Review: Amid the Winter Snow – Anthology
by Elizabeth Hunter, Grace Draven, Jeffe Kennedy, Thea Harrison
Publisher: Brightlynx Publishing
Publication Date: December 12, 2017
Genres: Romance
Pages: 454
Source: NetGalley
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
My rating:As the snows fall and hearths burn, four stories of Midwinter beginnings prove that love can fight its way through the chillest night...
THE DARKEST MIDNIGHT, by Grace Draven The mark Jahna Ulfrida was born with has made her a target of the cruel and idle all her life. During the long, crowded festivities of Deyalda, there’s nowhere to escape. Until a handsome stranger promises to teach her to save herself…
THE CHOSEN, by Thea Harrison In her visions, Lily sees two men fighting for her tiny country’s allegiance: the wolf and the tiger, each deadly, each cunning. One will bring Ys chaos and death, one a gentler path—but she’s destined to love whichever she chooses. The midwinter Masque is upon them, and the wolf is at her door…
THE STORM, by Elizabeth Hunter When her soul mate died in a massacre of the half-angelic Irin people, Renata thought she’d never feel happiness again. She’s retreated to the snowy Dolomites to remember her hurts—until determined, irrepressible Maxim arrives to insist on joy, too. And before she can throw him out, they discover a secret the Irin have to know…
THE SNOWS OF WINDROVEN, by Jeffe Kennedy As a blizzard threatens their mountain keep, the new Queen Amelia of the Twelve Kingdoms and her unofficial consort Ash face their own storm. Ash knows a scarred, jumpy ex-convict isn’t the companion his queen needs. But when a surprise attack confines them together in their isolated sanctuary, the feast of midwinter might tempt even Ash into childlike hope…
My Review:
THE DARKEST MIDNIGHT – GRACE DRAVEN – (5 stars)
This was unexpectedly lovely. I haven’t read anything by Ms. Draven before, though I have her two books on my TBR list, and now I know why everyone raves about them! This story spans several Delyalda seasons, over more than a decade, giving plenty of time for the relationship to become believable. I loved young Jahna and the woman she becomes, and Radimar was just plain swoon. I believe it’s set in the same series as her other books, so that definitely made me bump them higher on my TBR list!
THE CHOSEN – THEA HARRISON – (3 stars)
This is more like a 3.5 stars… but since I hate giving half-stars, I rounded down. This story had a lot of promise, but the insta-love really turned me off. Plus, it’s like weird fantasy cliche soup – there’s weather magic and telepathy and healing magic and … Chef Boyardee? I did like Lily, and I thought the humor was very well done. I’ve read two of Ms. Harrison’s books before and was also kind of meh on them, so I think the author just isn’t my cup of tea.
THE STORM – ELIZABETH HUNTER – (2 stars)
I think I would have rated this a lot higher if I’d had prior knowledge of this series. While I liked the relationship between Renata and Max, there was just SO. MUCH. ELSE. going on that I was constantly taken away from the romance to puzzle over everything else. There’s libraries? scribes? archangels? Grigori, who are part human, and are evil, except wait they aren’t… I enjoyed the writing style so I think I’ll put the first book in the series on my TBR.
THE SNOWS OF WINDROVEN – JEFFE KENNEDY – (4 stars)
Lovely. This was also part of a series, but I found it easier to follow along with, especially since it was told in first person. Ami annoyed the heck out of me at first, but Ash’s obvious and deep love of her won me over. I get super smooshy over damaged heroes, so this was catnip for me. Plus, I was fascinated by the whole widow and stepfather relationship. I’ll be adding this series to my TBR list as well!