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A review by ex_libris_ad_astra
Mistwood by Leah Cypess
3.0
I was pleasantly surprised by this book.
Isabel is a shifter. When Prince Rokan arrives in Mistwood seeking the shifter's protection, Isabel agrees to go with him. However, she has no memory of her past life before her time in Mistwood. Isabel knows Rokan is keeping something from her, but she doesn't know what.
I was expecting a pretty standard plot. Nothing too unusual, but a decent sort of fluff read. Instead, I found myself captivated by the way Cypess has crafted this story. As a reader, we only knows what Isabel knows, which isn't a lot to begin with. She's familiar with the castle where the majority of the book takes place, but that's about it. We learn things at the same pace Isabel does, which brings the reader into the story. If something is not making sense, there's usually an answer out there- Isabel just hasn't figured it out yet.
Cypess included a few plot twists I hadn't seen coming. I enjoyed them, but they could have had a bit more set up. I can't easily think of things that were foreshadowed within the book, so the "A HA!" moments just turn into "ohhhhh" moments.
The biggest thing I wished this novel would have included was more character development. There were several scenes where I thought we were almost there, but the author seemed to lose steam. The interactions between Isabel, Rokan, and the rest of court could have used a bit more of something. It could have been longer conversations, interactions between the characters, or even Isabel's thoughts about how the characters were talking and acting toward each other. These small changed would have taken the book from good to great.
Overall, I gave this book a 3.5/5 stars, and decided to round down to a 3. While I loved the way the story was told, it definitely won't be for everyone. However, if you're looking for a stories about shifters that's outside of the box, I would definitely suggest checking out Mistwood.
Isabel is a shifter. When Prince Rokan arrives in Mistwood seeking the shifter's protection, Isabel agrees to go with him. However, she has no memory of her past life before her time in Mistwood. Isabel knows Rokan is keeping something from her, but she doesn't know what.
I was expecting a pretty standard plot. Nothing too unusual, but a decent sort of fluff read. Instead, I found myself captivated by the way Cypess has crafted this story. As a reader, we only knows what Isabel knows, which isn't a lot to begin with. She's familiar with the castle where the majority of the book takes place, but that's about it. We learn things at the same pace Isabel does, which brings the reader into the story. If something is not making sense, there's usually an answer out there- Isabel just hasn't figured it out yet.
Cypess included a few plot twists I hadn't seen coming. I enjoyed them, but they could have had a bit more set up. I can't easily think of things that were foreshadowed within the book, so the "A HA!" moments just turn into "ohhhhh" moments.
The biggest thing I wished this novel would have included was more character development. There were several scenes where I thought we were almost there, but the author seemed to lose steam. The interactions between Isabel, Rokan, and the rest of court could have used a bit more of something. It could have been longer conversations, interactions between the characters, or even Isabel's thoughts about how the characters were talking and acting toward each other. These small changed would have taken the book from good to great.
Overall, I gave this book a 3.5/5 stars, and decided to round down to a 3. While I loved the way the story was told, it definitely won't be for everyone. However, if you're looking for a stories about shifters that's outside of the box, I would definitely suggest checking out Mistwood.