Author: Elizabeth May
Series: The Falconer #1
Age: Young Adult
Genres: Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Steampunk
Publication Date: May 6th 2014
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Source: Hardcover
Purchase: Hardcover | Paperback | Kindle | B&N | Kobo | Play Store | iBooks
Synopsis:
One girl's nightmare is this girl's faery tale
She's a stunner.
Edinburgh, 1844. Eighteen-year-old Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, has everything a girl could dream of: brains, charm, wealth, a title—and drop-dead beauty.
She's a liar.
But Aileana only looks the part of an aristocratic young lady. she's leading a double life: She has a rare ability to sense the sìthíchean—the faery race obsessed with slaughtering humans—and, with the aid of a mysterious mentor, has spent the year since her mother died learning how to kill them.
She's a murderer.
Now Aileana is dedicated to slaying the fae before they take innocent lives. With her knack for inventing ingenious tools and weapons—from flying machines to detonators to lightning pistols—ruthless Aileana has one goal: Destroy the faery who destroyed her mother.
She's a Falconer.
The last in a line of female warriors born with a gift for hunting and killing the fae, Aileana is the sole hope of preventing a powerful faery population from massacring all of humanity. Suddenly, her quest is a lot more complicated. She still longs to avenge her mother's murder—but she'll have to save the world first.
The first volume of a trilogy from an exciting new voice in young adult fantasy, this electrifying thriller combines romance and action, steampunk technology and Scottish lore in a deliciously addictive read.
My Rating:
Quote(s) I Like:
"You shouldn't turn down an offer to be cared for. Some people aren't fortunate enough to receive one." - Gavin
"Do you think we could exist without moments of vulnerability? Of regret? Without them, you wouldn't be Kam." - Kiaran
"Time won't fix me. Time allows me to become more skillful at hiding how much I hurt inside. Time makes me a great liar. Because when it comes to grief, we all like to pretend." - Aileana
"I know from experience what grief does. How can it transform us. That the only way to control it is by pressing it deep down inside ourselves where we hope no one will ever discover it. But it will always be there. Inevitably, something or someone will come along and dig up everything we've tried so hard to conceal." - Aileana
"I'm beginning to realize how much our secrets define us. A few days ago, he and I would have hunted together and returned to our perspective lives, the same as always. Now our boundaries are fading, and we grasp those last few secrets we still do have, because one's soul is so much more difficult than pretending." - Aileana
"To take in all of this, every calm moment you can. Breathe in the sight so deeply that the memory becomes a fundamental part of you. Sometimes, it will be all that's left to ground you. I brought you here to give you that." - Kiaran
My Thoughts:
I have NO words to express the feels I have at this point and time!! That cliff-hanger like really?! Ahhhh, I'll be finishing this series before the end of the year...I just need a moment to digest everything that took place.
Aileana is a spitfire of a girl! I enjoyed her from start to finish. She wasn't your typical Lady. She was used to tinkering with projects and lived a double-life killing fae. She witnessed her mother's death and was plunged into a dark world of fae and their business. Aileana was tough when she needed to be, but she was also soft underneath it all. I felt terrible for her with how her father and the people in Edinburgh treated her, but I felt like she carried herself the best she could. I thought she was definitely a bit crazy with all the enjoyment she felt in killing fae, but it made her an awesome character.
Kiaran is the kind of guy that you hate, but love. He was very nonchalant and didn't show much emotion, but when he did I couldn't help but love him more. He was straightforward -- especially since he was a high-powered fae. I loved everything about him through the entire story. I am team Kiaran all day!!
Gavin is a sweet boyish kind of guy. The male friend you have a crush on, but end up being best-friends with. The history between him and Aileana was pretty awesome. I thought Gavin was a cool character to the story. It showed a different side to the story with one with powers concerning the fae.
The romance was absolutely awesome to me. I loved that this was not heavy on the romance whatsoever, but still had hints. The few hints seen throughout the story were very humorous and added to the ending when the romance built up. I loved the "semi" love triangle that took place. It added humor to the story. I'm excited to see how the romance continues in the next book.
Catherine and Derrick (the pixie) were true best-friends through and through. I absolutely freaking loved them. The Marquess, Aileana's father, pissed me off. I truly can't stand that man. Sorcha and her brother Lonnrach are assholes. I'm curious to learn more about their connection with Kiaran though.
The world-building for me was pretty great. I don't read many steampunk novels so this was a pretty awesome read for a steampunk ya paranormal. The detailing in this book really allowed me to feel as if I was transported into the story. Such great writing. I'm excited to get my hands on the sequel, The Vanishing Throne and The Fallen Kingdom. I'm ready for a perfect, happy ending!
Have you read this book?