Publisher: BHC Press
Release date: November 15, 2018
*I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the BHC Press ReadNow program in an exchange for an honest review*
Star rating: 5 stars
This book is just shy of 350 pages. If this book came out when I was in high school, I would have read it within 24-hours, unable to put it down. As twenty-something adult with 2 part-time jobs, a side-gig, and an internship, it took me a little longer than that. However, even with my busy life, I could NOT put this book down. I managed to read it in three days, sneaking in some reading when work was slow, and reading late into the night. It is a story of the great power of love and family and finding one’s place in the world.
Liza is a lonely young woman who never had a real family, aside from the sweet gardener Manny, who is like a father to her. She is reluctant to go on this journey, and yet she does, compelled to discover more about her mysterious past, one she thought she already knew. She travels to Halden’s Mill, which appears to be a quintessential Midwestern town, but is tinged with magic and danger.
Author Tom Mohan pulls the reader into the story right away, and yet it doesn’t seem rushed. He manages to do this with a strange phone call to Liza, and action never ends from beginning to end.
Combined with this action were vivid details that made the scenes of the story play out before my eyes with ease. I had no trouble visualizing the scenes, and there was never a time in the story where I felt like it lagged.
There were also a couple of twists that I never saw coming. That’s really what kept me turning the pages.
Like any good fantasy, there’s a little horror involved. I’m not a big fan of books that scare me or scenes with lots of gore, but I didn’t mind it so much in this story. There are moments of humor from the characters’ interactions with the townsfolk, and the characters had relatable motivations. I became invested in the characters, and that got me through the scenes that made me cover my eyes with my hands.
The Finns are a warm and kind family who welcome Liza with open arms, and I found myself wanting to be in their company, too. My favorite character was upbeat Fallon who befriends Liza instantly, but then again, everybody loves Fallon. You’ll have to read the book when it comes out November 15 to find out why.
I highly recommend this book to anybody who loves fantasy and action. If you would like to find out more about “Blood of the Fae” by Tom Mohan, click on the cover at the top of the blog post.