Book Review:: The Call – Peadar O’ Guilin

Date started: September 22, 2017

Date ended: September 29, 2017 

Stars: ★★★★★

“She says, ‘I’m going to live. And nobody’s going to stop me.’ She believes every word of it.”

God, this book was fabulous. I wasn’t expecting how great this novel was going to be considering the synopsis I read when it first came out kind of read, “three minutes to save your life. Could you survive the call?” and I was hooked.

The writing style of this novel was great. Peadar had some great analogies, I wish I could remember them all but one I remember is he compares crying to the scattering of Skittles. The writing was fresh and engaging, dark, fascinating, and completely gripping.

This was one of those books I would read until I had to go to work and then would think about until I got home and couldn’t wait until I could start reading again. I haven’t had that feeling about a book in awhile. The funny thing was at the same time I started reading The Call I’m also reading A Torch Against the Night and not to knock Peadar O’ Guilin, but I hadn’t read any of his works before now, but I was expecting to finish Tahir’s book before The Call. But I couldn’t stop thinking about The Call. It was haunting in such a good way. I was invested in every single character. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I could understand their fear, the reason why they lived how they did. Yes, a few characters I was thinking that I wouldn’t miss them if they were taken by the call, but I understood why they were living that way. It takes a great author to create a villain who the reader can sympathizes with.

I really liked the different POVs. It confused me at first, and I have to admit, I was halfway through the novel before I stopped reading one night and started all over again. The reason being, I hadn’t absorbed anything. Yes, I was reading but I wasn’t identifying with characters or really knowing who they were. So I stopped and started again. And I’m so glad I did because I got so much more out of the story by starting again.

I loved, loved, loved our main female character, Nessa. She was so completely against the norm, it was such a nice change of pace. Without ruining the story, Nessa is handicapped, she has to have the aid of two canes while walking. He arms are her main strength but her legs are weak. She is basically doomed from the beginning of her life and only by her parents strength or pity, in the world she lives in, she is cursed with living. No one believes she can get through training, let alone survive in the Grey Lands. But against all odds, she believes in herself and never gives up. These are the types of heroes and heroines we need in books. We may not be dealt the perfect hand in life, but we need to make do with what we are given. Nessa exceeds expectations with this thought in mind.

There’s so much meat to The Call that I fear I will ruin the story with more commentary on my thoughts of the novel but know that I was blown away. I could’ve been content with the ending we were given but I’m thrilled that in March there will be a sequel. I highly recommend this novel to people who love fae stories or even The Maze Runner by James Dashner. It’s thrilling, dark, and completely compelling. You won’t sleep or eat while reading this novel.

#AprilOwlCrate #Dystopia

As I mentioned before, my birthday is coming, in 7 days to be exact and since I am getting older I have found the joy of buying presents I want and not relying on others to do so. Though my mother is very good at listening to my requests as well as Liz and Mel but they understand my wants and needs for ink and paper. Anyways, I promised you a glimpse of what I received and I am happy to report that I will be purchasing more or OwlCrate’s products.

My first appreciation for OwlCrate came with the fact that all packages were shipped the 20th of April. I received it two days later after great anticipation. Yes, two days and the package was on my doorstep. It was coming from Oregon! So I was highly elated.

The next was that it really felt like a present. Ever since you were a kid the idea of a secret gift has brought you such joy. You feel it throughout your body, from your head all the way down to your toes. The fact that I was receiving a secret gift that included a book was all the more welcome. Likewise, when you’re a kid you beg and beg for a hint, a clue for what this gift will be but also, don’t want to know. I like how OwlCrate gives you the theme of the box but that’s it. This makes the recipient waiting with baited breath to discover what Brad Pitt so plainly as what’s in the box?

So over my morning coffee, I opened my present and was not disappointed. It was more than I ever guessed. The clue was: dystopia. So, of course, my mind conjured all the recent dystopic novels that I had read in the past. The most popular being The Hunger Games and Divergent. I was right about one, but the rest I never would have guessed.

I got a Mockingjay magnet and bracelet (which I wore to work today), a 1984  notebook, a Maze Runner car decal, and a coaster that read I spent my life folded between the pages of a book. The book I got was Flawed by Cecelia Ahern.

You will be punished…

Celestine North lives a perfect life. She’s a model daughter and sister, she’s well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she’s dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.

But then Celestine encounters a situation where she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found flawed.

In her breathtaking young adult debut, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society where perfection is paramount and flaws lead to punishment. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.

I hadn’t heard of this novel before so I was, again, thrilled. Before I was worried that since my favorite teen genre is dystopia I wondered if I already possessed the book, but all for not. I started the book immediately enjoying the rest of my coffee before work and it’s good thus far. I’ve only read a little over 60 pages but it reminds me of The Giver. Look for my review to come!

Overall, I’m already looking forward to another box in May. The hint for this one is steampunk. I haven’t read many steampunk novels but it has always fascinated me. May 20th can’t come soon enough!!