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Goodbye Normal
Being a daughter, sister, friend and crush-sick with an ex-schoolmate, Zoe Brown is just another ordinary high school graduate. In defiance of coming from Doomsberg, a town that was once in history abandoned for witchcraft, Zoe has never believed in the craft.
But when a magical pentagram chain defines her fate, the Never theory is put to rest. In the midst of Doomsberg Association of witchery, she witnesses a prophesy that has failed for 186 years pick her responsible for safeguarding her town against black magic witches.
This fight is waged against the wrath of a vicious untraceable black magic humeleon (human chameleon) and his master, a powerless but immortal witch. Her chances of attaining victory are only viable by forming an alliance with the association's confined, ruthless and dangerous humeleons (the same ones that had caused massacre and abandonment upon her town)
Terrifying revelations, secrets and tough decisions succumb her small world. With that, her normal life is bid farewell.
But when a magical pentagram chain defines her fate, the Never theory is put to rest. In the midst of Doomsberg Association of witchery, she witnesses a prophesy that has failed for 186 years pick her responsible for safeguarding her town against black magic witches.
This fight is waged against the wrath of a vicious untraceable black magic humeleon (human chameleon) and his master, a powerless but immortal witch. Her chances of attaining victory are only viable by forming an alliance with the association's confined, ruthless and dangerous humeleons (the same ones that had caused massacre and abandonment upon her town)
Terrifying revelations, secrets and tough decisions succumb her small world. With that, her normal life is bid farewell.
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2014
58 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 29, 2014
Review also on www.jolasbookshelf.wordpress.com
It was a pleasurable read. The characters were very enjoyable, the action was well pased and I found myself hooked in the story. The whole idea for the book was very interesting and exciting and I can't wait for the next installment in the series. It's a nice addition to fantasy books, one that I can recommend.
Thanks to Liy Anderson for sending me a ecopy of her book!
It was a pleasurable read. The characters were very enjoyable, the action was well pased and I found myself hooked in the story. The whole idea for the book was very interesting and exciting and I can't wait for the next installment in the series. It's a nice addition to fantasy books, one that I can recommend.
Thanks to Liy Anderson for sending me a ecopy of her book!
August 23, 2014
amazing book!Lily N. Anderson is a incredible author and I couldn't put the book down! the characters where amazing and the way she created the magical world around them shows how great of an imagination and how creative she can be!
As a real witch in life when I read stories of this nature it makes me glad that the life of real witches are so much less complicated...lol...but the down side is no flashy powers. I would take my simple nature based life over one like this book any day! the power of nature is around me everyday (and bonus no bad guys are chasing me...lol).
I really loved the character of Liz, although she was selfish at times and bossy at others she reminded me of my best friend Annette. The way she would barge in on Zoe and she spoke her mind about everything! no matter who wanted to hear it..lol...and the way they would laugh and fight and make up. I also really liked Chris from the first moment he came into the book I immediately took to him. He was a great guy and I was rooting for him and Zoe to get together through the whole book!
Zoe was one tough cookie and can't wait to read more of this series as this one was great! I can't wait to find out what happens next! The bad guys in this one don't make much of an appearance till the end but are talked about a lot and I have a feeling we will see much more of them in the second book. Lily N. Anderson has me hooked with her phenomenal characters and extraordinary story.
As a real witch in life when I read stories of this nature it makes me glad that the life of real witches are so much less complicated...lol...but the down side is no flashy powers. I would take my simple nature based life over one like this book any day! the power of nature is around me everyday (and bonus no bad guys are chasing me...lol).
I really loved the character of Liz, although she was selfish at times and bossy at others she reminded me of my best friend Annette. The way she would barge in on Zoe and she spoke her mind about everything! no matter who wanted to hear it..lol...and the way they would laugh and fight and make up. I also really liked Chris from the first moment he came into the book I immediately took to him. He was a great guy and I was rooting for him and Zoe to get together through the whole book!
Zoe was one tough cookie and can't wait to read more of this series as this one was great! I can't wait to find out what happens next! The bad guys in this one don't make much of an appearance till the end but are talked about a lot and I have a feeling we will see much more of them in the second book. Lily N. Anderson has me hooked with her phenomenal characters and extraordinary story.
February 11, 2014
I bought this book because of a friend's twitter status.
I loved the cover that is one. Then i was hooked by the blurb.
It was surprising that i was the very first reviewer, that is until i saw the publication date.
I don't know how to review very well but i just had to do it with this one.
it is an easy read, fast and exciting.
The first two chapter were okay but a little slow. The pace started taking place in chapter three to the end.
It has so many surprises.
So, Zoe is a sweet girl, responsible but a good lair. Her ordinary life changes in a nights time. The the prophesy cliche happens but not any ordinary cliche. This one has failed repeatedly for over 186 years.
She is crowned a chaneller, A very powerful witch of her time.
I really like her best friend Liz, she is exceptionally cool. And her protective ex boyfriend Chris. My goodness Josh, another surprise!!
Then comes HUMELEONS. My goodness. I'm so glad Lily came up with something other than vampires, werewolves and shifters.
This are called humeleons, human chameleons they change ethnicity by will.
Oh how i wish i was one!
Anyhow.. this book will leave you wanting. I don't want to keep writing because of spoiler alert.
I loved the cover that is one. Then i was hooked by the blurb.
It was surprising that i was the very first reviewer, that is until i saw the publication date.
I don't know how to review very well but i just had to do it with this one.
it is an easy read, fast and exciting.
The first two chapter were okay but a little slow. The pace started taking place in chapter three to the end.
It has so many surprises.
So, Zoe is a sweet girl, responsible but a good lair. Her ordinary life changes in a nights time. The the prophesy cliche happens but not any ordinary cliche. This one has failed repeatedly for over 186 years.
She is crowned a chaneller, A very powerful witch of her time.
I really like her best friend Liz, she is exceptionally cool. And her protective ex boyfriend Chris. My goodness Josh, another surprise!!
Then comes HUMELEONS. My goodness. I'm so glad Lily came up with something other than vampires, werewolves and shifters.
This are called humeleons, human chameleons they change ethnicity by will.
Oh how i wish i was one!
Anyhow.. this book will leave you wanting. I don't want to keep writing because of spoiler alert.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2018
DNF 50%
I cannot make myself read another page of this. It was dull. It was dry and ultimately boring. There wasn't anything that made me feel inclined to read more. I was halfway in and barely a single thing had happened. The one thing that did happen was poorly described and made little sense.
The characters were shoddy. They had shallow personalities. I could barely differentiate Liz and Zoe, especially as it was in the third person so they were always being referred to as "her" or "she".
The wizardry aspect was so poorly planned out I could have cried. Zoe is able to use magic instantly after being told she is a wizard. She is not just any wizard though, she is the wizard prophesized to save them all. Sounds familiar? Hmm, I cannot see why. It's such an original idea! *cough, cough* Anyway, one day Zoe tries to use her powers and she just can. No effort, no training, nothing. Magically she is able to push people away, melt ice cream, telepathically transport her mum's car keys and set her mattress on fire. How did she know how to do any of this!? She wasn't trained and she even didn't know about her magical abilities until a few days before.
In the end, this was boring and not worth any more of my time. I have to say that I am disappointed.
Review copy provided by the author for an honest review.
I cannot make myself read another page of this. It was dull. It was dry and ultimately boring. There wasn't anything that made me feel inclined to read more. I was halfway in and barely a single thing had happened. The one thing that did happen was poorly described and made little sense.
The characters were shoddy. They had shallow personalities. I could barely differentiate Liz and Zoe, especially as it was in the third person so they were always being referred to as "her" or "she".
The wizardry aspect was so poorly planned out I could have cried. Zoe is able to use magic instantly after being told she is a wizard. She is not just any wizard though, she is the wizard prophesized to save them all. Sounds familiar? Hmm, I cannot see why. It's such an original idea! *cough, cough* Anyway, one day Zoe tries to use her powers and she just can. No effort, no training, nothing. Magically she is able to push people away, melt ice cream, telepathically transport her mum's car keys and set her mattress on fire. How did she know how to do any of this!? She wasn't trained and she even didn't know about her magical abilities until a few days before.
In the end, this was boring and not worth any more of my time. I have to say that I am disappointed.
