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Eldryn Chronicles #1
Trapped in Silver
Courage comes from a shadowed place in our hearts; a blurred line that straddles love and sheer stupidity.
To seventeen-year-old Ava, wild woodcats, hungry stragglers, and simple-minded townsfolk are the evils she's grown accustomed to. But when Ethan, an unusual man with eyes of smoke and fire opal, enters her world she quickly understands that there are worse things out there than drunken men and carnivorous forest creatures. She's a specialised liar and a hell of a fighter, but against a group of animalistic men called Berserkers she struggles to survive the encounter as the desperate swing of a dagger is all it takes to change her life for good.
Half-dead and hunted by the Berserker's leader when he forms a monstrous obsession with her, Ava escapes his pursuit in an unfamiliar land full of impossible creatures, unlikely allies, and the man she doesn't know whether to kiss or kill.
But after dreadful news of her missing brother surfaces, Ava becomes more involved in the centuries-long war and begins to unravel the reasons behind her relentless nightmares, discovering truths long-buried in a violent history of love, loss and betrayal.
To seventeen-year-old Ava, wild woodcats, hungry stragglers, and simple-minded townsfolk are the evils she's grown accustomed to. But when Ethan, an unusual man with eyes of smoke and fire opal, enters her world she quickly understands that there are worse things out there than drunken men and carnivorous forest creatures. She's a specialised liar and a hell of a fighter, but against a group of animalistic men called Berserkers she struggles to survive the encounter as the desperate swing of a dagger is all it takes to change her life for good.
Half-dead and hunted by the Berserker's leader when he forms a monstrous obsession with her, Ava escapes his pursuit in an unfamiliar land full of impossible creatures, unlikely allies, and the man she doesn't know whether to kiss or kill.
But after dreadful news of her missing brother surfaces, Ava becomes more involved in the centuries-long war and begins to unravel the reasons behind her relentless nightmares, discovering truths long-buried in a violent history of love, loss and betrayal.
366 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2017
33 people are currently reading
2552 people want to read
About the author
Emily Sowden
4 books122 followersTrapped in Silver is currently out of print. The Eldryn Chronicles has been put on hold for the foreseeable future.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
September 4, 2017
UPDATE:
I know I am bias because I publish this.. but I publish it for a reason. I loved it even more the second time I read it. Ava is so amazing and I love a slow burning fantasy. It really opens up this world for book two which i am SO ready to read soon!
OH MY GOD.
When reading submissions for Oftomes Publishing I look for many things.
Intrigue, romance, action, character development and a solid world.
This ticked all the boxes.
This story is filled with magic, world building and relationship. Its about family, friends. Finding your true self.
Ava is a KICK ASS character and is the PERFECT character to lead a story.
Emily Sowden is a VERY strong voice and is likely to take the YA world by storm.
This first book in her HIGH FANTASY series is just aw-inspring.
I am so honoured to publish this novel, bring on February 2017
I know I am bias because I publish this.. but I publish it for a reason. I loved it even more the second time I read it. Ava is so amazing and I love a slow burning fantasy. It really opens up this world for book two which i am SO ready to read soon!
OH MY GOD.
When reading submissions for Oftomes Publishing I look for many things.
Intrigue, romance, action, character development and a solid world.
This ticked all the boxes.
This story is filled with magic, world building and relationship. Its about family, friends. Finding your true self.
Ava is a KICK ASS character and is the PERFECT character to lead a story.
Emily Sowden is a VERY strong voice and is likely to take the YA world by storm.
This first book in her HIGH FANTASY series is just aw-inspring.
I am so honoured to publish this novel, bring on February 2017
February 25, 2017
This Debut Author Is One To Watch
Here’s the thing about real people. They’re complicated. Okay, fine. We’re complicated. We can stand up to a pack of wolves with nothing but a knife at dusk and then shiver in a warm bed until dawn, terrified by a nightmare we don’t even remember. It doesn’t make any sense. Real people don’t always make sense. Emily Sowden gets that. She gets how real life works.
Take Ava. She might not be great at fighting, but she’s a survivor. She knows how to depend on herself. When her mother dies and her father starts disappearing, she holds the family farm together. So what if women aren’t allowed to conduct business in her misogynist, backwater town? She’ll dress herself as a young man and get the job done. That’s practical strength. That’s real strength.
When her life takes a turn and she finds herself far from home, surrounded by demons and berserkers and dangers she never even imagined, she doesn’t pick up a random weapon, master it in two weeks, and start slaying monsters left and right. Why not? Because no real person could do that. What a real person can master quickly is learning how to take advantage of what they already have. That’s what Ava does, and she does it in spades.
But the world of Trapped in Silver is just as impressive as its characters. From struggling towns to magical wilderness, Sowden has created a reality with breadth, depth, and a history so rich it practically jumps off the page. With a wonderful cast of supporting characters to provide both protection and new challenges at every turn, Ava’s sassy and headstrong journey to discover her true place within this realm is well worth the read.
Here’s the thing about real people. They’re complicated. Okay, fine. We’re complicated. We can stand up to a pack of wolves with nothing but a knife at dusk and then shiver in a warm bed until dawn, terrified by a nightmare we don’t even remember. It doesn’t make any sense. Real people don’t always make sense. Emily Sowden gets that. She gets how real life works.
Take Ava. She might not be great at fighting, but she’s a survivor. She knows how to depend on herself. When her mother dies and her father starts disappearing, she holds the family farm together. So what if women aren’t allowed to conduct business in her misogynist, backwater town? She’ll dress herself as a young man and get the job done. That’s practical strength. That’s real strength.
When her life takes a turn and she finds herself far from home, surrounded by demons and berserkers and dangers she never even imagined, she doesn’t pick up a random weapon, master it in two weeks, and start slaying monsters left and right. Why not? Because no real person could do that. What a real person can master quickly is learning how to take advantage of what they already have. That’s what Ava does, and she does it in spades.
But the world of Trapped in Silver is just as impressive as its characters. From struggling towns to magical wilderness, Sowden has created a reality with breadth, depth, and a history so rich it practically jumps off the page. With a wonderful cast of supporting characters to provide both protection and new challenges at every turn, Ava’s sassy and headstrong journey to discover her true place within this realm is well worth the read.
October 5, 2016
I got the chance to read this book early and had a lot of fun reading it! The magic and mystery is strong in this one, and it had me trying to figure out what was happening, with mixed success.
With an interesting cast of characters and Ava being the protagonist, I had a lot of fun going through this story!
With an interesting cast of characters and Ava being the protagonist, I had a lot of fun going through this story!
April 5, 2017
The main character Ava was interesting but I didnt like how she kept getting in trouble by not making smart decisions. Although the trouble was entertaining. I enjoyed her sarcasm and tendency to be headstrong but I wanted her to be more persistant when demanding answers. Well she was persistant at times but the lack of answers was a little frustraring I liked how she was independent and took care of her farm. I also enjoyed the whole Cedar aspect. Some of her dreams were a little odd and didnt seem to have a point to them but not all of them.
I was kind of disapointed that I was able to predict the character twists but I still enjoyed the results. The men in this story werent the nicest but Ric and Ethan did grow on me as their relationship with Ava progressed. I didnt trust Daniel at all and Alistair was kind of a jerk. I wasnt sure what was going on during the first scene where Avas flirting with Ethan. The flirting felt a little off at first but it does get better. I loved Avas sisterly relationship with Lavender. I thought Lavender and Willow were great characters. I would have like to see more of Avas relationship with her father and brother Roan. The main antagonist Stephan was absent for most of the book which was disapointing.
I like some mystery but I was getting impatient wanting to know what was going on. The lack of information made the world a bit confusing but I did like the different creatures. I just wish I knew where they came from and how the magic works. The story was alright but the pace was too slow for me. There was a lot of times where I got bored when they were just waiting around or traveling from one place to another. Usually the ending of a story is when Im the most captivated but in this book I found my mind wandering even more towards the last third of the book. The last couples pages were fascinating though and Im looking forward to seeing where the sequel goes from there.
*received in exchange for an honest review*
I was kind of disapointed that I was able to predict the character twists but I still enjoyed the results. The men in this story werent the nicest but Ric and Ethan did grow on me as their relationship with Ava progressed. I didnt trust Daniel at all and Alistair was kind of a jerk. I wasnt sure what was going on during the first scene where Avas flirting with Ethan. The flirting felt a little off at first but it does get better. I loved Avas sisterly relationship with Lavender. I thought Lavender and Willow were great characters. I would have like to see more of Avas relationship with her father and brother Roan. The main antagonist Stephan was absent for most of the book which was disapointing.
I like some mystery but I was getting impatient wanting to know what was going on. The lack of information made the world a bit confusing but I did like the different creatures. I just wish I knew where they came from and how the magic works. The story was alright but the pace was too slow for me. There was a lot of times where I got bored when they were just waiting around or traveling from one place to another. Usually the ending of a story is when Im the most captivated but in this book I found my mind wandering even more towards the last third of the book. The last couples pages were fascinating though and Im looking forward to seeing where the sequel goes from there.
*received in exchange for an honest review*
February 9, 2017
Emily Sowden’s Trapped in Silver is another Oftomes novel I wanted to give a go and try to read. I love a good fantasy, so when the synopsis mentioned being sucked into a world of different creatures and discovering past truths, I was already intrigued!
This story has a very slow and steady pace. There is never anything that goes too fast that you won’t be able to understand it in the end. I really liked that it was so steady, and it never dragged – which I was worried it would. I also really liked that we got to see quite a bit of Ava’s normal life before she gets dragged into something new.
I was a little at odds with the point of view switching. There are only ever two points of view, so it never gets confusing. But we switch to Ethan’s point of view about three times for only two short pages each time. I felt like it was kind of unnecessary and if we had the entire novel from Ava’s point of view, we wouldn’t be missing out on much either. But it didn’t disturb from the experience of reading this book.
The world building was done in a lot of detail and had to be my favourite thing about the novel. I loved seeing how everything worked. And we didn’t just get detail about the monsters, but also the flora and the fauna. The author really made sure we would understand everything.
One downside of the novel was that I didn’t really feel anything in particular for any of the characters. It wasn’t that they were badly developed or written, they just failed to capture my emotion in the way I usually would’ve liked. There was a romance between the protagonist and a love romance, but it was just alright. Not heart capturing or anything in particular.
I also felt like the ending was a little rushed. Towards the end of the book we have a lot of tension and rising action… all leading toward the climax. But when we get there, everything goes so fast and it’s all over in a couple of pages. Then the book just… ended! That was one point where I wished the author had taken a little more of her time.
All in all, it was a decent, good read. I really liked exploring the world and getting to see the story unfold. The author really knows how to pay attention to detail. I just wish things went a bit slower at the end, and the emotions dug a little bit deeper.
This review and others can be found on Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
This story has a very slow and steady pace. There is never anything that goes too fast that you won’t be able to understand it in the end. I really liked that it was so steady, and it never dragged – which I was worried it would. I also really liked that we got to see quite a bit of Ava’s normal life before she gets dragged into something new.
I was a little at odds with the point of view switching. There are only ever two points of view, so it never gets confusing. But we switch to Ethan’s point of view about three times for only two short pages each time. I felt like it was kind of unnecessary and if we had the entire novel from Ava’s point of view, we wouldn’t be missing out on much either. But it didn’t disturb from the experience of reading this book.
The world building was done in a lot of detail and had to be my favourite thing about the novel. I loved seeing how everything worked. And we didn’t just get detail about the monsters, but also the flora and the fauna. The author really made sure we would understand everything.
One downside of the novel was that I didn’t really feel anything in particular for any of the characters. It wasn’t that they were badly developed or written, they just failed to capture my emotion in the way I usually would’ve liked. There was a romance between the protagonist and a love romance, but it was just alright. Not heart capturing or anything in particular.
I also felt like the ending was a little rushed. Towards the end of the book we have a lot of tension and rising action… all leading toward the climax. But when we get there, everything goes so fast and it’s all over in a couple of pages. Then the book just… ended! That was one point where I wished the author had taken a little more of her time.
All in all, it was a decent, good read. I really liked exploring the world and getting to see the story unfold. The author really knows how to pay attention to detail. I just wish things went a bit slower at the end, and the emotions dug a little bit deeper.
