The Feats of Strength are an integral part of our annual Smugglivus Tradition. In the Feats of Strength, we each dare each other to read a book that we know is so far beyond the other’s comfort zone as to put it in another galaxy altogether. It is more than a mere Dare – it is a Feat of Strength.

Title: Naamah’s Kiss

Author: Jacqueline Carey

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing/ Gollancz
Publication Date: June 24, 2009 / January 2010
Hardcover: 656 pages

Stand alone or series: Book one of a new series set in the same world as the Kushiel’s Legacy books, though following a completely new heroine. Naamah’s Kiss stands on its own, but fans of the two prior trilogies will feel at home with Ms. Carey’s new series.

How did I get the book: An ARC from Gollancz

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Once there were great magicians born to the Maghuin Dhonn; the folk of the Brown Bear, the oldest tribe in Alba. But generations ago, the greatest of them all broke a sacred oath sworn in the name of all his people. Now, only small gifts remain to them. Through her lineage, Moirin possesses such gifts – the ability to summon the twilight and conceal herself, and the skill to coax plants to grow.

Moirin has a secret, too. From childhood onward, she senses the presence of unfamiliar gods in her life; the bright lady, and the man with a seedling cupped in his palm. Raised in the wilderness by her reclusive mother, it isn’t until she comes of age that Moirin learns how illustrious, if mixed, her heritage is. The great granddaughter of Alais the Wise, child of the Maghuin Donn, and a cousin of the Cruarch of Alba, Moirin learns her father was a D’Angeline priest dedicated to serving Naamah, goddess of desire.

After Moirin undergoes the rites of adulthood, she finds divine acceptance…on the condition that she fulfill an unknown destiny that lies somewhere beyond the ocean. Or perhaps oceans. Beyond Terre d’Ange where she finds her father, in the far reaches of distant Ch’in, Moirin’s skills are a true gift when facing the vengeful plans of an ambitious mage, a noble warrior princess desperate to save her father’s throne, and the spirit of a celestial dragon.

Review:

First things first. I guess I should start by explaining why reading this book is a Feat of Strength. A few months ago Thea dared me to read Kushiel’s Dart, a book set in the same world as Naamah’s Kiss and one of Thea’s most favourite books ever. Although I liked the writing and enjoyed the political side of the story, for most part I felt deeply disturbed because the heroine of that book was an anguisette (almost a sort of religious calling), someone who takes pleasure from pain. I just didn’t feel comfortable at all with that aspect of the story which I realised had more to do with me as a reader, than with me, as a reviewer. So, I was scared to face another book set in the same world, in Terre D’ange where people live by the motto “Love as Thou art Wilt”. Another thing that makes this a Feat of Strength is the pressure I feel to like the book, because not only do I want to share this with Thea but also with the rest of the world: the reviews for Naamah’s Kiss have been overwhelmingly positive.

I open Naamah’s Kiss and encounter the heroine and narrator Moirin as she grows up in Alba across the sea from Terre D’ange. She is a child of two worlds: daughter of one of the few remaining Maghuin Dhonn, one of the peoples from Alba and a D’Angeline priest. Moirin is touched by both cultures, having small gifts of magic from her mother and Naamah’s touch (that would be a Goddess of Desire) from her father. She spends her childhood living in the woods with her mother, never knowing her father. When she reaches a certain age, she is tested by the Maghuin Dhonn, and the great bear -goddess shows her that her future lies in Terre D’ange where she needs to find her Destiny.

It is in search of this Destiny that Moirin leaves everything she has ever known behind and embarks on a journey , falling in love and in lust on the way, meeting pivotal people (including her father), always following her diadh-anam, the spark of spirit within. She travels from Alba, to Terre D’ange and then to lands faraway to save a princess under a curse, always and forever listening to her diadh-anam.

This is an extremely difficult review to write. I am never more aware of the separation between being a reader and being a reviewer than when I read a Jacqueline Carey novel. Usually both are intrinsically connected but my reaction to Naamah’s Kiss (as my reaction to Kushiel’s Dart) is as conflicted as it can be.

I don’t think anyone could deny that the writing is lovely, the world building impressive, the overall story interesting, compelling and far-reaching in scope. I absolutely loved the first part of the book, set in Alba and the last part of the book set in Ch’in. Both worlds are imbued with magic and history and stories that were exquisite. It is the middle part, when Moirin is in Terre D’ange that I couldn’t bring myself to like. And I came to the conclusion that I simply can not stand Terre D’ange and the D’Angelines. It seems to be all that they do with their time is to scheme and to have sex. Seeing as how Moirin is sort of out of the loop when it came to scheming, all that was left to her was to have sex. In all fairness, it is not exactly like this, but it sure felt like it. There were endless sex scenes (as hot as they might be and hell, can Jacqueline Carey write sex scenes) between her and her lovers (three whilst in Terre D’ange) and it was plain.boring.

Plus, the “Love as Thou Art Wilt”, is a lovely concept, amazing in theory but when it comes to the practical side, it is when I wonder. Because Moirin suffers losses. Terrible loss, a person she loved when she was a kid, her friend and first lover, for example. But how could I possibly grieve with her when she is already falling in love with the next person? How can I miss a character when Moirin seems not to be missing them at all. She may say she is , but I just don’t see it. How she finds comfort in sex is understandable , if only it didn’t happen continuously. The whole lifestyle of the D’Angelines seems so indiscriminate. It makes me wonder: when everybody is special, then no one is? It is important to note another thing: I am fully aware than I am coming from my own comfort zone of reading Romance with strictly monogamous relationships.

I also can’t help but to compare Naamah’s Kiss to Kushiel’s Dart seeing as it is set in the same world. Even though I wasn’t crazy about the first one, I actually missed the more political aspects of that novel and all the intrigue that made it fascinating to me even tough I was disturbed by the sexual side of the story. Reading Naamah’s Kiss where Moirin does not have the pride and duty of a D’Angeline and the need to make sacrifices in the name of her Country , makes it less of a grand story. In fact, Moirin’s story is a very private one, everything that she does is in the name of her own spark of goddess-life. And I KNOW, that this sounds crazy coming from me, who am always asking for simpler stories based on character development, but I wished that there was more to the story that Moirin’s search for her Destiny and her answers to Naamah’s calls, which seems to be more reactions than actions. This is part of why I am so conflicted as well.

In the end, it is at a more personal level, the emotional connection with the story that may vary from reader to reader, that I seem to be out of the loop. Because to me, as a reader, this connection is missing when I read Carey’s books even though the reviewer in me, says, “hey this is a good book, what the hell are you on about?”.

Notable Quotes/ Parts: I really enjoyed the first chapters of the novel when Moirin was still in Alba.

Verdict: Objectively speaking, Naamah’s Kiss is a wonderful book that I simply did not connect with.

Rating: I am going to go with the same thing said when I read Kushiel’s Dart: 7, because it is well written and the world that the author created was believable and complex. No more than 7 because my level of enjoyment varied from chapter to chapter.

Welcome to Smugglivus 2009 – Day 22!

Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2009, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2010.

Today’s Guest: Kristen of the speculative fiction book review blog Fantasy Cafe. Kristen is a Book Smuggler Regular – we’ve had her over for Smugglivus last year, for a guest dare, and heck, we’ve even posted over at her spot on a counter dare. Kristen’s one of our very favorite bloggers, always turning us on to new books, so we’re delighted to have her over for Smugglivus 2009!

Please give a warm welcome to Kristen!

It’s that time of year again – the time to look over all the books read and decide which ones had that something special that made them the best read. Out of the 55 books I’ve read so far this year (still hoping to squeeze at least a couple more in!), here are the 10 that stood out above all the rest as my favorites. This includes all books read no matter what year they were originally published – I wouldn’t want to discriminate against the older books I really loved just because they aren’t shiny and new anymore.

The Last Hawk by Catherine Asaro

Although I have very much enjoyed all the books I’ve read in Catherine Asaro’s Skolian saga, none of them have impressed me as much as this one. It has some of everything and excelled at all of it – there was politics, action, focus on character relationships with some romance, a unique society, and some elements of hard science fiction. The pacing was well done and I loved the characters as well as the premise involving gender reversal. A man crashes onto a planet ruled by women and becomes coveted by all of them for his exotic beauty and skills at playing a game that plays a prominent role in their culture.

Fire by Kristin Cashore

This ended up being one of my favorites because it was just so engaging. I was completely invested in Fire and her story, and in spite of seeming a bit like a Mary Sue, she had enough problems that she was a sympathetic character. In fact, all the characters were wonderful (at least, the ones that were supposed to be) and the world was very interesting.

Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor

Laini Taylor is one of my new author discoveries from this year. I had a lot of fun reading her two Dreamdark books about fierce fairies that hunt devils, but her newest book is the best so far. This book containing three dark stories involving dangerous love was nominated for a National Book Award this year, and it’s easy to see why. Taylor’s writing voice is phenomenal and the last two stories in this book are easily among the best I’ve read this year. Even the first story, which was not to my taste, was beautifully written with some very memorable passages.

Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey

Thanks to Thea’s praise of this novel, I finally took the plunge and read this dense 900-page-long novel – and loved it. Carey managed a great balance between character and plot, and the alternate earth in which some humans were descended from angels was very well-developed.

Corambis by Sarah Monette

The conclusion to The Doctrine of Labyrinth series was not my favorite of the four books (as any of the others would have been first on a list such as this), but it was still one of the better books I read this year. The story was not as good as the first three books and I missed Melusine, but it did still contain some amazing characterization just like the other books in the series.

By the Mountain Bound by Elizabeth Bear

Even though this is the second book in The Edda of Burdens series, it’s a prequel to the first book. As much as I loved the beginning of the series, I also thought this novel was an improvement. Something about Bear’s writing just really appeals to me – her tormented characters, the spare but beautiful prose and the mythological basis of the story.

My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due

This was one of the most gripping, suspenseful novels I read this year – one of those that keeps you right on the edge of your seat from the beginning to the end. I did have some problems with character believability, but it didn’t matter that much in the end because they were still likable yet flawed and complex. The ending was very daring and even though it was set up earlier in the book, it was still a bit of a shock that it actually happened.

Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale

Ginn Hale’s first novel was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in the Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror category in 2007 and it won the Spectrum Award for Best Novel of 2008. It reminded me of Sarah Monette but less in depth, and I’m very much looking forward to the sequel.

The Orphan’s Tales: In the Night Garden by Catherynne Valente

This novel is written in the same style as The Arabian Nights with stories within a story that tie together. It’s very imaginative with some wonderful prose, some fascinating characters (even if there isn’t quite enough time spent with some of them) and some humorous moments. It’s a brilliant book – highly recommended for fans of fairy tales.

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

Before this year I had never read a book in the Mercy Thompson series and it ended up being one of my favorite new series finds of the year. All the books were quick, fun reads and I loved the main character. Mercy has a very strong narrative voice and she’s a great character – practical, down to earth and loyal.

Next year there are several books that are coming out I’m really looking forward to. Of course, there are the same two that were on my list of hopefuls last year that I’d like to see come out this year: A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin and A Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch. Who knows whether or not either of those will be out in 2010, but here are some books that are that I am also excited about:

The Sea Thy Mistress by Elizabeth Bear

Of course I cannot wait for the final book in The Edda of Burdens trilogy since I loved the first two.

Stealing Fire by Jo Graham

This year I read my first book by Jo Graham (Black Ships) which just missed being on the top 10 list. So I’m very much looking forward to reading this novel featuring Alexander the Great.

The Spirit Lens by Carol Berg

Transformation by Carol Berg is one of my favorite books of all time (in spite of the horrifying cheesy cover), and I’ll be snatching this one up as soon as I can find it.

Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb

Robin Hobb’s three connected trilogies (Farseer trilogy, Liveship Traders, and Tawny Man) are among my favorite books of all time. This book is the first of a duology set in the same part of the world as Liveship Traders and it’s a definite must read for me.

Thank you, Thea and Ana, for the opportunity to ramble on about some of my favorite books for a while. And Happy Smugglivus to all!

Thanks Kristen!

Next on Smugglivus: The Lusty Reader of Lusty Reader

“On The Smugglers’ Radar” is a new feature for books that have caught our eye: books we heard of via other bloggers, directly from publishers, and/or from our regular incursions into the Amazon jungle. This is how the Smugglers’ Radar was born, and because there are far too many books that we want than we can possibly buy or review (what else is new?) we thought we could make it into a weekly feature – so YOU can tell us which books you have on your radar as well!

On Ana’s Radar:

I got this ARC from Gollancz this week and it looks AWESOME. I read Sam Sykes’ story in the Dragon Book and I loved his characters so I am really looking forward to this one now. It is a debut novel that is creating quite the buzz online.

Lenk can barely keep control of his mismatched adventurer band at the best of times (Gariath the dragon man sees humans as little more than prey, Kataria the shict despises most humans and the humans in the band are little better). When they’re not insulting each other’s religions they’re arguing about pay and conditions. So when the ship they are travelling on is attacked by pirates things don’t go very well. They go a whole lot worse when an invincible demon joins the fray. The demon steals the Tome of the Undergates – a manuscript that contains all you need to open the undergates. And whichever god you believe in you don’t want the undergates open. On the other side are countless more invincible demons, the manifestation of all the evil of the gods, and they want out. Full of razor-sharp wit, characters who leap off the page (and into trouble) and plunging the reader into a vivid world of adventure this is a fantasy that kicks off a series that could dominate the second decade of the century.

Melissa Marr’s next in her Wicked Lovely series has its cover!

I have on good authority *ninja* that this new series is VERY GOOD especially for fans of the Sookie Stackhouse series!

After being laid off from her job as Half Moon Hollow’s children’s librarian, Jane drowns her sorrows in Electric Lemonade and Mudslides using her severance package (a $25 Shenanigans gift certificate). Atthe bar she’s kept company by a magnetically attractive (if a bit pale) stranger, Gabriel Nightingale – who follows her out and takes matters into his own hands when Jane’s car breaks down and she’s mistaken for a deer by a drunk with a rifle as she’s headed home in the dark, on foot. If Gabriel doesn’t turn Jane, she’ll be, as the saying goes, dying young and leaving a pretty corpse. Being undead, though, is just the beginning of Jane’s problems. She’s still unemployed, has “family issues,” a best friend who finds love with a werewolf (werewolves and vampires don’t mix well); she’s also being framed for murder, stalked by a former crush, and romanced by her moody sire. What’s an undead girl to do?This hilarious, delightful debut novel combines MaryJanice Davidson’s sass and Charlaine Harris’ small town Southern charm to form the perfect read for lovers of paranormal romantic comedy.

I follow Jill Myles’ livejournal and her first book is going to be out soon. It sounds fun But I am so not a huge fan of the cover!

Jackie Brighton woke up in a Dumpster this morning, and her day has only gotten weirder. Her familiar B-cups have somehow become double Ds, her sex drive is insatiable, and apparently she had her first one-night stand ever…with a fallen angel. All she remembers is gorgeous Noah’s oddly hypnotic blue eyes…and then a dark stranger whose bite transformed her into an immortal siren with a sexy Itch. With help from Noah, Jackie begins to adapt to her new lifestyle — until she accidentally sends Noah into the deadly clutches of the vampire queen and lands herself in a fierce battle for an ancient halo with the queen’s wickedly hot righthand man. Who just happens to be the vampire who originally bit her. How’s a girl supposed to save the world when the enemy’s so hard to resist?

And since I am always on the lookout for new PNR: has anyone read this?

A twist of fate made Zoe Pappas heir to the Byzant throne. Bound by duty and devotion to keep the Empire safe, Zoe is captured while on a secret diplomatic mission and sent to an underground prisoner-of-war camp. In this strange, shadowy place, residents are governed by fellow inmate General Matthias “Doc” Raven, whose powerful magnetism rouses an urgent desire in Zoe. But the intensity of her attraction is matched by her surprise at discovering that Doc has a secret of his own: he is a vampire.

Zoe’s presence puts everyone in the camp in danger. Doc knows it, and knows too that Zoe’s royal status makes it impossible for her to bond with a vampire. The only way to save her is to help her escape, and lose her forever. But some fires are impossible to quench, even when following your heart is the ultimate taboo….

Finally, this is the first Steampunk title from Angry Robot, to be released in January. It looks great!

A brilliant criminal stalks the streets of London. Scotland Yard is on his trail. But how can the city remain safe when every book is a potential weapon?

On Thea’s Radar:

There are so many books I’m looking forward to in this edition of the stash, it’s not even funny. First up, one of my absolute favorite authors of all time…

Far from the land of her birth, Moirin sets out across Tatar territory to find Bao, the proud and virile Ch’in fighter who holds the missing half of her diadh-anam, the divine soul-spark of her mother’s people. After a long ordeal, she not only succeeds, but surrenders to a passion the likes of which she’s never known. But the lovers’ happiness is short lived, for Bao is entangled in a complication that soon leads to their betrayal.

Naamah’s Curse comes out in June 2010, and I am already salivating. Then, there’s the third book in Michael Grant’s awesome ongoing Gone series:

No synopsis yet, but the cover looks awesome. I love this series, and cannot wait for this next book! Then there’s this upcoming book from Mette Ivie Harrison – I’ve read and really enjoyed The Princess and the Hound (which I will get around to reviewing one of these days), and her covers are just awesome:

Again, no synopsis yet! But pretty cover. Heard about this next one from book pimp Karen Mahoney:

Beings of unimaginable power, classified as myths and legends, have been imprisoned in the secluded town of St. Ives for centuries watched over by guardians with supernatural skills. Te Evangeline’s father was one such guardian, a “binder” who died in the line of duty and who passed along his ability to his daughter. Now, Te must awaken the magic within her before her father’s killer releases his fellow prisoners on an unsuspecting world.

Then, there’s the new Aprilynne Pike:

Six months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger–and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever.

When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?

I’m not crazy about the new cover (it kind of looks like bad calendar photo), but I really loved Wings and am eager for more from Ms. Pike. And finally, caught wind of this one thanks again to KMont over at Lurv a la Mode:

Sisters Serena and Meteora were once proud members of the high court of the Fairy Queen- until they played a prank that angered her highness. Separated and banished to the mortal realm of Earth, they must find a way to survive in a strange world in which they have no power. But there is more to their new home than they first suspect…

A sympathetic Meteora bonds with a troubled young girl with an ornate tattoo on her neck. Meteora recognizes it as a magic symbol that will surely bring danger down on them all. Serena, meanwhile, takes in a tortured homeless boy whose mind is plagued by dark visions. The signs point to a rising power that threatens to tear asunder both fairy and human worlds.

And the sisters realize that perhaps the queen cast them from their homes not out of anger or spite- but because they were the only ones who could do what must be done…

Jane Yolen was one of my favorite authors as a young adult (Sister Light, Sister Dark and the Pit Dragon books were my favorites), so I’m eager to try this new release.

Phew. That’s it from us – what books are you looking forward to?

Ana here, to wish you all a Happy Sunday! What are you doing today? Me, I am fulfilling a childhood dream: I am going to see Bruce Springsteen today at Hyde Park! Hooray! I simply can not wait!

Before I leave though, a few bits and bobs to take care of:

Giveaways:

The 5 winners of the Namaah’s Kiss giveaway are:

Sarah M
Sarah Kay
Carol
Danielle
Kristen

The winner of the Don’t Tempt Me giveaway is:

Roxy!

Congratulations!!You know the drill: Please send your snail mail address to: contact AT thebooksmugglers DOT com, and we will send you the books ASAP.

This week on The Book Smugglers:

On Monday, I will be reviewing Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh, her new exciting installment in the most excellent Psy/Changeling series.

On Tuesday Nalini Singh is our guest for the day, talking about Inspiration and Influences. This is when you get a chance to win a copy of Branded by Fire in a Flash Giveaway (because we just know how anxious you all are to read it – as you should be!)

On Wednesday, it’s Novella Day when Thea reviews two stories in the Strange Brew anthology: Seeing Eye by Patricia Briggs and Death Warmed Over by Rachel Caine

On Thursday , it’s Thea’s turn again with the review of Darkness Calls by Marjorie Liu. Word on the Book Smugglers’ grapevine is that it’s even better than the first in the series The Iron Hunt (which Thea really loved!)

Finally,on Friday I will be reviewing a book that first caught my attention because of its beautiful cover and after reading it, became one of my favorites of the year so far. It is the YA novel Eyes Like Stars by debut author Lisa Mantchev. While you wait for our review, just have a look at the book’s awesome website: Theatre Illuminata

Upcoming:

We have a Very Special Event upcoming! Our very own Young Adult Appreciation Month – from July 19th to August 16th, we will be talking about this genre that we love. This is a teaser of some of the books we will review:

Plus, a lot of interviews with authors such as Kelley Armstrong, Diana Peterfreund, Karen Mahoney, Lisa Mantchev and others plus guest posts by YA bloggers and YA editors, and of course, giveaways. We are super excited – what about you?

Other news:

Joel Sutherland , writer of Frozen Blood (reviewed by Thea here) is running a cool contest with loads of possible prizes on his blog to celebrate his nomination for the Bram Stoker award.

Kaaron Warren, author of Slights, the horror novel that Thea considers one of the best of the year, is doing a countdown for the release of the book. In Slights, a character writes a story within a story, in the margins of library books. Kaaron is counting down to the release by writing a bit about each book the character writes in (because of course, each book was not picked at random!) . Check it out here: Kaaron Warren’s Livejournal

And that’s it from us today,folks!

~Your Friendly Neighborhood Book Smugglers

“Inspirations and Influences” is a new series of articles in which we invite authors to write guest posts talking about their…well, Inspirations and Influences. The cool thing is that the writers are given free reign so they can go wild and write about anything they want. It can be about their new book, series or about their career as a whole.

Today we have fantasy author extraordinaire, the unparalleled Jacqueline Carey! Jacqueline Carey is the author of the bestselling Kushiel’s Legacy series, the “post-punk desert bordertown fable”/contemporary fantasy Santa Olivia, and the newest book in her Kushiel universe, Naamah’s Kiss. She also happens to be one of Thea’s all time favorite authors. Please give it up, ladies and gents, for Ms. Carey!

Jacqueline Carey’s Inspirations & Influences:

“Where do you get your ideas?”

For many authors, this is a most-asked and least-loved question, because the truth is… we don’t always know. Inspiration can be a ridiculously tough thing to pinpoint. The Kushiel’s Legacy series is a vast, sprawling tale that unfolds over six volumes and encompasses intrigue, adventure, romance, epic battle, feats of self-sacrifice, dire magic and complex mythology; and I’m kicking off another trilogy of more of the same with Naamah’s Kiss. So when people ask where these ideas come from, I tend to get that blank deer-in-the-headlights stare, not having the faintest idea where to begin.

One of my favorite examples of the nebulous nature of inspiration comes from Ursula K. LeGuin in a preface to The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, a short story centered around a moral dilemma that blew my youthful mind when I first read it; as well as cheering my heart by virtue of being the one work of science fiction/fantasy in my Norton Anthology of Short Fiction, suggesting that the genre I loved was worthy of literary consideration after all.

At any rate, LeGuin’s inspiration for this seminal story began with a single word, “Omelas.” A word that came from reading a road sign for Salem, Oregon backward. Oh, there was far more to it in the end… but that was the initial spark of genesis. A road sign, read backward.

Such is the ephemeral nature of inspiration, which comes from anywhere and everywhere. Some sources are easy to identify. An idyllic vacation in the south of France inspired the setting of Terre d’Ange; that’s simple enough. Others are harder to track. Research into pseudepigrapha like “The Book of Enoch,” with its tales of fallen angels and divine retribution, inspired the framework of the mythology – but my central deity, Blessed Elua, came about in part through my misremembering an entry in “The Dictionary of Angels,” and in part through remembering Holy Blood, Holy Grail, a nonfiction book on which the premise of The DaVinci Code was based.

There’s a lot of esoteric information rattling around in my head, and a lot of unconscious associations formed in there.

Santa Olivia, released last month was obviously influenced by politics and current events; less obviously, by Love and Rockets, the series of graphic novels by Los Bros Hernandez; not obviously at all, by my secret long-standing desire to write a book set in a conflicted bordertown and my covert affinity for the sport of boxing. But at the heart of the novel is the concept of a young woman genetically incapable of feeling fear, and I haven’t the slightest notion where that came from.

In Naamah’s Kiss, the divine bear worshipped by my heroine Moirin and her mother’s folk doubtless has roots in Richard Adams’ Shardik, while the sequence set in my alternate China owes a debt to sumptuous films like Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Zhang Yimou’s Hero and House of Flying Daggers; although I would never have been able to bring aspects of my vision to life if it weren’t for a trip to China, where the splendid landscape itself served as inspiration.

Ultimately, I find inspiration is a matter of being observant and keeping my mind open to new ideas from any source. Just the other month, I was at the Art Institute of Chicago, and in the Antiquities gallery, came across a beautifully detailed model of a boat meant to ferry the souls of the dead to the afterlife. Something clicked with my not-yet-fully-articulated plan for the final volume of the new trilogy, and I thought, “Hmm, I might just need such a boat.”

And if I use it, I’ll have one more concrete answer to the question, “Where do you get your ideas?” The Art Institute of Chicago, of course!

——————–

Jacqueline Carey is the bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Kushiel’s Legacy series of historical fantasy novels and The Sundering epic fantasy duology.

She currently lives in west Michigan, where she is a member of the oldest Mardi Gras krewe in the state. Although often asked by inquiring fans, she does not, in fact, have any tattoos.

You can read more about Jacqueline Carey on her website HERE.

A huge thank you to Jacqueline for the article! I’ll have to check out some of the mentioned influences now.

Giveaway Information:

Good luck!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!!!

Title: Naamah’s Kiss

Author: Jacqueline Carey

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: June 24, 2009
Hardcover: 656 pages

Stand alone or series: Book one of a new series set in the same world as the Kushiel’s Legacy books, though following a completely new heroine. Naamah’s Kiss stands on its own, but fans of the two prior trilogies will feel at home with Ms. Carey’s new series.

Why did I read this book: All cards on the table: Jacqueline Carey is one of my favorite authors. Period. The Phedre trilogy is my second all-time favorite series. I don’t think there’s any force that could have stopped me from reading Naamah’s Kiss.

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Once there were great magicians born to the Maghuin Dhonn; the folk of the Brown Bear, the oldest tribe in Alba. But generations ago, the greatest of them all broke a sacred oath sworn in the name of all his people. Now, only small gifts remain to them. Through her lineage, Moirin possesses such gifts – the ability to summon the twilight and conceal herself, and the skill to coax plants to grow.

Moirin has a secret, too. From childhood onward, she senses the presence of unfamiliar gods in her life; the bright lady, and the man with a seedling cupped in his palm. Raised in the wilderness by her reclusive mother, it isn’t until she comes of age that Moirin learns how illustrious, if mixed, her heritage is. The great granddaughter of Alais the Wise, child of the Maghuin Donn, and a cousin of the Cruarch of Alba, Moirin learns her father was a D’Angeline priest dedicated to serving Naamah, goddess of desire.

After Moirin undergoes the rites of adulthood, she finds divine acceptance…on the condition that she fulfill an unknown destiny that lies somewhere beyond the ocean. Or perhaps oceans. Beyond Terre d’Ange where she finds her father, in the far reaches of distant Ch’in, Moirin’s skills are a true gift when facing the vengeful plans of an ambitious mage, a noble warrior princess desperate to save her father’s throne, and the spirit of a celestial dragon.

Review:

Moirin mac Fainche is of the royal bloodline of Alais de la Courcel, but lives in the wild woods of Alba as one of the few remaining Maghuin Dhonn, inheriting her knowledge and small gifts of magic from her mother. Moirin’s father, however, is a D’Angeline priest, descended from the godly lines of Anael and Naamah herself. And so, Moirin is a child of two worlds, touched by two sets of Gods, each with important purposes for her. When she becomes old enough to be tested by the Maghuin Dhonn, the great mother bear reveals herself to Moirin, but shows her that Moirin’s destiny lies not in Alba with her people, but across the Straits to the land of her father, and beyond to lands further than she ever could have imagined.

Moirin leaves the open woods and is welcomed with open arms into Terre D’Ange. In a twist of fate, Moirin finds herself in the home of Raphael de Mereliot – charming courtier, lover of the Queen of Terre D’Ange, and magic-dabbling physician. Soon, Moirin – welcomed as an exotic distraction – is embroiled in D’Angeline court politics, caught up in the schemes between Raphael’s dreams of power and Queen Jehanne’s mercurial moods.

Following her diadh-anam, the spark of spirit within guided by the Maghuin Dhonn, Moirin travels from Terre D’Ange to the strange and far land of Ch’in with Master Lo Feng and his magpie Bao, to save a young warrior princess under a horrible curse, and to stop impending war.

Naamah’s Kiss is Jacqueline Carey writing in her element – her writing is as luscious, beautiful and captivating as ever. This is fantasy on an epic scale, encompassing magic, romance, heartache, war, and destiny. As a huge fan of the first two trilogies, I have to admit I was a little nervous as Moirin’s tale is set a hundred years after Imriel’s last book. Though there are references to Phedre and Imriel with a few easter eggs sprinkled throughout, I ultimately loved Ms. Carey’s decision to focus this new trilogy on an entirely new character as a fresh start, leaving Phedre and Imriel’s happy endings gloriously preserved.

As a new heroine, Moirin is exquisite. Ms. Carey excels at creating distinct characters; though I feared that Moirin would be too similar to Phedre, she most certainly stands apart as a heroine in her own right. While Phedre is D’Angelline down to the scarlet mote in her eye, polished, sultry and smoothly navigates troubled political waters, Moirin is raw, headstrong, and passionate. Unrefined in the realms of the political (or the realms of Naamah’s arts, for that matter), Moirin relies less on her savvy and more on her heart, believing in her Alban and D’Angeline gods and the spark of her diadh-anam to guide her. While Phedre’s destiny was sealed by a prick in her left eye and Imriel’s by his parentage, Moirin grapples with her fate – she knows not what her purpose is, only that she has a destiny, and she trusts blindly in that knowledge. Also, unlike her D’Angeline successors, Moirin brings a new perspective to the world of Terre D’Ange; through her eyes, readers see the glimmering beauty of the court, but also see its excesses and pettiness (something Phedre would never admit to). There is intrigue and scheming, but Moirin is not an active, maneuvering player in these games. Her gift from Naamah is desire, in her ability to give and to crave this passion, and this leads Moirin true throughout her adventures.

The plot of Naamah’s Kiss is decidedly less reliant on political intrigue than Phedre or Imriel’s adventures, and, reflecting Moirin as a narrator, is more driven by relationships and passion. The story is complex and sprawling, spanning across three vastly different lands – from the serene woods of Alba to the glitter of the D’Angeline court, and finally the mystical yet troubled land of the Ch’in. Alba and Terre D’Ange we already know, but the journey to Ch’in is completely, stunningly new. In Ms. Carey’s alternate China, Ch’in is an exotic new world, with magic and spirits of its own, and it is portrayed lovingly here. An imprisoned dragon, a cursed princess, family betrayal – it is all here in Naamah’s Kiss.

Finally, one cannot write a review for Jacqueline Carey’s books without mentioning her lush, rich prose. Naamah’s Kiss is no exception.

The stone doorway stood behind me.

But beyond it lay the sea. It sparkled in the bright sunlight, waves rippling and churning, stretching all the way to the horizon. Overhead, gulls wheeled in teh blue sky uttering raucous cries.

I looked back.

The Maghuin Dhonn Herself regarded me with infinite compassion. I took a deep breath, my body trembling. I didn’t understand, not really. And yet the spark inside me knew. “I have a very long way to go, don’t I?” I asked softly.

She didn’t answer.

I wiped my eyes. “May I at least keep this memory?”

Her great head dipped in consent.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “I don’t know where it is I’m meant to go or what it is I’m meant to do, but ‘ll try to make You proud.”

Brightness shimmered and the expression on Her face changed. It was a look like my mother’s embrace, hard and fierce. And it said without words that whatever came to pass, I was Hers. Her joy and Her pride, now and always and forever. My heart too ful for words, I nodded in silent acknowledgment. It was a gift of grace I would cary with me always.

She left and did not look back.

I’ve said before that Ms. Carey is one of those writers whose words make me fall in love, break my heart and leave me filled with a sense of wonder and longing – and such is Naamah’s Kiss. Like her gods, Ms. Carey uses her characters hard, but it is worth every ache and pain along the way.

I loved Naamah’s Kiss, and cannot wait to return to Moirin’s story.

Notable Quotes/Parts: The heartbreaking last climactic chapters are riveting and bittersweet. But to say more, I run the risk of spoiling.

You can read an excerpt from the first chapter of this book on Jacqueline Carey’s website, HERE.

Additional Thoughts: Ms. Carey’s alternate fantasy universe is now seven books strong; two completed trilogies, with Naamah’s Kiss marking the beginning of a third.

If you haven’t yet been introduced to the world of Terre D’Ange and beyond, I strongly urge you to hurry up already! Phedre’s trilogy (beginning with Kushiel’s Dart) is still my favorite, but for new readers with no knowledge of the prior books Naamah’s Kiss is a fine place to start.

Verdict: Naamah’s Kiss is everything I have come to expect from a Jacqueline Carey novel: decadent prose, passionate characters, and high fantasy adventure. Easily my favorite read of the year, thus far – and I cannot wait to read more. Bravo.

Rating: 9 Damn Near Perfection – Narrowly missing a 10 because, being fair, Naamah’s Kiss isn’t quite as good as Kushiel’s Dart or Kushiel’s Avatar…but I have an inkling that the next installment quite possibly will break that threshold.

Reading Next: Darkness Calls by Marjorie M. Liu

Tomorrow, Jacqueline Carey guest blogs about her inspirations and influences for Naamah’s Kiss! Make sure to stick around to read her thoughts, and also for a chance to win 1 of 5 copies of this book…

Flash giveaway winner:

The winner of the Historical Flash giveaway is: Raina

Congratulations! Please send your snail mail address to contact AT thebooksmugglers DOT com, and we will send you the books ASAP.

Don’t Forget…

…to read the amazing interview with Loretta Chase and to enter the contest for Don’t Tempt Me which runs till next Saturday.

This Week on The Book Smugglers:

On Monday Thea reviews sci-fi title Consorts of Heaven by Jaine Fenn.

Tuesday, Ana reviews Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran.

On Wednesday, Thea reviews Naamah’s Kiss by one of her very favorite authors, Jacqueline Carey! Namaah’s Kiss is the start of a new trilogy set in the the same fantasy universe as the Kushiel’s Legacy series, but following an entirely new protagonist. (Thea has already placed this new title on the shortlist for her Best Books of 2009 list!)

We’ve invited Jacqueline Carey to write a piece for our Inspirations and Influences feature, to which she has graciously accepted! The article will be posted on Thursday, when you will also have a chance to win one of FIVE copies of Naamah’s Kiss! So stay tuned…

On Friday, Ana reviews What Happens in London by one of her favorite authors, Julia Quinn.

AND finally, on Saturday, we will be bringing you the latest victim in our Dare feature, as Tia from the fabulous Fantasy Debut gives us her review to horror novel Ghost Story by Peter Straub.

We’ll also be over at Tia’s, serving up our joint review of her counter-dared novel, the classic fantasy title The Once and Future King by T.H. White.

Phew. It’s a busy week, and we hope you enjoy!

Howdy !!!

We shall start by saying: yay, Roger Federer beat Roland Garros!!! He now holds the record (along with Pete Sampras) of 14 grand- slams titles. Congratulations to Federer – we are great fans here at the UK based office of the Book Smugglers!

OK, not that I got that off my chest, moving on to:

Winners of the Flash Giveaway:

The two winners, randomly picked by Ramdon.Org are

Christina (comment number 41)

And

Kimik (comment number 4)

Congratulations! Please send your snail mail address to contact AT thebooksmugglers DOT com

We would also like to say thank you to all of you that entered the contest – we will have a few more of Flash giveaways in the upcoming weeks, so stay tuned!

This week on the Book Smugglers

Monday

Last week, Ana reviewed a YA book, The Demon’s Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan, a book that is already shortlisted for her top 10 of 2009. Because the book is so damn good, we invited the author to write a piece on her Inspiration and Influences for us and are delighted to say that she said yes. So tomorrow come by to see what she has to say and for a chance to win one of 5 copies of her books and a special goodie bag she is so generously giving away.

Tuesday

Ana reviews the Fantasy novel The Adamantine Palace by debut author Stephen Deas. There will be dragons, folks!

Wednesday

We will do a joint review of Night’s Rose by Annaliese Evans. The book is a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale and we were both really looking forward to reading it and…. the book is not quite what we expected.

Thursday

Ana reviews Mark of the Demon by another debut author, Diana Rowland. The book is not out till June 23rd but already the word on the internets is that it is very good.

Friday

Thea reviews two YA post-apocalyptic novels : Gone and Hunger by Michael Grant.

Upcoming:

The next few weeks will be sort of crazy around these bands. We have LOADS of new books to review and super cool guests. On the Romance front, Loretta Chase will be interviewed by Ana on her new book Don’t Tempt Me in two weeks;

Then, on the Fantasy front, author Jacqueline Carey has written an exclusive article for our Inspiration and Influences feature. We will publish it around the 24th when her new book Naamah’s Kiss is coming out.

We are very excited about both of these and also about:

YA APPRECIATION MONTH.

It is coming.

~ your friendly neighborhood book smugglers

Title: Santa Olivia

Author: Jacqueline Carey

Genre: Urban/Contemporary Fantasy

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: May 2009
Paperback: 352 pages

Stand alone or series: A stand alone novel that can be read on its own, however a sequel is in the works.

Why did I read this book: Jacqueline Carey is one of my absolute favorite authors – her Kushiel’s Legacy books are among my all time favorite novels, period. So, when I heard that she would be extending her considerable writing talents to an urban fantasy type of novel – with the promise of her take on not only werewolves, but superhero comics! – I was foaming at the mouth.

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Lushly written with rich and vivid characters, SANTA OLIVIA is Jacqueline Carey’s take on comic book superheroes and the classic werewolf myth.

Loup Garron was born and raised in Santa Olivia, an isolated, disenfranchised town next to a US military base inside a DMZ buffer zone between Texas and Mexico. A fugitive “Wolf-Man” who had a love affair with a local woman, Loup’s father was one of a group of men genetically-manipulated and used by the US government as a weapon. The “Wolf-Men” were engineered to have superhuman strength, speed, sensory capability, stamina, and a total lack of fear, and Loup, named for and sharing her father’s wolf-like qualities, is marked as an outsider.

After her mother dies, Loup goes to live among the misfit orphans at the parish church, where they seethe from the injustices visited upon the locals by the soldiers. Eventually, the orphans find an outlet for their frustrations: They form a vigilante group to support Loup Garron who, costumed as their patron saint, Santa Olivia, uses her special abilities to avenge the town.

Aware that she could lose her freedom, and possibly her life, Loup is determined to fight to redress the wrongs her community has suffered. And like the reincarnation of their patron saint, she will bring hope to all of Santa Olivia.

Review:

In a not-so-distant future, a superflu pandemic sweeps through nations, rendering many sick or dead. During the ensuing crisis, ruthless leader El Segundo threatens and war is declared between the United States and Mexico. A buffer zone is constructed, insulating the States from the Mexican border – and towns like Santa Olivia, Texas learn that they are no longer a part of the country, but are reduced to no-nationality outposts in a US Army zone. Carmen Garron is one of the many displaced former citizens, living in Santa Olivia, working as a waitress. After her first true love, a soldier and fighter in the US Army, is killed and she gives birth to his son, Carmen resigns herself to raising her son and never loving again. One day, however, a strange man comes through the diner, and Carmen is instantly drawn to him. Martin, the drifter, is no ordinary man but one of the “Lost Boys” – young children whose genetics the government experimented on, creating wolf-human hybrids in the jungles of Haiti. Martin is stronger and faster than normal humans, but the defining characteristic of he and his brethren is the inability to feel fear. Though Martin believes that his kind are sterile, Carmen soon becomes pregnant – and though Martin and Carmen are deeply in love, Martin is forced to leave Santa Olivia forever, before Carmen gives birth. Before he leaves, Martin makes Tommy, Carmen’s first son, promise to take care of his baby sister or brother, and he makes Carmen promise that regardless of the child’s sex, she will name it Loup, for the loup garrou – the French name of their kind. Months later, Carmen gives birth to a baby girl – Loup Garron – who is every bit as strong, fast, and fearless as her father was.

The years pass, and Carmen succumbs to another wave of sickness that passes through the town, leaving Tommy and Loup alone in the world. While Tommy has always loved his baby sister and has taught her well, he cannot afford to feed and look out for her – and he dedicates himself to boxing, like his father before him. The Army General of the Santa Olivia outpost is a fight lover, and has promised any citizen a free ticket out of town and back into the United States if they can beat the Army champion in the ring. Tommy trains hard for his chance at the title fight, to save himself and Loup. In the meanwhile, Loup is sent to live at the town church, with a handful of other orphans. For the first time, Loup shares her secret abilities with others, and with her newfound friends, Loup becomes Santa Olivia in the flesh, serving justice on behalf of those who have no voice.

Santa Olivia is nothing like I expected it would be – it’s marketed as an urban fantasy-cum-superhero novel, but I don’t think that’s quite right. If anything, Santa Olivia is more Zorro than X-Men; more Julia Alvarez than Kelley Armstrong. This novel defies classification – it is a coming of age tale, a touching parable to the power of being different, a fight novel, and a love story. Santa Olivia is also a smartly written book with political undertones, taking elements of today’s culture and imagining ramifications gone awry: the actions of the armed forces stripping people of their rights, the creation of a false war in the name of national security, the permanent sealing of the border between the United States and Mexico to prevent illegal immigrants from seeping in.

Most importantly, as with with all of Ms. Carey’s books, Santa Olivia is a beautifully written book, its characters imbued with life, its prose smooth, flowing, captivating. From my first encounter with Ms. Carey in Kushiel’s Dart, I fell in love with her poetic, luscious writing, and Santa Olivia is no exception. For example:

It had been declared illegal for military personnel to wed denizens of Outpost.

“Why?” Carmen Garron asked her first soldier-lover…

“Because.” He stroked her warm flesh, her skin damp with sweat. His face looked a little naked without his glasses, but his gaze was sharp and earnest…”Everything that happens here is classified. We’re not allowed to talk about it. And you’re not allowed to leave.”

She looked at the top of his head as he bent to follow his hand with his lips. “What about the general’s offer? The boxing?”

He glanced up and laughed. “No one will ever win. And anyway, General Argyle’s a little crazy.”

“Okay,” Carmen said uncertainly.

Her lover peered at her. “So you understand?”

A little bird in her heart uttered a single warbling note and died. “Yes,” Carmen Garron said sadly to her first lover. “I understand.”

And later:

She was twenty years old, still in the first flush of youth, and he was her first love — her first true love. His name was Tom Almquist, and on nights when she was alone, Carmen whispered his name to herself like a prayer. Like her first lover, he was earnest; like her second, he was funny, although it was humor of a slow, careful kind. But he was different.

“I’ll marry you,” he whispered the time the condom broke, his lips pressed to her temple. “Don’t worry. Either way, I will.”

“You can’t!” Carmen whispered back.

His massive shoulders rose and fell. “Don’t care. I will.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “I bet we catch El Segundo in six months’ time and all this will be over.”

It didn’t happen that way.

He would have kept his word if it had, because Tom Almquist was a determined young man, and when he found out that Carmen was pregnant for sure, it only made him more determined. He even talked to his commanding officer about Carmen. But two weeks after they knew for certain, Tom Almquist was killed when his squadron was sent to investigate a report that El Segundo’s men had breached the southern wall some twenty miles away. There was a breach, but it was a small one. And there was a booby trap and a bomb.

The bird in Carmen Garron’s heart went silent for a long time.

In the span of two pages, with periphery characters no less, Ms. Carey managed to draw me in, make me fall in love, and break my heart. Such is Santa Olivia.

In addition to being impeccably written, Ms. Carey’s characters are layered and completely, wholly real. Readers are privy to the thoughts and feelings of Loup (pronounced “Lou”), the protagonist. Loup is different, an outsider to her very core. Her entire life she has had to be careful – not to show her extraordinary strength and speed, so as not to hurt herself or others. Even when she hits puberty and grows into a pretty young woman, her friends and boyfriends avoid her touch, telling her she feels weird, that her kisses aren’t right, her body wrong. Though Loup cannot feel fear, she experiences every other range of human emotion – especially anger, love and heartbreak. When Loup is finally able to be herself, shedding her facade of normality – much like Superman sheds his Clark Kent – she is brilliant. I was riveted by Loup’s story, hoping and pulling for her the whole way.

Santa Olivia’s other characters are similarly fleshed out and well-written; all of the different orphans have distinct personalities, from the quiet, understanding Mack to the flirtatious, passionate Pilar. My other favorite characters, however, would have to be Miguel Garza and Coach Roberts. Miguel begins in the story as almost a villain character, but grows and changes as the story progresses, especially as he and Loup become sparring partners and odd friends. Coach Roberts is all Clint Eastwood in Million Dollar Baby – grizzly, determined, and believing in his fighter, young Loup. On that note, Santa Olivia also happens to be – against all expectation – a boxing book, much to my delight as a pretty big fight fan. Ms. Carey’s scenes in the gym, as Loup trains, and in the ring are testament to a love of the sweet science.

At its heart, Santa Olivia is a story – and one that is near impossible to put down. The characters are beautifully written, but it is the plot and the setting that drives this novel. The town of Santa Olivia, or Outpost 12 as named by the military, is a Texas border town, with strong Mexican roots. The people are disillusioned, hopeless in the face of their military watchguards. Though Catholicism is strong in the roots of the town, their patron saint, Santa Olivia, seems to have forgotten about her children. The oppression and the hunger of the people for something to believe in is palpable throughout the book, and it’s a stroke of brilliance when the orphans of the church decide to take justice in their own hands. In this sense, Santa Olivia is a mantle, breathed into life because of the needs of the people, and kept alive through the faith of the people – much like Zorro.

Finally, there is the Urban Fantasy element to the book. Ms. Carey takes a modern, more realistic version of the werewolf myth – less supernatural magic, and more grounded in something far more sinister. Instead of shapeshifting, Loup and her kind are genetically engineered experiments; strong, fast, and fearless. They are wolf in name, but not in practice – a twist that I welcomed. This is not your run of the mill urban fantasy with a leather-clad chick and a bad attitude.

No, Santa Olivia has heart. And I absolutely loved it.

Notable Quotes/Parts: First, there is Loup’s appearance as Santa Olivia:

Alive.

It was a way to feel alive.

And there was the camaraderie of the Santitos — a clan, a pack. Jamie and Jane lending their wits, Mack his leadership. Everyone itching in, everyone doing their part. Giving people hope, giving people something to believe in. It felt good. It felt like the way things were supposed to feel…

“Fuck,” Loup muttered to herself, standing at the crossroads of Fisher and Juarez, the white kerchief tied neatly over her unruly hair, a dark kerchief masking the lower half of her face. Below, a pretty blue dress, beneath which Loup was sweating through a second set of clothes. She rolled the boulder into the center of the road from where Mack and Diego had left it, hauling it in a garbage cart under cover of darkness. Across from the apartment building was an abandoned gas station. An elderly woman sold tomatoes in front of the empty pumps. She looked curiously at Loup as she set up her wares.

The jeep came, kicking up a trail of dust.

Everything else went away.

The driver saw her and the boulder and braked. The jeep didn’t have a top. The driver stood up, shading his eyes. Beneath the rim of his helmet, he had dense eyebrows. The dimple in his chin was so deep it was in shadow.

“The fuck, bitch?” he called. “Move!”

“I bear a message from Santa Olivia,” Loup called, speaking from the script Jaime and Jane had written for her. “You destroyed an old man’s last happiness. Santa Olivia bids you repent of your thoughtless cruelty!”

The driver leaned on the horn. “Move your ass, you freakshow!”

Loup hoisted the boulder, positioning it on her right shoulder. There were words written on it in white paint Mack had found in a shed.

DOG KILLER.
SANTA OLIVIA DOES NOT FORGET.

The soldiers in the jeep gaped. She summoned a surge of strength and threw it hard. There was about a year of space between them. She didn’t want to hear the crash, the tinkle of glass splintering in a spiderweb, the soldiers’ surprised curses. She just fled.

Past the tenement, down the alley.

God, it felt good. Tommy had never let her go. Loup ran faster than she’d ever run in her life, faster than she’d run on the rooftops, faster than anyone had ever run.

Although, my favorite scene had to be that last boxing match; it’s Rocky-esque. I was holding my breath as Loup made her way into the ring.

The crowd quieted, uncertain, seeing only a smaller-than-expected figure in a vivid blue robe. She pushed back her hood. It could have been a loose white kerchief slipping from her hair.

The soldiers in the bleachers erupted in howls of laughter, hoots of derision, and catcalls of disappointment. But among the Outposters in the square, there was a hush as her name went around, its meaning dawning on them…

And on the heels of that revelation, a second significance dawned. A girl in a blue dress; a girl in a blue robe.

“Santa Olivia!” someone shouted.

Others took up the cry. “Santa Olivia! Santa Olivia!”

Brilliant.

Verdict: Santa Olivia is a beautiful, heartfelt book, told by a master storyteller. I loved every second of it. Highly recommended.

Rating: 8 Excellent

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: We are giving away five copies of Santa Olivia!

The contest is open only to residents of the US and Canada. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment here. The contest will run until Saturday, May 30 at midnight (PST). We will announce the five lucky winners at noon on Sunday in our weekly stash. Good luck!