Elizabeth Marx

So, I will admit that I was hooked on this author after reading one of her more ‘reality based’ stories, Binding Arbitration, so this was a no-brainer when the opportunity to review arrived.

Dive into a world in the past, detailed with care and precision that extends to the rhythm and flow of the language, not just the occasional inclusion of “Milord”. When we start, the story is wrapped about the War of the Roses, and King Henry VI, the softest and least prepared for real rule on show more the throne is at the forefront of the action, where mortals battle and vampire exist in the shadows, all meticulously detailed by Philabe, former priest now historian for the vampires.

Philabe is cleverly crafted, providing small asides as to his own thoughts throughout his narration of the story. Not shrinking from, nor disguising the more sinister and cruel edge that Marx has returned to the vampires, his narration is complex, with small asides that leave his descriptions pointedly enigmatic. The romantic dance between Meridian and Severian, for it reads much like a fencing match, has moments of amazingly steamy interludes, even as Meridian is torn between becoming a mate or following her original plans to join the church.

This was an amazing read and a great start to a series that returns the ‘edge’ to vampires, and the addition of the narration through Philabe is genius. Even the secondary characters are treated with a level of care that makes every action make sense and feel as if it fits with what you know at that point in the story. A great starter to the series, it redefines the term ‘prequel’ as it is a wonderful work that perfectly sets up the series.

I received an eBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review for Full Moon Bites tours. I was not compensated for this review, all conclusions are my own responsibility. show less

What would you do if your only child had a life threatening disease? Would you contact the man who fathered your child for help, even though he doesn't know the child even exists? What if contacting the man stirs up old feelings that really never went away, could you deal with it? On the other hand, what if you are the man who has no idea that his child exists? Would you finally be able to face the demons that have haunted you for seven years, the shame and regret that you left the woman you show more love to pursue a career in major league baseball? Would you be able to set things right and make amends with the woman and your child? Could a spark that never really was extinguished and the love of a child bring together two people who were always meant to be together? These are the questions that needed to be answered by Libby Tucker and Aidan Palowski in Binding Arbitration.

Elizabeth "Libby" Tucker is a successful Chicago defense attorney and single mom to her six year old son, Cass. Cass has been diagnosed with Leukemia, and is in need of a bone marrow transplant, in order to save his life. Libby had to do the one thing that she didn't want to do, she had to contact Cass' biological father, Banford Aidan Palowski, a successful major league baseball player, and tell him that he has a son who needs him. Libby needs Aidan to agree to submit a blood sample, to test his DNA to see if he would be a viable bone marrow donor. Sparks fly when Libby and Aidan aka "Band-Aid" meet again, but old wounds and unrequited love won't stop Aidan from stepping up to the plate and helping his son. This is a story of Libby and Aidan's journey through pain, anger and hurt to arrive at forgiveness, redemption and a second chance at love and family.

Binding Arbitration is an amazing story that will pull at your heartstrings. The storyline is well written, emotional, powerful and very compelling. This intriguing story is told in a two person perspective by Libby and Aidan, with each perspective brilliantly told in alternating chapters. The story captivates the reader from the beginning and encourages them to come along on the emotional roller coaster ride that is Libby and Aidan's story. This is not a lighthearted easy story to read, it is one that deals with deep emotional issues of illness and affairs of the heart that will have you grabbing for some tissues along the way. The characters are realistic and complex, their engaging personalities and interactions make the story that much more compelling. I couldn't help but love Libby and Aidan, their spark and interactions with each other had my emotions ranging from one end of the spectrum to the other. I think the hardest part of the story to digest was reading about poor little Cass' illness, your heart just can't help but break for him and what he was going through. The author does an incredible job of describing the Chicago setting, I was so intrigued that now I want to visit Chi Town and walk down the magical mile! I also loved how the author intertwined two of my favorite interests: the law and baseball! The references to both the law and baseball throughout the book made me one happy camper, they were informative and fascinating, what more could I ask for?

There are not many books that I have read that pull at my heartstrings and leave my emotions spent, but Binding Arbitration did just that. This amazing story is so much more than just your typical chick lit or contemporary romance novel. It offers a lesson and message about love, forgiveness, redemption and second chances that will warm your heart, and remind you to count your blessings and cherish your relationships.

Disclaimer: At the request of the author and Chick Lit Plus, a Kindle edition of the book was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review and participation in the virtual book tour event.

Virtual Book Tour Event: On Friday, March 30, 2012, in association with Chick Lit Plus, author Elizabeth Marx participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/03/author-guest-post-elizabeth-ma...

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/03/binding-arbitration-by-elizabe... show less

I want to start by saying that after reading this book (which I did a while ago but had to wait for the blog tour to post my review), I knew this could be one of those books where people would either understand it and fall madly in love with it - or they'd just get confused and give up. I've seen both and can understand both sides. Fortunately for me, I fell madly in love with it.

This book is chock full of history, mythology and plot. Add to that it's written from the point of view of the show more Seer and not necessarily one of the main characters the book focuses on (Keleigh/Locke), you have the potential to be overwhelmed. I think I can safely say this book is not meant to be read quickly or skimmed through - it's intended for those that can sit down and fully immerse themselves in the rich details written on page upon page. If you have that sort of time, then you definitely won't regret it.

There was an amazing cast of characters starring in this book. Keleigh is the sort of girl that just tries to blend in with everyone else, when she truly stands out no matter what she does. Locke is a wild spirit that I honestly can't pin down with just a few words because he is truly everywhere with his personality and emotions. Both Keleigh and Locke's best friends are amazing supporting characters, full of charm and loyalty. Over all of the characters though, I think the Seer was the one that struck me as one of the most intriguing. Perhaps it was because the book was from her POV mostly, but her personality and wit really added another level to the story. It was strange to read the story from a secondary character's perspective, but it also added something unique to the story that I don't think would have been present had the POV from the story been from someone else. And even though the story is told from her POV, the Seer is still something of a mystery that keeps the element of intrigue that isn't necessarily quenched by the end of the story - making it impossible not to want to read more about her.

All's Fair In Vanities War has everything that I could ask for in a great read and I cannot wait to read more. If after reading my review, you're not in the least timid by this book... then I would wholly recommend checking it out. show less

The world of All’s Fair in Vanities War is one of the most interesting I’ve read about in awhile. Drawing heavily on ancient Celtic mythology and what we know of druidic tradition, Marx has combined this with the American historical accounts of the Salem witch trials to create a rich backdrop full of depth and context. For generations Salem, Massachusetts has drawn powerful magic to it creating a behind-the-scenes division between ExtraOrdinary beings and Ordinary individuals as well as show more a magical hierarchy of Druids, Vates, Bards, witches and many other magical creatures. Salem’s magical pull comes from the Leyline that runs beneath it feeding the magical energies of the town’s inhabitants. I became so curious about all the mythological elements that Marx used to craft her story, that I ended up spending a lot of time on Wikipedia to see just what was well-known lore and what was all Marx. I must say I’m impressed with how many mythological details she worked into her story to fit her own plot and how smoothly she accomplished it.


The two main characters of Vanities War are also extremely intriguing. Keleigh, the orphaned Vate and female protagonist of this story is a great character. She’s someone who has lost much to this magical world and now wants only to live a normal, non-magical life. And yet, that doesn’t appear to be her destiny. Keleigh is on a search for what she is – Vate or Ordinary – but even amidst her turmoil she has a confidence, strength, courage and kindness that defines the core of who she is. She also has a good head on her shoulders and a quick tongue, which makes her encounters with Locke all the more entertaining. When we first meet Locke, the good-looking, sweet-talking druid, he has lost his longtime girlfriend in a tragic car accident that has also scarred his beautiful face. Long vain and used to getting his way by using his looks, charm and innate power Locke must learn to discipline his use of magic, and begin to heal from the tragedy. Post-tragedy, he’s still a very charismatic character and still makes good use of his charm. He’s got an infectious confidence and an annoyingly endearing swagger. His accident does mature him and realign his priorities; his losses and mistakes have sobering him a bit… but not too much. The thing that really makes him so likeable is that under all the bravado, he really is a decent guy who really does care.


Another major character in the book worth mentioning is the Seer. Killed in the same accident that scarred Locke’s face, she is reborn a Seer – one with the ability to traverse the nine worlds, witness to great events, and a keeper of secrets. She’s of particular interest to me, because although she is omnipresent and the narrator of the story, she really is only a secondary character. The reader sees the entire story through her eyes (she is after all a kind of story keeper), but she plays a slightly less important role in this novel than Locke or Keleigh. It’s an intriguing plot device, one that struck me as pretty unique, and, for the most part, it’s a device that Marx utilizes well. The Seer herself comes across as a very lost character. In fact, we’re never given her name throughout the entire book, a fact which adds to her mystique as well as plays to her uncertainty about herself. The Seer is unsure of her intended purpose. She’s lonely. She clings to shreds of her human existence unwilling to shed it completely and embrace her new reality. I look forward particularly to more development of her character in subsequent novels.


Story. As I just mentioned, the unique narration style set this book apart immediately, as does the interesting relationship dynamic is creates as you begin to watch Keleigh and Locke’s friendship develop, as you keep in mind that the Seer was formerly Locke’s girlfriend. It just creates some interesting moments and perspective. As far as the mystery goes, as Keleigh and Locke search for the relic, it is very interesting and well-paced, and Marx does a fantastic job of building tension throughout their search. The climax of the novel, in particular is pretty dark, gripping and terrifying. The villain is truly frightening, and the final showdown of the story is just as intense as the climax.


Though I thoroughly enjoyed All’s Fair in Vanities War, there were just a few things that kept it from a full five stars. First, though I love the world Marx created, I wish that there had been a bit more clarity closer to the beginning of the book explaining the structure and rules of this world. Before reading this book, I knew next to nothing about the mythology and lore behind Keleigh and Locke’s world. But it’s almost written as if it’s assumed that the reader has a cursory knowledge of Celtic lore. Don’t mistake me, I love the world, I was just reading in a state of confused fascination for a bit there. However by the end when it all falls into place, I felt as though I had a pretty good handle on things worked. Second, I love that the Seer plays the role of narrator, and though she does add her own commentary from time to time, I wish that there had been just a but more of it – a little more insight into the Seer and more opportunities for character development. Third, not a fan of the “absent parent” device, but that’s a personal preference, and Marx makes it work for her story. And finally, I don’t normally make mention of this, but there are a few glaring grammatical and spelling errors. Not a lot, but just enough to jar you out of the story. So if that really bothers you, Dear Reader, just be aware. Also be aware that this is a truly great story, and should you decide to pass over this one because of a few errors, you’re definitely going to be missing out.


Overall, with a complex, fascinating world based on Celtic tradition, fantastic characters, intriguing relationship dynamics, compelling romance and an exciting fast-paced plot, All’s Fair in Vanities War is a wonderfully gripping paranormal read that has me eagerly anticipating the next installment. show less