This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Wild Girl: Hunting the Unicorn by Jehane Spicer follows Helaine, the daughter and heir of Seigneur Alun de Berzé in 15th-century Burgundy, as she navigates the dangers of her feudal world. After her mother’s death, Helaine is promised in marriage to Stephen of the March but faces threats from the cruel Ivo de Grandfief, who demands her hand for his son. Confined to her castle for safety, Helaine secretly encounters a mystical Wild Boy and a unicorn, symbols of ancient, endangered magic. When her father falls ill—possibly poisoned or possessed—Helaine must choose between protecting her father’s life, which might require sacrificing the unicorn, and preserving the mystical bond she’s formed. Meanwhile, religious and political pressures mount, especially from Father Robert, who seeks control over her and the unicorn.
I like how Jehane Spicer starts with tapestries owned by the Rockefeller family, which then segues into an actual representation of the pieces in her novel Wild Girl: Hunting the Unicorn. It reminds me of Chevalier's The Lady and the Unicorn, which is a testament to Spicer's skill as a storyteller. This is a fantasy set in a medieval world filled with everything we want in such a format. Spicer delivers from both within the court, its feasts and power finagling, and in the forest, at sacred fountains, and in the presence of unicorns. There is plenty of suspense and intrigue. I most enjoyed the scenes where we are in the company of women, and in Helaine’s secret meetings with the Wild Boy, both of which reveal a growing relationship, for better or for worse, marked by trust and caution. Overall, this is a thoughtful story that is well-paced and with a treasure trove of characters.
