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The Six Days
"You have six days from midnight until the Gate closes again. Bring me what I need by then and maybe you’ll get your brother back.”
Fifteen years ago, in the middle of the night, Jamie Carpenter’s mother went up to the dark lighthouse on the cliffs. She never came back.
Jamie has spent his whole life trying to forget his mother. But when his little brother goes missing, Jamie has to face the facts. There is another world through the lighthouse, the world of his mother, a powerful witch. And the dangerous magical inheritance she left her sons is now the ransom for Danny’s life in a war between the Council of Witches and the rebel group Jamie's mother abandoned her family to lead.
Desperate to save Danny, Jamie and his best friend Nia cross into a universe they never knew existed. Struggling to survive in a world of shadowy magic ravaged by war, Jamie and Nia seek the help of the Council. But the Council’s leaders aren’t too happy that the son of the witches’ most infamous traitor has returned to Emanu...
With no help, no idea where to look, and no magic on their side, Jamie and Nia have to learn fast if they’re going to survive Emanu and rescue Danny. Because there are only six days until the gate between worlds closes again.
Fifteen years ago, in the middle of the night, Jamie Carpenter’s mother went up to the dark lighthouse on the cliffs. She never came back.
Jamie has spent his whole life trying to forget his mother. But when his little brother goes missing, Jamie has to face the facts. There is another world through the lighthouse, the world of his mother, a powerful witch. And the dangerous magical inheritance she left her sons is now the ransom for Danny’s life in a war between the Council of Witches and the rebel group Jamie's mother abandoned her family to lead.
Desperate to save Danny, Jamie and his best friend Nia cross into a universe they never knew existed. Struggling to survive in a world of shadowy magic ravaged by war, Jamie and Nia seek the help of the Council. But the Council’s leaders aren’t too happy that the son of the witches’ most infamous traitor has returned to Emanu...
With no help, no idea where to look, and no magic on their side, Jamie and Nia have to learn fast if they’re going to survive Emanu and rescue Danny. Because there are only six days until the gate between worlds closes again.
- GenresYoung Adult
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2014
3 people are currently reading
464 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 1, 2014
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...
In The Six Days, Jamie Carpenter’s Mom disappeared fifteen years ago. He’s left alone with his Dad, his older brother Cal, and younger brother, Danny. His mother’s disappearance is the talk of town, which isn’t always easy for Jamie. Luckily he has his best friend Nia around, who supports him, no matter what.
But when the siblings and Nia discover old books on the attic of their home, books Jamie can read but Nia can’t translate at all, they know something strange is going on, and the books are connected to their mother’s disappearance. When a storm hits the small town, and the lights go on in the spooky lighthouse – where the lights never go on, and one can’t even access it – Jamie’s little brother Danny gets kidnapped, and Jamie and Nia are attacked by a witch from another dimension.
If they want to find Danny and return him home, they must travel through the gate hidden in the lighthouse, to another world, Emanu. The world their mother came from, and a world they never knew existed. In this strange world filled with dark magic, they ask the help of the Council of Witches. But when the Council begins to suspect Nia is more than just a regular human, and begin to see her powers as the biggest threat of all, turning to them for help may not have been a good decision after all.
They have six days before the gate between worlds closes again. Six days to find Danny. And if they don’t, he’ll be stuck in Emanu forever.
The writing is great, and the characters each have their own, distinct voice. I liked Nia the most – I’ve no idea if that’s because she’s a girl, or just because she has a fun personality, but she’s pretty cool. Jamie is fun too, but Nia was my favorite. Considering the main character is a boy, but one of the most prominent characters is a girl, I’m sure this book will appeal to both boys and girls.
The plot had some original and fresh elements that managed to surprise me. I enjoyed how much the lines between good and evil were blurrred here. There is some romance, but it’s secondary to the overall plot, which was another bonus. While I found the political war in Emanu intriguing, I’m afraid not everyone may like that though, and some parts of it may be a bit too complicated for the audience the book is geared at.
However, all in all, this is an excellent read with fluent writing, intriguing characters, and an interesting plot. If you’re a fan of YA fantasy, you should definitely read The Six Days.
In The Six Days, Jamie Carpenter’s Mom disappeared fifteen years ago. He’s left alone with his Dad, his older brother Cal, and younger brother, Danny. His mother’s disappearance is the talk of town, which isn’t always easy for Jamie. Luckily he has his best friend Nia around, who supports him, no matter what.
But when the siblings and Nia discover old books on the attic of their home, books Jamie can read but Nia can’t translate at all, they know something strange is going on, and the books are connected to their mother’s disappearance. When a storm hits the small town, and the lights go on in the spooky lighthouse – where the lights never go on, and one can’t even access it – Jamie’s little brother Danny gets kidnapped, and Jamie and Nia are attacked by a witch from another dimension.
If they want to find Danny and return him home, they must travel through the gate hidden in the lighthouse, to another world, Emanu. The world their mother came from, and a world they never knew existed. In this strange world filled with dark magic, they ask the help of the Council of Witches. But when the Council begins to suspect Nia is more than just a regular human, and begin to see her powers as the biggest threat of all, turning to them for help may not have been a good decision after all.
They have six days before the gate between worlds closes again. Six days to find Danny. And if they don’t, he’ll be stuck in Emanu forever.
The writing is great, and the characters each have their own, distinct voice. I liked Nia the most – I’ve no idea if that’s because she’s a girl, or just because she has a fun personality, but she’s pretty cool. Jamie is fun too, but Nia was my favorite. Considering the main character is a boy, but one of the most prominent characters is a girl, I’m sure this book will appeal to both boys and girls.
The plot had some original and fresh elements that managed to surprise me. I enjoyed how much the lines between good and evil were blurrred here. There is some romance, but it’s secondary to the overall plot, which was another bonus. While I found the political war in Emanu intriguing, I’m afraid not everyone may like that though, and some parts of it may be a bit too complicated for the audience the book is geared at.
However, all in all, this is an excellent read with fluent writing, intriguing characters, and an interesting plot. If you’re a fan of YA fantasy, you should definitely read The Six Days.
April 28, 2014
This book was a blast to read! Anna Carolyn McCormally has created a fantastic journey into an alternate world. While this novel is technically a young adult story, even adults will love following the adventures of the three magical brothers and their (also magical) friend.
When an evil witch kidnaps the youngest Carpenter brother and takes him through the Gate into her world, she issues the older brothers a challenge. Bring her what she wants within the six days that the Gate will remain open, or never see their brother again.
Of course, where Jamie and Cal Carpenter go, Junia is never far behind. Good thing, too, as she might just hold the key to everything.
This book is wonderfully written and extremely well thought out. The storyline is almost flawless and the author leads us along an almost seamless path from beginning to end. I really did love this book.
That being said, as much as I loved the story, I can’t give this book the entire five stars. Why? Because it really needs one more good editing.
I am a very visual reader. To me, reading is almost like watching a good movie. Everything “plays out” in my mind as the words reach my brain. Because of that, little discrepancies can be kind of jarring to me. This book had three that I caught. For instance, someone with their hands tied behind their backs would find it impossible to finger the scars on their own chest. Of course many pages fall between, and most readers would not even catch this small blooper. Unfortunately, my movie mind does and it interrupts the story as I have to back track to make sure I’m playing the right movie.
There are also several small typos and word omissions that could be caught with a really good, overall editing. Once that editing is done, I truly think this story could be something great. Right now, it’s a slightly dusty diamond. Shine it up, and who knows where it will lead?
I do have to add here that I truly hope the author has more in store for the brothers and Junia…and that she will graciously share it with the world. I look forward to more.
When an evil witch kidnaps the youngest Carpenter brother and takes him through the Gate into her world, she issues the older brothers a challenge. Bring her what she wants within the six days that the Gate will remain open, or never see their brother again.
Of course, where Jamie and Cal Carpenter go, Junia is never far behind. Good thing, too, as she might just hold the key to everything.
This book is wonderfully written and extremely well thought out. The storyline is almost flawless and the author leads us along an almost seamless path from beginning to end. I really did love this book.
That being said, as much as I loved the story, I can’t give this book the entire five stars. Why? Because it really needs one more good editing.
I am a very visual reader. To me, reading is almost like watching a good movie. Everything “plays out” in my mind as the words reach my brain. Because of that, little discrepancies can be kind of jarring to me. This book had three that I caught. For instance, someone with their hands tied behind their backs would find it impossible to finger the scars on their own chest. Of course many pages fall between, and most readers would not even catch this small blooper. Unfortunately, my movie mind does and it interrupts the story as I have to back track to make sure I’m playing the right movie.
There are also several small typos and word omissions that could be caught with a really good, overall editing. Once that editing is done, I truly think this story could be something great. Right now, it’s a slightly dusty diamond. Shine it up, and who knows where it will lead?
I do have to add here that I truly hope the author has more in store for the brothers and Junia…and that she will graciously share it with the world. I look forward to more.
April 1, 2014
There are many secrets in the small town where the Carpenter brothers Cal, Jamie, and Danny, live with their father. What happened to their mother and why does no one talk of the day she disappeared? Why does the abandoned light house light turn on and off by itself? Also, what happened to both of Jamie's friend, Nia's parents?
As summer comes to a close, Jamie and Nia are helping Cal pack for college. When they go look for some boxes in the Carpenter's attic, a lifetime of secrets come spilling out. Spell books, a locket with Nia's name on it...and oh, the lighthouse is glowing again. Through the portal, Cal, Jamie, Danny and Nia are thrown into another world that is in political turmoil, trouble caused by them. They have six days to figure it out...
I loved this suspenseful, non-stop adventure that made me keep reading and reading, I really had trouble putting it down near the end. Overall, the book had a feeling similar to the Chronicles of Narnia. The world of Emanu was masterfully built, I wanted to explore it all. I thought it was great that this was a world with two queens as a married couple. Also, both political forces were run by women and women were soldiers. Every character is well crafted and their motives are thought out and carried through. Nia is by far my favorite and I felt for all the struggles that she had to endure. The romances, both of them, threw me for a loop. I am glad that the book is not tied up in romances though, they are really secondary to the plot. This book is good for middle grade YA readers through adults.
What will Jamie, Danny, Cal and Nia do to achieve peace in another world?
See the blog tour for this book at: stephaniesbookreviews.weebly.com on April 8th!
As summer comes to a close, Jamie and Nia are helping Cal pack for college. When they go look for some boxes in the Carpenter's attic, a lifetime of secrets come spilling out. Spell books, a locket with Nia's name on it...and oh, the lighthouse is glowing again. Through the portal, Cal, Jamie, Danny and Nia are thrown into another world that is in political turmoil, trouble caused by them. They have six days to figure it out...
I loved this suspenseful, non-stop adventure that made me keep reading and reading, I really had trouble putting it down near the end. Overall, the book had a feeling similar to the Chronicles of Narnia. The world of Emanu was masterfully built, I wanted to explore it all. I thought it was great that this was a world with two queens as a married couple. Also, both political forces were run by women and women were soldiers. Every character is well crafted and their motives are thought out and carried through. Nia is by far my favorite and I felt for all the struggles that she had to endure. The romances, both of them, threw me for a loop. I am glad that the book is not tied up in romances though, they are really secondary to the plot. This book is good for middle grade YA readers through adults.
What will Jamie, Danny, Cal and Nia do to achieve peace in another world?
See the blog tour for this book at: stephaniesbookreviews.weebly.com on April 8th!
October 7, 2014
The book suffers slightly from not having one more thorough copy edit and from a few descriptions that get long in the tooth. But even so, it's still worth five stars.
McCormally has crafted a fantasy world that ranks up with JKR and Lev Grossman for the sheer joy of getting to be a part of it. This might technically be young-adult fiction but it's great for those of all ages.
This book is one that I couldn't put down once I picked up and that will stick with me for a while le yet.
McCormally has crafted a fantasy world that ranks up with JKR and Lev Grossman for the sheer joy of getting to be a part of it. This might technically be young-adult fiction but it's great for those of all ages.
This book is one that I couldn't put down once I picked up and that will stick with me for a while le yet.
July 30, 2014
Ok I had to read this story 3 times to decide on an honest opinion of how I honestly felt.
What I like about this story is that the author had decent build ups while adding a good mix of plot twists that came in perfect timing. Character development was shown here, as it's not hard to acknowledge the changes that each character goes through. I also like that the author wasn't shy of showcasing same-sex relationships and making it very causal as if it's a normal everyday thing. I also like how well the ending was done; yes it can be considered to be a 'sad ending', but it's realistic in the sense where life decisions for your ambitions often cost you in more ways than one. One thing I was a bit 'mixed' opinion-wise, was how Nia's mother died. I would possibly say it was lazy writing, but the more I thought about it, I understood what the author was trying to tell you about this characters and I thought that it was a good idea. Overall, I find this story to be quite nice.
Now why did I give this only 3 stars? Well, I also had a lot of issues with this story. For one thing, while I did mention that there was good character development, I honestly didn't 'like' the characters as much as I thought; only some of them I actually found interesting and likable. I don't know why, but maybe because there was nothing as 'unique' to them as much I would have liked. This is possibly because I didn't feel as much emotion as I wanted. Yes, there is emotion shown time to time, but I feel that with the amount of dialog that is written, we would have more details to HOW they're feeling when in certain situations. And while this may seem unfair, I didn't feel as excited as I should have when I read this story. Maybe because I've been spoiled with a lot of fantasy-told stories throughout my life, but there's nothing THAT unique in this world that I haven't seen already in other books. Even with how there's 'old' and 'modern' magic, 'dragons', an interesting idea of a political witch order that is unisex, this story really really didn't introduce any new imagination into my mind which is disappointing because you want that when you're reading fantasy.
Now mind you this isn't a bad story at all; I think it's a story that you won't be bored with if you're looking for a good build up with the plot itself. However, if you're a hardcore fantasy fan, there's nothing that new or unique that you'll get out of this story. Maybe if there is a follow up and this is the start of a series, there'll be more to it. But this story really didn't excite me with the settings despite the decent plot that would keep you wondering what would happen in the end.
So is it a good book? It's up to you, but as a guy who has seen/read many fantasy stories, this is a decent book but nothing new.
What I like about this story is that the author had decent build ups while adding a good mix of plot twists that came in perfect timing. Character development was shown here, as it's not hard to acknowledge the changes that each character goes through. I also like that the author wasn't shy of showcasing same-sex relationships and making it very causal as if it's a normal everyday thing. I also like how well the ending was done; yes it can be considered to be a 'sad ending', but it's realistic in the sense where life decisions for your ambitions often cost you in more ways than one. One thing I was a bit 'mixed' opinion-wise, was how Nia's mother died. I would possibly say it was lazy writing, but the more I thought about it, I understood what the author was trying to tell you about this characters and I thought that it was a good idea. Overall, I find this story to be quite nice.
Now why did I give this only 3 stars? Well, I also had a lot of issues with this story. For one thing, while I did mention that there was good character development, I honestly didn't 'like' the characters as much as I thought; only some of them I actually found interesting and likable. I don't know why, but maybe because there was nothing as 'unique' to them as much I would have liked. This is possibly because I didn't feel as much emotion as I wanted. Yes, there is emotion shown time to time, but I feel that with the amount of dialog that is written, we would have more details to HOW they're feeling when in certain situations. And while this may seem unfair, I didn't feel as excited as I should have when I read this story. Maybe because I've been spoiled with a lot of fantasy-told stories throughout my life, but there's nothing THAT unique in this world that I haven't seen already in other books. Even with how there's 'old' and 'modern' magic, 'dragons', an interesting idea of a political witch order that is unisex, this story really really didn't introduce any new imagination into my mind which is disappointing because you want that when you're reading fantasy.
Now mind you this isn't a bad story at all; I think it's a story that you won't be bored with if you're looking for a good build up with the plot itself. However, if you're a hardcore fantasy fan, there's nothing that new or unique that you'll get out of this story. Maybe if there is a follow up and this is the start of a series, there'll be more to it. But this story really didn't excite me with the settings despite the decent plot that would keep you wondering what would happen in the end.
So is it a good book? It's up to you, but as a guy who has seen/read many fantasy stories, this is a decent book but nothing new.
April 22, 2014
I am not sure that I can even adequately express just how much I LOVE this book. I will even dare to say that it is one of my favorite books of 2014 so far. I did not know much about the book when I received the email about doing the blog tour, but the synopsis was intriguing enough. I mean, read it! I guess I might just be a fan of things that involve magic (how could you not be after Harry Potter?), so I was excited to read something else that included magical elements. I have to admit, this made me a little nervous as well. I mean, even if it was magic, it was obviously going to be quite a bit different than HP, but it was a very, very good different.
This book had a lot of characters, and sometimes that worries me when it comes to reading books (with work, I usually have to start and stop reading whenever I have time, so sometimes I forget who people are when there are a lot), but I did not mind it at all with this book. It was very easy to follow, and I really liked most of the characters (and really hated all of the characters I was supposed to hate). The three brothers, Callem (Cal), James (Jamie), and Danny were all three great. I LOVE how McCormally expressed their very different personalities, as this is something that really does happy when you have siblings. It was very well done, too. They handled situations differently, just as any real siblings would.
This book was ACTION packed. I don't read a lot of books that have this much action, but I felt like it just keep getting more and more intense, which just made me want to keep reading. I just cannot stop thinking about how amazing this book was. Just when I thought that I had everything figured out and knew what was right and what was wrong, things would change all over again. Honestly, that is what makes a great book for me. I don't want to know what is going to happen/what is the truth, until the end when everything is reaching resolution and about to end.
The romance in this book is another thing that I absolutely loved. Usually, when you have a male and female character that have been best friends since they were kids, they always seem to fall for each other. I was SO happy that was not the case. Sure, there was a bit of weird jealousy here and there, but I think it was out of fear of losing their friend. Instead, Nia ended up with feelings for one of the brothers (WHAT? I LOVED it! They were great!) and Jamie falls for the Princess in Emanu. Now that is what I am talking about!
From my research, it seems like this is the first book that McCormally has published, and I certainly hope that it is not the last! I look forward to reading anything else she writes in the future. In the meantime, everyone needs to read this book!
This book had a lot of characters, and sometimes that worries me when it comes to reading books (with work, I usually have to start and stop reading whenever I have time, so sometimes I forget who people are when there are a lot), but I did not mind it at all with this book. It was very easy to follow, and I really liked most of the characters (and really hated all of the characters I was supposed to hate). The three brothers, Callem (Cal), James (Jamie), and Danny were all three great. I LOVE how McCormally expressed their very different personalities, as this is something that really does happy when you have siblings. It was very well done, too. They handled situations differently, just as any real siblings would.
This book was ACTION packed. I don't read a lot of books that have this much action, but I felt like it just keep getting more and more intense, which just made me want to keep reading. I just cannot stop thinking about how amazing this book was. Just when I thought that I had everything figured out and knew what was right and what was wrong, things would change all over again. Honestly, that is what makes a great book for me. I don't want to know what is going to happen/what is the truth, until the end when everything is reaching resolution and about to end.
The romance in this book is another thing that I absolutely loved. Usually, when you have a male and female character that have been best friends since they were kids, they always seem to fall for each other. I was SO happy that was not the case. Sure, there was a bit of weird jealousy here and there, but I think it was out of fear of losing their friend. Instead, Nia ended up with feelings for one of the brothers (WHAT? I LOVED it! They were great!) and Jamie falls for the Princess in Emanu. Now that is what I am talking about!
From my research, it seems like this is the first book that McCormally has published, and I certainly hope that it is not the last! I look forward to reading anything else she writes in the future. In the meantime, everyone needs to read this book!
August 31, 2016
Full disclosure: I'm the publisher of The Six Days. I don't want accusations of holding a bias, so: I have a bias. (If this bothers you, I would encourage you to email me at rachel@giantsquidbooks.com and request an ARC so you can make your own decision!)
I just want to talk about why I like this book, and why I've decided to sink my money and most of my free time into this project for the last couple of months.
I like fantasy--a lot!!--but sometimes I am just over it. With so many fantasy books, the reader has to make a compromise--awesome worldbuilding often comes with flat characters, or page-turning readability comes with uninspired prose. But The Six Days succeeds on all of these fronts. It's a magical adventure story, but it experiments with prose. It creates a fascinating universe, but the characters are also fully-formed and believable. The Six Days doesn't sacrifice literary themes for (actual) magic tricks. For that, it was an incredibly refreshing read.
In building its world, The Six Days draws on fantasy traditions, but once those pieces makes a whole, it stands as a unique work. Anna McCormally creates a complicated, sometimes scary vision of magic that is completely her own. She reinterprets some of the stale fantasy traditions, layering them with feminist themes that are never heavy handed. The Six Days, in both worldbuilding and storytelling, avoids the expected.
And that's why I've thrown so much work into this book. This is the direction I'd like to see YA continue to go: not high fantasy necessarily (but, no complaints about that), but stories that are ambitious, that do something different, with consistently strong prose and characters who are more than their romantic entanglements. When books can do that AND be fun to read, like The Six Days, I just get really excited.
PSA over. Thanks guys.
I just want to talk about why I like this book, and why I've decided to sink my money and most of my free time into this project for the last couple of months.
I like fantasy--a lot!!--but sometimes I am just over it. With so many fantasy books, the reader has to make a compromise--awesome worldbuilding often comes with flat characters, or page-turning readability comes with uninspired prose. But The Six Days succeeds on all of these fronts. It's a magical adventure story, but it experiments with prose. It creates a fascinating universe, but the characters are also fully-formed and believable. The Six Days doesn't sacrifice literary themes for (actual) magic tricks. For that, it was an incredibly refreshing read.
In building its world, The Six Days draws on fantasy traditions, but once those pieces makes a whole, it stands as a unique work. Anna McCormally creates a complicated, sometimes scary vision of magic that is completely her own. She reinterprets some of the stale fantasy traditions, layering them with feminist themes that are never heavy handed. The Six Days, in both worldbuilding and storytelling, avoids the expected.
And that's why I've thrown so much work into this book. This is the direction I'd like to see YA continue to go: not high fantasy necessarily (but, no complaints about that), but stories that are ambitious, that do something different, with consistently strong prose and characters who are more than their romantic entanglements. When books can do that AND be fun to read, like The Six Days, I just get really excited.
PSA over. Thanks guys.
April 1, 2014
She stands in the doorway, light hair loose, holding nothing. It's summer, a hot night crisscrossed
by lightning and thunder.
Her husband wrenches the little boy away from her. If you’re going to go then just go, he says, and she does, running away into the storm, illuminated briefly by the lightning, rain-drenched and barefoot, gone without looking back, leaving to return, the way he’d always known she would, so begins the story.
The Six Days by Anna Carolyn McCormally is an awesome magical adventure novel full of fantasy and mystery. Filled with memorable characters, inspiring prose and heart-pounding story, debutant author Anna weaves a story that many readers won’t forget easily. In Jamie Carpenter, she has crafted an incredibly strong character, amazing for his year.
Anna Carolyn McCormally’s creative imagination created a world stupendously enthralling and marvelous. The story is not only engaging and spellbinding but it is also tremendously enjoyable, and avoids the frivolous and inane. The plot twists and turns with each page, keeping one on the edge of the seat. What really excites me is the beauty of the prose, which is like a swiftly flowing river. There is literally no dull moment with The Six Days. If young adult novels are as good as this one, I’m hooked!
And it ends: The worlds sealed off from each other, for a little while at least. Rain began to fall in both worlds. Something was complete, though only a few people knew it. The rest of the world knew nothing but what they saw: the rhythmic beat of the rain; and the wicked dance of lightning as it flickered across the sky.
by lightning and thunder.
Her husband wrenches the little boy away from her. If you’re going to go then just go, he says, and she does, running away into the storm, illuminated briefly by the lightning, rain-drenched and barefoot, gone without looking back, leaving to return, the way he’d always known she would, so begins the story.
The Six Days by Anna Carolyn McCormally is an awesome magical adventure novel full of fantasy and mystery. Filled with memorable characters, inspiring prose and heart-pounding story, debutant author Anna weaves a story that many readers won’t forget easily. In Jamie Carpenter, she has crafted an incredibly strong character, amazing for his year.
Anna Carolyn McCormally’s creative imagination created a world stupendously enthralling and marvelous. The story is not only engaging and spellbinding but it is also tremendously enjoyable, and avoids the frivolous and inane. The plot twists and turns with each page, keeping one on the edge of the seat. What really excites me is the beauty of the prose, which is like a swiftly flowing river. There is literally no dull moment with The Six Days. If young adult novels are as good as this one, I’m hooked!
And it ends: The worlds sealed off from each other, for a little while at least. Rain began to fall in both worlds. Something was complete, though only a few people knew it. The rest of the world knew nothing but what they saw: the rhythmic beat of the rain; and the wicked dance of lightning as it flickered across the sky.
April 4, 2014
Jamie, Callem and Danny had been left behind by their mother since childhood. 15 years later, they discovered the truth behind their mother's disappearance. the lighthouse had always been a ghastly place for the town, many version of stories were told since it never light up. but one night, it mysteriously light up. the very night they found out about their origins, Danny was kidnapped. with limited knowledge about their witch mother, Jamie had to go into another world through the lighthouse to save his brother. desperation drew the brothers into the political war between the Council of Witches and the rebel group Jamie's mother had led.
i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. the book started out being an easy read, however approaching the second quarter where they ventured into the witch world, i started losing interest, especially with the political war. the explanations seemed to go on and on that i had to force myself through it with the hope that i will reach the part where the story will finally grab me again. as much as i love the supernaturals, i couldn't grasped the beauty of scenery or buildings, or worst, armies. fortunately i did manage to reach the part where everything seemed interesting enough, making the wait worthwhile. with so many characters in the book, it was most intriguing who Nia would ended up with. at first it seemed obvious that it would be Jamie, but soon it became a puzzle when others were involved.
my review: here
i received a free e-book from the author in exchanged for a review. the book started out being an easy read, however approaching the second quarter where they ventured into the witch world, i started losing interest, especially with the political war. the explanations seemed to go on and on that i had to force myself through it with the hope that i will reach the part where the story will finally grab me again. as much as i love the supernaturals, i couldn't grasped the beauty of scenery or buildings, or worst, armies. fortunately i did manage to reach the part where everything seemed interesting enough, making the wait worthwhile. with so many characters in the book, it was most intriguing who Nia would ended up with. at first it seemed obvious that it would be Jamie, but soon it became a puzzle when others were involved.
my review: here
May 17, 2014
The Six Days is a fantasy novel that has a lot things going in the direction of being a very good one. The beginning of the story involves a lighthouse and a number of characters very well constructed on the canvas a small town, a port lost in the middle of nowadays civilized word.
I was expecting a mystery and maybe a few horror elements to come next. Instead we are transported in an different world, a fantasy realm with witches, queens, manticores, and so on through a lighthouse that is similar to the wardrobe from The Chronicles of Narnia.
From here on we have a good story line with action and a few small twists. What is unclear from me is if the author want it this story to be addressed to kids or to adults. Most of the story it seems destined to kids, except a few erotic passages that might prove uninteresting for them.
If the story is written for adults, than is still a work in progress because of a number of things. The immediate transition of some kids in a small town to superheroes/witches is too fast and needs more explaining on the inner workings of their thinking. Also the attention given to the perfect alternative universe where even evil is beautiful and all the clothes are described in so much detail should be also focused in developing the respective characters so they could satisfy the needs of more mature reader. There are also passages that seem only a synopsis of the text, passages that need more work.
All in all it’s an enjoyable read and a very good start for a young author.
I was expecting a mystery and maybe a few horror elements to come next. Instead we are transported in an different world, a fantasy realm with witches, queens, manticores, and so on through a lighthouse that is similar to the wardrobe from The Chronicles of Narnia.
From here on we have a good story line with action and a few small twists. What is unclear from me is if the author want it this story to be addressed to kids or to adults. Most of the story it seems destined to kids, except a few erotic passages that might prove uninteresting for them.
If the story is written for adults, than is still a work in progress because of a number of things. The immediate transition of some kids in a small town to superheroes/witches is too fast and needs more explaining on the inner workings of their thinking. Also the attention given to the perfect alternative universe where even evil is beautiful and all the clothes are described in so much detail should be also focused in developing the respective characters so they could satisfy the needs of more mature reader. There are also passages that seem only a synopsis of the text, passages that need more work.
All in all it’s an enjoyable read and a very good start for a young author.
October 10, 2014
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review, & I loved it! World building can be tricky in fantasy, but this book has just the right amount of description without overdoing it. What made the book for me, though, was the characters. They're realistic and fully flushed. None of them are portrayed as total angels or heros, they all have their own issues or flaws. Even Jamie's missing mother has her faults, or at least aspects of her personality or past that we don't find out right away. I love the way that McCormally keeps you guessing until the very end about a lot of things! I'm still thinking about some of the choices Jamie's mother made, and whether they were right or wrong. I love when a book keeps me up nights and makes me think!
Without giving too much away, I also like that this book isn't a typical boy meets girl romance. I'm not sure how I feel about who the characters end up with in the end - but it definitely made the story more interesting, and again - it's making me think about it after the book is done. The ending was intense and just blew me away. I love the way it wraps up the story, but it's not all neat. There's room for a sequel, but it can stand alone. I wouldn't say anything is unresolved, but it's messy and real and true and perfect, and the things that needed to be resolved were.
Without giving too much away, I also like that this book isn't a typical boy meets girl romance. I'm not sure how I feel about who the characters end up with in the end - but it definitely made the story more interesting, and again - it's making me think about it after the book is done. The ending was intense and just blew me away. I love the way it wraps up the story, but it's not all neat. There's room for a sequel, but it can stand alone. I wouldn't say anything is unresolved, but it's messy and real and true and perfect, and the things that needed to be resolved were.
May 24, 2014
Magical!
That's all I can say about this book. The writing style captures the imagination of the reader successfully. I'm not really a fan of fantasy in general, but I really liked this book as it has an approach like an epic and leaves the reader in anticipation of a sequel. Also, it crosses the boundaries of its genre at times, or maybe, not crosses, but goes beyond "just-fantasy" while staying within the specifications of the genre perfectly. The alternative world becomes allegory or metaphor of the real world. Let me put it this way, just replace magic with art in this novel and see what happens when you decipher other magical elements and turn them into "Real-world-things". Or maybe, imagine the court in place of the lighthouse and replace magic with adulterous tendency and turn the two different worlds into two different families that has different norms and rules. I don't know if you are getting it, but this is how and why I found this book appealing. Then again, that's my personal reading style, even if you don't do it, you'll surely enjoy the book (especially if you are a fan of fantasy). The plot-building and character-building are also really good. It's completely worth your time, attention and money.
That's all I can say about this book. The writing style captures the imagination of the reader successfully. I'm not really a fan of fantasy in general, but I really liked this book as it has an approach like an epic and leaves the reader in anticipation of a sequel. Also, it crosses the boundaries of its genre at times, or maybe, not crosses, but goes beyond "just-fantasy" while staying within the specifications of the genre perfectly. The alternative world becomes allegory or metaphor of the real world. Let me put it this way, just replace magic with art in this novel and see what happens when you decipher other magical elements and turn them into "Real-world-things". Or maybe, imagine the court in place of the lighthouse and replace magic with adulterous tendency and turn the two different worlds into two different families that has different norms and rules. I don't know if you are getting it, but this is how and why I found this book appealing. Then again, that's my personal reading style, even if you don't do it, you'll surely enjoy the book (especially if you are a fan of fantasy). The plot-building and character-building are also really good. It's completely worth your time, attention and money.
April 1, 2014
Having now read (and re-read) The Six Days by Anna McCormally, I can only recommend this book with the strongest possible conviction. McCormally has created a universe that is both complex and compelling. Unlike much YA Fiction the reader is made to think throughout the book, challenging prior conceptions and confronting assumptions. The world is anything but clear cut and the lines of "good and evil" become greatly blurred.
The most poignant beauty of the book however lies not with it's descriptions of a vivid and complex world, it's unique conception of magic, or even it's heart-pumping storyline; but with it's revelation of the power contained in the bonds of friendship and kinship. The Six Days exposes the struggles as well as the triumphs in relationships and shows how both of these things bring people closer together.
I wish I had the writing prowess of Ms. McCormally, but I do not and so I will end here with a simple warning: Do not begin this book if you need to do anything else with your life for the next couple days. Trust me.
The most poignant beauty of the book however lies not with it's descriptions of a vivid and complex world, it's unique conception of magic, or even it's heart-pumping storyline; but with it's revelation of the power contained in the bonds of friendship and kinship. The Six Days exposes the struggles as well as the triumphs in relationships and shows how both of these things bring people closer together.
I wish I had the writing prowess of Ms. McCormally, but I do not and so I will end here with a simple warning: Do not begin this book if you need to do anything else with your life for the next couple days. Trust me.
September 7, 2016
The author's writing style coupled with the fantasy of this book made it such an enjoyable read. Everything about the story jumped off of the pages and captured my attention. Magical stories are a soft spot for me, and The Six Days delivered. A lot of the elements of the book put me in the mind of Harry Potter. That's certainly a good thing.
There is nothing about this book that didn't work for me. The romance, the plot, the characters; it was all so amazing. The world building really makes you feel like you've been transported into the story. Anna McCormally has a reading style that's fun to read. I never felt bored or like the story lagged like fantasy can sometimes do. The Six Days is YA fantasy done amazingly, and I cannot recommend it enough.
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.
There is nothing about this book that didn't work for me. The romance, the plot, the characters; it was all so amazing. The world building really makes you feel like you've been transported into the story. Anna McCormally has a reading style that's fun to read. I never felt bored or like the story lagged like fantasy can sometimes do. The Six Days is YA fantasy done amazingly, and I cannot recommend it enough.
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.
November 1, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. A very strong story, very well written and presented. The characters are young and come across as young, they are believable, especially when they start dealing with their emotions and feelings for one another. The sense of brotherly love as well as a romantic love interest is presented and developed through the story in a manner that really resonated with me.
Plot wise it reminded me of The Chronicles of Narnia, good adventure, a fun sense of wonderment, all combined with a nice pace of storytelling. Lots of potential story still to be explored, but the book itself very well self contained and fully presented, leaving me satisfied with the conclusion yet still wanting to read more of the world created.
I highly recommend this if you are a fan of the Narnia series or similar stories in that vein.
Plot wise it reminded me of The Chronicles of Narnia, good adventure, a fun sense of wonderment, all combined with a nice pace of storytelling. Lots of potential story still to be explored, but the book itself very well self contained and fully presented, leaving me satisfied with the conclusion yet still wanting to read more of the world created.
I highly recommend this if you are a fan of the Narnia series or similar stories in that vein.
April 19, 2014
I read this entire book in two sittings; It is absolutely a book that is very difficult to put down. The story line is complex and exciting, the characters are well-developed and sympathetic, and McCormally's prose is seamless.
This is one of those books that immediately grabs me - in the first few pages, I already know that I have to settle in and cancel some of my plans for the day. One of those books that, once I begin, I forget that I'm reading. The narrative never slips up, and I never come across a sentence that jars me out of the experience. If you're looking to escape into a wonderful world with challenging themes and realistic characters, The Six Days is definitely the book for you!
This is one of those books that immediately grabs me - in the first few pages, I already know that I have to settle in and cancel some of my plans for the day. One of those books that, once I begin, I forget that I'm reading. The narrative never slips up, and I never come across a sentence that jars me out of the experience. If you're looking to escape into a wonderful world with challenging themes and realistic characters, The Six Days is definitely the book for you!
April 24, 2014
Wow…this is one of those books that you can really lose yourself in, I know I did! I became so immersed in the story that I easily lost track of time and what seemed as if I’d been reading for half an hour, was actually over 4 hours. This book is loaded with magic, mystery and tons of action. Not only was this book fun to read, but also utterly satisfying in the fact that it offers a complete package of well-defined characters, amazing plot enhanced with descriptively detailed environments and polished with a unique and refreshing perspective on the dynamics of magic.
4 stars ~Kathy
4 stars ~Kathy
April 16, 2014
I really really liked this book. Brilliant characters, brilliant plot-line, brilliant world-building. This is one of those books that I could not wait to come back home and continue reading.
I really hope that there will be a sequel to this book because I would love to see, if anything, what happens next with James, Nia, Danny & Cal.
Well done, Anna. Hope to hear more from you soon.
I really hope that there will be a sequel to this book because I would love to see, if anything, what happens next with James, Nia, Danny & Cal.
Well done, Anna. Hope to hear more from you soon.
August 8, 2014
I recently won the book The Six Days by Anna Carolyn McCormally. I just finished reading the book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it to be a fast paced and entertaining fantasy adventure. I found myself picking it up at every opportunity to see what was going to happen next.
I would recommend this book to older readers as well as young adults.
I would recommend this book to older readers as well as young adults.
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March 2, 2020I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Well-developed characters, fascinating story, and well-paced. An excellent read. Longer review to come!
Well-developed characters, fascinating story, and well-paced. An excellent read. Longer review to come!
October 30, 2014
Easy, entertaining summer read. Witch world may not be for everyone, but this would very arguably make a great movie.
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