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The Bookminder #1
The Bookminder
Sired by magick and violence, sixteen-year-old Liara is found guilty of witchcraft and banished from her tiny village by the very priest who raised, then betrayed her. However, a mysterious mage steps forward to assume custody of her: Nagarath, the Wizard of Parentino, whose secret spellwork has long protected both Liara and Dvigrad from the ravages of war.
Despite Liara’s best hopes, Nagarath refuses to apprentice her to his craft but tasks her instead with the restoration of his neglected library. Liara gleans what magickal knowledge she can on the sly, determined to learn, come what may. But the first test of her stolen knowledge goes awry and renews an evil wizard’s interest in the people of the Limska Draga valley.
Only by tapping Liara’s inherent magick and joining it with his own can Nagarath protect Parentino from suffering a horrible fate. However, her discovery of his secrets destroys their fragile trust and ignites the darker tendencies of her gift. Now, he must rescue her from the influence of his mortal enemy before their powerful new alliance destroys them all.
Despite Liara’s best hopes, Nagarath refuses to apprentice her to his craft but tasks her instead with the restoration of his neglected library. Liara gleans what magickal knowledge she can on the sly, determined to learn, come what may. But the first test of her stolen knowledge goes awry and renews an evil wizard’s interest in the people of the Limska Draga valley.
Only by tapping Liara’s inherent magick and joining it with his own can Nagarath protect Parentino from suffering a horrible fate. However, her discovery of his secrets destroys their fragile trust and ignites the darker tendencies of her gift. Now, he must rescue her from the influence of his mortal enemy before their powerful new alliance destroys them all.
444 pages, Paperback
First published January 9, 2016
14 people are currently reading
3567 people want to read
About the author
M.K. Wiseman
12 books242 followersM. K. Wiseman has degrees in Interarts & Technology and Library & Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her office, therefore, is a curious mix of storyboards and reference materials. Both help immensely in the writing of historical novels. She currently resides in Wisconsin but dreams often of her childhood home in New Mexico.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
December 22, 2015
*Many thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion of this book.*
I think this book just cemented my interest in historical fantasy. I never used to like historical fantasy (or any type of historical fiction, for that matter); in fact, I felt weary every time I saw a book with that genre listed. I read 'His Fair Assassin' trilogy and actually liked it, but my trepidation toward historical fiction still remained. Then, I read The Spirit Gate and found it to be quite an enjoyable read, and so, I slowly opened up to the world of historical fantasy. The Bookminder just helped strengthen my resolve to give the genre a chance and read more books from it in 2016. When I first started reading the book, I didn’t know I had expectations until it surpassed them. I’m actually disappointed more people don’t know about this book, because it truly was a very enjoyable read. So many things drew me in, which I’ll be discussing below.
The characters were my favorite part of the book; they’re relationships with each other were just so dynamic, particularly Liara and Nagarath! I really enjoyed reading their dialogue and interactions. At the beginning of the book, I wasn’t sure if he was going to be the ‘love interest’ because I thought he was really old, as indicated by the gray hairs on his head, but the cover doesn’t portray him as that old. There were numerous moments when they showed... interest in each other, but I’m still not certain about where they stand in their relationship. Is it a mage-ward one? Or a partnership? The technicalities are so weird; I do wish this point was elaborated on more. Other than that, I thought the other characters were extremely well-developed. I love how they were interconnected with each other and how their stories tied together well at the end – it was very satisfying. It’s generally pretty hard to connect with characters in a fantasy story, but the author succeeded in drawing the reader in and making them feel the characters’ emotions & feelings.
The setting of the story also really helped the characters flourish in the reader’s mind. The world building was extremely well-paced, doing an excellent job in not confusing the reader, AKA me. Seriously, I was never puzzled. I never had to go back a few pages to check what had happened or where we were or what was going on.
The book’s writing itself was also very compelling. The descriptions were descriptive without being too over-the-top, allowing me to perfectly picture what was going on. This factor is also what kept me reading and completely hooked from start to finish – very gripping, indeed! In addition to that, I also love the language created in the book. I love how the book had its own terms and phonological expressions used, immersing the reader even further into the world.
Overall, if you’ve ever been hesitant to read historical fiction, I think this book could be a great starting point – I actually wish I started reading the genre with this! It’s an absolutely compelling read, pulling you into the character’s world very skillfully. The superb writing and descriptions also helped contribute to this. Make sure you get your hands on a copy of this book before its release date on January 9!
I think this book just cemented my interest in historical fantasy. I never used to like historical fantasy (or any type of historical fiction, for that matter); in fact, I felt weary every time I saw a book with that genre listed. I read 'His Fair Assassin' trilogy and actually liked it, but my trepidation toward historical fiction still remained. Then, I read The Spirit Gate and found it to be quite an enjoyable read, and so, I slowly opened up to the world of historical fantasy. The Bookminder just helped strengthen my resolve to give the genre a chance and read more books from it in 2016. When I first started reading the book, I didn’t know I had expectations until it surpassed them. I’m actually disappointed more people don’t know about this book, because it truly was a very enjoyable read. So many things drew me in, which I’ll be discussing below.
The characters were my favorite part of the book; they’re relationships with each other were just so dynamic, particularly Liara and Nagarath! I really enjoyed reading their dialogue and interactions. At the beginning of the book, I wasn’t sure if he was going to be the ‘love interest’ because I thought he was really old, as indicated by the gray hairs on his head, but the cover doesn’t portray him as that old. There were numerous moments when they showed... interest in each other, but I’m still not certain about where they stand in their relationship. Is it a mage-ward one? Or a partnership? The technicalities are so weird; I do wish this point was elaborated on more. Other than that, I thought the other characters were extremely well-developed. I love how they were interconnected with each other and how their stories tied together well at the end – it was very satisfying. It’s generally pretty hard to connect with characters in a fantasy story, but the author succeeded in drawing the reader in and making them feel the characters’ emotions & feelings.
The setting of the story also really helped the characters flourish in the reader’s mind. The world building was extremely well-paced, doing an excellent job in not confusing the reader, AKA me. Seriously, I was never puzzled. I never had to go back a few pages to check what had happened or where we were or what was going on.
The book’s writing itself was also very compelling. The descriptions were descriptive without being too over-the-top, allowing me to perfectly picture what was going on. This factor is also what kept me reading and completely hooked from start to finish – very gripping, indeed! In addition to that, I also love the language created in the book. I love how the book had its own terms and phonological expressions used, immersing the reader even further into the world.
Overall, if you’ve ever been hesitant to read historical fiction, I think this book could be a great starting point – I actually wish I started reading the genre with this! It’s an absolutely compelling read, pulling you into the character’s world very skillfully. The superb writing and descriptions also helped contribute to this. Make sure you get your hands on a copy of this book before its release date on January 9!
January 18, 2016
A well written book about a klepto wannabe mage and her reluctant guardian mage.
The Quick and Dirty
+Well written. Detailed descriptions, good pacing, and dialogue that flows and feels natural.
+Multi-layered, flawed, and sympathetic characters.
+Well thought out magic system with uniqueness to it.
+There is legitimate excitement to be found whenever magic is used. There's such a build up for it thanks to our magic starved protagonist and we get a detailed description of how it works usually making the unreal seem real.
+Magic isn't just some limitless ability. It requires resources, focus, and skill. Liara's learning is tempered with great realism.
+Wiseman's subtlety and understanding of human nature made Liara a complex and interesting character to read about, despite her frustrating tirades. Very good stuff.
+Takes place in the real world.
-It takes a while for the plot to get moving
-Towards the middle and end Liara's self importance and poor decision making really make many of her chapters detestable to read despite the great writing.
-Nagarath's apologetic nature and unwillingness to put Liara in her place also tended to grate on my nerves because it was repeated so often. I wish he stood up to the foolhardy Liara more. Same can be said of Father Phenlick.
Review Time
Bookminder, by M.K. Wiseman, is a clever book to read for fans of complex and unique magic systems. As a matter of fact, the whole book is dripping with this sort of magick from start to finish. It's two protagonists are mages, from Liara the wannabe to Nagarath the master mage. One of the coolest aspects about this book is that it takes place in the real world, some time in the past. Great references are even made to historical events, fairy tales, and even that famous wizard Merlin.
