Reflection
of the Gods
Lisa Llamrei
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Alchera Press
Date of
Publication: May 1, 2013
Cover Artist: Tania Craan
Book Description:
Newly divorced Das MacDermott longs for a
fresh start. As he packs up and prepares to move out of the city, he spots a
young woman being held at gunpoint by three men. Despite being outnumbered and
unarmed, Das does his best to intervene. Once liberated, the victim seems oddly
ungrateful, but on an apparent whim decides to join Das in his new life in
rural Ontario. Aislinn, as she is called, returns the favour; with her
encouragement and support, his start-up photography business takes off, and
more importantly, Das is saved from loneliness and self-doubt.
Das, however, is never quite able to fully
dismiss the contrary aspects of Aislinn’s nature, and is strictly forbidden
from asking about Aislinn’s past. All seems too good to be true, and indeed it
is. Aislinn’s unusual talents and odd Behaviour, unbeknownst to Das, come from
her demigod status. Aislinn is half-Sidhe, daughter of Fionvarra, Ireland’s
fairy king, and a human woman. Sidhe wars have so disrupted the mortal world
that Aislinn has joined with other immortals in an effort to permanently
separate it from Tir N’a Nog, the fairy realm.
Born in ancient Ireland, Aislinn spends
millennia as the plaything of the cruel and narcissistic gods. The pain of
being neither human nor Sidhe is offset by her relationship to the Fir Bolg,
another race of fair folk who take pity on her lonely state; and the refuge she
takes in being Das’s lover and protector. As Das comes to accept the
possibility that Aislinn belongs to a supernatural world, he discovers that the
two worlds are set to collide in a way that may mean the destruction of all
humanity.
Excerpt:
The rest of the night I lay
there, trying not to toss and turn, Aislinn apparently unaffected by my
insomnia. I heard the noises again. Tiny feet scurrying everywhere. Small
voices whispering. I didn’t even bother getting up to investigate. What for? I
never found anything.
When the shade on the window
started to lighten, I’d had enough. I slipped out of bed. Aislinn didn’t move.
That had to be a first. I couldn’t remember a single time I’d risen in the
morning before she did. I pulled a sweater on over my pyjama bottoms and
stuffed my feet into my old slippers. When I left the room, I closed the door
behind me and tiptoed down the stairs.
From the dining room, I could
see straight into the foyer. The coffee table had been moved from the living
room, draped with a tablecloth and scattered with bowls and cups. What the—?
I crossed into the foyer for
a better look. Crumbs from the bowls had spilled across the table and onto the
floor. They mixed with the dregs of liquid. I dipped a finger in the white
stuff. I held it first to my nose before tasting it. Milk. I picked up a cup and
sniffed a sweetish, fermented smell. Mead.
I turned around and darn near
crashed right into Aislinn. “I didn’t hear you coming.”
Aislinn looked at the table
and then at me.
“What is all this?”
Aislinn remained silent and
immobile.
“I mean it. I want to know
what all this is for.”
“That I cannot tell you.”
“But—”
“You vowed never to ask.”
“I’m not asking about your
past or where you’re from. I’m asking why there is a dining table set up in the
foyer. For who?” I knew my voice was rising, but I couldn’t stop it.
Aislinn turned to leave.
I have never laid hands on a
woman in anger before, but God help me I wanted to do it then. A picture
flashed through my mind of Aislinn down here with that man. In my house. I
wanted to grab her and shake her. Force her to tell me everything she’d been
keeping from me. Instead, I jumped ahead of her and blocked the doorway into
the dining room. I pointed a finger in her face. She didn’t even flinch.
“The first time I saw you,
you were being attacked by three men. A few days later, they were all murdered.
You start bringing home raw milk every day and local cows start disappearing.
You come home from Toronto on a bus that isn’t running. And I don’t ask you
anything about any of it because I promised not to. Then, you are walking
around town in the dead of night with some man I’ve never met and doing God
knows what in front of the house for all the neighbours to see. Still, I don’t
ask because I promised I wouldn’t and I keep my word. But I am asking now. I
want to know why you left food out last night and who it was for. If you feel
you have to leave me, fine. I’ve had it.”
Aislinn remained silent, but
all colour drained from her face. Her lips trembled. After what seemed like
several minutes, she spoke. “I leave food out every night.”
“I’ve been up through the
whole house in the middle of the night several times and I’ve never seen this
before.”
“Tonight my thoughts were
elsewhere. I did not realize you had wakened. Previously, I always knew your
whereabouts and cleared it all away before you could see.”
“That’s impossible. You
didn’t get up with me.”
“I can move fairly quickly
when I choose.”
I ran a hand through my hair.
No one was that fast, but no point arguing with her. “Who was this for? The man
you’ve been meeting?”
“No. It is for the small
ones.”
“The small whats?”
“You would likely refer to
them as the ‘wee folk.’”
“Wee folk? You mean fairies?”
“They prefer the term ‘good
people,’ but yes.”
“Why would you be leaving
food out for fairies?”
“They dislike for humans to
acknowledge their presence, but they do expect some recompense for their aid.”
Either she was still lying to
me or … oh, God. I hoped she was lying. “Just what do you believe they do that
requires recompense?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Enough.
You demanded an explanation. I gave it.”
“I don’t believe a word of
it.”
“You can believe or not; it
is your choice. I’ve no more to say on the matter.” She turned and went up the
main staircase.
I sat down on the coffee
table and put my head in my hands. Oh, God. I’d seen Aislinn lying often enough
to be sure she told the truth now. Or she believed she did. Oh, my God.
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/0TjGeqv4e5A
My Review: 4 stars
This was a well written book. The characters were intriguing, especially Ainslinn. I liked that the story was told from both of the main characters point of view, alternating whose point of view it was. Ainslinn's was, of course, a bit confusing and much longer since she had so much more background to cover, being immortal. It's a complex and interesting tale, and I know I couldn't have been in Das's shoes not being allowed to ask about Ainslinn's past, and then when he does things get even more interesting. All I know is that I wanted more when I reached the last page. Hopefully Lisa will or is working on a book two or some such thing.
About the Author:
Lisa Llamrei was born in Toronto. She
studied languages at York University. At various times, she has been an actor,
professional belly dancer and holistic nutritionist. She presently lives in
Durham region with her four daughters, and she works at a school of holistic
nutrition. Reflection of the Gods is
her first novel.
@LisaLlamrei
Thanks for sharing your review and the giveaway. Sounds like a great book. evamillien at gmail dot com Wishing everyone a wonderful and happy holiday season. evamillien at gmail dot com
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