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Snowblind: A Royal Court Fantasy Drama
A new home. A new destiny.Lanna has always yearned for acceptance, and she finally finds it in a quaint village on the edge of the empire. But her peaceful existence is threatened when she catches the eye of a powerful noblewoman from the distant First City. Suddenly, Lanna is thrust into a world of court politics, power games, and dangerous adversaries.As she navigates the treacherous waters of the imperial court, Lanna must confront her own desires and make a decision that could alter the course of the empire.Experience the intrigue and mystery of Snowblind today and join Lanna on her epic journey to fulfil her destiny.
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 31, 2020
61 people are currently reading
334 people want to read
About the author
Anna Velfman
8 books27 followersIn another life, Anna Velfman graduated from Stirling University with an Environmental Science degree and moved to the Shetland islands having just got married. Later she returned to mainland Scotland to train as a teacher. However, having written online for years as a way to help manage her dyslexia, she decided she would be happier aiming to write full time.
When she is not writing, she can be found gaming on the PC she built, painting and sewing (badly,) watching anime and Kdramas, walking her dog, riding her bright blue ebike, or chatting with her readers on discord. She loves living in Scotland, where she is raising two boys with her husband.
She has a bi-monthly (sometimes) Podcast called Writer Rambles where she talks about her writing and chats to other authors about their work.
When she is not writing, she can be found gaming on the PC she built, painting and sewing (badly,) watching anime and Kdramas, walking her dog, riding her bright blue ebike, or chatting with her readers on discord. She loves living in Scotland, where she is raising two boys with her husband.
She has a bi-monthly (sometimes) Podcast called Writer Rambles where she talks about her writing and chats to other authors about their work.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 11, 2020
As a fan of the fantasy genre, I'm afraid I just couldn't connect with the characters or the story of Snowblind. At first I was intrigued by its political and societal aspects which seemed original and promised the reader a deep understanding of different cultures, but the rest of the story made it difficult to enjoy them.
I'm not sure whether it was intentional for the main character to have such an obnoxious personality, but her POV was extremely difficult to read. I understand a huge part of her personality comes from her upbringing and her thoughts meant to emphasize the differences between the South and her new home, but the inner monologues and her conversations with other characters definitely represent the parts of the book I disliked the most.
Sentences such as "He had his own seeds to plant in fertile ground." seem really inappropriate and I have to say I'm just not a fan of the writing style in general. The first half of the book seemed extremely long, with descriptions of scenery and setting the scene occupying the majority of the pages. With such a complex system of hierarchy and rules, I struggled to understand the characters completely because there were just too many details about the more irrelevant aspects.
The absolute worst part was definitely Lanna's conversation with Frez at the beginning of their journey. Again, I understand the cultural differences, but I cannot support a main character who went out of their way to continuously insult someone's choice and use homophobic language. "Frez sill had the option of finding a mannish-looking woman and starting a family!" What this sentence implies is that even though someone identifies as a gay man, they should be equally as happy being with a "mannish-looking woman". This kind of language should not be supported and therefore I cannot accept Lanna's ignorance as an excuse.
On the positive note, the last third of the book showed some progress when it comes to story-telling. The characters got more interesting and the plot started to show some promise, but because of the reasons listed, I cannot give it more than two stars.
I'm not sure whether it was intentional for the main character to have such an obnoxious personality, but her POV was extremely difficult to read. I understand a huge part of her personality comes from her upbringing and her thoughts meant to emphasize the differences between the South and her new home, but the inner monologues and her conversations with other characters definitely represent the parts of the book I disliked the most.
Sentences such as "He had his own seeds to plant in fertile ground." seem really inappropriate and I have to say I'm just not a fan of the writing style in general. The first half of the book seemed extremely long, with descriptions of scenery and setting the scene occupying the majority of the pages. With such a complex system of hierarchy and rules, I struggled to understand the characters completely because there were just too many details about the more irrelevant aspects.
