REVIEW: "Eyrie" - by Emma Michaels (Tribute Books Blog Tours)

I've reviewed Owlet (the prequel to this here book), and was simply delighted by this sequel!!  What would you do if your soul was part bird?  What bird would you want to be and why?  

Hey hey hey - as long as you are here, you might as well follow my blog as well.  : )  (Link to do so is on the side...)  :P

BLURB
"Somewhere between falling and flying…you will find the truth. 

The truth is being unveiled and Iris’ past is unlike anything she ever could have guessed. For Stryx, finding your missing half doesn’t always mean finding your mate. Iris has been missing a part of herself for so long that no one is sure she will be able to put the pieces back together and her ever reliable dreams may be forcing her astray. Coping with the death of someone she loved, she is forced to face the truth and break free from the lies that have caged her."

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eBook
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
ISBN: 9780985792244
Pages: 158
Release: October 13, 2012
Publisher: Tribute Books

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - EMMA MICHAELS

Emma Michaels is the author of the ‘A Sense of Truth’ and ‘Society of Feathers’ series. Her goal with her latest YA series the 'Society of Feathers' is to give others what she did not have growing up; a strong female protagonist with asthma.  While her previous aspiration was to be a lady knight she realized that not being able to run more than a few feet might become a hindrance so turned to writing instead. Her day jobs include being a cover artist, marketing consultant and silk screen designer.

As the founder of The Writers Voice blog (http://OurBooksOurVoice.Blogspot.com) she loves to connect authors and readers. As a book blogger turned author, she was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, until she moved at eighteen to Washington State. Suddenly, the world was a new place filled with tall green trees that reached further for the sky with every moment, making her want to do the same. Ever since, she has tried to make her life something new and different from what it was before, pursuing her future career, setting high goals and reaching for them. With the support of her fiancé, Chihuahua, and her amazing blog followers and fellow bloggers, she wants to prove to the world that anything is possible and help inspire fellow literary lovers to reach for their dreams.

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REVIEW

Revenge, a need for understanding, and learning to lean on others as necessary whilst figuring out who to trust appear to be common trends in much of today's fiction. What happens, however, when you throw in a secret society, love, twisted and tangled webs of deception, and a twist that may take your breath away? Eyrie.

Overall, I give this book a 4 out of 5, and here is why:

The Good

Eyris is the beautiful sequel to Owlet, a story about a young lady who is trying to figure out who she is. Not an easy task for any young woman, but it turns out to be something especially difficult for Iris, as she discovers that she is the last of a precious bloodline for a secret society whose members are part human and part bird.

And she has asthma.

This asthma necessarily limits her physical mobility, despite her being an Owlet, but does not limit her in any other way. Now that she has embraced her Owlet side and is well on her way to fully realizing her abilities and talents, Iris has discovered a remarkable penchant for seeing to the truth of things...and for being able to enter the mind of another through touch.

Now, before I give away too much, know that much of what I said about the first book is also true here. Scrolly text would still describe Michaels' writing style very well. It feels scrolly and as though it would look perfect scribed into ancient parchment. The plot clips along at a reasonable pace that perfectly matches what is going on. Readers are not left hanging trying to figure out what happened and why – we are always clued in to others motivations and exactly what is going on. Of course, we see inside Iris' mind a little more than other characters, but that is to be expected.  The plot feels a little flat in places, but not sure how I'd fix it.

I must say, for trying to weave a work that blends birds and people, I think Michael did a pretty good job. I'm pretty picky about science fiction, being a real-life science lover as well as lover of anything to do with Star Trek, Stargate, BSG, Buffy, TVD, LOTR, etc (I keep telling my hubby that I really must make it to Comic-con at some point). Now that I sound like a sci-fi snob, let me say this: I really really like how Michael's has integrated human and bird aspects in the individuals within this work. It just works...and made me want to keep reading.

Eyrie continued the original story well and is consistent to the original plot (no small feat for sequels) while being interesting in its own right as its own book. Now, this is not a stand-alone book. There is a very clear cliff-hanger that nearly made me pounce out of my seat when I realized that is where the book ended, and it clearly is the continuation of a story. Michael's obviously assumes that anyone reading Eyrie has read Owlet, and this is not a bad thing (the Lord of the Rings books are not stand-alone either). Merely an observation.

The Bugly (bad/ugly)
I'm happy to report that one of my bugly's from the prequel to Eyrie didn't bug me nearly as much here, perhaps because my brain was a bit more used to the world that Iris inhabits. Regardless, the need for a glossary to keep bloodlines and such straight was somewhat lessened. It feels as though those are actually fairly clearly laid out here, though I did lose track of a few things and had to backtrack a bit.

That being said, the characters still sounded exactly like one another. They are not distinct enough for my liking. Yeah yeah, I gripe on this a lot. Yeah, I know how hard it is to keep voices distinct from one another (some day I'll be brave enough to show ya'll some of my fiction writing). But yeah, it distracts me when I feel as though I have to back up and figure out when the last “he said” was so I can figure out who is talking now.

Oh, and sentence structure falls apart at least once or twice per chapter. There were a few lines where I thought I was pretty sure what the idea was...but got lost in confused clauses.  Grammar is important, and this bugged me a lot (and frankly is why my score for the work is one point lower than it would be otherwise).  I'm not saying I'm a grammar queen - clearly, if you read this my grammar is off in places as well - but in an edited work it annoyed me.

OVERALL - I really liked this book.  It is a good, simple read that goes pretty quickly and is engaging on a level that engages the imagination in a pretty cool way.  It has its flaws...but so does Iris.  Are these flaws disguised strengths as they are for Iris?  You decide!

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BLITZ: "Eyrie" by Emma Michaels (Tribute Books)

Finally, the sequel is released!!  Owlet is the first book in this series, and I reviewed it HERE.  Now the sequel has been released.  Yay!  I'll be reviewing this book in January...so stay tuned!

Eyrie: Society of Feathers #2
BLURB

Somewhere between falling and flying...you will find the truth.

The truth is being unveiled and Iris’ past is unlike anything she ever could have guessed. For Stryx, finding your missing half doesn’t always mean finding your mate. Iris has been missing a part of herself for so long that no one is sure she will be able to put the pieces back together and her ever reliable dreams may be forcing her astray. Coping with the death of someone she loved, she is forced to face the truth and break free from the lies that have caged her.

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Author Emma Michaels

Emma Michaels is a multi-talented bookish girl. Not only is she the designer of beautiful covers, but she has many other accomplishments under her belt. She started book blogging in 2009 and was first published in 2010 (The Thirteenth Chime). She started The Writers Voice in 2011 as a way to help readers get to know authors on another level.

She moved to Washington at seventeen to be with the man that she loves, who asked her what she secretly wanted to be when she grew up. Naturally, she told him that she wanted to be an author, but at the time she thought "it was a pipe dream." He encouraged her to pursue her dreams and taught her that "sometimes reaching for the impossible can make a world of difference in your life." Now she is published and reaching well beyond what most people can imagine.

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Excerpt

Iris lost herself in Falcon's arms, feeling the world drift away again as her lips melted against his stronger, larger ones. The warmth spreading through her body felt like electricity filling very part of her, pooling at the tips of her fingers where she touched his shoulders then traced along his arms. The tension that had worked its way up her back and through her own shoulders released as his hand brushed lightly down the length of her spine, sending sparks through every nerve.

"Please," she whispered softly, centimeters from his lips as they breathed in each other's warm breath. She felt herself lean towards him, this time not holding back as she moved his arm to her waist, making him wrap both arms around her fully. His secure hold on her was the only thing keeping her upright.

"Anything," he whispered into her ear a few moments later after she had caught her breath.

"Be the one beside me when I enter the masquerade. Be the one by my side when I change it all. I know I can do it on my own or with Nestor but...I don't want to. I want you both there with me,” Iris said.

The look on Falcon's face, the light in his eyes, showed her the joy he found in her invitation. "I was waiting for you to ask. Waiting for you to want to need me, even if you never will. It would be my pleasure, Izzy. I will always be there for you. Nothing could pull me away." He didn't say the words but they still hung silently between them, the knowledge that anyone who tried to pull him away from her would die trying. She knew she should be afraid, but somehow he was the only person she knew she could trust, the only one her heart was perfectly sure about, like a tether tied them together, connecting their lives.

"I do need you. Even if I don't, I still need you." She whispered and kissed him harder, forgetting the world outside their doors, ready to explore the man that the boy she had known had become. The man who felt like such a part of her now that she had accepted him. She didn't know what she’d do if she ever lost him. She had never felt a connection this powerful, this all consuming.

"I love you." He whispered, his eyes gazing into hers, their intensity only pulling her further into the joy of just being close to him, just letting herself forget the world she wanted so desperately to help, to change. "I want to do something for you."

"What is it?" Iris almost pulled back, not wanting to lose the moment between them but instead she leaned the side of her face against his chest so that she could hear his heart beating.

"I want to show you what it’s like to run without hesitation, without taking away the one part of running that makes it so magical̶  the freedom. I want to show you that freedom." He bent and traced his fingers along the back of her legs. They buckled but he lifted her, taking it as an invitation.

She smiled and leaned against his chest. This time he wasn't carrying her because something was wrong. It was like when they were kids and he wanted to show her he was strong enough to support her, that he could be that person who would pick her up even if she hadn't fallen. He walked to the door and she turned the doorknob for him. They found Autumn in the hallway.

"Wanna go for a run?" Falcon asked Autumn, his voice a conspiratory whisper.

"Sure!" She said and smiled lightly when she realized what Falcon was planning. "Every girl should get to feel the aves inside of her come alive."

Iris smiled feeling like she had her team. They were the people she needed and wanted by her side. They were the ones who kept her human and kind, protecting her at all costs. Nestor was upstairs with Nathaniel preparing for his duties in their upcoming plans. The rest of her family was downstairs. As they jogged by, they passed Jarem on the way, heading up to meet Diana. "We’re going running, wanna come?" Falcon offered and Iris laughed.

"If you invite everyone we may as well all go." Iris giggled and smiled widely, looking forward to it, not caring who decided to come. Iris knew that no matter how people surrounded her and Falcon, somehow they were always alone. They were the only two people in on the secret. That was their unusual type of love. It would only grow with time and trust as long as it was never betrayed.

"Sure, why not." Jarem said and smiled. He opened the door to Diana's room and hollered, "We’re going running with Falcon, wanna come?"

"Absolutely!" They heard Diana yell back. She joined them even though she was wearing a short dress. Not bothering to change, she threw a pair of high-tops on with it.

As they jogged through the house David joined them, leaving the fort to Neal, Garah and Griffin so as not to disturb Nathaniel and Nestor. When they went out the door, Diana led them to the back of the house, going through the garden to a strange trail beyond it. "Is this the fairy trail?" Jarem asked. When Diana nodded, he smiled and looked at Iris. "It's perfect."

"Wooooo!" Diana shouted, crying out like a hawk soaring through the sky. Jarem and even Autumn joined in and Iris realized it was for her and Falcon, egging them on. Falcon set her on her feet and knelt down the way he once had to offer her a ride on his back. She blushed feeling like that same little girl for one beautiful moment, attaching herself to his back and holding onto him tightly.

The bird calls got louder and louder until Falcon got ready and whispered, "You ready?"

"Yes." She whispered next to his ear and then looked straight ahead realizing, she really did need him. Falcon knew what she needed even before she did. As he started running, she shifted her weight and realized, she fit so well against his back, like they had been molded for just this moment, for him to give her the freedom that her body robbed her of. Suddenly her grudges against her body for being made the way it was disappeared as the wind whipped her hair away from her face. She arched her back ever so slightly to get the full effect and to keep her weight manageable for Falcon as he ran faster and faster. Her heart felt like it was soaring for the very first time. There was nothing like it, the faster he went the more amazing it felt. All she could feel was the earth around her and the link to her aves.

She couldn't help but giggle with glee as she watched Diana pass them, holding her arms out at her sides like wings. The wind was pushing her arms behind her, and her face was lifted toward the sunlight shining through the trees. Jarem sped to catch up with her and they started to race each other, getting competitive each time one of them would pass the other.

Autumn was at Falcon’s side as she called out, "Oh come on, go for it. She'll love it!"

"Faster!" Iris squealed like a little kid, the sheer joy of movement giving her a rush she had never felt before. As she leaned her face against Falcon's, she could feel that he was smiling as he gained speed. He wrapped his arms behind her, entwining his fingers at her back like he was stretching as his position formed a brace for her. She leaned into it and as he went faster and faster. She slowly let go of his shoulders and held her arms out at her sides like Diana. The sun beat down on her face and arms. As she closed her eyes, she felt like she was flying, really and truly flying.

Book 1 is now 99 cents on Kindle!




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"Owlet" - by Emma Michaels (Tribute Books Blog Tour)

Blurb

"Somewhere between falling and flying...there is a girl.

Iris has a secret.  She lost her memory eight years ago and never told a living soul.  After an asthma attack one night she finds out that her dreams of a strange house on a snowy island may be a memory resurfacing but the more she learns about the past the more she realizes the life she has been living is a lie.  As the facade her father has built starts to crumble around her she will have to decide which means more to her: the truth or her life."

About the Author
"Emma Michaels is the author of the 'A Sense of Truth' and 'Society of Feather' series.  Her goal with her latest YA novel 'Owlet' is to give others what she did not have growing up: a strong female protagonist with asthma.  While her previous aspiration was to be a lady knight she realized that not being able to run more than a few feet might become a hindrance so turned to writing instead.  Her day jobs include being a cover artist, marketing consultant, and silk screen designer.

As the founder of The Writers Voice blog, she loves to connect authors and readers.  As a book blogger turned author, she was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, until she moved at eighteen to Washington State.  Suddenly, the world was a new place filled with tall green trees that reached further for the sky with every moment, making her want to do the same.  Ever since, she has tried to make her life something new and different from what it was before, pursuing her future career, setting high goals and reaching for them.  With the support of her fiance, Chihuahua, and her amazing blog followers and fellow bloggers, she wants to prove to the world that anything is possible and help inspire fellow literary lovers to reach for their dreams."

REVIEW
Even in our so-called "enlightened" society (pardon the sarcasm), it is difficult to find a book that has a character with a significant physical or mental illness.  Emma Michaels aimed to provide a book that shows just how capable of a "normal" life people with illnesses are when she chose to make the protagonist of "Owlet" a young lady with asthma.  Mythical elements, song, and fanciful writing come together in this work to weave a beautiful portrait of what happens when a special young lady finds out about the past she has forgotten.