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Extraordinary October
October is an ordinary girl. From her plain looks to her average grades, there seems to be nothing special about her. Then, three days before her eighteenth birthday, she develops a strange itch that won’t go away, and her life is turned upside down. Suddenly, she can hear dogs talk, make crows fly, and two new and very handsome boys at school are vying for her affections. After she starts “transplanting” herself through solid rock, October learns that she is not ordinary at all, but the daughter of a troll princess and a fairy prince, and a pawn in a deadly war between the trolls and the fairies. Now October will have to use all of her growing powers to save her family, and stop a mysterious evil that threatens to destroy the fairy world.
In the fantastical vein of authors such as Julie Kagawa and Holly Black, Extraordinary October takes us on a magical journey from the streets of Los Angeles to the beautiful and mythical underground fairy kingdom.
In the fantastical vein of authors such as Julie Kagawa and Holly Black, Extraordinary October takes us on a magical journey from the streets of Los Angeles to the beautiful and mythical underground fairy kingdom.
264 pages, Hardcover
First published October 18, 2016
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194 people want to read
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October 10, 2023
So yeah, I did not like this book at all. I honestly don't even remember putting it on my Kindle. But, I needed a book with 'October' in the title for a challenge, and here we are.
October is just a plain, ordinary girl. And she will tell you that, any chance she gets. She's just average in looks, average in school, just your ordinary plain jane. But then, as her 18th birthday comes closer, we suddenly learn that October is super special. Not only that, but two new boys show up and instantly are fighting over her. Which October doesn't understand because she's just plain. Oh but she instantly falls for both boys as well and constantly talks about their deep connection. *Insert eye roll here*
Over the course of the book we learn that October is the daughter of a princess to the trolls and prince to the fairies. So she's like the next leader of both kingdoms but they obviously don't want her and she must come to terms with who she is so she can take her rightful place. You know how it goes. My issue wasn't the plot - I love fantasy plots like this. It was the writing and the execution.
Diana Wagman is a fan of the tell not show approach. There was no ambiance to this book. Come on, you have trolls and fairies, I should be drowning in ambiance. But all I got was, "I walked into the room. I turned and saw him. I sat down." I'm not even joking. Every sentence pretty much started with I. It was painful to read. Not only that, but the author felt the need to slut shame as well and I was honestly over this book before I hit the halfway point.
Examples of sentences that I just could not:
"Hernandez bounced up and down. He always sort of stood on his tippy-toes. We all knew it was a sign of sexual frustration." - This is her teacher she's describing. And honestly, like what does this even mean?
"I had kissed two guys in less than an hour, but I didn't have a chance to feel like a slut." - no comment on this one, it speaks for itself.
"Any girl with a tattoo and an attitude like mine (even for one day) was obviously looking for trouble." - Again, meaning what? Also, her tattoo? I flowerlike thing on her ankle.
To be in October's head was just mind-numbingly dull and frustrating. I was not connected to any of the characters and I honestly didn't care what happened to anyone. I'm just happy it was short.
October is just a plain, ordinary girl. And she will tell you that, any chance she gets. She's just average in looks, average in school, just your ordinary plain jane. But then, as her 18th birthday comes closer, we suddenly learn that October is super special. Not only that, but two new boys show up and instantly are fighting over her. Which October doesn't understand because she's just plain. Oh but she instantly falls for both boys as well and constantly talks about their deep connection. *Insert eye roll here*
Over the course of the book we learn that October is the daughter of a princess to the trolls and prince to the fairies. So she's like the next leader of both kingdoms but they obviously don't want her and she must come to terms with who she is so she can take her rightful place. You know how it goes. My issue wasn't the plot - I love fantasy plots like this. It was the writing and the execution.
Diana Wagman is a fan of the tell not show approach. There was no ambiance to this book. Come on, you have trolls and fairies, I should be drowning in ambiance. But all I got was, "I walked into the room. I turned and saw him. I sat down." I'm not even joking. Every sentence pretty much started with I. It was painful to read. Not only that, but the author felt the need to slut shame as well and I was honestly over this book before I hit the halfway point.
Examples of sentences that I just could not:
"Hernandez bounced up and down. He always sort of stood on his tippy-toes. We all knew it was a sign of sexual frustration." - This is her teacher she's describing. And honestly, like what does this even mean?
"I had kissed two guys in less than an hour, but I didn't have a chance to feel like a slut." - no comment on this one, it speaks for itself.
"Any girl with a tattoo and an attitude like mine (even for one day) was obviously looking for trouble." - Again, meaning what? Also, her tattoo? I flowerlike thing on her ankle.
To be in October's head was just mind-numbingly dull and frustrating. I was not connected to any of the characters and I honestly didn't care what happened to anyone. I'm just happy it was short.
February 21, 2017
*3.5 Roses, rounding up to 4 for GR ratings.*
See my full review & blog post on Desert Rose Reviews!
October, in October!
It sounded to me like this story would be perfect for this time of year. Fairies, goblins, magic, adventure, and some humorous supernatural gifts. Seems like a great mix!
This book was a very good fit for the time of year, as most books of this genre and plot are. The characters were entertaining, and several of the situations October found herself in cracked me up.
While this story is somewhat generic, I did enjoy it. The plot overall reminded me of a handful of other books I've read, which was slightly disappointing, but not that distracting.
The writing was entertaining, and flowed fairly well. I enjoyed the character building, although the stereotypical "two guys fight over a girl" situation lacked interest for me. Not a bad mix of characters, but I would have enjoyed a bit more uniqueness to them and their situation.
Overall, this was an entertaining story, and I think to fans of the genre, wouldn't be time wasted. I would recommend it, and would read more from the author if I had the opportunity.
*I was given a complimentary copy of this book, from the author via Xpresso Book Tours, to read in exchange for an honest review.
See my full review & blog post on Desert Rose Reviews!
October, in October!
It sounded to me like this story would be perfect for this time of year. Fairies, goblins, magic, adventure, and some humorous supernatural gifts. Seems like a great mix!
This book was a very good fit for the time of year, as most books of this genre and plot are. The characters were entertaining, and several of the situations October found herself in cracked me up.
