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Unreal City
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Sarah Wilkes is desperate enough to do anything, even make a deal with the devil—or in her case, a familiar spirit.
After her twin Lea is murdered, Sarah finds college life impossible and longs to escape. Everything changes when Sarah realizes a familiar spirit is stalking her and offers to transport her to the terrifying and fantastical realm of Unreal City. The payment for admission? A taste of her blood. Unable to resist, Sarah is drawn into an alternate reality that is a dream come true...at first.
The deeper she explores Unreal City, the more Sarah’s reality becomes warped. Death surrounds her as people are murdered in the same fashion as her sister. She has no choice but to continue her visits to Unreal City, which grows darker by the day.
Is finding out the truth about what happened to Lea worth becoming part of Unreal City forever?
"This intriguing dark fantasy blends some traditional genre tropes into a fresh and enticing tale....The emotional transformation that shadows Sarah’s metaphysical journey to the Unreal City is definitely satisfying enough to keep readers engaged." -- Publishers Weekly, via the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award
Sarah Wilkes is desperate enough to do anything, even make a deal with the devil—or in her case, a familiar spirit.
After her twin Lea is murdered, Sarah finds college life impossible and longs to escape. Everything changes when Sarah realizes a familiar spirit is stalking her and offers to transport her to the terrifying and fantastical realm of Unreal City. The payment for admission? A taste of her blood. Unable to resist, Sarah is drawn into an alternate reality that is a dream come true...at first.
The deeper she explores Unreal City, the more Sarah’s reality becomes warped. Death surrounds her as people are murdered in the same fashion as her sister. She has no choice but to continue her visits to Unreal City, which grows darker by the day.
Is finding out the truth about what happened to Lea worth becoming part of Unreal City forever?
"This intriguing dark fantasy blends some traditional genre tropes into a fresh and enticing tale....The emotional transformation that shadows Sarah’s metaphysical journey to the Unreal City is definitely satisfying enough to keep readers engaged." -- Publishers Weekly, via the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 16, 2014
5 people are currently reading
711 people want to read
About the author
A.R. Meyering
6 books66 followersA. R. Meyering is the award-winning author of the fantasy series 'The Dawn Mirror Chronicles.' Her novel, 'Unreal City,' was honored with a Literary Classics International Book Award (2015) and a Moonbeam Award (2016).
On a more personal note:
"My heart pounds for the horrifying, the sublime, the delicate, the elegant, and the fascinating. I am a life-long fan of fairy tales, gothic horror shows, clever mysteries, children's stories that aren't quite for children, steam-powered wonders, and sweeping fantasies that transport me to other worlds. Among my favorite writers are Neil Gaiman, Kazuo Ishiguro, Phillip Pullman, Kenneth Grahame, David Mitchell, Stephen King, Lionel Schriver, Ursula Le Guin, and J.R.R. Tolkien.
I graduated from University of California Santa Barbara with a degree in English and a specialization in Victorian/Neo-Victorian literature. During a summer in college I studied abroad in Edinburgh. I lived in Japan in a rural town inthe beautiful Amakusa Islands. I'm currently doing my PhD in philosophy and I completed my master's at Cal State LA.
I am drawn to antique stores, forests, seasides, museums, and any place with an absurd amount of colored lights."
On a more personal note:
"My heart pounds for the horrifying, the sublime, the delicate, the elegant, and the fascinating. I am a life-long fan of fairy tales, gothic horror shows, clever mysteries, children's stories that aren't quite for children, steam-powered wonders, and sweeping fantasies that transport me to other worlds. Among my favorite writers are Neil Gaiman, Kazuo Ishiguro, Phillip Pullman, Kenneth Grahame, David Mitchell, Stephen King, Lionel Schriver, Ursula Le Guin, and J.R.R. Tolkien.
