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To Nowhere
From the moment Lyris is treated to coffee by a beautiful stranger, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever. In her enthusiasm to start at a new school with a new boyfriend, Lyris is almost able to look past his oddities. Almost. The way he eyes up her striking red hair. The way he loves that she’s seventeen. “The perfect age.” And the way he’s gone from all but begging to show her a specific room in a specific house to making her swear never to even think about it again. When Lyris doesn't take his strange warnings seriously, she finds that nothing could have prepared her for what lay behind that door. Suddenly, Lyris finds herself in a world no one would believe. A world where she’s only a few inches tall and giants aren’t creatures from fairy tales. Where humans are no longer the dominant race, but pets auctioned off to the highest bidder. Lyris understands the true danger of such a place, but there seems to be one person on her side – her kind and surprised captor. And while Brindt appears to be sweet and trustworthy, he also straddles the line between seeing her as an equal and a cute animal. Lyris has to get home… before the one person can turn to becomes the one person who can’t let her go.
290 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2015
10 people are currently reading
351 people want to read
About the author
C.E. Wilson
21 books576 followersC.E. Wilson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, grew up in Millersville, Pennsylvania, and has been living in Pittsburgh since 2009. For the first few years living in Pittsburgh, she was an English teacher. Her first book, "Oath of Servitude," was published in 2012. In 2013, she quit teaching to be a full time author and hasn't looked back since. She loves spending time with her daughter and husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
October 13, 2015
This and many more reviews can be found on my blog at my blog: We All Know Marmalade4evs Rocks
REVIEW: This book is something else. I was a bit wary when I read this because I wasn’t sure if I would like something with a lot of fantasy. I’m like, “Giants? Really? *Sigh* Whatever I’ll give it a try.” And I am so happy I gave this a try because I loved it so much. I totally shipped Lyris and Brindt (Lyndt? Briris?). She is a girl who just wants to go home to her family. He is a giant who just wants to have a person to talk to. I loved Brindt so much by the gentle way he would care for her. He was willing to let her go even though he really wanted her to stay. I had to admit that I really wanted Lyris to stay but I could totally agree with her by that she had to go home to her family. The genre of this book confused me a little bit (in a good way) by that with the giants world and portal doors, it’s a fantasy but the way Lyris experienced everything and her life and everything, it was like it could be a realistic fiction. But like I said before, the part with the giants and everything makes it a fantasy. I just feel like this actually could happen but it won’t. In short, this author is amazing. The way she makes me feel could be summarized like this:
Conscience: There’s no way that giants exist in real life. This is fantasy.
Eyes and Brain: Holy sheet this could happen you never know if you will find a portal filled with giants!
So the author really made me feel like this could happen. And that is something only really good authors can do. I have to say, the plot of this book is very similar to The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Like a secret door or closet that leads to a world of fantasy. So the plot is not so original but the book overall was amazing. The overall rating is 7.5/10 stars.
BOOK INFO:
Age Recommendation: 13 and up
Rating breakdown:
Cover: 9/10 (worth 0 points- “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”)
Originality of Plot: 3/10 (worth 20 points)
Characters: 7/10 (worth 20 points)
My Opinion: 9/10 (worth 40 points)
Overall: 7.5/10
Genres and Categories: 2015 release, cover color gray, cover color silver, fantasy, fiction, impossible choices, magic, magical realism
Rating (if made into movie): PG- if delete some scenes, there’s not a lot of violence, kissing, etc.
Pages: 296
Originally Published: July 2, 2015 by: the author (self-published)
How I obtained book: read-to-review ebook from author
Awards: None yet
When I read: September 22-25, 2015
REVIEW: This book is something else. I was a bit wary when I read this because I wasn’t sure if I would like something with a lot of fantasy. I’m like, “Giants? Really? *Sigh* Whatever I’ll give it a try.” And I am so happy I gave this a try because I loved it so much. I totally shipped Lyris and Brindt (Lyndt? Briris?). She is a girl who just wants to go home to her family. He is a giant who just wants to have a person to talk to. I loved Brindt so much by the gentle way he would care for her. He was willing to let her go even though he really wanted her to stay. I had to admit that I really wanted Lyris to stay but I could totally agree with her by that she had to go home to her family. The genre of this book confused me a little bit (in a good way) by that with the giants world and portal doors, it’s a fantasy but the way Lyris experienced everything and her life and everything, it was like it could be a realistic fiction. But like I said before, the part with the giants and everything makes it a fantasy. I just feel like this actually could happen but it won’t. In short, this author is amazing. The way she makes me feel could be summarized like this:
Conscience: There’s no way that giants exist in real life. This is fantasy.
Eyes and Brain: Holy sheet this could happen you never know if you will find a portal filled with giants!
So the author really made me feel like this could happen. And that is something only really good authors can do. I have to say, the plot of this book is very similar to The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Like a secret door or closet that leads to a world of fantasy. So the plot is not so original but the book overall was amazing. The overall rating is 7.5/10 stars.
BOOK INFO:
Age Recommendation: 13 and up
Rating breakdown:
Cover: 9/10 (worth 0 points- “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”)
Originality of Plot: 3/10 (worth 20 points)
Characters: 7/10 (worth 20 points)
My Opinion: 9/10 (worth 40 points)
Overall: 7.5/10
Genres and Categories: 2015 release, cover color gray, cover color silver, fantasy, fiction, impossible choices, magic, magical realism
Rating (if made into movie): PG- if delete some scenes, there’s not a lot of violence, kissing, etc.
Pages: 296
Originally Published: July 2, 2015 by: the author (self-published)
How I obtained book: read-to-review ebook from author
Awards: None yet
When I read: September 22-25, 2015
October 11, 2015
I give this book a 2.5. It really is the cutest book. Truly and I enjoyed it. But there were some parts that just bored me to tears. Because the beginning and end were frustrating. The middle part of the story was just the cutest thing, and I started to turn my thoughts around a little bit.
During the first 50 pages, it was basically all about Wyatt (I did read the kindle version, so it may have been different.) And there were so many red flags, and Lyris even saw them. (Lyris is the prettiest name I have ever heard, BTW) But Lyris completely ignored the red flags she saw and didn't care. Because he kissed so well, and he was so fine, that it apparently didn't matter. And I think the betrayal would have been even worse if he would have acted completely natural. And I would have enjoyed the Wyatt days a lil' bit more.
Then, after the whole Wyatt thing, where she is trapped with Brindt (aka, the guy/giant with the weirdest name I have read) and that was absolutely frustrating. I mean, if they could have understood each other on some level, I would have enjoyed it more. Because until she agreed to wear the collar, there was just a lot of screaming, crying, and that cold feeling. So, that had not been the most fun thing to read. So I come to the conclusion, that the beginning was dreadful.
After they could talk to each other, and understand each other, I felt at ease. I mean, she was still trapped with a giant God know's where, but there were finally some reasonable explanations. And the whole "Pet" thing freaked me out a little bit. Because humans were kept as PETS. As in what humans keep, like cats and dogs. It was just terrifying for me. But other than that, it was just adorable.
Brindt was the nicest, cutest, giant I have ever read about. He took her outside and they went to the park together.They watched, maybe the most scariest horror movies together. And what Brindt did, was just downright cruel. He convinced her that it wasn't special effects, and for a hot minute, I believed him. She did too. The outcome of that was hilarious.
When Brindt's mom "The Beast" found out that Lyris had been living there the whole time, I freaked out. That was the extant of my freaking out. I mean, when the whole bidding thing started, it got aggravating and boring again. Just when you think somethin' good'll happen, the worst happened. After coming from the cuteness of the middle part of the story, I really was bored. The outcome of the story was obvious, and not once did I wish for her to stay in the other dimension. I kinda wished that Brindt would become a human so him and Lyris could live happily ever after. But nope. She was back to her old life.
Overall, I thought the book was okay, and if you are interested, I prolly won't become a crazy girl. If there was a second book, I would wait for it to come out. Happy reading guys!
During the first 50 pages, it was basically all about Wyatt (I did read the kindle version, so it may have been different.) And there were so many red flags, and Lyris even saw them. (Lyris is the prettiest name I have ever heard, BTW) But Lyris completely ignored the red flags she saw and didn't care. Because he kissed so well, and he was so fine, that it apparently didn't matter. And I think the betrayal would have been even worse if he would have acted completely natural. And I would have enjoyed the Wyatt days a lil' bit more.
Then, after the whole Wyatt thing, where she is trapped with Brindt (aka, the guy/giant with the weirdest name I have read) and that was absolutely frustrating. I mean, if they could have understood each other on some level, I would have enjoyed it more. Because until she agreed to wear the collar, there was just a lot of screaming, crying, and that cold feeling. So, that had not been the most fun thing to read. So I come to the conclusion, that the beginning was dreadful.
After they could talk to each other, and understand each other, I felt at ease. I mean, she was still trapped with a giant God know's where, but there were finally some reasonable explanations. And the whole "Pet" thing freaked me out a little bit. Because humans were kept as PETS. As in what humans keep, like cats and dogs. It was just terrifying for me. But other than that, it was just adorable.
Brindt was the nicest, cutest, giant I have ever read about. He took her outside and they went to the park together.They watched, maybe the most scariest horror movies together. And what Brindt did, was just downright cruel. He convinced her that it wasn't special effects, and for a hot minute, I believed him. She did too. The outcome of that was hilarious.
When Brindt's mom "The Beast" found out that Lyris had been living there the whole time, I freaked out. That was the extant of my freaking out. I mean, when the whole bidding thing started, it got aggravating and boring again. Just when you think somethin' good'll happen, the worst happened. After coming from the cuteness of the middle part of the story, I really was bored. The outcome of the story was obvious, and not once did I wish for her to stay in the other dimension. I kinda wished that Brindt would become a human so him and Lyris could live happily ever after. But nope. She was back to her old life.
Overall, I thought the book was okay, and if you are interested, I prolly won't become a crazy girl. If there was a second book, I would wait for it to come out. Happy reading guys!
