Juliet Marillier

Scholarly eighteen-year-old Paula and her merchant father journey from Transylvania to Istanbul to buy an ancient pagan artifact rumored to be charmed, but others, including a handsome Portuguese pirate and an envoy from the magical Wildwood, want to acquire the item, as well.

Cybele's Secret

Sheila Goicea

“Water and stone
Flesh and bone
Night and morn
Rose and thorn
Tree and wind
Heart and mind”


The second installment of the Wildwood Dancing duology (I hope someday it will become a trilogy,) had some difficulty following the beauty and entertainment as the first book. Cybele's Secret offered a glimpse into the past of Turkish culture and everyday life during the Ottoman period, with a twist of suspense and steeped in folklore. 

But first, can we please take a moment of silence for both covers of the books in this series? 

--silence ensues--

---

I mean, they are absolutely drop-dead gorgeous! Kinuko Craft - you have a fan. 

*regains composure*

This story follows one of the younger sisters, Paula, of the Romanian family introduced in Wildwood Dancing. The setting in Cybele's Secret is so different than the wild hills of Piscul Dracului, that it almost feels like a different series altogether. 

Although this is a solid 3.5 star story, a better half of it was slow. Personally, it will never surpass the first Wildwood Dancing novel for me. I love Romanian culture, and will forever prefer it to another. It's my bias. 

The dynamics of Paula and Stoyan's relationship were choppy. Of course, the social aspects made their relationship uncouth. I don't mind Stoyan's character; he's respectful, respectable, ambitious, and yes, smart (the key trait that Paula needs in a man, and we are often reminded of). I can't help that I liked Duarte's character more than Stoyan. Sometimes, you just can't help falling for the bolder character on the scene. *shrugs, then blushes guiltily*

Overall, this book was entertaining in its own way, but it almost could have been a stand alone novel, with some ties to it's predecessor.

This review can also be viewed on my blog: She's Going Book Crazy

Cybele's Secret

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