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The Fliers #1
Fliers: Book 1 in Fliers Series
Fight and love without fear As descendants of fairies, fliers were an old, forgotten species who appear human but could fly without wings. They lived peacefully amongst humans for several decades until a secret government agency developed new technology that allowed experimentation on fliers and discovered how to make ordinary people fly. Not sitting back and accepting the news, Sydona Wilder and her fairy Raoul, set out to find the agency and put a stop to the capture of the rare species. But Sydona will have to fight her own battles of facing her dark past and learning how to trust people again.
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
252 pages, Paperback
First published March 21, 2018
12 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Laura Mae
2 books68 followersLaura Mae was raised in the Midwest and now resides in Arizona surrounded by mountains and sunshine. As a fantasy fiction writer, she has an active imagination, constantly thinking of what-if scenarios and watches people for potential characters. Writing has always been a passion of hers since she was a child, drawing most of her inspiration from dreams. When she’s not writing, she takes care of her furbabies, loves to hike and be outdoors and plays video games for even more inspiration.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
November 18, 2019
Sydona is a flier, that is to say, she is basically a human who can fly and who has eyes that change colour from purple to green or brown *which is really cool*. She lives alone with the fairies, grows her own crops, and only interacts with humans when she needs to buy food and other supplies she can't provide for herself. One day she reads in the newspaper that some scientists are experimenting on fliers like herself and she panics. She decides that after 50 years, it's now time to look for her parents in the camp mentioned in the paper.
The beginning of the story was promising enough, it only started to go downhill when I learned that Sydona was 60 years old. The way she talked and behaved made her sound like a teenager or a young adult, and later on this resulted in so many inconsistencies in the dialogue that I now have a file full of parts that just didn't make any sense or were outright contradictory to something said or done before.
As an example, Sydona is said to be deeply mistrustful of humans, but lo and behold:
"Sydona’s heart skipped a beat, and she gulped air. “A bounty hunter?”
Giovonna stepped back into the kitchen silently and looked at them with worried eyes.
“Yeah. NFA hires people to bring the fliers to them at any cost,” Willow said, leaning back on the short counter and wringing a towel between her massive hands.
...“Bounty hunters… But the article I read said it was encouraged to have fliers come and even bring family members. Why--”
“O’course the article said that. You thank they gonna post in national news that Eagle Lake is more like a concentration camp? Hell no!” Willow yelled angrily and almost tore the towel up."
If I were Willow, I would've punched Sydona in the face for being so stupid.
But it doesn't stop at that. While she's extremely naive -and at one point she actually entertains the idea that her captor, who has done atrocious things, is a decent guy underneath *classic Stockholm syndrome*- she displays deep mistrust at other times of humans, so you are left with a question mark on your face. Her character is so inconsistent that I just stopped being surprised at anything she did.
“We should ask Willow to come with us,” Giovonna said.
“Absolutely not.”
“She has a car, Syd!” Raoul threw his arms up.
“I don’t care! I don’t know her.”
And then she trusts Maverick 5 seconds after she meets him with their most important plan.
"She always thought she looked very similar to other humans. Was it her blonde hair, her fair skin, her purple eyes--
“My eyes,” she whispered to herself. She never thought of her eyes always being a different color than other people’s."
No, purple eyes are perfectly normal in humans.
This bit was really funny.
Yeah right.
Besides the inconsistency in Sydona's character, there were several gaping plot holes and contradictions, like Gia knowing that a flier got a fairy when they turned eight years old, while Gia herself was raised by humans and supposedly didn't know anything about fliers. Unless this was public knowledge? Perhaps. This leads me to my next point, which is world building.
We got an origin story, to my great delight, as I was waiting for an explanation of how fliers came to be. But my happiness was short-lived as it was the most cliched origin story in history. I don't know if this will be considered a spoiler so I won't go into any details, which is a shame because I could've gone on a proper rant.
Origin story aside, we didn't get much of a glimpse of what people thought about fliers, how governments dealt with them, how the Sparrows came into existence (and why our hero had no idea they existed. Was she living in a hole?), what were the reactions to experimentation on fliers, why wasn't there any group trying to spread awareness about these experiments, and so on and so forth. It's like there was no one else in the world but fliers, mad scientists, the Sparrows, and bounty hunters.
"But in a world where humans populated ninety-nine percent of the planet, she was bound to run into them at some point."
Glad she at least acknowledged that.
The writing had an awkward flow to it. It was very unnatural sometimes and it never managed to suck me in. I was always a detached spectator, never fully invested in what happened to the characters. How they expressed grief, anger, joy, or fear never touched me. The dialogue was very painful to read most of the time because it was either corny, awkward, or didn't make much sense.
“I think we should stop soon.”
“Why? Do you have to pee?” he yelled back.
“Ew, no. We need to talk about stuff,” Sydona said and rolled her eyes.
I don't know what's disgusting in peeing. She is 60 years old and she says "ew" when she hears the word? What is she? Six?
In the same vein, . And pretty much everything else. The only parts I truly enjoyed were their journey to the camp, somewhere around the middle of the book.
Oh and BTW, their plan to enter the camp and all subsequent events made me roll my eyes so hard. And the ending...*sigh*
Now this review sounds negative so far, and I don't take back any of the criticisms I've delivered. But there were some good parts in there as well. I liked Gia and Willow and Silas and Raoul. Fairies, people who can fly, and eyes the change colour are all very interesting ideas that could be developed into something marvelous. Sydona's character needs some alterations to become consistent, the world building needs to be expanded upon and clarified, the plot line needs to become more realistic and less silly and convenient, the dialogue should aim to become more natural, and writing with some feelings poured into it would be very nice.
