Winterlight (Book Ramblings) by Kristain Britain

Hi guys! This post is something that I am just writing for me, myself, and I, and for anyone that wants to talk love and spoilers! When I reread the series prior to the final installment I would like to go through and write about my love for each book

If anyone doesn’t know, Green Rider is truly my favorite book series ever and I am beyond honored that Kristen Britain soft-yes’d me on joining the Sunday Brunch series! She shouted me out on Facebook and I literally died a little bit!

Anyway – feel free to read the quick facts and synopsis, but then I would probably stave off unless you have read Winterlight and want to talk theories with me!

Bookish Quick Facts:

• Title: Winterlight
• Series: Green Rider #7
• Author: Kristen Britain
• Publisher & Release: DAW, September 2021
• Length: 848
• Rate & Recommend: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 😭

Here is the synopsis:

This seventh novel of the Green Rider series follows the adventures of messenger, magic wielder, and knight Karigan G’ladheon as she fights to save king and country from dark magic and a looming war.

After her capture at the hands of Grandmother and the Second Empire, Karigan G’ladheon is making halting progress towards recovery. Karigan takes on increasingly dangerous missions, haunted by the specter of her torturer, Nyssa, and sinking ever further into the mire of her recollections of the past and the losses she’s sustained.

Meanwhile, the forces of the Second Empire are moving on Sacoridia and their primary target is a vulnerable garrison that guards a crucial mountain pass. Faced with new fatherhood and a country on the verge of war, King Zachary sends a contingent of soldiers and Green Riders to the pass–but his own recovery from the events of the north is not yet complete either.

Reunited with her fellow Riders at the pass, Karigan takes on a leadership role, but quickly finds that the Riders are not as she last left them. As tension mounts and war draws ever closer to the heart of Sacoridia, Karigan must discover what it truly means to be a Rider and a hero of the realm–and what sacrifices must be made to truly heal from her past.

Overall, after a disappointing read in Mirror Sight and Firebrand, Winterlight was a throwback to the earlier Green Rider books and just blew the past few efforts straight away.

Let’s start with the cover: that scene had me in TEARS, she is just a hero in every sense of the word and that she finally reunited with Condor was everything.  Even better was Fastion leaking a tear out on the hill when he saw what was happening!

The title – where it fit into the story – omg, Firebrand and Winterlight – I think the two titles are foreshadowing since Karigan is now royalty and obviously Firebrand is what the Eletians call King Zachary

“…my name is .. Sad Ice Light?”

– The real question is obviously, why did Jametari do that? What did he see? In an earlier scene where various future scenarios were playing out (p.247), the only future displayed for Karigan was that she would become a sleeper …

Skipping to the end, what suffering did the gods speak of? That ties into the sleeper theory, or the burning witch idea that that horrible priest threatened Karigan with.  I wanted more from the priest and Estora storyline too.

We still don’t know what Estora saw in Karigan’s Mirror Eye either, I wonder if it tied into her pushing them together towards the end?  I miss the Estora of the earlier books where she was just a girl in mourning, although she won me over as the Rose queen in this book.  I think she has redeemed herself and shown she is capable of being a great leader and queen on her own right.  P.S. that scene with them riding out and Karigan wearing the Rider Princess armor! Lol she named the horse Pumpkin!

More crazy things was the history of the Weapons, that magic free room in the castle depths.  I couldn’t believe that the Weapons WERE the scourge, how dark.  I also found myself supremely sad when many of our favorite Weapons (Ellen 😭) fell to the Lions at the battle.  It was uplifting to have Karigan and Zachary fighting back to back though.

Another overall favorite aspect was how Winterlight brought home so much Green Rider history and favorite, memorable moments, while still introducing plenty of new history and lore as well.  Remember the nightgown clad ride when Karigan was called? Hey, so do the soldiers.  When she first went through the tombs? Even bringing Tegan through the tombs this time felt special, as the horses were bobbing their heads to Lil and we experienced a rider without the ghostly connection’s reaction to the tombs.

I feel like I love the tombs, poor Agemon dealing with the horses walking through!

What else … Oh yes, all the new riders and their abilities!

Connly was being a dick but I get it, I think Karigan will be promoted again when they get Laren back.

OH YEAH WHAT THE HECK, WHERE DID STEVIC GET ALL THESE SPECIAL “SKILLS” from?? Is our favorite dad going to become a hero in this one as we discover his secret past?  Was all the silence and backing away from Karigan’s raising some secret wartime PTSD? I need to know!!

The end killed me too, the Beryl and Alton scene finally had me absolutely sobbing.  I always wondered what Alton’s end game was going to be, and now I think he’s going to become a fallen hero in the final installment.

Other than the history being brought back, my other favorite thing about the book was how it emphasized that no matter what she’s been through, Karigan at her core is still a strong, funny, relatable person.  Those scenes after the battle towards the end where everyone was regaining their strength and the Green Rider family was catching up again, I liked that lull to show their resilience.  It didn’t last long but it was meaningful.

Oh lord, Ghost Kitty eating the guy’s head *barf*

Anyway – anyway – anyway – these are the things I want to remember going forward –

1. Gods – karigan’s endgame/suffering?
2. Estora + priest – what happens with both of them? Do they turn evil together maybe?
3. Alton lives?
4. Zachary and Karigan – maybe we finally get resolution
5. The Eletians – where does K as royalty come in?

I can NOT wait for the end, I never want it to come but I can’t wait 😭😥😍😢😕❤🐴