Blood of the Lily

Clash of Goddesses #1

by S.D. Huston

Triplet sisters, one dead, one kidnapped. A vengeful leprechaun and a scheming goddess. Can Lily save her last sister?

When sixteen-year-old sisters Lily and Rose take it upon themselves to aid a tiny man with a long beard in distress, he curses them into a world of trouble. Lily contends with the grief that lies behind her while trapped in a suffocating silent world of her own design, and she must now face the threat of what might now lie ahead.

Whether she believes it or not, leprechauns are real, and in Lugh she has made an unfortunate enemy. Now the race is on to save Rose from the deranged whims of an unscrupulous faery and find out what, or who, is behind this mysterious turn of events. To find the answers, Lily must face the darkness that plagues both inside and out. On the grand stage of this world and the Otherworld, an adventure bursts forth so chaotic perhaps even Lily can’t silence it.

Weaving lore, light, and the lush beauty of the Irish language into the wintery landscape of a mystical Ireland around its 3rd century, Blood of the Lily brings to life a world where even the most fantastical places and creatures can be corrupted by the realities of life. This first book in the Clash of the Goddesses series transports you into the enchanting and masterfully crafted Otherworld of Éire as one may only see in dreams. Start your journey today!

Blood of the Lily is book #1 in the Clash of Goddesses
Book #1: Blood of the Lily
Book #2: Soul of a Rose
Book #3: Tears of the Marigold

Genres: Fantasy, Ebooks, Fairy Tales

252 pages, Paperback

Published October 23, 2021

About the author

S.D. Huston is an epic romantasy and fantasy author with a passion for broken characters who claw their way through trauma, loss, and adversity to come out changed. She builds magic laced, war torn worlds where love is as dangerous as any blade and choosing each other can be the bravest act of all. Her stories pit fierce, complicated relationships against bloodshed, ruthless power, and destinies that do not play fair. Expect sweeping worlds, emotional stakes, and love that refuses to die. There may or may not be dragons, but there is always a hard-fought love story at the heart of the chaos.

Connect with S.D. Huston on her website at https://www.sdhuston.com.

Reviews

[S. ≽^•⩊•^≼ I'm not here yet · Rating 4 out of 5]

The flower girls, Lily, Ros, and Marigold but, this is only the story of Snow White and Rose Red in fairy tale land according to Irish mythology.

Lily lost her beloved sister Marigold, she couldn't save her, another sister who had completed them as triplets. Now it was just the two of them. When Rose was kidnapped by a leprechaun she wants to save her no matter what it cost! Lily is ready to do anything to bring her back.

This was an interesting read with lots of fantastic almost beast and where they were kept and should bring them back.
The glossary at the end was helpful but, this book wasn't exactly mythology so I like to read more specific about Irish mythology that sounds very enjoyable, and of course, waiting for the next adventure that may be with greek Gods too.

Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read Blood of the Lily (Clash of Goddesses, Book 1) by S.D. Huston, I have given my honest review.

[Sarah ✨]

I received an Arc copy of this book for an honest review.
I will say that the story started so strong. I really really liked the idea of it, but I just felt so disconnected to the characters..
Also this book is very short, weird formatting so I don’t know the exact pages, but it reads so slow for me that I cannot force myself to finish this book. I feel so bad for DNFing this at 51%, which is chapter 18. I gave this a very honest change by putting the book down and restarting it later, but this is sadly not for me.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received Blood of the Lily (Clash of Goddesses book 1) by S.D. Huston through StoryOrigin and I am willingly reviewing. Great book. This book starts off with 16 year old sisters Lily and Rose aid a tiny man in distress and her sister is kidnapped for their trouble. Lily contends with the grief of losing her other sister, Marigold, a short time ago and now needs to try and rescue Rose. I recommend this book that has a few surprises in it. This book is available on Amazon

[Brooklyn L. Wolves · Rating 1 out of 5]

I DNF this book because the formatting was weird and it made it hard to read and enjoy. I understand the formatting problem is not the authors fault.

