India Drummond

Rating 9/10

This series right here is the reason I accept Author request books. Every now and then you find a gem like this!

Ms. Drummond does not disappoint. The world of Eilidh and Munro is explored even more and you get to see the Fae side of life. It is fascinating!

While creating a world of mystery and romance with epic fantastical proportions Ms. Drummond does not loose sight of her characters. She has a way of giving uniqueness to each character and making their decisions and actions show more seem natural.

Once again I stress the importance of uniqueness in novels and the ability to take me by surprise! Check and check.

Eilidh has quite a few paths to choose from in this novel and you will be on the edge of your seat! The Fae way of seeing things, their traditions and even their royal intrigue does not disappoint and will leave you begging for more!

Read this series if you want something different and even more so if you don't like Faeries/Fae! I never have and Ms. Drummond has made me a convert. show less

This review was written for LibraryThing Members giveaway.

Young Adult Paranormal Romance in an urban fantasy setting. This should be enjoyable for lovers of the genre, less so for readers of urban fantasy eager for a bit of substance in the non-romance aspects of the story.

The first few scenes start off quite intriguingly as a (possibly supernatural) murder mystery in a well-rendered, rainy corner of Perth.

An outcast fairy who in time mellowed to the humans among whom she needed to live is a show more great character idea (most of her people are portrayed, quite in keeping with a good chunk of fairy lore, as not particularly moral or caring), and I would have loved to see that happening over time.
Everything else piled for more exceptional-ness feels quite over the top though. And the distribution of allowed/bannable magical abilities sounds just odd.

What comes afterward unfortunately doesn't make the most of the enjoyable start, killing the whodunit very quickly, not making much more use of the specific setting, and dedicating itself mostly to the exploration of the heroine's extreme snowflake-ness, and the usual YA paranormal romance (treated with a relatively light hand overall, but many tropes the genre has become a bit too well-known for over those last years do show up). show less

Eilidh possesses skills of the Path, a high form of dark magic, which bestows her with great power that is unpredictable and even deadly. She was born with it, but she is still unjustly exiled from Caledonia; her crime is not casting the forbidden Azure... it is her ability to.

She now lives in hiding in the human world, staying low to go unnoticed, until a series of gruesome murders in which the victims get their hearts torn out, crosses her path. She senses immediately with her regular fae show more powers, the Ways of Earth, that this is a blood faerie—an evil faerie's—doing. Even though she is prohibited from entering the faerie world and cannot risk getting involved with anything that involves the fae, her morals and instincts draw her to the crimes inflicted upon the humans.

Quinton Munro, a Perth officer, by fate, is also tangled up in this fantastical mess, even though he has no relations whatsoever to the fae. The blood faerie seems to be targeting a group of people in order to fulfill a dark ritual, but Quinton's entirely human—he can't be a part of the plan. Or can he?

I really loved Quinton as a character. His confusion and reaction upon being introduced to fae is very relatable, and further, his willingness to help Eilidh and risk his life to stop the evil that isn't even within his own world, is noble and admirable. Eilidh is also likable. She's clumsy with human customs, but sharp and quick with fae knowledge, showing that she indeed is an intelligent character. Since being shunned to the human world, she has been infected by humanity, which she only realizes when faeries of her past suddenly come back into her life and disdainfully point the change out. But humanity is not a curse, she has slowly and surely learned; being human, even with flaws and error, is one of the best things one can be.

Eilidh's evolution in ethics that comes with her growing sympathy for and understanding of the human race makes her learn being "acceptable" sometimes isn't worth the cost. The fae race is ruled by power and mirth that surpasses that of humans, but also by shallowness and vanity; they have no ethics, no openness, no emotions, and no individuality like us unstable, imperfect humans do. The blood faerie's serial killing spree plunges Eilidh into a struggle between staying faithful to the race that betrayed her, or an unfamiliar and even more frightening world she is only beginning to become accustomed to. In the end, she learns that no matter what the race and what the circumstance, there are some values—regarding friendship, loyalty, and love—that are universal to anyone.

I love Drummond's writing style. It can get kind of flat at times (for example, during long stories from wise fae Eilidh seeks out for advice), but for the most part, it is lush, well-composed, and well-structured. Eilidh and Quinton's relationship is sensual in the most thrilling way; not explicitly sexual or romantic, but the chemistry is definitely there, and the author's lyrical diction brightens it up even more.

Pros: Writing quality: vivid diction with great flow // Riveting action // Fascinating, gory details // Sensual undertone // Perfect amount of romance // Well-strategized mystery plot // World of Fae is magical and intriguing // Realistic contemporary Scottish setting

Cons: Starts off very slow // Sometimes writing turns bland // Not enough background on the villain, the blood faerie // While I am looking forward to the next book, the ending isn't a cliffhanger so I'm not dying to know what happens next

Verdict: The importance of an open mind and open heart are illuminated in India Drummond's magical, spirited Blood Faerie. Add a dangerous murderer to a faerie world, crush in a few cubes of romance and stir in a little bit of adventure—oh yes, and don't forget to top it off with an intense bloodbath of a fight!—and you've got the recipe for this fabulous urban fantasy read.

8 hearts: An engaging read; highly recommended.

Source: Complimentary copy provided by author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!) show less

This quick, fun read combines angels and a girl who can see the dead in an inventive and enjoyable supernatural thriller/romance. I was a little hesitant about how both twists would be handled but Drummond manages it beautifully, creating a cute romance and a nice mystery and some fantastic characters. The lore about angels that I'm familiar with is twisted and turned edgier and a lot more interesting (I don't want to give anything away but I'll admit her version of guardian angels has me a show more bit shivery!).

I'm super fussy about how my heroines handle drama and romance and tension and too often I find authors turning their strong heroines into passive victims. Zoe, however, felt very real to me and very authentic; her development through the story showed me someone who felt fear, vulnerability, desire, passion, happiness, and courage in appropriate and expected ways. She got upset at reasonable moments; she kicked butt at others. It was easy to relate to her and cheer her on and it was a relief when she stayed consistent and true to the character Drummond had started with.

The romance is straight-forward and very sexy (some fun rated R bits to keep things exciting!), and the plot had enough mystery and danger to keep me interested but not so convoluted as to lose my interest. Near the end, there's some very world-building that hints Drummond isn't done with her angels; as I found out in my Q and A with her (live on Wednesday), there is in fact a sequel in the works. I am very excited for it -- it's always fun getting hooked on a new series and I can say India Drummond is an author I'll now be eagerly anticipating! show less