Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #592: The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the Publisher:

In a desperate gamble to save her throne, a young monarch arranges a secret marriage, conceals it in the shadows of an enchanted forest, and unknowingly alters the fate of her world—in this dazzling novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale.

Anne of Brittany was a child when France invaded and drove her royal father to his death. Now she is a young woman, sovereign duchess of an occupied realm, and France means to crown their conquest by marrying her to their king. Such an alliance would put her title, her lands, and her body forever in the hands of her enemies.

But Anne refuses to be the last duchess of Brittany.

Her only hope of resisting conquest is another alliance sealed with marriage, so Anne arranges a daring last gambit: a secret betrothal to Charles of France’s greatest rival. But secrets are hard to keep in a world where rival courts spy on each other with diviners.

The forest of Brocéliande was once the haunt of Merlin the Enchanter and the long-lost faerie queen. But magic is long gone from Broceliande, except for the occasional sight of a unicorn and one critical quirk: This ancient forest is completely inimical to divination.

While pretending compliance with France, Anne plans a unicorn hunt in Brocéliande. A bit of pointless pageantry. A diversion so she can wed in secret.

Or so she thinks.

In this rich and epic novel, the author of the acclaimed Winternight trilogy turns the real history of a remarkable woman into an unforgettable tale of mystery, enchantment, and the price of power.

The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden is expected to be out June 2, 2026 from Del Rey.

Why am I waiting on this book? I loved Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy. This story sounds interesting. The inclusion of magic makes it even more attractive. I want to know what happens in Brocéliande and what happens with the unicorn.

What book are you waiting on? Leave a note in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever growing TBR lists. Thanks for stopping by! Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

 

This is the story of Laura and Freddie Iven, sister and brother. Set during WWI, both Ivens serve in the Canadian army. Laura serves as a nurse, Freddie as a soldier. Both have different, but horrifying, experiences of the war. Laura was wounded and sent home unbeknownst to Freddie. While home recovering, she receives a package indicating that he is dead. But, it's light on the details. And no matter who she talks to, she can't find out where or how he died. When the opportunity arises, Laura seizes it to go back to the war zone and search out information herself.

Freddie had been trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded German soldier named Winter. They make a truce and against odds, dig their way out. They then need to cross the hellscape of war to get to safety. By that time, the tentative bond they forged in the pillbox has gotten much stronger. Neither is willing to give the other up as prisoner nor participate in futher killing.

Both Laura and Freddie have heard rumors amidst the war of a fiddler or hotelier who can give you ease. Those who claim to have seen him have often gone mad - some for the peace he provided. But every peace has its price. Are they willing to pay it?

This book is very well written. The prose is nice, the research impeccable. The descriptions conjure pictures of slices of the war. Their stories are told in alternating viewpoints between Laura and Freddie.

I loved the characters, especially Laura. I felt she had the strongest characterization in the book. Freddie would be second. Laura has as a companion a well off woman who lost her son in the war. The woman goes by the nickname Pim. Freddie has Winter as a companion for much of the novel, but significantly not for some parts. Laura is strong when Pim seems weak. And Winter is strong when Freddie seems weak. 

Pace and plotwise, basically it hits the ground running and doesn't let up much. There's both war action and hospital action with a smattering of other. All of it advances the plot.

I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. Overall, it's well written. Prose flows nicely. Action moves the plot forward at a good pace. Characterization is good, especially Laura. I would recommend this book to people who like a vivid, yet creepy, sort of war story. There are ghosts and hints at other.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden was published February 13th, 2024 by Del Rey.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion.

Happy Book Birthday to Two Much Anticipated Titles

 

Two titles that I have been excited about are making their debut today.

First up is Boy of Chaotic Making by Charlie N. Holmberg.

From the publisher:

A boy like no other embarks on a transformative journey of magic and self-discovery in the next enchanting Whimbrel House novel by Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.

Merritt Fernsby’s life has changed considerably since he inherited Whimbrel House. He’s engaged to Hulda Larkin, who opened his eyes to the uncanny. And he’s grown quite protective of his uncle Owein—several generations, and iterations, removed. Owein is presently inhabiting the body of a mixed-breed terrier when Merritt receives a missive from none other than Alexandrina Victoria, the Queen of England: I am interested in your dog.

It’s the queen’s duty to the peerage to keep British wizardry empowered. Her offer: England will find a human vessel for Owein, marry him into the royal family, and add this remarkable soul-shifter to its lineage. For Owein, a boy trapped in the body of a pup, it’s a dream come true. How can Merritt refuse? However, once they are in London and in consortium with a necromancer, the situation doesn’t feel right, both with their hosts and the house they inhabit. Owein is having nightmares. And Hulda’s premonitions warn of danger in Merritt’s future. Clearly, someone doesn’t want them in town.

But after two hundred years of being cursed to drift, Owein is determined to chart his own destiny. He’s ready to defy whatever chaos is coming. After all, Owein is the master of chaos, and with Merritt and Hulda’s love and magical support, he can overcome anything.

Boy of Chaotic Making by Charlie N. Holmberg is the third book in the Whimbrel House series. It's being released today by 47North. I've read the first two books and loved them. I expect this one to be really good as well.

The second book coming out today that is on my To Be Read list is The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden.

From the publisher:

January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, Laura receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital, where she soon hears whispers about haunted trenches and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something—or someone—else?

November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds, the two form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.

As shells rain down on Flanders and ghosts move among those yet living, Laura’s and Freddie’s deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging—or better left behind entirely.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden is coming out today from Del Rey. It looks like it's a standalone. I've read other books by the author and enjoyed them. I expect to like this one as well.

What books that are on your TBR list are coming out today or this month? Have you been waiting for these two titles as well?

Review: The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

The Winter of the Witch is the third book in the Winternight Trilogy by  Katherine Arden. It picks up where book two left off. Things are chaotic in Moscow and people are looking for someone to blame for all that has befallen them. The people focus on Vasya and blame her for their ills. She finds herself fighting for her life.

Vasya journeys on the Midnight Road where it is always midnight and it is more than a time, it is a destination. The chyerti, the Russian folkloric spirits, are drawn to her. Some want to help, some are less beneficial or downright dangerous. She crosses paths with Baba Yaga and learns something important about herself in the process. As the book goes on, the spirits both large (think Morozko) and smaller (ex. Ded Grib) become more and more important.

Dmitrii tries to send tribute to the Tatars. But it fails and the Tatars will march toward Moscow. Dmitrii finds himself in the position that he must raise an army to meet them. Vasya will play a key part here as well.

The best way to read this book is as a follow up to the first two. This is not a standalone. You would definitely lose something if you tried to read it by itself.

I enjoyed seeing Vasya continue to evolve as a character. Even Morozko doesn't remain the same as he was in the first book.

The book is excellently written. I liked the first book a lot. The second one I didn't enjoy quite as much, but still it was good. The third book? Excellent! It draws it all together and sews up the plot points in a satisfactory way. The afterword tells which points are actually historical and which are more fantasy.

Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It's well written. It ties things together and the characters grow and change. I continue to enjoy the way the old religion honoring the chyerti is paralleled to the new religion as it was historically. If you've read the first two books in this trilogy, you must read this one as well. If you haven't read any of them yet but are a fan of fantasy with a base in both history and folklore, then do read this trilogy. I look forward to seeing what else Katherine Arden has in store.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #245: The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

One girl can make a difference...

Moscow has burned nearly to the ground, leaving its people searching for answers - and someone to hold accountable. Vasya finds herself on her own, amid a rabid mob that calls for her death, blaming her witchery for their misfortune.

Then a vengeful demon returns, renewed and stronger than ever, determined to spread chaos in his wake and never be chained again. Enlisting the hateful priest Konstantin as his servant, turmoil plagues the Muscovites and the magical creatures alike, and all find their fates resting on the shoulders of Vasya.

With an uncertain destiny ahead of her, Vasya learns surprising truths of her past as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all...

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden is expected to be published January 8th, 2019 from Del Rey.

Why am I waiting on this one? I enjoyed the other 2 books in the trilogy. I like the setting - a blend of historical and fantasy Russia. And I like the way Katherine Arden blends the world of the old tales and her new ones. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Review: The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

Vasya is back in this follow up to The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. The Girl in the Tower is the second book in the Winternight trilogy.

The first part of the book is mostly about Sasha and Olga. They are Vasya’s siblings. At the close of part one, Sasha and Vasya have just met up for the first time in years.

The second part of the book is told mostly about Vasya and what is happening in her life after the close of The Bear and the Nightingale. Vasya feels that her life is in danger if she stayed in the small village she was raised in. She goes to Morozko, the frost demon, and asks for help. She wants some of the dowry he promised to her so that she can go out and find her place in the world. Adventures ensue.

The third part of the book is mostly about Vasya and Sasha and their cousin Dimitri. There is also a little about Olga. Vasya must keep up the charade that she is a boy. Not only does her life depend on it, but her sister’s and brother’s lives are deeply affected by this as well. There are more adventures and conflict. I don’t want to give away spoilers.

Vasya continues to have her bond to the supernatural throughout the book. She can see the spirits of the bathhouse and the hearth as well as others. This puts her at both an advantage and disadvantage. They can be helpful at times, but she can’t tell anyone that they are there or else she will be marked as crazy and perhaps a witch as well. Only her young niece can also see them and has been warned by her mother, Olga, not to mention this to other people.

The story is well written. This is a crucial time period for the spirits as many of them are disappearing or losing power as the Christian God gains followers. Medieval Russia is an interesting backdrop for the story. The pace of the story is good as well. There are ups and downs throughout, but by about 50% on my Kindle, the story is becoming very dangerous for Vasya and her siblings. The tension continues to mount for the rest of the book until the ending.

My favorite characters in the book are Vasya, her horse Solovey, and Morozko, the frost demon. It was hard sometimes watching Vasya’s missteps. But they were necessary for character building and plot advancement.

Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. It’s well written. The character of Vasya grows and develops as the book progresses. The adventures are interesting. And the book is well-paced. I can’t recommend this series enough. And, I can’t wait for the third book in the trilogy. The Girl in the Tower was published December 5, 2017 by Del Rey.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Teaser Tuesday: Second Teaser from Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

"Things are or they are not, Vasya," he interrupted. "If you want something, it means you do not have it, it means that you do not believe it is there, which means it will never be there. The fire is or it is not. That which you call magic is simply not allowing the world to be other than as you will it." (25% through on my Kindle)

It is such a good book I am actually taking the luxury of reading it a second time, thus, the second teaser. I haven't written my review yet, but I did give it a 5-star rating. It is a good follow up to The Bear and the Nightingale.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

Dmitri returned coldly, "Are you afraid Kasyan Lutovich?"

Another man would have bristled; Kasyan looked thoughtful. By then the men were all pallid with cold, with swipes of color across nose and cheeks. The distinction between lord and monk and guardsmen had quite vanished. They all resembled irascible bears, huddled as they were in layers of felt and fur. Kasyan was the exception: composed and pale as he had been in the start, his eyes still quick and bright. (10% through on my Kindle)

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #201/Can't Wait Wednesday: The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

This week I am waiting on The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden. It's the sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale. 

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Orphaned and cast out as a witch by her village, Vasya’s options are few: resign herself to life in a convent, or allow her older sister to make her a match with a Muscovite prince. Both doom her to life in a tower, cut off from the vast world she longs to explore. So instead she chooses adventure, disguising herself as a boy and riding her horse into the woods. When a battle with some bandits who have been terrorizing the countryside earns her the admiration of the Grand Prince of Moscow, she must carefully guard the secret of her gender to remain in his good graces—even as she realizes his kingdom is under threat from mysterious forces only she will be able to stop.

The Girl in the Tower is due out December 5, 2017 from Del Rey.

Why am I waiting on this one? I really enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale. You can read my 5 star review of it here. I am looking forward to reading more about Vasya and her adventures as she seeks freedom from the confines of a woman's expected roles, and as she experiences the little magics in this version of Russia.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Review: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden is an enchanting book with its roots in Russian folklore and fairy tales.

Vasilisa Petrovna, with the nickname Vasya, is our heroine. The tale starts out while she is very young and listening to tales at the hearth from her nurse. One of her favorites to hear stories about is Morozko, the Frost.

After a time, as she grows, someone convinces her father it would be a good thing if she had a mother figure in the home other than her nurse. Her father marries a woman from Moscovy who frankly would rather have been a nun.

Her stepmother is adamant that the old guardians of the hearth and other house spirits should no longer be honored and all faith given to the Christian God. Her father, Pyotr, goes along with the stepmother. Vasya feels that this is wrong and that there will be far reaching consequences for their denial. Secretly she continues to honor the house spirits and asks for their protection for the people. As the story progresses, Vasya's stepmother decides that Vasya must either be married off or sent to a convent.

As the winter worsens, Vasya finds herself in a place where she will have to make a choice. She will have to defy the people she loves if she is to save them from something out of one of her nurse's most frightening tales.

The Bear and the Nightingale is well written. If you love fairy tales and folktales, you will love this book. It captures the early days of Christianity in Russia where the people continued to honor the house spirits side by side with the new God, giving each his due. An interview with the author on Unbound Worlds indicates that she drew on both the history and the folklore of old Russia in her writing.

I loved the way I felt pulled into the setting and among the characters. I especially became fond of Vasilisa and her family. The stepmother, not so much, although I did feel kind of sorry for her. Morozko is an interesting character and, according to Katherine Arden, will appear in future books in what is planned to be a trilogy at the moment.

The Bear and the Nightingale was released January 10, 2017 from Del Rey. I gave it 5 stars. It's a great debut by the author. It reads like a fairy tale or folktale. And it's quite entertaining. I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to read the next book.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Waiting on Wednesday #146: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

Synopsis from publisher: 

A magical debut novel for readers of Naomi Novik’s Uprooted, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, and Neil Gaiman’s myth-rich fantasies, The Bear and the Nightingale spins an irresistible spell as it announces the arrival of a singular talent with a gorgeous voice.
 
At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn’t mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.
 
After Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa’s new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.
 
And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa’s stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or confinement in a convent.
 
As danger circles nearer, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse’s most frightening tales.

Why am I waiting on this book? I love retellings of fairy tales. This seems like an interesting one. I like that it refers to Neil Gaiman's books in the praise as well as Uprooted and The Night Circus. It sounds promising as a quality fantasy tale. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever-growing TBR lists. Thanks for coming by!