What do you think?
Rate this book
A fantasy world rich with ancient magic, enigmatic gypsies, palace labyrinths, and deep woods haunted by strange and forbidding creaturesOn the brutal streets of Hellip, a village in the vast empire of King Ibis, lives twelve-year-old Tucker Scrap. Abandoned as an infant, Tucker is now the leader of the town orphans. Along with her friends Ash and Kally, she attempts to keep one step ahead of the king’s Blackcoats, stealing what she needs to survive and pondering her own unknown origins.But when Ash and Kally vanish from the orphanage, perhaps headed for the faraway city where Ibis still rules, Tucker has never felt more alone. Then mysterious Vivian arrives in Hellip with a strange invitation that might help Tucker find her missing friends.Over night, Tucker leaves the savage streets behind and enters the foreign world of private tutors, etiquette lessons, and silk dresses, and learns of her hidden inheritance. And when she unleashes supernatural powers she never knew she had, she begins rewriting the future of the entire kingdom. A bold, memorable heroine at the center of a centuries-old mystery, Tucker steps into her destiny at last.
355 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 17, 2013
4 people are currently reading
542 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
June 6, 2017
Note. My opinion of this book is very based on the hopes of a second book. If there is no second book then this is only worthy of 3.5 stars. Too many things currently unanswered. It was worthy of a 4.5 star journey but it has been 2 years and not even a whisper of a second book being worked on.
This was a very well done book. A great debut novel from Emory Sharplin!
The story quickly drew me in with the hard life of young Tucker. A young girl/women of 12 years, who was left as a baby on the steps of a small town 'orphanage.' I say that lightly as there is no one that seems to be running it or adding the children and in fact children found to be orphans are hung when caught. Her life changes when a women named Vivian whisked her away, creating a fake identity for her.
This book does a great job painting the backround for Tucker. A fantastic job portraying her history, and often snarky personality. Smart, quick-witted and compassionate. I absolutely loved her character! Vivian seems to be well portrayed but is such a mystery through the entire book it is hard to peg her down.
The world that they live in is nicely portrayed. I can clearly see in my mind Tucker running from the guards, the maids trying to dress her for the first time, the run-down church/orphanage. It all had a very nice medieval setting and feel, with the slightest undercurrent of a fantasy element. That element grows stronger throughout the book in the form of alchemy.
And then there were riddles! I love riddles to this appealed to me heavily. Here is an example from the book: "I am the beginning of the end. I enclose eternity and time. I am within reason, but not though. What am I?”
Now my concern for this book. I did not realize that it was a series when I first got this. I was reading toward the end as the pace picks up, on edge wondering how the author is going to finish in such a short amount of space. Then I find out, this is book 1. My concern is that I can find no mention about book 2. No website/blog, no title, no hopeful release...I don't even know if it is being worked on yet. One, I hate long waits. by the time the next books come out, I am no longer looking for them. Two, so many authors drop out of series writing and never finish. This is even more so for new authors. So my rating is very generous in the hopes that there will soon be a book 2.
Overall, nicely done! If you like Tamora Pierce, be sure to check this out!
I received this book from Netgalley. So I would like to thank them, the publisher at Greenleaf Book Group and Ms Emory Sharplin for this opportunity. This was given to me in return for an honest review. I actually like this enough to go buy the book one I am sure there is going to be a book two.
This was a very well done book. A great debut novel from Emory Sharplin!
The story quickly drew me in with the hard life of young Tucker. A young girl/women of 12 years, who was left as a baby on the steps of a small town 'orphanage.' I say that lightly as there is no one that seems to be running it or adding the children and in fact children found to be orphans are hung when caught. Her life changes when a women named Vivian whisked her away, creating a fake identity for her.
This book does a great job painting the backround for Tucker. A fantastic job portraying her history, and often snarky personality. Smart, quick-witted and compassionate. I absolutely loved her character! Vivian seems to be well portrayed but is such a mystery through the entire book it is hard to peg her down.
The world that they live in is nicely portrayed. I can clearly see in my mind Tucker running from the guards, the maids trying to dress her for the first time, the run-down church/orphanage. It all had a very nice medieval setting and feel, with the slightest undercurrent of a fantasy element. That element grows stronger throughout the book in the form of alchemy.
And then there were riddles! I love riddles to this appealed to me heavily. Here is an example from the book: "I am the beginning of the end. I enclose eternity and time. I am within reason, but not though. What am I?”
Now my concern for this book. I did not realize that it was a series when I first got this. I was reading toward the end as the pace picks up, on edge wondering how the author is going to finish in such a short amount of space. Then I find out, this is book 1. My concern is that I can find no mention about book 2. No website/blog, no title, no hopeful release...I don't even know if it is being worked on yet. One, I hate long waits. by the time the next books come out, I am no longer looking for them. Two, so many authors drop out of series writing and never finish. This is even more so for new authors. So my rating is very generous in the hopes that there will soon be a book 2.
Overall, nicely done! If you like Tamora Pierce, be sure to check this out!
I received this book from Netgalley. So I would like to thank them, the publisher at Greenleaf Book Group and Ms Emory Sharplin for this opportunity. This was given to me in return for an honest review. I actually like this enough to go buy the book one I am sure there is going to be a book two.
November 4, 2015
This was a pretty original idea and I was pleasantly surprised throughout the whole book. Ok, so a few of the concepts have been done before more than a few times, but this story was a recipe for success.
This is not your usual rags-to-riches story.
This story got off to an excellent start, although I was often confused as to what type of world this was - a lot of the time it felt like a medieval-type fantasy world, but then there'd be the mention of an elevator and I'd stare dumbly at the page trying to re-imagine the world. But this is a pretty fantastic world filled with magic and multi-coloured gypsies, an evil king and a poverty-ridden kingdom.
The characters are strong, and if they're a little predictable, then they're meant to be. Colt and Napier are boys after all, and Kally's a whore. Really, she's a whore. Tucker is a strong and feisty young woman, even if her name seems very out of place in this world where all of the other names are so elegant sounding. I liked how her past isn't ignored and instead is being brought into every part of the book.
This would have got a full five-stars from me if it wasn't for the talking. Oh god, the talking. Back-and-forth and round-and-round with all this banter and it's so irrelevant at times and distracting from the story. SO MUCH TALKING. I just wanted them to shut up and get on with it.
I have to say I was a little disappointed with the ending - yet at the same time I'm quite happy with it. I thought this was a standalone book, but with an ending like that with so much more still to happen, this is surely part of a series. About 30 pages before the ending excitement was building in me - all I could think was how AWESOME AND ACTION PACKED this ending would have to be. There is action and it is awesome (and scary!) but it's not the holiday I thought I'd packed for. Oh well, this just means I have to keep an eye on Emory Sharplin and see if there is a follow-up (or two?) to Scrap.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.
This is not your usual rags-to-riches story.
This story got off to an excellent start, although I was often confused as to what type of world this was - a lot of the time it felt like a medieval-type fantasy world, but then there'd be the mention of an elevator and I'd stare dumbly at the page trying to re-imagine the world. But this is a pretty fantastic world filled with magic and multi-coloured gypsies, an evil king and a poverty-ridden kingdom.
The characters are strong, and if they're a little predictable, then they're meant to be. Colt and Napier are boys after all, and Kally's a whore. Really, she's a whore. Tucker is a strong and feisty young woman, even if her name seems very out of place in this world where all of the other names are so elegant sounding. I liked how her past isn't ignored and instead is being brought into every part of the book.
This would have got a full five-stars from me if it wasn't for the talking. Oh god, the talking. Back-and-forth and round-and-round with all this banter and it's so irrelevant at times and distracting from the story. SO MUCH TALKING. I just wanted them to shut up and get on with it.
I have to say I was a little disappointed with the ending - yet at the same time I'm quite happy with it. I thought this was a standalone book, but with an ending like that with so much more still to happen, this is surely part of a series. About 30 pages before the ending excitement was building in me - all I could think was how AWESOME AND ACTION PACKED this ending would have to be. There is action and it is awesome (and scary!) but it's not the holiday I thought I'd packed for. Oh well, this just means I have to keep an eye on Emory Sharplin and see if there is a follow-up (or two?) to Scrap.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.
April 26, 2013
'“In the name of the King, halt!"
"In the name of your duty, catch me!”'
A cross between Celine Kiernan's The Poison Throne, Tamora Pierce's Trickster's Choice and The Lord of the Rings, Scrap is an adventurous tale with enough magic, adventure, cussing, ballgowns, thievery, gypsies, poison and court intrigue to have you hooked from start to finish!
Hellip, a village in the vast empire of the cruel King Ibis, holds more than brutal Blackcoats, poverty, bloodied scaffolds and misery. Tucked away in a run-down orphanage lives twelve-year-old Tucker Scrap - baker's assistant, thief and as much as an enigma as the enchanted bracelet and the words on the note that were left with Tucker on the doorstep.
'Don't let her die.'
But when a girl named Vivian arrives to sweep Tucker away, Tucker never could have imagined what she faced outside of Hellip's dark streets. Intent on being re-united with her orphanage friends Ash and Kally - both who had vanished from Hellip without a word - Tucker agrees to go with Vivian.
But there's more ahead of her than dress fittings, etiquette lessons and rules. Vivian holds the secrets to Tucker's past and to her future. Tucker is more than just an orphan - more than just a thief.
'You could always count on serendipity to keep things interesting.'
In fact, Tucker could hold the fate of the kingdom in her palm...the only one with the will, strength and raw power to save it at last from Ibis' iron rule.
“A GIRL WAS BORN FROM DARKNESS,
AND SHONE JUST LIKE THE SUN.
SHE ROSE TO FOOL THE HEARTLESS,
BUT GAVE HER LOVE TO NONE.
SO THIS GIRL DID DIED IN GLORY,
ON THE FIELD WHERE SHE WAS SLAIN,
AND SHE'LL NEVER HEAR HER STORY
AND WE'LL NEVER KNOW HER NAME.”
Scrap is a tale that will find its niche in your heart and stay with you forever - with its breathtaking take on magic, loveable cast of characters, colourful swear words, wit, talented twists and turns, exasperating gypsies, mayhem and abundant collection of weaponry, it is sure to captivate you unlike any other story to date!
April 28, 2013
I gave it a chance, but from the start I wasn't overly wild about the writing style. Overuse of exclamation points, an irritating main character who is ~oh so special~, and some pretty basic world building.
But worst of all... a flashback to a near rape scene that Tucker goes through, just to show off how awesome she is and how she isn't like her slutty prostitute friend Kally. Tucker chuckles at this memory of nearly being raped and fighting off her attacker at thirteen years old.
Sorry, no. Dropped it like a hot potato after that and feel no desire to pick it back up. Just because you can include a scene like that to show how dark or how tough your main character is doesn't mean you should. Rape and attempted rape should never be used as a basic device to show something off.
But worst of all... a flashback to a near rape scene that Tucker goes through, just to show off how awesome she is and how she isn't like her slutty prostitute friend Kally. Tucker chuckles at this memory of nearly being raped and fighting off her attacker at thirteen years old.
Sorry, no. Dropped it like a hot potato after that and feel no desire to pick it back up. Just because you can include a scene like that to show how dark or how tough your main character is doesn't mean you should. Rape and attempted rape should never be used as a basic device to show something off.
April 17, 2013
3.5/5. An interesting tale set in the medieval era. The cover is a perfect match to the story, one that's filled with magic, wonder, mystery, and lovely characters.
Tucker is a great heroine. She grew up in an orphanage. Despite its deplorable condition, it did not dampen her spirit one bit. She's witty, resourceful, and has a great heart.
Vivian is a very mysterious lady. I believe more of her tale has yet to be revealed. She's a bit too cold to my liking, but I guess her experience was partly to blame. Even though we didn't exactly see the outcome in this book, what she had accomplished so far was quite unbelievable.
Napier is the comic relief, a charming gypsy that's good at playing the violin. Hmmm would there be anything between Tucker and him? Being that this is a "children book", maybe not? I certainly wouldn't mind Tucker feeling something for him :) or vice versa.
Characters aside, the plot was quite good as well. We followed Tucker journey from orphanage to the world outside. From having to scavenge/steal food daily, to taking etiquette lessons. I also loves how she managed to make friend right away. Combined that with the unpredictability of magic and mayhem, it's never boring and always carries with it a sense of wonder that is typical in fantasy book.
Loved the writing too. The pacing is good, and the story flows. I didn't notice any typo, but 2 or 3 of the characters' names were consistently in the wrong case. eg. "vivian" instead of "Vivian". Sometimes, the first word of the start of a sentence is in small caps. Other than that, it's a relatively clean ARC.
Looking forward to its sequel, especially of what actually happened to Kally. She must had had a great adventure. Also, where did Ash go?
Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC
Tucker is a great heroine. She grew up in an orphanage. Despite its deplorable condition, it did not dampen her spirit one bit. She's witty, resourceful, and has a great heart.
Vivian is a very mysterious lady. I believe more of her tale has yet to be revealed. She's a bit too cold to my liking, but I guess her experience was partly to blame. Even though we didn't exactly see the outcome in this book, what she had accomplished so far was quite unbelievable.
Napier is the comic relief, a charming gypsy that's good at playing the violin. Hmmm would there be anything between Tucker and him? Being that this is a "children book", maybe not? I certainly wouldn't mind Tucker feeling something for him :) or vice versa.
Characters aside, the plot was quite good as well. We followed Tucker journey from orphanage to the world outside. From having to scavenge/steal food daily, to taking etiquette lessons. I also loves how she managed to make friend right away. Combined that with the unpredictability of magic and mayhem, it's never boring and always carries with it a sense of wonder that is typical in fantasy book.
Loved the writing too. The pacing is good, and the story flows. I didn't notice any typo, but 2 or 3 of the characters' names were consistently in the wrong case. eg. "vivian" instead of "Vivian". Sometimes, the first word of the start of a sentence is in small caps. Other than that, it's a relatively clean ARC.
Looking forward to its sequel, especially of what actually happened to Kally. She must had had a great adventure. Also, where did Ash go?
Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC
April 24, 2013
I received this ARC via NetGallery for an honest review.
I was a little skeptical when I started reading "Scrap" but over all I did like it. :)
Since I'm a sucker for anything with fantasy and magic, my interest didn't take long to get peaked and I found myself in a world of the medieval era filled with magic, mayhem, and a centuries old mystery that involves our bold, quirky heroine.
SO MY THOUGHTS:
The plot line was very original which RARE these days in books and the characters were quite likable.
I also felt that the pacing was "just right" and the story had this colorful quality that kept me always on edge since the story was a bit delightfully unpredictable at certain points. WHICH IN TURN, kept me immersed in reading the book till finish.
On a side note: I didn't like the ending. Here I am reading and totally engrossed in the story and it comes to a brusque conclusion. I was literally thinking, "How can the author do this to me?!?!" If I had known that there was going to be a sequel [or perhaps this book is a series??] then I might have prepared myself a lot better but I didn't. Now I have to wait for the next installment in the series to come out... *sigh*
I was a little skeptical when I started reading "Scrap" but over all I did like it. :)
Since I'm a sucker for anything with fantasy and magic, my interest didn't take long to get peaked and I found myself in a world of the medieval era filled with magic, mayhem, and a centuries old mystery that involves our bold, quirky heroine.
SO MY THOUGHTS:
The plot line was very original which RARE these days in books and the characters were quite likable.
I also felt that the pacing was "just right" and the story had this colorful quality that kept me always on edge since the story was a bit delightfully unpredictable at certain points. WHICH IN TURN, kept me immersed in reading the book till finish.
On a side note: I didn't like the ending. Here I am reading and totally engrossed in the story and it comes to a brusque conclusion. I was literally thinking, "How can the author do this to me?!?!" If I had known that there was going to be a sequel [or perhaps this book is a series??] then I might have prepared myself a lot better but I didn't. Now I have to wait for the next installment in the series to come out... *sigh*
April 28, 2013
9/10 Couldn't put it down. The writing was good, the characters were great, the plot was original. Because of Miranda's feminist rant/review of the book, I was prepared for some sort of horrible rape scene... but guess what? There isn't one. A boy pushes Tucker into the wall and she knees him and runs away. He doesn't kiss her, or touch her, or do anything like that. It's teen fiction for crying out loud. I wouldn't say it's any more inappropriate than harry potter. But what would you expect from someone who "reads 20 pages and then drops it like a hot potato".
Sheesh. But anywayssssss... Here's my review: There's lots of adventure and humor. I'd recommend it to any fantasy reader. The author did a great job creating likable characters and a strong hero. I'm definitely eager to read the sequel when it comes out (:
Napier is a crack up, Kally is definitely entertaining, Vivian is intimidating, and Lorelei makes me want to punch her in the nose. Scrap is Emory Sharplin's debut novel, but I think she'll be an author to watch. Also, does anyone out there know what the series/cycle is going to be called?
Sheesh. But anywayssssss... Here's my review: There's lots of adventure and humor. I'd recommend it to any fantasy reader. The author did a great job creating likable characters and a strong hero. I'm definitely eager to read the sequel when it comes out (:
Napier is a crack up, Kally is definitely entertaining, Vivian is intimidating, and Lorelei makes me want to punch her in the nose. Scrap is Emory Sharplin's debut novel, but I think she'll be an author to watch. Also, does anyone out there know what the series/cycle is going to be called?
May 30, 2013
(This review was originally posted at My Library in the Making.)
Set in a harsh and gruesome world filled with magic and where danger lurked in every corner, Scrap is the story of Tucker Scrap, a rough, resilient, trouble-making orphan girl from Hellip who works in a bakery and steals whatever she can to support herself and the other orphan kids. But when her two dearest friends disappear and an old friend makes herself known, Tucker decides that it's time to go on her own adventure.
First things first, you should know that this book was very slow to start; I almost gave up after the first fifty pages but I chose to keep at it because of the beautiful prose. I'm glad I did because things got interesting and although there were still a few draggy parts here and there, I just breezed through the pages.
Another problem I had with Scrap was the lack of conflict. I don't think Tucker had any other major problem aside from dealing with King Ibis' cruelty and the kingdom that had resulted from it, or maybe that's because the author left a huge number of possibilities unturned. Tucker's road to fulfilling her mission was less bumpy than I'd expected it to be, lowering the stakes and the complexity—which is sad because the story had a lot of potential to be as expansive as, say, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. How I would have loved to see that.
I think what I enjoyed the most in this book were the plentiful characters. Each of them, even Tucker herself, was worthy of being doubted. But even with the doubts, they still provided a good number of laughs—well, Colt and Napier did, at least. Colt, a young duke, and Napier, a thieving gypsy, were from the opposite ends of society, but when Colt saved Napier from getting his arm chopped off by a Blackcoat, a friendship bloomed. I had a lot of fun seeing the dynamic between them.
At first, I got confused as to whether this was historical fantasy or high fantasy, and the main reasons for that were 1) the use of expressions like "Speak of the devil", and 2) the huge similarity between the court hierarchy (Is that what it's called?) in this book and during the Victorian era, which alludes to the lack of world-building. And as if I didn't already have enough complaints, the ending only gave me two things: zero resolution—when I say zero, as in 'Did she even get that arrow out of her leg?!'—and a mothereffing shocker that left me irritatedly worrying about my ships and utterly desperate for the next book!
MY FAVORITE PART was the mothereffing shocker I've mentioned above. I was in class when I got to that part, you see, but I still couldn't stop myself from flailing around in my seat. The flailing may have been due to the murderous intent that the last few lines of the book gave me.
Set in a harsh and gruesome world filled with magic and where danger lurked in every corner, Scrap is the story of Tucker Scrap, a rough, resilient, trouble-making orphan girl from Hellip who works in a bakery and steals whatever she can to support herself and the other orphan kids. But when her two dearest friends disappear and an old friend makes herself known, Tucker decides that it's time to go on her own adventure.
First things first, you should know that this book was very slow to start; I almost gave up after the first fifty pages but I chose to keep at it because of the beautiful prose. I'm glad I did because things got interesting and although there were still a few draggy parts here and there, I just breezed through the pages.
Another problem I had with Scrap was the lack of conflict. I don't think Tucker had any other major problem aside from dealing with King Ibis' cruelty and the kingdom that had resulted from it, or maybe that's because the author left a huge number of possibilities unturned. Tucker's road to fulfilling her mission was less bumpy than I'd expected it to be, lowering the stakes and the complexity—which is sad because the story had a lot of potential to be as expansive as, say, George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. How I would have loved to see that.
I think what I enjoyed the most in this book were the plentiful characters. Each of them, even Tucker herself, was worthy of being doubted. But even with the doubts, they still provided a good number of laughs—well, Colt and Napier did, at least. Colt, a young duke, and Napier, a thieving gypsy, were from the opposite ends of society, but when Colt saved Napier from getting his arm chopped off by a Blackcoat, a friendship bloomed. I had a lot of fun seeing the dynamic between them.
Tucker stretched out the stiffness in her limbs before nudging the boys awake. "Come on, it's time to move out."
Napier rolled over. "Sorry, I'm not here."
"Me neither." Colt draped an arm over his face and blocked out the light. "Try again later."
At first, I got confused as to whether this was historical fantasy or high fantasy, and the main reasons for that were 1) the use of expressions like "Speak of the devil", and 2) the huge similarity between the court hierarchy (Is that what it's called?) in this book and during the Victorian era, which alludes to the lack of world-building. And as if I didn't already have enough complaints, the ending only gave me two things: zero resolution—when I say zero, as in 'Did she even get that arrow out of her leg?!'—and a mothereffing shocker that left me irritatedly worrying about my ships and utterly desperate for the next book!
MY FAVORITE PART was the mothereffing shocker I've mentioned above. I was in class when I got to that part, you see, but I still couldn't stop myself from flailing around in my seat. The flailing may have been due to the murderous intent that the last few lines of the book gave me.
June 2, 2013
Scrap is the first book in The Grimmic Chronicles by Emory Sharplin, her debut novel. The main character, Tucker, is an orphan, the leader of the orphans, in a town called Hellip, works at a bakery, and has two really close friends in Ash and Kally. Tucker's nickname is scrap since she was abandoned at the orphanage with a scrap of paper that said 'don't let her die' and a seemingly magical bracelet. When Ash and Kally vanish, a mysterious stranger named Vivian shows up with a proposal for Tucker.
This book ended up being around a 3.5/5 for me. I really did enjoy the concept of the book and the characters but there was also some confusion about which time the book was taking place and some fairly predictable twists.
Tucker, the main character, is a strong young girl who has learned to take care of herself because it was either that or die. She's 12/13 in this book but at times she really seems much older, which given her circumstances does make sense. She's younger than the characters I normally read but I found myself really enjoying her story. I loved her curiosity, her determination, and the people she chose to befriend. She came across as very smart and resourceful but I wish she had taken a little more time to think about her decisions, especially the major ones, instead of jumping head-first into them.
Vivian was probably the next best developed character and she was interesting. It was hard to get a feel for her, but that was the intent as there was a lot of mystery about her. I found myself just as frustrated with her as Tucker did when she would evade answering questions.
Colt and Napier, both a little older than Tucker and both boys, are two that I hope get more development in the next book. Colt is a 'manor boy' and Napier a gypsy who became friends after Colt saved Napier and their friendship and interactions with Tucker provide most of the comedic moments in the book. But I never got the feeling that the book went any deeper into them than just below the surface.
As mentioned, I really did like the concept of this book. The time period the book was set in was a little hard to determine, since at times it felt and read like they were in medieval times but some of the expressions were more of today's times and there was a train and an elevator mentioned. There were also times where the plot felt like it was moving a little fast, I would have liked to see Tucker struggle more with her training. Instead it felt like it began then it was weeks later and we never really got a sense of her growing.
There was a lot that was easy to predict and it was a little slow going at first but the last part of the book was a stay-up-til-3-am point. The little rhymes, either from prophecies or ones children/rebels sing are catchy and the magic lore is fascinating. I do hope in the sequel we get more in depth into the characters who aren't Tucker and that the world-building is a little tighter. I will definitely be checking out the sequel.
*I received this book from netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
This book ended up being around a 3.5/5 for me. I really did enjoy the concept of the book and the characters but there was also some confusion about which time the book was taking place and some fairly predictable twists.
Tucker, the main character, is a strong young girl who has learned to take care of herself because it was either that or die. She's 12/13 in this book but at times she really seems much older, which given her circumstances does make sense. She's younger than the characters I normally read but I found myself really enjoying her story. I loved her curiosity, her determination, and the people she chose to befriend. She came across as very smart and resourceful but I wish she had taken a little more time to think about her decisions, especially the major ones, instead of jumping head-first into them.
Vivian was probably the next best developed character and she was interesting. It was hard to get a feel for her, but that was the intent as there was a lot of mystery about her. I found myself just as frustrated with her as Tucker did when she would evade answering questions.
Colt and Napier, both a little older than Tucker and both boys, are two that I hope get more development in the next book. Colt is a 'manor boy' and Napier a gypsy who became friends after Colt saved Napier and their friendship and interactions with Tucker provide most of the comedic moments in the book. But I never got the feeling that the book went any deeper into them than just below the surface.
As mentioned, I really did like the concept of this book. The time period the book was set in was a little hard to determine, since at times it felt and read like they were in medieval times but some of the expressions were more of today's times and there was a train and an elevator mentioned. There were also times where the plot felt like it was moving a little fast, I would have liked to see Tucker struggle more with her training. Instead it felt like it began then it was weeks later and we never really got a sense of her growing.
There was a lot that was easy to predict and it was a little slow going at first but the last part of the book was a stay-up-til-3-am point. The little rhymes, either from prophecies or ones children/rebels sing are catchy and the magic lore is fascinating. I do hope in the sequel we get more in depth into the characters who aren't Tucker and that the world-building is a little tighter. I will definitely be checking out the sequel.
*I received this book from netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
May 5, 2013
Find more reviews at Lost In Wonderland
I received this book free via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
I devoured this book, like a fat kid devours cake; this book is a purely delicious read! From the first page of the prologue, this book had me in its grasp. The book starts with the Kings most recent wife, being condemned to death at the gallows, because of her inability to bear the King a son. No sooner is she executed, than rebels start to cry out that the Queen was innocent, causing a riot...and so our tale begins. From then on I was fully taken by this book.
To start off the writing is impeccable for a girl so young to have written it. I have read books from older writers that lack in comparison to kindergarten scrawl, due to poor editing and grammar. However Miss Sharplin, has polished her writing to a high standard and it is evident in her work.
When I first picked up this story I had reservations about the age of the main character Tucker, as she is only 13. I’m mean, I’m 22, what do I honestly have in common with a 13 year old? I was worried that the writing would be aimed at a much younger audience, and I would have trouble empathizing with the characters. However, age never became a factor. Tucker is a mature and relatable character, and with the addition of Colt the conservative manor boy and Napier the wild gypsy boy you don’t even consider the age of the characters, as everything fits together nicely.
Things I loved about the book:
-The female lead was strong and assertive, even at the age of 13.
-Tucker was able to be friends with Colt and Napier without a love triangle ensuing. (However I feel romantic entanglements might feature in the 2nd book, judging from the last chapter.)
Things that I didn’t so much like about the book.
-There was an editing mistake near the end, where things were starting to get climactic and it distracted me from the story.
-That you didn’t find out what happened to Ash after he left the orphanage, but I assume this will be answered in the next book.
Emory Sharplin has taken revenge, intrigue, rebellion, adventure, magic and a touch of romanticism and woven it into an undeniably lovable tale. I sincerely believe that readers of all ages will enjoy this book!
June 3, 2013
_________________________________
Scrap Review
_________________________________
Full formatting of this review at link above.
SCRAP was a novel that started out magnificently but slowly went downhill when it introduced alchemy and magical elements. I’m not sure if I disliked that because I was expecting pure, non-fantastical historical fiction, but I thought it was way too far fetched.I felt that the story could have been enjoyable with out all the extra magical pizazz.
Tucker Scrap is given her name after she dropped on a doorstep with a scrap of paper attached to her. Growing up an orphan was tough, and Tucker took shelter working in a bakery, where she would occasionally sneak food and steal other items from various other vendors. She would then go home to the orphanage, which was run by her friend named Ash until he is forced to leave due to his health. Tucker takes over.
Tucker lives, tells stories, and narrates in the voice of an eighteen-or very experienced-sixteen year old. Her age is never directly told to us until about 200 pages in, and it is shocking. Tucker is thirteen years old, and I had a major problem with this.
There are numerous talks between her and her friend, Kally, about maidenhood. Kally seems to think it is crazy Tucker isn’t selling herself on the streets and prostituting around like she is. Tucker also talks to boys and thinks about them in a way that makes me cringe now that I know her age. Not only did I find her age a bit disturbing, it was also unrealistic because no thirteen would ever act like this.
Overall, this book could have been so much more. I was pleasantly surprised with it at first, but once Tucker’s age is discovered and alchemy and magic were introduced, it was all too much and this book fell horribly flat.
Scrap Review
_________________________________
Full formatting of this review at link above.
SCRAP was a novel that started out magnificently but slowly went downhill when it introduced alchemy and magical elements. I’m not sure if I disliked that because I was expecting pure, non-fantastical historical fiction, but I thought it was way too far fetched.I felt that the story could have been enjoyable with out all the extra magical pizazz.
Tucker Scrap is given her name after she dropped on a doorstep with a scrap of paper attached to her. Growing up an orphan was tough, and Tucker took shelter working in a bakery, where she would occasionally sneak food and steal other items from various other vendors. She would then go home to the orphanage, which was run by her friend named Ash until he is forced to leave due to his health. Tucker takes over.
Tucker lives, tells stories, and narrates in the voice of an eighteen-or very experienced-sixteen year old. Her age is never directly told to us until about 200 pages in, and it is shocking. Tucker is thirteen years old, and I had a major problem with this.
There are numerous talks between her and her friend, Kally, about maidenhood. Kally seems to think it is crazy Tucker isn’t selling herself on the streets and prostituting around like she is. Tucker also talks to boys and thinks about them in a way that makes me cringe now that I know her age. Not only did I find her age a bit disturbing, it was also unrealistic because no thirteen would ever act like this.
Overall, this book could have been so much more. I was pleasantly surprised with it at first, but once Tucker’s age is discovered and alchemy and magic were introduced, it was all too much and this book fell horribly flat.
June 27, 2013
Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review. No compensation.
Apparently when reading on a screen, you just need to sit down and lose yourself in the story enough to read without minding the headache. Scrap makes that easy. I would've suffered a few headaches for this book.
Admittedly, the beginning dragged a bit before the excitement really got going. However, the setting of the orphanage was rich, so I didn't mind the slow start. I loved getting to know the orphans. Ash, Addie, and of course, Tucker.
As the book picks up, the odds become worse, and the characters just become better and better. That's truly the greatest asset in a book, I think. The characters (obviously, the plot and world are important as well, but without characters...) And Sharplin's characters are good ones.
Tucker felt real, and she was strong. Goodness, I love fiery female heroines who can actually do things. Tucker can do things.
The other frequent characters were also well-rounded, each with their own stories, personalities and struggles. Lorelei and Vivian, for instance. There's a story there and I really hope we find out about it in the next book.
Colt and Napier deserve mention, being awesome.
The characters aren't the only things that this book has going for it. Like I said, the plot was exciting, there's action, magic, mischief, and poison. There are surprises, plot twists, and rich details. The world was well built, and the setting described adequately. I really enjoyed this book.
It did end on a cliffhanger. I'm not a fan of cliffhangers, as I find them to be a cheap method of tricking your reader into getting the next book. However, they work. I'll definitely be reading the sequel.
Apparently when reading on a screen, you just need to sit down and lose yourself in the story enough to read without minding the headache. Scrap makes that easy. I would've suffered a few headaches for this book.
Admittedly, the beginning dragged a bit before the excitement really got going. However, the setting of the orphanage was rich, so I didn't mind the slow start. I loved getting to know the orphans. Ash, Addie, and of course, Tucker.
As the book picks up, the odds become worse, and the characters just become better and better. That's truly the greatest asset in a book, I think. The characters (obviously, the plot and world are important as well, but without characters...) And Sharplin's characters are good ones.
Tucker felt real, and she was strong. Goodness, I love fiery female heroines who can actually do things. Tucker can do things.
The other frequent characters were also well-rounded, each with their own stories, personalities and struggles. Lorelei and Vivian, for instance. There's a story there and I really hope we find out about it in the next book.
Colt and Napier deserve mention, being awesome.
The characters aren't the only things that this book has going for it. Like I said, the plot was exciting, there's action, magic, mischief, and poison. There are surprises, plot twists, and rich details. The world was well built, and the setting described adequately. I really enjoyed this book.
It did end on a cliffhanger. I'm not a fan of cliffhangers, as I find them to be a cheap method of tricking your reader into getting the next book. However, they work. I'll definitely be reading the sequel.
May 7, 2013
Thank you to NetGalley and to Green Leaf Book Group for my copy of Scrap.
Scrap is a classic tale of an orphan who does not know where she comes from and has few clues to go on. Living with other orphans and trying to scrape together meager supplies to just survie, her life is hard. She has few friends that she trusts, and each of them have an unknown past as well. As the tale unfolds some truths are discovered, and some..... well, sometimes you are left with more questions!
The story does have a fairly original plot line.... Emory Sharplin introduces magic, gypsys, and a fantastically evil villian. There are characters that you love, some that you hate, and some that you wish that you would get to know better. In fact, as I was nearing the end of the book I was starting to panic because there was so much more that I needed to know. I was glad that there was a cliffhanger, so that maybe that means there will be more to Scrap's story.. because I need to know how things end.
Honestly if I could give half stars on Goodreads I would. This one is a 4 1/2 star book for me. It reminded me of why I love fantasy! I look forward to reading more from Emory Sharplin.
Scrap is a classic tale of an orphan who does not know where she comes from and has few clues to go on. Living with other orphans and trying to scrape together meager supplies to just survie, her life is hard. She has few friends that she trusts, and each of them have an unknown past as well. As the tale unfolds some truths are discovered, and some..... well, sometimes you are left with more questions!
The story does have a fairly original plot line.... Emory Sharplin introduces magic, gypsys, and a fantastically evil villian. There are characters that you love, some that you hate, and some that you wish that you would get to know better. In fact, as I was nearing the end of the book I was starting to panic because there was so much more that I needed to know. I was glad that there was a cliffhanger, so that maybe that means there will be more to Scrap's story.. because I need to know how things end.
Honestly if I could give half stars on Goodreads I would. This one is a 4 1/2 star book for me. It reminded me of why I love fantasy! I look forward to reading more from Emory Sharplin.
June 2, 2013
I finished this book in one afternoon, which tells you how good it was. It was a fast read and very interesting. While I normally don't like to read books with adolescents as the main characters, the style and vocabulary that the author uses I forgot sometimes that the main character was 13 years old. The story intrigued me and kept me guessing and I can't wait to read the next books to discover some of the secrets and mysteries that envelop the characters. Occasionally I got confused by the secrets and the riddles but I figure in the next books there will be more clarity. For a first novel Emory Sharplin did very well!
June 5, 2013
New favorite series! Searched for the sequel only to realize book one hit shelves just last month. That would explain the lack of buzz surrounding the series yet. The novel's prose was beautiful and the plot was both original and classic. Emory Sharplin's portrayal of magic was quite thought provoking as well. I would certainly recommend this story to others and am impatiently awaiting the next book.
My favorite quote from Scrap: “I suppose that there's quite a difference between growing old and growing up.” -Vivian Chase
My favorite quote from Scrap: “I suppose that there's quite a difference between growing old and growing up.” -Vivian Chase
May 17, 2013
2.5/5
Originally posted at Gypsy Reviews
I received an eARC from Green Leaf Book Group via NetGalley. Thank you!
Scrap sounds like an adventurous fantasy novel with a promising storyline and the potential to be something different from what we usually read. However, Scrap follows the lines of a typical fantasy novel despite the interesting history of the brutal king and the inclusion of alchemy. The plot was fairly predictable and it was difficult to believe the events due to the poor planning and pacing of the story, also the characters were not developed well enough for me to believe they were in that particular situation.
Tucker Scrap has been in the orphanage for as long as she can remember when she was left there with a note on her with her friend, Kally. Tucker works at the bakery and stealing has become a way of life, though getting beaten by the baker for doing so but she’s content to have a job. Tucker has a mind of her own and a peculiar girl who although has been an orphan her entire life and lived at the orphanage, it was hard to believe her position. I never got the impression she fit her description. When she was trying to be someone else, she adjusted to it very fast and it seemed unlikely to me that a true orphan would adapt so fast to a rich person’s world. Tucker seemed a bit too arrogant for her own good and wasn’t exactly very likable in my book, it was hard to identify with her.
I definitely enjoyed the history of King Ibis and how ruthless he was, it seemed real enough to be in the medieval times. I only really felt that it was a fantasy book from when I was learning more of the history, those parts were the few that managed to engage me and forget about how far along I was through the book. However, the worldbuilding was done poorly, there was a lot of name-dumping of the lands but little was built on top of it. It was hard to visualise the areas because not much was concentrated on the scenery.
Now the rebellion, I was pretty astounded at how little time was needed for such a plan to be concocted. We’re talking about a heartless king who has killed his own wives and daughters in cold blood and they’re going with a simple tactic to try and kill him? Hmmm. It seemed like a lot of planning had gone into it and there were a lot of people backing up the rebellion but it seemed like a two person plan, something that only amateurs would come up with when they were truly desperate. It was underwhelming to know that this was the tactic being used, no doubt I knew that it was going to fail because so little thought had been put into it. I had been expecting something much more akin to a war or battle judging by the scale of king’s power.
There were many plotholes that never ended up being resolved, it might have been that the author was planning to resolve these in the sequel but if you introduce them in the synopsis and it happens early into the story, these matters should be resolved within the book and not in another book.
Scrap proved to be an underwhelming fantasy story that just seemed to go through the motions of a typical fantasy book without going in-depth and exploring the many possibilities it could have ventured into. With a heroine that I found hard to identify with, I didn’t exactly enjoy this book nor did I particularly hate it. I didn’t really have any feelings towards it. I am not sure if I would recommend this because it was generally quite boring, I guess if the history of King Ibis intrigues you enough you should give it a go because the history part is definitely one I enjoyed. If not, you won’t be missing much by skipping this.
Originally posted at Gypsy Reviews
I received an eARC from Green Leaf Book Group via NetGalley. Thank you!
Scrap sounds like an adventurous fantasy novel with a promising storyline and the potential to be something different from what we usually read. However, Scrap follows the lines of a typical fantasy novel despite the interesting history of the brutal king and the inclusion of alchemy. The plot was fairly predictable and it was difficult to believe the events due to the poor planning and pacing of the story, also the characters were not developed well enough for me to believe they were in that particular situation.
Tucker Scrap has been in the orphanage for as long as she can remember when she was left there with a note on her with her friend, Kally. Tucker works at the bakery and stealing has become a way of life, though getting beaten by the baker for doing so but she’s content to have a job. Tucker has a mind of her own and a peculiar girl who although has been an orphan her entire life and lived at the orphanage, it was hard to believe her position. I never got the impression she fit her description. When she was trying to be someone else, she adjusted to it very fast and it seemed unlikely to me that a true orphan would adapt so fast to a rich person’s world. Tucker seemed a bit too arrogant for her own good and wasn’t exactly very likable in my book, it was hard to identify with her.
I definitely enjoyed the history of King Ibis and how ruthless he was, it seemed real enough to be in the medieval times. I only really felt that it was a fantasy book from when I was learning more of the history, those parts were the few that managed to engage me and forget about how far along I was through the book. However, the worldbuilding was done poorly, there was a lot of name-dumping of the lands but little was built on top of it. It was hard to visualise the areas because not much was concentrated on the scenery.
Now the rebellion, I was pretty astounded at how little time was needed for such a plan to be concocted. We’re talking about a heartless king who has killed his own wives and daughters in cold blood and they’re going with a simple tactic to try and kill him? Hmmm. It seemed like a lot of planning had gone into it and there were a lot of people backing up the rebellion but it seemed like a two person plan, something that only amateurs would come up with when they were truly desperate. It was underwhelming to know that this was the tactic being used, no doubt I knew that it was going to fail because so little thought had been put into it. I had been expecting something much more akin to a war or battle judging by the scale of king’s power.
There were many plotholes that never ended up being resolved, it might have been that the author was planning to resolve these in the sequel but if you introduce them in the synopsis and it happens early into the story, these matters should be resolved within the book and not in another book.
Scrap proved to be an underwhelming fantasy story that just seemed to go through the motions of a typical fantasy book without going in-depth and exploring the many possibilities it could have ventured into. With a heroine that I found hard to identify with, I didn’t exactly enjoy this book nor did I particularly hate it. I didn’t really have any feelings towards it. I am not sure if I would recommend this because it was generally quite boring, I guess if the history of King Ibis intrigues you enough you should give it a go because the history part is definitely one I enjoyed. If not, you won’t be missing much by skipping this.
April 26, 2013
Summary: Tucker lives in Hellip, under the rule of a dangerous king, who has killed his past seven wives for bearing girls. She’s is an orphan with a magical anklet that helps her escape from the violent city guards. When a grand duchess arrives to claim, Tucker learns she is the missing princess, and any hope of deposing the king is in her hands. She joins the rebels and takes a vital role in the plot to assassinate the king. However, when the moment comes, Tucker and the grand duchess are betrayed and must escape the castle.
The Verdict: Confession time.
When I was younger, the neighborhood kids and I would pretend to be orphans. We scavenged the backyard for “food” before returning to the “orphanage” every so often. I don’t know why we were so fascinated by orphans; we just were. So in the first few pages of Scrap, I was thrilled. I love scrappy orphan stories. (ha! pun!) Tucker certainly has enough sass and attitude for my liking. So that’s a plus.
Other than that, her character seems a bit off. Her friend, Kally, arrived at the orphanage the same time as Tucker and is a prostitute. In the book, Tucker meets a cute gypsy boy and dashing noble. She starts having romantic feelings for said gypsy who constantly hints about his sexual prowess. But here’s the thing: She’s 12.
In other words, there's a 12-year-old prostitute on the loose and 14-year-old sex addict.
Tucker doesn’t think or act like a twelve year old. She acts as though she’s 16 or 18. Sure, she’s had a rough childhood and had to learn to survive on her own, but she still should sound young. She doesn’t. It’s an odd dichotomy, and, in my head, I’ve completely ignored her age and made her 16.
The language the characters use is also off-putting. The book is set in a medieval-type world, with royalty, nobility, and a patriarchal society. Nobody went around saying words like neat. It wasn’t even used as slang until the 1930s. (Nerd alert. I researched it.) I don’t expect the characters to use antiquated English, but the words they do speak shouldn’t jar me out of the story because they’re too modern.
And then there are typos and character’s names that change. (What is Vivian’s fiance named? I swear he’s called Merek and Peter within the same chapter.) Granted, it’s an ARC, but I don’t know how much more editing self-pubbed books get.
All of these little things--character development, language, and editing--add up into one big distraction that prevented me from engaging with the book. (Hence why I haven’t even delved into the plot in this review.) Don’t get me wrong: Scrap has promise. That’s why I rated it as two stars. The book has a good, albeit overused, premise, and certain characters seem interesting. There are just a lot of little errors and quirks that a good editor would catch.
Final Thoughts: While any book that incorporates sentence diagramming earns some bonus points with me, Scrap just had too many faults that jarred me out of the story way too often. With time and a good editor, maybe Sharplin’s sophomore novel will feel more finished and sophisticated.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
The Verdict: Confession time.
When I was younger, the neighborhood kids and I would pretend to be orphans. We scavenged the backyard for “food” before returning to the “orphanage” every so often. I don’t know why we were so fascinated by orphans; we just were. So in the first few pages of Scrap, I was thrilled. I love scrappy orphan stories. (ha! pun!) Tucker certainly has enough sass and attitude for my liking. So that’s a plus.
Other than that, her character seems a bit off. Her friend, Kally, arrived at the orphanage the same time as Tucker and is a prostitute. In the book, Tucker meets a cute gypsy boy and dashing noble. She starts having romantic feelings for said gypsy who constantly hints about his sexual prowess. But here’s the thing: She’s 12.
In other words, there's a 12-year-old prostitute on the loose and 14-year-old sex addict.
Tucker doesn’t think or act like a twelve year old. She acts as though she’s 16 or 18. Sure, she’s had a rough childhood and had to learn to survive on her own, but she still should sound young. She doesn’t. It’s an odd dichotomy, and, in my head, I’ve completely ignored her age and made her 16.
The language the characters use is also off-putting. The book is set in a medieval-type world, with royalty, nobility, and a patriarchal society. Nobody went around saying words like neat. It wasn’t even used as slang until the 1930s. (Nerd alert. I researched it.) I don’t expect the characters to use antiquated English, but the words they do speak shouldn’t jar me out of the story because they’re too modern.
And then there are typos and character’s names that change. (What is Vivian’s fiance named? I swear he’s called Merek and Peter within the same chapter.) Granted, it’s an ARC, but I don’t know how much more editing self-pubbed books get.
All of these little things--character development, language, and editing--add up into one big distraction that prevented me from engaging with the book. (Hence why I haven’t even delved into the plot in this review.) Don’t get me wrong: Scrap has promise. That’s why I rated it as two stars. The book has a good, albeit overused, premise, and certain characters seem interesting. There are just a lot of little errors and quirks that a good editor would catch.
Final Thoughts: While any book that incorporates sentence diagramming earns some bonus points with me, Scrap just had too many faults that jarred me out of the story way too often. With time and a good editor, maybe Sharplin’s sophomore novel will feel more finished and sophisticated.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
May 1, 2013
Orphans and stealing. Tyrant and magic. Gypsies and royalty. It's a grand world Emory Sharplin has imagined. The beginning grabs you and unfolds the story beautifully. The initial world-building (in some indeterminate time with tunics and horses and beheadings) is decent with just one element of magic - a charmed bracelet - that gives a hint of things to come. There were a couple instances of vocabulary use that didn't mean what the author was intending. It gave me a hint that the author was fairly young and a little digging revealed that she is all of seventeen. In retrospect, this bit of extra information didn't help me enjoy this book. I was more impressed with the writing and fairly controlled structure. The pace was okay and the story was logically progressing. Then some things started jumping out at me: the dialogue, the characterization, the utter lack of internal conflict/inspection. All of these pointed to pretty untried life experience. The characters are mostly in their early teens, so maybe that is all well and good. Accurate even. But then there is no sense that anything that the kids do is a product of their thinking or ability. They're just crazy lucky. And that's when what promise the book had withered.
Sharplin has some seriously good turns of phrase. She has an ear for an elegant sentence. This is an odd, but not awful, juxtaposition with the teenage banter or braggadocio that permeates the dialogue. She could turn out a good piece of literary fiction someday in the style of Ann Patchett. Of course that is a far cry from the fantasy fiction here. After the first third or so of the book, the real meat of the plot comes in and becomes a magical smorgasbord. Instead of connections and history and steady layering, random magic becomes an easy out to move things along or explain how things came it be. Even in fantasy, there has to be trueness to the reality that has been established. Throwing in monsters and pills and bizarre safe houses with mine carts and elevators and passing through floors just makes the story a messy fingerpainting of a story.
This also applies to oh-so-convenient coincidences and lucky guesses and clunky foreshadowing. I finished the book since I felt obligated to review it, but the last 200 pages were read without faith or joy. It's a decent length at 350 pages, but it ends so abruptly with a wacky surprise so soon after the climax that it feels like it ended in the middle of the story. I see a complex plot forming with this book to be continued in others, but I don't need to know the rest of this adventure.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Sharplin has some seriously good turns of phrase. She has an ear for an elegant sentence. This is an odd, but not awful, juxtaposition with the teenage banter or braggadocio that permeates the dialogue. She could turn out a good piece of literary fiction someday in the style of Ann Patchett. Of course that is a far cry from the fantasy fiction here. After the first third or so of the book, the real meat of the plot comes in and becomes a magical smorgasbord. Instead of connections and history and steady layering, random magic becomes an easy out to move things along or explain how things came it be. Even in fantasy, there has to be trueness to the reality that has been established. Throwing in monsters and pills and bizarre safe houses with mine carts and elevators and passing through floors just makes the story a messy fingerpainting of a story.
This also applies to oh-so-convenient coincidences and lucky guesses and clunky foreshadowing. I finished the book since I felt obligated to review it, but the last 200 pages were read without faith or joy. It's a decent length at 350 pages, but it ends so abruptly with a wacky surprise so soon after the climax that it feels like it ended in the middle of the story. I see a complex plot forming with this book to be continued in others, but I don't need to know the rest of this adventure.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
July 22, 2013
Originally published on my blog.
Scrap had the potential to be really great.
In many ways, it’s a mix of Defiant by C.J. Redwine and Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, both books that I enjoyed greatly.
Much like those books, the setting and world-building in Scrap are wonderful—the atmosphere is crisply described, hierarchies of class and ecosystem are described thoroughly, and the commoners’ ever-present fear of their king is palpable.
The plot is very well thought out, paced, and structured. But, the author uses one of my least favorite plot devices to move the book forward—withholding information from the main character and, thus, the reader.
Not like I couldn’t guess what the big piece of valuable information is—I could, and for the most part, I was correct. And I don’t mind authors not putting all their cards on the table up front in an attempt to create dramatic irony, but I very much take issue with the main character asking a crucial question and then the other character saying, “Be patient. I’ll tell you when the time is right. You have to trust me,” or some such nonsense.
Much of this book is based on that writing device. And though the writing in this book is lush and beautiful and the world is very well flushed out, that withholding of information until nearly the very end of the book really made me not enjoy reading this in the way that I wished I had.
Additionally, Scrap ends abruptly and on a strange note that will carry over into the sequel. I actually don’t mind an cliffhanger ending, but when a book feels like it comes to a jerky, OMG WE HAVE TO STOP NOW kind of end, it leaves me feeling unsettled and disappointed.
However. In many ways I think this book could be a great introduction to historical fantasy [I'm pretty sure that's a category I just made up], especially for middle-grade readers. Though there is violence, devastation, fear, and paranoia in this book, I think that they are able to handle it and that this type of book is not too mature for younger readers.
Overall, Scrap is a rich, beautifully imagined world with dynamic, sometimes unusual characters and the potential to be a great book series. I have a very persnickety hang-up with it, but that does not mean that this book is less worthy of being read than others. So, if it sounds like your cup of tea, I absolutely recommend this one.
Scrap had the potential to be really great.
In many ways, it’s a mix of Defiant by C.J. Redwine and Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, both books that I enjoyed greatly.
Much like those books, the setting and world-building in Scrap are wonderful—the atmosphere is crisply described, hierarchies of class and ecosystem are described thoroughly, and the commoners’ ever-present fear of their king is palpable.
The plot is very well thought out, paced, and structured. But, the author uses one of my least favorite plot devices to move the book forward—withholding information from the main character and, thus, the reader.
Not like I couldn’t guess what the big piece of valuable information is—I could, and for the most part, I was correct. And I don’t mind authors not putting all their cards on the table up front in an attempt to create dramatic irony, but I very much take issue with the main character asking a crucial question and then the other character saying, “Be patient. I’ll tell you when the time is right. You have to trust me,” or some such nonsense.
Much of this book is based on that writing device. And though the writing in this book is lush and beautiful and the world is very well flushed out, that withholding of information until nearly the very end of the book really made me not enjoy reading this in the way that I wished I had.
Additionally, Scrap ends abruptly and on a strange note that will carry over into the sequel. I actually don’t mind an cliffhanger ending, but when a book feels like it comes to a jerky, OMG WE HAVE TO STOP NOW kind of end, it leaves me feeling unsettled and disappointed.
However. In many ways I think this book could be a great introduction to historical fantasy [I'm pretty sure that's a category I just made up], especially for middle-grade readers. Though there is violence, devastation, fear, and paranoia in this book, I think that they are able to handle it and that this type of book is not too mature for younger readers.
Overall, Scrap is a rich, beautifully imagined world with dynamic, sometimes unusual characters and the potential to be a great book series. I have a very persnickety hang-up with it, but that does not mean that this book is less worthy of being read than others. So, if it sounds like your cup of tea, I absolutely recommend this one.
June 10, 2013
For more reviews please check out my blog
How can I review a book that is so... average?
By average, I do NOT (necessarily) mean boring. Just... average. It is a book of average quality, with average writing, and characters that came straight off the discount rack. It's a fun read, all right (with some problems, which I shall describe below) and I found it addictive, but... average. Nothing really special, but nothing dreadful either.
Apart from the sexual politics. My GOD, Ermory Sharplin, MY GOD. We get it, OK, we get it. Prostitution, despite being a sensible choice when you will starve without it, makes you a weak or bad person. Our oh-so-special, discount-mary-sue main character is *speshul snoooowflake* because she doesn't, and as a result her fending off a rape attempt at the age of 10 or 12 is funny. Fucking HELL, Sharplin. I can't even start, except to say this:
Rape attempts, even if fended off, aren't things that make starving, desperate teenage girls 'chuckle'.
Having sex - or even selling sex - doesn't make you a bad person.
Neither would being raped.
And I can't trust, like or believe in any female character who doesn't seem to like other women much.
This book should be given to new writers as a crash-course in how NOT to write reactions to sex and rape.
The plot is predictable- I called most of the twists and revelations fairly early on. The magic system is bizarre, confusing and seems to just *work* when the author wants it to. The world-building is pretty good, though, I liked that. Our two main male characters were picked up after they failed an audition for 'sassy boys' in a better book. The author has a bad tendency of telling us something then showing us the opposite - we are told Kally is 'witty' but her displays of wit aren't. Pages of flashback and info dump. Paaaaages. But still, I kept reading it and in the last fifty pages I actually felt fear and dread, so well done with that.
Aside from that, it's not too bad. As I said, pretty average. Worth a shot if the rape stuff won't bother you, to be avoided if it will.
How can I review a book that is so... average?
By average, I do NOT (necessarily) mean boring. Just... average. It is a book of average quality, with average writing, and characters that came straight off the discount rack. It's a fun read, all right (with some problems, which I shall describe below) and I found it addictive, but... average. Nothing really special, but nothing dreadful either.
Apart from the sexual politics. My GOD, Ermory Sharplin, MY GOD. We get it, OK, we get it. Prostitution, despite being a sensible choice when you will starve without it, makes you a weak or bad person. Our oh-so-special, discount-mary-sue main character is *speshul snoooowflake* because she doesn't, and as a result her fending off a rape attempt at the age of 10 or 12 is funny. Fucking HELL, Sharplin. I can't even start, except to say this:
Rape attempts, even if fended off, aren't things that make starving, desperate teenage girls 'chuckle'.
Having sex - or even selling sex - doesn't make you a bad person.
Neither would being raped.
And I can't trust, like or believe in any female character who doesn't seem to like other women much.
This book should be given to new writers as a crash-course in how NOT to write reactions to sex and rape.
The plot is predictable- I called most of the twists and revelations fairly early on. The magic system is bizarre, confusing and seems to just *work* when the author wants it to. The world-building is pretty good, though, I liked that. Our two main male characters were picked up after they failed an audition for 'sassy boys' in a better book. The author has a bad tendency of telling us something then showing us the opposite - we are told Kally is 'witty' but her displays of wit aren't. Pages of flashback and info dump. Paaaaages. But still, I kept reading it and in the last fifty pages I actually felt fear and dread, so well done with that.
Aside from that, it's not too bad. As I said, pretty average. Worth a shot if the rape stuff won't bother you, to be avoided if it will.
June 11, 2013
Scrap
By Emory Sharplin
Summery courtesy of goodreads.com
On the brutal streets of Hellip, a village in the vast empire of the cruel King Ibis, you either become good at running from the king’s Blackcoats or you die. This is the lesson that twelve-year-old Tucker Scrap, abandoned as an infant among the orphans of Hellip, learned early. Along with her friends Ash and Kally, Tucker spends her time keeping one step ahead of the unjust laws, stealing what she needs to survive, and pondering her own unknown origins—and those of the enchanted bracelet with which she was found.
Now, both Ash and Kally have vanished from the orphanage, perhaps headed for the faraway city where Ibis still rules. When a mysterious girl named Vivian arrives in Hellip with a strange invitation to Tucker, the leader of the orphans decides that this may be her opportunity to find her missing friends. But more than this: it may become an opportunity to recover her hidden inheritance, and to change the fate of an entire kingdom.
The introduction to a fantasy world rich with ancient magic, enigmatic gypsies, palace labyrinths, and deep woods haunted by strange and forbidding creatures, Emory Sharplin’s debut novel tells the story of Tucker Scrap: a bold, memorable heroine at the center of a centuries-old mystery, stepping into her destiny at last.
Review
Once again I've been suckered in by a beautiful cover and an interesting blurb, only to be disappointed by a disjointed plot. Moreover this author doesn't understand that less is more - come on
Street rats, a mssing princess, the assassination of a Queen, cruel kings, poverty, Blackcoats, a missing Duchess, friends gone missing,proper, life in the rich lane, enchanted jewelry, magic, gypsies, almost-rape scene, it was all just to much.
The attempted rape scene was fobbed off by Tucker as funny, WTF- THERE IS NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT RAPE and I'm sure I won't be the only person who is offended by this, Emory Sharplin was so disconnected and derogatory and dismissive in her attitudes about some female characters.
This book totally pissed me off.
2 STARS
By Emory Sharplin
Summery courtesy of goodreads.com
On the brutal streets of Hellip, a village in the vast empire of the cruel King Ibis, you either become good at running from the king’s Blackcoats or you die. This is the lesson that twelve-year-old Tucker Scrap, abandoned as an infant among the orphans of Hellip, learned early. Along with her friends Ash and Kally, Tucker spends her time keeping one step ahead of the unjust laws, stealing what she needs to survive, and pondering her own unknown origins—and those of the enchanted bracelet with which she was found.
Now, both Ash and Kally have vanished from the orphanage, perhaps headed for the faraway city where Ibis still rules. When a mysterious girl named Vivian arrives in Hellip with a strange invitation to Tucker, the leader of the orphans decides that this may be her opportunity to find her missing friends. But more than this: it may become an opportunity to recover her hidden inheritance, and to change the fate of an entire kingdom.
The introduction to a fantasy world rich with ancient magic, enigmatic gypsies, palace labyrinths, and deep woods haunted by strange and forbidding creatures, Emory Sharplin’s debut novel tells the story of Tucker Scrap: a bold, memorable heroine at the center of a centuries-old mystery, stepping into her destiny at last.
Review
Once again I've been suckered in by a beautiful cover and an interesting blurb, only to be disappointed by a disjointed plot. Moreover this author doesn't understand that less is more - come on
Street rats, a mssing princess, the assassination of a Queen, cruel kings, poverty, Blackcoats, a missing Duchess, friends gone missing,proper, life in the rich lane, enchanted jewelry, magic, gypsies, almost-rape scene, it was all just to much.
The attempted rape scene was fobbed off by Tucker as funny, WTF- THERE IS NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT RAPE and I'm sure I won't be the only person who is offended by this, Emory Sharplin was so disconnected and derogatory and dismissive in her attitudes about some female characters.
This book totally pissed me off.
2 STARS
April 21, 2013
3/5 stars
I received this book through a promotion on NetGalley. I really enjoyed the book, but I did not expect such an abrupt ending. If I had known that this book would have a sequel, I might not have started it since it left so much undone at the end. Other than the frustration of no conclusion, it was a fun read. Tucker was a brave heroine who was full of life and humor. Emory Sharplin did a great job of creating a world with alchemy and danger, which was fun to immerse myself in. If the book had a real ending and not a "to be continued...." then I would have rated it higher.
I received this book through a promotion on NetGalley. I really enjoyed the book, but I did not expect such an abrupt ending. If I had known that this book would have a sequel, I might not have started it since it left so much undone at the end. Other than the frustration of no conclusion, it was a fun read. Tucker was a brave heroine who was full of life and humor. Emory Sharplin did a great job of creating a world with alchemy and danger, which was fun to immerse myself in. If the book had a real ending and not a "to be continued...." then I would have rated it higher.
October 27, 2013
I won this from a Goodreads Firstreads giveaway.
Having not read fantasy in some time, I looked forward to picking up Scrap and being immersed in the world of Grimmic. Felt like this was an adequately done job especially considering that the author wrote this as a high school junior. Impressive! I liked the characters and enjoyed the details about the orphan lifestyle. An easy entertaining read and supposedly there's supposed to be a sequel. Looking forward to seeing how Sharplin's writing progresses from here on out.
Having not read fantasy in some time, I looked forward to picking up Scrap and being immersed in the world of Grimmic. Felt like this was an adequately done job especially considering that the author wrote this as a high school junior. Impressive! I liked the characters and enjoyed the details about the orphan lifestyle. An easy entertaining read and supposedly there's supposed to be a sequel. Looking forward to seeing how Sharplin's writing progresses from here on out.
May 30, 2013
Such an amazing story with a thrilling plot! I loved this book so much, I could hardly put it down! Full of surprising twists and enchanting adventures, this book compares to no other book I have read. This beautifully crafted story makes you feel as if you are traveling along right next to Tucker as she embarks on her journey to save the kingdom. I highly recommend reading this book and I can't wait for the sequel!!
June 15, 2013
This book was recommended to me by a friend early last week. Typically I read several books at one time, but this one collected my attention. I halted my progress on the three other novels I was in the midst of and finished this one in a matter of days! Very intriguing. Ends on a cliffhanger, but hopefully the sequel will pick right back up where the author left us hanging.
5/5 star
would recommend
5/5 star
would recommend
April 18, 2013
Absolutely loved this story!! Very original and captivating. Well written too (especially considering the author is a teen!). There were no major S/G errors that I noticed, but I did note a few minor ones that I assume will be fixed before the publishing date. Can't wait for the sequel. Any other early readers hoping to see the woods in the next book??
May 18, 2013
In the end, Emory Sharplin has written a book that readers will thoroughly enjoy. Read “Scrap” and join Tucker and her friends on an adventure to find the truth of the past. I recommend this book to pre-teens and teenagers.
To read the rest of the review, click here.
To read the rest of the review, click here.
May 22, 2013
I love fiction (particularly stories with magic) and was eager to delve into the realm of Grimmic. I was hooked from the first page and craving a sequel by the last! The writing was superb, the characters were lovable, and the plot was original. I would certainly recommend this book to all YA readers.
May 22, 2013
I want to see more of Napier! (: Hopefully something will happen between him and Tucker in the sequel?!
8/10 (really good)
8/10 (really good)
October 12, 2013
Does anyone know if there's any news about when the sequel is supposed to come out?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews