Book Recap: The Torn Wing by Kiki Hamilton

Cover Inspection:
So pretty!

SUMMARY (book description based on GoodReads):
London 1872 -

A bloody escape, a deadly threat, a shocking revelation...

As an orphan who stole the Queen's ring - only to find the ring was a reservoir that held a truce between the world of Faerie and the British Court - Tiki’s greatest fear suddenly becomes all too real: the fey have returned to London seeking revenge. As war escalates in the Otherworld, Queen Victoria’s youngest son, Prince Leopold, is attacked. In order to protect her family and those she loves, Tiki needs to know the meaning of an fáinne sí, the birthmark that winds around her wrist. But will she be brave enough to face the truth?

BOOK REPORT CARD:

Cover	3.5
Plot	3.5
Writing	3.5
Characters	3.5
Ending	3.0
Overall Rating	3.5 Very Good! (89% to 92%) * highest rating possible is 4.0

LOCATION/SETTING:
The book is set in London during the reign of Queen Victoria. In the middle part of the story, Tiki and Reiker visit the fae world from time to time.

MAIN CHARACTERS:
Tiki, along with her orphan fmily, left their pickpocketing days behind. And now, she is temporarily living in Reiker's luxurious home. Tiki is brave, and her selflessness shines through. She remains to be the mother hen of the group, and Tiki feels responsible for each of them.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT:
In this installment, Tiki and Reiker find out the meaning of Tiki's birthmark. It just might be the thing that will save their family and friends from the UnSeelie.

LOVE:
Its been a long time since I've read The Fearie Ring, and I have forgotten what the story is all about. But lucky for us (readers who easily forget), that the important and relevant events that occurred in the first book was carefully laid down in the first chapter. With that, it was easier to understand everything that was happening - less confusion, more enjoyment.

Like in the first book, I adore the setting of the story. I have a love affair with stories set in Victorian London. Pair that with faeries, and you will have Hamilton's The Faerie Ring Series. The writing is just lovely. The language used, like in the first book, fits the setting perfectly. It has the formality, but none of stiffness. Its easy to get into.

Also, The Torn Wing is filled with so much mystery. From beginning to end, the story was driven by Reiker's secrets, Larkin's motives, and Tiki's true identity. Readers would no doubt be glued to this book from the moment they turn the first page because they would just have to find out the answer to all of those questions.

In The Torn Wing, Tiki and Reiker venture into the fae world. I loved those parts of the story. The fae world in Hamilton's books is both beautiful and terrifying. It's filled with seductive and deadly creatures: kelpies, faeries, dryads, redcaps.

NO LOVE:
I understand it when love stories hardly blossom in the first book in a series. This happens because the characters are merely getting to know each other. I applaud authors who don't jump into the insta-love band wagon as those kinds of love stories don't really feel real. However, in sequels, I expect more. And since this is already the sequel, I kind of expected that the love between Reiker and Tiki would bloom. But surprisingly, it still developed very slowly.

Along with this, it seemed that there was a chunk in the middle part of the story that really isn't relevant to the plot. It feel that those parts can be chopped off without really affecting the plot.

FAVORITE CHARACTER:
There is a new character in this book. I'm not going to reveal his name and I will not talk about him too much because I don't want to spoil things. Suffice it to say that this character is a fae boy who is as mysterious as he is seductive. Sex-ay! One of my favorite lines in the book were by him:

“You’ve already thanked me once. Don’t make yourself so beholden to me that I’m tempted to seek my payment.” His voice was a whisper. “Because you are very tempting.”

MUSINGS:
I have to admit that I didn't really like the first book. Such is not the case for this one! It's safe to say that I LOVED THIS BOOK, and it instantly became one of my favorites this year. I didn't let go of it from the time I picked it up until I turned the last page. It was THAT good. And I'm sure you guys will love it as much as I did. This is Tiki's adventure in faerie land and her quest to find herself and her heritage. A lovely fusion of history and fantasy. All in all, The Torn Wing is a fantastic follow-up to The Faerie Ring. Kiki Hamilton's fans would be blown away and would be hungry for the third installment in the series.

DOODLES:
no trailer found

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE:
Kiki Hamilton

SIMILAR READS:
The Dark Light by Sara Walsh
The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
The Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa

CONTENT REVIEW:
profanity: mild
violence: moderate
sexual content: mild
mature themes: mild
age recommendation: 13+