Allison O'Malley's plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she's been in love with for as long as she can remember.
What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison's mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.
Shona's review 5 of 5 stars
Argggghhhh! Why do I do this to myself? Once again I have had a great book sat on my kindle for forever and time after time I have put off reading it only to finally sit down to it and read it all in one sitting. I was blown away by Howard's writing style which is all the more impressive by the fact that this is her debut novel.. and it has left me with an urge to read more of her work. Luckily for me I have her second book in this series, Stone of Destiny, already loaded on my Kindle waiting for me.
From the very first few pages I was drawn to Allison and I knew almost immediately that I was going to love this book. I'm not saying that Allison is perfect, she made a couple of choices I wouldn't have made.. Like constantly casting Ethan aside. Even when she was 'giving him a chance' she was really quick to shut him out. And while I understand her reasoning that doesn't mean I have to agree with them. I'm still trying to work out if she was overly harsh on her father when he arrives, especially given his reason for not being there.. totally valid. But I did like the way their relationship developed throughout the story.
Looking through other reviews and it would seem that Howard has come under fire for her choice of names for her characters, or rather the spelling of those names. But personally I found it to be a great addition to the story, it adds a real Irish flavour to a story that is thick in Irish mythology. If you are going to have a centuries old Irish character it would seem rather out of place if his name was spelled Aiden or Declan. Easier to pronounce, yes, but not authentic. And that is one of the things that gives this book its charm. Howard stayed true to her story and for that I applaud her.
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