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The Bear and the Nightingale
The Bear and the Nightingale
Katherine Arden | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
9.4 (17 Ratings)
Book Rating
Beautiful descriptions (1 more)
Nice worldbuilding
Good but overhyped
So I finally got around to reading this one - people have been raving about it all year long. And honestly - I don't see what the fuss is about. It's good, sure. But it's not Girls Made of Snow and Glass, or The Crown's Game, or Uprooted. It's not The Golem and the Jinni. I enjoyed it, but I think the hype is a little undeserved. I am, however, always a sucker for Russian-themed fairytales. (Probably why I liked The Crown's Game and The Crown's Fate so much.) And I am looking forward to the sequel, The Girl in the Tower, which just came out. (I have a hold requested on it from my library.) The third book in the Winternight Trilogy appears to be The Winter of the Witch, and is scheduled to be published in August.

The Bear and the Nightingale is set in Rus - a Russia-like country, but with magic, of course. Vasilisa/Vasya is a granddaughter of a witch, and has some abilities herself. Mostly just the ability to see things that other can't, and to talk to them. Through the course of the book, she avoids an arranged marriage, saves a priest, fights a priest, and tries like hell to save her village from the demons of winter. I loved her tenacity, and her love for the old spirits. The description of The Winter King and his home was absolutely enchanting. Overall a good book, but a bit overhyped.

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Winter Wishes Scattered (Bella and the Beast Master #6)
Winter Wishes Scattered (Bella and the Beast Master #6)
Sarah Westill | 2025 | Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
WINTER WISHES SCATTERED is the sixth novella in the Bella and the Beast Master series, and takes place as winter slowly loses its grip on Sziveria, but not enough for people to leave their homes.

Markus is nesting (big time!) and worrying over most things, especially if they involve Bella. So you can imagine his reaction when Bella and Willow find a dead body in the greenhouse. With the shared residence locked down for winter, who would do such a thing, and why?

As always, this was brilliantly written, showcasing not only Markus' vulnerability and worries for his soon-to-be family, but also his frustrations with Sziveria and how differently things are done than in his homeland. The mystery itself will lead you in circles as you try to figure out whodunnit, although I will say I really didn't care after Lunah - I just wanted the perpetrator to pay!

A great addition to the series and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me. Honestly, every time I read one of Ms Westill's books, it makes me want to re-read ALL of them! When I'm rich enough, I will absolutely be buying every single one of them in a hardcopy format! This is a clever, heartfelt whodunnit that proves this series just keeps getting better.

** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 22, 2025
  
AC
A Cowboy's Christmas Eve
R.C. Ryan | 2016
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
a lovely Christmas romance story to get you in the mood. A lovely quick read, I just couldn't put it down, this book left me wanting more and more. This book has fab characters and they have a fab chemistry between them. This is a perfect read for those cold winter nights to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

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B
Boss
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a good read book for these winter nights. The characters have hot chemistry. This is a fast paced story. The story has plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading long into the night. Fantastic characters you will fall in love with as you read. I cant wait to read more from this author in the future.

Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book
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