Review posted on my blog: Frominktopaper.com

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First and foremost it is RELEASE DAY for this book! So go check it out and get you a copy and start reading!

I was so excited when I was asked to review Amanda Hocking’s new series The Omte Origins! I have loved her previous books and so I was exited to delve into the world of Trylle and Trolls again! Let me say I was not disappointed.

I thought the plot of this book was good, it was intriguing from the beginning because we see a baby get left and so you are already wondering her story and then you continue on the journey with her to find out her parents. I like that it isn’t just her that is in search of parents, that there is a whole background to the Trolls and how they are half-breads and there is a project, finally, where they can work and also find their families. It was great that you get some background at the beginning about the Trolls, especially if you are new to the Trylle universe.

The book flows nicely. You are give a background and then you get right into the story. There are some nice surprises along the way that you weren’t expecting and I liked that because it kept me wondering where it was going to go and wanting to finish the book. I thought the writing was well done and loved that there was some humor and a slight hint at a romance that might happen (I have my fingers crossed that it does!).

The characters are well written, you really have your main character Ulla, but the other “supporting” characters really stand out and are really important part of the series and I like this. I am excited to see how each other characters grow as the story progresses and how they continue to ineract with one another. I am especially interested in the mystery Jem-Kruk!

Overall I thought this was a great and quick read. I received the ARC for the second and I am going to dive right in so I can find out what happens next! ( )

In an original mix of fantasy and reality, secrets abound and open up to what promises to be an interesting series.

Shortly after her birth, Ulla was abandoned at an inn by a woman, who only left her first name. Years later, Ulla is a happy young woman, who has worked hard and made many close friends and even found something like family. Still, she wonders about her true origins. As a troll, she lives among the magical race, which living mostly separate from the modern human world, is slowly going extinct. In hopes of helping her research, she lands an elite internship in one of the magic world's most renowned centers. As a troll of mixed blood, she's grudgingly welcomed. As her research reveals more secrets than answers, and a strange girl runs across her path, Ulla begins to believe that there is much more to her and the magic world than they are being taught.

I've read a couple of this author's works before—some I've enjoyed more than others—but I'm always amazed by the variety of tales she tells. In this one, her imagination definitely takes flight and develops a rich world, which offers all sorts of possibilities for a series.

The first chapter does a great job at allowing the reader to immediately gain sympathy for the main character and launch into a gripping beginning. It has a true, fantasy world beginning with the inn and a warrior suddenly appearing at the onslaught of a storm. While the tension and mystery is immediately set, the tone hangs toward family and warmth, allowing the reader to become familiar with Ulla and her life first. Although an orphan, she's not to be pitied and actually has a very lovely situation...which I found refreshing. It sets the foundations for a rich series.

The introduction of the modern human world kind of threw me for a moment. The first chapters have Ulla living among the other trolls (which has a very normal, human atmosphere), but then, mentions of McDonald's and shakes suddenly came in. It created a surprising world, and that's not bad. While the modern world is there, it dangles more like a shadow on the sidelines and never really touches the tale in this first book. It will be interesting to see if that remains the case in the rest of the series. But the idea definitely makes the characters easy to relate to and brings familiar items like internet although the setting is actually heavy on the fantasy end.

Ulla's past and the secrets it brings with it are the main tension drivers in these pages. While there are a few light action scenes (and I do mean light), the pacing in this one is driven by Ulla's research and, even more, by those she meets. Something is always happening, which made me constantly curious as to what would happen next. But there were moments where the pacing slowed a bit, and I found myself breezing over a few paragraphs, or a page or two. Still, I didn't want to lay the book down either because I was very curious as to what Ulla would discover next.

The characters are rich in this book, which is probably what made it such a lovely read. It's clear that not everyone can be trusted, even though it isn't obvious yet who Ulla should really beware of. But each character has their very own personality and quirks, making it easy to grab a few favorites and be unsure of several others. In any case, there is a lot to come and it appears that it will be quite the adventure with all sorts of surprises.

I received an ARC through Netgalley ( )

I have not read any of the author's other books set in this fantasy world, but that certainly didn't diminish mt enjoyment, nor my understanding of what went on in this one. Ulla is a very appealing main character and her history, much of it a mix of mystery and ostracism due to her presumed mixed blood, makes her that much more interesting. The hidden city on the west coast where she hopes her internship will lead to answers about who her parents are, is well developed as are those she comes into contact with. Her flatmate, Dagny tries to come off as standoffish, but she too, is pretty likable. There's mystery, intrigue and loads of unresolved issues by the end of this story, but those only left me eager for what comes next. ( )