While this story is somewhat generic, I did enjoy it. The plot overall reminded me of a handful of other books I've read, which was slightly disappointing, but not that distracting.
The writing was entertaining, and flowed fairly well. I enjoyed the character building, although the stereotypical "two guys fight over a girl" situation lacked interest for me. Not a bad mix of characters, but I would have enjoyed a bit more uniqueness to them and their situation.
Overall, this was an entertaining story, and I think to fans of the genre, wouldn't be time wasted. I would recommend it, and would read more from the author if I had the opportunity.
*I was given a complimentary copy of this book, from the author via Xpresso Book Tours, to read in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2017
Extraordinary October is a young adult fantasy book. It was a fun, quick light read that was overall a good story. I liked the combination of fairies and trolls. The book did have some holes in the middle of the plot; and at times I wanted to shake October -- all these things keep happening to her and she doesn't ask any questions and just accepts it. I did like how October became confident in what she wanted and pursued her own life instead of doing what everyone else wanted.
October 12, 2016
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**Extraordinary October is a young adult fantasy/paranormal romance by author Diana Wagman. I had a lot of fun with this one. It was not without some faults, but overall it was a good read. I don't get to read too many books featuring trolls, so I liked the combination of trolls and Fairies in Extraordinary October. I also loved that the main character's name was October. I thought that was very unique, even if she doesn't like it as much as I did. (plus, I love the month of October.)
October is the daughter of a troll princess and a fairy prince, making her a very important ruler in both worlds. However, she doesn't know about any of this. The trolls and the fairies don't get along very well so there is a big fight over October, though maybe not in the way you are imagining. What I liked most about Extraordinary October is that the book did not take any of the paths I thought it would. I expected that both sides would be fighting to get October to choose them and they would all be trying to woo her, but without giving too much away, that could not be further from the truth. Sure, each side sends a guy over to try and sway her but every character in Extraordinary October has their own personal motivations. It made for a very interesting read.
And now for some of the issues I had with the book. While I liked October a lot, and I kind of liked both of the guys are different points, I didn't really love either of them. They each had their own issues and I felt them both to be a bit shallow and selfish. I did end up liking one more than the other, but I am not going to tell you which one. (unless you have read the book, then I would love to discuss it with you.) But an even bigger issue than the guy dilemma was the pacing of the story. It starts out very mysterious, and I understood why. In fact, I was totally loving this story at the start. I thought it was all setting up to be a super cool read, and I had it on track to be a 5 star book. But then the plot started unfolding and the book went from merely mysterious to overly confusing with large plot holes. It was very hard for me to follow because I felt like some key details were missing. It eventually was all sorted out, and I got the information I needed, but the middle of the book was a bit rough for me. Stick with Extraordinary October though, because the end gets a lot better. And overall, I did enjoy this one.
Bottom line: If you like paranormal creatures and a good mysterious adventure, Extraordinary October might be a great read for you. I had some plot and structural issues in the middle of the story. They worked themselves out for the most part and this book did get better towards the end. Overall, this was a fun story. I enjoyed Extraordinary October.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
October is the daughter of a troll princess and a fairy prince, making her a very important ruler in both worlds. However, she doesn't know about any of this. The trolls and the fairies don't get along very well so there is a big fight over October, though maybe not in the way you are imagining. What I liked most about Extraordinary October is that the book did not take any of the paths I thought it would. I expected that both sides would be fighting to get October to choose them and they would all be trying to woo her, but without giving too much away, that could not be further from the truth. Sure, each side sends a guy over to try and sway her but every character in Extraordinary October has their own personal motivations. It made for a very interesting read.
And now for some of the issues I had with the book. While I liked October a lot, and I kind of liked both of the guys are different points, I didn't really love either of them. They each had their own issues and I felt them both to be a bit shallow and selfish. I did end up liking one more than the other, but I am not going to tell you which one. (unless you have read the book, then I would love to discuss it with you.) But an even bigger issue than the guy dilemma was the pacing of the story. It starts out very mysterious, and I understood why. In fact, I was totally loving this story at the start. I thought it was all setting up to be a super cool read, and I had it on track to be a 5 star book. But then the plot started unfolding and the book went from merely mysterious to overly confusing with large plot holes. It was very hard for me to follow because I felt like some key details were missing. It eventually was all sorted out, and I got the information I needed, but the middle of the book was a bit rough for me. Stick with Extraordinary October though, because the end gets a lot better. And overall, I did enjoy this one.
Bottom line: If you like paranormal creatures and a good mysterious adventure, Extraordinary October might be a great read for you. I had some plot and structural issues in the middle of the story. They worked themselves out for the most part and this book did get better towards the end. Overall, this was a fun story. I enjoyed Extraordinary October.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
October 14, 2016
October is a few days from her 18th birthday. While sitting in class, her foot starts to itch. Not a tiny itch, but the kind that takes over your whole body. October has never been special or popular and the last thing she wants is to draw attention to her ordinary self in the middle of class. This itch starts a chain of events that will change October’s life. Now she has gone from the girl with no real friends to being the future queen of the fairies and trolls, races she didn’t even know existed. Her parents were the royal children but when her fairy father fell in love with her troll mother they were exiled. Now the rulers of their races are dead and October is the heir to both thrones. The closer she gets to 18, the more powers she has. Will it be enough to save her people, those she cares about, and herself from the evil Madame Gold who wants to be the queen October was born to be?
This story starts out as a realistic tale of a young girl who doesn’t see her worth. When two attractive boys start fighting for her attention, she has the same self doubt and confusion many teen girls deal with. Her awkwardness keeps a sort of distance between her and those around her, and her inability to trust means she pushes both boys away while wanting both to stay. As the story progresses and October sees how things around her are changing, and not in a good way, she realizes she has to help her friends and family and learn what she is capable of.
The author did a good job creating the world of this story. October lives in LA, but finds her way into the world of fairies and trolls. The characters were well developed too. Each person’s plight and personality was interesting and well thought out. Though I enjoyed the writing, there were many bumps in the story that made me almost stop reading. The first revelation of the fantasy element in the story was presented in a way that surprised me, but not in a way that intrigued me. It took me out of a story I had been enjoying and made me feel aloof. I love fantasy elements, so this was strange for me as a reader. It took quite awhile for me to return to feeling invested in October’s story.
The villain of this story was quite interesting to me,she was able to beat those around her by making them think they were not good enough. Her ability to control minds and create illusions was fascinating. I liked that the power of Madame Gold and the weakness of October was essentially self perception. There were also underlying lessons that racism should be fought and xenophobic characteristics are not attractive.
In the end, this book was a story about a girl who felt less than special in her ordinary life. She longed to be more, and when she became something extraordinary, she realized how much she wanted her regular life. She wanted to be with her family and live the life she had planned. She wanted to go to college and grow up, instead she had to take on the weight of two worlds and try and save them both.
This story starts out as a realistic tale of a young girl who doesn’t see her worth. When two attractive boys start fighting for her attention, she has the same self doubt and confusion many teen girls deal with. Her awkwardness keeps a sort of distance between her and those around her, and her inability to trust means she pushes both boys away while wanting both to stay. As the story progresses and October sees how things around her are changing, and not in a good way, she realizes she has to help her friends and family and learn what she is capable of.
The author did a good job creating the world of this story. October lives in LA, but finds her way into the world of fairies and trolls. The characters were well developed too. Each person’s plight and personality was interesting and well thought out. Though I enjoyed the writing, there were many bumps in the story that made me almost stop reading. The first revelation of the fantasy element in the story was presented in a way that surprised me, but not in a way that intrigued me. It took me out of a story I had been enjoying and made me feel aloof. I love fantasy elements, so this was strange for me as a reader. It took quite awhile for me to return to feeling invested in October’s story.
The villain of this story was quite interesting to me,she was able to beat those around her by making them think they were not good enough. Her ability to control minds and create illusions was fascinating. I liked that the power of Madame Gold and the weakness of October was essentially self perception. There were also underlying lessons that racism should be fought and xenophobic characteristics are not attractive.
In the end, this book was a story about a girl who felt less than special in her ordinary life. She longed to be more, and when she became something extraordinary, she realized how much she wanted her regular life. She wanted to be with her family and live the life she had planned. She wanted to go to college and grow up, instead she had to take on the weight of two worlds and try and save them both.
February 7, 2017
I received this free eARC from Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.
The cover and the synopsis of this book was very intriguing for me, so I was really excited that I got to read this!
And overall, the novel was pretty good. October kept insisting that she was an ordinary, plain girl, but from the moment this novel started, anyone could see that she was far from ordinary. So when she kept insisting over and over that she was plain, I got a bit annoyed with her. Stop saying what you aren't and just do what needs to be done already!
I also got frustrated because she went from being a nobody to everyone is now paying attention to me! So many new boys that want her to fall in love with them, friends who she finds out has a secret identity and a reason they are friends with her before they even know her, and a whole new universe where she just all of a sudden accepts the new information about her life. I mean, if someone told me that I was not only a different species than human, but that I was a UNIQUE half-breed, I wouldn't just accept it and continue on with my life.
I would most definitely go to my parents and ask them for all of the details. Who cares if a weird hypnotist was in the house - I'd kick her out and demand answers instead of listening to a stranger who just appeared in my life for the first time 2 days ago.
So I had a bit of an issue with the way the information was presented to October, and the way she would just accept everything and someone magically know how to fix everything. I mean, she didn't know anything about her "real" life and now she knows how to fix everything?!? It's just not realistic for me and that's why I had a lot of trouble with this book.
This was a fast read and I was able to fly through it, but by the end of the book I was more like "meh" than anything. It was an okay book and the storyline was good. It just could have had a better lead up to the big moments in the novel.
I'm glad I got this free eARC and that I got to read this novel. I think many readers will enjoy this paranormal, fantasy novel!
The cover and the synopsis of this book was very intriguing for me, so I was really excited that I got to read this!
And overall, the novel was pretty good. October kept insisting that she was an ordinary, plain girl, but from the moment this novel started, anyone could see that she was far from ordinary. So when she kept insisting over and over that she was plain, I got a bit annoyed with her. Stop saying what you aren't and just do what needs to be done already!
I also got frustrated because she went from being a nobody to everyone is now paying attention to me! So many new boys that want her to fall in love with them, friends who she finds out has a secret identity and a reason they are friends with her before they even know her, and a whole new universe where she just all of a sudden accepts the new information about her life. I mean, if someone told me that I was not only a different species than human, but that I was a UNIQUE half-breed, I wouldn't just accept it and continue on with my life.
I would most definitely go to my parents and ask them for all of the details. Who cares if a weird hypnotist was in the house - I'd kick her out and demand answers instead of listening to a stranger who just appeared in my life for the first time 2 days ago.
So I had a bit of an issue with the way the information was presented to October, and the way she would just accept everything and someone magically know how to fix everything. I mean, she didn't know anything about her "real" life and now she knows how to fix everything?!? It's just not realistic for me and that's why I had a lot of trouble with this book.
This was a fast read and I was able to fly through it, but by the end of the book I was more like "meh" than anything. It was an okay book and the storyline was good. It just could have had a better lead up to the big moments in the novel.
I'm glad I got this free eARC and that I got to read this novel. I think many readers will enjoy this paranormal, fantasy novel!
September 24, 2016
The book begins “I was never anything but ordinary. Average in every way. Brown hair, brown eyes, not short, not tall, not fat, not thin, and your basic “B” student” It goes on to list that our protagonist, who so far has all of the personality of a potato, is unnoticed by her peers, couldn’t draw or play an instrument, and literally the only interesting thing about her was her name. Which was given to her.
At this point, at the prologue, I got pissed and stopped reading the book. My favorite book when I was a tween was the “Girl with the Silver Eyes”. Katie, our heroine, wasn’t beautiful or charming, but she was smarter than most adults around her and she knew it. I was also really smart when I was a kid and I knew it, too. Reading about someone else with brown hair (silver eyes, though) who was smart? That gave me an ally in what was otherwise a fairly exhausting time of growing up different.
I asked my 12 year old daughter, Monkey, if she’d run across this character. I started describing October and Monkey said, “OH! The girl who is completely boring unless she meets a boy or gets covered in magical abilities? Yeah. I’ve read about her a lot. She stinks.” Holy crap. So I kept reading, and sure enough, October meets two boys and becomes covered in magical abilities.
