I have to say that I was hooked by the first page. I have read numerous historical fiction books and I have to say that this one truly intrigued me. It was full of action, adventure, and character. And I cannot leave out the murder and sea voyage. I also enjoyed the characters, Tess was very determined and I liked her ‘go get it done sort out the consequences later ‘ attitude. It enhanced an already brilliant plot. ‘Quintspinner” by Dianne Greenlay also held a bit of the mystic with the spinner ring, also another plus in my book.

I have to say that I loved this book and cannot wait to read more from Dianne Greenlay. While some may consider this book lengthy (although I did not) and out of their normal genre, I say give it a go. You just might find that this combination of romance, daring adventure, and mayhem is exactly the book you have been looking for.

Overall, this book was a brilliant page-turner that held my attention to the very end.

Reviewed on 01/12/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Angela Simmons

 “Quintspinner” by Dianne Greenlay

Publisher:  iUniverse, Inc. (2010)

ISBN: 978-1-4502-3397-2

               Let me begin by explaining that I normally do not read historical fiction.  Most of the historical fiction books that I have tried to read in the past were basically the same story told over and over again using different characters.  THIS book… Quintspinner, is absolutely NOT your typical historical fiction!  Combining romance, danger, history, and magic is probably not an easy thing to do well, but Diane Greenlay has created a wonderful work of art which I hope is only the beginning!

One of the things that I love about a good book is great characters.  Characters that I can relate to and make mistakes just like I do.  Diane has gone even further with her characters by making them likeable and interesting.  At many points in the book, I found myself thinking that Tess and I must have been formed from the same mold.  “Act first, think later” has always been one of my faults, and it was amazingly refreshing to find that Tess shared that with me.  The supporting characters are also extremely well thought out, but never overbearing on Tess’s lead role.

What impressed me the most about Quintspinner was the incredibly imaginative and beautiful world building.  Mrs. Greenlay has an amazing talent for describing the scenes so well that it feels that you can walk right into the book.  When an author is talented enough to paint the picture  without requiring much of the reader’s imagination, it’s truly impressive. 

There was only one thing that I would like to have changed, and that is the length of the chapters.  When I really get into a book, chapter changes force me back into reality a bit.  Quintspinner’s chapters are very short, which I found to be a little annoying even though I completely understand the reasoning behind the chapter lengths.

 All in all, I found this book to be very enjoyable and I highly recommend it to anyone.  I know that it will be staying on my bookshelf for a future re-read, and that doesn’t happen very often. J 

Rating: 4 stars

Reviewed on 10/20/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Theresa Cole

Reviewed on 10/01/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Rachel Storey

An amazing tale that captures instantly!

Wow- here is a fiction novel that has it all: Murder, Mystery, Suspense, Action, Fantasy and a bit of magic thrown in to make it a very engaging read!  For me, the story took on a ‘life’ of its own as it seamlessly and vividly played out in my mind while reading. The action on the seas is amazing, and does not leave for a dull moment. For a tale that involves more than one storyline, this was superbly completed to weave the events together. I am very anxious for the next two books as I have been told by the author that she plans to make this a trilogy. I am so excited to go back on this journey!

I felt my emotions go for the ride with Tess and Cassie. The fear of being attacked and witnessing the murder of an innocent, the frustration with the doctor, her brother and the fiancé, the shock at learning secrets, the awe of the magical ‘spinner’ rings and the joy in finding love with her soul mate.

To think of being attacked by a stranger while going to the marketplace and being confronted with someone that others avoid because of who they are. Tess and Cassie are traumatized when they go for supplies and attempt to hurry back home. In the craziness of the aftermath of the attack, Tess learns that she is a ‘Quintspinner’ from the local ‘crone’, a woman her father forbids her to see. The girls witness an attack on the eccentric woman and fight back to help her. It is when the attackers flee, that Tess acquires the first of five ‘spinner’ rings and brief, but incomplete instructions on its use.
It is most tragic when her father refuses to believe that the girls are telling the truth over the ordeal and then decides to uproot them from their home in London to Port Royal.

We also learn the tale of another, William, as his course crosses paths with Tess. A young man taken against his will and who looses his family in one swift blow to serve on a Navel ship. His father is missing, his brother is found dead and his mother and sister have no idea what has occurred. Yet there is nothing to do but live or die on the ship. William desires to live in hopes of returning home.

Reviewed on 09/17/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Ann Hauer

I thought this was a fun and very entertaining book.  It takes the reader from adventure to next, exciting adventure.  The author created interesting characters that keep you interested in them and rooting for their success.  We have the evil villain, the doctor, two headstrong young ladies, a farmer and his stubborn son, a wise old granny, and LOTS of Pirates!  There are also several others including Gerta, whom I became especially fond of. 

The plot was well thought out and I enjoyed the various locales we were taken to during the course of the story.  It is obvious that Ms. Greenlay did a lot of research on the ships and the various terminology that goes along with them.  This attention to detail adds to the charm of this story.  Her medical background also shows in the writing of scenes between the doctor and the main character Tess while they are tending to various wounds and ailments.

Legend and mentions of the mysteries of the title "spinner rings" are weaved throughout this story.  I wanted to learn more about them.  While this book had a great ending, I think the author left room to continue with the storyline.  I am really hoping there will be a second book as this has the beginnings of a really good series.

Reviewed on 09/05/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Julie Dees