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serenarae's review
4.0
I enjoyed it. It was a fun read with likeable characters in an interesting setting. The only complaint I have was that I felt Corwen needed more development and the love story felt a bit rushed.
k8brarian's review
4.0
Let's see here: pirates, werewolf -- strike that, lupine shapeshifter -- Fae, intrigue, social justice, and a strong female protagonist, plus just enough romance and humor, in an easy-to-digest, compact fantasy novel. Yup; no complaints here. It's not a 4-star book in terms of objective quality, but I enjoyed it plenty and look forward to the sequel.
wizzardofxxxx's review
3.0
I really really wanted to totally love this book and I just didn't. It's a fine book, but it's very plodding and it felt like it took forever to read. Also it seems more like a stand-alone novel than the start to a new series and I can't see myself reading any new books in this world.
BUT - it was super sex positive which was great and I really like Ross and David's relationship, so I'm giving this book 3 stars just for those things.
BUT - it was super sex positive which was great and I really like Ross and David's relationship, so I'm giving this book 3 stars just for those things.
natalielorelei's review
2.0
This book was utterly ridiculous (AU England with enslaved tree fairies, complete with some really unfortunate comparisons to actual, historical slavery) and completely historically inaccurate (among other things, the main character basically felt like Devi from the Fortune's Pawn series transported to England in 1800; also, LITERALLY NO ONE had an opinion about her dressing as a man).
This is not a good book by any objective means, but it was the perfect bedtime book because it was impossible to take seriously, so I'd nod off after a chapter or two every single time. I've already started the sequel.
This is not a good book by any objective means, but it was the perfect bedtime book because it was impossible to take seriously, so I'd nod off after a chapter or two every single time. I've already started the sequel.
sarrie's review
4.0
I swear, this was going to be up ages ago, but strep throat and the work month from hell struck. Nothing goes down the pooper faster than critical thinking after the month I’ve had.
There is nothing like pirates, magic, and faeries to get me excited about a book. Winterwood has all three in spades. Set in an alternate King George the Third’s Britain Rowankind gives us a world that was occupied both with the Fair Folk of legend and with man. The story is almost a ‘what if these people had existed alongside us’. While I’m no expert at all on this particular mythos and I do believe Mrs. Bedford takes a lot of liberties with the stories and tales I found this incredibly fascinating and I loved it.
I’ll throw a disclaimer on here, there is a bit of a learning curve and a slow start to this (the lost star is due to this). This is a book you have to commit at least a 100 pages to before it starts to make sense and it starts to pick up and get interesting. Until that point you’ll be wondering what the hell you’re reading but (like me) won’t be able to quite give up. Take my advice and don’t. The story’s world is deep and very vivid. I can still, even a month and some change later picture the woods, the cities, the boats. It’s all extremely vivid in my mind. The characters as well have a fleshed out feeling to them that has kept them kicking around in my brain long after the book is over.
The story itself is one I really enjoy too. Our main character, Ross, returns home to visit her mother on her deathbed. The two have never had a good relationship so Ross is a bit surprised when her mom gives her a box. As she’s leaving she discovers more family than she expected she had, and we discover she’s long been holding the guise of a Pirate Lord. Ross continues on her merry way and becomes the definition of an unwilling hero. Her ‘destiny’ if you wish to call it that continues to haunt her and returns over and over much like the ghost of her late husband (who I grew to hate, stupid ghost). Along the way she learns about her family, to love her family, and there is even a light romance subplot in there. It’s easy on that particular aspect, and though I was a little weirded out by the seeming suddenness of that particular relationship, I loved the rest of the character dynamics.
Overall this was incredibly enjoyable, I’m really excited about the next book and I’m planning on picking up more Jacey Bedford in the future.
I purchased this book for myself, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
There is nothing like pirates, magic, and faeries to get me excited about a book. Winterwood has all three in spades. Set in an alternate King George the Third’s Britain Rowankind gives us a world that was occupied both with the Fair Folk of legend and with man. The story is almost a ‘what if these people had existed alongside us’. While I’m no expert at all on this particular mythos and I do believe Mrs. Bedford takes a lot of liberties with the stories and tales I found this incredibly fascinating and I loved it.
