*Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an Earc in exchange for an honest review.*

So, I'm not very impressed with Realm of Lore and Lies. Pretty boring, with a bare minimum of a plotline and irritating prose, there's only a few good points.


PLOT: 2
SETTING: 2
CHARACTERS: 3
WRITING: 2
OVERALL: 2

PLOT
Ash abandoned her Fianna community years ago, to live amongst the humans, pursue a degree and above all, forget her heritage as heir to an ancient legacy.
It's hard to ignore her past, though, and when the murder of someone she loves drags her back in to the land of Fae and Fianna.
The human High King is calling a Cath. A competition to decide his new high guard. When Ash is forced into leading her clan, she might as well do everything she can to lead them to victory. Joined along the way by human monsters, amongst others, will she win? Will she find the murderer? And ultimately, who is to blame?

If that sounded good, it was disappointing in person. It was absolutely nothing like the Cruel Prince or any of Sarah J Maas' books as it had constantly been billed as- and as for the 'slowburn' it was non existent.
The action was minimal, almost nothing happened until the final two chapters.


SETTING
Hopping between modern day Ireland and the Fae realm, Tír Na nÓg, although it wasn't explained very well. Apparently, the human warriors, Fianna, live in the human world and the high king in a special area of Tír Na nÓg. But it doesn't explain why, or give very much worldbuilding.


CHARACTERS
The best part of a mediocre book. I liked the casually queer rep (out of four POV characters one is explicitly bisexual and there are some high profile LGBTQ side characters too), however it did seem like each character had one personality trait they stuck to.
Ash, the unwilling matriarch. Tiernan, tech geek. Maeve, 'bad girl'. Set, brooding bad boy. They could have been even better if fleshed out a bit but on the whole were ok.

WRITING
I'll give you some quotes to get the gist of it:
'She stuck her tongue out'
'She didn't usually call breasts 'bosoms''
'women hated her for her looks'
'This is it. *****'s resting place!'.

Anyway. Good elements but definitely not a new favourite book.

Growing up on stories of Irish folklore and history, this fantasy book filled such a special place in my heart, and that's on top of it being an absolutely amazing story that kept me reading chapter after chapter. I loved each of the characters, how their histories were interwoven and their general badassary - ooh and that ending made my heart hurt. I can't wait to see if there will be more books!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the advance ARC. This is my honest review.

The world building is excellent and the setting of Ireland was a bonus. However, the pace was slow, never really gaining momentum..

I'm not a big fan of books told from several perspectives and this book didn't change my mind.

Still an enjoyable read filledwith Irish mythology.

The Realm of Lore and Lies is an excellent book that I had the chance to read as an advanced copy through Net Galley.

After parting ways with her family of travelers Ash is taking in by a family of “Gluttons” who support her while she pursues a degree in archaeology. The only connection she maintains with her family, members of the Fianna Clan who are gifted with Faerie Sight, are letters she receives from her brother. After an unfortunate event Ash must step up and claim her birthright and lead a group of warriors through the Cath, a dangerous and unknown set of challenges while also solving the mystery of her mother’s murder.

I love that we got a fae story sent in Ireland. Such a unique backdrop and she really stayed true to the lore and legends that I remember from my time in Ireland. I did feel like the beginning was a little slow with a lot of world building but when the action picked up I was invested. I feel like I wanted to get to know the characters even more as the story did focus more on plot as opposed too deep characterization. It’s the first in the series so do not expect everything to be all tied up with a bow in the end as there will be some cliff hangers.

The tone was really casual making it a super easy and enjoyable read. Definitely looking forward to the next in the series and would recommend for anyone who enjoys Celtic lore and mythology. A very impressive debut from Claire Wright. I also appreciated the pronunciation guide at the end because Celtic names are no joke.

“Níl sé ach ina thús
It’s only just begun”
“Fair Ones, gods, fae - whatever you wanted to call them. Those mythical bastards were real and very much alive”
“Offend a Fair One, welcome strife”
“I’m aware of magic, but legends and lore are another matter”
I am absolutely speechless. There are no words to describe the wonder and deep admiration I have for this author, whose debut novel comes with a beautiful fantasy adventure, based on the legends and lore of Irish folklore.
The story surrounding our main characters (whom I specifically studied, taking notes)
Ash, Tiernan, Set and Maebh is one I have never read about before !!!
The world building, the magic system and the characters’ dynamic were absolute wonderful and I’m in awe of the great job the author did at explaining what was happening and who was involved to a completely clueless reader !!!
I new nothing about these legends and knowing that what’s written in this book is a truthful and reliable source of information for that culture (albeit a very fantastic one) is amazing !!!
Apart from the knowledge it gave me about fae, high kings and the Fianna’s clans, I loved every moment of the action sequences that were taking place, as well as the romantic subplot that involved two main couples in particular (I’ll let you read the book to figure out who I am taking about) was the best ever !!!!
And the pronunciation guide at the end of the book was very much appreciated indeed !!!! THANK YOU AUTHOR !!!
The ending of the book left me with a bit of a cliffhanger but it’s completely understandable because … THIS BOOK IS NOT OUT YET AND I ALREADY CANNOT WAIT FOR BOOK TWO !!!
I’m so glad I had the chance to read it and be part of this adventure that, I hope, will only grow better in time !!!
“I know everyone’s emotions, but I don’t know how to deal with my own”
“If this is a gift , why am I the one paying ?”
“If she’d learnt anything, it was that fate often wielded a double-edged sword, and she would be ready to fight back with a fury born from destruction”

The realm of lore and lies is a slow burner that slowly hooks you and leaves you unable to turn away from the pages.

Perfect for young adults looking for a feel-good easy read. With Romance, fantasy, and murder mystery what more could you ask for?

Whilst I enjoyed this book I couldn’t give it 5 stars as I found all of the different narratives used at the start of the book to be a bit confusing. The further I got into the book and the more I got used to the characters the easier it got.
I also wish there had been more time to delve deeper into the characters and to see more character development and development of relationships between the characters. That’s what the next book in the series is for though!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Realm of Lore and Lies by Claire Wright provides readers with a glismpe into Irish mythology. This permise drew me into the book, but sadly I did not enjoy the book as much as I wanted. The book is told from multiple perspectives. Each of the characters are interesting, but their voice sounded the same. Additionally, I am unsure what the multiple perspectives added to the story. I felt the story could have thrived with one perspecitive. There was also pacing issues throughout the book. Readers are thrown into the world without very little introductions. Both the pacing issues and lack of world building caused clarity issues throughout the book. Overall, Realm of Lroe and Lies had a very intresting permise, but failed to deliver for me.

Realm of Lore and Lies
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, NA
Claire Wright
⭐️⭐️⭐️

The start of this book is quite slow and I wasn't keem on the writing style. The pacing also seems to be quite slow and even by about 50% I didn't feel like a lot had actually happened.

I did like the found-family trope and the way it was included it this book was heart-warming.

The lore and mythology was interesting but I wish there was just a bit more, sometimes I did find it confusing which POV I was reading despite it being clear at the beginning of each chapter just because some of them seemed to read the same rather than have their own voice

Overall I'm a bit disappointed with this book. The synopsis and the premise itself sounded great and I was really looking forward to reading it but unfortunately it wasn't for me, although I can see how others would enjoy it and I appreciate the amount of research the author did for this book.

*Thank you to @netgalley and the publishers BooksGoSocial for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoyed this book, especially since it was a fae story set in Ireland, which I had never read before. There was very interesting worldbuilding and I enjoyed all of the different characters' perspectives. The whole clan social hierarchy with a Matriarch and her Second was interesting to learn about too. Overall, I would recommend this book for readers interested in fae lore and books with multiple perspectives. It was fun and heart-wrenching in the best ways.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *

Somehow, I wanted to like this a lot more than I actually did. I feel like there were too many characters who didn't receive enough depth and the pacing of the story felt all over the place.

Unfortunately this book fell very flat for me which is a shame as I liked the premise:
It follows 4 different POVs throughout, most of which felt unnecessary and didn’t add much to the story. I found the book to drag and the first 50% could’ve been condensed down - in general the pacing dragged. Very little and confusing world building. The characters romantic relationships felt a bit forced for me as well. I did enjoy Maebhs character.

I don’t think I’ll continue with this series.

I love books that are set in Ireland and having Irish heritage myself I can tell you that the folklore and legends surrounding Ireland and the Celts is fascinating and so this book was right up my street. I loved it and devoured it so quickly. A great read and I love the cover.

Oh, this is a beautifully crafted tale of Ireland lore, and Claire Wright, you’re an awesome storyteller.
This book is an intriguing, fast-paced, easy to read, page turner that will keep you up while you follow the story of Ash, Conor, Tiernan, Maebh and Setanta while they search for the Caillte and are summoned to fight in the Cath.
Looking forward to the next installment of the Fair Ones series.

Wow! What a fabulous debut novel for this author! Realm of Lore and Lies is like nothing I've read recently. Filled with Irish lore, it captivates you with the stories of the four main characters.

This is a fantasy novel with with a hint of a murder mystery mixed in. There is very little romance, so if you're looking for that to be one of the main topics this may not be for you (though it does have potential to have some more romance in future books).

You start off in modern day Ireland, but soon realize that there is a parallel world filled with fae. We follow Aesling, Maebh, Setanta, and Tiernan as they attempt to complete a quest against other clans to become immortal warriors for the king.

I had a little bit of trouble getting into this at first, however, the world building is phenomenal. Once you learn the characters, the pages seem to turn themselves. I know for me that multiple POV's can be annoying because I want to mostly hear from one person over the other, but in this book I found myself growing attached to all four characters and was never disappointed when a POV changed.

I will definitely read book two when it comes out!

Some things you can expect when you read:
⦁ Multiple POV
⦁ Irish Mythology/Folklore
⦁ Murder Mystery
⦁ MINIMAL Romance/Spice

Thank you to Claire and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

It is so hard for me to believe that this is Claire Wright’s debut novel! Writing a fantasy book is one thing, but writing a fantasy book that has you gripped from page one is a whole other ball game and Claire Wright hit a grand slam.

This book has it all- you will laugh, you will *probably* cry, but most of all, you will swoon. What a fun read!

Realm of Lore and Lies is about Aisling who is part of the travelling Fianna clans. The Fianna clans are gifted with the ability to see through fae glamour and Aisling has this ability as well as she is part of the Breen clan. At a very young age, Aisling runs away and is taken in by a couple who treat her like their own. Years later, the only contact she has to her old life is through her brother Connor who writes letters to her. When tragedy strikes, Aisling is once again thrust in to the world of her clan that she had left behind. We are then introduced to Maebh Setanta and Tiernan and the story follows them on their journey through a tough competition among the clans to become selected to be immortal warriors for the king.

This is quite possibly one of the most richly written out worlds in a fantasy book I've read this year. The fae are shown as the deadly creatures they were meant to be and I was fascinated by the Fianna clans and their rich culture and how they dealt with the fae. This does not feel like a debut book honestly. I loved how the fae world and the human world worked like parallel worlds instead of two sepeate ones.

Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was the Irish mythology woven into it. I have never read a book with Irish mythology before and it was honestly captivating. In addition to seeing the clans in the competition, we also see our main characters trying to solve the mystery of Aisling's mother's death and the case of the disappearances from several years before and it was great to see the pieces of the puzzle falling in place.

There are several questions left unanswered at the end of the book but it makes me all the more excited for the second book. If you love anything fae and mystery with mythology thrown into it, then this is the book for you.

First of all I want to thank the incredible Claire Wright for sending me an advanced copy of her debut novel Realm of Lore and Lies.

