Author: Karah Quinney
Read Type: Amazon Freebie
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You can purchase the book on Amazon (International)
You can find otu more about the author on Amazon and Goodreads
Book Blurb:
Intense and intriguing, The Evening Star is Karah Quinney's most riveting novel to date.
Hidden in the swirling depths of the Great Forest, Ember has survived the shattering loss of his entire band, leaving him alone season over season, except for the companionship of his aging grandfather. As the past and future collide, he discovers Blackbird, a young woman in desperate peril, and he saves her life, binding them together in unexpected ways.
Blackbird’s uncle warns them to beware of their bitter rivals and enemies, but his sudden disappearance is the catalyst that leads to a shocking discovery. Before long, they are forced into the mystery shrouded depths of the jungle, where they learn that her uncle has been killed and his head taken as a trophy – a terrible loss to his people.
Confronted with the secrets from the past, and spurred on by the desire to save countless others, Blackbird is willing to take great risks even if it means her very life. With the use of guile, cunning, and instinct, Ember races to save her. Caught in an epic battle for their lives, they must find the strength to stand together as one if they are to have any hope of a shared future.
Author Bio:
Karah Quinney writes Prehistoric Fiction that touches the heart and reaches the soul. She needs only to set pen to paper to the tell the stories of those that once lived during the ancient past. Each story is a gift of the heart.
Karah Quinney has been ranked #1 Bestseller in Ancient World Historical Romance.
Review
This review is posted without the knowledge of the author and therefore without consent for book cover of blurb due to being able to get a response from her. If you are the author or know her I would love to get permission to add these elements to the review
Strong language: negligible
Drugs: some
Violence: yes, graphic
Sexual content: yes, semi-graphic
I received a copy of this novel through an Amazon free promotion day.
Imagine a world so different from our own it could be alien. A world where people live in harmony with nature; they respect and protect it. A world without any modern comforts. Yet, while this novel could be set there, it is within our very world, in a place deep in the rainforest untapped by those who would change it. It could be in any time period, since it occurs in the jungle untamed.
Told through rich language, using all the senses, and pulling all of our emotional strings, the story had me from the first.
We enter a scene of tragedy, not know how or why it happened, before being whisked away with from the danger, along with a young boy, to start our story. The young man, Ember, taken by his grandfather before he could be killed along with the rest of his people, lives a solitary life in the jungle until he is an adult. He doesn’t know villages, or his old way of life, neither does he seem to care. He soon finds himself drawn in however, following his nature to protect the weak.
He and his grandfather, Yupan, find themselves in a large village, with the enigmatic Blackbird, the daughter of the village chief. Ember is enthralled, not remembering life in a group before and cannot understand his grandfather’s reluctance to join in while he trains and hunts with other warriors.
Yet all is not as it seems, danger lurks in many forms, waiting for them, luring them into a trap.
I felt the character building here was fantastic. It was rich, felt realistic, and had the same insecurities that many modern people face, once more allowing us to link ourselves with these people, so different from ourselves.
Ember started out as a wild creature, far from us, with knowledge and understanding of his surroundings making him seem very different. Yet as he grew on the page, his curiosity of the world around him drew me in. His slight resentment of his grandfather, probably an emotion he didn’t realise was even there, drew my curiosity and made me look deeper.
Then he met Blackbird, the chief’s daughter. For the first time he felt something for another human being, a place we have all been, no matter where we are in our lives or the world. He grew as a person, grew more emotions, including endearing embarrassment, and I was hooked.
Blackbird, at first seemed like the perfect daughter, but as we saw more through her lies, it became apparent that she was just as human as everybody else, that she had her own desires, that she seemed to follow her father for her own reasons, and that she was one to watch. This happened for so many characters, good or bad, here for one scene, or here for the whole novel, they just grew before my eyes.
The point of view was mainly split between Ember and Blackbird, although we saw others scenes from Yupan, warriors of various tribes, and other minor characters. This gave a wider variety of opinions on the world, seeing both sides of the story. I imagine it will be a bit like showing a child a one-sided story of one of the world wars; they’d make a firm opinion that the side they read was the side that was correct. Then, you give them a story just from the other side’s perspective, and suddenly they can see more, they have more questions, more opinions, and a better understanding of how life works. Of how different countries, tribes and beliefs all work together. This is the reason it works so well. I think.
The plot had many twists and turns. Often I wasn’t sure who was right and who was wrong, or even who told the truth. I admit, at times I was lost, but this didn’t happen for long. Soon another character came along with their side of the story, and their piece to the puzzle made the story make sense.
I love the pace of the plot, sometimes it raced ahead with action, other times it lolled, giving us a chance to see the world as the characters did, to experience it with them, and to get to stay in that world just a little bit longer. The finale was exciting, action packed, and full of violence. Things were set to rights, but whose idea of right? I encourage you to find out for yourselves.
The 411
I thought this was an immersive, deep, thought provoking novel with a side of action, danger, and romance.
The language was rich, and made even the most unusual situations feel normal, and even a part of my life. This novel transported me.
A very easy 5 stars, I cannot rate it highly enough.
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