Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Brightly Woven by by Alexandra Bracken

Brightly Woven

Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Publish Date: March 23, 2010
Hardcover, 368 pages


My Review:

Why did I read this?  I read it through the 1-ARC Tours website.  The cover and the premise caught  my eye.  I really like fantasy books and this one seemed perfect.

What did I think?

Alexandra Bracken does a marvelous job of weaving this story and getting the reader's interest.  I loved reading this because the story unfolded before my eyes.  I learned more and more about the kingdom and the characters by turning each page.  Sydelle and Wayland came to life before my eyes.  I delighted in the charater of Sydelle.  A girl who knew what she wanted to do and would do it at all costs.  Along the way while finding her strength and chasing her destiny, she finds love as well.  I loved that storyline as well as the main one of adventure.

I know I have read some reviews that have had a problem with the romance between Sydelle and North, but I really didn't.  While reading the book I fully understood how it happened.  But that goes to show how different people read a book different ways.

Brightly Woven is a great book for those who love a fantasy world in their books. Magic, mayhem and love all come through in Brightly Woven with a great story.  I was completely absorbed into the story of Brightly Woven and entertained through the entire book.


My Rating:  4.25/5.0

About the Book:
Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him.

In return for this gift, Wayland North is offered any reward he desires—and no one is more surprised than Sydelle when, without any explanation, he chooses her. Taken from her home, Sydelle hardly needs encouragement to find reasons to dislike North. He drinks too much and bathes too little, and if that isn’t enough to drive her to madness, North rarely even uses the magic he takes such pride in possessing. Yet, it’s not long before she realizes there’s something strange about the wizard, who is as fiercely protective of her as he is secretive about a curse that turns his limbs a sinister shade of black and leaves him breathless with agony. Unfortunately, there is never a chance for her to seek answers.

Along with the strangely powerful quakes and storms that trace their path across the kingdom, other wizards begin to take an inexplicable interest in her as well, resulting in a series of deadly duels. Against a backdrop of war and uncertainty, Sydelle is faced with the growing awareness that these events aren’t as random as she had believed—that no curse, not even that of Wayland North, is quite as terrible as the one she herself may carry.


About the Author (from goodreads.com):
Alexandra Bracken wrote Brightly Woven as a birthday present for a friend, and the story grew and flourished during a year of unpredictable, wild weather. A native of Arizona, she is a recent graduate of the College of William and Mary, where she majored in History and English. She now lives in New York City.

Her Blog




FTC Information: I received this book through 1-ARC Tours for review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.


 


Book Feature: Amanda Memories



Amanda Memories by D. Joel R. Gecht
Publisher: Crossing the Line Publishing, LLC
Publish Date: January 10, 2010
Trade Paperback, 341 pages

About the Book:
Ambitious but naive, Brian Roberts is set on a career path that will lead to a psychology degree, financial stability, and emotional fulfilment. His marriage to hometown sweetheart Nancy seems to assure a fine future. But when beautiful green-eyed Amanda Wagner, a deeply troubled young woman becomes his patient, the future becomes blurry. Her dependency on Brian becomes an aphrodisiac for him. The need and the obsession are mutual. Brian goes on to become a successful Hollywood TV talk show doctor, but he flounders in the pretentiou and posh world of Beverly Hills. Worst of all, Brian and Nancy are drifting apart. Then, Amanda is found dead and Brian emerges as the prime suspect. Nancy sets out to vindicate Brian, a quest that will lead her to the darkest corners of Amanda's tortured past and will not only determine Brian's fate, but will ultimately unlock Amanda's secrets.
 
About the Author (from his website):

Joel R. Gecht, Ph.D. Biography

Joel R. Gecht, Ph.D. is a psychologist and CEO of a psychological consulting firm. His writing is inspired by professional encounters spanning over three decades; from early on as a doctoral student at The Florida State University to the present day as a pioneer in the behavioral health care arena.
Dr. Gecht frequently serves as a featured speaker before professional, business, and community groups on a variety of subjects and appears often as a background expert for television, radio, and print news media. He served as staff psychologist for over seven years on WEWS-TV (ABC in Cleveland), during which time he appeared in more than 150 television programs. He has also been featured on national radio and television programs.
He and his wife, both native New Yorkers, have four sons and reside in Cleveland, Ohio.

Author's Webpage 
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FTC Information: I received this book from Jessica O'Neill at Newman Communications for review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.