Review by jolene34 -- Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner
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jolene34
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Review by jolene34 -- Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner
[Following is a volunteer review of "Apollo's Raven" by Linnea Tanner.]
Apollo’s Raven Review
Ahhhh, young forbidden love… and sorcery… and traitors. That is but a few of the themes awaiting the next reader of Apollo’s Raven by Linnea Tanner.
Catrin is a Celtic warrior princess and the daughter of King Amren and Queen Rhiannon. The family lives in fear of a curse set upon the king by his former queen, Rhan. The curse foretells the overthrowing of the King by his banished son and Catrin’s older half-brother, Marrock, and Catrin herself. When Catrin was little, Marrock had been found leaving her in the woods, traumatizing her at a young age and was therefore exiled by their father. During the mysteriously tragic event, Catrin discovers powers of her own and has since been trying to hone the ability to spiritually bond with and see through the eyes of her raven.
The story begins with the Romans seeking an alliance and a meeting between two of the Celtic tribes to determine which king will be proclaimed agent to Rome. King Amren compromises that he will attend said meeting only if the Roman senator leaves his son, Marcellus, hostage at the King’s home and be attended to by Catrin until a decision has been reached. The two of them fall in love while under the task of probing each other for information concerning the other’s military plans as set forth secretly by their fathers. Marcellus’s father, Lucius, is ruthless and conniving. Marrock is alive, well, and plotting. The king’s adviser and Druidess, Agrona, is not to be trusted. And Catrin’s ability to see visions of the past and the future drives her determination to save her father and Marcellus from a dark fate.
What I liked most in Apollo’s Raven was how engaging the plot was. I stayed hungry for more throughout the entire book. “Oh no, Roman invaders!” “There’s a curse upon King Amren?!” “What are these Romans playing at?” “Woah, they have no idea what is coming!” There are plenty of secrets, which.. Come on, who doesn’t like to read those? If there were rising questions or confusion, there was soon a different perspective from another character to clear things up a bit which I greatly appreciated.
I cannot think of anything that I disliked most about the writing honestly. My favorite parts to read were the scenes in which Catrin bonded with her raven, learning how her powers operated, how she could attempt to change one’s fate and the sacrifices it would cost her. Seeing visions and answering questions about Catrin’s past. I absolutely crave flashbacks and glimpses of the future so, yes, that was pure satisfaction.
A great writer can make feel you a strong emotion toward a character and I absolutely loathe Senator Lucius, Marrock, and Agrona. The reader can feel and cringe at their hatred, their desperation for vengeance, and their cruelty. All of which was well written in their actions and dialogue. At the same time, I have a place in my heart for Catrin, King Amren, Trystan, and Cynwrig. The last two aren’t very big characters but I found a great fondness for them in the book. I am unapologetic in saying that I loved each and every chapter and that does not happen often for me. Especially considering that I normally do not get excited about the genre of romance.
I rate this read 4 out of 4 stars. I simply cannot give it a three because I could not put it down. Omens, curses, prophecies, captures, secrets, and female empowerment to boot. If I could give it a score of five, I would. I am excited to read the next book in the series. I’d recommend this to anyone who prefers books in the area of romance, anyone who enjoys historical fiction, and anyone who is seeking a new page-turner.
******
Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Apollo’s Raven Review
Ahhhh, young forbidden love… and sorcery… and traitors. That is but a few of the themes awaiting the next reader of Apollo’s Raven by Linnea Tanner.
Catrin is a Celtic warrior princess and the daughter of King Amren and Queen Rhiannon. The family lives in fear of a curse set upon the king by his former queen, Rhan. The curse foretells the overthrowing of the King by his banished son and Catrin’s older half-brother, Marrock, and Catrin herself. When Catrin was little, Marrock had been found leaving her in the woods, traumatizing her at a young age and was therefore exiled by their father. During the mysteriously tragic event, Catrin discovers powers of her own and has since been trying to hone the ability to spiritually bond with and see through the eyes of her raven.
The story begins with the Romans seeking an alliance and a meeting between two of the Celtic tribes to determine which king will be proclaimed agent to Rome. King Amren compromises that he will attend said meeting only if the Roman senator leaves his son, Marcellus, hostage at the King’s home and be attended to by Catrin until a decision has been reached. The two of them fall in love while under the task of probing each other for information concerning the other’s military plans as set forth secretly by their fathers. Marcellus’s father, Lucius, is ruthless and conniving. Marrock is alive, well, and plotting. The king’s adviser and Druidess, Agrona, is not to be trusted. And Catrin’s ability to see visions of the past and the future drives her determination to save her father and Marcellus from a dark fate.
What I liked most in Apollo’s Raven was how engaging the plot was. I stayed hungry for more throughout the entire book. “Oh no, Roman invaders!” “There’s a curse upon King Amren?!” “What are these Romans playing at?” “Woah, they have no idea what is coming!” There are plenty of secrets, which.. Come on, who doesn’t like to read those? If there were rising questions or confusion, there was soon a different perspective from another character to clear things up a bit which I greatly appreciated.
I cannot think of anything that I disliked most about the writing honestly. My favorite parts to read were the scenes in which Catrin bonded with her raven, learning how her powers operated, how she could attempt to change one’s fate and the sacrifices it would cost her. Seeing visions and answering questions about Catrin’s past. I absolutely crave flashbacks and glimpses of the future so, yes, that was pure satisfaction.
A great writer can make feel you a strong emotion toward a character and I absolutely loathe Senator Lucius, Marrock, and Agrona. The reader can feel and cringe at their hatred, their desperation for vengeance, and their cruelty. All of which was well written in their actions and dialogue. At the same time, I have a place in my heart for Catrin, King Amren, Trystan, and Cynwrig. The last two aren’t very big characters but I found a great fondness for them in the book. I am unapologetic in saying that I loved each and every chapter and that does not happen often for me. Especially considering that I normally do not get excited about the genre of romance.
I rate this read 4 out of 4 stars. I simply cannot give it a three because I could not put it down. Omens, curses, prophecies, captures, secrets, and female empowerment to boot. If I could give it a score of five, I would. I am excited to read the next book in the series. I’d recommend this to anyone who prefers books in the area of romance, anyone who enjoys historical fiction, and anyone who is seeking a new page-turner.
******
Apollo's Raven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Project Tau by Jude Austin
