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Book Review: Winter Queen by Amber Argyle @amberargyle

Danielle Forrest·October 2, 2013·0 comments

Review

Winter Queen is stunning in that it is so raw.  It holds nothing back.  There is blood and death, violence and despair.  It shows people at their best and worst.  Individuals bent on power and sacrifice for others.  It’s not often I see that in a book, and when I do, it tends to leave a lasting impression.

One element I found very cool in the story was the belief system.  It’s both unique and plausible.  It’s not based on any belief structure I know of on Earth.  Their superstitions bring to life a hard, archaic world where winter destroys and summer saves.
Another thing I loved, and I don’t know if this was intentional or not, was the fact that I didn’t immediately hate Darrien’s guts.  I could understand him hating Ilyanna.  I could understand him wanting to punish her.  And he wasn’t the Clan Chief.  He didn’t choose to attack these villages, at least that was my assumption.  I grew to hate him.  As time passed, I saw past the illusions, seeing that there was no compassion, no remorse, nothing but greed in his soul.
Ilyanna is a strong, likable character.  Like any good character, I found myself going through the emotional highs and lows with her at times.  Rone is a strong character, wanting to do right by everyone, wanting to protect everyone.  But he’s also young and foolish, acting rashly in ways that cause pain with no hope of anything good.  Frequently, it is the women around him who have to save him from himself.  When they can…
There weren’t a lot of negatives in the book.  Mainly, formatting.  There was no table of contents and I feel like there was something else with regard to formatting, but I can’t for the life of me remember.  Maybe that was another book.  I’ve read five books in the last three days, so they’re starting to blur a bit.
In closing, I highly recommend Winter Queen.  It was a fast read.  Good ending.  Loved the ending.  Had me all giddy and jumping in my seat.  Good beginning which draws you in from the start.  Editing was on par with what I expect nowadays.
Format: ePub
Source: Author via Smashwords

Blurb

~Becoming a winter queen will make Ilyenna as cold and cruel and deadly as winter itself, but it might be the only way to save her people from a war they have no hope of winning.~

Mortally wounded during a raid, seventeen-year-old Ilyenna is healed by winter fairies who present her with a seductive offer: become one of them and share their power over winter. But that power comes with a price. If she accepts, she will become a force of nature, lose her humanity, and abandon her family.

Unwilling to pay such a high price, Ilyenna is enslaved by one of the invaders, Darrien. While in captivity, she learns the attack wasn’t just a simple raid but part of a larger plot to overthrow her entire nation.

With the enemy stealing over the mountains and Darrien coming to take her to his bed, Ilyenna must decide whether to resurrect the power the fairies left behind. Doing so will allow her to defeat Darrien and the other invaders, but if she embraces winter, she will lose herself to that destroying power—forever.

About the Author

Amber Argyle grew up with three brothers on a cattle ranch in the Rocky Mountains. She spent hours riding horses, roaming the mountains, and playing in her family’s creepy barn. This environment fueled her imagination for writing high fantasy.

She has worked as a short order cook, janitor, and staff member in a mental institution. All of which has given her great insight into the human condition and has made for some unique characters.

She received her bachelor’s degree in English and Physical Education from Utah State University.

She currently resides in Utah with her husband and three small children.You can follow her on:

Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Website

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Danielle Forrest

Danielle Forrest is a Paranormal SciFi author and Medical Laboratory Scientist based out of Indianapolis, IN. She has dedicated her life so far to two things: Science & Books So it really shouldn’t be a surprise if science finds it’s way into even the most fantastical examples of her writing. Sign up for her mailing list to get access to exclusive content and updates.

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