This post is part of a book tour, and as such it will include some bonuses in addition to my usual review. On this occasion, you will find a summary of the Tristan and Isolde legend this book is based on, a meme, and a link to a post about my favourite character in the book.

Molten and coiled, her magic reared up and engulfed his senses, and it sent him reeling. It sang along his veins, vibrating through his flesh, that call.
Devour, it whispered. Consume, it crooned.

In the original legend, Princess Iseult (or Isolde) is escorted by a knight named Tristan for her marriage to a King. On their way there, they ingest a love potion, eliciting a forbidden affair between them.

In The Sparrow and the Oak Tree, Isolde is not a princess, but a courtly Sorceress. She’s not sent to marry, but with a darker mission of taking care of a mysterious child that arrived in the town of Perdition.

Isolde’s companion isn’t initially Tristan, but a mercenary who calls himself Bear. She is soon taken by a Fae, and the pact they make works as the “love potion” in this story. At first, it only compels them to get involved sexually, but their passion evolves into a different type of feeling; this leads to some insta-love mechanics that make the romance not fully work for me. But for a book that works on the premise of being impelled to act by stronger forces, it has a nice message on autonomy.

My favourite part was definitely Bear. He’s determined and smart and he worries Isolde is being coerced to get involved with the Fae. As the third wheel, he takes it upon himself to chaperone (and cockblock when necessary) and has a horse that at times appears to be more than that.

With melting zombies and horny Fae, this book is something different. It’s funny and sexy and I really enjoyed it, but I would’ve liked some details to be explored more as some questions were left unanswered.

Check my post on why Bear is the best.