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Abby Sinclair #3
A Trace of Moonlight
Drinking from the waters of lethe and offering herself up as Faerie's sacrificial Tithe . . . these just might be the least of Abby Sinclair's problems.
Abby's pact with a daemon -- whether or not she remembers making it -- is binding, so she'd better count herself lucky that (in the words of a daemon who knows better) there's nearly always a loophole. But her friends' reckless attempts to free her, well intentioned though they may be, set off a disastrous chain of events.
In no time at all, Abby turns her incubus lover mortal, then gets herself killed, cursed, and married to an elven prince whose mother wants her dead. On top of everything else, she's lost the Key to the CrossRoads to her mortal enemy, who promptly uses his restored power to wreak havoc on the OtherWorld and put its very existence in jeopardy. Only one person can make things right again, but to find her, Abby must place her trust in allies of mixed loyalties, and conquer her nightmares once and for all.
Abby's pact with a daemon -- whether or not she remembers making it -- is binding, so she'd better count herself lucky that (in the words of a daemon who knows better) there's nearly always a loophole. But her friends' reckless attempts to free her, well intentioned though they may be, set off a disastrous chain of events.
In no time at all, Abby turns her incubus lover mortal, then gets herself killed, cursed, and married to an elven prince whose mother wants her dead. On top of everything else, she's lost the Key to the CrossRoads to her mortal enemy, who promptly uses his restored power to wreak havoc on the OtherWorld and put its very existence in jeopardy. Only one person can make things right again, but to find her, Abby must place her trust in allies of mixed loyalties, and conquer her nightmares once and for all.
381 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2012
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November 20, 2012
A long, spoilery, ranty, repetitive, haphazard, bitchy and nonsensical review.
This was utter fucking rubbish.
The love triangle was a complete mess - Abby was a silly bitch, she wanted Ion but still made sure to string Talliver along, Ion suddenly acted like he gave a fuck about Abby when he never cared about her before and poor Talliver had to suggest an open relationship just so he wouldn't lose Abby completely.
In the previous book, Abby developed strong feelings for Talliver, their relationship had a lovely, slow build � they were friends and lived together and the change from friends to lovers felt genuine and romantic. But in this installment, Abby's feelings for Talliver changed without rhyme or reason � she suddenly didn't feel as strongly about him and she more or less dismissed him for Ion. All she cared about was Ion - you know, the guy that treated her like shit, the guy that gave her to a sadistic bastard to be tortured and killed, the guy that betrayed her and then dumped her, the guy that refused to help her when she was in trouble, the guy that didn't respect her and the guy that she'd only actually spent a total of a few weeks with..Yea, that one.
Brystion was one gigantic whiny wanker dogbitch of a mother fucker. I don't know what bullshit was going on but through Ion and Abby the author tried to rewrite history and make it out that Ion was actually noble and some sort of a hero and that he had never betrayed Abby in the first book and that he was the only one who had ever cared about her. Honestly, what's the point of even adding in a huge betrayal if it's not dealt with properly and is instead glossed over and made out to be not that big of a deal?!
For some bastard reason, Brystion kept having a go at Talliver for using Abby even though Talliver had never used her before..Sure, Abby got stuck in his and his families problems but only because she repeatedly stuck her big nose in and offered to help. Nobody forced or manipulated Abby into doing anything� Unlike Ion, who went behind her back, lied to her, used her and manipulated her for his own benefit...Yet, he had the gall to act self righteous about Talliver supposedly using Abby when in actual fact, Ion was the only one to have ever used her.
The author thought that by brushing Ion's betrayal under the carpet and having Ion claim that Talliver was using Abby and risking her life..that suddenly both me and Abby would believe that was true. Thankfully, I'm not dumb like Abby and I wasn't fooled one bit � the crap Ion/the author was coming out with didn't work on me. My brain was too powerful to buy the bullshit that was being thrown around.
And then that ridiculous bastard ending... How can the ending of a book be a bastard, you say? IT JUST FUCKING CAN! Yea, I know that's not a proper answer but like the majority of authors in UF/PNR/YA, I'm not going to bother explaining things...I'm just going to make statements and expect readers to believe that what I've written is true. A bit like how the author wrote that Ion loved Abby and that Abby loved Ion..Really? Since when? How? Why? Who knows. They just fucking did!
The ending didn't feel like an ending � it felt unfinished and somewhat unclear. But I'm fairly sure Abby chose Brystion. I'm guessing I was meant to be happy with that. But just because the so called 'hero' ends up with the heroine and impregnates her, it doesn't equal a decent HEA� How can I believe in the HEA and the love between the couple when there's no evidence of it? Ion doesn't love Abby and she doesn't love him � they just find each other attractive and have good sex � there was NOTHING else between them yet I'm meant to believe they wuv each other?! What a ridiculous and unbelievable couple.
Ion and Abby's supposed epic 'romance':
-In the first book Ion used Abby, handed her over to a madman to be tortured, then told her the only reason he didn't let her get killed was because of her Dreamer powers and then he dumped her. *Swoon*
-In the second book he was fucking other girls, he ignored Abby for months, he told her to fuck off when she needed help, he bulldozed his way back into Abby's life when she was finally moving on and generally treated her like shit. *Be still my heart*
-In the third book he made Abby feel guilty about helping her family, he had no trust in her, he constantly demeaned her and also talked down to her. *Jealous sigh*
In between all that 'romance' they occasionally had sex. And of course, it was the bestest sex ever for Abby. Abby didn't click on to the fact that Ion was an incubus � a professional manslut, so the sex would obviously be brilliant..she seemed to think that the great sex they had meant they had a love like no other. Abby should have realised that all women Ion has sex with experience the same thing but no, the silly cow thought because Ion and her had awesome sex it meant that they had something speshul and unique.
Ugh..After all of the rubbish Ion put Abby through, I'm magically meant to believe that Abby and Ion are meant to be. FUCK THAT! What a shit couple! I guess I was supposed to be happy because they said they loved each other and because they're going to have a baby but I'm not. I need more than a silly pregnancy and a handful of unconvincing ILY's to be satisfied with the 'HEA'.
Its bullshit that Abby even chose Ion after everything he'd done to her � he betrayed her, treated her like shit and didn't believe in her. Whereas Talliver respected her, protected her, had faith in her and trusted her..It made no sense. Talliver and Abby worked hard for their relationship and their feelings grew naturally there was no insta love yet in this one, Abby doesn't even feel strongly about Talliver and then the author tried to portray Talliver as the weaker love interest � it didn't work� Ion was the shitty love interest, he threw Abby to the wolves in the first book and there was no evidence to suggest that if he needed something again that he wouldn't toss her overboard so he could get that something.
I hated that Ion kept throwing hissy fits and kept acting self righteous when anyone else so much as asked for Abby's help..Apparently, he was the only one that was allowed to put Abby in danger and get her killed..at least unlike Ion, other people didn't hide and lie about what they were asking of her. Whereas, Ion would probably ask Abby to come with him to visit his grandma and then he'd end up selling her to a pimp or a cannibal because he needed some new shoes. I'm guessing that's what happens in their future, but don't worry, dumb Abby would most likely find love again with her pimp daddy or her cannibal lover..since she loves guys that treat her like shit.
I wouldn't have minded her telling Talliver to fuck off as long as she didn't end up with Ion..and instead ended up on her own with her baby.
What's going to happen when Abby dies..Is Ion just going to fuck other girls for the rest of his life? Will Ion still be with Abby when she's old and wrinkly? There's no way Ion would stick around..he'd put Abby in a nursing home and go on his merry way fucking anything that walks.
Maybe once Abby dies, like all the other immortal mansluts in fiction, he'll meet a blushing, boring, dumb virginal teenage girl and start stalking and grooming her and then he'll make her fall in wuv him and he'll occasionally growl at her and he'll be threatened and hurt by her geeky best guy friend, Neil Bottomless and he'll tell Neil to keep away from his little girl and Neil will be all 'but I secretly wuv her' and Ion will be like 'Yea, but I'm her pedo sex daddy' and then Ion's enemies will try to kill his virginal dumbo, so he'll leave her but like any other respectable stalker he'll watch her from a distance, she'll naturally wallow in pity, he'll see her hanging with Neil Bottomless and Ion will be pissed and will no doubt shout 'Damn you Bottomless! Damn you!!' from the rooftops� And then he'll make a dramatic return by saving his dumb virgin from a possessed kangaroo and he'll be a cold, cold bastard to her, his virginal twit will be hurt and confused, Ion will see how hurt she is and get turned on by that, so he'll keep on emotionally abusing her and then when his idiotic virgin decides enough is enough, he'll pounce again and whisper sweet nothings to her in between snarling and smirking at her, he'll then take her sweet, sweet virginity and she'll be his bitch forever. Now, that's a real ending.
Most of the other characters were irritating as hell. I can't believe that doormat Charlie was still with Robert after he cheated on her for who knows how long and not only that she was also looking after his love child with Moira!! Charlie was a weak doormat, she had no spine or self respect. And Robert obviously never loved Charlie if he cheated on her and then lied about it for over a year, Charlie only found out because everyone else did. Robert was a wanker.
Abby's dad, Thomas, was a dick...what was the point of even having Thomas as Abby's dad when he didn't give a fuck about her and when they had no real development or resolution in their relationship?! Abby was pathetic wanting his love when he made it clear she meant very little to him.
Moira was a bitch. Why she acted like she was a good, decent person when she had an affair with a guy who had a girlfriend, I don't know. Moira was an evil cow.
Moira, Robert, Thomas, Ion - none of them got what they deserved for them treating people like shit. Their character arcs were unsatisfying and left a bitter taste.
I almost forgot, I hated Abby's lame inner voice and her rubbish taste in music.
In all fairness, they'll be readers who'll probably like this book, the writing and plot (bar the love triangle and romance) was decent enough but I hated Ion, Abby and the romance far too much to enjoy any of it. Those that like Abby/Ion or don't mind or care that the hero treats the heroine like crap will probably like this.
I just hated this book.
Ugh..why is every single book filled with either manslut, cheating, abusive, arsehole, dick head, rapey or bastard heroes?!
Honestly, I don't even want to read anymore because of the shitty 'romances' depicted in so many books.
This was utter fucking rubbish.
The love triangle was a complete mess - Abby was a silly bitch, she wanted Ion but still made sure to string Talliver along, Ion suddenly acted like he gave a fuck about Abby when he never cared about her before and poor Talliver had to suggest an open relationship just so he wouldn't lose Abby completely.
In the previous book, Abby developed strong feelings for Talliver, their relationship had a lovely, slow build � they were friends and lived together and the change from friends to lovers felt genuine and romantic. But in this installment, Abby's feelings for Talliver changed without rhyme or reason � she suddenly didn't feel as strongly about him and she more or less dismissed him for Ion. All she cared about was Ion - you know, the guy that treated her like shit, the guy that gave her to a sadistic bastard to be tortured and killed, the guy that betrayed her and then dumped her, the guy that refused to help her when she was in trouble, the guy that didn't respect her and the guy that she'd only actually spent a total of a few weeks with..Yea, that one.
Brystion was one gigantic whiny wanker dogbitch of a mother fucker. I don't know what bullshit was going on but through Ion and Abby the author tried to rewrite history and make it out that Ion was actually noble and some sort of a hero and that he had never betrayed Abby in the first book and that he was the only one who had ever cared about her. Honestly, what's the point of even adding in a huge betrayal if it's not dealt with properly and is instead glossed over and made out to be not that big of a deal?!
For some bastard reason, Brystion kept having a go at Talliver for using Abby even though Talliver had never used her before..Sure, Abby got stuck in his and his families problems but only because she repeatedly stuck her big nose in and offered to help. Nobody forced or manipulated Abby into doing anything� Unlike Ion, who went behind her back, lied to her, used her and manipulated her for his own benefit...Yet, he had the gall to act self righteous about Talliver supposedly using Abby when in actual fact, Ion was the only one to have ever used her.
The author thought that by brushing Ion's betrayal under the carpet and having Ion claim that Talliver was using Abby and risking her life..that suddenly both me and Abby would believe that was true. Thankfully, I'm not dumb like Abby and I wasn't fooled one bit � the crap Ion/the author was coming out with didn't work on me. My brain was too powerful to buy the bullshit that was being thrown around.
And then that ridiculous bastard ending... How can the ending of a book be a bastard, you say? IT JUST FUCKING CAN! Yea, I know that's not a proper answer but like the majority of authors in UF/PNR/YA, I'm not going to bother explaining things...I'm just going to make statements and expect readers to believe that what I've written is true. A bit like how the author wrote that Ion loved Abby and that Abby loved Ion..Really? Since when? How? Why? Who knows. They just fucking did!
The ending didn't feel like an ending � it felt unfinished and somewhat unclear. But I'm fairly sure Abby chose Brystion. I'm guessing I was meant to be happy with that. But just because the so called 'hero' ends up with the heroine and impregnates her, it doesn't equal a decent HEA� How can I believe in the HEA and the love between the couple when there's no evidence of it? Ion doesn't love Abby and she doesn't love him � they just find each other attractive and have good sex � there was NOTHING else between them yet I'm meant to believe they wuv each other?! What a ridiculous and unbelievable couple.
Ion and Abby's supposed epic 'romance':
-In the first book Ion used Abby, handed her over to a madman to be tortured, then told her the only reason he didn't let her get killed was because of her Dreamer powers and then he dumped her. *Swoon*
-In the second book he was fucking other girls, he ignored Abby for months, he told her to fuck off when she needed help, he bulldozed his way back into Abby's life when she was finally moving on and generally treated her like shit. *Be still my heart*
-In the third book he made Abby feel guilty about helping her family, he had no trust in her, he constantly demeaned her and also talked down to her. *Jealous sigh*
In between all that 'romance' they occasionally had sex. And of course, it was the bestest sex ever for Abby. Abby didn't click on to the fact that Ion was an incubus � a professional manslut, so the sex would obviously be brilliant..she seemed to think that the great sex they had meant they had a love like no other. Abby should have realised that all women Ion has sex with experience the same thing but no, the silly cow thought because Ion and her had awesome sex it meant that they had something speshul and unique.
Ugh..After all of the rubbish Ion put Abby through, I'm magically meant to believe that Abby and Ion are meant to be. FUCK THAT! What a shit couple! I guess I was supposed to be happy because they said they loved each other and because they're going to have a baby but I'm not. I need more than a silly pregnancy and a handful of unconvincing ILY's to be satisfied with the 'HEA'.
Its bullshit that Abby even chose Ion after everything he'd done to her � he betrayed her, treated her like shit and didn't believe in her. Whereas Talliver respected her, protected her, had faith in her and trusted her..It made no sense. Talliver and Abby worked hard for their relationship and their feelings grew naturally there was no insta love yet in this one, Abby doesn't even feel strongly about Talliver and then the author tried to portray Talliver as the weaker love interest � it didn't work� Ion was the shitty love interest, he threw Abby to the wolves in the first book and there was no evidence to suggest that if he needed something again that he wouldn't toss her overboard so he could get that something.
I hated that Ion kept throwing hissy fits and kept acting self righteous when anyone else so much as asked for Abby's help..Apparently, he was the only one that was allowed to put Abby in danger and get her killed..at least unlike Ion, other people didn't hide and lie about what they were asking of her. Whereas, Ion would probably ask Abby to come with him to visit his grandma and then he'd end up selling her to a pimp or a cannibal because he needed some new shoes. I'm guessing that's what happens in their future, but don't worry, dumb Abby would most likely find love again with her pimp daddy or her cannibal lover..since she loves guys that treat her like shit.
I wouldn't have minded her telling Talliver to fuck off as long as she didn't end up with Ion..and instead ended up on her own with her baby.
What's going to happen when Abby dies..Is Ion just going to fuck other girls for the rest of his life? Will Ion still be with Abby when she's old and wrinkly? There's no way Ion would stick around..he'd put Abby in a nursing home and go on his merry way fucking anything that walks.
Maybe once Abby dies, like all the other immortal mansluts in fiction, he'll meet a blushing, boring, dumb virginal teenage girl and start stalking and grooming her and then he'll make her fall in wuv him and he'll occasionally growl at her and he'll be threatened and hurt by her geeky best guy friend, Neil Bottomless and he'll tell Neil to keep away from his little girl and Neil will be all 'but I secretly wuv her' and Ion will be like 'Yea, but I'm her pedo sex daddy' and then Ion's enemies will try to kill his virginal dumbo, so he'll leave her but like any other respectable stalker he'll watch her from a distance, she'll naturally wallow in pity, he'll see her hanging with Neil Bottomless and Ion will be pissed and will no doubt shout 'Damn you Bottomless! Damn you!!' from the rooftops� And then he'll make a dramatic return by saving his dumb virgin from a possessed kangaroo and he'll be a cold, cold bastard to her, his virginal twit will be hurt and confused, Ion will see how hurt she is and get turned on by that, so he'll keep on emotionally abusing her and then when his idiotic virgin decides enough is enough, he'll pounce again and whisper sweet nothings to her in between snarling and smirking at her, he'll then take her sweet, sweet virginity and she'll be his bitch forever. Now, that's a real ending.
Most of the other characters were irritating as hell. I can't believe that doormat Charlie was still with Robert after he cheated on her for who knows how long and not only that she was also looking after his love child with Moira!! Charlie was a weak doormat, she had no spine or self respect. And Robert obviously never loved Charlie if he cheated on her and then lied about it for over a year, Charlie only found out because everyone else did. Robert was a wanker.
Abby's dad, Thomas, was a dick...what was the point of even having Thomas as Abby's dad when he didn't give a fuck about her and when they had no real development or resolution in their relationship?! Abby was pathetic wanting his love when he made it clear she meant very little to him.
Moira was a bitch. Why she acted like she was a good, decent person when she had an affair with a guy who had a girlfriend, I don't know. Moira was an evil cow.
Moira, Robert, Thomas, Ion - none of them got what they deserved for them treating people like shit. Their character arcs were unsatisfying and left a bitter taste.
I almost forgot, I hated Abby's lame inner voice and her rubbish taste in music.
In all fairness, they'll be readers who'll probably like this book, the writing and plot (bar the love triangle and romance) was decent enough but I hated Ion, Abby and the romance far too much to enjoy any of it. Those that like Abby/Ion or don't mind or care that the hero treats the heroine like crap will probably like this.
I just hated this book.
Ugh..why is every single book filled with either manslut, cheating, abusive, arsehole, dick head, rapey or bastard heroes?!
Honestly, I don't even want to read anymore because of the shitty 'romances' depicted in so many books.
April 23, 2013
CAUTION: minor spoiler
Book 3 concluded the Abby Sinclair series, and it disappointed me � big time.
+ the plot
I was very relieved that the story allowed Abby to quickly regain her memory because the book would have been an insufferable read otherwise. In her amnesiac state, Abby was stupid and whiny. I thought after the memory-gain things would get better. I thought wrong. Things slowed down considerably, so slow that the the plot virtually went nowhere. I thought war was imminent because of what happened in book 2 and the resulting state of affairs in book 3, but apparently not. For two-third of the book, ennui smushed me.
The plot eventually picked up pace at the last third of the book, but it rolled off a cliff. The sense of urgency was dreadfully weak. The story tried to recuperate by slapping on a bunch of twists and turns, but it slapped on so much that it convoluted the plot and birthed ridiculous drama.
+ the romance
The romance was no better. It was an irritating mess. I expected book 3, as the final book of the series, to quickly resolve the love triangle, but no. The story was bent on stretching the stupid romance as long it could to the point that I just wanted to kick all the parties involved in the shin. I didn’t care who she picked; I just wanted the love triangle to end already. It should have ended in book fucking 2!
Abby finally picked a guy at the end of book 3, but much to my frustration the door was left open so that she could easily dump that guy and pick the other one later on. Or someone else entirely never introduced in the series because who knows. Damn girl was flaky. But oh no, this shit called romance got shittier!
Spoiler ahead.
Surprise! Abby got pregnant! I should have seen that coming because neither she nor her lover used protection. The story never told us who the father was because she had intercourse with both romance interests separately throughout the book. Dumbasses the three of them. It aggravated me that the story left the reader to imagine who the father could be.
I despise loose ends at the end of series; I despise it a lot when the story purposely and unnecessarily introduces a loose end at the end of a series because, hey, tightly wrapped-up endings are for losers, right? Fuck you, book!
+ the characters
Abby was an unremarkable heroine to say the very least. I really don’t see anything about her that earned her the romantic interest from a smoking hot incubus and a charming dutiful elf prince. *cough* Mary Sue! *cough*
Her perverted miniature unicorn sidekick was only funny in one scene; the rest of the time he was bland. His character no longer excited me as it did in book 1.
Frankly speaking, Abby, her unicorn sidekick, and her romantic interests were not compelling enough for their story to last a trilogy. The cast shilled me.
In Conclusion
I begrudgingly rate A Trace of Moonlight 2 stars for it was okay. Book 1 was the best of the series, book 3 was the worst. Overall, the series was painfully mediocre. For a story that involved the race of humans, elves, and daemons and threatened their fate and all the worlds, it was utterly UN-fucking-epic. I do not recommend the series.
Book 3 concluded the Abby Sinclair series, and it disappointed me � big time.
+ the plot
I was very relieved that the story allowed Abby to quickly regain her memory because the book would have been an insufferable read otherwise. In her amnesiac state, Abby was stupid and whiny. I thought after the memory-gain things would get better. I thought wrong. Things slowed down considerably, so slow that the the plot virtually went nowhere. I thought war was imminent because of what happened in book 2 and the resulting state of affairs in book 3, but apparently not. For two-third of the book, ennui smushed me.
The plot eventually picked up pace at the last third of the book, but it rolled off a cliff. The sense of urgency was dreadfully weak. The story tried to recuperate by slapping on a bunch of twists and turns, but it slapped on so much that it convoluted the plot and birthed ridiculous drama.
+ the romance
The romance was no better. It was an irritating mess. I expected book 3, as the final book of the series, to quickly resolve the love triangle, but no. The story was bent on stretching the stupid romance as long it could to the point that I just wanted to kick all the parties involved in the shin. I didn’t care who she picked; I just wanted the love triangle to end already. It should have ended in book fucking 2!
Abby finally picked a guy at the end of book 3, but much to my frustration the door was left open so that she could easily dump that guy and pick the other one later on. Or someone else entirely never introduced in the series because who knows. Damn girl was flaky. But oh no, this shit called romance got shittier!
Spoiler ahead.
Surprise! Abby got pregnant! I should have seen that coming because neither she nor her lover used protection. The story never told us who the father was because she had intercourse with both romance interests separately throughout the book. Dumbasses the three of them. It aggravated me that the story left the reader to imagine who the father could be.
I despise loose ends at the end of series; I despise it a lot when the story purposely and unnecessarily introduces a loose end at the end of a series because, hey, tightly wrapped-up endings are for losers, right? Fuck you, book!
+ the characters
Abby was an unremarkable heroine to say the very least. I really don’t see anything about her that earned her the romantic interest from a smoking hot incubus and a charming dutiful elf prince. *cough* Mary Sue! *cough*
Her perverted miniature unicorn sidekick was only funny in one scene; the rest of the time he was bland. His character no longer excited me as it did in book 1.
Frankly speaking, Abby, her unicorn sidekick, and her romantic interests were not compelling enough for their story to last a trilogy. The cast shilled me.
In Conclusion
I begrudgingly rate A Trace of Moonlight 2 stars for it was okay. Book 1 was the best of the series, book 3 was the worst. Overall, the series was painfully mediocre. For a story that involved the race of humans, elves, and daemons and threatened their fate and all the worlds, it was utterly UN-fucking-epic. I do not recommend the series.
November 15, 2012
The story starts with Abby still not having her memory back and of course, all her friends are trying to figure out ways to help her. But Abby being Abby knows there's more than what (and who) she is being told. The problem is she keeps forgetting what that is.
I just don't know how I feel about this book...especially 'the ending'. Ugghhhh!! The last book, A Sliver of Shadow, had this crazy ending and left itself open to sooo many possibilities that there was really no way to predict what could happen. And there is so much that happens....so much that it makes your head spin. I was actually shocked that the ending was the ending! And it is certainly true that "the more things change, the more they remain the same." I'm not happy with that. I don't really care if there will be spin offs or whatever...I wanted some resolutions!! ~sigh~
I love Abby. I love Brystion. I love Talivar. I'm totally down for a ménage between these guys and the problem is...I think they would totally be okay with it to. There is just no way to choose one over the other. And we've been bounced back and forth between the two guys enough to love 'em and hate 'em but never, never leave 'em. Maybe that's why it ended the way it did?? And even though I 'think' I know how it ended up...I still want both!
I did enjoy everyone coming together and all the battles and going after the bad guy...and the Tree. The Tree was sooo amazing...I want one! The hunt was fantastic! I about peed my pants when Abby called out "Frodo lives!" I love all the great one liners that AP puts in her stories even though some of them are definitely pushing the boundaries...unicorn milk shakes anyone? Eewwww.
I was really pulled into the story of Mel and Nobu and I do want more. I'm just really torn about how everyone is doing spin offs. What if it's not as good as this story?
I do want to say that I'm sorry if you're reading this and don't have a clue as to what I'm talking about. I just can't say much of anything without giving things away. So if you're interested, go back and read the reviews for the first book and give it a try...you won't be disappointed!
Favorite quotes:
� "Why do I suddenly feel like I'm on the Island of Misfit Toys?"
� "Take care of my wife. I'll be coming back for her."
� "It belongs to us."
I just don't know how I feel about this book...especially 'the ending'. Ugghhhh!! The last book, A Sliver of Shadow, had this crazy ending and left itself open to sooo many possibilities that there was really no way to predict what could happen. And there is so much that happens....so much that it makes your head spin. I was actually shocked that the ending was the ending! And it is certainly true that "the more things change, the more they remain the same." I'm not happy with that. I don't really care if there will be spin offs or whatever...I wanted some resolutions!! ~sigh~
I love Abby. I love Brystion. I love Talivar. I'm totally down for a ménage between these guys and the problem is...I think they would totally be okay with it to. There is just no way to choose one over the other. And we've been bounced back and forth between the two guys enough to love 'em and hate 'em but never, never leave 'em. Maybe that's why it ended the way it did?? And even though I 'think' I know how it ended up...I still want both!
I did enjoy everyone coming together and all the battles and going after the bad guy...and the Tree. The Tree was sooo amazing...I want one! The hunt was fantastic! I about peed my pants when Abby called out "Frodo lives!" I love all the great one liners that AP puts in her stories even though some of them are definitely pushing the boundaries...unicorn milk shakes anyone? Eewwww.
I was really pulled into the story of Mel and Nobu and I do want more. I'm just really torn about how everyone is doing spin offs. What if it's not as good as this story?
I do want to say that I'm sorry if you're reading this and don't have a clue as to what I'm talking about. I just can't say much of anything without giving things away. So if you're interested, go back and read the reviews for the first book and give it a try...you won't be disappointed!
Favorite quotes:
� "Why do I suddenly feel like I'm on the Island of Misfit Toys?"
� "Take care of my wife. I'll be coming back for her."
� "It belongs to us."
October 18, 2012
Original review was posted on October 18, 2012 at The Book Pushers:
A Trace of Moonlight is the third and final book of the Abby Sinclair series. I was unfamiliar with Allison Pang’s work prior to being assigned this ARC, so I downloaded the sample of the first book to get a sense of the series. The sample hooked me and I ended up purchasing both of the first two books (A Brush of Darkness and A Sliver of Shadow) and proceeded to gorge myself on them. If you haven’t yet read the first two books, I highly recommend doing so. This is a great action-based Urban Fantasy series with a strong thread of romance (and yes, sex) woven throughout. It is a progressive series so the books are not stand-alone reads. A Trace of Moonlight picks up right after the cliffhanger of A Sliver of Shadow where Abby makes the personal sacrifice and drinks the water of lethe in an attempt to save her friends.
What struck me upon beginning this series was the writing. Oh, what lovely writing! Here is an author who chooses her words with care and precision. I thoroughly enjoyed how Pang uses the first-person POV. In book 1, Abby doesn’t know much about the Otherworld. As a result, neither do we. Pang lets the story unfold in an organic way and as a result we, the reader, get to experience all the delicious confusion that Abby is experiencing. We learn as Abby learns. Pang does not attempt to cheat the first-person POV rules just to put the reader at ease or to break her consummate balance between Show v Tell. With Pang, we do not get loads of information-dump. She uses sensation and sense memory to create powerful and poignant scenes such as this one from A Brush of Darkness:
This is how we learn, early on, of the car accident that took her mother’s life. When I first read that paragraph, the beauty of that prose stopped me in my reading tracks. Literally stopped me. Pang does not just come out and tell us that Abby’s mom was killed in a car accident. No, she recreates Abby’s experience of it and shares it with us and it is all the more compelling. Brava, Ms. Pang, Brava.
I like it when an author drops me in the middle of the story and introduces terms, ideas and characters without explicitly defining them right up front. It requires me to squirrel away information to piece together like a puzzle. It draws me into the story and involves me in the mystery of it all. Pang masterfully pulls all the pieces together as the story develops so that in the end, it all makes sense � at least to the degree that Abby understands it. It really is a great ride.
So often in Urban Fantasy, a ”strong female character� refers to a kick-ass heroine with fighting skills and the ability to put down any baddie that gets in her way. In Abby’s case, her strength lies in her love for her friends and sense of duty and responsibility. Abby will make a decision with the information she has in the moment, act on that decision and accept the consequences of that action � and there are consequences! � without whining about it. She will admit her TSTL (too stupid to live) moments and do whatever she can to mitigate the situation often willing to put herself up as sacrifice to save those she cares about. Her ability to see a person for who they are despite outward appearances is a transformative act of pure grace. It was a pleasure to see her world through her eyes.
Brystion, at times, broke my heart. His level of self awareness of what he was and his ultimate acceptance of that even in the face of loathing it was painful to experience. The archetypal pattern of the incubus (similar to vampire) at its core is based on the need to feed off of others to survive. Something he is well aware of. Archetypal patterns are in themselves neutral; however they can manifest in both Light and Shadow ways. Brystion can’t change what he is but he does develop an honor code to live by and he holds himself stringently to it. In so doing, he transforms what could be so easily be a Shadow archetypal pattern into a Light manifestation of it. He wants his relationship with Abby to be more of an exchange rather than a one-way feeding. His steadfast refusal to take anything that is not freely given despite his own needs is admirable. In this third installment, Brystion gets to experience something he has always wanted but could never have. It brings him both joy and sorrow. In the end, he will have to decide what he is willing to sacrifice in order to keep it.
I must admit a soft-spot for Talivar, the elven Prince. If there were “teams,� I’d probably be on his � he paints such a tragic figure it pulls on my heart strings. Brystion is more self-assured than Talivar and I’m usually one to root for the underdog. As for archetypal patterns that a character needs to transform, the Martyr would seem to fit Talivar (of course, he is more than just that). The archetypal pattern of the Martyr is one who endures suffering that may either be self-imposed or in the service of others. Even after Talivar was so grievously wounded by his father and essentially cast-out of the Seelie court, he still longed to return and did so. But his physical presence in the Seelie court was something tolerated rather than accepted. He so craved to be accepted and suffered for it. Talivar will have to decide if he is willing transform the Martyr and let go of his desire to be accepted by his family in order step into the role that is waiting for him with the Unseelie court.
For those familiar with the series, you know that we’ve been set up for a love triangle between Abby, Brystion and Talivar. While the romance element is a significant aspect to the storyline, the action of the plot is front-and-center and the romance element orbits around that. Normally, I dislike love triangles. And if I’m honest, I didn’t particularly enjoy that element in A Trace of Moonlight. Somebody always gets hurt and knowing that inevitability puts a serious buzzkill on my hopeful romantic self. Having said that, if a love triangle must be part of a story, Pang approaches the subject in an artful way. The relationship that Abby has with Brystion (book 1) comes across just as real as the one that later develops between her and Talivar (book 2). Each relationship is unique to the blending of the individuals involved.
The secondary characters felt just as real and fleshed out as the primary characters. Their presence added depth to the story whereby their absence would have been felt. So often, secondary characters serve little more than to act as a foil to the main character(s). But Pang weaves them into the story and makes them integral to the over-arching series plot line. Melanie, Nobu, Sonja, Moira � any one of them could easily have their own stories to tell. I really enjoyed learning more about Melanie and Nobu in A Trace of Moonlight as they came to play key roles at the conclusion of this series. And let’s not forget Phineas. I’m sure I’m not alone in enjoying the comic relief that is Phin: the horny, miniature unicorn. One of my favorite lines in A Brush of Darkness involved Phin at the moment Abby was trying to capture/save him:
*snort* :-) If you haven’t read the series yet, trust me when I say this bitty snippet sets the tone for Phin’s character.
Overall, I loved this series and I highly recommend it. I took a bit off because of a few nits including Abby’s inability to learn not to call someone’s name out at the wrong time (seeing as how she did so in all three books on multiple occasions, she had ample opportunity to develop some restraint and it felt like a crutch to get the action going in a scene), the author’s distracting overuse of the word shuddered/ing and its related shivered/ing (although it would make a great drinking game) and because I disliked the love triangle that developed between Abby, Brystion and Talivar � even if it was handled deftly by the author.
