The Thirteenth Day of Christmas and Other Tales of Yuletide Horror by David Allen Voyles

December 11, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Thirteenth Day of Christmas and Other Tales of Yuletide Horror by David Allen Voyles
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Holiday, Horror, Paranormal, Contemporary, Historical
Length: Full Length (174 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Remember that line from “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”? “There’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago.” Telling ghost stories during the Yuletide season was a popular tradition during Victorian times, and David Allen Voyles revives the tradition with his collection of twelve original, frightening ghost tales and one novella, all set in the Christmas season. You’ll find a wide array of supernatural entities within The Thirteenth Day of Christmas and Other Tales of Yuletide Horror, from traditional ghosts to modern twists on familiar Christmas characters like Santa and Krampus. You’ll travel to a modern hotel in the Arctic Circle that’s made entirely of ice, as well as to a nineteenth century village in Bulgaria whose citizens have a unique yearly ritual with an enigmatic toymaker. There are ghostly mysteries to be solved, wicked children to be punished, haunted graveyards, possessed dolls, and even a humorous account of Santa’s visit to a haunted house on Christmas Eve. So turn down the lights, grab a cup of eggnog, and light the Yule log as you prepare to read these Christmas ghost stories. Just remember as you read them, you can cry and you can pout, but one thing is for sure–you better watch out!

Now is the perfect time of year to curl up with something scary.

“The Toymaker” was the tale mentioned in the blurb about a nineteenth century Bulgarian village whose citizens have a unique ritual every winter with a travelling toymaker. Getting to know so many of the families who loved in this village made their world come alive to me. I had a good time seeing what their daily lives were like and what they hoped their yearly visitor might do for them. There were exactly enough hints about his identity to make it clear. I also liked the horror twist Mr. Voyles included in the plot. It was just as festive as it was scary.

There were a few stories in this collection that I thought would have benefitted from more development. “O, Christmas Tree” was one of them. It followed the Livingston family between the time they bought an artificial tree at a yard sale and Christmas Day. The tree they brought home was expensive, so the fact that they got it at such a bargain price seemed too good to be true. I was fascinated by this find and wanted to know more about where the tree came from and why it was sold for so little money. While there were some answers to be found later on, I had so many unanswered questions by the end of it about what happened to them and why their tree was such a strange object.

Merle and Gladys had enjoyed their brother’s annual Christmas visit for years when “A Promise Kept” began. When a heavy snowstorm started on Christmas Eve, they worried he wouldn’t be able to make it home this time and were relieved to see him once again after he did show up. I liked reading about the cozy holiday these siblings shared and was quite curious to find out what the science fiction, fantasy, or horror twist might be for such a wholesome get-together.

I’d wholeheartedly recommend The Thirteenth Day of Christmas and Other Tales of Yuletide Horror to anyone who is intrigued by the darker side of the holiday season.

Filed Under: Horror, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

The Mercury 13 by Martha Ackmann

December 10, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Mercury 13 by Martha Ackmann
The True Story of Thirteen Women and the Dream of Space Flight
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Non-Fiction, Historical
Length: Full Length (288 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

In 1961, just as NASA launched its first man into space, a group of women underwent secret testing in the hopes of becoming America’s first female astronauts. They passed the same battery of tests at the legendary Lovelace Foundation as did the Mercury 7 astronauts, but they were summarily dismissed by the boys’ club at NASA and on Capitol Hill. The USSR sent its first woman into space in 1963; the United States did not follow suit for another twenty years.

For the first time, Martha Ackmann tells the story of the dramatic events surrounding these thirteen remarkable women, all crackerjack pilots and patriots who sometimes sacrificed jobs and marriages for a chance to participate in America’s space race against the Soviet Union. In addition to talking extensively to these women, Ackmann interviewed Chuck Yeager, John Glenn, Scott Carpenter, and others at NASA and in the White House with firsthand knowledge of the program, and includes here never-before-seen photographs of the Mercury 13 passing their Lovelace tests.

