Book Review: Green Rider (Green Rider, #1) by Kristen Britain

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Green Rider
Series: Green Rider, #1
Author: Kristen Britain
Publisher: DAW
Publication date: 1998
Length: 481 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Rating:

Magic, danger, and adventure abound for messenger Karigan G’ladheon in the first book of the New York Times-bestselling Green Rider fantasy series

On her long journey home from school after a fight that will surely lead to her expulsion, Karigan G’ladheon ponders her uncertain future. As she trudges through the immense Green Cloak forest, her thoughts are interrupted by the clattering of hooves, as a galloping horse bursts from the woods.

The rider is slumped over his mount’s neck, impaled by two black-shafted arrows. As the young man lies dying on the road, he tells Karigan he is a Green Rider, one of the legendary messengers of the king of Sacoridia.

Before he dies, he begs Karigan to deliver the “life and death” message he bears to King Zachary. When she reluctantly he agrees, he makes her swear on his sword to complete his mission, whispering with his dying breath, “Beware the shadow man…”

Taking on the golden-winged horse brooch that is the symbol of the Green Riders, Karigan is swept into a world of deadly danger and complex magic, her life forever changed. Compelled by forces she cannot understand, Karigan is accompanied by the silent specter of the fallen messenger and hounded by dark beings bent on seeing that the message, and its reluctant carrier, never reach their destination.

With memorable characters, unique magic, and a story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats, this action-packed, feminist fantasy is a must-read for lovers of the genre.

Where has Green Rider been all my (reading) life? I only became aware of this series in 2023, after stumbling across a promo for a soon-to-be released novella set in the world of the larger series. I don’t know why I wasn’t aware of Green Rider sooner… but I suppose this falls into the category of “better late than never” books!

Green Rider is a high fantasy series involving magic, legacies of ancient battles, rivalry for the throne, struggles between the nobility, merchant, and lower classes, and so much more. Our main character is Karigan G’ladheon, teenaged daughter of a successful shipping merchant. Karigan has just been suspended from school after humiliating a nobleman’s son at swordplay. On her trek home, Karigan encounters a Green Rider — a member of the King’s elite messenger corps — who’s been mortally wounded. Dying in front of Karigan, he begs her to complete his mission. Although she has no training in such matters, she swears to do so, and takes up his green cloak, his mysterious horse-shaped gold brooch, and his horse (whom Karigan proceeds to name The Horse).

Almost immediately, Karigan discovers that her own life is now in danger. She’s pursued by a variety of bad guys, who are clearly willing to hurt or kill her in order to get their hands on the message she carries. But Karigan is committed to keeping her promise, and has the dead Rider’s ghost to encourage her onward when she falters.

Much of Green Rider focuses on Karigan’s journey along dangerous roads, fighting off threats while also meeting intriguing others who seem to wield magical gifts and are willing to offer her help. Karigan learns that wearing the cloak and brooch of a Green Rider imbues her with certain powers — and while she keeps insisting that she’s not really a Rider herself, her actions seem to prove otherwise.

The stakes and tension escalate further when she finally reaches the kingdom’s capitol and finds her way to the court. Meanwhile, scattered throughout are chapters showing a devious plot to overthrow the king, with nefarious parties willing to allow the blackest magic back into the kingdom in order to promote their own power plays. A dramatic, deadly face-off between the forces of good and evil provides a thrilling climax to the story — and the ripple effects are sure to be felt throughout the next books in the series.

Green Rider is an absorbing, complicated book, with intricate world-building and a wide cast of characters. I think I hesitated to start because of the length and size of the book — my edition is an oversized paperback, and it really looks and feels like a doorstop! Fortunately, it’s fast-moving, and I never felt bogged down or overwhelmed.

Karigan is a terrific character, as are so many of the others we meet. I’m curious to learn more about the king and the other riders, and would love to know more about certain of the unusual people Karigan meets during her journey.

A map of the kingdom and surrounding lands would have been helpful! My edition does not include this, although a quick Google search leads to several fan-made versions, as well as a map drawn by the author when book #6 was released.

As for the series as a whole, it currently consists of eight novels plus two shorter works. The eighth novel was just published this week! The main novels are all pretty massive, well over 500 pages each. No wonder I was hesitant about starting!

Will I continue? Absolutely! I loved Green Rider, and can’t wait to see what’s next for Karigan. There’s clearly so much more to explore about this rich fantasy world. Given the length of the books, I’m not sure when I’ll actually dive into book #2 (596 pages!), but at the very latest, it will be a priority read for me in 2026.

Overall, I highly recommend Green Rider, and I’m delighted that I’ve finally taken the time to start this series. A must-read for fantasy fans!

The Green Rider series:

Purchase links: Amazon – Audible – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm
Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.

29Aug2025

Book Review: Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea (Tomes & Tea, #1) by Rebecca Thorne

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea
Series: Tomes & Tea, #1
Author: Rebecca Thorne
Publisher: Bramble
Publication date: September 15, 2022
Length: 345 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Rating:

“You like tea. I like books. Care to open a shop and forget the world exists?”

All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters… all complemented by love and good company. Thing is, Reyna works as one of the Queen’s private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn’t so easy.

But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she’s thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility–all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town nestled in the icy tundra of dragon country, and open the shop of their dreams.

What follows is a cozy tale of mishaps, mysteries, and a murderous queen throwing the realm’s biggest temper tantrum. In a story brimming with hurt/comfort and quiet fireside conversations, these two women will discover just what they mean to each other… and the world.

Author Rebecca Thorne states clearly in her author’s notes that she was inspired by Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes… and the footprints of that cozy fantasy can be seen all over Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea.

If you’re a fan of the cozy fantasy genre, then prepare for delight — all the genre’s major beats are here: Renovations, baking, steeping tea, lots of books, settling in a new town, finding community… Can’t Spell Treason has them all!

And yet, despite treading familiar ground, this sweet book is still quite lovely to read. It may not be 100% new or different, but the author take the basics of the genre and spins a charming tale of love, magic, and adventure, with characters to care about… even if, most of the time, the stakes are either relatively low or easily overcome.

Reyna is one of the Queensguard, raised from birth to protect the (terrible) Queen at all costs, including sacrificing her own life, if necessary. Kianthe is the Arcandor, the most powerful mage in the land. After a chance meeting at the palace, they’ve fallen in love, but neither has the ability to choose a life together. Or do they?

After one particularly violent incident, Reyna has had enough. All she wants is the life she and Kianthe have been fantasizing about for two years. It doesn’t take much (or any) convincing for Kianthe to agree to run away with Reyna and build a life together, one where they’ll open a tea and book shop and live happily ever after.

It’s easier for Kianthe — she’s the Arcandor and can do whatever she likes. Sure, the other mages aren’t thrilled that she’s not going to live full-time at the Magicary any longer, but she’ll still be available to carry out her duties. Reyna is actually committing treason by leaving the Queen’s service without permission (which would not be given, even if asked; hers is a lifetime post). She knows that eventually, someone may track her down, but for now, she’s determined to pursue happiness with the love of her life.

We get long stretches of Kianthe and Reyna finding an unused barn in a remote town near the border with dragon country, then renovating it, stocking it, and opening up their business, which immediately draws the community together. It’s very sweet, but not exactly full of drama.

Eventually, there’s more action as Kianthe saves the town from a dragon attack and figures out why they’ve been attacking, ultimately committing to a quest on behalf of the dragons (which sets up the plot for the next book). Plus, Reyna is eventually discovered, and must find a way to avoid execution for treason — lots of negotiations ensue.

All in all, this is indeed a cutely cozy fantasy, which kept me entertained despite the overall fluffy nature of the story. The characters are quite fun. Gotta love how Kianthe, most powerful mage in the land, is at her most gleeful when she’s making simply awful puns — it’s actually quite charming:

The mage paused. “Sorry. This is sappy.”

“Is that a tree pun?” Reyna’s tone was bone dry.

“Maybe. But don’t worry, I’ll leaf it at that.”

The story beats, while having a familiar feel, still manage to entertain and introduce plenty of nice little moments along the way.

If you’re looking for a bit of uplifting joy in fantasy form — with tea and a bookshop — this book makes a very nice reading diversion. I enjoyed it enough to want to continue with the series.

Up next:

*Tomes & Tea, #2: A Pirate’s Life for Tea*

Purchase links: Amazon – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm
Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.

19Dec2024

Book Review: City of the Lost (Rockton, #1) by Kelley Armstrong

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: City of the Lost
Series: Rockton, #1
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication date: May 3, 2016
Length: 412 pages
Genre: Thriller/mystery
Source: Library
Rating:

Casey Duncan is a homicide detective with a secret: when she was in college, she killed a man. She was never caught, but he was the grandson of a mobster and she knows this crime will catch up to her. Casey’s best friend, Diana, is on the run from a violent, abusive ex-husband. When Diana’s husband finds her, and Casey herself is attacked shortly after, Casey knows it’s time for the two of them to disappear again.

