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The Lost Heir
Isabella Foxworthy was just another girl…until she learned she was an empath, able to read the energy of others. A secret world known as the Violet City lies beneath her family’s hotel in Los Angeles. Through this discovery, Isabella is catapulted into a whirlwind of magic, adventure, and danger. The Violet City holds the key to protecting her stability; her family hotel, her friends, and her very sanity. With morphlings, empaths, and fair folk also comes a powerful entity that twists her mind into knots, threatening everything she loves. Now, Isabella and her new friends—a guitar-playing jock, his gifted but neurotic brother, and a set of over-indulged twins—have until her 16th birthday to save her world with the help of someone who's been lost for a very long time...the lost Foxworthy heir. But will they find him in time? And will he be a friend or foe?
368 pages, Paperback
Published January 8, 2016
27 people are currently reading
1013 people want to read
About the author
Allison Whitmore
6 books181 followersAllison Whitmore was born in Los Angeles and studied literature and writing at Long Island University. She spent several years teaching English and history after earning her master's degree. She now devotes her time to writing and coaching beginning writers in fiction and editing screenplays, her second passion.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 21, 2016
This beautifully written book is filled with adventure and mystery. Right from the beginning, the stage for a great mystery book is set and the unanswered questions leave you wanting to read more and more. We learn about main character Isabella, who lives in a hotel with grandmother when her parents were killed. Isabella begins to learn about her family who is part of an Empath Society and that she too is empath. She discovers the hotel that she grew up living in sits on a whole secret world called the Violet City. She and her new friends learn that she must find the lost Foxworthy heir before her 16th birthday to save not only her family but this whole new world she has just discovered.
The Lost Heir, is a uniquely imagined story with characters that get introduced leaving you to ask questions about who they are and what they will mean to Isabelle in the end. There is a romance and many twists in the story. The beginning does start off a bit slow but the more you read the more you get sucked into this story and whole new fantastic world. I love the relationship she has with her friends, especially with her new friend Seth.
I would definitely recommend this book to those who love YA books. It is an offbeat supernatural book that doesn’t have the common characters you would see in this genre such as they typical vampires. These characters are different which makes this read even more interesting. There really isn’t a book like this out there.
The Lost Heir, is a uniquely imagined story with characters that get introduced leaving you to ask questions about who they are and what they will mean to Isabelle in the end. There is a romance and many twists in the story. The beginning does start off a bit slow but the more you read the more you get sucked into this story and whole new fantastic world. I love the relationship she has with her friends, especially with her new friend Seth.
I would definitely recommend this book to those who love YA books. It is an offbeat supernatural book that doesn’t have the common characters you would see in this genre such as they typical vampires. These characters are different which makes this read even more interesting. There really isn’t a book like this out there.
December 15, 2015
You’re a light in this darkness. 5 GOLD STARS
Do not be afraid of what is to come. It cannot be avoided. You gotta take the right risks, so you can get what you want. WOW!! What an amazingly brilliant and tremendous story! I LOVE that beautiful cover! I was intrigued from the very start trying to figure out if those parts were dreams or memories or visions or something different altogether. Then a couple more pages and I was so utterly absorbed into the story, trying to predict what everything meant, and what was going to happen, etc. that the next thing I knew it was morning! Yup! I read this book all night! I find it hard to describe but the best I can think of is that it's a 'sleeper' kind of story (ironic I know, since I traded in MY sleep to read this book!) but I mean that the more you read, the more 'things' happen but without there being a BAM!! or “A-HA” moment. I can’t say WHEN I fell in love with the story, only that I did! I absolutely love everything about it! I knew pretty much nothing going in, which in my opinion made the story even better because I didn't have any preconceived notions, I wasn't expecting it to be like any of the other empath stories I have read, or worry about the YA part (sometimes they are TOO YA for me). It truly is a beautiful, funny, intriguing, adventure filled story with a hint of romance…possibly!! wink To me it is like a mix of Narnia, Oz, Harry Potter and a hint of Legend (Mia Sara & Tom Cruise’s movie from the 1980’s), while still being wholly unique, utterly original and ABSOLUTELY FANTABULOUS! Back to the YA part - I don’t think it is actually classed as a YA novel, but because the characters are teens, I know that a lot of readers will shy away from this book - which would be a HUGE mistake on their part - so I want to mention that I felt that Isabella and her group of new friends were exceptionally well-written characters. They are all between 15-17 or thereabouts, and while they do behave like the teens they are, none of them are truly 'normal' nor have they been living 'normal' lives up to this point. I found them all believable, confused with feelings and the like just as your average teens are, but at the same time they also have this maturity and other qualities that I'm not at liberty to share with you, snicker, making them into these characters that you can't help but like, love, root for, and to be honest, I was a tad jealous and would love to be part of their gang!! Allison, Erin & Grace did an amazing job with them, elevating them and the story to be above & beyond the 'typical' YA stories, scratch that! above & beyond ANY Fantasy type stories that I have read! It truly is a MAGNIFICENT story!! Its full of new friends, family, family history, magic, powers, fighting for what you believe in, fighting for what's right, going on adventures both voluntary & accidental as well as great new beings! Of course, every great story needs a villain, but figuring out just who that is, well THAT is the hard part! It didn't take long before I was fully mesmerised by the story, eager to see it play out while at the same time not wanting it to end! Even at 350+ pages, I NEVER felt like it was dragging, boring or that there was 'unnecessary babble'! Everything was tied to something at some point, even if it took a while to figure out how! Oh yeah...and everything that I predicted, or every 'mystery' I thought I had solved or everything that I guessed at...I was wrong!! That is so AWESOME!!! It shows just how unique, original and how unpredictable the story is. This is definitely not one of those simple fluffy type of books! It will slowly reach out to you, almost sneak up on you, because before you know it, you are so immersed into this fully enriched & fantastical world, that you will lose track of time & your own world!! It also has great depth, emotional entanglements and just so many other things I want to tell you about, but I don't want to spoil any little bit of it!! I was going to say that this is my first book by Allison, but since this is only her second book (at least on Amazon) there is a 50/50 chance of that happening for everyone! LOL With the help of her friends Grace & Erin, Allison has written one absolutely amazing masterpiece of a story full of everything I love to read about, a character I wanted to be (without all of the danger of course!) and an adventure to top all adventures!! Allison is one very talented author! I am very impressed with her writing skills, blown away by her story-telling and cannot wait for the next book!!!
Do not be afraid of what is to come. It cannot be avoided. You gotta take the right risks, so you can get what you want. WOW!! What an amazingly brilliant and tremendous story! I LOVE that beautiful cover! I was intrigued from the very start trying to figure out if those parts were dreams or memories or visions or something different altogether. Then a couple more pages and I was so utterly absorbed into the story, trying to predict what everything meant, and what was going to happen, etc. that the next thing I knew it was morning! Yup! I read this book all night! I find it hard to describe but the best I can think of is that it's a 'sleeper' kind of story (ironic I know, since I traded in MY sleep to read this book!) but I mean that the more you read, the more 'things' happen but without there being a BAM!! or “A-HA” moment. I can’t say WHEN I fell in love with the story, only that I did! I absolutely love everything about it! I knew pretty much nothing going in, which in my opinion made the story even better because I didn't have any preconceived notions, I wasn't expecting it to be like any of the other empath stories I have read, or worry about the YA part (sometimes they are TOO YA for me). It truly is a beautiful, funny, intriguing, adventure filled story with a hint of romance…possibly!! wink To me it is like a mix of Narnia, Oz, Harry Potter and a hint of Legend (Mia Sara & Tom Cruise’s movie from the 1980’s), while still being wholly unique, utterly original and ABSOLUTELY FANTABULOUS! Back to the YA part - I don’t think it is actually classed as a YA novel, but because the characters are teens, I know that a lot of readers will shy away from this book - which would be a HUGE mistake on their part - so I want to mention that I felt that Isabella and her group of new friends were exceptionally well-written characters. They are all between 15-17 or thereabouts, and while they do behave like the teens they are, none of them are truly 'normal' nor have they been living 'normal' lives up to this point. I found them all believable, confused with feelings and the like just as your average teens are, but at the same time they also have this maturity and other qualities that I'm not at liberty to share with you, snicker, making them into these characters that you can't help but like, love, root for, and to be honest, I was a tad jealous and would love to be part of their gang!! Allison, Erin & Grace did an amazing job with them, elevating them and the story to be above & beyond the 'typical' YA stories, scratch that! above & beyond ANY Fantasy type stories that I have read! It truly is a MAGNIFICENT story!! Its full of new friends, family, family history, magic, powers, fighting for what you believe in, fighting for what's right, going on adventures both voluntary & accidental as well as great new beings! Of course, every great story needs a villain, but figuring out just who that is, well THAT is the hard part! It didn't take long before I was fully mesmerised by the story, eager to see it play out while at the same time not wanting it to end! Even at 350+ pages, I NEVER felt like it was dragging, boring or that there was 'unnecessary babble'! Everything was tied to something at some point, even if it took a while to figure out how! Oh yeah...and everything that I predicted, or every 'mystery' I thought I had solved or everything that I guessed at...I was wrong!! That is so AWESOME!!! It shows just how unique, original and how unpredictable the story is. This is definitely not one of those simple fluffy type of books! It will slowly reach out to you, almost sneak up on you, because before you know it, you are so immersed into this fully enriched & fantastical world, that you will lose track of time & your own world!! It also has great depth, emotional entanglements and just so many other things I want to tell you about, but I don't want to spoil any little bit of it!! I was going to say that this is my first book by Allison, but since this is only her second book (at least on Amazon) there is a 50/50 chance of that happening for everyone! LOL With the help of her friends Grace & Erin, Allison has written one absolutely amazing masterpiece of a story full of everything I love to read about, a character I wanted to be (without all of the danger of course!) and an adventure to top all adventures!! Allison is one very talented author! I am very impressed with her writing skills, blown away by her story-telling and cannot wait for the next book!!!
February 7, 2016
On the whole, I liked the book. I think the book does a great job moving the plot through dialogue. This is a hard task. Except in its broadest outline, dialogue amongst characters, rather than descriptive commentary, is what drives the plot in "The Lost Heir". Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code" does this as well - it's frustrating on a certain level, because one has to rely on the insights attributed to characters to drive the story. But on another level, this makes for a more engaging read and helps one appreciate the centrality of personalities in the overall story.
Other reviewers have commented on similarities of this work to J.K. Rowling. I actually feel that the true inspiration of this work comes more from Eiichiro Oda - none other than the author of the hit manga series, "One Piece".
The description of the underground city, the fundamental contradictions (and, hence, in my view, the essence of this drama) faced by the main characters, read much like a "One Piece" narrative arch. It is hard to avoid seeing a Luffy in Isabella, a Zorro in Seth, or a Nami in Micah. The seemingly minor bird character that warns of a deceptively hospitable host, the role of betrayal and the power of the protagonist's convictions in resolving the essential antagonism - sure, these are to some extent also found in, say, Lewis Carroll, but they are perhaps more potently expressed in Oda's manga. I found the main antagonist (who I won't name because - spoilers) to be among the most compelling characters of "The Lost Heir". Oda's nefarious "World Government" is also similarly cryptic, and I love the idea of having to constantly guess about what the villian is up to - too much transparency, and the evilness becomes banal. I thought the "The Lost Heir" did a solid job walking that fine line vis-a-vis the main antagonist. Indeed, this book ably introduces these sorts of themes to an audience that isn't as familiar with Oda's brilliant epic.
To be sure, there are a handful of issues which give the impression that the novel seems to have appeared a bit prematurely. One reviewer commented that it gets off to a slow start. I tend to agree, and the first third of the book is probably not its strongest. A related issue also crept up at the very end of the book, where one passage made me feel like I was reading a video game playthrough. There are also some passages that feel a little forced, as when the heroine asks rhetorical questions that should be addressed organically rather than explicitly (a typical example is her asking, in more than one passage: "Who is this boy name Pythian"?). In essense, I felt this book could have used more discerning editing by an attentive editor.
While cognizant of these issues, overall I think "The Lost Heir" is a book that has a considerable depth to it that is hard to escape. I rarely read these sorts of books (look - I've been working my way through a book titled "The Class Struggle in the Ancient Greek World"; my view of much of the YA fantasy genre is basically this: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2000...) , I found the plot intriguing and the premise well crafted. I have some stylistic gripes at times, but on the whole I think the authors did a solid job channeling some of the best practices of people like Eiichiro Oda into a sufficiently compelling story. I hope the sequel is stronger stylistically, less afraid of nuance on the part of the protagonists, and more willing to engage the grittier and working-class side that characterizes the lives of a majority of Angelinos. The story and arch have great potential that I think can only work in the authors' favor going forward.
Other reviewers have commented on similarities of this work to J.K. Rowling. I actually feel that the true inspiration of this work comes more from Eiichiro Oda - none other than the author of the hit manga series, "One Piece".
The description of the underground city, the fundamental contradictions (and, hence, in my view, the essence of this drama) faced by the main characters, read much like a "One Piece" narrative arch. It is hard to avoid seeing a Luffy in Isabella, a Zorro in Seth, or a Nami in Micah. The seemingly minor bird character that warns of a deceptively hospitable host, the role of betrayal and the power of the protagonist's convictions in resolving the essential antagonism - sure, these are to some extent also found in, say, Lewis Carroll, but they are perhaps more potently expressed in Oda's manga. I found the main antagonist (who I won't name because - spoilers) to be among the most compelling characters of "The Lost Heir". Oda's nefarious "World Government" is also similarly cryptic, and I love the idea of having to constantly guess about what the villian is up to - too much transparency, and the evilness becomes banal. I thought the "The Lost Heir" did a solid job walking that fine line vis-a-vis the main antagonist. Indeed, this book ably introduces these sorts of themes to an audience that isn't as familiar with Oda's brilliant epic.
To be sure, there are a handful of issues which give the impression that the novel seems to have appeared a bit prematurely. One reviewer commented that it gets off to a slow start. I tend to agree, and the first third of the book is probably not its strongest. A related issue also crept up at the very end of the book, where one passage made me feel like I was reading a video game playthrough. There are also some passages that feel a little forced, as when the heroine asks rhetorical questions that should be addressed organically rather than explicitly (a typical example is her asking, in more than one passage: "Who is this boy name Pythian"?). In essense, I felt this book could have used more discerning editing by an attentive editor.
While cognizant of these issues, overall I think "The Lost Heir" is a book that has a considerable depth to it that is hard to escape. I rarely read these sorts of books (look - I've been working my way through a book titled "The Class Struggle in the Ancient Greek World"; my view of much of the YA fantasy genre is basically this: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2000...) , I found the plot intriguing and the premise well crafted. I have some stylistic gripes at times, but on the whole I think the authors did a solid job channeling some of the best practices of people like Eiichiro Oda into a sufficiently compelling story. I hope the sequel is stronger stylistically, less afraid of nuance on the part of the protagonists, and more willing to engage the grittier and working-class side that characterizes the lives of a majority of Angelinos. The story and arch have great potential that I think can only work in the authors' favor going forward.
January 6, 2016
see full review @ Katie's Corner
I remember when I got the book the cover intrigued me right away. Yes, my judge-the-book-by-its-cover attitude revived, and if you have seen that cover you know that it’s absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous. I think I am using to much adjectives now, *snicker*. So let me get back to the main point. I will be brief, as it’s 1st of January and I have quite a number of things to do.
In the beginning the book didn’t really go that well with me. I do not know what was wrong, but I just couldn’t go over chapter 1. I know it’s horrible to say it now, after I have read and enjoyed the book, but that’s the truth. Therefore, my small advice to you, if you’re starting this book get a hot cup of tea, or coffee, tell everyone in your family to leave you alone, better even close your door, get a cozy chair and start reading. Be sure you are not disturbed, I was too many times, and that’s why it took me so long to finish it.
The book, once you are sucked into it, is fantastic, though it is not something that has those big revelations, everything flows naturally and at the end you’re thinking wait it’s the end? How come? And here I thought there would be more! The book doesn’t have a cliffhanger, but it surely has a lot for a second book. So, what is it about? Get ready for a fascinating ride in a different world. Sounds pretty normal? Nope, sorry to disappoint you, but this world of empaths and other creatures will suck you in and won’t want to leave, ever!
Go on a quest with Isabella to find a true heir. Will it be easy? I would say extremely difficult, and it doesn’t help that everything flows too naturally. There will be lots of adventures and some interesting characters on the way. Get to know Isabella, as she is a fantastic character. Enjoy it to its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below! Stay tuned for more reviews as well as promos. Don’t miss your next favourite book or manga! Happy reading!
XOXO
Katie
I remember when I got the book the cover intrigued me right away. Yes, my judge-the-book-by-its-cover attitude revived, and if you have seen that cover you know that it’s absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous. I think I am using to much adjectives now, *snicker*. So let me get back to the main point. I will be brief, as it’s 1st of January and I have quite a number of things to do.
In the beginning the book didn’t really go that well with me. I do not know what was wrong, but I just couldn’t go over chapter 1. I know it’s horrible to say it now, after I have read and enjoyed the book, but that’s the truth. Therefore, my small advice to you, if you’re starting this book get a hot cup of tea, or coffee, tell everyone in your family to leave you alone, better even close your door, get a cozy chair and start reading. Be sure you are not disturbed, I was too many times, and that’s why it took me so long to finish it.
The book, once you are sucked into it, is fantastic, though it is not something that has those big revelations, everything flows naturally and at the end you’re thinking wait it’s the end? How come? And here I thought there would be more! The book doesn’t have a cliffhanger, but it surely has a lot for a second book. So, what is it about? Get ready for a fascinating ride in a different world. Sounds pretty normal? Nope, sorry to disappoint you, but this world of empaths and other creatures will suck you in and won’t want to leave, ever!
Go on a quest with Isabella to find a true heir. Will it be easy? I would say extremely difficult, and it doesn’t help that everything flows too naturally. There will be lots of adventures and some interesting characters on the way. Get to know Isabella, as she is a fantastic character. Enjoy it to its fullest and don’t forget to share your thoughts below! Stay tuned for more reviews as well as promos. Don’t miss your next favourite book or manga! Happy reading!
XOXO
Katie
December 11, 2015
The answers long coming but lacking a real good explanation enough to answer all her questions. Between hearing things and subtle comments she can't seem to connect the dots. How hard is it to get a straight answer? Obviously really hard. So starts a search with people she knows when things go wrong right before the holidays. She's sure she knows who s needs to find him and where he is and what they need to do. Only her assumptions turn out to wrong, things aren't always as they seen and it ends in a deadly game of chess to outwit the fraction making sure she can't connect the dots and finish her goal. Will she be able to figure out the true 'Heir' she searches for in time to save the hotel and those attached to it's fate?
** ARC was given to me by Author Allison Whitmore for an honest review.
** ARC was given to me by Author Allison Whitmore for an honest review.
December 15, 2015
This review is from: The Lost Heir (Kindle Edition)
I received an ARC copy of this book and promised an honest review. I received this book randomly, and had no idea what it would be about, had never heard of the authors, and didn't even know the genre I would be reading. The opinions are entirely my own.
This is a rather unusual fantasy book. It quickly pulled me in to what was going on, with a sense of curiosity of what was going to happen. The main character, Isabella, is a 15-year-old girl who will be heir to her family's magnificent hotel in Los Angeles. Isabella's parents were killed in a house fire when she was young, and she lives at the hotel with her grandmother. She is an empath, meaning she can feel other people emotions, and this unusual gift runs in her family. The book takes place over the Christmas holidays, although that is not essential to the story.Her 16th birthday is rapidly approaching on December 31st. There is something about a "purple fire", that is about to go out, and as the final heir to the family, she must re-kindle the fire before her 16th birthday or her family will loose their powers, and the Empath Society will be destroyed. Isabella has a group of friends and acquaintances who also live at or spend considerable time at the hotel. They become a group who hangs out together throughout most of the adventures. Isabella must find a "lost heir" to her family, who is very mysteriously referred to and needs to be with her to help restore the purple fire.
That's a pretty simplistic explanation of the basis for this story. I noted to myself that it reminded me a bit of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series and Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. So it was no surprise to me when I read "about the authors" at the end of the book and discovered that these writers were some of the authors' favorites.
