Series: A Surah Stormsong Novel
Series Placement: #1
Author: H.D. Gordon
Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy
Release Date: March 15, 2013
Format: Ebook and Paperback
Copy Provided by Author
Book Blurb:
Once upon a time, a common boy fell in love with a princess. It was a hopeless, forbidden love, grown in a world where sorcery and magic rule over all. Now, dark times are brewing, and destiny will bring them together, while fate works to keep them apart. Extraordinary battles will be fought, and extraordinary choices made. Join the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga for the beginning of a tale of star-crossed lovers and magic, of hope and love and loss, of desperate wishes made on stars.
Reviewers Note: Shooting Stars is book one in A Surah Stormsong Novel series and is a YA Romance, Fantasy written by H.D. Gordon. I read this as a R2R with David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite! at Goodreads. As always, a special thank you to the mods and author for allowing me to participate.
4.5 Enchanting, Magical Stars!
A Great Start to A New Series! I Love This Author!
The Review:
Shooting Stars was AMAZING!
H.D. Gordon’s new series starts off with a magical bang! This is an author who knows how to write fascinating hero’s, opportunistic villains and enchanting world building that will make you want to both rush to and scamper from, just to experience it all with your own eyes but only at your own peril. She delights us with this incredible world filled with magic and kingdoms and huge creatures living next to one another. Her characters are strong, layered and so much fun. You just know when you start reading a H.D. Gordon book, it is sure to take you on a wild and thrilling journey where anything is possible.
Story...
Charlie is a simple guy. He lives a quiet life, owning a small but well cared for bar in the common section of his village. In the past, war ravaged his life, stealing away his parents when he was just a child and turning his older brother into a hard and cold person that’s taken a very different path than his own. He’s settled in his quiet life but when trouble enters his bar and a murder is committed, Charlie’s quiet life suddenly becomes suspect and old grudges as well as a lost love comes back into his present.
Surah has lead a more enchanting life than most, being the Princess of the kingdom. She’s privileged and powerful, but has seen her fair share of loss. Most of her family has been wiped out by the wars that have raged the lands but she holds herself strong and proud yet she’s compassionate and caring, earning the love of her people. After her brothers death a month ago, she’s been avoiding the topic of becoming Keeper with her father, but after a theft of a very powerful artifact and the death of a highborn, Surah must put her dread to the side and find out what's happening in her kingdom. But there is a powerful, vengeful darkness at work and Surah finds herself right in the middle of it.
Characters...
I absolutely LOVED Charlie, Surah and of course Samson!
The Hero’s...
Charlie is so intense and fearless that he stands out on the pages. His quiet, carefree is a guise for the haunting passion burning inside him. He and Surah shared a single moment in the past and it left his heart seized by a love that could never be. But that doesn’t stop him from giving his all when Surah is in need of his help and it doesn’t stop him from doing what is necessary to protect what he loves. And the fact he can play guitar and sing only adds to his beauty and mystery!
Surah, as with most of the female characters this author creates, was undeniably strong willed, determined and spunky! I loved Surah’s character. She wanted a quiet life that was miles away from the pressures and demands of her royal family, but she never once ran and she never stepped back from the obligations she’s had. She uses her compassion and her love for her kingdom to hold strong and for her people and her remaining family, she fights admirably for what is honorable and right. And at the end, she makes a very hard decision that will ultimately have consequences she may not like, but her bravery won out.
And OH. MY!! I LOVED and I mean LOVED Samson! He was beautiful, loyal and his love for Surah was breathtaking. The fact he was a huge tiger and fought along side her when things get rough, just makes you wish he was human and they could have a future together. The amount of humanity and perfection the author imbues into Samsom is exhilarating and emotional!
The Villains...
The big bad in book one, is Black Heart whose name fits him aptly! There’s a reason behind his madness, as with most villains, he thinks his way is the right way and he is willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals. But he’s lost sight of what I'm sure was once a noble cause. He wants to use black magic to protect the common people, like himself, his brother and his parents who were taken from him. Over the centuries, his hate and pain has grown into something black and calculating. I'm not even sure his brother, who he obviously loved beyond reason at once point, can bring him back into the light.
Theo, who is not really a villain per-say, definitely has something going on and I have a lot of reservations about him. He sets Surah on edge and I have to agree with her assessment of him. Her dislike of him is enough to have me taking a second look at this character and wonder what he’s got up his sleeve and why he hates Charlie so much. He obviously has little respect for the female race and I'm sure his want of power is behind his “love” for Surah, but I'm excited to find out more about him, hopefully in the next book.
The Wrap Up:
I adore this author and her writing. I fell in love with her Alexa Montgomery Saga and her wonderful talent for storytelling. This series has started off strong with a fantastic first book and I can’t wait for the second installment, Falling Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel, Book 2), when it comes out, September 2013! Yay! ;)
A Great Start to A New Series! I Love This Author!
The Review:
Shooting Stars was AMAZING!
H.D. Gordon’s new series starts off with a magical bang! This is an author who knows how to write fascinating hero’s, opportunistic villains and enchanting world building that will make you want to both rush to and scamper from, just to experience it all with your own eyes but only at your own peril. She delights us with this incredible world filled with magic and kingdoms and huge creatures living next to one another. Her characters are strong, layered and so much fun. You just know when you start reading a H.D. Gordon book, it is sure to take you on a wild and thrilling journey where anything is possible.
Story...
Charlie is a simple guy. He lives a quiet life, owning a small but well cared for bar in the common section of his village. In the past, war ravaged his life, stealing away his parents when he was just a child and turning his older brother into a hard and cold person that’s taken a very different path than his own. He’s settled in his quiet life but when trouble enters his bar and a murder is committed, Charlie’s quiet life suddenly becomes suspect and old grudges as well as a lost love comes back into his present.
Surah has lead a more enchanting life than most, being the Princess of the kingdom. She’s privileged and powerful, but has seen her fair share of loss. Most of her family has been wiped out by the wars that have raged the lands but she holds herself strong and proud yet she’s compassionate and caring, earning the love of her people. After her brothers death a month ago, she’s been avoiding the topic of becoming Keeper with her father, but after a theft of a very powerful artifact and the death of a highborn, Surah must put her dread to the side and find out what's happening in her kingdom. But there is a powerful, vengeful darkness at work and Surah finds herself right in the middle of it.
Characters...
I absolutely LOVED Charlie, Surah and of course Samson!
The Hero’s...
Charlie is so intense and fearless that he stands out on the pages. His quiet, carefree is a guise for the haunting passion burning inside him. He and Surah shared a single moment in the past and it left his heart seized by a love that could never be. But that doesn’t stop him from giving his all when Surah is in need of his help and it doesn’t stop him from doing what is necessary to protect what he loves. And the fact he can play guitar and sing only adds to his beauty and mystery!
Surah, as with most of the female characters this author creates, was undeniably strong willed, determined and spunky! I loved Surah’s character. She wanted a quiet life that was miles away from the pressures and demands of her royal family, but she never once ran and she never stepped back from the obligations she’s had. She uses her compassion and her love for her kingdom to hold strong and for her people and her remaining family, she fights admirably for what is honorable and right. And at the end, she makes a very hard decision that will ultimately have consequences she may not like, but her bravery won out.
And OH. MY!! I LOVED and I mean LOVED Samson! He was beautiful, loyal and his love for Surah was breathtaking. The fact he was a huge tiger and fought along side her when things get rough, just makes you wish he was human and they could have a future together. The amount of humanity and perfection the author imbues into Samsom is exhilarating and emotional!
The Villains...
The big bad in book one, is Black Heart whose name fits him aptly! There’s a reason behind his madness, as with most villains, he thinks his way is the right way and he is willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals. But he’s lost sight of what I'm sure was once a noble cause. He wants to use black magic to protect the common people, like himself, his brother and his parents who were taken from him. Over the centuries, his hate and pain has grown into something black and calculating. I'm not even sure his brother, who he obviously loved beyond reason at once point, can bring him back into the light.
Theo, who is not really a villain per-say, definitely has something going on and I have a lot of reservations about him. He sets Surah on edge and I have to agree with her assessment of him. Her dislike of him is enough to have me taking a second look at this character and wonder what he’s got up his sleeve and why he hates Charlie so much. He obviously has little respect for the female race and I'm sure his want of power is behind his “love” for Surah, but I'm excited to find out more about him, hopefully in the next book.
The Wrap Up:
I adore this author and her writing. I fell in love with her Alexa Montgomery Saga and her wonderful talent for storytelling. This series has started off strong with a fantastic first book and I can’t wait for the second installment, Falling Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel, Book 2), when it comes out, September 2013! Yay! ;)
Buy the Book!
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Nice review! I need to read this one!
ReplyDeleteHi Ashley! And here's another one of my favorite authors!!! So glad you stopped by love. This book really was fantastic. If you get a chance to put away the keyboard and take a break from writing, definitely give this one a try. Talk soon!
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