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A review by lisaluvsliterature
House of Ash and Shadow by Leia Stone
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I didn’t know if I’d be able to fit this in, as it said it was a January release. But then I also saw that it came out last September? And another place it said not till April. But I picked it up to fit in and I am glad I did! It was good!
It hooked me from the start with the different classes of fae. Those with magic and those without. First of all Fallon’s curse is horrible. No one can touch her. And it’s not even just her skin, even if someone were to touch her hair it will cause her excruciating, debilitating pain. She was left as a baby in a basket with a note saying not to touch her, that she was cursed. And so at first no one would take her, until the man who became her father did. He soon learned the curse and not touching had to do with the pain it caused her, not that she hurt anyone else. But her life was hard because he soon realized he couldn’t touch her with bare skin. That means no hugging, nothing. The other kids at school didn’t believe it and would test it out, pulling her hair, touching her just to see what happened. So she had one friend really.
When her dad gets sick she decides to break into the Gilded City where the fae with magic live. She comes across a healer who comes back and heals her father. She also finds out he can touch her. But when she says that to him, he realizes who she is, and tells her to stay away. Turns out she comes from a dark fae family. One that had been completely sent away or was dead as far as everyone knew. They can’t kill her because the curse also says if anyone in the city kills her, then the heirs to the throne will die.
When they come to take her back to the city to put her in jail for her family’s sins, suddenly she finds powers she never knew she had as she fights to protect the few townspeople who are trying to protect her. So she is taken in to the city and charged with attending the school for all four years to learn to control her powers, in the hope that she will not turn dark like the rest of her family did. Her father is brought to live there with her and given a job. She is lucky enough that she met one girl the first night she snuck into the city named Eden that becomes a friend. And the healer who came to help her, Ariyon can’t seem to decide whether he likes her or hates her based on her family and how they affected his own family.
Other people on her side are the woman, Avis, whose apothecary shop she broke into the first night, as well as one of her instructors, who fought the queen to give her a chance at the school. She must live under her blood family’s name, even if she doesn’t want to claim the evil woman that was her mother. And soon there seems to be someone still there trying to cause issues and bring her mother back. Ariyon also has a brother named Ayden who becomes a friend, maybe boyfriend to Fallon. But to never be able to touch her, without bringing immediate pain comes between them in that aspect. And Fallon wants more, and Ariyon wants to be the one to give it to her. Even with knowing that his healing powers mean he will have a short life.
When things get really dangerous at the end, and Fallon has to choose to save him, things go wrong, and soon she must be the only one who can save him, even if she has no idea how she can do it.
I totally could see who might possibly be the one we should be keeping an eye on. There was even maybe a hint of a clue given right before the dance I think, that maybe solidified my inkling. Now, I just need the second book, and I think it is already available, since this one came out last year too? I don’t know, but I need to read more!
It hooked me from the start with the different classes of fae. Those with magic and those without. First of all Fallon’s curse is horrible. No one can touch her. And it’s not even just her skin, even if someone were to touch her hair it will cause her excruciating, debilitating pain. She was left as a baby in a basket with a note saying not to touch her, that she was cursed. And so at first no one would take her, until the man who became her father did. He soon learned the curse and not touching had to do with the pain it caused her, not that she hurt anyone else. But her life was hard because he soon realized he couldn’t touch her with bare skin. That means no hugging, nothing. The other kids at school didn’t believe it and would test it out, pulling her hair, touching her just to see what happened. So she had one friend really.
When her dad gets sick she decides to break into the Gilded City where the fae with magic live. She comes across a healer who comes back and heals her father. She also finds out he can touch her. But when she says that to him, he realizes who she is, and tells her to stay away. Turns out she comes from a dark fae family. One that had been completely sent away or was dead as far as everyone knew. They can’t kill her because the curse also says if anyone in the city kills her, then the heirs to the throne will die.
When they come to take her back to the city to put her in jail for her family’s sins, suddenly she finds powers she never knew she had as she fights to protect the few townspeople who are trying to protect her. So she is taken in to the city and charged with attending the school for all four years to learn to control her powers, in the hope that she will not turn dark like the rest of her family did. Her father is brought to live there with her and given a job. She is lucky enough that she met one girl the first night she snuck into the city named Eden that becomes a friend. And the healer who came to help her, Ariyon can’t seem to decide whether he likes her or hates her based on her family and how they affected his own family.
Other people on her side are the woman, Avis, whose apothecary shop she broke into the first night, as well as one of her instructors, who fought the queen to give her a chance at the school. She must live under her blood family’s name, even if she doesn’t want to claim the evil woman that was her mother. And soon there seems to be someone still there trying to cause issues and bring her mother back. Ariyon also has a brother named Ayden who becomes a friend, maybe boyfriend to Fallon. But to never be able to touch her, without bringing immediate pain comes between them in that aspect. And Fallon wants more, and Ariyon wants to be the one to give it to her. Even with knowing that his healing powers mean he will have a short life.
When things get really dangerous at the end, and Fallon has to choose to save him, things go wrong, and soon she must be the only one who can save him, even if she has no idea how she can do it.
I totally could see who might possibly be the one we should be keeping an eye on. There was even maybe a hint of a clue given right before the dance I think, that maybe solidified my inkling. Now, I just need the second book, and I think it is already available, since this one came out last year too? I don’t know, but I need to read more!