Reviewed by Dan
SERIES TITLE: Searching for Eden
AUTHOR: Kathleen Kerridge
PUBLISHER: Self Published
SERIES REVIEW:
This is a phenomenally good fantasy series. It is far more a mainstream fantasy than just a m/m fantasy. I could easily see it selling in brick and mortar book retailers to the same audience that adores authors, like Mercedes Lackey, who also aren’t afraid to have their main characters just happen to be gay. I love that there isn’t even a word for gay in the Elven Realms in this book.
These are pure fantasy novels, and they might not appeal to those of you that prefer what I call bubblegum m/m romance. That side of the genre that has lots of sex on every other page and light reading.
While there is a lot of sex in these two books, much of it is non-consensual, including rape of both men and women, adult and child. The rape scenes are written tastefully for what they are, and are pertinent to the story lines, and the development of the various characters personalities. These are very well developed books, with lots of characters and locales. They are also longer, so you readers who are like myself and prefer a book that you can’t finish in a day will enjoy them.
I very highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy read. One really weird note which I’m including because it is the first time I’ve ever seen it. “Into the Woods” is currently showing as a FREE download on Amazon if you’re viewing the page from the USA. But when Dani views it from The Netherlands, it is showing a small cost. Regardless, if you have to pay a small amount for book one, do it. On to the reviews of the books themselves…..
SERIES REVIEW: 
TITLE: Into the Woods (Searching for Eden #1)
LENGTH: 367 Pages
BLURB:
Eden has never fit in. He hears words that have not been spoken, and can see flashes of futures that may never come to pass. Out of his time, place and comfort zone, Eden lives inside his head, constantly haunted by the idea that there is something else. Something more.
Running from those who would harm him, Eden breaks through a Divide believed only in myth and stories, and finds himself in another realm—a place, he soon discovers, he should have been in all along.
Finding friends, love and completion for the first time in his life, Eden starts to wake up to who he is and sets his feet firmly on a path he can never turn away from, with his tall beautiful warrior-elf lover always at his side.
Hunted by those who would have his power, trying to hide from evil, Eden finds himself running through the realms in the hope he can escape his fate, lead the future down a path that will not see the worlds destroyed, and will keep Khari safe from a past that is raising its head once more.
TRIGGER WARNING: Contains references to child abuse and rape, in the form of flashbacks.
REVIEW:
I’m just going to say it. I absolutely LOVED this book.
When we first meet Eden, he is being chased through the streets of a town in England by a gang of bullies. Bullies who are yelling taunts at him like faggot and Paki. For anyone that hasn’t lived in the UK for an extended time, the cultural reference might not click instantly like it did for me that Eden was brown. Regardless, what we have is a brown lad being chased into the woods by a gang of white British hoodlums. Previously this same gang has severely beaten Eden, to the point of broken bones. So as Eden always does, he runs into the woods, deeper than normal.
This time, something is different. Eden jumps over a stream and falls, cutting his hand. He jumps up and leans his bloody hand on a silver birch tree and suddenly he is elsewhere. He is in the land of the Fae. He has been dreaming of this land for years, and trying to get there, but has never succeeded before. His one true love has been calling for Eden to come to rescue him. But who is he? Where is he? How can a lone human survive in the land of the Fae, when his very presence is cause for his death?
Ms. Kerridge takes us on a wild romp, full of dark and light elves, magic and gods. Will Eden win through past the evil lord of the dark elves to rescue his love? Will he find out who and what he really is? I could go on and on and on. But I won’t. If you a lover of fantasy, this is the next book you need to read. As for me? I’m off to read the next book, because it is already on my Kindle and burning a hole through it as we speak! One warning, book one ends in a cliffhanger, so pick up both!
RATING: 5.0
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TITLE: The Call of the Dark (Searching for Eden #2)
LENGTH: 403 Pages
BLURB:
Eden has left. Trapped in the wrong realm, his soul torn in two, Khari is a shadow of himself. Hunted and trying to save the Fae from humans who want them dead, Khari is desperate to cross back to his own Realm—to Eden. With his people relying on his skills, and a Divide as impenetrable as an iron wall keeping him out of his world, Khari fights to find peace with his past and the memories that plague his mind.
One question haunts him. Why did Eden leave?
In the Elven Realm, Eden faces trials beyond anything any life before has asked of him. Heartbroken, lost and at the mercy of a monster, he has to draw on his strength like never before—just to ensure he will see another dawn. An evil is stirring and maybe stopping it is beyond even the powers of the gods. If he is going to save the Fae and Humans alike from the wickedness that threatens, he needs to join forces with the one man he would rather see cast to the flames of Hell.
Sometimes, after all, the heroes are also the nightmares.
TRIGGER WARNING: Contains scenes of violence and rape.
REVIEW:
I was worried after reading “Into the Woods” that the sequel wouldn’t hold up to the first book. Boy was I wrong! I’m thinking if I had more than 5 stars that this sequel would have them!
I read both these books back to back. They were so good that I didn’t even pause before clicking on the second book.
In this book, Eden has left Khari and gone to the Elven Realm without him. Jaizel has taken him prisoner and locked him up inside a dark cold mountain and at the same time sealed the ways into the Realm. All of Eden’s friends are locked on the other side, in the human world. In the Realm, no one knows Eden is there. Eden has given up everything to protect the ones he loves, but is all hope really lost? Can Eden survive the beatings and rapes? What will happen when a greater evil threatens not only the Elven Realm, but all the worlds?
I really, really, enjoyed the way this book flipped EVERYTHING and showed us the other side of the story. It showed us that Light doesn’t always mean good, and Dark doesn’t always mean bad. It also shows us help can come from the most unlikely of sources.
I would love to say so much more about this book, but can’t really without doing major spoilers for book one. Since I’m posting both of these reviews together, that would be a bad thing! I don’t want to spoil even one of the surprises in this series for you future readers!
I must say that the characters, locations and events in these books are written extremely well. I feel I know the whole host of characters, and can’t wait to see them again in the upcoming prequel “Legacies” due in the Spring of 2015 and book three “Shadowfae” due in the Fall!
I can’t recommend these two books any higher. I’m telling you, if you are a fantasy reader, go get them now. You can thank me later, get to Amazon one-click now!
RATING: 5.0
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