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The Weaver's Riddle #1
Mist & Whispers
Imagine a world in eternal darkness. A world where skeletal beasts lurk in the forest. Where the women are missing, and the men are in need of salvation...
In the West-English town of Little Wolf Green, Scott's bookshop is about to close down. Convinced the bookshop holds the key to her mother's identity, sixteen year old Anya Piddling vows to save Scott's, whatever the cost.
When four books of magic and myth take the world by storm, Anya begins a journey to discover the truth about the author, known only as the Weaver. Followed closely by her friends, and one surly, bitter ex-boyfriend, Anya soon realises a whole new world awaits: a world gone very wrong, with maddening whispers in the forest, magical winged Kings and a dragon-boy that understands her, inside and out. But this world needs a saviour... and everyone is looking at her.
In the West-English town of Little Wolf Green, Scott's bookshop is about to close down. Convinced the bookshop holds the key to her mother's identity, sixteen year old Anya Piddling vows to save Scott's, whatever the cost.
When four books of magic and myth take the world by storm, Anya begins a journey to discover the truth about the author, known only as the Weaver. Followed closely by her friends, and one surly, bitter ex-boyfriend, Anya soon realises a whole new world awaits: a world gone very wrong, with maddening whispers in the forest, magical winged Kings and a dragon-boy that understands her, inside and out. But this world needs a saviour... and everyone is looking at her.
520 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2015
27 people are currently reading
1298 people want to read
About the author
C.M. Lucas
3 books76 followersClaire Marie Lucas lives in South-East England with her husband and three children. She began writing stories from inside her wardrobe at the tender age of six and hasn't stopped writing in obscure places since; her current favourite being the cupboard beneath her stairs.
Mist & Whispers is her debut novel.
Mist & Whispers is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
October 3, 2016
I realised I had never updated my review...
the special reason for my previous comment was that I AM NOW PUBLISHING THIS STUNNING NOVEL.
Omg, fantasy fantasy fantasy. Imagine... Dragon Boys, Worlds in Eternal darkness... a girl with a brewing power... a book shop in need of saving... magic... evil and good. OMG ITS JUST PERFECTION..
I highly recommend you all read this book!
I read this book for a very special reason...
Stay tuned for more information!
the special reason for my previous comment was that I AM NOW PUBLISHING THIS STUNNING NOVEL.
Omg, fantasy fantasy fantasy. Imagine... Dragon Boys, Worlds in Eternal darkness... a girl with a brewing power... a book shop in need of saving... magic... evil and good. OMG ITS JUST PERFECTION..
I highly recommend you all read this book!
I read this book for a very special reason...
Stay tuned for more information!
October 18, 2015
First off I love this cover, it really draws you in. The illustration has this beautiful flow to it, it's like a painting, and then you take in all these little details like the tree branches and Anya's trainers and they make her come alive when you're reading it. And there's a magical book on the cover so that's always a win!
A looooot happened in this book, it starts off in one place and then goes somewhere completely different to what I was expecting, with all these little twists and turns in it. There was such a high fantastical mix that brought not only this fast pace where you didn't know what was going to pop up next, but this really high level of visual imagination to it. I think the only thing missing was a unicorn!
And with lots of events comes lots of characters. I liked Anya as a lead, she had a lot of elements to her which were all explored as the book grew. There were some really beautiful moments between Anya and Lorcan and the way their connection worked was really lovely. And who wouldn't want to meet a dragon boy. Any time you bring a dragon boy into a book you're onto a good start. I also really liked how we got to see the darker,inner sides to Anya's character, this completely changed the tone and the intensity of the book, and gave this fighting spark that made you want to shout YES! Go on Girl! This also gives a really good start to explore these sides to her character later on in the series and reminded me a little of The Queen of tearling.
I love riddles (because I can never guess them) I love fantasy adventures so it ticked my boxes and I'm very curious to where this series is going to go! So many questions! Loved it.
October 16, 2016
This book begins in a sleepy fictional English town but then ends up turning into a fantasy. I was a little unsure if I would like that, but I LOVED IT! It was so interesting to see characters from our modern world thrown into fantasy situations. Mist & Whispers is unlike any other fantasy I have ever read. It's the perfect book for snuggling up with for an adventure on a rainy day.
The main character Anya is quite amusing at times, but also frustratingly stubborn. This made her very realistic and so I really enjoyed reading about her. Three others go along with her on the journey and they were all well developed. One of them was originally shown as quite a stereotypical and vain girly girl (which I didn't like) however as we got to know her better, her character was really fleshed out so that was great.
I think this book is one that you need to go into not knowing anything about, so I won't say much about the plot other than it was full of twists and turns. This book involves a lot of riddles, which were cleverly weaved into the story by the author. I was constantly being surprised.
I absolutely loved the fantasy world that Lucas created, such an interesting mix of magic and mystery. The ending of this book was very satisfying, but at the same time left me desperate to know what is going to happen in the next book, I CAN'T WAIT!
This book was sent to me by Claire for review, however all these opinions remain my own. My main criticism of the book is that my copy had some issues with the page numbers near the end.
The main character Anya is quite amusing at times, but also frustratingly stubborn. This made her very realistic and so I really enjoyed reading about her. Three others go along with her on the journey and they were all well developed. One of them was originally shown as quite a stereotypical and vain girly girl (which I didn't like) however as we got to know her better, her character was really fleshed out so that was great.
I think this book is one that you need to go into not knowing anything about, so I won't say much about the plot other than it was full of twists and turns. This book involves a lot of riddles, which were cleverly weaved into the story by the author. I was constantly being surprised.
I absolutely loved the fantasy world that Lucas created, such an interesting mix of magic and mystery. The ending of this book was very satisfying, but at the same time left me desperate to know what is going to happen in the next book, I CAN'T WAIT!
This book was sent to me by Claire for review, however all these opinions remain my own. My main criticism of the book is that my copy had some issues with the page numbers near the end.
March 23, 2017
A really good book, A proper page turner. I'm a fairly fast reader but I flew through this book as every chapter leads you to more. If you like Magic, Action and Adventure and love to ship characters then this book is for you. A must read. :) (Very proud of my Wife)
December 26, 2015
Gosh. Where to start with this stunning debut?
The Weaver's Riddle is a fast-paced, glorious rainbow of a Young Adult fantasy. It strikes at the heart and stays with you long after you've turned the final page.
