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The Extraordinaries #1
Burning Bright
Elinor is an Extraordinary, and the only one in England capable of wielding fire in over one hundred years. As an Extraordinary, she is respected and feared, but to her father, she represents power and prestige for himself. Mr. Pembroke, having spent his life studying magic, is determined to control Elinor and her talent by forcing her to marry where he chooses, a marriage that will produce even more powerful offspring. Trapped between the choices of a loveless marriage or living penniless and dependent on her parents, Elinor takes a third path: she defies tradition and society to join the Royal Navy. Assigned to serve under Captain Miles Ramsay aboard the frigate Athena, she turns her fiery talent on England's enemies, French privateers, and vicious pirates preying on English ships in the Caribbean. At first feared by her shipmates, a growing number of victories make her truly part of Athena's crew and bring her joy in her fire. But as her power grows and changes in unexpected ways, Elinor's ability to control it is challenged. She may have the power to destroy her enemies utterly--but could it be at the cost of her own life?
318 pages, ebook
First published August 15, 2016
418 people are currently reading
5871 people want to read
About the author
Melissa McShane
88 books855 followersMelissa grew up a nomad, following her family all over the United States, and ended up living in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains with her husband, four kids, and three very needy cats. Her love of reading was always a constant during those uncertain years, and her love of writing grew out of that. She wrote reviews and critical essays for many years before turning to fiction, and was surprised at how much she liked it. She loves the fantasy genre and how it stretches the imagination.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 531 reviews
September 16, 2021
2021 reread - 4+ stars. Highly recommended if a Regency era fantasy appeals to you. Final review, first posted on Fantasy Literature:
Twenty-one year old Elinor Pembroke, dreaming of fire burning all around her, awakes to find her room actually ablaze with an intense fire ― a fire she caused in her sleep. Elinor is able to quench the fire with simply a thought. The ability to not only mentally generate but also to extinguish fire makes her an Extraordinary Scorcher, the first British person with this high level of power over fire in over a hundred years. In this alternative Regency world, a few people have magical talents ― telepathy, flying, teleporting, visions, and more ― and those who have especially strong abilities are called Extraordinaries.
Elinor’s dictatorial father is delighted that his nondescript middle daughter is suddenly an extremely valuable commodity in the marriage market: many men are interested in marrying a woman with a strong talent in order to produce gifted children. Elinor’s personal feelings about the man her father chooses for her are of no account to him. As he’s busily making plans to marry her off to a rather unpleasant but wealthy nobleman, Elinor, desperate to find a path that offers her the right to determine her own fate, sneaks off to convince the Admiralty that the Royal Navy needs her help.
The admirals are reluctant to allow a woman to serve in the Navy, but it’s difficult for them to argue with Elinor’s ability, particularly after she gives them a brief demonstration of her Extraordinary talent by calmly lighting the fireplace and every lamp in the First Lord’s office at once, then extinguishing them. It’s clear that Elinor could make a big difference in their battles against pirates and privateers, which are splitting their naval forces in the war against Napoleon. To her embarrassment, they assign her to the ship of Captain Miles Ramsay, with whom Elinor had had a bit of a tiff at a recent ball. Sparks fly, in more ways than one. Elinor has to battle, not only privateers and pirates, but the superstitions and prejudices of the sailors aboard the Athena, as well as the admiral in Bermuda who is in charge of the conflict against the pirates in the Caribbean.
Burning Bright is an engaging story about the adventures of a young woman who finds she has an unexpected talent, and in gaining skill and confidence in her talent, gradually gains confidence in herself as well. Elinor realizes that she may be irrevocably damaging her reputation in society by joining the Navy as a single woman aboard a ship of men, but the chance to make her own decisions is worth the risk. But even after Elinor finds the courage to join the Navy, her determination to face down her tyrannical father and tell him that she’s leaving is short-lived: she ends up leaving him a letter and disappearing in the morning. Her development of mental and emotional strength takes some time.
While Regency era-based fantasies have become fairly popular, this one, refreshingly, focuses more on the nautical experience than the parlors and ballrooms and romance. Melissa McShane has researched the details of shipboard life in this era and incorporated them into her story in a way that doesn’t drag down the pace of the story. In fact, the overall pace, after a bit of a slow build-up, moves along briskly as Elinor has some unexpected adventures and makes some enemies as well as some friends. The secondary characters are well-developed; I enjoyed the various personalities of the sailors on board the Athena. Captain Ramsay is a capable leader but has some human flaws as well. His dialogue with Elinor is often quite amusing:
Burning Bright combines shipboard adventures, wars with pirates, and an interesting magical system with just a little romance. I didn’t really mean to spend an entire evening reading this book, but it was one of those books that was extremely difficult to put down once I got into it!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. Thank you!
Twenty-one year old Elinor Pembroke, dreaming of fire burning all around her, awakes to find her room actually ablaze with an intense fire ― a fire she caused in her sleep. Elinor is able to quench the fire with simply a thought. The ability to not only mentally generate but also to extinguish fire makes her an Extraordinary Scorcher, the first British person with this high level of power over fire in over a hundred years. In this alternative Regency world, a few people have magical talents ― telepathy, flying, teleporting, visions, and more ― and those who have especially strong abilities are called Extraordinaries.
Elinor’s dictatorial father is delighted that his nondescript middle daughter is suddenly an extremely valuable commodity in the marriage market: many men are interested in marrying a woman with a strong talent in order to produce gifted children. Elinor’s personal feelings about the man her father chooses for her are of no account to him. As he’s busily making plans to marry her off to a rather unpleasant but wealthy nobleman, Elinor, desperate to find a path that offers her the right to determine her own fate, sneaks off to convince the Admiralty that the Royal Navy needs her help.
The admirals are reluctant to allow a woman to serve in the Navy, but it’s difficult for them to argue with Elinor’s ability, particularly after she gives them a brief demonstration of her Extraordinary talent by calmly lighting the fireplace and every lamp in the First Lord’s office at once, then extinguishing them. It’s clear that Elinor could make a big difference in their battles against pirates and privateers, which are splitting their naval forces in the war against Napoleon. To her embarrassment, they assign her to the ship of Captain Miles Ramsay, with whom Elinor had had a bit of a tiff at a recent ball. Sparks fly, in more ways than one. Elinor has to battle, not only privateers and pirates, but the superstitions and prejudices of the sailors aboard the Athena, as well as the admiral in Bermuda who is in charge of the conflict against the pirates in the Caribbean.
Burning Bright is an engaging story about the adventures of a young woman who finds she has an unexpected talent, and in gaining skill and confidence in her talent, gradually gains confidence in herself as well. Elinor realizes that she may be irrevocably damaging her reputation in society by joining the Navy as a single woman aboard a ship of men, but the chance to make her own decisions is worth the risk. But even after Elinor finds the courage to join the Navy, her determination to face down her tyrannical father and tell him that she’s leaving is short-lived: she ends up leaving him a letter and disappearing in the morning. Her development of mental and emotional strength takes some time.
While Regency era-based fantasies have become fairly popular, this one, refreshingly, focuses more on the nautical experience than the parlors and ballrooms and romance. Melissa McShane has researched the details of shipboard life in this era and incorporated them into her story in a way that doesn’t drag down the pace of the story. In fact, the overall pace, after a bit of a slow build-up, moves along briskly as Elinor has some unexpected adventures and makes some enemies as well as some friends. The secondary characters are well-developed; I enjoyed the various personalities of the sailors on board the Athena. Captain Ramsay is a capable leader but has some human flaws as well. His dialogue with Elinor is often quite amusing:
“I could order you, as your commanding officer, to tell me.”There are some darker parts to Burning Bright as well, as McShane deals straightforwardly with the nightmarish psychological effects of killing men in war, as well as the seductive power that fire can gain over the person that wields it. These aspects are reminiscent of some of the ideas and themes explored in Shannon Hale’s fantasy Enna Burning, though I didn’t find Burning Bright nearly as dark and disturbing as that fire-based fantasy.
“You could, Captain, but I would disobey, you would have to order me flogged, the crew would all mutiny, and you would end your days marooned on some tiny Caribbean island eating nothing but raw breadfruit and unripe coconuts.”
“Raw breadfruit is indigestible.”
“Then coconuts it will have to be.”
Burning Bright combines shipboard adventures, wars with pirates, and an interesting magical system with just a little romance. I didn’t really mean to spend an entire evening reading this book, but it was one of those books that was extremely difficult to put down once I got into it!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. Thank you!
May 13, 2017
4 stars
To my smut lovers, fair warning, this has no rumpy pumpy in it. I really enjoyed it anyway though and that's rare for me. This is a regency era fantasy book. I found the powers described in it very interesting and intriguing. Imagine, Regent England with fire starters(Scorchers), telekinetics (Movers), teleporters(Bounders) and a woman that's not just a Scorcher but an Extraordinary one (meaning she can stop the fire and manipulate it). Simply, kick ass!
More detailed review, later. Maybe..
To my smut lovers, fair warning, this has no rumpy pumpy in it. I really enjoyed it anyway though and that's rare for me. This is a regency era fantasy book. I found the powers described in it very interesting and intriguing. Imagine, Regent England with fire starters(Scorchers), telekinetics (Movers), teleporters(Bounders) and a woman that's not just a Scorcher but an Extraordinary one (meaning she can stop the fire and manipulate it). Simply, kick ass!
More detailed review, later. Maybe..
Read
March 21, 2017Fantastical Regency historical romances have become a popular subgenre, ever since Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer published their fictional letter game Sorcery and Cecelia two or three decades ago. Melissa McShane has come up with my favorite since the above--and for totally different reasons.
While Wrede and Stevermer were basically inserting magic into a Georgette Heyer world, McShane has eschewed the Heyerverse, drawing on influence from Jane Austen and Patrick O'Brian, to come up with a fascinating next-universe-over in which King George III is reclusive because of a painful paranormal power, and the Colonies have not revolted. In this world, those who manifest powers are valued; women as well as men can serve in the British Army, but the Royal Navy is being its typical self, stubbornly traditionalist and resistant to change--unless, of course, that change comes from within.
But Elinor Pembroke is desperate enough to bang down the castle walls, and confront the First Lord himself, with an awesome demonstration of her Extraordinary Scorcher power. In other words, she can call fire at will. Lots of fire.
Elinor is desperate to get away from her father, who is determined to marry her off to suit his ambitions, with no regard for her wishes. She finds herself summarily assigned to the frigate Athena under Captain Ramsay, who seems neutral, at best, to be assigned a woman of quality aboard. He knows what a hassle it's going to be.
Watching these two navigate their relationship while Elinor deals with the rules of the wooden world keeps those pages turning. She's leaped from the ballrooms of London to the smelly belly of wooden ships crewed by 300 men crammed in close quarters. And, well, men are men.
Just when things are getting very tense, a French ship attacks them, with a scorcher on board. I enjoyed the way McShane figures out how the various powers would affect tactics and strategy on the high seas. Elinor knows zilch about ship to ship warfare, she has to concentrate on the firefight. It's a pleasure watching her explore her powers--and then discover the downside of having the skill to kill. McShane doesn't flinch away from the cost of power, which adds to the tension, and heartbreak, of the storyline.
One of the best moments in a tale of adventure and romance and friendship and complexity was when Elinor finally meets her counterpart among the pirate fleet the naval detachment has been assigned to eradicate. It's a terrific scene.
I read this in an early draft, and loved it then. I was excited to see what McShane did with the final draft--and found myself involved in the story all over again. This world has so much potential!
While Wrede and Stevermer were basically inserting magic into a Georgette Heyer world, McShane has eschewed the Heyerverse, drawing on influence from Jane Austen and Patrick O'Brian, to come up with a fascinating next-universe-over in which King George III is reclusive because of a painful paranormal power, and the Colonies have not revolted. In this world, those who manifest powers are valued; women as well as men can serve in the British Army, but the Royal Navy is being its typical self, stubbornly traditionalist and resistant to change--unless, of course, that change comes from within.
But Elinor Pembroke is desperate enough to bang down the castle walls, and confront the First Lord himself, with an awesome demonstration of her Extraordinary Scorcher power. In other words, she can call fire at will. Lots of fire.
Elinor is desperate to get away from her father, who is determined to marry her off to suit his ambitions, with no regard for her wishes. She finds herself summarily assigned to the frigate Athena under Captain Ramsay, who seems neutral, at best, to be assigned a woman of quality aboard. He knows what a hassle it's going to be.
Watching these two navigate their relationship while Elinor deals with the rules of the wooden world keeps those pages turning. She's leaped from the ballrooms of London to the smelly belly of wooden ships crewed by 300 men crammed in close quarters. And, well, men are men.
Just when things are getting very tense, a French ship attacks them, with a scorcher on board. I enjoyed the way McShane figures out how the various powers would affect tactics and strategy on the high seas. Elinor knows zilch about ship to ship warfare, she has to concentrate on the firefight. It's a pleasure watching her explore her powers--and then discover the downside of having the skill to kill. McShane doesn't flinch away from the cost of power, which adds to the tension, and heartbreak, of the storyline.
One of the best moments in a tale of adventure and romance and friendship and complexity was when Elinor finally meets her counterpart among the pirate fleet the naval detachment has been assigned to eradicate. It's a terrific scene.
I read this in an early draft, and loved it then. I was excited to see what McShane did with the final draft--and found myself involved in the story all over again. This world has so much potential!
August 16, 2016
I've taken to rereading Melissa's books as they come out, if only to refresh my memory about what made it in and what didn't. And yes, that means I'm unusually closely involved and you can safely discount my review as biased if you desire. I do try to be clear, if not precisely impartial, so I hope you'll give the review a glance and discover a story you can love.
In Burning Bright, Melissa sticks closer to the real world than she usually does by setting it in a Regency period much like our own, but with magic added for spice. The magic permeates society, so there are some strong differences (like women having a few more life-options as a result of not wanting to waste half the population who have useful Talents) as well as some more subtle (like taking long-distant communication, at least of important events, for granted). I love how these background changes are woven into a tale of adventure and self-discovery with hints of more to see in future stories exploring other extraordinary women.
But, as always with Melissa's books, my main draw to the story is the strong heroine that I found easy to fall in love with. England doesn't have a lot of Scorchers and no Extraordinary ones, so Elinor finds herself with no existing options to use her talent as anything more than bait for a husband desiring strongly Talented children. Not liking the broodmare option, and not least because of the stud her father has picked out, Elinor decides to forge her own path. Fortunately for her, if not for the nation, England is at war and someone who can control great gobs of fire (and at a distance) can write her own check if she is bold enough to seize the opportunity. I love that she does so and that we see leaders desperate enough to give her a shot (as well as others that are like military leaders everywhere, getting in the way of the folks who get stuff done). From there, we get a great story of a woman out of her depth, but game to take it on even in the face of great danger (and potential, even likely, social ruin). Elinor is engaging from the start and she only grows more so through the course of the novel.
Which would be well-enough on its own, but there are lots of strong secondary characters as well. A sailing ship geared for war is a crowded affair and you can't help getting to know the officers and many of the men while at sea for so long. I loved the vivid details of ship life and the personalities that have to be forced to at least rub along while so confined. I loved the accommodations they made and the respect they learned for one another as they struggle with someone who is so foreign to their normal routines—and not just because she's a woman but because she turns out to represent the single greatest weapon the ship carries. I loved that this has all the emotional impact that implies. And that the action fully supports both the physical and emotional adaptations needed for Elinor to learn to not only survive but, as much as possible, to thrive there. I grew as attached to the crew (and especially Captain Ramsey) as Elinor and loved the trust built over time and forged in battle.
The story is a rollicking adventure, so I'm not going to tempt the spoilers it'd take to give any better idea of it. The pacing is quick (with the occasional lull as you can expect will happen in the age of sail), the action intense, and Elinor and her crew are right up in the action as they fight a pirate resurgence in the Caribbean. There are some real unexpected turns and some lovely confrontations and I must. fight. the urge. to. spoil.
Anyway, yes, this is a solid five stars for an engaging story with characters I came to love and admire. I really hope you'll find as much entertainment as I have.
In Burning Bright, Melissa sticks closer to the real world than she usually does by setting it in a Regency period much like our own, but with magic added for spice. The magic permeates society, so there are some strong differences (like women having a few more life-options as a result of not wanting to waste half the population who have useful Talents) as well as some more subtle (like taking long-distant communication, at least of important events, for granted). I love how these background changes are woven into a tale of adventure and self-discovery with hints of more to see in future stories exploring other extraordinary women.
But, as always with Melissa's books, my main draw to the story is the strong heroine that I found easy to fall in love with. England doesn't have a lot of Scorchers and no Extraordinary ones, so Elinor finds herself with no existing options to use her talent as anything more than bait for a husband desiring strongly Talented children. Not liking the broodmare option, and not least because of the stud her father has picked out, Elinor decides to forge her own path. Fortunately for her, if not for the nation, England is at war and someone who can control great gobs of fire (and at a distance) can write her own check if she is bold enough to seize the opportunity. I love that she does so and that we see leaders desperate enough to give her a shot (as well as others that are like military leaders everywhere, getting in the way of the folks who get stuff done). From there, we get a great story of a woman out of her depth, but game to take it on even in the face of great danger (and potential, even likely, social ruin). Elinor is engaging from the start and she only grows more so through the course of the novel.
Which would be well-enough on its own, but there are lots of strong secondary characters as well. A sailing ship geared for war is a crowded affair and you can't help getting to know the officers and many of the men while at sea for so long. I loved the vivid details of ship life and the personalities that have to be forced to at least rub along while so confined. I loved the accommodations they made and the respect they learned for one another as they struggle with someone who is so foreign to their normal routines—and not just because she's a woman but because she turns out to represent the single greatest weapon the ship carries. I loved that this has all the emotional impact that implies. And that the action fully supports both the physical and emotional adaptations needed for Elinor to learn to not only survive but, as much as possible, to thrive there. I grew as attached to the crew (and especially Captain Ramsey) as Elinor and loved the trust built over time and forged in battle.
The story is a rollicking adventure, so I'm not going to tempt the spoilers it'd take to give any better idea of it. The pacing is quick (with the occasional lull as you can expect will happen in the age of sail), the action intense, and Elinor and her crew are right up in the action as they fight a pirate resurgence in the Caribbean. There are some real unexpected turns and some lovely confrontations and I must. fight. the urge. to. spoil.
Anyway, yes, this is a solid five stars for an engaging story with characters I came to love and admire. I really hope you'll find as much entertainment as I have.
February 5, 2017
Elinor is a Scorcher. An Extraordinary Scorcher!
What a marvelous world! Here people have gifts: long-distance talk, seers, movers, etc. The possibilities are endless! And I hope Ms. McShane will explore them throughly! :)
But while many people have talents, very few are extraordinarily talented. Elinor is one of those and she's a force of nature withe her element: the fire!!!
Elinor is not a meak female. She's very quiet, but also very stubborn. And when her father forces her to choose between marriage to a man of his choice, or imprisonment in her own house, she chooses the third option: join the Navy! WOW!
I loved how her mind works! How she blends the formality of her upbringing and her own iron will. I enjoyed her develpment from timid butterfly, almost invisble to all before her talent manifested, to a full grown woman with a mind of her own! It was brilliantly done!
Ramsay, the captain of the ship she's embarked, is an Extraordinary too. He's a mover, able to move objects and people and even himself! He's very proper and somewhat cold, but always just and honorable. He could have come out as a tiff and unalikable, but he has also a very nice sense of humor and is the perfect counterpart for Elinor.
But thier romance is not the focus here. It is there, almost invisible almost until the end.
The focus is the war. A naval war between England and the Caribbean pirates (who also have some Extraordinary talents of their own!).
But not only the war. Elinor growing up is also very important. We see her stuggle to do the right thing. We see her struggle with killing people, even if they're enimies.
A wonderful wonderful book! With some excellent desciptions of battles, both interior and naval. A truly great writing style that makes the reading easy and interesting!
I'm so looking forward to the next book!
What a marvelous world! Here people have gifts: long-distance talk, seers, movers, etc. The possibilities are endless! And I hope Ms. McShane will explore them throughly! :)
But while many people have talents, very few are extraordinarily talented. Elinor is one of those and she's a force of nature withe her element: the fire!!!
Elinor is not a meak female. She's very quiet, but also very stubborn. And when her father forces her to choose between marriage to a man of his choice, or imprisonment in her own house, she chooses the third option: join the Navy! WOW!
I loved how her mind works! How she blends the formality of her upbringing and her own iron will. I enjoyed her develpment from timid butterfly, almost invisble to all before her talent manifested, to a full grown woman with a mind of her own! It was brilliantly done!
Ramsay, the captain of the ship she's embarked, is an Extraordinary too. He's a mover, able to move objects and people and even himself! He's very proper and somewhat cold, but always just and honorable. He could have come out as a tiff and unalikable, but he has also a very nice sense of humor and is the perfect counterpart for Elinor.
But thier romance is not the focus here. It is there, almost invisible almost until the end.
The focus is the war. A naval war between England and the Caribbean pirates (who also have some Extraordinary talents of their own!).
But not only the war. Elinor growing up is also very important. We see her stuggle to do the right thing. We see her struggle with killing people, even if they're enimies.
A wonderful wonderful book! With some excellent desciptions of battles, both interior and naval. A truly great writing style that makes the reading easy and interesting!
I'm so looking forward to the next book!
August 14, 2017
Elinor, age 21, awakens one day to a bedroom on fire. Bad for the curtains, but good for her, her talent has finally emerged. Her parents thought she was going to be an ordinary talent-less chick as most manifest much earlier. Her late manifestation means she's an Extraordinary Sorcher - the super gifted. Her mean old dad is over the moon excited about selling her off in marriage now to the highest bidder and woe to Elinor if she doesn't obey. She's way nicer than what I'd have done. She doesn't burn his belongings like I would, instead she joins the Royal Navy.
The Navy is suffering lots of pirate attacks + fighting Napoleon and they're short on Sorchers & that's the only reason why they allow a female to join. Elinor signs up to be their newest flame thrower. She's put on a ship with a nice young captain, :::eyebrow wiggle::: who's an Extraordinary Mover (telekinesis and flying). The crew is what you'd expect seaman in the 1800's to be, salty and smelly. <- the book doesn't talk about smell, but I know they had to all have been RIPE on that ship. I'd have needed lots of Lysol and Febreeze for that trip.
Lots of action during the naval battles. Good pacing with the battles and very nicely conveyed the chaos of any battle. I enjoyed these times as the full scope of Elinor's gift is put to use, starting fires and putting them out, etc.
The down time when not battling was interesting too, seeing how the sailors viewed her to the daily life aboard a ship for a non sailor lady.
Warning, there's almost no romance & zero smut in this book. It's all flames and ships. The end.
The Navy is suffering lots of pirate attacks + fighting Napoleon and they're short on Sorchers & that's the only reason why they allow a female to join. Elinor signs up to be their newest flame thrower. She's put on a ship with a nice young captain, :::eyebrow wiggle::: who's an Extraordinary Mover (telekinesis and flying). The crew is what you'd expect seaman in the 1800's to be, salty and smelly. <- the book doesn't talk about smell, but I know they had to all have been RIPE on that ship. I'd have needed lots of Lysol and Febreeze for that trip.
Lots of action during the naval battles. Good pacing with the battles and very nicely conveyed the chaos of any battle. I enjoyed these times as the full scope of Elinor's gift is put to use, starting fires and putting them out, etc.
The down time when not battling was interesting too, seeing how the sailors viewed her to the daily life aboard a ship for a non sailor lady.
Warning, there's almost no romance & zero smut in this book. It's all flames and ships. The end.
Read
December 4, 2020Re-read 5/21/18 in preparation for writing the next book in the series: I love having written this book, I'm proud of it, and what's the only thing I ever notice? That I wrote Wellington instead of Wellesley. Seriously, I do know the difference!
10/17/16: I wrote this book sort of on a dare. I love the Napoleonic/Regency era in fiction, but never thought of writing anything like that. But I had this magic system I wanted to do something with, and my husband challenged me to see what I could do with historical fiction. And this was the result.
The "magic" in the world of the Extraordinaries is actually psionics, and in a contemporary setting, they would be superheroes: telepaths, telekinetics, biokinetics, etc. Some of the fun was in backdating those powers; what would a world without the concept of genetics and psionics do to interpret those talents? In my alternate history, it was the Second Pandemic culminating in the plague of 1665 that created the talents, so by 1812 England is accustomed to its magical folk and society has rearranged itself to adapt to them. So many possibilities emerged. The Great Fire of London? Caused by out of control Scorchers. King George III's madness? The result of his Extraordinary Discerner talent, which made him capable of feeling other people's emotions to the extent of not knowing the difference between his own feelings and others. Working out the possibilities of eight psionic talents became so much more fun when I was allowed to play with the past.
Originally, Elinor was to serve in the Peninsular Army, something that excited me because I'm a huge fan of the Richard Sharpe novels. But at some point it became clear that there was much more scope for story in a woman who can control fire going to sea on those wooden, highly flammable ships. For the sake of that story, I fiddled with the truth--it actually wasn't uncommon for women to be aboard ship, as officers and petty officers might have their wives aboard, and those women might take charge of the young midshipmen. I wanted Elinor to be isolated from other women, forced to defend her femininity in a world that made no allowances for it. I think it makes her friendships with Captain Ramsay and Stratford Hervey stronger because of that. Or, possibly, I just wanted to make the character interactions manageable.
The plan for this series is to have each book featuring a different woman with a different Extraordinary talent, with previous characters showing up or being referred to in later books. So the sequels are not about Elinor--I feel I should make that explicit, so readers aren't disappointed. But Elinor and Ramsay's adventures aren't over, and they will return.
10/17/16: I wrote this book sort of on a dare. I love the Napoleonic/Regency era in fiction, but never thought of writing anything like that. But I had this magic system I wanted to do something with, and my husband challenged me to see what I could do with historical fiction. And this was the result.
The "magic" in the world of the Extraordinaries is actually psionics, and in a contemporary setting, they would be superheroes: telepaths, telekinetics, biokinetics, etc. Some of the fun was in backdating those powers; what would a world without the concept of genetics and psionics do to interpret those talents? In my alternate history, it was the Second Pandemic culminating in the plague of 1665 that created the talents, so by 1812 England is accustomed to its magical folk and society has rearranged itself to adapt to them. So many possibilities emerged. The Great Fire of London? Caused by out of control Scorchers. King George III's madness? The result of his Extraordinary Discerner talent, which made him capable of feeling other people's emotions to the extent of not knowing the difference between his own feelings and others. Working out the possibilities of eight psionic talents became so much more fun when I was allowed to play with the past.
Originally, Elinor was to serve in the Peninsular Army, something that excited me because I'm a huge fan of the Richard Sharpe novels. But at some point it became clear that there was much more scope for story in a woman who can control fire going to sea on those wooden, highly flammable ships. For the sake of that story, I fiddled with the truth--it actually wasn't uncommon for women to be aboard ship, as officers and petty officers might have their wives aboard, and those women might take charge of the young midshipmen. I wanted Elinor to be isolated from other women, forced to defend her femininity in a world that made no allowances for it. I think it makes her friendships with Captain Ramsay and Stratford Hervey stronger because of that. Or, possibly, I just wanted to make the character interactions manageable.
The plan for this series is to have each book featuring a different woman with a different Extraordinary talent, with previous characters showing up or being referred to in later books. So the sequels are not about Elinor--I feel I should make that explicit, so readers aren't disappointed. But Elinor and Ramsay's adventures aren't over, and they will return.
April 12, 2018
I don’t want to give any of the story away, so let’s see how vague I can keep this. This is a historical fiction with fantasy elements, sort of an alternate history. When Elinor Pembroke is 21, the ability to manipulate fire awakens in her. Her tyrannical father wants to exploit this for personal gain, but Elinor seeks an alternate life to the one he has planned.
It’s written in the steady, deliberate pace and style of the Regency era. There are some common tropes such as the awkward meeting with the love interest that leaves both parties offended. Elinor faces sexism, misogyny, and political manipulation. She’s a genuine 19th-century woman, not a 21st-century transplant. She has a few friends and a lot of enemies. I only wish their comeuppance had been grander.
The story is plotted and structured very well. My only issue was that I like that the two characters are average looking, not super models, and it’s a slow-burn background romance. Even romance haters like me won’t mind it.
It’s ideal for fans of His Majesty’s Dragon.
It’s written in the steady, deliberate pace and style of the Regency era. There are some common tropes such as the awkward meeting with the love interest that leaves both parties offended. Elinor faces sexism, misogyny, and political manipulation. She’s a genuine 19th-century woman, not a 21st-century transplant. She has a few friends and a lot of enemies. I only wish their comeuppance had been grander.
The story is plotted and structured very well. My only issue was that I like that the two characters are average looking, not super models, and it’s a slow-burn background romance. Even romance haters like me won’t mind it.
It’s ideal for fans of His Majesty’s Dragon.
January 23, 2023
I think I've figured out why Jane Austen retellings plus magic books never work for me: there's just not enough going on, and it takes a lot of talent to write wittily and insightfully about trivial happenings. Burning Bright is set in the same time Regency period, but although initially driven by a marriage plot, soon veers off into a completely different direction.
In a world where certain people are born with magical talent, Elinor Pembroke - the plain middle daughter of an aspiring gentleman - awakens among smoldering bedsheets to realize that she is a Scorcher, someone who can summon fire as well as put it out. And not just any Scorcher, but an Extraordinary one of remarkable strength and scope, and the only such Extraordinary in England. To avoid an unwanted marriage of her father's choosing or spinsterhood under her parents' roof, Elinor comes up with a wild third option: join the Royal Navy and use her fiery skills in its employ, and end up either independently wealthy or dead.
