Feast (Harvest of Dreams, #1)

Jan 27, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dark-fantasy, dreams, urban-fantasy, zz-2012, surreality, faeries, reviewed, pleasantly-surprised, keepers-pnr-vamps

Pay no attention to the cover of this book. It does a dreadful job conveying what's unique & beautiful about the story therein. Instead it blares the same old overdone paranormal romance hook: "I'm a Drew Barrymore clone guesting on Buffy the Vampire Slayer & this is yet another alpha-female-noir-urban-fantasy of the type that makes Sarah's brain bleed."

...But don't listen to the false advertising. This is an adult fairy tale. Not 'adult' because it's full of heaving bosoms -- there's no...more Pay no attention to the cover of this book. It does a dreadful job conveying what's unique & beautiful about the story therein. Instead it blares the same old overdone paranormal romance hook: "I'm a Drew Barrymore clone guesting on Buffy the Vampire Slayer & this is yet another alpha-female-noir-urban-fantasy of the type that makes Sarah's brain bleed."

...But don't listen to the false advertising. This is an adult fairy tale. Not 'adult' because it's full of heaving bosoms -- there's no sex or four-letter words -- but 'adult' because of the tone, approach, & treatment of a story whose essentials could be lifted from the Blue Fairy Book (albeit with more gore). The writing is lyrical, dark, & evocative, but it stops just short of purple prose & overdone angst. There are several narrators & they switch point-of-view in rapid fire, alternating brief chapters (the longest was 8 pages) from start to finish.

The primary heroine is Maddie, a graphic novelist stuck with a terrible case of writer's block. Thanks to a nasty divorce, she's in need of a few days relaxation -- so she packs her sketchbooks, her son, & her dog (named Samwise -- the Tolkien reference isn't accidental) & drives to a remote mountain town where her parents took her to as a child. It's Halloween weekend -- what better time to escape the city & get her creative juices flowing? What Maddie doesn't realize is that Halloween in Ticonderoga Falls is much more than candy & pumpkins. The town is under the curse -- and the protection -- of a powerful Darkling fey named Ash.

Ash has invited his kin to Ticonderoga Falls for their yearly dream harvest -- the primary feeding for these fey, who require human dreams for survival. He invites his sister Sage, his daughter Elspeth (a half-human hybrid), his female-cousin Sienna, & two male-cousins named Thane & River. All these Darklings use glamours to hide their pointy ears, fangs, claws, gray-skinned bodies, & leathery wings; they live beneath human skins when it suits them (sugary food is particularly pleasurable to their taste buds), but there's little need for disguise. The residents of Ticonderoga Falls are well aware of Darkling habits; most of them carry Ash's mark, which protects them from dream-harvest by any outsider Darklings.

When Maddie arrives at the cabin, she sets off to explore the woods where she played as a child. It was there she had a brief encounter with Ash in his Darkling form, & she's keen to see if that strange winged creature can be found. Thane, meanwhile, notes Ash's fascination with Maddie & her fertile imagination (so strong, in fact, that the Darklings can see her characters as they follow her around). He also knows Ash is weak from dining on stale dreams of his long-dead wife -- and he's determined to exploit those weaknesses & keep Ticonderoga for himself.

Maddie, of course, is unaware of the danger. She's attracted to Ash, yet she knows something's off -- she can't help noticing things aren't quite right (such as light passing through a hole in his side when he relaxes his glamour -- oops). But as Halloween weekend wears on, she unintentionally takes the mantle of Ticonderoga's local story-telling guru, the Legend Keeper, & in the process sets her characters loose to defeat Thane. But Ash's rule has been broken. If he steps down for good, who will protect the town against rogue Darklings? (Hint: it's probably not who you're thinking. ;))

Anyway, this was a fun book with elements of Secret Window, Wicked Lovely, & Pan's Labyrinth...but the overall picture is different from all these things. It's a fairy tale in the old-fashioned sense, with strange magics that aren't explained, yet somehow perceived & absorbed by those who are sensitive to imagination & the unknown. There are a couple things that could have been clarified, but overall I quite enjoyed it. (Random technical note: the blessedly few pop culture references except as relating to Maddie's career. WIN! Thank you, Ms Destefano.) Yes, it's a semi-stand-alone with a HEA...but there are hints at a sequel, & I'll definitely pick that up when it arrives.(less)

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Jul 06, 2011 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/07/...

Feast was a really nice break from the usual urban fantasy fare. Madeline MacFaddin travels back to Ticonderoga Falls with her young son, Tucker, and their dog, Samwise, to hopefully decompress from what was a painful divorce, not to mention the idea of her ex-husband marrying her ex-best friend. A wildly famous writer of graphic novels, Maddie is also hoping to break her writer’s block before her career takes a nose dive....more You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/07/...

Feast was a really nice break from the usual urban fantasy fare. Madeline MacFaddin travels back to Ticonderoga Falls with her young son, Tucker, and their dog, Samwise, to hopefully decompress from what was a painful divorce, not to mention the idea of her ex-husband marrying her ex-best friend. A wildly famous writer of graphic novels, Maddie is also hoping to break her writer’s block before her career takes a nose dive. Ash is the caretaker of the inn and the land and holds sway over the magic that cloaks the woods like a shroud. Ash saved Maddie’s life when she was a child, and she still has memories of the dark creatures that live, and feed there. Unknown to her, a war is brewing between two clans of a race of beings called Darklings,that feed on the dreams of humans. Ash’s brother, Thane, plots to take over Ash’s land, so he can feed whenever, and however, he wants. Darklings are rather like vampires, except they feed on dreams instead of blood. Ash and his clan feed on humans without killing them, but Thane’s clan has no such reservations. A dark curse hovers over Ticonderoga Falls, revenge for the death of Ash’s wife, many years ago, and binds the residents to the town and to the Darklings that haunt their dreams.
Feast reads like a dark faerie tale and is told in first person POVs from various characters. It was different, switching back and forth, but I really enjoyed getting to know each character intimately, even the not-so-nice ones. This seems like it would be hard to do, but the author manages it really nicely. Ash is the star, but we get to know Maddie, Ash’s daughter, and Thane as well as other inhabitants of Ticonderoga Falls. Feast called to mind early Dean Koontz (Watchers, Strangers, etc), and not only because Feast and some of Koontz’s stories featured very special dogs. Set against a backdrop of Halloween, magic, and the power of dreams, Feast is a very entertaining combination of fantasy and faerie tale.(less)

