Rating: 5/5 stars
Genre: Young Adult fantasy
Year Release: 2019
Source: Library physical copy
| Starting with the wolf attack that left her scarred from age seven, Echo Alkaev’s life has the makings of a fairy tale: magic, strange curses, a selfish stepmother. When she meets the same wolf almost ten years later while searching for her missing father, Echo must house sit for a year with the wolf or else her father dies. But there is far more to this promise.
This story is steeped in folklore and fairy tale. From the Wolf Queen to the boy trapped in stories to the settings, it all seems so familiar. Atmosphere and magic sustain every page. I find it interesting how there was a micro-trend of library magic, but in this story, books are mirrors and you can inhabit as if they were movies in VR. These had been created by one of the characters, but that’s spoiler territory and it’s an unnecessary detail for most of the narrative. Because the world-building was otherwise so light, it was easy to follow along with internal character struggles of Echo and especially Echo’s perspective of Hal. If you’re looking for something Beauty and the Beast (1999), this book captures the same magic, right down to a wonderful library and enchanted ball. |
In December, I made it a small goal to get my Currently Reading List down to zero. While I failed at that, I got most of the way there, even reading two additional books. I start 2020 with a four-book-long backlog, which honestly, it pretty good. Anyway, here is the last recap of the year.
Instead of doing NaNoWriMo this year, I decided to plot out a book instead. It didn’t mean I didn’t have time for some excellent reads. This month featured such an assortment of genres and formats, I feel like my understanding of craft expanded in ways I didn’t expect.
Unfortunately, I am nursing a wicked headache so there will be only one long reading recap. October featured some travel, excellent reads, and more lessons to be learned by reading. 
Since I had taken several walks during break times of my September hell writing time, I wound up listening to quite a few audiobooks. Here are the highlights. 
September was such a wild time. Between finishing an entire novel, a fraught day of business travel, and celebrating my seventh anniversary with the boyfriend, it was a busy time! Anyway, here are some books that weren’t read to me by some talented voice actors. 
An author interview, so many eARCs, and so much writing. Welcome, to another month of reading. 
A pinched nerve for two weeks took me out of commission, but having my boyfriend in town was massively helpful. It also gave me a chance to read some excellent audiobooks, which I will share with you below. 