After hearing glowing praises for this book I wasn’t quite sure what to do. There are plenty of instances where I don’t like book series that others tAfter hearing glowing praises for this book I wasn’t quite sure what to do. There are plenty of instances where I don’t like book series that others tend to rave about. But the premise sounded interesting so I decided to give this one a shot. I’m very glad I did! It was a refreshing read. I tried one book by this author before and couldn’t get into it so that probably didn’t help with my initial hesitation. But overall I would say that Radiance delivers on just about all cylinders. I respected how much world building Draven was able to pack into a relatively short book without making it feel like a complete info dump. Something like this is often twice as long and twice as confusing.
The characterization was well done. I’m not an easy sell when it comes to that kind of thing, but I immediately grew to care about both Brishen and Ildiko. They were likable and easy to root for. Draven also knows how to create characters we love to hate! Brishen’s mother is a piece of work, but you definitely can’t say that she doesn’t keep things interesting.
I probably would have given this a 5 out of 5 if not for a certain development toward the end. What happens sort of feels unnecessary to me and done mostly for shock value. Maybe if it happened in a sequel or had more build up I would feel differently.
I’m actually considering going back to read that first book from her that I didn’t finish. It might prove to be a pleasant surprise and pull me in this time around. Sometimes it’s not always that a book is bad. You just have to be in the right mood for it at the time.
Overall you can certainly count me in with the lot that thinks this is a great read and since it appears to be the start of a series, I am eagerly awaiting the sequel!...more
I have an idea of where this series is going to go. But after reading this book, I have no idea how long Karen Chance plans to take
I have an idea of where this series is going to go. But after reading this book, I have no idea how long Karen Chance plans to take to get us there. For a two year wait I felt like it should have had more impact for me than it did. But the two year wait could have also been to its detriment. Considering my super long to-be-read list, I’m not really one to go back and re-read books unless I find it exceptional. So because of that I found myself occasionally confused this time around. This one didn’t quite draw me in as easily compared to the others either.
It definitely keeps to Karen Chance’s usual style of non-stop action to the point of where your head spins and occasional humor, but something felt missing for me this time around. I know what else (or rather who else) was missing as well, Mircea. In the earlier books I wasn’t necessarily Team Pritkin or Team Mircea because I’m just not that much of a Cassie fan, but I feel like she’ll ultimately end up with Pritkin. And books like this where Mircea is literally nowhere to be seen only reinforce that idea and further raise my heckles when it comes to my annoyance with this supposed love-triangle. It’s a pathetic one at best. After reading the Dorina Basarab books, Mircea has easily become one of my favorite characters of the series and I feel like while we see fantastic development for him there, he really gets the shaft here and I find that frustrating.
And you know what else is frustrating? Cliffhangers. We’re left with another one. Apparently this was originally 800 pages and Chance practically had to cut the book in half to get it published. After reading it that didn’t surprise me at all. I’m at a place now where I much prefer the Dory books because I find it has all of the plusses and none of the drawbacks that irk me with the Cassie books. I just wish Chance was able to produce both series in one year instead of alternating them every year.
I’m at the point where I’m contemplating dropping the Cassie books and focusing solely on the Dory ones. Since this book was really only half the story, I may read the next one but if I don’t connect with that one either, I’ll be hanging it up…unless the 8th book is the last one.
Unlikely best friends, Sophie and Agatha, test their level of friendship as they are whisked away to the School for Good
Unlikely best friends, Sophie and Agatha, test their level of friendship as they are whisked away to the School for Good and Evil, where failing your fairy tale is not an option. Sophie, the embodiment of all things good, finds herself dumped in the School of Evil while Agatha, the dark and broody, is placed in the School for Good. Clearly there's been a mistake, right? But when the going gets tough, their journey exposes who they really are and all may not be what it seems.
I could say this was one of my top 3 reads of the year thus far. Though the story is categorized as middle grade, I thought it touched on a few mature themes here and there and could have been placed into the Young Adult category. It's certainly impressive when that group is reading 500-page novels. Though lengthy it's at least an easy read, which is to be expected, but it's still very engaging and well-written for the most part. I think the youth and adults alike will thoroughly enjoy it.
I loved how it took the lore and stereotypes of past fairy tales and pretty much turned everything on its head. The book even includes some great underlying messages, so it's clear that the author did quite a bit of homework. There is a lot of character development for both girls, and I appreciated the gradual process. The POVs switched between the two throughout the novel. I think I preferred Agatha's POV and thought process, but Sophie's POV served its purpose as well.
I wasn't crazy about the ending. That was probably the one area where I believe it deviated from the formula and not in a satisfying way (for me at least), but the rest of the book is very strong.
Though I've only seen an episode of the show Once Upon a Time (I'll get around to more eventually), I feel like this type of book would appeal to those fans. I highly recommend this entertaining and fresh take on what it means to be a fairy tale. What most surprised me was how this appears to be Soman Chainani's debut novel. This might be the beginnings of a new series, but the work as a whole could be a standalone. If this is a sign of things to come, I will certainly make sure I follow this author's future works!
*ARC Provided by the publisher. *Review also posted to ...more
"Louis-Cesare. It's good to finally have you in hand."
Indeed it is!!!
This time around our favorite ass-kicki
"Louis-Cesare. It's good to finally have you in hand."
Indeed it is!!!
This time around our favorite ass-kicking dhampir Dorina Basarab now finds herself involved in a murder mystery “whodunit” style. Someone has started murdering vampire Senate members and that may be too close to home. To make matter worse, her best friend Claire also needs Dorina’s help to locate a fae relic that could be used to harm her infant son, the successor to the fae throne. With those she holds most near and dear in harm’s way, who can Dorina trust?
In usual Karen Chance style, Death’s Mistress is jam packed with story and there are even a quite few laughs. I feel like her imagination knows no bounds and that has to account for the super fast pace of her books, though Dorina’s pace doesn’t feel as hectic as Cassie’s. It feels just right.There is so much going on that I can’t even put it in one synopsis.
There is moving and shaking among all of the supernaturals: the mages, the vampires, the dark and light fae, you name it. About the only species with nothing going on is the dhampire community, and that could be because there are only a handful of them to begin with. I would like to see Chance introduce us to the few that exist. Why not? We’re seeing everybody else!
Louis-Cesare tension is back and better than ever. Their interactions, while extremely amusing and pretty freakin’ hott, are ultimately dangerous. Louis-Cesare’s affections are as transparent as it gets and that may be a problem since dhampir/vampire relationships are about as taboo as it gets. So a star-crossed appeal has become a component of their relationship.
The secondary character really shine here. I was entertained to no end by Raymond, a vampire she beheads early as leverage, as well as her uncle Radu. He is delightfully flamboyant, dramatic., and surprisingly relatable. Papa Mircea was fabulous here as well with additional back story involving his past with her mother. Then there’s her unconventional pet Stinky, a chimera, who sticks to her like glue every since she saved him in book 1.
All of these elements really give the series a life of its own outside of the Cassie Palmer series, and I think it’s for the better. I can effectively say that I prefer the Dorina novels to the Cassie novels. I can’t wait two WEEKS for the next installment let along two years like the poor souls that read these books in real time. It’s definitely one of my favorite series and I highly recommend this read. It has everything I’m looking for in a great Urban Fantasy series.
GIVEAWAY!! I'm currently holding a giveaway raffle for this book thru August 18th. for details on how to enter.
GIVEAWAY!! I'm currently holding a giveaway raffle for this book thru August 18th. for details on how to enter.
No Kate Daniels review of mine is complete without a quote, so let's kick it off with my favorite:
“We’re engaged to be engaged,” Rebecca said. “We’re waiting until the end of the physical year to officially announce.” “You mean fiscal year?” Dear God, she was a moron. “Yes, that’s what I meant.”
The Andrews clan has yet to let me down. I really enjoyed Andrea's short story, Magic Mourns, in the Must Love Hellhounds anthology. So I was really looking forward to her solo novel. As an added bonus, they even throw in the final version of the novella. This book was a gift that kept on giving.
Andrea is down and out after being ousted by her old job. To make matters worse she goes through a nasty breakup with Raphael, and just for good measure she's still being pressured to join the Bouda clan. This threatens her lone hyena status which she likes just fine. She's trying to keep herself occupied by running her and Kate's start up investigation firm, Cutting Edge. Keeping her distance to avoid Raphael and his new main squeeze was initially going well, but unfortunately (or is it?) that becomes impossible as a string of murders ties his business into the thick of things. No, he's not the culprit, but the two must work together to solve the grisly crime. And sparks will fly...
This book offers everything you want in a Kate Daniels read. I laughed quite a bit, I cringed at some of the action and crime scenes, and I even found myself frustrated at times with the complicated relationship of Andrea and Raphael. Their banter is extremely entertaining, but I definitely found myself wanting to smack sense into both of them. So many of their issues could be solved easily through real communication, but hard heads make for soft bottoms.
I liked the addition of Ascanio, though it may have been a little formulaic. He felt like Andrea's Julie or Derek, but I like how the youth are incorporated and have interesting story lines. I find that I genuinely care about these characters because they are forced to grow up really fast, but they still possess threads of innocence and naivete.
The villains have interesting powers, but I wasn't quite as enthralled with the characters themselves. I was more interested in the lasting effects their powers could potentially have throughout the rest of the series. This felt more contained, but do hope it carries over to other novels.
Overall I thought it was a necessary novel to explore Andrea's character and her journey of self-acceptance while she puts her life on the line for the ones she loves. Though frustrating, Andrea is a fantastically layered character which can sometimes be a challenge for writers (which is why the most interesting characters are side characters), but the Andrews handled giving her the spotlight very well.
If you love Kate Daniels novels, I can't imagine you'll want to miss this. Kate and Curran do make cameo appearances here and there as well. It is worth the read.
*Review copy provided by publisher *Review also posted to ....more
Debut author, Deborah Harkness, throws her name into the Urban Fantasy hat with A Discovery of
Debut author, Deborah Harkness, throws her name into the Urban Fantasy hat with A Discovery of Witches, book 1 of the All Souls Trilogy. We meet scholar Diana Bishop, a witch who has spent her entire life denying her powers, who in the course of her research accidentally finds a bewitched alchemical manuscript which may hold the deepest secrets of supernaturals. This sends a beacon to practically every species from demons to witches to vampires, putting a big target on her back as they all want to possess this coveted book and only she has the power to unlock its secrets.
Perhaps no one is more curious than Matthew Clairmont, a vampire geneticist who has been searching endlessly for this book to further his own research. Crossing paths with Diana leads down a road neither one expected, and it’s certainly not a road their respective species will tolerate. This leads to Diana being forced to tap into her inner sorceress, but how much power is too much?
I’m sure I’m not the first to comment on the length of this novel. Though to its credit, I have read a number of books that are much shorter and yet they’ve felt even longer. So that is one plus about this series. That said, I think it could have been a shorter book by 50 to 100 pages and the beginning and end suffer for it. It has a slow start and then by the end it feels like a chore to finish.
The story offers shades of originality, blending storytelling, world-building, romance, and suspense. Fans of the lead pair may have to be patient, but I don’t mind the wait at all. Everything is a process. I actually wasn’t expecting to read this novel and get a fairly substantial love story with good characterization.
