The Season of Lightning

The Kingmakers' War #1.5

by Kate Avery Ellison

Emma meets Robin Hood in this antebellum-esque historical fantasy set in the same fantasy world as A Gift of Poison.

Verity Elysius is the only daughter of a famous retired general and rich plantation owner. She lives in an insulated world of wealth and privilege, where she spends her time riding her horse, sassing her lady's companion, and being tormented by the family's handsome but irritating nobleman friend, Lord Roth. But when a mysterious, masked vigilante called the Hawk begins stirring up trouble and freeing silvras, the oppressed lower class, Verity's world is turned upside down as she is challenged about everything she knows about her world and her place in it.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Young Adult Fantasy, Fiction

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 20, 2015

About the author

I've been making up stories since I was five years old, and now I'm thrilled to be able to do it as a full-time job. I have an obsession with dark fantasy, dystopian futures, and Pride and Prejudice-style love stories full of witty banter and sizzling, unspoken feelings. When I'm not writing, I'm creating digital art, reading funny blogs, or watching my favorite shows (which include TVD and BSG). I live with my geeky husband and our two bad cats in Atlanta, GA.

Click here to read the first chapter of THE CURSE GIRL!

Click here to read the first chapter of FROST!

Attention Book Bloggers ~ If you are interested in interviewing me or reviewing one of my books, send me a message. I'd love to hear from you! (Please note: I am currently not able to fulfill most requests for print copies at this time, but you can always ask. However, I am ALWAYS able and happy to provide e-copies or PDFs of my books in exchange for an honest review.)

If you're wondering why I categorize books as "breathless," "cake," or "amnesia," check out this blog post!

Reviews

[Kirsty (Amethyst Bookwyrm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for giving me this book to review.

Verity is the only daughter of a well-known retired general and plantation owner. She has lived a relatively happy life with her free Silvras companion Trilly and the annoying nobleman Lord Roth. However, trouble is stirring when a masked vigilante who is called the Hawk wants to free the Silvras, the oppressed lower class. Everything Verity thought she knew is turned upside down and she finally sees the injustices in her land but is she able to right them?

The Season of Lightning is a very enjoyable fantasy novel with good world building. It is fast paced and I couldn’t put it down and has a slow romance but I did enjoy the love/hate relationship. I can see the hints of Austin’s Emma but I couldn’t see Robin Hood in it as it was more about revolution, than stealing from the rich to give to the poor. Also I did not understand the title of this book as it did not relate to the story.

Verity grows up a lot in the book and she is a kind, loyal and fiery person who is constrained by the society she lives in and what is expected of her. I really like Roth as he is charming and intelligent, he also has strong ideals and challenges Verity. I guessed who the Hawk was from near the beginning, but he is an interesting character.

I really liked this book and I look forward to reading more books from Kate Avery Ellison. I would recommend The Season of Lightning to fans of The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski and the Secrets of Itlantis by Kate Avery Ellison.

This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm

[Jessica (Goldenfurpro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

MY THOUGHTS
I loved all of Kate Avery Ellison's other books, so I immediately wanted to read this book! This isn't my all-time favorite book from her, but it's still a wonderful book and I really enjoyed reading it!

This book takes place in a fantasy world similar to a historical version of our society. Verity comes from a rich family and lives a wealthy life. It's when a unknown person called Hawk begins to attack various rich plantations and free the servants (who are essentially slaves) that Verity begins to realize the lives of the lower class.

Kate Avery Ellison always does a great of merging different genres together. This book is a fantasy book, but has a strong historical feeling to it. I know a lot of fantasy books have historical aspects to them, but most of them are more Middle Ages feel and have magic and whatnot. This book has more of an 1800's vibe and it's main fantasy aspect is the different countries and people, not magic. Doesn't make it any less fantasy, in fact, the whole world in this book was very well-developed. Also, we got a feel of the world through Verity, so no big info-dumps!

As for the plot, this book was so interesting. I don't know, I was so invested in this book, I didn't want to put it down! This book wasn't exactly fast-paced, but it's so riveting!

As for characters, Verity is a great main character. She goes through a lot of growth in this book. She awakens to what is going on and it changes her. I liked how she wanted to help and change what was going on, though she was powerless to help. Also, she's a girl with fierceness in her, which is supposed to be improper with girls in her society, but it only gives her more strength and makes an even more fabulous character.

As for romance, there was some, but it wasn't as developed as I thought it should be. It wasn't bad though, no insta-love or triangles here. In fact, it included a trope I love. It just didn't feel like it was entirely developed.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I enjoyed this book! It's a wonderful standalone and I had such a hard time putting it down! I strongly recommend reading this book and any other books written by Kate Avery Ellison! She's a wonderful author and I look forward to reading more from her!

[Kimber Wheaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

The Season of Lightning is a standalone YA fantasy set in a world that seems very similar to our historic past - circa Civil War era. I mention this because the book has a more historical feel than fantasy. In the blurb, it's compared to both Emma & Robin Hood. Well I see the similarities between Verity and Emma... Robin Hood- not so much. The Hawk had rather brutal tendencies and was fueled by revenge. He wasn't robbing the rich to feed the poor so much as decimating the rich and freeing the oppressed.

Verity was a young noblewoman coming of age in a time when women were treated as pretty objects to brighten a room. It's safe to say that Verity was anything but docile. She had a sharp brain and a sharp tongue to match which drove her genteel father mad. I loved Lord Roth from the beginning. He came across so sweet, intelligent, and charming. He had his own thoughts and ideals. The Hawk, on the other hand, I didn't like very much. While I admired his commitment to his cause, the way he went about achieving his goals was rather short-sighted.

I really enjoyed how Verity matured in this novel. When faced with something unpleasant, she didn't turn away but learned from it. I found her to be rather impetuous but lovable all the same. The beginning and end of the story were very fast-paced with just a tiny lag in the middle. I think my main problem in the middle was page after page of correspondence. It got tedious after a while. I found the world created by Ms. Ellison to be intriguing, but I wanted a tad more in the way of character development, especially concerning the Hawk and Roth.

Overall, this is a fun YA fantasy with adventure and a touch of sweet romance. Definitely a nice diversion for a summer day.

[Relyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I woke up at 3:30 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. So, I read. Of course I did. And, oh boy, did I enjoy this book. As I read it brought to mind so many other great books I've read. Kate Avery Ellison dealt with real issues like war and oppression and racism, but it was never heavy-handed. Those issues, and Verity's growth, were just natural parts of the story. Well done.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this from Xpresso Book Tours for review.
*Review can be found at The Fox's Hideaway.


My Review!
After really liking Of Sea and Stone, I was excited about this story! It sounded good, and I knew the author could write from previously reading a book of hers. I'm glad to say that I enjoyed this one a lot! It definitely wasn't perfect, and I wanted a bit more development on the romance and the world-building, but I quite liked it.

The main character's voice made it easy to read along with the story. I liked Verity's spunk in a time where women considered the inferior race. I liked the fight she had in her, and how she defended herself. She wasn't perfect. She grew up in privilege. She doesn't totally understand how the world works, but she's learning. She's curious. She's open to change, and she grows throughout the story. She becomes so much stronger, in herself and in her beliefs. She has moments of complete stubbornness, of recklessness, and vulnerability. She is still a girl who likes going to balls and provoking her father's friend. But Verity is someone you want to root for.

Now, about that friend of her father's, Lord Roth... I didn't much like him in the beginning. He loved picking at Verity, and he treated her like a child who didn't know what she was doing. I mean, at times, that was true. But he seemed so much older than her, though he really isn't. And I'm not so sure all that time of him tormenting her makes up for the fact that he apologized and said it was because he'd loved her. Plus there wasn't much development with the actual ROMANCE part. I'm hoping that will be further explored if there is a sequel!

This book was full of secondary characters; ones I liked and ones I could have done without. I really liked Verity's friend, Trilly, a slave who gained her freedom by being a part of their household but who kept secrets. Lila was like a mother figure, though she cared more about Verity finding a suitable marriage than about anything else. Her father was not a very nice guy, and he was a product of that time which meant he wanted Verity to settle down and stop inserting herself into what she shouldn't (aka men things). There were many other characters who didn't have big roles in this book, and they were kind of flat. But if there is a sequel (I'm not sure if there is yet), I hope that they will be developed better.

The mystery surrounding the plot was the weakest part in this. I knew who the Hawk was within moments of meeting the character. I mean, there were times I doubted it, but I had a pretty clear idea that was right. It took a bit of that suspense away, and it was less about the Hawk and his deeds and more about the politics behind everything. That was kind of boring. It also didn't help that I barely knew anything about the world this book was set in. The world-building was lacking and a map could have helped immensely, or even a bit more detailed information surrounding the countries (counties? states? I don't know). We were kind of thrown into it all without a lifejacket. It made it hard to get into the setting.

