Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
El guerrero es el primero de una saga de libros sobre highlanders escritos por Monica McCarty. Ya lo había leído hace tiempo, y lo he hecho varias veces porque esta autora me encanta y estos libros (esta saga concreta) más aún. Es ficción histórica con rasgos de novela erótica y mucho romance, y peleas, batallas, sangre, sudor...
Si no te interesa el romance o te disgustan las escenas de sexo puedes saltarlas fácilmente para seguir con la historia pero creo que te pierdes las partes interesantes.
¿Qué me ha gustado de "El guerrero"?
Me ha gustado muchísimo revisitar Escocia. Ya fui de viaje hace unos años y las descripciones que hace la autora de los castillos y los lugares te transportan allí mágicamente.
La trama histórica de la independencia de Escocia tras William Wallace no es muy conocida y está bien aprender algo de historia. Al final del libro la autora te pone en contexto histórico real a los personajes diciéndote dónde se ha tomado licencias artísticas, cuales ha sacado de contexto, quienes no debían estar ahí etc... creo que es una forma distinta de aprender historia de otros países.
El personaje femenino está muy bien construido y tiene claro lo que quiere y lo que no. Al ver que sus expectativas y su vida van a dar un giro hacia donde no quiere ir se arma de valor y se marcha, para mi esta es una de las partes más interesantes de la trama en cuanto a la evolución del personaje femenino.
Si quieres terminar de leer la reseña pasa por mi blog www.pirrasmith.com
Si no te interesa el romance o te disgustan las escenas de sexo puedes saltarlas fácilmente para seguir con la historia pero creo que te pierdes las partes interesantes.
¿Qué me ha gustado de "El guerrero"?
Me ha gustado muchísimo revisitar Escocia. Ya fui de viaje hace unos años y las descripciones que hace la autora de los castillos y los lugares te transportan allí mágicamente.
La trama histórica de la independencia de Escocia tras William Wallace no es muy conocida y está bien aprender algo de historia. Al final del libro la autora te pone en contexto histórico real a los personajes diciéndote dónde se ha tomado licencias artísticas, cuales ha sacado de contexto, quienes no debían estar ahí etc... creo que es una forma distinta de aprender historia de otros países.
El personaje femenino está muy bien construido y tiene claro lo que quiere y lo que no. Al ver que sus expectativas y su vida van a dar un giro hacia donde no quiere ir se arma de valor y se marcha, para mi esta es una de las partes más interesantes de la trama en cuanto a la evolución del personaje femenino.
Si quieres terminar de leer la reseña pasa por mi blog www.pirrasmith.com
This is my first Monica McCarty novel and I enjoyed it so much! Great Scottish history and vocabulary. Love the grumpy sunshine trope and so many steamy scenes. I'd give it 4.5 stars! Cant' wait to read the next one in the series!
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
**Most of my reviews contain detailed Content Notes (including CW/TW) sections, which may include spoilers. I have tried to mark them appropriately, but please use caution.**
Audio (Robert McNab) 2.75/5
Summary: After her abusive father’s marriage plans for her sister go awry due to the groom’s refusal, Christina agrees to trap renowned warrior, Tor MacLeod, into marriage. Meanwhile, Tor is secretly building a force of special operators for Robert the Bruce’s battle against the English.
Stats: HR Medieval (1305, Scotland), M/F, open door, part of a series but stands alone fine.
Reading Notes: This was… weird. It’s sort of Navy SEALs meets HR meets chunks of history textbook. It’s fairly long, and I did finish it, so not terrible, but I’m uninspired to continue the series. For me, there wasn’t enough emotional development of the relationship between the leads - they have time in bed together, but barely any other interaction until pretty late in the story and then it was just too little too late. Neither lead is compelling - the FMC borders on TSTL. I really couldn’t get past the absurdity of the military special forces plot line which was totally inconsistent with the period the story was set, and for me, that’s the plot that was really the focus of this book.
OTT and Spoilery Content Notes:
Audio (Robert McNab) 2.75/5
Summary: After her abusive father’s marriage plans for her sister go awry due to the groom’s refusal, Christina agrees to trap renowned warrior, Tor MacLeod, into marriage. Meanwhile, Tor is secretly building a force of special operators for Robert the Bruce’s battle against the English.
Stats: HR Medieval (1305, Scotland), M/F, open door, part of a series but stands alone fine.
Reading Notes: This was… weird. It’s sort of Navy SEALs meets HR meets chunks of history textbook. It’s fairly long, and I did finish it, so not terrible, but I’m uninspired to continue the series. For me, there wasn’t enough emotional development of the relationship between the leads - they have time in bed together, but barely any other interaction until pretty late in the story and then it was just too little too late. Neither lead is compelling - the FMC borders on TSTL. I really couldn’t get past the absurdity of the military special forces plot line which was totally inconsistent with the period the story was set, and for me, that’s the plot that was really the focus of this book.
OTT and Spoilery Content Notes:
Full disclosure: I'm not usually the biggest highlander/scottish romance fan...I don't know why. I want to love them, I keep trying and occasionally there are some that I love and adore but as a whole I tend to rate them 3 or 4 stars. Rarely are they home runs for me.
So with that here's my review for The Chief.
3 stars.
Tor is the Chief of his clan, he is content to stay out of picking sides between England and Scotland, however not everyone is content with that. Christina is a young woman who dreams of knights and epic love. She's abused by her father and her main goal is to get her and her sister away from her father and hopefully to an abbey. However that doesn't quite work out when she's forced to sneak into Tor's bed and trick him into marriage.
The first 100-ish pages I was on board, a little bored here and there but sometimes that's the downside of the first book in a series, the set up can drag the pacing down. But I started getting tired of the same set up and same issues cropping up, Christina would do something (good or bad), Tor would get distant or mad at some point after he found out or it was pointed out, tell her to stay out of it, he would leave, he'd start to feel a little guilty for being a jerk, he'd come back a few days later, they'd have sex, then the whole cycle would start up again. After the third time I was tired of it.
First off the romance between Tor and Christina didn't work for me. It should have but it didn't. Tor is this cold, gruff, guy who is attracted to Christina but who has very set in stone ideas about what a wife should do. Christina is a woman who just wants to make Tor happy and has a bright disposition and tries to make the best of things. And seeing them try to work out this marriage and figure things out should have been fun to read. It should have been, it wasn't. Any time she would do something nice for him, he wouldn't notice. Any time she tried to get him to talk to her he would be curt and closed off. The only thing they ever connected on was sex and because they didn't connect in any other way except sex and being annoying to each other even that wasn't fun. At the end of their journey (at least in this book) I didn't buy that everything worked out or that Tor really loved her.
Secondly, Tor and Christina annoyed me. They were equally annoying for different reasons. Tor was annoying because of how cold he was. On page he was emotionless, which I understood because of his life and also his backstory but he showed no or very little regard for Christina. There were moments with Lady Janet, a childhood friend and former lover, where he had more interaction and connection with her. Then Christina annoyed me because she kept putting herself out there to essentially get pat on the head and have Tor say 'good dog' even after he had been cold and cruel to her. There were a couple times when she would insert herself somehow and it would cause a legitimate safety issue for herself or the clan.
Thirdly, the sex scenes were meh. We were constantly bombarded with sentences that stated how passionate they were in the bedroom. Or stated that the one place they were completely connected was in bed. I never felt that. Tor was cold but even the writing in general for those scenes felt cold and just a way to keep them connected the tiniest bit.
Oh, also, apparently Tor has 2 kids from his previous marriage. We never meet or see those children, just told they are being housed somewhere else.
Overall, I did finish this, I do want to try at least one more of this series but will I try it any time soon, probably not.
So with that here's my review for The Chief.
3 stars.
Tor is the Chief of his clan, he is content to stay out of picking sides between England and Scotland, however not everyone is content with that. Christina is a young woman who dreams of knights and epic love. She's abused by her father and her main goal is to get her and her sister away from her father and hopefully to an abbey. However that doesn't quite work out when she's forced to sneak into Tor's bed and trick him into marriage.
The first 100-ish pages I was on board, a little bored here and there but sometimes that's the downside of the first book in a series, the set up can drag the pacing down. But I started getting tired of the same set up and same issues cropping up, Christina would do something (good or bad), Tor would get distant or mad at some point after he found out or it was pointed out, tell her to stay out of it, he would leave, he'd start to feel a little guilty for being a jerk, he'd come back a few days later, they'd have sex, then the whole cycle would start up again. After the third time I was tired of it.
First off the romance between Tor and Christina didn't work for me. It should have but it didn't. Tor is this cold, gruff, guy who is attracted to Christina but who has very set in stone ideas about what a wife should do. Christina is a woman who just wants to make Tor happy and has a bright disposition and tries to make the best of things. And seeing them try to work out this marriage and figure things out should have been fun to read. It should have been, it wasn't. Any time she would do something nice for him, he wouldn't notice. Any time she tried to get him to talk to her he would be curt and closed off. The only thing they ever connected on was sex and because they didn't connect in any other way except sex and being annoying to each other even that wasn't fun. At the end of their journey (at least in this book) I didn't buy that everything worked out or that Tor really loved her.