While it’s a respectable literary effort, I felt there were a few flaws: the length, the length, and FANGLESS VAMPIRES!! I don’t like it and I’m never gonna like it. In the novel, once it finally explains their feeding habits it’s hard to picture what is actually going on. Fangs are a completely efficient tool so I’m not understanding why that important characteristic is starting to be omitted in novels. Allergies to the sun? I can be flexible on that. Hott sex symbol vs. crazed ugly monster? I can be flexible there too if it’s masterfully handled. I could even be flexible on their lifespans (prolonged vs. immortal), but I don’t budge on fangs and this book didn’t change that sentiment. You might as well create werewolves that don't transform. Vampires without fangs should simply be fae instead.
I am looking forward to reading the second novel; however, normally I am motivated to read a series back to back. For this one, I decided to pick up another book to get a break from this world.
Yeah, those of you who follow me closely know I wouldn't throw that out there lightly, but there it is! I'd hea
Yeah, those of you who follow me closely know I wouldn't throw that out there lightly, but there it is! I'd heard good things about the series but I wasn't in the hugest rush to read it. Man am I SO glad I got around to it!
Delilah Dawson introduces us to a new world through the eyes of Letitia Everett (aka Tish), a nurse who spends most of her time tending to patients in reality, including her terminally ill grandmother. That is until she stumbles upon this interesting ruby locket at an estate sale. Unbeknownst to her it happens to be enchanted, and once she falls asleep it thrusts her into an alternate world called Sang where she meets Criminy Stain, a rebellious gypsy Bludman (aka vampire) who has been waiting for her for a long time. After all, he's the one that had the locket spell cast to deliver the love of his life to him.
He leads a travelling circus mixed with fellow Bludman and Pinkies (aka humans) alike. Tish will fit right in as she realizes her powers as a Glancer, where she can see into someone's past and future with just one touch. It's a valuable ability and she learns her own fate when she touches Criminy, seeing her ultimate doom. Anchored between both worlds through wearing the locket, she can decide what she wants, but when the locket is stolen she goes on a journey with Criminy to find it. They face many enemies by land and sea, their ultimate target being the evil and manipulative Magistrate who hates all Bludmen and has a plan to eradicate them all from Sang. If they succeed, she must decide on a normal structured life or an unpredictable destiny with the person she was least expecting to love. Is Tish meant for all of this?
I won't answer that question here, but I can just say that I loved loved LOVED this book! Dawson has an amazing imagination and has crafted a truly unique world with the Blud series. I wasn't sure how much I could get into the world-building because Steampunk novels can be too heavy on the details for my liking. But she was able to harness it and describe everything effectively while still keeping my attention. I seriously don't recall being bored at all and that's saying a lot.
I liked that the Bludmen are really different for a change. Instead of being at the top of the food chain and rich like vampires in normal series, their race is oppressed and their people are considered second class citizens. Let's not even get into the topic of a Bludmen becoming involved with a Pinky. It's super taboo and usually the two races aren't attracted to one another (well, aside from Bludmen seeing them as food of course). Because of this I enjoyed watching the tensions mount between the two.
Criminy Stain. Just one word to describe him: AMAZING!! I just don't know if we can get enough of this character. He is so unique in a genre where it's only getting more difficult to separate the best from the rest. He's a born leader, honorable and adventurous; he cares about his people and hates that they're suffering, but even still he doesn't become emo and self-loathing. He maintains a great sense of humor throughout it all. I probably haven't read about a more dynamic character since Algaliarept from The Hollows. The only downside is that I'm not sure what the second book will have in store. The book doesn't end in a cliffhanger, but I just can't tell what's going to happen next for him since the second book seems to shift focus. To ignore this character is to ignore a goldmine. He's got potential to be a fan favorite, like a Jericho Barrons, Algaliarept, Jean Claude, Curran, the list goes on.
I think the love story between Criminy and Letitia is very well done and not too heavy on that sap. It's definitely more of a romantic adventure so a lot of the focus is on the adventure side of things, which is just how I like it. All the while the feelings build allowing things to happen at the right time.
I really wish this series came out bi-annually simply because of him. Maybe we can coax the author into writing up some short stories or vignettes.
This series is one where I would love to see a movie adaptation created for it. It could be a big hit, seeing all of this come to life.
Epic doesn’t even begin to describe Kingmakers, the final novel of the Vampire Empire trilogy. Each installment is better than
Epic doesn’t even begin to describe Kingmakers, the final novel of the Vampire Empire trilogy. Each installment is better than the last; Susan and Clay Griffith have done an amazing job at building momentum to this moment and it really doesn’t disappoint.
Adele leads the war against vampires to the north and Gareth is getting first hand experience with the it, fighting for Adele in the front lines of battle. But the vampires are formidable opponents and have gained the upper hand, quickly bringing the humans to their knees. Something must be done and Adele’s geomancy powers may be the ace in the hole that the human race needs to win once and for all.
The last novel is jam packed with story, but there’s a lot of action so it gets going much faster than its predecessors. Politics, betrayal, and new revelations are key to Adele and Gareth’s development. They are the heart of this saga after all. But with their seemingly impossible love, can the heart still beat?
Adele has matured wonderfully over the novels and she’s become really admirable. I liked seeing her in a major position of power, strategizing and making difficult decisions that challenge morality. It’s a nice departure from other urban fantasy novels where the heroines start at the bottom and have to work their way up. She’s on a slippery slope as she tries to control her geomancy powers, which may be dangerous to more than solely vampires.
Gareth is as wonderful as always with his selflessness. He’s even adorable at times as he still tries to fully understand human customs and history. His light moments with Adele really gave me the case of the warm fuzzies, if only because it feels so fleeting as the pull of his vampire heritage requires that he finally face his brother once and for all. That, and her powers seriously conflict with his entire being on a biological level beyond their control.
This book has pretty much everything you could ask for and you’ll experience practically every emotion while reading it. The ending is very powerful, enough that you may want to have kleenex on hand, but I won’t spoil it any further. My only complaint is that I want more. I love this world and I’m sad to see it end; though unfortunately that must happen to all good things…
Well done to the Griffiths on their fantastic work! This is definitely one of my favorite trilogies ever.
*ARC provided by the publisher *Review also posted to ....more
I came into this story already expecting that I would not to enjoy it as much as its predecessor, The Fire Lord's L
I came into this story already expecting that I would not to enjoy it as much as its predecessor, The Fire Lord's Lover, and unfortunately it didn't exceed my expectations. Kathryne Kennedy's Lady of the Storm has all of the pieces, but I was honestly left wanting to simply go read The Fire Lord's Lover all over again.
We have a new hero and heroine in this tale, both elf/human half-breeds. The story centers around Cecily, who we meet as a child in the first book, and Giles, her sworn protector. In the first book we learn that Cecily inherited exceptional power from her Imperial Lord Elven father of Dewhame to control water and weather elements. This made her a target, so she had to flee into hiding in order to remain safe. At the start of this book we see that she's managed to live in secrecy for about ten years until the Imperial Lord's soldiers show up at her door. She is forced to go on the run again, but there's no more running away. It's her time to fight back with Giles at her side.
Everything that felt new and fresh with Fire Lord's Lover felt a bit bland here. I don't doubt Kennedy's imagination and world building abilities, but I guess her story-building abilities come into question. There were times where the plot felt completely formulaic:
Beautiful elves? Check Virgin heroine? Check 5+ love scene quota? Check 1 super magical love scene? Check A silly development for relationship conflict that you know will be resolved? Check
I felt like this book had more love scenes than the first one and it took a lot longer to get to that point, so it was a bit condensed. Also, whereas I liked the magical love scene in the first book, this one wasn't nearly as interesting, though the author tried to be creative and original. I think this series would have benefited from focusing on Dominic and Cassandra instead of shifting to new characters. Dominic and Cassandra do make appearances a few times in this installment, but it only served to make me wish the POV would switch to them every time.
