“It occurred to me as I stared into the darkness that it was
probably a good thing it had taken so long for me to see Simon for who he truly
was. If I hadn’t fallen in love with that sweet and kind boy, I wouldn’t have
gotten on a plane with him to fly halfway across the world; I wouldn’t have
trusted him enough to do what he was asking me to do. And as angry as I was, as
much as I hated what my life had become, I knew I had to do what Simon and the
others were asking me to do. It all came down to one inescapable belief. I
would have to kill or be killed. There were certainly other pieces of the
puzzle that were more complex and harder to understand, but that one piece was
very clear and unrelenting and it drove me forward, even in those moments when
giving up seemed like the most sensible choice I could make.”
The end of the world will start in the suburbs of Denver with a
faery transfer student from Ireland. If you think that’s totally ridiculous,
then you understand how Maggie O’Neill feels. In all of her sixteen years,
faeries were something you read about in children’s books. They didn’t actually
show up on your doorstep. They didn’t kiss you and make your knees go weak and
whisper sweet nothings in your ear. Until Simon Brady, that is. Simon changed
everything. He makes her heart race and her skin burn with excitement, but he
has also changed her core beliefs about the world and made her see it as a dark
and dangerous place filled with monsters that belong only in the lines of faery
tales. There is no doubt in Maggie’s mind that she loves Simon, but can she see
past who he is and find a place for him in her heart?
This story starts out ordinary. Maggie is an ordinary high
school student. She has a popular boyfriend, who she is not sure about, an
awesome best friend, and a supportive family (and sometimes annoying little
brother.) The one thing that puts a hiccup in Maggie's life is Simon. She has an
undeniable attraction to him and the more she gets to know him, the more she
likes him.
There is just
"something" missing, "something" she doesn't feel for her
boyfriend. When something happens to sever the loose tie she has to him, Simon
is there for her. They start as friends, but it quickly develops into more.
Simon has loved Maggie since the first time he saw her. However, there is more
at work than mutual attraction and affection. Call it fate or destiny, but
these two are meant for each other and Simon already knows.
But Simon isn't who he
seems. He isn't a normal high school guy, falling in love with a girl. Simon is
a faery and he regrettably has to pull Maggie in to his world so that she can
fulfill her destiny. Now Maggie is a bit leery of who to trust, even Simon. She
knows she loves him, but she is angry and bitter. She has to find courage in
herself and trust in Simon and the rest of the faeries before it is too late.
I really enjoyed this
story. The author delivered a well thought out, solid story line. She slowly
eases the reader into the world of the faeries. Maggie isn't suddenly dropped
in. Since we experience her "normal" life, you can feel her longing
for it when it is no longer hers. We are able to better experience her fear for
her family and her sadness over her loss of her friends and old life.
The characters were all
pretty awesome as well. I really grew attached to a lot of the characters. I
was involved. I cared. To me, that is what makes a story awesome. I can't wait
until the next book in this series comes out. No, it isn't a cliffhanger per
se, but Maggie and Simon's story is far from over. I am excited to see what
their next adventure entails.
Jill Daugherty lives in Denver with Bailey, the world’s cutest
puppy. By day, she works with gifted children and their teachers, but somewhere
on the drive home every evening, she transforms into a writer. When she’s not
working, writing or cleaning up Bailey’s latest mess, she likes to...uh, no,
that’s pretty much her life.
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