Review Star System

1🌟 - DNF in the first half
2🌟 - Boring, predictable, probably DNF
3🌟 - Middle of the road, an average read
4🌟 - I loved it! Interesting plot and characters, however some clichés here and there
5🌟 - Utter literary perfection

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FOREIGN TO YOU - JEREMY MARTIN
RATING: 4🌟

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”Centuries ago, the fianna were believed to be figments of the Stag's very soul. Creatures that became human to teach us, govern us, guide us. Yet, it has been a long time since this building has spoken such sermons."

OH HELL NO JEREMY MARTIN YOU DID NOT!? Not only did you create a wonderfully unique plot and an ultra awesome MC, but you leave the ending LIKE THAT!? DUDE WHERE IS THE SECOND BOOK!?!? I NEEEEEEEEED.

Ahem, in short Foreign To You was blimmin’ sensational. The way Martin writes is unforgettable and that dang blurb grasps you right away. I feel so blessed to have read an ARC of this fine specimen of a book, and absolutely adore the plot so so much.

The story is told from two perspectives, Finn and Adelaide. Finn is a hunter who hunts these human/deer shapeshifters called Fianna, which Adelaide is. It is revealed that after a hundred years a Maiden of the Fianna is to appear and heal the Ferals (Fianna that kill humans because they are bad Fianna's, naughtyfiannanaughty). Adelaide is said Maiden however, she is shunned by the humans and hunters and has a tumultuous trial ahead in solving how to heal and purge the Ferals.

”With so much darkness, shouldn't just a sliver of light be prominent? Yet here we are. Ripping flowers from the throats of beasts and being hunted by man.”

Foreign To You is a joyous surprise and a refreshing read. It delves into the dark and grisly while still prompting all the relevant questions. It has twists and turns you don't expect and delves in detail into the minds of our two MC's.

Adelaide was truly my fav. She is an absolute goddess. With everything that is set before her she pushes through and comes out the other end fighting even more than before. She doesn't falter and really intrigues you into liking her. You feel this sense of relatability to her which in turn causes a sense of familiarity. Fantastic character.

Finn. So what I liked was his trials. He, of all the characters has suffered the most (no spoilers here as to what in particular) which causes you to sympathise and just want to give him a long (possibly awkward) cuddle. However, he is far too hung up on certain circumstances and is a tad too emotional, I'm sorry *stillloveshimtho*

Special shout out to Marshall though, ABSOLUTE LAD!

”You’ve never needed anyone to save you, Adelaide. You are a courageous soul, a fire that is uncontainable.”

FTY is slow to start with, holds a bunch of questions and ends on one hell of a cliffhanger. However it breathes new ideas and excellent plot-forming, likeable characters and stunning descriptives. All in all FTY is a book I would gladly pick up and read again.

I can understand why some people really love this book, for me however it just didn’t grab my attention or hold it.

I think the biggest issue I had all the way through Foreign To You was definitely the fact that I had NO idea what the hell was going on. I would have loved to know more about the fianna and what they actually were. I don’t think it was explained very well and I certainly didn’t understand the ending. The lack of set up for each of the characters meant that I wasn’t emotionally involved and the events that happened then had no impact on me. It was a bizarre way to read a book.

I spent the majority of the time trying to work out if I had missed something, or skimmed something. It felt as though we had jumped straight into the story with little or no explanation of what was actually happening. I think it was all underdeveloped, Foreign To You needed more of a backstory and less jumping all over the place. I would have loved for a more cohesive story arc.

Can we also talk about Adelaide? She was absolutely useless, and she didn’t even become a great hero by the end. She relied on everyone else and even made the tragedies that happened all about her and her failures. She was probably my least favourite character in Foreign to You which wasn’t hard because I wasn’t completely involved in any of the others, in fact I was pretty nonchalant about the others!

I definitely think that Foreign To You had a lot of potential but there was nothing there to make me carry on reading. I found it hard to get through and there were definitely moments where I stalled and genuinely thought about DNFing. I think the confusion over what was happening and the different characters was what killed this book for me. So keep that in mind if you’re going to be picking this up.

I will say that the writing and the setting were beautifully done. I really loved the way that the forest was a living thing, it was a great part of the story! I also loved the description of the stag, especially the way he drips life and rejuvenates the forest around him with every step. It was probably my favourite part of Foreign to You.

I don’t know that I would recommend Foreign To You, it didn’t really impress me and I thought it was lacking. There was definitely potential but it needed a lot of work and the characters needed more development.

This wasn't quite what I was expecting. I struggled to connect to the story, it was missing something for me. Also, I was promised Lgbt rep, it was barely there. I didn't hate it, I just didn't love it.
Incredibly cruel ending by the way. Hopefully, book 2 won't take too long ;)

~3.5*~

If you've read and loved Greenwode by J. Tullis Henning, then I think you will like this story. They're not the same, but have the same folklore feel.

A unique take on the old tale of The Stag, The Maiden and The Hunter. I believe this one being the old Irish folklore.
The Stag is a God of the forest and The Maiden his Daughter. I LOVED the descriptions of The Stag, absolutely beautiful. Though, this is not a romance and it is not very happy. If you're going into this thinking you're going to get some YA/NA boy/boy coming out, again, not really happening, it is mainly about Finn and Adelaide. Don't worry, it's not a MF romance either, so don't let that "scare" you if you're a strict MM reader. It's about two boys trying to find their place in a Guild that one technically should not belong too, while one is battling the demons of and for his father. Finn has no idea why Jay won't find something else, but for some uncanny reason, Jay will not leave Finn's side.

While reading, I kept wondering what the point of it all was. Why was The Maiden sent if she could not help her people, why does she seem so confused and helpless? Everything just kept getting worse and worse for these two. Don't get me started on Hazel. She's a right c u next Tuesday and I really don't understand what the Hunter Guild's leader, Garth, plans were all along. I kept on reading though because I figured something had to come of it all.

Sure enough, the forest God had his own selfish plans. I marked the review to have spoilers, because in essence it might, but I won't give them all away. It's these plans of The Stag that bring this entire story together, so I won't tell you what they are. Just know that Jay was significant even though he wasn't in much of the story and The Maiden's pain is for the God's reasons alone.

Finn has other ideas though. The Stag has played with their lives for too long, he's protected people he shouldn't have for too long and he's angry and has just had enough. Our story ends here, with a lot of anger and confusion and on the cusp of war. I'm really excited to see where this all goes. What will become of The Hunter and The Maiden and all the humans and Fianna....

Well, what a different but interesting tale I just read.

It details Finn and Adelaide, two vastly different beings, who have to team up to save the people they love. Finn lives in Norsewood, with his mad father, and his best friend Jay. They are both in the hunters guild that kill feral creatures that live in the Forest. What's different abut these creatures are that they originally Fianna, a shape-shifting deer, who in the process of their yearly transformation, are stuck between the two forms and become something savage and killer. Adelaide, who goes through her first transformation into human, has the title of Maiden, a savior of their kind. When a brutal massacre leaves the council of Norsewood with no choice but to give the Maiden a task to save both their species. WIth the help of Finn, who recently lost someone dear to him, they search for the Stag god that's suppose to help their people.

Finn was not the most likable character but you get to know his plight, and try to sympathize with him. He has a alot of demons held up inside him, and the only happiness he had was with his friend, Jay. His father doesn't help in those matters, with his grief but he tries to stay strong and be the hunter he was forced to join. He and Jay actually are amateur hunters when they kill their first feral, and while Jay is the softy of the bunch, FInn admires that he could be somebody someday. It's never officially discussed if their relationship is more, but I could read that they both really cared for one another.

Adelaide is very lost in her role and doesn't know much of what she has to do besides the title she was given. I wouldn't call her an innocent, but she does take her title seriously. After the massacre kills off more Fianna, she determines to find the Stag and have him help their kind, including her new friends, Calab and Anna. She and Finn, have a very platonic relationship in this book, and their main focus is to help their own kind, so don't really expect romance in that area.

There is indeed alot of death in this book, not really the main characters, but violence is prominent in this book if it's not your thing. One of the things I disliked was one of the main antagonist, Hazel, the only female member in the hunter guild, and one of the most sadistic. She really hinders in Finn and Adelaide's discovery, and it all comes to a somewhat cliffhanger conclusion.

There really is no romance in the book per se, but the ending gives insight into how love was very much a deciding factor in both their kind. I like Martin's writing style and while some of the book could pick up the pace, it's overall a nice book that gives a different take on shapeshifting and tropes that we are use to. Apparently there's going to be sequel. I'm content with how it played out but I'm sure others would want to find out what's next.

While I really liked the premise of this story and was really excited to see how things would develop between the humans and the fianna, I don't think the story lived up to my expectations. The love story was a little lacking considering Finn had a closer relationship with Jay and Adelaide was still too new to even being a human to understand love, but suddenly the two of them were proclaiming their love to one another after knowing each other for all of three seconds.

Jay was honestly the most compelling character in the story, and his treatment was my least favorite part of the story, because he had so much potential and he was Finn's driving force and I really wanted his love for Finn (or any guy) to come out. Losing him, and then losing the hope of getting him back was the most painful thing ever.

Caleb and Anna were also really compelling characters, but their story also isn't handled in the best of ways. I wanted some hope for SOMEONE and I got none for anyone.

Finn and Adelaide were interesting characters, but I didn't think they matched up very well and honestly the whole story just didn't mesh well for me because nothing made too much sense and no one was very logical and the explanation at the end was...strange, to say the least.

What a strange, haunting book. This rating doesn't tell the whole story. On one hand, it deserves much more than 3 stars. The prose is beautiful and story more original than typical YA. It has a very Princes Mononoke vibe, and in a good way. This is a book that stays with you. It is beautiful and goes deeper than a typical YA.

On the other hand... There are some things that were not handled great. This is a non-spoiler review, so I will just say that some aspects were not handled well. Also, the male MC's POV was difficult to read at times (and impossible to relate to.) He reads a lot like a modern American man and it took me out of the story completely.

So, all in all, this average rating is a combination of great things and poor things in the novel. I am sure the story will resonate with many people. It is beautiful, and haunting, and sad. I am also sure the story will not resonate with many people, particularly those looking for enjoyable LGBT elements.

Admittedly, the first couple lines of this book are some of the most beautiful and captivating lines I've ever read. The premise of this story was certainly interesting and I believe the beautiful writing elevated it to another level. It's always interesting to read these kind of books: ones that bring humans and a non-human species together, and in the process question which human acts are actually humane, what's right, how someone can go against what they think is right and moral when the situation calls for it.

Although I enjoyed this book, I can't say I loved it. The middle felt like it was sort of dragging a bit and I couldn't exactly connect with the story that much.

Begin again, begin again, begin again...

Tragic. Brutal. Special.

I don't think the blurb does this story justice. It has a certain atmosphere to it that's hard to describe. Adelaide and Finn live in this tragic, helpless world and the irony and sorrow of it all is stark and terrible yet meaningful.

I will say that the author has room to grow, since there are a few loose ends to contend with and the world building could have been a bit more developed, but that there's something here in this first novel that I hope blossoms and becomes stronger.

A maiden. A hunter. Something ancient and hidden and dark that has drawn them to this point. A cycle. A betrayal. A truth, harsh and painful. An ending and a start. Begin again.

I can't speak much of the story without explicit mapping out the important reveal, but I was pleasantly charmed by the brutal, tragic little story. It was a fast read, but worth the time. I also find the cover to be gorgeous beyond all belief; crisp, beautiful watercolor work and stunning imagery! I love it.

I am looking forward to book 2. I have high expectations of what's to come!

(I received a copy of this title for free via NetGalley, but that does not, in any way, affect my opinion for better or worse.)

A magical story with beautiful world building Foreign to You follows our two protagonists Finn and Adelaide on opposing sides of rising racial tension.

Finn is a hunter. Human. Ruthless.

Finn's life is a tangled mess with his insane father, a dead mother, the death of the man he loves right before his eyes, ongoing attacks from feral Fianna and whispers of legends that may be able to change his life around.

Adelaide is a Fianna. A shapeshifting deer. A prophesized leader of her kind.

Adelaide can't recall her life before waking up human one cycle. She's prophezised to lead her corrupted people from darkness back home to peace with their god. But the darkness is rampant and stronger than she knew.

There are a couple of twists and turns that are well thought out and overall this is an enjoyable read. It's well structured, has a beautiful world and the author builds and sustains emotion brilliantly.

It's not exactly a book I'd read and fall in love with myself purely because I have these ingrained ideals of deer (Bambi) and I just couldn't wrap my head around the concept of "were-deer" I guess you could call them if we're being blunt. BUT... OH BOY BUT - This is still a great book. I read it within 48 hours because I was constantly intrigued and all the characters are believable and beautiful.

I have to give it 4 stars. Anything less feels like a rip off.

REVIEW WILL BE LIVE ON MY INSTAGRAM @BOOKSANDYASS 31st JAN

TRIGGER WARNINGS: The death of a secondary character, blood, war, grief.

***MILD SPOILERS AHEAD***

I liked this book enough to give it three stars, but it didn't necessarily surpass my expectations.

Foreign to You is set in a world divided by two species: humans and Fianna, shape-shifting deer. Finn, a merciless hunter, and Adelaide, a saviour to her kind, couldn't be more unlike. But with a war dangerously close to breaking out, Finn and Adelaide find themselves joining forces in order to find the one being that might provide them with peace: the God of the Forest. To do this, however, Adelaide and Finn's trust, desires, and relationships will be tested... Together, they will determine where their real loyalties lie and what they truly want to represent.

(Yeah... sorry for that horribly written synopsis. You can find a far better one here)

There were quite a few things that I enjoyed about this book.

For starters, I loved the way it was told. The narration was so beautiful, and I loved how effortless and flowy the writing was. In fact, Jeremy Martin's writing style almost reminds me of that of Anna-Marie McLemore, author of Blanca and Roja (one of my favourite novels of all time! Find it here)! The story contains so much beautiful imagery and breathtaking description that it is difficult not to be captivated by Martin's enchanting writing.

In addition to that, the originality of the premise was something that I had much appreciation for. These days, all YA fantasy novels have the same basic ideas/plots, and readers often end up feeling like they've read multiple versions of the exact same story. Thankfully, though, this was not a problem I experienced with Foreign to You. The premise was not something that I'd seen before, and when I was able to make connections between it and real-world issues, I became even more fond of it!

But amongst all these pros, there were, unfortunately, a few cons. 

I didn't love the characters. This story is told in the alternating perspectives of protagonists Finn and Adelaide, neither of which I felt a real connection with. I hate using this word when describing fictional characters, but I just found them both so... bland. Especially Adelaide. Despite the fact that she narrates in the first person POV, I was never really interested in her thoughts because they just read off as very dull (another word I hate to use!). I was never all that devoted to her character simply because she lacked much-needed unique qualities that would allow her to stand out more amongst other characters in YA fiction.

I also thought that the characters' relationships needed more development. Early in the book, Finn's close friend, Jay, meets a devastating end when he is brutally killed before Finn's very eyes. Of course, having been close with him and all, Finn is very saddened by the death of his friend and is drowned by feelings of grief and sorrow.

When a fictional character goes through such difficult hardships, you often find that you come into contact with their deeper emotions and feelings, which is a great way to get to know them better. But unfortunately, since Finn and Jay's friendship was so brief and undeveloped in the story, it was difficult for me to sympathize or feel any emotion towards Finn's dealing with Jay's death. This is a problem that I've had the misfortune of experiencing before in YA literature, in novels like Reign of the Fallen (see my review for it here), where relationships are so one-dimensional that we can't connect with the characters at all. I guess you could just say that I wish the author of this novel had given us a little more time to get to know Jay as a character so we could relate to Finn as he struggled with the pain of Jay's being killed.

But overall, I'm glad I read this book. Jeremy Martin's commendable ability to weave words into enchanting and lyrical sentences give Foreign to You an addictive/can't-put-this-down quality. I'd recommend this novel if you enjoy beautifully written books that will captivate you till the very last page!

Thank you to NetGalley, NineStar Press, and Jeremy Martin for providing me with a review copy of this book!

Thank you to NineStar Press, LLC for the arc of this book.
At first you think this is going to be a light hearted magical tale, and although it is a magical tale it is very deep and meaningful.
I really enjoyed this story, and look forward to the next in the series to see how everything unfolds for Finn, Marshall and Adelaide.

I'm having a hard time giving this anything higher than a 3 out of 5 stars. It was a great read and I read the bulk of it in one day despite being in a bit of a reading slump, but the flowery descriptions weren't quite to my taste (that's just my personal preference) and something about it reminded me of the Raven Cycle, which I didn't love either (I'm not saying this story is similar to the Raven Cycle, but it just gave me a similar vibe).

However, I think the story was captivating, it had many twists and turns to keep the story fresh and exciting and it took you on many emotional rollercoasters. It also had a beautifully gruesome take on shapeshifters which made this story unique and read a little like a fairytale.