There's nothing particularly likable about Giles or Cecily. I didn't feel a lot of personality with them like I did with their book 1 counterparts. They are heavy on the angst and emotionally weak. I was also disappointed with the lack of development for her Imperial Lord father as opposed to the first book. I like for the villains to be well-developed. The final showdown was really anti-climatic and I wasn't invested in it at all; it only sealed this book's fate as forgettable. I just wanted it over so that I could skip to the preview for the next book. I hope that the author rebounds, but I won't be quick to read this next one, which sounds like it could potentially be the last one. I haven't heard one way or another as to whether this series will be a trilogy, but if she can't turn things around then the sooner she ends it, the better.
There IS naked Curran, but there’s always more to say when it comes
So now that I have your attention…
There IS naked Curran, but there’s always more to say when it comes to a Kate Daniels story. I initially didn’t even read the synopsis because Kate gets an insta-click. The cover is really cool, making me wonder if covers for future novels are in for a style change.
This story takes place after Magic Slays (Book 5) and runs simultaneously with Andrea’s upcoming novel, Gunmetal Magic. Kate and Curran just can’t seem to catch a break as their dinner date goes horribly wrong. I swear this is probably the most quotable series. Kate sums it up perfectly:
“Best date ever. Well, until people died and vampires showed up. But before that it was awesome.”
It turns out the source of the trouble is a magical necklace that kills whoever wears it. The first victim was a navigator. The second potential victim is her kid brother. Well, he will be unless Kate and Curran can figure out how to get it off without killing him. This of course segues into a fast-paced, action heavy adventure for our favorite duo.
It’s fun to see Kate and Curran working as a team. They bicker, but you know the love is there. Aside from that, there are plenty of laughs along the way, a couple of sad moments, and one HUGE development! I was expecting all filler, but there is a major spoiler within this story, making me want to read Gunmetal Magic ASAP. While Magic Gifts is a novella, it is very substantive, resulting in a satisfying Kate Daniels fix for me. I’m up for Kate and Curran anytime, but I’m a fan of Andrea too so I’m really looking forward to reading her novel.
This story was a wonderful surprise and holiday treat from the Andrews team, so I’m just another fan expressing my thanks!...more
Maria Snyder is off to an excellent start with Touch of Power, Book 1 of The Healer series. The book centers on Avry of Ka
Maria Snyder is off to an excellent start with Touch of Power, Book 1 of The Healer series. The book centers on Avry of Kazan, a young woman with special power to heal those around her while she absorbs their ailments. One would think that this would be a revered power, but instead it puts a huge target on her back. Suspected of creating the plague that wipes out a significant part of the population, Healers are now persecuted and murdered. Against her best interests Avry secretly continues to heal those in need, often exposing herself. To survive she must lead a nomadic and lonely lifestyle.
This all changes when she ends up abducted by a rebel group who needs her power to heal their leader who has been M.I.A. There’s a hitch of course; healing this leader will cost her own life. Their leader, Kerric, is a prince himself though unconventional with a set of magical powers all his own. Against her will, she treks on a journey with them facing off against mercenaries, the undead, and nature itself. She begins to bond with them much to her chagrin, and re-evaluates who the enemies really are.
There’s a lot of action, adventure and magic in this series that I really enjoyed. The character development is well done, keeping it fairly realistic in this fictional setting. They aren’t as one dimensional as I was fearing, so I really connected with the story. I would put Avry in the “strong heroine” category. She’s not too badass but she’s not a fool either, taking a lot of initiative and being extremely brave when necessary. Overall, I like her.
I think the magic was very interesting without being too confusing. I look forward to how that evolves over the course of the series. The villain was slightly on the predictable side, and I sort of predicted how this would ends since I know it’s the beginning of a series, but I still enjoyed it and look forward to where things go next.
