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The Last Oracle #1
Sacrificed
Knowing the future can save her city – but not her heart.
Born to serve the merciless Oracle, Clio wants nothing more than to break free. But when her entire family is murdered by Mannix, the king's adviser, Clio inherits the Oracle’s power, a power she never wanted and doesn't understand.
Hunted by Mannix, Clio is forced to flee her home in Sheehan and seek refuge in a foreign city where oracles are forbidden. If she's found out, she will be executed.
Clio has no choice but to win the trust of Riece, an enemy warrior. Despite the undeniable attraction between them, Clio knows that if he finds out who she really is, he won't hesitate to execute her.
Clio tries to hide her budding powers, but the Visions she keeps having of Mannix and his army slaughtering her people torture her conscience. She alone has the strength and foresight to stop him, but only if she can embrace her destiny and sacrifice everything.
Born to serve the merciless Oracle, Clio wants nothing more than to break free. But when her entire family is murdered by Mannix, the king's adviser, Clio inherits the Oracle’s power, a power she never wanted and doesn't understand.
Hunted by Mannix, Clio is forced to flee her home in Sheehan and seek refuge in a foreign city where oracles are forbidden. If she's found out, she will be executed.
Clio has no choice but to win the trust of Riece, an enemy warrior. Despite the undeniable attraction between them, Clio knows that if he finds out who she really is, he won't hesitate to execute her.
Clio tries to hide her budding powers, but the Visions she keeps having of Mannix and his army slaughtering her people torture her conscience. She alone has the strength and foresight to stop him, but only if she can embrace her destiny and sacrifice everything.
263 pages, ebook
First published December 31, 2014
132 people are currently reading
2851 people want to read
About the author
Emily Wibberley
21 books2,249 followersEmily Wibberley attended Princeton University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Austin Siegemund-Broka, with whom she is author of The Roughest Draft, as well as several love stories for teens.
Visit her and Austin's website at www.emilyandaustinwrite.com.
Visit her and Austin's website at www.emilyandaustinwrite.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
May 31, 2019
Okay, imagine you're on a date. At first you weren't sure you wanted to go out with this person, but then they turn out to be not only really attractive, but also smart, funny and unlike anyone else you've ever met. So you're just there, mentally patting yourself on the back and already looking forward to your next date... and suddenly everything goes to hell. The other person begins acting in the most silly and annoying manner, and you literally have no idea what's going on because what the hell, things were going so well! Those horrible last 30 minutes ruin it all, and you know you'll be going home feeling bitterly disappointed. Now, would you give this person another chance? I personally wouldn't, but books are safer than people, so yes, I'm still going to give The Last Oracle another chance. Because if you haven't spotted my not so subtle metaphor yet, this is what it felt like to read this book.
I stumbled upon Sacrificed a couple of months ago, thought the synopsis sounded cool and decided to add it to my TBR. I recently stumbled upon it again, so I decided to give it a try and I bought it. And let me tell you, it was amazing.
The story is very original - not because it deals with an empire and conquered cities, which is something I'm not new to, but because it's about an Oracle. Prophecies, magic and oracles have always intrigued me, and this aspect of the book was extremely interesting. The world building was also very good: no info-dumps, and the author slowly presented the cities of Sheehan and Morek, their governments and religion in the most natural way. Despite the fact that I'm not a religious person, I'm actually really interested in religion itself, and I love it when it plays a big part in a book (especially if it's not modeled after Christianity, which often happens in high fantasy books. Boring. I want new stuff).
The main character, Clio, is the daughter of the most powerful woman in Sheehan - the Oracle. One day she will be forced to join her mother in the temple and serve the Deities, even though that's the last thing she wants for her future. But then things don't go as planned, her family is brutally murdered and Clio is forced to flee and go to Morek, the Emperor's city, where she would be executed if anyone found out she's an Oracle.
I think Clio's stay in Morek was probably the best part of the book. After she got herself captured with the other girls that the Emperor wanted to sacrifice, not only she showed that she was way tougher than anyone else would've ever imagined, but she also developed a strong friendship with another of the captured girls, Maia. After only a few days, Clio was a completely different person, hardened by violence and suffering, and she was ready to kill. During her captivity, she also met a young commander, Riece. Riece was fiercely loyal to the Emperor, but something about Clio - the foreign girl who would die in a few days, her heart ripped out by the High Priest on top of the city's pyramid - filled his mind with doubts.
Clio and Riece were both really good characters. I loved that she never gave up and was always trying to find a way to get free, to fight, to protect the other girls and avenge her family's death. Riece was surprisingly kind, but he also had a sense of humor and a certain amount of cockiness that made him only more likable. They both had a bit of a hero complex, but what can you expect? I also really liked Clio's mother, the Oracle, even though we didn't get to see much of her.
Up to this point - which was roughly the first 75% of the book - Sacrificed would've got 4 stars, maybe even 4.5. I mean, why not? I absolutely loved it. But then... then some things happened, and I felt disappointed and angry and couldn't understand how something so good turned so bad so quickly.
First of all, there was a truly cringe-worthy love triangle between Clio, Riece and Derik (it took me 30 seconds to remember his name, that's how remarkable he was), the young new king of Sheehan and Clio's childhood best friend. It was awful. As soon as he was in the picture again, the focus moved from all the action and adventure to the romance. There were many awkward conversations between Clio and Riece in which he was not so subtly jealous of Derik, and Clio suddenly turned into a lovestruck idiot. She actually fell on the ground because she was that much affected by her closeness to Riece, or some bullshit like that. Really? The last chapters were basically: some confusing plot-weird conversations-romance-romance-romance-some more confusing plot. Yay.
The ending was... terrible, to say the least. The two most stupid plot devices ever known to mankind were used to solve the situation: WOW. VERY CLEVER. SUCH ORIGINALITY.
You see what I mean now? Because it doesn't matter how much I loved most of the book, this stupid ending left me bitter and angry. I'm still going to read the second book, hoping that this idiotic ending was a one-time thing, but I certainly won't go into it with high expectations.
I stumbled upon Sacrificed a couple of months ago, thought the synopsis sounded cool and decided to add it to my TBR. I recently stumbled upon it again, so I decided to give it a try and I bought it. And let me tell you, it was amazing.
The story is very original - not because it deals with an empire and conquered cities, which is something I'm not new to, but because it's about an Oracle. Prophecies, magic and oracles have always intrigued me, and this aspect of the book was extremely interesting. The world building was also very good: no info-dumps, and the author slowly presented the cities of Sheehan and Morek, their governments and religion in the most natural way. Despite the fact that I'm not a religious person, I'm actually really interested in religion itself, and I love it when it plays a big part in a book (especially if it's not modeled after Christianity, which often happens in high fantasy books. Boring. I want new stuff).
The main character, Clio, is the daughter of the most powerful woman in Sheehan - the Oracle. One day she will be forced to join her mother in the temple and serve the Deities, even though that's the last thing she wants for her future. But then things don't go as planned, her family is brutally murdered and Clio is forced to flee and go to Morek, the Emperor's city, where she would be executed if anyone found out she's an Oracle.
I think Clio's stay in Morek was probably the best part of the book. After she got herself captured with the other girls that the Emperor wanted to sacrifice, not only she showed that she was way tougher than anyone else would've ever imagined, but she also developed a strong friendship with another of the captured girls, Maia. After only a few days, Clio was a completely different person, hardened by violence and suffering, and she was ready to kill. During her captivity, she also met a young commander, Riece. Riece was fiercely loyal to the Emperor, but something about Clio - the foreign girl who would die in a few days, her heart ripped out by the High Priest on top of the city's pyramid - filled his mind with doubts.
Clio and Riece were both really good characters. I loved that she never gave up and was always trying to find a way to get free, to fight, to protect the other girls and avenge her family's death. Riece was surprisingly kind, but he also had a sense of humor and a certain amount of cockiness that made him only more likable. They both had a bit of a hero complex, but what can you expect? I also really liked Clio's mother, the Oracle, even though we didn't get to see much of her.
Up to this point - which was roughly the first 75% of the book - Sacrificed would've got 4 stars, maybe even 4.5. I mean, why not? I absolutely loved it. But then... then some things happened, and I felt disappointed and angry and couldn't understand how something so good turned so bad so quickly.
First of all, there was a truly cringe-worthy love triangle between Clio, Riece and Derik (it took me 30 seconds to remember his name, that's how remarkable he was), the young new king of Sheehan and Clio's childhood best friend. It was awful. As soon as he was in the picture again, the focus moved from all the action and adventure to the romance. There were many awkward conversations between Clio and Riece in which he was not so subtly jealous of Derik, and Clio suddenly turned into a lovestruck idiot. She actually fell on the ground because she was that much affected by her closeness to Riece, or some bullshit like that. Really? The last chapters were basically: some confusing plot-weird conversations-romance-romance-romance-some more confusing plot. Yay.
The ending was... terrible, to say the least. The two most stupid plot devices ever known to mankind were used to solve the situation: WOW. VERY CLEVER. SUCH ORIGINALITY.
You see what I mean now? Because it doesn't matter how much I loved most of the book, this stupid ending left me bitter and angry. I'm still going to read the second book, hoping that this idiotic ending was a one-time thing, but I certainly won't go into it with high expectations.
October 8, 2016
Clio became the last Oracle when her family has been killed by Mannix, the King of Sheehan's adviser. She inherited the Oracle's power by seeing the fate (except she can't see hers). She didn't really want to become the Oracle in the first place. To her it's a curse than an honor. With lack of training, she didn't know what to do and left with no choice, she has to survive by going to Morek, a place where Oracles are banned being sacrificed but she has to conceal her identity and pose as a slave.
While imprisoned, she met the highest ranked warrior, Riece. She's fascinated with him and instinct tells her this man isn't that ruthless. It seems the feeling is mutual as they're both drawn to each other. They shared some tension and have a good chemistry. However, she's afraid he'll know her true identity and possibly kill her. Clio is gaining strength and she kept seeing Visions of Mannix and his brutality. She must stop him once and for all but there goes a lot of conflicts that will challenge her on this journey.
I picked this book out on a whim as I try to break my fantasy genre slump. This debut novel is a good start. I like the author's writing style, the story is unique, the concept has a great potential and the fantasy elementa are elaborated in the simplest manner. For someone who hasn't read fantasy novels in a while, it's a good comeback (the first five chapters is quite challenging to get into but it started to pick up the pace afterwards). The characters have great character developments, especially Clio. The romance is good and I like it doesn't take over the entire story. It focuses more on its world and conflict. It wasn't over the top but it's still enjoyable.
While imprisoned, she met the highest ranked warrior, Riece. She's fascinated with him and instinct tells her this man isn't that ruthless. It seems the feeling is mutual as they're both drawn to each other. They shared some tension and have a good chemistry. However, she's afraid he'll know her true identity and possibly kill her. Clio is gaining strength and she kept seeing Visions of Mannix and his brutality. She must stop him once and for all but there goes a lot of conflicts that will challenge her on this journey.
I picked this book out on a whim as I try to break my fantasy genre slump. This debut novel is a good start. I like the author's writing style, the story is unique, the concept has a great potential and the fantasy elementa are elaborated in the simplest manner. For someone who hasn't read fantasy novels in a while, it's a good comeback (the first five chapters is quite challenging to get into but it started to pick up the pace afterwards). The characters have great character developments, especially Clio. The romance is good and I like it doesn't take over the entire story. It focuses more on its world and conflict. It wasn't over the top but it's still enjoyable.
February 10, 2015
♥{Ever So Mela}♥{Bloglovin}♥{Facebook}♥{Google+}♥
At every corner they were being hunted like animals and executed like criminals.
I thought we were safe...but the Deities decided to not intervene when death came knocking.
Now everything I've known has come to an end. Everyone I've loved has been ripped from my hands. All I have left is to run.
All things I once believed are not as they seemed for the truth is not as black and white as I had believed.
I am only one but still I am me... and nothing will ever be the same for they now made me who I am...
I AM THE ORACLE...
And this is just the beginning...
________________________________________
Haven't you ever read a book and noticed something was missing but you couldn't exactly pinpoint what?
The premise is rather fascinating and for being a debut novel this is good just not great IMHO.
This had a very strong plot and I didn't really feel the romance overshadowed anything but I did have a massive problem with the romance. It's not really news for me to say that I don't mind love triangles. They're fun even when your team loses but they need to complement the story, not just add tension. And that's all this triangle was for. Unnecessary tension. And ridiculous tension at that.
Then there was a whole lot of telling and not enough showing. An example: they kept telling us Riece was the most wanted bachelor in all the land-over and over again- but we never really see this. They also kept explaining every blush and the reason for it. It gets annoying after a while. Just leave something to the imagination.
And finally, there was Clio's hero complex. This is the most overused trope in all existence and therefore the one I loathe. I despise it when we have an inexperienced female lead that wants to jump into every single freaking situation that can get her killed because she just has to help.
This gets old real fast.
So in the end it is quite enjoyable if any of my former whining doesn't bother you. It has a slow start but a promising end.
definitely looking forward to what's to come.
"I was provided this ARC via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review."
January 14, 2015
When Cleo's entire family was murdered by Mannix, the king's adviser, Clio has inherited the powers of her mother, the Oracle of Sheehan.
Now hunted by Mannix, Clio seeks refuge in Sheehan's sister city, Morek, by dressing up as a slave. If anyone discovers her identity, she will have her heart cut out as a sacrifice to the Deities on top of the pyramid. Clio has no choice but to win the trust of Riece, the prison's guard that won't hesitate to kill her if he discovers who she truly is. But the visions she sees are of Mannix bringing up a barbarian army into Sheehan and she's the only one that has the power and foresight to stop him. Can she embrace her destiny and sacrifice everything for her city?
