Review: Hearts in Exile by Mysti Parker

Hearts in Exile by Mysti Parker


In Tallenmere, fate has a way of catching up with you...

Somewhere, hidden in the waters of the Southern Sea, lies an island unlike any other. Within the amber glow of its pyrogem-laden cliffs, legend says the very heart of the dragon god Drae keeps the island, and its occupants, alive.

Loralee Munroviel, daughter of Leogard's High Priestess Arianne, had no idea what she would face when she arrived by boat ten years ago and was left alone in exile. All she knew about Draekoria's inhabitants was written in one tattered notebook. Now, her life revolves around keeping Drae's descendants happy. Never in her life did she imagine being a Dragon Keeper.

Captain Igrorio Everlyn, known as Sir Robert to his unit of Holy Paladins, has faced his share of hell, battling the evils of Emperor Sarvonn's tyranny and the dark god Tyr's abominations. But none of that compares to the ten years of hell he's been without Loralee, presumed dead. 

One freak storm changes everything. Now the two of them must fight to reestablish the delicate balance of the island before the dragons take things into their own hands. Through it all, they discover the secrets that kept them, and their hearts, exiled for a decade.

My Thoughts: I was hesitant at first to read this book because it was the third book in the series and I have not read the first two books. The blurb caught my interest so I agreed to review it. Luckily, the book read as a stand-alone and I was not confused to the world that it described. I enjoyed the story very much that I am now interested in reading the earlier books in the series.

The world that Mysti created was quite interesting. This was an elven world where the elves lived the lives similar to humans. Though they lived longer and some had powers, they also went through the emotions that's usually associated with humans. I found it quite intriguing how mortal they appeared especially after reading about the plague. Another thing that I found fascinating was that there were necromancers and vampires in this world too. It made the plot more interesting and had me wondering how everything was going to play out.

The characters were also enjoyable to read. Loralee was a strong and brave woman who followed her brain and heart to do the right things without seeming to appear too naïve and childish. Next there was Loralee's love interest, Igrorio. He had a tough past and if it weren't for Loralee, he would not have much of a life. I was glad to read how he was able to overcome the darkness of his past and learn how to grow into a trustworthy leader. What I love best about these two characters was how their love grew. It was very sweet and heartbreaking at the same time.

The only downside that I found with this book was that it felt slow for me at first. The story started off in the present, which I found quite interesting, then it quickly shifted to past to described how the characters ended up where they were. I felt that the beginning of the past could have been condensed. Fortunately, the story picked up and continued to be exciting with the events with the necromancer, the vampires, and the betrayals.

Overall, I found myself liking this fantasy book. The love between the main characters was charming and the world that they lived in was interesting. I recommend this book to whoever loves fantasy, but be warned...there are explicit sex scenes. If this does not bother you than, go on and read Hearts in Exile. I rate this:

Hearts in Exile is the third book in the Tallenmere series:

A Ranger's Tale, Tallenmere #1
Serenya's Song, Tallenmere #2
Hearts in Exile, Tallenmere #3 Available June 3 @  Amazon

About the author:

Mysti Parker (pseudonym) is a full time wife, mother of three, and a writer. Her first novel, A Ranger's Tale was published in January, 2011 by Melange Books, and the second in the fantasy romance series, Serenya's Song, was published in April 2012. The highly anticipated third book, Hearts in Exile, has already received some great reviews. The Tallenmere series has been likened to Terry Goodkind's 'Sword of Truth' series, but is probably closer to a spicy cross between Tolkien and Mercedes Lackey.

Mysti's other writings have appeared in the anthologies Hearts of Tomorrow, Christmas Lites, and Christmas Lites II. Her flash fiction has appeared on the online magazine EveryDayFiction. She has also served as a class mentor in Writers Village University's six week free course, F2K. 

Mysti reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online specific publication, and is the proud owner of Unwritten, a blog voted #3 for eCollegeFinder's Top Writing Blogs award. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband and three children.

Contact the Author:

Blog: www.mystiparker.blogspot.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mysti-Parker/103786449704221 

Twitter @MystiParker

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4625596.Mysti_Parker

*UPDATE*

Get the chance to win a big bag of prizes worth $5o after buying a copy of Hearts in Exile by August 1!

Send your receipt to mystiparker@yahoo.com, and Mysti Parker will enter you into the drawing.  For more details and photos about the prizes, please visit the Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/519253418129437/

I would like to give many thanks to Mysti Parker for giving me a review copy of this book and allowing me to give my honest opinion on it.