GoodReads Summery
If you are a fan of my other works, please note that this is a fantasy novel suitable for YA readers. It still embodies my writing style and sense of humour, but there is also magic, fighting, blood and gore. I would love for you to read this, but if you do not enjoy it, please feel free to refund it.
It’s been thirteen years since the Dark Years ended. Thirteen years since the mad War Faery responsible was imprisoned in stone. Now, with goblin attacks on the rise it seems Galanta, the Goblin Queen, is intent on returning the land to chaos and terror.
Isadora Scrumpleton is trying not to think about the Dark Years. She’s just been chosen by her ‘familiar’, found out she’s half faery, and discovered she’s dating the second-in-line to the Faery Throne. That’s enough for one teenage witch to handle. But when goblins attack her village, Izzy is forced into action, ultimately joining the elite Border Guard and attracting the attention of the Goblin Queen.
As Galanta weaves a web of deceit, Izzy struggles to control her powers. Will she be able to stop the Goblin Queen in time, or will the world be plunged into a dark new reality?My Review
In the first book we meet Izzy (Isadora Scrumpleton), the main heroin. She almost 18 and has only 9 days to active her magical abilities (This can happen only between the ages of 17-18). Her magic will be activated only when her familiar will come to her. Till then she now magic only theoretically. It is very difficult for her to see that all her peers already got their familiars, and some of them already bully her for this incapability.
From some reason, she was lucky at her final test for magic suddenly she could lift all her class into the air. But she didn't meet her familiar yet and she really didn't want it to something like a bumblebee. Fate has other meanings for her and instead of very Prestigious familiar like a cat or a snake it turn to be a very dirty white puppy. No body heard about a dog as familiar before.
On the morning of the day after her powers manifestation she discovered another shocking facts:
A)She can dream-walking which is a very rare trait.
B) In her dream-walking she was courting the second-in-line to the Faery Throne.
C)She is half witch and half fairy and has the royal blood in her, and for that she is allow to court him.
D) She don't remember a thing from those episodes. The theory was - her witch side and and her fairy side are not connected. Only fairies can do dream-walking and which happen only at night while she is a sleep. So when she is a wake in the morning her witch side are in control and it not allow her to remember what happen at night. So only when this sides will be one she will gain her memories.
All those discoveries happened when the queens of the fairy show up knocking on her door and telling her she is not aloud to date her son the prince. Her son happen to be Ethan, which is a very hot guy she ever seen.
When her cousin pester her about what she want to do in the future, on sudden whim, she decided to be a border guard.
She thought that it is enough for life time, but she was wrong. On the day of her birthday 18th party goblins attack her village. Izzy is forced into action,apparently she was good in that. So joining the elite Border Guard turned to be a real thing. In the camp she discover about Trilliania the place of dreams. As a Border Guard one of her duties is to patrol this place and fight all kind of magical monsters. She also find that most people don't know that it is not only dreams and that anything that happen there will manifest also in the awakening realm. So if you wounded there, the same wounds will be there when you awake and if you die so..... Anyway most people can't grasp this and if they discover it by accident they will panicked.This when the Border Guard get into the picture. It's main duties is to prevent all of this from happening and this is why it should kept as secret by all means. The Border Guard can't tell about this place and if by accident they start they will go into a fit.
On the same time she capture the attention of the Goblin Queen - Galanta, which is totally not a good thing.
Oh! there was another thing - about her fairy side - she is the daughter of the brother to the most evil fairy in all history or so her mother were telling her. This fairy was so evil that the only way to get rid from him his to tie his spirit into a rock. He can come back as a spirit when a blood of one of his descendants will be dripped on this rock. The name of him is Santana Gabriel and the name of his brother is Alexander Gabriel.
The Has it up and downs, and overall it did the deed and send me to read the second book, which I was glade for. The second book was much much better in my opinion and you can go and read my review about it too.GoodReads Summery
If you are a fan of my other works, please note that this is a fantasy novel suitable for YA readers. It still embodies my writing style and sense of humour, but there is also magic, fighting, blood and gore. I would love for you to read this, but if you do not enjoy it, please feel free to refund it.
Galanta is only one step away from successfully releasing Santanas. The faeries must either stop her or hope that their allies stand strong in the coming storm. While they seek her out, they are forced to cement old allegiances and create new ones.
With this in mind, Orion offers himself as a groom to the treacherous night faeries, asking only that Aethan go in his stead to choose his bride. Meanwhile, Galanta’s spell means that while Izzy now remembers Aethan, he has no memory of her.
As Aethan, Izzy and Wilfred travel to the realm of the night faeries to bring home Orion’s bride, they are pursued by goblins and hunted by giants. To make matters worse, Santanas’ strengthening power means that terrifying monsters are unleashed against them. They will need all their strength and cunning to make it safely home and to stop Galanta from releasing a mad War Faery upon the world.
Category: fantasy female protagonist, epic fantasy series, epic fantasy trilogy, YA fiction fantasy, fantasy witches, fantasy faeries, epic urban fantasy, fantasy trilogy, YA fantasy, YA urban fantasy, YA fiction, fantasy, urban fantasy, kindle unlimited
My Review
I said and I repeat I loved this second book better then the first one. It really rare when it happen. Usually the second one stretch and fail to satiate your expectations. I admit that it was a good surprise as I didn't expect much.
Why?
First the Izzy the heroin - turn from a whimpering mass of a teenager to a very bad-ass one. Her sense of humor was much more developed and she certainly wasn't the damsel in distress type. On the contrary she was the one saved the prince more then one time.
Second we meet another strong female character in Isla - Ethan sister. It was great to how the connection between Isala developed along the plot.
The first book end with the return of Izzy memories and the lose of Aethan's memories. Same as Ethan Izzy now discovered how much it is hard not to remind Aethan what they share in the past. If she will do this all this memories will erased at once (Izzy now understand what Ethan faced before and she admire how much patient he was).
We also learned that Galanta the queen of the goblins is one with Izzy bitter enemy Isagalnda. Galanta is a shapshifter and she also worked hard in the returning of the evil fey - Santanas Gabriel. For this she raised huge force of evil all kind of creatures,not only goblins, also orcs, evil giants and other evil mythical creatures from other realms.
The light fairies understand that they don't have a chance if they will alone in this fight. They decided to ask the dark fairies to join them. But to gain their consent, they have to offer something in return. They as to offer their heir to the throne - Orion (Aethan's elder brother)to engage in marriage to to whichever they want. The problem is that the dark realm is beyond the goblin kingdom and it is a very risky journey to reach there. It means that they can't risk Orion, so they sent Ethan instead.
Aethan know that he can't take a big Entourage as it usually done, but small group of a very trained people. Of curse, he organized small group of Border guards. His main problem is with Izzy. As he lost his memories he can't remember how good she is in fighting skills. He really don't want her to join - luckily his commander didn't forgot and order Izzy to be his personal guard.
The second person he didn't want to come is his sister Isla. He was sure the she will hampers as they will have to take care of her. But he was very wrong.
Izzy know that Isla is the one of the most smart people that she ever meet and she know that Isla will find the way around. And Isla sure find it - without a fear she told him that the dark fairies wont send any royal lady if their party wont include at list two ladies of the royal blood (By this she mean her and Izzy), It is a matter of protocol code. So Ethan didn't has any choice and took her too.
On the way they also visit Triliania, trough this dream realm they could check on their enemies and make contact with their headquarter (they can't do it only if they use a dream-catcher, all the other guards that don't have the natural ability to do dream-walking use a special armband which allow them to enter to this realm). So when Izzy started to enter to Triliania she discovered that, Galanta tied her to her with blood bond that tell her when she enter and where she is. In there party was another fairy Wolfgang, who has a talent for magic and he taught her how to bypass this problem. Wolfgang is also responsible to teach her how to use her unpredictable magic.
Izzy has a really strong powers that she don't know how to use. The reason to this that most of her life she was raised in the human realm, surrounded by witches. As a daughter to one of them and as not knowing about her fey heritage she never learn to use her magic properly. She still thinking as a witch and don't understand why her magic don't behave accordingly. Wolfgang explain her that her magic is different, as her's intonational one. She has to picture it before using it and not use spells and wands. She also has to be very careful because with this kind of magic it is very easy to fall for the dark magic. And Every time she will use dark magic it will change her and quench the light in her,
The plot develop very fast. All along things happen very fast - for example, after few days into the goblin kingdom the goblin discovered them and they have to escape them into the giants country. The problem with giants is that they tend to anything that move include fairies.
In the dark kingdom, we also discover Isla's secret and shame.
We also meet beautiful sleek princess Ebony. Princess Ebony chosen to be Orion's intended bride and Ethan (to Izzy horror and jealousy) has to court her on the behalf of his brother. Their time in this realm wasn't so pleasant but the dark king agree to the deal and sent Ebony with them back. The way back is full of terrors,as Santanas’ strengthening power means that terrifying monsters are unleashed against them. and they have to protect ebony at all costs. Awhile, their visits to Trilainaia show them that Galanta is only one step away from successfully releasing the mad warlock, Santanas to the world.
About The Author
Hi there, I’m Donna Joy Usher. I started writing my first novel when I was seven. With no idea about plot or character development (I mean I was only seven) my storyline quickly disintegrated into a muddled jumble of boring dialogue between two horses. Disillusioned, I gave up writing stories for quite a while after that. Instead, I concentrated on my studies, eventually graduating as a dentist.
After many years of ‘drilling and filling’ I turned to writing in an effort to escape the seriousness of my day job. During that time I created my first book, The Seven Steps to Closure, and discovered that I love nothing more than making other people laugh. Well that, and my husband and two miniature schnauzers, Chloe and Xena.
I currently live in beautiful Perth When I am not working or writing, I love to paddle board, walk on the beach and sip chai lattes at the local cafe.
You can connect with me on Twitter (@DonnaJoyUsher), Facebook, Goodreads, Linked In or my blog site, www.donnajoyusher.com.
***Hi there, I’m Donna Joy Usher. I started writing my first novel when I was seven. With no idea about plot or character development (I mean I was only seven) my storyline quickly disintegrated into a muddled jumble of boring dialogue between two horses. Disillusioned, I gave up writing stories for quite a while after that. Instead, I concentrated on my studies, eventually graduating as a dentist.
After many years of ‘drilling and filling’ I turned to writing in an effort to escape the seriousness of my day job. During that time I created my first book, The Seven Steps to Closure, and discovered that I love nothing more than making other people laugh. Well that, and my husband and two Miniature Schnauzers, Chloe and Xena.
I currently live near the beach on the beautiful New South Wales Central Coast. When I am not working or writing, I love to paddle board, walk on the beach and sip chai lattes at the local cafe.
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