A. F. E. Smith

[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.]

Darkhaven has always been ruled by the Nightshades, a long line of Changers. But Ayla Nightshade, second-born and half-blood, never expected to be one of those rulers. Her brother's gift has not yet manifested, leaving their father to declare Ayla as his heir, despite her objection and outright refusal to take the throne. And when a Changer is implicated in a series of attacks, suspicion falls squarely on Ayla as the only person capable of committing them. But Ayla swears her innocence and sets out to find out who is responsible. Her brother, Myrren, is convinced Ayla cannot be behind the attacks and sets out on his own quest for the truth. But sometimes the truth is more fantastical than one might expect, and even when it's unexpected, can the truth still set you free?

This is a very well-written fantasy adventure and whodunnit that reads incredibly smoothly. It honestly did not feel at all like it was 400 pages--I was enthralled and entertained. The world that the author has created is rich and the characters are both endearing and frustrating at the same time.

The revelation of the Changer responsible for the attacks didn't thrill me, but mostly because I've never been a fan of stories that resolve like that (trying very hard to avoid spoilers). That said, I did enjoy this one and recommend it to fans of fantasy and paranormal...with a hint of mystery and adventure rolled in.… (mehr)

Ayla Nightshade is now the Overlord of Darkhaven. She is the only adult Changer left; she can transform into a powerful Alicorn. Ayla has been working on honing her skills both in Changer and human form with the help of Miles, an alchemist and her husband, Tomas, the Captain of the Helm. Ayla finally feels like life is calming down, with her three children growing well and a meeting set for a Peace Treaty with an ambassador from the neighboring land of Sol Kardis, Ayla is fulfilling her role as Overlord. However, the meeting with Sol Kardis goes terribly wrong; after Ayla and the ambassador meet in private, the ambassador suddenly dies. Ayla is the only suspect and Sol Kardis declares war. Now, Ayla must go to the front lines with Tomas left to run Darkhaven and watch over the children while other members of the Helm frantically try to prove Ayla's innocence and figure out who is truly behind the war.

This is the third installment in the Darkhaven series. Windsinger provided a fast-paced, action filled and suspenseful ride in the wonderful world of Darkhaven. I was very pleased to see Ayla grow into a confident ruler, expand her powers, be comfortable in her Changer form and have nurturing relationships with her husband and children. The suspense and intrigue grows right from the start as Ayla meets with the Kardise ambassador. A twisted political scheme is set forth that involves many of the characters that I have gotten to know over the course of the series. I was glad to see Sorrow, Zander, Ree and Art have important roles. As the war rages on, I was also impressed to see Ayla in Alicorn form use her powers. As the end approaches, the tension rose to the point that I did not want to put the book down. I was surprised at all of the players tangled up in the scheme and how they thought everything would play out. Another awesome installment into the fantasy world of Changers and Darkhaven.

This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.… (mehr)

In a world where shapeshifters have all the power and are rare the succession is in question. Ayla Nightshade is next in line, although it should be her brother, but he's not shifted, and then her father dies, brutally slain and she's the obvious killer. She goes on the run and her brother investigates with the help of a priestess, Serenna.

Interesting but a bit predictable. The romances in the story didn't build all that well but overall the story worked for me. Quite close to a 4 star read but not quite. I had an idea what was coming from the start and did make a few mis-guesses but overall it was an enjoyable read, it just needed a little bit more to make it great. I'm hoping that the next one will learn from this one and be better.… (mehr)