Book Review: The Queen's Price by Anne Bishop

The Queen's Price
Author: Anne Bishop
Series: Black Jewels (Book 12)
Publication: Ace (March 7, 2023)

Description: Enter the dark and sensual realms of the Black Jewels in this sweeping story in the New York Times bestselling fantasy saga of three young women who must navigate life within the powerful SaDiablo family—and come to terms with Witch, the Queen who is still the heart and will of that family.

The Queen’s price is to stand against what you know is wrong. To stand and fight, no matter the cost to your court or to yourself. Especially to yourself.

Zoey, a young Queen-in-training at SaDiablo Hall, is wounded...and vulnerable to taunts and criticism. When an opportunity arises to befriend a stranger seeking sanctuary at the Hall, she puts herself and others in danger by ignoring Daemonar Yaslana’s warning to back off.

Meanwhile, the witch Jillian’s family prepares for her Virgin Night, the rite of passage that assures a woman will retain her power and her Jewels. The trouble is Jillian secretly went through the ceremony already. Now she has to explain the omission of that detail to her powerful and lethal family. And the High Lord of Hell’s daughter, Saetien, travels to Scelt to find out about Jaenelle Angelline’s sister—and perhaps to discover truths about herself.

With some guidance from Witch, these three young women will learn when to yield because it is right—and when to take a stand, even if they must pay the Queen’s price.

My Thoughts: THE QUEEN'S PRICE continues on from THE QUEEN'S WEAPONS this time focusing on the young women. The story mainly focuses on Zoey, a young Queen-in-Training, who was wounded in the first book and is trying to come to terms with the trauma and learn to be a good queen. 

Saetien's story continues as she tries to redeem herself from the costly mistakes in the first book and learn what her role and future will look like. She travels to Scelt because of a prophecy of a damaged Black Widow to learn about Witch who was once Jaenelle Angeline. She has always felt that she was in competition with Witch and had no hope of ever winning the competition. Now she gets a chance to learn about Jaenelle from one of the demon dead who knew her.

Jillian is also a star of this story. She's preparing for her Virgin Night which is a big deal in the culture and an even bigger deal when one's foster father is Lucivar Yaslana, Demon Prince and Warlord Prince of Ebon Rih, and one's foster uncle is Daemon Sadi, Warlord Prince of Dhemlan and High Lord of Hell. Her problem is that she already went through her Virgin Night and didn't tell them and now doesn't know how to do so. 

The story also features a couple of new characters. Grizande is a Tigre witch who was tortured and found her way to SaDiablo Hall because of the prophecy of another Black Widow. Brenda is an outspoken Witch who becomes a teacher at SaDiablo Hall and helps train the young Queens-in-Training and the others who will someday be parts of their courts.

The worldbuilding in this story is excellent. It is a rich and complex society that is describled. Still the focus of each person's story is their quest to find out what their role should be in their world. Each is a kind of coming-of-age story.

It was wonderful to revisit the world of the Black Jewels.

Favorite Quote:

"You stand for the land and the people you rule," Witch said quietly. "You stand against what you know is wrong, no matter who gives the command. You stand and fight, no matter the cost to your court or to you. Especially to you. There is no such thing as a small wrong, Zoela. Not when you're a Queen. That's how the taint begins."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Twilight's Dawn by Anne Bishop

Twilight's Dawn
Author: Anne Bishop
Series: Black Jewels (Book 9)
Publication: Roc (March 1, 2011)

Description: New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels novels have enthralled readers and critics alike. Now, in Twilight’s Dawn, she returns to the Blood realm with four captivating novellas...

WINSOL GIFTS

Daemon is settling into his first year of married life with his Witch Queen Jaenelle. But as the celebration of Winsol draws near, he finds himself pulled in multiple directions playing host to his formidable family.

SHADES OF HONOR

When wounded Surreal returns to Ebon Rih, her former lover Falonar ruthlessly challenges the rule of her family, testing Surreal’s resolve not to succumb to the darkness burning inside her.

FAMILY

When someone lays a vicious trap for Queen Sylvia and her sons, the ruling family of Dhemlan must uncover the identity of a vicious warlord before he returns to finish what he started.

THE HIGH LORD'S DAUGHTER

After losing two important people in his life, Daemon has built a wall around his heart. But when he inadvertently forges a new connection, will it be enough to free him from his loveless existence?

My Thoughts: The ninth book in the Black Jewels series contains four wonderful stories. WINSOL GIFTS is a great slice of life story that lets us see old favorite characters and experience the winter holidays the way the SaDiablo family does.

SHADES OF HONOR fills in the details about whatever happened to Falonar after he broke Surreal's heart.

FAMILY is the story of a betrayal and what the SaDiablo's do when someone messes with their family. Saetan's love Queen Sylvia is essentially ambushed when she goes on a simple family visit to a manor near Little Terreille. Her death needs to be avenged, her children protected, and the villain eliminated before he can do any more damage.

THE HIGH LORD'S DAUGHTER made me cry. It tells the story, centered around Daemon, after the love of his life - the woman he waited for for 1700 years - dies and leaves him to pick up his life and start again. There are a number of heart-wrenching losses in this one but lots of new children born too.

Favorite Quote:

"She throws herself at the world and is confident the world will catch her. And maybe it always will."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Shalador's Lady by Anne Bishop

Shalador's Lady
Author: Anne Bishop
Series: Black Jewels (Book 8)
Publication: Roc; 1 edition (January 25, 2010)

Description: Return to New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop’s world of the Black Jewels—where a Queen has emerged from the shadows to bring hope to an impoverished people…

For years the Shalador people suffered the cruelties of the corrupt Queens who ruled them, punishing those who dared show defiance, and forcing many more into hiding. And even though the refugees have found sanctuary in Dena Nehele, they have never been able to call it home.

Now that Dena Nehele has been cleansed of tainted Blood, the Rose-Jeweled Queen, Lady Cassidy, knows that restoring the land will require all her heart and courage as she summons the untested power within her, a power capable of consuming her if she cannot control it.

And even if Lady Cassidy survives her trial by fire, other dangers await. For the Black Widows see visions within their tangled webs that something is coming that will change the land—and Lady Cassidy—forever...

My Thoughts: Lady Cassidy is trying to be a good Queen for Dena Nahele except Theran Greyhaven is undermining her at every step. He isn't shy about his disappointment that she isn't prettier and more powerful. Fortunately the rest of her dozen sworn Warlords and Warlord Princes are much happier with her. So are the landen and the other people she rules over in Greyhaven.

She takes a trip to the Shalador Reserve in Eyota to meet more of the Shaladoran Queens and discovers a land parched and almost barren. She knows how to transfer her power to enrich the land but she has never dealt with a land so empty. She almost drains all of her power and shatters her jewels before her Court realizes what's happening and takes her away.

After she recovers, she returns to Greyhaven to find the she has a visitor. Lady Kermilla, the Queen who took her Court away from her and ruined her confidence, has come for a visit (and to demand that Cassidy give her money to run her Court). Cassidy tells her to leave but Theran takes one look at her and realizes that Kermilla is the Queen he has been waiting for to cure Dena Nehele. Cassidy is ready to give up and leave until her loyal Court convinces her to return to Eyota and take her Court - minus Theran, there.

The story splits viewpoints. We see Cassidy and her Court in Eyota, Theran dealing with Kermilla and Dena Nehele, and Kermilla who is self-absorbed, selfish, hedonistic, and has a major sense of entitlement. It was painful watching Theran making excuses for her and dealing with her very expensive tastes. The contrast with Cassidy and her behavior couldn't have been clearer.

This story also saw Gray finally maturing after the trauma he suffered at age fifteen. He picks wonderful role models and teachers in Saetan, Daemon, and Lucivar. I loved the scelties who came to Cassidy's Court to help and teach and herd their human sheep.

This was a very entertaining entry into the Black Jewels series.

Favorite Quote:

Jaenelle said some people need a hard lesson in order to learn and grow -- and some people are the hard lesson.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: The Shadow Queen by Anne Bishop

The Shadow Queen
Author: Anne Bishop
Series: Black Jewels (Book 7)
Publication: Roc (February 2, 2009)

Description: In a tumultuous world ruled by witches and warlocks who wear their power as jewels, one Queen’s chance at redemption is the last hope for a desperate people in this novel set in the world of the Black Jewels...

Theran Grayhaven is the last of his line, desperate to restore the land of Dena Nehele. But first he needs to find a Queen who knows Protocol, remembers the Blood’s code of honor, and lives by the Old Ways.

Languishing in the Shadow Realm, Lady Cassidy is a Queen without a court, a castoff. But when she is chosen to rule Dena Nehele, she must convince bitter men to serve once again.

Theran’s cousin Gray is a Warlord Prince who was damaged in mind and body by the vicious Queens who once ruled Dena Nehele. Yet something about Cassidy makes him want to serve—and makes him believe he can be made whole once again.

And only Cassidy can prove to Gray—and to herself—that wounds can heal and even the whisper of a promise can be fulfilled...

My Thoughts: This story has two main plot threads. In the largest one, Theran Grayhaven comes from Terreille to Kaeleer to call on an old favor from Daemon Sadi. He is a descendant of Jared and Lia (The Invisible Ring). He is living in a wartorn land. After Jaenelle cleansed the Blood of all of Dorothea's influence, the landen in Terreille revolted. This revolt was put down but Terreille, particularly Dena Nehele, lacks Queens. Those who survived are either to old or too young to create a court and restore the land.

Lady Cassidy is a Queen without a court. Her court was seduced away from her by a younger, prettier queen. She knows she's tall, gawky, and not pretty and her confidence has been wrecked by the desertion of the Warlords who should have stayed pledged to her. She is a friend of Jaenelle's and an excellent Queen who cares for her land and her people.

Daemon asks Jaenelle who suggests that Cassidy might be the one Theran needs. However, Theran takes one look at her and his disappointment is very clear to her. To him, her lack of beauty and power indicate a woman who won't be able to claim the loyalty of any of the Warlords and Warlord Princes who have fought to keep Dena Nehele.

Since the choice is Cassidy or no one, Theran reluctantly brings her to his home knowing that Daemon, Lucivar, and Saetan and other friends will be keeping an eye on the situation.

One of the first people Cassidy meets in Gray. Gray is Theran's cousin and a victim of the old Queens. He was captured at fifteen and tortured until he was rescued two years later. He only feels safe when he's working in the gardens at Grayhaven and still has an emotional age of fifteen. However, meeting Cassidy and falling in love with her make him willing to battle his hurts and grow up.

Meanwhile, Daemon is having a hard time convincing himself that Jaenelle can love the whole of himself. Even he has trouble with the part of himself known as the Sadist. And Saetan, who has retreated to the Keep, after giving control of Dhemlan to Daemon, finds out that even though Dorothea and her disciples are gone homegrown evil still exists which almost brings out the man who destroyed Zuulaman and almost costs him his sanity.

This was an excellent story filled with wonderful characters set in a fascinating world.

Favorite Quote:

"When a man has scars like that, there are boundaries he can't cross, lines he has to draw to keep himself whole. But those boundaries aren't as small as you might think, and a man can choose to live safe or he can choose to live right up to those lines. He might slip over a line every now and then, and that will hurt like a wicked bitch, but he might decide that what he gains will be worth the price."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Tangled Webs by Anne Bishop

Tangled Webs
Author: Anne Bishop
Series: Black Jewels, Book 6
Publication: Roc (March 4, 2008)

Description: New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop returns to the “bewitching” world of the Black Jewels with a tale that will “leave readers’ hearts pounding” (Publishers Weekly).

The invitation was signed Jaenelle Angelline, she who had been both Witch and Queen...

Surreal SaDiablo, the former courtesan and assassin, is the first to arrive—only to find herself trapped in a nightmare created by the tangled webs of Black Widow witches. And if she uses Craft to defend herself, she risks being sealed in the house forever.

Now, Jaenelle and her family must rescue Surreal and the others inside without becoming trapped themselves—and uncover the monsters capable of designing such an evil place...

My Thoughts: A new author has taken the Blood by storm. Jarvis Jenkell is a famous author among the landen. He has just learned that he is Blood and has decided to write a semi-autobiographical mystery series. Unfortunately, he doesn't know anything about actually being a member of the Blood and his attempts are laughable - to the Blood.

Jenkell's book gives Jaenelle an idea. She and Marian are going to create a "spooky house" that plays up to the landen's stereotypes of the Blood. Neither Daemon or Lucivar are really excited about this idea but they have a hard time saying no to Jaenelle.

Jenkell also has plans for a "spooky house." He wants to get back at the Blood who laughed at him. He is particularly angry at the SaDiablo family. He sends invitations to Lucivar, Daemon, and Surreal. Lucivar and Daemon don't respond for one reason or another but Surreal does and takes along her friend Warlord Prince Rainier.

Soon Surreal and Rainier find themselves trapped in Jenkell's house along with seven young adults. Everywhere they turn they find traps and dangers that they need to survive. They also need to find a way out without using Craft because each use of Craft closes one of the exits. Closing them all will leave them trapped forever.

Once Jaenelle, Daemon and Lucivar discover Jenkell's house, they have to find a way to outwit him and get their friends out. Jenkell will soon find out what it means to anger a Black-Jeweled Warrior Prince and Eyrien Warlord. And Jaenelle isn't pleased either!

I enjoyed this story despite a lot of spooky parts. Giggling spiders! Beetles! I loved seeing Daemon and Jaenelle's relationship now that they aren't in the middle of saving the world.

Favorite Quote:

Lucivar shrugged again. "Most people think in straight lines; Tersa thinks in squiggles. Just means it takes a little longer to get an answer when you ask her a question."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop

Dreams Made Flesh
Author: Anne Bishop
Series: Black Jewels, Book 5
Publication: Roc; Reprint edition (February 7, 2006)

Description: The Black Jewels Trilogy established Anne Bishop as an author whose “sublime skill...blend[s] the darkly macabre with spine-tingling emotional intensity”(SF Site). Now, the saga continues in this collection that includes four more adventures of Jaenelle and her kindred…

Jaenelle is the most powerful Witch ever known, centuries of hopes and dreams made flesh at last. She has forged ties with three of the realm’s mightiest Blood warriors: Saetan, the High Lord of Hell, who trains Jaenelle in magic and adopts her as his daughter; Lucivar, the winged Eyrien warlord who becomes her protector; and the near-immortal Daemon, born to be Witch’s lover. Jaenelle has assumed her rightful place as Queen of the Darkness and restored order and peace to the realms, but at a terrible cost.

Collected here are the beguiling stories about the origin of the mystical Jewels, the forbidden passion between Lucivar and a simple hearth witch, the clash between Saetan and a Priestess, and the choice Jaenelle must make, between her magic and happiness with Daemon...

My Thoughts: This anthology contains four stories set in the Black Jewels universe.

Weaver of Dreams tells how spiders learned from a dying dragon how to weave webs that can hold or create lives.

The Prince of Ebon Rih takes place after the events of Heir to the Shadows and tells the story of Lucivar's courtship of Marian.

Zuulaman tells a story from Saetan's past when he was married to Hekatah and the Warlord Prince of Dhemlan. A country called Zuulaman tries to get the best of his country, aided by the 100 families of Hyall and Hekatah, and Saetan shows them just what a black-jeweled warlord prince can do.

Kaeleer's Heart tells what happens after the events of Queen of the Darkness when Jaenelle heals quite changed and Daemon wonders if she doesn't love him anymore. Their relationship is complicated by someone who wants to ruin Daemon's reputation and wreck his relationship with Jaenelle so that he will turn to her. He shows everyone why he was nicknamed the Sadist while he was a pleasure slave in Terreille.

All of these stories were great at providing more about the fascinating Black Jewels world. The Prince of Ebon Rih and Kaeleer's Heart were also wonderful romances.

Favorite Quote:

"Moon's blood only throws me offstride three days out of a month. A cock makes a man potentially stupid at any hour of any day."

"You have such faith in the male gender," he said blandly.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: The Invisible Ring by Anne Bishop

The Invisible Ring
Author: Anne Bishop
Series: Black Jewels, Book 4
Publication: Roc; Reprint edition (June 3, 2008)

Description: New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop returns to the world of her Black Jewels Trilogy with a prequel that follows a man who is determined to rebel against the course set before him...

Jared is a Red-Jeweled Warlord bound as a pleasure slave by the Ring of Obedience. After suffering nine years of torment as a slave, he murdered his owner and escaped—only to be caught and sold into slavery once again.

Purchased by a notorious queen, Jared fears he will share the mysterious fate of her other slaves—never to be seen again—and so prepares himself for death. But the Gray Lady may not be what she seems and Jared soon faces a difficult decision: his freedom, or his honor...

My Thoughts: This is a prequel to the Black Jewels trilogy. Because some of the characters come from long-lived races, there are a couple of characters who appear in the first trilogy. The villain of this piece is Black Widow and Priestess Dorothea SaDiablo who is also the villain of the first trilogy.

In this one, we see Dorothea's plots and plans as she tries to eliminate any woman of the Blood who might rival her strength and encourage those women who share her views. She is spreading her corrupt version of the Blood to nearby countries. She would especially like to get rid of the Gray-Jeweled Queen who rules a territory called Dena Nehele.

The second continuing character is Daemon Sadi, a major hero in the first trilogy, who is a pleasure slave owned by Dorothea and lent out to other queens. He is doing everything he can to undermine Dorothea's plans and support those who oppose her.

The hero of this story is Jared, a Red-Jeweled Warlord from Shalodor, who has been a pleasure slave for nine years. The story begins with him at auction because he killed the Queen who owned him and her Prince too. He is destined to die in the salt mines of Pruul until he is purchased by the mysterious Gray Lady.

Jared finds himself among a group of slaves purchased by the Grey Lady and on his way to Dena Nehele. He decides that he will escape as soon as he can and head home to Shalador where he needs to make things right with his mother.

Plans quickly go awry when the group finds itself hunted by the Master of the Guard for Dorothea - a thoroughly corrupt man who will do anything to keep himself safe from Dorothea's punishments. The story is filled with adventure and action and danger for our heroes. It was interesting to watch Jared remember what he was taught as a child about honor and service and watch him pledge that service to his Gray Lady.

This was an engaging Dark Fantasy that adds to the Black Jewels series by letting readers get a glimpse of how the world of the first three books came to be.

Favorite Quote:

He'd once believed in service and honor. Now all he believed in was cold hatred and rage. He was a Red-Jeweled Warlord from Shalador. He was Blood. He'd fight her, and die in the fighting. That was better than cringing and cowering while she tore him apart piece by piece.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Queen of the Darkness by Anne Bishop

Queen of the Darkness
Author: Anne Bishop
Series: Black Jewels, Book 3
Publication: Roc; 1st edition (January 1, 2000)

Description: In the astonishing conclusion of Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels Trilogy, the Dark Court has been formed and the end—for some—draws exceedingly near...

Jaenelle Angelline now reigns as Queen—protector of the Shadow Realm. No longer will the corrupt Blood slaughter her people and defile her lands. But where one chapter ends, a final, unseen battle remains to be written, and Jaenelle must unleash the terrible power that is Witch to destroy her enemies once and for all.

Even so, she cannot stand alone. Somewhere, long lost in madness, is Daemon, her promised Consort. Only his unyielding love can complete her Court and secure her reign. Yet, even together, their strength may not be enough to hold back the most malevolent of forces.

And in the end, under the emergent shadow of evil and unforeseen betrayal, only Jaenelle’s greatest sacrifice will save those she loves—and the realm she’s bound to protect...

My Thoughts: This epic conclusion to the first three books in the Black Jewels series begins with Jaenelle Queen of the Shadow Realm. But the ancient enemies - Dark Priestesses Dorothea and Hekatah though greatly damaged by previous attempts to kill or capture Jaenelle - are not ready to give up their cause as lost. They are more then willing to manipulate the kingdoms into war.

Jaenelle is a Black Widow. She has seen that war will bring a total destruction of the Blood. She will do anything to keep her kingdom and her people safe. And "anything" includes giving her own life to keep her people safe. Of course, none of her Sisters or Blood Princes want this. None of her court want to do anything to endanger her. They don't see why Jaenelle is so opposed to war. Wars have been fought before and the Blood has survived.

Jaenelle and Daemon are also finally together but both are so worried about hurting the other that their courtship isn't going very well. Daemon's brother and the other warlords at the court find this much more amusing than Daemon does given that Daemon spend many years as a pleasure slave and should know what he is doing. The problem is that he has never been in love before. Jaenelle is coming from the same lack of experience. After being violently raped at twelve, normal teenage experimentation with romance wasn't part of her adolescence.

This is a story that has great relationships. With Lucivar and Daemon back together in the court, they have a chance to work as brothers if they can just forgive each other and themselves for the wrongs they did each other. And Saetan is glad to have his sons in the court though they, especially Daemon, have grown to be men he isn't at all sure he understands. Jaenelle's relationships with her fellow Queens and with the kindred add depth to the story.

Fans of Dark Fantasy will enjoy this story and this trilogy. The writing and storytelling were engaging and kept me reading late into the night.

Favorite Quote:

"If Kaeleer accepts Terreille's challenge and goes to war," Jaenelle said softly, "it will destroy the Blood in both realms. All the Blood. Even the kindred."

"Some will live. It is always so."

"Not this time. Oh, there will be some who will physically survive the war, but..." Jaenelle's voice broke. She took a deep breath. "All of my Sisters, all of my friends will be gone. All of the Warlord Princes."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.