A Review for Shooting Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel #1) by H.D. Gordon

Posted by Guest Reviewer Melanie
Release Date: March 15th, 2013
Finished Date: March 17th, 2013

Publishers: Self - Published 
Source: For Review 

Format: Kindle 

Pages:  Unknown
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

Once upon a time, a common boy fell in love with a princess. It was a hopeless, forbidden love, grown in a world where sorcery and magic rule over all. Now, dark times are brewing, and destiny will bring them together, while fate works to keep them apart. Extraordinary battles will be fought, and extraordinary choices made. Join the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga for the beginning of a tale of star-crossed lovers and magic, of hope and love and loss, of desperate wishes made on stars. 

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Book Trailer done by H.D. Gordon while writing for inspiration
http://youtu.be/-W10dR3mvJY

The Review: Fans of HD Gordon’s Alexa Montgomery Saga (AMS)will already be familiar with the main character of Shooting Stars as we met her in the final book and boy did she make an impact, it looked like she could give Alexa a run for her money so I was so happy when I found out Surah Stormsong was getting her own series. The synopsis may be short and sweet but to be honest, it hits the mark pretty well. Hundreds of years ago, Princess Surah suffered a tragedy that broke her heart…. At the same time, so did a common boy… both found solace in each other forming a connection that would remain despite never seeing each other again…..until now. 
“There’s a storm comin’” – Brad Milner 
No truer word had been spoken by the bars patron as a chain of events begins to unfold, starting with the murder of a highborn woman and the theft of the Black Stone which in the wrong hands could give great & evil power to the beholder. Called in to investigate, Surah finds herself face to face with the boy from her childhood – Charlie - only this time he’s all man and that connection can still be felt. Both are keeping secrets, both of their lives will be put on the line…. Can they trust in one another?

 So, I really enjoyed this. As I mentioned earlier, Surah had been a stand out character in the last book of the AMS and I was looking forward to meeting her again. I can’t help but compare her to how she was then to how she is now and whilst she is a great character, she seemed more formal, stoic and guarded in her own world whereas she was bad a$$ when facing Alexa, maybe it was because the reason she had to confront Alexa was now gone and not controlling her, that this is what we have left, BUT – I know she is in there still so I’m happy to ride the story. I think she is at her best in bad situations and there can only be more of those to come. I absolutely adored her pet/friend Samson, he is one of the only ways we see a softer more vulnerable side to Surah – I don’t want to say too much but I love him – simples. The story, with it being a first book is full of world building and getting to know the characters. This world seems different from the AMS even though it is set in the ‘same’ world and again seems very formal, think royalty/highborn with magic in abundance and commoners with little or next to no magic – did someone mention an uprising?. We have a ready made bad guy with a history that just begs to be told, a potential waiting in the wings kinda bad guy & possibly a puppet master all set up to bring multiple threats to this series. We have a kind of fated love romance thing that seems to just about be sprouting and the only thing missing is a prophecy, I’m willing to set that aside for some soul mate action though (pretty please) ;) It was an exciting read told from multiple POVs (which I’m starting to actually like) opening up a world not just filled with magic but also with new people, places, animals etc. and even though it is set in a world we have read about before, it feels new, like we haven’t been there before and the expansion gives the author so many possibilities because if I can be interested in a jungle with an animals POV, it’s got to be good right? Also, even though I’ve mentioned the AMS a few times, this could actually be read without reading those and the reader wouldn’t feel like they were missing anything. This is a great start to the Surah Stormsong series though and I look forward to more.