Showing posts with label grudging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grudging. Show all posts

23 Feb 2018

#Review: FAITHFUL by Michelle Hauck

23 February 2 Comments

FAITHFUL

Author: Michelle Hauck
Series: Birth of Saints #2
Source: Copy courtesy of Publisher
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: November 15, 2016
Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary:
Following Grudging--and with a mix of Terry Goodkind and Bernard Cornwall--religion, witchcraft, and chivalry war in Faithful, the exciting next chapter in Michelle Hauck's Birth of Saints series!

A world of Fear and death…and those trying to save it.

Colina Hermosa has burned to the ground. The Northern invaders continue their assault on the ciudades-estados. Terror has taken hold, and those that should be allies betray each other in hopes of their own survival. As the realities of this devastating and unprovoked war settles in, what can they do to fight back?

On a mission of hope, an unlikely group sets out to find a teacher for Claire, and a new weapon to use against the Northerners and their swelling army.

What they find instead is an old woman.

But she’s not a random crone—she’s Claire’s grandmother. She’s also a Woman of the Song, and her music is both strong and horrible. And while Claire has already seen the power of her own Song, she is scared of her inability to control it, having seen how her magic has brought evil to the world, killing without reason or remorse. To preserve a life of honor and light, Ramiro and Claire will need to convince the old woman to teach them a way so that the power of the Song can be used for good. Otherwise, they’ll just be destroyers themselves, no better than the Northerners and their false god, Dal. With the annihilation their enemy has planned, though, they may not have a choice.


A tale of fear and tragedy, hope and redemption, Faithful is the harrowing second entry in the Birth of Saints trilogy.
Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinions.


So I have mixed feelings about this one. Because I really liked GRUDGING and was glad that I had access to the second book right away, but I was meh about reading FAITHFUL. In fact, I put it down for a while before I continued and ended up finishing it. But I am excited to see where the story leads to and will definitely be picking up STEADFAST!

7 Dec 2017

#BlogTour: STEADFAST by Michelle Hauck // #Review + #Giveaway

07 December 0 Comments
Hello and welcome to my blog tour post for 

STEADFAST by Michelle Hauck!

I am reviewing the first book in the series, GRUDGING, for you today. There is also a giveaway for the first two books in the series (which I highly recommend you entering!). But before you read my review, let's learn more about the series finale, STEADFAST!

STEADFAST

Author: Michelle Hauck
Series: Birth of Saints #3
Publisher: Harper Voyage Impulse
Publication Date: December 5, 2017

Summary:
The final novel in Michelle Hauck's Birth of Saints trilogy, Steadfast follows Grudging and Faithful in telling the fateful story of Claire and Ramiro and their battle against a god that hungers for blood.

When the Northerners invaded, the ciudades-estado knew they faced a powerful army. But what they didn’t expect was the deadly magic that was also brought to the desert: the white-robed priests with their lethal Diviners, and the evil god, Dal. Cities have burned, armies have been decimated, and entire populaces have been sacrificed in the Sun God’s name, and it looks as if nothing can prevent the devastation.

But there are still those with hope.

Claire, a Woman of the Song, has already brought considerable magic of her own to fight the Children of Dal, and Ramiro, a soldier who has forsaken his vows to Colina Hermosa’s cavalry in order to stand by her side, has killed and bled for their cause. Separated after the last battle, they move forward with the hope that the saints will hear their prayers, their families will be saved, and that they’ll see each other once more.

A stirring conclusion to the Birth of Saints series, Ramiro and Claire’s journey finds completion in a battle between evil and love.
Purchase:
This series started with...

GRUDGING

Author: Michelle Hauck
Series: Birth of Saints #1
Source:
Publisher: Harper Voyage Impulse
Publication Date: December 22, 2015
Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary:
A world of chivalry and witchcraft…and the invaders who would destroy everything.

The North has invaded, bringing a cruel religion and no mercy. The ciudades-estados who have stood in their way have been razed to nothing, and now the horde is before the gates of Colina Hermosa…demanding blood.

On a mission of desperation, a small group escapes the besieged city in search of the one thing that might stem the tide of Northerners: the witches of the southern swamps.

The Women of the Song.

But when tragedy strikes their negotiations, all that is left is a single untried knight and a witch who has never given voice to her power. And time is running out.

A lyrical tale of honor and magic, Grudging is the opening salvo in the Book of Saints trilogy.
Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book as part of this blog tour to review. This in no way impacts my opinions.

This was a really strong start to a new fantasy series that I am sure I am going to love. Great characters, a really interesting mix of religion and magic, plus good action sequences all make for this to easily be one of the top fantasy books I've read in a long time.