Ruins of Sea and Souls, the third book in the Fae Isles series by Lisette Marshall, is live!

A fabulous read full of adventure, action and drama, and all manor of fantasy creatures, powers and lore; and at the heart of it, a beautiful love story that continues to own my heart.

 

Amazon  |  Paperback

 

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Blurb

“You fell in love with a fae executioner. Did you truly think that would end well?”

With war looming, Emelin’s plan is simple: break the Mother’s bindings while her more diplomacy-minded friends persuade the rest of the world to join their rebellion. Unfortunately, their would-be allies are far too concerned about Em’s exact connection to the feared and hated Silent Death.

They might risk their lives for the world’s only unbound mage, but they’ll never fight for a fae prince’s puppet.

Forced to hide the explosive secret of their love, Em and Creon journey to the plague-cursed continent to learn more about the bindings. But as they face dragons, ruins, and murderous forests in search of the vanished gods, distrust between Creon and their travel companions brings tensions to a boiling point.

And if their love may cost them the victory against the Mother … how will Em ever choose between her heart and her duty?

 

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Review

5 stars!

Wow, what a fantastic instalment in the Fae Isles series! Full of adventure, action and drama, and all manor of fantasy creatures, powers and lore; and at the heart of it, a beautiful love story that continues to own my heart.

This is the third book of the series (not including the prequel novel, Heart of Silk and Shadows), continuing Emelin’s story as a half fae/half human magic wielder, and part of the growing rebellion against the fae Mother who rules all with a ruthlessly powerful hand. Stuck in a hidden underground with a wonderfully mixed bunch, Emelin and her growing list of allies are planning to destroy the Mother once and for all, and restore the power and freedoms that she has stolen from all of the beings in their world.

By her side is her lover Creon, the Mother’s son and feared former executioner who has rebelled and is now working with the allies to bring her down – even though he is still deeply distrusted by most. The relationship between Emelin and Creon is strong, passionate, and all consuming, but it’s also a secret. There is no way the face of the rebellion can be seen as being in a relationship with the Mother’s executioner, even if he has seemingly switched sides. Creon is still untrusted, and Emelin knows that if her allies knew she was in love with who they perceive as they enemy, their group could crumble.

So, when a group is put together to embark on a trip to the mysterious ‘Continent’, where they plan to seek the gods themselves to ask for help in their quest, it’s with very mixed dynamics and one huge secret, which sets the scene for a bumpy ride ahead.

The drama and excitement is high, and I loved the sense of adventure as we follow Emelin, Creon, and their friends (and some not-so-much-friends) on a journey filled with magic, danger, and a whole lot of emotional baggage. The interactions are sharp and witty, and vary from friendly banter to outright disdain, and I loved feeling like I was right in the thick of it with them.

But in the middle of it all, Emelin and Creon are both struggling to keep their feelings for each other hidden, and under the stress of it all, cracks are starting to appear.

“I love your sharp edges so damn much … Watching you trying to turn yourself into something soft and pliable for the rest of the world is a very special kind of torture.”

It’s emotional and dramatic, and it’s frustrating at times, but it’s part of their journey. And as Emelin encounters mysteries and challenges, she learns and she grows, and I really loved watching her change so much as she faces the impossible, comes to terms with her powers, and has some pretty significant realisations about her own life, and her relationship with the man she loves so deeply.

The romance is absolutely beautiful. Yes, they face challenges, but I never doubted Emelin and Creon’s bond, or their feelings for each other, and those difficult moments just make the love story all the more intense. There is such a deep connection between the two of them. They care for, support and accept each other without question, and whether they are laughing together, fighting together, or exploring their sizzling sexual chemistry, they are an absolute powerhouse, and I just love them!

He was here. He was mine. We’d take on the whole damn world if we had to, and who was going to stop us as long as we were together?

There are battles and intrigue, and though this is a long book, the storyline moves at a great pace. It’s exciting and engaging, and I was completely hooked from start to finish. The story twists and turns, and there’s so much going on, progressing the series storyline brilliantly and building to what is sure to be an epic confrontation.

But how long is Emelin willing to live with a lie? And when she is forced to make life-changing decisions, will she follow her head, or her heart?

“You fell in love with a fae executioner. Did you truly think that would end well?”

Gah! It’s all happening, and I cannot get enough. I finished this book feeling absolutely breathless, and though it ends in a good place, I am desperate for more, and cannot wait for the series to continue.

5 stars!

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

The Fae Isles series