In the Shadow of the Storm

Not that long ago, I gushed to anyone who had breath in their body about Under the Approaching Dark all over my blog, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, Goodreads, the coffee shop, the grocery store, at my mailbox and my son’s school. (You think I’m joking.) You can click the link to read my review, but suffice it to say, I loved it. Since Under the Approaching Dark is the 3rd book in “The King’s Greatest Enemy” series, I knew right away that I wanted books 1 and 2. In book 3, I had the pleasure of meeting Adam and Kit de Guirande, and I desperately wanted to know their backstory. And so I began saving up for In the Shadow of the Storm and Days of Sun & Glory.

While saving up for said books, I decided to contact the author, Anna Belfrage. I wanted to let her know how amazing Under the Approaching Dark was and that I was planning to purchase the first two books in the series. (What I really wanted to say was, “Where have your books been all my life, ohmygosh!!!” But I refrained.) So, when she responded by offering to send me a signed copy of the first book, can y’all imagine how loud and long my scream was? (Literally. I screamed. My neighbors are probably still haunted by the sound.)

This is what “bliss” looks like

Now, let’s talk about the book, shall we? It’s fantastic. So, so good. It begins by introducing us to Kit, who finds herself in a rather unpleasant situation, made worse by being forced to marry a man (Adam de Guirande) under false pretenses. The situation is complicated further when she realizes that she is beginning to care for her new husband, and that the feeling is mutual. I loved the amount of time that the author devoted to this part of the storyline. It went on long enough to really illustrate Kit and Adam’s personalities, but not so long that the rest of the story was lost.

The essence of the book is about the turbulent reign of King Edward II and the clash between those loyal to Dispenser and those loyal to Mortimer. (You’re rooting for Mortimer’s group, by the way.) Adam and Kit find themselves caught up in the middle of it all, with Adam personally coming face-to-face with the brutalities of war. It was here that I really began to see the strength, resilience and feisty nature of Kit, as well as her love for her husband. (And just like any married couple, they didn’t always agree or get along, which was surprisingly refreshing.) The historical accuracy of the book was on point, the characters were amazing and there was adventure throughout. I literally could not put it down.

Bottom Line: I kid you not when I tell you that I will be purchasing every single book this author has ever written or ever will write. GO BUY HER BOOKS. Trust me. Go. Now. Because I’m going to buy them all. So hurry.