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The Fractured Faery #2
Quiver of Cobras
One wondrous faery with stupendous magical skills and a superior mind (not to mention incredible modesty). One drop dead gorgeous, green eyed stud muffin and his evil Fey brother. And the end of the world. Maybe.
Madrona might still not remember anything about her past, and she might be more of an evil villain than a fabulous super hero, but that doesn't mean she can't also be a super spy. With Rubus desperately searching for the magical dragon sphere which can return the faeries back to their homeland - and cause the apocalypse in this land - she doesn't have much choice.
Someone with wit, intelligence and strength has to step up and save the world ... and if that person happens to look super sexy while doing it then that's just an added bonus.
Madrona might still not remember anything about her past, and she might be more of an evil villain than a fabulous super hero, but that doesn't mean she can't also be a super spy. With Rubus desperately searching for the magical dragon sphere which can return the faeries back to their homeland - and cause the apocalypse in this land - she doesn't have much choice.
Someone with wit, intelligence and strength has to step up and save the world ... and if that person happens to look super sexy while doing it then that's just an added bonus.
410 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2018
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468 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
November 25, 2020
This is second in a UF series so don't skip. Unless you skip the whole series, which is what I'm going to do. I just didn't do so soon enough...
At a third in, I'm done. Madrona is playing silly buggers with everybody and I lost any ability to believe that anybody in this is acting like an actual person. Her motivations make a modicum of sense, but her pursuit of her goals is ridiculous and I can't help feeling that she needs a good mocking so she'll go back to Morgan, finally, they can team up, and, I dunno, move to Hawaii or something. Heaven knows that the cackling evil jerkwad has shown them how to kill Fae they don't like so what they're doing picking flowers while Manchester burns I'll never know. I wonder if Harper considered what it meant that the evil bad guy was this group's sole innovator. He invents monstrously creeptastic Truth Spiders and innovates on the whole truce thing by bringing in proxies to kill fae folk. It's like the good guys aren't even trying.
And now I'm debating if I even want to try the follow-on series after all. I probably will because I've been a fan of Harper in many stories before so I'll at least give it a try. But my expectations are definitely lowered, now.
At a third in, I'm done. Madrona is playing silly buggers with everybody and I lost any ability to believe that anybody in this is acting like an actual person. Her motivations make a modicum of sense, but her pursuit of her goals is ridiculous and I can't help feeling that she needs a good mocking so she'll go back to Morgan, finally, they can team up, and, I dunno, move to Hawaii or something. Heaven knows that the cackling evil jerkwad has shown them how to kill Fae they don't like so what they're doing picking flowers while Manchester burns I'll never know. I wonder if Harper considered what it meant that the evil bad guy was this group's sole innovator. He invents monstrously creeptastic Truth Spiders and innovates on the whole truce thing by bringing in proxies to kill fae folk. It's like the good guys aren't even trying.
And now I'm debating if I even want to try the follow-on series after all. I probably will because I've been a fan of Harper in many stories before so I'll at least give it a try. But my expectations are definitely lowered, now.
July 27, 2018
In another hilarious book, Madora struggles with not remembering her former evil ways.
“Maybe I was evil. I had no desire to be indiscriminately evil, though; that would be a complete waste of energy.”
That’s the truth. I’m not an evil mastermind, that’s too much work.
She’s having to work with her old boss Rubus, who she is not a fan of.
“‘Rubus was looking very dark and handsome just now, don’t you think?’ she twittered.
‘Just about the only time I find him handsome is when it’s dark,’ I retorted.
Lunaria squinted at me. ‘But when it’s dark you can’t see him properly.’”
Sarcasm is wasted on some people.
She’s also learning more about other supernatural species.
“What was the point in being a dragon if you weren’t going to stomp around and breathe fire? All this supernatural business seemed like over-blown hype to me.”
So if you like funny urban fantasy, you will like this book. Like Madrona, I’m always right.
“Of course I was right. I was always right. Almost always right, anyway. Over fifty percent of the time, which was almost always in my book.”
Free on kindle unlimited.
“Maybe I was evil. I had no desire to be indiscriminately evil, though; that would be a complete waste of energy.”
That’s the truth. I’m not an evil mastermind, that’s too much work.
She’s having to work with her old boss Rubus, who she is not a fan of.
“‘Rubus was looking very dark and handsome just now, don’t you think?’ she twittered.
‘Just about the only time I find him handsome is when it’s dark,’ I retorted.
Lunaria squinted at me. ‘But when it’s dark you can’t see him properly.’”
Sarcasm is wasted on some people.
She’s also learning more about other supernatural species.
“What was the point in being a dragon if you weren’t going to stomp around and breathe fire? All this supernatural business seemed like over-blown hype to me.”
So if you like funny urban fantasy, you will like this book. Like Madrona, I’m always right.
“Of course I was right. I was always right. Almost always right, anyway. Over fifty percent of the time, which was almost always in my book.”
Free on kindle unlimited.
March 8, 2024
Quiver of Cobras
By Helen Harper
I have liked/loved everything I have read from this author but this just didn't work for me. Book one was good but this was disappointing then it ended in a cliffhanger. To me that's a star off right there. I am going to read the last book in the series to see if this is just a one off book.
By Helen Harper
I have liked/loved everything I have read from this author but this just didn't work for me. Book one was good but this was disappointing then it ended in a cliffhanger. To me that's a star off right there. I am going to read the last book in the series to see if this is just a one off book.
February 29, 2020
sorry lost interest in this one main character was all over the place.
August 8, 2018
I gave the first book two stars, which begs the question - why am I reading this second one? I guess the main thing is that I did actually want to know what was going on with her amnesia and what the backstory was, so to speak. Also, while I wasn't impressed with the first book overall, it did end on a high note. I still don't know what to make of this author's style or the story itself. The thing is, I'm interested enough to want to know what happens, but don't like this enough to actually read it thoroughly, so I ended up skimming a lot of it. There's only so much egotistical snark you can take from a character anyway and I never actually thought it was charming or funny. Madrona is kind of like that annoying loudmouth in class that you wish would be a little less loud because you're really more interested in the people sitting around her. Morgan's character, as far as I'm concerned, had potential for half of book one and is now flatter than a pancake and about as interesting as mud; you might as well just insert generic "hot" love interest with no personality except some vague do-gooder save-the-world intentions. The villains are almost like stock cartoon characters - actually every character is like a cartoon character, as is the world itself, so I suppose that was exactly what the author was going for.
Oh, and like the first book, I have no idea what the title actually means or how it relates at all to the book. It's possible that it was actually explained somewhere (I skimmed large chunks of both books) but as far as I can tell, it's just some random phrase that doesn't really mean anything OR have anything to do with the main storyline. I mean, I guess a "quiver" is what you call a group of cobras, but...I don't think there were cobras involved in any meaningful way, anywhere.
Oh, and like the first book, I have no idea what the title actually means or how it relates at all to the book. It's possible that it was actually explained somewhere (I skimmed large chunks of both books) but as far as I can tell, it's just some random phrase that doesn't really mean anything OR have anything to do with the main storyline. I mean, I guess a "quiver" is what you call a group of cobras, but...I don't think there were cobras involved in any meaningful way, anywhere.
September 3, 2022
This is the second book in a UF series and as usual with this author, it ends on a cliffhanger.
Maybe the writing is not entirely four stars, but on the other hand she did a good job at writing a likable bitch. So kudos for that. The story is wild and I liked the twist at the end. I don‘t read it for the romance, but might have liked this version of her hero (she has a type) better than some of the more alpha ones she wrote. He is kind and sees the good in the heroine, even when the odds are against her.
The narration of the audio was exactly right, and I really enjoyed being in the head of the „mad hatter“. She may be evil, or at least approximate to evil, and has an enormous ego, but she IS fun and does want to prevent a genocide.
Maybe the writing is not entirely four stars, but on the other hand she did a good job at writing a likable bitch. So kudos for that. The story is wild and I liked the twist at the end. I don‘t read it for the romance, but might have liked this version of her hero (she has a type) better than some of the more alpha ones she wrote. He is kind and sees the good in the heroine, even when the odds are against her.
The narration of the audio was exactly right, and I really enjoyed being in the head of the „mad hatter“. She may be evil, or at least approximate to evil, and has an enormous ego, but she IS fun and does want to prevent a genocide.
May 23, 2019
***same type horrible cliffhanger***
So I was going to give this a 2 star OK but slogging through it to get to that cliffhanger. just for the slight story continuation was just not worth 400+ pages. I do want to know what will happen as now I'm 2/3rds of the way through a 1000 page book split into 3. Yes. But most of this 2nd part could have been skipped. A few key things happen, one very predictable and why no one was at all clued in, well beyond me. Truly if I could have skipped this and only got the important parts, I would have. There wasn't enough character interaction or fun.
Here are the points. Not really worth 300+ pages huh?
It was OK but dragged through the whole way and had a glaring predictable plot hole and trust for no reason. Then the end timing was just off and cliffhanger. So the 2 stars went to 1 star.
If this was the first series that I started with of Helen Harper, I would have never read the Lazy Girl Guide to Magic, starting with Slouch Witch. I loved that series but it had complete stories in each book. Much more satisfying especially because it is done in around 300 pages. The first book had a lot of fun and interesting characters, this was just a transition and easily could have been shorten broken into two parts and the whole story could have been a duology with a better breaking point. I'm not sure that there could be a great point to stop and start as it really is one story, a serial not series.
So I was going to give this a 2 star OK but slogging through it to get to that cliffhanger. just for the slight story continuation was just not worth 400+ pages. I do want to know what will happen as now I'm 2/3rds of the way through a 1000 page book split into 3. Yes. But most of this 2nd part could have been skipped. A few key things happen, one very predictable and why no one was at all clued in, well beyond me. Truly if I could have skipped this and only got the important parts, I would have. There wasn't enough character interaction or fun.
Here are the points. Not really worth 300+ pages huh?
It was OK but dragged through the whole way and had a glaring predictable plot hole and trust for no reason. Then the end timing was just off and cliffhanger. So the 2 stars went to 1 star.
If this was the first series that I started with of Helen Harper, I would have never read the Lazy Girl Guide to Magic, starting with Slouch Witch. I loved that series but it had complete stories in each book. Much more satisfying especially because it is done in around 300 pages. The first book had a lot of fun and interesting characters, this was just a transition and easily could have been shorten broken into two parts and the whole story could have been a duology with a better breaking point. I'm not sure that there could be a great point to stop and start as it really is one story, a serial not series.
March 31, 2022
Mon avis en Français
My English review
Madrona est de retour pour ce second opus ! J’avais été un peu mitigée par le premier tome, même si je l’avais bien aimé. Je ne savais donc pas trop à quoi m’attendre avec celui-ci, mais je dois dire que j’ai passé un très bon moment.
Notre héroïne a toujours du mal à se rappeler son passé, d’autant plus qu’elle se retrouve maintenant sur la coupe de Rubus. Et si elle tentait de jouer les espionnes pour déjouer ses plans ? Très bonne idée ! Mais en côtoyant Rubus, elle se demande si finalement elle n’est pas méchante. Pas facile de découvrir qui on est quand on ne sait rien de soi ! Pire que tout, elle apprend une vérité qui pourrait tout changer !
C’était un roman très sympa et j’étais contente de retrouver Madrona. Ce ne sera pas facile pour elle et j’ai trouvé ça intéressant d’avoir des scènes de son passé qui, même si elle ne s’en rappelle pas, nous permettent de voir certaines de ses anciennes actions sous un autre jour.
De nombreuses choses sont initiées ici et je me demande comment l’auteure va conclure son histoire avec le troisième tome !
My English review
Madrona est de retour pour ce second opus ! J’avais été un peu mitigée par le premier tome, même si je l’avais bien aimé. Je ne savais donc pas trop à quoi m’attendre avec celui-ci, mais je dois dire que j’ai passé un très bon moment.
Notre héroïne a toujours du mal à se rappeler son passé, d’autant plus qu’elle se retrouve maintenant sur la coupe de Rubus. Et si elle tentait de jouer les espionnes pour déjouer ses plans ? Très bonne idée ! Mais en côtoyant Rubus, elle se demande si finalement elle n’est pas méchante. Pas facile de découvrir qui on est quand on ne sait rien de soi ! Pire que tout, elle apprend une vérité qui pourrait tout changer !
C’était un roman très sympa et j’étais contente de retrouver Madrona. Ce ne sera pas facile pour elle et j’ai trouvé ça intéressant d’avoir des scènes de son passé qui, même si elle ne s’en rappelle pas, nous permettent de voir certaines de ses anciennes actions sous un autre jour.
De nombreuses choses sont initiées ici et je me demande comment l’auteure va conclure son histoire avec le troisième tome !
December 6, 2018
DNF
Apparently, I can’t handle a story stretched over multiple books.
After 25% in this book I started thinking: ‘I want this to be over with.’ I had nothing to do so I continued for a while, but I finally gave up at 66%.
The thing is: if you are going to make me buy three books I start questioning everything to see if you really couldn’t tell the story in say 500 pages.
And now I have all these questions that I feel won’t ever be answered (obviously I did not finish the series so I could be wrong here).
Not sure how spoilery they are because for all I know the story took a turn after I stopped reading, but I will hide them anyway.
In the end, I couldn’t be bothered anymore and I just gave up.
It makes me quite sad, because I had just finished the Slouch Witch series and I loved it so much I wanted to read other books by Helen Harper. Maybe I’ll look for one without a cliffhanger.
Apparently, I can’t handle a story stretched over multiple books.
After 25% in this book I started thinking: ‘I want this to be over with.’ I had nothing to do so I continued for a while, but I finally gave up at 66%.
The thing is: if you are going to make me buy three books I start questioning everything to see if you really couldn’t tell the story in say 500 pages.
And now I have all these questions that I feel won’t ever be answered (obviously I did not finish the series so I could be wrong here).
Not sure how spoilery they are because for all I know the story took a turn after I stopped reading, but I will hide them anyway.
In the end, I couldn’t be bothered anymore and I just gave up.
It makes me quite sad, because I had just finished the Slouch Witch series and I loved it so much I wanted to read other books by Helen Harper. Maybe I’ll look for one without a cliffhanger.
November 19, 2018
Quiver of Cobras begins not long after the cliffhanger ending of the first book. Now, Mads is with the evil Rubus, and she's trying to be a spy. However, that may not be working out so well. Especially, when she figures out more about her self that she still doesn't remember.
Mad will have to figure out what to do next to save their current world.
This book was really good! I loved Mad's humor, and I enjoyed the love story, as well as the rest of plot. This one was a huge twist, and had another cliffhanger that left you pulling your hair out wondering what happened.
The only thing I really didn't like about this one were some of the choices Mad made during the beginning. It was just beyond frustrating, and I was so annoyed with her. But, it was great learning more about her past, and her past relationships.
I'm super excited to read more now!
Mad will have to figure out what to do next to save their current world.
This book was really good! I loved Mad's humor, and I enjoyed the love story, as well as the rest of plot. This one was a huge twist, and had another cliffhanger that left you pulling your hair out wondering what happened.
The only thing I really didn't like about this one were some of the choices Mad made during the beginning. It was just beyond frustrating, and I was so annoyed with her. But, it was great learning more about her past, and her past relationships.
I'm super excited to read more now!
January 3, 2022
Eh. The main character, like in the first book was dumb and annoying instead of smart and funny only more so in this book. And for the most part all the other fairies are complete idiots and act like small children! It also ended on a cliffhanger that had a messed up scene! She asks for someone to hand her something that she was already holding and they dig it out of their pocket to give it to her. Normally that's just an annoying oversight but the reasoning behind them handing it to her was a big part of the scene so it made it even more aggravating. Thankfully there's only one more book in this series and I've gotten them all for free. Otherwise I'd give up after this book.
October 22, 2019
This was awkward. Since stupidly reading City of magic first, I’ve gone and ruined the story for myself. So for me reading this it’s more about the journey rather than the destination. Maddy still has no memory and now she’s trying to play spy. It’s one of the most awkward and cringy attempts I’ve ever read.