I really liked the story I read, the one with a relatable MC and a world that felt different but was reminiscent of the antebellum period. I don't know how accurate the whole "Emma meets Robin Hood" portion of the synopsis was, but the book was good. I hope there's a sequel! I would definitely be interested in it.


Rating: 4 Paw Prints!

[Racheal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall this was a really fun, easy read. Comparing this to another book that I've read by Ellison, I think that she's grown a little bit as a writer. The novel just felt more complete and there wasn't much for me to complain about. I was totally surprised about the connection of Hawk to one of the main characters (won't say who), but I totally guessed who Hawk was from the beginning. The author did a good job though, of making giving the reader options of who Hawk could be.

I didn't get the Robin Hood feel to this book like the synopsis said, but I did get a little bit of a zorro feel to it, which was kinda cool. I really liked the section of the novel where it was nothing but letters between Verity, Trilly and Roth... that was really creative on the author's part. A few things that held me back from giving this book five stars were that as much as I liked Verity, I felt like she was a little too naive at times. I also felt like the ending could have gone a little differently in the sense that the situation with Verity's father could have been better wrapped up. I also wish that Hawk would have had more compassion for two certain characters near the end.. I feel like he's just abandoning them when they should be important to him... I don't want to give away spoilers, but when you get to the last two chapters, you'll see what I mean. I wish that had gone down differently. Aside from that, I don't have any other complaints. The novel was a fun read and as always, I enjoyed the romance!

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Season of Lightning
Emma meets Robin Hood in this antebellum-esque historical fantasy set in the same fantasy world as A Gift of Poison.

Verity Elysius is the only daughter of a famous retired general and rich plantation owner. She lives in an insulated world of wealth and privilege, where she spends her time riding her horse, sassing her lady’s companion, and being tormented by the family’s handsome but irritating nobleman friend, Lord Roth. But when a mysterious, masked vigilante called the Hawk begins stirring up trouble and freeing silvras, the oppressed lower class, Verity’s world is turned upside down as she is challenged about everything she knows about her world and her place in it.

I really liked this story quite a lot! It grabbed my attention from the start and I enjoyed reading about Verity and Roth. The Season of Lightning can be thought of as a sort of retelling of Robin Hood but it read more like the character "the Hawk" was the Robin Hood of that time. There wasn't a lot of "steal from the rich and give to the poor" going around but there definitely was a lot of freeing the "slaves"/oppressed lower class and trying to change the way of the classes though.

The world building was one of my favorite parts in the whole story. It reminded me a lot of For Darkness Shows the Stars but minus the sci-fi stuff and more of an antebellum-esque historical setting as described in the synopsis. Being introduced to the world was a little bit confusing and was hard to get into at first but after a few pages I got the hang of it and could tell the difference between a silvra, tyrra and genteel and the likes.

The story was well told and I got sucked in to the problems that Verity, an upperclass lady with status, had to deal with. Not only was there silvras running away and houses/crops being burned down, Verity also had to deal with the fact that her life was being turned upside down thanks to the Hawk. For the first time in her life, it seems, she started thinking about the working and living conditions of the silvras and how badly they were being treated. Not to mention that she had it marginally better than the silvra and tyrras and she had tyrra blood in her, she still cared about the servants and treated them kindly, going as far as to be known as being loyal and protective towards her companion Tyrill (a silvra). She even tried to give money to a few tyrra women who arrived at her father's plantation to work, but it backfired because of the way she approached the good deeds. But as the story progressed, I could tell that Verity matured and learned a lot things about the customs and how she changed from a spoiled little lady into a girl that actually fought for the things she wanted.

One thing I'm glad about is the fact that their ages are never fully disclosed. I deducted that Verity was in her late teens, probably 17 or 18 while Roth was somewhere near 21, seeing as how Verity stated that he was older than her and yet he was still friends with her father despite their age difference so it goes to say that Verity and Roth must be close to the same age. Because of this, I was a little wary of any romance that would have bloomed between them but the author wrote their romance pretty good. This book wasn't romance driven, so it didn't take from the story as whole, it wasn't even that necessary in the first place but it was nice to read about Roth doing things to anger Verity, and from the start I knew that he harbored feelings for her. It actually took almost the whole entire book for Verity to figure out how Roth felt about her, and that's a testament to how much romance wasn't a big part of the plot. It was a good change of pace to read a book where romance wasn't a big part, especially like this one where the mystery and plot kept me intrigued enough to last me until the end of the book, where everything was settled. Everything that happened throughout the book was all connected at the end when the Hawk's identity is revealed and change comes to the people in all the countries. It had a happy ending which I love, and Verity and Roth end up together- and they're annoying each other like always.