Wow. I don't recall ever reading a book in the POV of an Oracle before, but now that I have, the only thing I can say is that was so enthralling. I really loved how Cleo used her powers for a greater good and even though she wasn't able to save everybody, I'm glad that she stood up for the innocent slaves.The writing was fluid and very easy to read. Yes, there is a love triangle and yes the ending was so surprising that it left me rocking back and forth in my corner in absolute denial.
The thing is I don't understand where did the Oracles come from? How did it happen? Why does Cleo suddenly have fighting skills that come with the power? Why can't she predict her own death? So many questions are left unanswered. The world building needs a bit more work.
Although I thought that Cleo was a little naive at times, I had to constantly remind myself that I'm dealing with a fifteen year old here. Hopefully, she'll have time to wisen-up in the sequels and be even more of a bad-ass.
I liked it a lot. Definitely recommend it.
Now hunted by Mannix, Clio seeks refuge in Sheehan's sister city, Morek, by dressing up as a slave. If anyone discovers her identity, she will have her heart cut out as a sacrifice to the Deities on top of the pyramid. Clio has no choice but to win the trust of Riece, the prison's guard that won't hesitate to kill her if he discovers who she truly is. But the visions she sees are of Mannix bringing up a barbarian army into Sheehan and she's the only one that has the power and foresight to stop him. Can she embrace her destiny and sacrifice everything for her city?
Wow. I don't recall ever reading a book in the POV of an Oracle before, but now that I have, the only thing I can say is that was so enthralling. I really loved how Cleo used her powers for a greater good and even though she wasn't able to save everybody, I'm glad that she stood up for the innocent slaves.The writing was fluid and very easy to read. Yes, there is a love triangle and yes the ending was so surprising that it left me rocking back and forth in my corner in absolute denial.
The thing is I don't understand where did the Oracles come from? How did it happen? Why does Cleo suddenly have fighting skills that come with the power? Why can't she predict her own death? So many questions are left unanswered. The world building needs a bit more work.
Although I thought that Cleo was a little naive at times, I had to constantly remind myself that I'm dealing with a fifteen year old here. Hopefully, she'll have time to wisen-up in the sequels and be even more of a bad-ass.
I liked it a lot. Definitely recommend it.
March 10, 2015
Wow! The only thing I didn't like about this book was the ending...and that was because it ended! I wanted more!!! From expansive character development to breathtaking settings, Sacrificed: The Last Oracle leaves readers craving book 2. Overall 5/5 stars; when does the next book come out again?
January 11, 2020
This debut novel will captivate you from the very beginning and make you beg for more at the end! Full of mystery, adventure and a steamy romance, this book will definitely get you out of your reading slump!
The minute I received this book, I was exactly like the minions above. Excited as all hell! This book had mystery, romance, suspense and adventure... everything I love in a book, so I of course finished this it in a short amount of time!
Clio is skeptical and doesn't believe in the calling and apparent Fate of her mother and sisters. She lives in the city of Sheehan, a city with its own King and laws. These laws will no longer mean anything if the King dies and when the Empire takes over, so will a world in which Oracles are feared and executed.
Everything changes for Clio when she gets a vision of her family being murdered by Mannix, the king's adviser. Sneaking into the city of Morek to save her sister Ali, she comes across Riece; a strong, handsome warrior that has an interest in Clio.
Now the Oracle, she must do everything in her power to stop Mannix's plans and try to save her city. But will she be too late?
"Wait," she called before he took his leave. "You saved my life. Can I at least know your name?" He turned back, barely looking at her over his shoulder. "My name is Riece, but you should stick to calling me 'Sir'."
Occasionally, it's hard to find a good fantasy book that has a fascinating world, compelling characters and a good romance, but I actually found it!
In a shorter version: I LOVED THIS BOOK! I devoured it in two days and after that, I wanted more. It killed me when I realized the second book isn't out yet and it still does!
The author did a wonderful way of captivating me from the very first page till the last. She put such exquisite detail into her writing and described certain situations so perfectly that I felt as if I was swept up into the story and apart of her characters!
The story is definitely fast paced, but the author knows when to add some flare and twists to the story, and there are some plot twists that leave you wondering what will happen next!
With the characters, I definitely connected with all of them. My favorite would obviously have to be Clio; a feisty, strong, well-written and believable female protagonist that I couldn't get enough of. I also enjoyed seeing the relationship between her and her family...I just couldn't tear my eyes away nor did I want to!
At times there were moments where I would find her to be naive or just doing repetitious things, and it annoyed me slightly because of how it dragged on in the first couple of pages. But as I read deeper into the book, I grew a great fondness toward her and I'm definitely excited to see how she develops in the second book!
The romance in this story was also another aspect I loved. Even though I'm not a huge fan of love triangles, I loved this one! The connection between Riece and Clio was actually believable and that's why I loved it.
Most YA books would push the romance very quickly into the book, but the author took her time with this one and I applaud her for that. (But if I were Clio, I would seriously forget Derik and go for Riece! ;) )
And couldn't stay away ever since." She clasped her hands together over her heart in mock sentiment. He flashed her a grin. "Now, let's not get too carried away."
Do you know that moment where you're just reading a book, and then you come across a character and you just gasp, hug the book tight to your chest and squeal with delight? Yeah, that was me when I met Riece and I am not embarrassed!
Riece was a witty, humorous, handsome and oh-so amazing character! I seriously can not tell you that enough. I loved his humor, his intelligence and the way he easily cared for Clio and the girls that were going to be sacrificed...I loved everything about him and I am VERY excited to see him in the second book!
Overall, Emily Wibbereley has created an amazing fantasy world full of romance, suspense and mystery, and I am excited to read what she has in store for the next book! I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good fantasy read!
The minute I received this book, I was exactly like the minions above. Excited as all hell! This book had mystery, romance, suspense and adventure... everything I love in a book, so I of course finished this it in a short amount of time!
Clio is skeptical and doesn't believe in the calling and apparent Fate of her mother and sisters. She lives in the city of Sheehan, a city with its own King and laws. These laws will no longer mean anything if the King dies and when the Empire takes over, so will a world in which Oracles are feared and executed.
Everything changes for Clio when she gets a vision of her family being murdered by Mannix, the king's adviser. Sneaking into the city of Morek to save her sister Ali, she comes across Riece; a strong, handsome warrior that has an interest in Clio.
Now the Oracle, she must do everything in her power to stop Mannix's plans and try to save her city. But will she be too late?
"Wait," she called before he took his leave. "You saved my life. Can I at least know your name?" He turned back, barely looking at her over his shoulder. "My name is Riece, but you should stick to calling me 'Sir'."
Occasionally, it's hard to find a good fantasy book that has a fascinating world, compelling characters and a good romance, but I actually found it!
In a shorter version: I LOVED THIS BOOK! I devoured it in two days and after that, I wanted more. It killed me when I realized the second book isn't out yet and it still does!
The author did a wonderful way of captivating me from the very first page till the last. She put such exquisite detail into her writing and described certain situations so perfectly that I felt as if I was swept up into the story and apart of her characters!
The story is definitely fast paced, but the author knows when to add some flare and twists to the story, and there are some plot twists that leave you wondering what will happen next!
With the characters, I definitely connected with all of them. My favorite would obviously have to be Clio; a feisty, strong, well-written and believable female protagonist that I couldn't get enough of. I also enjoyed seeing the relationship between her and her family...I just couldn't tear my eyes away nor did I want to!
At times there were moments where I would find her to be naive or just doing repetitious things, and it annoyed me slightly because of how it dragged on in the first couple of pages. But as I read deeper into the book, I grew a great fondness toward her and I'm definitely excited to see how she develops in the second book!
The romance in this story was also another aspect I loved. Even though I'm not a huge fan of love triangles, I loved this one! The connection between Riece and Clio was actually believable and that's why I loved it.
Most YA books would push the romance very quickly into the book, but the author took her time with this one and I applaud her for that. (But if I were Clio, I would seriously forget Derik and go for Riece! ;) )
And couldn't stay away ever since." She clasped her hands together over her heart in mock sentiment. He flashed her a grin. "Now, let's not get too carried away."
Do you know that moment where you're just reading a book, and then you come across a character and you just gasp, hug the book tight to your chest and squeal with delight? Yeah, that was me when I met Riece and I am not embarrassed!
Riece was a witty, humorous, handsome and oh-so amazing character! I seriously can not tell you that enough. I loved his humor, his intelligence and the way he easily cared for Clio and the girls that were going to be sacrificed...I loved everything about him and I am VERY excited to see him in the second book!
Overall, Emily Wibbereley has created an amazing fantasy world full of romance, suspense and mystery, and I am excited to read what she has in store for the next book! I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good fantasy read!
March 12, 2015
This is an excellent debut novel. It promises a compelling young-adult fantasy series to come.
I could stop there. I feel like you should just go with the recommendation and read this book. You’re losing precious reading time by reading — even skimming — the reviews.
I should refrain from tempting you. But I won’t.
In the event you’re not convinced, I’ll point out a few things I loved in this novel. (I should mention I received an advance copy.)
The novel works well because you empathize with the characters, both in their conflicts and in their happiness. The villains feel vile — they’re not cardboard cutouts with devious lines enough to clarify their role in the story. You loathe and fear them the way the protagonists do. There’s the same effect in the romance of Clio and her male counterparts, whose interactions are so likable it’s just impossible not to feel what they feel for each other.
They’re complemented by a few great supplementary characters. In particular, one of the love interests’ younger sister is both plot motivator and comic relief in a combination that makes you wish for her in every scene.
The conflict is clear and complex, with layers revealed scene by scene. In the best of them, the world we’re in — the cities of Morek and Sheehan, the former ruling over the rest of the land with a powerful army and an astute monarch — come into wider view. With its Oracles, its roving tribes of cannibalistic Untouched, and its political unrest hinted in one of the novel’s best scenes, I’m can’t wait to explore it in the rest of the series.
The climax is the high point. The author wedges her protagonists into a seemingly inextricable situation, ratcheting the tension higher and higher. It resolves with a series of well-planned twists that set up the sequel with grace and power.
Best of all, the story gives its characters much more to think about than relationship drama. It delves into moral nuances and gray areas in ways most books of its genre don’t. It’s about Clio becoming a woman as much as an Oracle. That means dealing with the intersections of sacrifice and self-determination, institutional cruelty and individual responsibility, love and letting go.
Is that good? You convinced?
Go read this book.
I could stop there. I feel like you should just go with the recommendation and read this book. You’re losing precious reading time by reading — even skimming — the reviews.
I should refrain from tempting you. But I won’t.
In the event you’re not convinced, I’ll point out a few things I loved in this novel. (I should mention I received an advance copy.)
The novel works well because you empathize with the characters, both in their conflicts and in their happiness. The villains feel vile — they’re not cardboard cutouts with devious lines enough to clarify their role in the story. You loathe and fear them the way the protagonists do. There’s the same effect in the romance of Clio and her male counterparts, whose interactions are so likable it’s just impossible not to feel what they feel for each other.
They’re complemented by a few great supplementary characters. In particular, one of the love interests’ younger sister is both plot motivator and comic relief in a combination that makes you wish for her in every scene.
The conflict is clear and complex, with layers revealed scene by scene. In the best of them, the world we’re in — the cities of Morek and Sheehan, the former ruling over the rest of the land with a powerful army and an astute monarch — come into wider view. With its Oracles, its roving tribes of cannibalistic Untouched, and its political unrest hinted in one of the novel’s best scenes, I’m can’t wait to explore it in the rest of the series.
The climax is the high point. The author wedges her protagonists into a seemingly inextricable situation, ratcheting the tension higher and higher. It resolves with a series of well-planned twists that set up the sequel with grace and power.
Best of all, the story gives its characters much more to think about than relationship drama. It delves into moral nuances and gray areas in ways most books of its genre don’t. It’s about Clio becoming a woman as much as an Oracle. That means dealing with the intersections of sacrifice and self-determination, institutional cruelty and individual responsibility, love and letting go.
Is that good? You convinced?
Go read this book.
January 13, 2015
“I owe you my life a thousand times over, not because you’ve stopped spears from piercing my heart, but because you’ve shown me a world where you fight, not out of hate, but because you care, because there is so much worth fighting for.” -Riece
Let me start this review by acknowledging this is the Debut book of Emily Wibberley and she did an amazing job!
5/5
No Spoilers! :)
Reading the blurb I debated if I would be interested in a book about Oracles. I have yet read a book on them and not sure if this one was the one for me. The cover's beautiful, title is capturing, and the blurb sounds enticing. Well! I'm thrilled I did read 'Sacrificed' for many reasons! This book can easily be a top favorite for many fantasy/young adult readers! Fast paced read, it took me a day to finish, keeping the interest as a reader. Packed with battles, action, slavery, sacrifices, LOVE, and coming to age!
Clio is a rebellious teen, fighting to be the opposite of her mother, The Oracle and her sisters, Vessels. She doesn't want to believe in the 'tricks' and 'Sight' of the Oracle but that it's all a manipulative scheme...Until her family is murdered and Clio receives her first true vision. The vision showing she has one sister remaining, Ali. Clio makes it her mission to save her sister before it's to late. But where her sister is getting sent, the kingdom of Morek, despises oracles and use them as examples in their daily sacrifices.
Trapped in the city, Clio finds herself a very unexpected alley, Riece.
As the young guard turned, Clio got a glimpse of his plumage. Her spirits sank. Gold. The highest rank. Rank was based on how many enemies a man had captured for the sacrifice. “How many men does it take to get first rank here?” His response was flat, emotionless. “Ten.” The scar stood out pink and raw against is brown skin.
Clio continuously gets visions of the havoc Mannix is causing all around her and must find away to stop him before it's to late. (Wish I can give you more than that BUT I don't want to spoil the fun!)
What I loved about 'Sacrificed'
-Clio! Don't let her fool you in the beginning. She becomes a spunk of fire through out the book and does not disappoint being a strong female lead with a clever mind.
“You let this man in here, and he’s not coming back out.” Clio tried her best to adopt a confident demeanor. She widened her stance, arched her back, and kept her arms loose and ready to move as soon as that gate opened.
-The villains created fit the part! They're mean, disgusting, sadistic, and all of the above.
“Because in all of my travels, the only men I have known to cut out their tongues are the Untouched.”
-Last but not even the least Riece! Fearless, arrogant, loving warrior is all wrapped up to be the perfect hero!(even though Clio holds her own)
“Well, that’s only part of it. I’m famous because I saved the Emperor, and I am ridiculously good looking. And amazingly charming.” -Riece
Now I must warn you, in my blog review I have a bunch more quotes
Without hesitating, Riece climbed out of the pool. Clio had to shut her eyes quickly in order to avoid catching a glimpse of his translucent garment. This only made him laugh. He walked over to the abandoned cloak and wrapped it around his waist. “You can open your innocent eyes now.”
A great mix of romance and action balancing out, keeping the integrity of the story.
A slight triangle maybe involved in the book making Clio's decisions hard to make throughout the story.
“And you think he kissed you, why? Because he wanted your help with an itch on his lips?”-Riece
Now there's some spots that weren't perfectly 'cleaned' up to have the reader not ask questions. Example, the age of Clio is 15! I think if the author made her a bit older, she would of had more room to play with her character and evolving the relationships. Non the less, Clio acts wiser then a 15 year old. However it does NOT take away from the story as I read, I just used my imagination to fill in :)
Being Emily Wibberley's first book, she has beyond the 'Deities' of potential to improve, change, and making a unique story.
And if I have to change a little in order to better do this, then that’s the sacrifice I am called upon to make. -Clio
Cliffhanger Warning!
This book leaves it open to be continuous series!
Highly Recommended Read!
Complimentary copy was given for a honest review
Mini Excerpt between Clio & Riece
“You are completely out of your mind. You know that, right?” But the hint of a smile lit up his eyes, a warmth that reflected pride. “Tell me truthfully, do you simply have no fear? First, you voluntarily join a group of slaves to enter a city that wants you dead, and then you threaten to kill yourself to avoid being killed.”
“You forgot the part where I volunteered to go first on the pyramid.” “Right, that too. If you were a man, you would be a great warrior.”
“If I were a man, I wouldn’t need to be anything. If I had been a boy, I never would have become the Oracle.” She started walking again. The ground was getting steep below them. Rocks and pebbles dislodged under their feet, rolling down the terrain below them. The sun was concluding its descent, sending fiery spears of red up into the sky. “But I do have fear.” She thought about Mannix’s words — about how the girl she had seen in Mannix’s chamber might well be a glimpse into her own fate. “I’m afraid of what he will do to me if he gets me. The only thing protecting me is that he believes I am too valuable to be killed right away.”
“Well, you are. Clio, you are the only living Oracle below the great sea. With the Morek Oracle gone and now your family, you are the only one left.” “And I thought you didn’t like Oracles.” Clio smiled cautiously at him. “I don’t… or I didn’t,” his eyes met hers for a moment before he turned back to the terrain. “He made you the last Oracle because he wants something from you.”
More review on my blog http://pandorasopenedbox.blogspot.com...
May 24, 2016
Updated Review: Re-read in preparation for the second book which is soon to be released.
My thoughts the second time reading this were OH MY GOODNESS IT IS EVEN BETTER THAN I REMEMBER!
Don't let Clio put you off, she is a whiny little brat at the start, but something just clicks about 30 pages in and she snaps out of it.
Riece. I would like a Riece please. <3
The writing in this is gorgeous. I happily stayed up past my bedtime on a work night reading, because I couldn't put it down, it was so impressive.
I swooned. I laughed. I cried. What a wonderful read.
The ending, MY HEART HURTS and I cannot wait to read the second book, Forsworn when it comes out!
Original Review:
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book! You guys. This book!!
I am SO HAPPY that I pressed the request button on Netgalley!
Sacrificed is a sci-fi young adult novel focusing on the life of Clio, a fifteen year old girl who, following the death of her entire family inherits what is called “The Sight”, she can see the future, and she needs to use her new powers to help her city, Sheehan, from falling into the hands of an evil mastermind, Mannix. Clio must come to terms with her new powers, whilst battling her emotions in regards to her oldest friend, Derik, who also happens to be the Prince of Sheehan, and Riece, the tough loving warrior who helps her in her hour of need.
To be brutally honest, for the first few chapters, Clio was the typical whiny teenage protagonist. She was rebelling against everything her mother and family stood for, but once her world is turned upside down and she becomes the last Oracle, she has a very short amount of time to grow up and once she starts to realise the enormity of the situation and how important she is to her people, she settles down and becomes a character you truly want to root for.
My favourite part of YA fiction is the tension between characters. And DEITIES WOW this book had tension in spades! I have not enjoyed romantic tension as well written as this, in a long time! At times it felt like I could feel the tension crackling between Clio and Riece coming off the pages. I am not a Derik fan, he seemed a bit too wussy for my tastes, I’ll take Riece the warrior any day. But I feel Derik will have a bigger part to play in the coming books, if that ending is anything to go by.
I was conflicted while reading this book. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next, but I also didn’t want to finish it too quickly, because the story was so enthralling! I looked forward to my train rides to and from work, because I had the opportunity to read this gorgeous book. I also got completely blindsided by the big plot twist at the end, I love when I am surprised!
This book throws me back to when I was an awkward teenager reading the Obernewtyn Chronicles and all I wanted to be was the lead character, Elspeth. I have a feeling that this book has the chance to instil the same kind of awe in its audience, and I hope it does just that.
Lots of love and effort has gone into this book, you can tell. From the world building, to the editing, there is little for me to critique at all, and for a debut novel to be this good, is a rarity indeed. Ms. Wibberley has a wonderful way with words and I am eagerly anticipating the next arrival in this series, because I cannot wait to see what happens to these fantastic characters.
4 Stars!
My thoughts the second time reading this were OH MY GOODNESS IT IS EVEN BETTER THAN I REMEMBER!
Don't let Clio put you off, she is a whiny little brat at the start, but something just clicks about 30 pages in and she snaps out of it.
Riece. I would like a Riece please. <3
The writing in this is gorgeous. I happily stayed up past my bedtime on a work night reading, because I couldn't put it down, it was so impressive.
I swooned. I laughed. I cried. What a wonderful read.
The ending, MY HEART HURTS and I cannot wait to read the second book, Forsworn when it comes out!
Original Review:
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book! You guys. This book!!
I am SO HAPPY that I pressed the request button on Netgalley!
Sacrificed is a sci-fi young adult novel focusing on the life of Clio, a fifteen year old girl who, following the death of her entire family inherits what is called “The Sight”, she can see the future, and she needs to use her new powers to help her city, Sheehan, from falling into the hands of an evil mastermind, Mannix. Clio must come to terms with her new powers, whilst battling her emotions in regards to her oldest friend, Derik, who also happens to be the Prince of Sheehan, and Riece, the tough loving warrior who helps her in her hour of need.
To be brutally honest, for the first few chapters, Clio was the typical whiny teenage protagonist. She was rebelling against everything her mother and family stood for, but once her world is turned upside down and she becomes the last Oracle, she has a very short amount of time to grow up and once she starts to realise the enormity of the situation and how important she is to her people, she settles down and becomes a character you truly want to root for.
My favourite part of YA fiction is the tension between characters. And DEITIES WOW this book had tension in spades! I have not enjoyed romantic tension as well written as this, in a long time! At times it felt like I could feel the tension crackling between Clio and Riece coming off the pages. I am not a Derik fan, he seemed a bit too wussy for my tastes, I’ll take Riece the warrior any day. But I feel Derik will have a bigger part to play in the coming books, if that ending is anything to go by.
I was conflicted while reading this book. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next, but I also didn’t want to finish it too quickly, because the story was so enthralling! I looked forward to my train rides to and from work, because I had the opportunity to read this gorgeous book. I also got completely blindsided by the big plot twist at the end, I love when I am surprised!
This book throws me back to when I was an awkward teenager reading the Obernewtyn Chronicles and all I wanted to be was the lead character, Elspeth. I have a feeling that this book has the chance to instil the same kind of awe in its audience, and I hope it does just that.
Lots of love and effort has gone into this book, you can tell. From the world building, to the editing, there is little for me to critique at all, and for a debut novel to be this good, is a rarity indeed. Ms. Wibberley has a wonderful way with words and I am eagerly anticipating the next arrival in this series, because I cannot wait to see what happens to these fantastic characters.
4 Stars!
January 28, 2015
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review
Sacrificed is a a great first novel by Emily Wibberley! In the world of fantasy YA novels, it is becoming harder and harder to find an original, compelling story that still retains beloved elements from the genre, such as a fascinating world, strong characters, great plot and an intriguing romance. Sacrificed has all of these, and still manages to produce many 'ah-ha' moments with great plot twists!
Clio is the youngest of four daughters of the Oracle of Sheehan. She has grown up hating the life her mother lives and wants nothing to do with that world. However, in a cruel twist of fate, Clio's entire family is murdered by the evil Mannix, an advisor to the king, and Clio inherits the Oracle's power. Running from a fate she despises and fears, Sacrificed is the story of the journey Clio takes as she vows vengeance for the death of her family, while also growing to learn and accept her duties, as passed down from mother to daughter. Along the way, we meet her childhood friend Derik and the gorgeous Riece.
I loved the world building in this book. Inspired by the Mayan civilization, Wibberley has definitely done her research and included some interesting historical elements, while maintaining the fantastic nature of the land in which we meet our characters, The power dynamics between the different cities, the mysterious and frightening tribe called the Untouched who roam the land, and the contrasting belief systems represented by the Priest and Oracle - all these elements are woven beautifully together to give the reader a rich view of this world.
The characters themselves are relatable, flawed and, infuriating and admirable in equal parts. Clio is definitely a strong female protagonist who is still learning to deal with her new found power, while coping with the death of her family. Her relationship with her mother and sisters is beautiful and intriguing at the same time. Romantically, her chemistry with Riece sizzles creating compelling relationship fraught with hot tension and comforting warmth. Her closeness with Derik is also quite a beautiful friendship - though it seemed a little rushed in some parts. The rest of the characters are also interesting. Both the antagonist Mannix, and the wonderful smaller characters Clio meets along the way (such as Maia), who help her through her journey, help bring out the strengths and vulnerabilities of Clio, while also giving us a picture of the world she lives in.
The writing is fast paced, and the plot twists are gripping. While YA tropes abound, the overall narrative makes the reading experience completely unique. What I also loved is the clear setup of a matriarchal power hierarchy on one side (with the Oracles) and the more patriarchal world of the Priests. There are some very clever real-world references Wibberley throws in that are delightful Easter Eggs that make the reading experience very enjoyable!
I would recommend Sacrificed to anyone who loves Fantasy, general YA novels and novels with strong female protagonists. It is a compelling story that keeps you on the edge of your seat! Cannot wait for the next book in the trilogy!
Sacrificed is a a great first novel by Emily Wibberley! In the world of fantasy YA novels, it is becoming harder and harder to find an original, compelling story that still retains beloved elements from the genre, such as a fascinating world, strong characters, great plot and an intriguing romance. Sacrificed has all of these, and still manages to produce many 'ah-ha' moments with great plot twists!
Clio is the youngest of four daughters of the Oracle of Sheehan. She has grown up hating the life her mother lives and wants nothing to do with that world. However, in a cruel twist of fate, Clio's entire family is murdered by the evil Mannix, an advisor to the king, and Clio inherits the Oracle's power. Running from a fate she despises and fears, Sacrificed is the story of the journey Clio takes as she vows vengeance for the death of her family, while also growing to learn and accept her duties, as passed down from mother to daughter. Along the way, we meet her childhood friend Derik and the gorgeous Riece.
I loved the world building in this book. Inspired by the Mayan civilization, Wibberley has definitely done her research and included some interesting historical elements, while maintaining the fantastic nature of the land in which we meet our characters, The power dynamics between the different cities, the mysterious and frightening tribe called the Untouched who roam the land, and the contrasting belief systems represented by the Priest and Oracle - all these elements are woven beautifully together to give the reader a rich view of this world.
The characters themselves are relatable, flawed and, infuriating and admirable in equal parts. Clio is definitely a strong female protagonist who is still learning to deal with her new found power, while coping with the death of her family. Her relationship with her mother and sisters is beautiful and intriguing at the same time. Romantically, her chemistry with Riece sizzles creating compelling relationship fraught with hot tension and comforting warmth. Her closeness with Derik is also quite a beautiful friendship - though it seemed a little rushed in some parts. The rest of the characters are also interesting. Both the antagonist Mannix, and the wonderful smaller characters Clio meets along the way (such as Maia), who help her through her journey, help bring out the strengths and vulnerabilities of Clio, while also giving us a picture of the world she lives in.
The writing is fast paced, and the plot twists are gripping. While YA tropes abound, the overall narrative makes the reading experience completely unique. What I also loved is the clear setup of a matriarchal power hierarchy on one side (with the Oracles) and the more patriarchal world of the Priests. There are some very clever real-world references Wibberley throws in that are delightful Easter Eggs that make the reading experience very enjoyable!
I would recommend Sacrificed to anyone who loves Fantasy, general YA novels and novels with strong female protagonists. It is a compelling story that keeps you on the edge of your seat! Cannot wait for the next book in the trilogy!
July 19, 2015
1,5
I recieved this ARC from Netgalley and this is my honest review.
Clio is the youngest daughter of the Oracle of Sheehan. Sheehan is a dying city who is as good as conquered by the Morek empire. But its not what is on her and her older sisters mind as the book opens Ali,the sister closest in age to Clio is to become one of her mothers Vessels. emissaries of the Oracle who carry out her orders.
Clio has seen how changed and cold her other sisters have become and she knows she is next and as she is the daughter of the oracle she is never allowed to marry and have children of her own. Nothing can be changed no matter how she rails at her distant mother.
But its too late and Ali accepts her destiny and draws away from her sister.Distraught over losing her only confidante she goes to find her old childhood friend Derik the son of the ruler of the city who she has not seen in several years.
Her mother and sisters have been betrayed by Mannix a foreigner who has killed the king of Sheehan and pointed the blame at the Oracle. That night her mother and sisters are killed and Clio inherits the Sight.
Her black hair turns white and she know her mothers power werebefore she was skeptical about her mothers so called powers-now she knows just how real they are.
She decides to go to Morek to try and save her sister but is too late and becomes trapped as one of the slaves that are to be sacrificed
Riece is the young Commander who takes an interest in Clio but even if she starts to trust him she can never reveal that she is an Oracle because the reason Morek has no more Oracles is because she betrayed the city and caused the death of Rieces mother.
Then it became a love story and characters started saying things like"Join the club" and the plot lost its momentum and general epicness in the making.
I did like Clio ...at least the Clio of the first chapters a bit rebellious but likeable nevertheless but after she got to the city instead of a young woman with a glorious but heavy gift and purpose she is quickly reduced to a silly girl with a crush on a boy,a boy who while he didnt directly enslave her was her jailer. Oh but trust me he hates his job but hey at least he tries to treat the girls decently before they are taken away and killed.
This is why I prefer a honest villain as opposed to a hypocritical hero. -__-
Then of course there is the budding love triangle with Riece and Derik ,there is even a scene where the antagonist has the two guys captive and force Clio to decide between them.
Goodness gracious.Why would he even care? Not to mention that the antagonist and Clio had more chemistry than any of the other two.
When will authors abandon the whole love triangle plot Lots of books that could have been decent and the ones that knows how to write a love triangle believable are very far in between.
This book had a great plot and female protagonist but it took a trip down a cliff.
I recieved this ARC from Netgalley and this is my honest review.
Clio is the youngest daughter of the Oracle of Sheehan. Sheehan is a dying city who is as good as conquered by the Morek empire. But its not what is on her and her older sisters mind as the book opens Ali,the sister closest in age to Clio is to become one of her mothers Vessels. emissaries of the Oracle who carry out her orders.
Clio has seen how changed and cold her other sisters have become and she knows she is next and as she is the daughter of the oracle she is never allowed to marry and have children of her own. Nothing can be changed no matter how she rails at her distant mother.
But its too late and Ali accepts her destiny and draws away from her sister.Distraught over losing her only confidante she goes to find her old childhood friend Derik the son of the ruler of the city who she has not seen in several years.
Her mother and sisters have been betrayed by Mannix a foreigner who has killed the king of Sheehan and pointed the blame at the Oracle. That night her mother and sisters are killed and Clio inherits the Sight.
Her black hair turns white and she know her mothers power werebefore she was skeptical about her mothers so called powers-now she knows just how real they are.
She decides to go to Morek to try and save her sister but is too late and becomes trapped as one of the slaves that are to be sacrificed
Riece is the young Commander who takes an interest in Clio but even if she starts to trust him she can never reveal that she is an Oracle because the reason Morek has no more Oracles is because she betrayed the city and caused the death of Rieces mother.
Then it became a love story and characters started saying things like"Join the club" and the plot lost its momentum and general epicness in the making.
I did like Clio ...at least the Clio of the first chapters a bit rebellious but likeable nevertheless but after she got to the city instead of a young woman with a glorious but heavy gift and purpose she is quickly reduced to a silly girl with a crush on a boy,a boy who while he didnt directly enslave her was her jailer. Oh but trust me he hates his job but hey at least he tries to treat the girls decently before they are taken away and killed.
This is why I prefer a honest villain as opposed to a hypocritical hero. -__-
Then of course there is the budding love triangle with Riece and Derik ,there is even a scene where the antagonist has the two guys captive and force Clio to decide between them.
Goodness gracious.Why would he even care? Not to mention that the antagonist and Clio had more chemistry than any of the other two.
When will authors abandon the whole love triangle plot Lots of books that could have been decent and the ones that knows how to write a love triangle believable are very far in between.
This book had a great plot and female protagonist but it took a trip down a cliff.
January 26, 2015
I loved Sacrificed by Emily Wibberley for many reasons. The first being that this was a great story with a unique setting and premise. Very different from the other YA novels I've been reading. It is clear that Wibberley has done her research regarding this ancient culture. The characters are realistic, layered and perfectly flawed. I love it when there's palpable tension between lead characters, and this story delivers. I was rooting for Clio the whole time and enjoyed experiencing her metamorphosis. This is Wibberley's debut novel and she comes out strong. Looking forward to a lot more from this author.
Want to read
April 6, 2019FREEEEEE! Free book alert!
There's nothing I like better than a freebie! Especially since I went a little overboard with the Christmas shopping. Or a lot overboard.
There's nothing I like better than a freebie! Especially since I went a little overboard with the Christmas shopping. Or a lot overboard.
April 4, 2015
Thank you to Emily Wibberley for providing me with an ecopy of this in exchange for an honest review
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
Sacrificed by Emily Wibberley is an exciting fantasy tale that catapults the reader into a harsh desert land where blood stains the sand and our heroine is about to find herself on a tremendous journey is the first novel in a promising new series!
Sacrificed is told through the eyes of fifteen year old Clio, a young woman from the city of Sheehan and the daughter of the lands Oracle. As the youngest of four daughters, Clio has watched as each other her sisters have been called to serve their Oracle mother and their deities, and has suffered the pain of seeing her sisters wither into shadows of their former selves. Wanting nothing to do with her mother’s duties, Clio’s life is forever changed when her family is murdered and she discovers that the abilities and powers held by the Oracle she always believed false are very real and have been passed on to her.
Fleeing to the neighboring and enemy land of Morek to escape the priest Mannix who was responsible for her family’s deaths, Clio finds herself imprisoned at the hands of Morek forces, but quickly discovers that the enigmatic young Commander Riece who leads the troops is not the heinous enemy Clio believes him to be. Slowly beginning to trust Riece, Clio discovers that there is something bigger in play than just her families murders and as she begins to reluctantly fall for Riece, Clio discovers that bigger plans are in motion and Mannix plans effect more than just Clio, they affect all of Sheehan, and possibly Morek…..
Admittedly, Sacrificed started slow for me. Though solidly written, the first couple of chapters had me questioning the strength and entertainment of the story. However, once Clio finds herself on the run, I found myself instantly swept up into her story and was extremely captivated. I found it quite hard to be the story down if I’m honest. The main character was strong and her fight was one you couldn’t help but get behind, and the chemistry she had with the young Commander she meets in Morek was one I seriously adored!
Emily Wibberley has written a very interesting story with Sacrificed. Sacrificed takes place in a fictional land that can be compared to that of Ancient Egypt and sees the heroine discover unexpected truths about herself. Personally I think Clio comes across as older than fifteen. Her voice within the story would easily pass for sixteen or seventeen, but considering the ancient feel of Sacrificed, I can understand why author Emily Wibberley wrote her at this age. In ancient times, most people didn’t live as long and as such they matured, married and started their adult lives earlier than people do now.
I quite liked Clio in this book. She was easy to follow and seriously stepped up at times. The growth she undertakes from the beginning of Sacrificed to the end is extensive and I can only imagine where Wibberley plans to take her in the rest of the series. Clio was kind and caring, and really someone you couldn’t help but enjoy. I appreciated the way she saw the world and liked that she was intelligent and knew how to hold her own verbally with the likes of Riece.
Clio finds herself with two love interests in Sacrificed. Her childhood companion Derik and the formable Commander Riece who becomes an unexpected alley in Morek. Let’s put it this way….forget Clio, I want Riece! As far as I’m concerned, there really is only one option for Clio in this story and that’s Riece.
From the moment they meet the sparks are off the chart and considering what an amazingly honorable, honest and kind man Riece is, there was never any doubt in my mind that Clio was going to fall for him. Despite his powerful position, Riece is a caring person who is absolutely brutal when he needs to be, but he can’t help but be drawn to Clio. Clio and Riece have a great chemistry and I enjoyed the witty banter exchanged by them throughout the novel. They just oozed attraction despite coming from different worlds and I loved the fierce way Riece came to love Clio and the determination he had to stand by her side.
Emily Wibberley introduces readers to an intriguing world in Sacrificed with a strong heroine, plenty of unexpected twists and a romance you can really get behind. I wasn’t ready for the novel to end when it came to its eventual close and I find myself eagerly anticipating the release of the next installment to see what will happen next and to follow Clio and Riece once more!
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
Sacrificed by Emily Wibberley is an exciting fantasy tale that catapults the reader into a harsh desert land where blood stains the sand and our heroine is about to find herself on a tremendous journey is the first novel in a promising new series!
Sacrificed is told through the eyes of fifteen year old Clio, a young woman from the city of Sheehan and the daughter of the lands Oracle. As the youngest of four daughters, Clio has watched as each other her sisters have been called to serve their Oracle mother and their deities, and has suffered the pain of seeing her sisters wither into shadows of their former selves. Wanting nothing to do with her mother’s duties, Clio’s life is forever changed when her family is murdered and she discovers that the abilities and powers held by the Oracle she always believed false are very real and have been passed on to her.
Fleeing to the neighboring and enemy land of Morek to escape the priest Mannix who was responsible for her family’s deaths, Clio finds herself imprisoned at the hands of Morek forces, but quickly discovers that the enigmatic young Commander Riece who leads the troops is not the heinous enemy Clio believes him to be. Slowly beginning to trust Riece, Clio discovers that there is something bigger in play than just her families murders and as she begins to reluctantly fall for Riece, Clio discovers that bigger plans are in motion and Mannix plans effect more than just Clio, they affect all of Sheehan, and possibly Morek…..
Admittedly, Sacrificed started slow for me. Though solidly written, the first couple of chapters had me questioning the strength and entertainment of the story. However, once Clio finds herself on the run, I found myself instantly swept up into her story and was extremely captivated. I found it quite hard to be the story down if I’m honest. The main character was strong and her fight was one you couldn’t help but get behind, and the chemistry she had with the young Commander she meets in Morek was one I seriously adored!
Emily Wibberley has written a very interesting story with Sacrificed. Sacrificed takes place in a fictional land that can be compared to that of Ancient Egypt and sees the heroine discover unexpected truths about herself. Personally I think Clio comes across as older than fifteen. Her voice within the story would easily pass for sixteen or seventeen, but considering the ancient feel of Sacrificed, I can understand why author Emily Wibberley wrote her at this age. In ancient times, most people didn’t live as long and as such they matured, married and started their adult lives earlier than people do now.
I quite liked Clio in this book. She was easy to follow and seriously stepped up at times. The growth she undertakes from the beginning of Sacrificed to the end is extensive and I can only imagine where Wibberley plans to take her in the rest of the series. Clio was kind and caring, and really someone you couldn’t help but enjoy. I appreciated the way she saw the world and liked that she was intelligent and knew how to hold her own verbally with the likes of Riece.
Clio finds herself with two love interests in Sacrificed. Her childhood companion Derik and the formable Commander Riece who becomes an unexpected alley in Morek. Let’s put it this way….forget Clio, I want Riece! As far as I’m concerned, there really is only one option for Clio in this story and that’s Riece.
From the moment they meet the sparks are off the chart and considering what an amazingly honorable, honest and kind man Riece is, there was never any doubt in my mind that Clio was going to fall for him. Despite his powerful position, Riece is a caring person who is absolutely brutal when he needs to be, but he can’t help but be drawn to Clio. Clio and Riece have a great chemistry and I enjoyed the witty banter exchanged by them throughout the novel. They just oozed attraction despite coming from different worlds and I loved the fierce way Riece came to love Clio and the determination he had to stand by her side.
Emily Wibberley introduces readers to an intriguing world in Sacrificed with a strong heroine, plenty of unexpected twists and a romance you can really get behind. I wasn’t ready for the novel to end when it came to its eventual close and I find myself eagerly anticipating the release of the next installment to see what will happen next and to follow Clio and Riece once more!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2016
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
"I owe you my life a thousand times over, not because you've stopped spears from piercing my heart, but because you've shown me a world where you fight, not out of hate, but because you care, because there is so much worth fighting for."
AHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That quote stole my heart more than anything and that's saying a lot because everything in this book is marvelous. My heart has been truly and completely shattered by Emily. I am so scared of reading the second book, I can't take any more of this heartbreak!!
Anyway, I should start from the beginning:
This book started off with a plot twist. Yup, a plot twist. It goes without saying that Emily stole my heart the moment that happened. This book is brutal and intense, considering it takes part in the age where sacrifices were made. I've always loved this era and Emily brought the house down on me time and time again. The plot twists weaved into it kept coming my way and I was left trying to catch my breath. Just when I thought I had predicted what was about to happen, Emily pulled the rug from my feet reminding me that I was way in over my head.
I felt Clio's, the main character, anger as if it were my own and that happens rarely then you'd think. Also, her character development was out of this world!! I wasn't even close to being halfway into the book when Emily had me sobbing my eyes out. But it's okay because she also had me laughing hysterically. I love the banter between Clio and the hot Commander, Riece!!
Oh, Riece!!! The things that guy said had me wishing I were in Clio's shoes like nobody's business.
I sacrificed my heart for this book, pun intended. The ending WAS SO NOT FAIR!!! I sobbed from the bottom of my chest. My shoulders were shaking, I couldn't breathe... you get the point. It was to the point where I just wanted to send it to Emily with a note that said: "Here, take it. It's not like I will need it anyway. It's cool."
Emily, you have successfully toyed with my emotions so that is six stars for you! It's been a while since I've given one of these but you deserve every single star. Now, I must try and pick up the obliterated pieces of my heart in order to read the second book...
Oh, god...
"I owe you my life a thousand times over, not because you've stopped spears from piercing my heart, but because you've shown me a world where you fight, not out of hate, but because you care, because there is so much worth fighting for."
AHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That quote stole my heart more than anything and that's saying a lot because everything in this book is marvelous. My heart has been truly and completely shattered by Emily. I am so scared of reading the second book, I can't take any more of this heartbreak!!
Anyway, I should start from the beginning:
This book started off with a plot twist. Yup, a plot twist. It goes without saying that Emily stole my heart the moment that happened. This book is brutal and intense, considering it takes part in the age where sacrifices were made. I've always loved this era and Emily brought the house down on me time and time again. The plot twists weaved into it kept coming my way and I was left trying to catch my breath. Just when I thought I had predicted what was about to happen, Emily pulled the rug from my feet reminding me that I was way in over my head.
I felt Clio's, the main character, anger as if it were my own and that happens rarely then you'd think. Also, her character development was out of this world!! I wasn't even close to being halfway into the book when Emily had me sobbing my eyes out. But it's okay because she also had me laughing hysterically. I love the banter between Clio and the hot Commander, Riece!!
Oh, Riece!!! The things that guy said had me wishing I were in Clio's shoes like nobody's business.
I sacrificed my heart for this book, pun intended. The ending WAS SO NOT FAIR!!! I sobbed from the bottom of my chest. My shoulders were shaking, I couldn't breathe... you get the point. It was to the point where I just wanted to send it to Emily with a note that said: "Here, take it. It's not like I will need it anyway. It's cool."
Emily, you have successfully toyed with my emotions so that is six stars for you! It's been a while since I've given one of these but you deserve every single star. Now, I must try and pick up the obliterated pieces of my heart in order to read the second book...
Oh, god...
April 23, 2016
Oh my. I don’t even know where to begin with this review. I read the entire book in less than twenty-four hours. Oh, the feels. I just could not stop reading.
Clio is amazing. She changes so much through this book. She starts as a defiant, scared girl and ends so, so different. The choices she makes farther into the book, especially at the end, are not those she would have made at the beginning. She just changes so much. I love books where characters actually grow and change throughout the course of their story.
Derik and Riece. Well, they were both interesting characters. We know a whole lot more about Riece even though Clio knew Derik for much longer. Riece is a more complex character. I wasn’t sure what to make of him when we first met him. There were so many seemingly conflicting things that he did, though I did later understand most of them. Derik has just been in love with Clio for years and years and she was oblivious.
One of my favorite characters, after Clio, was Tirza. Tirza is Riece’s sister and they are the only family that each other has. Riece is way protective of her which is so sweet. We don’t actually know that much about her but I think she is pretty awesome.
The story is amazing. I love it so, so much. The ending was not what I was expecting at all. I just couldn’t put this book down. Again I repeat, amazing.
I recieved this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in Exchange for my honest review.
This review first appeared at CatholicAmanda.com.
Clio is amazing. She changes so much through this book. She starts as a defiant, scared girl and ends so, so different. The choices she makes farther into the book, especially at the end, are not those she would have made at the beginning. She just changes so much. I love books where characters actually grow and change throughout the course of their story.
Derik and Riece. Well, they were both interesting characters. We know a whole lot more about Riece even though Clio knew Derik for much longer. Riece is a more complex character. I wasn’t sure what to make of him when we first met him. There were so many seemingly conflicting things that he did, though I did later understand most of them. Derik has just been in love with Clio for years and years and she was oblivious.
One of my favorite characters, after Clio, was Tirza. Tirza is Riece’s sister and they are the only family that each other has. Riece is way protective of her which is so sweet. We don’t actually know that much about her but I think she is pretty awesome.
The story is amazing. I love it so, so much. The ending was not what I was expecting at all. I just couldn’t put this book down. Again I repeat, amazing.
I recieved this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in Exchange for my honest review.
This review first appeared at CatholicAmanda.com.
February 3, 2015
This book was not what I expected; it was much darker than I thought it would. But it was a great book.
While it was heartbreaking it also was beautiful to follow Clio on her journey after she becomes the one thing she always hated, the Oracle. On her journey she meets a few people that help her get through and never give up hope even though she can’t safe everyone. A lot of lives are lost and a lot of blood is spilled but through it all but Clio never really gives up. She fights to the end for what she believes for the ones she loves.
You can find my full review here:
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/sacr...
While it was heartbreaking it also was beautiful to follow Clio on her journey after she becomes the one thing she always hated, the Oracle. On her journey she meets a few people that help her get through and never give up hope even though she can’t safe everyone. A lot of lives are lost and a lot of blood is spilled but through it all but Clio never really gives up. She fights to the end for what she believes for the ones she loves.
You can find my full review here:
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/sacr...
September 8, 2016
3.5 Stars
Had it not been for the awful ending (the last 20%), it would have easily gained 4-4.5 Stars. But otherwise a good story and seriously hoping the second book does not follow on from the ending of the 1st book.
Had it not been for the awful ending (the last 20%), it would have easily gained 4-4.5 Stars. But otherwise a good story and seriously hoping the second book does not follow on from the ending of the 1st book.
January 19, 2015
After a short bit of reading, this story really got good. It kept me reading on just to find out what happened next even when I should have been doing something else. The end though...I really didn't like how it ended.
Clio has grown up her whole life hating the Oracle of Sheehan (who was also her mother) because she took away everyone she loved one by one to make them serve her. She believes that everything her mother says and does is nothing but lies to keep herself in position of power she holds. That is until one night when everything is about to change. Running away from her cold mother and sisters after a fight, she finds herself running into prince Derik who was her childhood friend. It had been years since she had last seen him but the awkwardness didn't last long and Clio finds herself falling asleep in his arms atop their tree. It's then that she has her first vision of her mother and sisters being murdered in their sleep. All but Ali. Determined to save her, Clio races to Morek and poses as a slave girl to get inside. Only to get there too late and bear witness to what she hoped to stop. Locked up to be a sacrifice atop the Morek pyramid by their priest, she encounters Riece. A seventeen year old commander who holds a lot of power, he was my absolute favorite character and I loved him (my favorite parts of the book were always with him). Being forced to grow up much to fast in order to protect his sister, he has become an unbelievable warrior. But beneath that is an honorable man who does all he can to protect people. From the moment those two come in contact the sparks fly. Sparks of all sorts. Clio fights as much as she can in any way she can to free herself and the other girls, but at every turn it's Riece me who is there to stop her. So it comes as a surprise to her when it's him that saves her after she causes some serious chaos. Knowing that Riece hates Oracles (for good reason), Clio tries to hide that she has become one, but of course it comes out soon enough and she has to convince Riece that she really does feel something for him. This whole time, and evil guy named Mannix has been torturing people and searching for Clio. So when she has a vision of what he is doing in Sheehan she needs to do something about it. Lucky for her, Derik is coming to Morek for some royal party thing. Riece gets her in to see Derik, only for Mannix to show up and attack the three of them. After fighting their way free, they decide what they will do next. But another vision sends Clio literally running back to Sheehan. Right into a trap. Things go from bad to worse with every passing minute, but with Clio realizing something about being an Oracle and making sacrifices, the three of them manage to get out. They are certain that Mannix has not been defeated and are getting reading for that fight.
I found myself forgetting often that Clio was only 15. Almost everything she does or was put thru was something that just seemed like 15 was not old enough for. Riece being 17 seemed too young sometimes too, but that was easier to believe.
I hate love triangle. So that's why I really disliked how this book ended. Clio loves one, but chases him away after a vision only to have the other want to pretend that she does love him like she lied about. I really want her to end up happy with Riece though...
I want to say that I am looking forward to reading more of this series, but I am leery with this whole love triangle thing that will clearly be going on. But I'm sure I'll give it read if given a chance.
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
Clio has grown up her whole life hating the Oracle of Sheehan (who was also her mother) because she took away everyone she loved one by one to make them serve her. She believes that everything her mother says and does is nothing but lies to keep herself in position of power she holds. That is until one night when everything is about to change. Running away from her cold mother and sisters after a fight, she finds herself running into prince Derik who was her childhood friend. It had been years since she had last seen him but the awkwardness didn't last long and Clio finds herself falling asleep in his arms atop their tree. It's then that she has her first vision of her mother and sisters being murdered in their sleep. All but Ali. Determined to save her, Clio races to Morek and poses as a slave girl to get inside. Only to get there too late and bear witness to what she hoped to stop. Locked up to be a sacrifice atop the Morek pyramid by their priest, she encounters Riece. A seventeen year old commander who holds a lot of power, he was my absolute favorite character and I loved him (my favorite parts of the book were always with him). Being forced to grow up much to fast in order to protect his sister, he has become an unbelievable warrior. But beneath that is an honorable man who does all he can to protect people. From the moment those two come in contact the sparks fly. Sparks of all sorts. Clio fights as much as she can in any way she can to free herself and the other girls, but at every turn it's Riece me who is there to stop her. So it comes as a surprise to her when it's him that saves her after she causes some serious chaos. Knowing that Riece hates Oracles (for good reason), Clio tries to hide that she has become one, but of course it comes out soon enough and she has to convince Riece that she really does feel something for him. This whole time, and evil guy named Mannix has been torturing people and searching for Clio. So when she has a vision of what he is doing in Sheehan she needs to do something about it. Lucky for her, Derik is coming to Morek for some royal party thing. Riece gets her in to see Derik, only for Mannix to show up and attack the three of them. After fighting their way free, they decide what they will do next. But another vision sends Clio literally running back to Sheehan. Right into a trap. Things go from bad to worse with every passing minute, but with Clio realizing something about being an Oracle and making sacrifices, the three of them manage to get out. They are certain that Mannix has not been defeated and are getting reading for that fight.
I found myself forgetting often that Clio was only 15. Almost everything she does or was put thru was something that just seemed like 15 was not old enough for. Riece being 17 seemed too young sometimes too, but that was easier to believe.
I hate love triangle. So that's why I really disliked how this book ended. Clio loves one, but chases him away after a vision only to have the other want to pretend that she does love him like she lied about. I really want her to end up happy with Riece though...
I want to say that I am looking forward to reading more of this series, but I am leery with this whole love triangle thing that will clearly be going on. But I'm sure I'll give it read if given a chance.
ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
December 28, 2014
Clio is cynical and doesn’t believe in the calling and apparent Fate of her sisters and mother. She lives in Sheehan, a city with its own King and laws – laws that will crumble when the King dies. And when the Empire takes over, so will a world in which Oracles are feared and executed.
Clio is living in a city which is trying to keep its unique culture alive under the force of a neighbouring brutal regime with eyes to conquer everything around it. Having survived all-out war with the Empire, the city’s King maintained a fragile truce with the Empire that was shattered by his assassination. His right hand takes control and keeps the thrown out of the young Crown Prince’s hands. Clio gains the Oracle’s sight and starts to see the future. She believes in their gift at last, but she doesn’t know how to use the Oracle’s abilities.
After losing her final sister, Ali, to her mother’s temple, Clio runs from her life to the only person she trusts - her childhood friend and Crown Prince Derik. Hiding out at the palace with Derik also means that Clio is absent (conveniently so) when Mannix’s (the King’s right hand) soldiers bust in and execute her mother and two eldest sisters. Clio sees their deaths and also the capture of her third sister, Ali. Cue a stellar (but appropriate) shift in Clio’s attitude from critique to belief as she finally understands that her mother’s ability to see the future was real. Clio begins seeing future events, and she begins to think more critically about what’s going on around her to try to figure out what her mother was up to and why the Oracle is important.
Clio is all alone with her society and everything she knows crumbling around her, in circumstances mirrored by Derik, the Crown Prince, whose father, the King, was assassinated and his crown taken from him by Mannix.
Clio runs headfirst into the Empire to attempt to free her sister, but is captured and enslaved. It’s here that we meet Riece, a commander in the Empire, who seems to be doing the best he can in a society that he doesn’t believe in. But there’s a catch to his compassion towards Clio – an Oracle murdered his family years before in an attempt to prevent some kind of plot, and he is now driven by the desire to avenge his family. Hmm…
Clio is smart, emotionally strong, and she thinks critically about her situation. She’s one tough cookie. I thought the loophole in the Oracle’s sight was interesting. The Oracle the Oracle can’t foresee her own death or actions, a fact which was cunningly exploited by Mannix , and which helps Clio make sense of the reason her mother sends her sisters out to act on her visions rather than going herself.
The story is fast paced but knows when to offer up some light and shade, and is filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep you guessing the whole way through.
Sacrified: The last oracle is set for publication in February 2015.
5/5.
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy to review, although this didn’t influence my review.
This review was originally posted on IndieYAYA, a review site for self-pubbed and Indie YA novels at: http://indieyaya.blogspot.co.uk/2014/...
