The Shadow Queen (Black Jewels, Book 7)
Anne Bishop

It has been a long time since a book has put its barbs in me and I wasn’t able to let go.  I started this book on a Thursday night, and forced myself to put it down because I had to go to work on Friday.  I was about a quarter of the way into it at that point.  Friday I went to work, then did errands, then went out to eat with a friend.  I didn’t let myself pick the book back up until I had no other obligations that night.  Then I finished the book by about 2 am.  I had a couple of breaks in there, but it was a straight read through for the most part.

I have missed being into a book this much. I laughed out loud at parts, and almost cried at others.  Cassie is a great character and her story was very well told.  Her struggles are almost universal for all women, and that made it very easy to identify with her.  She’s a very real character, her struggles are normal issues that most people will be able to identify with.

The side story involving Daemon, Jaenelle, and Saetan was okay, but kind of superfluous.  It didn’t really relate to Cassie’s story at all and felt like a rehashing of the conflicts Daemon and Jaenelle usually have.  It wasn’t bad, but I was much more interested in Cassie’s story, and felt myself wanting the other pieces to quickly pass by.

There is a sequel to this story already in the works and I can’t wait to read it.  I think it’s going to have a new main character, but still deal with the characters from this story.  I just have to wait another year.

What books are on your nightstand?

The Black Jewels Trilogy and Dreams Made Flesh
Anne Bishop

I just cleaned off what might be considered my nightstand, but the books that are there right now are The Black Jewels Trilogy and Dreams Made Flesh.  All are very good books.  The Black Jewels Trilogy tells the story of a girl named Jaenelle who grows into a loving and fearsome woman.  Dreams Made Flesh is a collection of short stories that fills in some of the happenings throughout the book.

They are adult in nature, but very good reads if you don’t mind some very adult situations.  I’ve read the BJT books several times (five or six now I think) and Dreams Made Flesh at least twice.  Every time I read them I am just as engaged as the first time I read them. I also find that I tend to read them slower and can therefore learn more things about the characters and the story.