The Cauldron Stirred (Guardians of Erin, Book One) by Judith Sterling and @WildRosePress #bookreview
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  • N. N. Light
    • May 14, 2018
    • 3 min read

The Cauldron Stirred (Guardians of Erin, Book One) by Judith Sterling and @WildRosePress #bookreview


Title: The Cauldron Stirred (Guardians of Erin, Book One)

Author: Judith Sterling

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy

Book Blurb:

Ashling Donoghue never dreamed moving to Ireland would rock her perception of reality and plunge her into a mystery that brings legend to life.

At seventeen, she’s never had a boyfriend, but she feels an immediate connection to Aengus Breasal, the son of the wealthy Irishman who’s invited her family to stay at his Killarney estate. For the first time in her life, a guy she likes seems attracted to her.

But Aengus is secretive, with good reason. He and his family are the Tuatha Dé Danann, ageless, mythical guardians adept at shifting between this reality and the magical dimension known as the Otherworld. Evil forces from that world threaten the Breasals, the Donoghues, and all of Ireland. Ashling must open her heart, face her fears, and embrace a destiny greater than she could ever have imagined.

My Review:

Being uprooted to a foreign country so your mother can study an ancient manuscript would be the end of the world for many teenagers but not Ashling. From the moment she lands in Ireland, Ashling has the feeling she’s home, only she’s never been to the Emerald Isle before. Strange dreams haunt her while one look at the handsome, yet mysterious Aengus has her heart racing. When she follows him to the forest in dark of night, a whole new world she never knew opens before her. Has she plunged down the rabbit hole or is this her destiny calling her home?

To say I loved this book is a huge understatement. First, I read it in two sittings. I was sucked into the story from the beginning and found Ashling to be a lot like me when I was a teenage girl. She’s shy, smart as a whip and doesn’t understand why boys don’t ask her out. An absolutely charming character and one who I identified with most.

Second, the backdrop of Ireland and the mystical elements drew me further into the story. I love a good Irish story and you add fairies, leprechauns and guardians to the mix and I’m in heaven. Judith Sterling has developed a fascinating world and totally believable. That’s the beauty of her storytelling ability; she’s talking about Celtic myths, yet I was convinced it was 100% real.

Third, the relationship between Ashling and Aengus was slow building sweet romance which I adored. The mystery surrounding Aengus piqued my interest and when he revealed his secrets to Ashling, I swooned. No really, I did.

If you love paranormal fantasy peppered with clean romance, drop what you’re doing and pick this up right now. You won’t even notice it’s young adult. I’m very excited to read the rest of the books in the series. Write faster, Judith Sterling!

My Rating: 5+ stars

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Author Biography:

Judith Sterling's love of history and passion for the paranormal infuse everything she writes. Flight of the Raven, Soul of the Wolf, and Shadow of the Swan are part of her medieval romance series, The Novels of Ravenwood. The Cauldron Stirred is the first book in her YA paranormal fantasy series, Guardians of Erin. Written under Judith Marshall, her nonfiction books--My Conversations with Angels and Past Lives, Present Stories--have been translated into multiple languages. She has an MA in linguistics and a BA in history, with a minor in British Studies. Born in that sauna called Florida, she craved cooler climes, and once the travel bug bit, she lived in England, Scotland, Sweden, Wisconsin, Virginia, and on the island of Nantucket. She currently lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and their identical twin sons.

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Reviewed by: Mrs. N

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