Fae by C.J. Abedi

Today I wanted to share with you a book I received through one of my Goodreads groups. I will apologize now as I may gush in the review (yes, I liked the book that much!). I personally have not read many books about the world of fairies so I don’t have anything to compare the world building of this novel. That being said, I simply loved the intricacy of the story and plot. If you enjoy mythology and the world of fairies, don’t miss out on this book!

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I received this book via the author, C. J. Abedi. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Fae by C. J. Abedi
Published by Diversion Books on July 30, 2013
Length: 344 pages
Reviewing eARC Rating:

The battle between Dark and Light is about to begin.

Caroline Ellis' sixteenth birthday sets into motion a series of events that have been fated for centuries. A descendant of Virginia Dare, the first child born in the lost colony of Roanoke, and unaware of her birthright as the heir to the throne of the Light Fae, it isn't until Caroline begins a tumultuous relationship with Devilyn Reilly that the truth of her heritage is revealed.

Devilyn is the only Fae who is both of the Light and of the Dark, and struggles to maintain that precarious balance to avoid succumbing to the power of the Dark within him. He is the only one who can save Caroline from those who would destroy her and destroy all hope for unity among the Fae. He promises Caroline that he will protect her at all costs, even when it means protecting her from himself.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Caroline and Devilyn, FAE draws on mysteries, myths and legends to create a world, and a romance, dangerously poised between Light and Dark.

WARNING:
There will be gushing in this review and

Fae by C. J. Abedi is book one of a series by the same name and centers around two main characters, Caroline Ellis and Devilyn Reilly. Caroline is a high school junior, well educated, and considers herself an old soul. She doesn’t care what people think about her, that is until she sees Devilyn for the first time. Devilyn is also a high school junior, or at least he is pretending to be. He is actually a part of a prophecy, a prophecy that involves Caroline and his job, his destiny as he sees it is to protect her at all costs.

I don’t think I can say enough just how much I loved this book! From beginning to end, I was hooked. The world-building is so detailed and so intertwined with the main story that it felt real. The authors blend mythology with the world they’ve created seamlessly. There are characters from Norse mythology (Odin being a main character!) and then of course the world of the Fae and the Goddess Dana. I personally can’t compare it to other Fairy fantasy books because I haven’t read much of that genre, but this book now has me hooked!

The Characters

Caroline and Devilyn are the main characters of this particular story but there are also some wonderful ancillary characters. Teddy is Caroline’s life-long friend and a potential to create a love triangle (ugh! I personally hope not, hate love triangles!!). He’s fun loving, carefree, and smart like Caroline, taking all AP classes. Caroline’s mom is also another favorite of mine. She pushes her daughter out of her comfort zone but loves her immensely. Then there’s Famous, Caroline’s dog. I’m not sure how the authors did it, but Famous has such a cute personality that if I could find him I would bring him home with me! Odin is a great character as well, obviously he is the All-Father and we get a chance to see him on Earth and in Valhalla which was just cool. He raised Devilyn and loves him very much. Then there’s Alderon the high elder of the Dark Fae. He makes for an excellent villain. He has just the right amount of cunning and intimidation to actually make him formidable and semi-likeable (I love a good villain!)

The Plot

The book itself starts with the story of the lost colony (which if you are a history buff, you know is a real legend) and then the prophecy. In other words, you get the story almost in its entirety up front. Which is a great hook!!! However after that, the plot drags a bit. I personally loved the characters enough to stick through the lull but I know from reading other reviews many did not. This particular book focuses on the relationship between Devilyn and Caroline. There are definitely times where I wanted to yell at Devilyn because he was wishy-washy in his feelings. Well, I take that back. Not wishy-washy in his feelings but on how he would act on those feelings which left poor Caroline (and me) very upset! The climax comes in the last few chapters of the book and definitely left me wanting more!!

Overall, I loved this book and can’t wait to see just where the series will go from here. The imagery, the blending of mythology, history, and the authors’ own creation are so well written the world comes alive on the pages. Personally I’m counting down the days to the next installment (hurry May!!!!). If you enjoy books about fairy mythology, young adult lit, and romance I highly recommend this book. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

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