As the children go exploring the old theater and other areas of the hotel, they discover hidden doors that lead to a whole different underground world. The underground world has three layers which are connected mostly by tubes and elevators. There are whole villages down there. Some of the people are friendly, and some not so much. But they are all just a bit unusual. Most of the story takes place in this underworld and details their adventures there. There is a lot of magic and other empaths and good and evil characters and things not being as they appear to be. It's one of those things really hard to describe - you just have to read it!
I did read the first four books of the Harry Potter series when it first came out, and I must admit that while I enjoyed the first couple books, after that it got too dark and frightening for me, which is why I stopped after four. Yes, I am a grown adult, but it crossed the line in my comfort zone and was not my cup of tea. During "The Lost Heir", there were a few points where I was concerned that the same thing would happen here, but I managed to make it through the whole story.
This is a very ambitious, imaginative and well-written effort for these authors. I envy the kind of creative mind one would have to have to come up with many of the things in the story. Because of that, I feel the book strongly deserves at least 4 stars. For those less timid readers it would most likely be a strong 5.
I'm still undecided about the person who turned out to be "The Lost Heir". Not quite sure if he/she is friend or foe. But although the book ends at a happy stopping point with no cliffhangers, the door is definitely left open to a sequel. I could see this going on as a series for quite some time. This amazing world the authors created deserves more than one book.
I received an ARC copy of this book and promised an honest review. I received this book randomly, and had no idea what it would be about, had never heard of the authors, and didn't even know the genre I would be reading. The opinions are entirely my own.
This is a rather unusual fantasy book. It quickly pulled me in to what was going on, with a sense of curiosity of what was going to happen. The main character, Isabella, is a 15-year-old girl who will be heir to her family's magnificent hotel in Los Angeles. Isabella's parents were killed in a house fire when she was young, and she lives at the hotel with her grandmother. She is an empath, meaning she can feel other people emotions, and this unusual gift runs in her family. The book takes place over the Christmas holidays, although that is not essential to the story.Her 16th birthday is rapidly approaching on December 31st. There is something about a "purple fire", that is about to go out, and as the final heir to the family, she must re-kindle the fire before her 16th birthday or her family will loose their powers, and the Empath Society will be destroyed. Isabella has a group of friends and acquaintances who also live at or spend considerable time at the hotel. They become a group who hangs out together throughout most of the adventures. Isabella must find a "lost heir" to her family, who is very mysteriously referred to and needs to be with her to help restore the purple fire.
That's a pretty simplistic explanation of the basis for this story. I noted to myself that it reminded me a bit of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series and Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. So it was no surprise to me when I read "about the authors" at the end of the book and discovered that these writers were some of the authors' favorites.
As the children go exploring the old theater and other areas of the hotel, they discover hidden doors that lead to a whole different underground world. The underground world has three layers which are connected mostly by tubes and elevators. There are whole villages down there. Some of the people are friendly, and some not so much. But they are all just a bit unusual. Most of the story takes place in this underworld and details their adventures there. There is a lot of magic and other empaths and good and evil characters and things not being as they appear to be. It's one of those things really hard to describe - you just have to read it!
I did read the first four books of the Harry Potter series when it first came out, and I must admit that while I enjoyed the first couple books, after that it got too dark and frightening for me, which is why I stopped after four. Yes, I am a grown adult, but it crossed the line in my comfort zone and was not my cup of tea. During "The Lost Heir", there were a few points where I was concerned that the same thing would happen here, but I managed to make it through the whole story.
This is a very ambitious, imaginative and well-written effort for these authors. I envy the kind of creative mind one would have to have to come up with many of the things in the story. Because of that, I feel the book strongly deserves at least 4 stars. For those less timid readers it would most likely be a strong 5.
I'm still undecided about the person who turned out to be "The Lost Heir". Not quite sure if he/she is friend or foe. But although the book ends at a happy stopping point with no cliffhangers, the door is definitely left open to a sequel. I could see this going on as a series for quite some time. This amazing world the authors created deserves more than one book.
June 9, 2016
Isabella was almost sixteen and went to St. Agnes HS. Isabella’s parents had died in a fire when Isabella was eight . Even though she had been in the middle of the fire Isabella had not been hurt then she was rescued and taken to her grandmother.Isabella’s grandmother was all she had for family and together they lived at the family hotel- The Foxworthy Hotel. Isabella was an empath and felt other people’s emotions. Isabella’s best friend was Lana but she was away for the Christmas holidays. Lana and Isabella had met in first grade and knew everything about each other. The Christmas holiday is upon them and Isabella’s sixteenth birthday . But Isabella senses something strange is going on. Isabella’s grandmother disappears as well as some of the other teen’s parents. So Isabella ,Miccha, and Seth- who are brothers- Cleo, and Xander- who are twins- set out to find out what happened. Then Isabella and her friends explore the theater and other areas in the hotel. Isabella and her friends find hidden doors that lead to a whole different underground world- under the hotel. The underground world has three layers , there is a whole village down there with some nice but also not so nice individuals. The stages of that world is connected by tubes and elevators. Isabella learns that she[and her friends] must find the missing Foxworthy heir so they can rekindle the purple fire. If it goes out all Isabella’s family will lose their power and the empath society will be destroyed. As the purple fire empowers the good magic of the empaths. Isabella must do this before her sixteenth birthday.
This is a very good story and i really enjoyed it but I wish there had been more information on the underground world. I was also confused at times as to what was going on. But I did continue to read this as I was caught up in the story. I loved the characters and everything they went through trying to find the lost heir. I recommend.
I received an ARC of this story for an honest review.
This is a very good story and i really enjoyed it but I wish there had been more information on the underground world. I was also confused at times as to what was going on. But I did continue to read this as I was caught up in the story. I loved the characters and everything they went through trying to find the lost heir. I recommend.
I received an ARC of this story for an honest review.
January 7, 2016
This YA book was won by me at a FB release. I was fascinated by the concept & wanted to read this. The opinions & reviews are solely my own. As a Library Youth Specialist, I would definitely recommend this book for my tween, teen, young adult + patrons who appreciate fantasy. Yes, you see signs of those writers' literary heroes; does it detract? Not in the least. As Isabella's 16th birthday nears, she must develop her powers as an empath, discover the lost heir, & restore the purple fire which strengthens the good magic of the other empaths. Her grandmother & her elderly tutor are her guides insomuch as they can be. Four friends & life-long acquaintances assist her in her quest. She discovers parallel worlds, shape shifters, good & evil magical practioners, & a host of other strange accomplices. Who will be victorious? Will she see through tricksters & accept help from those loyal? Will the purple flame be safe? Will they protect he adults? This Lost Heir book will answer most, but not all your queries. Will there be a sequel? If the readers can vote, then, YES! Read this if you like magical fantasies. You'll be rooting for Isabella's success! Isabella's world draws you in & you'll want to stay there forever!
June 23, 2016
I overall enjoyed reading this book. I had never read anything that involves empaths before and it was a very interesting take on people with this ability. I loved most of the characters. Some of them seemed a bit too perfect. At some points I was confused about what was happening, but I understood eventually. I liked a bunch of parts throughout the story, but it also had some parts that I thought were pointless. Overall the story was interesting and it kept my attention. Most of the characters were well written and I can't wait to read more from the people who wrote this book.
February 8, 2016
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. The action started on page one and did not disappoint. I really enjoyed this story of this hodgepodge group of kids who come together by circumstance and stay together by choice. A great story of friendship and discovery with lots of fun and excitement in between. Great read.
December 27, 2016
Wow!! Finding out one is special is one thing...finding out you're needed to save a Violet Fire & hence your little world...quite a different story!! Isabella is a hotel heiress and her sixteenth birthday is fast approaching. She must learn to trust her four friends as they band together to protect the last diadem.
Really enjoyed this story with all of its twists and turns.
Really enjoyed this story with all of its twists and turns.
January 8, 2017
Facinating mythos
What would you do if you found out you had to save a world you had never heard of with people you didn't know well and had to trust with your life.
What would you do if you found out you had to save a world you had never heard of with people you didn't know well and had to trust with your life.
January 23, 2017
An excellent read :)
February 26, 2016
Fantastic.
I read this in one sitting, and I definitely was in the mood for something new. This story was spiritually driven with the focus on the importance of discovering one self. There is also a strong relationship between the cohort (Seth, Micah, Cleo and Xander) and with the main character, Isabella, who throughout the journey tends to be pious when she starts out, and eventually starts to blossom on her own as she starts to uncover the mysteries about her family, which I also feel is the current theme of this novel. I have a feeling, based on the ending (which I won't spoil, you have to read), that there will be more, and I am excited and looking forward to further adventures. Families throughout history have always had secrets. I always do research on reviews from other people whenever a story is recommended to me, and I've been hearing about this one for a while, and let me tell you, coming from Wattpad to this site, I've been hearing beautiful reviews. I have a busy life, so it took me a while to get here. But of course, now that I have slow time, I gave it a go. These authors are inspired by great writers. I could tell from their passion. They have great taste. And these new authors, starting out, have a great new story (though Miss Whitmore has another book called "Forget Me Not". so I believe this is her second novel, and I will check that period piece out). This novel also deals with the element of time, which is of the high essence. Again, spoilers, so I will keep quiet. If you are looking for another mirrored/copy cat version of "Harry Potter", "The Hunger Games", "Twilight", etc, just like you would approach each of those series when you first heard about them, then you will be disappointed. If you are someone who has a clean slate of mind and approach a new original series like you are supposed to, like those other series I have mentioned, you will be delighted. Keep in mind, every author is new and different in their style. I understand people want to find similar stories (those series I mentioned above are completely different from each other). This is a fantasy young adult novel. The authors here have said they were inspired by those writers mentioned in their bio, not that they would be copying their work (which would be called plagiarism, in my opinion, if someone did do a copy cat version out there). If you want a continuation of "Harry Potter", go to fanfiction, that is what they are there for. It's not supposed to be a continuation of "Harry Potter". If you are looking for something new, as you have approached the series mentioned individually, you will enjoy it. I did. I am very picky about my selections. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I also noticed some people who gave low reviews did not finish the book after reading the first chapter, therefore in my opinion, it is hard to count that particular opinion. You have to read the book, any book, in order to fully grasp the meat of the story. Just like any other story, the beginning starts gradually. I went by the reviews of the ones who actually read the entire book. Back to my review, this is new and exciting. I never read something like this before. There are other characters that are developed extremely well (Theophilus, Jack, and Pythian). As you start to read more, more characters that have disappeared will start to pop up. It's one of those clues that you have to pay attention. You will either love it, or dislike the unanswered questions (noticed the cliffhanger at the ending, which I won't mention because I don't want to spoil things). That is another thing, it would be extremely boring if everything was laid out in the open. This girl. Isabella, is just discovering about her family and her past, something that has been omnipresent throughout her life. She is discovering about the powers of emotions (empath, which empathy exists in real life. and the fact that empaths have powers in this story is interesting) and discovering about her past that affects her current life with these particular powers. It takes place in Los Angeles, which I never been to before, but always wanted to go. I rarely read a book about Los Angeles, and from what I heard, there was a real tunnel connecting to the hotels and the studios before they shut it down. And what a beautiful world underneath. I love that! When something that you are familiar with is seen in an entirely new light, you will start to develop an sense of awe with a sense of the 'oh sh*t" factor at the same time. I am a person who loves puzzles, so I love to unravel things about the each of the characters' journey as they unfold. No spoilers as I mentioned above, but there will be more of the series, and I am sure more answers will come about the more I read. For those who have not read it, read it. For those who have read it, so much to chat about. This story needs more advertisement. I know other who will definitely relate to it. I forgot to mention, there are mixed characters who are the leads, so diversity will play a huge part in embracing our culture. That is another gem that I took away with me. ;)
I read this in one sitting, and I definitely was in the mood for something new. This story was spiritually driven with the focus on the importance of discovering one self. There is also a strong relationship between the cohort (Seth, Micah, Cleo and Xander) and with the main character, Isabella, who throughout the journey tends to be pious when she starts out, and eventually starts to blossom on her own as she starts to uncover the mysteries about her family, which I also feel is the current theme of this novel. I have a feeling, based on the ending (which I won't spoil, you have to read), that there will be more, and I am excited and looking forward to further adventures. Families throughout history have always had secrets. I always do research on reviews from other people whenever a story is recommended to me, and I've been hearing about this one for a while, and let me tell you, coming from Wattpad to this site, I've been hearing beautiful reviews. I have a busy life, so it took me a while to get here. But of course, now that I have slow time, I gave it a go. These authors are inspired by great writers. I could tell from their passion. They have great taste. And these new authors, starting out, have a great new story (though Miss Whitmore has another book called "Forget Me Not". so I believe this is her second novel, and I will check that period piece out). This novel also deals with the element of time, which is of the high essence. Again, spoilers, so I will keep quiet. If you are looking for another mirrored/copy cat version of "Harry Potter", "The Hunger Games", "Twilight", etc, just like you would approach each of those series when you first heard about them, then you will be disappointed. If you are someone who has a clean slate of mind and approach a new original series like you are supposed to, like those other series I have mentioned, you will be delighted. Keep in mind, every author is new and different in their style. I understand people want to find similar stories (those series I mentioned above are completely different from each other). This is a fantasy young adult novel. The authors here have said they were inspired by those writers mentioned in their bio, not that they would be copying their work (which would be called plagiarism, in my opinion, if someone did do a copy cat version out there). If you want a continuation of "Harry Potter", go to fanfiction, that is what they are there for. It's not supposed to be a continuation of "Harry Potter". If you are looking for something new, as you have approached the series mentioned individually, you will enjoy it. I did. I am very picky about my selections. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I also noticed some people who gave low reviews did not finish the book after reading the first chapter, therefore in my opinion, it is hard to count that particular opinion. You have to read the book, any book, in order to fully grasp the meat of the story. Just like any other story, the beginning starts gradually. I went by the reviews of the ones who actually read the entire book. Back to my review, this is new and exciting. I never read something like this before. There are other characters that are developed extremely well (Theophilus, Jack, and Pythian). As you start to read more, more characters that have disappeared will start to pop up. It's one of those clues that you have to pay attention. You will either love it, or dislike the unanswered questions (noticed the cliffhanger at the ending, which I won't mention because I don't want to spoil things). That is another thing, it would be extremely boring if everything was laid out in the open. This girl. Isabella, is just discovering about her family and her past, something that has been omnipresent throughout her life. She is discovering about the powers of emotions (empath, which empathy exists in real life. and the fact that empaths have powers in this story is interesting) and discovering about her past that affects her current life with these particular powers. It takes place in Los Angeles, which I never been to before, but always wanted to go. I rarely read a book about Los Angeles, and from what I heard, there was a real tunnel connecting to the hotels and the studios before they shut it down. And what a beautiful world underneath. I love that! When something that you are familiar with is seen in an entirely new light, you will start to develop an sense of awe with a sense of the 'oh sh*t" factor at the same time. I am a person who loves puzzles, so I love to unravel things about the each of the characters' journey as they unfold. No spoilers as I mentioned above, but there will be more of the series, and I am sure more answers will come about the more I read. For those who have not read it, read it. For those who have read it, so much to chat about. This story needs more advertisement. I know other who will definitely relate to it. I forgot to mention, there are mixed characters who are the leads, so diversity will play a huge part in embracing our culture. That is another gem that I took away with me. ;)
February 14, 2016
I really wanted to like this book. I loved the cover of this book, and I thought the plot sounded so interesting! However, this book fell flat for me. I do not think the authors are horrible authors by any means, and I don't want this negative review to seem that way. I just don't think this book meshed well with me.
What I did like about this book was the premise. I thought the plot was so interesting and unique. I haven't read anything like it before. I applaud the authors for having such great creativity.
Now, one thing I really didn't like was the writing style. The beginning of the book felt really slow, and it seemed to drag. I also had a really hard time trying to figure out what was going on. I also didn't like the way the scenes transitioned. I would be reading and then all of a sudden I was reading a different scene. I would have to go back and re-read lines because I thought I missed something. The lack of transitions made this book really frustrating and kind of annoying.
This book ended on a big cliffhanger, which I was not expecting. I didn't even realize that this was suppose to be a series! I might pick up the next book because of that cliffhanger, but it is definitely not something I am dying to get my hands on.
2 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for a honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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What I did like about this book was the premise. I thought the plot was so interesting and unique. I haven't read anything like it before. I applaud the authors for having such great creativity.
Now, one thing I really didn't like was the writing style. The beginning of the book felt really slow, and it seemed to drag. I also had a really hard time trying to figure out what was going on. I also didn't like the way the scenes transitioned. I would be reading and then all of a sudden I was reading a different scene. I would have to go back and re-read lines because I thought I missed something. The lack of transitions made this book really frustrating and kind of annoying.
This book ended on a big cliffhanger, which I was not expecting. I didn't even realize that this was suppose to be a series! I might pick up the next book because of that cliffhanger, but it is definitely not something I am dying to get my hands on.
2 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for a honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
January 20, 2016
I'm sorry to be the person to write a bad review of this book, but I just could never get into it. I really, really wanted to quit reading it, but it had 4 and 5 star reviews, so I kept holding onto the hope that it would get better. It never did. I feel that I should state that I am an avid fan of fantasy, science fiction, and YA, and this book just totally fell flat. This book was recommended by an acquaintance who is friends with one of the authors' daughters. The cover looked cool. The premise sounded really interesting. And yet...I don't know. I'm giving it one star because the idea was definitely original. But the writing was horrible. It would flip from one scene to the next, with absolutely no transition. I thought I was losing my mind. The authors also thanked their editor's keen eyes, but I spotted several mistakes in my Kindle version (granted, this is not the authors' fault). Bit and pieces of what was happening were never explained or resolved. And whoever wrote the review that it stopped at a happy ending place probably didn't finish the book. It stops with a cliffhanger. Gah! I was so happy when a hold I had placed for a Cormoran Strike book at the library came through because I needed to take a break from reading this book. By comparison, the Robert Galbraith book was so interesting, I couldn't put it down. I found it odd that the authors cited the Harry Potter as one source of their inspiration...too bad J. K. Rowling's writing style didn't rub off on them a bit.
September 29, 2016
The book definitely has a beautiful cover and likeable characters however for me, it was very difficult to get into it and to finish. I thought it could have been both tightened up and expanded at the same. More explanations of the world they live in but also quicker to get to the story and the central problem.
Read
March 1, 2016This book is wonderfully written. The dialogue was good. I just loved everything about it from the start. I love Isabella’s character.
February 29, 2016
Fantastic! I loved this book and can't wait to read more! This is a must read
January 17, 2019
While I enjoyed the story and the world that was built it was a little bit on the younger side. I think it is perfect for older tweens and teens. Good example of building a magical world. Interesting plot and fun advetures.
October 4, 2017
It's a very nice book; however, I have the feeling that I have read the same story many times, in almost any book just with diferent names and places.
Read
August 5, 2022DNF
March 19, 2017
Good
This is very good book. It's full of action, friendships, mystery, magic and a magical beings. Great story line and the characters are very good. So get your copy and enjoy reading it.
This is very good book. It's full of action, friendships, mystery, magic and a magical beings. Great story line and the characters are very good. So get your copy and enjoy reading it.
April 2, 2016
I received a copy of The Lost Heir from the author in exchange for an honest review.
First of all thank you to the wonderful Allison Whitmore who was very patient in my slow slow slow progress of reading this. Life since the beginning of the year has been very hectic and busy and my goodreads challenge of reading 100 books is going out the window because I'll be lucky to find time for 50.
This book was a big surprise to me. I read the symposis and I was like, "Yea ok that sounds interesting. I've never read about empaths before." But by the time the story fully developed I was all "WOW WHAT?!"
I'm going to be very upfront and say the first 25% of this book is very detail/plot driven with lots of information. So much so that I had a hard time continuing. But I had a feeling this would be a good one just by Izzy's sass and the Logan brothers. So I took a break, read a personal book and jumped back in. BAM I was instantly sucked back in and once things went Underground I could not put the book down. The Underground is just so unique and fun and I want another book about kids that grew up underground so badly. If you've ever read the Beautiful Creatures books you'll enjoy the underground city in the Lost Heir.
The characters all have their strengths and weaknesses and some are more annoying than other, as many teenagers are. The characters are all around fifteen years old with the exception of the oldest Logan boy who is seventeen. There is very little to no romance in this book as many of the characters are just hitting that awkward awareness age which I found refreshing. Without romance we can focus on action and adventure!
The attention to detail can be overwhelming and cumbersome at times in the story as I don't particularly care about every little piece of clothing someone is wearing and what color it is or everything they ate at every meal. The detail however, can be helpful when shaping a scene or giving us insight into a characters personality via body language. The detail of the Underground with its weird vintage mash up style and never ending surprises like a underground moon and sky, I never grew tired of reading about.
At times when Izzy went back and forth with her confidence and gut feeling on situations could be repetitive as it seems the stumble from one mishap to another but overall the situations were well written and easily understandable. The whole different religions, different species thing of the Underground was very interesting and I wan't more stories about them!
Final Thoughts
I don't give spoilers away so all I'm going to say is that the Lost Heir wasn't who I expected at all. I'm not sure if its good or bad as I can't get a good feel for the Heir but I enjoyed the story nonetheless. The book ends in a way that can be turned into a series but with the story plot itself is finished, which I really loved. I tend to grow bored of series that leave things hanging. I want each book to be a different story within a universe.
Would I recommend this book?
Yes, I really enjoyed this book and I only wish there was more! For readers that like realistic fantasy (is that even a genre, it totally should be) and books with magic and adventure I recommend this to you.
First of all thank you to the wonderful Allison Whitmore who was very patient in my slow slow slow progress of reading this. Life since the beginning of the year has been very hectic and busy and my goodreads challenge of reading 100 books is going out the window because I'll be lucky to find time for 50.
This book was a big surprise to me. I read the symposis and I was like, "Yea ok that sounds interesting. I've never read about empaths before." But by the time the story fully developed I was all "WOW WHAT?!"
I'm going to be very upfront and say the first 25% of this book is very detail/plot driven with lots of information. So much so that I had a hard time continuing. But I had a feeling this would be a good one just by Izzy's sass and the Logan brothers. So I took a break, read a personal book and jumped back in. BAM I was instantly sucked back in and once things went Underground I could not put the book down. The Underground is just so unique and fun and I want another book about kids that grew up underground so badly. If you've ever read the Beautiful Creatures books you'll enjoy the underground city in the Lost Heir.
The characters all have their strengths and weaknesses and some are more annoying than other, as many teenagers are. The characters are all around fifteen years old with the exception of the oldest Logan boy who is seventeen. There is very little to no romance in this book as many of the characters are just hitting that awkward awareness age which I found refreshing. Without romance we can focus on action and adventure!
The attention to detail can be overwhelming and cumbersome at times in the story as I don't particularly care about every little piece of clothing someone is wearing and what color it is or everything they ate at every meal. The detail however, can be helpful when shaping a scene or giving us insight into a characters personality via body language. The detail of the Underground with its weird vintage mash up style and never ending surprises like a underground moon and sky, I never grew tired of reading about.
At times when Izzy went back and forth with her confidence and gut feeling on situations could be repetitive as it seems the stumble from one mishap to another but overall the situations were well written and easily understandable. The whole different religions, different species thing of the Underground was very interesting and I wan't more stories about them!
Final Thoughts
I don't give spoilers away so all I'm going to say is that the Lost Heir wasn't who I expected at all. I'm not sure if its good or bad as I can't get a good feel for the Heir but I enjoyed the story nonetheless. The book ends in a way that can be turned into a series but with the story plot itself is finished, which I really loved. I tend to grow bored of series that leave things hanging. I want each book to be a different story within a universe.
Would I recommend this book?
Yes, I really enjoyed this book and I only wish there was more! For readers that like realistic fantasy (is that even a genre, it totally should be) and books with magic and adventure I recommend this to you.
April 26, 2021
Snob-ish main characters. Poorly thought magic system. Fascinating plot.
March 21, 2016
Book Review- The Lost Heir by Allison Whitmore
Isabella Foxworthy survived a fire when she was eight rescued by a strange man. She now lives with her grandmother at the Foxworthy Hotel. They are getting ready for the New Year’s celebration where Isabella has to perform. She is dreading it as it’s her birthday that day and strange things start to occur the closer her birthday gets.
She finds out she is to perform with Micah and Seth, the nephews of her family friend Robert. Then she learns Theophilus is back. She instantly knows something strange is going on. Especially when Theophilus gives her a pendent and makes references to saving the Violet Fire. Isabella is determined to find the missing heir and her friends go with her to help.
However things get crazy when her grandmother and her friends’ parents disappear. They are to travel underground. What they find is amazing and unexpected. They are drawn into a battle of sorts where Isabella seems to be right in the middle. She has no clue what is really going on and no one seems inclined to tell her.
This book was confusing to read for me. The reader is in the dark as Isabella is, which normally is ok, but once things were revealed it still didn’t make any sense. I think for me there wasn’t enough information about the underground. It was just kind of thrown at you. Isabella’s great grandparents were important to the underground but how was never really clearly explained. Neither was the world full of people that lived there. I would be reading along and something would be thrown in the story which would stop me. I couldn’t picture what was happening. The author’s vision wasn’t translating.
Then Isabella and her cohort were extremely moody. I realized that they were teenagers but it got annoying quickly. Isabella was constantly on my nerves. I tried to cut her some slack because of what was happening but after a while that didn’t help. Too many secrets and not enough answers bogged down the storyline for me. I give it a 3 out of 5.
Isabella Foxworthy survived a fire when she was eight rescued by a strange man. She now lives with her grandmother at the Foxworthy Hotel. They are getting ready for the New Year’s celebration where Isabella has to perform. She is dreading it as it’s her birthday that day and strange things start to occur the closer her birthday gets.
She finds out she is to perform with Micah and Seth, the nephews of her family friend Robert. Then she learns Theophilus is back. She instantly knows something strange is going on. Especially when Theophilus gives her a pendent and makes references to saving the Violet Fire. Isabella is determined to find the missing heir and her friends go with her to help.
However things get crazy when her grandmother and her friends’ parents disappear. They are to travel underground. What they find is amazing and unexpected. They are drawn into a battle of sorts where Isabella seems to be right in the middle. She has no clue what is really going on and no one seems inclined to tell her.
This book was confusing to read for me. The reader is in the dark as Isabella is, which normally is ok, but once things were revealed it still didn’t make any sense. I think for me there wasn’t enough information about the underground. It was just kind of thrown at you. Isabella’s great grandparents were important to the underground but how was never really clearly explained. Neither was the world full of people that lived there. I would be reading along and something would be thrown in the story which would stop me. I couldn’t picture what was happening. The author’s vision wasn’t translating.
Then Isabella and her cohort were extremely moody. I realized that they were teenagers but it got annoying quickly. Isabella was constantly on my nerves. I tried to cut her some slack because of what was happening but after a while that didn’t help. Too many secrets and not enough answers bogged down the storyline for me. I give it a 3 out of 5.
February 22, 2016
There is a lot, A LOT, going on in this book. It was over whelming to be honest. Things moved at such a fast pace that you never really have time to acclimate to all the changes. Therefore, it seemed like the characters really didn't have any realistic time to adapt to all their changes either. I liked Isabella, Seth, Micah, Cleo & Xander. However, the domino effect set in motion by the pace of the story is that there is little room for character & world development. The world the authors write about sounds amazing but I couldn't really picture it. The characters were erratic and I never got a feel for them. The idea of the story is a really good one. I just wanted to understand it more. I can't really elaborate more without throwing in spoilers. Isabella is 15 but she seems more like she's about 12. Her circumstances from the start seemed confusing. She lives with her grandmother who she claims doesn't really want her, but yet as the story progresses all her grandmother wants to do is protect her. Several things just didn't add up. Even though we clearly find out who the villain of the story is other characters are left a mystery. And where did Isabellas' grandmother & Theophilus go at the end, then suddenly come back??
I could go on & on.
So, it's not that I didn't like the book . The story could have been amazing. I just think this book could have actually been two books with a lot more structure & development. There is a slight cliff hanger at the end so I know there will be another. I just don't know if I have the patience to read it. There's always hope that things will slow down and be explained better in the next one.
I received this book from the publisher through NegGalley for my honest review.
Recommended for readers 12 & up. Mild language.
I could go on & on.
So, it's not that I didn't like the book . The story could have been amazing. I just think this book could have actually been two books with a lot more structure & development. There is a slight cliff hanger at the end so I know there will be another. I just don't know if I have the patience to read it. There's always hope that things will slow down and be explained better in the next one.
I received this book from the publisher through NegGalley for my honest review.
Recommended for readers 12 & up. Mild language.
March 8, 2016
Original review posted on my blog A BOOK ADDICT'S YA PALACE
http://abookaddictsyapalace.blogspot....
THE LOST HEIR by Allison Whitmore was another of those books that first latched it's claws in me with this gorgeous cover! Unfortunately those claws lost all their traction within the first few chapters.
I don't know if this fell flat because of a disconnect between the authors or if it was solely the 1 dimensional characters that did me in. The whole idea behind THE LOST HEIR is wonderful and I like the many author's styles of writing, but the plot was confusing and not exciting, just like all the characters.
Pacing was far slower than I had expected it to be and dragged in many places, especially the beginning. Add to that a confusion about our girl Isabella, her family, these "powers" she's supposed to have and her base personality and it's hard to recover.
There's a lot going on once you get past the first half of the book, but I had issues keeping up with it and the cast of characters. (All of which were either the same at their cores or plain old stereotypical)
I admit I skimmed a large portion of this one because when it came down to it, I just couldn't connect with the plot, characters or setting.
I hate writing negative reviews but I did receive THE LOST HEIR from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion so here it is. Sadly I can't recommend this one, but I would be willing to check out other works by the authors (maybe solo attempts).
~DynoMoon
http://abookaddictsyapalace.blogspot....
THE LOST HEIR by Allison Whitmore was another of those books that first latched it's claws in me with this gorgeous cover! Unfortunately those claws lost all their traction within the first few chapters.
I don't know if this fell flat because of a disconnect between the authors or if it was solely the 1 dimensional characters that did me in. The whole idea behind THE LOST HEIR is wonderful and I like the many author's styles of writing, but the plot was confusing and not exciting, just like all the characters.
Pacing was far slower than I had expected it to be and dragged in many places, especially the beginning. Add to that a confusion about our girl Isabella, her family, these "powers" she's supposed to have and her base personality and it's hard to recover.
There's a lot going on once you get past the first half of the book, but I had issues keeping up with it and the cast of characters. (All of which were either the same at their cores or plain old stereotypical)
I admit I skimmed a large portion of this one because when it came down to it, I just couldn't connect with the plot, characters or setting.
I hate writing negative reviews but I did receive THE LOST HEIR from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion so here it is. Sadly I can't recommend this one, but I would be willing to check out other works by the authors (maybe solo attempts).
~DynoMoon
February 5, 2016
I received a copy of this story from Net Galley. Yay books!
Spoilers possible ahead...
If you were thinking that this book is a stand alone, you may be sadly mistaken. The ending totally sets it up for more. Which may be good, there are probably still a lot of unanswered questions still lingering around.
Is it just me, or do you hate when reading a book where they want the main character to do something important...but they give them the least amount of info as possible. I really wish that at times like these I could jump into the book and smack some people around. Then later they want to know what went wrong.
Gee, hmm...maybe if you hadn't been such a dumbass he/she wouldn't have made a mistake.
Sigh...
Anyway. The idea of this story was great. It's fresh, exciting...the writing, though...not so much. All throughout the book I would be reading and it be just like "bam" now we're reading about someone else. I figured at first that I was skipping over word or lines...or paragraphs. I have a bad habit of that. But then I would go back and re-read and found out it wasn't me.
I was hoping it was...
The beginning was really slow...and confusing. Actually, most of the story was confusing. But I kept going. Can't really tell you I remember it all, or if I even read it all...though if it was my fault or the author's, I'm not sure.
You can still get though the book with a general understanding, just don't expect a deep understanding of it.
Spoilers possible ahead...
If you were thinking that this book is a stand alone, you may be sadly mistaken. The ending totally sets it up for more. Which may be good, there are probably still a lot of unanswered questions still lingering around.
Is it just me, or do you hate when reading a book where they want the main character to do something important...but they give them the least amount of info as possible. I really wish that at times like these I could jump into the book and smack some people around. Then later they want to know what went wrong.
Gee, hmm...maybe if you hadn't been such a dumbass he/she wouldn't have made a mistake.
Sigh...
Anyway. The idea of this story was great. It's fresh, exciting...the writing, though...not so much. All throughout the book I would be reading and it be just like "bam" now we're reading about someone else. I figured at first that I was skipping over word or lines...or paragraphs. I have a bad habit of that. But then I would go back and re-read and found out it wasn't me.
I was hoping it was...
The beginning was really slow...and confusing. Actually, most of the story was confusing. But I kept going. Can't really tell you I remember it all, or if I even read it all...though if it was my fault or the author's, I'm not sure.
You can still get though the book with a general understanding, just don't expect a deep understanding of it.
February 16, 2016
Isabella Foxworthy, the grand-daughter of noteworthy 1930's actors is thrown into a situation where she must find and refortify the Violet Fire protecting her and her family's hotel with the help of The Lost Heir. The first chapter was nice and there were portions that were good, (The author and co-authors did a really good job of describing the parts of Los Angeles the characters visited) and parts that weren't so great (basically little to no development of the characters and how they fit into the story as it is weaved together. Case in point the character that the book is named after {The Lost Heir himself}. He seemed like more of an afterthought than anything as he just pops up from time to time and then disappears again. There were a lot of characters that seemed to just be thrown in to move the story along and were then dropped like a hot potato. Overall, I fell in love with the cover, was intrigued by the description and was sorely disappointed with what I actually read.
See the original and other book reviews at www.preciousbooks.co
See the original and other book reviews at www.preciousbooks.co
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