A Trace of Moonlight is the third and final book of the Abby Sinclair series. I was unfamiliar with Allison Pang’s work prior to being assigned this ARC, so I downloaded the sample of the first book to get a sense of the series. The sample hooked me and I ended up purchasing both of the first two books (A Brush of Darkness and A Sliver of Shadow) and proceeded to gorge myself on them. If you haven’t yet read the first two books, I highly recommend doing so. This is a great action-based Urban Fantasy series with a strong thread of romance (and yes, sex) woven throughout. It is a progressive series so the books are not stand-alone reads. A Trace of Moonlight picks up right after the cliffhanger of A Sliver of Shadow where Abby makes the personal sacrifice and drinks the water of lethe in an attempt to save her friends.
What struck me upon beginning this series was the writing. Oh, what lovely writing! Here is an author who chooses her words with care and precision. I thoroughly enjoyed how Pang uses the first-person POV. In book 1, Abby doesn’t know much about the Otherworld. As a result, neither do we. Pang lets the story unfold in an organic way and as a result we, the reader, get to experience all the delicious confusion that Abby is experiencing. We learn as Abby learns. Pang does not attempt to cheat the first-person POV rules just to put the reader at ease or to break her consummate balance between Show v Tell. With Pang, we do not get loads of information-dump. She uses sensation and sense memory to create powerful and poignant scenes such as this one from A Brush of Darkness:
Helpless, I let the memory wash over me, a bittersweet wave tinged by the copper taste of blood and the blinding gleam of headlights. It was wrapped in the perfect stillness of the asphalt and pine trees through the cracked windshield, overcome by the repetitious seat-belt chime and the remainder of my mother’s brainpan in my lap.
This is how we learn, early on, of the car accident that took her mother’s life. When I first read that paragraph, the beauty of that prose stopped me in my reading tracks. Literally stopped me. Pang does not just come out and tell us that Abby’s mom was killed in a car accident. No, she recreates Abby’s experience of it and shares it with us and it is all the more compelling. Brava, Ms. Pang, Brava.
I like it when an author drops me in the middle of the story and introduces terms, ideas and characters without explicitly defining them right up front. It requires me to squirrel away information to piece together like a puzzle. It draws me into the story and involves me in the mystery of it all. Pang masterfully pulls all the pieces together as the story develops so that in the end, it all makes sense � at least to the degree that Abby understands it. It really is a great ride.
So often in Urban Fantasy, a ”strong female character� refers to a kick-ass heroine with fighting skills and the ability to put down any baddie that gets in her way. In Abby’s case, her strength lies in her love for her friends and sense of duty and responsibility. Abby will make a decision with the information she has in the moment, act on that decision and accept the consequences of that action � and there are consequences! � without whining about it. She will admit her TSTL (too stupid to live) moments and do whatever she can to mitigate the situation often willing to put herself up as sacrifice to save those she cares about. Her ability to see a person for who they are despite outward appearances is a transformative act of pure grace. It was a pleasure to see her world through her eyes.
Brystion, at times, broke my heart. His level of self awareness of what he was and his ultimate acceptance of that even in the face of loathing it was painful to experience. The archetypal pattern of the incubus (similar to vampire) at its core is based on the need to feed off of others to survive. Something he is well aware of. Archetypal patterns are in themselves neutral; however they can manifest in both Light and Shadow ways. Brystion can’t change what he is but he does develop an honor code to live by and he holds himself stringently to it. In so doing, he transforms what could be so easily be a Shadow archetypal pattern into a Light manifestation of it. He wants his relationship with Abby to be more of an exchange rather than a one-way feeding. His steadfast refusal to take anything that is not freely given despite his own needs is admirable. In this third installment, Brystion gets to experience something he has always wanted but could never have. It brings him both joy and sorrow. In the end, he will have to decide what he is willing to sacrifice in order to keep it.
I must admit a soft-spot for Talivar, the elven Prince. If there were “teams,� I’d probably be on his � he paints such a tragic figure it pulls on my heart strings. Brystion is more self-assured than Talivar and I’m usually one to root for the underdog. As for archetypal patterns that a character needs to transform, the Martyr would seem to fit Talivar (of course, he is more than just that). The archetypal pattern of the Martyr is one who endures suffering that may either be self-imposed or in the service of others. Even after Talivar was so grievously wounded by his father and essentially cast-out of the Seelie court, he still longed to return and did so. But his physical presence in the Seelie court was something tolerated rather than accepted. He so craved to be accepted and suffered for it. Talivar will have to decide if he is willing transform the Martyr and let go of his desire to be accepted by his family in order step into the role that is waiting for him with the Unseelie court.
For those familiar with the series, you know that we’ve been set up for a love triangle between Abby, Brystion and Talivar. While the romance element is a significant aspect to the storyline, the action of the plot is front-and-center and the romance element orbits around that. Normally, I dislike love triangles. And if I’m honest, I didn’t particularly enjoy that element in A Trace of Moonlight. Somebody always gets hurt and knowing that inevitability puts a serious buzzkill on my hopeful romantic self. Having said that, if a love triangle must be part of a story, Pang approaches the subject in an artful way. The relationship that Abby has with Brystion (book 1) comes across just as real as the one that later develops between her and Talivar (book 2). Each relationship is unique to the blending of the individuals involved.
The secondary characters felt just as real and fleshed out as the primary characters. Their presence added depth to the story whereby their absence would have been felt. So often, secondary characters serve little more than to act as a foil to the main character(s). But Pang weaves them into the story and makes them integral to the over-arching series plot line. Melanie, Nobu, Sonja, Moira � any one of them could easily have their own stories to tell. I really enjoyed learning more about Melanie and Nobu in A Trace of Moonlight as they came to play key roles at the conclusion of this series. And let’s not forget Phineas. I’m sure I’m not alone in enjoying the comic relief that is Phin: the horny, miniature unicorn. One of my favorite lines in A Brush of Darkness involved Phin at the moment Abby was trying to capture/save him:
I raised my voice, craning my head over the shelves, trying to remember whatever bits of unicorn lore I knew. “Is anyone here a virgin?�
Silence.
Of course not.
*snort* :-) If you haven’t read the series yet, trust me when I say this bitty snippet sets the tone for Phin’s character.
Overall, I loved this series and I highly recommend it. I took a bit off because of a few nits including Abby’s inability to learn not to call someone’s name out at the wrong time (seeing as how she did so in all three books on multiple occasions, she had ample opportunity to develop some restraint and it felt like a crutch to get the action going in a scene), the author’s distracting overuse of the word shuddered/ing and its related shivered/ing (although it would make a great drinking game) and because I disliked the love triangle that developed between Abby, Brystion and Talivar � even if it was handled deftly by the author.
October 25, 2012
Review originally posted at
A Trace of Moonlight is the third installment in the Abby Sinclair urban fantasy series by Allison Pang. The second book, A Sliver of Shadow, ended in a huge cliffhanger. I will admit that I’m not a huge cliffhanger fan, which is why sometimes in an urban fantasy series I will wait until I have several books in a row and then read them back to back. Yes, I know, it’s like cheating, but it keeps me from throwing books against walls and being completely frustrated. I absolutely loved the first book in the series, and when I read the reviews about the second book and heard about this cliffhanger I made the executive decision to wait and read book two and three together.
At the end of A Sliver if Shadow Abby has, once again, sacrificed herself for her friends and family. She has agreed to be the tithe to the Devil in exchange for the lives of Brystion and Talivar and has brokered a deal with the Unseelie Court in order to help the Queen. She ended up being tricked and in the last paragraph is forced to drink a potion that will erase her memory of everything. It seems like Abby is always giving so much of herself for everyone else, and getting so very little back. In fact, the only friend she has that even comes close to being completely loyal to her is her wonderful sidekick, Phineas. The impression I was left with at the end of the second book was that Abby has all these supposed friends, and lovers and family who she gives her all to, but who never give their all back. It makes me feel a little sad for her.
In the opening of A Trace of Moonlight, Abby is wandering through the dreaming unaware of who she is, while in the meantime her friends are looking for a loophole so that they can free her and give her back her memory. Of course, when she overhears their plans she thinks the worst and inadvertently sets off a chain of events that include her death, betrothal and losing the Key to the Crossroads to her enemy. This being the end of the story arc, everyone must come together to help Abby finally defeat Maurice and save all of Faery.
As much as I loved the first book, I didn’t love the second book so much. It was just okay for me. In fact some of the humor was missing and I desperately wanted someone to actually prove that they give a shit about Abby. She just seems to give and give and give while everyone just takes from her. Her Dad is a complete ass, no one ever seems to tell her the whole story and she is constantly put in these positions where she has to make yet another sacrifice to save everyone. A Trace of Moonlight gave me everything I wanted. People coming together, her lovers making sacrifices FOR HER, a better sense of why the people around her make the decisions that they do, and finally a feeling that things will work out.
The world-building in this series is simply amazing. I love the thought of all the different paths and how they interact with each other. We are constantly bounced back and forth between the Dreaming, running through Faery, and walking the Crossroads. Every character is given life changing decisions to make and choices that will ultimately decide the fate of not only themselves but, everyone around them. There is a lot of emotion packed into these pages. We see not only Abby’s personal story wrapping up, but those of Robert, Charlie and Moira, and Melanie and Nobu. The love triangle Abby’s been involved in with Brystion and Talivar is all mixed up and left me confused about who I wanted her to end up with. I usually have a favorite whom I root for the heroine to choose throughout a series. Not so here, Talivar is understated but princely and Brystion sexy and intense. They both seem to prove in this installment that they really love Abby, and Abby can’t decide who she wants and who she will give up. I’m still not sure if I love the ending that was given, or how other readers will react to it. I get the feeling that this is supposed to be the last book in the series� but, the ending leaves off in a way where I can see more books, maybe with a new story arc, continuing the series.
My favorite character in this series is Phineas. He is probably the best sidekick in any urban fantasy series anywhere. How do you not love a horndog miniature unicorn who says things like this:
Or this:
Or my favorite:
Phin is constantly hitting on hedgehogs and goats, getting into Abby’s underwear drawer, biting asses, and making crude jokes, but he has been Abby’s most constant friend and the most loyal character throughout the series. I enjoyed the banter between him and Abby so much that sometimes I laughed out loud at some of their conversations.
All in all, this was an awesome addition to the series. It’s action packed and full of emotion. It most definitely should be read in order, there is an over all story arc that starts in book one and finishes in A Trace of Moonlight. For those readers that were slightly disappointed with book two I would say give this one a try, it is well worth it. I’m hoping that this author continues on with books in this world, but even if she doesn’t I will most certainly be adding her to my auto-buy list.
Favorite Quote:
Rating: A
A Trace of Moonlight is the third installment in the Abby Sinclair urban fantasy series by Allison Pang. The second book, A Sliver of Shadow, ended in a huge cliffhanger. I will admit that I’m not a huge cliffhanger fan, which is why sometimes in an urban fantasy series I will wait until I have several books in a row and then read them back to back. Yes, I know, it’s like cheating, but it keeps me from throwing books against walls and being completely frustrated. I absolutely loved the first book in the series, and when I read the reviews about the second book and heard about this cliffhanger I made the executive decision to wait and read book two and three together.
At the end of A Sliver if Shadow Abby has, once again, sacrificed herself for her friends and family. She has agreed to be the tithe to the Devil in exchange for the lives of Brystion and Talivar and has brokered a deal with the Unseelie Court in order to help the Queen. She ended up being tricked and in the last paragraph is forced to drink a potion that will erase her memory of everything. It seems like Abby is always giving so much of herself for everyone else, and getting so very little back. In fact, the only friend she has that even comes close to being completely loyal to her is her wonderful sidekick, Phineas. The impression I was left with at the end of the second book was that Abby has all these supposed friends, and lovers and family who she gives her all to, but who never give their all back. It makes me feel a little sad for her.
In the opening of A Trace of Moonlight, Abby is wandering through the dreaming unaware of who she is, while in the meantime her friends are looking for a loophole so that they can free her and give her back her memory. Of course, when she overhears their plans she thinks the worst and inadvertently sets off a chain of events that include her death, betrothal and losing the Key to the Crossroads to her enemy. This being the end of the story arc, everyone must come together to help Abby finally defeat Maurice and save all of Faery.
As much as I loved the first book, I didn’t love the second book so much. It was just okay for me. In fact some of the humor was missing and I desperately wanted someone to actually prove that they give a shit about Abby. She just seems to give and give and give while everyone just takes from her. Her Dad is a complete ass, no one ever seems to tell her the whole story and she is constantly put in these positions where she has to make yet another sacrifice to save everyone. A Trace of Moonlight gave me everything I wanted. People coming together, her lovers making sacrifices FOR HER, a better sense of why the people around her make the decisions that they do, and finally a feeling that things will work out.
The world-building in this series is simply amazing. I love the thought of all the different paths and how they interact with each other. We are constantly bounced back and forth between the Dreaming, running through Faery, and walking the Crossroads. Every character is given life changing decisions to make and choices that will ultimately decide the fate of not only themselves but, everyone around them. There is a lot of emotion packed into these pages. We see not only Abby’s personal story wrapping up, but those of Robert, Charlie and Moira, and Melanie and Nobu. The love triangle Abby’s been involved in with Brystion and Talivar is all mixed up and left me confused about who I wanted her to end up with. I usually have a favorite whom I root for the heroine to choose throughout a series. Not so here, Talivar is understated but princely and Brystion sexy and intense. They both seem to prove in this installment that they really love Abby, and Abby can’t decide who she wants and who she will give up. I’m still not sure if I love the ending that was given, or how other readers will react to it. I get the feeling that this is supposed to be the last book in the series� but, the ending leaves off in a way where I can see more books, maybe with a new story arc, continuing the series.
My favorite character in this series is Phineas. He is probably the best sidekick in any urban fantasy series anywhere. How do you not love a horndog miniature unicorn who says things like this:
“Just think,� Phineas piped up from my arms. “Now you’re sisters twice over.� He ignored the sour look the three of us sent his way, giving an equine shrug. His beard waggled at us. “Calling it like I see it � you know what they say right? If you can’t keep it in your pants, keep it in the fam—�
He let out a squeal as I yanked on the offending bit of fluff.
Or this:
“Social security? Please. Tough is not being able to walk into the Spank Bank and pick out my own movies. At least you look human.� Phineas clambered onto one of the extra chairs, his nose quivering. “Think maybe you could ‘just say� some more bacon my way?�
I shoved the remaining slices in his direction, slumping against my own chair. “Why don’t you just use the Internet for your porn like everyone else?�
The unicorn fixed me with a cool stare. “You really want to see my browser history pop up every time you go to check your email?�
Or my favorite:
”Bah. Mr Sword-Up-the-Ass wanted aged dragon cheese or something. We don’t have that.�
“Do dragons even produce a dairy product?� I frowned at the thought, trying to remember if I’d ever seen it on the inventory.
“Hell if I know.� His face became sly.� I told the little lady if she rubbed my belly I’d make her a unicorn milkshake, though.�
Phin is constantly hitting on hedgehogs and goats, getting into Abby’s underwear drawer, biting asses, and making crude jokes, but he has been Abby’s most constant friend and the most loyal character throughout the series. I enjoyed the banter between him and Abby so much that sometimes I laughed out loud at some of their conversations.
All in all, this was an awesome addition to the series. It’s action packed and full of emotion. It most definitely should be read in order, there is an over all story arc that starts in book one and finishes in A Trace of Moonlight. For those readers that were slightly disappointed with book two I would say give this one a try, it is well worth it. I’m hoping that this author continues on with books in this world, but even if she doesn’t I will most certainly be adding her to my auto-buy list.
Favorite Quote:
She put her arm around me and the two of us sat there for a moment, two mortals caught up in a whirlwind of OtherFolk magic.
“We’re pretty fucked, aren’t we?� she said finally.
“Probably. Suppose we ought to do something about it, eh?�
Ԩ.�
Rating: A
October 23, 2012
A Trace of Moonlight is the third book in Allison Pang’s Abby Sinclair series and it is the end to the current story arc. With all the twists and turns and the ‘did she really just go there and do that to our girl Abby?� moments, I figure this could not have been an easy installment for Allison to write. Important questions that have come up in the first two books needed to be answered and many things needed to be explained. But Allison rose to the occasion making this not only a great installment but also a wonderful end to the current main storyline.
Are there a few things sort of left open? Of course. But I’ll get to that in a sec.
