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Showing posts with label Shona Husk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shona Husk. Show all posts
Monday, July 15, 2013
Review: The Outcast Prince by Shona Husk
The Outcast Prince
Author: Shona Husk
Release Date: July 2, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks
The Court of Annwyn #1
ISBN: #978-1402280160
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (320 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Caspian Mort can feel the history in anything he touches, a gift he inherited from his father, the Crown Prince of Annwyn. Devastated over his ex-wife's infidelity, Caspian has withdrawn from human contact except when working as an antiques dealer.
While assessing the contents of the historic Callaway House he encounters the beautiful Lydia Callaway and senses that her home is haunted by a banished fairy. But what does the dangerous exile want? Unbeknownst to Lydia, she's the owner of the last remaining portal to Annwyn—a mirror hidden somewhere in the house. To keep Lydia safe, Caspian will have to divulge the secrets of his heritage, and risk losing his heart again.
What G & U are talking about:
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This new Court of Annwyn series from Shona Husk is fascinating. Gikany and Una enjoyed the first series we read of hers, Shadowlands Trilogy, but this one is much more engaging. The Outcast Prince is a thrilling start on what will be a darkly political fae series.
Annwyn is the fairy realm. However, this paranormal romance is different from what we have read of “fae” novels in the past. Annwyn and our world are separate but tied. Unrest in Annwyn has rippling affects into ours. If the King and Queen are warring and there is unrest – plagues erupt in our world. It is thoroughly interesting how these two distinct worlds overlap and collide. For those in the real world, Annwyn is both heaven and hell. Although the fae can enter world, there are consequences if they stay too long – consequences that lead to death.
Lydia Callaway has inherited the Callaway house. The Callaways are a little notorious in their part of the world. Her grandmother, in order to save her home after her husband was killed in the war, turned the old plantation into a meeting place (for men and their mistresses). While the Callaways had been a name of respect and genteelness, it became associated with whispers of scandals and wild parties. Lydia, a public relations person, owns her own mortgage and doesn’t feel able to keep her grandmother’s plantation. She turns to Caspian Mort to handle the evaluation of her grandmother’s estate so she can decide whether she can afford to keep it or not.
Caspian is more than what he seems. He is the son of the Prince of Annwyn, born in the mortal world. Caspian is bound by the laws of Annwyn due to his lineage, but is also mortal trying to live in the world he has always known. Because of his ties to Annwyn, he is psychometric; he has the ability to touch objects and learn the history of them. This skill is what allows him to be successful at his antiquities job.
When Lydia and Caspian meet, there is an undeniable connection. Both have been hurt and stigmatized by their past experiences. Watching them as they stumble along from a working relationship to a romantic one is passionate and endearing. We enjoyed how their journey was woven into the adventure of finding the Window, a mirror that grants access into Annwyn – something a banished fairy would kill for. Caspian, with his ability to see the fae, knows something is after the mirror. He hopes to find the mirror before the Grey (the banished fairy) finds it.
The world is awesome. Gikany and Una loved the world that The Outcast Prince takes place in. The descriptions of Annwyn were both surreal and yet imaginable. Although this is the first book in this new series, we were confused at times at some “little” things. For example – a banished fairy can become a grey, Bogart, imp or brownie. It is by holding on to one or two particular things that causes them to change, they are: power, magic, appearance, stature. We tried to figure it out while writing the review, and we get them mixed up. Not that it is vital to the plot, but in easing us better into the world and its rules, a glossary might help.
One aspect that bothered us about The Outcast Prince was that although Caspian and Lydia were three-dimensional characters, Caspian was more thoroughly sketched out. Lydia, for being in public relations and having this somewhat demanding job, was home quite a bit. It felt a bit flat along with the relationship with her mother (who abandoned her). We found it odd that her mother was able to disappear, when she bore the Callaway name (or we assumed she did). The way her mother popped in and out during the will issues (well, not her but her lawyer) was a bit flat for us as well. However, they were not large of enough issues to distract us from the main overall story arc (nor the steaminess between Lydia and Caspian).
We look forward to learning more of the background of Shea and the Queen as well as the story between the King and Queen. Much seemed to center around their relationships in the big picture and yet we had so little back-story of them. Even if it is in novella format, we’d love to see and experience some of that back-story. It might even aid in cementing the world-building.
Although there are a few issues, overall we enjoyed The Outcast Prince, and eagerly look forward to the next novel in the Court of Annwyn series, Lord of the Hunt. If you are looking for something new in paranormal that centers on the fae, pick this series up, you might get lost in it!
Their Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Purchase Info:
Labels:
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Review: For the Love of a Goblin Warrior by Shona Husk
For the Love of a Goblin Warrior
Author: Shona Husk
Release Date: Jan. 1, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Shadowlands Trilogy #3
ISBN: #978-1402262098
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (352 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Centuries ago, Meryn was thought to be utterly lost--all traces of his soul given up to the ravening goblin horde. But with the curse that enslaved him now broken, he must once again learn to walk in the realm of men.
Nurse Nadine Gilbert likes working the night shift to avoid her disturbing dreams, but her mysterious new patient looks hauntingly familiar. Meryn knows he doesn't deserve a second chance, but Nadine brings out his long-buried human side. Telling her the truth about his violent past could destroy their fragile trust. Could she ever believe in the love of a Goblin Warrior?
What G & U are talking about:
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For the Love of a Goblin Warrior is the last novel in the Shadowlands Trilogy. All we can say is that Ms. Husk saved the best for last in her Goblins trilogy.
This is the story of Meryl, the lost cousin, and his second chance at life and love after he witnessed his wife and children’s murders while trapped as a goblin – unable to save them from their fate. As we know from the previous novel, Kiss of the Goblin Prince, he awakens as a human in the Shadowlands and must rely on his skills to stay alive as the only human in a land of goblins. Meryl is pulled from the Shadowlands by Dai, his cousin, only to find himself adrift in modern society. The stark change from life as a goblin in the Shadowlands to being a human in the modern world drives Meryl a bit mad.
Meryl finds himself, in the beginning of For the Love of a Goblin Warrior, in a hospital, wounded (from trying to survive as human in the Shadowlands) and handcuffed by the police, waiting to be seen by a doctor. This is where we meet Nadine, our heroine and Meryl’s only hope. Nadine’s past is similar to Meryl’s in that she lost her family and lives with nightmares and in fear. Her mother was killed when Nadine was only five years old. Solomon, Nadine’s father, was convicted of the crime and spent twenty years in jail – although he maintained he was innocent throughout his prison sentence. Although Solomon writes to her every Christmas and birthday, Nadine ignores the letters and has shunned her father. Nadine survives by living day-to-day. Her whole life is summed up in living with her friend Gina, running, and working the night shift as a nurse. Not only does Meryl strive for a second chance, it seems Nadine, unbeknownst to her, needs one as well. With their chance encounter, they just might have a chance at that fairy-tale ending, if they can forgive themselves, let go of the past, and reach for the future.
Gikany and Una found For the Love of a Goblin Warrior to be engaging, mystical and heartfelt. It is a story of forgiveness, second chances (rebirths if you will), and love. Solomon reminds himself that life is nothing without love – which is echoed by Meryl when he says life without love is only existence. Faith, hope and love; reoccurring words and passionate feelings that are illustrated throughout this story. Although it is not smooth sailing after Meryl and Nadine’s chance encounter, it is an engaging and realistic story – even with its paranormal elements. Gikany and Una feel that this story truly captures the emotions of two emotionally damaged individuals who choose healing and love over fear and loneliness.
After reading Kiss of the Goblin Prince, we had hoped to see more of Dai and much more of the magic that was introduced. However, Dai is a minor character in this story and the magic is apparent but not investigated. The glimmer of the magic world in this mythology is not explored in For the Love of a Goblin Warrior. However, it seems from looking around Ms. Husk’s website, she will be starting a new trilogy that may be a spin-off of that world.
All in all, we genuinely enjoyed For the Love of a Goblin Warrior and liked the Shadowlands trilogy. If you are looking for something a little different, we recommend this series to you. Especially considering the last book nicely ties the series to a close. We eagerly look forward to the next trilogy by Ms. Husk, in July of this year.
Their Rating:
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Liked it - recommend (B+)
Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Sunday Snippets #110
Author: Shona Husk
Shadowlands Trilogy #2
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Released: May 1, 2012
REVIEW HERE
Instead of going straight back he delayed a little longer and went to the park where he'd seen a dying tree. Over the past couple of days as he walked he'd tried to look beyond what everyone else saw and into the way everything was constructed. If he used the magical sight for too long, it made his head ache. But he was willing to risk it today.
He needed to know if he could heal the tree... and then maybe himself.
Dai took a seat on a bench covered in symbols he was unfamiliar with, then took a breath and let his vision slip. He tried to focus on the threads that wove tightly together to make up the tree, but his mind wasn't truly on the magic. It kept drifting back to the few moments he'd held Amanda.
He glanced at his hand, seeing more than just skin lined with faint scars. He saw the magical construct of his body and the golden strands that linked him to Amanda. He wasn't imagining her interest. This was the proof - not that he'd be able to explain it to anyone.
If he had his books on magic, healing the tree would've been easy. He ignored the doubts that rose about fixing his own scars; healing was a fine art for even the simplest of cases and his damage was far from simple. He rolled his shoulders, but the tightness remained.
Tree first. If he killed it, it didn't matter as it was dying anyway. If he healed it... well, he'd be one step closer. He was tired of waiting for Birch Trustees to finish their examination of his library. He and his brother had stashed much of their horde there over the centuries. The secret bank was known for handling... unusual... requests with discretion. For the most part Birch had been nothing but helpful since he and his brother had broken free and become human. The bank had transferred their gold and silver and gems into regular human bank accounts, then supplied fake IDs all round. They had eased what could've been an impossible transition.
At first glance there was nothing to distinguish him from any other man in the Fixed Realm... except he'd outlived Rome and knew magic was real. With the sight he looked at the web of lines that made up his hand as he flexed his fingers. Oh yeah, he was a regular twenty-first century man.
And he was finally able to put into practice the things he'd studied but had been unable to do as a goblin. He didn't need to touch the tree. He could see how the fibers of the truck were snagged and twisted, cutting off the life that pumped through the earth and eddied around its roots. From his training he knew it was possible to heal the damage; whether he could do it was another question.
The risk of failing held him motionless. He'd spent too much time studying instead of acting. He'd waited so long to be rid of the curse, and before that he'd been fighting to be free of the bloody Romans. He wanted a life, now.
He forced himself to act. His fingers twitched against his leg as he imagined smoothing the strands of magic that made up the tree. He forced his will into thought. The tangles unraveled and the tree gave a shiver as the life force of the earth was again able to flow freely. If it had been that easy to break the curse and pull the gray of the Shadowlands out of Roan, they would've been free centuries ago.
He paused to watch the tree and see if the magical changes would hold. The tree sighed as if touched by a breeze, but the changes did more than hold. Buds began to form and new leaves unfurled as if it were spring and not midwinter.
"Too much," Dai muttered and tried to pull back some of what he'd done, but the tree pushed him away. The throbbing in his temples began as he tried to do too much with the magic he could barely control. Then the throb spread, tightening around his skull like hands seeking to crush the bone. With a gasp he released all hold on the magic and let the tree win the fight for survival. He lacked the heart to kill anymore.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Review: Kiss of the Goblin Prince by Shona Husk
Kiss of the Goblin Prince
Author: Shona Husk
Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Shadowlands Trilogy #2
ISBN: # 978-1402262067
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (353 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Trapped for centuries in the bleak Shadowlands, Dai clings to his humanity with a thirst for knowledge. But now he's free of the goblin curse, and some would say he knows too much- he can make nature bend to his will, influence the minds of others, and command magic. Yet love eludes him. Then he meets Amanda, a single mother with a sick daughter whom he feels compelled to protect. But could she possibly place her trust in the kiss of a goblin prince?
What G & U are talking about:
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Kiss of the Goblin Prince is the second novel in the Shadowlands Trilogy and was even better than the previous novel, The Goblin King. The novel flowed at a better pace, although the plot did have a few slow moments. Dai and Amanda’s story is gripping and incredibly touching as two people learn to heal, forgive themselves and reach for a new beginning.
Gikany and Una thoroughly enjoyed the description of magic as a “fabric”. Magic had a texture and reality to the reader that we haven’t experience before. The world-building was fairly well established in the previous novel so the plot felt more character driven in this novel.
Kiss of the Goblin Prince chronicles Dai’s story – his “ever-after”. After being freed by his brother, Roan, and Roan’s new wife, Eliza, Dai finds freedom isn’t all that he thought it would be. Living for thousands of years in the Shadow realm and the horrors of his previous earthly life took their toll on Dai. What few interactions as Dai had as a goblin with the real world did not prepare for him for life as a human in the modern world. Neither did it prepare him for the attraction he finds in Amanda, Eliza’s best friend and a widowed single parent. Their chemistry and the inner battles they wage are touching and complex. Watching them slowly come together was heartwarming.
Another facet to the novel is the ever mysterious and foreboding Birch Trustees, the holders of Dai’s horde – his incredible collection of magical texts. With the increasing attraction between Amanda and Dai – he desperately wishes to control his magic so he can cure her daughter of her serious asthma affliction. Although Dai seems to crave a solitary life, his protectiveness of Amanda and the connection to her daughter pulls him into a far better life.
There are moments in Kiss of the Goblin Prince that dragged a bit. However, some of the slower moments were to build the mystery of the Birch Trustees keepers bank and build the tension between Dai and Amanda. We thought that there was too much of this novel spent in setting up the next novel. Dai’s story was shared with another character, presumably the next hero of the final book in the Shadowlands Trilogy. Gikany and Una would have liked to have seen more of Dai and Amanda’s happily-ever-after. Dai seemed to suffer so much and we would have enjoyed seeing more of his post-resolution bliss. As we did in the beginning of this novel (seeing Roan and Eliza’s HEA), we hope to see more of Dai and Amanda’s happiness in the beginning of the next novel.
Kiss of the Goblin Prince is a fascinating world and was an enjoyable read. If you want a slightly different take on the world of magic and alternate universes within our own, pick up The Goblin King and enjoy the Shadowlands Trilogy.
Their Rating:
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Liked it a lot - recommend (B+)
Purchase Info:
Reviews of books in the series:
Friday, September 30, 2011
Review: The Goblin King
The Goblin KingAuthor: Shona Husk
Release Date: October 1, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Shadowlands Trilogy #1
ISBN: #978-1402259852
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (319 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book: |
Cursed by a Druid a millennia ago, Roan lives a bleak existence in the Shadowlands, desperately trying to retain his soul and not succumb to the goblin horde.
When a beautiful human summons him to grant a wish, he sees a glimmer of hope. But will she ever agree to be his queen?
When a beautiful human summons him to grant a wish, he sees a glimmer of hope. But will she ever agree to be his queen?
What G & U are talking about: |
The Goblin King is the first full-length novel in a new paranormal trilogy by Shona Husk. There seems to be a free ebook prequel entitled, The Summons, which is the backstory to when Eliza first called the Goblin King, Roan. The story is referenced and summarized in this novel. Gikany and Una did not read it (we discovered it when putting together this review), and we did not feel as if we missed anything. However, it might be fun to read as an extended teaser if you are interested in trying the series on before purchasing this book.
Gikany and Una specifically requested this book from Twimom. We were intrigued by the synopsis and thought it might be a new and fascinating world. Long story short, we felt a little let down by the novel. The Goblin King did not live up to our expectations, however we did enjoy it. Overall, we think the author could have done more with the characters and the world, but didn’t. What follows are the few issues we found with the novel.
The main bad guy, the Druid, had no back-story or character development. Simply put, the Druid is evil, he is the reason Roan and his men were cursed and that’s that. You cannot reason with him, he hates Roan, and waits to be able to destroy him for being a King who would turn his back on his people and sell them out to the Romans. We feel that there could have been more to the Druid and this plot point. It adds to a story if a main character was evil and was guilty and redeems himself (one of Una’s favorite plot devices is the element of redemption) or if the main character is innocent all along (see…we will NOT spoil you!) and can plead his case or work with the evil. But that didn’t happen. The conflict between the Druid and Roan was concrete and, to us, lacking depth.
Gikany and Una loved Roan’s brother, Dai. He was a fascinating character with an intriguing intelligence and wonderful wit. We feel he also lacked character development. We would have like to have learned more about him including what he discovered through his studies. However, since there will be two more novels in this world and the next novel is entitled Kiss of the Goblin Prince (due out in May of 2012) we may be getting more of Dai and his back-story as well. Mind you we are assuming that Dai (as brother to the Goblin King) is the one this book will focus on. Currently there is no information on the author’s website to confirm or deny this.
One last issue, that affected Una more than Gikany, was a feeling of “bad editing.” What I mean is, think of when you watch a movie: in one camera angle the person is holding a glass of tea in a highball glass, then they switch to the other camera angle and she/he is holding a tea cup. This is what I mean by bad editing. There are numerous moments where I had to go back and reread because as the novel was unfolding in my head…I had a, wait, was she standing behind him…or was she in front? It was these little moments that interrupted what was a nice and easy flow to the writing.
By the end of the novel, we both realize that this was not going to be the dark, deep, gritty and sexy novel we expected. However, for a more “fluffy” read, it is quite enjoyable. Lighthearted is not the right word as there are some dark elements to the novel, but it is a fairly quick read. The Goblin King is entertaining with a very interesting world and mythology. We are interested in seeing where the author goes in the next novel.
Their Rating: |
Liked it, but I had some issues - recommend (B)
Purchase Information:
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