I’ll throw a disclaimer on here, there is a bit of a learning curve and a slow start to this (the lost star is due to this). This is a book you have to commit at least a 100 pages to before it starts to make sense and it starts to pick up and get interesting. Until that point you’ll be wondering what the hell you’re reading but (like me) won’t be able to quite give up. Take my advice and don’t. The story’s world is deep and very vivid. I can still, even a month and some change later picture the woods, the cities, the boats. It’s all extremely vivid in my mind. The characters as well have a fleshed out feeling to them that has kept them kicking around in my brain long after the book is over.
The story itself is one I really enjoy too. Our main character, Ross, returns home to visit her mother on her deathbed. The two have never had a good relationship so Ross is a bit surprised when her mom gives her a box. As she’s leaving she discovers more family than she expected she had, and we discover she’s long been holding the guise of a Pirate Lord. Ross continues on her merry way and becomes the definition of an unwilling hero. Her ‘destiny’ if you wish to call it that continues to haunt her and returns over and over much like the ghost of her late husband (who I grew to hate, stupid ghost). Along the way she learns about her family, to love her family, and there is even a light romance subplot in there. It’s easy on that particular aspect, and though I was a little weirded out by the seeming suddenness of that particular relationship, I loved the rest of the character dynamics.
Overall this was incredibly enjoyable, I’m really excited about the next book and I’m planning on picking up more Jacey Bedford in the future.
I purchased this book for myself, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
bear_ridge_tarot's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
sassyowlreads's review against another edition
4.0
This sort of reminded me of Juliet Marillier's Sevenwaters books. It wasn't at all what I was expecting and I wasn't even sure if I liked it until about halfway through but then I couldn't put it down. It has everything you could want: pirates, magic, ghosts, mythology, betrayal, and a satisfying ending.
millymollymo's review against another edition
4.0
With whispers of Temeraire, this pirate-meets-fae-meets-shapeshifters-meets-ghosts story is full of adventure. If you like your 'strong female characters' you need to pick this up. Ross isn't afraid to get stuck in to a fight, nor does she faint at the idea of wearing a dress when she needs to become part of 'land society'.
Well researched by the author both within the fae lore, and nautical terminology, it allows Old England to seeps from the pages, interwoven with elegant forest magics, frustrating family loyalties, and vengeful pirate action on the high seas.
This is the first book in the series. I confess Winterwood isn't my usual read, but it worked its magic. A slow build this story is clearly designed to reach across all three books as there is some deep world building around Ross' family background that I hope to see used in book 2, Silverwolf.
Well researched by the author both within the fae lore, and nautical terminology, it allows Old England to seeps from the pages, interwoven with elegant forest magics, frustrating family loyalties, and vengeful pirate action on the high seas.
This is the first book in the series. I confess Winterwood isn't my usual read, but it worked its magic. A slow build this story is clearly designed to reach across all three books as there is some deep world building around Ross' family background that I hope to see used in book 2, Silverwolf.
larisa2021's review against another edition
5.0
Perfect book for fans of Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamour series and Naomi Novik's Temeraire. Magic. Manners. Pirates. Perfect.
bookadventurer's review against another edition
4.0
Apparently I promised a review almost a month ago. My apologies to anyone who's been waiting.
The original review will be posted on The Book Adventures the morning of Friday, February 26th, 2016.
This book has so many of the elements I love in a good fantasy: pirates, fae, magic, a wolf shapeshifter, a heroine who disguises herself as a man, adventure, romance, an alternative historical setting... really, this book is just my thing. I loved it.
The original review will be posted on The Book Adventures the morning of Friday, February 26th, 2016.
This book has so many of the elements I love in a good fantasy: pirates, fae, magic, a wolf shapeshifter, a heroine who disguises herself as a man, adventure, romance, an alternative historical setting... really, this book is just my thing. I loved it.