Now, the writing isn’t bad. The story is solid and the characters are a bit trope-y but this isn’t a bad book. What it is, unfortunately, is yet another tale of a Blank-Sheet-of-Paper Girl who gets things written on her. If the prologue hadn’t existed, and if October hadn’t pointed out so often how plain she was, I think I would have been enchanted with this story.
So, I recommend this book – just tear out the prologue first.
At this point, at the prologue, I got pissed and stopped reading the book. My favorite book when I was a tween was the “Girl with the Silver Eyes”. Katie, our heroine, wasn’t beautiful or charming, but she was smarter than most adults around her and she knew it. I was also really smart when I was a kid and I knew it, too. Reading about someone else with brown hair (silver eyes, though) who was smart? That gave me an ally in what was otherwise a fairly exhausting time of growing up different.
I asked my 12 year old daughter, Monkey, if she’d run across this character. I started describing October and Monkey said, “OH! The girl who is completely boring unless she meets a boy or gets covered in magical abilities? Yeah. I’ve read about her a lot. She stinks.” Holy crap. So I kept reading, and sure enough, October meets two boys and becomes covered in magical abilities.
Now, the writing isn’t bad. The story is solid and the characters are a bit trope-y but this isn’t a bad book. What it is, unfortunately, is yet another tale of a Blank-Sheet-of-Paper Girl who gets things written on her. If the prologue hadn’t existed, and if October hadn’t pointed out so often how plain she was, I think I would have been enchanted with this story.
So, I recommend this book – just tear out the prologue first.
October 1, 2021
Honestly, I don’t think the star system was fair on this one. It wasn’t some great awesome end-all be-all. It was exactly as advertised: a cute teen fantasy story about a normal girl trying to survive when her true heritage is revealed. If you’re looking for fantasy like Maas or Rowling, then yeah, you’re going to be disappointed. Definitely a good comparison to Holly Black, except this is one book compared to a long series. If you’re looking for a short, cute book where everything is pretty simple and you’re not breaking your brain to capture incredibly in-depth description, this is definitely a book for you.
January 30, 2023
wow i don’t even know what to say.. this took so many turns i was not at all expecting. first of all, love the main love interest he’s adorable and deserves the world, had me kickin my feet. second, i really liked the fact that even though the “villain” did terrible things, October still felt empathy towards her and tries to save her because of the way she can relate to how she feels and why she did what she did. and mostly i just enjoyed the way this book was written and i couldn’t stop reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2019
I don’t say this about a lot of books but holy cow! I fell in love with this book and I could not put it down! It’s absolutely epic and a great read if you prefer fantasy. I recommended this to my friends, my cousins and my sister. A beautiful story and i really hope that there might be a sequel in the future. :)
October 5, 2024
the mystery element kept me reading & quickly at that....
October is a girl in an extraordinary Situation and I liked the idea of everyone knowing who/what she is but her... but the actual plot & conflict of the story behind the mystery wasn't for me..
also minus 1 point for fat & slut shaming!! I do not care for that in my part of the world!!
October is a girl in an extraordinary Situation and I liked the idea of everyone knowing who/what she is but her... but the actual plot & conflict of the story behind the mystery wasn't for me..
also minus 1 point for fat & slut shaming!! I do not care for that in my part of the world!!
October 4, 2016
4 days before October’s 18th birthday she gets a scratch. A terrible scratch that started on the bottom of her foot and soon spread all over. But that is not the only weird thing that happened. She can also hear birds talking, has ravens attacking, a flower shaped bruise developing on her ankle, and two very different boys vie for her attention when she has never had a boy interested in her before. October is part of something magical, something she could never have predicted, and she is not sure she even wants it.
I had a lot of fun with this odd, random adventure. I could not expect anything, because I am sure I would have been wrong and the story would go in an entirely new direction. I mean come on, there was a random shoe fairy, there was no way I could ever foresee what would happen next. The story kept me on my toes, that is for sure. The book was a lot of fun and very unique. Sure, some of the topics have been introduced in other teen books, such as fairies and trolls and royal courts, but never in this manner.
Overall I found the story to be fun, super odd (but in a good way!) and quirky, and I was highly entertained. Yes I mentioned two boys vying for her attention, but this was not a love triangle (which I hate) or really a romance at all, but really the story deals with growing up and being ok with yourself, whoever you are.
I was a little sad at the ending, I was hoping for something else than what I received. I am sure that others will appreciate the direction the story took and be glad for October's decisions, but I felt a little let down.
Pick up this book if you are looking for a fun read with new ideas and lots of twists. This appears to be a standalone since this wrapped up nicely for October, which is unfortunate because I would love to see what else can possibly happen…maybe a book about one of the side characters and their adventures… Who knows, but I would like to see what other adventures pop out of the authors head in the future.
I received this title in return for my honest review.
For more reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
I had a lot of fun with this odd, random adventure. I could not expect anything, because I am sure I would have been wrong and the story would go in an entirely new direction. I mean come on, there was a random shoe fairy, there was no way I could ever foresee what would happen next. The story kept me on my toes, that is for sure. The book was a lot of fun and very unique. Sure, some of the topics have been introduced in other teen books, such as fairies and trolls and royal courts, but never in this manner.
Overall I found the story to be fun, super odd (but in a good way!) and quirky, and I was highly entertained. Yes I mentioned two boys vying for her attention, but this was not a love triangle (which I hate) or really a romance at all, but really the story deals with growing up and being ok with yourself, whoever you are.
I was a little sad at the ending, I was hoping for something else than what I received. I am sure that others will appreciate the direction the story took and be glad for October's decisions, but I felt a little let down.
Pick up this book if you are looking for a fun read with new ideas and lots of twists. This appears to be a standalone since this wrapped up nicely for October, which is unfortunate because I would love to see what else can possibly happen…maybe a book about one of the side characters and their adventures… Who knows, but I would like to see what other adventures pop out of the authors head in the future.
I received this title in return for my honest review.
For more reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/
May 7, 2022
Started out strong, but the battles with Madame Gold seemed forced and unexciting. The writing was kind of uninspiring and even felt sloppy at times, but the premise was compelling. I just wished the execution was better.
June 10, 2017
The plot was highly underdeveloped. Everything about this book seemed highly predictable.
July 5, 2017
I liked it!
It was different than any book that's normally out there which made it even better I'm so glad I got to read Octobers story!
It was different than any book that's normally out there which made it even better I'm so glad I got to read Octobers story!
July 10, 2017
1 1/2
November 25, 2017
This was one of those impulse buys from a used book site because ooohhhh pretty cover!!! I’m so glad I bought it. This was a quick fun fantasy read that’ll leave you smiling.
July 31, 2024
I thought that this book was pretty good. Others may say otherwise. The only problem was that I found some characters annoying. Like what is their problem, u know.
October 10, 2016
Original review posted at:http://readtomyhearts.blogspot.com/20...
Hi All! Today is my stop on the Extraordinary October Blog Tour hosted by Xpresso Reads. The minute I saw this beautiful cover and read the synopsis for the story, I knew I had to have this book.
A huge shout out goes to Giselle from Xpresso Reads allowing me to be a part of this tour. And thanks to Diana Wagman for sharing the protagonist, October Fetterhoff, with the world. I think you will enjoy her as much as I did.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion of it. The views expressed here are entirely my own.
Title: Extraordinary October
Author: Diana Wagman
Publisher: Ig Publishing
Date of Publication: Oct. 11, 2016
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
Synopsis:
October is an ordinary girl. From her plain looks to her average grades, there seems to be nothing special about her. Then, three days before her eighteenth birthday, she develops a strange itch that won’t go away, and her life is turned upside down. Suddenly, she can hear dogs talk, make crows fly, and two new and very handsome boys at school are vying for her affections. After she starts “transplanting” herself through solid rock, October learns that she is not ordinary at all, but the daughter of a troll princess and a fairy prince, and a pawn in a deadly war between the trolls and the fairies. Now October will have to use all of her growing powers to save her family, and stop a mysterious evil that threatens to destroy the fairy world.
In the fantastical vein of authors such as Julie Kagawa and Holly Black, Extraordinary October takes us on a magical journey from the streets of Los Angeles to the beautiful and mythical underground fairy kingdom.
My Thoughts:
Extraordinary October is an interesting book that's about a young girl about to turn 18, who gets a terrible itch and her whole world she knows gets flipped on its head! She slowly starts to realize elves, fairies, trolls, and magic is real. And she, October, finds herself embroiled in all of it.
First off, the protagonist's name is pretty cool and unique : October. It's hip, fun, and festive!
The one thing that I really admired about our main character, October, is that she isn't perfect. She is immature, hormones going 100 miles an hour, and she makes mistakes. Sometimes a lot. There are times that she can learn from her mistakes; other times she doesn't. I think this trait makes her more relatable to most teenagers than any other characters.
Speaking of other characters, the supporting ones are very entertaining. There were times I enjoyed them more than our main one. Especially, Luisa and Chris or Green. They were honest and kind.
I also enjoyed seeing the magical world through October as she slowly accepted what she was seeing. The little scenes that played out while she was out and about: the man talking to little buzzing creatures, the woman with the elf on her shoulder, and of course hearing animals talk.
Who wouldn't want that little power?!!?
Extraordinary October seems to be a character driven plot solely relying on our characters to get the story moving along. Therefore at times I found it to be exciting but others it moved a tad bit slower than usual.
There were times I thought the "Ha, ha, ha" after every joke got old. I would have liked less of those and more credit giving to the reader to reach the inference to the joke without the explanations pointed out each time.
I also wasn't too happy with the obvious love triangle that was put out there from withing the first few chapters. There was also a huge insta-love concept that could have been toned down a good amount and we could have still developed the blossoming relationship found there.
Other than these techniques, I found Extraordinary October to be a fun read, with a surprising twist about the villain and even her own parents. The ending, I felt, was overall an enjoyable one with no noticeable cliffhanger. It was well rounded and could be a stand alone or even the first book in a series.
I would have to give this book a 3 heart rating!
Hi All! Today is my stop on the Extraordinary October Blog Tour hosted by Xpresso Reads. The minute I saw this beautiful cover and read the synopsis for the story, I knew I had to have this book.
A huge shout out goes to Giselle from Xpresso Reads allowing me to be a part of this tour. And thanks to Diana Wagman for sharing the protagonist, October Fetterhoff, with the world. I think you will enjoy her as much as I did.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion of it. The views expressed here are entirely my own.
Title: Extraordinary October
Author: Diana Wagman
Publisher: Ig Publishing
Date of Publication: Oct. 11, 2016
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
Synopsis:
October is an ordinary girl. From her plain looks to her average grades, there seems to be nothing special about her. Then, three days before her eighteenth birthday, she develops a strange itch that won’t go away, and her life is turned upside down. Suddenly, she can hear dogs talk, make crows fly, and two new and very handsome boys at school are vying for her affections. After she starts “transplanting” herself through solid rock, October learns that she is not ordinary at all, but the daughter of a troll princess and a fairy prince, and a pawn in a deadly war between the trolls and the fairies. Now October will have to use all of her growing powers to save her family, and stop a mysterious evil that threatens to destroy the fairy world.
In the fantastical vein of authors such as Julie Kagawa and Holly Black, Extraordinary October takes us on a magical journey from the streets of Los Angeles to the beautiful and mythical underground fairy kingdom.
My Thoughts:
Extraordinary October is an interesting book that's about a young girl about to turn 18, who gets a terrible itch and her whole world she knows gets flipped on its head! She slowly starts to realize elves, fairies, trolls, and magic is real. And she, October, finds herself embroiled in all of it.
First off, the protagonist's name is pretty cool and unique : October. It's hip, fun, and festive!
The one thing that I really admired about our main character, October, is that she isn't perfect. She is immature, hormones going 100 miles an hour, and she makes mistakes. Sometimes a lot. There are times that she can learn from her mistakes; other times she doesn't. I think this trait makes her more relatable to most teenagers than any other characters.
Speaking of other characters, the supporting ones are very entertaining. There were times I enjoyed them more than our main one. Especially, Luisa and Chris or Green. They were honest and kind.
I also enjoyed seeing the magical world through October as she slowly accepted what she was seeing. The little scenes that played out while she was out and about: the man talking to little buzzing creatures, the woman with the elf on her shoulder, and of course hearing animals talk.
Who wouldn't want that little power?!!?
Extraordinary October seems to be a character driven plot solely relying on our characters to get the story moving along. Therefore at times I found it to be exciting but others it moved a tad bit slower than usual.
There were times I thought the "Ha, ha, ha" after every joke got old. I would have liked less of those and more credit giving to the reader to reach the inference to the joke without the explanations pointed out each time.
I also wasn't too happy with the obvious love triangle that was put out there from withing the first few chapters. There was also a huge insta-love concept that could have been toned down a good amount and we could have still developed the blossoming relationship found there.
Other than these techniques, I found Extraordinary October to be a fun read, with a surprising twist about the villain and even her own parents. The ending, I felt, was overall an enjoyable one with no noticeable cliffhanger. It was well rounded and could be a stand alone or even the first book in a series.
I would have to give this book a 3 heart rating!
October 5, 2016
Extraordinary October reminds me of Julie Kagawa’s The Iron Fey series with all the feel of fairies and magical kingdoms. However, there were less magic involved and it was a surge of emotions from all the characters. I’ve read some books with plots involving fairies and other mythical creatures, but it’s the first time I’ve read something like this, and I really like the idea of October being half-fairy, half-troll. While the plot seemed predictable for me, I still liked its idea and I think that it’s a good light read. Extraordinary October may be full of action and several things happening at the same time, but it’s easy to keep up and doesn’t feel hurried.
Wagman did a great job in portraying high school, and the feeling of not being able to belong anywhere or being the subject of meanness from others. However, it became hard for me to like October’s character since I found her to be very insecure and at one point, I just found myself being slightly annoyed with her decisions. I kept on anticipating for the time where October will transform to a more confident person, but I just found myself not liking her even more as the story went on. Also, it seemed like October’s lack of reactions to what is happening around her made me also feel harder to connect with her, since it felt a little bit unbelievable.
Also, I feel like the ending is something that is appreciated by others, but I felt a little bit of unsatisfied since I was hoping for something else. In the end, Extraordinary October started with an introduction of how October sees herself as someone very ordinary, and it seemed like this notion of hers didn’t change a lot. Because of this, I found myself a little bit put off by it since she mentioned it often. For me, it didn’t seem like the case and I wanted to see how October would have arrived to the conclusion that she can also be extraordinary in her own way, too.
Despite this, I like how Extraordinary October has a touch of romance, but did not really dwell on it very much. I like how the story leaned towards dealing with growing up and learning how to accept oneself instead, which felt more heartwarming to see how the characters grow as individuals and how the relationships transform. In the end, while Extraordinary October may be something different than other books with fairies and mythical creatures, I think that this one is probably for a younger reader than me.
Wagman did a great job in portraying high school, and the feeling of not being able to belong anywhere or being the subject of meanness from others. However, it became hard for me to like October’s character since I found her to be very insecure and at one point, I just found myself being slightly annoyed with her decisions. I kept on anticipating for the time where October will transform to a more confident person, but I just found myself not liking her even more as the story went on. Also, it seemed like October’s lack of reactions to what is happening around her made me also feel harder to connect with her, since it felt a little bit unbelievable.
Also, I feel like the ending is something that is appreciated by others, but I felt a little bit of unsatisfied since I was hoping for something else. In the end, Extraordinary October started with an introduction of how October sees herself as someone very ordinary, and it seemed like this notion of hers didn’t change a lot. Because of this, I found myself a little bit put off by it since she mentioned it often. For me, it didn’t seem like the case and I wanted to see how October would have arrived to the conclusion that she can also be extraordinary in her own way, too.
Despite this, I like how Extraordinary October has a touch of romance, but did not really dwell on it very much. I like how the story leaned towards dealing with growing up and learning how to accept oneself instead, which felt more heartwarming to see how the characters grow as individuals and how the relationships transform. In the end, while Extraordinary October may be something different than other books with fairies and mythical creatures, I think that this one is probably for a younger reader than me.
Read
February 20, 2017
See my full review & blog post on Desert Rose Reviews!
Or, check out my review here on Goodreads!
October 8, 2016
3.5 stars. I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the story was solid and had a nice pace. There was definitely a lot of magical elements with the fairies, trolls, and history about both and their different abilities. I thought it was a lot of fun to learn about the different species in the book and also was a fun adventure to follow as things in October's life were pretty much turned upside down when the fantasy world invades her own seemingly overnight.
The writing was great and very descriptive without being info-dumpy and I was pretty fascinated in the events that take place throughout the book with the 'transplanting' and different powers that October finds herself having. The book wasn't much of an original story line but it was still fun to read and the fantasy was that of Harry Potter and The Iron Fey series mixed in with a little bit of Bridge To Terabithia. It has a lot to offer as a fantasy story and I think it was quite enjoyable and laid back.
I didn't really connect with the characters in this book, however, which I was a little disappointed in. October, while with a unique history and name, was a very blank slate of a character and lacked any confidence in herself. She was a character that had a lot of things written on her and there wasn't much character development. She referred to herself plenty of times throughout the book as being plain which got a little annoying. She didn't seem to have any talents or interests which prevented me from connecting with her at all. I also didn't care for either love interest since they both seemed like a very trope-y type love interest and I just didn't really feel like they were interesting.
Overall, this book wasn't great but it wasn't horrible either. There's honestly not a lot I can say about this book other than it was a laid back but fun fantasy story that was a quick read and could easily become someone's favorite book. Personally, I needed a little more to really hook me and make me love the book but I just didn't get what I was looking for. I think if you're looking for something different and creative in a sense, try picking this one up and see what this story does for you.
I thought the story was solid and had a nice pace. There was definitely a lot of magical elements with the fairies, trolls, and history about both and their different abilities. I thought it was a lot of fun to learn about the different species in the book and also was a fun adventure to follow as things in October's life were pretty much turned upside down when the fantasy world invades her own seemingly overnight.
The writing was great and very descriptive without being info-dumpy and I was pretty fascinated in the events that take place throughout the book with the 'transplanting' and different powers that October finds herself having. The book wasn't much of an original story line but it was still fun to read and the fantasy was that of Harry Potter and The Iron Fey series mixed in with a little bit of Bridge To Terabithia. It has a lot to offer as a fantasy story and I think it was quite enjoyable and laid back.
I didn't really connect with the characters in this book, however, which I was a little disappointed in. October, while with a unique history and name, was a very blank slate of a character and lacked any confidence in herself. She was a character that had a lot of things written on her and there wasn't much character development. She referred to herself plenty of times throughout the book as being plain which got a little annoying. She didn't seem to have any talents or interests which prevented me from connecting with her at all. I also didn't care for either love interest since they both seemed like a very trope-y type love interest and I just didn't really feel like they were interesting.
Overall, this book wasn't great but it wasn't horrible either. There's honestly not a lot I can say about this book other than it was a laid back but fun fantasy story that was a quick read and could easily become someone's favorite book. Personally, I needed a little more to really hook me and make me love the book but I just didn't get what I was looking for. I think if you're looking for something different and creative in a sense, try picking this one up and see what this story does for you.
February 16, 2017
Okay, so I'm not even finished with this book. I actually kinda just started it(I'm on chapter 7), and I have a problem and It's starting to grow more and more as I read this. October isn't asking any questions. Like, at all. She is completely just- ughh!! Things are happening and changing around her- in front of her face and she isn't saying or asking much and it's killing me!!!! Like WTF!! Ask anything!! Ask the new kid why he seems to know where you live!! And oh, hey, ask people why their saying weird shit around you and about you in front of your face!!! I'm hoping this gets better but I kinda know it won't because it seems to be a character trait of her, to be aloof.
January 17, 2017
*I received this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
This book was kind of odd from beginning to end. It wasn’t bad, but it felt disjointed at times. Also, I felt like I was being forced into seeing the romance between October and the wo main love interests. Which was odd, because it wasn’t really a love triangle at any point. It was just enough to ensure that there was drama. However the overall story was pretty formulaic.
The writing was decent, and there were some good ideas here. The side characters ended up being more entertaining than October several times, especially Luisa. This is a very decent fantasy read, and incorporates some lesser mythology as the two main groups. The way they interacted with the human world was also definitely a point in this book’s favor.
The one aspect that I truly did enjoy in this book was the villain. It was hard to truly hate her by the end, but for most of the book I think it was rather easy. She seemed to perfect and evil, so it felt only natural to hate her. However once you learn her backstory, I truly felt sorry for her and the way she had been treated. It’s one of those nature vs nurture, which makes you believe that nurture created this monster.
This book was a very average fantasy novel, but sometimes those are exactly what you want. There are no major surprises or twists, and while the plot was formulaic it was at least easy to follow unlike most. Overall I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars and true fantasy fans will enjoy it from beginning to end.
*This review was first posted on Moonlight Gleam Reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2017/01/ext...*
This book was kind of odd from beginning to end. It wasn’t bad, but it felt disjointed at times. Also, I felt like I was being forced into seeing the romance between October and the wo main love interests. Which was odd, because it wasn’t really a love triangle at any point. It was just enough to ensure that there was drama. However the overall story was pretty formulaic.
The writing was decent, and there were some good ideas here. The side characters ended up being more entertaining than October several times, especially Luisa. This is a very decent fantasy read, and incorporates some lesser mythology as the two main groups. The way they interacted with the human world was also definitely a point in this book’s favor.
The one aspect that I truly did enjoy in this book was the villain. It was hard to truly hate her by the end, but for most of the book I think it was rather easy. She seemed to perfect and evil, so it felt only natural to hate her. However once you learn her backstory, I truly felt sorry for her and the way she had been treated. It’s one of those nature vs nurture, which makes you believe that nurture created this monster.
This book was a very average fantasy novel, but sometimes those are exactly what you want. There are no major surprises or twists, and while the plot was formulaic it was at least easy to follow unlike most. Overall I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars and true fantasy fans will enjoy it from beginning to end.
*This review was first posted on Moonlight Gleam Reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2017/01/ext...*
February 3, 2017
I like this book so far. However, it seems to follow that trope of girl feels like she's nothing and invisible, girl finds out she's special, girl triumphs and finds herself.
*Update*
This book did not go in the direction that I thought it would. While it does follow the trope of girl feels like she is just ordinary to discover that she is extraordinary, she then discovers that she is perfectly happy being ordinary and being ordinary was what helped to make her so unique in the first place. Aside from being half troll and half fairy. Her mother is the rightful queen of the trolls and her father the king of the fairies. Due to the hatred between the two species, her mother and father ran away together into the human world so that they could be with one another freely.
"Extraordinary October" also deals with racism. In this world Trolls and Fairies hate one another, use one another as slaves, and think the other to be inferior. October does not adhere to this has she is both troll and fairy. Anyone that is being racist towards one or the other she immediately calls out and then dismisses. Inevitably she arranges for her father, who is a fairy, and her mother, who is a troll, to rule both kingdoms jointly. While in the real world this is unrealistic, it does show that one person can nonetheless make a difference.
Overall Extraordinary October was a great read. It kept me guessing. The end was a bit duller than I would imagine for a book with so much to it. I believe that the ending could have been a lot better, but am still somewhat pleased with the final result.
*Update*
This book did not go in the direction that I thought it would. While it does follow the trope of girl feels like she is just ordinary to discover that she is extraordinary, she then discovers that she is perfectly happy being ordinary and being ordinary was what helped to make her so unique in the first place. Aside from being half troll and half fairy. Her mother is the rightful queen of the trolls and her father the king of the fairies. Due to the hatred between the two species, her mother and father ran away together into the human world so that they could be with one another freely.
"Extraordinary October" also deals with racism. In this world Trolls and Fairies hate one another, use one another as slaves, and think the other to be inferior. October does not adhere to this has she is both troll and fairy. Anyone that is being racist towards one or the other she immediately calls out and then dismisses. Inevitably she arranges for her father, who is a fairy, and her mother, who is a troll, to rule both kingdoms jointly. While in the real world this is unrealistic, it does show that one person can nonetheless make a difference.
Overall Extraordinary October was a great read. It kept me guessing. The end was a bit duller than I would imagine for a book with so much to it. I believe that the ending could have been a lot better, but am still somewhat pleased with the final result.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2016
Extraordinary October is the story of October Fetterhoff - ordinary high school senior. She has spent most of her life being unnoticed in school by others...until she gets closer to her 18th birthday. All of a sudden, after not even having her first kiss, she has two guys vying for her attention: a college student who asks for her assistance as to research for a paper he is writing, and a handsome new student at her school. October soon learns that she is actually not ordinary at all, but the daughter of a fairy and a troll - each who are royalty in their respective kingdoms.
What I liked about this story was that is was different. I'm always on the lookout for a different kind of read, outside the ordinary, with unique story lines. Could you get anymore unique than a heroine who is part fairy and part troll? Further, the author nails high school and the whole feeling of not belonging and how mean others can be.
While the story line is unique, I did find that some scenes did not "flow" well - October's reactions - more like lack of a reaction - to the magical things happening around her was a bit unbelievable.
Again, I loved reading something different, but this is probably more for a reader younger than someone older such as I.
ARC received in exchange for honest review.
What I liked about this story was that is was different. I'm always on the lookout for a different kind of read, outside the ordinary, with unique story lines. Could you get anymore unique than a heroine who is part fairy and part troll? Further, the author nails high school and the whole feeling of not belonging and how mean others can be.
While the story line is unique, I did find that some scenes did not "flow" well - October's reactions - more like lack of a reaction - to the magical things happening around her was a bit unbelievable.
Again, I loved reading something different, but this is probably more for a reader younger than someone older such as I.
ARC received in exchange for honest review.
July 29, 2016
Entertaining!
Actions, betrayals, fairies, trolls, transplanting, blood and a lot of running to escape. I haven't been able to put the book down once I've strated it. It was really a cool read to enjoy secrets and imaginary adventures.
Of course, it has reminded me of The Iron Fey series by Julie Kawaga and of Harry Potter with Dolores Umbridge. Less magical and with more pace, it's the perfect mix to escape into fantasyland while still be plausible.
October lacks of confidence in herself and has trust issues but with all the secrets and betrayal, she can be certain of anything after learning who she really is.
As for the two males "prince charming", they make mistakes and are not so charming. In reality, it's why it was a cool one. Nothing is black or white and October is a great positive heroine.
I've appreciated this story and the author creativity.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
Actions, betrayals, fairies, trolls, transplanting, blood and a lot of running to escape. I haven't been able to put the book down once I've strated it. It was really a cool read to enjoy secrets and imaginary adventures.
Of course, it has reminded me of The Iron Fey series by Julie Kawaga and of Harry Potter with Dolores Umbridge. Less magical and with more pace, it's the perfect mix to escape into fantasyland while still be plausible.
October lacks of confidence in herself and has trust issues but with all the secrets and betrayal, she can be certain of anything after learning who she really is.
As for the two males "prince charming", they make mistakes and are not so charming. In reality, it's why it was a cool one. Nothing is black or white and October is a great positive heroine.
I've appreciated this story and the author creativity.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
October 9, 2016
::..Reviewed for Red's Midnight Readers..::
I was given an arc of this in exchange for an honest review. My actual rating is 3.5 stars.
October is ordinary - average, a plain Jane. There's nothing special about her at all or so she thinks. It all starts with an itch that starts a few days before her eighteenth birthday and just won't go away. She then discovers she can now hear and talk to animals and suddenly the two new, very good looking boys at school both want her affections.
The story is written from a very immature point of view, which is good because it reminds you that this is in fact from the point of view of a 17 year old girl but grated on me in certain parts, there wasn't much in the way of character development but other than that it was an okay read. The plot was decent and well paced with a few surprises thrown in. I liked the magical elements, the fairies, trolls etc.
A decent YA read that isn't too taxing.
I was given an arc of this in exchange for an honest review. My actual rating is 3.5 stars.
October is ordinary - average, a plain Jane. There's nothing special about her at all or so she thinks. It all starts with an itch that starts a few days before her eighteenth birthday and just won't go away. She then discovers she can now hear and talk to animals and suddenly the two new, very good looking boys at school both want her affections.
The story is written from a very immature point of view, which is good because it reminds you that this is in fact from the point of view of a 17 year old girl but grated on me in certain parts, there wasn't much in the way of character development but other than that it was an okay read. The plot was decent and well paced with a few surprises thrown in. I liked the magical elements, the fairies, trolls etc.
A decent YA read that isn't too taxing.
December 27, 2016
Although this is a YA novel, and I seldom read that genre, it’s a darned good yarn and very well written. October Fetterhoff, who thinks of herself as utterly ordinary and boring, discovers she is a Princess, the daughter of both Fairy and Troll royalty. Evil forces intrude on her ho-hum existence and she’s forced to confront her true nature, which will fully manifest upon her 18th birthday, and it propels her into a quest to save her parents and, ultimately, her own self. The story follows the classic Hero’s Journey structure to a T, there’s a hint of romance, and even though it’s fantasy it felt grounded in reality. It felt possible.
December 2, 2016
2 Fairies and 2 Trolls mushrooms!
Love the pretty cover too. Intriguing title.. I thought it was about the month, but it was about a girl named after the month!
It is an entertaining story! Trolls and fairies.. Mushrooms, Magic... Ordinary vs Extraordinary, good vs evil.. and humourous too. Those who love paranormal fantasy adventure, this is worth reading! Somehow you can relate to October in certain situations and fricking funny too. At the end of the book, you pity the villain after knowing the truth. Well, after all villains are human beings too.
Love the pretty cover too. Intriguing title.. I thought it was about the month, but it was about a girl named after the month!
It is an entertaining story! Trolls and fairies.. Mushrooms, Magic... Ordinary vs Extraordinary, good vs evil.. and humourous too. Those who love paranormal fantasy adventure, this is worth reading! Somehow you can relate to October in certain situations and fricking funny too. At the end of the book, you pity the villain after knowing the truth. Well, after all villains are human beings too.
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