Reseña de ARC: Little Witches: Magic in Concord

 +Digital ARC gently provided by publishers and netgalley for an honest review+

Little Witches: Magic in Concord 

by  

Leigh Dragoon

160 pages

Expected publication: August 27th 2019 by Oni Press (first published August 2019)

ISBN:1620106485 (ISBN13: 9781620106488)
Edition Language: English

 BLURB: A charming and magical graphic novel adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's LITTLE WOMEN!
Jo, Beth, Amy, and Meg March are four sisters living in Concord with their parents—Father, who's tending to soldiers fighting in the Civil War, and Marmee, who teaches the girls simple but effective witchcraft. The Marches have to keep their craft quiet, as there are many in Concord who see magic in a bad light—especially after things have begun disappearing.

 When Mr. Laurence, a witchfinder, moves in next door to investigate the missing objects, the girls fear for their livelihood. But he turns out to be a kind old man, and his grandson, Laurie, quickly befriends the Marches. As the cold winter blusters on, the girls continue their education, even as missing objects soon turn into missing people.
Things take a turn for the worse when Jo and Laurie try investigating on their own, and a dangerous storm takes hold of Concord. There's powerful magic at play here—stronger than anything the Marches, or even Laurie, has ever seen before. Can they hope to defeat it? Or has the magic already become too strong for them to fight against?

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Age Range: 8 and up

Grade Level: 3 - 4

I was curious to read this book, which is an adaptation of the beloved classic Little Women by L.M. Alcott, with the proviso that the March sisters here are witches. Good witches, mind you, keeping even their ideas of Transcendentalism.

The plot is similar: four sisters living with their mother in Concord during the Civil War; the father is absent in the aforementioned war minding the wounded. The fact that they are witches is a fact known to all, as well as the existence of magues. So this is a historical fantasy / alternative reality. 

Reseña: Masks (Cassandra Palmer #6.5)

Masks (Cassandra Palmer #6.5)

by 

Karen Chance

406 pages

Published March 18th 2014 by Penguin

ISBN: 0698182936 (ISBN13: 9780698182936)

Edition Language: English

Series: Cassandra Palmer

 BLURB: Fifteenth century Venice is a safe haven for the masterless dregs of the vampire world, a city where they can live without the fear of retribution for violating another’s territory.
Still, there are plenty of ways for a young vampire to die in the glittering city, a lesson that prince turned pauper Mircea Basarab must learn quickly. But there are opportunities, too—in the service of a secretive courtesan, in the bed of a beautiful senator, and in the hunt for an ancient assassin.
As a vendetta older than Venice itself comes to a climax, Mircea struggles to evade the dangers of his current life, to come to terms with his past, and to uncover the truth hidden behind a city of masks…

My rating: 4.5

bookshelves: vampiros, historical-fiction, historical-paranormal-fiction, adult-mature, w_courtesan, siglo-15, 2019-readings, political-games

“You think you’re so different from us, because you lost a palace? A kingdom?” Dark eyes blazed down into his. “Son, I lost a kingdom, too. So did every man here. Maybe our kingdoms were smaller, just a house we built with our own two hands, a wife we loved, a child. But do you think they meant any less? Do you think we mourn their loss one bit less than you?

Allá por el año 1448 o algo asi, Mircea Basarab es apenas un 'baby-vampiro' , tras 2 años de no-muerto, y las cosas no van nada de bien. Sin un Master ni familia vampírica que lo proteja y enseñe, ni dinero, ni poderes especiales, la vida es muy difícil. La situación se le complica cuando termina en un calabozo y llega a lo más bajo cuando es comprado como esclavo.

Reseña: The Kingdom Vol1: Anne

+Digital ARC gently provided by Netgalley+

The Kingdom Vol.1: Anne 

by 

Benoît Feroumont

Kindle Edition, 50 pages

Published March 15th 2017 by Europe Comics (first published January 1st 2009)

Original Title: Anne (Le Royaume, #1)

Edition Language:English

Series:Le Royaume #1

 BLURB Once upon a time there was a peaceful kingdom where life was good. It was a little country forgotten by its powerful neighbors and their incessant wars. A lovely little piece of land where lived a great many people, and every day they enjoyed the bounties bestowed upon them by the earth and sky. Of course, there was a king, Alain and Adrien (his ugly sons who were nonetheless kind, helpful boys), a grumpy queen, Cécile (the bathroom-hogging princess), and Anne. Pretty little Anne. Anne, who sings to the rising sun; Anne, who lights up the king's nights; Anne, who speaks to the birds... Anne who opens a tavern where all these characters gather.

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Art: 3,5

Plot: 2

first thought: que fome!

Anne is the king's maid and , for some ridiculous notion she sleeps in his bed because 'she is afraid of owls at night' (??). So, logically, the queen send her away. Both insist she is not his lover. However, the king gives her instead a building to work as tavern.

Reseña: Water Witch

Water Witch 

by  

Faith Hunter

 48 pages

Published June 7th 2015 by Bella Rosa Books

ASIN:B00Z815OP2

Edition Language: English

 WATER WITCH - A short story from Faith Hunter and D.B. Jackson

Hannah Everhart is a witch. She's also a thief, having stolen a priceless gem that she needs for a magical working.
Ethan Kaille is a conjurer and a thieftaker. He has been hired to recover the pilfered jewel.
But what begins as a pursuit through the streets of Colonial Boston, soon becomes an unlikely alliance, as Hannah and Ethan track down an otherworldly sea captain who has come to the city for dark purpose. Now these two must combine forces to fight a creature unlike any either of them has encountered before. And at stake is the life of Boston's foremost revolutionary.

WATER WITCH is the first collaboration between Faith Hunter, New York Times bestselling author of the Jane Yellowrock novels, and D.B. Jackson, author of the critically acclaimed Thieftaker Chronicles.

My rating: 3.5 STARS

Boston 1770. Two characters from two authors meet a couple of months after a notorious pre-revolutionary incident.

A young Everhart witch (a well known name in the Yellowrock's 'verse) is confronted with a man hired to recover a stolen brooch , the man is Ethan Kaille, a conjurer and thieftaker. 

This is the beginning of what appears to be a conspiracy, family secrets and a world unknown in other aspects for the protagonists.

This story seems to be much longer for how short it is.

I didn't know anything about DB Jackson before this but I'm a Faith Hunter fan, but it is a nice introduction.

Reseña: Sueño del Fevre

Sueño del Fevre 

by  

George R.R. Martin

354 pages

(first published September 1982)

Original Title:Fevre Dream

ISBN13:9788496208759

Edition Language:Spanish

BLURB: En 1857, la cuenca del Misisipi bulle de actividad: los vapores señorean sus aguas en feroz competencia. Cuando Joshua York le ofrece sacar a flote su naviera a cambio de unas pocas condiciones, sencillas aunque misteriosas, el capitán Marsh ve realizado su sueño: ser el patrón del vapor más rápido del río. Pero los sueños de ambos se verán infiltrados por una pesadilla que anegará de sangre los fondeaderos.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

El capitán Abner Marsh es un hombre de rio que se encuentra en problemas financieros por una mala racha que ha afectado a sus barcos, cuando un hombre misterioso Joshua York le hace la propuesta de darle todo el dinero que quiera para construir el mejor barco del rio, enorme, rápido y con todos los lujos posibles. Bueno, ya sabes eso que dicen de que "cuando algo es demasiado bueno para ser verdad..."

La publicidad la compara con un "Bram Stoker cruzado con M.Twin", bueno yo no lo creo. Lo que sí que tiene mucho , en cambio, es de Anne Rice, versión fluvial.

Reseña: Waters of Versailles

Novella nominada al premio Nebula 2016. La pueden encontrar por aqui

Waters of Versailles 

 by  

Kelly Robson

My rating:  3 estrellas de 5

Género: Fantasía Histórica

Sylvane es un soldado a quien se le ocurre una idea brillante para hacer fortuna: colocar agua corriente en Versalles. Pero sus juegos cortesanos ocultan un pequeño secreto, una criatura acuática que esta detrás de los 'tronos' que se disputan las damas como símbolo de estatus.

Intrigada por este hecho una rapida excursion en la red señala que existian en realidad bastantes pocos inodoros en el afamado palacio (y la anécdota del gato existe) ;)

Me costó algo meterme en la historia, además que Sylvane no es en sí un personaje muy agradable la mayor parte, y de ahi el puntaje, pero sí el final.