Down to Oath

by Tyrolin Puxty

You have to find yourself before you can leave.

Codi lives in the exceptionally drab town of Oath; a settlement without colour, children or personality.

When a child manifests in the library and introduces Codi to parallel towns that contain aggressive, manic versions of herself, she must decide between saving Oath...and saving herself.

After all, how much can you truly trust yourself?

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

116 pages, Paperback

Published April 3, 2018

About the author

I'm a Jack, or more accurately, a Tyrolin of all trades.

Broken Dolls, the first in the trilogy, is an award-winning, international #1 bestseller and appeared on Buzzfeed's Top 24 Best SciFi/Fantasy Books of 2015.

I have been in the Top 25 of the Australian Songwriters Association and Top 5 of the Australian Independent Music Awards, was awarded an Australia Day Award for Music in 2014 and for Arts in 2015. I own a performing arts school, teach creative writing and host a podcast called HooPod, which is part of Felicia Day's community.

I love cats. I love every kind of cat. I just want to hug all of them, but I can't hug every cat.

Reviews

[Irene ➰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.85/5

“Focus is a killer, you know? If you observe one thing, you miss out on everything else.”

This quote is totally me! When I’m having one of those days where I focus only on one stupid thing I really need to think of this, for me it’s so appropriate.
THANK YOU SO MUCH Tyrolin Puxty for contacting me through my IG profile and letting me be part of this by sending me a copy!

Talking about the book now.
This was so such a unique journey! It was a super light-hearted read but at the same time was a very important one.
Tyrolin’s imagination is endless, I already read one book of hers, Broken Dolls, and in this one too I found a such unique and never had experience while reading.
I never read a book touching and exploring this theme, the reincarnation, and I found so peculiar how she decided to speak of it, how she created this world and characters and message.

It’s very hard to talk about the plot without spoiling anything, it’s seriously a journey that you have to fully take by yourself and I highly recommend to check out this little book. It’s a very fast read and it won’t take too much time to read it.
Codi has always lived in Oath, a very flat town, then suddenly a child appears in the library of her town, and Codi discovers that there are more towns of which she never knew the existence of.
From here she will start learning too that there are different versions of herself and that she has to find and unite all these versions to truly find herself.

I think that this is a book that can be read by both adults and younger readers, the writing is very easy (maybe too much sometimes) and plot too. While reading I found myself analyzing more than once the meaning of the book, especially toward the end when the true meaning is actually revealed. It’s centered on what you have to go through to find yourself, narrated using different towns and characters to create the whole journey.

I HAVE TWO GIVEAWAYS FOR THIS BOOK UP ON MY IG PROFILE, LINK IN BIO!

[Erin Sky · Rating 5 out of 5]

FUN & FASCINATING!

Another great read from the mind of Tyrolin Puxty! I love her stuff so much, and it never disappoints!

THE STORY

Oath. A dull sort of town. The kind of place where you might stop for pancakes, on your way to somewhere far more interesting. You’d forget all about them the moment you left. (Both the town and the pancakes.) In fact, you’d never give Oath another thought unless you had the terrible misfortune of getting stuck there. Forever.

Through some cosmic mix-up, Codi’s landed in a place where she does not belong. She doesn’t remember how she got there, and she can’t seem to find a way out. An impenetrable white fog surrounds the town. No one new ever shows up, and no one ever leaves.

Until Codi appears. Again.

Only this time it’s a child version of herself, babbling about things big Codi can’t understand. There are other versions of the town. Other versions of herself. And she has to find herself before she can leave. But she’d better hurry. Because all hell is about to break loose, and the people of Oath do not respond well to change.

THE READ

Down to Oath is classic Tyrolin Puxty. Quirky and intriguing, it’s a novella-sized read that does exactly what short fiction should: It entertains, and it makes you think. I wish I could talk about the questions it raised for me personally, but I can’t. Even the questions would spoil the book.

But hey, that’s why people invented book clubs! Do you have a book club? Read this one! You’ll love it! It’s fun, it’s profound, and it’s short, so even the slackers who just come for the cupcakes might actually read it. You know who I’m talking about.

What? Me? No, I’ve never done that! (Yes, okay, fine. I’ve done that. But I read the book later, so it still counts.)

Since this isn’t a book club, all I can do here is recommend it. Part mystery, part madcap romp, and all Tyrolin Puxty, fans will devour Down to Oath in a single sitting.

[Ayah · Rating 5 out of 5]

“No this can’t be how the story ends!” -Kerrie Roberts

Read my review of Down to Oath on my blog + Enter the INTL Giveaway to win a signed copy here

A story that will take you on a crazy ride, and leave you to ponder about the meaning of life. Get ready to get lost in the forest of existential questions and moral implications.

I think it was a smart move to keep the blurb short; I plan on doing the same with my review because I don't want to spoil anything.  

Codi is a very creative girl who lives in the most boring town ever. Then a child named Codi appears in Oath, a town without kids, and tells big Codi about 3 other towns. Towns whee different versions of Codi exist and live.

And so the journey begins, a journey that is full twists and turns that you'll never see coming. With Tyrolin, imagination has no limits.

I hope that we get a sequel, or a companion novel. I would love to revisit these characters again, and explore the events that could come next.

Down to Oath is the perfect book to read when you are stuck in a reading slump, or even while traveling.

I received a review copy in exchange with an honest review.

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Codi lives in Oath, a town where there's little joy. There's no color and each day is exactly the same. Codi isn't like the other inhabitants of her town. She likes surprises, she wants variety and she loves to read. She's the only one using the town's library. That is where she meets a child. There are no children in Oath, so what is the child doing there? Codi learns that the child is a younger version of herself from a nearby town called Bond. With the help of the little Codi, Codi travels to three towns she never knew how to reach and meets two more versions of herself. They are the same, but they are also different. What is the reason of the existence of four versions of herself and what does Codi have to do to make her world right again?

Down to Oath is a fantastic original story. Codi is living in a dull town where everyone wants life to be predictable and she doesn't. She doesn't fit in and feels there should be more. That is why she reads. When she meets the other Codis she starts to understand herself better. Her journey has started without her even knowing it and her path is filled with destruction, chaos and violence on one side and love, understanding, feeling complete and being understood on the other. I loved the way Tyrolin Puxty balances these two parts of her story and was hooked from the start.

Down to Oath is a unique thought-provoking story about life, death and everything in between that's easy to read. I liked that there's a wonderful brightness and cheerfulness while the subject matter itself is intelligent, gripping, inspirational and intriguing. Tyrolin Puxty has written a compelling story filled with unexpected twists and turns. She constantly surprised me and that made the story incredibly enchanting to read for me. Down to Oat is a fantastic novella that I highly recommend.

[Roberta R. (Offbeat YA) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.

Pros: Light and deep at the same time. Weaves reflection with adventure and surprises. Tackles a theme we rarely get to see in MG/YA.
Cons: For the story to work, the parallel town system needs to be inherently flawed in a couple of instances.
Will appeal to: Kids and adults looking for a quick, simple-yet-profound, offbeat story.

First off...DISCLAIMER: I am a semi-regular reviewer of Curiosity Quills titles (like this one), but if you look back at my ratings, this never prevented me from being unbiased. And all the books I received from them were generously sent with no strings attached

DOUBLE PERSPECTIVE

You all know I've never reviewed a MG book on the blog - when I requested this one, I thought it was YA (I had read the first chapter on Amazon to get a taste of it). The fact is, when we first meet the protagonist (whose age we aren't privy to), she comes across as a young woman, and the writing style is accessible but not simplistic - so I just assumed those things settled the matter once and for all. Then the publisher told me it was, in fact, MG. After reading it, I can see that the label is appropriate, but even if you're an adult who doesn't usually read in that age range, don't let that discourage you from trying this one. Down to Oath is a deceptively simple book, with as many layers as you can peel away. You can even be at odds with a certain theory the book puts forth, but that very likely won't detract from your reading experience - as it didn't from mine 🙂. [...]

Whole review here.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Down to Oath... Great title! Oh, and I LOVED the book. It's full of fun and adventure while it makes your eyes pop up once in a while. After I started reading it, I had to stop midway. I couldn't stop thinking about the book and what was gonna happen to Codi, so I had to pick it back up again. There was so much imagination and creativity. One problem though, I don't believe in reincarnation. So that's a bit of a downer. Other than that, I highly recommend the book. Especially to teenagers

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I seriously wish I could give half stars. 3 1/2

I liked this, especially the oddball main character, Codi. She lives in a world where everything is cookie cutter, no differences amongst the people, nothing exciting... then there is some excitement in the form of a child in a childless village. Codi learns there is more out there, and she has the power of choice, BIG choice.

I wish this were a bit longer. There was so much that could have been expanded, if done right this could be a great story.

[E.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an beautiful, rich, fun read. Coming in at 116 pages, it a fast read but stuffed with detailed word building, a steady engaging plot and a story that will leave you breathless.

Since this is a rather short story, I'm not going to give you anything on the over all story, it will ruin it. Everything is interconnected and one small detail will ruin the experience for you.

I will tell you that the writing is easy to read, it's clean and as I said fun. This is a perfect book for all ages, and a perfect family read. I loved the light heart tone, and the child likeness to it. It gives you those good feels, and keeps your eyes glued to the pages.

I highly recommend you get your hands on this unique read. It's a special read that deserves to get otu in the world and talked about.

Happy Reading.

-E.A. Walsh

[MBenzz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book! It was so original (at least to me) and so different from anything else I've read lately. I love the idea of the four towns, and what they each represent...

Oath = Grief
Word = Creativity
Bond = Children
Pledge = Passion

I really can't explain too much about this book without feeling like I'm giving something away, but I recently finished "Elsewhere" by Gabrielle Zevin, and it really reminded me of that book. Completely different story and completely different vision, but the subject matter was similar (if that makes any sense).

Overall, I definitely, definitely recommend this book. It's a super quick read, and I loved every page of it.

[SR Westvik · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Down to Oath by Tyrolin Puxty is a book that asks a lot of questions we all hold inside ourselves, provides answers that both provoke and comfort, and yet falls short through offbeat narration that is not always endearing and a somewhat meandering plot. It recounts the story of Codi, a creative misfit in the bland, conformist town of Oath, who encounters a child in the disused library and a parallel town in the mist that surrounds her own, and embarks on an adventure of self-discovery, self-assurance, and self-acceptance.

The Story and World

One thing that struck me immediately – in particular from the narration – was that despite hints at social and existential questions, the book did not take itself too seriously. That was a welcome change from a lot of the dark, jaded YA fiction I’ve been exposed to lately. The world building was acutely fantasy-lite but honestly, I didn’t have as much of a problem with that as I expected I would (the moment I realised it). The absurdity of many elements made it clear that the book was going to ask some serious questions about identity, and that’s where the focus would be. The concepts of the world explored were what was interesting, more so than the actual environment. My favourite parts were whenever questions were asked about the world we live in, internally and externally, the meanings of the lives we lead, the walls we put up within ourselves, and the ways we can learn to smash them down.

While I enjoyed the turns that the story took, and the revelations regarding Codi and the supporting characters and their roles in Oath and the parallel towns, I felt that the plot itself was not as driven as it could be. The lack of the antagonist’s presence for a large part of the story probably contributed to that – I didn’t feel he was established clearly as the antagonist at the start, and so when he started chasing Codi, it was less a moment of panic and more a moment of “oh, he’s the bad guy”. There was also a touch of deus ex machina in the final act that drained some of the tension from it, but this was at least counteracted by better time spent exploring the characters and a better exploration of the stakes.

The Characters

“You know what? Screw what Oath says. I’m going to learn how to make fireworks.”

At the risk of revealing the crux of the tale, this story is about the character of Codi, nothing more and nothing less. A large part of it centres on Codi questioning herself and learning to live with herself. I did like her by the end of it! At first I couldn’t get an inkling of who she was, and what made her tick. But – again at the risk of spoilers – we come to learn a great deal about everything that makes up who Codi is. The parts she knows, the parts she doesn’t, the parts she sacrifices. I really can’t say more without spoiling, except that she ends up being more complicated of a person than we may first expect.

In terms of secondary characters, they were, for the most part, exceptionally flat. There are obvious in-world reasons for this – but I still felt that lacking, and I wish they could have been more compelling while accommodating those reasons. Nevertheless, I’d say Thorn was my favourite. She was tough and uncompromising, a warrior, but a warrior for those who could never be one. Brutal for noble reasons. Little Codi was just a brat honestly, and I greatly disliked her.

The Writing

I think this was my biggest problem with the story, and the reason why I just couldn’t bump it up to four stars. It’s relatively good, with nothing particularly of note – except when there is, for the wrong reasons. While I understand the need to establish Codi’s voice, the narration often comes off as forcibly juvenile. I cringed one too many times. Even moments fraught with peril lost all their gravity because of clever comments thrown in at the wrong time. Levity is nice, but sometimes it needs to be tempered with the context.

Final Thoughts

I did enjoy Down to Oath, and I think Puxty has crafted a story that really hones in on what makes a person a person. A lot of questions that were raised have definitely stuck with me. Still, I believe it could have been improved by better writing, less one-dimensional characters, and a plot with clearer stakes. Perhaps even a touch of foreshadowing, to counteract some of these flaws. In the end I’d recommend this for younger readers, or readers who don’t demand too much from their stories.

“Life isn’t meant to be easy. It’s just the experience, Codi. There’s still so much we do not understand – and perhaps never will.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Curiosity Quills Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oath is boring. Scheduled to the second, everyone likes all the same things, nothing changes. Boring. But not Codi, she’s different, she goes against the flow. She’s the only one to use the library at the edge of town. More than that, she’s certain that she’s the only one to have met a child, much less a child that claims to be her somehow. The child says she has to find her other selves in other worlds but won’t say why. How much can this child Codi be trusted? Are the other Codis any more trustworthy?

Tyrolin Puxty’s Down to Oath is a super weird book. Multiple worlds layer together, each with reflected versions of the same people. But each world is vastly different, ruled by different emotions and different ideals. It’s sort of an adventure unto itself to try and figure out where the story is headed and what various things mean. That said though, there is a minor spoiler for the whole thing in the blurb itself. It’s a weird oversight given how well the plot works as a sort of mystery about itself aside from that.

The worlds themselves fascinate me. Each is the size of a small town and each is a reflection of the others with the same buildings and people, just different versions of them. Oath is boring and quiet and unchanging. Bond is full of children, left to play and explore and do as they will. Pledge burns with passion and conflict, each citizen a warrior scholar and deeply serious. Then there’s Word, the realm of unbound creativity where everyone is an artist of some stripe. Each world has or had a version of the same people and they’re all notably different from Codi’s view point. I would have loved to have seen more of the worlds and how they compare. I would have really liked to have seen more of how the various core parts of the worlds come together to balance each other out.

While the worlds fascinate me the characters, Codi aside, fall a bit flat. I do think that that ties into the worlds being so different, it winds up meaning that characters who are meant to be different iterations of the same person often wind up not really resembling each other. That winds up being part of where the book falls apart for me. Puxty has a number of really cool ideas both for her world and for how her characters work, unfortunately the book is both short enough and focused in enough on Codi that other characters don’t get the chance to shine.

