Member Reviews

I had a hard time getting into this book. While the synopsis intrigued me I had a hard time diving into the world.

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A wonderful fantasy story that captivated me the entire time I was reading! I can't wait for the next installment in the series!

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The Stone of Sorrow was okay. It didn't capture my attention like the synopsis had. I had hoped for more honestly.

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Getting through my backlist of Netgalley TBR. This one just wasn’t for me, unfortunately! The writing was just ok, and I wasn’t as involved in the world as much as I was hoping to be.

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I have been on a mythology bender and Norse has been this month's go-to. I was so glad to have another series to dive into and this book is good as part of the whole.

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** Thank you NetGalley and Publishers for giving me a free copy of this ebook in exchange for a review. **

As a Norse Pagan I read a lot of books that mention the gods. Some of them are not that accurate when the gods and the myths are mentioned, but I’m happy to say that other than the fantasy aspect I didn’t find any problems regarding the gods and the myths. I really enjoyed this book, and I finished it in two days.

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The Stone of Sorrow was a more interesting premise than an engaging read. But just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean that it wouldn't be for someone else.

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In book one of the Runecaster series, we meet seventeen year-old Runa Unnursdóttir, an odd out of place rune caster, and Sýr, her sister, current keeper of the moonstone and the opposite of Runa in every way. When Sýr is kidnapped by an evil witch, Runa sets off on a quest to save her that will test everything she ever knew, and show her she’s stronger than she knows. Accompanied by a former Valkyrie and the son of an enchanted chief, Runa must save her sister, find the moonstone, and keep it from the clutches of the evil witch.

This one was fun, and it’s intriguing enough for me to want to continue with the series. I love the elements of Nordic lore, the mystical characters, Runa’s heart, and the sweeping adventure she and her companions embark on to save Sýr.

There’s a little romance, but it’s not overwhelming, and there’s some representation between types of characters, and I was pleasantly surprised at the Valkyrie’s nonbinary pronouns. Shoutout to Carter for that. The stakes are high in this quest tale. Some lives are lost, some are found, and all are irrevocably changed.

I loved that Runa needed to find her strength and once she finds out the nature of her past and who she is, she’s got the foundation on which to build her future. It looks like book 2 is due out very soon, and I can’t wait to continue Runa’s journey with her.

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This is one I grabbed along with a few others I found on NG, and really enjoyed reading it! It was one of the few I haven't heard and didn't know any about before starting, and sometimes that's the best way to find books!

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this was a great start to a series, the characters were great and I really liked learning about the environment of the book. I look forward to more from this series.

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*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

Overall, I liked this book quite a bit. The story was interesting, and the characters were likable. Plus, Vikings + magic + mythology + a quest? Sign me up. The writing flowed well and added to Runa’s character and perceptions of herself. Descriptions were enough to let me see without being distracted from the story.

The book did have its weaknesses, but they weren’t enough to diminish my overall enjoyment or desire to read sequels. Runa’s transformation from being unsure of her powers and self worth into a confident, powerful runecaster is rather abrupt. She starts out the book being tether clumsy and unskilled in casting the tunes, and then she suddenly can do it without trouble. Perhaps it’s because she finally has the proper motivation (her sister) and forgets her self doubt—I don’t know. I’m also a little confused about the Katla/Odin thing—I’ll explain more in the spoiler section. And forgive me, but it bothered me that Oski was genderless. Not only is it awkward to constantly be reading “they/them” as singular pronouns (yes, I know it’s considered acceptable now, but it. is. awkward and disrupts the flow of reading), but Valkyries are female—read your Norwegian mythology. I’m also a little confused about why Runa’s goal at the end of this book is what it is. Does she really think that’s going to work out well?

Despite the rapid turnaround in her confidence and ability, I really liked Runa (17). She had a fierce love for her older sister and a strong determination to save her. I liked that, even though she lacked confidence because she was considered the village freak, she didn’t dislike herself. Einar (??), a half-elf from a neighboring clan, was quiet and gentle, though he wasn’t weak. I liked how he was with Runa.

Although the story is definitely left open for a sequel, this portion was wrapped up nicely. It’s like the Harry Potter books—the minor story arc is concluded, but the overall story is not. I am a little sad with the way some things ended, but I look forward to reading more and hope the end end is happy. Considering Runa’s objective when this book concludes, however, I’m not sure how that will work.

Note: Runa’s older sister has a girlfriend. Oski is a genderless Valkyrie who is in love with one of the Fates (female).

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I have been drawn to books lately with sisters/family bond themes and this one did not disappoint! I enjoyed this and found myself going back for more as the day went on. I'm a little late reading this but I'm glad I did! I'm going to buy this ad add it to my collection I love the cover.

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This story had me from the start. The writing was strong and descriptive, which I haven't seen as much lately in a lot of other books I've read. It was nice to feel more emersed in the story.

The story itself was enticing and unique. I really enjoyed the mythology and the setting. The way the beginning played out was so interesting to me and I was so into it that needed to know what was going to happen. I didn't want to stop reading.

The love the MC's have for eachother and their village really drives the story. I really enjoyed the journey they go on and the people they encounter along the way to get it all back. It was a lot of fun watching Runa grow into her own and partner up with others she wouldn't norlmally get involved with.

I am definitely interested to see what happens in the next book when it comes out!

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Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

I loved this book. The atmosphere was everything I wanted it to be. I loved the plot and storyline in the book. I loved the characters in this story. It gave me all the feels I was looking for when I started reading this. I highly recommend this author. I loved the writing. I will be looking for other works in the future from this author.

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This fell flat for me, there was something about the character that I just couldn't mesh with. I think I went in with too high expectations because I was excited about the Norse Mythology aspect. I also didn't get along with the writing style, this is mostly a personal preference issue. I think there is potential here and I could possibly be interested in reading other books written by this author but unfortunetly this just didn't do it for me.

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DNF. I don't know why, I tried multiple times but I just couldn't get into this book. I was a slow start and I struggled to connect with the main character.

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This was a really fun read! I’ve always found mythology fascinating, especially Norse mythology. So when I saw a book that centered around that, I was really excited to give it a go. While at times this plot was a little uneven, overall I found it to be an interesting and enjoyable read!

One of my favorite parts about this book was the unique and strong characters. Each one had their own personality and agenda. There were times when I felt the character growth felt a bit rushed, but for the most part I thought they were all believable and well-developed!

As with the character growth, I thought the plot felt a little rushed at times. Although there were other times when I think things moved a bit too slow. I enjoyed the story, but I think the pacing was kind of all over the place.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. While I would have liked a bit more character development, and the plot could have been smoother, I still had a great time reading this. I’m interested to see where the story goes next!

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I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I love the feeling of Nordic legends and traditions. Runa is a daydreamer and she wants to see the world and not follow her destined path of being a runecaster. It is only when her sister who is the protector of a sacred moonstone does she knows that she has to do something. She with two companion she goes to find a way to get the stone and her sister back. The path before her is no an easy one. This is the great start to a series. I want to read more that comes from this author.

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Thank you to Netgalley and Orca Book Publishers for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, first. This cover! It is gorgeousssss. I love the pop of blue on her cloak and her white hair. I think I requested this off the cover alone.

This book had a lot of positives for me. It’s based on Icelandic mythology – which I know nothing about. It was so interesting to read a book based off this and I learned a lot! It made me want to research more Icelandic myths.
Next was all the rep! There is a female-female relationship, along with an asexual character that uses they/them pronouns. I believe this is the first book I’ve read with an asexual character, too!

This was a pretty quick read for me. The story was fast paced and compelling. I did see some of the twists coming, but not all! I liked the magic system. It was well explained and thought out. The ending twist I didn’t see coming and I loved it!

There was a romance – a small one. I didn’t like the guy though. His personality reminded me of a wet noodle. I think she should have gone for the sexy Elf instead! There wasn’t much of the elf, but I’m hoping to see him again in future novels!

Runa, the MC, was interesting. She started out so unsure of herself and insecure, but grew along with the story. I really enjoyed her character arc and can’t wait to see what happens in the next novels!

The reason I gave 3.5 stars was because the story slowed down at points and it became hard to push through. Most of it was action-packed and interesting, though. The ending also kind of dragged to me.

I definitely recommend if you are a fan of fantasy, mythology, with a little bit of romance.

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As always thank you Netgalley and Orca Book Publishers for the arc.

This is about a girl who is to be a rune caster. Only one thing nothing works for her. She wants to travel the world instead of being stuck in her clan. Things change when her clan is attacked by a rival runecaster wanting the moonstone. To save her clan and the world she has to travel to save her sister and the world.

I loved this book. I loved the magic system and the trials that she had to go through to save her people. The character growth I felt was pretty good. I did feel that the love intrest was kinda sudden. It's a hate to love and happens kinda fast. I cannot wait for the next book to see what happens.

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