I may start reading more YA series again. For a while I haven’t been enjoying them as much as their adult counterparts, but it seems as if YA books centered around adults is as good as anything for me. Avry is twenty, and many of the adult novels are centered on twenty-somethings too, so the overlap works. I definitely recommend this one.
I'm getting a little worried that I'm falling out of love with this series. I think the first book was well crafte
I'm getting a little worried that I'm falling out of love with this series. I think the first book was well crafted and intriguing. The second book lost a little steam for me because I did not enjoy the introduction of a love triangle and there were too many characters to keep up with. It also had a cliffhanger which I normally hate, but I didn't mind it because there was only a month long wait for the next book as opposed to 6 months to over a year like for other series. Well, this one has a cliffhanger too--it turns out the House of Comarre series is not a trilogy! I was slightly mislead due to the release schedule of the first three books, but I don't fault the author. I just wasn't paying close enough attention.
The murder rate has spiked in Paradise City as faux comarre are turning up dead. The Kubai Mata are on top of it, trying to get these grizzly attacks under control. Crysabelle, still healing from her injuries in the prior novel, presses on with her mission and goal to locate long lost family. She goes to New Orleans with Mal to obtain the Ring of Sorrows which is the necessary leverage she will need. Of course, nothing is simple. There's also the little issue of Samhain, where the mortal world will merge with other worlds filled with all kinds of demons and creepy crawlies. However will they get out of this one?
The third book has a good blend of action and plot, but there are even more characters added to the storyline. Most urban fantasy books don't take this approach and while unique, I realize that I'm not a fan of multiple POVs and side stories. I feel like I'm reading a supernatural soap opera. I think one could argue that the cover should include more characters because Crysabelle doesn't get most of the focus anymore. I would have preferred more Crys and Mal screen time and development. One positive is that the triangle is resolved, but I'm left wondering why it was introduced in the first place. To end so quickly means it was wasted page space where there could have been other developments.
If you've read the other two books, then I do recommend you read this one so that you can see the story progress, but don't expect much because individual plot lines are spread thin thanks to a 400 page limit for this borderline epic fantasy. Honestly, the book felt even shorter than that. I really like the potential of the first book, but the series isn't really turning out how I'd hoped. Unless I hear that it rebounds, I think I will pass on the 4th book.
Normally I prefer to start a series with the first book, but when I saw Wayfinder (book 2 in the Worldwalke
Normally I prefer to start a series with the first book, but when I saw Wayfinder (book 2 in the Worldwalker Duology) listed I couldn’t help myself. The cover was nice and premise sounded very interesting. Overall, it turned out to be an enjoyable read. This was a little more on the high fantasy side as opposed to urban fantasy because you spend a great deal of time in the Barrowlands (a post-apocalyptic land for their Faerie-kin). Thankfully, even though I didn’t read the first book the author catches you up to speed.
The book is centered on Lara Jansen, a not-so-ordinary tailor that has special powers allowing her to be a human lie detector. Her gift makes her very attractive for the beings of this other world, so she reluctantly trades her sewing kit for a magical staff that proves challenging to control… Or is it trying to control her? Either way, she needs it to fend off enemies in the Barrowlands as she tries to rescue her beloved Dafydd, the Seelie prince who originally sought her out for her gift to save his world. As she takes this journey she meets many powerful characters, some friend and some foe.
I found it very easy to immerse myself into the story. There’s a lot of decent action and world-building and the magic was cool. Lara isn’t particularly special or quirky, but the character experiences the necessary growth into her roles as a Truthseeker and then a Wayfinder. The romance for me is a little bland, but this may have been because I didn’t read the first book where a lot of the development happens. As it stands, this book didn’t need that angle to be interesting.
I liked the author’s writing style and I felt as if the pacing was just right. I enjoyed this book enough that I have added the first book to the TBR queue. As a Duology, we’re not committed to an on-going series which is good and bad. I appreciate that the books didn’t drag on, but I think this could have been a decent on-going series if handled well. Either way, I recommend this series.
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