Despite the crushing disappointment of watching their dreams being derailed, the Mercury 13 went on to extraordinary achievement in their lives: Jerrie Cobb, who began flying when she was so small she had to sit on pillows to see out of the cockpit, dedicated her life to flying solo missions to the Amazon rain forest; Wally Funk, who talked her way into the Lovelace trials, went on to become one of the first female FAA investigators; Janey Hart, mother of eight and, at age forty, the oldest astronaut candidate, had the political savvy to steer the women through congressional hearings and later helped found the National Organization for Women.

A provocative tribute to these extraordinary women, The Mercury 13 is an unforgettable story of determination, resilience, and inextinguishable hope.

Thirteen women who wanted to go to space and the trials surrounding them. I never knew the full story. I know more of it now.

I’ve been on a space bender. I really have. I want to know as much as I can, even though I’m scared of heights and have no chance of ever going to space. Silly, right? Me, a girl who isn’t thrilled by heights wants to know about space. I do.

This book is interesting from the first page. I read it in an afternoon. The writing is such that I was sucked in right away and felt like I knew the women involved. I felt for Ruth Nichols, who wanted to go to space, but would never be able to and died affected by her lack of chances. Jerrie Cobb, the woman who showed women were perfectly suited for space and could be better than the men without being showy about it. I got emotionally involved in their stories.

If you’re looking for a book that reads like a novel and touches on the lives of the women who could’ve gone to space if the chances had come through, then this might be the book you’re looking for. Check it out!

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Extraterrestrial Encounters by Kelli A. Wilkins

December 9, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Extraterrestrial Encounters: A Collection of Sci-Fi Stories by Kelli A. Wilkins
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Historical
Length: Short Story (114 pages)
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Are you ready to step into the unknown?

In these 18 sci-fi stories, you’ll encounter aliens of all shapes and sizes, curious (and sometimes unlucky) space explorers, and ordinary Earthlings having otherworldly experiences.

Some of the out-of-this-world tales in this short fiction anthology include:

“The Hoax” – A reporter learns that a creature from another planet is a dangerous thing to fool with

“It Grows on You” – A strange kind of mold has invaded an office, and it’s the perfect tool for revenge

“What Lurks Below” – Everyone knows there’s no life on Mars, but nobody thought about what might be lurking under the surface…

“The Con” – An alien becomes an unlikely ally to a down-on-his-luck petty crook

“Space Cowboy” – When a second-rate rodeo star is abducted by aliens, he makes the most of the situation

“They Just Keep Eating” – A Nebraska farmer encounters a menace from space… and it’s hungry

This collection of speculative fiction will stimulate your imagination, unnerve you just a little, and make you wonder… “What if we’re not alone?”

Even the most ordinary day can turn out to be full of surprises.

As soon as I read the description of “What Lurks Below” in the blurb, I couldn’t wait to find out more. The only thing more exciting than finding life on Mars would be discovering somewhere astronauts might not expect it to lurk. Ray, the protagonist, was someone who’d never expected to travel to the red planet in the first place. Learning this fact about him early on only made me more curious to see what he’d discover now that he was there.

All of these stories were deliciously short. Some of them were only a page or two long! What impressed me about that is how the author was still able to draw all sorts of fascinating parallels between the various places she invented. Characters encountered similar odd events in certain cases, but the outcomes of them were still wildly different from one plot to the next. “Live from Space” was an excellent example of this. Like “What Lurks Below,” it followed explorations on Mars that gave the researchers working on them results they never could have imagined. While I can’t go into details about what, exactly, was found in this case, I loved comparing it to the other Mars and alien planets that various characters explore.

One of my favorite tales in this collection was “Ground Cover.” It followed a young boy named Stanley whose friend was chopping down an overgrown patch of wild ivy in order to find his lost baseball. When the ivy reacted unexpectedly, Stanley was injured and needed to seek help. All of this happened in the first few paragraphs, so I was thrilled to see what might happen to these characters next. The possibilities seemed endless!

I’d heartily recommend Extraterrestrial Encounters: A Collection of Sci-Fi Stories to anyone who loves this genre and is in the mood for short, satisfying glimpses of unique worlds.  Very cool! Very interesting!

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

My Favorite Things by Lynsay Sands

December 5, 2019 By Leave a Comment


My Favorite Things by Lynsay Sands
A Christmas Collection
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Historical, Holiday, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full length (353 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

All I Want

With Lady Prudence’s father gambling away the family’s savings, all she wants for Christmas is to haul him away from London’s most notorious gaming hell. Yet the wickedly handsome proprietor, Lord Stockton, refuses to let a lady enter his establishment. Now Pru needs a Christmas miracle to make her wish come true—and to resist succumbing to Stockton’s charms.

Three French Hens

Brinna’s life as a scullery maid changes with the arrival of the castle’s newest guest, Lady Joan. Desperate to escape an arranged marriage, Joan suggests that look-alike Brinna take her place at the Christmas festivities. Suddenly, Brinna finds herself being wooed by a true gentleman, and getting the best Christmas present of all: a new life.

The Fairy Godmother

Odel is told by her godmother that she must marry by Christmas, and even gives her fairy dust to separate the mice from the men. But Odel has sworn off love…until kind and generous Michel catches her eye. He shows Odel how good it can feel to fall in love, but will it be enough to convince Odel to trust her heart?

Romance is in the air this Christmas!

All I Want

Prudence and Stephen are such a fun couple to watch! Their tale is the perfect start to this collection. Prudence has so many outlandish schemes and plots to try and stop her father from gambling, and they all go hilariously wrong. While Prudence has good intentions, chaos always seems to follow her. I never knew what she was going to try next. Prudence certainly keeps Stephen on his toes, and I found myself laughing throughout their story.

Despite how much fun it is to watch Prudence and Stephen, her family’s situation is very serious. Ms. Sands perfectly balanced Prudence’s amusing antics with the precarious financial situation of Prudence’s family. My heart broke for her when she finally gave up hope just as she and Stephen realized they were falling in love. I will say the solution to Prudence’s problem was a bit predictable, but was very sweet.

Three French Hens

Brinna and Royce’s story was unusual. When Lady Joan and her best friend Sabrina practically force Brinna to impersonate her, I had serious doubts about Brinna’s ability to learn to successfully impersonate a noble woman. This implausible plot was made a bit more believable by the fact that barely anyone at the party truly knew Lady Joan. Sabrina is especially irritating in her efforts to keep people as far away from Brinna as possible while she is acting as Lady Joan.

Royce is very persistent and makes every effort to get to know Brinna, thinking she is Joan. Brinna and Royce have great chemistry, and I enjoyed watching them fall in love. I really had no idea how the story would end, and I must say that the conclusion was interesting if a bit abrupt. Brinna’s happy ending is well deserved.

The Fairy Godmother

Odel and Michel’s story is my favorite in this anthology. I felt so sorry for Odel. While her father was living, her life had no joy. His passing allowed her to breath and live life on her own terms. Unfortunately, her fairy godmother, Matilda, seems to have other ideas. Matilda seems to think Odel needs a husband. Despite Odel’s protests, Matilda presents Odel with a multitude of suitors, and all of them are completely ridiculous.

Michel is a breath of fresh air. Of all the couples in this anthology, Odel and Michel’s relationship felt the most natural. While they found each other attractive, they didn’t fall in love at first sight. Instead, they grew on each other. I loved watching them spend time together talking and playing chess. With Michel’s help, Odel gradually came out of her shell. Their happy ending is extremely satisfying.

I highly recommend My Favorite Things to fans of historical romance. It is a heartwarming collection of stories sure to get readers in the Christmas spirit!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Pact of the White Blade Knights by Barbara Russell

December 4, 2019 By 1 Comment


The Pact of the White Blade Knights by Barbara Russell
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Action/Adventure, Historical, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full length (248 pages)
Heat Level: Hot
Rating: 4.5 stars
Review by: Moonflower

London, 1884.

While other twenty-seven-year-old, middle-class women think about rearing children and attending dinner parties, Hazel finds herself unmarried and unemployed.

The stuffy barons of the Royal Archaeologic Society don’t believe a woman can be an archaeologist, so they gave her the sack. Having slapped the leader of the society when he groped her breasts might have something to do with losing her job.
With bills to pay and a stomach to fill, she accepts a position as dealer in ancient artefacts. It’d be her dream job except that her new employer, Tyon Sancerre, has more secrets than an Egyptian tomb and is probably involved with the Whitechapel’s mob.
When he says he needs her to find his long-lost fellow crusader knights, she thinks he’s mad, a rich, handsome, but mad man.

Tyon claims to be a sin-eater, a human turned into an immortal to clean people’s souls from their sins. After he and the other sin-eaters—the knights of the White Blade—were cursed, they were separated and scattered around the world. Alone the sin-eaters don’t hold much power, and with their enemies—the sin-breathers—multiplying and causing wars and famine, the only way Tyon has to find his brothers is through a relic Hazel worked with at the museum.

It’s all poppycock, that’s what she says. But when sin-breathers attack them, a ghost appears to her, and she witnesses wounds healing themselves in a moment, she wonders if her beliefs need to be reconsidered.

And the worst thing? She’s falling in love with an immortal, cranky, too-many-centuries-year-old white knight.

Hazel works in the museum for the Royal Archaeological Society, determined to be different from her dad, who died a laughingstock. She believes in science, not magic. What she believes though, is about to be turned on its head.

This was a great story that captured and held my interest all the way through. Hazel’s reasons for the way she is are clearly explained, leaving you in no doubt about the way she acts. Tyon, on the other hand, is a bit of an enigma; his story only coming out in fits and starts. There is an attraction between them although they don’t act on it straight away. Aleximanus has his own story to tell, and it’s not one you think of to begin with. My heart broke just a little bit for him and I really can’t wait to read his story (I’m optimistic he will get one.)

This is a complex and intriguing story, delving into myths and legends you may not have heard of. The world-building is excellent, and the characters have a richness about them that immediately helps you to connect with them. This is the first book in the series so you are left with a slight cliffhanger regarding one of the characters, plus a HFN for our two main characters.

I honestly can’t wait to see where this story goes next! Absolutely recommended by me.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Barkerville Beginnings: British Columbia by A.M. Westerling

December 2, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Barkerville Beginnings (British Columbia) by A.M. Westerling
(Canadian Historical Brides Book 4)
Publisher: BWL Publishing Ltd.
Genre: Historical
Length: Full length (324 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Faced with financial ruin and the loss of her good name, Rose Chadwick decides to make a new start for herself and her young daughter Hannah in the rough and tumble gold rush town of Barkerville, British Columbia. However, making a new life is not so easy when it’s built on lies. And, long suppressed emotions within her are stirred when she meets a handsome young Englishman.

Viscount Harrison St. John knows he’s expected to marry well to bolster his family fortunes. Instead, he leaves England to pursue riches in the gold fields of a frontier town in the far off wilds of Canada. Soured on love because of a betrayal by his former fiancé, Harrison resists the attraction he has for Rose. Particularly considering she appears to be a happily married woman with a daughter of her own.

Will dark secrets from Rose’s past keep them apart? Or will they find love, happiness and a new life together in the bustling town of Barkerville?

I thought the synopsis sounded intriguing when it said a Viscount was going to pursue riches in the goldfields of Canada. I was curious what secrets Rose had in her past. I needed a book to read for my two hour flight and this one sounded like it would be a promising enjoyment. Barkerville Beginnings is book four in the Canadian Historical Brides series however it can be read as a stand alone.

I wasn’t disappointed at all as I read the developments between the hero, Harrison, and the heroine, Rose. Gosh golly, the hardships they went through was enough to stress me out. Yet, the ending was worth the torment. I’m just so thankful for our modern day conveniences in life. I think I would have died if I was Rose. It’s insane how she persevered through every challenge thrown at her. Then there was Harrison trying to figure out how to get rich panning for gold. He ran into one crisis after another.

The romance between Harrison and Rose was slow and sweet. There were so many elements working against them in the plot that I had to wonder if they’d ever reach their happily ever after ending.

The ending was bittersweet. In some ways I wanted the story to move along a littler faster and at the same time I was sad when it did finally end. Rose and Harrison more than deserved their happily ever after.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Wish Tree by Kyo Maclear

December 2, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Wish Tree by Kyo Maclear
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Holiday, Action/Adventure, Historical
Length: Short Story (40 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Charles wants to find a wish tree. His brother and sister don’t believe there is such a thing, but his trusty companion Boggan is ready to join Charles on a journey to find out. And along the way, they discover that wishes can come true in the most unexpected ways.

The poetic text and heartwarming illustrations evoke the true essence of the holiday season and will inspire wishers everywhere. This gem of a book deserves center stage year round.

There’s something about all winter holidays that sprinkles a little magic into the air.

Charles was such a kind boy. He wandered into the woods with his toboggan in order to find a wish tree. When none of the trees matched that description, he put his energy into doing nice things for the animals who lived in the forest instead. I thought it was wonderful to read about him spending his time helping others with no expectation of getting anything back in return. It really captured the meaning of the holiday season nicely.

I would have liked to see just a little more world building when it came to the wish tree and how Charles knew about it if everyone around him was convinced it didn’t exist. This is a very minor criticism of something I loved reading, but I did find it a little unusual for a kid his age to come up with such an idea without anyone mentioning how he’d heard of it or why he was convinced it really existed.

One of my favorite things about this book was that it never specified which holiday Charles was celebrating. There are any number of winter celebrations his family might have called their own. The specific festive occasion wasn’t important to the plot. What mattered was that the main character was having the time of his life and wanted to make sure he shared those happy feelings with everyone he met. Leaving things open like this was the perfect way to include every reader in his good will towards all living things.

Anyone who looks forward to this time of the year should give The Wish Tree a try.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Nilay’s Wish by Riya Aarini

November 29, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Nilay’s Wish by Riya Aarini
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Childrens, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Historical
Length: Short Story (104 pages)
Age Recommendation: 8+
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Eleven-year-old Nilay unexpectedly releases a novice genie named Jai on the beaches of Lake Ontario, Canada. Nilay makes his wish for the perfect red silk saree to present to his mom on her birthday; but as a newbie genie, Jai has his own spin on wish granting.

The new friends travel back in time to ancient India so that Jai may fulfill the boy’s wish in an authentic manner. Nilay and Jai experience countless adventures in India from 300 CE through 1565 CE as they follow the trail of India’s Saurashtrian silk weavers.

Lighthearted, comical and chock full of excitement and magic, Nilay’s Wish will grip the hearts and minds of young readers. The story is thoroughly entertaining, while giving children a glimpse into historic India, especially Indian silk weaving. A handful of incredible and engaging illustrations offer a peek into the life and times of ancient India.

Creating the perfect silk saree isn’t as easy as it may seem.

Nilay was such a cheerful and enthusiastic main character. He found the good in everything he experienced while he was on this adventure. That’s not always easy to do, especially for a kid who has just been thrown into a world that is so unlike modern Canada. I got a kick out of seeing his responses to situations that honestly would have made me a little nervous at times. His positive attitude was truly delightful.

One of the questions I had when I first started reading this book had to do with why Jai decided to show Nilay so many different parts of Indian history before fulfilling his wish. Going back in time made sense, but it seemed to me like it would have been simpler to pick one historical era to visit before giving Nilay what he wanted. The explanation for why this didn’t happen felt a little weak to me. As interesting as it was to see how the main character reacted to all of the places and people he saw, I would have preferred for those scenes to happen after the purpose for them was explained better.

There was a lot of adventure packed into this tale. I enjoyed seeing how the characters reacted to all of the things that happened to them. They were surprised by so many twists and turns on their journey. Some of their experiences were funny while others were a little hair-raising at times. All of them were worth reading about, however.

I’d recommend Nilay’s Wish to readers who enjoy history, adventures, or, better yet, both!

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

The Writ of Years by Brit Mandelo

November 28, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Writ of Years by Brit Mandelo
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal, Historical
Length: Short Story (18 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Few things can be as terrible as to get your heart’s desire.

Can every curse be broken?

Cursed objects aren’t something that I see very often in modern science fiction tales, so I was incredibly curious to see how this concept would be used by the author. The narrator was just about the last person on Earth who should have found this item. They had issues with self control for reasons that are better discovered by each new reader for themselves. The combination of a protagonist who was terribly impulsive and a rare object that really didn’t want to be touched only made this plot device even better.

The ending left something to be desired. There was so much foreshadowing in the beginning and middle that I was surprised by how many loose strings were left by the time the final sentence had been written. I definitely saw glimpses of what the protagonist’s fate would be, but it sure would have been nice to have a clearer understanding of how it actually played out in the end.

This story steadily dripped more and more information about the protagonist and the cursed item they discovered. I enjoyed the fact that I knew virtually nothing about either of them in the beginning but gradually put together their backgrounds as the plot progressed while still leaving plenty of room for the imagination to fill in the gaps. It only made the later scenes even more deliciously scary than they would have otherwise been.

If you’ve ever done something and then immediately regretted it, The Writ of Years might be right up your alley.

Filed Under: Horror, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

A Heart Enslaved by A. M. Westerling

November 27, 2019 By Leave a Comment


A Heart Enslaved by A. M. Westerling
Publisher: Books We Love Publishing
Genre: Historical
Length: Full length (343 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Banished from his homeland for a crime he didn’t commit, Thorvald Stronghawk knows selling the Frisian beauty he’s captured will bring him the blood money needed to regain his good name. When the man who accused Thorvald of the crime is the one buying Gisela, Thorvald must decide what he wants more: To recover his reputation among his fellow countrymen, or tame the woman who has vowed to hate him forever for destroying her home and family.

Gisela of Falkenstead realizes the handsome, self assured Viking views her as nothing more than chattel to be bought and sold rather than a woman with a life and mind of her own. Although her head tells her to escape the man she thinks is nothing more than a savage murderer, her heart has other ideas.

Will Gisela find a way to flee? Or will she find love and happiness in Thorvald’s arms?

A Heart Enslaved was a well written story. During a two hour plane ride, the plot kept me turning the pages, completely absorbed in what was going on. There were some suspenseful moments threaded throughout even though the synopsis practically gives away a chunk of the plot, but if you think it sounds appealing then it’s a safe decision to read this book.

Thorvald Stronghawk is the hero and while I enjoy a strong, handsome, duty bound individual who also possesses a heart, I couldn’t get completely past what he did to the heroine’s family. I guess it’s my own personal hang up because I can’t accept the Viking traditions as written. I discovered I prefer a more civilized hero versus Thorvald’s neanderthal ways; thankfully Thorvald isn’t completely like a typical Viking man. The hero was lucky because, Gisela, the heroine, was able to forgive him for “destroying her home and family.” Trust me, that sentence isn’t a spoiler since it is stated in the synopsis.

Their relationship worked because even Gisela struggled with overcoming the tragedy and injustice that was inflicted upon her. She did point out that it wasn’t specifically at Thorvald’s hand, but it was at his direct order. Even at the time of the order, Thorvald expressed regret. In fact, the hero didn’t even want to be a viking but he had no other choice since he himself was “banished from his homeland for a crime he didn’t commit” and was trying to earn “blood money to regain his good name”. I understand the whys behind the plot conflict but I found it sad and it tugged at my heart. Fortunately, together the hero and heroine were well balanced and good for each other and that made A Heart Enslaved a pleasurable read.

Before I read this novel I didn’t have any previous knowledge of the ways of Vikings, but after reading about all the stuff the hero and heroine had to suffer through back then, I can safely say that I am not a fan of the Viking lifestyle.

As for their relationship being spicy, there was only one scene that qualifies for that heat level. I would have preferred a little more romance between the couple, but given the circumstances, it made sense that it took them both a long time to acknowledge their feelings for each other. This book is more on the sensual side rather than spicy.

Overall, I’d recommend this book because Heart Enslaved was a really good read. I was intrigued with finding out if Gisela would “find love and happiness in Thorvald’s arms” and I wasn’t disappointed. This story is entertaining, but I bet it will be especially good for fans who love those old-time Viking heroes.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,
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