This review and others can be found on Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
September 13, 2016
“Spectacularly suspenseful. Spellbound to the very last page.”
“Sinister, seductive, breathless…I have chills!”
I hope you’re ready to be transported into a magical world right along with the main character. Trapped in Silver is a wild ride, full of suspense and mysterious characters wary to share their secrets. Layers are slowly pulled back until you start to realize you’re in over your head right along with the characters.
The characters are so unique. They’re depth and complicated relationships draw you in right away. I wanted to keep digging to find out what made them tick. They endure so much you can’t help but root for them, even some of the villains! But you can add me to team Ethan right now. He’s swoon worthy!
I loved the way many different paranormal beings were meshed into TIS along with some new ones. It kept me guessing and not knowing who to trust. Plus the will-they-won’t-they of a few relationships had me unable to put the book down. This is definitely a “just one more chapter” read until suddenly it’s midnight and you’re gasping that you’ve reached the end! This one got me, hook, line and sinker! Dare I say I’ll be Beserk until I can get my hands on the next installment?
“Sinister, seductive, breathless…I have chills!”
I hope you’re ready to be transported into a magical world right along with the main character. Trapped in Silver is a wild ride, full of suspense and mysterious characters wary to share their secrets. Layers are slowly pulled back until you start to realize you’re in over your head right along with the characters.
The characters are so unique. They’re depth and complicated relationships draw you in right away. I wanted to keep digging to find out what made them tick. They endure so much you can’t help but root for them, even some of the villains! But you can add me to team Ethan right now. He’s swoon worthy!
I loved the way many different paranormal beings were meshed into TIS along with some new ones. It kept me guessing and not knowing who to trust. Plus the will-they-won’t-they of a few relationships had me unable to put the book down. This is definitely a “just one more chapter” read until suddenly it’s midnight and you’re gasping that you’ve reached the end! This one got me, hook, line and sinker! Dare I say I’ll be Beserk until I can get my hands on the next installment?
December 30, 2017
Song Choice: Shake it out - Florence + the machine
Review: Let me tell you, THIS IS A FRIGGIN AMAZING BOOK! Seriously I love this book. I love the storyline, and her writing style is just so perfect! Ava is a Friggin awesome character, from page One I was like “yas gurl, werk it. *flicks hair*” Her writing just pulls you into the story, I felt like I was transported to a new world. The emotions I felt reading this – oh my. I have so many theories but I think I’ll be posting them around March time? If you love (me, I do!) Sarah J. Maas’s books, I think you’ll love this one! I was put into #TeamDemon I think it’s such a fun way to promote a book! Thanks to Oftomes publishing and Emily Sowden (who are seriously nice people!) I got to read this wonderful wonderful book early! definitely one of my favourite reads of the year! This isn’t as detailed as my other reviews because the book hasn’t been released yet. I’m finding it really hard not to say anything but this book will be released on the 7th of February on ebook and paperback! I cannot wait for more awesomeness next year! and if you sign up to Emily Sowden’s site you can get a free colouring in page!
Review: Let me tell you, THIS IS A FRIGGIN AMAZING BOOK! Seriously I love this book. I love the storyline, and her writing style is just so perfect! Ava is a Friggin awesome character, from page One I was like “yas gurl, werk it. *flicks hair*” Her writing just pulls you into the story, I felt like I was transported to a new world. The emotions I felt reading this – oh my. I have so many theories but I think I’ll be posting them around March time? If you love (me, I do!) Sarah J. Maas’s books, I think you’ll love this one! I was put into #TeamDemon I think it’s such a fun way to promote a book! Thanks to Oftomes publishing and Emily Sowden (who are seriously nice people!) I got to read this wonderful wonderful book early! definitely one of my favourite reads of the year! This isn’t as detailed as my other reviews because the book hasn’t been released yet. I’m finding it really hard not to say anything but this book will be released on the 7th of February on ebook and paperback! I cannot wait for more awesomeness next year! and if you sign up to Emily Sowden’s site you can get a free colouring in page!
September 16, 2017
I would like to thank the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this novel.
I must say this book had a lot of interesting elements. I like Ava, her small town and the ambience it had going in the beginning and all of the sudden it all changes. And honestly that is what made me gave it three stars. We had such a interesting balance that got a bit of when the trio of boys gets introduced, I didn't care for them, they were odd and a bit cliché.
Another element that was lacking was world building. I understand that the action and characters must be focal but when you introduce the reader to a world with complete different rules I feel that you need to present the world. And as the book progressed I never fully understood this world so I could never be fully immersed.
If you enjoy YA fantasy book this might be for you. It has a lot of action, surprises and a brave heroine, otherwise, I would pick it with caution. Final rating 3 stars.
I must say this book had a lot of interesting elements. I like Ava, her small town and the ambience it had going in the beginning and all of the sudden it all changes. And honestly that is what made me gave it three stars. We had such a interesting balance that got a bit of when the trio of boys gets introduced, I didn't care for them, they were odd and a bit cliché.
Another element that was lacking was world building. I understand that the action and characters must be focal but when you introduce the reader to a world with complete different rules I feel that you need to present the world. And as the book progressed I never fully understood this world so I could never be fully immersed.
If you enjoy YA fantasy book this might be for you. It has a lot of action, surprises and a brave heroine, otherwise, I would pick it with caution. Final rating 3 stars.
February 10, 2017
This is going to be a very difficult review to write, because most of the times I know what to write down before I start a review, but today, that’s different. I have no idea where to start this review, so let’s start on a positive note, and talk about the things I did like about Trapped in Silver.
The writing was great. It sucked me right in and wouldn’t let me go. It was definitely that kind of book where you forget what’s going on around you, because you’re so engrossed in the story.
I really enjoyed the characters. They’re all very complex and unique, and Ava, the main character, was very likeable and badass.
The story line was incredibly interesting, was full of twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat.
I have been very positive about Trapped in Silver so far, but did I actually like it? Eh, not really. But that’s 100% personal. The book was very suspenseful and scary, which is something I don’t enjoy. Reading this book made my anxiety go wild, and I had to put the book down multiple times because I thought I might have a panic attack.
That is the difficult thing about writing this review. My anxiety definitely kept me from liking this book, so my personal experience with the book wasn’t great, but the book in itself was good and I know a lot of people might like it.
So, if you like suspenseful books with paranormal elements and great characters, this is a book for you! But if you’re a bit like me, and scary books make your anxiety really bad, then maybe don’t read this one.
The writing was great. It sucked me right in and wouldn’t let me go. It was definitely that kind of book where you forget what’s going on around you, because you’re so engrossed in the story.
I really enjoyed the characters. They’re all very complex and unique, and Ava, the main character, was very likeable and badass.
The story line was incredibly interesting, was full of twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat.
I have been very positive about Trapped in Silver so far, but did I actually like it? Eh, not really. But that’s 100% personal. The book was very suspenseful and scary, which is something I don’t enjoy. Reading this book made my anxiety go wild, and I had to put the book down multiple times because I thought I might have a panic attack.
That is the difficult thing about writing this review. My anxiety definitely kept me from liking this book, so my personal experience with the book wasn’t great, but the book in itself was good and I know a lot of people might like it.
So, if you like suspenseful books with paranormal elements and great characters, this is a book for you! But if you’re a bit like me, and scary books make your anxiety really bad, then maybe don’t read this one.
August 1, 2019
I spent the last two days trying to find out how to put everything I felt with this book in words...
This is such a phenomenal story and I can't believe it was rejected so many times!!
Thanks to OfTomes publishing and Emily Sowden for providing me a free copy in exchange of a honest review :)
This story is like nothing I've read before. We have Ava, a teenage girl who takes care of her family farm, lives with her "brother" Roan and, in order to survive, dresses up as a man and calls herself Cedar. But she is far from normal: she has really weird nightmares, she refuses to be matched to another man and strange things start to happen in the farm, including Roan's new actitude and red eyes that hunt her in the dark. And when a group of beasts attack her and try to kill her, she discovers that humans are not alone in the world.
There is not a single cliche, not any love triangle and all the characters and descriptions are so vivid and unique. Ava is saved and then taken to a house in the middle of a foreign forest. There, she learns about all the inhabitants, the history and the war that is going on. I was really fond of Lavender and her sweetness, I actually liked Theron and how impotant he is... As for Ric, he started from a total distrust to a "I love you, I want you to be happy" feeling.
And Ethan... he is the first character I've know with that name. His sarcasm and his secrets were the ones that had me reading this book until 3 am. He would do anything for Ava, even though he is not really good when sharing feelings.
For me, it's a solid 4.5. The .5 was because the author included some weird words that I didn't even know what she was talking about (cons of not having English as your main language). Even though the story is slow, it is very easy to read and I found it very enjoyable sometimes. There are A LOT of plot twists and some of them left me with my mouth open because I couldn't believe what was happenning.
And seriously?? That ending???
Benjamin Alderson, I really hope you sign me up as the first person to receive the second book as an ARC because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT ELSE HAPPENS!!!!
Final warning: READ IT!! IT'S REALLY AWESOME!!!
This is such a phenomenal story and I can't believe it was rejected so many times!!
Thanks to OfTomes publishing and Emily Sowden for providing me a free copy in exchange of a honest review :)
This story is like nothing I've read before. We have Ava, a teenage girl who takes care of her family farm, lives with her "brother" Roan and, in order to survive, dresses up as a man and calls herself Cedar. But she is far from normal: she has really weird nightmares, she refuses to be matched to another man and strange things start to happen in the farm, including Roan's new actitude and red eyes that hunt her in the dark. And when a group of beasts attack her and try to kill her, she discovers that humans are not alone in the world.
There is not a single cliche, not any love triangle and all the characters and descriptions are so vivid and unique. Ava is saved and then taken to a house in the middle of a foreign forest. There, she learns about all the inhabitants, the history and the war that is going on. I was really fond of Lavender and her sweetness, I actually liked Theron and how impotant he is... As for Ric, he started from a total distrust to a "I love you, I want you to be happy" feeling.
And Ethan... he is the first character I've know with that name. His sarcasm and his secrets were the ones that had me reading this book until 3 am. He would do anything for Ava, even though he is not really good when sharing feelings.
For me, it's a solid 4.5. The .5 was because the author included some weird words that I didn't even know what she was talking about (cons of not having English as your main language). Even though the story is slow, it is very easy to read and I found it very enjoyable sometimes. There are A LOT of plot twists and some of them left me with my mouth open because I couldn't believe what was happenning.
And seriously?? That ending???
Benjamin Alderson, I really hope you sign me up as the first person to receive the second book as an ARC because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT ELSE HAPPENS!!!!
Final warning: READ IT!! IT'S REALLY AWESOME!!!
December 11, 2016
Where do I even start? I loved this book! I'm so glad that I had a chance to read it before it's release, so let's dive right into this review!
I love the writing style in this book. I also love the dual perspectives, I think it adds a lot to the story, and helps develop both characters on a deeper level. It moves along very quickly, and that's something I appreciate in a fantasy novel. I don't need eight chapters to describe the journey, and while Emily Snowden has painted absolutely stunning portraits with her descriptions, they tell you exactly what you need to know with out unnecessary fluff. The world building is great, I have a very clear picture in my mind of all the places they traveled, and the house in the trees, and it's all wonderful!
The characters relationships and backstories are deep and rich and I love how I learned more and more about each character as the story went on. Even though Ethan is a steamy hunk of man meat, I think Ric is my favorite character (second to Ava). He's tough, but soft hearted. He's loyal and loving. He's my precious cinnamon bun and he must be protected!
Ava is such a great lead character. She's tough and smart and brave, which we all love in a good heroine, but she's also very relatable. She's not afraid to admit when she's scared or show her vulnerable side. This is one of my favorite parts of her inner monologue "In a single motion I'd gathered up my skirt to the thigh and pushed my legs as hard as they could go. It wasn't the most graceful thing to do, but what good were airs grace and manners when you were getting torn apart?" that sums her up pretty well.
This book ends on such a cliffhanger, I can't believe I have to wait for the next book! I need it immediately! Emily Snowden has opened a new world for YA fantasy readers, and everyone will want to get lost in it!
I love the writing style in this book. I also love the dual perspectives, I think it adds a lot to the story, and helps develop both characters on a deeper level. It moves along very quickly, and that's something I appreciate in a fantasy novel. I don't need eight chapters to describe the journey, and while Emily Snowden has painted absolutely stunning portraits with her descriptions, they tell you exactly what you need to know with out unnecessary fluff. The world building is great, I have a very clear picture in my mind of all the places they traveled, and the house in the trees, and it's all wonderful!
The characters relationships and backstories are deep and rich and I love how I learned more and more about each character as the story went on. Even though Ethan is a steamy hunk of man meat, I think Ric is my favorite character (second to Ava). He's tough, but soft hearted. He's loyal and loving. He's my precious cinnamon bun and he must be protected!
Ava is such a great lead character. She's tough and smart and brave, which we all love in a good heroine, but she's also very relatable. She's not afraid to admit when she's scared or show her vulnerable side. This is one of my favorite parts of her inner monologue "In a single motion I'd gathered up my skirt to the thigh and pushed my legs as hard as they could go. It wasn't the most graceful thing to do, but what good were airs grace and manners when you were getting torn apart?" that sums her up pretty well.
This book ends on such a cliffhanger, I can't believe I have to wait for the next book! I need it immediately! Emily Snowden has opened a new world for YA fantasy readers, and everyone will want to get lost in it!
August 3, 2016
Emily is without a doubt the next big thing to hit high fantasy!
In my opinion, With a writing style reminiscent of Sarah J Maas and perfect for fans of ACOTAR, Trapped in Silver will leave you awaiting the next installment with bated breath!
Following a strong, resourceful, kick-ass heroine, with a whole host of wonderful multi-faceted characters, creatures and unpredictable twists and turns, this is easily one of my top reads of 2016.
Definitely one to watch! - I highly recommend you add this to your tbr! (like now)!!
In my opinion, With a writing style reminiscent of Sarah J Maas and perfect for fans of ACOTAR, Trapped in Silver will leave you awaiting the next installment with bated breath!
Following a strong, resourceful, kick-ass heroine, with a whole host of wonderful multi-faceted characters, creatures and unpredictable twists and turns, this is easily one of my top reads of 2016.
Definitely one to watch! - I highly recommend you add this to your tbr! (like now)!!
February 6, 2017
Spoiler-free review of Trapped in Silver by Emily Sowden.
This review copy was sent to me by @oftomes publishing, thanks once again for the opportunity!
Rating: 4/5 stars
So, here we go. I'm not lying when I say that a spell was cast on me on page one.
First thing I remember thinking was something that sounded like "hell yes" .
It was a long time since I read a fantasy so well structured and written!
SYNOPSIS:
Courage comes from a shadowed place in our hearts; a blurred line that straddles love and sheer stupidity.
To seventeen-year-old Ava, wild woodcats, hungry stragglers, and simple-minded townsfolk are the evils she’s grown accustomed to. But when Ethan, an unusual man with eyes of smoke and fire opal, enters her world she quickly understands that there are worse things out there than drunken men and carnivorous forest creatures. She’s a specialised liar and a hell of a fighter, but against a group of animalistic men called Berserkers she struggles to survive the encounter as the desperate swing of a dagger is all it takes to change her life for good.
Half-dead and hunted by the Berserker’s leader when he forms a monstrous obsession with her, Ava escapes his pursuit in an unfamiliar land full of impossible creatures, unlikely allies, and the man she doesn’t know whether to kiss or kill.
But after dreadful news of her missing brother surfaces, Ava becomes more involved in the centuries-long war and begins to unravel the reasons behind her relentless nightmares, discovering truths long-buried in a violent history of love, loss and betrayal.
·
I loved Ava's character sooo much, she's such a badass and you can tell that since the beginning of everything: you fight or you die, and Ava doesn't want to die.
In this book there's everything you can ask for: suspence, mistery, love and lots of fight scenes, which, for a fan of horrors like I am, is amazing.
The writing is so compelling and it doesn't let you put down the book, the world Emily Sowden created is just FRIGGING AMAZING and if you have the chance, go follow @the_eldryn_chronicles on IG, because there are some posts that give you an idea of how Ava's world was created.
I didn't give this book 5 stars though because I found it rather confusing the way reality and dreams at times are intertwined, and you just don't see where real life ends and dream begins. But I think that is mostly my problem. Because I am weird.
Oh and I forgot a thing: how cool is that at the beginning of each chapter there's the name (wonderfully written may I add) of the character point of view? I only saw it at chaper 17!! It was so little that I thought it was a doodle but then I realized it was a name.
Anyway, I highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers, and... Hands up if you were put into #teamberserkers !!!
Coming February 7th!
This review copy was sent to me by @oftomes publishing, thanks once again for the opportunity!
Rating: 4/5 stars
So, here we go. I'm not lying when I say that a spell was cast on me on page one.
First thing I remember thinking was something that sounded like "hell yes" .
It was a long time since I read a fantasy so well structured and written!
SYNOPSIS:
Courage comes from a shadowed place in our hearts; a blurred line that straddles love and sheer stupidity.
To seventeen-year-old Ava, wild woodcats, hungry stragglers, and simple-minded townsfolk are the evils she’s grown accustomed to. But when Ethan, an unusual man with eyes of smoke and fire opal, enters her world she quickly understands that there are worse things out there than drunken men and carnivorous forest creatures. She’s a specialised liar and a hell of a fighter, but against a group of animalistic men called Berserkers she struggles to survive the encounter as the desperate swing of a dagger is all it takes to change her life for good.
Half-dead and hunted by the Berserker’s leader when he forms a monstrous obsession with her, Ava escapes his pursuit in an unfamiliar land full of impossible creatures, unlikely allies, and the man she doesn’t know whether to kiss or kill.
But after dreadful news of her missing brother surfaces, Ava becomes more involved in the centuries-long war and begins to unravel the reasons behind her relentless nightmares, discovering truths long-buried in a violent history of love, loss and betrayal.
·
I loved Ava's character sooo much, she's such a badass and you can tell that since the beginning of everything: you fight or you die, and Ava doesn't want to die.
In this book there's everything you can ask for: suspence, mistery, love and lots of fight scenes, which, for a fan of horrors like I am, is amazing.
The writing is so compelling and it doesn't let you put down the book, the world Emily Sowden created is just FRIGGING AMAZING and if you have the chance, go follow @the_eldryn_chronicles on IG, because there are some posts that give you an idea of how Ava's world was created.
I didn't give this book 5 stars though because I found it rather confusing the way reality and dreams at times are intertwined, and you just don't see where real life ends and dream begins. But I think that is mostly my problem. Because I am weird.
Oh and I forgot a thing: how cool is that at the beginning of each chapter there's the name (wonderfully written may I add) of the character point of view? I only saw it at chaper 17!! It was so little that I thought it was a doodle but then I realized it was a name.
Anyway, I highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers, and... Hands up if you were put into #teamberserkers !!!
Coming February 7th!
September 10, 2017
"That cold, crippling terror choked me again as I felt someone else’s presence bent over the body on its other side. Our faces couldn’t have been more than a foot apart as wretched breath washed over my skin. Instinct took over and I was running. I fled from the tunnel and veered left, sprinting back the way I came."
I was supposed to be following along with the read-a-thon with the publishing house, but I couldn't stop reading this. Every time I put this book down, it kept calling my name and it was all I could think about. I was amazed, shocked, and ecstatic as the pages went by. This was not what I was expecting... in the best way possible.
Ava doesn't remember much from her mother. She passed away at a young age and Ava had to help her dad take over. As other girls were learning how to be the ideal housewife, Ava was learning how to care for the family farm and bring home income to survive. But to do the things asked of her, she had to disguise her appearance and act the part of a boy.
As a present, she received a silver necklace and she never takes it off. If it is attempted to be taken off, a weight sits in her chest and she can't breathe. This seems to be her lifeline.
Days move into weeks and that leads into months, her dad is still nowhere to be found. It's just her and her brother, Roan in the farm. But things aren't as peaceful as she would have hoped.
A cow get ma slaughtered in the barn, trance things lurk in the night, and Ava needs to be rescued from evil men trying to harm her.
On the night of the annual ball for women to find a mate, she meets a man that loves her for who she is. She's different from all the other girls and Ric is instantly smitten. As he escorts her home, a terrible feeling comes to Ava as they take a shortcut through the dilapidated town. Things come out from the shadows and she is in for the fight of her life.
As soon as Ava believes that she's going to make it home, she gets trapped by some of these berserkers. Ethan, a man who has saved her before, saves her again but she's badly injured. He travels to his home and brings her along to help her heal. As she wakes up, she realizes that she isn't in the right place. As she slowly pieces things together, its fight or flight and now she's not only trying to save herself, but an entire community whom she's grown to love.
With secrets hidden and now found, getting ready for battle, will this be enough to escape the berserkers and finally claim what truly belongs to Ava?
This was one of those books that I couldn't put down. I've lost some sleep trying to get to the bottom of this and it swept me off of my feet. The horror feel, the mystery, and the intrigue will leave you guessing right up until the very end. As soon as a secret was uncovered and dealt with, something even bigger came along to capture your breath.
What kind of bugged me was the sexual tension between Ava and Ethan! They got so close and then nothing. They better get it on soon because they both need it. I'm not sure why it needed to be added into the story. It would have been fantastic without it too.
I was shocked because this wasn't what I was expecting at all, but I need more. Can't wait to read the second book.
Thanks, Oftomes Publishing!
I was supposed to be following along with the read-a-thon with the publishing house, but I couldn't stop reading this. Every time I put this book down, it kept calling my name and it was all I could think about. I was amazed, shocked, and ecstatic as the pages went by. This was not what I was expecting... in the best way possible.
Ava doesn't remember much from her mother. She passed away at a young age and Ava had to help her dad take over. As other girls were learning how to be the ideal housewife, Ava was learning how to care for the family farm and bring home income to survive. But to do the things asked of her, she had to disguise her appearance and act the part of a boy.
As a present, she received a silver necklace and she never takes it off. If it is attempted to be taken off, a weight sits in her chest and she can't breathe. This seems to be her lifeline.
Days move into weeks and that leads into months, her dad is still nowhere to be found. It's just her and her brother, Roan in the farm. But things aren't as peaceful as she would have hoped.
A cow get ma slaughtered in the barn, trance things lurk in the night, and Ava needs to be rescued from evil men trying to harm her.
On the night of the annual ball for women to find a mate, she meets a man that loves her for who she is. She's different from all the other girls and Ric is instantly smitten. As he escorts her home, a terrible feeling comes to Ava as they take a shortcut through the dilapidated town. Things come out from the shadows and she is in for the fight of her life.
As soon as Ava believes that she's going to make it home, she gets trapped by some of these berserkers. Ethan, a man who has saved her before, saves her again but she's badly injured. He travels to his home and brings her along to help her heal. As she wakes up, she realizes that she isn't in the right place. As she slowly pieces things together, its fight or flight and now she's not only trying to save herself, but an entire community whom she's grown to love.
With secrets hidden and now found, getting ready for battle, will this be enough to escape the berserkers and finally claim what truly belongs to Ava?
This was one of those books that I couldn't put down. I've lost some sleep trying to get to the bottom of this and it swept me off of my feet. The horror feel, the mystery, and the intrigue will leave you guessing right up until the very end. As soon as a secret was uncovered and dealt with, something even bigger came along to capture your breath.
What kind of bugged me was the sexual tension between Ava and Ethan! They got so close and then nothing. They better get it on soon because they both need it. I'm not sure why it needed to be added into the story. It would have been fantastic without it too.
I was shocked because this wasn't what I was expecting at all, but I need more. Can't wait to read the second book.
Thanks, Oftomes Publishing!
February 9, 2017
Review originally posted on my blog: http://aideensbookobsession.blogspot....
*I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opiniorns are my own.*
My thoughts:
I liked Trapped in Silver but didn't love it. It was just meh for me.
My favourite character was Ava. She's headstrong and makes rash decisions but she's independent and sarcastic too which I liked.
There is a lot of characters in Trapped in Silver. There was so many that at times I was confused who was who, especially the side characters and antagonists.
There were a good few relationships developed throughout the story. I really liked Ava and Lavander's friendship. They almost have a sister bond which was nice to read. Their relationship was probably my favourite aspect of the book.
I also liked Ava and Ethan's relationship at times too but not as much. Their dialogue was fun here and there when they got going it got very sassy and flirty which was fun to read. There wasn't enough of it though for me to ship it or care that much about them to be honest.
The plot was all over the place. I don't know if I missed stuff or was reading too fast (I skimmed a lot towards the end to tell you the truth) but I had no idea why the characters were going to the places they were/ doing what they were doing. It was pretty slow and when there was action it was over before it even started or didn't happen at all. It wasn't engaging at all and I kept getting bored which led to me skimming chunks of the story.
The writing wasn't anything special. Not that there's anything wrong with it, it was just simple and plain to me. It was easy to understand and I had no problems with it.
Trapped In Silver is told in dual points of view, Ava and Ethan. Personally I don't think it was necessary to have them both narrating. Ethan's chapters were short, he probably had 10 pages total scattered throughout the book, and they didn't add anything to the story really.
I felt like the building was lacking. We are given very little information on where Ava is from. And I felt that the paranormal stuff was just as vague with were the berserkers and demons came from and how their world is connected to ours and how Ava got there.
Overall I felt like Trapped in Silver was a good read but I had a lot of problems with it.
My Rating: 3 stars
Thanks for reading,
A :)
*I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opiniorns are my own.*
My thoughts:
I liked Trapped in Silver but didn't love it. It was just meh for me.
My favourite character was Ava. She's headstrong and makes rash decisions but she's independent and sarcastic too which I liked.
There is a lot of characters in Trapped in Silver. There was so many that at times I was confused who was who, especially the side characters and antagonists.
There were a good few relationships developed throughout the story. I really liked Ava and Lavander's friendship. They almost have a sister bond which was nice to read. Their relationship was probably my favourite aspect of the book.
I also liked Ava and Ethan's relationship at times too but not as much. Their dialogue was fun here and there when they got going it got very sassy and flirty which was fun to read. There wasn't enough of it though for me to ship it or care that much about them to be honest.
The plot was all over the place. I don't know if I missed stuff or was reading too fast (I skimmed a lot towards the end to tell you the truth) but I had no idea why the characters were going to the places they were/ doing what they were doing. It was pretty slow and when there was action it was over before it even started or didn't happen at all. It wasn't engaging at all and I kept getting bored which led to me skimming chunks of the story.
The writing wasn't anything special. Not that there's anything wrong with it, it was just simple and plain to me. It was easy to understand and I had no problems with it.
Trapped In Silver is told in dual points of view, Ava and Ethan. Personally I don't think it was necessary to have them both narrating. Ethan's chapters were short, he probably had 10 pages total scattered throughout the book, and they didn't add anything to the story really.
I felt like the building was lacking. We are given very little information on where Ava is from. And I felt that the paranormal stuff was just as vague with were the berserkers and demons came from and how their world is connected to ours and how Ava got there.
Overall I felt like Trapped in Silver was a good read but I had a lot of problems with it.
My Rating: 3 stars
Thanks for reading,
A :)
February 6, 2017
Firstly, thanks to Ben and Oftomes Publishing for letting me read this book in an exchange for an honest review.
I'll try and make this review as spoiler free as possible!
Still deciding whether it's a 3.5 or a 4/5 rating, probably the latter but that's only because Ava was always putting herself in charge and in danger and I just thought "why?"
I'm not sure of the world, but for me, this book has a medieval setting, but there's mystery and monsters. Demons, people who look like us but with different eyes, and Besrkers- the crazy murdering versions.
Who can you trust?
In her home town of Wetherdon, Ava lives and works on her father's farm with her 'brother' Roan and disguises herself as a boy, Cedar- in order to sell the wears and keep everything going.
She's the only girl left in the family after her mother died and left her only a locket.
Is there more to the locket than what she thinks? She's had it for as long as she can remember.
And then, a party.
She attends a party with a friend in the next town over and is thrown into to the world of Adrian and Catriona, Demons and Besrkers, shape shifters, vampires.
Her life changes. More than she knows. Secrets are unraveled and she finds herself gaining feelings for a man she'd never have considered.
It's mainly told in Ava's view point but sometimes Ethan gets his say too but it doesn't change the flow of the storyline. It remains cohesive.
I'm surprised how quickly I flew through this book- I actually thought I wouldn't like it because it's not a genre I read.
However, it was a pleasant surprise.
I'm curious to find out what the second one might bring (I assume it's going to be part of a series)
if you like supernatural fantasy, give it a go!
I'll try and make this review as spoiler free as possible!
Still deciding whether it's a 3.5 or a 4/5 rating, probably the latter but that's only because Ava was always putting herself in charge and in danger and I just thought "why?"
I'm not sure of the world, but for me, this book has a medieval setting, but there's mystery and monsters. Demons, people who look like us but with different eyes, and Besrkers- the crazy murdering versions.
Who can you trust?
In her home town of Wetherdon, Ava lives and works on her father's farm with her 'brother' Roan and disguises herself as a boy, Cedar- in order to sell the wears and keep everything going.
She's the only girl left in the family after her mother died and left her only a locket.
Is there more to the locket than what she thinks? She's had it for as long as she can remember.
And then, a party.
She attends a party with a friend in the next town over and is thrown into to the world of Adrian and Catriona, Demons and Besrkers, shape shifters, vampires.
Her life changes. More than she knows. Secrets are unraveled and she finds herself gaining feelings for a man she'd never have considered.
It's mainly told in Ava's view point but sometimes Ethan gets his say too but it doesn't change the flow of the storyline. It remains cohesive.
I'm surprised how quickly I flew through this book- I actually thought I wouldn't like it because it's not a genre I read.
However, it was a pleasant surprise.
I'm curious to find out what the second one might bring (I assume it's going to be part of a series)
if you like supernatural fantasy, give it a go!
May 20, 2017
Rating : 2 Stars
Honestly I didn't have the high expectations when I picked up this one. But, dont give me wrong, it's because most people's first novels--sometimes--truly suck, so dont blame me. LOL. But this book's not totally bad for "debut novel". So, it's ok.
Oke, i'm going to make this review as simple as possible. So, here you go.
1. Ethan's point of view was unnecessary, except for the last one, because Ava talks too much for both of them. LOL
2. The point of view switching was kinda confusing, when I think I'd read Ava's pov, but whooos~ I was wrong, that's actually Ethan pov.
3. I couldn't shake an odd feeling about this book. Because--i don't know why--this book reminded me of Vampire Knight. Yeah, I know, Vampire knight's manga, but if you're fans of vampire knight you'll understand.
4. The plot twists was kinda lame, because i was able to predict the whole story. (Sorry)
But, the whole point is... Emily's writing style was great and the pace was steady. It wasn't boring me a little bit. So, I'm looking forward to the next series, but please make the second one more better.
Traa... Reviewan Indonesianya! Biasanya aku gak terlalu suka bikin reviewan bahasa inggrisdi goodread, tapi yang ini pengecualian, soalnya ini buku debut, dan kalau aku mau kasih pemasukan/saran sama penulisnya, harus dengan bahasa yang penulisnya ngerti, kan? Terlebih lagi masih sedikit orang yang buat review untuk buku ini. Jadi masih sedikit pemasukan untuk penulisnya.
Buku ini menceritakan tentang Ava (heroine kita) yang tinggal di sebuah bukit, dan pekerjaannya sehari-hari berladang bersama kakak laki-lakinya bernama Reon, karena ayahnya sering berpergian karena alasan yang tidak jelas untuk waktu yang lama. Awalnya semuanya berjalan lancar sampai keanehan-keanehan terjadi, dan mahluk-mahluk yang pada awalnya Ava percaya cuma ada di dongeng sebelum tidur tiba-tiba menginginkan kematiannya.
Ada dua sudut pandang, Ava dan Ethan, yang mana seharusnya sudut pandang Ethan gak dibutuhkan, karena Ava's pov udah cukup menceritakan keseluruhan isi cerita dengan sangat jelas. Entah kenapa aku enggak terlalu suka sudut pandang pria, soalnya kalau isinya bukan sex pasti isinya tentang hal-hal yang gak penting tentang tokoh wanitanya yang ginilah-begitulah. Halah...
Gak ada plot twist, meskipun begitu alur/jalan ceritnya stabil, jadi aku bisa bertahan sampai akhir, ditambah lagi gaya penulisannya gak bikin bosen. Gaya penulisan yang to the point dan gak betele-tele. Tapi sebenernya yang penting gak banyak drama.
So, intinya, buku ini lumayan bagus buat debut novel.
The dead didn’t get up and walk around in the real world. I looked at his feet. No shadow beneath the moonlight. It wasn’t possible.
Honestly I didn't have the high expectations when I picked up this one. But, dont give me wrong, it's because most people's first novels--sometimes--truly suck, so dont blame me. LOL. But this book's not totally bad for "debut novel". So, it's ok.
Oke, i'm going to make this review as simple as possible. So, here you go.
1. Ethan's point of view was unnecessary, except for the last one, because Ava talks too much for both of them. LOL
2. The point of view switching was kinda confusing, when I think I'd read Ava's pov, but whooos~ I was wrong, that's actually Ethan pov.
3. I couldn't shake an odd feeling about this book. Because--i don't know why--this book reminded me of Vampire Knight. Yeah, I know, Vampire knight's manga, but if you're fans of vampire knight you'll understand.
4. The plot twists was kinda lame, because i was able to predict the whole story. (Sorry)
But, the whole point is... Emily's writing style was great and the pace was steady. It wasn't boring me a little bit. So, I'm looking forward to the next series, but please make the second one more better.
How lonely it must be to live so long, and how cruel it was to fall in love with someone whose lifespan was but a wink in time compared to your own.
Traa... Reviewan Indonesianya! Biasanya aku gak terlalu suka bikin reviewan bahasa inggrisdi goodread, tapi yang ini pengecualian, soalnya ini buku debut, dan kalau aku mau kasih pemasukan/saran sama penulisnya, harus dengan bahasa yang penulisnya ngerti, kan? Terlebih lagi masih sedikit orang yang buat review untuk buku ini. Jadi masih sedikit pemasukan untuk penulisnya.
Buku ini menceritakan tentang Ava (heroine kita) yang tinggal di sebuah bukit, dan pekerjaannya sehari-hari berladang bersama kakak laki-lakinya bernama Reon, karena ayahnya sering berpergian karena alasan yang tidak jelas untuk waktu yang lama. Awalnya semuanya berjalan lancar sampai keanehan-keanehan terjadi, dan mahluk-mahluk yang pada awalnya Ava percaya cuma ada di dongeng sebelum tidur tiba-tiba menginginkan kematiannya.
Ada dua sudut pandang, Ava dan Ethan, yang mana seharusnya sudut pandang Ethan gak dibutuhkan, karena Ava's pov udah cukup menceritakan keseluruhan isi cerita dengan sangat jelas. Entah kenapa aku enggak terlalu suka sudut pandang pria, soalnya kalau isinya bukan sex pasti isinya tentang hal-hal yang gak penting tentang tokoh wanitanya yang ginilah-begitulah. Halah...
Gak ada plot twist, meskipun begitu alur/jalan ceritnya stabil, jadi aku bisa bertahan sampai akhir, ditambah lagi gaya penulisannya gak bikin bosen. Gaya penulisan yang to the point dan gak betele-tele. Tapi sebenernya yang penting gak banyak drama.
So, intinya, buku ini lumayan bagus buat debut novel.
There were also moments where I wanted to either punch him or tear his clothes off, but what in Gehn did that say about me? Love – hate – where did the lines blur?
September 3, 2017
I'm not a skilled critic but here goes. I honestly enjoyed the book from its humour to the characters flirting and banter.
It fit so well together, however at the beginning I didn't settle into the book after about an hour of reading I was hooked and wanted to read more.
Ava is one of the strongest female characters that I have ever had the good graces of reading. Her story will impress you all.
It wasn't completely perfect but no book is. I enjoyed this book truely.
Thank you Oftomes for letting me review it and Thank you Emily Sowden for writing an incredible book, I hope to read the second book as soon as it is released.
It is my honest opinion, I truely loved this book and can't wait to read more.
It fit so well together, however at the beginning I didn't settle into the book after about an hour of reading I was hooked and wanted to read more.
Ava is one of the strongest female characters that I have ever had the good graces of reading. Her story will impress you all.
It wasn't completely perfect but no book is. I enjoyed this book truely.
Thank you Oftomes for letting me review it and Thank you Emily Sowden for writing an incredible book, I hope to read the second book as soon as it is released.
It is my honest opinion, I truely loved this book and can't wait to read more.
September 21, 2017
Trapped in Silver by Emily Sowden leads us into the life of the young Ava and how she finds herself inside a new and unknown world.
I started reading the book 5 days ago and almost instantly fell in love with it. For me Ava is a strong character that stays true to herself but she's not infallible which is really important to me. Many times in YA novels the female character seems almost too strong to really exist (physically and mentally) which is not the case here. Ava does make mistakes and has to be safed once or twice but I don't find that bad at all, it just shows that you can't always rely on yourself and you don't have to either. Also everyone has to be stubborn sometimes.
The fantasy world Emily Sowden describes is a world embedded in ours and filled with different kinds of creatures. It's common that there is evil when there's good but the small twists that intertwines good with bad is what really makes the story in my opinion.
The chapters are nerve wrecking and you can't stop reading so I'm really looking forward to the second book of the Eldryn Chronicles.
All in all a 4 star read for me because of some minor editing mistakes.
I started reading the book 5 days ago and almost instantly fell in love with it. For me Ava is a strong character that stays true to herself but she's not infallible which is really important to me. Many times in YA novels the female character seems almost too strong to really exist (physically and mentally) which is not the case here. Ava does make mistakes and has to be safed once or twice but I don't find that bad at all, it just shows that you can't always rely on yourself and you don't have to either. Also everyone has to be stubborn sometimes.
The fantasy world Emily Sowden describes is a world embedded in ours and filled with different kinds of creatures. It's common that there is evil when there's good but the small twists that intertwines good with bad is what really makes the story in my opinion.
The chapters are nerve wrecking and you can't stop reading so I'm really looking forward to the second book of the Eldryn Chronicles.
All in all a 4 star read for me because of some minor editing mistakes.
September 6, 2017
Everyone needs to read this book-It's that good! I was utterly blown away by this lovely treasure and I can not wait until the next one!
The story is thick with imagination and the plot is seamless, I could not find a fault in it at all. Emily Sowden is able to describe a whole world that unfolds in your imagination and you are not left wanting that is for sure. This book will make you laugh, gasp, curse, tear up and root out loud for the characters.
I found the relationship between Ava, Ric and Ethan to be flawless and all in good taste while keeping everyone on their toes about what was going to happen and where they were going to go. The development of the story has many layers and at first it is a bit to take in but by the fifth chapter it becomes second nature.
Well done Ms. Sowden you have created a brilliant book and I look forward to more!
The story is thick with imagination and the plot is seamless, I could not find a fault in it at all. Emily Sowden is able to describe a whole world that unfolds in your imagination and you are not left wanting that is for sure. This book will make you laugh, gasp, curse, tear up and root out loud for the characters.
I found the relationship between Ava, Ric and Ethan to be flawless and all in good taste while keeping everyone on their toes about what was going to happen and where they were going to go. The development of the story has many layers and at first it is a bit to take in but by the fifth chapter it becomes second nature.
Well done Ms. Sowden you have created a brilliant book and I look forward to more!
September 30, 2017
This is the story of Ava who lives on, and practically runs, her families farm alongside her 'brother' Roan. She has to dress up as a boy, Ceder, in order to trade, take part in town life and ultimately survive. She's not like the usual girls in town, she doesn't want to be matched and she often has strange recurring nightmares. One night Ava is attacked by a group of what only can be described as beasts. She is rescued by another group of strangers and suddenly she realizes that there's a whole other world out there.
I really enjoyed this story. I found it to be very mysterious and it pulled me in right from the beginning, I was totally gripped throughout. I thought the pacing of the story was great. It sped up with the tension and the anticipation and the action scenes were very fast paced. Emily was then able to slow it down again when she was giving us some important information so we were able to focus in on the details. I also liked how things were revealed in smaller chunks rather than all in one go. Often when I'm bombarded with information I can get a bit lost but that wasn't the case here. The slower reveals also enabled me to stay invested in the story with a want to know explanations.
I thought the characters were also well done. I loved Ava, I thought she had spunk. She was able to think for herself and make her own decisions. She didn't fall into the usual 'damsel in distress' trope that can sometimes be seen in fantasy novels. It was also nice to see that Ava was not afraid to admit that she was scared in certain situations and she was able to ask the others for help when she needed it. I found Ethan to be quite a mysterious character and I loved it when we finally got some chapters from Ethan's perspective. It enabled us to get inside his head and see what he was really thinking. I also really enjoyed the relationships between the characters. I thought Ethan's and Ava's relationship developed well overtime. There were some wonderfully intimate moments as well as some strong tension. I also enjoyed the friendship between Ric and Ava. It was very heartwarming and you could see that Ric genuinely cared for Ava from the was he always looked out for her.
Overall this was a really enjoyable read. I thought it was a really interesting story, set in a well thought out world with some really likeable characters. I really can't wait to get my hands on the sequel to see where the story goes.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This review can also be found on my blog at https://gemmasbooknook.blogspot.co.uk...
I really enjoyed this story. I found it to be very mysterious and it pulled me in right from the beginning, I was totally gripped throughout. I thought the pacing of the story was great. It sped up with the tension and the anticipation and the action scenes were very fast paced. Emily was then able to slow it down again when she was giving us some important information so we were able to focus in on the details. I also liked how things were revealed in smaller chunks rather than all in one go. Often when I'm bombarded with information I can get a bit lost but that wasn't the case here. The slower reveals also enabled me to stay invested in the story with a want to know explanations.
I thought the characters were also well done. I loved Ava, I thought she had spunk. She was able to think for herself and make her own decisions. She didn't fall into the usual 'damsel in distress' trope that can sometimes be seen in fantasy novels. It was also nice to see that Ava was not afraid to admit that she was scared in certain situations and she was able to ask the others for help when she needed it. I found Ethan to be quite a mysterious character and I loved it when we finally got some chapters from Ethan's perspective. It enabled us to get inside his head and see what he was really thinking. I also really enjoyed the relationships between the characters. I thought Ethan's and Ava's relationship developed well overtime. There were some wonderfully intimate moments as well as some strong tension. I also enjoyed the friendship between Ric and Ava. It was very heartwarming and you could see that Ric genuinely cared for Ava from the was he always looked out for her.
Overall this was a really enjoyable read. I thought it was a really interesting story, set in a well thought out world with some really likeable characters. I really can't wait to get my hands on the sequel to see where the story goes.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This review can also be found on my blog at https://gemmasbooknook.blogspot.co.uk...
February 16, 2017
Same Review Also Posted In My Blog: Dreamy Addictions
This book was quite a surprise to me and I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. The Story was intriguing, seductive, mysterious and adventurous. Though it was a slow paced read, I didn’t get bored at all. The world is absolutely fantastic with all the monsters and demons, and the characters are pretty interesting too. Honestly, this book was such a delight to read but I wish there was a bit more action in it. Nonetheless, it was a great read. For a debut, I think it’s a great start and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
The story follows seventeen year old Ava who lives with her brother Roan and her father at a village far away from the city. In her world, girls of her age are matched to a stranger set by their parents but Ava has another destiny to follow and she doesn’t like to be a submissive wife to someone she barely knows. In her father’s long absence, Ava looks after her farm and disguises herself as a boy named Cedar to be a trader at the market. One night, she meets an intruder in her farm named Ethan who intrigues her but she feels something different about him. When her best friend Kaela invites her for the equinox celebration, a legendary event in the Wetherdon city and brought people from lands as far as the great seas, Ava gets pretty excited but Roan totally forbids her to go to the city but Ava isn’t someone who obeys. At the equinox celebration, she meets some strangers who reminds her of Ethan but something sinister lurks in their gaze and suddenly her life turns pretty much upside down. She discovers a whole new world filled with monsters, demons and berserkers, the beasts that existed in the tales told by her mother.
Ava is a strong character I really liked but her stubbornness does annoy me sometimes. She’s rebellious, sarcastic, head strong, curious, and not the one who gives up easily without a fight. She tends to get into trouble with her not so smart decisions and always gets saved by the alluring Ethan. Ethan is a pretty interesting character whose mysterious personality intrigued me from the start. I mostly liked his playful personality more than his jerkish one. The romance between Ethan and Ava is definitely slow burn and I quite enjoyed their chemistry filled with lots of tension and sparks. As for the supporting characters, I liked Ric, Lavander and Willow. Ric is the most nicest guy in this book and I’m surprised to find he isn’t another possible love interest for Ava. I liked Lavendar! She’s a fun character and I really enjoyed her sisterly relationship with Ava. Coming to the characters I hated the most, we have Stephen(the main villain), Gabriel, Alastair and Daniel. Stephen, the berserker’s leader is a ruthless villain who has some kind of mad obsession with Ava which is finally revealed at the end. Gabriel is quite a loathsome guy, he is a berserker and also a total psychopath. I didn’t liked Daniel and his attitude towards Ava. Alastair is a bit of an asshole who doesn’t trust Ava from the start.
The plot is pretty good filled with suspense, mystery and intrigue. Though some of the parts felt predictable and a bit cliche, I was engaged to the story and never left bored. Most of the story moved in a slow pace except for the end part but surprisingly, It didn’t ruined my enjoyability cause I usually don’t like slow paced plots. The suspense and twists in the plot has made the story more interesting to read. I liked the writing style of the author, It is captivating through out and I also enjoyed the dual POV of the story. The world building is simply amazing and it’s definitely the best aspect I loved about this book. I liked Wetherdon and also the beautiful world of Vrema filled with magic, monsters, demons, kingdoms and endless adventures.
Overall, I loved it! The book finally concluded with a minor cliffhanger leaving some mysteries unsolved and I’m dying to know what happens next.
This book was quite a surprise to me and I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. The Story was intriguing, seductive, mysterious and adventurous. Though it was a slow paced read, I didn’t get bored at all. The world is absolutely fantastic with all the monsters and demons, and the characters are pretty interesting too. Honestly, this book was such a delight to read but I wish there was a bit more action in it. Nonetheless, it was a great read. For a debut, I think it’s a great start and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
The story follows seventeen year old Ava who lives with her brother Roan and her father at a village far away from the city. In her world, girls of her age are matched to a stranger set by their parents but Ava has another destiny to follow and she doesn’t like to be a submissive wife to someone she barely knows. In her father’s long absence, Ava looks after her farm and disguises herself as a boy named Cedar to be a trader at the market. One night, she meets an intruder in her farm named Ethan who intrigues her but she feels something different about him. When her best friend Kaela invites her for the equinox celebration, a legendary event in the Wetherdon city and brought people from lands as far as the great seas, Ava gets pretty excited but Roan totally forbids her to go to the city but Ava isn’t someone who obeys. At the equinox celebration, she meets some strangers who reminds her of Ethan but something sinister lurks in their gaze and suddenly her life turns pretty much upside down. She discovers a whole new world filled with monsters, demons and berserkers, the beasts that existed in the tales told by her mother.
Ava is a strong character I really liked but her stubbornness does annoy me sometimes. She’s rebellious, sarcastic, head strong, curious, and not the one who gives up easily without a fight. She tends to get into trouble with her not so smart decisions and always gets saved by the alluring Ethan. Ethan is a pretty interesting character whose mysterious personality intrigued me from the start. I mostly liked his playful personality more than his jerkish one. The romance between Ethan and Ava is definitely slow burn and I quite enjoyed their chemistry filled with lots of tension and sparks. As for the supporting characters, I liked Ric, Lavander and Willow. Ric is the most nicest guy in this book and I’m surprised to find he isn’t another possible love interest for Ava. I liked Lavendar! She’s a fun character and I really enjoyed her sisterly relationship with Ava. Coming to the characters I hated the most, we have Stephen(the main villain), Gabriel, Alastair and Daniel. Stephen, the berserker’s leader is a ruthless villain who has some kind of mad obsession with Ava which is finally revealed at the end. Gabriel is quite a loathsome guy, he is a berserker and also a total psychopath. I didn’t liked Daniel and his attitude towards Ava. Alastair is a bit of an asshole who doesn’t trust Ava from the start.
The plot is pretty good filled with suspense, mystery and intrigue. Though some of the parts felt predictable and a bit cliche, I was engaged to the story and never left bored. Most of the story moved in a slow pace except for the end part but surprisingly, It didn’t ruined my enjoyability cause I usually don’t like slow paced plots. The suspense and twists in the plot has made the story more interesting to read. I liked the writing style of the author, It is captivating through out and I also enjoyed the dual POV of the story. The world building is simply amazing and it’s definitely the best aspect I loved about this book. I liked Wetherdon and also the beautiful world of Vrema filled with magic, monsters, demons, kingdoms and endless adventures.
Overall, I loved it! The book finally concluded with a minor cliffhanger leaving some mysteries unsolved and I’m dying to know what happens next.
September 8, 2017
Hello everybody, and welcome back to The CW Torch. Today, I will be reviewing Trapped In Silver by Emily Sowden, which I received for free from OfTomes publishing in return for an honest review! I was extremely excited to start reading this book, because I had read New World Rising written by Jennifer Wilson, which was published by OfTomes as well. I really enjoyed that book, so I was very excited to read another from OfTomes. I also knew that this was a debut novel from Emily Sowden, and I'm always looking for new author's to watch out for. I ended up giving Trapped In Silver a 3.75 out of 5 stars, because there were some things I loved about this book, and some things I had issues with. Here are the reasons why!
Synopsis:
We follow the story of sassy Ava, from the small town of Wetherdon. She has lived on the farm almost her entire life, with her father and adopted brother Roan. When her father mysteriously disappears, she is forced to help out with the family business. Which means traveling to the town center, and posing as a "boy" named Cedar, to sell their goods. After a night out on the town with her brother; she meets a boy named Ethan, and is thrust into a world where there are worse things than drunken men and carnivorous creatures. A group of animalistic men, called Beserkers hunt her down. She escapes, but the monstrous Berserker leader creates an obsession with her. Ava is now forced to be a part of this unfamiliar land full of creatures, unlikely enemies, and the boy she doesn't know whether to kiss or kill. In this new world, she only thought existed in the stories her mother told her as a child. She begins to unravel the mystery behind her nightmares, and truths of a violent history of Demons and Berserkers.
Initial Thoughts:
•Initially, I thought Trapped In Silver was going to be a Fantasy novel, based on other reviews I glanced at before reading. It definitely started out as a Fantasy world, with the town Ava was living in. But, shortly after, it read more like a Paranormal novel to me, especially with all the Demons and Skinwalkers involved. Those creatures and a few other parts in the book, made it seem like I was reading a Paranormal series. Which I do not mind at all, because I love Paranormal novels. In fact, there were many parts of this book, that actually reminded me of Twilight in a way. I know a lot of people were getting A Court of Thorns and Roses vibes, but I was getting Twilight and Red Riding Hood (Live-Action Movie) vibes.
What I Liked:
•Straight away, I instantly felt a connection with Ava, our main protagonist. She was very sassy, hilarious, and didn't really give a two-cents about anything. In the beginning, she reminded me very much of Katniss Everdeen, from The Hunger Games trilogy. I also really enjoyed the parts when she posed as Cedar, she was very convincing as a male. It was crazy to me that no one in town, realized that she/he was Ava.
•Other than Ava, there were two other characters I really enjoyed in this book, those being Lavender and Ric. I really loved her relationship with both of these characters, and saw a lot of growth from Ava during her interaction with these two characters. I thought Lavender kind of provided that sisterly/motherly role for Ava, which is something she hasn't had in a long time, and probably needed. Especially with everything that's been going on in her life. I loved Ric, because he was the bit of comic relief in this story, that it definitely needed. His interactions with Ava provided some great witty banter throughout the story, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
•As far as the plot-line, since this was a very plot-centric novel. I loved the idea of the Demons and Skinwalkers being the "good guys," of the story. While the Berserkers were the bad guys, and the one's to watch out for. I thought that was an interesting take on these types of creatures, because we rarely see Demons and Skinwalkers being posed as good. I also enjoyed the mythological aspects of this world as well, and thought Emily did a very good job of explaining that part of this new world Ava was thrust into.
•There were many great sections in this book, that I thought really kept me on the edge of my seat. For instance, the middle section of the novel. Ava and the gang, go to this place (which I won't say where it was for spoiler reasons), and learn a lot of things about certain people. I thought this section was extremely creepy and gripping, and I really saw Emily's writing grow and flourish during these chapters. The beginning of the novel was very slow, as we were getting introduced to this new world. But, once we got to the middle section of the book, I couldn’t wait to finish it, and figure out what the hell was going on with Ava.
What I Didn't Like:
Since, this was a debut work for this author, not every first book is going to be perfect. While I did enjoy the author's writing at times, there were some issues I had with it. Which is why it didn't get a four star rating from me, but it was very close. I am really excited to read the second novel, Lost In Darkness, when it comes out. To see how Emily Sowden's writing improves, and hopefully get more growth of the characters as well.
•Although, I loved Ava in the beginning, for some reason she kind of loss interest in me towards the end. I didn't feel any sort of character development from her by the end of the book. I felt like she didn't really change, and thought she would've after everything that's happened to her. And after everything she's learned about herself. I really hope that in Lost In Darkness, we get to see more growth from her. Especially with the end of Trapped In Silver.
•There were many characters in this book who we met, throughout Ava's story. While there were so many characters, a part from Ava, there were only two others who I really felt a connection with. I thought most of the characters were kind of generic, and ones I've already read about before. I am a very character driven reader, more than I am plot-centric, so that was kind of disappointing as I was reading the story. I would've also liked to have seen more of Stephan, our main antagonist, and hope that we get more of him in the second book.
•I also didn't really grow an attachment to the main romance of this story, mainly because I just didn’t feel connected to Ethan for some reason. I thought the romance was very slow-burning, which I do like over insta-love, but I did wish we got a little bit more romance. Especially, since Ethan and Ava spent so much time together throughout the book.
•The last thing that bothered me when reading this story, were the parts told in Ethan's point of view. I thought they were very short, and a little bit unnecessary, since there were so few parts told in his perspective. I thought if we got the entire story from Ava's POV, it would've read a little bit faster.
Conclusion:
All in all, I very much enjoyed this debut novel from Emily Sowden, and can't wait to read the second book of this series, to see where it goes. I enjoyed learning about this new world of Demons, Berserkers, and Skinwalkers, and loved this new perspective of Demons being good. There were many parts where I was literally on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out what Ava was. On a side note, there was a section towards the end that I really enjoyed, that was told in Ava's perspective, and thought that specific part was done brilliantly. I don't want to go into too much detail of what happens, because I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read it yet. But, if you have read it, it's the end of chapter 45 (let me know and comment, if y'all know what I'm talking about)! While there were many parts I did enjoy, there were some issues I had with it, but they were pretty minor in the scheme of things. I realize not every debut novel is going to be perfect, and is going to have its flaws. So, I am very excited to see Emily Sowden's growth as a fantasy/paranormal writer. If you liked Twilight and Red Riding Hood (the live-action movie), and like slow-burning romance and the Supernatural world, then I think you would love this book.
Thank you again, OfTomes Publishing, for sending me this free ecopy to review. I really enjoyed being a part of this month's read-along, and look forward to more. This review along with some mood boards inspired by Trapped In Silver, will be up on my blogsite as soon as I figure out why I can't edit my site right now. Here is the link to my website, if any of you are interested in reading more of my reviews/blogs: https://chynnaw16.wixsite.com/caffein...
TTFN,
Chynna Williams @ The CW Torch
Synopsis:
We follow the story of sassy Ava, from the small town of Wetherdon. She has lived on the farm almost her entire life, with her father and adopted brother Roan. When her father mysteriously disappears, she is forced to help out with the family business. Which means traveling to the town center, and posing as a "boy" named Cedar, to sell their goods. After a night out on the town with her brother; she meets a boy named Ethan, and is thrust into a world where there are worse things than drunken men and carnivorous creatures. A group of animalistic men, called Beserkers hunt her down. She escapes, but the monstrous Berserker leader creates an obsession with her. Ava is now forced to be a part of this unfamiliar land full of creatures, unlikely enemies, and the boy she doesn't know whether to kiss or kill. In this new world, she only thought existed in the stories her mother told her as a child. She begins to unravel the mystery behind her nightmares, and truths of a violent history of Demons and Berserkers.
Initial Thoughts:
•Initially, I thought Trapped In Silver was going to be a Fantasy novel, based on other reviews I glanced at before reading. It definitely started out as a Fantasy world, with the town Ava was living in. But, shortly after, it read more like a Paranormal novel to me, especially with all the Demons and Skinwalkers involved. Those creatures and a few other parts in the book, made it seem like I was reading a Paranormal series. Which I do not mind at all, because I love Paranormal novels. In fact, there were many parts of this book, that actually reminded me of Twilight in a way. I know a lot of people were getting A Court of Thorns and Roses vibes, but I was getting Twilight and Red Riding Hood (Live-Action Movie) vibes.
What I Liked:
•Straight away, I instantly felt a connection with Ava, our main protagonist. She was very sassy, hilarious, and didn't really give a two-cents about anything. In the beginning, she reminded me very much of Katniss Everdeen, from The Hunger Games trilogy. I also really enjoyed the parts when she posed as Cedar, she was very convincing as a male. It was crazy to me that no one in town, realized that she/he was Ava.
•Other than Ava, there were two other characters I really enjoyed in this book, those being Lavender and Ric. I really loved her relationship with both of these characters, and saw a lot of growth from Ava during her interaction with these two characters. I thought Lavender kind of provided that sisterly/motherly role for Ava, which is something she hasn't had in a long time, and probably needed. Especially with everything that's been going on in her life. I loved Ric, because he was the bit of comic relief in this story, that it definitely needed. His interactions with Ava provided some great witty banter throughout the story, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
•As far as the plot-line, since this was a very plot-centric novel. I loved the idea of the Demons and Skinwalkers being the "good guys," of the story. While the Berserkers were the bad guys, and the one's to watch out for. I thought that was an interesting take on these types of creatures, because we rarely see Demons and Skinwalkers being posed as good. I also enjoyed the mythological aspects of this world as well, and thought Emily did a very good job of explaining that part of this new world Ava was thrust into.
•There were many great sections in this book, that I thought really kept me on the edge of my seat. For instance, the middle section of the novel. Ava and the gang, go to this place (which I won't say where it was for spoiler reasons), and learn a lot of things about certain people. I thought this section was extremely creepy and gripping, and I really saw Emily's writing grow and flourish during these chapters. The beginning of the novel was very slow, as we were getting introduced to this new world. But, once we got to the middle section of the book, I couldn’t wait to finish it, and figure out what the hell was going on with Ava.
What I Didn't Like:
Since, this was a debut work for this author, not every first book is going to be perfect. While I did enjoy the author's writing at times, there were some issues I had with it. Which is why it didn't get a four star rating from me, but it was very close. I am really excited to read the second novel, Lost In Darkness, when it comes out. To see how Emily Sowden's writing improves, and hopefully get more growth of the characters as well.
•Although, I loved Ava in the beginning, for some reason she kind of loss interest in me towards the end. I didn't feel any sort of character development from her by the end of the book. I felt like she didn't really change, and thought she would've after everything that's happened to her. And after everything she's learned about herself. I really hope that in Lost In Darkness, we get to see more growth from her. Especially with the end of Trapped In Silver.
•There were many characters in this book who we met, throughout Ava's story. While there were so many characters, a part from Ava, there were only two others who I really felt a connection with. I thought most of the characters were kind of generic, and ones I've already read about before. I am a very character driven reader, more than I am plot-centric, so that was kind of disappointing as I was reading the story. I would've also liked to have seen more of Stephan, our main antagonist, and hope that we get more of him in the second book.
•I also didn't really grow an attachment to the main romance of this story, mainly because I just didn’t feel connected to Ethan for some reason. I thought the romance was very slow-burning, which I do like over insta-love, but I did wish we got a little bit more romance. Especially, since Ethan and Ava spent so much time together throughout the book.
•The last thing that bothered me when reading this story, were the parts told in Ethan's point of view. I thought they were very short, and a little bit unnecessary, since there were so few parts told in his perspective. I thought if we got the entire story from Ava's POV, it would've read a little bit faster.
Conclusion:
All in all, I very much enjoyed this debut novel from Emily Sowden, and can't wait to read the second book of this series, to see where it goes. I enjoyed learning about this new world of Demons, Berserkers, and Skinwalkers, and loved this new perspective of Demons being good. There were many parts where I was literally on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out what Ava was. On a side note, there was a section towards the end that I really enjoyed, that was told in Ava's perspective, and thought that specific part was done brilliantly. I don't want to go into too much detail of what happens, because I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read it yet. But, if you have read it, it's the end of chapter 45 (let me know and comment, if y'all know what I'm talking about)! While there were many parts I did enjoy, there were some issues I had with it, but they were pretty minor in the scheme of things. I realize not every debut novel is going to be perfect, and is going to have its flaws. So, I am very excited to see Emily Sowden's growth as a fantasy/paranormal writer. If you liked Twilight and Red Riding Hood (the live-action movie), and like slow-burning romance and the Supernatural world, then I think you would love this book.
Thank you again, OfTomes Publishing, for sending me this free ecopy to review. I really enjoyed being a part of this month's read-along, and look forward to more. This review along with some mood boards inspired by Trapped In Silver, will be up on my blogsite as soon as I figure out why I can't edit my site right now. Here is the link to my website, if any of you are interested in reading more of my reviews/blogs: https://chynnaw16.wixsite.com/caffein...
TTFN,
Chynna Williams @ The CW Torch
July 6, 2017
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
I enjoyed this book immensely. Whenever I had to put the book down to do something else, I found myself thinking about the story, eager to learn what would happen next.
Trapped in Silver features Ava, an oddity among her traditionalist and conformist town. Ava has to lead two lives in order to survive and go about her daily life. Everything changes when she's brutally chased and attacked after (rebelliously) going to town for a festival.
Ava was a delightful protagonist, entertaining in her smart aleck remarks and comebacks. After reading other reviews I had been expecting a little bit more of a sarcastic and kick butt protagonist, but none the less I found that Ava still brought a smile to my face.
Something I really appreciated about this book was that there was no insta-love between Ava and Ethan. Yes, they pretty quickly found each other alluring, but there was no "omg I'm dying to kiss him, I'm totally in love and would give up everything for him." Ava and Ethan didn't always see eye to eye and boy did they argue. I found this realism to be refreshing. I find it obnoxious when characters are instantly enraptured with each other, despite knowing next to knowing about each other. I liked how the resemblance of a romance was there, hovering in the background, but didn't take over the entire story.
Another thing that pleased me about this book was the characters and relationships between them. I liked that almost every character had a backstory and weren't placed as stereotypical, 2-D sidekicks.
I also enjoyed the world building in this story. I appreciated that information came in little clumps instead of a big tell all to the readers. I did find myself left with many questions though. There were a couple of jumps in the relaying of information that I felt weren't executed properly (When the heck did Ava ever learn Rosa's name?). The biggest thing that bugged me was the timeline of the backstory though. The House of Adrian was described as being attacked hundreds of years ago, yet Terra was described as only having gone missing about twenty years earlier.
Though the book was far from perfect and touched on being predictable and cliche, it's flaws did not impede me from being drawn into the story. I would recommend this book to any lover of fantasy looking for a light, easy read. I am eagerly waiting for what will happen in the coming books.
I enjoyed this book immensely. Whenever I had to put the book down to do something else, I found myself thinking about the story, eager to learn what would happen next.
Trapped in Silver features Ava, an oddity among her traditionalist and conformist town. Ava has to lead two lives in order to survive and go about her daily life. Everything changes when she's brutally chased and attacked after (rebelliously) going to town for a festival.
Ava was a delightful protagonist, entertaining in her smart aleck remarks and comebacks. After reading other reviews I had been expecting a little bit more of a sarcastic and kick butt protagonist, but none the less I found that Ava still brought a smile to my face.
Something I really appreciated about this book was that there was no insta-love between Ava and Ethan. Yes, they pretty quickly found each other alluring, but there was no "omg I'm dying to kiss him, I'm totally in love and would give up everything for him." Ava and Ethan didn't always see eye to eye and boy did they argue. I found this realism to be refreshing. I find it obnoxious when characters are instantly enraptured with each other, despite knowing next to knowing about each other. I liked how the resemblance of a romance was there, hovering in the background, but didn't take over the entire story.
Another thing that pleased me about this book was the characters and relationships between them. I liked that almost every character had a backstory and weren't placed as stereotypical, 2-D sidekicks.
I also enjoyed the world building in this story. I appreciated that information came in little clumps instead of a big tell all to the readers. I did find myself left with many questions though. There were a couple of jumps in the relaying of information that I felt weren't executed properly (When the heck did Ava ever learn Rosa's name?). The biggest thing that bugged me was the timeline of the backstory though. The House of Adrian was described as being attacked hundreds of years ago, yet Terra was described as only having gone missing about twenty years earlier.
Though the book was far from perfect and touched on being predictable and cliche, it's flaws did not impede me from being drawn into the story. I would recommend this book to any lover of fantasy looking for a light, easy read. I am eagerly waiting for what will happen in the coming books.
September 21, 2017
I am the type of person who is absolutely obsessed with High fantasy novels, so when I saw that Trapped in Silver was being compared to some pretty fantastic YA reads I knew I had to check it out. This book is definitely a very well written fantasy that I quite enjoyed.
Right from the beginning me as a reader was transported into a magically world filled with all kinds of creatures. We have our Demons and I'm we have our Berserkers. Now the real question is, which one are you? These two different elements of paranormal were mashed into this novel to form a very interesting story, and entertaining plot. I personally was excited to see how she incorporated the two different beasts, and found myself enticed with both and the way Sowden described them. Both were very well developed. . Aside from creating and brining to the table these two fantastic paranormal beasts, she also had a well developed plot.
Now what was interesting to me was that I found this book to be slow, however that pace set for the book didn't effect my efforts in reading it. For those who sometimes find fantasy hard to read, I believe this book would be a great lead into the genre. I found myself constantly turning pages and wanting more. The thought of waiting for the sequel will make me go a little crazy.
For the characters themselves and the way the alternating POV were done was interesting. I did like getting to read both Ethan's and Ava's perspectives. I found Sowden did a really good job at keeping the styles for both consistent. Though I found myself becoming more and more intrigued with Ava as the story went on. Ava was such a strong character. Nothing about her was normal. She was a girl surviving by living with her brother Roan in a farm. To make things even more interesting to go to work Ava must dress up as a male and presume the identity of Cedar. Next to that she won't have any man as well. I found that she was such a well written character and by far was my favourite. The rest of the cast were also quite creative and stunning as well in comparison.
Overall this book was everything I had hoped for. I found the only time I was a little confused was when their native tongue words were thrown in a couple times without some sort of general explanation. I still however really enjoyed the book. I would totally recommend this book to those who like high fantasy.
Right from the beginning me as a reader was transported into a magically world filled with all kinds of creatures. We have our Demons and I'm we have our Berserkers. Now the real question is, which one are you? These two different elements of paranormal were mashed into this novel to form a very interesting story, and entertaining plot. I personally was excited to see how she incorporated the two different beasts, and found myself enticed with both and the way Sowden described them. Both were very well developed. . Aside from creating and brining to the table these two fantastic paranormal beasts, she also had a well developed plot.
Now what was interesting to me was that I found this book to be slow, however that pace set for the book didn't effect my efforts in reading it. For those who sometimes find fantasy hard to read, I believe this book would be a great lead into the genre. I found myself constantly turning pages and wanting more. The thought of waiting for the sequel will make me go a little crazy.
For the characters themselves and the way the alternating POV were done was interesting. I did like getting to read both Ethan's and Ava's perspectives. I found Sowden did a really good job at keeping the styles for both consistent. Though I found myself becoming more and more intrigued with Ava as the story went on. Ava was such a strong character. Nothing about her was normal. She was a girl surviving by living with her brother Roan in a farm. To make things even more interesting to go to work Ava must dress up as a male and presume the identity of Cedar. Next to that she won't have any man as well. I found that she was such a well written character and by far was my favourite. The rest of the cast were also quite creative and stunning as well in comparison.
Overall this book was everything I had hoped for. I found the only time I was a little confused was when their native tongue words were thrown in a couple times without some sort of general explanation. I still however really enjoyed the book. I would totally recommend this book to those who like high fantasy.
February 9, 2017
Trapped In Silver is a suspenseful, thrilling young adult fantasy novel set in a world very different to our own.
From the first page, we’re thrust into Ava’s world - seeing it through her eyes as she struggles to run her father’s farm in his absence, donning a guise as ‘her brother’ in order to trade their goods at the market without incident, until a fateful encounter with Ethan - a stranger with unusual eyes - sets her on a path to a world she couldn’t possibly imagine. Hunter by the Berserkers - men with animalistic qualities, and ferocity to match - Ava escapes and finds herself in a new and strange world where she doesn’t know she can trust, or if she can go home again.
All of the characters in Trapped In Silver have secrets - all of them are mysterious - and as a reader, it’s thrilling to not know who to trust. Emily Sowden slowly peels back the layers of her world, revealing only what we need to know when we need to know it keeping the suspense up through the entire of the story.
As a fan of paranormal stories, I love the way Demons and Berserkers are woven into the book, their mythology and history entirely unique to this world, and compelling to read.
I look forward to seeing where Sowden takes her series in the future, and how Ava’s story continues. Overall, I gave Trapped In Silver 4 out of 5 stars.
Trapped In Silver will be released in February, 2017.
From the first page, we’re thrust into Ava’s world - seeing it through her eyes as she struggles to run her father’s farm in his absence, donning a guise as ‘her brother’ in order to trade their goods at the market without incident, until a fateful encounter with Ethan - a stranger with unusual eyes - sets her on a path to a world she couldn’t possibly imagine. Hunter by the Berserkers - men with animalistic qualities, and ferocity to match - Ava escapes and finds herself in a new and strange world where she doesn’t know she can trust, or if she can go home again.
All of the characters in Trapped In Silver have secrets - all of them are mysterious - and as a reader, it’s thrilling to not know who to trust. Emily Sowden slowly peels back the layers of her world, revealing only what we need to know when we need to know it keeping the suspense up through the entire of the story.
As a fan of paranormal stories, I love the way Demons and Berserkers are woven into the book, their mythology and history entirely unique to this world, and compelling to read.
I look forward to seeing where Sowden takes her series in the future, and how Ava’s story continues. Overall, I gave Trapped In Silver 4 out of 5 stars.
Trapped In Silver will be released in February, 2017.
December 3, 2016
*I turn to the last page and exhale deeply, a smirk lifts my mouth and I can't help but feel a longing that my whole world with Ava and Ethan has ended*
Wow, guys. Wow. This book plunged me back into reading after my reading slump and must I say thank God for Ben (Oftomes Publishing) for sending me this book! It was AWESOME! From the moment I opened this book, I was plunged into Ava's world - coupled with humour, sadness and a whole lot of adventure and mystery! This book will have you reading it everywhere - on the train, in your bed, maybe even on Christmas Day!
If you're a fantasy geek then this book is for you. A heavy dose of fantasy, with the right dose of romance - this book will leave you constantly reading until the last page.
Such a great read Emily! You rock! I can not wait to see what amazing things 2017 has in store for you!
Wow, guys. Wow. This book plunged me back into reading after my reading slump and must I say thank God for Ben (Oftomes Publishing) for sending me this book! It was AWESOME! From the moment I opened this book, I was plunged into Ava's world - coupled with humour, sadness and a whole lot of adventure and mystery! This book will have you reading it everywhere - on the train, in your bed, maybe even on Christmas Day!
If you're a fantasy geek then this book is for you. A heavy dose of fantasy, with the right dose of romance - this book will leave you constantly reading until the last page.
Such a great read Emily! You rock! I can not wait to see what amazing things 2017 has in store for you!
December 2, 2016
I was fortunate enough to be able to read this Novel before it's release, and let me just say this book has everything you could possibly want in a fantastic book, it's got action and mystery. you can't tell where the story is headed until the mystery starts to unfold! It's filled with characters you can't help but love! And the world that the author has created is just fantastically magical. You get sucked right into the story right from the first chapter and you just can't put it down! I would highly recommend this book!! Definitely worth the read!
September 25, 2017
“There was a time I was afraid of the dark.”
From the very first moments of this book, I fell in love with Ava. A girl who dresses as a boy so that she can keep the family farm afloat while her father goes away on extended trips. It was love at first sass.
Ava is a normal seventeen year old girl. Well, normal-ish. Normal if you don’t count the silver necklace around her neck that cannot be removed, (and believe it, she’s tried!). Normal to pretend to be a brother who doesn’t exist. Normal to not want to be “matched to a narcissist who saw me as little more than a live-in cook and vessel for his seedlings”, (she means married). Normal to fall into blackout dreams. Normal.
Small things like dressing as a boy and not wanting to get married may not seem fiery, or fiesty, or even rebellious. Until you consider that she lives in a town where it is illegal for women to even use certain hairpins, lest they be used as weapons. A town where a woman helping on any level that would make them equal to a man is looked down on, if not outright forbidden.
Yet despite her deep yearning to be allowed to run the farm and be left alone, strange things are happening around Ava. Shadows that look like monsters lurk behind window panes. Animals are slaughtered in the barn while the doors are locked. And when a handsome stranger with eyes of fire and smoke saunters onto her land late one night, things will never be the same.
Against the rules set out by her father and older brother (real, not imaginary), Ava attends a town ball with her friend, Kaela. Immediately she gains the attention of a dark stranger with darker eyes. But rather than being whisked off her feet, she is lured to a trap and nearly dies. Injured and confused, she wakes in a strange bed surrounded by strange people.
Not quite a prisoner, but not quite free, Ava finds herself in the middle of a war she doesn’t understand. Creatures and stories that should only exist in stories are suddenly alive in the forest and trying to kill her. Ava will have to learn who to trust, and more importantly, find out who she wants to be, in order to survive.
“A person with as many scars as you can be one of two things: a man that fights for justice or a man that fights for power. My question is: which one are you?”
Trapped in Silver reads like a fairy tale. There is magic and mystery, but the layers within the novel unfold slowly, refusing to plunge too fast. I suspect that the pacing is done so that we get a solid foundation for the story to take off in later books. World and character building are important, and sometimes can be lacking for the sake of a “fast plot”. Snowden doesn’t succumb to that pressure, and instead lets us unravel the mystery with Ava. It made Ava much more relatable, and also lets the reader learn important details without giving us tediously boring info dumps.
Of course, we do get some information before Ava does, so one of the plot twists was an easy guess. However, the twist at the end was shocking and only made me want to turn more pages, only to find I had reached the end. I need to know what happens! It also made me wonder if Snowden deliberately made the twist obvious knowing she was going to sucker punch us later.
This book is filled with action, and adventure, and mystery. It is enchanting and fun! Ava is not just a sassy heroine, but headstrong and flawed. She tends to find herself going against what people tell her, but this is also a girl who created an identity to circumvent society. We shouldn’t be surprised. And often, her impulsive nature is the right one. Even if it a bit more troublesome.
“Well, I figured it’s been at least a week since someone’s tried to kill me, so I wanted to shake things up a bit, you know,” I said, sheathing my dagger. “I’ve never been one to back away from a fight.”
This sass, her brash refusal to cower and back down is part of what makes Ava such a good character. She is flawed, and reckless, and sometimes a bit naive. But, she is unflinchingly herself throughout it all. There is nothing that drives me battier than a waffling heroine, so I adored Ava and her feistiness.
Snowden has built an intriguing world full of mystery and nefarious plots. She has written characters that are full of hidden depths and surprises. Ava doesn’t become a master swordsman, or miraculously save the day on her own, or any other standard heroine tropes we usually see. Instead, she finds herself, and realizes that she isn’t alone. She opens herself to the people around her, choosing to fight with them, to push herself more and to protect them the only way she knows how. That is my idea of a strong female lead.
I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series! If you like sass, adventure and a dark mystery, this is the book for you!
Thank you to OfTomes Publishing for sending me a copy to read and review!
From the very first moments of this book, I fell in love with Ava. A girl who dresses as a boy so that she can keep the family farm afloat while her father goes away on extended trips. It was love at first sass.
Ava is a normal seventeen year old girl. Well, normal-ish. Normal if you don’t count the silver necklace around her neck that cannot be removed, (and believe it, she’s tried!). Normal to pretend to be a brother who doesn’t exist. Normal to not want to be “matched to a narcissist who saw me as little more than a live-in cook and vessel for his seedlings”, (she means married). Normal to fall into blackout dreams. Normal.
Small things like dressing as a boy and not wanting to get married may not seem fiery, or fiesty, or even rebellious. Until you consider that she lives in a town where it is illegal for women to even use certain hairpins, lest they be used as weapons. A town where a woman helping on any level that would make them equal to a man is looked down on, if not outright forbidden.
Yet despite her deep yearning to be allowed to run the farm and be left alone, strange things are happening around Ava. Shadows that look like monsters lurk behind window panes. Animals are slaughtered in the barn while the doors are locked. And when a handsome stranger with eyes of fire and smoke saunters onto her land late one night, things will never be the same.
Against the rules set out by her father and older brother (real, not imaginary), Ava attends a town ball with her friend, Kaela. Immediately she gains the attention of a dark stranger with darker eyes. But rather than being whisked off her feet, she is lured to a trap and nearly dies. Injured and confused, she wakes in a strange bed surrounded by strange people.
Not quite a prisoner, but not quite free, Ava finds herself in the middle of a war she doesn’t understand. Creatures and stories that should only exist in stories are suddenly alive in the forest and trying to kill her. Ava will have to learn who to trust, and more importantly, find out who she wants to be, in order to survive.
“A person with as many scars as you can be one of two things: a man that fights for justice or a man that fights for power. My question is: which one are you?”
Trapped in Silver reads like a fairy tale. There is magic and mystery, but the layers within the novel unfold slowly, refusing to plunge too fast. I suspect that the pacing is done so that we get a solid foundation for the story to take off in later books. World and character building are important, and sometimes can be lacking for the sake of a “fast plot”. Snowden doesn’t succumb to that pressure, and instead lets us unravel the mystery with Ava. It made Ava much more relatable, and also lets the reader learn important details without giving us tediously boring info dumps.
Of course, we do get some information before Ava does, so one of the plot twists was an easy guess. However, the twist at the end was shocking and only made me want to turn more pages, only to find I had reached the end. I need to know what happens! It also made me wonder if Snowden deliberately made the twist obvious knowing she was going to sucker punch us later.
This book is filled with action, and adventure, and mystery. It is enchanting and fun! Ava is not just a sassy heroine, but headstrong and flawed. She tends to find herself going against what people tell her, but this is also a girl who created an identity to circumvent society. We shouldn’t be surprised. And often, her impulsive nature is the right one. Even if it a bit more troublesome.
“Well, I figured it’s been at least a week since someone’s tried to kill me, so I wanted to shake things up a bit, you know,” I said, sheathing my dagger. “I’ve never been one to back away from a fight.”
This sass, her brash refusal to cower and back down is part of what makes Ava such a good character. She is flawed, and reckless, and sometimes a bit naive. But, she is unflinchingly herself throughout it all. There is nothing that drives me battier than a waffling heroine, so I adored Ava and her feistiness.
Snowden has built an intriguing world full of mystery and nefarious plots. She has written characters that are full of hidden depths and surprises. Ava doesn’t become a master swordsman, or miraculously save the day on her own, or any other standard heroine tropes we usually see. Instead, she finds herself, and realizes that she isn’t alone. She opens herself to the people around her, choosing to fight with them, to push herself more and to protect them the only way she knows how. That is my idea of a strong female lead.
I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series! If you like sass, adventure and a dark mystery, this is the book for you!
Thank you to OfTomes Publishing for sending me a copy to read and review!
September 27, 2017
Rating: 4/5
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (some violence and some mature scenes, trigger warning for one particular scene that seemed a bit like the main character was going to be raped. It was probably just my inference of that scene, but just be safe and know your limits if you’re upset by that).
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This did not influence my decision in any manner. Thanks OfTomes Publishing for the review copy!
Courage comes from a shadowed place in our hearts; a blurred line that straddles love and sheer stupidity.
To seventeen-year-old Ava, wild woodcats, hungry stragglers, and simple-minded townsfolk are the evils she's grown accustomed to. But when Ethan, an unusual man with eyes of smoke and fire opal, enters her world she quickly understands that there are worse things out there than drunken men and carnivorous forest creatures. She's a specialised liar and a hell of a fighter, but against a group of animalistic men called Berserkers she struggles to survive the encounter as the desperate swing of a dagger is all it takes to change her life for good.
Half-dead and hunted by the Berserker's leader when he forms a monstrous obsession with her, Ava escapes his pursuit in an unfamiliar land full of impossible creatures, unlikely allies, and the man she doesn't know whether to kiss or kill.
But after dreadful news of her missing brother surfaces, Ava becomes more involved in the centuries-long war and begins to unravel the reasons behind her relentless nightmares, discovering truths long-buried in a violent history of love, loss and betrayal. – Amazon.com
In the aftermath of the Sarah J Maas’ destruction on the YA fantasy genre there rises a book that promises to be just as wonderful and enticing. And this is the book! I honestly loved this book. I thought the book was very well done and a bit unique. The characters felt real and not like they were unnaturally strong or powerful. I also loved how Ava engineered Cedar instead of totally relying on Roan. I loved how the plot developed, even if some of the twists were a bit predictable, and I loved how the author did the pacing. The writing had a nice flow to it and it’s very easy to read.
There were some little things in this book that I didn’t like however. I felt that the character development wasn’t as good as it could have been and there were too many love interests for my liking. And as I stated before, some of the twists in the book are predictable.
Verdict: Overall, I really liked the book. Despite my critics I felt like the book was really well done and unique. I also feel that Ava is an inspirational figure. Her never-give-up, pick-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps personality is very admirable. This is definitely a book for Maas lovers and other fantasy lovers alike.
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (some violence and some mature scenes, trigger warning for one particular scene that seemed a bit like the main character was going to be raped. It was probably just my inference of that scene, but just be safe and know your limits if you’re upset by that).
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This did not influence my decision in any manner. Thanks OfTomes Publishing for the review copy!
Courage comes from a shadowed place in our hearts; a blurred line that straddles love and sheer stupidity.
To seventeen-year-old Ava, wild woodcats, hungry stragglers, and simple-minded townsfolk are the evils she's grown accustomed to. But when Ethan, an unusual man with eyes of smoke and fire opal, enters her world she quickly understands that there are worse things out there than drunken men and carnivorous forest creatures. She's a specialised liar and a hell of a fighter, but against a group of animalistic men called Berserkers she struggles to survive the encounter as the desperate swing of a dagger is all it takes to change her life for good.
Half-dead and hunted by the Berserker's leader when he forms a monstrous obsession with her, Ava escapes his pursuit in an unfamiliar land full of impossible creatures, unlikely allies, and the man she doesn't know whether to kiss or kill.
But after dreadful news of her missing brother surfaces, Ava becomes more involved in the centuries-long war and begins to unravel the reasons behind her relentless nightmares, discovering truths long-buried in a violent history of love, loss and betrayal. – Amazon.com
In the aftermath of the Sarah J Maas’ destruction on the YA fantasy genre there rises a book that promises to be just as wonderful and enticing. And this is the book! I honestly loved this book. I thought the book was very well done and a bit unique. The characters felt real and not like they were unnaturally strong or powerful. I also loved how Ava engineered Cedar instead of totally relying on Roan. I loved how the plot developed, even if some of the twists were a bit predictable, and I loved how the author did the pacing. The writing had a nice flow to it and it’s very easy to read.
There were some little things in this book that I didn’t like however. I felt that the character development wasn’t as good as it could have been and there were too many love interests for my liking. And as I stated before, some of the twists in the book are predictable.
Verdict: Overall, I really liked the book. Despite my critics I felt like the book was really well done and unique. I also feel that Ava is an inspirational figure. Her never-give-up, pick-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps personality is very admirable. This is definitely a book for Maas lovers and other fantasy lovers alike.
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