A Thief of Nightshade

A Thief of Nightshade
by J. S. Chancellor

Published May 1, 2012
350 pages

Avalar isn't real—at least it wasn't supposed to be. Aubrey never expected to fall in love with and marry her graduate writing professor, Jullian. His life's work, a grim fantasy titled A Thief of Nightshade encompassed everything Aubrey hated about fairy tales and make-believe. After Jullian goes missing and is eventually presumed dead, Aubrey discovers just how make-believe the world of Nightshade is. Not only is Jullian alive and well in Avalar, he's at the mercy of the Dark Fae, condemned to a fate worse than death, with no memory of Aubrey or his time in her world. In order to save him, she'll have to confront more than just the demons in her past, but the very real ones that await her in a place she never thought could exist. All of them will do everything in their power to stop her.

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I love the world of Avalar. It's very rich, imaginative, well-developed world.

While I usually don't go in for books that jump around with flashbacks, with the way this story is told, it doesn't bother me going back and forth between Aubrey's life pre-Avalar, and her current situation.

This book blends so many things together, and it's seamless. I think I'm going to have to read more of Ms. Chancellor's books!

4/5 stars