Strange Luck by Amie Irene Winters
Published 6/2/2015
Ages 14+
“Hidden deep in the forest, beneath mounds of forgotten memories, lies the secret world of the Nameless – a magical realm as beautiful as it is dangerous.
Daisy Darling used to think of Sea Salt, the small mountain town she has always called home, as a boring place where nothing ever happened. Then she met a peculiar wanderer who reveals a mysterious world hidden beneath the town all along. A world where mind-bending, magical, life-altering phenomena happen. A world harboring a dark secret under its snow-capped mountains, aquamarine waters, and perfumed jungles. A world built using stolen memories.
Now that Daisy’s eyes have been opened to the truth about the Nameless, there’s no turning back. Driven to save the other Collectives, Daisy is pulled deeper into the world’s tangled lies, finding herself ensnared in a dangerous network of tunnels and time-altering portals. Somehow Daisy must discover the strength to win back her freedom before the Nameless claims her forever.” – From Amazon
Story –
Fantastic
A fantastic story. Miss Winters has woven a tale that will enthrall readers and leave them begging for more. She has filled her world with compelling characters, particularly the protagonist Daisy, who we found ourselves identifying with better than many protagonists as of late. She is clever and easy to project onto but is not without her peculiarities. The fast pace of this tale keeps you going, and Miss Winters will always have you wondering what will happen next. Though the core of the story is something we have seen before, Miss Winters makes it her own, give young readers, or just those who are young at heart, something to enjoy.
“Awakened by the disruption, Merriweather perked up her orange and black spotted head but then plunked back down on her flannel bed with a huff and shut her eyes. She was getting old and gray and didn’t greet customers the way she used to. Nevertheless, she was still the shop’s mascot.”
Format and Style – Quite Good
We always gripe about formatting, and this book is no different, it is a bit off. Nothing too heinous, and most probably will not notice. Maybe it is just us, who knows. However, Miss Winters’ style is truly something to behold; her lines are well designed which lends her an assist in turning this story from something good into something special. She paints in broad strokes and fine details, giving us food for thought and imagery to fawn over – we loved it.
“I could feel the smoke expanding inside of my body, tickling my insides like an enormous feather duster. In a matter of seconds, the world grew larger, my back sprouted lacey winds, and time quickened. When I looked down, I saw that my entire body was covered in a golden shimmer, and if I held out an arm or leg in just the right light, I sparkled.”
Literary Value – Decent
So, again, it’s a story. A very fun story, but mostly just a story. We will not be delving into the depths of the human soul here, but it is better than some at handling those young adult themes we know so well. Teenage angst, small minded parent, ignores daughter’s big dreams, maybe I’m special, but no one will notice me here – these are fairly standard things to see in a YA novel, but Miss Winters works through those and still manages to blend it into a story about worlds and places we can only fathom in our imaginations, or perhaps, our dreams.
“My bejeweled masquerade mask was staring at me when I opened my eyes. The owner who sold it to me claimed it had been owned by a mad Danish princess and that whenever she wore it, she couldn’t remember anything the next day – not even the bodies in her closet.”
Overall –
4.5, Highly Recommended
If you enjoy YA fantasy or just fantasy, we recommend this book. Miss Winters possesses and abundance of talent and imagination that she has poured onto the pages of this book to deliver something that is not only delightful, but worth reading, and that is a rare talent indeed. As well, the book is priced to sell, and while we do not take that into consideration when recommending a book, we think you should when buying a book (HINT: It is worth every penny!).
Perhaps you would like to read Strange Luck? It is available on Amazon!