Review: The Torn Wing by Kiki Hamilton

TITLE: The Torn Wing SERIES: The Faerie Rin #2 AUTHOR: Kiki Hamilton PUB: Fair Wind Books PUB DATE: 10/2/12 FORMAT: pb ARC SOURCE: from author

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?

THREE WORDS: Fantastical Faerie Fun

MY REVIEW: Kiki Hamilton's TheFaerie Ring (first in the series) was one of my favorite YA reads last year and featured one of my favorite YA heroines, Tiki, so I was very excited to dive into the sequel The Torn Wing. And like its predecessor, The Torn Wing instantly transported me back to bustling Victorian London and plopped me back into Tiki's thrilling adventures.

The Torn Wing picks up several months after the events of The Faerie Ring and we find Tiki and her ragtag family of former orphan pickpockets living with the charming and wealthy Rieker. The Faerie Ring is safe, but the Otherworld is anything but peaceful, as the dark Unseelie King seeks to take over not only the Otherworld, but London as well. When Tiki's world and family is at risk and a shocking revelation is made, she must work with and trust a loathed enemy, and Tiki finds herself traveling to the dangerous Otherworld to save both worlds and all that she loves.

The Torn Wing is an excellent sequel that seamlessly transitions from book one, continuing the excitement and superb historical fantasy world-building of The Faerie Ring, while further developing the characters I came to love in book one and introducing a few new captivating characters. Hamilton's storytelling and world-building continue to shine as she takes Tiki and readers into the fantastical Otherworld.

The Torn Wing moves a bit slower than book one and, while I missed the fast-paced, breathless pace of the book one, Hamilton weaves another enchanting story that kept me completely enthralled from beginning to end. From the very first page, The Torn Wing swept me away once again to Victorian London, from the gritty streets full of pickpockets to the ballroom of Buckingham Palace. What I love so much about Hamilton's world-building is how intricately layered and real it feels, and in this sequel we are transported, not just to historical London, but to the magical Otherworld. And the Otherworld is richly and lushly imagined and developed. This Otherworld is both darkly and breathtakingly beautiful, with a fascinating mix of inhabitants.

We find Tiki and her family in a very different situation than we found them in book one, as they no longer need to steal or live on the streets, instead living in Rieker's posh home. I found it interesting to see the small, subtle effects this whole new world has on the main characters, yet comforting to discover that underneath their new, nice clothes and normal duties, these characters are still the same feisty, endearing, and lovable characters I fell in love with in book one. Although, Shamus' character felt almost like a prop in this book, as he did not feature heavily into the story and when he did he was either sleeping or mentioned in passing. I wish he was given more of a necessary purpose.

Tiki is faced with several life-changing revelations in this book and goes through quite the transformation, but through it all she remains determined, brave, plucky, and all about protecting those who can't protect themselves. Rieker, while still charming and swoon-worthy, is kind of frustrating with his mysterious secrets and absences  but he is still very much the Rieker I crushed on in book one. The romance isn't overly heavy in this sequel, it doesn't dominate the story, but it is certainly there. Hamilton introduces Dain, a mysteriously compelling faerie, to the story and he and Tiki have an intriguing connection. And while Tiki and Dain certainly have their own electric chemistry, this Tiki/Rieker/Dain situation never felt like an annoying love triangle. And as much as I adore Rieker and love the relationship between he and Tiki, I'm eager to see where Tiki and Dain's connection leads.

The immediate danger and peril is more palpably felt in this sequel as Tiki and Rieker race to find a magical stone, while working with and relying on the cunning Larkin, both in London and in the Otherworld. I love the dynamic between Tiki and Larkin and how I both love to hate and hate to love Larkin. Hamilton does a great job of building layers of story, with unexpected twists and climactic build-up, all of which come together to create a thrilling and wild adventure that lead to a wicked cliffhanger.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: With The Torn Wing Kiki Hamilton has crafted an excellent sequel in an already addicting and enchanting series. This a fantastical, fun faerie read!

MY RATING

Connect with the author: Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Book Depository

Kiki Hamilton is the author of THE FAERIE RING fantasy series and a YA contemporary novel entitled THE LAST DANCE which will be released Spring 2013. She believes in magic and the idea of hidden worlds co-existing with our own. Kiki lives near Seattle, though she dreams of living in London one day. 

Review: The Faerie Ring ~5/5 Cupcakes~

TITLE: The Faerie Ring SERIES: The Faerie Ring #1 AUTHOR: Kiki Hamilton PUBLISHER: Tor Teen PUB. DATE: 8/27/11 FORMAT: hardcover, 352 pgs SOURCE: won

The Faerie Ring

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood. Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist. Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

*the Romance section is a bit spoilery*

THREE WORDS: Enchanting. Fun. Fantastical

MY “I JUST FINISHED THIS BOOK” REACTION: I really wish it wasn’t over! I want some ‘ore please. And I have the strongest urge to call everybody Gov'na.

 MY REVIEW: I’ll admit that I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with Kiki Hamilton’s The Faerie Ring as much I did, but now after reading it, I totally get why I did. Hamilton’s stunning debut has everything you could want- mystery, excitement, fantasy, heart, romance *wink wink*, compelling characters, and a completely captivating story.

            SUMMARY

In Victorian London, 16 year old Tiki and her family of ragtag orphans survive the only way they know how- thievery. But one night, Tiki steals something she shouldn’t have from the wrong people. The Faerie Ring. A beautiful ring that ensures peace between the rulers of England and the Otherworld realm of the Faeries. Tiki soon finds herself stalked by the dangerous Fae and hunted down by the royal family. Things get even more complicated when little Clara becomes deathly ill and Tiki and her family become desperate for money in order to save the young girl. With the help of the handsome and mysterious Rieker, Tiki uncovers truths about the ring, the Fae, and even herself that she never expected.

            STORY

I read The Faerie Ring in one sitting because I simply could not put it down. I was absolutely captivated and enchanted by its magic. Hamilton has created a spellbinding and riveting story that is beautifully executed and masterfully weaved. The fantasy is fun, the characters are engaging, and the writing is superb.

The story is fast paced and exciting, but never feels rushed or overwhelming. The world Hamilton creates in this book is extremely well developed, layered, and vivid. The world of 19^th century London simply comes alive within the pages of this book and feels incredibly real. From the gritty slums of the city to the grand ballroom of Buckingham Palace to the otherworldy realm of the Fae, I saw every scene and every aspect of the setting clearly and easily in my head. And I felt like I was a part of it all! The dialogue, clothes, setting, history, etc are so very authentic that I really did feel like I had been swept away to Victorian London for a few hours. Yet, despite the setting and time period of this book, it possesses a great refreshing, modern feel as well.

The fantasy elements in this book are wonderful and delightful! I loved Hamilton’s take on the world of faeries. The faeries in this book aren’t your adorable Tinkerbells. They’re dangerous, powerful, and vengeful, but completely captivating. Hamilton creates a very intricate and complex history surrounding her faeries that really impressed me.

The life of a pickpocket orphan makes for a thrilling story. I really enjoyed stalking the grimy streets of London with Tiki has she followed her marks and deftly stole from them. There’s something so exciting about knowing that what these characters are doing (stealing) is wrong, yet not caring at all and being ready to loyally defend their actions if needed. And there is something so magical and compelling about a ragtag group of orphans who have banded together and formed a surprisingly loving, tight family. The love and compassion between this little group of orphans is so touching and heartwarming.

The last quarter of the book is climactic and gasp-worthy, with unexpected twists, turns, and revelations. The ending made me smile (and maybe even tear up a bit) and left me wanting more.

            CHARACTERS

Hamilton’s characters are so awesome! They really make this book spectacular.

I absolutely love Tiki. She’s smart, feisty, brave, loyal, and compassionate. She has such heart and strength, and the way she loves her new family is breathtaking. Tiki is a great example of a female YA protagonist done right! She’s easy to relate to and impossible not to root for.

Rieker *swoons a little*…aww Rieker. This handsome, mysterious fellow is so intriguing. Even from his very first appearance, you get the feeling that there is so much more to him than what he simply lets on. But I love that even though he’s keeping secrets and isn’t always honest with Tiki, he’s always himself. Even when his secrets are revealed, his personality never changes…and thank goodness for that!

Tiki’s orphan siblings are great! Seventeen year old Shamus is such a good guy with a good heart. He’s clever, hardworking, and very protective of his little family. Shamus’ cousin, fifteen year old Fiona is such an endearing girl. She’s sweet, funny, and fanciful. Ten year old Toots is easy to love. He’s sweet and silly, but eager to prove his toughness and worth. Four year old Clara is an adorable sweetheart, who’s quite mature and serious for her age. Along with Tiki, these five orphans make an eclectic and dynamic group.

The Faerie baddies, Marcus and Larkin, are an equal mix of frightening and captivating. I really can’t wait to learn more about the Fae in the next books.

            ROMANCE

The romance between Tiki and Rieker is such a fun romance to watch unfold. From the very beginning you can feel the spark between the two and you just know its eventually going to ignite…and when it finally did? Fireworks! I actually hooted when they finally kissed ;)

I’m definitely excited to see where this romance and relationship go.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I’ve fallen in love with Kiki Hamilton’s The Faerie Ring! This is an awesomely fantastic debut of what looks to be a phenomenal series. This is most definitely a MUST read!

MY RATING

5/5 CUPCAKES

You can learn more about and connect with Kiki Hamilton here:

Website  Goodreads  Twitter  Facebook

You can purchase this book here:

Amazon  Barnes and Noble  IndieBound  Book Depository

**I'm giving away a copy of this book in my Let's Celebrate BIG Giveaway (ends 11/18/11). Enter HERE