Realm of Lore and Lies (Fair Ones Book 1)

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And oh my gosh. This book was so good. Realm of Lore and Lies is definitely a slow build, so if you’re hoping to jump straight into the action with a clear idea of what’s happening, you don’t. But, with the slowness you get INCREDIBLE world building. Honestly, few books have the depth and intricacies of a magic world while keeping the story interesting and moving forward. I was absolutely captivated. I already cannot wait until the second book comes out!

Now, what I think is the strongest point of this book, the characters, this story follows multiple points of view, and every single one of them was really good, but my favorite was Ash’s POV. But the four of them were fascinating. I love that every one of the four main characters, Ash, Set, Maebh, and Tier; had their own adventure and space to grow through the story, to feel their fears and to make their own choices.Based on Irish Mythology, Realm of Lore and Lies follows protagonist Aisling Breen, struggling between the normal life she is attempting to lead, and the complicated one she has left behind. Told through multi-person-pov, all four main character’s perspectives kept me engaged and gripped, and I loved weaving together the information each character was gaining and how it would come to help the others. The characters felt so real to me: they were so well-developed with their motivations, flaws, insecurities and personalities all clear and believable. You truly root for Aisling, Meabh, Setanta and Tiernan. Not every book I read is a hit and I easily fall into book slumps, but this book brought me right out of it! The only issues that I have with the book is the pacing is a bit slow for me and although I was here for the potential romance between Ash & Setanta, it was a bit of a non-starter (here’s to more of it in book 2 😉). Claire goes into detail about the various aspects of Irish myths and legends she’s introducing in the story- this slowed down the pace but I think is necessary for those unfamiliar with this lore to get a handle on. Finally, let’s talk about that final part of the book, it was so good, I love it, the way everything tided up together to make the big revelation of the real evil one was epic. Now I'm patiently waiting for book two on this series because I need to read what will happen to these guys in the trials they’ll have to face in the future. I recommend that book for readers who likes to be transported in other worlds and different ways of living. Irish lore is so rich and thanks to Claire Wright story, I can’t wait to discover more about it.

Maebh? She is THE ICON, THE MOMENT. She is the reason why I loved that this was a multi POV book. She uses her easy going, care free, bad b*tch attitude as a shield to hide how she really is and it makes me wanna give her the biggest hug. IF anyone deserves a HEA it is her! Nothing is ever as it seems, especially when Fair Ones are involved. In a land that harbours two realms, magical creatures and dangerous games are a way of life and death for the travelling Fianna clans. It is an honour to visit Tir na nOg, even if the price is pretending Fair Ones don’t hunt humans for sport. Ireland native Aisling never imagined she’d be alone, living a double life. But when your family shares the ability to see through Fae glamour, keeping secrets isn’t something you do for fun. You do it to stay alive. A murder leaves Aisling motherless, thrusting her into the position of matriarch in a world she thought she’d never return to. Teaming up with an unlikely band of allies for a competition steeped in peril, she can’t resist the distraction warrior Setanta offers. Brooding, gorgeous and impossibly strong, he gives her a chance to be something she never could before–herself. Bonded by troubled pasts and deadly circumstances, the team of misfits must face damaging truths as they try to stop their worlds from colliding. Realm of Lore and Lies (Fair Ones, #1) by Claire Wright – eBook Details The characters in this one were also really captivating. I loved Tiernan, Maebh and Set the most. One of my improvements would be that I did find the main character, Ash, a bit bland to start with. I enjoyed her POV’s in the second half of the book a lot more when she started standing her ground and finding her strength. Perhaps this was due to me finding my feet in the story at the beginning, but I always felt myself more drawn to the side characters. All the side characters were really unique and had compelling stories of their own, and great dynamics with the each other.I love books that have Irish lore and mythology as its theme. So, I was super excited when Claire Wright invited me to be part of her street team for her debut novel, Realm of Lore and Lies. And, let me tell you, it was so good. Thank you for having me on the team and for the gifted e-arc, Claire! Ireland native Aisling never imagined she'd be alone, living a double life. But when your family shares the ability to see through fae glamour, keeping secrets isn't something you do for fun. You do it to stay alive. Irish Mythology - think mischievous and sometimes scary fae. Quirky lore and an enchanting culture. There are three things I liked most about this book. The first is how the author used the mythology of the Tuatha Dé Danann and Tír na nÓg as the foundation of the world-building. I remember the lore from childhood and it gave me a strong sense of nostalgia. Second, I liked how each of the main characters goes through some major development in the story. It was fun to get to know them as their various motivations were revealed. Lastly, I loved the choices the author made for the ending. I can't say much more without giving it away, but it definitely left me wanting more and looking forward to the next installment!

