Book Review of Island of Tory by Regina M. Geither

Synopsis:

When sixteen year old Arella Cline's summer vacation begins with the tragic death of her parents, she is sent to live with her aunt to begin a new life on a remote island off the western coast of Ireland. But there are strange things happening on Tory Island—shadow figures, mysterious auras, and the haunting sound of her deceased parents’ voices.

The only thing Arella finds appealing about Tory is the handsome, dark-haired Declan McQuilan. But Cannon Fidelous, a mysterious outcast, warns her that the island and its inhabitants are hiding a dark secret. And when Arella finds an ancient book of prophecies, she discovers the island's curse—a curse that only she can undo.

Review:


Island of Tory by Regina M. Geither
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

This is a fantastic YA Fantasy Thriller. I am very sorry it's taken me so long to get to read it, as I loved it!

Arella Cline is a wonderful character. I liked her a lot. She is an emotionally strong character and is stubborn and determined. She has had her life completely destroyed by a terrible car accident that killed her parents. Sent to live with her aunt on the small island of Tory, Arella finds herself in a race to break a curse.

I started to read this story and was hooked from the first page. Arella is a normal teen, but dealing with a traumatic experience. Being the "new kid" is scary enough, but Tory is an island with secrets. There are some interesting characters living on the island. Declan McQuilan is Arella's first friend on the island. He is charming, funny and has a charisma that people respond to, but he also has a secret. I liked him very much, but as the story progressed, I found I didn't like him as much as I did in the beginning. I am not saying why, you will just have to read the book yourself to find out. Cannon Fidelous is also new to the island, but he is a loner and tends to keep to himself. He is a bit of an enigma, but I really liked this character too. The story was quite gripping, with a steady building suspense that held me in thrall. I found myself getting anxious as the story twisted and turned with mystery; Just when I thought I had a grip on the story, it would take a gigantic twist in another direction. This story was a roller coaster ride of danger, action and adventure. All the characters came alive on the page, and the description of the island was so vivid, I could picture it with ease. The Irish folklore used in this tale was very interesting. I have always been interested in the myths and legends of various cultures, and none more so than those of the Irish or Celtic ones. I was very disappointed when I reached the end of the story, as I wanted to keep reading. However, I loved the ending, as it was sweet and, although it doesn't finish on a cliffhanger, it made me look forward to reading the next book, The Cursing Stone, as soon as possible.

Regina M. Geither has written an absorbing and thrilling YA Fantasy. I love her fast paced writing style, and the flow of the story was wonderful. I would definitely read more of this author's books in the future.

I highly recommend this book to teens (13+) and adults who love YA, Paranormal, Fantasy and Thriller genres. - Lynn Worton


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