Daughter of Sparta (Daughter of Sparta, #1)
8.0
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Seventeen-year-old Daphne has spent her entire life honing her body and mind into that of a warrior,...
Adina: Snippets in Time 2:10 (Times #3)
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Selfish people don't just change. Adina Moss was content to explore her new life with restored...
Paranormal Romance Shifters
The Path to Power
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The extraordinary account of Margaret Thatcher's life up to her dramatic election as the first woman...
I've Always Kept a Unicorn: The Biography of Sandy Denny
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I've Always Kept a Unicorn tells the story of Sandy Denny, one of the greatest British singers of...
Nightblade's Vengeance
4.0
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In a thrilling fantasy series from the author of the Nightblade novels, revenge becomes a quest for...
The Nine
9.0
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The Nine follows the true story of the author’s great aunt Hélène Podliasky, who led a band of...
War Resistance WorldWarII
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2065 KP) rated Secrets of a Scottish Isle in Books
Mar 28, 2024 (Updated Mar 28, 2024)
As a fan of the series, I was delighted to spend time with Jane and Redvers again. They are a great pair. We get plenty of new characters, and they are well developed, too. Sadly, the plot was uneven, with Jane spending lots of time contemplating what was happening in between the twists. This led to an abrupt but logical climax. The writing brought Iona in March to life, and it made me shiver as I read. It’s fun to see a poet from 1927 show up in the book, and be sure to read the author’s notes at the end to see where she got the inspiration for the tale. Fans of the series will enjoy Jane’s latest adventure.
I was so completely wrong. Not only does Sierra only have sex with three people the entire novel --two because she wanted to and one because she is pretty much forced--, but she is one of the strongest heroines I have ever read. She watched her mother, who had the gift of sight, being forced to work for the enemy Saxons, who later murders her for hiding Sierra's brother. Sierra and her brother, Torin, are then forced apart. It is thought that Torin is left for dead, while Sierra takes up her mother's job as the Saxon king's Seer. Her entire life, Sierra never loses her fire, her hope, or her determination. When she sees Dryston, she sees her chance to escape and doesn't hesitate to snatch it.
I was so completely enraptured by this novel: by Sierra's life and emotions, by Dryston's mission, determination, and tenderness when taking care of Sierra, and by the entire nations hope of being free from the Saxons. McIntyre weaves such a compelling story that one cannot help but be tangled up in. I actually completely forgot that this was meant to be an erotic novel because I was so caught up in the storyline. I am glad, however, that I did not read this book for the erotica. Honestly, the erotic scenes fizzled. They were short, lacked description, and were actually passable.
One of the best novels I've read in a long time.
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated Spinning Silver in Books
Dec 6, 2018
The book starts off with a female protagonist Miryem, such a young woman of determination, focus, self-belief and strength. What happens is that slowly, as the tale unfolds, two other female characters Wanda and Irina join the tale to be key storytellers. I absolutely loved the slow revealing of these other lead characters. All three females had experienced difficult childhoods in different ways which I believe led to their tenacious characters.
What is pretty hilarious is that nearly every single male character is a total tool. They are almost too numerous to be named but I have to speak of Mirnatius and the hideousness of his character, even though there is more to it than that. The King of the Staryk needs particular mention because although I should have hated him, I didn’t. He captivated me and drew me in. Frustratingly, despite the physical description, I couldn’t quite paint a picture of him. I loved reading about the Staryk, the kingdom, the people. I just couldn’t hate this King.
SPINNING SILVER was complicated in many ways, sometimes confusing but ultimately enlightening if I just waited to put the pieces together. The description of people, sights, sounds and the environment were seamlessly brought to life. The tale itself was easy to slip into from the first few pages and although I experienced a plodding sensation at two thirds of the way, it picked up again.
Naomi Novik has followed up from UPROOTED and given us a tale to rival and match but with a very different feel and context. I thoroughly enjoyed my reading journey and I can’t wait to discuss this with my friends.
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
Sarah Osborn's World: The Rise of Evangelical Christianity in Early America
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In 1743, sitting quietly with pen in hand, Sarah Osborn pondered how to tell the story of her life,...