I graduated from University of California Santa Barbara with a degree in English and a specialization in Victorian/Neo-Victorian literature. During a summer in college I studied abroad in Edinburgh. I lived in Japan in a rural town inthe beautiful Amakusa Islands. I'm currently doing my PhD in philosophy and I completed my master's at Cal State LA.
I am drawn to antique stores, forests, seasides, museums, and any place with an absurd amount of colored lights."
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 5, 2019
A GoodReads GiveAway
This book served me well. I was jaded from reading tome after tome. I needed lighter fare. This book hit the spot.
This book served me well. I was jaded from reading tome after tome. I needed lighter fare. This book hit the spot.
September 24, 2015
Sarah's twin sister, Lea, was mysteriously murdered just months before they were to start their freshman year of college. Instead of sharing her new university experience with her twin, Sarah now finds herself going through the motions of college life and feeling hopelessly adrift. Sarah can't seem to shake the feeling she is being watched, even drawn towards a darkness, which for some reason she is compelled to act upon. When she does, she is introduced to an other-worldly spirit and a place which helps her find a release from the reality she so desperately wishes to escape.
At a mere 200 pages, Unreal City is a powerhouse of a novel. Author A.R. Meyering deftly builds momentum in this surreal tale which feels a bit like a young adult version of Alice in Wonderland. Meyering's comfortable and genuine writing style draws readers in from the first page, holding them captive as she works her literary magic upon them, clear to its superb finish. This book is highly recommended and has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
At a mere 200 pages, Unreal City is a powerhouse of a novel. Author A.R. Meyering deftly builds momentum in this surreal tale which feels a bit like a young adult version of Alice in Wonderland. Meyering's comfortable and genuine writing style draws readers in from the first page, holding them captive as she works her literary magic upon them, clear to its superb finish. This book is highly recommended and has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
February 16, 2015
I saw this book listed on the giveaways section of this site, and I read the synopsis and thought that it sounded like it could be good, but that type of book hadn't really been something that I would normally have read. I purchased the e-book for a low price, and I didn't expect much, to be honest.
Wow, was I wrong.
This book...this book is amazing. The characters are detailed, the environments are so enchanting it makes you feel like you are truly a part of the story. To me, it had a dark, dark Alice in Wonderland feel to it, and I wanted to read this book constantly.
I just finished it, and I want to start it again already.
This book is so beautifully written, with likeable characters (especially Sarah's familiar, I had such a love for him!), beautiful, enchanting environments, and am engrossing story that made me not want to put it down.
I'll definitely be reading more titles from this author!
Wow, was I wrong.
This book...this book is amazing. The characters are detailed, the environments are so enchanting it makes you feel like you are truly a part of the story. To me, it had a dark, dark Alice in Wonderland feel to it, and I wanted to read this book constantly.
I just finished it, and I want to start it again already.
This book is so beautifully written, with likeable characters (especially Sarah's familiar, I had such a love for him!), beautiful, enchanting environments, and am engrossing story that made me not want to put it down.
I'll definitely be reading more titles from this author!
December 4, 2016
My original Unreal City audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Sarah's twin sister died just a couple of months before the start of the classes. Sarah is heartbroken about it, and just does not know how to continue with her life. Part of it is because of how Lea died: drowned but far from any body of water. Sarah will meet an extraordinary creature which will show her the Unreal City in exchange for a price. She wonders if it is worth it and if she could find there the answers she needs.
This book got me hooked from the beginning. It is beautifully written with very detailed descriptions that made me feel I was there. The characters were also beautifully constructed, and the dialogs were realistic. It was a pleasure and I could have listened to it in one go if I had time.
We get an explanation of things and everything falls into place, but I could not help but think of a parallelism between the Unreal City and getting addicted to drugs. I guess the Unreal City worked in a way like a drug, giving false hope and access to a new world with a new perception, but taking something precious from you in return, and also changing your life out of it.
It was a simple story, reminding me sometimes of 'Alice Through the Looking Glass', but with much darker. If I had to define it I would say that it is something between dark fantasy and light horror.
