Defeated by shattering news after only just surviving the Shadow Fae, Marla abandons both Faera and her future role as Queen. With King Telophy's aid, she returns to Earth, to the human family she knows and loves. But nothing is ever simple. With their immortality looming, Marla and her twin Lysander are soon plunged into a world they never knew existed, a world of magic, violence and lust, where a simple mistake could have devastating consequences. Meanwhile the Shadow Fae are causing havoc on a breathtaking scale with Marla's loved ones facing dire peril.
Wanda Wiltshire has long been a lover of reading and writing.
As a child she was often found spellbound with a novel stashed beneath her desk or tucked between the pages of her geography book. Alternatively she could be found sketching or penning poetry during maths and science lessons.
Wanda has also always been an incurable dreamer, her school reports a testament to her pastime of staring out of classroom windows.
But now she is long grown and finally found her passion for writing novels, Wanda puts her daydreaming to good use, spending many long and satisfying moments gazing across the sea cavorting with fairies and other magical creatures as she develops scenes and storylines for her latest work.
Betrothed is the first in Wanda’s young adult fantasy series.
It is the exciting story of a girl caught between two worlds — Earth and the enchanting land of Faera.
So excited to receive the first copies of Confused from my publisher. It's been a long wait but definitely worth it. My favourite of the series so far, with more twists and turns than rivers in a Faeran kingdom!
ARC kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Confused is the third book in the Betrothed series by Wanda Wiltshire. It continues the story of Marla and Leif (and friends etc) and the kingdom of Faera and all that goes with being a faery, being betheothed to the prince and so on.
Don’t read this one unless you have read the first two or you will find it hard to follow the story as the previous books happenings are referenced throughout.
Warning: Some slight spoilers ahead – read at your own risk. (It was hard for me to review this without explaining my thoughts properly and in the process revealing slight things that happen in the book – I have tried to keep it to a minimum though so it doesn’t ruin it for anyone – I hope it’s not too choppy).
Once I settled into the book and started to remember what had previously happened I was all good.
The prologue set a thought in the back of my mind that stayed there throughout the book and made me question specific things that were happening.
It made me pretty sure that what Marla was seeing with Leif wasn’t actually happening, that it wasn’t real.
I immediately thought that her haste to leave Faera was a bit rushed and she needed to speak to Leif properly and discuss her worries and what she thought she had seen.
I also think that Marla is quite unfair to Jack when she keeps bouncing back and forth between he and Leif, especially when she knows Jacks feelings for her.
When Marla is back home on earth we get to see Lysander again, along with her parents and sister Ashleigh. Lysander wants to come to Faera earlier than originally planned, and when he does so and meets King Aren it seems that there are a lot of rules he will have to deal with. At the same time though King Aren seems quite nice and very welcoming.
Of course when Marla goes back to earth after Lysander has settled in, I figured that Leif would come and get her and bring her back. I became curious about the reason Ashleigh’s feelings were so strong at this point for Lysander as well. Maybe it’s just typical teenage over-reaction for her though.
Since Marla is back in Faera after Leif brought her back, the discovery she makes about her Mum was quite an interesting one. Of course you know Marla won’t just leave it at that either haha.
Introducing the Dark Fae and their part of the world in Faera – a new interesting concept to learn about.
Lysander and Marlas little exploration trip after this is obviously quite dangerous. Baen is certainly an interesting character, especially for a Dark Faery, and I wonder if we will see more of him in the future.
Everything that happens here is quite intense and I don’t want to ruin it for anyone so I won’t say what happens. I did wonder if it was a little too easy though when they left the Dark King.
Once they’re back in Faera and the celebrations are happening (for what I won’t say) the announcement made which involves Leif and Haigen wasn’t a shock to me at all. Neither was the realisation Marla comes to about what she has been seeing.
Things then have another extremely intense turn here and I refuse to accept what happened with Hilary. It’s just not right! But hey, a good book isn’t a good book without shock factor right.
I don’t believe that this will be the end of certain things with Leif and Marla and their relationship and I’m also very curious to see what happens about the dark magic.
Confused is full of twists and turns and also lots of new things. I sped through it in about 24 hours (with a work day included there) and am eager for the continuation.
Now, when’s book four coming out!?
Book four will be called Telophy and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Confused has left lots of questions for me and I really want to see how things pan out.
I definitely recommend this if you’re a fan of the Betrothed series already. If not, go and grab book one!
To be honest, I have been in a reading funk lately. I just can't find a book that has kept me up at night and happy to lose sleep over. That was until I was given an advance copy of 'Confused'. I loved the first two books, 'Betrothed' and 'Allegiance', so I was thinking that 'this is the book!'. It took only one chapter to catch up on the story and I was hooked - fast forward to 2am this morning when I finished the last page! Wanda is a glorious storyteller and Faera is a world bursting with color and life. Her characters come to life and you are transported on a journey with them that I never wanted to end.
This book is definitely Wanda's best yet and as much as I lament over my lack of sleep last night, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way ;)
Wanda has yet again well exceeded my high expectations of her next novel in her captivating Betrothed series. With her surreal imagery and tantalising worlds, her entertaining dialogue and the to-good-to-resist plot line, Confused stands as my favourite, most thoroughly entertaining Betrothed series book yet! Readers will eat up the new turns Marla and her friends experience, and before you know it, you'll be at the end, overwhelmed by the character's (and your) feelings, and not-so patiently waiting for Telophy, the next instalment. A must-read for any fan looking for an entertaining fantasy book filled with loveable characters, relatable messages and a new fandom to jump head first into.
Excellent job Wanda, you have officially joined my rankings of author's that make me overwhelmed and emotional for many reasons (mostly joyful), up there with other greats of our time such as John Green, Cassandra Clare and Veronica Roth- a list any book-lover never makes lightly. Congratulations on Confused, and happy writings for Telophy.
Out of the three books I have read so far in this series, this would have to be the most intense!!! We return to Faera and follow Marla's journey as she's at a crossroads and needs to choose between the world she's always known and the world she belongs to - as well as the one she's betrothed to and the one she loves deep down.. This book was well named, as the character enters states of confusion - so does the reader! As the story progresses, I found this to be a page turner as I really wanted to know what happens next - with plot twists and OMG moments, I was left with mixed feelings about the characters and what I am hoping to happen next.. Now I am in need to read the next book quickly!! Special thanks to Pantera Press Publishers for sending me a review copy in exchange for my honest review.
Confused is a truly captivating romantic fantasy novel geared toward young adults and is the third book in the Betrothed series. The main character, Marla, grew up in the human world only to become the betrothed of Prince Leif after embracing the truth of her fae heritage. Believing the prince truly loves her imagine her shock when, on the heels of a terrifying nightmare, she walks in on him making out with his ex-girlfriend. Reeling from this, she begs the king to remove her betrothal connection to Leif and she hot-foots it back to the mortal realm in an effort to return to some semblance of normalcy. While there she is talked into giving it another try with her ex-boyfriend. However, no matter how hard she tries to lose herself in the past and no matter how hard she tries to fight it, her place is with the fae. Inevitably she must return but in doing so, she inadvertently discovers the true fate of her missing birth mother and is lured into bargaining with the soulless dark fae. Dark and powerful magic is rising. Can she and Leif ever move past everything that has happened? And will she be able to hold onto her soul when faced with the master-deceiver, the king of the dark fae himself?
I would first like to state that I received this free through NetGalley for an honest review. Normally I don't like to jump right into the middle of a series but this one sounded good and it did not disappoint. The author has woven enough details in from the previous books that I didn't feel lost - a major selling point for me. In addition, these reminiscences did not detract from the flow of the story in any way. The main character Marla is a soft touch, not wanting to see people harmed but at the same time stalwart enough to acknowledge that she deserves better than to have to share a man claiming to love her and to act upon it swiftly and decisively. The characters are strong, and well-written with a plot that keeps you guessing. The foreshadowing was excellent but subtle. All in all this book is a wonderful read. I would definitely recommend it and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. Kudos!
As this book is due for release on the......... I am trying to do my best not to spoil the story for you.
This is the third book in this series so if you haven't read the first 2 Stop reading this review and go to Betrothed. (The first book in the series.)
Confused picks up were Allegiance left off. Leif and Marla have returned to the kingdom after there time with the shadow king, but you can tell from the start that something is wrong.
Though Marla has always really seemed to struggled to really find her place and settle in. From the start you can tell that there is something more going on.
With her 18th birthday on is way the time is coming were she has to make a decision as to whether to become immortal and what those she loves grow old and die or to stay mortal and live in the human world.
In Confused all our favorites characters return, along with the introduction of a couple of new characters.
Confused is full of twist and turns that will leave you dying to know what happen next. But I have to warn you that you may need to have tissues handy, especially towards the end. You will laugh,love and maybe even cry, but one thing is for sure it will leave you wanting more.
This is another amazing book by Wanda Wiltshire and I cannot wait to see what will happen next.
One thing Wanda loves doing is giving her much loved readers cliffhangers... Yes it's annoying leaving you with many questions of what if? Why? And how come? But I must say despite the annoying cliffhangers this book still captured me, I devoured this book in two days I loved every page it was amazing to explore the new places of faera and to see the old characters spread their wings (pun intended) and to meet the new characters that capture your heart instantly... I love the previous books in the series but confused just seemed to have everything you'd want as I said before it captivates you by the first page you experience everything in this book... Heartache, love, adventure, hope, hurt... It breaks your heart but holds it dearly you read about a world you'd love to live in a sometimes questionable world but a beautiful place nether the less. Wanda has once again exceeded my expectations with this amazing book I fell in love with every page I read, it's just like reconnecting with old friends thank you Wanda for an amazing book and another place to escape too. Xx
Just as addictive as the books before it, and I loved seeing the characters again, but it didn't give me as many good feels! Still can't wait for the next book though :P
I was given Betrothed, first book in the series as a birthday gift. At first I thought it was, I'll be honest, a Twilight rip, but better written, with faeries instead of sparkly vampires...I soon got over that initial misconception and realised it's very much it's own story filled with wonderous imagery, great characters and a story that completely hooks you in, wanting more!
Confused showes Wander Wiltshire moving from strength to strength, as the series unfolds. I loved the second book even more than the first, and this, the third book, has blown me away!
This book takes you deeper into the complexities of Faera, showing us a vivid and complex world that is not just a bunch of forever young, beautiful fae fluttering around having tea parties, this is a rich and dynamic place where fae are fighting for their lives against a truely diabolical foe, this land has a dark side. And even there, Wanda introduces us to some characters who are not simply "bad guys", you feel for them, you like them while knowing what they do and what they're capable of. That to me is masterful characterisation, and something Wanda shows us, she does extremely well.
The mystery that Marla works throughout the novels to unveil are coming to light, but presenting us with even more questions. Her relationship with Leif, takes an interesting and great turn, allowing her to truly understand her role in it and her feelings for Leif and Jack. More importantly, she's discovering herself.
I loved this book on so many levels. I am now, having finished it, having to resign myself to the wait for book four, Telophy...and the answer to the cakes!
So much action went down in the last book in the series, Allegiance and it’s left all the characters feeling, well, a little confused.
Struggling to understand the bonds that tie her to both Leif and King Telophy, Marla decides to leave Faera and return home to Earth—to the human family she knows and trusts.
But with their immortality looming Marla and her newly found twin Lysander must make a decision which will change not only their fates but the lives of all those around them. Add to the mix the discovery of a dark world they never knew existed—a place of magic, violence and lust—and you’ve got a recipe for a great story.
What I love about this novel is the way Marla truly starts coming in to her own. Of course she has set backs, there are many times she falls into old patterns, relying on the emotional crutch those around her provide, but we can see her growth as the series progresses. It makes the evolution of the story more intriguing because Marla is not a hero from the beginning—it’s the plot that transforms her into one—or rather forces her into situations where she can reveal who she truly is.
In this book we also get a deeper glimpse into the world of Faera—there are so many beautiful moments you’ll really want to catch the next sunbeam there—as well as learn what it means to be a King and what would be expected of Marla as Queen. Plus there’s a new favourite character about to appear so keep an eye out for him.
I won’t say anything else because it will ruin the story but just be prepared to laugh and cry and not want to put the book down! It’s the best novel in this amazing series which just keeps getting better and better.
So, I was under the impression this was a final book of a series, but it wasn't, and I know that's my fault for not doing more research, but I was still disappointed. I haven't read the first 2 books in the series, so I don't have that to go on, but I think I picked up the gist of things well enough. I loved the world building and the writing was great. I didn't like how Marla couldn't catch a clue, and she made horrible decision, and since I thought this was a final book, I kept waiting for her to realize what the heck was going on, but since the story is continuing, my wish wasn't granted. There is tons of angst, and it made my enjoyment lessen. In this book, Marla is confused about tons of things, and reacts badly, which in turn causes multiple problems. Marla needs to decide if she is willing to give up her life as a human with her family, or if she is going to fully embrace being Fae, but without all the correct information, it is torturous to watch her make bad choice after bad choice. I still liked a lot of the story though; just not anything to do with the relationships, I was entertained with Marla's quest, and I liked all the Fae aspects, and I do want to read more of the story, so I'll be looking into the next book, but I believe I will wait to read it until the series is complete because I hate waiting. I think most people who like the Fae world will enjoy this one because the Fae world Wanda Wiltshire created was really great, and really made the story for me!
Confused is a continuing story that has me completely hooked. I love the twists and turns in this story and can sympathise with these characters in one way or another. They feel real despite them being fairy tale creature. The push and pull on the emotions is something that draws me into a story and I felt that this had plenty of that. In particular angst that would be the strongest emotion by far. Whether it be for Amy/Marla's family or for her betrothed Lief. The characters, both human and faery are very likeable and each has something unique to bring to the table. Marla is a very normal girl having grown up in the human world, who discovers something very extraordinary about herself and her family. She's been somewhat of an outcast in the human teenage world but is anything but in her own world that she's continually learning about. However, the self doubt that she has because of her upbringing began to irritate me and I felt that it dragged on too long. The author clearly likes to keep us readers hanging and the very open and sad ending is one that will bring me back to this series once the next book is available. Fantastic series 4 stars!
Shadow creatures merged in and out of cave walls, their numbers growing as they come crawling out of the tunnels and flew through the roofs, with their blood-filled wings glittering and full-moon eyes aglow. Is what haunts Marla at night when she sleeps and it is the aftermath of surviving the Shadow Fae.
Marla is abandoning Faera and also her role as future queen all with the help of her betrotheds father the King himself, King Telophy. She returns to a place she is familiar with and people she knows and loves with all her heart, but being Marla is never plan and simple, because the thing is she isn’t simple.
Her birthday is nearing and so is her immortality she needs to make a big decision. And her twin brother Lysander are forced into a world they thought never existed, it’s a world with magic, violence and lust. Its where one mistake can have deadly devastating consequences.
This book is full of every twist and turn you can think of but it will leave you dying for more and wanting to know what happens next, but one thing is for certain you need tissues on hand ASAP especially when you are nearing the end of the book.
So.. I was REALLY SUPER excited to finally read the third book in the series. It started off really well and it hooked me in from page 1. But then Marla started pissing me off because she didn't just come out and confront Leif on what she thought she was seeing. That's like the biggest thing that I hate about books. The female always stays quiet and lets things happen when all the drama could have been avoided. I think Marla has way too much pride and because of that the book was really upsetting to me. I did NOT like how the book ended. I was so mad that I literally cried! Come on Marla! Cut the crap! And Leif?! Didn't he tell her that we would NEVER stop fighting or waiting for Marla? He gave up so easily! I really love Leif! And I seriously hope that he and Marla get their crap together! Over all the book did have a lot of angst, I literally could not stop reading it, no matter how upset it was making me. Wanda is such an amazing writer and I am just dying to read more of this series and anything else she decides to create!
I have to say, despite my frustration and suspisicon with many main character' actions in this book, I was blown away by the improvement in Wanda's writing and the new depth she went to in visiting a whole new world in this book. The end of the book was so intense and I am not sure how I'm going to wait a year for book four! I was very immersed in the book the whole time and it sure was a page turner. Full review to come on my booktube youtube.com/bookskay
SO in this book we learn so much more about the dark side of Faera, after the first two highlighting alot of the beauty of Faera. Also the conflict between Leif and Marla, and HAIGEN who is forever getting on my nerves.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, there were parts of the story when Marla and her brother go to Dark Faera that I felt dragged a bit, however it was still enticing and nice to learn new parts of Faera. I thought I would be more relieved about Marla finding her mum (without her soul) but I wasn't too phased by that part.
I'm not going to lie, my heart kinda broke when the news was announced that Leif and Haigen were getting married, I definitely did not see that coming especially as it was Marla's brother's allegiance ceremony. And then also Hilary dying was just another jab to the heart. I was quite relieved when Marla realized that she has dark magic over her causing her to see things between Leif and Haigen that aren't real, but also has me on edge because what if it's too late to fix things. Hoping the next book "Telophy" has a great storyline that will bring everything together as well as learn more about Telophy himself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This series just keeps getting better. I couldn’t put this book down, I felt mixed emotions reading this though...lots of frustration towards Marla and Leif’s relationship but towards the end you find out why Marla has been acting so irrational towards Leif.
We see a different more softer side to Telophy in this book and I’m starting to really empathise with him and understand his actions and why he acts the way he does.
We are also introduced to the Dark Fae and see how they live and what they need/do to survive. We meet a character called Baen who I grew to love in the short amount of time he was in this, hopefully we get to see more of him in the next one.
I really want to see a happy ending for Marla and Leif, I feel like things/people keep getting in between them and they haven’t had a proper chance to be together. After the way this book ended it’s going to be hard to see how they can get a chance to be with each other but we will see.
*The publisher provided this book in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.* After seeing something, followinf the deafeat of the Shadow King, Marla decides to abandon Faera and her future role as Queen and get back to Earth where she tries to build her life back up from the ashes. But things are not as simple as they may look like... Reaching their immortality, Marla and Lysander, her twin, are vey quickly drawned to a world they never knew existed and the surprising dangers that come with it. While this is happening, the Shadow Fae are creating panic and chaos all over Faera, and Marla's bethroted and family face constant danger...what will happen? Before I get deep into my thoughts about this book I want to start by warning you that, once you pick this up, you can be certain that you'll cry and it's not going to be "pretty", it will hurt you and you'll feel awesome and awful at the same time, and if that doesn't tell you that this is a great book, I don't know what will! Marla has evolved quite a bit in comparison with the previous installments but still I find her a bit childish sometimes, what is natural, if you consider se starts this book with 17 years old. I believe King Telophy is someone who stands out in the overall plot, something is happening and has happended with him and it's very important to the overall plot but you don't quite know what it is. The danger rises and you get to see all the characthers showing different and diverse sides of their personality and maybe some are not as good as you think and others are way worse that you tought. The author explored Faera so well tha you'll learn so many new bits and pieces about it, it's all part of an intricate reality that will make your own world crumble into pieces, as all your delusions disppear and the fog in your eyes clears. What remains is closer to the truth but not true yet. I advise this book to anyone out there, it gets better than the previous books! I'm very excited to read the next book because if an author can make me feel, then that author has completely proven himself to me!
It has not been easy finding this book. I have made countless trips to big w only to discover that they only stock Allegiance on every single occasion but no other book of the series. I have tried looking at book depository but they're out of stock. Finally I though stuff it I'm going to go on ebay and pay just a little but more for the book. With all the effort going into purchasing this book I had high hopes for an epic sequel to two really great books.
After finishing this book I can honestly say that it left me in pieces. It was a frustrating and sad journey. I was pulling my hair out during stages of the book when Marla just kept being so self destructive in her thinking. Then guess who starts more rubbish again, HAIGEN. Oh my gosh I cannot even begin to describe my hatred for this girl. She is the most selfish faery that ever existed. Leif just has to be so darn proud all the time so he won't fight for Marla. Instead he finds another wife in you guessed it HAIGEN. I was in tears at the end. I was so upset. This issues need to remedied immediately because this book has caused me so much anxiety. I need more Leif and Marla scenes, I can't stand to see them apart. One new character that I liked was Baen. I liked his vulnerability and honesty. I also like all the new mystical and dark elements that Wanda explore when describing Dark Faera. It was a really great book. I am dying for Marla and Leif to make it out of this together. I predict that king Telophy might be doing some interfering in the next book. Such a great read, definitely recommend.
This book is an entry in the Aurealis Awards for 2016, for which I am a judge. Any review will be withheld until the results of the awards are announced.