I immediately fell in love with this book because for one of the first times a book, based in Ireland, with Irish mythos and Irish culture was written by an IRISH PERSON! And it's not cringe-worthy because Claire obviously knows what she's writing about.

We meet Aisling, who is fending off the Fae world after she chose to leave the Fianna seven years ago. However, when a terrible tragedy occurs she is forced to return home to her brother and her former friends.

In an attempt to learn who is murdering members of the Fianna, she reunites with Maebh, Tiernan and Setanta.

Despite Aisling being our "main" character, I immediately fell in love with Maebh. A woman who is struggling with the pressures her mother has put on her as well as just the struggles of being a young woman navigating love and friendship. She second-guesses herself internally as she projects a bad bitch persona.

Tiernan is tall, dark and brooding, but there is certainly going on behind those beautiful eyes.

Setanta, Maebh's brother, is the golden boy... And I am suspicious haha!

The ending of this book had me literally screeching, I cannot wait to get the second book. And everyone needs to get on this book ASAP!

This is the first book in a series set firmly in Irish Celtic traditions. The book is a perfect read on its own. Only 3 stars for me because it takes a long time for the story really to develop as the characters are introduced. Ash is part of the travelling Fianna folk, and can see through Fae glamour. But she has left the tradition to find a life for herself in the wider world at University. Then she finds her mother murdered. Read the book and follow her journey as she strives to find the killer and protect those she loves in a world she thought she had left behind. Thank you to Leannán Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed all mine, freely given.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this book ahead of its release, it's honestly one of the best fantasy fiction books you've read in ages.

I totally enjoyed this book from start to finish so five star rating for sure and definitely getting a Physical copy of this book.

Set in Ireland and filled with Fae Lore, monsters, magick, romance and murder, Realm of Lore and Lies follows the story of Ash, Set, Maebh and Tiernan.

It has some of the best characters I've read about in ages. We all need a Set in our lives. This book was impossible to put down. I loved the world building and that the author took the time to build such a strong understanding of each character.

You're totally drawn into their world. I love all four of the main characters and watching the relationships unfold. With plot twists and so much happening throughout, I found it impossible to fault this book.

Can't wait for book two.

If there is one Fae fantasy book you read, it needs to be this one.

I would like to start out by saying that I have been looking forward to this book for a very long time. When I first read the description, I knew that it would become a favorite read for me. What I didn't expect was to absolutely fall in love with everything about it.....This is Claire Wright's debut but it definitely reads like a seasoned author who has many best sellers under her belt!

This story follows Aisling who is from the Breen Clan. At a very young age, she runs away and is taken in by a wonderful couple who treat her like their own. She lives away from her clan for years but has so many regrets and misses her younger brother Conner. The only tie she has to her family are the written letters that she receives from her brother. When tragedy strikes, Aisling must go back and rely on the help of friends and family to participate in the Cath. The only way she will survive is if she relies on the for help. The problem is that there are so many obstacles in her way and she must decipher the truth for fiction. Will she and her friends survive?

OH MY.......This book is so good. Its hard to even describe how much I LOVE THIS STORY! Claire weaves a tale so entrenched in lore and mythology that you find yourself drawn in and not wanting it to end. The characters become your friends and their travels become your journey into their world. They are a group of misfits that work. There is Tiernan who is the dedicated friend and computer genius but more like another brother to Aisling. Maebh (pronounced Maeve) who is the best friend that Aisling didn't know she needed. And let me tell you, Maebh is snarky and funny as hell! Set is the handsome twin brother to Maebh. He's the sexy love interest but he doesn't know it. Poor Set has secrets and demons he is fighting all the time. and you have Connor. Aisling's brother who has his own demons to high. Together, this rag tag group of misfits will laugh, cry and fight together to form a family who will stick together through it all. Claires love for her homeland is woven through this book and is amazing to see it through her eyes. The writing is flawless and the story a tale I will never forget. I promise that you will love it as much as me and I hope you give it a try. If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would!