#bookreview ~ The King's Daughter #historicalfantasy @WriterChurchill

The King’s Daughter

By

Stephanie Churchill

 

In this gripping sequel to The Scribe's Daughter, a young woman finds herself unwittingly caught up in a maelstrom of power, intrigue, and shifting perceptions, where the line between ally and enemy is subtle, and the fragile facade of reality is easily broken.

Irisa's parents are dead and her younger sister Kassia is away on a journey when the sisters’ mysterious customer returns, urging Irisa to leave with him before disaster strikes. Can she trust him to keep her safe? How much does he know about the fate of her father? Only a voyage across the Eastmor Ocean to the land of her ancestors will reveal the truth about her family’s disturbing past. Once there, Irisa steps into a future she has unknowingly been prepared for since childhood, but what she discovers is far more sinister than she could have ever imagined. Will she have the courage to claim her inheritance for her own?

What did I think of the book?

What if everything you thought you knew was a lie…

Irisa is a nobody. She is a poverty stricken young woman like the rest of the people in her neighbourhood. Irisa and her sister are only one breath away from being evicted, but thankfully Kassia has been hired for a job, so perhaps this month they will be able to make the rent.

But the life the sisters have known is about to come to a sudden and abrupt end.

Unbeknown to Irisa, her deceased parents have a past — a past that could cost the lives of both Irisa and her sister. Irisa has many questions, but the cost of discovering who they really are will come at a terrible price.

I was so looking forward to reading the sequel to The Scribe's Daughter, and I am pleased to say Stephanie Churchill did not disappoint.

The King's Daughter is a heartbreakingly emotional journey of discovery. In The Scribes Daughter, Irisa was portrayed as the delicate sister, the one that needed looking after by her sister, but Irisa has an inner strength and a quick wit. She is as much a survivor as Kassia is.

The story itself was incredibly fast-paced with many unexpected twist and turns that kept me turning those pages with anticipation.  The world Ms Churchill has created is so vivid in the telling that it is very easy to visualise, and her characterisation of both the protagonists and the antagonists were so well drawn that they practically breathed life.

The King's Daughter captivated me from beginning to end, and it is a story that I am sure I will come back to again. If ever there was a sit-down-and-finish book, then this is it. Kudos Ms Churchill. But don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself.

I Highly Recommend.

*I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from the author for review consideration.*

Available for pre-order

Release 1^st September 2017 

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the author

I used to live my life as an unsuspecting part of the reading public. Spending my days in a Georgetown law firm just outside downtown Washington, D.C., by all outward appearances I was a paralegal working in international trade and then antitrust law. I liked books, and I read them often, but that's all I was: a reader of books.

When my husband and I got married, I moved to the Minneapolis metro area and found work as a corporate paralegal, specializing in corporate formation, mergers & acquisitions, and corporate finance. Again, by all outward appearances, I was a paralegal and a reader of books.

And then one day, while on my lunch break, I visited the neighboring Barnes & Noble and happened upon a book by author Sharon Kay Penman, and while I'd never heard of her before, I took a chance and bought the book. That day I became a reader of historical fiction.

Fast forward a dozen years or so, and I had become a rabid fan of Sharon Kay Penman's books as well as historical fiction in general. Because of a casual comment she'd made on social media, I wrote Ms. Penman a ridiculously long review of her latest book, Lionheart. As a result of that review, she asked me what would become the most life-changing question: "Have you ever thought about writing?" And The Scribe's Daughter was born.

When I'm not writing or taxiing my two children to school or other activities, I'm likely walking Cozmo, our dog or reading another book to review.

#bookreview ~ Child of the Kindred: The Rienfield Chronicles: Book 2 @Mtmagee1013M #fantasy

Child of the Kindred

(The Rienfield Chronicles: Book 2)

By

M.T. Magee

 

Enter the realm of Rinefield, where love, danger, adventure and romance awaits you. Their world is changing and a new era has begun. Princess Laurel finds her kingdom of Gwenlais, torn and shattered from a bloody siege. Her people now looking to her, to help them rise above the ruin and misery inflicted upon their once peaceful and sheltered realm. Laurel and her beloved Prince Caleb, must find a way to unite their kingdoms, as never before. The enemy from a distant land makes a bold and savage attempt, to thwart the unity of the two kingdoms of Gwenlais and Heathwin. The odds have never been greater against the realms or the two lovers that hold the kingdoms together. Will their people and their love survive all they have lost? Will new life rise from above the ruins?

What did I think of the Book?

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and sometimes war is inevitable...

Princess Laurel is being held captive by the cruel and wicked, Warrick. Her beloved kingdom, Gwenlais, has been overcome with Warrick's men. There is blood on the street as Warrick's army plunders the kingdom. Laurel's only hope is that her husband, Prince Caleb, will bring the army of Heathwin to liberate Gwenlais. But time is running out for Laurel. Her life is in Warrick's hands, and Warrick is not in a merciful mood.

Well, M.T. Magee certainly kept us waiting for the second part of The Reinfield Chronicles, but boy, was it worth the wait!!

Filled with drama, war, love and hate, Child Of The Kindred did not disappoint. With elegant prose and characters that jumped off the page, this is a world that is very easy to get lost in.

Although both Gwenlais and Heathwin are fantasy kingdoms, it doesn't feel that foreign. I could envisage the grandeur of the Highlands of Scotland and the beauty of Ireland as I read. It is certainly a magnificent backdrop for a compelling read.

The characters are fresh and very real in the telling. Like before, with book 1, I loved the characterisation of Aiden, who despite being a secondary character is so much fun to read about. He is definitely my favourite character in this series thus far. I also adored Queen Alana. She is beautifully portrayed.  Queen Alana is a very loving, but strong woman. I liked her.

What I really liked about Child Of The Kindred is the realism, despite it being a fantasy world. When something bad happens to one of the characters they don't just brush themselves off and act like it never happened, they suffer, and sometimes it takes a long time to get over the event. I thought this especially applied to Laurel, Marina and the children. But despite the suffering their is also much humour in this book. I found myself crying and laughing almost at the same time! Not many books can pull that off! Well done, Ms. Magee.

If you are looking for escapism with a heavy dose of romance, then this is the series for you. Although on the blurb the author states this isn't a standalone, I think it wouldn't take a reader much to catch up with the story. But saying that, I do recommend starting with book one because it would be a shame to miss out on such truly unforgettable characters.

I Highly Recommend.

Links for Purchase

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the author

My name is M.T.Magee I write bestselling YA Historical Medieval Fantasy that is beautifully romantic with whispers of Gaelic legend. On Mar. 31st The Treasure of Gwenlais received the 2015 Silver Medal Winner of Ireland's Drunken Druid Award Finalist for IAN Book of the Year Award 2016 for First Novel on Aug. 31st. On Sept.1st 2016 I received the Finalist Award for Readers' Favorite Book Awards Voted #1 On Listopia's Best Fantasy Romance (not urban).

I live in New England on our small farm with my husband and son. We raise an assortment of silly goats, quiet rabbits, far too many ducks and chickens, and a high strung Border Collie cross named Gronk.