Book/Manga Review: Basilisk - The Kouga Ninja Scrolls #5

Author: Masaki Segawa 
Title: Basilisk - The Kouga Ninja Scrolls (#5)
Genre: Manga, Drama, Action, SciFi, and Fantasy
Pages: ebook
First Published: August 2004
Where I Got It: On my shelf (Got free online)

"THE FINAL SHOWDOWN

With only three ninja remaining on each side, the battle between the Iga and the Kouga clans is nearing its bloody end. Believing he has slain Yakushiji Tenzen, shape-shifter Saemon Kisaragi morphs into Tenzen’s body and infiltrates Iga territory. But what Saemon doesn’t know is that Tnezen is an immortal ninja, and that he has his own plan to dispose of Saemon and the Kouga clan. 

Meanwhile, Oboro, leader of the Iga clan, has sworn that she will die rather than fight against her lover, Gennosuke. Every death brings these two star-crossed lovers closer to confronting each other on the battlefield at last!"

This is finale to a great series and it still upsets me. As much as I wish that that final battle doesn't come to be and they end the fighting, it still has to come. I've read this before, but I still have hope. 

Oooooooooooooooooooooh, so tragic. I cannot say what happens, but if you know any Greek/Shakespeare tragedy, then you for sure know what is going to happen. It is a tale as old as time mixed with some kick-ass ninjas and x-men type powers. The way it ends is beautifully, but sad and heart-wrenching. :(

Stupid Tenzen....>___> 

I really wish I could say more, but I don't want to spoil anything. It's a quick read, but totally worth it. I do recommend reading the others before diving into this one. The art is lovely, but very graphic. The fight scenes are the best! There is a lot of gore, but its done in a way where it is simply art and you can't help but stare at it and admire it.

In the end, I totally recommend this to anyone who has any interest in manga or anime. It's a great story and totally worth the read! I still want to read the original book version of this story, but I haven't been able to find it yet. :/ Booo! Anyways....I stamp this with 4 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Gennosuke and Oboro (she is weak, but I like her a lot in this one)

Not-So Favorite Character(s): Tenzen (buttface)

BOOK GIVEAWAY - Dark Aemlia

GIVEAWAY:

 2 Chances to win! Make sure to enter here and over at Bloduedd's blog! 

1. Open internationally

2. Ends September 8th

3. The winners will be completely chosen at random.

4. Just comment below with your email, so we can let you know if you won!

"A TALE OF SORCERY AND PASSION IN SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY LONDON—WHERE WITCHES HAUNT WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE AND HIS DARK LADY, THE PLAYWRIGHT'S MUSE AND ONE TRUE LOVE

The daughter of a Venetian musician, Aemilia Bassano came of age in Queen Elizabeth’s royal court. The Queen’s favorite, she develops a love of poetry and learning, maturing into a young woman known not only for her beauty but also her sharp mind and quick tongue. Aemilia becomes the mistress of Lord Hunsdon, but her position is precarious. Then she crosses paths with an impetuous playwright named William Shakespeare and begins an impassioned but ill-fated affair.

A decade later, the Queen is dead, and Aemilia Bassano is now Aemilia Lanyer, fallen from favor and married to a fool. Like the rest of London, she fears the plague. And when her young son Henry takes ill, Aemilia resolves to do anything to save him, even if it means seeking help from her estranged lover, Will—or worse, making a pact with the Devil himself.

In rich, vivid detail, Sally O’Reilly breathes life into England’s first female poet, a mysterious woman nearly forgotten by history. Full of passion and devilish schemes, Dark Aemilia is a tale worthy of the Bard."

Book Review: Dark Aemilia by Sally O'Reilly

Author: Sally O'Reilly
Title: Dark Aemilia
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Drama, and Fantasy
Pages: 448
First Published: May 2014
Where I Got It: On my shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

"The daughter of a Venetian musician, Aemilia Bassano came of age in Queen Elizabeth’s royal court. The Queen’s favorite, she develops a love of poetry and learning, maturing into a young woman known not only for her beauty but also her sharp mind and quick tongue. Aemilia becomes the mistress of Lord Hunsdon, but her position is precarious. Then she crosses paths with an impetuous playwright named William Shakespeare and begins an impassioned but ill-fated affair.

A decade later, the Queen is dead, and Aemilia Bassano is now Aemilia Lanyer, fallen from favor and married to a fool. Like the rest of London, she fears the plague. And when her young son Henry takes ill, Aemilia resolves to do anything to save him, even if it means seeking help from her estranged lover, Will—or worse, making a pact with the Devil himself."

Like earlier stated, I was given this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Ohhhhh! I totally did not expect the fantasy intertwined in the story - totally took me by surprise! It's not over the top, which I was worried about when the first "supernatural" thing occurred. I was rather surprised when it appeared! The way that the author presents these supernatural elements makes it seem realistic and questionable. The story is told through Aemilia's POV and she sees/talks to these beings. The way its told makes you wonder if it really exists or if Aemilia is imagining it. Honestly....I think she was imagining it due to grief, stress, and anger. The "fantasy" aspect doesn't really make a huge appearance until about halfway through when things escalate. Fantastic!

