Reviews

April Reads/May 2019 Reads (Goodreads)

Rachel Sandell

Wow, these past couple months have been hectic! As an undergraduate student, my life has taken a turn for the busy, especially since I’m graduating this month. This is why I’ve only read a couple of books this month.

Here are two of my favorites, and even though I didn’t get to read much, I’m glad I got to read these!

 

elysianprophecy

The Elysian Prophecy, Vivien Reis

Such an interesting read! Siblings Abi and Ben’s lives are thrown into turmoil when their father is attacked. What follows is a mysterious journey into someplace dark and magical as Abi is kidnapped and Ben begins to experience hallucinations, hinting that he might be experiencing his mother’s mental illness.

This book shattered so many of my expectations! Honestly, it’s such an intense read from beginning to end and really keeps you guessing until everything is revealed. The magic system is easy to understand yet gripping all the same.

For fans of fantasy, I’d highly recommend this book! I for one can’t wait for book 2.

iammarcusfox

I Am Marcus Fox, Bryon Cahill

What a beautiful, rich story, full of twists, turns, heartbreak, and meaning! I Am Marcus Fox captured my attention from beginning to end, and it never failed to surprise me at every turn. With lively descriptions, gorgeous settings, and deep, introspective characters, my love for this book just kept growing as I kept reading.

The story’s unbelievable nature plays well into Marcus Fox’s character development, leading me to think of the story as a more heart-twisting and dark version of Forest Gump. Even though the tale is full of tragedy, the funny moments (and there are plenty) had me laughing out loud.

There were moments that I didn’t fully understand (such as the ambiguous nature of the ending), but overall, this is an engaging read! I would absolutely recommend! It’s a wild ride and definitely a good book to reread to catch all the little foreshadowings I didn’t catch at first.

 

Hopefully, I’ll have even more recommendations for you guys next month! Until then, these two awesome reads should keep you occupied. Happy reading!

Photo by Banter Snaps on Unsplash

Published by Rachel Sandell

Rachel Sandell is a writer and editor from Washington State, where rainy days necessitate long books, hot chocolate, and plenty of magic. Though she specializes in speculative fiction and harbors a love for the dark and enchanting, she also dabbles in poetry and is the archive project coordinator for Fireweed: Poetry of Oregon. She is an MFA graduate from the Rainier Writing Workshop, and her short stories have appeared in SORTES magazine, Night Picnic Press, and Leading Edge magazine.