Series: Moonshadow

Review: Spellbinder by Thea Harrison

Posted July 16, 2020 by Holly in Reviews | 3 Comments

Review: Spellbinder by Thea HarrisonReviewer: Holly
Spellbinder by Thea Harrison
Series: Moonshadow #2, Elder Races
Also in this series: Spellbinder, Lionheart (Moonshadow, #3), Lionheart (Moonshadow, #3), Spellbinder, Dragon Bound (Elder Races, #1), Storm's Heart (Elder Races, #2), Serpent's Kiss (Elder Races, #3), Oracle's Moon (Elder Races, #4), Oracle's Moon (Elder Races, #4), True Colors (Elder Races, #3.5), Lord's Fall (Elder Races, #5), Kinked, Lord's Fall, Kinked (Elder Races, #6), Pia Saves the Day & Peanut Goes to School, Dragos Takes a Holiday, Night's Honor, Night's Honor, Dragon Bound, Midnight's Kiss, Midnight's Kiss, Dragos Goes to Washington, Shadow's End, Pia Does Hollywood, Liam Takes Manhattan, Pia Does Hollywood, The Chosen: A Novella of the Elder Races, Planet Dragos (Elder Races, #9.8), Planet Dragos (Elder Races, #9.8)
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: July 18th 2017
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Content Warning: View Spoiler »
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 512
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
five-stars

From author Thea Harrison comes the latest story in the New York Times bestselling Moonshadow trilogy....

Kidnapped while on tour, musician Sidonie Martel is transported to the mystical land of Avalon. A human without magical ability, she is completely vulnerable to the deadly forces surrounding her.

When she defies her captors and refuses to share her music, an act of violent cruelty leaves her broken, her ability to play silenced, maybe forever. Her only hope is a whisper in the dark, gentle hands that offer healing, and a man who refuses to show her his face yet who offers advice she dare not ignore.One of the most feared and powerful sorcerers in history, Morgan le Fae serves a Queen he despises, Isabeau of the Light Court. Once a famous bard and an advisor to kings, Morgan has been enslaved to Isabeau for hundreds of years, acting as enforcer and the commander of her deadly Hounds.

Sidonie's music touches Morgan in places he had abandoned centuries ago, and her fiery spirit resurrects feelings he had believed long dead. For Sidonie, trapped in captivity, passion offers a comfort she cannot resist.

But Isabeau holds Morgan bound in magical chains that only Death can break. And in the court of a cruel, jealous Queen, the only thing that burns hotter than love is revenge...

Spellbinder is the second book in Thea Harrison‘s Moondshadow series, an Elder Races spinoff. To date, Dragon Bound remains one of my all time favorite books. The rest of the series is really good, too. I was excited when Harrison announced a spin-off. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Morgan after his actions in previous books, but he definitely won me over.

Morgan le Fae has been the captain of the Light Fae court’s hounds for centuries. He’s done despicable things on Isabeau’s (the Light Fae queen) orders. What no one knows is Morgan is under a geas and can’t refuse a direct order from her. He’s finally given a reprieve when he’s injured and Isabeau says she doesn’t want to see him until he heals, which allows him to technically avoid seeing her – and hearing any orders – until he’s completely healed. While he hides from her, he searches for a way to break the geas.

Sidonie Martel is a woman who has been blessed. She’s a very talented musician, which as gained her fame and fortune. She’s well loved and has faced very little strife in her life. So when she’s captured and given to Isabeau as tribute she doesn’t react well. And when she’s tortured for having an attitude about her situation, it nearly breaks her. Until a voice comes to her in the dark, promising to heal her and making sure she isn’t all alone. Through the darkest time in her life, Morgan is there. Together they bring light into the darkness as they find a way to break Sidonie free from captivity, and Morgan from the geas.

This was a pretty gritty book. The subject matter is dark and deals with torture and kidnapping. I really wanted to hate Morgan, but I never could. He was honorable in his own way, and suffered tremendously for his years under Isabeau’s thumb. I loved how he was Sidonie’s light in the darkness, and I really loved how their relationship progressed. It could have had the flavor of Stockholm Syndrome, but it never crossed that line for me.

I really enjoyed both Morgan and Sidonie. I even cried. I honestly can’t recommend this book enough.

This novel sparked a desire for Arthurian romances, so if you have any good recommendations, let me know.

Rating: 4.75 out of 5

Moonshadow

five-stars


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Review: Spellbinder by Thea Harrison

Posted June 13, 2019 by Casee in Reviews | 2 Comments

Review: Spellbinder by Thea HarrisonReviewer: Casee
Spellbinder by Thea Harrison
Series: Moonshadow #2
Also in this series: Spellbinder, Lionheart (Moonshadow, #3), Lionheart (Moonshadow, #3), Spellbinder
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: July 18, 2017
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Content Warning: View Spoiler »
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 428
Add It: Goodreads
Reading Challenges: Casee's 2019 GoodReads Challenge
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

From author Thea Harrison comes the latest story in the New York Times bestselling Moonshadow trilogy….

Kidnapped while on tour, musician Sidonie Martel is transported to the mystical land of Avalon. A human without magical ability, she is completely vulnerable to the deadly forces surrounding her.

When she defies her captors and refuses to share her music, an act of violent cruelty leaves her broken, her ability to play silenced, maybe forever. Her only hope is a whisper in the dark, gentle hands that offer healing, and a man who refuses to show her his face yet who offers advice she dare not ignore.

One of the most feared and powerful sorcerers in history, Morgan le Fae serves a Queen he despises, Isabeau of the Light Court. Once a famous bard and an advisor to kings, Morgan has been enslaved to Isabeau for hundreds of years, acting as enforcer and the commander of her deadly Hounds.

Sidonie’s music touches Morgan in places he had abandoned centuries ago, and her fiery spirit resurrects feelings he had believed long dead. For Sidonie, trapped in captivity, passion offers a comfort she cannot resist.

But Isabeau holds Morgan bound in magical chains that only Death can break. And in the court of a cruel, jealous Queen, the only thing that burns hotter than love is revenge…

Spellbinder was such a delight to me. I didn’t enjoy Morgan at all in Moonshadow (Moonshadow #1). He just seemed like the quintessential bad guy. He tried to stop the good guys from doing good and he also tried to hurt them. Why on Gods green earth would I want to read a book where he is the hero? Yeah, I wouldn’t. That’s why it’s taken me almost two years to read it. It was released summer of 2017 and I just kept putting it off. It’s really unfortunate because I really loved it.

Morgan has been under a geas to Queen Isabeau of the Light Fae for centuries. Dictionary.com says a geas is “an obligation or prohibition magically imposed on a person.”. Yep, the geas was most definitely imposed on Morgan. As is imposed against his will. Morgan is Dark Fae. When he was still young, Morgan’s power was already being whispered about throughout Fae lands. Isabeau decided she needed Morgan for herself so she imposed the geas on him by stabbing with the Athame of Lord Death himself.

Sidonie Martel has no idea her life is in peril simply because her music is the only thing that has brought peace to Morgan in longer than he can remember. Alas, it has and Sid is kidnapped by a puck that has no idea that Morgan is under a geas. All the puck can see is that Morgan likes being aligned with Isabeau and his beloved was murdered while he was held captive and tortured.

Sid thought everything would work out. She’s a human on foreign land and isn’t there some law about that? She soon learns that she’s on her own and in the worst way possible. Then she meets her Magic Man who saves her from the horrible hell she has been thrown into.

Morgan and Sid were both in impossible situations, both wanting to save each other but needing to save themselves first. The way Morgan was able to get out of the geas was heartbreaking, but necessary. It was just so incredibly sad. I felt for both Morgan and Sid.

Thea did a fantastic job of writing Morgan. I am back to that. Only the truly gifted can. make you hate a character with a passion, not want to read his book, then make you love him by the end of his book. She definitely did that because I adore Morgan.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5.

Moonshadow

four-half-stars


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Review: Lionheart by Thea Harrison

Posted November 28, 2018 by Holly in Reviews | 3 Comments

Review: Lionheart by Thea HarrisonReviewer: Holly
Lionheart (Moonshadow, #3) by Thea Harrison
Series: Moonshadow #3, Elder Races
Also in this series: Spellbinder, Lionheart (Moonshadow, #3), Spellbinder, Spellbinder, Dragon Bound (Elder Races, #1), Storm's Heart (Elder Races, #2), Serpent's Kiss (Elder Races, #3), Oracle's Moon (Elder Races, #4), Oracle's Moon (Elder Races, #4), True Colors (Elder Races, #3.5), Lord's Fall (Elder Races, #5), Kinked, Lord's Fall, Kinked (Elder Races, #6), Pia Saves the Day & Peanut Goes to School, Dragos Takes a Holiday, Night's Honor, Night's Honor, Dragon Bound, Midnight's Kiss, Midnight's Kiss, Dragos Goes to Washington, Shadow's End, Pia Does Hollywood, Liam Takes Manhattan, Pia Does Hollywood, The Chosen: A Novella of the Elder Races, Planet Dragos (Elder Races, #9.8), Planet Dragos (Elder Races, #9.8)
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: October 15, 2018
Format: eARC
Source: Author
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 271
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars


Lionheart is the final story in the Moonshadow trilogy…

King Oberon reigned over his Dark Court in Lyonesse for centuries, until an assassination attempt laid him low. Now he lies unconscious in his snow-bound palace, while his Power battles the enchantment that threatens to end his life.

A skilled trauma surgeon and magic-user, Dr. Kathryn Shaw reigns at the top of her profession in New York. Then comes a challenge she can’t resist—she is asked to cure the uncureable. Just getting close enough to try healing Oberon is a dangerous proposition. When she does reach him, he awakens too soon.

Roused from darkness by Kathryn’s presence, Oberon confronts the beautiful stranger who claims she wants to save his life. But the enchantment has frozen his emotions. How can he learn to trust her when he can’t feel anything?

Oberon’s desire is icy, devoid of all tenderness. Not only must Kathryn match wits with him, she must also fight her reaction to his touch, because there is so much more at stake than her own endangered heart.

For the Dark Court faces its most deadly peril yet. Its ancient enemy Isabeau, Queen of the Light Court, is obsessed with its annihilation, and Oberon must be brought to remember his loyalty and affection for his people.

Because if he won’t fight for them, Lyonesse itself may very well be destroyed…

I adore Harrison’s Elder Races world. These characters really come alive for me every time I read one. I was curious about Oberon after the events of the previous book, Spellbinder.

An assassination attempt by the Light Fae Queen has a slow-moving magical curse working its way toward Dark Fae King Oberon’s heart. The closer it gets, the less he feels real emotion. When he realizes the magical needle is almost to his heart, he puts himself into a coma. For nearly 200 years he’s been “asleep” while his weather magic rages out of control, decimating the once thriving land of Lyonese. The Dark Court still loyal to King Oberon knows they have to make a decision soon. If the death curse can’t be stopped, Oberon will be lost. They call on surgeon Katherine Shaw. She’s the only one they’ve met in nearly 200 years who may be able to remove the spell from Oberon. Though she’s reluctant, Katherine can’t deny the appeal of the near-impossible task. With Dragos’s prompting, she agrees to see what she can do. She didn’t expect to be battling Oberon and his magic as well as the curse. She’ll have to gain his trust if she’s going to save him…which may be the hardest task of them all.

When Dr. Katherine Shaw agrees to travel to the Other Lands to see if she can remove a deadly spell King Oberon has been under for 200 years, I cheered. I loved her in the previous books and I was really excited to find out more about Morgan’s spell and how Oberon would live. I’m not sure if I didn’t pay enough attention to mentions of the Dark Court in previous books, or if it was explained better here, but I really loved how diverse the Dark Fae are. The war with Isabeau, the Light Fae Queen, comes because the Dark Fae aren’t “pure”. Most all of them are half-breeds of some kind. King Oberon himself is Dark Fae and Wyr. I loved that aspect of the novel, as well as the glimpses we saw of Lyonese and its people. The romance was slow moving at times, but I can’t deny I enjoyed it. I wish there had been a bit more conflict surrounding Oberon coming back to himself, as that part seemed just a bit too neat, but even then I enjoyed seeing the man his people knew and loved.

This didn’t work quite as well for me as the previous entry, Spellbinder, but Harrison doesn’t disappoint. Oberon and Katherine were both wonderful, as was their romance. Another stellar novel in a well thought out and imaginative series. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

4.25 out of 5

Moonshadow

Elder Races

four-stars


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Guest Review: Lionheart by Thea Harrison

Posted November 13, 2018 by Jen in Reviews | 1 Comment

Guest Review: Lionheart by Thea HarrisonReviewer: Jen
Lionheart (Moonshadow, #3) by Thea Harrison
Series: Moonshadow #3
Also in this series: Spellbinder, Lionheart (Moonshadow, #3), Spellbinder, Spellbinder
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: October 15, 2018
Format: eARC
Source: Author
Point-of-View: Third
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 420
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Thea Harrison comes the final story in her spellbinding Moonshadow trilogy…

King Oberon reigned over his Dark Court in Lyonesse for centuries, until an assassination attempt laid him low. Now he lies unconscious in his snow-bound palace, while his Power battles the enchantment that threatens to end his life.

A skilled trauma surgeon and magic-user, Dr. Kathryn Shaw reigns at the top of her profession in New York. Then comes a challenge she can’t resist—she is asked to cure the uncureable. Just getting close enough to try healing Oberon is a dangerous proposition. When she does reach him, he awakens too soon.

Roused from darkness by Kathryn’s presence, Oberon confronts the beautiful stranger who claims she wants to save his life. But the enchantment has frozen his emotions. How can he learn to trust her when he can’t feel anything?

Oberon’s desire is icy, devoid of all tenderness. Not only must Kathryn match wits with him, she must also fight her reaction to his touch, because there is so much more at stake than her own endangered heart.

For the Dark Court faces its most deadly peril yet. Its ancient enemy Isabeau, Queen of the Light Court, is obsessed with its annihilation, and Oberon must be brought to remember his loyalty and affection for his people.

Because if he won’t fight for them, Lyonesse itself may very well be destroyed…

Oberon’s book is here! I absolutely loved the first two books in Thea Harrison’s Moonshadow series, so I was extra excited to read this book. 

Dark Fae King Oberon’s presence loomed over the last two books, despite the fact that he has been in a coma-like sleep after an assassination attempt. While in his self-induced sleep, his powerful weather magic has spiraled out of control and is slowly freezing the life out of the Dark Fae’s land of Lyonesse. The situation is at a breaking point, and if the remaining Dark Court members cannot find a way to heal Oberon they will need to take drastic measures. They call upon Kathryn Shaw, a magical surgeon (and were-falcon) we met in book 1. Kathryn agrees to go to Lyonesse and do what she can to stop the magic intent on killing the King. When Oberon wakes up before Kathryn has stopped the killing magic, Oberon has to trust in her to save him before it is too late.

I totally love Kathryn. She is my favorite heroine in the series so far! I love that she is brilliant and so incredibly good at her job. Her best quality is that she takes no shit. She’s not “feisty” and is never obstinate for no reason. When she pushes back she does it after carefully considering the situation and determining that it’s a battle that requires fighting. Once she decides to push back, she does it firmly but still rationally. I want more heroines who are smart and carefully “strong” instead of just feisty or sassy! I especially loved that after her and Oberon realize what’s happening to them, she immediately grasps the complexities of being Queen, or is at least prepared to investigate and navigate them. Kathryn doesn’t do anything blindly, and her forthright but compassionate persona is exactly what Lyonesse needs from a leader. I haven’t heard whether there are more books coming in the series, but I certainly hope so because I want to hear how Kathryn is faring in Lyonesse.

Oberon was less interesting to me. The killing magic is basically freezing his emotions, so for a good chunk of the book he’s not able to feel anything but the most animalistic urges. I guess it was somewhat interesting to hear about how he was trying to determine the “right” thing to do based on how he guessed the man he used to be would respond, but in general I didn’t feel like the stakes were very high. Obviously he was going to get his emotions back, and obviously he was going to be a good person once he did. Once Kathryn removes the magic, Oberon became ridiculously perfect. He is so good, so just, so noble, so beloved by his people. I suppose I just didn’t feel like he had a lot of depth.

Still, I really enjoy this world. I loved finally seeing Oberon’s power, because whooo boy he’s got some power. I also really respect the way Harrison has handled the concept of trauma in this series. In this book the puck Robin, who endured some horrific trauma and consequently hasn’t always made the best choices in the series, finally gets some healing. The one part where Oberon WAS a bit swoony was when he was comforting Robin and letting him know it’s ok to feel what he’s feeling. It’s so revolutionary to read that kind of thing in a romance, especially from a powerful alpha hero, and I am here for it.

I may not have loved this book as much as the others in the series, but it’s still a solid story with an excellent heroine. I hope it continues.

Grade: 4 out of 5.

Moonshadow

four-stars


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Guest Review: Spellbinder by Thea Harrison

Posted July 26, 2017 by Jen in Reviews | 7 Comments

Guest Review: Spellbinder by Thea HarrisonReviewer: Jen
Spellbinder by Thea Harrison
Series: Moonshadow #2
Also in this series: Lionheart (Moonshadow, #3), Lionheart (Moonshadow, #3), Spellbinder, Spellbinder
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: July 18th 2017
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 428
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

From author Thea Harrison comes the latest story in the New York Times bestselling Moonshadow trilogy….

Kidnapped while on tour, musician Sidonie Martel is transported to the mystical land of Avalon. A human without magical ability, she is completely vulnerable to the deadly forces surrounding her.

