Review: Autumn Thorns by Yasmine Galenorn

This was my first book by this author and I have to say, I’m a fan. There was a lot of uncharted territory in this book for me, things I’d never encountered in another read, so I was pleasantly surprised by it’s unique story and unsettling scenes. I loved the mythology the author plays off of, the writing style was well done and the characters were easy to connect with. I read this one in one sitting because I just couldn’t’t put it down.

Kerris Fellwater returns home to Whisper Hollow after fifteen years away, to take her rightful place as the town’s spirit shaman, after the passing of her grandmother. Her childhood was filled with things she wanted to forget, not only from the mystical and undead but also her controlling and unloving grandfather.

But the town has called her home and knowing not to ignore the signs, she’s picked up the gauntlet her grandmother left behind. There are secrets to uncover, mysteries to solve and dangers to avoid and not everyone wants the spirit shaman to do her job.

This read was full of tantalizing mystery and a who-done-it scenario that kept me guessing most of the way through. I loved that I couldn’t suss out who was truly friend or foe, or the mastermind behind the whole troublesome happenings in Whisper Hollow. It kept me intrigued and wanting to get to the end so I could see what exactly was going on.

There was plenty of mystic and the unexplained with some pretty chilling and intense scenes to sink my teeth into. And though the romance was a little more on the lighter side than I normally like, there was still enough to keep me invested in Kerris and Bryan as both individuals and as a couple.

I thought Kerris was a great character even though she was a little too apt to let things go because of fear. For example, there were several times when she refused to ask questions, stating she was scared of the answers. I know this was the author’s attempt to draw out the mystery, but her avoidance made her look weak. However, when things started happening, and the mystery started to unravel, she stepped up and kicked butt! I loved that about her.

Bryan was a wonderful character also. I loved his protective nature. He let his alpha male shine when needed, but he also knew when to step back and let Kerris control the situation, making them the perfect team.

Both were powerful, but together, they were the A-team, that could and would protect what needed protecting. It was a lot of fun watching their relationship bloom and grow.

This book had some great characters all around and a wonderful, exciting, thrilling story. I will say that some of the scenes were a little long winded. There were several times I felt the story got bogged down with trivial things, such as clothing options or cat antics.

But other than that, I enjoyed this read so much. I can’t wait to see what the second book holds and what secrets may be revealed next!