Abby is the main lady of the series (as you can probably tell by the fact that the series carries her name) and I love this gal. She was a somewhat regular girl, down on her luck, thrown into an insane situation and did what she had to do to survive. She wasn’t this crazy too-good-to-be-true-and-good-at-everything chick � she was real and sincere. She sometimes panicked and she sometimes went with the flow but she always did what she thought was best for everyone involved � sometimes at her own expense. She really did sacrifice a lot for her friends in this series. In A Trace of Moonlight she grows and matures even more. Watching Abby come into her own and grow fully into herself was great to witness. Allison really did a fantastic job with her.
Yes, there is a love triangle in this series and it is extra prominent in this book but the way it’s written is amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever read one done quite this way. I mean…the characters are all adults about it. *gasp* I know! Amazing that some characters tied romantically and what not to more than one character in a book can act like adults though it all! I thought it was genius that…well I can’t tell you who Abby ends up with but I enjoyed that it wasn’t…damn I can’t tell you that either! Tell you what: once you finish the book, if you are as happy with the way the relationships ended in this book as I am, email me and we’ll chat. ;)
Man number one is Brystion. He is a succubus but not in your typical sense. I adored him in the first book. Damn him…he actually made me cry at the end of that book. But then I wanted to kick him in his special area in the second book and subsequently started adoring Talivar and found that for sure, hands down, he was the best choice for Abby. Talivar is man number two and is just a fantastic character trapped in a bum situation and fighting to just survive. My heart goes out to him in this series and especially in this third book. But my heart also goes out to Brystion in this book. Both men have a few faults but are mostly both good enough for our Abby! Through the entire book I couldn’t really decide who I wanted her to ultimately end up with! Plus, I was so sucked into the story that I didn’t have the time to sit and ponder over it either. But I will repeat again that I am very happy with how everything turned out for everyone involved. Allison, you wrote one amazing relationship mess ;)
As with the last book, I found this one a little slow to get into. The story wasn’t slow, heck it was the total opposite really, but I still found myself trudging along until about the 50 page mark where I was sucked in completely and wasn’t spat out until the very end. And let me just say, thank goodness for that epilogue. That was a brilliant epilogue.
As I said, there are many loose ends tidied up but a few little details are still left open. But not as open as last book! Hell, that ending…it hurt! But hurt so good. (But let’s not bring that up again). The way this book ended was just perfect. I actually sighed. In fact, I’m sighing right now just thinking about it. *sigh*
As to what happens in the actual book, there is no way I could ever get into that. From one chapter to the next, there are constant changes and events that are crazy important to the story and to the outcome of the series. You have to make sure you read each and every line or you will miss something. This is a series that has gone to so many ‘whoa� places, I’ve lost count. It is a series that introduced readers to the Dreaming and a really interesting twist on Other beings and how they travel to our plane and how they can survive here. It is a series that has a talking horny little unicorn that loves bacon like there is no tomorrow. It really is an inventive and unique urban fantasy series.
All in all I was super pleased with this book. Much is explained; things are settled but not all is perfect. It leaves open many possibilities � like spin-off possibilities. But even though this particular story arc has ended and even though it’s not all tied up in a pretty little bow, I feel completely content by the way it all went down. Allison has a vivid imagination and she is very good at putting it to words. I am glad I tagged along with her for this ride. The first two books of this series are on my favorites list and A Trace of Moonlight is right there alongside them. If you are a fan of urban fantasy reads with fantastical elements, definitely check out this series. You will not be disappointed.
4.5 stars
p.s. This book releases in exactly one week so that gives you one week to catch up on the series ;)
November 4, 2012
My reaction after finishing the book..
*sigh* I am frustrated and angry.
My hair is in a mess.
My head is a mess after reading this.
This book, in my opinion, is a mess.
Messy wars, messy politics, messy schemes, messy dreams.
Messy relationship.
Did I mention.. messy relationship?
Things I hate to read about:
1) Love triangles - it gives me headache
2) Politics - it gives me migraine
3) Cheating hearts - it gives me high blood pressure
4) Unsolved love triangles - it gives me all of the above and breathing problem.
*sigh*
So why 3 stars?
1) That unicorn. He may be too pervy to my liking, but at some part of the book, he redeem himself well.
2) TALIVAR. My heart aches just the mention of him.
3) Melanie and Nobu. Well... A pity, we don't get more story about them.
4) Abby.. when she is not irritating.
5) Ion.. the things he did for Abby... *sigh*
*sigh* I am frustrated and angry.
My hair is in a mess.
My head is a mess after reading this.
This book, in my opinion, is a mess.
Messy wars, messy politics, messy schemes, messy dreams.
Messy relationship.
Did I mention.. messy relationship?
Things I hate to read about:
1) Love triangles - it gives me headache
2) Politics - it gives me migraine
3) Cheating hearts - it gives me high blood pressure
4) Unsolved love triangles - it gives me all of the above and breathing problem.
*sigh*
So why 3 stars?
1) That unicorn. He may be too pervy to my liking, but at some part of the book, he redeem himself well.
2) TALIVAR. My heart aches just the mention of him.
3) Melanie and Nobu. Well... A pity, we don't get more story about them.
4) Abby.. when she is not irritating.
5) Ion.. the things he did for Abby... *sigh*
November 9, 2012
So...my first thought after reading this book is something like: What the hell? Seriously? That's the best ending you could come up with? Abby spent the last two books saying she loved them both and you have her pregnant with Ion but still hand-fasted to Talivar? Really? What kind of ending is that?
She chooses to be human and not make a life in Faerie therefore refusing to become Talivar's Queen. The Seelie Queen (who's batshit crazy in my modest opinion) says that's impossible to ever break her connection with Faerie because she's pregnant(too bad she just assumes it's Talivar's kid not Ion's!). Abby returns to the mortal plane apparently without even talking to her father and reopens the market. Talivar comes with her. Ion shows up in her Dreaming, tells her she's having a little girl and he's the father. And BOOM it ends.
I'm sorry Ms Pang but I do not care one bit for that ending. She still doesn't ultimately chooses one of them. Seems like she's still somehow having them both. A woman who never talks once about having children suddenly gets pregnant and no more explanations are in order? No talking about if there's a shift of power or not? If she really is staying human with her child while the father is immortal? What exactly is the child anyway? Has a protectorate been chosen? Is Abby still supposed to be the Protectorate's TouchStone considering she's still working at the Pit and opening the market for Moira? Nothing actually is explained dammit!
The Tree is growing. The Paths have been re-established. Talivar is the Unseelie King and Moira is being groomed to replace her mother as the Seelie Queen. Ok but there are so many questions yet to be answered!
I'm rambling I know but I'm so damned unhappy right now! I think there are even more questions now then when I read the first book honestly!
She chooses to be human and not make a life in Faerie therefore refusing to become Talivar's Queen. The Seelie Queen (who's batshit crazy in my modest opinion) says that's impossible to ever break her connection with Faerie because she's pregnant(too bad she just assumes it's Talivar's kid not Ion's!). Abby returns to the mortal plane apparently without even talking to her father and reopens the market. Talivar comes with her. Ion shows up in her Dreaming, tells her she's having a little girl and he's the father. And BOOM it ends.
I'm sorry Ms Pang but I do not care one bit for that ending. She still doesn't ultimately chooses one of them. Seems like she's still somehow having them both. A woman who never talks once about having children suddenly gets pregnant and no more explanations are in order? No talking about if there's a shift of power or not? If she really is staying human with her child while the father is immortal? What exactly is the child anyway? Has a protectorate been chosen? Is Abby still supposed to be the Protectorate's TouchStone considering she's still working at the Pit and opening the market for Moira? Nothing actually is explained dammit!
The Tree is growing. The Paths have been re-established. Talivar is the Unseelie King and Moira is being groomed to replace her mother as the Seelie Queen. Ok but there are so many questions yet to be answered!
I'm rambling I know but I'm so damned unhappy right now! I think there are even more questions now then when I read the first book honestly!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2013
I just finished reading the whole Abby Sinclair set back to back (I'd read and loved the first in an advance copy before its publication), and I'm already feeling somewhat bereft at its conclusion. Pang does a marvelous job creating characters that are, for all their otherworldly abilities and worldviews, fundamentally and humanly flawed. They don't always get things right, they often have to backtrack to figure out how to solve those mistakes, and they love with abandon, even when jumping in head first is dangerous. All this, set against a world that is at once full of magic and grounded in mundane concerns (eg. one character leaves for college, despite the magical catastrophes happening in her hometown; there's a discussion of creating paperwork for an OtherFolk who has become mortal so he can get a job).
One of the ways that the series best reflects the real world, however, is that when the book ends, not everything is resolved. Yes, the characters have saved the world from disaster -- and with stakes that high, the third book seems like a series ender -- but life goes on its messy way, and some of the personal aspects are left hanging. A conclusion like this might not be completely satisfying -- and perhaps there is a window left open for future stories -- but there's a rightness to it that fits incredibly well with Pang's world. Life is messy, and there are rarely easy answers. I'm glad that the finale stuck to that worldview! (And I'm excited to keep reading Pang's projects, whether in Abby Sinclair's universe or elsewhere.)
One of the ways that the series best reflects the real world, however, is that when the book ends, not everything is resolved. Yes, the characters have saved the world from disaster -- and with stakes that high, the third book seems like a series ender -- but life goes on its messy way, and some of the personal aspects are left hanging. A conclusion like this might not be completely satisfying -- and perhaps there is a window left open for future stories -- but there's a rightness to it that fits incredibly well with Pang's world. Life is messy, and there are rarely easy answers. I'm glad that the finale stuck to that worldview! (And I'm excited to keep reading Pang's projects, whether in Abby Sinclair's universe or elsewhere.)
November 5, 2012
This review is from
A Trace of Moonlight by Allison Pang is the third installment of the Abby Sinclair series. It also happens to be my favorite so far. A Trace of Moonlight was action packed and thoroughly original. Abby is stuck smack dab in the middle of a full out catastrophe. Abby gives so much without much thought to the consequences that could fall upon her. Abby pulls this off with a feel of complete love and connection to her friends. I whined about her inability to make a decision in her two love interests, but A Trace of Moonlight was full of so much other conflict it fit perfectly into this book. I loved Allison Pang’s invention of the Dreaming Heart and it’s connection in the subconsciousness of friends and foe. What a truly beautiful book. This is what I was waiting for in this series. Allison Pang held nothing back and I was completely fulfilled by the world she created. *I received this book from the author via Bewitching Book Tours for the purpose of giving an honest review and received NO compensation for this review
A Trace of Moonlight by Allison Pang is the third installment of the Abby Sinclair series. It also happens to be my favorite so far. A Trace of Moonlight was action packed and thoroughly original. Abby is stuck smack dab in the middle of a full out catastrophe. Abby gives so much without much thought to the consequences that could fall upon her. Abby pulls this off with a feel of complete love and connection to her friends. I whined about her inability to make a decision in her two love interests, but A Trace of Moonlight was full of so much other conflict it fit perfectly into this book. I loved Allison Pang’s invention of the Dreaming Heart and it’s connection in the subconsciousness of friends and foe. What a truly beautiful book. This is what I was waiting for in this series. Allison Pang held nothing back and I was completely fulfilled by the world she created. *I received this book from the author via Bewitching Book Tours for the purpose of giving an honest review and received NO compensation for this review
September 24, 2012
Review will be available on October 16, 2012 at
January 2, 2013
Third in the Abby Sinclair urban fantasy series revolving around Abby, a half-fae, half-human KeyStone who can function as a TouchStone to anyone.
My Take
The writing is getting better and Abby is being less of a ditz. Although that's not really saying much as she's a major idiot at the beginning. I still want to slice her up with a sword. Stupid woman. After overhearing that conversation in the garden, I do NOT understand how she could interpret it as she does. I suspect someone just read this section over quickly and couldn't be bothered with a proper editing job.
It's not exactly a raving endorsement to read this, I realize. I do like Pang's basic storyline. It's interesting how she's created a fey culture with these particular twists. But Abby is so stupid. And wishy-washy. Arghh. She's so clueless about how Faerie operates and she just rushes in, rushes off, releasing and connecting.
Worse, it's so damned confusing as to what is going on. Talivar wants her, doesn't want her. Ion has done something in the Dreaming Heart, but we don't really know what. Talivar is willing to share, but he's not. Talivar knows she loves Ion, but he's surprised to find out she does. I mean, WTF? I simply got another headache trying to make sense of this.
Maurice's escape was confusing. Fair, I suppose, as Abby was dying, so she was particularly coherent.
As horrific as Maurice is, why are they letting him wander around as unencumbered as they do?
I am confused as to where Abby's relationships sit with regards to Ion and Talivar. After events in , I had thought she'd be off with Nobu and not luxuriating at the palace. This was all a bit vague and doesn't really improve. I get the impression that Talivar doesn't really want Abby...and then again I think he does. I suspect Pang intended to create a three-way conflict and it doesn't work until much further in. The whole bells thing was poorly done.
The Story
Abby drank from the River Lethe and pledged to be the Devil's Tithe. Meanwhile Moira, Phin, Talivar, and Ion are desperately trying to figure out how to save her without becoming oathbreakers.
But the memory loss doesn't hold and Abby must flee the Queen's displeasure. Right along with Talivar. And they fall into a new alliance that will have far-reaching consequences.
Now if they can just keep the Eidolon Tree from dying and find the escaped Maurice.
The Characters
Abby Sinclair is a Dreamer, a living KeyStone. She's also Moira's half-sister, and they share a father, True Thomas of Ercildune who is the Queen's Steward, lover, and her TouchStone. Phineas is a perverted little unicorn, whom I just adore.
Talivar is Abby's fiancé, Moira's brother. Moira is the heir to Faerie and making plans to take over from the mad Queen.
Ion/Brystion is an incubus, a daemon, who can move through dreams and is in love with Abby. He's desperate to help rescue her and pulls a very risky stunt. Sonja is his sister, a succubus.
Topher gives Abby options. Maurice was Moira's TouchStone until he wanted more than Moira could give. He's a poisonous toad who should have been watched much more carefully.
Back in Portsmyth
Roweena DuMont is the fae liaison between the Faery Court and the Protectorate's Council. Melanie is human, but a Door Maker with her violin, playing to open the Crossroads for those with the price. When Abby died, she ran, and no one can find her now. Benjamin is Moira and Robert's baby, half-fae and half-angel right up to the wings on his back. Charlie is Robert's girlfriend and very unhappy that he would cheat on her, but she does love Benjamin whom Moira left with her and Robert. Katy is a young human who is the TouchStone for Brandon, a werewolf who owns the Hallows, the OtherFolk pub. Katy is currently away at college. Didi is a PETA pixie sent off to hunt Melanie down.
The Unseelie Court
Kitsune leads the banished fae and has a proposition for Talivar. Jimmy Squarefoot, a piglike man, is one of the lesser fae and blessed with an excellent sense of smell.
Nobu is a daemon who knows Melanie very well, and he loves her. He will betray anyone for her.
OtherFolk are the elves, the fae, etc. To be able to travel the CrossRoads as they please and to stay in the mortal world without problems, they need a TouchStone. A human with whom they make a Contract. A KeyStone can TouchStone OtherFolk on contact, seeing the OtherFolk's inner personality.
The Cover
The cover is sparkles in the sunlit woods with Abby up front and center in her cropped, slip of a halter top and low-cut jeans, wearing her mother's necklace.
The title is consistent with the previous ones with its reference to a light, quick contact. And that's as close as it comes to being relevant to the story.
My Take
The writing is getting better and Abby is being less of a ditz. Although that's not really saying much as she's a major idiot at the beginning. I still want to slice her up with a sword. Stupid woman. After overhearing that conversation in the garden, I do NOT understand how she could interpret it as she does. I suspect someone just read this section over quickly and couldn't be bothered with a proper editing job.
It's not exactly a raving endorsement to read this, I realize. I do like Pang's basic storyline. It's interesting how she's created a fey culture with these particular twists. But Abby is so stupid. And wishy-washy. Arghh. She's so clueless about how Faerie operates and she just rushes in, rushes off, releasing and connecting.
Worse, it's so damned confusing as to what is going on. Talivar wants her, doesn't want her. Ion has done something in the Dreaming Heart, but we don't really know what. Talivar is willing to share, but he's not. Talivar knows she loves Ion, but he's surprised to find out she does. I mean, WTF? I simply got another headache trying to make sense of this.
Maurice's escape was confusing. Fair, I suppose, as Abby was dying, so she was particularly coherent.
As horrific as Maurice is, why are they letting him wander around as unencumbered as they do?
I am confused as to where Abby's relationships sit with regards to Ion and Talivar. After events in , I had thought she'd be off with Nobu and not luxuriating at the palace. This was all a bit vague and doesn't really improve. I get the impression that Talivar doesn't really want Abby...and then again I think he does. I suspect Pang intended to create a three-way conflict and it doesn't work until much further in. The whole bells thing was poorly done.