Clio is living in a city which is trying to keep its unique culture alive under the force of a neighbouring brutal regime with eyes to conquer everything around it. Having survived all-out war with the Empire, the city’s King maintained a fragile truce with the Empire that was shattered by his assassination. His right hand takes control and keeps the thrown out of the young Crown Prince’s hands. Clio gains the Oracle’s sight and starts to see the future. She believes in their gift at last, but she doesn’t know how to use the Oracle’s abilities.
After losing her final sister, Ali, to her mother’s temple, Clio runs from her life to the only person she trusts - her childhood friend and Crown Prince Derik. Hiding out at the palace with Derik also means that Clio is absent (conveniently so) when Mannix’s (the King’s right hand) soldiers bust in and execute her mother and two eldest sisters. Clio sees their deaths and also the capture of her third sister, Ali. Cue a stellar (but appropriate) shift in Clio’s attitude from critique to belief as she finally understands that her mother’s ability to see the future was real. Clio begins seeing future events, and she begins to think more critically about what’s going on around her to try to figure out what her mother was up to and why the Oracle is important.
Clio is all alone with her society and everything she knows crumbling around her, in circumstances mirrored by Derik, the Crown Prince, whose father, the King, was assassinated and his crown taken from him by Mannix.
Clio runs headfirst into the Empire to attempt to free her sister, but is captured and enslaved. It’s here that we meet Riece, a commander in the Empire, who seems to be doing the best he can in a society that he doesn’t believe in. But there’s a catch to his compassion towards Clio – an Oracle murdered his family years before in an attempt to prevent some kind of plot, and he is now driven by the desire to avenge his family. Hmm…
Clio is smart, emotionally strong, and she thinks critically about her situation. She’s one tough cookie. I thought the loophole in the Oracle’s sight was interesting. The Oracle the Oracle can’t foresee her own death or actions, a fact which was cunningly exploited by Mannix , and which helps Clio make sense of the reason her mother sends her sisters out to act on her visions rather than going herself.
The story is fast paced but knows when to offer up some light and shade, and is filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep you guessing the whole way through.
Sacrified: The last oracle is set for publication in February 2015.
5/5.
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy to review, although this didn’t influence my review.
This review was originally posted on IndieYAYA, a review site for self-pubbed and Indie YA novels at: http://indieyaya.blogspot.co.uk/2014/...
July 31, 2015
There is so much to like about Sacrificed, by Emily Wibberley. I don’t normally read YA, but I happen to know the author, so I was eager to read her book.
The story is about Clio, a 15-year-old girl. She is very much her own person—a strong, confident girl with a warrior’s instincts. She is more than a fighter, though: the depth of her character is revealed in many ways, particularly through her relationships with her sisters and mother, female friends such as Maia and Tirza, and two love interests (Derik and Riece).
Sacrificed is set in a civilization modeled on societies of the past, where oracles are venerated and feared, ceremonies are conducted in pyramidal temples, warriors fight with spears and bolas. Political rivalries are well-drawn and believable. Setting is really important to me, and this book creates a fascinating, vividly drawn world.
And this book is a true page-turner! At every turn something new is revealed, characters show complicated motives and events play out in unexpected ways. The despicable villain is a consistently and thoroughly hateful, but even he delivers some surprising moments. The story kept me in suspense about what might happen next—how Clio would reconcile her objectives and conflicted feelings, and what role there might still be for oracles in the changing world of this novel.
Sacrificed is one of those books that I didn’t want to have end! I am very much looking forward to the second book in the planned series. I highly recommend it, particularly but not exclusively for readers of YA adventure fiction.
The story is about Clio, a 15-year-old girl. She is very much her own person—a strong, confident girl with a warrior’s instincts. She is more than a fighter, though: the depth of her character is revealed in many ways, particularly through her relationships with her sisters and mother, female friends such as Maia and Tirza, and two love interests (Derik and Riece).
Sacrificed is set in a civilization modeled on societies of the past, where oracles are venerated and feared, ceremonies are conducted in pyramidal temples, warriors fight with spears and bolas. Political rivalries are well-drawn and believable. Setting is really important to me, and this book creates a fascinating, vividly drawn world.
And this book is a true page-turner! At every turn something new is revealed, characters show complicated motives and events play out in unexpected ways. The despicable villain is a consistently and thoroughly hateful, but even he delivers some surprising moments. The story kept me in suspense about what might happen next—how Clio would reconcile her objectives and conflicted feelings, and what role there might still be for oracles in the changing world of this novel.
Sacrificed is one of those books that I didn’t want to have end! I am very much looking forward to the second book in the planned series. I highly recommend it, particularly but not exclusively for readers of YA adventure fiction.
February 19, 2015
Thanks to Emily Wibberley for giving me this book to review.
15 year old Clio has always disliked the Oracle of Sheehan, her mother, and the things that she has made her sister’s do, and therefore has never wanted to be a part of that life. However, when her mother and two eldest sisters are murdered by the king’s advisor, Mannix, the Oracle’s powers are passed on to her. Clio decides to leave her childhood friend, Prince Derik, and goes to the empire to rescue her sister Ali. However, she is enslaved and sentenced to be sacrificed and Clio’s only change of escape is to get close to Commander Riece, but as he hates all oracles will she be able to survive?
Sacrificed is an enjoyable YA fantasy book, it had a bit of a slow start but quickly picks up. It has action, suspense, romance, although it is a love triangle, and is quite dark and gritty.
Clio is a headstrong girl who changes a lot in this book, at the start she is a bit weak but very nice, but as the book progressed she becomes stronger but also darker. Even though we did not get to know Derik very well, I preferred him more than Riece as I don’t like cocky guys much, and Derik seemed to really care about Clio even if he could not be with her.
This is a likeable book and I looking forward to reading the next book. I would recommend Sacrificed to fans of dark YA fantasy novels.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
15 year old Clio has always disliked the Oracle of Sheehan, her mother, and the things that she has made her sister’s do, and therefore has never wanted to be a part of that life. However, when her mother and two eldest sisters are murdered by the king’s advisor, Mannix, the Oracle’s powers are passed on to her. Clio decides to leave her childhood friend, Prince Derik, and goes to the empire to rescue her sister Ali. However, she is enslaved and sentenced to be sacrificed and Clio’s only change of escape is to get close to Commander Riece, but as he hates all oracles will she be able to survive?
Sacrificed is an enjoyable YA fantasy book, it had a bit of a slow start but quickly picks up. It has action, suspense, romance, although it is a love triangle, and is quite dark and gritty.
Clio is a headstrong girl who changes a lot in this book, at the start she is a bit weak but very nice, but as the book progressed she becomes stronger but also darker. Even though we did not get to know Derik very well, I preferred him more than Riece as I don’t like cocky guys much, and Derik seemed to really care about Clio even if he could not be with her.
This is a likeable book and I looking forward to reading the next book. I would recommend Sacrificed to fans of dark YA fantasy novels.
This and my other reviews can be found at Amethyst Bookwyrm
January 27, 2016
"The back road was empty. Which was good. She had about twenty paces to get up her nerve. Twenty paces before she was in front of the most powerful person in all of Sheehan. In all the world, for everything Clio knew. And if she didn’t have her rage, then she would be left with nothing between herself and those Seeing eyes."
I won book two and naturally that prompted me to move this book up on my reading list.. I'm so glad I did.. Sacrificed is a stunning debut, and an awesome first book in a series. Set in a historic world, with oracles, temples and pyramids it differs somewhat from other books I've read, and yet it does have similarities to some of my favorite fantasy and dystopians as well..
It reminded me the most of The Winner's Curse, both in been historical fantasy, but also as a story with a strong-willed and interesting heroine - one with potential to become as awesome as Kestrel from WC - and a likable, and rather plausible love-interest. The love theme as a plot moving factor almost always irritates me, but I do find it helpful in this book, and I did enjoy the chemistry, and budding relationship between Clio and Riece. There are some great side-characters too, and a most promising villain..
I could continue to ramble on, but rather than elaborating, I recommend that you read this book!! Especially if you enjoy historical fiction, fantasy, dystopian, YA books, or if you find the mythology of oracles and deities fascinating...
I won book two and naturally that prompted me to move this book up on my reading list.. I'm so glad I did.. Sacrificed is a stunning debut, and an awesome first book in a series. Set in a historic world, with oracles, temples and pyramids it differs somewhat from other books I've read, and yet it does have similarities to some of my favorite fantasy and dystopians as well..
It reminded me the most of The Winner's Curse, both in been historical fantasy, but also as a story with a strong-willed and interesting heroine - one with potential to become as awesome as Kestrel from WC - and a likable, and rather plausible love-interest. The love theme as a plot moving factor almost always irritates me, but I do find it helpful in this book, and I did enjoy the chemistry, and budding relationship between Clio and Riece. There are some great side-characters too, and a most promising villain..
I could continue to ramble on, but rather than elaborating, I recommend that you read this book!! Especially if you enjoy historical fiction, fantasy, dystopian, YA books, or if you find the mythology of oracles and deities fascinating...
January 15, 2015
Sacrificed by Emily Wibberly
Fifteen year old Clio is the youngest of four daughters, the daughter of The Oracle of Sheehan. When her mother and sisters are murdered by Mannix the King, she becomes the Oracle. She does not understand what her powers are or her position as the oracle, but she does know she has to keep it a secret or she will be killed. Riece, an enemy warrior befriends her and she now reluctantly feels he is the only one she can trust. She has visions of Mannix overtaking Sheenan and it comes down to one thing. She must make a huge sacrifice to save her land.
I really enjoyed this story. The plot is original, exciting, and intense. Clio is very likable, and I liked the way she handle her situation. Also likable is Riece, the unlikely pair become good friends and build a camaraderie. There is a bit of romance which adds some spice to the story. Well written the story flows with enough action, drama, romance, friendship, heart felt decisions and sacrifice. Overall I find that Young Adult as well as Adult lovers of fantasy will enjoy Sacrificed.
Fifteen year old Clio is the youngest of four daughters, the daughter of The Oracle of Sheehan. When her mother and sisters are murdered by Mannix the King, she becomes the Oracle. She does not understand what her powers are or her position as the oracle, but she does know she has to keep it a secret or she will be killed. Riece, an enemy warrior befriends her and she now reluctantly feels he is the only one she can trust. She has visions of Mannix overtaking Sheenan and it comes down to one thing. She must make a huge sacrifice to save her land.
I really enjoyed this story. The plot is original, exciting, and intense. Clio is very likable, and I liked the way she handle her situation. Also likable is Riece, the unlikely pair become good friends and build a camaraderie. There is a bit of romance which adds some spice to the story. Well written the story flows with enough action, drama, romance, friendship, heart felt decisions and sacrifice. Overall I find that Young Adult as well as Adult lovers of fantasy will enjoy Sacrificed.
March 29, 2015
Sigue hacia abajo para encontrar la reseña en español.
I got this review copy from NetGalley.
The first thing that got me interested in this book was the cover, which is beautiful. Then, I read the synopsis and got very curious. It's a book that has oracles, told from the point of view of an oracle. So far, all the stories with oracles that I had read had the oracles as secondary characters. They may have played a key role in some part of the story, but they had never been the main characters. In this story, we see the oracle's life and her frustration about the lack of context of her visions. She is shown the what, but she doesn't know the when or the why.
Something that I liked a lot about Sacrificed is that the love triangle works and doesn't feel forced. Clio hasn't grown up surrounded by men, as the only people who participate in the oracle cult are women. She had one male childhood friend, who she hasn’t seen in several years. After seeing him again, both realise that they have grown up and that their relationship may have shifted from friendship to at least physical attraction. Then she meets another young man, who she does fall in love with. As this doesn't happen the moment she meets him -she only finds him interesting at first- and her confusion about her feelings is explained, the whole situation is much more natural than in many other YA novels.
There's one thing that I hope to see explained in further novels and that's the world's religion. The deities are always mentioned in plural, so I'm guessing that there's more than one god, but beyond this, there's not much information about them or the people's faith. There aren't even many things that point to their existence, other than the oracles' visions and a few things that happen in the oracle's temple. I'm keeping this intentionally vague to avoid giving spoilers, as it happens at the end of the book, but there's nothing that actually points to an intervention by a higher power. In fact, what happens can be considered just magic. Also, I didn't really understand what the vessels were for. Clio doesn't have any and she manages to live without them, so they don't seem to be necessary. This lack of explanations make sense in the context of the story, as Clio has rejected everything related to the oracle and doesn't want anything to do with it, until the rest of her family is killed and she's the one who inherits the powers of the oracle. Still, I'm very curious about this.
Even though it's the first part of a series, this story can be read as a stand-alone. There are some clues about how it will continue, but the main adventure is over when you reach the last page of this book and I liked that. I don't mind cliff-hangers, but I don't want to wait a lot to see them resolved.
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Lo primero que me interesó de este libro fue la portada, que es muy bonita. Luego leí la sinopsis y me entró mucha curiosidad. Es un libro que trata de oráculos, narrado desde el punto de vista de un oráculo. Hasta ahora, todas las historias con oráculos que había leído, tenían a los oráculos como personajes secundarios. Puede que tuvieran un papel clave en alguna parte de la historia, pero nunca habían sido los protagonistas. En esta historia vemos la vida del oráculo y su frustración ante la falta de contexto de sus visiones. Sabe el qué, pero no el cuándo o el por qué.
Algo que me gustó mucho de Sacrificed es que el triángulo amoroso no parece forzado. Clio no ha crecido rodeada de hombres, ya que las únicas personas que participan en el culto del oráculo son mujeres. Sólo tuvo un único amigo chico, al que no ha visto desde hace varios años. Al verlo de nuevo, ambos se dan cuenta de que han crecido y de que su relación ha cambiado de amistad a al menos atracción física. Luego conoce a otro joven del que se enamora. Dado que esto no ocurre en el mismo momento en el que lo conoce -al principio sólo lo encuentra interesante- y que se explica su confusión sobre sus sentimientos, la situación es mucho más natural que en muchas otras novelas juveniles.
Hay algo que espero que se explique en las siguientes novelas y es la religión del mundo. Los dioses siempre se mencionan en plural, así que supongo que hay más de un dios, pero aparte de eso no hay mucha información sobre ellos o la fe de la gente. Ni siquiera hay muchas cosas que sugieran su existencia, salvo las visiones de los oráculos y algunas cosas que ocurren en el templo del oráculo. Estoy dejando esto impreciso a propósito para evitar spoilers, ya que ocurre al final del libro, pero no hay nada que realmente apunte a una intervención de un poder superior. De hecho, lo que ocurre se puede considerar simplemente magia. Además, no terminé de entender para qué servían los recipientes. Clio no tiene ninguno y consigue vivir sin ellos, así que no parece que sean necesarios. Esta falta de explicaciones tiene sentido en el contexto de la historia, porque Clio ha dado la espalda a todo lo relacionado con el oráculo y no quiere tener nada que ver con ello hasta que asesinan al resto de su familia y ella es la que hereda los poderes del oráculo. Aún así, tengo mucha curiosidad.
Aunque es la primera parte de una serie, esta historia se puede leer como autoconclusiva. Hay alguna pista de cómo puede continuar, pero la aventura principal acaba cuando llegas a la última página de este libro y eso me gustó. No me importan los finales abiertos y que se quedan en tensión, pero no quiero esperar mucho tiempo a ver cómo se resuelven.
I got this review copy from NetGalley.
The first thing that got me interested in this book was the cover, which is beautiful. Then, I read the synopsis and got very curious. It's a book that has oracles, told from the point of view of an oracle. So far, all the stories with oracles that I had read had the oracles as secondary characters. They may have played a key role in some part of the story, but they had never been the main characters. In this story, we see the oracle's life and her frustration about the lack of context of her visions. She is shown the what, but she doesn't know the when or the why.
Something that I liked a lot about Sacrificed is that the love triangle works and doesn't feel forced. Clio hasn't grown up surrounded by men, as the only people who participate in the oracle cult are women. She had one male childhood friend, who she hasn’t seen in several years. After seeing him again, both realise that they have grown up and that their relationship may have shifted from friendship to at least physical attraction. Then she meets another young man, who she does fall in love with. As this doesn't happen the moment she meets him -she only finds him interesting at first- and her confusion about her feelings is explained, the whole situation is much more natural than in many other YA novels.
There's one thing that I hope to see explained in further novels and that's the world's religion. The deities are always mentioned in plural, so I'm guessing that there's more than one god, but beyond this, there's not much information about them or the people's faith. There aren't even many things that point to their existence, other than the oracles' visions and a few things that happen in the oracle's temple. I'm keeping this intentionally vague to avoid giving spoilers, as it happens at the end of the book, but there's nothing that actually points to an intervention by a higher power. In fact, what happens can be considered just magic. Also, I didn't really understand what the vessels were for. Clio doesn't have any and she manages to live without them, so they don't seem to be necessary. This lack of explanations make sense in the context of the story, as Clio has rejected everything related to the oracle and doesn't want anything to do with it, until the rest of her family is killed and she's the one who inherits the powers of the oracle. Still, I'm very curious about this.
Even though it's the first part of a series, this story can be read as a stand-alone. There are some clues about how it will continue, but the main adventure is over when you reach the last page of this book and I liked that. I don't mind cliff-hangers, but I don't want to wait a lot to see them resolved.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lo primero que me interesó de este libro fue la portada, que es muy bonita. Luego leí la sinopsis y me entró mucha curiosidad. Es un libro que trata de oráculos, narrado desde el punto de vista de un oráculo. Hasta ahora, todas las historias con oráculos que había leído, tenían a los oráculos como personajes secundarios. Puede que tuvieran un papel clave en alguna parte de la historia, pero nunca habían sido los protagonistas. En esta historia vemos la vida del oráculo y su frustración ante la falta de contexto de sus visiones. Sabe el qué, pero no el cuándo o el por qué.
Algo que me gustó mucho de Sacrificed es que el triángulo amoroso no parece forzado. Clio no ha crecido rodeada de hombres, ya que las únicas personas que participan en el culto del oráculo son mujeres. Sólo tuvo un único amigo chico, al que no ha visto desde hace varios años. Al verlo de nuevo, ambos se dan cuenta de que han crecido y de que su relación ha cambiado de amistad a al menos atracción física. Luego conoce a otro joven del que se enamora. Dado que esto no ocurre en el mismo momento en el que lo conoce -al principio sólo lo encuentra interesante- y que se explica su confusión sobre sus sentimientos, la situación es mucho más natural que en muchas otras novelas juveniles.
Hay algo que espero que se explique en las siguientes novelas y es la religión del mundo. Los dioses siempre se mencionan en plural, así que supongo que hay más de un dios, pero aparte de eso no hay mucha información sobre ellos o la fe de la gente. Ni siquiera hay muchas cosas que sugieran su existencia, salvo las visiones de los oráculos y algunas cosas que ocurren en el templo del oráculo. Estoy dejando esto impreciso a propósito para evitar spoilers, ya que ocurre al final del libro, pero no hay nada que realmente apunte a una intervención de un poder superior. De hecho, lo que ocurre se puede considerar simplemente magia. Además, no terminé de entender para qué servían los recipientes. Clio no tiene ninguno y consigue vivir sin ellos, así que no parece que sean necesarios. Esta falta de explicaciones tiene sentido en el contexto de la historia, porque Clio ha dado la espalda a todo lo relacionado con el oráculo y no quiere tener nada que ver con ello hasta que asesinan al resto de su familia y ella es la que hereda los poderes del oráculo. Aún así, tengo mucha curiosidad.
Aunque es la primera parte de una serie, esta historia se puede leer como autoconclusiva. Hay alguna pista de cómo puede continuar, pero la aventura principal acaba cuando llegas a la última página de este libro y eso me gustó. No me importan los finales abiertos y que se quedan en tensión, pero no quiero esperar mucho tiempo a ver cómo se resuelven.
February 20, 2015
INITIAL THOUGHTS UPON FINISHING READING THE BOOK
Brilliant! Looking forward to book 2 & 3! Will Mannix return for revenge? Could Clio have a life of her own and perhaps a family as well as being the Oracle? So many questions for the following books to answer. Definitely want more Clio, Prince Derik, Tirza the Emperor of Model and much much more Riece please!
INITIAL THOUGHTS
I am really looking forward to this one a lot. I promoted it on my blog recently and it really piqued my interest. Reading the blurb made me think of another two series I have read and totally adored, A Dance Of Dragons Series by Kaitlyn Davis and the Throne Of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas. So as I loved those series so much I have fairly high expectations for this book.
MY REVIEW
I received an e-copy of this one from the Author in exchange for my honest review. The cover features a figure shrouded in a bright blood red hooded cloak. The cover also has a pyramid on it. The pyramid is also featured in the book plot from a rather important scene in the book. Would the cover makes me pick this up from a book store shelf? Yes it really would stand out to me. As i said it was the cover that really drew my attention when I was signing up to do Book Blitzes.
So the main character in the book is 15 year old female, Clio, she is the youngest of four sisters.Their mother is the Oracle of Sheehan, and so runs and resides in the temple. The Oracle receives visions from the Deities, and the people of Sheehan consult her regularly and give gifts and sacrifices to the Deities in exchange for their blessings. Being an Oracle is something runs in a family. Clio's mother is considered a great oracle who has saved the King of Sheehan and it's people many times. Clio's mother has the pure white hair that Oracles have and she has assistants called Vessels to do her bidding and help with the temple duties and blessings etc. Clio's two eldest sisters have been Vessels since they reached the age of 16. When the book begins Clio and her only sister left at home with her Ali are talking about the fact Ali has just turned 16 yrs old and will be going to the temple to begin her teachings in becoming another Vessel for their mother. Neither Ali nor Clio knows what the teachings are but the eldest sisters seem different, they have a muted, hollowness about them. Clio is desperate to spend every last minute with Ali whilst she is still at home as although Ali says she will never change Clio knows only too well that she will. When the present Oracle dies her powers will pass to her eldest living daughter. So that is a reason why Clio is not at all worried that she will ever become an Oracle.
Sheehan is a poorer kingdom than the nearby mighty Morek. Morek has many fine warriors that fight to take over land. Morek has already swallowed up many communities and now it seem Morek has set it's sights on Sheehan.
There is suspicion, the Emperor of Morek despises Oracles and has had the Oracle of Morek and her vessels killed. There is also a lot of deceit, under handedness, and betrayal. Mannix is in charge of the Sheehan warriors that are basically young boys and farmers more used to working in the fields than fighting in them. Mannix is confident that he can broker some sort of deal with the Emperor of Morek so that Sheehan is not just swallowed up by Morek. But how does this arrangement benefit Mannik?
Sadly the King of Sheehan is murdered and the blame put onto the Oracle and her vessels. Mannik sends warriors to kill the Oracle and her family. Fortunately for Clio she has had a disagreement with her family and is not home when her family is killed.
Clio is busy hiding in a tree with Prince Derik of Sheehan. It is whilst she is in the tree that she receives her first vision. So Clio is the new Oracle of Sheehan and finds she has a lot of enemies, and many that would love to kill her too. Clio "see's" her sister ALi alive but taken prisoner in Morek so Clio immediately treks to Morek.
There is so much more about this book than the basics I have mentioned above, for example why the power of the Oracle has not gone to the eldest living daughter of the Oracle.
There's the friendship and common goals of Prince Derik and Clio. I haven't even mentioned two of my favourite characters who are Riece, the head guard and mighty warrior of Morek. His sister Tirza who is featured in the latter part of the book, and I hope will be a prominent character in books two & three. To be honest I wasn't so sure about Prince Derik, whether I felt Clio should trust him or not. I will say I took an instant dislike to Mannik. . . and I didn't see that superb twist coming at all. This really is a great read. There really aren't any dull moments at all in this book. You are kept constantly engaged with the plot and characters.
I enjoyed the concept of the Deities and the Oracles, and the diversities within races of the Sheehan people, the Morek people and those that live in the wastelands between that need to be avoided at all costs.
I could honestly go on and on about this book, so add it to your "To Read Lists"
So did I enjoy the book? I truly loved it, every word! Would I recommend the book? Oh, yes, in fact I've already recommended this one to a few of my blogging friends! Would I want to read more in this series? Yes, please I'd love to, these characters have so much more to give. I want more Clio, more Terza and much more Riece please! Would I read other titles by this author? I would certainly take a closer look at anything written by this author.
Brilliant! Looking forward to book 2 & 3! Will Mannix return for revenge? Could Clio have a life of her own and perhaps a family as well as being the Oracle? So many questions for the following books to answer. Definitely want more Clio, Prince Derik, Tirza the Emperor of Model and much much more Riece please!
INITIAL THOUGHTS
I am really looking forward to this one a lot. I promoted it on my blog recently and it really piqued my interest. Reading the blurb made me think of another two series I have read and totally adored, A Dance Of Dragons Series by Kaitlyn Davis and the Throne Of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas. So as I loved those series so much I have fairly high expectations for this book.
MY REVIEW
I received an e-copy of this one from the Author in exchange for my honest review. The cover features a figure shrouded in a bright blood red hooded cloak. The cover also has a pyramid on it. The pyramid is also featured in the book plot from a rather important scene in the book. Would the cover makes me pick this up from a book store shelf? Yes it really would stand out to me. As i said it was the cover that really drew my attention when I was signing up to do Book Blitzes.
So the main character in the book is 15 year old female, Clio, she is the youngest of four sisters.Their mother is the Oracle of Sheehan, and so runs and resides in the temple. The Oracle receives visions from the Deities, and the people of Sheehan consult her regularly and give gifts and sacrifices to the Deities in exchange for their blessings. Being an Oracle is something runs in a family. Clio's mother is considered a great oracle who has saved the King of Sheehan and it's people many times. Clio's mother has the pure white hair that Oracles have and she has assistants called Vessels to do her bidding and help with the temple duties and blessings etc. Clio's two eldest sisters have been Vessels since they reached the age of 16. When the book begins Clio and her only sister left at home with her Ali are talking about the fact Ali has just turned 16 yrs old and will be going to the temple to begin her teachings in becoming another Vessel for their mother. Neither Ali nor Clio knows what the teachings are but the eldest sisters seem different, they have a muted, hollowness about them. Clio is desperate to spend every last minute with Ali whilst she is still at home as although Ali says she will never change Clio knows only too well that she will. When the present Oracle dies her powers will pass to her eldest living daughter. So that is a reason why Clio is not at all worried that she will ever become an Oracle.
Sheehan is a poorer kingdom than the nearby mighty Morek. Morek has many fine warriors that fight to take over land. Morek has already swallowed up many communities and now it seem Morek has set it's sights on Sheehan.
There is suspicion, the Emperor of Morek despises Oracles and has had the Oracle of Morek and her vessels killed. There is also a lot of deceit, under handedness, and betrayal. Mannix is in charge of the Sheehan warriors that are basically young boys and farmers more used to working in the fields than fighting in them. Mannix is confident that he can broker some sort of deal with the Emperor of Morek so that Sheehan is not just swallowed up by Morek. But how does this arrangement benefit Mannik?
