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A review by vikingwolf
Fairies in My Fireplace by R.L. Naquin
5.0
Seriously, the more I read in this series the more I love it! I'm so attached to all the characters and anxious for their wellbeing, which shows that the author is doing a great job of making you care about them and drawing you into their world.
Zoey is recovering from her bad luck Pooka and her run in with the Board but she and Maurice are suddenly being overwhelmed by the number of Hidden creatures that are coming to her for help. Her garden is like the tent city in a refugee disaster zone-thunderbirds, harpies, djinn to name a few-and many are telling stories of being hunted or having family members go missing. It is a worrying time and the gang try to work out if there is a pattern to the problems they are facing while working to expand the safe zone. It is then that the hunters arrive in the woods beside Zoey's protected home and start grabbing her friends.
I was in a real state of fear when the attack happened. Darius, the boss of Silas the Pooka arrives in time to stop Zoey running into the battle, but my heart was in my mouth when Maurice ran into the woods. I was so scared that he would get grabbed. Despite their best efforts, Iris is taken by the hunters as he tries to stop them taking the fairies. Poor Iris! After Maurice, he is my favourite character and the thought of the big guy in prison was horrible.
The plot thickens when Zoey finds out that the missing creatures are going to be sold to rich humans at an auction, an event that Sara and Zoey have been hired to plan. Now they have to run two events back to back and find a way to rescue all the captured creatures during it. The Collector is in charge of things and she becomes aware that there is an Aegis is town, making the task more difficult. Things get tougher for Zoey when she finds out that the missing Aegis agents are being held by the Collector to look after the Hidden-and could perhaps include Zoey's mother.
This book is darker than the other books, which is to be expected with the plot. I was worried constantly by what was happening to Iris and the others, and as the auction gets nearer, the tension rises. Maurice and his friends are determined to do anything they can to rescue their comrades, making Zoey (and me) fear for his safety. There are a few tension filled scenes ie the warehouse that the gang go to search, where the creatures were held. The night of the auction was full of tension and trauma as events spin out of control.
There were a few lighter moments that I enjoyed. Iris with his Yeti girlfriend. Maurice pretending to be a slave closet monster belonging to Sara during the search for his friends. There were also some touching moments where a couple of kids were reunited with their rescued mother, Zoey seeing her mother and Molly's husband redeeming himself in defence of his family. And Alma gets a right dose from Zoey...YEA!
***SPOILER***
This is a BIG plot spoiler so if you don't want to know what happens at the auction, look away NOW! Don't look back until you see the spoiler end!
There was a horrific scene for me during the auction. It looks as if the Hidden have been successfully rescued and everyone is starting to relax, and then it happens. The bad guy with the gun points it right at Maurice and pulls the trigger. I was screaming 'noooo' in my head at the thought of a dead Maurice and then poor big brave Iris throws himself in the way to save his best friend. I was distraught. Not Maurice, but please not Iris either! I prayed that Zoey could help him, like she did with Milo. I was running with her as she sought to find her mother, who has the power to hold off death. I so wanted there to be a magical loophole...but Iris was gone. I sobbed from then until after they buried the big guy. I could not stop and I'm not sure I can forgive the author for this!
***SPOILER END***
OK you can look back now. Yes I promise, it's safe! This was a really emotional book with danger around every corner, but with the right blend of tension, humour, sweet scenes and the disturbing. It was beautifully written and I was swept along for the ride. I did not put this book down from start to finish and I can't wait to read what comes next. This is one of the best new series that I've discovered and I need my next Monster fix!
Zoey is recovering from her bad luck Pooka and her run in with the Board but she and Maurice are suddenly being overwhelmed by the number of Hidden creatures that are coming to her for help. Her garden is like the tent city in a refugee disaster zone-thunderbirds, harpies, djinn to name a few-and many are telling stories of being hunted or having family members go missing. It is a worrying time and the gang try to work out if there is a pattern to the problems they are facing while working to expand the safe zone. It is then that the hunters arrive in the woods beside Zoey's protected home and start grabbing her friends.
I was in a real state of fear when the attack happened. Darius, the boss of Silas the Pooka arrives in time to stop Zoey running into the battle, but my heart was in my mouth when Maurice ran into the woods. I was so scared that he would get grabbed. Despite their best efforts, Iris is taken by the hunters as he tries to stop them taking the fairies. Poor Iris! After Maurice, he is my favourite character and the thought of the big guy in prison was horrible.
The plot thickens when Zoey finds out that the missing creatures are going to be sold to rich humans at an auction, an event that Sara and Zoey have been hired to plan. Now they have to run two events back to back and find a way to rescue all the captured creatures during it. The Collector is in charge of things and she becomes aware that there is an Aegis is town, making the task more difficult. Things get tougher for Zoey when she finds out that the missing Aegis agents are being held by the Collector to look after the Hidden-and could perhaps include Zoey's mother.
This book is darker than the other books, which is to be expected with the plot. I was worried constantly by what was happening to Iris and the others, and as the auction gets nearer, the tension rises. Maurice and his friends are determined to do anything they can to rescue their comrades, making Zoey (and me) fear for his safety. There are a few tension filled scenes ie the warehouse that the gang go to search, where the creatures were held. The night of the auction was full of tension and trauma as events spin out of control.
There were a few lighter moments that I enjoyed. Iris with his Yeti girlfriend. Maurice pretending to be a slave closet monster belonging to Sara during the search for his friends. There were also some touching moments where a couple of kids were reunited with their rescued mother, Zoey seeing her mother and Molly's husband redeeming himself in defence of his family. And Alma gets a right dose from Zoey...YEA!
***SPOILER***
This is a BIG plot spoiler so if you don't want to know what happens at the auction, look away NOW! Don't look back until you see the spoiler end!
There was a horrific scene for me during the auction. It looks as if the Hidden have been successfully rescued and everyone is starting to relax, and then it happens. The bad guy with the gun points it right at Maurice and pulls the trigger. I was screaming 'noooo' in my head at the thought of a dead Maurice and then poor big brave Iris throws himself in the way to save his best friend. I was distraught. Not Maurice, but please not Iris either! I prayed that Zoey could help him, like she did with Milo. I was running with her as she sought to find her mother, who has the power to hold off death. I so wanted there to be a magical loophole...but Iris was gone. I sobbed from then until after they buried the big guy. I could not stop and I'm not sure I can forgive the author for this!
***SPOILER END***
OK you can look back now. Yes I promise, it's safe! This was a really emotional book with danger around every corner, but with the right blend of tension, humour, sweet scenes and the disturbing. It was beautifully written and I was swept along for the ride. I did not put this book down from start to finish and I can't wait to read what comes next. This is one of the best new series that I've discovered and I need my next Monster fix!