Customer Reviews

Night's Rose

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Initially I thought I was going to enjoy Night's Rose. The first few chapters moved along well and I liked the characters, including the obligatory mysterious chap and a feisty and interesting heroine. However I soon found myself bogged down in confusing events and uneven pacing. The plot became less and less believable with mind-boggling leaps of intuition. The romance side was very disappointing and this book suffered greatly from the reader never knowing what was going to happen and having no boundaries as to what was impossible in this world (a problem I often find with books containing magic).

This reader lost interest about halfway through and found it a huge struggle to finish the book. There were some good possibilities within the story but the plot was too odd and the characters not developed enough for me to enjoy it.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2009

In this fantasy world set in 1750 England, you will find a plethora of mystical legendary creatures such as the Fey, Ogres, water sprites, brownies, vampires, and even some fire-breathing Wyrms!! DUDE!! The lead character, Rosemarie Edenberg, is an executioner of Ogres. She is known as the scourge to them, the Briar Rose, Woman of many thorns. Rose finds herself knee-deep in a prophecy and a plan plotted by the vile, human-eating Ogres to end her life once and for all.

Rose is modeled after the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, but with a dark and twisted edge. She does no wake after a hundred years' sleep to a kiss, and fall hopelessly in love with a knight in shining armor. The details of Rose's awakening are none too pleasant. As the story unfolds, we learn more and more of the relationships between the two men in Rose's life, the vampire Lord Shenley, and her Fey adviser Ambrose.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters, the world, all of it was very entertaining. Some very nice and surprising plot twists that hadn't even occurred to me. The complex relationships between Ambrose, Rose and Lord Shenely made this story an awesome addition to my keeper shelves. I just loved all the scenes with Rose and Lord Shenely. He's such a good guy...I mean vampire. I think there was an even dose of plot, character, and relationship development throughout. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good Urban Fantasy. Heck, I think anyone who likes a good paranormal would find this book engaging. The ending leaves you wondering if there may be some menage a troi action between Rose, Gareth and Ambrose in the next book!

Annaliese Evans takes the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale and makes it her own in Night's Rose, a mystical regency tale with fairies, goblins and vampires. For some reason I had first thought this was a YA book, but then as I began to read, the sexual tension and seduction of the heroine Rose by the naughty yet sublime vampire Gareth was more for the adult audience. Annaliese can sure write some steamy love scenes! Perhaps it has to do with her background in writing erotic romance for the on-line publishers, Ellora's Cave and Samhain as Anna J. Evans? Night's Rose is one of the few Historical Urban Fantasies I have read and I can tell you I am already anxious for the next installment in what I hope will be an on-going series.

The year is 1750, the place London, England. Comtesse de Fournier otherwise know as Rosemarie Edenberg, is the executioner for the Fey de la Nuit who controls and kills ogres. Ogres are nasty creatures that would wipe out the human race if they had the chance. Rosemarie is not alone in her mission. She has great support with Ambrose, her faerie advisor and mentor. These two have quite a past together. But then there is Gareth Barrow, Lord Shenley. Gareth is a vampire who seems to enjoy engaging in battle alongside Rosemarie. Gareth wants Rosemarie badly. He is an undead Lothario who pushes all of Rosemarie's buttons. Gareth will try his best to seduce Rose even though she acts as if he is as bad as the ogres she kills. Gareth is a very handsome smooth talker and Rosemarie can't help but to respond to him, especially after one-hundred years of constant loneliness she has endured.

Rose has been feeling out of sorts lately. She constantly looks over her shoulder and with Gareth always at her heels, she is never at peace. The one person she can turn to is Ambrose, but he treats her with disdain and a coldness she can't understand. It seems the orges are no longer working alone but may have some fey helping them gain power. Ambrose is keeping secrets from Rose and because of it, she is placed in great danger. Gareth wants to protect Rose, but for a price. He wants to claim her as his own. And when Rose finds out how Ambrose betrayed her so many years ago, she decides to turn her back on everything she has believed in.

Night's Rose is a dark and sexual fairy tale. Rosemarie is a woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders who feels cursed. Before she became an immortal fairy, she was in a deep sleep that lasted a century. When she awoke, she found herself in hell. She was raped and became pregnant by an ogre, the very creature she despises. Her life has not been an easy one because so many that have betrayed her. She may have the strength and the power to defeat her foes with her sword, but when it comes to finding peace and happiness, that has eluded her all her life.

Rosemarie is involved in a love triangle with Ambrose and Gareth. Gareth at first may seem to be comparable to a villain because his actions are very shady. Rose responds to this seductive vampire and if she gives in, she knows her heart and souls may be lost. She is counting on Ambrose to lead her in the right direction, but because of his own issues and guilt over the wrongs he has done to Rose, he must let her fend for herself.

Annaliese Evans has written a magical tale that both fantasy and romance readers alike will enjoy. The love scene between Rose and Gareth are passionate and will leave you panting for more. Night's Rose is a world of mystical creatures and legends that will have you enthralled till the very last page. Tor have a very good thing indeed with Annaliese Evans.

Katiebabs

This book was both refreshing and drab at the same time. I have not read many romance novels that included orcs, trolls, and Dark Fey. It seems that some angry paranormal romance god out there only wants us to read about vampires, werewolves, and crazy chicks specializing in working with the deceased.

Again, another novel easily recognized as a early work of the author. While the plot was fairly simple to understand, it was far more than I hoped for when I picked up this novel. I had grown so used to other paranormal romances and their stale plots that this particular novel did not seem any different. And in a way, it was not. Again, we are presented with another novel about someone trying to take over the world in some way or another. It was how this devious little rebel Fey went about it. I mean, how many people think of manipulating orcs into casting a summoning spell that will bring about a beast so gargantuan that the earth itself was the only prison that could hold it?

The ending was massively confusing, however. One minute we have a battle and this giant trying to break free, and the next page is the epilogue talking about the aftermath. I honestly felt like I was left hanging. But that was not what killed it for me. After the main character, Rose, so adamantly professes her deep love for her husband, Garreth, and her undying need to prove her loyalty and said love for him, in the last pages, she is ponders on whether or not her husband would be okay with having a menage with her and her husband's half brother, Ambrose. It was such a wrench in the plot that I was taken by surprise. I knew that the Rose had feelings for her husband's half-brother before she married, yet, at the same time, I felt that Evans pretty much killed those feelings when she married Rose and Garreth. When, all of sudden, Rose is wanting to have sex with Ambrose, I wanted to reach through the pages and smacked that fool across the face. What was this crazy b**** thinking?!?

Oh, not to mention the scene halfway through the novel when Rose begs Garreth to have sex with her in not so subtle, or ladylike, words. I actually laughed when reading it. I guess that the scene just seems so out of place that it was humorous.

Other than the few out place scenes, I really enjoyed this novel. About three fourths way through, the building of the plot finally climaxed, fizzling out as it does so, but, by that point, Evans has revealed all of her twist in the plot and the only thing left to do is gracefully end the novel. Once all the juicy little secrets have been laid on the table, the novel becomes slow and difficult to finish, but is a worthwhile novel from a budding author. I could have done without the Sleeping Beauty theme though. I love fairy tales interpreted for adults, but I felt this novel would have been even better without it

Historical paranormal romance set in London in the 1700's. Two very likable hero's, Gareth the vampire and Ambrose the black faery Fey advisor. One very likable herione, Rosemarie, an ogre scourge (assasin) blessed by several faeries at birth. An orge uprising causes Gareth, Ambrose and Rose to fight with everything they have to save there lives and the lives of the human population. Several others are thrown in this plot including the Seelie and Fey of the Nuit courts, black faeries, trolls, wryms, wraiths, vampires, a water sprite and elves. This is a very creative story line and characters. The character development is even more deepend in the sequel Prince of Frogs. I enjoyed this mystery/suspense paranormal romance. The romance isn't as explored as it is in the sequel, but this is only the beginning.

I am not a "savor the book" sort of reader. I am a "read through the night" kind of reader. That being said, I feel this book could have been streamlined down. I read the first third, had to skip the middle and went to the end. I think a reader who likes to read a little each night and "make it last", will probably really like this book. Lots happening in this book, romance(s),magic, fighting, politics, and good vs evil. I would have liked a little more set up history. That being said, you do hit the ground running.

This is a Historical Urban Fantasy... with a faerie tale twist. Sleeping Beauty to be more specific. I've never been a fan of Sleeping Beauty, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book, more than I thought I would.

This was an enchanting story. With all sorts of species from fantasy: ogre's, fairies, elves, trolls, vampires. Plus Rose has two very sexy companions, Ambrose and Lord Shenley who make the story even more intriguing. The three of them have a very interesting dynamic and I can't wait to see what unfolds for them in the next book.

"Nights Rose" has a plot I couldn't resist. Fairy Tale "Sleeping Beauty" (I love dark or re-told fairy tales) neets paranormal. I am addicated to paranormal novels. Give me vampires, shift-changers, demons and the like all day long. Unfortunately only this basic premise is perfect. Rose is the one once called Briar Rose, the princess who was cursed by a dark fey to sleep for 100 years. But Briar Rose awakened to find she had been raped by an ogre and now she is working her revenge as an ogre killer for the Fey community. Her family perished and she has few people left in her life besides a few servants. There is fey Ambrose, her friend and advisor and the charasmatic vampire Gareth, who helps her with her slayings. I think this story's strength lies in Rose's original and compelling backstory. Sadly, not enough time is spent on it, nor on the action packed ogre fighting or the mystery of solving the plot to uncover who is trying to kill Rose and use her blood for dark magic. Gareth is a delightful romantic interest and I found the banter between the two delightful and fun. The joy I felt for this romance was nearly killed by Rose's lust for Ambrose. I am not a fan of triangles and I do enjoy romance in my books...but to have one person claim to love two people equally kills my idea of romantic bliss. This triangle was soured even more because Ambrose repeatedly proved he was unworthy of Rose's feelings. One other disappontment was the ending. The confrontation scene at the end was vague and ended too suddenly for my liking. It shouldn't have been that easy after all the build up. Evan's scene setting and language was beautiful. I enjoyed reading this story in the most basic sense but just found myself frusterated several times. I would have enjoyed this book more if it had slightly less attention given to the triangular romance and more to the battles and historical fantasy world. I did enjoy Gareth so much that I may have to still pick up the upcoming sequel but I won't allow myself to be as excited about it as I was for this one.

Wow! This was an incredible non-stop action book! And using the "Sleeping Beauty" story as part of the whole story line was absolutely ingenious!

I was at the part where Rose...and learns...and finds out... All I can say is with raised eye brows I hollared out loud "holy $#!%" Then I happended to glance at where I was in the book thinking it had to be close to the end but nope! Not even close! I was only half way through!

Wonderfully written, rich characters that literally came to life...this was a 5* 1-night read for me!

I can't wait to see what Ms. Evans does with Cinderella? Snow White? Fantastic fantasy!! Reminded me of my very first Sherrilyn Kenyon book! Enjoy! =)

P.S. I love the cover! Anywhere I can buy this gown? =D

Wonderful paranormal romance!!! It has everything you could want; all types of other worldly beings - vamps, fey, elves, ogres, and demons - what a world! There's action, a feisty heroine, suspense, hot guys with lots of fire and passion and sensual love scenes. Fans of paranormal romance: You will love this book!!!