Monday, 11 May 2026

📖 Book Review 18# : Firevein: The Awakening (Firevein Saga Book 1) by Hanna Park

 


18 reviews now — and I have to say, I’m still enjoying keeping up this little reading habit. It’s become something I look forward to after finishing a book, taking a moment to sit with it before moving on to the next.

Firevein: The Awakening was a different sort of read for me. I went in expecting a mix of fantasy and romance, but it very quickly became clear that this is a much more erotic story, with the fantasy elements woven through that intensity rather than the other way round.

At the centre of the story is Cristabel Johnson, who travels to Norway for a wedding and ends up dealing with things that don’t quite make sense. On the surface, she can come across as a bit giddy—quick with humour, slightly deflective—but underneath that there’s a sensitivity that comes through more as the story progresses. Knowing she’s already survived something as serious as cancer adds weight to her reactions, and makes that contrast feel more meaningful.

Then there’s Rurik, who brings a completely different energy. He’s calm, controlled, and clearly holding back more than he says. At times that lack of explanation is frustrating, but it also builds the sense that there’s a much bigger story sitting just out of reach. Their dynamic is intense from the beginning, and it drives most of the book.

The writing leans heavily into physical sensation, and that’s where the book really sets its tone. The erotic elements aren’t subtle—they’re direct, frequent, and very much part of the storytelling. What stood out to me, though, is that Cristabel isn’t simply swept along by it. She’s aware, present, even counting at one point, which gives those scenes a slightly different feel. It’s not just about intensity—it’s about her becoming more in tune with herself as things unfold.

The atmosphere is strong throughout, particularly in the earlier chapters, and the blend of the sensual and the supernatural gives the story a distinct edge.

One thing that did stand out to me, though, was how suddenly some scenes shift — the move from the sauna to being outside, which I took to be a different realm, is a good example. It felt quite abrupt, and I was briefly confused as to how they had got there.

That said, the story continues to build, adding layers of mystery alongside the intensity, and I found myself curious to see where it would go.

It’s not a subtle read — it’s very direct in its tone and focus — but if that’s what you’re expecting, it delivers.

Overall, I found it an engaging and memorable read.

I’d give Firevein: The Awakening ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5.

If you enjoy:

Erotic fantasy with a strong focus on sensation

Intense, immediate character dynamics

Stories that mix physical experience with mystery

A setting that blends the real with the surreal

…then this is definitely one to try.

18 reviews now — and still going.


Universal Buy Link:
https://books2read.com/u/mqdW9O
Read with #KindleUnlimited


I began my writing career in the pre-dawn of a winter morning while my husband snored like a train. We could call my husband the catalyst. If it weren’t for him, I would never have gone to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee, feed the cat, and sit on the loveseat in front of the fire. It was there, in those moments of wondrous quiet, that I did something I had never thought possible. I opened my laptop, and while the coffee went cold, I wrote a story. My husband had no idea that these sojourns to the loveseat in front of the fire would become a daily occurrence, that writing would become an obsession, but the cat knew. She knows everything.

I write stories that make you laugh, make you cry, and make you love. Thank you, friends, for reading!

In the beginning, there was an empty page.

I am a writer who lives in Muskoka, Canada, with a husband who snores, a hungry cat, and an almost perfect canine––he’s an adorable little shit.

Social Media Links:

Victoria 📚









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Wednesday, 6 May 2026

📖 Book Review 17# Infidel: The Daughters of Aragon (Six Tudor Queens) By Nicola Harris

 



17 reviews in, and I’m starting to suspect this little habit has properly stuck. I used to just close a book and move on, but now I like sitting with it for a bit—working out what actually stayed with me and what didn’t.

Infidel: The Daughters of Aragon caught me slightly off guard. I went in fully expecting a young Catherine of Aragon story, something quite focused on her childhood and how she became the woman history remembers. And while that’s definitely there, it wasn’t what ended up holding my attention the most.

That would be Joanna of Castile.

I didn’t know much about her before this, and now I’m wondering how she’s managed to slip past me for so long. She’s not written as dramatic or deliberately rebellious—she just reacts honestly to things that don’t quite sit right with her, and that makes her stand out in a court where everyone else seems to know exactly how to behave.

There’s a moment early on where the children are made to witness an execution, and it’s one of those scenes that doesn’t need to be over-explained to have an impact. Juana’s reaction feels instinctive, almost out of step with everyone around her, and it quietly sets up how she’ll be seen going forward. It’s less about the event itself and more about what it reveals.

The contrast between Catalina and Juana works really well. Catalina feels like she’s learning how to move within the system, understanding what’s expected of her and adapting to it, while Juana keeps pressing against it without really meaning to. It makes their chapters feel quite different without ever clashing.

The story doesn’t rush. It takes its time building the world and letting the characters grow into it, which meant that by the end, I felt like I understood them rather than just having followed along.

I came away from this thinking less about the big historical moments and more about the people inside them, which is usually a good sign.

Overall, I found it a really absorbing read.
I’d give Infidel: The Daughters of Aragon ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5.
If you enjoy:
Historical fiction that focuses on people rather than just events
Stories that explore family, expectation, and identity
Characters who don’t quite fit the roles they’re given
A slower, more thoughtful pace
…then this is well worth your time.

17 reviews in, and still no sign of running out of things to read.

Universal Buy Link
https://books2read.com/u/4AZDEJ
Read with #KindleUnlimited

Nicola Harris

I’ve always been a writer, but it was only when illness forced me to stop everything that I finally had the time to write a novel. After decades of misdiagnosis, I learned I was born with a serious genetic condition, not rare, but profoundly misunderstood. The clues were there from birth, and suddenly, a lifetime of struggle made sense.

Writing became my lifeline: a way to step beyond my pain, to shape my experience into a story, and to find meaning where there had once been only endurance.

I have a lifelong love of children, Counselling, and Psychotherapy Theory and history.

Social Media Links:


Victoria 📚








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