It’s difficult taking care of a delusional father by yourself. Sixteen-year-old Shaleigh Mallet would rather explore and photograph dilapidated buildings than cater to her father’s dark episodes. But when she’s kidnapped by a creature who carries her atop a flying bicycle into another world, she realizes this wasn’t the escape she wanted.In a kingdom known as the Garden, where minotaurs pull … minotaurs pull carriages and parties are held in hot air balloons, Madam Cloom and her faerie servant, Teagan, rule over the land with incredible but terrifying magic. Shaleigh must prove that she is the reincarnation of a long-dead ruler, not because she believes it, but because it’s her only chance to survive. With the help of a trespassing faerie, a stoatling, and a living statue, Shaleigh hopes to outwit everyone. She aims to break the bonds of servitude and finally make her way home. What she doesn’t realize, however, is that she’s playing right into the hands of a far worse enemy…
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I was highly intrigued by the blurb and the cover, and the first half of the book was fascinating with great world-building and an interesting plot and cast of characters. But things started to flutter about a bit after that, and seemed to lose focus and I started struggling with it a little… By the final chapters I was more or less back in the story, until things stopped (as opposed to ended). I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the ending in a multi-series book is a very important and delicate thing – you can’t just stop in the middle of the story. This one wasn’t as abrupt as some, but still felt more like a break between chapters than a break between books… still, generally speaking I found the world and the characters engaging and entertaining and I would probably give the second book ago, with the hopes that now that everything has been introduced the plot will tighten a little and the pacing even out a bit.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy.
Wow this is a Fantastic read. Shaleigh is taking care of her dad that is dealing with his own problems. When she is kidnapped into a different world. This world is very intriguing. I was captured right from the start of this book, and it had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. This Author has a great creative mind, they create a very intriguing world. There are lots if twists and turns, that had me thinking wow this is definitely a must read. Its fast paced and has fast action as well. If you like magical worlds you will love this read.
Shauna Joesten
THIS WAS THE MOST UNIQUE, FASCINATING, BRILLIANT STORY!! The world building!!! It is so well written, enough detail that it paints a wonderful picture in the imagination, where you now start building upon it with your own interpretation!! Which to me is perfection! That is what i want from a book. This world where there are Faeries, Minotaurs, Shadow Wolves and Living Statues, etc. is so reminiscent to me of 80s movies that I loved, like Legend, Labyrinth & Return To OZ. BUT at the same time this one really stands on its own!! I would LOVE to see THIS on this big screen…whoa, that would be awesome!!!
As for characters, they were beautifully written!! Dialogue was written so well that the characters were completely believable and you became totally lost in the story!! I loved Shaleigh, the main protagonist!! She’s very believable. She’s strong, but doesn’t know it. I also loved Colin & Mawr!! Mawr, he is something special. There are so many really great characters, whether good or bad, that are just SO WELL WRITTEN!!!
This is one of those books that once you get into the meat of it, especially when Shaleigh gets kidnapped and taken to the Garden, you can’t put it down!!! YOU WILL SOOO LOVE THIS BOOK, especially if fantasy is your thing!!! I can’t wait for the next book!!!