Rating: 
Summary: A Good Read
Review: This was the first book by Sharon Shinn I had read. A friend told me she was reading some of her books, so I thought I would try. This book was very good. I enjoyed it enough to read more of her works after. This book is not as good as her Samaria books, but it is definitely worth a chance if you like her other books, romance or fantasy. The characters are well developed and the story line is good, I was able to read it fast, and was happy with it.
Rating: 
Summary: A Terrific Book
Review: Sharon Shinn is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Somehow she manages to combine every aspect of writing into one book; a wonderful plot, deep characters, and a fully depicted setting. Although Summers at Castle Auburn can't match up with Archangel, it is still worth a read.Some people say that this book could have been better, although I can't possilby imagine how. If you want to read something literate and historical, like Jane Eyre or The Three Musketeers, this is not for you. This is science fiction. And, by the way, it is very good science fiction. Coriel spends the summers with her half sister at Castle Auburn. She is enamored of the young Prince Bryan, and she is good friends with many others, including Kent (Bryan's cousin), and many soldiers or guards. She struggles to keep up with the intrigue at the castle and enjoy her summers without being caught in Lord Matthew's plans to marry her off for the kingdom's advantage. She manages this very well. All I can say is that I love this book. Its entertaining. It may not be a classic or the best book ever written, but it is good. And it is a fun read. I bought it, and I paid [$$$] for it. I was not disappointed. It was worth it, but that depends totally on what type of book you enjoy. But if you like science fiction or fantasy, Summers at Castle Auburn is a must read. For other books by Sharon Shinn, I suggest Archangel and all of its sequels. They are all very good.
Rating:
Summary: A great Fantasy book!
Review: I have just gotten this book from the library. I started reading it a few days ago and I have to say that it is absolutely fantastic. Being a very experienced reader in many fantasy stories, I can tell that this story is very skillfully written. It shows great promise for the author and I love the description on the back of the book. (For those of you who want to know what it is, it's on the bottom of my review). At the beginning of the story we meet Corie, the illegitimate child of a royal lord who spends her summers at Castle Auburn to get to know her sister better. During the other months, she spends her time at the small village where her grandmother is the wise-woman. Learning many skills about witchcraft, Corie wants to become just like her grandmother. That will not happen easily though. Especially when her grandmother gets another apprentice, one who works farer and better when Corie leaves for the Castle each summer. That is yet the least of Corie's worries. Once she had a crush on the handsome king-to-be, Bryan but now she sees past his looks and into the egotistic man he is. Her sister is burdened with marrying Bryan though she loves another. Corie once found the aliora, aluring, enchanting, beautiful. Now she experiences the truth and the pain they have because they are constantly hunted by humans, by her uncle. A man she once loved and now she doubts the goodness in his heart. She had found the creatures to be joyful once, to be truly happy where they are now and yet with just a few years, truths begin to unfold faster and faster. Corie does not know what to with anything anymore... She does not know how to save the Aliora, how to save her sister, and she does not know how to save herself. She, too is a pawn in the majestic castle and soon she will discover the hidden truths behind the presistence of the court for her visits to the castle. The tale is truly captivating with descriptions so detailed that I felt as if I could see the objects and people described. A very fantastic story by a fantastic author and I believe this to be one of the top five books in the caterogy of fantasy. Out of all the books I have read, this may not be my favorite but it has a certain aura about it that will just charm you to read the books further and further. The first few chapters may be a bit confusing because the main character, Corie, is not introduced yet but after that, a great story will revel itself! This story is not just fantasy but a story of life. I do not want to spoil the rest of the story but I'll just say this. The ending is suprising and yet there has been quite a bit of forshadowing about it throughout the whole story. There might been some misleading information picked up but all will be clear in the end. {The description on book} She was a girl...
... with a talent for witchcraft and a
tast for adventure. The illegitimate child of a royal lord, she longed
for a man who could never be hers. And she
lived for her summers at Castle Auburn... She is a woman...
...who has grown accustomed to standing alone. What she once loved, she has lost. Where she
once saw joy, she now sees terrible injustice. And
at the castle where she once lived in peace, she
now walks in fear for her life...
Rating:
Summary: An Exellent Feel Good Book
Review: Shinn wonderfully combines an almost-romance with a number of complicated sub-plots in this book. It starts out with Corie, the illegitimate daughter of a noble, visitng Castle Auburn, home of her sister Elisandra. Corie, along with nearly all the girls in the kindgdom, is infatuated with her sister's betrothed, Prince Bryan...who is in reality an obnoxious, self-centered, spoiled teenager who cares little for others and for the world around him. It's frustrating, yet so realistic, how Corie can't seem to see the his bad qualities through the gleam of his splendour. As Corie grows, her eyes are "opened" to both Bryan's personality, as well as numerous plots being made within the castle walls. Corie finds herself struggling with her two identities - a noble lady of good lineage, despite her illegitimacy, and the apprentice to the wise woman of a small town. Corie's ways with herbs and medicines help her not only aid others, but also give her the opportunities make new friends, no matter how unlikely they seem. For the first time, Corie begins to doubt others and their actions. A constant argument she has within herself concerns the enslavement of the aliora; fey, man-like creatures who live in their own magical land but have been captured and sold for high prices. They are always wanted due to their magic and ability to send a feeling of calm to almost anyone.
Corie, however, does not appear to be the usual female heroin...you know, the one who learns how to fight and stands up for herseslf and proves to the world that she is equal to any man. No, instead, Corie is the type of heroin who influences others, whether its through her friendship, advice, or actions. While she does do things her own way and cares little for what others, especially nobles, think, she does not go out of her way to prove herself equal, which is a reliefe from the normal fantasy books of this sort.
This is an amazing fantasy book. The story is so enveloping, and the ending so satisfying, the second you finish reading it, you feel the urge to pick it up and start from the beginning again. The more times you read it, the more you begin to see all the different subtle hints that lead to the conclusion at the end. You will never get bored of it.
Rating: 
Summary: probably the weakest Shinn novel
Review: After becoming an avowed Shinn fan with Archangel and continuing my fandom through the Samaria trilogy (now quadrology), Wrapt in Crystal, Heart of Gold, and Shape-Changer's Wife, I have to admit my disappointment in this book. Shinn still surpasses most writers in talent and craft, and this is definitely a book worth reading when compared to the pool of general fantasy released every year. However, there is no comparison between this novel and her others. It is an entertaining read (though hardly light) but doesn't prompt any thought about our deeper assumptions as a culture, which is one of Shinn's greatest strengths as a writer.
Rating:
Summary: More than a Fairy Tale
Review: This is a wonderful book that can appeal to many different tastes. It was a fairy tale, fantasy, romance, and mystery all rolled into one. I really loved watching the main character, Corie, grow from a child to a woman. Her struggles and feelings were not so very different from what any other girl would experience on the road to womanhood.
Corie is not royalty, but she's no commoner either. She is stuck somewhere between the two as the illegiatimate child of a nobleman. Her father's dying wish was for his daughter to claim her place in the world. Thus her uncle has arranged for her to spend her summers at the castle with her half-sister. The rest of the time, she lives with her grandmother in a quiet village and trains to become a healer.
Corie finds "both" her lives becoming complicated as her grandmother begins training an additional girl and political tensions begin surfacing at court. As Corie begins to see both of her homes in new lights, she questions just where exactly she belongs and who she really is. She also questions the justice of the world around her as she watches the plight of the Aliora, humanlike fey creatures that the nobility use as slaves, and sees the man of her dreams engaged to her sister...and appearing to have feet of clay...to say the very least.
Corie's story is romantic, realistic, and ends with a delightful twist, just as it should. I highly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: wonderful cross genre tale
Review: I used to read a lot of romance, and a lot of fantasy, and always wished there were books that combined the genres. But beyond Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, I have never read a book that combines romance and fantasy as well as this one. Bravo! It's better than Gabaldon's series. Simpler. Fun to read. This was one of the most enjoyable books I've read in years. Truly escapist. A wonderful beach book. I have quickly bought up all the other books by this author, and now that I know there is a growing fantasy romance genre, I am exploring other authors as well. Check out Elizabeth Haydon's, Rhapsody series.
Rating:
Summary: A charming fairy-tale fantasy from one of the best authors!
Review: Don't be fooled by "Summers" 'young-adult' looking cover. I am 25 years old, and I thoroughly enjoyed Corie's story. I won't go into detail about the story (there's a million reviews that do that). I did love how Summers at Castle Auburn managed to be a book that I as an adult, could love, as well as any teenage girls out there. This book is written very much in a 'fairy tale' style. The kingdom around Castle Auburn is filled with magic and fairies, and there are handsome princes and magical grandmothers as well. I also loved how Shinn managed to wrap a few surprises in the story. Which I can't spoil for you, but I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the ending, and it's absolutely perfect for the story. In summary: It's a sweet, fun fairy tale for Adults and Teenagers. Shinn is wonderful. Read this book!
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Charming Story
Review: I loved this book! It combines everything that makes a story great, plot, characters, romance, and a dash of faerie. I tells the absorbing story of Corie, the daughter of a dead nobleman of Castle Auburn. She visits her sister, Elisandra every summer there. Corie goes through a remarkable journey through this book, realizing that Castle Auburn is not the utopia she once thought it was. Shinn demonstrates some very great writing, moving the plot along well, and developing her characters seamlessly. It is really a teen fantasy, I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if I was older, but its perfect for teenage girls, like me, who have a flair for good fantasy.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderfully Relaxing Read
Review: This has quickly become one of my favorite books to reread. Shinn does a masterful job of bringing the reader INTO the worlds she creates -- be it the humble witch-woman's hut or the elegant castle auburn. It is so easy to read this book and let yourself enter this magical world. With spells and sorcery, the elf-like aliora, and the intricacies of court life playing out around you, the result is pure magic. So pick up this book, a cup of herbal tea, and let yourself be taken to another world ... where fairy-tale dreams come true, but the road to the end is infinitely more satisfying!
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