Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception

As much of a lover of all things Stiefvater that I am, one might wonder why the hell it took me so long to get my act together and read this book. The answer is easy, really. It's about faeries and you may already know that I'm not a fan of the fae. But it's Maggie freaking Steveotter and you don't just shelf a Steveotter and not read it. So I read it.

The first thing that struck me was the writing. It has classic Stiefvater elements that brings the story alive in such a vivid way. It was also a bit choppy. In a whimsical way. Which makes sense given the subject matter. The style felt different from her later work and it was very cool to see where she started versus where she is now.

The first half of this story felt very Twilight-ish to me. This is so cliche'--I know! I think it was the whole clearly unhuman, beautiful boy being enamored by a girl who views herself as Plain Jane, though she's so much deeper than Bella Swan. By about a billion percent. It lost that Twilight-ish feel during the last half, though, because the climax of the story doesn't take place in a ballet studio. Or involve biting. Oh, no. It's much more gruesome than that.

Luke, this story's gallowglass, has a sad backstory and I learned to appreciate him even though he kinda creeped me out. Deirdre on the other hand, captivated me from the first time I met her. She's my kind of heroine-smart, tough and a little naive. At least when it came to James. It's pretty dang obvious that her BFF is gaga over her, but she just doesn't see it. And James! Oh, my James. I loved him. Can't wait to see where his story goes in BALLAD.

Highly recommend this one for fans of Maggie. Just know you're in for a bit of cheesiness.

I was not a fan of this book. The reviews for it are all over the place, but for the most part, people seemed to like it. This was another book I picked up in a thrift shop on a whim. I don't regret reading it (if I had, I wouldn't have finished it).

Stiefvaters' writing style is good – just the story of Lament in general wasn't done well. Having finished this book, I have no desire to read the others in the series – despite them sitting on my bookshelf and beckoning to me. I binge buy books so I can binge read them in case I love them – what can I say?

I haven't read any other books by Stiefvater, and after Lament I'm a little unsure as to whether or not I actually want to try. I won't read any more in this series – but I do hear good things about her Shiver Trilogy.

I honestly just found the book dreadfully boring. I wanted so very much to like it – I did. When I was in high school, I was a tad obsessed with fairies and Irish myths and legends and read some absolutely astounding YA books on the topic. Stiefvater's Lament just didn't live up to that past love for me. The characters were dry and uninteresting. The plot didn't seem to go much of anywhere and I'm honestly surprised I made it to the end. I think it took me about a month to read. It never takes me a month to read anything.

The story was abstract and random and at times just plain confusing. If you're a huge fan of fae literature, you may like the book more than I did, but you'll certainly have to work on your suspension of disbelief.

Alright now I see what made everyone fall in love with Stiefvater early on. I really need to catch up on all my other reading, but I don't regret reading this instead! LOL
This touched on so many of my favorite tropes and stories, I couldn't help but enjoy it. Though not as polished as her Raven cycle books, this is certainly poetic and immersive.
I'm itching to read the second part of the story but keep hearing it's a bit disappointing in the answering questions realm, so hopefully there will be more stories in this world! I love all things fae, and Stiefvater's familiarity with Celtic and Scottish highlands folklore makes for riveting reading!

More than a few years ago, I worked for a writing non-profit. I worked with teachers looking to teach better writing and write for themselves, and I also worked with a lot of young writers. At our young writers summer camp we had the pleasure of hosting Maggie Stiefvater to talk to them one evening (to this day I kick myself that I did not attend) … what does this have to do with a book review? Well I have had Lament sitting on my home bookshelf since then…since about 2009… (I know I am a huge slacker). For the month of May it was the book pulled from my TBR jar, so I finally read it. I am so happy that I did.

Lament is one of Stiefvater’s earlier books, the first in a series about faeries. I love books about faeries most of the time so I was hoping to love this one as well and I definitely did. Stiefvater produced a beautifully sad love story that made me want to keep reading – and that is what I did, I read this whole book in a matter of two sittings. The characters have growth and the plot is entertaining – sometimes a little frustrating, but very good overall. Deirdre the main character begins as shy and reserved and a bit of a loner and later falls head over heels for a mysterious boy she barely knows but who gives her confidence and the lift she needed to become a stronger person. Luke is…well… a swoon-worthy character, but also very funny to read.

I really enjoyed the love story but also the other faerie elements of the book. I think the only pet peeve I have about it was the lack of freaking out. I mean if you told me faeries were trying to take me and kill me, I am pretty positive I would freak out a LOT more than Deirdre does as she learns about everything…just saying…

I first encountered Stiefvater's wonderful writing in her Wolves of Mercy Falls series. I was blown away by her beautiful descriptions and dreamlike prose. It seemed to me that all this went down the drain in Lament.

When Deirdre meets Luke, she is immediately enchanted by his musical gift. His flute and her harp make magic together - literally. But her family instantly distrusts him, and there is something much darker going, something that has to do with an evil faery queen.

If I had to describe Lament to someone that has never heard of the book, it would be: "Standard YA, girl meets boy, they fall in love, he happens to be a hundred times her age or something, and there's something that keeps `em apart. Oh yeah, and some faery s***". It didn't have the same magical quality Shiver had for me. I think Lament is written before Shiver (you can never tell for sure, who knows how long manuscripts have been gathering dust before they get published). It definitely felt as if Lament was the point where she still had to develop her talent with words. It was there, in some spots, but overall Lament was slightly dull and predictable.

Lament is a fast read, but in the end I had to force myself to continue reading it. It's not like there's necessarily anything bad about it, but I didn't see anything very good either. Deirde was okay, but nothing interesting. At the end of the book I still had no clue what the love interest, Luke, looked like. There is a hint of love triangle (because what would 2000-2010 YA fiction be without a love triangle?) and of course I ended up rooting for the wrong guy. There was a surprising lack of emotional depth on Deirdre's side. A LOT of bad stuff happens, yet somehow at no point does she break down. To me that doesn't say "strong", but "unrealistic".

The concept of the fey themselves was good. I always like reading about the fey, and Stiefvater did a good job keeping them bitter-sweet and mysterious, as they should be.

Also, the ending wasn't very satisfying to me. Maybe the unanswered questions will be answered in Ballad, the companion novel to Lament, I don't know. I probably never will, since I'm not interested at all what happens to Deirdre next.

You know, I'm not too sure how I felt about this one. It's not that I didn't like it but I wasn't thrilled with it either.

I was really thrown for a loop at the beginning of the book. I felt like I walked into the middle of the scene and it took me a few chapters to acclimate to what was going on. Luke just shows up out of nowhere and Dee knows his name from a dream. Maybe I skimmed over it but I don't remember it being clear about whether she really knew that guy or not. Then when it settled in that she didn't, and they decided to go on stage a do a duet together, I kind of went WTF? Would that really happen?

Speaking of really happening, I kept questioning the language of the MC. And unfortunately I kept comparing her to Bella Swan. Not in personality, just in language. It just felt far too advanced for the age of the character. She just turned 16, didn't she? For a girl in public school, that's a mighty SAT vocabulary she's got going on.

But back to the plot. It seems to jolt into the story, with Luke suddenly appearing, and then everything that's going on seems sidelong, as if viewed from the corner of your eye. Yeah, there's Freckle Freak that makes an appearance every once in a while but the threat seems to be just out of sight, pushed away by Luke, until the very end when he's not there to help. I also don't like how the real antagonist didn't even make an appearance until the last couple of chapters and then poof! Out of the way. It was kind of anticlimactic for me. The whole story is this woman being talked up like some psychotic bitch on a power trip and oh my god she's the be-all-end-all of Faerie Queens and then she's so easily thwarted. Meh. Not satisfied.

And I'm sorry, but every time it came to Dee singing, I just couldn't help but think about ultimate Mary Sues. Dee isn't a Sue but if you've ever taken the Mary Sue litmus test, one of the questions is whether your MC has a good singing voice. I just couldn't stop that association. So that kind of tainted it a little bit for me. Plus I just think it's weird to have characters singing. In any book, it's always my least favorite part because most of the time, I can't help but think it contrived.

As for the relationship between Luke and Dee . . . meh. Dee does become pretty reliant on Luke to get her out of tough situations but when the time comes for her to step up to the plate, she's capable which is a nice thing to see. Instead of relying on someone else's help, she finds the strength within to remedy the situation. That's an awesome thing right there. When all seems lost, the MC makes it not lost with no one's help but her own.

And so help me, every time Luke called Dee pretty girl, I wanted to punch him in the throat. From the second he said it I felt it was so patronizing, especially within the context of some of his sentences. There were times where I thought it actually belittled Dee but she loved him calling her that. Whatever. To each her own and some junk.

Overall, it was compelling despite its faults. I read it pretty quickly and Stiefvater does have a lyrical way with her words even though I felt the language was a little far beyond the MC. It's not bad. Not something I would necessarily pick up again but a pretty good read. I'm going to read the sequel simply because I have it sitting in my pile but if I didn't have it, I probably wouldn't read on. I was content with just this one.

3.5 stars

I like Maggie Steifvater. Her writing is enthralling and unique. Reading a Maggie Steifvater book is calming for me; it's something about the way she develops her characters and sets the stage for her love story. Like Shiver, Lament's plot that floats from point A to point B with all of the excitement of an Enya song. It's hard to get too worked up about the main characters being in danger when I've been lulled into a stupor by Stiefvater's lyrical prose. But that is a good thing. There aren't too many authors who can influence my emotions like that.

I thought Lament would have more of a faerie influence than it did. To me, the book was more about Deidre finding herself and finding love for the first time. There were faeries, and a faerie conflict, but the book takes place in Deidre's hometown. There are no treks to the NeverNever (like in The Iron King, for example). I really enjoyed the fact that Deidre plays the harp. I kept imaging harp music the entire time I was reading.

Guess what, Maggie Steifvater? I'm saving the sequel to Lament, Ballad (along with Melissa Marr's Radiant Shadows) as my ICE book for the next time I'm home from work sick. That is a rare distinction here at I'd So Rather Be Reading!

Just One Gripe:
What's up with this current trend of teenage girls falling in love with centuries-old guys? It's kind of creepy.

The Best Thing About This Book:
Steifvater's lyrical prose.

I had read Stiefvater's Shiver trilogy, and enjoyed how the main characters were realistic and how Sam and Grace's love seemed like it was doomed. So when I saw more of the author's books in the library, I checked them out with some high expectations about good quality. Lament and sequel Ballad were both very good, better than some of the other things that I've been reading recently, even if there were a couple flaws.

Lament centers around Dee, a girl who has an amazing talent for singing and playing the harp. She meets Luke, a hot guy who just so happens to play the same tunes, many of which are old Irish ones, on a wooden flute. The two like each other, although Dee's family doesn't like him because they saw a boy looking just like him twenty years before, around the time that her Aunt Delia almost died. Dee starts realizing that she's telekinetic and can read minds, as well as is a cloverhand, someone who draws faeries to them. Luke turns out to be over a thousand years old, and is forced to be the Faerie Queen's assassin because she has his soul. The Queen ordered Luke to kill Dee, who poses a threat to the faerie, and she won't stop until the girl is dead.

I enjoyed how these faeries are different than many of the other ones that you read about. There are different kinds of faeries, including outcasts, although many of them are incredibly dangerous. They are like children in that they like shiny new toys, but they can be brutal to those toys. They can be cruel and drive many bargains. Some of the bargains include a tear (since faeries can't cry, and one is jealous of the tears) and performing songs, which are pretty unusual things to ask for. They're strange creatures that humans can't completely understand. The faeries also aren't part of any courts like in most of the other books that I've read, which is a bit refreshing. It also focuses more on the entire Dee and Luke vs. the Queen.

Most of the characters were pretty good at their purpose. Luke had a heart that made up for killing people. Dee was hesitant about her new-found powers and violence, and her interactions with other people were relatively normal. She was confused without being wishy-washy. Her mom pushed her around and seemed to control her life too much (which gave Dee realistic teenage angst). Her aunt was a condescending pain in the neck who cared only about herself and pushed her presence on everyone else. Best friend James was witty and almost always there, and his main selling point seemed to be quirky but reliable and dependent. Even the grandmother was lively, always looked out for her family, and seemed to know exactly what to do about faeries, even if she was a little bull-headed at times. The faeries seemed to be pretty well-drawn out, too. I liked how Freckle Freak, as Dee calls him, always seemed that everything he did was only for fun, no matter the consequences. The faerie Una is very helpful to Dee, and her main reason for helping the girl so much seems only to be because she likes Dee, which I found to be a little disappointing, considering all of the other people and faeries' interesting relationships with Dee. It also seems a bit like Luke, who seemed to have more of a love-at-first-sight kind of moment, where they both just like Dee without really knowing her. The only character that I can think of who isn't very well-planned seems to be Dee's father.

Stiefvater did a very good job with all of the old Irish lore, songs, and so on. She even used words like cloverhand and gallowglass and explained them to us 21st century Americans in a way that made them believable. The one thing I wish was that I knew more about this background to the story, including hearing some of the songs and stuff. Maybe a couple more Irish tales would have been good in the story. She also came out with a very good ending that didn't seem to overlook anything in the story or in the old tales. It was believably in character, with no crazy miracles about how every single problem possible was just solved at once. It was a bit bittersweet, which I absolutely love in an ending, but if I say any more, I'll give away the ending.

There were a couple things that I wish the book explained more, such as how Dee's family comes to own a faerie hunting dog that can be seen at all times. Or how Luke seems to always know where Dee is, as well as knowing her address and phone number without her telling him. Or what happened to Luke so that he lost his soul and had to follow the Queen. It also doesn't explicitly say that because Luke lost his soul, he basically lives forever.

This was a really good read. It was an interesting and original take on the subject of faeries, and I greatly enjoyed it. Definitely give this book a try.

I should start by saying that I loved THE SCORPIO RACES. I say that so you can try to get a feel for the type of literature I like. The Scorpio Races had such depth. Wonderful characters. Brilliant descriptions. I left the book feeling like I knew the little town, the rain swept island, and it's people.

LAMENT, in contrast, I do not like. It's not a horrible book, but there is something about the plot that reminds me of the middle-school literature that I read (and don't like). I would, in fact, suggest it for middle-graders except for the occasional explicative, and mild sexual content.

One problem for me are the characters. They are fairly flimsy and two dimensional. The males fall into the usual categories. The 'friend' who is in love with the heroine, but doesn't tell her. And the romantic-interest/bad-boy who is supposed to be tremendously sexy, but seemed rather 'meh' to me.

Now a book CAN have these features and still be fun and interesting. But to qualify as a good read the writing and plotting needs to be extraordinary, or at least above average. LAMENT doesn't have this level of writing. The descriptions are pale; the plotting slow and tedious. I had to push myself through the pages, only to arrive at the end to be faced with this huge plot discontinuity.

So I wouldn't put this high on your To-be-read list.

After seeing so many high reviews, for this and Stiefvater's other books, I picked this book up with high expectations and was ultimately disappointed.

Like many of the other's who have not given this book high ratings, I felt the characters were flat and that the main character and her love interest where thrown together, the relationship was built on next to nothing and it really was unconvincing for me, which is part of why this book took me a while to get into. My other problem with this book, was there was just too much lengthy unnecessary description. the descriptions were beautiful and well written, but they messed with the flow of the book and slowed it down. I didn't dislike all of them, there were just too many.

Now, to what I really did like. I really liked some of the side characters in this book and found them to be well written and interesting, it made me want to know more about them which is part of why I did not give this book two stars, however, I never got that more,which brings me back to another reason I wasn't crazy about this book.

One of the biggest disappointments was with Deirdre's aunt... I don't want to spoil anything, but there is a whole story line with her that starts to get explained, and I was like "wow this is great" but then it was never completely explained and again I was back to being disappointed.

I did really enjoy the end of the book. It definitely picked up speed and some interesting things occurred, but overall, I was left wanting more, but not in a good way. I didn't want the story to keep going, I wanted more of an explanation for what happened. I'm not sure if the author just didn't have that explanation, or was just trying to cut the book short, but again it was disappointing.

So basically, to sum up, it's your basic girl meets mysterious boy, likes him, but can't decide if he's bad or good. If you like this kind of story line (which I actually really do) then you will probably like this book, a lot of other people did, I just wasn't crazy about it.

I'm under the impression that you can't go wrong with homicidal fairies.

Stiefvater's Lament doesn't have the same lyrical prose that her later novels do; however, the world is just as original and brilliantly created as all of her others. She once again manages to capture the essence of a mythology and twist it just a bit to make it new again.

I loved the way the fey were presented in this novel. Some are deadly and some are evil and some really aren't evil and some don't know any better but none of them are the innocent frolicking folk that you find in some other retellings. Una and Brendan were absolutely fantastic to read about. They're definitley my favorite characters from the entire story.

Though I normally dislike love triangles, the one in Lament is set up in such a way that it was unavoidable. (The parallels between Diedre and another character seem to twist and bind the fate of Diedre, so in the end, she really couldn't escape falling for Luke.) I can only hope that James get a chance in Ballad, the sequel.

At the beginning of the book, I kept getting distracted by parallels of this and The Iron King - Puck and James are awfully similar, as are Ash and James. Luckily, it veered off in another direction very quickly a few chapters in, so I didn't have to worry about that for too long. But fans of The Iron King should definitley pick this up.

I am huge fantasy fan and love anything about the Fae so I was very excited when I picked up this book. I enjoyed Stiefvater's other books, the Scorpio Races and the Shiver trilogy, so I had high hopes for this book. However, this book just left me wanting more. I wanted the characters to be more developed. I wanted Deirdre to actually spend some time with Luke before she was in love with him. I wanted more info in general, there seemed to be lots of holes in the story, the Aunt in the story is disliked by everyone and there is a back story to it but we are not told exactly what that story is. The ending even had me wanting more, it just seemed inconclusive. The next book is supposed to be from the perspective of her best friend so I don't think any of my questions will be answered. I guess it might just be her writing style, the third book of the Shiver trilogy was also kind of inconclusive.

I really enjoyed Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series and I recently read (and raved) about her latest novel, The Scorpio Races. So I didn't need much convincing to give Lament a try and I'm glad I did - I really enjoyed the novel!

Deirdre is an insanely gifted harp musician and performs in public regularly, despite her nerves. Before one performance, she meets Luke, a mysterious young man who helps calm her fears and performs a duet with her - winning the competition! Soon Deirdre learns she can see fairies, but Luke is a soulless fairy assassin, and despite them falling in love, he's on a mission to kill her for the Queen.

I was struck right away by the plot - as a reader I was thrown right into it rather abruptly. It seemed rather intense (and random) how Deirdre and Luke met and that intensity stayed throughout the novel with a great sense of urgency in the words Stiefvater crafted. Lament is definitely a page-turner.

This book had all the things a great YA novel has - mystery, deception, romance, and even a little love triangle. That triangle came to a head by the end of the novel, though not in the way you would expect, and that's where I found I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I knew who Deirdre loved, but that didn't mean I knew how it would end! In fact, that's pretty much how the whole novel went for me. I thought I knew how this book was going to go, but it actually turned out quite different and quite beautifully.

Four stars! I really enjoyed this take on Celtic faerie lore and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, Ballad. If you're a Maggie Stiefvater fan and you haven't checked out Lament or Ballad yet, I really hope you do.

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan, an extremely talented musician, lives a fairly ordinary life. But when she meets a mysterious boy named Luke, she finds her whole world turned upside down. Soon, they develop a deep and undeniable bond of friendship, that eventually lead to romance. Here's where things get complicated; Deirdre finds out that she is a cloverleaf; one that has an ability to see faeries. Luke, on the other hand, is a gallowglass -- "a soulless faerie assassin." His next target? Deirdre.

Review:
Characters & Plot: 3 stars
The truth is, I didn't connect to the story and its characters as much as I wanted to. Even though the characters were believable and likable enough, I just did not quite get the "hang" of it. To me also, both the plot and the characters just didn't develop naturally.

Writing: 4 stars
I do have to say though, that I am impressed by Maggie Stiefvater's writing. She is very eloquent and romantic -- almost poetic. I felt that though I didn't care much about what's truly going on in the book, I wasn't getting tired of reading her words. They flowed without effort, and seemed very artistic in style. And in all fairness, never did it seem at all forced or contrived.

Overall: 3.5 stars
For me, Lament fell a little short. The story wasn't anything special, and I didn't get into the plot as much. Though I generally like the main characters -- as they are at least likable -- I'm afraid they didn't stand out as much. However, it's the poetic writing that ultimately made me appreciate it, and made me think that it was at least a worthwhile read.

On the night of a music competition where she plans to play the harp, a mysterious boy worms his way into Deirdre Monaghan's life, pushing her to strive for excellence and to be all she can be. When they spontaneously duet together to play a beautiful and harmonious piece, Dee knows that he's different and not like any other boy she's ever known. People have always said that her music was perfect and that she was a very talented girl but now, Luke's seeing her for who she really is - not for her music, but for just being Dee.

Luke Dillon is the unfamiliar boy Dee's been seeing in her increasingly dark dreams. After witnessing his scarily realistic torture the night before, Dee is baffled when the handsome boy holds back her hair while she's vomiting, offering her words of comfort and encouragement for her performance ahead. Luke is forever secretive, but the two are drawn to each other and inevitably fall in love. Luke's protectiveness is endearing and the romance was written very well. If you've read Maggie's Wolves series, you'll be familiar with the sweet, yet dark, love her characters experience. I must say that I enjoyed this novel more than the Wolves series, as there was a lot more action and the romance wasn't as "perfect". Dee also has an amazing best friend, James, a cute bagpipe player who's there for her whenever she needs. Of course, he's in love with her but that doesn't turn him into a jealous ogre. BFFs forever!

I loved the storyline of Lament. Faeries (not tiny little things with wings) are drawn to Dee because of her special musical talent and she'll be killed if she isn't careful. The novel deals with Dee's growing powers, her run from ruthless enemies and quest for answers. There is never a dull moment and you'll be kept thoroughly entertained until the last page. The mysteries are endless!

Grab your iron, people. You'll need it to protect yourselves! Here on our hands is another great novel by Maggie Stiefvater. I absolutely cannot wait to see what else she has in store for us! If you like faeries, a good love story, some shady (as opposed to dark) adventure and scary antagonists, this is the book for you. There is suspense of epic proportions so clear out your schedule for a one-sitting read! Prepare for some shocking twists too.

This book, Lament, has been recommended to me by the store I don't know how many times. I was still skeptic of actually buying it, so I decided to check and see if the library had it so I could just borrow it. That idea was a lot better then actually spending money on it.

The story follows a young harpist who is very talented and starts to see the fey. She also meets a guy while throwing up in the girl's bathroom who helps out along the way. Or is the reason for all these strange things. She's not sure, but she doesn't care. She's in love.

I've seen a lot more four and five star reviews for this story, so I was assuming this was going to be good. After all, only six total reviews rated this a two or one star. However, it's not. It's just weird.

The story dragged on and on. So many things were not explained and just mentioned that it wasn't needed to know then or something like that. As many times as it was mentioned, it made me think that the author just didn't know anything and was just BSing it along the way, hoping to get somewhere. Because there were so many things left unexplained, there were so many plot holes. None of it made much sense. I found myself becoming more and more confused. And dreading reading it more and more.

The end, there was supposed to be this huge fight or something and it was just dull and stupid. It's leading up to something big and eventful, but it was just a huge disappointment. There was no fight. It was "Ah, you are me!" and "Ah, I am loved and you are not!" and end fight. Yep, that was pretty much it. Okay, so a few faeries came by and ended the Queen somehow... Which I'm still wondering why it took them so long to actually do something if they hated this Queen for so long.

Of course, like all clichéd teen stories, there was a triangle love story. The best friend is in love with the main character-big shocker there since that's all best friends are there for-and the new guy, who comes in to save the day while entering a girl's bathroom to help the main character throw up. Am I the only one who thought that was just plain weird and creepy? A guy goes in to a girl's bathroom is enough reason to think the guy is strange. Maybe I'm just the odd one here...

It was just all kinds of clichéd mess, the main character was spitting out Mary Sue fumes like crazy, and it was just a dull, confusing, incomplete story. I hated this story and I don't recommend it to anyone. And I will NOT be reading any more of this series.

However, I will say I did like the fact that it stayed more true to real faeries, that they're evil and not all pleasant folk that should be loved and adored. They can be scary. This was shown. But the thing is, I have read plenty of better faerie stories. I love faeries and faerie stories. There was nothing to make this stand out differently.

I wanted to like this book. I enjoyed reading it on the surface, but reflection reveals some major flaws. I was quickly drawn in and wanted to know more about the characters and back stories. I knew there was a second book so I thought surely this one would set up the characters and back stories nicely to get us ready for big drama at the end of this one, making us want to tear into the second one. However, there wasn't much character depth really, unless you imagined one for them. You had to give them a real motive for their actions, which is the job of the author, not the reader. And there where characters set up as antagonists that were just dropped and forgotten, or never turned out as central to the plot as you expected. I thought the end was very rushed. It took so long to get there and then it was just over in a quick scene. It didn't feel very climactic at all, all this build up for that? The ending was a "use your imagination for what comes next" and didn't rap up anything between her family or her friend. I was truly disappointed when I read the description for the second book which doesn't even mention our two main characters. This had so much potential, it was so fleshed out and wonderful in some parts and some parts just felt thrown together without thinking passed that scene. Things were written that made you think, "oh, this will be important" but they were never brought up again, or ended up not being central to the story, or were just dismissed as nothing later in the story. It didn't feel like there was a real purpose for all the characters, some were just thrown in, it made it hard to really fear the villains, as they really didn't have much motive other than to be mean. I think as a quick fantasy/fey/romance it might be worth a checkout from the library or Kindle store, but I wouldn't add it to your permanent library.

I had read such good reviews for this novel that I feel disappointed after actually reading it. We meet the heroine as she is about to go to a musical competition. She vomits and a good looking stranger holds her hair, and then offers to play a duet with her. Suddenly, four leaf clovers start popping up all around her, as well as the sexy stranger. Deirdre knows something is going on when her grandmother sees her sexy friend, Luke, and forbids her from seeing him. It turns out that the faeries have taken an intrest in her for her musical abilities and her other powers, and they want her dead. What follows is a unique tale mixed with foklore and music. I will give the author this, the book was different. I have never read a book like it, but that doesn't mean I really enjoyed it.

I feel like there were holes in the story. Sometimes not everything was explained to my liking. Luke, for instance, I never felt like I got a good grasp on him or his background. He is sexy and troubled. What else? Her family has all been involved with the faeries in some shape or form, but it is only touched on lightly. The best friend, James, was my favorite character. He was witty, smart, talented, and loyal. Overall, I thought this book was ok. It wasn't something that I want to reread, but I was interested in reading a sequel until I found out it was a companion novel instead. I am not a huge fan of faerie novels, so that could be part of my feeling of disappointment. If you love reading about faeries, you will love this unique take. If you feel wishy washy as I, get it from the library.

This story left me feeling as disconnected as reading the ballad of Thomas the Rhymer. The words explain what's going on, but you don't really feel anything for the characters.

I rather expect fairies to be alien and heartless --- that's what ballads tell us they are --- so that did not bother me (why people expect fairies to be benevolent and good, I don't know.) The fact that this doesn't have a happy ending annoyed me although I can't say it was unexpected either. It really felt like there was no real character development or plot development, just a series of happenings that end as badly as you would expect.

On a side note, I read the Shiver series first and the author seems to have something about the main heroine always having a totally cr*p, dysfunctional relationship with her parents. In Shiver it was total disconnect, in this one, it was a hyper-controlling, stage mother. Neither seemed to really help the story or character in any way --- or perhaps it is like most kid stories where the main character has to either be an orphan or at a boarding school otherwise they wouldn't be able to do half the things they do with semi-normal parents. In this situation, it gives a reason why the kid rebels/is able to go off to do crazy things at odd hours in defiance of their parents.

Like many people, I picked up Lament after reading Maggie Stiefvater's incredible book Shiver. Lament is not Shiver, but it is excellent in its own right. My favorite part about Shiver was Maggie's writing; it was so stark, fresh, and beautiful. Her sentences felt like winter - ice cold air, untouched snow, icicle-laden trees. The writing in Lament is very different but still wonderful. It's lush - bright green, springtime, clover fields. The settings of both books exactly correspond to the feeling I got from Maggie's writing. I'd like to know whether it was intentional.

Lament was my first faery book. It is heavily influenced by Celtic mythology and folktales. Deidre Monaghan is an incredibly talented harpist and singer. She seems to specialize in Celtic music. At a music competition, she meets a flautist named Luke Dillon, a boy she'd seen in a very strange dream, and feels an unexplainable attraction to him. On a whim, they enter the competition with a duet; together their music is simply otherworldly. They bond between them becomes incredibly strong, incredibly fast. Deidre soon discovers that she is a Cloverhand, a human able to see faeries. She is also telepathic and telekinetic. Luke has secrets of his own - he is a gallowglass, a 1000-year old assassin for the Faerie Queen. Deidre was to be his next target, but he falls in love.

Apart from Luke, Deidre has a decent support system. The Cloverhand trait runs in families. Granna has much to teach Deidre. She also has a steadfast best friend, James, who is never without a joke. Her life is made more difficult though, by her overbearing mother and hostile aunt Delia. Deidre relies on James, Granna, and Luke to help her through this new world of faeries.

The fey themselves are fascinating creatures. I particularly like Brendan and Una, two Irish music-loving faeries who are nicer than most but still not entirely trustworthy. We also see humans who have interacted with faeries for so long that they are more a part of the fey world than human. Many fey are evil, using humans and animals as play-things for their sadistic whims. The faerie queen is the biggest force to be reckoned with. She destroys anything that threatens her power and Deidre is the biggest threat to her ever...

Lament only gets four stars from me. I did have some problems with it. I think most of the problems are common first novel issues. For example, Deidre's best friend was flat. He was funny all the time - everything was a joke. Even when he showed a little more depth and ability, it was still all a joke. I wish we saw more of him. Also, Deidre's father just popped in and out of the story. For the first half I didn't even realize Dad was in the picture. Everything revolves around her mother. Then suddenly she starts referring to both "mom and dad." But Dad is still just kind of there. The plot would have flowed better if he'd just been gone altogether.

I didn't always like Deidre. Her lightening-fast, icy temper was just weird - normal people do not fly off the wall that often and that quickly for such minor things. She also used the word "friggin" way too much. I almost would have preferred her to just use the actual "F" word despite my general dislike of swearing. There is some swearing in this book. It was unnecessary but with the exception of "friggin" it didn't really bother me. I also don't like the way she treats James. As soon as she meets Luke, James pales in significance. Even his fairly obvious pining doesn't garner her attention or sympathy. Despite my misgivings about Deidre and some of her choices, she is a caring, kind, and courageous girl. She redeems herself as the book goes on.

