Of Water and Madness

Dryad Quartet #4

by Katie Jennings

Book four of the Dryad Quartet. His name was Liam, and he was Water. His heart was as expansive and deep as the ocean, with emotions that could both rage like storms and soothe like a clear and quiet stream. He lived for the smell of rain, and thrived in the knowledge that it was he who made it fall. But while most everything in his life seemed to be going great, there was still this impending doom just over the horizon, threatening to wipe his home completely off the map. All he had to do was rise to the challenge and fight once the war came. But there was just one little he had gone, quite simply, mad. Not that he knew it, nor did anyone else. But he wasn’t himself any longer, and the truth behind the lies would eventually come out. And when it did, Liam would discover the burned bridges and the destroyed hearts he’d left in his wake. It was a funny thing, madness. A funny, cruel, and violently destructive thing.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Paranormal

292 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2012

About the author

Katie Jennings is the author of the popular fantasy series The Dryad Quartet as well as the award-winning romantic family drama series The Vasser Legacy. Her paranormal romance, So Fell The Sparrow, won an Honorable Mention in the 2014 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards. Her bestselling contemporary romance, Things Lost In The Fire, is a semi-finalist in romance in the Kindle Book Awards. A Los Angeles native, she now lives in beautiful North Idaho with her husband, who thinks she’s the biggest nerd ever. She’s a firm believer in happy endings and loves nothing more than a great romance novel.

Reviews

[A.D. Trosper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed getting to see the conclusion of this story. I gave it a four only because I wish Dante would have been a little scarier. I never really feared for any of their lives. That said, the story was still wonderful, I like how she handled Liam and what happened to him. I don't want to say to much about that because I don't want to give anything away. I do wish Rhia would have fought a little more, but I have to give it to Jennings for keeping Rhia true to character. So even though it frustrated me, it was necessary. I do so wish she had added an epilogue to this so we could have seen them all a year or so down the road, maybe with Capri having her and Rian's first baby, and everyone married and maybe even Jax and Blythe trying to keep up with a newly walking, little fire dryad girl to keep them both on their toes. I will just have to imagine it myself. But I guess my desire to see more of them speaks for itself.

I highly recommend this whole series for anyone who wants to see magic, romance, and conflict woven together. Again, through this whole series it was wonderfully refreshing to see the romance without a bunch of explicit sex scenes. I love it when a romance in a story can stand on its own without the need for those scenes. I have read a lot of vampire romance and other types of romance where explicit sex scenes play a major role and where it really doesn't bother me that much, I find them very tiring after a while. I end up skimming past those scenes (which often seem like filler to me)in an effort to get back to the story. It was nice to not have to skim anything in this series to get to the story.

I will be buying this in paperback to add to my 'keeper shelf'. But I'm glad I have the e-books. Then I can reread them as many times as I want without creasing the spine or wearing the pages.

[Beth Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ending to the Dryad Quartet. Read all four books in order for the best impact.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laim's story is the prfect conclusion to the Dryad Quartet. There are battles, new discoveries, and conflicts - in addition to discovery and love. The series is worth reading and you will be swept into Euphora.

[Sorcha O'Dowd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here I am again, struggling to express just how much I loved this book, this series, and all the characters that have been shaped so wonderfully.
As I returned to the world of Euphora for its last story, I felt both emotional and desperately sad. Emotional for having witnessed the amazing journeys these characters have gone through, and sad that their stories were drawing to a close.

‘Of Water and Madness’ tells Liam’s story as a Water Dryad. Since reading Rhiannon’s story in ‘A Life Earthbound’ I’ve been eagerly awaiting reading Liam’s point of view on their relationship.

Liam’s story is both as witty and clever as I’d expected. His desire to have fun and be a good, hard working Dryad is commendable and I loved the influence his ‘happy go lucky’ personality had on Rhiannon, as we see her further blossoming though Liam’s love and devotion.

The way all of the Dryad’s were now closer, especially Blythe and Rhiannon, despite their still sceptical attitudes towards each other was heart-warming, as I’ve been hoping for a reunion between the dryads without past grievances and issues getting in their way. Blythe looking out for Rhiannon during Capri’s wedding and calling her ‘honey’ had me tearful and so happy despite the reason that Blythe’s comfort was necessary.

Liam’s story in this book broke my heart. To see him become nothing more than a puppet through dark magic, yet still fighting in his mind for Rhiannon was beautifully written. I was so connected to Rhiannon’s character that I felt her pain as my own and felt angry at Thea for not taking Liam’s out of character behaviour more seriously.

It is a credit to Katie Jennings as a writer that she can make me feel so many emotions all at once, something that I haven’t experienced since reading each Harry Potter book for the first time.

The conclusion to this story was brilliantly written as the awaited battle finally arrives, and despite the formation of cliques among the inhabitants of Euphora, and the bitter rivalries that have been forged, all of the characters fight as one for each other and for their home. It was brilliant to see characters who hated each other take arms and fight together.

Without giving too much away, I especially loved reading further about Capri and Rian, whose relationship is so beautiful and devoted that I now hold out hope for my own Rian.

All I can say now is how grateful I am to the author for taking me on such an incredibly beautiful, emotional and fantastical journey which I know will be a part of me forever. 'Of Water and Madness' was such a beautiful conclusion to the Dryad Quartet and reading Liam's story was just as brilliant as I hoped it would be!

6 Stars and if you haven’t read this series yet, what are you waiting for?

[Toi Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I didn’t love this book, but I did appreciate it and am satisfied with the conclusion of this series. There were so many wonderful aspects of this installment of the Dryad Quartet, but the few that bugged me, really got to me.

The idea of all Euphorea being united was wonderful, but it wasn’t hard to imagine that it wouldn’t last. Still, seeing all the young Dryads together, and actually getting along, was surprising and delightful, even when things were very dark.

I felt like Liam’s “madness” was overstated. It was just really hard to understand how magical beings could have so much difficulty determining the nature of Liam’s behavior. It’s as if they were all suffering from mental paralysis. Thea especially seemed to be blinded by her own pride, not able to see where her bindings had failed. They all just seemed so unnaturally helpless.

Then there’s the drama. I get that a story like this thrives on drama, but even after a near death experience, there’s no way some of these broken relationships would be so easily mended. Mothers don’t just try to have their daughters killed and then pose for a family photo. A wife can’t abandon her husband and child to console a friend and then just kiss and make up with her husband later. These people are not good people, even if they are the driving force keeping the world going.

I was absolutely ecstatic that Blythe reclaimed her spot in my heart as my favorite.

I still like Rhia, but I was disappointed I didn’t get to see her use her power once in this whole book (unless I missed something).

I still adore Liam and am sorry he went through what he did.

I’m so happy for Capri and, for some reason, can’t help but still feel a little sorry for her. At least she gets to start a family of her own down the road.

I was disappointed in Thea until she finally decided to throw down.

I was hoping the Dryads would kick butt more together, but I guess they come together in the end to deal with Dante.

Dante, a demented and dangerous, yet very pathetic and silly demon.

Overall, I’m happy with the series conclusion and would recommend it to fans of the series.

[A.R. Meyering · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Engaging and Emotional End to a Fantastic series

‘Of Water and Madness’ wraps up Katie Jennings’ luxurious fantasy romance series, ‘The Dryad Quartet.’ It is an extremely satisfying ending to a story that simply washes over the reader and keeps them submerged. When the story ended, I was already aching for more.
It faces the cast of loveable characters against the villain Dante, all of whom we have come to know intimately through the series of adventures in the last three novels. A new, evil twist arises in that Dante is employing the use of a sinister new partner whose actions, quite honestly, upset me to my core to see her at her unsavory work.
This is a fantastic climax to the series and perfectly blends all the strengths from the last three books: the charming characters, the dramatic action, the tangled relationships between family members and friends, and Dante’s twisted motivation that began everything.
At last we get a view into Liam’s head, and he is a very driven, likable protagonist—just as he was a very likeable side-character in 1&2, and romantic lead in 3. During the middle section, my heart was breaking to see what happened between him and Rhiannon, who I grew to love so deeply in ‘Earthbound.’
All in all this is a wonderful, engaging novel that perfectly wraps up an altogether magnificent series that you will not want to miss.

[Natalie Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liam is water. Without it there is no life. Water seems gentle and flowing. It fills and forms to whatever is around it but water can be the most destructive force on earth. Water made the Grand Canyon. Liam tears through Rhia (Earth Dryad) leaving an emotional scar not unlike that. He would not be able to do that if they weren't so perfectly suited to one another. Water and Earth are two sides of the same. It is appropriate that Liam's story flowed in and out of the other three but when his own book came it forever changed the course of all 4 Dryad's lives.
This was a satisfying end to this exciting series. It was as unique as Liam himself. He seems so happy go lucky, going with the flow, but it is him that drives it all. I enjoyed the bad guys in this one. They didn't just do exactly what they had in the others. They came up with a new plan and it was quite the shocker. I enjoyed reading Liam battling within himself, like a stream that looks so smooth on the surface but rages in its depths.
I am surprised that my favorites were Blythe's story with Liam's a close second. Fire and Water. They are so action packed. Read all four, in order and see which your favorites are.

[Kyra Dune · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book focuses on Liam as the final confrontation with Dante draws near. Dante's secret weapon drives a wedge between the inhabitants of Euphora, causing them to turn on one another. The books in this series really tug at your heart strings and get your emotions involved. The characters are so real, that you just can't help rooting for their success and happiness. The story flows effortlessly and the battle at the end is epic. This was a really good series and one that I would happily recommend to anyone who likes a little magic and danger mixed in with heartfelt and beautiful romance.

[Gayla Glass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed seeing thru to the end. Although, I felt the battle needed to be a bit more exciting and dramatic. I absolutely love Liam, he is my favorite character in the series. Overall, I liked the series.