The Hawk In Winter

Rise of the Hawk #1

by Bekah Clark

Maevan, Korla, and Renna, three devoted sisters, have been trained all their lives how to defend themselves, hunt, and strengthen their minds by their mother, Queen Xenya. What they didn't prepare for was separation.

Many years ago, Queen Xenya of the First House was forced to flee her throne to the icy land of Cardea. Now the rogue queen, Shaezen, has demanded Xenya's eldest daughter, Maevan, return to the ruling city of Traven. Alone.

Mae loves her home and family but understands the necessity of her placement within the palace of their enemies. Her mother has been preparing Mae and her sisters for the return of the First House to power their entire lives. Something no one could prepare Mae for is the sheer evil of Queen Shaezen and her many devious plans. Mae must find a way to survive her time in the palace while dealing with an evil queen, romance, betrayals, religious fanatics, and court life.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance

394 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2015

About the author

Bekah Clark is an avid daydreamer and a romantic who is, more often than not, lost in her own little world. Writing has always been her passion, though it is only recently she's chosen to share her stories with others. She has a mundane day job that she chooses to not define her. By night, she's often typing away, letting her heart live her dreams.

Best known for the Rise of the Hawk series, she is also the author of the Frozen Queen trilogy and the Stone Sisters novels. While the majority of her work is young adult romantic fantasy novels, she's also working on a couple of paranormal romance titles. She enjoys getting feedback for her novels and makes a point of reading every review she gets.

Please come visit her at http://www.bekahclarkbooks.com/

Follow @bekahclarkbooks on Twitter

Reviews

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know how sometimes you get a book you’re really excited to read, and then life decides to kick you in the nether regions as a means to prevent you from reading said book? Well, such is what happened with The Hawk In Winter. I was super excited to read it, and then life became all kinds of crazy. I kept trying to start, only have something get in my way. Then, when I finally had some free time to read, I was a silly individual who forgot about the book and read some other things. Finally, life saw fit to remind me of the book. I was angry with myself, and quickly worked to amend the issue. The only problem was that I went in having completely forgotten why I was so excited about this book. I knew I was excited for it, yet I went in with zero ideas and no expectations regarding the story.

Whether you go in, as I did, with zero expectations or whether you go in with high hopes, I can assure you that this read is very much worth it. In fact, I’m extremely annoyed with myself for taking so long to read it. I had so much fun, and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series brings – I’m positive my love for the series is going to grow the more I read.

The Hawk In Winter reminded me of a number of other fantasy novels. I do not mean this in a bad way – very far from it, in fact. I had Game of Throne vibes with some of the events, I had First Law vibes from some of the characters, and other series I have loved were whispering in the back of my mind. Do not mistake such a statement as my way of saying this book is a carbon copy of other books out there – it could not be further from the truth. What I’m trying to say is that this book hits hard in the way some of the big fantasy writers hit hard. It has all you can hope for from such a series: intrigue, revenge, war, deceit, and all the other goodies that leave you well and truly pulled into the story.

I’ll be honest by saying you’re not pulled in straight away. It takes a while for the world building and setting to reach a point where the story is moving forward, but once everything has been set up the story really does move. Whilst there is a lot of action in this one, it also has a lot of the political side to it. You know, all the behind the fighting goodness that leaves us screaming at the characters. You’re never quite sure how things are going to play out, with your feelings towards characters constantly developing (and believe me when I say the constant shifting of emotions is not always positive, such is the effect characters will have on you).

Seriously, though, I was so in love with this one. It quickly became a single sitting read, something that doesn’t always happen with fantasy novels. Often these types of novels require you to take regular breaks, to process what you’re reading, yet I found myself unable to put it down – I was reading page after page, chapter after chapter, needing to know what happens next.

Speaking of what happens next, I cannot wait to see where the series goes from here. There are so many elements I cannot wait to find out more about. I need more of certain characters, I need to know more about the romantic undertones, I need to know more about the world as a whole, and I just need answers in general. I’m addicted; there is no other way to explain it. There is no doubt that I will be reading the next book, and soon. There is no way I will let the next book slip down my to-read list in the way this one did.

Of course, there are certain things I want more of from the next book – I want to know more about the Second House and I want more about the history of the world – but as it stands I’ll be pleased wherever the story goes.

Without a doubt, this book needs a lot more attention. It’s a brilliant start to what promises to be a wonderful series, and I would love to see the book receive the attention it so clearly deserves.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/26/2019)! 🎁

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Bekah Clark
(Rise of the Hawk Book 1)

Maevan, Korla, and Renna are three devoted sisters that have trained all of their lives to defend themselves, hunt, and strengthen their minds by their Mother, Queen Xenya. What they didn't prepare for was to be separated.