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Jul 05, 2011 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, fantasy, fiction, urban, dropbox

FEAST had the dreamy quality I associate with Charles DeLint or Nina Kiriki Hoffman, transforming a piece of our every day world into something dark and magical. Maddie soon had me wrapped around their little finger, just as she won the heart of ancient, damaged Ash and reckless, amoral Thane. FEAST had me cringing in anticipation and yelling at the book when characters were in danger, Destefano completely swept me away into her dark dream.

Full review at All Things Urban Fantasy.

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Jul 05, 2011 All Things Urban Fantasy added it

Shelves: reviewed-by-julia

From FEAST’s first chapter I was engrossed as much with the mythology expanding before my eyes as I was with the characters who had already won my heart. The balance of character development and world building excellence that was impossible to put down. With a dreamy quality that I associate with Charles de Lint or Nina Kirki Hoffman, and with a touch of her own urban fantasy style thrown in, Destefano transforms a piece of our every day world into something dark and magical.

That little piece of...more From FEAST’s first chapter I was engrossed as much with the mythology expanding before my eyes as I was with the characters who had already won my heart. The balance of character development and world building excellence that was impossible to put down. With a dreamy quality that I associate with Charles de Lint or Nina Kirki Hoffman, and with a touch of her own urban fantasy style thrown in, Destefano transforms a piece of our every day world into something dark and magical.

That little piece of magic is the vacation town of Ticonderoga Falls and it’s inhabitants. It’s a getaway spot for humans, and, when the Hunt draws near, Darklings from another realm. The mythology of the Darklings unfolds slowly and organically, mixed in with the sad personal history of our hero, the ancient and damaged Ash. Destefano isn’t shy about painting Ash’s dark side, but it was that grittiness that made it so fascinating to watch him orbit and collide with Maddie and the locals, and created an adrenaline rush of fear and anticipation that accompanied each human/Darkling interaction.

While those moments of contact never came without a frisson of danger, there were also hints of long term symbiotic relationships, of love and passion that crossed realms. While I had a hard time imagining what a happily ever after would look like between Ash and Maddie themselves (never mind their blended families), I loved the level of detail and uncertainty Destefano lavished on her characters. Ash has lived numerous lives before, and Destefano deftly writes glimpses of his past even as she writes his present. Ash himself has doubts about a place for Maddie in his life, and his internal struggles leave the ending in question until the last pages, a delicious delay that never felt contrived.

All throughout FEAST, that artful uncertainty, when Maddie was vulnerable to other Darklings and the entire town of Ticonderoga Falls is at risk for nightmares and heartbreak and death, I was cringing in anticipation and yelling at the pages. From beginning to end FEAST wrapped me up in it’s faerie tale, and kept me completely under the spell of Destefano’s dark dream.

Sexual Content: Kissing, mention of sex, references to magically coerced sex and pregnancy.(less)

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Jul 23, 2011 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars

http://ismellsheep.blogspot.com/2011/...

Merrie Destefano has done it again. She has released a book that isn’t like any others currently on the market. Many people have been confused by Feast because it wasn’t what they were expecting.
http://ismellsheep.blogspot.com/2011/...

This isn’t a traditional Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance. It is a dark Fairy Tale, a Fantasy. A story of dreams and nightmares, where the spoken word has a power of its own. Her descriptive prose builds a magical atmosph...more

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Jul 12, 2011 Erika Badass rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, june-2011, maybe-reads, netgalley, urban-fantasy

Rating : C - or about 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Both reviews contain spoilers
I received this novel via NetGalley

http://badassbookreviews.com/2011/05/...

The writing style was nice, I liked how Merrie Destefano writes. Her words are poetic, and lyrical. She paints a vivid picture. But this picture just didn’t work for me. I thought that the idea of this novel is cool, but it needs more polishing to really shine.

Sounds good right? It should be better, and I hope some more editing before the release will h...more

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Dec 11, 2011 Kater Cheek rated it 2 of 5 stars

This novel takes the sexy supernatural trope and adds enough of a spin that people who like this subgenre will likely find this refreshing and new. Alas, FEAST does not put enough of a spin on it to catapult it out of the ordinary for people like me, who are a little jaded and weary of the sexy supernatural.

