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A review by beemma1
Beyond a Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake
3.0
I found this while looking through a book app and decided to give it a go. I hadn't heard of it prior or the author, but it sounded like a fun book that wasn't too dark and angsty. I ended up liking it more than I thought it would, but it's not at the top of my list for 2018, that's for sure.
Ciara is the princess of Mide, but she's no prim and proper gal. She's a warrior and battles to protect her kingdom. She has a special ability that helps in battles but she doesn't know exactly what it is our how to control it. Ciara is very tough but has moments of weakness and emotional bursts-which I really liked. I hate when the female protagonists are seen as tough and never show an ounce of emotion. She was real and cried in the right moments or wasn't sure of herself.
I would have liked to have seen her powers used a tad more. It seemed very back seat to the rest of the story which isn't bad but I was expecting her to have a few uncontrollable outbursts while learning to harness them and that didn't happen.
Lief is a Northman, and he and her people don't generally get along. They meet in battle when he comes to her shores and she captures him. He's very strong, loves a good battle, and wishes for Valhalla when he's finished with his quest. I liked Lief. At first, I thought he'd be like any other historical character Hero and he'd brood and want nothing to do with her. He was actually funny and really cared about her, which took me by surprise. Their friendship was quick as was the movement into a relationship. I would have liked that to have been a bit slower and drawn out.
The mythology in this book was really fascinating. I know a bit about the Norse and Celtic mythologies but it was interesting to read about it in this book. Some things were new and I liked how the author incorporated them into the story.
I felt like the story was really fast despite the good amount of pages. The end felt rushed and I would have liked an epilogue maybe a few months later or something.
This book was good but not outstanding. If you're looking for something quick with a bit of romance and mythology, this is something you'll like.
Ciara is the princess of Mide, but she's no prim and proper gal. She's a warrior and battles to protect her kingdom. She has a special ability that helps in battles but she doesn't know exactly what it is our how to control it. Ciara is very tough but has moments of weakness and emotional bursts-which I really liked. I hate when the female protagonists are seen as tough and never show an ounce of emotion. She was real and cried in the right moments or wasn't sure of herself.
I would have liked to have seen her powers used a tad more. It seemed very back seat to the rest of the story which isn't bad but I was expecting her to have a few uncontrollable outbursts while learning to harness them and that didn't happen.
Lief is a Northman, and he and her people don't generally get along. They meet in battle when he comes to her shores and she captures him. He's very strong, loves a good battle, and wishes for Valhalla when he's finished with his quest. I liked Lief. At first, I thought he'd be like any other historical character Hero and he'd brood and want nothing to do with her. He was actually funny and really cared about her, which took me by surprise. Their friendship was quick as was the movement into a relationship. I would have liked that to have been a bit slower and drawn out.
The mythology in this book was really fascinating. I know a bit about the Norse and Celtic mythologies but it was interesting to read about it in this book. Some things were new and I liked how the author incorporated them into the story.
I felt like the story was really fast despite the good amount of pages. The end felt rushed and I would have liked an epilogue maybe a few months later or something.
This book was good but not outstanding. If you're looking for something quick with a bit of romance and mythology, this is something you'll like.