The beginning of the story was promising enough, it only started to go downhill when I learned that Sydona was 60 years old. The way she talked and behaved made her sound like a teenager or a young adult, and later on this resulted in so many inconsistencies in the dialogue that I now have a file full of parts that just didn't make any sense or were outright contradictory to something said or done before.
As an example, Sydona is said to be deeply mistrustful of humans, but lo and behold:
"Sydona’s heart skipped a beat, and she gulped air. “A bounty hunter?”
Giovonna stepped back into the kitchen silently and looked at them with worried eyes.
“Yeah. NFA hires people to bring the fliers to them at any cost,” Willow said, leaning back on the short counter and wringing a towel between her massive hands.
...“Bounty hunters… But the article I read said it was encouraged to have fliers come and even bring family members. Why--”
“O’course the article said that. You thank they gonna post in national news that Eagle Lake is more like a concentration camp? Hell no!” Willow yelled angrily and almost tore the towel up."
If I were Willow, I would've punched Sydona in the face for being so stupid.
But it doesn't stop at that. While she's extremely naive -and at one point she actually entertains the idea that her captor, who has done atrocious things, is a decent guy underneath *classic Stockholm syndrome*- she displays deep mistrust at other times of humans, so you are left with a question mark on your face. Her character is so inconsistent that I just stopped being surprised at anything she did.
“We should ask Willow to come with us,” Giovonna said.
“Absolutely not.”
“She has a car, Syd!” Raoul threw his arms up.
“I don’t care! I don’t know her.”
And then she trusts Maverick 5 seconds after she meets him with their most important plan.
"She always thought she looked very similar to other humans. Was it her blonde hair, her fair skin, her purple eyes--
“My eyes,” she whispered to herself. She never thought of her eyes always being a different color than other people’s."
No, purple eyes are perfectly normal in humans.
This bit was really funny.
she felt like she was the only one being smart and rational.
Yeah right.
Besides the inconsistency in Sydona's character, there were several gaping plot holes and contradictions, like Gia knowing that a flier got a fairy when they turned eight years old, while Gia herself was raised by humans and supposedly didn't know anything about fliers. Unless this was public knowledge? Perhaps. This leads me to my next point, which is world building.
We got an origin story, to my great delight, as I was waiting for an explanation of how fliers came to be. But my happiness was short-lived as it was the most cliched origin story in history. I don't know if this will be considered a spoiler so I won't go into any details, which is a shame because I could've gone on a proper rant.
Origin story aside, we didn't get much of a glimpse of what people thought about fliers, how governments dealt with them, how the Sparrows came into existence (and why our hero had no idea they existed. Was she living in a hole?), what were the reactions to experimentation on fliers, why wasn't there any group trying to spread awareness about these experiments, and so on and so forth. It's like there was no one else in the world but fliers, mad scientists, the Sparrows, and bounty hunters.
"But in a world where humans populated ninety-nine percent of the planet, she was bound to run into them at some point."
Glad she at least acknowledged that.
The writing had an awkward flow to it. It was very unnatural sometimes and it never managed to suck me in. I was always a detached spectator, never fully invested in what happened to the characters. How they expressed grief, anger, joy, or fear never touched me. The dialogue was very painful to read most of the time because it was either corny, awkward, or didn't make much sense.
“I think we should stop soon.”
“Why? Do you have to pee?” he yelled back.
“Ew, no. We need to talk about stuff,” Sydona said and rolled her eyes.
I don't know what's disgusting in peeing. She is 60 years old and she says "ew" when she hears the word? What is she? Six?
In the same vein, . And pretty much everything else. The only parts I truly enjoyed were their journey to the camp, somewhere around the middle of the book.
Oh and BTW, their plan to enter the camp and all subsequent events made me roll my eyes so hard. And the ending...*sigh*
Now this review sounds negative so far, and I don't take back any of the criticisms I've delivered. But there were some good parts in there as well. I liked Gia and Willow and Silas and Raoul. Fairies, people who can fly, and eyes the change colour are all very interesting ideas that could be developed into something marvelous. Sydona's character needs some alterations to become consistent, the world building needs to be expanded upon and clarified, the plot line needs to become more realistic and less silly and convenient, the dialogue should aim to become more natural, and writing with some feelings poured into it would be very nice.
September 14, 2018
'Fliers' features an amazing cast of characters from all walks of life. (My personal favorite is Willow the Widowed). I was able to picture every person and every setting so vividly in my head thanks to Mae's descriptions.
The story is charming, keeps a good pace and has an exciting climax-- plus a nice segue into the sequel! I look forward to reading the next installment!
The story is charming, keeps a good pace and has an exciting climax-- plus a nice segue into the sequel! I look forward to reading the next installment!
January 30, 2019
Recently I got this book called "Fliers" from Booktasters in exchange of an honest review. Basically its a fantasy book series where the MC is a human looking person with longer life span and flying ability, which in short sounds great!!
Sadly the book did not do it for me. The MC proved to be real naive and when I double checked, she is 60 years old!! I mean seriously?!! She sounds like my nagging 14 yo little sister.
I could not for my life make any sense of what she is doing on the full 224 pages. I gave up on her!! The writing could not hook me in, the world building was almost null as well.
So overall, the book was a real disappointment for me. I was so into it when I first read about Syds (MC) peaceful life at her cottage! The heart break was real!
Going to rate it 1.5/5 stars. I don't think I am going to pick another one of this series.
Sadly the book did not do it for me. The MC proved to be real naive and when I double checked, she is 60 years old!! I mean seriously?!! She sounds like my nagging 14 yo little sister.
I could not for my life make any sense of what she is doing on the full 224 pages. I gave up on her!! The writing could not hook me in, the world building was almost null as well.
So overall, the book was a real disappointment for me. I was so into it when I first read about Syds (MC) peaceful life at her cottage! The heart break was real!
Going to rate it 1.5/5 stars. I don't think I am going to pick another one of this series.
October 9, 2018
Full discretion: I got the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have had this book for three weeks and consistently try to power through it in the hopes that I would enjoy it. Unfortunately, I could not finish because of the following:
1. Writing had an awkward flow to it. In most sections, it did not feel very natural in its progression.
2. The dialogues were decent and but in some sections it was just painful to read (corny and/or awkward)
3. The characters did not appeal to me.
I have had this book for three weeks and consistently try to power through it in the hopes that I would enjoy it. Unfortunately, I could not finish because of the following:
1. Writing had an awkward flow to it. In most sections, it did not feel very natural in its progression.
2. The dialogues were decent and but in some sections it was just painful to read (corny and/or awkward)
3. The characters did not appeal to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2019
Fliers tells the story of Sydona as she seeks to reunite with her long-lost family.
The premise of the story was interesting, but a combination of improbable and unbelievable choices by the characters and numerous occurrences of unwieldy and stilted prose made for tedious reading that made finishing the book a struggle.
I did like Sydona's little friend, Raoul, and thought his incorrigible spirit and whimsical actions were a highlight of the story.
The premise of the story was interesting, but a combination of improbable and unbelievable choices by the characters and numerous occurrences of unwieldy and stilted prose made for tedious reading that made finishing the book a struggle.
I did like Sydona's little friend, Raoul, and thought his incorrigible spirit and whimsical actions were a highlight of the story.
December 22, 2019
Fliers by Laura Mae held some interest for me as it involved two supernatural creatures (one being a fairy) and science experimentation. However, the lack of polish of the story in all aspects spoiled the experience, leaving me disappointed and almost with a feeling of emptiness.
The plot was a mess. First red flag was the first chapter; it had all the hallmarks of what not to do in an opening, going around the protagonist’s “typical day” before the plot really kicks off, with elements that end up being irrelevant in terms of the story and plot (but it could play a part in the next two books). This severely disrupted my connection to the characters. I didn’t get a sense of a cohesive story with all of the plot holes and contradictions, and irrelevant information. Lots of info dumping throughout when things could have been shown in a more organic manner, like the origin of Fliers, and yet other things that could have been explained, like the Sparrows, aren’t. A lot of things happen because the plot says so, there were some borderline idiot plot moments and I questioned why some of the events in the story happened at all. The pacing was also poor, as things speed up a bit too much in the first half and I couldn’t grasp the meaning (emotionally or otherwise) of a lot of the events in the second half. Even though the ending had a sense of closure and loose ends left for the next book, it still felt empty and unsatisfying at the same time, like it needed one more scene to wrap things up.
I couldn’t connect to any of the characters or care what happened to them. Sydona had an interesting character and motivation in disliking humans and trying to find her folks after 50 years, but it’s all buried and took an unreasonably long time to pry out. And while Sydona is over 60 years old, there’s not a feel that as she acts as if she’s in her early 20’s (which isn’t bad on it’s own when given a reason, but presented poorly here), looks about 30 years old and that the lifespan of Fliers (her species) is longer than humans, which had me lost on things. Also, her eyes change color based on her mood, and that’s another red flag. I also questioned why Sydona didn’t act on her intentions to help her folks for half a century if they were as important as she says they are. Raoul was somewhat interesting, though he felt too much like a sidekick instead of his own character, and I couldn’t get a grasp of Sydona and Raoul’s friendship at all, it wasn’t given any time to breathe or much depth. Giovanna felt like an extra thrown in to slow down Sydona and only had one purpose and not much else after the first few chapters. The other characters felt muddled and I didn’t understand their purpose in the story exactly. The antagonists felt like they were being bad guys for the sake of being bad guys, especially after their motivation is revealed late in the story and had me baffled at why they had to act the way they did instead of not being bad guys. It felt like a forced narrative for the prosecution of Fliers with no subversion. The romance in the story feels rushed and forced; in the matter of two pages, the couple goes from arguing to a full blown kiss and understanding of each other, and makes both characters look worse.
There was a total lack of sense of place in this story. Half the time, I had no idea where the story was unless it was told to me or having very obvious clues, otherwise, it could have been in Anytown, USA. Descriptions were sparse in a lot of areas as well. For a good chunk of the story, I assumed that this took place in the late 2010’s, seeing this is a 2018 release and there was little to no indication to believe otherwise until a few chapters in, when it’s revealed this is in the 1990’s.
The prose lacked polish as it felt clunky, choppy and disjointed all at the same time, making it a struggle to read and prompting me to skim through a bunch of the book. Lots of filter words, transitions were rough and/or forced if they were there at all and overall much of the prose felt tired. The formatting was also a mess, no chapter indications on the e-books and paragraphs not indented correctly all over the book. The story overall feels like a first or second draft that needed more editing.
Was very disappointed in a book that could have been great, but lack of polish had me sad at the final product. I doubt I’ll be reading the rest of the series.
The plot was a mess. First red flag was the first chapter; it had all the hallmarks of what not to do in an opening, going around the protagonist’s “typical day” before the plot really kicks off, with elements that end up being irrelevant in terms of the story and plot (but it could play a part in the next two books). This severely disrupted my connection to the characters. I didn’t get a sense of a cohesive story with all of the plot holes and contradictions, and irrelevant information. Lots of info dumping throughout when things could have been shown in a more organic manner, like the origin of Fliers, and yet other things that could have been explained, like the Sparrows, aren’t. A lot of things happen because the plot says so, there were some borderline idiot plot moments and I questioned why some of the events in the story happened at all. The pacing was also poor, as things speed up a bit too much in the first half and I couldn’t grasp the meaning (emotionally or otherwise) of a lot of the events in the second half. Even though the ending had a sense of closure and loose ends left for the next book, it still felt empty and unsatisfying at the same time, like it needed one more scene to wrap things up.
I couldn’t connect to any of the characters or care what happened to them. Sydona had an interesting character and motivation in disliking humans and trying to find her folks after 50 years, but it’s all buried and took an unreasonably long time to pry out. And while Sydona is over 60 years old, there’s not a feel that as she acts as if she’s in her early 20’s (which isn’t bad on it’s own when given a reason, but presented poorly here), looks about 30 years old and that the lifespan of Fliers (her species) is longer than humans, which had me lost on things. Also, her eyes change color based on her mood, and that’s another red flag. I also questioned why Sydona didn’t act on her intentions to help her folks for half a century if they were as important as she says they are. Raoul was somewhat interesting, though he felt too much like a sidekick instead of his own character, and I couldn’t get a grasp of Sydona and Raoul’s friendship at all, it wasn’t given any time to breathe or much depth. Giovanna felt like an extra thrown in to slow down Sydona and only had one purpose and not much else after the first few chapters. The other characters felt muddled and I didn’t understand their purpose in the story exactly. The antagonists felt like they were being bad guys for the sake of being bad guys, especially after their motivation is revealed late in the story and had me baffled at why they had to act the way they did instead of not being bad guys. It felt like a forced narrative for the prosecution of Fliers with no subversion. The romance in the story feels rushed and forced; in the matter of two pages, the couple goes from arguing to a full blown kiss and understanding of each other, and makes both characters look worse.
There was a total lack of sense of place in this story. Half the time, I had no idea where the story was unless it was told to me or having very obvious clues, otherwise, it could have been in Anytown, USA. Descriptions were sparse in a lot of areas as well. For a good chunk of the story, I assumed that this took place in the late 2010’s, seeing this is a 2018 release and there was little to no indication to believe otherwise until a few chapters in, when it’s revealed this is in the 1990’s.
The prose lacked polish as it felt clunky, choppy and disjointed all at the same time, making it a struggle to read and prompting me to skim through a bunch of the book. Lots of filter words, transitions were rough and/or forced if they were there at all and overall much of the prose felt tired. The formatting was also a mess, no chapter indications on the e-books and paragraphs not indented correctly all over the book. The story overall feels like a first or second draft that needed more editing.
Was very disappointed in a book that could have been great, but lack of polish had me sad at the final product. I doubt I’ll be reading the rest of the series.
November 27, 2019
"As descendants of fairies, fliers were an old, forgotten species who appear human but could fly without wings. They lived peacefully amongst humans for several decades until a secret government agency developed new technology that allowed experimentation on fliers and discovered how to make ordinary people fly.
Not sitting back and accepting the news, Sydona Wilder and her fairy friend Raoul, set out to find the agency and put a stop to the capture of the rare species. But Sydona will have to fight her own battles of facing her dark past and learning how to trust people again."
First off, I want to say how excited I was to finally get my hands on this book. I had been following Laura Mae on social media for some time now, and every time that beautiful cover popped up on my timeline, I only wanted to read it more.
The book starts off well enough, characters are being introduced and things are progressing smoothly until the main character, Sydona Wilder, comes across a disturbing newspaper article.
After that, the story moves at an almost too fast pace. The character development is either lacking or contradictory to something stated previously, and some of the decisions made by the group make little to no sense.
Some of the dialouge was lacking and even cringe-worthy in some parts, especially during an argument between two characters who barely knew each other.
Having said all this, I can still say that I enjoyed the book. It got really intense towards the end, and I finished seven chapters in about an hour.
There are some scenes that can be triggering to some readers, but I felt the author handled them tastefully rather than going into unnecessary detail, which was not needed.
However, there are still questions I have that were unanswered, and some events remained unresolved, but considering this is only book one of a trilogy, there is a good chance those questions will be answered in the next two books and that a satisfying resolution will be reached.
Now, about the main character. Sydona watched as her parents were abducted when she was a child. Since then, she lived alone with fairies, only driving into town when she needs to. The way she behaves, thinks, and talks led me to believe she was in her early teens when, in fact, she is in her sixties.
Raoul, her fairy, is not much younger than her, but he also acts like a playful child. However, his playful fairy nature sets him apart from the rest of the group, making him an instant favorite.
As I stated earlier, the cover for the book is absolutely beautiful, but I want to make a special note of the symbol at the top. They say a symbol can really power your novel, and Laura Mae has created a good one, but what I really love is she uses the symbol throughout the novel when there is a break in the chapter, rather than just leaving it blank or using lines.
Even with the issues I mentioned before, I still feel the author has a good story, and I am looking forward to seeing where this adventure is going to lead.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Sparrows is the sequel to Fliers, and is already available for purchase. Vultures is book three, but is not available yet.
You can get updates from the author herself on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at LauraMaeAuthor or you can visit her website, www.lauramaeauthor.com!
Not sitting back and accepting the news, Sydona Wilder and her fairy friend Raoul, set out to find the agency and put a stop to the capture of the rare species. But Sydona will have to fight her own battles of facing her dark past and learning how to trust people again."
First off, I want to say how excited I was to finally get my hands on this book. I had been following Laura Mae on social media for some time now, and every time that beautiful cover popped up on my timeline, I only wanted to read it more.
The book starts off well enough, characters are being introduced and things are progressing smoothly until the main character, Sydona Wilder, comes across a disturbing newspaper article.
After that, the story moves at an almost too fast pace. The character development is either lacking or contradictory to something stated previously, and some of the decisions made by the group make little to no sense.
Some of the dialouge was lacking and even cringe-worthy in some parts, especially during an argument between two characters who barely knew each other.
Having said all this, I can still say that I enjoyed the book. It got really intense towards the end, and I finished seven chapters in about an hour.
There are some scenes that can be triggering to some readers, but I felt the author handled them tastefully rather than going into unnecessary detail, which was not needed.
However, there are still questions I have that were unanswered, and some events remained unresolved, but considering this is only book one of a trilogy, there is a good chance those questions will be answered in the next two books and that a satisfying resolution will be reached.
Now, about the main character. Sydona watched as her parents were abducted when she was a child. Since then, she lived alone with fairies, only driving into town when she needs to. The way she behaves, thinks, and talks led me to believe she was in her early teens when, in fact, she is in her sixties.
Raoul, her fairy, is not much younger than her, but he also acts like a playful child. However, his playful fairy nature sets him apart from the rest of the group, making him an instant favorite.
As I stated earlier, the cover for the book is absolutely beautiful, but I want to make a special note of the symbol at the top. They say a symbol can really power your novel, and Laura Mae has created a good one, but what I really love is she uses the symbol throughout the novel when there is a break in the chapter, rather than just leaving it blank or using lines.
Even with the issues I mentioned before, I still feel the author has a good story, and I am looking forward to seeing where this adventure is going to lead.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Sparrows is the sequel to Fliers, and is already available for purchase. Vultures is book three, but is not available yet.
You can get updates from the author herself on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at LauraMaeAuthor or you can visit her website, www.lauramaeauthor.com!
February 3, 2019
Nice positive and hearty story told through the book. These "fliers" are some rare magical people who are different in only a few abilities from normal humans but they look almost the same. One of these abilities is a wish of humans for a long time in history. The idea is vary good because these people have to fight vary hard to survive just for being different, like many types of people or groups isolated/marginalised nowadays by nationality or some other criteria. These differences seem to the majority of the group of people strange, bad in some way even dough it's not investigated one little bit.
The main character Sydona is a brave girl/woman who lost her parents vary young and is surviving for many years on her own, with the help of some little flying people, more different from humans. Her little friend Raoul always hides in her bag or pocket. Vary good and original idea is the colour change of their eyes depending on the mood they or in , emotional or normal state of mind. Colour change should have happened more often, it's interesting and unusual. It's cute how she is taking care of some teenage girl Gia that stubbornly wanted to with her on a quest. It is shown from the start until the end how many characters think and behave in a kind and caring way, normal and natural, and that is missing more and more in world today.
Raoul best friend of Sydona in life, should have been described more, for a bigger picture, because he is involved a lot throughout the book. Some scenes are not that much descriptive, like it should have been written more in detail. For instance, in a bar when some rude man was harassing Sydona, he caused the waitress to spill the tray on the floor and it was described like it was her own mistake. In the part when Sydona was invited by Gia to her house, Sydona stole some food from the fridge just like that, without some introduction or explanation after, why she did it or how could she do that being for the first time in strangers home. And there are a few unusual parts like this in the book.
It seems like the second part of the book, at the camp, was somehow suddenly finished, like it should go on for longer to show their life in captivity. But all in all vary good original book, one of the best of it's type. There's one saying "Borba i amor bez strah..." was mentioned a few times through the book and it was encouraging hope of Sydona, given to her by her parents. And that saying also reminded them in the end for what they have lived long ago and for what is worth living...Something like "keep the hope alive" and fight for the true values in life, what are the most important. At the vary end it is shown how many people through history find out some big secret in the worst possible way from someone else, instead of the person they should. That is one of the big faults in human species, not being strong enough to tell hard truths. The book has a nice happy ending, the battle is won but not the war.
The main character Sydona is a brave girl/woman who lost her parents vary young and is surviving for many years on her own, with the help of some little flying people, more different from humans. Her little friend Raoul always hides in her bag or pocket. Vary good and original idea is the colour change of their eyes depending on the mood they or in , emotional or normal state of mind. Colour change should have happened more often, it's interesting and unusual. It's cute how she is taking care of some teenage girl Gia that stubbornly wanted to with her on a quest. It is shown from the start until the end how many characters think and behave in a kind and caring way, normal and natural, and that is missing more and more in world today.
Raoul best friend of Sydona in life, should have been described more, for a bigger picture, because he is involved a lot throughout the book. Some scenes are not that much descriptive, like it should have been written more in detail. For instance, in a bar when some rude man was harassing Sydona, he caused the waitress to spill the tray on the floor and it was described like it was her own mistake. In the part when Sydona was invited by Gia to her house, Sydona stole some food from the fridge just like that, without some introduction or explanation after, why she did it or how could she do that being for the first time in strangers home. And there are a few unusual parts like this in the book.
It seems like the second part of the book, at the camp, was somehow suddenly finished, like it should go on for longer to show their life in captivity. But all in all vary good original book, one of the best of it's type. There's one saying "Borba i amor bez strah..." was mentioned a few times through the book and it was encouraging hope of Sydona, given to her by her parents. And that saying also reminded them in the end for what they have lived long ago and for what is worth living...Something like "keep the hope alive" and fight for the true values in life, what are the most important. At the vary end it is shown how many people through history find out some big secret in the worst possible way from someone else, instead of the person they should. That is one of the big faults in human species, not being strong enough to tell hard truths. The book has a nice happy ending, the battle is won but not the war.
November 30, 2018
I found the story concept intriguing as it was unusual and keeps a good pace, full of action - there were a few good twists to the story and was overall easy to read and follow. The story did have it's funny moments, and I liked how each character who joins Sydona on her quest if different, but was slightly disappointed with the introduction of Silas. However I found some character aspects unappealing. The protagonist Sydona, for instance, is far too naïve and despite having contact some with other people over the previous 50 years, appears to know very little about some basic things Having said that, all of the characters are well developed and were been given time for their backstories to be included alongside Sydona's - Raoul is funny, lovable and a delightful edition to the story. One aspect of the story that I found frustrating was the plan to find Sydona's parents This book is a good fantasy story for people looking for a different kind of fairy story.
December 23, 2018
When I was a kid I loved fairies and I wanted to be like them, well I certainly felt like one while I was reading Fliers. The beautifully put details transport you into a new world that makes your imagination run wild.
The friendships in the book come along naturally, especially the one of Sydona and Raoul. I must say it’s one of my top hilarious friendships.
The protagonist, Sydona, is a girl that has been through much and readers can relate to her struggles and choices. She is loyal, kind hearted and a bit selfish too. But her companions manage to lessen that trait and forge strong bonds with her.
This book raises the question, to what extent we are willing to go in order to “advance”. Suffices to say that, I really detested what people with no special abilities did to the ones who had them, and I thank the author for passing this message to the readers: being different isn’t to be exploited and the misery of others shouldn’t be our gain.
The ending made me a little sad, but mostly proud of Sydona. She had lost, but gained also and learned a hidden truth. All in all I definitely recommend this amazing book not only for reading, for the lessons it provides too. Patiently waiting for the sequel, Sparrows!!
The friendships in the book come along naturally, especially the one of Sydona and Raoul. I must say it’s one of my top hilarious friendships.
The protagonist, Sydona, is a girl that has been through much and readers can relate to her struggles and choices. She is loyal, kind hearted and a bit selfish too. But her companions manage to lessen that trait and forge strong bonds with her.
This book raises the question, to what extent we are willing to go in order to “advance”. Suffices to say that, I really detested what people with no special abilities did to the ones who had them, and I thank the author for passing this message to the readers: being different isn’t to be exploited and the misery of others shouldn’t be our gain.
The ending made me a little sad, but mostly proud of Sydona. She had lost, but gained also and learned a hidden truth. All in all I definitely recommend this amazing book not only for reading, for the lessons it provides too. Patiently waiting for the sequel, Sparrows!!
April 18, 2019
Laura Mae brings her wit, tenacity, and flare for everything in the fantasy genre, out in this gorgeously-written novel, about Sydona. She's trying to make sense of herself and what she is. Meeting friends along the way, she begins to trust those, whom she'd told herself that she'd never trust. She has to battle a corrupt government, hell-bent on using her abilities for their own profit and gain. Weaving a fairytale of this magnificent magnitude, is a task in and of itself. Yet, in her own magical and mystical way, Laura succeeds in a rather grandiose fashion! I cannot wait for the sequel "Sparrows"!
April 30, 2019
Fliers tells the tale of Sydona, a human/fairy hybrid who goes through life hoping that one day she will be reunited with her long-lost parents. At an early age we learn that her world is torn apart after her folks are forcibly removed from their home, and sent away to an experimental facility for other “fliers”. Sydona’s task therefore is to finally put to rest the question of what exactly happened to her Mother and Father.
Together with Raoul, her lifelong fairy friend and confidant, they embark on an incredible journey of discovery, making friends and enemies along the way.
Fliers is an enjoyable story about adventure, trust, revelation and love. The reader’s interest is maintained throughout and would sincerely recommend it at the drop of a hat. I look forward to the next instalment.
Together with Raoul, her lifelong fairy friend and confidant, they embark on an incredible journey of discovery, making friends and enemies along the way.
Fliers is an enjoyable story about adventure, trust, revelation and love. The reader’s interest is maintained throughout and would sincerely recommend it at the drop of a hat. I look forward to the next instalment.
December 15, 2018
This book reminds me of Wrinkle in Time and a little bit of oz! The reason being because of the fairies! I’m a big fan of fantasy books and this book shows it all! From the beginning to end this book is a page turner!
December 10, 2018
I love stories that blend fantasy with a modern world. I'm a big fan of Laura Mae's characters. Being trans, I feel I could connect with the Fliers on a personal level. Her characters also reacted realistically to the situations they were in.
The book does end with some loose ends. But this is the first book and it leaves you excited for the next! Thank you Laura! And thank you book tasters!
The book does end with some loose ends. But this is the first book and it leaves you excited for the next! Thank you Laura! And thank you book tasters!
November 27, 2018
A story packed with action, as a young flier spends her life searching for her parents, while trying to hide her identity from the humans who are hunting her kind. In her quest to find her parents, she meets up with others like her, and also encounter bands of humans, some hunters, and some who try to earn her trust and profess to want to help. The story is a fast-paced fantasy mystery. The characters are well developed, and likable (or not).
October 10, 2018
4.5 stars - I read this last year in it’s inception while it was being written as I know the author. It was a fun read that I read in a few days. If you are looking for something whimsical this would be a good suggestion.
April 22, 2020
Fliers (book 1) and Sparrows (book 2) were sent to us by the author, Laura Mae💗 We appreciate this more than words can say!
First of all, I love when I am introduced to a series that has already released multiple books in the collection! There is nothing worse than getting hooked on book 1 and then having to wait a year to find out what happens next!
Sydona is a “Flier”, a species of humans that can fly, and her companion, Raoul, is a fairy. Together they embark upon a journey to try to take down the NFA, a secret government agency that experiments on Fliers in a prison-like setting. Along their journey they meet fellow Fliers and a member of The Sparrows, a Resistance group that fights against the NFA. Together they hatch a plan to infiltrate the NFA to take them down. Chaos and unexpected obstacles ensue along their way... will they succeed or will they become victims of the organization they are seeking to destroy??? These books are of the fantasy fiction genre and are cute, quick reads that can really take your mind off of all of the craziness of the world right now.
First of all, I love when I am introduced to a series that has already released multiple books in the collection! There is nothing worse than getting hooked on book 1 and then having to wait a year to find out what happens next!
Sydona is a “Flier”, a species of humans that can fly, and her companion, Raoul, is a fairy. Together they embark upon a journey to try to take down the NFA, a secret government agency that experiments on Fliers in a prison-like setting. Along their journey they meet fellow Fliers and a member of The Sparrows, a Resistance group that fights against the NFA. Together they hatch a plan to infiltrate the NFA to take them down. Chaos and unexpected obstacles ensue along their way... will they succeed or will they become victims of the organization they are seeking to destroy??? These books are of the fantasy fiction genre and are cute, quick reads that can really take your mind off of all of the craziness of the world right now.
May 12, 2018
Great story...Waiting for the next book
The story was told in a new way. Good read . Will wait for next book by this author. Thanks
The story was told in a new way. Good read . Will wait for next book by this author. Thanks
November 18, 2018
Very interesting read.Has good strong characters.My favourite character is Silas.It's very interesting how each person gets to join Sydona in her quest to look for parents that she's not even sure are still alive.Brave but yet very naive,stubborn and proud.Atbtge end of it all,she saves the day.Good going.
September 29, 2018
I really enjoyed this book! I think the premise is fascinating and I was able to connect with the characters rather quickly. My only complaint is there is some odd phrasing used. For example, a character, toward the end, speaks of “throwing a funeral”, which was quite off putting. That was only one example but it’s a minor complaint, as the story more than makes up for those instances. I do hope there’s a sequel in the works, as I don’t think Malik disappeared into the night, never to be heard from again.
March 7, 2019
A fun read!
This was a great book about fairies with tons of great descriptions that will keep you reading throughout! Also Syd and Raoul are awesome!
This was a great book about fairies with tons of great descriptions that will keep you reading throughout! Also Syd and Raoul are awesome!
September 24, 2018
Fantastic
A whimsical fantasy novel packed with a punch of adrenaline. I was captivated from the very beginning. The story continues to reel you in as little tidbits of Sydona's past keep you wanting to know more. And, you can't help but love Raoul & want him as your best friend!
A whimsical fantasy novel packed with a punch of adrenaline. I was captivated from the very beginning. The story continues to reel you in as little tidbits of Sydona's past keep you wanting to know more. And, you can't help but love Raoul & want him as your best friend!
March 26, 2020
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Fliers
Author: Laura Mae
Book Series: The Fliers Book 1
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: March 27, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Indie published
Pages: 257
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Fight and love without fear
As descendants of fairies, fliers were an old, forgotten species who appear human but could fly without wings. They lived peacefully amongst humans for several decades until a secret government agency developed new technology that allowed experimentation on fliers and discovered how to make ordinary people fly. Not sitting back and accepting the news, Sydona Wilder and her fairy Raoul, set out to find the agency and put a stop to the capture of the rare species. But Sydona will have to fight her own battles of facing her dark past and learning how to trust people again.
Review: I had to DNF this book. I felt like the writing was awkward and sometimes unnatural. The characters were also not very well developed. I made it halfway through the novel before I felt like I had to put it down. While I did have to DNF the book I feel like the book is pretty good if you can get through the writing. The plot is intriguing and I’m interested in it, but the writing needs to be better structured.
Verdict: Not for me, but it might be for you!
Book: Fliers
Author: Laura Mae
Book Series: The Fliers Book 1
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: March 27, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Indie published
Pages: 257
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Fight and love without fear
As descendants of fairies, fliers were an old, forgotten species who appear human but could fly without wings. They lived peacefully amongst humans for several decades until a secret government agency developed new technology that allowed experimentation on fliers and discovered how to make ordinary people fly. Not sitting back and accepting the news, Sydona Wilder and her fairy Raoul, set out to find the agency and put a stop to the capture of the rare species. But Sydona will have to fight her own battles of facing her dark past and learning how to trust people again.
Review: I had to DNF this book. I felt like the writing was awkward and sometimes unnatural. The characters were also not very well developed. I made it halfway through the novel before I felt like I had to put it down. While I did have to DNF the book I feel like the book is pretty good if you can get through the writing. The plot is intriguing and I’m interested in it, but the writing needs to be better structured.
Verdict: Not for me, but it might be for you!
January 27, 2020
I received an ebook copy of Fliers from the author in exchange for an honest review. I give it 4.5/10, or 2/5 stars, mostly due to inconsistencies with the main character and some cliches I noticed. My favourite part of Fliers is the fliers themselves and how they fit into the world--I love this entire premise! After a shaky start (the first chapter begins with backstory, and then a regular day with Sydonna), the plot picks up a bit and I ended up very invested. Some of the dialogue was lacking, however, since 60-year-old Sydonna tends to speak and act like a teenager. A few of the choices she makes show a lack of consistency as well, especially when it comes to her interactions with humans, who she at one time is wary of (rightfully so!) and at another decides to trust blindly. Overall, I did enjoy Fliers and its plot enough to want to read the next book!
August 10, 2019
This is a difficult book to review, hence I gave it the benefit of giving it 3 *, It was going to be a 2 or 3.
This is why: I liked the promise of the story, the thought of descendants of fairies with the ability of flying without wings (who doesn't want to fly).
The story starts off peaceful: setting up the life of Sydona Wilder and her fairy Raoul. I like that bit. But after she meets up with Giovonna I kind of got annoyed with her (Syd). The fact that she accepts Giovonna and later makes a fuss over Willow is not in sync with the character building. Perhaps this part needed more time to develop, or more explaining; why is Giovonna accepting so different (without much of a thought) than Willow, who helps them?
In the camp things are flowing nicely for the most time, writing wise, and it gets interesting again! This is why I would like to know how the story unfolds in book two, and I hope the writer develops her skills of storytelling.
I know writing your first book(s) is hard and almost always a learning curve. Finding your own voice in writing, your own style. That is why I rated it 3 * and because of the promise of a nice storyline in book two.
This is why: I liked the promise of the story, the thought of descendants of fairies with the ability of flying without wings (who doesn't want to fly).
The story starts off peaceful: setting up the life of Sydona Wilder and her fairy Raoul. I like that bit. But after she meets up with Giovonna I kind of got annoyed with her (Syd). The fact that she accepts Giovonna and later makes a fuss over Willow is not in sync with the character building. Perhaps this part needed more time to develop, or more explaining; why is Giovonna accepting so different (without much of a thought) than Willow, who helps them?
In the camp things are flowing nicely for the most time, writing wise, and it gets interesting again! This is why I would like to know how the story unfolds in book two, and I hope the writer develops her skills of storytelling.
I know writing your first book(s) is hard and almost always a learning curve. Finding your own voice in writing, your own style. That is why I rated it 3 * and because of the promise of a nice storyline in book two.
March 28, 2018
A warm, suspenseful, different kind of fairy story. I loved the diverse characters, their funny, yet heartfelt interactions. The main character has her flaws, but you can't help but root for her. The ending left some loose ends, so I can't wait for the sequel!
September 11, 2019
Fliers had an intriguing concept but I had trouble connecting with the characters. I know how difficult it is to write a book so I applaud the author on creating an interesting book that kept me turning the pages. I must say that this is not my normal genre which may have played a part in my disconnect. I was invested in the story enough to read the sequel and will do so in the future. I did appreciate the strong female characters throughout the book and the relationships between the characters.
January 17, 2020
This book packed a punch!
I genuinely loved all the characters we followed throughout the story. They were well rounded and entertaining. I think my favorite was Willow! There was action, adventures and faeries. Who could ask for more? I'm excited for book 2.
I hate the star-rated system. I think at the end of my reviews I'll start doing an out-of-10 points system.
7/10
I genuinely loved all the characters we followed throughout the story. They were well rounded and entertaining. I think my favorite was Willow! There was action, adventures and faeries. Who could ask for more? I'm excited for book 2.
I hate the star-rated system. I think at the end of my reviews I'll start doing an out-of-10 points system.
7/10
August 21, 2019
Bare bones, but may lay good groundwork for series
Charactors are mostly minimally complex. Part of story line (bracelet), although very important to story, seems to come in and out with some continuity problems. Has the makings of good story, but needs to be cleaned out.
Charactors are mostly minimally complex. Part of story line (bracelet), although very important to story, seems to come in and out with some continuity problems. Has the makings of good story, but needs to be cleaned out.
December 13, 2024
While it took me a little bit to get into the book, I really enjoyed the story and characters. The character development is interesting, and you can follow the main character as she learns more about her world and herself. While I constantly kept forgetting that the main character was in her sixties, she seemed more in her twenties; this made sense because of the secluded and sheltered life she chose to live when she lost her parents. I believe those who reviewed and thought the character should be written more maturely failed to consider her secluded lifestyle.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy.
I am looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy.
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