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The Fae #1
The Exile
Brianna Hai runs an occult shop that sells useless trinkets to tourists—and real magic supplies to witches and warlocks. The magical painting that hangs in Brianna's apartment is the last portal between the fae and human worlds.
A shocking magical assault on her home reveals to Brianna that her father, High King Liu of the Fae, is under attack. With the help of her gargoyle, Pug, her friend David, and Angelo, a police detective who doesn't believe in magic, Brianna recovers what was stolen from her and becomes an unwilling potential heir to the throne.
A suspenseful urban fantasy with a hint of romance, The Exile is the first solo novel by C. T. Adams, who is half of USA Today bestselling author Cat Adams. Like the Cat Adams Blood Singer novels, The Exile is set in a world where magic is real and contains Adams's trademark blend of suspense, action, humor, and strongly emotional writing.
A shocking magical assault on her home reveals to Brianna that her father, High King Liu of the Fae, is under attack. With the help of her gargoyle, Pug, her friend David, and Angelo, a police detective who doesn't believe in magic, Brianna recovers what was stolen from her and becomes an unwilling potential heir to the throne.
A suspenseful urban fantasy with a hint of romance, The Exile is the first solo novel by C. T. Adams, who is half of USA Today bestselling author Cat Adams. Like the Cat Adams Blood Singer novels, The Exile is set in a world where magic is real and contains Adams's trademark blend of suspense, action, humor, and strongly emotional writing.
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 10, 2015
30 people are currently reading
989 people want to read
About the author
C.T. Adams
34 books305 followersAlso known as Cat Adams, a dual-partnership writing team with Cathy Clamp.
She spent seventeen years in the Denver metro area and now resides in Texas with a large dog and pet cats. Office work provided a living while she pursued the goal of becoming a novelist. Forming the partnership with Cathy Clamp was the catalyst that led to publication and the two have enjoyed a long and fruitful collaboration, with two series published within the Tor Paranormal Romance line: The Sazi, and the Kate Reilly/Thrall books. In addition they have authored stand-alone novels and participated in several anthologies. Working both as a team with Cathy and individually, Cie plans to be involved in writing novels for years to come.
She spent seventeen years in the Denver metro area and now resides in Texas with a large dog and pet cats. Office work provided a living while she pursued the goal of becoming a novelist. Forming the partnership with Cathy Clamp was the catalyst that led to publication and the two have enjoyed a long and fruitful collaboration, with two series published within the Tor Paranormal Romance line: The Sazi, and the Kate Reilly/Thrall books. In addition they have authored stand-alone novels and participated in several anthologies. Working both as a team with Cathy and individually, Cie plans to be involved in writing novels for years to come.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
September 10, 2017
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
3.5 stars
So. THE EXILE got off to a bit of a rocky start for me.
Actually, that's not true. The very, very beginning was excellent. There was a truly spectacular prologue involving the High King of the Fae and this really cool Fates/triple-faced goddess mashup person . . .
YES. That does sound awesome, doesn't it?
BUT. Between the awesome prologue and the first 7 chapters, there were 7 POV changes, and 6 different POVs.
That's a lot. Even for me, and I'm used to the multiple and frequent changes in perspective that come with reading high fantasy.
Then there was this weird altercation with the High King (Leu) and some pixies . . .
We come in after it's over and a multitude of pixy corpses and one dead guard are on the ground. Leu's friend (a DRAGON) shows up, and almost immediately, Leu is attacked again, this time by High Fae, with the pixies fighting on his behalf.
So the pixies attack Leu, he kills them, then he's attacked AGAIN, but this time they're all on the same team?
Ummm . . .?
To be fair, some kind of discussion transpired between Leu and the surviving pixies between battles, but it took place so quickly that the transference of allegiances was unclear, and then, "Oh no, more assassins!" so we're forced to just roll with the punches.
I don't like rolling with the punches.
I like to have a clear understanding of what is going on and why.
Not confusing but still aggravating were the numerous asinine detailings of random and ordinary car-type things:
There were several other drawn-out, worthless car-thing descriptions, as well as numerous throwaway comments about car alarms beeping in time with flashing brake lights and the like, AND WHO THE HELL BLOODY CARES?!
Stranger still were the awkward metaphors like, "Shaking herself like a dog shedding water," and the use of dated jargon like, "She was one tough customer." The love interest restrains himself from “giggling” b/c it would be “very unmanly.” *rolls eyes*
BUT.
It wasn't all bad. It wasn't even mostly bad, and once Adams found her groove, the distracting and unnecessary details, the inelegant turns of phrase, and jarring changes in perspective became fewer and further between.
One of the things I like most about new series is trying to figure out who the bad guy is. Only this is a Fae-based series, so they're pretty much ALL bad guys, and you have to figure out who the WORST guy is. *throws head back and laughs maniacally*
LOVE it.
There were several especially interesting characters, my favorite being one of Brianna's many half-sisters, a full-blooded Fae who lets her other brothers and sisters believe she's as dimwitted as her lovely, but less-than-clever mother had been, and for once that type of behavior is okay, b/c it's about survival.
The various types of trolls and other lesser Fae have a lot of potential too, and if it strikes you as an unlikely coincidence that Bri, a half human who doesn't look down her nose at them, is the most attractive choice of leader for those scorned and often mistreated Fae, LKH is listed as one of Adams' favorite authors on her blog page.
Overall, THE EXILE by C.T. Adams is a satisfactory start to my FAEvorite type of Urban Fantasy series. Full of plotting and scheming High Fae, a variety of clever, bloodthirsty trolls, and kittens in need of rescue from BBQ-happy doxies, this first installment of THE FAE will ensure that you stick around for the next chapter. Recommended.
Author interview here (if you're interested): http://rabidreads.ca/2015/03/author-i...
3.5 stars
So. THE EXILE got off to a bit of a rocky start for me.
Actually, that's not true. The very, very beginning was excellent. There was a truly spectacular prologue involving the High King of the Fae and this really cool Fates/triple-faced goddess mashup person . . .
YES. That does sound awesome, doesn't it?
BUT. Between the awesome prologue and the first 7 chapters, there were 7 POV changes, and 6 different POVs.
That's a lot. Even for me, and I'm used to the multiple and frequent changes in perspective that come with reading high fantasy.
Then there was this weird altercation with the High King (Leu) and some pixies . . .
We come in after it's over and a multitude of pixy corpses and one dead guard are on the ground. Leu's friend (a DRAGON) shows up, and almost immediately, Leu is attacked again, this time by High Fae, with the pixies fighting on his behalf.
So the pixies attack Leu, he kills them, then he's attacked AGAIN, but this time they're all on the same team?
Ummm . . .?
To be fair, some kind of discussion transpired between Leu and the surviving pixies between battles, but it took place so quickly that the transference of allegiances was unclear, and then, "Oh no, more assassins!" so we're forced to just roll with the punches.
I don't like rolling with the punches.
I like to have a clear understanding of what is going on and why.
Not confusing but still aggravating were the numerous asinine detailings of random and ordinary car-type things:
He hit the button to unlock it and climbed behind the wheel, shivering a little. The temperature had dropped with the sunset, Starting the engine, he turned the defroster all the way to high so that it would clear the fog from the windows as it heated the cabin.
There were several other drawn-out, worthless car-thing descriptions, as well as numerous throwaway comments about car alarms beeping in time with flashing brake lights and the like, AND WHO THE HELL BLOODY CARES?!
Stranger still were the awkward metaphors like, "Shaking herself like a dog shedding water," and the use of dated jargon like, "She was one tough customer." The love interest restrains himself from “giggling” b/c it would be “very unmanly.” *rolls eyes*
BUT.
It wasn't all bad. It wasn't even mostly bad, and once Adams found her groove, the distracting and unnecessary details, the inelegant turns of phrase, and jarring changes in perspective became fewer and further between.
One of the things I like most about new series is trying to figure out who the bad guy is. Only this is a Fae-based series, so they're pretty much ALL bad guys, and you have to figure out who the WORST guy is. *throws head back and laughs maniacally*
LOVE it.
There were several especially interesting characters, my favorite being one of Brianna's many half-sisters, a full-blooded Fae who lets her other brothers and sisters believe she's as dimwitted as her lovely, but less-than-clever mother had been, and for once that type of behavior is okay, b/c it's about survival.
The various types of trolls and other lesser Fae have a lot of potential too, and if it strikes you as an unlikely coincidence that Bri, a half human who doesn't look down her nose at them, is the most attractive choice of leader for those scorned and often mistreated Fae, LKH is listed as one of Adams' favorite authors on her blog page.
Overall, THE EXILE by C.T. Adams is a satisfactory start to my FAEvorite type of Urban Fantasy series. Full of plotting and scheming High Fae, a variety of clever, bloodthirsty trolls, and kittens in need of rescue from BBQ-happy doxies, this first installment of THE FAE will ensure that you stick around for the next chapter. Recommended.
Author interview here (if you're interested): http://rabidreads.ca/2015/03/author-i...
March 29, 2015
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/03/29/b...
C.T. Adams has written books as Cat Adams, a dual-partnership writing team with Cathy Clamp. I’ve never read anything by either author before, so I was looking forward to starting out with Ms. Adams’ first solo full-length novel The Exile, especially since I love stories about the fae.
The protagonist Brianna Hai lives a double life as necessitated by her own very nature. By day the half-human, half-fae young woman runs an occult shop selling innocent knickknacks to tourists, while hanging in her home is a magical painting which acts as a portal between our real world and the world of the faerie. As the daughter of High King Leu of Fae, Brianna enjoyed a childhood living amongst the wonders and delights of her father’s realm until her mother, a powerful human witch, changed the Veil that separated the worlds. All crossings between them are now governed by a new set of strict rules.
One day an unexpected attack by doxies on her apartment lands Brianna and her colleague David and his brother Nick back in Leu’s court, where she also discovers that her father may be in trouble. Having spent most of her life living as a human, Brianna is unused to the dangers of Fae politics, but she’ll have to deal with them in order to bring herself and her friends safely home.
This was a great book; I loved the story. However, from a technical standpoint, I stumbled a little with the writing.
The Exile will wow readers with a luscious, excitement filled plot. There’s very little downtime as we’re ushered from scene to scene, and something important happens in every one. The book is also filled with rich, beautiful descriptions of the Fae world, everything from the surroundings of King Leu’s palace and the huge variety of different fae that live in his magical domain, right down to the finest details about what the court lords and ladies wear and to the decadent food they eat. I seriously loved this.
I also enjoyed the characters and was impressed with Brianna most of all. The author paints a very unique picture of the fae, but at its heart they are still the conniving tricksters that make their stories such a delight. Being able to survive their world of ruthless politics and backstabbing is no mean feat, but Brianna manages to navigate this quagmire with aplomb. Despite being rusty in her knowledge of the ways and traditions of the fae, she’s frequently able to use her quick thinking and resourcefulness to get out of trouble.
The writing itself was what I struggled with most of all, along with the pacing of the story. Simply put, too much happens much too quickly, and not exactly in a way that’s desirable. The plot elements and the events in the timeline feel disjointed, particularly because there are so many character perspectives and so many point-of-view changes, all within a relatively short period of time. This gives the book an aura of confused, disorganized energy. Stylistically, there’s also something about Adams’ prose that I find distracting. I get jarred out of my immersion when I come across passages like:
“Nick didn’t consider himself overly modest, but he had never particularly liked being naked in front of strangers…”
Apparently, Nick has had plenty of experience to be naked in front of strangers…or it sounded that way in context, at least. Also, I imagine not too many people do, so I find his musing sort of unnecessary. Another example:
“Ulrich’s voice sounded strained and strange.”
Strained AND strange? I imagine the former would already suggest the latter. Little redundancies like this along with other instances of awkward phrasing gave me pause and stalled my reading somewhat.
That said, overall The Exile was a pretty good read. It’s entertaining and grabbed my attention right away, which is by far the most important criterion, especially considering that it’s the first installment of a series. It’s an urban fantasy, but to me it also feels very different from the usual standard UF fare. The way things are going, I believe these books will go above and beyond simply chronicling the main character’s life and her immediate interactions and surroundings. Instead, the world-building feels very important too, and the narrative seems just as focused on the bigger picture. To me that means future plot developments will probably surprise us with large scale repercussions for both the human and fae worlds.
I’m definitely planning on sticking around to see what happens next.
C.T. Adams has written books as Cat Adams, a dual-partnership writing team with Cathy Clamp. I’ve never read anything by either author before, so I was looking forward to starting out with Ms. Adams’ first solo full-length novel The Exile, especially since I love stories about the fae.
The protagonist Brianna Hai lives a double life as necessitated by her own very nature. By day the half-human, half-fae young woman runs an occult shop selling innocent knickknacks to tourists, while hanging in her home is a magical painting which acts as a portal between our real world and the world of the faerie. As the daughter of High King Leu of Fae, Brianna enjoyed a childhood living amongst the wonders and delights of her father’s realm until her mother, a powerful human witch, changed the Veil that separated the worlds. All crossings between them are now governed by a new set of strict rules.
One day an unexpected attack by doxies on her apartment lands Brianna and her colleague David and his brother Nick back in Leu’s court, where she also discovers that her father may be in trouble. Having spent most of her life living as a human, Brianna is unused to the dangers of Fae politics, but she’ll have to deal with them in order to bring herself and her friends safely home.
This was a great book; I loved the story. However, from a technical standpoint, I stumbled a little with the writing.
The Exile will wow readers with a luscious, excitement filled plot. There’s very little downtime as we’re ushered from scene to scene, and something important happens in every one. The book is also filled with rich, beautiful descriptions of the Fae world, everything from the surroundings of King Leu’s palace and the huge variety of different fae that live in his magical domain, right down to the finest details about what the court lords and ladies wear and to the decadent food they eat. I seriously loved this.
I also enjoyed the characters and was impressed with Brianna most of all. The author paints a very unique picture of the fae, but at its heart they are still the conniving tricksters that make their stories such a delight. Being able to survive their world of ruthless politics and backstabbing is no mean feat, but Brianna manages to navigate this quagmire with aplomb. Despite being rusty in her knowledge of the ways and traditions of the fae, she’s frequently able to use her quick thinking and resourcefulness to get out of trouble.
The writing itself was what I struggled with most of all, along with the pacing of the story. Simply put, too much happens much too quickly, and not exactly in a way that’s desirable. The plot elements and the events in the timeline feel disjointed, particularly because there are so many character perspectives and so many point-of-view changes, all within a relatively short period of time. This gives the book an aura of confused, disorganized energy. Stylistically, there’s also something about Adams’ prose that I find distracting. I get jarred out of my immersion when I come across passages like:
“Nick didn’t consider himself overly modest, but he had never particularly liked being naked in front of strangers…”
Apparently, Nick has had plenty of experience to be naked in front of strangers…or it sounded that way in context, at least. Also, I imagine not too many people do, so I find his musing sort of unnecessary. Another example:
“Ulrich’s voice sounded strained and strange.”
Strained AND strange? I imagine the former would already suggest the latter. Little redundancies like this along with other instances of awkward phrasing gave me pause and stalled my reading somewhat.
That said, overall The Exile was a pretty good read. It’s entertaining and grabbed my attention right away, which is by far the most important criterion, especially considering that it’s the first installment of a series. It’s an urban fantasy, but to me it also feels very different from the usual standard UF fare. The way things are going, I believe these books will go above and beyond simply chronicling the main character’s life and her immediate interactions and surroundings. Instead, the world-building feels very important too, and the narrative seems just as focused on the bigger picture. To me that means future plot developments will probably surprise us with large scale repercussions for both the human and fae worlds.
I’m definitely planning on sticking around to see what happens next.
March 16, 2015
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I have a major weakness when it comes to faes so when I saw the novel, I was immediately intrigued. All this was confirmed as soon as I started reading it and when I was completely swept away by the story.
I was a little surprised at first because the format is a little different from what is usually found in urban fantasy. Indeed, we follow here the POV of several characters moving around Brianna, though she remains central and recurring in the history compared to the others. I was a bit scared to see that we were left with a lot of characters without really connecting them, but this is not the case at all in this novel. Even if we follow different persons, especially Nick, Liu, and Brianna, it helps us understanding everything, especially as they advance together in the early chapters.
Brianna is a princess, the daughter of the king of the fae, but her half-human side has always set her slightly back from her siblings, especially when we know that her mother was considered as a criminal in this parallel world. This is also why the young woman lives among humans and avoids all the political shenanigans. Alas, her world will change when she finds herself attacked in her home by a variety of pixies. Accompanied by her best friend David and his brother Nick (who does not really believe in magic), our three protagonists will go in Faery to realize that troubles are just beginning. Yes, as the veil between the worlds only allows partly human individuals to go through, faes can not kidnap anyone as they used to. But the arrival of Nick and David will raise many desires and it will be very difficult for Brianna to manage all the problems it generates. But in addition to this, our heroine will also have to face the consequences of a big change: it seems that her latest actions have placed her on the list of possible heirs to the throne, something she did not really want. Political intrigues, conspiracies, betrayals, are present here.
I really enjoyed Brianna! This is a girl who really loves her father and she is willing to do anything to help the people she cares of. She is strong and courageous, but she is not really interested in becoming a sovereign. No, she only hopes to live a quiet life away from everything. Alas, it seems that all this seems impossible when on her way home, she finds herself in the midst of a political intrigue. I also loved to discover more about the faes, although eventually we still have a lot to understand as how this world is truly governed. We learn a little bit about Brianna’s past and what she had endured to get there. Liu, the king, is an interesting protagonist to discover because of his different facets, the father and the king often compete.
