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Fairy Queens #2
Winter Queen
There is one rule above all others:
Never bargain with the fae . . .
When a battle erupts in the heart of her village, Ilyenna looks into her enemy’s eyes and sees more than just cunning. There is also lust—lust for power and lust for her. She could escape. If she’s willing to take the fae’s impossible bargain.
Dark magic in exchange for her soul.
But she risks losing more than her soul. She would also lose Rone, the man she’s been in secretly in love with for years. But as things heat up between Rone and Ilyenna, so does her captor’s cruelty. Worse, the feud between clans is merely a distraction from something far worse.
Is Ilyenna willing to sell her soul to save her people and the man she loves?
Two immortal queens. A dying magic. A world to save . . .
The FAIRY QUEENS SAGA is far more than a simple fairytale retelling. It's a deep dive into the Norse mythology surrounding Hans Christian Andersen's THE SNOW QUEEN. An origin story, the Fairy Queens Saga tells the stories of the Winter Queen (Ilyenna), her rival (Nelay), and Ilyenna's daughter (Elice).
Reading order:
1. Of Ice and Snow (Ilyenna's parents)
2. Winter Queen (Ilyenna's story)
3. Of Fire and Ash (prequel novella for Nelay's story)
4. Summer Queen (Nelay's story)
5. Of Sand and Storm (spin off novel)
6. Daughter of Winter (Elice and Adar, star-crossed lovers desperate to escape the Winter Queen)
7. Winter's Heir (Ilyenna, Nelay, Elice, and Adar all come together for the final showdown. Will they destroy each other or find a way to work together to save their dying world?)
OTHER TITLES BY AMBER ARGYLE
Forbidden Forest Series
Lady of Shadows
Stolen Enchantress
Piper Prince
Wraith King
Curse Queen
Witch Song Series
Witch Song
Witch Born
Witch Rising
Witch Fall
Never bargain with the fae . . .
When a battle erupts in the heart of her village, Ilyenna looks into her enemy’s eyes and sees more than just cunning. There is also lust—lust for power and lust for her. She could escape. If she’s willing to take the fae’s impossible bargain.
Dark magic in exchange for her soul.
But she risks losing more than her soul. She would also lose Rone, the man she’s been in secretly in love with for years. But as things heat up between Rone and Ilyenna, so does her captor’s cruelty. Worse, the feud between clans is merely a distraction from something far worse.
Is Ilyenna willing to sell her soul to save her people and the man she loves?
Two immortal queens. A dying magic. A world to save . . .
The FAIRY QUEENS SAGA is far more than a simple fairytale retelling. It's a deep dive into the Norse mythology surrounding Hans Christian Andersen's THE SNOW QUEEN. An origin story, the Fairy Queens Saga tells the stories of the Winter Queen (Ilyenna), her rival (Nelay), and Ilyenna's daughter (Elice).
Reading order:
1. Of Ice and Snow (Ilyenna's parents)
2. Winter Queen (Ilyenna's story)
3. Of Fire and Ash (prequel novella for Nelay's story)
4. Summer Queen (Nelay's story)
5. Of Sand and Storm (spin off novel)
6. Daughter of Winter (Elice and Adar, star-crossed lovers desperate to escape the Winter Queen)
7. Winter's Heir (Ilyenna, Nelay, Elice, and Adar all come together for the final showdown. Will they destroy each other or find a way to work together to save their dying world?)
OTHER TITLES BY AMBER ARGYLE
Forbidden Forest Series
Lady of Shadows
Stolen Enchantress
Piper Prince
Wraith King
Curse Queen
Witch Song Series
Witch Song
Witch Born
Witch Rising
Witch Fall
254 pages, Hardcover
First published March 18, 2013
102 people are currently reading
6,804 people want to read
About the author
Amber Argyle
30 books1,096 followersAmber Argyle is the bestselling fantasy & romance author of the Forbidden Forest, Fairy Queens, Witch Song, & Wild Heart Ranch Romance series. Her award-winning books have been translated into several languages and praised by such authors as NYT bestsellers David Farland and Jennifer A. Nielsen.
Amber grew up on a cattle ranch and spent her formative years in the rodeo circuit and on the basketball court. She graduated cum laude from Utah State University. She’s delightfully sarcastic, loves all things outdoors, and believes spiders should be relegated to horror novels where they belong.
She has completed three series and is working on a fourth.
To receive her starter library of four free books, simply tell her where to send it: http://amberargyle.com/freebooks/
Amber grew up on a cattle ranch and spent her formative years in the rodeo circuit and on the basketball court. She graduated cum laude from Utah State University. She’s delightfully sarcastic, loves all things outdoors, and believes spiders should be relegated to horror novels where they belong.
She has completed three series and is working on a fourth.
To receive her starter library of four free books, simply tell her where to send it: http://amberargyle.com/freebooks/
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Shelved as 'unlikely'
March 28, 2021Such a pretty, pretty cover but fae stories are always iffy for me so........we'll see.
February 20, 2017
If I'm allowed to have a favorite book baby, Winter Queen is it. I'm still a little in awe of the fact that I wrote it. It's multilayered and the world building is phenomenal.
Here's the first page:
Ilyenna’s horse danced nervously beneath her, the animal’s hooves clicking against the snow-covered stones that coated the land like dragon eggs. Reaching down, she patted her mare’s golden neck. “Easy, Myst. What’s the matter, girl?”
“There.” Her father pointed at the base of a forested hillock not fifty paces beyond the road. Ilyenna saw the shadowed form of a large animal.
Bratton soundlessly pulled an arrow from his quiver and nocked it. “Bear?” He directed the question at their father.
The word stirred currents of tension in Ilyenna’s body. The cold stung her checks and formed a vapor no matter how shallowly she breathed. As she glanced up and down the road, her hand gripped the knife belted around her bulky wool coat.
“I think it’s a horse,” Bratton finally said.
Ilyenna eased her mare forward for a better look. It was a horse—a bay. “Then where is his rider—” The words died in her throat when she spotted a motionless gray lump at the horse’s feet. Without thought, she rammed her heels into her mare’s ribs.
“Stop!” her father cried at the same time Bratton called, “Ilyenna!”
But the healer in her couldn’t be denied. In three of the horse’s strides, she was in the forest. She pressed herself flush against Myst’s muscular neck. Still, larch trees managed to slap her, leaving the sharp scent of their needles in her hair and clothes. Clumps of snow shook loose from their sagging boughs, falling across her horse’s mane and into her face. Yet Ilyenna barely registered the icy shock.
Here's the first page:
Ilyenna’s horse danced nervously beneath her, the animal’s hooves clicking against the snow-covered stones that coated the land like dragon eggs. Reaching down, she patted her mare’s golden neck. “Easy, Myst. What’s the matter, girl?”
“There.” Her father pointed at the base of a forested hillock not fifty paces beyond the road. Ilyenna saw the shadowed form of a large animal.
Bratton soundlessly pulled an arrow from his quiver and nocked it. “Bear?” He directed the question at their father.
The word stirred currents of tension in Ilyenna’s body. The cold stung her checks and formed a vapor no matter how shallowly she breathed. As she glanced up and down the road, her hand gripped the knife belted around her bulky wool coat.
“I think it’s a horse,” Bratton finally said.
Ilyenna eased her mare forward for a better look. It was a horse—a bay. “Then where is his rider—” The words died in her throat when she spotted a motionless gray lump at the horse’s feet. Without thought, she rammed her heels into her mare’s ribs.
“Stop!” her father cried at the same time Bratton called, “Ilyenna!”
But the healer in her couldn’t be denied. In three of the horse’s strides, she was in the forest. She pressed herself flush against Myst’s muscular neck. Still, larch trees managed to slap her, leaving the sharp scent of their needles in her hair and clothes. Clumps of snow shook loose from their sagging boughs, falling across her horse’s mane and into her face. Yet Ilyenna barely registered the icy shock.
![Profile Image for Lala_Loopsie [fire breathing B!tch Queen].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1477498129i%2F41378358._UX200_CR0%2C77%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
May 11, 2016
I came here expecting to love it more after meditating, but my opinion remains the same.
It is obvious the author worked on the world the story was built on. It wasn't confusing at any point, and that is something i am grateful for. I might not have liked what a tiam is, but it's not Amber Argyle's fault, i don't think. Regardless, i liked this world. Even if women were what they were (this is the most common thing in the past, and i imagine this takes part around the middle agaes, more or less.)
The story progressed at a normal rate, more or less. Then BAM!, she becomes the Winter Queen (don't stop me now, i won't hide it because we all knew it would happen). After that we aren't given a warning about how much time passes, until she talks to her beau, Rone. Then we get an incking of what happened, and when, and how, and so on. That was the main problem i had with the book. Other than that, the book was actually quite good.
So, do i recomend this book?
-Good question, i wonder myself. I'll probably never have a good enough answer ready.
Umm, excuse me, but what was that?
-You are excused. I have a suitable answer to your question: If you want to read a book you won't expect much of, but want to enjoy, here you have it.
It is obvious the author worked on the world the story was built on. It wasn't confusing at any point, and that is something i am grateful for. I might not have liked what a tiam is, but it's not Amber Argyle's fault, i don't think. Regardless, i liked this world. Even if women were what they were (this is the most common thing in the past, and i imagine this takes part around the middle agaes, more or less.)
The story progressed at a normal rate, more or less. Then BAM!, she becomes the Winter Queen (don't stop me now, i won't hide it because we all knew it would happen). After that we aren't given a warning about how much time passes, until she talks to her beau, Rone. Then we get an incking of what happened, and when, and how, and so on. That was the main problem i had with the book. Other than that, the book was actually quite good.
So, do i recomend this book?
-Good question, i wonder myself. I'll probably never have a good enough answer ready.
Umm, excuse me, but what was that?
-You are excused. I have a suitable answer to your question: If you want to read a book you won't expect much of, but want to enjoy, here you have it.
January 22, 2016
This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd
MY THOUGHTS
I've read Amber Argyle's other book, Witch Song, and enjoyed it, but I admit that I really wanted to read this book based entirely on the beautiful cover. After I read the synopsis, I wanted to read it even more!
When Tryon attacks, slaughters, and enslaves members of Argon clan, the Shyle clan is shocked. The clans have a treaty among them and until now, there has been no fighting amongst the clans. The Shyle clan is friends with the Argon clan and sends help. Ilyenna is clan mistress of the Shyle clan, her father is the clan chief, and is caught up in this. The Shyle clan is able to rescue a few Argons, but things get even worse when the Shyle clan gets targeted. When a raid occurs, Ilyenna ends up dying in the snow. But the winter fairy see promise in her and revive her to be the new Winter Queen, with a catch: she must lose all of her emotions. Ilyenna declines for now, in favor of helping those she loves, but ends up being captured by Darrien, who was the one that tried to kill her. Darrien is the Tryon clan chief's son, one of them. The other son was killed by Ilyenna the same night she was meant to die. Ilyenna has to be Darrien's slave and maybe wife if he has his way, in order to keep those she loves alive.
The book had a fairytale/folklore like quality to it, and I don't mean Disney. This book has the feeling of the original tales from various cultures, the darker kinds, and I very much liked it. The entire world-building in general was very well-developed. I was able to get a very good grip on the different clans and the lives of the clans, as well as their culture. All in all, my favorite part is still the fantastical storytelling in this book!
Ilyenna is a very strong and capable character. She has her own flaws, like everybody else, but she has an admiring amount of loyalty and strength. As clan mistress, she's very loyal to her clan and puts their needs above her own. She has to make very hard decisions for her clan and herself all throughout this book, sometimes putting her in horrible positions for herself. She has to go through so many horrible things as Darrien's slave and she's very strong throughout all of this. She does have her breaking points, but that makes her so much more human, as I wouldn't be able to believe that anyone to go through something like this without breaking at a few moments.
I have an odd relationship with the romance. I liked Rome, our obvious love interest, in the beginning. He was such a nice guy. He was enormously helpful towards Ilyenna, despite the fact that it put his life at risk, and was helpful towards both of their enslaved clan members. In the beginning, it was obvious that he loved Ilyenna, though Ilyenna thought he still saw her as a little sister. There was a defining moment in the book where Rome began to piss me off and come across as an a-hole. I will hide this due to spoilers, but I just didn't like how he began to treat Ilyenna.
For those who read the spoiler, I'm sorry about the rant.
Other than that, I didn't really have any issues with the romance or the book in general. The ending was a bit confusing and rushed, but I honestly can tell why it was this why and it actually makes sense based on how it was told.
IN CONCLUSION
This was a very great fantasy read and I do definitely recommend this book! I did have issues with the romances, but the plot, story, and main character really make up for it! I will be reading Summer Queen, which, from what I understand, is a companion book!
MY THOUGHTS
I've read Amber Argyle's other book, Witch Song, and enjoyed it, but I admit that I really wanted to read this book based entirely on the beautiful cover. After I read the synopsis, I wanted to read it even more!
When Tryon attacks, slaughters, and enslaves members of Argon clan, the Shyle clan is shocked. The clans have a treaty among them and until now, there has been no fighting amongst the clans. The Shyle clan is friends with the Argon clan and sends help. Ilyenna is clan mistress of the Shyle clan, her father is the clan chief, and is caught up in this. The Shyle clan is able to rescue a few Argons, but things get even worse when the Shyle clan gets targeted. When a raid occurs, Ilyenna ends up dying in the snow. But the winter fairy see promise in her and revive her to be the new Winter Queen, with a catch: she must lose all of her emotions. Ilyenna declines for now, in favor of helping those she loves, but ends up being captured by Darrien, who was the one that tried to kill her. Darrien is the Tryon clan chief's son, one of them. The other son was killed by Ilyenna the same night she was meant to die. Ilyenna has to be Darrien's slave and maybe wife if he has his way, in order to keep those she loves alive.
The book had a fairytale/folklore like quality to it, and I don't mean Disney. This book has the feeling of the original tales from various cultures, the darker kinds, and I very much liked it. The entire world-building in general was very well-developed. I was able to get a very good grip on the different clans and the lives of the clans, as well as their culture. All in all, my favorite part is still the fantastical storytelling in this book!
Ilyenna is a very strong and capable character. She has her own flaws, like everybody else, but she has an admiring amount of loyalty and strength. As clan mistress, she's very loyal to her clan and puts their needs above her own. She has to make very hard decisions for her clan and herself all throughout this book, sometimes putting her in horrible positions for herself. She has to go through so many horrible things as Darrien's slave and she's very strong throughout all of this. She does have her breaking points, but that makes her so much more human, as I wouldn't be able to believe that anyone to go through something like this without breaking at a few moments.
I have an odd relationship with the romance. I liked Rome, our obvious love interest, in the beginning. He was such a nice guy. He was enormously helpful towards Ilyenna, despite the fact that it put his life at risk, and was helpful towards both of their enslaved clan members. In the beginning, it was obvious that he loved Ilyenna, though Ilyenna thought he still saw her as a little sister. There was a defining moment in the book where Rome began to piss me off and come across as an a-hole. I will hide this due to spoilers, but I just didn't like how he began to treat Ilyenna.
For those who read the spoiler, I'm sorry about the rant.
Other than that, I didn't really have any issues with the romance or the book in general. The ending was a bit confusing and rushed, but I honestly can tell why it was this why and it actually makes sense based on how it was told.
IN CONCLUSION
This was a very great fantasy read and I do definitely recommend this book! I did have issues with the romances, but the plot, story, and main character really make up for it! I will be reading Summer Queen, which, from what I understand, is a companion book!
May 10, 2017
What a gorgeous cover!! Oh my gosh! So pretty! Buy it for the cover!
The story is focused on a girl named Ilyenna, who is the female leader of her clan since her mother died. She is also a healer, which basically means herbalist in this case, not magical. They haven't even figured out penicillin or opiates yet - bummer. So, a war comes along and she has two major things happen: a fairy encounter, and being taken prisoner. She has to try and survive her captivity, and it's pretty brutal, while there are flashes of this fairy thing too. It all makes sense when you read it. I guess this is why I'm not an author.
Ilyenna is a great character. She is strong, smart, compassionate, and unbreakable. She never forgets who she is and the fact that others are watching her as an example and drawing on her strength. She isn't always right or perfect, but I wouldn't like her if she was. It shows why Leto thinks she will be able to handle being the Winter Queen, and I really hope that we see that it pays off later.
The only slight slight disappointment I felt was at the end. I don't want to spoil, but I wish she could have found those feelings, and not just a memory of them.
The story is focused on a girl named Ilyenna, who is the female leader of her clan since her mother died. She is also a healer, which basically means herbalist in this case, not magical. They haven't even figured out penicillin or opiates yet - bummer. So, a war comes along and she has two major things happen: a fairy encounter, and being taken prisoner. She has to try and survive her captivity, and it's pretty brutal, while there are flashes of this fairy thing too. It all makes sense when you read it. I guess this is why I'm not an author.
Ilyenna is a great character. She is strong, smart, compassionate, and unbreakable. She never forgets who she is and the fact that others are watching her as an example and drawing on her strength. She isn't always right or perfect, but I wouldn't like her if she was. It shows why Leto thinks she will be able to handle being the Winter Queen, and I really hope that we see that it pays off later.
The only slight slight disappointment I felt was at the end. I don't want to spoil, but I wish she could have found those feelings, and not just a memory of them.
October 6, 2015
If we are going to go by covers I would say that this book is a five star read.
I am sad to say that I will not be getting the next few books and short stories that make up this series by Ms. Argyle. I loved The Witch Song series. Though there were a few problems here and there with it, I saw a lot of potential in Ms. Argyle's writing and wished for more books about the land that the characters inhabited.
In Ms. Argyle's new series, we follow 17 year old Ilyenna and her clan (the Shyle). We find out that Ilyenna is now the clan mistress and also it's resident healer. While riding with her father and older brother they come across a man who is dying. He warns them of an attack from a nearby clan (the Tyron) and this sets forth the plot of the entire book.
The character of Ilyenna is described here and there, and all I really get is that she has black hair and pale skin. There are not really enough descriptions at first for me to really figure out what she looks like. That said, Ilyenna is a frustrating character to follow in this first book. She constantly doesn't listen and often makes things worse for her not understanding the bigger picture at times. You will root for her throughout this book, however, I was fresh out of sympathy here. And when we get almost to the very end and she does something completely stupid I was even done with having any sympathy.
I don't want to even get into the other characters we find out about throughout this story since none of them have any personality beyond the barest wisp of it here and there in this book.
Ilyenna's love interest is in love with her and doesn't think before he leaps into situations either (they are perfectly suited).
The evil protagonist is evil because he beats women and tries to rape them. There was a point where I thought that Ms. Argyle was going to try to do something a bit different with the character, by making him a legitimate love interest, but yeah that's thrown out rather quickly.
There are other women and men that inhabit this world, but honestly they are not that interesting to even go into during this review so I am not going to.
The part that really saddens me is that the world that Ms. Argyle created we have several clans that apparently work in harmony with one another, sell goods back and forth, and follow certain laws with regards to how things are and are not done. It would have been good if that world had been set up for readers to understand.
Instead the first few pages are dealing with Ilyenna and her frustration that her father and brother and the men of her clan have rode off to help out the nearby clan that was just attacked. We get the barest bones of a backstory about what happened to Ilyenna's now deceased mother and we are thrust again into clan politics, such as her owning a young boy that is her tiam (lower than a slave, considered to be like cattle) because of what his father did. I think this was Ms. Argyle's slightly clumsy way to introduce this concept in order for readers to get what will set up the latter part of the book.
Frankly I wish more writers when setting up a new world like this would think about introducing prologues to the books. It doesn't have to be a mass exposition dump about the world, however, it would help with readers who are trying to figure things out.
For example, we know soon enough that Ilyenna's mother was a slave of "Raiders" decades ago, that would have been a great prologue with her coming to these new lands and staying behind. Or something else could have been done. As is, the world building doesn't work, and when you add in the concept of the fairies, everything went super haywire.
The pacing was pretty off too. I think that's because some chapters had flashbacks to an event that haunts Ileyanna and at first we don't get that in the first couple of chapters at all. It was a weird way to introduce this. Once again, that would have made an excellent prologue. And a good way to segue into the present day for the character of Ileyna.
The writing was okay. Not spectacular, but serviceable. There were a lot of times the phrase "the Balance" was brought up and I will be so happy to never read about it again.
The setting of the clans really didn't make much sense at all. I loved the map up front included in the book since it gives readers a chance to see how close the lands lie and what direction people are traveling when they describe things. But in the end you don't really get a sense of the places these people inhabit. I would guess that Ms. Argyle was going for a type of European in type world with some possible Norse elements included here and there. Especially when she describes some of the people going to their summer homes. Other than that, there's not a lot here for me as a reader to work with.
The ending was just kind of there. I mean I wasn't surprised by it at any means. There were a ton of things that happened "off stage" so to speak, but the whole book was like that to some degree which was frustrating. I know there is a second and third book in this series, as well as two novella/short stories. However, I am going to pass because I really am not that interested.
I am sad to say that I will not be getting the next few books and short stories that make up this series by Ms. Argyle. I loved The Witch Song series. Though there were a few problems here and there with it, I saw a lot of potential in Ms. Argyle's writing and wished for more books about the land that the characters inhabited.
In Ms. Argyle's new series, we follow 17 year old Ilyenna and her clan (the Shyle). We find out that Ilyenna is now the clan mistress and also it's resident healer. While riding with her father and older brother they come across a man who is dying. He warns them of an attack from a nearby clan (the Tyron) and this sets forth the plot of the entire book.
