Review Detail

I have been itching to read Carrier of the Mark from newcomer Leigh Fallon for months now. I finally broke down and bought it the other day. Please don’t tell anyone I’m buying books again, my restriction has not officially been lifted. I stumbled across Miss Leigh via Twitter and then heard all the hub-bub with her break through Inkpop. The publisher had the first several chapters posted online as a free read, but that was not enough. I had to see more.

Megan and her dad move Ireland where he got a job of a lifetime sort of offer. After Megan’s mom died they moved often when her dad started to get the itch. Now Megan finds herself in yet another new school, new town, and new friends to be made. She catches on quickly, but also finds the local boys to be rather captivating. Well, one in particular really; the mysterious Adam.

The small town of Kinsale is full of crazy stories about Adam and his family, but Megan has a hard time putting them aside as just stories. Too many strange things happen when she is around Adam and his sister, Áine. The animals react to Áine and water has a mind of its own around Adam. Before long Megan is drawn into the mysterious Adam and learns the truth about his family’s mystery. Not only that, but she is an important part of it! Megan not only holds the Mark and is the forth element to join the DeRís family, but she is also a Carrier.

Miss Leigh shows us a world of elemental magic ingrained in a Royal bloodline dating centuries. Those of the bloodline evoke their element early in life, but there are the chosen few who are led to their destiny. When the four elements are brought together, which has not happened in eons, the group becomes very powerful. Too powerful some would say.

The Druid Order may not be trustworthy, the Fifth Prophecy looms over Megan’s head, members of the elusive hitmen squad called the Knox are closing in, and Megan is being pressured to evoke her element Air before the solstice. Unfortunately if she evokes she can very well lose Adam. And that is downright unacceptable! Adam frantically tries to find and answer in the Druid Scribes while Megan fights to control her element as it burns to break free.

Carrier of the Mark was a wonderful read and I cannot wait to see what else is in store for Megan and Adam! The book was fast paced and I really did not get bored at all. There was a sort of rush feeling to some of it and I would have liked more detail in the story at times, but that’s me. Sometimes it just felt like Miss Leigh was trying to get so much into the story but not exceed a certain length.

The characters were wonderfully done and enjoyable. Megan is a sweetheart and Adam is total hotness incarnate. The connection between Megan and Adam seemed to get a little too intense too quickly though, but that could be because of the elemental mojo they have going on. I am certainly interested to see where it goes in future books...there will be future books right? Please?

Carrier of the Mark was not too much on the romance, which is nice sometimes. The romance was more sweet feeling to me than sexy hotness. Sometimes a girl wants a good cuddle… Don't get me wrong, I would totally love to be the recipient of some of those Adam kisses and caresses, but it was not overly done and very tasteful for a younger audience.