The Sister Mederos by Patrice Sarath

I’m not gonna lie, I picked up this book because of the cover.  Sisters that are card sharks/bandits?  Yup, I’m into it.

I knew there would be magic involved, but honestly, it doesn’t feel like a fantasy book at all.  The two Sisters are Yvienne and Teresa.  Born to the wealthy House Mederos, their family experiences a tragic fall from grace at the hands of the Merchant Guild and the sisters are sent to a boarding school of horrific proportions.  The book doesn’t spend a lot of time at the school…just enough so the reader can get a sense of the way the girls had to rely on themselves.

They return to their family 6 years later, after the family is forced out of their opulent masion and cosigned to live in a less reputable part of town.  Through happenstance, Yvienne realizes she has a talent for robbing rich debutantes.  She is quickly named the “Gentlman Bandit” by the press.  Her sister, who for years believes her small magical powers were responsible for her downfall uses her talent at counting cards to take money from the rich merchants that rejoiced in her family’s misfortune.

While working from opposite ends, the sisters end up uncovering a greater conspiracy and work to restore their family to their once vaulted position.

I DEVOURED this book.  Light on the fantasy elements, it had all the marks of a great heist book.  I immediately went on to NetGalley.com the next day and requested the second in the series which I’m starting today.  Definitely a promising start to the story of the Mederos.

Enchantee by Gita Trelease

Bonjour!!!

Those that know me, know I’m a Francophile.  I love Paris, I love France, I love the Tour de, and I love the language.  So when this book started blowing up my twitter (@nanazlyn), I knew it would be right up my alley.  And boy was I right.

French revolution, check.  Magic, check.  Romance, check.  Shady characters, check.  CHECK CHECK CHECK!

The story follows Camille as she tries to better the situation for her and her younger sister Sophie.  They have an abusive, alcoholic brother who constantly takes their earnings (what little there are) and gambles it away.  Camille has the power of magic, and uses it to procure food for herself and her sister.  Basically it’s turning useless objects (mainly nails) into money to pay.  One one occasion, Camille and Sophie head out to find nails to change, and encounter a runaway hot air balloon.  Camille helps save the day, and in turn catches the eye of young pilot Lazare.  He sounds so dreamy in the book.  I was hooked.

Camille then learns that she can turn cards with her magic and decides to head to the palace of Versailles in order to win money for her and her sister to escape their life.  She finds an enchanted dress and makeup, that transforms her into an aristocrat who can now enter into places that were barred to her before.  Oh, and I did I mention she’s a revolutionary too?  Her father printed anti-monarchy pamphlets and her dream is to follow in his footsteps.

He cast of characters she meets at Versailles are fascinating, and the book really takes on a Cinderella type feel.  Will she be found out?  Does her magic put her in danger?  Will Lazare understand what she’s doing?  Will her brother Alain get out of his situation?

The book held me enthralled until the end…..I want more!  More revolutionary France, more magic, and more hot air balloon adventures.

I was so excited to get the third and final book in Arden’s “Winternight Trilogy” through NetGalley.  Who knew that I’d be this obsessed with tales of Russian Folklore and Witches?

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

SO MUCH HAPPENS IN THIS BOOK!  In 384 pages, there is a little bit of everything:

Witch burnings, devil sightings, horses that can fly, secret midnights, WAR, and of course, Zombies.  Zombies you ask?  Well, let’s just say the devil has a way of calling an army of the dead in the fight for Russia.

And most of that takes place in first three parts of the book.  *Phew*

I will say, there is one part in the beginning of the book that broke my heart so thouroughly.  It’s redemeed by the end, but man, I was gutted.

At the end of the second book, Vasya is found to be masquerading as a boy to help Moscow and Russia.  She is roundly condemed, and her old nemisis rears his ugly head after making a deal with the devil.  Through deals and escapes, the devil/bear has reappaered and is determined to rid the world of people who dont believe in his kind of spirits.  Vasya goes through the darkest midnights to recover and find her heritage.  It’s here how she learns to fight for her beliefs and fight for her family.

The winter king looms large, and she must depend on his help even more.  This book culminates in a war (in which the second most heartbreaking thing of the book happens) and we learn that man must trust the spirit world in order to survive.  It was a beautiful conlcusion to this series.

Even with all the stuff happening in this book, I still wanted to learn more about Vasya’s young niece stuck in the captial with the same powers as her Aunt.  Does she travel to the cottage by the lake to learn her craft, or is she destined to go through the same trials and tribulations of her Aunt?  I would love to know more!

This series has been amazing, and I can’t wait to read what Arden has next up her sleeve.

(For reference, here is the link where I talk about the first book in the series:  https://wordpress.com/post/nicolesbookcorner.wordpress.com/427)