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Annwyn #1
The Outcast Prince
Caspian Mort can feel the history in anything he touches, a gift he inherited from his father, the Crown Prince of Annwyn. Devastated over his ex-wife's infidelity, Caspian has withdrawn from human contact except when working as an antiques dealer.
While assessing the contents of the historic Callaway House he encounters the beautiful Lydia Callaway and senses that her home is haunted by a banished fairy. But what does the dangerous exile want? Unbeknownst to Lydia, she's the owner of the last remaining portal to Annwyn—a mirror hidden somewhere in the house. To keep Lydia safe, Caspian will have to divulge the secrets of his heritage, and risk losing his heart again.
While assessing the contents of the historic Callaway House he encounters the beautiful Lydia Callaway and senses that her home is haunted by a banished fairy. But what does the dangerous exile want? Unbeknownst to Lydia, she's the owner of the last remaining portal to Annwyn—a mirror hidden somewhere in the house. To keep Lydia safe, Caspian will have to divulge the secrets of his heritage, and risk losing his heart again.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2013
11 people are currently reading
1392 people want to read
About the author
Shona Husk
97 books618 followersShona Husk lives in Western Australia at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Blessed with a lively imagination she spent most of her childhood making up stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
June 17, 2014
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Great set up to a fairy/human world but with a rushed relationship and frustrating actions by the main character bog this book down.
Opening Sentence: Caspian trailed his finger along the wooden mirror frame.
The Review:
The Outcast Prince is the first book in a new series by Shona Husk. This series focuses on the fae and how their world deeply impacts our own. The world of Annwyn is pretty much Heaven and Hell. The souls of the human dead cross the river but after that it’s unclear what happens to these souls. If a live human sees or manages to get to Annwyn then they think they have made it to Heaven. I am still a little unsure as to how Annwyn is Heaven and Hell but what I do know is that the impact of this world bleeds into the human realm and is beginning to cause terrible sicknesses in humans.
Caspian Mort is the changeling son of the Prince of Annwyn. He was left in the human realm so he couldn’t be used as a pawn against his father and so he could have a mortal life. He has known about his heritage since a young age and as such he has been trying to hide himself from other fairies. As part fairy, Caspian is psychmetric, which means that he can touch an object and see its history. An outcast fairy has figured out what Caspian can do and has forced him into looking for a mirror for him. A mirror that an outcast fairy can use to cross back into Annwyn. Caspian’s new job at a mansion could just be the current hiding place of this mirror.
Lydia Callaway’s grandmother just died and left her with a huge estate. She needs the items to be priced out in order to decide whether or not she can keep the place so she enlists Caspian’s help. She doesn’t expect the hot but quiet guy who shows up at her door.
Lydia and Caspian’s relationship develops quickly and by quickly I mean just two days. Caspian does repeatedly say that if he ever loves again that he would tell her his secret but in this case he pretty much had to reveal it or be a crazy love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy. There are so many crazy rules that Caspian has to live by in order to not piss off the fairy community and be sent to the “Castle” in Annwyn in order to face judgement from the King and Queen. As a reader, I was thinking he was left behind so he shouldn’t have to abide by their rules but no. When he returns from Annwyn he isn’t the same guy and this is where I have a problem. He knows there is something wrong with him but he doesn’t vocalize it. He just assumes that Lydia doesn’t trust him and that he will have to deceive her. That drove me crazy. I felt that the conflict was just added there to add conflict to the story near the end. I feel like something else would have been better here instead of untrustworthiness.
As characters go, I really did like Caspian until near the end. He was so heartbroken over his previous breakup and how he was going to do everything different this time. I was really rooting for him to find love even if his relationship developed way to fast for his frame of mind. Lydia is an independent woman but she is thrown a lot of curveballs throughout this book and I do like how she manages to come out of it without breaking down all the time.
The Outcast Prince does suffer a bit from worldbuilding, although you aren’t thrown the whole world at once. You are given pieces of it at a time but some parts are repeated. The world of the fairy is pretty complex and it is not totally the world of the fairy that we are used to. It has some of the same rules as other fairy worlds but the whole Heaven and Hell angle did get lost in translation for me. I did find the whole angle on outcast fairies and how they are the basis for trolls, brownies and other creatures.
Overall, The Outcast Prince is not a bad start to a new series. The story kept my attention. I was never bored, I just got frustrated with the direction the story went towards the end. I didn’t really like Caspian’s actions. I’m sure other readers won’t have the same problems that I did. I will pick up the next book in the series because I did like the love interest teased and I am interested in learning more about this world. It was more of a 2.5 star read for me but I’ll round it up to a 3.
Notable Scene:
He only had one thing he could do and Dylis would make him pay for it later. “Dylis, show yourself please.”
“No. This is your problem.”
“It’s yours as well. I’m not moving. I’m not doing anything until you show yourself.” And to Lydia it looked as if he was talking to himself. This was getting better and better.
“Okay, I think you should go. I’ll give you a head start before I call the police about the mirrors.” Lydia edged around the kitchen as far from him as she could get.
He didn’t move. “Dylis. I swear if you do not do this for me I will do everything in my power to ensure you suffer for the rest of your very long life.” His words vibrated with power he’d never felt before. He’d tapped into a magic that he hadn’t known he possessed. He knew a fairy’s word had power, but the desperation he was feeling must have given his words enough weight for his fairy blood to shine. Great. He’d spent years suppressing it, only to have it surface now.
“Damn you.” She shimmered for a moment but nothing else changed to his eye.
Lydia gasped. Her hand covered her mouth as she pressed herself against a wall. Her gaze was on the ten-inch woman standing on her kitchen counter.
Dylis gave a bow that bordered on surly. “I’m Caspian’s guardian, fairy godmother, or angel on his shoulder—whatever you like to think of me as.”
Lydia closed her eyes, and after a couple of seconds she opened them. “You’re still there.”
“I’ve been here all night, keeping the imps away from you two,” Dylis snapped. “This was not a good idea.” She pointed her finger at Caspian.
FTC Advisory: Sourcebooks Casablanca provided me with a copy of The Outcast Prince. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Great set up to a fairy/human world but with a rushed relationship and frustrating actions by the main character bog this book down.
Opening Sentence: Caspian trailed his finger along the wooden mirror frame.
The Review:
The Outcast Prince is the first book in a new series by Shona Husk. This series focuses on the fae and how their world deeply impacts our own. The world of Annwyn is pretty much Heaven and Hell. The souls of the human dead cross the river but after that it’s unclear what happens to these souls. If a live human sees or manages to get to Annwyn then they think they have made it to Heaven. I am still a little unsure as to how Annwyn is Heaven and Hell but what I do know is that the impact of this world bleeds into the human realm and is beginning to cause terrible sicknesses in humans.
Caspian Mort is the changeling son of the Prince of Annwyn. He was left in the human realm so he couldn’t be used as a pawn against his father and so he could have a mortal life. He has known about his heritage since a young age and as such he has been trying to hide himself from other fairies. As part fairy, Caspian is psychmetric, which means that he can touch an object and see its history. An outcast fairy has figured out what Caspian can do and has forced him into looking for a mirror for him. A mirror that an outcast fairy can use to cross back into Annwyn. Caspian’s new job at a mansion could just be the current hiding place of this mirror.
Lydia Callaway’s grandmother just died and left her with a huge estate. She needs the items to be priced out in order to decide whether or not she can keep the place so she enlists Caspian’s help. She doesn’t expect the hot but quiet guy who shows up at her door.
Lydia and Caspian’s relationship develops quickly and by quickly I mean just two days. Caspian does repeatedly say that if he ever loves again that he would tell her his secret but in this case he pretty much had to reveal it or be a crazy love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy. There are so many crazy rules that Caspian has to live by in order to not piss off the fairy community and be sent to the “Castle” in Annwyn in order to face judgement from the King and Queen. As a reader, I was thinking he was left behind so he shouldn’t have to abide by their rules but no. When he returns from Annwyn he isn’t the same guy and this is where I have a problem. He knows there is something wrong with him but he doesn’t vocalize it. He just assumes that Lydia doesn’t trust him and that he will have to deceive her. That drove me crazy. I felt that the conflict was just added there to add conflict to the story near the end. I feel like something else would have been better here instead of untrustworthiness.
As characters go, I really did like Caspian until near the end. He was so heartbroken over his previous breakup and how he was going to do everything different this time. I was really rooting for him to find love even if his relationship developed way to fast for his frame of mind. Lydia is an independent woman but she is thrown a lot of curveballs throughout this book and I do like how she manages to come out of it without breaking down all the time.
The Outcast Prince does suffer a bit from worldbuilding, although you aren’t thrown the whole world at once. You are given pieces of it at a time but some parts are repeated. The world of the fairy is pretty complex and it is not totally the world of the fairy that we are used to. It has some of the same rules as other fairy worlds but the whole Heaven and Hell angle did get lost in translation for me. I did find the whole angle on outcast fairies and how they are the basis for trolls, brownies and other creatures.
Overall, The Outcast Prince is not a bad start to a new series. The story kept my attention. I was never bored, I just got frustrated with the direction the story went towards the end. I didn’t really like Caspian’s actions. I’m sure other readers won’t have the same problems that I did. I will pick up the next book in the series because I did like the love interest teased and I am interested in learning more about this world. It was more of a 2.5 star read for me but I’ll round it up to a 3.
Notable Scene:
He only had one thing he could do and Dylis would make him pay for it later. “Dylis, show yourself please.”
“No. This is your problem.”
“It’s yours as well. I’m not moving. I’m not doing anything until you show yourself.” And to Lydia it looked as if he was talking to himself. This was getting better and better.
“Okay, I think you should go. I’ll give you a head start before I call the police about the mirrors.” Lydia edged around the kitchen as far from him as she could get.
He didn’t move. “Dylis. I swear if you do not do this for me I will do everything in my power to ensure you suffer for the rest of your very long life.” His words vibrated with power he’d never felt before. He’d tapped into a magic that he hadn’t known he possessed. He knew a fairy’s word had power, but the desperation he was feeling must have given his words enough weight for his fairy blood to shine. Great. He’d spent years suppressing it, only to have it surface now.
“Damn you.” She shimmered for a moment but nothing else changed to his eye.
Lydia gasped. Her hand covered her mouth as she pressed herself against a wall. Her gaze was on the ten-inch woman standing on her kitchen counter.
Dylis gave a bow that bordered on surly. “I’m Caspian’s guardian, fairy godmother, or angel on his shoulder—whatever you like to think of me as.”
Lydia closed her eyes, and after a couple of seconds she opened them. “You’re still there.”
“I’ve been here all night, keeping the imps away from you two,” Dylis snapped. “This was not a good idea.” She pointed her finger at Caspian.
FTC Advisory: Sourcebooks Casablanca provided me with a copy of The Outcast Prince. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
May 14, 2013
3.5 stars (but I always round up)
This is an ARC copy given for an honest review. It will be released July 2, 2013 and is definitely the first book in a new series.
I absolutely love the premise of this story because I love fairies! Caspian is half fairy. In this story a half fairy/half human is called a “changeling”. Technically this term is used to describe a child that is suspected of being 100% fairy left in place of the 100% human child. So I don’t know if the author is just taking some liberties here or if she is saying that changeling children are actually 50% fairy. His father is a prince of Annwyn (the world the fairies live in), but Caspian has never met his father. He also has a special talent. He can see and understand the history of an item by touching it which is called psychometry in this book. Caspian is divorced and runs an antique shop (obviously his little trick comes in handy in determining the value of antiques).
Lydia is human and is grieving the loss of her grandmother who raised her. Lydia is a Calloway and the Calloway House is very famous in Charleston. Lydia’s grandmother did many things to keep the house and one was to be a place where all the “movers and shakers” of the 20’s and 30’s could keep their mistresses. Lydia has hired Caspian to do an appraisal of the house and all the things in it.
Caspian has always kept his fairy repressed, but Annwyn has chosen this moment to come knocking. The banished fairies are making trouble for Caspian, but if he makes a deal with them he could lose his soul. All of Annwyn and those who are banished are frantically looking for a mirror that is gate into Annwyn. The Annwyn Court is in upheaval and Caspian (and thus Lydia) is thrown right into the middle of it).
What I didn’t love about the book was the inner dialogue of both Caspian and Lydia. At times they were both overly dramatic and making leaps of logic that the reader should be able to get without it being spelled out. They both waffled back and forth so much I wanted to smack them. Waffled about what, you ask? EVERYTHING! If something could be waffled then they waffled. Should I sell the house or should I keep it? Should I sell the diaries or keep them? Should I invite him over for dinner or tell him to get lost? Should I call him or not? Should I go inside or not? Blah, Blah, Blah! I get that not everyone knows what they want all the time, but these characters didn’t know what they want any of the time. I really hope that they mature some in the rest of the series. Which is odd because, while I don’t know their age, they both come across as forty-ish adults!
This is an ARC copy given for an honest review. It will be released July 2, 2013 and is definitely the first book in a new series.
I absolutely love the premise of this story because I love fairies! Caspian is half fairy. In this story a half fairy/half human is called a “changeling”. Technically this term is used to describe a child that is suspected of being 100% fairy left in place of the 100% human child. So I don’t know if the author is just taking some liberties here or if she is saying that changeling children are actually 50% fairy. His father is a prince of Annwyn (the world the fairies live in), but Caspian has never met his father. He also has a special talent. He can see and understand the history of an item by touching it which is called psychometry in this book. Caspian is divorced and runs an antique shop (obviously his little trick comes in handy in determining the value of antiques).
Lydia is human and is grieving the loss of her grandmother who raised her. Lydia is a Calloway and the Calloway House is very famous in Charleston. Lydia’s grandmother did many things to keep the house and one was to be a place where all the “movers and shakers” of the 20’s and 30’s could keep their mistresses. Lydia has hired Caspian to do an appraisal of the house and all the things in it.
Caspian has always kept his fairy repressed, but Annwyn has chosen this moment to come knocking. The banished fairies are making trouble for Caspian, but if he makes a deal with them he could lose his soul. All of Annwyn and those who are banished are frantically looking for a mirror that is gate into Annwyn. The Annwyn Court is in upheaval and Caspian (and thus Lydia) is thrown right into the middle of it).
What I didn’t love about the book was the inner dialogue of both Caspian and Lydia. At times they were both overly dramatic and making leaps of logic that the reader should be able to get without it being spelled out. They both waffled back and forth so much I wanted to smack them. Waffled about what, you ask? EVERYTHING! If something could be waffled then they waffled. Should I sell the house or should I keep it? Should I sell the diaries or keep them? Should I invite him over for dinner or tell him to get lost? Should I call him or not? Should I go inside or not? Blah, Blah, Blah! I get that not everyone knows what they want all the time, but these characters didn’t know what they want any of the time. I really hope that they mature some in the rest of the series. Which is odd because, while I don’t know their age, they both come across as forty-ish adults!
June 29, 2013
Caspian is a half fairy half human or changeling and Lydia is the new owner of Callaway House which has a long history (some parts are of a house of dubious morals)
Caspian has the ability to touch things and see their history and so has been hired to inspect and value the items within Callaway House.
Lydia and Caspian are on a slow but sure road to a long time romance but before that can get too far along they have to deal with a evil banished fairy and also some very dangerous dealings with the Fairy Court .
This is a book of romance, mystery and a bit of a thriller, the story is excellent but the first 4-5 chapters were very slow and had me wondering if I really wanted to read this but thankfully things picked up very nicely and became a riveting story (one I am assuming will be added to if she makes it into a series) but be assured this novel is a standalone as far as the story having a good ending.
I would have to give it a solid 4 Stars, maybe a bit more but it did not have me desperate for more as her Shadowland series did, this is great reading but that series was exceptional reading IMHO. So it gets 4 Stars in comparison, each reader might find it a small bit more or less.
Caspian has the ability to touch things and see their history and so has been hired to inspect and value the items within Callaway House.
Lydia and Caspian are on a slow but sure road to a long time romance but before that can get too far along they have to deal with a evil banished fairy and also some very dangerous dealings with the Fairy Court .
This is a book of romance, mystery and a bit of a thriller, the story is excellent but the first 4-5 chapters were very slow and had me wondering if I really wanted to read this but thankfully things picked up very nicely and became a riveting story (one I am assuming will be added to if she makes it into a series) but be assured this novel is a standalone as far as the story having a good ending.
I would have to give it a solid 4 Stars, maybe a bit more but it did not have me desperate for more as her Shadowland series did, this is great reading but that series was exceptional reading IMHO. So it gets 4 Stars in comparison, each reader might find it a small bit more or less.
June 28, 2013
I read her Goblin series and when I saw that she was to publish a series with fairies I was intrigued. I liked what I heard about Annwyn, it was the not so kind Fae types.
Caspian is a changeling and has never been to his father's court. He is human, but still got those fae qualities too. I must confess that I sooo wanted his father's story while I read it, to see him fall in love. Le sigh, wonderful :) But that is a future book. Now we got Caspian and he falls for Lydia. A nice and sweet woman. They suited each other. Both with pasts and secrets.
But that was not all it was about. We need some drama and danger too and in comes the hunt for a mirror. And the court of Annwyn is in trouble and the ripples are causing bad things to happen in our world. I can't spill it all, but Annwyn was different, and I liked what she did there.
Romance and a man caught between two worlds. A good start to this series
Caspian is a changeling and has never been to his father's court. He is human, but still got those fae qualities too. I must confess that I sooo wanted his father's story while I read it, to see him fall in love. Le sigh, wonderful :) But that is a future book. Now we got Caspian and he falls for Lydia. A nice and sweet woman. They suited each other. Both with pasts and secrets.
But that was not all it was about. We need some drama and danger too and in comes the hunt for a mirror. And the court of Annwyn is in trouble and the ripples are causing bad things to happen in our world. I can't spill it all, but Annwyn was different, and I liked what she did there.
Romance and a man caught between two worlds. A good start to this series
August 24, 2019
Caspian was an intriguing and compelling hero, (half fairy, half human) who is more than a match for the human heroine, Lydia. I love the psychometry angle in this story and how it relates to the heroine's past and I found myself drawn into the story and living it with the characters. Definitely Recommend :)
June 7, 2020
Doesn't every adopted child wonder about their biological parents? Don't they all dream of being a prince or princess? For Caspian, believing himself to be the son of the Prince of Faerie may have been a boy's dream but being the unwanted bastard of that same prince is more like a nightmare. The fae in this world are far more dangerous than humanoid butterflies, and more like the characters in the unexpurgated Brothers Grimm fairytales. Dealing with them is perilous to the soul. Having to muddle his way through fae politics makes Caspian's dating adventures particularly risky, but a man in love with deal with whatever he must deal with to protect his lady. Now to get the persistent pesky fae lord away from Lydia.....
December 11, 2016
A pleasant and relatively quick read - more like a 3.5 but not quite strong enough for me to round the final rating up to 4 stars. Both hero and heroine are sympathetic and it is interesting to see Caspian struggle with his fairy heritage, yet also be so normal at the same time. I found his character very well-balanced and it was enjoyable to read about two people connecting without any Big Misunderstanding and Why Did You Do That Stupid thing to mess things up for forced drama. Nice. I think I will check out the sequels..
August 14, 2017
There will be no spoilers in this review....because there is nothing to spoil. Overall it was an okay story but the stakes just never felt high enough to me and the primary antagonist was a hindrance at best, he didn't seem lethal by any measure. The romance all happens in under a month. Also the book would be more aptly titled The Outcast Changeling (not a spoiler, this much is given in the first chapter). Caspian was sexy and had a warm personality. I'm iffy on whether or not I'll continue the series.
July 6, 2013
Originally published at Book Lovers Inc.
Like Shona Husk’s previous The Goblin King series, The Outcast Prince takes us back to the darker side of the fairy tales.Very much the grimmer side of Grimm’s. You know what I mean, the legends that say don’t eat or drink anything when you’re in the fairy kingdom or you’ll be stuck there.
In Shona Husk’s version of the tales, Disneyfication of what should be very powerful and scary magic has just taken away what used to be useful knowledge and defensive strategies. Fairies in this tale are not tiny, cute and helpful sprites. Well, not unless they chose to be. and not unless they’re bargaining for something. Like your soul.
Fairies are more like Niall Brigant, Sookie’s great-grandfather in the Sookie Stackhouse series. Immortal, otherworldly, and mostly coldly calculating. A being who is playing a long and convoluted political game where humans are beneath notice if they are lucky, or easily sacrificed pawns if they are not.
The machinations of the fairy court in The Outcast Prince seem a lot like those in Yasmine Galenorn’s Otherworld series, Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey, or even the sheer bloody-minded backstabbing of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Meredith Gentry series, without the indiscriminate sex.
I digress. Yes, I know. Frequently.
The outcast prince in the story is actually a half-blood fairy who was born in our world. It makes him a slightly magical person with some talent and a little more grace than he would otherwise have. Caspian Mort is also more handsome that he might naturally have been. (It clearly helps to have a fairy prince for a father).
And that’s the problem. His natural father was a real fairy prince who “glamoured” his mother into having sex with him. His already married mother. So even though dear old dad could have maintained that glamour and brought Caspian and his mother to the Fairy courts, he didn’t. He seems to have loved the woman just enough to let her be happy with her husband.
He’s loved his unacknowledged son enough to give him a literal fairy godmother and keep him safe by keeping him secret. Being the son of the prince would make Caspian a political target of forces he doesn’t have the power to defend himself against.
But fate forces everyone’s hand. A magical artifact is missing. One that could change the balance of power in the courts. The fairy gift that Caspian has manifests is psychometry; he can see the history of any object he touches. The object is lost in our world and Caspian is the only one who can find it.
Caspian’s reinvolvement in the world of the fae is our introduction to the dangerous kingdom. As he is drawn further in, we understand both why he is so reluctant, and what makes the fae so tempting to mortals and half-bloods alike.
Caspian is both compelled to become involved, and saved, by falling in love. His gift of psychometry has led him to the appraisal of one of the coolest historical houses ever, and the owner of the house is a woman he discovers that he might be able to tell the truth about himself.
She should run far away from him. When she stands by him, she grounds him to the human world. It might even be enough to save his soul.
Verdict: The love story between Caspian and Lydia develops slowly. Not that they don’t have heat together from the very beginning, but they are wary of involvement. He can’t reveal what he is, and she’s been burned by too many people who are just interested in the notorious history of her family. They both step out of their comfort zones to get close to get sexually involved with each other (and it’s hot!) but trusting each other emotionally is way more difficult.
The story works well in that they both have extremely unconventional family histories that are slowly revealed, not just to the reader, but also to themselves and to each other. There are multiple voyages of discovery that they share and it helps them understand and reach toward each other.
Husk’s version of fairy is dangerous and fascinating. The courts are in turmoil, and that turmoil is affecting our world. Caspian’s princely father is the heir to the throne, but he can’t inherit unless he marries. His father is ready for him to inherit, but his mother is scheming and backstabbing to prevent it. It is her traitorousness that causes, not just this story, but scores of plagues that have arisen in our world.
Caspian’s father can take over if he finds a woman worthy of being his queen. She must be human, because the fae are only fertile with humans. The interesting thing is that he doesn’t want to pick just anyone to end the current problem, because that’s what his father did. 500 years from now, give or take, he’s afraid the woman will just hate him the way his mother hates his father, and look how that ended up. Felan is hoping for a better way. Meanwhile, he schemes.
I enjoyed Husk’s introduction to the Courts of Annwyn and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
I give The Outcast Prince by Shona Husk 4 dark stars!
Like Shona Husk’s previous The Goblin King series, The Outcast Prince takes us back to the darker side of the fairy tales.Very much the grimmer side of Grimm’s. You know what I mean, the legends that say don’t eat or drink anything when you’re in the fairy kingdom or you’ll be stuck there.
In Shona Husk’s version of the tales, Disneyfication of what should be very powerful and scary magic has just taken away what used to be useful knowledge and defensive strategies. Fairies in this tale are not tiny, cute and helpful sprites. Well, not unless they chose to be. and not unless they’re bargaining for something. Like your soul.
Fairies are more like Niall Brigant, Sookie’s great-grandfather in the Sookie Stackhouse series. Immortal, otherworldly, and mostly coldly calculating. A being who is playing a long and convoluted political game where humans are beneath notice if they are lucky, or easily sacrificed pawns if they are not.
The machinations of the fairy court in The Outcast Prince seem a lot like those in Yasmine Galenorn’s Otherworld series, Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey, or even the sheer bloody-minded backstabbing of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Meredith Gentry series, without the indiscriminate sex.
I digress. Yes, I know. Frequently.
The outcast prince in the story is actually a half-blood fairy who was born in our world. It makes him a slightly magical person with some talent and a little more grace than he would otherwise have. Caspian Mort is also more handsome that he might naturally have been. (It clearly helps to have a fairy prince for a father).
And that’s the problem. His natural father was a real fairy prince who “glamoured” his mother into having sex with him. His already married mother. So even though dear old dad could have maintained that glamour and brought Caspian and his mother to the Fairy courts, he didn’t. He seems to have loved the woman just enough to let her be happy with her husband.
He’s loved his unacknowledged son enough to give him a literal fairy godmother and keep him safe by keeping him secret. Being the son of the prince would make Caspian a political target of forces he doesn’t have the power to defend himself against.
But fate forces everyone’s hand. A magical artifact is missing. One that could change the balance of power in the courts. The fairy gift that Caspian has manifests is psychometry; he can see the history of any object he touches. The object is lost in our world and Caspian is the only one who can find it.
Caspian’s reinvolvement in the world of the fae is our introduction to the dangerous kingdom. As he is drawn further in, we understand both why he is so reluctant, and what makes the fae so tempting to mortals and half-bloods alike.
Caspian is both compelled to become involved, and saved, by falling in love. His gift of psychometry has led him to the appraisal of one of the coolest historical houses ever, and the owner of the house is a woman he discovers that he might be able to tell the truth about himself.
She should run far away from him. When she stands by him, she grounds him to the human world. It might even be enough to save his soul.
Verdict: The love story between Caspian and Lydia develops slowly. Not that they don’t have heat together from the very beginning, but they are wary of involvement. He can’t reveal what he is, and she’s been burned by too many people who are just interested in the notorious history of her family. They both step out of their comfort zones to get close to get sexually involved with each other (and it’s hot!) but trusting each other emotionally is way more difficult.
The story works well in that they both have extremely unconventional family histories that are slowly revealed, not just to the reader, but also to themselves and to each other. There are multiple voyages of discovery that they share and it helps them understand and reach toward each other.
Husk’s version of fairy is dangerous and fascinating. The courts are in turmoil, and that turmoil is affecting our world. Caspian’s princely father is the heir to the throne, but he can’t inherit unless he marries. His father is ready for him to inherit, but his mother is scheming and backstabbing to prevent it. It is her traitorousness that causes, not just this story, but scores of plagues that have arisen in our world.
Caspian’s father can take over if he finds a woman worthy of being his queen. She must be human, because the fae are only fertile with humans. The interesting thing is that he doesn’t want to pick just anyone to end the current problem, because that’s what his father did. 500 years from now, give or take, he’s afraid the woman will just hate him the way his mother hates his father, and look how that ended up. Felan is hoping for a better way. Meanwhile, he schemes.
I enjoyed Husk’s introduction to the Courts of Annwyn and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
I give The Outcast Prince by Shona Husk 4 dark stars!
February 18, 2020
A really good start to a series. I felt like the pacing was just a little off, but all in all I really enjoyed the book. The hero and heroine were both great, solid characters and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
February 12, 2019
Good enough to keep me occupied while flu ridden.
June 25, 2020
Interesting, but I just don’t like stories about fairies/the fey etc.
August 18, 2022
I didn't expect much, so I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Loved it.
February 11, 2017
Originally reviewed at Dark Faerie Tales: http://darkfaerietales.com/review-out...
Quick & Dirty: Great set up to a fairy/human world but with a rushed relationship and frustrating actions by the main character bog this book down.
The Review:
The Outcast Prince is the first book in a new series by Shona Husk. This series focuses on the fae and how their world deeply impacts our own. The world of Annwyn is pretty much Heaven and Hell. The souls of the human dead cross the river but after that it’s unclear what happens to these souls. If a live human sees or manages to get to Annwyn then they think they have made it to Heaven. I am still a little unsure as to how Annwyn is Heaven and Hell but what I do know is that the impact of this world bleeds into the human realm and is beginning to cause terrible sicknesses in humans.
Caspian Mort is the changeling son of the Prince of Annwyn. He was left in the human realm so he couldn’t be used as a pawn against his father and so he could have a mortal life. He has known about his heritage since a young age and as such he has been trying to hide himself from other fairies. As part fairy, Caspian is psychmetric, which means that he can touch an object and see its history. An outcast fairy has figured out what Caspian can do and has forced him into looking for a mirror for him. A mirror that an outcast fairy can use to cross back into Annwyn. Caspian’s new job at a mansion could just be the current hiding place of this mirror.
Lydia Callaway’s grandmother just died and left her with a huge estate. She needs the items to be priced out in order to decide whether or not she can keep the place so she enlists Caspian’s help. She doesn’t expect the hot but quiet guy who shows up at her door.
Lydia and Caspian’s relationship develops quickly and by quickly I mean just two days. Caspian does repeatedly say that if he ever loves again that he would tell her his secret but in this case he pretty much had to reveal it or be a crazy love ’em and leave ’em kind of guy. There are so many crazy rules that Caspian has to live by in order to not piss off the fairy community and be sent to the “Castle” in Annwyn in order to face judgement from the King and Queen. As a reader, I was thinking he was left behind so he shouldn’t have to abide by their rules but no. When he returns from Annwyn he isn’t the same guy and this is where I have a problem. He knows there is something wrong with him but he doesn’t vocalize it. He just assumes that Lydia doesn’t trust him and that he will have to deceive her. That drove me crazy. I felt that the conflict was just added there to add conflict to the story near the end. I feel like something else would have been better here instead of untrustworthiness.
As characters go, I really did like Caspian until near the end. He was so heartbroken over his previous breakup and how he was going to do everything different this time. I was really rooting for him to find love even if his relationship developed way to fast for his frame of mind. Lydia is an independent woman but she is thrown a lot of curveballs throughout this book and I do like how she manages to come out of it without breaking down all the time.
The Outcast Prince does suffer a bit from worldbuilding, although you aren’t thrown the whole world at once. You are given pieces of it at a time but some parts are repeated. The world of the fairy is pretty complex and it is not totally the world of the fairy that we are used to. It has some of the same rules as other fairy worlds but the whole Heaven and Hell angle did get lost in translation for me. I did find the whole angle on outcast fairies and how they are the basis for trolls, brownies and other creatures.
Overall, The Outcast Prince is not a bad start to a new series. The story kept my attention. I was never bored, I just got frustrated with the direction the story went towards the end. I didn’t really like Caspian’s actions. I’m sure other readers won’t have the same problems that I did. I will pick up the next book in the series because I did like the love interest teased and I am interested in learning more about this world. It was more of a 2.5 star read for me but I’ll round it up to a 3.
Quick & Dirty: Great set up to a fairy/human world but with a rushed relationship and frustrating actions by the main character bog this book down.
The Review:
The Outcast Prince is the first book in a new series by Shona Husk. This series focuses on the fae and how their world deeply impacts our own. The world of Annwyn is pretty much Heaven and Hell. The souls of the human dead cross the river but after that it’s unclear what happens to these souls. If a live human sees or manages to get to Annwyn then they think they have made it to Heaven. I am still a little unsure as to how Annwyn is Heaven and Hell but what I do know is that the impact of this world bleeds into the human realm and is beginning to cause terrible sicknesses in humans.
Caspian Mort is the changeling son of the Prince of Annwyn. He was left in the human realm so he couldn’t be used as a pawn against his father and so he could have a mortal life. He has known about his heritage since a young age and as such he has been trying to hide himself from other fairies. As part fairy, Caspian is psychmetric, which means that he can touch an object and see its history. An outcast fairy has figured out what Caspian can do and has forced him into looking for a mirror for him. A mirror that an outcast fairy can use to cross back into Annwyn. Caspian’s new job at a mansion could just be the current hiding place of this mirror.
Lydia Callaway’s grandmother just died and left her with a huge estate. She needs the items to be priced out in order to decide whether or not she can keep the place so she enlists Caspian’s help. She doesn’t expect the hot but quiet guy who shows up at her door.
Lydia and Caspian’s relationship develops quickly and by quickly I mean just two days. Caspian does repeatedly say that if he ever loves again that he would tell her his secret but in this case he pretty much had to reveal it or be a crazy love ’em and leave ’em kind of guy. There are so many crazy rules that Caspian has to live by in order to not piss off the fairy community and be sent to the “Castle” in Annwyn in order to face judgement from the King and Queen. As a reader, I was thinking he was left behind so he shouldn’t have to abide by their rules but no. When he returns from Annwyn he isn’t the same guy and this is where I have a problem. He knows there is something wrong with him but he doesn’t vocalize it. He just assumes that Lydia doesn’t trust him and that he will have to deceive her. That drove me crazy. I felt that the conflict was just added there to add conflict to the story near the end. I feel like something else would have been better here instead of untrustworthiness.
As characters go, I really did like Caspian until near the end. He was so heartbroken over his previous breakup and how he was going to do everything different this time. I was really rooting for him to find love even if his relationship developed way to fast for his frame of mind. Lydia is an independent woman but she is thrown a lot of curveballs throughout this book and I do like how she manages to come out of it without breaking down all the time.
The Outcast Prince does suffer a bit from worldbuilding, although you aren’t thrown the whole world at once. You are given pieces of it at a time but some parts are repeated. The world of the fairy is pretty complex and it is not totally the world of the fairy that we are used to. It has some of the same rules as other fairy worlds but the whole Heaven and Hell angle did get lost in translation for me. I did find the whole angle on outcast fairies and how they are the basis for trolls, brownies and other creatures.
Overall, The Outcast Prince is not a bad start to a new series. The story kept my attention. I was never bored, I just got frustrated with the direction the story went towards the end. I didn’t really like Caspian’s actions. I’m sure other readers won’t have the same problems that I did. I will pick up the next book in the series because I did like the love interest teased and I am interested in learning more about this world. It was more of a 2.5 star read for me but I’ll round it up to a 3.
July 17, 2013
I really didn’t know what to expect when I started reading THE OUTCAST PRINCE. Before this, I had never heard of the author, but since I ended up really enjoying this first of her new series, I’ll probably end up reading some of her other books while I wait for book 2 to be published.
THE OUTCAST PRINCE is a great introduction to the fairy world of Annwyn, even though we don’t spend much time in it. Most of the book is spent in the mortal world while beings and fairy forces never fail to plague Caspian “normal” life. All he’s ever wanted is to live his life without being bothered by anything fairy but since politics are unstable in Annwyn, the mortal world is feeling repercussions. Caspian is more or less forced to search for a fairy mirror/portal, which in the wrong hands, could lead to some very awful things, both in Annwyn and in the mortal world. His psychometry ability to see an object’s past just by touching it is what makes him so valuable. As a changeling, a mortal being with some fairy abilities, he shouldn’t be important in this deadly game of fairy politics, but since he’s the son of the fairy prince, he does have a significant role to play.
Overall, I loved Caspian as a character. His generosity and selflessness when it comes to protect those who matter to him is respectable and admirable. In my opinion, him and Lydia might have fallen in love a little too quickly since after just a couple of days, it seemed like they were already in love and were thinking of moving in together. But who wouldn’t want to live together, especially in such a historical house like the Callaway House Lydia inherited from her deceased grandmother.
Lydia has a history of her own and while she’s a well developed character, there’s just something submissive about her that I’m not too crazy about. While I like that she had an open mind and was able to accept Caspian’s parentage and abilities so easily, it just seemed like she could have been a little bit bolder in her thoughts and actions. After just a couple of days, she started to depend and rely on Caspian way to much for my taste, and while I understand she was still grieving her grandmother’s death, she could have made some decisions without relying so much on Caspian’s opinion. Otherwise, I find Caspian and Lydia make a great pair, and they found each other at the perfect time. I think, because they both have their own eccentric history, they are able to understand and accept each other rather nicely.
THE OUTCAST PRINCE is before all a romance book with some supernatural action included. I was sad to leave Lydia and Caspian behind because they had such a great relationship going on. I hope we hear more about them in the future books because from what I understand, the next books will have different main characters. I also hope we get to spend more time in Annwyn. THE OUTCAST PRINCE and its fairy world is very enticing. This first book feels like a tease because while we learn a lot about Annwyn, there seems to be so much we don’t know about it. Shona Husk created a wonderful world and populated it not only with great main character but also with entertaining secondary characters. I look forward to the continuation of the series and I hope book two will be a page-turner, much like this one was.
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨°º©©º°¨¨¨¨¨¨¨°º©©º°¨¨¨¨¨¨
Find this and other reviews on Tynga's Reviews
An electronic advance reader's copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review
THE OUTCAST PRINCE is a great introduction to the fairy world of Annwyn, even though we don’t spend much time in it. Most of the book is spent in the mortal world while beings and fairy forces never fail to plague Caspian “normal” life. All he’s ever wanted is to live his life without being bothered by anything fairy but since politics are unstable in Annwyn, the mortal world is feeling repercussions. Caspian is more or less forced to search for a fairy mirror/portal, which in the wrong hands, could lead to some very awful things, both in Annwyn and in the mortal world. His psychometry ability to see an object’s past just by touching it is what makes him so valuable. As a changeling, a mortal being with some fairy abilities, he shouldn’t be important in this deadly game of fairy politics, but since he’s the son of the fairy prince, he does have a significant role to play.
Overall, I loved Caspian as a character. His generosity and selflessness when it comes to protect those who matter to him is respectable and admirable. In my opinion, him and Lydia might have fallen in love a little too quickly since after just a couple of days, it seemed like they were already in love and were thinking of moving in together. But who wouldn’t want to live together, especially in such a historical house like the Callaway House Lydia inherited from her deceased grandmother.
Lydia has a history of her own and while she’s a well developed character, there’s just something submissive about her that I’m not too crazy about. While I like that she had an open mind and was able to accept Caspian’s parentage and abilities so easily, it just seemed like she could have been a little bit bolder in her thoughts and actions. After just a couple of days, she started to depend and rely on Caspian way to much for my taste, and while I understand she was still grieving her grandmother’s death, she could have made some decisions without relying so much on Caspian’s opinion. Otherwise, I find Caspian and Lydia make a great pair, and they found each other at the perfect time. I think, because they both have their own eccentric history, they are able to understand and accept each other rather nicely.
THE OUTCAST PRINCE is before all a romance book with some supernatural action included. I was sad to leave Lydia and Caspian behind because they had such a great relationship going on. I hope we hear more about them in the future books because from what I understand, the next books will have different main characters. I also hope we get to spend more time in Annwyn. THE OUTCAST PRINCE and its fairy world is very enticing. This first book feels like a tease because while we learn a lot about Annwyn, there seems to be so much we don’t know about it. Shona Husk created a wonderful world and populated it not only with great main character but also with entertaining secondary characters. I look forward to the continuation of the series and I hope book two will be a page-turner, much like this one was.
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨°º©©º°¨¨¨¨¨¨¨°º©©º°¨¨¨¨¨¨
Find this and other reviews on Tynga's Reviews
An electronic advance reader's copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review
June 18, 2013
Shona Husk writes these deliciously dark fairytales.. There is just something about her perspective that Compels you to like her characters. Characters you might never have even considered her last series, The Shadowlands was about Goblins and they made amazing lead characters.. Now we have fairies.. and they are not likable at all. They are soulless, selfish and yes evil.. But change is in the wind and in Outcast Prince we are introduced to these decadently devious characters.
Something is going wrong in Annwyn, the fairies are unsettled and the play for power has begun. Salvation begins in the human world where the missing window is believed to be. The window will allow fairies who have been banished back into Annwyn and will help the queen overthrow the king.. leaving humanity at risk.
Lydia Callaway has inherited Callaway house, a once proud house of the south but now it is in it's decline. She is desperate for a way to save her family home. But she didn't inherit the money, her mother received all of that , so Lydia has called upon an appraiser to help her figure out what she should do. Seriously who wants a haunted house (of course Lydia doesn't know that the house is actually haunted by a banished fairy). At one time Callaway house had something of a reputation.
Caspian Mort is a changeling . Most fairies make sure that their children are born in Annwyn but he had been born on human earth. Because of that he was privileged to own a soul and knew he really didn't want to live in Annwyn. He has sent his life trying to hide his unique talent and avoid letting the banished fairies that he can see them. Unfortunately he is being called to service. First a gray has been tracking him hoping to use his powers. Seems Caspian can sense the history of things when he touches them. Now not only does he have to find a way to avoid making a deal with the Gray but his father has called him home to help out as well. All of this when he is trying to do his job and appraise Lydia's home.
Lydia's grandmother kept her home by housing the mistresses of powerful men. Over the years the house itself has become a synonym of the rich and powerful and the games they play.. There are a lot of sensual memories at Callaway house and Lydia and Caspian seem to fall prey to them. The spark that is struck between them is fostered and encouraged by the memories around them. Yet these two individuals are strong enough to see the costs of a relationship based on fairy fantasies..
The search for the mirror is on and the deal Caspian is forced to broker with the Gray is brilliant.. yes he will find the mirror (but never says he will give it to him and certainly doesn't say in what shape it will be in). It's sort of like crossing your fingers behind your back.. He is willing to sacrifice his very soul to protect Lydia, which makes him a true hero.
This book was most excellent.. Shona Husk writes a wicked fantasy.. teasing us on one hand and torturing us on the other. In depth, detailed and delightful..
A Must Read for all of you fantasy lovers.. the darker the better.
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Outcast Prince provided by netgalley and scheduled for release on July 2, 2013
Something is going wrong in Annwyn, the fairies are unsettled and the play for power has begun. Salvation begins in the human world where the missing window is believed to be. The window will allow fairies who have been banished back into Annwyn and will help the queen overthrow the king.. leaving humanity at risk.
Lydia Callaway has inherited Callaway house, a once proud house of the south but now it is in it's decline. She is desperate for a way to save her family home. But she didn't inherit the money, her mother received all of that , so Lydia has called upon an appraiser to help her figure out what she should do. Seriously who wants a haunted house (of course Lydia doesn't know that the house is actually haunted by a banished fairy). At one time Callaway house had something of a reputation.
Caspian Mort is a changeling . Most fairies make sure that their children are born in Annwyn but he had been born on human earth. Because of that he was privileged to own a soul and knew he really didn't want to live in Annwyn. He has sent his life trying to hide his unique talent and avoid letting the banished fairies that he can see them. Unfortunately he is being called to service. First a gray has been tracking him hoping to use his powers. Seems Caspian can sense the history of things when he touches them. Now not only does he have to find a way to avoid making a deal with the Gray but his father has called him home to help out as well. All of this when he is trying to do his job and appraise Lydia's home.
Lydia's grandmother kept her home by housing the mistresses of powerful men. Over the years the house itself has become a synonym of the rich and powerful and the games they play.. There are a lot of sensual memories at Callaway house and Lydia and Caspian seem to fall prey to them. The spark that is struck between them is fostered and encouraged by the memories around them. Yet these two individuals are strong enough to see the costs of a relationship based on fairy fantasies..
The search for the mirror is on and the deal Caspian is forced to broker with the Gray is brilliant.. yes he will find the mirror (but never says he will give it to him and certainly doesn't say in what shape it will be in). It's sort of like crossing your fingers behind your back.. He is willing to sacrifice his very soul to protect Lydia, which makes him a true hero.
This book was most excellent.. Shona Husk writes a wicked fantasy.. teasing us on one hand and torturing us on the other. In depth, detailed and delightful..
A Must Read for all of you fantasy lovers.. the darker the better.
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Outcast Prince provided by netgalley and scheduled for release on July 2, 2013
July 18, 2013
I was immediately drawn to the synopsis of The Outcast Prince from Caspian Mort’s ability to the historical Callaway House and was eager to dive in. Husk offers up an interesting tale mixed with fantasy, mystery and romance. I found this to be an entertaining start to the Court of Annwyn series. Three word review: suspenseful, intriguing and enjoyable.
The tale begins when we meet Caspian Mort a changling (in this book the term means half fairy) who is able to glimpse the past when he touches items. This skill is an asset in his career as an antique dealer. It also has its downside like causing him to discover his wife’s infidelity. As the human son of the Crown Prince of Annwyn he is bound by fairy rules and has managed to do so. When he accepts a job assessing the contents of the Calloway House the tale that unfolds brings danger that could cost his soul and a woman who could cost him his heart.
Caspian is such an interesting character. All of his life he has hidden his abilities from the human world and ignored the fairies, brownies and other supernatural Fae. He has been deeply hurt by his ex and this adds a little vulnerability to his character. He is bright, swoon-worthy with green eyes quite capable of melting your spine. Lydia Callaway is sentimental, and struggling with the loss of her grandma and the real possibility she may lose her ancestral home. The faeries and supernatural creatures in this tale are dark and it added suspense. The attraction and slow building romance was sweet and I found myself believing in them.
Husk delivered interesting worlds both in the present and the kingdom of Annwyn. Faeries have always been one of the darkest supernatural creatures I have encountered and I loved that she kept their darker elements. The hierarchy and rules for faeries was fascinating and while not entirely new she did add a few twists to make them her own. I really liked the Callaway house, its history and artifacts. The search for the mirror added suspense as did Lydia’s involvement. While things are not completely fleshed out I felt it was a solid beginning and I am eager to learn more. It appears each book will contain a fairy and their complete story along with an overall ARC regarding Annwyn and the series. The romance developed fairly quickly out of attraction but slowly developed into something more which made it feel genuine. We get some hot scenes with just enough detail to heat the pages but were tastefully done. The flow was fairly smooth, with twists and turns that kept me captivated and I consumed this in two sittings. Overall I feel it was a solid start and look forward to more.
Copy received in exchange for unbiased review and originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
The tale begins when we meet Caspian Mort a changling (in this book the term means half fairy) who is able to glimpse the past when he touches items. This skill is an asset in his career as an antique dealer. It also has its downside like causing him to discover his wife’s infidelity. As the human son of the Crown Prince of Annwyn he is bound by fairy rules and has managed to do so. When he accepts a job assessing the contents of the Calloway House the tale that unfolds brings danger that could cost his soul and a woman who could cost him his heart.
Caspian is such an interesting character. All of his life he has hidden his abilities from the human world and ignored the fairies, brownies and other supernatural Fae. He has been deeply hurt by his ex and this adds a little vulnerability to his character. He is bright, swoon-worthy with green eyes quite capable of melting your spine. Lydia Callaway is sentimental, and struggling with the loss of her grandma and the real possibility she may lose her ancestral home. The faeries and supernatural creatures in this tale are dark and it added suspense. The attraction and slow building romance was sweet and I found myself believing in them.
Husk delivered interesting worlds both in the present and the kingdom of Annwyn. Faeries have always been one of the darkest supernatural creatures I have encountered and I loved that she kept their darker elements. The hierarchy and rules for faeries was fascinating and while not entirely new she did add a few twists to make them her own. I really liked the Callaway house, its history and artifacts. The search for the mirror added suspense as did Lydia’s involvement. While things are not completely fleshed out I felt it was a solid beginning and I am eager to learn more. It appears each book will contain a fairy and their complete story along with an overall ARC regarding Annwyn and the series. The romance developed fairly quickly out of attraction but slowly developed into something more which made it feel genuine. We get some hot scenes with just enough detail to heat the pages but were tastefully done. The flow was fairly smooth, with twists and turns that kept me captivated and I consumed this in two sittings. Overall I feel it was a solid start and look forward to more.
Copy received in exchange for unbiased review and originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer
July 8, 2013
Husk has taken one of my favorite mythologies and put her own twist on it. I love everything about the Fae; from their arrogance and contempt for humans to their militant need to uphold tradition and the politics of the court. I especially like the idea that fairies are dark and dangerous creatures and want nothing more than to trick you out of your soul. You will get all this and more in The Outcast Prince.
I read Husk’s Goblin series and instantly fell in love with her dark storytelling style. I was happy to see she continued this in The Outcast Prince. The heart of the story is the romance between Caspian and Lydia. They may be from different worlds, but their struggles with family secrets and heartbreak connect them on an emotional level. You will enjoy the romance of two people willing to take one last chance at love even though they it could break them completely. I really appreciate the fact that Lydia is the sexual aggressor in the beginning instead of the clichéd human enchanted by fae magic. And Caspian’s psychometric ability adds a unique complication to their relationship.
If this was nothing more than a romance I wouldn’t have been satisfied. There are many secondary storylines and intriguing characters we are teased with. They have bearing on Lydia and Caspian’s situation, but also have you wanting to go deeper and discover their secrets. The next book in this series will be about Verden, the Hunter of Annwyn. We only get a taste of him, but I can’t wait to take a bigger bite. Unlike Caspian who is half fae, and therefore has a soul and a moral compass, Verden is full fairy and in Annwyn he is to be feared. I can’t wait to see his icy exterior melted.
There are enough urban fantasy world building elements to make me happy, but not so much it will turn off the die-hard PNR fans. There is a lot of sexual tension and only a couple of sex scenes. The only complaints I have are in the romance part of the story. During their first sexual encounter things were “butterflies in my stomach” sexy and then an erotic term was used and it jarred me right out of the moment. But that is just me. I don’t like erotica terminology. There is a formula feel to the romance trope, but the uniqueness of Husk’s spin on Fae mythology more than made up for it with me.
If you love PNR this book is for you. If you are like me and prefer urban fantasy, here is a chance to expand your romantic horizons a little.
Favorite quotes:
It would be very easy to fall and not think about the landing. Too easy. And he knew how destructive and devastating the impact of loss could be.
and
Caspian’s eyelids flew open. Lydia stood in the doorway looking like a beautiful thundercloud.
http://www.loveromancepassion.com/rev...
I read Husk’s Goblin series and instantly fell in love with her dark storytelling style. I was happy to see she continued this in The Outcast Prince. The heart of the story is the romance between Caspian and Lydia. They may be from different worlds, but their struggles with family secrets and heartbreak connect them on an emotional level. You will enjoy the romance of two people willing to take one last chance at love even though they it could break them completely. I really appreciate the fact that Lydia is the sexual aggressor in the beginning instead of the clichéd human enchanted by fae magic. And Caspian’s psychometric ability adds a unique complication to their relationship.
If this was nothing more than a romance I wouldn’t have been satisfied. There are many secondary storylines and intriguing characters we are teased with. They have bearing on Lydia and Caspian’s situation, but also have you wanting to go deeper and discover their secrets. The next book in this series will be about Verden, the Hunter of Annwyn. We only get a taste of him, but I can’t wait to take a bigger bite. Unlike Caspian who is half fae, and therefore has a soul and a moral compass, Verden is full fairy and in Annwyn he is to be feared. I can’t wait to see his icy exterior melted.
There are enough urban fantasy world building elements to make me happy, but not so much it will turn off the die-hard PNR fans. There is a lot of sexual tension and only a couple of sex scenes. The only complaints I have are in the romance part of the story. During their first sexual encounter things were “butterflies in my stomach” sexy and then an erotic term was used and it jarred me right out of the moment. But that is just me. I don’t like erotica terminology. There is a formula feel to the romance trope, but the uniqueness of Husk’s spin on Fae mythology more than made up for it with me.
If you love PNR this book is for you. If you are like me and prefer urban fantasy, here is a chance to expand your romantic horizons a little.
Favorite quotes:
It would be very easy to fall and not think about the landing. Too easy. And he knew how destructive and devastating the impact of loss could be.
and
Caspian’s eyelids flew open. Lydia stood in the doorway looking like a beautiful thundercloud.
http://www.loveromancepassion.com/rev...
July 25, 2013
2.5 stars
Admittedly, while I’m not the biggest reader of PNR, I still do like to check them out occasionally to see if there is an author or series I’m missing out on. Such was the case with Shona Husk’s The Outcast Prince. I was intrigued by the blurb itself and I’m a huge fan of anything fae related, so my choice is pretty self-explanatory.
Caspian Mort is on the lookout for an artifact called the Window. Supposedly a portal between the human and fairy worlds, Caspian checks out mirrors he comes across to ascertain whether or not it’s fairy made. Caspian meets Lydia Callaway when he comes over to her home to assess the residence, along with various items. Caspian has the distinction of being half- fae, half-human, and is the son of the Prince of Fairy.
I will say I struggled with the beginning of the book. There is quite a bit of exposition relating to Caspian and Lydia’s background. This makes for a slow read at the beginning and I found I had to push myself to read more as I was only a few chapters into The Outcast Prince.
The introduction of a banished fairy, a Grey named Shea, concludes on an ominous note, foreshadowing of worse things to come. When the book focuses on the politics of the Annwyn Court, and the Prince, Caspian’s father, that’s where the book shines. I was very intrigued by the glimpses of fairy and the various players involved rather than the tepid romance taking place between Lydia and Caspian. Because the text spends so much time in Caspian’s head, it comes across more as “telling” as opposed to “showing.” Caspian reveals himself to Lydia without much fanfare and her acceptance of Caspian’s heritage and background makes what could’ve been a very interesting plot point, seem pretty matter of fact and dull.
I also found the interaction between Caspian and Shea, the banished fairy, to be one of the more interesting aspects of the book. Banished fairies lose their more and more of their powers as they’re separated from the Court of Annwyn, and the author does a very good job with how Shea and Caspian negotiate with one another. However, my biggest problem with the book itself is the sheer amount of explanation and unnecessary background that’s given in almost every chapter. It slows down the narrative and gets somewhat boring with the minutia that you’re given.
I’m of two minds on this book. If it had focused more on Ashwynn and the court politics, as well as Caspian and his fairy prince, father, it would have been a much more enjoyable read for me. The romance felt half-hearted at best, and I was left disappointed with the lack of chemistry between the two of them, although there are a couple of sexy scenes sprinkled throughout the book. On the other hand, if Lydia hadn’t been such a bland and boring character, I might have believed in the romance more.
- Ronnie
Admittedly, while I’m not the biggest reader of PNR, I still do like to check them out occasionally to see if there is an author or series I’m missing out on. Such was the case with Shona Husk’s The Outcast Prince. I was intrigued by the blurb itself and I’m a huge fan of anything fae related, so my choice is pretty self-explanatory.
Caspian Mort is on the lookout for an artifact called the Window. Supposedly a portal between the human and fairy worlds, Caspian checks out mirrors he comes across to ascertain whether or not it’s fairy made. Caspian meets Lydia Callaway when he comes over to her home to assess the residence, along with various items. Caspian has the distinction of being half- fae, half-human, and is the son of the Prince of Fairy.
I will say I struggled with the beginning of the book. There is quite a bit of exposition relating to Caspian and Lydia’s background. This makes for a slow read at the beginning and I found I had to push myself to read more as I was only a few chapters into The Outcast Prince.
The introduction of a banished fairy, a Grey named Shea, concludes on an ominous note, foreshadowing of worse things to come. When the book focuses on the politics of the Annwyn Court, and the Prince, Caspian’s father, that’s where the book shines. I was very intrigued by the glimpses of fairy and the various players involved rather than the tepid romance taking place between Lydia and Caspian. Because the text spends so much time in Caspian’s head, it comes across more as “telling” as opposed to “showing.” Caspian reveals himself to Lydia without much fanfare and her acceptance of Caspian’s heritage and background makes what could’ve been a very interesting plot point, seem pretty matter of fact and dull.
I also found the interaction between Caspian and Shea, the banished fairy, to be one of the more interesting aspects of the book. Banished fairies lose their more and more of their powers as they’re separated from the Court of Annwyn, and the author does a very good job with how Shea and Caspian negotiate with one another. However, my biggest problem with the book itself is the sheer amount of explanation and unnecessary background that’s given in almost every chapter. It slows down the narrative and gets somewhat boring with the minutia that you’re given.
I’m of two minds on this book. If it had focused more on Ashwynn and the court politics, as well as Caspian and his fairy prince, father, it would have been a much more enjoyable read for me. The romance felt half-hearted at best, and I was left disappointed with the lack of chemistry between the two of them, although there are a couple of sexy scenes sprinkled throughout the book. On the other hand, if Lydia hadn’t been such a bland and boring character, I might have believed in the romance more.
- Ronnie
June 24, 2013
Reviewed for:
Lets Get Romantical
Where the Night Kind Roam
I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did. I never should have doubted Ms. Shona Husk! She has such a great way of pulling you into the story right from the beginning. This story is fast paced, interesting and the chemistry between Lydia and Caspian is scorching! The intense emotion between Caspian and Lydia is captivating and engaging. From the outside it would not appear that Caspian and Lydia would have anything in common, she is in PR and he is in antiques; however, as they spend time unraveling the secrets of her grandmother’s house the more they find that they have in common.
I loved how these two related to each other, they may have just met but they bond quickly. Both Caspian and Lydia had unusual upbringings and they both understand value of a secret. This makes it easier for each of them to open up to the other. Caspian has never opened up to anyone, no one knows what he really is and what he can really do other than his mother. When he meets Lydia he instantly finds himself more attracted to her physically than any other female he has ever met but more importantly he feels like he has finally found someone that he can finally be open and honest with for the first time in his life. He feels like he found someone that can understand how he grew up and his special abilities. I loved how accepting Lydia was when she found out about his ability. She realized pretty quick that she has found someone special and that a strange ability isn’t a deal breaker in the grand scheme of things. Having grown up in unusual circumstances herself she also understands his own unusual parentage.
While this book isn’t exactly action packed, as previously mentioned it is fast paced. Before I knew it, I was almost finished with the book and I was sad to see the book end. Shona Husk has set us up with an interesting new series featuring the Fae. I do have to admit as far as the paranormal genre goes, I do enjoy the Fae. They aren’t quite bad guys, but they definitely are not the good guys either. Their moral compass code is quite flexible which keeps things interesting. I am very curious to see where this series goes and will be looking for the next book in the series.
Rating:
4
*This book was provided to me through NetGalley for an honest review.
Lets Get Romantical
Where the Night Kind Roam
I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did. I never should have doubted Ms. Shona Husk! She has such a great way of pulling you into the story right from the beginning. This story is fast paced, interesting and the chemistry between Lydia and Caspian is scorching! The intense emotion between Caspian and Lydia is captivating and engaging. From the outside it would not appear that Caspian and Lydia would have anything in common, she is in PR and he is in antiques; however, as they spend time unraveling the secrets of her grandmother’s house the more they find that they have in common.
I loved how these two related to each other, they may have just met but they bond quickly. Both Caspian and Lydia had unusual upbringings and they both understand value of a secret. This makes it easier for each of them to open up to the other. Caspian has never opened up to anyone, no one knows what he really is and what he can really do other than his mother. When he meets Lydia he instantly finds himself more attracted to her physically than any other female he has ever met but more importantly he feels like he has finally found someone that he can finally be open and honest with for the first time in his life. He feels like he found someone that can understand how he grew up and his special abilities. I loved how accepting Lydia was when she found out about his ability. She realized pretty quick that she has found someone special and that a strange ability isn’t a deal breaker in the grand scheme of things. Having grown up in unusual circumstances herself she also understands his own unusual parentage.
While this book isn’t exactly action packed, as previously mentioned it is fast paced. Before I knew it, I was almost finished with the book and I was sad to see the book end. Shona Husk has set us up with an interesting new series featuring the Fae. I do have to admit as far as the paranormal genre goes, I do enjoy the Fae. They aren’t quite bad guys, but they definitely are not the good guys either. Their moral compass code is quite flexible which keeps things interesting. I am very curious to see where this series goes and will be looking for the next book in the series.
Rating:
4
*This book was provided to me through NetGalley for an honest review.
June 29, 2013
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
THE OUTCAST PRINCE, first in the Court of Annwyn series, creates a whole new world of fae politics and mythology as a backdrop to a very sweet romance story. It’s a good book, but I am having a hard time writing this review. There is not to much that stands out about THE OUTCAST PRINCE. And while that’s neither good nor bad, I do feel that the book was a bit mediocre.
I don’t have much criticism for THE OUTCAST PRINCE. My biggest disappointment was that the world building wasn’t as fleshed out as I would have liked. I enjoyed what I saw, but I wish we had learned more. The idea that the world of the fae is a version of heaven and hell is different and new, and could have benefited from more detail. Part of the reason I think the world building was a bit sparse was because a lot of the focus was development of Caspian and Lydia’s relationship and Caspian’s search for a fae object. There was a lot of plot to cover- their relationship, the search, Caspian’s relationship with his father, and Lydia’s discovering her grandmother’s secrets as she searched through her house. It didn’t feel like too much, but in retrospect, there was a lot of plot and that could have contributed to the scattered feeling.
Caspian is not your typical romance hero in my opinion. He’s a little more reserved, partly because of his fae blood and not wanting to make connections, and partly because of his past, since he was married to a woman who cheated on him. Because of that background, then, I was surprised that his relationship with Lydia progressed as quickly as it did, with him sharing information about his heritage and special powers so soon after meeting her. It didn’t seem to fit with who he was.
I think, at the end of the day, THE OUTCAST PRINCE was just not my type of book. It was well written, and kept me reading, but the main characters felt a little flat to me, and the multiple storylines were a bit distracting. I will definitely consider reading book two, LORD OF THE HUNT, as we met the main character already and he seemed intriguing, and I am also interested in seeing how the world develops. There’s a lot of potential and I’d like to see where it goes.
Sexual content: Sex scenes
THE OUTCAST PRINCE, first in the Court of Annwyn series, creates a whole new world of fae politics and mythology as a backdrop to a very sweet romance story. It’s a good book, but I am having a hard time writing this review. There is not to much that stands out about THE OUTCAST PRINCE. And while that’s neither good nor bad, I do feel that the book was a bit mediocre.
I don’t have much criticism for THE OUTCAST PRINCE. My biggest disappointment was that the world building wasn’t as fleshed out as I would have liked. I enjoyed what I saw, but I wish we had learned more. The idea that the world of the fae is a version of heaven and hell is different and new, and could have benefited from more detail. Part of the reason I think the world building was a bit sparse was because a lot of the focus was development of Caspian and Lydia’s relationship and Caspian’s search for a fae object. There was a lot of plot to cover- their relationship, the search, Caspian’s relationship with his father, and Lydia’s discovering her grandmother’s secrets as she searched through her house. It didn’t feel like too much, but in retrospect, there was a lot of plot and that could have contributed to the scattered feeling.
Caspian is not your typical romance hero in my opinion. He’s a little more reserved, partly because of his fae blood and not wanting to make connections, and partly because of his past, since he was married to a woman who cheated on him. Because of that background, then, I was surprised that his relationship with Lydia progressed as quickly as it did, with him sharing information about his heritage and special powers so soon after meeting her. It didn’t seem to fit with who he was.
I think, at the end of the day, THE OUTCAST PRINCE was just not my type of book. It was well written, and kept me reading, but the main characters felt a little flat to me, and the multiple storylines were a bit distracting. I will definitely consider reading book two, LORD OF THE HUNT, as we met the main character already and he seemed intriguing, and I am also interested in seeing how the world develops. There’s a lot of potential and I’d like to see where it goes.
Sexual content: Sex scenes
July 5, 2013
I really like that Shona creates complex characters that don’t jump right into bed without thinking of the consequences. Nor does she create women who are some kind of Madonna/Whore archetype. Yes Lydia hasn’t been laid in a while, but it is because she was working and caring for her sick grandmother. When she and Caspian do hook up it’s her idea, and she literally guides him to her satisfaction without any guilt about it. I love that Caspian is the more cautious one because he had his heart broken and was cheated on. Shona creates characters that would exist in the real world because they have real world experiences, they just happen to find themselves in extraordinary circumstances.
Shona is also great at world building, but she sucks at creating conflict for the character’s to overcome. Caspian is threatened by a Grey (outcast) Fairy to find a mirror that is also a portal so that he can get home. Caspian says screw you, no way. The Grey then pulls some fairy pranks on Caspian. They are annoying but harmless. Then they Grey sees Lydia and says find the mirror or I’ll kill the girl, and then Caspian caves. What? The Grey doesn’t lay a hand on Lydia or have a weapon handy. Also he’s a fairy, sure he has magic but all Lydia has to do is get some iron and the threat is neutralized. Caspian makes a deal with the Grey that says I’l find the mirror for you in 30 days or I will forfeit something extremely precious to me. Again, what? This makes no sense. Caspian holds all of the power in this deal, if the mirror is not found not only won’t it affect him negatively, it’s actually better for Caspian and the rest of the world if the Grey doesn’t get it. I’m no fairy or lawyer but I could have negotiated a way better deal than that. And most annoying is that Caspian basically knows the location of the mirror from the beginning of the book, the only thing keeping him from it is a series of bumbling miscommunication straight out of a cheesy romantic comedy. Meanwhile there was an actual mystery regarding Lydia’s heritage, parentage, and a mysterious character who is threatening her. But that entire storyline was dismissed.
I will read the next book in the series, because I love this world and the character development. Hopefully the next book will have better conflict and more action.
Shona is also great at world building, but she sucks at creating conflict for the character’s to overcome. Caspian is threatened by a Grey (outcast) Fairy to find a mirror that is also a portal so that he can get home. Caspian says screw you, no way. The Grey then pulls some fairy pranks on Caspian. They are annoying but harmless. Then they Grey sees Lydia and says find the mirror or I’ll kill the girl, and then Caspian caves. What? The Grey doesn’t lay a hand on Lydia or have a weapon handy. Also he’s a fairy, sure he has magic but all Lydia has to do is get some iron and the threat is neutralized. Caspian makes a deal with the Grey that says I’l find the mirror for you in 30 days or I will forfeit something extremely precious to me. Again, what? This makes no sense. Caspian holds all of the power in this deal, if the mirror is not found not only won’t it affect him negatively, it’s actually better for Caspian and the rest of the world if the Grey doesn’t get it. I’m no fairy or lawyer but I could have negotiated a way better deal than that. And most annoying is that Caspian basically knows the location of the mirror from the beginning of the book, the only thing keeping him from it is a series of bumbling miscommunication straight out of a cheesy romantic comedy. Meanwhile there was an actual mystery regarding Lydia’s heritage, parentage, and a mysterious character who is threatening her. But that entire storyline was dismissed.
I will read the next book in the series, because I love this world and the character development. Hopefully the next book will have better conflict and more action.
August 12, 2015
Definitely 5 stars! The Outcast Prince is the captivating first book in Shona Husk's new series Court of Annwyn. I was very excited to receive an advance copy through a Goodreads giveaway.
Caspian has lived all his life as a normal human, with two exceptions. He can read an object's history simply by touching it. And he can see fairies. The reason? Caspian himself is a changeling fairy, born of a human mother and a fairy father. Well not just any fairy. His father is the fairy prince.
Caspian's gift comes in handy as an antique appraiser and it brings him to the notorious Callaway house to assess it's contents after the owner died. There, he meets Lydia, who inherited the house from her grandmother. Caspian and Lydia connect almost immediately, not surprisingly. Also not surprisingly, the relationship is an added complication in Caspian's life because....
In addition to his human job, he has been tasked by his father to find a fairy object - a Window that allows entrance to the fairy world. A Grey, which is a banished fairy, is harassing Caspian to find it for him so he can get back to Annwyn - fairyland. Greys are dangerous beings and Caspian knows that it is just a matter of time before Lydia will be in peril from the Grey.
So the hunt proceeds!
Fairies really are a dark and dangerous race. First rule - appearances are deceiving! The story is punctuated with fairy tricks, Annwyn Court politics, and things that go bump in the night.
I gobbled it all up and enjoyed every bite! Caspian and Lydia live lives that are far from perfect and to sympathize with them is no hard stretch. The Callaway house and it's history was a fascinating secondary character. There is really no violence, so it had a comfortable understated atmosphere to it, which was perfect. Nevertheless, the pace is swift and I had the book read, almost before I realized I was done.
This new series is full of possibilities! Annwyn Court politics, fairy laws and that most intriguing Prince Felan. I eagerly await the next book in the series.
Caspian has lived all his life as a normal human, with two exceptions. He can read an object's history simply by touching it. And he can see fairies. The reason? Caspian himself is a changeling fairy, born of a human mother and a fairy father. Well not just any fairy. His father is the fairy prince.
Caspian's gift comes in handy as an antique appraiser and it brings him to the notorious Callaway house to assess it's contents after the owner died. There, he meets Lydia, who inherited the house from her grandmother. Caspian and Lydia connect almost immediately, not surprisingly. Also not surprisingly, the relationship is an added complication in Caspian's life because....
In addition to his human job, he has been tasked by his father to find a fairy object - a Window that allows entrance to the fairy world. A Grey, which is a banished fairy, is harassing Caspian to find it for him so he can get back to Annwyn - fairyland. Greys are dangerous beings and Caspian knows that it is just a matter of time before Lydia will be in peril from the Grey.
So the hunt proceeds!
Fairies really are a dark and dangerous race. First rule - appearances are deceiving! The story is punctuated with fairy tricks, Annwyn Court politics, and things that go bump in the night.
I gobbled it all up and enjoyed every bite! Caspian and Lydia live lives that are far from perfect and to sympathize with them is no hard stretch. The Callaway house and it's history was a fascinating secondary character. There is really no violence, so it had a comfortable understated atmosphere to it, which was perfect. Nevertheless, the pace is swift and I had the book read, almost before I realized I was done.
This new series is full of possibilities! Annwyn Court politics, fairy laws and that most intriguing Prince Felan. I eagerly await the next book in the series.
June 11, 2013
Seeing is definitely believing for Caspian. He's grown up knowing he was different from the moment he first saw what others can't, fairies.
Being a changeling (half fairy that was born in the mortal world)he has some abilities that the fey do but lives a mortal lifespan unless he goes to live in Annwyn but that would require actually knowing who his father was first.
He's built himself a career in antiques using his ability which his how he meets Lydia.
Lydia's grandmother has recently passed away and due to the will she has to have it's contents valued but that requires letting someone into the scandalous Callaway House. Taking a chance she let's Caspian come and catalogue it's contents but is surprised when a handsome intriguing man is at her doorstep instead of a dusty old one.
Both have to let themselves in each others lives but Caspian has a secret side to himself that he's never told another mortal.
The story is mainly centered around Caspian but it is told from other characters perspective as well giving you a well rounded view point. The scene is set well and is so detailed you can really imagine the setting helping you delve into the world and really be a part of the story.
Caspian is a great male lead and has all the qualities a female reader would want. He doesn't even complain about his ex wife! Plus his added fairy extras give that special something to his character.
Lydia is strong and independent but has been through alot emotionally. She does change through the story as she learns to adapt and depend on someone else but is a good love interest for Caspian.
The erotic scene's were steamy and had just the right amount content to entice but not overwhelm you. Very well done. Their whole relationship did advance quickly but it seemed realistic. An addictive fantasy for the grown up reader.
The copy I had did have some editing errors but nothing too noticeable and distracting and will no doubt have been picked up and changed soon.
There is adult content so suitable for more mature audiences that love fantasy.
Being a changeling (half fairy that was born in the mortal world)he has some abilities that the fey do but lives a mortal lifespan unless he goes to live in Annwyn but that would require actually knowing who his father was first.
He's built himself a career in antiques using his ability which his how he meets Lydia.
Lydia's grandmother has recently passed away and due to the will she has to have it's contents valued but that requires letting someone into the scandalous Callaway House. Taking a chance she let's Caspian come and catalogue it's contents but is surprised when a handsome intriguing man is at her doorstep instead of a dusty old one.
Both have to let themselves in each others lives but Caspian has a secret side to himself that he's never told another mortal.
The story is mainly centered around Caspian but it is told from other characters perspective as well giving you a well rounded view point. The scene is set well and is so detailed you can really imagine the setting helping you delve into the world and really be a part of the story.
Caspian is a great male lead and has all the qualities a female reader would want. He doesn't even complain about his ex wife! Plus his added fairy extras give that special something to his character.
Lydia is strong and independent but has been through alot emotionally. She does change through the story as she learns to adapt and depend on someone else but is a good love interest for Caspian.
The erotic scene's were steamy and had just the right amount content to entice but not overwhelm you. Very well done. Their whole relationship did advance quickly but it seemed realistic. An addictive fantasy for the grown up reader.
The copy I had did have some editing errors but nothing too noticeable and distracting and will no doubt have been picked up and changed soon.
There is adult content so suitable for more mature audiences that love fantasy.
August 29, 2013
Previously reviewed on The Good the Bad and the Unread:
I fell in love with historic and supernatural Charleston at the age of seven, which may have been what drew me to this book, even though the location isn’t specifically mentioned in the blurb. Some lovely history and worldbuilding in this story, but with the snag that I found the politics and backstory far more interesting than the central romance.
Caspian is a changeling: the son of a fairy prince born in the human world and raised by his human mother and her husband. He’s mortal but with the gift of seeing the history of anything he touches: a highly useful skill when valuing antiques. Although he generally avoids probate work, he can’t resist the job of valuing the contents of Callaway House – Charleston’s notorious ‘mistress hotel’ after the Second World War and later a haunt of artists and musicians. While there, he’s drawn to Lydia, the granddaughter of the hotel’s late matriarch, and senses that at least one fairy has visited during the house’s years of notoriety, and at least one banished fairy is still there.
Tasked by his father to find a lost fairy mirror, and menaced by a recently banished fairy – and lover of the fairy queen – Caspian has to draw on all possible allies to recover the mirror while keeping himself and Lydia safe. I love the various forms the banished fairies assume depending on which attribute they most want to hang onto: magic, looks, or longevity. I also love the court politics and will be following this series to find out how that develops.
As for Caspian and Lydia, I couldn’t feel the spark between them. They are interesting characters, although rather detached from the world around them, but I like them as individuals rather than as a couple. Hopefully that will improve if we see them again in future books. On the other hand, I would love to see a book about Lydia’s grandmother or possibly one about her mother.
I fell in love with historic and supernatural Charleston at the age of seven, which may have been what drew me to this book, even though the location isn’t specifically mentioned in the blurb. Some lovely history and worldbuilding in this story, but with the snag that I found the politics and backstory far more interesting than the central romance.
Caspian is a changeling: the son of a fairy prince born in the human world and raised by his human mother and her husband. He’s mortal but with the gift of seeing the history of anything he touches: a highly useful skill when valuing antiques. Although he generally avoids probate work, he can’t resist the job of valuing the contents of Callaway House – Charleston’s notorious ‘mistress hotel’ after the Second World War and later a haunt of artists and musicians. While there, he’s drawn to Lydia, the granddaughter of the hotel’s late matriarch, and senses that at least one fairy has visited during the house’s years of notoriety, and at least one banished fairy is still there.
Tasked by his father to find a lost fairy mirror, and menaced by a recently banished fairy – and lover of the fairy queen – Caspian has to draw on all possible allies to recover the mirror while keeping himself and Lydia safe. I love the various forms the banished fairies assume depending on which attribute they most want to hang onto: magic, looks, or longevity. I also love the court politics and will be following this series to find out how that develops.
As for Caspian and Lydia, I couldn’t feel the spark between them. They are interesting characters, although rather detached from the world around them, but I like them as individuals rather than as a couple. Hopefully that will improve if we see them again in future books. On the other hand, I would love to see a book about Lydia’s grandmother or possibly one about her mother.
January 11, 2014
The Outcast Prince was an interesting new series. I only read The Goblin King (the first book in the Shadowlands series) and I enjoyed my experience so I wanted to give a try to this new series by Shona Husk.
The first thing I liked in the Outcast Prince was the fact that it wasn't about Goblins but Fairies. While I was reading it, many elements reminded me of The Iron King series by Julie Kagawa (mainly the rules and the whole fairy world) but of course Shona Husk gives me also something more... adult!
I was eager to read this new series and I wasn't disappointed: there's action, romance, mystery and lot of suspense surrounding the Callaway house. One of the things I loved the most was all the intrigue, the mystery behind the past of the house. Which bring our main character to meet.
Plus Caspian, the main character, but also the half-fairy/half-human has special superpowers that I love to read about and that isn't use enough in paranormal stories: psychometry. Psychometry is a form of extrasensory perception (thanks Google/Wikipedia) and Caspian will use it to help the charming Lydia to evaluate her soon to-be heritance.
But the Callaway house hides secrets bigger than some antiquity and soon Caspian will have to make tough choices.
I loves the detailed scenes; the ones in the Callaway house, the ones between Caspian and Lydia (oh my!), the ones that interpreted the images of past but also the details in these laws of the fairy world that are to be observed at all cost.
The interactions between Lydia and Caspian were naturals and the reader can sense the connection between them. I love the fact that even if Caspian has some powers he still remain honest, kind and human and he didn't abuse of his abilities.
Even if we don't really knows or learn about Lydia, the reader will be drawn by her sweet but short story and by her fragility, tenderness and her inner strength.
The first thing I liked in the Outcast Prince was the fact that it wasn't about Goblins but Fairies. While I was reading it, many elements reminded me of The Iron King series by Julie Kagawa (mainly the rules and the whole fairy world) but of course Shona Husk gives me also something more... adult!
I was eager to read this new series and I wasn't disappointed: there's action, romance, mystery and lot of suspense surrounding the Callaway house. One of the things I loved the most was all the intrigue, the mystery behind the past of the house. Which bring our main character to meet.
Plus Caspian, the main character, but also the half-fairy/half-human has special superpowers that I love to read about and that isn't use enough in paranormal stories: psychometry. Psychometry is a form of extrasensory perception (thanks Google/Wikipedia) and Caspian will use it to help the charming Lydia to evaluate her soon to-be heritance.
But the Callaway house hides secrets bigger than some antiquity and soon Caspian will have to make tough choices.
I loves the detailed scenes; the ones in the Callaway house, the ones between Caspian and Lydia (oh my!), the ones that interpreted the images of past but also the details in these laws of the fairy world that are to be observed at all cost.
The interactions between Lydia and Caspian were naturals and the reader can sense the connection between them. I love the fact that even if Caspian has some powers he still remain honest, kind and human and he didn't abuse of his abilities.
Even if we don't really knows or learn about Lydia, the reader will be drawn by her sweet but short story and by her fragility, tenderness and her inner strength.
January 2, 2014
If you like stories of fae, romance, mythology, and action, this book is for you.
This is the start of a series that revolves around Annwyn, a sort of heaven/hell dimension that is inhabited by the fae. Caspian is the product of an adulterous union between the fae prince and a human female. Raised in the human world with the power to view the history of an object by touch, Caspian becomes someone who puts value on antique objects by trade while trying to keep his power a secret. Still recovering from a divorce from the woman who he didn't even share his fairy lineage with; he throws himself into work, which is where he meets Lydia.
Lydia is a strong woman raised with a family name that has earned a bit of a bad reputation. Her grandmother (who raised her) used her large house as a "mistress hotel" for some years before Lydia was born. This, of course, led to a lot of secrets and intrigue, which Lydia is hoping to avoid while grieving for her recently deceased grandmother. In order to settle the will, she must put value to the objects in the house left to her, which is where Lydia meets Caspian.
Their chemistry is sizzling and the story is completely addictive. There is fae court intrigue, secrets, and oodles of fun characters introduced along the way. I love the seamless sort of way the author introduced Lydia to the world of the fae, without having her immediately exposed. I am eager to see what comes next for the rapidly deteriorating world they live in.
This is the start of a series that revolves around Annwyn, a sort of heaven/hell dimension that is inhabited by the fae. Caspian is the product of an adulterous union between the fae prince and a human female. Raised in the human world with the power to view the history of an object by touch, Caspian becomes someone who puts value on antique objects by trade while trying to keep his power a secret. Still recovering from a divorce from the woman who he didn't even share his fairy lineage with; he throws himself into work, which is where he meets Lydia.
Lydia is a strong woman raised with a family name that has earned a bit of a bad reputation. Her grandmother (who raised her) used her large house as a "mistress hotel" for some years before Lydia was born. This, of course, led to a lot of secrets and intrigue, which Lydia is hoping to avoid while grieving for her recently deceased grandmother. In order to settle the will, she must put value to the objects in the house left to her, which is where Lydia meets Caspian.
Their chemistry is sizzling and the story is completely addictive. There is fae court intrigue, secrets, and oodles of fun characters introduced along the way. I love the seamless sort of way the author introduced Lydia to the world of the fae, without having her immediately exposed. I am eager to see what comes next for the rapidly deteriorating world they live in.
July 7, 2013
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I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
I LOVE Paranormal and I read another book from this author so I jumped when I saw it was available from NetGalley.
I love Vampires and shifter stories but i am excited that more authors are exploring the Fae in series. This book is about a half blood who was born in our world and not in his natural world. he is mega hottie and you gotta belive it is because he was born of royal blood....lol.
Basically Caspian's dad totally "glamoured" his mom into sex. he knocked her up and left her there...not nice considering she was married to a human.
Anyway, Caspian goes through his when he discovers his gift for psychometry. he then is pulled back in to the Fae world. We see himn fighting and understand why hei s fighting the draw to the world. he meets and falls for Lydia. I like that the main characters slowly fall in love with each other and dont just jump right in to bed. It makes for a nice slow burn. But Caspian has to find a wife. he needs an heir. He refuses to do what dear old dad daid and knowck up a humn. Oh yeah they can only reproduce with humans...yeah Lydia...Lotto winner!!
Well if this summary has peaked your interest give it a read. you will most defo like it if you like Paranormal.
www.Twinsietalk.blogspot.com
www.Facebook.com/Twinsietalk
@Twinsietalk
I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
I LOVE Paranormal and I read another book from this author so I jumped when I saw it was available from NetGalley.
I love Vampires and shifter stories but i am excited that more authors are exploring the Fae in series. This book is about a half blood who was born in our world and not in his natural world. he is mega hottie and you gotta belive it is because he was born of royal blood....lol.
Basically Caspian's dad totally "glamoured" his mom into sex. he knocked her up and left her there...not nice considering she was married to a human.
Anyway, Caspian goes through his when he discovers his gift for psychometry. he then is pulled back in to the Fae world. We see himn fighting and understand why hei s fighting the draw to the world. he meets and falls for Lydia. I like that the main characters slowly fall in love with each other and dont just jump right in to bed. It makes for a nice slow burn. But Caspian has to find a wife. he needs an heir. He refuses to do what dear old dad daid and knowck up a humn. Oh yeah they can only reproduce with humans...yeah Lydia...Lotto winner!!
Well if this summary has peaked your interest give it a read. you will most defo like it if you like Paranormal.
May 10, 2014
More of a 3.5. The problem here might be trying to cram too much into too short a book. (t's actually 288 pages; there's an excerpt from The Goblin King adding to the page count). The end result is that the story keeps getting interrupted by just enough world building to be dangerous.
How dangerous, you ask... Ah. Well, the fairies are not ah... well... it's odd really. it seems that a male and female fairy are not usually capable of reproducing, so the usual thing is to seduce a human into a union. Except... apparently this is forbidden. Yeah. Ok. The H is the result of such a union. And here we get tricksy. Born in the mortal world, the person is mortal and more or less human with quirks (think sidhe-seer, among other things) Born in Annwyn... fairy. Maybe it's safer to say the fae are only fertile on the mortal plane.
I'd also add that this one monkeys a bit with the concepts of heaven and hell. Personally, i'd rather authors just deviated entirely rather than redefined - not really liking the thought that the decided amoral fae are sort of like angels (author doesn't actually SAY that but she had to know the mind would go there)
How dangerous, you ask... Ah. Well, the fairies are not ah... well... it's odd really. it seems that a male and female fairy are not usually capable of reproducing, so the usual thing is to seduce a human into a union. Except... apparently this is forbidden. Yeah. Ok. The H is the result of such a union. And here we get tricksy. Born in the mortal world, the person is mortal and more or less human with quirks (think sidhe-seer, among other things) Born in Annwyn... fairy. Maybe it's safer to say the fae are only fertile on the mortal plane.
I'd also add that this one monkeys a bit with the concepts of heaven and hell. Personally, i'd rather authors just deviated entirely rather than redefined - not really liking the thought that the decided amoral fae are sort of like angels (author doesn't actually SAY that but she had to know the mind would go there)
September 19, 2019
The Outcast Prince by Shona Husk is the first book in the Court of Annwyn. In this book, Caspian Mort a part fairy born of a fairy prince and a human mother arrives at Calloway house to appraise the value of its contents. When he arrives at the mansion, he meets Lydia Calloway the granddaughter of the previous owner of the house. Caspian realizes that it will take time to value the home and strain on his fairy power of psychometry but agrees to do the job because he feels the need to immerse himself in the history of Calloway House and it alluring new owner Lydia. Even as Caspian tries to avoid all things fairy he is forced into searching for a fairy mirror that has been lost from Annwyn and is somewhere in the human realm. This book is a different type of fairy tale. It has wonderful characters, dangerous situations, mysteries to solve, lots of suspense, and a love story that is amazingly sweet. This is a perfect read for anyone who enjoys an unusual fairytale that eventually ends with a happy ever after ending. The Outcast Prince is a fairytale full of mystery, suspense, intrigue, and romance.
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