Colleen Halverson

It's not a bad book but at the same time it's also an American view of Ireland and some of it doesn't ring quite right. There was one big thing that really pulled me out of the story where they were talking about marriage being forever and my brain went well, no. Early Irish Law had many different kinds of marriage and there were ways to get out of all of them. Some were simpler and some involved a lot of work but Brehon Law was different. Having a society that is based in Early Ireland and not reflecting Early Irish Law just rings slightly off to this Irish person and pulls me out of the story.
Elizabeth Tanner was interesting, a daughter of a US military man she has never really known her mother. She studies ancient manuscripts and this one seems to keep changing before her eyes. Then she ends up entangled in an ancient secret order and discovers that she's half-fae and pivotal to keeping the magical races of Ireland from ending in a civil war.
It's messy and complicated and sometimes it felt less really rooted than some other parts.
I'm curious about where this is going to go but a lot of the immortal types didn't feel old.… (plus d'informations)

Holy wow, you guys, I'm seriously blown away with what I just read! Yikes, I need to sort through that enormous mess of thoughts and emotions in my head!!!

So, anyway, Elizabeth has broken things up with Finn and decided she will look for her mother, while making sure she doesn't ever become a sacrificial bride again, or let the Fae politics drag her down. However, things rarely go as planned, and she soon finds herself by Finn's side again, both working together in order to locate Niamh, stop a war, survive the bloodthirst of the Fir Bolgs, and making sure to keep as much out of the Fianna's clutches as possible... Can they get a second chance in their love - and live to tell the tale about it?

Honestly, I figured Lizzie went through enough suffering during the first book. I mean, getting married to Bres and tolerating all that abuse, well, what more could be done to break her? But I was wrong, and despite the fact the events in the second book nearly left me mentally crippled, I was delighted to be so!

Colleen Halverson did a majestic job of bringing more trouble on her heroine's way, but it wasn't only that. The physical suffering Lizzie had to experience was bad enough, but the emotional scars? Pretty badass on the auhor's part, and totally ruining us as readers, if you ask me. Lizzie had to live through continuous betrayal, from every side possible, and by the first half of the book, I swear I was like "Ok, no, this guy can't be trusted. That one either - DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THE OTHER ONE!".

I developed trust issues. Against fictional beings. Job VERY well done, Mrs. Halverson!!!

The romance, despite its rough start, escalated rather hotly and in our favor once Finn stopped all that holding back. I wanted him killed in the previous book, but I admit I warmed up to him after seeing how far he was willing to go for Elizabeth. And, OK, his resourcefulness in intimate... situations didn't hurt... *whistles*

The story was full of twists, and, if you haven't figured it out yet, there was no certainty for the true colors of any character. So it was really exciting to see what would happen next! Plus, there was this whole butterfly effect - when someone did something conerning magic and the Fae folk, there would be consequences, and no one, not even the main heroes, escaped that kind of law. I liked it!

Now, if someone can get me a design of that swan tattoo, I'm really interested in having it on me. Oh, and I can't wait for the next book. I'm sure Lizzie, so much more matured now with all her new experiences, and after all that character growth she's gone through, will be even more amazing to read about!

***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***… (plus d'informations)

I may not like New Adult - it's no secret how I hate all those emotions the characters are feeling getting out of control ALL THE FREAKING TIME. So, I make it a point to avoid reading books of this genre - ESPECIALLY if they're also in the romance genre! No way am I getting caught up in THAT!

And yet here I am. Not only having read a book of this exact genre, but also having enjoyed it!

I'm not gonna rant about all the good and the bad. I'm just gonna say this: GO, ELIZABETH!!!

Seriously, a kickass young heroine, who knows what she wants and goes after it. Who doesn't know when to give up. Who may have caused drama - and whined about it, too - but it was all too-well deserved. She deserved to whine and nag about it, damn it!

Not to mention she rocks when she decides to get things done. Or when she opens that mouth of hers that drips sarcasm and wit and all things glorious.

I can't wait to read the next book in the series! And if Elizabeth can keep her spank and sass, I'm guessing this will be an amazing series!!!

***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***… (plus d'informations)