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Stonewylde #3
Solstice at Stonewylde
Yul stands at the threshold between life and death. Poisoned at the festival of the dead, his life now hangs by a thread. More than his own will to survive, it's his fellow Stonewylders who must save him. But will they, when Magus has done so much to undermine Yul and turn the people against him? Yet there are cracks in Magus' following. When he confesses a secret that shocks the community, the Stonewylde folk begin to understand his true nature. Magus' spiral into obsession and darkness continues, his kindness and charm now vanished. The cruelty that lies beneath is becoming clear ... as is the deadly web of deceit and betrayal in which Yul and Sylvie are trapped.The Winter Solstice approaches and Yul and Sylvie refuse to give up hope. But Sylvie is unaware of Magus' real plans for her and she's horrified when he finally shows his hand. Can this really be why she was brought to Stonewylde? As the final conflict draws near, how can she avoid Magus' trap? Yul will need all his strength, and all his supporters, if he is to make a stand and put an end to what Magus has started.As the darkness draws in around them, the wise woman on the hill makes a chilling prophecy. There is no escape and no compromise when death comes five will die at Stonewylde. The only question is who ...
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2007
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September 8, 2014
Solstice at Stonewylde carries on straight after the previous book and sees Yul and Sylvie straining against the evil Magus as his true nature becomes more and more apparent to the rest of the Stonewylde community! :D
The title proxies rapid drawing near with Heggy trying to give them both the business logic that she can while all of them try to anticipate the events that are predicted and prepare for them! :D Throughout the book characterisation is spot on as ever as we get to see our characters both good and the bad put through the wringer! :D Throughout the book you can see all allusions and false fronts for many characters are got rid of as each side tries outmanoeuvred the other! :D
There has been a prediction in the earlier books that Yul and Sylvie will triumph and that the enemies of them will fall one by one and we get to see this happening as the book progresses and the many creative turns and this takes and then this in turn serves to expose the evil that is the Magus and the crones living up the lane! :D What the characters go through in the book is rather horrific and you will be clamouring to see the evil ones get their comeuppance! :D
Much of the feel of the book is that of a light novel but this can be deceptive as the story does take pass that give the story a real bite, have you literally flashing through the pages wanting to see how things will turn out as throughout the book it never at any moments lets up and the outcome and who will win is there a very unknown until literally the last few pages of the book! :D This is a brilliant approach and really ratchets up the tension throughout! :D The story moves at a brisk pace literally keeping the pace up throughout the book and subtly introduces new allies to Yul and Sylvie that you would not have expected! :D This will have you cheering throughout and wondering as things progress exactly how things will turn up and whether these people will play an active part, or run afoul of their opponents! :D
The conclusion of the book in many ways is very open anyone with some plotlines neatly wrapped up and others started! :D In addition there are many things that also left hanging the potential to grow into even more bigger part of the plotline! :D
Solstice at Stonewylde is fast-paced, breathtaking, edge of the seat writing that will have you up to the late hours wanting to find out what happens and will have you pondering and going over the characters actions are sometimes literally wanting to get in the book and warn them about what is coming! :D Solstice Stonewylde literally does not spare anything! At the same time though still continues to introduce us to the wider world of Stonewylde and maintains the veil of humour that is also present for much of the books! :D Brilliant stuff and highly recommended! :D
The title proxies rapid drawing near with Heggy trying to give them both the business logic that she can while all of them try to anticipate the events that are predicted and prepare for them! :D Throughout the book characterisation is spot on as ever as we get to see our characters both good and the bad put through the wringer! :D Throughout the book you can see all allusions and false fronts for many characters are got rid of as each side tries outmanoeuvred the other! :D
There has been a prediction in the earlier books that Yul and Sylvie will triumph and that the enemies of them will fall one by one and we get to see this happening as the book progresses and the many creative turns and this takes and then this in turn serves to expose the evil that is the Magus and the crones living up the lane! :D What the characters go through in the book is rather horrific and you will be clamouring to see the evil ones get their comeuppance! :D
Much of the feel of the book is that of a light novel but this can be deceptive as the story does take pass that give the story a real bite, have you literally flashing through the pages wanting to see how things will turn out as throughout the book it never at any moments lets up and the outcome and who will win is there a very unknown until literally the last few pages of the book! :D This is a brilliant approach and really ratchets up the tension throughout! :D The story moves at a brisk pace literally keeping the pace up throughout the book and subtly introduces new allies to Yul and Sylvie that you would not have expected! :D This will have you cheering throughout and wondering as things progress exactly how things will turn up and whether these people will play an active part, or run afoul of their opponents! :D
The conclusion of the book in many ways is very open anyone with some plotlines neatly wrapped up and others started! :D In addition there are many things that also left hanging the potential to grow into even more bigger part of the plotline! :D
Solstice at Stonewylde is fast-paced, breathtaking, edge of the seat writing that will have you up to the late hours wanting to find out what happens and will have you pondering and going over the characters actions are sometimes literally wanting to get in the book and warn them about what is coming! :D Solstice Stonewylde literally does not spare anything! At the same time though still continues to introduce us to the wider world of Stonewylde and maintains the veil of humour that is also present for much of the books! :D Brilliant stuff and highly recommended! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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July 30, 2018Hi guys,
I’ve just finished “Solstice at Stonewylde” by Kit Berry and I really liked it! It’s the third book in the Stonewylde series, the finale of the original trilogy. This was a reread as the first and second book were, as well. I don’t think I necessarily had as much fun as I did reading the previous two books because I didn’t think quite as much happened in it. Reading is subjective, though, so we all experience different thoughts and feelings as we read. That’s part of what I love about it. Anyway, there are 5 books in the Stonewylde series in total. The last 2 focus on a different storyline to the others, however, with the lead characters from the first three books as adults.
4 Stars!
In “Solstice at Stonewylde” we’re still following Yul and Sylvie and their relationship where they’re trying to be together no matter what. Living in a society run by a tyrannical leader makes that hard, however. Magus, the leader of Stonewylde won’t let Yul and Sylvie be together and he’s prepeared to do whatever it takes to stop that from happening. The basic plot of “Solstice at Stonewylde” cumulates in a battle at Winter Solstice. Who will win? You’ll have to read to find out...
Spoilers Below...
“Rubbish,” said magus firmly. “Remember that I know best in these matters. I’ve warned you that Sylvie is prone to malingering and attention seeking. It’s Samhain tomorrow and she should be preparing for the festival along with everyone else. This is all for show - she’s absolutely fine. Leave us, Miranda. I want to speak with her alone.”
This is right at the beginning of “Solstice at Stonewylde”, where Magus is being obsessively controlling, only looking out for his own interests. He doesn’t care about Sylvie or Miranda, a daughter and mother who came to Stonewylde in book 1, “Magus Of Stonewylde” for the health benefits for Sylvie. All Magus cares about is using Sylvie for her Moon Magic, as he gets her to charge up eggs with her energy. This causes Sylvie pain that Magus doesn’t care about. He’s only in for what he can get. In the above quote he’s telling Miranda not to fuss over Sylvie and that she’s is lying about being in pain and attention seeking. Of course we know that she isn’t. It’s Magus that is, but as he’s the leader of Stonewylde, he gets believed over everyone else in all matters.
“You’ll go to Mooncliffe every month for long as I want you to.”
This is again Magus ordering Sylvie around, telling her that she’ll continue to go to Mooncliffe, the place where she charges the eggs for as long as he demands her to go. She started going to Mooncliffe in book 2 “Moondance of Stonewylde”. Magus kind of gives me the vibes of a historical king, as they were very demanding with their subjects, too.
“Sylvie wanted very much to cling to Miranda, who stood nearby, by that was out of the question given Miranda’s earlier remarks. Her mother had made it very clear where her priorities now lay. Sylvie felt abandoned - and very vulnerable.”
Sylvie feels betrayed by those who so say love her for most of the novel. Miranda is pregnant with Magus’s baby so she doesn’t want to jeopardise her or her baby’s relationship with him. I understood this but at the same time I was literally screaming at Miranda to just open her eyes and see what a pig Magus was to everyone, including her and Sylvie. Just because he’s the ruler doesn’t mean he has to be abusive.
“She’d fight to the very end. And she’d rather die here than live under his dominion.” This is significant because it tells us that Sylvie won’t give up the fight against Magus, no matter what. It also let’s us know how brave she is, being that she’s only a teenager. Sylvie wants to see the end of Magus’s rule. Will she, though? You’ll need to read to find out. This is what the novel centres around...the fight for Stonewylde...
“It’s the new year tomorrow. Can we start again as friends? And that which I forced you to give, can you think about giving freely? I need your moon magic, Sylvie, I need it so desperately. If I’m going to run Stonewylde as it should be run, I need the energy only you can give me. I can get Clip to use his hypnosis to help alleviate the discomfort for you.”
Magus is politely asking Sylvie to give her power freely or willingly to him. He’s using Stonewylde as a ruse to get Sylvie to give it to him. All he really wants is to be stronger than anyone else. He doesn’t care about a friendship with her and later in the book, when he can’t get Clip, his brother to use hypnosis he demands that she gives him her power rudely and goes so far as to abuse her.
“Worst of all, I think he enjoys watching me suffer,” is what Sylvie says to Clip when he comes to see Magus later in “Solstice at Stonewylde” and finds Sylvie is being held as a prisoner in Magus’s rooms. Sylvie is scared of just what he’ll do next but she needs to keep him happy so that Mother Heggy’s prophecy can go ahead. Mother Heggy, the old crone prophesied that there will be five deaths, at Winter Solstice. She couldn’t see who, just that there would be five of them. Is one Magus? Is one Yul? Is one Sylvie? You’ll need to read to find out.
We also find out who Sylvie’s father is in “Solstice at Stonewylde”. I won’t to spoil it but I thought that Miranda just forgave the man, rather too easily. I mean, he as good as abused her that night in the forest. It seems that that was just glossed over to make room for other events in the book. I would have liked to have seen a bit more resistance from Miranda, instead of her just accepting that’s the way things are. Sylvie, it seems is the only one who’s shocked by the news.
There are many more elements to this story. I’m really just focusing on the ones that I think stand out most.
What did I like about “Solstice at Stonewylde”?
I liked how we got to see more of Sylvie’s budding yet forbidden relationship. I love it when there’s an intense but forbidden romance. It makes any book more exciting for me to read.
I liked how Magus carried on being a controlling, dominant figure. If he hadn’t been so present in the story it wouldn’t have been so good, I don’t think.
I liked how our side characters were more included. It felt as if in the previous books the story was more focused around Sylvie and Yul, when in “Solstice at Stonewylde” there were other important characters, too.
What didn’t I like about “Solstice at Stonewylde”?
“Solstice at Stonewylde” seemed to suffer from like a second book syndrome for me, even though, yes, it’s the third book instead of the second. I think this was because the main characters didn’t really do anything surprising, apart from a few moments (none of which I’m going to spoil). The things that happened were kind of predictable at this point.
I didn’t so much like how the plot seemed to focus only on Magus imprisoning Sylvie for a good proportion of the book. Yes, this is important but I wish it had been cut down. It didn’t feel as if we had as much of Yul in “Solstice at Stonewylde” because of this.
There weren’t as many Sylvie and Yul moments because of the second point made, also. This was disappointing as I would have liked to have seen a few more romantic moments between the two.
The final battle was over in a few pages at the end of “Solstice at Stonewylde”. I wanted to see more of a fight between the two opposing sides (I don’t want to spoil ANY of this because it’s so short)!
It seemed like a little bit of a let down as this is the last book in original the Stonewylde trilogy, which chronicles Yul and Sylvie’s life as teenagers at Stonewylde.
Overall, it doesn’t sound like I really liked “Solstice at Stonewylde”, even though I did! There were just bits that I would have cut down to make it flow better. I also definitely would have added in more scenes of Yul worrying for Sylvie. I thought there were really only two or three instances of this. I would have liked to have seen more. As I said, this sounds like a really negative review but it isn’r. Please still read the Stonewylde series if it sounds interesting to you. I think in its entirety it’s my 3rd favourite series EVER!
Stand by for my next review, coming soon...
I’ve just finished “Solstice at Stonewylde” by Kit Berry and I really liked it! It’s the third book in the Stonewylde series, the finale of the original trilogy. This was a reread as the first and second book were, as well. I don’t think I necessarily had as much fun as I did reading the previous two books because I didn’t think quite as much happened in it. Reading is subjective, though, so we all experience different thoughts and feelings as we read. That’s part of what I love about it. Anyway, there are 5 books in the Stonewylde series in total. The last 2 focus on a different storyline to the others, however, with the lead characters from the first three books as adults.
4 Stars!
In “Solstice at Stonewylde” we’re still following Yul and Sylvie and their relationship where they’re trying to be together no matter what. Living in a society run by a tyrannical leader makes that hard, however. Magus, the leader of Stonewylde won’t let Yul and Sylvie be together and he’s prepeared to do whatever it takes to stop that from happening. The basic plot of “Solstice at Stonewylde” cumulates in a battle at Winter Solstice. Who will win? You’ll have to read to find out...
Spoilers Below...
“Rubbish,” said magus firmly. “Remember that I know best in these matters. I’ve warned you that Sylvie is prone to malingering and attention seeking. It’s Samhain tomorrow and she should be preparing for the festival along with everyone else. This is all for show - she’s absolutely fine. Leave us, Miranda. I want to speak with her alone.”
This is right at the beginning of “Solstice at Stonewylde”, where Magus is being obsessively controlling, only looking out for his own interests. He doesn’t care about Sylvie or Miranda, a daughter and mother who came to Stonewylde in book 1, “Magus Of Stonewylde” for the health benefits for Sylvie. All Magus cares about is using Sylvie for her Moon Magic, as he gets her to charge up eggs with her energy. This causes Sylvie pain that Magus doesn’t care about. He’s only in for what he can get. In the above quote he’s telling Miranda not to fuss over Sylvie and that she’s is lying about being in pain and attention seeking. Of course we know that she isn’t. It’s Magus that is, but as he’s the leader of Stonewylde, he gets believed over everyone else in all matters.
“You’ll go to Mooncliffe every month for long as I want you to.”
This is again Magus ordering Sylvie around, telling her that she’ll continue to go to Mooncliffe, the place where she charges the eggs for as long as he demands her to go. She started going to Mooncliffe in book 2 “Moondance of Stonewylde”. Magus kind of gives me the vibes of a historical king, as they were very demanding with their subjects, too.
“Sylvie wanted very much to cling to Miranda, who stood nearby, by that was out of the question given Miranda’s earlier remarks. Her mother had made it very clear where her priorities now lay. Sylvie felt abandoned - and very vulnerable.”
Sylvie feels betrayed by those who so say love her for most of the novel. Miranda is pregnant with Magus’s baby so she doesn’t want to jeopardise her or her baby’s relationship with him. I understood this but at the same time I was literally screaming at Miranda to just open her eyes and see what a pig Magus was to everyone, including her and Sylvie. Just because he’s the ruler doesn’t mean he has to be abusive.
“She’d fight to the very end. And she’d rather die here than live under his dominion.” This is significant because it tells us that Sylvie won’t give up the fight against Magus, no matter what. It also let’s us know how brave she is, being that she’s only a teenager. Sylvie wants to see the end of Magus’s rule. Will she, though? You’ll need to read to find out. This is what the novel centres around...the fight for Stonewylde...
“It’s the new year tomorrow. Can we start again as friends? And that which I forced you to give, can you think about giving freely? I need your moon magic, Sylvie, I need it so desperately. If I’m going to run Stonewylde as it should be run, I need the energy only you can give me. I can get Clip to use his hypnosis to help alleviate the discomfort for you.”
Magus is politely asking Sylvie to give her power freely or willingly to him. He’s using Stonewylde as a ruse to get Sylvie to give it to him. All he really wants is to be stronger than anyone else. He doesn’t care about a friendship with her and later in the book, when he can’t get Clip, his brother to use hypnosis he demands that she gives him her power rudely and goes so far as to abuse her.
“Worst of all, I think he enjoys watching me suffer,” is what Sylvie says to Clip when he comes to see Magus later in “Solstice at Stonewylde” and finds Sylvie is being held as a prisoner in Magus’s rooms. Sylvie is scared of just what he’ll do next but she needs to keep him happy so that Mother Heggy’s prophecy can go ahead. Mother Heggy, the old crone prophesied that there will be five deaths, at Winter Solstice. She couldn’t see who, just that there would be five of them. Is one Magus? Is one Yul? Is one Sylvie? You’ll need to read to find out.
We also find out who Sylvie’s father is in “Solstice at Stonewylde”. I won’t to spoil it but I thought that Miranda just forgave the man, rather too easily. I mean, he as good as abused her that night in the forest. It seems that that was just glossed over to make room for other events in the book. I would have liked to have seen a bit more resistance from Miranda, instead of her just accepting that’s the way things are. Sylvie, it seems is the only one who’s shocked by the news.
There are many more elements to this story. I’m really just focusing on the ones that I think stand out most.
What did I like about “Solstice at Stonewylde”?
I liked how we got to see more of Sylvie’s budding yet forbidden relationship. I love it when there’s an intense but forbidden romance. It makes any book more exciting for me to read.
I liked how Magus carried on being a controlling, dominant figure. If he hadn’t been so present in the story it wouldn’t have been so good, I don’t think.
I liked how our side characters were more included. It felt as if in the previous books the story was more focused around Sylvie and Yul, when in “Solstice at Stonewylde” there were other important characters, too.
What didn’t I like about “Solstice at Stonewylde”?
“Solstice at Stonewylde” seemed to suffer from like a second book syndrome for me, even though, yes, it’s the third book instead of the second. I think this was because the main characters didn’t really do anything surprising, apart from a few moments (none of which I’m going to spoil). The things that happened were kind of predictable at this point.
I didn’t so much like how the plot seemed to focus only on Magus imprisoning Sylvie for a good proportion of the book. Yes, this is important but I wish it had been cut down. It didn’t feel as if we had as much of Yul in “Solstice at Stonewylde” because of this.
There weren’t as many Sylvie and Yul moments because of the second point made, also. This was disappointing as I would have liked to have seen a few more romantic moments between the two.
The final battle was over in a few pages at the end of “Solstice at Stonewylde”. I wanted to see more of a fight between the two opposing sides (I don’t want to spoil ANY of this because it’s so short)!
It seemed like a little bit of a let down as this is the last book in original the Stonewylde trilogy, which chronicles Yul and Sylvie’s life as teenagers at Stonewylde.
Overall, it doesn’t sound like I really liked “Solstice at Stonewylde”, even though I did! There were just bits that I would have cut down to make it flow better. I also definitely would have added in more scenes of Yul worrying for Sylvie. I thought there were really only two or three instances of this. I would have liked to have seen more. As I said, this sounds like a really negative review but it isn’r. Please still read the Stonewylde series if it sounds interesting to you. I think in its entirety it’s my 3rd favourite series EVER!
Stand by for my next review, coming soon...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2015
How can any book get better than the last!? But this one did!
So after poisoning Yul, more starvation and burning him with a lit cigarette, Magus decides hey why not just kill the kid. I mean a 15year old is the greatest threat there is to a man in his what...30's!
Okay so I am getting ahead of myself a bit. Besides this story being really emotional, with a lot more lows than highs, I was also very frustrated. So as it turns out there is a reason for the hatred that Magus feels toward a boy that has done nothing wrong, accept be a growing child, and why he feels that Yul just looking at him is defiance it self.
Yul is Magus' son (I kinda had an idea that this might be the case), and at Yul's birth it was prophosized that Yul would bring about the downfall of his father. So Magus thought that if he could deny his parentage he would possibly be able to prevent the "curse" from happening (dumbest thing i ever heard of course it wouldn't stop it).
To protect Yul from Magus' retribution, the minute the prophecy is spoken, mother Heggy places a binding curse on Magus, that should he kill the child either by his own hand or by promoting his death in anyway he will also die. This is the only reason Yul is still alive but this spell of protection only last until Yul's 16th birthday, when he will become a man and must face his father.
This explains why while Yul's stepfather beat him badly Magus never intervened because he was hoping that it would result in his death then he would be rid of him. When even the poisoning doesn't work. On the night of Samhien, where the angel of death is supposed to make his rounds during the festival, they drug Yul so that he cannot move and appears as if he is on the verge of death, Magus leaves him out in the cold with the others that are near death so that he will basically freeze to death. Only by Sylvie's help by alerting his mother and sister that earlier in the day Magus told her Yul was fine and would be taking part in the ceremony that night (because he knows Sylvie has no idea what the ceremony is about and he know that she will stop asking for Yul)that his mother become aware of where her son his. To be able to keep Yul from being saved, Magus as to admit to his parentage as only a family member can agree to have a dying relative participate in the death ritual.
Once again Mother Heggy ensures Yul's survival, even though he is drugged even more to prevent him from moving, through force of will Yul is able to save himself. Magus's plan back fires and as a result the Villagers begin to turn against him and support Yul.
The following full moon Yul is able to prevent Magus from steeling Sylvie's magick and live force (because not only is he draining her power but her life as well),even though Sylvie has once again been hypnotized, unfortunately he has to use force to restrain her and end up hurting her. Magus goes completely of his rocker, emotionally abusing Miranda, and he forces not only the villager girls to stand on the snake stone but the Hallfolk girls as well.
Three plus points come out of this.
1) The villagers turn against him even more
2)Miranda finally opens her eyes and sees him for what he is
3)Some of the Hallfolk also begin to turn against him
Also he inadvertently causes the evil Jackdaw's death. (YIppeeee! and another one bites the dust. Literally)
Up to this point, Magus had not only turned Sylvie's mother against her by playing on her need to be loved and her love for him (how can a mother choose a man over her own child!?)
But her teachers as well, by using his charisma and playing and the respect they have for him. Even the Doctor who had sent Sylvie to Stonewylde is turned against her, he uses her desire for him and sex to convince her that Sylvie is simply putting on for attention seeking reasons.
By this time I was so thoroughly disgusted with everyone I wanted to find a magical way of transporting myself into the book just so that I could punch these people. I mean how is it no one could see through his conniving ways!
Give Magus his due through, not only is he not a man to give up but he also finds new ways of being totally, sickeningly sneaky!!
When he doesn't get Sylvie's moon magick he plays up weakness and illness. And frustratingly enough, Sylvie is suckered in by his niceness and the fact that he begins to spoil her with cloths and jewelry and turns into the girls she does not like. But what she doesn't realise that while he is pampering her, he is also drugging her and underfeeding her so that she stays weak.
She even stops thinking about Yul the more she is spoilt and gets what she wants. Another plus from this is, quite a number of people that were fooled by him begin to see that Sylvie was never lying and that Magus is the perfect manipulator. Even the girls that once tortured Sylvie because of Magus no longer do so and begin to pity her for Magus' interest.
And when Magus once again begins to reveal his dark side to Sylvie and she is no longer under is "spell" she begins to realise that Magus does not see her has a child but as an object to be possessed.
What had me jumping up and down was when Magus to keep Sylvie and Yul apart pretends that Sylvie is his daughter as well. Down playing the fact that Miranda was raped in the process. But is brother Clip and Miranda shoot him down. Miranda insists that she was forced, which not only destroys Magus' reputation as the Casanova who has women falling over themselves but also the fact that Miranda was only 15 which goes against everything that Magus says he believes in. And Clip destroys his story by admitting that he did force Miranda but didn't realise what he was doing until he saw her crying. Neither did he realise that it was her until he saw Magus make her cry. So as it turns out not only is she Clips daughter but also the heir to Stonewylde!
After Magus' plan B is shot down, he decides that he'll have Sylvie as a woman. which completely grossed me out! He is in is 30's (I think) and she's a child of 15!!
I loved the way these books where set out, because although you know that good just has to win out in the end. Berry puts her characters through all the hardships you can imagine. It helps to remind you that they aren't adults but children and that they her in the process of growing up. But they also learn things that most adults never do.
Beautifully written! and Finally I get my wish of Die Mugus DIE!!!
So after poisoning Yul, more starvation and burning him with a lit cigarette, Magus decides hey why not just kill the kid. I mean a 15year old is the greatest threat there is to a man in his what...30's!
Okay so I am getting ahead of myself a bit. Besides this story being really emotional, with a lot more lows than highs, I was also very frustrated. So as it turns out there is a reason for the hatred that Magus feels toward a boy that has done nothing wrong, accept be a growing child, and why he feels that Yul just looking at him is defiance it self.
Yul is Magus' son (I kinda had an idea that this might be the case), and at Yul's birth it was prophosized that Yul would bring about the downfall of his father. So Magus thought that if he could deny his parentage he would possibly be able to prevent the "curse" from happening (dumbest thing i ever heard of course it wouldn't stop it).
To protect Yul from Magus' retribution, the minute the prophecy is spoken, mother Heggy places a binding curse on Magus, that should he kill the child either by his own hand or by promoting his death in anyway he will also die. This is the only reason Yul is still alive but this spell of protection only last until Yul's 16th birthday, when he will become a man and must face his father.
This explains why while Yul's stepfather beat him badly Magus never intervened because he was hoping that it would result in his death then he would be rid of him. When even the poisoning doesn't work. On the night of Samhien, where the angel of death is supposed to make his rounds during the festival, they drug Yul so that he cannot move and appears as if he is on the verge of death, Magus leaves him out in the cold with the others that are near death so that he will basically freeze to death. Only by Sylvie's help by alerting his mother and sister that earlier in the day Magus told her Yul was fine and would be taking part in the ceremony that night (because he knows Sylvie has no idea what the ceremony is about and he know that she will stop asking for Yul)that his mother become aware of where her son his. To be able to keep Yul from being saved, Magus as to admit to his parentage as only a family member can agree to have a dying relative participate in the death ritual.
Once again Mother Heggy ensures Yul's survival, even though he is drugged even more to prevent him from moving, through force of will Yul is able to save himself. Magus's plan back fires and as a result the Villagers begin to turn against him and support Yul.
The following full moon Yul is able to prevent Magus from steeling Sylvie's magick and live force (because not only is he draining her power but her life as well),even though Sylvie has once again been hypnotized, unfortunately he has to use force to restrain her and end up hurting her. Magus goes completely of his rocker, emotionally abusing Miranda, and he forces not only the villager girls to stand on the snake stone but the Hallfolk girls as well.
Three plus points come out of this.
1) The villagers turn against him even more
2)Miranda finally opens her eyes and sees him for what he is
3)Some of the Hallfolk also begin to turn against him
Also he inadvertently causes the evil Jackdaw's death. (YIppeeee! and another one bites the dust. Literally)
Up to this point, Magus had not only turned Sylvie's mother against her by playing on her need to be loved and her love for him (how can a mother choose a man over her own child!?)
But her teachers as well, by using his charisma and playing and the respect they have for him. Even the Doctor who had sent Sylvie to Stonewylde is turned against her, he uses her desire for him and sex to convince her that Sylvie is simply putting on for attention seeking reasons.
By this time I was so thoroughly disgusted with everyone I wanted to find a magical way of transporting myself into the book just so that I could punch these people. I mean how is it no one could see through his conniving ways!
Give Magus his due through, not only is he not a man to give up but he also finds new ways of being totally, sickeningly sneaky!!
When he doesn't get Sylvie's moon magick he plays up weakness and illness. And frustratingly enough, Sylvie is suckered in by his niceness and the fact that he begins to spoil her with cloths and jewelry and turns into the girls she does not like. But what she doesn't realise that while he is pampering her, he is also drugging her and underfeeding her so that she stays weak.
She even stops thinking about Yul the more she is spoilt and gets what she wants. Another plus from this is, quite a number of people that were fooled by him begin to see that Sylvie was never lying and that Magus is the perfect manipulator. Even the girls that once tortured Sylvie because of Magus no longer do so and begin to pity her for Magus' interest.
And when Magus once again begins to reveal his dark side to Sylvie and she is no longer under is "spell" she begins to realise that Magus does not see her has a child but as an object to be possessed.
What had me jumping up and down was when Magus to keep Sylvie and Yul apart pretends that Sylvie is his daughter as well. Down playing the fact that Miranda was raped in the process. But is brother Clip and Miranda shoot him down. Miranda insists that she was forced, which not only destroys Magus' reputation as the Casanova who has women falling over themselves but also the fact that Miranda was only 15 which goes against everything that Magus says he believes in. And Clip destroys his story by admitting that he did force Miranda but didn't realise what he was doing until he saw her crying. Neither did he realise that it was her until he saw Magus make her cry. So as it turns out not only is she Clips daughter but also the heir to Stonewylde!
After Magus' plan B is shot down, he decides that he'll have Sylvie as a woman. which completely grossed me out! He is in is 30's (I think) and she's a child of 15!!
I loved the way these books where set out, because although you know that good just has to win out in the end. Berry puts her characters through all the hardships you can imagine. It helps to remind you that they aren't adults but children and that they her in the process of growing up. But they also learn things that most adults never do.
Beautifully written! and Finally I get my wish of Die Mugus DIE!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2020
This book was incredible. It really felt like the ending of the series, as if it was a trilogy - thankfully, that is not the case. When Magus / Sol was grooming Sylvie, it actually made me like Magus too, as if he had brainwashed not just the characters in the book, but the readers of book as well. Story-wise, it was genius. I couldn't put it down. It does a really good job of shocking the audience with things that they already knew were going to happen - like the death of Magus. Yul reaches out to save him. It is completely bittersweet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2018
End to the original trilogy, not one for a standalone read. I love these, slightly kitsch pagan themed fantasy. I am assured that even though this seemingly wraps up pretty neatly, parts 4 & 5 are even better. So I will give them a go.
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November 9, 2021Excellent
I am now completely hooked by the magic of Stonewyde but this book went above and beyond - totally drawn into the plight of the characters only to be twisted and find myself in sympathy with the aggressor. Beautifully woven like nature herself.
I am now completely hooked by the magic of Stonewyde but this book went above and beyond - totally drawn into the plight of the characters only to be twisted and find myself in sympathy with the aggressor. Beautifully woven like nature herself.
July 13, 2021
Love love this series of book 💖 get lost in the fabulous writing
October 19, 2021
giving these 5 stars for the nostalgia but i'd forgotten how disturbing & problematic parts of this series are - 11 yr old me devoured this shit
January 9, 2026
My most favourite book series - I will always keep rereading them
December 10, 2021
I started re-reading Stonewylde after the death of the author, Kit Berry. Not only had I forgotten all the details of the story, I'd also forgotten just how compelling it was, how impossible to put down, twisty and delightful. A pagan community I'd dream of living in, yet a place with problems, inequality and greed.
September 23, 2009
Solstice of Stonewylde is the third (and currently the last completed) novel in Kit Berry's Stonewylde series. At the end of Moondance of Stonewylde, Sylvie is suffering under Magus' cruel desire to siphon off her moon magic and Yul's life is in permanent danger.
Solstice is the story of how the final days of the prophecy unfold. At Yul's birth Mother Heggy prophesised that he would come to challenge the Magus on his 16th birthday (the day of the Winter Solstice) and only one of them would survive. In the meantime, she believes that Yul's enemies will fall, one by one.
Sylvie's life is being endangered by Magus forcing her to channel the moon magic for him every month. Her mother Miranda is bearing his child and the Hallfolk are making every aspect of Sylvie's life a misery. Perhaps it would be best if they Stonewylde, especially now that Sylvie is unsure of Yul's feelings for her. Perhaps there is a way to negotiate and end to the conflict between Magus and Yul and ensure that they both survive?
In this third installment of the Stonewydle saga we are once again transported to Kit Berry's magical world, but this time it is a much darker place for all its inhabitants as the titanic struggle between Magus and Yul draws to a close.
Although I love this book, I felt the ending was a little predictable. Kit Berry also ties up all the loose ends, as it was her intention that this would be the final Stonewylde book. However, she has since changed her mind and there are two more in the pipeline, which her many fans are eagerly awaiting. Anyone who is interested in fantasy worlds will love the Stonewylde series and should pick up the first book without delay!
Solstice is the story of how the final days of the prophecy unfold. At Yul's birth Mother Heggy prophesised that he would come to challenge the Magus on his 16th birthday (the day of the Winter Solstice) and only one of them would survive. In the meantime, she believes that Yul's enemies will fall, one by one.
Sylvie's life is being endangered by Magus forcing her to channel the moon magic for him every month. Her mother Miranda is bearing his child and the Hallfolk are making every aspect of Sylvie's life a misery. Perhaps it would be best if they Stonewylde, especially now that Sylvie is unsure of Yul's feelings for her. Perhaps there is a way to negotiate and end to the conflict between Magus and Yul and ensure that they both survive?
In this third installment of the Stonewydle saga we are once again transported to Kit Berry's magical world, but this time it is a much darker place for all its inhabitants as the titanic struggle between Magus and Yul draws to a close.
Although I love this book, I felt the ending was a little predictable. Kit Berry also ties up all the loose ends, as it was her intention that this would be the final Stonewylde book. However, she has since changed her mind and there are two more in the pipeline, which her many fans are eagerly awaiting. Anyone who is interested in fantasy worlds will love the Stonewylde series and should pick up the first book without delay!
October 12, 2012
If you thought I hated the Magus before then that is nothing compared to now. No, strike that. I do not hate him, he disgust me now. If he was on fire I would not spit on him, I would not even think about it. He is slowly rotting inside in this one, and finally, people start to notice.
But I will go back a step. This book was just so emotional. I did not want to stop because I had to know! Could this sorry excuse for a human being be stopped?!
The magus has tried to kill Yul or break him more than once. And Yul is his own son, but there is a prophecy...Sylvie is being used for her moon magic and he drains her until she is an empty shell. Then he yells at her when she is being lazy. So when I started reading this book I was dreading it all, especially since Yul lay at death's door in book 2 and Sylvie. Poor Sylvie. When I started reading my hate (we all know about that now) turned to disgust. Yes things gets even worse. Things will happen, but there will not only be darkness, there is some light and I kept rooting for that light as I raced toward the end of the book.
If nothing else then this book will keep you on your toes, and rooting for the good guys, while swearing over the bad guys.
But I will go back a step. This book was just so emotional. I did not want to stop because I had to know! Could this sorry excuse for a human being be stopped?!
The magus has tried to kill Yul or break him more than once. And Yul is his own son, but there is a prophecy...Sylvie is being used for her moon magic and he drains her until she is an empty shell. Then he yells at her when she is being lazy. So when I started reading this book I was dreading it all, especially since Yul lay at death's door in book 2 and Sylvie. Poor Sylvie. When I started reading my hate (we all know about that now) turned to disgust. Yes things gets even worse. Things will happen, but there will not only be darkness, there is some light and I kept rooting for that light as I raced toward the end of the book.
If nothing else then this book will keep you on your toes, and rooting for the good guys, while swearing over the bad guys.
July 15, 2011
With "Solstice", book three in the Stonewylde series author Kit Berry continues to go from strength to strength.
This is a much darker book than the previous two. Both the main characters, Yul and Sylvie, start the book in a dark place and as the tensions build toward the prophesied endgame at the Winter Solstice things do not get better for them. The character of Magus is a scarily bad man, sometimes "villains" in literature can be a bit too cardboard and pantomime like but he is believable in his nastiness. The book was gripping and well written - this really does deserve to be the Next Big Thing.
One final thing - there was one scene, towards the very end of this book (can't go into details, sorry - spoilers!) that was possibly the most beautifully written and moving piece of work it has ever been my good fortune to read.
Looking forward to book 4 in August to see where Ms. Berry takes the series.
This is a much darker book than the previous two. Both the main characters, Yul and Sylvie, start the book in a dark place and as the tensions build toward the prophesied endgame at the Winter Solstice things do not get better for them. The character of Magus is a scarily bad man, sometimes "villains" in literature can be a bit too cardboard and pantomime like but he is believable in his nastiness. The book was gripping and well written - this really does deserve to be the Next Big Thing.
One final thing - there was one scene, towards the very end of this book (can't go into details, sorry - spoilers!) that was possibly the most beautifully written and moving piece of work it has ever been my good fortune to read.
Looking forward to book 4 in August to see where Ms. Berry takes the series.
November 20, 2011
OK, had to go on to see how Sylvie and Yul manage to outwit Magus and his increasing decline into irrationality.....
Again, the story is predictable; Yul gets poisoned and nearly dies; Sylvie realises (eventually) what Magus ACTUALLY wants to do with/to her; and the ending is satisfying in that I thought it was THE END.
Nope. No such luck. I believe there are two more books to come, but I can't see them getting any better.
Again, the story is predictable; Yul gets poisoned and nearly dies; Sylvie realises (eventually) what Magus ACTUALLY wants to do with/to her; and the ending is satisfying in that I thought it was THE END.
Nope. No such luck. I believe there are two more books to come, but I can't see them getting any better.
January 24, 2022
I am hooked- it’s the second time I’ve read this series. Id love a stay in this magical community-especially as I love Dorset so much. One small thing I’m confused about is how a Kit never uses a capital M for Magus. It’s a title, surely it’s a capital M. Oh well stop moaning Ruth, I just love these books.
October 15, 2008
These books are engrossing easy reading. I found myself caught up in the plot and the characters and started to imagine that the place was real! There are some proper goodies and baddies and in places you want to boo and hiss!
Can't wait for the next book to see how the story further develops.
Can't wait for the next book to see how the story further develops.
June 17, 2012
The third book of the Stonewylde collection and the best yet, enthralling climax as the destiny of Yul & Sylvie's future unfolds. As soon as I finish one of these book's I always feel desperate to return to Stonewylde... Will do so in July when I recieve the 4th Book in this series.
October 22, 2012
This is one of those rare books (series) that I could actually read again. I have never had a book take me so fully into the story that I see every tiniest detail and feel the feelings of the characters so intensely as this story does. Recommend a million times.
January 27, 2010
Tied up very neatly so no idea what will happen in Volume 4. I thought credibility was stretched a bit far towards the end.
April 24, 2011
cool ending but not the end, the author decided to write 2 more books, not yet out.
September 13, 2012
I love this series. Each book brings new things for Yul and Sylvie to deal with. I was on the edge of my seat reading it and rooting for Yul and Sylvie. Cant wait for the next one :)
February 3, 2013
superb an excellent read that doesn;t disappooint
January 14, 2023
Best one so far!!! Can't wait to read the next one!
November 18, 2013
Yeah...continuing in the awesomeness of this series!
April 2, 2014
Yul over throws Magnus and ends up the Magnus of the Stonewylde as foretold 16 years earlier he also ends up been Handfasted to his Moongazer Sylvie
August 13, 2009
A lot of interesting twists and turns. Great Story telling.
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