Review: Wild Country - Anne Bishop

In this powerful and exciting fantasy set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, humans and the shape-shifting Others will see whether they can live side by side...without destroying one another.

There are ghost towns in the world—places where the humans were annihilated in retaliation for the slaughter of the shape-shifting Others.

One of those places is Bennett, a town at the northern end of the Elder Hills—a town surrounded by the wild country. Now efforts are being made to resettle Bennett as a community where humans and Others live and work together. A young female police officer has been hired as the deputy to a Wolfgard sheriff. A deadly type of Other wants to run a human-style saloon. And a couple with four foster children—one of whom is a blood prophet—hope to find acceptance.

But as they reopen the stores and the professional offices and start to make lives for themselves, the town of Bennett attracts the attention of other humans looking for profit. And the arrival of the outlaw Blackstone Clan will either unite Others and humans...or bury them all.

The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
Wild Country is the book I was expecting when I first picked up Lake Silence so I was really excited that we were being given the chance to catch up with familiar faces from Prairie Gold and Bennett. Bennett's human population was wiped out in the war started by the Humans First and Last group, only the Intuit settlement at Prairie Gold survived but they're pretty cut off now that Bennett is a ghost town. Thanks to their connection to people at the Lakeside Courtyard the Elders have decided to allow Bennett to be resettled, but only as a terra indigene run town. Humans who can live in peace will be tolerated but anyone who crosses the line will be punished severely.

Timeline wise the first half of this book runs alongside events in Etched in Bone, we get to see the applicants accepted at the job fair arrive in Bennett and start work on creating a new community and we also get to see how the terra indigene living there react to the news of Meg's abduction. I still miss Meg and Simon as main characters but I loved getting the chance to catch up with familiar faces like Jesse, her son Tobias and the sanguinati town leader Tolya. I also really enjoyed getting to know Barbara Ellen (Michael's sister who went to Bennett to be the town vet) and the new human deputy Jana who arrived to work alongside the existing wolfgard Sheriff Virgil & deputy Kane.

It's been fun getting to see more of this world and how Others in different areas react to the humans they are now far more wary of thanks to the HFL. We also get to see how the blood prophets are settling in and continuing to learn about their own abilities which was something I was very happy about. I think my main issue with this book was that the humans were still able to cause so much trouble. The Others were on high alert thanks to some worrying prophecies, the Elders were watching and had clearly marked the boundaries where humans were allowed and where they weren't and yet we still had a group of humans able to sneak in and cause so much devastation.

I could have understood the Others laying a trap, letting the humans think their plan was working but I found it impossible to believe that the Elders didn't spot these encroachers on their territory and do something about them. The battle scenes could have been epic if it had been revealed that the Elders and the rest of the terra indigene had been working together to lay a huge trap but instead they were caught off guard and once again paid the price when many lives were lost. It was heartbreaking to read about and just didn't feel realistic to me considering everything that had gone before.

That battle came pretty close to ruining this story for me but I enjoyed the rest so much that I can't rate the book less than 4 stars. The truth is that I devoured all 7 books in about 9 days because I was so addicted to this series that I couldn't stop reading! That should give you an idea of how invested I became in this world and how skilful Ann Bishop is as a writer. It's been a long time since I last devoured a series like that and I know I'll be rereading the books regularly in the future. I'm not sure if Anne Bishop is done with this world but I really hope that she'll give us at least a few more books because I'm still not ready to say goodbye.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Lake Silence - Anne Bishop

In this thrilling and suspenseful fantasy set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, an inn owner and her shape-shifting lodger find themselves enmeshed in danger and dark secrets.

Human laws do not apply in the territory controlled by the Others--vampires, shape-shifters, and even deadlier paranormal beings. And this is a fact that humans should never, ever forget....

After her divorce, Vicki DeVine took over a rustic resort near Lake Silence, in a human town that is not human controlled. Towns such as Vicki's don't have any distance from the Others, the dominant predators who rule most of the land and all of the water throughout the world. And when a place has no boundaries, you never really know what is out there watching you.

Vicki was hoping to find a new career and a new life. But when her lodger, Aggie Crowe--one of the shape-shifting Others--discovers a murdered man, Vicki finds trouble instead. The detectives want to pin the death on her, despite the evidence that nothing human could have killed the victim. As Vicki and her friends search for answers, ancient forces are roused by the disturbance in their domain. They have rules that must not be broken--and all the destructive powers of nature at their command.

The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
I have to admit when I found out this book wasn't set at the Lakeside Courtyard I assumed it would be at one of the settlements we've already seen in previous books. There are lots of groups I'd be interested in seeing more of so I was really surprised that this was about a completely new set of characters that haven't been mentioned before. I love this world though so it didn't take me long to fall into this story and it was actually really refreshing to have so many new faces to get to know.

Vicki is a human who has recently got out of an abusive relationship, her ex-husband gave her a run down resort near Lake Silence as part of the divorce settlement and she's slowly settling into her new home and carrying out much needed renovations to turn The Jumble into a going concern. Vicki knows the town is run by the terra indigene rather than humans but she didn't realise that the Others paid so much attention to her home until she walks into the kitchen one day to find her only lodger about to eat an eyeball. Thats the first time Vicki realises that Aggie is one of the Crowgard but Vicki's biggest problem is that the eyeball Aggie thinks would make a tasty lunch comes from a man who has been murdered on her property. When corrupt detectives try to pin the murder on Vicki some of the Others start paying a lot more attention to what is happening at The Jumble, and they're really not happy about the people who are trying to force Vicki out of her home.