This shows up pretty heavily with the antagonist and Codi’s love interest, which is pretty jarring. The story proper doesn’t really hit its stride until a fair way in so we spend a good amount of time with Codi and her Bond and Pledge versions. But then other characters bounce between being basically sketches, unrecognizable from one world to another. After Codi herself, the next two most developed characters are rather one note, a joyous love interest and a raging antagonist. There’s a lot with both characters that the reader and Codi are told, but it leads to the whole thing feeling rushed and incomplete.

I feel like that is an issue that sort of eats at the end of the book. There’s a sense to the first parts of the book of adventure as Codi is introduced to all these new things and places. But then the end feels like there was a bigger story planned, a wider arc to the story, but not enough page space for it. There wasn’t a lot of lead up to it either so, again, it feels cramped against itself with all this exposition just coming out of nowhere. It’s frustrating in a lot of ways, I really enjoyed the first part of the book but then the end didn’t live up to it.

This is one of those books that I feel could have been really awesome if it had been given another draft or a go around with a beta reader. The bones of it are solid, but the finished novel winds up feeling very like a first book. That informs a lot on my final feelings here. I think that Tyrolin Puxty has the makings of a good writer and that if she works on her pacing and character focus she could do some fantastic stuff. Down to Oath gets a three out of five, but I would give one of Puxty’s other novels a shot.

I was sent a copy of this book for honest review by the publisher, Curiosity Quills Press.

[Geoff Strayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is an art to writing fiction. The characters need to be likable, accessible, hopefully relatable. The plot needs to flow, and avoid the pitfalls and traps of running your character into dead ends, jumping around, and so on. Sometimes, all that happens, and you still get a book that is impossibly hard to review.

Down to Oath is that book.

While my personal satisfaction was low, the reality is that there is little objectively wrong with the book itself.

The characters are well drawn. They are believable, exactly trope-ish enough to be familiar, while retaining a uniqueness that is appreciated. The towns are decent enough - the titular Oath is the best-developed and most satisfying to me, with shades of the nameless village of The Lottery, and even shades of The Village from The Prisoner. Not so much in the surreal weirdness, but in the characterizations of the residents. I liked what I saw happening, as it fit nicely into a lot of my preferred boxes and concepts.

Then the book continues.

So this is where this stops being a product satisfaction review, and becomes a book review.

As Down To Oath progresses, the characters are developed into less monotone versions of themselves, and this growth is not without conflict. The conflict is well composed, and the evolution of the characters is both well written and well paced - there is very little downtime, and what is there is needed to continue development, but without the pressure of the plot elements. The climax hits in the right place, with the needed tension, and a predictable, if not unwelcome, ending. A sequel is set up, but not made a requirement, which is nice. Far too many books these days are written to require a sequel, and that gets tiresome after a time.

And this is all well and good, but there is one 'review' problem, and one 'satisfaction' problem. The review problem is that so much of the book has the flavor of a spoiler that writing about it in any but the most vague language feels like I am giving something away. The other town names, not so much, but the other characters, the ones beyond Oath? Yes, that seems to be a spoiler. The reason for it all...spoiler. The resolution...obviously a spoiler, but even hinting at it is giving things away. And that is just frustrating.

The satisfaction issue is that when we find out the why of it all, it is the least-good version of the why. Tyrolin Puxty does nod to other reasons - all of which I would have preferred - but sticks to her guns, and delivers. I am not down with that reasoning, however. I feel that it limits the plot, limits the characters, and limits the book itself. All needlessly.

So, my final thoughts here would be that Down to Oath is a well-written, well thought out book, and while aspects were not to taste, this will be quite satisfying ro other readers.

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

There aren't that many books where I don't want to spew everything that happened in it in a mini summary before I head into more intensive thoughts. (I'm a compulsive spoiler who cannot be tamed!) But there is something about this book that I want to keep from everyone out of a fear of genuinely ruining the whole story. (What's happening to me?!) The wonderful thing of Puxty's novel is the execution and reveals, which, much like thrillers, give off the sense that you should go in as blind as possible.

So, to be as descriptive as possible without giving too much away: I love how this book was fast-paced right out of the gate and rarely slows down. You jump right in and never look back, which is a style I never complain about! To put it simply, the book's creativity is ever-present, and the overall subject matter and themes are extremely thought-provoking.

The beginning of Down to Oath hits you with mystery, and the setting reminded me of some of my favorite books like The Giver, which I loved. The main character Codi is everything the rest of her peers are not; she's inquisitive and imaginative, constantly in search of knowledge and self-expression. Also, she loves libraries and believes in the power of stories, winning my bookish heart!!!!

The story explores a great deal of concepts that I think can be enjoyed by a wide audience, but my favorite is how Puxty highlighted discovering who you are and your intricacies. Additionally, her writing style fits the tone of the book perfectly, but it might be important to point out that the writing is simplistic in some respects. For me, this was not a problem but rather worked well with the story, but I might see older readers being hesitant about this. However, this book is so intriguing that I would definitely recommend it.

[Eustacia Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was invited to join the blog tour for Down to Oath, I immediately said yes because I’ve loved every single one of Tyrolin’s books so far!

Down to Oath proved to be no exception as I got sucked into Codi’s world. Codi appeared, fully formed, in Oath, a drab, boring town. But unlike the other residents, Codi wants something different. She wants colour and she wants pattern and she wants to shake things up. One day, she meets a child version of herself and realises that there are three other worlds. From there, the story really takes off as Codi and her other selves (Little Codi, Thorn) try to discover why their there and what it means to leave their worlds.

And I must say, the world building here is fantastic! I really loved the concept of the four worlds - Oath, Pledge, Bond, and Word and the idea that each world has its own distinctive characteristics.

As for Codi (Creative Codi), it was pretty interesting to see her come to terms with her selves. Little Codi could be a bit of a brat but was mostly adorable. Thorn (warrior Codi) and Creative Codi quarrelled a lot so the way their friendship developed was exciting. The last Codi, Willow, I didn’t get to see much of, which was a pity.

The story is told from Codi’s point of view. Truth be told, the beginning reminded me of the narrative style in the Broken Dolls series, but the story soon grabbed me and I stopped comparing it with [broken doll character]

If you’re a fan of weird worlds and exciting adventures, you definitely have to pick it up. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for a free and honest review.

This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile

[Jessica (The Mortal Jessica) · Rating 2 out of 5]

*I received this as an ARC from the publisher*
I am thankful that this was a short book but sad that it took me so long to get through. and even more sad that Goodreads hasn't been working for me for about a month. I'm back though!

Down to Oath is somewhat of a dystopian novel about a young girl who sees through society's "perfection" and refuses to conform to what they want for them.

I loved Tyrolin Puxty's other novel Broken Dolls so I was excited when I got the opportunity to read this one. I wasn't very happy with this one, sadly. The narrator was interesting because instead of starting like a secret rebellion, she just straight up rebelled in public and tried to make herself stand out, which I found to be actually very annoying on her part because she constantly tried to make herself the center of attention. While I kind of appreciated the different take on rebellion, she seemed like a rebellious child more than someone who just doesn't want to be a part of society's standards. she was a very unlikeable protagonist and maybe that was the point the author was trying to make but I just wasn't a fan. It also felt like a very childish novel aimed at younger kids by dumbing down certain things and I don't like that in middle-grade books. I understand that not all younger kids may be able to understand these things but middle-grade is usually for ages 10 and up or middle school kids who do understand more by this point and don't need things dumbed down for them. It bothers me when middle-grade authors seem to make feel readers feel like they aren't smart enough to understand the material. maybe that's just me, but that's how it comes off.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here: I confess fantasy is not my favourite form of fiction. It can take me a bit longer to get into something that is anything but linear and let me tell you, this is anything but linear. Yet, it is worth wading through as there are some interesting ideas and themes running throughout.
Codi lives in Oath where everyone conforms but Codi. She knows she does not belong but it is not until a younger version of herself arrives and takes her to other worlds where one part of her soul exists without any other part. It is rather convoluted concept but in order for a soul or a person to be fully formed, they must meet and be able to co-exist with the opposite sides of themselves. I know it sound a bit odd but it does work.
There is creativity, there is denial and grief, there is the childlike innocence and there is the strength and courage. They live in these separate bubbles but until they can meet and join forces, they cannot be born into a new baby.
There are many challenges and dangers Codi and her counterparts meet, not the least being a rather vindictive being who wants to destroy Codi and all the people she loves. He also wants to take over the baby who is destined for Codi.
I cannot tell you how or why but it works. In fact, I was pulled along and became quite engrossed in the story. If you cannot go with the fantasy, this is not for you.
But if you can, I give this four purrs and two paws up.

[Jan farnworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a unique book about discovering who you are and where you are going.  Our main character Codi lives in a drab town where she not like anyone else she enjoys color, being creative and loves to the visit the town library.  Now you may think being different is a great quality to have but not in oath. Everyone and everything acts exactly the same and their no room for color and creativity.  Turns out that they are more towns that are parallel to the town of oath and each one contains a different version of yourself.   So Codi goes off on an adventure of sorts where she finds out how each part of herself combine to make her codi and what she will achieve in the next life?

The book brings up some ideas that not everyone agrees with but that what a book is for right it to bring up discussion among friends.  It brings to light new ways of thinking and looking at this world that we are all discovering and learning in. Just because you don't believe in re carnation does not mean you have to miss out on the joy of discussing what you get from a book that brings it up.   This story was great for a middle grade and thoroughly enjoyed it. 

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a really unique take on fantasy and reincarnation, it does what I was hoping for. I enjoyed the way Tyrolin Puxty wrote this and getting to know the universe created. I was glad I was able to read this and enjoyed getting to know the characters.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[TheReadingKnitter/ Kasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Weird but good. It took me a while to get into it but once I did I wanted to know what was up with all the characters. Even up to the end this book kept me guessing.

[Engel Dreizehn · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Copy...although i feel there are some loose ends that need to be tied up, I liked it for the alternate world approach and how alternate selves of one person can mean something about a person.

[Marjolein (UrlPhantomhive) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review to come!

[Annette Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A clever and inventive tale with a valuable lesson at heart, I loved the clever concept of this book. Cori stands out in her home town for all the wrong reasons, she is a vibrant , curious and vivacious character, trapped in a town full of boring and safe, where people refuse to even acknowledge that there is a problem. One day she meets a younger version of herself and when she follows her , she discovers that there is much more to the world than the town of Oath, and she will have to reconcile and reunite the various versions of herself if she want's to truly live and love.
The concept is really well executed, and the book , though short moves at a snappy pace and kept me intrigued and entertained.

[Cranky - The Book Curmudgeon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Cranky Stars


Codi lives in a town called Oath that lacks personality and excitement. Codi is the rebel that tries to change the town, she finally gets her wish when she meets a strange child.


I honestly thought the plot was unique and interesting. The secondary characters were repetitive, and I couldn’t connect with them. I wanted to smack the one in the face with a shovel, she was that annoying. I did connect with the main character of Codi, and the villain in the story. In my opinion, they (the secondary characters) caused the story to lag. The formatting issues took me out of the story more times than not.


What I did like about the story was that Codi was rebellious and strong. She is definitely a strong female character that was thrown into a rough situation. The story was fast paced in some areas and definitely lagged in others. The ending though was on point. I would recommend this story to the dystopian story lovers.