Sora's Quest (The Cat's Eye Chronicles, #1) by T.L. Shreffler

May 31, 2013 Majanka rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, romance, reviews-may-2013

Originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...

Wow. Just wow. Sora’s Quest is one of the few books I’ve read this year that left me breathless. It certainly is the first self-published book this year that reached the quota, and all of that is mostly due to one person: Crash. Or Viper, if you want his other name.

Sora’s Quest starts out with introducing us to main character Sora Fallcrest, daughter of Lord Fallcrest who would rather have nothing to do with his offspring. It’s t...more Originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...

Wow. Just wow. Sora’s Quest is one of the few books I’ve read this year that left me breathless. It certainly is the first self-published book this year that reached the quota, and all of that is mostly due to one person: Crash. Or Viper, if you want his other name.

Sora’s Quest starts out with introducing us to main character Sora Fallcrest, daughter of Lord Fallcrest who would rather have nothing to do with his offspring. It’s time for Sora’s Blooming ceremony, but she completely messes it up, doing the one thing she never wanted to, namely disappointing her father. That same night, Sora’s dad is murdered by a strange assassin, and Sora is kidnapped by that same assassin. He brings her to his companion, a Wolfy thief named Dorian. Wolfies are all but extinct, and Sora is surprised to meet one of them. They run to get away from soldiers chasing Sora, and from Volcrian, a dark bloodmage intent on killing Crash and everyone who stands in his way. Before long, Sora is suspected of hiring the assassin to kill her father, and any hope she might have had about returning back to her normal life, is swept from under her feet.

Sora, Dorian and Crash decide to travel through the nearby swamp, which legends has it, nobody has survived traveling through. But Sora is in the posession of a special necklace, a Cat’s Eye, that has tremendous power and might succeed in sending them through the swamp alive and well.

The story is imaginative, and has an obvious ‘high fantasy’ feel. The settings are well-detailed, and the descriptions very visual. I enjoyed following Sora, Crash and Dorian on their travels through the Fallcrest town, the village, and eventually the swamp. I also enjoyed their meeting with the Catlin people, and the Panthera, which was very suspenseful and detailed.

Crash was, by far, my favorite character. He reminded me a lot of Achmed, the assassin with some kind of special blood magic, who played one of the main roles in the Rhapsody series by Elizabeth Haydon, which was one of my favorite series ever, mainly because of the interesting dynamic between the main characters. Crash is silent, barely says anything, and comes across as being very threatening, mainly because of his past. But an interesting dynamic evolves between him and Sora, and he begins to care for her. I loved his personality, the typical ‘bad boy’, maybe taken a stretch too far (I like bad boys, but they don’t necessarily have to be assassins) and I loved how, despite himself, he began to care for Sora.

Sora’s personality is a bit of a hit or miss. She seems a bit inconsistent, one moment shouting about how the assassin and thief should both be hanged, and the other moment fighting to save their lives. It showed her confusion, but confused me as well, making it almost impossible to guess her ture feelings. We don’t get to see a lot of her reasoning either. She apparently cares next to nothing about her father, and even though he didn’t give her a lot of love, he did raise her for many years. When she’s kidnapped, she comes to terms with the situation rather easily, barely even trying to escape. Her motivation for staying is never truly explained.

And that brings me to the major issue of this book, and the sole reason why I didn’t give it a 5-star rating, even though it was one heck of a read. Motivation. Every character in this book lacks motivation or reasoning. Why does Crash take Sora with him? Does he know about the Cat’s Eye already (although I thought it was only revealed later)? It’s completely out of character for him. Why do they travel through the swamp, a supposed short cut, when it takes them ages to get through and is very dangerous? What was their original plan, if Sora hadn’t shown up with her Cat’s Eye? For a bunch of thieves and assassins they certainly aren’t very keen on planning. Why did Sora’s Dad have to die? Why does everyone automatically blame Sora? Why did Crash change his name?

At the end, there’s a supposed big reveal I saw coming the moment the character was introduced, that left me with a half-hearted explanation about Sora’s origin and family, and more questions than answers, which I hope are explained in the next book.

This book is full on the fantasy, sword and sorcery and action-aspect, but there isn’t a lot of character development. Sora doesn’t really go through a large emotional change, more like a small change at most. There’s no romance, although perhaps a hint of it, but I liked that. Too often people assume fantasy novels need to have romance, when that’s certainly not the case. I’m not a big fan of insta-love either, and if the next book goes the way I suspect it will in the romance department, then I’m glad we only got the subtletly of a few romantic hints here.

All that said, I loved Crash, and I liked Sora, mostly when she interacted with him, because it seemed like another, perhaps darker, part of her personality came forward in their conversations. I liked the world T.L. Shreffler created in this book, and I can’t wait – literally, I might start to stalk the author after this tour for a review copy – to read the next book, Viper’s Creed. The title makes me suspect Crash plays a very big part in that book and well…any book featuring a cold-hearted assassin slowsly becoming less cold and distant, is a must-read for me. Especially if you add in fantasy as a big bonus.(less)

like · see review

Nov 01, 2012 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I found the general story rather unfulfilling and inconclusive; it feels more like the first 1/2 or 1/3 of a book and ends with nothing having really been done except the group traveling through a swamp - why Crash killed Volcrian's brother is never explained, nor how Crash and the Wolfies ever got together. The explanation of Sora's past is very vague in terms of why's as well- her mother's story seemed to reek of half-told and skipped over explanations, such as (view spoiler)...more

like · see review

Oct 21, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-on-blog, kindle

I have to be honest, after reading the first few chapters of the book, I didn't think I was going to like it too much. Now thinking about it, that was way too early for me to even be thinking about writing off any book, let alone a review book. So I kept on reading, and from the moment Sora left the castle, I was riveted! I ended up enjoying Sora's Quest so much. It just had a bit of a slow start to me and then it really took off. The part I didn't enjoy at the beginning seems like only one spec...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 12, 2012 Victoria rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm going to rant here for a moment; Why go through the effort of writing a good piece of work and then fail to have a good editor? Perhaps no editor at all? I get the fact that spell check will not catch a word that is out of context but a good editor should. At the least get a friend to read your work, heck I'd do it for free. There is nothing more disconcerting than seeing fowl used for foul or effect for affect, unfortunately this seems to be on the rise with the popularity of ebooks. End ra...more

1 like · like · see review

May 12, 2012 Turtles rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-historical

I had been going to give this 4 stars but after thinking about it, chose 3. (See reasons below.) I really enjoyed the diversity of characters, there was information built in the book that explained why they had their characteristics and reasons. All were interesting and they were so likable! I enjoyed reading about their adventures, despite the slightly weak plot drive.

Things which didn't make sense: The whole swamp arc of the last chapters! Why did they go there, I didn't even see a reason othe...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 15, 2012 G33z3r rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: sword-sorcery, y-a, ebook

"Sora's Quest" is a sword and sorcery fantasy novel for young adults set in a traditional pseudo-medieval fantasy world. The title character, Sora isn't thrilled with the marriage her noble father has arranged for her to a lord she's never met, and she's considering running away from home (thus abandoning her wealth and status.) Before she can act, her father is assassinated and she's kidnapped by one of the perpetrators. Soon, she is traveling with a trio of rough criminals (though there's no s...more "Sora's Quest" is a sword and sorcery fantasy novel for young adults set in a traditional pseudo-medieval fantasy world. The title character, Sora isn't thrilled with the marriage her noble father has arranged for her to a lord she's never met, and she's considering running away from home (thus abandoning her wealth and status.) Before she can act, her father is assassinated and she's kidnapped by one of the perpetrators. Soon, she is traveling with a trio of rough criminals (though there's no sense of peril in that abduction). Thus begins Sora's journey of adventure.

"Sora's Quest" is a well paced action story, generally well written in the traditional fantasy style, and it's paced to never drag. The fantasy world it creates isn't far from the generic, but it offers a few twists on the usual sword & sorcery realm of castles and magical artifacts, mostly in some new races. The tone is a little inconsistent, generally serious but with a light touch, except when it descends into outright farce in the portrayal of the jilted groom as an unbelievably self-centered fop ("Well, the bride's been kidnapped and her father murdered, but there's no sense wasting the reception banquet, is there? Let's party!) Fortunately, he isn't around for long.

The story is woefully short on motive and reasons, though. I found it hard to accept Sora's total indifference to the murder of her father, an apparently decent man who raised her in luxury after her mother abandoned her, and who has no obvious vices beyond apparently not being loving enough and arranging her unwanted marriage. Yet, Sora doesn't shed a tear or even pause for long. It's never explained why he's murdered, and through all her travels with the assassin, Sora never even asks. It's not really clear why she's kidnapped in the first place, or why the criminals keep her around before they find out she bears a magical Catseye (an enchanted legacy apparently from her unknown mother. Once they know she wields its magic, they find her very useful.)

Nor do we know where these three men are going or why they insist on taking such a dangerous route through a cursed swamp (what would they have done if they hadn't accidentally met someone with a Catseye to protect them from the curse? If it's a shortcut, why do they dawdle for over a month after crossing it?)

By the halfway point of the novel, the journey becomes more one of survival than destination, which masks the total lack of purpose behind any of these events. But, when the dust clears at the denouement, that hollowness remains.

As an elderly male, I'm certainly not the target audience for this, which seems aimed at teenage girls. As I said, the book is well-written and evenly paced. Presumably that target audience would find the adventure and promise of romance (small as it is) far more compelling than I.(less)

like · see review

Jun 16, 2012 Luna rated it 4 of 5 stars

From looneylunaravenreviews.blogspot.com:

Sora’s Quest by T.L.Shreffler chronicles the journey of a noblewoman named Sora who dreams of adventure but has always lacked the ambition and opportunity to pursue her desires. Having been sheltered for the vast majority of her life, Sora knows very little of the world outside of heroic tales such as the epics of Kaelyn the Wanderer. Fate—both a cruel and gentle messenger—intercedes on the eve of Sora’s arranged marriage with the unscrupulous Lord Garret...more From looneylunaravenreviews.blogspot.com:

Sora’s Quest by T.L.Shreffler chronicles the journey of a noblewoman named Sora who dreams of adventure but has always lacked the ambition and opportunity to pursue her desires. Having been sheltered for the vast majority of her life, Sora knows very little of the world outside of heroic tales such as the epics of Kaelyn the Wanderer. Fate—both a cruel and gentle messenger—intercedes on the eve of Sora’s arranged marriage with the unscrupulous Lord Garret. Moments before the ceremony commences, Sora’s father—a man who she barely knows—is struck down by a shadowy assassin, leaving the wedding procession in utter chaos. Taking advantage of the clamor and commotion, Sora slips away from the panicked masses and begins her plan of escape. All seems to be going fairly well until she runs into the very man who murdered her father. In a blur, Sora is swept away by the dark figure and threatened at knife point. After years of longing, Sora finally gets her shot at adventure. Now the only obstacle remaining is to survive to tell the tale.
This is a great book. It is a great book for many reasons, all of which I will try to cover without chirping on and on about why said reasons make this book so good(you must forgive this bird, as it has been almost a month since she’s read such a good book). Let us start with the characters, chiefly Sora. Sora(a great name for a heroine in Sora’s predicament, as the name means sky and is also the name of a bird. This is pleasantly apt, as Sora’s drive is for freedom) is a surprisingly relatable character. I didn’t know if I’d like her at first as I was worried that she, like so many heroines of this genre, would suffer from insufficient writing. Too many a female leads are made out to be “strong”, though in truth they generally possess only one trait that might be deemed as such and are often used as a tool to further romantic subplots. Sora is not one of those characters, though for a while I genuinely feared that she would be. For you see, Shreffler thrusts her lead into a situation that many others would have used to formulate a really odd and non-sensible brooding romance. The noblewoman and her kidnapping assassin—can’t you just smell the hordes of Paranormal YA Romance’s that would take this idea down the Twilight route?
Because cool, indifferent, and sometimes verbally abusive men are totally attractive. But I digress.
The thing I appreciate the most about Sora’s character is the perfect balance between naïve dreamer, spoiled noblewoman, and novice adventurer. Realistically, as Sora has only known the life of a noblewoman and her only familiarity with adventure comes from romanticized myths, life on the road does not come easily to her. Putting aside the fact that she is a captive, Sora has never had to go a morning without breakfast, never had to sleep on the cold hard ground—heck, she probably never had to suffer without a bath for days on end. While Sora does manage these situations, they are not without discomfort. She acts very much like a person in her situation should act which is frazzled yet determined to survive. She is strong in some ways(she is fairly intelligent and possess admirable will power for a girl her age), but she also has moments of weakness. Basically, she’s balanced and written in a sympathetic enough way for readers to identify with her but she’s not over exaggerated with a tragic backstory like many modern heroines. She’s simply human, which is something I admire, as many authors seem to struggle with making realistic characters. Moving on from Sora, we have the ragtag duo of thieves(plus one assassin) that fate has stuck her with. These characters aren’t overly sympathetic. Sora, like readers, has to come to terms with the fact that one of them kills for a living and the other two are involved with theft. As readers, we’re allowed to empathize with these characters but we’re also allowed to disapprove of them. They aren’t forced down our throats as loveable ruffians. We know that they’ve done wrong and will probably continue to do wrong in the future. The romantic aspect of this book is also very ambiguous. In fact, the only possible hint at romantic feelings doesn’t come into play until the very end of the book, and even then neither of the parties involved actually admit to any romantic feelings. They simply admit to feeling something, and readers are left to ponder what that something might be. Even when Sora begins to warm up to her companions we are still privy to her conflicting emotions on the matter. On one hand, she knows that she’s still a captive (though here captive status gradually weakens over the course of the story). She knows that the people that she’s coming to like had a hand in killing her father and are involved in dubious activities. However, she’s still human. She still longs to make a connection to the people around her, even if the company isn’t always preferable. In this way, Shreffler craftily avoids giving her character stockholm syndrome. Sora doesn’t make excuses for her captors, but she also cannot deny that the trials they’ve shared together have forged an unexpected bond of camaraderie. It’s an interesting dynamic, one that could have gone horribly array under a less adept pen.
In a nutshell, this is a great book. I know that I’m being terribly repetitive, but it really is a great read. The only factors that kept this book from being a five had to do with some strange unexplained motivations in the book. For instance, I never really understood why exactly Crash—also known as the assassin—took Sora captive in the first place. He obviously had not qualms about killing so why he just didn’t kill his only witness is very odd. Additionally, it was never explained why he assassinated her father. Was he hired? We know that he’s running from a man whose brother he murdered so why would he stop his flight to do a hit. Was he hired? These facts are never really made clear, though there are a few moments in the story where I was sure they’d be introduced. There’s also a reunion towards the end of the book that just kind of jumps out at you. Granted, there’s an explanation for it, but it still seemed a little too convenient. Then again, sometimes magic allows for some very convenient scenes to happen. Finally, in the closing chapters of the book, there’s a scene where our gruff assassin relaxes a bit(in a really hilarious way). I liked his growth of character, but at the same time he almost felt out of character for a bit of it. I know, I know—how can an author write his or her own creation out of character? There was just a slightly off feel to it, but at the same time I did really like the scene. I think I’m just nitpicking now. It’s a great read. You should read it. Go do so now.

Rating: 4.5/5
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 26, 2012 Gianne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sora's Quest was such a fun read! During the whole time I was reading this, I felt like I was whisked away to a brand new world with endless possibilities of adventures and wonders.

I really liked the world building, especially the mythology and all the different races. I also loved the way how magic was perceived in this book, how it was mysterious and powerful and even dangerous. The only problem for me was that I wish there was more world building! I wanted to actually experience the different...more Sora's Quest was such a fun read! During the whole time I was reading this, I felt like I was whisked away to a brand new world with endless possibilities of adventures and wonders.

I really liked the world building, especially the mythology and all the different races. I also loved the way how magic was perceived in this book, how it was mysterious and powerful and even dangerous. The only problem for me was that I wish there was more world building! I wanted to actually experience the different cultures each of these races had to offer and while reading this, I felt limited with what I was given.

I also enjoyed the characters as well! My favorite out of all of them would probably be Crash. He's the most mysterious and even though he might have seemed like a total jerk at times, he had his moments. Dorian and Burn were also great, though I wished I could have seen more of Burn and both his and Dorian's back story. Last, but not least, we have our heroine, Sora! I couldn't help but be irritated at Sora sometimes because of her naivety but it wasn't her fault since she's been sheltered her entire life. However, she's a brave, strong heroine with admirable qualities like the courage to put her life before her friends. She may have her flaws, but she's a realistic kind of heroine which I adore.

The plot was pretty interesting as well. Although not as many twists as I would have liked, I was constantly kept guessing at what would happen next! I couldn't stop turning the pages and I just ended up devouring the whole book.

If there was something I wished I could have seen more in the plot, it would be romance. Good gosh, if you know me, you know I want, need, and crave romance! I'm not sure if Theresa intended there to be romance between our dark assassin and heroine, but I definitely felt just a bit of spark between the two. The slow build up between Sora and Crash was nice as they became from hostile strangers to friends who've shared memories together. Perhaps in the next book, their relationship will continue to grow and perhaps become something more. (Oh please, please, please, let it become something more!)

The ending was completely bittersweet, with a couple of loose threads needed to tie up. Only very few of my questions were answered and I hope the rest of my questions will be answered in the next book. (Why must the sequel be in September? *sigh* I need more Crash and Sora time now.)

Sora's Quest is a purely whimsical ride filled with enchanting adventures, witty banter between charming characters, and wonderful friendships (one with a possibility of romance) that will only grow even greater between our heroine and companions over the course of this series.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

May 18, 2012 Danyelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nook-books

Hot bubble bath, Candles, backgroud music, and a good book. Great combination

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 20, 2013 Spiral2007 rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5

A lot better than I was expecting! Sure, this book had its flaws but the story was interesting and kept me curious to learn what happens.

When Sora witnesses her father's assassination on her wedding day, she sees the ensuing chaos as a chance to escape the sheltered life of aristocracy. However, her plans are dashed when she ends up being kidnapped by the assassin Crash instead.

It was quite interesting to me how Sora, Crash, and the others become friends. I kept thinking to myself, "Okay, so...more

like · see review

Jan 13, 2013 Sally-Anne rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-fantasy

This and my other reviews can be found at http://sally-annereviews.blogspot.co.uk/

Sora is not happy that her father is marrying her to a stranger, so she plans to run away. However before she can, her father is murdered and she is kidnaped by the assassin and a thief of a thought long extinct magical race called wolfies. However Sora is wearing a Cat’s Eye, a necklace that can protect her, which might help her complete her quest.

This is a YA fantasy book which is usually my favourite type of bo...more

1 like · like · see review

May 28, 2013 Havanah Chadders rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The worst thing I can say about this book is that the name ‘Wolfies’ seemed a bit overly simple. The best thing I can say is that by the time the ‘Catlins’ were introduced I didn’t care about the names anymore because the plot had completely taken over. Suddenly, the only complaint I had turned into a great compliment.

I would say that this novel was one of the best that I have read for a long time and I know that this review will not do it justice. The story itself is great, the world that’s bee...more

like · see review

Oct 09, 2012 Kyra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Sora's Quest is one of the very few books I've read where my thoughts on it changed dramatically throughout the book. The beginning hooked me and had promise but as the book continued it lost me a bit. At one part it reminded me a bit of The Day of First Sun, a novel that I really didn't enjoy, however, I'm really happy I didn't give up on Sora's Quest as in the end I really enjoyed it.

What I liked about Sora's Quest as that I was immediately catapulted into the action. The first couple of chapt...more Sora's Quest is one of the very few books I've read where my thoughts on it changed dramatically throughout the book. The beginning hooked me and had promise but as the book continued it lost me a bit. At one part it reminded me a bit of The Day of First Sun, a novel that I really didn't enjoy, however, I'm really happy I didn't give up on Sora's Quest as in the end I really enjoyed it.

What I liked about Sora's Quest as that I was immediately catapulted into the action. The first couple of chapters are of Sora getting ready to be married to a man that she has never met before, to whom her cold, distant father had arranged for her. She then plans on running away but as her father is about to make a toast and begin the wedding, a dagger whizzes out of no where, embedding itself in his throat. With her father murdered, Sora tried to make an escape but in the process she is kidnapped by the assassin and whisked away. The first couple of chapters the pace moved quite fast and it was a guessing game, as it was in third person (you know I don't like books written in third person? Well the author really made it work!) I didn't know if the assassin would kill her, what they wanted with her and where they were going. There were hundreds of questions flitting through my head and I was hungry for answers. As I kept on reading the questions were easily answered and I was quite satisfied.

I liked the characters in the book. They all seemed to have depth to me and reasons for their actions. I wasn't actually too crazy about Sora when I was first introduced to her. When she saw her father murdered she didn't mourn at all and even though they barely communicated surely you would have some emotional reaction to seeing your father die in front of you? As I kept reading about her my liking grew for her. She really went through a change throughout the story, maturing. She was a brave, admirable heroine and she went from a spoilt brat to an adventurous warrior in a short space of time. It couldn't have been easy going from such a rich, luxurious life style to being a traveller and sleeping on the ground and hunting for your own food, I really think she adjusted well.

My favourite character had to be all three of the original travellers though. Sora's relationship with Dorian, Burn and Crash was unique. I felt the bond she held with Dorian and Burn and I loved watching them interact with her and that she was melting their hearts one by one. I loved watching the spark that was beginning to ignite between Crash and Sora. There wasn't really romance in Sora's Quest which was a bit surprising seeing as its a YA book, but I have a feeling that Crash and Sora are going fall in love in the second instalment, Viper's Creed.

Dorian, Burn and Crash were great characters. I really got to know the two Wolfies and I was extremely upset about what happened near the end. I like Crash but I hope to see more of his sensitive side in the second book, I think I'll like him even more in the next book. The couple of moments he showed sensitivity and human-like emotions to Sora really made my heart swell and I just felt a surge of love towards him.

I only had a couple of issues with Sora's Quest. One of things is a couple of plot holes. There wasn't a clear reason for why Crash kidnapped Sora and that other major plot quirk that irked me a bit was their uneccessary journey through the swamp. The scenes that happened in the swamp were really detailed and jammed pack of action but there was no main reason for them to travel through the swamp. The other thing is that Sora's Quest didn't always hold my attention, there were times where I was finding myself not really interested in reading the book, so I hope in Viepr's Creed the author will write more jam-packed scenes.

Overall, Sora's Quest was an interesting, entertaining novel. I loved watching Sora mature throughout the book and how her and the other characters relationships developed. There were quite a few twists in the tale that I hadn't expected at all! If you're a fan of magical books with beautiful description, then Sora's Quest will be right up your street. I think the author is very talented and I eagerly await Sora's second adventure.

I give it: 3/5 CUPCAKES(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 08, 2012 Between the Bind rated it 4 of 5 stars

Full review: Between the Bind

Firstly, look at that amazing cover?! Just captivating. I love having a visual of the "Cat's Eye" on this cover. And although Sora has golden blonde hair, the strawberry tint is very attractive. Now to the gushy!

Ms. Shreffler is making Sora's Quest FREE for 72 hours after this is posted (July 9-11) - so hurry and nab your free copy HERE! *high five* If you'd like, please thank her in a comment below. :)

Sum it up:
Sora, tired of her simple and boring girl-in-the-manor...more

1 like · like · see review

May 04, 2012 Amber rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review, ebook

Wow! What an adventure!
Sora was raised with out her mother. Her father a political man never paid much mind to her and was eager to marry her off. Sora was not ready for the married life, she wanted to be adventurous like the chracters in the books she read.
Little did Sora know, she was about to go on an adventure like no other.
After seeing her father murdered, Sora was kidnapped and held captive. While being forced to accompany her captors, Sora is seeing how much more is outside the walls of h...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 05, 2012 Splash Of Our Worlds *Yiota* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: must-buy-printed

Though i was not big fan of the covers, the summary had a pretty decent sound and really hooked me so i couldn't say no. There was just something that made me really want to read it.

And god, i'm so happy i did. The writing is fast and clean. Easy to read, with not much but enough to create every single in your mind perfectly. I totally fell in love with the descriptions of places and people. The story is really intriguing too. Especially when you start reading. There is a mystery around the char...more Though i was not big fan of the covers, the summary had a pretty decent sound and really hooked me so i couldn't say no. There was just something that made me really want to read it.

And god, i'm so happy i did. The writing is fast and clean. Easy to read, with not much but enough to create every single in your mind perfectly. I totally fell in love with the descriptions of places and people. The story is really intriguing too. Especially when you start reading. There is a mystery around the characters and around the plot, and the author teases you with small things all the time that you seriously can't get the book down before you are completely done with. Full of action and so alive, that sometimes it was like watching a movie running in from of my eyes.

At the same time, this was the problem too. I felt that i was away from Sora (our main heroine). I couldn't really connect with her. Everything goes so fast, and there aren't many bonding scenes in either that i couldn't completely get in her shoes. On the other hand, when we are from Crash's POV, you feel completely connected to him. It's like you are him.

All the characters are really likeable or at least respectably. Sora is innocent but on that completely stupid degree. No she is quite clever and she learns fast, but there are still moments where she has no idea what's happening and what to do. Which, it actually makes sense since she hasn't really traveled before.
Crash is perfect. You know pretty much nothing about him, even when you are in his mind his thoughts are so careful written that the mystery of who he is stays until the end. And despite the fact, he an assassin and cruel at times, he has something that make him stand out.
My love of the book was Dorian though. He is so funny, and it's like he is bringing a light to both the company and the story.

Cat's Eye is the start of a really original idea and story, with lots of action and excitement. I just finished it, and i only want to read it again. I can't see how i will be bored with it like ever.(less)

1 like · like · see review

May 04, 2012 Natasa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-review, favourites

This review also appear over at my blog, What Makes YA Beautiful.
Click the link to check out the giveaway of a free ebook of Sora’s Quest!