August 11, 2015
This book is also on my blog Less Reality More Books
*I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. And an honest review I shall give.*
I am quite open to paranormal books. I’ll read anything – vampires, aliens, faeries, you name it. So when I was approached by the author of To Nowhere, a story involving giants, I was like sign me up! Add another paranormal creature to my list.
And I will admit; Wilson has created a unique world in this book. I’ve never read a story about giants before, but Wilson completely expands the idea and makes it completely her own.
Inside a portal is a world completely different to our own. Giants, with pointed ears and a different language reside and live there peacefully. Their world is quite similar to ours: they have civilization, language, technology, jobs, movies, parks, etc. They’re trying to find a living just like we are.
Lyris is our main character. Seventeen years old, she’s just moved to a new neighbourhood with her parents. While exploring the town one day, she meets a boy in a coffee shop. And like any hormone-driven teenager, she’s immediately intrigued and begins fantasising about dates and kissing and calling him her boyfriend. Insta-love, you know. But Wyatt turned out to be extremely cryptic and had an agenda up his sleeve. First he wanted to look at a haunted house with Lyris, but then changed his mind. But Lyris, like a child almost, decides to do the opposite of what Wyatt says. She checks out the haunted house by herself, despite Wyatt asking her not to.
Suddenly Lyris finds herself in a strange new world, one filled with giants. She learns that humans are sold off as pets there, and features like hair colour, age, gender, are all factors in the kind of giants that purchase you and for how much.
I didn’t like Lyris at all, and hated her narration. She was spoilt, vain and mean. She was used to getting what she wanted as her parents were rich, so when she can’t go home right away, she practically throws a tantrum. I was constantly rolling my eyes at some of the things she said. While she realises just how good she had it in her own world by the book’s end and starts to be a little more selfless, it didn’t make her character any more likable.
Brindt, the giant who captures Lyris, is sweet. All he really wanted was a friend in the end. And Lyris, despite her bad attitude, teaches Brindt about the lives of humans and how they’re more than just pets to be kept in cages. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of him.
Wyatt is your typical asshat of a douche. He acts like he cared about Lyris, but I think he really only wanted his money in the end. He was willing to sell anybody, child or adult, as long as he got paid in the end. I think he got what was coming to him in the end.
While the world building was really good and interesting, and the concept behind keeping humans as pets was definitely something unique and something I’d love to see explored, I have to dock stars for Lyris’s character the way the book was written. The writing was a little chunky and repetitive. The characters were constantly repeating themselves and saying things that were already obvious. “Show, not tell”, is an important quality when writing books. Let the reader guess instead of pointing out every little thing. The book also lagged a little in the middle and I had to skip over some sections.
Read it if you’re into uniquely designed worlds that raise some interesting ethical questions and is new and different.
*I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. And an honest review I shall give.*
I am quite open to paranormal books. I’ll read anything – vampires, aliens, faeries, you name it. So when I was approached by the author of To Nowhere, a story involving giants, I was like sign me up! Add another paranormal creature to my list.
And I will admit; Wilson has created a unique world in this book. I’ve never read a story about giants before, but Wilson completely expands the idea and makes it completely her own.
Inside a portal is a world completely different to our own. Giants, with pointed ears and a different language reside and live there peacefully. Their world is quite similar to ours: they have civilization, language, technology, jobs, movies, parks, etc. They’re trying to find a living just like we are.
Lyris is our main character. Seventeen years old, she’s just moved to a new neighbourhood with her parents. While exploring the town one day, she meets a boy in a coffee shop. And like any hormone-driven teenager, she’s immediately intrigued and begins fantasising about dates and kissing and calling him her boyfriend. Insta-love, you know. But Wyatt turned out to be extremely cryptic and had an agenda up his sleeve. First he wanted to look at a haunted house with Lyris, but then changed his mind. But Lyris, like a child almost, decides to do the opposite of what Wyatt says. She checks out the haunted house by herself, despite Wyatt asking her not to.
Suddenly Lyris finds herself in a strange new world, one filled with giants. She learns that humans are sold off as pets there, and features like hair colour, age, gender, are all factors in the kind of giants that purchase you and for how much.
I didn’t like Lyris at all, and hated her narration. She was spoilt, vain and mean. She was used to getting what she wanted as her parents were rich, so when she can’t go home right away, she practically throws a tantrum. I was constantly rolling my eyes at some of the things she said. While she realises just how good she had it in her own world by the book’s end and starts to be a little more selfless, it didn’t make her character any more likable.
Brindt, the giant who captures Lyris, is sweet. All he really wanted was a friend in the end. And Lyris, despite her bad attitude, teaches Brindt about the lives of humans and how they’re more than just pets to be kept in cages. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of him.
Wyatt is your typical asshat of a douche. He acts like he cared about Lyris, but I think he really only wanted his money in the end. He was willing to sell anybody, child or adult, as long as he got paid in the end. I think he got what was coming to him in the end.
While the world building was really good and interesting, and the concept behind keeping humans as pets was definitely something unique and something I’d love to see explored, I have to dock stars for Lyris’s character the way the book was written. The writing was a little chunky and repetitive. The characters were constantly repeating themselves and saying things that were already obvious. “Show, not tell”, is an important quality when writing books. Let the reader guess instead of pointing out every little thing. The book also lagged a little in the middle and I had to skip over some sections.
Read it if you’re into uniquely designed worlds that raise some interesting ethical questions and is new and different.
August 16, 2015
I received a copy of the ePub from the Goodreads author C. E. Wilson in exchange for an honest review.
To Nowhere is C. E. Wilson’s Young Adult/New Adult Paranormal novel. Seventeen-year-old Lyris has moved with her parents to a small town. Her personality is revelled via her words, actions and thoughts. The novel takes a look at relationships from her perspective. When Lyris meets handsome and mysterious Wyatt her life changes forever.
The author has created a unique paranormal world with fantastical creatures. Unpredictable events and secrets keep this character driven plot moving. The many twists and turns are shocking. Brindt, the vegetarian giant adds an interesting layer to this clever read.
The author should consider a sequel to this novel. Is Lyris’ story over? Will Lyris open the door?
To Nowhere is C. E. Wilson’s Young Adult/New Adult Paranormal novel. Seventeen-year-old Lyris has moved with her parents to a small town. Her personality is revelled via her words, actions and thoughts. The novel takes a look at relationships from her perspective. When Lyris meets handsome and mysterious Wyatt her life changes forever.
The author has created a unique paranormal world with fantastical creatures. Unpredictable events and secrets keep this character driven plot moving. The many twists and turns are shocking. Brindt, the vegetarian giant adds an interesting layer to this clever read.
The author should consider a sequel to this novel. Is Lyris’ story over? Will Lyris open the door?
February 21, 2016
I really liked the concept of this book.Yet I found it hard to connect with the characters.The instant connection and trust Lyris had for Wyatt seemed naive and unbelievable.Wyatt has no redeeming qualities and seemed suspicious from the start.I liked the inclusion of the giants and the idea that they keep humans as pets.I wish the author had spent more time describing their world.Overall the concept was intriguing,but the execution fell short for me.I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2015
I got this book as an ebook from the author for an honest review.
This book was pretty good. I have never read a book about giants but the idea is really good and i will probably look into more books about giants. I did not like Lyris, the main character, that much but she did grow a little at the end of the book. Overall I rated this 4 stars and would definitely recommend this book and i can't wait to see what happens next.
This book was pretty good. I have never read a book about giants but the idea is really good and i will probably look into more books about giants. I did not like Lyris, the main character, that much but she did grow a little at the end of the book. Overall I rated this 4 stars and would definitely recommend this book and i can't wait to see what happens next.
March 3, 2016
Check out my original review on my blog: Readiculously Peachy
My Review:
I received a copy from the author to read and review in return.
This is not the first book I have read by C.E. Wilson, and I definitely hope this won't be the last. As many book reviewers may agree, some books you read and review are solely for the author... and other books you review almost purely for your own enjoyment (and of course eventually also for your the author and your readers ;)). This is defintiely one of those books and C.E. Wilson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She has such an amazing imagination and way of story telling, this shows predominantly in her book, To Nowhere. As from her previous book which I have read (Oath of Servitude) where the reader is plunged into a world of mystic and wonder of fairies and magic, our protagonist in "To Nowhere" is driven headfirst (literally) into a world full of giants and things which only belong to someone's wildest imagination.
We start off getting to know our main character, Lyris. She is quite the spoiled girl, living the pretty picturesque life, has professors as parents and for that reason is pretty wealthy monetary wise... but unfortunately not so much in love. Then, Lyris meets a mysterious handsome young man, Wyatt, at a cafe in the new town which she just moved to with her parents. With her disbelief that such a handsome being would be interested in her, she is also bewildered by his obsession of the 'haunted' house which he seems to be obsessed with, and which is so conveniently and mystically located right next to her new home. As much as Wyatt warns her to never approach the house, and DEFINITELY never visit the haunted room on the top floor, by herself.. she finds her curiosity winning over her rationality, and the most oddest occurrences start to happen. Lyris stumbles into an unknown world, where everything is literally larger than life, and she gets taken by a boy named Brindt; a blond haired, light brown-blue flecked/teal coloured eyed, 15-year old giant! At first her life seems doomed where she is destined to be sold off to another giant to be treated as no more than a pet, but through some very interesting and adventurous turn of events, Lyris finds out her life takes on a different path than dreaded...
I absolutely loved all the characters in this book. Lyris was quite the no-nonsense character, a quality which I adore in all protagonist, and straight forward in what she liked and doesn't like. Her relation with Wyatt is quite superficial and sensual at first, but as a reader you secretly hope that there is more than that to their relationship. Once Lyris meets Wyatt, their relationship starts out quite bumpy because ...duh.. he's a giant! But without giving too much away of the story, their relationship takes quite a turn and becomes quite (pleasantly) the unexpected.
