Tuatha and the Seven Sisters Moon by D. VonThaer

Synopsis: 

Aodh, The Dagda, a man made of ancient legends, has slumbered for two millennia. Tonight, when the moon is full and the stars are aligned, he rises from his temporary grave to find the world is not as he remembers. His people, have vanquished, along with the majority of his considerable power. Chance takes him to Dru, and together they set out to find the key to reopening his world, whilst forming a bond of friendship neither has ever previously known. During their search, Dru learns Ty was no mortal man, but a god with a prophecy to fulfill. Ty died before fulfilling that prophecy, setting off a chain of events that would forever alter the future. Devastated, Dru abandons Aodh and the life that should have already been hers, and finds herself in the company of the worst sort. She begins a sordid affair with Kas, a daemon whose insatiable lust for power is only outdone by his lust for Dru. Separated from the only friend he knows, Aodh is left to search the world alone for answers. He meets the young and beautiful dancer, Katerina, and is instantly smitten with her grace and purity. He set out to find the key to reopening his world, whilst forming a bond of friendship neither has ever previously known. During their search, Dru learns Ty was no mortal man, but a god with a prophecy to fulfill. Ty died before fulfilling that prophecy, setting off a chain of events that would forever alter the future.

Review: 

First of all this is a very interesting concept. And for the most part was a really interesting read from beginning to end. But there are a couple of things within the book that were slightly annoying so I am going to go over there before going on to the good things about the book. 

First off, there were some formatting errors in the book itself. I'm not sure if the copy I received was an ARC or not, but it looks like a smash words copy. And even though I am one of those people who is willing to overlook the every once in a blue moon format error, this was a big one. About half way through every page the authors name would appear and then on the other page it would have the name of the book. The second issue with the book the chapters alternate with between two separate stories (they all come together at the end), but in the beginning of the book it often feels like you are reading two separate books, and for some people that could be a bit on the confusing side. 

I will say that those two things aside the book was pretty good. The first chapter was a bit on the confusing side, but I think that is what the author intended, since it does introduce the reader to a brand new world. The second chapter really brings you into Katerina's world, which it would be mild to say that she lives a hard time. It is really easy for you to feel for her situation, and it's obvious that she has a past, but you don't get much information about her past. You do get little hints every now and again about Katerina's past, and when you do it makes you even more sad about whats going on with her life.  Katerina is on the run from a life we can only imagine. And her escape is well planned and thought out, but at the same time it's so sad to watch, the terror in her actions shine through from the pages. She is one of those characters that you instantly identify with. It's rare for a character to do that with me, normally it takes more than a couple pages but for some reason she just pops right off the page and it is so easy to both love her and want her life to get better. 

Now you also have two other sets of characters you meet early on, Dru and Aodh. Dru is more confusing to understand because you often feel like you are missing a huge part of her backstory, but every once in a while there are moments where her personality and past are aloud to shine through and you feel for her. Aodh is an even harder character to get to know, only because he is so out of place and well out of time. However, even though you don't feel for these characters like you do with Katerina, they are seriously interesting. Not only that but watching Aodh try and fit in with a world he does not belong in is highly amusing and very funny at times, especially when Dru is just trying to make sense of everything as well as be able to enjoy her own creature comforts. Their stark differences so easy to see from early on it's amazing, Dru is a vegan and Aodh is a raw fish off the bone eating cave man. 

Of course the course the characters take don't always stay on the path you think that you think they will go down. But that is part of what makes the story so interesting and entertaining. I do have to say that about half way through the book the it really started to pick up the pace and become a real page turner. So overall, I am going to call this a good read.

D. VonThaer Interview

We are joined today by D. VonThaer who is the author of Tuatha and the Seven Sisters Moon, which is being reviewed later today. I hope you enjoy getting to know her a little bit better before reading the book review a little bit later today!

UFR: If you were picking a theme song for this book what would it be and why?

DVT: I think the best theme song for Tuatha could be Seize the Day by Avenged Sevenfold. *Seize the day, or die regretting the time we lost.//Newborn life replacing all of us, changing this fable we live in.*

UFR: If Aodh were in a book club reading present day books, what book would it be and why?

DVT: I think Aodh would read Bram Stoker, or maybe Stephen King. I think he would enjoy their cleverness, their ability to go to places within the mind, and be the first to do it. Stoker wrote the book on vampires. It was sexy, it was thrilling, it was terrifying. Dracula was written with such grace, I think Aodh would appreciate that. I also think he'd be a fan of King. I think he'd enjoy the wanderings of King's mind, the crevices he shows to the world that most people bury or take a pill to subdue. I think Aodh would find that fascinating.

UFR: Are there any characters in the book (and if so who and how so) that share personality traits with you? 

DVT: Dru absolutely by far is the closest to me. Her personality is much like my own. She is independent to a fault, and only realizes her mistakes far too late. She doesn't always see that independence is not always a virtue. (And the fact she gets herself into trouble when her temper gets the better of her.) She has such power that she doesn't even realize because of her past, because of her family, because of her lack of self-awareness. 

UFR: What was the hardest scene for you to write and why?

DVT: Katerina's torture was an absolute nightmare to write. I constantly stopped writing and tried not to put it in the book. I had crying fits during editing. I actually had friends call me and yell at me for what I'd done to her.  

UFR: The book features several key characters, did you have trouble making sure the audience would both get to know them well enough to enjoy them as well as keep the story moving along. 

DVT: This has been a very hard aspect for me. I wanted to introduce each of the three main characters as things took place, because it's so important to the story to have it all happen the same night. I tried to rewrite the beginning several times, but I always came back to the original, and hoped readers would understand they would meet, and that those scenes were important, as they were written.  

UFR: I find it really interesting that Aodh considers mortality, it gives him both depth as well as easier to identify with. Why did you chose to have him consider giving up his prophecy/power for Katerina? 

DVT: I think Aodh felt so lonely after Dru left, he was ready to give up. The world was so different, so much larger in a way. Things and concepts were more difficult to grasp, his powers were so diminished. I think he saw in Katerina a strength that he did not possess. Aodh admires her for that. As diminutive and feminine as Katerina is, she is extremely strong in character. I think Aodh respected her so much for that, he was in awe. 

UFR: What are some of your favorite authors to read? Do you stick with the paranormal/urban fantasy genre or do you read a wider mix of books?

DVT: I read so many kinds of books, fantasy is not even the genre I read the most. I'm a huge classical reader. Nathaniel Hawthorne is an absolute favorite. (I once lived around the corner from the House of the Seven Gables.) I like good books, great writing, original themes that make you think, laugh, cry and when they do all of the above it's a book I'll read over and over. 

UFR: Is there any advice that you would give to aspiring writers?

DVT: I wish I had not jumped into publishing so fast. I wish I would have written more and smaller pieces before tossing this book into the foray. I have written in magazines and newspapers for years but that was many years before Tuatha came out. I would advise them to build your platform, perfect your craft; read, write, edit. It will make the roadblocks easier to overcome.

UFR: Do you have any new books in the works? And if so would you like to tell our readers a little bit about it?

DVT: The second book in the Tuatha series, Serpentine Souls, is being edited right now. I wrote this series for about nine years now, and I have approximately 5 books, maybe seven, written. Before I release them, I rewrite, then write more, and rearrange to make sure the writing is fresh, the series flows well. So many things in the first book weren't supposed to happen for some time, and other things were edited out. It's about the series as a whole for me, and I am very excited to get the second book into circulation.

UFR: Finally, is there anything you want your potential readers to know about you or the book?

DVT: I hope people read it even if they don't care for fantasy, because I think it spans genres and is just a great story. I have other books in the works that are not fantasy, (YA, horror, lit fic)  and I hope readers take something from each one and that they feel they'e read a great story. That's the big objective, to write great stories that reader's will love, regardless of genre.