Green Rider by Kristen Britain

On her long journey home from school after a fight which will surely lead to her expulsion, Karigan G'ladheon ponders her future as she trudges through the immense forest called Green Cloak. But her thoughts are interrupted by the clattering of hooves as a galloping horse bursts from the woods, the rider slumped over his mount's neck, impaled by two black-shafted arrows. As the young man lies dying on the road, he tells Karigan that he is a Green Rider, one of the legendary messengers of the king, and that he bears a "life and death" message for King Zachary. He begs Karigan to carry his message, warning her not to read it, and when she reluctantly agrees, he makes her swear on his sword to complete his mission "for love of country." As he bestows upon her the golden winged-horse brooch which is the symbol of his office, he whispers on his dying breath, "Beware the shadow man..."

Karigan's promise changes her life forever. Pursued by unknown assassins, following a path only her horse seems to know, and accompanied by the silent specter of the original messenger, she herself becomes a legendary Green Rider. Caught up in a world of deadly danger and complex magic, compelled by forces she cannot understand, Karigan is hounded by dark beings bent on seeing that the message, and its reluctant carrier, never reach their destination. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1291572958

Read from May 27 to June 02, 2015

I really did like this book and I look forward to seeing what happens in the other books in the series.

There will be some mild **SPOILERS**

Karigan G'ladheon is a wonderful character. Sometimes she made me mad with the choices she made but they always turned out for the best.

She is running away after being expelled from school for something that really wasn't her fault. On the way down the road she runs into F'ryan Coblebay who is a Green Rider, he has been shot with arrows and is dying. He gives her a request to take a message to King Zachary. Karigan decides she will do this, she puts on his pendant and cloak and gets on his horse, which has a mind of his own. I love that horse. He's almost human! Accepting this request takes her on a hell of a journey hiding from mercenaries, being caught by mercenaries, being attacked by crazy, evil insects. There is just so much going on it's a wonder she even survives anything.

I loved the part when she comes to the Berry sisters house in the middle of the woods. Sounds Hansel and Gretelish but it's not :) The Berry sisters are really cool and have a lot of magical stuff in their house. They have these poor servants that are invisible and you can't hear them speak. Their father put a curse on them years ago before his death and could never find an incantation to correct it. Although, it's a cool thought to always have someone around you, they could just watch you while you do anything, plus it's sad for them.

The pendant of the Green Rider has magic as well and Karigan can make herself and the horse invisible! That is so cool and this is one of the reasons she makes me mad at times when she doesn't use it. But I digress. It does sap her energy so there is that. Oh, and the sisters gave her a moonstone that will help keep her warm and light her way, as it chose her. They gave her some other little things that came in handy.

This is a really good book with a lot of evilness, fighting, magic, creatures, and sneaky little jerks all over the place.

I think anyone that likes these kind of high fantasy novels would like this book.

Fin 

4 Stars