The Reading Date

Tyger Tyger is the first book in a captivating new YA trilogy called the Goblin Wars. I was not sure what to expect with a book about goblins, however I found these goblins are actually scary, evil fae. I learned a lot more about the goblin world mythology and legends in this book. I was drawn into the story from the first pages and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it!Teagan’s life is going great. She has loving parents, an adorable little brother Aiden and a devoted best friend Abby. She has a great job working as an intern with animals at the Chicago Zoo, and she has a bright academic future ahead. Teagan (Tea) has no time for boys right now, her life is plenty busy. Then, Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives and turns Tea’s life upside down. Finn is a distant relative of Tea’s mother, and he is an Irish Traveler who fights goblins. Tea and Finn are instantly drawn to each other, which surprises them both, and worries Abby. Abby has been having troubling dreams about goblins. Unfortunately, it seems that when Finn arrives, so do the Goblins.One of my favorite things about this book are the quirky characters. Tea’s best friend Abby is the comic relief who claims to be psychic, frequently gets words wrong and whose family has mafia ties. Tea’s five year old brother Aiden has a beautiful voice, has a photographic memory, and is called the human GPS for his navigational skills. Her father is a librarian, and her mother an artist who draws and writes about the goblin world. Tea always thought these were made up stories and never considered this fantasy world existed. All of the characters are well drawn and interesting, sometimes out-shining Tea.The adventure is fast-paced and full of suspense. The fantasy world is vividly drawn and the supernatural characters are complex. Some are frightening, others intriguing, and some can even be charming.There is some romance between Finn and Tea, but it is not the focus of the book. Finn is protective of Tea, and they have an electrifying connection. Their relationship was one of the strong points for me, and I hope to see their relationship explored more in future books.The story includes a mix of Celtic mythology, fantasy elements and Irish culture that keeps the story fresh and intriguing. It made me want to read more about the myths and Finn Mac Cumhaill when I was finished reading.Tyger Tyger concludes with a powerful and surprising curve ball ending. I can’t wait to read what happens next!