The absolute worst part was definitely Lanna's conversation with Frez at the beginning of their journey. Again, I understand the cultural differences, but I cannot support a main character who went out of their way to continuously insult someone's choice and use homophobic language. "Frez sill had the option of finding a mannish-looking woman and starting a family!" What this sentence implies is that even though someone identifies as a gay man, they should be equally as happy being with a "mannish-looking woman". This kind of language should not be supported and therefore I cannot accept Lanna's ignorance as an excuse.
On the positive note, the last third of the book showed some progress when it comes to story-telling. The characters got more interesting and the plot started to show some promise, but because of the reasons listed, I cannot give it more than two stars.
June 30, 2020
Political intrigue and magic - a great start to this exciting new series by Anna Velfman. A well written, well plotted story. Lana is a very likeable and fascinating central character who discovers that that her illness is more than what meets the eye. I can't wait for more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 26, 2020
Snowblind starts as Lanna, a small town girl with falling sickness, moves away from the frozen south to the north. What initially is a clash of cultures between the more hunter-gatherer southerners and the imperial north (and Lenna struggling with the falling sickness) expands into concubine lessons and political intrigue. Snowblind is a very solid debut novel as well as a promising first book in the series.
June 25, 2020
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review and I'm more than happy to provide one. The book is fantastic, it does a great job introducing the reader to the setting, context, and atmosphere of the universe. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the characters and it's really easy to read in one sitting. Highly recommended to anyone that enjoys political scheming and worldbuilding, it won't disappoint.
November 3, 2020
Captivating
Th character Lanna drags you in to her story. Best book I have read in quite a while and I read a lot of books!
Th character Lanna drags you in to her story. Best book I have read in quite a while and I read a lot of books!
November 27, 2020
If you love clash-of-culture adventures, especially with great world building. Snowblind does not disappoint. Full of vivid settings and interesting characters, Lanna's story takes the reader from one fascinating situation to another, as Lanna goes from a struggling refugee in a farming village, to a captive servant in the house of the emperor's chief medic. She's trapped, but she's also in a position to see and hear things – secrets that lie at the heart of the empire she has been dragged into. And there is so much more to Lanna than meets the eye.
My favorite part of this story was the tension Velfman builds between where Lanna started out, and what she is expected to become.
All in all, a satisfying read, that will leave you wanting more.
My favorite part of this story was the tension Velfman builds between where Lanna started out, and what she is expected to become.
All in all, a satisfying read, that will leave you wanting more.
July 28, 2020
This book was an interesting read. It straddled a lot of genres for me. It felt sort of fantasy at times, or period piece, or sci-fi at others. This melding of genres can be exciting and it did keep my interest. I felt the world building was well done, and the characters were interesting. My biggest complaint is that it couldn't decide if it was YA or not. I know because of swearing and sex references that it isn't meant to be YA, but a lot of the themes and situations feel very much like the "first love" or "first time away from home" that often feature in young adult literature. Overall well done, and enjoyable.
October 3, 2020
Just finished this book today. I love the world building. It reminded me a little of the world building in Avatar the last Airbender, which I'm a new fan of since I binge watched the series this summer with my 10 year old. The world building was also original, for instance, the flower messages intrigued me and that's something I've not read in a story before. I enjoyed all the fantasy elements in the world building and the plot and I look forward to reading the next story in this series.
July 9, 2020
Genre(s): Fantasy, Fiction
Favourite Quote: “Together we shall change everything Lanna. Now, tell them to rise..”
Favourite Character: Lanna is the most kickass female protagonist and you need her in your life. On a side note; Frez is a national treasure and needs to be protected at all costs.
*Please note, this review MAY contain spoilers. Read at your own risk!*
I have followed Anna Velfman online for many years by her shared love of writing fanfiction. She is one of the rare authors I was always excited by, to hear she’s uploaded another story or another chapter. For the sake of staying unbiased as I try to when I’m reviewing, I jumped straight into this with an open mind and a notebook to jot down my thoughts as I went.
