- Noelle
Fall in love with River
Ryen Lesli's debut novel, River, is nothing short of amazing. My review, below, sums it up and I encourage you to follow the links I have provided to learn more about the Witch and her work! Lovely Witch, I am beside myself waiting for the next book in the series, Fate! I can't wait!
I devoured this book in one sitting - I simply could not put it down and I was nearly in tears when I reached the end because I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know more! The world building is exquisite, the characters are compelling and engaging, and the story line has me hooked. When is the next book in the series coming??
River is an incredible mix of bad-ass and fragile, so flawed and yet so pure it is painful to follow her thoughts and feelings as you move through the story with her. She is powerful and genuine and, most importantly, she is REAL. She speaks and acts like a girl her age would speak and act. Ryen Lesli has created a character that had me laughing in one scene and brought tears to my eyes in the next. The scenes were so deliciously written that I was laughing out loud at the antics of these young people while feeling their angst at the same time. The conflicts are palpable - wonderfully well-written and believable, you can't help but fall in love with River, Wolf, and Cat and feel the heartache they all feel as they move through the story together. The chemistry between them is so heated that you can feel the hum in the air as they deal with their confusion and love. So powerful!
I also have to address the overarching story that this book introduces but will do so carefully so as not to spoil it for other readers. Nothing short of amazing. The depth is astounding and I am more than excited to see where the author takes us next. Her writing is compelling and realistic - I could feel the emotions through River but also envision what she was seeing, hearing, tasting, and touching. The evil in this book makes me shiver - it is presented in a no-holds-barred fashion and doesn't pull any punches. It is downright frightening.
I wish I could give this more stars. Five just aren't enough. I will be following this author closely and as soon as her next book is available for pre-order, I will be snatching up my copy. It was a thrill to be lost in another world!