Tag: romance

Give me that forest….

“Hark ye,” cawed the old hag, “here’s the age-old wisdom of the trees.”

(This is my response to the prompt from Robert at Poetic Asides – write a forest or a tree poem. That was the prompt for Day 10 of the April Poem-A-Day challenge.)

***
Give me that forest
Abundant with trees
Soft spilling shadow
Are cover for me

Beauty amazing
Glowing in green
Life-loving shades
Of pristine

Off to that forest
I knew as a child
Speaking the wisdom
That times spins around

Into that forest
I seek for my youth
Finding the ghostly
Memory of you.

© 2012 Mariya Koleva

Book Review: 7 Folds of Winter, by Carolyn McCray

BOOK REVIEW:

7 Folds of Winter by Carolyn McCray

I started reading the book with modest expectations.  After all,  given the mighty supply of Young Adult fantasies,  one needs to be at least cautious.  It would be only honest to say,  that the book exceeded my expectations,  and very few things were really easy to predict in it.

As for suspense,  drama,  romance and heroism,  7 Folds of Winter has it all.  There are all types of characters,  as well – well-meaning but weak,  truly noble,  downright evil and,  of course,  ambiguous ones.

For myself,  however,  I could spot two weaknesses.  One is that destined lovers are not particularly romantic for me.  I prefer romance that is hindered,  relations that are tense and that need clarification between the two partners-to-be.  The other weakness I found is that no single character became my favourite.  All the “nice” ones were nice enough,  but none of them appealed to me definitively.  The book is rather long,  so there was “time” to get familiar with the characters.  I just missed doing that.

I definitely enjoyed 7 Folds of Winter,  and did not regret taking it,  in the first place.

BOOK REVIEW: Fated by Carolyn McCray

BOOK REVIEW:

Fated by Carolyn McCray

 

The book is full of suspense. It does not let go till nearly the very end. The plot is tense and closely-knit. The political intrigue is very powerful. That, as well as the main characters’ inner moral struggles, was what attracted me most in the book.

As for paranormal, it came as a bit of surprise to me. The romance, on the other hand, was there all the time. The ending, however, was somewhat of a disappointment to me. The tension resolved very elegantly and conveniently, perhaps, too conveniently. I found out that, for myself, at least, romance between life-long partners is not very appealing and “romantic”. Maybe, I identify romance as an extraordinary, out-of-the-everyday experience, combined with secrecy, suspence, certain discomforts and hardships, and definitely – no security. Partners of the type “for better, for worse” are not very romantic. It is more like having a brother – whatever happens, he will be your brother. So, why read on!

That is an important note I took considering my own writing.

Apart from my disappointment in the romance issue, Ms McCray’s style and writing are brilliant, as usual. She is an extremely interesting author to read.

Indian Moon by Carolyn McCray – book review

BOOK REVIEW
Indian Moon
by Carolyn McCray

 

I am hardly the romance reader. And I distaste “contemporary” flavour. Believe me. Always had been like that. Just a pure fantasy, action and thriller fan of remote lands and times – that is what I am.

So, how did I end up reading Indian Moon in the first place, you would wonder. I knew from the beginning it was “a contemporary romance”. Honestly speaking, I was curious. That is the second book by the same author that I have read and the first one was amazing. Here you can read my review.

I just sat down reading on a Friday night, and then woke up on a Saturday morning and reading was over. I read Indian Moon in a sweep, couldn’t even stop to take a bite or have a cup of tea.

Ms McCray’s writing is intriguing, her way of expressing the characters’ feelings and the vivid descriptions she gives are amazingly powerful. Great scenery, deep internal conflicts, strong personal drive towards happiness – that is what readers will find in the book. There is always a touch of bitter reality, just to keep your head from floating in the clouds. Yet, not too much. The action is full of suspense and surprising turns, too, despite of the somewhat over-exploited initial setting of characters. And above all, everything about Indian Moon is extremely romantic. The romance is gentle, slightly sad, invigorating and it keeps you waiting and longing until it leaves you pleased, to a certain extent at least. The book keeps you there, reading and not wanting it to end. As all good reads do, as a matter of fact.

I would highly recommend Indian Moon to all who crave some gentle escape from everyday life into the mystic of the Indian forests.