What do you think?
Rate this book
Mine #1
You Are Mine
Serena knows a few simple things. She will always be owned by a warlock. She will never have freedom. She will always do what her warlock wishes, regardless of how inane, frivolous, or cruel it is. And if she doesn’t follow the rules, she will be tarnished. Spelled to be bald, inked, and barren for the rest of her life—worth less than the shadow she casts.
Then her ownership is won by a barbarian from another country. With the uncertainty that comes from belonging to a new warlock, Serena questions if being tarnished is really worse than being owned by a barbarian, and tempts fate by breaking the rules. When he looks the other way instead of punishing her, she discovers a new world. The more she ventures into the forbidden, the more she learns of love and a freedom just out of reach. Serena longs for both. But in a society where women are only ever property, hoping for more could be deadly.
Then her ownership is won by a barbarian from another country. With the uncertainty that comes from belonging to a new warlock, Serena questions if being tarnished is really worse than being owned by a barbarian, and tempts fate by breaking the rules. When he looks the other way instead of punishing her, she discovers a new world. The more she ventures into the forbidden, the more she learns of love and a freedom just out of reach. Serena longs for both. But in a society where women are only ever property, hoping for more could be deadly.
273 pages, ebook
First published April 30, 2013
About the author
Janeal Falor
34 books820 followersJaneal Falor has published over twenty books including the Mine series, Death's Queen, and Sands of Eppla. She lives in Utah with her husband and three children. In her non-writing time she teaches her kids to make silly faces, cooks whatever strikes her fancy, and attempts to cultivate a garden even when half the things she plants die. When it's time for a break she can be found taking a scenic drive with her family or drinking hot chocolate.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 654 reviews
June 25, 2016
This was the first book I've read by this author and I liked it. Ms. Falor has created an intriguing, albeit misogynistic, world of magic, where the warlocks rule with an iron fist and the women are simply possessions to be traded in order to serve the interests of the men. This was certainly different than most of the books I read and it was a nice change of pace.
In Chardonia, girls are tested at age seventeen to determine the strength of the magic in their blood. While they aren't allowed to harness that power for their own use, the greater the potency of their magic, the more desirable they will be as a wife. Of course, in this world their future husband is strategically selected by their owner for their own gain without concern for the girl.
Serena is found to have particularly strong magic and is soon betrothed to Thomas, a powerful warlock that is favored by her father, Councilman Stephen. Every minute that Serena spends with Thomas is worse than the last. He is cruel and sadistic. Serena realizes that her father may have found the one warlock that is more brutal than he is.
When Thomas is killed by Zade in a public match, Serena's ownership is transferred to Zade, along with all of his other property. Told for years that the Evadi people are barbarians, Serena is terrified to find out what Zade has in store for her. She has no reason to believe that he will be any different than every other warlock that she's ever known.
However, the more time she spends with Zade, the more she realizes that he isn't the monster shed imagined. He treats her well. In fact, the biggest obstacle Serena faced was overcoming her own fears and suspicions. She is so used to abuse, that she does not trust Zade's kindness.
Meanwhile, Zade's behavior has been the cause of speculation in Chardonia as well. His foreign ways are not welcomed by many of the warlocks. Attempts on his life are made, as some would prefer to eliminate the powerful outsider.
Overall, this was a nice story. I will probably pick up the next book sometime in the future. Hopefully, the love story between Serena and Zade will be more center-stage as the series progresses. I'm all about the romance and this story needed more for my tastes.
I listened to the Audible version and for the most part it was great. The narrative was well done. However, with about 1 hr and 45 minutes remaining the story started to "skip", repeating words and phrases like a broken record. It was really irritating.
I even deleted the audiobook and downloaded it again, but it didn't resolve. So, I'm pretty sure there is an error with the Audible version I had. I don't know if this will be true for others, but if you're an Audible listener be forewarned.
In Chardonia, girls are tested at age seventeen to determine the strength of the magic in their blood. While they aren't allowed to harness that power for their own use, the greater the potency of their magic, the more desirable they will be as a wife. Of course, in this world their future husband is strategically selected by their owner for their own gain without concern for the girl.
Serena is found to have particularly strong magic and is soon betrothed to Thomas, a powerful warlock that is favored by her father, Councilman Stephen. Every minute that Serena spends with Thomas is worse than the last. He is cruel and sadistic. Serena realizes that her father may have found the one warlock that is more brutal than he is.
When Thomas is killed by Zade in a public match, Serena's ownership is transferred to Zade, along with all of his other property. Told for years that the Evadi people are barbarians, Serena is terrified to find out what Zade has in store for her. She has no reason to believe that he will be any different than every other warlock that she's ever known.
However, the more time she spends with Zade, the more she realizes that he isn't the monster shed imagined. He treats her well. In fact, the biggest obstacle Serena faced was overcoming her own fears and suspicions. She is so used to abuse, that she does not trust Zade's kindness.
Meanwhile, Zade's behavior has been the cause of speculation in Chardonia as well. His foreign ways are not welcomed by many of the warlocks. Attempts on his life are made, as some would prefer to eliminate the powerful outsider.
Overall, this was a nice story. I will probably pick up the next book sometime in the future. Hopefully, the love story between Serena and Zade will be more center-stage as the series progresses. I'm all about the romance and this story needed more for my tastes.
I listened to the Audible version and for the most part it was great. The narrative was well done. However, with about 1 hr and 45 minutes remaining the story started to "skip", repeating words and phrases like a broken record. It was really irritating.
I even deleted the audiobook and downloaded it again, but it didn't resolve. So, I'm pretty sure there is an error with the Audible version I had. I don't know if this will be true for others, but if you're an Audible listener be forewarned.
October 27, 2017
This review and other cool stuff can be found at Addicted2Heroines
You know how you go into a book expecting one thing, and then end up with something else entirely? That's what happened to me when I read You Are Mine.
Here's what happened:
I was low on reading material. Really low. I was searching through NetGalley for something (anything) to read, and nothing was looking very good. I'll admit I was getting desperate, and requested a few things that I normally would have given a pass.
Including this book.
Because at first glance, I thought it was going to be a cheesy bondage/kidnapping romance about a wizard who liked to spank chicks with his magic paddle.
Admittedly, there are worse ways to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon...
But, wow. I couldn't have been more wrong about this book if I had tried!
You Are Mine is actually a fairly heavy story, and filled to the brim with social commentary about women's rights. Now, in this country, it's thankfully not much of an issue. At least not to the extent described in this book. We've all heard the horror stories of things that go on around the world, and to be honest, I usually avoid reading the books that describe what it's like. Frankly, it makes me ill.
But what Ms. Falor did was weave an element of fantasy into her story, and that allowed me to keep reading something that I normally wouldn't have been able to stomach.
In this world, only the males can use magic. One of the things that makes a woman valuable to a man is the level of magic in her blood, which allows her to breed stronger children. Serena has been tested and it turns out that she's quite the catch. Only, it's not like she gets her choice of suitors. Her father sells her to the highest bidder, not caring what happens to her at his hands. In fact, he actively wants the man to abuse her. It's the norm for their society, and men who are not heavy-handed with their wives are looked down upon as weak. Serena's entire life has been filled with punishments and abuse by her father for non-existent wrongs that he's gladly doled out. So far, she has been able to keep him from hurting her sisters too much, but she knows that once she is sold to her new husband there will be no one to protect them.
Through a series of interesting events, Serena ends up in the possession of a warlock from a barbarian country. Of course, she thinks it will be a fate worse than death, because if the men in her civilized country are so cruel, how much worse will it be with this man?
The fact that she can't see obvious kindness in this man could have been a very tedious and eye-rolling thing to read. But the author does such an excellent job of putting the reader into her shoes, and showing what systematic years of abuse has done to her, that it comes off as totally believable.
As far as this being a cheesy PNR? Yeah, no. There's not even one sex scene in this book. It was just an amazingly well told story with a dab of romance. I absolutely could not put it down. And it made me think...
I know we always celebrate the women who fought for the rights that we now take for granted as ours. And we should! But let's face facts, if there weren't men who fought to change things too, nothing would have happened. There were guys who went against the conventional beliefs of their times, and stuck up for their daughters, wives, sisters, and mothers. I would imagine that took quite a bit of guts.
Just sayin'.
Anyhoo. Read this one if you get the chance, 'cause it totally blew me away.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.
You know how you go into a book expecting one thing, and then end up with something else entirely? That's what happened to me when I read You Are Mine.
Here's what happened:
I was low on reading material. Really low. I was searching through NetGalley for something (anything) to read, and nothing was looking very good. I'll admit I was getting desperate, and requested a few things that I normally would have given a pass.
Including this book.
Because at first glance, I thought it was going to be a cheesy bondage/kidnapping romance about a wizard who liked to spank chicks with his magic paddle.
Admittedly, there are worse ways to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon...
But, wow. I couldn't have been more wrong about this book if I had tried!
You Are Mine is actually a fairly heavy story, and filled to the brim with social commentary about women's rights. Now, in this country, it's thankfully not much of an issue. At least not to the extent described in this book. We've all heard the horror stories of things that go on around the world, and to be honest, I usually avoid reading the books that describe what it's like. Frankly, it makes me ill.
But what Ms. Falor did was weave an element of fantasy into her story, and that allowed me to keep reading something that I normally wouldn't have been able to stomach.
In this world, only the males can use magic. One of the things that makes a woman valuable to a man is the level of magic in her blood, which allows her to breed stronger children. Serena has been tested and it turns out that she's quite the catch. Only, it's not like she gets her choice of suitors. Her father sells her to the highest bidder, not caring what happens to her at his hands. In fact, he actively wants the man to abuse her. It's the norm for their society, and men who are not heavy-handed with their wives are looked down upon as weak. Serena's entire life has been filled with punishments and abuse by her father for non-existent wrongs that he's gladly doled out. So far, she has been able to keep him from hurting her sisters too much, but she knows that once she is sold to her new husband there will be no one to protect them.
Through a series of interesting events, Serena ends up in the possession of a warlock from a barbarian country. Of course, she thinks it will be a fate worse than death, because if the men in her civilized country are so cruel, how much worse will it be with this man?
The fact that she can't see obvious kindness in this man could have been a very tedious and eye-rolling thing to read. But the author does such an excellent job of putting the reader into her shoes, and showing what systematic years of abuse has done to her, that it comes off as totally believable.
As far as this being a cheesy PNR? Yeah, no. There's not even one sex scene in this book. It was just an amazingly well told story with a dab of romance. I absolutely could not put it down. And it made me think...
I know we always celebrate the women who fought for the rights that we now take for granted as ours. And we should! But let's face facts, if there weren't men who fought to change things too, nothing would have happened. There were guys who went against the conventional beliefs of their times, and stuck up for their daughters, wives, sisters, and mothers. I would imagine that took quite a bit of guts.
Just sayin'.
Anyhoo. Read this one if you get the chance, 'cause it totally blew me away.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.
May 24, 2013
OMG!!! OMG!!!
This one could have been classified as YA only because the h&H are young! Nothing else is YA here! The society here described is so anti-women that’s incredible! I couldn’t live there! It’s slavery, pure and simple and of the worst kind! The women there have absolutely no rights. They cannot almost even think! They cannot talk freely even between themselves! It’s really, really awful!
Serena is sold (yes, SOLD!!!) to a warlock by her father because her blood is rich with magic and will produce powerful worlocks! OMG!!! She’s treated like livestock!!! And you would think that her father will treat her better because of it, but NO he treats her as always! He breaks her leg with a spell as punishment because she dared voice an opinion!!!
“You will not dishonor me or your intended again.” He stalks toward me and yanks me back by my hair bun. “You will do nothing.”
A crimson light launches from him, heading straight for my leg. My body jerks with a mute scream as the bone breaks. Tears prick my eyes. I silently beg for the spell to push me into unconsciousness. His hand presses on the wound, the pressure increasing as he speaks.
“He has good lineage, is a powerful warlock, is next in line for the council, and is friends with the Grand Chancellor. He paid good money for you. You will not disgrace him.”
The searing agony is so consuming, the world blissfully starts to blacken. My head lolls, and I close my eyes, welcoming the dark embrace.
“Ah ah. You're not getting out of punishment so easy.”
The world comes into unreal focus. The pain intensifies. Minutes. Hours. Some time. Too much time.
That’s sooooo awful that I was trembling while reading this!!! And that’s not the only time! Throughout the book we discover that he punished her for almost anything she did! Even for helping her mother give birth to a child, because it was a female child!!! I wanted to kill him outright! Painfully! With joy in my heart!!!
Obviously her “intended” is not better! He knows that she will be tarnished (that’s another thing that made my blood boil!) – they will shave the woman’s hair, tattoo her face and made barren making her a “worthless shadow” that can be killed/sacrificed – if he f*uck her, but does he care? Of course not, the pig! Luckily for her he’s stopped by an Envadi “barbarian”.
Serena is so traumatized and used to be treated as slave that she’s not able o understand that her new “master” is nothing like the other males he’s been in contact with. He’s a “barbarian”. But slowly, very, very slowly, she comes to understand that he’s very, very different in a very, very good way.
She’s doubting his behaviour thinking that he’s taunting her so that he’ll be able to administer worse punishment when he deems the moment right. But at the same time she’s unable to resist the temptation of acting with more freedom than ever before. She pushes and pushes and nothing happens – there’s no punishment. She pushes so much that she put in peril Zade and herself.
I don’t want to spoil the story for you, but you really should give this book a try! It’s the perfect book to read before going to a martial art session where you can free all the anger that will surely boil in you! LOL
This one could have been classified as YA only because the h&H are young! Nothing else is YA here! The society here described is so anti-women that’s incredible! I couldn’t live there! It’s slavery, pure and simple and of the worst kind! The women there have absolutely no rights. They cannot almost even think! They cannot talk freely even between themselves! It’s really, really awful!
Serena is sold (yes, SOLD!!!) to a warlock by her father because her blood is rich with magic and will produce powerful worlocks! OMG!!! She’s treated like livestock!!! And you would think that her father will treat her better because of it, but NO he treats her as always! He breaks her leg with a spell as punishment because she dared voice an opinion!!!
“You will not dishonor me or your intended again.” He stalks toward me and yanks me back by my hair bun. “You will do nothing.”
A crimson light launches from him, heading straight for my leg. My body jerks with a mute scream as the bone breaks. Tears prick my eyes. I silently beg for the spell to push me into unconsciousness. His hand presses on the wound, the pressure increasing as he speaks.
“He has good lineage, is a powerful warlock, is next in line for the council, and is friends with the Grand Chancellor. He paid good money for you. You will not disgrace him.”
The searing agony is so consuming, the world blissfully starts to blacken. My head lolls, and I close my eyes, welcoming the dark embrace.
“Ah ah. You're not getting out of punishment so easy.”
The world comes into unreal focus. The pain intensifies. Minutes. Hours. Some time. Too much time.
That’s sooooo awful that I was trembling while reading this!!! And that’s not the only time! Throughout the book we discover that he punished her for almost anything she did! Even for helping her mother give birth to a child, because it was a female child!!! I wanted to kill him outright! Painfully! With joy in my heart!!!
Obviously her “intended” is not better! He knows that she will be tarnished (that’s another thing that made my blood boil!) – they will shave the woman’s hair, tattoo her face and made barren making her a “worthless shadow” that can be killed/sacrificed – if he f*uck her, but does he care? Of course not, the pig! Luckily for her he’s stopped by an Envadi “barbarian”.
Serena is so traumatized and used to be treated as slave that she’s not able o understand that her new “master” is nothing like the other males he’s been in contact with. He’s a “barbarian”. But slowly, very, very slowly, she comes to understand that he’s very, very different in a very, very good way.
She’s doubting his behaviour thinking that he’s taunting her so that he’ll be able to administer worse punishment when he deems the moment right. But at the same time she’s unable to resist the temptation of acting with more freedom than ever before. She pushes and pushes and nothing happens – there’s no punishment. She pushes so much that she put in peril Zade and herself.
I don’t want to spoil the story for you, but you really should give this book a try! It’s the perfect book to read before going to a martial art session where you can free all the anger that will surely boil in you! LOL
April 17, 2019
Kindle freebie time again! I was going to say "Kindle freebie romance," but that would be selling this YA fantasy short. It's less about the romance and more a fantasy adventure with some fairly serious things to say about the secondary role of women in some societies. The title, "You Are Mine," is more ominous than romantic here: women are actually owned by their father and husbands.
In Serena's country, women carry magic in their blood, but only men can exercise the magic. Women are treated as second class citizens, even as slaves, by most men, especially those in powerful positions, and are sold into marriage by their families, cared about only insofar as they bear sons.
When Serena turns 17 years old, she is taken by her parents to a testing center where they evaluate the level of magic in her blood. It's high -- very high -- and she ends up promptly being sold off to Thomas, a despicable man who is rising in power in their society. Through a series of surprising events she ends up instead being owned by/engaged to Zade, a foreigner considered a "barbarian" in Serena's land. Serena resents being submissive and not having any freedom, but at the same time she's so conditioned to it by her abusive father and her society in general, that when Zade tries to give her more freedom and respect she mistrusts him for the longest time, thinking he's trying to entrap her so that he can then punish her in some painful way. But Zade has his own agenda, and while it doesn't necessarily involve actually getting married to Serena, he tries to encourage her to spread her wings.
There are some clear links between the treatment of women in this book and the way they are treated in some societies in our own world. Every time I thought, no way! I'd remember that there are countries where this type of treatment would be par for the course. Not all men are evil, even in Serena's own society -- the author doesn't paint them all with the same brush -- but unfortunately the ones who are in power are.
Serena is 17 years old and Zade is 19, and the writing style is on the YA level rather than what I'd consider adult. Still, the subject matter can get a little heavy at times, with the physical and mental abuse and even worse, so younger or more sensitive readers should be aware of that.
I'm not sure if this is self-published or a very small publisher, but the grammar/editing, though not perfect, was good enough that it didn't distract me from my immersion in the story.
There are three more books in this series (not freebies) but, although this book doesn't resolve the larger issues in Serena's world, it doesn't end on a cliffhanger either. I don't know if I'll read any more in the series, but I was reasonably satisfied with the ending and the story in general. It's a worthwhile YA fantasy with a little bit of romance.
In Serena's country, women carry magic in their blood, but only men can exercise the magic. Women are treated as second class citizens, even as slaves, by most men, especially those in powerful positions, and are sold into marriage by their families, cared about only insofar as they bear sons.
When Serena turns 17 years old, she is taken by her parents to a testing center where they evaluate the level of magic in her blood. It's high -- very high -- and she ends up promptly being sold off to Thomas, a despicable man who is rising in power in their society. Through a series of surprising events she ends up instead being owned by/engaged to Zade, a foreigner considered a "barbarian" in Serena's land. Serena resents being submissive and not having any freedom, but at the same time she's so conditioned to it by her abusive father and her society in general, that when Zade tries to give her more freedom and respect she mistrusts him for the longest time, thinking he's trying to entrap her so that he can then punish her in some painful way. But Zade has his own agenda, and while it doesn't necessarily involve actually getting married to Serena, he tries to encourage her to spread her wings.
There are some clear links between the treatment of women in this book and the way they are treated in some societies in our own world. Every time I thought, no way! I'd remember that there are countries where this type of treatment would be par for the course. Not all men are evil, even in Serena's own society -- the author doesn't paint them all with the same brush -- but unfortunately the ones who are in power are.
Serena is 17 years old and Zade is 19, and the writing style is on the YA level rather than what I'd consider adult. Still, the subject matter can get a little heavy at times, with the physical and mental abuse and even worse, so younger or more sensitive readers should be aware of that.
I'm not sure if this is self-published or a very small publisher, but the grammar/editing, though not perfect, was good enough that it didn't distract me from my immersion in the story.
There are three more books in this series (not freebies) but, although this book doesn't resolve the larger issues in Serena's world, it doesn't end on a cliffhanger either. I don't know if I'll read any more in the series, but I was reasonably satisfied with the ending and the story in general. It's a worthwhile YA fantasy with a little bit of romance.
July 24, 2016
I liked this book so much, but was so frustrated by it at the same time. I liked when Serena tried to be stronger and make changes, but then she would take 10 steps back into the victim role and I just wanted to smack her. The majority of the men in this book made me want to throw up. The 'romance', if you can call it that, was on a very, very small scale. She was engaged to one of the few good men, but was too busy worrying about when he'd finally hit her to actually feel anything for him until the end of the book. It had a happy ending of sorts, in terms of Serena's life got better because of the events that took place.
July 17, 2013
This was definitely not what I expected. In a good way. The warlock/witch thing is not a topic I have read much about and after reading this I think I am pretty much persuaded to start reading more magic books. It was AWESOME.
I am so glad I was give the opportunity to read this. I have had an experience with a book with witches before that I wasn't too keen on and then of course there is the famous and yet amazing Harry Potter series. I was wondering which side of the scales the book would appear on. I can safely say it was closer to the Harry Potter side. But it was so much more than that.
The world building was fantastic. The way the world was designed and described was great because it was easy to imagine. The main character was also great. She wasn't one of the stronger ones in the book but she is not weak is an annoying way either.
After finishing this book I immediately started thinking about wanting to read the sequel. You know you've found a good book when the second you finish you're online looking for the sequel.
I would recommend this book to everyone. It is one of my favourite books this year, I liked it a lot more than a couple of very famous hyped up ones I have read. If you are like me and love great characters, cool worlds and pretty dresses, this is for you.
5/5 stars
I am so glad I was give the opportunity to read this. I have had an experience with a book with witches before that I wasn't too keen on and then of course there is the famous and yet amazing Harry Potter series. I was wondering which side of the scales the book would appear on. I can safely say it was closer to the Harry Potter side. But it was so much more than that.
The world building was fantastic. The way the world was designed and described was great because it was easy to imagine. The main character was also great. She wasn't one of the stronger ones in the book but she is not weak is an annoying way either.
After finishing this book I immediately started thinking about wanting to read the sequel. You know you've found a good book when the second you finish you're online looking for the sequel.
I would recommend this book to everyone. It is one of my favourite books this year, I liked it a lot more than a couple of very famous hyped up ones I have read. If you are like me and love great characters, cool worlds and pretty dresses, this is for you.
5/5 stars
June 9, 2013
(Source: I won a copy of this book. Thanks to author Janeal Falor.)
17-year-old Serena has long put up with her father’s beatings and rules, no matter how unfair, but now she’s being sold off to the highest bidder, and she can’t help but worry that things are about to get worse.
Serena lives in a world in which men have magic and are called Warlocks, whilst women are a commodity to be traded. Serena is the oldest of 14 girls, a fact that her father is not happy about – there is much more prestige in having powerful sons rather than daughters who are unable to use magic. At the age of 17 a daughter’s power is tested though, and they are then sold as brides. The more powerful girls reach a much better price, as their husband stands to gain that magic for himself once they are joined.
Serena is found to have a lot of power, and a husband is quickly found for her. Serena hates being treated like a commodity, but that is the way things are and there is nothing she can do to change it.
On meeting her husband-to-be though, Serena finds that as expected she doesn’t like him, and is worried for the future. She’s even more concerned though when her fiancée is killed during a tournament and ownership of her is transferred to the man who killed him.
Zade is a large man from a land called Envadi, and Serena has long been taught that the Envadi’s are barbarians, and she can’t help but worry that his punishments will be worse even than her father’s. Is this ‘out of the frying pan into the fire’? Only time will tell for poor Serena.
Should Serena fear Zade though? Are the Envadi really barbarians? And must a woman always be owned?
I really enjoyed this book, it reminded me a bit of ‘The Selection’, and I loved the mystery of not knowing what would become of Serena.
Serena was in fact quite a quiet girl, but also a brave one. She had spent most of her life taking punishments for things that were not her fault to save her 13 younger sisters, as her father believed in punishing his possessions as he saw fit.
I felt bad for her when her ownership kept being transferred, and when she had no idea what would happen to her, but I also wondered which was really worse – would her new husband beat her the way her father did? Would he rape her?
When Serena was introduced to her husband-to-be Thomas I hoped that maybe she had lucked out and got a man who would be nice to her, although unfortunately that didn’t seem to be the case. I hoped the same thing again when her ownership was transferred to Zade, and was glad when it seemed he wasn’t into punishments the way her father was.
Serena did like to bend the rules, although at times it seemed less about her being rebellious, than being naïve. I did like the way she would suddenly speak up for herself or make some kind of comment that her father would have beat her for, but I also thought that at times she was fighting for the wrong things, and that her rebellion could be put to much better use.
Zade was a much better man than Serena’s father, or her original intended Thomas. I hoped all the way through that Serena would actually develop feelings for Zade, as he was so much better for her than anyone else. That being said though, there wasn’t really much romance in this story.
I thought the idea of ‘ownership’ of women was a pretty shocking one, and I’m sure no woman would really want to be owned that way. The way that the women were traded and sold, and ownership transferred along with possessions was terrible, and the way that women who were no longer wanted were ‘tarnished’ and used as slaves so that the husband could get himself a more desirable wife was also just bad!
I did like the storyline in this book, although at times I did think it could maybe have moved a little quicker. I did think that it was pretty original too, and the only thing it really reminded me of was ‘The Selection’, although I think that was more to do with the pretty dresses, and Serena bending the rules a bit, rather than the storyline.
I really did like this though, it’s nice to read a fantasy story where there pretty dresses, and no map required! I will definitely be looking out for the sequel when it comes out.
Overall; a beautiful fantasy story about Warlocks and a girl who will fight to no longer be owned.
8 out of 10.
17-year-old Serena has long put up with her father’s beatings and rules, no matter how unfair, but now she’s being sold off to the highest bidder, and she can’t help but worry that things are about to get worse.
Serena lives in a world in which men have magic and are called Warlocks, whilst women are a commodity to be traded. Serena is the oldest of 14 girls, a fact that her father is not happy about – there is much more prestige in having powerful sons rather than daughters who are unable to use magic. At the age of 17 a daughter’s power is tested though, and they are then sold as brides. The more powerful girls reach a much better price, as their husband stands to gain that magic for himself once they are joined.
Serena is found to have a lot of power, and a husband is quickly found for her. Serena hates being treated like a commodity, but that is the way things are and there is nothing she can do to change it.
On meeting her husband-to-be though, Serena finds that as expected she doesn’t like him, and is worried for the future. She’s even more concerned though when her fiancée is killed during a tournament and ownership of her is transferred to the man who killed him.
Zade is a large man from a land called Envadi, and Serena has long been taught that the Envadi’s are barbarians, and she can’t help but worry that his punishments will be worse even than her father’s. Is this ‘out of the frying pan into the fire’? Only time will tell for poor Serena.
Should Serena fear Zade though? Are the Envadi really barbarians? And must a woman always be owned?
I really enjoyed this book, it reminded me a bit of ‘The Selection’, and I loved the mystery of not knowing what would become of Serena.
Serena was in fact quite a quiet girl, but also a brave one. She had spent most of her life taking punishments for things that were not her fault to save her 13 younger sisters, as her father believed in punishing his possessions as he saw fit.
I felt bad for her when her ownership kept being transferred, and when she had no idea what would happen to her, but I also wondered which was really worse – would her new husband beat her the way her father did? Would he rape her?
When Serena was introduced to her husband-to-be Thomas I hoped that maybe she had lucked out and got a man who would be nice to her, although unfortunately that didn’t seem to be the case. I hoped the same thing again when her ownership was transferred to Zade, and was glad when it seemed he wasn’t into punishments the way her father was.
Serena did like to bend the rules, although at times it seemed less about her being rebellious, than being naïve. I did like the way she would suddenly speak up for herself or make some kind of comment that her father would have beat her for, but I also thought that at times she was fighting for the wrong things, and that her rebellion could be put to much better use.
Zade was a much better man than Serena’s father, or her original intended Thomas. I hoped all the way through that Serena would actually develop feelings for Zade, as he was so much better for her than anyone else. That being said though, there wasn’t really much romance in this story.
I thought the idea of ‘ownership’ of women was a pretty shocking one, and I’m sure no woman would really want to be owned that way. The way that the women were traded and sold, and ownership transferred along with possessions was terrible, and the way that women who were no longer wanted were ‘tarnished’ and used as slaves so that the husband could get himself a more desirable wife was also just bad!
I did like the storyline in this book, although at times I did think it could maybe have moved a little quicker. I did think that it was pretty original too, and the only thing it really reminded me of was ‘The Selection’, although I think that was more to do with the pretty dresses, and Serena bending the rules a bit, rather than the storyline.
I really did like this though, it’s nice to read a fantasy story where there pretty dresses, and no map required! I will definitely be looking out for the sequel when it comes out.
Overall; a beautiful fantasy story about Warlocks and a girl who will fight to no longer be owned.
8 out of 10.
April 17, 2013
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes unique magical fantasy with plenty of romance.
Serena lives in a society where women are possessions whose purpose is to serve and satisfy. The amount of magic in a woman’s blood determines her worth as a mate. In a world of sacrifices, female oppression and male dominance, Serena’s refusal to be totally submissive jeopardizes not only her own future, but that of her 14 sisters as well.
Janeal Falor is a gifted writer. I was sucked in from the first sentence. I loved Serena’s strength and her fear of being strong. Great characters, unseen plot twists, and descriptive rituals kept the book interesting and riveting. And the ROMANCE! So simple and pure! I was rooting for Serena and her intended to iron out their complicated relationship and find a way to overcome the archaic standards of their world.
I am extremely anxious for book two!
Serena lives in a society where women are possessions whose purpose is to serve and satisfy. The amount of magic in a woman’s blood determines her worth as a mate. In a world of sacrifices, female oppression and male dominance, Serena’s refusal to be totally submissive jeopardizes not only her own future, but that of her 14 sisters as well.
Janeal Falor is a gifted writer. I was sucked in from the first sentence. I loved Serena’s strength and her fear of being strong. Great characters, unseen plot twists, and descriptive rituals kept the book interesting and riveting. And the ROMANCE! So simple and pure! I was rooting for Serena and her intended to iron out their complicated relationship and find a way to overcome the archaic standards of their world.
I am extremely anxious for book two!
August 10, 2018
Η Σερένα είναι ένα κορίτσι το οποίο προέρχεται από μια οικογένεια 12 αδελφάδων (ναι όλα κορίτσια) και είναι πια σε ηλικία γάμου. Πριν όμως ο πατέρας τής, της βρει σύζυγο θα πρέπει να περάσει από ένα τεστ ώστε να δούν πόση δυνατή μαγεία έχει μέσα της. Όσο πιο πολύ τόσο το καλύτερο για τον αγοραστή. Διότι η Σερένα και κάθε κοπέλα σε αυτό τον τόπο μετά τα 17α γενέθλεια τίθεται προς πώληση. Μόνη προϋπόθεση του αγοραστή; Να τα σκάσει χοντρά.
Το Τεστ γίνεται. Τα αποτελέσματα βγαίνουν. Ο αγοραστής βρίσκεται. Τα συμβόλαια φτιάχνονται και η Σερένα από φυλακισμένη του πατέρα της βρίσκεται φυλακισμένη του νέου συζύγου της.
To Your are mine είναι ως ένα μαγικό νόμισμα με 2 πλευρές. Η μία πλευρά του είναι μια κοινωνία που οι γυναίκες είναι απλά βιοτεχνία παιδιών και οι άντρες είναι οι κυρίαρχοι των πάντων. Έχουν την φήμη, το όνομα, τις δυνάμεις, την κυριαρχία στην οικογένεια κοκ.
Πως ήταν ο κόσμος πριν από 150 χρόνια? Πως είναι κπ λαοί Ισλαμιστών ακόμα και σήμερα? Ε! Αυτό ακριβώς.
Η άλλη πλευρά είναι η διαφορετική, η πιο εξελιγμένη και αυτή που μοιάζει με το κόσμο μας. Ήθη, παραδόσεις κλπ.
Η ιστορία είναι καλή (σίγουρα όχι διαφορετική ή πρωτότυπη) θα μπορούσε βέβαια να ήταν πολύ καλύτερη αν είχε φτιάξει καλύτερα τόσο τον κόσμο όσο και τους χαρακτήρες. Ενώ ήθελε την Σερένα να την κάνει πιο αντιδραστική ένιωθα ότι δεν ήταν ή και αν ήταν δεν ήταν τόσο πειστικά αντιδραστική ακόμα θα μπορούσε να έχει περισσότερες πληροφορίες για το πως ακριβώς λειτουργούσαν τα πράγματα στον τόπο αυτό όχι μόνο στα ρούχα και στα λούσα αλλά και σε άλλα κομμάτια της κοινωνίας... Βέβαια αυτό το κομμάτι μπορεί να το παρέλειψε επίτηδες επειδή οι γυναίκες δεν επιτρεπόταν να κάνουν, να πάνε, να πούνε, να δούνε τίποτα πέρα από αυτά που τους άφηναν οι άντρες του άρα ήταν αδύνατον να γνωρίζουν κτ παραπάνω.
Τότε θα προτιμούσα να είχε λιγότερες λεπτομέρειες από υφάσματα, φορέματα, φούστες και τέτοιου είδους πληροφορίες που πραγματικά σε κάποια σημεία με άφηναν παντελώς αδιάφορη.
3 αστέρια!
Το Τεστ γίνεται. Τα αποτελέσματα βγαίνουν. Ο αγοραστής βρίσκεται. Τα συμβόλαια φτιάχνονται και η Σερένα από φυλακισμένη του πατέρα της βρίσκεται φυλακισμένη του νέου συζύγου της.
To Your are mine είναι ως ένα μαγικό νόμισμα με 2 πλευρές. Η μία πλευρά του είναι μια κοινωνία που οι γυναίκες είναι απλά βιοτεχνία παιδιών και οι άντρες είναι οι κυρίαρχοι των πάντων. Έχουν την φήμη, το όνομα, τις δυνάμεις, την κυριαρχία στην οικογένεια κοκ.
Πως ήταν ο κόσμος πριν από 150 χρόνια? Πως είναι κπ λαοί Ισλαμιστών ακόμα και σήμερα? Ε! Αυτό ακριβώς.
Η άλλη πλευρά είναι η διαφορετική, η πιο εξελιγμένη και αυτή που μοιάζει με το κόσμο μας. Ήθη, παραδόσεις κλπ.
Η ιστορία είναι καλή (σίγουρα όχι διαφορετική ή πρωτότυπη) θα μπορούσε βέβαια να ήταν πολύ καλύτερη αν είχε φτιάξει καλύτερα τόσο τον κόσμο όσο και τους χαρακτήρες. Ενώ ήθελε την Σερένα να την κάνει πιο αντιδραστική ένιωθα ότι δεν ήταν ή και αν ήταν δεν ήταν τόσο πειστικά αντιδραστική ακόμα θα μπορούσε να έχει περισσότερες πληροφορίες για το πως ακριβώς λειτουργούσαν τα πράγματα στον τόπο αυτό όχι μόνο στα ρούχα και στα λούσα αλλά και σε άλλα κομμάτια της κοινωνίας... Βέβαια αυτό το κομμάτι μπορεί να το παρέλειψε επίτηδες επειδή οι γυναίκες δεν επιτρεπόταν να κάνουν, να πάνε, να πούνε, να δούνε τίποτα πέρα από αυτά που τους άφηναν οι άντρες του άρα ήταν αδύνατον να γνωρίζουν κτ παραπάνω.
Τότε θα προτιμούσα να είχε λιγότερες λεπτομέρειες από υφάσματα, φορέματα, φούστες και τέτοιου είδους πληροφορίες που πραγματικά σε κάποια σημεία με άφηναν παντελώς αδιάφορη.
3 αστέρια!
April 7, 2015
Overall ok read but at times I found it really frustrating. The book opens with a scene that makes it seem like it's going to be really edgy and dark but it quickly devolves into fluff. I think by maybe 25% I knew what the gist of the book was but the author spent pages upon pages dragging out the drama and stating the obvious. The over usage of the word "wench" by male warlocks lead me to many eye rolls. And a complete lack of communication between two characters shouldn't be used as a way of upping the drama.
I guess I thought the book was going to be different... I was expecting repressed women with magic would rise up and learn magic to be on par with the men but instead it was just about their rights to not be viewed as a lowly animal or a possession. Kind of underwhelming.
The book had a lot of potential but for me it fell flat. It also wasn't nearly as romantic as I expected... besides a few shared kisses there was very little romance or romantic feelings.
I guess I thought the book was going to be different... I was expecting repressed women with magic would rise up and learn magic to be on par with the men but instead it was just about their rights to not be viewed as a lowly animal or a possession. Kind of underwhelming.
The book had a lot of potential but for me it fell flat. It also wasn't nearly as romantic as I expected... besides a few shared kisses there was very little romance or romantic feelings.
June 25, 2018
It’s been a while since something I wanted to read was actually free to download! the blurb looked interesting. As usual though I’m dubious about books with a rating under 4 stars but figured it couldn’t be that bad if there’s an entire series, somewhere there’s been a call for more and without reading reviews there was a nice scattering of five stars so I took the plunge. On to how I feel about this book..
This is my first brush with a magic theme (I was never a Harry Potter child) I’m not a huge fantasy fan but I thought if it was combined with some romance I might just enjoy myself.
Immediately I was angered by how the women were treated as second class citizens but at the same time it gripped me and I could tell straight away it was going to be a bit of a rollercoaster. I was trying to decipher the time period because in my head it all looked quite 1800s, a bit like a Jane Austin with spells. But I think this just added to the appeal.
The first 18% of the book was a bit so-so. It began to pick up however when Thomas, serenas awful fiancé is killed in a dual by zade, an evadi warlock. The rules of the game are: winner takes all the losers property. That includes Serena. The evadi are big, tanned, exotic men so from that point all I could envision was Jason mamoa, Which I don’t mind a bit.
It turns out zade isn’t like the warlocks in serenas country. He’s actually pretty nice and clearly likes her even if she can’t see it. She’s so constantly on edge thinking she will be punished by hexes that she can’t see how the evadi are a different breed of people altogether..decent people. I wasn’t sure of waverly from the minute she was mentioned. I knew there was something amiss. Her faltering smiles, connection with zade, all just a little off. Like Serena, I came to the conclusion that she must be his fiancé. As it turns out, she’s actually his sister and a likeable character.
In fact, other than the misogynistic warlocks, I felt connected to every character.
The story even has its suspenseful moments as zade deters many attack’s in his life leading to a ballroom magic showdown and the freeing of Serena. Eventually we see the two finally admit their feelings (it was always going to happen) and I finished the book feeling a bit soppy.
Negatives are that many times I wasn’t sure who was saying what as it wasn’t clearly defined so some paragraphs I had to re read. Literally that’s it. One negative.
Any losses (practically none..)were definitely made up for in originality. I adored this book. It wasn’t until I got mid way through that I realised it was a ya read, I realise Serena was only 17 but it wasn’t revealed until later that zade was 19. However, the way it was written could easily appeal to teens and adults alike.
My first proper foray into magic fiction and I’m eager for more of it. Zade and Serena made a perfect story aided by death threats, secrets and meddling fathers. I’m giving this a solid five stars. Fingers crossed the rest of the series follows suit.
This is my first brush with a magic theme (I was never a Harry Potter child) I’m not a huge fantasy fan but I thought if it was combined with some romance I might just enjoy myself.
Immediately I was angered by how the women were treated as second class citizens but at the same time it gripped me and I could tell straight away it was going to be a bit of a rollercoaster. I was trying to decipher the time period because in my head it all looked quite 1800s, a bit like a Jane Austin with spells. But I think this just added to the appeal.
The first 18% of the book was a bit so-so. It began to pick up however when Thomas, serenas awful fiancé is killed in a dual by zade, an evadi warlock. The rules of the game are: winner takes all the losers property. That includes Serena. The evadi are big, tanned, exotic men so from that point all I could envision was Jason mamoa, Which I don’t mind a bit.
It turns out zade isn’t like the warlocks in serenas country. He’s actually pretty nice and clearly likes her even if she can’t see it. She’s so constantly on edge thinking she will be punished by hexes that she can’t see how the evadi are a different breed of people altogether..decent people. I wasn’t sure of waverly from the minute she was mentioned. I knew there was something amiss. Her faltering smiles, connection with zade, all just a little off. Like Serena, I came to the conclusion that she must be his fiancé. As it turns out, she’s actually his sister and a likeable character.
In fact, other than the misogynistic warlocks, I felt connected to every character.
The story even has its suspenseful moments as zade deters many attack’s in his life leading to a ballroom magic showdown and the freeing of Serena. Eventually we see the two finally admit their feelings (it was always going to happen) and I finished the book feeling a bit soppy.
Negatives are that many times I wasn’t sure who was saying what as it wasn’t clearly defined so some paragraphs I had to re read. Literally that’s it. One negative.
Any losses (practically none..)were definitely made up for in originality. I adored this book. It wasn’t until I got mid way through that I realised it was a ya read, I realise Serena was only 17 but it wasn’t revealed until later that zade was 19. However, the way it was written could easily appeal to teens and adults alike.
My first proper foray into magic fiction and I’m eager for more of it. Zade and Serena made a perfect story aided by death threats, secrets and meddling fathers. I’m giving this a solid five stars. Fingers crossed the rest of the series follows suit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2013
First off, a big thank you to Janeal for sending me a copy for review! This was such a unique, interesting take on warlock society and I loved reading about it.
In Serena's world, women live under a veil of oppression with no rights. They are seen as mere property due to the magic that runs in their blood. Their father decides their fate, hoping to sell them to the most prestigious warlock who can provide them with the most advantage.
It is heartbreaking to watch how Serena and her sisters are treated by their father. The smallest of missteps can result in painful punishment. Serena is spirited and borders on defiant, and sacrifices herself to protect her sisters from their father's punishments. She is to be married to Councilman, later Chancellor, Thomas who invites her, her sister, and her father to spend the week at his home to watch the warlock tournament. He acts the part of a chivalrous warlock, but is cruel and demanding. And a complete slimeball. However, as events begin to unravel and Serena is passed from one potential threat to the next, she is bound to play the part of a submissive woman, when all she longs for is her freedom.
I don't want to give anything away, but despite the horrible treatment of women, Serena realizes not every warlock is cruel, oppressive and wants to harm her. She finds allies in the most unlikely of places and will not stop fighting until she gets what she wants the most: her freedom to make her own choices.
I was captivated from the moment I started the book and I couldn't put it down- I had to see how everything would turn out for Serena, her friends, and family! I hope Janeal is planning for a sequel because I would love to see what happens next!
In Serena's world, women live under a veil of oppression with no rights. They are seen as mere property due to the magic that runs in their blood. Their father decides their fate, hoping to sell them to the most prestigious warlock who can provide them with the most advantage.
It is heartbreaking to watch how Serena and her sisters are treated by their father. The smallest of missteps can result in painful punishment. Serena is spirited and borders on defiant, and sacrifices herself to protect her sisters from their father's punishments. She is to be married to Councilman, later Chancellor, Thomas who invites her, her sister, and her father to spend the week at his home to watch the warlock tournament. He acts the part of a chivalrous warlock, but is cruel and demanding. And a complete slimeball. However, as events begin to unravel and Serena is passed from one potential threat to the next, she is bound to play the part of a submissive woman, when all she longs for is her freedom.
I don't want to give anything away, but despite the horrible treatment of women, Serena realizes not every warlock is cruel, oppressive and wants to harm her. She finds allies in the most unlikely of places and will not stop fighting until she gets what she wants the most: her freedom to make her own choices.
I was captivated from the moment I started the book and I couldn't put it down- I had to see how everything would turn out for Serena, her friends, and family! I hope Janeal is planning for a sequel because I would love to see what happens next!
July 29, 2013
Very interesting fantasy young adult set in a world where woman are treated like property from the male population. This has a Anne Bishop feel to it and I was enthralled from the first page until the very end. I had moments of anger and disbelief at how women are considered to be subpar, and only good for breeding males in order for them to be powerful warlocks.
Serena is a heroine you can admire. She is strong and full of pep, so much so that it puts her in situations that will cause her pain, specifically from her father who has no qualms in punishing her to make her obey. She is one of 14 girls, the eldest who has suffered the most under her father's rule. He tortures her both psychically and emotionally,and you wish someone would push him off a cliff. Serena becomes a sacrifice because of how magical her blood is and she's offered in marriage, which is more like a prison sentence to a nasty fellow who will treat her worse than her father. But then he's killed and she is given to Sade, a "barbarian" who treat women as equals. Serena doesn't know what to think of Sade, who she thinks will punish her if she steps out of line or speaks up, but he doesn't. Soon these two begin a fragile relationship that slowly transforms into something special. But Zade is marked for death and he will be assassinated. But Serena will try and save him before Zade is taken away from her and she is sent back to her father.
This is one YA fantasy novel, with a lovely romance, I would recommend any teen or adult read. The worldbuilding is spectacular and the characters so rich with personality.
I look forward to reading more by Janeal and this world she has created.
Serena is a heroine you can admire. She is strong and full of pep, so much so that it puts her in situations that will cause her pain, specifically from her father who has no qualms in punishing her to make her obey. She is one of 14 girls, the eldest who has suffered the most under her father's rule. He tortures her both psychically and emotionally,and you wish someone would push him off a cliff. Serena becomes a sacrifice because of how magical her blood is and she's offered in marriage, which is more like a prison sentence to a nasty fellow who will treat her worse than her father. But then he's killed and she is given to Sade, a "barbarian" who treat women as equals. Serena doesn't know what to think of Sade, who she thinks will punish her if she steps out of line or speaks up, but he doesn't. Soon these two begin a fragile relationship that slowly transforms into something special. But Zade is marked for death and he will be assassinated. But Serena will try and save him before Zade is taken away from her and she is sent back to her father.
This is one YA fantasy novel, with a lovely romance, I would recommend any teen or adult read. The worldbuilding is spectacular and the characters so rich with personality.
I look forward to reading more by Janeal and this world she has created.
May 23, 2015
I received this from Netgalley for my honest review. Pulisher: Chardonian Press
Actual rating 2.5 stars.
This was a major disappointment for me. I had really high hopes for this one and it let me down hard.
The world created by the author, I absolutely hated! I hated the warlocks and the way they treated women (like silent baby machines) and I really didn't like any of the characters. The MC was annoying to me most the time and constantly whining.
I thought that the romance would make up for all the shortcomings and instead it was luke warm at best, cold as a dead fish the rest of the time.
If you are planning on reading this one, I'd say pass. There are sooo many books out there!
Actual rating 2.5 stars.
This was a major disappointment for me. I had really high hopes for this one and it let me down hard.
The world created by the author, I absolutely hated! I hated the warlocks and the way they treated women (like silent baby machines) and I really didn't like any of the characters. The MC was annoying to me most the time and constantly whining.
I thought that the romance would make up for all the shortcomings and instead it was luke warm at best, cold as a dead fish the rest of the time.
If you are planning on reading this one, I'd say pass. There are sooo many books out there!
May 6, 2013
http://openbooksociety.com/article/yo...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Valerie
There are always some books that you know aren’t that intellectual or enlightening that you still end up reading anyways. (I think that’s with all the books I read.) That’s the case with You Are Mine. It’s not a book that will cause me to save the Earth or start being insanely efficient, but it does make me enjoy the ability to read. No joke or cheesiness intended!
The world building could use a little more buildup. The reader is not introduced to Serena’s world as much as being thrown into it without much introduction. I was confused for quite a bit before I started to understand Serena’s world. I’m still a little confused now, to be honest.
However, there comes to be a point where you don’t care that much if you’re confused or not. It’s the point where the book is just too addicting to put down, even if you don’t understand the whole gist of it. I was too taken with You Are Mine to complain. You see, I stayed up way late trying to finish this, and the next day I couldn’t wake up. It was still worth it though.
This book is a bit quirky in the way that it was hard to picture some parts. I found it hard to enter the world of Serena’s. I mean, it’s a little too far-fetched! What barbarian could possibly be around two feet taller than you?
Note: You Are Mine is not for you if you don’t read about witchcraft. There’s nothing too violent or controversial, but if you are a strict Christian or easily offended, I do not recommend it. However, other than that, I have nothing against You Are Mine.
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Valerie
There are always some books that you know aren’t that intellectual or enlightening that you still end up reading anyways. (I think that’s with all the books I read.) That’s the case with You Are Mine. It’s not a book that will cause me to save the Earth or start being insanely efficient, but it does make me enjoy the ability to read. No joke or cheesiness intended!
The world building could use a little more buildup. The reader is not introduced to Serena’s world as much as being thrown into it without much introduction. I was confused for quite a bit before I started to understand Serena’s world. I’m still a little confused now, to be honest.
However, there comes to be a point where you don’t care that much if you’re confused or not. It’s the point where the book is just too addicting to put down, even if you don’t understand the whole gist of it. I was too taken with You Are Mine to complain. You see, I stayed up way late trying to finish this, and the next day I couldn’t wake up. It was still worth it though.
This book is a bit quirky in the way that it was hard to picture some parts. I found it hard to enter the world of Serena’s. I mean, it’s a little too far-fetched! What barbarian could possibly be around two feet taller than you?
Note: You Are Mine is not for you if you don’t read about witchcraft. There’s nothing too violent or controversial, but if you are a strict Christian or easily offended, I do not recommend it. However, other than that, I have nothing against You Are Mine.
April 30, 2013
You Are Mine was EPIC! I was sucked into this book from the start and had a difficult time putting it down. There were nights when I found myself up at 4am reading because I just couldn't set the book aside. This is by far one of my favorite YA books I have EVER read. The story was new and creative. I never knew what was going to happen next and not once did I think, "This book reminds me of.."
I am so so thrilled that I was given the opportunity to read and review this book. I highly recommend You Are Mine to anyone who wants to try something new and refreshing. I loved watching Serena go back and forth with her internal struggles. There were times when I had to fight back my tears and the emotion that this book drew from me made me feel so connected to what was going on as if I was actually there. You Are Mine should be on everyones to-read list and I cannot wait to see what Janeal Falor comes up with next.
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Yes it was just that good. We all know that to get a 5 Star rating from Coffee and Characters I have to want to re-read the book over and over again and let me tell you.. I so completely and utterly do! You Are Mine is just that GOOD!
I am so so thrilled that I was given the opportunity to read and review this book. I highly recommend You Are Mine to anyone who wants to try something new and refreshing. I loved watching Serena go back and forth with her internal struggles. There were times when I had to fight back my tears and the emotion that this book drew from me made me feel so connected to what was going on as if I was actually there. You Are Mine should be on everyones to-read list and I cannot wait to see what Janeal Falor comes up with next.
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Yes it was just that good. We all know that to get a 5 Star rating from Coffee and Characters I have to want to re-read the book over and over again and let me tell you.. I so completely and utterly do! You Are Mine is just that GOOD!
September 2, 2013
3.5
The synopsis for this one totally drew me in. I’m a sucker for marriage of convenience stories and high fantasy, so this was a nice mix of both. I got sucked into the story right away and had a hard time putting it down. It’s a little slow moving, knew going in that it was the first in a trilogy so that didn’t bother me too much. The subject matter was pretty heavy though.
The world building was unique. The country of Chaldonia has some very backward ideas about women. They are treated poorly, actually that’s an understatement. Women are nothing more than property, and not property that is treated well. Our heroine Serena especially had a hard life with a very abusive father. They have no rights and are really nothing more than baby breeders and punching bags. It was disturbing, but even more so when you think of the countries and religions around our world that do treat their women in a similar fashion. It’s heartbreaking to know there are women out there going through similar things. I am glad that the author wasn’t overly descriptive of the punishments and abuse. You know what has gone on, but nothing is overly detailed.
The romance was a bit lacking for me. I think if the romance had been showcased more it would have lightened an otherwise pretty serious book.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say this is a downer, but it is definitely more on the serious side and the treatment of women is at times pretty disturbing. Again, nothing is overly detailed, but the overall mood is oppressive. I liked the end, the last chapter or so things happen that leave you happy and hopeful for Serena’s future. I am curious about continuing the series and look forward to seeing what will happen next. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I liked that it was unique and the characters were likable. The world building and writing was well done, easy to get into and hard to put down.
Content: Clean. Nothing more than kissing, but it’s clear a woman’s main purpose is producing heirs, especially male heirs. Some violent themes, but nothing overly descriptive. Some abuse, but again, nothing too descriptive.
The synopsis for this one totally drew me in. I’m a sucker for marriage of convenience stories and high fantasy, so this was a nice mix of both. I got sucked into the story right away and had a hard time putting it down. It’s a little slow moving, knew going in that it was the first in a trilogy so that didn’t bother me too much. The subject matter was pretty heavy though.
The world building was unique. The country of Chaldonia has some very backward ideas about women. They are treated poorly, actually that’s an understatement. Women are nothing more than property, and not property that is treated well. Our heroine Serena especially had a hard life with a very abusive father. They have no rights and are really nothing more than baby breeders and punching bags. It was disturbing, but even more so when you think of the countries and religions around our world that do treat their women in a similar fashion. It’s heartbreaking to know there are women out there going through similar things. I am glad that the author wasn’t overly descriptive of the punishments and abuse. You know what has gone on, but nothing is overly detailed.
The romance was a bit lacking for me. I think if the romance had been showcased more it would have lightened an otherwise pretty serious book.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say this is a downer, but it is definitely more on the serious side and the treatment of women is at times pretty disturbing. Again, nothing is overly detailed, but the overall mood is oppressive. I liked the end, the last chapter or so things happen that leave you happy and hopeful for Serena’s future. I am curious about continuing the series and look forward to seeing what will happen next. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I liked that it was unique and the characters were likable. The world building and writing was well done, easy to get into and hard to put down.
Content: Clean. Nothing more than kissing, but it’s clear a woman’s main purpose is producing heirs, especially male heirs. Some violent themes, but nothing overly descriptive. Some abuse, but again, nothing too descriptive.
July 30, 2013
Fantasy is kind of my thing. Throw in some magic and a new, uncertain world, and you have a captive audience in me. So, I was pretty excited when the author offered me a copy for review. Imagine my delight when I discovered that this is not only a great new start to a fantasy series, but also one that delves into women's rights and to an extent, women's suffrage.
In Serena's world, only warlocks wield power, magical or otherwise, and young women are essentially purchased from their fathers...arranged marriages steeped in magic. The more magic in a girl's blood, the better the price she'll fetch. And only the men in this world are able to access that magic for some reason. But we'll get to that in a bit.
I always hope for a heroine who faces her adversaries head-on and questions the social norms, rather than submitting to the wills of those around her because it is what is expected. In the beginning, Serena is under her father's roof, and she must be submissive or face his wrath. She takes enough beatings for her sisters that she practically cowers at his feet to avoid further punishment, as he seems always willing to dole it out, even for the most minor of infractions. In this way, she may be one of the strongest heroines of all.
But once Serena's fate is in the hands of the barbarian warlock, things become quite different. Serena learns that there are other ways. And she's caught off-guard that Zade, the barbarian himself, is the one to teach her this. Their situation is tenuous at best, but they make the most of it, and in the end, it's a mutually beneficial arrangement. I liked Zade's character right from the start. It was obvious that he was different...somehow better than all the warlocks introduced up to this point. His being Envadi, a foreigner, had a large bearing on how he ran his household, but it wasn't in any way that Serena had come to expect.
For the most part, I really enjoyed the story and how if flowed. I would have liked, however, for Zade and Serena to interact more and spend more time exploring their feelings instead of dancing around the issue for the majority of the book. It made the story lag in places where the romance could have been the focus. The ending was a little predictable and the way it transpired was a bit too easy and felt a little contrived. I also would have liked to understand the magic more. Why was Envadi so different and how did it become so? Why do women have any power to begin with if they cannot access the power within themselves? I'm hoping these are questions that might be answered in the next installment.
This is a great beginning, and it hints at a lot of potential for the next book. The characters and the story were equally intriguing, and I'll definitely be picking up the next book to see how everything plays out.
Thanks to the author for providing a copy for review!
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
In Serena's world, only warlocks wield power, magical or otherwise, and young women are essentially purchased from their fathers...arranged marriages steeped in magic. The more magic in a girl's blood, the better the price she'll fetch. And only the men in this world are able to access that magic for some reason. But we'll get to that in a bit.
I always hope for a heroine who faces her adversaries head-on and questions the social norms, rather than submitting to the wills of those around her because it is what is expected. In the beginning, Serena is under her father's roof, and she must be submissive or face his wrath. She takes enough beatings for her sisters that she practically cowers at his feet to avoid further punishment, as he seems always willing to dole it out, even for the most minor of infractions. In this way, she may be one of the strongest heroines of all.
But once Serena's fate is in the hands of the barbarian warlock, things become quite different. Serena learns that there are other ways. And she's caught off-guard that Zade, the barbarian himself, is the one to teach her this. Their situation is tenuous at best, but they make the most of it, and in the end, it's a mutually beneficial arrangement. I liked Zade's character right from the start. It was obvious that he was different...somehow better than all the warlocks introduced up to this point. His being Envadi, a foreigner, had a large bearing on how he ran his household, but it wasn't in any way that Serena had come to expect.
For the most part, I really enjoyed the story and how if flowed. I would have liked, however, for Zade and Serena to interact more and spend more time exploring their feelings instead of dancing around the issue for the majority of the book. It made the story lag in places where the romance could have been the focus. The ending was a little predictable and the way it transpired was a bit too easy and felt a little contrived. I also would have liked to understand the magic more. Why was Envadi so different and how did it become so? Why do women have any power to begin with if they cannot access the power within themselves? I'm hoping these are questions that might be answered in the next installment.
This is a great beginning, and it hints at a lot of potential for the next book. The characters and the story were equally intriguing, and I'll definitely be picking up the next book to see how everything plays out.
Thanks to the author for providing a copy for review!
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
December 21, 2014
I'd like to thank the author for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Firstly, I read the whole book in a day and I absolutely LOVED it.
Serena is a seventeen-year-old girl who lives in a land called Chardonia. In this world, the land is ruled by Warlocks—men with magic in their blood. Women are seen as inferior to them and are little better than "tarnished"—undesirable women who did not please the men and nonmagical men who are treated as slaves.
The book starts out on Serena's birthday when she has her blood tested for magical potency. Since her blood is very potent, she is sold to a powerful Warlock named Thomas. Like Serena's father and the rest of the men in this society, Thomas treats Serena harshly, and that's putting it mildly. Anyway, the book goes on and Serena's husband dies in a battle against an Envadi barbarian. Serena, along with Thomas' other possessions are given to the Envadi Warlock. At first, Serena believes that her new husband will be more cruel to her, but as the book goes on, Serena learns to challenge societal rules, overcome childhood trauma, and learn to love others.
To say that I loved this book is putting it mildly. This book was a completely new take on witches and wizards. It also reminded me a little of The Jewel in that it had the premise of buying and selling women. I'm usually skeptical going in to books that discuss slavery, but I think the author handled the issue nicely.
Serena was a great protagonist throughout the book. She didn't whine or plainly accept her fate and she wasn't too annoying. However, I did think that she couldn't get past the fact that her new husband wasn't a barbarian even after he showed her time and time again that he would not purposely harm her.
Overall, this was a refreshing read and I can't wait to read the sequel.
Firstly, I read the whole book in a day and I absolutely LOVED it.
Serena is a seventeen-year-old girl who lives in a land called Chardonia. In this world, the land is ruled by Warlocks—men with magic in their blood. Women are seen as inferior to them and are little better than "tarnished"—undesirable women who did not please the men and nonmagical men who are treated as slaves.
The book starts out on Serena's birthday when she has her blood tested for magical potency. Since her blood is very potent, she is sold to a powerful Warlock named Thomas. Like Serena's father and the rest of the men in this society, Thomas treats Serena harshly, and that's putting it mildly. Anyway, the book goes on and Serena's husband dies in a battle against an Envadi barbarian. Serena, along with Thomas' other possessions are given to the Envadi Warlock. At first, Serena believes that her new husband will be more cruel to her, but as the book goes on, Serena learns to challenge societal rules, overcome childhood trauma, and learn to love others.
To say that I loved this book is putting it mildly. This book was a completely new take on witches and wizards. It also reminded me a little of The Jewel in that it had the premise of buying and selling women. I'm usually skeptical going in to books that discuss slavery, but I think the author handled the issue nicely.
Serena was a great protagonist throughout the book. She didn't whine or plainly accept her fate and she wasn't too annoying. However, I did think that she couldn't get past the fact that her new husband wasn't a barbarian even after he showed her time and time again that he would not purposely harm her.
Overall, this was a refreshing read and I can't wait to read the sequel.
August 6, 2013
3.5 stars. This was an unexpectedly engaging story of a young woman in a world where men are powerful warlocks and women are sold to the highest bidders when they reach marrying age. A woman's value is determined by her own magic--which women cannot use themselves--but which strengthens her husband's power.
Serena is sold by her father to a pretty despicable man, but her world is soon turned upside down when her new owner is killed in a competition, thus transferring ownership rights to a new "barbarian" owner, Zade. Not from their country, Zade allows Serena both physical freedom and freedom of expression, and their relationship slowly evolves into one of trust and respect.
Serena is likable because she's not afraid to go against the system, even if that means she'll be physically punished or hexed as a result. And Zade is every romantic's dream husband, patiently allowing Serena to find her own way. I don't usually like romance novels, but this was drew me in and wouldn't let me go.
There were some punctuation errors, like missing periods and apostrophes. But this novel was only $.99 on the Kindle and well worth it. I'll definitely read more of this author's books!
Serena is sold by her father to a pretty despicable man, but her world is soon turned upside down when her new owner is killed in a competition, thus transferring ownership rights to a new "barbarian" owner, Zade. Not from their country, Zade allows Serena both physical freedom and freedom of expression, and their relationship slowly evolves into one of trust and respect.
Serena is likable because she's not afraid to go against the system, even if that means she'll be physically punished or hexed as a result. And Zade is every romantic's dream husband, patiently allowing Serena to find her own way. I don't usually like romance novels, but this was drew me in and wouldn't let me go.
There were some punctuation errors, like missing periods and apostrophes. But this novel was only $.99 on the Kindle and well worth it. I'll definitely read more of this author's books!
December 19, 2015
An interesting but hard world to read about. Ownership of any person is just wrong - but the world was interesting, the characters were okay and each new ceremony or incident left me surprised.
Want to read
December 15, 2017💝 FREE on Amazon today (12/15/2017)! 💝
June 3, 2020
2020 - purchased ebook reread
2014:
You Are Mine is like nothing that I've really read before. It is different, daring, a bit hard to stomach at times, but definitely worth a read if you enjoy magic based stories. 4 Stars!
Summary
Serena lives in a country were wizards not only rule, but women are considered their property. Women are to serve and bare children (preferably boys). If they fail to honor the men, they are punished or worse made to become a tarnished. Under the control of her evil father, Serena is offered for marriage to better his social standing. Through a series of events, Serena ends up engaged to Zade, a barbarian from another country. But he is unlike any male that Serena has met or belonged to before. He is more powerful than her father, but when she makes a mistake he doesn't punish her. As she discovers more and more freedom, the male society around her isn't pleased that she's pushing the lines of a woman's duty. And even more that her husband is letting her.
Thoughts
The World Building
The way this society treated women was angering, but I couldn't look away. At times, I was so incredibly mad at what was happening to the characters, especially if Zade was involved, that I wanted to throw my kindle across the room. As frustrated as I was, that in my opinion is a sign of good writing and world building. However, even though the women are oppressed many of them are still strong characters. And they dealt with society in the best way they knew, by obeying.
Serena
Serena is an awesome lead heroine. It was fabulous to see her learn, grow, and discover her new "freedom,' and how that shifted her thought process and actions. She still had moments where she acted as a possession, but began to more and more push her limits.
Zade and the Romance
I loved Zade (and as a totally unrelated point -- I love his name also). He is a strong, powerful wizard and considered a barbarian, yet still has a softer kinder side. Seeing him interact with Serena was the highlight of the book. She didn't know how to take his relaxed rules and gentle ways. This book was not overly romance focused, but still had moments that made my heart melt. I wanted more from Zade though. He had some really great moments, but at times I wanted to reach through the book and knock him. This is probably because the book is told from Serena's point of view, so I didn't get to delve into what Zade was thinking. And when he didn't say it, I wanted to drag it out of him.
MAGIC
The magic aspect is well developed. It wasn't all fluff and dragons though. Many of the wizards used it to hex others and beat each other in wizard duals. My only problem was more of a question -- I didn't understand why women have magical blood, but no actual magic. I kept waiting for that to be expanded on and explained.
Final Thoughts
I read this book in less than twelve hours (which is saying something for me), staying up to crazy hours of the night to get in another chapter. It draws you in and you have to know what is going to happen with the characters. Or see how Serena pushes the boundaries next. Or how Zade is going to react. There are some fantastic side characters that add a lot, and it was nice to see that not ever character in this society was cruel or oppressed. The last half of the book had some good twist and turns. I was already glued to the story, but I kept glancing at the % remaining wondering how everything was going to turn out in that remaining bit of time. It didn't disappoint.
Even though the next book focuses on Serena's sister, I hope we still get to see a lot of Zade and Serena. I enjoyed this novel a whole lot and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA and looking for something a little different.
*This copy was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
2014:
You Are Mine is like nothing that I've really read before. It is different, daring, a bit hard to stomach at times, but definitely worth a read if you enjoy magic based stories. 4 Stars!
Summary
Serena lives in a country were wizards not only rule, but women are considered their property. Women are to serve and bare children (preferably boys). If they fail to honor the men, they are punished or worse made to become a tarnished. Under the control of her evil father, Serena is offered for marriage to better his social standing. Through a series of events, Serena ends up engaged to Zade, a barbarian from another country. But he is unlike any male that Serena has met or belonged to before. He is more powerful than her father, but when she makes a mistake he doesn't punish her. As she discovers more and more freedom, the male society around her isn't pleased that she's pushing the lines of a woman's duty. And even more that her husband is letting her.
Thoughts
The World Building
The way this society treated women was angering, but I couldn't look away. At times, I was so incredibly mad at what was happening to the characters, especially if Zade was involved, that I wanted to throw my kindle across the room. As frustrated as I was, that in my opinion is a sign of good writing and world building. However, even though the women are oppressed many of them are still strong characters. And they dealt with society in the best way they knew, by obeying.
Serena
Serena is an awesome lead heroine. It was fabulous to see her learn, grow, and discover her new "freedom,' and how that shifted her thought process and actions. She still had moments where she acted as a possession, but began to more and more push her limits.
Zade and the Romance
I loved Zade (and as a totally unrelated point -- I love his name also). He is a strong, powerful wizard and considered a barbarian, yet still has a softer kinder side. Seeing him interact with Serena was the highlight of the book. She didn't know how to take his relaxed rules and gentle ways. This book was not overly romance focused, but still had moments that made my heart melt. I wanted more from Zade though. He had some really great moments, but at times I wanted to reach through the book and knock him. This is probably because the book is told from Serena's point of view, so I didn't get to delve into what Zade was thinking. And when he didn't say it, I wanted to drag it out of him.
MAGIC
The magic aspect is well developed. It wasn't all fluff and dragons though. Many of the wizards used it to hex others and beat each other in wizard duals. My only problem was more of a question -- I didn't understand why women have magical blood, but no actual magic. I kept waiting for that to be expanded on and explained.
Final Thoughts
I read this book in less than twelve hours (which is saying something for me), staying up to crazy hours of the night to get in another chapter. It draws you in and you have to know what is going to happen with the characters. Or see how Serena pushes the boundaries next. Or how Zade is going to react. There are some fantastic side characters that add a lot, and it was nice to see that not ever character in this society was cruel or oppressed. The last half of the book had some good twist and turns. I was already glued to the story, but I kept glancing at the % remaining wondering how everything was going to turn out in that remaining bit of time. It didn't disappoint.
Even though the next book focuses on Serena's sister, I hope we still get to see a lot of Zade and Serena. I enjoyed this novel a whole lot and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA and looking for something a little different.
*This copy was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2016
You can read this review and more on my blog:
Serena lives in a world filled with magic and where women are considered to be nothing more than the possessions of their warlock masters.
This was a well written book, but the entertainment was lacking for me. The magic system wasn't explained in any sort of detail. All I know is that the men are powerful warlocks who seem to feed off the magic the women possess; however, the women never perform any magic themselves. I have a few speculations about this and it seems to me that the women are actually more powerful than the men they just don't know it, but I never got any confirmation on this idea. This is the first book in the series so I understand the author wanting to take some time on the bigger reveals, but I wanted more detailed world building from a book like this.
I could have overlooked the lack of world building if there had been more action, romance, or mystery to fill the pages of the book, but there wasn't much of that either. The book was basically about a young woman who was sick and tired of being abused by her father and any other warlock who she came in contact with and wanted to be in charge of her own life.
After the death of the man who was to become her husband/master, Serena is won by a man she assumes will be more cruel and savage towards her than her father ever was. Zade is not only a member of a group of people she has been raised to believe are little better than animals but he is also a giant and powerful warlock. Once Serena is sent to live with her new fiancé, she spends a lot of time cowering and waiting for the moment he is going to punish her. But as the days, weeks, and months pass, not only does Zade never punish Serena, but he gives her more freedom and respect than she ever dreamed possible.
All of that was nice, but I rate and review books based on how entertained I am, and this just wasn't all that entertaining for me. Zade was a nice guy and I wanted Serena to be more comfortable around him than she was, but I understood why she didn't trust him. She was tortured daily by her father and had never been in the presence of a good man. I didn't so much want them to spend more time kissing and declaring their love for each other because this wasn't that type of book, but it would have been nice to read some witty and flirtatious banter.
This book focused so much on how poorly women were treated and how little Serena trusted men because of how poorly they treated her. That presented a great opportunity for a friendship to develop between her and Zade, but she pretty much went from being afraid of him to being in love with him. There was no in between.
If you read this book expecting a nice romance or some great magical moments, you might be disappointinted. If you want to read a well written coming of age tale about a wounded girl who learns to stand up for herself, this is a pretty good book. And while I didn't love the romance and magic, it was still there.
At the time of this review, this book was free on Amazon so if it sounds interesting to you, you just might be able to get it for free!
Because of some violence, I would recommend this book for ages 12 and up. There was no cursing or sexual content in this book.
This review was originally posted on Kookie Krysp Reads
This was a well written book, but the entertainment was lacking for me. The magic system wasn't explained in any sort of detail. All I know is that the men are powerful warlocks who seem to feed off the magic the women possess; however, the women never perform any magic themselves. I have a few speculations about this and it seems to me that the women are actually more powerful than the men they just don't know it, but I never got any confirmation on this idea. This is the first book in the series so I understand the author wanting to take some time on the bigger reveals, but I wanted more detailed world building from a book like this.
I could have overlooked the lack of world building if there had been more action, romance, or mystery to fill the pages of the book, but there wasn't much of that either. The book was basically about a young woman who was sick and tired of being abused by her father and any other warlock who she came in contact with and wanted to be in charge of her own life.
After the death of the man who was to become her husband/master, Serena is won by a man she assumes will be more cruel and savage towards her than her father ever was. Zade is not only a member of a group of people she has been raised to believe are little better than animals but he is also a giant and powerful warlock. Once Serena is sent to live with her new fiancé, she spends a lot of time cowering and waiting for the moment he is going to punish her. But as the days, weeks, and months pass, not only does Zade never punish Serena, but he gives her more freedom and respect than she ever dreamed possible.
All of that was nice, but I rate and review books based on how entertained I am, and this just wasn't all that entertaining for me. Zade was a nice guy and I wanted Serena to be more comfortable around him than she was, but I understood why she didn't trust him. She was tortured daily by her father and had never been in the presence of a good man. I didn't so much want them to spend more time kissing and declaring their love for each other because this wasn't that type of book, but it would have been nice to read some witty and flirtatious banter.
This book focused so much on how poorly women were treated and how little Serena trusted men because of how poorly they treated her. That presented a great opportunity for a friendship to develop between her and Zade, but she pretty much went from being afraid of him to being in love with him. There was no in between.
If you read this book expecting a nice romance or some great magical moments, you might be disappointinted. If you want to read a well written coming of age tale about a wounded girl who learns to stand up for herself, this is a pretty good book. And while I didn't love the romance and magic, it was still there.
At the time of this review, this book was free on Amazon so if it sounds interesting to you, you just might be able to get it for free!
Because of some violence, I would recommend this book for ages 12 and up. There was no cursing or sexual content in this book.
This review was originally posted on Kookie Krysp Reads
May 30, 2013
I have to warn you, if your a feminist you're probably going to flip your shit reading the first fifth of the book. But, it's meant to be intentional so don't be all like
to author, because she knows it. Except not to that extreme.
Yes, yes, I know. The title is You are Mine.
Ignore that.
Okay that was my first assumption of the book, then I read the rest of it.
KMHURIDASJNKMWEIOJFLKDSAMWEIOFJSADKL,EHEMEHEHHEHEEHGE
OH GOD
WTF
WHAT HAPPENED
The one thing I hate about ya authors, the one thing, is if they are trying to convey a message as strong as women equality and such, and fail to represent well. Like you know how twilight talked about abortion? Wasn't that hilarious.
Well, in this book, it's about women equality. And how does this author covey this subject? Horribly.
No man in this book treats the main character well. Only in the last part, but that hardly takes away from the first part. I get it if they're supposed to be mean, as in the character's father and anybody who opposes female equality, but nope. Even the romantic interest is the asshole.
![]()
This guy called her a wench. In private to her. Who calls people wenches anymore?
Actually I would understand if they were in or before the 1800's but nope. We have no idea. I think electricity is mentioned... btw wtf is a chaldonia?
Apparently we'll never know....
Protaganist: Can stand up for herself when needed, which is nice.
JK HDHAIJ nope. She's a mary sue.
I recommend this for girls who like heroes who rescue damsels in distress
it is a different and interesting premise though, which with work the series could become good at best
to author, because she knows it. Except not to that extreme.
Yes, yes, I know. The title is You are Mine.
Ignore that.
Okay that was my first assumption of the book, then I read the rest of it.
KMHURIDASJNKMWEIOJFLKDSAMWEIOFJSADKL,EHEMEHEHHEHEEHGE
OH GOD
WTF
WHAT HAPPENED
The one thing I hate about ya authors, the one thing, is if they are trying to convey a message as strong as women equality and such, and fail to represent well. Like you know how twilight talked about abortion? Wasn't that hilarious.
Well, in this book, it's about women equality. And how does this author covey this subject? Horribly.
No man in this book treats the main character well. Only in the last part, but that hardly takes away from the first part. I get it if they're supposed to be mean, as in the character's father and anybody who opposes female equality, but nope. Even the romantic interest is the asshole.
This guy called her a wench. In private to her. Who calls people wenches anymore?
Actually I would understand if they were in or before the 1800's but nope. We have no idea. I think electricity is mentioned... btw wtf is a chaldonia?
Apparently we'll never know....
Protaganist: Can stand up for herself when needed, which is nice.
JK HDHAIJ nope. She's a mary sue.
I recommend this for girls who like heroes who rescue damsels in distress
it is a different and interesting premise though, which with work the series could become good at best
June 5, 2016
Well, that was UNEVENTFUL.
The premise really interested me when I first happened upon this book. However, it is classified as YA, and I've personally been straying away from this genre. But, it was free so I thought Why not?
Well, I'll tell you why not. Nothing actually happens. This is a 300 page book of pure nothing. The book claims to speak of dark cruelty and political drama, but all you get are fancy gowns and hints of romance. This book alludes to suspenseful events that are to unfold, but they don't. Plus, there are some grammatical errors which really annoy me.
This is another one of those YA novels that draws you in with its premise but is not true to its description. Nothing really gets resolved in this book made of air. Though the writing style was good, there really was no compelling story. You'll be left thinking, That's it? Peeking into the second book, I have a very strong feeling that there will be a lot of loose ends. I would recommend this book those who enjoyed The Selection and The Glittering Court.
This book was definitely a disappointment for me and I will not be continuing on with the series.
The premise really interested me when I first happened upon this book. However, it is classified as YA, and I've personally been straying away from this genre. But, it was free so I thought Why not?
Well, I'll tell you why not. Nothing actually happens. This is a 300 page book of pure nothing. The book claims to speak of dark cruelty and political drama, but all you get are fancy gowns and hints of romance. This book alludes to suspenseful events that are to unfold, but they don't. Plus, there are some grammatical errors which really annoy me.
This is another one of those YA novels that draws you in with its premise but is not true to its description. Nothing really gets resolved in this book made of air. Though the writing style was good, there really was no compelling story. You'll be left thinking, That's it? Peeking into the second book, I have a very strong feeling that there will be a lot of loose ends. I would recommend this book those who enjoyed The Selection and The Glittering Court.
This book was definitely a disappointment for me and I will not be continuing on with the series.
May 7, 2013
I really want to write an amazing review, but I am not eloquent with words. I don't know how to put into words the range of emotion I felt while reading this book. As a woman I was furious. I am sure there are countries that probably do treat their women as is written in this book. Having dealt with abuse as an outsider looking in, I could connect with Serena in a different way. I know what it's like to want to protect. I could feel with her as all she longed for was to be a person, to be herself. I longed with her as she realized she had come to really like Zade. I felt giddy with her as I read about dress shopping with her sisters. Janeal has a way of bringing out emotion through her words. I could feel every emotion Serena went through. I can't wait to see what Janeal comes up with next. Seeing how this says Mine #1 I believe I could be hooked to any future books!
November 28, 2014
(I received a copy from the author, in exchange for an honest review.)
This was an interesting read that i enjoyed.
I liked Serena, and felt really sorry for her. Being passed around different men like she's a game of pass the parcel would be horrible.
I found the whole ownership of women thing to be sickening. It would be horrendous to know that at any time, someone could claim you and you'd have no say in the matter, and it would be awful to be seen as nothing more than a possession.
There was a few points in this where i started to feel slightly bored, as the pacing was quite slow. Thankfully though, those moments didn't last very long.
Overall, An interesting read.
This was an interesting read that i enjoyed.
I liked Serena, and felt really sorry for her. Being passed around different men like she's a game of pass the parcel would be horrible.
I found the whole ownership of women thing to be sickening. It would be horrendous to know that at any time, someone could claim you and you'd have no say in the matter, and it would be awful to be seen as nothing more than a possession.
There was a few points in this where i started to feel slightly bored, as the pacing was quite slow. Thankfully though, those moments didn't last very long.
Overall, An interesting read.
November 16, 2018
I'm rounding my rating up slightly to five stars because You Are Mine deserves so much more attention than it's getting. From the covers, the title and the fact that I got it as a freebie, I expected a middle of the range PNR. Not bad but not particularly good either. I was so wrong.
You Are Mine is a powerful read about self-ownership, gender politics and pushing boundaries. It's shocking and horrifying. There's abuse and kindness and, yes, magic. It's so so good. Please read it.
You Are Mine is a powerful read about self-ownership, gender politics and pushing boundaries. It's shocking and horrifying. There's abuse and kindness and, yes, magic. It's so so good. Please read it.
May 9, 2016
I was really hoping for more between Zade and Serena. They could have had an epic romance, instead this was all about the people (women) of Chardonia. Knowing the rest of the series is about her sisters leaves me feeling utterly disappointed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 654 reviews