Lovin' los libros

Veiled Shadows (Age of Alandria #2)
   by: Morgan Wylie

Publication Date: Oct. 1, 2013
Publisher: Red Cabin Publishing
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC received from InkSlingerPR and the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 360 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars



My Review:

I was so excited to sign up for the second book in Morgan's Age of Alandria series! I really enjoyed reading Silent Orchids earlier in the year and so I definitely wanted to jump back in with Kaeleigh, Daegan, Finn, and Chel and see what was next for them. Veiled Shadows picks up where Silent Orchids left off, after a rather surprising revelation in regards to Kaeleigh's family comes to light. Veiled Shadows is a very descriptive book. Morgan does not leave you lost or unable to pick back up where the first book left off, which I really appreciated. Sometimes too much description can take away from a book, and while I did find I struggled a bit to find my groove, I felt it was necessary to understand the lore and the world-building. Those two elements alone are what make this series really stand out in the fantasy genre.

Kaeleigh- Oh Kaeleigh. She has so much thrown at her that I felt overwhelmed FOR her! She has finally found a sense of belonging- of discovering her roots and ancestry and for someone who has longed for a family for so long- this is HUGE for her. She is so overcome by emotion and I felt so much for her in this book. She is no stranger to loss, and as much as her friends want to protect her from it- they can't. They can only offer to support her and promise to continue the journey with her.

Finn and Chel are tried and true companions. They would do whatever necessary for their friend and I found their loyalty to be awe-inspiring. Chel, on the brink of learning how to shift, is there for Kaeleigh and ready to be her rock. Finn, was kept at a bit of a distance at first, but then new developments concerning his and Kaeleigh's relationship are made a factor. I can't particularly say I care for those developments, but I will trust Morgan knows what she's doing. It IS her story after all. ;) Finn remains a loyal friend to her, though I am quite curious to find out more about him and his exile!

Daegan- Be still my swooning heart! I said in my first review that he is such a stoic character that really runs hot and cold. One minute he is hard, unfeeling and the next he is compassionate and caring. In this book, he is much the same for the beginning of the book, but once Kaeleigh makes a life-altering decision, she begins to see those flashes of vulnerability more often and she starts to see him as more than the man who is bound to protect her. She sees him as a friend, someone she can trust, but more than that- she starts seeing him as more. As I said earlier, this book really has more description than it does action- However, once the Kaeleigh/Daegan interactions started up, I HAD to see how this was going to play out. And I want to pull out my hair!!! I love Daegan. I ship him and Kaeleigh so hard ok?! They have delicious tension and it's amazing how much a simple touch can bring both of them to their knees. However, we knew Daegan was in some trouble with the evil Maliena, and at one point I was quite frustrated with him. Thankfully, Daegan is filled with loyalty and honor and we have to hope he'll make the right choices in the end.

Needless to say- I'm ready for book 3! I am anxious to see what will happen next, especially now that Kaeleigh and crew have made some very powerful enemies. We have to hold out hope that she has more allies on her side and that they all are aiming for a common goal: to save Alandria from being destroyed and fading into nothingness.


About Morgan Wylie:

Morgan Wylie, originally from the Pacific Northwest, now resides near Nashville, TN with her husband and daughter. She and her husband work everyday at their individual and combined creative pursuits while she learns to balance being “Mama”, wife, and mediator to the many voices and muses constantly chattering in her head.






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