My favourite part was the prologue explaining what happened pre-memory loss. It was sweet and painful.
Maddy is over confident, no filter and generally deserves the nickname Madhatter more than ever. Ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I think. I jumped straight into the final one so it’s not fresh in my mind. Loved the interactions between Morgan and Maddy.
My favourite part was the prologue explaining what happened pre-memory loss. It was sweet and painful.
Maddy is over confident, no filter and generally deserves the nickname Madhatter more than ever. Ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I think. I jumped straight into the final one so it’s not fresh in my mind. Loved the interactions between Morgan and Maddy.
March 31, 2019
I didn't enjoy this installment as much as the previous books. I found Madrona's attitude annoying this time around rather than amusing. Hopefully, her over-confidence will begin to change as the character grows in the following book.
August 24, 2018
I always take a point off for cliffhangers as there are excellent series that don't have to resort to this type of endings for their stories.
July 13, 2018
4.5 Stars! Wow! What a ride. The Madhatter is back and determined to spread her crazy around. Lol. Please don’t read if you haven’t read book one. This review may contain spoilers.
Summary:
Sadly, Madrona must accept that she’s not quite superhero material, and she still can’t remember anything about herself or her past. But life must go on. There’s a whole world to save, and she’s got a plan. Now that she’s in the evil clutches of her former boss, Rubus, she’ll undertake the task of super spy. Sticking close to Rubus is less than desirable, but his determined search for the dragon sphere and plan B threats give her no choice. The alternative is an apocalypse in the human world. Being a spy isn’t all fun and witty comebacks, though. It takes smarts, strength, and good looks to blend in just right, and Maddy is just humble enough to get the job done. When Maddy is enlightened about a few things from her past, questions are answered, but the race to secure the sphere becomes crucial. Breaking into Rubus’s inner circle is hard to do when he’s never trusted you and you can’t remember anything about him. With Morgan’s help, Maddy will have to try to stay one step ahead of the cunning drug lord, while trying to suss out what he plans next.
*************************
Quiver of Cobras (QoC) had me on the edge of my seat throughout most of the book. Maddy was as crazy as ever, and I adored her. She’s hilarious and you never can tell what will come out of her mouth. Her over-the-top ego endeared her to me, and I appreciated the journey of self-discovery she seems to find herself on. Despite her amnesia, or maybe because of it, Maddy has the unique opportunity to look deeply at who she really was, is, and wants to be. She often struggles with the how and why of the actions of her old self, while in turn, that struggle colors the choices of the new her. It’ll be interesting to see how the old and new Maddy reconcile in the end. The reader is privy to a bit more information about pre-amnesia Maddy in this book, and that, added to Maddy’s struggle and perceived personality helped to ramp up the anticipation. I loved the stronger hint of romance in this installment. Morgan and Maddy took a few hits and have a lot of history to overcome and accept, but I do like them together, and hope to see more progression in their relationship in the final book. In the end, this book held me spellbound. I had a tinge of wariness and disappointment at some of Maddy’s choices, but I also understood what she was trying to achieve. My only other issue was that the humor wasn’t quite at the level of book one. I still laughed and grinned a lot. It’s impossible not too when Maddy is involved. The difference, I think, is that in book one there was one crazy situation after another. QoC had its fair share of laugh out loud moments, but it seemed to focus on the dialogue. Maddy seems to be an expert at sarcasm and snark. It wasn’t bad. Just different, and I wanted more “laugh until you cry” situations. The addition of Rubus added mystery and danger to an already engaging plot. Humor, a bit of romance, magic, and a surprising twist are hard to resist. And the ending? If you thought Box of Frogs left you wanting more, then QoC tops it by about a million. Lol. Thank goodness book three is not far behind because I cannot wait!♡
Summary:
Sadly, Madrona must accept that she’s not quite superhero material, and she still can’t remember anything about herself or her past. But life must go on. There’s a whole world to save, and she’s got a plan. Now that she’s in the evil clutches of her former boss, Rubus, she’ll undertake the task of super spy. Sticking close to Rubus is less than desirable, but his determined search for the dragon sphere and plan B threats give her no choice. The alternative is an apocalypse in the human world. Being a spy isn’t all fun and witty comebacks, though. It takes smarts, strength, and good looks to blend in just right, and Maddy is just humble enough to get the job done. When Maddy is enlightened about a few things from her past, questions are answered, but the race to secure the sphere becomes crucial. Breaking into Rubus’s inner circle is hard to do when he’s never trusted you and you can’t remember anything about him. With Morgan’s help, Maddy will have to try to stay one step ahead of the cunning drug lord, while trying to suss out what he plans next.
*************************
Quiver of Cobras (QoC) had me on the edge of my seat throughout most of the book. Maddy was as crazy as ever, and I adored her. She’s hilarious and you never can tell what will come out of her mouth. Her over-the-top ego endeared her to me, and I appreciated the journey of self-discovery she seems to find herself on. Despite her amnesia, or maybe because of it, Maddy has the unique opportunity to look deeply at who she really was, is, and wants to be. She often struggles with the how and why of the actions of her old self, while in turn, that struggle colors the choices of the new her. It’ll be interesting to see how the old and new Maddy reconcile in the end. The reader is privy to a bit more information about pre-amnesia Maddy in this book, and that, added to Maddy’s struggle and perceived personality helped to ramp up the anticipation. I loved the stronger hint of romance in this installment. Morgan and Maddy took a few hits and have a lot of history to overcome and accept, but I do like them together, and hope to see more progression in their relationship in the final book. In the end, this book held me spellbound. I had a tinge of wariness and disappointment at some of Maddy’s choices, but I also understood what she was trying to achieve. My only other issue was that the humor wasn’t quite at the level of book one. I still laughed and grinned a lot. It’s impossible not too when Maddy is involved. The difference, I think, is that in book one there was one crazy situation after another. QoC had its fair share of laugh out loud moments, but it seemed to focus on the dialogue. Maddy seems to be an expert at sarcasm and snark. It wasn’t bad. Just different, and I wanted more “laugh until you cry” situations. The addition of Rubus added mystery and danger to an already engaging plot. Humor, a bit of romance, magic, and a surprising twist are hard to resist. And the ending? If you thought Box of Frogs left you wanting more, then QoC tops it by about a million. Lol. Thank goodness book three is not far behind because I cannot wait!♡
July 23, 2018
Loved it!
