Sinful Book Reviews

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I’ve seen this on so many blogs. When I first read the synopsis, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. Luckily, right after I joined NetGalley I noticed they had it. This book is a little different from what I normally read. It’s not like other urban fantasy books. Usually, goblins and the creatures of this book are saved for pure fantasy books. I’m excited to see them written into our world.

The most interesting thing about this book is the fact that it’s drawn from old Celtic stories. Hamilton takes old Irish myths and weaves a story with them. Different people tell Teagan the stories of the past in the goblin world. Those are some of my favorite scenes. It really makes for an original story. I’m excited to see where Hamilton will take it. She handled the plot and suspense elements well in this book, and I hope that trend continues in the next.

In the beginning, I couldn’t find a theme. It was mostly background information and setting up a situation. Toward the end, there’s a theme of choice. We choose who we are by the paths we take. Teagan has to wrestle with a decision she’s made. She feels horrible about it, and she’s afraid she’s set herself on a path she shouldn’t take. Finn has some wonderful things to say about choosing your destiny. I’m eager to see what kind of destiny Teagan will choose.

I was looking for a little more out of the characters. I like Teagan well enough, but there’s just something missing from her character for me. I wish she were just a little more complex. I’m hoping that with the next book she’ll grow and I won’t feel that way anymore. That often happens in a series. The characters will grow slowly and I’ll learn to love them in their growth. Finn, on the other hand, grows pretty quickly in this book. At first we meet him as a cocky bad-boy type who gives Teagan the shivers. Next we see him, he’s grown up a lot. He’s spent some time thinking about his feelings and his destiny. I love Finn for this. There’s always something going on in that brain of his, and I want to know what it is.

The writing is simple and appropriate. There’s nothing too lyrical. There’s the occasional Irish prayer and poetry said by someone, but that’s as lyrical as it gets in this book. Her use of Irish lore and Gaelic are really intriguing. I imagine a lot of research went in to writing this book, and I have to commend her on her devotion to writing a wonderful fantasy novel. I’m ready for the next one.