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They Called Me Wyatt
From REBELLER comes a new thriller by author Natasha Tynes.
Jordanian student Siwar Salaiha is murdered on her birthday in Maryland,and her consciousness survives, finding refuge in the body of a Seattle baby. Stuck in this speech delayed three-year old body, Siwar tries but fails to communicate with Wyatt's parents, instead focusing on solving the mystery behind her murder.
Jordanian student Siwar Salaiha is murdered on her birthday in Maryland,and her consciousness survives, finding refuge in the body of a Seattle baby. Stuck in this speech delayed three-year old body, Siwar tries but fails to communicate with Wyatt's parents, instead focusing on solving the mystery behind her murder.
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First published May 31, 2019
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About the author
Natasha Tynes
2 books132 followersNatasha Tynes is the author of the novel "They Called Me Wyatt", a murder mystery set between Amman and the United States. Tynes is a Jordanian-American writer based in the Washington, DC area. Her byline has appeared in the Washington Post, Al Jazeera, Huffington Post, the Jordan Times.
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May 11, 2019Unfortunately, I am removing all my stars for this novel. I support people and give the benefit of the doubt. But in this case, I will not stand behind someone who purposefully tears others down. And the actions of this author against a civil employee completely fall against my own personal ethics. It's truly a shame. Being kind takes zero effort, but going out of your way to undermine and jeopardize someone's livelihood is a low blow.
~~~~~~~~
Synopsis: Siwar, a Jordanian woman, is murdered on her 25th birthday. However, not all of her is lost; her consciousness survives, carrying on in the body of a 3-year-old boy, Wyatt, living in Seattle. Siwar struggles to communicate through Wyatt. And due to a heavy medical procedure, Siwar's soul falls dormant for 22 years. Now 25, Wyatt has this extreme fascination with the Middle East, especially in this woman, Siwar’s, murder. He can't shake why he's so passionate about solving her "unexplained" death. The question is - what will he find out as he digs in?
First off, what a fascinating plotline! I was immediately intrigued and captivated by the duality of souls and this incessant, almost purposeful need to solve this crime. There was this element of "deja-vu" that Wyatt continued to experience that was so clever. It really tied together the essence of Siwar "residing" within him. In a way, it reminds me more of a supernatural fiction, than a thriller.
Character development was spot on. You instantly get a sense of who Siwar is, and even while she's "within" Wyatt, the use of flashbacks keeps you connected to her core character.
My favorite aspect of this book, though, was Natasha Tynes' profound language. There were so many thought-provoking quotes. She mastered this art of thrill-seeking and prose. It truly was such a lovely experience.
~~~~~~~~
Synopsis: Siwar, a Jordanian woman, is murdered on her 25th birthday. However, not all of her is lost; her consciousness survives, carrying on in the body of a 3-year-old boy, Wyatt, living in Seattle. Siwar struggles to communicate through Wyatt. And due to a heavy medical procedure, Siwar's soul falls dormant for 22 years. Now 25, Wyatt has this extreme fascination with the Middle East, especially in this woman, Siwar’s, murder. He can't shake why he's so passionate about solving her "unexplained" death. The question is - what will he find out as he digs in?
First off, what a fascinating plotline! I was immediately intrigued and captivated by the duality of souls and this incessant, almost purposeful need to solve this crime. There was this element of "deja-vu" that Wyatt continued to experience that was so clever. It really tied together the essence of Siwar "residing" within him. In a way, it reminds me more of a supernatural fiction, than a thriller.
Character development was spot on. You instantly get a sense of who Siwar is, and even while she's "within" Wyatt, the use of flashbacks keeps you connected to her core character.
My favorite aspect of this book, though, was Natasha Tynes' profound language. There were so many thought-provoking quotes. She mastered this art of thrill-seeking and prose. It truly was such a lovely experience.
May 10, 2019
Worry about yourself. 🐀
May 10, 2019
Trash book by a trash author.
May 10, 2019
I don’t know what’s funnier. The 1-star reviews that popped up today because the author revealed herself to be trash or the 1-star reviews that were here before today.
May 10, 2019
A remarkably bland book from a remarkably worthless author, who surprisingly has even less substance in her writing than her constant proclamations of 'minority status' to peddle said vacuous tripe.
