A girl who can see and speak to the dead, a war, deadly secrets, and a cult. With no one to trust and so many plots happening, Raine will have to navigate unknown terrain, relationships, and deciding who she can truly trust. One day when Raine rescues a woman fleeing from Redwinter, a fortress-monastery of the Draoihn, a warrior magician group who answer to no king and will stop at nothing to reclaim what this fleeing woman has stolen. Raine rescues her and takes her back to her to be healed, Raine is in an abusive and toxic relationship with the leader of her group who hits her and treats her like a child. When the Draoihn come seeking to reclaim the woman and what she stole Raine’s people are suddenly fighting against them, but admist the battle something terrible is unleashed and Raine’s entire group is slain except for her. Now she is taken back to enter the citadel and live with the Draoihn. There she discovers that her secret abilities could save an entire nation... except her powers would get her killed here if anyone finds out and she must also navigate difficult power dynamics within the monastery, especially between a childish future ruler and his quiet warrior cousin who seems to want to keep his distance from her. The story had an interesting start but started to lag in the middle but picked up in the end again. The tone is quite dreary and while I was interested in the magic system and what was occurring with the ghost and the dead spirits, I had to constantly remind myself not to be annoyed with people and their decisions, particularly Raine, when she is in fact only a 17 year old girl still trying to find her place, trying to find people who will love and care for her, while juggling a dark secret. Overall, definitely an interesting start to the series and I will be looking forward to how the next book develops and how the characters grow.

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Raine is our teenage protagonist in this epic start to a new fantasy series. She is a young female with a dark secret. She is part of a cult that’s held up in a monastery as they await attack from forces trying to arrest their leaders. When trying to escape the group Raine comes across a young woman injured and fleeing from the Draiohn of Redwinter. Raine helps her and in the process gets mixed up with these warriors and our story goes from there.

I really enjoyed this story. I found Raine to be a great protagonist. Often with teenage protagonists I find them hit and miss, but Raine was a character I quickly got interested and invested in. She possesses a power that allows her to see the ghosts of the dead and sometimes interact with them; a power hated and forbidden in the society of the story. The journey Raine goes through is full of action, pain and emotion and I loved following her as she learns where she wants to make her stand in the world. The story really is a coming of age tale that deals with healing after trauma and finding your place. Raine is a great example of a strong female lead, something I always love to see in a fantasy book.

The world building is done slowly and purposefully. The setting is really interesting and seems to me to be quite Celtic-inspired. The world of the story is split into the realm we all live in and another realm that’s inhabited by demons and ghostly beings. I won’t go into too much detail as it’s best to discover it for yourself. There is heaps of potential for the lore of this world to take so many different directions.

The author feeds the reader just enough information to grab your attention and never too much all at once. I never felt like I was getting ‘info-dumped’ and I loved how we discovered things slowly and naturally, along with the characters and the story. There was just the right balance between exposition and story-telling; something that’s tricky to do in fantasy when there are so many things to explain..

The story has a lot of the feel of a mystery tale as well, much more than a classical fantasy story. It has so many twists and turns. Whenever I thought I had figured out what was going to happen I was taken by surprise.

The only improvements I have were that at times the pace was a bit up and down and things sometimes felt disjointed.

This was my first book by this author, but it definitely won’t be my last. I would recommend this book to any fantasy reader.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the review copy.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Macmillan- Tor/Forge for an advanced copy of this fantasy adventure novel.

First books in a fantasy series can be hard books to write, and sometimes hard to read. A writer has to paint a new world, one that might be familiar with sword and magic, but one that is unique to the writer. The book has to explain the good, the bad, the gods, the magic if any, the land and politics sometimes, even food and clothing. How to explain all this and not bore the reader with so much dull information. Few writers can just drop a reader into the story and let everything unfold slowly with mysteries and plenty moments of awe to keep a person reading. Ed McDonald is one of those authors who can do this difficult feat and Daughter of Redwinter goes from the first page to the last never bogging down, and clearly explaining everything a reader needs, with a nice little mystery to boot.

We first met our main character Raine as she is seeking back way out of siege that she has found herself in, due to the stubborn pride of their leader who she is currently in a relationship with. Neither the siege, nor the relationship is very good for her. Raine comes across a woman, wounded in the snow, and tries to aid her against her pursuers. Raine is helped by a woman with feathers that only she can see, helping Raine and the wounded girl escape. Things go wrong and Raine is scarred both on her face and her mind, but unlocking gifts she had no idea she had. This leads her to Redwinter, home of the Draoihn warrior magicians who work to master the gates of the mind and reality, who Raine hopes will train her. However Raine has another secret, she can see the dead, a crime that has only one penalty, death.