It gets a little wacky from here on out. Naval warfare (but with magic fire)! Pirates! Caribbean island adventures with coconuts and breadfruit! Magical teleporting and flying! And throughout it, Elinor grows a spine, wins the respect of a shipful of men..and launches a lot of fireballs.
This was really fun, more Horatio Hornblower than Pride & Prejudice, but with a heroine who is making her own way in a hostile world. I didn't love the only other book by Melissa McShane I read (Servant of the Crown), but this one reads smoothly and engagingly, the romance is more of the respect->friendship->love variety and hangs out mostly in the background, and the historical setting feels convincing without slavishly cleaving to historical fact or language.
I gulped Burning Bright down in about a day of feeling virus-y and blah, and it was the kind of adventure I needed. Now, to hunt down some toasted breadfruit...
In a world where certain people are born with magical talent, Elinor Pembroke - the plain middle daughter of an aspiring gentleman - awakens among smoldering bedsheets to realize that she is a Scorcher, someone who can summon fire as well as put it out. And not just any Scorcher, but an Extraordinary one of remarkable strength and scope, and the only such Extraordinary in England. To avoid an unwanted marriage of her father's choosing or spinsterhood under her parents' roof, Elinor comes up with a wild third option: join the Royal Navy and use her fiery skills in its employ, and end up either independently wealthy or dead.
It gets a little wacky from here on out. Naval warfare (but with magic fire)! Pirates! Caribbean island adventures with coconuts and breadfruit! Magical teleporting and flying! And throughout it, Elinor grows a spine, wins the respect of a shipful of men..and launches a lot of fireballs.
This was really fun, more Horatio Hornblower than Pride & Prejudice, but with a heroine who is making her own way in a hostile world. I didn't love the only other book by Melissa McShane I read (Servant of the Crown), but this one reads smoothly and engagingly, the romance is more of the respect->friendship->love variety and hangs out mostly in the background, and the historical setting feels convincing without slavishly cleaving to historical fact or language.
I gulped Burning Bright down in about a day of feeling virus-y and blah, and it was the kind of adventure I needed. Now, to hunt down some toasted breadfruit...
December 1, 2016
What a unique story. A romance that is a cross between a Regency romp and Master and Commander. With a dash of the supernatural thrown in. It was intriguing, smart, fast-paced and had a great sense of adventure. Elinor was a great heroine. Very tame romance with no sex scenes. This was a Secret Santa (2016) gift. Thanks :)
November 8, 2016
**4.5**
This book gets points just for originality. I LOVE the premise. A historical, but with superpowers? Yes, please!
This book is probably more adventure than romance, so if you are looking for a book that shoves romance down your throat, you might want to look elsewhere. The romance part doesn't really come in until the very end, but that's also what I loved about it. I knew who Elinor would end up with, but there were no heated glances or accidentally "electric" touches throughout the book. Elinor wasn't immediately attracted to him, frankly she had other things on her mind. But Elinor and Ramsay bonded slowly over several months over shared interests and personalities and first became friends. And this is EXACTLY how I like a romance to be.
I loved following Elinor as she broke off from the path that she was given to make her own way. And I loved discovering the extent of her Talent with her. This book is as much one of self-discovery as it is of adventure and romance.
What kept this from being a 5 for me was, while the writing was good, it wasn't great. But the story itself made up for that. Also, the part when Elinor was stranded on the island slowed things down a touch for me and I was just waiting for her to be rescued.
But overall, I am so excited to have discovered this first book in what is supposed to be a whole series!
This book gets points just for originality. I LOVE the premise. A historical, but with superpowers? Yes, please!
This book is probably more adventure than romance, so if you are looking for a book that shoves romance down your throat, you might want to look elsewhere. The romance part doesn't really come in until the very end, but that's also what I loved about it. I knew who Elinor would end up with, but there were no heated glances or accidentally "electric" touches throughout the book. Elinor wasn't immediately attracted to him, frankly she had other things on her mind. But Elinor and Ramsay bonded slowly over several months over shared interests and personalities and first became friends. And this is EXACTLY how I like a romance to be.
I loved following Elinor as she broke off from the path that she was given to make her own way. And I loved discovering the extent of her Talent with her. This book is as much one of self-discovery as it is of adventure and romance.
What kept this from being a 5 for me was, while the writing was good, it wasn't great. But the story itself made up for that. Also, the part when Elinor was stranded on the island slowed things down a touch for me and I was just waiting for her to be rescued.
But overall, I am so excited to have discovered this first book in what is supposed to be a whole series!
August 8, 2020
3.5 because it had pacing issues, rounded up to 4 stars because the proportion of history to fantasy was good. I enjoyed it but didn’t love it as I did with The Glamourist series, also regency fantasy, that I read last week.
March 10, 2021
Fast paced, excellent characters, lots of great sailing action.
Anyone who writes this book off because of 'romance' doesn't deserve the politicking and naval battle scenes. Sure, there's a romance, but it's absolutely not the point of the story. The point is about Elinor coming into her own, self confidence, accepting her power, standing up for herself, and lighting shit on fire with her mind. I'm entirely here for more like this.
Oh, and also, one of my absolute favorite authors (Sherwood Smith) provided feedback to McShane, which frankly would have been enough for me to buy it all on its own.
Anyone who writes this book off because of 'romance' doesn't deserve the politicking and naval battle scenes. Sure, there's a romance, but it's absolutely not the point of the story. The point is about Elinor coming into her own, self confidence, accepting her power, standing up for herself, and lighting shit on fire with her mind. I'm entirely here for more like this.
Oh, and also, one of my absolute favorite authors (Sherwood Smith) provided feedback to McShane, which frankly would have been enough for me to buy it all on its own.
March 23, 2021
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH, PEOPLE
I first heard this author recommended by Sherwood Smith, but when I realised she had a gaslamp historical fantasy series, I put this one up the top of my TBR. And I'm so thrilled that I did! Melissa McShane's BURNING BRIGHT is a beautiful, vivid, lovingly-researched historical fantasy about a proper young Regency lady who manifests the fiery powers of an Extraordinary Scorcher and immediately runs away to join the Navy and hunt pirates in the Caribbean.
I mean. Do you love Jane Austen? Do you love PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN? Do you think those are two great tastes that would taste great together? Did you secretly wish Elizabeth and Norrington had ended up together? DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK.
Some things I loved (in no particular order)
- The writing style is a lovely homage to classic literature, almost impeccable! (my only notes have to do with the English usage of "ass", which I'm pretty sure means "donkey", and is not half as offensive as the US usage).
- The VIVID, LOVING RESEARCH. The ships! The naval battles! The pristine Caribbean landscapes!
- The shipwrecked-on-a-desert-island sequence!
- The ROMANTIC SUBPLOT which is lovely and subtle and deep
- The climactic battle, which PUNCHED me in the FEELS on MULTIPLE occasions
I've never really been interested in stories about the navy in the Napoleonic wars - even Naomi Novik's TEMERAIRE left me a bit cold, despite having dragons. I was shocked to discover that Melissa McShane handily overcame my long-standing prejudice. I loved this book - it had everything I want in a story: a vivid, convincing historical setting mixed with a fascinating magic system and fantasy worldbuilding, a ladylike protagonist, a dash of sweet romance, a well-paced plot and delightful characters. 100% my cup of tea, and you should all read it!
I first heard this author recommended by Sherwood Smith, but when I realised she had a gaslamp historical fantasy series, I put this one up the top of my TBR. And I'm so thrilled that I did! Melissa McShane's BURNING BRIGHT is a beautiful, vivid, lovingly-researched historical fantasy about a proper young Regency lady who manifests the fiery powers of an Extraordinary Scorcher and immediately runs away to join the Navy and hunt pirates in the Caribbean.
I mean. Do you love Jane Austen? Do you love PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN? Do you think those are two great tastes that would taste great together? Did you secretly wish Elizabeth and Norrington had ended up together? DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK.
Some things I loved (in no particular order)
- The writing style is a lovely homage to classic literature, almost impeccable! (my only notes have to do with the English usage of "ass", which I'm pretty sure means "donkey", and is not half as offensive as the US usage).
- The VIVID, LOVING RESEARCH. The ships! The naval battles! The pristine Caribbean landscapes!
- The shipwrecked-on-a-desert-island sequence!
- The ROMANTIC SUBPLOT which is lovely and subtle and deep
- The climactic battle, which PUNCHED me in the FEELS on MULTIPLE occasions
I've never really been interested in stories about the navy in the Napoleonic wars - even Naomi Novik's TEMERAIRE left me a bit cold, despite having dragons. I was shocked to discover that Melissa McShane handily overcame my long-standing prejudice. I loved this book - it had everything I want in a story: a vivid, convincing historical setting mixed with a fascinating magic system and fantasy worldbuilding, a ladylike protagonist, a dash of sweet romance, a well-paced plot and delightful characters. 100% my cup of tea, and you should all read it!
December 13, 2022
3.5 stars. I really enjoyed this. The story is mostly paranormal, with a side of romance, set in regency times.
Reading this, I’ve realized I have a previously unacknowledged trigger - any loss of body parts makes me extremely uncomfortable. This story has the MMC losing a hand towards the end. Maybe it’s not fair of me to rate this lower just for that reason, but I don’t like authors maiming their main characters and then going on with the story as if it’s no big deal. Also, the romance is much lighter than would be my personal preference.
Safe; no steam, the most they do is kiss. No om/ow drama, no details of hero’s past are given.
Reading this, I’ve realized I have a previously unacknowledged trigger - any loss of body parts makes me extremely uncomfortable. This story has the MMC losing a hand towards the end. Maybe it’s not fair of me to rate this lower just for that reason, but I don’t like authors maiming their main characters and then going on with the story as if it’s no big deal. Also, the romance is much lighter than would be my personal preference.
Safe; no steam, the most they do is kiss. No om/ow drama, no details of hero’s past are given.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2017
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
What an unexpected delight! Definitely recommend.
I feel like I should tell you why I loved this book so much.
1. The premise was so fun! I happen to love me historical fiction. I'm also a bit obsessed with anything related to elemental control (hello Air Awakens and A Darker Shade of Magic and Half-Blood). So combining the two?? Yes, please.
2. Headstrong main character. I'll admit I've got something of a soft spot for a leading lady that questions and/or flouts the rules of society.
3. Pirating. I don't feel like I need to say more.
4. Swoony business. The slow-burn kind. Let it be known: this isn't a romance novel. At least, that's not how I would describe it. I went into this thinking it was a Regency romance, and it really wasn't at all. But still, feels are there.
5. It was such a quick read!
So if you're looking for a quick, easy, delightful read and enjoy any of the above, this one is for you.
What an unexpected delight! Definitely recommend.
I feel like I should tell you why I loved this book so much.
1. The premise was so fun! I happen to love me historical fiction. I'm also a bit obsessed with anything related to elemental control (hello Air Awakens and A Darker Shade of Magic and Half-Blood). So combining the two?? Yes, please.
2. Headstrong main character. I'll admit I've got something of a soft spot for a leading lady that questions and/or flouts the rules of society.
3. Pirating. I don't feel like I need to say more.
4. Swoony business. The slow-burn kind. Let it be known: this isn't a romance novel. At least, that's not how I would describe it. I went into this thinking it was a Regency romance, and it really wasn't at all. But still, feels are there.
5. It was such a quick read!
So if you're looking for a quick, easy, delightful read and enjoy any of the above, this one is for you.
February 26, 2018
This story was slow and intense and full of battle scenes and superpowers and I completely loved it. The romance is also a slow-burn...almost to the point of non-existence, but it's just lovely. I really love the idea of giving Regency-era ladies X-Men-like powers and seeing what they do with them, especially in a time where women were considered inferior in every way. I've always loved those characters in historical fiction who flout the rules of society, consequences be damned, and Elinor is no different. I loved this book so much that I immediately downloaded the next book from the library.
September 10, 2016
This was one of those books that I knew from the beginning that it was just my thing. Intrepid heroine set for adventure, magic, war on the high seas, dashing Navy Captain, pirates, shipboard adventure, danger, and maybe love when she least expects it? This was history and fantasy blended together at it's best. A young woman courageously steps out of the restraints of her current life and boldly embraces the adventure of a lifetime so she can live free. I read it in two sittings and then groaned to see it end. Fortunately, it's the beginning of a series and I can come back to the world of the magical Extraordinaires again.
The story opens with Elinor Pembroke manifesting a new and powerful talent with fire magic making her an elite Scorcher Extraordinaire. Her parents who had despaired of their middle daughter ever making a good match and advancing the family are over the moon and eager to parade her before all the eligible men for the London Season. Elinor quietly obeys their dictates especially her terrifying father, but secretly wishes that a man would come along who would want her and not just for her magic. But then her father tightens the leash and insists she marry a man she does not want and if she refuses, she'll see what it is to live as a poor relation without much care. In a bold move, Elinor acts.
As the only Scorcher Extraordinaire in Britain, Elinor offers her great magic to the Navy who struggle in a war against two enemies- Napoleon and his French Navy and pirates in the Caribbean. The First Admiral is dubious, but desperate. Elinor is assigned to a ship and sent with it's captain and crew to fight the pirates. She must prove her worth and get up to speed on all things Navy so she can be a help instead of a hindrance. Through stops and starts, she finds her way. Captain Ramsay and a few others are friends and the ship is her home. But just when she starts to feel happy, things take a dire turn and the real test begins.
I love history blended with fantasy particularly when it is feathered into a powerful plot and characters. This alternate history world of the Napoleonic Era Britain is filled with magic wielders. Having magic gives one status and there are a variety of magic classifications some more desired than others when it comes to status amongst the high society of Britain. You guessed it, Elinor's Scorcher (fire) magic is considered unseemingly for a woman to wield and it also makes people nervous because Scorchers are generally unstable or mad.
The main character, Elinor, is the sole narrator. She is a fantastic heroine beginning as a sheltered and naive lady to becoming a formidable woman ready to learn from her mistakes and take her place as a valuable contributor to crew and country. She must battle the conflicts that come from stepping out of her place in life, enemies personal and of Britain, and she must fight an internal battle.
The author did a fantastic job of painting a setting around Elinor that was a balance of historical authenticity and her own parallel world. This story paces out slow and steady for the most part of life in London society and then shipboard life, but there are many exciting breathless moments when Elinor, Captain Ramsay, and the crew are fighting for their lives.
Elinor learns to build relationships on her own particularly with Captain Ramsay. He, more than others understands what it is to be a late-blooming Extraordinaire and the need to prove himself. He is her friend, but he is also her captain. But slowly something more grows between them. It was sweet and tender and was organic to the story.
In summary, this was amazingness and I definitely want more of the Extraordinaire world. Those who enjoy authentic feeling historicals, compelling characters, exciting adventure and magic surrounding it all should give this book a go.
My thanks to Curiosity Quills for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story opens with Elinor Pembroke manifesting a new and powerful talent with fire magic making her an elite Scorcher Extraordinaire. Her parents who had despaired of their middle daughter ever making a good match and advancing the family are over the moon and eager to parade her before all the eligible men for the London Season. Elinor quietly obeys their dictates especially her terrifying father, but secretly wishes that a man would come along who would want her and not just for her magic. But then her father tightens the leash and insists she marry a man she does not want and if she refuses, she'll see what it is to live as a poor relation without much care. In a bold move, Elinor acts.
As the only Scorcher Extraordinaire in Britain, Elinor offers her great magic to the Navy who struggle in a war against two enemies- Napoleon and his French Navy and pirates in the Caribbean. The First Admiral is dubious, but desperate. Elinor is assigned to a ship and sent with it's captain and crew to fight the pirates. She must prove her worth and get up to speed on all things Navy so she can be a help instead of a hindrance. Through stops and starts, she finds her way. Captain Ramsay and a few others are friends and the ship is her home. But just when she starts to feel happy, things take a dire turn and the real test begins.
I love history blended with fantasy particularly when it is feathered into a powerful plot and characters. This alternate history world of the Napoleonic Era Britain is filled with magic wielders. Having magic gives one status and there are a variety of magic classifications some more desired than others when it comes to status amongst the high society of Britain. You guessed it, Elinor's Scorcher (fire) magic is considered unseemingly for a woman to wield and it also makes people nervous because Scorchers are generally unstable or mad.
The main character, Elinor, is the sole narrator. She is a fantastic heroine beginning as a sheltered and naive lady to becoming a formidable woman ready to learn from her mistakes and take her place as a valuable contributor to crew and country. She must battle the conflicts that come from stepping out of her place in life, enemies personal and of Britain, and she must fight an internal battle.
The author did a fantastic job of painting a setting around Elinor that was a balance of historical authenticity and her own parallel world. This story paces out slow and steady for the most part of life in London society and then shipboard life, but there are many exciting breathless moments when Elinor, Captain Ramsay, and the crew are fighting for their lives.
Elinor learns to build relationships on her own particularly with Captain Ramsay. He, more than others understands what it is to be a late-blooming Extraordinaire and the need to prove himself. He is her friend, but he is also her captain. But slowly something more grows between them. It was sweet and tender and was organic to the story.
In summary, this was amazingness and I definitely want more of the Extraordinaire world. Those who enjoy authentic feeling historicals, compelling characters, exciting adventure and magic surrounding it all should give this book a go.
My thanks to Curiosity Quills for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2022
*Reading this for SPFBO, this is only my personal opnion, the team review might be very different!*
I fear I sound like a broken record, but let me say again: I'm usually not a fan of romance, aside from few rare exceptions. Having seen the cover, I went into Burning Bright fully expecting it to not be for me.
Next time I looked up, I was already 50 pages in and absolutely hooked!
So why was I flying through this story?
The romance in this one is really minimal, especially compared to what the cover suggests. A bit like in Pride and Prejudice, where it really takes people their sweet time to even acknowledge any attraction at all. As that is one of my favourite books, this is one of the highest compliments! Now imagine Elizabeth being able to throw fireballs…
It is a regency story, about a fine lady who joins the Navy to get out of two unpleasant choices for her life. A woman. In the Navy. The scandal!
She starts off a bid timid, yet determined to not have her life controlled by her father, or a husband she doesn't love. She grows quickly with her new challenges, and has to adapt a lot to her new home! I really enjoyed spending time in her company.
It's not all nice and fluffy. Hunting pirates is a bloody affair, and not everyone makes it out hail and healthy.
At times she felt a bit too naive, which fit with her upbringing. I have no as just wondering why she didn't get more instruction, but rather was left to her own, untrained, devices a lot. At times it just felt a bit off to let a newbie just do her thing, instead of telling her what would be the best targets and such.
Some other bits also had me raise an eyebrow, because it just didn't make much sense for experienced men to make catastrophically stupid decisions. It did get the plot along though…
Earlier in the book there were some thoughts interspersed into the text in italics, and those didn't work well for me. Instead of the intended deeper insight, it felt a bit like being hit on the forehead by "This is the character's motivation". These few were less, and felt more natural in the later bits of the books though, so only annoyed me at first.
These few instances really are my only complaint about the whole book, so it's a straight up favourite for me! And if this wasn't clear enough: GO READ IT, if a strong heroine in a regency style fantasy sounds like a good thing!
I fear I sound like a broken record, but let me say again: I'm usually not a fan of romance, aside from few rare exceptions. Having seen the cover, I went into Burning Bright fully expecting it to not be for me.
Next time I looked up, I was already 50 pages in and absolutely hooked!
So why was I flying through this story?
The romance in this one is really minimal, especially compared to what the cover suggests. A bit like in Pride and Prejudice, where it really takes people their sweet time to even acknowledge any attraction at all. As that is one of my favourite books, this is one of the highest compliments! Now imagine Elizabeth being able to throw fireballs…
It is a regency story, about a fine lady who joins the Navy to get out of two unpleasant choices for her life. A woman. In the Navy. The scandal!
"You are a woman," he continued.
"I realize that. I have been a woman my entire life. Do you think a woman might not feel some desire to defend her country?"
She starts off a bid timid, yet determined to not have her life controlled by her father, or a husband she doesn't love. She grows quickly with her new challenges, and has to adapt a lot to her new home! I really enjoyed spending time in her company.
"She can share my hammock any time," one of the men said, none too softly, to his neighbor, who chuckled. Elinor's heart sank. How had she gone this long without threat of assault from her fellow officers?
"I thank you for the compliment, sir," she said, extending her hand as if offering to shake his, "but I fear you would find me an...overly warm companion." She lit her hand on fire and let the gem-colored flames spread across her palm and up her arm to the elbow.
The man swore and fell out of his chair backward in his attempt to get away from her.
It's not all nice and fluffy. Hunting pirates is a bloody affair, and not everyone makes it out hail and healthy.
But it wasn't the killing-or not entirely the killing. It was that she'd done it with fire. Her precious, beautiful tal ent that filled her with such joy, used to turn men into so many piles of bone and ash and grease.
At times she felt a bit too naive, which fit with her upbringing. I have no as just wondering why she didn't get more instruction, but rather was left to her own, untrained, devices a lot. At times it just felt a bit off to let a newbie just do her thing, instead of telling her what would be the best targets and such.
Some other bits also had me raise an eyebrow, because it just didn't make much sense for experienced men to make catastrophically stupid decisions. It did get the plot along though…
Earlier in the book there were some thoughts interspersed into the text in italics, and those didn't work well for me. Instead of the intended deeper insight, it felt a bit like being hit on the forehead by "This is the character's motivation". These few were less, and felt more natural in the later bits of the books though, so only annoyed me at first.
These few instances really are my only complaint about the whole book, so it's a straight up favourite for me! And if this wasn't clear enough: GO READ IT, if a strong heroine in a regency style fantasy sounds like a good thing!
August 8, 2018
I loved this! 4.5 stars. A Lady possessing rare fire magic is basically being sold by her father to the highest bidder. Fire girl sneaks away & demonstrates her power to the Royal Navy. Burners are quite useful in battle. They reluctantly allow her to (sort of) enlist. Having a woman onboard is distracting and many consider it bad luck.
Fire girl proves herself in battle and wins most of the crew over. Oooh, there's a hot captain who can fly! At first, I found that a bit silly -like Captain America in a Superman outfit. He won me over with his gentlemanly ways. I was singing, "sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la kiss de girl!"
PIRATES! Battles with pirates on the high seas. Discovering secret pirate hideouts. Burning pirates to cinders. All good fun.
4.5 instead of 5 because the magic could've been explained better. It's sort of X-man, random people are born with random powers that manifest at random times in their lives. Breeding magic wielders together makes the odds for a magical baby go up.
Fire girl proves herself in battle and wins most of the crew over. Oooh, there's a hot captain who can fly! At first, I found that a bit silly -like Captain America in a Superman outfit. He won me over with his gentlemanly ways. I was singing, "sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la kiss de girl!"
PIRATES! Battles with pirates on the high seas. Discovering secret pirate hideouts. Burning pirates to cinders. All good fun.
4.5 instead of 5 because the magic could've been explained better. It's sort of X-man, random people are born with random powers that manifest at random times in their lives. Breeding magic wielders together makes the odds for a magical baby go up.
September 4, 2019
I received the ARC of this fantastic story from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, and it was yet another example that Curiosity Quills Press is my go-to place to find unique and amazing books… ;) and it should be yours as well ;) because let me tell you… I knew from the synopsis that it will be something else, and that made me curious and at the same time a little bit afraid… ;) because not only this is a brand new author for me, but also the premise, sounding so original, might have been one of those hit-and-miss situations… fortunately, that was not the case ;) because I absolutely loved it ;) it started off on a really good level and then only got better ;) so naturally by the end of it I was so in love with the story and characters, that I just had to give it full 5 stars ;) so now let me tell you a bit more about my feelings ;)
We have one main character here… we follow Elinor’s story throughout the whole book… and even though there are a few quite important people… especially one of them stole my heart *coughs* captain Ramsey *coughs* ;) she is definitely the focus of the story ;) but maybe before I tell you more about her, let me tell you a few details about the world itself ;) this is a historical story, set in 1812 but with some absolutely fascinating paranormal elements… ;) because some people have Talent :) and even less people have Extraordinary Talent, which basically means that theirs is much stronger ;) that’s pretty much all you need to know going into the story ;) don’t worry, the whole thing is actually much more complex, but it’s explained really well in the book, and not all at once, so I will leave you all the details to discover along the way ;) so back to Elinor… she is what you might call a „late bloomer” ;) because her Talent, and an Extraordinary I have to add, manifested much later than usually… instead of when she was around 12-13, she was 21 when she discovered she’s a Scorcher… and that very cool term means that she can start and extinguish fire with her will… ;) so now she has two choices… either she will marry someone that her not-so-nice father will pick out for her, or she will have to suffer the consequences, which basically means living poorly and depending on others to provide for her… so she decides on door #3 and offer her services and Talent to the Royal Navy ;) and since you guys know by now, if you follow my blog for some time now, and if not, you will know that from this moment forward ;) I absolutely love brave and smart heroines… women who don’t wait for others to save them, but who do what they can to save themselves ;) and Elinor is just that type of heroine ;) so naturally I loved her from the start ;) I can’t really tell you more about what happens after her decision because that time is filled with adventures, surprises and quite shocking turns of events ;) so I won’t spoil you them ;) what I can tell you, is that I absolutely adored Elinor as the main character… like I mentioned before, she was smart and resourceful and did what best she could under the circumstances… :)
Now about those secondary characters… because of course besides the amazing Elinor, there were other people in this story… but to be honest… all of them sort of faded in the background because of captain Miles Ramsay ;) he is the captain of Athena, a ship that Elinor is assigned to ;) he has an Extraordinary Talent of his own and he’s a bit more… distant and… not cold, but it definitely takes him time to open up to other people… ;) but since I also need time to warm up to people, I definitely connected with him ;) and trust me… in his case the saying „still water runs deep” is definitely true… ;) because a bit later in the book there were moments that totally made me swoon… *sighs dreamily* ;) like I mentioned before, there were of course other characters, sailors on the ship and more… some of them really interesting, but… none of them as amazing as the captain ;) so hopefully you’ll forgive me for the lack of details ;)
I absolutely loved this book ;) from the start the writing style really made an impression on me, and after that everything only got better ;) the interesting and diverse characters, the absolutely surprising story… and let’s not forget about the world itself… full of details and such unique ideas, that I cannot wait to know more… and there will be more, because the author is currently working on the sequel ;) at this moment all I know is that it will tell the story of another woman with an Extraordinary Talent ;) she may or may not have been mentioned in this book... ;) but that is all I will say about it :) believe me guys, there’s a ton of stuff I would love to tell you… about some characters and events that happened in this book, but unfortunately they all would be quite spoilerific, so I really can’t say anything ;) but trust me… this book is such a unique read… it will keep you on the edge of your seat quite a few times… I certainly almost fell off a time or two… ;) the phenomenal writing style will transport you right in the middle of action and will keep you glued to the pages, because you will simply need to know what’s gonna happen next ;) but don’t worry, even though this book is just the beginning of a series, it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger or anything… but it will definitely leave you wanting more of this amazing world ;) go and try it out ;)
XOXO
A
We have one main character here… we follow Elinor’s story throughout the whole book… and even though there are a few quite important people… especially one of them stole my heart *coughs* captain Ramsey *coughs* ;) she is definitely the focus of the story ;) but maybe before I tell you more about her, let me tell you a few details about the world itself ;) this is a historical story, set in 1812 but with some absolutely fascinating paranormal elements… ;) because some people have Talent :) and even less people have Extraordinary Talent, which basically means that theirs is much stronger ;) that’s pretty much all you need to know going into the story ;) don’t worry, the whole thing is actually much more complex, but it’s explained really well in the book, and not all at once, so I will leave you all the details to discover along the way ;) so back to Elinor… she is what you might call a „late bloomer” ;) because her Talent, and an Extraordinary I have to add, manifested much later than usually… instead of when she was around 12-13, she was 21 when she discovered she’s a Scorcher… and that very cool term means that she can start and extinguish fire with her will… ;) so now she has two choices… either she will marry someone that her not-so-nice father will pick out for her, or she will have to suffer the consequences, which basically means living poorly and depending on others to provide for her… so she decides on door #3 and offer her services and Talent to the Royal Navy ;) and since you guys know by now, if you follow my blog for some time now, and if not, you will know that from this moment forward ;) I absolutely love brave and smart heroines… women who don’t wait for others to save them, but who do what they can to save themselves ;) and Elinor is just that type of heroine ;) so naturally I loved her from the start ;) I can’t really tell you more about what happens after her decision because that time is filled with adventures, surprises and quite shocking turns of events ;) so I won’t spoil you them ;) what I can tell you, is that I absolutely adored Elinor as the main character… like I mentioned before, she was smart and resourceful and did what best she could under the circumstances… :)
Now about those secondary characters… because of course besides the amazing Elinor, there were other people in this story… but to be honest… all of them sort of faded in the background because of captain Miles Ramsay ;) he is the captain of Athena, a ship that Elinor is assigned to ;) he has an Extraordinary Talent of his own and he’s a bit more… distant and… not cold, but it definitely takes him time to open up to other people… ;) but since I also need time to warm up to people, I definitely connected with him ;) and trust me… in his case the saying „still water runs deep” is definitely true… ;) because a bit later in the book there were moments that totally made me swoon… *sighs dreamily* ;) like I mentioned before, there were of course other characters, sailors on the ship and more… some of them really interesting, but… none of them as amazing as the captain ;) so hopefully you’ll forgive me for the lack of details ;)
I absolutely loved this book ;) from the start the writing style really made an impression on me, and after that everything only got better ;) the interesting and diverse characters, the absolutely surprising story… and let’s not forget about the world itself… full of details and such unique ideas, that I cannot wait to know more… and there will be more, because the author is currently working on the sequel ;) at this moment all I know is that it will tell the story of another woman with an Extraordinary Talent ;) she may or may not have been mentioned in this book... ;) but that is all I will say about it :) believe me guys, there’s a ton of stuff I would love to tell you… about some characters and events that happened in this book, but unfortunately they all would be quite spoilerific, so I really can’t say anything ;) but trust me… this book is such a unique read… it will keep you on the edge of your seat quite a few times… I certainly almost fell off a time or two… ;) the phenomenal writing style will transport you right in the middle of action and will keep you glued to the pages, because you will simply need to know what’s gonna happen next ;) but don’t worry, even though this book is just the beginning of a series, it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger or anything… but it will definitely leave you wanting more of this amazing world ;) go and try it out ;)
XOXO
A
March 15, 2018
I enjoyed this! Reminded me of the Darkest London Series that I’m done with so this will give me that little bit of historical romance with a paranormal flare to it.
September 20, 2016
This book was nothing short of amazing for me. I'm partial to the Regency era in my historical fiction, so right there, the setting was up my alley. I love books where the romance isn't the primary focus, where the characters get to know one another and they don't do any pre-marital things (I rather have plot than naughty bits, unless I want naughty, then I don't need the plot so much). The magic system was great, I loved how it worked. The MC kinda has this amazing out of this world power, BUT being a woman in that time period, she didn't have power over herself, over her future. It was an interesting contrast.
The story arc in this was concluded, but it is apparently part of a series and I say BRING IT ON!!! I loved the MC and how she was able to face her demons. It wasn't all sunshine and roses, there was death and fighting and it was gruesome and heartbreaking when it was a character we got to know and like.
And I have to say, that cover is GORGEOUS!!
This book was all around great. Kind of violent, but only suggested hanky panky. I would say good for young adult on up. Five huge stars. I really enjoyed this book. I would have torn through it faster, but life and work got in the way. I can't wait for the next book! Highly recommended if you enjoy alternate worlds that are similar to our own, except for some magic, and a historical setting.
My thanks to NetGalley and Curiosity Quills Press for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
The story arc in this was concluded, but it is apparently part of a series and I say BRING IT ON!!! I loved the MC and how she was able to face her demons. It wasn't all sunshine and roses, there was death and fighting and it was gruesome and heartbreaking when it was a character we got to know and like.
And I have to say, that cover is GORGEOUS!!
This book was all around great. Kind of violent, but only suggested hanky panky. I would say good for young adult on up. Five huge stars. I really enjoyed this book. I would have torn through it faster, but life and work got in the way. I can't wait for the next book! Highly recommended if you enjoy alternate worlds that are similar to our own, except for some magic, and a historical setting.
My thanks to NetGalley and Curiosity Quills Press for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
September 12, 2016
I don't read a lot of fantasy historical books, I love the genre, but I don't find that many that interest me. I really enjoyed how the magical abilities in this book are very interesting but not overwhelming. Something easily to follow, but not boring or something that takes away from the story. Just a touch of romance and a great adventure.
Elinor is a Scorcher as in she can manipulate fire. She decides that instead of marrying a man she certainly doesn't want to marry (nor should she) or staying under the control of her ambitious and horrible father, she joins the Navy. There is a great sea adventure with a very gutsy and strong heroine who has to get herself out of a lot of sticky situations. I liked Elinor from the start. She is brave and really pushes past limits that females have in this time. I will never turn down a book with a strong female lead.
The story flows nicely from the beginning with some slower parts but nothing to stop from me from reading anyways. The synopsis of the story interested me quickly and I am pleased to say it delivered very nicely.
I received an ARC via Netgalley.
Elinor is a Scorcher as in she can manipulate fire. She decides that instead of marrying a man she certainly doesn't want to marry (nor should she) or staying under the control of her ambitious and horrible father, she joins the Navy. There is a great sea adventure with a very gutsy and strong heroine who has to get herself out of a lot of sticky situations. I liked Elinor from the start. She is brave and really pushes past limits that females have in this time. I will never turn down a book with a strong female lead.
The story flows nicely from the beginning with some slower parts but nothing to stop from me from reading anyways. The synopsis of the story interested me quickly and I am pleased to say it delivered very nicely.
I received an ARC via Netgalley.
June 30, 2020
Thank you GR friends for bringing this book to my attention. A hidden gem.
Forced to marry or stay with parents are two paths in which Elinor has to choose. She decided to choose her own path, instead. Join the Navy and fight pirates with her fire! How cool is that?
I really like Elinor. She's strong, smart and has a will to survive.
I would have given this 5stars but something bothered me. Don't get me wrong, I like both MCs. It's just that there was never a hint that he likes her. Or maybe I just missed it. They started as really good friends. In fact, there was no lovey dovey at almost the end of the book. It was about war and survival and learning to control one's power. Loved it!
Forced to marry or stay with parents are two paths in which Elinor has to choose. She decided to choose her own path, instead. Join the Navy and fight pirates with her fire! How cool is that?
I really like Elinor. She's strong, smart and has a will to survive.
I would have given this 5stars but something bothered me. Don't get me wrong, I like both MCs. It's just that there was never a hint that he likes her. Or maybe I just missed it. They started as really good friends. In fact, there was no lovey dovey at almost the end of the book. It was about war and survival and learning to control one's power. Loved it!
October 21, 2019
9-21-19 update:
Finally got around to reading it. Pretty good. Liked the fantasy alt history Regency setting. Liked the romantic conflict. Like scenes aboard ship.
Good read.
-----------
I must be under some stress. I saw this on my timeline today 03/18/17 and thought "hey that looks interesting." So I went to Amazon to see how much it was and saw that I had purchased it five days ago. Sigh.
March 16, 2017
There was one aspect that really bothered me about this book (why can't they be better strategists when it comes to utilizing their powers!?!) but overall, this was an EXCELLENT fantasy romance, nearly perfect blend of the two genres. Fun read, highly recommend to lovers of romance or fantasy, especially if you're looking for stories set on the high seas.
June 26, 2024
What a great way to start out the new year! I LOVED this!
Regency-era alternate history where some people are gifted with certain talents (such as mind reading, telekinesis, fire making, etc), and a very rare number are so gifted that they're called Extraordinaries. Our main character, Elinor, wakes up one morning to discover that she has a fire talent, and that not only can she make fire but she can also control and suppress it; she's a Scorcher Extraordinary. Well, her family is thrilled, because this means that she'll be more desirable in society, and her father wastes no time in finding a suitable match for her. Except...she doesn't want to get married, especially not some someone as odious as the guy her dad found. So, instead, she pays a visit to the First Lord of the Admiralty, and asks to join the Navy. His scoffing is soon abated by a little show of her fire skills, and she's signed on board a Naval ship to go chase pirates.
Boo. Yah.
There was SO MUCH that I enjoyed about this book. It gave me vibes of so many other favorite books: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (lone female aboard a ship of men who find the situation highly irregular), The Wendy (young woman wheedles her way into the naval service, meets a captain who can fly), Bloody Jack (yet another with a lone girl aboard a ship, also pirates, also getting marooned on an island by herself), and even Enna Burning (girl with fire abilities uses it for war, gets carried away by the feel of the FIRE). Takes elements of all of these books, smoosh them together, and you get this delightful gem.
I mean, look at some of these chapter headings that I made note of:
"Chapter Ten: In which they are not allowed to go to war, but do so anyway."
"Chapter Seventeen: In which there are pirates."
"Chapter Twenty-Three: In which Elinor releases the fire."
Ooooo, don't you want to read those???
Yeah, there's a little whiff of the Chosen One trope, with Elinor being all super special with her Talent....though we soon learn that there are other Extraordinaries with other Talents, so it's not like she's the only one. And she also discovers that the pirates have a Scorcher Extraordinary of their own as well, so she's not even the only person with her mad flame skillz. So, while on the surface Elinor may seem like a typical Speshul Snowflake YA protagonist, the author takes pains to make it clear that although Elinor is pretty baller, she's not alone in her abilities.
I thought the writing of this book was pretty good. As usual, what I mean by "good" is that the writing wasn't noticeable to me. Nothing grating like thesaurus abuse or first-person/present-tense writing. There was plenty of descriptions to set the scene, but it didn't get info-dumpy or flowery. Perfect. There was some pleasant banter between Elinor and many of her crewmates that I appreciated. "I thought you were a romantic." "Not about sand."
I was also delighted to learn multiple new nautical terms. Obviously by now I've read many sea-faring adventures, and while I'm familiar with terms like topgallant or coxswain or yardarm or whatever, I had never heard the terms larboard (which later became standardized as "port" to make it sound less like "starboard"), taffrail, or royal truck. It was rather pleasing to have to go down a mini rabbit hole on wikipedia to look up those new terms. That's not to say that this book was drowning in nautical terms; Elinor herself is not a sailor, and so we only get about as many terms as she learns during her time aboard the ship. I'd also SOMEHOW never heard of pirates wearing their pistols hanging from their necks, but had just imagined them with pistols in belts or bandoliers; yet another rabbit hole to research.
I was also pleased that the historical clothing felt pretty accurate (Elinor wears stays, NOT corsets, and there's no mention of wearing drawers), at least to my limited knowledge. At one point it does mention that she wears a "boned chemise" instead of her stays, since she has to dress herself. I spent a bit of time looking that one up, and did find that during this time period there were some "bodiced" petticoats, which were basically a corded bodice (for boobage support) with an attached petticoat. This could be what the author was referring to, or maybe I just didn't happen to find the exact garment that the author had seen in her research (and I do get the feeling that the author had done some research for this book). It could also be that since this is an alternate history (there is a fire wielding main character, after all), some of the undergarments aren't exactly like the ones from our own world. In any case, the clothing felt *right* for the time period, and I didn't note any glaring anachronisms. In case anyone cares.
Ok, now, let's talk about the elephant in the room: the ROMANCE. Y'all know that romance in a fantasy/adventure can make or break a book for me. Insta-love, love triangles, and that godawful trope of having a guy who's so insufferably arrogant that she hates him but also can't help noticing his pouty lips or his bulging biceps.....I hate that. I hate all of that. I especially hate it when we get that and it completely derails the plot so that the only thing our adventure lass cares about is his smoldering eyes.
BUT, guess what, guess what!!.....THIS BOOK DIDN'T HAVE THAT.
*collapses in relief*
Yes, I will admit that (SPOILER!) there is a romance in this book. My point is that the romance was believable, developed naturally, and didn't overpower the plot. AND I WAS HERE FOR IT.
Speaking of the ending, when Elinor finally meets
Anyway....I really really really liked this book. I found myself occasionally gasping out loud, getting goosebumps, cackling with glee (a countess!!), and even letting out a moan of sadness over a particular death. I feel like audible exclamations when I'm reading is a good sign that I'm really into the book. I immediately put this book on my wishlist to buy. I'm going to request the next couple right away from out-of-state (no libraries in my state own them). It looks like there's several books in this series, which would normally make me leery (I dislike committing to long series), but it seems like they're all standalone stories that are just set in the same world. That's a bit more doable for me, and I'm excited to read more.
*contented book sigh*
Regency-era alternate history where some people are gifted with certain talents (such as mind reading, telekinesis, fire making, etc), and a very rare number are so gifted that they're called Extraordinaries. Our main character, Elinor, wakes up one morning to discover that she has a fire talent, and that not only can she make fire but she can also control and suppress it; she's a Scorcher Extraordinary. Well, her family is thrilled, because this means that she'll be more desirable in society, and her father wastes no time in finding a suitable match for her. Except...she doesn't want to get married, especially not some someone as odious as the guy her dad found. So, instead, she pays a visit to the First Lord of the Admiralty, and asks to join the Navy. His scoffing is soon abated by a little show of her fire skills, and she's signed on board a Naval ship to go chase pirates.
Boo. Yah.
There was SO MUCH that I enjoyed about this book. It gave me vibes of so many other favorite books: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (lone female aboard a ship of men who find the situation highly irregular), The Wendy (young woman wheedles her way into the naval service, meets a captain who can fly), Bloody Jack (yet another with a lone girl aboard a ship, also pirates, also getting marooned on an island by herself), and even Enna Burning (girl with fire abilities uses it for war, gets carried away by the feel of the FIRE). Takes elements of all of these books, smoosh them together, and you get this delightful gem.
I mean, look at some of these chapter headings that I made note of:
"Chapter Ten: In which they are not allowed to go to war, but do so anyway."
"Chapter Seventeen: In which there are pirates."
"Chapter Twenty-Three: In which Elinor releases the fire."
Ooooo, don't you want to read those???
Yeah, there's a little whiff of the Chosen One trope, with Elinor being all super special with her Talent....though we soon learn that there are other Extraordinaries with other Talents, so it's not like she's the only one. And she also discovers that the pirates have a Scorcher Extraordinary of their own as well, so she's not even the only person with her mad flame skillz. So, while on the surface Elinor may seem like a typical Speshul Snowflake YA protagonist, the author takes pains to make it clear that although Elinor is pretty baller, she's not alone in her abilities.
I thought the writing of this book was pretty good. As usual, what I mean by "good" is that the writing wasn't noticeable to me. Nothing grating like thesaurus abuse or first-person/present-tense writing. There was plenty of descriptions to set the scene, but it didn't get info-dumpy or flowery. Perfect. There was some pleasant banter between Elinor and many of her crewmates that I appreciated. "I thought you were a romantic." "Not about sand."
I was also delighted to learn multiple new nautical terms. Obviously by now I've read many sea-faring adventures, and while I'm familiar with terms like topgallant or coxswain or yardarm or whatever, I had never heard the terms larboard (which later became standardized as "port" to make it sound less like "starboard"), taffrail, or royal truck. It was rather pleasing to have to go down a mini rabbit hole on wikipedia to look up those new terms. That's not to say that this book was drowning in nautical terms; Elinor herself is not a sailor, and so we only get about as many terms as she learns during her time aboard the ship. I'd also SOMEHOW never heard of pirates wearing their pistols hanging from their necks, but had just imagined them with pistols in belts or bandoliers; yet another rabbit hole to research.
I was also pleased that the historical clothing felt pretty accurate (Elinor wears stays, NOT corsets, and there's no mention of wearing drawers), at least to my limited knowledge. At one point it does mention that she wears a "boned chemise" instead of her stays, since she has to dress herself. I spent a bit of time looking that one up, and did find that during this time period there were some "bodiced" petticoats, which were basically a corded bodice (for boobage support) with an attached petticoat. This could be what the author was referring to, or maybe I just didn't happen to find the exact garment that the author had seen in her research (and I do get the feeling that the author had done some research for this book). It could also be that since this is an alternate history (there is a fire wielding main character, after all), some of the undergarments aren't exactly like the ones from our own world. In any case, the clothing felt *right* for the time period, and I didn't note any glaring anachronisms. In case anyone cares.
Ok, now, let's talk about the elephant in the room: the ROMANCE. Y'all know that romance in a fantasy/adventure can make or break a book for me. Insta-love, love triangles, and that godawful trope of having a guy who's so insufferably arrogant that she hates him but also can't help noticing his pouty lips or his bulging biceps.....I hate that. I hate all of that. I especially hate it when we get that and it completely derails the plot so that the only thing our adventure lass cares about is his smoldering eyes.
BUT, guess what, guess what!!.....THIS BOOK DIDN'T HAVE THAT.
*collapses in relief*
Yes, I will admit that (SPOILER!) there is a romance in this book. My point is that the romance was believable, developed naturally, and didn't overpower the plot. AND I WAS HERE FOR IT.
Speaking of the ending, when Elinor finally meets
Anyway....I really really really liked this book. I found myself occasionally gasping out loud, getting goosebumps, cackling with glee (a countess!!), and even letting out a moan of sadness over a particular death. I feel like audible exclamations when I'm reading is a good sign that I'm really into the book. I immediately put this book on my wishlist to buy. I'm going to request the next couple right away from out-of-state (no libraries in my state own them). It looks like there's several books in this series, which would normally make me leery (I dislike committing to long series), but it seems like they're all standalone stories that are just set in the same world. That's a bit more doable for me, and I'm excited to read more.
*contented book sigh*
January 26, 2021
The last 20% broke my heart. Why, Melissa, why? 😥😪
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2018
Please note that I received a free ebook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Now, I normally never pick up historical fiction. Most of the time I find them to be super heavy reads. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just isn’t my thing. But I admit when I saw this cover on Netgalley I was intrigued. We all know I’m a suckered for a good cover. But let me tell you, this book is so much more than a good cover. It was an amazing journey about a sheltered girl who wanted to choose her own path in life. Instead of a path dictated by her father.
Elinor is exactly what I want in a strong female main character. With sudden powers at an older age (she’s in her early 20’s, which is super refreshing to me) when normally these powers manifest at a younger age, her father decides he needs to take matters into his own hands when it comes to Elinor’s life. And after an unfortunate incident Elinor decides to take matters into her own hands. She leaves her family having never been fair from her family home and throws herself into an entirely new way of living. And she sticks to her morals the entire book, even when she’s close to losing herself. She just amazed me through the entire journey.
Another thing I loved about this book is that romance was not the prominent plot in the typical sense. Let me just say that by the end of the book (where there is romance) I was totally into it. The build up was nice and subtle to the point where I was so excited when it finally happened. And it wasn’t some cataclysmic event or anything, just the natural way for attraction to occur and come together. The friendships she builds, those friendships turning into a family she never expected, and her character develop and standing up to her ‘demons’, I just, wow.
I actually really enjoyed the historical setting in this, to recognize places and names. I also loved this is was set mostly out on water in a boat. That seems to have become a thing lately and I am so down for it. Now I honestly don’t know how much or even if there is historical accuracy to this but either way the setting was perfectly enjoyable and easy to picture.
Please, please, please someone read this book and love it as much as I did.
Now, I normally never pick up historical fiction. Most of the time I find them to be super heavy reads. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just isn’t my thing. But I admit when I saw this cover on Netgalley I was intrigued. We all know I’m a suckered for a good cover. But let me tell you, this book is so much more than a good cover. It was an amazing journey about a sheltered girl who wanted to choose her own path in life. Instead of a path dictated by her father.
Elinor is exactly what I want in a strong female main character. With sudden powers at an older age (she’s in her early 20’s, which is super refreshing to me) when normally these powers manifest at a younger age, her father decides he needs to take matters into his own hands when it comes to Elinor’s life. And after an unfortunate incident Elinor decides to take matters into her own hands. She leaves her family having never been fair from her family home and throws herself into an entirely new way of living. And she sticks to her morals the entire book, even when she’s close to losing herself. She just amazed me through the entire journey.
Another thing I loved about this book is that romance was not the prominent plot in the typical sense. Let me just say that by the end of the book (where there is romance) I was totally into it. The build up was nice and subtle to the point where I was so excited when it finally happened. And it wasn’t some cataclysmic event or anything, just the natural way for attraction to occur and come together. The friendships she builds, those friendships turning into a family she never expected, and her character develop and standing up to her ‘demons’, I just, wow.
I actually really enjoyed the historical setting in this, to recognize places and names. I also loved this is was set mostly out on water in a boat. That seems to have become a thing lately and I am so down for it. Now I honestly don’t know how much or even if there is historical accuracy to this but either way the setting was perfectly enjoyable and easy to picture.
Please, please, please someone read this book and love it as much as I did.
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