Deceptions

Cainsville #3

by Kelley Armstrong

TRUST NO ONE

Olivia Jones is desperate for the truth. The daughter of convicted serial killers, she has begun to suspect that her parents are innocent of their crimes. But who can she trust, in a world where betrayal and deception hide in every shadow?

RISK EVERYTHING

Liv does have one secret weapon: a mysterious sixth sense that helps her to anticipate danger. The trouble is, this rare power comes with its own risks. There are dark forces that want to exploit Liv's talents - and will stop at nothing to win her to their side.

FACE THE TRUTH

Now Liv must decide, before it's too late. Who does she love? Who is really on her side? And can she save herself without burning down everything that matters most?

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, Romance, Fiction, Fae

496 pages, Hardcover

First published August 18, 2015

About the author

Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.

Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.

Reviews

[Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ · Rating 3 out of 5]

***minor spoilers***

So here's the deal:

I like this series, and I love Kelley Armstrong. LOVE. I think BITTEN is the best first installment of an Urban Fantasy series. Period.

Armstrong is an auto-buy for me and will continue to be.

But . . .

I had serious issues with this installment. Issues. As in several. First and foremost would be the Love Triangle of Doooooooom.

Love triangles are a peeve of many readers. I myself am not anti-triangle under certain circumstances, but triangles that are melodramatic (more than usual *snorts*) or the result of selfishness/indecisiveness . . . To those I most definitely object.

I felt that this one was all three.

Olivia clearly prefers Gabriel to Ricky. OF COURSE SHE DOES. It annoys the hell out of me that she's with Ricky in the first place. The only reason she went on date #1 is b/c she knows Gabriel’s “not interested.”

Yeah, right.

But I can let that slide b/c no one outside of Gabriel’s head would know otherwise. Man’s got issues. Also as in several. O.o

The problem is that Olivia lets her relationship with Ricky evolve into something she cannot equally invest in. And she knows it. But, gee, she does like him, and, anyway, she can't have Gabriel, so she's gonna roll with it. <------I HATE this:

“I remembered everything Gabriel had said in that car, lashing out in the way guaranteed to hurt the most. Telling me what, in my gut, I feared most—that I'd been tricked, that this was all a ruse, and I was steering my life based on hallucinations. Telling me that I was also hallucinating anything between us, that if I thought we were friends, then I was a silly little fool.

That's the guy I'd considered leaving Ricky for. Just so I'd be free to be with him, however he'd have me. Exactly how pathetic was that?

I really had been a silly little fool, and now I made it up to Ricky.”

And by “made up” she means sex. Energetic sex. FYI.

Not sure I'd agree were I Ricky, but then he's clueless about the whole situation, so whatev.

Also, I'm not sure how I feel about what appears to be the main storyline.

Warring factions of Fae is not a new concept. I don't have a problem with that. My struggle lies in the theatrical nature of the scenario. The foundation is pure Greek tragedy: Two men, best friends and opposing leaders (you'd think those would be mutually exclusive, but you'd be wrong) love the same woman, blah blah, betrayal, blah blah, woman dies and men are left to live with the guilt and heartbrokenness that they themselves orchestrated.

Boo-frickin’-hoo.

That's what happens when you withhold information.

Obviously, I have little sympathy for the situation, so finding out: this little drama is fated to play out over and over again with the three key players reborn . . . But free to make new choices b/c not really reborn . . . ?

Maybe that's my real problem. That's it's fate or destiny or whatever creating this perfectly executed schadenfreude, but the instruments have FREE WILL.

If you're going to be Greek, be Greek. Ask Oedipus about “free will.” Thinking you have free will is often the hubris that sets you on the path to your preordained destruction.

Also, also, Gabriel’s emotional adolescence started to get a bit tiresome.

It's realistic, I'll give Armstrong that. But I don't think it's the realism that started to grate, b/c in the beginning, like the rest of the female population, I just wanted to kiss it and make it better.

*snickers*

BUT. Eventually, it became redundant.

We only need so many illustrations of Gabriel’s brokenness to understand that he's, yes, broken. I felt that we reached that point a few miles ago, after which, it was overkill.

Then there's this: I find it incredible that no one put together Olivia’s birth parents’ ritualistic murders and her miraculous recovery.

SO. A lot of issues, some of them big ones, but this is Kelley Armstrong we're talking about, and her worst book (and this is not that book) is still diverting and laugh-out-loud funny at regular intervals. This series simply requires more patience than we're used to, having been spoiled by the instant gratification (in the romance department) of her WOMEN OF THE OTHERWORLD series. Go into this one knowing that ultimately you'll be getting zero resolution and you should be fine. Recommended with qualifications.

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reread 08/12 : Skimming through this before starting Betrayals (I AM SO SCARED) (PLEASE GET RID OF THE LOVE TRIANGLE SHIT)

Whaaaat? Is it finished already? Damn it.



▨ Gabriel character's growth : Alright. I feel like a broken record, so don't mind me. As in the first two books, here lies my favorite part of these books. I'm all about the characters most of the time, and a great characterization can decide of my love for a book. In Deceptions Gabriel continues to learn how to stop being a cyborg (not really) and I absolutely adored peeking through the layers of his character. GAH. I love this man.

See, I love the way he talks. All practical. I've loved his tough side from the start, his inability to react like people are supposed to, because that what makes him different from other characters : he's not a bad-boy, he's not a knight in shining armor either, he just... is, and I can't help but enjoy every time he appears, even if he is being an ass (yes, it happens. No, it doesn't change a thing).

When he starts showing vulnerabilities, though? I melt. I just - I can't. It's subtle, and it's way more interesting as it is. It's showing, never telling, but he cares, so much - it made my heart throb with wonder and yes, break a little.

"He kept giving me that look, the confusion deepening to something like disappointment, like hurt, as if he'd tried to be kind and thoughtful, and I was rejecting it, and he didn't know why. That little boy, reaching out and being pushed away.
Goddamn it, Gabriel. Don't look at me like that. Wake up. Snap out of it, pull that wall back up and retreat behind it."

Finally, his interactions with Olivia and really - everyone - made my day. I'll take more of this, please.

"His brows shot higher. "That would imply I have time for such frivolities. I don't watch television or movies, and while I read a fair bit, fiction would hardly advance my education. Data, data, data. I cannot make bricks without clay."
I crossed my arms and glowered up at him. "Obviously, you've made an exception."
"I never make exceptions. An exception disproves the rule."
" I hate you so much right now."

▨ Ricky's case : Strangely, I feel bad about Ricky. Why? Because he's genuinely adorable with Olivia and they seem really great together but even if 1)he doesn't annoy me and 2)I don't mind their sex scenes, on the contrary, I can't help but feel not involved in their story. I'm a Gabriel girl through and through, even if I repeat, it's not a love triangle-team Gabriel kind of situation. Not really. To be frank, I have nothing against Ricky : he's sweet, respectful, charming, a little wild... I like him, really.

And still... He isn't near as fascinating as Gabriel. *shrug* Gabriel is the one who makes me smile. Always.

▨ Olivia's behavior : I still like her, but I have to admit that she annoys me a little when she refuses to see the obvious. I mean, really? Ricky? It's been obvious since the beginning of book 2 However, she does act on it and I appreciate how realistic that makes her : yes, in real life we bury our head in the sand sometimes. I'm often the Queen of that ship, even if I'm not proud of it. That doesn't prevent me from waking up when I sense that I need to, and Olivia does. Whilst lost and confused, she always stays brave, smart, and funny. Am I tired to be in her head? No, never. And that's saying something : she doesn't ramble, she doesn't daydream, but she always tries to make the best out of the chaos that followed her arrival in Cainsville.

However, I cannot stand how she handles a certain situation, and it's a spoiler, so here we goes (sorry) : I don't believe in loving equally. I just don't. Don't give me that shit. Plus, please tell Ricky how you feel, because it's not fair at all.

▨ TC! Every book needs a moody cat.



▨ Addictive factor : Once again, the writing is completely addictive and I couldn't stop reading for the life of me. From page one I dived into Cainsville's mess as if I had never stopped, and there are very few series about which I can say that.

▨ Creepy factor :



First of all : I'm a chicken (yes, it's important to state).
This being said, the creepy scenes increased in number in this third book, definitely. I got chills at her visions and no, the light of my Kindle wasn't enough anymore. Chicken, I said.

▨ ANSWERS!
I'm not gonna lie, the first two books let me -


You get the idea. Lost. Confused. Did I say lost?

So, does it change? Yes we get explanations about the murders. Yes they're twisted and wicked. Yes I loved that. Does the story seem less captivating after getting these answers? Oh hell no. I'm even more curious to see where the story will go from now on.

Now, I must confess that some parts disappointed me and that I am scared that this series will become stereotypical (that's why I lowered my rating) with the "reincarnations". I hate Fate related plots and I really can't fathom why authors do that.

I strongly hope I'm wrong, and I want to trust Kelley Armstrong to stay far from the easiest path love-triangle shit, because so far everything was way more complicated than it seemed, and I loved these books for it.

Ps. I need to say something about the bike club scene : it made me cringe so bad. I do not like girl fight at all, and the whole "handling over" Olivia played with my nerves. I know, I have no idea if it is accurate or not. Maybe it is. I still can't help but hate the casual sexism that is pictured there. Ugh.

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Please, don't get me wrong, I still whole-heartedly ADORE this series, but out of the three entries I've read so far, this one felt the weakest. We had some nice, strong reveals here, and I'm dying to know what happens next, but there was a bunch of filler and non-productive angsty love triangle inserted as well. On to the next one!

[Em Lost In Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent entry in the series. Heaved a sigh of relief when one guy out of the three, who are trying to win the girl, was no longer vying for the girl. Some great secrets were revealed about Olivia's past. Eager to know what's next for the trio of Olivia, Ricky and Gabriel.

[Lila · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 stars

:\
You know that scene from "Bridget Jones's Diary" when Bridget comes to party dressed as Playboy bunny only to realize nobody told her tarts & vicars theme was cancelled?
That's exactly how I felt reading this book- like I totally misunderstood the theme of series which resulted in me frowning for majority of novel.

First book introduced us to Olivia and ancillary characters, ceremonial murders her parents are sitting in prison for, one weird town, compulsion experiments... we are left with whole bunch of intriguing stuff going on, but none of the answers.
In Visions, we got one big part of the puzzle solved: the mystery of Cainsville and its odd residents.
Deceptions is answering another big question: the mystery of Larsen murders.
If you wonder what's the problem with that, I'll put it this way: there is no big mysteries anymore, no big question to be answered except one:
Whom is Olivia going to end up with, Ricky or Gabriel?
And herein lies my problem.

I will not dwell much on the fact I am not fan of reading about love triangles (beside stating it) but I find it particularly exasperating here for several reasons:
1)Olivia/Gabriel/Ricky thing became this dominant, über-plot of series because everything revolves around that. Cainsville? Tylwyth Teg(fae)/Cwn Annwn (Wild Hunt) rivalry? It's about this love triangle. Pamela's motives? James's motives, Tristan's motives...everyone's motives for doing whatever thing or making whatever move in this series is apparently depending on this dreaded love triangle.
2)It's the worst kind of triangle: you know, when heroine is having feelings for both guys, but she is making wrong assumptions being "rational" about the whole thing. Her reasoning about being with one of them and not being with other is like one of those people who are on a strict diet except on weekends when they indulge themselves with burgers, fries and milkshake meal. Which ties to..
3)this love triangle fucked up my favorite thing about series: dynamic between Gabriel and Olivia. I felt like solid base on which their tentative relationship was building through everything that perspired in previous books was not real. Olivia from before figured out Gabriel and understood his odd ways of dealing with people- Olivia from this book doesn't want to cry in front of him, because "he detests weakness and he is going to be disappointed with her." :\ This read to me more like misjudging than understanding and it happened several times. I am not hiding that Gabriel is my favorite character in series, but this drove me crazy not because it affects his chances as romantic interest*, but because I dislike when authors are not consistent and go back on character development they wrote in previous book(s).
This can be explained, again, by the fact that Armstrong is totally playing on love triangle thing since this misunderstanding and wrong assumptions and "things that are left unsaid" with Gabriel have only one purpose: to drag love triangle thing for a few more books.

That being said, I did like meeting Todd and finding out circumstances behind Larsen murders. I am not sure if this will have some significance on future development of the story considering impact it left on Liv. I don't know... her head seems to be more on Gabriel vs. Ricky thing now.
There is also one part of plot about James's ancestor that was dark and haunting and interesting and beautiful at once. I liked it a lot.

I had some minor problems with writing style of this book which was jerkier, with shorter chapters that tend to end in the middle of conversation or scene. If the goal was to add to suspense, it failed purely for being used too much.
I also noticed that Armstrong has this habit of using welsh names for various types of Fae, but she never makes an effort to explain/describe what kind of fae they are. Tylwyth Teg is rather known and used in novels, but I, for example, had no idea what is spriggan.

All in all, I am a bit disappointed with direction Kelley decided to take this series in and I hope next one will be more in line with first two books.

* I'll quote myself from review of Visions:

"Gabriel is romantic interest as much as he was in first book- not at all, just in our heads. He is still my favorite character.... In a bigger scope, them ending up together is not the most important thing for me because they already have astonishing and never-boring thing going on between them, but it would make me happy."

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the other two better. Not that this was a bad book, because I don't think Kelley Armstrong is capable of writing bad books, and if this was standalone novel then yeah, four or maybe five stars. But I liked the other two better and Deceptions has fallen short of the benchmark I have set for this series.

A lot of it is frustration. At some point, I realized that this has become as much of a romance novel as a mystery novel, and as with most paranormal romance novels, the characters fall into the dumbass trap of making dumbass mistakes because of lack of communication. Considering two of the trio (Olivia, Gabriel and Ricky just to clarify) are terribly sensible and cynical this shouldn't be happening. No one likes a love triangle. They are tedious and way to dramatic to read about and now that we have this fated love doom scenario that plays out over and over, but not really and it's just like... what? This, and maybe it is just me, is not what I signed up for. I signed up for badass ass kicking by Olivia and Gabriel, and I was fine with Ricky joining in, but I did not sign up for romantic, "emotionally illiterate" angst. And yeah, I know, a love triangle was pretty much unavoidable and strongly hinted at in the last book, but I was hoping that it would be resolved quickly and efficiently.

I think it's become pretty bad if Ricky, the descendant of some vigilante who rides horses in the dead of the night and drags people to the underworld, is making better decisions that everyone else. His entire personality trope is supposed to be hot temper and passionate ill advised choices at its worst.

Is there character development? Gabriel has issues. That has been established over and over again. He has... a few less issues this time around, so yeah, there's a bit of character development.

What do we learn plot wise in this story? Well, we learn if the Larsens are innocent or guilty. We learn about the fated love triangle of doom. We learn about why everyone is suddenly interested in Olivia.

So, not the best that it could have been.

_____________________________________________________________
A list of things I want:
==> Gabriel and Olivia being badass and taking names. I want them to continue being partners.
==> James to disappear. Preferably forever.
==>Why are there faeries spewing out of the woodwork suddenly like dust bunnies?
==> THIS BOOK TO COME OUT TOMORROW.

Needless to say, some things are more likely to happen than others.



On a side note, I wonder what type of fae blood Olivia has. My (probably incorrect) theory is that she is both Tylwyth Teg and a descendent of the Wild Hunt. Cainsville offspring have addiction issues and a gift for deception, but that doesn't apply to Olivia. She is, however, an adrenaline junkie, which is a reasonable consequence of being a grandchild of somebody that rides around dragging people to the underworld. There's also mentioning of problematic mixed blood in Visions, which could mean fae and human, but it seems more than that.

And she does have all those powers.

[booknuts_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 I FREAKING LOVE THIS SERIES!!!! I think I've read more books by this author than any other author. I am just impressed and in love with her writing style, the way she weaves the threads of each story. I am just amazed and I can't seem to put her books down!

I got an ARC of Visions which was book two in the series last year so I quickly picked up book one which is Omens and I plowed right through them. Omens landed on my list of favorites for 2014 and I couldn't wait to see how this series progressed especially with a certain someone....

FULL REVIEW + ARC GIVEAWAY found here: CHECK IT OUT!
http://awesomebooknuts.blogspot.com/2...

[Ferdy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoilers

Didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would, the main characters irritated me, they weren't as likeable or endearing as they used to be. Their angst and blandness bogged down the story, it was still interesting but could have been better if the characters hadn't been so annoying.

-Liked the various reveals (for the most part): the Arawn/Matilda/Gwynn legend, the fae factions/conflicts, the truth about Olivia's parents, Ricky learning about the fae/who he was, and Olivia's visions/her past. Even though the reveals were good it did take away a lot of the mystery and tension, I think it would have served the story better if some things had been held back.
I was a little disappointed at there being less focus on Cainsville and not as much omen stuff with Olivia, the omens and Cainsville elements for me were what made the series stand out from the rest of the genre, them not featuring as much made this installment more like a run of the mill UF offering.

-Not sure what I felt about the Matilda reveal, I didn't hate it but I didn't like it either. I know Olivia wasn't meant to be a reincarnation of Matilda but she may as well have been as Ricky/Olivia/Gabriel were pretty much a repeat of the Arawn/Matilda/Gwynn dynamic, just with some slight differences. I don't think making Olivia's arc all about which guy she has babies with is all that creative or interesting. I don't mind a good love triangle, but not when the most important part of the heroine's journey seems to be all about which guy she ultimately chooses.

-There was too much page time dedicated to Olivia/Gabriel misinterpreting each other and making up daft assumptions, it was repetitive and frustrating. Their relationship just went round in circles, I was expecting more development as the last book ended with Gabriel realising how much he cared for Olivia. I didn't want a romance between them but I at least expected them to develop their friendship instead of the repetitive YA crap that was going on between them.

-Used to like Olivia but not so much in this one. I think it was a combination of her turning into even more of a speshul snowflake and her having every guy chase after her. I rolled my eyes at Olivia finding out she was the key to saving the Cainsville fae. Yea, Olivia being the-one-to-save-them-all just bored me.
Then there was Olivia's personality which was no longer appealing, she was just generic with her mummy/daddy issues, her self righteousness, and her focusing so much on her love life. It also bothered me how Ricky and Gabriel spent most of their time bending over backwards to protect her and making her their number one priority. I know that wasn't really Olivia's fault, but most of the time I didn't think she was worthy of all the attention she received. I kind of changed my mind at the end though when Gabriel threw a hissy fit and abandoned Olivia knowing she could be in serious danger, the whole thing was pathetic. As much as Gabriel's immaturity and pettiness annoyed me I still preferred him and his flaws over the bland, to-good-to-be-true Ricky.

-I didn't mind Olivia flip flopping ever so slightly with Ricky and Gabriel. I didn't blame her for being confused about Gabriel after spending so much time with him and I didn't blame her for being with Ricky when he was the perfect, puppy dog boyfriend. I was glad she didn't dump Ricky for Gabriel, it would have been pathetic when he gave little indication he was romantically interested in her, if anything Gabriel made it clear that he wouldn't look twice at her. So yea, I liked Olivia staying with Ricky instead of chasing after ice cold Gabriel.

-Ricky was a nice guy and that was all there was to him. He didn't say or do anything interesting, I found his whole perfect boyfriend act with Olivia kind of unrealistic when they'd only been dating all of 5 minutes, she had so much chaos and strangeness going on in her life but Ricky was always there for her and knew exactly how to support and help her. It was just cheesy and one dimensional.

-Gabriel was a very frustrating character, any development he made in the first two books went right out the window. He kept throwing hissy fits and getting all sensitive about the silliest things, he didn't know how to react to Olivia's emotions despite being so insightful and intelligent about everything else. Even with all that though he managed to be a better character than bland Ricky, at least Gabriel managed to make me feel something.

-Hated the pathetic, ridiculous girl fight Olivia had with Lily at the biker's bar. The whole thing was so cliched with 'trashy' mean girl Lily going after speshul-snowflake-oh-so-perfect Olivia. I actually ended up rooting for Lily because I knew it was going to end up with her being humiliated and tossed aside whilst Olivia would be the victor in every way possible. Ugh, it was such a crap scene and all it did was make me hate perfect Olivia.

-Wasn't impressed with Olivia being mostly surrounded by guys, the one young woman she encountered was portrayed as a violent, jealous harpy. It irked me how Olivia only really got along with guys or women who were much older than her. Also, I was pissed at her being so loving towards both her dads and them being portrayed as oh so kind and genuine, whilst both her mothers were selfish and/or psychotic, who she thought very little of. The dynamics between the men and women in her life made her seem like one of those women who only care about men but don't give a damn about the women.

-I ended up siding with serial killer Pamela over Olivia. I found Olivia ungrateful, self-righteous, unforgiving, cold, judgmental and bitchy when it came to her mum. She needed to get off her high horse, her lecturing Pam made me roll my eyes. It was irritating especially when she was all about her dads, I hated the whole daddy's girl vibe she gave off.

-Didn't get why Pamela had such a pathological hatred for the Tylweth Teg/Cainsville fae. There was no real basis for the level of hatred she had for them, there should be have an actual explanation for it rather then her hating them just because she did. And it made no sense that a four year old Pam would despise the fae to the ridiculous level that she did, when they hadn't actually done anything to her.

Hope the next book focuses more on Cainsville, and there's less angst/fighting/misunderstandings between Gabriel/Olivia. Also, I'd like to see more positive female friendships and for Olivia to get along with women her own age instead of only grandma-aged women (doubt that'll happen though).

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me this was a big improvement over the first two books in the series, because much that was mysterious is now clear. We learn exactly how supernatural factors have affected major physical events, and I feel I've gotten a much better understanding of the main characters. We even get translations/explanations of some of the Welsh terms that were so baffling before!

The multiple murders that formed the primary worldly structure of the on-going series are sorted out at last, in terms of who did what to whom and much (but not all) of the why--and the otherworldly structure centered on the town of Cainsville, Illinois has come into better focus. All this is accomplished in a return to Kelley Armstrong's crisp, clear writing style that is such a hallmark of her other series (Otherworld, Rockton, Nadia Stafford). What a welcome relief after struggling through Omens and Visions!

Since the process of solving many mysteries runs the length of the whole book, there isn't much I can say about the plot without spoilers. We gain deeper insight into Gabriel and Liv, how they relate to their backgrounds, and why the Fair Folk (Tylwyth Teg) of Cainsville hope against hope that they will get together--as they watch with dismay while Liv and Ricky romp about like mating squirrels.

Not so much additional insight into Ricky, but then his simple, straightforward nature fits his role, doesn't it? And what does he get up to off stage--all that motorcycle club business he won't talk about? Maybe we should stay tuned as the series goes on. It's more obvious than ever that that motorcycle club, led by Ricky's dad, stands in for the Wild Hunt, bikers representing horsemen; but we also get some direct contact from a Huntsman.

It's primarily (but not entirely) the Welsh version of two bodies of Celtic folklore--the Fair Folk and the Wild Hunt--that turn out to be grounded in reality, and their interests appear to clash in a myth that gets repeated again and again in Liv's visions. The little girl named Matilda in those visions speaks as a kind of alter ego to Liv, but the folklore pictures her as a crone named Mallt-y-Nos or Matilda of the Night who rides with the Wild Hunt, chasing lost souls into the Underworld (Annwn). Yes, the folklore references in this series have sent me on many Google searches so far, to try to figure them out.

That's because there's an alternate story being told in the visions. In it, the girl is now at nuptial age and torn between two suitors, Gwynn ap Nudd of the Fair Folk and Arawn of the Wild Hunt; she chooses Arawn, rides with the Hunt, changes her mind, tries to go back to Gwynn, and perishes, leaving both Gwynn and Arawn in grief. So Liv, Gabriel, and Ricky are not exactly avatars or reincarnations of that trio--"you are us but not us" is what I'm getting--and it's emphasized that they are not fated to repeat any story but it's important that they have the chance, with free will, to make better choices.

Okay, what that amounts to, in terms of our reading pleasure, is endless back-and-forth between Liv and Gabriel as they work on their relationship. Not lovers, because that's emphatically Liv and Ricky. Gabriel is Liv's lawyer and her boss (barely avoiding conflict of interest there, too); can they build a friendship too? What we get, at tedious length, are the inner thoughts and abortive interactions of two very self-conscious people who are very important to each other but they haven't figured out how.

The Fair Folk seem to include various species of what others call fae--a hobgoblin and what looks like a trickster of sorts both figure prominently in the story and seem to view the other Cainsville Fair Folk from a kind of distance. How they really fit into the picture, and what happens to one of them...still unclear. So, even though this was much more enjoyable than the first two books, I can't quite lift my rating to four stars. Maybe next time. Remember, three stars still means "I liked it"!

[Carmel (Rabid Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.

If Kelley Armstrong wrote it, I will read it. But, for the first time in my long history as one of this author’s devotees, I could take or leave the CAINSVILLE series. Book 1 took some effort to finish, 2 was WOW all the way, and then here comes the love triangle in 3. I’m not fully against this romantic trope however DECEPTIONS came down with a severe case of woe-is-me, and as much as I thought that the narrators did wonders for this audiobook’s tone, it wasn’t quite up to snuff.

These novels are rooted in Welsh mythology, specifically Mallt-y-Nos (Matilda of the Night) folklore, so I knew that a Olivia / Gabriel / Ricky triad was imminent, my beef lies with how it came about. The degree of drama found therein was of Young Adult proportions, and the you-can’t-fight-fate level was extremely high. It was all just incredibly clichéd, and not a path that I’d expect Armstrong to go down at all. Gabriel is broken, Ricky is perfect except for the fact that he’s not Walsh, and Taylor Jones wants the freedom to choose.

The prior two installments kept me guessing, but this latest addition was easy to foretell which was yet again out of character for this author. I effortlessly linked the Spina Bifida thing to Olivia’s serial killer parents, and the James frame job wasn’t much of a stretch either. Still, the world-building was sound, the Fae artifices measured up to their notoriety, and the heroine’s personality really came through in this volume. I was previously under the impression that this series was much darker than it actually is which brings me to the narration.

Initially, I found that Carine Montbertrand’s voice was a little too old lady-ish, but once I got used to it my opinion quickly changed. Her performance was a pivotal factor in lightening up an otherwise dark story line, and I’m seriously contemplating backtracking to OMENS because apparently my internal monologue was way off. Mozhan Marno’s portrayal of the secondaries was on pace, although I do wish that a male narrator had been used for Gabriel & Ricky. The transitions to the “vision” scenes were jerky, but otherwise it was a satisfying listen.

DECEPTIONS was a moderately good read by a sterling author, make of that what you will.

[Susana · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75???

This stupid love triangle who isn't truly a love triangle annoys the hell out of me.
Full review to come... maybe. -_-



Okay, there isn't much more I can say about this series without going into full spoiler mode.
I've already mentioned more than once how I love the story: the mystery of it, the creepiness in it, both of them are winners.

The characters as per usual KA are also extremely well developed: as such, if I could, I would goble the entire series _ five volumes? _ in a row. Unfortunately, the last volumes have not yet been released. Bummer. -__-

So why this rating?
The romance thing, you guys!! It is frustrating and it should be irrelevant to the story, but it isn't, because of course the whole thing is completely entangled!
As such, we have two amazing guys: Gabriel who most times ends up being a twat but whose background has made it impossible for us not to root for him, and Rick (y), who despite the juvenile name is everything Olivia could ask for and more.
As if that wasn't already problematic, there's also the small issue of a pre-ordained fate for those three.
Yes, this means PARANORMAL ROMANCE ISSUES, you guys.
So on one side there's this creepy mystery related with Olivia's parent's, aka the mass murder killers... maybe... and then on the other side we have elements of the Great Hunt. The way they're interwined is pretty great, but the love triangle, or better yet, the possibility for a love triangle is just tainting everything!

p.s- Yes, I may be a little dramatic.
p.s1- Deal with it.
p.s2- This cover. This cover. Argh!! My eyes.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like, fuck off. Fuck right off.

Spoilers.

I have nothing else to say about this series right now. When someone asks me how the series is, my immediate thought is just to say, "Fuck right off. It's great. I hate it so much. Read it immediately."

Ricky can just drive his bike off a fucking cliff, for starters. Homeboy needs to go the fuck away. I don't buy his cool, collected, smart, university student slash motorcycle club running, uber-respectful 22 year old character.

Pretty much every part about Gabriel and his feelings or his past, I just wanted to cry.

And just... fuck. Fuck this UST. It's driving me insane, and it's killing my poor little heart. Just fucking touch already, OK?! Someone make a god damn move. Kelley Armstrong is a cruel woman dragging this on for three books. I can't even. I'm so mad I have to wait almost a year for the next one, but it's probably good because it'll give me some time to cool off.

So... did I like this book? Fuck yes. Did it send me into a ragging fury a time or two? At least.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It never takes long after picking up another Armstrong novel to remember why I love her writing, and this series in particular so very much.

Yes there is a love triangle (of sorts) and yes there is a bit of drama ever now and then but really, this series is so much more than that and it is so well written, so captivating that before long it sucks you into Cainsville and it's characters and you never want to leave.

It is funny how fae books and I've never really had a strong relationship, in fact more often than not it has been a very love hate fueled one and until this series I didn't realize how interesting and fun one could truly be and how incredibly entertaining. This is one series that truly sucks me in and I both want to devour and savor it at the same time and am always disappointed when a book ends. I truly crave more and just can't get enough of it.

I'm so excited with all that transpired. All the secrets revealed, the questions answered, the relationships that grew and the bonds that have been both broken and formed. Book four can not get here soon enough.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great addition to the series. As per usual the level of creepiness throughout was great although admittedly the love triangle got a littler grating in this book, especially near the end. However I am addicted to this series and I love huge, slow books that let me savour a story. I can't wait to start on the next book.

[Noémy · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading.

Well. This book actually was "une big déception" (-->"Déception" means "disappointment" in French). It considerably lessened my excitation for book 4 and 5 at this point. Which might be a good thing considering the unfairly high number of months we have to wait for each new release; at least now I won't die of frustration until the next book's pub.

Yeah. Small victory.

But seriously I really was unimpressed with this new installment. I'll work out the details as to why once i have slept on it (I don't want to speak too hastingly against my beloved Gabriel, who wasinfuriating, but still).

Proper review

I have to be honest and say that it’s not the story that disappointed me but rather the characters, and yes, even the ones that I love and swore allegiance to, very early on in the novel *cough*Gabriel*cough*

While the plot definitely took the backseat in favor of Olivia’s relationships with Ricky and Gabriel, I enjoyed both the focus on whether or not Pam and Todd were guilty of murdering all these people all those years ago, and the myth and reenactment of Matilda, Gwynn and Arawn. I’m usually not a fan of faery mythology and I’d even go as far as to say that they are my least favorite fantasy creatures to read about. Well, unless they’re dark and twisted but I still mildly tolerate them. Which is weird I know, because there are so many things to be done about faes and pixies and the different courts etc etc, and also because, I have read many great series dealing with Fae. But I don’t consciously and actively seek them out.

Much to my surprise though, I fell hard for Cainsville and its inhabitants. While the Matilda’s legend wasn’t so prevalent in the two previous books, I still felt like the way to helping us embrace it had been sufficiently paved and allowed us to not completely loose our footing getting into book 3. I see that it did throw off a few readers, but I personally expected it and even strongly hoped that our questions would be finally answered in this new installment. And they were. Which I’m grateful for because I know I would have been pissed if I had been forced to wait 2 more years. However, now that the plot has been unraveled, or most of it anyway, I am wondering why the series has been expanded to 5 books. Because while I was craving for a bit more “action” between Olivia and Gabriel in Book 1 and 2 (and less Ricky which, alas, so didn’t happen pfff), I don’t want it to turn into an angsty fest either and with the way everybody was acting, I’m a bit worried.

Why?

Because, simply put, both Olivia and Gabriel acted like complete lunatics. Well, okay maybe not Gabriel because I don’t think I could ever use the term “lunatic” to describe him but he was still acting like a complete stranger for most of the novel. While Olivia was run by hormones and all of her thoughts centered around her perfect little boyfriend, Ricky (can you tell I’m not a fan of the guy? Because I’m really not. Which is totally unfair because he is everything a girl should want in a future partner. But he’s in the way of my OTP and thus, I cannot help myself but dislike him. Sorry Cwn Annwn folks), Gabriel was so frustrating and infuriating in his overprotectiveness of Olivia that I gradually grew annoyed at him and quickly. I still love you, bae. But honestly I wanted to shake you. And slap you too sometimes. And oh my god can you stop channeling Edward Cullen for five fucking minutes, already! Geez.

He really messed with my nerves, that’s for sure.

And Olivia ? Again, she chose to spend half of her time with Ricky, so no I wasn’t happy. I was bored.



As for the plot, unlike some, I don’t really have a problem with the whole fated love story between Matilda, Gwynn and Arawn and consequently Olivia, Gabriel and Ricky. Yes I don’t want them to have these feelings for one other because it is their destiny or whatever. I want it to be their choices (like Olivia falling for Gabriel because of who he is, not because he’s supposed to be a version of the prince of fairyland), and not some lingering love from their previous selves, but still the whole reincarnation thing didn’t bother me because I usually find it interesting. And yes, even beautiful in a soul-mate kind of way. But then, after being introduced to this version, Kelley Armstrong kind of back paddled in another direction, saying that these characters actually have free will and therefore is not about fate at all. Well, Mrs Armstrong, I’m sorry but it has to be one or the other. Minds need to be made up! Lives supposedly depend on Olivia’s choice – which was kind of annoying because I didn’t expect the fate of an entire race of fae to solely depend on whether one girl is going to choose boy A or B, but okay – she was brought into Cainsville for this very reason. The Fae only accepted to save her life as a little girl because of who she was, or her past self, – I think – so excuse me, but it sounds like a really big deal to me. You can’t throw all of this in our faces and then a few chapters later explain to the characters that they have free will and therefore can do anything they want. The thing is, I like the idea of free will better than I like the idea of them being forced into a role they know nothing about. But then, if it’s free will, what’s the point of the story ? I mean, Olivia clearly favors Ricky (I don’t care that she admitted her love for Gabriel. We’re the only ones that know about it.) so as far as I’m concerned, the choice has been made.



Do you understand what I’m trying to say? No? Oh okay

What I really, really liked was Olivia’s investigation into the murders committed by her biological parents, Pamela and Todd Larsen. I loved that we finally learned the truth, I loved discovering who the real culprit was (if a bit sad, like a whole lot actually), I loved Olivia’s relationship with Todd, it was so very moving. Bref, I loved it all

The only thing I wish Kelley Armstrong had included because it would have been really good for Olivia to have one around (To keep her from being such a dumbass, mostly), is a friend. Of the female category. Olivia has zero female interactions apart from Pamela and Rose. What’s up with that? Gabriel is a great sidekick but something was still missing. Like some sass being thrown back in her face.





Before reading :

EDIT 2015.05.30 : Oh my God I just noticed that this is a five book series. I didn't know and now i'm going to die of impatience until 20-freaking-17



I'm so obssessed with Gabriel and Olivia (they better become an item sooner rather than later btw) I don't know what to do with myself until next year.

HELP!

[Kylie Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was at a book signing two days ago when Kelley handed me an ARC of this book. I finished it last night.

The first two books in this series are world and character building. This book answers the questions I had, clarifies what needs clarifying. Gets the main characters communicating. Yes the question of Todd and Pamela's guilt or innocence is answered. No, I'm not going to tell you.

By the end of book two I wanted this book so I could figure out what was going on. Now I want the next book so I can see what the characters do now that they have their questions answered.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each installment in this series in even better than the last. Things just keep getting weirder and I love it! I've just ordered book 4, I can't wait for it to arrive.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 this was a mixed bag. On completing it I felt like I’d enjoyed it, but I actually had to stop reading it a couple of times because I was finding it a repetitive and complicated glop of love triangle which wasn’t holding my interest. I’m pleased to see by the end of the book Olivia is questioning her feelings for Gabriel and we have some resolution on the guilt/innocence of her parents. Not as good or gripping as the first two, it I’ve still bought the next one!

[Ronda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a little disappointed that I now have to wait for the next book to be released!!! That's the price I pay for not checking on how many books are out before I start to read.

I LOVE Gabriel and I'm devastated that the series hasn't gone the way I want it to go but there is something obviously going right because I have devoured these 3 books this week!

I like Ricky, I don't want to for obvious reasons but I like him, a lot... both him and Olivia make a great couple, they make me smile... but...

Regardless of the characters, this storyline is amazing, it has kept me captivated and in addition to this, the writing flows easily and chapters are short enough to take breaks! Love the way we get to see POVs from the characters but mostly, I just love the fact that this series is so different to other books that I have read.

Highly recommended!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one took me a little bit to get into. I didn't remember the first two books very well and this just jumps you right back into the action with no recap. Plus, it doesn't have much of a stand alone plot. It's more about the larger plot.

But I'm kind of upset with myself because I am sooooo into Gabriel. Which wouldn't be a problem except it makes me not very interested in Ricky (or Ricky/Oliva) at all. Which harms my overall enjoyment of the series, I think.

But I don't know. Maybe it'll all work for me in the end. I am very anxious to get the whole story!! (It's supposed to be five books.)

Re-read 2016, July 2017

[Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was heartbreaking. There were times I wanted to shake Olivia because I'd figured out things long before she did. But the book held me captive unable to do anything but listen. I'm confused why the next book isn't available on audio. The narrators have been great. I will say as much as I love Gabriel it's too little too late. And I throw my support to Ricky. However by the title of the next book, I have a feeling my heart will be broken as will Ricky's. The writing is on the wall, but Ricky doesn't deserve it. So I'm moving on and hope I don't DNF the book because Ricky becomes heartbroken.

[Milica · Rating 3 out of 5]

For all the resolutions this installment brought, I couldn't be more pissed with it. Fucking love triangle. I suspected it may come to this, but I hoped Armstrong would not go there.

And Olivia and Ricky getting tattoos together. Aghrrr.

Book 1: Omens - 4 Stars
Book 2: Visions - 5 Stars

[Tez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some booksellers have mistakenly listed Kelley Armstrong's Cainsville series as a trilogy, but rest assured that Books 4 and 5 are scheduled for publication. Being the third book, Deceptions has a bit of Middle Book Syndrome - it answers some questions, but others dangle.

We find out how Ricky Gallagher is linked to the plot, which is a relief because I wondered in Visions if he was just included as a love rival. (Bikers being all the rage in romance at the moment...) Mind you, the motorcycle club element is the weakest part of the novel. Olivia Taylor-Jones notes the sexist nature, yet submits to going along to the club and being "handed off" to minders while Ricky has a meeting. Olivia (*cringe*) gets into a girl-fight, and then has to fight off a guy. In other words, that "alpha-hole" environment is just as stereotypically bad as I expected.

Another questionable plot element involves "roles". Some people may enjoy fate as a trope, but it doesn't work for me, and it reinforces the love triangle.

Also, the paparazzi are included just to create more trouble at the funeral, but are conveniently absent during the outdoor sex scenes. (There are a few. Seriously, I expected the paparazzi to follow Olivia all the time.)

Even though these are my quibbles, Deceptions is a high-quality page-turner that may be slow to start but builds to a big finale (with a rather convenient rescue that I didn't quite believe). The characterisation is thorough, the psychiatric care facility is fascinating, and the piece-by-piece reveals are handled well. It's a solid read, and I'm very much looking forward to Book 4.

[Alex is The Romance Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deceptions, the 3rd novel in Kelley Armstrong's Cainsville Series confused me right from the start.

All the fae factions in Cainsville, the multiple plots, ancient tales, visions, reincarnations........had a hard time keeping up.........and then there's the love triangle between Olivia/Ricky/Gabriel!!!

I am not crazy about the whole Ricky situation. I want Olivia to get together with Gabriel. He's so much more interesting than the hot biker!!!! These two have a deep connection and I wish that they would get their communication lines sorted out!!!

On the subject of Gabriel........I wish the guy would get his shit together when it comes to his feelings for Olivia!!!

Whilst some questions we had from the previous two books are answered here, we are still left with just as many answered.

I really enjoyed the first two books but I have somehow lost the "plot" of this series....hopefully I will get back on track when the next book comes out.

[Danya · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I'm sad to say that this wasn't anywhere near as amazing as VISIONS was.

Unlike many people, the love triangle in this one didn't really bother me. Firstly, it's not really a triangle when people don't realize that the potential for...triangle-ness...exists. Whatever, you get what I'm saying.

Secondly, if you didn't see this coming then we clearly weren't reading the same series. Maybe I've just read too many of Kelley Armstrong's triangles to be surprised when they crop up? Gabriel has an awful lot in common with Derek Souza, just saying.

No, my issues with DECEPTIONS were mostly plot based with a sprinkle of character frustration thrown in. What was it in the plot that I didn't like? Mostly the fact that there wasn't much of one to begin with.

I thought too much time was devoted to investigating/proving things about the various Fae factions that the readers already knew (or guessed based on foreshadowing). Yes, I get that it's supposed to be dramatic irony and Liv doesn't realize the whole Matilda connection, etc. etc. But it was just so boring . I can honestly say that's never once been an issue for me with Kelley Armstrong before.

Despite their issues, I still love these characters and need to know more about their stories. I feel invested in their lives and I want them to succeed, and that was the saving grace of DECEPTIONS for me. I especially love Liv, who's such a great heroine; she's tough and she's book smart and intuitive and physically capable without being too perfect. Somehow.

Sadly Liv and Gabriel have never learned to 'use their words' and frustrated me immensely with their miscommunications and intentional asshole-ry (*cough* Gabriel *cough*), but I have to admit that it was mostly in character. I would've been very annoyed if Gabriel had just been the same old ice block as before so I appreciated the few moments where Gabriel let his guard down. He and Liv just get each other, like two peas in a fucked up little pod. It may not be entirely healthy but I love it. *shrugs*

Ricky may be kind of boring (although he's developed way more in this one) but I feel so bad for him in all of this. He doesn't deserve all their "emotional illiteracy" bullshit. I'm very intrigued to see how the whole mess plays out, especially given Liv's big decision(s) at the end of the book. I have my own theory on who will ultimately end up together, but it would be nice if Liv could stick with her decision for all of book four at least. You know, make Gabriel sweat it out for all his shitty behaviour. I get that he's damaged and I even see the appeal for Liv, but him telling her she was imagining it all? Fucking unconscionable. If we didn't have his POV chapters I would have to kill him.

One of my complaints about VISIONS last year was the lack of attention paid to the Pam and Todd Larsen "are they murderers or aren't they?" plot line. I'm happy to report that concrete progress was made on this front, and it actually kind of surprised me. I definitely thought things might be a little more happy and starry than they ended up and I wasn't sure what Todd would be like either. That said, the whole spina bifida thing being involved was not a surprise. It just wasn't subtle at all.

A somewhat disappointing instalment that was nevertheless entertaining. This is still one of my favourite series at the moment and I still love Kelley Armstrong, but I definitely expected more.

[Melliane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mon avis en Français

My ENglish review

I loved the first and second books in the series so as soon as this new novel was announced, I threw myself on it to pre-order it. Admittedly, Kelley Armstrong has managed to create something really interesting and intriguing and I was excited to finally understand the truth about the world that the author had presented so far.

As I said we finally have our answers in this novel and I admit that I was caught by the story and the characters from the beginning of the first chapter. I had so many questions and I was really excited to find out what was going to happen now. Olivia must again confront many events … Oh yes, between James and his obsessions about her which only grow stronger and become more and more unhealthy, or the issues about the Todd and Pamela’s guilt over the murders perpetrated, but also the forces that operate in the shadows and trying to influence the choices of our heroine. But that’s not all because of Liv’s feelings are very difficult to identify for the two men in her life. Do not worry, there is no love triangles, Olivia is sure of her choice but that does not change the tensions.

I admit that I was really curious to understand the purpose of the story related to Olivia, to really understand the legend that catches up and interferes in her life and whether she could free herself from all that or not. Moreover, it is a little difficult to know everything but then the author gives us a huge response to our delight. I was very surprised by the death of a major character in the story and I confess that I was not expecting it. But that’s not all because as I said, many surprises await us here, particularly about Pamela and Todd and I confess that I did not think the story would take this direction.

In all cases, Liv evolves a lot over the chapters and the books and it’s always a pleasure to discover more about her although she endures many visions that are becoming more and more difficult to manage. Gabriel is faithful to himself, to his stoicism and his desire to understand nothing, not wanting to see the truth even when it is in front of him and his attempts to keep a clear mind. And then we have Ricky. Oh the dear biker who can only steal our heart, this bad boy who makes us love him as our heroine. This is the kind of biker that I would like to read more, the kind of boy we love to discover. Both are present here to help Olivia and they will do everything to protect her. These are two people in gold.

As you can see, I had a great time with the story once again. I do not know if this is really the end, but it was a very good third volume. I highly recommend the series!

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deceptions is the third book in Kelley Armstrong’s Cainsville series, and it’s another wonderful addition to the series. There is no doubt in my mind that each book is getting stronger, sucking me ever deeper into the story, and leaving me addicted beyond belief.

This book started out strong and continued with the strength throughout. There was plenty introduced throughout this book, and all worked to leave me addicted to the story and curious as to where things would go next. In fact, of the first three books this was the most addictive in terms of the reveals that came to light.

I admit that there was plenty I’d already worked out in book two, with book three simply confirming my beliefs, yet there were elements introduced in this one that promise plenty for the last two books in the series. I could sit and list all the things I’d worked out, all the things that came as a surprise, and all the suspicions I have for the future, but to do so would be to give spoilers and ruin what is to come for those who have yet to read the book.

Just know, Deceptions brings a lot to the series. Things are coming together so well, and I cannot wait to see how everything plays out. I will admit there is one element I’m not crazy to see play out – the clear love triangle, the one thing I cannot stand in stories – yet Kelley Armstrong is doing it in such a way that I’ve yet to start pulling my hair out in annoyance. It may not be my favourite element of the story, especially when we can all guess how it will play out, but it is nowhere near as bad as it could be.

As ever, I’ve been left with the desperate desire to grab the next book. I’m both excited to dive in and fearful, knowing I’ve passed the halfway point and things will soon be coming to an end.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would first off like to thank Dutton for allowing me to read an ARC copy of Deceptions! Now for the review!

Deceptions is the game changer of the Cainesville series. So many questions have been left unanswered in the previous two books and they are about to be shoved into the light. Armstrong has closed some doors on the plot points of this series, but in doing so has thrust opened an infinite amount of new paths for the suspenseful and emotional plot. Deceptions opens up the proverbial can of worms in regards to Olivia’s past.

As an avid fan of this series, I knew that the darkness lying in Cainesville and in the mystery surrounding her murderous birth parents would be so twisted and evil that even the face of the sun couldn’t shed enough light on the subjects. This proved to be true. One very large highlight to this book is Gabriel’s emotional development. His tough as steel resolve is tested so many times throughout the book. I think I honestly fell more in love with him in this book than the other two combined. Just when you think you have a clear idea of Olivia’s intentions Armstrong drives a switchblade to your heart with the ending. Honestly, I’m a little afraid as to what will be Olivia’s ultimate path. Only time and fate will tell. To sum up my review I would conclude that Armstrong has delivered an engaging and mesmerizing new addition to the Cainesville series. I can’t wait to read more by this marvelous author.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

well, well, well- we are finally getting some solid answers!

Also, I'm still loving all of the characters- but sometimes Gabriel just makes me think 'Aw baby no..' and face palm at the same time.

I know he doesn't get it bc of the way he was raised- but at the same time I also see this...

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is #3 in a Mystery/Fantasy series and I'm enjoying this fun and entertaining series...especially with the long hours at work. Something fun and light is just what I need.

The MC, Olivia, is actually starting to get answers to her family history questions. The author paints a great picture of this fantasy world and the characters that live within that realm. It is creative. I like that the characters are so different. The humor is great too....just what I needed. So 4 stars.