The book tells quite a bit for only one novel. Honestly the first third of the book would be a trilogy for other writers. There is quite a lot of thought and ideas here, but they never get in the way of the story. Nothing drags, and the narrative explains as it goes, but in a very easy style that does not overwhelm. Raine is a fascinating character, one who has been damaged and abused by almost everyone she has interacted with, and she changes and it makes sense why and how she changes throughout the story. The characters are all unique and different, and very inclusive, and not in a hey look at me way, but in everything works in the story kind of way. The world is a world I want to know more about, as is the magic of the gates and the power that Redwinter has. I would like to know more about this world.

A very good debut of a series that I think a lot of people will be talking about. The story is really good, and interesting and never sags or bogs down. This is the first thing I have read by Ed McDonald, but I plan to be reading a lot more. For fans of well thought out, well- written fantasy adventures.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this e-galley to review.

Raine is trying to find a way for her and her group to escape from a besieged fortress when she discovers an injured woman. Attempting to help the injured woman backfires and leads to the death of the rest of her group. Afterwards, she is taken to Redwinter, the center for a group of quasi-religious magic users called the Draiohn. In Redwinter, she discovers a threat to the clan that has taken her in. Underlying all this, Raine has a forbidden power and if it is discovered she can see the dead, the very people she is trying to help will put her to death.

Now for the review. First of all, I would like to start with the content warning that Raine begins the story in an abusive relationship and references to the abuse are found throughout the book. Raine has an unfortunate background (beyond just the abuse I mentioned), and generally lacks agency due to a combination of status (younger/weaker/lower class than those around her) and mental illness (trauma/depression to the point one of the other characters mentally cauterizes her emotions to prevent her from committing suicide, which then leads to a lack of empathy for others). Several other reviewers have mentioned that it is difficult to sympathize with Raine and her choices, but I think that was deliberate on the part of the author due to the aforementioned trauma. The ending of the book should mean that future installments will be better in that sense as it is shows that Raine has some emotional healing. However, part of it is also that Raine is 17, and while the author takes pains to tell us that adulthood is 15 in this world, the bulk of the characters are in their late teens/early twenties with the mentality that accompanies that, not the more mature mindset that you would expect from a group of theoretical adults.

The world building was sometimes confusing. I am giving the benefit of doubt here and going to assume that the reader’s confusion over the magic system is done deliberately to reflect the fact that the main character also does not understand it, but given that magic is a major driving point in the story, it made it sometimes difficult to follow what was happening.

Overall, the book was fairly easy to read and I finished it over the course of two days. It was a rather grim book in tone, but there were interesting side characters that I enjoyed, I understood why Raine was meant to be difficult to empathize with, and the latter part of the book leads me to think that future installments will address a lot of these issues. If you enjoy darker fantasy fiction series, this may be one that you will enjoy, particularly as the series continues and the characters and world develop further.

A Hero's Journey
A young woman with a deadly secret talent and a valuable ability must hide the former while exploring the later. Secret societies and political intrigue vie with a coming of age story set in a high fantasy

TL;DR: I loved this book.

I really enjoyed Ed McDonald's first series, The Raven's Mark (Blackwing, Ravencry, Crowfall), and so I was excited to see that he had a new book coming out. I don't normally get involved with advanced copies - I have enough books to work through, and don't like the pressure of having to read to a schedule, but I couldn't resist giving this a go as soon as possible.

This has a very different feel to The Raven's Mark, primarily because the protagonist is very different. McDonald gives us a young female lead for this tale, and I think it really pays off. Some of my favourite fantasy tales have female main characters - I'm thinking of Mark Lawrence's The Book of the Ancestor and Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn. In fact, the vibe (though not the writing style) of this book is pretty similar to Lawrence's The Book of the Ancestor - a young, female protagonist who feels out of place in the situation they are in.

The book follows a familiar pattern for opening books in fantasy series - we get a spate of action early in the book, then relax into a period of gentle character-building, before building to another crescendo of action towards the end of the book. I know some aren't keen on the quieter sections, but I love the work that goes into both the character- and world-building in this book, and found it enriching.

Daughter of Redwinter has a relatively small cast of characters, most of whom are roughly of an age with the main character; young adults finding their way in life. There is a fairly even split of male and female characters developed in the story, and I found them wonderfully written.

The magic system is intriguing, but not developed too much in this story; I assume that more will come in later books in the series. What was presented was pretty simple to follow, and worked well to support the story, rather than be the main point of it.

Look, overall, I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to all fantasy readers.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the arc.

There was nothing incredibly bad about Daughter of the Redwinter, but there was also nothing incredibly great about it either.

The plot itself is what kept me going as I was interested to see how things would unfold.

I have nothing to say about Raine. She left virtually no impact on me, the reader, aside from mild annoyance.

This was a very average novel.

2.8/5, rounded up.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read an early copy.

This is the first Ed Mcdonald book I read and it did not disappoint my expectations!
I absolutely loved the Celtic-inspired worldbuiling as well as the really intriguing magical system. I had some initial difficulties in totally immersing myself in the story but after the first few chapters this classic fantasy with dark elements won me over!.

Raine is an interesting character, with whom it is not easy to empathize. I still have doubts but in general I liked her characterization and development throughout the story.

Definitely a promising start for this new Mcdonald's trilogy!

(By the way, the cover is spectacular!)

This was a nice fantasy book. I'm sure it will appeal to a lot of readers since it has an interesting enough plot and the author blends some mystery together with the typical fantasy elements. Some of the secondary characters (two in particular) are very interesting and the second half of the book is a real page-turner. Also, despite this being the first book in a series, it can be easily read as a stand-alone.
To be honest I also had some issues with it that prevented me from enjoying it even more. The beginning felt really rushed for me. We begin in the midst of the action and not enough background is presented to the reader. This resulted in a disconnection to the protagonists actions and feelings in the following chapters.
Speaking of the protagonist (Raine), she is a 17 year old girl, and given her age you can justify some immaturity in her actions, but there were moments when I was in disbelief of how easily she was manipulated. In general I couldn't connect or sympathize with her and in the end I can't say I really cared what happened to her.
This book reminded me the way I felt about Brian Staveley's trilogy Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne. I'm pretty sure everyone who read the above trilogy and enjoyed it, will enjoy this too and vice versa.

Big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read an early copy, but unfortunately, I'm going to have to DNF a quarter way into this book.
(keeping the star rating neutral at 3 stars as I have to add one.)

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I thought I'd love this the way I love the Raven's Mark trilogy, but I just can't force myself to read something I'm not enjoying. Please note, this isn't a bad book and I encourage others to give it ago. At this moment in time, this just really didn't click with me personally, but I think I might get on better with the audiobook for this one in future. I can definitely see me trying the audio once the book is released, and I'll probably like it a lot better. But for now, I'm putting this on hold.

Characters
Raine was a difficult character to like. She's a total nihilist, and though she doesn't start out this way, things happen to her earlier on that bring about this new found nihilism. And when she starts waxing philosophical about how nothing matters and everything is inconsequential for pages on end, the narrative can start to feel a little dull, if not utterly bleak. I understand that her trauma made her numb but I just didn't find her constant cynicism very interesting. It sapped her of any personality.

I found Ulovar and Ovitus to be interesting characters and I look for to seeing more of them in future when I retry this book.

I took a pretty immediate dislike to Braithe. You don't get to slap around your woman and then apologise like that's enough and expect things to be okay. You don't slap your woman, full stop. Scum bag. And it just annoyed me when Raine made excuses for him, blaming herself. Classic abusive relationship. I know that was the point, but still annoyed me.

Plot
I struggled a great deal with the opening chapters.
It seemed to me like the focus was on the wrong point of interest. As the reader, we learn very early that Raine can see ghosts, and yet we don't see a ghost until the end of chapter one. I'd say that, by far, the most interesting thing about Raine is the fact that she can see ghosts, but she ends up in a chase scene rescuing a dying stranger and there's not all that much context as to why it's important or what's actually going on. I mean, it's an interesting enough scene, but not as interesting as the ghosts things, so I'm not sure why the author didn't lead with that.

In all honesty, there wasn't a lot in the beginning that intrigued me enough to keep reading other than Braithe being a dick, and I felt like was only reading to see if Raine would finally deck him. Cause Braithe definitely deserved a decking. See how he bloody likes it.

Things started to pick up alot in chapters 5 and 6 and I was beginning to get into it. But then the journey to Redwinter began and several chapters later, they're still travelling, all interest I had died. I don't find travelling sequences interesting at the best of times (unless something fun or exciting is happening), so with a book I was already struggling with, it was pretty much the nail in the coffin.

I'm quite gutted with myself that I couldn't stick it out at least until reaching Redwinter, but this story just really isn't gelling with me right now.

Setting
Loved how Celtic inspired this world was, I've always thought there needed to be more Celtic inspired fantasy and I'm finally getting my wish. It's just a shame that I won't get to experience this world further.
The magic system was interesting and the fact that certain people within this world can see ghosts. I look forward to exploring that further in the future.

Writing Style
This is a weird one for me because I almost instantly connected with the Raven's Mark trilogy. The writing flowed very smoothly and was easy to read. I'd raced through those books. This new book is a different matter. The writing feels very different and unfortunately, I struggled with it at times. Though I did eventually adjust, I still found it a little awkward. It wasn't smooth and I often found myself losing focus and reading the same parts over and over. It didn't quite have the same flow as the Raven's Mark did and there was a sort of choppiness to it. There was just something about this style that never quite clicked with my brain no matter how hard I tried.

Final Impression
Judging by all the amazing ratings this book is getting (which I'm pleased about cause I do think Ed Mcdonald is a writer worthy of the praise), I think this is probably a case of not the book being the problem, but me. I'm definitely interested in trying the audiobook when it's available. I think I'll have a much better time with it in that format.

This was my first Ed McDonald novel, it will not be my last. A well written fantasy with strong characters. The premise that those who have come close to death can see the spirits of the dead, this is feared by rulers and is a sentence of death, but if kept secret can it and will it aid our heroine?

Another Amazing Mcdonald Smash!

Intriguing story that left me breathless in its description and detail.

Incredible characters

Read now!

This cover is STUNNING: great work by the Tor Team on drawing me in instantly with the brilliant colors and lovely design. I liked that this book drops you right into the action: a mysterious. bleeding woman, a besieged castle, and a protagonist who can see and hear ghosts. It takes a few chapters to really find its footing, but once it does it rolls along at a good pace (save for a few chapters in the middle).

My issues were entirely character based: I wasn't really a fan of anyone. Try as she might, Raine did not escape the girlbossification and over-powering that I often roll my eyes at when I encounter men trying their hand at female protagonists. I liked Esher and Sanvaunt, but was unsettled and irritated by Ovitus. I liked the story, but its hard for me to care about what's going on when I don't feel invested in any of the people at the heart of the narrative. Raine's magic IS very cool through, and the thought that went into the magic system was one of the better aspects of the story.

I honestly could not get into this book. It's disjointed and I was thrown out of the story by the character's actions multiple times.

The first lines of this book are what convinced me to read it. Absolutely amazing and something I will need to reread.

Ed McDonald was one of my favorite fantasy writers. The Raven's Mark trilogy is one of my favorite recent fantasy trilogies and I eagerly anticipated his next book. Daughter of Redwinter did not let me down. It's safe to say that this book will be one of my favorite books this year and establishes Ed McDonald one of the biggest newish names in the Fantasy writing game.

This story is my favorite type of story: A ghost story. Raine, our protagonist, is a young woman who finds herself trapped in more than one way. She's trapped in a besieged monastery, with an angry young man, and is also trapped by the mysterious gift she has to see the dead. One day while trying to find a way out of the monastery she encounters a mysterious woman who is being chased by two men with powers that Raine can't understand. In rescueing the woman, Raine embarks on a mission that will take her to places she couldn't have imagined and will hel pher better under her role in the universe.

Ed McDonald is the fantasy genre's John Connolly. He writes books that are both faithful to genre trappings but also are imbued with a sense of the ghostly and other-worldy. As the self-described "World's biggest fan of John Connolly" this is the highest of praises I can give. In all of Mr. McDonald's books, one of the biggest draws has been how he can make the eerie and strange fit so snuggly beside the mundane. In the fantasy genre this is no small feat.

In my opinion, there isn't a better worldbuilder in epic fantasy today than Mr. McDonald and this book firmly places him as a force to be reckoned with in the genre. The world of this book is one that I want to explore more and I eagerly await Mr. McDonald's next foray into it.

Ultimately, if you like well written fantasy with strong female leads - read this book. It's one of the best fantasy books I've read in a while and I think you'll feel the same way.

The very first thing that I noticed about DAUGHTER OF REDWINTER is that the feel of it is slightly different from the dark and ominous Raven's Mark books. That's not to say that this book doesn't have its dark moments. Any story where the main character can commune with the dead is not exactly going to be a chuckle fest. But it definitely had a different mood to it as I read it and it felt more like a traditional fantasy with some darkly sinister elements. Honestly, I loved the change of pace and it just made me admire McDonald even more as a writer because it showed me that he's not just a one trick pony.

The worldbuilding in particular really stood out to me, but Ed McDonald has always been one of the best at creating some awe-inspiring settings. This one blew me away though as he brings us a world where a veil separates the "real world" from a hidden realm that is populated by foul demons and mysterious evil beings called The Faded. The Faded really captured my imagination and made me fly through each chapter wanting to know more about them and their history. As this world is laid out there are hints that at certain intervals in the history of the realm this veil has been tested and possibly breached by the vile occupants on the other side. Could this be happening again, and if so, will it finally prove successful?

I'd also like to touch on the main character Raine. Following her journey was truly a rollercoaster ride. To say that she has had her tests throughout her young life would be an understatement. And the fact that she is so young makes it all the more intense as we get to experience her making both good and also very questionable decisions. She possesses a power to see and speak with the dead that she still doesn't full understand and is coming to grips with. Can it be an asset in the potential troubles to come? Can she master it fully or will it remain a wild magical gift that she can't ever completely get under control? And it is obvious that there are others who would like to use (or possibly abuse) the fact that she can do this. So there's also the uncertainty of not knowing who exactly is on her side or who wants to manipulate her for their own purposes.

In the end I was left breathless with where this story ended up and pretty upset that I didn't immediately have the next book in my hands to continue. McDonald has outdone himself with this suspenseful and captivating new book. This bodes extremely well for this series and if future entries are even half as good as this one, I'll be adding The Redwinter Chronicles to my reading ring of honor.

If you like fantasy stories that take you to wondrous places that are also brimming with ghostly beings, this is your book. If you like fantasy stories with characters who are immensely compelling and not perfect, this is your book. If you like fantasy stories that ooze with danger and peril around every corner, this is your book. And finally, if you like fantasy stories that are so expertly written that you can see and feel the action playing out in your head so vividly that you believe it's all totally real, then THIS IS YOUR BOOK! Another smash hit of a fantasy adventure from Ed McDonald.

Long awaited new series by an author that is one of my favorite after his amazing trilogy!! This book seem like we're going on another wild ride again. Great in every possible aspect! If you are a fantasy reader, there is no doubt that you should read it!

★ ★ ★ ★ ✰ 4.5

🌶️1/5

Let me preface by saying I was given a chance to read this book for free for an honest review. I was hooked by the synopsis of the classic “girl must save world with magic powers” trope, but let me tell you, there was nothing cliché about this book. What you would expect to happen, does not.

★ ★ ★ ★ ✰ Plot: The plot starts out by throwing you right into action and sucking you right in with a developed storyline. The beginning of the book was well-paced and so fascinating, but the further in you get, the pace starts to slow. The middle is a slow burn for what I later realized is meant for information gathering, and it ends with another well-paced and twisty turny ending that left me begging for the next book. I did remove a star because the middle still was a good amount too slow for me personally, but it was great for character building and again, information gathering.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Worldbuilding: The world building in this book was well thought out, unique and interesting. Worldbuilding to me is always the most important aspect, and this book nailed it. I was mildy confused at certain points because of information dumps and complexity, but when I got to the end of the book, I realized there was the Holy Grail, a dictionary! So, while I do recommend reading this book in paper format instead of kindle so you can reference the dictionary, the worldbuilding is amazing. I do believe it is missing a map though, which is disappointing, but also did not affect my reading in any way.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Characters: As I said previously, there was a slow burn in the middle, but what that did help with was character building. Even without this and right from the beginning, the characters are well written, and you get immediately attached to them and their relationships. The characters have growth, they devolve, there are twists, and by the end you cannot wait for the next book to see how the relationships flesh out, and who they become.

Final Verdict: This book is full of well written complex characters and relationships, with a developed world filled with magic and danger. You will not regret reading it, and you will yearn for the next one so you can find out what happens next.

I was really drawn into requesting this one because of the cover. I see beauty and I want! This is the start to a new fantasy series by an author I hadn’t read before so I won’t be able to compare this to his previous work. I thought it was decent for what it was but didn’t fully mesh with the main character or the pacing of the story.

The book is told from the point-of-view of Raine. I thought she was a pretty interesting character for the most part but didn’t understand her actions, especially in the beginning of the book. One minute it seems that she has some form of a relationship with another character and next she is telling someone else that he is going to get them all killed. It was also a pretty quick jump. There was also another time where something tragic happened and she just shrugged it off like it was no big deal when discussing it with someone.

I wouldn’t say that I ever connected fully with any of the characters and it may have to do with the pacing. Right from the beginning of the book there is a lot of action but it was also confusing as I didn’t understand the motives of any or really any of the relational dynamics. It led me to be more confused than anything. Even though the second half was better it’s hard for me to form a better connection when I have already felt disconnected.

Overall, this was good but it was hard to get fully invested. The issues I mentioned may not be an issue for other readers and so if you have read his previous works or find this one to sound interesting, I’d still give it a chance.