Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with this e-Arc. Will read more from this author in the future. See star rating for my review.

3.0 stars

You can read all of my reviews at https://www.NerdGirlLovesBooks.com.

This is a good first book in a new YA Fantasy series that weaves Norse mythology and magic into the story of a young woman embarking on a quest to save her sister and clan.

Syr is a powerful runecaster for her clan and keeper of a magical gem called a moonstone. The moonstone magnifies her power and is essential in her clan's survival. Runa is her younger sister. Syr is training Runa to be a runecaster, but Runa would rather sail away and explore the world like their father. One day another clan under the spell of an evil witch raids their village and kidnaps Syr. After most of her clan is killed or put into a sleep-like trance, Runa sets off to rescue Syr. Along the way she is joined by a fallen Valkrie and the handsome half-elf heir of the rival clan that attacked her village. Both have their own reasons for aiding Runa's cause. With each challenge Runa faces on her quest, she becomes more adept at magic and gains the confidence she'll need to face the evil queen.

This is a fast-paced, easy, read. I consider this "fantasy-lite" as there is almost no world-building and few characters, but it's still an entertaining story. As with most YA books, there is no descriptive violence and no sex. Runa's character development is unrealistically quick and choppy, but considering the book is short for a fantasy novel, I guess the author needed to abbreviate her journey. This isn't a book that is thought-provoking or will spur hours of conversation with your friends, but it's still a fun, quick read.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In a land of myth and ice, seventeen-year-old Runa Unnursdóttir is not the runecaster her clan has been hoping for. She spends her days daydreaming of sailing away and exploring the world instead of studying the runes and learning her spells. The villagers consider her odd, in looks and in manner. She’s nothing like her talented sister, Sýr, keeper of the sacred moonstone that ensures the village’s continued survival. But when a rival clan led by an evil witch raids the village and kidnaps her sister,

Runa is forced to act. With a fallen Valkyrie by her side, and the help of a gorgeous half-elf Runa is not quite sure she can trust, the apprentice must travel to the site of an ancient runecasting competition to try to win back the magical gem. But the journey will not be easy; the three unlikely companions encounter malevolent and supernatural creatures at every turn. Somehow, Runa must summon the courage and strength to face her destiny, a destiny she never wanted. Or die trying. - Goodreads

It is hard to believe that Runa is a 17 year old girl. From the moment you met her, she is whining and complaining. She reads like a 12 year old and that is a problem for me. She doesn't do anything on her own. I understand not being good at something or being different but her voice is whinny and she depends way too much on her sister even for the littlest things and because of this I see how very selfish she is.

I ended up not finishing this book. I did not like Runa. I did not like how everyone babied her. This is unfortunate because the world building of this novel is done really well. I would love to read a book about this world but with better characters.

Title: The Stone of Sorrow
Author: Brooke Carter
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5

In a land of myth and ice, seventeen-year-old Runa Unnursdóttir is not the runecaster her clan has been hoping for. She spends her days daydreaming of sailing away and exploring the world instead of studying the runes and learning her spells. The villagers consider her odd, in looks and in manner. She’s nothing like her talented sister, Sýr, keeper of the sacred moonstone that ensures the village’s continued survival. But when a rival clan led by an evil witch raids the village and kidnaps her sister, Runa is forced to act. With a fallen Valkyrie by her side, and the help of a gorgeous half-elf Runa is not quite sure she can trust, the apprentice must travel to the site of an ancient runecasting competition to try to win back the magical gem. But the journey will not be easy; the three unlikely companions encounter malevolent and supernatural creatures at every turn. Somehow, Runa must summon the courage and strength to face her destiny, a destiny she never wanted. Or die trying.

I enjoyed The Stone of Sorrow. The setting and culture were interesting enough to keep my attention, even though there were parts where I felt like the character development was lacking a little. The setting felt familiar—because I’ve read a fair amount of Norse mythology—but not in an “Oh, this again?” sort of way. More a comfortable familiarity. I’m interested to read what happens next.

Brooke Carter is from Canada. The Stone of Sorrow is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Orca Book Publishers in exchange for an honest review.)

If adventure with just a bit of romance is your thing, than this book is most likely for you. I enjoyed following the adventures of the magical beings of this story though I do wish that aspects of their quest were a bit more detailed so one could really get immersed in them.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley . My review opinion is my own.
This was a book outside of my reading comfort zone that kept me reading into the night. The charcters are richly drawn and the plot fascinating. This is the first in series and I look forward to the next in series.

This is the story of a talented runecaster who does not want to live in her small village and cast. She dreams of life bigger then the one she is destine to live. .She is a bit of an outcast and not as well loved as her sister who is both beautiful and more talented . When her sister is kidnapped she must act and save her sister throwing aside her own needs. I loved the story, the plot and charcters. This is a enjoyable fun read that definitely takes you away.

I really loved the concept for this book and it kept me entertained pretty much the whole time. The only problem I really had with it was the lack of detail and the fact that it jumped all over the place at times. It was hard to follow and more than once I had to reread to understand where things stood. I also feel like it lacked character depth and I didnt connect with any of the characters on the level I would have liked to. Besides that it was well written and I enjoyed it. I would definitely read the next one!!

I love fantasy books that draw from the richness of specific cultures. However I feel like there is an oversaturation of books that do that but don't necessarily feel original enough to stand out. This one is among the few Nordic-inspired ones that I have found deserve special recognition. It was epic. What I liked most about it, though, were the characters. They were well fleshed out and had realistic arcs.

First off, thank you to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book. It was a relatively quick read. In its essence, I would say this story had a lot of potential, but what it lacked was strong writing. And for this, it suffered heavily.

As we always hear, "Show me, don't tell me." This book was a lot of explanation and the pacing was a bit all over the place. The beginning is painfully grueling and drags with mundane explanations. And then later in the book, the intense scenes that should have impact are introduced and over in a matter of a couple paragraphs. They are rushed and lackluster, as if they are there just to add to an "omg moment" count. Quantity over quality. Everything that happens is too convenient and problems (of which there are many, perhaps too many) are resolved very quickly and with little fanfare, like i'm watching all the good parts fastforwarded . Not realistic at all. The scenes tended to become very messy through a bout of Runa's sickness, and then this person's power is affecting her, and this person is speaking and then that person, and then she's back in real life, and then she's dropped into a dream or is it not a dream. Aghhh! Its all too much. It changes and undulates constantly without a clear description of what exactly is happening. This is particularly true in the climax and ending. Way too much happened all at once that we lacked real impact or clarity and it was all topped off with overly flowery wording and sentences that just didn't need to be used. They served no purpose other than to create an heir of mysticality and strength to Runa, when what they really did was further confuse readers and feel overbearing. The author needs to shore up on clarity and cleanliness for sure. This and creating fuller, more well thought out scenes of poignancy would be my pointers. Everything is too rushed and lacking in depth and staying power.

My one silver lining is that I really liked Einar. Such a soft boy. And after all that, he gets nothing. So i'm let down even on that end.

This story has potential, but it just isn't there yet for me, unfortunately.

*3.5 stars*

This was a really fun book! I had recently taken a course that discussed Nordic myths so it was so fun to read a book that incorporated them (and was written in the last few centuries). There was good LGBTQ+ representation and a non-binary character (which we don't get often enough)!

The plot was good and the story was strong-- the one thing that could have been improved is that in dialogue and descriptors people tended to say precisely what they mean. In writing the idea of 'show don't tell' is brought up wayyyy too often but I think that is the main problem here. But even with that the story was an enjoyable one and the conclusion was quite fun.

I really tired to get into this book. I got to about 50% and still really didn’t find it interesting. Hopefully I can come back to it later.

Summary: Runa, a wild-eyed, white-haired teenager, is just trying to find footing in her clan, living under the shadow of her powerful and beloved sister, Sýr, a runecaster and keeper of the sacred moonstone that wields prosperity for their village. Besides casting spells that never feel quite right, Runa must also deal with her sickness, which causes her to have panic attacks, pass out, and witness foggy, prophetic images. She is lucky to have Sýr to help guide the way, but when a witch named Katla turns the village’s inhabitants into statues and kidnaps Sýr, it is up to Runa to save her. With the help of a fallen Valkyrie and a half-elf from a neighboring clan, she must get to moonwater to defeat the witch before she loses what is most important to her.

From the beginning, the themes of sisterhood and revenge are evident in Brooke Carter’s The Stone of Sorrow. However, as the novel progresses, the main point of interest aligns with Carter’s ability to create a world that mixes both high fantasy and Norse mythology in a way that is so seamless and compelling, it leaves the reader wondering why it isn’t done more often. It is this interweaving of magical worlds and classical viking lore that creates an especially epic setting, surpassing the typical genre expectations of a high fantasy novel, and making Carter’s first installment in this trilogy a promising start.

In addition to this innovative premise and colorful setting, Carter stands out by seemlessly incorporating feminist undetones and LGBTQ characters into this mythical Scandanavian world. The majority of the main characters, whether good or evil, are female identifying and strong-willed, actively charting their own agency throughout the story. The male counterparts play refreshing, polarized roles, generally existing only to assist the females in actualizing their destinies. Einar, the half-elf, is the best example of this, acting as the male equivalent of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl archetype as he serves as both Runa’s love interest, and a vessel that helps move her toward self-actualization. Additionally, when you look at the fact that Sýr, Runa’s sister, is in a loving relationship with another woman, and the character Oski, a fallen Valkyrie, uses they/them pronouns, what you find is a very effective way of normalizing modern values in historical fantasy. This works to denounce the heteronormative values and patriarchal themes that are a common hindrance to the genre.

Verdict:

Although some characters could have been developed further, and the ending left a little to be desired, Brooke Carter’s The Stone of Sorrow is a fun and exciting read, as well as a welcomed re-imagining of traditional fantasy. This female-centric epic, which feels like The Lord of the Rings was dropped into an episode of the History Channel’s Vikings, takes time-tested themes from high fantasy and Norse mythology and puts them together to create a thrilling ride.

This book seemed to drag at the beginning; however, around the 65%-70% mark it started to pick up. I loved the dynamic that is woven in the book and an eagerly looking forward to what will happen next.

*3.5 stars
Going into this book, I thought it might be dense or there be too much world-building. After finishing it, I have to confess I was wrong. I loved the take on Norse mythology with both good and evil witchcraft. Some of the elements in this book might be a little confusing to those who aren’t familiar with basic Norse mythology, but I barely know any and I got by. Overall, I thought this book was good, if not a little under-developed. There were a couple elements that just seemed to come out of the blue where there was no introduction. However, the characters were likable and well-developed and so was most of the book. I do love mythology and that definitely has an impact on my review.

I would recommend this book to people who liked the Norse elements of the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Series by Rick Riordan, but others too. It’s just a good fantasy book in general with strong characters and representation. It’s also just over 300 pages, so it’s not overly time-consuming. I liked this because it was a good book, but not one that I would read 500 pages of. Brooke Carter did a good job on this book and I’m thankful to have been able to read it early.

The moonstone boosts the power of whoever is wielding it so that they can help keep their clan prosperous, but during every red moon, it must be taken to moonwater to be recharged and for runecasters from different clans to fight for it. Runa’s sister Syr is the current holder of the moonstone but it’s power is fading because the red moon is near. When a witch from another clan comes to take the stone she puts Runa’s clan into a dreamlike state and kidnaps Syr. Runa must build up the courage and confidence to make it to moonwater and save her sister and her clan.

Can I have the next book now, please? I absolutely LOVED this book. I was honestly in a kind of reading slump when I started this book, but once I began reading it I was unable to put it down. Sometimes with fantasy books/series there’s a lot of overlapping and similarities to other books/series, but luckily that was not the case with this book. I felt this book was totally original and loved every bit of it. I really enjoyed the Norse mythology and the way the magic was portrayed. I also liked all of the different species/creatures. I think the author did an amazing job with this book and I’m already looking forward to the next book. 

Runa is the main character of this story. She looks a lot different from the people in her clan, so she doesn’t really fit in. She is super close with her sister Syr who is helping her learn how to use her runes. Runa sometimes goes into these dream-like states which she calls her ‘sickness.’ This ‘sickness’ makes it hard for Runa to have confidence in herself. 

Syr is the holder of the moonstone. It was passed down to her whenever her and Runa’s mom died after giving birth to Runa. Syr takes care of Runa since they are basically all each other have. 

While I was reading this book, I kept thinking I knew what was going to come next, but most of the time I was wrong, and to me, that’s what makes a great book and the author definitely nailed it with this one. I have read almost all of Brooke Carter’s books and have never been disappointed, so if you have not checked out her books I highly recommend doing so. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a new fantasy series or anyone just looking for a good book. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Orca Books Publishers for this ARC in return for an honest review.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As much as I enjoyed this story as a whole, I felt the pacing of it was a bit too fast. I wanted more suspense. It was a super quick and easy read and it dived into just the right parts of Norse Mythology.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

I really couldn't get into this! I tried but this story just didn't speak to me. The story was long and drawn out in my opinion. The characters were not likeable to me. I had such high hopes for this.

I read a little over 30% of this book before I decided to give it up. The concept and idea behind the world-building and magic is cool, but this book suffers from a lack of good writing. Most of the story is telling instead of showing, which made it boring to read. Information is repeated over and over, sometimes in the span of the same chapter. The beginning is slow and even after the "inciting incident" occurs, nothing happens for a few chapters. There are pages of Runa, the main character, describing how she gets ready for her quest and every single thing she packs in her bag and puts on to wear. I found it hard to connect with Runa because her character is flat and cliche. She also comes across a bit childish through her narration.

I've had enough. Maybe it gets better, but I don't have the patience for this story.

Publication Date April 07, 2020
3.5 stars
Thank you Netgalley, Orca Book Publishers and the author for giving me an e-arc for my honest review.
It was hard to put into words my thoughts on this novel. It was entertaining yes, but I had no connection to the characters. For one particular character I felt needed more description and clarity, I wanted to know why is physical appearance was that a of a many beings? and also more of his back story. I do however find myself cheering for the main character (Runa), and that she'll be able to fulfill her destiny.
So basically, Runa is being trained to be a runecaster by her sister, Sýr. throughout her training Runa doubts herself and her abilities, and she believes that the life of a runecaster was not meant for her. When her village is attacked and Sýr is kidnapped by an evil witch, Runa must embark on a dangerous quest to win the moonstone, rescue Sýr and kill the witch.
Even though the story is about Runa's quest, I didn't expect to stumble upon a love connection, but I should have seen it coming. Also, I love the fact that in the beginning Runa was seen as an outcast, and she doubted herself and her abilities, and ultimately she evolved into an brave and confident runecaster who is seen as such in the eyes of everyone that knows and meets her.
The novel was well written, and the story-line flowed. It is an interesting story, but it lack the ability to draw me in and give me the opportunity to fully emotionally connect with the characters. Even with all of that I am very interested to continue with the series because I would love to see how Runa is able to complete the quest she has set out for herself.

This was an interesting book. I liked so many aspects of it- the mythology, the magic, the runes. What I didn't like was the main character, she was so insecure that it bothered me. As the story progressed and her confidence grew I liked her more and more. The best part of this book is the mythology and the world-building, they were amazing. Overall, I thought the book was a pleasant read.