I hope she worries about herself and improves.
I hope she worries about herself and improves.
March 30, 2019
1.5 stars
Thanks to the author for sending me this book in return for an honest review.
Jordanian student Siwar, studying in America, dies on her 25th birthday. Yet, het consciousness survives and gets transported into the body of a boy named Wyatt, who is born on the same day. She is determined to figure out who killed her on that April 1st in 2001.
This premise of this book sounded pretty interesting to me. But, I kinda knew this book was not gonna be my thing from the very first page. My main problem with this, is the writing.
Very little of this book is showing, it's mostly just telling. This is why I could never get really invested in it.
Halfway through the story, the viewpoint shifts between Wyatt and Siwar, but this is done in a very headhopping way which confused me at times and had me backtracking.
The book is also filled with clichés, which is ironic since there are two mentions within these pages on why clichés are bad.
The dialogue was absolutely terrible. Never had I the sense that I was listening to an actual person speak. No one talks this way.
And there are quite a few typos in here as well. Even with recurring characters' names. (Amani - Armani, Sara - Sarah)
The writing in this book quite frankly reminded me of the stories my high school students had me read at times. Some interesting ideas, but poorly executed.
And I'll just say it, every character in this book is horrible. I couldn't find one character I liked. Our main character is passive for 99% of the time. She never takes action but instead has things happen to her. Literally everyone in here is an asshole. It made me just not care. I didn't even care that the main character died, because she was such a terrible human being.
The futuristic setting of the book felt like it was done to make the investigation to the death of Siwar easier, like a bunch of Deus Ex Machinas. And most of the futuristic decisions had me scratching my head (really, ISIS has a seat in the UN?!). There's also a whole subplot about a new terorristic group that had absolute zero effect on the plot. Why put so much of it in there then?
The ending was the cherry on top of the cake for me. I felt cheated by it. And it was rushed.
Sad to say, I didn't enjoy my time with this. Luckily it was a buddyread and that made up for a lot.
I see a lot of positive reviews for this book so it might be for you. It wasn't for me and I can't personally recommend it.
Thanks to the author for sending me this book in return for an honest review.
Jordanian student Siwar, studying in America, dies on her 25th birthday. Yet, het consciousness survives and gets transported into the body of a boy named Wyatt, who is born on the same day. She is determined to figure out who killed her on that April 1st in 2001.
This premise of this book sounded pretty interesting to me. But, I kinda knew this book was not gonna be my thing from the very first page. My main problem with this, is the writing.
Very little of this book is showing, it's mostly just telling. This is why I could never get really invested in it.
Halfway through the story, the viewpoint shifts between Wyatt and Siwar, but this is done in a very headhopping way which confused me at times and had me backtracking.
The book is also filled with clichés, which is ironic since there are two mentions within these pages on why clichés are bad.
The dialogue was absolutely terrible. Never had I the sense that I was listening to an actual person speak. No one talks this way.
And there are quite a few typos in here as well. Even with recurring characters' names. (Amani - Armani, Sara - Sarah)
The writing in this book quite frankly reminded me of the stories my high school students had me read at times. Some interesting ideas, but poorly executed.
And I'll just say it, every character in this book is horrible. I couldn't find one character I liked. Our main character is passive for 99% of the time. She never takes action but instead has things happen to her. Literally everyone in here is an asshole. It made me just not care. I didn't even care that the main character died, because she was such a terrible human being.
The futuristic setting of the book felt like it was done to make the investigation to the death of Siwar easier, like a bunch of Deus Ex Machinas. And most of the futuristic decisions had me scratching my head (really, ISIS has a seat in the UN?!). There's also a whole subplot about a new terorristic group that had absolute zero effect on the plot. Why put so much of it in there then?
The ending was the cherry on top of the cake for me. I felt cheated by it. And it was rushed.
Sad to say, I didn't enjoy my time with this. Luckily it was a buddyread and that made up for a lot.
I see a lot of positive reviews for this book so it might be for you. It wasn't for me and I can't personally recommend it.
May 10, 2019
Absolutely terrible book. Terrible writing, just lazy. Hopefully she can get better inspiration from her next novel on the metro, if she takes the time to mind her business and not heckle folks for eating.
May 12, 2019
This was the most bizarre book I have ever read. I had trouble fitting it into a genre, but I think paranormal murder mystery could work. I'm not sure if any other books like this exist, so I was very intrigued by the synopsis. The book started off strong, but I quickly lost interest.
I read an advance copy, which could explain the alarming rarity of commas throughout the book, but either way, this book needs another look by a heavy-handed editor before publication. There was too much unnecessary detail, especially at the beginning where I felt like I was drowning in an excess of details about Siwar's life. The writing was awkward and often painful to read, especially when Siwar first awoke in Wyatt's body. Many other characters could have benefitted from a lot more development, especially Wyatt's mom.
Her personality completely flipped from the first to the second half of the book. At the beginning, she was my least favorite character, but as the story went on, most of the other main characters took her place. When I finished, Siwar was my least favorite character. I thought she was a terrible person and it seemed like she was toying with Wyatt for her own amusement instead of helping him solve the mystery behind her death.
If I had just picked up this book on my own and hadn't been given an advance copy, I would not have made it very far into the story; it was strange, awkward, and frustrating to read. However, I owed it to the author and publisher to give an honest review based on the entirety of the book I read. With editing and tweaking, I could see this book being much stronger, easier to read, and much better overall.
Thank you to Netgalley, Rare Bird Books, and Natasha Tynes for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more book reviews and book-related content, follow me on instagram @the_bookblog
I read an advance copy, which could explain the alarming rarity of commas throughout the book, but either way, this book needs another look by a heavy-handed editor before publication. There was too much unnecessary detail, especially at the beginning where I felt like I was drowning in an excess of details about Siwar's life. The writing was awkward and often painful to read, especially when Siwar first awoke in Wyatt's body. Many other characters could have benefitted from a lot more development, especially Wyatt's mom.
Her personality completely flipped from the first to the second half of the book. At the beginning, she was my least favorite character, but as the story went on, most of the other main characters took her place. When I finished, Siwar was my least favorite character. I thought she was a terrible person and it seemed like she was toying with Wyatt for her own amusement instead of helping him solve the mystery behind her death.
If I had just picked up this book on my own and hadn't been given an advance copy, I would not have made it very far into the story; it was strange, awkward, and frustrating to read. However, I owed it to the author and publisher to give an honest review based on the entirety of the book I read. With editing and tweaking, I could see this book being much stronger, easier to read, and much better overall.
Thank you to Netgalley, Rare Bird Books, and Natasha Tynes for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more book reviews and book-related content, follow me on instagram @the_bookblog
March 29, 2019
FAVOURITE READ OF THE YEAR ALERT
So we always read or watch a movie about someone being hunted. And it's always from the POV of the hunted person. Not the HUNTER!.
The book goes from Siwar's POV to Wyatt's. So getting to read a dead person's POV, HOW AWESOME IS THAT?
As Siwar is an Arab female, she went thro it all, the beauty and the ugly of being one, and her struggles were real, too real actually, it was relatable on so many levels.
“Boyfriend? Really? Who do you think I am? Aleelet adab, a girl with no manners? Of course, not!”
The book spoke Honesty thro discribing everything and i truly admired that.
lemme just say this, relating to a character is the BEST FEELING OUT THERE!
So basically we read a book about 2 people, As Wyatt unravels Siwar's past, we get to know about her, and about himself, he has a life, he's 25 Y0, so getting to know 2 persons, they couldn't be more different from eachothers. WOW.
How can I un-cliché my life?
Also, The mystery was phenomenal, kept me on my toes until the every end; because this ending?
NEVER in a million years would i have expected it, it seriously threw me off.
Finally, everything went black and my journey as Siwar ended. But let me tell you, what came after death was worse than falling.
So we always read or watch a movie about someone being hunted. And it's always from the POV of the hunted person. Not the HUNTER!.
The book goes from Siwar's POV to Wyatt's. So getting to read a dead person's POV, HOW AWESOME IS THAT?
As Siwar is an Arab female, she went thro it all, the beauty and the ugly of being one, and her struggles were real, too real actually, it was relatable on so many levels.
“Boyfriend? Really? Who do you think I am? Aleelet adab, a girl with no manners? Of course, not!”
The book spoke Honesty thro discribing everything and i truly admired that.
lemme just say this, relating to a character is the BEST FEELING OUT THERE!
So basically we read a book about 2 people, As Wyatt unravels Siwar's past, we get to know about her, and about himself, he has a life, he's 25 Y0, so getting to know 2 persons, they couldn't be more different from eachothers. WOW.
How can I un-cliché my life?
Also, The mystery was phenomenal, kept me on my toes until the every end; because this ending?
NEVER in a million years would i have expected it, it seriously threw me off.
Guilt, women’s middle name. Apology, their first.
May 6, 2019
Thanks to Natasha Tynes for sending me an early ARC for an honest review.
Siwar, a Jordanian studying creative writing in America is pushed to her death on her 25th birthday. However, her consciousness lives on in the life of a young American boy named Wyatt, who is born on the day of her death. She is determined to figure out who killed her. The first portion of the book is told in the perspective of Siwar, while the later portion is told in alternative perspectives between Siwar and Wyatt.
At the beginning, I thought this was an interesting premise for a novel, unlike anything that I had heard about. I love a good whodunit and was excited to see how Jordanian culture would play a role. Unfortunately, this book did very little to maintain my interest.
I think the part that I had the hardest time with was the dialogue. It was written extremely childishly with cliched phrases that no one actually uses (a character says "you only live once!"). This is also ironic because a professor in the novel mentions twice that cliched writing is a downfall of good literature.
Additionally, storylines weren’t cohesive, each chapter seemed incredibly random, it gave anecdotes that seemed to not drive the main plot along. Yet, I was left wanting more from other elements of the characters' stories, such as Wyatt's mom. On that note, all the characters were extremely unlikable. They each were whiny and self centered, especially Siwar. There was a point where Wyatt points out that everyone hated her, myself included. I was also sad to see that there was no character growth in any of the characters. Siwar stayed egotistical the entire time and is willing to hurt anyone and everyone to get what she wants. She has no values. There also was a lot of unnecessary swearing. I found it to be a little crude.
I think the biggest issue I had with this novel was that I was confused what the main storyline was. It brushed over BIG heavy topics such as depression/suicide, racism, American Culture/identity, emotional abuse, etc. Without going into it, it felt really morbid. And then she went on to describe someone who was feeling sad as "depressed" which is inappropriate. And on top of that there was a lot of bashing of different things like America in general, dystopian/fantasty novels (which I am a huge fan of), fat shaming people in America, and so much more. I felt uncomfortable through most of the book.
However, there are a TON of people who liked this book, so it may be for you, but it just wasn't for me. I would say the only plus is that I learned a little about Jordanian culture, which I am pretty unfamiliar with, so I did enjoy that.
Siwar, a Jordanian studying creative writing in America is pushed to her death on her 25th birthday. However, her consciousness lives on in the life of a young American boy named Wyatt, who is born on the day of her death. She is determined to figure out who killed her. The first portion of the book is told in the perspective of Siwar, while the later portion is told in alternative perspectives between Siwar and Wyatt.
At the beginning, I thought this was an interesting premise for a novel, unlike anything that I had heard about. I love a good whodunit and was excited to see how Jordanian culture would play a role. Unfortunately, this book did very little to maintain my interest.
I think the part that I had the hardest time with was the dialogue. It was written extremely childishly with cliched phrases that no one actually uses (a character says "you only live once!"). This is also ironic because a professor in the novel mentions twice that cliched writing is a downfall of good literature.
Additionally, storylines weren’t cohesive, each chapter seemed incredibly random, it gave anecdotes that seemed to not drive the main plot along. Yet, I was left wanting more from other elements of the characters' stories, such as Wyatt's mom. On that note, all the characters were extremely unlikable. They each were whiny and self centered, especially Siwar. There was a point where Wyatt points out that everyone hated her, myself included. I was also sad to see that there was no character growth in any of the characters. Siwar stayed egotistical the entire time and is willing to hurt anyone and everyone to get what she wants. She has no values. There also was a lot of unnecessary swearing. I found it to be a little crude.
I think the biggest issue I had with this novel was that I was confused what the main storyline was. It brushed over BIG heavy topics such as depression/suicide, racism, American Culture/identity, emotional abuse, etc. Without going into it, it felt really morbid. And then she went on to describe someone who was feeling sad as "depressed" which is inappropriate. And on top of that there was a lot of bashing of different things like America in general, dystopian/fantasty novels (which I am a huge fan of), fat shaming people in America, and so much more. I felt uncomfortable through most of the book.
However, there are a TON of people who liked this book, so it may be for you, but it just wasn't for me. I would say the only plus is that I learned a little about Jordanian culture, which I am pretty unfamiliar with, so I did enjoy that.
August 11, 2020
So this was a bit of a controversial book choice.
Natasha Tynes has been all over the media and had her book deal cancelled (read all about it on the BBC) and Goodreads has been flooded with one star reviews on the issue every since. I was in two minds whether to go ahead and read this but I love a book based in the Middle East so I dived in.
And it was like diving into a pool they had forgotten to fill. The reading experience of this book was painful.
This isn't a plot or characters I could get behind, or even believe in, it just screamed amateur to me.
This had me cringing, sighing and eye rolling.
I don't condone the actions of this author, in fact I don't have an opinion on the situation at all however after reading this book I just feel it should have been cancelled long before the metro incident.
Deep breaths. Wine. New book calling.
Natasha Tynes has been all over the media and had her book deal cancelled (read all about it on the BBC) and Goodreads has been flooded with one star reviews on the issue every since. I was in two minds whether to go ahead and read this but I love a book based in the Middle East so I dived in.
And it was like diving into a pool they had forgotten to fill. The reading experience of this book was painful.
This isn't a plot or characters I could get behind, or even believe in, it just screamed amateur to me.
This had me cringing, sighing and eye rolling.
I don't condone the actions of this author, in fact I don't have an opinion on the situation at all however after reading this book I just feel it should have been cancelled long before the metro incident.
Deep breaths. Wine. New book calling.
May 10, 2019
This author attempted to make someone lose their job for eating food in her presence. Wow.
June 13, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley and California Coldblood Books
So, I never really check Goodreads prior to reading my ARCs.
I received my ARC in February prior to the news story breaking in May that the author shamed a Metro employee in the DC region on the her social media. There has been significant backlash here on Goodreads and there are plenty of articles online which can feed the curious as to the fall out.
My review: I did read the entire book, but felt like DNFing it for bizarre dialogue, consistent repetition within chapters, and well the plot itself wasn't for me.
Probably the oddest and most uncomfortable review I have ever written.
Goodreads review 12/06/19
Publication Date.: 28/05/19
So, I never really check Goodreads prior to reading my ARCs.
I received my ARC in February prior to the news story breaking in May that the author shamed a Metro employee in the DC region on the her social media. There has been significant backlash here on Goodreads and there are plenty of articles online which can feed the curious as to the fall out.
My review: I did read the entire book, but felt like DNFing it for bizarre dialogue, consistent repetition within chapters, and well the plot itself wasn't for me.
Probably the oddest and most uncomfortable review I have ever written.
Goodreads review 12/06/19
Publication Date.: 28/05/19
May 10, 2019
I only wish the author would incorporate more understanding into her writing, possibly her livelihood. Her desire to blabbermouth shines through. I only hope she takes a moment to be more considerate to the livelihood of other Americans before her next piece of work.
May 10, 2019
Natasha, the author of this book is yet another evil gentrifying transplant of the Nations Capital, Washington, DC. I wouldn’t dare read a book written by someone who uses being a minority or POC only in instances that are beneficial for them. Natasha went out of her way to report a public transportation employee for eating her breakfast either before her shift or at the ending of her shift. Working such a job? I’m sure it’s difficult to find time to eat because the employee is literally a servant to her community. Eating on the train didn’t break the law, didn’t cause any harm or would’ve given Natasha a hard time sleeping at night. This was a sheer act of her racist and classist self. As the social media lead of the World Bank, an organization claiming to end poverty, Natasha Tynes jeopardized the livelihood of this employee and her family. I have never seen so much direct hypocrisy in my life. It is distasteful, unnecessary and goes to show you the world would be a better place if people minded their business. Social media bully, Metro Megan, no-good Natasha.
July 28, 2018
I was lucky to read an early draft of this novel. I couldn't put it down! The premise is so original and really makes you think. I loved the supernatural elements combined with the cross-cultural themes. I am excited to read the published book.
May 10, 2019
Doesn’t even deserve the single star I gave it. Pretty terrible editing, the premise is flimsy, and I’ve read children’s books with a stronger ending. Don’t waste your time.
January 23, 2019
This was a unique book and I found it quite interesting. Natasha Tynes created a story with a kind of plot and set of characters that leave us wondering about life and death, and everything in between. From migration, to crime and murder, to the idea of a soul and consciousness, to mysteries and suspense. But it all starts with one main question "Who killed Siwar?".
Siwar is, like you can read in the blurb, a Jordanian student that is murdered on her birthday and whose consciousness is able to survive by living in the body of a baby boy called Wyatt. Well, as we follow Wyatt and him growing up until the day he starts investigating Siwar's death, there are some questions that I had about his future and once I really got to read that part of the story, I was in love with the all plot and characters.
You can see just from the blurb that this book will talk about many aspects in life, including genre, especially since Siwar's consciousness/soul (a woman) is inside of Wyatt's body (a man). In honesty, you won't understand it until you read it. It was a deep aspect of the story that you can only fully understand once you get to connect with the characters and see their struggles, thoughts and needs and wants.
By putting this two characters in one body and by creating a mystery and a colorful world, the author gave us the perfect elements to make not only this novel a exciting mystery novel, but also a thought provoking one. Stereotypes, differences, gender roles, cultural particularities and differences, by giving us two characters that come from different cultural communities, we have this constant shock of characteristics that make our identities and make us who we are.
I found myself involve with the characters, especially Siwar and Wyatt, and learn about different customs and places I have never been in. That was thanks to the brilliant descriptions that made the novel vivid and real. Natasha Tynes has an incredible writing style that painted every scene in the book with importance, suspense, vivid images, questions and mysteries, and it all made this one of those book that make us turn page after page, not being able to stop before figuring out or learn more about the characters and the story.
Overall, it was a book that took me on journey that crossed borders… borders of land, culture, identity… and with amazing descriptions and an amazing set of characters, the depth in the novel and the unique plot, made this an enjoyable story that I highly recommend.
[I had the pleasure to read this book and give my honest review, thanks to the author's kindness.]
Siwar is, like you can read in the blurb, a Jordanian student that is murdered on her birthday and whose consciousness is able to survive by living in the body of a baby boy called Wyatt. Well, as we follow Wyatt and him growing up until the day he starts investigating Siwar's death, there are some questions that I had about his future and once I really got to read that part of the story, I was in love with the all plot and characters.
You can see just from the blurb that this book will talk about many aspects in life, including genre, especially since Siwar's consciousness/soul (a woman) is inside of Wyatt's body (a man). In honesty, you won't understand it until you read it. It was a deep aspect of the story that you can only fully understand once you get to connect with the characters and see their struggles, thoughts and needs and wants.
By putting this two characters in one body and by creating a mystery and a colorful world, the author gave us the perfect elements to make not only this novel a exciting mystery novel, but also a thought provoking one. Stereotypes, differences, gender roles, cultural particularities and differences, by giving us two characters that come from different cultural communities, we have this constant shock of characteristics that make our identities and make us who we are.
I found myself involve with the characters, especially Siwar and Wyatt, and learn about different customs and places I have never been in. That was thanks to the brilliant descriptions that made the novel vivid and real. Natasha Tynes has an incredible writing style that painted every scene in the book with importance, suspense, vivid images, questions and mysteries, and it all made this one of those book that make us turn page after page, not being able to stop before figuring out or learn more about the characters and the story.
Overall, it was a book that took me on journey that crossed borders… borders of land, culture, identity… and with amazing descriptions and an amazing set of characters, the depth in the novel and the unique plot, made this an enjoyable story that I highly recommend.
[I had the pleasure to read this book and give my honest review, thanks to the author's kindness.]
May 10, 2019
Terrible book from a terrible person. Avoid this and support other authors instead.
May 10, 2019
This book is written by a truly evil woman who tried to get another black woman get fired for eating in Metro
May 10, 2019
Trash!
May 10, 2019
I prefer my authors not use their privilege to get a woman fired from her job for eating her breakfast before a long shift of work. This book and the writer are trash.
July 14, 2018
Very much enjoyed reading an early draft. Highly original plotting and a unique and spunky voice kept me turning the pages. Can't wait to read the final version!
February 13, 2019
I was fortunate enough to read an early draft of this engrossing specualtive novel that takes place between Jordan and the US. Siwar is an unforgettable character and you cant help but root for her. You cant stop reading. You need to know if she ever finds justice.
May 11, 2019
Edit: I gave this book 2 stars prior to finding out the author was trash. Guess you can conclude the book ain't worth it either way...
The premise of this was super interesting and the story itself is fairly captivating. However, I had one too many issues to really get on board with this novel.
Firstly, the overuse of words and phrases became grating. 'cogent' 'HELLO WORLD, I'M AWAKE' and 'ran his/her hands through their hair' were used so often that I felt like at least one of those listed would appear in every single chapter. It was just a bit overkill and uneccessary and drew me out of the story.
Secondly, the dialogue is just so unrealistic. I find it fascinating how inner monologues were handled so well in terms of the writing but then the spoken dialogue sounded as if it had been in a different language and then translated to English by Google. I think with a bit of work though, that issue could be ironed out.
Finally, the resolution was underwhelming. I get what the author was trying to do and I usually don't mind out-of-the-blue conclusions but it just didn't gel with the rest of the story, for me.
I seem to be in the minority of those who disliked the book overall but the premise and story were let down by the execution.
Thanks to California Coldblood Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy for review.
The premise of this was super interesting and the story itself is fairly captivating. However, I had one too many issues to really get on board with this novel.
Firstly, the overuse of words and phrases became grating. 'cogent' 'HELLO WORLD, I'M AWAKE' and 'ran his/her hands through their hair' were used so often that I felt like at least one of those listed would appear in every single chapter. It was just a bit overkill and uneccessary and drew me out of the story.
Secondly, the dialogue is just so unrealistic. I find it fascinating how inner monologues were handled so well in terms of the writing but then the spoken dialogue sounded as if it had been in a different language and then translated to English by Google. I think with a bit of work though, that issue could be ironed out.
Finally, the resolution was underwhelming. I get what the author was trying to do and I usually don't mind out-of-the-blue conclusions but it just didn't gel with the rest of the story, for me.
I seem to be in the minority of those who disliked the book overall but the premise and story were let down by the execution.
Thanks to California Coldblood Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy for review.
February 26, 2019
4.5 rounded up to 5 🌟 A novel of so many facets and faces, supernatural and a bit futuristic. Beautiful in its complexity of thought and plotting, yet very easy to read and down to earth.
I was hooked from the very first chapter: the amazing story of Sriwar aka. her murder mystery unfolded slowly, carefully, with ease and wickedness. I cannot really write mkre without giving out spoilers. Truth is I really feel the need to talk about this noe and its implications.
First of all, there is the Jordanian- Arab world with all its restrictions for women versus the Land of the Free, the USA where freedom is like magic. Then there is the life and hopes of young Sriwar with its cliches and dreams. Last but not least, the supernatural element of a conscience residing a living body, two conscience in one so to say. Well this was mind blowing.
Many thanks to Natasha Tynes and Netgalley for inviting me to read and review this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I was hooked from the very first chapter: the amazing story of Sriwar aka. her murder mystery unfolded slowly, carefully, with ease and wickedness. I cannot really write mkre without giving out spoilers. Truth is I really feel the need to talk about this noe and its implications.
First of all, there is the Jordanian- Arab world with all its restrictions for women versus the Land of the Free, the USA where freedom is like magic. Then there is the life and hopes of young Sriwar with its cliches and dreams. Last but not least, the supernatural element of a conscience residing a living body, two conscience in one so to say. Well this was mind blowing.
Many thanks to Natasha Tynes and Netgalley for inviting me to read and review this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 6, 2026
A Preemptive Disclaimer
So, just be aware that this is a book review, not a human review.
I was given this book to review a few months before the whole taking-a-picture of the subway worker (subway as in a train, not as in the sandwich station even though subway worker was eating a sub).
I'm not here to defend the author's actions and I really am do not want to be part of the dying debate.
I'm just here cause I finished the book and wanted to write an actual review of it.
In the midst of celebrating her birthday, Siwar Salaiha is brutally thrown off a building and falls to her death.
"Hell doesn't necessarily involve fire. It is being reborn a toddler with overinvolved parents."
Well.
Sort of.
She finds herself "reborn" as a Seattle toddler, Wyatt, who has speech delays and frequent emotional outbursts. Though, some of those outbursts are extremely justified.
"After that asshole threw me off the building, my resilient 25-year-old conciousness moved into the frail body of a three-year-old boy."
Twenty-two years later, Siwar is still there, though dormant, and puzzling out her murder.
"Seasame Street is tolerable, but Barney is just horrendous."
But it will take more than just her - thankfully she has a built-in partner - and they have just realized what was missing...
Overall, this book was much better than I expected.
"I want justice. I want revenge. I want my life back."
I really didn't know what to think about the premise - but it worked surprisingly well.
The book flip flops through time - present-day Wyatt and past-Siwar - as the murder was slowly unveiled.
It was quite a leap from Siwar to Wyatt but the characters were well-done and the subplot was intriguing that I kept going.
However, this almost felt like two separate books when we make the second time-jump.
We see Siwar interact with Wyatt when he's three and then again with a completely different dynamic and focus when Wyatt's twenty-two. Both times, it's fairly well-written but they felt wildly different to me.
All in all, I didn't mind the book.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
All quotes come from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication
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February 21, 2019
🌟🌟🌟🌟
I’m giving this book 4/5 stars only because there were some grammatical errors but nothing major since i still understood the idea that the author was trying to pass on to her readers.
•
Honestly, i loved this book. Plus points for originality!!!
This was supposed to be a short read but due to daily activities, it took me a little while longer than expected. I’m glad i was given the chance to read this book!
~
Anyway, Siwar is a lovable character. I loved how it was written in a way that Siwar was being able to voice out herself & i also love the transition from her point of view to Wyatt’s pov. That’s a plus for me because it’s a factor to avoid being dull and it became really interesting too, for a short book atleast.
•
Learning about their culture was enlightening for me because i don’t really know much about it. I mean, i only know some, so this kind of educated me and it was great.
~
Overall, would i recommend this book? Yes, i would. For thriller lovers, you would surely like this book. Not only did you read about the victim’s pov, but the hunter’s pov as well. Hope you enjoy this as much as i did! :)
•
** Thank you to the author, Natasha Tynes, for providing an e-copy in exchange for an honest review. **
I’m giving this book 4/5 stars only because there were some grammatical errors but nothing major since i still understood the idea that the author was trying to pass on to her readers.
•
Honestly, i loved this book. Plus points for originality!!!
This was supposed to be a short read but due to daily activities, it took me a little while longer than expected. I’m glad i was given the chance to read this book!
~
Anyway, Siwar is a lovable character. I loved how it was written in a way that Siwar was being able to voice out herself & i also love the transition from her point of view to Wyatt’s pov. That’s a plus for me because it’s a factor to avoid being dull and it became really interesting too, for a short book atleast.
•
Learning about their culture was enlightening for me because i don’t really know much about it. I mean, i only know some, so this kind of educated me and it was great.
~
Overall, would i recommend this book? Yes, i would. For thriller lovers, you would surely like this book. Not only did you read about the victim’s pov, but the hunter’s pov as well. Hope you enjoy this as much as i did! :)
•
** Thank you to the author, Natasha Tynes, for providing an e-copy in exchange for an honest review. **
January 17, 2019
This is the type of story that sticks with you even after you've finished reading. The voice of Siwar is distinct and compelling; her observations sharp; you can't help but be captivated as you follow her through a journey that transcends all borders. I especially enjoyed the shift to Wyatt's POV in the second half of the book. This transition felt seamless since the single thread that ties it all together is the one question that consistently remains on our minds: Who killed Siwar? And more importantly, why? Remarkably imaginative and original, I was engrossed in this story from beginning to end.
May 11, 2019
I'm pulling all support from this author following her recent actions against a subway employee who may lose their job because this author felt entitled. This is abhorrent behavior as a human being, and I will NOT support anyone who publicly humiliates an employee for EATING on a subway.
Edit: I understand that the employee was breaking a rule, but there are proper channels with dealing with these issues before firing off heated tweets that can influences thousands of people.
End rant.
Edit: I understand that the employee was breaking a rule, but there are proper channels with dealing with these issues before firing off heated tweets that can influences thousands of people.
End rant.
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