A Must Listen To Today!!

Find yourself immediately transported to days of old filled with Norsemen and royalty as this author casts her magical world building web and encases you until the last page. Filled with prophecy and delight to tantalize every one of your senses. From a madman to a beautiful princess this book will captivate readers of all ages. The only drawback is that we have to wait until November 2018 to continue this epic saga that will ooh and ahh you.

I read this in ebook format and let me tell you that the audiobook is simply outstanding as the narrators quickly pull you in and you feel like you are there as their voices were awesome. I loved every single moment of it!

7 people found this helpful

Wonderful!

What a wonderful book! The story and the characters were well written and the voice actors made the story come alive. I am definitely a fan and look forward to listening to more!

5 people found this helpful

Enjoyed it—you will too if you like YA historical fiction

This book wasn’t my cup of tea, BUT, it was really well done if you like historical fiction and romance. I am giving it a 3 star because of the content—I wasn’t super impressed and I found myself just wanting the story to be over because I knew what was going to happen in the end. The story wasn’t as original as I would have liked it. It was comical at times, cheesy, but comical. I wanted to give it a three because of that. I enjoyed that aspect of the novel more than anything else. I was really battling with giving this overall book a 2 or a 3 and I found myself with a 3 because of the comical storytelling. I also really liked the characters in the book.

Will I read/listen to the next in the series, though? Probably not.

The narration for the audiobook, though! I am giving the narration a 4 for sure! Andrea Emmes and Chris Ciulla were SOOOOOO good!!! Love Andrea’s British accent!! I loved their ability to make this story cute, funny, and interesting. They definitely kept me invested!

3 people found this helpful

Who knew I could love a Viking, too?

I already knew I had a thing for highlanders but really - a Viking now too?

I am a big fan of books that are narrated by both male and female narrators. It gives the story an entirely new level of depth and you really get a feel for the characters. Both Chris Ciulla and Andrea Emmes brought the characters to life with their narrating. I loved Torben's character so much because he's this strong warrior, but he does everything he can to protect Allete. And you could hear that in the way Chris portrayed him. As for Allete, I think it's amazing how anyone can so successfully speak with an accent that is not their own native language. Andrea nailed this one - I had to ask her if this was her native accent.

That ending - wow, what a cliffhanger! The ending definitely had me wishing I had my hands on a copy of the second book (which, unfortunately doesn't release until Winter 2018).

I am completely in love with this cover! It's elegant. The woman and her dress shows how refined and proper Allete's character is, while the title font leads to a viking / warrior-ish feel. I liked the symbols added in there because they really gave it the magic feel that comes from Allete (and Torben's mom) being a seer. It all pulls together and looks amazing!

How about the characters? Let's start with the King of Tara - Cathal. I don't think I have ever despised a character more! He is horrible! The man basically wants Allete to dress like a prostitute in the royal court so he can parade her around. And the way he treats her - he enjoys tormenting her so he can "break her". If he were standing on the edge of a cliff, there's a fair chance I would push him over, myself! I am praying he gets what's coming to him in the second book.

Allete - eldest English princess, betrothed / engaged to a pig of a king. She's strong, she's refined, she's protective of her family. She's basically willing to sacrifice her own happiness to keep Cathal from doing anything bad to her family. That takes bravery. And when you put her and Torben together - oh, what a love story!

Hilda. Seer and also Torben's mom. This woman was hilarious. She holds her tongue for no one. I am eager to see how her character plays out in the second book. She's definitely one of my favorites :)

Magnus - Jarl of Clan Hakon. Another crazy man! His plans are all half-baked and as the book progresses, he gets more insane. And the end! He needs to get what's coming to him, as well. Just saying.

Torben. If ever there was a book boyfriend to steal my heart, Torben, it is you. He is the perfect hero of the story - strong, yet able to love and be kind. He's not too macho but he will do anything in his power to protect Allete. And I have a feeling he is going to be the one giving Cathal what he deserves. Just a hunch :)

I loved so much of this book and it has introduced me to yet another branch of historical fiction that I will be diving into. The narration and the story come together perfectly to make this one a top read of 2018!

3 people found this helpful

The ending left me confused

The book was great and just as I was totally in grossed and on the edge of my seat. Boom book over. Where’s book two

3 people found this helpful

Anachronisms Abound

If you are looking for a work of historical fiction that is even remotely historical look elsewhere. I was distracted the entire time by the author’s constant use of modern slang. Bloody hell seemed to be her favorite. The narrators don’t help this at all. Maybe an accent would’ve helped but with such poor material who knows. In addition, she kept mentioning items that hadn’t been invented yet, and cast the English as Pagans. I just keep wishing it would be over.

1 person found this helpful

Wonderful story

I love the story. I thoroughly enjoyed that it had magic in it. I enjoyed the narrative from the different characters point of view.

1 person found this helpful

A Re-read for Sure!

I loved this book! It was enthralling and incredibly well-written; the characters were all vibrant, consistent, and entertaining. The plot was water-tight (rare in love stories these days) and everything about the book felt purposeful and deeply contemplated. More than anything, I enjoyed the humor that ran throughout this story and am overall completely satisfied with the time I spent listening to and imagining the life inside this book. A must read and a re-read for sure!

Content Note: There is innuendo throughout the book, but it is almost always accompanied by the caveat of marriage which I found acceptable, but some readers may not. Additionally, there are a few scenes involving a man and a woman- unwed- in a bedroom alone. No sex or undressing, but some of these scenes still feel "intimate".

SPOILER: The most in-your-face instance occurrs as a result of a mental break down, leaving one of the main characters undressed completely. She had clawed at herself, ripping her clothes, in a deranged daze brought on by a traumatic experience. Needless to say, Torbin comes to care for her while she is still in that state, but is a gentlemen and covers her quickly. [I would have been more comfortable had she been at least partially clothed, but the scene felt important to the plot overall so I let it slide]


-from a teen reader with high standards, strong morals, and good taste :)

1 person found this helpful

GREAT BOOK ONE!

Viking warrior coming to fulfill a prophesy and snatch an English Princess for his queen while another is plotting to take it all over no matter what! This book was filled with adventure, swordplay, romance and a bit of magic. 

I do NOT like first person books and did not know it was when I got it, so I was really shocked for the first few chapters. BUT Quinn Loftis won me over with her wonderful storytelling from two FULL points of view. 



Chris Ciulla would get a 4 star from me due to the inconsistent narration, but he was enjoyable too. Andrea Emmes gets a 6 star from me with her wonderful portrayal of Princess Allete as well as the other characters.



I was really bummed though that the book ended on a cliffhanger and readers will have to wait until Winter of 2018 to get the next book and then Fall of 2019 for the final book. For this reason, I gave the story a 4 star. The end of this book was great, if you don't like cliffhangers, don't start the book until the others are out.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

2 people found this helpful

Ugh

Predictable, I kept waiting for it to get better, but it didn’t. I can’t believe I listened to the entire book. Save yourself!