Charlie Hartley #1: The Unlocked
by J.D. Stonebridge
I've always believed, no matter the genre, the most important element is the characters. Without interesting, realistic characters, even the most intriguing plot falls flat. Fortunately, in J.D. Stonebridge's The Unlocked, there is no danger of that.
The heroine, Charlie Hartley, is a teenager with many refreshing qualities: no snark, no irritating attitude, and truly loves her family. She may have special powers--hence the main plot of this fantasy novel--but she has realistic feelings, which makes her readers relate and care about her. On her first day at a special school for other children with special powers, she is asked by her instructor, "Do you know what you do?" Her response:
She racked her brains for an answer. It sounded like a beauty pageant question. Then it occurred to her Ms. Everest was referring to her powers.
A truly delightful passage that made me smile and instantly connected me to Charlie.
Rarely have I read such a riveting book. At nearly every chapter end, there is an exciting and surprising cliffhanger, and the twists and turns in the plot are neither confusing nor cliché. Truly a fun read, and I've added The Enlightened to the top of my queue!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of The Enlightened here!
The heroine, Charlie Hartley, is a teenager with many refreshing qualities: no snark, no irritating attitude, and truly loves her family. She may have special powers--hence the main plot of this fantasy novel--but she has realistic feelings, which makes her readers relate and care about her. On her first day at a special school for other children with special powers, she is asked by her instructor, "Do you know what you do?" Her response:
She racked her brains for an answer. It sounded like a beauty pageant question. Then it occurred to her Ms. Everest was referring to her powers.
A truly delightful passage that made me smile and instantly connected me to Charlie.
Rarely have I read such a riveting book. At nearly every chapter end, there is an exciting and surprising cliffhanger, and the twists and turns in the plot are neither confusing nor cliché. Truly a fun read, and I've added The Enlightened to the top of my queue!
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of The Enlightened here!