I really liked this little town and most of it's inhabitants. You have a mix of humans, intuits and various terra indigene from the sanguinati and elementals to crows, bears and cats who are all trying to learn how to live amongst each other. The Jumble is a perfect place for the different groups to get together in a safe environment and mingle, that's what the Others had always planned the place to be used for and they're happy that Vicki seems to be taking her responsibilities as custodian of the land seriously. Someone wants her out though and that is a threat that concerns everyone, especially when the Elders are currently paying so much attention to the remaining human settlements and the threat of war isn't that far away. As much as I'm still hoping to see characters like Meg and Simon again I'm enjoying this new group and looking forward to spending more time with them in the next book.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Etched in Bone - Anne Bishop

Anne Bishop returns to her world of the Others, as humans struggle to survive in the shadow of shapeshifters and vampires far more powerful than themselves...

After a human uprising was brutally put down by the Elders—a primitive and lethal form of the Others—the few cities left under human control are far-flung. And the people within them now know to fear the no-man’s-land beyond their borders—and the darkness...

As some communities struggle to rebuild, Lakeside Courtyard has emerged relatively unscathed, though Simon Wolfgard, its wolf shifter leader, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn must work with the human pack to maintain the fragile peace. But all their efforts are threatened when Lieutenant Montgomery’s shady brother arrives, looking for a free ride and easy pickings.

With the humans on guard against one of their own, tensions rise, drawing the attention of the Elders, who are curious about the effect such an insignificant predator can have on a pack. But Meg knows the dangers, for she has seen in the cards how it will all end—with her standing beside a grave...

The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
As humans are struggling to comprehend the new world order since the Elders unleashed their fury on members of the HFL movement Simon and the rest of the members of the Lakeside Courtyard know this could just be the beginning. The Elders have seen first hand how much trouble humans can cause as a group, many cities and towns didn't survive the punishment they doled out after the attacks on the Wolfgard and the places that remain are under intense scrutiny. In the past the Elders kept to the wild country and left the rest of the terra indigene to monitor the humans but now they're paying attention and it wouldn't take much for them to decide extinction is the best course of action after all.

The community around Lakeside is trying to pick up the pieces and Simon is having to deal with finding extra supplies for the ever increasing members of the human pack at the Courtyard. Things are going quite well until Lieutenant Montgomery's estranged brother turns up expecting a free ride. When Jimmy realises that his mother and brother aren't just going to keep giving him the handouts he thinks he's entitled to he puts plans in motion that could end up destroying what's left of humanity.

I've loved every minute of this series so I was really sad to find out that this is the last book focusing on Meg, Simon and the Lakeside Courtyard. I still don't feel ready to say goodbye to this group so I'm glad there are more books in the world and I really hope we'll see more than minor cameo appearances from the people we already know and love. I've been rooting for a Meg and Simon romance from the beginning, it's been blindingly obvious to everyone but the two of them that they've been falling in love since they first met and I've been waiting for them to realise it for such a long time. I hate to say it but I was a bit disappointed that we didn't see more of their romance in this final book, yes they finally start to admit their feelings and the way things ended left me very hopeful about their future, but I wanted more. I wanted to see them take the next step in their relationship, wanted to see them try to figure out how to make things work, was looking forward to seeing how everyone around them would react to them as a couple and to seeing how many funny misunderstandings they would have because they both see the world so differently. There was just so much potential there that it seems like a wasted opportunity to end things where they did.

Having said that there was still a lot I enjoyed about this book, including what we did see of Meg and Simon starting to admit their feelings, in fact if there was going to be another book staring the two of them then I'd have been over the moon with what we did get to see of them in Etched in Silence. I also really enjoyed seeing how the Others coped with having more humans around the Courtyard, there were some funny misunderstandings because they all see things in different ways, I'm particularly thinking of Kowalski on his bicycle here! Every single one of these books have had moments that made me laugh out loud so even though the series is quite dark in places there has been plenty of fun along the way too. The storyline with Monty's brother was extremely frustrating (mainly because I wanted Simon to just eat Jimmy and be done with it!) but it was interesting to see how much attention the Elders were paying to the courtyard and to Meg in particular.

I'm sad our time in the courtyard is over but I'm glad we're not completely done with this world yet. I'm assuming the next book will be set in one of the smaller communities we've already seen glimpses of and there are lots of characters I'd like to know more about so it's going to be fun to see who we're spending time with next. I really hope we'll get to see Meg and Simon making cameo appearances though.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Marked in Flesh - Anne Bishop

In the fourth novel in Anne Bishop's New York Times bestselling series, the Others will need to decide how much humanity they're willing to tolerate - both within themselves and their community...

Since the Others allied themselves with the cassandra sangue, the fragile yet powerful human blood prophets who were being exploited by their own kind, the dynamic between humans and Others has changed. Some, such as Simon Wolfgard, wolf shifter and leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn see the closer companionship as beneficial.

But not everyone is convinced. A group of radical humans is seeking to usurp land through a series of violent attacks on the Others. What they don't realize is that there are older and more dangerous forces than shifters and vampires protecting the land - and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to safeguard what is theirs...

The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
As a species humans really are pretty stupid. The Others may call us "clever meat" but really a large majority of us are so stupid you could almost call us suicidal. Rather than learn from the lessons the terra indigene tried to teach them in the previous book the members of HFL decide they're going to continue the attacks, this time with devastating consequences for both the Others and for humanity. Now the humans have the attention of the terra indigene Elders and they're throwing around words like "total extinction". All that remains to be seen is how many, or how few, people will survive when the Elders come calling.

I've been so hooked on this series that I devoured the first four books (about 2000 pages!) in five days, I made every excuse I could come up with to spend as much time as possible reading and I think I've actually given myself eye strain because today I'm having too much trouble focusing to dive into book five. Anyway, that's my really long winded way of telling you that I absolutely LOVE this series. Everything about this world is fascinating to me, I love that humans are at the bottom of the food chain, I've really enjoyed getting to know all the different characters who live in the Lakeside Courtyard and I was desperate to know what would happen when the Elders came calling.

Unfortunately we have to witness some pretty terrible attacks on the Others first though. Is it weird I was more upset when the werewolves were attacked than I was when humans were facing possible extinction? I honestly don't care if that's weird because very few humans in this world actually deserve to survive so I'd be quite happy to see most of them wiped off the face of the planet. Obviously I'm not talking about Meg, her human pack or even the Others friendly police officers but anyone who had a membership card for the HFL would make a very tasty Elder snack in my opinion!

Anyway, we finally get some pay off in terms of the Others fighting back, the Elders have watched, they've listened and they've learned and now they're ready to treat humans the way they deserve to be treated. My one slight complaint was that I wanted to see certain people suffer a bit more, I'm not normally one for graphic violence but I would actually have enjoyed more here! I also really wanted more Meg and Simon, of course we do see a lot of them but what I'm desperately waiting for is some payoff in the romance department. Can someone just smash their heads together and MAKE THEM KISS! Please, for the love of God lets bring this romance to the boil because the slow build that I was enjoying so much in the beginning is starting to kill me!

Yes, I am possibly a little too invested in this but I've spent more time in the book world than I have in the real one this week so the lines between fantasy and reality are starting to blur. Surely that's a sign on Anne Bishop's fantastic writing though? I can't recommend this series highly enough!

Source: Purchased

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Review: Vision in Silver - Anne Bishop

New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop transports readers to a "stunningly original" world of magic and political unrest - where the only chance at peace requires a deadly price....

The Others freed the blood prophets to protect them from exploitation, but their actions had dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in greater danger than ever before. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn's help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him.

Meg knows each slice of her blade tempts death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions might be Simon's only hope of ending the conflict.

For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the battle is threatening to break out right on Meg and Simon's doorstep....

The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
The terra indigene may have saved the blood prophets and destroyed the compounds where they had been held captive and exploited but it turns out that was the easy part. The hard part is going to be finding a way to help the girls survive life on the outside, away from their strictly regimented routines and experienced handlers. The Others and the intuits are doing their best to make them comfortable in their new homes but they're finding so many changes hard to cope with and the only person who has a chance of helping them survive is Meg.

Meanwhile the animosity between humans and the Others is increasing thanks to the HFL (Humans First and Last) movement. Nicholas Scratch is the perfect spokesperson for the group, full of charm and playing on people's fears and prejudices to stir up hatred and bigotry. Not all humans agree with the HFL but unless Simon can figure out a way to reduce tensions between the two groups all humans will pay the price. They have no idea what kind of trouble they are stirring but they're about to get a few reminders.

I'm still totally hooked on this series and haven't really come up for air since I started Written in Red a few days ago. I'm fascinated by this world that Anne Bishop has created and I love so many of these characters. It's been really interesting to see the changes that have come over the Lakeside Courtyard since Meg walked into their lives, the small human pack they've accepted for her is gradually growing and the Others who live there are starting to see how interesting life can be with cooperative humans around. Of course the more trouble that HFL stir up around the whole of Thaisia the greater the danger is but Simon is still trying to find a way forward that allows both groups to live side by side.

I've loved seeing Meg start to make friends and build a life for herself but now she's facing her biggest challenge yet and struggling to find answers that could help the rest of the blood prophets. She has friends around her now though and I really like the camaraderie between the human pack but also the Others who have taken her under their wings. One of my favourite things is the friendship between Meg and Simon though, it's so easy for everyone else to see that they're falling in love but Meg has no experience and doesn't understand while Simon isn't willing to admit his feelings because Others mating with humans just isn't the done thing. I really want to see some payoff between these two soon but so far I'm enjoying the slowburn. We're starting to see more of police officers like Monty and Burke and how the way they act is having a huge impact on relationships between humans and the Others too. Monty has a lot going on in this book and honestly it was something I was really hoping would happen so I did cheer a little when a certain new character showed up.

I finished this book at 6am this morning so that should give you an idea of how much I was enjoying it, especially if I add that I managed to grab three hours of sleep before I was awake again and making a start on Marked in Flesh. I honestly can't remember the last time a series grabbed me this hard but right now I'm loving every minute of it.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Murder of Crows - Anne Bishop

Return to New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop's world of the Others--where supernatural entities and humans struggle to co-exist, and one woman has begun to change all the rules...

After winning the trust of the Others residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.

The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murder of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard--Lakeside's shape-shifting leader--wonders if their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat.

As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now, the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet--and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.

The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
With two new drugs on the market that seem specially designed to cause trouble between the humans and the terra indigene Meg's prophecies are coming more frequently than ever, the problem is figuring out how to interpret them in time to prevent the tragedies she's seeing. She's setting into life in the Lakeside Courtyard, finding new friends and slowly coming to grips with life outside of captivity but that doesn't stop her worrying about the girls who were left behind, she wants them to get a chance at the freedom she has found but worries about how they would cope on the outside. The Controller is still determined to capture his escaped "property" but Simon and the rest of the courtyard residents will do whatever it takes to protect Meg, they're confused by her human ways but find her extremely amusing and are surprised by how much they enjoy having her around. As tensions between the humans and the terra indigene become increasingly fraught the only chance they have of diffusing the situation is figuring out where the drug is coming from and stopping it's distribution but even that may not be enough to stop the HFL organisation from starting a war they have no hope of winning.

