Legacy of Truth

Druid's Brooch #2

by Christy Nicholas

He gave her a gift. Using it could bring her to madness.

Ireland, 1795. Esme Doherty believes the best of everyone. Despite a drunken father, a bullying twin sister, and a failing farm, the impoverished girl refuses to allow her sunny demeanor to dim. But when her grandfather gives her a magical brooch that enables her to detect lies, she finds her idealism crashing towards a pit of despair.

Wanting only for a family amid the newfound darkness in the world, Esme flees with a trader to seek normalcy in a small village. But after her new neighbors accuse her of witchcraft and she suffers multiple miscarriages, she feels helpless to stand against her fiendish sibling’s designs on her magic…

Can Esme recover from life’s vicious blows before a selfish, jealous woman claims her power?

Legacy of Truth is the bewitching second book in The Druid's Brooch historical fantasy series. If you like determined heroines, emotional intrigue, and fairy enchantments, then you’ll love Christy Nicholas’s moving struggle.

Buy Legacy of Truth for the consequences of honesty today!

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Ireland, Historical Fantasy, Ebooks

Kindle Edition

First published July 6, 2016

About the author

Celtic Fairies, Fables, and Folklore!

Christy Nicholas loves all things historical, especially if it has anything to do with Ireland, Scotland, England, or Iceland, and she writes historical fantasy, travel guides, and a book on writing craft. Her tales tend to the gritty, with bittersweet endings, and she's never afraid to torture her characters. But there is beauty in all darkness, and she loves showing that, as well.

- If you are in the mood for something more scifi, check out her C. N. Jackson book, Time Tourist Outfitters, Ltd.

- If you are looking for some urban fantasy, magical adventure in modern ireland, see her Rowan Dillon series, Guardians of the PHAE.

- If you prefer some timeslip romance in Iceland, or a women's fiction based on her parents' true story, go look at her Emeline Rhys books, Past Storm and Fire or Better To Have Loved.

Homepage: http://www.greendragonartist.com

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Reviews

[Maria Fledgling Author Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Power in the Stones

Esme and Eithne were borne twins to their parents. They often felt the other's emotions, but, unlike most twins, they were not close. Rather, far from being close, Eithne couldn't abide being around Esme.

Brought up on a farm purchased for them by their Mother's Father, the twins, sister Bridey and brother Niahm, were barely surviving. Their Father started things with great enthusiasm but had trouble with the follow-up.

As Esme and Eithne were nearing the age of marriage, their Mother and Father faced the fact that the family was starving due to their mismanagement of the farm. They offer to sell it back to Grandfa, as they called him. They then sail for America, leaving Esme and Eithne with their partners.

If this sounds like a typical Irish country folk emigrant tale, you couldn't be farther from the truth. Grandfa gifts Esme a brooch that activates and links her to her Fae Magic heritage. This simple tale becomes a Druidic history that straddles two worlds.

Throughout the remainder of the story, I found Legacy of Truth: Druid's Brooch Series to be a true Irish story. This is to say that misery stalks Esme wherever she goes, no matter how good she is, no matter how unfair the situation is, but offers redemption in the end.

Possession of the brooch is where all of the action in the story centers around. Although Esme is a truthful and charitable person, the same cannot be said of Eithne. The choices made by one twin affect the Magic much differently than the one by the other twin. Many nefarious deeds are committed requiring balancing by the Fae.

I felt sad but greatly satisfied with the ending. Getting to the end was like riding an emotional rollercoaster. However; it was well worth the time and emotional workout. Legacy of Truth is a magical Irish book about real people in real and unreal situations. I highly recommend this book.

[Sassa Margot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Legacy Of Truth (Druid’s Brooch Series #2)
Christy Nicholas
$0.99 on Kindle

A tale of magic and love in 1800s Ireland

Author Christy Nicholas’s first book in this series, “Legacy of Hunger,” wonderfully demonstrated her love for Ireland and Irish culture and history. This second book, “Legacy of Truth,” keeps those strengths and adds more—memorable characters, powerful conflict and a nuanced exploration of what is family, what is love and how one is to navigate the choices life throws one.

We meet Esme, the “good” twin in a pair of twin sisters, as a young girl nearing young womanhood. Her life is set in motion by two things—her Grandfa bequeathing her a slightly magical heirloom brooch and her selection of a husband from her suitors. Both lead to a schism with her remaining family, as she must leave her home to follow her new husband and conceal from her jealous twin the precious heirloom. Without spoiling the journey for readers, both the brooch and Esme’s continuing decisions about loving companions frame the course of her life and the drama in the story.

The writing is smooth and well-edited, with a vivid and detailed concreteness that beautifully supports the enthralling world created by the author, a world that begins in the 1780s in small towns in Ireland. I greatly enjoyed the flashes of Irish folklore and moments of magic, more organically integrated into the story in this volume than in the first book. The characters are real and human, with distinct personalities and motives. I particularly enjoyed Esme’s friendship with her neighbor Aisling, a surprising and sweet love. Esme herself, while “good” relative to her scheming and ambitious twin Eithne, is flawed and human, struggling with life’s challenges as we all do, and failing at times to be perfect and upright. While I questioned Esme’s decisions and judgment around love at times, I never found them to be forced or false but rather a natural outgrowth of her worldview and understanding as a simple woman in a small town, far from the worlds of sophisticates and lords and ladies. This is not a plot-driven tale of high adventure, but rather a chance to live in and explore another time and place and society through the life of a sympathetic and engaging character.

Recommendation: for readers of historical fiction who enjoy Ireland and the tiniest hint of magic, and well-drawn humble characters living real lives and a gentle tale pulled inexorably forward by the main character’s decisions about how to live her life.

[Phyllis Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is congratulated for her extensive research. It forms an intriguing background for this fantasy novel that takes place in the late 1700s. The descriptions of the land, sea and changes in the weather are excellent. There are many moments of suspense around the stone circles where the reader is hooked by the ongoing drama.
The relationship between the twin sisters is complex and their fight to own the magical brooch makes the story exciting with the ongoing tension. In my opinion the powers of the brooch are too mild and not worth fighting for especially considering the misery that it brings. In the author’s own words: “The Irish aren’t one for the happy endings. We do love our misery.”
Mixing the ancient languages makes the story difficult to follow in places. The one or two American English words such as “gotten” are incongruous in Druid society.
Having said that, the glossary of terms and the translations of the songs at the end of the book will be appreciated by readers interested in the Druids and the ancient mythical Ireland.
A glance at Christy’s website shows us that she’s a prolific author and a talented artist in paintings and jewellery.

[Ellie Midwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Legacy of Truth” is a compelling story set in the 18th century Ireland. Historical fiction being my favorite genre, I always appreciate it when the author can transport me back in time with their vivid, imaginative language and unforgettable characters, and “Legacy of Truth” did just that. It’s not an easy story to read as Esme, the main heroine, has to go through a lot starting with the virtual loss of her family after their move to America, to losing several children one after another. Her marital problems and the locals’ refusal to accept her into their community only made me empathize with her more and hope for the poor girl to finally catch a break. I also appreciated elements of local folklore and fantasy included in the narration as it definitely made the story even more interesting and intriguing. I’ll definitely be reading the following book in the series. Recommended!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a well-written book, full of historical detail. It described Esme and her family, who lived in a small community in late 18th century Ireland. Esme's parents and younger siblings are leaving for America, while she and her twin sister marry. Esme moves with her husband to a new town and must learn to adapt to her new life. Her grandfather gifts her with a family heirloom, a brooch reputed to have mystical powers. Esme's twin devises a scheme to steal the brooch away. This was an intense, complicated book that follows Esme's life from a young girl to a mature woman.

[Angela Kalnins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Legacy of Truth Druid’s Brooch Series (#2)
Christy Nicholas

Set in Ireland in the 18th century, Esme and her (rotten, tacky, do-nothing, moral-less) sister are left behind in the Emerald Isle when her parents leave for America taking her younger siblings with them. Both sisters marry. Esme’s handsome new husband is a traveling trader and leaves her for longer and longer periods of time. Her grandfather, also a traveling trader, feels his granddaughter's pain and loneliness and gives Esme a brooch that has magical powers. It doesn’t take long for her sister to discover Esme has the brooch and she tries to steal it—not because she wants it for herself, but to sell it for its profit.

This is the second book in the Druid’s Brooch Series by author Christy Nicholas. I reviewed the first book in the series—Legacy of Hunger—in 2015. I truly liked it. I wish I could say the same about the Legacy of Truth.

Ms. Nicholas is a talented word-crafter. I have no complaints with her talent. In fact, I’m very impressed by her. This book, however, is…honestly…boring. It took FOREVER to get going and by the time it did…I was done. It was a chore to finish.

It actually makes me feel terrible to say such a thing because I enjoyed her first book so much. However, according to my mother, honesty is the best policy.

I will say this, though: even though the pacing was slower than molasses, the story itself was good. What I mean by that is that if the author had taken a different approach to getting from point “A” to point “Z” maybe skipping every step between “B” and “T” it might have been great. There was just too much detail about insignificant (and what I thought were unimportant) elements of the story. Those over-detailed parts bogged down the story almost to a stop. In fact, at one point, I got so bored I put it down for almost two months before I picked it up and finished it.

I REALLY HATE TO LEAVE A BAD REVIEW. I just can’t do anything else.

[Laura Ruetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction, when done right, is always a genre that I enjoy to read. I read the first book in this series and found it to great novel, full of rich details and history, blended seamlessly around a wonderful story with a magical twist.

The second novel did not disappoint. Here, we see the story of Esme and her family. Esme, a twin, has a connection to her sister, but it is not a bond of love. Esme is a great character, one who you are drawn to. Her, and her family, are so well written, that you forget it's just a book. Christy Nicholas has a gift with characterization, and the characters come alive, especially Esme, her husband, and Aisling, the neighbor. Even the horse is given character and attention in the book.

The story has fantasy elements, Esme has a magical brooch, and that, along with trying to find a place for herself in the world, along with her husband, after the rest of her family (except her twin and her grandfather) goes to America.

The imagery and writing are rich and imaginative. You can imagine being on the wind swept hills, in the cottage, or in the stones. The pull of the magic is constant, and it draws the twins to it, in a somewhat cliched storyline of good twin and bad twin. However, while the plot of one twin pitted against another is a bit of cliche, it never comes across that way while reading because the plot and the characters are so organically evolved that you get caught up in the drama and intrigue, rooting for Esme, who has odds stacked against her.

This book is part romance, part fantasy and part history, but it is masterfully written and engaging. I did not wan to put it down at times, it really captured my imagination and my interest and I can't wait for what comes next.

I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[fatima˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆]

Historical fiction is always a genre that I enjoy reading. I've never disliked a book from the genre before, and that sure isn't the case now. This book's rich depiction of Irish folklore and attention to detail is what makes it such a captivating read.

From the get go, we are introduced to our characters - and boy are they unforgettable. The characterization is extremely well done, and I found myself rooting for (and against) many. Our MC, Esme, has near-impossible odds stacked against her and I absolutely love how she perseveres despite that. The secondary characters all have distinct voices that reach you through the page, and that made for a very rich story.

The world building was done in a very subtle and gradual manner, allowing the reader to slowly immerse themselves into the story. I totally devoured this book in two sittings! Also, the plot was intriguing and drama-filled, but I did think that the beginning of the story took a while to find its footing. After that, however, everything kept going uphill.

In short, this was a masterfully written story with an enthralling, drama-filled plot that'll keep you on your toes 'till the very end. The Irish aspects of the story were incorporated really well and the characters had very distinct voices. This is the second book in the Druid's Brooch series. I haven't read the first book yet, but if it's anything like this one, then sign me up!

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[Jasmin Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Legacy of Truth: Druid’s Broach Series #2, by Christie Nicholas is another excellent book in a brilliant and creative series.

Legacy of Truth, like all the books in this series is standalone. There is no need to read them in order (I have not). In fact, I think I read the last one first and it’s what got me hopelessly addicted to this unique series.

Legacy of Truth is as breath-taking as the rest of the books in the Broach series as Esme, a feisty Irish redhead must fend for herself when her parents and siblings leave for America. The only family she has left is her evil twin sister (brilliantly evil, I must say) and her Grandfa, a traveller who intermittedly shows up throughout the book.

It is Grandfa who hands off the broach and its legacy to Esme. The broach itself calls to both Esme and her twin and becomes a source of conflict that ultimately leads to heartbreak for Esme.

Esme’s life is tragic and yet joyful at the same time. Nicholas has such a skill in creating such vivid and fallible characters. Nicolas pulls the reader into her story, as an invested observer. She brings 18th century alive through her descriptions of settings, emotion, characters, and events. Sights, sounds, smells leap off the page. It is that well done. I am so looking forward to reading the next in the series!

Legacy of Truth is well-written, well-paced with vivid descriptions, compelling characters and strong dialogue. These are all important elements to a 5-star review.

[Sanna Hines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Legacy of Truth returns us to Ireland and the family whose lives entwine with a mysterious druid’s brooch. Surprisingly, volume two in the series begins at an earlier point in time (1787) than the first (1846). We learn how Esme Doherty, great aunt to Legacy of Hunger’s main character, Valentia McDowell, inherits the brooch and how it changes her life. The brooch grants special powers to its guardian, but it also exacts payment in the form of personal loss. For Esme, the price is separation from family, including her twin, whose brief possession of the brooch threatens Ireland itself until Esme reclaims her heritage.

Vivid writing rich with sensory detail immerses the reader in Esme’s story. I particularly liked the scenes where she connects with the Fair Folk, source of the brooch’s power. If I have any complaint, it’s impatience to know more about the origin of the brooch and its intended purpose. Who created it? What was it made to do? Why is it attached to this particular family? I look forward to answers in future volumes.

[Liz Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

5***** Enthralling Historical Fiction

** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

As a History buff and a lover of all things Irish, I had high expectations for Legacy of the Truth. I lived up to them and then some!
Christy Nicholas does a great job with character development as they’re believable and the reader follows their growth throughout the story. In my opinion, this is always a sign of good character development, when they turn out to be different from what you imagined they were at the beginning of a book.
As for the storyline, its pace might seem a bit slow for some readers but that wasn’t the case for me. I was so fascinated by the writer’s skillful descriptions that I felt like I had traveled in time and was strolling around beautiful Ireland. For a historical fiction novel, it can’t get much better than that, right? At the same time, the plot is realistic, extremely well-researched, and beautifully written.

I recommend this book to readers who want to know more about Ireland’s rich History and folklore.

[Lucretia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thoroughly immersed in this world - again. In this part, it was the characters that struck me as so intricately painted. Don't get me wrong, as with the last part, the settings were rich and brought a world to life in vivid detail. But those characters, wow. The contrasts and similarities danced into a tragically deep story. Esme, the lead gets into your heart and as she endures things that I won't detail here I was moved to tears happy at times and so sad at others. Eithne is a real piece of work, standing as the contrast but still manages to grip me in a surprising way. The husbands and outcomes were unexpected, and even their friends had parts that added to the overall tone and theme in profound ways. I adore this series and can't recommend it enough. It is historical drama as its finest.

[Cathleen Townsend · Rating 4 out of 5]

Legacy of Truth is the story of Esme, the good sister of a pair of twins, who seeks to make her own way after her family leave Ireland for the shore of America. She is gifted with a brooch that has magic powers by her grandfather, and once Eithne, the ambitious twin who will stop at nothing to gain status and power, learns of it, she plans to steal it.

Ms. Nicholas does a good job of weaving in Irish folklore and describing the setting, making Ireland of the 1800s come to life. I particularly enjoyed her dialogue as well.

I received a free copy of Legacy of Truth in exchange for a fair review.

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The delicate brooch her grandfather gave her allows her to tell truth from lies. A poor girl, Esme, she is lied to her parents and betrayed by her twin sister. The story is one of toil and hardships as she loses her grandfather, husband, children, and friends. Overall, the historical period seems accurately represented and the characters well described. There are sections where overwhelming detail bogged down the cadence.

[Marilyn Holkham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an entrancing tale of the mysteries of Ireland. I love Irish folklore. This book makes you feel as if you were there. Brilliantly written. While reading this you feel the joy, the pain, anger,and intrigue

It awakens all the senses. I love the feeling of mystique. There is not a thing that I disliked from start to finish. I want more.

[Staci Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth isn't often a gift.

More commonly it is a burden we carry. When ones legacy is to always know... How heavy that must be. Yet through it she bore it's yoke. with dignity if not finery. In times where rumors and suspicion cut a colder and solitary path.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters in this tale are written with depth and dimension.

Read full review in the 2016 October issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[ann white · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magic!

A lovely story set in the Emerald Isle and how a magic brooch is affected by the different attitudes of each twin.

[Helen Hollick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Legacy of Truth is the second book in Christy Nicholas’s Druid’s Brooch series, first published in 2016 and re-released in 2021. In late 18th-century Ireland, Esme, the protagonist, is the twin sister of Eithne, but they are as unalike as chalk and cheese. Eithne is interested only in bettering herself; Esme is loyal to her family and their farm. But her feckless father cannot make a living on the farm his father Éamonn has bought him, and eventually is convinced leave Ireland for America, a fresh start.

Éamonn is a Traveller, always on the move, buying and selling. Esme loves him dearly, for his steadiness and his stories, and it seems she is his favourite too, because it is to her, the younger twin, who Éamonn chooses to give a family heirloom, a brooch that has been passed down through the generations, and grants each holder a different ability. For Esme, its gift – or curse – is to let her see if a person speaks the truth.

Both Esme and Eithne remain in Ireland, and the central conflict of the story concerns Eithne’s desire for the brooch she believes should be hers. But while that conflict threads through the story, Legacy of Truth is primarily Esme’s story, as she struggles with the realities of life as the wife of another Traveller. She chooses a fixed life in a small crofting community; he, the life of the road. As an outsider in the community, her life is far from easy, and the details of this rural life, Esme’s isolation from all but one family, and her day-to-day disappointments and small triumphs are the true focus of the story.

Rich in detail, the scattering of Irish words and phrases as well as the author’s descriptions fix the setting firmly in the reader’s mind. Legacy of Truth is a story about finding truth, and discovering it may not be what you thought.

Disappointingly, for a newly edited re-release, the paperback had numerous formatting errors and there were a couple of threads that went nowhere - but perhaps these are resolved in other episodes? However, the author was notified and the formatting errors have been corrected, so these issues may only occur in a few early release editions.

Readers of the Druid's Brooch series will appreciate this additional episode of the saga.

Originally Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds

[Joseph Lau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Legacy of Truth picks up the legend of the Druid Brooch by looking backwards in time (this is consistent throughout the series).
Esme is a simple Irish peasant, with a failure for a father and a twin sibling (among her other siblings) who can only be called evil. Eithne and Esme are the yin and yang, with Esme kind, gentle, and a good soul.
Her parents migrate to America, while Eithne marries for social elevation, while Esme falls for a Traveler. Life is hard and painful for her, especially as the brooch enhances her ability to see the truth, and through these disappointments and tragedies, Esme tries to endure.
It is a story of a caring, sympathetic character who struggles both in her time (the life and expectations for women) and against the crises she faces.

[Nici Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm torn on how I feel about this one. There were parts where I couldn't put it down. But then it feels like the story just ends all of a sudden. There's an epilogue that fills in the blanks so that you aren't left hanging, but it's written in a completely different style as the rest of the book, and it feels like an afterthought. It reads like someone made the author put it in there, so she threw a few paragraphs on paper. Kinda disappointing ending to a decent story.

[Judy Lea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Get out a whole box of tissues!!!

I have never heard such a sad story in my life and I hope to never read one that sad again !!! What's the use of it being fiction if you can't give the poor girl a happy ending . I
Couldn't believe you couldn't write in happier circumstances.😥😭

[Vesta Tobin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ireland comes alive

In all its pathos and glory. I love the heart of the Irish people..
I hate those mean characters
Such description. Such great storytelling. Love both this one and "hunger"

[Eileen Vander Loop · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fictional historical Irish story with comradery and real life examples.

This was a wonderful read. I have never read a fictional historical Irish story and I truly enjoyed the comradery and real life examples.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story keeps me interested in reading this series, not the writing.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second in the series, not quite as good as the first. Almost gave it a 4 because, again, it's in Ireland and I love hearing about places and times in Ireland. Also again, the writing was not great, not bad, but seemingly inconsistent. I got lost a few times trying to figure out what was going on. Could be the reader, although I had the same problem in the first book. I tend to be pickier than some about the writing. The story was good, however a little long, and one explicit sexual encounter I could have done without. But I am moving on to the 3rd because I like the story line and want to know where it will take me.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story in this book tells a good tell. From start to finish it keeps you involved with the story while taking you back in time in a way that is rare these days. I personally loved this story and can't wait to read the next one.