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winecellarlibrary's Reviews (657)
This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
First, I would like to thank BookishFirst for providing me with a free print ARC copy of this novel. Below is my honest review.
First, I must say, that after reading a few reviews that have already been posted for this book, I am appalled at the number of people who are basically judging the quality of the book by the author's privileged upbringing. To do so is to assert that someone who has family money does not have the right to suffer from severe depression or that somehow a child's mental and emotional abuse is less valid because her parents have a beach house on Cape Cod.
Adrienne Brodeur has laid her past bare for the public to see, opening herself and her family up to scrutiny and judgment. She has done so knowing that her story is one worthy of being told. Never have I read of a mother as narcissistic and self-serving as Malabar. With complete and utter disregard for the feelings of anyone but herself, she launches into an affair that spans over a decade. She has no concern for the lives she destroys in the process. Brodeur has an exceptional writing style, making the book difficult to put down. The story moves quickly, beginning when the author was 14 and moving through subsequent decades. There is a quote in the book that I will not repeat here and spoil for anyone, but when stated by Malabar, I wanted to punch her square in her smug face. I was fully invested in this memoir and I highly recommend it. I am excited also that the film rights were sold and that we will get to experience this tale visually.
First, I would like to thank BookishFirst for providing me with a free print ARC copy of this novel. Below is my honest review.
First, I must say, that after reading a few reviews that have already been posted for this book, I am appalled at the number of people who are basically judging the quality of the book by the author's privileged upbringing. To do so is to assert that someone who has family money does not have the right to suffer from severe depression or that somehow a child's mental and emotional abuse is less valid because her parents have a beach house on Cape Cod.
Adrienne Brodeur has laid her past bare for the public to see, opening herself and her family up to scrutiny and judgment. She has done so knowing that her story is one worthy of being told. Never have I read of a mother as narcissistic and self-serving as Malabar. With complete and utter disregard for the feelings of anyone but herself, she launches into an affair that spans over a decade. She has no concern for the lives she destroys in the process. Brodeur has an exceptional writing style, making the book difficult to put down. The story moves quickly, beginning when the author was 14 and moving through subsequent decades. There is a quote in the book that I will not repeat here and spoil for anyone, but when stated by Malabar, I wanted to punch her square in her smug face. I was fully invested in this memoir and I highly recommend it. I am excited also that the film rights were sold and that we will get to experience this tale visually.
This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
First, I would like to thank BookSirens and the author for providing me with a free Kindle ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Second, I have to warn readers of the potential triggers that you will find in this book. There is discussion of sex trafficking, murder, violence, domestic abuse, and drug use. This may be distressing for some readers.
Eden Winthrop has faced immense trauma, finding her younger sister's lifeless body after she was killed in a murder-suicide by her abusive husband. Although she is still haunted and grieving, she is determined to help other women in similar situations and establishes a network of safehouses.
She struggles daily with anxiety and has an emotional support dog who never leaves her side. His presence calms her nerves enough to help her stay off the prescription medications she was once reliant upon. I found that Melinda Woodhall wrote Eden's character beautifully. It is frustrating when a character is weak, but Eden is far from weak. Despite her horrific past, and despite her crippling anxiety, she refuses to stand by while women and children are abused at the hands of their partners or sex traffickers. Woodhall demonstrates how integral an emotional support dog's presence is to normal daily functioning for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder.
When a teenage girl arrives at one of Eden's safehouses, but promptly disappears, Eden knows this girl is in imminent danger and is compelled to find her. When not one girl, but two, are found dead near the river, killed by strangulation, her determination grows to return this girl safely home. She enlists the help of her sworn enemy—the defense attorney who was responsible for her sister's husband being released, leading to her sister's murder—because despite everything, he may be the only person who can lead her to the truth.
This book was an amazing read and I am so eager to dive into the next book in the series, [b:Girl Eight|44540572|Girl Eight (Mercy Harbor Thriller, #2)|Melinda Woodhall|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553029527l/44540572._SY75_.jpg|69124713]!
First, I would like to thank BookSirens and the author for providing me with a free Kindle ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Second, I have to warn readers of the potential triggers that you will find in this book. There is discussion of sex trafficking, murder, violence, domestic abuse, and drug use. This may be distressing for some readers.
Eden Winthrop has faced immense trauma, finding her younger sister's lifeless body after she was killed in a murder-suicide by her abusive husband. Although she is still haunted and grieving, she is determined to help other women in similar situations and establishes a network of safehouses.
She struggles daily with anxiety and has an emotional support dog who never leaves her side. His presence calms her nerves enough to help her stay off the prescription medications she was once reliant upon. I found that Melinda Woodhall wrote Eden's character beautifully. It is frustrating when a character is weak, but Eden is far from weak. Despite her horrific past, and despite her crippling anxiety, she refuses to stand by while women and children are abused at the hands of their partners or sex traffickers. Woodhall demonstrates how integral an emotional support dog's presence is to normal daily functioning for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder.
When a teenage girl arrives at one of Eden's safehouses, but promptly disappears, Eden knows this girl is in imminent danger and is compelled to find her. When not one girl, but two, are found dead near the river, killed by strangulation, her determination grows to return this girl safely home. She enlists the help of her sworn enemy—the defense attorney who was responsible for her sister's husband being released, leading to her sister's murder—because despite everything, he may be the only person who can lead her to the truth.
This book was an amazing read and I am so eager to dive into the next book in the series, [b:Girl Eight|44540572|Girl Eight (Mercy Harbor Thriller, #2)|Melinda Woodhall|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553029527l/44540572._SY75_.jpg|69124713]!
This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
Having just finished Paula Hawkins' [b:The Girl on the Train|22557272|The Girl on the Train|Paula Hawkins|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490903702l/22557272._SY75_.jpg|41107568], I was expecting to really enjoy this novel. Unfortunately, I never really got into it. There are so many narrators. SO. MANY. And then, in addition to narrators, there is also the intermittent narration of a book that the character Nel was writing prior to her death, bringing even more characters into this complicated cast!
It was difficult to figure out just exactly what was going on, and why the reader should even care about what is going on. Several girls and women have died in the river. We are told that aside from the first, who was drowned as a witch, the rest have been suicides. For the first two-thirds of the book, I was bored. Were all these peeks into the numerous narrators' lives going to point to a murder or just confirm the suicides? It was not until I passed the two-thirds mark that the book finally became entertaining. Had I not read this as an audiobook, this would have taken me ages to read.
Nel's daughter is a frustrating creature, but she is easily the most likeable. She will withhold information out of a sense of misguided duty, even if it will help investigators. It's both frustrating and admirable. Paula Hawkins did a fantastic job writing this character in particular.
Everyone is flawed. Everyone is suspect. Everyone knows more than they are letting on. Will you have the patience to find out the reasons behind each death in the Drowning Pool?
Having just finished Paula Hawkins' [b:The Girl on the Train|22557272|The Girl on the Train|Paula Hawkins|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1490903702l/22557272._SY75_.jpg|41107568], I was expecting to really enjoy this novel. Unfortunately, I never really got into it. There are so many narrators. SO. MANY. And then, in addition to narrators, there is also the intermittent narration of a book that the character Nel was writing prior to her death, bringing even more characters into this complicated cast!
It was difficult to figure out just exactly what was going on, and why the reader should even care about what is going on. Several girls and women have died in the river. We are told that aside from the first, who was drowned as a witch, the rest have been suicides. For the first two-thirds of the book, I was bored. Were all these peeks into the numerous narrators' lives going to point to a murder or just confirm the suicides? It was not until I passed the two-thirds mark that the book finally became entertaining. Had I not read this as an audiobook, this would have taken me ages to read.
Nel's daughter is a frustrating creature, but she is easily the most likeable. She will withhold information out of a sense of misguided duty, even if it will help investigators. It's both frustrating and admirable. Paula Hawkins did a fantastic job writing this character in particular.
Everyone is flawed. Everyone is suspect. Everyone knows more than they are letting on. Will you have the patience to find out the reasons behind each death in the Drowning Pool?
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This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
I saw the movie prior to reading this book, which is something I typically do not do. I thought the movie was only so-so, so I wasn't anticipating that I would enjoy the book very much. I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed the book, much more than the movie. I listened to the audiobook on Libby, and the narrators (especially the narrator of Rachel) did a phenomenal job. Her audio performance rivals Emily Blunt's acting portrayal.
Paula Hawkins did an extraordinary job conveying our unreliable narrator, Rachel, as she struggles with her alcoholism and her troubled memory. The timeline also alternates (which was incredibly difficult to follow on the audiobook, but is likely much more clear in text). It can be a little confusing at first, trying to decipher what exactly is going on, but Hawkins makes it pretty clear after a few chapters.
