Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940044507333 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Janeal Falor |
| Publication date: | 04/18/2013 |
| Series: | Mine , #1 |
| Sold by: | Smashwords |
| Format: | NOOK Book |
| Sales rank: | 2,615 |
| File size: | 507 KB |
| Age Range: | 12 Years |
About the Author
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
You Are Mine
4.3 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
66 reviews.
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Holy. Freaking.... wow. This book left me in a mess of emotions. I finished it a couple of days ago, but I needed to take time to process everything. It struck a nerve, but not necessarily in a bad way. I was just... wow, this book got me so riled up. I wanted to smack every single man in here. Every. Single. One.
It's a feminist's worst nightmare. Actually, it's the nightmare of all women (me included).
Why?
You Are Mine takes place in a world of warlocks and *sigh* their 'wenches', where women are used as simple trophy wives and reproductive slaves. They are mistreated, beaten, and usually sold off to warlocks depending on how much magic they have running in their blood, making the warlock who buys the merchandise sure to have a powerful heir (a boy of course). Serena was discovered to have more than enough magic in her blood, so her father sold her off to a very powerful, but cruel man, Thomas. And by this point, I was fuming.
'"None of that, wench. My possessions don't get away from me. Besides, we'll be married soon enough, I just want a little taste."
My pulse quickens. "No."
The leer morphs into a snarl. "Don't you dare tell me no."
Grabbing a fistful of hair, he yanks my head back. I scream.' -location 677 of 4650 of ARC
I desperately wanted someone to break his pretty little face. Thankfully, somebody did... actually, somebody went all the way and Serena (with all of Thomas's belongings) ended up belonging to another man, Zane. Now, Zane is an Envadi (it's like another ethical group) and he has a different way of seeing things. So when Serena is ordered to go live with him, she's surprised at how relaxed he is. He doesn't even beat her like her father did. She's never had so much freedom before, and the more freedom she gets, the more dangerous her ideas become.
The world building in this book was a huge risk to take on. It's one of those 'you either love it or hate it' books and I'm glad to say that I absolutely LOVED it! Sure, at first I was furious at everyone, especially Serena. She easily conformed within this society and so did all her sisters. I wanted to smack her so badly! But I understood. Women were beaten and brainwashed and there was nothing they could do against the powerful magic of men.
Serena was a little on the rebellious side even though she stayed within the morals of society. She spoke when she wasn't supposed to, she was daring, witty at times, and she drove her abusive father nuts. Yes, her character is slow to develop, but think of it this way: women had no choice and they were in a perpetual state of fear. Serena breaking away from all of this was definitely something I admired. She couldn't fight a group of warlocks all by herself and she was sure to be Tarnished if she didn't conform, so she did the only thing she could do whilst slowly becoming her own. Warning: This slow development might not be for everyone. Serena might get on your nerves (like she sort of got on mine for a while).
Zane, on the other hand, was... well, he was a strange boy. I liked him... and then I hated him, but then I liked him again. Go figure. He drove me nuts in a very surprising manner. The way he treated Serena was just as confusing, but there's a reason for it (a good one). Turns out, he's got more tricks up his sleeve than I gave him credit for. Keep an eye on the guy. He's cool though... give or take some.
Romance-wise, the relationship between them both was strange at first because it was forced. Serena was engaged to Zane before she even met him. Nice, no? Some guy kills your former owner and voila! You just got yourself a new husband! Congratulations.
But their love gradually escalates (definitely no insta-love here). By the ending, they were perfect for each other.
Overall, I know the whole 'women treated like dog crap' is tough to read about. Trust me, my first reaction to the story was me angry.
It's a bumpy start, but that ending... wow, that ending makes up for it. There's a lot going on by that point and I just didn't want it to end. I wanted needed more of Serena and Zane. They grew on me in such an unexpected manner. Personally, I'd give this book a go again.
Do I recommend it? Oh. Yeah. :)
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I decided to take a chance on Janeal Falor's book "You Are Mine" because it sounds like it was something I read anyway.
This book is set in a society where women are little more than broodmares and their worth is dependent on how much magic runs in their veins. The main character, Serena, is the oldest of 15 girls which is considered a failure on her mother's inability to produce a male child. They are the only ones valued in Chardonia.
One her 17th birthday, Serena is taken for testing to see just how much she is worth. Turns out she comes from good, magical bloodlines and her father can not wait to sell her off to the highest bidder. It doesn't take more than a week before she has a new owner and husband to be.
When we meet Thomas he's pretty much a spoiled little jerk who can't wait to have his way with her. He just has to wait until he finishes out the international, magical tournament and they can get married. Through a series of events, Serena finds herself at the mercy of another. A barbarian from another country who wins her ownership during the tournament.
From the start I really found myself enjoying "You Are Mine." Sometimes, I must admit that I get a little angry with books where the main heroin is in a oppressive society but accepts it. Serena accepts it to a degree but there's no missing the small rebellions she has in subtle ways.
She comes to find in time that her new intended husband, Zade, isn't like the rest of the warlocks in her country. He manages to show her that there are others out there fighting on her side, that laws can always have loopholes and that maybe being shunned by society doesn't have to be all bad.
As far as the writing of this book is concerned I thought Falor did an excellent job. I'm not one to linger on a few spelling and grammar mistakes here and there but thankfully I didn't really even notice any.
Overall, this book gets a thumbs up.
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May books like this plant the seeds of freedom for all !!!
Bingaux
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This book surprized me in a good way. The writer must have her own form of magic to create such a believeable world where warlocks rule and women are their possessions. The main character is strong, her conviction to change the way women are treated is helped by a warlock that wins her in a duel. This is not my normal reading genre, however I found the story interesting and engaging. It was well written and I look forward to reading more of this author's books. Give it a try...it won't disappoint. Jp
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I'm still reeling from this book. The whole premise - women's rights, slavery, society - resonates with you as you read it. Particularly when you realize it wasn't even a hundred years ago when women in our own country were fighting for the right to vote, and there are so many places in the world today where that fight is still ongoing. This isn't some romance book, this is the journey of a young woman fighting against everything she's ever known for even some form of freedom. But this book is so imaginative, with so many aspects of a whole magical culture, it's easy to get lost in the world the author has created. I just bought all of her books, and I can't wait to see the revolution I know is coming.
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Good read. Kept me entertained. The ending could have been better, though.
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Loved the male main character, despised the female. I understand why she was so fearful & timid, but that didn't stop me from wanting to pull my hair out with every page. Arg! Make her go away! Seriously, just not my cup of tea. Unfortunately, won't be moving on to any sequels.
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I liked this story but the main character Serena was very annoying to me. I wanted to hex her myself for how stupid she was at times. Her sister Cynthia was much more interesting to me. I'm looking forward to Cynthia's story in the next book.
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This was wonderful. I could not wait to see what happened next
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It is refreshing when a writer comes up with a new storyline; a new plot. This writer has created a world one would long to escape from, and then gives the characters the means to do so. It is a story of awakening, but it is also a story of learning to love. I truly enjoyed reading this. I would only suggest the writer get a new proofer.
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Very good book with twist in the plot!
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Such a fun series!
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I found this new & interested
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I enjoyed it so much, I couldn't put it down
and finished it in one sitting. I'm looking forward to reading more about Serena, her sisters. If they manage to hold on to their hard earned freedoms in a world where they are considered possessions. Sold to the highest bidders for the magic in their blood. Where their only purpose is to be breeders of warlocks.
Don't want to give away too much of the story line, but I would definitely recommend you pick up this book.
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This books evoked emotions of anger, hate, pain and love. It is a must-read. Serena is a woman stuck In a society that only sees her as a man's possession. It's awful how woman are punished for any small infraction. She's sold by her father to some awful man and then given to another. I rooted for her & loved that she gained confidence to push boundaries. Amazing book!! Just awesome!!
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I could read this book over and over again! Unique story plot that keeps your attention glued to the book. A breath of fresh air with tjis book. Simply captivating
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The women of Chaldonia know only one thing. They are possessions. Their only good is the amount of magic in their blood and how many children they can produce, preferably male. For their society is one run and controlled by men, but not just any men, warlocks.
For Serena, it’s all beginning. As she turned 17, her father had her blood tested and she was purchased within a week. Purchased by a man who was up and coming in society and was sure to do great things. However, that was not to be. Dying in a duel at a tournament, her ownership passes to the one who defeated her owner. She is now the property of an Envadi barbarian.
Written in first person, the reader is given an insight into Serena’s life. Though there are a few things that could throw a reader.
One is the lack of detail. The women in this world are encouraged to not ask questions, and to stand and sit with their eyes downcast. With that said, there isn’t much description of the world. No great detail about the homes, buildings, or even tournament grounds. As I have a fairly vivid imagination, the lack of detail didn’t bother me. Writers often take the gamble of how much description to use and Janeal Falor obviously decided to use less. The only place that changes is in the clothing. In this world though, it makes sense the women would pay more attention to clothing than anything else around them. It’s the only thing they have a little control over. Where and how they live is not. Though I did find it odd that shoes were never mentioned, at least not that I can recall.
Serena almost constantly worries about being punished. It’s an ongoing theme throughout most of the book. However, when that’s all she’s known for the past 17 years, and she knows nothing about the Envadi, it makes sense that she’d believe they were as bad, if not worse, than her countrymen.
Also, as women are not trained in the use of magic, there is no true description of the magic system. There are colors and the results, but nothing more.
There were a few other things I was more concerned about. One was why didn’t we get to know Zade more? I know it was because Serena didn’t know much about him and was too worried to find out more. But I still wish I could have known more about him. Though it was nice that they didn’t fall in love at first sight. It took time for Serena to begin to trust him and that’s just as it should be.
Hopefully I didn’t scare anyone off from reading the book…. I enjoy books where I’m allowed to let my imagination wander and fill in the gaps. I find it makes for an almost interactive story. I’m allowed to imagine what things look like with the author lightly applying a few strokes of color along the way to guide me.
At only 99 cents, it’s a book worth looking into if the idea intrigues you.
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WOW! Such a amazing story. So well written it's not hard to put yourself in her shoes. As if at times what is happening is a little fantastical. So good.
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I could only make it to the halfway point. It was just taking too long to get to where i knew it was heading. There is only so much dancing around the plot you can do. Was it to make the book longer? Its a shame because i was enjoying the story. The writing is very good as well. The author just needs to shift out of first gear.
DMB
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Its a great book amd I would definately recomend it. Tjougj, I sorta just want to punch every man in the book.
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Great book. Excited to see how the story continues in the next book being that it's not in Serena's view..
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