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Daughter of the Storm
Lia needs to find out why her father jumped from the cliff onto the Devil’s Teeth rocks below. The only way to understand what happened is to go to the isolated weather-beaten island herself. However, there’s more to the island than cliffs and storms and history. It also has its close-knit people. Like Ed, a young man who’s troubled and almost ready to leave; Lia’s Uncle Harry and his secretive friends; heavily pregnant Becky and her worried parents Rose and Frank.
Everyone is either dreading the violent winter storms to come or, strangely, praying for them. And then there’s the Hall, the crumbling, brooding mansion that has held all of the island’s secrets for centuries. It’s out there, on the edge of the grey sea, and the coming storm will release all that it has hidden. Lia, Ed and the others are trapped on the island by the storm, fighting for more than their survival. They must fight to save their immortal souls.
Everyone is either dreading the violent winter storms to come or, strangely, praying for them. And then there’s the Hall, the crumbling, brooding mansion that has held all of the island’s secrets for centuries. It’s out there, on the edge of the grey sea, and the coming storm will release all that it has hidden. Lia, Ed and the others are trapped on the island by the storm, fighting for more than their survival. They must fight to save their immortal souls.
- GenresHorrorYoung Adult
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2019
8 people are currently reading
454 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 7, 2019
I don't think I need to tell anyone that the gorgeous cover attracted me to this Irish published book. Daughter of the Storm starts out as a YA/Teen book and converts into a Horror novel at about 60% of the way through. Making it a very different read. Overall I enjoyed the story but it had some odd nuances to it at times. Some things happening out of nowhere and at other times there will be a sudden moment of gory description that feels out of place compared to the rest of the narrative.
Identity Crisis
Normally I am all over books that cross genres. However Tina Callaghan takes the reader on a primarily YA journey for 60% of the story and then gave me whiplash by swapping to horror storytelling seemingly within one page. The style actually changes, even the structure of the sentences feel different. I I almost wonder if this wasn't written in two parts originally and there was some disconnect on putting them together. So be forewarned that Daughter of the Storm ramps up quickly to some very creepy and a couple horrific moments past the halfway point.
Pretentious MC
While most of Daughter of the Storm has decent dialogue and character development I found some of the things our main gal says or thinks to be very bizarre. In the opening sequence of the book she meets a boy who is taking pictures. No other real details except what he looks like and yet our MC thinks:
"After their few minutes of acquaintance the night before, she already knew he was weird."
For the life of me I cannot figure out why she thinks this. Now I realize this statement is partially because Callaghan wants the reader to sense his quirkiness; but there must be a better way to portray that in descriptions or actions than having our main character come off as judgy and pretentious almost from the opening page. This attitude carries through parts of the story but is not consistent which makes this original thought stand-out even more. A little more intention in our main gal's thoughts would have been nice.
Sentence Structure and Grammar
I hate to pick on authors, editors or publishers, but given this book is published by a fairly well-known publishing house in Ireland, I was very disappointed in the writing quality. All the things that felt awkward or were incorrect should have been easily caught and fixed by a good editor.
This line tripped me up twice due to it's odd structure:
"All he could do was sit there and hold her hand. He thought maybe that sometimes that’s all anyone could do for anyone."
This should be a brilliant quotable line. Instead it made me think too hard and literally paused my reading to sort out what was wrong with the last sentence. This type of flaw is always such a tragic disappointment in an otherwise fairly well-written story. On more than one occassion a typo or odd grammatical choice caused me to be brought out of the well-written ambience that Callaghan creates.
Overall
The plot, characters and concept are overall well done in Daughter of the Storm and the creepy ambience worked well for me. While this is not a five-star story; it's certainly good enough for 3.5 stars. However because of the odd transitions, weird suddenness of some events and the poor editing I'm dropping this rating to 3 stars. I'd recommend it if you are really intrigued by the blurb; otherwise this one can be skipped over.
That said I will watch for Callaghan's future work as I believe there is good potential here if she is paired up with a stronger editor.
To read this and more of my reviews visit my blog at Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via BookSirens. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Identity Crisis
Normally I am all over books that cross genres. However Tina Callaghan takes the reader on a primarily YA journey for 60% of the story and then gave me whiplash by swapping to horror storytelling seemingly within one page. The style actually changes, even the structure of the sentences feel different. I I almost wonder if this wasn't written in two parts originally and there was some disconnect on putting them together. So be forewarned that Daughter of the Storm ramps up quickly to some very creepy and a couple horrific moments past the halfway point.
Pretentious MC
While most of Daughter of the Storm has decent dialogue and character development I found some of the things our main gal says or thinks to be very bizarre. In the opening sequence of the book she meets a boy who is taking pictures. No other real details except what he looks like and yet our MC thinks:
"After their few minutes of acquaintance the night before, she already knew he was weird."
For the life of me I cannot figure out why she thinks this. Now I realize this statement is partially because Callaghan wants the reader to sense his quirkiness; but there must be a better way to portray that in descriptions or actions than having our main character come off as judgy and pretentious almost from the opening page. This attitude carries through parts of the story but is not consistent which makes this original thought stand-out even more. A little more intention in our main gal's thoughts would have been nice.
Sentence Structure and Grammar
I hate to pick on authors, editors or publishers, but given this book is published by a fairly well-known publishing house in Ireland, I was very disappointed in the writing quality. All the things that felt awkward or were incorrect should have been easily caught and fixed by a good editor.
This line tripped me up twice due to it's odd structure:
"All he could do was sit there and hold her hand. He thought maybe that sometimes that’s all anyone could do for anyone."
This should be a brilliant quotable line. Instead it made me think too hard and literally paused my reading to sort out what was wrong with the last sentence. This type of flaw is always such a tragic disappointment in an otherwise fairly well-written story. On more than one occassion a typo or odd grammatical choice caused me to be brought out of the well-written ambience that Callaghan creates.
Overall
The plot, characters and concept are overall well done in Daughter of the Storm and the creepy ambience worked well for me. While this is not a five-star story; it's certainly good enough for 3.5 stars. However because of the odd transitions, weird suddenness of some events and the poor editing I'm dropping this rating to 3 stars. I'd recommend it if you are really intrigued by the blurb; otherwise this one can be skipped over.
That said I will watch for Callaghan's future work as I believe there is good potential here if she is paired up with a stronger editor.
To read this and more of my reviews visit my blog at Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via BookSirens. This is an honest and unbiased review.
August 26, 2019
For someone who frequently reads fantasy novels this was a refreshing story considering its originality. I was swept away quickly by this story and enjoyed the ride through all the twists and turns. Through multiple character perspectives and a fast paced story line it felt like I was part of the storm. That was the beauty of this unique tale, the storm was both physical and emotional. Though the book included a romantic edge it explored the dynamics of family, diverging generations, and small towns. I definitely recommend this dark and exciting fantasy.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 21, 2019
Daughter of the Storm is an excellent book that went to unexpected places. For a YA book, there was much more adult POV than I'm accustomed to seeing, but it fleshed the story out and provided insight that the main character POV would not have provided. The cover is gorgeous, the story awesome, and I haven't enjoyed a YA novel this much in a very long time.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 25, 2019
On a remote unnamed island off Ireland, young HS Grad Lia runs away from her Mom Jasmine to search her soul for answers about her Dad's recent death.
WARNING- Mild spoilers but not plot spoilers may follow:
Her Dad's brother Harry owns a quaint pub on the island, but perhaps everything isn't quite as idyllic as it seems. Lia hits it off with the other young person on the island, Ed, who is suffering under the hand of his alcoholic father following the death of his mother.
The author never addresses the mirror tragedy suffered by these protagonists in having both lost a parent.
The main supernatural mystery in the plot around a vampire-bird-like creature called a Strix takes a very long time to build. It is somehow tied in with storms, which was not at all clear to me, and also tied in with a large old building or home also not clear to me after completing the book.
After this huge slow build up the climax/battle goes on for a long time, and then it is also not clear to me how Ed comes to the conclusion he does, and the book just ends rather abruptly. It almost feels like an old 40's movie where they just roll a panel "The End"
The author's prose is lovely and descriptive, and they do a good job of painting a word picture, but for me this book just kind of dragged on and on a bit.
At the beginning, I also found it hard to sort out the various characters and had to read over a couple of passages more than once getting various men confused.
I received an ARC of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
All opinions are my own.
WARNING- Mild spoilers but not plot spoilers may follow:
Her Dad's brother Harry owns a quaint pub on the island, but perhaps everything isn't quite as idyllic as it seems. Lia hits it off with the other young person on the island, Ed, who is suffering under the hand of his alcoholic father following the death of his mother.
The author never addresses the mirror tragedy suffered by these protagonists in having both lost a parent.
The main supernatural mystery in the plot around a vampire-bird-like creature called a Strix takes a very long time to build. It is somehow tied in with storms, which was not at all clear to me, and also tied in with a large old building or home also not clear to me after completing the book.
After this huge slow build up the climax/battle goes on for a long time, and then it is also not clear to me how Ed comes to the conclusion he does, and the book just ends rather abruptly. It almost feels like an old 40's movie where they just roll a panel "The End"
The author's prose is lovely and descriptive, and they do a good job of painting a word picture, but for me this book just kind of dragged on and on a bit.
At the beginning, I also found it hard to sort out the various characters and had to read over a couple of passages more than once getting various men confused.
I received an ARC of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
All opinions are my own.
August 24, 2019
This book is rich with mystery, suspense and a dash of fantasy. The characters and setting are well fleshed, there are a few side plots that only serve to further the main story. I will gladly recommend this story to all my fantasy genre loving friends.
I received a copy of this novel for free to review and I am not compensated for said review.
I received a copy of this novel for free to review and I am not compensated for said review.
November 5, 2021
I was definitely surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, but I didn’t feel I could give it more than 3 or 3 1/2 stars. The characters were quite likeable, but no one had any real discernible personality. I felt this book was very much so focused on the storyline rather than the characters, they were used just to forward the plot. Usually I don’t mind this as sometimes it can be unnecessary but I felt that in this story it did need a bit of backstory as to how the Strix actually came to be on the island and how the men got involved with it. Saying that, the actual mystery didn’t really start until about halfway into the book, so with the somewhat boring characters and no backstory, the first half of this book was just tiring. The actual plot line was definitely interesting and I feel with maybe 100 pages more I could have really gotten into this book. I also thought that the ending was a little disappointing. Although happy endings are certainly not a bad thing I thought that this book suited more of a tragic yet hopeful ending. I feel that this book needed that extra spice to get it to 4 stars. With that being said, I did enjoy the storyline even though it took a while to actually get to it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2019
Lia searches for the secrets of her father's family on an isolated Irish island in this horror novel from Tina Callaghan. As the storms of winter sweep in to leave her trapped with the islanders, who all seem to know more than they're telling, she faces down the horrific truth and fights to leave the island alive.
This is a difficult book to review, as it doesn't really fit into any genre. I enjoyed it, but I wasn't desperate to know what happened at first; that only came in the last twenty or so pages. It's a horror novel that starts out as a romance, in an Irish setting without any stereotypical Irish trappings. I'm not even sure of the intended audience age; the main characters are teenagers, but the tone seems more adult to me.
However, it is a really creepy, clever read. I didn't guess the two big twists, although I picked up a couple of smaller ones, and the instalove is actually a plot point in this one, so it didn't bother me quite as much as it usually does. There's room for a sequel, or to assume that everything ends here. Whatever Tina chooses to do next, she's going to be one to watch.
(Also, that cover is amazing. Look at that!)
This is a difficult book to review, as it doesn't really fit into any genre. I enjoyed it, but I wasn't desperate to know what happened at first; that only came in the last twenty or so pages. It's a horror novel that starts out as a romance, in an Irish setting without any stereotypical Irish trappings. I'm not even sure of the intended audience age; the main characters are teenagers, but the tone seems more adult to me.
However, it is a really creepy, clever read. I didn't guess the two big twists, although I picked up a couple of smaller ones, and the instalove is actually a plot point in this one, so it didn't bother me quite as much as it usually does. There's room for a sequel, or to assume that everything ends here. Whatever Tina chooses to do next, she's going to be one to watch.
(Also, that cover is amazing. Look at that!)
September 3, 2019
OMG!!! This was such a great book. Lia was lost. Her and her mother did not see eye to eye since her fathers death. She hops on a plane and travels to Ireland to the Island where he grew up and where he dies. The Islands motto basically is what happens on the Island stays on the Island. The people acted strange, there were not young people there except for Ed. Harry, her uncle takes her in and shows her the ropes. As more and more mysterious things keep happening, Lia is determined to get to the bottom of it. Unfortunately, she bites off more than she can chew. There is murder, mystery of the supernatural kind. Such a great book!!!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 27, 2019
Lia wants to know why her Dad went back to the island and commited suicide . She has a fight with her mother, and goes to the island to see her Uncle Harry, and find out what happened. But when she gets there, she finds much more than she bargained for. She meets Ed, who is about the only other person of her age on the island. There are frightening things on the island, and there is a storm coming that will reveal many secrets - secrets that mean people will have to fight not to save their lives but to save their souls.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 11, 2019
I received this book as an ARC, but am voluntarily and honestly reviewing it. It was a good read. The story line was interesting but a bit slow. I enjoyed going through the discovery with the main character Lia who goes to an island to find out what really happened to her father.
The thrill of finding out what was really happening on the island and why was interesting. Even though i tended to be a bit slow in some parts I enjoyed it enough to finish reading it. Which says a lot for me, because if I find a book too slow I don't complete it.
The thrill of finding out what was really happening on the island and why was interesting. Even though i tended to be a bit slow in some parts I enjoyed it enough to finish reading it. Which says a lot for me, because if I find a book too slow I don't complete it.
September 13, 2019
An absolutely amazing story, beautifully written. I was transported to the island with the wonderful characters, captivated by their tale, feeling all their emotions. I cheered, I booed and I read the scariest bits holding my breath.
I can't wait for the next one.
I can't wait for the next one.
September 5, 2024
This was a slow burner but kept my interest with relationships building, when the crux of the storyline really began was already halfway into the book, that said I still really enjoyed it (particularly the second half) and it left an impression on me. Maybe because I’m Irish and familiar with the environment it describes so well and maybe because the descriptions are so intense that I could picture the supernatural in great detail too.
August 27, 2020
Average
A fair vampire story complete with dark and stormy night! What might have helped was a little more history of the Strix. It sort of dropped onto the island during a shipwreck but I was curious to know where the ship came from and how the evil boarded. Still, I wasn't disappointed overall. Tale just lacks character development for most everyone on the island.
A fair vampire story complete with dark and stormy night! What might have helped was a little more history of the Strix. It sort of dropped onto the island during a shipwreck but I was curious to know where the ship came from and how the evil boarded. Still, I wasn't disappointed overall. Tale just lacks character development for most everyone on the island.
March 23, 2024
Young HS grad Lia runs away from her mom and goes to an Irish island to find more information about her father's death. There's quite a bit of AI in the story with connections to engineering. If one is into that genre, then this is the book for you. The story was difficult for me to review because there was too much that I didn't understand.
November 6, 2022
Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and the setting was described so vividly you could easily imagine it. However, Lia and Ed are the most cringe romance story of all time with them falling in love over two days and the whole “feel like they’ve known each other forever”
February 19, 2024
Had great potential but fell flat towards the end for me.
January 17, 2020
A gothic-esque novel set on an isolated Irish island where to leave the village after dark could spell trouble.
As her second novel, Daughter of the Storm is a triumph and one that I devoured in less than twenty four hours. With a young protagonist but adult themes and side characters, this horror novel is perfect for teenagers and adults and one that you will want to read again and again. With a twist ending that I certainly didn't see coming, Daughter of the Storm is a great way to start off a new year of dark fiction.
As her second novel, Daughter of the Storm is a triumph and one that I devoured in less than twenty four hours. With a young protagonist but adult themes and side characters, this horror novel is perfect for teenagers and adults and one that you will want to read again and again. With a twist ending that I certainly didn't see coming, Daughter of the Storm is a great way to start off a new year of dark fiction.
January 12, 2020
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from LibraryThing in return for an honest review.
After the suicide of her father, Lia runs away from her home and her mother to see her Uncle Harry at his remote island home in Ireland, the place where her father died. She is looking to understand why her father did what he did. But Lia finds more then she bargained for. Something strange is happening on the island. As the winter storms roll in it is only a matter of time till everyone is trapped on the island and they may not survive the winter.
This story is told from the perspective of multiple characters. It is full of twists and turns. It sucked me in right away and I could not put it down. That being said I did find it to drag in parts and left multiple questions unanswered. Overall I enjoyed this book.
After the suicide of her father, Lia runs away from her home and her mother to see her Uncle Harry at his remote island home in Ireland, the place where her father died. She is looking to understand why her father did what he did. But Lia finds more then she bargained for. Something strange is happening on the island. As the winter storms roll in it is only a matter of time till everyone is trapped on the island and they may not survive the winter.
This story is told from the perspective of multiple characters. It is full of twists and turns. It sucked me in right away and I could not put it down. That being said I did find it to drag in parts and left multiple questions unanswered. Overall I enjoyed this book.
August 24, 2019
I received this book as an ARC for an honest review and I have to say this that I didn't enjoy the book as much as I expected to. The beginning felt so slow and the narration didn't grip me enough. I got bored and tired during reading this book. Some people might like this book but I didn't enjoy it much. Although the storyline is good and catchy, the narration failed to keep my interest. At times, there were certain situations where it felt creepy. Lastly, I would conclude by the fact that this book was just not meant for me.
September 4, 2019
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I wanted to love this book because the description sounds amazing... Unfortunately it fell really flat for me. The beginning was interesting, but for most of the book... nothing actually happened.
This book has a decent idea behind it, I just feel like it wasn't executed up to what it could have been. The beginning felt slow... The ending felt rushed and incomplete.
I really wanted to love this, but in the end, I just couldn't.
I wanted to love this book because the description sounds amazing... Unfortunately it fell really flat for me. The beginning was interesting, but for most of the book... nothing actually happened.
This book has a decent idea behind it, I just feel like it wasn't executed up to what it could have been. The beginning felt slow... The ending felt rushed and incomplete.
I really wanted to love this, but in the end, I just couldn't.
October 26, 2019
Thank you Goodreads for choosing me in a giveaway for this book! It was a quick read. I thought this book was pretty good overall. It started a little slow for me. However, I enjoyed the characters. I also did like the creepiness factor and the mystery hanging around everything and everyone on the island. I did think the transitions between POV were a little choppy though. I wish those could have been a little smoother.
September 20, 2019
An excellent work of storytelling
Tina Callaghan weaves an amazing take in Daughter of the Storm. She gives you just enough to hook you and make you wonder what is really going on on this island.
Tina Callaghan weaves an amazing take in Daughter of the Storm. She gives you just enough to hook you and make you wonder what is really going on on this island.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews