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Joy

(The Dreughan #3)

Lena North (Goodreads Author)

4.47 · Rating details · 43 ratings · 16 reviews

I’ve already killed for my family, and I’d do it again, without remorse.

I am Troy, the happy young man full of joy and laughter. The harmless one, who can send arrows into the heart of a traitor with deadly precision.

When my Dreughan family sends a group of people to Pantano, the main village of the Waterfolk, I was selected to go with them. I was excited to go because I’ ...more

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Kindle Edition, 209 pages

Published September 30th 2015 by Flat-out

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Dec 29, 2019 Elizabeth Dragina rated it it was ok

1.5 stars ~

Ugh. The drama. The content. The characters.

And that ending hurt.

Buckle down for another rant-filled review . . . my anger toward this trilogy has now come to its conclusion and I'm ready to spill over.

Let me explain a bit about the first two books and my reactions toward them. Vilda and her story Courage was amazing. I was in love. I was laughing so hard so many times and awed by the suspense and mystical abilities. I loved the world building and characters. It was one of those b 1.5 stars ~

Ugh. The drama. The content. The characters.

And that ending hurt.

Buckle down for another rant-filled review . . . my anger toward this trilogy has now come to its conclusion and I'm ready to spill over.

Let me explain a bit about the first two books and my reactions toward them. Vilda and her story Courage was amazing. I was in love. I was laughing so hard so many times and awed by the suspense and mystical abilities. I loved the world building and characters. It was one of those books that gave off inspiration in chunks and made you feel like you belonged in their tight knit family.

Susannah and her story Reason immediately started giving me bad vibes. I was so excited to read it and love the characters that much more...and my favorite trope (enemies to lovers) promised good things. It didn't even come close to fulfilling my expectations. The MC's who were hard core enemies in the first book became friends within the first chapter. Everything I hoped for began to crumble. Then the action was just drama...the characters I loved turned into adults (or teens) who acted like children...throwing temper tantrums if they didn't get their way. The way the MC's perspective rubbed off on me was awful....she looked at everyone like she was the only one who could take out the bad guys and be strong. She didn't stay true to her character....and all the other characters just went along with the whole thing, making me believe that now Susannah was the only one who could save them....just as Vilda had been in the first book.

Troy and his story Joy made me mad. Now all the sudden he's the only one who can understand things correctly. He's the strong one and everyone else started acting like babies. Then all the strong plot twists became weak as the drama increased, because we find out that they knew all along about certain things. We find out amazing victories in the first two books were just "staged" and then Vilda and Susannah's amazing-ness dissipated. None of the characters could keep their personality straight. The motive behind certain emotions (like anger...which was used in an overabundance) didn't make any sense. The World Building has stayed amazing and so has the mystical abilities, but the action was swapped for drama it seemed. Everything was super convenient...and no one important died (hardly anyone died....😾). The answers to everything were basically thrown in their faces....and the bad guys literally came up to them to die. -_- This books basically runs on drama and world building. I HATE IT. The only reason it's not .5 stars is because I laughed once...and the connection I felt to the characters once upon a time.

Honestly the characters aren't consistent to their personality. Each book--because the perspective changed--the MC then became the most important of the three "friend/siblings". He/She then swayed the other characters awe, respect, and admiration to them rather then those side characters sticking to the first person.

*sighs* 😑😔 I don't know if that all makes sense....I'm just trying to express my utter horror at such lack in the author's finesse. She did so good in the beginning....keeping the content low and the characters amazing.

**Content Warning** Lots of bad language and crud humor... Sh*t is used far to often by every character. Lots of nudity...and sexual scenes...or suggestive sexual scenes. Each book increases tenfold. *shakes head* The logic of their choices doesn't always make sense....and the violence is bad.

There. I have finished the rant. *rereads it all* *feels like I have said enough*

*wipes hands on pants*

Overall ~ This book sucks. This series is a meh. ...more

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Aug 13, 2016 Dianne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-read, author-requested-review, coming-of-age, dragons, fabulous-reading, great-dialogue, own, recommended, ya-fantasy

He can lighten hearts and the strained moments with his wit and charm. He can also kill with deadly precision and he will. Troy’s is the third heart that beats in sync with Vilma and Susannah’s. Loyal to a fault and the easy going joker, life has uncovered the secrets of his heritage and finally given him a blood family, but life never makes things easy and his heart’s journey “home” will be treacherous and painful, if he survives. He will trade his own life to save the lives of those he calls f He can lighten hearts and the strained moments with his wit and charm. He can also kill with deadly precision and he will. Troy’s is the third heart that beats in sync with Vilma and Susannah’s. Loyal to a fault and the easy going joker, life has uncovered the secrets of his heritage and finally given him a blood family, but life never makes things easy and his heart’s journey “home” will be treacherous and painful, if he survives. He will trade his own life to save the lives of those he calls family as well as the thousand unknown faces trapped in a war that someone wants to re-kindle.

It’s time for his heart to find a safe haven, a woman to belong to for eternity. It’s time for Troy to find Joy and author Lena North is just the one to show him the way, but not without consequences and the true tests of loyalty, love and honor as he shows the world what he is made of behind that crooked smirk.

I felt this tale in my heart, it vibrated in my soul as Troy secretly takes on a mission to find a traitor, a band of cold-blooded killers that will shake the very core of all he treasures. Only one woman will continue to believe in him as one by one, family and friends turn their back on him, leaving him banished and without the home he thought he had found. I could have cried, I got angry and disgusted and I could almost hear the music of each event, particularly the soulful notes of betrayal, as well as the swells of Joy that became the highs in a tale rich with vivid scenes, truly realistic characters and the search for one’s identity. Lena North is a master story-teller who can write humor and heart as easily as she writes darkness and pain. And her endings? Perfect!

I received an ARC edition from Lena North in exchange for my honest review.

Series: The Dreughan - Book 3
Publisher: Flat-out; 2 edition (September 30, 2015)
Publication Date: September 30, 2015
Genre: YA Fantasy
Print Length: 231 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

...more

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Oct 31, 2016 Crystal rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is the third book in the series and it is told from Troy's perspective. It's truly a remarkable book because we learned about Vilda and Susannah in the first two books and now we get to hear about Troy and how he truly feels. I love the fact that he finds out that he has a family with the waterfolk. I really did enjoy this book and would recommend this book to anyone that wants to read about love, friendship, and the bonds that can be build by friends. I received this book in exchange for m ...more

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Dec 14, 2015 April Mathes rated it really liked it

so I loved how Troy and Rinna acted towards each other. she always knew he was the one even though he acted like a turd. Their chemistry helped them in the way they handled situations as well as just went on with their lives. When at the end Troy has Not one Two but THREE families its really sweet. The family he grew up with, the family he was suppose to have had and then the family he made. Troy thinks things thoroughly and is quick to find the answers to problems. This book was pretty awesome!

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Nov 13, 2018 Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, historical, romance, favorites

Joy is the third and final book in the Dreughan series, and this time it is Troy's turn. I have been waiting for his story, because he has shown hints of not being the 'clown' all the time, and I couldn't wait to see deeper into his character. Let me just say, I was NOT disappointed.

Not only do we see more of Troy, and how he feels about Vilda and Sannah, but we also see more about who he is, how he works, and just what he will do for those he calls family. I am happy to say Valerian is his brot ...more

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Oct 28, 2016 Aldis rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Joy is Troy's stoey, book 3 of the Dreughan. He finds out that his father was one of the Waterfolk, and that he is one of the dead king's bastards. Add to this a plot to keep the war between the dreughan and the Waterfolk going, and I was hooked. He juggles romance with a girl he is forbidden to have, deadly accidents following him, and the question of who he can trust, and then he loses it all. I could not stop reading, and I wish there were a book 4. I don't want to leave this world. ...more

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Oct 31, 2016 Eleonora rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This series just gets better and better as it progresses and this is my favorite book in it so far. I have to say that before reading this book I wasn't really interested in reading about Troy. However, I did want to know the ending of this story and I am so glad that I did read it!

I have to say that I did something very different with these books than with other series I have reviewed. I wanted to be able to focus on one book at a time in my reviews without being affected by what I might write This series just gets better and better as it progresses and this is my favorite book in it so far. I have to say that before reading this book I wasn't really interested in reading about Troy. However, I did want to know the ending of this story and I am so glad that I did read it!

I have to say that I did something very different with these books than with other series I have reviewed. I wanted to be able to focus on one book at a time in my reviews without being affected by what I might write in the next reviewed or by something that I read later on in the series. So I didn't allow myself to start reading the next book until after I had written the review of the one I had just finished. Unknowingly this helped me, not only in the way I had intended it to, but to also notice changes from one book to the next. And what I did notice was a progress. I realized that things that had bothered me while reading Courage were not as noticeable in Reason and some of them were not even an issue for me while reading Joy. For example, Joy was written in a way that didn't make me feel too old to be reading it, as if it had been written for a much younger audience than I am.

Plotwise I definitely prefer Joy to either of the two previous books in the series. I think felt that the plot was not only more interesting but also more complex.

Moreover, another thing that I liked about the entire series is that no character is perfect. Even 'the good guys' have flaws and make mistakes just like it happens in real life. Of course, it can be frustrating when you have to admit that your favorite hero is just a human (or elf, or dwarf, or dragon-you know what I mean), but giving the characters flaws and allowing them to make mistakes makes them look more realistic.

Finally, I want to talk about the ending. As a conclusion to the story, I think that Lena North did a really good job. I liked the ending and while reading the book it was like I could see the stray threads of random information, facts and suspicions coming together. Everything tied up together very nicely and all of my questions were answered except one. I really would have liked to know the answer to this question (and I am not going to tell you which question that was and spoil the ending for you). However, the answer to this question could be an excuse for another book to be written or, if not an entire book, then maybe a novella or a short story. If I am ever lucky enough to have Lena North actually read this review then I hope that she does take my advice and do just that.

You can see the full review post on my blog:
https://readingexperienceswithnora.wo... ...more

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Oct 26, 2016 Seraphia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-shelf, fantasy, ya

Joy by Lena North is book 3 in her The Creughan series. In this book the story is told from Troy's perspective as he learns that he has family with the Waterfolk who have been fighting the Dreughan for years. At first he is beyond determined to care for them or allow them into his heart when he realizes that Val looks very much like him and others see it too. But as he spends time with Val, his woman and several of the other Waterfolk he find that his heart has room to care for them as well. But Joy by Lena North is book 3 in her The Creughan series. In this book the story is told from Troy's perspective as he learns that he has family with the Waterfolk who have been fighting the Dreughan for years. At first he is beyond determined to care for them or allow them into his heart when he realizes that Val looks very much like him and others see it too. But as he spends time with Val, his woman and several of the other Waterfolk he find that his heart has room to care for them as well. But while he is with the Waterfolk during an exchange he learns through his own experiences that somne does not want the war to stop. Someone in the villages wants the war to continue but why? Most are ready for peace so why do these wish for it to continue? Will Troy and the others be able to find out who the culprits are or will the war continue on without end only more blood shed?
I really enjoyed reading this book. Troy is so humorous and does his best to try and keep the moods light but he also shows his more serious side too which I really liked. This story is really dynamic as it brings in Troy's other family. He claims the girls as his sisters but then he also learns to embrace his Waterfolk family. He's strong but his heart is soft which makes him a really good guy. He finally acknowledges his love for Rinna which is good. A lot of things are brought to light but this book is really good.
The only negative that I would have concerned this book would be...the underage sex that ends up going on. I just don't think that it's appropriate because of the fact that they are so young! I know that they are teenagers and older teens but still...the fact that the others were told "wait until you are 17 for the joining ceremony" then I feel that regardless Troy should have waited until Rinna is older. Also, I didn't like how near the end there is a huge jump in the timeline. You don't realize it until other characters are described and brought it then you have to piece it together. I would have preferred if there had been "and so many years later" so that we'd know that there is such a dynamic transition.
Despite these two issues that I had with the book I have to say that I still thoroughly enjoyed it. I laughed out loud, I smiled, I frowned and even shed a tear or two. So I give this book two thumbs up. ...more

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Oct 29, 2016 Lee rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Awesome story! I enjoyed this one so much....it's a great continuation of the Dreughan series. This book focuses on the young man Troy. He is full of laughter and good cheer, and is the joy in the lives of his family and friends. When he discovers he has a half brother in another village, he seeks to find out more about his kin. It's an intense story in the midst of war between the different lands of people. I thought this book really explained the lands and people in a more detailed way than ev ...more

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Oct 29, 2016 Isis Ray-sisco rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-for-review

Joy is another great book by Lena North. It is the third book in the Dreughan series. I really enjoyed this one as much as I did Reason the previous installment in the series. I liked Troy's character. He was interesting. Joy starts where Reason ended with the characters trying to end the war between the Dreughan and the Waterfolk. It is full of action, romance, mystery and intrigue. Troy is trying to figure out who he is in the middle of everything. He ends up having more family than he bargain ...more

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Oct 29, 2016 Carole rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This is the 3rd and last book in the series. It deals mainly with Troy and his friends.
There is plenty of action and romance follows. It is amazing to see how the relationships
develope and how they all work together to get over differences and problems.
Of course there is the usual intrigue of who did what. Mysteries have to be solved along
with undiscovered family to be revealed.
The whole series was very entertaining, and the author kept me spellbound throughout
the 3 books.
There is some romance i ...more

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Oct 30, 2016 Kira Assad rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Lena North did it again in the third and final story of the Dreughan series. Following Troy's story now, it was nice to see this world from a males perspective as the first two books followed the girls. Troy is such a funny character. And I love his relationship with Vilda and Sannah as this big brother type. It's just so cute to see. The story itself was full of page turning action, and much like the other two books, I couldn't stop reading! The characters, world, and the story itself was truly ...more

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Jan 07, 2016 Karyn rated it liked it

This was the third book, and as I had enjoyed the previous two, I thought I'd love this one too. I didn't care for it as much though. There were several reasons for this. First, the main character in this book was a guy, which is fine, but the voice didn't feel as authentic as the female main characters in the other two books. Second, everyone kept speaking in a very modern way, which felt jarring, given that the setting wasn't the post-apocolyptic world I had assumed at first. This was a fantas ...more

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Oct 28, 2016 Diana rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Absolutely amazing. This is troys story. He builds a relationship with his brother and along the way faces he encounters some dangerous situations. I love his relationship with kitty, and how Troy grows up and finds his place. There are some great surprises, some really big betrayals and secrets revealed. I really really enjoyed reading this book. Lena North did a great job. Full video review on YouTube channel Adventures-IN-Print. https://youtu.be/ZsSU86GRuWA ...more

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Oct 21, 2016 Rosemary Lekman rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is my first experience with Lena North and i am glad i did. Now i look forward to reading more. This is an exciting and intriguing story. I really enjoyed it. And Troy was my favorite character. Its different and unique.

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Jul 08, 2016 Danielle Brewster rated it it was amazing

I've forgotten to rate this boo from a few months back. Troy's story was amazing. The ending was just so perfect. I want more. Thank you Lena for sending me this series. ...more

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About Lena North

Lena North

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The proper way to put it here would probably be to describe how I love to play with our two big dogs, how much I adore my fantastic daughters and how much I love to read.

Another way would be to use my imagination and then I would be a super powerful warrior woman, think Xena the warrior princess (though with less tacky clothes). Or when I think of it, maybe I’m actually more of a Hercule Poirot (s ...more