William Edmonds

Hooked so far

So obviously at this stage your story is only just starting and I haven't read the whole book. However, I can say I am at this point, hooked. You've done a good job at gathering my interest and I'm keen to read on. It's an intriguing concept so far. I'm enjoying reading and will keep your story on my reading list, so I can read the forthcoming chapters. The main weakness I see with the writing so far is the style. Generally, there are some very positive signs with it and I can see in places how amazing a writer you are, but in places it just feels like it needs a bit of honing. This isn't anything major but a few more edits would bring out the full potential in what looks set to be a fantastic read. Otherwise, the pacing and structure feels perfect for the target market and I look forward to reading the next chapters as I am really enjoying this story.

Excellent

Was a gripping novel, really enjoyed it. I often find novels of the SFF genres can be very much marmite books. I personally really enjoyed it. Without dragging on too much, it was an engaging read and one I think would appeal to many readers.

Unique

I found the book was something different to what I would normally read. The plot generally unfolded well. The writer's style was unique and had a distinctive voice. This is something I rate very highly and I'm sure many people would appreciate it; the only reason I've given only three stars is because it just wasn't as much for me as others. But a very talented author and if this sort of book is your thing, it is absolutely marvellous.

Well worth my time

In all honesty, my first impressions of the book were very mixed, the reason being purely personal in that it was written in the present tense. At first, I thought this was a bit weird, something I'm not used to but then as I started to get through the story, I found it really worked very well. Barry Litherland pulled it off. Taking an unconventional approach to the tense or the POV requires real skill, something which the writer really seems to have. All the way through I've found myself intrigued by the characters, who are developed fantastically. The pacing is perfect, it thrills without being OTT. I do like a good thriller but I find a lot of books of this genre tend to feel underwhelming or sometimes, as mentioned, OTT. This book avoids these traps and I almost feel as though I am reading a published novel, now just over halfway through. I'd be intrigued to know if this writer has been published or tried to seek publication for this work because it feels worthy to me (though I'm no agent/publisher).

Really deserves 4 and a half stars!

It has to be said, when I saw there were 40 chapters in this book, I was dreading what I expected would be an onerous task reading it, fully expecting a long, slow story.
I was so very wrong. The pacing is very quick and keeps you keen to read more with a thrilling plot. The world is well created and described, bringing it to life. Is this a series? It seems like it and if so, I would certainly read the later books.
My only criticisms are that some sentences didn't make sense to me (easily solved with a proofreader, I find them useful as you don't always notice everything yourself) and I thought the pacing was a little too quick for me. The latter is, however, just personal taste so someone else may feel differently.
A very good book and something you should be very proud of, Gracie!

Very good pace

I've been reading this book and have been impressed so far. The style is great, fast-paced and kept me hooked all the way through. Plot seems good from what I've read. Looking forward to the other stories being released so I can come to a clearer verdict. Overall, well written to this point and looking forward to the rest of the book!

Secrets on the walls

I've been reading this book and am now halfway through. The concept is very clever and the writer switches between the points of view of different characters with ease. It is an exciting fantasy world and I can imagine it being very appealing to a middle-grade sort of age group, slightly older perhaps. My only criticism is the first chapter after the prologue feels a bit unnecessary. While it sets the scene, a lot of it doesn't have anything to do with the story and setting the scene is something which could have been achieved in a lot less time, I feel. However, the story is otherwise outstanding and I think any child in middle-grade/early teens would really enjoy this book. It's clearly had a lot of thought put into it and the writer should be very proud indeed. I look forward to reading the sequel once I've finished this one.

Almost perfect

The fact I read the entire book in 24 hours says it all. Not my normal genre but the style was very gripping nonetheless. There seems to be a lot of criticism about the use of the first person. However, I for one, really like this. While it may be an unconventional choice, I think it makes the story feel more real. The plot is generally very good and Rebecca Weller makes it very gripping, which was essential given this isn't really my normal sort of genre. My only small criticism would be that the story does start very slowly and in truth, parts of the first half of the novel don't seem to really need to be there or elements of excitement need to be added in. That said, the second half is marvellous, a little tweaking of the first half and the story would get five stars all the way through. The book has a lot of potential without doubt and it was a pleasure to read.

Very powerful

A great way to introduce children to themes of pollution. Very sad in places but teaches children in a gentle way about our environmental responsibilities in today's world. Very good for children and would highly recommend to any child looking for an animal story. A good length as well.