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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Lock in Books

Nov 26, 2019

Lock

Jordan Elizabeth Mierek | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)

7.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

I received a digital copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Contemporary, young adult, romance, fantasy, steampunk, action... is there any category this book does not fit in to?! Jordan Elizabeth takes readers on a journey from New York to a fantasy world that very few knows exist in her recent novel Lock. Sarah Lockwood, the protagonist, thought the Realm was a story her late father used to tell her, however, when she discovers it is real, she jumps at the chance to visit, not realising the dangers that lie ahead.
Sarah is a self-sufficient young woman who has been living with her belly-dancing aunt since the death of her parents. Invited to stay with her Uncle William, she feels obliged to accept, however, almost regrets the decision after the cold welcome she receives. The gardener's son Archer, however, soon takes her mind off her troubles, particularly when he suggests travelling to a parallel world.

Archer comes from a family of Record Writers and it is his job to record the daily goings-on in the Realm. Sarah soon learns the Realm no longer lives up to the descriptions in the fairytales. A usurper has murdered the royal family and the inhabitants live in constant fear and poverty. Whilst this is shocking, Sarah unveils another revelation: the usurper is someone from her world, someone very close to home.

Although Lock has similarities with fantasy lands such as Narnia, it is written for a slightly older generation of readers. Sarah is 19 years old and some scenes are markedly "adult". There is also a lot of bloodshed and the occasional expletive. Nonetheless, it is a fast-paced, exciting story.

Once again, Jordan Elizabeth has written a book that is unlike the others she has written before. It is difficult to categorise the author and her novels since they are so diverse, however, one thing is for sure: Jordan Elizabeth knows how to tell a good story.

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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious #3) in Books

Mar 19, 2020

The finale to the Truly Devious trilogy does not disappoint. Stevie Bell believes she has solved the famous Truly Devious case. But she hasn't really told anyone yet. After all, yet another person is dead, someone else (whom she has kissed) has disappeared, and then another accident strikes Ellingham Academy. All while a giant snowstorm is about to hit the school. Stevie is sure everything is tied together--the deaths in the past, the deaths in the present. But it's finally too much for Ellingham. The school is being evacuated. Stevie is being sent home. It's over. So she makes the only rational choice. Time to stay at the school in the face of an insane storm--and a potential murderer.

Oh I love this series so very much. I highly recommend it. Stevie is such a wonderful character, filled with real flaws and amazing skills. Johnson's treatment of Stevie's anxiety across the trilogy is spot-on, and she just captures Stevie so perfectly. Her love of crime, her intelligence, her wit. It's impossible not to adore this girl.

Book three starts off with a bang--the format alternates between the present and parts of the past, depicting scenes involving the Truly Devious case that Stevie has worked so hard to solve. Filling in the pieces of that famous case--the disappearance of Albert Ellingham's wife and daughter. It works perfectly and it's captivating, finally finding out exactly what happened to Iris and Alice--and all the other players in the 1930s.

I don't want to say much more and spoil anything, except to say it was all perfect. Stevie and the cast of characters is great--I've come to care for so many of them now. And Johnson excels at having a diverse group in her books, which I love. The conclusion of the mystery is excellent; I was frantically flipping pages and caught on every word. The ending is quite fitting for a beloved series. 4.5 stars.