4/5 stars! This was a cool take on the historical fiction genre. This felt like a mix between The DaVinci Code and The Mummy and I enjoyed it a lot. The pacing was strong and I was swept away by the book. I finished it in two sittings and wanted more.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

I feel that I need to say this. This was such a good book. The writing was totally amazing. Oh my gosh! I was hooked and I was delighted. No one was more surprised than myself. That goes to show, you should never judge a book by its cover. I love the action. The dry humor was on time. The plot twist was out of this world, I gotcha kinda of a thing. The characters are kind of crazy, but that makes them likable, well except the villains. Whiteface is a trip. The only thing I can say is run. Poor Eden has handle so many things, while at the same time protect his younger brother. Together the brothers dominate the book by working together to save the world. The book is very is detailed. The writer did a phenomenal job with explaining the suspense and or plot to the reader. The story moves at a medium pace without boring the reader. I enjoyed the book immensely.

At the beginning of the novel, the existence of two powerful factions is outlined. One is dedicated to the search for artefacts with powerful religious significance and to withdrawing them, so to speak, from the market, so that humanity does not split into potentially increasingly dangerous sects. The other, on the other hand, seeks to liberate these artefacts around the world, because it does not accept that anyone should deprive mankind of free will in religious matters. A very promising beginning as you can see, only for the author, perhaps in order not to make his plot too predictable, to muddy the waters more and more, to the point that at a certain point he can no longer see even himself. And the narrative becomes more and more involuted and unbelievable (even a fantasy has to be plausible, believe it or not), and all cause-effect relationships are blown, especially since the motivations of the characters are really weak. It's a pity, because the novel is well written and I tried to the last to find something salvageable.

Secret societies, lost artifacts, snappy action... this book had it all in just under 300 pages. If you're looking for a quick sci-fantasy this is it.
I had a lot of fun and plan on continuing the series.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

A unique storyline with many twists and turns throughout. Partial thriller, partial horror; unlike any story I have ever read. Just when you start to feel like you know the characters another twist occurs and they seem like new characters as you see their personalities evolve. There are times when the storyline gets lost as if the author was trying to cram too many details into the chapter at one time.

True Winter is one of the best books I have read to date! I'm not sure what genre I'd catergorize it in - it's a mixture of many. It is a thrilling, creative fantasy with historical fiction incorporation, along with an occult theme and a bit of psychological drama - needless to say, it is very unique and captivating!

The action starts from the prologue, where we are introduced to the story of the Chains of Peter. That is the first of many powerful ancient artifacts in this book, all being very dangerous if they end up in the wrong hands. Following the prologue, we meet Eden, a judge of the House of David, but best known as the Grim Reaper. Eden is in Mobile, Alabama, in search of the Chains of Peter. Instead, he finds his half-brother, Orion. Orion is the opposite of Peter in almost every way, except for the fact that he is not bothered when he witnesses Eden slaughter many men with his bear hands (and his scythe, True Winter). The House of David's purpose is to keep all religious ancient artifacts out of the hands of the evil cult, Seditio, and ultimately take down the cult. Welding Series Four weapons (True Winter, Sweet Fall, Dark Summer, and Indigo Spring), and having the protection of artifacts such as the Finger of God, which prevents one from dying and promotes rapid healing, the House of David judges and acolytes set out to find most dangerous members of Seditio- Whiteface and Mary. Along the way, they face several unexpected challenges and twists, many being from within their own house (of David).

True Winter is a fast-paced read, with a strong, intense plot and wonderful world-building. This is my first Q.K Petty read, and he has such a way of writing, one that will suck you in completely. The characters and storyline were solid throughout, and I appreciated the levels of intensity throughout the book. There are several dark and disturbing parts, but also many action-packed areas as well as more tender moments (Eden's self-discovery journey, Orion's loss, etc). I did guess who the leader of Seditio was fairly early on in the read, however it didn't ruin the book for me. Instead, it had me looking forward to the next book in this series even more because boy, is this character twisted! 5 stars, hands down!

Thank you NetGalley and Q.K Petty for this outstanding read!

Oh, what a fun ride it was. It was way darker and more disturbing than I thought it would be.
But it had so interesting plot. I loved the characters and it had really good character development.
It was one of those books where it sucked me in and hold my breath because I had no idea where the story is going.

I don't want to say anything else. It's a short book. 299pages. But it was very well done.

This was such a wild ride!! I got hooked from page one, to be honest, and got transported to a different world.
The writer did a wonderful job of telling this story, the characters were so well developed, the secret societies and holy relic hunters were just spot on. But mostly, he did a fantastic job writing about family, faith, and what grief can do to you.
The plot was very fast paced, intense and, at times, dark and very disturbing (which in the end you totally get it).
I loved it, and I absolutely will continue this series!

True Winter is by far one of the best books I’ve ever read. It’s thrilling and gripping and the twists are fantastic . I gave this book 4 stars because I figured out the books twist way before they actually announced it and the way the book ended wasn’t the best. I’m hoping the next in the series is just as good if not better than the first .

I love it when I find a book that sucks me in and the world around me disappears. This book was amazing, from start to finish. Eden belongs to the House of David, an organization that searches for ancient artifacts with mystical powers. When he is sent on a mission to recover the lost Chains of Peter, he discovers his half-brother Orion. He soon recruits Orion to the cause...
There are definitely some dark areas of this book which I kind of anticipated based on the cover and description. Fresh find for sure!

True Winter is book one in A Series of Four Seasons by Q.K. Petty.

What made me request this ARC was the premise: a secret organization (The House of David) that travels the world to collect powerful artifacts in order to protect us all from the people that would abuse them.

The story centers around the House of David, a covert organization dedicated to collecting powerful artifacts and sequestering them to protect humanity. Eden, a member of the House of David, sets on a mission to recover the lost Chains of Peter, only to discover his half-brother Orion along the way.

Orion is swiftly recruited into the cause, and together they battle against Seditio, a sinister group racing to find the artifacts first. Eden begins to question his loyalty to the House of David and what their mission is really about as they go further on their quest. He also grapples with whether he made the right choice in involving his brother.

What I Loved
The fast-paced nature of the plot kept me engaged. Petty’s writing style is gripping, drawing readers in with intense action sequences and complex interactions between friends, enemies, and family members. The villains are menacing, and the narrative doesn’t shy away from dark and disturbing moments, which raises the stakes of the tale. One of the standout elements of “True Winter” is the theme of found family among broken individuals.

What Didn’t Resonate with Me
While the story itself is compelling, I found the pacing challenging at times due to the lengthy chapters. The book occasionally felt like a slow read, which made it harder to get through in one sitting. However, these pacing issues were offset by the overall intensity and intrigue of the narrative.

Themes
The concept of a secret organization working to protect humanity from powerful artifacts introduces a fresh take on religious politics, artifacts, organizations, and cults within an urban fantasy setting.

The theme of found family is particularly poignant, showcasing the bonds that form between broken individuals as they face together a dangerous and uncertain world.

Additionally, Eden’s internal struggle with loyalty and the true motives of the House of David adds depth to his character and the story as a whole.

Conclusion
Overall, “True Winter” is a captivating read. Petty’s fresh take on religious politics, artifacts, organizations, and cults within an urban fantasy setting is refreshing and engaging. I recommend this book to anyone looking for an entertaining and thought-provoking read that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

Thank You NetGalley, Victory Editing, and Q.K. Petty, This book was available as a previously on NetGalley-read now and it sounded so good and Indigo Spring was due out soon. I requested the book and I am so glad I did. I was sucked in from the very start and would have read in one sitting if I could have. This is a darker fantasy about religious houses searching for items that are too dangerous for just anyone to have access to. The book started so good, I felt the Audio had to make it a lot better. I must admit the Audio is not my favorite but the story and plot was so good, I could look past that and happy to contribute to this author as the writing is superb and I am excited to read the next book as of course we leave on a cliffhanger. Now available on KU.

True Winter is book one in A Series of Four Seasons by Q.K. Petty.
This story was evenly-paced, well-crafted, and kept me invested and engaged throughout.
Through a twisted plot line and brilliant characterizations, this story keeps readers guessing until the end.

Thank You NetGalley and Victory Editing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I did not know what to except with this book. and I'm stoked to start reading the next. The writer did a wonderful job of telling this story. I’m not usually a fantasy reader, but the excellent way in which this story was told

I love the premise … a secret organization (The House of David) that travels the world to collect powerful artifacts in order to sequester them away in some “warehouse” in order to protect us all from the people that would abuse them (yes … I know it has been done before but I still love the concept). The twist here is that there is a counter organization that works toward free access to these same artifacts despite the danger (aka caveat emptor). The House is organized with an absolute head of house that priorities and assigns tasks and goals for the org. Four (4) Tennins armed with weapons of Archangels. Twelve (12) Judges imbued with splinters of the cross (aka Fingers of God) that grants them superhuman abilities … with each Judge training an Acolyte. And various support elements such as clean up crews in the background. Seditio, the opposing organization, is more nebulous and apparently run by a mysterious Mary with a psycho-terrorist second known as Whiteface.

The book opens with a mission to retrieve the “Chains of Peter” in Mobile AL; after which we see a flash back to the MC’s (Eden Dowler aka The Grim Reaper) first mission to retrieve the “Blood of Mary,” both of which are deadly to the unworthy/impure. This pretty much sets the [fast] pace for the first half of the book as the House attempts to retrieve the Aegis of Zeus and the Sword of Joan of Arc before the story turns extremely (and somewhat unexpectedly) dark for the last half of the book. By the end you see something of a personality switch between Eden and his acolyte Orion (which quite frankly was not done that well). There are a few twists and turns, much of which is signaled ahead of time if you are paying attention, until we get to the tragic end with a hint of things to come (it is a series after all).

I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#TrueWinter #FourSeasons #NetGalley

Overall I liked the story and had guessed the Seditio leader from before half way, but it was a very slow read for me. I found it so hard to get through the really long chapter, it's definitely worse reading on kindle it's very discouraging to start a new chapter when it is going to take 40 minutes to read it. I was told it was fast paced, it didn't seem fast paced but it wasn't slow, it just seemed normal. There were a few elements that were kind of confusing, just went over my head for a while, for the sample dead people turning into flowers. More explanation about that and the finger of god could have helped my earlier understanding.
As I said I did like the story, but I just didn't get excited for a 40 minute chapter and couldn't race through it so consequently was probably stuck thinking about parts of the book for way longer than I usually would.

I want to start off by saying that the description really drew me in. These are some of my favorite genres and the creative fantasy plot did not disappoint. The book is very easy to follow - it’s surprisingly clear and simple, while still undeniably hectic and engaging. The writing is uncomplicated, straight to the point, and at times, adeptly stiff. Focusing in on the action/thriller aspects make it incredibly immersive. There are so many exhilarating twists and turns. This book is definitely for readers that want eventful, action-packed, no-bullshit fantasy.

Now, I understand why people love this. It makes sense to me. It’s got action, fantasy, a little gore, perspective shifts. It’s just lacking in some areas for me. I found myself wanting more descriptive writing, with a slower pace, and more character development. Maybe there was actually a lot of character development and I just didn’t like the characters? I’m not sure. In any case, I didn’t feel connected to anyone; I wasn’t interested in their arcs.

Again, I loved the premise, but finishing the book made me feel like the overall story was incomplete, as if it was an excerpt to catch my attention before the full novel was released. I know that it’s in a series, but even as a first novel it felt rushed to me. I wanted more, like a lot more, and it just skims over so much and so quickly. It’s hard to settle into anything when it lasts no longer than a few pages. For me, it felt like the plot unraveled a little bit in the second half for the sake of chaos and action.

I read over some other reviews and I’m definitely in the minority (which is good!). I know people who enjoy this type of writing, prefer it actually, so I undoubtedly recommend this book to you if you’re one of them. I will be reading the second book because, despite my critiques, there’s real talent in the storytelling here - it’s vicious and creative.

True Winter is one of the best books I've read recently, from the diverse great characters to the religious artefacts and plot twist.

The story is fast paced, Q.K. Petty's writing style pulled me in quickly with the intense action and amazing interactions between friends, enemies and family.
Not shying away from disturbing scenes and writing a villain who stays a villain through it all, it's the found family bonds between broken people that shine.

I adored the broken and quirky characters most of all, my favorite being the main character, Eden.

Overall I will certainly continue this series, it's a refreshing take on religious politics, artefacts, organizations and cults, set in a kind of urban fantasy.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
#TrueWinter #QKPetty #NetGalley

I was transported into a new world, it is not very often that I find such an immersive world that hooks me in and this one has done it extremely well. This story is an adventure and it has left me wanting more from this author. There are areas of the tale that are a little disturbing, but not in an off putting way, it adds to the world and the tale.
There is a clean crossing of genres that is done perfectly.

Probably more of a 2.5 star. I was really enjoying it until we got to the Orion thing towards the end. Not to spoil it, but that really soured it for me. And Eden barely lived up to his moniker of the Grim Reaper. I wanted more of that. Planning on reading the rest of the series, I just wish this one hadn't disappointed so much in the end.