When she defies her captors and refuses to share her music, an act of violent cruelty leaves her broken, her ability to play silenced, maybe forever. Her only hope is a whisper in the dark, gentle hands that offer healing, and a man who refuses to show her his face yet who offers advice she dare not ignore.

One of the most feared and powerful sorcerers in history, Morgan le Fae serves a Queen he despises, Isabeau of the Light Court. Once a famous bard and an advisor to kings, Morgan has been enslaved to Isabeau for hundreds of years, acting as enforcer and the commander of her deadly Hounds.

Sidonie’s music touches Morgan in places he had abandoned centuries ago, and her fiery spirit resurrects feelings he had believed long dead. For Sidonie, trapped in captivity, passion offers a comfort she cannot resist.

But Isabeau holds Morgan bound in magical chains that only Death can break. And in the court of a cruel, jealous Queen, the only thing that burns hotter than love is revenge…

*Spoiler alert: I can’t talk about this book without giving a little spoiler for some of Harrison’s earlier books, but the cover copy of this book gives the spoiler too so…just fair warning.

Morgan Le Fae is the hero of this book, which might stun those of you who read the other books where he’s a villain. This isn’t so much a story where Morgan redeems himself but a story where we finally get the full picture of Morgan’s situation. Turns out he’s magically enslaved to Isabeau, the Queen of the Light Fae, and he’s been forced to follow her orders to the letter for centuries. He’s been searching for an out the entire time, and when he finally gets a reprieve due to a poorly worded order from Isabeau, he’s hopeful he can find something to end his enslavement. However, he ends up putting it all on the line when a human musician he’s developed an attachment to gets kidnapped and turned over to Isabeau. Sidonie Martel is a genius musician, but when she’s brutalized by Isabeau, Morgan can’t look the other way. As he starts helping her, the two get closer, and both end up making decisions about how much they’re willing to risk for the other.

OMG Morgan. He is a total badass and an incomparable magician, and, finally, we get to see that he’s also an amazing person. He is entirely isolated from everyone by Isabeau’s machinations. Because of her orders and the fact that no one knows he’s enslaved, he’s seen as ruthless and scary, so naturally nobody wants anything to do with him, even at the Light Court. He’s spent centuries performing atrocities without being able to stop or even explain himself. Can you imagine what that would do to a person? He was so lonely and traumatized it made my heart hurt. The tenderness and genuine caring he shows Sidonie, though, reveals his true character, and it’s so clear why Sidonie falls in love.

While Morgan is really the heart of the story for me, Sidonie is also fantastic. She knows almost nothing about the Light Court or the Elder Races, so when she’s captured she’s in way over her head. She’s a quick learner, though, and with Morgan’s help she survives. In part because she has no prior knowledge, she’s the only one who isn’t afraid of Morgan and really listens to him, and it allows her to figure out what is happening and communicate with him in a way no one else has. I love it when both characters do everything in their power to protect the other one, and this book had that in spades. While Sidonie can’t do much for most of the book, she makes the tough call for Morgan in the end. I just ate it up.

Another thing I loved about the book was that Morgan isn’t the only complex character. A lovable character from the first book in the series is back, though he doesn’t always make such lovable choices here. Isabeau is a bit more complicated than just “cartoon evil queen” as well. I’m not saying I liked her, but it was interesting to understand how she too was kind of trapped by her enslavement of Morgan. Even the war between the Light and Dark Courts that makes up the central conflict of the series was cast in a new light. Innocent people like Morgan have gotten caught up in the war, and this book showed that most of the Light Fae are just regular citizens trying to live life as best they can. It makes for a rich and interesting world to read about. 

This book is pretty dark and angsty, which makes sense given the horror of Morgan’s situation and the cruelty of Isabeau. However, it did make it kind of heavy reading sometimes. I longed for some more lightness to counteract all the pain. Frankly, I was also pretty frustrated that the lovable character I mentioned earlier didn’t do more to help Morgan once he understood what was happening. Couldn’t he get some reinforcements or do more to help plan? I guess if this book has one lesson, it’s that trauma is messy, complicated, and long lasting, and people don’t always make the best choices in those circumstances.

I am totally torn about future books. On the one hand, I would love to see Morgan again, but on the other hand, I hope both the Dark and Light Fae just leave him the hell alone because he’s suffered enough for their war! I really, really loved reading this book. It was smart and moving and made me look at book 1 in the series in a whole new light.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

Moonshadow

four-half-stars


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