From the Bookshelf of Read Between the Wines…

One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, #1)

Rachel Gillig

Start date: May 1, 2024

Finish date: May 31, 2024

Discussion: May 24 - One Dark Window

Discussion leader: Lorelie Anderson

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Apr 26, 2024 Lorelie Anderson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

"I was in a rut, feeling restless... then I laid eyes on the cover of One Dark Window and was instantly captivated. That initial intrigue quickly transformed into an exhilarating obsession as I delved into a world that seemed tailor-made for me...

'To the quiet girls with stories in their heads. To their dreams—and their nightmares.'

This is a tale that screams for a big-screen adaptation because Rachel Gillig's writing electrifies the imagination. I could practically feel the eerie mist swirling "I was in a rut, feeling restless... then I laid eyes on the cover of One Dark Window and was instantly captivated. That initial intrigue quickly transformed into an exhilarating obsession as I delved into a world that seemed tailor-made for me...

'To the quiet girls with stories in their heads. To their dreams—and their nightmares.'

This is a tale that screams for a big-screen adaptation because Rachel Gillig's writing electrifies the imagination. I could practically feel the eerie mist swirling around my ankles, sense the palpable terror gripping the townsfolk as they fought to evade its suffocating grasp.

“There once was a girl,” he murmured, “clever and good, who tarried in shadow in the depths of the wood. There also was a King—a shepherd by his crook, who reigned over magic and wrote the old book. The two were together, so the two were the same: “The girl, the King… and the monster they became.”

This wasn't just another YA novel; it was a full-throttle plunge into a rich, immersive world. Every page crackled with beauty and tension, leaving me on the edge of my seat!

Elspeth emerged as a powerhouse protagonist, her strength and wit lighting up the narrative. Ravyn was enigmatic from the get-go, a character I couldn't get enough of, especially in his dynamic with Elspeth.

But the standout? The Nightmare. Darkly seductive, brimming with mystery and danger—a character that demanded to be understood. He's the shadow lurking in Elspeth's mind, a riddle wrapped in secrets that kept me hooked.

'I am the shepherd of shadow, the phantom of the fright, the demon in the daydream, the nightmare in the night.'

'My magic moves,' he said. 'My magic bites. My magic soothes. My magic frights. You are young and not so bold. I am unflinching—five hundred years old.'

His cryptic messages delivered in rhyme only added to the thrill.

The momentum of this book is unstoppable, a rollercoaster ride you can't disembark from until the final page. And as soon as I finished, I dove straight into the sequel, hungry for more!

Revenge, Redemption, and Reward... it's all here, pulsating with energy and excitement!" ...more

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Jan 12, 2025 Bethany marked it as to-read

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