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The Blood of Caged Birds
A world of dark creatures and ruthless men.
Archaic secrets trembling to be told.
Can their love survive beneath the pressure?
17th Century France.
Amidst etiquette, advantageous marriages, and lustful men, a sinister plot unfolds.
Giselle lives with revolutionary ideals ever stuck beneath the surface, unwilling to voice them as she believes it would be pointless. When her sister, Claire, returns from her time as a ward in a French nobleman’s home, Giselle is thrown into a state of rebellion.
Through an impulsive bet between the sisters, Giselle meets Benjamin. He is radical in his approach to life and she is smitten by his unconventional tastes. But there is something more. A powerful connection that she cannot deny.
Outside the box of romance and flirtation, a world of dark magic abounds. Her link to Benjamin brings her into the alignment of a destiny that she cannot escape. A destiny that entails her past lives, creatures of magic, and the ruthless leader of an ancient cabal.
With those who are prepared to do whatever it takes to find her, will Giselle find freedom from the expectations of society before destiny takes hold?
Fans of dark fantasy, romance, plot twists, and historical fiction will devour this story. Scroll up and one-click now!
Archaic secrets trembling to be told.
Can their love survive beneath the pressure?
17th Century France.
Amidst etiquette, advantageous marriages, and lustful men, a sinister plot unfolds.
Giselle lives with revolutionary ideals ever stuck beneath the surface, unwilling to voice them as she believes it would be pointless. When her sister, Claire, returns from her time as a ward in a French nobleman’s home, Giselle is thrown into a state of rebellion.
Through an impulsive bet between the sisters, Giselle meets Benjamin. He is radical in his approach to life and she is smitten by his unconventional tastes. But there is something more. A powerful connection that she cannot deny.
Outside the box of romance and flirtation, a world of dark magic abounds. Her link to Benjamin brings her into the alignment of a destiny that she cannot escape. A destiny that entails her past lives, creatures of magic, and the ruthless leader of an ancient cabal.
With those who are prepared to do whatever it takes to find her, will Giselle find freedom from the expectations of society before destiny takes hold?
Fans of dark fantasy, romance, plot twists, and historical fiction will devour this story. Scroll up and one-click now!
- GenresFantasy
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 6, 2018
18 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 11, 2018
Giselle and Claire are at the age where their parents, or their mother in particular, want to marry them off to men of their mother’s choosing but both girls have other ideas for how they want their life to be. Neither of them want to conform to the life of dutiful wife with the sole purpose of keeping their husband happy and giving birth to their children.
Giselle, although in the beginning is more accepting of this, begins to question that life and all it entails when she meets Benjamin, a handsome half-islander. From the moment they meet they know in their hearts that they’re meant to be together but know it will be almost impossible.
Claire is the opposite to Giselle. Where Giselle is quiet and timid, Claire is fiery and manipulative. She knows what men want and she uses her Beauty and feminine charm to get exactly what she wants in return. She doesn’t expect love and romance, she is a woman who enjoys sex and the touch of a man and isn’t afraid to admit it.
I love the relationship between the sisters. They are fiercely loyal to each other and even when they disagree with the others choice they stand by them. Benjamin is one of the things they disagree on. Claire doesn’t believe he is good enough for Giselle but when their mother talks about the girls betrothals, Claire rises to Giselle’s defence and pleads with their mother to let Giselle have and experience the love she and Benjamin have for each other.
But the story isn’t just a story of star-crossed lovers. It’s a story of magic and betrayal, of love and lust, of secrets and lies.
I went into this book relatively blind. I didn’t really know what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s quite fast paced and I would have liked for it to be stretched out a little into a longer book but it kept me reading from start to finish with plenty going on to keep me interested.
I think it’s a very promising start to a trilogy and it has a lot of potential. I love the storyline and the characters and I’d definitely like to read the rest of the trilogy to know what happens and how it all plays out.
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy to read!
Giselle, although in the beginning is more accepting of this, begins to question that life and all it entails when she meets Benjamin, a handsome half-islander. From the moment they meet they know in their hearts that they’re meant to be together but know it will be almost impossible.
Claire is the opposite to Giselle. Where Giselle is quiet and timid, Claire is fiery and manipulative. She knows what men want and she uses her Beauty and feminine charm to get exactly what she wants in return. She doesn’t expect love and romance, she is a woman who enjoys sex and the touch of a man and isn’t afraid to admit it.
I love the relationship between the sisters. They are fiercely loyal to each other and even when they disagree with the others choice they stand by them. Benjamin is one of the things they disagree on. Claire doesn’t believe he is good enough for Giselle but when their mother talks about the girls betrothals, Claire rises to Giselle’s defence and pleads with their mother to let Giselle have and experience the love she and Benjamin have for each other.
But the story isn’t just a story of star-crossed lovers. It’s a story of magic and betrayal, of love and lust, of secrets and lies.
I went into this book relatively blind. I didn’t really know what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised. It’s quite fast paced and I would have liked for it to be stretched out a little into a longer book but it kept me reading from start to finish with plenty going on to keep me interested.
I think it’s a very promising start to a trilogy and it has a lot of potential. I love the storyline and the characters and I’d definitely like to read the rest of the trilogy to know what happens and how it all plays out.
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy to read!
September 18, 2018
I really enjoyed this book, I thought the mix between magic and history made the story really strong. I would defiantly recommend this to my friends as it’s just so cute. I was super behind Giselle and Benjamin’s relationship and apart form a tiny bit of insta love I couldn’t find a fault with this book. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a good young adult fantasy. I’m giving this 4.5 stars 💖💖
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2018
What a delightful story! What starts out reading like a common fairy tale romance develops into a page-turner. While it was clear from the synopsis that there was something else afoot, the implications that come to light by the end establish a great bit of lore!
I particularly loved the dynamic between the sisters. There were definitely genuine elements of love and tension that breathed believability into them. Part of me wishes that there was even more focus on the relationship between these two, but I suppose we will have to see where the story goes!
I particularly loved the dynamic between the sisters. There were definitely genuine elements of love and tension that breathed believability into them. Part of me wishes that there was even more focus on the relationship between these two, but I suppose we will have to see where the story goes!
January 1, 2022
The Blood of Caged Birds is a refreshing read, far different than current mainstream fantasy novels. It blends a historical literature feel with aspects of both fantasy and gothic genres. It follows two sisters in France, and it starts as a light insight into their lives as upper-class young women, whose mother believes them to be due for marriage. As the book continues, a darker plot begins to unfold. I found this surprisingly reminiscent of Frankenstein, but fantasy rather than science fiction. It blends a variety of classical genres, but with a modern fable-like take.
November 7, 2018
BOOK REVIEW ↓ (NO SPOILERS)
First off, thank you so much J.M. Stredwick for sending me a copy of this book!! As usual, I got into this book, not remembering the synopsis, like.. at all. But that's just me, I can never, ever, remember them 😂 I was thus pleasantly surprised to "discover" this is a historical fiction book! Here goes for my review, including thoughts and feelings! Also, every detail concerning the story itself can already be read in the blurb 😊
In The Blood of Caged Birds, the reader quickly embarks on the journey of two fiercely loyal sisters, as they manoeuver the lies and intricacies of the French court. They are at that age where the search for their future husband is ON! I quickly connected to Claire, the eldest sister. I was intrigued by the mystery surrounding her, and I enjoyed uncovering the pleasant / not so pleasant aspects of her life. She is very unconventional and avant-gardiste for 17th century France. As for the youngest sister, Giselle, I sadly didn't connect as much. She quickly fell in love with a young, unorthodox man she'd just met. I kept thinking he was going to double cross her, like pretty much every one else in this book (remember, 17th century France). I also had a hard time connecting to their relationship. They fell in love so quickly, and they end up eloping (props to that!) But the path to get there was long and tedious. The pace finally picked up about halfway through the book. The story then took a surprising spin, incorporating magic and immortality. I couldn't put it down at that point!
The author definitely knows how to captivate her readers, and take them on an emotional rollercoaster ride. There were a few grammatical errors towards the end of the book, but overall the story reads very smoothly. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story unfurls in the next book!
First off, thank you so much J.M. Stredwick for sending me a copy of this book!! As usual, I got into this book, not remembering the synopsis, like.. at all. But that's just me, I can never, ever, remember them 😂 I was thus pleasantly surprised to "discover" this is a historical fiction book! Here goes for my review, including thoughts and feelings! Also, every detail concerning the story itself can already be read in the blurb 😊
In The Blood of Caged Birds, the reader quickly embarks on the journey of two fiercely loyal sisters, as they manoeuver the lies and intricacies of the French court. They are at that age where the search for their future husband is ON! I quickly connected to Claire, the eldest sister. I was intrigued by the mystery surrounding her, and I enjoyed uncovering the pleasant / not so pleasant aspects of her life. She is very unconventional and avant-gardiste for 17th century France. As for the youngest sister, Giselle, I sadly didn't connect as much. She quickly fell in love with a young, unorthodox man she'd just met. I kept thinking he was going to double cross her, like pretty much every one else in this book (remember, 17th century France). I also had a hard time connecting to their relationship. They fell in love so quickly, and they end up eloping (props to that!) But the path to get there was long and tedious. The pace finally picked up about halfway through the book. The story then took a surprising spin, incorporating magic and immortality. I couldn't put it down at that point!
The author definitely knows how to captivate her readers, and take them on an emotional rollercoaster ride. There were a few grammatical errors towards the end of the book, but overall the story reads very smoothly. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story unfurls in the next book!
October 2, 2018
The blood of Caged Birds is an excellent book for a promising new series.
This hauntingly beautiful historical romance by J.M. Stredwick is expertly penned with a good plot and storyline.
This well paced dark fantasy features romance, intrigue, unpredictable surprises and many twists and turns. At times it is also full of tension.
I love the way the author has interwoven history and fantasy creating a story that takes the reader on a very interesting journey thus capturing the reader's attention from the very beginning.
Historically it is reasonably accurate. J.M. Stredwick has done her historical research well.
The story takes place in seventeenth century France.
The main characters, are complex, full of intrigue, are believable and are well defined.
The cast of secondary characters do enhance and support the storyline.
Complex characters and descriptive writing with so much happening - it is almost impossible to put the book down.
Overall, an amazing and interesting book that should be checked out.
Recommended!
Gifted with a copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
This hauntingly beautiful historical romance by J.M. Stredwick is expertly penned with a good plot and storyline.
This well paced dark fantasy features romance, intrigue, unpredictable surprises and many twists and turns. At times it is also full of tension.
I love the way the author has interwoven history and fantasy creating a story that takes the reader on a very interesting journey thus capturing the reader's attention from the very beginning.
Historically it is reasonably accurate. J.M. Stredwick has done her historical research well.
The story takes place in seventeenth century France.
The main characters, are complex, full of intrigue, are believable and are well defined.
The cast of secondary characters do enhance and support the storyline.
Complex characters and descriptive writing with so much happening - it is almost impossible to put the book down.
Overall, an amazing and interesting book that should be checked out.
Recommended!
Gifted with a copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
July 17, 2021
Giselle is a young woman discovering love for the first time when she meets Benjamin and finds herself instantly drawn to him. Little does she know what implications this will have on her and those around her such as her sister Claire who she shares a very tight bond with. Giselle and Claire are at an age where their parents need to find them suitors and marry them off. Benjamin, a half-islander, isn't exactly on Giselle's parents' match making radar. Unbeknownst to them, Benjamin's family also has a very dark secret that could have dire consequences for everyone. Can Giselle and Benjamin overcome these challenges and find a way to be together? The Blood of Caged Birds can best be described as a gothic upper young adult historical fantasy. The chapters are told from multiple points of view. It was just an okay read for me. I really wanted more insights into the darker elements of the story and less about Giselle mooning over Benjamin. This may be in the later installments in the series as this was just the first book.
October 1, 2018
A fresh hauntingly, beautiful suspense story.
5 stars for the beautiful writing, deeply thought out storyline, and refreshing take on an overly beaten up genre.
New author, J.M. Stredwick really nailed this interesting twist of historical romance and dark magic.
Set in 17th century France, this book is a fresh take on period dramas with a twist of magic. The frustration, anger, and desperate hope you’ll feel for the female protagonists in this book are real. You’ll finish this book thinking you’ve just read the prologue to an even more exciting story to come.
I was incredibly impressed with the way Stredwick combined history and fantasy so accurately. She really takes you back to 17th century France and sucks you in with an incredible story. Though there were a few small grammatical errors, for a first time author, that’s nothing new. I look forward to seeing where this series goes as the setup for the next book was masterfully done.
5 stars for the beautiful writing, deeply thought out storyline, and refreshing take on an overly beaten up genre.
New author, J.M. Stredwick really nailed this interesting twist of historical romance and dark magic.
Set in 17th century France, this book is a fresh take on period dramas with a twist of magic. The frustration, anger, and desperate hope you’ll feel for the female protagonists in this book are real. You’ll finish this book thinking you’ve just read the prologue to an even more exciting story to come.
I was incredibly impressed with the way Stredwick combined history and fantasy so accurately. She really takes you back to 17th century France and sucks you in with an incredible story. Though there were a few small grammatical errors, for a first time author, that’s nothing new. I look forward to seeing where this series goes as the setup for the next book was masterfully done.
June 3, 2021
This is a great start to a historical fantasy series set in France. Giselle is quite sheltered and not like her sister, who is the more world wise of the two. When Giselle falls in love will she risk her safety?
Told in multiple viewpoints, it started off slow for me, but by the end I was ready for the next one.
Good for fans of historical fiction, mysterious creatures, and pirate stories.
I received a copy from the author, all opinions and the decision to leave feedback is my own.
Told in multiple viewpoints, it started off slow for me, but by the end I was ready for the next one.
Good for fans of historical fiction, mysterious creatures, and pirate stories.
I received a copy from the author, all opinions and the decision to leave feedback is my own.
September 28, 2018
Great book! Love this new author!
For her first book! I read this book straight through! Great details, great storyline, and I can't wait to read the next book. If you want to get lost in another place. This is the perfect book for you!
For her first book! I read this book straight through! Great details, great storyline, and I can't wait to read the next book. If you want to get lost in another place. This is the perfect book for you!
August 9, 2022
Horrible ending
I would have thought that there would be something to entice me to read another of these books but the author left no clue that there could be anything in future books that would make this ending better! Don't waste time reading this!
I would have thought that there would be something to entice me to read another of these books but the author left no clue that there could be anything in future books that would make this ending better! Don't waste time reading this!
June 30, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I fell in love with the beautiful prose and the characters in this story.
Giselle and Claire are both individual and strong personalities, and their bond of sisterhood is written beautifully; showing both the constant love and support they have for eachother and the arguments and fundamental disagreements that all siblings have.
Benjamin and Alphonse are again both very strong and well rounded characters. Their bond of brotherhood strong but not necessarily positive or loving. I really enjoyed the contrast between the half-siblings, and especially how they interact with society around them.
The historical setting was beautifully described, and being set in France was a refreshing change from the plethora of books set in England.
All of these things drew me in and kept me reading the entire book in a single setting, there are however a couple of reasons for only getting four stars. **** Please note there are spoilers from this point on, stop reading if you wish to avoid them! ****
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My first negative point is that I felt the "bad guys", Vauquelin and Alexandre, fell a bit flat. Compared to the depth of the brothers and sisters these two seemed very shallow, they did not receive much time in the story, and what time they had, especially in the case of the former, showed little to no dialogue to express who they are. While I really enjoyed the concept of their mission, and found it to be a unique twist on the old philosophers stone/fountain of youth idea, I feel like there wasn't enough of it in the story to feel believable.
That leads to my second point, the final quarter of the book felt very rushed. The first three quarters were beautiful and detailed, giving us lots of time to get to know the characters and building their relationships and personalities, then suddenly were presented with the information that Giselle is key to a secret experiment and a whirlwind marriage and boat trip later we meet a horrifying creature and a character you've come to love dies (which is fine, I don't need a HEA, just time to process the events), then without giving you a chance to come to grips with this, time fast forwards half a year and the book ends.
Overall, I did still enjoy the book and my frustrations with the ending may very well be addressed and reconciled in the next installment. I don't recommend this to people who look for or need happy ever afters, and I would say there is a TW as one character does discuss being raped, though not graphically.
I fell in love with the beautiful prose and the characters in this story.
Giselle and Claire are both individual and strong personalities, and their bond of sisterhood is written beautifully; showing both the constant love and support they have for eachother and the arguments and fundamental disagreements that all siblings have.
Benjamin and Alphonse are again both very strong and well rounded characters. Their bond of brotherhood strong but not necessarily positive or loving. I really enjoyed the contrast between the half-siblings, and especially how they interact with society around them.
The historical setting was beautifully described, and being set in France was a refreshing change from the plethora of books set in England.
All of these things drew me in and kept me reading the entire book in a single setting, there are however a couple of reasons for only getting four stars. **** Please note there are spoilers from this point on, stop reading if you wish to avoid them! ****
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My first negative point is that I felt the "bad guys", Vauquelin and Alexandre, fell a bit flat. Compared to the depth of the brothers and sisters these two seemed very shallow, they did not receive much time in the story, and what time they had, especially in the case of the former, showed little to no dialogue to express who they are. While I really enjoyed the concept of their mission, and found it to be a unique twist on the old philosophers stone/fountain of youth idea, I feel like there wasn't enough of it in the story to feel believable.
That leads to my second point, the final quarter of the book felt very rushed. The first three quarters were beautiful and detailed, giving us lots of time to get to know the characters and building their relationships and personalities, then suddenly were presented with the information that Giselle is key to a secret experiment and a whirlwind marriage and boat trip later we meet a horrifying creature and a character you've come to love dies (which is fine, I don't need a HEA, just time to process the events), then without giving you a chance to come to grips with this, time fast forwards half a year and the book ends.
Overall, I did still enjoy the book and my frustrations with the ending may very well be addressed and reconciled in the next installment. I don't recommend this to people who look for or need happy ever afters, and I would say there is a TW as one character does discuss being raped, though not graphically.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2023
Reading this story I had a little knowledge of what it was about before hand because I had read the blurb but I still didn’t really know what to expect. This book did start off a little slow for me but once it pick up I couldn’t put it down. This book was set in 17th century France and who doesn’t want to go to France ?
I don’t want to give to much of the story away, because I think you should all check it out. The book is told in multiple POV’s. Giselle and her sister Claire are at the age where they are to get married but need there parents approval, it’s mostly there mothers. Although these two have something else in mind.
Claire uses her beauty to get what she wants from men, why because she loves sex and she isn’t afraid to admit that.
Giselle on the other hand when she meets Benjamin who is a handsome fellow. They both knew that they were meant to be together.
Being someone that doesn’t read that many historical books, I did enjoy this one and the magical elements that it had added. This author does an amazing job. I’m looking forward to seeing her work in the future.
I don’t want to give to much of the story away, because I think you should all check it out. The book is told in multiple POV’s. Giselle and her sister Claire are at the age where they are to get married but need there parents approval, it’s mostly there mothers. Although these two have something else in mind.
Claire uses her beauty to get what she wants from men, why because she loves sex and she isn’t afraid to admit that.
Giselle on the other hand when she meets Benjamin who is a handsome fellow. They both knew that they were meant to be together.
Being someone that doesn’t read that many historical books, I did enjoy this one and the magical elements that it had added. This author does an amazing job. I’m looking forward to seeing her work in the future.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews