Ahoy there me mateys! I absolutely love Sharon Shinn and featured her works in me Broadside No. 2. I just finished the Elemental Blessings series and me 16th book by her. The author’s website describes the world of these books as:
Everyone in the country of Welce is affiliated with one of the five elements: air, water, fire, wood, and earth. Each element is associated with eight blessings, and every individual is graced at birth with three of these blessings, which offer them guidance and direction for their entire lives. Unless they cannot read the message behind their blessings…unless they reject their blessings…unless the blessing coins they draw are mysterious and blank…
Now when I went to read the last book in the series, unquiet land, I of course mixed up title names and ended up getting book one from the library. I started reading. It felt familiar. I realized me mistake, didn’t care, and reread book one. I still loved it and it actually was nice to refresh me memory on the world and characters. This book soldified that I still want to know what me blessings are. Of course having read book one, I felt the details of the series come flooding back and quickly got book four to finish the series.
The last book in the quartet deals with Leah, who was me favourite character from the third book. Leah has returned to the land of her birth and wants to make amends for her past failures. But it seems her role of spy is not over just yet . . .
I don’t want to give away more than that and have to admit that the blurbs for books two through four are rather spoilery. What I can say is that book four was by far me favourite of the series. I adore Leah as a character. I adored the slow burn relationship. I enjoyed the spy plot. I guessed some of the plot points but I didn’t care. And how those plot points played out was fantastic. I think that ultimately this book was the strongest of the series by far. I enjoyed seeing the ramifications of the previous books’ politics play out. And I have to admit that though I don’t love shopping, I would love to visit the markets and Leah’s store!
I actually wouldn’t mind more Blessings books. It be a difficult decision about whether this series or her young adult safe-keepers series be me favourite. The good news is that there be a couple of standalones I have yet to get to. I be excited!
If ye be interested in any of Sharon Shinn’s works, I suggest ye hoist those sails and visit her amazing website. Literally one of the best author websites I have ever seen. Arrrrr!
Please note: the links below lead to the author’s pages for each novel with a more in-depth description of each plot and each webpage has further links of where to buy the books.
The Elemental Blessing books:
Troubled Waters
Royal Airs
Jeweled Fire
Unquiet Land
To visit her website visit:
To see a complete list of all books she has written visit:
To add her books to Goodreads go to:
I love Sharon Shinn! I need to read more of her books, I’ve only read 4 or 5 of them so far, but Summers at Castle Auburn is a favorite.
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I know I liked that book of hers but I don’t remember it anymore. The memories just fall out of me noggin. Rereading the synopsis didn’t help. I will just have to read it again one day!
x The Captain
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This sounds like a fun series! I’m adding this to my TBR. I recently started listening to a new YA fantasy Shinn wrote, it looks like they were published as audiobooks first. This one is Echo in Onyx, and it’s fun so far. It reminds me of her other YA in tone, so I really appreciate that since I love her work so much. Summers at Castle Auburn is still my favorite, though.
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I adore her work so much but she doesn’t seem to get enough hype in me world. I didn’t know about her new YA series. Well Shiver me Timbers! The first mate is going to have to track those down for me! Thanks matey.
x The Captain
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You’re welcome! It looks like they were Audible exclusives at the moment, but I’ve heard there are ebook copies coming later. I agree that Sharon Shinn doesn’t get enough hype, I hadn’t heard about these until I went browsing my Audible recommendations.
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Well I would prefer the ebooks so if they are coming at some point then I shall wait. Besides plenty of series to finish anyways.
x The Captain
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This is true, there are lots of series! I haven’t heard a release date for the ebooks, though.
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I added it to the checklist and will patiently wait.
x The Captain
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