Secondly, Tor and Christina annoyed me. They were equally annoying for different reasons. Tor was annoying because of how cold he was. On page he was emotionless, which I understood because of his life and also his backstory but he showed no or very little regard for Christina. There were moments with Lady Janet, a childhood friend and former lover, where he had more interaction and connection with her. Then Christina annoyed me because she kept putting herself out there to essentially get pat on the head and have Tor say 'good dog' even after he had been cold and cruel to her. There were a couple times when she would insert herself somehow and it would cause a legitimate safety issue for herself or the clan.
Thirdly, the sex scenes were meh. We were constantly bombarded with sentences that stated how passionate they were in the bedroom. Or stated that the one place they were completely connected was in bed. I never felt that. Tor was cold but even the writing in general for those scenes felt cold and just a way to keep them connected the tiniest bit.
Oh, also, apparently Tor has 2 kids from his previous marriage. We never meet or see those children, just told they are being housed somewhere else.
Overall, I did finish this, I do want to try at least one more of this series but will I try it any time soon, probably not.
I decided to reread this book because I want to reread this entire series as well and even though I only gave it 3 stars a few years ago I thought I may change my mind once I reread it, I've grown, maybe I'll like it better. Boy, was I wrong.
I had forgotten how annoying the heroine was. She genuinely annoyed me for most of the book. I actually love the story and I know I love this series but Christina just ruined this one. I get it, she's young and innocent, she's been coerced by her father to trick Tor into marrying her, she's scared...I get it but the innocent act went on and on and never ended. Her eagerness to please her husband at every turn irritated me, she was close to stupid at times and way too naive. She just did not work for me at all. I know she meant well but I couldn't make myself care.
Tor wasn't much better but I did like him. He's a fierce Highlander chief, he loves his clan and will do anything to protect it. He was secretive with Christina because that's how he's always been with women and people in general. He's not used to trusting anyone so I could understand that. His hot and cold attitude was fun at first but then it got annoying real fast. One minute he was angry at Christina and the next he was regretful and wanted to hold her. All the time. He also didn't know what he truly wanted, not just concerning his wife but also toward his clan and the secret army he was training. And the way he suddenly realize he loved her? Basically at the end of the book, something bad happens and it's only then that he realizes he actually loves her.
However, I loved the background story. The secret army and each warrior intrigued me and left me eager to read the rest of the series (even though I've read a few already). So, yes, I'm excited to keep reading.
I had forgotten how annoying the heroine was. She genuinely annoyed me for most of the book. I actually love the story and I know I love this series but Christina just ruined this one. I get it, she's young and innocent, she's been coerced by her father to trick Tor into marrying her, she's scared...I get it but the innocent act went on and on and never ended. Her eagerness to please her husband at every turn irritated me, she was close to stupid at times and way too naive. She just did not work for me at all. I know she meant well but I couldn't make myself care.
Tor wasn't much better but I did like him. He's a fierce Highlander chief, he loves his clan and will do anything to protect it. He was secretive with Christina because that's how he's always been with women and people in general. He's not used to trusting anyone so I could understand that. His hot and cold attitude was fun at first but then it got annoying real fast. One minute he was angry at Christina and the next he was regretful and wanted to hold her. All the time. He also didn't know what he truly wanted, not just concerning his wife but also toward his clan and the secret army he was training. And the way he suddenly realize he loved her? Basically at the end of the book, something bad happens and it's only then that he realizes he actually loves her.
However, I loved the background story. The secret army and each warrior intrigued me and left me eager to read the rest of the series (even though I've read a few already). So, yes, I'm excited to keep reading.
adventurous
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If you're looking for a hot steamy Highland romance, here you go. Not good for reading on a plane, or anywhere someone might read over your shoulder
This book...it made me cry. It made me grin like a fool. And it made me grip the covers with the suspense. It rocked my world in ways I didn't think a highlander romance could. The writing is well done, the time is well researched and explained, and the plot is focused and has plenty of action.
having said that, some may say, "Big surprise. Kat loves highlanders. She's biased." But this book was different. For me at least. Yes, I have a thing for highlanders. I love books about this time and I blame Karen Marie Moning for my obsession since her Highlander series is what seemed to start it all. My obsession that is. However, not all Highlander romances are for me. Some I like (Moning's, Banks', just to name two) but others, well others I end up DNFing. But this book?! No way. It had me up late, anxious to get to the end but also dreading it at the same time.
