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Daughter of Ravenswood #1
Path Unchosen
When eighteen-year-old Judy Hudson discovers she’s a necromancer and sees first-hand the pain her powers can cause the dead, she just wants to deny who she is. The zombie plague is long over. She wants to find a more normal life, but that's a challenge when a beautiful otherworldly man, who claims to be her guardian, saves her life. Judy tries to set right the harm she inflicted on a spirit she raised, but new zombies attack—zombies raised from among the long-time dead. Someone else just like her is out there, and he's not trying to set anything right. To save her own life, and protect the innocent inhabitants of the nearby town who’ve become her friends, Judy has to figure out who’s raising the dead and why. She must also learn to control the darkness inside her—a seductive darkness that promises her power beyond her wildest dreams.
338 pages, Paperback
First published September 7, 2013
119 people are currently reading
841 people want to read
About the author
Kim Cleary
26 books45 followersThank you everyone for entering the hop :) And the winner is ....... Emma Jaye!!!!!
Kim Cleary is the award-winning author of Path Unchosen, the first title in the Daughter of Ravenswood series, which earned a bronze IPPY award in 2015. She grew up in Birmingham, United Kingdom, studied medieval history and psychology at Adelaide University in Southern Australia, and has worked all over Australia and in London.
Forced to leave a successful career in marketing after multiple sclerosis damaged her hands and prevented her from typing, Kim learned how to write using voice software.
A self-described chocoholic, Kim loves writing, gardening, cooking, playing with her dogs, and spending time with friends. She lives with her husband and two dogs, an adorable Cocker Spaniel and a mischievous Moodle, in Melbourne, Australia.
Kim Cleary is the award-winning author of Path Unchosen, the first title in the Daughter of Ravenswood series, which earned a bronze IPPY award in 2015. She grew up in Birmingham, United Kingdom, studied medieval history and psychology at Adelaide University in Southern Australia, and has worked all over Australia and in London.
Forced to leave a successful career in marketing after multiple sclerosis damaged her hands and prevented her from typing, Kim learned how to write using voice software.
A self-described chocoholic, Kim loves writing, gardening, cooking, playing with her dogs, and spending time with friends. She lives with her husband and two dogs, an adorable Cocker Spaniel and a mischievous Moodle, in Melbourne, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
January 5, 2014
This book has one of the most amazing covers I ever came across. After reading the description I was almost drooling. Zombies, mysteries, necromancer … Give me this book NOW! I was ready with a cup of hot chocolate, I was in the right mood, I was prepared to be swept away by AWESOME.
I was not prepared for a major disappointment. Don’t judge a book by its cover is all I can say. I am almost mad this mouthwatering cover is bound around this crap content. I want to take the cover and write the story myself. This is so sad.
This book is frustrating on so many levels, because I was left questioning absolutely everything. It begins right from the start. Judy apparently revives a rabbit; a page later there’s an assembly at the abbey where they talk about zombies and steam trains and a few pages later her guardian tells her she is a witch. Aha! Wait no, are we talking about witchcraft or about zombies. Is she now a witch or a necromancer? Why does Judy need to leave the orphanage / abbey? Why is there no electricity, even though at one time there was? Is this a dystopia, a simple paranormal fantasy or a zombie novel? Or even steampunk, as it mentions steam trains? There are a lot of mysteries apparently: The mystery of her birth, the mystery of her magical abilities, and the mystery of the world. It’s a lot to take in in just 30 pages. Don’t get me wrong I dislike info dumping but a little bit more background information would have been helpful. Instead we get confused further, when Judy encounters and commands ghosts on a cemetery. The constant shift between a ghost story on a cemetery, a medieval abbey, a mystical Stonehenge scenario, the almost fey Ravensvood house with dusty libraries full of cobwebs, the modern Winterhurst with overgrown electricity towers, old bungalows, modern flats, ugly brick buildings, glass and steel fronted buildings and solar panels for electricity, makes me cringe inside. I like all of those settings, but not all of them together. It’s too much of a mishmash.
Every chapter in this book shouts loud and clear: This girl must be special because of all the mysteries surrounding her! Her specialness goes so far as to want to make me believe that she can read several books in a few ours, memorizing it, too. Judy is no plain vanilla witch, with her power one day she will control the undead as well as command spirits to rise (and shine *snicker*)
But it lacks proof. Because let’s face it. This girl is like a petal in the wind who can’t decide in which direction she wants to be swept away. Making matters worse, is that nobody ever answers questions straight.
More than anything it shows in her every move / thought how immature she is, complete with stomping feet, incessantly sniffing and weeping, her easily impressionable character, her petulant childlike behavior (“I want to have this, stomping my feet) and instantly falling in love with a man just because of his beautiful eyes and the way he looks at her:
The story is told from Judy’s perspective, which wouldn’t have been bad in general if not every sentence started with an “I”: Example on p.49 8 sentences start out in the first person: I didn’t know, I ambled around, I stepped over, I peeked inside, I hadn’t thought, I glanced into, I looked out, I pulled. And p. 49 isn’t a single exception to the rule, no-hoooo, almost every page is the same lame. This anaphora serves no reason at all it just is unaesthetic and makes the reading awkward. Some editing would have done the book a big favor.
2 Stars because the cover really is beautiful, but writing, world building, characterization and the romance fell flat for me.
Thanks to netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
I was not prepared for a major disappointment. Don’t judge a book by its cover is all I can say. I am almost mad this mouthwatering cover is bound around this crap content. I want to take the cover and write the story myself. This is so sad.
This book is frustrating on so many levels, because I was left questioning absolutely everything. It begins right from the start. Judy apparently revives a rabbit; a page later there’s an assembly at the abbey where they talk about zombies and steam trains and a few pages later her guardian tells her she is a witch. Aha! Wait no, are we talking about witchcraft or about zombies. Is she now a witch or a necromancer? Why does Judy need to leave the orphanage / abbey? Why is there no electricity, even though at one time there was? Is this a dystopia, a simple paranormal fantasy or a zombie novel? Or even steampunk, as it mentions steam trains? There are a lot of mysteries apparently: The mystery of her birth, the mystery of her magical abilities, and the mystery of the world. It’s a lot to take in in just 30 pages. Don’t get me wrong I dislike info dumping but a little bit more background information would have been helpful. Instead we get confused further, when Judy encounters and commands ghosts on a cemetery. The constant shift between a ghost story on a cemetery, a medieval abbey, a mystical Stonehenge scenario, the almost fey Ravensvood house with dusty libraries full of cobwebs, the modern Winterhurst with overgrown electricity towers, old bungalows, modern flats, ugly brick buildings, glass and steel fronted buildings and solar panels for electricity, makes me cringe inside. I like all of those settings, but not all of them together. It’s too much of a mishmash.
Every chapter in this book shouts loud and clear: This girl must be special because of all the mysteries surrounding her! Her specialness goes so far as to want to make me believe that she can read several books in a few ours, memorizing it, too. Judy is no plain vanilla witch, with her power one day she will control the undead as well as command spirits to rise (and shine *snicker*)
”Every word, every paragraph, every book fed something deep inside me, like I was finally growing aware of my own soul.”
Was that my purpose? Could I shine a light into the blackness, or would it devour me?
But it lacks proof. Because let’s face it. This girl is like a petal in the wind who can’t decide in which direction she wants to be swept away. Making matters worse, is that nobody ever answers questions straight.
”Where am I?” I cried out.
“You are where you need to be, my love.” Says the foreign man with the “lavender eyes” with “hair swinging in soft waves to the middle of his back” and his body moving like a “sleek cat”
More than anything it shows in her every move / thought how immature she is, complete with stomping feet, incessantly sniffing and weeping, her easily impressionable character, her petulant childlike behavior (“I want to have this, stomping my feet) and instantly falling in love with a man just because of his beautiful eyes and the way he looks at her:
His long eyelashes curved upwards and almost met his neat eyebrows, both of which he raised. He spoke with a beautiful voice, sweet and musical. I guessed him to be in his thirties, but his eyes and voice held a wisdom ages old. I’d called him? As handsome a devil as I’d ever seen and focused on me as if I mattered.
The story is told from Judy’s perspective, which wouldn’t have been bad in general if not every sentence started with an “I”: Example on p.49 8 sentences start out in the first person: I didn’t know, I ambled around, I stepped over, I peeked inside, I hadn’t thought, I glanced into, I looked out, I pulled. And p. 49 isn’t a single exception to the rule, no-hoooo, almost every page is the same lame. This anaphora serves no reason at all it just is unaesthetic and makes the reading awkward. Some editing would have done the book a big favor.
2 Stars because the cover really is beautiful, but writing, world building, characterization and the romance fell flat for me.
Thanks to netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
December 12, 2013
When I signed up to participate in this review tour I did so because the cover seemed to call to me, I know I’m a little weird, but it did. The simple raven on the headstone is haunting. Also, I was looking for something that I don’t usually read, I was getting a little bogged down in the usual YA.
By the time I finished the story I was happy jiggy dancing around my living at picking such a fabulous story (one that also scared me a little) well enough for me to lock my doors when I was alone one evening, I holed myself up by the fire poker set ready and armed with my dogs should I be surprised by a stray zombie!! Told you I was weird.
In a nutshell, I loved this book. Judy was instantly like-able as the young girl, just turned 18 living at St Stephens and bringing dead things to life. What I liked most about her was despite being abandoned there early in life, and not knowing who she really is she wasn’t needy nor frail.
The story starts with her wondering why the nuns hadn’t found her a job when she had turned 18 and her meeting Boyce Westall, The mayor of Winterhurst. Something in her stirs when he gives her his business card and tells her to contact him. She realizes she has to leave the convent and with her friend Rose’s help she attempts to try to find out who she really is.
Their search uncovers a simple watch with the initials BG engraved on it and before Rose can implement her escape plan Judy is found laying inside a pentagram and so is promptly dumped out in a remote area in the freezing cold.
Enter the mysterious Purah, a man who rescues her. He knows who she is but won’t tell her anything until she is ready. This is where the story starts to open up, Judy discovers she is a necromancer. Someone who can commune with as well as raise the dead. Which she does one night, she raises Evie, but also another. A zombie, who is all set to attack her.
But did she raise him? Or was it another who wants something from her? The ride was riveting. From her growing attraction to Purah, to her stubborn determination to find out who she really is, while trying to solve the riddle of who is raising the zombies. Judy is feisty, strong and very capable.
She is not your Momma’s swooning heroine, waiting with bodice ripped for the hero to save the day. I also loved the fact Kim weaved a story that actually painted a necromancer in a good light, though there are some dark parts to Judy, if she lets them in.
The book had everything, magic, dragons, zombies, ghosts, imps and yes the possibility of a love triangle. It was well researched and put together with flair. The ending wasn’t what I was expecting, when you see a book with a hash tag number you know there are more to come, so when the fallout, heroine faces down the evil doer came down the result was a jaw dropper. I applaud Kim Cleary for that.
Kim is an author to watch for, I believe this is her first book. Excellent job and I can’t wait to find out what happens with Judy, Purah and Glynn. Can Evie be found and will Victoria get peace enough to leave. I also am looking forward to more adventures with Lyken and Aymon.
Read more of my reviews at Never Judge a Book by its Movie http://juliedarley.com
By the time I finished the story I was happy jiggy dancing around my living at picking such a fabulous story (one that also scared me a little) well enough for me to lock my doors when I was alone one evening, I holed myself up by the fire poker set ready and armed with my dogs should I be surprised by a stray zombie!! Told you I was weird.
In a nutshell, I loved this book. Judy was instantly like-able as the young girl, just turned 18 living at St Stephens and bringing dead things to life. What I liked most about her was despite being abandoned there early in life, and not knowing who she really is she wasn’t needy nor frail.
The story starts with her wondering why the nuns hadn’t found her a job when she had turned 18 and her meeting Boyce Westall, The mayor of Winterhurst. Something in her stirs when he gives her his business card and tells her to contact him. She realizes she has to leave the convent and with her friend Rose’s help she attempts to try to find out who she really is.
Their search uncovers a simple watch with the initials BG engraved on it and before Rose can implement her escape plan Judy is found laying inside a pentagram and so is promptly dumped out in a remote area in the freezing cold.
Enter the mysterious Purah, a man who rescues her. He knows who she is but won’t tell her anything until she is ready. This is where the story starts to open up, Judy discovers she is a necromancer. Someone who can commune with as well as raise the dead. Which she does one night, she raises Evie, but also another. A zombie, who is all set to attack her.
But did she raise him? Or was it another who wants something from her? The ride was riveting. From her growing attraction to Purah, to her stubborn determination to find out who she really is, while trying to solve the riddle of who is raising the zombies. Judy is feisty, strong and very capable.
She is not your Momma’s swooning heroine, waiting with bodice ripped for the hero to save the day. I also loved the fact Kim weaved a story that actually painted a necromancer in a good light, though there are some dark parts to Judy, if she lets them in.
The book had everything, magic, dragons, zombies, ghosts, imps and yes the possibility of a love triangle. It was well researched and put together with flair. The ending wasn’t what I was expecting, when you see a book with a hash tag number you know there are more to come, so when the fallout, heroine faces down the evil doer came down the result was a jaw dropper. I applaud Kim Cleary for that.
Kim is an author to watch for, I believe this is her first book. Excellent job and I can’t wait to find out what happens with Judy, Purah and Glynn. Can Evie be found and will Victoria get peace enough to leave. I also am looking forward to more adventures with Lyken and Aymon.
Read more of my reviews at Never Judge a Book by its Movie http://juliedarley.com
November 25, 2016
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
*
I really wanted to like this book. I finished reading another fantasy novel about a necromancer a little while ago (review coming next month as part of a blog tour!), because of this I was so thrilled that I would be able to dive into that world again with a different author, with added zombies!
The cover of Path Unchosen is beautiful, is it not? And the synopsis sounded so, so promising. Unfortunately this novel fell completely flat for me. I wanted to like it, but I just couldn't.
First there's the layout of the book itself. The e-book version is not formatted correctly. The breaks between scenes are sporadic (mid-scene even) or they simply do not exist at all and go straight from one thing into another. The voice of Nightwing that Judy (the MC) hears inside her head is not italicised, so it's difficult to differentiate between that and the story until it's too late and you realise he's saying something. Usually when a novel is good I can ignore these things, but the poor layout just added to my frustrations.
Then there's the story itself. It doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. Is it a ghost story? A zombie story? Is it steampunk? Dystopia? Just plain fantasy? Or something else entirely? A stand out main plot didn't reveal itself until the end. There's too many pieces to this convoluted puzzle, and I can't help but think it would have been better for each one to be dealt with separately over a series of books.
A main plot needs to be obvious for a story to work. Pick one, have sub-plots (they can be great!) but don't let them fight each other. Unfortunately Path Unchosen had too much going on and not enough detail to make it work.
I understand that YA needs to move fast to get to the main action, but taking the time to build your surroundings and explain to your readers what is going on is also required. There's no electricity in this world, but there used to be. Why? Judy needs to leave her initial 'home'. Why?
The execution of this story left a lot to be desired. If characters and details had been fleshed out, as well as explanations made it would have had promise. Unfortunately nothing is explained, Judy jumps from one thing to the next at breakneck speed and the lack of detail really affects the flow (or lack of it). The attempt at a love triangle seems completely ludicrous given the total lack of chemistry between Judy and her love interests. Insta-love only works when there's fire, there wasn't even a spark.
Path Unchosen is a jumble of confused ideas and isn't sure what it wants to be. It lacks depth and quality. At times I felt like I was reading a draft of what could have been a good story. With a bit more work it could be something, but as it stands in my opinion, Path Unchosen just does not work as a solid read.
1.5 stars out of five.
*
I really wanted to like this book. I finished reading another fantasy novel about a necromancer a little while ago (review coming next month as part of a blog tour!), because of this I was so thrilled that I would be able to dive into that world again with a different author, with added zombies!
The cover of Path Unchosen is beautiful, is it not? And the synopsis sounded so, so promising. Unfortunately this novel fell completely flat for me. I wanted to like it, but I just couldn't.
First there's the layout of the book itself. The e-book version is not formatted correctly. The breaks between scenes are sporadic (mid-scene even) or they simply do not exist at all and go straight from one thing into another. The voice of Nightwing that Judy (the MC) hears inside her head is not italicised, so it's difficult to differentiate between that and the story until it's too late and you realise he's saying something. Usually when a novel is good I can ignore these things, but the poor layout just added to my frustrations.
Then there's the story itself. It doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. Is it a ghost story? A zombie story? Is it steampunk? Dystopia? Just plain fantasy? Or something else entirely? A stand out main plot didn't reveal itself until the end. There's too many pieces to this convoluted puzzle, and I can't help but think it would have been better for each one to be dealt with separately over a series of books.
A main plot needs to be obvious for a story to work. Pick one, have sub-plots (they can be great!) but don't let them fight each other. Unfortunately Path Unchosen had too much going on and not enough detail to make it work.
I understand that YA needs to move fast to get to the main action, but taking the time to build your surroundings and explain to your readers what is going on is also required. There's no electricity in this world, but there used to be. Why? Judy needs to leave her initial 'home'. Why?
The execution of this story left a lot to be desired. If characters and details had been fleshed out, as well as explanations made it would have had promise. Unfortunately nothing is explained, Judy jumps from one thing to the next at breakneck speed and the lack of detail really affects the flow (or lack of it). The attempt at a love triangle seems completely ludicrous given the total lack of chemistry between Judy and her love interests. Insta-love only works when there's fire, there wasn't even a spark.
Path Unchosen is a jumble of confused ideas and isn't sure what it wants to be. It lacks depth and quality. At times I felt like I was reading a draft of what could have been a good story. With a bit more work it could be something, but as it stands in my opinion, Path Unchosen just does not work as a solid read.
1.5 stars out of five.
December 12, 2013
Favorite Lines “What if I make the wrong choices?” You will learn from them, and try again.”
“Do you know how beautiful you are?”
“I would get the balance right. I would learn and understand this gift. In time, I would love it.
I belonged here. This was who I am.”
This was a dark and suspenseful book. Judy/Meagan is a necromancer who was left alone when she was a baby. She ends up in a orphanage. The nuns and priest are so horrible to her! Then one day everything changes when she meets Purah. He tells her about what's inside of her. Takes her to a place so she can work on her necromancer powers. All of the secrets of her past slowly come to light and then she must face off against the power hungry man who killed her father.
My favorite Character was Purah I would love to know more about him.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
THREE AND HALF GHOST FAIRIES
“Do you know how beautiful you are?”
“I would get the balance right. I would learn and understand this gift. In time, I would love it.
I belonged here. This was who I am.”
This was a dark and suspenseful book. Judy/Meagan is a necromancer who was left alone when she was a baby. She ends up in a orphanage. The nuns and priest are so horrible to her! Then one day everything changes when she meets Purah. He tells her about what's inside of her. Takes her to a place so she can work on her necromancer powers. All of the secrets of her past slowly come to light and then she must face off against the power hungry man who killed her father.
My favorite Character was Purah I would love to know more about him.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
THREE AND HALF GHOST FAIRIES
October 22, 2013
This was my first venture into the fantasy genre - I'm hooked!
Love the characters and the story. I found myself picturing the environment perfectly.
I got lost in this book. Can't wait for the next one in the series.
Thanks so much for introducing me to a whole new world of reading.
Love the characters and the story. I found myself picturing the environment perfectly.
I got lost in this book. Can't wait for the next one in the series.
Thanks so much for introducing me to a whole new world of reading.
July 27, 2016
Path Unchosen is the first book in the Daughter of Ravenswood series. This book is told from the perspective of Judy, an eighteen-year-old orphan.
The story starts off with Judy thinking about how badly she wants to move out and find a job. She doesn't want to spend her life doing mundane chores at the St. Stephen's Orphanage. Her decision is firm once she finds out that the adults in the orphanage intend to keep her there until she dies. However, they changed their minds when they found Judy in the middle of the chapel next to a drawn pentagram. Judy has no memory of how she got there or even how she drew the symbol while she was asleep. Immediately, she was abandoned with no money or belongings at the first place they found her.
This story is about Judy discovering who she really is and at the same time, trying to control her powers and fight someone like her who uses his powers selfishly.
Before I talk about the plot and characters, I would like to take a minute to appreciate the cover design. Andrew Brown from Design for Writers did a great job in capturing the creepy feel of the book. There were a lot of things going on from the typography, to the raven, graves, dragon and trees, but still, it didn't make the cover messy. Everything was balanced out well. I think the designer created an amazing book cover that matched the story perfectly.
Moving onto the plot, I found the book to be a little slow at times. I felt like you kind of have to be patient as you're reading. Slowly, you'll learn more and more things like Judy. There were certain parts that made the book more interesting. I really enjoyed it when Judy was off on her own, trying to figure things out without her guardian, Purah. I felt like he was kind of restricting things a little too much. But it was an enjoyable read with things happening here and there.
For the characters, I found Judy a little bit difficult to connect to. As I was reading it, there were parts where I was even a little iffy about Judy. She wasn't relatable to me. But there was character development. I really liked that. I do like Judy but she wasn't my favorite. The secondary characters were my favorites! I really enjoyed the book whenever they appeared. They being Evie, Nightwing, Aymon & Lyken. I didn't like the possible love interests, Purah and Glynn. They felt a little distant. At the end of the book, I still don't really know them that well and I doubt Judy knows. I'm a sucker for books with a little bit of romance. This book didn't let the romance overrule it, but I wished I could have gotten to know them more. Hence, I don't like both love interests and I support neither.
Yes, there were quite a number of things I disliked about the book. However, do not let what I said distract you. This was a good book. I enjoyed reading it. It wasn't a waste of time or anything. I definitely think certain things could have been improved. With that said, I am looking forward to the sequel.
Originally posted on Met In Eleven
The story starts off with Judy thinking about how badly she wants to move out and find a job. She doesn't want to spend her life doing mundane chores at the St. Stephen's Orphanage. Her decision is firm once she finds out that the adults in the orphanage intend to keep her there until she dies. However, they changed their minds when they found Judy in the middle of the chapel next to a drawn pentagram. Judy has no memory of how she got there or even how she drew the symbol while she was asleep. Immediately, she was abandoned with no money or belongings at the first place they found her.
This story is about Judy discovering who she really is and at the same time, trying to control her powers and fight someone like her who uses his powers selfishly.
Before I talk about the plot and characters, I would like to take a minute to appreciate the cover design. Andrew Brown from Design for Writers did a great job in capturing the creepy feel of the book. There were a lot of things going on from the typography, to the raven, graves, dragon and trees, but still, it didn't make the cover messy. Everything was balanced out well. I think the designer created an amazing book cover that matched the story perfectly.
Moving onto the plot, I found the book to be a little slow at times. I felt like you kind of have to be patient as you're reading. Slowly, you'll learn more and more things like Judy. There were certain parts that made the book more interesting. I really enjoyed it when Judy was off on her own, trying to figure things out without her guardian, Purah. I felt like he was kind of restricting things a little too much. But it was an enjoyable read with things happening here and there.
For the characters, I found Judy a little bit difficult to connect to. As I was reading it, there were parts where I was even a little iffy about Judy. She wasn't relatable to me. But there was character development. I really liked that. I do like Judy but she wasn't my favorite. The secondary characters were my favorites! I really enjoyed the book whenever they appeared. They being Evie, Nightwing, Aymon & Lyken. I didn't like the possible love interests, Purah and Glynn. They felt a little distant. At the end of the book, I still don't really know them that well and I doubt Judy knows. I'm a sucker for books with a little bit of romance. This book didn't let the romance overrule it, but I wished I could have gotten to know them more. Hence, I don't like both love interests and I support neither.
Yes, there were quite a number of things I disliked about the book. However, do not let what I said distract you. This was a good book. I enjoyed reading it. It wasn't a waste of time or anything. I definitely think certain things could have been improved. With that said, I am looking forward to the sequel.
Originally posted on Met In Eleven
October 22, 2013
Kim Cleary's debut novel takes you away to a fantastical place where zombies, necromancers, dragons, otherworldly creatures and three amazingly crafted male characters sweep you up and make you believe in what you may have never thought you could.
You'll instinctively know which baddies to despise and you'll champion the fight against their evil along with the main character Judy, but I dare anyone to decide between the other men influencing her life and journey of discovery. Each makes you fall just a little bit in love with them.
Richly crafted, well researched, and beautifully descriptive, it left me satisfied and wanting more simultaneously. I'm very much looking forward to book 2.
You'll instinctively know which baddies to despise and you'll champion the fight against their evil along with the main character Judy, but I dare anyone to decide between the other men influencing her life and journey of discovery. Each makes you fall just a little bit in love with them.
Richly crafted, well researched, and beautifully descriptive, it left me satisfied and wanting more simultaneously. I'm very much looking forward to book 2.
November 6, 2013
*I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.
My initial thought, after reading the book description and going gaga (maybe drooling a little??) over the cover, was that I was going to really LOVE this book! And, truth be told, there were parts of it that I did enjoy. Unfortunately, the parts I liked were eclipsed by those I didn’t.
The skinny:
This book is about an 18 year old girl, Judy, who discovers she is a necromancer. As she fights zombies, and another, even darker force, she discovers who she really is and where she is from. To aid her in her various plights, Judy befriends Evie (a spirit), Glynn (a local law enforcer), Purah(her mentor), and several creatures (that act as protectors).
Parts I liked:
I really loved the character of Lyken (one of Judy’s protectors). He seemed so cute and cuddly. It kind of made me want a Lyken of my own. Okay, get real…I NEED a Lyken. Lyken reminded me of a Dobby type character (I have many reservations in comparing Lyken to Dobby, but I wanted to paint a bit of a picture here, okay people?!) because he was always there for Judy, and he could make some minor potions (not too unlike Dobby’s ability to conduct minor magic).
I also appreciated the elements of magic, namely necromancy, that were in the novel. I haven’t read a book with this type of magic, so it was pretty cool and a touch spooky.
Not so much:
There were several issues with the structure of the book that distracted me immensely. One of the issues I had was with the constant jumping from place to place. Many books take place in a variety of settings, but are able to do so gracefully. This book did not. I think the main problem was that the main character would travel to a new place quickly and seemingly without warning. In one instance Judy would be in her home (Ravenswood), and in the next, without prelude, she would be in a nearby town. It honestly was pretty confusing. I had to go reread several scenes because I thought Judy was still in one place, but she was actually in another. Maybe this was due to e-book formatting?? Not sure.
Another problem I saw, was that more emphasis needed to be placed on certain events to make me care more about them. For example, at the beginning of the story Judy is best friends with Rose. Rose appears to mean a lot to Judy, so when Judy is taken from Rose and the life she had known (albeit a crappy life), you would think she would at least miss/mourn/lament Rose/her lost life. No. This doesn’t really happen. She mentions Rose once (correct me if I’m wrong), and it is halfway through the book. I feel like I would have felt for, and connected with Judy more if she had cared, or even thought about her previous life.
I also had a bit of beef with Judy. Judy was supposed to be an 18 year old girl in the novel, but struck me as much, much younger. I think this is because parts of Judy’s character weren’t really fleshed out, making her seem younger than she was supposed to be. Making this even weirder, Judy had two love interests(if you can call them that) who “looked” to be about 30. These love interests seemed FAR more adult than Judy due to their life experiences, actual ages (one is over 200), etc. So, in fact, it looked to me like a 13 year old Judy was having a relationship with a 35+ year old man!? Yikes!
Overall:
The book was entertaining because it held a galloping pace that drew me in. I think I would have thought it was better as a whole, had the novel taken the time to describe characters/scenes/settings in full. Doing this would have helped the story out immensely.
2.5 stars
My initial thought, after reading the book description and going gaga (maybe drooling a little??) over the cover, was that I was going to really LOVE this book! And, truth be told, there were parts of it that I did enjoy. Unfortunately, the parts I liked were eclipsed by those I didn’t.
The skinny:
This book is about an 18 year old girl, Judy, who discovers she is a necromancer. As she fights zombies, and another, even darker force, she discovers who she really is and where she is from. To aid her in her various plights, Judy befriends Evie (a spirit), Glynn (a local law enforcer), Purah(her mentor), and several creatures (that act as protectors).
Parts I liked:
I really loved the character of Lyken (one of Judy’s protectors). He seemed so cute and cuddly. It kind of made me want a Lyken of my own. Okay, get real…I NEED a Lyken. Lyken reminded me of a Dobby type character (I have many reservations in comparing Lyken to Dobby, but I wanted to paint a bit of a picture here, okay people?!) because he was always there for Judy, and he could make some minor potions (not too unlike Dobby’s ability to conduct minor magic).
I also appreciated the elements of magic, namely necromancy, that were in the novel. I haven’t read a book with this type of magic, so it was pretty cool and a touch spooky.
Not so much:
There were several issues with the structure of the book that distracted me immensely. One of the issues I had was with the constant jumping from place to place. Many books take place in a variety of settings, but are able to do so gracefully. This book did not. I think the main problem was that the main character would travel to a new place quickly and seemingly without warning. In one instance Judy would be in her home (Ravenswood), and in the next, without prelude, she would be in a nearby town. It honestly was pretty confusing. I had to go reread several scenes because I thought Judy was still in one place, but she was actually in another. Maybe this was due to e-book formatting?? Not sure.
Another problem I saw, was that more emphasis needed to be placed on certain events to make me care more about them. For example, at the beginning of the story Judy is best friends with Rose. Rose appears to mean a lot to Judy, so when Judy is taken from Rose and the life she had known (albeit a crappy life), you would think she would at least miss/mourn/lament Rose/her lost life. No. This doesn’t really happen. She mentions Rose once (correct me if I’m wrong), and it is halfway through the book. I feel like I would have felt for, and connected with Judy more if she had cared, or even thought about her previous life.
I also had a bit of beef with Judy. Judy was supposed to be an 18 year old girl in the novel, but struck me as much, much younger. I think this is because parts of Judy’s character weren’t really fleshed out, making her seem younger than she was supposed to be. Making this even weirder, Judy had two love interests(if you can call them that) who “looked” to be about 30. These love interests seemed FAR more adult than Judy due to their life experiences, actual ages (one is over 200), etc. So, in fact, it looked to me like a 13 year old Judy was having a relationship with a 35+ year old man!? Yikes!
Overall:
The book was entertaining because it held a galloping pace that drew me in. I think I would have thought it was better as a whole, had the novel taken the time to describe characters/scenes/settings in full. Doing this would have helped the story out immensely.
2.5 stars
December 11, 2013
Path Unchosen by Kim Cleary is an Urban Fantasy novel that you’ll certainly like it.
The book describes a world where gothic atmosphere is at home. The beginning seems detached from a Dickensian novel, dark and sad, or Jane Eyre’s one with our heroine on the verge of being expelled from the orphanage that housed her. I liked the fact that the author has managed to create and maintain the impression of a 1800s world and several times I flinched at an element that suggested the modern world (but a post-apocalyptical one). The author had flair for choosing and creating this atmosphere because the outbreak survivors, whose causes and the aftermath are not yet disclosed entirely, turned not only material, but also mentally and spiritually to a dark age set. It is a world where all modern amenities are merely remnants and memories, and the real fears or superstitions are powerful and always present, and manipulated by those with special powers and nefarious purposes.
In this storm-beaten world Judy must find her place and origin, but that's not easy when her skills do not go unnoticed and frighten those who have found their only prop for survival in the religious fanaticism or attract the interest of some morally putrid characters.
The characters are varied, some well-defined and with well-established role in the story, other transient, whose meaning and implication I hope to come in the next volumes. I loved Jody. Her naturalness, goodness and innocence get her into trouble, but also to fall in love and form a good romance triangle. The feelings discovery and their bewilderment occur naturally and are easy to understand, offering new savor to Judy's personality. If in terms of choices between good and evil she is doing well, it seems that in the heart issues she will have some hard times. The men involved are both valuable and delicious and they both try to protect (and conquer) her, till to their sacrifice, from those who want to use or to kill her.
Path Unchosen is rich in Urban Fantasy creatures. The author has the courage to put together: ghosts and spirits, zombies and raised deads, gargoyles and demons and to change for some of them their classic pattern, turning them into weapons and means for necromancers and wizards with thirst for absolute power, but also in trustful friends or casualties.
The action starts from the first pages, always something is happening, someone (or something) is involved or becomes victim. Although some elements seem to appear too at the right time without enough explanation, the suspense is maintained and remains plenty of room for surprises. With a fierce mind, Judy discovers a lot very quickly, but this does not hurt the pace nor bored the reader because there are still many to be clear and many gaps to fill.
In conclusion, I liked this book and with the hints sprinkled and the doors open by the author, the series promises to come increasingly interesting.
http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/2013...
The book describes a world where gothic atmosphere is at home. The beginning seems detached from a Dickensian novel, dark and sad, or Jane Eyre’s one with our heroine on the verge of being expelled from the orphanage that housed her. I liked the fact that the author has managed to create and maintain the impression of a 1800s world and several times I flinched at an element that suggested the modern world (but a post-apocalyptical one). The author had flair for choosing and creating this atmosphere because the outbreak survivors, whose causes and the aftermath are not yet disclosed entirely, turned not only material, but also mentally and spiritually to a dark age set. It is a world where all modern amenities are merely remnants and memories, and the real fears or superstitions are powerful and always present, and manipulated by those with special powers and nefarious purposes.
In this storm-beaten world Judy must find her place and origin, but that's not easy when her skills do not go unnoticed and frighten those who have found their only prop for survival in the religious fanaticism or attract the interest of some morally putrid characters.
The characters are varied, some well-defined and with well-established role in the story, other transient, whose meaning and implication I hope to come in the next volumes. I loved Jody. Her naturalness, goodness and innocence get her into trouble, but also to fall in love and form a good romance triangle. The feelings discovery and their bewilderment occur naturally and are easy to understand, offering new savor to Judy's personality. If in terms of choices between good and evil she is doing well, it seems that in the heart issues she will have some hard times. The men involved are both valuable and delicious and they both try to protect (and conquer) her, till to their sacrifice, from those who want to use or to kill her.
Path Unchosen is rich in Urban Fantasy creatures. The author has the courage to put together: ghosts and spirits, zombies and raised deads, gargoyles and demons and to change for some of them their classic pattern, turning them into weapons and means for necromancers and wizards with thirst for absolute power, but also in trustful friends or casualties.
The action starts from the first pages, always something is happening, someone (or something) is involved or becomes victim. Although some elements seem to appear too at the right time without enough explanation, the suspense is maintained and remains plenty of room for surprises. With a fierce mind, Judy discovers a lot very quickly, but this does not hurt the pace nor bored the reader because there are still many to be clear and many gaps to fill.
In conclusion, I liked this book and with the hints sprinkled and the doors open by the author, the series promises to come increasingly interesting.
http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/2013...
January 3, 2017
This isn’t normally my genre (a book that deals largely with zombies, although the emphasis is nicely subdued and worked into the background) but I enjoyed this book, and much more than the sequel, which I had reviewed first. I found the sequel more convoluted, but here the original flows nicely and is more in a logical framework.
There were some instances of over-the-top gore or horror schlock fest that didn’t appeal to me and in which I think could be further curtailed, but the story itself is strong and had me going ahead one page at a time. There seemed to be numerous minor continuity issues, for which a second pair of eyes focussed only on minor continuity issues would help (i.e. how scenes appear, location consistency, how characters depart and arrive on scene, and removing strange incidents that quickly appear in one sentence, out of context, before the book moves on to the next paragraph logically.) To be clear, these continuity issues don’t affect the plot, but just seems jarring for a second and then the book quickly re-establishes momentum by snapping quickly back to the logical framework.
But in terms of entertainment, and intrigue as to what will happen next, this book had me hooked. Well done. I would give this 4.5 stars.
Just two issues I thought of during this book, but just for the author to ponder.
Judy, the main character, seems to be over eighteen when the book starts, but she’s in an orphanage. I thought they released children from orphanages when they’re about thirteen or fourteen, maybe to host families, even in past decades? Judy would be too old to remain in the orphanage for quite some years (and it wasn’t clear to me why she hated the orphanage so much… I’m sure they do their best, short of any abuse, which wasn’t apparent here). Secondly, she seemed to be thrust so quickly into and to accept so readily (within just a few days) the unpleasant and revolting aspects of black magic, even though of course she always remains a virtuous character. I just would find it hard to embrace and wholly commit myself to confronting such soul-sucking and horrid aspects of skin, bones, and skeletons so soon after a lifetime of not knowing I had black magic (or necromancy, for that matter).
But for fans of the paranormal genre, those of a dark mood, this book is terrific!
There were some instances of over-the-top gore or horror schlock fest that didn’t appeal to me and in which I think could be further curtailed, but the story itself is strong and had me going ahead one page at a time. There seemed to be numerous minor continuity issues, for which a second pair of eyes focussed only on minor continuity issues would help (i.e. how scenes appear, location consistency, how characters depart and arrive on scene, and removing strange incidents that quickly appear in one sentence, out of context, before the book moves on to the next paragraph logically.) To be clear, these continuity issues don’t affect the plot, but just seems jarring for a second and then the book quickly re-establishes momentum by snapping quickly back to the logical framework.
But in terms of entertainment, and intrigue as to what will happen next, this book had me hooked. Well done. I would give this 4.5 stars.
Just two issues I thought of during this book, but just for the author to ponder.
Judy, the main character, seems to be over eighteen when the book starts, but she’s in an orphanage. I thought they released children from orphanages when they’re about thirteen or fourteen, maybe to host families, even in past decades? Judy would be too old to remain in the orphanage for quite some years (and it wasn’t clear to me why she hated the orphanage so much… I’m sure they do their best, short of any abuse, which wasn’t apparent here). Secondly, she seemed to be thrust so quickly into and to accept so readily (within just a few days) the unpleasant and revolting aspects of black magic, even though of course she always remains a virtuous character. I just would find it hard to embrace and wholly commit myself to confronting such soul-sucking and horrid aspects of skin, bones, and skeletons so soon after a lifetime of not knowing I had black magic (or necromancy, for that matter).
But for fans of the paranormal genre, those of a dark mood, this book is terrific!
January 2, 2014
I am just going to say it. I loved Path Unchosen. I have been sick the last few days and have put off reading anything because if it was something I didn’t really really like, I didn’t want to put forth the brain power needed to finish it, but I can say I should have started this earlier. It would have made moping in bed miserably a lot easier.
We have Judy, who grew up in an orphanage, with some sisters who weren’t very nice, at least from the little glimpse we got of them. She has no idea who she is, where she is from, and has had just a teeny tiny taste of what she is capable of.
Path Unchosen actually made me think of the show Revolution with zombies added in. You know, the day the lights went out. No electricity, some things are powered by steam, I think everything went haywire when the zombie plague happened.
Anyways, she turns 18, she has a confrontation with the sisters and a father, who seems a little more gentle than the sisters, but still he drops her off in the middle of nowhere to fend for herself, and cue Purah. He saves her and then is supposed to instruct her, but can she trust him?
I really enjoyed it, reading virtual cover to virtual cover in just a couple of hours (261 pages), I liked all the characters, I liked the plot, it was a good book. I liked how it seemed just normal for her to have these powers, no one questioned it, it was just the world as it was at that point was used to someone who could control the dead.
All that being said, this is categorized new adult, at least from the information I received, and I would be totally ok with my almost 15 year old son reading it. There is a bit of harmless kissing, a very small amount of anything more (no sex whatsoever), so much less than he has seen in movies that were rated PG13. I honestly thought it was a young adult book until I went to write this review and was gathering the info I needed.
All in all, excellent book. I loved it. Wonderful work Kim Cleary! I cannot wait for the next book!
We have Judy, who grew up in an orphanage, with some sisters who weren’t very nice, at least from the little glimpse we got of them. She has no idea who she is, where she is from, and has had just a teeny tiny taste of what she is capable of.
Path Unchosen actually made me think of the show Revolution with zombies added in. You know, the day the lights went out. No electricity, some things are powered by steam, I think everything went haywire when the zombie plague happened.
Anyways, she turns 18, she has a confrontation with the sisters and a father, who seems a little more gentle than the sisters, but still he drops her off in the middle of nowhere to fend for herself, and cue Purah. He saves her and then is supposed to instruct her, but can she trust him?
I really enjoyed it, reading virtual cover to virtual cover in just a couple of hours (261 pages), I liked all the characters, I liked the plot, it was a good book. I liked how it seemed just normal for her to have these powers, no one questioned it, it was just the world as it was at that point was used to someone who could control the dead.
All that being said, this is categorized new adult, at least from the information I received, and I would be totally ok with my almost 15 year old son reading it. There is a bit of harmless kissing, a very small amount of anything more (no sex whatsoever), so much less than he has seen in movies that were rated PG13. I honestly thought it was a young adult book until I went to write this review and was gathering the info I needed.
All in all, excellent book. I loved it. Wonderful work Kim Cleary! I cannot wait for the next book!
December 12, 2013
Path Unchosen is full of surprises, twists, and turns. When I started Path Unchosen, I really thought it was going to be a twist on zombies using a necromancer, but what I got is just so much more. There is incredible world building in Path Unchosen with Judy and her finding out about her gifts. Just when I thought, I had a handle on what was happening and where it was going, something new was introduced. While some times that can be a bit overwhelming, it all worked very well together in Path Unchosen.
Judy is a girl who grew up in an orphanage never knowing who she really was or where she came from, but when she is left to find her own way she discovers she has magic powers specifically those that deal with the dead. As for becoming a necromancer, Judy does not want to use her powers to control anyone, especially those at rest. Fighting against the darkness in her power really makes Judy into her own person, and very likable as a main character. As she chooses to fight for others and for what is right, she really becomes the heroine you want to root for.
While there is a bit of romance in the book, it is stretched into an almost triangle. While I am so tired of love triangles, Path Unchoosen has a more innocent, just experiencing the world vibe to it, which I actually like and felt it came across believable. Only time will tell if true feeling develop to make it into a full-blown love triangle. Both choices would be a good fit for Judy, so I am not complete sold on either of the love interests just yet.
While this story came to a very satisfying conclusion, I am very interested in more background on Judy and many other things that occur during the novel. Thankfully, this is only the first book in the Daughter of Ravenswood series, and I will just have to impatiently wait for the second book to be released.
**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
Judy is a girl who grew up in an orphanage never knowing who she really was or where she came from, but when she is left to find her own way she discovers she has magic powers specifically those that deal with the dead. As for becoming a necromancer, Judy does not want to use her powers to control anyone, especially those at rest. Fighting against the darkness in her power really makes Judy into her own person, and very likable as a main character. As she chooses to fight for others and for what is right, she really becomes the heroine you want to root for.
While there is a bit of romance in the book, it is stretched into an almost triangle. While I am so tired of love triangles, Path Unchoosen has a more innocent, just experiencing the world vibe to it, which I actually like and felt it came across believable. Only time will tell if true feeling develop to make it into a full-blown love triangle. Both choices would be a good fit for Judy, so I am not complete sold on either of the love interests just yet.
While this story came to a very satisfying conclusion, I am very interested in more background on Judy and many other things that occur during the novel. Thankfully, this is only the first book in the Daughter of Ravenswood series, and I will just have to impatiently wait for the second book to be released.
**Unabridged Bookshelf received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
December 12, 2013
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
Path Unchosen is a dark paranormal fantasy that pulled me into its richly developed world from the very first page. I started this book late at night and was loath to put it down. It was the first thing I picked up in the morning, and I finished it before starting my own work.
Judy is a well developed character. My heart ached for her from the first chapter. She's the type of character a reader can really get behind and root for her success. The story opens at the orphanage where Judy has spent most of her life. All she longs for is to escape the drudgery and mistreatment she experiences there. When she learns they plan to keep her there due to her odd powers, she opts to run. What follows is an odyssey of discovery into her true identity and the meaning of her unusual powers.
I love the wealth of interesting characters that parade through the pages of this novel. Judy seems to have an innate ability to attract the staunchest supporters along with the scariest enemies. She is a strong character, well-grounded, hard working, and fiercely loyal to those she considers friends. The lucky girl also manages to attract two potential romantic interests: her otherwordly guardian, Purah and local police captain Glynn. By the end of the novel, she's still as lost in her choice between the two men as the beginning, so I guess we'll have to wait for the next book to see if her heart makes a decision.
Path Unchosen is in the new adult category, but I think it's appropriate for mature high schoolers. Keep in mind, this is a dark fantasy complete with zombies, gore, and minor sexual situations. I really enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to book two in the Daughters of Ravenswood series due out next year. I can't wait to see what Ms. Cleary has in store for Judy.
Path Unchosen is a dark paranormal fantasy that pulled me into its richly developed world from the very first page. I started this book late at night and was loath to put it down. It was the first thing I picked up in the morning, and I finished it before starting my own work.
Judy is a well developed character. My heart ached for her from the first chapter. She's the type of character a reader can really get behind and root for her success. The story opens at the orphanage where Judy has spent most of her life. All she longs for is to escape the drudgery and mistreatment she experiences there. When she learns they plan to keep her there due to her odd powers, she opts to run. What follows is an odyssey of discovery into her true identity and the meaning of her unusual powers.
I love the wealth of interesting characters that parade through the pages of this novel. Judy seems to have an innate ability to attract the staunchest supporters along with the scariest enemies. She is a strong character, well-grounded, hard working, and fiercely loyal to those she considers friends. The lucky girl also manages to attract two potential romantic interests: her otherwordly guardian, Purah and local police captain Glynn. By the end of the novel, she's still as lost in her choice between the two men as the beginning, so I guess we'll have to wait for the next book to see if her heart makes a decision.
Path Unchosen is in the new adult category, but I think it's appropriate for mature high schoolers. Keep in mind, this is a dark fantasy complete with zombies, gore, and minor sexual situations. I really enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to book two in the Daughters of Ravenswood series due out next year. I can't wait to see what Ms. Cleary has in store for Judy.
December 15, 2013
** spoiler alert ** For more reviews visit:
http://livinginabookworld.blogspot.gr
The characters
We've all read books about zombies,how they are brought back to life and the only way the protagonists can kill them is with a bullet in the head.But what about being able to read a zombie's mind and control it?That would be kind of awesome.And that's where our main heroine,Judy,comes in.She's 18 years old and she's lived most of her life in a pretty close society where everyone has a strong belief and faith in God.But Judy always felt different.So when the same priest who raised her, takes her to a place that looks familiar to her, spares her life and advices her to never come back,she realizes that she never actually fitted in the place she grew up.
Alone,frustrated and confused, Judy meets a mysterious,dark and handsome man,Purah,who helps her to see the real Judy and what she's truly capable of.That's where she realizes that she's a necromancer someone who can raise and communicate with the dead.But, as it seems, she's not the only one in the area.There's another necromancer who raises zombies that kill innocent civilians.It's up to Judy to find out who that is and stop him.Until then,nobody is safe including Judy...
Necromancy and dead people are not the only thing on her mind,even if she prefers zombies to romance. Judy finds herself in a mysterious and captivating love triangle and she doesn't know who to choose and who to let go...
Verdict
Path Unchosen seems like the perfect title for this book in a very promising new series that will change your point of view as far as zombies are concerned!
Rating: 4 stars!!
http://livinginabookworld.blogspot.gr
The characters
We've all read books about zombies,how they are brought back to life and the only way the protagonists can kill them is with a bullet in the head.But what about being able to read a zombie's mind and control it?That would be kind of awesome.And that's where our main heroine,Judy,comes in.She's 18 years old and she's lived most of her life in a pretty close society where everyone has a strong belief and faith in God.But Judy always felt different.So when the same priest who raised her, takes her to a place that looks familiar to her, spares her life and advices her to never come back,she realizes that she never actually fitted in the place she grew up.
Alone,frustrated and confused, Judy meets a mysterious,dark and handsome man,Purah,who helps her to see the real Judy and what she's truly capable of.That's where she realizes that she's a necromancer someone who can raise and communicate with the dead.But, as it seems, she's not the only one in the area.There's another necromancer who raises zombies that kill innocent civilians.It's up to Judy to find out who that is and stop him.Until then,nobody is safe including Judy...
Necromancy and dead people are not the only thing on her mind,even if she prefers zombies to romance. Judy finds herself in a mysterious and captivating love triangle and she doesn't know who to choose and who to let go...
Verdict
Path Unchosen seems like the perfect title for this book in a very promising new series that will change your point of view as far as zombies are concerned!
Rating: 4 stars!!
January 26, 2014
With soooo many zombie books about nowadays it’s hard to find a good angle that hasn’t already been flogged to death, risen and been shot in the head. But Kim Cleary has actually managed this with Path Unchosen. To have your main character as a necromancer in the zombie invasion is a brilliant concept!
It kind of reminded me of ‘The Forest of Hands and Teeth’ where, although its set in the future, it very much feels like we’re with the characters in the past. The beginning of the book was a little slow to get cooking, the orphanage was very binding to the protagonist, Judy (as it should be) so I was chomping at the bit to see her spread her wings – which was probably what the author wanted. Sadly, even when Judy is free she doesn’t develop much as a character, and comes across still very child-like, even though she is supposed to be 18 – maybe because she had a sheltered life?
From a writer’s perspective, it was very well written with some lovely turns of phrase that really impressed me. The flow wasn’t overly steady though, and the plot seemed jerky at times. There were also a few grammatical errors – but hey you can probably find some here too of you look hard enough ;)
The front cover is nice, but doesn’t stand out to me. I think if it were to have Judy on the front and perhaps a more dystopian feel to it, it would be more attractive and represent the book much better.
Overall I’d give Path Unchosen 3 out of 5 stars. My hat is off to Kim Cleary for the whole concept and it’s a promising start to a new series.
It kind of reminded me of ‘The Forest of Hands and Teeth’ where, although its set in the future, it very much feels like we’re with the characters in the past. The beginning of the book was a little slow to get cooking, the orphanage was very binding to the protagonist, Judy (as it should be) so I was chomping at the bit to see her spread her wings – which was probably what the author wanted. Sadly, even when Judy is free she doesn’t develop much as a character, and comes across still very child-like, even though she is supposed to be 18 – maybe because she had a sheltered life?
From a writer’s perspective, it was very well written with some lovely turns of phrase that really impressed me. The flow wasn’t overly steady though, and the plot seemed jerky at times. There were also a few grammatical errors – but hey you can probably find some here too of you look hard enough ;)
The front cover is nice, but doesn’t stand out to me. I think if it were to have Judy on the front and perhaps a more dystopian feel to it, it would be more attractive and represent the book much better.
Overall I’d give Path Unchosen 3 out of 5 stars. My hat is off to Kim Cleary for the whole concept and it’s a promising start to a new series.
December 11, 2013
Path Unchosen is simply an amazing read that I truly enjoyed. I usually don't read zombie books but this one is so much more than I expected having zombies and necromancers which by the way I love necromancer books!
Judy Hudson is an orphan. She does not know who her family is but she sort of has one at the orphanage. But when Judy turns 18 she is on her own. She knows she is different and she tries hard to suppress her powers but it is hard for her. All she wants is a normal life. One where she does not have to fight zombies or worry about the dead. As Judy finds herself in a bind she finds out she has a guardian who is going to help her out. But can Judy trust him is the issue she is having because she has had to fend for herself all this time she is not so quick to just up and trust anyone.
Judy ends up trying to fix her mistakes she has made as a necromancer but she is realizing that someone or something is out there and they are determined to keep the evil afloat. Zombies have arisen and they are ready to attack on command. But who is commanding them and why? Judy will have to figure that out and soon because the zombies are ready to attack and she is not sure who to trust and if she can in fact help her new friends out.
What can Judy do? Will her guardian be able to help her? Who is responsible for raising the dead?
Judy Hudson is an orphan. She does not know who her family is but she sort of has one at the orphanage. But when Judy turns 18 she is on her own. She knows she is different and she tries hard to suppress her powers but it is hard for her. All she wants is a normal life. One where she does not have to fight zombies or worry about the dead. As Judy finds herself in a bind she finds out she has a guardian who is going to help her out. But can Judy trust him is the issue she is having because she has had to fend for herself all this time she is not so quick to just up and trust anyone.
Judy ends up trying to fix her mistakes she has made as a necromancer but she is realizing that someone or something is out there and they are determined to keep the evil afloat. Zombies have arisen and they are ready to attack on command. But who is commanding them and why? Judy will have to figure that out and soon because the zombies are ready to attack and she is not sure who to trust and if she can in fact help her new friends out.
What can Judy do? Will her guardian be able to help her? Who is responsible for raising the dead?
December 13, 2013
Rating: 3.5/5
Path Unchoses is a unique story set in a even more unique setting. It this book Lucy, the main character, is raised in an orphanage until the age of 18, when she meets a mysterious stranger and at the same time she starts to experience some very confusing situations. Lucy is a necromancer and in a world where the zombie invasion just ended.
The best thing about this book were the settings and how Kim Cleary described every place, everything was eerie and sometimes dark, it gave of a quite gothic feeling which I adored. Also the world is post-apocalyptic yet has a medieval feeling to it.
What I didn't quite enjoy was the way characters were introduced in the story for a few pages, never to be heard again. I believe that some of those characters deversed a little more space in the story. It would have helped me understand situations and them better.
I did enjoy the mystery behind Judy's past but didn't like her that much as a character. Even so I really enjoyed her scenes with Purah, her guardian and Glynn, the police chief. Especially Glynn and the way he makes her think about everything happening around her.
All in all this was a quite different zombie story. A great start to a new series and an author to look out for.
Path Unchoses is a unique story set in a even more unique setting. It this book Lucy, the main character, is raised in an orphanage until the age of 18, when she meets a mysterious stranger and at the same time she starts to experience some very confusing situations. Lucy is a necromancer and in a world where the zombie invasion just ended.
The best thing about this book were the settings and how Kim Cleary described every place, everything was eerie and sometimes dark, it gave of a quite gothic feeling which I adored. Also the world is post-apocalyptic yet has a medieval feeling to it.
What I didn't quite enjoy was the way characters were introduced in the story for a few pages, never to be heard again. I believe that some of those characters deversed a little more space in the story. It would have helped me understand situations and them better.
I did enjoy the mystery behind Judy's past but didn't like her that much as a character. Even so I really enjoyed her scenes with Purah, her guardian and Glynn, the police chief. Especially Glynn and the way he makes her think about everything happening around her.
All in all this was a quite different zombie story. A great start to a new series and an author to look out for.
April 18, 2016
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...
In Path Unchosen, the first book in the Daughter of Ravenswood series, eighteen-year-old Judy Hudson discovers she’s a necromancer. But her powers can hurt the dead, so she wants to deny who she is, and live a normal life. But when an otherwordly man, claiming to be her guardian, saves her life, she’s forced into makign some choices that will make an ordinary life almost impossible.
Judy is not the only necromancer out there, and when zombies attack her and the inhabitants of a nearby town, she has to figure out who the other necromancer is, and why he or she is raising the dead. She has to learn to control her powers, and to come to terms with who she really is.
I really enjoyed reading about Judy. She was a complex character, not completely to terms with who she was at first, but she changed and grew a lot throughout the book. The author did a good job on setting an atmospheric tone for the book, and describing the setting. With the zombies added, the whole book had a slightly creepy feel, which I loved.
I’m eager to get started on the next book. If you enjoy a good fantasy with zombies and darker themes, I would recommend this book.
In Path Unchosen, the first book in the Daughter of Ravenswood series, eighteen-year-old Judy Hudson discovers she’s a necromancer. But her powers can hurt the dead, so she wants to deny who she is, and live a normal life. But when an otherwordly man, claiming to be her guardian, saves her life, she’s forced into makign some choices that will make an ordinary life almost impossible.
Judy is not the only necromancer out there, and when zombies attack her and the inhabitants of a nearby town, she has to figure out who the other necromancer is, and why he or she is raising the dead. She has to learn to control her powers, and to come to terms with who she really is.
I really enjoyed reading about Judy. She was a complex character, not completely to terms with who she was at first, but she changed and grew a lot throughout the book. The author did a good job on setting an atmospheric tone for the book, and describing the setting. With the zombies added, the whole book had a slightly creepy feel, which I loved.
I’m eager to get started on the next book. If you enjoy a good fantasy with zombies and darker themes, I would recommend this book.
December 29, 2013
The Zombie Plague is over, so when rotting, skeletal zombies rise up and kill several unfortunate townspeople fingers point to the newest arrival, Judy Hudson as the cause of the unnatural activity. Judy is an orphan who unexpectedly learns she has supernatural powers. She is driven to find out her origins, and learn what happened to her family. In so doing, she uses her newly acknowledged powers, even though her control over them is slipshod.
I loved the action in this book, and felt the characters were unusual. Judy is a kind person but she takes foolhardy risks and sometimes the consequences of her actions lead to unexpected results and more problems. Thankfully, she is a fast learner and has some powerful allies. Turns out she holds the key to a greedy sorcerer’s vengeful quest for immortality and unlimited dark power.
This entertaining read kept me reading late into the night wondering what would happen next.
This ebook was given to me in exchange for my honest review.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
I loved the action in this book, and felt the characters were unusual. Judy is a kind person but she takes foolhardy risks and sometimes the consequences of her actions lead to unexpected results and more problems. Thankfully, she is a fast learner and has some powerful allies. Turns out she holds the key to a greedy sorcerer’s vengeful quest for immortality and unlimited dark power.
This entertaining read kept me reading late into the night wondering what would happen next.
This ebook was given to me in exchange for my honest review.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
December 9, 2022
PATH UNCHOSEN seems to be a self-published book, but fear not - it's actually quite good, and worth your time.
There are a few paragraphs that the author and the editor might have kept working on, but they are few and far between. Overall I like Kim Cleary's writing style very much.
The plot line, as well as the somewhat dystopian world the author created, are interesting, even though the heroine of the story seems like a pre-adolescent hothead at times. I also liked the well thought through the world of magic that Cleary created. Overall, I'm glad I picked up this title on NetGalley. Looking forward to the next volume.
There are a few paragraphs that the author and the editor might have kept working on, but they are few and far between. Overall I like Kim Cleary's writing style very much.
The plot line, as well as the somewhat dystopian world the author created, are interesting, even though the heroine of the story seems like a pre-adolescent hothead at times. I also liked the well thought through the world of magic that Cleary created. Overall, I'm glad I picked up this title on NetGalley. Looking forward to the next volume.
December 20, 2013
I thought this book was great. I loved the story base and the way the book flowed. My favourite character in the book is Judy, I like her personality and character. I also like Purah, I like the way he's described in the story and the way he's always calm in a situation. If you like a good fantasy book this is definately a good book for you. I can't wait until the second book comes out. I loved how I wanted to keep reading and I want more, I hope Kim's progress is going great. i can't wait, good luck
Tayla.
Tayla.
January 2, 2014
I was a bit apprehensive about reading this book because I have never read anything like this before. But after the very first Chapter I was totally involved in the story, and couldn't stop reading it. I became very attached to the characters and became immersed in their world. I found that the book was very well written, and everything was explained quite clearly even for a complete (78 year old) novice like me. I enjoyed it so much I have recommended it to all my friends. Now I can't wait for the next book in the series!
November 15, 2013
A solid beginning to what will hopefully be an enthralling series. Judy is a charming rather naive 18 year old with a sheltered upbringing who is suddenly thrust into a world for which she is initially unprepared. She needs to learn fast as she discovers things about herself, and others, at a rapid pace....coping with ghosts, zombies, dragons, beaurocrats, and feelings of romance along the way. Starts slowly but picks up pace like a snowball effect. I look forward to the 2nd installment.
August 17, 2016
I entered to win a copy of this book through goodreads, and was fortunate enough to receive one. I really didn't know what to expect from this book, but was pleasantly surprised by it. It was a fast paced and very enjoyable book to read. I have to say that I am looking forward to the next one. Even if you think that you don't like books of this genre, give it a try, I think that you will become a fan!! Kim Cleary you have made a fan of me. Thank you for sending me this!!!
January 2, 2014
You know your reading a great book, when your mind wanders throughout the day back to the last page you read and you can't wait to pick it up and delve back into the characters world.
I loved the storyline, the characters and how easily I could close my eyes and imagine I was in their world.
Superbly written.
I can't wait to read book two.
I loved the storyline, the characters and how easily I could close my eyes and imagine I was in their world.
Superbly written.
I can't wait to read book two.
September 3, 2016
I absolutely LOVED this book! It was a refreshing spin on a genre that has been played over and over. Kim Cleary did an excellent job of developing the character of Judy, and making her an easily likeable, compassionate, brave young woman. I can't wait to read the next installment in the series.
Read via NetGalley
Read via NetGalley
October 8, 2016
It took me a while to get into the story and characters, I felt as if everything moved too fast in the first chapters, and I couldn't get my bearings.
But when I did, it was a really good story, very nicely crafted 'post-apocalyptic-zombie' world.
I'm always fascinated how people treat the necromancer story - there are so many possibilities when you can communicate with/raise/control the dead!!
But when I did, it was a really good story, very nicely crafted 'post-apocalyptic-zombie' world.
I'm always fascinated how people treat the necromancer story - there are so many possibilities when you can communicate with/raise/control the dead!!
October 22, 2013
A wonderfully engaging novel from the first paragraph. It takes you on a magical tale that makes you want to return to see where the dark adventure will lead. Highly recommend!
Read
December 9, 2013Review to come...
December 27, 2013
When eighteen-year-old Judy Hudson discovers she’s a necromancer and sees first-hand the pain her powers can cause the dead, she just wants to deny who she is. The zombie plague is long over. She wants to find a more normal life, but that's a challenge when a beautiful otherworldly man, who claims to be her guardian, saves her life. Judy tries to set right the harm she inflicted on a spirit she raised, but new zombies attack—zombies raised from among the long-time dead. Someone else just like her is out there, and he's not trying to set anything right. To save her own life, and protect the innocent inhabitants of the nearby town who’ve become her friends, Judy has to figure out who’s raising the dead and why. She must also learn to control the darkness inside her—a seductive darkness that promises her power beyond her wildest dreams.-Goodreads summary
Publication Date: October 3, 2013.
Favorite Quote from the Book:
“I would learn and understand this gift. In time, I would love it. I belonged here. This was who I am.”
MY THOUGHTS:
Judge the Book by its Cover:
Not a typical YA cover; it’s different. I enjoy the cemetery setting with the raven as it alludes to important features of the novel. After reading the novel, I see the relations this cover has with the novel, and I appreciate authors and cover artists who spend time making covers like these possible.
Things that Made Me Happy:
The character Judy has the admirable quality of determination to do good deeds with her powers. Despite being recently introduced to her abilities, Judy ceaselessly uses her knowledge (and discovers methods to use her powers) in order to benefit others. She truly is a caring character and is admirable to the audience.
Things that Made Me Unhappy:
Sadly, many elements make my unhappy about this novel. Initially, I was extremely excited about the genre; a post-apocalyptic zombie book with some magical elements sound extremely appealing to the reader. However, the plot summary and publisher’s blurb is extremely misleading. Yes, this book is a post-apocalyptic zombie book with magic, but it also has a middle age historical feeling combined with steampunk, urban fantasy, and romance elements. In short, this book is a combination of too many genres. Due to all these genres, none of them are properly treated in the novel; they are simply introduced and never fully explained so as to introduce more elements of various genres. Indeed, this can be appealing to a reader, but it is unsatisfactory because none of these genres are treated with dignity and professionalism. Rather, they are imitations of other books. Honestly, this book has so much potential but it is hindered by involving too many other book genres.
Thus, the combination of all these genres make the world-building nonexistent and unbelievable. For example, the apocalypse that created the zombies is stated in the novel, but it is not explained. Readers are left questioning what exactly caused and happened in the apocalypse and how zombies are created from it. If this initially would have been explained towards the beginning of the novel, I believe this would have substantially aided the world-building in the novel because the totally unbelievable magical, steampunk, and urban fantasy elements could have been explained rather than suddenly thrown in the plot line. It’s disheartening because there is no explanation of any of these genre elements, especially the magical elements. How are certain characters magical and others aren’t? Is magic familiar in the world or do the sorcerers need to hide it? When an author introduces these genre elements, especially fantasy, in novels, he or she wants to secure the world building which is something Cleary fails to do in this novel. These are rather pertinent questions to the plot line which aren’t really answered which again leave the reader frustrated.
Of course, there is romance in this novel, and you guessed it! There is also a love triangle. I believe on page 46 of this 338 page novel, Judy expresses interest of one of these men ON THE FIRST DAY SHE MEETS HIM. She knows nothing about the man; he just shows up when she wakes up, and suddenly Judy is recognizing his “gorgeous attributes” as he gives her this internal longing inside her body. Give me a break. Cut the hormones. Not every teenager has THAT MUCH angst. Additionally, the other man is presumably much older than her; from his description and actions, I assume he is in his late twenties or early thirties. The romance and love triangle are just unnecessary and detract from the other genres. Really, not every young adult novel needs to include romance or even a love triangle to be appreciated and adored by the audience. Honestly, it is getting overdone and typically isn’t executed well.
One would think I am done with my negative feelings about this book, but I am not done! Additionally, many elements of this plot are predictable and blatantly stated by Cleary throughout the novel. When a plot twist occurs, the reader is not amused because this has been stated by the author previously. One of the greatest pieces of advice that I have received regarding writing fiction is to “Show. Don’t tell.” In this novel, there is an abundance of telling and limited showing. Since everything is rather predictable in this book, I frequently got bored and, again, this added to my frustration. Overall, the predictability, overemphasis of every character’s “suspicion,” and the suspected plot twist make this book dull.
Lastly, I believe the word “awkward” sufficiently describes the writing style of this book. Frequently, actions and days would pass without any sort of hint that the scene is changing. In other words, the transitions are weak and the sudden switch in settings lead to confusion. For example, Judy’s sudden arrival in town when she is at home in the previous sentence leave readers questioning about the turn of events. Likewise, the chapters’ endings are just as random in the novel, too. Judy is eating, and the chapter ends; Judy is saving a friend, and the chapter ends. The differing resolutions at the chapters just aggravate the readers. Simply, there is no consistency with Cleary’s writing style whether its settings, dialogues, or chapters’ resolutions.
My Rating:
★ ★ 2/5 stars!
Recommendation:
I wouldn’t recommend this book as a high-priority TBR book for anyone; however, if you have a day to yourself, and you enjoy an eclectic novel and don’t mind inconsistencies, then read this book. It’s not awful; it’s just not my favorite book.
Publication Date: October 3, 2013.
Favorite Quote from the Book:
“I would learn and understand this gift. In time, I would love it. I belonged here. This was who I am.”
MY THOUGHTS:
Judge the Book by its Cover:
Not a typical YA cover; it’s different. I enjoy the cemetery setting with the raven as it alludes to important features of the novel. After reading the novel, I see the relations this cover has with the novel, and I appreciate authors and cover artists who spend time making covers like these possible.
Things that Made Me Happy:
The character Judy has the admirable quality of determination to do good deeds with her powers. Despite being recently introduced to her abilities, Judy ceaselessly uses her knowledge (and discovers methods to use her powers) in order to benefit others. She truly is a caring character and is admirable to the audience.
Things that Made Me Unhappy:
Sadly, many elements make my unhappy about this novel. Initially, I was extremely excited about the genre; a post-apocalyptic zombie book with some magical elements sound extremely appealing to the reader. However, the plot summary and publisher’s blurb is extremely misleading. Yes, this book is a post-apocalyptic zombie book with magic, but it also has a middle age historical feeling combined with steampunk, urban fantasy, and romance elements. In short, this book is a combination of too many genres. Due to all these genres, none of them are properly treated in the novel; they are simply introduced and never fully explained so as to introduce more elements of various genres. Indeed, this can be appealing to a reader, but it is unsatisfactory because none of these genres are treated with dignity and professionalism. Rather, they are imitations of other books. Honestly, this book has so much potential but it is hindered by involving too many other book genres.
Thus, the combination of all these genres make the world-building nonexistent and unbelievable. For example, the apocalypse that created the zombies is stated in the novel, but it is not explained. Readers are left questioning what exactly caused and happened in the apocalypse and how zombies are created from it. If this initially would have been explained towards the beginning of the novel, I believe this would have substantially aided the world-building in the novel because the totally unbelievable magical, steampunk, and urban fantasy elements could have been explained rather than suddenly thrown in the plot line. It’s disheartening because there is no explanation of any of these genre elements, especially the magical elements. How are certain characters magical and others aren’t? Is magic familiar in the world or do the sorcerers need to hide it? When an author introduces these genre elements, especially fantasy, in novels, he or she wants to secure the world building which is something Cleary fails to do in this novel. These are rather pertinent questions to the plot line which aren’t really answered which again leave the reader frustrated.
Of course, there is romance in this novel, and you guessed it! There is also a love triangle. I believe on page 46 of this 338 page novel, Judy expresses interest of one of these men ON THE FIRST DAY SHE MEETS HIM. She knows nothing about the man; he just shows up when she wakes up, and suddenly Judy is recognizing his “gorgeous attributes” as he gives her this internal longing inside her body. Give me a break. Cut the hormones. Not every teenager has THAT MUCH angst. Additionally, the other man is presumably much older than her; from his description and actions, I assume he is in his late twenties or early thirties. The romance and love triangle are just unnecessary and detract from the other genres. Really, not every young adult novel needs to include romance or even a love triangle to be appreciated and adored by the audience. Honestly, it is getting overdone and typically isn’t executed well.
One would think I am done with my negative feelings about this book, but I am not done! Additionally, many elements of this plot are predictable and blatantly stated by Cleary throughout the novel. When a plot twist occurs, the reader is not amused because this has been stated by the author previously. One of the greatest pieces of advice that I have received regarding writing fiction is to “Show. Don’t tell.” In this novel, there is an abundance of telling and limited showing. Since everything is rather predictable in this book, I frequently got bored and, again, this added to my frustration. Overall, the predictability, overemphasis of every character’s “suspicion,” and the suspected plot twist make this book dull.
Lastly, I believe the word “awkward” sufficiently describes the writing style of this book. Frequently, actions and days would pass without any sort of hint that the scene is changing. In other words, the transitions are weak and the sudden switch in settings lead to confusion. For example, Judy’s sudden arrival in town when she is at home in the previous sentence leave readers questioning about the turn of events. Likewise, the chapters’ endings are just as random in the novel, too. Judy is eating, and the chapter ends; Judy is saving a friend, and the chapter ends. The differing resolutions at the chapters just aggravate the readers. Simply, there is no consistency with Cleary’s writing style whether its settings, dialogues, or chapters’ resolutions.
My Rating:
★ ★ 2/5 stars!
Recommendation:
I wouldn’t recommend this book as a high-priority TBR book for anyone; however, if you have a day to yourself, and you enjoy an eclectic novel and don’t mind inconsistencies, then read this book. It’s not awful; it’s just not my favorite book.
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