3.5/5
I love books based on fairy tales, and Mistress of The Wind was not an exception. It's sweet, lovely and airy. There are no surprises and you don't have to guess how it ends. You just know.

I would have loved a different, deeper and more detailed story, but Michelle Diener preferred to stay true to the fairy tale format which left me pleased but hungry for more.

Bjorn is mostly a desire object of the book, and it's Astrid who we follow through her experiences and ordeals to get him back. She is curious and feisty and keeps thwarting everything and everyone who underestimates her because she is a young woman. Good on you, girl!

The best parts for me though were three women and four winds, especially Northern Wind who was my favorite character of the story.

I can not say much about the plot because anyone familiar with this story knows how it ends, but I am glad, Michelle plans this type of fairy tale retelling as a series, and I'll enjoy reading more. Recommended as a light, bookish snack to everyone. ( )

I'm an enormous Michelle Diener fangirl. Her writing is warm and inviting, her stories the right mix of adventure and romance, her heroines are always delightful, and there's rich historical detail and ambiance in every book.

This one was familiar and cozy and new and imaginative, and was the kind of book I love for cranky days: it got me out of my head and wholly absorbed me.

Mistress of the Wind, inspired by the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon, is ambigu-historical, set in a land resembling Scandinavia (or thereabouts). Bjorn, a half-god prince cursed to live as a bear, searches for the woman he met when they were both children. Should he not find the maiden, he must marry a troll's daughter and unite his kingdom with theirs.

Astrid is a woodcutter's daughter who feels an affinity with the wind. Whether a fancy or real magic, her family doesn't care. Starving and exhausted, they are only briefly taken aback when a massive talking bear asks to take Astrid for the price of two bags of coins.  Astrid agrees out of curiosity and an awareness of her family's need for the money, but she's unprepared for Bjorn's rules once she arrives at his palace.  Despite their growing intimacy, she doesn't trust his rules and secrets, and becomes embroiled in the greater danger in Bjorn's kingdom.

While the story arc follows the fairy tale, Diener incorporates pieces of the Cupid and Psyche myth as well as original elements that make this a satisfying read.  The novel just races; I inhaled it in a matter of hours, unable to stop reading.  Astrid is a resourceful if not occasionally maddening heroine and I was charmed immediately by her.  The magical world Diener invents for Bjorn is intriguing and appealing.

Diener shares some of her thoughts about this book on GoodReads, but her comments could be spoiler-ish for those who aren't familiar with how the Cupid and Psyche myth shakes out.

For those who are intrigued by Elizabeth Blackwell's While Beauty Slept, this is another book to add to the queue.  Fans of fairy tales will absolutely want to read this one as well as those who enjoy fierce heroines who aren't flawless.  Diener's next endeavor, The Golden Apple, is inspired by the less often used fairy tale, The Princess on the Glass Hill and I am so excited for it. ( )

I would like to thank NetGalley and Season Publishing for granting me the chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Though I received the e-book for free that in no way influenced this review.

Bjorn needs to find a very special woman . . .

The fate of his people, and his own life, depends on it. But when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, and may just harbor more secrets than he does himself.

Astrid has never taken well to commands. No matter who issues them . . .

She's clashed her whole life with her father, and now her lover, the mysterious man who comes to her bedroom in darkness and disappears to guard his mountain by day as a bear, is finding it out the hard way. And when he's taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid's response.

It is never wise to anger the mistress of the wind . . .

A captivating and magical adult retelling of the fairy tale East of the Sun, West of the Moon.

One of the things I liked most about this book is that the female lead was a strong character. She bowed to none, yet was kind and compassionate. She was also smart and had a sense of her own worth, which she never lost regardless of what challenges befell her. Astrid is a strong willed young woman, who at the tender age of three unknowingly had the mantle of Mistress of the Wind bestowed upon her when the evil Troll Norga killed the former Mistress of the Wind.

Bjorn is a demigod forced into a deal with the Troll Norga, for she is willing to go to war with him to win his lands and all those he protects and allies with - destroying the balance of a Nature and the lands in the process. In a bid to maintain the balance they strike a bargain. She enchants him into an enormous bear during the day, only allowing him to become a man at night. From the time of the enchantment he has one year in which to find the girl of his dreams, the small girl who held his hand when he was kidnapped and told him she'd always love him. However, not only does he have to find her, he can't tell her of the enchantment or let her see him in his true form. He agrees to Norga's challenge in an attempt to not only keep things in balance, but also avoid having to marry Norga's daughter Dekla, thus uniting Norga's territory with Bjorn's.

Just when he thinks he has lost Bjorn finds his lady, though she is nothing like he anticipated, for she has a mind of her own and is not exactly biddable. Yet he manages to get her to agree to live with him, without an offer of marriage - but only after he agreed to the conditions of her own that she set for him. As they travel to his lands and castle they get to know one another, developing a tentative bond. Neither can deny the strong attraction the other holds for them, and they are drawn closer together.

After a quick visit back to her home to learn something of her past, Astrid and Bjorn return to his lands. While patrolling he is attacked, and Astrid commands the winds to take her to his side, reaching him at the last second and saving his life. She and his allies get him back to the safety of the castle, where she works on healing him. To do so she breaks down and uses the candle her mother had slipped her so she could better see his wounds, figuring she wouldn't do any harm as she wasn't the one to make to deal. Upon discovering this Bjorn is heartbroken and gives himself up to Norga. But he doesn't count on Astrid's determination to rescue him, for neither of them know yet that she is the true Mistress of the Winds.

After several journeys and challenges designed to help Astrid learn to control her power, she finds Norga's hideout and attempts to trick Delka into helping her to rescue Bjorn. Though this is a fairy tale romance, it is also about discovering who you are - strengths and weaknesses, and asking for help when you need it, standing up for those who need your help or protection. It is a creative retelling of the East of the Sun, West of the Moon fairy tale and a entertainingly easy read. ( )

Full review - http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/201...

As a child I love the Norwegian folk tale.- "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" (collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe), very much.

I was mesmerized by its cold beauty. So I admit that in the beginning I was afraid that the translating it to adult version will take much of the magic. Alas, nothing like this - Michelle Diener succeed to refresh it in a her own unique way. The story moves quickly, and the characters don’t really spend any time sitting around unless it’s necessary. The author stayed pretty close to the origin, but made Astrid stronger character as befit the "Hug of The Wind" (elemental force) that have power over the winds. Her, writing able me to picture all four different winds, their faint cloudy outlines, the sand they raised, feel the cold they brought. And like naming a horse that bring Astrid to her journey with cloud names - Nimbus, stratus and Cirrus.

The descriptions are superb, told in a way that is unique, fantastical, and yet, as crazy as this will sound, believable (a world filled with strange magical creatures and trolls).

After making a deal with the troll that married his father, Bjorn the Mountain Prince the son of a demigod, has spent the past year as a bear, searching for the one woman in the world who will always love him. To win the deal, he must then spend a year without her knowing his true nature. If he doesn’t find her, or she doesn’t stay, he will lose his kingdom and be forced to marry the troll’s daughter or she would plunge the kingdom into war and destroying the balance of a Nature and the lands in the process. The story started with his almost out of time and hope.

Astrid isn’t the easy, agreeable woman he thought she would be. Despite being hated by her father and most of her family, Astrid doesn’t obey when told to do something. She’s as independent as she can be, and as the two get to know each other, Bjorn finds he prefers that, instead of having a meek woman. And when the bear comes and demands her to be with him and in exchange he will give her family two sacks of gold. Astrid is grieved to see half her family willing to turn her over to an enchanted bear who may very well do wicked things to her all for wealth. Her mother and one brother beg her not to go, but her father and another brother show their greed when they angrily push her to go. Astrid is scared, but she is angry too. She will go on her own terms.

I appreciated that Bjorn came to accept Astrid as a strong woman, rather than trying to change her. The humor we see hidden in Astrid is how clever was, the request for an axe after she, with great trepidation, enters the castle stronghold and realizes she has a bargain to keep. Her appeal to the wind, the sight of it dancing around her, adds a moment of relief as the wind brings her joy, in this the unknown.

Astrid’s age is never even mentioned, and it’s not all that important; and while there’s a bit of sex in the book - she treat this subject so naturally and without any "steamy and gynecologic details' ( to my relief) , So either a teen or adult reader could enjoy Mistress of the Wind.

Bjorn stresses over and over that she couldn’t see him, and that she needs to stay in the castle for her own safety. Astrid has a hard time listening, and often disobeys, putting both of them in danger. Eventually her ways get her into trouble. But, we understand her plea to see Bjorn, her plea for freedom and to be outside. We also, understand Bjorn's fears of being trapped as a Bear forever, trapped into marriage with the Troll Queen's daughter, and his fears of betrayal.

The turn point and the inevitable. Astrid is more than she know. Maybe her mother guess, but her father fears her and didn't let her tell Astrid the all story. So when Bjorn here the little she know he agree to made a quick visit back to Astrid home to learn something of her past. He knew that leaving her alone with her family will be a risk but he respect the union. That was when her mother give her a candle and matches, which mean that, Astrid is going to battle the temptation since that and of course she is going to fail.

Norga, the troll queen, does not leave anything to chance and Bjorn and Astrid are in constant danger. One day a tree sprite attacks Bjorn and leaves him near death. Astrid both takes the opportunity to tend to him and to finally look upon his human face. Her actions break the bargain and she is faced with the guilt of what she has done although it is unwittingly. Bjorn is taken from her to Norga's unfindable castle that is hidden East of the Sun and West of the Moon to wed her daughter. At this low point, Astrid must learn to come into her own if she is to save Bjorn and have a chance of happiness with him.

Astrid's abilities develop alongside her love for Bjorn and are key to helping Bjorn free himself and his kingdom from the Troll Queen's thrall. ( )

This an intriguing fairy tale full of adventure and romance that captures the reader’s heart.

Under an enchantment, Bjorn must find a special woman for the fate of his people and his very life depends on it. Having never taken commands well, Astrid doesn’t take to Bjorn’s orders very well even if he is a bear during the day. And when he is taken by his enemies, no one is prepared for Astrid’s secrets to be revealed.

This adult retelling of the Norwegian fairy tale is fast paced with intriguing twists and surprises that keep the reader engaged from beginning to end. The author paints vivid pictures that put the reader right in the middle of the story as they follow Bjorn and Astrid on their adventure.

The author captures the imagination and brings it to life with well written scenes and a quest full of danger, self discovery, friendships, loyalty and love. This old story given new life is a refreshing love story that grips the reader’s heart and spirit and renewing the belief in magic and happily ever after.
Astrid and Bjorn are strong compelling characters that take the spotlight in this tale of good overcoming evil leaving the other characters though intriguing behind. The troll queen is made out to be such a scary evil that I was a tad bit disappointed in her role, I guess I was expecting something more, although I am not sure what because as I said I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading The Golden Apple which is due to be possibly released summer 2014. I am not sure whether this is to be considered a series or not, but the next one is another fairy tale retelling and there was a golden apple involved in this story. ( )