The Ruby Dream

The Hummingbird Saga serial #1

by Annie Cosby

Ruby has always been called “strange” … She is an orphan, and has no family in the village. She sees ghosts in the woods. Hummingbirds follow her around like shadows. In fact, she’s never fit in. So when her best friend, Wyn, starts talking about traveling across the sea to a new world, she’s ecstatic … isn’t she? Is she truly ready to leave everything she knows behind?

Then, just as they begin to formulate a plan, a stranger arrives in town, and the world stops feeling safe. The town of Killybeg rarely receives visitors, and Ruby has taken this isolation for granted. In fact, she herself has never been outside the village.

But all that’s about to change.

Suddenly Wyn is taking chances he never took before, and putting himself in danger. Ruby is finding herself more conflicted every day about the idea of leaving the small town, and wondering more and more about what her past held.

The stranger has come and gone, leaving a vague feeling of unease behind him.

Will Ruby be able to escape the island at all, and venture out into the wide world with Wyn? Or will she find herself – and everyone she loves – paying the price for a history she doesn’t even know she escaped? Find out in this first installment of the Hummingbird Saga, a tale of love, loyalty, and lies, and the past that might come to save Ruby’s life … or destroy her.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

150 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 6, 2014

About the author

Annie is a short, dog-obsessed, ketchup-loving romantic who splits her days—and her wardrobe—between her hometown, St. Louis, and her adopted love, Galway, Ireland.

Her first book was the start of the USA Today-recommended Hearts Out of Water series followed by the Amazon chart-soaring novella series, The Hummingbird Saga.

When she's not writing, she's usually reading, editing for awesome YA author clients, and walking Lucy, the rottie mix.

Reviews

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Download for free from Smashwords here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

This was an interesting short story about a girl – Ruby, and her dreams of leaving her small village with her childhood sweetheart Wyn.

Ruby was a very flighty girl who liked to spend lots of time daydreaming rather than working, which everyone teased her for. She had a plan to leave her small village with her best friend Wyn; if only they could earn enough money to be able to leave.

The storyline followed the pair as Wyn suffered an injury, and their dreams all came crashing down around them. Thankfully, things started to be looking up again, but then we were left with a big cliff-hanger ending! Yikes!
6 out of 10

[Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent series, though all 4 of these should be combined into book 1 of a series and continued from there. Instead the ending leaves the reader unsatisfied. Kind of a let down. I think this author has great potential with a little help from a good editor. Character development could be improved, along with some additional storyline plot.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hummingbird Saga, by Annie Crosby, is a well written and imaginative young adult series. It is full engaged and keeps the reader involved reading book to book to find out how this saga continues. I loved each book and my (teen) daughter is now anxiously beginning this series.

[Madhu (Madhu LovesBooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story like this one is perfect during exams!

[Jessica Del Fuoco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruby Beg is an odd girl. She sees ghosts and hummingbirds follow her around. She’s not a loon…but she can’t tell anyone about what she sees. She has always felt out of place. She is an orphan, with no family to speak of and knows nothing of her past except that her parents died at sea…The only thing that makes sense is her friendship with Edwyn Martin. Wyn is her best friend in the whole world and has been her only true friend since childhood. Wyn starts talking about running away with Ruby, crossing the sea to a new world to escape. He becomes more insistent and feels he needs to start working to earn more for the trip.

While Ruby and Wyn are discussing their plan…a stranger arrives in town. This stranger has everyone talking and quite nervous…but why? Once talk dies down about the stranger, he has left town just as quickly as he arrived. As Wyn tries to enact his plan to earn extra money, he is injured in an accident and this leaves Ruby afraid for him and their plans. At the thought of losing him, Ruby does something that changes their friendship. As she is questioning how their friendship has changed, she is kidnapped in the middle of the night and learns about her past…as unbelieveable and hard to swallow it is. After learning the truth, Ruby isn’t sure who exactly to trust…if anyone.

I’m very glad I came across this saga. It had a little bit of magic, supernatural, love, courage, suspense and coming of age in many ways. Ruby was stuck in a hard place and once she learned the truth, her actions had consequences. She had to learn how to trust when she was thrust into unknown situations. Her true heritage was shocking and it took a while to find out who was truly on her side. She was a child who had no prior experience and in some cases handled things in such a brave manner that it was admirable and yet there were other times where she behaved like the 15-year-old girl that she is. I loved Wyn’s character. He had his flaws, like they all did and he was the boy next door that you want to fall in love with. I would have liked to learn more about Ruby’s interactions with some of the other characters, such as her early experience with Lawrence, her sisters and maybe even her parents.

I would recommend this saga to YA fantasy/coming of age readers because it reminded me of reading a fairy tale…not so much Disney, but more Brothers Grimm. It had that nice mix of adventure, suspense and romance that made me wanting to learn what happened next and kept me invested in the story. I can't wait to see what Annie Cosby has in store for me next!

[Kelsey Gietl · Rating 5 out of 5]

First released as a four-part serial, The Hummingbird Saga follows the extraordinary tale of orphan Ruby Beg, a non-quite ordinary girl from the small village of Killybeg. Reminding me a little bit of Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Ruby has never fit in with the rest of the villagers and longs for a life far away from them. Hummingbirds follow her around, she sees specters in the Haunted Woods, and the only clue to her forgotten past is the ruby heart she wears around her neck. "You're a loon, Ruby Beg," is the villagers' constant criticism. Her one consolation is found in Wyn, the ship builder's apprentice, her life-long best friend and - she hopes - perhaps something more. Together they plan to escape across the sea to a new life of adventure. But their plans are derailed before they even set sail. One night Ruby's true past is revealed leading her on a journey to discover that nothing - and no one - in her life are quite as they seem.

I originally read this novel because it is written by a fellow alum from my high school. Having now read it, I would recommend it even if we did not share an alma mater. I was hooked by the end of part one and finished the last three parts in one day. The complexity of the story and the characters made it easy to forget that this is a debut novel. While there were a few aspects that I would have enjoyed seeing to more of a conclusion, I still felt that the way the author chose to wrap things up made sense for the type of novel that this was. That being said, I wouldn't argue with a sequel if she were to write one - there's definitely more that could be told surrounding the various kingdoms. For example, what happens to Kinscourt after they sail away? How does the political upheaval get under control? Do the Dihari take over? Does Maratin end up gaining control? Floria is a neighboring country; are they roped in to the chaos, and if so what does that mean for Ruby and Wyn? What happens to Lawrence, Cess, and Ralf? These are things I would love to know! (Note: I'm a writer with an unbridled curiosity; normal people probably won't obsess over the details as much.)

All in all, a solid 4.5 stars, and I always round up. A worthy read!

[Lizzie the Book Hoarder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part two of the Hummingbrd Saga, finds Ruby discovering her past. After being kidnapped at the end of part one, Ruby wakes up in the middle of the woods surrounded by a group of strange men. They tell her a story about herself she does not want to believe, but feels part of it is the truth. All Ruby wants to do is get back home to Wyn so he can tell her these men are wrong and her life is with him and the family she has always remembered.

Even though I knew what some of Ruby's past involved I enjoyed how the story was told and her reaction to everything. I want to know more. What will Ruby's future hold? What is the whole story of the Rebellion? Will she ever see Wyn again?

My favorite part of this story was the introduction of Lawrence. I want to know so much more about him and will there be any romance between him and Ruby.

Annie Cosby has written another enjoyable tale with a mix of romance, adventure and a touch of fantasy.

I received a free copy of the Complete Hummingbird Saga for an honest review

[Lizzie the Book Hoarder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruby always wanted a life filled with adventure for her best friend Wyn and herself, but when a secret comes out her life will change forever. Who can she trust? What will she do?

I enjoyed the Hummingbird Saga by Annie Cosby. It was an entertaining tale of a young girl finding her place in the world and discovering how you are raised can for who you are more that to who you were born as. Ruby at times bothered me but I could understand why she acted the way she was acting. Finding those she loved and cared for lied to her all her life and then being thrown into circumstances you never expected can throw you for a loop. What i really liked about this story were the supporting characters and how she felt about them changed throughout the story.Those she used to trust, she questions. Those she was afraid of became loyal friends. The story ended differently from how I wanted it to end but I see why Ruby makes the decisions she does and I am not sure that the events could have ended much differently.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Lizzie the Book Hoarder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruby has finally added some excitement into her life. She is working on trying to learn everything she needs to fulfill her place as the heir to the throne. However instead of making any decisions on how to rule the kingdom she is made to take dance lessons and what fork to use. Will she be about to stand up for herself and take the power? Will she be able to leave her previous life and loved ones behind? When tragedy strikes she may learn some things she did not want to know.

I enjoyed part three and cannot wait to see how Ruby's tale is going to end. Throughout "The Sapphire Crown" I did not know who to trust. At times Ruby annoyed me but I could understand the decisions she made and why she wanted and needed to go back home.

I received a free copy of the Complete Hummingbird Saga in exchange for an honest review.

[Lizzie the Book Hoarder · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful beginning to a new series. Ruby was orphaned at a young age and has never known life outside her little village. Wyn, her best friend and maybe more, and Ruby have decided to runaway together to have an adventure and see the world. However after a stranger comes to down, a accident in town and Ruby's own doubts may cause those plans to go up in smoke.

Part one has provided enough character and story background to lead to an intriguing adventure for Ruby and Wyn. I think there is more to Ruby's past than she knows which could lead to a whole new life for her. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for Ruby and Wyn.

I received a free copy of the Complete Hummingbird Saga for an honest review.

[Lizzie the Book Hoarder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruby finally has all her questioned answered. Some she does not want to believe and will change her outlook forever. What she does know is there are people who want her dead and people who only see her as a prize for them to get there way. What will Ruby decide for her life? Can she have a life with Wyn still or how about Lawrence or is she doomed to a life alone? Ruby finally makes a decision about her destiny and must use her friend Cess to help achieve her goal.

Even though I enjoyed Ruby's adventure the story ended differently from how I wanted it to end but I see why Ruby makes the decisions she does and I am not sure that the events could have ended much differently.

I received a free copy of the Complete Hummingbird Saga for a honest review.

[Dawne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad that I got the entire series in one book, it would have been so hard waiting for each addition to come out. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this series. Annie has a way of weaving her words that bring you into the story and makes it hard to put down the book. Ruby and Wyn and the ups and downs they live through give you a gamut of emotions: happiness, fright, sadness and sometimes you want to throttle them. It was a delightful story but the final ending almost feels like a cliffhanger even though it isn't. What is going to happen to Ruby and Wyn now after they leave? What happened to those that helped but were left behind? Great book.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in a four part saga. Ruby has always been a bit strange. She is an orphan. She sees ghosts. Wyn is her best friend and they make a plan to leave the town. This book has magic, romance and mystery. Annie Cosby is the type of writer that, as you're reading the book, you can easily visualize the people and places and feel like you are there among them. Her characters are very well-developed. I enjoyed this extremely well-written book and look forward to the remaining books in the saga.

[Tree · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a way to end a series. I must say that I loved Ruby from page one. Her character growth, her plot, her raw emotions, I loved it all. I never gave up on Wyn. It has been some time since a book has brought me to tears, but Annie sure gave me a reason to cry. I highly recommend not only these books, But Annie Cosby as a storyteller. I hope to continue to delve into their words, because Annie is a captivating Author. 10/10 do recommend.

[Carrie White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really adore Annie's writing style. This short jumps you right into the story, hands you characters that you immediately fall in love with, and then puts them in an uber-spooky situation. Ruby herself is really funny, and I can already tell that she's meant for important things. I've heard that the second short is coming in like a month, and i CAN'T WAIT.

[Tree · Rating 5 out of 5]

I downloaded the series for free and just finished the first part, The Ruby Dream. I do believe that I'm hooked. The setting, the characters, the suspense, the mystery have pulled me in. I'm excited to read more.

[Sherry Westendorf · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good and enjoyable story. Lots of romance and magic which makes for a good read. I recommend it. I liked it. It is a feel good book. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tree]

I'm loving this series at the moment. Following "Ruby's" story is incredible. Annie writes in such a way that causes you to crave the next page.

[Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

These would read much better as one complete novel rather than little parts of the same story.

[Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again, this would read much better as one larger book. These small parts don't tell a complete story on their own.

[Annie Cosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun writing this serial for you guys, hope you enjoy the ending!