The Girl the Sea Gave Back: A Book Review

With a gorgeous cover comes a gorgeous novel. While this book moved slower than Sky in the Deep, it still had the marvelous character development, the melodic writing, and all the Viking aesthetic I could ever wish for. I loved the addition of a new character, Tova, and her journey to find out who she is and where she belongs. And I absolutely loved seeing all the characters I miss from Sky in the Deep. It makes my heart so happy to know what Eelyn and Fiske have been up to, and this book made me fall in love with Halvard.

This book is deeply intrenched in the Viking aesthetic, which was my favorite part about reading it. The lore with the gods and their relationships with the people are fascinating and well constructed. In this book, the gods and fate had a greater part to play, especially with Tova, and I enjoyed that different aspect of this world. It seems like the world building grew so much from Sky in the Deep.

I do wish this book was longer. I wanted more substance with Tova's relationships with Jorrund, Gunter, and Halvard. I also just want more of Tova. I feel this book barely scratched the surface of who she is, leaving me with wanting more. However, I did love the insights from the chapters set in the past, and I enjoyed the changing point-of-views between Tova and Halvard.

At its core, this book is about fate and choice, an interesting contradiction to explore. I think it's a worthy sequel to Sky in the Deep, even though it didn't quite live up to my expectations. I still enjoyed it and would reread it again along with Sky in the Deep. Adrienne Young has a talent for storytelling, and I'm quite sad this is her last Viking novel for the time being. But I'm gearing up for her next book, Fable, releasing next year. Without a doubt, she is one of my favorite authors of all time.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!

The Widow of Pale Harbor: A Book Review

Hester Fox is a master of authentic and engaging historical fiction. I absolutely loved The Witch of Willow Hall that came out last year, so much that it became my favorite historical fiction book. I'm pleased to say that The Widow of Pale Harbor is not far behind it! I devoured this book in two sittings, the sittings consisting of fighting off goosebumps, swooning and shipping the romance, and nail biting. The perfectly-paced plot continued to thicken with plot twists and a beautiful romance, and I couldn't have asked for a better autumn book.

The characters were so rich in this story. All of them fascinated me, especially Helen. Every single character jumped off the page, not being confined to words or the plot. They each had their own life outside and inside the plot, and I loved learning more about them, especially their pasts and the psychology behind their actions.

I have a few other details that I loved in this story. I really enjoyed all the Poe references and even the plot surrounding Poe's stories. It added so much depth and creepiness. I also loved the transcendentalism references that made this book seem authentic. And it had a lighthouse. Hester Fox must know that lighthouses are my weakness.

If you're looking for a book that will put you in the autumn mood, don't hesitate to pick this one up. It's a perfect balance of creepy, history, romance, and mystery. I'm already looking forward to Hester Fox's next book.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 5
Character Development: 5
Overall: 5

Thank you to Graydon House (and especially Lisa Wray) for the ARC and for having me be a part of the blog tour! This book will be released on September 17, 2019.

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!