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Once Upon a Winter's Night (Faery, #1)
Dennis L. McKiernan | 2002 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
7
7.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Makes you think (2 more)
Vocabulary
Riddles
But of a mary sue (1 more)
Sometimes drags
This is a good book based on a Norse fairytale. The main character is a bit of a Mary Sue. But it does have some deep subject matter. I'd file it as a winter book. Makes you think and can challenge some views.
The book can be somewhat draggy, as an epic fiction it's alright and doesn't kill itself in. Purple prose.
It's a good book if you want to expand your vocabulary or have High School assignments that are like "pick a book and write the sentence when it uses a word you don't know." Or was that just my english class? Anyway, I'd say it's good for ages 14 and up if they are tired of the kids section and not ready for the bloody. hardcore adult or too snooty (or hate the love triangles) for the ya fantasy. Its pretty easy to follow so if you want to put your toe in for epic fantasy but aren't sure if you want to start you can start here. It's part of a series but can be read alone.
  
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Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles, #4)
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Book no 4 in The Iron Druid chronicles this, I felt, is the weakest of the series so far.

I'm not sure whether that is because it comes after [b:Hammered|10443590|Hammered|Mark Ward|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328728608s/10443590.jpg|15348265] my choice for the best or because the main plot line of [b:Hounded|18404329|Hounded|David Rosenfelt|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1382758931s/18404329.jpg|26038191], [b:Hexed|6372672|Hexed|Michael Alan Nelson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348584639s/6372672.jpg|6560286] and [b:Hammered|10443590|Hammered|Mark Ward|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328728608s/10443590.jpg|15348265] are finished, or even because of the unfamiliar (to me) Navajo setting, but to me, this just didn't gel as much as any of the previous three.

The plot has to do with Atticus dealing with the aftermath of his journey to Asgard in the previous novel, and the deal he made with Coyote to cover his tracks, with the big bad in this taking the form of two Skinwalkers rather than the Irish god(s) of the first, the Witches of the second or the Norse gods of the third.

It's not a bad read, just not my pick for the best of the series
  
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ClareR (5841 KP) rated The Valkyrie in Books

May 30, 2023  
The Valkyrie
The Valkyrie
Kate Heartfield | 2023 | Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What a fantastic book! Myth, strong women, magic - what’s not to like?!

I’ll own up now. This was a NetGalley book, and it kind of got left behind. So I listened to the audiobook on Xigxag audiobooks. And I’m SO glad that I did.it came to life for me, and where some reviews have said that they were sometimes a little confused as to whose chapter it was, either Brynhild the fallen Valkyrie or Gudrun, Princess of Burgundia, I had no such issue. The narrators, Eleanor Jackson and India Shaw-Smith WERE Brynhild and Gudrun. And they were both self-assured, strong leaders who would take no nonsense.

What did surprise me was how forgiving Brynhild was of Sigurd lies. If you already know the myth, then you’ll know! Otherwise, my lips are sealed, because you really have to read this for yourself!

Oh, and the Germanic history was the icing on the cake for me. And there’s loads of extra information about both the Norse mythology and the German history, both in relation to the book, on Kate Heartsfields website - chapter by chapter! I’ve had the BEST time on there!

So, yes, this is very much a recommended book!
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