Each character's live with their own burdens. At some point, I wanted them to just « get it over with ». Lots of internal dialogues about how guilty they felt, what they should have done… I would've loved more interactions between them.But that is not the only thing that complicates Ash’s life, she also has to return home and take an active role on her clan, and be part of the Cath, something like a competition on Tír na nÓg AKA the land of youth or the Irish otherworld. Dun dun dun… Here is where things became interesting, that’s means you have enough information to make yourself an idea of what this book is about. Aisling Breen - Ash - the girl who ran from her clan to live a “normal” life, only to be forced into matriarchy after her mother’s death. A formidable force and leader of the Breen clan. I wasn’t crazy about having 4 different points of view in the story at first, but it grew on me as the story progresses. I am invested in seeing what happens next (I somehow missed the words “Fair Ones Book 1 on the cover and didn’t realize it was a series). A murder leaves Aisling motherless, thrusting her into the position of matriarch in a world she thought she'd never return to. Teaming up with an unlikely band of allies for a competition steeped in peril, she can't resist the distraction warrior Setanta offers. Brooding, gorgeous and impossibly strong, he gives her a chance to be something she never could before-herself. The writing was great - it was easy to follow yet not overly simplified, even though there were a lot of names and terms that were new to me.

I honestly loved uncovering each new bend in the plot of this book; it kept me on my toes! I was always interested in what was coming next, and each exciting character offered up adventure and even intrigue with each chapter. I enjoyed how their relationships grew as they faced each challenge. The bits of romance were also well-balanced in the story and fun. I'll admit I am partial to Ash and Set and can't wait to see how their relationship fully blossoms. ;) I also liked how their friendships formed as they had to work together, and the bonds they created will certainly outlast stone and time. Really, I'm excited to see where all of their relationships take them in the next book, which I will definitely be getting! In a land that harbours two realms, magical creatures and dangerous games are a way of life and death for the travelling Fianna clans. It is an honour to visit Tír na nÓg, even if the price is pretending Fair Ones don’t hunt humans for sport. As the story develops, we learn more about each character from their points of view. Normally I’m not a huge fan of more than two POVs, but I think this story really worked. I enjoyed how interconnected their lives were, and I can guarantee that we haven’t even seen the extent of that interconnectedness yet. First off, thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinion are my own. Talking about the characters I can’t talk about one of them, letting the others behind so, what can I say without spoiling you? That I loved them and I really need them happy and living their best life. Another thing I can say is #leaveMaebhbehappy please, this girl has been through a lot; also I can say that I loved that Ash fangirled with ancient symbols, and I’ve never been so identified with a character, in terms of their love for the past, like I was with Ash. And of course, I can’t forget that Tiernan is so smart, I love how clever he is, and also how cute Setanta is, I mean he could kill me, but I think he is like a big teddy bear ready to kill.

for this book for sure! Closer to a 5 than a 4. Before going over the book, I would like to disclose that I did receive this book as an eARC. However, this review will be completely honest. The four main characters “Ash, Tier, Set, Mae”, have four different traits, with minds of their own, making the experience of the story mind-blowing. Having to deal with their own struggles in life at a young age, has made them the way they are strong, confident, and full of self-doubts and the need which they think can never be fulfilled. When this group of misfits comes together on a journey, they experience and realize many things they were missing. I enjoyed the slow burn romances in this one a lot too. They are very slow, but I’m so keen to see where things go. It’s Clair's debut novel and she has woven this story so perfectly with the detailing of the surrounding that I want to visit Ireland someday and want to see the places mentioned. Justice is done with other characters and I loved everything about the book. I enjoyed reading these lovely fellows, I’m suspicious of Druid Ethne, I hate Emer and how she treats people. A lot is left unsaid and I’m reading to find out in the next book. A realm of Lore and Lies breathes life into Irish Folklore. We follow the points of view of four different characters whose lives are tangled together in mystery and loss. The first 40% of this book introduces us to each of the four protagonists and we are shown the world of the travelling Fianna and what it means to live as one.