But as I said, we also follow Nick… Ah Nick… We feel that there is an attraction between the two characters and at the same time there is no time for anything, I’m curious to see if we feel something more present in the next volumes. The only things that disturbed me a little are all the stories with the police in the human world. I admit that I had trouble seeing why Brianna was the suspect, and why everyone was interested in her that way, but this is ultimately a detail.
In any case, I had a great time with this novel. We have a good introduction to the series. It takes us from the first chapter and we’re pleased until the end. I am now very curious to read more to find out the next Brianna’s actions, especially after such a purpose. A very good story to discover!
My English review
I have a major weakness when it comes to faes so when I saw the novel, I was immediately intrigued. All this was confirmed as soon as I started reading it and when I was completely swept away by the story.
I was a little surprised at first because the format is a little different from what is usually found in urban fantasy. Indeed, we follow here the POV of several characters moving around Brianna, though she remains central and recurring in the history compared to the others. I was a bit scared to see that we were left with a lot of characters without really connecting them, but this is not the case at all in this novel. Even if we follow different persons, especially Nick, Liu, and Brianna, it helps us understanding everything, especially as they advance together in the early chapters.
Brianna is a princess, the daughter of the king of the fae, but her half-human side has always set her slightly back from her siblings, especially when we know that her mother was considered as a criminal in this parallel world. This is also why the young woman lives among humans and avoids all the political shenanigans. Alas, her world will change when she finds herself attacked in her home by a variety of pixies. Accompanied by her best friend David and his brother Nick (who does not really believe in magic), our three protagonists will go in Faery to realize that troubles are just beginning. Yes, as the veil between the worlds only allows partly human individuals to go through, faes can not kidnap anyone as they used to. But the arrival of Nick and David will raise many desires and it will be very difficult for Brianna to manage all the problems it generates. But in addition to this, our heroine will also have to face the consequences of a big change: it seems that her latest actions have placed her on the list of possible heirs to the throne, something she did not really want. Political intrigues, conspiracies, betrayals, are present here.
I really enjoyed Brianna! This is a girl who really loves her father and she is willing to do anything to help the people she cares of. She is strong and courageous, but she is not really interested in becoming a sovereign. No, she only hopes to live a quiet life away from everything. Alas, it seems that all this seems impossible when on her way home, she finds herself in the midst of a political intrigue. I also loved to discover more about the faes, although eventually we still have a lot to understand as how this world is truly governed. We learn a little bit about Brianna’s past and what she had endured to get there. Liu, the king, is an interesting protagonist to discover because of his different facets, the father and the king often compete.
But as I said, we also follow Nick… Ah Nick… We feel that there is an attraction between the two characters and at the same time there is no time for anything, I’m curious to see if we feel something more present in the next volumes. The only things that disturbed me a little are all the stories with the police in the human world. I admit that I had trouble seeing why Brianna was the suspect, and why everyone was interested in her that way, but this is ultimately a detail.
In any case, I had a great time with this novel. We have a good introduction to the series. It takes us from the first chapter and we’re pleased until the end. I am now very curious to read more to find out the next Brianna’s actions, especially after such a purpose. A very good story to discover!
March 5, 2019
2/28/19:
The Exile was a first read for me, from an author who I'd never before tried, though she has other series to her credit. This was volume one, in an urban fantasy series, with main character Brianna, who is half Fae and half human/witch. The writing was very fast paced and action-based. I was sometimes jolted from immersion in the story by grammar and word-usage issues...but otherwise, this was a quick read.
The plot is... not quite convoluted, and not confusing, but somewhat unstructured, so I would refer potential readers to the synopsis/blurb for a general idea. One note: the blurb describes the story as having "elements of romance novels," and it really does not. Maddeningly, the teaser on the back of the paperback edition basically gives away the most important plot development.
The world-building was disappointingly minimal. Descriptions of Fae elements in the human world were okay, and preferable to under-explored depictions of the land of Faerie. A stereotypical element was the gritty, urban human settings contrasted with the wealthy and highly-decorated un-named Faerie city. The rest of the Faerie landscape was left frustratingly undescribed. The use of magic was also really rather minimal, for a fantasy book. There are sentences containing phrases like "he became invisible," or "she cast the spell," without any actual description of how the magic works, or even how it looks when it's happening. It's also frustrating that there are magical items which are barely described or explained.
The characterization was a bit topical: though I enjoyed some characters, their personalities and motivations often seemed designed to move the plot forward, rather than being an intrinsic part of their being. Favorites were Pug, an enigmatic, living gargoyle, and Brianna's friend and roommate; and David, her employee and friend who has a mysterious part-Fae ancestry. I would have liked to know more about David, as opposed to his brother, Nick. Nick becomes the "handsome-strong-protective-and-amazingly-still-single" male love-interest. Very typical. Brianna herself is written as far too perfect to be very accessible or relatable, as a main character. Which is unfortunate, because a few flaws or hang-ups would make her more interesting, and her 'life events' are really the basis of the story. A huge amount of detail is focused on character appearance.
The author includes a disclaimer at the start of the book, indicating that the Sidhe peoples, and the world of Faerie, in this book are the product of her own imagination and not based on any prior work, any other author's conception, or anyone's religion. This annoyed me, because clearly she has read a fair amount of the fantasy genre, in order to be familiar with and influenced by its standard components. The Sidhe, pixies, brownies, doxies, kelpies, nixies, gargoyles, trolls, dryads, shape-shifting dragons, Fates, witches, "the veil between the worlds," and other elements of the fairy/faery/fantasy genres were all present (although they featured minimally in the story events). To be fair, the author does also indicate that she does not want to offend anyone with her own personal take on these elements.
This was between a 2.5 to 3 star read for me [ 3/3/19 edited: please see below]. I admit that I was pulled along by the plot, which was scattered but pretty engaging. Multiple points-of-view added to the randomness of the sequence of events, though. The story felt like it was trying to be simultaneously plot-driven and character-driven, which was confusing at times. There wasn't much foreshadowing, so I was constantly surprised, which was enjoyable. Many of the characters were well-intentioned and good-hearted, which was refreshing.
The majority of the 'humanoid' characters, though, were thoroughly described - ad nauseum - as beautiful/handsome/flawless, including massive detail about tall/slim/muscular/or curvaceous bodies; perfect hair, perfect make-up, perfect revealing clothing; ideal intellect, ideal skills, and admirable senses of humor. Really, none of the main characters had any physical flaws, or were depicted in non-traditional, non-super-model ways. That factor was very adolescent to me. One minor character was even referred to as having a "centerfold" body: seriously?! Please, no. On the plus side, I can add that both male and female characters were equally strong (physically and mentally) and/or fully in charge of their own lives and choices. Another plus was at least two LGBTQ characters.
I am conflicted about whether or not to read the second book, forthcoming. I have the itch to know "what happens next," but also dread the stereotypical characterization. The people who were supposed to feel like "heroines" or "heroes" to me were far too two-dimensional and I had trouble rooting for them. We'll see. With 6000+ volumes on my to-read pile, there are plenty of other choices to keep me busy.
* Edited 3/3/19 to reflect an evolving opinion: I'm downgrading this one to a 2-star read. For an established author, there were just too many things annoying me, or distracting me from immersion in the story, to go with a higher rating. Other readers may feel differently, and if so, I hope you do enjoy the series, but I'm not going any further with it.
The Exile was a first read for me, from an author who I'd never before tried, though she has other series to her credit. This was volume one, in an urban fantasy series, with main character Brianna, who is half Fae and half human/witch. The writing was very fast paced and action-based. I was sometimes jolted from immersion in the story by grammar and word-usage issues...but otherwise, this was a quick read.
The plot is... not quite convoluted, and not confusing, but somewhat unstructured, so I would refer potential readers to the synopsis/blurb for a general idea. One note: the blurb describes the story as having "elements of romance novels," and it really does not. Maddeningly, the teaser on the back of the paperback edition basically gives away the most important plot development.
The world-building was disappointingly minimal. Descriptions of Fae elements in the human world were okay, and preferable to under-explored depictions of the land of Faerie. A stereotypical element was the gritty, urban human settings contrasted with the wealthy and highly-decorated un-named Faerie city. The rest of the Faerie landscape was left frustratingly undescribed. The use of magic was also really rather minimal, for a fantasy book. There are sentences containing phrases like "he became invisible," or "she cast the spell," without any actual description of how the magic works, or even how it looks when it's happening. It's also frustrating that there are magical items which are barely described or explained.
