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Walks with Spirits
Bound by love, separated by a tragic mistake; can two Indigenous women realize their happy ending?
Long ago, in an age of mysticism, Walks with Spirits, a two-spirit woman, perceives voices whispering on the wind and they empower her with the gift of calling animals. But who she truly wishes to call to her side is her childhood friend, Laughing Brook.
Daughter of a shaman and an herbalist-midwife, Laughing Brook holds a prominent place in her society and bears the responsibilities it entails. She is training to be a healer like her mother, but her most compelling desire is to spend her life with Walks with Spirits.
When a misunderstanding crushes their dreams of happiness, both women must learn to face the trials that await them in a land where danger lurks behind every tree and honor means more than life. Will the spirits intervene on their behalf, or are they fated never to manifest their visions of love?
Walks with Spirits is a historical fantasy set in an ancient time. Packed with Native American themes, heart-touching imagery, and an epic love story, Walks with Spirits will immerse you in an inspiring view of life.
Long ago, in an age of mysticism, Walks with Spirits, a two-spirit woman, perceives voices whispering on the wind and they empower her with the gift of calling animals. But who she truly wishes to call to her side is her childhood friend, Laughing Brook.
Daughter of a shaman and an herbalist-midwife, Laughing Brook holds a prominent place in her society and bears the responsibilities it entails. She is training to be a healer like her mother, but her most compelling desire is to spend her life with Walks with Spirits.
When a misunderstanding crushes their dreams of happiness, both women must learn to face the trials that await them in a land where danger lurks behind every tree and honor means more than life. Will the spirits intervene on their behalf, or are they fated never to manifest their visions of love?
Walks with Spirits is a historical fantasy set in an ancient time. Packed with Native American themes, heart-touching imagery, and an epic love story, Walks with Spirits will immerse you in an inspiring view of life.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 12, 2022
20 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Edale Lane
47 books212 followersEdale Lane is an Amazon Best-selling author and winner of Rainbow, Lesfic Bard, and Imaginarium Awards. Her sapphic historical fiction and mystery stories feature women leading the action and entice readers with likeable characters, engaging storytelling, and vivid world-creation.
Lane (whose legal name is Melodie Romeo) holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education, a master’s in history, and taught school for 24 years before embarking on an adventure driving an 18-wheeler over-the-road. She is a mother of two, Grammy of three, and doggy mom to Australian Shepherds. A native of Vicksburg, MS, Lane now lives her dream of being a full-time author in beautiful Chilliwack, BC with her long-time life-partner.
Enjoy free e-books and other promotional offerings while staying up to date with what Edale Lane is writing next when you sign up for her newsletter. https://bit.ly/3qkGn95
Lane (whose legal name is Melodie Romeo) holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education, a master’s in history, and taught school for 24 years before embarking on an adventure driving an 18-wheeler over-the-road. She is a mother of two, Grammy of three, and doggy mom to Australian Shepherds. A native of Vicksburg, MS, Lane now lives her dream of being a full-time author in beautiful Chilliwack, BC with her long-time life-partner.
Enjoy free e-books and other promotional offerings while staying up to date with what Edale Lane is writing next when you sign up for her newsletter. https://bit.ly/3qkGn95
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 8, 2022
Walks with Spirits is an engaging Indigenous story of two women bounded by their heart yet separated by unfortunate circumstances. It is also a detailed exploration of the west coast Indigenous culture and their day to day life, generational stories, beliefs and struggles.
Walks with Spirits is a two-spirited person who is learning to become a Shaman as they communicate with the spirits. Laughing Brook is her best friend and daughter of the Shaman teaching her the higher path.
The beauty of the telling is the story itself. Lane has imagined a friends to lovers romance in a setting that is very foreign to most of us. In the complex simplicity of Indigenous life we connect multiple parallels to today’s world. The ideas of meditation, gratitude and all encompassing love are but a few. The writing is evenly paced which mirrors their daily life in community and preparing for the winter season. It took me a hard minute to slow my reading pace to match the writer’s intent. When I did this the story came to life.
Walks with Spirits is beautifully composed historical fiction that should not be missed.
I received an advanced review copy through BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Walks with Spirits is a two-spirited person who is learning to become a Shaman as they communicate with the spirits. Laughing Brook is her best friend and daughter of the Shaman teaching her the higher path.
The beauty of the telling is the story itself. Lane has imagined a friends to lovers romance in a setting that is very foreign to most of us. In the complex simplicity of Indigenous life we connect multiple parallels to today’s world. The ideas of meditation, gratitude and all encompassing love are but a few. The writing is evenly paced which mirrors their daily life in community and preparing for the winter season. It took me a hard minute to slow my reading pace to match the writer’s intent. When I did this the story came to life.
Walks with Spirits is beautifully composed historical fiction that should not be missed.
I received an advanced review copy through BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 6, 2022
Is a book about community, spirit world and indigenous culture. The love share beteween Spirits and Brook is so strong that can endure anything, and they don't need the physical love for show that they really belong to each other. I really thought the Brook parents a little hypocrites, they say that accept her love from Spirits but force her to marry Thunder. In the end it is a beauthiful story full of beauthiful passages about the connection with humans and the natural world, and made me realize that you can love one persone just stay by her side and show support.
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.
April 7, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this book, I appreciated the Native American elements in this book. The characters felt like real people and I enjoyed getting to know them.
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.
April 13, 2022
Long ago, in an age of mysticism, Walks with Spirits, a two-spirit woman, perceives voices whispering on the wind and they empower her with the gift of calling animals. But who she truly wishes to call to her side is her childhood friend, Laughing Brook.
Daughter of a shaman and an herbalist-midwife, Laughing Brook holds a prominent place in her society and bears the responsibilities it entails. She
is training to be a healer like her mother, but her most compelling desire is to spend her life with Walks with Spirits.
When a misunderstanding crushes their dreams of happiness, both women must learn to face the trials that await them in a land where danger lurks behind every tree and honor means more than life.
“Sweet daughter, We would have understood. The Creator of all makes no two souls alike. There is no shame in who you love, no matter who it is. Only a lack of love brings shame.”
This book ended up being a wonderful experience. I don’t read a lot of books that deal with spirituality,so I was not sure if I should pick this up. But I wanted to read more historical fantasy. And I am so grateful that I did because this was a wonderful story. Walks with Spirits is a beautifully written character who is strong, spiritual and loving. It is tough to come across such a wonderful character like Spirits. I enjoyed reading about her because this is all new territory to me. The gender representation and the way those two felt about each other and the love they shared were wonderfully written.
"It is embarrassing for a husband when his wife tells him what to do."
"It is more embarrassing to throw a tantrum like a weaning child!"
I did feel like the domestic violence part could have been properly explained. All in all this was a beautifully written book with a powerful message and I love the ending. It was an amazing read.
Daughter of a shaman and an herbalist-midwife, Laughing Brook holds a prominent place in her society and bears the responsibilities it entails. She
is training to be a healer like her mother, but her most compelling desire is to spend her life with Walks with Spirits.
When a misunderstanding crushes their dreams of happiness, both women must learn to face the trials that await them in a land where danger lurks behind every tree and honor means more than life.
“Sweet daughter, We would have understood. The Creator of all makes no two souls alike. There is no shame in who you love, no matter who it is. Only a lack of love brings shame.”
This book ended up being a wonderful experience. I don’t read a lot of books that deal with spirituality,so I was not sure if I should pick this up. But I wanted to read more historical fantasy. And I am so grateful that I did because this was a wonderful story. Walks with Spirits is a beautifully written character who is strong, spiritual and loving. It is tough to come across such a wonderful character like Spirits. I enjoyed reading about her because this is all new territory to me. The gender representation and the way those two felt about each other and the love they shared were wonderfully written.
"It is embarrassing for a husband when his wife tells him what to do."
"It is more embarrassing to throw a tantrum like a weaning child!"
I did feel like the domestic violence part could have been properly explained. All in all this was a beautifully written book with a powerful message and I love the ending. It was an amazing read.
July 11, 2022
For the first four chapters I struggled to keep track of the characters and adapt to the setting. After that I became enthralled with the relationships between the characters. This isn’t a tribe I’m knowledgeable about and I enjoyed learning about their traditions, practices, and community. I wish I’d learned more about the concept of being Two Spirits, it’s touched on and explained in pieces through character interactions. It seemed strange to have so much exposition for other factors of their culture but not for this. Especially since it’s a big part of one of the main characters.
The love story is beautiful but the conflict seems a bit forced. I wanted to yell at the characters sometimes about what was, in my opinion, the obvious thing to do. But life can be like that so it didn’t strike me as unrealistic, just maybe a bit unsatisfactory from a literary perspective. Still, the people seemed relatable and the love story was touching. The ending felt a bit convenient but the strength of their love was so touching I didn’t mind. The mystical element of the story just didn’t sit right with me for reasons I can’t really pinpoint. I don’t know if it was the wording or if it took me out of the story, but this is a fantasy novel and everything works well in the world created. All in all I appreciated this story and I’m glad I read it. I received the arc for free but it doesn't effect my freely given review.
The love story is beautiful but the conflict seems a bit forced. I wanted to yell at the characters sometimes about what was, in my opinion, the obvious thing to do. But life can be like that so it didn’t strike me as unrealistic, just maybe a bit unsatisfactory from a literary perspective. Still, the people seemed relatable and the love story was touching. The ending felt a bit convenient but the strength of their love was so touching I didn’t mind. The mystical element of the story just didn’t sit right with me for reasons I can’t really pinpoint. I don’t know if it was the wording or if it took me out of the story, but this is a fantasy novel and everything works well in the world created. All in all I appreciated this story and I’m glad I read it. I received the arc for free but it doesn't effect my freely given review.
November 13, 2022
This book really made me wonder if there is such a thing as too much cultural appreciation. It took me almost two months to finish it and I was seriously considering DNFing it (if I had some sense, I probably would).
Starting from the good things:
1. The introduction is extra respectful to indigenous cultures, trying very hard to address the points that could potentially be controversial and we can see the same effort mirrored in the book. Sensitivity readers were involved and it shows. There is no problematic element for me to point out.
2. The cultures are inspired by Northwest Coast tribes which was amazing to see. Most of the books focus on tribes from Plains and replicate those cultures as if they were universal. Not this book and I think that's the reason I finished it, because even if it was too much, the surroundings were still interesting.
3. Unfortunately, the story was almost non-existent. And I have to say I was very uncomfortable with the situation that the characters (especially Laughing Brook) were in for most of the story, . For some reason, I was more sensitive to it than I would usually be and... just the way the characters decided to just go with it sat badly with me. It made sense in the story, but it made me deeply uncomfortable for everyone involved, including Thunder Warrior. I don't want to excuse that man, but the whole situation was unfair to him also.
4. I absolutely loved the way various gender identities were depicted, showing how unique everyone's experience is. The handling of pronouns, for example, was quite different from what we would expect (but also similar in lots of aspects).
It WAS an interesting read, but I'm glad to have it behind me since I felt like it was hindering my process of reading in general. (Now I can hopefully catch on with those BRs...)
Actual rating 2,5 star.
Starting from the good things:
1. The introduction is extra respectful to indigenous cultures, trying very hard to address the points that could potentially be controversial and we can see the same effort mirrored in the book. Sensitivity readers were involved and it shows. There is no problematic element for me to point out.
2. The cultures are inspired by Northwest Coast tribes which was amazing to see. Most of the books focus on tribes from Plains and replicate those cultures as if they were universal. Not this book and I think that's the reason I finished it, because even if it was too much, the surroundings were still interesting.
3. Unfortunately, the story was almost non-existent. And I have to say I was very uncomfortable with the situation that the characters (especially Laughing Brook) were in for most of the story, . For some reason, I was more sensitive to it than I would usually be and... just the way the characters decided to just go with it sat badly with me. It made sense in the story, but it made me deeply uncomfortable for everyone involved, including Thunder Warrior. I don't want to excuse that man, but the whole situation was unfair to him also.
4. I absolutely loved the way various gender identities were depicted, showing how unique everyone's experience is. The handling of pronouns, for example, was quite different from what we would expect (but also similar in lots of aspects).
It WAS an interesting read, but I'm glad to have it behind me since I felt like it was hindering my process of reading in general. (Now I can hopefully catch on with those BRs...)
Actual rating 2,5 star.
August 11, 2022
A beautiful story of love and community filled with spiritual wisdom.
I was planning on reading this book (I’d purchased the Kindle version), but was offered a free copy of the audiobook and decided to listen to it instead. I admit, I didn’t immediately jive with the narrator’s voice (personal preference), but I stuck with it, and her voice grew on me. The story quickly drew me in, and I was immediately invested in Laughing Brooke and Walks With Spirits’ profound love connection. The true and abiding love between them is something we all aspire to and hope for! It’s a beautiful example of what’s possible.
I loved all the reminders of how powerful our thoughts are and that we can manifest the life we desire if only we put our faith and intention behind our words and deeds.
There were many different names of secondary characters, and I couldn’t quite keep them all straight at first, but I decided not to worry about it, and, by the end, I think I had most of them down.
This book is descriptive in style, offering many details about the natives’ way of life that’s deeply connected to nature. Personally, I love the prose and the in-depth descriptions. Just know going into it that it’s not a contemporary dialogue-heavy story.
If you love nature, you believe in true love, and you are spiritually inclined, you’ll absolutely love Walks With Spirits!
I was planning on reading this book (I’d purchased the Kindle version), but was offered a free copy of the audiobook and decided to listen to it instead. I admit, I didn’t immediately jive with the narrator’s voice (personal preference), but I stuck with it, and her voice grew on me. The story quickly drew me in, and I was immediately invested in Laughing Brooke and Walks With Spirits’ profound love connection. The true and abiding love between them is something we all aspire to and hope for! It’s a beautiful example of what’s possible.
I loved all the reminders of how powerful our thoughts are and that we can manifest the life we desire if only we put our faith and intention behind our words and deeds.
There were many different names of secondary characters, and I couldn’t quite keep them all straight at first, but I decided not to worry about it, and, by the end, I think I had most of them down.
This book is descriptive in style, offering many details about the natives’ way of life that’s deeply connected to nature. Personally, I love the prose and the in-depth descriptions. Just know going into it that it’s not a contemporary dialogue-heavy story.
If you love nature, you believe in true love, and you are spiritually inclined, you’ll absolutely love Walks With Spirits!
August 17, 2022
A beautiful story
Walks with Spirits and Laughing Brook have been friends since childhood but all either of them want is to be together. Laughing Brook has responsibilities in society, expected to take her place but misunderstandings threaten their happiness and it is up to Walks with Spirits to decide if she should intervene or if this is what fate had planned for them all along.
Such a healing, spiritual and deep story that really did have a way to represent everyone. There are a vast cast of characters, each contributing to the beauty of this story and so everyone should be able to find a way to relate, or some form of representation in the wonderful characters. I loved the complexity of Walks with Spirits, both mentally and physically and the challenges this all presented while Walks with Spirits made choices and followed their path.
It was beautifully written with vivid imagery and wonderful world building. An emotional connection could be formed with characters, scenes, just about everything and anything that unfolded as part of the story making it quite the experience. Everything was uncertain and yet in a way fate was always at play and some things were going to happen no matter what choices any of the characters made.
I really enjoyed the story and can’t recommend it enough!
Walks with Spirits and Laughing Brook have been friends since childhood but all either of them want is to be together. Laughing Brook has responsibilities in society, expected to take her place but misunderstandings threaten their happiness and it is up to Walks with Spirits to decide if she should intervene or if this is what fate had planned for them all along.
Such a healing, spiritual and deep story that really did have a way to represent everyone. There are a vast cast of characters, each contributing to the beauty of this story and so everyone should be able to find a way to relate, or some form of representation in the wonderful characters. I loved the complexity of Walks with Spirits, both mentally and physically and the challenges this all presented while Walks with Spirits made choices and followed their path.
It was beautifully written with vivid imagery and wonderful world building. An emotional connection could be formed with characters, scenes, just about everything and anything that unfolded as part of the story making it quite the experience. Everything was uncertain and yet in a way fate was always at play and some things were going to happen no matter what choices any of the characters made.
I really enjoyed the story and can’t recommend it enough!
May 19, 2022
The book Walks with Spirits by Edale Lane is set in the Pacific Northwest area of the United States. The book is not based on one specific Native American group. It seems like more of an overview of what it might have been like to live in a community with two-spirit people that are accepted and honored.
Walks with Spirits is a two-spirit woman, who has traits of both a man and a woman. The traits are sometimes related to the activities or work that a person does. She is an excellent hunter, who can call animals. Walks with Spirits is hoping to be a shaman eventually.
Walks with Spirits is in love with her best female friend, Laughing Brook. The two of them want to be married but a turn of events keeps them separated. Laughing Brook marries a man, Thunder Warrior. Walks with Spirits and Laughing Brook maintain a friendship although Thunder Warrior is jealous and tries to keep them from communicating. Unfortunately, Thunder Warrior wants to be in control of everything that Laughing Brook does.
Walks with Spirits moves into a home with her two-spirit friend, Two Rivers Running, who has a male body but lives as a woman. They are not in a romantic relationship but they bring comfort to the other. Both of them have been heartbroken. Two Rivers Running is one of my favorite characters. She is so kind, funny, and talented,
The best supporting character, besides Two Rivers Running, is the scenery. It must have been really beautiful near the ocean and also in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. I enjoy modern conveniences but it would be nice to live off of the grid for a while.
If you are interested in Native American and LGBTQ historical fiction, then Walks with Spirits would be perfect for your next book choice. If you don’t see the beauty in diversity, then we’ll keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
Walks with Spirits is a two-spirit woman, who has traits of both a man and a woman. The traits are sometimes related to the activities or work that a person does. She is an excellent hunter, who can call animals. Walks with Spirits is hoping to be a shaman eventually.
Walks with Spirits is in love with her best female friend, Laughing Brook. The two of them want to be married but a turn of events keeps them separated. Laughing Brook marries a man, Thunder Warrior. Walks with Spirits and Laughing Brook maintain a friendship although Thunder Warrior is jealous and tries to keep them from communicating. Unfortunately, Thunder Warrior wants to be in control of everything that Laughing Brook does.
Walks with Spirits moves into a home with her two-spirit friend, Two Rivers Running, who has a male body but lives as a woman. They are not in a romantic relationship but they bring comfort to the other. Both of them have been heartbroken. Two Rivers Running is one of my favorite characters. She is so kind, funny, and talented,
The best supporting character, besides Two Rivers Running, is the scenery. It must have been really beautiful near the ocean and also in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. I enjoy modern conveniences but it would be nice to live off of the grid for a while.
If you are interested in Native American and LGBTQ historical fiction, then Walks with Spirits would be perfect for your next book choice. If you don’t see the beauty in diversity, then we’ll keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
June 16, 2022
Appreciated the sensitivity reader. Celebrated the unabashed appreciation for indigenous people, applying many legends through an original section of people. Enjoyed the spiritual play throughout the nature, since it's the type that feels intuitive, respectful, and tricky. Common to Lane's mythological inspirations.
Loved the lesbian and trans content, and how the main conflict for the story isn't related to their sexuality. Instead it's class based. Hooray!
I wished for less world building. As interesting as the setting is, there's many times where characters ceased to be characters and became exposition pieces. When it's dipping into world lore, it's rarely told through any way besides conversations. Character dialogue felt like doorstoppers to character motivations and actions.
I don't feel the romance when we're told how the women feel. Over-explaining weakens the impact of their actions. Tellingly, I felt like Walking With Spirits had little to no strong motivation for devoting so much of herself to Laughing Brook. And Laughing Brook felt like a modern insert with her words and mannerisms, a detachment from the historical fantasy elements. Maybe it follows that fairy tale romance narrative. Wished for more depth.
Walking with Spirits feels like a juggling act. Lane is tossing elements of multiple genres while presenting a fairy tale lesbian story. I wonder if the research could have been tied explicitly to a character's sharp dialogue and their actions. Feels like the plot truly moves at page 100 or so. Recommend for anyone who wants a lesbian romance that feels lighthearted and hopeful throughout, from start to finish.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Loved the lesbian and trans content, and how the main conflict for the story isn't related to their sexuality. Instead it's class based. Hooray!
I wished for less world building. As interesting as the setting is, there's many times where characters ceased to be characters and became exposition pieces. When it's dipping into world lore, it's rarely told through any way besides conversations. Character dialogue felt like doorstoppers to character motivations and actions.
I don't feel the romance when we're told how the women feel. Over-explaining weakens the impact of their actions. Tellingly, I felt like Walking With Spirits had little to no strong motivation for devoting so much of herself to Laughing Brook. And Laughing Brook felt like a modern insert with her words and mannerisms, a detachment from the historical fantasy elements. Maybe it follows that fairy tale romance narrative. Wished for more depth.
Walking with Spirits feels like a juggling act. Lane is tossing elements of multiple genres while presenting a fairy tale lesbian story. I wonder if the research could have been tied explicitly to a character's sharp dialogue and their actions. Feels like the plot truly moves at page 100 or so. Recommend for anyone who wants a lesbian romance that feels lighthearted and hopeful throughout, from start to finish.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 22, 2022
I received an advance review copy of this eBook for free from the author and BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily as a courtesy.
Walks with Spirits is a historical fantasy set in ancient times, full of Native American Indigenous themes, and a queer love story. Laughing Brook, a daughter of a shaman, and Walks with Spirits, a two-spirit orphan on a path to being a shaman, are best friends who find their love for each other has transformed from that of a plutonic sisterly type to romantic. Both Spirits and Brook are faced with many trials and tribulations on their journey to realize their true purposes in life.
I enjoyed the themes of love and acceptance in this story. The author took great pains to research Indigenous history and the ways of life of peoples who inhabited the Pacific Northwest region of what is now known as the U.S. I really loved the inclusion of a two-spirit character (Walks with Spirits) and the fact that the author utilized a sensitivity reader to ensure the language and information presented were as true as possible to Native peoples.
Although I enjoyed the story, I found myself feeling a bit underwhelmed at times. The tale is toted as being an "epic love story" however I just didn't truly feel the "epic-ness" of it. I'm not entirely sure how the author could have conveyed more feelings and emotions in the story, but I really wanted more.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a historical fantasy type read that features non-heteronormative relationships.
Walks with Spirits is a historical fantasy set in ancient times, full of Native American Indigenous themes, and a queer love story. Laughing Brook, a daughter of a shaman, and Walks with Spirits, a two-spirit orphan on a path to being a shaman, are best friends who find their love for each other has transformed from that of a plutonic sisterly type to romantic. Both Spirits and Brook are faced with many trials and tribulations on their journey to realize their true purposes in life.
I enjoyed the themes of love and acceptance in this story. The author took great pains to research Indigenous history and the ways of life of peoples who inhabited the Pacific Northwest region of what is now known as the U.S. I really loved the inclusion of a two-spirit character (Walks with Spirits) and the fact that the author utilized a sensitivity reader to ensure the language and information presented were as true as possible to Native peoples.
Although I enjoyed the story, I found myself feeling a bit underwhelmed at times. The tale is toted as being an "epic love story" however I just didn't truly feel the "epic-ness" of it. I'm not entirely sure how the author could have conveyed more feelings and emotions in the story, but I really wanted more.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a historical fantasy type read that features non-heteronormative relationships.
June 16, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Walks with Spirts is a story of two souls that are linked together by their lover for one another and the hardships they must endure. While i liked the worldbuilding the books did feel like it dragged to me in a lot of places. I appreciated the detailed discerptions but sometimes those just felt like they got in the way of telling the story especially in the beginning. I'm glad that changes as it goes on. Give it a read it you want a decent time of a story of two people that love each other in a nice and original setting for this type of story.
Walks with Spirts is a story of two souls that are linked together by their lover for one another and the hardships they must endure. While i liked the worldbuilding the books did feel like it dragged to me in a lot of places. I appreciated the detailed discerptions but sometimes those just felt like they got in the way of telling the story especially in the beginning. I'm glad that changes as it goes on. Give it a read it you want a decent time of a story of two people that love each other in a nice and original setting for this type of story.
April 26, 2022
The Review
This was a truly beautiful story. The author’s ability to balance the heartfelt LGBTQ romance of this novel with the culture and history of the Indigenous people of the North American continent was superb, and the added elements of fantasy-driven narrative based upon the mythos and belief systems of the Indigenous people added both depths to the cast of characters and a fantastic amount of world-building.
The heart of this narrative fell to the two amazing protagonists and one of the strongest LGBTQ romances I’ve read this year so far, Walks with Spirits and Laughing Brook. The tension and pain these two women deal with as Laughing Brook is forced to marry a man she doesn’t love, and Walks with Spirits have to hold back her love in order to be a friend to Laughing Brooks through the years, was so emotional to behold. What I loved was the marriage of the mysticism and cultural importance of nature and its relationship to the universe as a whole with the LGBTQ themes and what true love means was amazing to read and see come to life on the page.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, engaging, and thought-provoking, author Edale Lane’s “Walks with Spirits” is a must-read novel of 2022! The amazing LGBTQ themes found in the narrative, from the two protagonists’ enduring love story to the dual-gender identity Walking with Spirits shared and how it related to her having both her soul and the soul of another dwelling within her in this fantasy world was so moving to read, and the juxtaposition of the modern-day conflicts many people still endure when confronted with sexual identity struggles and the impact it has on one’s life and family against the historical and cultural setting of the narrative made this a remarkable story.
This was a truly beautiful story. The author’s ability to balance the heartfelt LGBTQ romance of this novel with the culture and history of the Indigenous people of the North American continent was superb, and the added elements of fantasy-driven narrative based upon the mythos and belief systems of the Indigenous people added both depths to the cast of characters and a fantastic amount of world-building.
The heart of this narrative fell to the two amazing protagonists and one of the strongest LGBTQ romances I’ve read this year so far, Walks with Spirits and Laughing Brook. The tension and pain these two women deal with as Laughing Brook is forced to marry a man she doesn’t love, and Walks with Spirits have to hold back her love in order to be a friend to Laughing Brooks through the years, was so emotional to behold. What I loved was the marriage of the mysticism and cultural importance of nature and its relationship to the universe as a whole with the LGBTQ themes and what true love means was amazing to read and see come to life on the page.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, engaging, and thought-provoking, author Edale Lane’s “Walks with Spirits” is a must-read novel of 2022! The amazing LGBTQ themes found in the narrative, from the two protagonists’ enduring love story to the dual-gender identity Walking with Spirits shared and how it related to her having both her soul and the soul of another dwelling within her in this fantasy world was so moving to read, and the juxtaposition of the modern-day conflicts many people still endure when confronted with sexual identity struggles and the impact it has on one’s life and family against the historical and cultural setting of the narrative made this a remarkable story.
April 28, 2022
EDALE LANE
WALKS WITH SPIRITS
REVIEW
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Walks With Spirits is an Indigenous story centered around 2 women bonded by their hearts yet separated by circumstances beyond their control.
The author did a great job in explaining the exploration of the West coast culture of the Indigenous people and includes their culture, beliefs, struggles and everyday life. Walks With Spirits is characterized as a loving and strong person.
Walks with Spirits is a two-spirit person, who is learning to become a Shaman, communicating with Spirits. Laughing Brook is her best friend and the daughter of the Shaman teaching her this higher path.
The author has written a friend to lovers’ romance in a world that is foreign to us, yet we can connect several things to life here and now.
Laughing Brook is training to be a healer, but she longs to spend her life with Walks with Spirits. A misunderstanding destroys their dreams of happiness and danger lurks around every tree for both women.
The author has at times gone into too much detail about the Indigenous people after explaining it in the preface. It was evident that there was a lot of research that went into this novel, yet the story was a mixture of spirituality, tension, and romance.
This book is a historical fiction that you will want to read.
WALKS WITH SPIRITS
REVIEW
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Walks With Spirits is an Indigenous story centered around 2 women bonded by their hearts yet separated by circumstances beyond their control.
The author did a great job in explaining the exploration of the West coast culture of the Indigenous people and includes their culture, beliefs, struggles and everyday life. Walks With Spirits is characterized as a loving and strong person.
Walks with Spirits is a two-spirit person, who is learning to become a Shaman, communicating with Spirits. Laughing Brook is her best friend and the daughter of the Shaman teaching her this higher path.
The author has written a friend to lovers’ romance in a world that is foreign to us, yet we can connect several things to life here and now.
Laughing Brook is training to be a healer, but she longs to spend her life with Walks with Spirits. A misunderstanding destroys their dreams of happiness and danger lurks around every tree for both women.
The author has at times gone into too much detail about the Indigenous people after explaining it in the preface. It was evident that there was a lot of research that went into this novel, yet the story was a mixture of spirituality, tension, and romance.
This book is a historical fiction that you will want to read.
May 8, 2022
This book painted a broader picture of the Native American culture, focussing on two lovers who were separated by circumstances beyond their own control. It was engaging enough but I struggled a lot to keep up, there was lots of info and descriptions that were not easy to understand. However as a fantasy fan I respect Edale's creativity and attention to detail in creating such a complex story.
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.
July 6, 2022
Disclaimer: I am a white woman with very little knowledge of Indigenous traditions. While I was a bit discomfited by some of the characterization of the side characters, I have no way of knowing if the portrayal was accurate. As Lane did mention using a sensitivity reader, I leave this review under the assumption that this book has approval from at least one member of the First Nations.
Walks With Spirits was a sweet but shallow novel. The over-explanation of every detail of three different characters’ thoughts and emotions was exhausting and repetitive; I don’t think Whale with Teeth’s POV was necessary at all. I could have understood the (way, WAY drawn out) final conflict just fine without his perspective + I was already being flip-flopped between POVs too often. If Spirits and Laughing Brook had traded POVs every chapter instead of randomly in the middle of a page (or, sometimes it seemed, in the middle of a paragraph), I might not have resisted Whale with Teeth’s POV so much.
The romance of the novel itself was really, really lovely. Spirits may have been a bit annoying with her holier-than-thou attitude, but she WAS a bit holier and it echoes in how she interacted with the barriers between her love and Brook’s. The happy ending was extremely happy! I sincerely appreciated that. I didn’t NEED the epilogue, but I was pleased with it.
If so much explanation and character introduction hadn’t been thrown at me before I had an opportunity to understand the plot, I wouldn’t have had such a difficult time getting into the novel. It was also SUCH bad idea to take multiple chapters to explain that Spirits and Brooks weren’t siblings. I legitimately thought they were blood sisters until Spirits’ backstory was explained.
Since I brought up her backstory: putting flashbacks in block text is obnoxious. No thank you.
I had a lot of negative feelings about the book, I won’t lie, but overall it’s a sweet story. It was very thorough and the characters were complete sweethearts. While I think Walks with Spirits should have been able 100 pages shorter, I’m still glad I read it. How often do we get a lesbian romance with such a good ending?!
I received a free digital copy of this book from Book Sirens. I was not required to review.
Walks With Spirits was a sweet but shallow novel. The over-explanation of every detail of three different characters’ thoughts and emotions was exhausting and repetitive; I don’t think Whale with Teeth’s POV was necessary at all. I could have understood the (way, WAY drawn out) final conflict just fine without his perspective + I was already being flip-flopped between POVs too often. If Spirits and Laughing Brook had traded POVs every chapter instead of randomly in the middle of a page (or, sometimes it seemed, in the middle of a paragraph), I might not have resisted Whale with Teeth’s POV so much.
The romance of the novel itself was really, really lovely. Spirits may have been a bit annoying with her holier-than-thou attitude, but she WAS a bit holier and it echoes in how she interacted with the barriers between her love and Brook’s. The happy ending was extremely happy! I sincerely appreciated that. I didn’t NEED the epilogue, but I was pleased with it.
If so much explanation and character introduction hadn’t been thrown at me before I had an opportunity to understand the plot, I wouldn’t have had such a difficult time getting into the novel. It was also SUCH bad idea to take multiple chapters to explain that Spirits and Brooks weren’t siblings. I legitimately thought they were blood sisters until Spirits’ backstory was explained.
Since I brought up her backstory: putting flashbacks in block text is obnoxious. No thank you.
I had a lot of negative feelings about the book, I won’t lie, but overall it’s a sweet story. It was very thorough and the characters were complete sweethearts. While I think Walks with Spirits should have been able 100 pages shorter, I’m still glad I read it. How often do we get a lesbian romance with such a good ending?!
I received a free digital copy of this book from Book Sirens. I was not required to review.
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April 13, 2022 A copy of the book was provided to Sapphic Book Club in exchange for an honest review.
DNF at 16%
I wanted to like this book! It had Indigenous characters, a queer couple, a Two-Spirit character, but it just didn't do it for me.
My first hesitation was that this author was not Indigenous. I know she did extensive research and had an Indigenous sensitivity reader, but these are still really sensitive topics. Note - I did not notice any big issues in the part of the book I read, this was not why I DNF. It did however feel a little bit like the characters were falling into the "Noble Savage" trope, but maybe that changes further along.
My main issue with this book was the excessive amounts of exposition. Everything that could be explained, was explained. And explained again, thoroughly and unnecessarily. I'm usually a fairly patient reader, but this was a bit much. The pace started to pick up, but then continued with the exposition. Unfortunately,
DNF at 16%
I wanted to like this book! It had Indigenous characters, a queer couple, a Two-Spirit character, but it just didn't do it for me.
My first hesitation was that this author was not Indigenous. I know she did extensive research and had an Indigenous sensitivity reader, but these are still really sensitive topics. Note - I did not notice any big issues in the part of the book I read, this was not why I DNF. It did however feel a little bit like the characters were falling into the "Noble Savage" trope, but maybe that changes further along.
My main issue with this book was the excessive amounts of exposition. Everything that could be explained, was explained. And explained again, thoroughly and unnecessarily. I'm usually a fairly patient reader, but this was a bit much. The pace started to pick up, but then continued with the exposition. Unfortunately,
September 28, 2022
This was an absolutely beautiful read about two lovers fighting through hardships.
I really adored the writing style, which was written so poetically, although I struggled with it for the first few chapters.
The author really had a knack for describing nature wonderfully, and I found myself mesmerised by the nature descriptions. They made me feel oddly at peace and made me think about how little we actually need in life: nature and our family/community.
I cherished the relationship between Spirits and Brook, which was powerful to say the least.
What made me nearly cry about this book, was the end, especially the Epilogue; the way everything turned out, I felt so many emotions: sadness, happiness and melancholia.
In conclusion, if you want to read about nature sapphics, this is the book to read!!
— I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really adored the writing style, which was written so poetically, although I struggled with it for the first few chapters.
The author really had a knack for describing nature wonderfully, and I found myself mesmerised by the nature descriptions. They made me feel oddly at peace and made me think about how little we actually need in life: nature and our family/community.
I cherished the relationship between Spirits and Brook, which was powerful to say the least.
What made me nearly cry about this book, was the end, especially the Epilogue; the way everything turned out, I felt so many emotions: sadness, happiness and melancholia.
In conclusion, if you want to read about nature sapphics, this is the book to read!!
— I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 29, 2024
I was given this book complimentary from Book Sirens in e-book form in return for my honest review. Everything stated in this review is of my own opinion and I was not compensated monetarily for providing this review.
Book is historically accurate if possible a bit rose tinted and the characters are developed enough to make the story interesting for the average reader with only a passing interest in Native American history.
It is a slow reader and I suspect this was the authors intention to give a feel for a way of life determined not by the hour of the day but by the season.
The love between the two women is the thread that holds the story together as is the bad behavior of two of the male characters.
A satisfying ending with no loose ends to speak of this is a book I can recommend and with no graphic sex scenes or violence it would make a good school reader maybe with a waning that hunting was the way thee people survived.
Book is historically accurate if possible a bit rose tinted and the characters are developed enough to make the story interesting for the average reader with only a passing interest in Native American history.
It is a slow reader and I suspect this was the authors intention to give a feel for a way of life determined not by the hour of the day but by the season.
The love between the two women is the thread that holds the story together as is the bad behavior of two of the male characters.
A satisfying ending with no loose ends to speak of this is a book I can recommend and with no graphic sex scenes or violence it would make a good school reader maybe with a waning that hunting was the way thee people survived.
April 14, 2022
I really like this author’s Wellington Mysteries, but I’m afraid I struggled with this book. Right from the start there was far too much description and explanation. However my main problem was I really, really didn’t like the main story. I kept going until halfway, but by then the stupidity of the situation had me well beyond annoyed and I had to give up.
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April 21, 2024Not great couldn't get into it
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