Thursday, April 7, 2016

F is for Faelorehn by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson





I never heard him come after me and even as I climbed the slope and stumbled onto our shaded back lawn, I didn’t look back. It was like the day the gnomes chased me all over again, but this time I was not escaping some horrible little creatures, I was fleeing from an incredibly good-looking guy who could very well understand me completely. I was either saving myself from that serial killer I always imagined lived down in the swamp, or I had finally gone over the deep end . . . 

Meghan Elam has been strange her entire life: her eyes have this odd habit of changing color and she sees and hears things no one else does. When the visions and voices in her head start to get worse, she is convinced that her parents will want to drag her off to another psychiatrist. That is, until the mysterious Cade MacRoich shows up out of nowhere with an explanation of his own. 

Cade brings her news of another realm where goblins and gnomes are the norm, a place where whispering spirits exist in the very earth, and a world where Meghan just might find the answers she has always sought.

My Review:

This is the first time  I've read anything by Johnson and I enjoyed it immensely.  It held my attention throughout. The ending left enough hanging for me to want to pick up the next two books in the trilogy.

I enjoyed the way the author weaved Celtic mythology into the creation of her world. I liked the way she introduced the different creatures and Meghan's background. It was detailed without being a lecture. It also didn't just dump everything onto the reader all at once.

I also really liked Meghan. While some of her decisions had me wanting to yell "NO! Don't do that!". I didn't feel that she was a dumb heroine. Instead she came across as just being a teenager. Which is to be expected since she is only seventeen. I do wish that I was able to get to know some of her friends better. What I did meet of them I liked, so hopefully I will get to know them better in the following books in the trilogy.

The ending is basically a set up for the next book. I already figured it was going to end in some way like that since it is only the first book in a trilogy. But it at least felt like enough of a closing on Meghan's junior year.  My biggest issue with the ending was that it felt as if maybe a bit more could have been revealed about Meghans history.  It seemed overly convenient that certain things weren't able to be told. But then again if every little thing came out in the first book there wouldn't be anything for the rest of the series. 

I think Faelorehn easily falls into the teen/YA genre. No smexy smexy parts, but there is violence and cursing. Nothing truly gory though. The reading isn't overly heavy either. So if you're thinking of giving it to someone who isn't an avid reader I think they would enjoy it too. But, as I always say, if you're giving it to a kid in your life be sure to read it first. Just in case.

Also as a side note. Loving the cover! Didn't really get the full effect on my Paperwhite.  But something about it in color I just LOVE! 






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