The Story
Abby drank from the River Lethe and pledged to be the Devil's Tithe. Meanwhile Moira, Phin, Talivar, and Ion are desperately trying to figure out how to save her without becoming oathbreakers.
But the memory loss doesn't hold and Abby must flee the Queen's displeasure. Right along with Talivar. And they fall into a new alliance that will have far-reaching consequences.
Now if they can just keep the Eidolon Tree from dying and find the escaped Maurice.
The Characters
Abby Sinclair is a Dreamer, a living KeyStone. She's also Moira's half-sister, and they share a father, True Thomas of Ercildune who is the Queen's Steward, lover, and her TouchStone. Phineas is a perverted little unicorn, whom I just adore.
Talivar is Abby's fiancé, Moira's brother. Moira is the heir to Faerie and making plans to take over from the mad Queen.
Ion/Brystion is an incubus, a daemon, who can move through dreams and is in love with Abby. He's desperate to help rescue her and pulls a very risky stunt. Sonja is his sister, a succubus.
Topher gives Abby options. Maurice was Moira's TouchStone until he wanted more than Moira could give. He's a poisonous toad who should have been watched much more carefully.
Back in Portsmyth
Roweena DuMont is the fae liaison between the Faery Court and the Protectorate's Council. Melanie is human, but a Door Maker with her violin, playing to open the Crossroads for those with the price. When Abby died, she ran, and no one can find her now. Benjamin is Moira and Robert's baby, half-fae and half-angel right up to the wings on his back. Charlie is Robert's girlfriend and very unhappy that he would cheat on her, but she does love Benjamin whom Moira left with her and Robert. Katy is a young human who is the TouchStone for Brandon, a werewolf who owns the Hallows, the OtherFolk pub. Katy is currently away at college. Didi is a PETA pixie sent off to hunt Melanie down.
The Unseelie Court
Kitsune leads the banished fae and has a proposition for Talivar. Jimmy Squarefoot, a piglike man, is one of the lesser fae and blessed with an excellent sense of smell.
Nobu is a daemon who knows Melanie very well, and he loves her. He will betray anyone for her.
OtherFolk are the elves, the fae, etc. To be able to travel the CrossRoads as they please and to stay in the mortal world without problems, they need a TouchStone. A human with whom they make a Contract. A KeyStone can TouchStone OtherFolk on contact, seeing the OtherFolk's inner personality.
The Cover
The cover is sparkles in the sunlit woods with Abby up front and center in her cropped, slip of a halter top and low-cut jeans, wearing her mother's necklace.
The title is consistent with the previous ones with its reference to a light, quick contact. And that's as close as it comes to being relevant to the story.
October 31, 2012
Originally posed at
Allison Pang's vivid imagination takes reader's of A Trace of Moonlight through a spectacularly visioned fae world, and into the human world without skipping a beat. A Trace of Moonlight picks up right where A Sliver of Shadow left off. Pang delivers on her trademark world building, as well as romantic tension and plot twists that had me wishing for more.
This story begins with Abby's memory still in limbo. She made a huge sacrifice in the previous book and is still paying on it in this one. Talliver is taking care of her and she is set to marry the sexy elf. As much as Talliver loves Abby, he is truly trying to help her. However, Brystion is still in the picture, trying to help Abby on his own by pulling her out of the fae land through her dreams. This doesn't go according to plan, and Brystion finds himself in a very difficult personal position.
Talliver's mother, the queen is still crazy. After Abby and Talliver wed, they are on the run from the queen. Talliver and Abby spend just a tiny free time together, but it is sweet and we see just how much Talliver is in love with her. Talliver, though, has other responsibilities, and we see Talliver take power from an unexpected place. Talliver is a man of morals and great honor and he is willing to sacrifice himself for his brethren, even though Abby is the most important person in his life.
The elf hummed against my throat, punctuated by a series of tiny kisses. "The future holds what it holds," he said finally, echoing my thoughts. "We cannot predict it. I have sat by the wayside of my own life for far too long, waiting for the right thing to happen at the right time. Trying to be the good man. The faithful son. The supportive brother. The cast-aside prince."
Brystion reappears and is not himself, yet doesn't seem to be too worried about it. He seems to be reveling in a life that he thought was out of his reach, even if it kills him. I like Brystion. I really liked him after the first book in this series, but he lost me in A Sliver of Shadow. He broke Abby's heart before, and although he still may be in love with her, I didn't like the sudden change in direction with his feelings in this book.
Abby, herself, had me pulling my hair out. I don't mind love triangles. I even love some of them. However, this one gave me problems. In A Sliver of Shadow, Abby seemed to grow closer and closer to Talliver. Once Brystion wants back in the game in A Trace of Moonlight, she's ready to give him her heart. There were too many places in this book where it seemed that Abby wanted to have her cake and eat it, too. There are places where she tells Talliver that she loves him, and within a few chapters, is saying the same thing to Brystion. I think that she loves both men, but at the same time, I think she's leading at least one of them on which I don't think is very fair.
The elf's arms curled tightly around me as he kicked his own horse forward, "I love you, Abby," he murmured in my hear. "Whatever happened, remember that." I tucked the words into my mind, folding up the memory of the sound of his voice at that moment. We stood on the precipice - like so many times before... I kissed him, my lips brushing his cheek. "I love you, too."
The rest of this book centers around the destruction of the Eildon Tree. Without the tree, there is no Other worldly creatures. Abby and friends spend a lot of time searching for Melanie and the evil doers who are trying to destroy the tree. It turns into a good vs. evil story line that I was captivated with.
The ending of this book leaves a lot of questions, which isn't a good thing, because as of now, this is the last book in this series. Abby finds herself at a personal crossroad and she still hasn't made many crucial decisions about her life. I felt like a lot was left up in the air for a final book in a series, and am crossing my fingers that there will be more books in the future. No matter what small problems I had with this book, it is obvious that Allison Pang has a talent for creating mystical, fantasy worlds that draw the reader in. Her characters have all shown growth since their introductions into the series, and I am very sad to see this series wrap up. There are still so many possibilities!
I recommend this series to those who are fans of urban fantasy and fantastical worlds. You won't be disappointed!
Allison Pang's vivid imagination takes reader's of A Trace of Moonlight through a spectacularly visioned fae world, and into the human world without skipping a beat. A Trace of Moonlight picks up right where A Sliver of Shadow left off. Pang delivers on her trademark world building, as well as romantic tension and plot twists that had me wishing for more.
This story begins with Abby's memory still in limbo. She made a huge sacrifice in the previous book and is still paying on it in this one. Talliver is taking care of her and she is set to marry the sexy elf. As much as Talliver loves Abby, he is truly trying to help her. However, Brystion is still in the picture, trying to help Abby on his own by pulling her out of the fae land through her dreams. This doesn't go according to plan, and Brystion finds himself in a very difficult personal position.
Talliver's mother, the queen is still crazy. After Abby and Talliver wed, they are on the run from the queen. Talliver and Abby spend just a tiny free time together, but it is sweet and we see just how much Talliver is in love with her. Talliver, though, has other responsibilities, and we see Talliver take power from an unexpected place. Talliver is a man of morals and great honor and he is willing to sacrifice himself for his brethren, even though Abby is the most important person in his life.
The elf hummed against my throat, punctuated by a series of tiny kisses. "The future holds what it holds," he said finally, echoing my thoughts. "We cannot predict it. I have sat by the wayside of my own life for far too long, waiting for the right thing to happen at the right time. Trying to be the good man. The faithful son. The supportive brother. The cast-aside prince."
Brystion reappears and is not himself, yet doesn't seem to be too worried about it. He seems to be reveling in a life that he thought was out of his reach, even if it kills him. I like Brystion. I really liked him after the first book in this series, but he lost me in A Sliver of Shadow. He broke Abby's heart before, and although he still may be in love with her, I didn't like the sudden change in direction with his feelings in this book.
Abby, herself, had me pulling my hair out. I don't mind love triangles. I even love some of them. However, this one gave me problems. In A Sliver of Shadow, Abby seemed to grow closer and closer to Talliver. Once Brystion wants back in the game in A Trace of Moonlight, she's ready to give him her heart. There were too many places in this book where it seemed that Abby wanted to have her cake and eat it, too. There are places where she tells Talliver that she loves him, and within a few chapters, is saying the same thing to Brystion. I think that she loves both men, but at the same time, I think she's leading at least one of them on which I don't think is very fair.
The elf's arms curled tightly around me as he kicked his own horse forward, "I love you, Abby," he murmured in my hear. "Whatever happened, remember that." I tucked the words into my mind, folding up the memory of the sound of his voice at that moment. We stood on the precipice - like so many times before... I kissed him, my lips brushing his cheek. "I love you, too."
The rest of this book centers around the destruction of the Eildon Tree. Without the tree, there is no Other worldly creatures. Abby and friends spend a lot of time searching for Melanie and the evil doers who are trying to destroy the tree. It turns into a good vs. evil story line that I was captivated with.
The ending of this book leaves a lot of questions, which isn't a good thing, because as of now, this is the last book in this series. Abby finds herself at a personal crossroad and she still hasn't made many crucial decisions about her life. I felt like a lot was left up in the air for a final book in a series, and am crossing my fingers that there will be more books in the future. No matter what small problems I had with this book, it is obvious that Allison Pang has a talent for creating mystical, fantasy worlds that draw the reader in. Her characters have all shown growth since their introductions into the series, and I am very sad to see this series wrap up. There are still so many possibilities!
I recommend this series to those who are fans of urban fantasy and fantastical worlds. You won't be disappointed!
November 4, 2012
Reading A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT was bittersweet for me. I really enjoyed the two previous Abby Sinclair novels and so I was eager to see what Allison Pang was going to do with/to Abby and her band of friends and lovers. The author has created incredibly real and complex relationships in this trilogy and I've been on the edge of my proverbial seat waiting to find out how Abby would get herself out of the pickle she put herself in at the end of A SLIVER OF SHADOW (that whole Tithe thing in the cover copy) and if she'd settle down with Talivar or Ion. The good news? Most of the big questions are answered. The not-quite-as-good-but-definitely-not-bad news? I wasn't as hooked as I've been in previous instalments.
A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT has everything I've come to expect from an Abby Sinclair novel: an unpredictable plot, fantastically fleshed-out characters, magnificent snark, and steamy romance. (In fact, the book opens with some very steamy romance, making the excerpt below NSFW.) The cover copy actually gives away a lot of the plot points, though it doesn't hurt the reading of the story since there's so much going on in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT. Thankfully, part of this "so much" is also a satisfying amount of resolution for a couple of the big arcs of the series: will Abby choose Ion or Talivar, and will she ever fully control her abilities as a Dreamer?
To address the first big question: I was thrilled with how Allison Pang dealt with this. I loved the way both Ion and Taliver are portrayed in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT because they both get to shine and you can really understand why Abby has feelings for both guys. I've always been a sucker for Talivar and his tragic story (which we learn more about!!) but Ion makes some incredible gestures in this book and I felt for him in a way that I never had previously. Relationships are such a key feature of this trilogy and the author really knows how to put the reader and the characters through the ringer, not just with Abby and her men but with other folks as well. Melanie and Nobu's relationship exemplifies the word complicated and the Charlie-Robert-Moira-Benjamin situation is enough to break your heart, never mind Abby's unusual relationship with her father (and her father's with the Queen).
For the second question: I also really liked how Abby grows as a Dreamer in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT. She's been a little afraid of her gifts for a while now but she really steps up her game this time around. It's always fun watching a favourite character come into his or her own and I feel like Abby grows immensely in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT.
Despite this, I wasn't as invested this time around. I usually enjoy a well-written finale, which A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT definitely is, but I felt a little disconnected from the story and I'm not sure why. Allison Pang's writing remains outstanding and I truly did enjoy reading this book but it's probably my least favourite of the three Abby novels. At first I thought it might be because this book is darker than the rest and Phin is not his usual snarky self throughout but I generally enjoy dark (urban) fantasy so I don't think that this is the case. I think it might be information overload -- there's a lot of story and a ton of Big Events in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT!
While I didn't love A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT as much as the two previous Abby novels, this book is still an excellent finale for the trilogy. I may not be shouting at the skies but I really did enjoy reading A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT and fully recommend the series to you. This novel offers closure on many of the main questions in the trilogy and leaves open the possibility of exploring the world further since there's definitely not a nice, neat bow for all of the characters. I follow Allison Pang on her blog and Twitter (some might say "stalk", but I'm sticking with "follow") and it looks like she's open to the idea of coming back to this world and telling another character's story, so I've got my fingers crossed. I believe she mentioned Melanie, who I've always been interested in, so here's hoping that passing comment comes true!
A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT has everything I've come to expect from an Abby Sinclair novel: an unpredictable plot, fantastically fleshed-out characters, magnificent snark, and steamy romance. (In fact, the book opens with some very steamy romance, making the excerpt below NSFW.) The cover copy actually gives away a lot of the plot points, though it doesn't hurt the reading of the story since there's so much going on in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT. Thankfully, part of this "so much" is also a satisfying amount of resolution for a couple of the big arcs of the series: will Abby choose Ion or Talivar, and will she ever fully control her abilities as a Dreamer?
To address the first big question: I was thrilled with how Allison Pang dealt with this. I loved the way both Ion and Taliver are portrayed in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT because they both get to shine and you can really understand why Abby has feelings for both guys. I've always been a sucker for Talivar and his tragic story (which we learn more about!!) but Ion makes some incredible gestures in this book and I felt for him in a way that I never had previously. Relationships are such a key feature of this trilogy and the author really knows how to put the reader and the characters through the ringer, not just with Abby and her men but with other folks as well. Melanie and Nobu's relationship exemplifies the word complicated and the Charlie-Robert-Moira-Benjamin situation is enough to break your heart, never mind Abby's unusual relationship with her father (and her father's with the Queen).
For the second question: I also really liked how Abby grows as a Dreamer in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT. She's been a little afraid of her gifts for a while now but she really steps up her game this time around. It's always fun watching a favourite character come into his or her own and I feel like Abby grows immensely in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT.
Despite this, I wasn't as invested this time around. I usually enjoy a well-written finale, which A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT definitely is, but I felt a little disconnected from the story and I'm not sure why. Allison Pang's writing remains outstanding and I truly did enjoy reading this book but it's probably my least favourite of the three Abby novels. At first I thought it might be because this book is darker than the rest and Phin is not his usual snarky self throughout but I generally enjoy dark (urban) fantasy so I don't think that this is the case. I think it might be information overload -- there's a lot of story and a ton of Big Events in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT!
While I didn't love A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT as much as the two previous Abby novels, this book is still an excellent finale for the trilogy. I may not be shouting at the skies but I really did enjoy reading A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT and fully recommend the series to you. This novel offers closure on many of the main questions in the trilogy and leaves open the possibility of exploring the world further since there's definitely not a nice, neat bow for all of the characters. I follow Allison Pang on her blog and Twitter (some might say "stalk", but I'm sticking with "follow") and it looks like she's open to the idea of coming back to this world and telling another character's story, so I've got my fingers crossed. I believe she mentioned Melanie, who I've always been interested in, so here's hoping that passing comment comes true!
March 26, 2023
My suggestions to reader: don't waste your time
One of my biggest pet peeves as a reader is having my time wasted by authors. I feel like there should be a certain level of understanding between authors and readers whereby if I am going to take the time to read your not just your book but your series of books the least you could do is put some effort into what you are creating. This was not the case with Allison Pang. The Abby Sinclair series started out well, I devoured the first book within a day, the problem began in the second book and continued to grow in the third until by the end of the series all I could think was, well I am never going to get that wasted time and energy back.
Another one of my pet peeves as a reader is a vacillating author because this translates into a vacillating heroine. I don't mind love triangles when they are done well, the love triangle in this series was not. Not only did the heroine keep wavering between the two men but the relationships with themselves kept me wondering when are they going to just have a threesome and call it dandy or even better why don't you both leave this stupid indecisive person and find someone who will choose you and not have you constantly wondering where you stand (although that second one amy in fact only apply to the Prince because Ion knew where he stood, it was always him and it was always going to be him).
Speaking of Ion, why even have him leave her and create all of the awkwardness in the second book if he was just going to reappear and insinuate himself back into her life (as soon as she begins to move on which is suspiciously convenient I might add) why introduce the relationship with the Prince at all? especially considering the fact that Ion showed up so soon after the relationship with the Prince began that it was not given any time to grow? Why make it all so unnecessarily complex? And as though it wasn't bad enough you add in mistaken handfastngs and a miscellaneous pregnancies? Thereby ending the book with the heroine still not truly having made a choice? Speaking of the ending.. you know what I don't even have words to describe my feelings with regards to what this author classified as an ending...
