I don't know, this book is somewhere between a 3-star and 3.5 star for me.
3 star for the actual story 3.5 for potential.
Book One of The Morgan Crowe Trilogy begins with the Lead assassin, Moriganna the Morrigu, getting banished from the royal courts for her part in an assassination of a known family. Even though the King decreed her punishment, it was with a heavy heart that he did so. There was a special bond between them, but unfortunately, her actions warranted a stern punishment. So the King exiles her to live her life among humans and away from her home, the Shadowed Lands of the Sidhe.
After centuries of living among humans, she begins getting visits from people from her past warning her not to trust anyone. The King is dead and his power thirsty Queen sits on the throne. Queen Moreithe has always hated Moriganna because of the King’s affections for her, so now is the Queen’s time to exact her revenge. First she wants to dispose of the leader of the King’s assassin group, the Battle Crow, and also the political rivals who don’t want her in power. With all the people coming to Moriganna, she has to figure out who is an ally and who is a foe.
While she is filtering through the various admonitions she is receiving, she finds companionship with Malachi. This Were/Shape shifter was sent by the Queen to assassinate her. Instead of killing Moriganna, Malachi warns her of the Queen’s plot and even professes to have feelings for her. Before Moriganna knows it, she has fallen in love with the Queen’s “pet.” Is he really on her side or is this part of the Queen’s sinister plans for Moriganna? How will the Morrigu defeat enemies that she isn’t aware of?
This book is not a light read, where one can just skim pages. It requires that one pay attention to the characters and details as the author is weaving a plot of treachery vs. loyalty. There were a lot of characters with vague agendas and it was truly hard figuring out Moriganna’s side. The author could have done a better job building the world as well as the characters. We know that Moriganna used to be married to and had a child with a philanderer, but not much else. We are told that the Queen is a beautiful, but sadistic person and her children are no better, but why? Why did the King love Moriganna and was it romantic on his part? I suspect that Book Two will have more answers to the past as Morgianna solves the mystery of who killed the King. On thing is for certain, the Morrigu is a force to be reckoned with and I look forward to the next installation of this trilogy as she confronts her enemies.