A lovable heroine, a doomed bookshop, a new world full of the most incredible hybrid creatures/characters to ever grace the page, a seemingly impossible mission, supporting characters that make you laugh out loud and envy their glorious taste in footwear - there is little not to love about this first installment of what promises to be a riveting, original, beautifully imagined and structured adventure.
If I had to summarize this book in a couple of words, I'll say this: The Weaver's Riddle is the new Narnia.
All the stars.
The Weaver's Riddle is a fast-paced, glorious rainbow of a Young Adult fantasy. It strikes at the heart and stays with you long after you've turned the final page.
A lovable heroine, a doomed bookshop, a new world full of the most incredible hybrid creatures/characters to ever grace the page, a seemingly impossible mission, supporting characters that make you laugh out loud and envy their glorious taste in footwear - there is little not to love about this first installment of what promises to be a riveting, original, beautifully imagined and structured adventure.
If I had to summarize this book in a couple of words, I'll say this: The Weaver's Riddle is the new Narnia.
All the stars.
June 5, 2016
C.M. Lucas's writing is just a magical as the cover! She weaves a tale that sucks readers into a world that contains both the issues of real life and the epic battles of a magical world. Anya is a strong intelligent young heroine, backed-up by a lovable cast of characters that reader will fall in love with. Mist & Whispers has all of the potential to be a best seller, I can't wait to see where this story goes!
May 7, 2016
This book sent me through SO many emotions, I laughed, cried, even fist pumped the air! I was on the proverbial rollercoaster and bloomin' didn't want to get off!
(I hope to be spoiler free during this review...apologies if this isn't the case!)
I was IN from the get-go, Anya was instantly likable and there was something in her feisty nature and urge to know who she really was that had me rooting for her. I loved her self-deprecation, her passion for books (and cinnamon) and the way she loved and stood up for her friends, even the newest ones. The bookstore and Iain broke my little bookish heart and I loved that this was the basis for Anya's search for her history but also for her future!
Speaking of friends:
Steph is just AMAZING. Ditzy and superficial at first glance but lovely, loyal and smart the next. I could see myself and my own bestie in the Anya/Steph friendship and that is what grounded me in the story. I loved them together and I think Anya realised how much Steph meant to her by the end of the book, I can't wait to see more of this during the forthcoming books.
Micheal is a character that both annoyed the pants off me but also wove himself into my heart...and stayed there. I look forward to his evolution in the coming books...as much as he annoys me now, I can see him becoming a firm favourite as the series progresses.
I want to gush about the entire cast of characters but I fear I'd run into spoiler territory. What I will say is that I held affection for every one of them. Even the bad guys were amazingly done and they suitably made my skin crawl. Each character was well developed and all I wanted to do was to clamber into the pages and journey along with them! P.S: Dragon-Boy's steal hearts (i.e. mine).
CM Lucas has cleverly inserted little facets into this tale that I think will reoccur in the coming books and it will find me flailing, crying and laughing as I have done in this first installment. - Poor woman will have to put up with the rambling, fangirling messages all over again #sorrynotsorry #lovedit
The ending had me exclaiming aloud, I can't wait to see what happens next. I think I have an all new series to jump on board with...I'm strapped in and ready to follow where this journey takes me!
I'm now off to get the paperback...this deserves a prime space on my bookshelf!
(I hope to be spoiler free during this review...apologies if this isn't the case!)
I was IN from the get-go, Anya was instantly likable and there was something in her feisty nature and urge to know who she really was that had me rooting for her. I loved her self-deprecation, her passion for books (and cinnamon) and the way she loved and stood up for her friends, even the newest ones. The bookstore and Iain broke my little bookish heart and I loved that this was the basis for Anya's search for her history but also for her future!
Speaking of friends:
Steph is just AMAZING. Ditzy and superficial at first glance but lovely, loyal and smart the next. I could see myself and my own bestie in the Anya/Steph friendship and that is what grounded me in the story. I loved them together and I think Anya realised how much Steph meant to her by the end of the book, I can't wait to see more of this during the forthcoming books.
Micheal is a character that both annoyed the pants off me but also wove himself into my heart...and stayed there. I look forward to his evolution in the coming books...as much as he annoys me now, I can see him becoming a firm favourite as the series progresses.
I want to gush about the entire cast of characters but I fear I'd run into spoiler territory. What I will say is that I held affection for every one of them. Even the bad guys were amazingly done and they suitably made my skin crawl. Each character was well developed and all I wanted to do was to clamber into the pages and journey along with them! P.S: Dragon-Boy's steal hearts (i.e. mine).
CM Lucas has cleverly inserted little facets into this tale that I think will reoccur in the coming books and it will find me flailing, crying and laughing as I have done in this first installment. - Poor woman will have to put up with the rambling, fangirling messages all over again #sorrynotsorry #lovedit
The ending had me exclaiming aloud, I can't wait to see what happens next. I think I have an all new series to jump on board with...I'm strapped in and ready to follow where this journey takes me!
I'm now off to get the paperback...this deserves a prime space on my bookshelf!
December 30, 2015
4.5/ review to come!
November 21, 2020
*NEW*
Ok, so since the sudden closing of Eight Little Pages, this author's small publishing company, the author has left social media entirely. I don't know if she will ever return to announce future books in this series. So if you do decide to give this book a try, please be aware that there is no knowing if this series will ever get finished.
****
This book is a Young Adult Fantasy novel book 1.
Book Cover: 5* - Can I say, this cover is beautiful. The illustration is amazing as the swirling light provides a bit of mysticism on the cover. I'm going to be honest, this book was a hardcore cover buy for me lol.
Summary/Tagline: 3.5* - The tagline I think is pretty straightforward in my opinion and something I've heard before. "To save a bookshop, first she must save a kingdom." See, nothing crazy, although I was curious how saving a bookshop and a kingdom coincide in this book lol. Now the summary itself is something I'm not sure about. Like I'm curious, but I could leave it as well. I mean it is a simple summary telling me that the main character has a place she loves, she is about to lose it, and in order to save it, she goes world hopping. It does sound like something I've heard before but that isn't always a bad thing, it's just the summary didn't grab me as well as the cover did.
Characters: 4* - Now the characters in this book are something. First is the main character, Anya. She is a spunky kid that loves to read books, sounds like someone I could be friends with lol, BUT, but, but, but, although she is spunky she has a lot of moments of backing off too easily or loses her temper and beats the crap out of someone after talking s***, and it normally depends on the character. Her ex-boyfriend Michael . . . Oh BOY! I couldn't stand this character. He was whiny, complaining, tried to make every situation about him, and always kept trying to make Anya feel bad about breaking up with him. I didn't want him dead but I did want him gone from the story, he was just pissing me off every time he opened his mouth and tried to start crap, not to mention he is so easily jealous when Anya talks to other male characters, GOD I hate Michael. There are 2 couple characters that journey with Anya, Stephanie and Tim. I thought these two are really sweet and kind characters, especially when they try to put up with Anya and Michael arguing lol. They really try their hardest not to yell at them to shut up lmao. There are 2 villain characters in this book but saying their names may be spoiler so I will just say this, their are an obvious evil, vile, heinous, and you can tell by their actions towards Anya and her friend Stephanie that they've probably raped women before regardless of age. They were also just plain out creepy. There are 2 characters that I wish I got more of because they were more interesting than the characters from the core group. A fairy Prince named Harrion and a dragon boy named Lorcan. They were kind, helpful, suggesting things to Anya instead of just telling her what to do as if she was an idiot, and just great guys and no, both were not love . . . ok one of them may be a potential love interest but the other was meant to be more like a brother to Anya, which was a great change for me. Not every. Single. Male character. Has to be a love interest. I actually liked these 2, but they weren't in most of the book sadly so I was stuck with Michael constantly trying to "Protect" Anya. There were a few other characters but they weren't as noteworthy as these characters. Just know I liked some and didn't care about others lol.
World Building: 3* - Ok so the world building wasn't fully lacking but it wasn't fully there either, more like it wasn't a focus I guess. Anya and her friends are from our world, nothing special, but in order to find these amazing, bookshop saving books, they had to follow a riddle that landed Anya and her friends in another world. Magic is a thing but can only be done by the royal family. Even Lorcan's appearance was because of the King's little sister, so curses can be done too but I still had a lot of questions about the magic system that just weren't answered for me. It was also neat learning about some of the Gods in this new world and why some buildings and rooms are shaped a certain way, that was really neat.
Story: 3.5* - All right I am just going to say this now, the story was WAY to fast paced for me. We go jumping from moment to moment to moment, most of which I was like wait weren't we just eating outside when did we get back at the tent to talk about the riddle or we went from talking to the King to already journeying outside camp. It was very jarring for me, as though things needed to be happening all the time without much of a slowdown, and when there is a slowdown it only lasted for a bout a page or so before something crazy happens that Anya needs to try and get her and her friends out of. Other than that as I've explained in the summary, the bookshop that Anya recently started working at and loves is about to close for good. A rival bookshop is exclusively selling books that is putting Anya's bookshop out of business. She has the idea from the bookshop owner that there may be more of those books that haven't been found and those books may save the bookshop. Instead they find a riddle that sends them teleporting to another world. I have a feeling each book will be Anya in other worlds looking for these books, and if I remember correctly, there are 6 books she needs to find, so probably 6 worlds to go through . . . Maybe, it depends on the riddle and the author lol. After arriving to the new world Anya discovers that she is the "Prophesied Chosen One" . . . Yup. She has a mark on her hand suddenly that proves it. Many people that "Support" the King find it an insult that a "Little Girl" would try and save them from the darkness that engulfs the world and so she needs to prove herself while looking for these special books to save the bookshop. So, shenanigans ensue lol.
Over All: 3.5 to 4* - So far, I'm not sure how to feel about this book. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. I honestly keep going back and forth from 3.5 to 4 stars. I'll probably put it down as 4 but I am still back and forth with my own, personal score. Anya is a pretty good kid but she needs to find the spine to tell Michael to back off. I hope to get more of Lorcan and I look forward to seeing Stephanie and Tim again. I'm also pretty sure the villain that got away is one that Anya will need to face in the end, but if I'm wrong, I'm wrong. The next world Anya and her friends were dropped off at is one I wasn't expecting to be a world of its own. I would still read the next book in the series when it does come out. I would recommend this book for those who just got off reading Middle Grade books and are ready to get started on Young Adult books, this is a great first start, but know this, it gets really dark towards the end of the novel. There will be hanging heads and decapitated hands that make up a throne . . . It's gross. There's more but I will leave that up to you whether or not you want to read this.
Ok, so since the sudden closing of Eight Little Pages, this author's small publishing company, the author has left social media entirely. I don't know if she will ever return to announce future books in this series. So if you do decide to give this book a try, please be aware that there is no knowing if this series will ever get finished.
****
This book is a Young Adult Fantasy novel book 1.
Book Cover: 5* - Can I say, this cover is beautiful. The illustration is amazing as the swirling light provides a bit of mysticism on the cover. I'm going to be honest, this book was a hardcore cover buy for me lol.
Summary/Tagline: 3.5* - The tagline I think is pretty straightforward in my opinion and something I've heard before. "To save a bookshop, first she must save a kingdom." See, nothing crazy, although I was curious how saving a bookshop and a kingdom coincide in this book lol. Now the summary itself is something I'm not sure about. Like I'm curious, but I could leave it as well. I mean it is a simple summary telling me that the main character has a place she loves, she is about to lose it, and in order to save it, she goes world hopping. It does sound like something I've heard before but that isn't always a bad thing, it's just the summary didn't grab me as well as the cover did.
Characters: 4* - Now the characters in this book are something. First is the main character, Anya. She is a spunky kid that loves to read books, sounds like someone I could be friends with lol, BUT, but, but, but, although she is spunky she has a lot of moments of backing off too easily or loses her temper and beats the crap out of someone after talking s***, and it normally depends on the character. Her ex-boyfriend Michael . . . Oh BOY! I couldn't stand this character. He was whiny, complaining, tried to make every situation about him, and always kept trying to make Anya feel bad about breaking up with him. I didn't want him dead but I did want him gone from the story, he was just pissing me off every time he opened his mouth and tried to start crap, not to mention he is so easily jealous when Anya talks to other male characters, GOD I hate Michael. There are 2 couple characters that journey with Anya, Stephanie and Tim. I thought these two are really sweet and kind characters, especially when they try to put up with Anya and Michael arguing lol. They really try their hardest not to yell at them to shut up lmao. There are 2 villain characters in this book but saying their names may be spoiler so I will just say this, their are an obvious evil, vile, heinous, and you can tell by their actions towards Anya and her friend Stephanie that they've probably raped women before regardless of age. They were also just plain out creepy. There are 2 characters that I wish I got more of because they were more interesting than the characters from the core group. A fairy Prince named Harrion and a dragon boy named Lorcan. They were kind, helpful, suggesting things to Anya instead of just telling her what to do as if she was an idiot, and just great guys and no, both were not love . . . ok one of them may be a potential love interest but the other was meant to be more like a brother to Anya, which was a great change for me. Not every. Single. Male character. Has to be a love interest. I actually liked these 2, but they weren't in most of the book sadly so I was stuck with Michael constantly trying to "Protect" Anya. There were a few other characters but they weren't as noteworthy as these characters. Just know I liked some and didn't care about others lol.
