranged brother, Heng Souk. Yet her frail, elderly uncle, a Vietnamese War hero, is very different from her tough and testing father. When she discovers in his house a notebook written by American POW, Ephraim Luther, detailing his torture by the prison commandant she is startled by what she learns.

Meanwhile, Thomas Allen, still reeling from the death of his daughter and the breakup of his marriage, is told that the man he always called Dad was not his father. His mother gives him a batch of letters she still has from the ‘real’ father, Jefferson Carlisle. Their tragic love story prompts Thomas to find out why his mother’s ‘greatest love’ never returned to her after the Vietnam War.

His search leads him to the notorious prison ‘the Citadel’, and to Sun and her uncle. Despite the hostility of her brutal husband and mother, Sun is drawn to Thomas. Aware that the fate of Thomas’ father is revealed in Ephraim’s notebook, she is torn between helping Thomas in his search and the damaging effect revealing what is in the notebook will mean for them

*May Contain Spoilers*

S.R. Wilsher takes readers on a journey of discovery in his novel, The Collection of Heng Souk. Two people, separated by culture and countries, come together to find the truth hidden in history which takes them both on an excursion to explore their inner strength. 

Sun and Thomas are the two main characters of the novel. Sun is the wife of a manipulative and controlling police officer whom she doesn't love. She struggles to make peace with her past and the secrets that her mother kept since her childhood. Readers will enjoy Sun's perspective and her challenging character. They will connect with Sun through her journey to discover her inner strength. With her Uncle's help, Sun uncovers family secrets and grows into a woman who can stand alone against those who try to oppress her. 

Thomas also discovers family secrets that send him to a different country and a different time. Readers will immediately empathize with Thomas as it's revealed that his daughter drowned and his wife divorced him, leaving him empty and numb to the world. The journey to learn what happened to his real father brings Thomas back to life, his eyes open. He slowly begins to see the that the world still has more to offer, even after his life crumbled around him. Readers will emotionally connect with Thomas as they watch him wake up from his painful past. 

There are two plot lines that come together in a rather surprising and climactic way. Sun finds herself reading the journal of an American prisoner of war and is compelled to know the man her Uncle was, as well as the man he became. Thomas searches for the truth to what happened to his father after he left for the Vietnam war as an airman. When Sun and Thomas meet, they help each other find the strength to face the past and the courage to choose their own futures.  

Rating: 4/5 Cups

WWW Wednesday (93)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

       

01. Currently Reading:
The Collection of Heng Souk by S.R. Wilsher. A novel revolving around two characters: a man and a woman in different countries who both uncover family secrets when their fathers die.

02. Recently Finished:
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare. The fourth book in the Mortal Instruments series focusing on the murders of several Shadowhunters and how Jace, Clary, and Simon are dragged into the chaos.

03. Reading Next:
Three Rules by Marie Drake. Blog tour coming up in May so I'm planning on preparing for that early.

Teaser Tuesday (107)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers



The Collection of Heng Souk (Kindle Loc. 797-99)
    - S.R. Wilsher

"You tortured a man."
His indifference riled her. "More than one."
"You're proud of what you did?"
"They came to kill us."

City of Fallen Angels

The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.
But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

*May Contain Spoilers*

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." Newton taught us that and the world of Shadowhunters and Downworlders is not to be omitted. Cassandra Clare shares the consequences of upsetting the balance between light and dark in her fourth novel of the Mortal Instruments series, City of Fallen Angels.

Though Clary and Jace are the main characters of the series, this book focuses heavily on Simon Lewis, the vampire and Daylighter who bears the Mark of Cain. Simon is a troubled vampire who struggles to give up the life he knew as a human. He's protective, wonderfully sarcastic, and increasingly reliable. Coupled with the fact that no one can harm him without it returning on the attacker sevenfold, vampires and demons want him on their side, willing to use force if necessary. Simon has been a strong character, an even stronger influence on Clary, throughout the entire series. Readers will definitely enjoy the deeper look into this character that Clare offers. 

The novel begins with several story lines, all seemingly unconnected. Jace is having dreams in which he kills Clary. Clary and her mother, Jocelyn, are caught up in a mystery of dying newborn humans while she and Luke are planning their wedding. Meanwhile Alec is off traveling the world with Magnus and Simon is having trouble dating both Isabelle and Maia. To make things even more difficult, someone is, repeatedly, trying to kill Simon. Cleverly, Clare manages to connect all of the plot lines into one meticulously planned web which involves one of the oldest and Greatest Demons. If only Clary hadn't upset the balance by bringing Jace back from death in City of Glass...

All bets are off in City of Fallen Angels, as the lives of the shadowhunting crew are put on the line facing down a demon more powerful than Valentine ever was. Though even at the end, the story isn't over, setting up the next installment perfectly. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

Ristorante Marcellino

In a rundown restaurant on the Upper East Side four people find themselves in a ceaseless battle for survival in a seemingly unforgiving city. Evelyn, an immigrant from Romania, tries to establish control in the chaos of the place that has, since the start of the recession, fallen apart, and in her efforts to enforce her own rules, she further alienates herself from the rest of the staff. Ivana is another waitress at Marcellino, one of the few who aggressively resists Evelyn’s control and the new found power she has found following her employment. Frankie the bartender is different, as he evades Evelyn, having grown up in poverty in the South Bronx, experiencing all kinds of hardships. Then there’s Germano, the owner, who cunningly finds a way to trap his employees as they try to establish more promising lives for themselves. In the end the habits these four individuals have formed as a way to satiate their lust for money or power inevitably brings about their less than desirable fate.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Theresa Oles explores the life of servers in a New York City restaurant in her novel, Ristorante Marcellino. Focusing on four employees, all from different backgrounds, Oles tells a story of loss, poverty, unhappiness, and the consequence of actions. 

There are four main characters, each having their own section in the novel. Evelyn takes the beginning, introducing the restaurant as she ends her spell of unemployment by being hired as a waitress. After losing her job at a hotel, Evelyn struggled as a prostitute. She attempts to leave that life behind by earning a living at the restaurant. She's an angry character, with a history that inspires her ire. Readers will no doubt see her as one of the novel's villains. At first, Evelyn's struggle lays the foundation for a connection with readers, but when they witness how it's changed her into an aggressive bully the connection unravels before it solidifies. 

Ivana takes part two, picking up after Evelyn is hired and has begun her tyrant role. Ivana is an immigrant from Russia. She has an alcoholic boyfriend and doesn't shy away from standing up against those who try to keep her down. Ivana will be the character that readers connect with most. She isn't afraid to tell it like it is, working to survive the harsh world. Her struggle for money, escaping an attempted rape, and searching for true friends all will raise her status in the eyes of the reader even if she is made up of more flaws than most. 

Germano is the restaurant owner and the second villain in the novel. His only aspiration is to be as rich as possible. This involves scamming unsuspecting city dwellers with the promise of fortune and fame and stealing money from his employees at the restaurant. He's a mostly absent employer, using his role as owner to come and go as he pleases. When he is present, Germano spends his time listening carefully in order to use personal/situational information against his employees. He's a selfish liar who only cares about improving his own life with no regard for others. 

Frankie is the restaurant's loyal bartender, having been employed there for a decade. He's a quiet, rude man who is quick to retaliate. He was raised by his single mother who kicked him out after he finished high school. Instead of following his dream of attending NYU, he struggled to find shelter and food. Readers will sympathize with Frankie as he seems to have gotten the raw end of a deal he didn't make. Struggling with depression, Frankie barely lives, merely going through the motions. 

The plot of the novel follows the hiring of Evelyn through her "termination" of employment, depicting about a year of the restaurant's life. Readers see Evelyn becoming hungry for power, Ivana fighting back, Germano playing the sly, sleek, hated manager, and Frankie inching toward his boiling point. However, the story doesn't come across as the main focus of the novel. The focus lays on the four employees and their lives as citizens of New York City. With more background information presented than definitive plot, Ristorante Marcellino is a character study with a surprising ending. The novel is enjoyable, a little slow at times with a repetitive writing style, but a deep, thorough look into struggling for more in the city that never sleeps.

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

WWW Wednesday (92)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

       

01. Currently Reading:
Ristorante Marcellino by Theresa Oles. Four staff members of this Italian New York restaurant take turns in revealing their histories, their lives, and their unhappiness.

02. Recently Finished:
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare. In the final show down with Valentine, Clary, Jace, and the shadowhunting crew must overcome their weaknesses and find strength as a team if they want to survive.

03. Reading Next:
City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare. Working hard to make my way through this series. Very excited to see what Clare has in store since Valentine's defeat in book three.

Teaser Tuesday (106)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

 
Ristorante Marcellino (Kindle Loc. 3235-38)
   - Theresa Oles

He saw the same thing every Friday and Saturday night; saw the hunger in the girls' eyes when they went to collect the money left at the table, quickly checking to see how much was left for them. It was so amusing how quickly their expression could change when cash was in their hand or a credit card slip; a face that was once blank and wiped clean of emotion could brighten as fast as a light being switched on. 

City of Glass

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.
As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City - whatever the cost?

*Contains Spoilers*

Valentine has the Mortal Cup and Mortal Sword in his possession. He now only needs the mirror to summon the angel, Raziel, in order to fulfill his plan. But the Clave doesn't seem to want to listen to any sense involving what Valentine may or may not do, so Cassandra Clare leaves it up to the normal underage shadowhunting crew of Jace, Alec, and Isabelle with a dash of Clary in her novel, City of Glass. 

This installment of the Mortal Instruments is the trickiest, thus far, to further develop character connections due to the increased amount of deception. Though deception has been a major theme throughout the first two novels, it evolves into more of a force in City of Glass.Clary remains her stubborn, rambunctious, and always helpful self (Just a bit of sarcasm there). She is determined to save her mother and won't let anyone tell her to stay home, which does, almost unbelievably, end well. Readers will learn much more about Clary's maternal past, thus having a much more complete history to connect with. (Though, there still seem to be a few secret skeletons slinking around according to the Seelie Queen.)

As for the supporting cast, readers learn more about Jace, though most of it is a collection of lies. Clare eventually does unveil that he has angelic blood, not demon, and that he is really the descendant of Stephen Herondale (remember Will from Clockwork?), not Valentine. His bravery and courage shine as he faces down a newly introduced enemy. Simon is still the only "Daylighter," a vampire that can walk in the sunlight, and Raphael has a very large problem with it. Simon also has a chance to show his bravery and newly acquired vampire fighting skills as he takes his turn standing up for his friends, aligning the Vampires with the Clave. Alec finally comes out to his family, and the whole world, when he teams up with Magnus and kisses him quite publicly. It may have been a cheesy moment but I smiled none-the-less. Isabelle does what she does best and is brutally honest and downright badass when she needs to be. 

The plot of this third installation follows Jace and Clary as they separately head to Alicante, the City of Glass in Idris. While Clary is focused on saving her mother, Jace is focused on helping determine the next step of Valentine's plan. With more deception than ever before, Clare sets up a mysterious supernatural story that won't disappoint shadowhunting fans. But now that the epic of story of Valentine has come to an end, what do readers expect for the next novels of Miss Cassandra Clare?

Rating: 3/5 Cups