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A review by momwithareadingproblem
The Cathedral of Cliffdale by Melissa Delport
4.0
I received an eARC of this book from I Am a Reader in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Cathedral of Cliffdale by Melissa Delport is the first in a new paranormal series that reminds me a lot of Anne Bishop’s series The Others. In Delport’s Guardians of Summerfeld, a Guardian is dead and for the first time in a millennium a replacement hasn’t come forward. Quinn Harden is the twin sister of the dead Guardian and feeling a responsibility to her niece and nephew, she leaves her post as a Guardian to raise them. But it’s never that simple. A Guardian cannot leave her post without repercussions and now her niece and nephew are gone. Quinn will stop at nothing to find them.
Quinn is an easy character to love. She’s fiercely loyal, a determined and natural leader, and loves with her whole being. She’s never questioned her calling as a Guardian until her sister dies and leaves two children to raise. Not wanting them to have the same life she had living in the confines of Summerfeld, she leaves the fold to raise them in the realm of man. She refuses to return and denies an important part of herself that yearns for her wards to care for the children. She uses her grief and hatred of their father as an excuse until that no longer stands as a reason. When the Guardians take the children against Quinn’s will, she vows to get them back and promises her sister’s missing crystal in return.
Quinn isn’t the only character though and for once I loved the omniscient 3rd person POV that Melissa Delport introduces in this series. I’m not usually a fan of this type of POV. I’d rather the story be told from one perspective or flip between the two main characters, BUT it really works for this book/series. I enjoyed knowing what the other characters were thinking, what drove them and their actions, and it flowed naturally. While Quinn is the main focus as the death of her sister is the catalyst for the events in the book, I loved the other characters and found myself drawn to them and their story.
Drake is perhaps my favorite character next to Quinn. He is a vampire and has been living since the Blood Wars. He is peaceful, not participating in the vampires quest for Summerfeld. While he is vicious and a tad scary, I think he’s a big softy, especially where Quinn is concerned. I found it intriguing and cannot wait to find out more about him and his life in the next books of the series.
The world-building in this book is the biggest draw for me. as much as I love the characters, it’s their world that I love most. Delport has created an amazing paranormal world that exists within our own. Vampires walk among us while the inhabitants of Summerfeld are hidden by the magic of the Fae. There are creatures ranging from unicorns to dragons to werewolves and Fae. If it’s paranormal, it’s in this book! There are gypsies like you’ve never seen them before and ordinary humans caught in the midst. Like I already mentioned, reminiscent to Bishop’s The Others but wholly unique in its execution.
Overall I really enjoyed this story. Once I started it, I found every reason I could think of not to sit it down. And when I finished it….let’s just say I’ve bought the rest of the series to read. If you enjoy paranormal, urban fantasy, and a tiny touch of romance, I highly recommend you pick up a copy ASAP! You won’t be disappointed.
The Cathedral of Cliffdale by Melissa Delport is the first in a new paranormal series that reminds me a lot of Anne Bishop’s series The Others. In Delport’s Guardians of Summerfeld, a Guardian is dead and for the first time in a millennium a replacement hasn’t come forward. Quinn Harden is the twin sister of the dead Guardian and feeling a responsibility to her niece and nephew, she leaves her post as a Guardian to raise them. But it’s never that simple. A Guardian cannot leave her post without repercussions and now her niece and nephew are gone. Quinn will stop at nothing to find them.
Quinn is an easy character to love. She’s fiercely loyal, a determined and natural leader, and loves with her whole being. She’s never questioned her calling as a Guardian until her sister dies and leaves two children to raise. Not wanting them to have the same life she had living in the confines of Summerfeld, she leaves the fold to raise them in the realm of man. She refuses to return and denies an important part of herself that yearns for her wards to care for the children. She uses her grief and hatred of their father as an excuse until that no longer stands as a reason. When the Guardians take the children against Quinn’s will, she vows to get them back and promises her sister’s missing crystal in return.
Quinn isn’t the only character though and for once I loved the omniscient 3rd person POV that Melissa Delport introduces in this series. I’m not usually a fan of this type of POV. I’d rather the story be told from one perspective or flip between the two main characters, BUT it really works for this book/series. I enjoyed knowing what the other characters were thinking, what drove them and their actions, and it flowed naturally. While Quinn is the main focus as the death of her sister is the catalyst for the events in the book, I loved the other characters and found myself drawn to them and their story.
Drake is perhaps my favorite character next to Quinn. He is a vampire and has been living since the Blood Wars. He is peaceful, not participating in the vampires quest for Summerfeld. While he is vicious and a tad scary, I think he’s a big softy, especially where Quinn is concerned. I found it intriguing and cannot wait to find out more about him and his life in the next books of the series.
The world-building in this book is the biggest draw for me. as much as I love the characters, it’s their world that I love most. Delport has created an amazing paranormal world that exists within our own. Vampires walk among us while the inhabitants of Summerfeld are hidden by the magic of the Fae. There are creatures ranging from unicorns to dragons to werewolves and Fae. If it’s paranormal, it’s in this book! There are gypsies like you’ve never seen them before and ordinary humans caught in the midst. Like I already mentioned, reminiscent to Bishop’s The Others but wholly unique in its execution.
Overall I really enjoyed this story. Once I started it, I found every reason I could think of not to sit it down. And when I finished it….let’s just say I’ve bought the rest of the series to read. If you enjoy paranormal, urban fantasy, and a tiny touch of romance, I highly recommend you pick up a copy ASAP! You won’t be disappointed.