Shelves of Books Blog: Blog Tour Review and GIVEAWAY: Morrigan- Laura DeLuca

Title: Morrigan

Author: Laura DeLuca

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Synopsis:
Shuffled from place to place in the foster system, Morrigan doesn't know the meaning of home. Plus, she is different. She has power over fire, the ability to move objects with her mind, and glimpse into the future. Just when she believes her life can’t get any stranger, she discovers her true identity.

Filtiarn, a knight with a dark past and a surprising secret, has been tasked with guiding the heir of Tír na NÓg through countless perils to be returned to her family. Once Morrigan has been reunited with her mother and grandmother, their triad can save the forgotten land of magic from being devoured by an ancient evil.

Excerpt:

“Guardians!” A low snarl emanated from the back of his throat. “What are you doing with Guardians?”

“Stop it! Sit down!”

Morrigan wasn’t sure who she was addressing, the man or the animals. Luckily, they both obeyed her command. She stepped in between them to avoid any further confrontations. The cats took a seat on either side her legs, but their posture hardly relaxed. They still glared warily at the newcomer, even though their hisses died down to an occasional soft growl.

“Dirty, filthy beasts!” Tiarn snarled as he climbed to his feet. “I hate Guardians.”

“They’re just little cats,” Morrigan told him. “What’s the big deal?”

“Just cats! Hah!” He was standing at a careful distance, even though they had started licking their paws nonchalantly. “They are much more than simple cats! Though even those I find distasteful.”

Morrigan narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”

“Never mind. It does not matter.” Tiarn dismissed her question with a wave of his hand. “They are not coming with us.

“They most certainly are coming!”

Tiarn growled again. “I beg to differ with you, Your Highness. They would only get in the way. Possibly even get killed.”

Danu raised her head from her grooming to hiss at him again, as though she had taken that last statement as a personal threat. The strange reaction of her faithful sidekicks made Morrigan wonder again just how much Tiarn could be trusted. She also wondered why, when she wasn’t sure she could trust him, she still felt the undeniable urge to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him.

“If they stay here alone, they’ll definitely get killed or at least sent to the pound,” Morrigan told him. “I can’t let that happen. So, they’re coming. End of story.”

Tiarn’s eyes flashed dangerously, and he looked like he wanted to argue, but thought better of it. “Very well, Princess. Bring your mongrel felines. Just keep in mind that Guardians and lycans do not mix well.”

“Lycans?” Morrigan repeated.

A sick feeling started to settle in her stomach, as the truth of his words sunk in. It all started to make sense—his hairy arms and chest, his reaction to the cats, even his earlier comment about smelling her out. Her dark knight had a much darker side than she had ever seen in her dreams.

“Why yes, Your Majesty. Did you not realize? You are a witch and a sorceress. And I, your faithful traveling companion, am a lycan—a werewolf.”

Title: Morrigan
Author: Laura DeLuca
Pages: 320
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Review: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This is the first book that I have read by Laura DeLuca and I really enjoyed it. It was really cool because it was about the Goddess' and witchcraft. I loved the world of Tir na Nog that Laura DeLuca created. I loved how it had a renaissance feel but was also mixed with fantasy and paranormal elements. It included all of my favourite creatures; werewolves, fairies, witches and lots more. I also enjoyed all of the mysteries in the story and how the author went about unravelling those mysteries.
I enjoyed reading Morrigan's story, following her from a place were she never fit it to finding her one true spot in the world where she belongs. I'm also super happy with the side of good or evil that she chose in the end. Filtiarn was a great balance to Morrigan's character, they complemented each other. I wasn't a fan of their insta- love but I gave it a pass because they were soul-mates. I also found him to be very brave. He had to do things that made him look like the bad guy, but only because he was playing both sides for the greater good.
Overall, this was a great book with a fresh idea. It kept me interested throughout. I will be reading more by Laura DeLuca in the future because I enjoy her writing style. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy fantasy and paranormal stories.

Author Bio:

Laura “Luna” DeLuca lives at the beautiful Jersey shore with her husband and four children. She loves writing in the young adult genre because it keeps her young at heart. In addition to writing fiction, Laura is also the editor of a popular review blog called New Age Mama. She is an active member of her local pagan community, and has been studying Wicca for close to eight years. Her current works include Destiny, Destiny Unveiled, Phantom, Morrigan, Player, and Demon.