Review: A captivating fantasy!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 19, 2013
The Shrinemaiden was my first ever erotic fantasy and I was not disappointed. Hesitant at first because I'm so used to contemporary books my hesitance was quickly eased by Annie Eppa's amazing story telling. The Shrinemaiden is the provocative journey of Adalei, a young shrinemaiden who's future is mapped out for her after years of training to be a courtesan. Adalei is to be auctioned off to the highest bidder, the outcome of her first auction will forever shape the rest of her life. This book reminded me of the Hunger Games in some ways. Just as the tributes in the Hunger Games are treated with opulence and manipulated by the power-hungry capital; the shrinemaidens are treated with opulence and manipulated by kings and noblemen except the shrinemaidens are trained and used for sexual prowess. The life of a shrinemaiden is an escape for woman with lavender eyes and offers a much less bleak existence than life without it. During her training, Adalei becomes taken with a guard named Thornton. Their love story begins from there. It has a Romeo and Juliet flair to it in that the two are ill-fated to be together. Through a masterful and conniving plot, their love flourishes and strengthens. However, Adalei endures many obstacles to reach her ultimate goal. There are darker erotic moments in the story as Adalei goes through her duties as a courtesan. But she always remains a quick, smart, strong heroine. Viewing this fantasy world through her eyes is just as gripping as it is engrossing. Twists, secrets, betrayals, and manipulations drive the plot. There were a few instances where I had to re-read certain parts to fully understand what was going on because, like I said, there were twists it was difficult to know what was happening. However, now that I'm finished with the book I think that confusion adds to the mystery. I'm grateful that I was asked to read and review The Shrinemaiden. The interesting, captivating plot is a refreshing change of pace.