Despite Rachel's pitiful existence, pining over her ex-husband who left her for Anna and drinking herself into oblivion, she is the most enjoyable of the characters. All of the characters are rather crappy people, betraying each other and lying to each other. Rachel is the only one who grows as a person; you can sense a gradual clarity and confidence emerging with each chapter. You find yourself fighting for her by the end, when it seems no one else will.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys domestic thrillers and especially for those who like an unreliable narrator.
I saw the movie prior to reading this book, which is something I typically do not do. I thought the movie was only so-so, so I wasn't anticipating that I would enjoy the book very much. I was surprised to find that I really enjoyed the book, much more than the movie. I listened to the audiobook on Libby, and the narrators (especially the narrator of Rachel) did a phenomenal job. Her audio performance rivals Emily Blunt's acting portrayal.
Paula Hawkins did an extraordinary job conveying our unreliable narrator, Rachel, as she struggles with her alcoholism and her troubled memory. The timeline also alternates (which was incredibly difficult to follow on the audiobook, but is likely much more clear in text). It can be a little confusing at first, trying to decipher what exactly is going on, but Hawkins makes it pretty clear after a few chapters.
Despite Rachel's pitiful existence, pining over her ex-husband who left her for Anna and drinking herself into oblivion, she is the most enjoyable of the characters. All of the characters are rather crappy people, betraying each other and lying to each other. Rachel is the only one who grows as a person; you can sense a gradual clarity and confidence emerging with each chapter. You find yourself fighting for her by the end, when it seems no one else will.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys domestic thrillers and especially for those who like an unreliable narrator.
This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
I selected this book from the free Audible Originals selection for September 2019.
This audiobook was a quick "read" at a mere 3 hours 8 minutes, making it a novella, though it is not advertised as such. (Comparatively, the next--and official first--book in the series, [b:The Ruin|36588482|The Ruin (Cormac Reilly, #1)|Dervla McTiernan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516121922l/36588482._SX50_.jpg|56669056], has an audiobook run time of 10 hours 25 minutes.)
Sisters Aifric and Carrie alternate as narrators from chapter to chapter. Aifric is a junior barrister (lawyer) who is troubled by the case that has been dumped in her lap. It appears that no one cares about this case--despite it being a murder case--and that everyone is casually going to allow a quite possibly innocent man to go to prison for life on the word of a single, unreliable witness. She shares her file with Carrie, a new garda (police officer), who breaks all sorts of rules to get information that might clear the accused, even if it puts her career and reputation, as well as her sister's, in jeopardy. Shockingly, a reference to the movie "Fifty Shades of Grey" (released in 2015) and its leading man Jamie Dornan is made, despite this story being set in 2004. I hadn't even realized that I had reached the end until I noticed the timer on the screen, showing a mere 14 minutes of narration remaining, as the story seems to progress at a standard rate until the final chapter, which is insanely rushed to conclusion.
The characters are likeable, as is the style of writing. I admittedly enjoyed listening to the story despite its weaknesses, and have chosen to give it 3/5 stars. I hope that the length of the next book in the series is evidence that the author spent much more time fact-checking and developing her story.
I selected this book from the free Audible Originals selection for September 2019.
This audiobook was a quick "read" at a mere 3 hours 8 minutes, making it a novella, though it is not advertised as such. (Comparatively, the next--and official first--book in the series, [b:The Ruin|36588482|The Ruin (Cormac Reilly, #1)|Dervla McTiernan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516121922l/36588482._SX50_.jpg|56669056], has an audiobook run time of 10 hours 25 minutes.)
Sisters Aifric and Carrie alternate as narrators from chapter to chapter. Aifric is a junior barrister (lawyer) who is troubled by the case that has been dumped in her lap. It appears that no one cares about this case--despite it being a murder case--and that everyone is casually going to allow a quite possibly innocent man to go to prison for life on the word of a single, unreliable witness. She shares her file with Carrie, a new garda (police officer), who breaks all sorts of rules to get information that might clear the accused, even if it puts her career and reputation, as well as her sister's, in jeopardy. Shockingly, a reference to the movie "Fifty Shades of Grey" (released in 2015) and its leading man Jamie Dornan is made, despite this story being set in 2004. I hadn't even realized that I had reached the end until I noticed the timer on the screen, showing a mere 14 minutes of narration remaining, as the story seems to progress at a standard rate until the final chapter, which is insanely rushed to conclusion.
The characters are likeable, as is the style of writing. I admittedly enjoyed listening to the story despite its weaknesses, and have chosen to give it 3/5 stars. I hope that the length of the next book in the series is evidence that the author spent much more time fact-checking and developing her story.
This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
First, I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishing for providing me with a free Kindle ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Having read [b:The Rescue|41632412|The Rescue (Ryan Decker #1)|Steven Konkoly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1538808789l/41632412._SY75_.jpg|64969169], I felt that this book was much better. The prequel had left me with some nagging questions. The current text doesn't have the same plot holes that I felt The Rescue had. My only complaint, really, is that there never is any resolution whatsoever to the presence of the five children in the desert who are found by the Border Patrol agents at the beginning of the book. Who were they? What happened to them? How did they have anything at all to do with the cartels, or the story in general? It felt as if their existence was created purely for shock and awe.
Action books are not my personal favorite, but this book kept the action level high and was full of comedic banter between characters, so the entertainment was definitely there. I could see this series being picked up by Hollywood with actors like Jason Statham and Liam Neeson.
Still hoping for a spin-off series centered around Harlow and her badass team! They are the real heroes in this series!
#theraid #netgalley
First, I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishing for providing me with a free Kindle ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Having read [b:The Rescue|41632412|The Rescue (Ryan Decker #1)|Steven Konkoly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1538808789l/41632412._SY75_.jpg|64969169], I felt that this book was much better. The prequel had left me with some nagging questions. The current text doesn't have the same plot holes that I felt The Rescue had. My only complaint, really, is that there never is any resolution whatsoever to the presence of the five children in the desert who are found by the Border Patrol agents at the beginning of the book. Who were they? What happened to them? How did they have anything at all to do with the cartels, or the story in general? It felt as if their existence was created purely for shock and awe.
Action books are not my personal favorite, but this book kept the action level high and was full of comedic banter between characters, so the entertainment was definitely there. I could see this series being picked up by Hollywood with actors like Jason Statham and Liam Neeson.
Still hoping for a spin-off series centered around Harlow and her badass team! They are the real heroes in this series!
#theraid #netgalley
This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
First, I would like to thank Amazon First Reads for the opportunity to read a free Kindle version of this book.
Unfortunately, I don’t have much positive to say in regards to The Rescue. The fact that it took me over two weeks to read a 390-page book is an indication of how unsatisfying this read was. The first few chapters are action-packed, but once we hit chapter 15, the story becomes dull and all action completely stops until the very end (there are 65 chapters in total).
The premise of the book is unbelievable: we are expected to accept that a senator would destroy the life of the man who led the mission to rescue her daughter simply because his mission failed, and we are expected to accept that the legal system would lock him away for 10 years for not saving her in time. We are expected to accept that all of his comrades in World Recovery Group and their families were brutally slaughtered after trial and that no one did anything about it or realized that perhaps Ryan Decker was not to blame after all. We are also supposed to see Ryan Decker as a badass, but it seems to me that the real badasses are Harlow and her team and Ryan Decker is just along for the ride. (A spin-off series about Harlow and her team is something I would definitely read, by the way.)
It’s not a bad story, it’s just nothing new in the action genre. A brief explanation of how exactly the legal system found Ryan Decker guilty of…well, whatever charges he was supposedly guilty of, as the charges are not named either, come to think of it…would have set this story up for success. This gaping hole in the plot gnawed at me the entire duration of the book and it was difficult for me to take the rest of it seriously.
First, I would like to thank Amazon First Reads for the opportunity to read a free Kindle version of this book.
Unfortunately, I don’t have much positive to say in regards to The Rescue. The fact that it took me over two weeks to read a 390-page book is an indication of how unsatisfying this read was. The first few chapters are action-packed, but once we hit chapter 15, the story becomes dull and all action completely stops until the very end (there are 65 chapters in total).
The premise of the book is unbelievable: we are expected to accept that a senator would destroy the life of the man who led the mission to rescue her daughter simply because his mission failed, and we are expected to accept that the legal system would lock him away for 10 years for not saving her in time. We are expected to accept that all of his comrades in World Recovery Group and their families were brutally slaughtered after trial and that no one did anything about it or realized that perhaps Ryan Decker was not to blame after all. We are also supposed to see Ryan Decker as a badass, but it seems to me that the real badasses are Harlow and her team and Ryan Decker is just along for the ride. (A spin-off series about Harlow and her team is something I would definitely read, by the way.)
It’s not a bad story, it’s just nothing new in the action genre. A brief explanation of how exactly the legal system found Ryan Decker guilty of…well, whatever charges he was supposedly guilty of, as the charges are not named either, come to think of it…would have set this story up for success. This gaping hole in the plot gnawed at me the entire duration of the book and it was difficult for me to take the rest of it seriously.
This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
*** 4.5/5 stars ***
I enjoyed this book much more than its predecessor, [b:Tower of Thorns|22567177|Tower of Thorns (Blackthorn & Grim, #2)|Juliet Marillier|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1422042818l/22567177._SY75_.jpg|42030607]. In comparison, the pacing of events is improved, as has Blackthorn's attitude. Our bitter wisewoman is allowing her hard exterior to melt for the first time, despite Mathuin of Laois closing in. As before, this novel can be read as a standalone, but to do so would be a shame!
Grim has been hired to build a Heartwood House at Wolf Glen and is charged with keeping an eye on Bardán, a crippled and tormented man who was the original builder on the house fifteen years prior but who had disappeared under questionable circumstances. Blackthorn takes it upon herself to work with young Cara of Wolf Glen, who has been sent away to Winterfalls while the Heartwood House is under construction. Cara suffers from an inability to speak when anxiety strikes her, but gradually, she comes to trust Blackthorn. The longer Blackthorn spends with Cara, the more it becomes apparent that Cara's past is not what it seems, and the longer Grim spends with Bardán, the clearer it becomes that he and the girl are connected somehow, though neither of them can remember.
Meanwhile, while Grim and Blackthorn are separated from each other, Mathuin is drawing nearer, snatching lands and wreaking havoc. Ever steadfast in his love for Blackthorn, Grim realizes that he must put the welfare of Bardán first until the building is finished. Likewise, Blackthorn is beginning to realize that she needs Grim more than ever, but she, too, must decide where her priorities lie.
Another captivating tale from my favorite fantasy author. I am really disappointed that the publisher elected to not publish any more books in the Blackthorn & Grim series! I would have really enjoyed reading more of their adventures. Thankfully, Marillier's newest book, [b:The Harp of Kings|43316755|The Harp of Kings (Warrior Bards, #1)|Juliet Marillier|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552128464l/43316755._SY75_.jpg|57888974], does give the reader closure about what became of our beloved Blackthorn and Grim.
*** 4.5/5 stars ***
I enjoyed this book much more than its predecessor, [b:Tower of Thorns|22567177|Tower of Thorns (Blackthorn & Grim, #2)|Juliet Marillier|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1422042818l/22567177._SY75_.jpg|42030607]. In comparison, the pacing of events is improved, as has Blackthorn's attitude. Our bitter wisewoman is allowing her hard exterior to melt for the first time, despite Mathuin of Laois closing in. As before, this novel can be read as a standalone, but to do so would be a shame!
Grim has been hired to build a Heartwood House at Wolf Glen and is charged with keeping an eye on Bardán, a crippled and tormented man who was the original builder on the house fifteen years prior but who had disappeared under questionable circumstances. Blackthorn takes it upon herself to work with young Cara of Wolf Glen, who has been sent away to Winterfalls while the Heartwood House is under construction. Cara suffers from an inability to speak when anxiety strikes her, but gradually, she comes to trust Blackthorn. The longer Blackthorn spends with Cara, the more it becomes apparent that Cara's past is not what it seems, and the longer Grim spends with Bardán, the clearer it becomes that he and the girl are connected somehow, though neither of them can remember.
Meanwhile, while Grim and Blackthorn are separated from each other, Mathuin is drawing nearer, snatching lands and wreaking havoc. Ever steadfast in his love for Blackthorn, Grim realizes that he must put the welfare of Bardán first until the building is finished. Likewise, Blackthorn is beginning to realize that she needs Grim more than ever, but she, too, must decide where her priorities lie.
Another captivating tale from my favorite fantasy author. I am really disappointed that the publisher elected to not publish any more books in the Blackthorn & Grim series! I would have really enjoyed reading more of their adventures. Thankfully, Marillier's newest book, [b:The Harp of Kings|43316755|The Harp of Kings (Warrior Bards, #1)|Juliet Marillier|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552128464l/43316755._SY75_.jpg|57888974], does give the reader closure about what became of our beloved Blackthorn and Grim.
This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
In this second installment of the Blackthorn and Grim series, expert storyteller [a:Juliet Marillier|8649|Juliet Marillier|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1373081365p2/8649.jpg] has once again woven an enchanting tale of fairy-tale magic, love, and feminine strength. Despite being part of a series, this novel also can be read as a stand-alone piece.
Blackthorn's tortured past came to light in the last installment, but here, we finally get to experience Grim's tragic history. This tale is as much an exploration of Grim's personal growth as it is a tale of Blackthorn's quest to save the people of Bann from the devastating effects of the monster's presence in the Tower of Thorns. In a third point of view from the Lady of Bann, Geiléis, a magical backstory is slowly pieced together, keeping the reader guessing as much as the protagonists as to how the monster came to occupy the tower and why its deafening scream is tearing apart this land.
Compared to the first novel in the series, [b:Dreamer's Pool|17305016|Dreamer's Pool (Blackthorn & Grim, #1)|Juliet Marillier|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1396748896l/17305016._SY75_.jpg|23963283], [b:Tower of Thorns|22567177|Tower of Thorns (Blackthorn & Grim, #2)|Juliet Marillier|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1422042818l/22567177._SY75_.jpg|42030607] gets off to a slower start. It is not until mid-book that the story becomes the riveting tale that one would expect from Marillier; additionally, Blackthorn's obsession with childhood friend Master Flannan's plot becomes exceedingly tiresome, hence, the rating of 4/5 stars. I urge you to push beyond the first half of the book and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
This review is also available on my blog: Wine Cellar Library
Beginning a new Juliet Marillier series is always an exciting endeavor. Having read all but one of her previously published series, I know that I am about to embark on an immersive and magical adventure.
We are introduced to Blackthorn and Grim, who have suffered inconceivable torture at the hands of Mathuin of Laois. Sprung from the lockup by a fey nobleman named Conmael, who forbids Blackthorn from exacting her revenge, the two embark on a journey to Dalraida. The publisher's synopsis on the back cover gives a rather uninteresting description of events. I much prefer the author's synopsis from her website.
Blackthorn has faced so much pain, both emotional and physical, that she struggles to let anyone get too close. Having grudgingly accepted the fact that Grim will be her companion, and despite the fact that Grim was witness to much of her abuse, she keeps him at a distance. Throughout the book, her stubbornness tends to get exhausting, but, given her experiences, I cannot blame her.
Grim has his own dark past, but his history is not revealed in this book. Having Blackthorn close allows him to begin to heal, even if she is frustratingly resistant to his friendship. Grim may be cast as a simpleton, but he has an innate gift for seeing what others may overlook.
As for the task at hand, it becomes quickly apparent that something has changed Prince Oran's betrothed into someone that he, and even her own dog Bramble, does not recognize. Marillier always gives the reader just enough insight in measured doses throughout the book and expertly keeps the reader intrigued.
Having completed the entire series prior to writing this review, I can say with confidence that the world that Marillier has constructed in the Blackthorn & Grim series is one that will engulf you from beginning to end.
Beginning a new Juliet Marillier series is always an exciting endeavor. Having read all but one of her previously published series, I know that I am about to embark on an immersive and magical adventure.
We are introduced to Blackthorn and Grim, who have suffered inconceivable torture at the hands of Mathuin of Laois. Sprung from the lockup by a fey nobleman named Conmael, who forbids Blackthorn from exacting her revenge, the two embark on a journey to Dalraida. The publisher's synopsis on the back cover gives a rather uninteresting description of events. I much prefer the author's synopsis from her website.
Blackthorn has faced so much pain, both emotional and physical, that she struggles to let anyone get too close. Having grudgingly accepted the fact that Grim will be her companion, and despite the fact that Grim was witness to much of her abuse, she keeps him at a distance. Throughout the book, her stubbornness tends to get exhausting, but, given her experiences, I cannot blame her.
Grim has his own dark past, but his history is not revealed in this book. Having Blackthorn close allows him to begin to heal, even if she is frustratingly resistant to his friendship. Grim may be cast as a simpleton, but he has an innate gift for seeing what others may overlook.
As for the task at hand, it becomes quickly apparent that something has changed Prince Oran's betrothed into someone that he, and even her own dog Bramble, does not recognize. Marillier always gives the reader just enough insight in measured doses throughout the book and expertly keeps the reader intrigued.
Having completed the entire series prior to writing this review, I can say with confidence that the world that Marillier has constructed in the Blackthorn & Grim series is one that will engulf you from beginning to end.