scrow1022's review
4.0
Oh, I wish I could have this in print, to read with my fullest attention, especially as they travel in and out of the fairie realm. Rich and interesting, compelling questions, complicated and rich characters. I liked how the story unfolded and resolved - it's a fairy story but not a fairy tale.
lbrick363's review
3.0
At first I was intrigued by this book, but then it got a bit boring and predictable. I kind of skimmed the last few chapters. Not sure if I'll continue the series.
readinggrrl's review
4.0
Sean O'Hara travels to Ireland to try to figure out what the mystery is behind the stone he inherited from his grandfather is. He turns to Cormac Kelly who at first blows him off as an American tourist out to make fun of druid customs. But something about Sean intrigues Cormac enough to follow him where he discovers that Sean has the attention of a crazy fairy Lord. This sets the adventure on a whole new path where lost loves, and new love meet, through time travel and danger. The past and the present converge as Cormac and Sean travel back in time to try to save someone dear to Cormac and try to break the curse that is tied to Sean's stone.
suze_1624's review
5.0
A gripping read! I would probably put at 4.75 but it definitely gets the hike up to a 5 here.
This is a story about hauntings and druids, set in current times but dealing with the sins of the past, all based in Ireland (OK, some very small visits to Boston!)
I had read rave reviews about the book but I was put off inially by the druid aspects. However, I won a copy on PantsonFire Reviews (including the follow up short) and boy am I glad I did!
Its enough set contemporary for me as I'm not a big paranormal fan and this is more Irish folklore (including mention of a shared mythological god, Mannanan) so a lot of it was not entirely foreign. The sections covering the druid work by Cormac got a bit confusing at times, and these elements required more careful reading (no skimming here!).. There are also time travel elements back to darker, more gruesome times, which were well written, if not always nice to read.
The romance element is provided by Sean and Cormac, though this is slow to build and not the main focus of the book . The book is also funny at times - sean's meeting with Yanto-with-a-Y.
So, I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good, involved tale, just dont expect lots of steamy sex scenes
This is a story about hauntings and druids, set in current times but dealing with the sins of the past, all based in Ireland (OK, some very small visits to Boston!)
I had read rave reviews about the book but I was put off inially by the druid aspects. However, I won a copy on PantsonFire Reviews (including the follow up short) and boy am I glad I did!
Its enough set contemporary for me as I'm not a big paranormal fan and this is more Irish folklore (including mention of a shared mythological god, Mannanan) so a lot of it was not entirely foreign. The sections covering the druid work by Cormac got a bit confusing at times, and these elements required more careful reading (no skimming here!).. There are also time travel elements back to darker, more gruesome times, which were well written, if not always nice to read.
The romance element is provided by Sean and Cormac, though this is slow to build and not the main focus of the book . The book is also funny at times - sean's meeting with Yanto-with-a-Y.
So, I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good, involved tale, just dont expect lots of steamy sex scenes
kaje_harper's review
5.0
This book is an intriguing fantasy, an adventure, a family story and a romance that is sweet and hot and kept me guessing right up to the end. The urban fantasy setting is familiar in its depiction of the fae and yet adds a new twist with the intermediary between humans and Sidhe being a druid main character. The writing was smooth and engaging. Occasionally I got slightly lost in the twists of shifting fantasy worlds, in mirror perhaps to the disorientation of the MC's, but most of the imagery worked very well. I liked both MC's. I appreciated the way Cormac was caught between his unresolved past with Michael and his possible future with Sean, between the demands of his calling and his desire to stop making hard choices, between the hometown he felt bound to and a man who lived an ocean away. Sean was a great character. I always enjoyed his POV, with very real concerns and uncertainties about both the unbelievable adventure he had fallen into and the equally unfamiliar romance he was beginning to become invested in. Cormac's family added warmth and depth to the story. I recommend this for readers who enjoy Urban Fantasy M/M.
bookwormlukas's review
1.0
Wildly inconsistent, and extremely confusing in places.
For me, this was a wildly inconsistent book, and I'd say that the parts I liked were outweighed by the parts I didn't like.
For what is seemingly a self-published Kindle book, I will praise the writing style of the authors, and the effort and research that obviously went into attempting to create a different story, one that you don't usually see in paranormal romance books, never mind M/M romance. I did find however, that as soon as the book dipped into fantasy and the other 'dream-like' world, the authors lost me. I don't know whether it was the spontaneity of the dream style, where anything and everything can happen, but I found myself having to re-read a lot of passages, because someone had suddenly appeared or done something and it honestly had not even registered to me what was going on.
We were also never really given a clear level of understanding of druidism, leaving me confused as to what exactly Cormac's powers or abilities were, or even the role of the stone, and how Michael somehow ended up back in time. The villans of the novel were also seemingly able to do whatever they wanted with no limitations, and their motives were never fully explained. I don't even know why they took an interest in Sean.
I will admit to not being a huge lover of fantasy if it goes too far into the genre, but I liked the idea, and the central romance of Cormac and Sean was developed well during the middle. Although I did find that the sex scenes were trying for eroticism, but ended up seeming slightly more pornographic than maybe intended.
All in all, an interesting/different read for me, but I won't be reading the sequel if that's where the authors are heading with these characters.
For me, this was a wildly inconsistent book, and I'd say that the parts I liked were outweighed by the parts I didn't like.
For what is seemingly a self-published Kindle book, I will praise the writing style of the authors, and the effort and research that obviously went into attempting to create a different story, one that you don't usually see in paranormal romance books, never mind M/M romance. I did find however, that as soon as the book dipped into fantasy and the other 'dream-like' world, the authors lost me. I don't know whether it was the spontaneity of the dream style, where anything and everything can happen, but I found myself having to re-read a lot of passages, because someone had suddenly appeared or done something and it honestly had not even registered to me what was going on.
We were also never really given a clear level of understanding of druidism, leaving me confused as to what exactly Cormac's powers or abilities were, or even the role of the stone, and how Michael somehow ended up back in time. The villans of the novel were also seemingly able to do whatever they wanted with no limitations, and their motives were never fully explained. I don't even know why they took an interest in Sean.
I will admit to not being a huge lover of fantasy if it goes too far into the genre, but I liked the idea, and the central romance of Cormac and Sean was developed well during the middle. Although I did find that the sex scenes were trying for eroticism, but ended up seeming slightly more pornographic than maybe intended.
All in all, an interesting/different read for me, but I won't be reading the sequel if that's where the authors are heading with these characters.
sylvia_is_reading's review
3.0
It started out as a 4* but it ended as a 3* because it was too long for me. How many adventures into the other realm does one story need? Everybody needed to be rescued one after the other :( I didn't like the last chapter and the epilogue very much either. Too bad because I liked the fantastical other realm and druid stuff.
I didn't like the narration very much, it felt like fairy tale telling to a children audience to me.
I didn't like the narration very much, it felt like fairy tale telling to a children audience to me.
reviewerlarissa's review
4.0
**Review for Rarely Dusty Books**
The Druid Stone is an intriguing and intense story that is steeped in magic and mystery, folklore and mythology and two exquisitely fascinating characters that will keep you on the edge of your seat and melt the screen of your reader at the same time.
As a student of folklore, I tend to be a skeptic when it comes to stories that twist and turn mythology and folklore to fit a story. While often very good, it can also turn bad (very bad). With The Druid Stone there were absolutely no worries. All the folklore and mythology ring true and the way the sidhe were portrayed was very close to old stories.
The Druid Stone is a story that has several plot angles and layers, but it’s in no way overwhelming or causes you to lose track of the story itself. There is a lot of information on Irish history and mythology, but it’s not an info dump and it doesn’t take away from the story. Rather it’s part of it. Once you start this story it’s hard not to become engrossed in Sean’s nightmares (which can be very detailed and graphic at times) and his sweetness or Cormac’s stubbornness and their adventures together.
The writing is graphic and engrossing, not one sided or static, something that’s not always easy to find. Sometimes with two authors writing together, it’s easy to see where one stops and the other stars, but there is none of that in The Druid Stone. Instead both authors create a vividly intense story.
Sean and Cormac are their own persons and have their own voices and make their own choices in the story. There is a definite romance between the two, but it’s not quite obvious. There are no candlelight dinners and roses, but two fiercely independent characters who are perfect for each other. They are also very stubborn, so it takes them a while to work out the kinks (and add a few).
The Druid Stone is a story I definitely recommend for readers who like a good blend of Urban Fantasy, action, adventure, mystery, mythology and two steamy hot manly characters who definitely know how to use their equipment.
The Druid Stone is an intriguing and intense story that is steeped in magic and mystery, folklore and mythology and two exquisitely fascinating characters that will keep you on the edge of your seat and melt the screen of your reader at the same time.
As a student of folklore, I tend to be a skeptic when it comes to stories that twist and turn mythology and folklore to fit a story. While often very good, it can also turn bad (very bad). With The Druid Stone there were absolutely no worries. All the folklore and mythology ring true and the way the sidhe were portrayed was very close to old stories.
The Druid Stone is a story that has several plot angles and layers, but it’s in no way overwhelming or causes you to lose track of the story itself. There is a lot of information on Irish history and mythology, but it’s not an info dump and it doesn’t take away from the story. Rather it’s part of it. Once you start this story it’s hard not to become engrossed in Sean’s nightmares (which can be very detailed and graphic at times) and his sweetness or Cormac’s stubbornness and their adventures together.
The writing is graphic and engrossing, not one sided or static, something that’s not always easy to find. Sometimes with two authors writing together, it’s easy to see where one stops and the other stars, but there is none of that in The Druid Stone. Instead both authors create a vividly intense story.
Sean and Cormac are their own persons and have their own voices and make their own choices in the story. There is a definite romance between the two, but it’s not quite obvious. There are no candlelight dinners and roses, but two fiercely independent characters who are perfect for each other. They are also very stubborn, so it takes them a while to work out the kinks (and add a few).
The Druid Stone is a story I definitely recommend for readers who like a good blend of Urban Fantasy, action, adventure, mystery, mythology and two steamy hot manly characters who definitely know how to use their equipment.
brewergnome's review
3.0
An enjoyable summer beach read. A fun gay romance, a paranormal mystery/problem that's better fleshed out than is the norm for romances. Quite enjoyable.