World Building: 3* - Ok so the world building wasn't fully lacking but it wasn't fully there either, more like it wasn't a focus I guess. Anya and her friends are from our world, nothing special, but in order to find these amazing, bookshop saving books, they had to follow a riddle that landed Anya and her friends in another world. Magic is a thing but can only be done by the royal family. Even Lorcan's appearance was because of the King's little sister, so curses can be done too but I still had a lot of questions about the magic system that just weren't answered for me. It was also neat learning about some of the Gods in this new world and why some buildings and rooms are shaped a certain way, that was really neat.
Story: 3.5* - All right I am just going to say this now, the story was WAY to fast paced for me. We go jumping from moment to moment to moment, most of which I was like wait weren't we just eating outside when did we get back at the tent to talk about the riddle or we went from talking to the King to already journeying outside camp. It was very jarring for me, as though things needed to be happening all the time without much of a slowdown, and when there is a slowdown it only lasted for a bout a page or so before something crazy happens that Anya needs to try and get her and her friends out of. Other than that as I've explained in the summary, the bookshop that Anya recently started working at and loves is about to close for good. A rival bookshop is exclusively selling books that is putting Anya's bookshop out of business. She has the idea from the bookshop owner that there may be more of those books that haven't been found and those books may save the bookshop. Instead they find a riddle that sends them teleporting to another world. I have a feeling each book will be Anya in other worlds looking for these books, and if I remember correctly, there are 6 books she needs to find, so probably 6 worlds to go through . . . Maybe, it depends on the riddle and the author lol. After arriving to the new world Anya discovers that she is the "Prophesied Chosen One" . . . Yup. She has a mark on her hand suddenly that proves it. Many people that "Support" the King find it an insult that a "Little Girl" would try and save them from the darkness that engulfs the world and so she needs to prove herself while looking for these special books to save the bookshop. So, shenanigans ensue lol.
Over All: 3.5 to 4* - So far, I'm not sure how to feel about this book. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. I honestly keep going back and forth from 3.5 to 4 stars. I'll probably put it down as 4 but I am still back and forth with my own, personal score. Anya is a pretty good kid but she needs to find the spine to tell Michael to back off. I hope to get more of Lorcan and I look forward to seeing Stephanie and Tim again. I'm also pretty sure the villain that got away is one that Anya will need to face in the end, but if I'm wrong, I'm wrong. The next world Anya and her friends were dropped off at is one I wasn't expecting to be a world of its own. I would still read the next book in the series when it does come out. I would recommend this book for those who just got off reading Middle Grade books and are ready to get started on Young Adult books, this is a great first start, but know this, it gets really dark towards the end of the novel. There will be hanging heads and decapitated hands that make up a throne . . . It's gross. There's more but I will leave that up to you whether or not you want to read this.
June 29, 2018
First I have to mention how captivatingly beautiful the cover is!
I was sucked in from the beginning. This may be a bit of a spoiler saying this, but I teared up a bit over the events of Iain and I felt for Anya. It's after those events that Anya is set out along with Stephanie, Michael and Tim to save the bookshop and find the Weaver's books.
Little do they know that going on this journey will lead them into an alternate world where myth, magic and magic creatures exist.
I found myself kind of on a rollercoaster while reading, I felt it dragged or slowed a bit in places and in others had me turning the pages wanting to find out what happens next.
I look forward to reading the second book once it's out.
I was sucked in from the beginning. This may be a bit of a spoiler saying this, but I teared up a bit over the events of Iain and I felt for Anya. It's after those events that Anya is set out along with Stephanie, Michael and Tim to save the bookshop and find the Weaver's books.
Little do they know that going on this journey will lead them into an alternate world where myth, magic and magic creatures exist.
I found myself kind of on a rollercoaster while reading, I felt it dragged or slowed a bit in places and in others had me turning the pages wanting to find out what happens next.
I look forward to reading the second book once it's out.
January 21, 2018
I really liked the book at the beginning. I could relate to Anya, her book obsession and the desire to save the Scotts bookshop.
But around 35% of the eBook things got quite messy. There were way too much characters and names to remember and I had the feeling that this had nothing to do with the actual plot from the beginning.
The ending has a huge cliffhanger and was non-satisfying for me.
But around 35% of the eBook things got quite messy. There were way too much characters and names to remember and I had the feeling that this had nothing to do with the actual plot from the beginning.
The ending has a huge cliffhanger and was non-satisfying for me.
October 10, 2015
I received this book from Claire herself in exchange for an honest review.
I was anticipating this book for months already and I actually had high expectations. Mostly I don't like to have high expectations in case I would be dissapointed but I was everything but dissapointed by this book.
In this book we follow Anya who, after being abandoned by her mother when she was a baby, lives in the Piddling Children's Home. But it doesn't feel like home to her at all. Fortunatly there is Scott's Bookshop where she dissapears in all the books she reads untill the big book company, Chronicles, discovers four books of the mysterious Weaver and Scott's Bookshop will probably be sold to them.
Together with her ex boyfriend Michael, the bookshop manager Stephanie, and her boyfriend Tim, Anya searches for the potentially more books by the Weaver.
Anya is very helpful, she always wants to help people, whereby she sometimes brings the people around her in danger which she desperately wants to avoid. Throughout their adventure there grows a tight bond between Anya, Stephanie, Tim and maybe even Michael. Anya is brave but she really struggles with her past.
Stephanie is a real barbie doll, because of that I couldn't stand her in the beginning but it turns out she isn't that bad. She may not be the most smart one she still is very courageous and she really suprised me sometimes.
Tim is Stephanie's boyfriends and he's actually the opposite of her. He's very intelligent and sober and he truly loves Stephanie. He might be my favourite character.
Lastly, we have Michael. The first time we came across him I thought he was quite cute but further on in the book I didn't really like him. There was that one moment where he was so adorable but a chapter later he was his arrogant self again. I don't say that I hate him he's just definitely not my favourite.
I'm extremely curious about what will happen with all of them in the next books.
