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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
tmleblanc's review against another edition
1.0
The premise of this book intrigued me--a young girl who doesn't quite fit in learns her true place is a the Elf Realm where there is an ongoing war with the Element Fairies. What I didn't know is this novel was written by a high schooler. I gave the novel a chance. I did get through the novel. It was evident that the author lacked experience. The voice slipped from the main character, Ramsey, to the author's quite frequently and when is slipped it was very apparent the author was a high schooler.
"...so I went out to the hallway to get a drink of water at the bubbler. Yes, I called it a bubbler. I was from Wisconsin...need I say more?" page 25
In this one sentence, I was jarred out of the story. It was so unlike the main character to sound so snotty. She was nearly a loner who did her own thing and did her best to avoid conflict. Additionally, at no point in the first 25 pages had there been a mention of the location of the story.
My other complaint would be the vastness of the Universe Grabo created. Elves, five kinds (the novel says 4 on page 151) of fae (Golden, Element, Woodland, Butterfly and Flower) plus dryads, nymphs, pixies. There is even a short appearance of a gnome, Mac, and a mention of the mermaids and mermen. With so many different kinds of creatures floating around plus all the different powers the elves can have like sharing memories, teleportation, shape-shifting just to name a few, at times my head a reeling trying to follow it all. (Chapter 8)
I did finish the book. There was a hook. Ramsey has a secret. I read 352 pages only to learn the secret would not be revealed in this book. Ramsey gives up (page 352) despite the build up towards the end of the novel when someone other than Ramsey's sister, Zora, threatened to share Ramsey's secret with her.
Book was a Good Reads First Reads giveaway.
"...so I went out to the hallway to get a drink of water at the bubbler. Yes, I called it a bubbler. I was from Wisconsin...need I say more?" page 25
In this one sentence, I was jarred out of the story. It was so unlike the main character to sound so snotty. She was nearly a loner who did her own thing and did her best to avoid conflict. Additionally, at no point in the first 25 pages had there been a mention of the location of the story.
My other complaint would be the vastness of the Universe Grabo created. Elves, five kinds (the novel says 4 on page 151) of fae (Golden, Element, Woodland, Butterfly and Flower) plus dryads, nymphs, pixies. There is even a short appearance of a gnome, Mac, and a mention of the mermaids and mermen. With so many different kinds of creatures floating around plus all the different powers the elves can have like sharing memories, teleportation, shape-shifting just to name a few, at times my head a reeling trying to follow it all. (Chapter 8)
I did finish the book. There was a hook. Ramsey has a secret. I read 352 pages only to learn the secret would not be revealed in this book. Ramsey gives up (page 352) despite the build up towards the end of the novel when someone other than Ramsey's sister, Zora, threatened to share Ramsey's secret with her.
Book was a Good Reads First Reads giveaway.
ksmarsden's review against another edition
2.0
Ramsey has spent her whole life feeling like an outsider; she suddenly realises why when a girl who looks a lot like her, takes her to the Elf Realm, where she discovers her true family and true identity.
I recently signed up for a read and review of The Spell Master (Journey Into The Realm #2), so I figured I best buy and catch up on Ramsey's story thus far. To be very honest, I wish I hadn't. These books were very long-winded, and as I wasn't as enthralled by them as many other reviewers, it was a lot to get through in a relatively short time.
Ok, possibly one of the main reasons that I did not like this book is because I did not like Ramsey. And as this story is from her perspective, there's no getting away from her.
She is the most selfish, attention-seeking little hermit I've come across. She's constantly being bullied at school for her pointy ears, perfect and pale complexion, and bone-straight silvery-blonde hair. Her figure is tall and graceful (although she has the token clumsy gene). Despite swearing that she's a reclusive freak, Ramsey is constantly being described in a way that you know she's beautiful.
Ok, yes, I realise that girls can bully pretty girls they find a threat. But seldom does the bullied party ever feel pretty.
Then Addison comes along, reveals that Ramsey is an elf, given to be raised by humans when she was a baby because of The Secret. Addison needs Ramsey to come home because her real sister, Zora, has been kidnapped and only Ramsey can find her. Then Ramsey, despite saying how heartbroken she is over the whole situation, abandons her human family, follows Addison into another world, then doesn't give them another thought.
Cue the elf realm. Ramsey spends her time with Addison's family, flirting with the swoon-worthy Stellan, and generally being introduced to elf life. When she is away from these strangers that treat her with such reverence, she is exploring her family's old house. She is checking out her sister's wardrobe and getting an idea of what Zora is like by reading a how-to-be-an-elf guide Zora wrote and left especially for her. Oh, it turns out that her family is also really really rich. And the town is super-friendly, and all these cute elf guys work in shops, and such nice jewelry and books for her to peruse at her leisure - where's the urgency? Ramsey's sister has been kidnapped by violent elemental fairies? She could be getting tortured as we speak?!
Likewise, I was appalled with Addison and Stellan - they were both close to Zora in their own way. Why aren't they doing something? Why aren't they pushing this so-called saviour to go and actually save her sister?
It's not just the content that keeps things slow - the writing is... correct in terms of grammar and spelling and all that; but there is so much exposition and description of the mundane. It hits pause so many times to analyse and assess one particular point or another. It's almost like Grabo is scared someone's going to come along and start pointing out plotholes with a neon finger, so she completely overdoes tying up every last little loose end.
I find it very frustrating when someone creates a world and then has to show you every last inch of it, you have to trust readers to understand the world before them.
So why 2 stars, instead of 1? Ok, I'll admit that the world Grabo has created is very imaginative, and caught my interest.
I recently signed up for a read and review of The Spell Master (Journey Into The Realm #2), so I figured I best buy and catch up on Ramsey's story thus far. To be very honest, I wish I hadn't. These books were very long-winded, and as I wasn't as enthralled by them as many other reviewers, it was a lot to get through in a relatively short time.
Ok, possibly one of the main reasons that I did not like this book is because I did not like Ramsey. And as this story is from her perspective, there's no getting away from her.
She is the most selfish, attention-seeking little hermit I've come across. She's constantly being bullied at school for her pointy ears, perfect and pale complexion, and bone-straight silvery-blonde hair. Her figure is tall and graceful (although she has the token clumsy gene). Despite swearing that she's a reclusive freak, Ramsey is constantly being described in a way that you know she's beautiful.
Ok, yes, I realise that girls can bully pretty girls they find a threat. But seldom does the bullied party ever feel pretty.
Then Addison comes along, reveals that Ramsey is an elf, given to be raised by humans when she was a baby because of The Secret. Addison needs Ramsey to come home because her real sister, Zora, has been kidnapped and only Ramsey can find her. Then Ramsey, despite saying how heartbroken she is over the whole situation, abandons her human family, follows Addison into another world, then doesn't give them another thought.
Cue the elf realm. Ramsey spends her time with Addison's family, flirting with the swoon-worthy Stellan, and generally being introduced to elf life. When she is away from these strangers that treat her with such reverence, she is exploring her family's old house. She is checking out her sister's wardrobe and getting an idea of what Zora is like by reading a how-to-be-an-elf guide Zora wrote and left especially for her. Oh, it turns out that her family is also really really rich. And the town is super-friendly, and all these cute elf guys work in shops, and such nice jewelry and books for her to peruse at her leisure - where's the urgency? Ramsey's sister has been kidnapped by violent elemental fairies? She could be getting tortured as we speak?!
Likewise, I was appalled with Addison and Stellan - they were both close to Zora in their own way. Why aren't they doing something? Why aren't they pushing this so-called saviour to go and actually save her sister?
It's not just the content that keeps things slow - the writing is... correct in terms of grammar and spelling and all that; but there is so much exposition and description of the mundane. It hits pause so many times to analyse and assess one particular point or another. It's almost like Grabo is scared someone's going to come along and start pointing out plotholes with a neon finger, so she completely overdoes tying up every last little loose end.
I find it very frustrating when someone creates a world and then has to show you every last inch of it, you have to trust readers to understand the world before them.
So why 2 stars, instead of 1? Ok, I'll admit that the world Grabo has created is very imaginative, and caught my interest.
ksmarsden's review against another edition
3.0
After rescuing her sister from the fairies, Ramsey now has to make a life for herself in the Elf realm. Which includes learning how to control her blossoming powers; and to finally discover the big secret that caused her parents to leave her in the human realm for fifteen years.
The Spell Master is the second in the Journey into the Realm series (you can read my review of the first book - The Elf Girl). I was offered a free copy as part of Shut Up & Read's read & review.
This book picks up soon after the first. Ramsey is getting used to life as an elfen. She has her sister back, but the realms are still at war.
Despite the war looming, and the obvious fact that Ramsey's boyfriend Stellan is fighting at the front; the war has little implication for the first half of the book. Instead it concentrates on Ramsey's training at school, and the friends she makes.
I didn't click with the first book, and this one had a lot of the same issues.
I still don't like Ramsey, and as this is from her point of view, there's no escape from her thoughts and feelings. She is a very selfish character.
I felt sorry for Zora - she was recently kidnapped, and while she was out of it, her boyfriend got stolen by her younger sister. In The Spell Master, Zora acts "oddly", which one can only expect after such an ordeal. But Ramsey and her best friend neglect her, ignore her feelings, and talk about how annoying the "crazy" sister is.
The new best friend Nathan, is a clear love interest, bringing this directly to a love triangle. When Ramsey met Stellan, there were butterflies and weak knees; when she met Nathan, it was locked eyes and instant connection on the deepest level.
I do like that Ramsey and Nathan were friends first. But I don't like a) Ramsey constantly going on about Nathan's eyes. All elves have bright green eyes, how does she go so ga-ga over his? b) everybody telling Ramsey that Nathan is the one for her, so the whole time, it is so totally ok that she likes him, but she's going to be a martyr and stay with Stellan, because she's a good person. (Seriously, some of the elves she's confided in have probably known Stellan all his life, and they are telling her to leave him because war will change him... What shit friends!)
c) That despite Ramsey wanting to be with Nathan, she's too good and loyal to break Stellan's heart. Conveniently, Ramsey tells Stellan the secret she has finally discovered (it is a fact about herself that she cannot change), and Stellan can't handle it and breaks it off. Leaving poor, hurt, innocent Ramsey free to pursue a relationship with Nathan.
The action and concerns of the outside world come in around the 300 page mark.
Her friends are the target of fairies, who want to punish Ramsey. Two of them die horribly, being burnt to death. Yet no one hears or sees anything. Worse, poor Ramsey is feeling very guilty, she knows it's all her fault. So she goes to bed. Ellie has to find out about the death of two close friends, hours later from a third party. And when she does, Ramsey promptly sends her out the door for someone else to deal with her grief, because the only person she wants to bother with is Nathan.
The last fifty pages, or so, do pick up nicely. Which is frustrating, Grabo can clearly write adventure, and excitement; but the first 300 pages are taken up with Nathan's eyes and woe-is-me.
The secret is also very good, and worth waiting for.
The Spell Master is the second in the Journey into the Realm series (you can read my review of the first book - The Elf Girl). I was offered a free copy as part of Shut Up & Read's read & review.
This book picks up soon after the first. Ramsey is getting used to life as an elfen. She has her sister back, but the realms are still at war.
Despite the war looming, and the obvious fact that Ramsey's boyfriend Stellan is fighting at the front; the war has little implication for the first half of the book. Instead it concentrates on Ramsey's training at school, and the friends she makes.
I didn't click with the first book, and this one had a lot of the same issues.
I still don't like Ramsey, and as this is from her point of view, there's no escape from her thoughts and feelings. She is a very selfish character.
I felt sorry for Zora - she was recently kidnapped, and while she was out of it, her boyfriend got stolen by her younger sister. In The Spell Master, Zora acts "oddly", which one can only expect after such an ordeal. But Ramsey and her best friend neglect her, ignore her feelings, and talk about how annoying the "crazy" sister is.
The new best friend Nathan, is a clear love interest, bringing this directly to a love triangle. When Ramsey met Stellan, there were butterflies and weak knees; when she met Nathan, it was locked eyes and instant connection on the deepest level.
I do like that Ramsey and Nathan were friends first. But I don't like a) Ramsey constantly going on about Nathan's eyes. All elves have bright green eyes, how does she go so ga-ga over his? b) everybody telling Ramsey that Nathan is the one for her, so the whole time, it is so totally ok that she likes him, but she's going to be a martyr and stay with Stellan, because she's a good person. (Seriously, some of the elves she's confided in have probably known Stellan all his life, and they are telling her to leave him because war will change him... What shit friends!)
The action and concerns of the outside world come in around the 300 page mark.
The last fifty pages, or so, do pick up nicely. Which is frustrating, Grabo can clearly write adventure, and excitement; but the first 300 pages are taken up with Nathan's eyes and woe-is-me.
The secret is also very good, and worth waiting for.