I'm totally hooked on this series and I'm actually having trouble stopping reading for long enough to write proper reviews so I'm going to keep this short and sweet. These books are fantastic, if you like dark urban fantasy then this series is a must read that I can't recommend highly enough. I'm kicking myself for not discovering it years ago but I'm also celebrating that I can continue to binge through another 5 books before I have to start waiting a year for each new instalment.

I love everything about the Lakeside Courtyard, there are so many wonderful characters living there and it's been so much fun getting to know them all. These aren't your usual shapeshifters, vampires and supernatural creatures, Anne Bishop has put her own spin on all of them and created a world that is totally captivating. The humans are at the bottom of this food chain and they're not happy about it but they really wouldn't stand a chance against the terra indigene so it's a good job at least some of them are sensible enough to see that. I have a feeling tensions are only going to get higher though so it remains to be seen if all out war can be avoided.

As I write this review I'm already nearly halfway through the third book in the series and I have a feeling I'm not going to come up for air until I've binged the lot. It's the first time in a long time that I've devoured a series so quickly and I have absolutely zero regrets!

Source: Purchased

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Review: Written in Red - Anne Bishop

Enter the world of the Others in the first novel in New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop's thrilling fantasy series: a place where unearthly entities--vampires and shape-shifters among them--rule the Earth and prey on the human race.

As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut--a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg's Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard--a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she's keeping a secret, and second, she doesn't smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she's wanted by the government, he'll have to decide if she's worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

The Others Series:
Written in Red
Murder of Crows
Vision in Silver
Marked in Flesh
Etched in Bone
Lake Silence (World of the Others book 1)
Wild Country (World of the Others book 2)

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
Let me introduce you to a world where humans aren't the dominant species. In fact humanity's very existence relies on the tolerance of The Others, all the different supernatural creatures that came before us and still own the land we live on, the food we eat and even the water we drink. The Others, also known as terra indigene, come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, some have animal forms (wolves, bears, coyotes, crows & many more), others are vampires (but not quite the vampires we're used to), there are also elementals and all kinds of different creatures. They all tend to have a human form but they don't think or act like humans do and they're definitely dangerous.

The Others don't have a very high opinion of humans, most of them think of us as a potential food source and they don't think twice about eating anyone who crosses them so be very careful not to step foot in their territory uninvited. Humans are allowed to live in certain areas and for the most part if they leave the Others alone then they're free to live their daily lives in whatever way they choose, cross them though and your lives are forfeit. There are very few places that the two groups cross paths and one of those is at the Lakeside Courtyard, home to a group of Others and mostly kept behind closed walls they do have a few outward facing businesses that humans are allowed to enter.

Enter Meg, she's a human but a rather rare and special one, she's a cassandra sangue or blood prophet, someone who gets glimpses of the future but only through blood and pain. The cassandra sangue are rare and in high demand because of how valuable their prophecies are, they are also unprotected by human laws and considered property that other people can own. Meg grew up in captivity, all her experience of the world comes from lessons and the prophecies she has seen rather than real experience and a lot of things are extremely confusing to her because of that. She managed to escape from her "Controller" and when she came across Lakeside Courtyard, a place where human laws do not apply, she sought sanctuary by applying for a job as their human liaison.

I'm not going to say much more about what happens in the book, it's fairly easy to guess that the people Meg escaped from want her back and will go to great lengths to make that happen but once the Others have accepted her into the very small group of people they trust they will do whatever it takes to protect her. Even if that means full out war with humanity.

This book had me captivated from the very first page, I'm already a fan of Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series so I had high hopes when I started reading Written in Red but even then I was surprised by how much I loved it. The world building is phenomenal and totally different to anything else I've come across even though I'm a huge urban fantasy fan and have read a lot of books in this genre. The characters are all unique and interesting, I loved the way the various shifters still act more like their animal counterparts even when in their human shape, Winter and the elementals were great and I can't wait to find out more about Tess, a mysterious species of terra indigene that all of the others are slightly afraid of. There was darkness (many humans end up getting eaten, but only ones who deserve it and Meg can only see prophecies by cutting herself) but also humour, great friendships, strong family bonds, adorable baby werewolves, hilarious crows who like building things and refuse to give people their change if the coins are shiny, grumpy werewolves, magical ponies, trickster coyotes, vampires who can drink your blood with just a touch, human police who are trying to prevent a war and one blood prophet who is just trying to find her way in a world that is completely alien to her.

I loved everything about this book and I can't wait to read the next one so I'm diving straight into Murder of Crows now and I have a feeling I'm going to be binging this whole series over the next couple of weeks.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Twilight's Dawn - Anne Bishop

New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels novels have enthralled readers and critics alike. Now, in Twilight’s Dawn, she returns to the Blood realm with four captivating novellas...

WINSOL GIFTS

Daemon is settling into his first year of married life with his Witch Queen Jaenelle. But as the celebration of Winsol draws near, he finds himself pulled in multiple directions playing host to his formidable family.

SHADES OF HONOR

When wounded Surreal returns to Ebon Rih, her former lover Falonar ruthlessly challenges the rule of her family, testing Surreal’s resolve not to succumb to the darkness burning inside her.

FAMILY

When someone lays a vicious trap for Queen Sylvia and her sons, the ruling family of Dhemlan must uncover the identity of a vicious warlord before he returns to finish what he started.

THE HIGH LORD'S DAUGHTER

After losing two important people in his life, Daemon has built a wall around his heart. But when he inadvertently forges a new connection, will it be enough to free him from his loveless existence?

The Black Jewels Series:
Daughter of the Blood
Heir to the Shadows
Queen of the Darkness
The Invisible Ring
Dreams Made Flesh
Tangled Webs
The Shadow Queen
Shalador's Lady
Twilight's Dawn

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
Twilight's Dawn is an anthology containing four stories set in the Black Jewels world, all set after the end of Tangled Webs and beyond. I'm going to talk about each story separately but I apart from a few shocks along the way I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. My review will be spoiler free for the first 3 stories but I can't talk about The High Lord's Daughter without giving away MAJOR spoilers so be aware of that before you continue reading.

Winsol Gifts:

This story is set during the first year of Daemon and Jaenelle's marriage and shows the whole family come together to celebrate the winter holiday Winsol. It's a really light hearted and fun story that shows the whole family together and one of the highlights was watching Daemon, Lucivar and Saetan trying to corral Daemonar so that he doesn't destroy all of the presents. I enjoy spending time with this whole group, especially when they're enjoying some downtime together rather than rushing from one disaster to the next.

Shades of Honor:

Surreal has avoided spending time in Ebon Rih since her break up with Falonar but after events in the spooky house both she and Rainier need time and space to recover. Lucivar considers her a sister and wants to make sure she's looking after herself so he brings her home where he can monitor her condition. While there Surreal realises that there's a traitor amongst the Eyriens and that Lucivar's life is in danger.

This was easily my favourite story in the collection, I adore Lucivar and his family and we never saw as much from his point of view in the main books so I love any chance to spend more time with them all. Some of the Eyriens might think that Lucivar is a pushover because he's done his best to make his people welcome in his home but when the traitor tries his luck he'll soon realise he's made some dangerous enemies.

Family:

When Queen Sylvia and her sons are targeted by a vicious trap it's up to Daemon and Saetan to try and protect Sylvia's boys while they hunt down the warlord who attacked them. This was a really dark story that was quite upsetting in places, there is a warlord out there targeting young children for rape and murder after all, but I did like the way things turned out for Syliva and Saetan. I did always like them as a couple so it was great to see them find that happiness again, even if it was in the most horrible circumstances.

The High Lord's Daughter:

This is the most controversial story in the collection, something I didn't know before I read this book because I always avoid reviews and blurbs for books in series that I'm already invested in. Anyway, I went into this blind and was completely shocked by not one but TWO deaths in this book. To be honest I'm still not completely recovered from this story now!

The High Lord's Daughter actually starts a year after Jaenelle's death and I honestly couldn't believe that she was really gone, I know she wasn't one of the long lived races like Daemon but I had it in my head that Witch would somehow survive through the centuries at Daemon's side! They had seventy happy years together but that doesn't really seem like much considering he waited a thousand years for her to be born in the first place. Events in this story take place over more than 20 years, at first Daemon is understandably consumed by grief but Jaenelle made him promise to keep living so he has to find a way to try and move on with his life.

I was so shocked and horrified when I first started this story that I nearly just quit reading the book there and then. I was heartbroken by Jaenelle's death and then totally blindsided a second time when another major character dies later on in the story. I thought I would hate everything about it but I surprised myself by liking how things turned out. Daemon ends up finding peace and although he'll never forget Jaenelle he does move on and find a new kind of happiness which I was really pleased about. I didn't want to think about him potentially spending centuries alone and I thought he was well matched with the person he ends up sharing his life with so I was happy for him in that respect.

This still seems like a strange story to have as part of the series and I can understand why so many people hated it but this is a dark fantasy series and that means we were never promised a happily ever after for all the characters involved. I suppose we should be grateful that some of them got to have their happy endings.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Shalador's Lady - Anne Bishop

For years the Shalador people suffered the cruelties of the corrupt Queens who ruled them, punishing those who dared show defiance, and forcing many more into hiding. And even though the refugees have found sanctuary in Dena Nehele, they have never been able to call it home.

Now that Dena Nehele has been cleansed of tainted Blood, the Rose-Jeweled Queen, Lady Cassidy, knows that restoring the land will require all her heart and courage as she summons the untested power within her, a power capable of consuming her if she cannot control it.

And even if Lady Cassidy survives her trial by fire, other dangers await. For the Black Widows see visions within their tangled webs that something is coming that will change the land - and Lady Cassidy - forever...

The Black Jewels Series:
Daughter of the Blood
Heir to the Shadows
Queen of the Darkness
The Invisible Ring
Dreams Made Flesh
Tangled Webs
The Shadow Queen
Shalador's Lady
Twilight's Dawn

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
Cassidy has worked hard to be accepted by the court in Dena Nehele and she has won over everyone apart from her first escort Theran. Unlike the others Theran is unable to see past the image of a queen he dreamed up before he even met Cassidy, he wanted someone more powerful and more beautiful than her, and because of that he is completely blind to all the good that Cassidy has done for him and his people since she arrived. Then the arrival of Cassidy's nemesis Kermilla threatens to destroy everything that Cassidy has started to build. Theran is immediately drawn to the younger, prettier queen not realising that she is just as poisonous as the corrupt queens that Dorothea forced them to serve in the past. Kermilla's arrival threatens to destroy Dena Nehele completely but will Theran be too blind to see the truth in time to save his people?

I loved the first book in this duology, Cassidy is a brilliant character and I really enjoyed seeing her settle into her new home and how hard she worked to show her court how life could be with a proper queen, one who wouldn't use and abuse them for her own pleasure. She actually cares about her people, not just those of the Blood but also the humans who live in their town and she wants to make life better for everyone. I also really loved Gray and was thrilled to see him growing into the man he always should have been in this book. After Kermilla's arrival most of Cassidy's court are extremely protective of her but Theran is so stubborn and stupid that I found him extremely frustrating to read about. If there was ever a character I wanted to shake some sense into it's Theran and I was disappointed that he took so long to realise his mistakes.

I hate to say it but Theran came close to ruining this book for me, if it hadn't been for the rest of the court moving away from him so that he didn't have such a huge page presence in the second half of the book I'd have struggled to keep reading. Cassidy and the others saved it though and I also loved the glimpses we get of old favourites like Jaenelle, Daemon, Lucivar and Saetan - I can NEVER get enough of those four! I was really pleased with how Cassidy and Gray's story ended so this book was definitely worth reading but it wasn't my favourite in the Black Jewels series.

Source: Purchased

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Review: The Shadow Queen - Anne Bishop

In a tumultuous world ruled by witches and warlocks who wear their power as jewels, one Queen’s chance at redemption is the last hope for a desperate people in this novel set in the world of the Black Jewels...

Theran Grayhaven is the last of his line, desperate to restore the land of Dena Nehele. But first he needs to find a Queen who knows Protocol, remembers the Blood’s code of honor, and lives by the Old Ways.

Languishing in the Shadow Realm, Lady Cassidy is a Queen without a court, a castoff. But when she is chosen to rule Dena Nehele, she must convince bitter men to serve once again.

Theran’s cousin Gray is a Warlord Prince who was damaged in mind and body by the vicious Queens who once ruled Dena Nehele. Yet something about Cassidy makes him want to serve—and makes him believe he can be made whole once again.

And only Cassidy can prove to Gray—and to herself—that wounds can heal and even the whisper of a promise can be fulfilled...

The Black Jewels Series:
Daughter of the Blood
Heir to the Shadows
Queen of the Darkness
The Invisible Ring
Dreams Made Flesh
Tangled Webs
The Shadow Queen
Shalador's Lady
Twilight's Dawn

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
The Shadow Queen introduces us to Theran Grayhaven, the last of Jared and Lia (from The Invisible Ring)’s bloodline. Set a couple of years after Jaenelle cleared the taint caused by Dorothea, and killed many of the Blood of Terrielle in the process, we see Theran trying to rebuild Dena Nehele but he’s in desperate need of a Queen who knows the old ways of the Blood to help him. Since there are no Queens strong enough left in Terrielle he turns to Daemon for help in the hope he can persuade a Queen from Kaeleer to help him.

Lady Cassidy may only have a Rose jewel but she has all the knowledge Theran needs to help set up a new court at Dena Nehele and she’s the only Queen who doesn’t already have a court of her own. Cassidy is nervous about travelling so far from home and worried that Theran’s people won’t accept her but she knows she is their only hope so she agrees to serve as their queen for a year hoping that will be enough time to teach them protocol.

I absolutely loved this book, we get to see some of my favourite characters again which is something I can never get enough of, but I also really loved getting to know Cassidy and most of the people we meet at Dena Nehele. I have to admit I was more than a little annoyed with Theran by the end of the book, he is disappointed when he first meets Cassidy because he wanted a Queen who was not just more powerful but also more beautiful so he never seems to fully support Cassidy no matter how hard she works to prove herself. Luckily Theran seems to be the only member of her court who is quite so stubborn and the other characters made up for his bad attitude. I particularly loved Gray, someone who suffered unbearably when Dena Nehele was ruled by Dorothea’s pet queens but who is able to look past his fears and see Cassidy for who she really is. I’m totally rooting for a romance between Gray and Cassidy and at the moment I’d be quite happy for Gray to overthrow Theran to get him out of the picture completely!

I’m really looking forward to reading more of Cassidy’s story in Shalador’s Lady and I know this whole series is one I’m going to revisit time and time again in the future.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Tangled Webs - Anne Bishop

New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop returns to the "bewitching" world of the Black Jewels with a tale that will "leave readers' hearts pounding" (Publishers Weekly).

The invitation was signed Jaenelle Angelline, she who had been both Witch and Queen...

Surreal SaDiablo, the former courtesan and assassin, is the first to arrive--only to find herself trapped in a nightmare created by the tangled webs of Black Widow witches. And if she uses Craft to defend herself, she risks being sealed in the house forever.

Now, Jaenelle and her family must rescue Surreal and the others inside without becoming trapped themselves--and uncover the monsters capable of designing such an evil place...

Includes the Black Jewels short story "By The Time The Witchblood Blooms"

The Black Jewels Series:
Daughter of the Blood
Heir to the Shadows
Queen of the Darkness
The Invisible Ring
Dreams Made Flesh
Tangled Webs
The Shadow Queen
Shalador's Lady
Twilight's Dawn

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
Everyone knows that Jaenelle and Marian have something spooky planned for Halloween so when the family all receive an invitation to the grand opening of a haunted house they don’t really question it. Not until Surreal, and her companion Rainier, find themselves trapped inside a house full of dangerous magical traps trying to keep a group of human children safe. This is a powerful trap but it failed to capture the entire family and now it’s up to Daemon and Lucivar to find a way to free the others.

I absolutely love Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels series so it was fantastic to have another full length novel about the core group of characters from the original trilogy. This is quite different to the other novels in the series, the plot is more focused and there is less of the outside world than we’re used to but it still has all the fantastic character development you’d expect and I absolutely love getting the chance to spend time with all of these characters and seeing how they’re all getting on now.

There are so many wonderful moments in Tangled Webs showing the loving relationship between Daemon & Jaenelle, happily married Lucivar who dotes on his wife and child, the growing relationship between Daemon and his mother, Surreal slowly rebuilding her friendship with Daemon, and of course poor Saetan who is watching over his ever-growing family with love and bemusement. I could read about these characters every day and not get bored so I loved every minute of this book. There was enough tension and action to keep me hooked but really it’s the relationship development and getting to see these characters finally living their happily ever afters that I’m here for and I can’t get enough of that.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Dreams Made Flesh - Anne Bishop

The Black Jewels Trilogy established Anne Bishop as an author whose "sublime skill...blend[s] the darkly macabre with spine-tingling emotional intensity"(SF Site). Now, the saga continues in this collection that includes four more adventures of Jaenelle and her kindred...

Jaenelle is the most powerful Witch ever known, centuries of hopes and dreams made flesh at last. She has forged ties with three of the realm's mightiest Blood warriors: Saetan, the High Lord of Hell, who trains Jaenelle in magic and adopts her as his daughter; Lucivar, the winged Eyrien warlord who becomes her protector; and the near-immortal Daemon, born to be Witch's lover. Jaenelle has assumed her rightful place as Queen of the Darkness and restored order and peace to the realms, but at a terrible cost.

Collected here are the beguiling stories about the origin of the mystical Jewels, the forbidden passion between Lucivar and a simple hearth witch, the clash between Saetan and a Priestess, and the choice Jaenelle must make, between her magic and happiness with Daemon...

The Black Jewels Series:
Daughter of the Blood
Heir to the Shadows
Queen of the Darkness
The Invisible Ring
Dreams Made Flesh
Tangled Webs
The Shadow Queen
Shalador's Lady
Twilight's Dawn

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
Dreams Made Flesh is a collection of short stories and novellas set in the world of Anne Bishop's Black Jewel series, the stories add in some extra backstory and also work as an extended epilogue to the original trilogy so I wouldn't recommend reading this book until after Queen of the Darkness. If you enjoyed the first three books then I'm sure you'll love this collection though, it gives so much more insight into some of the character's backstories and I loved getting a chance to spend more time with some of my favourites.

Let's talk about each story individually though to give you an idea what to expect:

Weaver of Dreams:
This is set well before the beginning of the series and gives a bit more insight into the dream weaver spiders. The story is very short and I have to admit I didn't enjoy it as much as the others in this collection but it was interesting to read something from the point of view of a spider.

The Prince of Ebon Rih:
In my opinion it would be worth buying this book for this story alone, I loved Lucivar's character in the original trilogy but even though I was glad that he had found a HEA I was disappointed we didn't get to see it happen for ourselves. This story fits into the timeline during Queen of the Darkness and lets us see how Lucivar and Marian first met and fell in love. They meet under dark circumstances but their actual romance was really sweet and heartwarming and I loved the way Marian stood up for Lucivar against an unwanted rival.

Zuulaman:
Another fab story this gives us a bit more background into the relationship between Saetan and Hekatah long before Daemon or Lucivar were born. This was pretty heartbreaking and made me love Saetan more than ever even though he takes truly drastic measures to get revenge after something horrendous happens. It never ceases to amaze me how low Hekatah is willing to sink in her quest for power but this shows us exactly why she's so terrified of Saetan throughout the series, he really isn't someone you should mess with!

Kaeleer’s Heart:
This story is like an extended epilogue to Queen of the Darkness that shows us the fallout from Jaenelle's sacrifice both physically and emotionally. There's no denying what she did saved the world but the aftermath put a lot of strain on the relationship between Jaenelle and Daemon that they now need to work through in order to move forward. I really enjoyed seeing how Jaenelle was affected by what happened and how all of the family reacted to that. I also really liked how this story tied back in with The Prince of Ebon Rih with the reappearance of a certain character who desperately needed to get her comeuppance. I'll never get enough of this world or these characters so was thrilled with this glimpse into their happily ever after.

Source: Purchased

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Review: The Invisible Ring - Anne Bishop

New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop returns to the world of her Black Jewels Trilogy with a prequel that follows a man who is determined to rebel against the course set before him...

Jared is a Red-Jeweled Warlord bound as a pleasure slave by the Ring of Obedience. After suffering nine years of torment as a slave, he murdered his owner and escaped—only to be caught and sold into slavery once again.

Purchased by a notorious queen, Jared fears he will share the mysterious fate of her other slaves—never to be seen again—and so prepares himself for death. But the Gray Lady may not be what she seems and Jared soon faces a difficult decision: his freedom, or his honor...

The Black Jewels Series:
Daughter of the Blood
Heir to the Shadows
Queen of the Darkness
The Invisible Ring
Dreams Made Flesh
Tangled Webs
The Shadow Queen
Shalador's Lady
Twilight's Dawn

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
I have to admit I was a little disappointed when I realised that The Invisible Ring is actually a prequel to the first 3 books in the Black Jewels series and is about a whole new set of characters that I don't remember being mentioned previously. I was excited to be back in this world but I love Jaenelle, Daemon, Lucivar and Saetan so much and was sad we weren't getting to spend more time with them. Having said that I still found myself really enjoying this story and we do get a few glimpses of Daemon that show how he was always trying to defy Dorothea in any way he could long before Jaenelle came along!

This story introduces us to Jared, a Red-Jewelled Warlord who has been kept as a pleasure slave thanks to the Ring of Obedience. He's already escaped once only to be recaptured and sold back into slavery so he is extremely unhappy to find himself being purchased by a Queen who is known to kill her slaves. The Gray Lady may have purchased Jared but it quickly becomes clear that not everything about her is what it first seems. Perhaps if Jared can look beyond the surface he'll find a Queen he is actually willing to bond himself to but with Dorothea trying to capture the Gray Lady and her entire party they have to find a way to work together if they want to survive.

This story wasn't quite as dark as the previous three, yes it's still a world where rape and torture is considered normal in certain circles (you can thank Dorothea and her like for that one!) but there are people who still respect the old ways and know that women and men have an equally important role to play in a happy and productive society. Just because some people have twisted the system doesn't mean everyone is like that but it can be very hard to know who can be trusted. I actually really enjoyed the chance to see what a real Queen should be like, one who will protect her people at any cost to herself and who wouldn't dream of hurting the people who depend on her. Jaenelle is the same but she started out as a damaged child and had to learn the old ways after being horrendously abused so it was a little different for her.

While this wasn't my favourite book in the series so far I'm glad I read it and I'm now excited to see what else Anne Bishop has in store for us and this world that she's created.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Queen of the Darkness - Anne Bishop

A taint now creeps across most of the Blood - those born into power - bringing war to the Shadow Realm, Kaeleer.

In the face of such corruption, Jaenelle, the Witch Queen who rules the territory, is powerless to prevent its spread. Especially while her chosen consort - and the person needed to complete the prophecy - Daemon, remains lost.

But the Dreamweavers' webs show two paths. One will see the blood of millions spilled, the other will see the taint destroyed, and only one person need die: her.

The Black Jewels Series:
Daughter of the Blood
Heir to the Shadows
Queen of the Darkness
The Invisible Ring
Dreams Made Flesh
Tangled Webs
The Shadow Queen
Shalador's Lady
Twilight's Dawn

Visit Anne Bishop's website for more information

Review:
I have been absolutely addicted to Anne Bishop's Black Jewels trilogy ever since I discovered Daughter of the Blood and after the huge changes at the end of Heir to the Shadows I couldn't wait to start Queen of the Darkness. This book was everything I'd hoped it would be and then some and I didn't want to put it down for a second. I can't believe how much I've come to love these characters and I'm was so incredibly invested in their stories that I desperately needed to know what would happen to them all. I'm going to assume that if you're reading this review you've already read the last two books so although this review will be spoiler free for Queen of Darkness I will be discussing events in previous stories. If you don't want to see these spoilers then look away now but before you go I will tell you that the Black Jewels trilogy is one of the most complex, compelling and utterly addictive fantasy series that I've discovered in a long time and if it's one you haven't started yet then you're seriously missing out!

Still with me? Well, in that case I'm going to assume you're already an Anne Bishop fan and high five you for loving the series as much as I do! At the end of Heir to the Shadows we saw Jaenelle claim her territory so that she was able to protect her Kindred friends. Jaenelle now has a court of powerful Queens, Warlords and Kindred who would all do anything for her but she takes that responsibility seriously and will protect them with her life if needed. I have loved seeing Jaenelle grow into her power, she really is an incredible character and after so much suffering in her life she has now become a strong and confident young woman. I actually feel very proud of everything that she has achieved and I couldn't wait to see her figure out how to deal with the enemies who have done everything they could to destroy her.

One of the things that I was most excited about was seeing her reunited with Daemon. I missed his presence in the last book but I understood why that distance was needed, he has suffered enough though and it was time to see both of them find a way to happiness. Daemon has finally found his way out of the Twisted Kingdom and taken his place at Jaenelle's side as her consort but it is a role in name only as the two of them struggle to communicate their wants and needs to each other. I really enjoyed seeing someone as experienced as Daemon so unsure of himself, he loves Jaenelle so much and is terrified of putting pressure on her but as inexperienced as she is she has no idea how to make the first move. It was great seeing Saetan, Lucivar and the others help the two of them work through things and I loved seeing them all spending time together building or rebuilding their bonds. Things between Saetan and his sons are incredibly complicated but we get to see them slowly get to know each other and learn to trust themselves.

Jaenelle is the most powerful Witch born in thousands of years and she can feel the evil that is trying to destroy all three realms. She knows what has to be done to stop it and she knows that she will pay the ultimate price but that is something she is willing to do to protect the people she loves. Her friends aren't quite so willing to let her bear that cost though and they are determined to find another way. The love that all of these characters have for her is absolutely heart warming but I've also thoroughly enjoyed seeing the friendships build between them as individuals and getting to see some of my favourite characters find love and happiness in their own right.

I don't want to say too much more about what happens in this book because I think it's much better if you can enjoy the journey for yourself. I will say that I absolutely loved every minute of this book. This entire series has taken me on an emotional roller coaster, one where I've both laughed and cried. There have been times when I was so mad that my blood was boiling and others where I felt emotionally drained and exhausted but I have also fallen in love and met some of the most fantastic characters - ones who will stay with me for years to come. I can absolutely guarantee that this is a series I'll return to again in the future and I'm glad that I've still got some short stories set in the same world to devour before the journey is completely over. I may be a fairly new fan of Anne Bishop but I'm now a die-hard one and I can't wait to discover more of her books!

Source: Received from Jo Fletcher Books in exchange for an honest review

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