The character of Ilyenna is described here and there, and all I really get is that she has black hair and pale skin. There are not really enough descriptions at first for me to really figure out what she looks like. That said, Ilyenna is a frustrating character to follow in this first book. She constantly doesn't listen and often makes things worse for her not understanding the bigger picture at times. You will root for her throughout this book, however, I was fresh out of sympathy here. And when we get almost to the very end and she does something completely stupid I was even done with having any sympathy.
I don't want to even get into the other characters we find out about throughout this story since none of them have any personality beyond the barest wisp of it here and there in this book.
Ilyenna's love interest is in love with her and doesn't think before he leaps into situations either (they are perfectly suited).
The evil protagonist is evil because he beats women and tries to rape them. There was a point where I thought that Ms. Argyle was going to try to do something a bit different with the character, by making him a legitimate love interest, but yeah that's thrown out rather quickly.
There are other women and men that inhabit this world, but honestly they are not that interesting to even go into during this review so I am not going to.
The part that really saddens me is that the world that Ms. Argyle created we have several clans that apparently work in harmony with one another, sell goods back and forth, and follow certain laws with regards to how things are and are not done. It would have been good if that world had been set up for readers to understand.
Instead the first few pages are dealing with Ilyenna and her frustration that her father and brother and the men of her clan have rode off to help out the nearby clan that was just attacked. We get the barest bones of a backstory about what happened to Ilyenna's now deceased mother and we are thrust again into clan politics, such as her owning a young boy that is her tiam (lower than a slave, considered to be like cattle) because of what his father did. I think this was Ms. Argyle's slightly clumsy way to introduce this concept in order for readers to get what will set up the latter part of the book.
Frankly I wish more writers when setting up a new world like this would think about introducing prologues to the books. It doesn't have to be a mass exposition dump about the world, however, it would help with readers who are trying to figure things out.
For example, we know soon enough that Ilyenna's mother was a slave of "Raiders" decades ago, that would have been a great prologue with her coming to these new lands and staying behind. Or something else could have been done. As is, the world building doesn't work, and when you add in the concept of the fairies, everything went super haywire.
The pacing was pretty off too. I think that's because some chapters had flashbacks to an event that haunts Ileyanna and at first we don't get that in the first couple of chapters at all. It was a weird way to introduce this. Once again, that would have made an excellent prologue. And a good way to segue into the present day for the character of Ileyna.
The writing was okay. Not spectacular, but serviceable. There were a lot of times the phrase "the Balance" was brought up and I will be so happy to never read about it again.
The setting of the clans really didn't make much sense at all. I loved the map up front included in the book since it gives readers a chance to see how close the lands lie and what direction people are traveling when they describe things. But in the end you don't really get a sense of the places these people inhabit. I would guess that Ms. Argyle was going for a type of European in type world with some possible Norse elements included here and there. Especially when she describes some of the people going to their summer homes. Other than that, there's not a lot here for me as a reader to work with.
The ending was just kind of there. I mean I wasn't surprised by it at any means. There were a ton of things that happened "off stage" so to speak, but the whole book was like that to some degree which was frustrating. I know there is a second and third book in this series, as well as two novella/short stories. However, I am going to pass because I really am not that interested.
March 15, 2016
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Winter Queen is the first book in the young adult fantasy series, call the Fairy Queens, by Amber Argyle. (and as a side note, you can get the first book for free by signing up for Amber's newsletter, HERE) The book is very fast paced and very action heavy. There were things that I really, really enjoyed about Winter Queen, and things that didn't work out so well for me. Overall, I did enjoy the book, but it was a bit meh for me. I can see this series really picking up in the second book though because all of the groundwork has been laid. I may very well enjoy the second book much more.
Let's start with something I loved about Winter Queen. I loved the main character, Ilyenna. I thought she was great. Compassionate, strong, flexible when she needed to be, and unyielding and stubborn when the situation called for strength. I admired the heck out her. In fact, if it wasn't for her, I would have put the book down multiple times. She is the reason that I kept reading. I also liked Rone, and I liked the connection that Ilyenna and Rone shared, but I really wanted to see it explored more. I don't feel like we got enough of the back story on the two of them. I didn't feel their romantic feelings. And I think I would have if we had gotten a better chance to see them when they were growing up or something more from their past. I also liked the Summer and Winter queen interaction in this story. I have read a few books about the fae and each of them deal with the seelie and unseelie courts a bit differently. I really like the depiction of the two fairy queens in this series, and I can't wait to see more of them in the next book.
But now for some of the things that didn't work for me. I am not a huge fan of big battle scenes. I will take them, but I prefer them to be somewhere in the middle of the story, so I have already had a chance to get the lay of the land, figure out who the characters and players are and decide where my alleigence lies. Winter Queen started out in a big battle that lasted about the first 20% of the story, and I had no idea really what was going on. There was a lot of fighting, but also there were a ton of new names, characters, tribes, and places that I didn't have any knowledge of. And as a result, I didn't really have much of a connection with them. That made it hard for me to start out on the best foot. Then I felt like the middle part, where Ilyenna was kidnapped and held by Darien, took up too much of the book. It felt kind of stagnant. I hated Darien, and I knew him and Ilyenna were going nowhere, so I just wanted her to get out of there so something new could happen. I wanted more about the fairy queens to unfold.
Overall, there were aspects of the Winter Queen that made me want to continue on with the series, but it was not a perfect book for me. It was just an ok read, but one that I think I would like to see where it could go. Now that we know the lay of the land and the characters a little better, I think this series has the potential to get a lot better.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Winter Queen is the first book in the young adult fantasy series, call the Fairy Queens, by Amber Argyle. (and as a side note, you can get the first book for free by signing up for Amber's newsletter, HERE) The book is very fast paced and very action heavy. There were things that I really, really enjoyed about Winter Queen, and things that didn't work out so well for me. Overall, I did enjoy the book, but it was a bit meh for me. I can see this series really picking up in the second book though because all of the groundwork has been laid. I may very well enjoy the second book much more.
Let's start with something I loved about Winter Queen. I loved the main character, Ilyenna. I thought she was great. Compassionate, strong, flexible when she needed to be, and unyielding and stubborn when the situation called for strength. I admired the heck out her. In fact, if it wasn't for her, I would have put the book down multiple times. She is the reason that I kept reading. I also liked Rone, and I liked the connection that Ilyenna and Rone shared, but I really wanted to see it explored more. I don't feel like we got enough of the back story on the two of them. I didn't feel their romantic feelings. And I think I would have if we had gotten a better chance to see them when they were growing up or something more from their past. I also liked the Summer and Winter queen interaction in this story. I have read a few books about the fae and each of them deal with the seelie and unseelie courts a bit differently. I really like the depiction of the two fairy queens in this series, and I can't wait to see more of them in the next book.
But now for some of the things that didn't work for me. I am not a huge fan of big battle scenes. I will take them, but I prefer them to be somewhere in the middle of the story, so I have already had a chance to get the lay of the land, figure out who the characters and players are and decide where my alleigence lies. Winter Queen started out in a big battle that lasted about the first 20% of the story, and I had no idea really what was going on. There was a lot of fighting, but also there were a ton of new names, characters, tribes, and places that I didn't have any knowledge of. And as a result, I didn't really have much of a connection with them. That made it hard for me to start out on the best foot. Then I felt like the middle part, where Ilyenna was kidnapped and held by Darien, took up too much of the book. It felt kind of stagnant. I hated Darien, and I knew him and Ilyenna were going nowhere, so I just wanted her to get out of there so something new could happen. I wanted more about the fairy queens to unfold.
Overall, there were aspects of the Winter Queen that made me want to continue on with the series, but it was not a perfect book for me. It was just an ok read, but one that I think I would like to see where it could go. Now that we know the lay of the land and the characters a little better, I think this series has the potential to get a lot better.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
April 12, 2013
Ilyenna is fatally wounded when a neighboring clan attacks her village. Instead of letting her die, the winter fairies heal her and make her their queen...but it comes at a price. She'll lose everything. Her humanity, her emotions, her memories, her family...her love.
Instead, Ilyenna is taken captive by the brutal future clan chief, Darrien, who makes it his personal mission to break her, body and soul.
I was a bit surprised by the feel of this book. I sort of thought it would have just a "fairies dancing in the wind" type air. Instead, it was a dark and violent novel, with more of a Viking world feel.
What I loved about this book is that amid being beaten, starved, humiliated, and nearly violated, Ilyenna still finds hope to love. She stays true to her role as a healer. She is strong.
There are times when she's strong and stubborn to a fault, but that only makes her more human.
I thought the fairies would be a bigger "presence" in the book, but they are pleasingly important while not being overbearing. They play vital roles, yet they're able to play them mostly from afar.
There is this wonderful sense of Balance in the book. It's almost like their religion. The universe must have Balance in all things. Ilyenna throws that Balance off a few times and suffers the dark consequences.
The details in this book are amazing. So much knowledge is expertly woven into the story so that I feel like I'm not learning new culture, I always knew it and I'm just being reminded. And can we mention the cover please? I'm not usually one to talk about a book cover in a review, but this is a special circumstance. The book definitely lives up to that amazing cover!
There is graphic violence, but it's "mild" in the sense that it's not overly detailed. There is also sexual content, though nothing explicit or even detailed. It's eluded to.
There's plenty of heart-pounding action and stomach fluttering romance. There is also an abundance of strong women who do what they must to protect themselves and their clan.
Winter Queen is not your average "fairy tale," and I recommend it to all readers, even and perhaps especially those who don't enjoy fairy books. This might just be the one to change your mind.
I'm ready for the next book in the series. Now, please.
Instead, Ilyenna is taken captive by the brutal future clan chief, Darrien, who makes it his personal mission to break her, body and soul.
I was a bit surprised by the feel of this book. I sort of thought it would have just a "fairies dancing in the wind" type air. Instead, it was a dark and violent novel, with more of a Viking world feel.
What I loved about this book is that amid being beaten, starved, humiliated, and nearly violated, Ilyenna still finds hope to love. She stays true to her role as a healer. She is strong.
There are times when she's strong and stubborn to a fault, but that only makes her more human.
I thought the fairies would be a bigger "presence" in the book, but they are pleasingly important while not being overbearing. They play vital roles, yet they're able to play them mostly from afar.
There is this wonderful sense of Balance in the book. It's almost like their religion. The universe must have Balance in all things. Ilyenna throws that Balance off a few times and suffers the dark consequences.
The details in this book are amazing. So much knowledge is expertly woven into the story so that I feel like I'm not learning new culture, I always knew it and I'm just being reminded. And can we mention the cover please? I'm not usually one to talk about a book cover in a review, but this is a special circumstance. The book definitely lives up to that amazing cover!
There is graphic violence, but it's "mild" in the sense that it's not overly detailed. There is also sexual content, though nothing explicit or even detailed. It's eluded to.
There's plenty of heart-pounding action and stomach fluttering romance. There is also an abundance of strong women who do what they must to protect themselves and their clan.
Winter Queen is not your average "fairy tale," and I recommend it to all readers, even and perhaps especially those who don't enjoy fairy books. This might just be the one to change your mind.
I'm ready for the next book in the series. Now, please.
April 11, 2016
This and my other reviews can be found at http://amethystbookwyrm.blogspot.co.uk/
After the Shyle and there ally clan Argon are attacked by another clan the Tyron, 17 year old Ilyenna is mortally wounded by the Tyron’s Clan Chief’s son Darrien, but she is healed by the winter fairies and is offered the ability to become the Winter Queen. Unwilling to leave her family she declines this offer only to sacrifice herself as an Tiam, practically a slave, to Darrien to save her clan, along with other women of her and Argon clan and the some of the Argon men, including her brother’s best friend Rone. While in captivity Darrien tries everything to break her mind, body and soul, however she discovers that the attack was part of a bigger plan to overthrow all the clans. Now Ilyenna has to decide if she is willing to sacrifice her humanity and warmth to become Winter Queen to save her people and those she loves.
Winter Queen is an incredible and magical YA fantasy book which I love by Amber Argyle. Even though this is darker and more grown up than the Witch Song series, it still has all the elements I love in a fantasy book, romance, adventure, magic and a strong heroine.
I really like Ilyenna as she is loyal to her people and no matter what happens to her, she is strong, kind and selfless. All the other characters are well written, even the bad guys, and there are so many characters that I have enjoyed getting to know. I really like the romance in this book as it is mature but at the same time sweet and tender.
Even through the story did not go the way I thought it would when I read the blurb, it is more unique than I could have imagined especially the fairies as they play a very important part in this book but it is in a subtle way. I like the depth of this book and how the magic worked as the idea of the Balance is such a simple idea but is also very clever and complex.
I am not sure if the next book Summer Queen is a continuation of Ilyenna story or someone else’s from this world, but either way, I cannot wait to see what Argyle will do next and I hope it is released as soon as possible. I would recommend Winter Queen to everyone, but especially to people who like YA fantasy novels such as books by Maria V Snyder or Trudi Canavan.
After the Shyle and there ally clan Argon are attacked by another clan the Tyron, 17 year old Ilyenna is mortally wounded by the Tyron’s Clan Chief’s son Darrien, but she is healed by the winter fairies and is offered the ability to become the Winter Queen. Unwilling to leave her family she declines this offer only to sacrifice herself as an Tiam, practically a slave, to Darrien to save her clan, along with other women of her and Argon clan and the some of the Argon men, including her brother’s best friend Rone. While in captivity Darrien tries everything to break her mind, body and soul, however she discovers that the attack was part of a bigger plan to overthrow all the clans. Now Ilyenna has to decide if she is willing to sacrifice her humanity and warmth to become Winter Queen to save her people and those she loves.
Winter Queen is an incredible and magical YA fantasy book which I love by Amber Argyle. Even though this is darker and more grown up than the Witch Song series, it still has all the elements I love in a fantasy book, romance, adventure, magic and a strong heroine.
I really like Ilyenna as she is loyal to her people and no matter what happens to her, she is strong, kind and selfless. All the other characters are well written, even the bad guys, and there are so many characters that I have enjoyed getting to know. I really like the romance in this book as it is mature but at the same time sweet and tender.
Even through the story did not go the way I thought it would when I read the blurb, it is more unique than I could have imagined especially the fairies as they play a very important part in this book but it is in a subtle way. I like the depth of this book and how the magic worked as the idea of the Balance is such a simple idea but is also very clever and complex.
I am not sure if the next book Summer Queen is a continuation of Ilyenna story or someone else’s from this world, but either way, I cannot wait to see what Argyle will do next and I hope it is released as soon as possible. I would recommend Winter Queen to everyone, but especially to people who like YA fantasy novels such as books by Maria V Snyder or Trudi Canavan.
June 18, 2015
Beautiful cover. Awful book. The plot was all over the place and all the characters were just sketches. Also I wish the author had picked one concept to follow, either the clan plot or the Fairy plot. Neither were done particularly well note did they go together at all.
Basically this was just a boring mishmash of underdeveloped storylines and flat characters.
Basically this was just a boring mishmash of underdeveloped storylines and flat characters.
April 17, 2015
Review to come.
Read
October 3, 2013I have cover lust just like everyone else!
Review to be posted in the upcoming November 2013 issue of InD'tale Magazine.
http://www.indtale.com/
Review to be posted in the upcoming November 2013 issue of InD'tale Magazine.
http://www.indtale.com/
January 16, 2016
Review to come.
March 9, 2017
"She's been marked," came the voice of the first. "She's already one of us."
This book was a solid 4.5 stars. The characters were well developed, SO much was happening in the plot, and I was at the edge of my seat from cover to Kindle cover. Speaking of cover, I will be buying the physical copy of this book because...JUST LOOK AT THAT COVER! My bookshelf needs it (along with the rest of the series.)
The plot was so tumultuous, and pulled at my heartstrings every page. Our protagonist, Ilyenna, is challenged at every turn. We watch her make difficult decisions every step of the way. Her character marks her as a good leader, and she stays true to that distinction. She thinks of others before herself, and sacrifices so much to ensure the safety of her people. For this reason alone, makes this book great.
Dying is a lot easier than living through hell.
This book had a lot of original lore intertwined into the entire plot, and it was written so well. Everything from the lore, to clan structure, to society norms and customs and traditions, were all explained in depth.
I wish there would have been more world building, and explanation of the surroundings. But, this book was so jam-packed, that I found myself not really caring that it wasn't overdone.
I'm sad to see these characters go, as is my understanding that the next book focuses on different characters altogether. But I'm looking forward to seeing how these stories continue to develop, and hopefully converge in the end.
This review can also be viewed at my blog: She's Going Book Crazy
This book was a solid 4.5 stars. The characters were well developed, SO much was happening in the plot, and I was at the edge of my seat from cover to Kindle cover. Speaking of cover, I will be buying the physical copy of this book because...JUST LOOK AT THAT COVER! My bookshelf needs it (along with the rest of the series.)
The plot was so tumultuous, and pulled at my heartstrings every page. Our protagonist, Ilyenna, is challenged at every turn. We watch her make difficult decisions every step of the way. Her character marks her as a good leader, and she stays true to that distinction. She thinks of others before herself, and sacrifices so much to ensure the safety of her people. For this reason alone, makes this book great.
Dying is a lot easier than living through hell.
This book had a lot of original lore intertwined into the entire plot, and it was written so well. Everything from the lore, to clan structure, to society norms and customs and traditions, were all explained in depth.
I wish there would have been more world building, and explanation of the surroundings. But, this book was so jam-packed, that I found myself not really caring that it wasn't overdone.
I'm sad to see these characters go, as is my understanding that the next book focuses on different characters altogether. But I'm looking forward to seeing how these stories continue to develop, and hopefully converge in the end.
This review can also be viewed at my blog: She's Going Book Crazy
February 13, 2014
Holy hell and the seven freaking dwarves. Well. I did not really dare to expect that the contents of the book will be as good as the gorgeous cover-art. If you look at the cover there is just so much expectations to live up to. But I was not disappointed. This was brilliant.
Let me explain to you why. First of all the background. While there are numerous fairy stories and it is fairly popular to divide them into either light and dark or summer and winter (or both), then you do not really get the high fantasy fairy story that often. I loved the way the world was built up. Have you noticed how medieval most of the high fantasy stories are? Women are for breeding and being pretty. Here they fight. Sure there is still segregation between the roles of men and women but women do have a voice. The idea of an influential clan mistress and women who carry knives was great.
The story was superb. The magic was more of a superstition there and I liked that it was not the most dominant part of the story. The story has a war-like situation between clans, struggle for power and love. No spoilers but it is bloody brilliant. Amber Argyle can really make you feel for her characters. And not only compassion and love but also hate, burning, churning, bubbling hate. I must admit the descriptions were quite graphic, I found myself cringing gleefully a few times.
The only little thing I have to knock on this story is that the big action scenes felt a little hurried. Most of the story was near-perfectly paced, but every time something really monumental went down, it was over in a few pages. After every that kind of sequence I felt myself reading and thinking that wait, wait, wait, this HUGE, ginormous thing just happened? It just started, how on earth is it over? But when I kept reading and the events worked themselves through the rest of the story then I just could not stay mad at this.
Ilyenna was a great heroine. Kick-ass but still finding herself. She was already fairly special in her world but that was nothing compared to the storm that hit when she also managed attract the attention of the fairies. Careful Darrien, this time self-sacrifice comes in a rebellious and prideful package.
On to Darrien. I like that for once we got a villain. Not the kind that redeems themselves with their last act but someone who is despicable to the bone. Darrien was extremely well-written and a scary/nasty character.
Rone. A childhood friend to Ilyenna, he was also a big part of the book. Sort of your regular white knight to the rescue. He couldn’t help but want to always help and always care for all the women, and Ilyenna in particular. While not my favourite, he was still a decent character, once again brought to life by my very eyes by Argyle.
We also get quite a few really awesome side characters, whom I couldn’t possibly all introduce. So these will be left for you to meet because the journey to them is wicked. Trust me on this one.
“Winter Queen” has challenged my favourite faery series to a duel. I cannot wait to see who wins at the end, but for that I will need the next book, which I am so very anxiously waiting. I’m counting the days Amber, I am just saying. But five ice-cold stars to the “Winter Queen”. I shall now resume staring out of the window and waiting for Leto, I mean Summer, to come.
---
This review is also on my blog:
www.thefantasylibrarian.blogspot.co.uk
Let me explain to you why. First of all the background. While there are numerous fairy stories and it is fairly popular to divide them into either light and dark or summer and winter (or both), then you do not really get the high fantasy fairy story that often. I loved the way the world was built up. Have you noticed how medieval most of the high fantasy stories are? Women are for breeding and being pretty. Here they fight. Sure there is still segregation between the roles of men and women but women do have a voice. The idea of an influential clan mistress and women who carry knives was great.
The story was superb. The magic was more of a superstition there and I liked that it was not the most dominant part of the story. The story has a war-like situation between clans, struggle for power and love. No spoilers but it is bloody brilliant. Amber Argyle can really make you feel for her characters. And not only compassion and love but also hate, burning, churning, bubbling hate. I must admit the descriptions were quite graphic, I found myself cringing gleefully a few times.
The only little thing I have to knock on this story is that the big action scenes felt a little hurried. Most of the story was near-perfectly paced, but every time something really monumental went down, it was over in a few pages. After every that kind of sequence I felt myself reading and thinking that wait, wait, wait, this HUGE, ginormous thing just happened? It just started, how on earth is it over? But when I kept reading and the events worked themselves through the rest of the story then I just could not stay mad at this.
Ilyenna was a great heroine. Kick-ass but still finding herself. She was already fairly special in her world but that was nothing compared to the storm that hit when she also managed attract the attention of the fairies. Careful Darrien, this time self-sacrifice comes in a rebellious and prideful package.
On to Darrien. I like that for once we got a villain. Not the kind that redeems themselves with their last act but someone who is despicable to the bone. Darrien was extremely well-written and a scary/nasty character.
Rone. A childhood friend to Ilyenna, he was also a big part of the book. Sort of your regular white knight to the rescue. He couldn’t help but want to always help and always care for all the women, and Ilyenna in particular. While not my favourite, he was still a decent character, once again brought to life by my very eyes by Argyle.
We also get quite a few really awesome side characters, whom I couldn’t possibly all introduce. So these will be left for you to meet because the journey to them is wicked. Trust me on this one.
“Winter Queen” has challenged my favourite faery series to a duel. I cannot wait to see who wins at the end, but for that I will need the next book, which I am so very anxiously waiting. I’m counting the days Amber, I am just saying. But five ice-cold stars to the “Winter Queen”. I shall now resume staring out of the window and waiting for Leto, I mean Summer, to come.
---
This review is also on my blog:
www.thefantasylibrarian.blogspot.co.uk
September 3, 2013
The synopsis and cover totally drew me to this book. After reading the Amazon sample I was hooked and wanted to keep reading. It’s one of those books that is hard to put down, you want to keep reading to see what will happen next and how everything will work out.
I liked our heroine Ilyenna, she puts others needs above her own. She doesn’t back down and tries to do the right thing. She has it pretty rough throughout the book and I admired how she was able to stay strong. I also liked our hero Rone. He is loyal, brave and kind. I like that he continued to put Ilyenna first, even above his own needs. I liked their relationship, it did save the book for me. I thought they had good chemistry and I was rooting for them to be together.
I had read some reviews that mentioned the violence, but I guess I still wasn’t expecting so much or so detailed. It seems like it was non-stop from start to finish. So much time was spent on the violence that the rest of the story suffered. The politics and romance were overshadowed by beatings, wars and pain. I ended up skipping a couple fight scenes at the end because I was just burned out. Too much violence for my taste.
I also thought the end wrapped up rather quickly. Especially in regards to Ilyenna and Rone’s relationship, it was rather sudden. The fairy elements were okay, but I’m still on the fence about how everything ended up in that regard.
Overall, an interesting read. While I liked the overall story the violence was a big turn off for me. The end seemed to wrap things up, so I'm not sure how the next two books will play out. Possibly we'll have new leading characters?
Content: There is sex before marriage and a pregnancy results. Aside from kissing, everything fades to black and there are no details. There are a couple attempts at Ilyenna’s virtue, but nothing goes too far. There is a lot of war, beatings and other violence.
I liked our heroine Ilyenna, she puts others needs above her own. She doesn’t back down and tries to do the right thing. She has it pretty rough throughout the book and I admired how she was able to stay strong. I also liked our hero Rone. He is loyal, brave and kind. I like that he continued to put Ilyenna first, even above his own needs. I liked their relationship, it did save the book for me. I thought they had good chemistry and I was rooting for them to be together.
I had read some reviews that mentioned the violence, but I guess I still wasn’t expecting so much or so detailed. It seems like it was non-stop from start to finish. So much time was spent on the violence that the rest of the story suffered. The politics and romance were overshadowed by beatings, wars and pain. I ended up skipping a couple fight scenes at the end because I was just burned out. Too much violence for my taste.
I also thought the end wrapped up rather quickly. Especially in regards to Ilyenna and Rone’s relationship, it was rather sudden. The fairy elements were okay, but I’m still on the fence about how everything ended up in that regard.
Overall, an interesting read. While I liked the overall story the violence was a big turn off for me. The end seemed to wrap things up, so I'm not sure how the next two books will play out. Possibly we'll have new leading characters?
Content: There is sex before marriage and a pregnancy results. Aside from kissing, everything fades to black and there are no details. There are a couple attempts at Ilyenna’s virtue, but nothing goes too far. There is a lot of war, beatings and other violence.
March 13, 2017
* i received a free copy for the blog tour*
Ilyenna loves her clan Shyle, and as a high lady she is skilled in medicine and is ready to supervise her clan whenever the man are absent. One day whilst in the woods, they discover a dead solider form the neighboring clan of Argon, that was attacked by the Tyrans. The peace between the clans had been long lasting so for someone to break that piece treaty, something serious must have happened. Her father and brother leave with all the men in the clan to find out what's going on, leaving Ilyenna in charge of the woman and the children. But what they don't expect is that the Tyran clan will attack their clan filled with women and children. Ilyenna almost dies and is faced with a harsh decision, embrace winter and become queen or regain her life as a mortal. As she is captured by the Tyran clan and forced into the servitude of it's cruel heir, Darrien, Ilyenna tries to hide her blossoming romance with her childhood friend all while trying to save her people that have also been captured.
Ilyenna was a nice enough protagonist. I didn't specifically like her but i definitely did not hate her. She was a compassionate soul with a need to protect her clan despite the fact that she wasn't a man, her people respected her and loved her as much as family did. When she was captured, she was mistreated and beaten almost to death and she kept bringing onto herself so as to save her clan woman. She showed a tremendous amount of courage and that made it impossible not to like her!
For the romance part of the book i was a little disappointed, At first i thought Darrien would be love interest cause captor-captive romance..but now he just turned out to be an evil piece of Poop. Instead she falls for Rone who happens to be the heir of the Argon clan and also held captive with her. He was an incredibly sweet guy who risked his life just to bring her a blanket or a piece of bread so she wouldn't starve! The romance was sweet but not overwhelming like i usually like it...
The other thing that was a bit lacking for me was the supernatural winter queen . It was there but not enough to enforce the book's title. But i never got bored while reading it, it was fast paced, intriguing and gut clenching! The plot was unique and the writing had a very "folklore" vibe to it..love it!
Ilyenna loves her clan Shyle, and as a high lady she is skilled in medicine and is ready to supervise her clan whenever the man are absent. One day whilst in the woods, they discover a dead solider form the neighboring clan of Argon, that was attacked by the Tyrans. The peace between the clans had been long lasting so for someone to break that piece treaty, something serious must have happened. Her father and brother leave with all the men in the clan to find out what's going on, leaving Ilyenna in charge of the woman and the children. But what they don't expect is that the Tyran clan will attack their clan filled with women and children. Ilyenna almost dies and is faced with a harsh decision, embrace winter and become queen or regain her life as a mortal. As she is captured by the Tyran clan and forced into the servitude of it's cruel heir, Darrien, Ilyenna tries to hide her blossoming romance with her childhood friend all while trying to save her people that have also been captured.
Ilyenna was a nice enough protagonist. I didn't specifically like her but i definitely did not hate her. She was a compassionate soul with a need to protect her clan despite the fact that she wasn't a man, her people respected her and loved her as much as family did. When she was captured, she was mistreated and beaten almost to death and she kept bringing onto herself so as to save her clan woman. She showed a tremendous amount of courage and that made it impossible not to like her!
For the romance part of the book i was a little disappointed, At first i thought Darrien would be love interest cause captor-captive romance..but now he just turned out to be an evil piece of Poop. Instead she falls for Rone who happens to be the heir of the Argon clan and also held captive with her. He was an incredibly sweet guy who risked his life just to bring her a blanket or a piece of bread so she wouldn't starve! The romance was sweet but not overwhelming like i usually like it...
The other thing that was a bit lacking for me was the supernatural winter queen . It was there but not enough to enforce the book's title. But i never got bored while reading it, it was fast paced, intriguing and gut clenching! The plot was unique and the writing had a very "folklore" vibe to it..love it!
June 12, 2014
I was prepared to give this one 4 stars throughout reading. Sometimes I felt the violence was overwhelming, and other times the fantasy just plunged in uninvited. It was long before explanations were given.
The most horrific thing is that the ending felt like an unmistakable closure. Of course that the market will make every story into a trilogy, so By the Balance I hope the sequel won't disappoint me.
Plot
It feels like the fairy part was quite unnecessary. But it did blend in after a few pages, and I have grown to like Jablana. The war between the clans set off the trigger in the book. After a time I understand the necessity for the violence described. It was essential to help the character grow into their destiny. I was utterly mad in the beginning where characters were introduced, made into lovable creatures and then killed off. The romance for once wasn't a hindrance in the storyline. It didn't become a whiny thing to sob about, instead it developed slowly into something durable.
Characters
Ilyenna proved to be a strong leader, perhaps that's why she was chosen and marked. Her journey was full of obstacles, and founding Rone at the Tyrans gave her power. In fact, if it weren't for that little hope of happiness between I might have dropped the book. I'm all in for violence and destruction tragic stuff it it has logic and in the end the 'good' side wins.
Darrien made it fast to the top of my despicable villain list. He was there to fuel the fire.
The way things changed I found the storyline going up and down like and the image on an EKG machine.
Rone was the typical childhood friend love interest. I'm glad he didn't turn out to be a jerk.
Ending
Yes, it infuriated me. It was beautiful and rushed. I guess the next book will offer explanations. The last chapter should've been the epilogue.
The most horrific thing is that the ending felt like an unmistakable closure. Of course that the market will make every story into a trilogy, so By the Balance I hope the sequel won't disappoint me.
Plot
It feels like the fairy part was quite unnecessary. But it did blend in after a few pages, and I have grown to like Jablana. The war between the clans set off the trigger in the book. After a time I understand the necessity for the violence described. It was essential to help the character grow into their destiny. I was utterly mad in the beginning where characters were introduced, made into lovable creatures and then killed off. The romance for once wasn't a hindrance in the storyline. It didn't become a whiny thing to sob about, instead it developed slowly into something durable.
Characters
Ilyenna proved to be a strong leader, perhaps that's why she was chosen and marked. Her journey was full of obstacles, and founding Rone at the Tyrans gave her power. In fact, if it weren't for that little hope of happiness between I might have dropped the book. I'm all in for violence and destruction tragic stuff it it has logic and in the end the 'good' side wins.
Darrien made it fast to the top of my despicable villain list. He was there to fuel the fire.
The way things changed I found the storyline going up and down like and the image on an EKG machine.
Rone was the typical childhood friend love interest. I'm glad he didn't turn out to be a jerk.
Ending
Yes, it infuriated me. It was beautiful and rushed. I guess the next book will offer explanations. The last chapter should've been the epilogue.
Shelved as 'tbr-later'
November 5, 201514 April 2015: $0.99 on Kindle
May 22, 2020
A lot of violence and torture, unsatisfying ending after all the cruelty, but hoping it gets better...
I couldn't sleep one night, so I read this entire book in one night and morning. Due to the lack of sleep and the intensity of some of the events in the story, I think I got too deep into it and was slightly traumatized afterward, feeling everything that the main character experienced and barely survived through. Normally, that would be high praise if a reader becomes part of the story. In this case, that's not a good thing and I suffered. That's why I waited a few weeks before reviewing this book. My review would have been depressing and overwhelmed with the violence the main character suffered and the unfairness of it all. Even now, that's still what sticks out in my mind. So I'm sorry in advance...
With that, it was a pretty intense story about the terrible cruelty one girl suffers while trying to protect her people and those she loves. Ilyenna is the daughter of Otec and Matka from "Of Ice and Snow." That should already carry some heavy meaning after reading Book 1. She is such a good person, a clan mistress, a natural healer and protector, who puts her own people's welfare above her own if it is in her power to do so. During the events in "Winter Queen," she is captured as a prisoner of war with a neighboring clan and is a targeted victim who her captor finds delight in torturing psychologically, and tortures others just to get to her. She does end up falling in love with her childhood crush, and he tries to protect her through various struggles. But in the end, her life has been claimed by the fairies, and they will take her as their Winter Queen one way or another.
I guess I agree that the ending was appropriate and rescued her from her miserable life that just refused to get better. It was her only escape, and she was finally able to live a good life with power she deserved. But I still feel a bit robbed of a happy ending, this one just wasn't as satisfying to me as I was hoping for after so much torture, violence, and unfair results. It was a great story that compelled me to keep reading, but it was difficult to suffer through along with Ilyenna, if you're like me and tend to get too wrapped up if you read a book in one sitting.
But I do recognize that the series has just begun and there's a lot more going on in this story than just this one character. So it's time to pick up with the next book and find out what's really going on. All the Fairy Queens will probably be similar stories of ill treatment to the point of death before they are transformed and given magic and a new life, which sounds great, until you have to read through all the terrible things they have to suffer before being rescued. But hopefully there will eventually be a real happy ending that resolves all the violence in this world that I'm preparing myself for now. Fair warning.
I couldn't sleep one night, so I read this entire book in one night and morning. Due to the lack of sleep and the intensity of some of the events in the story, I think I got too deep into it and was slightly traumatized afterward, feeling everything that the main character experienced and barely survived through. Normally, that would be high praise if a reader becomes part of the story. In this case, that's not a good thing and I suffered. That's why I waited a few weeks before reviewing this book. My review would have been depressing and overwhelmed with the violence the main character suffered and the unfairness of it all. Even now, that's still what sticks out in my mind. So I'm sorry in advance...
With that, it was a pretty intense story about the terrible cruelty one girl suffers while trying to protect her people and those she loves. Ilyenna is the daughter of Otec and Matka from "Of Ice and Snow." That should already carry some heavy meaning after reading Book 1. She is such a good person, a clan mistress, a natural healer and protector, who puts her own people's welfare above her own if it is in her power to do so. During the events in "Winter Queen," she is captured as a prisoner of war with a neighboring clan and is a targeted victim who her captor finds delight in torturing psychologically, and tortures others just to get to her. She does end up falling in love with her childhood crush, and he tries to protect her through various struggles. But in the end, her life has been claimed by the fairies, and they will take her as their Winter Queen one way or another.
I guess I agree that the ending was appropriate and rescued her from her miserable life that just refused to get better. It was her only escape, and she was finally able to live a good life with power she deserved. But I still feel a bit robbed of a happy ending, this one just wasn't as satisfying to me as I was hoping for after so much torture, violence, and unfair results. It was a great story that compelled me to keep reading, but it was difficult to suffer through along with Ilyenna, if you're like me and tend to get too wrapped up if you read a book in one sitting.
But I do recognize that the series has just begun and there's a lot more going on in this story than just this one character. So it's time to pick up with the next book and find out what's really going on. All the Fairy Queens will probably be similar stories of ill treatment to the point of death before they are transformed and given magic and a new life, which sounds great, until you have to read through all the terrible things they have to suffer before being rescued. But hopefully there will eventually be a real happy ending that resolves all the violence in this world that I'm preparing myself for now. Fair warning.
June 17, 2013
I was excepting something else to be honest. I read lots of 5-star reviews on this book and I really wanted to give it a try. It sounded intriguing and I was given the chance to review it so I instantly accepted, but the story felt flat to me. Not that Winter Queen wasn't an okay read, but that's just all it was for me, an okay-read. There wasn't much holding me on by the end, the characters were interesting at the start, but they never really grew on me, and the plot...
It had potential, but it was... well it was kind of dull. Sure, there were fairies and barbarians and battle scenes all over the place, but none of that really hit the spot. There was a lot of magic, but I didn't feel any of it. I pretended to just so I wouldn't give up on the book but... eh, it was very superficial.
Ilyenna, the Shyle clan mistress, is portrayed as this strong, dependable young woman who would risk her own life for her clan (which she ends up doing... more than once). She gets taken as a tiam (a slave) by Darrien, the son of the Tyran clan chief (the enemy). Horrible things are done to her. And by horrible I mean: almost raped and whipped. Not necessarily a vacation getaway.
The pro's about her character is that she was indeed a very strong heroine and if I had the chance to actually connect with her, then I'm sure I would have loved her. Thing is, I didn't connect with her at all. She felt like a robot to me. The entire story felt robotic to me.
Beginning Middle and End.
Yippee, I'm done. Now I can finally move on.
I didn't have that story hangover where I get stuck in the world the author created and it takes about an entire day for me to move on to another book. No, this one was just 'Eh, nice way to pass the time when I have nothing else to do and I'm stuck in a waiting room for hours'.
On the bright side, Winter Queen had an interesting concept and the antagonist was definitely someone you wanted to see skinned, drowned, and decapitated. He would have taken nasty to a whole new level if I actually cared what he did to the characters, because, again, I didn't have any emotional appeal towards them.
The fairy part was actually pretty cool. It gave the story a nice twist at the end and it also kept me from DNFing the book. I love fairies, what can I say?
On the not so bright side, the romance between Ilyenna and Rone was about as dead as a barren plain with tumbleweeds rolling by. There was no spark, no swoon, and while I did find some of their moments together kind of cute, I was pretty much disappointed. Maybe it's because you could smell their romance from a mile away and it was utterly cliche to the point of me gagging. I knew how things would play out in the end. Thankfully, there was another slight twist; one that I didn't really see coming. I didn't think things would be taken that far, but I can honestly say I was impressed. I REALLY wanted to know how Rone would react. Even though Rone was the epitome of predictable, I still had my fingers crossed.
Overall, Winter Queen was okay. The writing didn't really draw me in any more than the characters did, but I did enjoy some of the battle scenes and, of course, the fairies. I think about this book as a one-time read only. It's a nice way to pass time, but it didn't leave me breathless or wanting more.
It had potential, but it was... well it was kind of dull. Sure, there were fairies and barbarians and battle scenes all over the place, but none of that really hit the spot. There was a lot of magic, but I didn't feel any of it. I pretended to just so I wouldn't give up on the book but... eh, it was very superficial.
Ilyenna, the Shyle clan mistress, is portrayed as this strong, dependable young woman who would risk her own life for her clan (which she ends up doing... more than once). She gets taken as a tiam (a slave) by Darrien, the son of the Tyran clan chief (the enemy). Horrible things are done to her. And by horrible I mean: almost raped and whipped. Not necessarily a vacation getaway.
The pro's about her character is that she was indeed a very strong heroine and if I had the chance to actually connect with her, then I'm sure I would have loved her. Thing is, I didn't connect with her at all. She felt like a robot to me. The entire story felt robotic to me.
Beginning Middle and End.
Yippee, I'm done. Now I can finally move on.
I didn't have that story hangover where I get stuck in the world the author created and it takes about an entire day for me to move on to another book. No, this one was just 'Eh, nice way to pass the time when I have nothing else to do and I'm stuck in a waiting room for hours'.
On the bright side, Winter Queen had an interesting concept and the antagonist was definitely someone you wanted to see skinned, drowned, and decapitated. He would have taken nasty to a whole new level if I actually cared what he did to the characters, because, again, I didn't have any emotional appeal towards them.
The fairy part was actually pretty cool. It gave the story a nice twist at the end and it also kept me from DNFing the book. I love fairies, what can I say?
On the not so bright side, the romance between Ilyenna and Rone was about as dead as a barren plain with tumbleweeds rolling by. There was no spark, no swoon, and while I did find some of their moments together kind of cute, I was pretty much disappointed. Maybe it's because you could smell their romance from a mile away and it was utterly cliche to the point of me gagging. I knew how things would play out in the end. Thankfully, there was another slight twist; one that I didn't really see coming. I didn't think things would be taken that far, but I can honestly say I was impressed. I REALLY wanted to know how Rone would react. Even though Rone was the epitome of predictable, I still had my fingers crossed.
Overall, Winter Queen was okay. The writing didn't really draw me in any more than the characters did, but I did enjoy some of the battle scenes and, of course, the fairies. I think about this book as a one-time read only. It's a nice way to pass time, but it didn't leave me breathless or wanting more.
April 27, 2013
Review cross-posted on my blog.
I cannot stress enough how much I loved this book! I am so happy I came across Amber during the YA Scavenger Hunt! I was going through checking out everyone's blog and saw I could get an e-ARC from her and of course I couldn't pass it up! I also saw that it was about faeries, so ya know. :)
This was such a fast read for me. The pacing was perfect and never once did I feel like Amber rushed the plot to get from one point to another. The pages just flew by for me and I literally could not stop reading. This first book did a great job of introducing you to the different clans from which our characters belong and showing how they interact, as well as what happens when the peace among them is broken. It really just gave us a small introduction to the fairy world. Our main character, Ilyenna, is forced to make some difficult decisions and she does not go into them lightly. I suspect we will have more of a look into the fairy world in book two.
I really liked Ilyenna's character. She was strong, brave, and loyal to her clan and loved ones. Being the clan mistress, she was forced to take action and make the necessary decisions in order to prepare for the possibility of attack. Ilyenna, however, is forced into servitude because she would not sacrifice her clan. Reading about Ilyenna's enslavement was very difficult for me. My heart just broke at the way she was treated and what she would do to protect her fellow clanswomen.
At the enemy clan's village, Ilyenna discovers that is where Rone, head of a neighboring clan, is also imprisoned and forced to work. Ilyenna and Rone have known each other since they were younger, him being her brother's best friend. She has always harbored feelings for him and watching the two interact with each other is great. He is a warrior- strong, loyal, and unyielding. However, he is protective of her and keeps finding ways to see her and make sure she's ok. Ilyenna is convinced he doesn't hold any true feelings for her, that he sees her as nothing but a sister.
Watching the two of them grow closer together and realize their true feelings for each other was one of the biggest things I loved about this book. They both could be so dense when it came to figuring each other out, but it all came down to the simple fact that because they loved each other, they would do anything to ensure the other would survive.
As I said earlier, the fairies really do not play a huge part in this book. After Ilyenna is mortally injured, the winter faeries come to her aid and restore her. However, they are looking for a new Winter Queen to serve and they think Ilyenna is up for the job. With every opportunity comes a price, however. Should Ilyenna accept, she will lose her humanity and will not remember who she was and what she feels. Is love worth making the ultimate sacrifice?
This book was full of action, romance, suspense, and intrigue- I cannot wait for the second book to be released!
*I received an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
I cannot stress enough how much I loved this book! I am so happy I came across Amber during the YA Scavenger Hunt! I was going through checking out everyone's blog and saw I could get an e-ARC from her and of course I couldn't pass it up! I also saw that it was about faeries, so ya know. :)
This was such a fast read for me. The pacing was perfect and never once did I feel like Amber rushed the plot to get from one point to another. The pages just flew by for me and I literally could not stop reading. This first book did a great job of introducing you to the different clans from which our characters belong and showing how they interact, as well as what happens when the peace among them is broken. It really just gave us a small introduction to the fairy world. Our main character, Ilyenna, is forced to make some difficult decisions and she does not go into them lightly. I suspect we will have more of a look into the fairy world in book two.
I really liked Ilyenna's character. She was strong, brave, and loyal to her clan and loved ones. Being the clan mistress, she was forced to take action and make the necessary decisions in order to prepare for the possibility of attack. Ilyenna, however, is forced into servitude because she would not sacrifice her clan. Reading about Ilyenna's enslavement was very difficult for me. My heart just broke at the way she was treated and what she would do to protect her fellow clanswomen.
At the enemy clan's village, Ilyenna discovers that is where Rone, head of a neighboring clan, is also imprisoned and forced to work. Ilyenna and Rone have known each other since they were younger, him being her brother's best friend. She has always harbored feelings for him and watching the two interact with each other is great. He is a warrior- strong, loyal, and unyielding. However, he is protective of her and keeps finding ways to see her and make sure she's ok. Ilyenna is convinced he doesn't hold any true feelings for her, that he sees her as nothing but a sister.
Watching the two of them grow closer together and realize their true feelings for each other was one of the biggest things I loved about this book. They both could be so dense when it came to figuring each other out, but it all came down to the simple fact that because they loved each other, they would do anything to ensure the other would survive.
As I said earlier, the fairies really do not play a huge part in this book. After Ilyenna is mortally injured, the winter faeries come to her aid and restore her. However, they are looking for a new Winter Queen to serve and they think Ilyenna is up for the job. With every opportunity comes a price, however. Should Ilyenna accept, she will lose her humanity and will not remember who she was and what she feels. Is love worth making the ultimate sacrifice?
This book was full of action, romance, suspense, and intrigue- I cannot wait for the second book to be released!
*I received an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
October 16, 2014
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
This is the first book in a YA Dark Fantasy series. I loved it!
First off, I would like to say that I love the cover! I am not usually attracted to a book on just it's cover alone, but I think it totally suits the book completely.
Ilyenna is a wonderful character. She is the daughter of the Chief of the Shyle clan, and also their new clan mistress. I really liked her. She is only seventeen and is unsure about taking on such a responsible role, but I think she handles herself well. She also happens to be a stubborn and proud woman.
I love reading fantasy, so when the opportunity to read this book came up, I took it. I am glad I did, because I really enjoyed it!
This story is a wonderful mix of fairy tale and dark fantasy; I was quickly hooked from the first page. The descriptions of the people and scenes were quite vivid, and I loved the fairies (both the winter and the summer ones) and I loved meeting the Summer Queen, Leto too. I also loved Ilyenna’s brother, Bratton. He is both a pain in the neck to, and extremely protective of, Ilyenna; in fact a typical sibling. I also have a tiny crush on Rone, Bratton’s best friend from childhood. He is one of the nicest characters I have met between the pages of a book; he is an honourable and gentle man. Darrien, from the Tyran clan, on the other hand, is one of the meanest, foulest, sickest pieces of filth to grace a page (to put it mildly). However, his father is a close second behind him. Both of these characters managed to make me so mad, I was shouting at the Kindle!
The story is full of twists, turns and surprises, which kept me interested. Some of the story was a bit confusing at times, but I kept going and my confusion about some events cleared when they were resolved. However, I was in awe of how the Shyle clan reacted and behaved in the face of such barbarism at the hands of a megalomaniac. They are truly a warrior clan. They are definitely as strong as stone, and as supple as a sapling. It has been an honour to meet them.
Amber Argyle has written a wonderful dark fantasy. I love her fast paced writing style, and the flow of the story was wonderful. Although, there was what seemed to be a continuity inconsistency where the story seemed to jump from one scene into a completely different one near the end without explanation, which I found to be a bit jarring. However, this did not make me like the story less. I am now looking forward to reading this author’s other books as soon as possible.
Due to scenes of violence and abuse, I do not recommend this book to younger readers (under 15) or to people of a sensitive nature. However, I highly recommend this book if you love reading YA books with strong female characters or dark fantasy ones with a compelling tale. – Lynn Worton
This is the first book in a YA Dark Fantasy series. I loved it!
First off, I would like to say that I love the cover! I am not usually attracted to a book on just it's cover alone, but I think it totally suits the book completely.
Ilyenna is a wonderful character. She is the daughter of the Chief of the Shyle clan, and also their new clan mistress. I really liked her. She is only seventeen and is unsure about taking on such a responsible role, but I think she handles herself well. She also happens to be a stubborn and proud woman.
I love reading fantasy, so when the opportunity to read this book came up, I took it. I am glad I did, because I really enjoyed it!
This story is a wonderful mix of fairy tale and dark fantasy; I was quickly hooked from the first page. The descriptions of the people and scenes were quite vivid, and I loved the fairies (both the winter and the summer ones) and I loved meeting the Summer Queen, Leto too. I also loved Ilyenna’s brother, Bratton. He is both a pain in the neck to, and extremely protective of, Ilyenna; in fact a typical sibling. I also have a tiny crush on Rone, Bratton’s best friend from childhood. He is one of the nicest characters I have met between the pages of a book; he is an honourable and gentle man. Darrien, from the Tyran clan, on the other hand, is one of the meanest, foulest, sickest pieces of filth to grace a page (to put it mildly). However, his father is a close second behind him. Both of these characters managed to make me so mad, I was shouting at the Kindle!
The story is full of twists, turns and surprises, which kept me interested. Some of the story was a bit confusing at times, but I kept going and my confusion about some events cleared when they were resolved. However, I was in awe of how the Shyle clan reacted and behaved in the face of such barbarism at the hands of a megalomaniac. They are truly a warrior clan. They are definitely as strong as stone, and as supple as a sapling. It has been an honour to meet them.
Amber Argyle has written a wonderful dark fantasy. I love her fast paced writing style, and the flow of the story was wonderful. Although, there was what seemed to be a continuity inconsistency where the story seemed to jump from one scene into a completely different one near the end without explanation, which I found to be a bit jarring. However, this did not make me like the story less. I am now looking forward to reading this author’s other books as soon as possible.
Due to scenes of violence and abuse, I do not recommend this book to younger readers (under 15) or to people of a sensitive nature. However, I highly recommend this book if you love reading YA books with strong female characters or dark fantasy ones with a compelling tale. – Lynn Worton
May 19, 2015
"It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it." - John Burroughs, Winter Sunshine"
the relative peace and quiet of Shyleholm is shattered by the traitorous attack of the Tyrans against the Argons. Ilyenna and her clan prepare themselves against any eventuality. during a raid, Ilyenna is fatally wounded but winter fairies come to her rescue, heal her and offer her a gift. Ilyenna is invited to become like them and to claim the title of Winter Queen but accepting such a proposition comes with a very heavy price...
adventure, fantasy and romance swirl through the pages of Amber Argyle's Winter Queen from beginning to end. the action and drama does not let up and they will keep the reader engaged all throughout the tale. like snowflakes, these elements fall lightly in some pages and heavily in others.
all of these take place in a world filled with well-drawn characters - both human and otherwise. some like Ilyenna, her father Clan Chief Otec, Otrok and Rone display heroism and are admirable in their courage, strength and sacrifice. others like Clan Chief Undon and his son Darrien are downright appalling in their greed, viciousness and bloodlust. there are spirits as well that appear early on in the book. their appearance might have been short but they leave a lasting impression on Ilyenna. as to the fairies, especially the winter ones, they are beautiful to behold but behind their physical attributes, there lies a hint of menace and danger.
another thing that caught my attention was how the author brought to the fore a very simple concept - Balance as exhibited by the opposing forces in nature and life in general. this theme is central to the whole story.
i also liked how Ilyenna, the main protagonist, matured as the story progressed.
overall, i enjoyed this novel because despite all that Ilyenna and the other clans endured from the Tyrans and Raiders, the story left me not with the chill of winter but with a good, warm feeling in the heart.
the relative peace and quiet of Shyleholm is shattered by the traitorous attack of the Tyrans against the Argons. Ilyenna and her clan prepare themselves against any eventuality. during a raid, Ilyenna is fatally wounded but winter fairies come to her rescue, heal her and offer her a gift. Ilyenna is invited to become like them and to claim the title of Winter Queen but accepting such a proposition comes with a very heavy price...
adventure, fantasy and romance swirl through the pages of Amber Argyle's Winter Queen from beginning to end. the action and drama does not let up and they will keep the reader engaged all throughout the tale. like snowflakes, these elements fall lightly in some pages and heavily in others.
all of these take place in a world filled with well-drawn characters - both human and otherwise. some like Ilyenna, her father Clan Chief Otec, Otrok and Rone display heroism and are admirable in their courage, strength and sacrifice. others like Clan Chief Undon and his son Darrien are downright appalling in their greed, viciousness and bloodlust. there are spirits as well that appear early on in the book. their appearance might have been short but they leave a lasting impression on Ilyenna. as to the fairies, especially the winter ones, they are beautiful to behold but behind their physical attributes, there lies a hint of menace and danger.
another thing that caught my attention was how the author brought to the fore a very simple concept - Balance as exhibited by the opposing forces in nature and life in general. this theme is central to the whole story.
i also liked how Ilyenna, the main protagonist, matured as the story progressed.
overall, i enjoyed this novel because despite all that Ilyenna and the other clans endured from the Tyrans and Raiders, the story left me not with the chill of winter but with a good, warm feeling in the heart.
January 1, 2016
Opinião completa em: http://pepitamagica.blogspot.pt/2015/...
Esta é daquelas histórias que temos um verdadeiro vilão que odiamos do início ao fim: este homem é asqueroso, violento, bruto, cruel, tudo de mau que possam imaginar. E é este monstro, que não tem outro nome que, depois de um ataque à cidade da nossa protagonista, a leva para a sua casa por ela não puder pagar um resgate, onde ela descobre mais homens e mulheres do clã vizinho ao seu. Ah, o monstro chama-se Darrien.
Ilyenna, a nossa heróina, foi salva da morte pelas fadas do inverno durante esse mesmo ataque. Fez um acordo com as fadas para que estas a ajudassem, ao verem que esta jovem rapariga poderia ser a sua próxima “Rainha do Inverno”. A antiga rainha tinha sido morta/desaparecido/destruída ao não cumprir o acordo feito com a Rainha do Verão, por nunca se querer retirar quando era a sua altura. Ilyenna compromete-se a ser rainha e a cumprir o acordo se, como tinha dito, as fadas ajudarem, e é neste ponto que a Rainha do Verão também a vai ajudar – e salvar.
(...)
Como disse acima, não gostei do fim…e não achei o livro nada de mais. Tal como o nome indica, Ilyenna tornar-se-á a Rainha do Inverno com todas as suas fadinhas, e segue o conselho que a Rainha do Verão lhe dá para não continuar sozinha – porque ao aceitar ser rainha das fadas (e ao tornar-se uma), perde-se a humanidade – o que não quer dizer que não se possa ter um companheiro algo tanto ou quanto humano.
É com tristeza que dou um rating baixinho, porque acho que esta história tinha bastante potencial e foi mal desenvolvida, com uma escrita que precisava talvez de mais vocabulário descrito, que precisava de desenvolver mais as suas personagens…porque se for bem a ver, sei muito pouco sobre elas.
Esta é daquelas histórias que temos um verdadeiro vilão que odiamos do início ao fim: este homem é asqueroso, violento, bruto, cruel, tudo de mau que possam imaginar. E é este monstro, que não tem outro nome que, depois de um ataque à cidade da nossa protagonista, a leva para a sua casa por ela não puder pagar um resgate, onde ela descobre mais homens e mulheres do clã vizinho ao seu. Ah, o monstro chama-se Darrien.
Ilyenna, a nossa heróina, foi salva da morte pelas fadas do inverno durante esse mesmo ataque. Fez um acordo com as fadas para que estas a ajudassem, ao verem que esta jovem rapariga poderia ser a sua próxima “Rainha do Inverno”. A antiga rainha tinha sido morta/desaparecido/destruída ao não cumprir o acordo feito com a Rainha do Verão, por nunca se querer retirar quando era a sua altura. Ilyenna compromete-se a ser rainha e a cumprir o acordo se, como tinha dito, as fadas ajudarem, e é neste ponto que a Rainha do Verão também a vai ajudar – e salvar.
(...)
Como disse acima, não gostei do fim…e não achei o livro nada de mais. Tal como o nome indica, Ilyenna tornar-se-á a Rainha do Inverno com todas as suas fadinhas, e segue o conselho que a Rainha do Verão lhe dá para não continuar sozinha – porque ao aceitar ser rainha das fadas (e ao tornar-se uma), perde-se a humanidade – o que não quer dizer que não se possa ter um companheiro algo tanto ou quanto humano.
É com tristeza que dou um rating baixinho, porque acho que esta história tinha bastante potencial e foi mal desenvolvida, com uma escrita que precisava talvez de mais vocabulário descrito, que precisava de desenvolver mais as suas personagens…porque se for bem a ver, sei muito pouco sobre elas.
June 5, 2013
Ilyenna was not able to escape her attackers that left her for dead. Winter fairies chose to heal her offering her a power over winter that she is not sure she wants. She would have loose all memory of the life which she knows in order to rule over winter. She has things to do before she could even consider their request. Like, literally staying out of the hands of her enemy and saving her village.
While in captivity she is reunited with a childhood family friend Darrien. Could Darrien be as attracted to her as she to him? She is a leader of her village and Darrien is the eader of his village and they are both being held as indentured slave by a ruthless man with no means of escape fearing harm coming to the other captives from their villages.
Will Ilyeena choose her family, village and the one she loves in exchange for power over winter?
The author has written an action packed story with twist and turns that will keep you captive. In this book of 238 pages it will leave you feeling as if you had been magically carried into a world of honor, heroic characters, fairies, villians, war, intrique, romance and a determination to reclaim peace and freedom.
The cover image is beyond amazing and so breathtaking it will chill you to the bone.
I highly recommend this book.
I rated this book a 5 out of 5.
Disclosure: I received a free ARC copy of this book from the author for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. This review is my honest opinion.
While in captivity she is reunited with a childhood family friend Darrien. Could Darrien be as attracted to her as she to him? She is a leader of her village and Darrien is the eader of his village and they are both being held as indentured slave by a ruthless man with no means of escape fearing harm coming to the other captives from their villages.
Will Ilyeena choose her family, village and the one she loves in exchange for power over winter?
The author has written an action packed story with twist and turns that will keep you captive. In this book of 238 pages it will leave you feeling as if you had been magically carried into a world of honor, heroic characters, fairies, villians, war, intrique, romance and a determination to reclaim peace and freedom.
The cover image is beyond amazing and so breathtaking it will chill you to the bone.
I highly recommend this book.
I rated this book a 5 out of 5.
Disclosure: I received a free ARC copy of this book from the author for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. This review is my honest opinion.
May 15, 2013
I liked it, I really did...mostly
The whole thing kinda of started me in the mindset of Lord of the Rings, at least that is the kind of setting I pictured, without the hobits, elves, gandalf, etc. (just the human parts). I liked the love story, and the sequence of action was intriguing and kept me hooked, wanting to know what comes next..
Problems:
The entire fairy aspect was very confusing and muddled, never really got completely fleshed out for me.
The winter and summer thing was confusing and it felt out of place because it was never really mentioned as an important aspect of the culture and yet it kept making appearances and insinuating itself into the book somehow.. I understand it had something to do with the "balance" but the balance was much more understandable by itself without adding this non-battle between winter and summer queens.
The brutality grew old and tiresome really fast...How many times was she injured and everyone else was injured. How do these people even exist if everyone keeps getting injured and dead every single page.
The end left a little to be desired. Although we get closure, we don't really get a happily ever after, because she has become emotionless, she doesn't really care in the end so why should we?
The whole thing kinda of started me in the mindset of Lord of the Rings, at least that is the kind of setting I pictured, without the hobits, elves, gandalf, etc. (just the human parts). I liked the love story, and the sequence of action was intriguing and kept me hooked, wanting to know what comes next..
Problems:
The entire fairy aspect was very confusing and muddled, never really got completely fleshed out for me.
The winter and summer thing was confusing and it felt out of place because it was never really mentioned as an important aspect of the culture and yet it kept making appearances and insinuating itself into the book somehow.. I understand it had something to do with the "balance" but the balance was much more understandable by itself without adding this non-battle between winter and summer queens.
The brutality grew old and tiresome really fast...How many times was she injured and everyone else was injured. How do these people even exist if everyone keeps getting injured and dead every single page.
The end left a little to be desired. Although we get closure, we don't really get a happily ever after, because she has become emotionless, she doesn't really care in the end so why should we?
December 12, 2015
Can this baby be one of those hyped up books everyone loves? please?
What a FANTASTIC ride this has got to be one of the best fantasy books i've this year nah actually one the best books I've read period.
This book had everything magic,romance,angst and a wonderful lesson, the Main character was the best heroine I've read this year, She was so strong and driven and compassionate and despite her situation she handled everything like very few people would and For me I think it just leaves you feeling inspired to be more like her and I think that alone is a grand reason of why this book is so phenomenal.
I can't quite find the right words to describe this book but it had a perfect setting and it touched very delicate subjects which made your blood boil but the author handled this so neatly I'm in awe of her skills as a writer and I just can't wait to read every single book she ever puts out there and mostly I can't wait to read the second book in this series.
I RECOMMED THIS BOOK TO ABSOLUTELY ANYONE WHO LOVES FANTASY AND JUST PREPARE YOURSELF FOR A GRUESOME YET BEAUTIFUL RIDE.
"Please forgive me for failing to save you" he was shivering. with a touch, Ilyenna drew the cold away and helped him to his feet. "I saved Myself"
What a FANTASTIC ride this has got to be one of the best fantasy books i've this year nah actually one the best books I've read period.
This book had everything magic,romance,angst and a wonderful lesson, the Main character was the best heroine I've read this year, She was so strong and driven and compassionate and despite her situation she handled everything like very few people would and For me I think it just leaves you feeling inspired to be more like her and I think that alone is a grand reason of why this book is so phenomenal.
I can't quite find the right words to describe this book but it had a perfect setting and it touched very delicate subjects which made your blood boil but the author handled this so neatly I'm in awe of her skills as a writer and I just can't wait to read every single book she ever puts out there and mostly I can't wait to read the second book in this series.
I RECOMMED THIS BOOK TO ABSOLUTELY ANYONE WHO LOVES FANTASY AND JUST PREPARE YOURSELF FOR A GRUESOME YET BEAUTIFUL RIDE.
"Please forgive me for failing to save you" he was shivering. with a touch, Ilyenna drew the cold away and helped him to his feet. "I saved Myself"
July 29, 2020
Hmm.. this was an interesting one. Kinda of a mix between Vikingesque culture and fairies and the cover is gorgeous.
It follows Ilyeena, the wise woman of a tribe who, after being mortally wounded, is given a chance to become the queen of winter instead of dying. She says maybe to the offer in order to help her people, immediately gets captured and then spends the rest of the book looking for freedom and getting the odd bit of help from the fairy realm.
Okay I did enjoy the book, it was well written and there was enough of the world presented to be interesting. Ilyeena was strongly written and despite some fairly insane choices, I could feel for her struggle.
The secondary characters needed some work but as we only get to see them from Ilyeena's head, this is more of a 'character doesn't think too deeply' thing rather than a poorly written character thing.
I did have a small issue with the fairy aspect, it didn't seem to impact the story much and felt more like an afterthought.
But I do recommend this book and I will be reading book two. I've already forked out for the paperback copy of both.
It follows Ilyeena, the wise woman of a tribe who, after being mortally wounded, is given a chance to become the queen of winter instead of dying. She says maybe to the offer in order to help her people, immediately gets captured and then spends the rest of the book looking for freedom and getting the odd bit of help from the fairy realm.
Okay I did enjoy the book, it was well written and there was enough of the world presented to be interesting. Ilyeena was strongly written and despite some fairly insane choices, I could feel for her struggle.
The secondary characters needed some work but as we only get to see them from Ilyeena's head, this is more of a 'character doesn't think too deeply' thing rather than a poorly written character thing.
I did have a small issue with the fairy aspect, it didn't seem to impact the story much and felt more like an afterthought.
But I do recommend this book and I will be reading book two. I've already forked out for the paperback copy of both.
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