KNIGHT OF RUNES by Ruth A. Casie
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Historical Romance (Time Travel)
FILE SIZE: 1090KB (92,000 words)
PUBLISHER: Carina Press (November 14, 2011)
ISBN: 9781426892585
England, 1605
When Lord Arik, a druid knight, finds Rebeka Tyler wandering his lands without protection, he swears to keep her safe. But Rebeka can take care of herself. When Arik sees her clash with a group of attackers using a strange fighting style, he's intrigued.
Rebeka is no ordinary seventeenth-century woman—she's travelled back from the year 2011, and she desperately wants to return to her own time. She poses as a scholar sent by the king to find out what's killing Arik's land. But as she works to decode the ancient runes that are the key to solving this mystery and sending her home, she finds herself drawn to the charismatic and powerful Arik.
As Arik and Rebeka fall in love, someone in Arik's household schemes to keep them apart, and a dark druid with a grudge prepares his revenge. Soon Rebeka will have to decide whether to return to the future or trust Arik with the secret of her time travel and her heart.
Where To Find Ruth: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook
Where To Buy: Kindle | Nook | Carina Press
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt
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| DNF |
Unfortunately, I didn't finish this book. Oh my god. This is the first book in a while that I didn't finish. I stopped at 32% because I couldn't take it anymore. The beginning was just so slow. It goes something like this:
Rebekah: "Oh, I'm going to England to do some research"
*ring ring*
George: "Hullo! You're the last remaining heir to Fayne Manor. Yay you!"
Rebekah: "Uh, I don't think so. You've got it all wrong."
George: "Uh, I think so. This old lady that I've known all my life said that you were and you've got to finish what she started. I will lure you with promises of an ancient line, dusty old papers, a super secret library and something to help you in your research."
Rebekah: *thinking* "Well hell, why not? A super secret library you say? It could help me with my research. Darn you for finding my weakness."
A few days later...
Rebekah: "Whoa! What a place."
George: "I knew you'd like it. Please make yourself at home. Have some delicious scones and clotted cream."
Rebekah: "Don't mind if I do. I'd like to explore."
George: "Of course you may. I just need you to sign these papers."
Rebekah: "Okie dokey artichokey."
Then Rebekah moves into the cottage where she'll be staying. A group of tourists come by, she's intrigued and follows them. They're headed to some sort of cave or something or other. Rebekah gets curious. Oh, she's got some sort of amulet thing and it's probably magic because the cave begins to shift and blur and she can't move. She falls through some vortex or other because that's what all time travelers go through.
*cue Doctor Who music* doo doo dooooo (that's all I can use because anymore and I'd have to pay royalties)
It's like Alice down the rabbit hole. She ends up rolling down a mountain, gashing her leg, collecting scrapes and bruises. But she's prepared. She's got her walking stick and her pouch of emergency goodness. Somehow, her skirt tore and it's gotten shorter. Anywho, she must find her way back to the Manor but it's gotten dark so she sets up camp. Then an old man finds her and he's got some sort of 6th sense. Knows she doesn't belong.
Dun dun dun! Enter alpha hero. He takes Rebekah and the old man back to the Manor.
Arik: "What is the meaning of this? Who are you? Why do you defy me?"
Rebekah: "Okay, you guys can stop staying in character. I know this is a reenactment of sorts."
Arik: "Woman. Do not speak as if you are an equal. I have a reputation as lord of the manor to uphold. You WILL do as I say."
Rebekah: "Whatever. *notices the sign for Fayne Manor and pulls out camera* WTF? This can't be right. Why is everything dead? It wasn't like that when I got here. *realizes she may have time traveled* No effing wayyyy! I'm just dreaming. It was the long flight."
Enter some hooligans trying to kill Arik and his men. *war cry Braveheart style*
Rebekah goes all badass because she's a freaking ninja. She takes the attackers out, left and right with her Walking Stick of Pain.
Rebekah: "Go with the music. Let it flow through you."
Arik arrives from killing all the other hooligans and sees Rebekah going all ninja on the remaining attackers.
Arik: [aside] Who is this woman who wields the Walking Stick of Pain? *clears throat* "Ahem. Why did you not follow my orders. What the hell are you doing? You could have been killed."
Rebekah: "Look here you imbecile. I've got it under control. I know how to fight. Gah!"
Then they make their way towards the manor. Full speed ahead! Oh noes! Water crossing.
Arik: "Well, the bridge has been tampered with, we need to make a makeshift bridge. Woman, you ride with me."
Arik pulls Rebekah on his horse. Some tingling happens, sexual attraction and then it's all over. Darn!
Overall: I won't do a play by play of the rest. It just wasn't for me. I thought I would like it since it was a time travel and well, I love me some Highlander pie but this book started off too slow with too much architectural description, some boring exchanges between Rebekah and everyone she meets and Arik didn't capture me at all. He was just there. And there's someone being all Edward-Cullen-in-the-corner creepy that Rebekah knows is there but can't figure out who. I wanted to stop at 10% but continued on thinking it would get better because you know, some books do that. They start off a little slow but then the heart pounding action grips you and pulls you in. Yeah, at 32% I just had to stop. I couldn't go on. This is a sad day indeed. A very, very sad day when I can't finish a time travel romance. I wish Ms. Casie the best.
***review copy from Netgalley***