Sora’s Quest gets a big high five from me because it’s as close to completely original as it can get. The story is full of non-stop adventure, a cast of characters that are hilarious as much as they’re relatable and a slow-burning romance that’ll leave you hanging mercilessly. Needless to say, it’s guaranteed to have you slobbering after the sequel like a dog...more

2 likes · like · see review

May 04, 2012 Jane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-chain, favourite, to-review, arc

After being kidnapped by the assassin that killed her father, Sora finds herself dragged into the forgotten world of mage’s, wolfies and magic. She yearns for freedom but once the assassin discovers the cat’s eye hanging around her neck he can’t let her go. The ‘cat’s Eye’ is a rare and magical stone with ancient powers, but once worn it cannot be removed from the owners throat without dire consequences. Wanting the protection of the stone to help him evade Volcrain, a powerful mage seeking reve...more

After being kidnapped by the assassin that killed her father, Sora finds herself dragged into the forgotten world of mage’s, wolfies and magic. She yearns for freedom but once the assassin discovers the cat’s eye hanging around her neck he can’t let her go. The ‘cat’s Eye’ is a rare and magical stone with ancient powers, but once worn it cannot be removed from the owners throat without dire consequences. Wanting the protection of the stone to help him evade Volcrain, a powerful mage seeking revenge for the death of his brother, Crash needs to keep Sora close and with the help of his wolfie friend Dorian they vow to keep her and the stone safe. The question is, will Sora learn to control the stone before it begins to control her?

This is the first book in a trilogy and is an exciting start to the series. We are introduced to a variety of interesting characters and species. Our MC, Sora has lived a very sheltered life not experiencing anything outside the walls of her fathers estate, but she is curious and eager to see the world. Being held captive by a wolfie and an assassin isn’t exactly the way she envisioned her adventures to begin, but as the days and weeks pass she finds herself becoming attached to the pair. Crash is an enigma, he is brooding and dark with a lack of humanity that makes him difficult to like, but when Sora's life is at risk we see a softer side to him that had my heart melting.

I became a fan this author after reading ‘Mark of the wolf’ a few months ago and I have not been disappointed in any of the books I’ve read by her since. T.L Shreffler has the skill to paint a very visual setting, creating a believable and exhilarating world to escape to. Her characters have depth and feel real with natural flowing dialogue and interesting personalities. Sora’s Quest is a steady paced fantasy moving forward with a good dose of action followed by a comfortable amount of down time. The cliff hanger ending was aaarrrgggghhh….(I hate cliff hangers), and has me itching to read the next instalment.

Copy supplied for review
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jun 11, 2013 Snarky Hatter rated it 2 of 5 stars

Sora’s Quest is classic fantasy adventure with a good set up for a plot and decent characters—albeit are one-notes for the most part, but still done well with one exception.

Sora... Sora seems to be an attempt at a kick-butt heroine in training, but she’s not—at least not emotional or mentally. She spends the bulk of the novel whining about one thing or another. To emphasize this point, Sora smiles/laughs once every third of book (there might be one extra time that I have forgotten, but it prett...more Sora’s Quest is classic fantasy adventure with a good set up for a plot and decent characters—albeit are one-notes for the most part, but still done well with one exception.

Sora... Sora seems to be an attempt at a kick-butt heroine in training, but she’s not—at least not emotional or mentally. She spends the bulk of the novel whining about one thing or another. To emphasize this point, Sora smiles/laughs once every third of book (there might be one extra time that I have forgotten, but it pretty much follows that pattern). Even at the beginning of the book she’s whining about her life before the reader is ever shown anything to indicate how difficult her life is. Then she meets Crash, she runs off with him willingly, then spends the rest of novel.

Her complaints and distrust toward Crash and his companions lasts until halfway through the last chapter, making the last few pages hard to take seriously/believe.

Sora aside, the story has a lot of good points. A bulk of the actions scene are really well done. I especially found myself drawn into the story during the bridge scene.

I also have to say Shreffler is good with setting up a lot of plot points, but not so good with wrapping them up. Essentially, there seems to be an understanding of Chekhov’s Gun, but it just isn’t executed as well as it could be. For example, Sora is given a staff to wield, which she is trained to use, and she does use, however, she never becomes proficient with it, or even uses it beyond training. In fact, she doesn’t use it to battle foes at all, which makes her learning that particular skill rather pointless. It would have been better for Sora’s training to consist of her practicing to use the Cat’s Eye, since it plays such a huge role in the overall plot and climax.

I find that Volcrian’s spells tend to be the biggest offender when it comes to these plot point let downs.

As negative as this review sounds, I do still recommend it to fans of light-hearted fantasy. It has great locations, an interesting mythos, and enjoyable characters, aside from Sora. Crash is fun to watch in action—even if he is a bit of wish-fulfillment fantasy, while Dorian is a real sweetie, and deserves so much more than the Sora’s disgruntled companionship, and Lord Seaborne is a nice juxtaposition to Volcrian.

It’s easier to criticism and harder to praise, and there are definitely praiseworthy things in this novel.
(less)

like · see review

Jun 16, 2013 E.M. MacCallum rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a fun, adventure story. It's a smooth read, hardly a glitch in the writing. The characters are enjoyable with great descriptions of each and I liked the subtlety of the world Shreffler was building. I personally would recommend this to teens though there is mild adult content. The main character herself is a teen dealing with a world that has Wolfies and Catlins (you'll have to read to find out ;) ). I think teen and new adult readers would like it. The 'mud scene' was by far my favorite...more

like · see review

Aug 19, 2012 T.M. Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Let me start by saying, Cover LOVE! The story did not disappoint, I was jerked in from the first page and, before I knew it, I was screaming at my Kindle because I’d come to the end. The writing and the story are completely original and, although you’re just reading the story, it will seem as though you’ve been swept away and dropped into the middle of Sora’s world; Shreffler is just that good a writer. Her characters embody realism, depth and courage.

Crash (AKA Viper) stole the book for me thou...more

2 likes · like · see review

May 23, 2012 Melissa Aragon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: loved, supernatural, young-adult, love-story

This story was nothing like I expected and I mean that in a good way, I promise! For me it started off slow compared to the werewolf series written by miss Shreffler, but it was utterly necessary. The world, the character building and the attachment to those characters that she creates could not have been so grand and entertaining without all the background info you find in the first half of the book. By the second half the real adventure begins along with something unexpected stirring between t...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 20, 2012 Jen Wylie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This story gave me trouble for a review. It had a lot of action... but way too many questions as to why any of it was happening. There were also a lot of editing issues and discontinuities (Ie she's in the market loaded down with bags and parcels-however she then managed to clap at a street performer, accept a flower etc..yet never puts anything down? Does she have 8 arms?)
Sora's character at the beginning, and occasionally throughout, annoyed the heck out of me. I did quite enjoy the characters...more

like · see review

Aug 12, 2012 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

This is an easy to read YA fantasy novel, the world created is one that is easy for its intended readers to enjoy without feeling overwhelmed. Overall, I liked and enjoyed the book, but it is definitely flawed.... the biggest problem for me was the lack of drive in the plot. There were some good moments in the book and I can easily see myself continuing the series despite the flaws.

Possible spoilers ahead:
I also had many logistic questions throughout the book, like why was Sora's father assassi...more

like · see review

Jan 06, 2013 AlwaysByYourSide rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: don-t-read

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! What the heck?
Ok first off the reason I hated this book so much is because of Sora. I hate Sora with every fiber in my being. No matter what she says in the book, she is a stereotypical, pain in the ass, rich girl.
A few reasons:
*She didn't care that her dad was murdered.
*She was all giggly and happy every time a guy complemented her.
*She wanted a guy to steal someone's hat because her head was cold.
*She thought that she could runaway with a backpack full of dried...more

like · see review

Nov 03, 2012 M. Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My rating: 3.5

I started this book at the beginning of the year, got a tad bored with it, but picked it back up again. It wasn't that there wasn't enough to keep me interested, but more the fact that I was confused by a lot of things. From the epilogue to the first few chapters, I was left wondering how Volcrian would fit into the story. He made a few appearances, but I quickly forgot what his initial goal and purpose was. His direct presence would've had a more impact on the plot. However, to st...more

like · see review

Nov 30, 2012 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars

An excerpt from my blog: Book Nerd Paradise

"Sora's Quest" is the first of the series. The story opens with a young girl of noble birth, Sora, who is waiting to be hustled off to an unloving, arranged marriage. As she waits, she plots ways to get out of this situation. She figures the best way to solve this problem is to run away, have an adventure and find her long-lost mother at the end.

While waiting for the first opportunity to break free of the wedding guests, strip off her horrid gown and ri...more An excerpt from my blog: Book Nerd Paradise

"Sora's Quest" is the first of the series. The story opens with a young girl of noble birth, Sora, who is waiting to be hustled off to an unloving, arranged marriage. As she waits, she plots ways to get out of this situation. She figures the best way to solve this problem is to run away, have an adventure and find her long-lost mother at the end.

While waiting for the first opportunity to break free of the wedding guests, strip off her horrid gown and ride away on her horse she gets a little surprise visit from an assassin who brings about the death of her father. (This all happens pretty quickly so I don't consider that a spoiler.)

She is then kidnapped by said assassin and so the journey she always wished for begins, albeit a little differently than she anticipated. Through the rest of the chapters she meets two Wolfies, pointy-eared creatures of a different race thought to be long extinct, hikes through a swap, learns how to kick some ass and finds out a few things about herself along the way.

Reasons why I adored this book: For starters it had an assassin. I love books with assassins and the reason this one topped my list was due to the fact that Crash is and always will be an assassin. Shreffler doesn't follow the model of other authors who have a seriously bad ass character and then they decide to ruin him/her by having them fall in love and completely changing who they are. An assassin is a cold-blooded killer and falling in love doesn't turn them into a perfect boy scout and prince charming.

Crash continues his bad ass-ery throughout the entire book by pretty much being the face of death. He's a harsh man of very few words but he does have one redeemable quality. Once you're in his wolfpack (Hangover reference for ya there) then he's got your back. He's one of the most interesting, complex and multidimensional characters I have met in a long time and he hardly says anything at all.

The story continues in "Viper's Creed". I can't really say I lot about this one without giving away parts of the first book but I'll just say it's even better than the first. The plot line really starts to come together and you get to meet some more interesting characters.

The best part is the glimpses you get from Crash in the second book. He has small ways of letting his feelings for Sora come through. I think Shreffler did one excellent job of showing the struggles that both characters have in that relationship. You also get to learn a little more about how Crash became an assassin at the young age of 14.

Now that this post is done and way longer than it should ever be, I still don't feel like it did these books justice. All I can say is that I couldn't sleep at night for a week after reading this book because all I could think about was it's supreme awesomeness. Anyone know when #3 is set to arrive?(less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 18, 2013 Intisar Khanani rated it 5 of 5 stars

**This is a review of the newly revised edition, released March 2013

About to be put on display to attract a suitor (i.e. the highest bidder), Sora decides to run away directly after her dance performance. Unfortunately for her, she's not the only one planning something: an assassin crashes the performance and kills her father. Fleeing in the ensuing chaos, Sora manages to escape the chaos, only to run into (quite literally) the assassin. Since he can't afford for her to blow his cover, he takes...more

like · see review

Oct 17, 2012 JennRenee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: released-kindle, 2012-oct-read, challenge-2012-fall-read, read-2012, series-currently-read, ya-fantasy, blog-tours-finished

I love this cover. The colors, the art, the font, they all drew me in. It’s soft, but wild, creative, and fun. The cover is very much the feel of this book. This story was just awesome. I love high fantasy, if it is done well. This one was done very well. I was intrigued from the very first page and just kept reading.

Short and sweet of the story: Sora is a young teenage girl, set to marry someone she doesn’t know in order to further her father. A father she doesn’t feel any connection to. She i...more I love this cover. The colors, the art, the font, they all drew me in. It’s soft, but wild, creative, and fun. The cover is very much the feel of this book. This story was just awesome. I love high fantasy, if it is done well. This one was done very well. I was intrigued from the very first page and just kept reading.

Short and sweet of the story: Sora is a young teenage girl, set to marry someone she doesn’t know in order to further her father. A father she doesn’t feel any connection to. She is set to run away, she doesn’t want this life. During the party before the ceremony (a little backwards for my customs) an assassin crashes and she is kidnapped. Right before the party she found an old necklace she believes to have belonged to her mother. Little does she know the power this necklace holds? Sora soon finds herself on a journey with two wolfies and assassin.

This book was very fast paced and a very quick read for me. I couldn’t put the book down once I started it. The beginning had me intrigued and it quickly led into a wild adventure with an amazing cast. The world that the author created was very original for me. The story of the elements getting together and creating the races and the gods and goddesses and the magic that surrounds them was very interesting to me. The story is high fantasy and does focus on the characters, their past and their journey and the characters are what really make the story

I liked Sora, a lot. She was raised in a very cushioned but loveless world. She never knew her mother and she was raised by a father that showed no want or desire to have a bond with her. She was set to marry and refused to live the life that was panned out in front of her. She wanted adventure, she wanted choice, so she devised a pretty well thought plan in mere minutes before the wedding. She was very brave throughout the book and she grew so much. She started soft and came out with the beginnings of a warrior. The story held a lot of eye opening moments for her and she took them in stride.

The assassin, Crash was a very hard, cold, loveless character… he is an assassin. He kidnapped Sora because she was there and she could identify him. I am not sure why he didn’t kill her. It seemed strange, if he only cared about her being a witness and he has no issue with killing, why didn’t he just kill her. I am glad he didn’t there would be no story, but that part stumps me just a bit. Anyways, Crash is affected by Sora, more than he ever thought possible and learns that he may just care for her.

I loved the wolfies, they were sarcastic, caring, and made me laugh. I could see that Sora and Dorian had a special connection and he was not as cold as Crash. For sure Dorian was my favorite character. The other Wolfy, Burn, made some appearances, but was more in the background, but what I know of him, I like.

I felt very connected in this story and I enjoyed the growth of each character and the bond they all seemed to form. It was refreshing to not have any insta-love or love triangles, although I do hope the next book holds some romance. The ending was a bit abrupt to me and found a few tears were shed. I am really glad I had the next book to start up right away. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 09, 2012 M.A. Bronson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: runawaypen-reviews, ebooks

Amazing! I absolutely loved this book! But I'm not sure how I will handle the wait till October for the sequel. ;) I loved following Sora's journey as she rose up to the challenges she faced and discovered she was stronger than she thought. Sora is a princess and young, though I don't think we are ever told her exact age. It was definitely refreshing that she didn't automaticly become the stereotypical rich, royal girl. Though she seems a but out of place in the 'real' world, I thought she was v...more

like · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
Creative Reviews: THE RUNAWAY GIVEAWAY! $10 gift card, free books and more!	1	9	Jun 19, 2012 04:30pm
The Indie Exchang...: Sora's Quest Giveaway!	1	6	May 06, 2012 01:12pm
Creative Reviews: Sora's Quest: YA ebook GIVEAWAY!	1	4	May 04, 2012 03:08pm
Book Haven: Sora's Quest: YA book GIVEAWAY!	1	3	May 04, 2012 03:07pm
Book Giveaways: Sora's Quest: YA review and GIVEAWAY!	1	15	May 04, 2012 03:06pm
YA Science Fictio...: Sora's Quest: Review and GIVEAWAY!	1	8	May 04, 2012 03:04pm

title link	preview: Sora's Quest
avg rating	preview: Sora's Quest Goodreads rating: 4.11 (177 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13606393-sora-s-quest?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1340037463l/13606393.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13606393-sora-s-quest?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Sora's Quest by T.L. Shreffler[/url]

Sora's Quest (Cat's Eye #1)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (1)

Videos About This Book

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About T.L. Shreffler

Books by T.L. Shreffler

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Sora's Quest