The Forgotten Ones Blog Tour: Review

 

The Forgotten Ones (The Danaan Trilogy #1) 
Author: Laura Howard
Genre: YA/ New Adult Fantasy
Release Date: April 28, 2013

Buy Link: Amazon

Description:
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. 

The Forgotten Ones is the first book in a young adult fantasy trilogy that follows leading lady Allison O'Malley as her world is turned completely upside down. All she has known during her life is that her mother came back from Ireland broken and pregnant - with no mention of her father, except during one of her mother's schizophrenic episodes. Allison has her life planned out and has even avoided getting into a relationship with Ethan - the guy she's been secretly in love with forever. Allison's life is completely turned upside down when her long lost father, Liam, comes knocking on her door one day. Allie doesn't trust him and she senses things aren't on the up-and-up when he claims that he can fix Allie's mom. When Liam tells Allison about the forgotten people in Ireland - the Tuatha de Danaan - she has no reason to believe him, but if there's even the slightest chance of saving her mother - she has to at least try.

This was an exciting and intriguing first book in what promises to be a fascinating trilogy. I loved all the Irish folklore, history, and myths - so I eagerly read as much about them as I could. I'm really hoping that the author goes even more in depth with that in the next book. Allison was a great main character - she's smart, a hard worker, and a deeply devoted family member who puts everyone else before herself. She's strong too, and we get to see her character grow quite a bit throughout the story. The plot of the story was really captivating - I loved the story of the Tuatha de Danaan and how it all tied in with Allison and her mother. There were a few other story lines aside from the main plot - like the romance between Allison and Ethan - that I think added a nice extra layer to the book without overshadowing the main story. The writing was really well done with a quick pace and an easy flow. This is definitely a book that fans of YA fantasy will not want to miss out on!

Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet 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:


Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6653788.Laura_Howard
Website: http://www.laurahoward78.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurahoward78
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraHoward78