Starflower: (Tales of Goldstone Wood Book #4) by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Epub)

Description

Detouring from his quest, Eanrin reluctantly rescues a beautiful mortal from an enchanted sleep. But will the dark power she’s fleeing now destroy them both?

User’s Reviews

Immerse Yourself in the GOLDSTONE WOOD SagaWinner of the 2011 Christy Award for Debut NovelFinalist for the 2012 Christy Award for Visionary NovelThe Black Dogs Are on the Hunt, But Who Is Their Prey?When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps fairest Lady Gleamdren, the Bard Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission…and a race against his rival for Gleamdren’s favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren’s rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer?”Christian fantasy fans will be particularly enthralled by the Tales of Goldstone Wood.” –Publishers Weekly “Fans of Tolkien and the darker talers of Faerie will be drawn into Stengl’s effusive prose and wonderfully scary worlds… a series to stretch your imagination over several long winter nights.” – USA Today About the Author Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a passel of cats, and one long-suffering dog. When she’s not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and studies piano, painting, and pastry baking. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. She is the author of Heartless, Veiled Rose, Moonblood, and Starflower. Heartless and Veiled Rose have each been honored with a Christy Award.

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ As if I wasn’t looking forward to another installment to the Tales of Goldstone Wood series enough, when I discovered that Eanrin was one of the main characters in Starflower, my patience was even thinner as I waited. Eanrin has been my favorite character throughout the series. He’s arrogant and selfish, which would make you think I’d dislike him, but that’s not the case. I’ve discovered through my reading that arrogant men hold a special place in my reading heart….as long as their heart of gold shines through. Eanrin’s definitely shines through! He’s an immortal human/cat. Sometimes he’s human, sometimes cat. I found myself snickering quite often at parts including him in both of his forms.Eanrin is also completely blind in the first three books(I can’t remember now if he even played a part in Veiled Rose or not). In Starflower, we get to go back to a time when he has eyesight.Despite my love for Eanrin, though, Starflower was the one who won me over in this story. She’s the strong, silent type. While she’s had a hard life, love still shines through. She comes from a land where women are worthless, with the exception of providing male heirs to the men. I got a strong Native American vibe from Starflower and her land. If I wasn’t supposed to get that vibe, just let me live in blissful ignorance! This particular aspect of the story especially thrilled my reading heart. Do you know how difficult it is to find great, clean Native American fantasy stories?! Extremely! (Feel free to leave me suggestions in this area.)Starflower can be read as a standalone, but PLEASE don’t! I can’t recommend to you enough to read this series in order. You simply can’t get a full appreciation for the characters or the brilliance of writing when read out of order. All the little details come together perfectly. It’s time for a re-read of the whole series for me, because there were characters that I couldn’t quite place exactly. I did get a little confused at times. While I did recognize everyone, I couldn’t remember what part some of them played in the earlier books. That’s something else that I love about this series, though. You will want to read them over and over. I can’t imagine how many extra little moments I’ll find special the next time I read them.This series has it’s allegory moments. I’ve finally learned to accept that I’m simply not comfortable with Christian allegories. It’s not so overwhelming in this particular series that I can’t ignore those moments, though. I read this book as a great fantasy and nothing else. Hopefully, that doesn’t offend anyone! ;)Overall, as all my regulars around here should already know, this whole series gets a HIGHLY recommended from me!

⭐ I loved this book! I found it very thought-provoking. The author has done an excellent job in terms of characters, setting, and theme. Interestingly, while I felt an immediate sympathy for Starflower, one of the main characters, in her trouble, I had a hard time liking Eanrin at first. As the bard for Queen Bebo and King Iubdan at Rudiobus, the immortal realm, he is tall, slender, and very talented as well as immortal. But he is also egotistical and selfish. He really loves no one because he doesn’t want to feel the pain that accompanies that emotion. But when Lady Gleamdren is kidnapped by a dragonwitch, he determines that he is the one to rescue her. When he stumbles across Starflower though it throws off all his plans. Isn’t that just like life. And as he and Starflower journey together, he starts to wonder which is the true freedom. Freedom from pain and sorrow or freedom of love and commitment? Where will their choices lead them?The atmosphere that the author creates adds greatly to the intensity of the book. I found myself reading this slower than I expected, just because I stopped to think about the characters and the choices that put them into the circumstances in which they found themselves. What was the right choice? Was there a right choice? Also, Stengl writing is so beautiful, it is meant to be savored, not rushed. If you enjoy thought-provoking, intense reads with a distinct Christian feel to it I highly recommend this one. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

⭐ This is such a beautiful book. I’ve read 1, 2 & 3, and loved all of them, but I do think this one is my favorite. I love this writer’s style and am in awe of her talent. One quote from this book touched my heart very deeply…”But she saw his eyes. Dark, flecked with gold, full of kindness. His was a gaze in which she might rest.”I am continually learning to rest in His kind gaze, and I love books like this that help me see more of who He is.

⭐ So far this is my favorite of the Tales of Goldstone Wood. The story largely follows Eanrin (an all-time favorite character) but the other characters in the book are amazing as well.I was touched by the way the author seamlessly wove in the spiritual with the fantasy. What I see happen many times in Christian fantasy books is that the spiritual aspects feel forced or out of place in the fantasy world, but not so with the Tales of Goldstone Wood. The author does an excellent job creating a world of her own with its own version of Christianity that fits that world perfectly.There are so many incredible things in this book but I must not spoil it for anyone. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an excellently written Christian fantasy.

⭐ I have enjoyed all of the books in this series, but I think this is the best one yet. In this book, you finally get to learn more about some of the characters that you meet in earlier novels. The reader meets Starflower and Eanrin before they became knights of Farthestshore. The story describes their struggles to avoid the Hound, much as many of us try to avoid our own encounters with God. I felt that this novel better utilized the imagery and symbols that Stengl has incorporated into her other works, and I feel that she has managed to take the story that she weaves I this series a step further with this novel. As a reader, I felt rewarded for reading the other novels because of the many things that are explained in this one. A reader does not necessarily need to read the other novels first, but it might be helpful.

⭐ Anne Elisabeth Stengl writes incredibly interesting and convoluted stories. I really liked Heartless, her first in the Goldstone Wood series, then I loved Veiled Rose, was amazed at Moonblood, and finally was crazy over Starflower! Anne Elisabeth Stengl weaves an intricate pattern throughout all of her stores. In Heartless, she introduces the reader to many different characters and phrases while concentrating on a handful of main characters. The story of these main characters are completed within the book. Then with her subsequent books she reveals the minor characters history, etc. and makes them the main characters. She left me with enough mystery that I can’t wait for her next book coming next year. I want to learn even more about these wildly interesting characters! I have definitely found my new favorite author!

⭐ Well written, thoughtful, provoking narritive. Excellent characters that draw the reader into the story through their believable behavior and reactions to unbelievable circumstances. A must read. The best book of the series!

⭐ I love Shadowhand the most in this wonderful series, but this is a close second. The Goldstone Wood books are not a light, fluffy read. They are intense and dark in many places, much like our walk here on earth. It is obvious to me that the writer enjoys an intimate relationship with her Creator. The love and understanding they share infuses her books with meaningful and even life-changing revelations about the purpose of our existence. Just amazing.

⭐ I absolutely loved this book, and I have to say that it was definitely my favorite so far. Lots more action, and intrigue than the priors. Some of the prior books seemed to have so much despair, and so little escape from it, that I had a hard time reading on. Eanrin provided comic relief and lightheartedness to even the most desperate situations, and I truly enjoyed that aspect. I felt much more drawn to Eanrin than many of the previous main characters. The story was absolutely touching to me, and I love that I can read an exciting book like this and also receive spiritual edification at the same time. I can’t wait to read the next one!

⭐ Amazing series, and this one does not disappoint. I like how each book seems to have a unique voice, but fits within the larger story.

Keywords

Free Download Starflower: (Tales of Goldstone Wood Book #4) in Epub format
Starflower: (Tales of Goldstone Wood Book #4) Epub Free Download
Download Starflower: (Tales of Goldstone Wood Book #4) 2012 Epub Free
Starflower: (Tales of Goldstone Wood Book #4) 2012 Epub Free Download
Download Starflower: (Tales of Goldstone Wood Book #4) Epub
Free Download Ebook Starflower: (Tales of Goldstone Wood Book #4)