Many years ago, Queen Xenya of the First House was forced to flee and give up her throne and go to the icy land of Cardea. Now Queen Sheazen also known as the rouge Queen, has demanded that Xenya send her eldest daughter Maevan to the summer palace. Alone.

Mae truly loves her family, but understands that she must go and the necessity of her placement amongst her enemies. Mae's Mother has been preparing Mae and her sisters for the return of the first house to power for their entire lives. There is something that Mae was not prepared for and that is the sheer evil of Queen Shaezen and her devious plans. Now Mae must find a way to survive her time at the palace while dealing with an evil Queen, romance, betrayals, religious fanatics, and court life.

Wow I hardly know what to say about this book. It was absolutely incredible. Bekah Clark writes fantasy as if she was born for it. This book took me on quite the emotional rollercoaster. At some points I cheered, at others my heart broke, and then there were the times that I wished I could jump in and literally hit someone. Ms. Clark is beyond talented and I can't wait to read the next installment in the series.

[JH · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I was a little lost trying to wrap my head around this new world. We're given info about it little piece by little piece and I personally like more background to start, especially since it's fantasy and I like to have something to relate to as I envision the story. That said, it did come together and and I'm curious what more background (if any) we learn in the rest of the series. Background is just my preference, so I don't knock stars for it. Authors get some poetic license in my mind. The story, characterization, descriptions, intrigue...everything...was great! It was unpredictable but believable. It was captivating once I really got into it and I didn't want to put it down. The ending resolved this story while leaving openings for it to continue, but I didn't feel like it ended on a cliffhanger. It makes me want to read the next book to continue overall, but the main story was brought to an end. Personally, I feel that's a sign of a good series author...one who doesn't rely on steep cliffhangers to keep you buying, but gently leads you to desire more.

[Candace N · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hawk in Winter is the first book in the Rise of the Hawk series. There is something incredibly mesmerizing about the way Bekah Clark writes. I can’t describe exactly what it is but it’s written in such a way that anything could happen and it wouldn’t be out of place. It is medieval, futuristic, and fantasy all in one. Everything is so unpredictable too!! Once I started reading, I couldn’t put the book down. The characters are fascinating and I just want to know everything about them. I am eager to start the second book in the series!

[Cas ♛ · Rating 5 out of 5]

~Thanks to the author for sending me a copy in exchange for a honest review~

Ok, wow. I was hooked from the start, and astonished at how much detail Bekah Clark described with The Hawk In Winter. Her fantasy world is easy to picture with her endless description delivered in clever ways as to avoid long descriptive paragraphs.

I absolutely love the characters. Maevan and Xenya are so strong willed and rebellious and share a kind heart. Every character has a purpose, though it is not always clear from the start what the purpose is, which adds to the aura of mystery.

Jorgan and Coran as best friends was a unique twist on the book. It was kind of like a love triangle, yet not so. Their personalities are so unique, and they share a friendship with Maevan.

I cannot wait to read The Raven In Spring! I sincerely hope Mae and Jorgan get together, I love them so much. Bekah Clark has created a new world with the detail of one from old, showing that she deserves the love. Go and read her books!

[Lady Ronin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed this book a lot more than frozen queen. Maevan was not as childish as Phaedra was right off the bat. She goes through a lot over the course of the book and has a lot of ups and downs. The family dynamic was also interesting. There was a little romance and I have a feeling, hoping, there will be more in the next book in the series. I don't want to give too much away so I'll stop here.

[Candy Laine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a phenomenal start to a great series. The story of a widow Queen in exile, who is training her three daughters to take back the power that was stolen from them. Queen Xenya is faced with a difficult decision when the Rogue Queen Shaezen asks for an exchange of children. In order to show that the First and Third Houses are in harmony, Xenya must send her daughter Maevan away from the icy land of Cardea to the ruling city of Traven.
Mae must endure all the ill treatment of the false Queen while trying to figure out how to bring her house back to power. The only saving grace is that While Queen Shaezen wants Mae to marry her elder son, Coran, he is already in love with someone else and has no desire to be tied down to her. Mae hopes that Jorgan of the Second House, whom she has had a crush on for ages, will help her. Only the one who does come to her rescue is not Jorgan, but Raikar.
Loved the book!

[Jessie Mckissick · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, WOW, WOW WE!!!

This book has it all. Action, romance, murder and suspense that fulfills a fantastic storyline that keeps you gripping your seat. Wonderful characters blend and enhance a book I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

[Carol Rambo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Filled with intrique and fantasy. It sure pulls you in. What a great read depicting strong women. You can feel the tension

[Rachel Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Mae was a favorite but I liked Xenya a lot too. It was fantasy, which I don't usually read,but it was recommended by a friend and I am glad I did. I didn't feel as if situations were contrived and I'm looking forward to the sequel.

[Guy Worthey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Hawk In Winter is a swords-and-telepathy fantasy with quite a lot of coy romances among the youthful protagonists. The plot was paced well. The first violent thing didn't happen until page 143. A nicely original plot kept the reader guessing. It wasn't too bloody, even for me (I'm squeamish). The likeable characters were distinct. The protagonists suffered enough to elicit sympathy.

On the down side, the writing had a lot of crafting mistakes that irritated me (maybe I know too much about how the sausage is made). A history lesson with a kazillion names packed the first few pages. The agent advice of "show, don't tell" was occasionally followed, but most often wasn't. Characters thought a lot of unlikely inner thoughts in order to explain things the author wanted explained. Setting was neglected. Some of the plot elements seemed contrived, such as Korla falling ill, or Mae staying put in the abusive and probably deadly summer palace environment, or the honorable warrior queen deciding it would be nifty to begin sadistically toying with her opponent, or the comet that exploded at exactly the right moment to embarrass the insane queen. All the women were gorgeous, all the men good looking. The insane queen wasn't consistent enough in her behavior toward the protagonist be believable. So, there's a laundry list of wee irritations, but overall the story was stitched together well.

The theme of love was sweet. No deus ex machina popped out at the end - the climax was logical. The lurking assassin at the end was a nice hook into the next book. I'd bet this author improves with time and could soon be churning out real page-turners.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting and fast-moving plot line with very engaging and relatable characters.
“The Hawk in Winter” is one of the most intriguing reads I've had in a while, as evidenced by the fact that I finished the book in 24 hours.
There are a few different story lines you follow. They are well written and connected in such a way that they are easy to follow and they keep the story moving forward at a good pace.
There were a few grammar and spelling errors, but very few and in no way did they hinder the fluidity of the story.
I really enjoy world-building series, and the world Ms. Clark has created is extremely interesting. It almost seems futuristic at times, but also slightly historical. I would have liked to have seen some more back story building, just to get a better idea of how it all came to be because the way the setting and people are portrayed makes me very curious about what happened to make it that way.
Overall, a great read and I am super excited to see where the series goes next!!

[Kat Tolle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hawk In Winter by Bekah Clark is the first book in the Rise of the Hawk series and was one of the most intense books I have read in a long time. This is not the usual type of book that I read but Bekah has such an amazing way of writing, that this book is both medieval and futuristic at the same time that I would completely forget what time period I was reading about. Her characters came alive on the pages and her descriptions were so visual that I was in awe. This book has good, evil, battles, an assassin, aliens, family love, distrust, dishonor, unfaithful, compassion, horror, war, strength, training and survival. This book has it all, I cannot even wait to read the 2nd book in this series The Raven In Spring. I highly recommend this book… You won’t be disappointed. Travel into the future and back in time with Queen Xenya and her 3 daughters, Maevan, Korla and Renna, to a world like no other.

[Katie Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I felt a little lost when I started reading this book, but by the second or third chapter I was hooked! The story is highly intriguing and the characters extremely well developed. The basic premise of the story is there are 3 ruling families, or houses, on Aemonsha (a planet much like ours) and the Third House has taken control from the First House by force. This happened many years before the story takes place and the story follows Xenya and her 3 young daughters, Maeven, Korla, and Renna, as they plot and plan to take back the empire from the Third House. Ms. Clark kept the story unpredictable, but easy to keep track of all the characters. The story is definitely not for the faint of heart and deals with topics of betrayal, secrecy, religion, and of course fighting. Well worth the read!!

[Christina Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an unexpected gem this book is. My reader group recommended this book, and as usual, they were on point. Ms. Clark was not only able to create a captivating and enticing world, she was also able to create a set of characters that were realistic and relatable. I mourned everytime that I had to put this book down and rejoiced every time I got the chance to pick it up.
Now that I am done fangirling, let's talk about the plot real quick. The plot has so many plot twist and turns that I never saw coming. Ms. Clark intricately weaves the perspective of 5+ characters in such a way that you never get lost. The plot kept me on the edge of my seat, I freaked out, laughed, teared up and cheered all in the span of one book. Bravo Ms. Clark!

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hawk in Winter (Rise of the Hawk #1) by Bekah Clark

This is a very well written, well plotted beginning to the Rise of the Hawk series. It is my first novel by Clark. Thankfully I was gifted the series in full, so I am thrilled to roll right into book two.

There are so many different, well-defined characters in this novel. It is handy that another one is added every time Clark needs a different action. The backgrounds are terrifically added in the telling from the members of one house to the members of the others, usually in casual conversation. This is much more enticing than reading an historical account.

*I dropped a star for editing. It reads very well, but a finished product could have used another lookover.

[Lisa Boyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book isn't bad. People settle on a new planet after their home was destroyed by technology. So no technology but some have developed strong mental powers. Then the book becomes a bit of "game of thrones". There are a total of four books in the series.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I had a hard time getting into the story. I’m not a big YA reader and this starts off very much YA. However the characters grabbed me and I’m now invested. I want to know how Maevan grows into her new role and how the other sisters adapt to the changes.

[H. T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not finish. I read about 20% of the book and had to stop. There is potentially a good plot going on but it didn’t hold my interest. The book is quite simply written and although touted as a YA book it reads like it was written for quite a young adolescent audience. I just couldn’t get into it.

[Lizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. The characters are very likable, very interesting and most of all, not predictable!!!

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a series I really enjoyed.

[Stephen Levesque · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this just an alright read. It just couldn't hold my attention. Very slow in places. It is like the author was trying to hard and over writing. Ok Read!

[Monika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book by Bekah Clark that I read. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I loved it! The author built a world were women rule and did it in a way that you just have to love the characters and their surroundings. From the first page on you wonder who is friend and who is foe. Don't assume anything. Just like in real life people change their minds from one minute to the next. Or do they? Court intrigue, power struggle, love, and madness. It's all there. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next one. Since this is a trilogy don't expect everything to be resolved in the first book. Highly recommended!

[William Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first review of 2018! This time it’s The Hawk in Winter (Rise of the Hawk Book 1) by Bekah Clark. This one hit my TBR list after a Goodreads recommendation and it was a great choice!

Synopsis (from the author): Maevan, Korla, and Renna, three devoted sisters, have been trained all their lives how to defend themselves, hunt, and strengthen their minds by their mother, Queen Xenya. What they didn't prepare for was separation.

Many years ago, Queen Xenya of the First House was forced to flee her throne to the icy land of Cardea. Now the rogue queen, Shaezen, has demanded Xenya's eldest daughter, Maevan, return to the ruling city of Traven. Alone.

Mae loves her home and family but understands the necessity of her placement within the palace of their enemies. Her mother has been preparing Mae and her sisters for the return of the First House to power their entire lives. Something no one could prepare Mae for is the sheer evil of Queen Shaezen and her many devious plans. Mae must find a way to survive her time in the palace while dealing with an evil queen, romance, betrayals, religious fanatics, and court life.

What I liked: The Hawk in Winter was a good start to the series. Xenya and her family were excellently developed characters. Shaezen was a great villain and I sympathized with Mae as she had to endure the many trials put upon her. Romance and a royal pairing clash as part of the story and the plot, though it developed slowly, was good. All told, I thoroughly enjoyed the book!

What I didn’t like: Just a couple of things bothered me in the book. First, as I mentioned above, the plot developed slowly. Secondly, the assassin introduced late in the book seemed oddly out of place with the rest of the cast. I suspect Bekah Clark wanted to create a despicable character (which she did) but for me it just didn’t fit well.

Overall impression: The Hawk in Winter (Rise of Hawk Book 1) was an excellent fantasy book. Filled with romance, intrigue, and action, the story held my attention. I identified with the characters and the end of Shazaen was fitting. I recommend this one to any fantasy reader and look forward to reading the rest of the series!

My rating: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

[Paige Kar · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, I'd like to thank the lovely author for sending me a free copy of this book. I will be putting mine up for a giveaway so another lucky reader may have a chance to experience this intriguing world.

So I am not sure where to start as contrary to others below, I did not find myself gripped or rooting for any characters and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.. I think it was the way it has been written. The author offers a lot of detail through the mind of the characters, but it borders on too much - leaving nothing for the reader to anticipate.

Also, though it is a YA novel, I did feel it may be better received by a pre-teen - teenage age. I felt I was craving a more detailed, meaningful relationship build between characters but instead I was given it all in the form of the characters inner monologues.

The story was there and that essentially was what drew me to this book, it had potential.
Truly I think if the author was willing to re-write it in a more advanced and developed way, it would blossom. Every sentence should be as enticing as the plot.

I wanted to find out more about the Landing and the ancient history of the realm itself, it would have been exciting to have the main character go on a quest for knowledge en route to her throne, by placing her outside her comfort zone it would have given the reader a chance to see her grow and love her all the more.

All in all, I liked the plot but was just a little let down by how the characters were portrayed throughout. I think this book would benefit from more of their feelings being shown via actions towards one another, and a little less filler dialogue... but that is simply my opinion.

Overall I appreciated my experience of the story and opportunity to read the Hawk in Winter, but I did have to force myself to finish this book out of duty to the author. Had I have bought this, I would have been disappointed. However, I do believe my ten-year-old niece would have LOVED it.

[Peter Carlstrom · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was great, but....

Somehow In could not connect with promiscuous Prince Charming with no love for the heroine and kick ass main girl with.....nothing, nada, zilch, zero to offer. The fizz just went flat. The concept was DOD for me. Maybe with new hero and the magical connection it will get better????

[Lady Ronin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently re-read this and forgot how much I had liked it. Maevan's great. Jorgan's awesome. Gonna re-read the rest now.