Poor Aemilia. :/ She had a hell of a time after she meets William Shakespeare. Yes, it is love of a sorts, but it comes back and bites her in the ass. It brings up the question: is love really worth it? This question is battled throughout the book. Just...sighs...I feel so bad for her. William was a butt-cheek at one point and that made me upset. It had to happen, because this is not a Historical Romance by any means, so yeah....and for those that know of Aemilia and/or Willie then yeah.....:(

The beginning was a wee bit slow, but after the first couple of chapters I could NOT put this down. I just really had to know what was happening next. There is some crudeness here and there, which fits the time period well. A few people (I had read some other reviews - like I normally do) really were "offended" and they thought it was "unnecessary", but it honestly fit. Plus, it was not everywhere only in certain moments that seemed like a time Aemilia would really think, say, and feel that way, so it worked. 

Honestly...I could ramble on about this book for a bit, so I shall end it now.

In the end, this was a book worthwhile to read, especially if one loves the time period. It was an interesting look on who could have been William's "dark lady". The author did a good job bringing the world and the people to life. The beginning was a wee bit slow, but it was totally worth it. I shall stamp this with 4 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Aemilia, William (even though he was a poopstain at one point), Henry (even though he is a brat sometimes), and Hunsdon.
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Alfonso and Tom (I don't know why, but he irked me) 

Book Review: Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

Author: Kelley Armstrong
Title: Bitten (Women of the Otherworld #1)
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Fiction, Romance, and Urban Fiction  
Pages: 436
First Published: September 25th, 2001
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

"Elena Michaels is the world’s only female werewolf. And she’s tired of it. Tired of a life spent hiding and protecting, a life where her most important job is hunting down rogue werewolves. Tired of a world that not only accepts the worst in her–her temper, her violence–but requires it. Worst of all, she realizes she’s growing content with that life, with being that person.

So she left the Pack and returned to Toronto where she’s trying to live as a human. When the Pack leader calls asking for her help fighting a sudden uprising, she only agrees because she owes him. Once this is over, she’ll be squared with the Pack and free to live life as a human. Which is what she wants. Really"

I've been meaning to read this book for a while now, but I've been putting this on the back burner for so long now. Lucky for me, this was August's book. 

Honestly, I am so glad that this was a realistic sounding supernatural book. I hate when they make werewolves over the top strong or badass. Yes, it can be cool if done right, but I like it be realistic. They are strong, but not over-the-top...like they can't lift a bus and chuck it at you. That is too strong and cheesy. I loved that the Change was not a pleasant experience all the time and it takes work. If you don't do it for a while, like Elena, then you have to focus more and force it. 

Speaking of Elena....lets have a look at the Pack:
Jeremy: I liked him. He was a good Alpha. 
Nick: hahaha, I loved him too.
Antonio: I wish he had more spotlight, but he seemed legit and loyal. A big papa wolf.
Peter: Liked him; I felt so bad for him though.
Logan: I really wanted to learn more about him! :(
Clay: Asshole. Meh. >___> He pissed me off for biting Elena without even asking. 
Elena: Sighs...I wish I liked her more, but I didn't. At first I really liked her, but she pulled a Bella Swann. Poor Phillip.

Sometimes the characters where a little bit one dimensional, but there are a lot of characters running about, so it is hard to give them the attention they need. Especially Daniel. I wish I could have gotten to know him better too, but when he was finally introduced the author didn't have much time to give him an abundance of attention. She focused too much on Clay and it annoyed me. She placed so many stereotypes on Clay it was hard to really picture him. Meh. Perhaps I am biased, because I did not like him. Elena was alright, ultimately, but she annoyed me because sometimes I seen Bella Swann pop up. It wasn't the whole time, just a couple of instances. Kuddos to Marsten for not falling in love with Elena like every other male in the book!

By the way...I think its crap Elena is the only female werewolf. I mean its a cool concept and all that, but why only her? Mmmmm...

Once the story really gets rolling it is hard to put down. I flew by 300 pages within just a few hours. I especially wanted to know who the Baddie was! There were so many suspects and so many theories on what was happening. I pretty much guessed it 3/4 of the way through, but it was still a little bit scary, because I had no idea how they were going to beat them. Even though I don't like Clay, I worried about him for a moment. I cannot say why, but there was a moment of fear! 

Overall, I did like this book. I'm glad I pulled it from the back burner. I love the Anita Blake series and this defiantly had a flavor of Laurell K. Hamilton in it. If you love Anita and werewolves, then this is the book for you! I may venture onto the next in the series, because it sounds interesting and waaaay different then this one. I do plan on watching the TV series based on this book, because it looks good. Out of five stars, I grant this one 3 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Nick, Phillip, Logan, Marsten, and Jeremy
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Clay (ass), Daniel, and LeBlanc (grrr).