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Kim Bartosch
- Dec 2, 2022
- 3 min read

MOTHER OF THE RIVER Review and Giveaway

I'm honored to be hosting a spot on the MOTHER OF THE RIVER by Emily McPherson Pre-Order Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my review and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: MOTHER OF THE RIVER (Protectors #1)

Author: Emily McPherson

Pub. Date: March 7, 2023

Publisher: Eyebright Books

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

Inspired by traditional Irish Mythology, Mother of the River tells the story of a 17-year-old girl in search of her missing mother when she stumbles upon a forgotten legend.

Ianthe was only six years old when her mother vanished and the strange statue appeared in the river near her home. Now, eleven years later, the statue stands as a memorial and a place where Ianthe often visits to tell her mother about her life. But when an old acquaintance returns to town and suggests the statue isn't just a statue, the presence of a mythical creature comes into question, and Ianthe begins to wonder what really happened all those years ago.

With her best friend Fintan by her side, Ianthe searches for a lost legend and discovers

fantastical dangers, family secrets, and the magic of Ireland. But finding the myth may not be enough to mend the past. And finding the truth just may threaten her future.

"May you have the hindsight to know where you've been, the foresight to know where you are going, and the insight to know when you have gone too far."- Irish proverb

Book Teaser Trailer:

So, I give MOTHER OF THE RIVER ⭐⭐⭐⭐!

There will be some spoiler alerts so you may want to stop here and scroll on down to the giveaway if you plan on reading MOTHER OF THE RIVER. Otherwise, on to my review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book because I'm a sucker for stories surrounding mythology. Particularly, Irish mythology about Banshees and leprechauns. I was surprised that they also had a form of a mermaid too called a merrow and giants. McPherson does a beautiful job entwining these mythical creatures into her world and making them believable.

So, the story begins with the main character Ianthe talking to a statue of her mother, whom she believes has passed away. McPherson does a wonderful job describing the setting in this first scene:

It was a river -- water, smooth rocks, a muddy floor--but there was a haunted feeling, an air of fearful nostalgia among the water, rocks, and mud. This place felt heavy, weighted by something grim. Whether the something was long past or yet to come, Ianthe couldn't be sure, but despite her unease, she returned to this simple river over and over again.

This is a lovely opening and draws you into the world and Ianthe's loss. It also rose so many questions: Why is a memorial statue placed in the middle of a river? What happened to her mother? Why doesn't her dad like to talk about her mother?

Each character was well thought out and I loved the charisma and sense of family between Ianthe's family and Fenton's family, both with the mother no longer in the picture. The humor and teasing between them felt Irish and reminded me of the times spent with my Irish and Scottish friends.

I felt that the love scenes between Ianthe and Fenton were brilliant. Throughout the book, McPherson did well building and blossoming this relationship. My favorite line is below in regard to their first kiss.

The vibrations of electricity between them called for a connection, like a bolt of lightning longing for the earth, until finally, Finton pressed his lips to hers.

Finally, I enjoyed the mystery and the journey to uncover what happened to Ianthe's mother and how they must save her from the Screch Sidhe. I thought the author did well taking all the pieces she planted: Fenton being the son of a merrow, and the giant's men forcing Logan to join them; using them to fit the pieces together at the end.

About the author, Emily McPherson:

Emily McPherson is an author for young adult readers with several fantasy projects in the

works. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, she strives to normalize seeing characters of the rainbow on the page without harmful stereotypes. She is an Irish dancer with a slight obsession with mythological creatures. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, son, and -the real mythological creatures - her two rescue pugs.