Mad Mac is reeling from a divorce, and she takes her young sun Tucker to Ticonderonaga Falls, a resort town she'd visited as a child. She hopes that there she'll be able to overcome her write...more

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May 29, 2011 Steph rated it 4 of 5 stars

(3 1/2 Stars)
Destefano's 2nd novel, Feast, introduces a new world which is unlike her previous UF/Scif-Fi novel-Afterlife. If her previous book can be called a Blade Runner/Scifi type thiller, this one is more like a slower mythological monster tale. However like her other book, this one is also written in multiple 1st person POV, which can give even the most patient reader whiplash. The book starts off more like a dark romance than an UF adventure thriller, but because it relies more on solid w...more

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May 09, 2011 Kelly % Books-n-Kisses rated it 4 of 5 stars

My Thoughts:
Dreams, it is what we do when we sleep… But have you ever wondered what happens when you can’t remember your dreams? Well the answer is here in Feast: Harvest of Dreams.
Oh Merrie has done it again. She has my mind spinning. Feast was a very interesting story. Interesting in a very Wonderland meets Paranormal kind of way. Merrie does a great job of setting up this world for us, a world of good and evil. I got really sucked into Ash’s world and his struggles to deal with who and what...more

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Apr 19, 2011 Lisarenee rated it 2 of 5 stars

Notes: I was allowed to read the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book. The book comes out June 28th.

Madeline MacFaddin has fond childhood memories of the town where she and her parents rented a cabin 25 years ago. Traveling through the area with her nine year old son, Tucker, she decides they'll spend the night. Maddie is an acclaimed author said to be a cross between Stephen King and Neil Gaiman. She's been experiencing writer's block and is hoping the town will inspire her imagination.

In th...more Notes: I was allowed to read the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book. The book comes out June 28th.

Madeline MacFaddin has fond childhood memories of the town where she and her parents rented a cabin 25 years ago. Traveling through the area with her nine year old son, Tucker, she decides they'll spend the night. Maddie is an acclaimed author said to be a cross between Stephen King and Neil Gaiman. She's been experiencing writer's block and is hoping the town will inspire her imagination.

In the small town of Ticonderoga Falls, appearances are misleading. The town may look normal, but it's anything but. It holds a dark secret. The upcoming Harvest, which takes place on Halloween night, can be a dangerous time to be in the little town. The 'feast' is not for humans, but the supernatural beings who 'harvest' the dreams of those around them. Usually the Harvest takes place with no problems, but this year dead bodies are being found even before the Harvest has officially begun. By the time the night is over things will never be the same and not everyone will survive, and Maddie will realize the dreams she had as a child weren't in fact dreams, but memories.

I've been debating on whether to give this book a 2 or a 3 star rating. I'm hoping some of what I'm seeing has to do with this being the ARC version of the book. The author seemed indecisive with what to call the creatures in her book. Darkling seems to be the prevailing name and my favorite of the lot which include shapeshifters, and chupacabra. Chupacabra being the name I like the least and am hoping won't be included in the final version. While supernatural creature rewrites seem to be all the rage, I feel the use of chupacabra would demean the being Destefano has created which really shares none of the traits typically associated with a chupacabra. I also have a lot of unanswered questions.

I am a little confused about the curse. Ash states that he is bound to the town by the curse he invoked and he also stated he's considered 'fallen' because of it. I'd like a very clear statement as to what the curse is, what it entails, and how it exactly binds him to the small town. Hopefully, this little oversight is something that will be cleared up in the final version.*crosses fingers*

Seems there were a lot of terms and titles given to individuals without any clear definition. I have no idea what a Legend Keeper does other than perhaps record things? Why are they necessary? How does one become one? Why is a Guardian necessary and how does one become one? Who exactly was the Guardian - Ash or Driscoll? Evenquest is mentioned twice in this book, but what Evenquest is is unclear. I'm assuming that Evenquest is where the Darklings come from? We are given no clues as to where Evenquest is nor why any Darklings would venture to live away from it.

I would have liked to have seen more interaction of an emotional and physical nature between Maddie and Ash. I'm just not feeling the love or attraction on Maddie's side. I'm not saying the two have to hook up, but I'd liked to have seen some sort of description of perhaps butterflies in the stomach, an unbelievably strong urge to kiss, or other such feeling that would make me feel there is some connection between them on Maddie's part. The last scene of the book just left me feeling it was too little, too late.

I would have liked more of a description of how exactly Maddie saw Ash in his true form. A one word description of how she perceived Darklings when she was seven just isn't enough. The perceptions of a seven year old and a women are very different. Granted she did describe a Darkling when she attempted to draw one, but it wasn't all that descriptive. She made no mention as to whether they are beautiful, terrifying, or ugly. I'd like to know if the way she sees them is the same as how Ash perceives his kind at the beginning of the book.

Usually if a book doesn't answer my questions I look to see if it's part of a series. Sometimes questions are answered in sequels. I checked both the author's website and various book sellers and there is no mention of this being the first book in a series. It appears to be a stand alone book. If a book is a first in series I tend to be more lenient in my rating and it probably would have swayed me towards giving it a 3 star rating. Unfortunately, because it doesn't appear to be the first in a series I've decided to give it 2 out of 5 stars. The reason for only 2 stars is all the holes that seem to need filling. (less)

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Jul 13, 2011 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, urban-fantasy

Maddie is a writer, recovering from a painful divorce and a bad case of writer's block. She returns to a small town where she vacationed as a child, hoping to find her muse. When she arrives, with her son and the family dog in tow, her imagination begins firing again almost right away.

Ash is thrilled that Maddie has returned. He encountered her when she was a child and recognized her vast creativity. He didn't claim her then, but hopes to correct that now... just in time for the impending hunt....more

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Jun 24, 2011 Amy L. Campbell rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, advanced-copy, ebook, netgalley, blogged, reviewed

Note: Free review copy received via NetGalley.

Destefano has created some wonderful new mythical creatures and legends with the Darklings in her new novel, Feast. She writes about them with the care and passion of someone who truly loves her creation.

However, it feels like she isn't quite ready to let them go. Destefano isn't ready to stop working with this novel yet and it shows. Rather than relaying a cohesive story, Destefano focuses more on relaying each and every plot point, allowing each of...more Note: Free review copy received via NetGalley.

Destefano has created some wonderful new mythical creatures and legends with the Darklings in her new novel, Feast. She writes about them with the care and passion of someone who truly loves her creation.

However, it feels like she isn't quite ready to let them go. Destefano isn't ready to stop working with this novel yet and it shows. Rather than relaying a cohesive story, Destefano focuses more on relaying each and every plot point, allowing each of her characters a chance to speak. Every few pages we are dropped into a different character's narrative, making for a jarring reading experience. Rather than building a sense of mystery about the Darklings, humanoid creatures that live off of human dreams and nightmares, we are fed bits and pieces of information about them throughout the narrative at such a regular pace that by the end of the story I was less than intrigued and more annoyed that I knew almost too much by the end and not quite enough at the beginning to make this an enjoyable discovery.

The "romance" between two of the many main characters felt more or less unnecessary and it might have actually been more interesting just to build Ash as simply a protector of story tellers rather than needing to fall in love with Maggie. Like almost everything else, it just felt tacked on, and part of this is due to the every changing narrative, in addition, there are actually three budding romances that take place in this very short novel and I was really only mildly impressed by one.

Destefano does try very hard to capture the magical feeling of creatures that are capable of weaving spells through song and incantation through her use of language. This includes a lot of purple prose and some very creative sentence structures, unfortunately it came off as gimmicky but might have been more effective if she had chosen to use this method only when writing from the point of view of the Darklings and if she had gone all out with it.

Lastly, by the end of the book, all of the townspeople all of a sudden seem to know everything about Darklings whereas before they were presented as being blissfully unaware of them (with a few exceptions). There is no explanation for this sudden burst of knowledge, unless they were all playing patsy, in which case there are even more questions to be answered.

Overall, this is worth reading a few pages of just to see these new creatures, but the characters and storyline weren't really worth the investment of time. If the author is only willing to invest two pages to a character it is awfully difficult to invest my own time to read about every single viewpoint and keep the facts of the narrative straight at the same time.(less)

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Jul 07, 2011 Heather Book Savvy Babe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, urban-fantasy, review-on-blog

* 3 of 5 stars*
Feast, an urban fantasy novel, takes place in a small town in the mountains. The town is unknowingly protected and watched over by Ash, a Darkling holding onto a curse. When Maddie comes to town looking for respite and inspiration for a new book, she finds not only inspiration, but also supernatural creatures and legends. Ash’s enemies are ready to take the town away from Ash, and harvest the humans living there. Ash must face his curse to save the town, and Maddie, but some thin...more

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Jun 25, 2011 ABookVacation rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars.

HarperCollins has been extremely gracious to allow me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release yesterday, and I must say, I’m in LOVE! This was a beautifully written novel and I was captivated the entire way through. One of my favorite aspects of the novel is the multiple points of view, which is turn creates very short chapters. There are many characters within the novel, both good and evil, and having their perspective of events is such a great aide to the s...more

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Apr 18, 2011 Cleffairy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea

Date reviewed: 18 April 2011

Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=5189

Reading this book, Feast by Merrie Destefano reminds me a little bit of Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland as well as through The Looking Glass. I’m not quite sure why… but perhaps because of the queer and mind boggling nature of this book.

I couldn’t actually grasps the story for the first few chapter, but as the story goes by, I find this book rather irresistible and rather drawn to the characters...more

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Jul 27, 2011 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Feast: Harvest of Dreams takes what most consider to be contemporary issues like divorce, depression, parenthood, financial security and career development, then mixes in elements of a darkly beautiful fantasy that will ensnare you from page one. I was surprised at how involved I got in reading this book, at often I thought of the characters after I was finished. The writing style was just so visual and I found it easy to imagine Ticonderoga Falls, almost like the world came alive inside my mind...more

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Oct 22, 2011 Miranda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: full-review-on-ft, fantasy

Originally posted on fancyterrible.com.

Sounds potentially fun and scary (despite the horribly written jacket copy), right? Yeah...not so much. I think this was supposed to be some sort of terrifying fairytale with a romantic undercurrent (yes please) but it was really just angst and monsters. Sometimes angsty monsters. In the forest. So let's call it...woodland horror lite.

When I like a book, I read it to the detriment of my life. I will skip sleeping, eating, and peeing in order to continue fli...more Originally posted on fancyterrible.com.

Sounds potentially fun and scary (despite the horribly written jacket copy), right? Yeah...not so much. I think this was supposed to be some sort of terrifying fairytale with a romantic undercurrent (yes please) but it was really just angst and monsters. Sometimes angsty monsters. In the forest. So let's call it...woodland horror lite.

When I like a book, I read it to the detriment of my life. I will skip sleeping, eating, and peeing in order to continue flipping pages. This one took the full 21 day library lending period for me to finish, and I skipped a bunch of chapters. If I had to summarize its worth quickly, I'd label it a disappointing book sprinkled with nice moments in the beginning. Not a liberal sprinkling, but a few (when Maddie rolls up to her cabin all devastated and despair despair despair? awesome), though they all but disappeared after the half-way mark.

And please, let me ruminate for a moment on the cover. This cover is nine kinds of wrong and misleading. This cover says "urban fantasy heroine who will shoot knives out of her tits and cut the head off of something resembling Skeletor," when the book actually features a highly vulnerable yet highly creative divorcee with a kid and a dog who likes to daydream and go hiking. So...the busty chick in the leather jacket with the hateface? False. Also that guy in the background reminds me of a figure skater. I don't know why that is, but I do know that Brian Boitano ≠ forest monster. Particularly enjoyed the blending of the trees into Brian Boitano's face that allow him to have knotty pine slicing through his brain.

Onward.

Since the official blurb for the book is useless, here's my one sentence summary: A race of creature called Darklings/Boitanos flap around the world and harvest the dreams of humans, and one of them is kind of nice and tortured and named Ash, and a lady named Maddie visits his town after being away for a while.

My biggest issue with this book was the way the story is put together. You bounce through multiple points of view, with each chapter belonging to a different character speaking in the first person. Which...fine. The chapters are labeled, so I know who's talking, but there are just SO MANY. Like more than six, probably. Sometimes you'll be in Ash's head, and flip the page, and some guy named Joe is talking. Who the fresh hell is Joe, you ask? I certainly don't know. If this is supposed to be a story about Maddie and Ash, I shouldn't be reading chapters and chapters about other people, many of whom are assholes, and wondering when the last time I checked in on Maddie's story was.

And speaking of the assholes, the villains in this book are shitty. I don't want a villain with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. A good villain will rip a head off and then crack a joke that is legit funny two pages later. A good villain will give you a little hint as to what made him go so terribly wrong. The villains in this book have none of that. They are just unlikable dickhats and I skipped over every chapter that revolved around them.

The Darkling named Thane, in particular, held no interest for me, not just because he waltzed around being a boring murderer, but because nothing he did contributed to the story in a way that made me care or wonder. I'd have much preferred to follow the so-called main characters around and discover all the off-camera awful things Thane & Co. did, in an intriguing way. Maybe the main characters could have gotten lusty over their shared mystery. But no! There was no intrigue, and no intrigue equals boredom.

The writing was pretty sometimes, though. I got a clear picture of the town, and I caught the vibe of how Maddie is like her own little magical mystery machine. I was even picking up a little of what Ash was putting down. He's twisty and tortured, and I never mind twisty and tortured.

But mostly I was just bored. Even when the shit hit the fan, I struggled to keep reading. And let's face it bitches, if you're writing a book about ferocious winged beasts who can suck your dreams out of you and terrorize towns, and you're boring people...something is not right.

Two stars for giving me just enough imagery to think to re-check my locks before bed.(less)

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Jul 03, 2011 Ruby rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban, fantasy, faeries

This review was first posted on http://www.rubysreads.com.

I surprised myself with my enjoyment of this book. Faeries are not my favorite supernatural creatures (as I think I've mentioned), but the publisher sent me a copy for review and I was determined to give it a try. In the beginning, I was sure I wasn't going to like it. When things really got started, about a quarter of the way through, I got sucked in, as I am wont to do. I read the last half at a gallop and resurfaced blinking like a ne...more This review was first posted on http://www.rubysreads.com.

I surprised myself with my enjoyment of this book. Faeries are not my favorite supernatural creatures (as I think I've mentioned), but the publisher sent me a copy for review and I was determined to give it a try. In the beginning, I was sure I wasn't going to like it. When things really got started, about a quarter of the way through, I got sucked in, as I am wont to do. I read the last half at a gallop and resurfaced blinking like a newborn foal. So, yes, the tale is absorbing. It involves murder, family rivalry, greed, ambition and regret. There's a fairly large cast, which was unfortunate, because I was less enamored of the characters.
Maddie, the heroine, is a well-known writer and creator of graphic novels. I think. I'm pretty sure. Lots of her stuff has been made into movies. But she's also recently divorced. Her husband left her for her best friend. Maddie is Scarred, Vulnerable and has Writer's Block because of these painful events. The writer's block is dangerous because Maddie needs money to ensure that she gets custody of her son, Tucker. I'm not really clear on why a woman so widely successful is so much in need of money, but there you are.
The hero's name is Ash. Is Ash a traditional Fae name? I can think of two, and it's not even my preferred genre. Anyway, Ash, too, is Scarred. Though in his case, the scar is literal. Once, when Maddie was a child, he saved her life because she was too young to harvest. When he meets Maddie again, she is an adult and he is eagerly anticipating that, er, delight. Too bad his extended family is in town for the hunt (wherein the faeries feast on dreams--get it?), and they don't share Ash's respect for humanity. Ash acts as the guardian of the town. There's a tenuous balance held in place by a curse that came about as the result of Ash's wife's death. Too bad his family isn't interested in maintaining the balance. Or in listening to Ash.
I spent a great deal of this novel trying to follow all the threads. I often felt like there was a prequel that I hadn't read because the characters had established relationships that required a bit of backstory. This was particularly evident in Ash's relationship with his half-human daughter Elspeth, with his cousin Thane, with his friend Ross. It's Ash's relationship with the humans in the town that make him a sympathetic character, but I don't really know how he formed them in the first place. It kind of reminded me of when Elizabeth Bennett visits Pemberly for the first time and begins to fall in love with Darcy once she sees what a wonderful landlord he is. It makes sense in early 19th Century terms, but not so much in a modern novel.
I think what all this boils down to, is that I felt like I was told too much about the characters. What to think about them, what events in their past affected their present. I prefer to infer, if you'll pardon the rhyme. I know that Maddie is scarred by her divorce (which was a double betrayal), but I don't know anything about how Maddie really feels about it. I imagine it's the kind of event that creates visceral reactions. Is there shame burning a hole in Maddie's stomach? I don't know, and therefore her emotions seem less real to me.
It was also hard for me to buy the romance. Ash has been carrying around his grief for his dead wife for a century. It's a literal wound for him. Given the depth of his grief, he doesn't really make a great romantic counterpart for Maddie. It was the first time I was hoping that the romance didn't reach a conclusion. Maddie and Ash's romance needs at least two more volumes to mature before it can work. Ash is still grieving for his wife. He still magically revisits her. He's kept an entire town in stasis because of the way she died. And don't even get me started on the whole Elspeth thing. I think the treatment of children is one of the main reasons I don't like faeries. Invariably, they show little affection for their offspring. Though I'd be happy to have this theory proven otherwise.
Before I finish the book review: One of my major publishing pet peeves is when covers don't accurately reflect the contents of the book. In this case, the cover model is entirely too young to be Maddie. She looks like she's probably in her early twenties. Maddie has a nine year old son. So, while I suppose it's possible that Maddie had her child when she was twelve, I highly doubt it. Plus, it's the kind of thing that would be mentioned. As far as cover inaccuracies go, this doesn't top the list of transgressions, but I noticed it, and it irritated me. Enough that I had to mention it in the review.(less)

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Jul 22, 2011 Carien rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, fantasy

As I loved Destefano's Afterlife I have been looking forward to reading Feast since I heard about it (and come on, who wouldn't want to read a book with the title: Feast, Harvest of Dreams).

With such high expectations there's always a chance that a book will disappoint, but Feast delivers, even though in a completely other way than I expected.

I had thought it would be much like Afterlife only in a different setting, but were Afterlife is a gritty, realistic Urban Fantasy, Feast is a dangerous an...more

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Jul 02, 2011 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, paranormal-romance

You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance

I received this book for review from the publisher through NetGalley, and I have to admit that I’ve been putting off writing the review because I have mixed feelings about the novel. In fact, I forced myself to read the book a second time, because I wasn’t sure I could do a fair review based solely on my first reading. I’m glad I read it a second time, because it definitely improved with a second reading. This book totally creeped me...more You can also read this review at Reflections on Reading Romance

I received this book for review from the publisher through NetGalley, and I have to admit that I’ve been putting off writing the review because I have mixed feelings about the novel. In fact, I forced myself to read the book a second time, because I wasn’t sure I could do a fair review based solely on my first reading. I’m glad I read it a second time, because it definitely improved with a second reading. This book totally creeped me out (in a good way), and I think that’s one of the reasons it’s been so hard to write this review.

Feast is a fantasy novel with some romance elements, and it takes place in the small town of Ticonderoga Falls. The town clearly has secrets, and there is a sense of foreboding and menace as Halloween approaches. Madeline “Maddie” MacFadden is a graphic novelist known as Mad Mac, and after a nasty divorce, she’s returned to Ticonderoga Falls with her son Tucker to spend a few nights in the cabin she visited with her parents when she was a child. Since her divorce, she’s had a bad case of writer’s block, and she hopes that the change of scenery will inspire her to start writing again. Artists are frequently drawn to the town, but the reasons for the creative draw are less than innocent. The town’s protected (or is it cursed?) by a being named Ash, a Darkling. The Darklings feed off human dreams, and Halloween is the time of the Darklings’ harvest. To protect the humans, the Darklings’ laws prohibit them from gorging themselves on the humans’ dreams, which kills them and leaves their bodies as dried-up husks. With Halloween drawing near, members of Ash’s Darkling family arrive to feast during the Harvest, but after a century of protecting Ticonderoga Falls, Ash’s control of the town is beginning to be called into question by some very dangerous adversaries.

Ms. DeStefano does an amazing job of creating an ominous and sinister feel to the novel. In fact, I completely blame the novel’s creepiness for my difficulties reading it the first time, since I had to keep putting the book down because of the threatening atmosphere. I love how she juxtaposed Maddie’s innocent hikes through the sunlit forest with the shadows that hide the Darklings stalking her, because what should have been a relaxing vacation suddenly takes on menacing overtones. It’s clear from the start that Maddie is special, and her creative abilities attract the creatures that feed on dreams and fascinating Ash. There’s also the constant question of whether or not Ash is the town’s savior or demon. Has his 100 year stay in Ticonderoga Falls been a curse or has it provided protection for the town’s inhabitants? As the novel progresses, we learn more about the Darklings and their powers, providing much of the uncertainty over whether or not Ash is a hero. Also, Ash’s cousins Thane and River arrive for the Harvest, and it becomes clear that they do not intend to abide by the rules, pursuing and taunting their victims in the woods. As the Harvest draws near, the tension between the Darklings and Maddie’s confusion about what is happening in the woods creates suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat, especially since the town’s children will be out trick-or-treating during the Darklings’ feast.

The fictional world created by Merrie DeStefano is a fascinating one, and she does a stellar job of drawing out the tension by gradually revealing information about Ash’s past and the Darklings’ nature through the eyes of different characters. The novel is narrated mainly from Maddie, Ash, and Thane’s points of view, with glimpses from other secondary characters. Unfortunately, this is not always successful. At times, I felt the information gained from the secondary characters was unnecessary. Eli Driscoll, the grandson of the man whose actions drew Ash’s curse, is an important character, but his point of view seems unnecessary, as do those of Joe Wimbledon (the Legend Keeper) and Sheriff Kyle. All three characters play roles in how the action develops, but instead of presenting their points of view, the author could have limited them to interaction with the main characters. The multiplicity of voices was a distraction, and I believe the space devoted to these secondary characters could have been used to develop Ash and Maddie’s characters and incipient romance. The one secondary character whose point of view I did enjoy was that of Elspeth, Ash’s half Darkling/half human teenage daughter. Her voice was my favorite among all the characters, because I felt it was strong and gave a great sense of Elspeth’s vulnerability, more so even than Maddie. At times Ash and Maddie seem a little two dimensional, and their romance seems a bit contrived. While the finale proves that Maddie is a strong creative force, able to interact with the Darklings in ways the other humans cannot, for most of the novel Ash’s attraction to Maddie seemed to be directly related to her creative energy, rather than, say, her personality or character.

Ms. DeStefano is a gifted writer, able to create superbly creepy worlds rivaling that of any horror writer. If you are a fan of fantasy fiction, this would be a great addition to your library. However, if you are more interested in romance or character driven works, this might not be for you. Either way, I’m interested in seeing future novels from Ms. DeStefano. I’ll just make sure I read them with ALL the lights on.
(less)

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Jul 15, 2011 Tori [Book Faery] rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, e-book, netgalley, read-in-2011

See this review in it's entirety at:
http://www.book-faery.blogspot.com

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

The Short Version:
Excellent read well worth both your time and money. There are a few moments where further explanations would have made this an even stronger tale, for certain elements are left (primarily) up to the reader to fill in the blanks in order to draw his or her own conclusions.

The Semi-Long Version:
I always manage to get some sort of reading high when I open one of Merrie's books. Both of her ta...more See this review in it's entirety at:
http://www.book-faery.blogspot.com

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

The Short Version:
Excellent read well worth both your time and money. There are a few moments where further explanations would have made this an even stronger tale, for certain elements are left (primarily) up to the reader to fill in the blanks in order to draw his or her own conclusions.

The Semi-Long Version:
I always manage to get some sort of reading high when I open one of Merrie's books. Both of her tales have made me feel as if I am living in a sort of Alice in Wonderland fairy tale-ish reality. It's like an out of body experience when reading her books.

FEAST follows multiple POVs (much like its predecessor, AFTERLIFE--which is really like a sister from another mister, because they're two completely different universes). In this particular world, we follow a young mother still reeling from her husband's betrayal, a few other humans, and then, the paranormals. It's been a few weeks now since I finished this book, so I can't remember their official name, but they're pretty much like the fae, except... they're not. They're like cool fae mutations (you'll just have to keep reading to figure out what they are) that I couldn't get enough of.

While I loved what Merrie created, I would have liked a bit more of an explanation at a few points. I suppose that this is more from me being spoiled and having grown accustomed to authors supplying every teensy detail in their books, instead of allowing my imagination to soar freely. Regardless, I felt a bit unclear, even by the end--thus lending to the feel of being like Alice--but it did not negatively affect me or my opinion of the book.

The writing within is extremely poetic, and something I would never want changed, unless, of course, it somehow managed to improve. The characters are strong, though I could have done with a couple of main POVs instead of following almost every character who makes an appearance. I personally did not find the swaps to be distracting, but some may not enjoy how many characters the reader actually follows.

Consensus? A great read. I highly anticipate Merrie's next book release, whenever that may be. Get this book, and AFTERLIFE as soon as possible if you want something refreshingly unique!(less)

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Jun 17, 2011 Valerie rated it 3 of 5 stars

A town that exists out of time. A place that doesn't seem to be on the map. A new beginning for Maddie...

When famous screenwriter Maddie and her two children return to Ticonderoga Falls to nurse her wounds (her ex and her best friend, she unknowingly sets into motion a string of events, that just happen to coincide with the Hunt - the great Hunt, governed by the Fey. Ash, lord of the territory, is attracted to Maddie - but is hampered by trying to keep his Fey relatives in check.

As Maddie begin...more

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Jul 18, 2011 Michelle added it · review of another edition

On the surface, Feast has every element which fans of paranormal romance fiction would enjoy. It has otherworldly creatures with a mysterious past, a strong central female character, a gorgeous backdrop, mystery, tension, danger. Unfortunately, the elements are combined in such a fashion that makes Feast extremely confusing and just plain forgettable.

In any paranormal storyline, the most important thing an author should do is to fully describe the supernatural creature. Unfortunately, Ms. Destef...more On the surface, Feast has every element which fans of paranormal romance fiction would enjoy. It has otherworldly creatures with a mysterious past, a strong central female character, a gorgeous backdrop, mystery, tension, danger. Unfortunately, the elements are combined in such a fashion that makes Feast extremely confusing and just plain forgettable.

In any paranormal storyline, the most important thing an author should do is to fully describe the supernatural creature. Unfortunately, Ms. Destefano fails to adequately describe the Darklings so that the reader is left not knowing who they are and why they are dangerous. With fangs, bat-like wings, and an ability to glamour, they appear to be similar to vampires, but they are not. With names like Ash, feeding on dreams, and an entire court system, they also have elements of the Fae, but they are not. Exactly what they are is never explained. The reader is left to put together a puzzle that is missing half of its pieces. This incomplete picture of the main dangerous element of the novel makes for lackluster tension. It is difficult to feel concern for the heroine when one cannot discern what the danger actually is.

The entire novel feels undeveloped. Maddie's past is only briefly described, especially her fame and previous relationship which she is fleeing at the start of the novel. The curse that binds Ash is never explained at all. Neither is The Harvest, Maddie's powers, or an entire slew of essential elements of the story. While the premise is fascinating, there are simply too many holes or unexplained sections that make it difficult for a reader to follow the action and care about the characters.

Where Ms. Destefano does shine is in her descriptions of Ticonderoga Falls. The outdoor scenes are some of the most fully described in the entire novel. As such, the reader gets a clear mental picture of the spookiness of the woods and the natural beauty of the area. These scenes are some of the strongest in the novel, even if the reader does not fully understand what is happening.

My disappointment in Feast is only enhanced by the fact that the premise of it is so intriguing. Done properly, it truly could have been an excellent novel that stood out among its peers for involving a new supernatural creature. Unfortunately, the lack of execution only leaves the reader frustrated with the potential for greatness the story has.

Thank you to NetGalley for my e-galley!(less)

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Aug 03, 2011 Ranting Dragon rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: caleigh

http://www.rantingdragon.com/feast-ha...

Another spooky urban fantasy, Feast by Merrie Destefano offers an unlikely interpretation of mythical chupacabras and one isolated town’s dangerous encounters with them. Madeline MacFadden is a recent divorcee, single mom, and uninspired horror writer – but she has fond memories of her childhood summers spent at Ticonderoga Falls, and so she and her nine-year-old son trek there together in the hopes of reinvigorating Maddie’s creativity. But as Maddie find...more

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Jul 01, 2011 Nicole rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: review, urban-fantasy, read-in-2011

Originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2011/07/01/...

Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: Out Now
How I got this book: NetGalley

Let me start by saying that Destefano has some of the most amazing ideas. Her concepts for both Feast and her Sci-Fi Series The Resurrection Chronicles blow my mind. For me though, the execution just didn’t work.

Feast follows the story of a small town set in the mountains. The locals are aware of the legend of the shape shifters that come out to hunt and harvest once...more Originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2011/07/01/...

Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: Out Now
How I got this book: NetGalley

Let me start by saying that Destefano has some of the most amazing ideas. Her concepts for both Feast and her Sci-Fi Series The Resurrection Chronicles blow my mind. For me though, the execution just didn’t work.

Feast follows the story of a small town set in the mountains. The locals are aware of the legend of the shape shifters that come out to hunt and harvest once a year. Those towns folk with vivid dreams and nightmares are the most sought after by the creatures, and Maddie has some of the most intense dreams anyone has ever seen.

But Ash runs the mountain, and he isn’t about to let someone else get their hands on Maddie. From the moment she was a child he was fascinated with her, and now that she is back he isn’t prepared to let her go. But nefarious forces are in the works, and someone is out to show Ash that he can’t be in charge for ever…

This book was very, very hard for me to get into. Told from about 5 different points of view, I never felt like I was able to relate to any of the characters. Each “chapter” averaged only a few short pages, so by the time I got into the character and felt like I could relate, we immediately switched to another character. It chopped up the book and had me feeling as if I was watching a tennis match, my head constantly bobbing to and fro.

The premise of the story was very different and dark and exciting, but again I had a hard time getting into it. While we really got to see the full spectrum of what happened in the time line, the constant jumping around almost had me loosing some of the details. I found myself scratching my head at times, wondering why certain character POV’s were included and/or necessary, and it really took away from the story in my opinion.

There was a small romantic element between Maddie and Ash, but it didn’t come out until the very end, and to me felt sudden and forced. Sure Ash had always cared about her, even when she was a young girl, but his pain from a previous loss made his sudden love for Maddie seem hollow. For Maddie, it seem to come out of nowhere. One moment she is in the middle of a divorce, not wanting to even think about love and the next she is putting her life at risk for Ash, a man she has only known for a couple days? It just didn’t feel right to me.

All in all, Destefano has an incredible imagination. Her story ideas and descriptions continue to absolutely blow me away. However, I have a hard time enjoying her books with her specific style of writing.

I give Feast a D.(less)

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Jul 11, 2011 Mara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

The story is really interesting and fresh, the writing lyrical. But the change of POV (as in Linger) among the characters (all of them), even if non confusing, makes this a very slow-paced read. I liked it, but more than once I was temped to hurl the book against a wall.

I admit I did not really understand both the romantic aspect (in particular on Ash's part) and Maddie's power in the final battle.

Still, I would recommend it to strong reader of UF who might be interested in something new.

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May 15, 2011 Lisa MH rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I received this as a free Advanced Reader's Copy from NetGalley.

Feast is an unique and interesting urban fantasy. I've never read a similar story. The Darklings were completely new to me. It's nice to see a fresh spin in the genre. However, there didn't seem to be any set magic rules here. Yes, it's fantasy, but I like a firm framework and guidelines in which magic works. The Darklings did all kinds of magical feats, but we never get an idea of their limits. Feast has great potential, however it...more

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May 31, 2011 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-book-read, e-galley

This book was definitely different. Destefano created a unique world of beast and creatures, fantasy, prey and predators, dreams and nightmares.
This isn't something I normally read and while it was a little disjointed at times I found myself wanting to read on and find out what happened between Maddie and Ash and all the town.
I did like how the chapters varied from character to character so that we got a look inside each of their minds.
I think a little more world building would have been nice b...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Tanya Wires rated it 4 of 5 stars

I won this book through a blog contest =) This was a new kind of paranormal read for me, a little darker setting. I read half the book in one evening because I was so into what was happening and what was going to happen. This book is written in each characters POV so you hop back and forth between them, which I thought was pretty cool. You get to see and feel how they do. I thought the story was great and very unique. I'm sure Merrie's Afterlife series has it's own uniqueness so I will probably...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Sapphyria rated it 5 of 5 stars

When Maddie returns to Ticonderoga Falls in an attempt to heal a wounded heart, and hopefully get through her writer’s block, she actually gets more than she bargained for. Ash seems familiar but from her past as child, although Maddie can’t quite place why. The town seems to have secrets; full of legend and myth, but no one acknowledges it. Until she’s attacked in her home by a …. winged beast? And why does her dog Samwise now seem to shift into a gigantic werebeast after biting the winged beas...more

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title link	preview: Feast
avg rating	preview: Feast Goodreads rating: 3.34 (118 ratings)
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Feast (Harvest of Dreams #1)

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