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Book Review: The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley & Giveaway (US/Canada)

October 17, 2012 by Darlene

The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley is the first of her books that I’ve read but it certainly will not be the last.  This book was fantastic and had me hooked from the very beginning.  I alternated reading and listening to this one and I think that made it all the better because the narrator Sally Armstrong was really awesome.  The Shadowy Horses is an atmospheric novel of ghostly happenings, history, mystery, romance, and visions of Scotland; all in one beautifully told tale.  I loved it!

Verity Grey(I love her name!)  is an archeologist and a very independent and opinionated young woman.  She’s been offered the opportunity via an old boyfriend to work at an ancient archeological site in Scotland.  She’s really not quite certain what’s going on once she arrives and she’s not even sure she’s going to stay until she meets the elderly and eccentric gentleman who is financing the dig, Peter Quinnell, and takes an instant liking to him.  He tells her that he thinks he has found the lost Ninth Legion of Rome and even more interesting he’s found it through a young boy who seems to be able to communicate with ghosts, who in this case is The Sentinel.

Soon enough Verity is embroiled in the lives of everyone and especially the little boy Robbie.  At first she doesn’t believe in anything as crazy as this little boy being able to talk to ghosts or the fact that he seems to be able to tell her what her own thoughts are but soon enough she knows he’s the real thing and she even begins to believe that there is indeed a ghost lurking about.  Then of course there is David who she meets there as well and even though the last thing she needs is a romance she can’t help but be attracted to him and it seems as though the feeling may be mutual.  As the story progresses there are twists and turns and an escalating element of suspense that kept my attention completely.

This story is so well told and the author is able, with her vivid descriptions of the village of Eyemouth in Scotland, to make you feel as though you are right there and I loved that.  I enjoyed learning a bit about the customs and ways of the Scottish as well as a bit on archeology as well.  All of the characters are well developed and interesting with Verity being my favorite.   Like I said before she’s independent with a good career, she’s spunky, and she has a good head on her shoulders.  I also learned that Susanna Kearsley is a fellow Canadian which puts her even higher on my list of books I need to read.  The Shadowy Horses is a great novel and one that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to my friends!  I can’t wait to read more from Susanna Kearsley!

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS (US/Canada)

I have one copy of The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley to share with my readers.  To enter…

  • For 1 entry leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
  • For 2 entries, follow my blog.  If you already do let me know so I can pass that extra entry on to you as well.
  • For 3 entries, blog or tweet this review & giveaway!

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, November 3/12.  Good luck!

Source: Review copy provided by Sourcebooks via NetGalley as well as audiobook from personal library. No compensation was received for this review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Filed Under: 2012 - 100+ Books, 2012 ARC's, 2012 Book Reviews, 2012 eBooks, Audiobooks, NetGalley, Sourcebooks Blog Tours

Book Review: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (Audiobook)

September 27, 2012 by Darlene

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness will most definitely be a favorite of mine this year. I loved it! I listened to it on audio and it is very well done by the narrator Jennifer Ikeda – she is a fantastic and makes listening to this book extremely enjoyable! This audio was 23 hours or so and it held me spellbound (no pun intended) the whole time. I was so engrossed in it most of the time that I barely noticed anything going on around me. Now I do have to say that I already love books having to do with witches and vampires and all that good stuff so it’s really no surprise I enjoyed this one so much.

Diana Bishop is a descendant of powerful witches of which she would much rather not be a part of. You see Diana is a direct descendant of the first woman to be executed in the Salem Witch Trials. Because of this and her parents dying apparently because they were too powerful she made the commitment to live as a human, not a witch. So it’s a bit of a surprise when she finds that she has managed to unlock a manuscript that she had requested, Ashmole 782, that has been lost for more years than anyone can count. Another problem, this manuscript is being searched for by almost every creature possible and now their attention is turned on Diana.

Now, not all the creatures are bad. There is the very handsome and sexy Matthew Clairmont who is a very old vampire and he has also shown an interest in Ashmole 782 as he’s doing his own research. At first Diana is very wary of him. Vampires certainly have never been trusted by witches before but this vampire actually seems to be trying to protect her. As she begins to trust him more and more, they begin to work together to try and get a hold of the manuscript again. However danger lurks all around Diana and they have to bring together both of their powers to keep her safe.

There are so many aspects to this novel; much more than can be covered in a simple review. For me, it has everything I like in a story like this: witches, vampires, demons, spells, lots of adventure and even a bit of romance. The only thing that may irk some readers or listeners is that when you come to the end, you will look up and say – noooooo – it can’t end this way! Well it can and does but that’s because there is a second book out in the trilogy and lucky for me and the rest of us, Shadow of Night is already out. I have already started Shadow of Night and I’m just as hooked with the second book as the first!  A Discovery of Witches is a fantastic novel and one that comes highly recommended by me if this kind of genre is your thing!

Source:  Audiobook copy personally purchased.

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Filed Under: 2012 - 100+ Books, 2012 Book Reviews, Audiobooks

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