HYACINTH: the average girl

The Remnant #1

by Mereda Hart Farynyk, Anne Tanzi Carty (Illustrator)

“It seems such a peaceful world,” she mused, tilting her head back to let a beam of sunlight warm her face. “It’s difficult to believe, when you smell the earth and the trees and the wildflowers on the wind… It’s difficult to believe that there’s a war going on, and so many people are fighting, simply to survive.”

Hyacinth Blillick is comfortable with the mundane life her average Examination score got her. That is, she’s comfortable with it until the day Fleck Raven shows up. Fleck’s presence isn't only inconvenient, stirring up dark secrets from Hyacinth’s past, but also inspires questions about life in the province that she has always wondered but never dared to ask. As the questions and their answers spiral out of control, Hyacinth finds herself thrown into a plot to overthrow the current regime and save countless lives… So long as she can save her own life first.

361 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 21, 2016

About the author

Mereda Hart Farynyk has always been captivated by fairy tales and far off places. From the earliest age, she would wander the forest, looking at the light filtering through the branches, and dream up endless fantasies of fairies and princes and great evils being overcome. She would drink up the study of ancient civilizations and marvel at how mysterious and foreign they were. Growing up in theatre and dance, she immersed herself in countless lives and emotions and perspectives, and what started out as a simple fascination with the magic and mystery of other worlds soon became a deep love of how those other worlds could help us to better understand the richest truths of this one.

Spanning a variety of genres, her books explore questions of spirituality, love, the search for truth, and the motivations of the human heart.

She grew up in North Carolina and resides there still with her husband and two sons.

Reviews

[Mereda Hart Farynyk]

I've read this a few times, yes.

[Lindy Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the sample chapters on Amazon, and by the time I finished, I had to know what would happen next! The story was engaging and enjoyable; and the world Mereda created was believable. The plot kept me guessing, and at times I was honestly nervous waiting to know what would happen. Not to mention, the plot twists totally caught me off guard! So excellent. I'm off to buy the next one as soon as I submit this review.

[Kaela McCorkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this book down! Vivid imagery endears you to the characters and the dystopian world they live in. This was a fast and enjoyable read for me, I loved it and can’t wait to start into book 2! Thank you, Mereda. What a hidden gem!

[Alicia Smiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished my second read-through of this book, and I was just as unable to put it down as I was the first time through the book. Dystopian settings are probably at the top of my favorites when it comes to fiction reading, and this series by Mereda completely wipes the board clean and sets a new standard. She’s found a way to write a dystopian story that reaches such a wide range of readers—the setting, style, character development, plot twists, and themes speak to any and all ages and personalities and reading preferences. That’s quite a feat, and I’m already chomping at the bit to get this review posted so that I can prop up my feet again and dive into my second read-through of Book 2. :)

[Sean McBride · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a Hunger Games-esque world of government rule over oblivious, or scared-silent, citizens, Hyacinth Blillick comes to realize there might be more to her and her world than she ever realized. This book was quite good, and was a quick and captivating read. I thought it flowed very well and kept me wanting to read more. I was intrigued to figure out how this world would develop, as the novel only gave small hints and glimpses at this futuristic world for a while. I'm very much looking forward to how the plot twist at the end unfolds in the next book.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

i could not give this book a lower rating than 5 stars. it was so so so good! the characters, the plot twists, etc. EVERYTHING y’all. wow. another masterpiece by one of my favorite authors :)

hyacinth and fleck…awwwww. i was cheering for them the whole time. from that moment he came to the shop early…i knew there was something there. they are so cute together! 🥰

okay daisy blillick i see you. that plot twist…did not see that. girl was the foree this whole time?? what?!

let me just say, the whole story line..? that is a masterpiece in itself. this book is an amazing creation.

no. i refuse to believe that sprite is dead. i refuse to. she cannot be. she has to still be alive. somehow. please. i was literally 🤏🏻 this close to crying. WHYYYYYYY

bro i’m still so confused about jaina and allen tho…what is um going on there? excuse me, can i please have some context for this? *cough cough*

and the cover… 👌 that watercolor is gorgeous!

oh yeah and HEROD? HE REALLY DID THAT??! well i guess that’s one way to test someone. poor girl tho. imagine getting sliced/stabbed by your boss…*shivers*

i probably have so much more to say about this INCREDIBLE book, but i can’t really think of anything else. i assure you, every single one of you, needs to read this. SO GOOD.

onto the next book…

~happy reading~

[Emily Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an avid reader I strongly recommended this book! it was so good, I couldn’t put it down! I’m very excited to read the next book to see how the story continues. I love how the author built the world and the pace of the book was perfect.

[Diane Helfrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!

What an experience to read a dystopian novel of what feels a breath away in our changing society. It’s like looking in a mirror to see our future on the current trajectory. The more I read, the more I didn’t want to stop as the characters and their relationships are quite engaging. There is enough unknown but foreshadowed to keep you turning pages! I love the way it ended and can’t wait to read how it develops in the next book.

[Aria Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast, fun dystopian future. Really enjoyable!