"3.5 out of 5 stars! I really enjoyed this story!!! I loved the new characters, the mixed races, and the love interests!! *hehee* Plus, the secondary story..."

Read more of this review and a TEASERS here: https://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2010/08/made-grade-elphames-choice-yo... ( )

I am a romantic now because of PC Cast. Love love love love love ... *Hearts and rainbows*
And broken hearts and tears and wounds that need healing ... all in one amazing book!

I found the start of it to be slow ... but a little more than half way, I couldn't stop reading!

Adrianne ( )

There is sooo much I want to say about this book I don't even know where to begin. First off, I LOVED the Parthenon series and P.C. Cast is quickly becoming my favorite author of all time. I loved her Goddess Summoning series as well, anyway...This book fits in perfectly with the Parthenon series, it is actually set a hundred and some years after Rhiannon. The characters in this book are so vivid and so devoted to their faith it almost makes me jealous, and wish that I could also have that kind of faith in something, anything really. P.C. Cast makes you feel like you are in the book and you are actually there with the people and apart of everything. While reading (even up to 25 hours without sleep) it was like I was watching a movie and you know one of the characters is about to do something stupid and you are yelling at the TV "DON'T GO IN THERE" but they don't listen to you, of course. While reading this book I squealed, I laughed, I cried (yes, I actually did), I yelled, and I absolutely fell head over heels in love with Lochlan. Wow, what a character...I love him, and adore him absolutely. I know I can get an older copy of Brighid's Quest but...I want to wait so my whole series will match the re-release from Mira. I can't get enough, I have to go read the Parthenon series again, just because I don't want to let this world go just quite yet. The one thing that is even remotely not 100% positive was: I am unsure if this fits in the YA series genre...there is some sex in it, which is fine, but it still read like an adult novel to me, but who knows, book was amazing though. ( )

Cast continues her Parthalon series, picking up more than a century after the events of the last novel. Elphame is born to the current Goddess Incarnate of Epona, and has been touched by the Goddess in a very special way. Instead of being born fully human to her centaur father and human mother, she is half centaur, with the legs and hooves of a horse.
She has been drawn to the MacCallan castle, which was razed by Fomorians 125 years ago during the events of the first Parthalon book. She begins rebuilding with her new clan, but finds that there are some mysterious and unexpected creatures nearby who desire an end to their torment. She must make the choice to save them or save herself.

I was a little disappointed that this book contained no resolution to the story in the previous (3rd) book of the series with Morrigan, as it ended rather abruptly. She wasn't even mentioned!

This story was only okay. Elphame was a good character. Her growth from outcast to clan leader was inspiring and her brother Cu's relationship with the scarred healer Brenna was, frankly, a better story than Elphame's. The central conflict and eventual tragedy of the final chapters could easily have been resolved if everyone had just been honest with each other, which is my least favorite plot device in all kinds of storytelling. Particularly when someone's death could have been prevented.

Only recommended if you've read the first part of this series. Although this could probably work as a standalone, it's not worth reading by itself. ( )

I laughed, I cried and I was amazed. ( )