Historical fantasy books are usually a little too slow and boring to me but this one totally changed my mind! All in all, I really loved reading the book and I wouldn't mind if there's ever a sequel that comes out starring the same characters!

I received an electronic copy of this book for free at Xpresso Book Tours and I wanted to give a thanks to Giselle for giving me this opportunity. This review is based on my views and thoughts alone and it is an honest review.

[Zareena · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Review originally posted on The Slanted Bookshelf.

World-Building and Setting

Okay so I didn’t really realise that The Season of Lightning is set in a predetermined world from another one of this author’s series. There’s very little detail about the world that this book is set in and I would have liked a bit more background on the different countries, but having said that I wasn’t confused at all about the setting.

Characters

So the blurb of The Season of Lightning compares this book to Robin Hood. The only similarity that I saw is that there’s a vigilante and Verify – the main character – is from the higher social classes and gets involved in the “rebellion”. At the start of the book Verity is pretty naive and rude. The naivety is more due to her sheltered upbringing and the patriarchal society. Verify is expected to act like a lady and eventually marry a wealthy man. Now, she definitely has a sharp tongue which is something I generally like but in this case it was more insulting than witty. Rayen is a family friend and while he acts kind of smug sometimes Verity manages to insult him every single time he was around. At least for the beginning of The Season of Lightning. But to be honest, it took a long time for Verity to grow up and realise that being rude to someone who genuinely cares about you isn’t cool.

But Verity does change a lot throughout the book. She goes from being selfish and rude to having a better understanding of the world she lives in and how her actions affect others. In short, the author really develops Verity’s character, shaping her into someone who puts others first and whom I really liked.

Plot

Basically it’s a case of the slaves – aka the silvras- revolting and the “aristocracy/gentry” as such not being able to understand why the silvras don’t enjoy their life of poverty and hardship. Gee, I wonder why… Anyway, along comes a vigilante called the Hawk who is determined to free the silvras. But in this case the Hawk also wants to take revenge and goes about burning buildings, etc. The plot wasn’t super complex and I had a good idea of who the Hawk was but there was a slight twist at the end which I thought was good :) While it was fairly simple, this book grabbed me and wasn’t at all boring. I read this in one sitting because I really couldn’t put it down.

The Romance

The romance absolutely wasn’t the focus of The Season of Lightning and it worked really well. There’s no love triangle or anything and definitely no insta-love (I feel like I’m saying a disclaimer or something) but it was sweet and was worked into the plot well.

All Together

All in all I really enjoyed The Season of Lightning once Verify began to change. I would have rated this book higher if I’d liked Verity more throughout the whole book instead of the last two thirds or half. But I would recommend checking it out!

Young Adult

3.5 stars

Thank you, Xpresso Book Tours, for providing me with a review copy! All views and opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way.

[Kariny · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC provided from XPRESSO BOOK TOURS*

MY REVIEW

Verity is the daughter of a rich plantation owner and the victim of an insufferable young lord who comes to her house daily to torment her. Lord Roth is her father's dearest friend, but she can't say the same for her. Her father kind of ignores her and pays more attention to Roth. Add that plus Roth's constant teasing, you can understand why Verity dislikes him. But workers-silvras from neighboring plantations are disapearing and setting fires to their master's plantations. It isn't long before Verity's house is attacked and the workers flee leaving her family in financial need. But when Verity gets kidnapped by The Hawk, the leader of the attacks, she discovers the injustice that has been done to the workers because of their lineage. She starts to question the way she sees her father, her community and whether Hawk's justifications are right or wrong. The more she learns, the more she starts to suspect that Lord Roth is not exactly what he seems and despite their constant bickering, she can't help but fall for him.

What caught my eye about this book:
1.Standalone
2. Historical Fantasy
3. handsome but irritating nobleman
can you go wrong with that combination?? Well maybe you can in some cases but this isn't one of them! This was a light and yet deeply romantic read that i personally think every historical romance lover should read! No insta-love! The love actually develops from a minor case of hatred :)

Needless to say, the setting was absolutely amazing with the balls and the dancing and so on. There's a part in the book where the chapters are actually letters which Verity and Roth send to each other when she's away. So when she comes back, you actually see the change in her. She's definitely become more mature and stronger, not that she wasn't before, but you could tell she'd grown, I can say there might be like a five year difference between the couple? They never mentioned it but they said Roth was older and i think that really added to his charm!

I think a big aspect of this book is discrimination and this is what Verity tries to fight against. Yes she is naive, she is rash and usually says the first things that comes out of her mouth but she has an amazing heart. I didn't really get the robin hood feel even though the Hawk represents it. But i did get the Emma feel and i absolutely loved it!

The plot will definitely keep you hooked! The book explores the problems of a high status, discrimination and a really swoon worthy romance! I'm looking forward to read more from this author!

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Avery Ellison has again written a winner. The Season of Lightning takes place in the same world as A Gift of Poison, but I didn't feel like I needed to go back and re-read that one to remember who was what as this book was simply related, not a continuation.

The book description calls this a blend of Emma and Robin Hood, but it was probably a little more Scarlet Pimpernil or Zorro than Robin Hood being as they were more about rescuing the oppressed than helping the poor. I found the story to be intriguing and though I thought I had figured out the identify of the Hawk, I was mistaken and loved the way that turned out.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book as well. I like the author Kate Avery Ellison. I enjoy her books very much and this one is no exception. This book felt a little Civil War era to me. I enjoyed the character and the romance and also the adventure within these pages. This book has many good qualities in it. I think you should give this book a try. * I received this book from the author in a LibraryThing giveaway in exchange for an honest review*

[Sage Knightly · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received a free ebook copy of this from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
**This is also posted on Fishing For Books.

Rating: 4.5/5

The Season of Lightning is a fantasy book akin to that of a historical romance type of novel, with the romance at the end (though there isn’t much romance, to be honest). The fantasy part doesn’t mean the book is infused with magic and spells and witches, rather, it’s the world itself with the different places and types of people (Tyyros, Silvra ext.). It feels so much like a historical book though due to the vibe the world gives off, reminding us of the 1800s with the way people speak and dress and how the world works. It made for a more interesting story, seeing as how Verity is a rich girl who is supposed to be a proper young lady. But it isn’t just about a rich girl’s life, or how one with such money lived in those times. It’s about a rich girl with an improper attitude slowly realizing the world around her and the horrors within it. It’s about a young lady seeing the wrongs and wanting to right them, but not knowing how. It’s about freeing the lower class who are beaten and starved so the rich don’t have to do their work. It’s about growing and maturing and trying to do the right thing.

Which is why I’ll start off with Verity’s character. Verity is a noblewoman, rich and young,and stuck in a time where women are seen as nothing but pretty objects to brighten a room, where they’re seen as weak beings only concerned with parties and dresses and gossip. Verity is anything but dress obsessed and empty headed. In fact, she has a quick brain and a sharp tongue which drove her father mad, and tended to get her in trouble. She admits to liking parties, yes, but that’s definitely not all she thinks about. Instead, she likes to ride her horse, run around bare-foot, she wants to play cards with her father and the other men. Basically, she’s a lady doing things men do, and because of that she is improper. Also, she has a fire in her, a fierceness which is most definitely to be improper since it allows her to talk back and defend herself. It gives her strength and that makes her a character more lovable and likable. I also really enjoyed how Verity matured in this novel. Whenever she was faced with something unpleasant (like a man hating on her Silvra friend, Trilly, soldiers with guns threatening them, the Hawk), she doesn’t turn away. Instead, she learns from it and the more she learns from situations she gets herself in, the more she grows and matures. I think she grew the most in the camp and in Tasglorn though, which I loved reading about.

The reason for her growth however, all started when a mysterious person they called The Hawk, began to attack various rich plantations and free the Silvras and Tyyros (who are slaves, no matter how one might look at it). That is when Verity realizes the lives of the lower class, realizes the wrongs being done to them and begins to want to help and do all she can to make things right. And while I liked the Hawk for freeing the slaves and giving them a better life and his commitment to his cause, I wasn’t so fond of the way he went about achieving his goals. He was fueled by revenge and liked to burn down crops and home even though he didn’t need to. He wasn’t robbing the rich to feed the poor as Robin Hood did; he was taking down the rich and freeing the oppressed.

I liked Lord Roth from the beginning. He came across as sweet, intelligent, and charming, though he adored making fun of Verity for obvious reasons. He had his own way about things and while at times I wasn’t so fond of him for treating Verity like a child and being fairly rude, he was an overall great character. He grew as well, like Verity did, though not as much. He stopped treating her like a child and she saw and remembered the good things about him, the things he did so she didn’t have such a hard time. It was rather obvious how it would end between them, though I wish the romance was more developed because there really wasn’t much of it.

Which brings me to the world building! The world was very well-developed, feeling as real as our own as we got to see inner workings of politics as well as the outcome of chaos. We got to see how Verity’s world suffered and worked through the loss of money and crops and workers. We got to see the different worlds, the different workings of the different people and places (though not so much their politics, but their groups near Verity). It was a fantastic world and the author did a great job of describing it and making it feel real.

The writing was also very good. We got to see the world through Verity, so there were no big info-dumps, and we got to see the world change through her eyes. I was so invested and immersed in this book that I didn’t want to put it down. It was just so easy to fall into and so hard to get out! And while it wasn’t exactly fast-paced (which I have no problems with), it was so riveting that I can hardly complain!

Overall, everything about this book is great. And while I would’ve loved to see the romance be more developed, there’s not much to complain about. I would definitely recommend this for any of you who find in interesting or love fantasy and historical books.

[Skita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great main characters and romantic tension but gave three stars as much of the story and characters felt under developed/under explained and the politics and social structure were confusing—all surprising as those are things her amazing Kingmakers series doesn’t struggle with. So maybe my 3 stars is more of a comparison to her other works than to anything else. I did appreciate that this book allowed time to pass and character growth to occur.

[Dianne Peace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light entertainment

This is an OK stand-alone story but doesn't relate at all to the Briand/dragonsayer series. The main character, Verity, is rather weak and predictable. Not my favorite from this author.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun kind of spin on the Scarlet Pimpernel. I do love Kate’s stories. Verity is a rebellious sort of young woman trying to find how she fits in and always saying the wrong things. But she discovers for herself how to treat people less fortunate and finds love along the way.

[Rachel Sears · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down

I really liked this book. Her earlier works could use an editor, but this and the Kingmaker series are truly excellent!

[a]

DNF

[Belladonna💙 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the story happens in the same world as that of the Kingmaker’s War where Briand and Kael of Estria met, where there’s magic, and dragons, this is nowhere near their timeline, nor immediately after. As a matter of fact, it was mentioned that Season of Lightning happened a century (or centuries? ) after.

Notwithstanding, the story was simple and something that could definitely happen following the original and larger Kingmaker’s War timeline.

[Sylvan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Big thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for letting me have an eBook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! :D

This book is about a young woman named Verity. She recently returned from her travels (what she was doing beforehand, I'm not quite sure) and returns home with her friend and silva named Trilly. Life seemed to be moving as usual until, suddenly, fires randomly pop up during the night and silvas escape from other plantations during the event. But she finds that they were set intentionally... and the person who creates them has started leaving a calling card of sorts: one feather by a masked person known as the Hawk. But... why?

This is probably the part where I should admit that this is the first book I've ever read by Miss Ellison. Since this is set in the same world as A Gift of Poison, I feel like I should mention this since I may or may not be missing some necessary information about this book. Hopefully this won't be the case.

I feel like this story kind of came out as a sort of 'spoiled girl feels bad for people who are treated as lesser beings' sort of deal. That's the best way I can think of putting it. Through the half of the book, though, once she realized how silvas are treated (which is just a fancy way of saying they're slaves) she starts feeling incredibly bad for how they're treated. Which, yeah, I guess acknowledging the issue is a good first step. One of the biggest issues I had, though, was how she went about trying to solve it.

Trying to hand poor people money when you, yourself, are in a position of privilege to be able to just give money away... it won't work. Even if you truly, honestly, mean well. Especially if it's done in public view. It's just seen as insulting and as a slap in the face. This could have been a sort of stepping stone to allow Verity to learn from her mistakes and discover how she could improve herself when it comes to wanting to help silvas. This was one of the main reasons why I decided to keep on reading this book - but it never came.

In the end, she still clung on to her privilege as being a proper woman. Even when she's been given the experience, after she's been kidnapped, to feel how legit labor feels like... she may have changed as a person a little bit but she still acts like a proper woman.

Speaking of... I'm not quite sure how Verity wanted to portray herself to others. Part of her is headstrong and is more than happy to speak her mind. This isn't a bad thing. I loved this. The thing is, though, as soon as she finds herself in a tricky position she reverts back to a more proper language. I feel like that when she feels trapped, in a sense, she hides behind her wealth. So even though she feels bad for silvas and how they're treated... she still hides behind that mask.

The other half of the book I'm not quite sure what exactly happened. There's a war but... with who? The Silvas? I don't know. When it started, it was when Verity was forced to leave her home. There was a section where it was all just letters from her and her recipients. The fact that she remained behind her wealth bothered me so much despite simultaneously coming off as an incredibly smart girl.

Other than that, though, this was a fairly enjoyable read. It's not a unique concept. I would only consider it an 'okay' read. I just wish Verity could have learned a bit about her position in the world and use it to help others rather than just hiding.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars.

I think I actually liked this more than A Gift of Poison, which I wanted to love but felt very indifferent about. However, I felt a certain regret that this could have been so much more than it actually was.

Ellison is one of my favorite authors, and I can see how she's growing with each new book she writes, which is really exciting. But one thing I felt keenly here is simply this: I wish the book had been longer. Normally, I don't mind that her books are slightly on the shorter side--I'm an avid reader, of YA fantasy in particular, and those tend to be massive, so it's nice sometimes to take a break with another great book that is maybe half the size. But here I really felt that Ellison had a lot to say, or at least a lot that she was starting to explore, that she simply didn't have room to explore as they deserved.

For example, Austris, Sythris, and Tyyr, and the relations between these countries, as well as the tensions between its people and its races. Such an interesting and potentially huge subject to explore, but Ellison really only got to scratch the surface here, because there was a lot of other stuff going on. The other stuff didn't feel extraneous, per se; but in a short book, there needed to be more focus and necessarily less development. I didn't necessarily want that; I wanted the development that would have made this a longer (and yes, more expensive) book.

The romance, too--I liked it, but I didn't. See, I could tell from the beginning that Ellison wanted us to root for Roth--it's rarely a mystery who the author wants you to root for in YA--but, despite that, and the fact that I wanted to jump aboard, I wasn't really feeling it. I liked him okay as a character, but his relationship with Verity felt very fabricated. Actually, I thought Verity had a lot more chemistry with the Hawk--and that's huge, because I never, ever, ever root for the "bad boy". I like the golden boy all the way. What made the difference for me is that Verity's dislike for Roth seems so artificial (seriously, there wasn't much to dislike, and her reactions felt overblown, given that there was no explanation--which I initially expected, and later realized I would not get), whereas her repulsion for the Hawk was real, and so was her subsequent changed opinion of him.

Anyway--there was a lot here, and I liked that Ellison was approaching some interesting topics. But I just wanted more.

[Melissa Burcham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC book for an honest review free of persuasion from the author or anyone else affiliated with this book.

CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS

This was a good read. The description classifies the book as a fantasy. To me it was more historical romance. The only fantasy part of it was the names of the different social classes and groups within the story. There was no magic or anything of that kind to bring it more into the fantasy realm for me. That being said, it was still a good book if you like a historical based book like I do.

Verity is a young girl coming of age. She is brought up in a time where women are viewed as pretty objects to brighten a room and nothing more. She is head strong and wants more from life, however. Verity has a smart mouth and lets her feelings known. She prefers to do more of what the men do then sit around and look pretty as women are expected to do. As Verity comes of age, she begins to learn more the world around her. You get to watch her grow and develop within this book. When a man comes along that is called The Hawk, Verity is intrigued. The Hawk goes around freeing the slaves and doing damage to crops and buildings along the way in his form of revenge. Who is the Hawk? How is Verity changed by what she encounters within this book?

I would recommend this book to a reader of historical romances. It was more along the lines of a pre-civil war type book for me. As I said earlier, the fantasy part was missing for me, but it was still a good book.

[Amy Shelton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian I Dig Good Books.


I received a copy of this book from Xpresso in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This book was a good book. It wasn’t anything super exciting nor was it a book that grabbed my attention and held it throughout the story, but it wasn’t a book that couldn’t hold my attention. I think I’d rate this a middle of the road story. The characters were fun, well written, and felt true to the history they were being written in. The scenery seemed to be written incredibly well also.
The romance and back and forth between the female and male lead characters were charming and fun. I loved the attitude that Verity held, much to her father’s dismay. She was the type of character that needed someone to control her and reign her in all without forcefully doing it and keeping her happy at the same time. This type of relationship between characters was what kept me reading and really had me enjoying the story.
The story seemed to be lacking something, I can’t quite put my finger on what it was. It didn’t leave me wanting to keep reading when I had to put the book down. The story wasn’t calling my name while I was away doing other things, it wasn’t making me miss the story line. I think maybe the overabundance of correspondence and lack of character development on Roth.
I won’t not recommend this story, because it wasn’t horrible or poorly written. I will recommend to proceed at your own risk.