Snowblind is Anna Velfman’s debut novel and it’s not one for the faint of heart. If you’re invested in a huge story with rich organic lore, deep characters and development on every angle – this one’s for you and you won’t be disappointed.
We start off at the beginning of a journey for Lanna and her family as they venture away from their family home to new and dangerous lands, bringing nothing but their sharp survival wits and the shirts on their backs. These people are strong and proud and we’re along the journey with them as they begin their new lives among the imperial lands, where they are now considered foreigners.
We’re gently eased into the lore in such a way it didn’t give me cold feet, jumping headfirst into a deep end as some novels of this genre tend to. I danced from one chapter to another and suddenly, it’s 11pm and I’ve forgotten to feed the animals!
Without sharing too many details: I laughed and I cried along with Lanna. She is the embodiment of female strength and proud of her heritage and who she is. I think if a lot of young women and girls felt this way about themselves in the world today, it’d certainly be a different place.
Pros
• The character development is raw and well explored.
• The plot opens up a lot more in the last third of the book, and we get a glimpse of just how big this world is going to be and we’re treated with theories and ideas of just how that might come to pass.
• Characterisation and conversation is organic and believable, coming from very well fleshed out creations.
• Settings and locations are well researched from the time periods in my mind, they borrow ideas from. I can smell the wet grass and farming lands in the village to the deadly scent of flowers in the palace.
• For me, Snowblind didn’t feel as if it was trying to emulate any reads or worlds I’ve seen before. I couldn’t predict what would happen next and there really were times when I was totally floored by a plot twist or a side character.
Cons
• I’m going to have to wait for the sequel, Ice Dancer. Literally, I’m bummed out.
• The last two chapters flew by just a little quicker than I’d have liked them to, but nonetheless fully enjoyable and what a powerful ending to the first book in the series.
Final thoughts
Fantasy is a difficult genre to write, because it requires the careful conception and creation of an entire world, history, backstory, lore, culture and environment. Because of this, I see newer writers get in over their heads with the massive story they’ve envisioned, which never quite leaves the ground. But not today. Snowblind ascends from the landing strip and keeps climbing altitude to a dramatic and satisfying end. I’m here for the rest of the ride!
Snowblind will definitely be going on my top reads for 2020 and will be successfully staying on my kindle for future rereading.
I have absolutely no reservations that Anna Velfman will indeed go far and continue to create very beautiful and entertaining stories. She is currently working on the next instalment in the Pler series and I for one, will be pre-ordering.
Favourite Quote: “Together we shall change everything Lanna. Now, tell them to rise..”
Favourite Character: Lanna is the most kickass female protagonist and you need her in your life. On a side note; Frez is a national treasure and needs to be protected at all costs.
*Please note, this review MAY contain spoilers. Read at your own risk!*
I have followed Anna Velfman online for many years by her shared love of writing fanfiction. She is one of the rare authors I was always excited by, to hear she’s uploaded another story or another chapter. For the sake of staying unbiased as I try to when I’m reviewing, I jumped straight into this with an open mind and a notebook to jot down my thoughts as I went.
Snowblind is Anna Velfman’s debut novel and it’s not one for the faint of heart. If you’re invested in a huge story with rich organic lore, deep characters and development on every angle – this one’s for you and you won’t be disappointed.
We start off at the beginning of a journey for Lanna and her family as they venture away from their family home to new and dangerous lands, bringing nothing but their sharp survival wits and the shirts on their backs. These people are strong and proud and we’re along the journey with them as they begin their new lives among the imperial lands, where they are now considered foreigners.
We’re gently eased into the lore in such a way it didn’t give me cold feet, jumping headfirst into a deep end as some novels of this genre tend to. I danced from one chapter to another and suddenly, it’s 11pm and I’ve forgotten to feed the animals!
Without sharing too many details: I laughed and I cried along with Lanna. She is the embodiment of female strength and proud of her heritage and who she is. I think if a lot of young women and girls felt this way about themselves in the world today, it’d certainly be a different place.
Pros
• The character development is raw and well explored.
• The plot opens up a lot more in the last third of the book, and we get a glimpse of just how big this world is going to be and we’re treated with theories and ideas of just how that might come to pass.
• Characterisation and conversation is organic and believable, coming from very well fleshed out creations.
• Settings and locations are well researched from the time periods in my mind, they borrow ideas from. I can smell the wet grass and farming lands in the village to the deadly scent of flowers in the palace.
• For me, Snowblind didn’t feel as if it was trying to emulate any reads or worlds I’ve seen before. I couldn’t predict what would happen next and there really were times when I was totally floored by a plot twist or a side character.
Cons
• I’m going to have to wait for the sequel, Ice Dancer. Literally, I’m bummed out.
• The last two chapters flew by just a little quicker than I’d have liked them to, but nonetheless fully enjoyable and what a powerful ending to the first book in the series.
Final thoughts
Fantasy is a difficult genre to write, because it requires the careful conception and creation of an entire world, history, backstory, lore, culture and environment. Because of this, I see newer writers get in over their heads with the massive story they’ve envisioned, which never quite leaves the ground. But not today. Snowblind ascends from the landing strip and keeps climbing altitude to a dramatic and satisfying end. I’m here for the rest of the ride!
Snowblind will definitely be going on my top reads for 2020 and will be successfully staying on my kindle for future rereading.
I have absolutely no reservations that Anna Velfman will indeed go far and continue to create very beautiful and entertaining stories. She is currently working on the next instalment in the Pler series and I for one, will be pre-ordering.
July 30, 2023
I’m sorry, but this book was a no for me. I was intrigued by Snowblind’s high avg. rating, but unfortunately, it did not live up to that.
The pacing feels all over the place. In the beginning, Lanna and Hemil’s relationship goes from non-existent and resentful to passionate in the span of two chapters. Lanna claims that Hemil won her affections but all he really did in the beginning was say misogynistic things to her and over-step boundaries. We barely got to know him, or the village, before Lanna was whisked away to the palace where the book had a reset. Everything in the village became irrelevant. Her whole acceptance into the village didn’t mean anything because she resorted back to being a Southerner as soon as she entered the palace. This whole middle section felt really drawn out and I kept waiting for something to actually happen. The ending decides to pull one more reset where suddenly, Lanna’s apparent dancing skills are of prime importance, she had voices in her head the whole time (which she never mentioned), and now she has an ancient chip in her head because her fainting disease was a genetic mutation. It feels like two, maybe even three, different stories were mashed into one and nothing feels coherent.
I also found it impossible to like Lanna. I understand that her closed-minded views are a result of her upbringing, but she is aggressively racist, homophobic, and slut-shamey. She tears up about missing Hemil and judges the women who “shaft” the Emperor, but then hoists her skirt up to catch the attention of Frez on the same page. Lanna’s POV really oversteps a line when she describes Frez, a queer man, as “willingly unproductive” and still having “the option of finding a mannish-looking woman”. I can’t justify sympathizing with or caring about someone who is so harmfully outspoken.
This book suffers from spotty editing and it’s quite distracting. There’s several spelling errors and comma splices, we get looks into other characters’ heads despite the story being from Lanna’s POV, there’s certain words/phrases being used too frequently (“moistened her lips” and “shaft”), Velfman repeatedly confuses “burned” with “burnt” (“burnt” is an adjective; “burned” is a verb), and phrases that don’t make sense – something is described as a “flaccid ox udder” even though oxen are male and don’t have udders. There’s also terminology that’s introduced that Velfman doesn’t explain: eventually you’re able to decipher that a “side-son” is a stepson, but what about the Aug War? What is that? What happened? What is a kelen? Or a bronto? I understand that these things might be explained as the series continues, but readers should understand the context from just the first book.
I think this book had potential to be an interesting story about either the acceptance of new cultures or royal security. However, I think this book’s downfall was the attempt to make multiple stories into one.
The pacing feels all over the place. In the beginning, Lanna and Hemil’s relationship goes from non-existent and resentful to passionate in the span of two chapters. Lanna claims that Hemil won her affections but all he really did in the beginning was say misogynistic things to her and over-step boundaries. We barely got to know him, or the village, before Lanna was whisked away to the palace where the book had a reset. Everything in the village became irrelevant. Her whole acceptance into the village didn’t mean anything because she resorted back to being a Southerner as soon as she entered the palace. This whole middle section felt really drawn out and I kept waiting for something to actually happen. The ending decides to pull one more reset where suddenly, Lanna’s apparent dancing skills are of prime importance, she had voices in her head the whole time (which she never mentioned), and now she has an ancient chip in her head because her fainting disease was a genetic mutation. It feels like two, maybe even three, different stories were mashed into one and nothing feels coherent.
I also found it impossible to like Lanna. I understand that her closed-minded views are a result of her upbringing, but she is aggressively racist, homophobic, and slut-shamey. She tears up about missing Hemil and judges the women who “shaft” the Emperor, but then hoists her skirt up to catch the attention of Frez on the same page. Lanna’s POV really oversteps a line when she describes Frez, a queer man, as “willingly unproductive” and still having “the option of finding a mannish-looking woman”. I can’t justify sympathizing with or caring about someone who is so harmfully outspoken.
This book suffers from spotty editing and it’s quite distracting. There’s several spelling errors and comma splices, we get looks into other characters’ heads despite the story being from Lanna’s POV, there’s certain words/phrases being used too frequently (“moistened her lips” and “shaft”), Velfman repeatedly confuses “burned” with “burnt” (“burnt” is an adjective; “burned” is a verb), and phrases that don’t make sense – something is described as a “flaccid ox udder” even though oxen are male and don’t have udders. There’s also terminology that’s introduced that Velfman doesn’t explain: eventually you’re able to decipher that a “side-son” is a stepson, but what about the Aug War? What is that? What happened? What is a kelen? Or a bronto? I understand that these things might be explained as the series continues, but readers should understand the context from just the first book.
I think this book had potential to be an interesting story about either the acceptance of new cultures or royal security. However, I think this book’s downfall was the attempt to make multiple stories into one.
July 1, 2020
Jody
Couldn't put it down. Can't wait for the next one.caught my interest in the first page. Hope I don't have to wait long.
Couldn't put it down. Can't wait for the next one.caught my interest in the first page. Hope I don't have to wait long.
July 6, 2020
Very good story line and flow introducing you to The Pler Trilogy. The characters were well written and Lanna's story makes it a hard book to put down.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 2, 2020
I was given a free book and am giving this review on my own.
I don’t have enough words for how amazing this novel is. It grabs you by your eyes, and sends you off into worlds unknown, ones that you can see because of Anna’s ingenuity and skill with writing. This author has an immense talent with descriptions and emotions, which hit the reader unsuspectingly and leave you hungry for more. I could not put the book away whenever I read it!
This book is incredibly interesting. From the little village, to the travels with Chowa and into the Emperor’s palace, where the young, bored ruler toys away his time with his concubines, Lanna’s adventures finish in the first book with a huge twist! I can’t wait to read the next books in this trilogy!!
Thank you Anna Velfman for allowing the opportunity to read this novel.
I don’t have enough words for how amazing this novel is. It grabs you by your eyes, and sends you off into worlds unknown, ones that you can see because of Anna’s ingenuity and skill with writing. This author has an immense talent with descriptions and emotions, which hit the reader unsuspectingly and leave you hungry for more. I could not put the book away whenever I read it!
This book is incredibly interesting. From the little village, to the travels with Chowa and into the Emperor’s palace, where the young, bored ruler toys away his time with his concubines, Lanna’s adventures finish in the first book with a huge twist! I can’t wait to read the next books in this trilogy!!
Thank you Anna Velfman for allowing the opportunity to read this novel.
March 14, 2022
The premise of this book sounded promising, and while it delivers a fantastic setting, world and history, clearly well researched and implemented, it does fall a bit short with its leading character. Still it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to its sequel.
STORY: We follow Lanna, a young woman whose family have been forced to abandon their clan in the icy south to start a new life in the Imperial lands. Having to learn a new language and way of life, Lanna just seems about ready to settle in when she's whisked away by a powerful noblewoman for hidden reasons, about to learn her true destiny.
The story is well told with strong writing and drip fed lore, but the pacing is a bit all over the place. Act 1 is much too long and it takes until 30% of the book before the inciting incident happens. Then the middle is mostly worldbuilding and political intrigue, and the mystery is revealed in a rush in the last two chapters and wasn't that well built up. This isn't so much the story's fault as it is the characters, as they are not as well fleshed out as the plot and lore.
CHARACTERS: I found this to be the weakest aspect of the book. Lanna is initially portrayed as a strongwilled woman who can stand up for herself, but after she's taken from her family she becomes extremely passive. The setting lends itself to this as she's effectively a fish out of water and I wouldn't have a problem with it, but the issue I have is Lanna has no internal drive. So much is being kept from her but she makes no effort to investigate, until one scene where she automatically succeeds and is told everything. The one important choice she has to make towards the end is also extremely rushed and prompted by a plot device that comes out of no-where. Lanna also has no obvious flaws and this makes her much less memorable that other characters which is a problem when she's supposed to be the protagonist. Of course this does suit the 'blank slate' protagonist which remains popular but it isn't a type I enjoy personally.
The third person perspective further pulls you away from Lanna and this for me make her voice weak.
Chowa is far more interesting and to be fair I'd have loved to read a book from her perspective. She's manipulative, intelligent, can read people well while hiding her own feelings, but also has genuine care and respect for those who are important to her.
Other side characters also have political gains to make and I did appreciate how well the intrigue side of things was written.
SETTING: This is where the book excels, almost too much. The world is rich with history and background lore, and it really feels like a living, breathing world. It's also a mix of fantasy and lost ancient futuristic technology which I love. Some of the exposition feels a bit forced however, with Chowa mouthing off pages and pages of explanation- the one about economics felt completely unnecessary, especially as from Lanna's perspective it isn't relevant. But I enjoyed the deep detail and lavish descriptions, and anyone who loves deep worldbuilding will lap this up as well.
PRESENTATION: The book has a fantastic cover and clean formatting.
OVERALL: This book was built on a solid foundation of worldbuilding and political intrigue, but it seems to have sacrificed that for a memorable, active protagonist with flaws and an internal drive. Hopefully Lanna will get the development she deserves in book 2, but I recommend this for anyone who loves a solid fantasy/ sci-fi setting with a complex and developed lore.
STORY: We follow Lanna, a young woman whose family have been forced to abandon their clan in the icy south to start a new life in the Imperial lands. Having to learn a new language and way of life, Lanna just seems about ready to settle in when she's whisked away by a powerful noblewoman for hidden reasons, about to learn her true destiny.
The story is well told with strong writing and drip fed lore, but the pacing is a bit all over the place. Act 1 is much too long and it takes until 30% of the book before the inciting incident happens. Then the middle is mostly worldbuilding and political intrigue, and the mystery is revealed in a rush in the last two chapters and wasn't that well built up. This isn't so much the story's fault as it is the characters, as they are not as well fleshed out as the plot and lore.
CHARACTERS: I found this to be the weakest aspect of the book. Lanna is initially portrayed as a strongwilled woman who can stand up for herself, but after she's taken from her family she becomes extremely passive. The setting lends itself to this as she's effectively a fish out of water and I wouldn't have a problem with it, but the issue I have is Lanna has no internal drive. So much is being kept from her but she makes no effort to investigate, until one scene where she automatically succeeds and is told everything. The one important choice she has to make towards the end is also extremely rushed and prompted by a plot device that comes out of no-where. Lanna also has no obvious flaws and this makes her much less memorable that other characters which is a problem when she's supposed to be the protagonist. Of course this does suit the 'blank slate' protagonist which remains popular but it isn't a type I enjoy personally.
The third person perspective further pulls you away from Lanna and this for me make her voice weak.
Chowa is far more interesting and to be fair I'd have loved to read a book from her perspective. She's manipulative, intelligent, can read people well while hiding her own feelings, but also has genuine care and respect for those who are important to her.
Other side characters also have political gains to make and I did appreciate how well the intrigue side of things was written.
SETTING: This is where the book excels, almost too much. The world is rich with history and background lore, and it really feels like a living, breathing world. It's also a mix of fantasy and lost ancient futuristic technology which I love. Some of the exposition feels a bit forced however, with Chowa mouthing off pages and pages of explanation- the one about economics felt completely unnecessary, especially as from Lanna's perspective it isn't relevant. But I enjoyed the deep detail and lavish descriptions, and anyone who loves deep worldbuilding will lap this up as well.
PRESENTATION: The book has a fantastic cover and clean formatting.
OVERALL: This book was built on a solid foundation of worldbuilding and political intrigue, but it seems to have sacrificed that for a memorable, active protagonist with flaws and an internal drive. Hopefully Lanna will get the development she deserves in book 2, but I recommend this for anyone who loves a solid fantasy/ sci-fi setting with a complex and developed lore.
May 5, 2022
This is a wonderful fantasy story. I was drawn right into Lanna's life. Her mom, dad and brother venture to a new land and a new life. They start off unsure of their reception in a new village. Especially since Lanna suffers from fainting spells, something like seizures.
It takes a while before we get to find why she has the seizures. As soon as I read about Lanna's health problem I knew something special would be causing them.
She sure does go through a lot as the story keeps moving along until a twist comes along that I didn't expect.
Political intrigue. Levels of authority. A harem. A chemist.
I would definitely enjoy reading the next book.
I am unable to buy books online. This one was free. So, I will be happy with the ending that this first book had.
It takes a while before we get to find why she has the seizures. As soon as I read about Lanna's health problem I knew something special would be causing them.
She sure does go through a lot as the story keeps moving along until a twist comes along that I didn't expect.
Political intrigue. Levels of authority. A harem. A chemist.
I would definitely enjoy reading the next book.
I am unable to buy books online. This one was free. So, I will be happy with the ending that this first book had.
July 20, 2021
Great Book!
I just finished reading this book and it was a very satisfactory experience. The beginning was slow and I almost gave up but am very glad I persevered because once Lanna arrives at the palace is when the adventure gets really interesting. Looking forward to the next book in the series of this highly recommended author.
I just finished reading this book and it was a very satisfactory experience. The beginning was slow and I almost gave up but am very glad I persevered because once Lanna arrives at the palace is when the adventure gets really interesting. Looking forward to the next book in the series of this highly recommended author.
December 6, 2021
was good.
May 18, 2023
Get into this series! Lana is a fantastic character! The first book will pull you in and you won't be able to stop - be warned!
February 1, 2024
Decent read. Needs a thorough edit.
For my clean readers: language-including f-bombs. Violence-slapping. Romance-sexual content, not for younger audiences. Abortion. Nudity. Poisoning.
For my clean readers: language-including f-bombs. Violence-slapping. Romance-sexual content, not for younger audiences. Abortion. Nudity. Poisoning.
December 17, 2024
I simply don’t care to review this atrocity
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2021
*REALLY 4.5 STARS*
Wow. A great read. The characters are three-dimensional and interesting. Our heroine, Lanna is lovely. I really liked her. She'd vulnerable yet strong, fierce yet compassionate. The pseudo fantasy world Ms. Velfman created is complex and fascinating! The hints of sci-fi were great. I loved the very subtle blending of genres.
Ms. Velfman is an incredibly gifted writer. She writes sumptuous descriptions and prose. (As a comparison, I am currently reading Sorcery of Thornes, [these books don't have any similarities plot-wise] and I'm thrown off by all of the similes and all the "telling" instead of "showing" the author does. Snowblind is no doubt a better written book, in my humble opinion.) Perhaps there were a few punctuation or spelling mistakes I noticed, but given this was self-published, all of that was very minor.
The only reason this wasn't a complete five star review is because I'm an unabashed 30 year-old prude. Some of the language and dialogue was a little bit too crass for my taste (but the author did put a content warning up about language, so I was not unprepared.) It took me out of the story more than once. But that didn’t stop me from plowing through my eBook like a bulldozer through snow. Although this book is not YA (I thought it was at first) I think it would still be suitable for older teens. The way some themes are handled in this book may rub some sensitive readers the wrong way, like topics on race, sexuality, and class - but I didn't have a lot of issues with it. The author most definitely didn't have any ill-intent.
I was glued to the pages, and that rarely happens to someone like myself, whose reputation is The Girl Who Never Finishes Her Books. About 80% of the books I start are never finished. I lose interest, or get bored, or a character might drive me up the wall, or the writing might slice my mind into little pieces. But, low and behold, none of that transpired while I read Snowblind. It's currently free on Amazon Kindle! Go do yourself a favor and read this special book!
Wow. A great read. The characters are three-dimensional and interesting. Our heroine, Lanna is lovely. I really liked her. She'd vulnerable yet strong, fierce yet compassionate. The pseudo fantasy world Ms. Velfman created is complex and fascinating! The hints of sci-fi were great. I loved the very subtle blending of genres.
Ms. Velfman is an incredibly gifted writer. She writes sumptuous descriptions and prose. (As a comparison, I am currently reading Sorcery of Thornes, [these books don't have any similarities plot-wise] and I'm thrown off by all of the similes and all the "telling" instead of "showing" the author does. Snowblind is no doubt a better written book, in my humble opinion.) Perhaps there were a few punctuation or spelling mistakes I noticed, but given this was self-published, all of that was very minor.
The only reason this wasn't a complete five star review is because I'm an unabashed 30 year-old prude. Some of the language and dialogue was a little bit too crass for my taste (but the author did put a content warning up about language, so I was not unprepared.) It took me out of the story more than once. But that didn’t stop me from plowing through my eBook like a bulldozer through snow. Although this book is not YA (I thought it was at first) I think it would still be suitable for older teens. The way some themes are handled in this book may rub some sensitive readers the wrong way, like topics on race, sexuality, and class - but I didn't have a lot of issues with it. The author most definitely didn't have any ill-intent.
I was glued to the pages, and that rarely happens to someone like myself, whose reputation is The Girl Who Never Finishes Her Books. About 80% of the books I start are never finished. I lose interest, or get bored, or a character might drive me up the wall, or the writing might slice my mind into little pieces. But, low and behold, none of that transpired while I read Snowblind. It's currently free on Amazon Kindle! Go do yourself a favor and read this special book!
January 6, 2023
I haven't fully read this book yet and I can't yet, but will. What I've read so far though is four stars. This book surprised me. I didn't have high hopes for this book. Books with these kinds of covers-that is being pretty to the point of when you read the book you see you were deceived. Yeah, I thought this book was going to be stupid all the way around and I was prepared to cringe. But call me stupid instead, cause I was completely wrong. This book was actually decently good. I couldn't look it up on goodreads, so I had to go into this blind. Therefore, there was a romance in the beginning that took me by surprise, not only cause it was there, but also cause it was actually a GOOD romance. Good golly was i mad, when the plot had to move along and our lovers were cut apart. They were adorable together. But then another surprise was that the parts that didn't have romance in them, I was actually interested in reading them. With me, that's the mark of a good book. If you.can get me interested in something other than romance, then gold star. And now I plan on reading book two when I can get ahold of it.
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