Diana has heard of a domestic violence support town made for people like her, a town that takes in people on the run who want to shed their old lives. You must apply to live in Rockton and if you’re accepted, it means walking away entirely from your old life, living off the grid in the wilds of Canada: no cell phones, no Internet, no mail, no computers, very little electricity, and no way of getting in or out without the town council’s approval. As a murderer, Casey isn’t a good candidate, but she has something they want; she’s a homicide detective, and Rockton has just had its first real murder. She and Diana are in. However, soon after arriving, Casey realizes that the identity of a murderer isn’t the only secret Rockton is hiding – in fact, she starts to wonder if she and Diana might be in even more danger in Rockton than they were in their old lives.

An edgy, gripping crime novel from a bestselling urban fantasy writer, City of the Lost boldly announces a major new player in the crime fiction world.

Kelley Armstrong has become an auto-buy author for me, and I’ve been loving her recent series (A Rip Through Time and A Stitch in Time) and stand-alones. I hadn’t had the opportunity to explore her extensive backlist until now… and now that I’ve started, I can’t wait to keep going!

City of the Lost is the first book in the 7-book Rockton series. The premise is certainly unique: There’s a remote town — Rockton, population 200 — located in the wilds of Canada’s Yukon territory. It’s home to those fleeing danger who need complete isolation from the outside world, but it also offers shelter to some with questionable pasts who need a way to hide out and start over. There are no navigable roads in or out — new residents arrive by bush plane, and can only leave the same way. Relocating to Rockton is a serious commitment.

The books opens with a bang:

“I killed a man,” I say to my new therapist.

Detective Casey Duncan has a huge secret that’s been weighing on her for the past twelve years. After a brutally violent attack left Casey with permanent physical and psychological scars, she went to confront the ex-boyfriend whose actions brought about the attack (and who abandoned her to her attackers). During the confrontation, she shot and killed him, although that hadn’t been her intention. While she’s essentially gotten away with the killing, she’s always known that it could catch up to her at any point.

Meanwhile, her best friend Diana has been assaulted yet again by her cruel, abusive ex-husband, and she and Casey fear that they’ll never fully be rid of him. When Diana hears about a town where people can disappear, she proposed that they both go and get the protection they so desperately need. Casey is hesitant, but she realizes that this is the best possible solution for Diana. After an intense screening process, they’re in, but with a catch: The selection process easily unearthed Casey’s secret, but because they need a detective, they’ll let her in — only for a six-month stay.

Casey and Diana’s relocation to Rockton introduces them to a world that’s truly apart from everything they’ve known. And while Diana immediately immerses herself in the social life available to her as one of the small number of women in town, Casey gets right to work under the direction of Sheriff Eric Dalton. Dalton is brusque, demanding, and no-nonsense, and while he initially did not want Casey in his town, he quickly realizes how skilled and valuable she is.

Dalton and the town are in desperate need of Casey’s talents, as dead bodies begin cropping up. At first, it’s assumed that missing Rockton residents have simply wandered off into the woods and perhaps met with accidents, but as gruesome corpses are found, it becomes apparent that a killer is at work. Everyone in town is a potential suspect, and to make matters worse, Casey soon discovers that many of Rockton’s residents are actually more dangerous than she’s been led to believe.

The murder mystery and thriller elements are detailed and complex, with plenty of misleading clues and confusing trails of evidence. For a very small town, Rockton has a lot of characters to introduce, and my one complaint about City of the Lost is that it became difficult at various points to keep all the random people and their backstories straight.

That aside, the drama and tension escalate effectively throughout the story, and I loved seeing the different pieces come together. For me, when I read a mystery series, I enjoy the particular crime to be solved in each book, but what really holds my interest and attention is the character development that connects the books. City of the Lost is only the first book, but I can tell already that the characters are going to keep me coming back for more.

Casey herself is a terrific, imperfect, complex main character, and she has fabulous chemistry with Sheriff Eric Dalton. Even before personal chemistry comes into the mix, they’re amazing as partners, butting heads constantly while also building rock-solid respect for one another as professionals. Seeing them together, for me, is the high point of the story.

Beyond Casey and Eric, there are plenty of side characters who add depth to the story and help create a picture of a full society in this little town. And while the murders do get solved, there is clearly more to uncover in terms of people’s secrets and bigger picture questions about the council that runs Rockton from afar.

City of the Lost is a fantastic way to start a series! After just one book, I can say with certainty that I’m hooked and need more. Fortunately, there are six more books to explore in the main series, and I understand that a spin-off series, Haven’s Rock, includes two books so far, with a third due out in 2025. .

I’m going to try to take my time and not do a series binge… but it’s incredibly tempting to barge straight ahead! I’m looking forward to continuing the Rockton series. Next up: Darkness Absolute.

6Jan2018

Reading goals: Series to read in 2018

Posted in Bookish Thoughts by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Another year, another chance to set reading goals… that may or may not be at all realistic. But hey, a reader can dream, right?

I’ve moved away from setting too many reading goals over the years. I don’t participate in reading challenges (other than Goodreads), because I know that I’ll just end up feeling frustrated and resentful if I tailor my reading to a list or set of “requirements”, rather than just reading whatever the hell I feel like. I’m definitely a mood reader — I want to read whatever I want, whenever I want, no deadlines or commitments!

BUT… I do have a few reading goals, chief among which is the desire to dive into several series that I’ve had my eye on for a while now.

In 2018, my priority series to read (or at least start) will be:

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi – six books, starting with Old Man’s War:

Lady Julia Grey by Deanna Raybourn – five books and a bunch of novellas, starting with Silent in the Grave:

Question for those who have read this series: What’s the suggested reading approach? Read all the novels first? Are the novellas necessary? Do they come at the end, or in between, or… ?? Help!

Newsflesh by Mira Grant – four novels and assorted shorter works, starting with Feed:

Again, looking for advice on how to proceed: Read the original trilogy, then the story collection, then the 4th novel?

October Daye by Seanan McGuire – 11 books and counting, plus short fiction too, starting with Rosemary and Rue:

Peter Grant series by Ben Aaronovitch – six novels and another on the way, starting with Rivers of London (Midnight Riot):

That’s it for my 2018 priority list… but wait, there’s more!

I still have my eye on a bunch of series/trilogies/what-have-you that I intend to read… eventually. Maybe some will make it into my 2018 reading pile, but then again, maybe not. It all depends on my reading mood! My will-get-to-at-some-point list of series includes:

Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness
Illuminae books by Amie Kaufman
Anything/everything by Tamora Pierce (by order of my beloved daughter)
The Last Policeman trilogy by Ben H. Winters
Wayward Pines books by Blake Crouch
Inheritance trilogy and/or Broken Earth series by N. K. Jemisin

I can’t forget to mention that I’m committed to continuing a few ongoing series as well, including:

The Expanse series — next up: Cibola Burns (#4)
Poldark series — currently on #7 (The Angry Tide), then continuing on with #8 (The Stranger From the Sea)

… and in the “don’t hold your breath” category, it would be lovely to be able to read the next books in the Outlander and A Song of Ice and Fire series, but I’m fairly certain we won’t see either one in 2018!

Are you planning to start any new series this year? If you’ve read any of the series on my “priority” list, let me know what you thought!

8Feb2017

Thursday Quotables: First Grave on the Right

Posted in Thursday Quotables by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Welcome to Thursday Quotables! This weekly feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week. Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines of the week will be, and you’re invited to join in!

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones
(published 2011)

I’m about a third of the way into this book, and I mostly think it’s weird and silly — but I’ve been assured that the series gets better and better as it goes along. We’ll see. Meanwhile, the main character, Charley Davidson (ha!) is super sarcastic and quippy, which is a big plus.

My stepmother was never big on the whole nurturing thing. I think she used up all the good stuff on my older sister, and by the time she got to me, she was fresh out of nurture. She did, however, give me one pertinent bit of 411. She was the one who informed me that I had the attention span of a gnat; only, she said I had the attention span of a gnat with selective listening. At least I think that’s what she said. I wasn’t listening.

What lines made you laugh, cry, or gasp this week? Do tell!

If you’d like to participate in Thursday Quotables, it’s really simple:

Write a Thursday Quotables post on your blog. Try to pick something from whatever you’re reading now. And please be sure to include a link back to Bookshelf Fantasies in your post (http://www.bookshelffantasies.com), if you’d be so kind!
Add your Thursday Quotables post link in the comments section below… and I’d love it if you’d leave a comment about my quote for this week too.
Be sure to visit other linked blogs to view their Thursday Quotables, and have fun!