Ashwater by Melissa Koberlein
The Young Adult voice is done well. Cyborgs are the new minority, a symbol of intelligence, power and strength, which is also hunted. Learning to be more human provides a metaphor for socialisation.
There was enough romance to appeal, and yet allow space for action and adventure. A couple twists and turns, with characters not being what they seem – for good or bad. A reasonably satisfying ending that could lead to more, either as a series, or in the reader’s imagination.
A well created setting and unique little town. I read a copy advanced by Book Sirens.
Everhaven by Elizabeth J. Rekab
The cover is plain, but the story is great!
Featuring a teenager with a specific calling, who is harassed at school, it is ideal for the Young Adult audience. The characterisation is complex enough to appeal to the troubled teen that lurks inside me too, although I’m supposed to be more mature!
Some mystery surrounds the town and its situation. The limited social circle is well constructed, and the implications seem to be thought through. Although simple, and supposedly situated somewhere in the real world, the township constitutes a good piece of world building.
Now I must finish the story and see whether the culmination delivers all the thrills. Troubles are gathering and the plot is getting darker… much darker. The quest does involve a few surprises and some more world building.
The book was better than the average zombie or ‘I see the dead’ genre fare, involving some originality. I read a copy supplied by Book Sirens, especially for review.
Witches of Wherewithal by Alexandra Sharp
I was looking for a good paranormal romance, but I appear to have found a political fantasy with a touch of mystery thriller. I liked the setting, a mystery island, where the witches retreated when they saw a vision of the mainland in distress. I also liked the fact that the main characters got together without a lot of miscommunication and infighting. Moreover most of the main characters seemed good at heart, which dissipated a lot of potential problems.
However, some of the other plot threads remained untied. Where had her mother disappeared to, and why? Was the one spell we learned about meant to provide the answer? Where did the husband go after all that – and was he really dead? Was it my eyes, or did a paragraph repeat somewhere, and the misprint place the wedding before the heroine was declared a widow?
So a bit of this and a bit of that, leaves the reader wondering. I had a review copy through Book Sirens.
No comments:
Post a Comment