Winter's Orphans (Shadow Fae Trilogy) [Hardcover]

I don't know that I ever met a more unlikely heroine or hero, and yet they were strong, appealing, and had me rooting for them to triumph.

I was sucked into this alternate world so deeply I expected faes and faelings to jump out at me while I was enthralled in its grasp. This story gave me a whole new perspective on the fairy kingdom and made our own industrial era come vividly alive.

I highly, highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers and lovers of romance. This book is going on my keeper shelf and it will definitely not be an orphan anymore.

Duncan RiDahn used to be a nobleman. Now he was but a crippled old man in a wheelchair who begged for money, squatted in an abandoned theater, and was Mina's only hope of survival. Duncan felt the shock wave of Mina's power and knew the evil Queen Rhiannon would send out the Hounds. He and one of his students, Bryan, rescued her and began to teach her.

The Fae (faery) were usually human-like, but came in two different types. The Seelie could control fire and air, heat and light. The Unseelie could control earth and water, cold and night. Mina was half human, half unseelie. Duncan taught her how to use her powers to hide from the royal family and survive. The royal family was seelie and thought they had either killed at the unseelie or turned them into Knights and Hounds. With Mina's presence felt, the hunt was on for her and all the unseelie faelings feared being found.

But Duncan knew more about Mina than he told. Mina was not only unseelie, she was a dyana! Her magic was more powerful than any other. If Mina ever willed it so, she could control the minds of all the unseelie faelings for her use, and she could create dark things to kill! She was dangerous to everyone! But Duncan's love for Mina refused to let him kill her, no matter what!

***** It gets no better than this! Like all good books, this one started out in the middle of excitement to hook me quickly. The author created characters that I could easily sympathize with and care for. I got so deeply involved in the story that I was startled whenever reality intruded upon my reading! That shows amazing writing talent! This book is destined to win awards, Readers! This one goes on my "Keeper Shelf" to be reread many times. Keep your eye on author Elaine Corvidae! Highly recommended! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch.

Her mentor is Duncan, an older man, a cripple. He lives hidden in an abandoned theatre, training rogue 'unseelie fae' - those exiled because of their fae heritages.

But Mina isn't the only one with a dark secret. Duncan has one, too. Their ignorance of each other's almost gets them killed, and their world, destroyed.

Corvidae develops the relationship between the two, not only as student and teacher, but as lovers, with some of the most intense and moving scenes I've ever read. When the two are on the same page, the paper is fairly electric.

WINTER'S ORPHANS is a fabulous fantasy novel with a strong romantic plot. But it's truly Mina's story, in many ways, her quest. A definite keeper and well deserving of the awards it's won.