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Reviewed by K T Bowes for Readers' Favorite
A killer brings horror to the quiet beach town of Alys, destroying its peace. But the deaths are more than the acts of a serial killer; they're random, different, and sporadic. Jade Sylvori has healing in her genes, but also a secret fascination with crime. Against her father's wishes, she's drawn to the gruesome scene of each event by a supernatural pull. She knows about the other ruling houses, but their significance has been reduced to the level of fairy stories. When she meets the gorgeous, alluring Cassian at the latest murder scene, she encounters the heir of House Shade. There is more to these crimes than coincidence in Carnelian and Crimson by T.L. Garrett. Someone is pulling her in for a reason.
This clever, coming-of-age fantasy has everything from murder to a forbidden love triangle. It’s an excellent first book in a series, setting out the interwoven character arcs and establishing the fae realm within human existence. I enjoyed the maturity of the main character and the contrast with how everyone treats her like a child. The characters are masterfully written as studies in internal conflict. I loved the mysterious aura surrounding Cassian, but T.L. Garrett’s clever narrative warned me not to trust him. The push and pull between Jade’s love interests has all the intrigue and excitement of The Mortal Instruments or The Vampire Diaries. The brewing sense of conflict kept me turning the pages. The worldbuilding in Carnelian and Crimson is effective and detailed, allowing me to easily cross the divide between the fae realm and the human world. The intrinsic theme is of missed opportunities. Jade’s parents have wasted valuable time by not educating her against what’s coming, and the love interests seem destined to miss their mark. This is an enjoyable first novel in an engaging world of secrecy and evil.