The book is also very well written. I had no problems slipping into the Croatian locales of Dvigrad, Parentino, and Vrsar. All the dialogue between the characters felt natural and nothing of note took me out of the story. I mostly enjoyed the multi-layered and flawed characters such as Father Phenlick, Nagarath, and even the impetuous Liara (though she frustrated me to no end). I felt great sympathy for them as they tried to succeed in their various goals and lamented past mistakes as we all do. Their flaws, failures, and desires to fix them resonated deeply with me.
One of the cooler and funner aspects about the book is its magick system, which is based in real life lore. I had fun learning about some of the origins of the magick here as well as the rules to its use such as the Laws of Magick Creatio and Transferre. Very unique stuff that also happened to have a huge impact on the story. With the way that the magick was explained and implemented, there was excitement each time that it was used. There was a weight and consequences to using this world's magick. Magick isn't just some limitless resource in Bookminder. It requires resources all its own, great focus, and great skill. I thought Liara's learning of it had a nice grounded realism to it, which I always enjoy when I read fantasy. I like touches of reality that add consequences and weight to the story.
I loved this book in every possible way except for one. The only thing that annoyed me about the book at many turns was Liara's own selfishness and the way that the other characters seemed to get wrapped up in trying to help her but be made the villain by her and their own guilt-ridden consciences. It wasn't pleasant to read, I must admit. I hate seeing brats get their way and this happened more often than not. But...it was handled very well at the end of the day. One scene comes to mind as Liara laments past mistakes about trust right as she is making the exact same mistake. She can't see that she is making a series of the worst mistakes in her life even while continuously making them because she is young, foolish, and way too wrapped up in her current existential crisis. That's good writing in my book (ugh, no pun intended).
Though this portrayal makes the characters involved unlikable at many turns in the story, it is also true to character and true to circumstances. The circumstances that each of the characters find themselves in along with the reasons they are connected to Liara properly setup their motivations. Though annoyed with Liara's self importance and stubbornness and the other character's lack of willingness to simply tell her to shut up, by the end I found her to be someone that I could root for.
The overall plot was not really anything too special, but it was a nice setup to motivate these characters and see them in action. The ending mostly wraps up everything, but leaves some possibilities open for a sequel. I'm not sure if one is planned or not but I would certainly get read it as I found Bookminder to be highly enjoyable.
The Quick and Dirty
+Well written. Detailed descriptions, good pacing, and dialogue that flows and feels natural.
+Multi-layered, flawed, and sympathetic characters.
+Well thought out magic system with uniqueness to it.
+There is legitimate excitement to be found whenever magic is used. There's such a build up for it thanks to our magic starved protagonist and we get a detailed description of how it works usually making the unreal seem real.
+Magic isn't just some limitless ability. It requires resources, focus, and skill. Liara's learning is tempered with great realism.
+Wiseman's subtlety and understanding of human nature made Liara a complex and interesting character to read about, despite her frustrating tirades. Very good stuff.
+Takes place in the real world.
-It takes a while for the plot to get moving
-Towards the middle and end Liara's self importance and poor decision making really make many of her chapters detestable to read despite the great writing.
-Nagarath's apologetic nature and unwillingness to put Liara in her place also tended to grate on my nerves because it was repeated so often. I wish he stood up to the foolhardy Liara more. Same can be said of Father Phenlick.
Review Time
Bookminder, by M.K. Wiseman, is a clever book to read for fans of complex and unique magic systems. As a matter of fact, the whole book is dripping with this sort of magick from start to finish. It's two protagonists are mages, from Liara the wannabe to Nagarath the master mage. One of the coolest aspects about this book is that it takes place in the real world, some time in the past. Great references are even made to historical events, fairy tales, and even that famous wizard Merlin.
The book is also very well written. I had no problems slipping into the Croatian locales of Dvigrad, Parentino, and Vrsar. All the dialogue between the characters felt natural and nothing of note took me out of the story. I mostly enjoyed the multi-layered and flawed characters such as Father Phenlick, Nagarath, and even the impetuous Liara (though she frustrated me to no end). I felt great sympathy for them as they tried to succeed in their various goals and lamented past mistakes as we all do. Their flaws, failures, and desires to fix them resonated deeply with me.
One of the cooler and funner aspects about the book is its magick system, which is based in real life lore. I had fun learning about some of the origins of the magick here as well as the rules to its use such as the Laws of Magick Creatio and Transferre. Very unique stuff that also happened to have a huge impact on the story. With the way that the magick was explained and implemented, there was excitement each time that it was used. There was a weight and consequences to using this world's magick. Magick isn't just some limitless resource in Bookminder. It requires resources all its own, great focus, and great skill. I thought Liara's learning of it had a nice grounded realism to it, which I always enjoy when I read fantasy. I like touches of reality that add consequences and weight to the story.
I loved this book in every possible way except for one. The only thing that annoyed me about the book at many turns was Liara's own selfishness and the way that the other characters seemed to get wrapped up in trying to help her but be made the villain by her and their own guilt-ridden consciences. It wasn't pleasant to read, I must admit. I hate seeing brats get their way and this happened more often than not. But...it was handled very well at the end of the day. One scene comes to mind as Liara laments past mistakes about trust right as she is making the exact same mistake. She can't see that she is making a series of the worst mistakes in her life even while continuously making them because she is young, foolish, and way too wrapped up in her current existential crisis. That's good writing in my book (ugh, no pun intended).
Though this portrayal makes the characters involved unlikable at many turns in the story, it is also true to character and true to circumstances. The circumstances that each of the characters find themselves in along with the reasons they are connected to Liara properly setup their motivations. Though annoyed with Liara's self importance and stubbornness and the other character's lack of willingness to simply tell her to shut up, by the end I found her to be someone that I could root for.
The overall plot was not really anything too special, but it was a nice setup to motivate these characters and see them in action. The ending mostly wraps up everything, but leaves some possibilities open for a sequel. I'm not sure if one is planned or not but I would certainly get read it as I found Bookminder to be highly enjoyable.
May 9, 2019
In the era of witch burnings, the story starts out with a priest caring for a young girl with powers and trying to hide it from the community. I really enjoyed the plot, the character development, and the detail the author put in. It really was a great start to a new fantasy series on magic and the power of friendship. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who enjoys this genre, it really was a lot of fun.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
April 23, 2017
First in The Bookminder Trilogy young adult fantasy series set in 1679 and revolving around Liara, a persecuted young girl who has no idea she can do magic.
My Take
The Bookminder is a interesting story, and I'm curious as to where Wiseman goes next with it. Especially since she's raised all these questions! I want answers, even though I greatly disliked Liara as a character, which is rather unfair as Wiseman portrays her as a self-absorbed teenager. Which is exactly what Liara is. It's probably a good thing I don't have children! And probably a good book for unruly young teens; one can hope they might recognize themselves…
She steals and then doesn't understand why people suspect her of it, never recognizing that stealing something, no matter her reasons, is bad. She always thinks she can get away with anything as long as she makes her false promises. She never thinks she should be punished for what she does. She lies, and then wonders why no one believes her. Hmmm, a form of crying wolf?
There's more naiveté in the writing. It's too obvious for me, but maybe this appeals more to the fourteen-year-old readers. Still, I can't help but reflect on J.K. Rowling and John Flanagan's writing, also for young adults, and more appealing to my own intellect. Eek, that sounds so snobby?!?
Part of their problem is all those assumptions we learn of through third-person multiple point-of-view: from Nagarath's perspective, we learn that he assumes she's doing well, yet form Liara's perspective, she assumes Nagarath can read her mind.
I found myself surprised by Liara being in charge of the library. Wiseman puts such equal emphasis on all the cleaning and organizing Liara is doing around the "house" that the book minding being so important escaped me. I dunno. Maybe my mind was wandering?
She gets all these signals from Anisthe, but believes every word he says?? Probably because what he "says" is what she wants to hear. Anisthe does have his uses, as he does teach Liara much about the approach to magic.
That a sixteen-year-old would know about cataloguing? Although I do love the catalogue she comes up with!
In the end, I suspect my real problem with The Bookminder is Liara's teen perspective. She's such a snotty, self-absorbed know-it-all who wants everything now but isn't interested in working at it!
The Story
Banished from the village for the use of witchcraft, Liara should be grateful she wasn't executed. And when she is taken under a local mage's wing, she's excited at the thought of being taught to use her magick despite Nagarath stating he would not.
Until she discovers Nagarath means it.
The Characters
The sixteen-year-old Liara has "the mind of a mage and the fingers of a thief" with a mage for a father and Ana her mother??
Nagarath is the Wizard of Parentino (originally from Naples, Italy) who lives on the other end of the valley with an interest in natural magics. He had been apprenticed to the French Archmage Cromen when he was eight. His library includes Archmage Loothemere's Chronicles of an Accidental War Mage, Tales from the Battlefield.
The village of Dvigrad is…
…situated in the Limska Draga valley where magic was outlawed twenty years ago. Father George Phenlick rules the village and is a delegate from the Holy See and an official representative of the doge of Venice; he has had custody of Liara for the past ten years. St. Sophia is Father Phenlick's church. Krešimir is the woodsman's son and her only friend. Old Woman Zarije Babić is a nasty, hard-nosed gossip. Ðerkan is Zarije's son. The Venetian guard provide protection. Piotr is an apothecary who makes deliveries to Nagarath.
The city of Vrsar
Anisthe is a war mage and old schoolmate of Nagarath's.
The Uskok used to raid the valley.
Hebrew, the Green Language, is the language in which magic is written, and Wiseman includes a glossary — I cracked up over the reason why a pronunciation guide was not included! The Laws of Magick include the Laws of Magick Creatio and the Laws of Magick Transferre.
The Cover and Title
The cover is dark in its blues. A ghostly blue tower looms up behind a thicket of bare branched trees in a deep turquoise blue sky with the book's title in a gothic font and the author's name below it in a serif. Both are in white as is the epigraph, which sums it all up. A hooded, blue-eyed Nagarath stands to the side with the dark-haired Liara slightly in front of him, a hint of tension and wariness in her pose, dressed in a filmy open-necked shirt and a jumper with an embroidered insert.
The title is who Liara becomes, The Bookminder.
My Take
The Bookminder is a interesting story, and I'm curious as to where Wiseman goes next with it. Especially since she's raised all these questions! I want answers, even though I greatly disliked Liara as a character, which is rather unfair as Wiseman portrays her as a self-absorbed teenager. Which is exactly what Liara is. It's probably a good thing I don't have children! And probably a good book for unruly young teens; one can hope they might recognize themselves…
She steals and then doesn't understand why people suspect her of it, never recognizing that stealing something, no matter her reasons, is bad. She always thinks she can get away with anything as long as she makes her false promises. She never thinks she should be punished for what she does. She lies, and then wonders why no one believes her. Hmmm, a form of crying wolf?
"…you limit yourself when you only see what everyone else says of you. And when you look only at yourself, you discount the pain of others."Nagarath cracks me up with his naiveté. He's so busy patting himself on the back for how well he's handling Liara…*eye roll*… Between them, it's a contrast of white magic and black.
There's more naiveté in the writing. It's too obvious for me, but maybe this appeals more to the fourteen-year-old readers. Still, I can't help but reflect on J.K. Rowling and John Flanagan's writing, also for young adults, and more appealing to my own intellect. Eek, that sounds so snobby?!?
Part of their problem is all those assumptions we learn of through third-person multiple point-of-view: from Nagarath's perspective, we learn that he assumes she's doing well, yet form Liara's perspective, she assumes Nagarath can read her mind.
I found myself surprised by Liara being in charge of the library. Wiseman puts such equal emphasis on all the cleaning and organizing Liara is doing around the "house" that the book minding being so important escaped me. I dunno. Maybe my mind was wandering?
She gets all these signals from Anisthe, but believes every word he says?? Probably because what he "says" is what she wants to hear. Anisthe does have his uses, as he does teach Liara much about the approach to magic.
That a sixteen-year-old would know about cataloguing? Although I do love the catalogue she comes up with!
In the end, I suspect my real problem with The Bookminder is Liara's teen perspective. She's such a snotty, self-absorbed know-it-all who wants everything now but isn't interested in working at it!
The Story
Banished from the village for the use of witchcraft, Liara should be grateful she wasn't executed. And when she is taken under a local mage's wing, she's excited at the thought of being taught to use her magick despite Nagarath stating he would not.
Until she discovers Nagarath means it.
The Characters
The sixteen-year-old Liara has "the mind of a mage and the fingers of a thief" with a mage for a father and Ana her mother??
Nagarath is the Wizard of Parentino (originally from Naples, Italy) who lives on the other end of the valley with an interest in natural magics. He had been apprenticed to the French Archmage Cromen when he was eight. His library includes Archmage Loothemere's Chronicles of an Accidental War Mage, Tales from the Battlefield.
The village of Dvigrad is…
…situated in the Limska Draga valley where magic was outlawed twenty years ago. Father George Phenlick rules the village and is a delegate from the Holy See and an official representative of the doge of Venice; he has had custody of Liara for the past ten years. St. Sophia is Father Phenlick's church. Krešimir is the woodsman's son and her only friend. Old Woman Zarije Babić is a nasty, hard-nosed gossip. Ðerkan is Zarije's son. The Venetian guard provide protection. Piotr is an apothecary who makes deliveries to Nagarath.
The city of Vrsar
Anisthe is a war mage and old schoolmate of Nagarath's.
The Uskok used to raid the valley.
Hebrew, the Green Language, is the language in which magic is written, and Wiseman includes a glossary — I cracked up over the reason why a pronunciation guide was not included! The Laws of Magick include the Laws of Magick Creatio and the Laws of Magick Transferre.
The Cover and Title
The cover is dark in its blues. A ghostly blue tower looms up behind a thicket of bare branched trees in a deep turquoise blue sky with the book's title in a gothic font and the author's name below it in a serif. Both are in white as is the epigraph, which sums it all up. A hooded, blue-eyed Nagarath stands to the side with the dark-haired Liara slightly in front of him, a hint of tension and wariness in her pose, dressed in a filmy open-necked shirt and a jumper with an embroidered insert.
The title is who Liara becomes, The Bookminder.
May 6, 2019
Beautifully-written Croatian historical fantasy that brings to mind Howl's Moving Castle & Beauty and the Beast.
Disclosure: I had access to a review copy following the Twitter event #reviewpit.
I loved the effort the author put into making complex, nuanced characters and a layered, twisty plot. The setting is unusual, apparently based on the author's own heritage, and a nice change from British or generic-Euro-Medieval fantasies.
It took me a few chapters to settle into the story, characterization, and occasionally quirky phrasing, but once the story got its hooks into me it definitely wasn't letting go!
One word of caution: there is some very low-key age-gap romance, and there's an element of mystery surrounding that where it's not entirely clear how large the gap is or if it's going to turn romantic that can be uncomfortable. I'd encourage you to keep going—it all settles out without icky-ness (and it's not, like, a century or anything vampire-style, lol.)
Readers who enjoy witches, wizards, and fantasy-settings with nuanced, complicated characters and fresh settings should definitely check this one out!
Disclosure: I had access to a review copy following the Twitter event #reviewpit.
I loved the effort the author put into making complex, nuanced characters and a layered, twisty plot. The setting is unusual, apparently based on the author's own heritage, and a nice change from British or generic-Euro-Medieval fantasies.
It took me a few chapters to settle into the story, characterization, and occasionally quirky phrasing, but once the story got its hooks into me it definitely wasn't letting go!
One word of caution: there is some very low-key age-gap romance, and there's an element of mystery surrounding that where it's not entirely clear how large the gap is or if it's going to turn romantic that can be uncomfortable. I'd encourage you to keep going—it all settles out without icky-ness (and it's not, like, a century or anything vampire-style, lol.)
Readers who enjoy witches, wizards, and fantasy-settings with nuanced, complicated characters and fresh settings should definitely check this one out!
September 10, 2018
Compelling fantasy with intriguing characters - I am looking forward to book two!
January 23, 2016
I received a free copy of the book through the Goodreads Giveaways program. This does not in any way affect my review.
I definitely enjoyed this book. It teeters somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars for me so I've given it the 4.
The main character, whose name is Liara, took a bit to grow on me. At first I did not like her single-minded entitlement and abrasive nature, but as I saw more of her positive attributes I softened up toward her. She still had her intolerably stupid moments, particularly towards the end of the novel, but I did like her. Anyone with a decent sense for dishonesty could easily tell what Anisthe wanted from her, and it was a little annoying to see her fall for his words so easily. However, Liara is only seventeen at the time, and such mistakes can be excused as a folly of teenage stubbornness.
I also have some issues with Nagarath, but that is a whole other kettle of fish. Suffice to say I dislike relationship problems that could be solved with some decent communication.
Despite these flaws, the writing was very well done. I enjoyed the author's style and the way they focused on developing the (non-romantic in my opinion, but I suppose others may see it differently) relationship between Nagarath and Liara. The 'action' doesn't happen until near the end of the book, but I thought the slow build was very well done and not boring at all. All-in-all, a good read.
I definitely enjoyed this book. It teeters somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars for me so I've given it the 4.
The main character, whose name is Liara, took a bit to grow on me. At first I did not like her single-minded entitlement and abrasive nature, but as I saw more of her positive attributes I softened up toward her. She still had her intolerably stupid moments, particularly towards the end of the novel, but I did like her. Anyone with a decent sense for dishonesty could easily tell what Anisthe wanted from her, and it was a little annoying to see her fall for his words so easily. However, Liara is only seventeen at the time, and such mistakes can be excused as a folly of teenage stubbornness.
I also have some issues with Nagarath, but that is a whole other kettle of fish. Suffice to say I dislike relationship problems that could be solved with some decent communication.
Despite these flaws, the writing was very well done. I enjoyed the author's style and the way they focused on developing the (non-romantic in my opinion, but I suppose others may see it differently) relationship between Nagarath and Liara. The 'action' doesn't happen until near the end of the book, but I thought the slow build was very well done and not boring at all. All-in-all, a good read.
Read
February 13, 2016As the publisher and chief editor of this book, I will refrain from adding a star rating in order to keep the average as objective as possible. However, I'm excited to release this book. Lovers of fantasy and magic will enjoy this book. The magic system is well developed and imaginative, the characters warm and winning. The plot is intriguing, with plenty of elements I've never before encountered in fantasy writing. This historical fantasy is idea for the YA audience, as it deftly deals with coming of age issues. It's also great to get a glimpse of a part of the world we don't hear much about, life on the Adriatic coast.
November 17, 2016
It wasn't a bad book, it just didn't pull me in very much. I felt like it took a long time for the story to really get going.
July 20, 2018
Wow, I could not put this book down.
First, I love the characters. Both Liara and Nagarath are wonderful multi faceted characters. From the beginning and throughout the novel, the readers can see that both characters are deeply flawed yet endearing. Nagarath over shelters Liara out of fear of her emotional immaturity and safety. He also fears her judgment over his past mistakes. For her safety, he sets down rules but relents and becomes softhearted, thereby creating conflict with Liara by repeatedly opening the door to magick and then shutting it in her face.
Liara, our main character, what a teenager she is! Clever, impulsive, vengeful, and possessing of an endless flow of bottled up anger and resentment. Yes, Liara is a handful, self-absorbed with her own emotions and a sense of entitlement.
For example, her thoughts when Nagarath refused her as an apprentice:
"How dare he keep magick from her? She was born to it."
"What wizard wasn't granted access to magick and all its wonders? Life owed her."
But I wanted to hug her for her insecurities and her desperation to belong somewhere:
"There was a place in the world for her after all."
Second, the writing progressed so well. I love the emotional tension that just build and build on itself driving the reader to the climax. The storyline is the only aspect that is just average. A good 75% of the novel took place in the Parentino Castle, Nagarath's home, where Liara and Nagarath argued and reconciled and then argued and reconciled again. It is a little repetitive but their discussions on magical topics are really interesting. Included with the novel are appendices with a listing of the laws of magic, the Green Language (language of magic), and character listing. It would have been great if there had been a map as well. Although, this being a historical fantasy, the major places in the story can be search up online for a sense of distance and orientation. But it would have been awesome to see the map from the year 1679 perspective.
This novel is targeted correctly for YA and I think teenagers who enjoy reading character driven, coming-of-age stories, or girl empowered fantasy novels will enjoy this story. I am uncertain if this title is appropriate for younger age groups since the topic of rape does come up from time to time of an event that happened off page in the past. But I understand it may be a trigger topic for some. Adults who enjoy fantasy novels may also enjoy this title. However, I think Liara's self-absorbed and 'all about me' attitude may be too much for some adults to tolerate.
My personal opinion is that Liara behaves like a teenager. Her attitude stems from her inner insecurities and the years of prejudice her town had shown her. I find the blending of her vulnerability and her determined bravado endearing and made her an even better character.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and cannot wait for the second volume.
Rating
Story: 4 Stars
Writing: 5 Stars
Characters: 5 Stars
Enjoyability: 5 Stars
Notes: Many thanks to Netgalley and Xchyler Publishing for providing a copy of this book.
First, I love the characters. Both Liara and Nagarath are wonderful multi faceted characters. From the beginning and throughout the novel, the readers can see that both characters are deeply flawed yet endearing. Nagarath over shelters Liara out of fear of her emotional immaturity and safety. He also fears her judgment over his past mistakes. For her safety, he sets down rules but relents and becomes softhearted, thereby creating conflict with Liara by repeatedly opening the door to magick and then shutting it in her face.
Liara, our main character, what a teenager she is! Clever, impulsive, vengeful, and possessing of an endless flow of bottled up anger and resentment. Yes, Liara is a handful, self-absorbed with her own emotions and a sense of entitlement.
For example, her thoughts when Nagarath refused her as an apprentice:
"How dare he keep magick from her? She was born to it."
"What wizard wasn't granted access to magick and all its wonders? Life owed her."
But I wanted to hug her for her insecurities and her desperation to belong somewhere:
"There was a place in the world for her after all."
Second, the writing progressed so well. I love the emotional tension that just build and build on itself driving the reader to the climax. The storyline is the only aspect that is just average. A good 75% of the novel took place in the Parentino Castle, Nagarath's home, where Liara and Nagarath argued and reconciled and then argued and reconciled again. It is a little repetitive but their discussions on magical topics are really interesting. Included with the novel are appendices with a listing of the laws of magic, the Green Language (language of magic), and character listing. It would have been great if there had been a map as well. Although, this being a historical fantasy, the major places in the story can be search up online for a sense of distance and orientation. But it would have been awesome to see the map from the year 1679 perspective.
This novel is targeted correctly for YA and I think teenagers who enjoy reading character driven, coming-of-age stories, or girl empowered fantasy novels will enjoy this story. I am uncertain if this title is appropriate for younger age groups since the topic of rape does come up from time to time of an event that happened off page in the past. But I understand it may be a trigger topic for some. Adults who enjoy fantasy novels may also enjoy this title. However, I think Liara's self-absorbed and 'all about me' attitude may be too much for some adults to tolerate.
My personal opinion is that Liara behaves like a teenager. Her attitude stems from her inner insecurities and the years of prejudice her town had shown her. I find the blending of her vulnerability and her determined bravado endearing and made her an even better character.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and cannot wait for the second volume.
Rating
Story: 4 Stars
Writing: 5 Stars
Characters: 5 Stars
Enjoyability: 5 Stars
Notes: Many thanks to Netgalley and Xchyler Publishing for providing a copy of this book.
June 8, 2021
The Bookminder by M.K Wiseman is the first in this historical fantasy series. I absolutely love the combination of historical fiction and fantasy, so when The Bookminder was available to review, I took the opportunity. And I’m glad I did!
M.K. Wiseman‘s character development is awesome. Connecting with these characters was easy. Their interactions felt realistic. I think Liara is my favorite, but picking favorites is hard in this story because they are all so great.
I love the writing. My favorite part of fantasy is often the world building and M.K. Wiseman‘s writing brings you right into the world. It was easy to get lost in this story, and it had me hooked from beginning to end. The only gripe I have here, and it’s minimal, is that because the characters spend much of their time isolated in the tower, there isn’t much world building outside of learning about magic. I hope we get to see the historical setting more in future installments.
The Bookminder is fantastic. I really enjoyed it and I recommend giving it a read!
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the review copy and the opportunity to honestly review this book on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
M.K. Wiseman‘s character development is awesome. Connecting with these characters was easy. Their interactions felt realistic. I think Liara is my favorite, but picking favorites is hard in this story because they are all so great.
I love the writing. My favorite part of fantasy is often the world building and M.K. Wiseman‘s writing brings you right into the world. It was easy to get lost in this story, and it had me hooked from beginning to end. The only gripe I have here, and it’s minimal, is that because the characters spend much of their time isolated in the tower, there isn’t much world building outside of learning about magic. I hope we get to see the historical setting more in future installments.
The Bookminder is fantastic. I really enjoyed it and I recommend giving it a read!
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the review copy and the opportunity to honestly review this book on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
August 13, 2018
The bookminder by mk Wiseman.
Sired by magick and violence, sixteen-year-old Liara is found guilty of witchcraft and banished from her tiny village by the very priest who raised, then betrayed her. However, a mysterious mage steps forward to assume custody of her: Nagarath, the Wizard of Parentino, whose secret spellwork has long protected both Liara and Dvigrad from the ravages of war.
Despite Liara’s best hopes, Nagarath refuses to apprentice her to his craft but tasks her instead with the restoration of his neglected library. Liara gleans what magickal knowledge she can on the sly, determined to learn, come what may. But the first test of her stolen knowledge goes awry and renews an evil wizard’s interest in the people of the Limska Draga valley.
Only by tapping Liara’s inherent magick and joining it with his own can Nagarath protect Parentino from suffering a horrible fate. However, her discovery of his secrets destroys their fragile trust and ignites the darker tendencies of her gift. Now, he must rescue her from the influence of his mortal enemy before their powerful new alliance destroys them all.
This was a fantastic read with brilliant characters. Little bit slow in places but once I got into it I really enjoyed it. I loved the dual between nagarath and Anisthe. Looking forward to next book. 4*.
Sired by magick and violence, sixteen-year-old Liara is found guilty of witchcraft and banished from her tiny village by the very priest who raised, then betrayed her. However, a mysterious mage steps forward to assume custody of her: Nagarath, the Wizard of Parentino, whose secret spellwork has long protected both Liara and Dvigrad from the ravages of war.
Despite Liara’s best hopes, Nagarath refuses to apprentice her to his craft but tasks her instead with the restoration of his neglected library. Liara gleans what magickal knowledge she can on the sly, determined to learn, come what may. But the first test of her stolen knowledge goes awry and renews an evil wizard’s interest in the people of the Limska Draga valley.
Only by tapping Liara’s inherent magick and joining it with his own can Nagarath protect Parentino from suffering a horrible fate. However, her discovery of his secrets destroys their fragile trust and ignites the darker tendencies of her gift. Now, he must rescue her from the influence of his mortal enemy before their powerful new alliance destroys them all.
This was a fantastic read with brilliant characters. Little bit slow in places but once I got into it I really enjoyed it. I loved the dual between nagarath and Anisthe. Looking forward to next book. 4*.
August 16, 2018
I would like to thank the Netgalley website and Xchyler Publishing for this partnership.
I was immediately attracted by the cover: we see the beautiful Liara and the magician Nagarath. And especially the summary and the catchphrase: "The know-how, the most dangerous magic".
It all begins when Liara, sixteen, is banned for witchcraft from her village by the priest who raised and betrayed her. A mysterious Nagarath mage takes her under his wing. She will have to restore the library which is neglected. She will secretly learn magic at the risk of being caught. She has a mortal enemy, the mage will do everything to save her.
A book read in one go, I hooked immediately to the moving story in some passages, captivating and filled with suspense and twists. The character of Liara is very endearing. Can wait to read the book two.
I was immediately attracted by the cover: we see the beautiful Liara and the magician Nagarath. And especially the summary and the catchphrase: "The know-how, the most dangerous magic".
It all begins when Liara, sixteen, is banned for witchcraft from her village by the priest who raised and betrayed her. A mysterious Nagarath mage takes her under his wing. She will have to restore the library which is neglected. She will secretly learn magic at the risk of being caught. She has a mortal enemy, the mage will do everything to save her.
A book read in one go, I hooked immediately to the moving story in some passages, captivating and filled with suspense and twists. The character of Liara is very endearing. Can wait to read the book two.
August 23, 2018
Recap: Liara, a fey-child is ward of the church until she is banished from the village for suspected witchcraft. Nagarath, the mysterious wizard, takes her in yet vows not to teach her any magic.
Review: I was gripped. Tension builds really well until you're just itching for something awful to happen. I thought Liara's time with the second Mage could've spanned longer but her fight was excellent and we all knew what her light fingeredness would result in. I'm intrigued to see where book two goes.
Review: I was gripped. Tension builds really well until you're just itching for something awful to happen. I thought Liara's time with the second Mage could've spanned longer but her fight was excellent and we all knew what her light fingeredness would result in. I'm intrigued to see where book two goes.
December 12, 2019
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
I really struggled with the mix of Historical, Adriatic countries and Fantasy magic.
Once I got past this I enjoyed the story line and characters.
It would have been so much better if the story had been totally blended with a Make believe Fantasy World.
Hence only 3 Stars
I really struggled with the mix of Historical, Adriatic countries and Fantasy magic.
Once I got past this I enjoyed the story line and characters.
It would have been so much better if the story had been totally blended with a Make believe Fantasy World.
Hence only 3 Stars
July 17, 2016
The Bookminder is a fun fantasy story full of history and magic. Set in 1679 Croatia, at a time when the Church ruled the area and magic was forbidden. In the town of Dvigrad, 16-year-old Liara lives with the priest, Father Phenlick. Liara came into existence as a magic spell gone awry and is considered the “fey child” outcast by the citizen of Dvigrad. Early on in the story, Liara is accused of stealing and witchcraft. For these crimes, Father Phenlick banishes her from the town. No one will take her in except a mage, Nagarath, who lives in the woods outside of town in a castle called Parentino. Nagarath keeps Parentino hidden with spells that make the castle look like ruins. Nagarath refuses to teach Liara magic to keep a promise he made to Father Phenlick. Instead, he gives Liara the task of organizing his collection of spell books. In spite Nagarath trying to hide magic from her, Liara still tries to learn magic and gains what knowledge she can from the books. At first both Nagarath and Liara are wary of each other, but the longer the two live together, the closer they bond and the more they trust each other. Liara starts to enjoy cataloguing the books and living in Parentino. Then, a tragedy strikes Dvigrad causing Nagarath to become increasingly paranoid and overprotective. He decides they should not leave the castle and increases the protection spells on the castle having to borrow some of Liara’s magic. Liara starts to doubt Nagarath’s sanity and after Nagarath becomes too overbearing, she runs away. She knows Nagarath is keeping something from her and she goes looking for answers. When she returns to Dvigrad, she finds out about another mage, Anisthe, lives in the area and goes to meet him. Although Anisthe is much older and uses magic to look young, he was a former classmate of Nagarath and their apprenticeship did not end on good terms. Anisthe is all too ready to teach Liara magic provided she steals a book for him from Nagarath’s library. Liara is not sure who to trust and making a wrong move could cost her everything.
The story keeps a fairly good pace and great characters. Liara is a brave, strong, determined and stubborn character. Nagarath is kind, protective, cautious, and a bit scatterbrained. Liara and Nagarath balance each other out. The other Dvigrad characters are also very will described with distinct personalities. While the story might have hinted at the start of a romance between Liara and Nagarath, the story does not have any romance scenes. The story also does not have any violent scenes. The ending is not a cliffhanger, but leaves the story open to a sequel. The book includes a glossary of magic terms, Green Language translations, and pronunciation guide for the character names and terms. Great book for teens and adults alike. Perfect for fans of historical fantasy and books about magic and wizards. I enjoyed this book and would check out other books from this author. I received this book a giveaway, which did not affect my opinion. I would like to thank the sender for this great book.
The story keeps a fairly good pace and great characters. Liara is a brave, strong, determined and stubborn character. Nagarath is kind, protective, cautious, and a bit scatterbrained. Liara and Nagarath balance each other out. The other Dvigrad characters are also very will described with distinct personalities. While the story might have hinted at the start of a romance between Liara and Nagarath, the story does not have any romance scenes. The story also does not have any violent scenes. The ending is not a cliffhanger, but leaves the story open to a sequel. The book includes a glossary of magic terms, Green Language translations, and pronunciation guide for the character names and terms. Great book for teens and adults alike. Perfect for fans of historical fantasy and books about magic and wizards. I enjoyed this book and would check out other books from this author. I received this book a giveaway, which did not affect my opinion. I would like to thank the sender for this great book.
August 16, 2017
I received a copy of this book through the author, M.K. Wiseman's, giveaway in exchange for my honest opinion.
First, I want to thank the author for choosing me as the winner and adding extra items along with the book! I really do appreciate it. :)
When I first started reading the book, I actually felt dumb because of the words that were being used. I'll admit that I had to use the dictionary a few times and then It took me a while to discover the index in the back of the book! Very helpful!
MAIN CHARACTERS
I really liked Liara at the beginning and the end of the book. In the middle of the book she got extremely obnoxious with her crying and begging (this started to make me lose interest.) I'd say if about 100 pages were removed from the book, I would have liked her entirely.
Father Phenlick - A man who was at war with himself over his feelings for Liara.
I loved Nagarath - Kind, protective, gentile, patient and very caring.
Anisthe - you could tell was a pompous jerk that you would never like.
Honest Opinion
I made the commitment to finish reading the book to be able to give a complete review. I knew there would be some action in the end, so I was a little excited to get there.
I loved the magick, it was different than other book's...sort of like an RPG. Everything had an aura which allowed the mages to become aware of items closely related to the powers they possessed, such as spell books. Their magical powers were not able to be constantly used. They could faint to exhaustion if they used too many spells in a row and were also at risk for becoming incantate - permanently losing their powers.
The reason why I'm giving this story 3 stars is because, in the end, the story was all too predictable and very slow to get there.
First, I want to thank the author for choosing me as the winner and adding extra items along with the book! I really do appreciate it. :)
When I first started reading the book, I actually felt dumb because of the words that were being used. I'll admit that I had to use the dictionary a few times and then It took me a while to discover the index in the back of the book! Very helpful!
MAIN CHARACTERS
I really liked Liara at the beginning and the end of the book. In the middle of the book she got extremely obnoxious with her crying and begging (this started to make me lose interest.) I'd say if about 100 pages were removed from the book, I would have liked her entirely.
Father Phenlick - A man who was at war with himself over his feelings for Liara.
I loved Nagarath - Kind, protective, gentile, patient and very caring.
Anisthe - you could tell was a pompous jerk that you would never like.
Honest Opinion
I made the commitment to finish reading the book to be able to give a complete review. I knew there would be some action in the end, so I was a little excited to get there.
I loved the magick, it was different than other book's...sort of like an RPG. Everything had an aura which allowed the mages to become aware of items closely related to the powers they possessed, such as spell books. Their magical powers were not able to be constantly used. They could faint to exhaustion if they used too many spells in a row and were also at risk for becoming incantate - permanently losing their powers.
The reason why I'm giving this story 3 stars is because, in the end, the story was all too predictable and very slow to get there.
June 11, 2018
I received a free copy of the book through the Goodreads Giveaways program and voluntarily chose to review.
Liara, the result of magic gone awry, is the “fey child” outcast of Dvigrad. At 16 years-old, she is found guilty of thievery and witchcraft and banished from the village by the priest who had raised her. However, she is taken in by Nagarath, the mysterious mage of Parentino.
Unfortunately for Liara, Nagarath refuses to apprentice her in magic instead making her his librarian. She gleans what magical knowledge she can in secret. Her first attempt fails, drawing the attention of an evil wizard to the valley. It is only by tapping into Liara’s inherent magic in combination with his own that Nagarath hopes to protect not just Parentino by Liara as well.
However, when Nagarath’s secrets are revealed the fragile trust between them is broken. Thus, igniting the darkness within her. Can Nagarath rescue her from the influence of his greatest enemy before their alliance destroys them all?
The characters were well written and relatable. Liara, with her petulant curiosity and determination to learn. Nagarath, with his eccentric absentmindedness. Wary of each other at first, their relationship evolves into a fragile trust and ultimately a closer bond.
This book was incredibly well written. It started out slow with the action rising to the conclusion. The glossary included at the back was helpful with some of the pronunciations.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I have a newfound appreciation for historical fantasy after reading this book. The real and fantastic were expertly combined to bring the story to life.
Liara, the result of magic gone awry, is the “fey child” outcast of Dvigrad. At 16 years-old, she is found guilty of thievery and witchcraft and banished from the village by the priest who had raised her. However, she is taken in by Nagarath, the mysterious mage of Parentino.
Unfortunately for Liara, Nagarath refuses to apprentice her in magic instead making her his librarian. She gleans what magical knowledge she can in secret. Her first attempt fails, drawing the attention of an evil wizard to the valley. It is only by tapping into Liara’s inherent magic in combination with his own that Nagarath hopes to protect not just Parentino by Liara as well.
However, when Nagarath’s secrets are revealed the fragile trust between them is broken. Thus, igniting the darkness within her. Can Nagarath rescue her from the influence of his greatest enemy before their alliance destroys them all?
The characters were well written and relatable. Liara, with her petulant curiosity and determination to learn. Nagarath, with his eccentric absentmindedness. Wary of each other at first, their relationship evolves into a fragile trust and ultimately a closer bond.
This book was incredibly well written. It started out slow with the action rising to the conclusion. The glossary included at the back was helpful with some of the pronunciations.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I have a newfound appreciation for historical fantasy after reading this book. The real and fantastic were expertly combined to bring the story to life.
April 8, 2018
This was an incredibly well written book about a teenage girl figuring out the world of magic(k) through the tutelage of a mage who doesn't actually want to teach her anything. The book begins with Liara being thrown out of her hometown for doing magic, which is forbidden, and Nagarath the mage takes her in.
The middle of this book mostly shows the sheltered life Nagarath tries to make for Liara and his reluctance to teach her any magic based on a promise he made to protect her. This made for a leisurely pace to the story, which is maybe unusual for a fantasy, where the two go through their days with little to excite or upset them. But leave it to Liara to still find some trouble to get into.
When the action rose to the conclusion, though, I flipped through the last quarter of the book in one night, wanting to know the fate of Liara and her mage. And the twist! I didn't see it coming.
There were some characters I wished I would've seen more of, such as Kresimir (sp?), Liara's friend from her hometown. Maybe in the next book although I'm not sure the story will allow for it. I got tripped up with some of the names, but bonus! There's a glossary at the end. I love when books do that.
The middle of this book mostly shows the sheltered life Nagarath tries to make for Liara and his reluctance to teach her any magic based on a promise he made to protect her. This made for a leisurely pace to the story, which is maybe unusual for a fantasy, where the two go through their days with little to excite or upset them. But leave it to Liara to still find some trouble to get into.
When the action rose to the conclusion, though, I flipped through the last quarter of the book in one night, wanting to know the fate of Liara and her mage. And the twist! I didn't see it coming.
There were some characters I wished I would've seen more of, such as Kresimir (sp?), Liara's friend from her hometown. Maybe in the next book although I'm not sure the story will allow for it. I got tripped up with some of the names, but bonus! There's a glossary at the end. I love when books do that.
December 17, 2016
The Bookminder is a fantasy that takes place in old Istria, centering around a seventeen year old girl who exists because of magick.
While I felt like this could have been a great book, the plot only seemed to pick up around page 300. The beginning was interesting, and there were moments sandwiched between Chapters One and Eighteen, but the majority of the time was spend reading about Liara reading and pouting. And yes, this did show much of Liara's naive character and her evolving relationship with Nagarath, but the same effect could have been achieved through fewer pages.
I did enjoy the ideas of the characters, though. Nagarath and Anisthe seemed similar to Radagast and Saruman, from their characteristics down to their power dynamic.
The book did have many redeeming qualities that made up for the slow pace, with solid characters, setting, and internal conflict, but these strengths were not played to their fullest. Maybe this book's pacing was just not suited to me, but I would definitely give it a shot if you are interested in magic systems and an interesting spin on history.
While I felt like this could have been a great book, the plot only seemed to pick up around page 300. The beginning was interesting, and there were moments sandwiched between Chapters One and Eighteen, but the majority of the time was spend reading about Liara reading and pouting. And yes, this did show much of Liara's naive character and her evolving relationship with Nagarath, but the same effect could have been achieved through fewer pages.
I did enjoy the ideas of the characters, though. Nagarath and Anisthe seemed similar to Radagast and Saruman, from their characteristics down to their power dynamic.
The book did have many redeeming qualities that made up for the slow pace, with solid characters, setting, and internal conflict, but these strengths were not played to their fullest. Maybe this book's pacing was just not suited to me, but I would definitely give it a shot if you are interested in magic systems and an interesting spin on history.
February 20, 2018
I won this from the Goodreads givaway held...uh, quite a while ago.
Ok, so I was mildly interested enough to enter the giveaway, thinking that - like always - I wouldn't win it. But something was off in the universe that day, and I was picked.
Anyway, if you're reading my review of this book, you've no doubt already read the summary of it at the top of the page, so I won't rehash it here. There's no need for me and everyone else who leaves a review to say the same things in different words.
What I will tell you is that I really enjoyed this book. Right from the start. A lot of books don't do that, especially if they start with the long deadBBSG BBEG returning to bring back sexy evil, and the local farmboy hero being prophecied to bing him down.
As much as I did enjoy it, there were two minor problems I had:
1 - Liara being a petulant teenager (mood swings galore!)
2 - finding out who the villain is. it was a little too obvious.
But other than those, I did really enjoy this book. And have already recommended it to a couple other people.
Ok, so I was mildly interested enough to enter the giveaway, thinking that - like always - I wouldn't win it. But something was off in the universe that day, and I was picked.
Anyway, if you're reading my review of this book, you've no doubt already read the summary of it at the top of the page, so I won't rehash it here. There's no need for me and everyone else who leaves a review to say the same things in different words.
What I will tell you is that I really enjoyed this book. Right from the start. A lot of books don't do that, especially if they start with the long dead
As much as I did enjoy it, there were two minor problems I had:
1 - Liara being a petulant teenager (mood swings galore!)
2 - finding out who the villain is. it was a little too obvious.
But other than those, I did really enjoy this book. And have already recommended it to a couple other people.
September 30, 2017
Wow. I absolutely loved this book.
June 16, 2021
The Bookminder by M.K. Wiseman is an immersive historical fantasy that whisked me off to 17th century Italy with its magic and wonder.
What I Liked
I found the characters to be fascinating, especially Liara and Nagarath. The mix of magic and secrets never fails to captivate me, and these characters are full of both. Their scars shape them and dictate their actions good, bad, and mysterious until my heart bled for them as they both found themselves on courses where they were their own worst enemy, but they must get past that to take on a true enemy before it is too late.
I also love the relationship between Liara and Nagarath and the mystery of what kind of relationship it is growing to be. Mysteries are a mainstay in this tale, and I enjoyed each one as my need to discover the solutions worked to pull me quickly to the satisfying soft conclusion. My favorite mystery has to be finding who Liara really is and how she came into existence. The Bookminder has a very original plotline that is clever and inspires the imagination.
The setting – medieval Italy – is one of my favorite historical settings. It is a time that still believed in the mysticism of the ancients while trying to bridge into the religion of Christianity that was rapidly taking over the continent. The conflict inherent in the transition is overly complex, and that complexity is shown in the story of Liara’s upbringing, the troubles she faces, and the scars that define her.
The world-building is simply superb with every attention to detail given the time and space it needed to bloom and grow into a place I could easily experience with all my senses. My favorite place is Nagarath’s home. It looks like a crumbling tower on the outside but is a fully functioning home on the inside, all done with magical help. It is a fun yet sometimes dangerous place to explore as Liara gets to know and learn about it.
To Read or Not to Read
If you love fantasy, as I do, you will enjoy the marvels of 17th century Italy and Liara’s magical tale within it.
What I Liked
I found the characters to be fascinating, especially Liara and Nagarath. The mix of magic and secrets never fails to captivate me, and these characters are full of both. Their scars shape them and dictate their actions good, bad, and mysterious until my heart bled for them as they both found themselves on courses where they were their own worst enemy, but they must get past that to take on a true enemy before it is too late.
I also love the relationship between Liara and Nagarath and the mystery of what kind of relationship it is growing to be. Mysteries are a mainstay in this tale, and I enjoyed each one as my need to discover the solutions worked to pull me quickly to the satisfying soft conclusion. My favorite mystery has to be finding who Liara really is and how she came into existence. The Bookminder has a very original plotline that is clever and inspires the imagination.
The setting – medieval Italy – is one of my favorite historical settings. It is a time that still believed in the mysticism of the ancients while trying to bridge into the religion of Christianity that was rapidly taking over the continent. The conflict inherent in the transition is overly complex, and that complexity is shown in the story of Liara’s upbringing, the troubles she faces, and the scars that define her.
The world-building is simply superb with every attention to detail given the time and space it needed to bloom and grow into a place I could easily experience with all my senses. My favorite place is Nagarath’s home. It looks like a crumbling tower on the outside but is a fully functioning home on the inside, all done with magical help. It is a fun yet sometimes dangerous place to explore as Liara gets to know and learn about it.
To Read or Not to Read
If you love fantasy, as I do, you will enjoy the marvels of 17th century Italy and Liara’s magical tale within it.
June 14, 2021
Liara was born of magic and has been treated horribly for most of her life by the people of the village of Dvigrad. She has been living at the church until it is discovered that she has been stealing from people and using magic. She is banished but saved by the mage Nagarath but Nagarath makes it clear that he is not going to teach her magic.
They live at the crumbling castle Parentino which has its own secrets. Nagarath comes to care for Liara and starts teaching her a little magic. But someone is determined to find both of them, a powerful mage that is determined to use Liara’s power for his own good.
Liara has been looked down on her most of her sixteen years of her life. Because of this she tends to be aloof and on her own but is driven to learn magic for revenge. It’s a little hard to like Liara because of her constant whining and her focus. She constantly complains and at some parts I was about done with her.
Nagarath has his own secrets but is eaten by guilt over something that happened in the past. I commend him for taking on Liara when he wasn’t really planning on it. He has more patience than I do. But I was getting frustrated when he is trying to protect both of them but refusing to explain.
This is a rough start to the series, but I do see the potential in it. I am excited to start The Kithseeker. I think having Liara and Nagarath work together is going to be the glue to the loose ends.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
They live at the crumbling castle Parentino which has its own secrets. Nagarath comes to care for Liara and starts teaching her a little magic. But someone is determined to find both of them, a powerful mage that is determined to use Liara’s power for his own good.
Liara has been looked down on her most of her sixteen years of her life. Because of this she tends to be aloof and on her own but is driven to learn magic for revenge. It’s a little hard to like Liara because of her constant whining and her focus. She constantly complains and at some parts I was about done with her.
Nagarath has his own secrets but is eaten by guilt over something that happened in the past. I commend him for taking on Liara when he wasn’t really planning on it. He has more patience than I do. But I was getting frustrated when he is trying to protect both of them but refusing to explain.
This is a rough start to the series, but I do see the potential in it. I am excited to start The Kithseeker. I think having Liara and Nagarath work together is going to be the glue to the loose ends.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
June 9, 2021
A while back I found out about this series and I was curious about. I like fantasy novels and this one seemed my kind of fantasy. So I was very excited to finally read it.
This book follows Liara, a sixteen-years old girl, and Nagarath, a mage that helps her out. I loved getting to know them and see their relationship growing. It was quite interesting, the dynamic of the interactions and the background. I liked it. I could connected with the characters.
I also liked the world and how it was building up. How we learned more about how it all worked. I always enjoyed knowing more about the fantasy system when I'm starting a series, so it was something I was interested in knowing, and this book gave me what I needed.
Overall, this is the first book, the opening to the world, to the magical system, to the society, the culture and the characters that surround Liara and that end up having a role in her life and in the story... I found it all enjoyable and fascinating. A good way to start a series.
That been said, I enjoyed it and right after I finished it, I jumped into the next book, because I wanted to read more and see what would happen next, how the characters would continue to develop and what other secrets would be revealed.
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, M.K. Wiseman for the eCopy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
This book follows Liara, a sixteen-years old girl, and Nagarath, a mage that helps her out. I loved getting to know them and see their relationship growing. It was quite interesting, the dynamic of the interactions and the background. I liked it. I could connected with the characters.
I also liked the world and how it was building up. How we learned more about how it all worked. I always enjoyed knowing more about the fantasy system when I'm starting a series, so it was something I was interested in knowing, and this book gave me what I needed.
Overall, this is the first book, the opening to the world, to the magical system, to the society, the culture and the characters that surround Liara and that end up having a role in her life and in the story... I found it all enjoyable and fascinating. A good way to start a series.
That been said, I enjoyed it and right after I finished it, I jumped into the next book, because I wanted to read more and see what would happen next, how the characters would continue to develop and what other secrets would be revealed.
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, M.K. Wiseman for the eCopy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
August 12, 2018
I enjoyed this book. Set in Croatia in the mid 17th Century, it tells the story of Liara, a Fey child, made of magick and kept at arms length by most of the townsfolk she has grown up with. The story of her life continues moving from Dvigrad to the woods and later to futher afield.
Liara is very self-absorbed and has the stroppy teen down pat. However she has also been seen as different all her young life and has had no family just a sketchy knowledge of her unhappy beginnings. What must it be like to feel so much an outsider to her in her small world?
The story as told is a bit slow in places, and in many ways predictable but it also has some well told vignettes and scenes that show real promise in the writing. I was kept interested throughout even when irritated by the characters and their naivete, plain stupidity or selfishness. Liara is not that appealing a character, although she has moments that show kindness or thoughfulness they are few and far between, on the other hand she brings order to a library; which endears her to me.
I was engaged with the story and wanted to see if my predictions about what would happen were accurate, and I want to carry on with this series. 3.5/5 stars from me.
Liara is very self-absorbed and has the stroppy teen down pat. However she has also been seen as different all her young life and has had no family just a sketchy knowledge of her unhappy beginnings. What must it be like to feel so much an outsider to her in her small world?
The story as told is a bit slow in places, and in many ways predictable but it also has some well told vignettes and scenes that show real promise in the writing. I was kept interested throughout even when irritated by the characters and their naivete, plain stupidity or selfishness. Liara is not that appealing a character, although she has moments that show kindness or thoughfulness they are few and far between, on the other hand she brings order to a library; which endears her to me.
I was engaged with the story and wanted to see if my predictions about what would happen were accurate, and I want to carry on with this series. 3.5/5 stars from me.
February 7, 2019
I've not listened to that many audio books in my time and I've heard a lot of comments about how important the narrator is and wondered about that, well now I see the point. Bernard Faricy really brought this book to life.
Liara, the young girl with magical abilities, moves to live with the local wizard and hopes he'll teach her all she needs to know about magic. She also hopes she'll find out something about her own history and who her father is.
Nagarath, the local wizard, is reluctant to teach the demanding teenager and sets her to look after his many books, but soon realises his opinions might not matter.
Magic is frowned upon, in fact its banned but there is danger coming to the valley and magic is the only way to save themselves. Liara tries to find out what's going on and finds herself alone in a world she is ill equipped for.
I enjoyed this story and the style Wiseman writes in, keeping the story moving along. The characters came to life from the descriptions and voice of Faricy and it was interesting watching the development of the relationship between them.
I'm definitely going to be downloading The Kithseeker, The Bookminder Vol 2.
Liara, the young girl with magical abilities, moves to live with the local wizard and hopes he'll teach her all she needs to know about magic. She also hopes she'll find out something about her own history and who her father is.
Nagarath, the local wizard, is reluctant to teach the demanding teenager and sets her to look after his many books, but soon realises his opinions might not matter.
Magic is frowned upon, in fact its banned but there is danger coming to the valley and magic is the only way to save themselves. Liara tries to find out what's going on and finds herself alone in a world she is ill equipped for.
I enjoyed this story and the style Wiseman writes in, keeping the story moving along. The characters came to life from the descriptions and voice of Faricy and it was interesting watching the development of the relationship between them.
I'm definitely going to be downloading The Kithseeker, The Bookminder Vol 2.
June 11, 2021
I was granted complimentary access to The Bookminder as part of my participation in a blog tour for The Bookminder Series with Rachel's Random Resources. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
What fantasy-flavoured bookworm doesn't love a book about a magical library? I don't know, but it's certainly not me, because I'm all about this sort of thing! Liara is fairly self-absorbed and not the most likeable main character, but Wiseman's writing and fantastic world compensates for that enough to still make the book enjoyable. I do hope Liara grows more as a person as the series continues, though.
The best character? Definitely Nagarath. Clueless Nagarath. Somebody please explain the ways of the world to this guy! Who decided he should be in charge of a 16-year-old girl?
I do like the Europe of the past, but make it magic setting and I get a Magician's Apprentice feel from it, but I sort of wish the setting was another world entirely that just looks and feels like Earth. Or maybe another plane or something. Naples is now Parentino, but this is still just Italy under the added layer of magic.
What fantasy-flavoured bookworm doesn't love a book about a magical library? I don't know, but it's certainly not me, because I'm all about this sort of thing! Liara is fairly self-absorbed and not the most likeable main character, but Wiseman's writing and fantastic world compensates for that enough to still make the book enjoyable. I do hope Liara grows more as a person as the series continues, though.
The best character? Definitely Nagarath. Clueless Nagarath. Somebody please explain the ways of the world to this guy! Who decided he should be in charge of a 16-year-old girl?
I do like the Europe of the past, but make it magic setting and I get a Magician's Apprentice feel from it, but I sort of wish the setting was another world entirely that just looks and feels like Earth. Or maybe another plane or something. Naples is now Parentino, but this is still just Italy under the added layer of magic.
August 23, 2018
This book is the first in a series and really shows promise. Set in Croatia in 1679, the world building is superb, shifting the world as we know it, but still recognisable. Magick and use of the Art is strictly forbidden, and the main character Liara is discovering her skills. As a character, there are times I loved her, felt very exasperated by her, and other times when I wanted to throttle her. Stubborn and defiant, she also has a very sweet side, which she shows towards the wizard Nagareth.
The relationship between Nagareth and Liara took me a while to understand, mainly as I felt at the start of the book that Nagareth was considerably older than he actually is. I'm still not sure how this will develop so keen to see.
I found the book a little slow in places, but the pace picked up and by the end I was desperate to progress to the next one!
The relationship between Nagareth and Liara took me a while to understand, mainly as I felt at the start of the book that Nagareth was considerably older than he actually is. I'm still not sure how this will develop so keen to see.
I found the book a little slow in places, but the pace picked up and by the end I was desperate to progress to the next one!
September 5, 2018
Thought provoking. A delightful start to a magical series. M. K. Wiseman's prose is romantic and beautiful, and her characters are irresistibly likeable.
I loved watching Liara and Nagareth's relationship develop. Fiery, fierce Liara and messy, lazy, yet playful Nagareth are thrown together in less than ideal circumstances (that's what I say when a superstitious village exiles an orphan and a wizard takes her in).
I found the growing pains of these two opposites getting used to each other adorable. Liara's teenage angst as she worries her first love and childhood friend, Krešhmir, isn't into her was well done, giving me flashbacks of junior high.
My only complaint is that the narrator made Nagareth seem way older than he is and Liara sound whiny. But that wouldn't have been a problem if I would have read the book instead of listened to it.
I loved watching Liara and Nagareth's relationship develop. Fiery, fierce Liara and messy, lazy, yet playful Nagareth are thrown together in less than ideal circumstances (that's what I say when a superstitious village exiles an orphan and a wizard takes her in).
I found the growing pains of these two opposites getting used to each other adorable. Liara's teenage angst as she worries her first love and childhood friend, Krešhmir, isn't into her was well done, giving me flashbacks of junior high.
My only complaint is that the narrator made Nagareth seem way older than he is and Liara sound whiny. But that wouldn't have been a problem if I would have read the book instead of listened to it.
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