*thank you to tor and netgalley for providing me with this arc!*

my thoughts:

- loved raine as a character, especially at the beginning and end
- the elements of found family are there and j can’t wait to see where it goes
- i think the portrayal of loss and kinship is excellently done
- is there the beginnings of a love triangle? maybe?
- the magic system is cool, reminds me of the villains series by v. e. schwab mixed with the tiniest drop of the poppy war
- i really enjoyed the writing style, especially the humour
- soooo intrigued by the creatures 👀

*thanks again to tor and netgalley!*

I did not like this book. Great setting and premise, but lacklustre execution. Thank you for the advanced copy but I will not be reading the second one in the series.

I sure hope this is going to continue. This was a book of soul searching and redemption by Raine, a young woman lost in her soul.
There is magic here, much of it thru mental manipulation of matter. Some strictly traditional with artifacts and demon like beings. Raine discovers that love is not being a possession but an equal. McDonald does a good job portraying a young woman in dire circumstances. Raine’s ability to see and speak to the dead, places her in peril everywhere she goes.

The heroes are not clear cut. McDonald shows the vagrancies of human nature and emotion. There is enough action to keep your interest and it is inspiring to see the growth of Raine.

I recommend the book.

I enjoyed the story overall. It could use a bit of filling out on the world-building and I would like more information on the magic (more in depth information) but I would assume this will delve deeper in follow up books.

I love it when a book surprises me. When you review books you see a lot (and I do really mean A LOT) of middling to average, derivative, instantly forgettable titles under the general fantasy genre umbrella. No pointing fingers or naming authors. It’s just a hazard of the industry. We reviewers simply read the titles and review them for you to help sort the wheat from the chaff. You’re welcome.

This book is definitely wheat.

I want to warn you the blurb on Amazon is slightly misleading, so don’t rely on it for veracity as it pertains to the plot. The blurb on Amazon also only (dubiously) covers events that happen in less than the first 10% of the book. Yes, those events create the central conflict for the entire book, but if you think the blurb encompasses any of what the book is actually about or who the actual characters in play are, then BTB (Beware The Blurb).

This book is mainly about life and death. It’s also about controlling your own life, the lives of others, and the process of grieving (or the lack of it). There’s also a huge dose of how abuse and trauma can permanently affect a person’s psyche. Throw in some class warfare and criticism on class inequality and you’ve hit most of the major plot themes.

The largest attraction in this entire book is characterization. Every character in this book is multi-faceted, intriguing, and charismatic enough to leap right off the page. Raine, our protagonist, is intense, passionate, and choleric. She’s got the currency of her convictions and she sells it to the people around her with her forthright honesty and self-confidence. Raine knows who she is and what she is and she refuses to let other people call the shots for her when she knows she’s in the right. But she’s also a woman full of rage and trauma who has seen and been through too much in her young life and isn’t willing to let others be stomped down by life if she can help it either.

If the main character sings out, so do all her companions on the page. Where this book falters just slightly is in imagery, setting, and costuming, but that doesn’t bother me too much. The prose is slightly above average, but that’s fine by me as long as we get brilliant characters.

I really think a lot of you fantasy readers will like this book if you give it a try.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for granting me early access to this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Daughter of Redwinter had it all: magic, mystery, philosophy, relevant social/political commentary, and a hint of romance. It truly had everything I like to see whenever I read a fantasy book. The writing was excellent with brilliant descriptions, engaging dialogue, and a steady pace that kept me hooked from the very first chapter. The plot had plenty of twist and turns, and even though I figured some of the twists out in advance of the reveals, the book was written in such a way that I kept second-guessing myself, which kept the reading experience exciting and fun.

The world-building was exquisite, and I loved the magic system and lore. The world felt incredibly real and lived in, and I was surprised by how deep it seemed almost from the start. There was a sense that the civilization was old with a storied history, almost like this book barely scratched the surface of unraveling the mysteries of this world's past and how they impacted its present. It makes me really excited to see what is in store for the future installments of this series. Despite there being such a seemingly vast history, the author did a great job of utilizing it to facilitate this story rather than overwhelming it with endless minutiae, which can sometimes be the case with fantasy books. It can be a difficult balance to strike, but McDonald did it perfectly here and has whetted my appetite for more while delivering a compelling story.

Raine is now one of my new favorite characters. She was just so compelling and complex, and I found her struggles fascinating to read. Her journey illustrated the dangers of suppressing one's emotions and the power that can come from experiencing and processing them instead. She also dealt with needing to overcome her fear and figuring out where she belonged in a world that told her she shouldn't exist. All of the other characters were also three-dimensional with interesting motivations. I liked a lot of them, but Sanvaunt was probably my other favorite. He was mysterious, duty-driven, and aloof, and I swear I fell in love with him when I found out what he was writing in his notebook. It was not what I expected to say the least. lol.

One of my favorite things about fantasy is the ability to explore thought-provoking, relevant social commentary in a relatively non-threatening, and often fun and exciting, way. This book does this so well. It explored the ethics of a society that relies heavily on social dominance for what seem to be very good reasons. I'm curious to see where this discussion goes in future books as the history and roots of the civilization are further explored. There was also a great deal of philosophizing in this book, and it was integrated seamlessly into the story. I loved the discussions on the nature of evil and what it means to be truly free while one lives and participates in society. I was honestly surprised by just how much thought-provoking material was packed into this one book, and I'm still thinking about a lot of it days after finishing it.

Overall, Daughter of Redwinter is an excellent start to a new fantasy series. I can't think of anything critical to say about it, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book. Therefore, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars and declare it my second ever instant favorite!

I enjoyed this series debut. There's a lot of good character and world development, and I look forward to the next book!

In this universe seeing the dead is punishable by death. Raine has been able to see the dead her entire life and she also knows to hide that fact. One day she finds a women dying in the woods and attempts to save her, but shes being hunted by a group of warrior wizards from Redwinter trying to take back what shes stolen. Helping this women changes the entire pace of Raine's life and her seeing the dead can get her killed at any moment.

This is a high 2 almost a 3 because I liked the story but the author made some "universe" choices I felt weren't necessary and potentially harmful to some readers. Our main character is 17 years old and, at the start of the book, she's in an abusive "relationship" with a 30 year old man. The author makes it pretty clear that she was groomed and there is nothing good about the relationship BUT there isn't really a plot reason that she needed to be in this relationship at all. (other than general life trauma) I almost DNFed the book because I'm very uncomfortable reading about grooming and child abuse, no matter what the context. Additionally there are queer characters in the book but the universe is "religious" and "anti queer". I understand fully that both of these things happen in real life but this is fantasy, this author created his own world and could make any choice at all about how the people of this world treat each other in the background. Yet he still chose to highlight trauma instead of creating an escape.

I also have a lot of problem with a clearly incel character in the book. He was constantly described as a "nice guy" and "great guy", "so sweet and harmless". This character literally fictionalized sexual relationships with multiple female characters and spread harmful rumors about their supposed sexual actions. If they publicly turned him down he would say they were having sex with someone "inappropriate" It is also mentioned multiple times that he didn't see some women as people, they were just idealized caricatures. In addition, he would stalk and harass these women. Nothing about his behavior was okay but everyone just excused it in a "boys will be boys" kind of way.

Additionally, there were little things about the writing that I could tell this 17 year old girl was written by a man, someone with not experience as a young girl. Ed just doesn't quite seem to see young girls as fully formed people.

The actual plot of the story was good but not great. The plot of many fantasy stories are good, why should readers waste their time with some much harmful content when they could just read a different story. I recommend this for people who are interested in the plot but aren't bothered by any of the content I've spoken about.

I have no plans to continue this series.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Here be me honest musings . . .

This is me first book by the author and a fun start to a new series.  I wanted to read this book because the main character, Raine, can see the dead and that ability comes with a death sentence should anyone find out.  She also has horrible luck.  I went into this book not really knowing more than that and I actually am glad to have made that choice.

What I can say about the book, is that for a lot of it, I had no idea where it was headed. Raine was a wonderful character to follow and I certainly was cheering for her and trying to figure out the world along with her.  Her life is rough and she really doesn't ever seem to have good choices.  The world building here is rather mysterious (purposefully so) and so there are still questions to be answered.  I really want to know more about the magic system and the warrior monks.

I rather enjoyed both the beginning and the ending especially.  Minor quibbles include the slow pacing of the middle of the book and how some of the obvious facts to me were not obvious to Raine.  Looking forward to the next one.  Arrrrr!

Daughter of Redwinter is an exceptional start to this new series by Ed McDonald. The main character, Raine is easy to get behind. She's intelligent, likable, and observant. Through the book we are privy to her self discovery. She is desperate to learn and gain power so she can have true freedom. She leaves her mother, a scribe with a mouth that consistently gets her in trouble, joins a cult that follows soothsayers, and encounters the Draoihn, magic warriors, who take her in. There is one big hitch in her plan, she can see the dead. If the Draoihn find out, they could put her to death. Those who see the dead are thought to consort with the night and embrace darkness. Ultimately, Raine is confronted with her own interests, her desires, and what she truly wants.