[Michelle Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wrote up a list of books for my friend to read along with what I thought of said book (I know, I'm the best sort of friend there is). I realised I hadn't written a proper review for a lot of the books, even though they were amongst my favourites, so I figured I'd just do a sneaky copy and paste as a stop-gap until I eventually got around to writing a proper review.

I guess this book can be considered a fantasy even though there aren’t any magical elements to it simply because it’s set in a different world, as far as I can tell. It basically seems like Victorian England in a different world and climate, as far as social rules and such go. I never thought that would work but it kind of does, as long as you don’t think about it too hard. I really, really adore the ship in this book and the whole story itself. I like the growth the heroine goes through as well. It’s a fascinating story and I dunno, I just really enjoyed reading this. It’s definitely a book I’ll be coming back to. I don’t really like any of this author’s other works, but I dunno – guess she struck gold with this one!

[MichellemyBelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author gave us all she had with this one, and it was worth it!

There is so much I simply loved about this book. What an unbelievably well written story, with a cast of painstakingly depicted, well developed characters who I found just as endearing and attached to as the heroine. What a clever connection inserted into the story line with 'A Gift of 'Posion', pulling us into this fascinating fantasy world, Kate Avery Ellison has once again masterfully spun. The archaic social class systems and ugly bigotry landscaped in this book perfectly mirror our own sad history as humans, right down to the 'NO TYRROS' sign in the dress store. The heavy themes were nicely tapered with antebellum like balls and ball gowns, unsuspecting love interests and mysterious masked men. This author gave us all she had with this one, and it easily just became one of my favorite reads this year.

[Kari (BookandCoffeeLover) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review (via LibraryThing).

The Season of Lightning was a solid read that is reminiscent of the civil war era - dealing with issues of race, slavery, plantations, and the wealthy elite.
I loved the realistic character growth of the main character Verity. Her ignorance about the world around her is cushioned by her lavish lifestyle; but soon that ignorance is transformed as she opens her eyes and becomes an informed, intelligent adult who is fully aware of all the racism/slavery around her. She learns her privilege can be used to help challenge and change the world for the better. She also happens to fall in love along the way and I have to say that I really enjoyed the romance. It wasn't the focus of the story, but was well developed and quite lovely.
An enjoyable read that had several twists and turns that kept me guessing every time I thought I had everything figured out.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Season of Lightning is a great work that I would categorize as a young adult "coming-of-age" fiction. The female protagonist is a likable spitfire. There is romance, there is war, and there are issues of "growing up". I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the genre, and who is looking for a fun, clean summer read. This is also a book that I am recommending to my book club friends for a fun and quick read with some great discussion topics (slavery, education, ethnocentrism, cross-cultural interactions, growing up, first love, etc.) I really liked it, and I would read it again.

[Tabby Shiflett · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 Stars
A YA historical novel that's set in a world similar to pre-Civil War America with elements or Jane Austen and addresses race relations (good and bad). The plot is interesting and most of the characters are likeable (especially Roth), but do not expect more than a very loose relation to Robin Hood. The writing changes at one point to letter correspondence, but it's a nice shift. A pretty good story, but definitely try the author's Frost or Secrets of Itlantis series (these have a little more finesse). For YA historical romance readers.

LT Member Giveaway

[F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy from the author for a honest review. The storyline is about the inequality between different races and how Verrity evolves from a spoiled child into a strong woman. At first, I was annoyed at her childish ways but then realized that she was brought up in a society of privilege. Towards the end of the book, I was pleasantly surprised as I thought I had figured out who the Hawk was but overall it was a good read.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. I would add that it is a little like Gone with the wind with a few elements in addition to Emma and Robin Hood. All of the main characters were likable and grew with the story (not in the space of a paragraph). I finished it in one evening because I couldn't put it down.

[Sandra]

Based on Jane Austen's Emma basically. And that's what this book is: basic. There is a moderately engaging plot, semi-interesting characters, and a recognizable world. The writing is perfectly fine.

You wont regret reading this, but I'd probably bump it towards the end/bottom of your to-read list/pile.