Review: A Place Of Magic by Merrie Destefano

About the Book
Halloween is the wrong time to visit Ticonderoga Falls.

Dangerous fae hunt in the nearby woods.

The Prey...

Maddie MacFaddin (“Mad Mac” to fans of her bestselling magical stories) spent a blissful childhood summer in Ticonderoga Falls. That’s where she wants to be when her adult life is falling apart. The nearby forest holds many memories, some joyous, some only half-remembered. But she doesn’t remember the dark parts—and knows nothing of the legend that keeps the area’s terrified residents captive. She has no recollection of Ash, the magnificent creature who saved her life as a child, or that his kind preys upon humanity.

The Monster...

Ash, a Darkling fae, has been trapped in Ticonderoga Falls for a century—ever since his wife’s tragic death. Now, his own curse holds him captive. As penance, he’s required to hold a Hunt once a year. Then, hungry fae will descend upon the small village to harvest the dreams of the inhabitants.

The Hunt...

There are rules about harvesting humans; the poor creatures are so delicate. If you take too much, they’ll die. Without dreams, they perish. And perish they do, now and then, despite Ash's efforts to keep them safe. Then he realizes Maddie is the prey his unwanted guests are after. But, try as he might, this time he’s not strong enough to protect her. The entire village is in danger.

Soon the Hunt will begin. And no human will be safe.
......

Please note: This is a re-release of Feast: Harvest Of Dreams. The book has been rewritten since its 2011 release.

Amazon / Goodreads

Available in Kindle Unlimited at time of posting.

MY THOUGHTS

This atmospheric, spooky tale is the perfect Fall read. It completely captivated me from the beginning, but I became even more enthralled as the story kept unfolding. I couldn't get enough of it.

I was lucky enough to read the prequel novella (which I loved, by the way) before diving into this book, and I feel like that helped me get a better grasp of this world and the Darkling fae. The Darkling fae were incredibly fascinating creatures. You could say they're a bit like vampires, having to be invited into a house before they can enter. But instead of feasting on blood, they feed on dreams instead. They can also shapeshift into anything they want. Seriously, it seemed like the options were limitless as to what they could disguise themselves as.

I had a wonderful time reading this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys dark urban fantasy.

FOUR STARS