Beyond a Darkened Shore

by Jessica Leake

Vikings meets Frostblood in this romantic historical fantasy stand-alone from author Jessica Leake.

The ancient land of Éirinn is mired in war. Ciara, princess of Mide, has never known a time when Éirinn’s kingdoms were not battling for power, or Northmen were not plundering their shores.

The people of Mide have always been safe because of Ciara’s unearthly ability to control her enemies’ minds and actions. But lately a mysterious crow has been appearing to Ciara, whispering warnings of an even darker threat. Although her clansmen dismiss her visions as pagan nonsense, Ciara fears this coming evil will destroy not just Éirinn but the entire world.

Then the crow leads Ciara to Leif, a young Northman leader. Leif should be Ciara’s enemy, but when Ciara discovers that he, too, shares her prophetic visions, she knows he’s something more. Leif is mounting an impressive army, and with Ciara’s strength in battle, the two might have a chance to save their world.

With evil rising around them, they’ll do what it takes to defend the land they love...even if it means making the greatest sacrifice of all.

• ISBN13: 9780062666260
• Publish Date: 17 May 2018 (first published 10 April 2018)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 22 August 2023
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc
• Imprint: HarperTeen
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 432
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollins.co.uk

Reviews

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

For a book that promised a warrior maiden protagonist and a world filled with the dark delights of Norse and Celtic mythology, this book did NOT pay off.

First of all, Ciara just wasn't a relatable character for me. Her emotional responses to things were indifferent at best, and her feelings were told in thoughts and dialogue that made it difficult for me to care about her. Her relationships with the other characters were quite changeable, and frankly? I just don't believe her.

The magic system here had very limited, easily retracted consequences that meant a lot wasn't put on the line for the success of these characters. Thanks again to Ciara's flat personality, the few things that WERE at stake, I couldn't care less about. In a setting that should be dark and magical, we spend too much time traveling pointlessly in circles and trying to force a love story that didn't seem to click.

My biggest pet peeve, though, was in the details. There were multiple inconsistencies in the text with even my very LIMITED knowledge of Celtic and Norse mythology. Beyond the mythos - if you want to write that part off as creative license - there were parts written into the setting and world building that didn't make sense. At one point, a character mentions there was a formidable army of 50 that they defeated, and I had to slam the book down, because 50 is somewhere between a scouting party and war council - definitely not an ARMY. The fact checking to add realism here just... did not seem to happen. And that totally broke the illusion for me.

I think that this book still has the potential to be enjoyed by a lot of people. Not everyone reads books in the same way that I do, and not everyone is looking for the depth and world building that I have come to expect from my fantasy. I think that there are a lot of people out of there who would really enjoy this one, but it just fell WAY below my expectations.

[emruth13]

I really loved this book! I loved all the Norse and Celtic mythology wrapped throughout the book. It was just an amazing book to read and I was so happy I got it.

[nightingalereads]

**ARC review**

This book was a slow start for me, but I ended up really enjoying it. I loved the way the author blended together Norse and Celtic mythology, and used those elements to not only shape the world, but also to define the two main characters, Ciara and Lief. Ciara is a Celtic princess and Lief is a Northman warrior, and the way the two of them clashed and grew to trust one another was entertaining to watch play out. Though not on the level of Cassandra Clare or Holly Black, I thought the author did a good job of incorporating magical creatures from both cultures, including kelpies, fae, and the Valkyrie.

There were some scenes that I thought were a little overwritten, and I found myself skimming a few times. After three or four chapters, though, I was totally engrossed in the story. If you like fantasy, especially Norse and Celtic-inspired fantasy, and enjoy a good hate-to-love romance, then I seriously recommend picking up Beyond a Darkened Shore. I'm definitely glad I decided to give it a read.