Review copy provided by the author for an honest review.
March 8, 2014
The story concerns two young women Zoe & Liz and their relationships with young men, as well as Zoe's involvement with witchcraft. The Humeleons I found fascinating as a concept and I would have liked to have seen this developed further (perhaps that comes in the next book)
The biggest criticism is going to be the language and the fact that some words are missing, or wrong.
"Fairytale has it (that) a glass slipper could grant a common girl a prince and his castle."
"..it became natural for him (to) worry like a father."
"..to run with whatever she had on (in) her hands." She doesn't run on her hands, she takes the sandals she holds in her hands.
".. earphones tenably plugged into his already deafening (deafened) ears." Deafening refers to a noise and ears don't make a noise, but they can be deafened due to loud noises.
In addition there are just some words which don't sound right. 'Slewed' refers to a violent movement and does not seem right when describing someone moving their head. 'Postiche' is rarely used as a noun and originates from the 18th Century French. The character may well have hair extensions, but it would be better to say that plainly rather than use a word that looks out of place. 'Dissemblance' means to disguise ones feelings and doesn't fit with judging a persons self esteem. 'Lenient hug' does not sound right, as lenient relates to punishment and usually means you are letting someone off a punishment they deserve.
Occasionally in this book, there are flashes of poetic brilliance. "The heritage from a black father and white mother ran through her veins." In other words she has come from mixed race. Zoe describes Liz as a "garrulous chauffeur" which is a nice touch, as you do feel this girl can talk. ".. generous hint of jocularity, Liz's voice .." Jocularity works here because it refers to her voice, which also contains sadness as well. If it stood alone and was just a "generous hint of jocularity" then it wouldn't work.
It is sad that the use of words is going to put a lot of people off as there is some creativity here. Hopefully the writers use of English will get better as she writes and my examples will serve to point her in the right direction. Personally I think a critic who says there are too many mistakes to comment, is neither use nor ornament.
The biggest criticism is going to be the language and the fact that some words are missing, or wrong.
"Fairytale has it (that) a glass slipper could grant a common girl a prince and his castle."
"..it became natural for him (to) worry like a father."
"..to run with whatever she had on (in) her hands." She doesn't run on her hands, she takes the sandals she holds in her hands.
".. earphones tenably plugged into his already deafening (deafened) ears." Deafening refers to a noise and ears don't make a noise, but they can be deafened due to loud noises.
In addition there are just some words which don't sound right. 'Slewed' refers to a violent movement and does not seem right when describing someone moving their head. 'Postiche' is rarely used as a noun and originates from the 18th Century French. The character may well have hair extensions, but it would be better to say that plainly rather than use a word that looks out of place. 'Dissemblance' means to disguise ones feelings and doesn't fit with judging a persons self esteem. 'Lenient hug' does not sound right, as lenient relates to punishment and usually means you are letting someone off a punishment they deserve.
Occasionally in this book, there are flashes of poetic brilliance. "The heritage from a black father and white mother ran through her veins." In other words she has come from mixed race. Zoe describes Liz as a "garrulous chauffeur" which is a nice touch, as you do feel this girl can talk. ".. generous hint of jocularity, Liz's voice .." Jocularity works here because it refers to her voice, which also contains sadness as well. If it stood alone and was just a "generous hint of jocularity" then it wouldn't work.
It is sad that the use of words is going to put a lot of people off as there is some creativity here. Hopefully the writers use of English will get better as she writes and my examples will serve to point her in the right direction. Personally I think a critic who says there are too many mistakes to comment, is neither use nor ornament.
August 12, 2014
Thank you so much to the author, Lily N. Anderson, for gifting me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I've been going through all of the books I've ever read and I don't think I've read one about witches. At least, none that I recall - if you know one, let me know! So because of that, I was going into this not knowing what to expect. I really liked the plot overall. Ms. Anderson did a very nice job introducing us to the world of witches.
Oh wait I HAVE read a witches series before! How could I forget the Everwild series by Kayla Jo?? Hehe don't mind me...
Anyway, when I was reading the first couple of pages, it seemed like Ms. Anderson didn't really have her footing in the story and hadn't quite decided what exactly was going to play out and how to introduce that. However, after the first 30 or so pages, it got so much better and cleaner and smoother. The same goes for the dialogue. In the beginning, it was pretty stiff and only improved slightly throughout the book. Adding a few contractions would do wonders.
I also would like more explanations about the Humeleons (for some reason that confused me but it's probably just me). Just in general, it seemed like events blurred together for me.
Other than all that jazz, I really liked the characters and the betrayal was an amazing part of the plot! I absolutely loved the ending! Not a cliffhanger, but not totally softened off either.
Final Verdict:
Goodbye Normal is a pretty compelling read with a nice plotline and well-developed characters. Someitmes, I was unsure if the author was sure of herself and it showed in some stiff dialogue and a somewhat awkward beginning. After the first few pages though, it all smoothed out into an amazing story with just the right plot points and twists to keep me interested.
3.5 stars
I've been going through all of the books I've ever read and I don't think I've read one about witches. At least, none that I recall - if you know one, let me know! So because of that, I was going into this not knowing what to expect. I really liked the plot overall. Ms. Anderson did a very nice job introducing us to the world of witches.
Oh wait I HAVE read a witches series before! How could I forget the Everwild series by Kayla Jo?? Hehe don't mind me...
Anyway, when I was reading the first couple of pages, it seemed like Ms. Anderson didn't really have her footing in the story and hadn't quite decided what exactly was going to play out and how to introduce that. However, after the first 30 or so pages, it got so much better and cleaner and smoother. The same goes for the dialogue. In the beginning, it was pretty stiff and only improved slightly throughout the book. Adding a few contractions would do wonders.
I also would like more explanations about the Humeleons (for some reason that confused me but it's probably just me). Just in general, it seemed like events blurred together for me.
Other than all that jazz, I really liked the characters and the betrayal was an amazing part of the plot! I absolutely loved the ending! Not a cliffhanger, but not totally softened off either.
Final Verdict:
Goodbye Normal is a pretty compelling read with a nice plotline and well-developed characters. Someitmes, I was unsure if the author was sure of herself and it showed in some stiff dialogue and a somewhat awkward beginning. After the first few pages though, it all smoothed out into an amazing story with just the right plot points and twists to keep me interested.
3.5 stars
March 11, 2014
Goodbye Normal by Lily N. Anderson is a young adult fantasy novel listed as Book One of the Zoe Brown Series. We are introduced to Zoe as a resident of Doomsberg, a sister city of the obsolete Central American town of Desolia. The town has a history of being a hub for sorcerers in decades past, and Zoe begins to realize that the practice remains alive and well in its underground circles. Although she leads a normal life in the company of her friend Liz, her family’s past continues to haunt her until her search for identity leads her to discover that black magic is alive and thriving in Doomsberg.
The theme of race resonates throughout the novel as a correlation to the conflict between light and darkness. Although ‘light’ is the desirable attribute, darkness becomes a necessary quality in surviving along the periphery of the netherworld. Zoe, who is half black, learns that the mystical Humeleons are able to change ethnicities in infiltrating dark magic groups. We are also introduced to Pablo, a Chinaman, and Lonard, a black, both of who are part of the battle surrounding the coven witches whose existence is being threatened by the ‘dark side’. Anderson’s tale appears as an allegory in narrating how fighting fire with fire becomes an inevitable solution when an implacable enemy seeks far more than non-resistance.
There is a lot here for the YA audience that share common ground with other works of the genre, such as Zoe’s protective amulet which makes her a target for the bad guys, and the Doomsberg Association of Witchery where she must find acceptance in stepping up to the next level. She is also forced to realize her destiny as a Channeler, which undoubtedly provides a segue as we look forward to Book Two. Goodbye Normal by Lily N. Anderson is a worthy series opener that fantasy readers will want to add to their list.
August 11, 2016
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Goodbye Normal is the story of a young girl just got out high school, Zoe, and her introduction into the world of witchcraft. The story begins with Zoe being a typical teenage girl dealing with typical teenage things - a hard core crush on a guy, buying her first car, and hanging out with her best friend Liz. I really enjoyed the relationship between Liz and Zoe. Having been a teenage girl at one point in my life, I found it to be very true to life. At one point, Zoe's tale takes a turn towards the witches and she comes to find out that she is a very special individual known as the Channeler. Lily Anderson did a wonderful job of creating a world of light and dark witches, with the light witches mentoring and protecting the Channeler and the dark witches who are in conflict with the light witches. I felt that this part of the story needed a little more development. It was difficult for me to understand how Zoe first felt about having the powers she had and controlling them. It also seemed like she just went ahead and used the magic like she's used it every day of her life. I understand the necklace on the cover gave her power, but how did she learn to channel the magic? Also, it seemed all the other magical characters had specialties in the book, such as Chris and his knack for plants, but it was unclear what Zoe's specialty was (perhaps a subject for a latter book)? The Humeleons were a very creative twist on the story, and I hope they continue to make appearances in future stories.
Overall, I felt this was a promising start to a new series and look forward to reading more from this author.
Goodbye Normal is the story of a young girl just got out high school, Zoe, and her introduction into the world of witchcraft. The story begins with Zoe being a typical teenage girl dealing with typical teenage things - a hard core crush on a guy, buying her first car, and hanging out with her best friend Liz. I really enjoyed the relationship between Liz and Zoe. Having been a teenage girl at one point in my life, I found it to be very true to life. At one point, Zoe's tale takes a turn towards the witches and she comes to find out that she is a very special individual known as the Channeler. Lily Anderson did a wonderful job of creating a world of light and dark witches, with the light witches mentoring and protecting the Channeler and the dark witches who are in conflict with the light witches. I felt that this part of the story needed a little more development. It was difficult for me to understand how Zoe first felt about having the powers she had and controlling them. It also seemed like she just went ahead and used the magic like she's used it every day of her life. I understand the necklace on the cover gave her power, but how did she learn to channel the magic? Also, it seemed all the other magical characters had specialties in the book, such as Chris and his knack for plants, but it was unclear what Zoe's specialty was (perhaps a subject for a latter book)? The Humeleons were a very creative twist on the story, and I hope they continue to make appearances in future stories.
Overall, I felt this was a promising start to a new series and look forward to reading more from this author.
March 6, 2014
(Lily Anderson has overcome certain challenges in the completion of this work from her home in East Africa with access to limited resources. My rating is reflective of how the fully edited piece would impact.)
Zoey is plunged into a life of magic when the Doomsberg Association of Witchery find her to be the answer to their sacred oracle search of the Channeler. For the first time in one hundred and eighty six years, the Association strike lucky and Zoey's life is about to get a whole lot more exciting!
I was fortunate to get a chance to review an early unedited version of Lily Anderson's Goodbye Normal, and loved it. Bold use of dialogue gives the book an immediacy that brings the characters to life.
Zoey and her best friend Liz enjoy a rare friendship that communicates easily within the pages of this first instalment of Anderson's fantasy adventure. The Channeler can't believe her luck when the gorgeous Christopher Moore becomes a candidate to become her mentor. The clairvoyant boy helps to ease her preordained path of discovery and power.
A feud exists between the coven witches and the feared Darkeel which Zoey's presence exacerbates, thus putting her loved ones in danger.
The pacing speeds up to reach a conclusion that sets up nicely for the next in the series.
I found the introduction of the Humeleon to be an exciting and imaginative addition to the genre. The creatures who do the bidding of Darkeel, kill to acquire whichever ethnicity they wish to emulate.
I look forward to more from Lily Anderson.
Zoey is plunged into a life of magic when the Doomsberg Association of Witchery find her to be the answer to their sacred oracle search of the Channeler. For the first time in one hundred and eighty six years, the Association strike lucky and Zoey's life is about to get a whole lot more exciting!
I was fortunate to get a chance to review an early unedited version of Lily Anderson's Goodbye Normal, and loved it. Bold use of dialogue gives the book an immediacy that brings the characters to life.
Zoey and her best friend Liz enjoy a rare friendship that communicates easily within the pages of this first instalment of Anderson's fantasy adventure. The Channeler can't believe her luck when the gorgeous Christopher Moore becomes a candidate to become her mentor. The clairvoyant boy helps to ease her preordained path of discovery and power.
A feud exists between the coven witches and the feared Darkeel which Zoey's presence exacerbates, thus putting her loved ones in danger.
The pacing speeds up to reach a conclusion that sets up nicely for the next in the series.
I found the introduction of the Humeleon to be an exciting and imaginative addition to the genre. The creatures who do the bidding of Darkeel, kill to acquire whichever ethnicity they wish to emulate.
I look forward to more from Lily Anderson.
June 10, 2015
While the author created some new and fascinating ideas, unfortunately the story is hampered by its bad writing. There are just too many spelling errors, missing or inaccurate words to make reading anything but a strenuous process, like wading through swampy and stony stagnant water instead of flowing smoothly with the current.
There were misspellings like quiet instead of quite, portion instead of potion, also mixed up prepositions (her instead of his or the other way round) or simply missing words leaving sentences incomplete. While I understand that an editor is not always available, I would have thought that subjecting a book to proofreading and spell-checking shouldn't be much of a problem.
The one thing I liked about the book was the concept of the humeleons, shifters that can change their ethnic appearance. While I did not much favor the language or attitude of the characters, I understand that it may be fitting for a young adult book - I guess I'm just too old to find that style attractive.
I hope the author will work on her writing skills and prepare the sequel more thoroughly before publishing, then she may well be on the right path.
There were misspellings like quiet instead of quite, portion instead of potion, also mixed up prepositions (her instead of his or the other way round) or simply missing words leaving sentences incomplete. While I understand that an editor is not always available, I would have thought that subjecting a book to proofreading and spell-checking shouldn't be much of a problem.
The one thing I liked about the book was the concept of the humeleons, shifters that can change their ethnic appearance. While I did not much favor the language or attitude of the characters, I understand that it may be fitting for a young adult book - I guess I'm just too old to find that style attractive.
I hope the author will work on her writing skills and prepare the sequel more thoroughly before publishing, then she may well be on the right path.
November 28, 2014
I received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Goodbye Normal is a YA/NA geared Fantasy novel but I think that adults can enjoy it as well.
The author Lily Anderson does a great job building a plot that will draw you in and keep you interested all the way to the end.
Obviously meant to be a part of a series there are a few questions left unanswered that I look forward to discovering in her later books.
Her characters are likable, fun and realistic and their mentality is perfect for mid teens discovering their new path in life.
Its a great journey getting to follow along with Zoe as her life is turned upside down and she learns how to make the best of it and the magic she is now responsible for.
There were a few things I felt could use some more development and work but I don't feel that it deters from the story. Obviously many readers that aren't open to supernatural topics will have to keep an open mind but I liked the take on magic Lily creates for her readers.
Goodbye Normal is a great read and I look forward to reading more in the future.
Thank you for sharing Lily.
Goodbye Normal is a YA/NA geared Fantasy novel but I think that adults can enjoy it as well.
The author Lily Anderson does a great job building a plot that will draw you in and keep you interested all the way to the end.
Obviously meant to be a part of a series there are a few questions left unanswered that I look forward to discovering in her later books.
Her characters are likable, fun and realistic and their mentality is perfect for mid teens discovering their new path in life.
Its a great journey getting to follow along with Zoe as her life is turned upside down and she learns how to make the best of it and the magic she is now responsible for.
There were a few things I felt could use some more development and work but I don't feel that it deters from the story. Obviously many readers that aren't open to supernatural topics will have to keep an open mind but I liked the take on magic Lily creates for her readers.
Goodbye Normal is a great read and I look forward to reading more in the future.
Thank you for sharing Lily.
December 10, 2014
I received an electronic copy from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
Doomsberg , a town with a dark history, Zoe doesn't believed in the myths and legends attached to the town but all that is about to change with a magical pentagram chain.Zoe is actually a witch and a rather powerful one at that !
What did I like about this book .....then introduction to a new phenomenon , one which is neither vampire, shifter, werewolf, fairy or fae , we're introduced to the "Humeleons" aka human chameleons ! Now this concept both freaked me out and fascinated me , I've often said that some people are like chameleons and they simply adapt and blend into their surroundings and they also adapt to the people around them , its as if they absorb their personalities.
So Zoe says farewell to life as a normal teen and is faced with secrets , deception and some really tough decisions , grateful I'm not in her shoes !
A well plotted,well written * * * * fantasy
Doomsberg , a town with a dark history, Zoe doesn't believed in the myths and legends attached to the town but all that is about to change with a magical pentagram chain.Zoe is actually a witch and a rather powerful one at that !
What did I like about this book .....then introduction to a new phenomenon , one which is neither vampire, shifter, werewolf, fairy or fae , we're introduced to the "Humeleons" aka human chameleons ! Now this concept both freaked me out and fascinated me , I've often said that some people are like chameleons and they simply adapt and blend into their surroundings and they also adapt to the people around them , its as if they absorb their personalities.
So Zoe says farewell to life as a normal teen and is faced with secrets , deception and some really tough decisions , grateful I'm not in her shoes !
A well plotted,well written * * * * fantasy
July 10, 2014
What’s promising about this story is that it has an interesting concept which I’m hoping will be built upon in the next book in the series. For me, the paranormal part of the book took much too long to kick off but the lengthy intro helped give a good sense of Zoe and her friends/family. I didn’t really warm to Zoe as a protagonist but she had redeeming qualities which allowed me empathise with her predicament. I never quite bought the love interest part of the story either. I also got a little confused with the introduction of a lot of different characters by the end of the book, and found the whole ending…lacking. Saying all this, “Goodbye Normal” kept me turning pages, so give it a go if you’re a fan of YA paranormal concepts that aren’t too typical.
December 26, 2014
Since I decided that the best possible way to finish this year is by finishing all my books on my currently reading, then this book had to be dealt with.
SO the story started a bit slow for me but it certainly picked up from chapter three, and then it got interesting at certain points and then lost me at some but I will have to say it was an okay read for me.
I did not necessarily finish it but I liked certain Ideas the author threw in the book and they made perfect sense. Now dear author can we please add some romance in this one? book two, shall we?
SO the story started a bit slow for me but it certainly picked up from chapter three, and then it got interesting at certain points and then lost me at some but I will have to say it was an okay read for me.
I did not necessarily finish it but I liked certain Ideas the author threw in the book and they made perfect sense. Now dear author can we please add some romance in this one? book two, shall we?
February 25, 2014
I like the artwork on the coverpage, catchy! The whole setup, the flow and turn of events is simple yet breathtaking, the characters are lively and up to their persona, the fictional stage, Desolia, lives to tell the story, the writer has really matched the stage, the characters and the storyline. The first part of the Zoe Brown series has set a bar high and leaves us readers to mouthwater for the next release. Well done to the writer, Lily N. Anderson.
December 18, 2014
This book is Imaginative, witty, and fun. Zoe Brown has just finished high school and is ready to spend some time chilling out with her best friend Liz before she leaves for college. She doesn't know that the legend about her town is true until she and Liz are taken to a place she thinks is just a bad dream. Follow Zoe on an adventure of discovery about herself, her family, and who she really is. If you enjoy intrigue, mystery, and plot twists this novel is for you!
Want to read
March 7, 2017Started reading it but couldn't go beyond the 8th page.
What I didn't like:
the two characters sound exactly the same
their teenage babbling is too uninteresting
some of the words used, just don't fit
a rare DNF for me!
What I didn't like:
the two characters sound exactly the same
their teenage babbling is too uninteresting
some of the words used, just don't fit
a rare DNF for me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2014
I love the novel its very interesting.i love the way the author made me to want to know what happening next and the way the characters are potrayed expecially Zoe cant wait to read the next novel. Job well done LILY am looking forward to keep reading more of your work.
February 11, 2014
loved it to bits! so proud of this first time author! watch out LJ Smith!
April 20, 2017
Decent story line but..
The author needs a new editor. There are so many mistakes in the book that I just can't get through reading this! The thesaurus is not your friend if the wrong word is used out of context. When there aren't incorrect adjectives, transitions among different character dialogue is hard to follow. Many sentences are just grammatically incorrect. It's killing me and takes away from the story:(
The author needs a new editor. There are so many mistakes in the book that I just can't get through reading this! The thesaurus is not your friend if the wrong word is used out of context. When there aren't incorrect adjectives, transitions among different character dialogue is hard to follow. Many sentences are just grammatically incorrect. It's killing me and takes away from the story:(
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