Hey Everyone!
Well, I'm still without power. It sucks. Luckily for me, I have pretty fantastic in-laws and they have ever-so kindly let me and Kevin, as well as our dogs, move in with them temporarily even though they already have my brother-in-law and his wife living with them while they're building a house. Win.
So, I'm back online and back to the blog, and today the fun with my in-laws continues as I have my mother-in-law Cathy back to give us her thoughts on some recent reads!
E.C. Myers
Paranormal Young Adult
250 pages
Pyr
Available Now
Received from publisher for review
CATHY'S SUMMARY
Ephraim arrives home to find his mom has attempted suicide. He finds out that his mother believes that Ephraim has been killed. As he goes through his mother's purse he finds the belongings of the dead boy, who could have passed for his twin. Among the boy's possessions, is a coin. The coin begins to grant Ephraim wishes, but there are side effects with each wish and he feels the need to make a correction which leads to another wish. This is where the journey begins and Ephraim has a mystery to solve. He has quite an adventure as he tries to improve his life but sees how it changes the lives of others, not always in the best way. It's a wild and twisting journey that is decided by the flip of a coin.
CATHY'S THOUGHTS
This is a very interesting book. It's a cross between magical thinking and sci-fi. It is a well written story that grabs your attention and keeps it throughout the entire book. The only stumble was that Mr. Myers tried too hard to explain the scientific reasons for why things were occurring instead of allowing his readers to just believe and accept the storyline. He developed great characters that you either grew to care about or hate. There were several lessons in the book such as being happy with what you have and not wishing your life away, all of which were delivered in a subtle manner. Rating: 4/5
Ari Marmell
Young Adult/Fantasy
273 pages
Pyr
Available Now
Received from publisher for review
CATHY'S SUMMARY
This is a fantasy adventure that blends mythology with the allure of courtly times. Widdershins/ Adrienne is a young girl that grew up in the streets of Davillon. She learned to live by her wits. For a brief time she was taken in and learned the life of the aristocracy. This lasts only a few years until a mass murder occurs and she is the prime suspect. She is forced to return to the streets and becomes a master thief. She finds herself in a continuing spiral of misfortunes that never seem to end. With the aid of her own personal god, Olgun, she fights all the odds and tries to save her friends and herself.CATHY'S THOUGHTS
I enjoyed this book once I read several chapters. There are too many date changes at first that make the story confusing until you have a better picture of the characters. Mr. Marmell did a good job with character development and with weaving an adventure that draws you in. Because you come to care for Widdershins, you experience vast emotions as she tries to save herself only to have forces work against her to make a happy ending seem impossible. This book has a little of everything: fantasy, love story, conspiracy, and revenge – all the things that make for a great read. This is the first in the series and you will want to find out what Widdershins next adventure will be.
Rating: 4/5
Elizabeth Bear
Fantasy
336 pages
Tor
Available Now
Received from publisher for review
CATHY'S SUMMARY
In this fantasy adventure, Temur is the sole survivor of a battle to overthrow his family's kingdom. He begins his journey to safety and along the way meets Edena. Because Temur is in line for the throne, his opponent kidnaps Edena in an effort to use her as bait to kill Temur. On his way to rescue Edena, he bands together with a very unusual assortment of companions: a wizard, a monk, a pregnant princess, and a Cho-tse (a talking upright tiger). They have many obstacles to overcome and just when the end is in sight and you want to know the conclusion, Ms. Bear leaves you hanging and you find out what happens to our unusual group in the next book.CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Ms. Bear tells quite a story and has developed an elaborate fantasy world and I almost missed it. I was not going to finish this book. At the start of the book, there are so many strange names and places that it's difficult to follow the story. If there would have been a glossary to refer to, it would have helped tremendously. I am glad that I finished it because she has layered characters that you grow to care for and want to find out where their journey leads them. By the end, you are definitely left hanging and want to read the next book.
Rating: 3.5/5
