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Twelve Houses #1.5
The Queen in Winter
Claire Delacroix delivers a tale of a gifted seer who receives a vision of a man whom she was not meant to marry, but was meant to love.
Lynn Kurland spins a story of a mortal man and an elven woman who endure both the mundane and the magical in their quest to remain together.
Sharon Shinn writes of a brave young woman who saves her sister's magically-gifted child, only to receive an unexpected gift of her own.
Sarah Monette's tells of a warrior maiden trapped in a deadly storm with the only man she ever wanted, whose scars she must heal if he is ever to want her.
Lynn Kurland spins a story of a mortal man and an elven woman who endure both the mundane and the magical in their quest to remain together.
Sharon Shinn writes of a brave young woman who saves her sister's magically-gifted child, only to receive an unexpected gift of her own.
Sarah Monette's tells of a warrior maiden trapped in a deadly storm with the only man she ever wanted, whose scars she must heal if he is ever to want her.
312 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2006
4 people are currently reading
838 people want to read
About the author
Claire Delacroix
123 books518 followersNew York Times bestselling author Claire Delacroix sold her first book in 1992, an historical romance called ROMANCE OF THE ROSE. Since then, she has published over sixty romance novels and novellas, and has also been published under the names Claire Cross and Deborah Cooke. She has an honours degree in history, with a focus on medieval studies. She is an avid reader of medieval vernacular literature, fairy tales and fantasy novels.
For books written under the pseudonym, Claire Cross, see:
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For books written under Claire's own name, Deborah Cooke, please see:
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In October and November 2009, she was the writer in residence for the Toronto Public Library, the first time that the library has hosted a residency focused on the romance genre.
Visit her two websites here:
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For books written under the pseudonym, Claire Cross, see:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
For books written under Claire's own name, Deborah Cooke, please see:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
In October and November 2009, she was the writer in residence for the Toronto Public Library, the first time that the library has hosted a residency focused on the romance genre.
Visit her two websites here:
http://www.delacroix.net
http://www.deborahcooke.com
Like her Facebook Fan Pages here:
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorClaireD...
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDebora...
Subscribe to her monthly newsletter to keep up to date and receive special offers:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
June 25, 2008
I think this would've got a worse rating from me if not for Monette's story (or even if Monette's hadn't been the last one). Mild spoilers follow, but how can you discuss a short story without them?
Lynn Kurland's "A Whisper of Spring" was fine. It was a bit of a romp love story between a human and a fairy. I was pleased that she was active in her rescue and didn't sit around wailing while the men did all the work. However, the flashbacks of the two first seeing each other were rather irritating. Could we have a little more substance than "shiny!"?
Sharon Shinn's "When Winter Comes" was pretty good. Aside from not seeing too much chemistry between the main characters, it told a pretty good story. I found the religious persecution pretty tired. The story of intolerance is an important one to tell, but if it's told often enough and same enough to be almost cliché, does it have any power any more?
Claire Delacroix's "The Kiss of the Snow Queen" had some troublesome things going on: the maiden told to protect her chastity to keep her power, the mysterious helper with a bit of a sex fixation, the powerful sorceror who saw a pretty woman and said, "baby, I'ma make you mine!", and a bad bad woman (you can tell because she's cold). *sigh* On the other hand, the mysterious helper was kind of nifty. He helped OH strengthen herself so that he could use her to achieve his goal. I don't mind that: you make your weapon strong and true; you don't mistreat it. However, the memory trick irks me something fierce. It's a giant takeback and I want people to stop doing it.
Sarah Monette's "A Gift of Wings" is Sarah Monette doing what she does. I was a little "sigh" over yet another damaged man. However, the damage wasn't suddenly cured by LOVE. Love played its part but didn't work miracles. Agido (Our Heroine) is pleasantly active. She's in danger, but she works to get out of it. She doesn't wait for a man to rescue her. Also, bonus points for older heroine who knows the value of sex for fun.
Lynn Kurland's "A Whisper of Spring" was fine. It was a bit of a romp love story between a human and a fairy. I was pleased that she was active in her rescue and didn't sit around wailing while the men did all the work. However, the flashbacks of the two first seeing each other were rather irritating. Could we have a little more substance than "shiny!"?
Sharon Shinn's "When Winter Comes" was pretty good. Aside from not seeing too much chemistry between the main characters, it told a pretty good story. I found the religious persecution pretty tired. The story of intolerance is an important one to tell, but if it's told often enough and same enough to be almost cliché, does it have any power any more?
Claire Delacroix's "The Kiss of the Snow Queen" had some troublesome things going on: the maiden told to protect her chastity to keep her power, the mysterious helper with a bit of a sex fixation, the powerful sorceror who saw a pretty woman and said, "baby, I'ma make you mine!", and a bad bad woman (you can tell because she's cold). *sigh* On the other hand, the mysterious helper was kind of nifty. He helped OH strengthen herself so that he could use her to achieve his goal. I don't mind that: you make your weapon strong and true; you don't mistreat it. However, the memory trick irks me something fierce. It's a giant takeback and I want people to stop doing it.
Sarah Monette's "A Gift of Wings" is Sarah Monette doing what she does. I was a little "sigh" over yet another damaged man. However, the damage wasn't suddenly cured by LOVE. Love played its part but didn't work miracles. Agido (Our Heroine) is pleasantly active. She's in danger, but she works to get out of it. She doesn't wait for a man to rescue her. Also, bonus points for older heroine who knows the value of sex for fun.
July 15, 2010
Having never tried any of the other authors, I bought this mainly for Monette's contribution, because I liked Melusine so much; her novella (perhaps unsurprisingly) turned out to be my favorite.
Lynn Kurland's "A Whisper of Spring" just bored me; it was full of gorgeous, powerful people, none of whom were interesting, in a very generic fantasy world, and the romance, between a Powerful Sorcerer King and a Beautiful Elvish Princess, was unconvincing.
Sharon Shinn's "When Winter Comes" was better; the romance was given time to develop, there were other interesting relationships, and the world was much better thought out.
I wanted to like Claire Delacroix's "The Kiss of the Snow Queen" more than I actually did. The medieval Frankish setting was well done, but I couldn't quite connect with the characters.
Monette's "A Gift of Wings" takes place in the same world as Melusine; it has an intriguing mystery and an equally intriguing relationship between its hero and heroine, and as I said, it was easily my favorite of the four novellas (and the only one I would give four stars).
Lynn Kurland's "A Whisper of Spring" just bored me; it was full of gorgeous, powerful people, none of whom were interesting, in a very generic fantasy world, and the romance, between a Powerful Sorcerer King and a Beautiful Elvish Princess, was unconvincing.
Sharon Shinn's "When Winter Comes" was better; the romance was given time to develop, there were other interesting relationships, and the world was much better thought out.
I wanted to like Claire Delacroix's "The Kiss of the Snow Queen" more than I actually did. The medieval Frankish setting was well done, but I couldn't quite connect with the characters.
Monette's "A Gift of Wings" takes place in the same world as Melusine; it has an intriguing mystery and an equally intriguing relationship between its hero and heroine, and as I said, it was easily my favorite of the four novellas (and the only one I would give four stars).
June 23, 2015
I think there may have been one story in here than I liked, but I'm not sure. I mainly remember starting each one and then skipping to the next in hopes it would be better. The title was the best thing about it. A pity; the theme has a lot of potential.
February 22, 2017
I only read "A Whisper of Spring" by Lynn Kurland for that was the one story that interested me, however I must admit, it was lovely. Truly. Hadn't expected for it to captivate me so.
I'd love to read more of Symon & Iolaire's story for sure.
And let's admit - a heroine that has been abducted, a princess no less, actually contemplating first thing that it's too bad the hole in privy is too small for her to crawl through or she would've escaped? Go girl, she's awesome! Now that's a real woman! I want more princesses like this! She ain't no ones captive! :D
So, ahem, as I said, even thou I read only the one story, it was wonderful and really too bad that it's a short one, there's so much more to explore, Symon's parents, for one. The possibilities with the characters & world introduced are endless. And Kurland's writing style was most pleasing. I enjoyed it all and now shall go off to read the rest of Nine Kingdom's tales.
I'd love to read more of Symon & Iolaire's story for sure.
And let's admit - a heroine that has been abducted, a princess no less, actually contemplating first thing that it's too bad the hole in privy is too small for her to crawl through or she would've escaped? Go girl, she's awesome! Now that's a real woman! I want more princesses like this! She ain't no ones captive! :D
So, ahem, as I said, even thou I read only the one story, it was wonderful and really too bad that it's a short one, there's so much more to explore, Symon's parents, for one. The possibilities with the characters & world introduced are endless. And Kurland's writing style was most pleasing. I enjoyed it all and now shall go off to read the rest of Nine Kingdom's tales.
May 10, 2009
I gave these stories a five star rating simply because I loved being transported back to the wonderful worlds of Gillengaria and Neroche. If I had read them on their own, I probably would have given them four starts.
When Winter Comes by Sharon Shinn
This is the story of Sosie, a character found in Mystic & Rider. Sosie and her sister Annie are forced to leave their childhood home when Annie gives birth to a mystic baby. Annie is unwell and not entirely herself and soon the responsibility falls to Sosie to get them to safety. They face different challenges as they travel and at one point are rescued by a nobleman, Darryn Rappengrass. I loved reading this side-story; it was fun to see what happened with Sosie and Annie after they were exiled from their home. After reading Reader and Raelynx, it was fun to see just how Darryn and Sosie met and fell in love. It was a great short story, and I loved seeing Gillengaria from a fresh perspective.
I wonder if people would like this story if they haven’t read any of the books in the Twelve House series. It seems like it would be taken out of context and the ending would leave you wanting more. Even though I know what happens, I was still left wanting more. I really enjoyed getting to know Sosie, as well as her relationship with Darryn.
A Whisper of Spring by Lynn Kurland
Once I started reading, I realized that “A Whisper in Spring” takes place in Neroche, a place I came to love in the Nine Kingdoms Trilogy (Star of the Morning, Mage’s Daughter and Princess of the Sword). This story takes place long before Miach and Morgan. Its focus is on Symon the mage king of Neroche and Iolaire, the elf princess of Ainneamh. Once again Lothar is the villain in this story. Lothar kidnaps Iolaire from her home and holds her prisoner until she accepts his marriage proposal. Symon comes to her rescue and attempts to free her from Lothar’s dungeons. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, I loved the opportunity to travel back to Neroche and learn a little more about its history. It made me want to re-read the Nine Kingdoms trilogy again. Kurland has created a wonderful new world to escape to. Although it was short, it was very satisfying. Anyone who loves the trilogy will love this story as well.
When Winter Comes by Sharon Shinn
This is the story of Sosie, a character found in Mystic & Rider. Sosie and her sister Annie are forced to leave their childhood home when Annie gives birth to a mystic baby. Annie is unwell and not entirely herself and soon the responsibility falls to Sosie to get them to safety. They face different challenges as they travel and at one point are rescued by a nobleman, Darryn Rappengrass. I loved reading this side-story; it was fun to see what happened with Sosie and Annie after they were exiled from their home. After reading Reader and Raelynx, it was fun to see just how Darryn and Sosie met and fell in love. It was a great short story, and I loved seeing Gillengaria from a fresh perspective.
I wonder if people would like this story if they haven’t read any of the books in the Twelve House series. It seems like it would be taken out of context and the ending would leave you wanting more. Even though I know what happens, I was still left wanting more. I really enjoyed getting to know Sosie, as well as her relationship with Darryn.
A Whisper of Spring by Lynn Kurland
Once I started reading, I realized that “A Whisper in Spring” takes place in Neroche, a place I came to love in the Nine Kingdoms Trilogy (Star of the Morning, Mage’s Daughter and Princess of the Sword). This story takes place long before Miach and Morgan. Its focus is on Symon the mage king of Neroche and Iolaire, the elf princess of Ainneamh. Once again Lothar is the villain in this story. Lothar kidnaps Iolaire from her home and holds her prisoner until she accepts his marriage proposal. Symon comes to her rescue and attempts to free her from Lothar’s dungeons. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, I loved the opportunity to travel back to Neroche and learn a little more about its history. It made me want to re-read the Nine Kingdoms trilogy again. Kurland has created a wonderful new world to escape to. Although it was short, it was very satisfying. Anyone who loves the trilogy will love this story as well.
August 20, 2019
Well, this was an odd collection. Not what I expected in terms of winter and queens and magic – most of the stories felt like they were awkwardly trying to jam into the theme rather than being tailored around it. Also, all of the stories probably would have worked well as short stories but are just a shade too long in their chosen forms here of novellettes.
A Whisper of Spring by Lynn Kurland reads as Tolkien-lite – all of the human prince / elven princess in love and in angst mushiness, but with none of the lyrical description and engaging world building. All the pieces here just felt like copies of copies with all the real substance long gone.
When Winter Comes by Sharon Shinn is a “1.5” story and does not do a great job standing on its own. There’s a huge info dump at the beginning to sum up events from book one, and it leads to the reader feeling she is missing quite a lot. The main characters were interesting, and there was some good action, but this is obviously one for those who are already fans.
The Kiss of the Snow Queen by Claire Delacroix was a creative – if very weird – retelling of ‘The Snow Queen’. I almost liked the trickster “Loki” character, given the reinterpretation he gives to the original prologue of the story, but his lack of clear back story was maddening. (I honestly wouldn’t have minded if he was the actual Lucifer and had stolen himself a time traveling Delorean, but authors got to come out and say these kinds of things, mmkay?) I hated how he was anachronistic just for the joke without it servicing the plot. Greta and Cai were just ok, in the kind of way of the pretty boy and pretty girl who need a LOT of hand holding to make it from Point A to Point B. And at the end, I was disappointed with the liberal amounts of memory loss magic used to smooth over any loose ends. Seriously Loki, you just gonna roofie those two kids and call it a day?
A Gift of Wings by Sarah Monette was… well, by this point in the book I was bored and frustrated and just skimmed through it and didn’t felt like I missed anything.
March 14, 2009
Short story by Monette. Much, very much like the two novels I read so far, with one person looking after the other who is crippled and ill - once again fingers were cut and ruined, and magic stolen, the treatment making Maur fully insane.
This time the protector is a woman, older than her (former) lover, but it's the same dynamic. The setting is like Heyer's night in a hostelry. Sebastian from the Labyrinth novels is in it, though it is set in Norvena, with locations like Zauberhof as smart references.
Agido's sagging breasts make the feminism more clear, but I liked how she pondered that they could no longer revel in her always having all the power and upper hand now that her crippled lover has NONE left. And that genuine non-hateful misunderstanding that brings only great satisfaction once the truth comes out.
If it is a kink, I do have a small-disability one, but not one of healing sex, though I realise Tabby did that to MM, and here it seems the same, but then it is done sensibly, just reestablishing a self, tactile confirmation of worthness.
I got interrupted in my reading then, and when I came back the big woman handling the fragile boy didn't appeal to me, the wonderful attrection turned a bit sour. I see how it is political, how it's like Felix with Gideon and Tabby with Mildmay at the end of book 2 - not the same, but I was out of the mood and never am convinced of women raping men.
Which is a great pity because this would have been a perfect story for me, even combats another annoying fanfic trope: "You wouldn't have screamed the way I did. I wanted to tell them that, when they said I screamed like a girl. That you wouldn't have screamed, no matter what they did. But I couldn't even…".
I also liked how the heroine twice caresses or wants to the softness of his belly (really just flat soft, not mound) and how they make each other laugh (which had also given me hope for F and MM).
The fence-post reversal of gender roles though I wasn't enjoying because I never liked the men to behave like that with, for and like that with their plucky little women either, nor the little women to react so clichéd, so why should I suddenly enjoy a fictional exchange of pronouns.
This time the protector is a woman, older than her (former) lover, but it's the same dynamic. The setting is like Heyer's night in a hostelry. Sebastian from the Labyrinth novels is in it, though it is set in Norvena, with locations like Zauberhof as smart references.
Agido's sagging breasts make the feminism more clear, but I liked how she pondered that they could no longer revel in her always having all the power and upper hand now that her crippled lover has NONE left. And that genuine non-hateful misunderstanding that brings only great satisfaction once the truth comes out.
If it is a kink, I do have a small-disability one, but not one of healing sex, though I realise Tabby did that to MM, and here it seems the same, but then it is done sensibly, just reestablishing a self, tactile confirmation of worthness.
I got interrupted in my reading then, and when I came back the big woman handling the fragile boy didn't appeal to me, the wonderful attrection turned a bit sour. I see how it is political, how it's like Felix with Gideon and Tabby with Mildmay at the end of book 2 - not the same, but I was out of the mood and never am convinced of women raping men.
Which is a great pity because this would have been a perfect story for me, even combats another annoying fanfic trope: "You wouldn't have screamed the way I did. I wanted to tell them that, when they said I screamed like a girl. That you wouldn't have screamed, no matter what they did. But I couldn't even…".
I also liked how the heroine twice caresses or wants to the softness of his belly (really just flat soft, not mound) and how they make each other laugh (which had also given me hope for F and MM).
The fence-post reversal of gender roles though I wasn't enjoying because I never liked the men to behave like that with, for and like that with their plucky little women either, nor the little women to react so clichéd, so why should I suddenly enjoy a fictional exchange of pronouns.
October 11, 2011
Twelve Houses 1.5 When Winter Comes - *** - Remember that pregnant girl Senneth saved in mystic and rider? So glad it worked out well for them.
Three weeks after the birth her sister Sosie takes her and the mystic baby from their fathers house and they set out in the middle of winter to find the mystic Senneth told them would take them in.
On the way though they are discovered by the Sisters of the Moon - who kill mystics. Luckily the just-too-perfect son of on of the twelve houses is riding through and saves them.
From here on there's more travel, more attacks from the sisters of the moon, more chance meetings with the perfect nobleman and the possibility of finding the baby's father.
It's no secret I'm a big fan of Sharon Shinn's writing and yet again she delivers a sweet tale and wraps up a little end from mystic and rider. Sosie was a strong character. Darryn was pretty much perfect - in a longer novel there probably would have been more facets to his character but perfect works for him
Three weeks after the birth her sister Sosie takes her and the mystic baby from their fathers house and they set out in the middle of winter to find the mystic Senneth told them would take them in.
On the way though they are discovered by the Sisters of the Moon - who kill mystics. Luckily the just-too-perfect son of on of the twelve houses is riding through and saves them.
From here on there's more travel, more attacks from the sisters of the moon, more chance meetings with the perfect nobleman and the possibility of finding the baby's father.
It's no secret I'm a big fan of Sharon Shinn's writing and yet again she delivers a sweet tale and wraps up a little end from mystic and rider. Sosie was a strong character. Darryn was pretty much perfect - in a longer novel there probably would have been more facets to his character but perfect works for him
Read
December 16, 2012I picked this up just for the story by Sarah Monette, which is set in the Melusine universe. I was disappointed in it. Monette's writing is fine, but the story felt like a weak echo of Melusine: tension between a pitifully damaged wizard and his frustrated former lover, who is escorting him to a place where he can find help to heal his wounds.
October 1, 2008
Story by story:
#1: Another background story of the Nine Kingdoms! Yeah! Unfortunately, while the best story in the book, it isn't as good as the other NK stories.
#2: Okay, but unfulfilling.
#3: Sorry, stupid retelling of Snow Queen fairy tale.
#4: Murder mystery, but who cares.
#1: Another background story of the Nine Kingdoms! Yeah! Unfortunately, while the best story in the book, it isn't as good as the other NK stories.
#2: Okay, but unfulfilling.
#3: Sorry, stupid retelling of Snow Queen fairy tale.
#4: Murder mystery, but who cares.
July 16, 2007
The Sharon Shinn story was entertaining (as usual), but the other three were a bit weak. Claire Delacroix's story, "The Kiss of the Snow Queen" was especially bad.
Read
March 6, 2025I checked out this collection because hey, I like two of these authors!
A Whisper of Spring: Lynn Kurland is new to me, and based on this story, I won’t be searching for more. It was readable enough, but the only descriptive that comes to mind when I think about it is “saccharine”.
When Winter Comes: I’m glad I’d read Shinn’s Mystic and Rider first—it follows a briefly mentioned character from that book. The story is not particularly resonant, but it piqued my interest in the rest of the Twelve Houses series.
The Kiss of the Snow Queen: Delacroix begins this story with a princess locked in a tower. I nearly abandoned it on that premise alone (are we really doing the whole her-powers-depend-on-her-virginity thing?). But I’m glad I kept reading. Stuck between two suitors, our heroine must aid one in killing a great beast. She is accompanied by (surprise guest) the devil, and he’s delightfully anachronistic. We get some set-dressing indicating we’re in (and I had to look this up) fifth or sixth century Burgundy. The blend of lore and our guide the devil make this a fun snow queen retelling (and yes, this does come around to being a snow queen retelling, kinda).
A Gift of Wings: this was the story I was most interested in! I haven’t gotten my hands on much by this author except her works as K Addison, and The Bone Key, so I was curious what else she’s written. A Gift of Wings is, for my money, the best of the collection. It’s a murder mystery at an isolated mountain inn, and a very touching love story. Even if I hadn’t enjoyed any of the other stories, it would have been worth it for this one.
A Whisper of Spring: Lynn Kurland is new to me, and based on this story, I won’t be searching for more. It was readable enough, but the only descriptive that comes to mind when I think about it is “saccharine”.
When Winter Comes: I’m glad I’d read Shinn’s Mystic and Rider first—it follows a briefly mentioned character from that book. The story is not particularly resonant, but it piqued my interest in the rest of the Twelve Houses series.
The Kiss of the Snow Queen: Delacroix begins this story with a princess locked in a tower. I nearly abandoned it on that premise alone (are we really doing the whole her-powers-depend-on-her-virginity thing?). But I’m glad I kept reading. Stuck between two suitors, our heroine must aid one in killing a great beast. She is accompanied by (surprise guest) the devil, and he’s delightfully anachronistic. We get some set-dressing indicating we’re in (and I had to look this up) fifth or sixth century Burgundy. The blend of lore and our guide the devil make this a fun snow queen retelling (and yes, this does come around to being a snow queen retelling, kinda).
A Gift of Wings: this was the story I was most interested in! I haven’t gotten my hands on much by this author except her works as K Addison, and The Bone Key, so I was curious what else she’s written. A Gift of Wings is, for my money, the best of the collection. It’s a murder mystery at an isolated mountain inn, and a very touching love story. Even if I hadn’t enjoyed any of the other stories, it would have been worth it for this one.
May 5, 2020
This quality of the fantastic love stories in this collection varies greatly. The strongest, Sarah Monette’s “A Gift of Wings”, showcases a woman warrior who must solve a murder in order to stay with her beloved, an injured sorcerer stripped of his magic. Although set in an unrealized realm distinguished by a mixture of medieval German and ancient Greek usage, it is redeemed by the plot, as the reader watches Agido solve the mystery step-by-step. Next in quality is Sharon Shinn’s “When Winter Comes”, following several characters from her novel MYSTIC AND RIDER. This story feels more like an episode from the next novel in the series, rather than a stand-alone, but the two sisters fleeing with the Talented baby are fully realized characters, and although the younger sister’s noble lover isn’t as developed, the reader can enjoy watching the future lovers rescue one another as they fall in love. Lynn Kurland’s “Whisper of Spring”, wherein a sorcerer king rescues and courts a captive Elven princess, is a straight-forward romantic adventure. Clare Delacroix’s “The Kiss of the Snow Queen”, in which she adds a very annoying wise-cracking Loki to her reworking of the Hans Andersen fairy tale, is merely irritating.
September 19, 2019
I only read two of these (I'll update it, if that changes)
A GIFT OF WINGS by Sarah Monette 5 stars
I LOVED this. Tormented hero, experienced heroine, fantasy setting, trapped by a snowstorm with a murder mystery... This one got me by the heartstrings.
WHEN WINTER COMES by Sharon Shinn 4 stars
This features side characters from her wonderful Twelve Houses series. Unfortunately, it's been a bit too long since I read that series. I only vaguely remembered Sosie and her sister Annie. A good story in its own but the ending felt a bit truncated--Darren and Sosie probably appear in the series books, but I just don't remember for sure. Perhaps it's time to reread it...
A GIFT OF WINGS by Sarah Monette 5 stars
I LOVED this. Tormented hero, experienced heroine, fantasy setting, trapped by a snowstorm with a murder mystery... This one got me by the heartstrings.
WHEN WINTER COMES by Sharon Shinn 4 stars
This features side characters from her wonderful Twelve Houses series. Unfortunately, it's been a bit too long since I read that series. I only vaguely remembered Sosie and her sister Annie. A good story in its own but the ending felt a bit truncated--Darren and Sosie probably appear in the series books, but I just don't remember for sure. Perhaps it's time to reread it...
March 16, 2019
The four stars are for the two novellas I liked, the one by Sarah Monette and the one by Sharon Shinn. The Sharon Shinn novella is set in her Mystic and Rider universe and was mostly enjoyable because it was fun to spend more time with some of the minor characters from that series. The Sarah Monette story was clever and excellent, as is to be expected from Sarah Monette.
The other two novellas were not at all to my taste, and would each merit 2 stars from me. (One I finished, since I got halfway through and it felt like a waste to give up on it. The other I quit after just a few pages.)
The other two novellas were not at all to my taste, and would each merit 2 stars from me. (One I finished, since I got halfway through and it felt like a waste to give up on it. The other I quit after just a few pages.)
July 18, 2019
Bought this book in order to read the story by Sharon Shinn which I enjoyed quite a bit. However, unless you have read many of Shinn's books it would be confusing.
Shinn's story I would give 5 *****, Lynn Kurland's story I would give 4 ****, but couldn't even finish the other two (barely got to the 2nd chapter of one of them). Found them too graphic sexually which I very much dislike in books -- have to skip over too many pages. When will authors understand that it is much more sensual if you leave the details to the reader's imagination.
Shinn's story I would give 5 *****, Lynn Kurland's story I would give 4 ****, but couldn't even finish the other two (barely got to the 2nd chapter of one of them). Found them too graphic sexually which I very much dislike in books -- have to skip over too many pages. When will authors understand that it is much more sensual if you leave the details to the reader's imagination.
December 18, 2017
I purchased and read this book for the sharon shinn story. I enjoyed "A whisper in Spring" and "A Gift of Wings", but while i found "The Snow Queens Kiss" to be interesting, I just didnt enjoy it as much.
July 4, 2018
I sought out this compilation of four stories for Sharon Shinn's contribution in the Twelve Houses-verse, a real gem. The hidden diamond was the short story by Sarah Monette/Katherine Addison, set in the Doctrine of Laybrinths world. Indeed, this was my first exposure to Monette/Addison.
December 15, 2023
Absolutely delightful. Not usually a fan of short story compilations or novellas, but each inclusion of this book was lovely. Inventive and warm, each quite different but all with folks I would like to know.
May 1, 2019
The only story I remotely liked was by Sharon shin. The rest were not well written.
June 28, 2019
Loved Lynn Kurland story, not so much the others.
November 4, 2019
Rating is for the Sharon Shinn story "When Winter Comes" only.
August 11, 2020
I really liked all of these short stories except the one with the mirror. They were very good overall.
September 27, 2020
Only read Lynn Kurland.
February 20, 2025
An excellent selection of historical, paranormal stories with happy endings by well known authors!!!
November 2, 2019
This book was terrible! The only reason it got two stars was the story by Sharon Shinn, which was fun. The other three were awful. I plan to avoid these authors.
own-but-not-read
June 4, 2012Reading and review in progress
"A Whisper of Spring" by Lynn Kurland
I purchased this book specifically for this novella by Lynn Kurland. The novella is set in the same world as the Nine Kingdoms series, but in the past at the beginning of the kingdom of Neroche. It is the story of Symon of Neroche and Iolaire of that-impossible-to-pronounce-or-spell-Elf-kingdom.
Given that there was only a passing mention of Ehrne in the main series, I was tickled to learn more about what he was like. I found him to be amusingly arrogant and vain. There did seem to be a leeetle more to him than that as evidenced by his somewhat support of his sister's happiness, but he apparently did not change as much over the centuries. I liked his relationship with his sister. He seemed to have much fondness for her, and she seemed able to treat him in just the proper way to make use of him. I was happy to see that Iolaire was able to free herself from her predicament. Unfortunately, this meant that I had some questions about the world-building.
I was a little confused about the structure of elven magic. While the author eventually explained what had me initially confused, I found myself a little dissatisfied because the explanation seemed too superficial. I fell in love with Miach from the first three Nine Kingdoms books, and I liked Ruith enough - and they were both Gary Stus. Yet, I found myself a bit irked by Symon of Neroche. This could be because of the way the author had the reader learn of how wonderful he really was - through his second-in-command, Hamil. Hamil's boasting of Symon's skills were eye-roll inducing. Poor Hamil was also apparently there to provide much info-dumps about the world. There was also the occasional wise-cracks and his needling of Ehrne, which provided more comic relief to an already light-hearted fantasy romance.
Despite the problems I had with it, I still felt as if I learned a little more of the Elvish customs/kingdoms so at least I take that away.
"A Whisper of Spring" by Lynn Kurland
I purchased this book specifically for this novella by Lynn Kurland. The novella is set in the same world as the Nine Kingdoms series, but in the past at the beginning of the kingdom of Neroche. It is the story of Symon of Neroche and Iolaire of that-impossible-to-pronounce-or-spell-Elf-kingdom.
Given that there was only a passing mention of Ehrne in the main series, I was tickled to learn more about what he was like. I found him to be amusingly arrogant and vain. There did seem to be a leeetle more to him than that as evidenced by his somewhat support of his sister's happiness, but he apparently did not change as much over the centuries. I liked his relationship with his sister. He seemed to have much fondness for her, and she seemed able to treat him in just the proper way to make use of him. I was happy to see that Iolaire was able to free herself from her predicament. Unfortunately, this meant that I had some questions about the world-building.
I was a little confused about the structure of elven magic. While the author eventually explained what had me initially confused, I found myself a little dissatisfied because the explanation seemed too superficial. I fell in love with Miach from the first three Nine Kingdoms books, and I liked Ruith enough - and they were both Gary Stus. Yet, I found myself a bit irked by Symon of Neroche. This could be because of the way the author had the reader learn of how wonderful he really was - through his second-in-command, Hamil. Hamil's boasting of Symon's skills were eye-roll inducing. Poor Hamil was also apparently there to provide much info-dumps about the world. There was also the occasional wise-cracks and his needling of Ehrne, which provided more comic relief to an already light-hearted fantasy romance.
Despite the problems I had with it, I still felt as if I learned a little more of the Elvish customs/kingdoms so at least I take that away.
August 23, 2008
Four fantasy stories with a winter element and a female protagonist. This is the second collection of stories by these authors, the first being "To Weave a Web of Magic". "A Whisper of Spring" by Lynn Kurland is the story of an elf princess being kidnapped from her kingdom by an evil wizard. Her brother seeks help from a mortal man to rescue her. Possibly my favorite story, mostly because of unexpected humor throughout. "When Winter Comes" by Sharon Shinn is the story of two sisters kicked out of their home and looking for safety. This is set in the same world as Shinn's Twelve Houses trilogy, though you will only need to have read the first book of that series (Mystic and Rider) to recognize Sosie, her sister Annie, and Annie's child Kinnon. This is what happens to them soon after they meet Senneth. Since I read Mystic and Rider, I couldn't tell if Shinn needed to put more background about this world in this story, but it could feel unfinished or part of a series to those not familiar that trilogy. "The Kiss of the Snow Queen" by Claire Delacroix is the story of a seer Gerta as she escapes a forced marriage and seeks to save her home. Probably the most thought provoking and original story to me, because Delacroix mixes viking legend, The Snow Queen, and the Bible for this tale. Plus Loki is an incredibly interesting character; he steals the show, and I wanted to read more about him. "A Gift of Wings" tells the tale of a wounded man (broken perhaps more deeply in spirit than in body), and his faithful bodyguard/ex-lover as they find themselves trapped in an inn during a bad snowstorm. A murder takes place and they are the prime suspects. I would not recommend this book to pure romance lovers, as this is mostly fantasy with a *dash* of romance thrown in. I read the reviews on amazon for this book and most people disappointed seemed to be expecting something completely different from what this book is.
October 7, 2011
Check out my reviews at http://thewindowseat13.blogspot.com/
The first Nine Kingdoms novella is A Whisper of Spring and it was published as part of the anthology The Queen in Winter. One of the things I like about this story is that it gives you a lot more background in the ancestors of many of the main characters of the trilogy. Both Morgan and Ruith's ancestors (Sgath and Eulasaid) and Miach's ancestors are given some story time and we can learn about them amongst the rest of the story. This is the story of Symon and Iolaire. Symon is the new King of Neroche and Iolaire is a princess of Ainneamh, the elvin kingdom. Right off the bat, one thing that made this story more believeable to me was the fact that these two had met before. It made the rush of the short story format much more tolerable. This was not two people falling in love in 80 pages. This was two people, who had met and fell for each other in the past, finding each other in 80 pages. Much more enjoyable!
Iolaire has been kidnapped by the evil black mage, Lothar. When her brother sets out to rescue her, he knows he will need help. So he turns to Lothar's brother Symon, the new King, in order to save his sister from a fate worse than death. Little does he know that Symon has been in love with his sister for a while and plans to try to win her heart while rescuing her.
Problems arise when Iolaire's father comes late to the game and reiterates the elvin motto that the elves keep to themselves and don't marry those that aren't elves. But Symon is determined to find a loop hole that will allow Iolaire to marry him and not lose all ties to her homeland in the meantime. So Symon looks to the past and finds that his dream, may indeed, be attainable.
As I said, the fact that these characters have a back story makes the short story format much more believable and enjoyable. As an addition to the Nine Kingdoms world, it is a worthy one! :)
The first Nine Kingdoms novella is A Whisper of Spring and it was published as part of the anthology The Queen in Winter. One of the things I like about this story is that it gives you a lot more background in the ancestors of many of the main characters of the trilogy. Both Morgan and Ruith's ancestors (Sgath and Eulasaid) and Miach's ancestors are given some story time and we can learn about them amongst the rest of the story. This is the story of Symon and Iolaire. Symon is the new King of Neroche and Iolaire is a princess of Ainneamh, the elvin kingdom. Right off the bat, one thing that made this story more believeable to me was the fact that these two had met before. It made the rush of the short story format much more tolerable. This was not two people falling in love in 80 pages. This was two people, who had met and fell for each other in the past, finding each other in 80 pages. Much more enjoyable!
Iolaire has been kidnapped by the evil black mage, Lothar. When her brother sets out to rescue her, he knows he will need help. So he turns to Lothar's brother Symon, the new King, in order to save his sister from a fate worse than death. Little does he know that Symon has been in love with his sister for a while and plans to try to win her heart while rescuing her.
Problems arise when Iolaire's father comes late to the game and reiterates the elvin motto that the elves keep to themselves and don't marry those that aren't elves. But Symon is determined to find a loop hole that will allow Iolaire to marry him and not lose all ties to her homeland in the meantime. So Symon looks to the past and finds that his dream, may indeed, be attainable.
As I said, the fact that these characters have a back story makes the short story format much more believable and enjoyable. As an addition to the Nine Kingdoms world, it is a worthy one! :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2015
Featuring the titular season as their backdrop, these four tales hinge on resourceful or desperate women who seek to carve out new destinies for themselves.
“The Kiss of the Snow Queen” falls short for me. Not only does it take its cue from a well-worn Hans Christian Andersen story, it features a heroine who’s just a bit too biddable and too much like a Harlequin romance heroine (at once infuriated and aroused by her cocky would-be suitor). Her invisible suitor proves to be a tricky creature and skillful raconteur but a little too dismissive of virginity to be much more than a naughty incubus. “A Whisper of Spring” features a tired damsel-in-distress scenario. However, the rescue is only the beginning of what proves to be a very awkward but ultimately satisfying courtship.
My real favorite was the last story. “A Gift of Wings” features an Amazonian warrior who must heal the broken-down wizard who was once her lover. Neatly reversing the usual power and sexual dynamics, this tale shines as it deals with the difficult renewal of trust between two reticent people, each bearing personal scars. The difficulty of negotiating concealed feelings and misunderstood signals highlights a completely unexpected whodunit murder mystery. The sex scene--the only one in the series albeit rather softcore--is written with aching tenderness yet expresses true delight between its subjects. (The only thing that would have made this story perfect is if Agido had engaged in actual swordplay instead of just reminiscing about it.)
But this anthology is something to savor. No matter how you prefer your romance, the women in it are a notch above and rate a qualified approval in the modern genre of feisty heroines who take charge of their lives.
“The Kiss of the Snow Queen” falls short for me. Not only does it take its cue from a well-worn Hans Christian Andersen story, it features a heroine who’s just a bit too biddable and too much like a Harlequin romance heroine (at once infuriated and aroused by her cocky would-be suitor). Her invisible suitor proves to be a tricky creature and skillful raconteur but a little too dismissive of virginity to be much more than a naughty incubus. “A Whisper of Spring” features a tired damsel-in-distress scenario. However, the rescue is only the beginning of what proves to be a very awkward but ultimately satisfying courtship.
My real favorite was the last story. “A Gift of Wings” features an Amazonian warrior who must heal the broken-down wizard who was once her lover. Neatly reversing the usual power and sexual dynamics, this tale shines as it deals with the difficult renewal of trust between two reticent people, each bearing personal scars. The difficulty of negotiating concealed feelings and misunderstood signals highlights a completely unexpected whodunit murder mystery. The sex scene--the only one in the series albeit rather softcore--is written with aching tenderness yet expresses true delight between its subjects. (The only thing that would have made this story perfect is if Agido had engaged in actual swordplay instead of just reminiscing about it.)
But this anthology is something to savor. No matter how you prefer your romance, the women in it are a notch above and rate a qualified approval in the modern genre of feisty heroines who take charge of their lives.
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