I enjoyed Jessica McEvoy's narration. She transmitted Sarah's emotions like they were her own, and I could feel the despair she felt. She did a good job with accents too, although I had troubles with the Russian accent. It felt overdone and I had to focus to understand all the words.
I loved this book. It was a clever story told in a beautiful and dazzling way. I am glad that I decided to listen to it and get to know A.R. Meyering's writing. I am looking forward to listening to her other books.
Sarah's twin sister died just a couple of months before the start of the classes. Sarah is heartbroken about it, and just does not know how to continue with her life. Part of it is because of how Lea died: drowned but far from any body of water. Sarah will meet an extraordinary creature which will show her the Unreal City in exchange for a price. She wonders if it is worth it and if she could find there the answers she needs.
This book got me hooked from the beginning. It is beautifully written with very detailed descriptions that made me feel I was there. The characters were also beautifully constructed, and the dialogs were realistic. It was a pleasure and I could have listened to it in one go if I had time.
We get an explanation of things and everything falls into place, but I could not help but think of a parallelism between the Unreal City and getting addicted to drugs. I guess the Unreal City worked in a way like a drug, giving false hope and access to a new world with a new perception, but taking something precious from you in return, and also changing your life out of it.
It was a simple story, reminding me sometimes of 'Alice Through the Looking Glass', but with much darker. If I had to define it I would say that it is something between dark fantasy and light horror.
I enjoyed Jessica McEvoy's narration. She transmitted Sarah's emotions like they were her own, and I could feel the despair she felt. She did a good job with accents too, although I had troubles with the Russian accent. It felt overdone and I had to focus to understand all the words.
I loved this book. It was a clever story told in a beautiful and dazzling way. I am glad that I decided to listen to it and get to know A.R. Meyering's writing. I am looking forward to listening to her other books.
April 15, 2015
This book starts off at my alma mater, the University of California at Santa Cruz. I knew it was going to be a creepy book, but this really personalized it for me. UCSC's campus is on a hill, built in a redwood forest and A. R. Meyering captures it's sometimes creepy beauty. I'm glad I didn't read this book while living there though or I might not have been able to leave my room.
I devoured this book. Perhaps I need to read creepier fantasy but I think the big catch for me was the personal detail.
The story itself was great too though. It reminded me a bit of a creepy Alice in Wonderland but with an actual plot. (I love Alice in Wonderland but it's story is quite wandering and dreamlike.) Sarah is a grieving young woman who finds a creepy familiar and a way to be a part of this weird other dimension. She was really mean to her familiar for much of the book which didn't really make sense to me.
Joy's terrible boyfriend was a great touch to the book. What a pedant! There are far too many of this type of person. It's weird they aren't in more books.
OH! And there was an awesome crossover paragraph to A. R. Meyering's The Angel of Elydria. Good one Ms. Meyering.
Some parts of this book seemed to come out of nowhere, or were just kinda confusing though.
I devoured this book. Perhaps I need to read creepier fantasy but I think the big catch for me was the personal detail.
The story itself was great too though. It reminded me a bit of a creepy Alice in Wonderland but with an actual plot. (I love Alice in Wonderland but it's story is quite wandering and dreamlike.) Sarah is a grieving young woman who finds a creepy familiar and a way to be a part of this weird other dimension. She was really mean to her familiar for much of the book which didn't really make sense to me.
Joy's terrible boyfriend was a great touch to the book. What a pedant! There are far too many of this type of person. It's weird they aren't in more books.
OH! And there was an awesome crossover paragraph to A. R. Meyering's The Angel of Elydria. Good one Ms. Meyering.
Some parts of this book seemed to come out of nowhere, or were just kinda confusing though.
