I received this novel as an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve heard a lot of amazing things about this novel, so I was very happy when I received an ARC for it! It has taken me a while to get to this book because of other commitments, but now that I have, I have to say that it is definitely a book worth reading! Here is my review:
Aila Quinn is reeling from the death of her mysterious mother, Juliet, when she and her younger brother, Miles are sent to live in Sterling – the rural town where Juliet grew up. While Aila is far from eager to leave behind her home and her best friend, she is hopeful that Sterling will help her understand her mother better. But Sterling is a place with mysteries of its own. It is a place plagued by the Disappearances, a phenomenon by which an experience – like the scent of flowers or the reflection from a mirror – vanish every 7 years. No one knows the cause behind the Disappearances, and no one knows what will disappear next. But Sterling has always suspected that Juliet Quinn may have been at fault … and now, the brunt of the blame passes on to Aila and Miles. As the next Disappearance nears and tensions mount, Aila takes it upon herself to figure out the mystery behind the Disappearances using literary clues her mother left behind. As Aila starts to make sense of things, one thing becomes clear: Sterling isn’t going to hold on to anyone’s secrets for much longer.
This was such an amazing novel and I’m so glad I got an ARC of this! The author has created such a unique story that I was never bored for a minute! First off, the plot was just fantastic. I was already intrigued by the idea of different senses and elements disappearing, but once the author brought in Shakespeare, it was a done deal for me. I loved how the author weaved all of these different components to create such an awesome cohesive piece of work. I liked that there were segments of the story told from a different perspective, as that just added to the intrigue. I loved all of the characters in the story and Aila is definitely a great main character! My only slight complaint would be that WWII didn’t really have much of an impact in the story; since the author chose that specific time period for her setting, I wish it had had more relevance to the story. Overall, this was an amazing YA fiction story and I would recommend it to anyone who loves YA fantasy because you will NOT be disappointed!
Happy reading ~