Book review: Shards of Ice by Catherine Mede

I enjoy reviewing books - but don't post reviews as often as I'd like to. This Sci-Fi Romance was a fun read, and despite some flaws, had a lot to like about it.

SHARDS OF ICE
Catherine Mede

3 STARS

This novel certainly has promise.

Here's what I liked about it:

1. A big fan of space opera and love stories set in space, I really enjoyed the setting of Shards of Ice. In many ways, I would have enjoyed more insight into the ice planet where this story takes place.

2. The plot is fast-paced and action-packed, which is a plus for me as I tend to prefer romances which don't just have the developing romance as the primary focus of the story. A gripping story can really amplify the romance, if done right.

3. The cover is gorgeous - one of the best I've seen in a while.

However, there were a couple of things that prevented me from giving this novel a higher rating.

1. The characterisation. Vyvica is certainly a memorable character. She's one arse-kicking lady, and it's good to see a strong female lead. However, her tendency to solve all arguments with her fists - especially towards the hero, put me off her. I lost count of the number of times she punched him in the face! Her character is a little uneven, and her aggression and stubbornness jarred with her insecurity. These are all character traits that could work well together, but they need to be handled more subtly. Kelvaras was a difficult character to get a sense of. Initially, I pictured him as a bit of a Han Solo - a cocky 'gun for hire'. However, he appeared to drift for much of the story and came across as a bit weak next to Vyvica's hostility. Both characters had promise, they just needed to be rounded out more so that the reader has a clear sense of their personal journeys.

2. Lack of emotional connection between hero and heroine. The relationship between Vyvica and Kelvaras lacked depth. This comes from the characters themselves not gelling properly. There's a lot of attraction - although it's all external. When the couple finally get together there isn't any emotional punch.

3. There was a bit too much 'telling' rather than 'showing' throughout the novel. This tends to kill suspense and makes the story one-dimensional. It also stops the reader from drawing their own conclusions and fully engaging their imagination.

The good and the bad said, I read this book quickly over a couple of days, and was keen to know what happened next - a good sign! All the ingredients are there, and if the characters had been developed a bit better, and the developing romance between them made more real, this could have easily been a five-star read!

I look forward to reading more from this author and I get the feeling she's just get started!

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New Goodreads giveaway for THE BREAKING DAWN!

Three paperback copies are up for grabs of THE BREAKING DAWN on Goodreads. Giveaway contest starts in 5 days time, so make sure you mark it in your diary!

This is an epic historical romance set in 7th Century Anglo-Saxon England and Wales. So if you love romance, adventure, and a bit of danger, don't miss out!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Breaking Dawn

by Jayne Castel

Giveaway ends September 15, 2015.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Epic historical romance BOOK TRAILER

Five books so far, spanning one century: 7th Century Anglo-Saxon England. Let's take a closer look...

Anglo-Saxon England isn't a common choice for historical romance. Some readers are put off by the idea that this was a brutal era.

I assure you it was no more violent than the Medieval period that came after. Perhaps the fact that it was a largely pagan period has earned it a dark reputation in the history books - but in reality it was a time of great growth, a culturally rich era that was made for epic romance!

Find out more about this fascinating period in my new book trailer below.

Enjoy!

DARK UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT - free on Amazon for 5 days only!

DARK UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT is currently available free on Amazon (Kindle), for the next 5 days.

This novel is the first of my KINGDOM OF EAST ANGLES series. I wrote it after visiting the Sutton Hoo burial site in Suffolk. The idea of a king being buried in his long ship sparked my imagination. I've always loved the Anglo-Saxon period, and set out to write a story set in this era.

DARK UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT was only meant to be a one off - but I had so much fun writing it that I found I couldn't stop! The novel was a quarter finalist in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards (romance category).

Download your free copy of DARK UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT.

Want to know more about the story?

A king's daughter, the son of his sworn enemy - and a reckoning... 

The year is 624 AD and Raedwyn, the fiery daughter of Raedwald King of the East Angles, has just been married to a man old enough to be her father. It is a political alliance and on her wedding night, Raedwyn realizes with disappointment that theirs will be a loveless marriage. 

However, fate has other plans for Raedwyn the Fair. 

Outlaws ambush her new husband's party on their journey back to his long ship and Raedwyn finds herself captive of a bitter, vengeful warrior - Ceolwulf the Exiled. Ceolwulf has a score to settle with King Raedwald and Raedwyn is his bargaining tool. 

Caelin, Ceolwulf’s enigmatic son, follows his father on his quest for revenge. Fiercely loyal to her own father, Raedwyn isn't prepared for her wild attraction to Caelin - or for its consequences. 

Theirs is a passion that could tear a kingdom apart...

Download your free copy of DARK UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT.

Author's cut #1 - Maric's scene

For DARKEST BEFORE DAWN, I'm keeping a record of the scenes I 'cut' - not just from the final draft, but from earlier ones as well. To give you a 'taster' of what's to come, I'll be sharing some of the most interesting bits and pieces from work in progress. 

The following scene, which I've cut from the first draft, gives a bit of background to the hero of the story, Maric. 

Enjoy!

***

Maric rode up the incline towards the gates of Bebbanburg. His gaze shifted east, where he could make out the low, rocky outline of Farne Island, out to sea – and immediately regretted doing so. The wide seascape, wide swathe of pale sand and dunes brought him swiftly back to that day, two years earlier, when he had arrived here with Penda.

That day, he had ridden up to Bebbanburg with joy in his heart and hope for the future. Osulf and Elfhere had ribbed him mercilessly about his buoyant mood; the rest of them had complained about sore arses and empty bellies, but he had only noticed the fantastic scenery.

He had been a different man then. Now, he was aware of his tired limbs, chilled feet and hands, and hunger. Today, the view merely appeared cold, bleak and lonely. There was no joy in his heart; no hope for the future.

Maric rode towards the end of the Northumbrian fyrd, well behind the king and his ealdormen and thegns. He rode with a small group of Mercian warriors, all of whom were still recovering from their battle wounds. After a splitting headache for two full days, Maric’s only injury was the laceration to his upper arm, which had been tended and bound. Now, seven days later, the scab itched mercilessly as it healed.

Osulf and Elfhere had not travelled north with him, as Maric would have liked, for they were both too badly injured. Elfhere had been fighting a raging fever when Maric rode away from the River Winwaed, and Osulf had lost his injured eye. If they survived their injuries, Maric would be reunited with them both at Tamworth.

Maric rode into the fort, one of the last to do so, and followed the tide of men and horses up towards the inner perimeter. Already, he could hear the shouts of victory, the blasting of horns welcoming Oswiu and his men home. Folk had gathered on the side of the wide dirt road leading up to the Great Tower, their cheers deafening. Maric saw the happiness and pride on their faces and wondered at the scene in Tamworth, when Paeda arrived home, puppet to a new lord. It would be a much more somber welcome, if any at all.

Inside the wide stable yard, Maric dismounted, stretching his legs and back, stiff from a long day in the saddle. Then, he led his horse – a stocky bay mare who had once belonged to a Mercian ealdorman – into the large byre that flanked one side of the yard.

Inside, chaos reigned as men and horses jostled for space. Maric joined the other Mercians at the far end. They were a sober lot, the look on their faces – a blend of misery and humiliation – reflecting what he too felt. He unsaddled his horse and rubbed it down, tuning out to the raucous voices around him. The Northumbrians deserved their victory but he was in no mood to join them.

The mare began helping herself to mouthfuls of hay, while Maric took an armful of stale hay from the bottom of the manger and made a bed for himself at the far end of the stall.

He settled down on to it, sighing in relief, and trying to ignore his protesting belly. He had not eaten since dawn, and the smell of roasting mutton that wafted into the byre from the spits opposite, caused his mouth to fill with saliva.

I will eat later, he promised himself, once the celebrating has died down and my gloom does not appear so out of place here.

With that, Maric lay down on his side, the sweet smell of hay and horses filling his nostrils. Then, he closed his eyes, blocking out the world, and welcomed the heavy curtain of sleep.

***

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THE BREAKING DAWN - at a glance...

Available now on Amazon!

How to create historical romance heroines that readers love

Readers tastes have changed. It used to be that a swooning, simpering heroine who lacks backbone, was not only commonplace in historical romance, but also acceptable to readers.

These days, that just won't fly.

Modern women are independent, self-directed and increasingly focused on interests beyond finding romantic fulfillment and Mr Right. Many just aren't interested in reading about women who lack spark - these days feisty is in, passive is out!

For historical romance, the challenge for authors is to create a female lead who is both true to the time, and someone modern readers can actually relate to. No easy task.

I write historical romance set in a brutal age - 7th Century Anglo-Saxon England. I don't shy away from the grittier details of the time, or the fact that women in that period were the property of men. My readers demand realism, they don't want stories tied up with a pretty bow. However, at the same time, they don't want to read about subjugated, abused women who have no rights, freedom or autonomy.

It's a challenge I enjoy...

I love creating believable female leads that my readers can relate to... and here are three guidelines that help me do just that.

• USE ARCHETYPES NOT STEREOTYPES: women have been women throughout the ages. Just because our heroine lives in a time where women didn't have many rights doesn't mean she's a doormat. Feisty females have always existed - it's just that many didn't make it into the history books! Write about women you feel you could know. It doesn't matter what time she lives in, most women want friendships and a sense of fulfillment in life. Most of them want to love, and to be loved in return. Many have insecurities about their looks, weight or intellect. Stay away from cliche and make your women real.
• FIGURE OUT WHAT SHE WANTS: whether she lives in a castle or a hovel, your heroine is not going to exist in a vacuum.What are her hobbies and her pet-hates? What are her goals, aspirations and dreams?  How do events, other characters, and the hero conflict with them?
• DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS: it's not just about the love story between the heroine and hero that matters. We learn a lot about someone by seeing how they relate to those around them. Siblings, friends, servants and pets - ensure your heroine has a network around her, so that the reader sees her as a 3D character.

I write about women who rarely get to choose their husband - yet none of my heroines are wimps. Even if it appears that our female lead has few choices at all in life. she still can retain her emotional and intellectual independence. Sometimes, she can also rebel.

Every time I pick up a historical or fantasy romance, I want to read about a heroine I can relate to on some level. Grace Draven, who writes fantasy romance, does a great job of this - I love her heroines. Sure, we live in completely different worlds to the heroines in these stories, but we're all women. Are we really that different?

And since, the majority of romance readers are also women, it makes sense to write for them!

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Sign up to Jayne's monthly newsletter and receive a FREE copy of NIGHT SHADOWS (PDF format). Newsletter subscribers will also get sneak previews of upcoming novels, behind the scenes 'extras', snippets about Anglo-Saxon England, and podcasts from Jayne!

Email Address