Some legends never die . . .
Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She's read every book in his library, wields an impressive knowledge of the world's most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn't have is her father's permission. That honor goes to her father's eighteen-year-old- protege-- and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora's life-- Huck Gallagher, while's left alone in a hotel in Istanbul.
Until Huck arrives from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora's help in rescuing him. Armed with her father's travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler, aka the real life Dracula- and that it just might be the key to finding him.
Journeying into Romania, Theodora and Huck embark on a thrilling adventure through Gothic villages and dark castles in the misty Carpathian Mountains to recover the notorious ring. But they aren't the only ones searching. A secretive and dangerous occult society with a powerful link to Vlad Dracula himself wants it too. And they will go to any lengths- including murder- to possess it.
Loved
- The Dracula theme! So ever since reading Hunting Prince Dracula, I've had a low-key obsession with Dracula. I read Dracula itself and completely fell in love with all the lore, history, and creepiness surrounding Vlad the Impaler. The Lady Rogue is laced with facts, lore, and speculation about Vlad, Romania, House of Draculesti, and the Order of the Dragon. This story tipped its hat to history while also playing with the legend, superstition, and alleged supernatural that surrounds this bloody ruler. I've decided one of my favorite things happening in literature lately is the combination of historical fiction- where we get some real facts surrounding actual people- with magic, adding just a tad more excitement and (explanation? :) for some of these events. This story was a perfect example of fantasy historical fiction, and I'm so here for it!
- The mystery. You know it's going to be a good story when the two main characters use a travel journal embedded with mysterious photographs and cryptic cyphers to find their way around Europe. There were so many threads of mystery in this story- from Fox's journal to the cyphers to the creepy robed occultists to dead ends to mysterious murders. These mysterious events, combined with the creepy and macabre lore of the ring, made for a fascinating journey of discovery throughout the story.
- Hucksley Gallagher. Now I knew I was going to like this book when we met Huck (in a bath towel no less) with his Irish accent, dry sarcasm, and obvious adoration for Theo. He keeps the macabre at bay with his jokes, bad renditions of proverbs, and ability to think before acting impulsively (ahem, THEO). I highly recommend listening to this audiobook just for Huck's accent- it's pretty dreamy ;)
- The pace. This story runs at break-neck speed, as Huck and Theo run from multiple enemies, make illuminating discoveries, and outsmart their way out of danger at every turn. We barely have time to catch our breath as Huck and Theo sprint across eastern Europe, barely evading one danger after the other- making for an a whirlwind adventure.
Didn't Love
- My only complaint about this story is that Theo(dora) drove me crazy sometimes. She's only 17, so I guess I shouldn't expect her to act as a mature adult. But there were three or four times when I *literally* rolled by eyes because she was so bad at communicating and so dramatic. But besides that, I loved this story and ate it up!
Content
Content
- Language:
- Very frequent uses of "damn," and "hell."
- Less frequent uses of "sh**" and "a**."
- Four uses of f***.
- Sexual content:
- A year before the story begins, the two main characters "broke the rules" by having sex on her 16th birthday. Frequent mentions of that night.
- Main female character remembers male character naked. In one scene they are running away while he is in a bath towel, and she tries not to imagine him without the towel.
- Two steamier kisses- not much described except for being pressed against each other, and "getting handsy" on each other.
- Some innuendo, such as "you can put your dirty hands on me anytime."
- A drunken man runs into a hotel lobby naked and accidentally falls on top of a woman.
- Violence:
- A woman is murdered by having a wolf rip her throat out. Not described.
- A man is poisoned but lives.
- A woman is possessed with black magic and made to jump from a high place, but lives.
- References to Vlad the Impaler and his violent history.
- A man is imprisoned and beaten.
- A grapple with minor injuries. Two men die by getting burned by fire.
- A man is kidnapped and cut on his forehead. He is possessed with black magic.
- Much speculation about whether other characters are alive.
- A character cuts their finger off.
- Other themes:
- Theme of black magic- possession from spells, poisoning by potions, and relics that contain dark power.
- Very frequent uses of "damn," and "hell."
- Less frequent uses of "sh**" and "a**."
- Four uses of f***.
- A year before the story begins, the two main characters "broke the rules" by having sex on her 16th birthday. Frequent mentions of that night.
- Main female character remembers male character naked. In one scene they are running away while he is in a bath towel, and she tries not to imagine him without the towel.
- Two steamier kisses- not much described except for being pressed against each other, and "getting handsy" on each other.
- Some innuendo, such as "you can put your dirty hands on me anytime."
- A drunken man runs into a hotel lobby naked and accidentally falls on top of a woman.
- A woman is murdered by having a wolf rip her throat out. Not described.
- A man is poisoned but lives.
- A woman is possessed with black magic and made to jump from a high place, but lives.
- References to Vlad the Impaler and his violent history.
- A man is imprisoned and beaten.
- A grapple with minor injuries. Two men die by getting burned by fire.
- A man is kidnapped and cut on his forehead. He is possessed with black magic.
- Much speculation about whether other characters are alive.
- A character cuts their finger off.
- Theme of black magic- possession from spells, poisoning by potions, and relics that contain dark power.
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