Cloverhands must help to control the fey. Too bad Deirdre Monaghan didn't know she was one of them. The gifted harpist meets a dashing young man named Luke at a local music competition and is wooed by his amazing flute talents. Deirdre knows that there is something different about Luke, but she just puts it off until he confesses the truth to her. Luke is a faerie assassin entrapped by the Faerie Queen due to the fact that she possesses his soul in a cage. Lamentably, Deirdre has been targeted as Luke's next victim.

Sixteen year old Deirdre finds herself out of her element as she is truly a realist. She bases her existence around tangible, provable facts. Since Luke entered her life, her certainty of the world has been in question. Naturally she turns to her fellow music geek, and quite hot, best friend James. While he accepts the seriousness of the situation, he is a solid ground to the real world. His pragmatism comes in handy when another faerie assassin named Aodhan takes an interest in Deirdre and tries to complete the job that Luke seems incapable of.

The ultimate showdown between the Faerie Queen herself and Deirdre if Luke is ever to relieved of his duties. This task is not as easy to complete as it sounds when complication arise surrounding Deirdre and she must make choices that could have dire consequences for many, if not all.

While I am very picky about the faerie books I read, this one struck home with me. Maggie Stiefvater's writing is just so captivating to me. I have tried quite a few other faerie series and find that they are either too cruel for my tastes or too innocent. There has to be a balance between mischievous and out right evil. This author have found that harmonic balance and it creates an enjoyable story. I also enjoyed the callbacks to tales told to children as a warning. Many adults forget that as children we were warned, through story and song, about the nature of the faeries. This book brought those stories and song back to life for me in a thoroughly delectable fashion. I can't wait to read Ballad, the next installment!

Deirdre (Dee) Monaghan is a sixteen year old who is a talented harpist. She's unhappy about being dragged about by her mother to play at various events and has stage-fright so badly that she is sick before every performance. She also has only one friend, James, an odd-ball, smart-talking guy who likes to write on his arms and is also a talented musician who plays the bagpipes. At a music competition at her high school, Dee meets a stranger, Luke, a boy who convinces her to play a duet with him on the flute. Things start to look interesting for Dee, but unfortunately, not in an entirely good way. She's discovering she has strange talents, she can see fairies (and not the sweet and friendly kind) and can move objects with her mind, and although she's falling in love with Luke, she senses he's not all he seems and has a very dark past.

There is lot of suspense as dark fairy forces threaten Dee and her family and friends--and even Luke, who seems thoroughly mixed up with them. Dee need to figure out what's going on before she she can even try to figure out how to deal with the situation. Weaving in the music that is part of her life with the plot makes things interesting and worrying. She plays and sings Irish ballads, and everyone knows that they often end in tragedy.

Dee is a normal enough girl, feeling like a bit of an outcast, at least she has a very good friend in James and doesn't have people bullying her or making her life overly dramatic--other than her present problems with the fairies, anyway. The other characters are great, too, James and Luke; so much so that I wish I could have seen more of them (apparently the next book, BALLAD, is about James, so that's good). The plot was exciting, with increasing danger and threats, keeping one reading until the very end. I thought it was a very good story, very moving, and interesting enough that it left me wanting to read more about these characters and the dangerous fairies who threaten them.

Maggie Stiefvater's debut novel, Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception, tells the story of Deirdre, a talented but introverted young woman, and Luke, the soulless faerie assassin that's been assigned to kill her. The reader also gets to meet Deirdre's loyal best friend, James, and the world of faerie.

Very rarely do I connect so much with a book, its writing (which was superb and richly detailed), and its characters, as I did with Lament. As an adult reader, I found Lament and its characters thoroughly believable, likeable, and flawed in realistic ways. Her writing doesn't condescend to either teens or adults and provides depth, strength, and development to its characters. There were parts in the book where I actually felt a physical ache in my chest for the characters and the situations they experience.

Steifvater's style is lyrical and smooth, and it moves the book along easily. There were absolutely no slow parts. The writing is so rich and descriptive (without being overly flowery or purple) that I could easily imagine all of the scenes and related emotions with ease. This is an author who shows you what she wants you to imagine and see, instead of simply telling you. Her characters, while not overly developed, are very human and relatable. The romance between the two main characters is palpable and pulls at your heart. While there are some predictable elements to the plot, these pale in comparison to the inventive world of nefarious and mischievous faeries she's created alongside the human, modern world. The protagonist, Deirdre, also holds her own as a female lead, which is something sorely lacking in many current YA novels.

After finishing Lament on Friday evening, I happily traipsed down to our local, independent bookstore the next day to buy my own copy (I originally got it from the library) and to purchase Shiver, Stiefvater's new novel. After reading that, I'll be looking forward eagerly to the release of Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie, Lament's sequel, in October.

In sum, I consider this the thinking person's Twilight - much more well-written with better characters and no dull points! Cheers to that.

Lament veers from what looks like it might be the current formula for YA paranormal romance:

girl, painfully ordinary, meets boy, spectacularly wonderful, and finds out she's not so normal after all, in addition to landing a hottie.

Dee does not start out boring or blank or ordinary. She is a harp prodigy, not unexpected in a family of musical virtuosos, which makes her stand our from her peers even if it doesn't make her popular. She spends her weekends playing fancy dinner parties and weddings, her summers at music competitions -- competitions in which she places well. She has interests! and a personality! and talent coming out the whazzoo! She's so much better than Bella! Sorry, that last one slipped out. And I'm not even a Twilight-hater.

But on to the rest of the book.

Stiefvater manages to weave a lot of faerie-lore throughout this story, without it turning into a Lisa Frank extravaganza or seeming any less current or more princess-y. These are not nice faeries. While Dee is taken aback by a lot of what happens (being attacked by a monster-sized, panther-type creature while at a wedding reception without anyone else noticing could throw anyone off. also, not nice), she gets the hang of everything real quick. She clearly has some background knowledge of faeries and what they're capable of. It is this knowledge, let me rephrase: her own damn smarts, that save her more often than not, although Luke does manage to get a few dramatic rescues in as well.

Everything I know about faeries I learned from Lady Cottington or Marion Zimmer Bradley, so I did not know many of the little tips that Dee has picked up from a lifetime of playing/singing Irish folk songs on her harp. And yet, I never felt out of the loop. Stiefvater does a great job of immersing the reader in Dee's and the Faeries' world without getting too didactic or explanatory. And then she throws all of what I thought she was telling me on its head so that Dee and Luke can fall in lurv.

In short, give this to Twilight fans and Twilight haters. This is paranormal romance without the clueless, helpless love interest.

Also: She didn't make it into my review (Luke barely made it into my review, I was so happy about a stronger female lead), but I thank and applaud Stiefvater for making the hot, ditsy side character important and solid by the end. James (Dee's best friend, who also didn't make it into my review) is great, but I'm glad Dee got to have a girl-friend to gush about Luke with. And to help her save all the boys.

Quickie POV: I am truly in love with the voice of author Maggie Stiefvater, she paints a picture that touches the mind and imagination that I haven't found in many authors. Stiefvater truly makes reading a joy and I'm actually saddened that Lament brought to an end books of hers that are new to me and that I have to wait until the summer for the next book, Linger to be released. That being said, out of all her books, Lament is probably the least of my favorites, but it in no way makes it any kind of bad. I have a feeling I might be a bit prejudice since I out of ordered with Ballad, the second book in the series, or really the companion novel to Lament.

Review: Deidre the main character of Lament is a gifted child, a true musical genius. Her voice and her harp bring tears to eyes and render crowds silent in their beauty. The tragedy of her gifts is what is attracted to the power that she possesses. The Faerie. We are not talking about Tinker Bell either, we are talking about beings without souls who are attracted to light so they can steal it and possess it and kill it.

From the moment the first four leaf clover appears, Deidre knows something is coming. A storm hangs on the horizon and she fears that it is centered around her. As she encounters a strikingly handsome and charming boy by the name of Luke Dillion she knows also that something is not right with him, but she doesn't care. As the two become closer and closer more of the world that Deidre believed to be fantasy is revealed and so are secrets that both her and Luke have been keeping.

Lament is a shattering view into the world of faerie and into the darker parts of the unknown. It is a love story, a mystery and a thriller all rolled into one, with the charm of a young adult novel. The characters are so achingly real that you feel as if they are a part of you as the story ends. The story invokes emotions both good and bad as you turn the pages, I found myself hating and loving equally.

Now I must explain why this was my least favorite of the three books, and the number one reason was Luke. He was such a tragic character that I really almost felt that Deidre was too good for him. Her falling for him I thought was a tragedy in itself, I would have gone running from him, screaming and I thought she should have also. Some of you might think I'm crazy about this, but I never could get past his character. Yes, he was a charmer and yes he was a victim, but I still didn't get into the love between the two of them, or more to the point, I didn't agree with their relationship. This could also be stemming from reading Ballad first and having some clue as to the ending of Lament before it began. But I also have to say that I did not like Deidre in Ballad and I thought it would actually be hard for me to relate to her in Lament. Luckily that wasn't true, I understand now her frame of mind in the second book, I still don't agree with her actions in the books, but I still like her.

If you haven't read these books, run run run to the store buy them, read them. You will not be disappointed.

Recommendation: Teens and adults, nothing to fear, just read the book.

I'm not a faerie fan, they just don't light my fire like vamps and weres, but this cleverly crafted and well written faerie yarn held my interest from beginning to end.

Dee is smart and rational. Yes, her stomach flutters and her knees go weak when Luke is about, but she's independent and ultimately makes the tough/right decisions all on her own. Her best friend James is PHE-NOMINAL! I wish he had been in the story more. Dee's mother and evil aunt Delia are fun characters and the relationships between the three are especially realistic.

All in all, the faeries were a a few clowns short of a circus, translation: They were uber whacked, creepy and fun! There was some lore I knew, a lot I didn't. Stiefvater's descriptions of the faeries are wonderfully vivid and their characters well thought out.

Luke Dillion was smokin', chivalrous, mysterious, patient and almost always in the right place at the right time. One of my favorite things about this guy was that Dee would get in some sort of trouble (minor or major, human or supernatural) and Luke would appear out of thin air.

After he'd helped Dee, she would ask something along the lines of "Why are you here?" and his response would always be a shrug, followed by "You wanted saving didn't you?" and then he would walk away/disappear. I think that is sooooo cool!

My only real problem with Lament is Dee is very trusting of Luke from their very first meeting. It was weird because Stiefvater has made Dee very smart and a smart girl wouldn't hop in a guy's car (who she's known for maybe 2 hours) after he pulls up in her driveway when she's never told him where she lives. No, a smart girl takes it slow and wonders, Did he follow me home last night? I should probably go have Dad dust off the shot gun just in case.

Luke also knows some personal things about her right from the start. That in itself screamed "STALKER!" but she brushed them aside and trusted him because...? Oh, because of some bond they had when she dreamed about him before they actually met.

Really? Trusting a stalker-like stranger because you dreamed about him? *Uses new and improved Stress Reduction Kit*

So...if you can get over the bit of silliness I just mentioned, Dee's story of love, friendship, and evil faeries is a solid, enjoyable read. It's romance with plenty of sexual tension, but it's clean enough for younger teens.

I read the Raven Cycle series before this book, also written by same author. I enjoyed that series tremendously which is what lead me to this book. This is not as good as the other books so I was a little disappointed. I think if I had read it before the others I would have appreciated it more. I like the idea but it seemed like there was quick/simple resolutions and fairly abrupt ending without a lot of closure. Still would recommend to a friend.

Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand - one who can see faeries.

Unexpectedly, Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy named Luke, who enters her ordinary life, seemingly out of thin air. But his interest in her might be something darker than summer romance. When a sinister faerie named Aodhan shows up with deadly orders from the Faerie Queen, it forces Dee right into the midst of Faerie. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend.

Deirdre had been wishing her summer weren't so dull, but taking on a centuries-old Faerie Queen isn't exactly what she had in mind. [borrowed from GoodReads]

I decided to pick up Lament because I am a big fan of Ms. Stiefvater's, Shiver. Not only did Lament blow me away, but it is one of the best faerie books I have had the pleasure to read.

Deirdre (a/k/a Dee) and Luke are just to die for. Although you are not really sure whether you can trust Luke for most of the story, you can't help but to yearn for him and Dee to find a way to make it work out - no matter how much her grandmother warns her away from him. I thought Deirdre was the perfect heroine. She was smart, witty, yet she had the insecurities any girl her age would have, not to mention the stress of the new world she has uncovered. Luke was the tortured, tragic hero (yummy) - who you fall in love with right along with Dee. I loved the romance and the aching passion they shared. There was this sadness undertone to the writing that pulled you in and had you with your heart in your throat the whole time.

One other thing that I absolutely loved about this novel was the musical element that was weaved throughout the story. It was mesmerizing and beautiful in its own right. There were times were I could almost hear it. It was that descriptive to read.

All in all, this was a fantastic faerie tale with loveable characters and bad guys you just love to hate. This is a definite "to-read" for lovers of anything faerie - young and old alike. Now I just have to get my hands on Ballad... I can't wait!

This is the first book in the Books of Faerie series by Maggie Stiefvater. There is a sequel to this book called Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie that was recently released; but I couldn't find out if any more books are planned after that. I had previously read "Shiver" and liked this book more than "Shiver". In general it was a good read.

Deirdre is a talented musician. She runs into a boy named Luke at a musical competition. Luke accompanies her on his flute, resulting in a stellar performance and a Grand Prize win. Then the 4 leaf clovers start appearing and Deirdre starts developing telekinetic powers. She is drawn to Luke, but can't figure out who or what he is. As the plot unfolds Deirdre finds out that her life and the life of those she loves are all in jeopardy. She also finds out that Luke has a very dark past. Can she figure out what is going on and how to fix everything before things get too dangerous?

I liked this book better than "Shiver". There is more humor in it. Deirdre is an interesting character, as is Luke. There is a lot of witty banter that occurs between the two. Deirdre's friend James is also an excellent and intriguing character. The cast of Faeries in the book is diverse, if not as unique as in some other books. The store has more urgency to it than "Shiver" did and many more action scenes. Overall I thought the pacing was a lot better and the story was interesting.

This doesn't get 5 stars because I am not sold on Stiefvater's writing style. There is just something kind of loose about the way she writes. The descriptions don't quite take me all the way to truly visualizing the scenes, and the characters are engaging but not desperately so. The action scenes are okay, but not as tightly written as they could be. I also feel that the fairy realm could have been a bit more creative and had more depth to it than it did.

I enjoyed the story more than Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series but not as much as Holly Black's Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale series. The story also reminded me of many of Charles de Lint's works, mainly because of the musical aspect of the story tied together with the faeries appearing in a modern day world. I also think Charles de Lint's books (specifically Moonheart/Spiritwalk) are better than this book.

Overall, a decent read and engaging. Not the best type of the story out there, but a pleasant addition to the genre. Fans of Marr's Wicked Lovely series or Holly Black's Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale series should give this one a go.

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand--one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass--a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky--and equally dangerous--dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre. Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind . . .

I only grabbed this book so I could read the second book in this series for The Blog With Bite review that is due in a couple of weeks. I started to read it and in an instant I was hooked. I love a good faerie tale, especially one that has been thoroughly researched and even contains some new bits of faerie lore that I didn't know. The plot moved along at a pretty good pace, I was very happy with that, it was pretty amazing how some enemies turned friends and some friends turned enemy. I loved the main characters, especially together, they were like Edward and Bella times a thousand, and so perfect together, I wish the more decent faerie could have taken Deirdre as well...*sigh* but I am not the author, so I don't get to make those choices. The ending plot twist was a pleasant surprise, it was enough of one that I didn't even see it coming, which is unusual for me, cause I am good at guessing and picking up the foreshadowing. I loved this book and am about to jump right into the second. One thing I did think that was a bit odd and different was that the faerie believed in God and Hell...usually with faerie tales faerie don't have beliefs like that or they have some form of the Old Gods.

My thoughts...I have been drawn in, twisted around, and wrapped up in the magic of Maggie Stiefvater's writing. I do not have much experience with books of the Fae, but this one could be described as wonderful. The plot of the story held a typical situation: girl crushes on the wrong guy. The magic here is in the writing. It is eloquent, romantic, poetic, and holds a magic that captured me. One thing I noticed were the use of all of the senses. The story took me through a range of emotions that I was not expecting. Parts of the story were scary and made me glance around my room into the dark corners. The book was much more than a typical tale about faeries.

I enjoyed the characters in Lament. I found the heroine Deirdre very likable and easy to relate to. She made some reckless decisions, which I think would be typical of someone in her situation. And of course, she fell for the bad boy, don't we all have a soft spot for that type of character. Speaking of which, Luke was full of mystery and secrets. I had a hard time trusting him and constantly wondered about his ulterier motives. My favorite characters were the faeries. While they were described as beautiful, graceful, and mesmerizing, their evil lurked just beyond the surface. For me, Faeries are the creepiest type of paranormal creatures. The ones in this story were no exception.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It would be a great read for YA fans of all ages. I am jumping right into Ballad, the second book in the Books of Faerie series.

After reading Shiver and and falling in love with Stiefvater I hurried up and got my hands on her debut, Lament.

Stiefvater has crafted Deirdre, her best friend, James, her love interest, Luke, and the world they inhabit into such great blends of quirk, intelligence, and darkness - in other words, the right elements for the perfect faerie story. The smooth and, quite literally, lyrical writing that Stiefvater brings to the tale add to the magical quality of it all.

As a writer, Stiefvater has a knack for building an air of urgency and making feelings and events develop rather quickly without falling into the trap of melodrama. The loneliness that seems to plague almost all of the characters serves to make the relationships between Deirdre and her two boys seem all the more precious and important.

The only fault I see here lies with the relationship between Deirdre and Luke. It felt a bit underdeveloped and, therefore, unbelievable. The story takes place of a short period of time and their strong feelings and devotion (especially Deirdre's) seemed a bit extreme.

The faerie world that Deirdre and crew are thrust into is simultaneously enchanting and terrifying for both Deirdre and the reader. If the occurrences in this first novel are any indication, the faerie inhabitants that are, or have yet to be, introduced will most certainly stir up increasingly dangerous adventures for Deirdre and James as their lives become even more firmly entrenched in their realm.

After reading Shiver I picked up this book at the library. While very different in subject matter (faeries versus wherewolves) if you liked one, I think you would enjoy the other.

Maggie Stiefvater has an uncanny way of taking a familiar supernatural creature and making it her own while maintaining important elements of the lore. She does the same in Lament - Oh do I wish she had not included "The Faerie Queen's Deception" - it's a giveaway, but the focus is not on the Faerie Queen but on a similarly named human who has recently come to the attention of the Queen, who does not like how her beautiful music (harp) calls to her subjects. Interestingly, it is Luke Dillon (deliciously mysterious) who brings out the true reaches of her talent - and thus the ire of the queen (although she must have suspected to send him, since he is her assassin). Dee and Luke soon find themselves star-crossed lovers facing impossible odds. The characters are rich (I love Dee's best friend, James) but there does appear to be some confusion in the book - especially with the queen in the end - is she mortal or fae? This is important as the queen is supposed to be a cloverhand (one who attracts fairies).

Family relationships are strained in this book. Dee's aunt is awful.Dee's mother understandably a control freak, but Dee's grandmother is mostly wonderful (if not abrupt). Dee herself is a strong character who seems well-capable of fending for herself. I did feel that much of the plot was a mad dash to the end - with some of the side story missing. I would have liked more on Luke Dillon and I could clearly see a sequel with James. At the same time, there were elements that were very distracting - such as the music school and Jame's own extra-abilities (yes, I know she explains it). There is quite a bit of kissing in this book; however nothing that would push this beyond PG-13 for me.

Bottom line: good solid book - very enjoyable. Somewhat rushed and a few inconsistencies.

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception is a fun, page-turner of a debut. I was a bit apprehensive to order it at first, because I didn't really like the cover art. However, it's definitely better in person, and suits the atmospheric tone of the book perfectly. I also have to mention the artwork included at the beginning of each of the six books: it's very pretty, and a brilliant addition to the story.

Deirdre is a likeable character, because of her sheer normality. She is told, on several occasions throughout the book, that she is just 'ordinary', and nothing special. For this reason, I found her very easy to identify with. I also liked her personal struggles with her overprotective mother - this added realism to the story, as well as to her sixteen year old character.

Deirdre's best friend, James, was just hilarious. His quick wit and sarcasm provided much of the novel's humour, which I wasn't expecting it to have, and made me laugh out loud more than once: "Soon to be number one", James said with a charming smile. "I hired a hitman."

Luke Dillon, the Faerie Queen's assassin (or Gallowglass), is yet another male character I wouldn't object to meeting. He is protective, haunted, and fueled by guilt for his past actions, which made him a very layered and developed character. Like Deirdre, I was hooked on him from page thirty-six, when he whispered, "Tell me you want to see me again."

I love the inclusion and importance of music in this book. It fit well with the faeries, and was a nice addition to the ever growing mythology. Brendan and Una were my favourite fey characters, because, again, they were humourous and realistic.

I wish we'd gotten to know more about Deirdre's family, as they were perhaps the only aspect of the book that I felt was underdeveloped. Maybe they could have been explored more had the page count been slightly higher, though, saying that, Delia's extreme bitchiness came across pretty well!

There are a couple of things I'd like to ask Maggie Stiefvater, and it mostly involves Deirdre's powers. Had they always been there, lying dormant? Why did she deal with them so well - did she always suspect something was different? And had Luke been watching her for a long time before their first meeting? Hmmm...

Although the story wrapped up well, and could have been a stand alone novel, there is still so much that could be expanded upon. Lament is one of those debut novels that could, and should, make it big. The sequel, Ballad, is due for release towards the end of the year, and I'm really looking forward to reading it!

Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand--one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass--a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky--and equally dangerous--dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre. Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind . . .

Review:

Lament was one of the best faerie book I've read. The faerie lore, the music, and the characters, made me add this book on my Top 20 List.

Deidre's character was so well-developed and even though she did some stupid stuff, I still related to her and I still wanted to keep reading about her. It did bother me a bit that she just let Luke into her life without learning more about him--he could have been a serial killer for all she knew. Her reactions to what was happening were true reactions.

The romantic relationship between Luke and Deidre was built wonderfully, though I did have a bit of a problem at the beginning seeing how she wasn't that wary of Luke, even though he just popped into her life. But it all evened out at the end.

All the secondary characters were well-developed as well, and I liked all of them, even the evil Faerie Queen. I also did want to see more of James. He's a weird guy, but I liked him.

I liked how Deirdre, Luke, and some of the other characters could play an instrument. Made me wish I knew how to play one! And the song The Faerie Girl's Lament was so lovely yet sad. I liked how it was dispersed through the novel. It kept me reading to novel.

The pace of the book was fast-paced but you weren't so rushed into the story that you got whiplash, it was more of a fast-pace that you don't have trouble keeping up with--if that makes sense.

The drawings included before each book (Lament is separated into six books), really made Lament stand out way more. The drawings related to the story and they weren't just random pictures thrown in. I liked how they were in black & white; they just stood out.

Many think that the ending is cliffhanger-y, but it's not really cliffhanger-y. I actually liked it, since it allowed me to make up my own ending, but I am excited that there's going to be a sequel!

Stiefvater sure made me a fan of faerie books because after reading the disastrous A Modern Faerie Tale series, I really wasn't a fan of faeries--but now I sure am! Her writing just flowed and...I just love the way she writes! I will make sure to pre-order Ballad (the sequel to Lament) and Shiver, her upcoming werewolf novel.

Overall, I would recommend this amazing faerie book to faerie book lovers, people who like the paranormal and hell, I'll recommend this book to people who don't like faeries. Believe me, after reading this book, you'll like them--a lot.

Carol
[...]

I find the current urban fantasy trend very interesting; I like these sorts of stories as long as they're not too dark in tone. So, I was pleased to come across "Lament."

I found the two main characters (or three, perhaps, if you count the protagonist's best friend) to be very appealing, and in the end I just couldn't put the book down; I couldn't resist continuing to read until I came right to the end. This is a stand-alone story (the tale is complete in itself), but I'm glad to know that there's a sequel, because I really want to know what happens next with these kids. I have NO IDEA where the story is headed from here.

Okay, I could pile on the sarcasm about the way the plot here has a girl falling for a fellow who is incredibly dangerous---quite in the "Twilight" mode! But hey, in this case it does make sense to me, why she finds him attractive but is still willing to go out with him. (It isn't at all like the case of vampire Edward, who comes right out and tells his girlfriend "Hey, you know every moment I'm around you I'm tempted to kill you and chow down.")

Anyway, I really do recommend this one for those who are interested in tales of the Faerie realm---not classic literature, but a very readable and engrossing story.

After hearing fantastic thing after fantastic thing about this novel and it's writer, I finally decided to give it a chance and I'm so glad I did! Since, Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception is a spellbinding novel filled with a descriptive and fast paced plot along with some characters I really enjoyed reading about.

As mentioned briefly above, I adored the world Maggie created in this, simply because it was interesting to see what kind of world the Faerie lived in along with their system of government.

Also, Deirdre was a great character to read about. Because not only was she easy person to relate to, but I loved how she grew throughout the novel from being shy to a brave heroine who would do anything for the people she loved. Oh, and don't even get me started on Luke! He was definitely dream worthy even if he didn't have the best intentions in the beginning. Lastly, some of the secondary characters such as James, Deirdre's grandmother, and some of the Faerie were great adds, too.

Even though the plot was one that continually kept me my toes, there was one thing I wasn't to keen on. What exactly? Well, the ending. It was just a bit too bittersweet in my opinion, but I am always one who wants the happiest ending for the characters even if it's not very realistic. :)

Overall, Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception is a fantastic read for this fall season! I'm really looking forward to reading Maggie's other novels, Shiver and Ballad.

I am beginning to suspect that Maggie Stiefvater may be a witch or faerie of some sort. How else could her words be as thoroughly enscrolling as they are? While I didn't find myself quite as engrossed in Lament as The Wolves of Mercy Falls (review), it still bore Stiefvater's characteristic lyricism and beauty, and for that, I loved it.

As for the story itself, Luke and Deirdre's attraction to each other was sweet and romantic and a little too perfect. However, they redeemed themselves in part though cleverness and my imagination's creation of their music. I really like James, actually, and I hope we'll see much more of him in Ballad. I also desperately want to know more about Deirdre's family and their abilities and connection to the fae, which was never really explained in this book.

At some point when I was enjoying Dee and Luke being in love and wondering at her newfound abilities and his tragic past, the ending snuck up on me. It did so loudly and probably wearing bells of some kind, but I can be difficult to distract. I am in fact still not entirely clear on what happened and why, though I would guess that once the story has time to sink into my brain I may figure most of it out. Or I could just go read the next one and let it tell me the rest. You know what, I think I'll go do that.

I love faeries. Full stop. I adored discovering new versions of tales I was familiar with as a child. Weighing the pros and cons to determine which was my favorite. What rules of faerie I liked best. As an Irish-ish girl, I leaned toward that family of tales. Maggie Stiefvater's debut clearly draws from the Celtic tradition. But she commands the material and fully satisfied this picky aficionado.

A large part of my satisfaction is her characterization. There are no throwaway characters. Coworker Sarah appears maybe three times but still grows as a person. Freckle Freak, Deirdre's aunt, and others become scarier as the book continues. LAMENT begins low-key, at a music competition at the high school. There's a niggling sense of wrongness, but nothing too worrisome. Blood, life-or-death decisions, and even death play their parts in the climax. Yet the book builds slowly to that point.

In that movement the characters reveal their personalities. Deirdre lacks a certain kind of confidence. She knows she's a talented harpist but needs prodding to take the last step and try to improvise. Luke first pushes her to take steps she should have taken herself, but then she begins to develop her own initiative. She senses he's dangerous and lying to her from the first but doesn't truly follow him of her own will at the beginning.

While Luke is the dangerous and attentive new boy, her old friend James, the piper, is sheer adorable. Unlike Deirdre he acknowledges his gifts and uses them to her full potential - yet he can't tell a girl he likes her just like any teenage boy. I loved the jealousy between him and Luke that goes just above Deirdre's head.

Stiefvater plays with the classic set-up of a talent human who catches the attention of Faerie masterfully. Without ever losing that mood she still delivers an utterly teenage romance. Really, she hit all of my buttons in all the right ways. It's not just the faeries, but the music, the assassin, the politics, the banter. It's like she read a field guide to what sort of books I spent my childhood reading before she produced LAMENT.

Deirdre is tremendously gifted in music, but when it comes to actually performing, that's where she runs into some problems. She's hiding out backstage trying to deal with her extreme stage fright before a big recital when the mysterious Luke Dillon appears, seemingly out of nowhere, and guides her through the performance. Deirdre is inexplicably drawn him, despite the negative reactions from her family and Luke's peculiar behavior. Soon it becomes obvious that something else is afoot besides their electrifying romance, something sinister and dangerous that involves the sly and not entirely honest fey, and their queen who would stop at nothing to make sure that the threat Deirdre poses is eliminated...

Elegantly creepy and foreboding, Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception is a bold and exciting read with much of the same air and forbidden romantic appeal that attracted fans to the Twilight series. However, Lament certainly stands on its own ground as Stiefvater weaves old lore with new twists to form a compelling and unique take on faeries. The book is well drawn out as the mystery unfolds and secrets slowly reveal themselves, giving readers just the right amount of information to keep them suspended in anticipation. Stiefvater strikes just the right balance between supernatural intrigue and down-to-earth teenage tendencies, making Lament engaging to even reluctant readers, despite its length.

However, one of the most admirable qualities of Stiefvater's writing is the bold way in which she presents it, and the fact that she doesn't shy around the tough stuff in order to give readers the happy fluff. She manipulates the plot like a pro, giving Lament an edgy, tantalizing air that will entertain to no end, and also lends more depth to her work in the long run. Maggie Stiefvater, with her ability to create not only a gripping romance, but also a shadowy and puzzling mystery at the same time, is most definitely an author to watch.

First love: it's scary and confusing enough even when there aren't homicidal faeries involved. Add in the homicidal faeries, and a girl can get in over her head before she can say "cold iron."

Maggie Stiefvater's _Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception_ is an excellent YA fantasy that will appeal to anyone who likes stories of the fae as they appear in the oldest legends: dangerous, seductive, and sometimes deadly. Let me say right up front: _Lament_ is downright frightening in places. These are not your fluffy, sparkly faeries. Getting mixed up with them can mean stark terror and heartbreaking choices.

The heroine, Deirdre, is one of _Lament_'s treasures. She is sought after by the Fair Folk because of her uncanny musical and psychic talents, and in less capable hands, this character could easily become a Mary Sue. Instead, she's a painfully real teenager who throws up from stage fright, loses her temper, and has a bit too much on her emotional plate. Her romance with Luke, a boy with faerie connections and a dark past, is pitch-perfect, combining the highs and lows of an ordinary teenage relationship with the perils specific to Deirdre and Luke's situation. Stiefvater does a great job entwining the two. Also well-done was the painful family history that simmers beneath the surface of Deirdre's story. There are many things Deirdre doesn't know about her family's past, but what she doesn't know can hurt her.

_Lament_ ends in a way that is satisfactory and yet leaves just enough loose ends that I'm itching for the sequel, _Ballad_.

Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys Holly Black and Melissa Marr.

This is one of those books that will make you fall in love with the English language all over again. Maggie Stiefvater has a special way with words; they are magical and lyrical and they just flow across the page in a way that makes you forget that you are reading. Every scene made me feel that I was right there with Deirdre, feeling and experiencing everything as she felt and experienced it. This is a very intimate book in that you feel as if you are Deirdre. I felt the blossoming of love right along with her, cringed at the coldness of her aunt with her, and wondered what the heck was going on just as she did. I walked into a new world with her as she discovered her abilities to see the fey and learned everything she could about how to deal with them - and how to figure out what they wanted from her. When she was scared, I felt my heart pumping, too; when she was excited, I found myself smiling. And I learned about harp music, something I had never read about before this.

All in all, this was a very enjoyable book. One filled with enough magic and intrigued to keep you up late at night reading when you should be sleeping! I can't say much more without inadvertently giving away the plot so I will just say this: Do yourself a favor and read this book. If you love stories about magic, fairies and the humans who somehow get mixed up with them, you will love this book.

First of all, what a cool last name--Steifvater--I love finding people with last names that are harder to spell than mine :).

This book grabbed me from the beginning, and I could NOT put it down. I read the whole thing in one day, while camping this weekend. Sorry, hubby, you and the kids go have fun--I'm reading!

Lament has all the same elements that Twilight has (or at least, the first chapters of Twilight that I dragged myself through): A quirky girl with self-esteem issues, a dangerous and totally hot guy, a "should I or shouldn't I" kind of relationship, bizarre happenings...Oh, but THIS book is incredibly well-written!

Deirdre is an immensely talented harpist with a real future at becoming a professional musician, despite her...unusual...pre-show ritual. On the day of a huge competition, Luke walks into Deirdre's life. Dreamy Luke. Mysterious Luke...

I'm not into romance novels. But when they involve such engaging characters (take a note here, Stephenie, "engaging"--not whiney or mean) I can't help but get sucked into the story. And there is a real story here--not just the romance! Deirdre's relationship with Luke is just the door that opens her to a whole new world right in her own town...one of faerie and deception.

I can't wait to read more by this author. Her voice is unique--contemporary, but not rude. Really strong characterization skills. And perfect pacing.

Lament is certainly beautiful and lyrical. It keeps your attention by not spelling out every little detail and event that happens. Part of the reason I continued to read was hoping more would be explained. It turns out that much isn't really explained, and the characters don't seem to mind, so why should I. For once, all of the characters accept the paranormal with no fuss, no complaints, and no questions. Even the token mean girl accepts the faeries right away. It's a little strange, but it's nice in the sense that it takes away some angst. The teenage characters are believable and realistic without being overly dramatic, and the main faerie character is strange enough to be from a different world. Another thing I enjoyed about Lament was the language. Most YA novels seem to over simplify everything to the point that the story feels more like a summary than a heartfelt retelling of events. I felt attached to the characters, and I cared about their plight. It's hard not to fall right into the story when it is written so beautifully. I appreciate that the author realizes that teenagers appreciate good writing just as much as everyone else. Lament is full of details, yet holds back enough to peak reader interest. It's an interesting tale, and one of the better faerie stories I've read. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

LAMENT
MAGGIE STIEFVATER
Fantasy

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Besides being a musical prodigal, sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan finds out she's a cloverhand. She can see fairies.

Four leaf clovers start appearing everywhere. But even stranger is the mysterious hot guy Luke, who happens to join her in a rendition of "The Faerie Girl's Lament" at one of her performances. Together the song sounds like an orchestra from ancient times.

Around Luke, Deirdre feels emotions that she's never felt before. But not everyone is happy with Luke's presence, including her own grandmother.

Things start happening that makes Deirdre wonder what Luke's true purpose is. Can she trust him? And why does she feel she's replaying a part in "The Faerie Girl's Lament"?

This enchanting tale will take the reader on a trip where both mythology and the world of Faerie meet. Stiefvater does a great job showing us a colorful world where an ordinary albeit talented girl meets someone from the faerie world and falls for his charms.

I couldn't put this book down! The writing is lyrical and moving.

Deirdre's relationship with Luke is intense and powerful. Luke is a multidimensional character, with struggles of his own. The relationship with her family is interesting too. I also liked her friend James, whose own loyalty will be tested.

A must read for any fan of faerie tales. I can't wait for the sequel Ballad, which will come out Fall 2009.

Maggie Stiefvater lives in the middle of nowhere, Virginia, with her charmingly straight-laced husband, two kids, and neurotic dog. Check out her website at [...]

Kim
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
September 2008

Deirdre finds her talent for the harp and singing has attracted unwanted attention, but also brought a mysterious man to her side. While he doesn't shy away from the iron she wears as the faerie do, he cannot tell her the whole truth as to who and what he is before her life it completely thrown into disarray.

This story from the first chapter keeps the readers interest through not divulging many details. The plot unfolds as a mystery due to the first person narrative and the character of Luke being unable to talk about himself. Normally I find I want to know more, but as everything kept moving, I found this style fit great with the story. Looking back at the plot, there actually isn't much there. The action takes place over very little time. There is very little action that actually occurs in the story- beyond someone being ripped apart. Somehow without all the action, it still kept my interest throughout.

Maggie Stiefvater has a very differnt style of writing- some people will like it and some won't. I did :)

I'm a little late to the game with Lament. I've heard so many great things about it, but when I picked it up from my library a few months back I just couldn't get past the first chapter. I don't remember why I put it down. It's so strange, because this time around I was sucked in immediately! I had decided to give Stiefvater's first novel another chance since I so enjoyed her other series (Shiver and Linger). I'm glad I did.

Deirdre Monaghan is an extremely talented harp player with a bad case of stage fright. Not just your typical ol' sweaty-palms stage fright, but vomiting-your-guts-up-before-every-single-performance stage fright. Lament opens on a music competition at Deirdre's high school. While throwing up in the girls' bathroom, she meets a boy who seems to have literally stepped out of her dreams. Luke Dillon is handsome, kind, plays the flute, and even holds Deirdre's hair back for her while she's vomiting into the toilet. What girl could resist?

When Deirdre plays a duet with him-her on the harp, him on the flute-the music they create together basically seals the deal, and she falls head over heels in love with Luke.

Then really weird things start to happen. Deirdre finds not one, but multiple four-leaf clovers in and around her house (eventually her entire front lawn is turned into a carpet of four-leaf clovers). She's being stalked by a handsome but decidedly creepy red-haired man, and worst (or best) of all, she's able to move inanimate objects just by thinking about it. Through a bit of sleuthing and discovery, Deirdre realizes the existence of fearies, a group of otherwordly, tricky creatures, without conscience, that revolve and serve as the court of a a powerful, ageless human Queen.

Even as she falls more and more in love with Luke, she understands that there are things he is keeping from her, secrets that he literally cannot tell her. But these secrets are important, and as Deirdre becomes more powerful, the Queen, jealous and deadly, tries harder and harder to kill her.

I really enjoyed Lament. It progressed very smoothly and I enjoyed Stiefvater's wit and occasional humor-sometimes it doesn't work in books like this, or you get the feeling that the author is just trying way too hard, and it ends up being kind of embarrassing. However, Stiefvater pulled it off and also kept the overal atmosphere of Lament mysterious and lyrical. I didn't feel the chemistry between Deirdre and Luke as well as some other readers and bloggers have. I did admire Deirdre as a protagonist, and I also liked how neatly Stiefvater had her solve the mystery, while at the same time proving her bravery and "emerging from the shell" transformation.

The sequel is called Ballad, and deals with the story of Deirdre's friend James (who also had a sizable role in Lament).

Author's Website: [...]

Lament is the first book I've read by Maggie Stiefvater and all I can say is..."Wow!"

Deirdre is a talented harpist who gets nervous and sick before every performance.She's like any other ordinary girl with an after school job, an overprotective mother, and of course a Fairie Queen that wants her dead. When she meets Luke Dillon she discovers a brand new world of Fairie.

I thought all the characters were well written and actually had a history behind them to let us know their reasons for being who they are. James was Deirdre's best friend who was a favorite of mine even though he had a small part in the story. He was funny and such a great friend. Luke the dangerous and mysterious guy. I usually don't like the bad boys, but I loved Luke. His past was so depressing to read about. I was especially surprised when some of the characters turned out to be completely different people.

The story was amazing, filled with magic, mystery, and romance. The faerie world and music were combined perfectly. Lament is a favorite now, and I can't wait to read all of Maggie Steifvater's other books, which I'm sure are just as wonderful.

Deirdre Monaghan is an excellent harpist. At least she thought so until she met the devastatingly handsome Luke Dillon.

Luke's amazing musical skill unlocks something deep within Deirdre. Her talent at the harp becomes unmeasurable; however, other things begin to happen as well - strange things. Dee discovers that she possesses the power of telekinesis. She also learns to read the thoughts of those around her. Dee knows that Luke is somehow a part of all the craziness that is taking place, but he is unable to reveal his secrets.

Those secrets have the potential of killing both Luke and Dee. Dee must unravel the mystery surrounding Luke before it's too late - for both of them.

Stiefvater has created a novel that is reminiscent of Melissa Marr's WICKED LOVELY. The story centers on a girl who captures the attention of Faerie creatures. Of course, it is the responsibility of the human girl to set the wrong things right once again.

The author's formula veers from the norm by incorporating music into the plot. Dee plays the harp; Luke is a flautist; James, Dee's best friend, plays the bag pipes; all the while snippets of old Irish songs adorn the pages before each section of the novel.

The world of Faerie is becoming more prominent in young adult fiction, and this will be a welcome addition. Look for its sequel, aptly named BALLAD, due out next year.

Reviewed by: LadyJay

4 Stars.

Finding that I don't have much to say after my review of Beautiful Darkness.

Lament was really good. I was hooked. When I did have to put it down, I found myself always wanting to read more. I read it quickly (Wednesday to Friday). I was excited about the story line and the characters. And even when my sister-in-law presented me with a KindleFire for my graduation present Wednesday night, I couldn't stop reading Lament to play with my new toy. Must say again, really like Maggie Stiefvater's writing. Ballad, book 2 is on my Christmas Wishlist and so is Scorpio Races (her newest book, but not in this series). Again, I'll repeat what I said at the end of my Beautiful Darkness review. Beautiful Darkness was 503 pages and Lament was 325 pages. So much more happened (or seemed to happen) in Lament than in Beautiful Darkness. Good stuff. Sorry I don't have more to say at the moment. Check out Lament.

After reading Shiver I just knew I had to run out and by this book. There is something about the way that Maggie writes that calls out to me and I end up lost in her lyrical words. It's amazing really. It's been a long time since a writer has affected me this way. Let me tell you Lament did not disappoint. I loved it!

Lament is a wonderful, mysterious tale of Faerie's and not of the cute fun loving kind.

Deirdre is a very talented harpist and she meets the elusive and mysterious Luke at a competition and then all the strange, unexplainable stuff starts happening. She finds out she can move things and read minds and thoughts, and she discovers the unseen world of the Fae. A world that has affected her family for generations.

We are led through twists and turns of the games faeries play. We learn of the Queen and her need to see Deirdre dead and of her control over the Fae and of Luke. We learn of so much more but that would be giving away too much of this awesome story.

I love how Maggie weaves the tale with a fine sheet of mist so you sense the story unraveling before your eyes with every page you turn. I found myself getting lost in the pages and my day slipping away into the evening as I read.

I can't wait to read Ballad when it comes out in October.

The Good: The characters were so unique and each had their own special personalities that makes them so memorable.

Deirdre is awesome. She is such a freaking cool girl. She's brave, talented, and does not take any crap from anyone. A girl who can hold her own against faerie assasins focused on killing her, is pretty special in my book. Unlike some characters who make me want to bang their heads into a brick wall (Ex: Bella Swan, New Moon), I just wanted to give her a hug the whole time.

Luke... OMIGOD. Luke just makes me go SA-WOON. Without making him seem overly perfect, Ms. Stiefvater makes him the everday guy. Except he's in assasin (that is borderline scary and hot). Luke has his faults just like everyone and you can't help but have a soft spot for him. Especially when he goes all protective over Deirdre.

And the rest of the characters... I'd talk about them all day long if I have to. I especially love Thomas ___ and the rest of the fae. They just added so much for flavor and made the whole story more special then it already was.

The romantic relationship... wow. It works, it totally works. It flowed and it progressed magically and I could go for a week about it.

The Bad: I was a little confused when I first began reading. I guess I was a bit dazed by the cover so... yeah. Confusing in the beginning.

Also, the cover... it sort of sucks. Okay, maybe sucks is a bit harsh but, still. The cover... it just makes my stomach churn. The girl looks like she's a zombie and the colors and technique that's being used... it just makes me uneasy. At least it catches your eye when you walk past the shelves.

Did anyone else notice the similarity between this and Twilight? I mean, girl falls in love with boy. Boy turns out to be not human. Girl does not give a crap (well, in this case Deirdre does a little). Boy has to kill the girl. Other non-human people want to kill the girl (in Twilight's case it's the nomads and the Volturi. In Lament's case it's the Faerie Queen and her henchmen). The dude is older than the girl... by 98 years. LOVE TRIANGLE WITH HUMAN AND NON OVER A GIRL. AHH! I know I'm not the only one that thinks like this! ...right?

Also, it's sort of cliche. (see above)

It's bittersweet. It's not that big of an issue but... I was still sad. *sigh*

Overall: Pick this book up! Go to your local bookstore and buy this book. If they don't have it, order it! OR go to the store or somewhere and order it! It's A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Better than Twilight if you're wondering since I went kind of crazy with the comparasion. You have to pay attention to the plot though, but it'll be worth it!

Grade: A

Maggie Stievater has done something to me. Something good. She's taken me prisoner in this world she's created full of magic, mystery and intrigue. Maggie's first book LAMENT is a story of a talented young girl whose harp talent is mesmerizing and enchanting. When a strange and mysterious Luke Dillon approaches her to play together at a competition Deidre's world is then swiftly unwound and she is then thrust into a world full of folklore and magic and her place in this world is quickly realized.

Maggie tells a story full of romance and with each passing page we fall in love with the characters both the good and the bad. What I most enjoyed about Maggie's book is the darkness with which the story unfolds yet with the ease that she cloaks her novel with humor and laughter. Each character is full of personality and is true to the teenage persona. I love the witty and clever quips and jabs between the characters and made this dark tale lighter when it needed it to be, adding a lighthearted comedic relief.

The story is fast paced and surprising at times and many times I didn't see the outcome coming at all. It is unpredictable and a total enjoyment to read. Now I am off to devour BALLAD the sequel to LAMENT! Go pick up both copies today!

Celtic Faerie lore, controlling mother, deceitful aunt, a gorgeous guy, and a cute guy best friend make up the life of Deirdre Monaghan.

Not to mention, her crazy insane (as in good) ability to play the harp. Oh, and she has one resourceful Grandma. Though we can't say Grandma was forthcoming with information nor that we are happy about what happens to her.

This book is centered on Deirdre, and the Faerie that are after her. She meets Luke and there is an instant attraction, much to the chagrin of her BFF James. But really, who is Luke and what is he after?

I wanted to love this book. I wanted to read all of Stiefvater's books starting with this series and end with Shiver.

Was it a bad book? No. It was actually a good story. It's the people that surround Deirdre that have us wondering why they were there and if they knew so much (hello, mom????) why didn't they help out.

Will I read Ballad? Yes. In fact, I am hoping it answers some questions I have and thus raises my opinion of this book.

BTW, this is one book, that even though I liked Luke, I wish the BFF actually gets the girl.

Not the author's best work. I found I did not care about the characters. Plus, the "plot," as it were, was really hard to follow. I never quite knew what was going on. I had the same issue with Ballad....there were just so many holes in the story that were never filled in. Who edits these things these days?

"Valiant" is one of those books that disappoints not because it's your typical girl-meets-hot-guy-and-falls-in-love-in-like-a-day books, but because it's your typical girl-meets-hot-guy-and-falls-in-love-in-like-a-day book with the potential to be more. The main character, Dierdre is a gifted harpist who suffers from extreme stage fright (the kind that makes her physically ill). Everything changes, however, when one day she is rescued from her pre-performance puking by Luke Dillon (the aforementioned hottie), as he braves vomit stench and restroom rumors to hold back her hair. Soon after, Dierdre discovers she's a cloverhand, a person who can see faeries and that Luke, the stalker i.e. perfect guy she's been falling in love with is really a gallowglass, an assassin enslaved by the Faerie Queen and sent on a mission to kill her. Only instead of hurting the unpopular human girl, he (craziness) falls in love. This, however, makes the Faerie Queen particularly angry, and now it is up to Dierdre to rescue her serial killer hottie before it's too late.

Okay, don't get me wrong: there are aspects of this book that I really like. The protagonist, for instance. I can't fully describe why, but Dierdre has a semi-addictive voice. For instance, lines like "He grinned hugely at me--boobs first, then face" and "If I live, I'll pencil it in" come to mind or memorable thoughts like when Luke the hottie, in an effort to get her to sing for him says, "Pretend I'm a picnic table" and Dierdre goes: "I looked at the muscled arms beneath the sleeves of his T-shirt. `You are definitely not a picnic table.' Man, he was definitely not a picnic table." Somehow Stiefvater is able to combine just enough swoon and sass to make this girl a girl you can relate to, and a girl you want to. The dialogue is also definitely up there. They're never just lines, but things people are actually saying. And from personal experience in the land of many cross-outs, that's not an easy thing to pull off.

As far as characters go, Dierdre is interesting, Luke is interesting enough, but there are two secondary characters who I think are worth mentioning/believe have serious sequel potential. The first is James, Dierdre's charmingly eccentric best friend. With lines like "Don't mock the kilt, woman," and "Soon to be number one...I hired a hit man," this kid is definitely a cute little oddball. Too bad we don't get more of him. The second is Sara, Dierdre's ice cream store co-worker. I was surprised when Sara was drawn into Dierdre's getting-chased-by-evil-faeries dilemma, and even more when she calls her for a ride, seeing as they're barely even friends. But for some reason, it all felt natural and Sara added a nice grounding kind of humor to the situation with lines like, "I'm getting creeped out. This is totally starting to sound like a horror flick, and everybody knows the hot chick dies first." Too bad Sara couldn't stay for the conflict got more serious. She would have made for a unique side-kick.

The faery elements of this book are also top notch. The faeries are neither good nor bad, so much as wild (they're cruelty comes from a child-like indifference toward things). Stiefvater also does a nice job of blending the magical and mundane. I was pleasantly surprised to find the book ending where it began: inside a high-school auditorium on a summer's eve. Stiefvater also brings a much needed modernism to Celtic lore, giving us the every-day equivalent of a faery-like kind of musical talent (through Dierdre, Luke, and James). She also gives us a wonderful perspective of faery revelry, turning the faeries' obsessive passion for song, dance, and all things musical into something that feels urgent and real.

But as I stated before, there are also a lot of things that fall short. A random guy shows up in in Dierdre's bathroom stall, then proceeds to stalk her at home, work, on the phone, etc. over the next three days, and then reveals that he is basically a faery serial killer, and she still falls for him. This is the kind of plotline I'm just not okay with. It sends teenage girls the message, really, ladies, if he's hot, who cares? which is just a tad degrading, if you ask me. It's also frustrating how James starts off all weird and wonderful and very much a presence, and just like that, is pushed to the sidelines. Instead of staying his quirky, challenging self, he becomes the ignored best friend, hopelessly in love with Dierdre. I was also disappointed by the ending. The book started off pretty strong; I had reasonable belief the ending would be as good. But the way the Queen was defeated, it didn't feel like there was enough build-up to make what happened realistic. Also, the very end was too inconclusive. It felt less like a cliff-hanger and more like a lazy excuse just to be done with it.

That said, I liked this book. It did a lot of nice things and could have done even more, if it'd taken the risk or the time. Would I recommend it? Yes, to a select group of people. I'd say read it, but only if you're someone who wants to read a unique spin on the modern faerie tale or romantic tale, and only if you care enough about either of those two in the first place for their refreshing treatment to make up for its flawed aspects. If it helps, think of this book as a faery: the kind of magic that promises more than it keeps.

Thank goodness for the prologue, because the beginning of the story was pretty slow. So slow, in fact, that I just skimmed it. Could've probably done without most of it. But anyway, the author did an impressive job of building intrigue once the story got going. Subtle things mentioned in the dialogue between Dee and Luke kept me turning the pages. I expected more of an epic ending when the Faerie Queen showed up, but oh well. Still an enjoyable read. (Some formatting issues, though with chapter beginnings, paragraphs, and spacing, but I downloaded this book awhile ago and since the cover art isn't even the same as when I first acquired it, I suspect the formatting may have been corrected as well.)

*Reviewer's note: This is not labeled an "the store Verified Purchase" because my Kindle is attached to my husband's account.

I don't know what led me to buy this book. I hadn't heard of it, it just jumped off the shelf at me. I REALLY ENJOYED IT! I liked that the paranormal just blended with real life and characters weren't left to be viewed as crazy by others. Like the paranormal is just a part of everyday life.

It seems to start right in the middle of a story and at first, I thought it must be a second in the series book because the story just zooms into intrigue and mystery. No back story, no building of character, just throws you right into the middle like you were already a part of the characters life. At first I didn't like that approach, but then it quickly pulled me in and I couldn't stop reading it.

Deidre is a teenage girl and an extremely talented harpist. At a major competition she meets Luke Dillon (a fairy assassin), who has stepped out of her dreams. She has an overbearing mother, and obnoxious aunt, a best guy friend (and we all know how that goes-pretty formula there), and a Granna who holds the the truth to it all.

The story is at times scary with character introductions and explanations, funny, sweet...its a great story! I held my breath towards the end because I just dreaded the choice she was going to have to make! Looking forward to Ballad (the sequel).

I was pretty hopeful about this book as I've enjoyed several other books by the author. I just didn't love it. I think my lack of enjoyment of the book stems mostly from my frustration with female characters who "fall in love" with male leads who have no personality! The setting of the book was nice and I think the premise had a lot of potential. I just don't think any of the characters were developed enough for me to fall in love with them, which made it hard to comprehend their undying affection for each other.

Is it worth spending an afternoon or more reading it? Sure. But I don't think I'll be coming back for seconds of this particular series.

In a market glutted with faerie books, Maggie Stiefvater's book stands out in several ways. To begin, Maggie writes lyrically, a poetic style evocative of Dylan Thomas as her words caress faerie scenes and romance. Yet, she varies this with a humorous prose that marks her characters in the real world.

The main character, Deirdre falls for a man involved with the fae, and she falls hard. Deirdre, the product of a family bedeviled by the fae, is unsure of herself in either the real or fantastic worlds, and as a result seems uncomfortable in either world, which makes her the perfect foil for Luke, man of mystery, and magical hearth throb.

The book should satisfy those looking for a romance, but it is full of other good writing as well. Support characters captivate and intrigue. Ballad, Lament's sequel, belongs to Deirdre's best friend James, a brave mortal soul. Deirdre's grandmother is as tough as nails, her aunt chills me to the bone, and Luke's faerie friends fail to live up to their cold images, much to their chagrin and my delight.

If the book has a weak link, it is the villains. Cruel, heartless, and emotionless faeries they are, but compared to the texture of the other characters, maybe that's the point, that the world of fantastic illusion pales in comparison to the world of real emotion.

It's a very good read for both adults and kids. There's bravery and romance, but nothing in the book that crosses any line that would make it questionably appropriate for its age group.

The Good: I wish I had picked this book up sooner. It is a really fun faerie read. The book is packed with faerie lore and Dee is an actually rational heroine. She seems to think things through and questions what's happening to her life. There was a bit of the cliched instalove going on here, as well as an love triangle that never convincingly got off the ground, but overall Dee managed herself well in these situations.

The Bad: The ending was sort of a twist, which is usually great. Except it was more confusing than anything else. Maybe it's needed for the next book, but it wasn't satisfying or exciting.

Maggie is an amazing writer. I do love the way she writes, in a different, creative way. I don't know why I was expecting something similar to Shiver, but this is completely different, in a good way. I loved this fairy world. The book hooks you up since the very first page. The romance is delicious and the mystery is resolved smoothly. I also loved the ending, the last words were the perfect ending.
The characters are interesting and down to earth. I loved James and his sarcastic sense of humor. On the other hand, Luke seemed way too perfect, lacking any flaws except the obvious. But I loved the story so I let it pass. The cover is the first one in a while I just don't like. It doesn't draw attention at all and has nothing interesting or pretty. I would have never picked this up by looking at the cover. Anyhow, if you like fairy stories, this is probably the one I've liked best.

The thing I like best about Maggie's writing is the little details of description an lyrical prose that enrichen the cast and storyline. Her word choices are vivid and entoxicating. Certain sections demand to be revisited. I read Shiver before this one, and it's a little bland in sensory detail by comparison, but it is still quite exquisite. I enjoy reading about star-crossed love, and this story features, Deidre, a harpist with severe stage fright that makes her physically ill who discovers she's a cloverhand, a person who who can see fairies. While vomiting before a performance, she meets Luke Dillon who is enslaved as an assassin by a Fairie Queen and on a mission to kill her. Only, he falls in love with her. Often in books, characters are just in love without a reason, even in Shiver, but Deidre is more than a Mary Sue type and all the things that are strange about her are compelling to Luke, and you can see that attraction develop, which is nice. He does seem to fall hopelessly into her very quickly, but at least you can see why. And in the end, Deidre is the one who has to rise up to fight the Queen, to save her family, her friends and the one she loves. And I loved that!

Lament is now my favorite "faerie" tale. Seriously.

Stiefvater weaves her words together brilliantly, and so vividly to create a beautiful story. I felt like at any second, one of "Them" would show up in the shadows or a clover would drop in my lap.

Deirdre was an amazing protagonist. Seemingly normal, if a little bland and boring in those first few pages, she grows as the pages turn. James and Luke were great supporting characters. I favored James a bit more, just because he was such a great friend, believing in all of this craziness.

Highlights: Definitely towards the end of the novel, when Deirdre figures out who she can't trust. I already disliked this character, but was surprised at the betrayal.

Lowlights: Hmm....um. I honestly cannot think of anything I disliked. It was a great novel that I couldn't put down.

I picked this book up multiple times in bookstores and ended up putting it back. After hearing so many great things about it, I decided to just give it a try. I have no idea why I didn't read this sooner!! Lament was phenomenal. I'm a big fan of fairies, so I'm kind of surprised that I didn't automatically read this. Maybe it was because of the cover (I know, that's totally wrong) but I'm not too fond of it.

Maggie Stiefvater did a wonderful job in creating a unique fairy tale. I loved how music was thrown into the mix also - very refreshing and definitely fun to read. Her writing style was brilliant - it gripped me from the beginning and held my attention until the end.

This was a great read and I do recommend others read it. Maggie Stiefvater has just became one of my favorite authors and I can't wait to read more of her work.

I have always loved a good fairy tale. Growing up, I could never get enough of them: princesses locked in towers and handsome cursed princes captured my heart from a young age. But I was never really interested in faerie lore, or the history of the Fey - until now. Maggie Stiefvater's graceful prose and smart, funny characters grabbed me from the first sentence and I could not put this book down until I had read every single lovely word.

Maggie (who I will forever call by her first name, because I can never remember how to spell her last) is a true poet. Her words flow seamlessly, her characters are real and believable, and her storylines are well-paced and lovely.

This is the modern day fairy tale for a more mature audience. Modern mixed with make believe, loads of angst, true love, valor and friendship.

You should know that I'm a huge Maggie Stiefvater fan. She has a way of pulling at my emotions and making me so terrified for the characters that I'll pick up anything of hers.

Lament is Stiefvater's debut novel, and I loved it. I read it after reading Shiver and Linger, so I was used to the aching prose of the Mercy Falls trilogy, and not the prose she used for Lament. And I struggled with that at first until it started to get really interesting and I remembered: this isn't a Mercy Falls book. It's a whole different book, and that's okay.

And I loved it. There was parts where I was icked out (the prologue especially. That poor bird!) Lament is a wonderful book about faeries, Celtic stuff, and instruments. I can't wait to read Ballad, the sequel.

So, I know you have read all the gushy, OMG this was such an awesome book, reviews - right? Well, if you like them, your in luck - if you hate them, sorry!

Lament, is an amazing book! I LOVE the way Maggie Stiefvater tells a story, after I read Shiver which I also loved, I thought, no way could there be a book I loved more - and while I am not sure I love it more, it comes in right there at the top! Lament, grabbed me and honestly did not let go until 4 AM, when I was finished! You know it's amazing when it can keep you reading to the very last page - pushing past that "tired feeling" knowing that you MUST know the ending!

I am excitedly reading Ballad now, I must know about Luke and Dee, though it seems so far Ballad is told though James POV (which I am loving, I mean he was such an awesome character in Lament). I am hoping that Maggie gives us a little of them, with and ending like Lament's, which had me reaching for the roll of toilet paper...it would be nice to "see them again." (But enough about the ending, you gotta read it to know!)

Lament is about, fairies - which normally don't get me going - I have only TRIED to read one other Fairy book, which um, I never finished - so I picked this up thinking, um fairies again? But, after seeing the reviews, and LOVING Shiver so much - I figured I had to give it a chance....if for nothing other than Maggie's amazing story telling ability!

It did not disappoint!

Dee, our main character is a strong, if not sheltered teen whom has an amazing gift, the gift of music. She is an accomplished Harpist, a player of exceptionally beautiful music, that not only has the "humans" talking - but has also sparked the interests of The Fey.

Dee, of course has no idea, that she has sparked this interest, when 4 leaf clovers start appearing - as does this strange freckle faced boy, whom seems to appear and disappear with out moving. In addition to seeing this strange freckle faced boy, she meets Luke (ahh Luke), from the start Dee is infatuated with Luke - wanting to see him, talk to him, and be with him constantly - though Luke CAN'T tell her much about himself, Dee finds herself drawn to him.

It isn't until Dee realizes she has extraordinary talents, not only is she a gifted musician, but she can read minds, can move things with out touching them, and she can see The Fey without the aid of a 4 leaf clover - that Dee decides to try to read Luke's mind. There she finds, many things she could not have expected - Luke, it seems, is a killer. Though he has never done anything to hurt her, in fact he only protects her from the Freckled Face Boy.

Dee sets out on a journey to find out exactly what Luke is, who the boy with the Freckles is, and why exactly it seems he wants to harm her.

Really, there's so much more to this story than this, but I am trying not to spoil it for you - if you have not read it, it's a MUST read! Like I said earlier, even if your not a "fairy" person, the way Maggie tells this story, is just beautiful - really turning the "traditional" Celtic folklore into her own beautifully written story - where not all the fairies are out to kill you!

I give Lament a 5 stars!

Maggie Stiefvater has beautiful lyrical writing that literally flows. Look at my blog name. "Words Like Silver"? That is Maggie Stiefvater's writing. She is a genius. Her books are amazing. This book was no exception....I think this was her debut. I read Shiver before this and loved it so I really wanted to pick this one up but was worried because I thought it might be too short and I'd finish it in thirty minutes (I'm a really fast reader). I'm more of a fan of the biggie books like Halo, Nevermore, Nightshade, Revolution, etc,. But I decided to buy it anyways.

Boy am I glad that I did. I fell in love with the characters immediately. IMMEDIATELY. That's how great of a writer Maggie is. First off, I loved Deirdre's inverted nature and nerves, and it has been my secret fantasy to play the harp. Unfortunately, when my mother asked Hannah (my twin) and I what instruments we wanted to play, I so desperately wanted to be the only girl drummer in my grade. Don't ask me why; it was a phase. So now, I am a drummer.

Anyways, I loved how she wanted to play the faerie ballad. I thought it was lovely how Maggie spun that in there. And her romance with Luke develops perfectly. It's not too fast where you're like "okay, so she says `i love you' to a guy she just met? Weird" type romance, but a "awww that's so romantic and sweet" type romance. They start off slow and grow to really like each other. I loved the character of James. He was BRILLIANT.

I also adored the ending. I adored this entire book. It was absolutely WONDERFUL squared. The ending was magnificent with a heart-wrenching twist and the story was told beautifully. I cannot emphasize enough how "beautiful" and "gorgeous" and "lyrical" Maggie's writing is. I know that I have said that a billion times but it is true!

I loved the background with the cloverhand and the prologue and the Queen. Deeply based on Celtic myths, Lament will leave you yearning for a sequel. It was a great story world that I loved to live in. Does anybody else seriously obsess over this book? It was AMAZING and FABULOUS and EVERY OTHER GOOD WORD OUT THERE!

Recommended for anybody who loves: Need; Captivate; Entice; Wings; The Iron King; faeries; Celtic myths; etc,.

Possible book club questions:

Why do you think Deirdre is so introverted?
What do you think made Deirdre want to play the harp?
Why do you think that the faeries just now noticed that Deirdre is a cloverhand? Had she been one all along or was she developing the talent?
How do you think James felt about Luke and Deirdre?
Celtic myth plays a large part in this novel. What other Celtic myths are you interested in?

I really liked Deirdre and the romance that was happening between her and Luke. I felt bad for Luke because of his bad past that he had to go through because of the Queen. I also felt bad for Luke because the Queen could control everything that Luke did because she had his soul in her hands. Luke and Deirdre were very easy characters to like but another character that I liked, that obviously liked Deirdre and didn't have a chance with her since she likes Luke, was James becuase he is so nice and caring. I also felt bad for James because he confesses his feelings to Deirdre, but she has feelings for Luke, and he gets kidnapped by the Queen because he is close to Deirdre.

First - I liked the Twilight series and the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and I loved Harry Potter. I also liked Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (another great faerie story). I really, really liked Lament. It's not just a girl's book, not just a "Young Adult" book - it's a very good, well written, contemporary journey through the world of faerie, emotions, choices, family, and coming of age with a nice shot of adrenaline on the side. Like Stephen King, Maggie does a very nice job bringing you into her character's day to day reality and then, in a wink, springs fantasy all around you - and very convincingly, at that. I was a bit thrown off by the original cover but decided to give it a few chapters. I am so glad I did. Outstanding. Get it. Read it ... and pay attention to those four leaf clovers and the way your soup spoon seems to move towards you occasionally. But never ever think about drowning your dog.

Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan, meets gorgeous Luke Dillon after vomiting and they start an unlikely forbidden romance. Sent by the queen of Faerie, Luke is the assassin who has come to assassinate her, but falls in love with her. Like other young adult fairy stories, this one involves the fairy court and a forbidden romance, but with Stiefvater's excellent writing, the story becomes lyrical. Music combines with romance and magic makes this fairy story beautiful, reminding me of another magical fairy world I've read recently in Kailin Gow's Bitter Frost. The aspect of clover leaves appearing everywhere as fairy combines with plant elements reminds me of the flower in Aprilynne Pike's Wings. Elements like these put Lament beyond the common fairy urban fantasy.

Deirdre Monaghan is a very talented musician, almost amazingly so. The one thing is, she has severe stage fright. When one day she is vomiting before a performance, Luke Dillon comes and holds her hair for her. (It is kinda gross.) They begin to get to know each-other very well, but Luke belongs to a world Deirdre is not aware of... She knows of her family's suspicious behavior around Luke, but doesn't understand. Maybe the answer is, Deirdre?

This book is very good, though it felt like some parts were very awkward. I looked into Ballad, which I though was the sequel but it is with different characters. If you really like this story, maybe Ballad has a different look on the world.

I really must agree with the points made by "Tiffany, 'book lover'" - for me, the characters were undeveloped, and their actions, at times, unbelievable and confusing. The meeting between the main character and her love interest in the beginning and their subsequent pursuit of each other, for instance, confounded me; it felt like the two of them had just been thrown together - their relationship did not have a certain richness. The other characters - Deirdre's mother, grandmother, aunt Delia, and best friend James - lacked depth as well, while Deirdre's father is so invisible and unimportant that you wonder why he's in the book at all. Several plot points also remained unresolved by the story's end (though perhaps they'll be addressed in the sequel). The only thing that kept me going was the sometimes beautiful prose and descriptions, and the burning question of what exactly the faerie queen's machinations were.

The author wields folklore well, incorporating the importance of music, bargains, and the hunt so that the story was occasionally very intriguing. The ending was satisfying, even though most of the rest of the book left me disappointed, because it could have been so much better with better characterization (and less annoying slang peppered in the heroine's dialogue). Despite the disappointment, I think that the author has a lot of potential, so I will read the sequel in the fall; maybe she'll have gotten better then, and we will find out about the unresolved issues left by the time "Lament" ends.

which is a Twilight-esque story of girl meets other worldly boy. I think it's hard to find a fresh treatment of this kind of story (there are so many spin-offs) but as stories go I actually liked it better in some ways (than Twilight). I felt the struggle of Deirdre was more real and plausible and I much prefer stories of the fae over vampires. One complaint I had about the Kindle version I bought were the typos. Seems almost Kindle books have an issue with formatting and typos. It's not that big a deal but it is a distraction and for the money you pay (this wasn't a .99 book) you wouldn't expect to have to deal with it.

Ok, since I have first heard of this author, her stories intrigued me. I was going to read Shiver first, but this book caught my attention more. It is a very interesting story, I had not read about fairies before. It kept me interested and was not a chore to read. I think this author has talent. Why the three stars? The language. When I am reading a story and I am caught up in the moment and boom! there is some bad language that just seems to stop the flow of the story. It is very distracting. I wish they would just leave most of the language out, especially in a YA novel. Anyway, I will read the second novel Ballad, just hoping it is better.

As a rule, I generally find the fiction directed at young women frustrating. So often, it's populated by Kicky Young Heroines with *just enough* strength and self-reliance to be bothered when they ultimately have to be rescued by the male love interest, but not quite enough to get out of trouble without his help. Too many authors lack the skill to create dramatic tension without placing the main character in a danger she just can't escape on her own, and the most dramatically convenient means of rescue is usually her love interest. The underlying message of, "no matter how strong you are, you're still a girl and girls get rescued by men who think they're pretty," is pervasive.

So, it was with certain reservations that I picked up Maggie Stiefvater's "Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception" on the recommendation of a friend. In my head I was already trying to think of diplomatic ways to compliment a Young Adult Faerie Book without having to point out Kicky Ineffectual Heroines and overly perky and harmless (or unreasonably malicious and evil) fae.

"Lament" blew all that right out of the water.

First, the core of the story is about women. Deirdre's relationship with her mother and grandmother, her relationship with her aunt, her relationship with the Faerie Queen, all played out across the story of a young woman making the choices that will determine the course of her life. The love story, though woven through the tale, supports the focus on Deirdre instead of overwhelming it; this is a refreshing change from the languishing heroine waiting for life to start for her and bemoaning her singlehood (usually because 'normal guys' can't handle her Special Uniqueness) until magically the perfect guy comes along who just happens to be [insert dramatic and predictable otherworldly cliche].

Part of this comes from the fact that Stiefvater balances the love interest with a strong core friendship that it can't replace, and part of it comes from the fact that like many of us, Deirdre has to make most of her really hard decisions alone, and she's faced with a lot of very realistic complication in the way she has to balance the relationships in her life. Stiefvater places her protagonist in situations where she has to acknowledge and consider the very different sorts of love and relationships in her life, and can't simply let fear or infatuation guide her choices. It creates a much better dramatic tension and a much better read than simply placing her in an inescapable danger.

Stiefvater's fae were another pleasant surprise. Instead of the benign, ethereal beauties or the deliberately evil monsters I've come to expect from popular fiction (not to mention the giggly little winged flower sprites), the fae in "Lament" are complex and subtle. The word most appropriate to the faeries of the older tales is 'perilous', and these fae most certainly are. Are they good guys? Are they bad guys? Neither, really; they're somewhere outside of morality and bound to older, simpler, more brutal laws than human perception of right and wrong. Stiefvater *nails* the notion of the faerie bargain and the faerie favor perfectly, capturing the layers of gift, threat, and obligation. She manages to make them alien and familiar enough to be completely unsettling.

The book is a satisfying and well-crafted read. I finished it in a single sitting, and have read it again since. And having done so, I can recommend it without reservation or hesitiation. Read this book. Seriously.

Scary faeries, an EVIL queen, a would-die-for-you best friend/boyfriend-in-waiting, a family secret that Dierdre never could have guessed, and a 1000+ year old heart!-throb!-mystery-guy that seems infatuated with the girl no one knows exists. This was more of a horror story than I'd expected. A terrifying tale with the old school style faeries that think humans are dumb animals and they revel in torturing us for it. I LOVE THIS BOOK!
I'm savoring the perpetuation of the old medieval Irish faerie tales; the one's my Grandma used to tell me so I wouldn't wander off into the woods. I grew up envisioning faeries as terrifyingly heartless and beautifully mischievous and tortuous, Maggie rekindling that fear (thanks) along with a pulchritudinous "first-love" between Dierdre and Luke
This is unabashedly my new favorite faerie tale!!!

which is a Twilight-esque story of girl meets other worldly boy. I think it's hard to find a fresh treatment of this kind of story (there are so many spin-offs) but as stories go I actually liked it better in some ways (than Twilight). I felt the struggle of Deirdre was more real and plausible and I much prefer stories of the fae over vampires. One complaint I had about the Kindle version I bought were the typos. Seems almost Kindle books have an issue with formatting and typos. It's not that big a deal but it is a distraction and for the money you pay (this wasn't a .99 book) you wouldn't expect to have to deal with it.

Ok, since I have first heard of this author, her stories intrigued me. I was going to read Shiver first, but this book caught my attention more. It is a very interesting story, I had not read about fairies before. It kept me interested and was not a chore to read. I think this author has talent. Why the three stars? The language. When I am reading a story and I am caught up in the moment and boom! there is some bad language that just seems to stop the flow of the story. It is very distracting. I wish they would just leave most of the language out, especially in a YA novel. Anyway, I will read the second novel Ballad, just hoping it is better.

As a rule, I generally find the fiction directed at young women frustrating. So often, it's populated by Kicky Young Heroines with *just enough* strength and self-reliance to be bothered when they ultimately have to be rescued by the male love interest, but not quite enough to get out of trouble without his help. Too many authors lack the skill to create dramatic tension without placing the main character in a danger she just can't escape on her own, and the most dramatically convenient means of rescue is usually her love interest. The underlying message of, "no matter how strong you are, you're still a girl and girls get rescued by men who think they're pretty," is pervasive.

So, it was with certain reservations that I picked up Maggie Stiefvater's "Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception" on the recommendation of a friend. In my head I was already trying to think of diplomatic ways to compliment a Young Adult Faerie Book without having to point out Kicky Ineffectual Heroines and overly perky and harmless (or unreasonably malicious and evil) fae.

"Lament" blew all that right out of the water.

First, the core of the story is about women. Deirdre's relationship with her mother and grandmother, her relationship with her aunt, her relationship with the Faerie Queen, all played out across the story of a young woman making the choices that will determine the course of her life. The love story, though woven through the tale, supports the focus on Deirdre instead of overwhelming it; this is a refreshing change from the languishing heroine waiting for life to start for her and bemoaning her singlehood (usually because 'normal guys' can't handle her Special Uniqueness) until magically the perfect guy comes along who just happens to be [insert dramatic and predictable otherworldly cliche].

Part of this comes from the fact that Stiefvater balances the love interest with a strong core friendship that it can't replace, and part of it comes from the fact that like many of us, Deirdre has to make most of her really hard decisions alone, and she's faced with a lot of very realistic complication in the way she has to balance the relationships in her life. Stiefvater places her protagonist in situations where she has to acknowledge and consider the very different sorts of love and relationships in her life, and can't simply let fear or infatuation guide her choices. It creates a much better dramatic tension and a much better read than simply placing her in an inescapable danger.

Stiefvater's fae were another pleasant surprise. Instead of the benign, ethereal beauties or the deliberately evil monsters I've come to expect from popular fiction (not to mention the giggly little winged flower sprites), the fae in "Lament" are complex and subtle. The word most appropriate to the faeries of the older tales is 'perilous', and these fae most certainly are. Are they good guys? Are they bad guys? Neither, really; they're somewhere outside of morality and bound to older, simpler, more brutal laws than human perception of right and wrong. Stiefvater *nails* the notion of the faerie bargain and the faerie favor perfectly, capturing the layers of gift, threat, and obligation. She manages to make them alien and familiar enough to be completely unsettling.

The book is a satisfying and well-crafted read. I finished it in a single sitting, and have read it again since. And having done so, I can recommend it without reservation or hesitiation. Read this book. Seriously.

Scary faeries, an EVIL queen, a would-die-for-you best friend/boyfriend-in-waiting, a family secret that Dierdre never could have guessed, and a 1000+ year old heart!-throb!-mystery-guy that seems infatuated with the girl no one knows exists. This was more of a horror story than I'd expected. A terrifying tale with the old school style faeries that think humans are dumb animals and they revel in torturing us for it. I LOVE THIS BOOK!
I'm savoring the perpetuation of the old medieval Irish faerie tales; the one's my Grandma used to tell me so I wouldn't wander off into the woods. I grew up envisioning faeries as terrifyingly heartless and beautifully mischievous and tortuous, Maggie rekindling that fear (thanks) along with a pulchritudinous "first-love" between Dierdre and Luke
This is unabashedly my new favorite faerie tale!!!

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception is a page turner all the way. Don't make the mistake of equating the 'faeries' in this book with the cutesy little 'fairies' hanging off of flowers on calendars and poster prints. These are faeries in the old Celtic tradition, truly fey and dangerous. The book kept me up reading way past bedtime. What's not to love? A strong girl character discovering herself, romance with a mysterious bad boy, a side kick character who is so much more than he appears, magic, danger, intrigue... Loved it at 45; at 16 I'd have probably slept with the book under my pillow. Watch for more from Maggie Stiefvater - I predict she's only just getting started.

Things I loved:
This book has a guy/girl best friend pairing. EXCELLENT. Just like me in real life.
Also, this book was hilarious AND scary. Not like, "OMG A MONSTER" scary, but "OMG WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, I CAN'T PUT THIS DOWN OR I'LL DIE BECAUSE THIS IS SO DRAMATIC AND I GOTTA KNOW" scary.
I also loved that Maggie reserved most naughty language for the most epic parts of the book, 'cause that was awesome and made them have more impact.
Descriptions of faeries ROCKED. Doesn't make them sound like little chicks with leaf-dresses frolicking in your birdbath behind your house. GOOD. They're scary little buggers.
Another great thing, not everything is happy ever after. Great writers are never afraid to push their characters into danger. (In my opinion) 'Cause you've gotta keep your readers on their toes. AND I WAS ON THEM. Like a ballet dancer.
I'm having a love/hate relationship with the cliffie (not exactly a cliffie, but it does leave you wanting more) at the end, but that's how you sell books, right? I can totally understand. And Maggie picked the PERFECT place to stop. Seriously. Perfect.
Romantic scenes weren't cheesy, or at least cheesy enough for you to be like, "Oh, that's cheesy."

Things I Hated:

... I can't really think of anything other than the fact that the sequel isn't out yet.

If you like Young Adult Urban Fantasies, this is amazing for you.

I read this book rather fast because it was an e-book loan from the library and I have a fear I will not be able to finish them in the 2 weeks I get. I think this is why I finished the book in a few days.
The book was ok. It kept my attention and I often wanted to know what happened next. It was written well, and a nice read. However when it was over I felt let down. I am not sure why.
I won't be reading the next book or companion book that continues in the world.

Lament is a beautiful story. I love that Deirdre is an ordinary girl. Dee is dealing with an over protective and controlling mother when she comes across a boy who truly sees her. Luke seems to know her better than most and wants nothing more than to love her. Deirdre goes from wallflower to a strong character that even the Fairy Queen wants eliminated. I have not been the biggest fan of fairy books but this one is truly one of the best. Lament gives you love, loss, betrayal, and suspense. I can't wait to read the follow up Ballad.

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Lament is a really haunting faerie book, very different from what you can expect from the Young Adult faerie books released in the last few years.
Stiefvater's love of Irish folklore and music comes out in the plot and there is evidence of thorough research and understanding of it which really helps bring the book to life.
The tension is built up from to the climactic last minute twist and is spot on with the amount of lead in and final scenes. I really enjoyed the mystery and creepy personality of the faeries!
It's a very fascinating story from a very original idea.
5 out of 5 stars to a wonderful novel!

I thought the story was a little flimsy but at the same time I found the characters absolutely charming & found myself wanting to learn more about them. I particularly liked the best friend James & co-worker Sara who gamely went along with anything for no good reason (she just cracked me up!). But I also liked the Faerie's- characters who would usually have me rolling my eyes. They were entertaining & not too over the top (maybe that's because I don't read a lot of stories about fairies?).

Lament was a pretty good book to read. It only took me a few days to finish. But if u dont like faeries and romance then this book isnt for u!!!

(THERE MAY BE A FEW SPOILERS)

Most of the characters are quite ok.
I love the faerie assassin: Luke. He falls in love with Dee. He is meant to kill her but after a while he falls so deeply in love with her that he just cant. He also plays the flute. Luke is a mysterious, hot, dark assassin.
Dee is bestfriends with a guy called James and she later on falls for Luke. She has been James's BFF for a long time. She plays the harp. Later in the book, she realizes that James is actually in love with her. Dee can read minds and has telekinesis.
James is Dee's Best friend. He is actually in love with her but to afraid to admit it to her. Later in the book, some faeries make him have a car accident and he almost dies until the end of the book. He plays the bagpipe.

I thought this book was quite good becuase it didnt have a very slow beginning. It is like the book got me intereseted right at the beginning. (well its not just coz it was interesting its kinda oz i got Ballad (2nd book) from the library and i didnt realize it was the 2nd one till none of it made sensee so i kinda had to read Lament.)

Hope this review was kind of helpful in some sort of way!!!! =D

We have mixed feelings...
dear lovers of faerie tales,
... about this book, due to the fact that the author's view of the faerie folk, while not out of keeping with some of the less flattering legends about us (she essentially writes about us as if we are spoiled, rich teenagers on meth), nonetheless, does not entirely, or even mostly, harmonize with our view of ours'elves. Still, and much more importantly as far as we elves are concerned, it is a well written and interesting story that held our attention from beginning to end and in spite of its, so to speak, lack of courtesy in describing us, was still a great pleasure to read. Thus we cannot help but recommend it. It is a good story and a good tale compels our praise.
kyela,
the silver elves

"Lament" begins with Deidre Monaghan, who is participating in a competition and must play her harp in front of an audience. She promptly becomes nauseous, and along comes Luke, who helps her get through her sickness. By meeting Luke, Deidre's world changes as she can never imagine.
I wouldn't call this an extremely good, never-want-to-put-it-down book, but it was still fascinating and I found myself mesmerized at how creative the writing was. For readers that want fantasy and just a snippet of action, "Lament" is for you.

I loved this book!

Stiefvater keeps a lot of the Celtic folklore and myths while adding new twists. I wasn't sure what to think of the cover art at first, but it's really grown on me now. The gist of the book is that sixteen year old Deirdre eventually learns she can see faeries and falls for a guy she really, really shouldn't. One of the best things about this book was that Deirdre acts, feels and thinks like a teenage girl. I could really relate to her nerves, shyness, and inability to talk to people. She often made choices that had me screeching at her, but they were decisions I could understand why she made. The glimpses we have of her family life were really interesting and very different from other family dynamics I've seen in YA books.

A character I really loved was James, Deirdre's best friend, loyal, sarcastic and wise-cracking. Luke, though obviously not very normal, never feels ridiculously shallow and silly, as if the author tried to reconcile the age he looks as the age he should act, but I grew very attached to him by the end of the book. While the relationships in the book all have a tinge of teenage melodrama (as expected because they are teenagers), it doesn't feel contrived or rushed. The romance is light and delicate and made me grin like an idiot.

I do wish we had learned more about the Queen and her motivations. Her entrance into the narrative jarred me a little, but that could have been the fact that I was seriously pushing my bedtime and I suspect it would have upset the narrative balance. And the ending. Oh, the ending, it killed me in a good way (is it time for Ballad yet?).

The Irish elements and names felt natural and not in the least bit silly; there was never any point where I had to grit my teeth and resist the urge to fling the book at the wall. But what I loved most about this book was that there is real danger and consequences: bad things happen to good people, the faeries aren't always good, and Deirdre has to make choices and feel regret for some of them.

And, seriously, two words: homicidal faeries. What more could you want?

I was sorely disappointed with the book. Having read the reviews, bad and good like, I hoped I would thoroughly enjoy the story but it's just not there yet. Too much swearing, too much unbelievable (literally) reactions. It's a bit of a spoiler but the main character "gasped" when a huge cat-like creature attacked her and was literally chewing on her arm. Really? Anyway, this whole story sounds very unfinished and unpolished. Of course, it's not a novel destined for classics shelf but still. $10 just is too much to pay for this. Not an appropriate read for young adults. Returning this book.

Having recently finished "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins and being a fan of the "Twilight" series, I was doubtful Maggie Stiefvater's "Lament" would be just as good. I was wrong. "Lament" is a wonderful novel about a young girl Deirdre who can see and interact with faeries. Her relationship with one named Luke was particularly enjoyable. The author does a great job of developing this relationship into something very complex. I think this is the strength of the book. Maggie Stiefvater has the ability to create an extraordinary world with great characters for both heroes and villains. They are multi-layered and very believable. She almost made me a believer in faeries! I thought the plot was great but the suspense just OK. The final resolution was a little weak, a problem many first books of fantasy series share.
PS. Future readers should know that this book is a little darker and contain stronger language than the books mentioned above.

I liked this book quite a bit. It did take me a while to figure things out. The author didn't lay things out nice and tidy, but gave hints and clues and expected the reader to figure things out. I'm still not sure I have Delia figured out. But I did enjoy the whole thing immensely, and I even cried at the end when Dee had to pick James over Luke. The book didn't end the way I expected, which is always nice.

What I liked most is that Dee was a strong protagonist. I hate the wishy-washy female characters that rely on the handsome guy to swoop in and save them. Dee resolved everything on her own--with a little guiding from her friends. Those are the kinds of girls I like to see in YA novels.

I would have liked to see more of Granna, Delia, & Terry. I think more fleshing out on that part of the story was definitely in order. You are vaguely aware that something happened with the three of them in the past, but you never figure it out. Maybe in the sequel?

I'm an avid reader of YA urban fantasy, and am frankly shocked that the reviews for this novel vary so dramatically from my own. This book was not only painfully derivative in its content, but the characters were given little to no dimension. It was a bit like following a blurry yet familiar path but with only impressions to guide the way--there were no details, little structure, and ultimately no heart to this novel. I suspect the author will develop in time, as there are the seeds of a better storyteller here--but this novel itself reads like the first attempt of a moderately talented novice with little idea of how to really craft a story. She sees the science of constructing a novel, but has yet to embrace the beating heart of the art involved. Frankly, I can't believe her editor didn't send this one back for major edits, including creating a plot that doesn't require the reader to fill in the blanks with ideas gleaned from knowing the genre. That's not progressive or artsy--it's lazy storytelling, plain and simple.

Do yourself a favor and check out Holly Black's Valiant series, Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series, or Lesley Livingston's Wondrous Strange instead. You'll get not only the genre, but tight storytelling and vivid characters as well.

Maggie Stiefvater's Lament joins the growing list of YA books exploring the always dangerous but ever intriguing world of faerie. Deirdre Monaghan, an introverted harpist, is throwing up in the bathroom before a music contest when she meets Luke, a gorgeous flutist who's clearly not your ordinary teenager. Turns out, Luke has mysterious ties to the faerie world that *should* make him Deirdre's enemy--but instead he falls in love with her.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lament, and Deirdre's shyness and passion for music make her an unusual heroine. I was surprised, though, by how much the basic plot for Lament resembled Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series. In both works (**mild spoilers**), a teenage girl who's somewhat of a social misfit encounters a fantasy world she never knew existed and discovers that her family has long-standing ties to it. The girl also falls quickly and deeply in love with a boy who's a part of the fantasy world, even though her wise-cracking best friend is clearly in love with her (**end of spoilers**). Still, both works are different enough in the execution that I didn't mind the similarities too much.

There's a lot left undeveloped in Lament, but since it's part of a trilogy, I imagine the loose ends will be picked up in later books. Overall, a fun read if you enjoy faerie tales.

Ok I really liked this book, but there were some swear words and the faries were a little crude in parts. It is borderline for me and I wouldn't let my teen read it because of the crudity and violence in parts. But the story and the writing were great! The Love story wonderful I can't wait for the second

The ending was bittersweet, it made tears prick at my eyes. The book was amazing, the characters loveable and easy to relate to. The story line was different from many fairy books but also the same. It kept my attention well enough and I would definitely recommend this to lovers of fairies. 4 out of 5 stars.

I liked this book a lot, but I absolutely loved the sequel Ballad. In Ballad the characters are developed, interesting, funny and smart. The dialogue, both internal and external, is remarkably done. It is truly a sequel; it depends on both plot and characters from Lament. Get both at once! You won't be disappointed.

The "perfect", brainless female who grows quickly and completely dependant on a man she barely knows...a supernatural stranger who is flawless himself becomes the borderline abusive boyfriend...the loyal best friend who is secretly in love with the "heroine"... This story is a little too familiar for my taste, and the first round was bitter enough. I don't know which is worse, sparkling vampires or straight-up faeries. Although, when put that way, is there really a difference?
At least I bought this (the Kindle version) on the day it was on sale for .99, though I do consider it to be one of the worst dollars I ever spent.

This book was not as good as Ballad, her other book in this series, but I still liked it more than her other written works. Overall it was a good read, but I think the plot could have been more complex with less character introspection that tended to drag past the beginning. It also had more romance than I expected.

Stiefvater's debut hopefully won't get lost among the scads of YA fantasy on the shelves. Like Kristopher Reisz, she writes literary fantasy that hits hard, both in suspense, drama, laughs and in leaving the reader thinking even after the book is read.

Overall, this is a fairly enjoyable read. The writing is solid, bordering on eloquent in some spots. The better-than-average writing and interesting characters carry the story, though, since the star-crossed lovers plotline is nothing new.

I had planned on giving this book to my fourteen-year-old niece, but I am glad I found the time to check it out of the library and read it first as it contains the word "f***" and a make-out scene that my niece's parents would not want her to read.

If you are looking for a mindless fantasy teen romance just to pass the time, I would recommend Clockwork Angel, Inescapable, The Binding, Obsidian, or The Selection. If you're looking for something a bit of a cut above that, I highly recommend The Girl of Fire and Thorns and Graceling.

I could not get over the silliness of this book. I breezed through it, so I suppose in that way it was worth reading (since I finished it), but *SPOILERS*

the archetypal "hot otherworldly guy" is a soulless fairy slave. Literally. I cracked up when I read that and put it all together.

Would I buy it? No
Would I read it again? No
Would a read a sequel? No
Would I recommend it to friends? No

This was such a beautiful story. I didn't want it to end, can't wait for the next one! The author did a fabulous job, I would recommend this book to everyone! I am in my 30's and I still loved the story, so don't hesitate if you're not a teen.

I have always had a love for fairy stories. The story is unique. The story falls down in places, but that is the way her stories seem to go. But worth the read. Wild Legacy, book III of the Wild series.

I had previously read Shiver and liked it so I read this one next and although the story was much more interesting and imaginative and I did enjoy it very much, I do not feel it right for me to give it more than 3 stars. I was highly disappointed that the author felt the need to fall to social pressures and add strong unnecessary language. I hear it enough in daily life and in movies these days I do not want to have to read it as well. It damages the mind and offends the intelligence and spirit of people and the book could have received at least 4 stars if it would have been omitted or replaced with milder words that would have fit the story much better.

This was such a beautiful story. I didn't want it to end, can't wait for the next one! The author did a fabulous job, I would recommend this book to everyone! I am in my 30's and I still loved the story, so don't hesitate if you're not a teen.

I have always had a love for fairy stories. The story is unique. The story falls down in places, but that is the way her stories seem to go. But worth the read. Wild Legacy, book III of the Wild series.

I had previously read Shiver and liked it so I read this one next and although the story was much more interesting and imaginative and I did enjoy it very much, I do not feel it right for me to give it more than 3 stars. I was highly disappointed that the author felt the need to fall to social pressures and add strong unnecessary language. I hear it enough in daily life and in movies these days I do not want to have to read it as well. It damages the mind and offends the intelligence and spirit of people and the book could have received at least 4 stars if it would have been omitted or replaced with milder words that would have fit the story much better.

BALLAD and LAMENT are two of my favorite books I've read this year - YA, Adult, all in. Maggie Stiefvater is one of the strongest voices in the world of the post-Twilight YA Supernatural. The writing is elegant but the characters are real, and I think that balance is what makes Maggie's books so unique.

I found this book after reading some other reviews here on the store and I am so glad I did. It is such a fun, fast and well-written story. I couldn't get enough. The companion book, Ballad is also wonderful.

In 3 words:
Haunting, lyrical, true (in the heart sense)

Why you should read it:
For the wonderful YA heroine who I could've wished to be as cool & clever as; for the fair folk depicted as terrifying as they are beautiful; for the music that sings through the words.

Stiefvater's debut hopefully won't get lost among the scads of YA fantasy on the shelves. Like Kristopher Reisz, she writes literary fantasy that hits hard, both in suspense, drama, laughs and in leaving the reader thinking even after the book is read.

Lament is a great read....a Twilight with Faeries! The writing could have been a bit better, I found myself having to reread parts to follow the story. But a very good read, and got me interested in faeries! Loved the Irish connection to the book, very unique book and great for Twilight fans.

What a wonderful book! Maggie Stiefvater is such a wonderful writer. She has a great way of pulling the reader 100% into her stories. I would highly recommend this book, as well as Shiver, the first book in her Wolves of Mercy Falls series.