*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Took a long time for me to start being interesting in the story, though i don't know if i i'd compare it to game of thrones other than its length

I love young adult historical fiction, and all the better if it is set in the middle ages! This book filled all those check boxes, and was extremely fulfilling due to wonderful characters, great writing, and a plethora of music and poetry. Highly recommended

I liked it very much.
the historical accurancy of the time period was spot on and it was an entertaining read

I would like to thank Bellastoria Press and the Netgalley website for allowing me to read this book.

This book is the first book of the series: "The Oprhan of Tolosa".

We find Azemar and Azalais who, when they were very young, had to split up to flee a gang of outlaws. They will by all means try to find each other again and look for what links them with their mysterious past. Who are they? Do they have a link with the legendary Cathar treasure?

I immediately hooked on the story so captivating, addictive, full of suspense and twists and turns with endearing characters. Can't wait to read the book two.

Listen to the Wind is one of the few titles that I haven't finished. This title is meticulously researched and very well written; however, the story unfolded much too slowly to hold my attention.

This is the story of two orphans. Azelais, a girl, and Azemar, a boy, are fleeing prosecution after being accused of witchcraft. Listen to the Wind chronicles their escape and efforts to survive until young adulthood. This book also paints a very clear picture of everyday in 13th century France, including the unspeakable horrors of the Inquisition.

I would recommend this title to anyone who loves historical fiction and doesn't mind the flowery, descriptive writing style similar to some of the classics.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital copy of this title to review from Net Galley.

#ListentotheWind#NetGalley

This book was very well written and enjoyable. This book follows two characters and it balanced that very well. Both characters were given the opportunity to grow separate from each other and gave the reader time to invest themselves int the character, and then later the character's goals in relation to the other character. They weren't all-consumed by one thing, but still had a drive and motivation that lead the story forward.

I really enjoyed the writing style and found it very engaging. I was very immersed in the book and barely noticed myself progressing through it or time passing as I read. I didn't find each perspective's character specifically diverse, but I had little to no difficulty figuring out the point of view due to how well the author set up the location making it possible for me to orient myself in the story.

Overall I found this to be a very strong read and would recommend.

Listen to the Wind, the first book of The Orphans of Tolosa series, it was a pretty good story. It was well written and the characters were interesting. I look forward to reading the next in the series.

Listen to the Wind, the first book from The Orphans of Tolosa series, was a pretty good read. I look forward to reading the next installment of the series.
Four stars.

This, unfortunately, just really didn't appeal to me. I tried very hard to become invested in the characters, but I feel like the writing style kept me at a distance from the story. The characters did not feel well fleshed out and I lost interest easily. I felt like I was being told about a lot of actions and things I should care about, but I never had a reason to.
This is very well researched, so for readers who are interested in the history more than the narrative, this might be a good fit.

The characters felt cold and stiff. I couldn't connect with anyone and was constantly baffled by the decisions they made. The story was predictable and lacked any meaningful development. I kept reading to see what would happen but beyond that didn't really enjoy the book.

This was a beautifully written story set in the past and I loved it! I loved how the story wove through the two characters. The story made me leave the world behind and I could not put this one down. The author did a wonderful job with putting us into this world she has created. You could tell that the author did a lot of extensive research on this time period. And I can not wait for the next one.

I received a free ARC of Listen To The Wind by Susanne Dunlap from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Why wasn't history taught like this in school? Susanne Dunlap's story from the French crusades made me go check out the actual history of the crusades. I must say that Susanne did her research well. I loved the storyline, and also learned many things I didn't know. I appreciate the reality of life and situations that are told and yet the story feels so real. You are drawn in and awaiting the final coming together of the story at the end. Great job Susanne Dunlap. I look forward to the next book.

Susanne Dunlap brings to life 13th Century France masterfully in this tale. Although I do not know much about the era, this book brought back memories as reading Kate Mosse's Labyrinth - a book I completely adore. I have much the same feelings for Listen to the Wind.

Our two central characters, Azemar and Azalaïs, are separated as children after they are hunted through the forest they live in together. We follow their stories as they wend their way through life, struggling to find each other, with the promise of meeting again in Béziers.

It appears France is a treacherous place to be in the 13th Century - heretics are being sought out and burned, and there is much fighting around Tolosa (Toulouse) where this story is set. This culminates into tension for the narrative, and the feeling of imminent peril around every corner for our hero and heroine.

The ending leaves us with a bit of a cliff-hanger, and a swath of unanswered questions. To say I am eagerly awaiting the next book, The Spirit of Fire. A strong start to the series, and I highly recommend!

Thank you to Susanne Dunlap, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for the free copy to review.
#ListenToTheWind #NetGalley

While I love to read historical fiction, I have to admit that 13th century France is not one of the areas where I have much knowledge. Author Susanne Dunlop’s well-written knowledge helped greatly with my initial foray into the area, effortlessly blending the history into a compelling story of the fates of two orphans.

Azalais and Alemar are the two orphans, and the author wastes no time uprooting them from their current lives into new paths that are fraught with danger. Ms. Dunlop mixes the history with an interesting storyline, bouncing back and forth between the main characters and always managing to serve up unexpected twists that kept me turning pages until late at night. The other characters in the book are given enough weight to bring them to life, and the interactions help us to understand a world that existed centuries ago.

I liked the way the author created an uncertain world for Azalais and Alemar while always allowing us plenty of opportunities to witness their reactions to the events that surround each of them. The writing is excellent, and the background is enough for us to believe these fictional characters lived back in that turbulent time. This book is the first in a series, and though I worried about the chance of a cliffhanger ending, the author managed to tie enough strings together to satisfy my need while still letting me know that there are still adventures ahead. I, for one, will be there to experience them when the next book becomes available. Five stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Books Go Social for a complimentary copy of this book.

Orphaned brother and sister Azalais and Azemar live in the woods with a gang of adult criminals, learning about life the hard way. As a raid scatters the gang, the brother and sister go their separate ways, vowing to meet up some day in a far away city.

Azalais, disguised as a boy, finds her way to the relative safety of a blind hermit and herbalist who teaches her everything he knows, including how to read and write. The nearby abbey he is attached to, however, is well known for hunting out heretics, i.e. Cathars.

Azemar’s education begins at the home of a former knight whose lands have recently been returned to him, as he fought in the last invasion against the northern knights. Azemar learns how to tend the vineyard, to read and write, and eventually is sent out to learn how to be a knight.

As the brother and sister come of age, the storm cloud of war is on the horizon, and they are both entrusted with secrets but find themselves on opposite sides.


I’m not normally a fan of Historical Fiction but this book grabbed me and held on. The characters are well developed and had me not wanting to put this down.

This wonderful story is set in France when the Huguenots are under siege by the Catholics and there is no place to hide. Two young children, Azemar and Azalaïs, are suddenly sent to live with a group of other children in the forest, watched over by adults they do not know. Then one day their lives, precarious as they already are, are overturned when they must flee a group of knights. The two agree to meet up but years pass. Azemar is taken in by a merchant family and Azalais lives as a boy with a blind hermit, until another monk becomes suspicious and she is forced to flee.

Listen to the Wind is the first in a trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger. The sense of authenticity is enhanced by the use of Occitan, the langue d'oc, for people and place names. It's a wonderful book, and I can't wait for the next in the series to come out!

Was a good read but not my favorite, I still liked what I read but it what I read. The book was well written and the characters were interesting.

#ListenToTheWind #NetGalley I received this ARC for a review, and found it enjoyable. It was a bit reminiscent of Roland at Roncevaux., although a different era..

"Two orphans flee for their lives during the last crusade of the French against the Cathar heretics in the Midi. With no knowledge of their past, they are drawn onward to an uncertain future where they face unimaginable peril. Will they discover the secret of their origins and fulfill their destiny?"

Azalais and Azemar, together through some mysterious circumstance as children, and separated by warfare they did not understood, reunite as adults. This is the first of a trilogy and there is sample of part 2 for us to think about. Will the Cathar mystery and that of their own parentage find solutions?
Will they reunite with Johana and Jordane, and what does the future hold for all of them?

This novel, the beginning of a series, traces the lives and traumas of two childhood friends who are unexpectedly separated and equally unexpectedly reunited, and those around them, including genial friars, evil monks, a rapist, his horrible mother, a loyal servant, and more. Set in the thirteenth century, the book is well-researched if somewhat purple in its prose. The plot is fine, although it is a bit cliched: a peasant girl disguises herself as a boy, then participates in a bed-trick, swapping places with her noble patron. The noble patron also disguises herself as a man in order to escape an arranged marriage and to be with her true love. A fine historical romance, just don't expect complex characters or a lot of reason behind many of their actions.

I am not normally a reader of Historical Fiction, but this title was recommended to me by a friend who is a huge fan of historical fiction. The historical accuracy of this book was astounding. It was evident that the author did a lot of research and made it a priority to paint a picture for readers that truly transports them back in time. In the beginning I found it a little difficult to keep up with some of the French terminology, but I quickly got used to it, and was able to understand everything through context clues.
Coming from someone who reads a lot of fantasy, I was initially skeptical that the plot would be interesting enough for me, but I was quickly drawn into the story, and the political intrigue kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters were easy to get emotionally invested in, and I enjoyed the way they each grew and changed over the story. My only complaint was how quickly the ending was wrapped up, but it was clearly being set up for a sequel.