Why did I love this book as much as I did? Simple. The author clearly did research for this book (see, the Author's Note in the book) and weaved fiction and non fiction together to make a beautiful love story that made me feel like I was right there, on the sidelines watching as it all went down. Her descriptions of the castles, the places, the Islands: they were clear but not overwhelming. I could see them all in my mind's eye. And I could also "see" the characters.
And speaking of the characters, I have to say, Christina broke my heart. She was such a romantic, waiting and wishing for her Lancelot to come and save her, and she so wanted to believe it was Tor. So did I! Over and over again she tried to break through. She tried to help. All to, what seemed to be, no avail. And that I think is part of the greatness in this book. We see and hear from Tor's POV at times, and we see his struggle, trying to put his clan first, before anything, even himself. And we, the reader, get glimpses of his walls beginning to crack, but never fully topple. When Christina lost hope, so did I. I sobbed, openly and avidly, though Christina seemed to have it together more than me. She seemed to become, after her and Tor's last fight, resigned to her fate. I would have liked to see her confront Tor before she left-to be a bit stronger perhaps. But I also understood why she didn't. Some might say she was stupid to do what she did and cause what some would call "trouble" for Tor, but I didn't see it that way at all. This was a young girl of about 21 who grew up with an awful, abusive father who put her through hell. All Christina wanted was someone to save her. She thought that man was Tor. And given the mixed messages he was sending, I understand her confusion about whether he did, or did not, care for her. So when the reality of her situation finally sank in, when his words about just why he married her and how her romantic dreams were basically a joke and would never be fulfilled, I think in her position I'd have done the same thing. The shame and humiliation of all she'd done and endured to find someone to save her -to love her-, it just went up in smoke.
So while I was crying at this point, I was also angry. I was angry at Tor for being an idiot. I was angry at him for continuing to confide and be close with Lady Jane, his former leman, who I really wanted to stab with a sharp object. I was pissed off that he sent his brother away (though I understood why he did it), and I really wanted him to bring his sons back to the keep so Christina could raise them, not his uncle. (The latter didn't seem to happen but I believe this was a normal occurrence at the time, so I'm not surprised by it.) But mostly I was mad that Tor didn't see the damage he'd inflicted on Christina with his words. Sometimes words are worse than fists. And he knew about Christina's father and how she was treated. He didn't have to treat her with kid gloves, but he could have had a care. But instead he mouthed off, stormed off, left Christina -AGAIN!- and then 2 days later expected everything to be fine. He'd talk to her and yeah, things would be A-OK.
Um, no Tor. Really. Get a clue.
And I get it. He's a warrior, a chief, a lord, and all that. He shouldn't have to answer to a woman. (stupid man!) But did he not remember the vow he made to Christina before their marriage? The condition she made? HELLO?! He cut her down with her words, after everything she did, after all she tried to do to bring warmth back to the castle, and expected her to be waiting for him after he told her, basically, he couldn't, wouldn't and didn't love her?! Again: STUPID MAN! (Aside: It seems men haven't made that many strides since the time of the highland warriors. They're still doing idiotic crap like this! Anyways, back to my rant.)
So thus begins the final conflict of the book, Tor's epiphany, and poor Christina suffering for Tor's stupidity and refusal to acknowledge his feelings and instead be an asshat. Thankfully her suffering was only mild compared to what the men who captured her had initially intended to do to her, and she found more of her backbone during this time too, refusing to give the interrogators their answers, suffering for it, and still finding her own way out of there.
And also, Tor and his secret army appeared to help. Okay, maybe they more than helped, but I'm still a bit annoyed at Tor. I mean, I liked him. A lot. And the sexy times, well...they were beyond hot. But seriously, he needs to be slapped!
This is the most I've written on a review in a long time. But I finished this yesterday and I still can't stop thinking about it. Maybe because I remember being younger and thinking, like Christina, that a Knight would ride up on his steed, take me away, and we'd live happily ever after. (Or in his Mustang, or on his Harley, or in his pick-up truck...you get the idea.) So when her dreams shattered it was like a personal blow to me, remembering when I too grew up and stopped believing in fairy tales, knights in shining armor and damsels in distress. That's how strong this writing is, in my opinion anyways. And because of this, I've bought the second and third books in this series and can't wait to read more about this time and these warriors. Monica McCarty will definitely be on my list of top authors from now on.
*This book was a self purchase. All opinions are my own.*
having said that, some may say, "Big surprise. Kat loves highlanders. She's biased." But this book was different. For me at least. Yes, I have a thing for highlanders. I love books about this time and I blame Karen Marie Moning for my obsession since her Highlander series is what seemed to start it all. My obsession that is. However, not all Highlander romances are for me. Some I like (Moning's, Banks', just to name two) but others, well others I end up DNFing. But this book?! No way. It had me up late, anxious to get to the end but also dreading it at the same time.
Why did I love this book as much as I did? Simple. The author clearly did research for this book (see, the Author's Note in the book) and weaved fiction and non fiction together to make a beautiful love story that made me feel like I was right there, on the sidelines watching as it all went down. Her descriptions of the castles, the places, the Islands: they were clear but not overwhelming. I could see them all in my mind's eye. And I could also "see" the characters.
And speaking of the characters, I have to say, Christina broke my heart. She was such a romantic, waiting and wishing for her Lancelot to come and save her, and she so wanted to believe it was Tor. So did I! Over and over again she tried to break through. She tried to help. All to, what seemed to be, no avail. And that I think is part of the greatness in this book. We see and hear from Tor's POV at times, and we see his struggle, trying to put his clan first, before anything, even himself. And we, the reader, get glimpses of his walls beginning to crack, but never fully topple. When Christina lost hope, so did I. I sobbed, openly and avidly, though Christina seemed to have it together more than me. She seemed to become, after her and Tor's last fight, resigned to her fate. I would have liked to see her confront Tor before she left-to be a bit stronger perhaps. But I also understood why she didn't. Some might say she was stupid to do what she did and cause what some would call "trouble" for Tor, but I didn't see it that way at all. This was a young girl of about 21 who grew up with an awful, abusive father who put her through hell. All Christina wanted was someone to save her. She thought that man was Tor. And given the mixed messages he was sending, I understand her confusion about whether he did, or did not, care for her. So when the reality of her situation finally sank in, when his words about just why he married her and how her romantic dreams were basically a joke and would never be fulfilled, I think in her position I'd have done the same thing. The shame and humiliation of all she'd done and endured to find someone to save her -to love her-, it just went up in smoke.
So while I was crying at this point, I was also angry. I was angry at Tor for being an idiot. I was angry at him for continuing to confide and be close with Lady Jane, his former leman, who I really wanted to stab with a sharp object. I was pissed off that he sent his brother away (though I understood why he did it), and I really wanted him to bring his sons back to the keep so Christina could raise them, not his uncle. (The latter didn't seem to happen but I believe this was a normal occurrence at the time, so I'm not surprised by it.) But mostly I was mad that Tor didn't see the damage he'd inflicted on Christina with his words. Sometimes words are worse than fists. And he knew about Christina's father and how she was treated. He didn't have to treat her with kid gloves, but he could have had a care. But instead he mouthed off, stormed off, left Christina -AGAIN!- and then 2 days later expected everything to be fine. He'd talk to her and yeah, things would be A-OK.
Um, no Tor. Really. Get a clue.
And I get it. He's a warrior, a chief, a lord, and all that. He shouldn't have to answer to a woman. (stupid man!) But did he not remember the vow he made to Christina before their marriage? The condition she made? HELLO?! He cut her down with her words, after everything she did, after all she tried to do to bring warmth back to the castle, and expected her to be waiting for him after he told her, basically, he couldn't, wouldn't and didn't love her?! Again: STUPID MAN! (Aside: It seems men haven't made that many strides since the time of the highland warriors. They're still doing idiotic crap like this! Anyways, back to my rant.)
So thus begins the final conflict of the book, Tor's epiphany, and poor Christina suffering for Tor's stupidity and refusal to acknowledge his feelings and instead be an asshat. Thankfully her suffering was only mild compared to what the men who captured her had initially intended to do to her, and she found more of her backbone during this time too, refusing to give the interrogators their answers, suffering for it, and still finding her own way out of there.
And also, Tor and his secret army appeared to help. Okay, maybe they more than helped, but I'm still a bit annoyed at Tor. I mean, I liked him. A lot. And the sexy times, well...they were beyond hot. But seriously, he needs to be slapped!
This is the most I've written on a review in a long time. But I finished this yesterday and I still can't stop thinking about it. Maybe because I remember being younger and thinking, like Christina, that a Knight would ride up on his steed, take me away, and we'd live happily ever after. (Or in his Mustang, or on his Harley, or in his pick-up truck...you get the idea.) So when her dreams shattered it was like a personal blow to me, remembering when I too grew up and stopped believing in fairy tales, knights in shining armor and damsels in distress. That's how strong this writing is, in my opinion anyways. And because of this, I've bought the second and third books in this series and can't wait to read more about this time and these warriors. Monica McCarty will definitely be on my list of top authors from now on.
*This book was a self purchase. All opinions are my own.*