Book Spotlight: The Orphan & the Thief by M.L. LeGette

***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on March 20th, 2014.***

Book Spotlight: The Orphan & the Thief by M.L. LeGette

CHEERS, Beardies!

There are few books that have stumbled into my inbox that make me think, “Damn! That’s a great title!” The Orphan and the Thief was one of these and, upon seeing its marvelously creative and beautiful cover, I knew I had to read its premise. But don’t worry, Beardies—while I love outstanding covers and think they really enhance a book’s appeal (after all, why put a cover on them at all if not to entice?), I do not judge a book by its cover. If anything, I judge a cover by its book. (Some covers really do their book little service, no?)

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

WHEN Toad is kicked out of the Ramblers, a gang of thieves and the only family he has known, he tries to prove to them that he truly has what it takes to be a great thief—and what better way to prove it by stealing from the richest and most-feared man in town, Mr. Owl.

Truth be told, however, Toad is as bad a thief as the Ramblers claim and is quickly caught trying to snatch an emerald dragon statue. Normally, Owl would have his brutish sidekick, Ogg, just ‘take care of’ such a miscreant, but with the Hickory Guard watching him closely, Mr. Owl has just the bargain for Toad: get him a specific list of ingredients…or else.

Toad sees this as an easy task; he’ll simply go to the apothecary and steal the ingredients on the list. Easy-peasy. Except the ingredients can’t be found in an apothecary, which explains why he can’t find them. Instead, he finds a friend in orphan and blooming apothecary Melena Snead, who agrees to help him under the false pretenses of payment.

Toad and Melena embark on a fantastic journey of Calendula, full of promise and peril, in search of Owl’s ingredients—only they find much more.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. World Building...

BEFORE you huff and puff that I always choose this Gem, let me defend myself: I try and only choose books whose premise clearly indicates a well-built world. With names like Toad, Owl, and Ogg, I was definitely intrigued.

Cool names does not a world make, I realize, but LeGette delivers more than just those. There are gangs galore (pirates, thieves, AND viking hordes), dragons (but far from the overused imagery), apothecaries and potions, beer mugs of both the enchanting and the intoxicating kind, its own money system, and so much more. The magic in the book, too, is very real and none of it implausible. And the settings are so wonderful, they deserve their own Gem.

2. Setting...

LEGETTE‘S settings remind me a bit of the settings in Ari Berk‘s Undertaken Trilogy: I know they’re not real, but everything about them seems oddly placeable on a map, somewhere that seems quite possible to visit by means other than your imagination.

All of Calendula seems accessible, especially the city of Hickory where the story begins. With its gangs of thieves and orphaned characters, it’s mildly resemblant of London in Dicken‘s Oliver Twist, but only in its familiarity and the mood set by LeGette everything else is purely fresh. Except the smell, of course. I can only imagine the smell; I only want to imagine it, too.

The meadows, caves, and cliffsides draw images of Scotland or Ireland to mind, yet the deserts and arctic landscapes tell of a land far larger and more diverse. LeGette was selling tickets to her world, and I gladly hopped onto the train. I also, figuratively, hopped off before the Blackens. There’s a reason I moved from the North to the South, Beardies, and it wasn’t the hospitality—it was the warmth. The Blackens and its bleak landscape felt all too real for this New Englander, but I will let you experience that for yourself, as I do not want to give away too much.

3. Characterization...

ALL of LeGette‘s characters, from the tiniest to the tallest, literally leap off the page—and, pun aside, especially Toad. From his roguish manners to his strong dialect, Toad is a new favorite character of mine. All the characters have strongly-memorable personalities; LeGette‘s talent at this alone reminded me of JK Rowling‘s unbelievable talent of the same. Even the enchanted beer mug, Joe, has a distinct personality. You almost anticipate what the characters will do and say based on this great characterization—but don’t worry, Beardies, LeGette still leaves you with some surprises!

3. Bait-and-switch...

I won’t divulge too much in this Gem explanation, but LeGette pulled off an ending for which I had secretly hoped but thought improbable.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

I’M in literary love with M.L. LeGette, Toad, Melena, and the world of Calendula. I recommend this to readers of all ages, especially those who will always be kids at heart. While no second book is yet planned for the dynamic duo as of yet, I am eager to return to LeGette‘s world and join Toad and Melena in all of their future adventures…please?

***The Transmigration of Cora Riley (2013), by Ellie Di Julio, is published by and copyright Elle Belle Media.

***Per FTC Regulations: I received a free Advance Reading Copy (ARC) from the author and was not compensated in any way, monetarily or otherwise, for this review.

Book Spotlight: The Transmigration of Cora Riley (A Forgotten Relics Novel, Book One) by Ellie Di Julio

***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on March 10th, 2014.***

Book Spotlight: The Transmigration of Cora Riley (A Forgotten Relics Novel, Book One) by Ellie Di Julio

Bonjour Beardies,

When Ellie Di Julio approached me about a blog tour to promote her title, The Transmigration of Cora Riley, I was drawn in by the amazing cover. Yeah, yeah… I know you should never judge a book by one, but it captivated me to read the premise, and I was sold. Magic, a soul-searching quest, and a trip to the Underworld; what could be better?

The Transmigration of Cora Riley by Ellie Di Julio bookcover

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

CORA RILEY has always dreamed of a more extraordinary life; when her mother is diagnosed with cancer, she decides to forego college and the promise of one, settling down and marrying shortly after. After suffering a mental breakdown, leading to a divorce, Cora is forced to move back home with her parents, reminding her even more of her ordinary existence and the possibilities of more.

On an impulse, Cora decides to flee her parents’ house in the middle of the night in search of the life she relinquished. When her truck loses traction, causing it to roll and crash and her death, Cora succumbs to the clutches of the Mistress of the Underworld. The Mistress agrees to give her a second chance at life—but only if she can first complete a quest.

With the help of an atypical angel named Jack, a lost, young soul named Xavier, and the courage and determination she had once abandoned, Cora must travel through a complicated system of portals in search of a secret, thirteenth door (one that may not even exist) in order to complete her quest—and she must do it in only three days.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. World Building...

YOU probably assumed this would appear, but Di Julio truly does give us an incredibly-built world—several, actually. In The Transmigration of Cora Riley, we are introduced to the idea of twelve heavens, concepts based upon ideas held throughout various cultures. While Di Julio does not describe all twelve, she sets the premise for these worlds, all while immersing her characters and readers into a handful. The worlds range from stereotypical to mythological, borrowing elements from each yet expounding upon them with Di Julio‘s own twists and interpretations.

2. Mythology & Folklore Tie-In...

THIS Gem is, in truth, one in the same with the World-Builing Gem, but let’s delve a little deeper. Di Julio takes elements and characters from various mythological and folklore sources and makes them her own. Gods and goddesses from ancient mythos mix with angels, orcs, Faerie, dryads, and sprites, all done beautifully and believably. And a romp through Valhalla never hurt anyone, right?

3. Characterization...

NOT only is Di Julio a great world-builder, but she’s quite the romantic, too. Cora’s relationship with Jack starts off as just a business transaction of sorts, the two seemingly as different from one another as one could imagine. Attraction builds between the two not-so-polar opposites, climaxing in a tastefully-written love scene, and culminating with a bittersweet and unpredictable twist.

{—PEBBLES TO POLISH—}

1. Poor editing...

WHILE the story and the wonderfully-crafted worlds warrant a 5-Star rating, there are editing issues that exist throughout the story. These do not distract from the storytelling, however, and are only noticeable to those with a finely-tuned eye.

{DISCLAIMER: The editing issues are present in the ARC I received from the author only, which have been addressed in the final edition.}

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

ALONGSIDE heaven building and mythological tie-ins, Di Julio also weaves supernatural with mundane and sprinkles in a bit of magic, all while telling an awesome tale that left me wanting more. The readers get so caught up in Cora’s story, they don’t know that they’re truly being directed to their own secret portal: a twist ending that is sure to please. I can’t wait to find out what happens next in The Forgotten Relics Series.

***The Transmigration of Cora Riley (2013), by Ellie Di Julio, is published by and copyright Elle Belle Media.

***Per FTC Regulations: I received a free Advance Reading Copy (ARC) from the author and was not compensated in any way, monetarily or otherwise, for this review.