Brightly Woven

Apr 21, 2010 Kat Kennedy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: just-plain-bad, kat-s-book-reviews

This book came so highly recommended and its accolades were sung so virulently that I ignored my usual rule (either I buy it at Kindle or I get it from the library. I don't buy "books" per se anymore) and ordered the hardcover from Amazon, sure that I would love it.

I actually found it kind of meh. Everything about this story is cute and nice, which is good praise for the author, but there's nothing spectacular about it.

Many parts of the book were lovely, different, imaginative and sweet. The sto...more

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Apr 06, 2011 Anila rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: EVERYONE

Recommended to Anila by: Interesting Reader's Society

Shelves: fangirl-alert, reviewed, galleys-are-win, clone-the-guy-i-want-one, favorite-2011-reads

Review as of second reading:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: This book is like chocolate.
But this time, I'll elaborate.

You know that first piece of chocolate, the small piece you take because it's a treat and maybe you haven't had it in a while and you want to savor it? And you roll it around in your mouth a little, let it get all melty, experience the taste as fully as possible. You try to eat the rest of it- the bar, the bag of chocolate chips, those little Dove eggs- slowly, and for...more Review as of second reading:

I've said it before and I'll say it again: This book is like chocolate.
But this time, I'll elaborate.

You know that first piece of chocolate, the small piece you take because it's a treat and maybe you haven't had it in a while and you want to savor it? And you roll it around in your mouth a little, let it get all melty, experience the taste as fully as possible. You try to eat the rest of it- the bar, the bag of chocolate chips, those little Dove eggs- slowly, and for a while it works. If you're weird like me you drink tea with your chocolate so that your mouth is always warm enough to soften it before you chew and it spreads over your tongue and makes a layer of deliciousness that you wash down with yet more tea. But eventually the lure of the sugar and cocoa is too strong. You eat more, more, more and you eat it faster, faster, faster- tea forgotten, savoring forgotten, seeking only to consume as much of it as possible as fast as possible because somehow you got the idea while you were eating it that the chocolate will go away if you don't eat it now and so it is absolutely imperative that you do so. Even when you realize you're almost out, that the bag is almost empty or the bar mostly devoured, you can only slow down a little bit. And finally, when it's all gone, you sit and blink a bit and try to figure out where it all went. Realization hits, followed shortly by contentment, followed even more closely by a wish that there was more and a knowledge that there is not and so you must enjoy what you had.

That is pretty much exactly what Brightly Woven is like for me- has been twice now. Chocolate. I try to savor it, really, I do. I can't. After a certain scene I just have to keep reading, homework or sleep be damned, until the end. I love the characters. I love the plot. I love the world and its peculiar politics. None of that has dimmed after a year and a re-read. I am still wholly, totally, completely smitten with this book.

My only complaint is that there is not more. This isn't just a fangirl thing, by the way- many other reviewers who don't love it the way I do have commented about a lack of explanation to the worldbuilding, and this time I could see the places where more explanations belonged. The foundation and framework were there. If there is ever, ever a sequel (pretty please? Can there be?) I'd like to see it explore a little more of the peculiar magic and religion of Palmarta and its neighbors.

Full disclosure: The narrator is a 16 year-old redhead with dreams of grandeur. I first read this as a 16 year-old redhead with dreams of grandeur and a peculiar love of TDH wizards. The love interest is a tall, dark, handsome wizard. It's no wonder I get absorbed in this story so quickly, even a second time.

Aside to a particular audience: Rachel, Fate, are we making those trading cards this summer? Because I still have dibs on North. Finders keepers.

Original review and edits:
(view spoiler)

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Jun 05, 2010 Cara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Cara by: Ash

Shelves: 2010, fantasy, awesome-covers

That cover is just marvelous honestly. Just one look at it made me so excited to read this book. I mean the detail in it is just on point. The reflection of lightning on her face, you can just feel the magic already. You just know (and hope) that what's inside will give you as much of a thrill.

Sydelle Mirabil has lived in Cliffton her whole life, but has always felt she needed to get out to see what lies out of her little town. She gets that opportunity sooner than expected when a young wizard,...more That cover is just marvelous honestly. Just one look at it made me so excited to read this book. I mean the detail in it is just on point. The reflection of lightning on her face, you can just feel the magic already. You just know (and hope) that what's inside will give you as much of a thrill.

Sydelle Mirabil has lived in Cliffton her whole life, but has always felt she needed to get out to see what lies out of her little town. She gets that opportunity sooner than expected when a young wizard, Wayland North, comes to town in a whirlwind of much needed rain. The town had been in a drought for years and to show their gratitude Sydelle's father tells North he can have anything he wants for his great service to the town. Strangely he choses that Sydelle accompany on his journey to the capitol to stop the oncoming war. But why her? Well you are going to have to read it to find out.

I was so wrapped up into this journey that Syd and North were on, my mind would wander to their story while I'd be doing other things. I'd imagine the book sitting where I left it just begging to be picked up again. Well, I of course couldn't resist. I had lots of nostalgia reading this book because it reminded of books that I use to love to devour. Tons of action, peril, mishaps and nice moments between the two main characters. I liked the take on wizards, though I would have liked if it had been explored more and if there is a sequel I think it would be. What sealed the deal was the romance, which is really the core of the book.

I see other reviewers seem kind of disappointed with the book and I was wondering why. I'm guessing they had certain expectations. This really isn't geared toward hard core fantasy fans that love world building and feeling immeresed in a totally new world. Don't get me wrong I did get a good sense of the world, but it didn't have dictionaries of words or list of character names. I love those kind of books too, but for this story I was glad it wasn't bogged down with all that. It kept true to the growth of the characters and the events happening around them be important catalyst, but not overshadow them.

So go ahead and get trapped into this book's trance of colors, power, magic and most of all sense of adventure with traces of real human warmth that oddly come from wizards too.(less)

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May 29, 2010 Valerie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Valerie by: Ash

Shelves: fantasy

Finished this book in one day around 3:30 in the morning. Closed the cover, sighed with a smile and felt all gooey inside. Haven't read a romance like this in so long if ever, and the adventure had me turning page after page into the night.

Sydelle is a girl who is chosen by a young wizard to accompany him to Provincia and carry a message that might save their kingdom from a disastrous war. Having little choice in the matter Sydelle goes but not without some resentment. Having never left her sma...more Finished this book in one day around 3:30 in the morning. Closed the cover, sighed with a smile and felt all gooey inside. Haven't read a romance like this in so long if ever, and the adventure had me turning page after page into the night.

Sydelle is a girl who is chosen by a young wizard to accompany him to Provincia and carry a message that might save their kingdom from a disastrous war. Having little choice in the matter Sydelle goes but not without some resentment. Having never left her small town of Cliffton she is in for the journey of her life. Full of adventure, magic, romance, and terrible curses. It's a perfect recipe for a great read.

Sydelle as a character is rash and stubborn but in a way that is good. She is very into doing the right thing (being noble I guess) and not being a burden of any sort. If I were her and North told me to stay behind while he did something dangerous I would say "Okey dokey" and have some lemonade but Sydelle isn't like that, and if she were then the book would definitely not be as exciting with her just sitting pretty. The pacing of the story was good with a wizard duel and some near misses with the bad guy. I guessed at what Sydelle’s powers were about halfway through but you don’t get the full picture until later on.

The romance in the story was excellent and I was pleasantly surprised at how much was in it. I could just feel myself get all warm and fuzzy as I read some of the parts where they are together. Wayland North does not make a good first impression on Sydelle but that is overturned eventually. And they don’t say over the top cheesy lines all the time either. Okay maybe a few borderline ones. The writing flowed simply and easily, no trouble to follow. It didn’t do a ton of description or background but that didn’t bother me. Some fantasy authors do a whole lot of description and background to the point where it feels like a textbook to me. Some people like it but it’s not something I gravitate towards.

There could possibly be a sequel to this book and I would probably read it but I think it could stand on its own just fine. Just as a side note North is supposed to stink because he doesn’t bathe very much troughout the story apparently. Now I need sanitizer when someone does not wash his hands after going to the restroom, so in my mind he is nice and clean by the end. Nowhere was it put that he still stinks so…

Would definitely read again. (less)

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Jan 17, 2011 Erica (daydreamer) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cover-love, 2010-reads, absolute-favorites, swoon-worthy-male-love-interests, beautiful-writing, favorite-romance, would-love-if-it-were-a-movie, 2011-reads, love-the-title, made-me-laugh, needs-a-sequel, love-love-it, best-endings, best-characters, strong-heroines, i-own, i-recommend-it, weaving, release-in-2010, ya

I can hardly contain my excitement over this book! It was amazing! Purely brilliant. Alexandra created a fantastical magical world full of mystery and intrigue that tugged at me, pulling me into the story and refusing to let go. Alexandra wrote beautifully. The words were-how else can I describe it?- woven intricately together to conjure up such vivid scenes and pictures.

The characters were written to perfection. Sydelle was amazing. I loved her fiery disposition, yet her quiet, gentle care and...more I can hardly contain my excitement over this book! It was amazing! Purely brilliant. Alexandra created a fantastical magical world full of mystery and intrigue that tugged at me, pulling me into the story and refusing to let go. Alexandra wrote beautifully. The words were-how else can I describe it?- woven intricately together to conjure up such vivid scenes and pictures.

The characters were written to perfection. Sydelle was amazing. I loved her fiery disposition, yet her quiet, gentle care and love she gave to others (and I love her name, and that North made his own nickname for her :). I loved North, might even have a little crush on him *sheepish grin* (second time reading, make that a MAJOR big crush on him:). I loved his sarcastic humor, and just his whole personality, (roguishly he may be sometimes).Their love was perfect. It didn’t need kissing to spur it on, (although that’s not always a bad way to go). Even after everything they went through, their love still persisted, which is a sure sign of true love.

The writing was impeccable, and the dialogue was perfect. The story was so colorful, weaving around me. I was captivated from the brilliance of the words and story. The story was so creative, and thought out perfectly. It was astounding.

Brightly Woven is one of my new favorite books of all time. It was one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read. And one thing that I really liked, was that there was no profanity or sexual stuff or vulgarity in it-a real rare find in a book nowadays. Having a book without that kind of stuff shows that a story can be truly great, and that it can captivate readers without the need to use sex or anything like that. A great talent if you ask me, but not a hard one to do. I don’t know Alexandra, or if this was her intention, but thank you for a clean, beautiful love story. We need more of those in the world. I’m so excited to read what she has next.

And can I just say how beautiful the cover is? And the title, I love it. Yeesh, the spine alone is enough to reel me in. Looks pretty good on my bookshelf. *little uncontrollable giggle.* And I need to say that this book NEEDS a sequel. There's so much more to the story, and I don't want to leave this world and the characters Alexandra created, I love it too much.(less)

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Mar 16, 2011 Ariana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, magic, adventure, once-upon-a-time

Such a beautiful, beautiful darling.. oh, I mean, story ;))

One word: lovely!
2 words: loved it!
3 words: Thank you Arlene!

Once in a while I find myself lost in a beautiful story, with great characters I get to know and love so much, that I find it difficult at the end to let it go.. and yes, this is the case. I know, I'm a complete romantic with no cure - I take that as a compliment ;)

The main reason I loved this book so much was probably because of North..
Of course, in the beginning I didn't li...more

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May 04, 2010 Tatiana rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya

I don't think I've ever given up on a book so quickly - PAGE 2, I swear, I give every book a fair chance, but I disliked the writing from the first page - it was so strangely immature, so empty, so cliche, as if written by a 14-year old, with no finesse or artistry, no spark. Some of my friends really liked it, but it didn't work for me at all. I am not willing to push myself further to see if it gets better...

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Mar 15, 2011 Arlene rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of high fantasy such as Graceling and Finnikin

Recommended to Arlene by: TBR Reduction Challenge #6 - Nic

Shelves: fantasy, read-2011, witches-wizards, ya-fantasy, young-adult

“I don’t do well without you,” North said. “Who I was before – I never want to be that person again. But I told you when I took you away from here that when everything was over, it would be your choice. You would get to choose where you wanted to go and who you wanted to be.” There was a pleading look in his eyes. In that moment, he looked as if I had stripped him of his cloak and magic. I could knock him back into that darkness with a single blow.

Alexandra Bracken’s Brightly Woven was the perfe...more “I don’t do well without you,” North said. “Who I was before – I never want to be that person again. But I told you when I took you away from here that when everything was over, it would be your choice. You would get to choose where you wanted to go and who you wanted to be.” There was a pleading look in his eyes. In that moment, he looked as if I had stripped him of his cloak and magic. I could knock him back into that darkness with a single blow.

Alexandra Bracken’s Brightly Woven was the perfect book for me. It takes a special kind of novel that pulls me away from the here and now and catapults my imagination into a suspended reality and undefined time and place. I found myself resisting to leave when I came across the final paragraphs. Bracken’s pages are filled with awesome; her characters are fierce, passionate and loyal; and the plot captures magic, romance and mystery in just the right blend to create a fantastical journey from beginning to end. Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful!

After a 10 year drought, the rains came to Sydelle Miribel’s desert village along with a young stranger dressed in wizard robes. Sydelle suddenly finds herself pulled from her family and friends and taken on a quest to stop a war that seems inevitable. Her part in this journey is not quite clear, as Wayland North is forced to keep secrets from her in order to protect who and what she is. When the story comes to an end game, Sydelle discovers what she is capable of and must make a choice between two divergent paths leaving North hoping for a future that isn’t his to decide.

Many times I rant about authors being unable to tell a complete story in one book and shoving sequels into shallow story lines. With Brightly Woven I’m at a quandary. I feel Bracken did a masterful job of plotting and concluding this story, but simply put… I want more. I’d love to see a sequel to this story (view spoiler), but if that’s not where Brightly Woven is intended, I’ve been given enough information to draw my own conclusions and still place this book at the top of my bookshelf along with my other faves. This story was truly fantastical!

Thank you Nic for challenging me to read this. Great choice for what I was hoping to experience in a YA fantasy read. MUAH!

Favorite quotes
“I’m trying to feel sorry for you, really I am. If you wait just a moment, I’m sure the tears will come.” North

“Yes, my beautiful, beautiful darling! As my beautiful, beautiful darling wishes.” North

Protect those who are weak in the world. Guide those who think themselves lost, for as long as you are above, all paths will be straight and all hearts will be strengthened.(less)

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Feb 20, 2012 mark monday rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teenworld, fantastickal

Brightly Woven is the fantasy tale of a young woman swept into great events. it has magic and it has romance, Young Adult style.

for the first half of this novel, i spent a lot of time muttering darkly about Kirkus Reviews and Publisher's Weekly. their glowing reviews are what led me to Brightly Woven in the first place. after having a great time in the Dystopic SciFi YA world (thank you, Hunger Games) and having a less-than-great time in the Paranormal Horror YA world (thanks for not so much, Be ...more

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Rachel Originally this novel was around 100,000 words and Egmont (her publisher) asked her to cut down most of it because they had a word limit. While I agre...more
Feb 20, 2012 06:25am

mark monday Rachel, that is very interesting to read. i don't know if that would have solved the major problem i had with it - the dialogue - but that definitely...more
Feb 20, 2012 11:48am

mark monday Scott, great example! i think the unexpurgated version of The Pines is a modern classic in horror. i was really impressed by it. some excellent writin...more
Feb 20, 2012 11:50am

Jun 12, 2011 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: signed-books, books-i-own, favorites

Every once and awhile, I read a book that completely takes over my mind. I think about it at night while I’m trying to sleep and I contemplate what’s going to happen next constantly as I go about my day. It basically manages to squeeze into every thought I have until I’m able to pick it back up again. Brightly Woven is a perfect example of said mind-control.

The story has a wonderful balance of adventure, magic and self-discovery. I would’ve never imagined a young adult novel possible of holding...more Every once and awhile, I read a book that completely takes over my mind. I think about it at night while I’m trying to sleep and I contemplate what’s going to happen next constantly as I go about my day. It basically manages to squeeze into every thought I have until I’m able to pick it back up again. Brightly Woven is a perfect example of said mind-control.

The story has a wonderful balance of adventure, magic and self-discovery. I would’ve never imagined a young adult novel possible of holding all three with such addiction, but Alexandra has certainly done it.

The journey between the two main characters, Sydelle and North, was kept the main priority throughout the entire story. There was no floating away from the plot to sneak in bits of romance- the author managed to do that without straying. I also enjoyed the small yet cleverly created magical elements- such as the rover beetle, an insect that keeps track of somebody- that made the story so much more unique.

I was impressed with the characters as well. Instead of acting as a damsel in distress, Sydelle was a kick-ass heroin who was always thinking of ways to get back up after she was knocked down. North, though he doesn’t bathe enough, got some laughs and swoons out of me. I particularly enjoyed reading his intoxicated scenes. It was nice to have the occasionally humor with all the gasping and squealing I was doing.

Filled with beautifully written magic, battles, a stinky-yet-charming wizard and a well-plotted journey, Brightly Woven has officially managed to snag a spot on my all-time favorite list. I have never wanted a book to be a movie so much before, considering how incredible and amazingly detailed all of the big magic scenes were. So, if you happen to be somebody in the movie biz and you‘re reading this, I’ve got advice for you- THIS IS YOUR NEXT BLOCKBUSTER. DO IT. NOW.

And the same advice follows for people who are searching for something amazing to read- THIS IS YOUR NEXT FAVORITE BOOK. DO IT. NOW.(less)

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Mar 08, 2012 Erica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Brightly Woven is a stay-up-reading-late-into-the-night worthy book! I was up half the night reading it, as I couldn't stand to put down the perfection Brightly Woven is. It is one of my absolute favorites!

Some fantasy can be overbearing, but Brightly Woven was a perfect mix of everything a good book needs. Bracken drew me in with page one, and didn't let me go until the last page. Brightly Woven really puts a new spin on wizards and the magical abilities that come with a world like that. The wo...more Brightly Woven is a stay-up-reading-late-into-the-night worthy book! I was up half the night reading it, as I couldn't stand to put down the perfection Brightly Woven is. It is one of my absolute favorites!

Some fantasy can be overbearing, but Brightly Woven was a perfect mix of everything a good book needs. Bracken drew me in with page one, and didn't let me go until the last page. Brightly Woven really puts a new spin on wizards and the magical abilities that come with a world like that. The world that Brightly Woven was set in, was absolutely enchanting. It was the perfect place to escape! With the first SENTENCE, Ms. Bracken had already made the real world disappear, and taken me to Sydelle's world.

The writing is Brightly Woven is absolutely fantastic. It's pure magic. There were so many scenes where I was just captivated. Bracken managed to paint vivid pictures in your mind. The romance in Brightly Woven is pretty magical itself. It was absolutely adorable!

The characters were fantastic! All the character continued to grow as the story went on! All the characters had numerous layers, and every time you thought you'd figured out a character, you discovered something else about them. Another thing I loved about the characters was that none of them were perfect, they all had some flaw. I loved North. He was so swoon-worthy. Sydelle was a wonderfully developed character. She wasn't weak and frail.

Brightly Woven is a book for everyone. It's filled with a magical world, is original, has wonderful characters, and phenomonal writing. I can't even express my words for this book with a simple review, it is that amazing. If you like fantasy, definately read this! If you're not a fan of fantasy, still give this a try, as it is mind-blowing! This is a book that will stick out in your mind, and remain memorable. I desparately am awaiting a sequel, as I am dying for more of North and Sydelle's story!

***I also feel I must mention Brightly Woven stunningly, beautiful cover. I am in love with it! It's gorgeous. (less)

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Jul 24, 2010 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, signed-books

How fun was this book! It has a little bit of everything; magic, adventure, romance and mystery.

Fantasy is my favorite genre, it always has been, so Brightly Woven already had that going for it before I even started. I went into the book expecting to love it. And for the most part I did.

It was beautifully written, simplistic, but engaging. It was easy to get lost in this story, and the writing played a critical role in that. The plot was just as intricate as the woven strands in Sydelle's creati...more

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Apr 11, 2010 April rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, ya, fantasy

To be honest, I wasn't very engaged with Brightly Woven at first. The story begins when this town on the outskirts of the kingdom receives it's first rainstorm after many years of drought. Turns out some bad stuff is about to happen. Our lovely heroine Sydelle finds herself caught in the middle of this maelstrom of events. I was eventually drawn completely into this novel, as I found Sydelle to be an enchanting character. The romance did not hurt either.
Read the rest of my review here

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Jul 26, 2012 Sonia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

It took a while for me to get into this. But after that, I could hardly put it down. I was so absorbed into the story that it was 3 am when I finished reading it. And I want more!

A fantastic journey with magic, mystery and romance. I would definitely recommend it!

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Nov 12, 2010 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, ya-kids-teen, all-kinds-of-fantasy, egmont, disappointing, annoying-protagonist, mc-girl

If Brightly Woven was an amusement park ride, I'd say it would be a wooden roller coaster - it's fun and exciting at times, but the ride is very bumpy, rickety, and you wonder how in the world the coaster got a license to operate in the first place.

Most of the time, I try and at least pretend to be objective. But every once in awhile a book comes along that totally unleashes the inner opinionated Amelia, and this was one such book. In a nutshell, I didn't enjoy this book. It was hard to get into...more
If Brightly Woven was an amusement park ride, I'd say it would be a wooden roller coaster - it's fun and exciting at times, but the ride is very bumpy, rickety, and you wonder how in the world the coaster got a license to operate in the first place.

Most of the time, I try and at least pretend to be objective. But every once in awhile a book comes along that totally unleashes the inner opinionated Amelia, and this was one such book. In a nutshell, I didn't enjoy this book. It was hard to get into the plot of the story because the writing was really disjointed and distracting. I loved North, but Sydelle was only so-so. She's like the typical YA heroine in the anthem of "girls are macho too!" but unlike a lot of other YA heroines, she's a little on the stupid side. North would do something to protect her and she'd go "I can take care of myself because GIRLS RULE!" and then she'd do something totally stupid and lo and behold would need North AFTER ALL. Go figure! My little feminist friend (seriously, she is little: 4'10) doesn't even like her, because when a character screams about being independent and smart and capable, she needs to be able to actually DO SOMETHING on her own. But I digress. I mean, at least Katsa from Graceling wasn't an idiot! Like I said, I liked North, but he seemed a little out-of-character. A wizard who is totally direction impaired and needs the map-reading skills of a girl who's never even left her own town? Yeah right. Also, he's all of 18 years old, yet he talks like he's an old man. O_o

So to wrap up: this book was okay, not the brilliant debut novel by a young 20something that I was expecting. That title still belongs to you, Mr. Paolini! I was disappointed, and I wish I hadn't actually bought a copy. But hey, there are loads of 4-and-5 star reviews out there, so others definitely like it. I will say that I appreciated this Brightly Woven being a clean read. That really is something nowadays, to write a clean novel. So that was very much appreciated. But it wasn't enough for me. It's not bad, but the weakest link is definitely in the writing. Honestly, it read like a 2nd or 3rd draft. Don't shoot this to the top of your TBR list, in my opinion. (less)

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Aug 21, 2010 Ash rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow, I’ve waited way too long to write a review for this. From the very beginning I was beyond excited to read this. It was even compared to Howl's Moving Castle! So I couldn't wait to finally get my hands on this. Plus the cover looks so cool.

Quick Overview: Sydelle's small village has been plagued with a seven year drought. Then one day, out of nowhere, the rain comes. Along with the rain comes a young wizard named Wayland North. Sydelle's father, the village elder, offers him anything he asks...more Wow, I’ve waited way too long to write a review for this. From the very beginning I was beyond excited to read this. It was even compared to Howl's Moving Castle! So I couldn't wait to finally get my hands on this. Plus the cover looks so cool.

Quick Overview: Sydelle's small village has been plagued with a seven year drought. Then one day, out of nowhere, the rain comes. Along with the rain comes a young wizard named Wayland North. Sydelle's father, the village elder, offers him anything he asks for as thanks for bringing the rain. North chooses Sydelle. She serves as North's assistant on his journey to deliver a message of the coming war. Sydelle is not happy about how North seems to be keeping secrets from her, about both himself and about why other wizards seem to have a strange interest in her.

I think most of the negative reviews for this book are because of all the hype that was revolving around it. Sometimes it can be good, but then sometimes it makes you have unfair expectations. In reality I am rating this a 3.5, but I just saw so much potential in this. It could be that there was too much editing, but I think what was most lacking in this book was further description, mostly with transitions between scenes. A lot of times you had to catch up with what was happening in the story. Characters would do something and you had to go through some thinking to understand the characters thought process. Sometimes you would be in climax mode when some action would happen and then before you know it things are already resolved. It’s bit like a roller coaster. I seriously think that if some description of the places and characters thinking were added then this would have been gold.

I really liked that the story was so easy to read. A lot of times fantasy books will be spiced up with some formal medieval-esque language, or with their own lingo which requires handy little dictionary in the back. North is such a funny character even if he does have his overly mature moments (never thought I’d be saying that about a boy). Sydelle is sometimes so hard headed that it turns into being plain stupid, but I have to admire that she doesn’t take anything lying down. Plus, I don’t want to give anything away but I really appreciate the fact that any possible love triangle is dealt with minimal drama and tears. I HATE and don’t understand the need to make big drawn out soap-opera-esque tear fests out of love triangles. A major (MAJOR!) plus.

This was a good and mostly quick read. With a little more description it would’ve been easy for me to get sucked into the story. As it is though it’s still a really interesting and action filled story with a good dose of romance. I’ll definitely be looking out for a sequel (please!) and other books by this author.
(less)

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Apr 14, 2010 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Creative, magical, unpredictable. Was ridiculously easy to get lost in. Really wanted to skip sleep altgether to continue reading it, but alas, I couldn't. And now that I've finished it, I want MORE!

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Mar 26, 2011 marlene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, top-11-books-of-2011

**4.5**

This book was written as a gift from the author Alexandra Bracken to a friend. Well, let me tell you, this was one hell of a gift.
I adore this book!

I just loved everything about it. The plot, the pacing, the different type of magic, the mysterious parts, the world it takes place in, and most of all - the characters. The characters made this story come alive to me. Sydelle was a great lead character, strong and independed. And Wayland North.. Oh, North. I think I have a crush on him. Not...more

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Oct 27, 2010 Jen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, paid-full-price, read-in-2010

Picture me, circa 1998. It's Christmas morning. My parents hand me a gift. It's rectangular and I feel my heart start to beat faster because I know exactly what it is. I tear through the wrapping paper and my gleeful suspicions are confirmed:

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE OCARINA OF TIME.

Cue monumental squee like no 13-year-old had ever squeed before. I fell into a zombie-like state for the next month that was only paused for my hand to find the bag of Baked Lays BBQ chips. Link was awesome. Zelda w...more Picture me, circa 1998. It's Christmas morning. My parents hand me a gift. It's rectangular and I feel my heart start to beat faster because I know exactly what it is. I tear through the wrapping paper and my gleeful suspicions are confirmed:

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE OCARINA OF TIME.

Cue monumental squee like no 13-year-old had ever squeed before. I fell into a zombie-like state for the next month that was only paused for my hand to find the bag of Baked Lays BBQ chips. Link was awesome. Zelda was awesome. Hyrule was awesome. I was completely enraptured and invested in the story and felt a sense of longing and sadness when it was over.

Where is this going, you psychotic, tangential freak? you might ask.

Well, I'm trying to tell you that enveloping myself in Brightly Woven was like enveloping myself in the world of Hyrule, but with a whole lot more wizards! Not that these stories have multitudes of similarities, but the feeling was there. Nothing else existed when I was reading this book. I felt nostalgic and magical and tip-toed around each page because I had no idea where Ganondorf, er, Dorwan would show up next. And get this: THERE'S NO WATER TEMPLE!

Sydelle, like Link, lives in a small village with a few acquaintances here and there. She mostly minds her own business and is well-to-do and happy in her own little corner of the world.

Enter Wayland North, a wizard who scoops her up out of nowhere and is like, "hey, you and me are taking off, kay?" And then they do. I knew right off the bat that I was going to like North. He's got a few quips up his sleeve and sure, he's flawed. He's got a bit of a drinking problem and isn't too proud to stumble around making a fool of himself. Ohhh, but North has a dark secret. And I do love my endlessly flawed characters with dark secrets.

Sydelle and North's story unfolded rather rocky-like. Sydelle was not a North fan whatsoever. He took her away from her family and her comfort zone with zero explanation. I'd be feeling the negativity, too. But the banter that results from it is actually hilariously cute at times, and you wonder if the attraction wasn't there from the very beginning. The slowly developing love story between the two is vulnerable and poignant and so beautiful to witness.

Alexandra Bracken is such a gifted writer that she didn't have to incorporate a bunch of badly placed no-no scenes. Did I mention she was in college when she wrote this beautiful book? I'm shocked I'm able to write a semi-coherant review, let alone an entire 400 page book. And it's GOOD! I did have a problem following along with the different territories/countries and their involvement in the master plot, but I was able to overlook it because of my satisfaction with the characters and their unique personalities and development.

I'm hoping for a sequel, even though the story ended nicely. And, like Zelda, my heart dropped when I had no more pages to turn. I cannot wait for more from Ms. Bracken.(less)

14 likes · like · see review

Jun 14, 2010 Natalie (Mindful Musings) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, fantasy, young-adult, romance, re-read-list

For those of you who are book bloggers, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about when I say this: Have you ever read a book that causes your heart to break when you turn the last page because it's over? What about one that has you wanting to call your best friend at 3 in the morning in order to tell her all about it? Well, guys, I'm happy to say that Brightly Woven did all this for me and more.

First of all, I couldn't believe that this was Alexandra Bracken's first novel. It's so incredibly well...more

5 likes · like · see review

Jan 09, 2010 Claire rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: 7th to high school fantasy/quest/adventure

Shelves: a-7th-and-8th-grade-middle-school-t, high-school-and-beyond

Sydelle is a 16 year old weaver living in a parched land that has become a pawn in a power play for the kingdom. She has hoped to apprentice with a master weaver in the City- now as war lands on her doorstep and she is whisked (literally) away from her family and mountain by a wizard, she is prickly and doesn't want to leave her home.
Coming to understand that she possesses a small magic, she realizes she can help the wizard who is beset on all sides by enemies as he races to get the intelligenc...more

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May 21, 2013 Elevetha Houre rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone on the planet and in the far reaches of space and all the possible alternate universes

Recommended to Elevetha by: Miss Clark

Shelves: fantasy-adventure, favorites, fully-awesome, lovely-briliance-of-awesome, quite-good, clone-me-one-of-these-guys, fan-mix, gorgeous-covers, images-involved-in-review, magic-and-other-magical-substances, where-is-the-next-book, adventure, fangirl-alert, shippy-otp-ship, own

Sydelle grew up in the tiny desert town of Clifton, known only for the sand that is exported out to other countries in exchange for water. Clifton has been in a ten-year drought. She barely remembers rain and has never seen snow. So when on a regular day when it suddenly starts raining, everyone in the town is confused but overjoyed. War is eminent and the wizard Wayland North, who caused the rain, needs to deliver a message to help prevent it. The people were so happy that he made it rain that...more

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May 23, 2012 lilly bear ♡ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites-ya, badass-heroine-alert

So, I don't know about you guys, but lately my life has been tragically devoid of high fantasy, and that just won't do! In order to remedy this dreadful oversight on my part, I tracked down one of the first novels that came to mind when I thought about reading in this genre: Brightly Woven. It was better than I remembered. I bought this book on a whim last March because the synopsis hooked me, and the cover is just so lovely. It was an impulse buy, and I usually pay dearly for those. This time...more So, I don't know about you guys, but lately my life has been tragically devoid of high fantasy, and that just won't do! In order to remedy this dreadful oversight on my part, I tracked down one of the first novels that came to mind when I thought about reading in this genre: Brightly Woven. It was better than I remembered. I bought this book on a whim last March because the synopsis hooked me, and the cover is just so lovely. It was an impulse buy, and I usually pay dearly for those. This time I was heavily rewarded with a read filled with rich romance, beautifully crafted worlds, and endearing characters. I cannot convey how dearly I adore this book! It is just such a fun, fast-paced read.

Sydelle, the protagonist, is an interesting and complex character. I found her very relatable and real, mostly because of her faults. She makes mistakes, she gets angry, she's endearingly annoying, she throws fits on occasion. She is also headstrong, brave, and compassionate. She is beautifully flawed, and all the more real for it. Swept up into a action-filled journey with the dark, brooding wizard named North, Syd struggles to find out who she is and how exactly she fits into North's plans. North himself is a delicious character, filled to the brim with mysterious secrets and brooding, rakish appeal. He's exactly the type of love interest I enjoy reading about! I enjoyed the character growth between Syd and North as well, and I loved seeing their romance progress and transform into something very powerful.

I found the plot to be very entertaining with a great flow. Bracken's pacing was just slow enough to savour and just fast enough to have me on the edge of my seat! I really enjoyed exploring the world she has crafted. On another note, I love love love the fact that Bracken wrote this novel for a friend's birthday. I mean, how completely awesome is that?! That is the sort of tidbit that makes me love the author even more. Probably the only complaint I can find about this book is the fact that there isn't a sequel! It would be so wonderful to read more about these characters and explore their world a little bit more. If only, if only!

You can find more reviews and other fun stuff at my book blog, BookLungs!(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 09, 2011 Carla *Jen7waters* rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, wounded-hero, young-adult, favorite-books, fantasy, enemies-to-lovers

Enjoyed it A LOT, even if I'll admit some parts disappointed me, like, we never got to see North using his new and quite improved cloak, and I had such high expectations for that scene; also, Sydelle’s kidnapping and following escape needed a lot more development---the whole thing was resolved too easily for my taste.

I also felt that sometimes the author forgets the readers don't know everything about the characters, that we don't know them as she does, and because of that a couple of scenes got...more

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May 14, 2011 Amelia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-2011-reading, best-action, best-books-ever, best-character-set, best-humor, best-original-idea, best-plot, best-romance, fantasy, recommended, reviewed, best-main-character, best-writing, own

Originally posted on The Authoress: Book Review and More.

Ever had that feeling that a book gives you—where you know for sure that you’re totally in love with it, yet your head is so jumbled with its brilliance that even the day after you’ve finished reading it, you still can’t pinpoint the exact thing that made you love it? I feel like I can’t do it justice, even if I tried.

First, the main character. Completely awesome gal. Seriously. Worthy of a country girl. She must be from Kentucky. (Except...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com

One moment, Sydelle and her friend, Henry, are hanging out on the rocks and then next, it's raining. Their village hasn't seen rain in ten years. Shortly after, they spot a wizard. They all head into the village, not knowing just how much their future is about to change.

Wayland North, the wizard, takes the credit for bringing the rain. The chief, Sydelle's father, offers him a reward. He's stunned when he finds out the wizard wants his daughter.

Way...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Mackenzie (Oh, For the Love of Books!) rated it 5 of 5 stars

My Review originally posted on Oh, For the Love of Books!

Humble Beginnings:
All right, I'll freely admit that at first I wasn't completely in love with this book. Don't get me wrong, I really liked it, just didn't love it. Why? Because when i first started I had really high expectations (Thanks Small :P). Initially, what kept me going was the fantastic world-building and interactions between the characters.

Fantasy world at its finest:
Bracken created an absolutely fantastic fantasy world. It was...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Victoria rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: young adults who love Silver Phoenix or love adventures and fantasy

Recommended to Victoria by: Goodreads

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, leaves-awesomeness-behind, books-that-i-love, best-endings, best-characters, made-me-laugh, action-adventure, lovely-writing, heartfelt-and-inspirational, books-reviewed, treasure-keeps, heroes-i-admire-and-respect, heroines-i-love-and-respect, favorites, best-couples, 2011-favorites, wizards, cover-i-love, swoon-worthy-boys, rainy-day-re-reads

Brightly Woven was a beautiful, lovely, and an absolutely stunning book to read. Since I am a lover of fantasy and adventure, I enjoy this book from beginning to the very last page. Brightly Woven didn't disappoint me one bit. It was so captivating and capturing..The writing is so refreshing and conjures vivid details and images in my mind. I love reading this beautifully and crafted novel. I have to say this book is one of my all-time favorites.

The main character Sydelle is a brave, stubborn, s...more Brightly Woven was a beautiful, lovely, and an absolutely stunning book to read. Since I am a lover of fantasy and adventure, I enjoy this book from beginning to the very last page. Brightly Woven didn't disappoint me one bit. It was so captivating and capturing..The writing is so refreshing and conjures vivid details and images in my mind. I love reading this beautifully and crafted novel. I have to say this book is one of my all-time favorites.

The main character Sydelle is a brave, stubborn, strong, amazing, and kind heroine. She is stubborn in a good way and that's what I found admirable about her. She may sounds annoying, but she is the kind of heroine whom I found interesting and not annoying. Sydelle is one of my all-time favorites heroines. I also like her following companion, North. Hmm, what can I say about him? Well, he is the type of guy whom I found myself falling in love with. He is so gentle, mysterious, and absolutely amazing. North has a kind heart who yearns and wait for someone to love him forever. He cares for Sydelle so much that it makes me feel heartbroken. I love how Sydelle dislikes him and was so stubborn with him at first, but she learns to understand him and love him like nobody has ever done. It's absolutly amazing and surprising and what I enjoy in the story. I love how their relatonship slowly develop over time. I love reading all the romantic scenes between them. This book gives me a warm feeling inside.

I absolutely enjoy all the characters in the story. They were mysterious and have strong personalities in the story. I also enjoy reading the battle scenes and adventures in the story. They were so engrossing,interesting, and make me want to keep reading forever. The words created images of it in my mind. I love reading when the character performs spells and fight against each other.

Brightly Woven is truly unforgettable book to read. I want to keep read this book over and over again! It was amazing and beautifully written. I am glad that Goodreads reccommend to me. I never thought I enjoy it, but I was proved wrong. I enjoy reading all aspects of it. I am glad that Alexander Bracken wrote this. It's truly unforgettable.. If I could, I would pick up this book and read it again and again...
For a book to capture and hold my interest, I believe Brightly Woven deserve 5 stars in total! I reccommend this book to those who love reading fantasy, romance, and adventure.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Oct 06, 2011 Parvathy rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who love wizards, magic and fictional worlds

Recommended to Parvathy by: goodreads

Shelves: strong-females, young-adult, wish-it-was-over-sooner, movie-material, other-worlds, fantasy-politics, elizabeths-and-darcys, expected-more, chick-lit, books-that-drag, broken-characters

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand the author has done a great job in creating a new world and characters associated with it and on the other had there is not much of a great story to go by it. The first 50 pages of the book was a drag and I didn't really care much for the characters.But the book becomes interesting after that. The story begins at a fictional village called Cliffton, in the fictional country of Palmerta which has been suffering from a drought for the past 10 year...more I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand the author has done a great job in creating a new world and characters associated with it and on the other had there is not much of a great story to go by it. The first 50 pages of the book was a drag and I didn't really care much for the characters.But the book becomes interesting after that. The story begins at a fictional village called Cliffton, in the fictional country of Palmerta which has been suffering from a drought for the past 10 years. To add to there misery there is a talk going on about a war with the neighboring country. The female lead Sydelle Mirabell is a quiet, beautiful girl who has exceptional skills at weaving. She believes all the stories about wizards and there great deeds,the power of their goddess Asteria and dreams of leaving Cliffton someday. It is at this point that a young wizard Wayland North enters there village and brings an end to the drought that have been claiming them for the last 10 years. That is not all he is the only one who can bring an end to the talk of war that is threatening them and bring peace through out the country.But he asks for only one thing in reward and that is none other than Sydelle. Surprised at being the wizards choice and reluctant to leave her home in the company of a stranger Sybelle is angry and annoyed at Wayland for putting her through the whole thing. She keeps on questioning his choice for which he simply shrugs and says he needed an assistant. But as the story progresses Sybelle learns that there is something a miss about Wayland and he knows something about her which makes her the target of every wizard she comes across. Engaging and exciting this book with its simple story is not exactly what we call a light read. There parts of this book that may be a little bit of a drag but the book itself is highly enjoyable. You would come to love the characters as the story progresses. If you are looking for something that is quick to read and without a complicated storyline I would recommend this book.(less)

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Aug 02, 2011 Lacey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historica-fictional-fantasy, ya-historical-fiction-fantasy, favorites

Paperback: Brightly Woven
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Pages: 368
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: June 28st, 2011(reprint edition)
Genre: Young Adult/High Adventure/Fantasy
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him.

In re...more

1 like · like · see review

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Ending... spoilers	10	11	Apr 30, 2013 12:06pm
The (Not-So) Aust...: Brightly Woven	13	37	Apr 20, 2013 04:16pm
Standalone?	13	61	Jan 21, 2013 10:18am
Awesome Kingdom! ...: Brightly Woven	24	12	Jan 05, 2013 07:19am

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