Review: Excellent start to potentially brilliant series!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 26, 2013
INITIAL THOUGHTSI'm looking forward to reading this one as I have looked at the book one of the series so reading this prequel novella will be a good way to try the series without commiting to a full length book straight away.MY REVIEWI received this e-book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. The cover has the striking image of the female on it. I'd say it is an image of Katherine with her eyes downcast as they are meant to be in her society where women are a possession to be owned by men. The colours of the book give the feeling and impression of the oppression that the women in this society feel.Would I pick up the book in a book store? Yes I think the cover is striking enough to attract my attention on a full book shelf.So Katherine lives in a world where women are bought and sold as possessions to be owned by men. The more "magic" you have in your blood the more a Warlock will pay for you. Katherine has to attend a school where girls/women are taught to be meek and mild and obedient to prepare them for their owner. Prospective owners are invited into the school to sit with and observe the females to help them choose who they wish to purchase. At age 16 the females blood is tested to confirm how much magic she contains.Katherine isn't so mild and obedient as she has been taught defiance by her own mother. So much so when she is sold her mother helps Katherine drug her new owner with a sleeping potion and escape. The other people who exist in this story are The Tarnished. The Tarnished are considered the lowest of the low, thought of less worth than even a shadow. You become a Tarnished if you are too rebellious, or have committed a crime or cannot bear your owner children with a suitable amount of magic in them.Katherine attempts to escape turning to the Tarnished for help. It is then that she meet Mary and Charles. Charles has been Tarnished since birth so knows no other way of life. Can the Tarnished help Katherine escape?Katherine has lots of large and difficult decisions to make before she feels content in her life as a woman. Katherine wants to be bold, outspoken and to be able to look people in the eye when she speaks to them.I really fell in love with this novella and was sad when it came to an ending. I feel like I definitely want to read the next book as now I have the background of the story basis as well as knowing some characters that I hope will feature more in the series as it continues.So did I enjoy the book? I loved it! Would I recommend the book? Definitely yes. Would I read another book in this series? I certainly intend to as soon as I have the time and can get my hands on a copy! Would I read other books by the author Janeal Falor? Yes, I loved the writing style, pace and just the whole book and concept of the book. It is the first Janeal Falor book I have read but it certainly will not be the last.