I received this book via the author, M. Lynn, Melissa A. Craven. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Fae's Prisoner by M. Lynn, Melissa A. Craven Series: Crimes of the Fae #1
Published by Twin Rivers Press on 2020-09-23
Length: 266 pages
Reviewing eARC Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2020 New Release Challenge, COYER All Year 2020
Griffin O’Shea is a traitor.
It’s what those outside the prison realm called him when he chose the wrong side in the war of the fae queens. Now, he is the only person in the entire fae world who remembers his dark deeds.
The moment Griffin crossed into the prison realm, every fae he’d ever known forgot he existed. Left with nothing—not even his magic—he’s had to survive in a land of eternal darkness where a ruthless king terrorizes villages full of Dark Fae. Creatures with magnificent wings, tails, and horns wander the darkness of Myrkur, forgotten by all who believe this harsh world is one for criminals alone.
It’s been nearly ten years, and once again, Griffin is traitor to a king. But this time instead of punishment, Griffin is offered a mission that will take him across the magical barrier into the realms he once called home.
His task? Find a way to destroy the magic keeping the Dark Fae inside the prison realm.
Riona, the king’s champion, watches Griffin’s every move, forcing him to remain loyal to the dark king even when facing a brother who does not recognize him, an ex-wife who doesn’t know him, and two children that could be the key to everything.
Destroying the prison magic will send dangerous fae out into the peaceful realms, and Griffin must decide if maybe this time, becoming a traitor is the right thing to do.
This is the book I didn’t know I needed! Fae’s Prisoner by M. Lynn, Melissa A. Craven is the first book in their spin-off series Crimes of the Fae. Taking place roughly ten years after the events in Queens of the Fae, the authors take us into the prison realm where the fae prince we all hate to love is making amends by helping those who can’t help themselves. Fae’s Prisoner is a dark redemption tale that will leave you begging for more.
Oh Griff, my poor misguided fae! Griffin O’Shea is one of those characters that you love and hate yourself for loving all at the same time. If you haven’t read Queens of the Fae yet, I highly suggest you do because that is where you will get Griff’s backstory. Sent to the prison realm after helping Queen Regan try to take over the Fae kingdoms, Griff accepted his fate without argument. In fact, he was the one to suggest it. His time in Myrkur, the kingdom the Fae have forgotten, has allowed him to evaluate his actions and start over with a new purpose. He’s dedicated his life to protecting the Dark Fae he calls family from their tyrannical king. Yet he still questions himself, what he did, who he hurt, and believes that nothing he has done since then can ever atone for those sins. Truly, he breaks my heart, and at the same time I want to reach through the pages and give him a good smack on the head! Broody male….
The story follows Griff in his new life. We meet several new characters, all of whom I love, though Gulliver is my favorite. I love this little dark fae who absolutely steals the spotlight! But I digress, the plot begins when Griff’s true identity is revealed to the king of Myrkur. The king wants the barrier down, and he plans to use Griff to do it. Blackmailed into helping the king, Griff finds himself back where it all began, facing the demons that have haunted him for the last ten years.
But he isn’t alone. With Griff is Riona, the king’s champion. She’s a rare dark fae, and I’m not really sure how to feel about her. At times, she’s brutal and cunning. At others, she’s kind. This leaves Griff’s head spinning. I’m curious to see where the authors are going to take her character because Riona could be a force of evil or be the ultimate hero.
Overall, I loved Fae’s Prisoner. It was great seeing all the familiar characters and revisiting the world the authors created in the first series. Though I’m definitely seeing it in a different light. Griff was one of my favorite characters already so I was so excited when they announced he was getting his own series. I love seeing the changes in him, and this redemption arc is going to be epic! I highly recommend this one to anyone that enjoys fantasy, especially fae.
About M. Lynn
Michelle Lynn fell in love with reading when she was a kid. Every kind of book gripped her imagination. As she got a little older, she got into series like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. Currently, her favorite is the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.
Michelle is an escapist. She believes that a book can take you anywhere and get you away from what's going on in your own life. You can disappear inside the pages and become a different person. Growing up, this became more and more important for her as her life changed dramatically due to an illness. It started when she was young and got worse over the years. Reading is what helped her get through it. She's still getting through it but it isn't as hard, mentally, as it once was. Like reading, writing provided her a needed escape. Her dream is for her books to be able to do that for someone else. Life is hard but this just makes it a little bit easier.
Reading and writing aren't Michelle's only vices as she deals with the illness that has now become disabling. She's also an avid hockey fan. She lives in Florida but never misses a Columbus Blue Jackets game on TV.
Michelle also spends a lot of time with her family - parents, two sisters, 2 brother in-laws, and niece. She's also constantly surrounded by animals - 2 cats and a bird- that provide much needed comfort and inspiration.
She has a college degree in business, economics, and accounting but has to decide how to tie that to writing because that's where her passion lies now.
About Melissa A. Craven
Melissa A. Craven writes Young Adult Urban Fantasy with crossover appeal to other genres and audiences of all ages. She believes in stories that make you think and she loves playing with foreshadowing, leaving clues and hints for the careful reader.
She draws inspiration from her background in architecture and interior design to help her with the small details in world building and scene settings. (Her degree in fine art also comes in handy.)
Melissa is also the indie manager and a staff reviewer at YABooksCentral.com. You can follow her reviews and her contributions to the YABC blog at the YABC site.
Melissa LOVES to hear from her readers. You can connect with her at her website MelissaACraven.com to find out more about upcoming Emerge releases, enter giveaways and download your free copy of Emerge: The Scholar.
i love a book that has characters to die for and now you make me feel a need to get to know griff
sherry fundin recently posted…The Timekeeper by Jordana Barber #booksfromthebacklog @JordanaBarber
I love him! His story starts in Fae’s Deception, the first book in Queens of the Fae. I highly recommend it!