Here we are again, another quarter of 2021 down! I am shocked at how quickly these last three months seemed to fly by. I’m equally as surprised at how many books I purchased this quarter. The book community is such a good influence on my book buying habit. (Is it a good influence? Why yes, yes I think so!)
To make this quarterly haul post more manageable, and improve your viewing pleasure, I decided to break it up into three separate posts: used books, new books, and e-books. As the title of this blog post more than alludes to, this post is a list of the used books I purchased during this quarter. All book summaries are from the book publisher’s website. In other words, these summaries are not my own.
Want to support local book stores? Buy a copy these books on Bookshop.org!*
*This is not an affiliate link and I do not make a commission from any purchase made using these links.
The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker
Centuries ago, in a blood-soaked land ruled by legendary gods and warring men, a prophecy foretold of a high king who would come to reign over all of the north. . . .
Ragnvald Eysteinsson, the son and grandson of kings, grew up believing that he would one day take his dead father’s place as chief of his family’s lands. But, sailing home from a raiding trip to Ireland, the young warrior is betrayed and left for dead by men in the pay of his greedy stepfather, Olaf. Rescued by a fisherman, Ragnvald is determined to have revenge for his stepfather’s betrayal, claim his birthright and the woman he loves, and rescue his beloved sister Svanhild. Opportunity may lie with Harald of Vestfold, the strong young Norse warrior rumored to be the prophesied king. Ragnvald pledges his sword to King Harald, a choice that will hold enormous consequence in the years to come.
While Ragnvald’s duty is to fight—and even die—for his honor, Svanhild must make an advantageous marriage, though her adventurous spirit yearns to see the world. Her stepfather, Olaf, has arranged a husband for her—a hard old man she neither loves nor desires. When the chance to escape Olaf’s cruelty comes at the hands of her brother’s arch rival, the shrewd young woman is forced to make a heartbreaking choice: family or freedom.
Set in a mystical and violent world defined by honor, loyalty, deceit, passion, and courage, The Half-Drowned King is an electrifying adventure that breathtakingly illuminates the Viking world and the birth of Scandinavia.
The Sea Queen by Linnea Hartsuyker
Six years after The Half-Drowned King, Ragnvald Eysteinsson is now king of Sogn, but fighting battles for King Harald keeps him away from home, as he confronts treachery and navigates a political landscape that grows more dangerous the higher he rises.
Ragnvald’s sister Svanhild has found the freedom and adventure she craves at the side of the rebel explorer Solvi Hunthiofsson, though not without a cost. She longs for a home where her quiet son can grow strong, and a place where she can put down roots, even as Solvi’s ambition draws him back to Norway’s battles again and keeps her divided from her brother.
As a growing rebellion unites King Harald’s enemies, Ragnvald suspects that some Norse nobles are not loyal to Harald’s dream of a unified Norway. He sets a plan in motion to defeat all of his enemies, and bring his sister back to his side, while Svanhild finds herself with no easy decisions, and no choices that will leave her truly free. Their actions will hold irrevocable repercussions for the fates of those they love and for Norway itself.
The Sea Queen returns to the fjords and halls of Viking-Age Scandinavia, a world of violence and prophecy, where honor is challenged by shifting alliances, and vengeance is always a threat to peace.
The Wild Road by Gabriel King
In the grand storytelling style of Watership Down and Tailchaser’s Song comes an epic tale of adventure and danger, of heroism against insurmountable odds, and of love and comradeship among extraordinary animals who must brave The Wild Road . . .
Secure in a world of privilege and comfort, the kitten Tag is happy as a pampered house pet—until the dreams come. Dreams that pour into his safe, snug world from the wise old cat Majicou: hazy images of travel along the magical highways of the animals, of a mission, and of a terrible responsibility that will fall on young Tag. Armed with the cryptic message that he must bring the King and Queen of cats to Tintagel before the spring equinox, Tag ventures outside. Meanwhile, an evil human known only as the Alchemist doggedly hunts the Queen for his own ghastly ends. And if the Alchemist captures her, the world will never be safe again . . .
A Court of Wings and Ruin and A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
I’ve already read A Court of Wings and Ruin (review) and A Court of Frost and Starlight (review), which are books 3 and 3.1, respectively, of the A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACoTaR) series. I enjoyed the series so much that I decided to start collecting the hardcover versions of the books with the original artwork. These two weren’t too difficult to find for an affordable price. However, the first two books of the series–ACoTaR and A Court of Mist and Fury–are a different story. I can’t believe how expensive the first two books are being listed for on resale sites!