Sadly the King of Sheehan is murdered and the blame put onto the Oracle and her vessels. Mannik sends warriors to kill the Oracle and her family. Fortunately for Clio she has had a disagreement with her family and is not home when her family is killed.
Clio is busy hiding in a tree with Prince Derik of Sheehan. It is whilst she is in the tree that she receives her first vision. So Clio is the new Oracle of Sheehan and finds she has a lot of enemies, and many that would love to kill her too. Clio "see's" her sister ALi alive but taken prisoner in Morek so Clio immediately treks to Morek.
There is so much more about this book than the basics I have mentioned above, for example why the power of the Oracle has not gone to the eldest living daughter of the Oracle.
There's the friendship and common goals of Prince Derik and Clio. I haven't even mentioned two of my favourite characters who are Riece, the head guard and mighty warrior of Morek. His sister Tirza who is featured in the latter part of the book, and I hope will be a prominent character in books two & three. To be honest I wasn't so sure about Prince Derik, whether I felt Clio should trust him or not. I will say I took an instant dislike to Mannik. . . and I didn't see that superb twist coming at all. This really is a great read. There really aren't any dull moments at all in this book. You are kept constantly engaged with the plot and characters.
I enjoyed the concept of the Deities and the Oracles, and the diversities within races of the Sheehan people, the Morek people and those that live in the wastelands between that need to be avoided at all costs.
I could honestly go on and on about this book, so add it to your "To Read Lists"
So did I enjoy the book? I truly loved it, every word! Would I recommend the book? Oh, yes, in fact I've already recommended this one to a few of my blogging friends! Would I want to read more in this series? Yes, please I'd love to, these characters have so much more to give. I want more Clio, more Terza and much more Riece please! Would I read other titles by this author? I would certainly take a closer look at anything written by this author.
July 15, 2015
This book blew my mind.
I put this on my TBR list back in January because it looked like it was going to be a good read and then it was promptly buried under the sheer overwhelming force that is my TBR list. Then I came across it on NetGalley and, quite literally, jumped at the chance.
Clio is the youngest, and fourth, daughter of the Oracle of Sheehan. Clio has never been close to her Mother and one by one, the same is happening with her sisters as they all enter into the servitude of the Oracle. When, finally, Clio loses her sister Ali to their Mother and the Deities, she vows never to allow her mother to change her the way she has her sisters and runs away. That night, Clio's Mother and two older sisters are brutally murdered and her sister Ali is taken by the King's (very creepy) adviser, Mannix. As a result, Clio is forced to shoulder the burden that was once her Mother's: she becomes the Oracle.
Desperate to rescue her sister, and best friend, Clio sets out for Morak, a city in which being an Oracle is punishable by death, in hopes that she can get there before it's too late, but she makes it to the City just in time to witness her sister's execution. It is there, in the cells under the Pyramid of Morak that she meets Oracle-hating Commander Riece, whom she must learn to trust, and convince him to trust her, in order to survive and save Sheehan from the ambitions of Mannix.
I loved this book from the moment I started reading it, and once I had, I didn't want to put it down. I've already said that I spent the day at work with my Kindle hidden behind my computer screens just so I could keep reading it without my boss seeing me. There wasn't a dull moment in this book. Emily Wibberley seems to have mastered the art of weeding out unnecessary scenes which add nothing to the story and can often become boring. Every scene was carefully crafted and contributed to the overall plot and kept the story flowing wonderfully.
Clio's character is delightful to read, and she does't change so much as grows and matures through-out the book which is wonderful to watch. She grows from a cynical girl who sees her mother's calling as a bit of a sham into a powerful young woman who holds her own, saves the day and can fully accept her calling in life.
Derik and Riece, our respective love interests actually manage to step outside of the mold and to have a personality of their own and a role to play besides being in love with the main character. It's refreshing to see. In fact, a few of the minor characters are just as memorable: Riece's younger sister is a great motivator for his character but also provides great comic relief and a nice break from the action of the rest of the book.
The world building is great. We don't get to see much of the world in general, admittedly, as the story centers around Morak and Sheehan, but Wibberley throws out the names of a few places that I'm hoping we get to see in the next books. Besides that, she keeps it fairly simple which makes it much easier for you to immerse yourself in the world; it's easier to connect with a story when you don't spend half a book trying to get your head around the world, it's population and it's politics. The untouched were a wonderfully scary addition.
In the end, you're left wanting more. I know I certainly was and I cannot wait for the second book.
That ending, though! Talk about emotional overload!!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I put this on my TBR list back in January because it looked like it was going to be a good read and then it was promptly buried under the sheer overwhelming force that is my TBR list. Then I came across it on NetGalley and, quite literally, jumped at the chance.
Clio is the youngest, and fourth, daughter of the Oracle of Sheehan. Clio has never been close to her Mother and one by one, the same is happening with her sisters as they all enter into the servitude of the Oracle. When, finally, Clio loses her sister Ali to their Mother and the Deities, she vows never to allow her mother to change her the way she has her sisters and runs away. That night, Clio's Mother and two older sisters are brutally murdered and her sister Ali is taken by the King's (very creepy) adviser, Mannix. As a result, Clio is forced to shoulder the burden that was once her Mother's: she becomes the Oracle.
Desperate to rescue her sister, and best friend, Clio sets out for Morak, a city in which being an Oracle is punishable by death, in hopes that she can get there before it's too late, but she makes it to the City just in time to witness her sister's execution. It is there, in the cells under the Pyramid of Morak that she meets Oracle-hating Commander Riece, whom she must learn to trust, and convince him to trust her, in order to survive and save Sheehan from the ambitions of Mannix.
I loved this book from the moment I started reading it, and once I had, I didn't want to put it down. I've already said that I spent the day at work with my Kindle hidden behind my computer screens just so I could keep reading it without my boss seeing me. There wasn't a dull moment in this book. Emily Wibberley seems to have mastered the art of weeding out unnecessary scenes which add nothing to the story and can often become boring. Every scene was carefully crafted and contributed to the overall plot and kept the story flowing wonderfully.
Clio's character is delightful to read, and she does't change so much as grows and matures through-out the book which is wonderful to watch. She grows from a cynical girl who sees her mother's calling as a bit of a sham into a powerful young woman who holds her own, saves the day and can fully accept her calling in life.
Derik and Riece, our respective love interests actually manage to step outside of the mold and to have a personality of their own and a role to play besides being in love with the main character. It's refreshing to see. In fact, a few of the minor characters are just as memorable: Riece's younger sister is a great motivator for his character but also provides great comic relief and a nice break from the action of the rest of the book.
The world building is great. We don't get to see much of the world in general, admittedly, as the story centers around Morak and Sheehan, but Wibberley throws out the names of a few places that I'm hoping we get to see in the next books. Besides that, she keeps it fairly simple which makes it much easier for you to immerse yourself in the world; it's easier to connect with a story when you don't spend half a book trying to get your head around the world, it's population and it's politics. The untouched were a wonderfully scary addition.
In the end, you're left wanting more. I know I certainly was and I cannot wait for the second book.
That ending, though! Talk about emotional overload!!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 26, 2015
This book caught my interest from the very beginning! The summary sounded good so I decided to give it a try, and ended up loving the book just as much as its synopsis! The cool book cover also caught my interest.
The writing was good, not amazing but pretty great. The characters were...genius! Riece is sexy and enticing and mysterious; yet open. Clio is tough, smart, and daring. And Mannix is evil beyond a doubt.
Derik is pretty nice too but he wasn't in the book very much so there wasn't much time to get a feel for who he was. I actually thought he was secretly siding with Mannix for a while, and was intending to betray Clio. That did not happen, thank goodness! Because now book two will have a very interesting love triangle (that, at the same time, isn't really a love triangle because Clio considers Derik as family).
I really liked how Clio grew up so dramatically. It's always refreshing to read about a character that evolves so strongly. I felt really sad for her in the beginning even though I knew what was going to happen to her family. I felt like the author captured Clio's pain pretty well considering that she didn't have a strong bond with her family. Clio cared about her family and grieved for them but it wasn't overdone.
Mannix. Everything about him was amazing! He was such a good villain! There was one thing about him that I hadn't seen coming though
(SPOILER AHEAD)...that he was Clio's sister!! I was totally caught off guard with that one! I figured he was an Untouched but I wasn't sure how since he still had his tongue. This detail was very believable for this book.
SPOILER FREE ZONE
The last 50 pages or so were so action-packed!! The whole book is pretty action-packed but the last pages had me on the edge of my seat! I could not put it down!
I am pretty excited about reading the sequel soon because I really want to know what will happen between Riece and Clio, Clio and Derik, and Mannix and Clio. I need answers!!! Where did Mannix go? What is he going to plan next? Will Clio go back for Riece? Will Riece take Clio after everything she said to him to drive him away? Will Derik make a move for Clio now that Riece is sort of out of the picture?
So many questions!! And I really need answers!
The writing was good, not amazing but pretty great. The characters were...genius! Riece is sexy and enticing and mysterious; yet open. Clio is tough, smart, and daring. And Mannix is evil beyond a doubt.
Derik is pretty nice too but he wasn't in the book very much so there wasn't much time to get a feel for who he was. I actually thought he was secretly siding with Mannix for a while, and was intending to betray Clio. That did not happen, thank goodness! Because now book two will have a very interesting love triangle (that, at the same time, isn't really a love triangle because Clio considers Derik as family).
I really liked how Clio grew up so dramatically. It's always refreshing to read about a character that evolves so strongly. I felt really sad for her in the beginning even though I knew what was going to happen to her family. I felt like the author captured Clio's pain pretty well considering that she didn't have a strong bond with her family. Clio cared about her family and grieved for them but it wasn't overdone.
Mannix. Everything about him was amazing! He was such a good villain! There was one thing about him that I hadn't seen coming though
(SPOILER AHEAD)...that he was Clio's sister!! I was totally caught off guard with that one! I figured he was an Untouched but I wasn't sure how since he still had his tongue. This detail was very believable for this book.
SPOILER FREE ZONE
The last 50 pages or so were so action-packed!! The whole book is pretty action-packed but the last pages had me on the edge of my seat! I could not put it down!
I am pretty excited about reading the sequel soon because I really want to know what will happen between Riece and Clio, Clio and Derik, and Mannix and Clio. I need answers!!! Where did Mannix go? What is he going to plan next? Will Clio go back for Riece? Will Riece take Clio after everything she said to him to drive him away? Will Derik make a move for Clio now that Riece is sort of out of the picture?
So many questions!! And I really need answers!
February 21, 2015
This book was gripping from start to finish, I did take a major break in the middle of reading this due to work commitments but I found it had such a lasting impression that it was easy to pick straight back up. It is essentially a story about a young girl who realises she holds the power of the Oracle and her journey of freedom.
The main character is Clio, she is the youngest sister in a family of women, her sisters before her were tested by their mother to see if they had the gift however following a very difficult situation were killed leaving Clio the last one remaining with this gift that has been forced onto her. In learning more about her gift Clio realises there are numerous horrendous acts being indicted upon other teenage girls. She feels the need to do something about this and in her attempts meets a boy, this is her love interest. I found this character to be very easy to read about and full of surprises, I found myself being dragged into the story by the characters emotions and how she reacts in difficult situations.
The secondary character which I felt most noteworthy is Riece, he is the love interest of main character Clio, he is also a massive influence in her life since he is the first person she really meets once she's come into her new power. There are other secondary characters but I feel that Riece is the most noteworthy because he helps Clio grow as a character throughout the book.
The pacing was great as there seemed to be an endless stream of disasters in Clio's life before they realised the overall cause of all the problems. I thought it was a very well paced book that I hope gets turned into a series because I would love to read more about this character.
The storyline was original and thrilling to read, I found it to be a very good and exciting read which had me hooked from the first page.
4 stars and I hope there is going to be more books in this series.
The main character is Clio, she is the youngest sister in a family of women, her sisters before her were tested by their mother to see if they had the gift however following a very difficult situation were killed leaving Clio the last one remaining with this gift that has been forced onto her. In learning more about her gift Clio realises there are numerous horrendous acts being indicted upon other teenage girls. She feels the need to do something about this and in her attempts meets a boy, this is her love interest. I found this character to be very easy to read about and full of surprises, I found myself being dragged into the story by the characters emotions and how she reacts in difficult situations.
The secondary character which I felt most noteworthy is Riece, he is the love interest of main character Clio, he is also a massive influence in her life since he is the first person she really meets once she's come into her new power. There are other secondary characters but I feel that Riece is the most noteworthy because he helps Clio grow as a character throughout the book.
The pacing was great as there seemed to be an endless stream of disasters in Clio's life before they realised the overall cause of all the problems. I thought it was a very well paced book that I hope gets turned into a series because I would love to read more about this character.
The storyline was original and thrilling to read, I found it to be a very good and exciting read which had me hooked from the first page.
4 stars and I hope there is going to be more books in this series.
February 13, 2015
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Clio ran from her fate as a vessel to the Oracle, but fate has other things in store. When a tragedy leaves her the sole surviving Oracle, Clio must battle her conflicted feelings about what it means to sacrifice and to be a sacrifice. This book evokes the Aztecs and the Mayans, cultures that we know little about, but that I find fascinating. Clio has an unbreakable spirit and a penchant for acting on impulse. She is good at getting her hands on weapons! She will appeal to readers who like strong female protagonists. The love interest in this book was less developed, but he had an interesting past and was nobel enough to play the part. My only real complaints are that the pacing of relationships is sacrificed for the urgency of the plot, and the dialogue felt a little too modern for the setting. The language and situations are appropriate for high school students. I am adding it to my high school classroom library wish list because I think the premise, the action, and the romance will engage many of my high school readers.
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