#BookReview: Veiled By Desire (Laith #2) by Candace Robinson @literarydust

Veiled By Desire (Laith #2) by Candace Robinson
Publication Date: November 19th 2019
Publisher: The Parliament House
Genre: Fantasy / Dark Fantasy
Pages: 254
Stars: ★★★★★

In Laith, when the moons are high, Tavarra is allowed to walk the land as a human for one day, losing her seahorse-like tail. But should she remain out of the water, a curse will overtake her, turning her into a beast with sharp fangs and long claws. A beast that, on some nights, takes the shape of a rampaging, uncontrollable monster.

Rhona, along with her village, are under a sinister leader’s control. Their leader has taken Rhona from the boy she loves, stripped away her abilities and, under the threat of killing everyone she loves, forces her on a dangerous task to retrieve a dark prism that will increase his already massive powers.

When Tavarra and Rhona cross paths, they discover they need each other. Rhona knows how to help the cursed sea creature, while Tavarra knows where to find the dark prism. They embark on a mission that could help them break Tavarra’s spell and save Rhona’s family and village. But with an untamable beast inside Tavarra, nothing is certain…

*** Note: I received e-copy this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to author. ***

Previous Book in the series I read:

• Clouded By Envy (Laith, #1)

Other Books i read by the same author:

• Bacon Pie
• Hearts Are Like Balloons
• Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault (Glass Vault, #1)
• The Bride of Glass (Glass Vault #2)
• Deadman’s Tome Final Contact

Veiled By Desire was another bittersweet tale in Laith series. It’s a story of two fierce and strong female protagonists, Tavarra and Rhona. It was about heart’s desire, desire and love gone wrong because of betrayal, a dream turned to nightmare by selfishness, magical abilities, love and family taken away by sinister leader, curse and legends, fighting fears, unlikely friendship and strength of love. It packs so many things in 250 pages.

[Characters]

Tavarra was my most favorite character in the book. She was both beauty and the beast. She was fierce, strong and deadly. I could feel her emotions from the very beginning. She had to go through a lot in the book. Her friendship with Eza was like rose among thorns. I loved the way she developed in the book. How she got over betrayal and let the sunshine enter in the darkness of her soul and heart. Even after all that happened she learned to trust humans.

Rhona was great in this book. I loved her fierce and stubborn nature, her friendship with Perin and her love for her mother and Quilan. Her emotions were raw and touching. I could feel her anger at Perin for hiding many things, her frustration for not fighting Belen before it was too late, for Quilan’s cold treatment. She was developed character and loved the way she supported Tavarra.

I loved side characters too. Eza was second best character. This bat gave light and refreshing touch to this dark fantasy. She was stubborn creature, a best friend and cutest little thing. Perin was amazing. I loved his relationship with Rhona and Tavarra. I didn’t know if I liked him or not at first but he grew on me eventually. Quilan and his cousin were also amazing.

[What I liked]

It doesn’t follow the first book. This took place ages after story of siblings ended. It was more like a spinoff, we hear a brief tale of first book and you can read it as standalone.

Writing was brilliant. I said last time, Clouded by Envy was best book by Candace but she proved me wrong. This was even better than that. This has raised my expectation for third book even more. Candace is wonderful storyteller. The world, cast and characters, plot, emotions, adventure- everything was brilliant and perfectly balanced.

The story was third person narrative told alternatively from Tavarra and Rhona’s perspective. It started with Tavarra roaming the land of Laith after ill-fated curse with a terrible guilt and self-loath. She was turned into beast for not returning to sea after a day. The only thing that kept her going and maybe living was her best friend, Eza (a bat who looked like fairy with fangs and black wings), and a hope to find stone of desire that could remove the curse.

At the same time in another village of Laith, Rhona was living under control of sinister leader who took away her childhood, her love (Quilan whom she met 10 years ago), her magical abilities, and now threatened to take her mother and destroy whole village unless she set on journey with her best friend, Perin, and retrieve dark prism.

I was curious to see how Rhona and Tavarra’s path will cross and how they were going to help each other. The story was about, how Rhona will find the dark prism, if she can save her mother and if Tavarra can find the stone of desire and remove the curse and what they both will encounter in this journey, will they get what they thought was lost.

The setting and the world was the best part. Tavarra’s curse was interesting.  How she turned from mermaid to human and then beast was best part of the story. The way she turned into werewolf like beast but not just at full moon or every night but most nights. It was mesmerizing to see her change and strength. Rhona and Quilan’s abilities were unique too. Magic of prisms, crimson forest and dangers lurking in the forest, legend of Stone of Desire and humans’ arrival in Laith, bat, fairies and other creatures of Laith was wonderfully narrated.

Climax was tragic, sad and at the same time action packed. It brought tears to my eyes. End was good but tragedy made it so sad, I could feel Tavarra’s emotions. It was great and the same time I so want to change the ending and the tragic part.

Overall, it was engaging, thrilling and atmospheric dark fantasy with amazing world and characters.

Book Links: Goodreads
Affiliate Link: Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Book Depository

Let’s discuss!

What do you think about the book and review? Have you read this book already or any book by the same author? Which your most favorite dark fantasy?

Follow me on–

       

---

---