ARC Review: The Morning Flower by Amanda Hocking

Title: The Morning Flower

Author: Amanda Hocking

Series: The Omte Origins (Book 2)

Page Length: 352

Publication Date: Aug. 4, 2020

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Synopsis: Nestled along the bluffs of the forested coast lays the secret kingdom of the Omte—a realm filled with wonder… and as many secrets.

When Ulla Tulin took her internship at the Mimirin, the only mystery she thought she’d have to solve was that of her birth parents. After a girl named Eliana gets kidnapped while in her care, Ulla knows she has to find out the truth of who Eliana really is—and the only way to do that means traveling to the Omte capital, the place she suspects her mother is from.

Ulla didn’t expect that when she arrived she would discover the identity of a Skojare man who crossed paths with her mother—a man who could very well be her father. When the head of the Mimirin learns Ulla’s father is connected to the Älvolk, a secret society who believes they were tasked with protecting the First City and the only ones who know its location, he sends Ulla and Pan to Sweden where they find him living among the Älvolk. But all is not what it seems with the Älvolk and their urgent quest to find the Lost Bridge to the First City leaves Ulla feeling uneasy—and possibly in danger.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon, and I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase through my links.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

My Review:

The Morning Flower, the second book in The Omte Origins, picks up where The Lost City ended. Ulla and Pan are traveling to New Orleans, the Omte capital, to learn more about Ulla’s birth parents. They also want to find out about the First City and Eliana who was kidnapped at the end of the first book.

One of Amanda Hocking’s strengths as a storyteller is her ability to create these intricate worlds that are detailed and vivid. This story, for example, delves quite deeply into troll history, which I found fascinating. As Ulla learns more about her birth parents and her history, the reader learns so much about the various troll communities across the globe (and possibly beyond?) and their relationships, or lack of, with each other.

This is not a fast-paced or action-packed story. Instead, it is a story about a young woman’s journey to find herself. Ulla has always felt like she doesn’t belong, and she still feels this way. In searching for her identity and finding out about her history, she might gain a sense of belonging and self. Though there are parts that feel slow, the intriguing mystery of Ulla’s parentage, as well as the mystery behind Eliana’s kidnapping, pushed me to finish the story.

I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss the love story since that’s usually my favorite part. Unfortunately, Ulla’s actions were frustrating. Just when it seemed like they were moving forward in their relationship, Ulla would back off or hesitate. Her relationship with Pan has so much potential, but Ulla’s indecisiveness puts their romance on the back-burner. She has a lot to deal with and argues that a relationship wouldn’t be wise. However, I predict that Ulla won’t be able to resist Pan’s unwavering support and devotion for long!

The last third of the book was faster paced than the rest of the story, and there are several surprising revelations. I’m curious to see how this affects Ulla in the next book.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Rating:

Favorite Lines:

“Put hopes in one hand and shit in the other, and see which one fills up first.”

“It’s important to know where you come from to help find where you should go.”

Recommendations:

As this is the second book in the series, I recommend reading The Lost City first. I think this story would be confusing as a stand-alone. However, fans of Amanda Hocking will enjoy this addition to the series.