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Firethorn Chronicles #2
The Midsummer Captives
A sorcerer's fortress. A lost heir. A determined princess.
Princess Gwen, second in line to the throne of Ituria, has given up on happy endings. After a neighboring kingdom's heir stole her heart and then disappeared four years ago, she buried her heartache and vowed to serve her eleven sisters. Her most recent mission: to arrange a match with her sister Hazel and the lost heir's youngest brother.
But when her traveling party is ambushed, her flight from danger leads her into the path of a blindfolded man with a familiar smile. Imprisoned with him deep in the forest, Gwen and her fellow captives are at the mercy of a treacherous beauty on a mission of her own. Contending with her schemes—and a love potion gone awry—they must find a way past enchanted guardians, who are capable of crushing not only their bodies but also their dreams.
The Midsummer Captives, inspired by Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, is the second novel in The Firethorn Chronicles, a series drawn from fairy tales and other classic stories. Follow the sisters on their adventures in a land where sorcery is feared, women can rule, and dragons fly.
Princess Gwen, second in line to the throne of Ituria, has given up on happy endings. After a neighboring kingdom's heir stole her heart and then disappeared four years ago, she buried her heartache and vowed to serve her eleven sisters. Her most recent mission: to arrange a match with her sister Hazel and the lost heir's youngest brother.
But when her traveling party is ambushed, her flight from danger leads her into the path of a blindfolded man with a familiar smile. Imprisoned with him deep in the forest, Gwen and her fellow captives are at the mercy of a treacherous beauty on a mission of her own. Contending with her schemes—and a love potion gone awry—they must find a way past enchanted guardians, who are capable of crushing not only their bodies but also their dreams.
The Midsummer Captives, inspired by Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, is the second novel in The Firethorn Chronicles, a series drawn from fairy tales and other classic stories. Follow the sisters on their adventures in a land where sorcery is feared, women can rule, and dragons fly.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2016
79 people are currently reading
565 people want to read
About the author
Lea Doué
16 books151 followersA native of south Georgia, Lea currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada with her husband, their two boys, and four cats. But, sadly, no dragons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
February 27, 2018
4.5 stars
I loved it even more than book one. <333
I loved it even more than book one. <333
April 1, 2017
Really enjoyed this fantasy read with a flavour of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The capture of the princesses in the forest formed a great backdrop to Gwen working out her true feelings. And I LOVE all the different types of dragons - so much fun!
March 17, 2017
I really enjoyed this one too! A retelling of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Midsummer Captives by Lea Doue continues the FIRETHORN CHRONICLES with intrigue and romance and danger and hope. I'm really excited to see what happens next!
April 6, 2020
This probably isn't strictly a fairy tale retelling since it is a very loose retelling of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. But, it is a retelling of a story that involves fairies, so it should count.
A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. Some of the movie versions I've seen of it are hysterically funny (and I'll take funny over tragic any day). So when I realized that this book was a loose retelling of it, I was super excited beyond the fact that I had read the first book and loved it.
I think I loved this one even more than the first book, which surprised me. Gwen is a great heroine, and all the twists and turns with a certain love potion were awesome! I loved the nods to the original play without this book being too bound by trying to be a strict retelling.
Also, I loved that Thereus (sorry, listened to the audiobook. I have no idea how to spell his name) shows up again. I don't normally have a thing for the villains, but something about his tragic backstory got to me. I keep hoping he ends up getting a redemption arc. Please, pretty please.
Gwen and Eddie are such an adorable romance. Their banter kept the book moving along when it could have dragged.
The audiobook is well done and I think the narrator really settled into this world with this book. Would definitely recommend if you like listening to audiobooks.
A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. Some of the movie versions I've seen of it are hysterically funny (and I'll take funny over tragic any day). So when I realized that this book was a loose retelling of it, I was super excited beyond the fact that I had read the first book and loved it.
I think I loved this one even more than the first book, which surprised me. Gwen is a great heroine, and all the twists and turns with a certain love potion were awesome! I loved the nods to the original play without this book being too bound by trying to be a strict retelling.
Also, I loved that Thereus (sorry, listened to the audiobook. I have no idea how to spell his name) shows up again. I don't normally have a thing for the villains, but something about his tragic backstory got to me. I keep hoping he ends up getting a redemption arc. Please, pretty please.
Gwen and Eddie are such an adorable romance. Their banter kept the book moving along when it could have dragged.
The audiobook is well done and I think the narrator really settled into this world with this book. Would definitely recommend if you like listening to audiobooks.
January 9, 2017
Another great addition to the Firethorn Chronicles.
This time the focus is on sisters 2 and 3(Gwen and Hazel) as they travel to Osha with Holic and his older brother Theo.
I liked how this story zoomed in on just a handful of characters. It was easy to get a good feel for all of them and since there are 12 princesses, having just 2 be the center of attention allowed for more time to learn about them.
When their traveling party is attacked by a stone dragon, Gwen is separated from the rest and after a fall from her horse, wakes up in the arms of a "wild man." Of course, he's not really wild, just poorly dressed and blindfolded with crazy hair and beard.
He leads her to a crumbling castle deep in the woods where some rooms have been restored thanks to a sorceror. The sorceror is long gone, but he left behind the creepy woman-child, Sissi, who is an unpredictable source of danger.
Slowly the wild man(Eddy) unravels how he came to be there, what has happened since then, and that he and anyone else driven into the circle guarded by not one, but countless stone dragons, is trapped.
The thing is, Gwen has no idea if she's the only one who got driven into the circle or if her sister and friends are wandering somewhere in the woods. Together, she and Eddy try to search(not even knowing if there's something to be found) for anyone lost, while avoiding Sissi, and running into an old acquaintance.
Besides being a fun adventure that keeps you guessing as to what'll happen and how they'll escape, there's a lot of threads woven in the story that leave room to build on in the future. I'm ridiculously interested in "T" and I've got a secret wish for reformation and some hope of love(Neylan?) in his future.
This time the focus is on sisters 2 and 3(Gwen and Hazel) as they travel to Osha with Holic and his older brother Theo.
I liked how this story zoomed in on just a handful of characters. It was easy to get a good feel for all of them and since there are 12 princesses, having just 2 be the center of attention allowed for more time to learn about them.
When their traveling party is attacked by a stone dragon, Gwen is separated from the rest and after a fall from her horse, wakes up in the arms of a "wild man." Of course, he's not really wild, just poorly dressed and blindfolded with crazy hair and beard.
He leads her to a crumbling castle deep in the woods where some rooms have been restored thanks to a sorceror. The sorceror is long gone, but he left behind the creepy woman-child, Sissi, who is an unpredictable source of danger.
Slowly the wild man(Eddy) unravels how he came to be there, what has happened since then, and that he and anyone else driven into the circle guarded by not one, but countless stone dragons, is trapped.
The thing is, Gwen has no idea if she's the only one who got driven into the circle or if her sister and friends are wandering somewhere in the woods. Together, she and Eddy try to search(not even knowing if there's something to be found) for anyone lost, while avoiding Sissi, and running into an old acquaintance.
Besides being a fun adventure that keeps you guessing as to what'll happen and how they'll escape, there's a lot of threads woven in the story that leave room to build on in the future. I'm ridiculously interested in "T" and I've got a secret wish for reformation and some hope of love(Neylan?) in his future.
January 20, 2018
Mmkay, so I think--despite my love of the 12 Dancing Princesses--I may have liked a lot of this sequel better than the first book. Perhaps I was more acclimated to the writing style and used to the strange world-building (or lack thereof)? Maybe it was the smaller cast or the survival setting? I'm not sure, but I had a much easier time reading Midsummer Captives.
I liked getting to know Gwen and I really liked Eddy. I liked the antagonist and I liked the predicament the characters found themselves in. There were several problem-solving spots, which I enjoyed. I am wholly unfamiliar with A Midsummer Night's Dream, so I have nothing to compare the inspiration to and cannot comment on that aspect of the story at all. However, I liked the plot. I enjoyed the plot of the first book, but this setting and the limited characters felt more intimate and, like I said, it was easier to follow. I knew some of the rules of the world by this point and the author did expand on the dragons somewhat, though not as much as I would have liked. There was virtually no expansion on the history of the kingdoms, but the plot didn't really call for it either. There were a few surprising characters who reprised their roles, including my favorite character from book one there at the end. As well, there were quite a few new characters to get to know. I think my favorite part of the character aspect was getting into Gwen's head and learning her motives and personality. As for the setting, it was in the middle of nowhere with a bit of a magic castle, so how could I not enjoy that?! The plot was well-paced until the end. I felt it rushed to the end a bit, which kind of set me off kilter, but other than that it was engaging and a little mysterious. Oh! And that end. Okay, minor . Kay, had to get that out of my system. Let's just say, I was disappointed with the "resolution" to that minor subplot. I love my bro/sis relationships. Anyone who knows me knows that and that just...hurt. I'm sort of holding out for a better fix in the third book, but don't have high hopes...
Again, no language, mild violence and magic, no explicit romance-though quite a bit of talk about sorting through ones feelings. All pretty G-rated for the most part.
I liked getting to know Gwen and I really liked Eddy. I liked the antagonist and I liked the predicament the characters found themselves in. There were several problem-solving spots, which I enjoyed. I am wholly unfamiliar with A Midsummer Night's Dream, so I have nothing to compare the inspiration to and cannot comment on that aspect of the story at all. However, I liked the plot. I enjoyed the plot of the first book, but this setting and the limited characters felt more intimate and, like I said, it was easier to follow. I knew some of the rules of the world by this point and the author did expand on the dragons somewhat, though not as much as I would have liked. There was virtually no expansion on the history of the kingdoms, but the plot didn't really call for it either. There were a few surprising characters who reprised their roles, including my favorite character from book one there at the end. As well, there were quite a few new characters to get to know. I think my favorite part of the character aspect was getting into Gwen's head and learning her motives and personality. As for the setting, it was in the middle of nowhere with a bit of a magic castle, so how could I not enjoy that?! The plot was well-paced until the end. I felt it rushed to the end a bit, which kind of set me off kilter, but other than that it was engaging and a little mysterious. Oh! And that end. Okay, minor . Kay, had to get that out of my system. Let's just say, I was disappointed with the "resolution" to that minor subplot. I love my bro/sis relationships. Anyone who knows me knows that and that just...hurt. I'm sort of holding out for a better fix in the third book, but don't have high hopes...
Again, no language, mild violence and magic, no explicit romance-though quite a bit of talk about sorting through ones feelings. All pretty G-rated for the most part.
July 25, 2018
I can't say if I liked this book better or worse than the first one. I really enjoyed Lily but Gwen is also such a great character. I love how Ms. Doue does such a wonderful job writing these Princesses. They are capable, brave, loving, and while they are well and able to climb trees and ride horses, they also style their hair and wear beautiful ball gowns. I absolutely love these sisters.
One thing I personally think about retellings that are in a series, is that sometimes they seem slightly forced. Like the first book is good and makes sense, but then the ones after it seem a little forced to fit the retelling. I didn't feel that way here. It felt like a natural progression of the story, the characters, and the world.
Gwen's story was delightful. I suspected I knew the ending, but I still wasn't 100% certain that's how it would go. It was suspenseful, funny, and full of adventure. Sissi was downright creepy, Hazel and Bay were entertaining, and the three brothers were...well, perhaps you'd best read the book.
Content: There was quite a good deal more kissing in this one. And I think it's slightly understandable, given the nature of this book, but I still found myself annoyed at all the kissing and touching and hugged that seemed to pop up on every other page. Also, Sissi is plain, horrid creepy. As in, killing dragonflies to tape the wings on her windows creepy. There's also a good deal of sorcery/magic in this series, which I don't mind quite as much since it's only the villains who practice it. It's actually very entertaining to read about these characters trying to defeat magic...without having an ounce of magic. That is beautifully unique (at least, I haven't read anything else like that myself yet).
So, final report:
Vivid storyworld, well-written characters, entertaining plot. A lot of kissing, some magic, and a creepy girl. I might find myself re-reading this book sometime, as it's not out of the question.
(Also, don't start reading this one right before bed, because you will find yourself reading past midnight.)
One thing I personally think about retellings that are in a series, is that sometimes they seem slightly forced. Like the first book is good and makes sense, but then the ones after it seem a little forced to fit the retelling. I didn't feel that way here. It felt like a natural progression of the story, the characters, and the world.
Gwen's story was delightful. I suspected I knew the ending, but I still wasn't 100% certain that's how it would go. It was suspenseful, funny, and full of adventure. Sissi was downright creepy, Hazel and Bay were entertaining, and the three brothers were...well, perhaps you'd best read the book.
Content: There was quite a good deal more kissing in this one. And I think it's slightly understandable, given the nature of this book, but I still found myself annoyed at all the kissing and touching and hugged that seemed to pop up on every other page. Also, Sissi is plain, horrid creepy. As in, killing dragonflies to tape the wings on her windows creepy. There's also a good deal of sorcery/magic in this series, which I don't mind quite as much since it's only the villains who practice it. It's actually very entertaining to read about these characters trying to defeat magic...without having an ounce of magic. That is beautifully unique (at least, I haven't read anything else like that myself yet).
So, final report:
Vivid storyworld, well-written characters, entertaining plot. A lot of kissing, some magic, and a creepy girl. I might find myself re-reading this book sometime, as it's not out of the question.
(Also, don't start reading this one right before bed, because you will find yourself reading past midnight.)
November 29, 2017
Well 2-1/2 Stars
The characters in this book are dumb as a box of rocks. The heroine worst of all. The plot was weak and in your face obvious.
Edric kept warning about how dangerous Sissi was but the only impressive thing she did was disguise herself as other people. No one was smart enough to figure it out. Gwen couldn't even figure it out when faced with her own doppelganger. She saw Eddy kissing the girl and instead of wondering where a girl who looked like her came from she ran off and threw a fit because he kissed someone else.
The characters in this book are dumb as a box of rocks. The heroine worst of all. The plot was weak and in your face obvious.
Edric kept warning about how dangerous Sissi was but the only impressive thing she did was disguise herself as other people. No one was smart enough to figure it out. Gwen couldn't even figure it out when faced with her own doppelganger. She saw Eddy kissing the girl and instead of wondering where a girl who looked like her came from she ran off and threw a fit because he kissed someone else.
December 10, 2016
What was supposed to be a short trip to a neighboring country turns horribly wrong when Princesses Gwen and Hazel are attacked. Their attempts to escape only end them up in an enchanted castle – with no way out. Now they must find a possibly nonexistent route of escape past the stone dragons, with the assistance of one longtime resident of the castle. Add in mis-aimed love potions and a few little dragons into the mix, and you have a recipe for disaster.
I was very eager to read this one after thoroughly enjoying Firethorn Crown. I'm not exactly certain how much later this book takes place after book 1. The book was not too clear on that detail and I've long since forgotten the ages of the characters and other little details of Firethorn Crown. Midsummer Captives is loosely based off of A Midsummer Night's Dream, though since I have never read that story, I really can't say how much this book is or is not similar to it.
Gwen was a great main character, honest and loyal. She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to fight for it, or anyone she cares about.
And contrary to how the book description makes things sound, the identity of the blindfolded man and his reasons for wearing it are quickly discovered. I was a bit surprised by that, but not in a bad way.
Find the rest of this review and ratings here on my blog: https://embersreviews.wordpress.com/2...
I was very eager to read this one after thoroughly enjoying Firethorn Crown. I'm not exactly certain how much later this book takes place after book 1. The book was not too clear on that detail and I've long since forgotten the ages of the characters and other little details of Firethorn Crown. Midsummer Captives is loosely based off of A Midsummer Night's Dream, though since I have never read that story, I really can't say how much this book is or is not similar to it.
Gwen was a great main character, honest and loyal. She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to fight for it, or anyone she cares about.
And contrary to how the book description makes things sound, the identity of the blindfolded man and his reasons for wearing it are quickly discovered. I was a bit surprised by that, but not in a bad way.
Find the rest of this review and ratings here on my blog: https://embersreviews.wordpress.com/2...
September 26, 2017
So, not going to lie, I seriously thought this was going to be a Beauty and the Beast retelling when they got to the castle. And it was not. And I was mildly disappointed. However, reading other reviews tells me that this is actually a retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and I just didn't pick up on it because I haven't read/listened to that particular play in years. So. That's cool, then.
In some respects, I liked this book better than the first, and in some respects I liked it less, so it all comes out even in the end, I suppose. I liked Sissi as a villain better than I liked Thurian, even if she is a bit of an idiot. And I liked Gwen, even if I did occasionally get fed up with her being too scared to admit she's in love. (That said, she did have three guys in love with her at one point, which is terribly awkward, so I can't blame her too much.) And I love the weaver dragons; they sound adorable and I want one. (I also want dragon-wing leather accessories and a weaver-dragon-silk outfit. Actually, no, I want multiple outfits of weaver-dragon-silk. Please. Apparently it doesn't tear, and I need that in my life.) Anyway. I liked Gwen with her guy, and Hazel and her guy were already one of my favorite couples from the last book, so overall, I am quite pleased.
Also, at the end . . . Thurian. What are you doing? Explain please? I need another book!
In some respects, I liked this book better than the first, and in some respects I liked it less, so it all comes out even in the end, I suppose. I liked Sissi as a villain better than I liked Thurian, even if she is a bit of an idiot. And I liked Gwen, even if I did occasionally get fed up with her being too scared to admit she's in love. (That said, she did have three guys in love with her at one point, which is terribly awkward, so I can't blame her too much.) And I love the weaver dragons; they sound adorable and I want one. (I also want dragon-wing leather accessories and a weaver-dragon-silk outfit. Actually, no, I want multiple outfits of weaver-dragon-silk. Please. Apparently it doesn't tear, and I need that in my life.) Anyway. I liked Gwen with her guy, and Hazel and her guy were already one of my favorite couples from the last book, so overall, I am quite pleased.
Also, at the end . . . Thurian. What are you doing? Explain please? I need another book!
July 8, 2017
Cute, mostly bland story. The characters had little personality (What little they did have was told rather than shown). For some reason I kept mixing up Hazel and Gwen--which shouldn't have happened, given that Gwen was the POV character. I was often annoyed with the characters, who seemed to take forever to figure out really obvious plot points. Sissi and Tharius were the most interesting and complex characters, but even they had blandly two-dimensional evil moments.
As with the first book, the dragons were the most interesting part. There were several exciting moments, but they were nestled among too many moments of bland romantic angst. The writing style gave so little description that it was often hard to visualize what was happening. This was going to be a 2 star book, but there were two creative events at the end of the story that bumped it up one more notch. The book was just good enough to tempt me to pick up the next one, just to see what happens with Tharius.
As with the first book, the dragons were the most interesting part. There were several exciting moments, but they were nestled among too many moments of bland romantic angst. The writing style gave so little description that it was often hard to visualize what was happening. This was going to be a 2 star book, but there were two creative events at the end of the story that bumped it up one more notch. The book was just good enough to tempt me to pick up the next one, just to see what happens with Tharius.
March 27, 2017
I honestly felt this was better than the first book in the series. Getting away from the palace and all the other princesses up the focus and it was easier to pin down the story ... plus to me Gwen is a more interesting character than Lily, better motivation, her conflicts felt natural to me, just generally a stronger girl.
The story moves at a good clip and Sissi is dang creepy/weird. Honestly, she's the Lady Gaga of the fantasy fashion world and I was just sitting there waiting for her to show up wearing a meat dress ... which she didn't, but she came pretty dang close a couple of times.
There was one "shout at the characters for being stupid" moment but the character figured it out like two pages later and I was like, "Good, now I don't have to hate you."
I'm excited to see where the other princesses end up.
The story moves at a good clip and Sissi is dang creepy/weird. Honestly, she's the Lady Gaga of the fantasy fashion world and I was just sitting there waiting for her to show up wearing a meat dress ... which she didn't, but she came pretty dang close a couple of times.
There was one "shout at the characters for being stupid" moment but the character figured it out like two pages later and I was like, "Good, now I don't have to hate you."
I'm excited to see where the other princesses end up.
May 25, 2021
My library only had this as an audiobook, so that’s how “read” it. Luckily the narrator, which also read the first book, was good. Forgive any spelling errors, as I'm basing names on how they sounded to me.
I liked Gwen (20), possibly more than Lily from the first book. She was very dedicated to her sisters, to the point that she often put herself last and wasn't particularly resentful about it. She was intelligent and intuitive, and she had a gentle fierceness that I admired, putting her whole self into the things that she decided to go after. Despite her belief to the contrary, she was a born leader. She was kind even in difficult situations. I was also a big fan of Edrick (mid-20s), whose character was developed quite well. (I feel like, overall, the characters in this book were better developed than in the previous book, but perhaps it's just because they had greater presence in this book than the last, while Lily wasn't even in this one and Eben was only briefly. Who knows?) Back to Edrick. Like Gwen, he was intelligent and kind. He knew his heart and was very patient while Gwen figured hers out.
I'm interested to see how the rest of the series goes, and I look forward to listening to the books. Thus far, they've been good retellings of their stories (this one was based on A Midsummer Night's Dream), taking the important elements but also making the story new. Therius also played a part in this book, and I'm intrigued by his actions and motives.
How it ends:
Note: Nothing bad.
5/25/2021 AUDIOBOOK:
Narrator: Zehra Jane Naqvi
As with the previous book, I enjoyed listening to this narrator. She has a very delicate voice, but it fits with the story, I think.
I liked Gwen (20), possibly more than Lily from the first book. She was very dedicated to her sisters, to the point that she often put herself last and wasn't particularly resentful about it. She was intelligent and intuitive, and she had a gentle fierceness that I admired, putting her whole self into the things that she decided to go after. Despite her belief to the contrary, she was a born leader. She was kind even in difficult situations. I was also a big fan of Edrick (mid-20s), whose character was developed quite well. (I feel like, overall, the characters in this book were better developed than in the previous book, but perhaps it's just because they had greater presence in this book than the last, while Lily wasn't even in this one and Eben was only briefly. Who knows?) Back to Edrick. Like Gwen, he was intelligent and kind. He knew his heart and was very patient while Gwen figured hers out.
I'm interested to see how the rest of the series goes, and I look forward to listening to the books. Thus far, they've been good retellings of their stories (this one was based on A Midsummer Night's Dream), taking the important elements but also making the story new. Therius also played a part in this book, and I'm intrigued by his actions and motives.
How it ends:
Note: Nothing bad.
5/25/2021 AUDIOBOOK:
Narrator: Zehra Jane Naqvi
As with the previous book, I enjoyed listening to this narrator. She has a very delicate voice, but it fits with the story, I think.
December 29, 2016
I literally finished book 1, bought this one, and read it in one sitting. The only reason I have different start and ending dates is because I stayed up waay to late. :)
This book focused on Gwen, sister number 2. It picks up only a few months after the events of book 1, and Gwen and Hazel on are their way to visit Prince Holic, also from book 1 who was adorable. But they get waylaid in the forest and Gwen gets herself stuck in a ruined castle guarded by living stone dragons that prevent escape. Pretty much her only companion is the guy she thought died several years before.
I loved Gwen's character! She's "strong" without being overbearing, she's sensible, she likes to wear trousers and ride horses but is still very feminine. She gets mad at the crazy girl for stealing her boots. To be honest, I would do the exact same. :) Even when she has three guys declaring they're in love with her, she keeps calm-ish, tells them all they'll discuss it later, and focuses on trying to escape.
So the romance. She and the guy were so great together. Again, I loved loved how the author made them be friends first (even if they had both kind of crushed on each other in the past), companions who trusted each other and worked together to figure a way out, and basically didn't have any overdone romantic feelings/thoughts on either part. For. The. Win. I don't want my stories to be cluttered up with girls (or guys) who are basically just focusing on romantic feelings about the other person and not doing anything remotely useful. So this book is awesome because Gwen is a sensible, awesome soul who just needs to learn how to let herself be happy!
The other characters were great. Like I said, at one point Gwen had three guys declaring their love for her which made for some frustration and amusement. :P Not sure how I feel about one aspect of the ending, but it made things work out, so... I love the world this author constructed. All the tiny dragons are awesome! Like I want a little weaver dragon. And how the girls basically crocheted their way out.
Recommended for anyone who loved re-tellings, awesome female characters, and gripping plots!
This book focused on Gwen, sister number 2. It picks up only a few months after the events of book 1, and Gwen and Hazel on are their way to visit Prince Holic, also from book 1 who was adorable. But they get waylaid in the forest and Gwen gets herself stuck in a ruined castle guarded by living stone dragons that prevent escape. Pretty much her only companion is the guy she thought died several years before.
I loved Gwen's character! She's "strong" without being overbearing, she's sensible, she likes to wear trousers and ride horses but is still very feminine. She gets mad at the crazy girl for stealing her boots. To be honest, I would do the exact same. :) Even when she has three guys declaring they're in love with her, she keeps calm-ish, tells them all they'll discuss it later, and focuses on trying to escape.
So the romance. She and the guy were so great together. Again, I loved loved how the author made them be friends first (even if they had both kind of crushed on each other in the past), companions who trusted each other and worked together to figure a way out, and basically didn't have any overdone romantic feelings/thoughts on either part. For. The. Win. I don't want my stories to be cluttered up with girls (or guys) who are basically just focusing on romantic feelings about the other person and not doing anything remotely useful. So this book is awesome because Gwen is a sensible, awesome soul who just needs to learn how to let herself be happy!
The other characters were great. Like I said, at one point Gwen had three guys declaring their love for her which made for some frustration and amusement. :P Not sure how I feel about one aspect of the ending, but it made things work out, so... I love the world this author constructed. All the tiny dragons are awesome! Like I want a little weaver dragon. And how the girls basically crocheted their way out.
Recommended for anyone who loved re-tellings, awesome female characters, and gripping plots!
July 7, 2020
Supportive of her sister's tentative falling-in-love with a prince from a neighboring kingdom, Gwen accompanies her for a visit despite her lack of interest in the prince's brother who seems hopeful of winning her heart. But all is not so simple. Attacked by stone monsters on their journey, Gwen finds herself trapped in the forest, exiled with a blindfolded, long-missing prince she once had a crush on and a capricious girl under the influence of a love potion.
This book is labeled as a retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Not being a great lover of Shakespeare, that meant I had no idea of what to expect. I still don't know how much the tale borrowed from the original, but I did enjoy the adventure and the way things developed between Gwen and Eddie.
Something I have appreciated about Lea Doue's writing so far is the lack of some typical YA love story tropes. The character's experience fears, doubts, and questions about the direction their heart is taking (much as you would anticipate in real life) but, even with other love interests present, Doue refrains from the dreaded-but-expected love triangle.
I also find her take on the princesses to be unique and refreshing. Gwen and her sisters are spunky, capable, and confident but still feminine and willing to accept help.
This book is labeled as a retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Not being a great lover of Shakespeare, that meant I had no idea of what to expect. I still don't know how much the tale borrowed from the original, but I did enjoy the adventure and the way things developed between Gwen and Eddie.
Something I have appreciated about Lea Doue's writing so far is the lack of some typical YA love story tropes. The character's experience fears, doubts, and questions about the direction their heart is taking (much as you would anticipate in real life) but, even with other love interests present, Doue refrains from the dreaded-but-expected love triangle.
I also find her take on the princesses to be unique and refreshing. Gwen and her sisters are spunky, capable, and confident but still feminine and willing to accept help.
February 18, 2021
3.5 stars
This takes place shortly after book 1 ends and it is Gwen's story.
Having loved and lost, Gwen is focused on finding happiness for the rest of her 10 sisters. Little does she know the man she loved and lost was still alive!
Eddie was the crown price who went missing 4 years ago. An accident in the forest brings him his lady-love. Albeit now, she's cursed the same as him.
I liked this book. It was, in my opinion a lighter reader than book 1. However, there are 2 sorcerers and a crazy person. There's a love potion and a love triangle, no that's not right. A love square? All 3 princes are in love with Gwen but she only loved one of them...not sure what you call that.
Thereus shows up in this one and honestly, I was very wary of him. However, he ended up helping, if you can believe that. For now, I'm going to classify him as an anti-hero. And we'll see where he ends up in the next books.
This has it all. Dragons, curses, strong princesses, love-sick princes, shape-shifting, and more. Very mild on the action aspect and heavier on the adventure. Not a bad thing, just different.
On to the next!
This takes place shortly after book 1 ends and it is Gwen's story.
Having loved and lost, Gwen is focused on finding happiness for the rest of her 10 sisters. Little does she know the man she loved and lost was still alive!
Eddie was the crown price who went missing 4 years ago. An accident in the forest brings him his lady-love. Albeit now, she's cursed the same as him.
I liked this book. It was, in my opinion a lighter reader than book 1. However, there are 2 sorcerers and a crazy person. There's a love potion and a love triangle, no that's not right. A love square? All 3 princes are in love with Gwen but she only loved one of them...not sure what you call that.
Thereus shows up in this one and honestly, I was very wary of him. However, he ended up helping, if you can believe that. For now, I'm going to classify him as an anti-hero. And we'll see where he ends up in the next books.
This has it all. Dragons, curses, strong princesses, love-sick princes, shape-shifting, and more. Very mild on the action aspect and heavier on the adventure. Not a bad thing, just different.
On to the next!
January 11, 2018
I loved the first book in this series and have had this one in my TBR list for a while. I really liked Gwen as a character, and the section where she first comes to the fortress after having been trapped by the enchanted stone dragons is the best part. Once the others join the mix, it becomes confusing as to who is doing what and at times even who is speaking. Since it's loosed based on A Midsummer Night's Dream, that might have been the point, but that section was more difficult to read. The weaver dragons (and all the small dragons, actually), the rescues from the rising water and the fire, the escape attempts, and the creepy antagonists are well done, but I was disappointed in the ending, which felt rushed and didn't end with a Gwen-worthy "punch." I do recommend it to fans of the series and look forward to reading about the other sisters.
March 22, 2018
Seriously, I enjoyed this story even more than book 1. It is beautifully written, with a really interesting setting. Gwen is a great little heroine, full of courage and kindness, and she is thoroughly confused not only by some very strange circumstances but by having ALL THREE brothers believe themselves in love with her, including the man her beloved sister loves. Is it real for any of them or only the effect of a love potion? Is there any cure?
I loved seeing Tharius again, and the dynamic between sisters, brothers, and other characters in this book is so much fun! The weaver dragons are great, and those stone dragons were really creepy. But Sissy steals the show when it comes to villains. Heh. She is bizarre! And the romantic resolutions are sweet and satisfying. I'm rather hoping to see both Theo and Tharius again in future books.
Loved it, and I recommend it. This series is FUN!
I loved seeing Tharius again, and the dynamic between sisters, brothers, and other characters in this book is so much fun! The weaver dragons are great, and those stone dragons were really creepy. But Sissy steals the show when it comes to villains. Heh. She is bizarre! And the romantic resolutions are sweet and satisfying. I'm rather hoping to see both Theo and Tharius again in future books.
Loved it, and I recommend it. This series is FUN!
January 29, 2020
I thought this was fun. There's some love potion hi-jiinks, but I was more amused than annoyed by it. Gwen was properly annoyed by all 3 brothers as a result of this, which was amusing. Also, Eddy's blindfold and deteriorating castle prison reminded me of the classic East of the Sun, West of the Moon/A Bear's Bride. Sisi was definitely creepy. And Tharian/Tharius (he's so tricky I have problems with his name) is becoming more and more anti-hero like, which is fun.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read.
July 1, 2017
I'm not a fantasy person, (which I may have already said... haha) but I did win this in a giveaway. Sorcery is also not something I wish to read about; I was glad that the author kept it to a minimum, except for the end. Holic's 'cure' was kind of dumb, in my opinion. Magic of this sort is ridiculous, anyway. And the love potion- how does it make Holic love someone? How much is it messed up when Eddy already loves someone? The unreality makes me enjoy the book less. The characters, plot, and escape was very interesting, though. I liked that part.
June 19, 2019
It took me a little while to get into this book - Eddy's sudden appearance so early on was a bit jarring. But once Gwen settled in at the fortress, I really enjoyed it. Her interactions with Eddy were sweet, and the love potions made for some complications that kept me turning pages! As always, Doue's world-building was intriguing - I especially liked the stone and weaver dragons. And connections to Shakespeare always get bonus points from me! Fans of The Firethorn Crown will enjoy getting to hear how Gwen gets her happily-ever-after.
December 11, 2021
The second and third princesses get their adventure here, Gwen once upon a time fell in love with a Prince who subsequently was lost, presumed dead, so she's given up on romance. This doesn't prevent her from escorting her younger sister Hazel to her betrothal (with aforementioned Princes younger brother)
En route to his home they are kidnapped off their path and stranded in a magic tower guarded by dragons and a mysterious blind man who seems to resemble the Prince Gwen lost four years ago...
Very good!!!
En route to his home they are kidnapped off their path and stranded in a magic tower guarded by dragons and a mysterious blind man who seems to resemble the Prince Gwen lost four years ago...
Very good!!!
April 8, 2019
Too Slow and Not Enough Happening
I'm not sure how to review this as I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book. I almost stopped reading because the pacing got too slow for my liking. I was hoping for a fast paced retelling, but what I got was a slow story and barely anything happening. I loved Gwen and Hazel's story continuing, but I really wished that more happened in this book.
I'm not sure how to review this as I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book. I almost stopped reading because the pacing got too slow for my liking. I was hoping for a fast paced retelling, but what I got was a slow story and barely anything happening. I loved Gwen and Hazel's story continuing, but I really wished that more happened in this book.
March 26, 2020
I wasn’t sure how this story was going to go because I am not too familiar with “A Midnight Summer’s Dream”. When the story told the identity of the blind man in the first few chapters I thought for sure there would be no more surprises now, but how wrong I was. The plot had great flow, the characters were endearing, and the setting was fantastic! Now I am going to splurge and be a great indie author supporter and buy the next books in the series!
July 10, 2021
4.5 stars
Quite enjoyed this second story in the Firethorn series. Sissy was a bit of an irritating character. I realize she loved herself and had no education, but it would have been nice if she had grown a bit as a character, especially since it seems like we’ll be seeing her again (not sure if we will, but it set up to see her again, so it would have been nice if she experienced a bit of remorse!
Love the other characters and the princesses seemed a bit more fleshed out this time!
Quite enjoyed this second story in the Firethorn series. Sissy was a bit of an irritating character. I realize she loved herself and had no education, but it would have been nice if she had grown a bit as a character, especially since it seems like we’ll be seeing her again (not sure if we will, but it set up to see her again, so it would have been nice if she experienced a bit of remorse!
Love the other characters and the princesses seemed a bit more fleshed out this time!
February 2, 2018
The first 1/3 of this book was amazing: intriguing storyline with very unusual circumstances, sweet clean romance, and intriguing characters. The rest had some flaws, mostly that the main character took a while to figure out what seemed to be obvious plot points (to me) - but overall it was a fairly enjoyable read with some surprise twists along the way.
June 23, 2019
Gwen
Gwen is a strong character she loves her sisters so much that she puts their happiness above her own. This book takes us through her journey of it’s ok to put your own love and happiness in front of others.
Eddy’s story seems hard fetched but it truly enhances the story. I do wonder about his mother so I hope that story continues in another book.
Great read!
Gwen is a strong character she loves her sisters so much that she puts their happiness above her own. This book takes us through her journey of it’s ok to put your own love and happiness in front of others.
Eddy’s story seems hard fetched but it truly enhances the story. I do wonder about his mother so I hope that story continues in another book.
Great read!
September 18, 2019
Good
This was a good book. Was I wowed by it? Is my life changed from it?? No and no. Did I enjoy it? Yes! It was one of those where you pretty much know the ending before it begins but you read to experience the journey. I felt like the first book of the series was better. I just didn’t get a deep love or care for any of the main characters except maybe Eddy.
This was a good book. Was I wowed by it? Is my life changed from it?? No and no. Did I enjoy it? Yes! It was one of those where you pretty much know the ending before it begins but you read to experience the journey. I felt like the first book of the series was better. I just didn’t get a deep love or care for any of the main characters except maybe Eddy.
April 14, 2020
I absolutely love the story and the author. I can’t wait to read book 3. Gwen is such a fierce character and I really liked her initiative. I also loved prince Edric a lot. The writing is well done and there’s so much detail and creativity. So much to enjoy and I challenge you to not read it all in one sitting. I listened on audiobook format and I really enjoyed the narration as well.
April 18, 2020
Great characters
I loved getting to know Gwen. She is like the mother hen to her sisters which inevitably causes her to her sisters before herself. She is also smart, not afraid of getting her hands dirty, outdoorsy, and not your typical princess.
I'm not fond of love triangles but because most of them were love potion induced it made for some eye rolling comedy.
I loved getting to know Gwen. She is like the mother hen to her sisters which inevitably causes her to her sisters before herself. She is also smart, not afraid of getting her hands dirty, outdoorsy, and not your typical princess.
I'm not fond of love triangles but because most of them were love potion induced it made for some eye rolling comedy.
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