The Stone of Sorrow

Runecaster #1

by Brooke Carter

In a land of myth and ice, seventeen-year-old Runa Unnursdóttir is not the runecaster her clan has been hoping for. She spends her days daydreaming of sailing away and exploring the world instead of studying the runes and learning her spells. The villagers consider her odd, in looks and in manner. She’s nothing like her talented sister, Sýr, keeper of the sacred moonstone that ensures the village’s continued survival. But when a rival clan led by an evil witch raids the village and kidnaps her sister, Runa is forced to act. With a fallen Valkyrie by her side, and the help of a gorgeous half-elf Runa is not quite sure she can trust, the apprentice must travel to the site of an ancient runecasting competition to try to win back the magical gem. But the journey will not be easy; the three unlikely companions encounter malevolent and supernatural creatures at every turn. Somehow, Runa must summon the courage and strength to face her destiny, a destiny she never wanted. Or die trying.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, LGBT, Fiction, Young Adult Fantasy, Queer, Mythology

312 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2020

About the author

Brooke Carter is the author of several books, including The Stone of Sorrow, Another Miserable Love Song, Learning Seventeen, Lucky Break, The Unbroken Hearts Club, Double or Nothing, Sulfur Heart, Star-Eaters, Ghost Girl, and the forthcoming sequel Ghost Girl: The Other Side.

Reviews

[Brithanie Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐.5

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Looks like 2020 is going to be the year of mythology for me! The Stone Of Sorrow is one of several mythology inspired books coming out this year- and I was so grateful when Orca reached out to ask me if I'd like to review this one, because it was also written by a Canadian author- and if you didn't already know, I've been trying to challenge myself to read Canadian.

This was a solid start to a series that I believe has a lot of potential. I would've liked to see a little more character development, but I did come to care for Runa and her companions- and I will definitely be picking up the sequel.

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating: 2.5 Stars

Facing her destiny, Runa feels inadequate, lost and overwhelmed. She is not what her village had hoped for, nothing like her sister, but when her village is attacked, she is put in a position to grow beyond her doubts, her tiny place in the world and become the being she was meant to be, or die trying.

I was so ready to jump into this one, but I never got that “connection” I needed. ALL of the elements are there for sure, but they just didn’t meld together quite right for me. Too much inner confusion, not enough character growth and not really much of a current to keep this story moving along smoothly.

THE STONE OF SORROW by Brooke Carter may have just attempted to lay out a world that is massive in size and could just be a solid foundation for more in this series, but for me, it just wasn’t spot on.

I was invited to read and review a complimentary copy from Orca Book Publishers! This is my honest and voluntary review.

Series: Runecaster - Book 1
No purchase information available.
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@orcabook

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 stars

You can read all of my reviews at https://www.NerdGirlLovesBooks.com.

This is a good first book in a new YA Fantasy series that weaves Norse mythology and magic into the story of a young woman embarking on a quest to save her sister and clan.

Syr is a powerful runecaster for her clan and keeper of a magical gem called a moonstone. The moonstone magnifies her power and is essential in her clan's survival. Runa is her younger sister. Syr is training Runa to be a runecaster, but Runa would rather sail away and explore the world like their father. One day another clan under the spell of an evil witch raids their village and kidnaps Syr. After most of her clan is killed or put into a sleep-like trance, Runa sets off to rescue Syr. Along the way she is joined by a fallen Valkrie and the handsome half-elf heir of the rival clan that attacked her village. Both have their own reasons for aiding Runa's cause. With each challenge Runa faces on her quest, she becomes more adept at magic and gains the confidence she'll need to face the evil queen.

This is a fast-paced, easy, read. I consider this "fantasy-lite" as there is almost no world-building and few characters, but it's still an entertaining story. As with most YA books, there is no descriptive violence and no sex. Runa's character development is unrealistically quick and choppy, but considering the book is short for a fantasy novel, I guess the author needed to abbreviate her journey. This isn't a book that is thought-provoking or will spur hours of conversation with your friends, but it's still a fun, quick read.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kate]

I did not finish this title. I found the main character changed too drastically in a short amount of time. This made it hard for me to believe the character and connect with them. The main protagonist starts out as a vulnerable girl shadowed by the legacy of her sister. However, within a few pages she is strong and making blood oaths with the boy who cursed her village trusting him wholeheartedly. This left me confused. Also she meets a Valkyrie who is referred to in plural but the story never describes the character to clarify why this is. Between all those things, I stopped reading due to confusion and ended up not finishing the book.

[Lily (latestreads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Thank you to Orca Books for providing me with an ARC of this book. Some parts may have been changed as I did not read the final book. Please know that all of the expressed thoughts are my honest opinions.

The Stone of Sorrow by Brooke Carter is an Icelandic based mythology book with strong themes of family bonds. The book follows the main character Runa as she goes on a cross country adventure with two other strangers to save her sister, who was taken by an evil witch. Together they face supernatural creatures, all while wondering whether the others are trustworthy and fighting against a ticking clock. I was drawn to the book because of the mythology element, but the book sadly didn't meet my expectations. Primarily, I was left disappointed by the writing and characters.

The book is marketed as a young adult novel, but I feel an older MG classification would fit better. The writing, vocabulary, and plot are the main reasons I think it would fit better under the MG umbrella. In short, the dialogues and descriptions are out of place and awkward. Having read an ARC, I know that some of the things that I am going to be mentioning may have been edited, but these observations are throughout the novel. In many places, readers receive the same information more than once. But, the information given isn't forgettable the first time around. An example at the forefront of my mind is about Runa's sickness. The reader learns about Runa's dizzyness/sickness only to reiterate it a sentence later in a conversation between Runa and her sister. It would have felt maybe more natural if the readers learned about Runa's aliments via the conversation with her sister.
There were also many mentions of feelings and moments of love. Maybe it is just me, but some of these mentions rubbed me the wrong way. It is a super minor flaw, but it did end up taking me out of the story. In another instance, Runa calls the wicked witch "evil Katla" right after establishing that Katla is the evil witch that kidnapped her sister. Not only was it redundant, but it also made Runa seem way younger than she is. Runa is seventeen but acts years younger, which I'll touch on more in a little bit. Her internal monologue is also incredibly self-deprecating and berating. Some self-deprecation is normal in anyone's life. Runa was constantly belittling herself, and if this book is aimed even at a younger YA group, I cannot see it being a good example. Runa blames herself for things she had no control over, saying that she's "a gangling freak who [causes] nothing but problems," and views herself as "freaking Runa with the broken mind."

Character-wise, I was only able to get a good understanding of Runa. I felt that all the other characters were more two dimensional –– they weren't memorable for me. I do remember that there was LGBTQ+ representation in the book, though! Runa also didn't feel like a fully developed character either. My biggest annoyance was the lack of character growth. I can easily see the parts where Carter tried to build her character, but it read more like a sharp 180º turn in personality. It was extremely artificial at points and forced. As I mentioned before, she is seventeen, which I find incredibly hard to believe. Her inner monologue and behavior make her seem about 12. She thinks everything is about her and has an annoying attitude. One of my pet peeves was that Carter described Runa almost as a Wattpad character at points. You know the types: "oh, I think I am ugly, but people tell me I'm pretty for some reason," and the "I am so worthless, but I am the only one who can save the day." Runa was a mix of these two.

I saw potential in the plot line and story. I love learning about mythology from other cultures and underdog stories. I also enjoyed the family aspect of this book. Runa was super close with her sister, and they had a great relationship. However, all the other plot and story aspects rubbed me the wrong way. There was the use of tropes and cliches, which aren't inherently wrong, but they weren't able to add a lot to the story. The adventure that Runa goes on had its exciting moments. She and her group would have fairytale encounters and moments of action. The book was a quick read, but the story progressed slowly. If there was more action and it moved faster, I would have liked the story more. That said, I liked reading about all the different challenges and stops they had to make on their way to the competition. At times it did feel like they were making to-do/checklist stops, but that didn't bother me too much. What bothered me the most was the ending. Carter had built this whole story on the goal of Runa getting to the competition to save her sister and win back the magical stone. The journey to the moonstone competition was challenging and long (roughly 250 pages), and the battle took a minute (basically a page). It was frustrating to have traveled, so to say, this far with Runa only to have the final moment last less than a stop they made on the road. I was hoping for a big battle at the competition, and it fell short (quite literally). In the end, Carter threw in an exciting, abet slightly predictable, twist. I'm not going to elaborate too much, but I made me look back over the whole novel and wonder what the next one would bring.

The Stone of Sorrow is a novel filled with rich Icelandic mythology character and strong family themes. While it is marketed as a YA book, I firmly believe that it would be better as a MG book as the themes and plot aren't as intricately developed or written as other YA books The main reasoning behind my low review is because of the underdeveloped characters and the writing in general. There were some exciting moments and a little twist at the end, but I can't see myself reading the next book nor recommending this one.

[Taylor (Books&Beanies) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The moonstone boosts the power of whoever is wielding it so that they can help keep their clan prosperous, but during every red moon, it must be taken to moonwater to be recharged and for runecasters from different clans to fight for it. Runa’s sister Syr is the current holder of the moonstone but it’s power is fading because the red moon is near. When a witch from another clan comes to take the stone she puts Runa’s clan into a dreamlike state and kidnaps Syr. Runa must build up the courage and confidence to make it to moonwater and save her sister and her clan.

Can I have the next book now, please? I absolutely LOVED this book. I was honestly in a kind of reading slump when I started this book, but once I began reading it I was unable to put it down. Sometimes with fantasy books/series there’s a lot of overlapping and similarities to other books/series, but luckily that was not the case with this book. I felt this book was totally original and loved every bit of it. I really enjoyed the Norse mythology and the way the magic was portrayed. I also liked all of the different species/creatures. I think the author did an amazing job with this book and I’m already looking forward to the next book. 

Runa is the main character of this story. She looks a lot different from the people in her clan, so she doesn’t really fit in. She is super close with her sister Syr who is helping her learn how to use her runes. Runa sometimes goes into these dream-like states which she calls her ‘sickness.’ This ‘sickness’ makes it hard for Runa to have confidence in herself. 

Syr is the holder of the moonstone. It was passed down to her whenever her and Runa’s mom died after giving birth to Runa. Syr takes care of Runa since they are basically all each other have. 

While I was reading this book, I kept thinking I knew what was going to come next, but most of the time I was wrong, and to me, that’s what makes a great book and the author definitely nailed it with this one. I have read almost all of Brooke Carter’s books and have never been disappointed, so if you have not checked out her books I highly recommend doing so. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a new fantasy series or anyone just looking for a good book. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Orca Books Publishers for this ARC in return for an honest review.

[Rivka · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the Publisher for sending me at ARC for an honest review.

Okay. So this book had sooo much potential and it didn’t deliver.
First, it took me forever to get through the first 50 pages. I think the idea was if we spent more time at the village, we would care more about the people. But honestly, it just felt like the same things were repeated over and over
Second, out main character Runa. I didn’t understand her arc at all. She went from “I can’t cast a spell” to literally using them for everything.
Third, Runa’s whole journey was just to flatlined, it that makes sense. Things happen to only move the plot along. Example:”Oh look a person” two second later she needs person just like the one she just met. I just felt like we went from a to b without good connecting points.
Four, the relationship. I didn’t care for Runa and Einar at all. I didn’t feel that spark. He just wasn’t there and than he was. And the whole “randomly seeing each other naked” thing didn’t help.
Five, the Valkyrie want to find her love, boom they find her. She is useful for the move of the plot but when the book ends we suddenly forget that she is still stuck at the place they left her??? Without a hand?!?
And finally the world and magic itself. Explain to me how the hell Runa can literally OPEN a hole in the ground to kill the witch and travel through time but can’t save her sister? Like, they healed all the sicknesses without any problem but when the plot needs a dramatic death, they suddenly forget about what they can do?

I was also very unhappy with the fact that the “spells” were basically regular instructions. “Light fire” and boom you have fire. Like the author didn’t even bother to create or use Northern Mythology/ new developed magic language.

Overall, it’s really hard to write a fantasy book in 300 pages.

[Lindsey Rojem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program for giving me a copy of this book, because I was blown away. I loved the setting and the mythology and the entire journey. I would love to see the Valkyrie expanded on more and to learn more about the spellcasting, but the whole thing was really well done. The Icelandic setting was a refreshing change and I look forward to the next book!

[charlotte, · Rating 2 out of 5]

Five Reasons to Read this Book

Rep: nonbinary and wlw major side characters

Galley kindly provided by Brooke Carter

[Amberrider · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was original, exciting and really moving in parts. Highly recommended!

[Jas Kaur · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had plenty of great ideas and was written wonderfully but fir some reason it was not linking together for me. It just turned out very....meh.
But that's just me, it might be great for you. Give it a shot and see what you think.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC of this book, the first of a young adult (but early young adult) series featuring Icelandic mythology. Written by a BC author and publishing on April 7 via Orca Books, this series features a lot of magic, a few love stories (not graphic, thus the early young adult comment) and a quest featuring different beings such as Valkyries and Elves.

Runa feels like she always been in the shadow of her powerful sister Syr, the keeper of the powerful moonstone that she uses to keep her clan safe and healthy until the powerful witch Katla arrives to take over the island and the power of the moonstone. After Katla takes Syr, Runa is left without the security that her sister provides, and needing to accept the larger part in her family's role as caretaker's of the clan that she never wanted or felt able to do.

Runa has many obstacles to overcome, both physical and magical, but most of all her lack of belief in herself. This was a promising opening to a series, the characters are likable and readers will enjoy seeing their growth, probably from book to book as well. This book is a shorter read for this genre and might work well with early high school readers that I know that seem to be put off by the length of many mythology/speculative fiction series .

[holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Thank you to Orca Book Publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"We don't worry about things that have not come to pass. I'm just saying that nothing lasts forever. People change, move, grow, journey, and they die. We know this. We can't be afraid."

My full review can be found here!

There were lots of promising pieces here, but in the end I was ultimately left feeling disconnected from every single character. They felt distant and far away, which made it a struggle for me to be invested despite the high stakes. As someone whose connection with the characters can make or break my reading experience... Yeah, this was break.

Between that and a standardized “road trip” fantasy plot that felt like each pit stop existed merely to prolong reaching the climax, I feel as though I could have read the first fifty pages and the last fifty pages (if that), and gotten the same story. Unfortunately, I’m not invested enough to continue the series.

[Laura Kehoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun read! I’ve always found mythology fascinating, especially Norse mythology. So when I saw a book that centered around that, I was really excited to give it a go. While at times this plot was a little uneven, overall I found it to be an interesting and enjoyable read!

One of my favorite parts about this book was the unique and strong characters. Each one had their own personality and agenda. There were times when I felt the character growth felt a bit rushed, but for the most part I thought they were all believable and well-developed!

As with the character growth, I thought the plot felt a little rushed at times. Although there were other times when I think things moved a bit too slow. I enjoyed the story, but I think the pacing was kind of all over the place.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. While I would have liked a bit more character development, and the plot could have been smoother, I still had a great time reading this. I’m interested to see where the story goes next!

Thank you to Netgalley and Orca Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[J of the Roses · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Stone of Sorrow is a nuanced narrative that explores a deficient YA Fantasy niche. Brooke Carter deftly weaves Nordic mythology into her story and conjures a world of brutal beauty and magic. It is a bleak world of survival and sacrifice, but at its core is a story of sisterly devotion and love. Though undeniably absorbing, it is plagued by some flaws, especially pacing. It begins with long, languid strokes, but then proceeds with a rapidity that is detrimental to the story. The first part is bogged down by a bloated backstory, but once the action begins, there are few reflective moments. This jarring change of pace diminishes the impact of individual events. This is especially evident in the latter portion, where events quickly transpire with little differentiation. The conclusion ultimately comes too swiftly and neatly resolves the story despite the sometimes messy, meandering preamble. It is ultimately a satisfying conclusion, but perhaps a bit too rushed and precise. The story definitely has promise, however, and I intend to continue along with Runa on her journey.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was received as an ARC from Orca Book Publishers in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Family bond was the theme of this book. Runa was a runecaster but she would daydream and cast spells that are irrelevant to her practice. Then her sister being the best runecaster in the tribe, gets kidnapped from a rival tribe and Runa is forced to get her act together and help save her. Meeting a gorgeous half-elf and having her mindset on the mission, Runa is not sure whom she can trust to help her save her sister. Throughout the journey, Runa comes to discover that her destiny is not what she expected and that another path is right set for Runa, its a matter of life or death. I was invested 100% of the way and it's easy to get caught up in Runa's journey and join her for the ride. Our teen book club is sure to love this book and will generate very lively discussions.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

[Nikki (Dark.Side.of.the.Tome) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story had me from the start.

I thought the writing was strong and descriptive which I haven't seen as much lately in a lot of other books I've read. It was nice to feel more emersed in the story.

The story itself was enticing and unique. I really enjoyed the mythology and the setting. The way the beginning played out was so interesting to me and I needed to know what was going to happen.

The love the MC's have for eachother and their village really drives the story I enjoyed the journey to get it all back.

It was a lot of fun watching Runa grow into her own and partner up with others she wouldn't norlmally encounter.

I am definitely interested to see what happens in the next book when it comes out. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Publishers for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

[Heather Roth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been drawn to books lately with sisters/family bond themes and this one did not disappoint! I enjoyed this and found myself going back for more as the day went on. I'm a little late reading/rating this but I'm glad I did! I'm going to buy this and add it to my collection.

[Yara · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I was so disappointed with this book as it had so much potential. But it moved way too slowly, the MC was hard to relate to, and I didn’t sense much of a connection between the main characters. It was really 2 stars for me but I upped it to 2.5 for the potential of a cool Nordic mythology based story.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

*grabby hands* BOOK TWO PLEASE!

[Leslie Bootle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book: epic quest, social-norm-defying characters, curiosity piqued for the next book!

[Clarissa]

DNF

It just wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get into the characters, and I felt like there was some pacing issues. I was just not interested and being at the halfway point...I felt like I never would be.

[Jen Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, can't wait for the next in the series!

[Jamie Trauth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really excited about this one. I was drawn into it by the cover! Looks like a fun ride!



Arc review to come soon!

[Danae · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5⭐️

I love the world in this book and the Norse mythology is spectacular. However, the characters left me feeling cold, the love in the book whether familial or romantic or friendship felt like kissing a dead fish. I cannot believe I am going to say this, but I think I would’ve loved the book more if there wasn’t any love relations. The reason is they all started out strong or at least the familial did, the romantic felt kind of forced and suddenly there, the friendships I wasn’t sure if I could quite trust it because it again felt like it just happened… only to have all relationships end like the author couldn’t be bothered.
It honestly felt like the author cared more about the world than the characters (I kind of felt like the characters were only there to show the world not be a part of it).
And I couldn’t root for Runa like I wanted to because she was either whining or complaining about how weak and a freak she was (see could’ve been something to root for) and then all of a sudden I had to stop and be like “who died and made you God” because suddenly she was being judge jury and executioner and I couldn’t figure out her actions. Just because you became the chosen one doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. She became worse than the evil witch she was trying to defeat.

Don’t get me wrong this book makes an excellent read for the world alone. It’s just not something I can see myself rereading.

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was a good time.
It always had me interested and I finished it within days. The plot was nicely paced so that there was always something of interest happening.

I got enough information about the world to be satisfied and mystified without getting too bogged down. It felt just right for my taste. The world was fun to be in. There were a lot of fun encounters.

The protagonist did annoy me at times and there were a few eye rolls, but not many. For the most part I found her to be an enjoyable voice to narrate the story.

The only part I really felt let me down was the love interest stuff... I love a good romantic side plot and this is not it. Honestly it would have been better if they were just friends, the romance aspect of their relationship added nothing.
But it's not invasive and doesn't take away from the story, it just feels unnecessary, so I can deal with that.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Standard fantasy YA fare, but with Icelandic fairy tale creatures. Our girl Runa doesn't believe in herself because she's weird, is forced by circumstances to go on a quest, meets up with quest-buddies and makes a blood pact to kill the evil sorceress, visits the elf realm and other magical places, slowly realizes her weirdness is actually that she is *extra* magical, develops confidence, and wins the day. Easy to read and cool to have queer characters whose queerness is not the central focus of the story. There are a few loose ends that were oddly dropped, and some of the characters decisions don't entirely make sense to me, but overall it was an enjoyable read and made me cry at the end. (To be fair, it's not that hard to make me cry. 🥲)

[Ceres95 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Runa and Syr are two young sisters, Syr is the guardian of the sacred stone that ensures the security of the village. With her runes and spells she protects and helps the people. Runa has to learn how to cast spells with her runes but she is more interested in the sea and her desire to travel. When Syr is kidnapped by an enemy clan, she will do anything to go and save her, including traveling with a Valkyrie and the enemy's son.
Runa is an interesting character, she has absolutely no self-confidence, either in her looks or in her abilities with the runes. Yet her destiny is all mapped out.
I love Runa because despite her lack of self-confidence, she knows that she must save her sister, even if it frightens her. She doesn't want the witch to kill her sister and take power.
I loved Oski, I loved his humor, his frankness and his murderous side worthy of a valkyrie.
I liked Einar too, he wants to save his people at all costs, but not at the expense of Runa, he will become attached to her.
I have to admit that I'm a little afraid of what will happen in the next book because the end gives clues that intrigue me.
Anyway I liked the story, the characters and I can't wait to see where Runa is going to take us and if she's really going to get her revenge.

[Melissa Colby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the Icelandic setting of this book, there’s something about the volcanic black sands and cold ocean fishing village that is completely captivating to me. Add into that some very cool Icelandic folklore/Norse mythology and you get a book that feels steeped in magic. Wasn’t able to find much information on the second book though. Seems as though it was scheduled to be published in 2021 but never actually was? Unable to find anything else about it. Strange and mysterious but seems appropriate for this book somehow

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this storyline and I enjoyed it very much however I felt like it dragged just to put the story in place. The meanings behind everything to make the end understandable. The novel really set in motion for me when Runa finally began to feel confident in herself even with her occasional doubt, and in the end became such a strong and loving character.