The Cornish Princess (The Goldenchild Prophecy, #1) by Tanya Anne Crosby

Tags

5 stars, Book Review, British Isles, Cornwall, fae, fantasy, historical, magic, romance, series, Tanya Anne Crosby

About The Cornish Princess by Tanya Anne Crosby

Said to be a changeling child left to the King and Queen of Cornwall, Gwendolyn is “blessed” at her cradle by three Fae gifts: a prophecy for her future, a gift of “Reflection,” and a golden mane—quite literally, every lock of her hair will turn to gold, only provided it is cut by her one true love.

Yet no one understands more than Gwendolyn that her blessings are actually curses. Any man who gazes upon her will see his own heart reflected in her countenance, and depending upon his virtue, she is the loveliest woman in all the land… or the most hideous. It’s a cruel jest of the capricious Fae, for unless a man’s heart be true, Gwendolyn is destined to be coveted for her crown, but despised for her face.

To make matters worse, Gwendolyn’s ailing father is desperate for an alliance with King Brutus of Loegria. “The Romans are coming!” and according to the Goldenchild Prophecy, only by uniting their dragon banners can they stem the Red Tide. Offered to Brutus’s ambitious son, Prince Locrinus, Gwendolyn’s heart is tempted by a mysterious, maddening half-blood Fae who she can never wed if she is to fulfill her crib side prophecy.

**********************

Review of The Cornish Princess

The Cornish Princess starts with the story of Gwendolyn’s birth and her fae ‘gifts’.  The gifts foretell the girl’s challenging future.  But isn’t that why we are reading this book?

Move forward in time to age seventeen and the story illustrates just how very young heroine the heroine is.  Young, immature, even foolish.  So, with hints of a YA novel.  This includes her treatment Malik, the Sidhe who is put in charge of her safety.  He does his job, but Gwendolyn makes it very difficult. 

However, Gwendolyn is quickly thrust into a very mature situation along with Malik.  While some of her reactions still reflect her age, she learns quickly that she is no longer a child.  This takes the YA edge away and allows adults to enjoy the story.

The fae gifts are fascinating.  Especially the one where Gwendolyn’s appearance reflects the viewers true nature.  Since the story is from Gwendolyn’s view, you never really know what those who look at her think, but you can guess based on their actions.

The adventures are harrowing and heartbreaking.  Considering Gwendolyn’s upbringing and training to become a leader, this might have been expected.  She will have to use all of the skills she has learned over the years.  In addition to the overall arc that is not completed in this book, Gwendolyn will solve a mystery. 

The Cornish Princess is part of a bigger story.  Do not expect a grand finale or a happy ending.  Do expect the author’s exquisite attention to details that bring that little known era of history alive.  Expect the author’s storytelling to feel as magical as the fae in the story.  And plan to look forward to the next book in The Goldenchild Prophecy – even if it is months and months away.

Thanks to the author who provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

**********************

Links

Add The Cornish Princess to your Goodreads shelf:

Purchase The Cornish Princess:

**********************

Truth of the Divine (Noumena, #2) by Lindsay Ellis – Review

Tags

4 stars, aliens, Book Review, conspiracy, first contact, humanity, Lindsay Ellis, scifi

About Truth of the Divine by Lindsay Ellis

The human race is at a crossroads; we know that we are not alone, but details about the alien presence on Earth are still being withheld from the public. As the political climate grows more unstable, the world is forced to consider the ramifications of granting human rights to nonhuman persons. How do you define “person” in the first place?

Cora Sabino not only serves as the full-time communication intermediary between the alien entity Ampersand and his government chaperones but also shares a mysterious bond with him that is both painful and intimate in ways neither of them could have anticipated. Despite this, Ampersand is still keen on keeping secrets, even from Cora, which backfires on them both when investigative journalist Kaveh Mazandarani, a close colleague of Cora’s unscrupulous estranged father, witnesses far more of Ampersand’s machinations than anyone was meant to see.

Since Cora has no choice but to trust Kaveh, the two must work together to prove to a fearful world that intelligent, conscious beings should be considered persons, no matter how horrifying, powerful, or malicious they may seem. Making this case is hard enough when the public doesn’t know what it’s dealing with―and it will only become harder when a mysterious flash illuminates the sky, marking the arrival of an agent of chaos that will light an already-unstable world on fire.

With a voice completely her own and more than a million YouTube subscribers, Lindsay Ellis deepens her realistic exploration of the reality of a planet faced with the presence of extraterrestrial intelligence, probing the essential questions of humanity and decency, and the boundaries of the human mind.

While asking the question of what constitutes a “person,” Ellis also examines what makes a monster.

**********************

Review of Truth of the Divine

I read this book because I liked the first one, Axiom’s End.  It had lots of heart and even ended hopefully.  Truth of the Divine starts with a trigger warning about suicide.  Which was not at all what I was expecting.  For anyone that might want to know, discussion of suicide is in the book but it is not the biggest part of the story.

Truth of the Divine continues the story of first contact with a species that is technologically advanced and also very different from humans.  Physically, emotionally and philosophically different.   First contact issues common in fiction and movies are present in this book. Many fear the aliens.  The military want to control/study them.  Many view the aliens as possible allies.  But there is an overall sense of wariness. 

The biggest question is about how the aliens can fit into human society.  The book takes a deep dive into social politics and never comes up for air.  Equating biases against the aliens to biases against humans that are different from those in power is a common theme.  And a relevant one.

Kaveh is a new character in this book.  He is a Pulitzer prize winning writer who’s Persian family is now firmly ensconced in American society – economically if not socially.  He brings his own experience to the alien question.

Cora, the main human character from Axiom’s End, becomes a stronger character in this book, while having her weaknesses.  Her relationship with the aliens makes her a key person in the political debate. 

The alien characters were not well developed except in their role in upsetting the status quo of the United States and the world.  And I’m not sure we needed to know more about them.  After all, Truth of the Divine is ultimately about the human response to the aliens.

I felt like the entire story was all a setup for Kaveh’s essay that is presented at the end of the book.  The essay, which seems to be a platform for the writer’s views, reiterates the socio-political themes throughout the book.  The essay is a bit much after reading the whole book. 

Set in the context of first alien contact, Truth of the Divine as well as its predecessor, Axiom’s End, gives the reader a fascinating, if sometimes less than flattering, look at humanity.

Thanks to the publisher who provided a copy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

**********************

Links

Add Truth of the Divine to your Goodreads shelf:

Purchase Truth of the Divine:

**********************

The Warrior Poet (The Faery Rehistory, #3) by Sharon Lynn Fisher – Review

Tags

5 stars, elves, fae, fairy, fantasy, historical, Ireland, magic, Morrigan, myth, Portland, romance, series, Sharon Lynn Fisher

About The Warrior Poet by Sharon Lynn Fisher

They searched for each other in dreams. Then they traveled through time to save Ireland.

Portland book artist Neve Kelly is having weird visions—vivid daydreams of lovers on a battlefield that yank her out of reality. A couple weeks before Halloween, a confused, strangely dressed man appears in her living room. He drops a slip of paper that describes a dream much like her own before disappearing without a trace.

Will Yeats has had enough of heroics. With the peace between Ireland and its enemies restored, he plans to spend the next decade quietly writing his Irish fairy history. But suddenly he’s time traveling again. He briefly visits the home of an intriguing stranger, who appears to be American. The next time he’s drawn there, he finds her being sucked through a ghastly hole in her ceiling.

Will saves Neve by carrying her back to 1888 Ireland, where he learns that not only is she from more than a century in the future but from a parallel world where fairies and Tuatha De Danaan heroes are no more than myth. Their dreams of ancient lovers have brought them together … but why? Dark portents surround them — portents bearing the mark of the Morrigan’s meddling — and they soon discover it’s all part of a sinister scheme to seize the throne of Ireland. And the love story from their dreams has begun to manifest in the present moment.

Will’s friends — Irish Queen Isolde and her allies — are depending on Will and Neve to connect with the past in order to save Ireland. But can anything save them from the violent end that their dreams have foreshadowed?

****************************

Review of The Warrior Poet

Every time I read a Sharon Lynn Fisher book, I appreciate the authors effort to create a unique story.  Even the third book in a series is nothing like the first two.  Characters overlap, as does the historical background.  But the imaginative tale is fresh and exciting! 

The Warrior Poet features the hero based on the real Irish poet William Butler Yeats.  The heroine, Neve Kelly, is a modern-day Portland resident who meets Will both in daydreams and by travelling through time.  The peace-loving duo gets caught up in their own destiny to ensure the safety of the humans and the fae co-inhabiting Ireland.   That’s the short version.  The actual story is a long and winding road marked by time travel, adventure, danger, romance and a bit of poetry.

The Warrior Poet is Irish history as told by vibrant characters and painted with Irish folklore and literary culture.  You can enjoy this book as a standalone. Will you have a richer experience if you read the series in order. Absolutely!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this book.  My review is my honest opinion.

****************************

Add The Warrior Poet to your Goodread’s shelf:

****************************

As of 10/27, all e-books in this series are just $.99 at Amazon.

Purchase The Warrior Poet: