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Eira
A ghost in the woods. A woman cursed. A park ranger with a choice...her life for another.
Gwyn has lived inconspicuously in Glacier National Park for the better part of a century, careful never to reveal too much. By day she masquerades as the Eira Ghost, the one who ushers in the winter every fall, to get a glimpse of what she will never have—love. In order to fully break the curse, she would have to risk everything.
Kay loves being a park ranger and every summer, she searches for the elusive Eira Ghost, a legend she’s tried to prove for three summers. Little does she know, she’s come face to face with all she’s been looking for. But is Kay willing to give up her life in order to break Gwyn’s curse?
If you wanted Elsa to find true love with another woman or if you love fairytales retold, this modern Snow Queen retelling is just for you.
Gwyn has lived inconspicuously in Glacier National Park for the better part of a century, careful never to reveal too much. By day she masquerades as the Eira Ghost, the one who ushers in the winter every fall, to get a glimpse of what she will never have—love. In order to fully break the curse, she would have to risk everything.
Kay loves being a park ranger and every summer, she searches for the elusive Eira Ghost, a legend she’s tried to prove for three summers. Little does she know, she’s come face to face with all she’s been looking for. But is Kay willing to give up her life in order to break Gwyn’s curse?
If you wanted Elsa to find true love with another woman or if you love fairytales retold, this modern Snow Queen retelling is just for you.
183 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2021
9 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Adrian J. Smith
77 books420 followersAdrian J. Smith has been publishing since 2013 but has been writing nearly her entire life. With a focus on women loving women fiction, AJ jumps genres from action-packed police procedurals to the seedier life of vampires and witches to sweet romances with a May-December twist. She loves writing and reading about women in the midst of the ordinariness of life. Two of her novels, For by Grace and Memoir in the Making, received honorable mentions with the Rainbow Awards.
AJ currently lives in Cheyenne, WY, although she moves often and has lived all over the United States. She loves to travel to different countries and places. She currently plays the roles of author, wife, and mother to two rambunctious kids, occasional handy-woman. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, or her blog.
AJ currently lives in Cheyenne, WY, although she moves often and has lived all over the United States. She loves to travel to different countries and places. She currently plays the roles of author, wife, and mother to two rambunctious kids, occasional handy-woman. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, or her blog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
November 13, 2023
This was ok, a bit disappointing really. Glacier National Park, a Welsh Queen over a thousand years old cursed, lots of hiking and outdoor scenes, but in the end as it centred around the two main characters without anyone else getting much of a look in, it fell a bit flat for me.
July 5, 2021
Kindle Unlimited. I really wanted to like this so much more than I did. I mean a modern sapphic retelling of The Snow Queen fairy tale? Heck Yeah! But I had so many issues with it, which I feel so bad about, I never want to be deliberately negative. Nor to dissuade any other readers interest - so please do try it for yourself. Since it is available on KU, if you're subscribed. It's fairly short read under 3 hours I think.
I know the work involved in storytelling, and effort put forth. I appreciate authors so much, especially when they try new things. I get that it's also really easy to criticize, too. But I swear that is never my intention. I have had a few brief interactions with the author online through social media, which makes it harder because you want to be nice to people who have been nice to you. But I also have to be honest. But I'll try and keep it quick.
Ultimately I felt very little actual connection and personality for the two female leads and their romance. It all happens very quickly, despite the constant narrative of Gwyn, stating she needs to stay away from people, and potential lovers, because of her curse and magical abilities that she lacks control over, and her not wanting to harm anyone, or her own heart etc. Kay I found entirely too forward with Gwyn, it moved too quickly. Both women come off fairly immature, despite supposedly being in their 30's.
They claim a huge connection, but often just don't talk? or at least their supposed feelings are never fully fleshed out or shown, in my opinion. I just struggled to believe it. Also again with the not talking - toward the end after they seemingly established a relationship - they often go weeks without seeing each other, or talking about big reveals that *just* happened - and it just comes off strange and also dramatic for tension that never rings true.
Again the constant narrative for Gwyn is trying not to get involved with Kay, but continually seeking her out, only to make plans to get herself away from her again - like I get it - her backstory makes her incredibly uncertain and her behaviour erratic, but it all just becomes too convenient in the end. Yknow. Forced.
I did love the atmosphere of the national park, and the ice and cold of the story. I'd absolutely love to hear other readers thoughts, and again do encourage others to give it a go. 2 stars for 'just okay'.
I know the work involved in storytelling, and effort put forth. I appreciate authors so much, especially when they try new things. I get that it's also really easy to criticize, too. But I swear that is never my intention. I have had a few brief interactions with the author online through social media, which makes it harder because you want to be nice to people who have been nice to you. But I also have to be honest. But I'll try and keep it quick.
Ultimately I felt very little actual connection and personality for the two female leads and their romance. It all happens very quickly, despite the constant narrative of Gwyn, stating she needs to stay away from people, and potential lovers, because of her curse and magical abilities that she lacks control over, and her not wanting to harm anyone, or her own heart etc. Kay I found entirely too forward with Gwyn, it moved too quickly. Both women come off fairly immature, despite supposedly being in their 30's.
They claim a huge connection, but often just don't talk? or at least their supposed feelings are never fully fleshed out or shown, in my opinion. I just struggled to believe it. Also again with the not talking - toward the end after they seemingly established a relationship - they often go weeks without seeing each other, or talking about big reveals that *just* happened - and it just comes off strange and also dramatic for tension that never rings true.
Again the constant narrative for Gwyn is trying not to get involved with Kay, but continually seeking her out, only to make plans to get herself away from her again - like I get it - her backstory makes her incredibly uncertain and her behaviour erratic, but it all just becomes too convenient in the end. Yknow. Forced.
I did love the atmosphere of the national park, and the ice and cold of the story. I'd absolutely love to hear other readers thoughts, and again do encourage others to give it a go. 2 stars for 'just okay'.
July 30, 2021
Eira, A Snow Queen Retelling grabbed my interest at the beginning however the lack of communication between the two characters drove me to barely finishing the novel.
Kay, the Park Ranger, is attracted to the mysterious Gwyn, a women she finds reading beside a lake. They fall very quickly into dating and needing no one else to make their love complete. My sarcasm comes from the frustration I felt at how contrived the love story felt to me. The main characters did not have any real connection besides making out in the back of a Jeep, once. Adrian J. Smith really pushed the believability quotient for instant love and connection.
What attracted me to this novel was its concept. A child is cursed by a witch to represent cold and ice. She has the power to kill if she kisses someone three times. Combine this with ghost sightings and I was all in to read the book. Perhaps my expectations were too high but this book was just not for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Kay, the Park Ranger, is attracted to the mysterious Gwyn, a women she finds reading beside a lake. They fall very quickly into dating and needing no one else to make their love complete. My sarcasm comes from the frustration I felt at how contrived the love story felt to me. The main characters did not have any real connection besides making out in the back of a Jeep, once. Adrian J. Smith really pushed the believability quotient for instant love and connection.
What attracted me to this novel was its concept. A child is cursed by a witch to represent cold and ice. She has the power to kill if she kisses someone three times. Combine this with ghost sightings and I was all in to read the book. Perhaps my expectations were too high but this book was just not for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 14, 2021
"Not only she was cursed to kill, she was cursed to be alone."
First of all- I love this cover and I love the dedication section!
What if Elsa had a girl?
It wouldn't be so easy because she's cursed with a spell from witch. That happened to Gwynn, who lives hundreds of years in national park and is crushing on ranger Kay. Many people think Gwynn is a ghost named Eira and Kay is determined to find the ghost in person. And when they meet there are sparks everywhere!
I really love Gwynn's shy personality and her appearance and on the other side we have energetic and talkative Kay. They are completely different and yet so perfect together. I liked their chemistry and all their adventures together.
The story is easy to follow, it's page turning and captivating till the end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
First of all- I love this cover and I love the dedication section!
What if Elsa had a girl?
It wouldn't be so easy because she's cursed with a spell from witch. That happened to Gwynn, who lives hundreds of years in national park and is crushing on ranger Kay. Many people think Gwynn is a ghost named Eira and Kay is determined to find the ghost in person. And when they meet there are sparks everywhere!
I really love Gwynn's shy personality and her appearance and on the other side we have energetic and talkative Kay. They are completely different and yet so perfect together. I liked their chemistry and all their adventures together.
The story is easy to follow, it's page turning and captivating till the end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 29, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I never tire of fairy tale retellings but the Snow Queen isn’t one I see a lot of. This book tackles it and in a wonderfully unique manner. You can see the inspiration but the story stands on its own.
The setting is intriguing. It’s not one I see used very often and it truly serves the story well! I love when temperatures are used to set atmosphere and this kind of story is just made for that! I found myself shivering along with the characters.
Speaking of which...
Best part of the book. The relationship at the core is a different approach than usual and I adore it for that. You can really see how these personalities would feed off one another!
Definitely add it to your TBR list.
I never tire of fairy tale retellings but the Snow Queen isn’t one I see a lot of. This book tackles it and in a wonderfully unique manner. You can see the inspiration but the story stands on its own.
The setting is intriguing. It’s not one I see used very often and it truly serves the story well! I love when temperatures are used to set atmosphere and this kind of story is just made for that! I found myself shivering along with the characters.
Speaking of which...
Best part of the book. The relationship at the core is a different approach than usual and I adore it for that. You can really see how these personalities would feed off one another!
Definitely add it to your TBR list.
May 27, 2021
An ARC copy was given to me from BookSirens for a honest review.
I really liked this book, it was a new view on the Snow Queen story. This story is well written and I liked both characters. Kay (the ranger), who lives in present time and Gwyn (Eira), who lives through the time. I like the slow building of relationships and the fact, that immortality and magic are not always a blessing. I was sad, that the story ended so soon and left space for wondering. How will Eira get along in this new world, will the relationship go on etc.
I really liked this book, it was a new view on the Snow Queen story. This story is well written and I liked both characters. Kay (the ranger), who lives in present time and Gwyn (Eira), who lives through the time. I like the slow building of relationships and the fact, that immortality and magic are not always a blessing. I was sad, that the story ended so soon and left space for wondering. How will Eira get along in this new world, will the relationship go on etc.
July 13, 2021
This is the second book I've read by the author. Based on the storyline, I looked forward to the read - a modern retelling of the Snow Queen Fairytale. Here are my pros and cons:
Pros - National Park setting (Glacier National Park).
Kay, park ranger.
Legend of the spirit Eira/Gwyn.
Cons - Eira/Gwyn not believable.
Main characters are lacking in any chemistry.
Experienced ranger doesn't notice anything odd about a camper without appropriate gear,
water, etc. Plus her hut is undiscovered all these years?
I respect the love and labor that an author invests in their work but unfortunately this book just seemed stilted and I couldn't stretch my imagination enough. I wavered back and forth for a rating - ultimately for the storyline and setting I'll give 2 stars - just my humble opinion. I particularly liked "Memoir in the Making" and look forward to reading more by Ms. Smith.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout and this is my voluntary and unbiased review.
Pros - National Park setting (Glacier National Park).
Kay, park ranger.
Legend of the spirit Eira/Gwyn.
Cons - Eira/Gwyn not believable.
Main characters are lacking in any chemistry.
Experienced ranger doesn't notice anything odd about a camper without appropriate gear,
water, etc. Plus her hut is undiscovered all these years?
I respect the love and labor that an author invests in their work but unfortunately this book just seemed stilted and I couldn't stretch my imagination enough. I wavered back and forth for a rating - ultimately for the storyline and setting I'll give 2 stars - just my humble opinion. I particularly liked "Memoir in the Making" and look forward to reading more by Ms. Smith.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout and this is my voluntary and unbiased review.
May 12, 2021
3.5 stars
This is a light fantasy retelling of the ice queen fairytale its a good read but has a few aspects that knocked that half star off for me and kept it from getting 4 stars.
Kay is a ranger at Glacier National Park and has spent the last few years sharing the story of the Eira ghost but never seeing it herself. Until this year. The ghost is really Gwyn, a queen cursed with immortal life and no heat. And a kiss that will kill anyone except her true love.
Great concept and the descriptions of the park are engrossing. But Kay meets Gwyn and doesn’t realize she is the ghost, which drove me crazy until chapters later when it’s revealed Gwyn can make herself glow and that’s why Kay didn’t make the connection. Or the fact that they are supposed to be true loves but literally go 3 weeks without talking with barely a thought.
I would recommend this book if you like fairytales or light fantasy.
This is a light fantasy retelling of the ice queen fairytale its a good read but has a few aspects that knocked that half star off for me and kept it from getting 4 stars.
Kay is a ranger at Glacier National Park and has spent the last few years sharing the story of the Eira ghost but never seeing it herself. Until this year. The ghost is really Gwyn, a queen cursed with immortal life and no heat. And a kiss that will kill anyone except her true love.
Great concept and the descriptions of the park are engrossing. But Kay meets Gwyn and doesn’t realize she is the ghost, which drove me crazy until chapters later when it’s revealed Gwyn can make herself glow and that’s why Kay didn’t make the connection. Or the fact that they are supposed to be true loves but literally go 3 weeks without talking with barely a thought.
I would recommend this book if you like fairytales or light fantasy.
July 6, 2021
I received a free ARC through BookSirens for an honest review. I am writing this voluntarily with my own candid view of the novel.
Eira is a fairy tale retelling of the Snow Queen with a F/F romance twist. The story follows Kay, a park ranger, and Gwyn, the 'Eira Ghost' of the park, as they meet and fall in love while tackling the challenges of isolation, avoidance, and what it means to fully trust another.
All in all, I found the story to be charming and an enjoyable read. The relationship did move quite quick, but the speed makes sense in terms of the length of the book and the fact this plot is restricted to a single summer. The struggles they faced in their relationship felt realistic - it wasn't all glitter and sunshine with the only struggle being Gwyn's curse. There were the negatives: the fear of communication and avoiding their problems. There were also the positives: respecting boundaries and gradually building a trust in one another. It blended very well, and I must commend Smith's ability to weave complex yet realistic relationships that are neither perfect nor toxic.
The story is split into two 3rd person POVs between Kay and Gwyn. I found myself wishing the reader was restricted to one side or the other, whether it be uncovering Gwyn's secret through Kay's perspective or experiencing Gwyn's positive development due to Kay. It could've also left room for wonder on the reader's part, whether it be connecting the dots between Gwyn and the Eira Ghost through Kay, or uncovering Kay's true feelings through Gwyn. However, as is works perfectly well too, as we get to see both perspectives and get to really know both characters as the story progresses.
The ending was sweet but felt abrupt. I wish there was more conflict leading up to it. There was still a sense of urgency, but not as much as I would have liked for such an important moment in the story.
Unfortunately, Eira does possess quite a few glaring errors and clunky sentences. They can be quite distracting, which did affect my reading experience.
All in all, if you're looking for a quickish story to read with a complex F/F relationship, this is your cup of tea. Don't expect a complicated narrative, but do expect to come out of it generally satisfied with a retelling of a now-popular fairytale.
CW: sex (2 scenes total)
Eira is a fairy tale retelling of the Snow Queen with a F/F romance twist. The story follows Kay, a park ranger, and Gwyn, the 'Eira Ghost' of the park, as they meet and fall in love while tackling the challenges of isolation, avoidance, and what it means to fully trust another.
All in all, I found the story to be charming and an enjoyable read. The relationship did move quite quick, but the speed makes sense in terms of the length of the book and the fact this plot is restricted to a single summer. The struggles they faced in their relationship felt realistic - it wasn't all glitter and sunshine with the only struggle being Gwyn's curse. There were the negatives: the fear of communication and avoiding their problems. There were also the positives: respecting boundaries and gradually building a trust in one another. It blended very well, and I must commend Smith's ability to weave complex yet realistic relationships that are neither perfect nor toxic.
The story is split into two 3rd person POVs between Kay and Gwyn. I found myself wishing the reader was restricted to one side or the other, whether it be uncovering Gwyn's secret through Kay's perspective or experiencing Gwyn's positive development due to Kay. It could've also left room for wonder on the reader's part, whether it be connecting the dots between Gwyn and the Eira Ghost through Kay, or uncovering Kay's true feelings through Gwyn. However, as is works perfectly well too, as we get to see both perspectives and get to really know both characters as the story progresses.
The ending was sweet but felt abrupt. I wish there was more conflict leading up to it. There was still a sense of urgency, but not as much as I would have liked for such an important moment in the story.
Unfortunately, Eira does possess quite a few glaring errors and clunky sentences. They can be quite distracting, which did affect my reading experience.
All in all, if you're looking for a quickish story to read with a complex F/F relationship, this is your cup of tea. Don't expect a complicated narrative, but do expect to come out of it generally satisfied with a retelling of a now-popular fairytale.
CW: sex (2 scenes total)
August 5, 2021
EIRA is a standalone novella giving The Snow Queen a FF fairytale retelling.
The descriptions of the national park, the weather, the hut, all those sorts of things were absolutely brilliant. I could see them so clearly in my mind as I read, which is always a good thing.
What I didn't like so much were the main characters themselves, which kinda makes it awkward! I didn't really feel any connection between them, not helped by the long periods of time that slipped them both by without them being in contact.
The other thing was when Kay had been told about the curse. She goes to the library and searches out information on Gwyn, finding out she was a historical figure who just disappeared. Then she makes a connection to fairy tales and decides - with no real proof, just a hunch - that Gwyn is The Snow Queen and she knows how to save her. I love fantasy and paranormal but even I found this to be a stretch of the imagination.
Overall, this was a nice coffee break book that I enjoyed but it is a one-and-done for me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
The descriptions of the national park, the weather, the hut, all those sorts of things were absolutely brilliant. I could see them so clearly in my mind as I read, which is always a good thing.
What I didn't like so much were the main characters themselves, which kinda makes it awkward! I didn't really feel any connection between them, not helped by the long periods of time that slipped them both by without them being in contact.
The other thing was when Kay had been told about the curse. She goes to the library and searches out information on Gwyn, finding out she was a historical figure who just disappeared. Then she makes a connection to fairy tales and decides - with no real proof, just a hunch - that Gwyn is The Snow Queen and she knows how to save her. I love fantasy and paranormal but even I found this to be a stretch of the imagination.
Overall, this was a nice coffee break book that I enjoyed but it is a one-and-done for me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
August 18, 2021
What I Think: This is my first read by this Authoress and I couldn’t wait to goble it up once I saw what it involved. Apparently, I’m not the only one who thought of this twist so thank you so much for letting the world know I can be intelligent. Sometimes. Let’s not take a mile here. Onwards! This tale started slow which reminded me of the time my Alpha readers asked me to bring the action closer to the beginning and not after 10 chapters. And, nope, it was waaayyy sooner than that. But its slow start was a deceptive lull because Eira’s loneliness cut deep into me. Before I knew it, I was as cold and achy as Eira. Worst part of it was not knowing what else could be tried. The woman already tried everything and all it brought was more death and more acute, icebitten loneliness. I had just one question – Why did she suffer for so long? The ache was articulation deep. Kay is solid and grounded but how does she not only believe a fairytale but also believe that she can break it? As she researches and Eira makes her own plans that she believes will ensure safety and summer begins to wind down, I start to...For the rest of this review, do go to blog of same name. See you there!
Verdict? A comfort keeper of a fairytale that is a reminder that fairy tales aren’t just for children because for adults they are even more necessary!
Verdict? A comfort keeper of a fairytale that is a reminder that fairy tales aren’t just for children because for adults they are even more necessary!
October 20, 2021
Gwyn and Kay a nice retelling of Snow Queen. Loved the writing. Such a sweet romance. I did receive a free copy. But I am so glad I read it.
February 10, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. Got frustrated a few times lol but worth it in the end. All though still some questions at the end........
July 6, 2021
Thank you Book Sirens for this copy of Eira in exchange for an honest review.
An Ice Queen WLW retelling? I was immediately hooked! This is the perfect novella to palette cleanse between tougher books. It's a sweet romance between a park ranger and a "ghost".
Gwyn is cursed to harm anyone she loves but can she overcome that with Kay?
I understand it is a novella, but I did wish things weren't so rushed. There was a lot of up and down for them to be so in love by the end.
An Ice Queen WLW retelling? I was immediately hooked! This is the perfect novella to palette cleanse between tougher books. It's a sweet romance between a park ranger and a "ghost".
Gwyn is cursed to harm anyone she loves but can she overcome that with Kay?
I understand it is a novella, but I did wish things weren't so rushed. There was a lot of up and down for them to be so in love by the end.
June 12, 2021
The plot was okay and the characters likeable but for me it was more of a fairytale than anything, I did not feel the Puch of the story.
There was a point when it was exciting but then it kind of faded without living up to the expected hype it was promising.
I guess others might love it but for me I did not enjoy it as much as I would have liked.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There was a point when it was exciting but then it kind of faded without living up to the expected hype it was promising.
I guess others might love it but for me I did not enjoy it as much as I would have liked.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 13, 2021
I received an ARC of this book for free from BookSirens.
A big thank you to them and the author.
Snow Queen retelling with f/f romance? Yes please. Unfortunately, this short story didn't deliver everything I was hoping for. Both Kai and Gwyn are interesting, well-written characters, and the story itself was interesting. However, I was disappointed in the romance. We get both POVs, which makes the characters interesting as we know their thoughts, but their interactions with each other fell short. As the reader, we know what they think and how they feel, but neither Kai or Gwyn knows this since they don't tell each other. It would have worked better if the reader knew because of their interactions with each other and not the thoughts only us could read (since neither of them is a mind reader). There would have been the opportunity to do both if it was longer, which would have worked, but since it's very short and is supposed to make us believe in their romance, the time spent on introspections instead of building the romance between them made the ending fell short for me.
That being said, it was still a nice story, and it's worth a try despite my low rating. I just didn't feel much while reading it. Maybe my expectations were too high when I read the synopsis.
Eira will be released on July 6, 2021.
A big thank you to them and the author.
Snow Queen retelling with f/f romance? Yes please. Unfortunately, this short story didn't deliver everything I was hoping for. Both Kai and Gwyn are interesting, well-written characters, and the story itself was interesting. However, I was disappointed in the romance. We get both POVs, which makes the characters interesting as we know their thoughts, but their interactions with each other fell short. As the reader, we know what they think and how they feel, but neither Kai or Gwyn knows this since they don't tell each other. It would have worked better if the reader knew because of their interactions with each other and not the thoughts only us could read (since neither of them is a mind reader). There would have been the opportunity to do both if it was longer, which would have worked, but since it's very short and is supposed to make us believe in their romance, the time spent on introspections instead of building the romance between them made the ending fell short for me.
That being said, it was still a nice story, and it's worth a try despite my low rating. I just didn't feel much while reading it. Maybe my expectations were too high when I read the synopsis.
Eira will be released on July 6, 2021.
May 19, 2021
I enjoyed the new take on the Snow Queen fairytale. It was relatively light reading and it was paced pretty well. I think the difficulty I had with it was that the last third(?) of the book felt disjointed. The author wrote from 2 POV and in this case it both worked and didn’t. The reader was omniscient and the characters were stuck in their own heads which is fine. Where it fell a little short for me was that the characters don’t make their thoughts and feelings known to each other to the degree that it fits the ending. That’s probably why I thought the book felt cut short. I wanted more interactions between Kay and Gwyn, but I was stuck with just their thoughts more often than not. The scenes when they interact were cute and fun to read. I think more of that and less introspection would have been a nice addition.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 31, 2021
I enjoy Adrian J. Smith’s books and this was no exception. Once I got involved with the characters, I was sneaking reads at work. This is loosely based on a fairy tale. Kay, a park ranger, has been fascinated by the Eira-ghost that is rumored to be haunting the park, but she hadn’t seen it herself yet. The park was a great setting. It had room for people do lots of different things, including getting lost, hiding, and meeting new people. We also got a glimpse of what park ranger life is like.
Kay meets Gwyn, who she finds beautiful, in the park by accident one day. They strike up a friendship but Gwyn is mysterious and rather odd which keeps them at arm’s distance. Kay realizes things are strange around Gwyn but doesn’t figure out for a long time who Gwyn is. It was a really slow build up to the final revelations. And for some reason, while she doesn’t understand some unexplained things, Kay doesn’t question them either. Nevertheless, it was still fun to read despite this and Gwyn’s reluctance to change her pattern of behavior. Maybe if you’ve been cursed for centuries, it’s hard to change. If you want a light fantasy this is a good choice.
I received an ARC from Booksprouts and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Kay meets Gwyn, who she finds beautiful, in the park by accident one day. They strike up a friendship but Gwyn is mysterious and rather odd which keeps them at arm’s distance. Kay realizes things are strange around Gwyn but doesn’t figure out for a long time who Gwyn is. It was a really slow build up to the final revelations. And for some reason, while she doesn’t understand some unexplained things, Kay doesn’t question them either. Nevertheless, it was still fun to read despite this and Gwyn’s reluctance to change her pattern of behavior. Maybe if you’ve been cursed for centuries, it’s hard to change. If you want a light fantasy this is a good choice.
I received an ARC from Booksprouts and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 6, 2021
🏳️🌈👩❤️👩📚⚢👮♀️🗻🏔👸❄️👩❤️💋👩📖👭🏳️🌈
That’s in exchange of an honest review that I received an ARC of "Eira" by Adrian J. Smith.
So, here it is !!!
It’s actually the first time I’m able to read one of Adrian J. Smith’s books and it’s a pretty good discovery !! Thank you, Adrian, for this reading opportunity…
My rating : 3 ⭐️
First of all : I LOVE the cover!! (and it means a lot knowing that I usually don’t like having characters on the cover of a book …)
The dedication section … It made me laugh because, that’s exactly what happened to me when I watched Frozen, LOL!
And, TBH, that’s why I’m not really sure what to make of this retelling … Yeah, it’s a really great idea but the tiny bits we had (like if it were just some sort of sneak peek) gave me the feeling to read a (at best) late teen Reader's Digest version of what could have been a strong & captivating (and, maybe, even sensual) story…
Personally, to really appreciate it, I would have needed the story to be way much more than what it is right now (not exhaustive list)…
°° more detailed / more developed :
-- the MCs need to be more thoroughly depicted (with a stronger background for both but especially for Gwyn (Why has Gwyn been cursed in the first place -- it'd would have been better if she had explain this herself to Kay / How on earth did Gwyn arrive in the US ?? How does she win her means of subsistence since then ??, etc ) for us to be able to connect more with them (right now, it’s a quite difficult task despite the desire to do so),
-- Why (= what's the point of) telling us Kay can't stand Jordan if there's no drama coming from this ???,
-- What about Gladys, why not giving her a more important role, the one of the true confidant and loyal friend always ready to help the people she loves, etc …
°° more romantic & emotional : I know that's paranormal but Gwyn and Kay still would have needed more time together, so more physically shared moments (with way safer intimate encounters when the time comes)... And Kay would have needed to observe (without putting all the pieces of the puzzle together at first) way more details about Gwyn/the Eira Ghost and still fall in love with her in the process...
°° more adventurous (the way to break the curse could have become a true and common treasure hunt …),
°° more realistic when it comes to the dangers of wilderness. & in a National Park, they are numerous especially for people visiting from the city … there should have been more issues (some, in the same vein than the Melissa incident, could have been helpful for Kay to pick up some clues about Gwyn’s true nature… )
BUT also …
°° more time-marked … The book awfully lacks time markers ... it makes it very hard to appreciate the passing time ... Between Kay and Gwyn's dates (the 1st and the 2nd one) we could think only one week passed but it's seemingly way much more time that has past ... And when there are time indications, they are messy (for example : about their first intimate encounter => some times it's said it happened 2 days ago – when, in reality, it's more 3 than 2 -- but later it's said about that itw as "the day before" .... I t doesn't make any sense !!!!
°° more seriously edited 'cause :
** there are other inconsistancies ... Like, for example, the fact that Kay's still living with her parents when she's not a ranger at the Park ... => In Chapter 5, Kay's telling Gwyn she's still lives with her parents who are getting older ... But in In Chapter 13, Gwyn seems to be surprised when Kay tells her (again !!) about living with her parents who are getting older, like if it were the first time she heard about that.
** there are also A LOT of redundancies (in the wording or the ideas) ... for example, about Gwyn being too often compromised this year, her living in the Park for over a century, her relatioship with Kay not having any future from her POV because of the curse, etc, etc ... All this doesn't bring anything to the story and could be seen as rambling/fillers ...
I surely hope that the author will consider to rework (deeply/a lot) this book of hers because I’d really love to see this story become THE STORY we’re all waiting when it comes to Elsa getting the woman …
If I had to make a very short and quite different version of my review, it’d be something like this :
- Did I enjoy this book? => Not as much as I wanted to due to its shortness
- Did I find the characters believable? => Not as much they could have been if developed properly
- Is this book now included in my "must be re-read"-list? => I think I’ll wait to see if the author reworks it …
- Will I purchase the paperback? => Nope, at least not with the story the way it is right now.
- Would I read another book by this author? => Yes.
- Would I recommend this book => I’ll let people use their free will to pick up and read the novel, or LET IT GO …😋😉
🏳️🌈👩❤️👩📚⚢👮♀️🗻🏔👸❄️👩❤️💋👩📖👭🏳️🌈
That’s in exchange of an honest review that I received an ARC of "Eira" by Adrian J. Smith.
So, here it is !!!
It’s actually the first time I’m able to read one of Adrian J. Smith’s books and it’s a pretty good discovery !! Thank you, Adrian, for this reading opportunity…
My rating : 3 ⭐️
First of all : I LOVE the cover!! (and it means a lot knowing that I usually don’t like having characters on the cover of a book …)
The dedication section … It made me laugh because, that’s exactly what happened to me when I watched Frozen, LOL!
And, TBH, that’s why I’m not really sure what to make of this retelling … Yeah, it’s a really great idea but the tiny bits we had (like if it were just some sort of sneak peek) gave me the feeling to read a (at best) late teen Reader's Digest version of what could have been a strong & captivating (and, maybe, even sensual) story…
Personally, to really appreciate it, I would have needed the story to be way much more than what it is right now (not exhaustive list)…
°° more detailed / more developed :
-- the MCs need to be more thoroughly depicted (with a stronger background for both but especially for Gwyn (Why has Gwyn been cursed in the first place -- it'd would have been better if she had explain this herself to Kay / How on earth did Gwyn arrive in the US ?? How does she win her means of subsistence since then ??, etc ) for us to be able to connect more with them (right now, it’s a quite difficult task despite the desire to do so),
-- Why (= what's the point of) telling us Kay can't stand Jordan if there's no drama coming from this ???,
-- What about Gladys, why not giving her a more important role, the one of the true confidant and loyal friend always ready to help the people she loves, etc …
°° more romantic & emotional : I know that's paranormal but Gwyn and Kay still would have needed more time together, so more physically shared moments (with way safer intimate encounters when the time comes)... And Kay would have needed to observe (without putting all the pieces of the puzzle together at first) way more details about Gwyn/the Eira Ghost and still fall in love with her in the process...
°° more adventurous (the way to break the curse could have become a true and common treasure hunt …),
°° more realistic when it comes to the dangers of wilderness. & in a National Park, they are numerous especially for people visiting from the city … there should have been more issues (some, in the same vein than the Melissa incident, could have been helpful for Kay to pick up some clues about Gwyn’s true nature… )
BUT also …
°° more time-marked … The book awfully lacks time markers ... it makes it very hard to appreciate the passing time ... Between Kay and Gwyn's dates (the 1st and the 2nd one) we could think only one week passed but it's seemingly way much more time that has past ... And when there are time indications, they are messy (for example : about their first intimate encounter => some times it's said it happened 2 days ago – when, in reality, it's more 3 than 2 -- but later it's said about that itw as "the day before" .... I t doesn't make any sense !!!!
°° more seriously edited 'cause :
** there are other inconsistancies ... Like, for example, the fact that Kay's still living with her parents when she's not a ranger at the Park ... => In Chapter 5, Kay's telling Gwyn she's still lives with her parents who are getting older ... But in In Chapter 13, Gwyn seems to be surprised when Kay tells her (again !!) about living with her parents who are getting older, like if it were the first time she heard about that.
** there are also A LOT of redundancies (in the wording or the ideas) ... for example, about Gwyn being too often compromised this year, her living in the Park for over a century, her relatioship with Kay not having any future from her POV because of the curse, etc, etc ... All this doesn't bring anything to the story and could be seen as rambling/fillers ...
I surely hope that the author will consider to rework (deeply/a lot) this book of hers because I’d really love to see this story become THE STORY we’re all waiting when it comes to Elsa getting the woman …
If I had to make a very short and quite different version of my review, it’d be something like this :
- Did I enjoy this book? => Not as much as I wanted to due to its shortness
- Did I find the characters believable? => Not as much they could have been if developed properly
- Is this book now included in my "must be re-read"-list? => I think I’ll wait to see if the author reworks it …
- Will I purchase the paperback? => Nope, at least not with the story the way it is right now.
- Would I read another book by this author? => Yes.
- Would I recommend this book => I’ll let people use their free will to pick up and read the novel, or LET IT GO …😋😉
🏳️🌈👩❤️👩📚⚢👮♀️🗻🏔👸❄️👩❤️💋👩📖👭🏳️🌈
July 7, 2021
I received this read in exchange for an honest review from Book Sirens and I am so grateful for the opportunity. Although I really liked the concept of the book and some of the characters, I didn’t like the book as much as I thought I would. The ending didn’t really make sense and the retelling as shotty at best. I tried really hard to love this read, but it just wasn’t enough for me in the end.
The story started off really great and I got really into the story very quickly, but the story almost seemed to unravel and towards the end I wasn’t as satisfied as I thought I would be. The book is told through dueling perspectives between Kat the park ranger and the Gwyn a recluse living secretly in the forest. I usually love multiple perspectives, especially in a fantasy or romance, but this time, not so much. The problem I had this time was that I liked one character and didn’t care for the other. Also, I felt like one character was in a completely different story than the other because the way they saw the same occurrence was just so different. I mean I get that their perspectives should be different, but there differences were just too outlandish for me. The setting of the book was just an amazing set up and I enjoyed it immensely for this read, but that was not enough to make this a five star read.
This story was a retelling of the classic Snow Queen story, but I honestly didn’t see it. I mean the story was mentioned and the legend was definitely present, but the details of their connection were vague at best. The idea of this retelling with the settings and the characters would be amazing, but I just thought this was a little bit of a miss. In the beginning, I really enjoyed Kat’s perspective and her passion for her position, but when she met Gwyn and the instalove started and it started to get a bit hairy. As the story continued, the book kept going on this rail and it all just made me just slightly disappointed. Kat seemed a little too immature and wishy washy for her age and just a little naive…. I mean how did she not question Gwyn and her weird background sooner. There were so many red flags and she was just okay with it. It didn’t make sense and I worried about her safety. I also thought Gwyn was a little ridiculous too and her story, even at the end, was questionable. UGH I SO WANTED THIS BUT I NEEDED MORE!
Although the relationship was just a wee bit too unbelievable for my taste and just a little too choppy, the steam was SO GOOD! DAMN IT WAS YUMMY AND JUST PERFECT FOR THIS READ! So if you are looking for some girlish steam, this book is defintely a contender for you. Their love scenes were also so romantic in that nature setting that just reminded me of some very fond memories.
Overall, I am glad that I read this book and it had some great moments, but it wasn’t my favorite in the end…
The story started off really great and I got really into the story very quickly, but the story almost seemed to unravel and towards the end I wasn’t as satisfied as I thought I would be. The book is told through dueling perspectives between Kat the park ranger and the Gwyn a recluse living secretly in the forest. I usually love multiple perspectives, especially in a fantasy or romance, but this time, not so much. The problem I had this time was that I liked one character and didn’t care for the other. Also, I felt like one character was in a completely different story than the other because the way they saw the same occurrence was just so different. I mean I get that their perspectives should be different, but there differences were just too outlandish for me. The setting of the book was just an amazing set up and I enjoyed it immensely for this read, but that was not enough to make this a five star read.
This story was a retelling of the classic Snow Queen story, but I honestly didn’t see it. I mean the story was mentioned and the legend was definitely present, but the details of their connection were vague at best. The idea of this retelling with the settings and the characters would be amazing, but I just thought this was a little bit of a miss. In the beginning, I really enjoyed Kat’s perspective and her passion for her position, but when she met Gwyn and the instalove started and it started to get a bit hairy. As the story continued, the book kept going on this rail and it all just made me just slightly disappointed. Kat seemed a little too immature and wishy washy for her age and just a little naive…. I mean how did she not question Gwyn and her weird background sooner. There were so many red flags and she was just okay with it. It didn’t make sense and I worried about her safety. I also thought Gwyn was a little ridiculous too and her story, even at the end, was questionable. UGH I SO WANTED THIS BUT I NEEDED MORE!
Although the relationship was just a wee bit too unbelievable for my taste and just a little too choppy, the steam was SO GOOD! DAMN IT WAS YUMMY AND JUST PERFECT FOR THIS READ! So if you are looking for some girlish steam, this book is defintely a contender for you. Their love scenes were also so romantic in that nature setting that just reminded me of some very fond memories.
Overall, I am glad that I read this book and it had some great moments, but it wasn’t my favorite in the end…
May 27, 2021
This was the first time I’ve read something by this author and I wanted to also say that I usually don’t read FF books but the synopsis really pulled me in. The Snow Queen or Snow White whichever you may want to refer to this book or the Eira Ghost was such an intriguing story I had to read it and to be honest I don’t mind female/female relationships. The author did such a great job with her world building. There’s lots of mystery here and we kind of figure things out as we go along. Kind of like our protagonist Kay does. We learn bits and pieces about the Eira Ghost or as we come to know her as Gwyn. Their first meeting is pure hot 🔥. Straight sizzling 🥵. They have such a magnetic and truly magnificent chemistry that the reader is left trying to speed read to gobble up the words to see what happens next. At least this is what I experienced. The words was just being absorbed at an abnormal rate. I was inhaling the pages. I was so absolutely enthralled in this story. I loved it so much. Gwyn and Kay had such a intense, torrid bond and it was electrifying and it was palpable between the two of them. It caused them to not be able to sleep, to constantly see the other and create distractions throughout the day is was that intense. They had it bad for one another. I loved this aspect about their growing infatuation because you know it was the beginnings of something great. Something deep and something magical. I loved Kay’s friend Gladys. She seemed like a true friend. She didn’t judge and accepted Kay for who she was. I loved that. I also loved that the author used real locations in the book. I’ve always wanted to visit Glacier National Park. She was so descriptive I could just envision the lakes and meadows and paths they hiked. This book wasn’t all moonbeams, lust and love. There were trials and ups and downs. There was the jerk of the book Jordan who I disliked very much. I’m glad he didn’t have a huge role, there were also a couple of times Kay’s skills as a Park Ranger were put to the test. We also learn some brutal truths about Gwyn and her curse and the harsh realities that go along with it. This book was truly marvellous. This bear 🐻 gives this book 5 cosmic stars 💥💥💥💥💥 and 5 cold fronts (won’t call them snowflakes) ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️ In honor of our lovely Gwyn. Grab this one. You’ll love it!
I received this book as an ARC from BookSirens.com for my unbiased review. Check them out!
I received this book as an ARC from BookSirens.com for my unbiased review. Check them out!
June 1, 2021
Kicking off Pride month with a sapphic Snow Queen retelling? Yes please and thank you!
Kay is a park ranger at the Glacier National Park, and after years of working there she has uncovered all but one of its secrets: the Eira Ghost, a mysterious spirit who haunts the park. She has no idea that the romantic feelings she has for Gwyn, a guarded stranger who wonders the park alone, might have anything to do with the ghost.
Find this and other reviews on my blog!
This was a really fun modern fairytale, with the perfect balance of the original tale and the new story. I really liked the way Adrian J. Smith wove the two together – I won’t spoil how but it was a nice twist on the usual, with the fairytale included as part of the plot. There were also some nice nods to both the original fairytale and various iterations of it dotted throughout, little Snow Queen Easter eggs!
While the romance was perhaps a little bit insta-love, it was still one you could root for and get behind. The romantic moments were incredibly satisfying. Kay and Gwyn’s relationship is the core of the story and has enormous heart to it. It’s also nice to see a sapphic retelling where the queerness is not a hindrance to the story. While I have read some great retellings that incorporate a homophobic society into the story, it was nice to read one with no homophobia at all, and only a brief coming out scene to acknowledge that they live in a heteronormative society.
It would have been nice to have the supporting characters fleshed out a little more, especially Kay’s friendship with her room-mate Gladys. Given that this is at its heart a fairytale, though, it didn’t detract from the overall story which was very much about our two main characters. I did also like the nods to Wales, although I will admit with my beginner Welsh I didn’t realise the title was Welsh until it was mentioned in the book!
If you’re looking for a queer fairytale, I would highly recommend checking this one out. It has plenty of heart with a sprinkling of ice magic on the top.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy for review. All views expressed are my own honest opinions.
Kay is a park ranger at the Glacier National Park, and after years of working there she has uncovered all but one of its secrets: the Eira Ghost, a mysterious spirit who haunts the park. She has no idea that the romantic feelings she has for Gwyn, a guarded stranger who wonders the park alone, might have anything to do with the ghost.
Find this and other reviews on my blog!
This was a really fun modern fairytale, with the perfect balance of the original tale and the new story. I really liked the way Adrian J. Smith wove the two together – I won’t spoil how but it was a nice twist on the usual, with the fairytale included as part of the plot. There were also some nice nods to both the original fairytale and various iterations of it dotted throughout, little Snow Queen Easter eggs!
While the romance was perhaps a little bit insta-love, it was still one you could root for and get behind. The romantic moments were incredibly satisfying. Kay and Gwyn’s relationship is the core of the story and has enormous heart to it. It’s also nice to see a sapphic retelling where the queerness is not a hindrance to the story. While I have read some great retellings that incorporate a homophobic society into the story, it was nice to read one with no homophobia at all, and only a brief coming out scene to acknowledge that they live in a heteronormative society.
It would have been nice to have the supporting characters fleshed out a little more, especially Kay’s friendship with her room-mate Gladys. Given that this is at its heart a fairytale, though, it didn’t detract from the overall story which was very much about our two main characters. I did also like the nods to Wales, although I will admit with my beginner Welsh I didn’t realise the title was Welsh until it was mentioned in the book!
If you’re looking for a queer fairytale, I would highly recommend checking this one out. It has plenty of heart with a sprinkling of ice magic on the top.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy for review. All views expressed are my own honest opinions.
July 29, 2021
If you love fairy tales and are a fan of WLW romance novels, Eira will not disappoint you. The chemistry between Kay and Gwyn is electric and tantalizing. I read the whole thing in two days and it kept me hooked from the get go.
The descriptions of the park and all its beauty had me wishing for snow in July.
That being said, there were some holes in the plot I wish had been filled. I felt like I missed out on what could have been a very rich backstory for Gwyn. I'd rather it be assumed I know nothing about the original fairytale and get it straight from this author. Clarification on the curse would have been helpful. Only kissing on the lips is a problem? Literally nothing else is off limits? I understood Gwyn's need to keep things vague when talking about it, but as the reader I would have liked to see behind the curtain. Time frames were are bit fuzzy: whether she'd lived there over a century, a hundred years, or less than that. I felt like the numbers kept shifting and it took me out of the story on occasion.
As a hopeless romantic myself, I am more than willing to suspend my disbelief to follow a plot, but even for me there seemed to be far too many coincidences. In this huge park where you can walk for hours in different directions, and in which Gwyn had hidden for a century without being found out, they just so happened to end up in the same place at the same time nearly every chapter. It was really helpful in moving the plot forward at a steady pace but at a certain point it just became too much. This sort of seems like a second draft to me and one more round of revisions to flesh it out would have really nailed it.
Overall, I enjoyed the experience and would likely read this again. I hope to see more good things from this author. And as always I appreciate the LGBTQ representation in my favorite genre.
The descriptions of the park and all its beauty had me wishing for snow in July.
That being said, there were some holes in the plot I wish had been filled. I felt like I missed out on what could have been a very rich backstory for Gwyn. I'd rather it be assumed I know nothing about the original fairytale and get it straight from this author. Clarification on the curse would have been helpful. Only kissing on the lips is a problem? Literally nothing else is off limits? I understood Gwyn's need to keep things vague when talking about it, but as the reader I would have liked to see behind the curtain. Time frames were are bit fuzzy: whether she'd lived there over a century, a hundred years, or less than that. I felt like the numbers kept shifting and it took me out of the story on occasion.
As a hopeless romantic myself, I am more than willing to suspend my disbelief to follow a plot, but even for me there seemed to be far too many coincidences. In this huge park where you can walk for hours in different directions, and in which Gwyn had hidden for a century without being found out, they just so happened to end up in the same place at the same time nearly every chapter. It was really helpful in moving the plot forward at a steady pace but at a certain point it just became too much. This sort of seems like a second draft to me and one more round of revisions to flesh it out would have really nailed it.
Overall, I enjoyed the experience and would likely read this again. I hope to see more good things from this author. And as always I appreciate the LGBTQ representation in my favorite genre.
August 15, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
First, let me say I went into this thinking it was a novel. It's not. It's closer to a short story, but I think would qualify as a novella. Be aware that I base my rating on my entertainment level and this book succeeded in that to a high degree. I read it in a single sitting. Even so, there are jumps in the timeline with unknown content that are put off as uneventful. Due to that, this reads more like a book concept rather than a full book.
Regarding the story itself, I have to say that I enjoyed it. Love in any form can be a beautiful thing. Love between two women has the potential to have heightened passion, sensuality, and camaraderie. I think the Adrian J Smith is able to capture that potential well. They are very good at 'showing the reader' the effects, rather than 'telling them' what usually turns into a list of occurrences. This does a good job of bringing the reader into the story, also known as increasing reader immersion. However, having a scene with good immersion followed by a big time gap can cause the immersion to fail at times.
Overall I found the book enjoyable, and worth reading, but too condensed. I think with some more work and time to flesh-out the world and characters, this could be something really great. As-is it's still pretty good. Regardless, the author's style and ability to bring readers into their story world has lead me to add a number of their books to my to-read list.
First, let me say I went into this thinking it was a novel. It's not. It's closer to a short story, but I think would qualify as a novella. Be aware that I base my rating on my entertainment level and this book succeeded in that to a high degree. I read it in a single sitting. Even so, there are jumps in the timeline with unknown content that are put off as uneventful. Due to that, this reads more like a book concept rather than a full book.
Regarding the story itself, I have to say that I enjoyed it. Love in any form can be a beautiful thing. Love between two women has the potential to have heightened passion, sensuality, and camaraderie. I think the Adrian J Smith is able to capture that potential well. They are very good at 'showing the reader' the effects, rather than 'telling them' what usually turns into a list of occurrences. This does a good job of bringing the reader into the story, also known as increasing reader immersion. However, having a scene with good immersion followed by a big time gap can cause the immersion to fail at times.
Overall I found the book enjoyable, and worth reading, but too condensed. I think with some more work and time to flesh-out the world and characters, this could be something really great. As-is it's still pretty good. Regardless, the author's style and ability to bring readers into their story world has lead me to add a number of their books to my to-read list.
June 24, 2021
A new take on the tale of the Snow Queen, this fairy tale retelling explores the budding relationship between Kay a park ranger in Glacier National Park and Gwyn, a resident of it. The Eira ghost, a legend among the park has been sighted more frequently than normal and Kay meets a young woman on the trails named Gwyn. The two of them begin to date but it isn't smooth sailing. The more she learns about Gwyn, the more questions she has.
I really enjoyed this book. While I'm not familiar with Glacier National Park, the author did a good job painting an image of the place and the life of a park ranger. I also liked how you learned more about each character through their interactions with each other. For us, it is pretty obvious who the Eira ghost is but for Kay watching her figure it out was fascinating. I also liked Gwyn's development throughout the book after being very reclusive for years, it was interesting to see her open up and even help out at times.
I highly recommend this if you want to read high quality LGBTQ+ fiction and if you like fairy tale retellings.
5/5 Stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really enjoyed this book. While I'm not familiar with Glacier National Park, the author did a good job painting an image of the place and the life of a park ranger. I also liked how you learned more about each character through their interactions with each other. For us, it is pretty obvious who the Eira ghost is but for Kay watching her figure it out was fascinating. I also liked Gwyn's development throughout the book after being very reclusive for years, it was interesting to see her open up and even help out at times.
I highly recommend this if you want to read high quality LGBTQ+ fiction and if you like fairy tale retellings.
5/5 Stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 22, 2021
This was a much needed sapphic read! I cannot express enough how fulfilling it was. It was easy to read, easy to fall into their shoes. I honestly don’t know why people take simplistic stories so harshly. I didn’t need extra memories or extra plot twists. I enjoyed the simple story for what it was! I feel the need to say it again: but it is SAPPHIC!!
I loved the characters, even though I felt they deserved more of a backstory. It felt very connecting- to the real world and to people in general. It has the grips to be a normal romance story, but it has that fantasy flare that I love. It doesn’t need to go into detail or build this giant world: all it needs was that mythical sprinkling on top, and everything was good.
Being on vacation- I felt it was a perfect time to read it. Perhaps during the winter would be better, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It was short, it was sweet: it had the right amount of spice. The only thing that dissuaded me from giving it the full stars, was that it felt as those some of the banter was forced- it just didn’t seem as natural as it should have.
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an ebook advance reader copy for free- in exchange of me leaving a review both honestly and voluntarily.
I loved the characters, even though I felt they deserved more of a backstory. It felt very connecting- to the real world and to people in general. It has the grips to be a normal romance story, but it has that fantasy flare that I love. It doesn’t need to go into detail or build this giant world: all it needs was that mythical sprinkling on top, and everything was good.
Being on vacation- I felt it was a perfect time to read it. Perhaps during the winter would be better, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. It was short, it was sweet: it had the right amount of spice. The only thing that dissuaded me from giving it the full stars, was that it felt as those some of the banter was forced- it just didn’t seem as natural as it should have.
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an ebook advance reader copy for free- in exchange of me leaving a review both honestly and voluntarily.
October 27, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Gwen has been living at Glacier National park for over a century and Kay works there over the summers. Suffering from a curse that has extended her life well past normal and fearing being discovered Gwen lives a life of isolation. That is until her fascination with a park ranger named Kay makes her break her life of isolation. Eria follow a loose retelling of the snow queen and follows the struggles of Gwen and Kay as they start to fall for each other and the risks that Gwen deals with in getting close to another person and navigating her curse. The story is well written and I found it really easy to read. Once it gets kicking you want to keep reading to see how it turns out. While the book takes place over one summer it does make it feel a little rushed but in the end I really didn’t mind. While the two leads are developed well enough the supporting characters could have been better used but that’s just a minor gripe. Overall a solid read. If you want an easy read give it a shot.
Gwen has been living at Glacier National park for over a century and Kay works there over the summers. Suffering from a curse that has extended her life well past normal and fearing being discovered Gwen lives a life of isolation. That is until her fascination with a park ranger named Kay makes her break her life of isolation. Eria follow a loose retelling of the snow queen and follows the struggles of Gwen and Kay as they start to fall for each other and the risks that Gwen deals with in getting close to another person and navigating her curse. The story is well written and I found it really easy to read. Once it gets kicking you want to keep reading to see how it turns out. While the book takes place over one summer it does make it feel a little rushed but in the end I really didn’t mind. While the two leads are developed well enough the supporting characters could have been better used but that’s just a minor gripe. Overall a solid read. If you want an easy read give it a shot.
July 2, 2021
I’ve always been a sucker for novels set in the national parks, ever since I was young. In the best tradition of authors like Gloria Skurzynski, this novel fairly transports the reader to Glacier National Park, where we meet our bold ranger and the enigmatic mystery woman who’s captured most of her interest. Most, because she’s equally driven to see the local ghost legend for herself. When these drives collide… we grab the popcorn.
Despite my comparison to classic national parks children’s lit, I don’t mean to say this is a novel for kids - it’s not, and I mean that in the best of ways. My only complaint was how easily our heroines found their resolution, though I think that’s more down to the original tale. Romance readers and fantasy readers alike will enjoy the whole ride. A fantastic modernization of a classic story!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Despite my comparison to classic national parks children’s lit, I don’t mean to say this is a novel for kids - it’s not, and I mean that in the best of ways. My only complaint was how easily our heroines found their resolution, though I think that’s more down to the original tale. Romance readers and fantasy readers alike will enjoy the whole ride. A fantastic modernization of a classic story!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 2, 2021
Curious to read my first new version of a fairy tale, I started today with the story, which was actually too short in my opinion. In retrospect, I wish I could read more about their conversations on the way through nature, more commitment from Kay in visiting Gwyn and talking to her. In the end, Gwyn visits her more often than the other way around.
I can understand that someone who has been living very isolated for 100 years cannot change this overnight. I hadn't read the fairy tale before, I remember the Disney film adaptation more, so I wasn't sure if Kay's plan would work in the end, because I understood that the previous people in Gwyn's life had also tried to free her from the curse.
I would like to see a deepening of the characters, more environment, at least with Kay. There were enough occasions in the story to involve other people, to give depth.
Short, good story, but leaves me mixed feelings.
I can understand that someone who has been living very isolated for 100 years cannot change this overnight. I hadn't read the fairy tale before, I remember the Disney film adaptation more, so I wasn't sure if Kay's plan would work in the end, because I understood that the previous people in Gwyn's life had also tried to free her from the curse.
I would like to see a deepening of the characters, more environment, at least with Kay. There were enough occasions in the story to involve other people, to give depth.
Short, good story, but leaves me mixed feelings.
May 29, 2021
I’m going to start with what didn’t work for me because it just a minor detail and basically relates to how it was for Kay to accept who Gwyn was. That was the only detail that “failed “ for me because everything else worked perfectly. Gwyn stole my heart, how desperate her situation is and the hard life she has lived, how vulnerable she is and how little she can control herself or her powers even if she has had to deal with it for so many centuries.
Kay as a character is exactly what Gwyn needs to shine because she represents what Gwyn wants and can’t have and maybe I wasn’t as interested in her as in Gwyn but I think is understandable when you have the Snow Queen wanting to love someone and be loved in return and running from everything and everyone out of desperation.
I really enjoyed the book and couldn’t stop reading until I was done.
Kay as a character is exactly what Gwyn needs to shine because she represents what Gwyn wants and can’t have and maybe I wasn’t as interested in her as in Gwyn but I think is understandable when you have the Snow Queen wanting to love someone and be loved in return and running from everything and everyone out of desperation.
I really enjoyed the book and couldn’t stop reading until I was done.
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