Lament

Banshee Song Series #2

by Laura L. Zimmerman

Half-fae banshee, Caoine, is devastated by the loss of her father, and graduation is just around the corner. Ignorant of an old enemy seeking revenge, she is whisked away to the Unseelie Realm where she learns someone dear to her is being held captive. She vows not to go home until he's free. Then she finds out she's trapped, unable to return to the human realm. In order to go home, she must set aside old prejudices and work with a nemesis to survive faerie tricks and fae creatures hungry for human blood. Only then will she discover the secret to her escape and her loved one's freedom. Aided by an unlikely band of fae, she uncovers more about her banshee powers than she dreamed possible, even as the fae remind her just how human she really is. She'll take the drama of high school over the pettiness of the fae any day.

Genres: Fantasy

308 pages, Paperback

Published January 26, 2021

About the author

Laura L. Zimmerman lives in a tiny rural town in south-central Pennsylvania with her husband, daughters, and four adorable kitties.

She is currently a drinker of coffee by day, writer by night. Besides staying active with yoga, she’s passionate about anything Harry Potter or Jane Austen, and singing loudly. An avid reader, she often has overdue library fines, and a TBR pile as tall as the Eiffel Tower.

She loves to read and write YA fantasy & sci-fi, and middle grade mystery.

Reviews

[Abigail McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, for sure. That cover didn't hurt my excitement either, lol! And since time is strange in these strange times, I ended up reading the whole thing in less than 24 hours and thoroughly enjoying my time with it.

The concept of a teenage banshee was what originally drew me to the series, and continued to keep me hooked in this one. Caoine's powers are fascinating, even more so as she learns to control them rather than fight them. Also her character growth! was everything! I'm so proud!

I'm not going to say names because spoilers, but I am always a sucker for the bad boy who gets a second chance, and that trope was in full swing here. There are a few things at the end that I'm gonna have to get over emotionally, but that just proves that Laura writes excellent characters.

There is one thing that I have to say I wasn't a fan of - the friends were left behind. Part of the reason I loved Keen so much was the friend group that was built around Caoine, and in this one we just... left them in the human world? When I said I wanted adventures in the faerie realm I kinda thought we'd all go, you know? But this book did introduce a new and fascinating supporting cast, plus setting up for what I assume will be the plot of the third one (which I'm very intrigued to learn more about!)

I can't forget to mention the worldbuilding because it's so cool! The Unseelie Realm sounds like a place I'd love to explore in theory, but in all reality I'd probably die within moments of stepping into it. I am a soft and squishy human, lol! The different kinds of faeries were so cool, and I did love getting to know, at least a little, the new supporting cast.

Overall, it was a lot of fun to be back with this story, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next one! If you're a fan of banshees, or just fun adventures in faerie worlds, I recommend this series for sure!

3.5 stars from me!

**I received a copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**

[Laurie Lucking · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited for this book, and it didn't disappoint! Caoine has grown so much during the course of this series already, and I loved getting to learn more about her banshee gift! I was a little bummed that she was separated from Oliver and her other high school friends for most of this book, but I did enjoy the variety of fae we got to meet! Zimmerman's depiction of the fae world was vibrant and creative - I so wish I could visit (minus the vindictive fae, of course!). Now I can't wait for the next installment!

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.*

[Kelly Bridgewater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lament by Laura Zimmerman is a unique young adult novel filled with Fae, a prince, and a banshee on the quest to stop the king from gathering two books to create havoc on the world. The plot features betrayal, who can you trust, and magic. What makes for a better novel? There is teenage angst and romance too. Not too gushy, which is the way I like it. But the heroine is love with Oliver in the mortal realm, but questions her feelings in the other realm. The story captured my attention, and I enjoyed flipping through the story’s pages. There is enough action and downtime to keep me focused on the character development and the plot that moves along. The setting is unique with different colors than what the readers are used to. Even the heroine has a hard time adjusting to the different colors of things. Overall, Lament by Laura Zimmerman is a delightful, clean fantasy novel that is good for Young Adult readers. I would recommend this novel to any of the young readers I know.

I received a complimentary copy of Lament by Laura Zimmerman from Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

[Hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. Good book, may read again**

I liked how Lament took place in the Unseelie Realm. I was super excited to get to learn more about the realm of the Fae and to see what Laura was going to do with it. I do wish the Unseelie Realm had been explored and fleshed a little more though. Aside from the protagonists’ various hideouts and a town visited, most of the time is spent in the wild. I would have loved to get to explore more of the Unseelie Realm.

I really enjoyed how Eric played a really large part in the plot of Lament. I was kept on my toes wondering if he was somehow up to something. Also, Eric’s presence helped me as the reader not get too lost in the new world and characters; he was a character I already knew in addition to Caoine.

The new characters in Lament were fun and all had great dynamics with each other. The plot was nice, and definitely ends with a big set up for book 3, Silence!

Like in Keen, there is some romance and a few kisses. There is also non-descriptive violence.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of these days I'll remember to make sure books aren't part of a series before I read them, but today was not that day. Once again, I picked up book two without realizing I needed to read book one. Oy. On the plus side, the story was well-written and I was able to figure out what was going on pretty easily.

Overall, this was a fun book (reminiscent of Mary Weber's first series). There was plenty of teeny angst (not my favorite, but appropriate for the genre) and some interesting characters. There were a few stylistic decisions that tripped me up for a few chapters, but once I got used to them, I was able to read past them.

I'm not sure that I'll read the whole series (again, not a huge fan of the roller coaster of teenage hormones and emotions), but as a YA fantasy book I thought it was engaging, entertaining, and just the right amount of romance. I'd definitely recommend it.

Rated PG.

[Cassie Mesarchik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sequel was just as good as the first book!! Caoine has amazing character growth in this one, and I loved that it's set in the Unseelie Realm. The new band of Faeries in this one was an interesting group, and I was constantly trying to figure out who to trust. One betrayal even blew me away, because I really didn't want it to be so! The author is so good with writing characters you can't help but care for (even ones you didn't think you would like)!! There were also some very interesting twists and turns! The world building and descriptions are so vivid and well done! This story had me on the edge of my seat, and I CANNOT wait for the third book to see how Caoine's story ends up!!

[Connie Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be in my late 70s, but a good fantasy novel is a good fantasy novel regardless of the age of the reader, especially if it's a mystery too! I had already read the first of Laura's books and couldn't wait to read this one. Laura develops great characters and storylines, and keeps the action moving while also building the suspense, creating a page turner. If my eyes weren't so tired I was seeing double, I would have read it in two nights instead of three... I highly recommend Lament for anyone who enjoys a fantastical mystery.

[J.M. Hackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sequel to Keen keeps the twists coming!
I loved reading more about Caoine's trials and trouble as she ended up in the Unseelie Realm. New characters as well as old favorites show up and the reader is kept guessing who the banshee should trust.
I can't wait to see more of our girl in the next book. She needs a happy ending!

[V. Romas Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's very difficult to write a sequel that can hold up against the first book in a trilogy. Not only has Laura written an exciting continuation, I believe, Lament has surpassed the adventure found in Keen. The twists and turns, new characters, betrayals; I kept flipping pages so fast, I needed to know what happened next! Well done!

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this continuation of the series Caoine gets pulled into the Fae Realm. I enjoyed all the scenic descriptions of this new world as well as learning about many of its inhabitants. I also enjoyed getting to know Caoine's new allies. Some more than others. The author did a great job keeping me guessing until the end on how things would turn out.

[Tabitha Caplinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this sequel to Keen. The Unseelie Realm was such a unique and interesting setting. There were so many little twists and turns that I still don’t know who to trust! Will definitely have the third book on my tbr so I can find out what happens next!

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

PLEASE READ THIS BOOK. It's amazing, thank you.

[Crystal Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was so fun getting to see the other side of Caione’s world! Discovering the Realm of the fae and watching her learn more of how to be a fae was a treat!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was a great follow up to keen. I read it at the editing stages and Laura again captured me with her fantastical world building and characters. Looking forward to see what she does next. Picks up where the last book left off after some passing of time and again we are thrown into a new world.