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Witch Song by Amber Argyle
(2 out of 5 stars)*
Okay, first things first. This is harmless, predictable
YA fun. If you want to invest in it to take your mind off things, do. The
writing is decent and the world not unlikable. Please ignore the rest of my
review.
Now, for readers that might be looking for a serious
plot and plausible character development, be advised:
1) The only way your heroine can have such low self-esteem
is if her mother kept her in a burlap sack and beat her with a stick every day.
A large, mean stick. Which is not the case, as her mother dotes on her.
2) Why on earth why would a dark witch wreck utter havoc
with the seasons and the planet in general? She has nothing to gain out of it,
and in the long run, it will be like shooting her own leg.
3) You do realise that in a battle between mortals and
witches the witches win every time, or they can just escape, right?
4) Nope, a girl with such low self-esteem does not
suddenly develop awesome leadership skills. Witches are not an exception to that.
5) A book can be complete even if there is no romance in
it. In fact, wonder of wonders, a book can be complete even if your heroine
does not get engaged to anyone at the end, or in any part of it.
6) Deus ex machina must be used sparingly and ideally,
not at all. If you write yourself into a corner and can't think of a way out,
squeeze dem brain cells.
7) Oh yes, it is a series. Naturally. Because every
single book has to belong to a series nowadays.
8) Personal pet peeve. Why name your main character
Brusenna? Because it has such a good ring to it? Let me think of words that
begin with "bru": Brutus, brutal, brouhaha, brunt, bruise, brusque,
brute... Melodic no doubt, and all those positive connotations. It was a
natural winner. Not.
YA books are my bane... Over and out.
*My star rating and what it means:
Zero stars: Why me?!? I do come across books that aren't really books, but brain damage in disguise.
For reasons you can all understand, I won't be publishing reviews on
them. I tend to become enraged and say things I later on regret.
One star: Meh... I didn't like it and won't be keeping it. It might be the book, or it might be me. I'll try to clarify in my review.
Two stars: Average/ Okay.
Either the kind of light/ undemanding book you read and don't remember
in a month, or suffering from flaws that prevented it from realising its
potential.
Three stars: Better than average. Good
moments, memorable characters and/ or plot, maybe good sense of
humour... Not to die for, but not feeling like you wasted your time and
money either.
Four stars: Wow, that was good! Definitely keeping it and checking to see what else I can buy from the same writer.
Five stars: Oh. My. Goodness. The
kind of book you buy as a gift to all your friends, praise to random
strangers on the bus, and re-read until the pages fall out and the
corners are no longer corners, but round.