My advice to the author, in the future, pick a storyline and stick to it all this vacillating is tiresome. Though to be honest I probably won't be reading any more of your books because the time and energy invested only to be rewarded with a clusterfuck of epic proportions just isn't worth it. So my advice should probably be leave the writing to the professionals and get a new day job.
One of my biggest pet peeves as a reader is having my time wasted by authors. I feel like there should be a certain level of understanding between authors and readers whereby if I am going to take the time to read your not just your book but your series of books the least you could do is put some effort into what you are creating. This was not the case with Allison Pang. The Abby Sinclair series started out well, I devoured the first book within a day, the problem began in the second book and continued to grow in the third until by the end of the series all I could think was, well I am never going to get that wasted time and energy back.
Another one of my pet peeves as a reader is a vacillating author because this translates into a vacillating heroine. I don't mind love triangles when they are done well, the love triangle in this series was not. Not only did the heroine keep wavering between the two men but the relationships with themselves kept me wondering when are they going to just have a threesome and call it dandy or even better why don't you both leave this stupid indecisive person and find someone who will choose you and not have you constantly wondering where you stand (although that second one amy in fact only apply to the Prince because Ion knew where he stood, it was always him and it was always going to be him).
Speaking of Ion, why even have him leave her and create all of the awkwardness in the second book if he was just going to reappear and insinuate himself back into her life (as soon as she begins to move on which is suspiciously convenient I might add) why introduce the relationship with the Prince at all? especially considering the fact that Ion showed up so soon after the relationship with the Prince began that it was not given any time to grow? Why make it all so unnecessarily complex? And as though it wasn't bad enough you add in mistaken handfastngs and a miscellaneous pregnancies? Thereby ending the book with the heroine still not truly having made a choice? Speaking of the ending.. you know what I don't even have words to describe my feelings with regards to what this author classified as an ending...
My advice to the author, in the future, pick a storyline and stick to it all this vacillating is tiresome. Though to be honest I probably won't be reading any more of your books because the time and energy invested only to be rewarded with a clusterfuck of epic proportions just isn't worth it. So my advice should probably be leave the writing to the professionals and get a new day job.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2012
This is the third book in the Abby Sinclair series. The first being, A Brush of Darkness and the second A Sliver of Shadow (check those reviews for some great quotes that will make you smile). These books should be read in order and seriously, this series rocks so hard why wouldn't you?
This book did not disappoint. All my fave characters are back including Phin the horny unicorn. Ion the daemon who I have a love/hate relationship with, I admit did not do that to me this time. Total love fest from me. :) Ah, and then there is Talivar the elven prince. Always a love fest for that one. *sigh* Oh yea, if you love books with amazing characters you are SO in for a treat. Even those you hate as well as those you feel lukewarm are also well drawn. Hm... can you tell I just love the characters in this book? I bet not. ;)
For those that do not like a love triangle, well, I hate to say it but this has a doozy. It was handled exceptionally well for a triangle, but I hated it only because you didn't want either one to be hurt. You also couldn't decide who would be best for her even if there tended to be one that was a winner. I think it is because both suitors are broken and Abby is the kind of person to accept them both as they are which encourages them to accept themselves. *sigh* You know that makes a good PNR and you have both. Hm... I don't mind keeping the one that gets away for her... ;)
I give this book 4 1/2 stars. You have adventure, a conclusion to all the main threads that were running around including the cliffie from the last. I have heard this may be the last novel (short stories may come) in this series and I sincerely hope that isn't the case. I does have a feel of completion but I am not ready to give up these characters yet.
This book did not disappoint. All my fave characters are back including Phin the horny unicorn. Ion the daemon who I have a love/hate relationship with, I admit did not do that to me this time. Total love fest from me. :) Ah, and then there is Talivar the elven prince. Always a love fest for that one. *sigh* Oh yea, if you love books with amazing characters you are SO in for a treat. Even those you hate as well as those you feel lukewarm are also well drawn. Hm... can you tell I just love the characters in this book? I bet not. ;)
For those that do not like a love triangle, well, I hate to say it but this has a doozy. It was handled exceptionally well for a triangle, but I hated it only because you didn't want either one to be hurt. You also couldn't decide who would be best for her even if there tended to be one that was a winner. I think it is because both suitors are broken and Abby is the kind of person to accept them both as they are which encourages them to accept themselves. *sigh* You know that makes a good PNR and you have both. Hm... I don't mind keeping the one that gets away for her... ;)
I give this book 4 1/2 stars. You have adventure, a conclusion to all the main threads that were running around including the cliffie from the last. I have heard this may be the last novel (short stories may come) in this series and I sincerely hope that isn't the case. I does have a feel of completion but I am not ready to give up these characters yet.
November 2, 2012
A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT kicks off shortly after the cliffhanger ending of A SLIVER OF SHADOW. I have to admit that book 3 didn't play out as I had imagined it would. Without giving away spoilers its hard to elaborate on that but I was surprised at how thing played out. A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT takes place in both the Otherworld and the mortal world. All of our favorite characters are involved in this installment and the love triangle between Abby, Talivar and Brystion is still going strong. I really like both of them and was not rooting strongly for either of them. There is a great amount of action as well as twists that you wont expect.
The ending. I'm utterly confused. Are they not joined still? I thought that it was permanent now but then it says they aren't? I read the ending multiple times and still have no clue. And someone said this is the last book? Really? It seems way to up in the air to leave the ending like that. Like I said, I'm confused. Besides that one confusion I loved the book and I love the world that Allison has created with her Abby Sinclair series. Pick up books 1 and 2 before diving in or you might be pretty lost going into A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT. I seriously feel that the series cant end like this though so I really hope there is another book in the making, I must know what will happen next.
The ending. I'm utterly confused. Are they not joined still? I thought that it was permanent now but then it says they aren't? I read the ending multiple times and still have no clue. And someone said this is the last book? Really? It seems way to up in the air to leave the ending like that. Like I said, I'm confused. Besides that one confusion I loved the book and I love the world that Allison has created with her Abby Sinclair series. Pick up books 1 and 2 before diving in or you might be pretty lost going into A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT. I seriously feel that the series cant end like this though so I really hope there is another book in the making, I must know what will happen next.
November 7, 2012
I wouldn't recommend reading this if you have not read the first two books. This is a series where you'd come in and be like what on earth? I definitely do not think this is a standalone book.
I do enjoy reading the author and the series. Why? I think the plot is interesting- I find it compelling and quite different from anything out there that I have read. The author has spun a world rich with humor and oddities that grab my attention and make me wish to learn (read) more. Sometimes I do think that Abby is a bit too stupid to live; however, I think she does it with because she seems to be thrown a lot of hardballs aimed at her face. I feel sorry for the woman. I mean seriously she has two men who may really love her (it's kind of hard to tell, since I assume that each one has his own hidden agenda) almost fighting over her. And then you get the hornycorn thrown into the mix.
I'm not sure how I feel about the love triangle that is an integral part of the storyline, but I don't think it's done where I feel repulsed by reading it.
I won't give any type of spoilers, but I'd like to say WOW. When's the next book come out?? Is there going to be a next book? There had better be!
Perhaps she'll be able to catch a bit of a break in the next one.
I do enjoy reading the author and the series. Why? I think the plot is interesting- I find it compelling and quite different from anything out there that I have read. The author has spun a world rich with humor and oddities that grab my attention and make me wish to learn (read) more. Sometimes I do think that Abby is a bit too stupid to live; however, I think she does it with because she seems to be thrown a lot of hardballs aimed at her face. I feel sorry for the woman. I mean seriously she has two men who may really love her (it's kind of hard to tell, since I assume that each one has his own hidden agenda) almost fighting over her. And then you get the hornycorn thrown into the mix.
I'm not sure how I feel about the love triangle that is an integral part of the storyline, but I don't think it's done where I feel repulsed by reading it.
I won't give any type of spoilers, but I'd like to say WOW. When's the next book come out?? Is there going to be a next book? There had better be!
Perhaps she'll be able to catch a bit of a break in the next one.
January 28, 2016
I must be one of the very few people who is at least partly glad that Abby didn't choose between the two male protagonists... I would love to think that somehow she makes it work with both of them - for me this is the only use for love triangles, otherwise I find them boring and juvenile. I didn't like Abby's amnesia in the first part of the book and found Talivar's actions to be somewhat deceitful - but given the context I can give the benefit of the doubt for that. I am glad that Abby didn't choose to be a queen, I am glad that she put herself and what she wants for her life first. I do feel like this isn't an ending, like it's the current end of the current book but there could easily be more books - either looking at different characters sideways to Abby, or a new set of adventures featuring her as a protagonist (though with such a rich field of potential protagonists, I am interested in seeing more from a different point of view - particularly Melanie's). I really like this series, it involves everything I love about urban fantasy and character driven books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2015
I really hope there is at least one more book to follow this one. The ending wasn't enough of a resolution for me, mainly concerning the dagblasted love triangle. This is a prime example of why I (and many readers) loath the trio. There is too much time spent deciding who the heroine should choose. My suggestion for authors who want the love triangle - if you're going to drag it out, just turn it into a ménage. Seriously. I'd rather read some action than read about petty fights of which man is better. Just bang it out, kids.
Which brings me to the conclusion, which didn't fully conclude. It raised more questions so I am hoping Pang has another book coming my way. And if there is another book, hopefully it includes a chapter of Talivar dropping off a steep ledge. Or getting hit by a train traveling at a high rate of speed. Or just disappearing, never to be heard from again. I don't care which. Just be gone.
Which brings me to the conclusion, which didn't fully conclude. It raised more questions so I am hoping Pang has another book coming my way. And if there is another book, hopefully it includes a chapter of Talivar dropping off a steep ledge. Or getting hit by a train traveling at a high rate of speed. Or just disappearing, never to be heard from again. I don't care which. Just be gone.
October 19, 2012
Allison Pang has a wickedly vivid imagination and only that limits what happens in each of her books. She is able to conjure up the most interesting and sometimes, shocking events that really push A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT forward. As Pang takes readers on a ride filled with twist and turns, more of the Dreaming is revealed and it has to be my favorite part of this series.
Fans of Richelle Mead's Dark Swan series, Kim Harrison and Jaye Wells will find new reason to be excited as they discover the elaborate, fantastical world that Pang has created. A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT is not to be missed!
Read this review in its entirety at
Fans of Richelle Mead's Dark Swan series, Kim Harrison and Jaye Wells will find new reason to be excited as they discover the elaborate, fantastical world that Pang has created. A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT is not to be missed!
Read this review in its entirety at
December 5, 2012
I wanted this series to end better. I really had enjoyed so much of it up until this part. But Abbey's amnesia and the handling of it by the other characters, the crappiness of Talivar's character in this book (felt like he was totally acting out of character from the second book), the pouting of Brystion, and ultimately, the very ending, disappointed me. I really saddened by the unexpected pregnancy - not a fan of those.
I probably could have stopped with the second book in this series and been just as content.
I probably could have stopped with the second book in this series and been just as content.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2012
Overall a great book, but Wtf was up with that ending? I actually thought my kindle was glitched out when I pressed next and was confronted by the authors picture. Just one more chapter or an epilogue would have provided a lot more closure. Review to come.
November 3, 2012
Originally posted at
Favorite Quote: “Clap if you believe! Clap if you believe!�
SPOILERS ahead from book two. At the end of Slivers Of Shadows, Abby offered herself up as the Tithe which enabled the Faerie Queen to reopen the Crossroads. Abby loses her memory in the process and A Trace Of Moonlight opens to Ion doing his best to help Abby regain her memory in the Dreaming.
Abby Sinclair has been to hell, come back, then went voluntarily back again. She is currently sequestered in the Seelie Queen’s palace, having been convinced she is in love with and marrying the Queen’s son, Taliver. When Ion comes to her in a dream, begging her to remember and giving her a priceless gift, the fog that has obscured her mind begins to slowly lift. A chance meeting with Maurice, a mortal who has attempted to destroy the Otherworld throughout the series, brings back all her memories and causes her to lose the amulet. With all her memories intact, Abby has some issues with decisions that have been made for her and wants to go home. The Queen doesn’t agree with her plan and her attempts to belay Abby’s plans causes an impromptu handfasting between Taliver and Abby. Taliver and Abby escape the palace and head to the Unseelie Court. Taliver takes his place as the rightful king and steps up his efforts to find Maurice and the amlet. When a band of mercenaries attack the Unseelie Court and damage the Eildon Tree, Ion appears and uses the confusion to pull Abby through to the veil; therefore breaking the spell that trapped her in the Otherworld. Now the race is on as Abby must find away to save Ion, save the tree, and save Faerie before she loses everyone and everything she loves.
This was a hard book to read and review. As the supposed end to this series, Pang had multiple storylines to finalize and resolve, just in case she doesn’t continue the series. This series continues to be an intricate blend of reality and dreams that thrive on deception, betrayal, and jealousy. A strong character driven arc, every action is suspect, every word a double edge sword. Witty and snarky dialogue continue to keep you giggling though the situation is at its most serious here. While I adore the fast, explosive action and twisted nature of the characters and storyline, I found the love triangle put a damper on my enjoyment. During Slivers Of Shadows, I thought Abby had finally found what she needed with Taliver. Ion is wonderful, but as an incubus, Abby never knew if her feelings for him were hers or a reaction to his true nature. Taliver cannot make Abby feel what she doesn’t want to for him, so it felt more natural. He loves her for her. Not for her powers as a Dreamer. Not for her powers as a keystone. Yet, Abby continues to string both Ion and Taliver along, choosing to use on going threats as a way to avoid making a decision. She flips back and forth between them, then when she gets caught, she shrugs, feels bad, then resumes her antics. It was disappointing. I lost respect for her and the storyline. Perhaps if she would have reflected some to us on why she loved them, I would have enjoyed it more. But she doesn’t and nothing in the book convinced me she does. Do I believe Ion and Taliver love her? Yes. But her actions made it feel like she regarded them as a booty call.
The main conflict was, thankfully, executed better. Both courts struggle to keep the Eildon Tree alive and the Crossroads open as Taliver attempts to find Maurice and the amulet as Abby searches for Melanie. Abby finds herself at a loss when the true meaning of Ion’s gift reveals itself. Abby has to trust and accept herself, flaws and all, in order to help her friends. Closely guarded secrets and agendas unravel, forcing Abby to accept help from allies and enemies alike as they all race to stop the end of Faerie.
Ms. Pang’s wonderful voice continues to resonate through here. She owns this series with her theme of a human, with no real defensive powers, fighting for a supernatural world. Unpredictability continues to permeate the arc till the very end. The story reads fast and easy even as you feint left and right in order to keep up.
The secondary characters continue to explode across the pages with their richly developed personalities and vivacious appetites. Each one plays their role in the overall resolution of the arc brilliantly. Phin continues to delight us as he struts, flounces, and generally annoys everyone. Melanie still has to be my favorite character as she has always had Abby’s back and tries so hard to help her navigate this dangerous world. I loved seeing a more intimate view of Nobu. I do hope Pang eventually writes his and Melanie’s story.
“…she is in my arms, the caged bird is nearly free…I want to capture that part…if I try too hard, I’ll merely crush her…oh Gods…I have to let her go�"
Happy sigh.
The ending left me confused and a little lost. We are given a clear cut resolution to the main conflict and answers to almost all our questions. Only one is left open and unfortunately, Pang made that particular storyline an important part of the arc, so the lack of an answer was disappointing. External forces intervene and force Abby into a situation in the end that leaves us wondering.
Regardless though, I recommend this series to all readers who are looking for an imaginative urban fantasy series that hits all the high notes and then some. As I stated earlier, as of right now, this is the last book in the series. If Ms. Pang chooses to write more, I’ll definitely read them, but I really felt the the arc suffered overall because Abby and her adventures had to fight against the continuing love triangle.
Overall Rating: B-
Favorite Quote: “Clap if you believe! Clap if you believe!�
SPOILERS ahead from book two. At the end of Slivers Of Shadows, Abby offered herself up as the Tithe which enabled the Faerie Queen to reopen the Crossroads. Abby loses her memory in the process and A Trace Of Moonlight opens to Ion doing his best to help Abby regain her memory in the Dreaming.