One of the best part of this book is the fact that Raine develops throughout the story. She meets people which changes her outlook, she is introspective and questions her own desires, and she actually grows through her experiences. Along with Raine are a whole cast of interesting and dynamic characters. Each is clearly an individual with their own personalities, faults, and motives. In addition, McDonald creates some truly amazing action scenes. The beginning of the book starts off strong and the end just the same. The story does drag a bit in the middle as the author establishes the world, magic construct, and character connections. There is also a lot of introspection on Raine's part which slows down the plot. Regardless, it is worth the change in pace and really establishes a lot in regards to the world and characters. It helps to set the foundation for the rest of the series.

Overall, I really loved this book and I am eager to read the next in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley, Ed McDonald and the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review Daughter of Redwinter.

A fantasy with a complex magic system and interesting plot. I liked the story and the world building but I wasn’t able to connect with the protagonist, there was something lacking in her character. I’m glad I followed through and finished the book the ending pulled the story together and made up for the meandering pace.

ARC was provided by Macmillan-Tor/Forge via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"What a thing it would be, I thought, to just be alone. To step back from everyone and everything and simply live."

I finished this bloody little number right before I got my rear handed to me by covid in June. I can still recall the enjoyment I had getting to know McDonald's writing style and plot building.

Daughter of Redwinter is the first book in the Redwinter Chronicles. Its a novel that takes it's time building the backstory of the characters, world and plot giving readers the setup needed to prepare for the rest of the series. I was impressed with the way McDonald manages to keep the narrative flowing without bogging things down with too much over-telling. Though I admittedly would've liked to see more action through the middle of the book. I'm a sucker for it.

The characters have a unique depth with intricately woven histories. Raine is the MC who is molded by the abusive mother she left and cult-like group she ended up with. In what seems like a luck of fate, her opportunity to start new and leave the abuse behind arises. But not all opportunities are golden and the fact she can see and speak to the dead can still get her killed.

I loved her almost naive persona that is chiseled away to reveal an inner badass. Her character growth was very well done in my opinion. Even though this is epic fantasy, she lends a coming of age feel to things in her development. I gotta admit that I spent more time focused on her than the other characters. There are a multitude, but she's also fascinating as hell.

The magic aspects tie deeply to the world building and the sinister foreshadowing of a demon filled realm trying to break through. This is absolutely my favorite part and I am praying the next book is just slammed with this. If I asked for anything else I'd ask for more horror to reach the level of dark fantasy I'm used too. Yes, I like my darkness dark, I can't help it.

All things considered, I cannot freaking wait for the next book. I already have my eyes out for the Raven's Mark trilogy while I try to patiently wait for more Raine to fall my way. 😉 Dark/epic fantasy lovers, don't hesitate on this one.

Huge thank you to Tor Books for the gifted copy (huge cover art fan). All thoughts are my own. True rating 4.5/5.

Finished Ed McDonald's "Daughter of Redwinter" book over the weekend. I think I'd call it a fantasy mystery novel.

The story follows Raine, a young woman who we meet having a crappy day. Her group is pinned down by folks wanting to kill them and she is carrying a dying woman away from armored warriors. So that's great. We follow her exploits to the hold of warriors learning to use the Gates to effect different facets of existence and the drama that comes from people. We start to piece together a chain of events as she uncovers a secret that messes with society at a fundamental level.

Reasons to read:
-When the protagonist does something morally grey there is a plot reason for it
-People trust their friends when they say "trust me and don't ask"
-Series has a lot of room to go fun directions
-People aren't instantly insanely good fighters
-Characters are shamed for their deserved bs
-The cringe at some characters actions

Cons:
-Society is a bit prejudice about something folks really don't have a choice in, like a quick conversation could probably clear that up

Daughter of Redwinter is a complex high fantasy that follows Raine, who can speak to dead people. Her power is fluctuating and dangerous, having never been trained in how to use it properly. Raine finds herself guided by a mysterious spirit, who aids her in concealing her power. To survive, Raine must trust in the dangerous company of warriors from Redwinter. Allies and enemies wear similar faces and she must choose whose side she will be on.

I enjoyed Daughter of Redwinter, though it took me some time to feel fully invested in the story. Raine initially starts out in a toxic relationship that was painful to watch. As Raine learns more about her own magic, an intricate system of magic is revealed. This was one of my favorite aspects of the worldbuilding. The middle did get a bit murky and meandering, but the writing was very atmospheric. In future books, I’m looking forward to seeing Raine form alliances and come into a better understanding of her power. Daughter of Redwinter is available now. Thank you to Ed McDonald, Tor Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Raven's Mark series is one of my all time favorites. I was so excited to see a new series by Ed McDonald. He is definitely an auto-buy author for me.

Raine is cursed. She can see the dead. She must tell no one or she will be killed for it. So she just goes meekly along, doing what she's told.
Now her home is under siege. She must find a way out to save everyone. She needs to be brave.

She goes out to look for a way to safety, and instead finds a girl running for her life. Saving her might come to be the worst decision she's ever made.

This book is fantastic! I loved following Raine's journey to find out who she wants to be. I actually loved all of the characters. I questioned all of their loyalty and motives at one point or another and didn't know who to trust until the end.

I sadly ended up not finishing this book. It's always a bummer when a book you were excited about doesn't work out, but it happens.

I didn't get too far into this one. Right from the beginning, I was not hooked. There was so much going on in that first chapter and almost nothing was really explained. Which is fine in most cases, but was really jarring and not really intriguing in this case.

I also was not a fan of the main character's relationship. She tells us that she's seventeen now, but she met her partner when she was thirteen...and he was twice her age. I know that fiction novels aren't here to teach you morals and ethics or whatever, but this still felt icky and unnecessary.

This was a pleasantly surprising read for me. I went into Daughter of Redwinter expected the magic to be mostly necromancy based and for the plot to follow Raine as she learned said magic, and while my assumption wasn't really on the spot, I found myself enjoying the story all the more for it. In this world we follow Raine, a seventeen year old girl who within the first dozen pages of the book experiences a great tragedy and is whisked away to Redwinter by the sorcerer-knight Ulovar in order to train in the strange magic of controlling the gates of the world. Unknown to Ulovar though, Raine possesses another ability, one she must hide from the world or else it would mean her death- she can see ghosts.
I'll start with what I liked, the magic here is really interesting and I found it pretty easy to follow. There are six gates, each with a unique power that they offer to those they could open and the last one is taboo, naturally it is the one of death. I also really liked Raine as a main character, she learns fairly quickly and adapts to her situations. I also enjoyed the fact that the MC we are following appears to be bisexual and the relationship that develops between her and the female love interest was very sweet. I won't comment on the world too much since this is only the first book in a series, but the build up we have for now left me looking forward to what we might learn in further installments.
The only issue I really had with this book was the pacing. For the first hundred or so pages it was fairly slow and because of the state of mind that Raine was in, a lot of the events were very vauge and kind of boring to read about. Fortunately the story does pick up quite a bit once they reach Redwinter, but up until then it was pretty hard for me to pick this book up because it felt like the story was dragging a bit. Aside from that I really enjoyed the story and am grateful for the ARC sent to me by the publisher, I look forward to reading book 2.

This book was good. Raine is one of those protagonists that is more human than most. Pulled into bigger schemes than expected, she does what most of us would do, break down. But with help, she sees what her part in stopping a nefarious plot, even if her allies might not have all her best interests in mind. Read this if you want a slow build of a plot with grey characters with a dash of magic.

When I discovered the synopsis and saw the reference to ghosts, I was eager to discover the story. It had been a while since I had read a fantasy novel and I gladly jumped in.

Raine knows she shouldn’t get involved in other people’s problems, but when she meets a woman who is hurt, she can’t give up on her, even though she learns that the woman is being pursued by men who want her back at any cost. A big mistake. Because of course, these men manage to find them.

When she is offered a new life, Raine embarks on this adventure to save her skin, but the situation will be far from restful and she will have to face a world she does not know.

I had a good time with this novel, Raine was a very intriguing and complex character. Her life hasn’t been easy so far and it’s not going to get any easier. I really liked the characters and was curious to find out what would happen.

The plot and pace meanders after a sharp introductory sequence as we follow our purposefully-subdued-and-therefore-uninteresting main character Raine. The middle portion was muddled as the explanatory world-building has to catch up to weave together the multiple character motivations along with a random love triangle. Once the wheels were on track again with our understanding of the world and characters more clear, the final third ramps up and is satisfactory enough that might justify to some how slow it felt to get there.

The magic teeters between hard and soft, with clear division of different skill levels, but enough grey area to add perceived depth and surprise for what to expect.