Poppy

The Deadly Flower #1

by Riana Lucas

Poppy, a young female Warrior Faery from the Unseelie Court is sent out to retrieve Halflings from the human world to help build her Kings army. A seasoned warrior, she sets out on what should be a routine exercise, but not this mission. Suddenly Poppy's world is turned upside down. She meets an odd Halfling - Reed, portals between worlds close, assassin attempts, and much much more.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fairies, Fae, Action

136 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 3, 2011

About the author

Riana Lucas is actually a duo of writers who are best friends and go by the names Nichole and Angela in the real world. Realizing that gobbling up books like hungry caterpillars and then discussing them for hours at a time wasn't fulfilling enough, the team decided to write their first book together. The Deadly Flowers Series was born out of a kernel of an idea and has grown into a four books series. The two have realized their true calling in life and plan to make a career out of writing books with strong characters who evoke true emotion.

Reviews

[Nereid · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading "The Premonition Series" by Amy A Bartol and I checked Amy's website and she was reading this book so I thought I would give it a go. Thanks for the tip Amy, what a great book.
I really enjoyed the different direction that Riana took regarding the whole Fae story line. I don't want to give too much away but would like to reiterate the fact that the twists and turns throughout the book kept you guessing. I like strong female characters and Poppy was all that and more but still managed to show a softer side in her dealings with Reed. Be prepared to be up all night till you finished the book as I was sleep deprived but had to keep going. The cliff hanger at the end of the book has me counting the days till the second book is released... I can't wait to read it.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Poppy in 2 days....once I got reading it was hard to stop. The cliff hanger had me literally gasping. The characters are well defined with enough mystery to keep you wanting more. Fortunately the next book comes out soon. Riana doesn't leave her readers hanging for long!

Poppy is a must read for anyone who likes fantasy themed books.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can view this review in it's entirety at noon on May 18th on my book review blog: http://mystmusician.wordpress.com/201...

*ahem* I have a new author for you guys to keep your eye on!! (Plus she's self-published and selflessly has her first book for 99 cents for the Kindle.) I haven't read many books on faeries but I enjoyed this book and cannot wait to start on the second one! :)

Disclaimers and such: I received this book from Riana Lucas, herself! She was brave enough to send me 2 books in this series for me to read and review! So although, I received this book for free in exchange for a review, all thoughts are my own.

First thought after finishing the first book..."What?!? What happens?? That's it?!?" *checks Kindle for possible download error*

Explanation: the book ends with a cliff hanger that is Oscar worthy and the book itself is shorter than a normal novel...so we definitely get an amazing feeling for Poppy and Reed in a short amount of time PLUS the cliff hanger. *throws hand up* I'm hooked.

Poppy is a female warrior faery in the Unseelie court and is sent on a mission to go into the human world to retrieve a "halfling" (half faery and half human). Before she leaves, Damian (her mentor) lets her in on some crazy news. The rival and enemy Queen, of the Seelie court, has apparently achieved enough power to close the portals to the human world, meaning should Poppy fail to come back in time...she could get stuck in the human world forever.

Once Poppy gets to the human realm, she quickly locates her "Halfling" and finds him giving a surf lesson...we all know about surfer boys and how beautiful they are... Plus the fact that he's half Fae apparently enhances his looks to give him that "mmmm....yummy!" factor.

Not long after her introduction with Reed, Poppy finds herself being hunted and shot at by another Fae and the chase is on to keep one step ahead of this villain while keeping herself and Reed alive. Theeeeeeeere's just one slight problem...the portals aren't opening and Poppy seems to be stuck with Reed in the human realm. Poppy soon finds herself making friends with this Halfling, even though she's never connected with any other of her missions before, and we see some possible feelings blossom. I love seeing characters fall in love...unknowingly!

Now...the ONLY thing negative about this book is that it's short. I felt like I should have been able to turn the page and keep going, but I ran right into a brick wall. Thank goodness for me...the author was awesome enough to send me the second book! I totally recommend it though and I think you'll find yourself hooked like me.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy is a spunky faery who acts as a sort of bounty hunter for the King of the Unseelie Court. In the ongoing war between the Unseelie Court and the Seelie Court, every hand is needed on deck...including those of the Halflings, who are human/faery hybrids. Most of the time, those Halflings have no idea of their lineage, and are only too happy to be taken back to something as magical as Faery land. Those jobs are easy for Poppy, who is disdainful of the human world and cares nothing for the people who inhabit it.
For Poppy's latest job, she is tasked with bringing back a very important Halfling named Reed. There's only one little catch: the Seelie Queen has somehow figured out a way to deactivate all of the portals between Faery land and the human world. Once Poppy finds Reed and convinces him to come back with her, she is unable to create a portal to take them home. On top of that, a faery assassin has been sent to kill Poppy....but sent by whom?
Reed forces Poppy to face her irrational dislike of humans, and after spending a few days in Reed's company, Poppy has to admit he has a strange allure that she can't help but be drawn to. Will Poppy be able to circumvent the Seelie Queen and find a working portal? Why is Reed so important to the Unseelie King? And why is there an assassin tracking their every move?
I genuinely enjoyed this book! Poppy is a brassy, take charge gal with wits and spunk, and she doesn't seem to be scared or intimidated by anything. She is a strong heroine; not one of those shrinking violets who always needs a boy to rescue her. Characters Poppy and Reed are well developed and relatable, and as the story winds down in Book 1, it opens up all kinds of possibilities for Book 2 and beyond.
I recommend this book for readers 15+ who enjoy fantasy and the enchanting world of Faery!

[Melanie Adkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every since Poppy could remember she'd been a part of the Unseelie Kingdom. Poppy was trained as a warrior. It was her job for the King. The King summoned Poppy to his throne room and told her she had a new mission. It was dangerous but he was sure she could handle it. His second in command of the Army, Damien gave her all the specifics. Poppy would be sent to the human world to bring back a halfling. There was an added danger. The Seelie Queen was threatening to close the portals to the human world. If she did, Poppy would be trapped there. Poppy dislikes the human world and hopes the mission will be a quick one. She couldn't foresee the problems that would become part of her mission. Reed, the halfling, isn't quite so surprised by Poppy's visit. His mother seems to have had a hand in raising her halfling son. Reed is curious about everything though. Not only does Poppy teach him about Fae things, but he teaches Poppy about friendship and caring.


This is not just any Faery story. This one brings you in and keeps you right in the action. The story is solid and the characters well defined. I kept wanting to visualize tiny little beings, then Riana Lucas introduced the halfling and said he was 6'5. *smile* You'll enjoy this book and look forward to the whole series. I know I did.


I didn't find any issues.


I gave this one 5 out of 5 books because it is a refreshing change.

[Ambra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy is a Faery from the Unseelie Court who is sent to the Human world to retrieve a Halfling named Reed and bring him to Faerie...this is her work and she does it often but now there is a problem: the portals between the worlds are being closed by the Seelie Court so Poppy is stuck with Reed while assassins are misteriously sent to attack them.
Poppy's character is well delineated and the evolution of her relationship whit Reed is quite cute and sweet (although I would have liked to hear something from Reed's point of view). There are a lot questions still unanswered at the end and action enough to entertain the reader...The only problem is that it was too short! Really, I had just begun to be taken by the story when I finished it!
If you like Melissa Marr, Elaine Corvidae and Holly Black you'll probably appreciate this book.
Waiting for the second! :)

PS: Sorry if there are mistakes but this is not my language :)

[Kelsey Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I really I have to say that I enjoyed this book! I loved the direction Riana took regarding the story of the Fae. I've read quite a few fairy themed books and I think that this one really stands out. Her writing style is great and it's uncomplicated, so I think it would appeal to anyone no matter what your reading level is. That's not to say the author is unsophisticated, because in fact her writing style is beautiful. One of my favorite things about the book, is the fact that Poppy is such a strong character. She reminds me a lot of Katniss from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Another characteristic about the book, was that the storyline took a lot of twists and turns. Just when you thought the sotry had calmed down, BAM!; you would be hit with another epic moment. Overall, I think this book is one that almost anyone can read and I definitely suggest you give it a try!



Content: 4/5
Writing Quality: 4/5
Predictability: 3/5

[Jamee Pritchard · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book of Poppy (The Deadly Flowers Series) is a wonderful start to an intriguing series about the faerie realm. It’s a story about a Warrior Fae of the Unseelie Court, Poppy, who soon discovers that the life she has lived for so long is not what it seems. Although the novel starts out slow, it picks up quickly, delving the reader into a world of magic and mystery. Author Riana Lucas is wonderfully descriptive, and her main character is both fierce and vulnerable, making for an even better read. The plot totally hooked me. The story unravels with secret after secret at a nice pace. Lucas writes an amazing end to this first book of the series, making you want to hurry and pick up the next in the series. I can honestly say that I cannot wait to continue Poppy’s story.

[Michelle Schenkel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this was a really cute book. Loved all the details given, you really felt like you were in the story. I liked the characters and can't wait to find out what happens in the next book!

[Colleen Rocha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was a fun book! Read it

[Yianna Yiannacou · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was alright. Let me start off by saying that I accidentally bought the entire series because I thought it was free on amazon. Amazon tricked me and the free price was for Prime members only. *shakes fist at computer screen*. So, either way I started reading this book hoping that I would like it. I liked it, but I did not love it. There was just WAY too much filler for my liking.

It starts off with this fierce warrior named Poppy and she sets out on a mission from her Unseelie King to retrieve a Halfling from the human world. If you haven’t realized already, Poppy is a Faerie. She was raised by Damian her mentor and second in command to the King. He taught her everything she knew about fighting and becoming a true warrior. The king assigns her to another half human half fae retreval. She goes into the human world and finds this Halfling – Reed – but when she tries to bring him home through a portal her magic is cut off. She knows that the Seelie Queen is behind it since her mentor warned her to make a quick return since the Queen planned on blocking all portals. It turns out that she wasn’t quick enough. So now she is trapped in the human world trying to get home when an unknown attacker sets after her and Reed for no apparent reason. Poppy the hard sculpted no feelings warrior warms up to Reed and makes a whole bunch of promises to him when they get back to the Unseelie Court. I don’t want to ruin anything but read to find out how she gets back to her King.

As I said before about the filler – I found myself brought back and forth between feelings for her friend Rho at home and how she misses her and how defenseless she is and how much of a good friend she is. There is at least one part in every chapter that goes back to the memory. There is also a lot of moments where the people open their mouths but don’t speak and then shut them. Ha Weird. Either way, I have to read the second one because I already bought it. Ta!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
I really enjoyed this. Hope there is more.

[Carie Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poppy is enticing and beautiful. Welcome to a new world that leave you wanting more!

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very quick read and I wasn't sure how much I liked it until the end, but the cliffhanger has me wanting to find out what happens next.

[Jacki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for Wicked Reads.

Poppy is an unseelie fae orphan who has been raised to be a fierce and loyal warrior. She knows what she is supposed to do, what she has been trained to do, and that she is good at it, but she can't help but feel that something is off. She just can't be as unfeeling as the other unseelie fae. Their cruelty just doesn't sit well with her. On her most recent mission, she meets Reed a halfling fae boy and she can't help but soften towards his sweet and kind nature. He shocks her with his natural abilities and she finds herself growing attached to him as they find themselves in a whole lot of trouble.
I found this story a little hard to get in to, but once I did I was certainly intrigued. By the time I got to the end, I wanted more. I think the cover is beautiful,I love the name Poppy, and I am intrigued by fae stories so it instantly appealed to me. It fits well into the young adult category as the main characters are teens. I think this first book could have been a little more exciting, or even lengthened to add a bit more excitement, but as I reached the end I could see the potential for this series and I am excited to read the next book. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes stories about the fae and has the patience for story development.

[Gypsy Madden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly I thought the beginning was dry. I wasn’t clicking with Poppy as she started off being too cold and analytical and the story focused more on describing the lavish settings. But I try to give a book up until the first 15% to make my decision on whether to keep reading or toss it off my Kindle. And right at that 15% mark, in walked Reed. Gorgeous, hot and knows it, humorous, devilishly tricky, and with a nod and a wink, totally won me over (though he asks far too many questions. It’s more questions than several Doctor Who companions mashed together). I loved how Reed and Poppy related and how she totally grew as a character gaining feelings, and even tried to understand him. One thing this story suffered from through was that it’s like the authors never heard of the whole show-don’t-tell rule as Poppy feels the need to tell us simply everything.

I am eagerly looking forward to further installments of this story (at the moment only books 1 & 2 are in print, but according to the author notes at the back there will be 4 total in the series). This would easily appeal to fans of Melissa Marr and Julie Kagawa who also write about the seductive dark side of the Fae for a Young Adult/New Adult audience and definitely not the children’s stories of the past.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy (Deadly Flowers 1)


I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
The drama starts on page 1 of this book and keeps up though out. When you mix Fae, Humans, and Halflings you never know just want you are going to get, and this story was a something a little different. Though action packed there are plenty of light moments and emotional tense ones too. I love an author that reveals little things thought out a storyline and not all in the beginning, you get that here. Though the book is set in a very short time frame there is a MAJOR about of character growth along with a couple twist that I didn’t see coming. By the end of the story I was very connected to both Reed and Poppy. I am looking forward to book 2 and cannot wait to read it.

[Avardsin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book okay, but it is very lacking... In fact I could explain practically in a few lines...

I kind of like poppy especially poppy interaction holly even more than poppy reaction towards the halfling. I forgot his name even though he repeated it name tons of times.

WARNING: EXTREME EXTREME EXTREME SPOILER

1) Poppy gets assigned a quest to pick up a halfing from the earth realm.
2) Poppy finds halfling and gets trapped in the earth realm as the faerie queen has closed the portals.
3) Poppy getting hunted. Poppy and the Halfling hide out in some woods.
4) Introduce the assassin: Holly. Assassin tries kill Poppy
5) Poppy and Halfing come out on top and take the Holly hostage.
6) Travel to a location where faerie energy is powerful enough to jump back across..
7) ... I wont spoil everything, but 95% of the book is listed above.

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy is a warrior for the unseelie court. The King sends her on a routine mission to bring a halfling to the court, another warrior to help the unseelie against the seelie court.

The mission is not routine. The Seelie Queen has closed the portals from fairy to the human realm. The mission becomes dangerous and longer than expected as Poppy and her halfling, Reed, are forced to journey to find a way back to fairy.

I liked this book. It is full of discovery for Poppy. She has a lot to think about. She doesn't like many of the things of the unseelie court, and she doesn't have many friends. She doesn't think highly of humans. All that she believes that she knows is tested on her mission. Life is not as she thinks it is, and she realizes that she does want friends.

The book closes on a cliffhanger. I'm ready for the next, right now!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this to read and review for the Wicked Reads Review Team

I really like the dialogue, I felt it was well described throughout the book. The characters were developed well. This was a book where once I started reading it I wanted to finish it as soon as I could. It did not take me long to read it and I got upset when I had to recharge my e-reader because I had to take a break from reading.

[Elizabeth Robbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Poppy. The writing team of Riana Lucas did a great job with this installment of the Deadly Flowers series. This story is well written, and well edited, and an absolute joy to read! I was skeptical for about five minutes as I first started to read; the first chapter starts off a little slow, but quickly becomes engrossing. The book ends in a bit of a cliffhanger so be prepared to immediately need to read the next story....its that good.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really need to stop reading this kind of book/series. I know they're not good for my brain. It's like just eating McDonald's. I don't eat McDonald's, why do I read it? I won't say this wasn't somewhat entertaining, but...yeah. McDonald's.

[Jennifer Henry]

Love this series!

[Karmin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy a good Fae story. However this book was hard to get through. I felt like the writing was very “sterile”. I am hoping Poppy: Revealed will be better.