February 10, 2015
Sarah Wilkes is Entering college a week after her sister's Murder. Sarah And her sister Lea were planing on entering college together, however those plans were eradicated after Lea's body was found dead, and lifeless, Drowned. Sarah is desperate and lost after loosing her sister. She just wants to escape, This wish is granted when Sarah meets a familiar spirit whom she names Felix. All it asks is for a taste of blood or a piece of hair, When she agrees she finds herself in another world named Unreal City in where she controlls everything, she later finds there are other people among that world that have the same power as her. Sarah later meets her sister Murderer. And slowly she starts to unravel some secrets, secrets that can only be found in the twilig- I mean Secrets that can only be found in Unreal city. "Is finding out the truth worth becoming part of unreal city for ever?"
This novel was dark and exciting filled with Demons or "Familiar spirits." I loved how the characters kept me on edge, Each chapter closer to the truth. I loved every moment of this book from the beginning to the end. Felix was fun as well as cunning, The other familiar spirits where quite interesting as well. I defenetly recommend this book to anybody who likes Dark and fantsay.IT IS AMAZING.
NOTE: Thank you goodreads for the book. I won this book on a goodreads giveaway and I appreciate it, Thank you to the author for sending and writing such an amazing piece of literature. Thank you.
This novel was dark and exciting filled with Demons or "Familiar spirits." I loved how the characters kept me on edge, Each chapter closer to the truth. I loved every moment of this book from the beginning to the end. Felix was fun as well as cunning, The other familiar spirits where quite interesting as well. I defenetly recommend this book to anybody who likes Dark and fantsay.IT IS AMAZING.
NOTE: Thank you goodreads for the book. I won this book on a goodreads giveaway and I appreciate it, Thank you to the author for sending and writing such an amazing piece of literature. Thank you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2016
This is a fantasy story about a young woman after the death of her twin sister. She is trying to continue on with her life the best way she can but she is still mourning the loss and can't seem to move forward. A familiar spirit in animal form begins to stalk her and when they finally meet Sarah's life will change forever.
First of all I will have to say a lot of imagination went into this book! For the most part I thought it was very well written; I only found the odd spot to be a bit awkward and I had to re-read it to get the full understanding of what the author was trying to explain. The book kept me thoroughly and continually entranced and because it was a fairly easy read I had it done in a couple of days. The only thing I felt is that I never took a liking to Felix's character as he always felt a little devious and evil to me, however that could be what the author was tryng to portray. A goodreads give away thanks for the copy!
First of all I will have to say a lot of imagination went into this book! For the most part I thought it was very well written; I only found the odd spot to be a bit awkward and I had to re-read it to get the full understanding of what the author was trying to explain. The book kept me thoroughly and continually entranced and because it was a fairly easy read I had it done in a couple of days. The only thing I felt is that I never took a liking to Felix's character as he always felt a little devious and evil to me, however that could be what the author was tryng to portray. A goodreads give away thanks for the copy!
March 23, 2015
I received this book as a free giveaway and I'm so glad I did. It is not a genre that I would normally read; however, I really liked this book. If I had to categorize it, I would say that it was light horror/dark fantasy with a mystery to solve and should do well in our high school library.
Sarah begins college life alone, just months after her twin sister was murdered. She struggles with trying to be normal and live her life as if nothing has happened. When that doesn't work out for her, she tries to solve her sister's murder and becomes involved with a familial spirit who offers her a life of no pain through an alternate reality. I thought the author did a great job making Sarah's decisions and thought processes seem very realistic and engaging. I did not guess how this book would end which is always a positive to me. This is a book worth reading!
Sarah begins college life alone, just months after her twin sister was murdered. She struggles with trying to be normal and live her life as if nothing has happened. When that doesn't work out for her, she tries to solve her sister's murder and becomes involved with a familial spirit who offers her a life of no pain through an alternate reality. I thought the author did a great job making Sarah's decisions and thought processes seem very realistic and engaging. I did not guess how this book would end which is always a positive to me. This is a book worth reading!
April 9, 2016
“Horror” is not a genre that, as a rule, I turn to when I seek a good read to entertain me. Still, A. R. Meyering proved to me with Unreal City, why it is that horror tales engage readers as they do. Her writing has a lovely flow, her characters are full, and her imagination knows no bounds. I particularly applaud her for her fine use of less-than-common words (such as, by way of example, gelatinous, ambrosial, miasma, viscous, and opalescence). (It is nice to see younger readers offered a work with a rich vocabulary.)
In Unreal City, Sarah Wilkes suffers the grievous loss of her twin sister, Lea. Thereafter, a strange spirit stalks Sarah, leaving her . . .
Read more at http://www.patriciareding.com/blog-in....
In Unreal City, Sarah Wilkes suffers the grievous loss of her twin sister, Lea. Thereafter, a strange spirit stalks Sarah, leaving her . . .
Read more at http://www.patriciareding.com/blog-in....
November 17, 2014
This book messed me up in the best possible way. The dark, tragic grieving of Sarah over her sister broke my heart. Her relationship with her creepy familiar, Felix, kept me unsettled and on edge even as I slowly began to understand and even sympathize with him. And the twisted, disturbing insanity as Sarah fell deeper between the worlds of fantasy and reality affected me in a way I don't think I'll ever be able to shake off. I ADORE this book. It's terrifying and beautiful, tragic but hopeful, and gritty yet magical all at the same time. If you're a fan of either horror or fantasy, you need to read this book NOW.
Read
March 18, 2015Really good story
Sarah has felt a loss most of us , thankfully, won't have to feel until we are old and nearly done with life. When her twin sister is taken from her she falls into a dark place. This darkness is where the familiar finds her and tempts her to follow him to Unreal City. What struck me the most through this book is that it was always believable. Even during the most unbelievable, mind stretching parts, I never though "well, that's just ridiculous" Everything just flowed together so well. I was really pleased with this book and would recommend it to anybody who needs a little perspective on leaving grief behind.
Sarah has felt a loss most of us , thankfully, won't have to feel until we are old and nearly done with life. When her twin sister is taken from her she falls into a dark place. This darkness is where the familiar finds her and tempts her to follow him to Unreal City. What struck me the most through this book is that it was always believable. Even during the most unbelievable, mind stretching parts, I never though "well, that's just ridiculous" Everything just flowed together so well. I was really pleased with this book and would recommend it to anybody who needs a little perspective on leaving grief behind.
Read
December 22, 2014Fascinating Journey Through The Unexpected
Interesting well-written novel about a young adult dealing with the loss of her twin and her perspective on how the world works.
Sarah journeys through her pain and hope with the help of a familiar I couldn't completely trust, and into a world of her own invention.
The ending is unexpected and the threads are tied up neatly. My only criticism is a lot can happen between big scenes, and you're forced to accept it without really being part of it.
All in all a really nice read from an epic imagination.
Interesting well-written novel about a young adult dealing with the loss of her twin and her perspective on how the world works.
Sarah journeys through her pain and hope with the help of a familiar I couldn't completely trust, and into a world of her own invention.
The ending is unexpected and the threads are tied up neatly. My only criticism is a lot can happen between big scenes, and you're forced to accept it without really being part of it.
All in all a really nice read from an epic imagination.
May 29, 2016
This is a really, really good book. In the opening chapters, I felt like it was treading the same ground as THE RIVERMAN (a series I also love), but quickly the world of the novel asserts itself as something related, but distinctly different. Definitely recommended for those with a taste for fantasy.
March 20, 2015
This is not my genre, but I will say that the story line kept me interested and made me want to finish the book. I would categorize it as light horror or dark fantasy for the young adult.
February 2, 2016
I love exploring books from local authors, and this was a pleasant surprise. It was polished and entertaining - a surprisingly seamless blend of fantasy, myth, and the contemporary.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews