The Librain……retired

Welcome to this week’s Reading Roundup. I saved three books from a wonderful series for today’s post. I read the first book many years ago and then found that the author, Juliet Marillier, had written more since then and so I read the rest of the series. A few weeks ago, I decided to revisit the books and re-re-read them! Since I had the stroke in 2019, I find that my memories of the past’s really enjoyable reads are very patchy, so I could only remember the bare bones of the plot of the first book. The other two felt like brand new experiences!

Anyway, here are the books…

Sevenwaters series #01, #02, & #03 by Juliet Marillier

Here are the blurbs for each book…

First we have Daughter of the Forest:

“A magnificent saga set in the Celtic twilight of 10th century Ireland, when myth was law and magic was a power of nature, brilliantly brought to life: the legendary story of an evil stepmother opposed by a seventh child.

A wicked woman, an evil curse, and a love that must triumph over impossible odds

Set in the Celtic twilight of ancient Ireland, when myth was law and magic a force of nature, this is the tale of Sorcha, seventh child of a seventh son, the forbidding Lord Colum, and of her six beloved brothers.

The keep at Sevenwaters is a remote, strange, quiet place, guarded by silent men who slip through the woodlands clothed in grey, and keep their weapons sharp. For there are invaders outside the forest; raiders from across the seas, Britons and Vikings bent on destruction. But now there is also an invader inside the keep: the Lady Oonagh, a sorceress as fair as day, but with a heart as black as night. Oonagh captivates Lord Colum with her sensual wiles; but she cannot enchant the wary Sorcha. Frustrated in her attempts to destroy the family, Oonagh binds the brothers with a spell that only Sorcha can lift. If she fails, they will die.

Then the raiders come, and Sorcha is taken captive.
Soon she will find herself torn between her duty to break the curse, and a growing, forbidden love for the warlord who is her captor.”

The second book is Son of the Shadows:

“The forests of Sevenwaters have cast their spell over Sorcha’s daughter Liadan, who, like her mother, has inherited the talent to heal and to see into the spirit world. The forest spirits warn Liadan that she must remain for ever at Sevenwaters if the sacred isles are to be won back from the Britons who took them by force. For the Lord and Lady of the forest spirits have seen in Liadan’s future a doomed romance, death; a child; and a terrible choice to be made.

Liadan is taken captive by the Painted Man, who is revealed to be a man quite unlike his legend. Liadan is drawn to him, despite the ancient prophesy of doom, but can she reclaim her life and defy the spirits, or will a curse fall upon Sevenwaters because of her forbidden love? Will the fight for the sacred isles end in tragedy? History and fantasy, myth and magic, legend and love come together in this magical story.”

And the third book, Child of the Prophecy…

“Raised in an isolated cove on the beautiful Kerry coast, Fainne’s childhood is a lonely one. But her beloved father, the exiled son of Sevenwaters, teaches her all he knows of the magical arts, and every summer she looks forward to the arrival of her one friend, the gypsy boy, Darragh. Soon, though, her world will be changed for ever when her grandmother, the renowned and feared sorceress Oonagh, enters her life.

Oonagh tells Fainne that she carries the blood of a cursed line of sorcerers and outcasts, and then she burdens her with a terrible task. She sends her to the fortress of Sevenwaters, to the family Fainne has never known, to use whatever powers she can to thwart a prophecy that is near fulfilment. The Fair Folk in alliance with Sevenwaters will win back the sacred isles unless Fainne kills the child the prophecy talks of. Tormented by evil dreams, Fainne knows she has the power to do this…

Child of the Prophecy is a powerful and haunting conclusion to the Sevenwaters trilogy.”

Unfortunately, I am struggling with my mental health today and don’t feel capable of writing even a very basic review. So, I will just say that the first two books are, in my view, better than the third. The main characters are really engaging and interesting, whereas Fainne in the third book is quite disagreeable and annoying! In all three books Marillier’s scene setting and her writing of nature is wonderful and I may revisit the rest of the series soon because of this.

I am now going to take a break from the magical world of Sevenwaters. No decisions have been made about the length of that break!

Happy Reading!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

📚📕📚📕📚

 

This is my weekly post where I write about the books that I have been reading. Last week I hadn’t quite finished my book, but now I have… and what a book it was!

The book was This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews, #01 Maggie the Undying series.

This is the blurb…

“When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy, and naked in a gutter, it doesn’t take her long to recognize Kair Toren, a city she knows intimately from the pages of the famously unfinished dark fantasy series she’s been obsessively reading and re-reading while waiting years for the final novel.

Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic, and mayhem? Her encyclopedic knowledge of the plot, the setting, and the characters’ ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she’s coming to love—a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures, and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to get home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes—and attentions—of dueling princes, dukes, and villains, all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the way she knows their stories will end: in a cataclysmic war.”

I chose this completely at random and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the book. Here is my response on Goodreads…

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the sequel! I hope that it isn’t too long a wait. OK, the idea of a modern day character being transported into another world is definitely not a new idea, but waking up in the world of a favourite book? Now, that is a new one for me.

I found the plot a real rollercoaster with some terrific turns and surprises, the setting was interesting and the main characters were well drawn and intriguing. I am definitely going to look at other work by this husband and wife writing team whilst I wait for the sequel to this great book!

View all my reviews

---

I also finished another book during the week, but I’m going to write about it in next week’s Reading Roundup because it is part one of a trilogy and I may finish all three by next Wednesday!

Happy Reading everyone!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

📚📕📚📕📚

This week’s post covers the two book series that I have read since my last Reading Roundup…

The first book in the series is Wolfskin. This is the blurb…

“All young Eyvind ever wanted was to become a great Viking warrior–a Wolfskin–and perform honorable deeds out in the name of his War fathergod, Thor. He can think of no future more glorious. And the chance to make it happen is his when his older brother Ulf is brought the tale of a magical land across the sea, a place where men with courage could go to conquer a land and bring glory to themselves. They set out to find this fabled land and discover a windswept and barren place, but one filled with unexpected beauty and hidden treasures… and a people who are willing to share their bounty.

Ulf’s new settlement begins in harmony with the natives of the isles led by the gentle king Engus. And Eyvind finds a treasure of his own in the young Nessa, niece of the king, seer, and princess. His life will change forever as she claims his heart for her own.

But someone has come along to this new land who is not what he seems. Eyvind’s heartfriend, Somerled, the strange and lonely boy Eyvind befriended so long ago has a secret–and his own plans for the future. The blood oath that they swore in childhood binds them in lifelong loyalty, and Somerled is calling in the debt of honor. What he asks might just doom Evyind to kill the only thing that he has ever truly loved.

Will the price of honor create the destruction of all that Eyvind holds dear?”

And this is my response on the Goodreads site…

Wolfskin by Juliet Marillier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is such a beautifully written tale of a young man’s journey to adulthood and the development of his character. Set in a fantasy version of Viking Norway and Orkney with magical elements, the clashing of cultures is deftly handled.

I found the book absorbing and interesting, having visited Orkney many years ago during my time as a student of archaeology (we worked on a Viking settlement).

View all my reviews

---

On finishing Wolfskin, I went straight on to the sequel, Foxmask. This is the blurb…

“At his coming of age, Thorvald learns a shocking secret about his parentage, and sets out on a perilous voyage in search of a father he has never known. His loyal friend, Creidhe, was never meant to be part of this desperate journey. But love works in strange ways. In the Lost Isles they find a population gripped by terror. The Unspoken sing away the souls of the newborn and the chieftain of the isles answers to nobody. Creidhe and Thorvald become enmeshed in a battle for survival, in which they find themselves on opposing sides. For the future of the islands depends on a visionary child: the powerful seer Foxmask.

Snatched away in infancy by a young kinsman, the boy is held in a place protected by ancient forces of nature. Before the summer is over, Thorvald and Creidhe will learn truths about themselves and about the world that will change them both forever.”

And this is my short review…

Foxmask by Juliet Marillier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Once again, I enjoyed entering Marillier’s version of Viking/Orkney/Faroe Islands historical fantasy. She writes beautiful settings and, in this book, created a very flawed “hero” and a lovely “heroine”. The plot was complex with moments of extreme savagery but also love. Some of the darker elements were difficult to read, but were important parts of the story.

I was left wishing that there could be a third book as I wasn’t ready to leave this magical and beautiful world!

View all my reviews

---

I only finished Foxmask last night, so now have to decide what I will read next. A complete change, I think! I remember reading Marillier’s Sevenwaters series many years ago and will certainly read more by her in the future. 

Happy Reading everyone.

Love and best wishes,

Anne

📚📕📚📕📚

Welcome to my blog and this week’s post about my reading journey! I have now finished the final book in an amazing trilogy…

The book is Empire of the Dawn by Jay Kristoff, #03 Empire of the Vampire. Here is the blurb…

“From holy cup comes holy light;
The faithful hands sets world aright.
And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight,
Mere man shall end this endless night.

Gabriel de León has lost his family, his faith, and his last hope of ending the endless night – the Holy Grail, Dior. With no desire left but vengeance, he and a band of loyal brothers journey into the war-torn heart of the Augustin Empire to claim the life of the Forever King.

Unbeknownst to the Last Silversaint, the Grail still lives – speeding towards Augustin’s besieged capital in the frail hope of ending Daysdeath forever. But deadly treachery awaits within the halls of power, and the Forever King’s legions march ever closer. Gabriel and Dior will be drawn into a final battle that will shape the very fate of the Empire, but as the sun sets for what may be the last time, there will be no-one left for them to trust.”

And this was my response on Goodreads…

Empire of the Dawn by Jay Kristoff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am left almost speechless on finishing this book and the series. Kristoff has written one of the most dark, dangerous and absolutely brilliant series that I have ever read in all of my decades of reading.

Now, was this trilogy a good choice for someone who suffers with dark and deep depression? Yes! I can’t really say any more without giving away too much! I am now totally stumped. What on earth can follow this? How do I choose the next book to read? Anything will pale after reading all three of this trilogy one flyer the other!!!

View all my reviews

---

After that incredible reading experience, I really wonder how Kristoff is going to follow this series! I wonder what he will write next. All I know is that I will be watching closely to see what he publishes.

I am now well into my next read, but my brain is still processing the amazing books that I have read so far this year. I am so happy that my reading mojo has returned.

Happy Reading everyone!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

📚📕📚📕📚