Now, the writingstyle. In the beginning I wasn't sure about it. Some things were too sudden and some reactions were, too. But when the story goes on that moslty dissapeares. Claire's writingstyle is really beautiful and it pulled me into the book away from reality. I truly felt like I experienced what Anya experienced.
This whole book was so, so good and I recommend it to EVERYONE. It's such a good fantasy that reads quickly and is really funny (which I didn't expect but really loved!) for younger teenagers but definitely also for some older people.
You can order this book on Amazon and you can follow Clair on Instagram at @Clairmarielucas .
I was anticipating this book for months already and I actually had high expectations. Mostly I don't like to have high expectations in case I would be dissapointed but I was everything but dissapointed by this book.
In this book we follow Anya who, after being abandoned by her mother when she was a baby, lives in the Piddling Children's Home. But it doesn't feel like home to her at all. Fortunatly there is Scott's Bookshop where she dissapears in all the books she reads untill the big book company, Chronicles, discovers four books of the mysterious Weaver and Scott's Bookshop will probably be sold to them.
Together with her ex boyfriend Michael, the bookshop manager Stephanie, and her boyfriend Tim, Anya searches for the potentially more books by the Weaver.
Anya is very helpful, she always wants to help people, whereby she sometimes brings the people around her in danger which she desperately wants to avoid. Throughout their adventure there grows a tight bond between Anya, Stephanie, Tim and maybe even Michael. Anya is brave but she really struggles with her past.
Stephanie is a real barbie doll, because of that I couldn't stand her in the beginning but it turns out she isn't that bad. She may not be the most smart one she still is very courageous and she really suprised me sometimes.
Tim is Stephanie's boyfriends and he's actually the opposite of her. He's very intelligent and sober and he truly loves Stephanie. He might be my favourite character.
Lastly, we have Michael. The first time we came across him I thought he was quite cute but further on in the book I didn't really like him. There was that one moment where he was so adorable but a chapter later he was his arrogant self again. I don't say that I hate him he's just definitely not my favourite.
I'm extremely curious about what will happen with all of them in the next books.
Now, the writingstyle. In the beginning I wasn't sure about it. Some things were too sudden and some reactions were, too. But when the story goes on that moslty dissapeares. Claire's writingstyle is really beautiful and it pulled me into the book away from reality. I truly felt like I experienced what Anya experienced.
This whole book was so, so good and I recommend it to EVERYONE. It's such a good fantasy that reads quickly and is really funny (which I didn't expect but really loved!) for younger teenagers but definitely also for some older people.
You can order this book on Amazon and you can follow Clair on Instagram at @Clairmarielucas .
March 31, 2020
Original review
This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Oftomes Publishing!
Mist & Whispers is the first book in The Weaver’s Riddle and tells the story of Anya and her friends. Anya must save Ian’s bookshop and she is determined that the Weaver’s books will be the bookshop’s success. But she didn’t know that saving the bookshop meant going to another realm and saving the kingdom from evil…
Mist & Whispers started really slowly. It was a bit hard to get into the story, and I didn’t always want to read the book. When I was reading Mist & Whispers , I was also reading another book and that other book was always more interesting than this one.
Mist & Whispers was an interesting read, yet a really slow one. I think that if the pacing would’ve been faster, the book would’ve been better. It was hard focusing on the book but I still wanted to give it a try and I’m glad I did. Mist & Whispers is really interesting and I cannot wait to read the sequel!
This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Oftomes Publishing!
Mist & Whispers is the first book in The Weaver’s Riddle and tells the story of Anya and her friends. Anya must save Ian’s bookshop and she is determined that the Weaver’s books will be the bookshop’s success. But she didn’t know that saving the bookshop meant going to another realm and saving the kingdom from evil…
Mist & Whispers started really slowly. It was a bit hard to get into the story, and I didn’t always want to read the book. When I was reading Mist & Whispers , I was also reading another book and that other book was always more interesting than this one.
Mist & Whispers was an interesting read, yet a really slow one. I think that if the pacing would’ve been faster, the book would’ve been better. It was hard focusing on the book but I still wanted to give it a try and I’m glad I did. Mist & Whispers is really interesting and I cannot wait to read the sequel!
August 14, 2015
I have read an ARC copy as I was a proof reader for this novel. I am not an avid reader nor am I usually a fast reader. However, I could not put this book down! I read it within a couple of days. Each chapter leaves you wondering what will happen next, and when you read the next chapter you are not disappointed! This book has quite a few twists and turns that were completely unexpected. As it is a fantasy novel, there are a number of wonderfully mythical creatures and characters. It's very easy to become attached to the characters of the book. There was one character I found a little irritating to start with, but even this particular character grew on me as you see her starting to evolve. There are riddles to solve, battles fought... you know what? I'm not going to to tell you anything else that's in the book because you really need to read it for yourself. I found that I felt like I was in the story. I envisioned every moment so much it was like I was there and was swept away by it. It is a definite MUST READ!!!
January 6, 2016
There are no spoilers in this review.
I first met Claire when I started posting book pictures on Instagram. I became a part of this community of book lovers called "Bookstagram". I remember her telling me that she had a book coming out and it sounded amazing. She sent me an ARC copy of her first novel and I was so excited to read it. Before I read it I was slightly scared (because what if I didn't like it?!?), but I wanted to give it an honest review. Thank goodness I was wrong. This book took me to the edge of her imagination. The characters were so well written that I felt like I knew them. Anya is young, but she is wise. I love Stephanie to death! :) The magic featured in this book has so much depth and I can't even begin to imagine what else is in store for this series! All I know is that I want more adventures with Anya, Stephanie, Tim, Michael, and Lorcan!
I first met Claire when I started posting book pictures on Instagram. I became a part of this community of book lovers called "Bookstagram". I remember her telling me that she had a book coming out and it sounded amazing. She sent me an ARC copy of her first novel and I was so excited to read it. Before I read it I was slightly scared (because what if I didn't like it?!?), but I wanted to give it an honest review. Thank goodness I was wrong. This book took me to the edge of her imagination. The characters were so well written that I felt like I knew them. Anya is young, but she is wise. I love Stephanie to death! :) The magic featured in this book has so much depth and I can't even begin to imagine what else is in store for this series! All I know is that I want more adventures with Anya, Stephanie, Tim, Michael, and Lorcan!
June 6, 2020
2☆ Mist and Whispers was an intriguing tale about Anya, a girl with mysterious past. I was quite hooked with the story in the beginning, but admittedly, it became dragging in the middle. There were so much going on in one part, then another introduction of characters/scenes in the next, which made me confused at times. However, the mystery of Anya's past made me want to read it till the end. I am interested to know what will happen next: what was Anya's history, the Four and Lorcan's current whereabouts, the Scotts, and the real story behind the Weaver's books. There's so much to unravel. I have some ideas, but the questions remain. I am hoping to know more details and for a better narration in the next sequel.
April 29, 2016
I am interested in finding out where the adventure goes next. It's an exciting notion of different worlds being different books. I enjoyed the spunky heroine even though at times she was a little too spunky. The characters where memorable and there was plenty of action (although scenes seemed a bit rushed sometimes). The main thing that kept distracting me from the storyline was all the name dropping of current well known authors, places, or TV shows.
Hopefully the next installment will be even better. :)
Hopefully the next installment will be even better. :)
August 26, 2017
This is a solid first book. The plot and worldbuilding is AMAZING. The characters are pretty awesome. One thing that I did notice was that at 509 pages, there could a been a little bit of trimming of some of the Michael/Anya scenes so that it could be around 498-500 pages. But that's just a personal preference.
It's a great book and I'm looking forward to the second book.
Recommend 13+ for magic, language, and hinted sexual content (?). Once they got into the world hopping there were little to no innuendos.
It's a great book and I'm looking forward to the second book.
Recommend 13+ for magic, language, and hinted sexual content (?). Once they got into the world hopping there were little to no innuendos.
April 9, 2018
This was such a fun book to read! The story starts out in our world and then moves into a fantasy realm, which is something that I've always loved in books, and the premise was intriguing. The main character, Anya, begins the story wanting to save the small bookstore that has given her a feeling of family which, as an orphan, is important to her. In her quest for its salvation, she and her friends are pulled into a strange world under threat from a Darkness that makes their return to their own world seem unlikely. As a matter of survival, they must work with the inhabitants of this new place if they ever hope to get home again.
I think there was only one part of the story where I wished there were more said, to give a better idea of why something happened, but there's another book coming and I imagine that things will be covered more later. Even then, it's not really necessary to enjoy the book. Overall, I thought that the story flowed pretty well and the characters had good development. Anya's character was fascinating and it's fairly obvious that she's got a lot more going on than anyone really knows so far. There's a mystery behind her parentage and her connection to a boy who was cursed to be a dragon which makes things interesting. She seems to have a tie to this other realm and I can't wait to find out what other info the author is going to reveal about her in future books. I love books that pull you in and make you forget what's going on around you and this one did that easily. I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel!
I think there was only one part of the story where I wished there were more said, to give a better idea of why something happened, but there's another book coming and I imagine that things will be covered more later. Even then, it's not really necessary to enjoy the book. Overall, I thought that the story flowed pretty well and the characters had good development. Anya's character was fascinating and it's fairly obvious that she's got a lot more going on than anyone really knows so far. There's a mystery behind her parentage and her connection to a boy who was cursed to be a dragon which makes things interesting. She seems to have a tie to this other realm and I can't wait to find out what other info the author is going to reveal about her in future books. I love books that pull you in and make you forget what's going on around you and this one did that easily. I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel!
June 13, 2017
This was an epic fantasy with amazing world building and enjoyable characters. Anya has been an orphan her whole life and the only place which felt like home to her was Scott's bookshop, the last place she knew her mother had been before leaving her at the foster home. After Scott passes away and the bookstore is about to close down, Anya follows a hunch to find books written by an author known as the weaver. Books by this author have made the rival bookstore thrive and shes hoping to discover more. With her friends from the bookstore and her ex-boyfriend she goes on a journey and after discovering a list of clues, they end up in a parallel world. A world cloaked in darkness ravaged by beasts and Anya is prophesied to be their savior. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
June 18, 2017
I found this to be a fun read but definitely a book of two halves!
The first half was the strongest for me as i found the storyline really interesting, the characters well defined and easy to relate to. But the second half fell a little short as it ended up feeling a little too overwhelming, a little confused, characters changing personality too much and found the magical world to be a little messy. But any book that is set around a bookshop and features dragons and magic has enough going for it to keep me interested!!
Definitely looking forward to reading more of the series though as Anya is a very interesting character and hoping she develops more as the series continues!
The first half was the strongest for me as i found the storyline really interesting, the characters well defined and easy to relate to. But the second half fell a little short as it ended up feeling a little too overwhelming, a little confused, characters changing personality too much and found the magical world to be a little messy. But any book that is set around a bookshop and features dragons and magic has enough going for it to keep me interested!!
Definitely looking forward to reading more of the series though as Anya is a very interesting character and hoping she develops more as the series continues!
January 29, 2018
I enjoyed Mist & Whispers. (I told myself a while ago I would stay away from YA now, but this one spoke to me). It's a mixed bag of feelings after finishing it. It has the typical writing style of YA (with dialogue and characters) and I'm giving it 4 stars because I want to read the second in the series, which doesn't happen often!
Love the story, the riddles, and I actually like the Anya (the main character). It was fast paced at times, and kept my interest the whole way through. Awesome!
This may be entirely my opinion, but it could need a bit more descriptions of places and creatures. I personally LOVE detailed descriptions, so again, might just be a personal preference :)
Love the story, the riddles, and I actually like the Anya (the main character). It was fast paced at times, and kept my interest the whole way through. Awesome!
This may be entirely my opinion, but it could need a bit more descriptions of places and creatures. I personally LOVE detailed descriptions, so again, might just be a personal preference :)
March 25, 2018
The cover drew me in first. Not this one but the one on Amazon. The story started out well with a book store, death of a mentor, and a mysterious riddle. Once they started to solve the riddle it fell apart for me. The characters were inconsistent. At times they acted their age and others they seemed much, much younger and immature. The story would head in one direction and then jerk to another. Flow was off with the story and that made me have trouble staying interested in it. This one was a miss for me. I received an ebook at no charge and voluntarily provided an honest review.
April 2, 2018
I loved the idea for this story.
I really enjoyed following our main character and learning what she learnt. I also loved that there were a couple of stories within the story, it really kept my brain working.
As there is a lot of information to remember I recommend reading it as quickly as possible otherwise you'll forget several bits and get confused. I read it in 2 sittings.
Really looking forward to reading book 2.
I really enjoyed following our main character and learning what she learnt. I also loved that there were a couple of stories within the story, it really kept my brain working.
As there is a lot of information to remember I recommend reading it as quickly as possible otherwise you'll forget several bits and get confused. I read it in 2 sittings.
Really looking forward to reading book 2.
April 12, 2018
I was hooked from the first page. It it like Ink Heart meets the Liberians. You never know what will happen next! Loved it! Full of magic, mystical creatures, books and so much more! I am very excited for the next book!!!
June 28, 2018
Absolutely loved this book that I automatically began rereading as soon as I finished it.
dnf
March 17, 2017 DNF at 48%
January 19,2017- March 12, 2017
I decided to DNF this book. I'm so bored and its gotten to the point where I have to force myself to read it. It's just a generic typical fantasy book nothing new. Since I am very behind on my reading goal I will be counting it as read since I did read a lot of it. This might change in the future.
March 17, 2017
I feel like I'm cheating marking this book as read. I'm taking it off.
January 19,2017- March 12, 2017
I decided to DNF this book. I'm so bored and its gotten to the point where I have to force myself to read it. It's just a generic typical fantasy book nothing new. Since I am very behind on my reading goal I will be counting it as read since I did read a lot of it. This might change in the future.
March 17, 2017
I feel like I'm cheating marking this book as read. I'm taking it off.
June 19, 2016
***I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***
~*~ “A moment is coming soon where you need to go against your instincts. I need you to remember that sometimes you must leave things behind to move forward. - C. M. Lucas ~*~
Summary from Goodreads: “Imagine a world in eternal darkness. A world where skeletal beasts lurk in the forest. Where the women are missing, and the men are in need of salvation...
In the West-English town of Little Wolf Green, Scott's bookshop is about to close down. Convinced the bookshop holds the key to her mother's identity, sixteen year old Anya Piddling vows to save Scott's, whatever the cost.
When four books of magic and myth take the world by storm, Anya begins a journey to discover the truth about the author, known only as the Weaver. Followed closely by her friends, and one surly, bitter ex-boyfriend, Anya soon realises a whole new world awaits: a world gone very wrong, with maddening whispers in the forest, magical winged Kings and a dragon-boy that understands her, inside and out. But this world needs a saviour... and everyone is looking at her.
Review:
WOW. This book has everything. Fantasy, book lovers, magic, mythical creatures, danger, distress, loss, friendship, bravery… the list is endless.
Plot: 5/5
As I said before, this book has everything. It IS everything. Anya and her friends embark on an accidental quest to save her favorite bookstore (which is really more like her home) and stumble upon more magic than they know what to do with. There are multiple worlds and tons of mythical creatures (vampire leeches? ew!) and magical elements and even though there was SO MUCH GOING ON, it never became overwhelming or too much to handle. This book was a badass beginning to what I believe is a trilogy. It does an amazing job of introducing characters and pushing them through the first part of their quest.
Characters: 5/5
There is a wide cast of characters in this book. Anya is a great lead. I think she’s spunky and I love that she adores reading. She’s understandably angsty at times but brave and compassionate and everything that a heroine needs to be. Her ex-boyfriend (the breakup story was kind of weird, to be honest), Michael, was a different story. He was over-the top. Needy, whiny, and grumpy for the majority of the novel. I don’t know if he was supposed to annoy me as much as he did, but I know Anya could do better. There was a point at which I think he was supposed to be redeemed, but he ruined it rather quickly and I’m just kind of over him. STEPHANIE! Oh my goodness! I thought she was going to annoy me to no end, but I quickly fell in love with her manic personality. She’s sweet and tries hard to do her best, and I’m so glad she’s part of Anya’s squad. Finally, we have Lorcan. I’m obsessed with dragons (who isn’t?), so the idea of a human/dragon hybrid was pretty badass. Lorcan’s story was terribly sad and his friendship with Anya was an important piece of the story. I’m looking forward to seeing where their relationship goes in the next installment of this series.
Writing Style: 5/5
Lucas’ writing style was wonderful in that it was quirky and and full of character and so easy to read. I really enjoyed the riddles included and thought they brought a lot to the quest.
Pacing: 5/5
Holy cow, the action literally never ever stops! This thing was action packed from beginning to end and it made it very difficult to put down.
Cover: 5/5
Call me shallow, but the cover art is what originally hooked my attention. Anya is featured on the front cover, holding one of the Weaver’s books in her hands, and she’s wearing her trusty red converse. Her brilliant orange hair is blowing in the wind majestically and it’s just gorgeous. It portrays the fantasy element and the space between worlds she travels through and honestly I just adore everything about it.
Final Score: 5/5
Overall Impression: There isn’t much more for me to say. I loved it! Can’t wait to read the next installment. Congratulations to C.M. Lucas for putting out an amazing debut novel!
~*~ “A moment is coming soon where you need to go against your instincts. I need you to remember that sometimes you must leave things behind to move forward. - C. M. Lucas ~*~
Summary from Goodreads: “Imagine a world in eternal darkness. A world where skeletal beasts lurk in the forest. Where the women are missing, and the men are in need of salvation...
In the West-English town of Little Wolf Green, Scott's bookshop is about to close down. Convinced the bookshop holds the key to her mother's identity, sixteen year old Anya Piddling vows to save Scott's, whatever the cost.
When four books of magic and myth take the world by storm, Anya begins a journey to discover the truth about the author, known only as the Weaver. Followed closely by her friends, and one surly, bitter ex-boyfriend, Anya soon realises a whole new world awaits: a world gone very wrong, with maddening whispers in the forest, magical winged Kings and a dragon-boy that understands her, inside and out. But this world needs a saviour... and everyone is looking at her.
Review:
WOW. This book has everything. Fantasy, book lovers, magic, mythical creatures, danger, distress, loss, friendship, bravery… the list is endless.
Plot: 5/5
As I said before, this book has everything. It IS everything. Anya and her friends embark on an accidental quest to save her favorite bookstore (which is really more like her home) and stumble upon more magic than they know what to do with. There are multiple worlds and tons of mythical creatures (vampire leeches? ew!) and magical elements and even though there was SO MUCH GOING ON, it never became overwhelming or too much to handle. This book was a badass beginning to what I believe is a trilogy. It does an amazing job of introducing characters and pushing them through the first part of their quest.
Characters: 5/5
There is a wide cast of characters in this book. Anya is a great lead. I think she’s spunky and I love that she adores reading. She’s understandably angsty at times but brave and compassionate and everything that a heroine needs to be. Her ex-boyfriend (the breakup story was kind of weird, to be honest), Michael, was a different story. He was over-the top. Needy, whiny, and grumpy for the majority of the novel. I don’t know if he was supposed to annoy me as much as he did, but I know Anya could do better. There was a point at which I think he was supposed to be redeemed, but he ruined it rather quickly and I’m just kind of over him. STEPHANIE! Oh my goodness! I thought she was going to annoy me to no end, but I quickly fell in love with her manic personality. She’s sweet and tries hard to do her best, and I’m so glad she’s part of Anya’s squad. Finally, we have Lorcan. I’m obsessed with dragons (who isn’t?), so the idea of a human/dragon hybrid was pretty badass. Lorcan’s story was terribly sad and his friendship with Anya was an important piece of the story. I’m looking forward to seeing where their relationship goes in the next installment of this series.
Writing Style: 5/5
Lucas’ writing style was wonderful in that it was quirky and and full of character and so easy to read. I really enjoyed the riddles included and thought they brought a lot to the quest.
Pacing: 5/5
Holy cow, the action literally never ever stops! This thing was action packed from beginning to end and it made it very difficult to put down.
Cover: 5/5
Call me shallow, but the cover art is what originally hooked my attention. Anya is featured on the front cover, holding one of the Weaver’s books in her hands, and she’s wearing her trusty red converse. Her brilliant orange hair is blowing in the wind majestically and it’s just gorgeous. It portrays the fantasy element and the space between worlds she travels through and honestly I just adore everything about it.
Final Score: 5/5
Overall Impression: There isn’t much more for me to say. I loved it! Can’t wait to read the next installment. Congratulations to C.M. Lucas for putting out an amazing debut novel!
March 13, 2017
Absolutely magical. This story was pure magic from the first page to the last. I definitely recommend this book to everyone and anyone. I'm eagerly anticipating the next novel.
June 2, 2016
A mixed bag
On the plus side
Story starts out very strongly, in fact the first several chapters are the best written of the book. Anya's character starts off very clear and she begins as a sympathetic MC.
On the down side
SPOILERS
Once the action moves from England to Virtfirth, the characters deteriorate badly. Anya loses her strength of character, starts whining a lot and not using her brain. Anya and Steph are constantly portrayed as screamers. They wail and cry and carry on whenever things get hard. Really? That wasn't who Anya was in the beginning of the story--in fact she tended to quietly take charge in emergencies-- so why is Lucas turning her into a sniveling girlie?
The whole story arc in which General Faust decides he hates Anya and the soldiers immediately split into two groups, the ones who like him and who ridicule Anya and try to hurt or kill her, and the ones who support Anya and friends is just ridiculous and unbelievable. First off, it's impossible to believe that Anya would resort to calling General Faust, 'Fausty,' no matter how unfair he's being to her. She's not in middle school, and he's old enough to be her father or grandfather. Up to this point, Anya has never treated older people with disrespect, no matter how difficult or condescending they are, so why would she start now? And the things he says to and about her are such cardboard villain speeches that it's hard to take him seriously. It's also unbelievable to me that all these soldiers in the king's army would openly attack someone the king has said is so important both to him and to the fate of the kingdom. Again, more a middle school dynamic than an adult one. Adults tend to be much less puerile and direct, especially adults who've led armies for decades.
Then there are these odd moments when Anya stops whinging about how incompetent she is, gets angry and suddenly has superhuman strength or magic out of nowhere. She just shifts instantly from whiner to bully, and Lucas doesn't even try to provide a reason, so it makes no sense.
Michael's character also acts much younger than he ought to be. If he were always as self-absorbed as Lucas writes him, there would be no reason for Anya to have been attracted to him in the first place. It's also not clear how old he actually is. If he's in high school, maybe that's one thing, but I got the impression that he's more in Steph and Tim's age group, so why was it okay for him to start going out with Anya when she was fifteen? (Lucas says they were together a year, and Anya's not yet seventeen when the story opens). The relationship seems questionable at best, and Anya even suspects that Michael wasn't supposed to come to Virtfirth, and that he or his presence might be problematic.
Too much of the story is poorly done, from the inconsistent characters to the cardboard villains to the standard riddle quest tropes. The book may be written for a younger audience, but that doesn't excuse Lucas's making her older characters act like middle schoolers.
On the plus side
Story starts out very strongly, in fact the first several chapters are the best written of the book. Anya's character starts off very clear and she begins as a sympathetic MC.
On the down side
SPOILERS
Once the action moves from England to Virtfirth, the characters deteriorate badly. Anya loses her strength of character, starts whining a lot and not using her brain. Anya and Steph are constantly portrayed as screamers. They wail and cry and carry on whenever things get hard. Really? That wasn't who Anya was in the beginning of the story--in fact she tended to quietly take charge in emergencies-- so why is Lucas turning her into a sniveling girlie?
The whole story arc in which General Faust decides he hates Anya and the soldiers immediately split into two groups, the ones who like him and who ridicule Anya and try to hurt or kill her, and the ones who support Anya and friends is just ridiculous and unbelievable. First off, it's impossible to believe that Anya would resort to calling General Faust, 'Fausty,' no matter how unfair he's being to her. She's not in middle school, and he's old enough to be her father or grandfather. Up to this point, Anya has never treated older people with disrespect, no matter how difficult or condescending they are, so why would she start now? And the things he says to and about her are such cardboard villain speeches that it's hard to take him seriously. It's also unbelievable to me that all these soldiers in the king's army would openly attack someone the king has said is so important both to him and to the fate of the kingdom. Again, more a middle school dynamic than an adult one. Adults tend to be much less puerile and direct, especially adults who've led armies for decades.
Then there are these odd moments when Anya stops whinging about how incompetent she is, gets angry and suddenly has superhuman strength or magic out of nowhere. She just shifts instantly from whiner to bully, and Lucas doesn't even try to provide a reason, so it makes no sense.
Michael's character also acts much younger than he ought to be. If he were always as self-absorbed as Lucas writes him, there would be no reason for Anya to have been attracted to him in the first place. It's also not clear how old he actually is. If he's in high school, maybe that's one thing, but I got the impression that he's more in Steph and Tim's age group, so why was it okay for him to start going out with Anya when she was fifteen? (Lucas says they were together a year, and Anya's not yet seventeen when the story opens). The relationship seems questionable at best, and Anya even suspects that Michael wasn't supposed to come to Virtfirth, and that he or his presence might be problematic.
Too much of the story is poorly done, from the inconsistent characters to the cardboard villains to the standard riddle quest tropes. The book may be written for a younger audience, but that doesn't excuse Lucas's making her older characters act like middle schoolers.
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