Reviews

And Blue Skies From Pain by Stina Leicht

calamity_mary's review against another edition

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4.0

A solid 4 stars.
This two book series deserves way more attention and praise than it has gotten over the years.
It a great urban fantasy book that refuses to stick to the usual tropes of star crossed romances and leather-clad femme fatale that can only talk in sarcastic badass banter.
The universe it's set in is well built (specially if you have an interest in Ireland and the Troubles) the main character is an ass and a hot headed mess but you can understand why and even sympathize with him, and by the end I was left with the wish there were more books in this series and maybe even some spin offs to follow the Fianna and The Order of St. Ursula's adventures.
It has it's flaws of course: the main character is left in the dark far too long as a plot device (on several instances); some plotlines lead nowhere (like the bit with the merrow) and the writing is not that great with a bit too much repetition on some points.
However, these are not mortal wounds to the narrative and I still would recommend this one to anyone that likes urban fantasy done in a refreshing way.

lyndiane's review against another edition

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5.0

January 2021 binge re-read - very glad to read that there will be more about Liam sometime in the future

Superbly written, this is a worthy sequel. The atmosphere is dark and gritty, and the conflict between humans, the Fey and the Fallen is explored in greater detail.

It is a story about mistakes, consequences, sorrow and loss that is almost tangible. Filled with nuances and dark corners aplenty, this series is a treasure that needs to be savoured.

I regret that the series has been limited to only two books, but perhaps that adds to its appeal.

virginiaduan's review against another edition

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4.0

Gah! So good. Leicht reels you in and beguiles you. So good. The Irish brogue and rhythm flow effortlessly and I am immersed in Ireland, 1977, the Fey, and Catholicism. I can't wait to read more of Leicht's work.

SO GOOD. See? I repeated that thrice so you know it must be true. GO READ IT. Beautifully written, melancholy, and a whole lot of action. WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?

survivalisinsufficient's review against another edition

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3.0

I still appreciate the setting and story, unique for a fantasy series, but this one was just a bit all over the place and not as enjoyable to read.

kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition

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3.0

Crossposted at Booklikes


I didn’t enjoy this sequel as much as I enjoy of Blood and Honey. Perhaps because I waited too long in between reading the books. This book continues the story of Liam, but it is more of a journey of discovery. In some ways, it feels as if Liam is just wandering around waiting for something to happen.

The writing, however, is good and in regards to character interactions very powerful. It’s not bad but not as gripping as the first novel

zipperbee's review against another edition

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4.0

3.5/5

I picked this up off the bargain table at the bookstore, and I'm glad I did. Even though I didn't read the first book it does a good job of filling you in on what happened that's relevant to this story. I do want to read the first now though, just to get the full depth of characters and world.

I was less interested in the sections about Liam's IRA days and driving cars, but it wasn't enough to detract from the overall narrative.

rodoh22's review

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4.0

Reall liked this follow up to the frist novel of "The Fey & The Fallen" A fun read, occasionally surprising, nice charactereisations and some really fun action, worth reading.
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