Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

Release Date: Nov. 15, 2010
Pages: 322 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads Summary: Teagan Wylltson's best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures--goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty--are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn't worried. Her life isn't in danger. In fact, it's perfect. She's on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She's focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.

Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn's a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he's crazy or he's been haunting Abby's dreams, because he's talking about goblins, too . . . and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby's right. The goblins are coming.

Review: If you like Irish mythology, this may be the book for you. Ms. Hamilton weaves Irish myth and ancient stories into tale that has a fairy tale quality to it. The goblins in the book are so well described that they creeped me out a bit!

The main characters are really great. Teagan is smart and resourceful. This girl is working hard to get into the college of her dreams and does not want to get distracted by anything, especially boys.  Finn is the perfect bad boy: gorgeous, cocky, an incredible fighter, fearless and of course really loyal to Teagan. Aiden’s voice is great as a precocious four year old.

Why only three stars? Even though the mythology is cool, there are a lot of explanations and stories to keep track of, and they are necessary for you to appreciate the story. Because I never really got into the plot, I would put this book down for days at a time and sometimes forget what was going on when I picked it back up.

Some of the secondary characters fall flat, especially Teagan’s friend Abby, who was annoying and confusing. After warning Teagan about her dreams of goblins, she refused to believe they exist when they actually do attack.   

I also thought there was unnecessary use of bad language, and I was annoyed that some of the cursing was done by an angel. Additionally, I was let down by the big confrontation close to the end of the book, I was expecting more to happen. I know some people loved this book, but unfortunately, it just was not for me.

  

Content: Language, violence.