Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: Stone of Destiny
(The Danaan Trilogy #2) by Laura Howard

BookCrushin is delighted to be a part of the Stone of Destiny Blog Tour! Stone of Destiny is the second book in the Danaan Trilogy by Laura Howard. This tour is an all review tour so be sure to check out what others are saying about Stone of Destiny (The Danaan Trilogy #2)! All the book & series information is included, along with my spoiler-free review and a tour-wide giveaway!

 

Stone of Destiny (The Danaan Trilogy #2) by Laura Howard

Category: New Adult, Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Publication: April 15th, 2014
Purchase: Amazon, B&N
[book rating=4.0/5.0]

Allison thought it was crazy enough when she found out her father, Liam, wasn’t entirely human. But now she has to join his magical allies to unravel his former mistress’s plans. Aoife wants to keep Allison’s parents apart forever.

Despite Allison’s efforts to keep Ethan, the only guy she’s ever cared about, out of this supernatural mess, fate keeps throwing him back into the mix.

Will Allison be able to find the amulet that holds the enchantment Aoife placed on Liam and destroy it? Are Ethan’ s feelings for Allison strong enough to endure the magic of the Tuatha De Danaan?

 

Series:

The Forgotten Ones (The Danaan Trilogy #1)
Publication: April 28th, 2014
Purchase: Amazon, B&N
[book rating=4.0/5.0]Review

Allison O’Malley’s plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she’s been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison’s mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn’t trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother’s sanity.

 A Place Beyond (The Danaan Trilogy #3)

Coming Soon!

 

 

 

 

 

Spoiler-free Review:

*May contain minor spoilers from book 1 The Forgotten Ones*
[book rating=4.0/5.0]

Laura Howard continues the fantastic & creative story of Tuatha de Danaan with her second installment, Stone of Destiny, which picks right up where The Forgotten Ones leaves us (not on a cliff, but clearly knowing a whole lot more was to come!). Aoife is continuing to plot against Allison’s parents and Allison will not stand by idly. But the Danaan are not easy to deal with, you know with all those magical fae powers.

Allison is a strong leading lady and matures a lot since book 1! Then again time passes much differently in Tir na n’Og. She knows she needs to be a part of this crazy undertaking to help stop the kooky Faery Princess. Luckily, she has some strong fae allies and other warriors who want to end the madness that Aoife is leaving in the wake of her plans. Innocent humans are being hurt and is also negatively affecting Tir na n’Og. But the best developed character and plot has to be Ethan. Ethan is in love with Allison. Love is a powerful emotion, just ask Aofie, she’s doing all this damage over her false hopes for a lifetime of love with Liam. But back to cutie Ethan, his and Allison’s relationship grows leaps and bounds but I still found myself wanting them to take it to next level not “wait.”  I swear I am not a horndog, but it easily could have had a little more hottness! Also, another breakout star in book 2, was Samantha, not going to give anything away so I will just say that I loved her and think she will be a big part of book 3! Liam also was a much more admirable and less creepy in this book, I don’t know why but him being around so much in book 1 felt overbearing to me. However, in this book his intentions were clearer and he was a much more developed character. These darn fae are so mysterious and uncertain that you have no idea what is going to happen next!

My only minor issue is that I felt there was a very long build up for a swift, action-packed ending. Then it ended and I was mad! I wanted so much more right then and there! We are left with a lot of unanswered questions and I was a little shocked that this book definitely ended on a cliff (when the last one didn’t). The final book of the trilogy, A Place Beyond, does not have a release date yet, but I hear it’s coming soon and I can’t wait to find out how Allison finally deals with the Danaan and gets her life settled into something that resembles a HEA!

Action, lore, love and twists are all wrapped up in this series and if you love the fae you’ll devour this series!

I recommend this book for anyone over 16 years old, Upper YA audience, as there is nothing too mature, but I expect the “waiting” will end in book 3, which is why I rated it New Adult as well – plus the main protagonists are in their early 20’s, so that is the category it belongs in these days.

 

Author Bio: Laura Howard

Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.

Author Links:

Website     |    Goodreads     |     Facebook     |     Twitter

 

Giveaway:

–A set of signed paperbacks of books 1 & 2 (US only)
–A $15 Giftcard for Amazon (INTL)

a Rafflecopter giveaway