The characterization was a bit topical: though I enjoyed some characters, their personalities and motivations often seemed designed to move the plot forward, rather than being an intrinsic part of their being. Favorites were Pug, an enigmatic, living gargoyle, and Brianna's friend and roommate; and David, her employee and friend who has a mysterious part-Fae ancestry. I would have liked to know more about David, as opposed to his brother, Nick. Nick becomes the "handsome-strong-protective-and-amazingly-still-single" male love-interest. Very typical. Brianna herself is written as far too perfect to be very accessible or relatable, as a main character. Which is unfortunate, because a few flaws or hang-ups would make her more interesting, and her 'life events' are really the basis of the story. A huge amount of detail is focused on character appearance.
The author includes a disclaimer at the start of the book, indicating that the Sidhe peoples, and the world of Faerie, in this book are the product of her own imagination and not based on any prior work, any other author's conception, or anyone's religion. This annoyed me, because clearly she has read a fair amount of the fantasy genre, in order to be familiar with and influenced by its standard components. The Sidhe, pixies, brownies, doxies, kelpies, nixies, gargoyles, trolls, dryads, shape-shifting dragons, Fates, witches, "the veil between the worlds," and other elements of the fairy/faery/fantasy genres were all present (although they featured minimally in the story events). To be fair, the author does also indicate that she does not want to offend anyone with her own personal take on these elements.
This was between a 2.5 to 3 star read for me [ 3/3/19 edited: please see below]. I admit that I was pulled along by the plot, which was scattered but pretty engaging. Multiple points-of-view added to the randomness of the sequence of events, though. The story felt like it was trying to be simultaneously plot-driven and character-driven, which was confusing at times. There wasn't much foreshadowing, so I was constantly surprised, which was enjoyable. Many of the characters were well-intentioned and good-hearted, which was refreshing.
The majority of the 'humanoid' characters, though, were thoroughly described - ad nauseum - as beautiful/handsome/flawless, including massive detail about tall/slim/muscular/or curvaceous bodies; perfect hair, perfect make-up, perfect revealing clothing; ideal intellect, ideal skills, and admirable senses of humor. Really, none of the main characters had any physical flaws, or were depicted in non-traditional, non-super-model ways. That factor was very adolescent to me. One minor character was even referred to as having a "centerfold" body: seriously?! Please, no. On the plus side, I can add that both male and female characters were equally strong (physically and mentally) and/or fully in charge of their own lives and choices. Another plus was at least two LGBTQ characters.
I am conflicted about whether or not to read the second book, forthcoming. I have the itch to know "what happens next," but also dread the stereotypical characterization. The people who were supposed to feel like "heroines" or "heroes" to me were far too two-dimensional and I had trouble rooting for them. We'll see. With 6000+ volumes on my to-read pile, there are plenty of other choices to keep me busy.
* Edited 3/3/19 to reflect an evolving opinion: I'm downgrading this one to a 2-star read. For an established author, there were just too many things annoying me, or distracting me from immersion in the story, to go with a higher rating. Other readers may feel differently, and if so, I hope you do enjoy the series, but I'm not going any further with it.
March 13, 2015
Brianna is half fae, half human and lives in the human world away from the politics of court. She isn't on the list of potential heirs to the thrown, but has had a few run ins with people trying to kill her anyways and she really doesn't get along with most fae, so she stays away from the Fae world. That is until someone decides to attack her home, which sends her into Fae to recover what was stolen from her. Even though she is careful not to break any rules, it draws her back into the politics she doesn't want to deal with and also puts her on the list of potential heirs even though she wants nothing to do with it.
I really enjoyed getting to know the world of The Fae series. I enjoyed the characters and I enjoyed the storyline. There was a wide array of different types of fae introduced and I liked learning about the political implications behind everything Brianna said and did. I am not a huge fan of switching POV's, so the constant switching between a lot of different people kinda bugged me and there were a few small scenes I didn't really 'get'. Those were not deal breakers though.
There is a LOT of hinting and romantic vibes going on between Brianna and Angelo, but nothing comes of it. Granted a LOT is going on, but I have a feeling that future books might have them together. Not sure why else the hints would have been included. Fingers crossed it isn't a dead end there. I think they would go well together.
Although THE EXILE's ending is a bit cliffhanger-ish, it definitely has me excited to read more from this series. I want to know how Brianna manages to pull everything together, I want to know how the Fae majority reacts, I just want to read more. THE EXILE is a great start to a new series from C.T. Adams.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed getting to know the world of The Fae series. I enjoyed the characters and I enjoyed the storyline. There was a wide array of different types of fae introduced and I liked learning about the political implications behind everything Brianna said and did. I am not a huge fan of switching POV's, so the constant switching between a lot of different people kinda bugged me and there were a few small scenes I didn't really 'get'. Those were not deal breakers though.
There is a LOT of hinting and romantic vibes going on between Brianna and Angelo, but nothing comes of it. Granted a LOT is going on, but I have a feeling that future books might have them together. Not sure why else the hints would have been included. Fingers crossed it isn't a dead end there. I think they would go well together.
Although THE EXILE's ending is a bit cliffhanger-ish, it definitely has me excited to read more from this series. I want to know how Brianna manages to pull everything together, I want to know how the Fae majority reacts, I just want to read more. THE EXILE is a great start to a new series from C.T. Adams.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 22, 2015
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
Though the beginning is a bit rocky, THE EXILE is a fast-paced race of a book, full of twists and turns and a great new world to explore. From the great cover which drew me in to the last chapter, I delighted in this book and am so thrilled it's a new series I get to follow.
THE EXILE is one of those types of books that takes a little effort to really get into, but once you're in, you're sucked into the world completely. Told from quite a few points of view, it takes a little time to really start to feel the rhythm of the book, but once familiar with the characters, it isn't hard to follow along and really start to experience the story with them. Brianna is a great main character, with her handy gargoyle protector and half-human/half-fae heritage that causes her all sorts of trouble. She's one of those characters that you can't decide if you want to root for what she wants, or for what you think she could become, if she stopped denying her power.
Twisty and turny, THE EXILE has a few moments that felt like a punch to the stomach, but it never felt like anything was being done for pure shock value. The twists still propelled the plot forward and made sense in the story. I loved the intrigue and the mystery of the fae court, and how the reader is given just enough information about certain aspects to leave them wanting more.
All in all, a very well written, fun book, THE EXILE is a great start to a series, one that I hope follows up on the promises made in this first book. I know I am looking forward to see where Adams takes Brianna and all the other characters next in their journey, and can't wait for book two of The Fae to come out!
Sexual content: References to sex
Though the beginning is a bit rocky, THE EXILE is a fast-paced race of a book, full of twists and turns and a great new world to explore. From the great cover which drew me in to the last chapter, I delighted in this book and am so thrilled it's a new series I get to follow.
THE EXILE is one of those types of books that takes a little effort to really get into, but once you're in, you're sucked into the world completely. Told from quite a few points of view, it takes a little time to really start to feel the rhythm of the book, but once familiar with the characters, it isn't hard to follow along and really start to experience the story with them. Brianna is a great main character, with her handy gargoyle protector and half-human/half-fae heritage that causes her all sorts of trouble. She's one of those characters that you can't decide if you want to root for what she wants, or for what you think she could become, if she stopped denying her power.
Twisty and turny, THE EXILE has a few moments that felt like a punch to the stomach, but it never felt like anything was being done for pure shock value. The twists still propelled the plot forward and made sense in the story. I loved the intrigue and the mystery of the fae court, and how the reader is given just enough information about certain aspects to leave them wanting more.
All in all, a very well written, fun book, THE EXILE is a great start to a series, one that I hope follows up on the promises made in this first book. I know I am looking forward to see where Adams takes Brianna and all the other characters next in their journey, and can't wait for book two of The Fae to come out!
Sexual content: References to sex
March 11, 2015
I have never read a Cat Adams book, but we used to have a reviewer on the PT team who LOVED the writing duo. So, when I saw that one half of the duo, C.T. Adams, had written her first solo book, I decided to give it a try. And I was not disappointed! I have no frame of reference for comparison, so I cant tell you if The Exile was anything like the writing style of Cat Adams, though.
From a technicality front, The Exile was very well written. The story line was thought out in great detail and woven together perfectly. The main character is strong while still maintaining femininity. The supporting cast consists of many different characters who all have great personalities. With the exception of a minor hiccup in the beginning (which I will get into in a minute), the pacing is perfect. All around, the writing was tight. I was very impressed!
The only thing I had trouble with was the start of the book felt a little choppy. That being said, I find that with a LOT of series first installments, to the point that I kind of expect it. First installments require a lot of world building for the readers. Once that world building is done, the story is free to just flow. I think in a lot of cases, that takes away from the story a bit, but I dont feel it did in this case. Even with the building of the background, C.T. Adams still managed to move the story forward at the same time. It just has a couple of rough spots at the beginning. Once the story really starts to flow, it takes right off.
Overall, I felt The Exile was an excellent start to a new series! I am really looking forward to reading more of Brianna and seeing where the story takes her.
From a technicality front, The Exile was very well written. The story line was thought out in great detail and woven together perfectly. The main character is strong while still maintaining femininity. The supporting cast consists of many different characters who all have great personalities. With the exception of a minor hiccup in the beginning (which I will get into in a minute), the pacing is perfect. All around, the writing was tight. I was very impressed!
The only thing I had trouble with was the start of the book felt a little choppy. That being said, I find that with a LOT of series first installments, to the point that I kind of expect it. First installments require a lot of world building for the readers. Once that world building is done, the story is free to just flow. I think in a lot of cases, that takes away from the story a bit, but I dont feel it did in this case. Even with the building of the background, C.T. Adams still managed to move the story forward at the same time. It just has a couple of rough spots at the beginning. Once the story really starts to flow, it takes right off.
Overall, I felt The Exile was an excellent start to a new series! I am really looking forward to reading more of Brianna and seeing where the story takes her.
July 7, 2020
I like the general idea of the book but it could have been written better. In sum, this book had the effect of being a little annoying to read. I couldn’t follow the logic of the parts that should have been logical and couldn’t follow the description of the parts that were most definitely illogical. That left me in a constant state of irritation.
Why?
First, Nick’s cop shooting incident where his partner got shot was entirely unnecessary. It added absolutely nothing to the bigger plot of the book.
And just what the hell happened there anyway? I read that scene three times and still could not paint a coherent or discernible picture of it. First there is an injured man and then Juan is shot and next thing I know, Nick is on the hook for discharging his weapon, Juju is dead and who did what? Was it the gangbangers that shot Juan? Who was the injured man? Who did Nick kill? Was Juju black? Because why was I reading about race not being the motive for Nick firing? Did Juju shoot? Who had the weapon that Nick allegedly saw? And jeez what the hell was actually happening? Because that scene was the worst!!!!
Basically all the shooting scenes in this book were vague, ambiguous, and poorly described. The deal with Kenneth was so confusing. Who shot him? And while we’re at it, why do people have guns and elevators on the fae side of the veil? Lucienne, and even the incident with Eammon were all blah. I honestly did not understand what transpired, and cannot describe those scenes either.
This brings me to a very important portion of my review. I’ve heard the phrase “the devil is in the details.” I never understood it till I read this book. This book was hard to comprehend. The details were confusing as hell. I wonder if the author needed more time, or is it the editor. The writing needed a lot more attention than it got, cause just grammatically, some things could have been phrased better to be more concise. And of course some page should have actually been written to complete the story.
A lot scenes that should have been described were omitted. I would even have settled for the author just telling me what was happening in like one line. But nothing. So I went through this book partially frustrated thinking I somehow got an incomplete book that was missing pages from like five different spots in the book.
For example, how exactly did Brianne’s hand get infected? One minute she is doing high power chanting after slicing her palm and the next her hand is to be amputated. Did I skip a whole chapter?
What happened in that last scene. Lightening and illusion? That last fight scene I read two or three times and I still didn’t get it. I couldn’t hold a picture of the scene in my head. It was incomplete and so darn confusing.
Lastly, too many names, with no way to ground them in the plot somehow. So that was also confusing.
Not so big things: eeewww to Nick! I didn’t get it. Why was he so attractive? I didn’t even get a decent image of what he looked like besides somewhat huge, somewhat grey hair, hazel eyes and a Robert De Niro movie. Huh?!. (Another instance of the description getting lost on me)
Anyway, Nick yells and tries to blame Brianne for David getting injured? He hears she may be a suspect and her first hard smile is proof she’s doing something shady? Like What!!!! What makes this attractive? Last I checked these books are supposed to sell us on the romance. I don’t know, make an attempt at least. But Nick and Brianne barely had a conversation, let alone contact and Brianne is playing with the idea of wanting to be with him.🤢
This book successfully ticked me off, because I was having to go back and reread things that didn’t add up or make sense.
I would like to give this book any excuse, cause it had a rather good foundation but I’m left with this thought. This book fell victim to the writing; the execution of the story was what did it in. Hence, 2 stars.
Why?
First, Nick’s cop shooting incident where his partner got shot was entirely unnecessary. It added absolutely nothing to the bigger plot of the book.
And just what the hell happened there anyway? I read that scene three times and still could not paint a coherent or discernible picture of it. First there is an injured man and then Juan is shot and next thing I know, Nick is on the hook for discharging his weapon, Juju is dead and who did what? Was it the gangbangers that shot Juan? Who was the injured man? Who did Nick kill? Was Juju black? Because why was I reading about race not being the motive for Nick firing? Did Juju shoot? Who had the weapon that Nick allegedly saw? And jeez what the hell was actually happening? Because that scene was the worst!!!!
Basically all the shooting scenes in this book were vague, ambiguous, and poorly described. The deal with Kenneth was so confusing. Who shot him? And while we’re at it, why do people have guns and elevators on the fae side of the veil? Lucienne, and even the incident with Eammon were all blah. I honestly did not understand what transpired, and cannot describe those scenes either.
This brings me to a very important portion of my review. I’ve heard the phrase “the devil is in the details.” I never understood it till I read this book. This book was hard to comprehend. The details were confusing as hell. I wonder if the author needed more time, or is it the editor. The writing needed a lot more attention than it got, cause just grammatically, some things could have been phrased better to be more concise. And of course some page should have actually been written to complete the story.
A lot scenes that should have been described were omitted. I would even have settled for the author just telling me what was happening in like one line. But nothing. So I went through this book partially frustrated thinking I somehow got an incomplete book that was missing pages from like five different spots in the book.
For example, how exactly did Brianne’s hand get infected? One minute she is doing high power chanting after slicing her palm and the next her hand is to be amputated. Did I skip a whole chapter?
What happened in that last scene. Lightening and illusion? That last fight scene I read two or three times and I still didn’t get it. I couldn’t hold a picture of the scene in my head. It was incomplete and so darn confusing.
Lastly, too many names, with no way to ground them in the plot somehow. So that was also confusing.
Not so big things: eeewww to Nick! I didn’t get it. Why was he so attractive? I didn’t even get a decent image of what he looked like besides somewhat huge, somewhat grey hair, hazel eyes and a Robert De Niro movie. Huh?!. (Another instance of the description getting lost on me)
Anyway, Nick yells and tries to blame Brianne for David getting injured? He hears she may be a suspect and her first hard smile is proof she’s doing something shady? Like What!!!! What makes this attractive? Last I checked these books are supposed to sell us on the romance. I don’t know, make an attempt at least. But Nick and Brianne barely had a conversation, let alone contact and Brianne is playing with the idea of wanting to be with him.🤢
This book successfully ticked me off, because I was having to go back and reread things that didn’t add up or make sense.
I would like to give this book any excuse, cause it had a rather good foundation but I’m left with this thought. This book fell victim to the writing; the execution of the story was what did it in. Hence, 2 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2016
I was pleasantly surprised because I normally don’t care for Fae stories. This was interesting and a good start to a series.
Brianna Hai is the half human half fae princess of King Liu but she lived in the human realm as her fae siblings were constantly trying to eliminate her as a possible heir to their father’s throne. Brianna’s mother escaped to the human realm and they opened up a store selling antiques and other various trinkets. All of sudden Brianna starts getting attacked by pixies and then a powerful fae comes and tries to glamour her. Brianna’s time on the sidelines of fae politics came to a screeching halt. Brianna proceeded to show her half siblings and the fae world that she wasn’t wallflower they thought she was.
Brianna enlisted the aid of her best friend David and her trusted gargoyle Pug go to Faery to figure out what’s going on with her father’s court and how she could helf King Liu with the civil war. Meanwhile David’s brother, Nick, has been approached by the FBI to investigate Brianna and find out what’s going on in her story as the law enforcement officials think the store is a front for an illegal enterprise.
This is a new author for me and I enjoyed Marguerite Gavin’s narration. She is one of my favorites so the audiobook was a treat. Her tone and delivery gave just the right touch of femininity and strength. I will admit there was a lot of alternating POVs. It was a bit excessive, but I was able to follow the story despite that. It was a good foundation book, because it wasn’t an information dump as many authors often do with book 1 of a new series. There was enough information given to satisfy my curiosity and enough left over so that I am interested in continuing on to book 2. If you enjoy political intrigue, betrayals and a tiny hint of romance, then you will enjoy this one.
Brianna Hai is the half human half fae princess of King Liu but she lived in the human realm as her fae siblings were constantly trying to eliminate her as a possible heir to their father’s throne. Brianna’s mother escaped to the human realm and they opened up a store selling antiques and other various trinkets. All of sudden Brianna starts getting attacked by pixies and then a powerful fae comes and tries to glamour her. Brianna’s time on the sidelines of fae politics came to a screeching halt. Brianna proceeded to show her half siblings and the fae world that she wasn’t wallflower they thought she was.
Brianna enlisted the aid of her best friend David and her trusted gargoyle Pug go to Faery to figure out what’s going on with her father’s court and how she could helf King Liu with the civil war. Meanwhile David’s brother, Nick, has been approached by the FBI to investigate Brianna and find out what’s going on in her story as the law enforcement officials think the store is a front for an illegal enterprise.
This is a new author for me and I enjoyed Marguerite Gavin’s narration. She is one of my favorites so the audiobook was a treat. Her tone and delivery gave just the right touch of femininity and strength. I will admit there was a lot of alternating POVs. It was a bit excessive, but I was able to follow the story despite that. It was a good foundation book, because it wasn’t an information dump as many authors often do with book 1 of a new series. There was enough information given to satisfy my curiosity and enough left over so that I am interested in continuing on to book 2. If you enjoy political intrigue, betrayals and a tiny hint of romance, then you will enjoy this one.
November 21, 2015
This is so not my usual sort of reading, but I won it from Tor.com, so it cost nothing to try.
It's paranormal romance, but light on the romance. (the blurb says "urban fantasy", but I hate that tag for novels where there's little to nothing "urban" about it).
Brianna Hai is, of course, the daughter of a faerie king. So, fairly predictable but quite entertaining.
zz-dnf
December 27, 2016A scene where a POC kid is killed by an officer and the officer has a monologue about how he is going to be 'pilloried' by the press. Call me too sensitive but I felt that this scene trivializes the very real racial struggle currently going on in America. I wasn't enjoying the book too much beforehand and now I am completely shoved out of the narrative. A DNF for me.
March 29, 2015
Loved this book's portrayal of Faerie and the different kinds of allies (and enemies) of the fae. Great characters and storyline. My only downside was that the ending felt rushed. A LOT left dangling to resolve in the next book. Hope we don't have a long wait--it'll definitely go to the top of my TBR pile.
no-no
November 1, 2015Too many POV (6, 7 at one point); Confusing plot.
October 24, 2019
Brianna is the half sidhe daughter of high king leu of the sidhe.she chose to follow her mother into exile with a portrait allowing her to see back to sidhe and her father.a series of events leads to her going back to faerie and uncovering secrets one at a time but never knowing the biggest,that he father was to die at the hands of the traitor,or that she would someday be queen.but what of the rest of her family?will they survive?whats their role in this?
December 21, 2020
Wow. What an exciting book. Great world, lots of action, with just a hint of romance.
March 26, 2025
Quite enjoyable.... why isn't there a follow up yet?
April 22, 2025
"The Exile" - written by C T Adams and published in 2015 by Tor, Tom Doherty Associates. This urban fantasy has all the expected pieces of that genre - a human living in today's world with ties to the Fae world, political intrigue and magical spells being thrown about right and left. Character descriptions were great, but the plot seemed to have a lot of holes in it and the book just didn't deliver the satisfaction I had hoped for.
April 29, 2016
Today's post is on The Exile by C. T. Adams. It is 318 pages long and is publicized by TOR. It is the first in her The Fae series. The cover has the main character in looking at the reader with another character in the background. The intended reader is someone who likes urban fantasy and good writing. There is some language, no sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the different characters moving as needed from chapter to chapter. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- Brianna Hai runs an occult shop that sells useless trinkets to tourists—and real magic supplies to witches and warlocks. The magical painting that hangs in Brianna's apartment is the last portal between the fae and human worlds.
A shocking magical assault on her home reveals to Brianna that her father, High King Liu of the Fae, is under attack. With the help of her gargoyle, Pug, her friend David, and Angelo, a police detective who doesn't believe in magic, Brianna recovers what was stolen from her and becomes an unwilling potential heir to the throne.
A suspenseful urban fantasy with a hint of romance, The Exile is the first solo novel by C. T. Adams, who is half of USA Today bestselling author Cat Adams. Like the Cat Adams Blood Singer novels, The Exile is set in a world where magic is real and contains Adams's trademark blend of suspense, action, humor, and strongly emotional writing.
Review- An interesting and fast-paced urban fantasy. Adams puts her own spin on all things classically urban fantasy and magic. I liked it a lot. Brianna is a good heroine, she is not dumb, she knows her weaknesses, and she is not afraid to do whatever is takes. I like that in this volume there is no romance. I can see where one could have happened but not in this volume. Everything about the Fae and other urban fantasies, put them out of your head. Adams makes this all her own. The fight scenes are interesting and fast-paced. In fact everything is fast paced with this novel. I cannot wait for the second novel to see where this is going.
I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.
From the back of the book- Brianna Hai runs an occult shop that sells useless trinkets to tourists—and real magic supplies to witches and warlocks. The magical painting that hangs in Brianna's apartment is the last portal between the fae and human worlds.
A shocking magical assault on her home reveals to Brianna that her father, High King Liu of the Fae, is under attack. With the help of her gargoyle, Pug, her friend David, and Angelo, a police detective who doesn't believe in magic, Brianna recovers what was stolen from her and becomes an unwilling potential heir to the throne.
A suspenseful urban fantasy with a hint of romance, The Exile is the first solo novel by C. T. Adams, who is half of USA Today bestselling author Cat Adams. Like the Cat Adams Blood Singer novels, The Exile is set in a world where magic is real and contains Adams's trademark blend of suspense, action, humor, and strongly emotional writing.
Review- An interesting and fast-paced urban fantasy. Adams puts her own spin on all things classically urban fantasy and magic. I liked it a lot. Brianna is a good heroine, she is not dumb, she knows her weaknesses, and she is not afraid to do whatever is takes. I like that in this volume there is no romance. I can see where one could have happened but not in this volume. Everything about the Fae and other urban fantasies, put them out of your head. Adams makes this all her own. The fight scenes are interesting and fast-paced. In fact everything is fast paced with this novel. I cannot wait for the second novel to see where this is going.
I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.
May 18, 2015
I loved absolutely everything about this book, and can't wait for future installments in this series!
The first and best thing about this book is Brianna. Not only is she a strong, smart female lead character, she is a good person too. When you are a member of the royal family of Faerie, that is no small feat, and it upped Bri several notches for me as a character I can connect to and love.
I also liked the take of the author on the version of the Fae world she created. It is well in line with much of other representations of Faerie, but it has some unique aspects that I found quite intriguing and compelling. I won't give too much detail to avoid any unwitting spoilers, but suffice it to say if you read a lot about Faerie, you will find a nice combination of the familiar, and some new aspects - a nice approach that makes for an entertaining read.
I liked that there are some Fae species that we don't often see included as major characters, and they have plenty of opportunity to kick ass. This book is filled with action and suspense, also some violence [but nothing that should bother you or be out of line if you read much in the urban fantasy/suspense genre].
The book has a nice combination of action and character development and emotional situations. Since I like both in a paranormal story, this was an easy five-star rating for me. I loved the way the characters all had greys - very little black and white in this - and have to make hard choices in which there are no easy outs, or perfect outcomes. It makes the characters feel more multi-faceted and real, and therefore more relatable.
My only complaint - but it's a small one - is the fact that we're sort of left with a cliffhanger at the end. The plot in this book *kind of* wraps up, but it's obvious there's some big-ass shit coming in book two. All I have to do is wait for it to come out to find out what that will be.
Super read. Highly recommended for those who like the Fae, paranormals in general, and urban fantasy with lots of action and tough women as characters.
The first and best thing about this book is Brianna. Not only is she a strong, smart female lead character, she is a good person too. When you are a member of the royal family of Faerie, that is no small feat, and it upped Bri several notches for me as a character I can connect to and love.
I also liked the take of the author on the version of the Fae world she created. It is well in line with much of other representations of Faerie, but it has some unique aspects that I found quite intriguing and compelling. I won't give too much detail to avoid any unwitting spoilers, but suffice it to say if you read a lot about Faerie, you will find a nice combination of the familiar, and some new aspects - a nice approach that makes for an entertaining read.
I liked that there are some Fae species that we don't often see included as major characters, and they have plenty of opportunity to kick ass. This book is filled with action and suspense, also some violence [but nothing that should bother you or be out of line if you read much in the urban fantasy/suspense genre].
The book has a nice combination of action and character development and emotional situations. Since I like both in a paranormal story, this was an easy five-star rating for me. I loved the way the characters all had greys - very little black and white in this - and have to make hard choices in which there are no easy outs, or perfect outcomes. It makes the characters feel more multi-faceted and real, and therefore more relatable.
My only complaint - but it's a small one - is the fact that we're sort of left with a cliffhanger at the end. The plot in this book *kind of* wraps up, but it's obvious there's some big-ass shit coming in book two. All I have to do is wait for it to come out to find out what that will be.
Super read. Highly recommended for those who like the Fae, paranormals in general, and urban fantasy with lots of action and tough women as characters.
November 24, 2015
If you love reading about the Fae that you find in the Merry Gentry series by Laurell Hamilton but would prefer no sex…at least so far - you are in for a treat with this book. The worlds are quite similar. So is some of the story-line. The exception is that there is no Dark Court and no Light Court – there is only one Sidhe High court and High King, but there are the other types of Fae that we’ve come to understand from other books. The romance is very much lacking in this first book, but there is plenty of action to take your mind off of that aspect.
There are also vast differences in the two series also; besides the lack of sex. I’m thinking that with this first book, this series is going to be just a tad better also. Then again, you never know just how something will turn out.
This book deals with several story lines at one time and it is told through several points of view. This is a little different than I am used to, but I really liked hearing about the different situations right from the ‘horse’s mouth’ shall we say! It is interesting to hear what Nick, a human who has come to Faerie sort of by accident has to say about what is going on around him.
Speaking of Nick, a human policeman – he is probably the shakiest aspect of this story and his character isn’t as fleshed out as some of the others. It is clear though, that as he gets a bigger part in this series, we will be learning more about him and his brother David.
I had no problems immersing myself into this book once I got past the prologue and first chapter…as a matter of fact, I just could not put it down; to use a horrid old cliché!
This is a quick wonderful read, one that ends on a bit of a cliff hanger. I certainly cannot wait for the next book in this series.
There are also vast differences in the two series also; besides the lack of sex. I’m thinking that with this first book, this series is going to be just a tad better also. Then again, you never know just how something will turn out.
This book deals with several story lines at one time and it is told through several points of view. This is a little different than I am used to, but I really liked hearing about the different situations right from the ‘horse’s mouth’ shall we say! It is interesting to hear what Nick, a human who has come to Faerie sort of by accident has to say about what is going on around him.
Speaking of Nick, a human policeman – he is probably the shakiest aspect of this story and his character isn’t as fleshed out as some of the others. It is clear though, that as he gets a bigger part in this series, we will be learning more about him and his brother David.
I had no problems immersing myself into this book once I got past the prologue and first chapter…as a matter of fact, I just could not put it down; to use a horrid old cliché!
This is a quick wonderful read, one that ends on a bit of a cliff hanger. I certainly cannot wait for the next book in this series.
April 17, 2015
LOVED! I should have been studying but in the end this book was waaay better! LOL
Urban Fantasy is my favorite kind of books so I was super pleased for a new series coming out and it was a great book for starting this world!
It had a lot of action,great did I say GREAT characters ( KING LEU I LOVE YOU WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME) and the story was so much thrilling!
Brianna was an excellent heroine,she showed strenght,compassion and I CANT WAIT FOR HER AND NICK HOOK UP OKAY? I DONT CARE,I WANT MY ROMANCE.
I am not a fan of multiple povs because i want to experience getting to know one character really well but besides Lucie all the others were really cool and did i say that I LOVE KING LEU? WHY WHY WHYYYYYYYYY
I wanted a better and deeper relationship between Brianna and her father but I inderstand it was not the point of this book and they were so great together... I cried internally.
I hope when she focus on the war,the battles will get detailed and show more of what Brianna want and hope Nick can get to help her together with his brother and Grandmother.
I am looking forward for more Pug,Kenneth,David,Mei,Ju-Long <3
Urban Fantasy is my favorite kind of books so I was super pleased for a new series coming out and it was a great book for starting this world!
It had a lot of action,great did I say GREAT characters ( KING LEU I LOVE YOU WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME) and the story was so much thrilling!
Brianna was an excellent heroine,she showed strenght,compassion and I CANT WAIT FOR HER AND NICK HOOK UP OKAY? I DONT CARE,I WANT MY ROMANCE.
I am not a fan of multiple povs because i want to experience getting to know one character really well but besides Lucie all the others were really cool and did i say that I LOVE KING LEU? WHY WHY WHYYYYYYYYY
I wanted a better and deeper relationship between Brianna and her father but I inderstand it was not the point of this book and they were so great together... I cried internally.
I hope when she focus on the war,the battles will get detailed and show more of what Brianna want and hope Nick can get to help her together with his brother and Grandmother.
I am looking forward for more Pug,Kenneth,David,Mei,Ju-Long <3
March 26, 2015
I think, the cover is more interesting than the book! The plot is nice, but the way it's developed was weak. The whole time, the author was worried to give emphasis about how fit is Brianna. All the time, making sure to the readers keep in mind that Brianna loves to work out! That was soooo silly! And Brianna acts like a badass, but a "sweet" badass! Her smile, her lovely way to treat her sister Lucienne.. boooring! I don't know, i think the whole concept the author gave to Fae here was weak. Brianna's father was such a gentle fae and he is a king!! King Fae use to be mischiveous! Also the way, Nick has to deal with otherworld was silly. From nowhere, he witness such a non-normal event and then, "ok, i'm going to the Fae world and fight against those whom were attacking your apartment, Brianna!". There isn't even a "freak out" mode! And i don't know what's the worse: the fae addicted to drugs or someone being attacked with magic by a fae and then taken to hospital! Oh c'mon! Why attract attention to humans?! Why don't treat the person with another fae help?! Full of nonsense !I think the whole development of the story was a mess and silly. I got bored reading it!
May 1, 2015
I liked the characters and the setting, though I was more interested in what was happening in Faerie than on earth. Brianna was really cool and I liked David and Nick, though I'm not sure about Nick being a prospective love interest for Brianna, we haven't see enough of them together.
One thing, though: Sometimes, it felt like chunks of text were missing, like there were connections we should've made, things we should've known... Like, how did Adam get to earth at the end? Or where did the pixie with Lucie's ring disappeared to? Or when did everybody find out that Viktor worked with Valjeta since nobody was surprised to see them fighting side by side at the end - I thought everybody was convinced Viktor was dead?
But mostly, the threat of Valjeta and the civil war seemed so... distant, there was no real sense of danger in the way it was written. We were told she was a threat, it wasn't really showed. There was a sense of... disconnect, that's why I'm giving it 3 stars and not 4.
Still, I'm very curious about what will happen next, now that Brianna is a queen. I'll be definitely looking for more.
One thing, though: Sometimes, it felt like chunks of text were missing, like there were connections we should've made, things we should've known... Like, how did Adam get to earth at the end? Or where did the pixie with Lucie's ring disappeared to? Or when did everybody find out that Viktor worked with Valjeta since nobody was surprised to see them fighting side by side at the end - I thought everybody was convinced Viktor was dead?
But mostly, the threat of Valjeta and the civil war seemed so... distant, there was no real sense of danger in the way it was written. We were told she was a threat, it wasn't really showed. There was a sense of... disconnect, that's why I'm giving it 3 stars and not 4.
Still, I'm very curious about what will happen next, now that Brianna is a queen. I'll be definitely looking for more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2015
Brianna Hai is a Fae princess, living a relatively normal life on the human side of The Veil to avoid the politics and dangers of Sidhe court intrigue. But Brianna and her human (and gargoyle) friends soon find themselves embroiled in the very power struggles she sought to avoid.
Like Brianna, readers will find themselves sucked in to Faerie - but in a good way. You won’t be able to put this book down. Author C.T. Adams does a fine job taking the creatures and tropes of urban fantasy, and putting her own enjoyable spin on them. Readers will want to cross the veil to meet Sidhe, gargoyles, pixies, doxies, and the other creatures. Who wouldn’t want a loyal gargoyle friend?
There were a couple of plot choices that seemed unsupported (Why does her dryad friend betray her? Why do the doxies choose to steal cats from a Fae princess?). But these were minor, and did not stop me from enjoying the nuanced, likeable characters and the hold-onto-your-hat adventure. “The Exile” is a fully textured and fast-paced urban fantasy that can proudly stand on bookshelves right next to The Iron Druid, Weather Warden, and The Dresden Files series.
Like Brianna, readers will find themselves sucked in to Faerie - but in a good way. You won’t be able to put this book down. Author C.T. Adams does a fine job taking the creatures and tropes of urban fantasy, and putting her own enjoyable spin on them. Readers will want to cross the veil to meet Sidhe, gargoyles, pixies, doxies, and the other creatures. Who wouldn’t want a loyal gargoyle friend?
There were a couple of plot choices that seemed unsupported (Why does her dryad friend betray her? Why do the doxies choose to steal cats from a Fae princess?). But these were minor, and did not stop me from enjoying the nuanced, likeable characters and the hold-onto-your-hat adventure. “The Exile” is a fully textured and fast-paced urban fantasy that can proudly stand on bookshelves right next to The Iron Druid, Weather Warden, and The Dresden Files series.
March 28, 2015
I really enjoyed this first in a series by C.T. Adams, half of the Cat Adams duo responsible for the Blood Singer series.
In The Exile, Brianna is the half-human daughter of the fae king, who gets quickly embroiled in intrigue when she is attacked in her home by fae creatures, and ends up in the other world with two humans in tow - her employee, David, and his brother, Nick. It becomes all the more complicated getting back when Brianna learns her status is elevated, and she is on the "list" as one of her father's potential successors.
The pacing never stops when Brianna and her friends enter the fairy world. I grew to admire her for not only her physical prowess, but also her ingenuity and devotion to protecting her friends. And David and Nick were similarly likable. There were many characters in the fae, some with good intentions and others not.
The ending came quickly, and I'm already looking forward to the next one!
In The Exile, Brianna is the half-human daughter of the fae king, who gets quickly embroiled in intrigue when she is attacked in her home by fae creatures, and ends up in the other world with two humans in tow - her employee, David, and his brother, Nick. It becomes all the more complicated getting back when Brianna learns her status is elevated, and she is on the "list" as one of her father's potential successors.
The pacing never stops when Brianna and her friends enter the fairy world. I grew to admire her for not only her physical prowess, but also her ingenuity and devotion to protecting her friends. And David and Nick were similarly likable. There were many characters in the fae, some with good intentions and others not.
The ending came quickly, and I'm already looking forward to the next one!
February 17, 2015
My review will appear in the MARCH 2015 issue of RT Book Reviews Magazine.
July 4, 2022
This was a mess. There is, deep in all these words, probably a good story, but it didn't end up on the page. Like this was literally all over the place. WAY too many POVs, to the point where we lose sight of any character growth or ability to to bond with a character, because there's so many we never spend any real time with any of them to learn much about who they are or their needs and goals. And the POVs are so varied that each is basically telling a different story instead of each narrator's piece twining into a single story. Also for a book about the fae there is very little actual magic here, accept as a plot device to move characters around or threaten them. There is little description of the fae world, or any of the fairies, except to repeatedly tell us how beautiful and slender and white the fae are. The plot is convoluted at best. I criticize a lot of books for being too long, but here there's at least three books worth of story, crushed down into confusion and rushed conclusions, because never spend enough time with any piece of it for it to have any depth or meaning. I almost quit early on because I don't need any copaganda in my fantasy fiction, and trying to make a cop sympathetic by showing him kill a 14 year old Black kid, and then worrying about his partner is pretty fucking disgusting. The story took a lot of unexpected turns based on that opening, but most of them were contrived, or entirely pointless. And they all end in a random wild cliffhanger that is pretty unsupported by the plot up to that point. I was never going to continue with this series, but I just checked the reviews for book 2 to see if it got nay better and the blurb contains a note a from 2020 saying the book is with the editor and delayed because it had "too many mistakes" which wow way to sell a book, and the release date is listed as 2027? for sequel to a book that came out in 2015? So spare yourself the misery of this hot mess that ends in a cliffhanger and will probably never have any conclusion.
April 11, 2018
I have never read a Cat Adams book, but we used to have a reviewer on the PT team who LOVED the writing duo. So, when I saw that one half of the duo, C.T. Adams, had written her first solo book, I decided to give it a try. And I was not disappointed! I have no frame of reference for comparison, so I cant tell you if The Exile was anything like the writing style of Cat Adams, though.
From a technicality front, The Exile was very well written. The story line was thought out in great detail and woven together perfectly. The main character is strong while still maintaining femininity. The supporting cast consists of many different characters who all have great personalities. With the exception of a minor hiccup in the beginning (which I will get into in a minute), the pacing is perfect. All around, the writing was tight. I was very impressed!
The only thing I had trouble with was the start of the book felt a little choppy. That being said, I find that with a LOT of series first installments, to the point that I kind of expect it. First installments require a lot of world building for the readers. Once that world building is done, the story is free to just flow. I think in a lot of cases, that takes away from the story a bit, but I dont feel it did in this case. Even with the building of the background, C.T. Adams still managed to move the story forward at the same time. It just has a couple of rough spots at the beginning. Once the story really starts to flow, it takes right off.
Overall, I felt The Exile was an excellent start to a new series! I am really looking forward to reading more of Brianna and seeing where the story takes her.
From a technicality front, The Exile was very well written. The story line was thought out in great detail and woven together perfectly. The main character is strong while still maintaining femininity. The supporting cast consists of many different characters who all have great personalities. With the exception of a minor hiccup in the beginning (which I will get into in a minute), the pacing is perfect. All around, the writing was tight. I was very impressed!
The only thing I had trouble with was the start of the book felt a little choppy. That being said, I find that with a LOT of series first installments, to the point that I kind of expect it. First installments require a lot of world building for the readers. Once that world building is done, the story is free to just flow. I think in a lot of cases, that takes away from the story a bit, but I dont feel it did in this case. Even with the building of the background, C.T. Adams still managed to move the story forward at the same time. It just has a couple of rough spots at the beginning. Once the story really starts to flow, it takes right off.
Overall, I felt The Exile was an excellent start to a new series! I am really looking forward to reading more of Brianna and seeing where the story takes her.
October 31, 2019
(Review first published in Shelf Awareness)
Brianna Hai isn't quite human, but as the owner of an occult shop, her job manages to hide a few of her stranger aspects--not that she has to do much hiding from the tourists who buy the shop's ineffective baubles. Her real concern is for those like her, the Fae, who know she's an exiled royal from Faerie, though the enchanted protections she sets around her shop usually keep the otherworldly visitors in line.
She doesn't know that Nick Antonelli, a police officer whose brother works in Brianna's shop, has been asked by federal agents to keep an eye on her. After Nick witnesses a magical invasion of the shop, Brianna realizes she's not as safe as she thought. More than that, the attack reveals that her father, the High King of Faerie, is in danger. Brianna returns to the deadly faerie courts in order to help him. Unfortunately, the two brothers insist on joining her. Unable to fend for themselves in Faerie, the brothers require her protection and put her in greater danger.
While readers of other literature involving the faerie realm will find the courts and culture in The Exile familiar, C.T. Adams's approach to the land and its occupants is new and refreshing, making this version of Faerie very much her own. In this story, human culture has encroached on this magical land, influencing its architecture and protocols, and is a cause of great tension within the Faerie courts. The Exile is a suspenseful, fun, urban fantasy rich with visceral detail, from the human-influenced structure of the Faerie buildings to the reality-defying beauty of the Fae creatures that inhabit the magical world.
Brianna Hai isn't quite human, but as the owner of an occult shop, her job manages to hide a few of her stranger aspects--not that she has to do much hiding from the tourists who buy the shop's ineffective baubles. Her real concern is for those like her, the Fae, who know she's an exiled royal from Faerie, though the enchanted protections she sets around her shop usually keep the otherworldly visitors in line.
She doesn't know that Nick Antonelli, a police officer whose brother works in Brianna's shop, has been asked by federal agents to keep an eye on her. After Nick witnesses a magical invasion of the shop, Brianna realizes she's not as safe as she thought. More than that, the attack reveals that her father, the High King of Faerie, is in danger. Brianna returns to the deadly faerie courts in order to help him. Unfortunately, the two brothers insist on joining her. Unable to fend for themselves in Faerie, the brothers require her protection and put her in greater danger.
While readers of other literature involving the faerie realm will find the courts and culture in The Exile familiar, C.T. Adams's approach to the land and its occupants is new and refreshing, making this version of Faerie very much her own. In this story, human culture has encroached on this magical land, influencing its architecture and protocols, and is a cause of great tension within the Faerie courts. The Exile is a suspenseful, fun, urban fantasy rich with visceral detail, from the human-influenced structure of the Faerie buildings to the reality-defying beauty of the Fae creatures that inhabit the magical world.
February 20, 2022
It was a weird flex to try and garner sympathy for the mmc by having him gun down a 14 year old child, but I tried to get over it. Probably would have too, if they didn’t keep bringing it up.
People aren’t mad about cop shootings in self-defense, which in this book it was because another cop was shot. People are mad about cops gunning down unarmed, subdued, or unaware minority citizens.
For this Urban Fantasy to twist this into a pity party for the cop was not only distracting and annoying, but COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT TO THE BOOK. Which leave me to believe the author just wanted to inject her own hate into unsuspecting readers. Which sucks, because if she could have just left it out then I could have enjoyed the fantasy story without ever knowing the author licked boots in her spare time.
Instead, all I could notice was that the entire cast was white and the only black personality was gunned down ‘off screen’ for being a gang banging criminal child.
Ended up DNFing at 30%, there’s nothing interesting enough for me to put up with all that
People aren’t mad about cop shootings in self-defense, which in this book it was because another cop was shot. People are mad about cops gunning down unarmed, subdued, or unaware minority citizens.
For this Urban Fantasy to twist this into a pity party for the cop was not only distracting and annoying, but COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT TO THE BOOK. Which leave me to believe the author just wanted to inject her own hate into unsuspecting readers. Which sucks, because if she could have just left it out then I could have enjoyed the fantasy story without ever knowing the author licked boots in her spare time.
Instead, all I could notice was that the entire cast was white and the only black personality was gunned down ‘off screen’ for being a gang banging criminal child.
Ended up DNFing at 30%, there’s nothing interesting enough for me to put up with all that
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