Abby Sinclair has been to hell, come back, then went voluntarily back again. She is currently sequestered in the Seelie Queen’s palace, having been convinced she is in love with and marrying the Queen’s son, Taliver. When Ion comes to her in a dream, begging her to remember and giving her a priceless gift, the fog that has obscured her mind begins to slowly lift. A chance meeting with Maurice, a mortal who has attempted to destroy the Otherworld throughout the series, brings back all her memories and causes her to lose the amulet. With all her memories intact, Abby has some issues with decisions that have been made for her and wants to go home. The Queen doesn’t agree with her plan and her attempts to belay Abby’s plans causes an impromptu handfasting between Taliver and Abby. Taliver and Abby escape the palace and head to the Unseelie Court. Taliver takes his place as the rightful king and steps up his efforts to find Maurice and the amlet. When a band of mercenaries attack the Unseelie Court and damage the Eildon Tree, Ion appears and uses the confusion to pull Abby through to the veil; therefore breaking the spell that trapped her in the Otherworld. Now the race is on as Abby must find away to save Ion, save the tree, and save Faerie before she loses everyone and everything she loves.
This was a hard book to read and review. As the supposed end to this series, Pang had multiple storylines to finalize and resolve, just in case she doesn’t continue the series. This series continues to be an intricate blend of reality and dreams that thrive on deception, betrayal, and jealousy. A strong character driven arc, every action is suspect, every word a double edge sword. Witty and snarky dialogue continue to keep you giggling though the situation is at its most serious here. While I adore the fast, explosive action and twisted nature of the characters and storyline, I found the love triangle put a damper on my enjoyment. During Slivers Of Shadows, I thought Abby had finally found what she needed with Taliver. Ion is wonderful, but as an incubus, Abby never knew if her feelings for him were hers or a reaction to his true nature. Taliver cannot make Abby feel what she doesn’t want to for him, so it felt more natural. He loves her for her. Not for her powers as a Dreamer. Not for her powers as a keystone. Yet, Abby continues to string both Ion and Taliver along, choosing to use on going threats as a way to avoid making a decision. She flips back and forth between them, then when she gets caught, she shrugs, feels bad, then resumes her antics. It was disappointing. I lost respect for her and the storyline. Perhaps if she would have reflected some to us on why she loved them, I would have enjoyed it more. But she doesn’t and nothing in the book convinced me she does. Do I believe Ion and Taliver love her? Yes. But her actions made it feel like she regarded them as a booty call.
The main conflict was, thankfully, executed better. Both courts struggle to keep the Eildon Tree alive and the Crossroads open as Taliver attempts to find Maurice and the amulet as Abby searches for Melanie. Abby finds herself at a loss when the true meaning of Ion’s gift reveals itself. Abby has to trust and accept herself, flaws and all, in order to help her friends. Closely guarded secrets and agendas unravel, forcing Abby to accept help from allies and enemies alike as they all race to stop the end of Faerie.
Ms. Pang’s wonderful voice continues to resonate through here. She owns this series with her theme of a human, with no real defensive powers, fighting for a supernatural world. Unpredictability continues to permeate the arc till the very end. The story reads fast and easy even as you feint left and right in order to keep up.
The secondary characters continue to explode across the pages with their richly developed personalities and vivacious appetites. Each one plays their role in the overall resolution of the arc brilliantly. Phin continues to delight us as he struts, flounces, and generally annoys everyone. Melanie still has to be my favorite character as she has always had Abby’s back and tries so hard to help her navigate this dangerous world. I loved seeing a more intimate view of Nobu. I do hope Pang eventually writes his and Melanie’s story.
“…she is in my arms, the caged bird is nearly free…I want to capture that part…if I try too hard, I’ll merely crush her…oh Gods…I have to let her go�"
Happy sigh.
The ending left me confused and a little lost. We are given a clear cut resolution to the main conflict and answers to almost all our questions. Only one is left open and unfortunately, Pang made that particular storyline an important part of the arc, so the lack of an answer was disappointing. External forces intervene and force Abby into a situation in the end that leaves us wondering.
Regardless though, I recommend this series to all readers who are looking for an imaginative urban fantasy series that hits all the high notes and then some. As I stated earlier, as of right now, this is the last book in the series. If Ms. Pang chooses to write more, I’ll definitely read them, but I really felt the the arc suffered overall because Abby and her adventures had to fight against the continuing love triangle.
Overall Rating: B-
January 31, 2020
This is one of my favorite urban fantasy series and I'm doing a reread of the series because the final book finally came out. I seem to remember the epilogue a little differently as I don't think she was planning to do a fourth book. Anyway great read 4.25 stars...
April 18, 2021
Es interesante el principio de este libro, sigue pareciéndome original si bien la resolución de ese conflicto es lo único que recordaba (eso y un detalle del final).
Nuevamente ocurre de todo, Abby sigue tomando decisiones sin detenerse a pensar demasiado –pero al menos es consciente de eso� y ahora sí que se complicaron las cosas.
Me gustó mucho la parte de Melanie, es lejos lo más oscuro que tuvieron los libros hasta ahora.
Finalmente me di cuenta de que me cae mejor Brystion que Tallivar, entiendo sus prioridades pero de todos modos es injusto con Abby. Ella igual no es una campeona de actitud hacia él ni de cerca, pero hay muchos personajes tomando decisiones dudosas (y digo dudosas por ser amable) y después teniendo que lidiar con las consecuencias.
También me gusta que Moira no sea particularmente querible. Me gustaría saber más de ella y de Charlie en el próximo libro... o aunque sea en una historia corta.
Y sigo pensando igual que antes: demasiadas referencias a El Señor de los Anillos, y lo dice una fan. algunas están bien pero otras son por hobbie. Es notable como todos los Seelie y Unseelie lo conocen y las entienden...
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Opinión anterior:
El final del libro anterior fue de esos que te dejan los ojos abiertos como platos y una expresión de maniática en la cara... hasta que conseguís la continuación.
Abby se ofreció a si misma como diezmo para salvar a quienes quiere, y la condición para aceptarla fue que bebiera las aguas del Lete, el río del infierno que borraría todos sus recuerdos.
Que la protagonista y narradora de repente tenga amnesia es algo que me pareció gratamente original. Es interesante que haya perdido la memoria a esta altura de la historia y nos siga narrando ella con toda su confusión.
Empezamos el libro dentro del sueño recurrente de Abby, la pesadilla de los tiburones, sólo que esta vez ella no recuerda ni comprende realmente nada de lo que ve. Quizás es por eso que tiene más control que nunca sobre su sueño.
La casa, el Corazón de su sueño, está completamente venida abajo, pero lógicamente no le afecta. Ya no significa nada para ella.
Aparece Ion Brystion entonces, en un valiente y bastante inefectivo intento de hacerle recuperar la memoria, pero ella no lo reconoce y él no puede decirle la verdad. Y fue aquí donde, después de dudar de él durante dos libros, Brystion oficialmente me ganó.
El principio, sinceramente, me pareció espectacular.
Vamos a ver a Phineas en acción (realmente en acción, no sólo intentando conquistar... lo que sea) y durante el período de amnesia de Abby –que se curará de un modo bastante drástico�, y algunos hechos que suceden a continuación, nuevamente la historia será muy diferente a todo lo que ya leímos.
Una vez más Allison Pang no va a abusar del mismo recurso durante demasiado tiempo, así que la falta de memoria de Abby no será algo que se extienda mucho, cosa que me gustó. La historia se hubiera estancado mucho sino.
Abby es realmente una gran protagonista, y una amiga de acero inoxidable. Vuelve su humor y sus comentarios ácidos, así como no faltarán las intervenciones de Phin. Juntos merecen un Oscar, por cierto.
Como comentarios sin importancia: me llamó la atención que ahora nombró a E Nomine (alguien debería armar la banda sonora de estos libros) y, si bien jamás creí que iba a decir ésto, hay ya demasiadas referencias a El Señor de los Anillos... si bien un par me parecieron muy acertadas.
Nuevamente Ion va a brillar por su ausencia durante una buena parte del libro, y será Talivar el protagonista masculino. Va a haber una cantidad considerable de cosas girando alrededor de él, que por supuesto van a afectar directa o indirectamente a Abby, que sigue siendo un imán para los problemas.
Pero esta vez esos problemas no se van a limitar sólo a ellos. Maurice sigue vigente y logrará poner en peligro la existencia de todos los mundos. La cosa se pone seria de verdad. Esta autora no se anda con chiquitas para crear conflictos.
Todos tendrán que ponerse las botas y dar lo mejor de sí, hacer sacrificios y poner el bien general por encima de sus propios intereses. Habrá alianzas inesperadas y algunos giros en la historia muy interesantes.
¡Ah! y sobre el ¿triángulo? amoroso de Abby-Ion-Talivar... bueno, hay muchas más complicaciones por venir. Muchas. Más.
Pero no, no opacarán la historia. Abby sigue sosteniendo que eso es un problema menor así que se la dará relativamente poca importancia. Bien por tí, Allison Pang.
Todo parece indicar que no habrá otro libro después de éste, pero sería bueno que si lo haya. Si bien el tema de Maurice pareeeeeece que llega hasta acá (con un enfrentamiento espectacular) hay unos cuantos cabos sueltos y cosas sin resolver que necesitarían aunque sea una novela corta para cerrarnos la historia. De todos modos, si este es el final no me molesta... pero ojalá no lo sea.
Reseña de
Nuevamente ocurre de todo, Abby sigue tomando decisiones sin detenerse a pensar demasiado –pero al menos es consciente de eso� y ahora sí que se complicaron las cosas.
Me gustó mucho la parte de Melanie, es lejos lo más oscuro que tuvieron los libros hasta ahora.
Finalmente me di cuenta de que me cae mejor Brystion que Tallivar, entiendo sus prioridades pero de todos modos es injusto con Abby. Ella igual no es una campeona de actitud hacia él ni de cerca, pero hay muchos personajes tomando decisiones dudosas (y digo dudosas por ser amable) y después teniendo que lidiar con las consecuencias.
También me gusta que Moira no sea particularmente querible. Me gustaría saber más de ella y de Charlie en el próximo libro... o aunque sea en una historia corta.
Y sigo pensando igual que antes: demasiadas referencias a El Señor de los Anillos, y lo dice una fan. algunas están bien pero otras son por hobbie. Es notable como todos los Seelie y Unseelie lo conocen y las entienden...
-----
Opinión anterior:
AVISO: SPOILERS DE LIBROS ANTERIORES
El final del libro anterior fue de esos que te dejan los ojos abiertos como platos y una expresión de maniática en la cara... hasta que conseguís la continuación.
Abby se ofreció a si misma como diezmo para salvar a quienes quiere, y la condición para aceptarla fue que bebiera las aguas del Lete, el río del infierno que borraría todos sus recuerdos.
Que la protagonista y narradora de repente tenga amnesia es algo que me pareció gratamente original. Es interesante que haya perdido la memoria a esta altura de la historia y nos siga narrando ella con toda su confusión.
Empezamos el libro dentro del sueño recurrente de Abby, la pesadilla de los tiburones, sólo que esta vez ella no recuerda ni comprende realmente nada de lo que ve. Quizás es por eso que tiene más control que nunca sobre su sueño.
La casa, el Corazón de su sueño, está completamente venida abajo, pero lógicamente no le afecta. Ya no significa nada para ella.
Aparece Ion Brystion entonces, en un valiente y bastante inefectivo intento de hacerle recuperar la memoria, pero ella no lo reconoce y él no puede decirle la verdad. Y fue aquí donde, después de dudar de él durante dos libros, Brystion oficialmente me ganó.
El principio, sinceramente, me pareció espectacular.
Vamos a ver a Phineas en acción (realmente en acción, no sólo intentando conquistar... lo que sea) y durante el período de amnesia de Abby –que se curará de un modo bastante drástico�, y algunos hechos que suceden a continuación, nuevamente la historia será muy diferente a todo lo que ya leímos.
Una vez más Allison Pang no va a abusar del mismo recurso durante demasiado tiempo, así que la falta de memoria de Abby no será algo que se extienda mucho, cosa que me gustó. La historia se hubiera estancado mucho sino.
Abby es realmente una gran protagonista, y una amiga de acero inoxidable. Vuelve su humor y sus comentarios ácidos, así como no faltarán las intervenciones de Phin. Juntos merecen un Oscar, por cierto.
Como comentarios sin importancia: me llamó la atención que ahora nombró a E Nomine (alguien debería armar la banda sonora de estos libros) y, si bien jamás creí que iba a decir ésto, hay ya demasiadas referencias a El Señor de los Anillos... si bien un par me parecieron muy acertadas.
Nuevamente Ion va a brillar por su ausencia durante una buena parte del libro, y será Talivar el protagonista masculino. Va a haber una cantidad considerable de cosas girando alrededor de él, que por supuesto van a afectar directa o indirectamente a Abby, que sigue siendo un imán para los problemas.
Pero esta vez esos problemas no se van a limitar sólo a ellos. Maurice sigue vigente y logrará poner en peligro la existencia de todos los mundos. La cosa se pone seria de verdad. Esta autora no se anda con chiquitas para crear conflictos.
Todos tendrán que ponerse las botas y dar lo mejor de sí, hacer sacrificios y poner el bien general por encima de sus propios intereses. Habrá alianzas inesperadas y algunos giros en la historia muy interesantes.
¡Ah! y sobre el ¿triángulo? amoroso de Abby-Ion-Talivar... bueno, hay muchas más complicaciones por venir. Muchas. Más.
Pero no, no opacarán la historia. Abby sigue sosteniendo que eso es un problema menor así que se la dará relativamente poca importancia. Bien por tí, Allison Pang.
Todo parece indicar que no habrá otro libro después de éste, pero sería bueno que si lo haya. Si bien el tema de Maurice pareeeeeece que llega hasta acá (con un enfrentamiento espectacular) hay unos cuantos cabos sueltos y cosas sin resolver que necesitarían aunque sea una novela corta para cerrarnos la historia. De todos modos, si este es el final no me molesta... pero ojalá no lo sea.
Reseña de
October 31, 2012
Fangs, Wands & Fairy Dust
A Trace of Moonlight
Book Three Abby Sinclair series
Allison Pang
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Pocket Books/Simon and Schuster
Date of Publication: October 30, 2012
ISBN: 1439198365
Number of pages: 400
Uncorrected Proof provided by Publisher in the expectation that any review would be fair. No remuneration was exchanged. All opinions expressed are my own except as noted. Additionally materials and liaising via Bewitching Book Tours.
First I have to say, I loved this book and the series as a whole. Abby is a great heroine, with enough rough spots to make her accessible, enough problems to make her sympathetic, enough empathy to make her care and enough courage to do what needs to be done. This is the third in the series and it really is not a stand-alone; there's a lot of back story. It's not "high fantasy" so most things are familiar and have pronounceable names. There's some intimacy and quite a bit of violent action. There is a love triangle There's even a perverted miniature unicorn. How can you miss with that combination. Wouldn't you love to have a perverted pet unicorn?
The series centers on this young heroine, Abby Sinclair. She lives in a world where a few people are privy to the fact of "others." She works for one, at a semi-fae bookshop, if your fae, you know it's otherworldly and if you are an unaware mortal, you don't see it. Humans and fae can only cross between worlds through portals and with a contractual relationship called "Touchstoning." Abby and her mom were in a terrible car crash that killed her mother and left her with seizures and musculoskeletal issues that killed her career as a dancer and left her with constant pain. Her dreams are invaded by a hot incubus, Brystion. At some point their relationship becomes more. She is also attracted to her boss's brother Talliver. The fate of the worlds and dreams ends up in the hands of a few and Allison is vital to saving the worlds as we know, and don't know them.
This is the most feeling-oriented, dreamy and esoteric of the books. Much of it takes place outside the mortal realm so the laws of physics don't have to apply. Saying much more than this will result in me telling you too much, and well, I don't want to piss off the Faerie Queen. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT and the rest of the series.
Instead, of prattling on, I asked Allison a few questions she was kind enough to take the time to respond this Samhain.ou can read the whole interview at
Giveaway 10/31 through 11/4/2012
A Trace of Moonlight
Book Three Abby Sinclair series
Allison Pang
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Pocket Books/Simon and Schuster
Date of Publication: October 30, 2012
ISBN: 1439198365
Number of pages: 400
Uncorrected Proof provided by Publisher in the expectation that any review would be fair. No remuneration was exchanged. All opinions expressed are my own except as noted. Additionally materials and liaising via Bewitching Book Tours.
Book Description:
Drinking from the waters of lethe and offering herself up as Faerie’s sacrificial Tithe …these just might be the least of Abby Sinclair’s problems.
Abby’s pact with a demon—whether or not she remembers making it—is binding, so she’d better count herself lucky that (in the words of a daemon who knows better) there’s nearly always a loophole. But her friends� reckless attempts to free her, well intentioned though they may be, set off a disastrous chain of events. In no time at all, Abby turns her incubus lover mortal and gets herself killed, cursed, and married to an elven prince whose mother wants her dead. She might have even been able to recover from all that had she not lost the Key to the CrossRoads to her mortal enemy, who promptly uses his restored power to wreak havoc on the OtherWorld and put its very existence in jeopardy.
Only one person can make things right again, but to find her, Abby must place her trust in allies of mixed loyalties, and conquer her nightmares once and for all. Simon and Schuster
First I have to say, I loved this book and the series as a whole. Abby is a great heroine, with enough rough spots to make her accessible, enough problems to make her sympathetic, enough empathy to make her care and enough courage to do what needs to be done. This is the third in the series and it really is not a stand-alone; there's a lot of back story. It's not "high fantasy" so most things are familiar and have pronounceable names. There's some intimacy and quite a bit of violent action. There is a love triangle There's even a perverted miniature unicorn. How can you miss with that combination. Wouldn't you love to have a perverted pet unicorn?
The series centers on this young heroine, Abby Sinclair. She lives in a world where a few people are privy to the fact of "others." She works for one, at a semi-fae bookshop, if your fae, you know it's otherworldly and if you are an unaware mortal, you don't see it. Humans and fae can only cross between worlds through portals and with a contractual relationship called "Touchstoning." Abby and her mom were in a terrible car crash that killed her mother and left her with seizures and musculoskeletal issues that killed her career as a dancer and left her with constant pain. Her dreams are invaded by a hot incubus, Brystion. At some point their relationship becomes more. She is also attracted to her boss's brother Talliver. The fate of the worlds and dreams ends up in the hands of a few and Allison is vital to saving the worlds as we know, and don't know them.
This is the most feeling-oriented, dreamy and esoteric of the books. Much of it takes place outside the mortal realm so the laws of physics don't have to apply. Saying much more than this will result in me telling you too much, and well, I don't want to piss off the Faerie Queen. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT and the rest of the series.
Instead, of prattling on, I asked Allison a few questions she was kind enough to take the time to respond this Samhain.ou can read the whole interview at
Giveaway 10/31 through 11/4/2012
November 7, 2012
I received A Trace of Moonlight in return for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Bewitching Book Tours. In the end of the second book Abby saves the day by making a deal with a daemon to be the tither for the fey in return the she would save her friends. Upon making the deal Abby takes a drink of the lethe water from the River Styx to seal the deal. After she drinks the water Abby loses all her memories, Talivar and Moira have her living in the Faery court till something can be decided. Talivar plans for Ion the incubus to be able to save Abby however it doesn't work. Abby learns the truth but because she has no memories she doesn't trust them and runs off into the garden where she meets Maurice our evil touchstone from the prior books. Maurice uses her weakness to his advantage slaying Abby and stealing the key, and disappearing before they can get him.
Phin our horny unicorn uses up all his magic to bring Abby back from the dead however the damage has been done because the people back in the mortal world learn of her death but they don't learn that she's alive again. In a attempt to save Abby from his mother Talivar hand-fasted (weds) her so that they can flee from the Faery court before his mother can stop them. After her death Abby has regained all her memories even if they are a little muddled, the pair and Phin flee hoping to find a way to lift the geas his mother put on Abby to keep her from leaving the Faery world.
Talivar leaves Abby with Phin in the mountains of troll country so that he can find the broken Bazzar or broken unseeley court where Kitsune currently is the leader. He makes it to her but doesn't make it back before he's attacked by his mother’s guards, thanks to Abby and her new troll friend the trio make it away safely to the Bazzar. Talivar decides it's time to step and be King of the unseeley to bring back what they once were since he's responsible for why it was destroyed. Ion learns that Abby is alive and attempts to pull her through the crossroad when they are attacked at the tree while pulling her through his powers are transferred to her making him mortal. Once in the mortal world Abby sets out to find her best friend Melanie who is the door keeper so that she can help them stop Maurice. When Abby died it took it's tole on all of her friends Melanie disappeared so with the help of her former daemon lover they need to find her before it's too late and save the crossroads.
My oh my how this series gets me, it just sucks me in so I can't stop reading till it ends then I'm stuck wanting more this book is no exception. So much still needs to be resolved so I hope even though I've heard that this is the end it's not really the end. I love the characters in the story Abby is great she is everything I love in a character except she's torn between to different amazing me. Ugh I hate anything with love triangles and people getting hurt. I can't express how much I love Phins character he brings the comic to the story and breaks up the action but in a good way. The concept for the world that the characters live in is unique and exciting I think that's why I love the series so much. Even with the love triangle I don't care for I can't find anything else I don't like about the series. I really like the unique twists and turns thought the stories; the bad guys are always unique and refreshing. Overall it's one of my favorite series I hope for another in the series at least to tie up all the loose ends and maybe a little more from a few of the other couples in the series could be fun.
Phin our horny unicorn uses up all his magic to bring Abby back from the dead however the damage has been done because the people back in the mortal world learn of her death but they don't learn that she's alive again. In a attempt to save Abby from his mother Talivar hand-fasted (weds) her so that they can flee from the Faery court before his mother can stop them. After her death Abby has regained all her memories even if they are a little muddled, the pair and Phin flee hoping to find a way to lift the geas his mother put on Abby to keep her from leaving the Faery world.
Talivar leaves Abby with Phin in the mountains of troll country so that he can find the broken Bazzar or broken unseeley court where Kitsune currently is the leader. He makes it to her but doesn't make it back before he's attacked by his mother’s guards, thanks to Abby and her new troll friend the trio make it away safely to the Bazzar. Talivar decides it's time to step and be King of the unseeley to bring back what they once were since he's responsible for why it was destroyed. Ion learns that Abby is alive and attempts to pull her through the crossroad when they are attacked at the tree while pulling her through his powers are transferred to her making him mortal. Once in the mortal world Abby sets out to find her best friend Melanie who is the door keeper so that she can help them stop Maurice. When Abby died it took it's tole on all of her friends Melanie disappeared so with the help of her former daemon lover they need to find her before it's too late and save the crossroads.
My oh my how this series gets me, it just sucks me in so I can't stop reading till it ends then I'm stuck wanting more this book is no exception. So much still needs to be resolved so I hope even though I've heard that this is the end it's not really the end. I love the characters in the story Abby is great she is everything I love in a character except she's torn between to different amazing me. Ugh I hate anything with love triangles and people getting hurt. I can't express how much I love Phins character he brings the comic to the story and breaks up the action but in a good way. The concept for the world that the characters live in is unique and exciting I think that's why I love the series so much. Even with the love triangle I don't care for I can't find anything else I don't like about the series. I really like the unique twists and turns thought the stories; the bad guys are always unique and refreshing. Overall it's one of my favorite series I hope for another in the series at least to tie up all the loose ends and maybe a little more from a few of the other couples in the series could be fun.
November 6, 2012
I’ve been waiting for this book to come out FOREVER *wails*, ok, fine, like a year but that feels like forever to an avid book lover. I’m glad to report back, after reading, A Trace Of Moonlight was worth the wait! I love this book and the series as a whole is simply amazing! Allison Pang combines urban fantasy with romance effortlessly (well probably not for her, heh, but for the reader) resulting in complex world building, intense story lines and characters that will entice, repulse and actively engage you! Not once did I ever feel that the story line lagged or got wordy.
Abby Sinclair is an unlikely heroine with her imperfect body, her seizures and her complete lack of kick butt fighting skills. She makes up for it in spades with her enormous heart and loyalty for those she cares for, to the point of being the sacrificial lamb. While I sometimes wanted to shake her for her selflessness, I could admire her fearless ability to do so. She's just an awesome character all around. Completely real. Her love life is messy and hopelessly strung between two men, her demon lover Brystion and her Prince Charming Taliver. She loves both for different reasons but ultimately her connection with Brystion always seems to be strongest. It may be because she feels she should be with Taliver on principal, they have more in common, he seems to need her more and she’s loyal to him almost to a fault. The heart knows no bounds though and she craves the touch of Brystion. Though he has hurt her on more than one occasion. Their connection in her dream state binds them more tightly then I think either wanted to admit, at least at first. There are places Taliver just can’t touch in Abby, and Brystion has full access to all those and more.
So okay, the romance�.awesome. The world building? Just short of fantastic! Everything about this book and the series is wrote with a lushness you just don���t find much anymore. Readers should be able to completely envision the world around them and get lost in the feel and tone of the book effortlessly. It’s almost all encompassing. I found chunks of time missing when I looked at the clock lol. I was captivated. Demon, fairies, angels…A Trace Of Moonlight has it all. There are times I was reminded of the movie The Cell, in which the characters got the chance to enter others dreams. It’s both creepy and cool at the same time not to mention probably dangerous to the persons psyche, especially when dealing with a killer to begin with.
I enjoyed the evolving relationship with Melanie and Nobu who we have both previously met in the prior two books. I wasn’t sure what to make of him in the past but the reader gets the chance to finally see where his loyalties lie and how his involvement will most likely shape future story lines. Ofcourse Phin, the quirky talking unicorn is still with us and really, I just love his snarky, no nonsense attitude that keeps the laughs coming with every one liner he delivers. He’s an integral part of each book and his complete uniqueness sets him apart from other urban fantasies on the market currently. The ending�.oh the ending…I WANT MORE NOW!!!!! I won’t spoil the little/big surprise though. Even if I’m trembling with wanting to…�
Allison Pang is in a category all her own and she delivers yet another winner for me! I loved this book and encourage urban fantasy and paranormal romance readers alike to check it out and discover the awesomeness for yourself!
I give A Trace Of Moonlight by Allison Pang 5 stars!
Abby Sinclair is an unlikely heroine with her imperfect body, her seizures and her complete lack of kick butt fighting skills. She makes up for it in spades with her enormous heart and loyalty for those she cares for, to the point of being the sacrificial lamb. While I sometimes wanted to shake her for her selflessness, I could admire her fearless ability to do so. She's just an awesome character all around. Completely real. Her love life is messy and hopelessly strung between two men, her demon lover Brystion and her Prince Charming Taliver. She loves both for different reasons but ultimately her connection with Brystion always seems to be strongest. It may be because she feels she should be with Taliver on principal, they have more in common, he seems to need her more and she’s loyal to him almost to a fault. The heart knows no bounds though and she craves the touch of Brystion. Though he has hurt her on more than one occasion. Their connection in her dream state binds them more tightly then I think either wanted to admit, at least at first. There are places Taliver just can’t touch in Abby, and Brystion has full access to all those and more.
So okay, the romance�.awesome. The world building? Just short of fantastic! Everything about this book and the series is wrote with a lushness you just don���t find much anymore. Readers should be able to completely envision the world around them and get lost in the feel and tone of the book effortlessly. It’s almost all encompassing. I found chunks of time missing when I looked at the clock lol. I was captivated. Demon, fairies, angels…A Trace Of Moonlight has it all. There are times I was reminded of the movie The Cell, in which the characters got the chance to enter others dreams. It’s both creepy and cool at the same time not to mention probably dangerous to the persons psyche, especially when dealing with a killer to begin with.
I enjoyed the evolving relationship with Melanie and Nobu who we have both previously met in the prior two books. I wasn’t sure what to make of him in the past but the reader gets the chance to finally see where his loyalties lie and how his involvement will most likely shape future story lines. Ofcourse Phin, the quirky talking unicorn is still with us and really, I just love his snarky, no nonsense attitude that keeps the laughs coming with every one liner he delivers. He’s an integral part of each book and his complete uniqueness sets him apart from other urban fantasies on the market currently. The ending�.oh the ending…I WANT MORE NOW!!!!! I won’t spoil the little/big surprise though. Even if I’m trembling with wanting to…�
Allison Pang is in a category all her own and she delivers yet another winner for me! I loved this book and encourage urban fantasy and paranormal romance readers alike to check it out and discover the awesomeness for yourself!
I give A Trace Of Moonlight by Allison Pang 5 stars!
January 22, 2013
This book took off where the previous one ended, a few weeks have gone by. But Abby has no memories of who she is, or was, and how she comes to be engaged to a Faery Prince, living the live of a Princess in Faery. The Queen is nice to her, so is Prince Talivar, and her half sister, Moira. There is also this tiny unicorn, keeping her company. Abby just floats through the days, wandering the gardens. Sometimes she dreams, most often not, but one night, her dream stays with her. Something important happened there, and she met another man in this dream. What does it all mean? Talivar just brushes it off, but Abby feels something is important about it, and the bells from her dream she woke up with in her hand.
Then something horrible happens, Abby dies, but comes back to life again, with all her memories back. Why did they all lie to her, deceive her so? IF she is to be sacrificed to Hell in a few weeks, she wants to go back home, to her friends and her life on Earth as a human. But the Queen shows her nasty side, and forbids Abby to leave Faery, putting a geas on her. Talivar tries to safe her, by Handfasting with Abby, and then claiming his wedding night, which the Queen will have to allow. But she is not happy that her son is fighting her decisions again, and will punish him severely. Abby and Talivar and Phineas escape the castle, trying to reach the Burrow to seek sanctuary, again. With some adventure along the way, they reach their destination, and Talivar will become King of the Unseelie, as he was meant to be all along. With his missing eye and lame leg, he has never been good enough for the Seelie Court, who only want perfection.
Will the Court’s stand against each other in war, again? Or will Moira be the next Queen at last? But then the evil Maurice is making troubles again, major ones this time, by killing the Tree. And if the Tree dies, the Crossroads will disappear for ever, and the Fae will fade. Only Melanie might be able to safe the tree, but she has gone missing ever since Abby ‘died�. She will have to find her way back to the Dreaming to find her, and to safe her. And take care of all the Fae still on earth.
It took me a while to bring the previous story back into my mind, but I totally enjoyed this book. There is no rest for Abby whatsoever. She is still torn between Talivar and Brystion, especially now she is married to Talivar, but she loves them both, in different ways. She is ready to give up her life to safe all her friends, she will keep fighting, she still has to learn to control her powers as a dreamer, she has to overcome her nightmares and her feelings for her father. It is certainly not easy to be Abby, but she perseveres, she fights, and in the end, she is still alive.
I loved meeting all the previous characters again, getting an update on their lives and / or seeing them fight alongside Abby. Phineas, or hornicorn, as Abby calls him, is a fun secondary character. He sacrificed his horn to safe Abby, and I do admire that in him. He still loves his bacon though. The part with the trolls and the goats was just plain fun.
The world building is phenomenal and totally unique. Allison Pang has really done a great job on that. If you like your Urban Fantasy with some hot love scenes thrown in as well, I do recommend this series to you. I would not be able to choose between the two men either.
9 stars.
Full review on my blog,
Then something horrible happens, Abby dies, but comes back to life again, with all her memories back. Why did they all lie to her, deceive her so? IF she is to be sacrificed to Hell in a few weeks, she wants to go back home, to her friends and her life on Earth as a human. But the Queen shows her nasty side, and forbids Abby to leave Faery, putting a geas on her. Talivar tries to safe her, by Handfasting with Abby, and then claiming his wedding night, which the Queen will have to allow. But she is not happy that her son is fighting her decisions again, and will punish him severely. Abby and Talivar and Phineas escape the castle, trying to reach the Burrow to seek sanctuary, again. With some adventure along the way, they reach their destination, and Talivar will become King of the Unseelie, as he was meant to be all along. With his missing eye and lame leg, he has never been good enough for the Seelie Court, who only want perfection.
Will the Court’s stand against each other in war, again? Or will Moira be the next Queen at last? But then the evil Maurice is making troubles again, major ones this time, by killing the Tree. And if the Tree dies, the Crossroads will disappear for ever, and the Fae will fade. Only Melanie might be able to safe the tree, but she has gone missing ever since Abby ‘died�. She will have to find her way back to the Dreaming to find her, and to safe her. And take care of all the Fae still on earth.
It took me a while to bring the previous story back into my mind, but I totally enjoyed this book. There is no rest for Abby whatsoever. She is still torn between Talivar and Brystion, especially now she is married to Talivar, but she loves them both, in different ways. She is ready to give up her life to safe all her friends, she will keep fighting, she still has to learn to control her powers as a dreamer, she has to overcome her nightmares and her feelings for her father. It is certainly not easy to be Abby, but she perseveres, she fights, and in the end, she is still alive.
I loved meeting all the previous characters again, getting an update on their lives and / or seeing them fight alongside Abby. Phineas, or hornicorn, as Abby calls him, is a fun secondary character. He sacrificed his horn to safe Abby, and I do admire that in him. He still loves his bacon though. The part with the trolls and the goats was just plain fun.
The world building is phenomenal and totally unique. Allison Pang has really done a great job on that. If you like your Urban Fantasy with some hot love scenes thrown in as well, I do recommend this series to you. I would not be able to choose between the two men either.
9 stars.
© 2012 Reviews by Aurian
Full review on my blog,
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