In the Forests of the Night (The Goblin Wars, #2)

by Kersten Hamilton

[Kim Deister]

I absolutely love this series! The blend of Celtic mythology with a contemporary time and place has created a world that borders on reality. The author takes the fantasy beasts and creatures of Mag Mell and brings them out of their realm and into Chicago in such a way that it feels like it could be a true possibility. From time to time throughout this book and the last, she mentions those little shadows and glimpses that we all get from time to time and attributes them to those things like the cat sidhe... those things that we can't see but just may be there, lurking just out of our sight.

There is a fairly large cast of characters, all of whom contribute to the story. There is Teagan and Finn, her BFF Abby and her little brother Aiden, Thomas and Aint Roisin, Mameio and her father, The cat sidhe Grendel and the sprite Lucy. This is a hefty cast, especially when you add in all of the other supporting characters, but they all have their place in the story... and in the Wylltson household!

Teagan goes through a lot of personal growth in this book as her previously dormant goblin blood comes to the surface. Goblin she may be, but her heart is human and that is what she strives for. Part of what makes her so endearing is her compassion and need to care for others. We really see that in this book, in her attempts to care for her brother, for Abby, her father, and through her job at the zoo.

Finn is also a star in this book! He is the epitome of a great Book Boyfriend. He's smart and capable, funny and supportive. He loves Teagan, accepts her for who and what she is... which is a big thing in this case as she is a goblin and he is sworn to protect against her kind. He loves her brother and is noble to the point of frustration in how he handles his feelings for Teagan, out of respect for her father.

Things to love about In the Forests of the Night...

--The folklore. I love, LOVE, LOVE the folklore that is such a big part of the story. I love how it is woven into the contemporary world of Chicago that they live in.
--Cindy. The scenes with Cindy in the zoo, with her interactions with her "boyfriend" and the doctor... hilarious!

My recommendation: A fantastically wonderful read that makes you wonder about those things just beyond your sight!