C.E. Wilson has such a great talent in writing beautiful YA books, and the way she constructs and depicts this fantastic fantasy world is just astounding! I felt that I was there with Lyris in this unknown, mystical place. She even created a distinct language which only the giants spoke! As mentioned before, C.E. Wilson's imagination is wild and creative, as she finds the most unique way for Lyris and the giants to eventually communicate with each other, making the story even more intriguing.
Once again, Ms. Wilson has won me over with her originality and her rare imagination, and I recommend this book to anyone who looks forward to a giants, a strong minded protagonist, a nail biting and bewildering storyline and wondrous "co-characters"!
My Review:
I received a copy from the author to read and review in return.
This is not the first book I have read by C.E. Wilson, and I definitely hope this won't be the last. As many book reviewers may agree, some books you read and review are solely for the author... and other books you review almost purely for your own enjoyment (and of course eventually also for your the author and your readers ;)). This is defintiely one of those books and C.E. Wilson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She has such an amazing imagination and way of story telling, this shows predominantly in her book, To Nowhere. As from her previous book which I have read (Oath of Servitude) where the reader is plunged into a world of mystic and wonder of fairies and magic, our protagonist in "To Nowhere" is driven headfirst (literally) into a world full of giants and things which only belong to someone's wildest imagination.
We start off getting to know our main character, Lyris. She is quite the spoiled girl, living the pretty picturesque life, has professors as parents and for that reason is pretty wealthy monetary wise... but unfortunately not so much in love. Then, Lyris meets a mysterious handsome young man, Wyatt, at a cafe in the new town which she just moved to with her parents. With her disbelief that such a handsome being would be interested in her, she is also bewildered by his obsession of the 'haunted' house which he seems to be obsessed with, and which is so conveniently and mystically located right next to her new home. As much as Wyatt warns her to never approach the house, and DEFINITELY never visit the haunted room on the top floor, by herself.. she finds her curiosity winning over her rationality, and the most oddest occurrences start to happen. Lyris stumbles into an unknown world, where everything is literally larger than life, and she gets taken by a boy named Brindt; a blond haired, light brown-blue flecked/teal coloured eyed, 15-year old giant! At first her life seems doomed where she is destined to be sold off to another giant to be treated as no more than a pet, but through some very interesting and adventurous turn of events, Lyris finds out her life takes on a different path than dreaded...
I absolutely loved all the characters in this book. Lyris was quite the no-nonsense character, a quality which I adore in all protagonist, and straight forward in what she liked and doesn't like. Her relation with Wyatt is quite superficial and sensual at first, but as a reader you secretly hope that there is more than that to their relationship. Once Lyris meets Wyatt, their relationship starts out quite bumpy because ...duh.. he's a giant! But without giving too much away of the story, their relationship takes quite a turn and becomes quite (pleasantly) the unexpected.
C.E. Wilson has such a great talent in writing beautiful YA books, and the way she constructs and depicts this fantastic fantasy world is just astounding! I felt that I was there with Lyris in this unknown, mystical place. She even created a distinct language which only the giants spoke! As mentioned before, C.E. Wilson's imagination is wild and creative, as she finds the most unique way for Lyris and the giants to eventually communicate with each other, making the story even more intriguing.
Once again, Ms. Wilson has won me over with her originality and her rare imagination, and I recommend this book to anyone who looks forward to a giants, a strong minded protagonist, a nail biting and bewildering storyline and wondrous "co-characters"!
August 10, 2015
Wow. This book took me by surprise!
This idea is truly a unique one. I've often wondered what it would be like if the role of giants and humans were reversed, if we humans were the giants to a small, but no less inferior, species. C.E. Wilson takes this idea up and writes a fantastic book about it, exploring the possibilities.
Lyris is your average teenager who meets a boy in a coffee shop, and is immediately intrigued. But it turns out Wyatt is anything but who she expected him to be. His words are a bit cryptic, and his actions are strange. Originally, he really wanted Lyris to go check out an old abandoned house with him, and was practically begging her. But suddenly, he changes his mind, and makes her swear that she will never go in there without him. And just like any good teenager, when someone tells you not to do something, that's exactly what they're going to do. And that's how Lyris finds herself in a new world, one filled with giants, where her species are sold off like pets there.
The race of giants Lyris encounters are very similar to humans, if not identical. They have civilization, language, technology, jobs, movies, parks, and so forth. The only noticeable difference apart from them being giants are that their ears are slightly pointed, and that everyone is a vegetarian. They literally are humans, in every and all aspects. And the fact that they cage smaller beings as pets...well, Lyris hits the nail on the head when she says this:
"Of course the same thing would happen in my world if we suddenly discovered a race only a few inches tall. We'd call them the scientific discovery of the century and test them, pet them, and only do God knows what else."
Harsh, but very true. The giants that Lyris encounters are only doing exactly what humans would do.
I didn't like Wyatt, as his morals are a little twisted. He purposely lures people into the other world, fully knowing that he's stripping them of their former lives and family just so that he can get paid. There's a saying that money can't buy you love nor life, yet Wyatt is willing giving up other people's loves and lives for money. As Brindt says, Wyatt is betraying his own kind. It goes to show the worst of humanity, that human greed can ultimately lead to monstrous actions.
In contrast, we had Brindt, Lyris' captor. He's fifteen, and at first, Lyris was desperately trying to escape him. But we find out that he's very human, someone who sees Lyris as who she is, not as a pet. It was easy to like him, to sympathize with him. He is inherently a good guy, and tries his hardest to help Lyris.
One of the things I enjoyed about this book is the ethical questions it asks. Are we truly right to keep pets? Much like the giants, we assume that pets aren't intelligent and thus we cage them for their own protection. But just because a species is smaller doest mean they're any less intelligent or insignificant. Big questions that really gets you thinking. Also, the issue of morals vs. money comes into play as well. Brindt's family needs money desperately, and Brindt knows that if he gives up Lyris, it will help ease his family's financial problems. But to do so would be to betray Lyris, similar to what Wyatt has done, and Brindt doesn't want anything to do with Wyatt.
The ending of the book left me hanging. Did Lyris go in? I want to say yes. I might be weird in the sense that that I sort of ship Lyris and Brindt, which is why I hope she did. I think they make a good team, despite their size differences. I really want a sequel, because I really want to know what happens to them, and I want to see them work together again! All in all, a great book!
Original post at Books, Stars, Writing. And Everything In Between.
This idea is truly a unique one. I've often wondered what it would be like if the role of giants and humans were reversed, if we humans were the giants to a small, but no less inferior, species. C.E. Wilson takes this idea up and writes a fantastic book about it, exploring the possibilities.
Lyris is your average teenager who meets a boy in a coffee shop, and is immediately intrigued. But it turns out Wyatt is anything but who she expected him to be. His words are a bit cryptic, and his actions are strange. Originally, he really wanted Lyris to go check out an old abandoned house with him, and was practically begging her. But suddenly, he changes his mind, and makes her swear that she will never go in there without him. And just like any good teenager, when someone tells you not to do something, that's exactly what they're going to do. And that's how Lyris finds herself in a new world, one filled with giants, where her species are sold off like pets there.
The race of giants Lyris encounters are very similar to humans, if not identical. They have civilization, language, technology, jobs, movies, parks, and so forth. The only noticeable difference apart from them being giants are that their ears are slightly pointed, and that everyone is a vegetarian. They literally are humans, in every and all aspects. And the fact that they cage smaller beings as pets...well, Lyris hits the nail on the head when she says this:
"Of course the same thing would happen in my world if we suddenly discovered a race only a few inches tall. We'd call them the scientific discovery of the century and test them, pet them, and only do God knows what else."
Harsh, but very true. The giants that Lyris encounters are only doing exactly what humans would do.
I didn't like Wyatt, as his morals are a little twisted. He purposely lures people into the other world, fully knowing that he's stripping them of their former lives and family just so that he can get paid. There's a saying that money can't buy you love nor life, yet Wyatt is willing giving up other people's loves and lives for money. As Brindt says, Wyatt is betraying his own kind. It goes to show the worst of humanity, that human greed can ultimately lead to monstrous actions.
In contrast, we had Brindt, Lyris' captor. He's fifteen, and at first, Lyris was desperately trying to escape him. But we find out that he's very human, someone who sees Lyris as who she is, not as a pet. It was easy to like him, to sympathize with him. He is inherently a good guy, and tries his hardest to help Lyris.
One of the things I enjoyed about this book is the ethical questions it asks. Are we truly right to keep pets? Much like the giants, we assume that pets aren't intelligent and thus we cage them for their own protection. But just because a species is smaller doest mean they're any less intelligent or insignificant. Big questions that really gets you thinking. Also, the issue of morals vs. money comes into play as well. Brindt's family needs money desperately, and Brindt knows that if he gives up Lyris, it will help ease his family's financial problems. But to do so would be to betray Lyris, similar to what Wyatt has done, and Brindt doesn't want anything to do with Wyatt.
The ending of the book left me hanging. Did Lyris go in? I want to say yes. I might be weird in the sense that that I sort of ship Lyris and Brindt, which is why I hope she did. I think they make a good team, despite their size differences. I really want a sequel, because I really want to know what happens to them, and I want to see them work together again! All in all, a great book!
Original post at Books, Stars, Writing. And Everything In Between.
September 19, 2015
A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
To Nowehere wastes no time in jumping into the romantic side of things. Personally, I wasn’t a fan, as it felt way too sudden for the main character to stumble into a guy she instantly fell in lust with. I also wasn’t a fan of the guy; he was arrogant and rude and I didn’t like the way he spoke to Lyris, almost commanding answers from her. However, I did like how things started up immediately with no waiting around. I was interested in the Shaw place as soon as it was mentioned, wanting to know what role it played in everything.
Wyatt was just the type of character that I cannot stand. He was cocky from the start and it continued throughout the rest of the story. From the first couple of chapters I had a feeling he’d be involved with something bad and I was right. He was one of those annoyingly cliché ‘bad boy’ types and the way he described Lyris in one scene – snooty, stuck up, immature, spoiled – was incredibly accurate for himself. My biggest issue with him was how he spoke to and treated Lyris. He treated her more like a child, coming across as not really caring for her or what she had to say and constantly making comments at her expense. To say it didn’t sit well with me would be an understatement.
And Lyris… I wanted to like her more because she seemed confident and sure of herself, but I couldn’t help but find her irritating and hopelessly naïve and clueless. Mostly because, to me, she came across as one of those characters that’s actually very attractive yet tries to make out they’re only average. You know, the ones with perfect hair and an odd eye colour and perfect skin that complain that no one likes them boo hoo. Yeah. I hate that.
As for the writing, I enjoyed it. It flowed nicely and was very easy to read, as well as quite fast to get through. I also got a great feel for Lyris’ voice; even though I didn’t particularly like her it was very clear that this was her story and her feelings.
The introduction of the giants was good and left a lot to the imagination. I was especially intrigued by the language and what was being said to Lyris when she was taken, and then how she came to understand everything. The whole idea of writing about giants is something I’ve never come across in a book before, so I was definitely intrigued by the uniqueness.
I thought the world building was good, even if it did take quite a while for things to become established and then turn into the actual plot. But for such a short book what do you expect? Overall I did enjoy the story.
To Nowehere wastes no time in jumping into the romantic side of things. Personally, I wasn’t a fan, as it felt way too sudden for the main character to stumble into a guy she instantly fell in lust with. I also wasn’t a fan of the guy; he was arrogant and rude and I didn’t like the way he spoke to Lyris, almost commanding answers from her. However, I did like how things started up immediately with no waiting around. I was interested in the Shaw place as soon as it was mentioned, wanting to know what role it played in everything.
Wyatt was just the type of character that I cannot stand. He was cocky from the start and it continued throughout the rest of the story. From the first couple of chapters I had a feeling he’d be involved with something bad and I was right. He was one of those annoyingly cliché ‘bad boy’ types and the way he described Lyris in one scene – snooty, stuck up, immature, spoiled – was incredibly accurate for himself. My biggest issue with him was how he spoke to and treated Lyris. He treated her more like a child, coming across as not really caring for her or what she had to say and constantly making comments at her expense. To say it didn’t sit well with me would be an understatement.
And Lyris… I wanted to like her more because she seemed confident and sure of herself, but I couldn’t help but find her irritating and hopelessly naïve and clueless. Mostly because, to me, she came across as one of those characters that’s actually very attractive yet tries to make out they’re only average. You know, the ones with perfect hair and an odd eye colour and perfect skin that complain that no one likes them boo hoo. Yeah. I hate that.
As for the writing, I enjoyed it. It flowed nicely and was very easy to read, as well as quite fast to get through. I also got a great feel for Lyris’ voice; even though I didn’t particularly like her it was very clear that this was her story and her feelings.
The introduction of the giants was good and left a lot to the imagination. I was especially intrigued by the language and what was being said to Lyris when she was taken, and then how she came to understand everything. The whole idea of writing about giants is something I’ve never come across in a book before, so I was definitely intrigued by the uniqueness.
I thought the world building was good, even if it did take quite a while for things to become established and then turn into the actual plot. But for such a short book what do you expect? Overall I did enjoy the story.
September 28, 2015
I received a free ecopy of To Nowhere from the author in exchange for an honest review.
When seventeen year-old Lyris first meets Wyatt, a hot older guy, she has no idea how much her life will change. She's far too concerned with starting at her new school with a boyfriend that she's mostly able to overlook his weirdness. So when he goes from begging to show her a specific room in the abandoned house next door to warning her to stay away from it and to forget he ever mentioned it, she can't help but want to see what's in that room. She could have never prepared herself for what she finds. The door is a portal to a world of giants who auction off humans as pets to the highest bidder - and Wyatt is their supplier.
The aspect I liked most about this story is the concept of giants keeping humans as pets. That idea is what kept me reading. I enjoyed seeing the mindsets of the giants selling off the humans and how the "pets" are dehumanized. There aren't all that many differences between the humans and the giants - aside from size and the fact that they have pointed ears, the only key difference is language.
While I really found myself interested in those parts of the story, I just couldn't get behind Lyris. She makes some incredibly stupid decisions throughout the story - and all of them stem back to Wyatt. Since the story truly begins when he appears I have no idea if hot guys who pay her a little bit of attention normally make her go stupid, or if this is completely out of the ordinary for her character. There's no way to get a good sense of her character before she meets Wyatt. Let's just say that Wyatt throws up every possible red flag from the moment she meets him and she just goes a long with it because she really wants to start school with a boyfriend. There also isn't much in terms of world-building. I would have liked to have seen more of the giants' world and I would have liked to have known more about the portal(s).
To Nowhere was an intriguing read, but there were several things I wish had been explored. Honestly, I hoped this would have been a little more like The Incredible Shrinking Man.
When seventeen year-old Lyris first meets Wyatt, a hot older guy, she has no idea how much her life will change. She's far too concerned with starting at her new school with a boyfriend that she's mostly able to overlook his weirdness. So when he goes from begging to show her a specific room in the abandoned house next door to warning her to stay away from it and to forget he ever mentioned it, she can't help but want to see what's in that room. She could have never prepared herself for what she finds. The door is a portal to a world of giants who auction off humans as pets to the highest bidder - and Wyatt is their supplier.
The aspect I liked most about this story is the concept of giants keeping humans as pets. That idea is what kept me reading. I enjoyed seeing the mindsets of the giants selling off the humans and how the "pets" are dehumanized. There aren't all that many differences between the humans and the giants - aside from size and the fact that they have pointed ears, the only key difference is language.
While I really found myself interested in those parts of the story, I just couldn't get behind Lyris. She makes some incredibly stupid decisions throughout the story - and all of them stem back to Wyatt. Since the story truly begins when he appears I have no idea if hot guys who pay her a little bit of attention normally make her go stupid, or if this is completely out of the ordinary for her character. There's no way to get a good sense of her character before she meets Wyatt. Let's just say that Wyatt throws up every possible red flag from the moment she meets him and she just goes a long with it because she really wants to start school with a boyfriend. There also isn't much in terms of world-building. I would have liked to have seen more of the giants' world and I would have liked to have known more about the portal(s).
To Nowhere was an intriguing read, but there were several things I wish had been explored. Honestly, I hoped this would have been a little more like The Incredible Shrinking Man.
September 5, 2015
To see this and other awesome reviews, check out my blog The Book Goddess
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review
I had never read any books about giants so when the author asked me if I'd review this book, I was excited! I love paranormal, it's my favorite genre so I just knew I'd love it. Well I hope. I wasn't let down. The book had me hooked, it was so different from other books I've read, because of the giant aspect.
Through a portal is a world very different to ours. There are giants with pointed ears and a different language. In their world, they have much of what we have here, jobs, movies and even parks. They try and live peacefully, just like us.
Our main character, Lyris. Had just moved into a new neighborhood, while checking out the town, she meets a boy. Wyatt. And then comes the insta-love. Which I am totally knocking a star for. There is no such thing as instant love. Instant lust, yes. Love takes time to grow. Okay sorry, rant over. Now, Wyatt finds a haunted hose and wants to explore it, then changes his mind but our girl, Lyris decides to go in anyway... and then she is in the giants world. Here humans are sold as pets. Kept in cages and mostly treated poorly.
Lryis is lucky that she got a sweet giant, Brindt. All he really was a friend. I'd love to have seen more of him. He actually sees Lyris for who she is. A person, not a pet. Though part of me wished that Brindt had been mean to Lyris because she was kind of a brat. Her family was rich and you can so tell she is used to getting her way.
I do love what happened to Wyatt in the end, he totally had it coming! All he does is lure humans to the giants' world so he can sell them, he's only about making that money.
I've going to give this book 3 stars, the world building was great. I like the world and wouldn't mind seeing more but I'm taking two stars away for the insta-love and the fact that I dislike Lryis until the end of the book.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review
I had never read any books about giants so when the author asked me if I'd review this book, I was excited! I love paranormal, it's my favorite genre so I just knew I'd love it. Well I hope. I wasn't let down. The book had me hooked, it was so different from other books I've read, because of the giant aspect.
Through a portal is a world very different to ours. There are giants with pointed ears and a different language. In their world, they have much of what we have here, jobs, movies and even parks. They try and live peacefully, just like us.
Our main character, Lyris. Had just moved into a new neighborhood, while checking out the town, she meets a boy. Wyatt. And then comes the insta-love. Which I am totally knocking a star for. There is no such thing as instant love. Instant lust, yes. Love takes time to grow. Okay sorry, rant over. Now, Wyatt finds a haunted hose and wants to explore it, then changes his mind but our girl, Lyris decides to go in anyway... and then she is in the giants world. Here humans are sold as pets. Kept in cages and mostly treated poorly.
Lryis is lucky that she got a sweet giant, Brindt. All he really was a friend. I'd love to have seen more of him. He actually sees Lyris for who she is. A person, not a pet. Though part of me wished that Brindt had been mean to Lyris because she was kind of a brat. Her family was rich and you can so tell she is used to getting her way.
I do love what happened to Wyatt in the end, he totally had it coming! All he does is lure humans to the giants' world so he can sell them, he's only about making that money.
I've going to give this book 3 stars, the world building was great. I like the world and wouldn't mind seeing more but I'm taking two stars away for the insta-love and the fact that I dislike Lryis until the end of the book.
January 4, 2016
Wow this book was amazing.
When I first started reading this book I thought I was heading straight into silent hill and like a deer staring into head lights I just couldn't stop reading. I'm so glad I didn't because this book was really good. (This book wasn't scary btw). 5* easy.
Fantasy fiction book
*An advanced copy of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review*
When I first started reading this book I thought I was heading straight into silent hill and like a deer staring into head lights I just couldn't stop reading. I'm so glad I didn't because this book was really good. (This book wasn't scary btw). 5* easy.