[Isla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a free copy as part of voracious readers mailing list and am so glad I was.

I throughly enjoyed this book and plan to hunt out the rest of the series.

The first book in the series story is based around the two remaining sisters of triplets and is set in ancient Ireland. You will find familiar elements from myths, legends and Grimm fairytales woven together into a wonderful new story.

If you like strong independent heroines who don’t wait around for someone else to do the saving, this could be right up your street.

[Marquise · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has an interesting premise to retell the Grimms' fairy tale Snow White and Rose Red in an Irish setting, recasting the original story with a generous dose of Celtic mythology for spice and making what appears at first a purely historical plot a magical one where gods and magic do exist, and making the polar opposites yet complementary sisters from the tale a set of triplets instead.

It wasn't a very smooth story, however, as there was some head-scratchers sprinkled throughout the story that made me wonder what exactly the author meant to do, and at times it seemed like more effort went into the lore of this world than into characterisation, which, although solid worldbuilding is something I always appreciate in Fantasy, was a bit distracting here and made the characters hard to relate from how wooden and little developed they were. And that the story ended in an abrupt cliffhanger didn't do the plotline any favours, either. It could've ended in one single book if there'd been a smoother handling of the plotline and less padding up.

I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[S.D. Huston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello Everyone,

Today the book is available! The eBook will be on sale for $0.99 for two weeks (through 14 November) before it goes back up to regular price ($3.99). The novel is also available in paperback ($9.99).

Order on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09...

If you are interested in joining my review team, then please sign up here through StoryOrigin: https://storyoriginapp.com/reviewcopi...

Thank you so much to everyone who has helped me on this journey so far!

[Jeremy Fee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I acknowledge it's possible my enjoyment of S.D. Huston's YouTube channel and interaction with her gives me some bias that could cause me to unconsciously bump up the rating a star, but this review is my honest opinion. I've purchased this book twice, both times from Amazon. The first time, someone stole it from my front doorstep. I hope that person enjoyed the book as much as I did.

The leprechaun in this book was properly annoying and served as an interesting antagonist, even though the main characters were doing their best to help him. I thought the cultural misunderstandings between the characters made for an interesting conflict. I know other reviewers tend to focus on this being a retelling of fairy tales, but it was much more than that. In fact, if no one had told me about the "retelling" aspect, I wouldn't have initially made that connection. It's a fun fantasy story and the sisters make for intriguing characters.

[Kay Cobbold · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing that gripped me about this novel was it’s time and setting. As the story progressed, I enjoyed the mixture of myth and legend from different sources, which combined seamlessly. Lily was such a likeable character, struggling with he grief at the loss of a sister and I “rode the wave” with her in her quest to free Rose. The Otherworld gripped my imagination. Loss, treachery and newly found love are major themes in this novel and I was devastated when the novel finished with Quintus’ return without his brother! Oh well, I’ll just have to read the next in the series! I received a complimentary book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.

[Danielle Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book sent by voracious readers and happy to review. The story caught my attention from the beginning with subtle references to Snow White and rose red fairy tale. It also has a mix of Celtic and Greek mythology added to the storyline for this new world. Look forward to reading the next book in the series

[Megan Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a great book.

[Catrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly have such a love-hate relationship with this book, that it has left me conflicted. As a person interested in Celtic/Irish mythology, it was wholly different to see how someone else interprets that. I wasn’t disappointed with how that was implemented! However, even with my previous knowledge on the mythology- some of the things were just confusing to me. I couldn’t really fully understand what was happening at times, even though the writing was plenty detailed.

I also had an issue with the pacing, for even for a relatively fast-paced book- it somehow seemed like it was trudging along. It took me a while to read because I felt bored at times, and it was just hard to move through. I couldn’t really explain why, for maybe it was just the timing for me wasn’t right. I do hope to reread this sometime in the future to test that, because I wanted to like it so much.

Overall though, I did appreciate the depth it went into the mythology. I also liked that I was able to feel for and with the characters, feel their grief. It made it feel more realistic even though it was far from it. So, I hope reading it in the future will help touch on those spots that I felt were exhausting- and to help make things clear up for me as well.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an ebook advance reader copy for free- in exchange of me leaving a review both honestly and voluntarily.

[Fran Maki]

I enjoyed this book,myth and storytelling very well blended.

[Jo Crosbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book and currently half way through the second book. Was hoping that the crying girl in the tower was the third sister, but her role as a siren instead is more refreshing. Similar to many books in its opinion of the Gods. Saying that though I felt very sorry for Lugh and the way he is manipulated by the Morrigan. Finally, great description of the Scottish highlands and wars.

[Cath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one of the Clash of Goddesses and the main characters are triplet sisters, Lily and Rose, with the third triplet, Marigold, having been swept away by an unnatural wave as she swam in the sea, an event that Lily blames herself for! The loss of her oldest sister has left her unwilling to speak, even to Rose. As the two sisters attempt to hunt for some game, they hear shouts from a man asking for help and when they locate him, he is a tiny man, the size of a leprechaun, whose beard is stuck in a log he was trying to chop for firewood. He is definitely not happy when one of them cuts the trapped part of his beard off and races off in anger after a few choice words at them. Sometime later, they her a noise in the forest which ends up as a Greek soldier, Quintus, who is looking for his missing brother. An eagle is in the mix, dropping down and flying directly at Lily, which is strange behaviour. The girls had been told a couple of days ago, by their clan chief, that they are to get married and one of their cousins has turned up as the only single man around, to choose one of them. Their mother warns them not to marry, as the good folk have other plans for them. The Morrigan appears to Lugh and tells him he needs to choose one of the sisters, but no reason is given other than it is part of a mission the two have decided to achieve. The sisters return successful from their hunt, to find their homestead full of strangers, one being a woman called Hera, who gives Lily a gold coin, and tells her to use it any time she needs help. She also has a huge dog with her, that she says is called Jason, which is a very strange name for a dog and has taken a strong liking to Lily! The sisters run into the leprechaun again, and he has gotten stuck in his fishing line and as they rescue him once again, he blames them for cutting off more of his precious beard! A surprise visitor arrives at the homestead late at night, a large furry creature they think is a dog, but Ana tells them it definitely isn’t! Usually, Lily can communicate with land animals, Rose with birds and Marigold with sea creatures, but doesn’t get the usual sort of images from the beast which she names Cuig.

Rose and Lily head off to search for Quintus, but end up meeting with Lugh, who gets attacked by the eagle and his coat is torn, which he blames on the sisters! Rose tells him to stop fussing, as she could repair it easily enough. Next moment, he disappears down a well with Rose and the eagle follows them! It seems they have made an enemy of this leprechaun, Lugh. Lily s frozen, unable to follow into the water after what happened with Marigold. Seeing a ghostly figure of her dead sister, Marigold, Lily follows her and is led to an old man, Fintan, who had been at their homestead the night before with Hera and the soldiers. He asks her to show her where the leprechaun disappeared and soon persuades her, they must have courage to enter the well and after going under the water, she suddenly finds herself going up and breaking the surface. Everything in this world is upside down, with the water now above their heads! Lily is quickly finding out that many of the tales she had been told as a child about the Otherworld are true and that magic actually exists in this world and that one! She realises that Fintan is way older than she thought and also very powerful. But the leprechaun isn’t quite what he seems, as he has forgotten exactly who he really is, but the Morrigan knows who he is and wants his help keeping the sisters apart! Rose is held captive by Lugh, who berates her constantly and changes her form from human, to mouse, a she leprechaun to match him, and much more, for his amusement and convenience. She thinks him a nasty little man, but when he takes her on one of his nightly excursions, she sees the good deeds he does for others. When Rose, Fintan and Cuig manage to locate Rose and Lugh, they are sent back home by magic, with Lily believing Lugh had killed the other two. Lily can only have Rose back if she finds Lugh’s missing dog and returns him.

He lends her his magic horse, Enbarr, and they soon have to leave the homestead to reach the high druid, along with Ana, whose real identity will also soon be revealed when they reach him. The high druid is entertaining guests, one of them being Hera. It seems Hera and Ana have a long-standing feud and would start to battle each other if they could, but the high druid’s rules of hospitality in his own home are paramount. Even the dog called Jason, is not who he seems, as all secrets are suddenly thrown into the mix. Lily manages to leave with Jason and Cuig after a bit of magic occurs, but later needs Hera’s aid to get back to her sister. Lily has figured out just who Ana is and the secrets she has been hiding from the sisters, never mind their mother, as well as her deal with Lugh, which causes a huge blow out. But the goddess Hera wants a favour in return for helping Lily, one which she may not be able to pay! Some interesting romantic links between different characters and magical transformations of others into different creatures, which adds to the saga. Lily is the sister left facing much of the difficult decisions in this storyline, has found love but has to allow her man to go off on his own mission still. Lugh has changed and Rose may have a man in love with her, but she has seen his bad side and can’t align that with the side that says he loves her. Looks like there will be a waiting game for both sisters and there are more mysteries to solve about a Woman in White, which many may guess at. Lots of authentic Irish lore and language used in this tale of hidden goddesses, demigods and more.

I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout, and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Kylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blood of the Lily is the start of a trilogy with an Irish setting and some mythology throw in. Lily and her sister Rose recently lost their sister Marigold in a freak accident and are still coming to terms with her loss. When they come upon a leprechaun several times the sisters are taken on a crazy adventure into a new world where magic and mystical creatures are real. Lily's struggle with the loss of her sister and going through her depression from the fall out were written so beautifully and well done. As a reader you can feel Lily's sorrow and relate to her loss on a deeper level. Although sometimes frustrating in her decisions I did have to remind myself at times she was only 16. That being said her sister Rose seemed wiser beyond her 16 years and more level headed. Although I did enjoy these characters and the idea of the story I felt the pace of the story was all over the place and at the end very rushed. The character development could have been better and the randomly thrown about Irish words were unnecessary. It felt like the author threw them in there to make the book more "Irish" but in reality it just slowed down the pace as it had to explain the word right after. I haven't decided yet if I'd continue this trilogy or not as it did grab my attention more at the end but didn't make me want to rush to find out what happens next.

[Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood of the Lily by S D Huston is a bright and fresh take on a retelling of a fairytale (and you know I love me some retellings) and the beauty of this book, is that it doesn't just weave together two classic fairy tales, but also Irish folklore seeamlessly and with a gleaming narrative that draws the reader in and makes a cuppa and even gives a slice of cake, it is that good (a really nice touch is the glossary in case you need a refresher on folklore)

The concept of triplets is unique as is the crusade. Lily is an inspiring powerhouse of an FMC on a mission to save her remaining sister Rose from an evil (and may I say very ungrateful) Leprechaun. The adventure is a fantastic foundation for this series and flies along at a great pace, running along side Lily's character development through her grief and dedication to finding her sister (this is the core of how inspirational a character Lily is)

The world building and descriptions are simply stunning. Huston is incredibly talented at illuminating a scene and setting the stage and this adds a dynamic vivacity to her narratives (Read A Curse of Scales and Feathers which I have previously reviewed - Stunning with a double underline and bright yellow highlighter!)

A really good start to the series and I am really excited to see where Huston takes it. Oe thing I know for sure, it will be a belter!

[Bethanne Bruninga-Socolar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!! I didn't know much about it going in other than it was YA fantasy with a whole bunch of Irish mythology. So I was surprised when a major part of the story was a retelling of the classic Snow White and Rose Red + leprechaun tale! I really love what Huston does with that fairytale - I've always thought it was such a little snippet and not even really a full tale on its own, but Huston really expands and fleshes it out well in this novel.

Another major element in this book is the bringing together of different cultures and mythologies, which I also wasn't expecting but in retrospect is a dead giveaway from the title of the series: "Clash of Goddesses". This aspect of the series was downplayed in this first book where the action focused almost entirely on Lily and Rose. However, this is really common in fantasy trilogies and I expect the series to gain more momentum in the 2nd book as Lily's and Rose's world expands and we learn more about the clash of goddesses, mythologies, and cultures.

Overall a great debut with just a couple of rough spots! Huston is definitely an author to keep up with.

[evangeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite getting a little confused at times, due to my lack of knowledge of Irish Mythology and folklore, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.
With exquisite description, creative storytelling and fun adventure, this debut novel made for an excitable read. I liked the characters, and I was able to emotionally connect to the story of the sisters. Having a sister of my own, I found myself relating and aligning with Lily well.
I would have appreciated a little more clarity on certain elements of the Irish mythology, as that is something I am not well-read on, and therefore at times got a little confused. For example, when I read The Song of Achilles, I had no clue about Greek Mythology (besides what I had read in Percy Jackson, lol) however, Milner managed to integrate explanations of the mythologies into the story so I never felt confused or lost. I would have liked that in this novel too.
Aside from that, this is an impressive debut from S.D.Huston and I look forward to reading the sequel!

[Bridget Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original and Inspiring book every girl should read

Blood of the Lily

#fairytaleretelling

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After Lily and Rose rescue a leprechaun in distress, he puts a terrible curse on them. Now Lily must find who kidnapped Rose and why. Blood of the Lily by S.D. Hudson is a Snow White and Red Rose retelling hybrid with Irish mythologies.
This is the first book in the Clash of the Goddesses series and is a breath of fresh air compared to other fairytale retellings. The combination of Snow White characters with Irish mythology characters is genius and fascinating. If you aren't familiar with Irish folklore, don’t worry, a lot.is explained in the novel, and what isn't you can look up in the glossary in the back of the book.
I recommend reading this book in your backyard or another outdoors setting. This book is great for the young at heart who still believes in enchanted forests with magical beings. I would give this book to my best friend or my neice. The story is origional and inspiring and one that every girl should read.

[Samantha McQuade · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 😊

First off, I love the Irish culture that’s intertwined with this book. At times it seemed a little confusing because of it though and had to regularly check the glossary at the end. It took me out of the story sometimes which was a little frustrating.

I think my favourite character would be Rose, but it was slightly disappointing that we never got to hear from her perspective. I was also somewhat annoyed we didn’t get to hear from Lugh again after all that happened at the end of the book.

Overall, I think this book had a lot of ideas and while I enjoyed the story, I felt a little disconnected at times because there seemed to be a lot going on and not all of it made sense.

Regardless I will be looking forward to reading book two, I can honestly say I have no idea where the author will go with it but she’s got me hooked!

[Alex Nonymous · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Blood of the Lily in exchange for an honest review.

When I tell you that Snow White and Red Rose had a death grip on my childhood (or more truthfully, my early adolescence) it's an under exaggeration. I'm going to be reading every adaptation I can get my hands on for the rest of my life but this one... did not live up to my expectations.

I think the thing I look for most in fairytale adaptations is how the characters are developed because while most fairytales have generically good virtuous female leads, they don't really have the time or incentive to make them feel like actual characters. Blood of the Lily spends a lot of time on its world but everyone still feels as flat as they do in the original fairytale. You can spend the entire book with these characters and end off incapable of describing them beyond "good guy" or "bad guy". It definitely wasn't my cup of tea.

[Dilara Ucar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blood of the Lily has a very cozy and atmospheric setting. I like that the story is based on Irish Mythology, it's something I'm not too familiar with.
Maybe because of that and because of the Irish words in the book, the writing didn't flow as fast for me.
I liked the sisterhood and Lily's relationship with her community but for the most part, Lily was more like a Greek heroine than a character. She had one clear goal and other than that, her motivations and inner world were blurry.
The book did a lot of explaining for the side characters (about their back stories for example) and this also threw me off as a reader.
I enjoyed Lugh the most, if he was the main character I feel like I'd enjoy the book much more. Overall, I know this is the author's debut book and considering that, it's a good book.

[Ben Pick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The wonderful story made me feel like I was wandering through the forests of ancient Ireland.

On the surface, this is a winding tale of sisters fighting against the world while overcoming their grief and guilt. Beneath that, it tells a rare story as the new Greek gods clashed with the old gods of Ireland. Meanwhile, it is a retelling of a dark version of the classic fables, Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood. These three aspects melded together well to form an story I enjoyed reading.

At 170 pages, this was well paced. The action was used sparingly and to good measure. The heartfelt beats hit well and I grew attached to the sisters of the story. This was a strong start to the series and I am already awaiting their next adventure.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of love, adventure and fantasy!!!

The author was able to make you feel as if you were part of the characters from the moment you start. As you go along in the adventure with Lily, you feel all of her feelings of sorrow, worry, strength, and determination. Her empowerment that she pulls from her sisters shows the strength of their sibling love. When she took the harp from Daric and sang her song, I wept with her. You could just hear her beautiful voice in your head full of pain and sorrow for the loss her sister.

I really enjoyed the length of the chapters. I’m busy in life so being able to pick the book up and read a chapter or two in a short amount of time was appreciable. I look forward to reading this whole series.

[Vickie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book mingles Irish mythology with Greek mythology. In this, the first book, Lily is the main character. Lily is one of triplets born to Ciara who named her daughters after flowers. Lily has the ability to communicate with land animals through thought. Her sister, Rose, has the ability to communicate with animals of the air; while Marigold has the ability to communicate with sea animals. In this book, Marigold is presumed dead after a swimming accident that Lily witnessed, so is not active in this book. Rose is taken captive by a leprechaun during Samhain (when the doorway between worlds is open) and Lily must find a way to free her sister. Other characters in this book include the Morrigan and Hera who are enemies.

[Breana Sprinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Lily, Rose,& Marigold!

With an inclusion or adaptation in using Irish lore, of the two remaining sisters in a set of triplets (Rose & Lily).

Rose is of impulsive acts & believes in folk tales. Lily appears to be more level-headed. Or at least cautious in most circumstances.

They are led into a situational danger from which it's up to Lily to fix.

With an Irish folk tale feeling coming off with every description and mysterious plot I was left with feeling sympathetic to the plight of the characters.

It held a movement of many Irish tales within the story fueled by loss, power, heroic deed, and shock.

I feel as if it has given off just what the author had intended.

Enjoyed it.

*Thank the author for a copy of the book.
These are my thoughts.

[Chey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lily lost her sister Marigold, unable to save her life triplet. Now her other triplet Rose has been kidnapped by a leprechaun, and Lily will do anything to save her.

This was such an adventure of a story and I absolutely loved it. I adored the character names and how each one had their own personality. Lily is a strong character and you really feel for her after the loss of her sister and the disappearance of the other one.

The writing was fantastic and the pacing was perfect. You get a lot of story, and while thisnt isn't a short book, it isn't very long, so the amount of detail the author put in was incredible.

[AC · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot going on in this book, which may not be for everyone. I think with the combining of two different mythologies that was unavoidable though. I did like this book, but again there was a lot going on. I know it's part of a series so I am looking forward to the continuing story lines, as not everything was tied up. I don't normally read this genre, so it was a nice introduction. I am excited to read the sequel.

I also appreciate that the author included a glossary with correct pronunciations of the Irish words.

I received a free copy of this book to read and leave an honest review.

[Storm Horizon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Irish mythology woven throughout the story was interesting and a compelling window into the world of Irish folklore. I found it very interesting to see it entwined with Greek mythology, which I have always been fascinated with. Overall, everything seemed to fit well together, and the story contained interesting developments that kept me reading. I would have liked to see a bigger struggle with Lily's muteness, and a bit more mystery surrounding Lily's other triplet, but all in all, it had some nice elements that came together in an intriguing way. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

I received a free copy from StoryOrigin in exchange for an honest review.