Sword Song

The Isle of Destiny #2

by Tricia O'Malley

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Tricia O'Malley, comes a captivating romance series set on the rocky shores of Ireland.Sasha Flanagan lives her life by the sword – quite literally. As a collector and dealer of antique blades and an expert swordswoman, she’s spent much of her life single-mindedly pursuing her goal to own one of the most elite weaponry galleries in the world.

Murdering fae popping out of dark alleys are certainly not part of her carefully designed life plans.

Sasha quickly finds herself drawn into a centuries-old curse – in which, to her surprise – she holds the leading role. Tasked with finding a mythological sword while accompanied by a rag-tag band of magickal beings shakes her understanding of the world as she knows it. The added distraction of a devastatingly handsome protector, Declan, is the last thing Sasha wants or needs.

Declan has shadowed Sasha since they were both but wee children. He has grown up with her – silently watching her every move – his heart aching when hers ached and his pride swelling at her accomplishments. Whether Sasha wants his help or not, Declan will die before he sees her harmed. As the clock runs out on their quest, Sasha isn’t sure which is in greater her heart or her life.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Fiction, Fae, Audiobook, Fantasy Romance

248 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 14, 2017

About the author

As an award winning NY Times, USA Today, and WSJ bestselling author, Tricia O’Malley’s infectious joy in writing romance with an added dash of the magical has touched hearts around the world. With over three million books read, O’Malley’s stories have been translated into several languages and enjoy a devoted following. Tricia O’Malley is a native of Wisconsin, and departed the wintry tundra for warmer locales five years ago. She now lives in the Caribbean with her handsome Scotsman.

An avid scuba diver, Tricia spends much of her time underwater dreaming up new stories while photographing the beautiful sea life. Tricia loves fun vacation reads, believes in mermaids, and has a serious travel addiction. She discovers her inspiration on the go – and you’ll find her books set in beautiful settings with characters who deserve a happily-ever-after.

To see some of her underwater or island life photos visit her on Facebook, Instagram, or join her mailing list at www.triciaomalley.com

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the continuation of the story, but I thought the lead character Sasha was the hardest to relate to in any of these books.

[Liz~In~Colorado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sasha quickly finds herself drawn into a centuries-old curse – in which, to her surprise – she holds the leading role. Tasked with finding a mythological sword while accompanied by a rag-tag band of magickal beings shakes her understanding of the world as she knows it.

The Tuatha dé Danann, which means 'the peoples of the goddess Danu' in Old Irish.  This series is fun & I love how the Mystic Cove characters  (AND BABY GRACE!!!) show up.

It's filled with the magic of the Fae, Ireland, magical sword,  and the quest to save the isle.  The eternal battle of good versus evil, this tale is a comfortable, entertaining read to pass an afternoon away lost in the magic of this author’s imagination. 🌹

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sasha Flanagan has never felt like she fit in anywhere, so she made an independent life for herself as a dealer of antique weapons and a skilled swordswoman. Her focus is absolute and she doesn't have time for anyone to derail her plans. So when fae begin attacking her in dark alleys, it throws a bit of a wrench into things for Sasha.

Sasha immediately finds herself involved in a quest to locate the mythological sword of light and break a centuries' old curse. She's surprised to find she's not alone on her mission and has to learn to work with others when love and friendship have been rarities in her life. Especially Jarring to her ever-changing outlook is her fierce and undeniable attraction to her protector, Declan, despite the fact that she knows she can't afford the distraction.

Declan has been protecting Sasha since they were both children. He knows she's his destiny and he's not leaving her side, even after the mission is over. He just has to convince her to believe in him and cease doubting herself.

This was a sweet, charming story. I didn't enjoy it quite as much on my audio revisit as I did when I first read it, though that may also be due to the fact that I don't seem to be clicking with this narrator. Sasha was a bit tiresome at times when her fierce independence became more or less just condescension, but at least she did grow and change quite a lot as a result of the quest. I loved that Declan was so sure and steadfast in what he wanted and was secure enough, and knew Sasha well enough, not to push her until she was ready to admit her feelings as well. This was some cheesy, fun adventuring to keep me entertained on my commute.

[Micky Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

The quest to recover the icons that will save Ireland from the dark side continues in this second installment of the series. You have a captivating, but broken young woman who has never been loved or "good enough" in her mind and the man sworn to protect her not only trying to save the world, but grappling with intense feelings while on a life and death quest. Excellent character development enrich a wonderfully plotted story line with a fair amount of heat to keep you dreaming! I can't wait to see what comes next!

[Jennifer Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooooooooh..... this series is fun! I love how the Mystic Cove characters and Grace's Cove (AND BABY GRACE!!!) show up. I know there are two more books in this series, but we need a Baby Grace series. I cannot wait to see how feisty she is!!

This is a bit obvious and predictable, but I love the Irish-mystic-tradition-legend story line. It's wonderful. But I was surprised that we didn't learn the name of the third Seeker at the end!

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a little shorter and yes, like I thought upon finishing the first one, it helps to read them in order.

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this second book in the Isle of Destiny series by Tricia O'Malley the plot was more about Sasha and her personal growth. I confess that I didn't like Sasha very much at the beginning of the book. That being said she did become more likable as her character grew and she became more self aware. I loved seeing Bianca and Seamus again and they unify the "team" upon the quest for the Sword of Truth/Sword of Light. The introduction of Baby Grace was a pure delight and I look forward to seeing more of her. Magic, battles and love all made for an enjoyable escape.

[Marcela Mahoney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick , fun read.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sasha had a tuff life and left home as soon as possible. She made her way to Dublin and over time opened a sword store. Recently she can see people with a silver eye and she has to fight and kill them. Sasha really didn't need help but Maddox comvinced her she needed him so he was hired. One day she meets Bianca and Seamus and learns that she has a protector so she calls Declan out and then finds out Maddox has been watching over her also. As she learns to accept them as friends and let down her walls she finds out many things about her life. The five travel the country, fight off killers and hunt for the second of four magical items. As they find clues it draws them closer to Grace's Cove and Fiona--the last few chapters sew it up and let us look into how Fiona is getting along. I can't wait for the next installment!!

[Frances Law · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light read.

The second in the Isle of Destiny series has the heroine, Sasha, looking for a sword. This seems fitting as she is a sword master. Having read Stone Song, I’m not sure what I was expecting from this book but, whatever it was, I didn’t find it. There seemed to be quite a bit of the same old, same old to this story and I feel as if I know already what the next book will be about. I would have liked to see a lot more character development and a bit more suspenseful action.

[Tara Dorough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth the Journey

Sword Song, book 2 of Tricia O'Malley's The Isle of Destiny series truly make the journey worth taking. The mythology is wonderful. The imagery will have you seeing Ireland as if you were there.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Same old story

Loved the concept of the series but book 2 is a regurgitated version of book one. Its a Hallmark set in mystical Ireland.

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

same as first book

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was looking forward to Sword Song.
Unfortunately, same story with different characters.
Disappointed.

[FANCHON · Rating 3 out of 5]

It breaks my heart to say I couldn’t even finish this book

Let me start by saying that I truly enjoy his author’s books typically. They’re a fun easy escape read. I genre hop, so I love to fall into them as a comfort read or a palate cleanse. They’re magickal, romantic, and set in a beautiful location. I recommend them all the time. But this one really let me down.

This is book 2 in this series, and it is set in the same beautiful geographical area as some of the other series as well. This series is broken up with each book focusing on a new character’s part of the quest. This time we have Sasha and her protector Declan. She’s the next piece in fulfilling a prophecy, as a Seeker, and he has committed his life to being her Protector. He has secretly protected her for years without her knowledge. We have a few sidekicks along for the ride, and they are entertaining.

This one was a challenge to get into, only because Sasha is rather unlikable. Actually, she’s utterly horrid. I’m not sure why people mistake “strong independent women “ for rude and bitchy, but she is most definitely the latter. TBH she made it very difficult to get invested in the book, and I almost skipped this one altogether shortly after beginning because I really couldn’t care less if she gets her HEA as she’s really quite awful. I made it to the midpoint of the story before finally calling it quits, as she just never gets better. Literally, almost everything she says is rude and accompanied by a sneer and a glare. I wish I was exaggerating. She somehow manages to treat everyone awful, even all of the people who have done nothing but be kind to her, and have committed themselves to protecting her. The night she meets the woman that found her as an infant, she has a temper tantrum and storms away before ever getting any of the information they came for. This so-called warrior is supposed to be a 30 year old woman. She behaves like a spoiled child. I can literally hear my four year old stomping their feet and yelling “I can do it myself!” in every interaction Sasha has. Only she’s supposed to be some 30 year old adult.

She chooses to kiss Declan in anger at 38% into the story, and it really only fed my belief that he deserved someone one better than her. She’s really an ungrateful troll with her eyes only focused on herself. 🙄 It was shortly after that that I said forget it. I skimmed to the ending and found that even in the final chapters, she still behaves the same way. It’s all about her, doing everything herself. So after all the time spent on this journey, she apparently learns nothing.

Based on Sasha, this story deserves zero stars. She’s horrible. She embodies all the negative personifications that actual strong women have to fight against- REAL strong independent woman can be that way without being miserable shrews, and know that asking for help is a sign of strength and not weakness. It’s twits like her that make our lives harder. I’m giving it three stars based on the fact that the writing (outside of Sasha) is still what I would expect, the world building is still lovely, and I love the storyline. I just can’t get over the awful awful Sasha.

[Ann Roesinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truth

In the second book of this series, the author relies on Bianca to unify the quests and provide friendship to the Seeker. This use of a mere mortal who specializes in the study of myths and fairies allows the read we to immediately buy into the quest for the Sword of Truth.

Sasha has always been fascinated by swords and knives. Owning a shop specializing in the rare and unique blades, she has found a Mitch in Dublin. A pragmatic, Sasha has little time for fairy tales or happy endings. After all, adopted soon after birth, her life has not provided much in the way of love or promise.

When Sasha realizes she is being followed by a threatening group, she is self reliant in her response. When Declan appears to protect her, she is unsure if him and does not want to accept his explanation or his help.

Faced with the idea that she has been selected by the goddess to locate the second treasure in Ireland's rescue quest, Sasha has a difficult time buying into the plan. She us especially reluctant to revisit her past as part if the hunt for clues.

However, Sasha soon realizes her decision are not her own, but are the result of drama of heroic and mythical proportions. Accompanied by a rag tag tribe of believers and fae, she sets out to find the Sword. Along the way Sasha may also discover more about herself and her truths than she ever imagined.

[Chris Tucker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tricia O'Malley is a great writer. I just started the third in this series, which starts out differently, but all lead to the same end - it's a quest. (don't want to give too much out) As such, there isn't a whole lot that's done by the author to "stir the pot" or make it more interesting. All women, although kicka*s each in their own way...need a boost of self-esteem - why? Why can't they be comfortable in their own skin? (again, don't want to give any spoilers) and that sort of makes this series repetitive after starting the third book. All the Protectors are brooding hunks who fall for the female protagonist, which again, is repetitive. I would like to see Seamus developed more. There are so many questions I had about him while reading books 1 & 2...And Bianca - exactly what did Danu give her (in the first book) And why didn't Clare and Blake make an appearance in this one? All that is not adequately explained, but it could add SO much more to the storyline if it was explored further in each subsequent book, for the characters of Seamus, Bianca, and Fiona, along with a fleshing out of Clare and Blake's epilogue. SO much potential here for this series to be great, but the reason I gave it 3 stars, is lack of further character development for the returning characters, and a rehashed plotline. I know Tricia O'Malley is capable of doing better.

[Anneleise Dickens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Tricia O’Malley’s books. Have read all of them, I believe, even been a beta reader for a couple. So I was delighted to purchase the audio versions of this book & its companions in the set & enjoy listening to them as I drove or worked at home. I made it through the first audiobook, Stone Song, because the plot was perfect and romantic and fun. The reader? Horrid.
This second book was a disappointment, in some ways, because it felt like the MC was just a whiny brat. So many times I wanted to pinch her. Thankfully, Bianca and her beau were there to save the day.
The worst was the reader. Oh my god, she was just as bad in this book. Hardly ever did she seem to recognize that a comma is where one should provide a brief pause, even a hint of a pause. But nooo, sometimes they were period full stops, and others simply ignored. The voice pitches of characters were grating and just…I hate I spent money on the audio versions.
Read the print version!!! Read all of O’Malley’s books.

[Linda Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story read aloud by a cast of interesting characters. SASHA was a different kind of hero. Declan was a different kind of fae. Both heroes in their own way. I loved them both.
Sasha was tough. She loved people without letting them get too close. Sasha had some lovely people in her life some of them being more than what they have appeared to be.
Declan was the opposite. He loved Sasha for years but wasn't SUPPOSED to let her see him or get to know him. It almost broke his heart but he did what he must, so that he could stay around and protect her. Until, there was a suddenly that changed so many things when it came to the both of them.
There will be battles and I loved how the story ended.
I didn't like so much the goddess talk but at least there wasn't much of that.
The question throughout the story is, "is love going to win?

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where was claire

Book two of this spin of series in truth the author should of just added it to the mystic cove series in the middle before graces book 30 odd years later.it's set in the same world in the timeline before baby grace comes of age and they turn up visiting the cove.
I mark it down because I felt Claire should of been in this book, she was given the name she should of at least made contact even if Bianca goes on the quest, she should of been the one to tell her,after all she lived it herself Bianca was a side kick she may be helpful but she will not understand the feelings of responsibility and shock. It would of been better after all they are related distantly

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute books!

This series has got interesting stories and characters dealing with a great deal of emotion. I was somewhat let down by the lack of info from book #1, especially since nothing was really explained about Bianca's past and why she'd be useful to Sasha! It was a bit like "Hi! We're Bianca and Seamus and we're coming along on this trip with you. Okay? Okay!", and away they went. Overall, besides missing background info to give us more story, the other scenes were done well, but also rushed. It was probably just about trying to fit the story in and only being allowed a certain number of words. But I liked it. I loved the setting. So check it out, it's a light, quick read with feelings.
🐝✋🐺

[Sarah J Stebbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this better than the first book, but Im not sure enough to rate it any higher than book 1. There were still a few things that left me wanting, for lack of better phrasing. The new characters were interesting and I appreciated the love story journey more. I also enjoyed the journey of the FMC as she had more to overcome. Having said that, once again the end seemed to wrap up a little too quickly.

All in all, I love shorter reads and understand that as such only so much can be covered. In fact, sometimes a shorter read is just what I want. This story still had some depth, both in story and characters, just not as much as I think it could have had even with the short length. I did enjoy the book enough though and will continue the series.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read with wonderful characters. This is a lovely journey through Celtic myth with a riveting battle between light and dark resting on the shoulders of a lonely young woman. The fae are fascinating in O'Malley's setting, and the quirky characters met along the quest are absolutely amazing.

I was a little sad we didn't at least get to greet the couple from the first book in passing, and some of the humor of the secondary couple felt repeated from the first book. (Not word for word, but the characters had already been the plucky comedy relief once. It wasn't as funny the second book.)

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read all four books back to back so one review for all. Four different woman tasked to find four mythic treasures of Ireland to save the world from the dark fae. They're each assigned a protector (male, natch so romance) and are joined by the real stars of the books, a female human and fae male sidekick. Bianca and Seamus rock.

Pleasant enough. Everyone seemed to accept magic rather quickly but, perhaps, the Irish are prone to that belief anyway. Each woman was different although the challenges seemed like a lot of driving around and fighting off bad guys.

[SandyL · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying this series, although I didn't like this book as much as the first one. Sasha Flanagan owns a sword and weapons store in Ireland. She grew up in the foster system and doesn't trust anyone, so she's very standoffish. Her attitude is understandable, but when writers create these types of characters, it's hard to get to like them - such is the case with Sasha. Declan has been tasked with keeping her safe, and when Sasha's life is turned upside down when it turns out she's the one to find the next piece of the puzzle (a sword), he makes himself known. 3.5 stars.

[Vicky Coughlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 of the Isle of Destiny series is quite similar to book 1 in that there’s the seeker and the protector, she hates him, he’s in love with her but they have to be together to go find the Sword of Truth. We meet again with Fiona and her family in Grace’s Cove where finally the quest for the second item of the treasure of the Danu is completed but not without violent battles with the bad Fae along the way. It is still a very good story line and I thorough enjoyed reading this book. So of course I recommend it and thus series.

[Dena · Rating 4 out of 5]

amazement required

This was enchanting and Sasha was very fierce and fiery. Declan seemed to have a short fuse and I knew they would be perfect for each other. I guess I was so excited about how this book ended that I forgot to write a rating. The characters really told the story. I mean in the long run it is the typical save the world but we have Bianca who is so serious that it changes it. Each character brings something different to the table and that is why I like these stories.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tricia has a knack for treating us with strong female badasses. Sasha is no different except, she can fight physically too. I love that before she learned of her destiny, she already had martial arts training and knew how to fight with swords and knives. See, totally bad ass.
There was so much emotion in this book, both from Sasha overcoming her past and opening up herself to the future. It was such a treat to watch her grow. I devoured this book.

I received an ARC for an honest review.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story with lessons for us all

I wasn’t thrilled with Sasha being so grumpy all the time but the lessons she had to learn along the way are good ones for everyone. We are our own worst critics and can’t see we are deserving of unconditional love until it arrives on our doorstep and won’t leave! Letting go of the baggage from the past is also a good lesson we could all take to heart. Well done. Looking forward to the next one.

[Lita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this as much as Stone Song. The main characters weren't as developed as I've come to expect from this author. While the story was a good one it lacked the something that would take this from good to really good. Too many things felt forced or contrived and the ending seemed rushed, including the handing over of the sword to the goddess. I hope the next book recaptures the magic of the tales Ms. O'Malley weaves.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second treasure to be found

I finished reading the book in Ireland while on a 10 day cruise.
The fae were on my mind. I appreciate the telling of the mythical mystery in itself. The only con for me in this series is the romance. I skip over that part of the story. The cards and letters will be pouring in after that statement. I am a 71 year old man who just wants to read a good mystery.