Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Hands of Tarot by SM Blooding

August 13, 2012

THE HANDS OF TAROT
by SM Blooding
Blooding Books, 2012
ISBN13: 9781477600290
Grades: High School
Reviewed from ARC copy sent by author for tour.
No other compensation was received.
All opinions expressed are solely my own.

She killed his father.

She imprisoned and beat him.

And now she thinks he’s her trophy.

Synn El’Asim will do almost anything to prove her wrong. But he’s only proving her right.

Queen Nix awakened his Mark of power and inducted him into the House of Wands. She knew what she was doing. The son of the two most powerful Families standing against her is the ultimate prize.

What she didn’t take into consideration was that maybe he was too strong for her.

Maybe.

But the Families aren’t. They’ve been weakened and it’ll take a lot more than one young man with a powerful Mark to take on the Hands of Tarot.

REVIEW

If I had to describe this book in one word, I would have to say: intense and violent. The book was darker than most books that I read. So why did I keep reading? In one word, Synn. The courage of the main character amid the horrible things that he endures, his determination to escape despite all the Queen has done to torment him and bind him, which he struggles to deal with, as would anyone compelled me to keep reading. But with the help of family and friends, he faces his fears and decides that someone must stop Queen Nix before she conquers all families, but will anyone stand beside him against a better armed and better prepared foe?

While the book contains more sexual innuendo and swearing than I am comfortable with, I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened to Synn. The plot twists and turns at a very rapid pace, one crisis ends just in time for another to arise. It made me tired just reading it. :) But it makes the book very hard to put down. I appreciated that the characters had depth as well as having their strengths and weaknesses. For me this makes for a much more enjoyable read. I do recommend this for those who enjoy intense, imaginative stories full of great characters both good and evil.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SM Blooding lives in Colorado with her pet rock, Rockie, and Ms. Jack, who’s a real bird. She’s still learning to play the piano and guitar, which is going marginally better, and for those of you looking for an Arabic update, she has successfully learned one word, “Yalla, people yalla!” She’s dated vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, weapons smugglers and US Government assassins. Yes. She has stories.
Her latest book is the YA steampunk, The Hands of Tarot.
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