Fantasy fiction book
*An advanced copy of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review*
December 7, 2015
Update 12/7/15: Here is the full review http://bookishrealmreviews.blogspot.c...
Full review coming soon!
Full review coming soon!
March 16, 2016
If you tell most teenagers not to do something, chances are that they’re going to do it. Wyatt should have really thought it through before telling Lyris not to go into the strange room in the abandoned “haunted” house next door to where she and her parents just moved. If only she had listened…
But Wyatt originally wanted her to enter, but as he got to know her, he changed his mind, and they started dating. If only she had listened and not explored what was beyond the door…
The set-up of this review sounds like we’re entering The Twilight Zone. Rightfully so, because what Lyris finds beyond the door is another world right out of the classic 50s/60s television show. Actually, more like a different 60s sci-fi TV show: Irwin Allen’s Land of the Giants.
Lyris is soon picked up—literally—by a giant hand and examined by a giant pair of eyes (two different colors including a bright teal one—see the fantastic cover design). Then she is deposited into a cage (like a hamster) by her captor. Though giant, he’s a slightly younger teenager than she is, and his name is Brindt. In this world, humans are treated as pets, and Brindt’s mother sells the humans delivered to her to the highest bidder.
It seems Brindt wants to keep Lyris for himself, despite his mother’s demand that he not have his own pet. Teenagers do exactly what they’re parents tell them not to, even in the giant world. And right there is one of several themes deftly woven into this delicate narrative: No matter how we view one another (as monsters or insignificant), people are the same all over, no matter their size, no matter their shape (there’s a cute scene where Lyris notices Brindt’s ears are pointed instead of rounded like hers), and no matter their appearance (hair color is a significant detail in this story).
Another theme of the story is the importance of communication. The story is told from the first-person point of view of Lyris, so we know her desire to return home to parents that must be worried about her disappearance. Brindt and the giants speak another language, so his desires aren’t immediately known. The language that author C.E. Wilson invented for the giants is unique, and it was a lot of fun trying to figure out certain words as Lyris was struggling with them. Their inability to communicate leads to many misinterpretations. I won’t spoil anyone’s enjoyment of the story by mentioning any of these instances, but it was fun reading to the revelation of the correct interpretations.
And their communication is necessary if Lyris is to get home. Another theme is how trust must be built. Again, I’m as spoiler-free as I can be, but it was the trust that was earned and the character relationships that developed were genuine and organic in the story.
The stakes are built very well throughout the story because the four main characters (Lyris, Brindt, Wyatt, and Brindt’s mother) all have very clear objectives and employ a variety of tactics to achieve them. Their objectives are at odds with one another, and the situation only gets more dire for Lyris. Even the few other caged humans Lyris interacts with are well-developed characters.
This is clearly a Young Adult novel, as three of the main characters are of that age. Hmm…two boys and one girl sets up one of those love-triangles that have become commonplace in YA literature. I won’t call it a love-triangle in this story but instead a trust-triangle that is handled extremely well and enhances the enjoyment of the story and the characters.
My only little nitpicking with the story is that sometimes Lyris repeats the same thoughts and sometimes stays set in her ways when very clear evidence is presented to her. By no means, however, did this diminish my enjoyment of this unique tale.
I’ve always been a fan of Twilight Zone-type stories and stories about disparately sized people. When you throw in strong characters with strong motivations, I’m all in. FIVE GIANT STARS to To Nowhere.
But Wyatt originally wanted her to enter, but as he got to know her, he changed his mind, and they started dating. If only she had listened and not explored what was beyond the door…
The set-up of this review sounds like we’re entering The Twilight Zone. Rightfully so, because what Lyris finds beyond the door is another world right out of the classic 50s/60s television show. Actually, more like a different 60s sci-fi TV show: Irwin Allen’s Land of the Giants.
Lyris is soon picked up—literally—by a giant hand and examined by a giant pair of eyes (two different colors including a bright teal one—see the fantastic cover design). Then she is deposited into a cage (like a hamster) by her captor. Though giant, he’s a slightly younger teenager than she is, and his name is Brindt. In this world, humans are treated as pets, and Brindt’s mother sells the humans delivered to her to the highest bidder.
It seems Brindt wants to keep Lyris for himself, despite his mother’s demand that he not have his own pet. Teenagers do exactly what they’re parents tell them not to, even in the giant world. And right there is one of several themes deftly woven into this delicate narrative: No matter how we view one another (as monsters or insignificant), people are the same all over, no matter their size, no matter their shape (there’s a cute scene where Lyris notices Brindt’s ears are pointed instead of rounded like hers), and no matter their appearance (hair color is a significant detail in this story).
Another theme of the story is the importance of communication. The story is told from the first-person point of view of Lyris, so we know her desire to return home to parents that must be worried about her disappearance. Brindt and the giants speak another language, so his desires aren’t immediately known. The language that author C.E. Wilson invented for the giants is unique, and it was a lot of fun trying to figure out certain words as Lyris was struggling with them. Their inability to communicate leads to many misinterpretations. I won’t spoil anyone’s enjoyment of the story by mentioning any of these instances, but it was fun reading to the revelation of the correct interpretations.
And their communication is necessary if Lyris is to get home. Another theme is how trust must be built. Again, I’m as spoiler-free as I can be, but it was the trust that was earned and the character relationships that developed were genuine and organic in the story.
The stakes are built very well throughout the story because the four main characters (Lyris, Brindt, Wyatt, and Brindt’s mother) all have very clear objectives and employ a variety of tactics to achieve them. Their objectives are at odds with one another, and the situation only gets more dire for Lyris. Even the few other caged humans Lyris interacts with are well-developed characters.
This is clearly a Young Adult novel, as three of the main characters are of that age. Hmm…two boys and one girl sets up one of those love-triangles that have become commonplace in YA literature. I won’t call it a love-triangle in this story but instead a trust-triangle that is handled extremely well and enhances the enjoyment of the story and the characters.
My only little nitpicking with the story is that sometimes Lyris repeats the same thoughts and sometimes stays set in her ways when very clear evidence is presented to her. By no means, however, did this diminish my enjoyment of this unique tale.
I’ve always been a fan of Twilight Zone-type stories and stories about disparately sized people. When you throw in strong characters with strong motivations, I’m all in. FIVE GIANT STARS to To Nowhere.
September 21, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
To Nowhere is a very well written book of a remarkable story with a fresh take on the fantasy genre. Imagine suddenly finding yourself in a world where you are no longer the dominant species and being so small that you depend on other people, and really huge people at that, to look after you and care for your every want and need. You rely on them for food, clothing, hygiene etc and have difficulty communicating with them because you speak different languages. This is what happens to the main character in this story when she suddenly finds herself in a world full of giants that treat humans as cute little pets to be kept in cages and played with on occasion.
I really loved Lyris, the main protagonist in the story. She was real, believable, very likeable, and you get to see her strengths as well as weaknesses. Her character grows throughout the course of the story and we learn many lessons through her as she uncovers more about her new world and her captor.
Wyatt is a suspicious character right from the very beginning and I was constantly questioning his motives throughout the book. I didn’t particularly like him and I felt it was a bad idea for Lyris to have any feelings towards him, but later in the book we did get a glimpse of Wyatt’s life and so it explains to some extent why he is doing what he is doing.
Brindt is a great character who also develops throughout the book. We see him through Lyris’s eyes and are given insights to his background, family life, what sort of a person he is, and how he changes following his interactions with Lyris. Brindt is also harbouring a terrible secret from Lyris which infuriates her because she knows something important happened in the past but he refuses to talk about it.
While reading To Nowhere, I felt there were several underlying topics being referenced by the author, but I won’t go into too much detail as it might give away some of the story, and different people may get different things out of it. Let me just say that concepts like tolerance, trust, friendship, sacrifice, treatment of other races/species are explored in a subtle manner so that it is not in any way preachy but rather they are important aspects of the storyline and enrich the story in many ways.
This is a wonderfully written book, full of visual imagery and complex characters. There are many interesting and surprising details throughout this story and for me this shows that Ms Wilson has really thought long and hard about what it would be like to be a small person in a world full of giants. Through the story, we are shown what difficulties they would experience, what similarities there might be between the two alternate worlds, and how some experiences can be life changing for some people. There are plenty of plot twists and surprises in this story to keep you engaged and interested from the very beginning right through to the end. In fact, I really enjoyed reading this book so much that I had difficulty in putting it down. It’s a real page turner! And the ending hints that all is not over yet …. At least, I hope there will be sequel!
What a fantastic read this book was! I have been reading a number of fantasy stories lately but this one was particularly a breath of fresh air. If you love fantasy books and are looking at reading something a bit different, something outside the box, then I highly recommend this book.
To Nowhere is a very well written book of a remarkable story with a fresh take on the fantasy genre. Imagine suddenly finding yourself in a world where you are no longer the dominant species and being so small that you depend on other people, and really huge people at that, to look after you and care for your every want and need. You rely on them for food, clothing, hygiene etc and have difficulty communicating with them because you speak different languages. This is what happens to the main character in this story when she suddenly finds herself in a world full of giants that treat humans as cute little pets to be kept in cages and played with on occasion.
I really loved Lyris, the main protagonist in the story. She was real, believable, very likeable, and you get to see her strengths as well as weaknesses. Her character grows throughout the course of the story and we learn many lessons through her as she uncovers more about her new world and her captor.
Wyatt is a suspicious character right from the very beginning and I was constantly questioning his motives throughout the book. I didn’t particularly like him and I felt it was a bad idea for Lyris to have any feelings towards him, but later in the book we did get a glimpse of Wyatt’s life and so it explains to some extent why he is doing what he is doing.
Brindt is a great character who also develops throughout the book. We see him through Lyris’s eyes and are given insights to his background, family life, what sort of a person he is, and how he changes following his interactions with Lyris. Brindt is also harbouring a terrible secret from Lyris which infuriates her because she knows something important happened in the past but he refuses to talk about it.
While reading To Nowhere, I felt there were several underlying topics being referenced by the author, but I won’t go into too much detail as it might give away some of the story, and different people may get different things out of it. Let me just say that concepts like tolerance, trust, friendship, sacrifice, treatment of other races/species are explored in a subtle manner so that it is not in any way preachy but rather they are important aspects of the storyline and enrich the story in many ways.
This is a wonderfully written book, full of visual imagery and complex characters. There are many interesting and surprising details throughout this story and for me this shows that Ms Wilson has really thought long and hard about what it would be like to be a small person in a world full of giants. Through the story, we are shown what difficulties they would experience, what similarities there might be between the two alternate worlds, and how some experiences can be life changing for some people. There are plenty of plot twists and surprises in this story to keep you engaged and interested from the very beginning right through to the end. In fact, I really enjoyed reading this book so much that I had difficulty in putting it down. It’s a real page turner! And the ending hints that all is not over yet …. At least, I hope there will be sequel!
What a fantastic read this book was! I have been reading a number of fantasy stories lately but this one was particularly a breath of fresh air. If you love fantasy books and are looking at reading something a bit different, something outside the box, then I highly recommend this book.
January 20, 2016
I received this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review. Another version of this review can be found at: http://reading-is-dreaming-with-open-...
To Nowhere takes us on a strange journey as Lyris, a normal girl living a quite normal life meets a mysterious, good-looking stranger who manages to sweep her off her feet. He seems to find everything about her "perfect", from her red hair to her age, seventeen. Lyris looks past these oddities as she continues to meet up with him, until he warns her not to open a certain door in a house he deems to be "haunted". Naturally curious, Lyris opens the door to find herself being thrust into another world.. a world where giants walk and humans are kept as pets. What happens next is for you to read and find out- yes, I recommend this book to you! Read on to find out what I loved and didn't quite so much about this extraordinary story by C. E. Wilson.
I loved the plot line of this story, it was something refreshingly new and definitely not something you would expect. I loved reading about this whole other species in this whole other world living and acting just like we humans do- except that they kept humans in cages as pets!! The author did a great job with the world-building and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy reading about it.
I enjoyed getting to know Brindt, the giant with whom Lyris is trapped. I was all prepared to hate him, but pretty soon we get to see him for who he really is: a lovable, lonely kid who is only looking for a companion in Lyris. He was truly kind and adorable- the only problem was that he was still a giant of whom Lyris was scared of. By and by they get to know each other and even find ways to communicate- and let me tell you, seeing them fumble around each other as they tried to understand what the other was saying was one of the most fun parts of the book!
While Wyatt was the character I least liked in this book, I was surprised to find myself disliking Lyris as well- mostly because of her naivety. She was recklessly impulsive in her decision-making and trusted the wrong kind of people while blissfully ignoring the good in front of her- case in point, Brindt and Wyatt. In all fairness, her character does develop as the book goes on, but I couldn't get over my initial impression of her.
The plot is built greatly throughout the story, and even though I felt like the pacing was a tad bit slow at the beginning, things picked up at around 40% and I found myself reading eagerly to see where this book would take me. The book ended in a very satisfactory note, making me wonder whether there would be a sequel- it was an open ending that didn't leave me feeling disappointed as they normally do. I loved To Nowhere and would recommend it to you if you feel like trying something new. Go ahead and pick it up!
The story idea: 5/5
The realization of the story: 4/5
The characters: 3/5
The cover: 3/5
Enjoy factor: 4/5
Final Rating: 4/5
September 3, 2015
This book review was originally posted on Paper Castles
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
When I read the synopsis of this book, I knew right away I had to read it. The idea was so new and fresh and it definitely drew me in. I had never read a YA Fantasy/Dyspotian with giants before and I was really excited to see how the book goes. While reading this book, I was surprised to see how well written the book really was. The book kept me entertained and I really enjoyed the unpredictable events and the hilarious content.
The beautiful and snarky protagonist Lyris was definitely very different to the ones that I am normally used to. She can be hot tempered(the fact that she has red hair makes it even better) and swears a lot. When she first meets Wyatt at the coffee shop, I kind of disliked both of them. He seemed rude and way too arrogant and I really can't believe she didn't get annoyed at the "damaged goods" comment. I mean that comment alone would have put me off. She was acting a bit desperate for him and because of that she looked over the many red flags in their conversation. I seriously can't believe she agreed to go to some abandoned house on their first date! From then on I knew that he was going to force her into that room and sell her off to the giants like some heartless villain.
But later on, he realized how interesting Lyris actually was and he also kept repeating how she should never go into that room. I mean are you kidding me? Shut up already, If you keep saying that it's only going make her want to do it more. Predictably, that's exactly what she does. When she opened that room, she should have left immediately after she realized that it was nothing special. But after the annoying flickering lights under the closet door, she then decides to open that door too which throws her to whole new world where giants are real and they keep humans as pets. Wyatt was going to sell her without a care for her life or her family. He was willing to completely ruin a girl's life for money. When Lyris finally realized that, I was pretty darn glad.
The giant, Brindt, took in Lyris as his pet and their language barrier was huge problem for them both. I did not expect the giants to have a whole new language and the fact that they do really made their world more realistic. Brindt seemed so kind and caring that it was almost impossible to dislike him for keeping humans as pets. He just didn't know any better. I loved the way Lyris changes throughout the book and how the story itself was so interesting. It surpassed all my expectations and more.
I really liked this unique story and would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in an original fantasy story with giants.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
When I read the synopsis of this book, I knew right away I had to read it. The idea was so new and fresh and it definitely drew me in. I had never read a YA Fantasy/Dyspotian with giants before and I was really excited to see how the book goes. While reading this book, I was surprised to see how well written the book really was. The book kept me entertained and I really enjoyed the unpredictable events and the hilarious content.
The beautiful and snarky protagonist Lyris was definitely very different to the ones that I am normally used to. She can be hot tempered(the fact that she has red hair makes it even better) and swears a lot. When she first meets Wyatt at the coffee shop, I kind of disliked both of them. He seemed rude and way too arrogant and I really can't believe she didn't get annoyed at the "damaged goods" comment. I mean that comment alone would have put me off. She was acting a bit desperate for him and because of that she looked over the many red flags in their conversation. I seriously can't believe she agreed to go to some abandoned house on their first date! From then on I knew that he was going to force her into that room and sell her off to the giants like some heartless villain.
But later on, he realized how interesting Lyris actually was and he also kept repeating how she should never go into that room. I mean are you kidding me? Shut up already, If you keep saying that it's only going make her want to do it more. Predictably, that's exactly what she does. When she opened that room, she should have left immediately after she realized that it was nothing special. But after the annoying flickering lights under the closet door, she then decides to open that door too which throws her to whole new world where giants are real and they keep humans as pets. Wyatt was going to sell her without a care for her life or her family. He was willing to completely ruin a girl's life for money. When Lyris finally realized that, I was pretty darn glad.
The giant, Brindt, took in Lyris as his pet and their language barrier was huge problem for them both. I did not expect the giants to have a whole new language and the fact that they do really made their world more realistic. Brindt seemed so kind and caring that it was almost impossible to dislike him for keeping humans as pets. He just didn't know any better. I loved the way Lyris changes throughout the book and how the story itself was so interesting. It surpassed all my expectations and more.
I really liked this unique story and would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in an original fantasy story with giants.
October 22, 2015
http://bogdanathebooknerd.blogspot.co...
Thank you C.E. Wilson for providing me with a copy of To Nowhere in exchange for an honest review.
I would like to first start by saying that I loved the premise of this book. Giants? How cool is that? I was super curious to see where the story was going to take me and I must say I wasn’t disappointed at all. Wilson has a great ability to capture the reader’s attention and weave fascinating concepts into a great tale; she is a wonderful story teller.
From the very beginning I was fascinated by the concept of giants keeping humans as pets. I loved the unique language that the author created for the giants and I really hope that if there is a sequel for this novel (fingers crossed), we will get to explore more of that language as well as the giants’ world that we didn’t get to discover as much of in this novel. I wanted to see more of how other giants treat their humans.
The only reasons I didn’t give this novel a higher rating are: the fact that I had a very hard time connecting with Lyris, our main character; the insta-love between Lyris and Wyatt; and, the grammatical errors that I came across. This novel appears to be self-published and I believe that if an editor would have been involved a lot of these issues would have been worked out through the editing process making this story a 5 star read.
I really wanted to like Lyris, but I found her to be a very spoiled, self-centered teenager. I was still rooting for her, despite her personality, because I felt that she was going through quite traumatic experiences. Wyatt smelled like trouble from the very beginning. I did not appreciate his attitude at all and was quite disappointed in Lyris for giving him the time of day, not to mention her constantly defending him.
I loved getting to know Brindt, our gentle giant. In the end he was the only character I truly connected with and cared for. I really loved the relationship Wilson developed between Lyris and Brindt. The progression of their relationship was slow and so well written. I loved the fact that the author took such great care in building their relationship.
I really do hope that there will be a sequel to this novel as the story ends on a somewhat bitter sweet note. I was very impressed with the originality of the world Wilson created and I would definitely pick up the next book in the series, if she plans on writing it.
Thank you C.E. Wilson for providing me with a copy of To Nowhere in exchange for an honest review.
I would like to first start by saying that I loved the premise of this book. Giants? How cool is that? I was super curious to see where the story was going to take me and I must say I wasn’t disappointed at all. Wilson has a great ability to capture the reader’s attention and weave fascinating concepts into a great tale; she is a wonderful story teller.
From the very beginning I was fascinated by the concept of giants keeping humans as pets. I loved the unique language that the author created for the giants and I really hope that if there is a sequel for this novel (fingers crossed), we will get to explore more of that language as well as the giants’ world that we didn’t get to discover as much of in this novel. I wanted to see more of how other giants treat their humans.
The only reasons I didn’t give this novel a higher rating are: the fact that I had a very hard time connecting with Lyris, our main character; the insta-love between Lyris and Wyatt; and, the grammatical errors that I came across. This novel appears to be self-published and I believe that if an editor would have been involved a lot of these issues would have been worked out through the editing process making this story a 5 star read.
I really wanted to like Lyris, but I found her to be a very spoiled, self-centered teenager. I was still rooting for her, despite her personality, because I felt that she was going through quite traumatic experiences. Wyatt smelled like trouble from the very beginning. I did not appreciate his attitude at all and was quite disappointed in Lyris for giving him the time of day, not to mention her constantly defending him.
I loved getting to know Brindt, our gentle giant. In the end he was the only character I truly connected with and cared for. I really loved the relationship Wilson developed between Lyris and Brindt. The progression of their relationship was slow and so well written. I loved the fact that the author took such great care in building their relationship.
I really do hope that there will be a sequel to this novel as the story ends on a somewhat bitter sweet note. I was very impressed with the originality of the world Wilson created and I would definitely pick up the next book in the series, if she plans on writing it.
January 28, 2016
This review was originally posted on Books and Ladders
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. This was not what I was expecting but it surprised me in a good way. I am not going to lie, I was a little skeptical at first because of how much of a douche I thought Wyatt was, but I did enjoy Lyris coming to that realization on her own.
Lyris was an exciting character. She wasn't completely cookie cutter of your typical ya heroine because she had to figure things out in her own way. Lyris trusted too easily and quickly at some points and not enough at others, but it was nice to see a flawed, spoiled heroine who started to think about others. I was really rooting for her to escape and be free. Or to at least be able to make her own choices.
The world building was pretty good, but left me with some questions at the end. But Lyris also had the same questions as me, so it was believable that I wouldn't know the answers to me. Because we got this from what Lyris saw and knew about the world of giants and I think that it was more believable that she didn't learn everything there was to learn about the other world than suddenly knowing everything. Had this been narrated third person, I would have expected to not have questions (or minimal questions because I am very into small details of new worlds), but considering all we knew was what Lyris could find out, it made sense that there was gaps. I think it makes it almost more interesting that we didn't find out everything about this other world because it lets the reader fill in some of the gaps with their own thoughts.
The one thing that did bother me was the epilogue and how Lyris And that is why I rated it 4 stars tbh. Until then, it was a solid 4.5, but that upset me.
Overall: 4/5 stars for this one. This one was so creative and had such good, diverse characters. I highly recommend it if you are looking for something new and different.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. This was not what I was expecting but it surprised me in a good way. I am not going to lie, I was a little skeptical at first because of how much of a douche I thought Wyatt was, but I did enjoy Lyris coming to that realization on her own.
Lyris was an exciting character. She wasn't completely cookie cutter of your typical ya heroine because she had to figure things out in her own way. Lyris trusted too easily and quickly at some points and not enough at others, but it was nice to see a flawed, spoiled heroine who started to think about others. I was really rooting for her to escape and be free. Or to at least be able to make her own choices.
The world building was pretty good, but left me with some questions at the end. But Lyris also had the same questions as me, so it was believable that I wouldn't know the answers to me. Because we got this from what Lyris saw and knew about the world of giants and I think that it was more believable that she didn't learn everything there was to learn about the other world than suddenly knowing everything. Had this been narrated third person, I would have expected to not have questions (or minimal questions because I am very into small details of new worlds), but considering all we knew was what Lyris could find out, it made sense that there was gaps. I think it makes it almost more interesting that we didn't find out everything about this other world because it lets the reader fill in some of the gaps with their own thoughts.
The one thing that did bother me was the epilogue and how Lyris And that is why I rated it 4 stars tbh. Until then, it was a solid 4.5, but that upset me.
Overall: 4/5 stars for this one. This one was so creative and had such good, diverse characters. I highly recommend it if you are looking for something new and different.
September 15, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was by far my favorite book thus far from C.E Wilson!
She has built an amazing world of giants that are not quite that different from us, except that they keep people, whom they call Insignificants as pets! Is it possible for a giant to fall in love with someone only a few inches tall?
Lyris a spoiled girl moves into a new neighborhood and immediately attracts the attention of Wyatt, a rather charming and mysterious boy who immediately takes a liking to Lyris. He shows her the Shaw House, a place he warns Lyris to never go alone. Lyris is a very stubborn red head, who doesn't like being told no, especially by the attractive Wyatt.
Entering the Shaw House, Lyris is transported to a mysterious room. Before she has a chance to process where she is, a giant hand grabs her and puts her in a cage. This stranger is talking in a language Lyris can't understand, and has never heard of before.
This was a major plus for me! I loved that Wilson created her own language. And the way Lyris and Brindt (the giant who initially put her in a cage) try so hard to communicate despite the language barrier is sweet. Once Lyris gets over the initial anger of being trapped in a strange world she finds that Brindt is not the monster she thought him to be, especially when they are able to communicate properly.
They become friends while also battling their feelings for one another, especially since Brindt is a fifteen year old giant! Their budding romance is sweet, and I quite liked it.
Things get hairy when Lyris tries to go back to her own world but, the two of them overcome that giant obstacle.
Things end on a bitter sweet note, with Lryis wishing she could go visit Brindt, but also trying to move on with her life. She has most certainly been humbled by her experiences in the giants world. It's nice to see a character grow and change as a result of their experiences. I feel like this doesn't happen often enough.
Not going to lie, I would love to see this world expanded on in more books, and I would especially love to see this as a movie or a TV series.
August 29, 2015
C.E. Wilson weaves a tale of, what feels like, old school sci-fi in a modern/alternate reality. She tells the story of a young woman, Lyris, who is still in school and essentially trying to figure out her life. She’s moved to a brand new town, she doesn’t know anyone, and her parents are professors at the local college and seem rarely to be home.
All that changes when she meets a rather handsome young man by the name of Wyatt. Suddenly she’s hanging out with him, talking to him, and beginning to grow what seems to equal out to a very serious relationship with him. Wyatt even takes her on a tour of the local “haunted” house…located right across the road from where she lives. However Wyatt warns her of one thing. He tells her to NEVER enter a specific room within the house without him. He won’t tell her why, just that she should never enter alone.
Of course what’s a girl like her to do? She just HAS to explore it!
As soon as she does though, she wishes she hadn’t. I won’t give you any major spoilers to this, but I will tell you one very important thing. GIANTS.
A retelling of BFG (Big, Friendly Giant – check Roald Dahl), this isn’t!
I wasn’t expecting to care about the characters as much as I ended up caring! I also wasn’t expecting the levels of emotions brought forth within this book. There’s lust, fear, and an odd mixture of companionship and love that actually goes very well with the tone of the book. Oh…and Wyatt? Yeah he has a MAJOR secret going on.
All in all, I really did enjoy this novel. If I had to pick one thing from the book that I really didn’t care for, it would have to be that the lead character isn’t as strong as I would have liked her to be. I find that she exhibits a very confusing array of emotions when it comes to things she has to deal with. Otherwise, I found the book very well written and easy to read through. I would readily pick it up and read it again at any given time. The story line and the characters ended up sticking with me for days on end and I won’t ever regret getting caught up in this crazy new world C.E. Wilson has created!
All that changes when she meets a rather handsome young man by the name of Wyatt. Suddenly she’s hanging out with him, talking to him, and beginning to grow what seems to equal out to a very serious relationship with him. Wyatt even takes her on a tour of the local “haunted” house…located right across the road from where she lives. However Wyatt warns her of one thing. He tells her to NEVER enter a specific room within the house without him. He won’t tell her why, just that she should never enter alone.
Of course what’s a girl like her to do? She just HAS to explore it!
As soon as she does though, she wishes she hadn’t. I won’t give you any major spoilers to this, but I will tell you one very important thing. GIANTS.
A retelling of BFG (Big, Friendly Giant – check Roald Dahl), this isn’t!
I wasn’t expecting to care about the characters as much as I ended up caring! I also wasn’t expecting the levels of emotions brought forth within this book. There’s lust, fear, and an odd mixture of companionship and love that actually goes very well with the tone of the book. Oh…and Wyatt? Yeah he has a MAJOR secret going on.
All in all, I really did enjoy this novel. If I had to pick one thing from the book that I really didn’t care for, it would have to be that the lead character isn’t as strong as I would have liked her to be. I find that she exhibits a very confusing array of emotions when it comes to things she has to deal with. Otherwise, I found the book very well written and easy to read through. I would readily pick it up and read it again at any given time. The story line and the characters ended up sticking with me for days on end and I won’t ever regret getting caught up in this crazy new world C.E. Wilson has created!
September 12, 2015
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Published: July 5, 2015 by: C.E. Wilson
Pages: 206
Rating: 4/5 stars
* I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
To Nowhere was a fantasy with a unique twist. The book follows Lyris, a girl who has always lived under her wealthy parent's shadow. That is, until a dashing man named Wyatt mysteriously jumps into her life and sweeps her off her feet. But when Lyris opens the door to Wyatt's strange "haunted" house, she uncovers a world unlike her own. A world where giants roam and keep humans captive as pets. Will Lyris be able to escape?
I quite enjoyed this book. I felt that it was a lot different than any other fantasy I've read before. The concept was very interesting, and the book had a lot of unique twists and turns. While I did have some issues with the main character, I was quite satisfied.
I loved the plot line of this book. It was different, and cool, and something that you wouldn't expect. It was interesting to read about a whole different species acting like how humans do, and the fact that they kept humans as pets. It was kind of like reading a book through a dog's perspective! I was thoroughly interested.
I enjoyed reading about the male protagonist, Brindt in this book. Brindt is a giant who keeps Lyris hostage. At first he is perceived as the bad guy, but as the book progresses, he develops into a lovable and kind character that I admired so much.
One character that I didn't like so much in this book, was Lyris. I found her to be very impulsive in her decision-making, and also kind of naive. I mean, she goes into a haunted house with a guy she's just met and expects a happily ever after. It just didn't seem that realistic, although she does get a lot better as the book goes on.
Overall, this was a very intriguing book and something that will take you buy surprise. I think that it's originality, paid off.
Emily @ Paperback Princess
Published: July 5, 2015 by: C.E. Wilson
Pages: 206
Rating: 4/5 stars
* I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
To Nowhere was a fantasy with a unique twist. The book follows Lyris, a girl who has always lived under her wealthy parent's shadow. That is, until a dashing man named Wyatt mysteriously jumps into her life and sweeps her off her feet. But when Lyris opens the door to Wyatt's strange "haunted" house, she uncovers a world unlike her own. A world where giants roam and keep humans captive as pets. Will Lyris be able to escape?
I quite enjoyed this book. I felt that it was a lot different than any other fantasy I've read before. The concept was very interesting, and the book had a lot of unique twists and turns. While I did have some issues with the main character, I was quite satisfied.
I loved the plot line of this book. It was different, and cool, and something that you wouldn't expect. It was interesting to read about a whole different species acting like how humans do, and the fact that they kept humans as pets. It was kind of like reading a book through a dog's perspective! I was thoroughly interested.
I enjoyed reading about the male protagonist, Brindt in this book. Brindt is a giant who keeps Lyris hostage. At first he is perceived as the bad guy, but as the book progresses, he develops into a lovable and kind character that I admired so much.
One character that I didn't like so much in this book, was Lyris. I found her to be very impulsive in her decision-making, and also kind of naive. I mean, she goes into a haunted house with a guy she's just met and expects a happily ever after. It just didn't seem that realistic, although she does get a lot better as the book goes on.
Overall, this was a very intriguing book and something that will take you buy surprise. I think that it's originality, paid off.
Emily @ Paperback Princess
January 28, 2016
This review and others can also be found on my blog: Mezzalilys Teen Book Reviews
Thanks to the author C.E. Wilson for sending me a e-copy of To Nowhere in exchange for an honest review.
Lyris is thrust into a world of giants, where humans are kept as pets. In this new world she meets Brint, a giant who is unlike others and doesn't want to hurt her. Lyris must adapt quickly to this new world where she is only a few inches tall.
I enjoyed this novel however it was quite slow to start. When Lyris and Brint were trying to understand each others language it was quite dragged out. Apart from this though the plot was great! It was a refreshing change to read a book about giants as I haven't read anything about them since I was little. Once the plot moved past the initial getting to know the characters and world section I really, really enjoyed it. Some parts were a little predictable but overall it was great!
I really liked Lyris, I felt that it was nice that she wanted to go home but how she tried alternative routes to get there. I also thought that Brint was adorable! He was so sweet and kind which showed a different side to your average giant in a story. I wasn't sure on Wyatt, I'm not sure if he's a good character or a bad one, but that's because there wasnt enough of him to make a good judgement on.
Thanks again to C.E. Wilson for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. If you'd like to find out more about C.E. Wilsons books please click here!
Thanks to the author C.E. Wilson for sending me a e-copy of To Nowhere in exchange for an honest review.
"Haunted Houses." I tried to laugh which was met by a blank expression. "I mean next thing you'll be saying that you believe in the Easter bunny.
Lyris is thrust into a world of giants, where humans are kept as pets. In this new world she meets Brint, a giant who is unlike others and doesn't want to hurt her. Lyris must adapt quickly to this new world where she is only a few inches tall.
I enjoyed this novel however it was quite slow to start. When Lyris and Brint were trying to understand each others language it was quite dragged out. Apart from this though the plot was great! It was a refreshing change to read a book about giants as I haven't read anything about them since I was little. Once the plot moved past the initial getting to know the characters and world section I really, really enjoyed it. Some parts were a little predictable but overall it was great!
I really liked Lyris, I felt that it was nice that she wanted to go home but how she tried alternative routes to get there. I also thought that Brint was adorable! He was so sweet and kind which showed a different side to your average giant in a story. I wasn't sure on Wyatt, I'm not sure if he's a good character or a bad one, but that's because there wasnt enough of him to make a good judgement on.
Thanks again to C.E. Wilson for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. If you'd like to find out more about C.E. Wilsons books please click here!
June 28, 2016
To Nowhere but awesome :)
If you like The Outer Limits or Twilight Zone, you'll like this book. I loved it. Lyris is a bit stubborn and gullible, but she's still likable. Wyatt is your typical book hottie that you want to give the benefit of doubt to, until you learn his truth.
And then there's Brindt, most definitely my favorite character. He's sweet and had a good heart, but he's still a typical 15 year old boy. Well, as typical as he can be for a giant.
If you read the description, then you known Lyris travels into a world of giants, but even knowing that doesn't change the anticipation and fascination with the door in the empty house. What I didn't expect (and was pleasantly surprised about), was the view into the giant's world and how realistic and plausible it was. After reading To Nowhere, I'll definitely think twice before I open a closet door in an abandoned house, especially if there's a light on inside.
If you like The Outer Limits or Twilight Zone, you'll like this book. I loved it. Lyris is a bit stubborn and gullible, but she's still likable. Wyatt is your typical book hottie that you want to give the benefit of doubt to, until you learn his truth.
And then there's Brindt, most definitely my favorite character. He's sweet and had a good heart, but he's still a typical 15 year old boy. Well, as typical as he can be for a giant.
If you read the description, then you known Lyris travels into a world of giants, but even knowing that doesn't change the anticipation and fascination with the door in the empty house. What I didn't expect (and was pleasantly surprised about), was the view into the giant's world and how realistic and plausible it was. After reading To Nowhere, I'll definitely think twice before I open a closet door in an abandoned house, especially if there's a light on inside.
July 9, 2015
I really enjoyed reading this book, so much so that I read it in a single sitting. C.E. Wilson is a very good writer with a talent in creating characters that are interesting and aren't just cardboard cutouts the typical characters we often see and is very good at making us care about them.
She also has a good grasp of narrative structure moving between different different parts of the story while not getting stuck in a certain part that drags on a little too long, the build up of tension in parts and the mood setting is very well done.
I recommend this book to both those who have and haven't read books in this sub-genre. The idea may seem a little odd to those who haven't read any stories like it before it's so well written that you'll probably end up loving it anyway.
She also has a good grasp of narrative structure moving between different different parts of the story while not getting stuck in a certain part that drags on a little too long, the build up of tension in parts and the mood setting is very well done.
I recommend this book to both those who have and haven't read books in this sub-genre. The idea may seem a little odd to those who haven't read any stories like it before it's so well written that you'll probably end up loving it anyway.
December 30, 2015
Ah, what a heart-wrenching ending!
"At first you get this really unusual relationship between Lyris and her captor, Wyatt. Lyris has just moved to the area and Wyatt makes a conversation out of that in the coffee shop they meet at. He asks several questions about her; how old are you, what is your name, where do you live...All of the typical questions you may feel comfortable answering. But then things get weird when she feels odd emotions when she is with him. He tells her she is the "perfect age"...What does that mean? So the good first few chapters are about their encounters and ongoing relationship..."
Check out my full review here!
https://jbelkbooks.wordpress.com/2015...
"At first you get this really unusual relationship between Lyris and her captor, Wyatt. Lyris has just moved to the area and Wyatt makes a conversation out of that in the coffee shop they meet at. He asks several questions about her; how old are you, what is your name, where do you live...All of the typical questions you may feel comfortable answering. But then things get weird when she feels odd emotions when she is with him. He tells her she is the "perfect age"...What does that mean? So the good first few chapters are about their encounters and ongoing relationship..."
Check out my full review here!
https://jbelkbooks.wordpress.com/2015...
January 31, 2016
Book felt like it was going nowhere. Somewhat interesting because relationship was somewhat believable and not too instalovey but took forever to get to the point. Bonus points for two parents that are alive, but I simply couldn't get into this storyline at all. It's really quite a disappointment because the book itself came in lovely packaging that made me feel so happy to open because the author clearly put thought into it. But maybe it was just the story itself I couldn't get into. This book will keep Wilson from getting to my Author idols, but I'm still going to try out her recent novel titled Five Seven Five.
February 21, 2016
First of all I would like to thank the author for sending me a copy.
Overall I liked this book. I was intrigued to read it because I never had read a book that involved giants. In this book we have a girl named Lyris and she enters a world where she realizes that humans are pets and the giants own them. My biggest problem was with Lyris at times she was hard to handle. No matter how nice Brindt was to her she would still be mean to him. I also couldn't believe how she could care so much for Wyatt even after everything he had done to her and the others. The good news is that as the book went on she got better.
Overall I liked this book. I was intrigued to read it because I never had read a book that involved giants. In this book we have a girl named Lyris and she enters a world where she realizes that humans are pets and the giants own them. My biggest problem was with Lyris at times she was hard to handle. No matter how nice Brindt was to her she would still be mean to him. I also couldn't believe how she could care so much for Wyatt even after everything he had done to her and the others. The good news is that as the book went on she got better.
September 28, 2015
A fun read that swept me away! Size difference is an intriguing topic to read about and this story did not disappoint. I didn't like Lyris at first, she was spoiled and trusted Wyatt too easily. Then I realized that as a seventeen year old girl, that seems pretty accurate. It was nice to see her grow and change throughout the book. I enjoyed how her relationship with Brindt played out but the end of the book came too early for me. I have to know what happens next!
Overall, great read that I recommend to fantasy lovers.
Overall, great read that I recommend to fantasy lovers.
September 29, 2015
What a fun read!! I didn't know what to expect when I started this, but I have to say, I was swept up in this unique world that C.E. Wilson created. I loved the spunk that our main character, Lyris, has and I love her banter with Brindt. The story moves quickly and I kept turning the page to read more. Definitely hated Wyatt, but that's a story for another time.
I can't wait to read more from C.E. Wilson, and I'd love to return to this world.
I can't wait to read more from C.E. Wilson, and I'd love to return to this world.
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