Review: Another Success for Janeal Falor!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 31, 2014
eARC Provided by author in exchange of honest and unbiased reviewThings aren't as handy dandy as Serena and her sisters would've wanted after she takes them from her father. They get threats everyday as Cynthia's birthday arrives. When the day comes, and another threat happens, Cynthia makes the decision of selling herself to a warlock, and comply to society's demands of women.I was, at first, hoping to read more of Serena and Zade from the previous book, You Are Mine. No such luck. It took me a while to get into the book because of that, plus Cynthia was really stupid in some things she was making and also the lack of them. I was at the border of not finishing it until I reasoned with myself and gave it a chance to win me over.The previous book dealt a bit of politics, a bit of magic, a bit of what women go through Chardonia, but here we get a lot whole more. I was satisfied. I liked how Chardonia was even more explained here and built as a believable world. It dealt with the politics there and the neighboring countries, and my favorite, women. Chardonia is a place where male warlocks control the magic and everything, while women are submissive of them, a property treated as animals and worthless other than for carrying babies and to hex. They are mistreated, insulted, and all around unjust.What I loved in this book the most was how, as the story went on, my love for Cynthia grew. She's fierce, stubborn, selfless, a fighter, caring, and awesome. She stood up for a society of male who manipulate everything and everyone, and became an icon for other women to look up to. And for men to respect.Her character growth was amazing. She was reckless and very annoying at first, but as she saw what was happening and what she was becoming as she stood up for the council of Chardonia, she became something else, a true heroine worth learning from.We see some of the all known characters like Zade, Serena, Waverly, the sisters, and a few new characters as well. Janeal Falor is a great author when mixing in her books social issues and romance into a story. I was often pounding my pillow at how bad the problems with Chardonia were, and curling my toes whenever the romance appeared. While this book wasn't completely centered in Zade and Serena, we are introduced to a new romantic couple, Cynthia and Lukas.Man, are they swoony or what? If I thought Zade and Serena were perfect, these new two are beyond this world. It was cute to see them fall for each other slowly as the story progressed. They became stronger with the other, and the romance managed to put a lighter mood between the intense ones.I like how this story, and the previous ones, give a message to women, and men, alike. We are equals and can be this or that no matter our sex. I am not greater than you because I am a woman, or you greater than me for being a man. We become great in our actions, not what others tell us to do, how to behave, or anything else than what we want. We are what we want, and should treat everyone as we would treat ourselves. No one is scum.Overall, I loved the book to pieces, though the end was like a stab to the back. The book as a whole was like going on a rollercoaster. It's climbing up and up. Excitement builds up inside of you, and as the story comes to its end, the rollercoaster drops to the earth pumping adrenaline fast, and as you reach the end of the ride, it doesn't stop. It goes on and on until it crashes with that cliffhanger. I can't believe I'll have to wait another year until I can read the sequel. *sigh* Oh well. But it sure was worth it <3Rating: 4 starsReview by Jennifer Madero