Tamlyn - James Moloney

Tamlyn (Silvermay #2) - James Moloney
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 stars

Silvermay's life has been spared, she once again has Tamlyn at her side and the attraction that has grown between them seems ready to bloom into love. Yet there is little time to savour such a reunion. They must rescue little Lucien from the clutches of Coyle Strongbow before the foul magic of the Wyrdborn turns him into the monster depicted in the mosaics of Nan Tocha.

First, though, they must see to Ryall who is near death and only Silvermay's mother can save him. They return to Haywode where Ryall's survival calls for a terrible price. It is here, too, that word comes of murder in the capital; Tamlyn's mother is dead and there can only be one culprit.

Tamlyn becomes obsessed with revenge and amid such dark emotions, his Wyrdborn blood pushes aside the love he has shown for Silvermay. Worse still, he refuses to forsake his powers, should the chance come in the months ahead. Silvermay is devastated, for she knows that those who marry the Wyrdborn face a bleak and loveless fate.

Despite the rift between them, plans are made, new friends come to their aid and together they make a daring bid to free Lucien. It seems they have succeeded, too, until betrayal from the most unexpected quarter foils them and, suddenly, all that Silvermay loves is to be destroyed.

Without weapons or magic, can one girl turn back the killing hand and if she does, will she still want the man whom her heart won't surrender. (Description from Goodreads)
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Tamlyn is the wonderful sequel to the award winning Silvermay (Silvermay won the 2011 Gold Inky award). The thing I like about this series is its ability to transport you to another time and place. That era always had the best adventure stories and the romance is always so sweet and innocent. Tamlyn is no different.

It begins where Silvermay left off (if you haven’t read Silvermay, avert your eyes now), baby Lucien has been stolen by the evil Coyle, and Silvermay and Tamlyn have been left fighting for their lives on the jetty. With no way of knowing where Coyle has taken Lucien, Silvermay and Tamlyn return to Silvermay’s village to regroup and try to figure out where Coyle is. But when a stranger walks into town with some terrible news, Silvermay and Tamlyn have another problem to deal with. The Wyrdborn nature in Tamlyn is starting to take over, and if Silvermay can’t help him, it will have devastating consequences to their relationship.

I really enjoyed this novel. I couldn’t put it down, and ended up finishing it in a day- a sign of how much I enjoyed it. I think one of the things I loved about this series is that it does transport you to that era where women are not seen as equals, and yet Silvermay is such a strong female character. She willingly goes on dangerous quests and is willing to fight and die for the people she loves. I don’t think there is anything better then reading about strong women like Silvermay.

I’m looking forward to seeing how this all ends in Lucien, but unfortunately, its a long wait.



Kerrie
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

Silvermay - James Moloney

Silvermay (Silvermay #1) - James Moloney

Grade: YA

Rating: 4/5 stars 

Sixteen-year-old Silvermay Hawker feels drawn to the newcomer in her village - a young man of solemn good looks named Tamlyn. But only heartache can come of this, because Tamlyn is devoted to Nerigold and to little Lucien, her son.

So things seem, until the dark forces of Coyle Strongbow come in search of Nerigold′s baby and Silvermay is swept up in the young family′s escape. When Lucien is entrusted to her care, she discovers the startling horror of what he might become, and the truth about Tamlyn, too.

Can Lucien be spared his fate, or is he doomed to become like Coyle? And Tamlyn, can he be trusted, can he be loved and can he love in return? Silvermay′s heart will not give him up, but what happens when devotion becomes a weapon in the hands of the ruthless? (Description from Goodreads)

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Silvermay begins with one of the best written prologues I have ever read. It hooked me in and left me shocked to the core.

Silvermay is the first novel in a 3 book series (and each book is named after one of the main characters, so hopefully my review doesn’t get confusing). Although it doesn’t state what time period it is set in, it has the feel of the 1100’s. Commonfolk work the lands, harvest their own food, ride horses (if they can afford them); there are ruthless rulers, thieves, and murderers. So you know you’re in a different time as soon as you start the novel.

Silvermay is a 16 year old girl, whose life is turned upside down when two strangers with a baby come through her town. Silvermay finds herself attracted to the mysterious Tamlyn, and no matter how hard she fights it (Tamlyn has a family after all), soon falls in love with him. When it becomes clear that the most ruthless of people, the race of wizards called Wyrdborn, are after Tamlyn and his family- Nerigold and baby Lucien; Silvermay helps them to escape.

What happens next is an epic journey through the lands, where discoveries are made about baby Lucien and the fate of the world.

I really enjoyed Silvermay. The characters, time period, and plot were all well written. After that amazing prologue, I found the start of the book a little slow, and it took me a while to understand what exactly Wyrdborns were (other than being a feared bunch of people), but then all these things started to happen and I found myself swept up in Silvermay’s adventure. And then, of course, it ends just as dramatically as the prologue, making me itch for the next book.

Kerrie

(Originally posted on Goodreads)