Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Daughters of the Storm by Kim Wilkins Series: Blood and Gold #1
Published by Del Rey Books on March 6, 2018
Genres: New Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 448
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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FIVE ROYAL SISTERS. ONE CROWN.
They are the daughters of a king. Though they share the same royal blood, they could not be more different. Bluebell is a proud warrior, stronger than any man and with an ironclad heart to match. Rose's heart is all too passionate: She is the queen of a neighboring kingdom, who is risking everything for a forbidden love. The twins: vain Ivy, who lives for admiration, and zealous Willow, who lives for the gods. And Ash, who is discovering a dangerous talent for magic that might be a gift--or a curse.
But when their father is stricken by a mysterious ailment, they must come together on a desperate journey to save him and prevent their treacherous stepbrother from seizing the throne. Their mission: find the powerful witch who can cure the king. But to succeed on their quest, they must overcome their differences, and hope that the secrets they hide from one another and the world are never brought to light. Because if this royal family breaks, it could destroy the kingdom.
I liked this beginning to the Blood and Gold series. I enjoyed learning about the five sisters. However, it was not easy to like all the sisters. Good grief, sometimes they are SO selfish! The attitudes border on mean and petty at times. These are new adults in their late teens to middle 20s, I think. They have not always spent their time together, so some of them don’t know each other well. I hope for more maturity as they grow.
The historical aspect means some things happen very slowly with the travel on foot or horseback. The sisters don’t know about some events until they are days or weeks past. The magic of the world is interesting and I hope we will learn more. I didn’t find the world-building to be too slow or tedious; it was well-paced and engaging. This era of history is full of battles and raids, so parts are very dark and grim. Plus, women do not generally have much power or control over their lives. This is not a feel good book; overall I felt worried and apprehensive.
The primary plot is the illness of their father, the King. The daughters all have duties and plans in this situation. In addition to the sisters growing up and taking their roles in life, the kingdoms are going through changes and skirmishes. The ending is not a cliffhanger, but there is much more to follow. Each sister has started on something and the next book, Sisters of the Fire, will take us on the next part of their journeys. It was published in Australia in 2016 so hopefully we will have it available soon. Book 3 is projected for summer of 2019.
About Kim Wilkins
Kim Wilkins was born in London, and grew up at the seaside north of Brisbane, Australia. She is an Associate Professor of writing and book culture at University of Queensland. She writes a lot, usually by ignoring unimportant things like cooking and washing her children’s clothes. She has enduring obsessions with Viking-age England, misty landscapes, pagan mythology, Led Zeppelin, and really really small dogs.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2018 New Release Challenge
- COYER Winter Switch
Hmm… Sounds interesting. Maybe. I might wait to see what you think of book two. Great review.
Melanie @ Hot Listens & Books of My Heart
It is really interesting. I hope some of the characters become more likeable. lol. But the plots and world are so great. It’s very much fantasy.