God's Daughter
Heather Day Gilbert
Aspendawn Books
November 2013
Fiction, Romance, Historical
One Viking woman. One God. One legendary journey to North America.
In the tenth century, when pagan holy women rule the Viking lands, Gudrid turns her back on her training as a seeress to embrace Christianity. Clinging to her faith, she joins her husband, Finn, on a voyage to North America.
But even as Gudrid faces down murderous crewmen, raging sickness, and hostile natives, she realizes her greatest enemy is herself--and the secrets she hides might just tear her marriage apart.
Almost five centuries before Columbus, Viking women sailed to North America with their husbands. God's Daughter, Book One in the Vikings of the New World Saga, offers an expansive yet intimate look into the world of Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir--daughter-in-law of Eirik the Red, and the first documented European woman to have a child in North America.
I so badly wanted this book to grip me from the very beginning and not let me go. Unfortunately, it didn't. I loved the time period and was very excited to read more about the Vikings but I got bogged down. It may have been the confusing repetitive names, it may have been the plot, I'm just not sure. Gudrid was a wonderful mix of strength and soft as a character. I throughly enjoyed reading about her. Her love for God was especially interesting in that age. Torn between men she walked with grace in so many ways. It's a bloody, tragic, messy, confusing tale. Not one I would dive into again any time soon. However, I did love the historical facts. Props to Gilbert for exploring a new piece of history.
My thanks to Aspendawn Books for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my real and honest review.
Three Hearts, One Town
Sarah Jae Foster
Aspendawn Books
Fiction, Romance, Historical
Forced to leave home and all she's ever known at nineteen, Cameron Engel heads for Lincoln County, Kansas, ready to explore life like never before. But she quickly realizes her inexperienced nature is no match for this rough and dangerous new town. She needs confidence and bravery to survive -- and she's determined to acquire both, even if it means making choices that in the end could destroy her.
Gunslinger Jake Collins has that fearlessness and courage Cameron wants to possess, but she soon finds herself wanting Jake, a man she's been warned against.
Andrew Jackson is the town's preacher. He offers Cameron a way of living and loving -- she's never known... until now.
Two very different men, and for better or for worse, two very different loves.
Torn by indecision, Cameron seeks to receive acceptance from the only one who can provide it. God. But has she gone too far by giving her heart in all the wrong ways?
After coming into the knowledge of God's true and unconditional love, she faces the toughest choice she's ever had to make. Jake or Andrew...
When you get through 30% of a book (gotta love the Kindle that keeps you up to date on your percentage) and you have yet to like a singe character or even the story line you know it's time to call it quits. So no, I did not finish this book. Very poor characterization, scattered plot lines, and a very badly developed story made me quit reading. I felt like I was reading a rough draft or even just a series of possible story ideas, that's how badly it was put together. I also kept checking the description of the book because one of the supposedly "main characters" hadn't even entered the story by 20% of the way through. Just weird and just not worth my time to keep reading. Don't let this book cover fool you.
My thanks to Aspendawn Books for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my real and honest review.