Such a great gasbildikins book!! I love Madrona she is a great character, funny, little bit crazy and little bit superhero and tiny bit bad! I am pretty sure we would be best friends forever if I met her!
Such a great gasbildikins book!! I love Madrona she is a great character, funny, little bit crazy and little bit superhero and tiny bit bad! I am pretty sure we would be best friends forever if I met her!
November 2, 2019
I love this series!
I love anything that Helen Harper writes, but this series is quite entertaining. I can’t wait to get to the next one.
I love anything that Helen Harper writes, but this series is quite entertaining. I can’t wait to get to the next one.
November 18, 2019
3.5 stars
November 14, 2022
Bof bof bof....
September 29, 2018
The story was entertaining, as was the first in the series. However, the use of the "catch-phrases" was borderline excessive/annoying in this book. I'm hoping the third book in the series tones it down a bit.
August 9, 2019
L'auteure est brillante, je n'ai pas vu venir le dénouement de la transaction avec le Dragon.
Excellente intrigue, à nouveau, mais toujours en manque d'émotion et Madrona m'agace régulièrement.
Excellente intrigue, à nouveau, mais toujours en manque d'émotion et Madrona m'agace régulièrement.
October 25, 2022
3.5/5
https://my-bo0ks.over-blog.com/2022/1...
Cette semaine je reviens à nouveau vous parler d'une série d'Helen Harper mais cette fois, il s'agit de Super Madrona. Pour ceux qui ne connaitraient pas, la trilogie Super Madrona (maintenant terminée), c'est l'histoire de Madrona qui se réveille sur un terrain de golf, amnésique, avec un cadavre à côté d'elle, décapité. De péripéties en péripéties, la jeune femme se croyant d'abord être une super héroïne, va se rendre compte qu'elle est en fait une méchante et que le monde des humains supporte bien mal la cohabitation avec les Fey et autres créatures surnaturelles.
Comme toujours avec Helen Harper, c'est une héroïne décadente que nous avons. Oublié les héroïnes badass au possible et dites-vous bien que Madrona a plus de la jeune femme extravertie et aux blagues parfois imaginées que l'on rencontrerais dans la rue (en dehors de l'aspect magie). Car oui, Madrona est aussi une Miss Catastrophe et fait pas mal de gaffes. Nous l'a retrouvons donc avec plaisir dans cette suite.
Nous terminions le premier tome avec Madrona, qui a accepté de suivre Rubus, le méchant de l'histoire pour jouer les espionnes et anéantir son plan. J'avais donc plus que hâte de me plonger dans cette suite. Toutefois, connaissant l'autrice pour ces fins de tomes, j'ai préféré attendre la sortie du trois pour enchainer les deux.
Gros point positif de ce second tome, c'est que l'histoire débute avec un flash-back de quelques heures avant l'amnésie de Madrona. Ainsi, on découvre pourquoi elle se retrouve aux côtés d'un cadavre et ses véritables intentions. Cela permet de comprendre vraiment les tenants et les aboutissants de toute cette affaire. Je trouve que c'est bien joué de la part de l'autrice de nous dévoiler cela maintenant car il permet non seulement de se remettre dans le contexte mais également de mieux cerner les personnages et notamment notre héroïne.
Comme à son habitude, Madrona ne peut s'empêcher de parler et de faire des commentaires. C'est drôle et allège l'ambiance. Toutefois, ses interventions sont souvent des gaffes et elle dévoile pas mal de chose à l'ennemi. Sans le vouloir bien sur et elle essaye toujours de se rattraper mais si dans le premier tome, on pouvait lui pardonner cela, car amnésique, entre temps, elle apprend des choses qu'il vaut mieux cacher. Mais... Madrona lâche assez souvent des bombes. Je l'avoue, j'avais envie de la secouer pour qu'elle se reprenne et face preuve d'un peu de sérieux.
L'autre point positif de ce tome c'est l'état d'esprit de Madrona. Son amnésie étant toujours là, elle ne peut que se fier à ce qu'on lui dit d'elle. Ainsi, se retrouver avec Rubus pendant une bonne partie du temps, elle se monte encore plus la tête contre elle-même. Car Madrona a une culpabilité assez grande et doit vivre avec, ce qu'elle a du mal à faire. Elle tente de jouer les méchantes mais n'y arrive pas vraiment. Et lorsqu'elle fait un acte désintéressé, cela se retourne souvent contre elle. Ainsi, dans sa tête c'est un peu l'enfer et je trouve que l'autrice a réussi à retranscrire ce dilemme constant.
Ce second tome a un rythme différent du premier. On est ici plus sur la découverte des intentions de chacun. Rubus cherche la sphère, qui leur permettrait de rentrer dans leur monde tout en détruisant celui des humains. De son côté Madrona joue les espionnes et tente de garder sa couverture (avec difficulté). Enfin, Morgan et les autres tentent de trouver une alternative à cette apocalypse future. La romance est également en arrière-plan, l'intrigue se concentrant essentiellement sur Rubus et son plan machiavélique.
Dans l'ensemble je dirais que ce tome est un peu inférieur au précédent qui étaient beaucoup plus rythmé. Il faut dire que j'avais pas mal d'attente concernant cette suite et finalement, ce tome est un peu un tome de transition pour le troisième et dernier volet. Cela reste malgré tout très prenant, puisque je l'ai lu d'une traite en une soirée. Et puis, comme je m'y attendais, l'autrice nous réserve une fin de tome 2 aux petits oignions, qui donne envie de se jeter sur le troisième. Ah, Madrona et ses idées farfelues ! On l'aime pour ça en même temps. Ca tombe bien, c'est ce que j'ai prévu de faire !
https://my-bo0ks.over-blog.com/2022/1...
Cette semaine je reviens à nouveau vous parler d'une série d'Helen Harper mais cette fois, il s'agit de Super Madrona. Pour ceux qui ne connaitraient pas, la trilogie Super Madrona (maintenant terminée), c'est l'histoire de Madrona qui se réveille sur un terrain de golf, amnésique, avec un cadavre à côté d'elle, décapité. De péripéties en péripéties, la jeune femme se croyant d'abord être une super héroïne, va se rendre compte qu'elle est en fait une méchante et que le monde des humains supporte bien mal la cohabitation avec les Fey et autres créatures surnaturelles.
Comme toujours avec Helen Harper, c'est une héroïne décadente que nous avons. Oublié les héroïnes badass au possible et dites-vous bien que Madrona a plus de la jeune femme extravertie et aux blagues parfois imaginées que l'on rencontrerais dans la rue (en dehors de l'aspect magie). Car oui, Madrona est aussi une Miss Catastrophe et fait pas mal de gaffes. Nous l'a retrouvons donc avec plaisir dans cette suite.
Nous terminions le premier tome avec Madrona, qui a accepté de suivre Rubus, le méchant de l'histoire pour jouer les espionnes et anéantir son plan. J'avais donc plus que hâte de me plonger dans cette suite. Toutefois, connaissant l'autrice pour ces fins de tomes, j'ai préféré attendre la sortie du trois pour enchainer les deux.
Gros point positif de ce second tome, c'est que l'histoire débute avec un flash-back de quelques heures avant l'amnésie de Madrona. Ainsi, on découvre pourquoi elle se retrouve aux côtés d'un cadavre et ses véritables intentions. Cela permet de comprendre vraiment les tenants et les aboutissants de toute cette affaire. Je trouve que c'est bien joué de la part de l'autrice de nous dévoiler cela maintenant car il permet non seulement de se remettre dans le contexte mais également de mieux cerner les personnages et notamment notre héroïne.
Comme à son habitude, Madrona ne peut s'empêcher de parler et de faire des commentaires. C'est drôle et allège l'ambiance. Toutefois, ses interventions sont souvent des gaffes et elle dévoile pas mal de chose à l'ennemi. Sans le vouloir bien sur et elle essaye toujours de se rattraper mais si dans le premier tome, on pouvait lui pardonner cela, car amnésique, entre temps, elle apprend des choses qu'il vaut mieux cacher. Mais... Madrona lâche assez souvent des bombes. Je l'avoue, j'avais envie de la secouer pour qu'elle se reprenne et face preuve d'un peu de sérieux.
L'autre point positif de ce tome c'est l'état d'esprit de Madrona. Son amnésie étant toujours là, elle ne peut que se fier à ce qu'on lui dit d'elle. Ainsi, se retrouver avec Rubus pendant une bonne partie du temps, elle se monte encore plus la tête contre elle-même. Car Madrona a une culpabilité assez grande et doit vivre avec, ce qu'elle a du mal à faire. Elle tente de jouer les méchantes mais n'y arrive pas vraiment. Et lorsqu'elle fait un acte désintéressé, cela se retourne souvent contre elle. Ainsi, dans sa tête c'est un peu l'enfer et je trouve que l'autrice a réussi à retranscrire ce dilemme constant.
Ce second tome a un rythme différent du premier. On est ici plus sur la découverte des intentions de chacun. Rubus cherche la sphère, qui leur permettrait de rentrer dans leur monde tout en détruisant celui des humains. De son côté Madrona joue les espionnes et tente de garder sa couverture (avec difficulté). Enfin, Morgan et les autres tentent de trouver une alternative à cette apocalypse future. La romance est également en arrière-plan, l'intrigue se concentrant essentiellement sur Rubus et son plan machiavélique.
Dans l'ensemble je dirais que ce tome est un peu inférieur au précédent qui étaient beaucoup plus rythmé. Il faut dire que j'avais pas mal d'attente concernant cette suite et finalement, ce tome est un peu un tome de transition pour le troisième et dernier volet. Cela reste malgré tout très prenant, puisque je l'ai lu d'une traite en une soirée. Et puis, comme je m'y attendais, l'autrice nous réserve une fin de tome 2 aux petits oignions, qui donne envie de se jeter sur le troisième. Ah, Madrona et ses idées farfelues ! On l'aime pour ça en même temps. Ca tombe bien, c'est ce que j'ai prévu de faire !
December 18, 2019
I am so annoyed with this author. The first book ended with a cliffhanger, No resolution at all. This book started where the other left off and ended with another cliffhanger. Not just a cliffhanger but right in the middle of a scene. It felt like such a ploy to get the reader to go out and buy the next book that I refuse to read another.
Most of the books I read are series and I have no problem with a large arc over a number of books. Most series also have a small arc in each book that resolves by the end of the book. This series does not so each book left me very unsatisfied.
Also, the main character is bloody annoying.
Most of the books I read are series and I have no problem with a large arc over a number of books. Most series also have a small arc in each book that resolves by the end of the book. This series does not so each book left me very unsatisfied.
Also, the main character is bloody annoying.
December 8, 2019
By Helen Harper
Narrated by Gabrielle Baker
These are the worst faeries ever. No real magical power. No pointed ears. No beauty. And did I mention no real magic. No wings. Nothing!
Throughout the first and this second book, the main character is told how smart or cunning she is... but she really isnt. She is just fumbling through the story all while insulting people for no reason. She is not a likeable character.
2 Stars 🌟🌟- Decent. Has Potential. Possibly a good idea for a story but something could have been better.
Narrated by Gabrielle Baker
These are the worst faeries ever. No real magical power. No pointed ears. No beauty. And did I mention no real magic. No wings. Nothing!
Throughout the first and this second book, the main character is told how smart or cunning she is... but she really isnt. She is just fumbling through the story all while insulting people for no reason. She is not a likeable character.
2 Stars 🌟🌟- Decent. Has Potential. Possibly a good idea for a story but something could have been better.
December 28, 2018
I hate cliffhangers! I realize that this is part of a series, but I also know that it's possible to tie up each book while keeping a major story arc going throughout the series. I may finish the series simply because it's available in Kindle Unlimited, but I'm in no hurry to continue with it. I liked the characters in the first book, but the amnesia is starting to get old. I like this author, but I'm not loving this series.
October 8, 2018
I read all of the series and after the first one I found the writing style a bit to much as far as over the top characters. The humor fell flat with me more often than not.
July 29, 2018
I know - that was a really fast read but I kind of sped through this book, looking for answers and now the joke is on me because the last one isn't out yet.
Madrona is back with Rubus after the showdown in the end of the first book but it seems she isn't as bad as she herself and anybody else thinks she is. We have villain here who is quite immature and acts like a brat ('I'm better than my brother' - 'I'm so much more badass than my brother'.. yada yada yada). You can hardly listen to him and like Madrona you want to do an eyeroll and say: Do you want to measure who's got the bigger one?! The Mendrax thing was quite genius and I never saw that coming and of course we are left with another cliffhanger. Good grief!! Thankfully, I discovered this series late and so the wait is not so much longer.
I'm really curious now how this will all end in the last book - will they get back to Mag Mell? Will they discover how to reopen the barrier and if they do, will they all go back and leave our demesne for good? And of course: will there be finally a happy ending for Morgan and Madrona? The second book was better than the first but maybe this was because I already knew what to expect and it wasn't as strange as in the beginning. 4 stars for an entertaining story
Madrona is back with Rubus after the showdown in the end of the first book but it seems she isn't as bad as she herself and anybody else thinks she is. We have villain here who is quite immature and acts like a brat ('I'm better than my brother' - 'I'm so much more badass than my brother'.. yada yada yada). You can hardly listen to him and like Madrona you want to do an eyeroll and say: Do you want to measure who's got the bigger one?! The Mendrax thing was quite genius and I never saw that coming and of course we are left with another cliffhanger. Good grief!! Thankfully, I discovered this series late and so the wait is not so much longer.
I'm really curious now how this will all end in the last book - will they get back to Mag Mell? Will they discover how to reopen the barrier and if they do, will they all go back and leave our demesne for good? And of course: will there be finally a happy ending for Morgan and Madrona? The second book was better than the first but maybe this was because I already knew what to expect and it wasn't as strange as in the beginning. 4 stars for an entertaining story
September 6, 2018
4.3/5
I received a free copy for an honest review.
I have several problems with this book. One of the most prominent ones is our main character, Madrona. Again, the heroine possessed the classic witty “arrogant” (but in a funny way) narration that is usually fun to read and extremely common in indie books. However, I feel like Harper this time took it too far with Madrona. Madrona’s “attitude” included moments where she took too so far that it had just become annoying instead of funny. Madrona is a “misunderstood villain”, so she does have a lot of character depth for discovery and growth. She’s also (supposed) to be a very humorous character. But because she apparently doesn’t have the normal human sense to know when and when not to crack a joke, it deprived any potential humorous factor of the jokes.
It wasn’t even this bad with the first book, but as I spent more time with her, it’s really starting to wear on me.
However, I’m very happy to say that say that at least to this point, by book 2, it’s very clear that this book is not an instant love. It does have a decent slow-burning pace, which is a HUGE redeeming factor in this book for me (<3 Morgan forever).
I also want to talk about Rubris. I’m quite disappointed with his portrayal. As such a legendary villainous character from the first book, his attitude, characteristics, lack of intimidation, immature, annoying, and just being a completely unredeemable character was such a letdown. From his character’s reputation to the general villain potential he had, he could’ve EASILY become the next Darkling - a character evil enough that even the readers have to admit despite loving him because of how lovable, ship-able, and villainous he was.
However, I have to applause Harper for that ending. It was a perfect twist that was done so well, it kind of redeemed Rubris for me despite all his problems. This means A LOT because of how disappointed I was with Rubris as a character. The twist was not weak at all - it was strong. Very strong. The evidence and hints that were subtly scattered throughout the entire book as well as how evenly they were managed really impressed me. If the story quality originally was 7.5 or of 10, the ending itself can bump it to an 8 out of 10.
Damn Rubris. Damn.
I received a free copy for an honest review.
I have several problems with this book. One of the most prominent ones is our main character, Madrona. Again, the heroine possessed the classic witty “arrogant” (but in a funny way) narration that is usually fun to read and extremely common in indie books. However, I feel like Harper this time took it too far with Madrona. Madrona’s “attitude” included moments where she took too so far that it had just become annoying instead of funny. Madrona is a “misunderstood villain”, so she does have a lot of character depth for discovery and growth. She’s also (supposed) to be a very humorous character. But because she apparently doesn’t have the normal human sense to know when and when not to crack a joke, it deprived any potential humorous factor of the jokes.
It wasn’t even this bad with the first book, but as I spent more time with her, it’s really starting to wear on me.
However, I’m very happy to say that say that at least to this point, by book 2, it’s very clear that this book is not an instant love. It does have a decent slow-burning pace, which is a HUGE redeeming factor in this book for me (<3 Morgan forever).
I also want to talk about Rubris. I’m quite disappointed with his portrayal. As such a legendary villainous character from the first book, his attitude, characteristics, lack of intimidation, immature, annoying, and just being a completely unredeemable character was such a letdown. From his character’s reputation to the general villain potential he had, he could’ve EASILY become the next Darkling - a character evil enough that even the readers have to admit despite loving him because of how lovable, ship-able, and villainous he was.
However, I have to applause Harper for that ending. It was a perfect twist that was done so well, it kind of redeemed Rubris for me despite all his problems. This means A LOT because of how disappointed I was with Rubris as a character. The twist was not weak at all - it was strong. Very strong. The evidence and hints that were subtly scattered throughout the entire book as well as how evenly they were managed really impressed me. If the story quality originally was 7.5 or of 10, the ending itself can bump it to an 8 out of 10.
Damn Rubris. Damn.
June 28, 2022
On retrouve Madrona, toujours amnésique et toujours dans cet univers où les fées sont coincées sur Terre, à l'insu des humains. Ne sachant toujours pas si elle est une super héroïne ou une super méchante, elle décide de jouer à la super espionne.
On retrouve l'humour décalé du premier tome. J'avoue que j'avais oublié beaucoup de choses, j'ai relu le dernier tiers du tome 1 pour me resituer l'univers et l'intrigue.
J'ai bien aimé ce tome 2, mais sans être transportée. Il y a des révélations, l'intrigue avance, mais il y a aussi beaucoup de "remplissages", quelques longueurs. Je pense que la trilogie aurait pu être regroupée en seulement deux tomes.
Les personnages restent en surface : Madrona est amnésique donc son personnage ne peut pas être trop développé, puisqu'une bonne partie du roman est de découvrir qui elle est. L'univers n'est pas non plus très détaillé, on a les informations de base, c'est tout. Donc beaucoup de passages sont les réflexions et actions de Madrona, où on est souvent proche du gag, et au bout d'un moment, personnellement, je me suis ennuyée.
La fin est un peu plus rythmée, avec un rebondissement que je n'avais pas vu venir.
En bref, une lecture sympathique mais sans plus. Je lirai malgré tout le tome 3, qui sort cet automne.
On retrouve l'humour décalé du premier tome. J'avoue que j'avais oublié beaucoup de choses, j'ai relu le dernier tiers du tome 1 pour me resituer l'univers et l'intrigue.
J'ai bien aimé ce tome 2, mais sans être transportée. Il y a des révélations, l'intrigue avance, mais il y a aussi beaucoup de "remplissages", quelques longueurs. Je pense que la trilogie aurait pu être regroupée en seulement deux tomes.
Les personnages restent en surface : Madrona est amnésique donc son personnage ne peut pas être trop développé, puisqu'une bonne partie du roman est de découvrir qui elle est. L'univers n'est pas non plus très détaillé, on a les informations de base, c'est tout. Donc beaucoup de passages sont les réflexions et actions de Madrona, où on est souvent proche du gag, et au bout d'un moment, personnellement, je me suis ennuyée.
La fin est un peu plus rythmée, avec un rebondissement que je n'avais pas vu venir.
En bref, une lecture sympathique mais sans plus. Je lirai malgré tout le tome 3, qui sort cet automne.
July 15, 2018
Book 2 in Harpers new urban fantasy series was much appreciated after that cliffhanger at the end of book 1! This one takes the amnesiac Madrona’s tale into deeper mysteries, adding more questions about a past she can’t remember and expanding to world-scale issues. It’s a humorous and fascinating ride as the cocky filter-less antagonist bumbles without apology through maintaining cover well enough to infiltrate the ranks of the man trying to destroy Earth, Rubus, and convince his brother, Morgan, on the other side that she’s not loyal to Rubus all while still trying to learn who she is—Magic’s?—and what she’s done—murderer? Is she good or is she bad is the concern. With her amnesia the Madhatter has the chance to sort of reinvent herself—something a reader might relate to wanting—and I thoroughly enjoyed the trail with all the hilarious banter with side-characters that Harper is great at. Madrona is full of surprises. The world-building is also great—interesting take on paranormal characters and fantastical realms. As with the first, the cliffhanger is killer, so be ready to crave book 3!
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