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Hal has never known anything beyond her life as a duellist.
A stubborn, strong-willed, disinherited aristocrat, she leaves the imperial court at an early age to make her living with her sword. Finally, she seems to have found all she needs in life - that is until she meets Meracad, the daughter of a rich businessman. The two girls are about to find out that true love comes at a price.
A stubborn, strong-willed, disinherited aristocrat, she leaves the imperial court at an early age to make her living with her sword. Finally, she seems to have found all she needs in life - that is until she meets Meracad, the daughter of a rich businessman. The two girls are about to find out that true love comes at a price.
349 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2015
95 people are currently reading
318 people want to read
About the author
Kate Cudahy
10 books27 followersKate Cudahy comes from north-west England. She studied literature at the universities of Essex and York before moving to Poland in 2003, where she teaches English as a second language.
Kate writes fantasy fiction with an LGBT focus. Her novels ‘Hal’ and ‘Hannac’ follow the exploits of a young duellist, Hal Thæc, as she searches for love against the odds. Kate is currently writing a third novel, ‘The Firefarer’ ─ epic fantasy with a postmodern twist.
Kate writes fantasy fiction with an LGBT focus. Her novels ‘Hal’ and ‘Hannac’ follow the exploits of a young duellist, Hal Thæc, as she searches for love against the odds. Kate is currently writing a third novel, ‘The Firefarer’ ─ epic fantasy with a postmodern twist.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 10, 2022
5 stars
I seriously liked this one. Much more than I expected. The cover doesn't do it many favours, but the story is, in my opinion, really great. Probably not the best sapphic literature has to offer, but I genuinely enjoyed it and my attention didn't wander, so I think it deserves full marks. I'll definitely reread it at some point in the future
I seriously liked this one. Much more than I expected. The cover doesn't do it many favours, but the story is, in my opinion, really great. Probably not the best sapphic literature has to offer, but I genuinely enjoyed it and my attention didn't wander, so I think it deserves full marks. I'll definitely reread it at some point in the future
October 1, 2018
WARNING: Contains a rape scene
Started with a 3.5 in spite of a writing style that did not really gel, then after a while I thought, 3* is generous. Got to the rape scene and that was it, too much.
It is hard to find positives, other than I looked forward to a kickass character and how she would rise to the top. I looked forward to a brand new world in which to lose myself.
The main character is called Hal. Her full name is far more interesting, so why not lead with that? I also found her to be an irritating piece of cardboard, and couldn’t wait for her to become interesting.
World building may have happened but didn’t really grace the pages, and so this piece could have been any time and any place. There is very little word space given to details of either world or city, although some attention is paid to a castle up north, eventually, and a steamy bar, and of course more on sex. Fights are pretty vague, and for a duellist, the fight and the world it entails should be a good part of the story I’d have thought.
Over use of the progressive verb form which I find personally irritating. Then we have the name selection, such as Marc, Brennac, Reniac, Thaec, Laec, Nerac, Franc, Hannac… I sense a theme.
It took a long time to get to 48% nark, and I admit a little bit longer and I gave up. It is all about people hating each other, or being stupid or vile. Maybe something nice happens in the end. Problem is, I don’t care.
Overlong for the story. Wordy. Got bored. Skimmed it. Did not finished it.
I’m sure lots of people love it. Not for me.
Started with a 3.5 in spite of a writing style that did not really gel, then after a while I thought, 3* is generous. Got to the rape scene and that was it, too much.
It is hard to find positives, other than I looked forward to a kickass character and how she would rise to the top. I looked forward to a brand new world in which to lose myself.
The main character is called Hal. Her full name is far more interesting, so why not lead with that? I also found her to be an irritating piece of cardboard, and couldn’t wait for her to become interesting.
World building may have happened but didn’t really grace the pages, and so this piece could have been any time and any place. There is very little word space given to details of either world or city, although some attention is paid to a castle up north, eventually, and a steamy bar, and of course more on sex. Fights are pretty vague, and for a duellist, the fight and the world it entails should be a good part of the story I’d have thought.
Over use of the progressive verb form which I find personally irritating. Then we have the name selection, such as Marc, Brennac, Reniac, Thaec, Laec, Nerac, Franc, Hannac… I sense a theme.
It took a long time to get to 48% nark, and I admit a little bit longer and I gave up. It is all about people hating each other, or being stupid or vile. Maybe something nice happens in the end. Problem is, I don’t care.
Overlong for the story. Wordy. Got bored. Skimmed it. Did not finished it.
I’m sure lots of people love it. Not for me.
October 28, 2015
Excellent fantasy romance book. Has a bit of action, forbidden romance, interesting secondary characters, and a satisfying ending without leaving too big of a cliffhanger.
November 4, 2016
"She had heard that when people began to drown, their entire lives were said to pass before their eyes. Now the days and years flew past her like pages from a book she might have skimmed through, and she saw nothing but a monotonous tale of her father’s brute power and her own submission to it. But here, before her now, it seemed as if Hal might be stretching out her hands and inviting her to step beyond all of that into a world of passion and love and freedom."3.5 stars, rounded up. The story is mostly told from Hal's point of view, while some parts change to Meracad and a few secondary characters' perspectives. Halanya "Hal" Thæc is an disinherited aristocrat by choice so she could become a professional duellist, which provides her with no luxuries but allows her to do what she loves, and live the life she wants as courtiers look at her with disdain. Her simple life, which consists of training, engaging in duels, and enjoying her free time with her friends, changes when Meracad Léac, an influential merchant's daughter, arrives.
Meracad craves a life of freedom, much like the one Hal leads, away from her ruthless father's influence, wanting to escape the fate he has for her to further improve his wealth and position. The two meet and fall in love, a bit too fast if you ask me, and just as quickly discover how much they'll have to risk to be together.
Even though it kind of lost me for a while after the first quarter/half, in general it was a very enjoyable read, with fun moments, some action, and nice chemistry between the characters. Something that did bother me:
The ending is open, I already knew there was another book, but thankfully with no cliffhanger, something I feared as I reached the last few pages (I don't like them! I like complete stories!), and left me interested in reading the sequel. :>
July 7, 2014
When I first started to read Hal, I thought it would be just another "bad ass hot girl kicking everyone's butt* type of story, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However this story seems to have so much more. Hal has plenty of faults, her worse being her stubbornness that gets her into trouble more then once, but that makes me like her so much more.
She is surrounded by a strong supporting cast. Marc - her long time friend, Beric - Trainer, father figure and general pain in the ass, and Franc - Far away benefactor and friend. OF course she has her fair share of enemies, all more powerful then her.
Last but not least is Meracad. Daughter of a rich merchant who runs in different circles than Hal. It's a classic love story between two opposites (although they are lesbians, so not that classic) who hit it off right away.
Of course their love affair bring them big trouble, but I won't spoil what happens. Great adventure/romance story that is worth a read. It's also free, so even better!
She is surrounded by a strong supporting cast. Marc - her long time friend, Beric - Trainer, father figure and general pain in the ass, and Franc - Far away benefactor and friend. OF course she has her fair share of enemies, all more powerful then her.
Last but not least is Meracad. Daughter of a rich merchant who runs in different circles than Hal. It's a classic love story between two opposites (although they are lesbians, so not that classic) who hit it off right away.
Of course their love affair bring them big trouble, but I won't spoil what happens. Great adventure/romance story that is worth a read. It's also free, so even better!
July 5, 2014
Hal is simply, an amazing read. A female duellist in a predominantly male world, Hal has climbed to the top of her profession in spite of a back-stabbing mother who refuses to claim Hal all while hiding secrets of her own. Kate Cudahy has crafted a beautiful world here, filled with adventure, humor, and intrigue. Ms. Cudahy's talent for story-telling is evident from the first page on and Hal quickly becomes an endearing though frustrating character with all of her hot-headed decisions but the one thing Hal isn't is predictable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a love story between two women where the focus is centered upon the telling of a magnificent tale and not just the aspect of same sex romance. A definite must-read!
June 21, 2015
I really was not sure if this story would be another lesbian sad love story.
Within the first 25-35 pages I had already purchased the second book.
I couldn't put it down .
I couldn't get enough of Hal and her dueling,
defiance,stubbornness,
I liked Hal`s strengths,weakness,and her heart,with a supportive character trait of stubbornness.
her devotion to her love and loyalty to her friends.
Thank you Kate Cudahy!
I look forward to further adventures with Hal.
Within the first 25-35 pages I had already purchased the second book.
I couldn't put it down .
I couldn't get enough of Hal and her dueling,
defiance,stubbornness,
I liked Hal`s strengths,weakness,and her heart,with a supportive character trait of stubbornness.
her devotion to her love and loyalty to her friends.
Thank you Kate Cudahy!
I look forward to further adventures with Hal.
April 7, 2015
Thrilling
Wonderful read. There's constant excitement. The main characters will frustrate you but the writer let's you know that love makes them stupid.
Wonderful read. There's constant excitement. The main characters will frustrate you but the writer let's you know that love makes them stupid.
April 12, 2015
I think this book sits in a genre that just isn't for me.
Aside from the unfortunate shortening of the protagonist's name (I don't think that I'm the only one that thinks of a certain movie when I read the name Hal) I didn't find her really that interesting. The love interest was much more interesting, and she didn't get all that much screen time.
And if I never read the word "lass" again, I'm totally fine with that.
Aside from the unfortunate shortening of the protagonist's name (I don't think that I'm the only one that thinks of a certain movie when I read the name Hal) I didn't find her really that interesting. The love interest was much more interesting, and she didn't get all that much screen time.
And if I never read the word "lass" again, I'm totally fine with that.
May 29, 2015
love, loved, LOVED this book! awesome as a fantasy book and awesome as a lesbian romance. Characters are enjoyable. Definitely one that holds your attention and makes you sad when you finish it.
I did a more in-depth review at http://www.worldsedgetavern.com/quick... - but it does contain some spoilers.
I did a more in-depth review at http://www.worldsedgetavern.com/quick... - but it does contain some spoilers.
October 11, 2018
This was an unusual pick for me(I found it on BookBub) but sometimes you have to go outside your comfort zone to discover new authors. Hal kind of reminds me of a Shakespearean play....it has star crossed lovers, family conflict, duels, drunken friends, betrayal and battles between classes and sexes. I can even envision Hal looking like Viola in Twelfth Night. Just don't expect a high octane swash-buckling adventure because it's really not that kind of story. Also, be forewarned that the protagonist is of the prickly variety....that is she's difficult to like. Hal can be stubborn, reckless, short tempered and arrogant. She's an anti-hero that needs a lot of 'looking after' by her friends....and it's these friends(supporting characters) that really help hold the story together.
If there's one complaint I have about Hal is that it lacked details in certain areas. The setting(time, architecture etc) and history of the Empire was very vague, and the descriptions of characters(age, appearance) were so basic that I couldn't really form an image in my mind. And considering Hal is the central character, I would have liked some more backstory or in depth internal dialogue from her. There is a novella included in this book called Orla and it seems to do a better job of revealing more sides to the stony faced Hal.
This is a trilogy so I will be reading the next 2 books.
If there's one complaint I have about Hal is that it lacked details in certain areas. The setting(time, architecture etc) and history of the Empire was very vague, and the descriptions of characters(age, appearance) were so basic that I couldn't really form an image in my mind. And considering Hal is the central character, I would have liked some more backstory or in depth internal dialogue from her. There is a novella included in this book called Orla and it seems to do a better job of revealing more sides to the stony faced Hal.
This is a trilogy so I will be reading the next 2 books.
June 8, 2018
A tale full of adventures!!!
I discovered, yet, another great author who is extremely capable of putting words perfectly together and creating a fantastic world. The story itself is full of quests that are vivid and real or at least they appeared real to me. I could visualize with ease Hal, the Duelist, fighting with passion pushing away her opponents before striking again and claiming her victory. Ms. Kate Cudahy is a talent writer and with a minimal effort creates beautiful scenes, and her similes and metaphors are exquisite. Further, the characters, Hal and Mercado, are phenomenal, and their chemistry is delicious. If you want to read a book full of adventures and feelings of love, passion and hate then this is the only book you must read. I loved it!!!
I discovered, yet, another great author who is extremely capable of putting words perfectly together and creating a fantastic world. The story itself is full of quests that are vivid and real or at least they appeared real to me. I could visualize with ease Hal, the Duelist, fighting with passion pushing away her opponents before striking again and claiming her victory. Ms. Kate Cudahy is a talent writer and with a minimal effort creates beautiful scenes, and her similes and metaphors are exquisite. Further, the characters, Hal and Mercado, are phenomenal, and their chemistry is delicious. If you want to read a book full of adventures and feelings of love, passion and hate then this is the only book you must read. I loved it!!!
December 9, 2018
Hmm, I had a lot of mixed feelings about this book, but it was very enjoyable, I'll admit. If goodreads would cooperate, I'd probably bump it up to 3.5 just for keeping me entertained (and distracted from the nonfiction books I'm supposed to be reading!)
Stuff I Liked
- Hal was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed making parallels to Julie D'Aubigny as I read about her. Yes, she could be frustrating at times, but I generally don't mind that in a protagonist because, hey, I'm reading the book to be entertained.
- For that matter, I also thought Marc and Lavinia were pretty interesting characters, as well as Magda and Beric. Finn, Kitty, Jools, Orla, Asha, and Bruno all had the chance to become more interesting, if they'd just had more space to do so, but alas, theirs is the common plight of intriguing side characters.
- The f/f relationship was, uh, for lack of a better word, blunt and upfront instead of as I've previously seen it in other fantasy books: sequestered away in the background or revealed in the last 10 pages of a novel. I really do appreciate when authors make an effort to add to this woefully tiny corner of LGBT fiction.
- Cara Thaec's downfall was satisfying, what can I say? She was a very detestable character.
- I think the dialogue and action sequences were the strongest part of this book, for the most part. Not perfect, but definitely the strongest elements, writing-wise. Also, the dialogue got a laugh out of me multiple times. Admittedly, sometimes that was due to a character being hilariously extra, but overall I liked when there was something funny to brighten the mood.
- I learned a new word, internecine! Now I can happily confuse people with it.
- This is definitely a book for magic-lite fantasy fans who want fun and swordfights, nothing too in-depth.
Stuff I Didn't Like So Much
- To follow up from the previously mentioned strengths, I'd say the biggest weakness of this book was that so much felt so underdeveloped and rushed along. I don't mind fast-pacing, but it makes the story seem even shakier if the swiftness is relying on a weak structure. Let's break it down since there's a few things to discuss here:
-- The romance is the first major thing that comes to mind because the entire plot revolves around it. I believed that Hal and Meracad had very passionate feelings for each other, but in love and ready to throw their entire lives away after only a few weeks of knowing each other? Eh, not so much. Plus there was that whole weird jealousy thing with Orla and Meracad that just had me scratching my head because I didn't understand why everyone went so over the top? Especially since they are adults, not young teenagers. I'd understand this more if there had been more time to develop everything, but they're split up almost immediately after this and don't reunite again until the very end of the book.
-- Franc's whole plot point, in retrospect, was kinda obvious, but I also don't understand why he didn't want to name Hal his heir from the beginning? After all of that pointless drama with Cara, why let her blackmail you when you can easily screw over her reputation, have your much-needed heir, and fuck off back to Hallac with the extra money in your pockets? Anyway, his apologies notwithstanding, I still don't get the need for all of that secrecy etc., especially in a society that is so sharply skewed towards favoring the words and actions of men.
-- Meracad (and then Bruno) just kinda disappointed me. Here I was, hoping for witty and strategic characters, and that just kinda... didn't happen. I mean, she did do that letter blackmail thing, but that felt pulled out of nowhere and why didn't she do that before she was carted out of Corve in the first place? And then Bruno, wtf, he could have been an interesting strategic character, but instead was a one-dimensional monster. Ah well, guess I don't have to feel bad about him getting killed off eventually (same for Meracad's father).
-- To a certain extent, every character felt a wee bit like a caricature more than anything. You have the Evil Father, Evil Mother, Swashbuckling Swordslinger, Beautiful Maiden, Gruff Father Figure, Fun-loving Politician, Mysterious Outsider, Hooker With A Heart Of Gold, etc etc. Yeah, I'm simplifying things a fair bit and maybe some other readers might disagree, but that was my general impression of them.
-- Then there's the worldbuilding, which I still feel pretty confused about. I'm not sure how the empire works, or its imperial religion, or what exactly is going on with the war Orla was a part of. And then there's lots of details of different things (leather, satin, silk, muslin-which-is-not-medieval-btw, various foods, public baths, street musicians etc etc) but overall they felt like they were tossed in almost randomly. What I mean is, that typically when a piece of writing has been revised a few times, descriptive details like these ones feel like some thought and care has been put into them so that they mesh well together, instead of feeling like details added in an early draft with an intention to revise them in the future.
-- Given how fast-paced the book is, I can see that maybe all of this potential for development may have been skipped over to get to the next plot point and the next one after that, but I think slowing down a bit and giving things time to grow may have made it feel like a more natural progression of events to me as a reader.
Overall, I did enjoy reading this and would still recommend it to other readers, but there's a fair bit of the story that feels lacking to me and that I wish had been developed more.
Stuff I Liked
- Hal was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed making parallels to Julie D'Aubigny as I read about her. Yes, she could be frustrating at times, but I generally don't mind that in a protagonist because, hey, I'm reading the book to be entertained.
- For that matter, I also thought Marc and Lavinia were pretty interesting characters, as well as Magda and Beric. Finn, Kitty, Jools, Orla, Asha, and Bruno all had the chance to become more interesting, if they'd just had more space to do so, but alas, theirs is the common plight of intriguing side characters.
- The f/f relationship was, uh, for lack of a better word, blunt and upfront instead of as I've previously seen it in other fantasy books: sequestered away in the background or revealed in the last 10 pages of a novel. I really do appreciate when authors make an effort to add to this woefully tiny corner of LGBT fiction.
- Cara Thaec's downfall was satisfying, what can I say? She was a very detestable character.
- I think the dialogue and action sequences were the strongest part of this book, for the most part. Not perfect, but definitely the strongest elements, writing-wise. Also, the dialogue got a laugh out of me multiple times. Admittedly, sometimes that was due to a character being hilariously extra, but overall I liked when there was something funny to brighten the mood.
- I learned a new word, internecine! Now I can happily confuse people with it.
- This is definitely a book for magic-lite fantasy fans who want fun and swordfights, nothing too in-depth.
Stuff I Didn't Like So Much
- To follow up from the previously mentioned strengths, I'd say the biggest weakness of this book was that so much felt so underdeveloped and rushed along. I don't mind fast-pacing, but it makes the story seem even shakier if the swiftness is relying on a weak structure. Let's break it down since there's a few things to discuss here:
-- The romance is the first major thing that comes to mind because the entire plot revolves around it. I believed that Hal and Meracad had very passionate feelings for each other, but in love and ready to throw their entire lives away after only a few weeks of knowing each other? Eh, not so much. Plus there was that whole weird jealousy thing with Orla and Meracad that just had me scratching my head because I didn't understand why everyone went so over the top? Especially since they are adults, not young teenagers. I'd understand this more if there had been more time to develop everything, but they're split up almost immediately after this and don't reunite again until the very end of the book.
-- Franc's whole plot point, in retrospect, was kinda obvious, but I also don't understand why he didn't want to name Hal his heir from the beginning? After all of that pointless drama with Cara, why let her blackmail you when you can easily screw over her reputation, have your much-needed heir, and fuck off back to Hallac with the extra money in your pockets? Anyway, his apologies notwithstanding, I still don't get the need for all of that secrecy etc., especially in a society that is so sharply skewed towards favoring the words and actions of men.
-- Meracad (and then Bruno) just kinda disappointed me. Here I was, hoping for witty and strategic characters, and that just kinda... didn't happen. I mean, she did do that letter blackmail thing, but that felt pulled out of nowhere and why didn't she do that before she was carted out of Corve in the first place? And then Bruno, wtf, he could have been an interesting strategic character, but instead was a one-dimensional monster. Ah well, guess I don't have to feel bad about him getting killed off eventually (same for Meracad's father).
-- To a certain extent, every character felt a wee bit like a caricature more than anything. You have the Evil Father, Evil Mother, Swashbuckling Swordslinger, Beautiful Maiden, Gruff Father Figure, Fun-loving Politician, Mysterious Outsider, Hooker With A Heart Of Gold, etc etc. Yeah, I'm simplifying things a fair bit and maybe some other readers might disagree, but that was my general impression of them.
-- Then there's the worldbuilding, which I still feel pretty confused about. I'm not sure how the empire works, or its imperial religion, or what exactly is going on with the war Orla was a part of. And then there's lots of details of different things (leather, satin, silk, muslin-which-is-not-medieval-btw, various foods, public baths, street musicians etc etc) but overall they felt like they were tossed in almost randomly. What I mean is, that typically when a piece of writing has been revised a few times, descriptive details like these ones feel like some thought and care has been put into them so that they mesh well together, instead of feeling like details added in an early draft with an intention to revise them in the future.
-- Given how fast-paced the book is, I can see that maybe all of this potential for development may have been skipped over to get to the next plot point and the next one after that, but I think slowing down a bit and giving things time to grow may have made it feel like a more natural progression of events to me as a reader.
Overall, I did enjoy reading this and would still recommend it to other readers, but there's a fair bit of the story that feels lacking to me and that I wish had been developed more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2018
I absolutely loved the plot and flow of this story. The character of Hal was well developed and pretty much what I wanted to be like in my younger days.(Yes, I dreamed of sword fights. I was a weird kid.) There was a certain amout of predictablility to some aspects of the story but it took nothing away. I will be reading the second book (Hannac).
October 18, 2019
I found this a little hard to finish purely because I just didn't really empathise with any of the characters. It was good for a 5 1/2 train journey as a distraction, and it was pleasingly gay. But yeah I didn't really get into it as much as I wanted and only finished it because I hate not finishing books, as opposed to wanting to know the ending.
May 12, 2019
Good romance
This was a good romance story. The story of a talented duelist and a merchant's daughter fall in love and start a forbidden love affair. Everyone says they will never make it together. Will the opinion of the critics or true love rule the day?
This was a good romance story. The story of a talented duelist and a merchant's daughter fall in love and start a forbidden love affair. Everyone says they will never make it together. Will the opinion of the critics or true love rule the day?
March 14, 2018
Hal
Wonderful read. Enjoyed to the end. Can't wait to read the rest of this trilogy. Here's hoping for a happily ever after for our duo.
Wonderful read. Enjoyed to the end. Can't wait to read the rest of this trilogy. Here's hoping for a happily ever after for our duo.
June 12, 2018
Great adventure story. I was on the edge of my seat during the climax. I look forward to reading #2. I am now following the author!
March 23, 2019
The plot is a little predictable. The book had very good and details action scenes (and duels of course). A very quick and entertaining read.
August 29, 2015
There is so much m/m out there right now, that I was thrilled to find something that was f/f for once. And a kick ass, sword wielding girl sealed the deal!
Overall, I really enjoyed Hal but unfortunately Hal and Meracad are kept apart for much of the book, so it's hard to invest in a relationship that wasn't very long in the making before they're torn apart. Not that I wasn't rooting for them because I was - but I would have liked to have read about them together a little more.
Hal is an interesting character but very headstrong. Time and time she's told that she dives into things without planning, yet she keeps doing it, relying on friends to save her. I sort of understood it though and found it only mildly annoying.
Hal was a fun read but didn't really stand out.
Overall, I really enjoyed Hal but unfortunately Hal and Meracad are kept apart for much of the book, so it's hard to invest in a relationship that wasn't very long in the making before they're torn apart. Not that I wasn't rooting for them because I was - but I would have liked to have read about them together a little more.
Hal is an interesting character but very headstrong. Time and time she's told that she dives into things without planning, yet she keeps doing it, relying on friends to save her. I sort of understood it though and found it only mildly annoying.
Hal was a fun read but didn't really stand out.
September 28, 2018
Entertaining! But...
I actually think it's well written, but unfortunately, find the protagonist, Hal, unbearable. Unbelievably arrogant, obnoxious, self-absorbed and plain stupid. Stubbornness and Independence are generally typical characteristics of heroes/heroines but Hal is extreme, and therefore unlikable. The love and devotion expressed by the other characters just doesn't work. She's ungrateful, rude and entitled... And there aren't scenes, insights or any indication as to why anyone would care so for her. I certainly didn't. No growth or awareness. Liked the story, but Hal is awful. Too bad.
I actually think it's well written, but unfortunately, find the protagonist, Hal, unbearable. Unbelievably arrogant, obnoxious, self-absorbed and plain stupid. Stubbornness and Independence are generally typical characteristics of heroes/heroines but Hal is extreme, and therefore unlikable. The love and devotion expressed by the other characters just doesn't work. She's ungrateful, rude and entitled... And there aren't scenes, insights or any indication as to why anyone would care so for her. I certainly didn't. No growth or awareness. Liked the story, but Hal is awful. Too bad.
April 19, 2018
I couldn't finish this book. The idea was interesting, female duelist and all, but it didn't live up to the dream. I couldn't picture when or where this was taking place. How big was Colve? Where are the mountains? The sea? How did they get water? Was it supposed to be a fictional land? A fictional time? The book definitely could've used some world-building at the beginning to set the readers up in the right mindset and direction. And a pet peeve, the author used "ironic" four times in the first 20 or so pages, and I can't say it was used correctly in any of those times.
June 5, 2015
A new author and a new style of romance for me, but I'll be back for the sequel. Kate Cudahy managed to make me cheer even when the lead character was being silly and emotional and stupidly strong and then turned everything around towards the end, to show character growth, at least in areas. There's still enough open ends that I really want to know what happens next, but I'm satisfied with the adventure for now. I recommend it.
March 13, 2018
Great book
I really enjoyed this story and I loved how the women I the book spanned the gamut in personalities. I can't wait for the next book.
I really enjoyed this story and I loved how the women I the book spanned the gamut in personalities. I can't wait for the next book.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews