Book Review: Winterborne
Winterborne
By: Augusta Blythe
Published By: Augusta Blythe
Format: ebook
Release Date: April 2011
Buy it at Amazon
Source: Provided by Author
Audience: Young Adult
Winterborne is the story of two life long best friends, Loie and Mia. The girls were even born on the same day in the same hospital during a blizzard. Tragedy and magic have bound these two together. On the eve of their 17th birthday, things begin to change drastically. One of them will ascend to great power while the other will be nothing more than a mere human.
Winterborne was a pleasant surprise. Often you don't know what to expect when you take on a review request from an unknown, Indie writer. However, trust me when I say that I am so glad I took the time to give Winterborne a chance. It was a fun and creative reading experience. I enjoyed the characters, plot, and lore created by Blythe. She took the standard issue magical being concept and turned it on its head pitting the Universals, a group of evolved humans with magical powers, against the Ancients, the more traditional beings of myth such as pixies. As the rumblings of war are beginning in the magical world, Loie and Mia may be drawn into the crossfire.
In addition to the supernatural aspects - there is also a love triangle. This seems to be a big trend in YA literature, but this one is a little different mainly because it is two girls who are in love with the same boy. I haven't read that type of love triangle in awhile so it was a nice chance. I also think Blythe did a beautiful job with it as she made the feelings come to life.
I think one of the biggest strengths of this book is Loie. She is such an interesting character - smart, sarcastic, self conscious. Loie is trying to discover her own identity. For so long she has only been Mia's sidekick, but as their birthday approaches she realizes that at some point she will have to learn to stand on her own as an equal to Mia. I loved watching Loie's confidence in herself grow throughout the course of the novel. I also was Loie in high school. I felt like my best friend was much prettier and popular than I could ever hope to be. I always followed her lead and watched the boys fall all over themselves trying to get her attention. I would have loved reading this book at that point in my life to see how others dealt with being in the shadow of a good friend.
I didn't give it 5 birdies because there was some dialogue that annoyed me. Katie, in particular, with her faux Spanish made me cringe. Loie also speaks in colloquialisms and cliches quite frequently which got tedious after awhile. I also thought some of the dialogue wasn't true to the age group; it almost sounded antiquated in parts. However, that is really my only major complaint with the novel. If that had been tweaked then I could easily have rated this one a 5.
Winterborne is a magical voyage that I highly recommend. Blythe's writing is solid and the story kept me wanting more. I am hoping this one is a series because I have so many lingering questions. Fans of paranormal stories - particularly those with fey like elements - will love this book. Augusta Blythe is an Indie author to keep your eye on.
Winterborne is the story of two life long best friends, Loie and Mia. The girls were even born on the same day in the same hospital during a blizzard. Tragedy and magic have bound these two together. On the eve of their 17th birthday, things begin to change drastically. One of them will ascend to great power while the other will be nothing more than a mere human.
Winterborne was a pleasant surprise. Often you don't know what to expect when you take on a review request from an unknown, Indie writer. However, trust me when I say that I am so glad I took the time to give Winterborne a chance. It was a fun and creative reading experience. I enjoyed the characters, plot, and lore created by Blythe. She took the standard issue magical being concept and turned it on its head pitting the Universals, a group of evolved humans with magical powers, against the Ancients, the more traditional beings of myth such as pixies. As the rumblings of war are beginning in the magical world, Loie and Mia may be drawn into the crossfire.
In addition to the supernatural aspects - there is also a love triangle. This seems to be a big trend in YA literature, but this one is a little different mainly because it is two girls who are in love with the same boy. I haven't read that type of love triangle in awhile so it was a nice chance. I also think Blythe did a beautiful job with it as she made the feelings come to life.
I think one of the biggest strengths of this book is Loie. She is such an interesting character - smart, sarcastic, self conscious. Loie is trying to discover her own identity. For so long she has only been Mia's sidekick, but as their birthday approaches she realizes that at some point she will have to learn to stand on her own as an equal to Mia. I loved watching Loie's confidence in herself grow throughout the course of the novel. I also was Loie in high school. I felt like my best friend was much prettier and popular than I could ever hope to be. I always followed her lead and watched the boys fall all over themselves trying to get her attention. I would have loved reading this book at that point in my life to see how others dealt with being in the shadow of a good friend.
I didn't give it 5 birdies because there was some dialogue that annoyed me. Katie, in particular, with her faux Spanish made me cringe. Loie also speaks in colloquialisms and cliches quite frequently which got tedious after awhile. I also thought some of the dialogue wasn't true to the age group; it almost sounded antiquated in parts. However, that is really my only major complaint with the novel. If that had been tweaked then I could easily have rated this one a 5.
Winterborne is a magical voyage that I highly recommend. Blythe's writing is solid and the story kept me wanting more. I am hoping this one is a series because I have so many lingering questions. Fans of paranormal stories - particularly those with fey like elements - will love this book. Augusta Blythe is an Indie author to keep your eye on.
One Last Gripe: I figured out the twist in this one pretty quickly, but it didn't ruin the read for me.
My Favorite Thing About This Book: The lore and the leprechaun assassins
First Sentence: Mia, my best friend, sits cross-legged on the floor in front of me.
Favorite Character: Loie
Least Favorite Character: I honestly can't think of one
Sixteen-year old Mia Winterborne is destined to be special. Details are sketchy, though, as her dad disappeared with all the answers when she was five. Mia only knows that she'll inherit her kickass superpowers on her seventeenth birthday. Helping Mia prepare for her anticipated ascendancy is Loie Bryce, her best friend and eternal sidekick extraordinaire. The girls' intense friendship has never wavered until now, when Andreas arrives in Salcey Ridge. They both fall hard for the British hottie, who quickly becomes a fixture in their lives. When they discover that Andreas is not who he appears to be, the frightening reality of Mia's powers finally hits home. The nearer Mia's birthday draws, the more the danger escalates and long-buried lies are exposed, putting the girls on a path that they never expected.
Wow, I really want to read this one! The synopsis and the whole concept hooks me in. I love that the story is about the sidekick. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDelete@P.E. - It was interesting to get the sidekick perspective for once. I hope you enjoy the read as much as I did. :)
ReplyDeleteYay! I know what you mean by us knowing what to expect from indie authors or self-pubbed authors. Because I support them too. There are gems out there waiting to be discovered. I'm glad that Winterborne was a great read! I'm really interested in the mythology. Great review!
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