But Kate is being hunted by a far more dangerous enemy. Silas Dane - a killer with a haunted past - has recognised Kate as one of the Skilled who have the rare ability to see through the veil between life and death. He's determined that she'll help end his own personal nightmare; unfortunately, he isn't the only one with plans for her . . .
As the Night of Souls approaches, a secret hidden deep beneath a graveyard city holds the key to the fate of Kate, those she loves and Albion itself . . . the lost book of Wintercraft.
Wintercraft Series:
Wintercraft
Blackwatch
Legacy (2012)
Visit the Wintercraft website for more information
Review:
Since her parents were taken by the wardens 10 years ago Kate has lived with her uncle helping him run their family bookstore in a remote town in Albion. Their quiet life is shattered when the wardens return to the town to round up more men for the countries army. But it isn't just soldiers the wardens are looking for and Silas, the most terrifying warden of all, is specifically searching for Kate as he believes she has an ability that will help him. When her uncle is captured Kate and her friend Edgar are determined to find a way to free him but with Silas and another unknown enemy searching for her can Kate avoid capture herself?
I've had Wintercraft on my to read pile for ages now so I'm not sure why it took me so long to pick it up, now I only wish I'd read it sooner. This is a quick and easy to read dark fantasy story that had me gripped from the first page and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. Jenna Burtenshaw has created a scary but interesting world that I will enjoy revisiting in the future.
Kate was a likable main character who is brave and caring, she will do anything to help her family and keep her uncle safe. Throughout the story she discovers that she is one of the Skilled - she can walk through the veil to the land of the dead. I did find she learnt about her ability a little too quickly and easily but I can forgive that because it was so interesting to see what she was capable of doing. The scenes where she steps through the veil reminded me of Garth Nix's Abhorsen series and if you're a fan of those books I'm sure you will enjoy Wintercraft.
My favourite character by far was Silas, at the beginning of the story he was someone it was easy to hate - he seemed truly evil and leaves a string of dead bodies in his wake as he travels across the country. By the end of the book though it is a lot harder to decide if he is really evil or just a product of his circumstances, he was a complex character and I loved trying to figure him out. I'll leave you to decide for yourselves what you think of him but whether you peg him as good or evil I'm sure he will intrigue you! I really hope we get to see a lot more of him as the series progresses.
Jenna Burtenshaw is definitely an author to watch out for and I have high hopes for the rest of the series. If you're a fan of dark fantasy it is well worth checking out the series and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next!
Source: Received from Headline in exchange for an honest review
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