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Xander Chase #1
Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code
Lilly Honey Star is a 15-year-old like no other; she is the sole survivor of a mass murder and is suspected of being the half-mad murderess. Detective Stacy has her doubts about Lilly’s guilt, and when a stranger starts asking bizarre questions, she—along with Lilly—is pulled into the core of the case, which is bigger and more dangerous than they could have ever imagined.
Xander Chase, the angel of death and judiciary of spirits, is on the case. Desperate to make his father, Death himself, proud, Xander must unravel the perilous lies and deceit that’s spread through the realms of sinister creatures, before the murderer’s eye turns on him.
Xander Chase, the angel of death and judiciary of spirits, is on the case. Desperate to make his father, Death himself, proud, Xander must unravel the perilous lies and deceit that’s spread through the realms of sinister creatures, before the murderer’s eye turns on him.
196 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 27, 2018
7 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Carrie Weston
14 books80 followersWriter of;
#Romance PNR / Small town / Dark
#DarkFantasy Fairy Tales / Mystery /Crime
#YALIT
#Horror 18+
Twisted, paranormal thrillers with romantic veins!
#Fantasylovers #fiction #yalit #yalovers #ebook #yabookshelf #ya #creatures #mythology #folklaw #otherrealms #fairys #fae #angels #unicorns #witches #pnr #paranormalreads #paranormal #ghosts #faequeen #booklovers #booktok #bookstagram #bookworms #bookwyrms #bookdragons #bookshelf #freebie #freeebook #magicbooks #magic #thriller #bookclub #yabookclub
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
September 22, 2020
3.5 actually, wasn't sure which way to round!
I won a giveaway copy from the author and really enjoyed this book as a paranormal / murder mystery mashup.
Xander Chase is the leading angel of death, and he's on the case of a mass murder investigation. A group of similarly dressed 50-somethings are all found stabbed to death near a river... But why? Xander meets unicorns, doublicorns, leprechauns, fae, angels of good, light, and Death himself in this murder mystery / paranormal mashup
I enjoyed it quite a bit as a fast paced read. Death is truly a jerk and the unicorn lore seems pretty unique, with a shifter standpoint. I liked Lilly and Stacy the detective, as well as all the side characters. Banter and hot guys are always good elements.
I would have liked to know more about the unicorn code. The code of conduct/rules are alluded to a few times and parts are mentioned, just seeing as it's the title piece I'd love to know a little more. Going forward in the series I think it'll be more about Xander and Stacey though.
The end also threw a lot of the age appropriateness of the book out the window - trust me its nothing that kids don't hear on the school bus but the book went from PG13 with a murder scene to swearing and sexual references like, real quick.
I'm definitely looking out for book 2 though, the book kept me interested and I read it in two sittings!
I won a giveaway copy from the author and really enjoyed this book as a paranormal / murder mystery mashup.
Xander Chase is the leading angel of death, and he's on the case of a mass murder investigation. A group of similarly dressed 50-somethings are all found stabbed to death near a river... But why? Xander meets unicorns, doublicorns, leprechauns, fae, angels of good, light, and Death himself in this murder mystery / paranormal mashup
I enjoyed it quite a bit as a fast paced read. Death is truly a jerk and the unicorn lore seems pretty unique, with a shifter standpoint. I liked Lilly and Stacy the detective, as well as all the side characters. Banter and hot guys are always good elements.
I would have liked to know more about the unicorn code. The code of conduct/rules are alluded to a few times and parts are mentioned, just seeing as it's the title piece I'd love to know a little more. Going forward in the series I think it'll be more about Xander and Stacey though.
The end also threw a lot of the age appropriateness of the book out the window - trust me its nothing that kids don't hear on the school bus but the book went from PG13 with a murder scene to swearing and sexual references like, real quick.
I'm definitely looking out for book 2 though, the book kept me interested and I read it in two sittings!
September 30, 2020
“Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code” is a creative fantasy with humans, angels, witches, fae, unicorns and more. There are elements of the Pied Piper and other fairy tales woven into an original, intricate plot with excellent twists. The characters change believably with the story; an angel that I initially disliked grew into an appealing character.
The writing is solid, clean, and descriptive. “She smiled wickedly, her five-inch heels stabbing at the pavement in time with her venomous thoughts.” Well done!
The writing is solid, clean, and descriptive. “She smiled wickedly, her five-inch heels stabbing at the pavement in time with her venomous thoughts.” Well done!
April 17, 2021
I didn’t really know what to expect from this. The book starts with a young girl being lured by beautiful music into a forest, where other children are gathering around a mysterious man who leads them to the river. As one by one they disappear beneath the water, Lilly manages to escape, but that’s only the start of it.
We next learn there’s been a mass murder, and that’s where Detective Stacy comes in. I didn’t care for her at first, as her attitude, and that of her colleagues, seemed curiously flippant when surrounded by tragedy.
The story twists and turns, and we are next introduced to Xander Chase, an angel of Death, and his brother, Gallilee. Again, Xander didn’t seem to have a lot of empathy at first, and I found it difficult to like him for a good proportion of the book.
Also, there is a surprising amount of gore, also unexpected, but for me, that added an intriguing piquancy to the plot, which was bold, with angels, Fae, unicorns and a teenaged girl trying to make sense of a personal tragedy. Anyone thinking unicorns are these gorgeous, sparkly creatures who poop rainbows can forget it. They have evil counterparts, Doublicorns, who are troublesome in the extreme. This was a fantastic, dangerous world weaved from the author’s imagination, where all the normal rules are broken. The angels talk like chippy twenty-somethings, the unicorns are murderous – nothing is as it seems.
Lilly, the girl the story centres around, is wonderful. Thank God for a YA book without yet another mouthy teenager. She is vulnerable, sweet yet strong. She was my favourite character by far.
Finally, there were some issues with the formatting, which the author may well have fixed by the time this is published, and there were some overused phrases. “Obisidian wing” jumped out on more than two occasions. Also, some of the characters roared, raged and shouted a few too many times, making them seem a touch histrionic in places.
These issues aside, I enjoyed the story, thought it was fun, and led neatly to the next book. Xander Chase, once he had matured a bit, was a solid main character, and I loved how an Angel of Death was the good guy. His relationship with his brother was touching, and I was intrigued by the hint of romance at the end. All in all, a terrific story.
We next learn there’s been a mass murder, and that’s where Detective Stacy comes in. I didn’t care for her at first, as her attitude, and that of her colleagues, seemed curiously flippant when surrounded by tragedy.
The story twists and turns, and we are next introduced to Xander Chase, an angel of Death, and his brother, Gallilee. Again, Xander didn’t seem to have a lot of empathy at first, and I found it difficult to like him for a good proportion of the book.
Also, there is a surprising amount of gore, also unexpected, but for me, that added an intriguing piquancy to the plot, which was bold, with angels, Fae, unicorns and a teenaged girl trying to make sense of a personal tragedy. Anyone thinking unicorns are these gorgeous, sparkly creatures who poop rainbows can forget it. They have evil counterparts, Doublicorns, who are troublesome in the extreme. This was a fantastic, dangerous world weaved from the author’s imagination, where all the normal rules are broken. The angels talk like chippy twenty-somethings, the unicorns are murderous – nothing is as it seems.
Lilly, the girl the story centres around, is wonderful. Thank God for a YA book without yet another mouthy teenager. She is vulnerable, sweet yet strong. She was my favourite character by far.
Finally, there were some issues with the formatting, which the author may well have fixed by the time this is published, and there were some overused phrases. “Obisidian wing” jumped out on more than two occasions. Also, some of the characters roared, raged and shouted a few too many times, making them seem a touch histrionic in places.
These issues aside, I enjoyed the story, thought it was fun, and led neatly to the next book. Xander Chase, once he had matured a bit, was a solid main character, and I loved how an Angel of Death was the good guy. His relationship with his brother was touching, and I was intrigued by the hint of romance at the end. All in all, a terrific story.
December 9, 2020
This was such a fun read!! It reminded me of a time in my youth when unicorns and magic might actually be possible. The author really showcased her storytelling and her imagination was on full display. I loved that none of the characters ended up being what we thought, both physically and emotionally.
Xander is an Angel of Death who is doing all he can to prove to his father, Death himself, that he is a worthy successor. When he investigates a mass murder in the human realm, he finds a young girl accused of the crime. During his investigation, he and Lilly uncover truths about themselves as well as plots against them. It makes Xander question all he has tried to accomplish, as well as his inner feelings about becoming his father’s heir. As Lilly discovers her identity, we find ourselves transported to a land of magic—unicorns, fae, doublicorns, angels, and demons—and it’s fantastically amazing. However, as the story picks up I thought that there were so many magical creatures introduced that it got somewhat muddy and difficult to follow all the information provided. It seemed that rather than focusing on the characters pertinent to the main storyline, the author introduced characters to set up possible sequels (I hope there is a sequel!). Finally, I was expecting to find out more than we did about the Unicorn Code seeing as how the title of the book is “Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code.”
Overall, I truly enjoyed reading this book. I would have liked it to receive one final edit to remove some content areas that either didn’t add anything to the story or would have been better served in a sequel, as well as to clean up some parts where the author clearly fell in love with a word and used it way too many times in short spans. 4.5 rolled to 5 on review sites.
Xander is an Angel of Death who is doing all he can to prove to his father, Death himself, that he is a worthy successor. When he investigates a mass murder in the human realm, he finds a young girl accused of the crime. During his investigation, he and Lilly uncover truths about themselves as well as plots against them. It makes Xander question all he has tried to accomplish, as well as his inner feelings about becoming his father’s heir. As Lilly discovers her identity, we find ourselves transported to a land of magic—unicorns, fae, doublicorns, angels, and demons—and it’s fantastically amazing. However, as the story picks up I thought that there were so many magical creatures introduced that it got somewhat muddy and difficult to follow all the information provided. It seemed that rather than focusing on the characters pertinent to the main storyline, the author introduced characters to set up possible sequels (I hope there is a sequel!). Finally, I was expecting to find out more than we did about the Unicorn Code seeing as how the title of the book is “Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code.”
Overall, I truly enjoyed reading this book. I would have liked it to receive one final edit to remove some content areas that either didn’t add anything to the story or would have been better served in a sequel, as well as to clean up some parts where the author clearly fell in love with a word and used it way too many times in short spans. 4.5 rolled to 5 on review sites.
November 1, 2020
Before I found this book, I never was much interested in other worlds, in angels, demons or have me not. I did not know about the power of unicorns, faes and that there are curtains between worlds that some of us can walk through. With her wonderfully written story of Xander Chase and some people you could meet in the world we all can see and hear around us, Carrie Weston has changed that. Now I know about the hierarchy of angels, those dedicated to God and those dedicated to Death. I even learned that there are Unicorns with two horns, the so-called Doublicorns ... all I want to say is that this world of fantasy is created in such a way that even a cynic like me can fall into it and embrace these ideas in a way, that I am hoping the second instalment is coming soon. Totally loved it, totally loved the pace and the characters (even though some have wings ;)) and the way Carrie has with words.
This is a book for ... people who are into fantasy and parallel words, believers in angels and unicorns, but also those who simply feel like a different kind of thriller, a good story and are keen to read something with a fresh new feel.
This is a book for ... people who are into fantasy and parallel words, believers in angels and unicorns, but also those who simply feel like a different kind of thriller, a good story and are keen to read something with a fresh new feel.
January 23, 2020
I was fortunate to win a signed copy of this book from its lovely author!
As a debut, this was an adventurous and complex piece of writing to undertake. The story included a variety of strongly drawn characters and several twists and turns along the way. It was pacy and action packed. There is no doubt other than its author has a vivid imagination, and I can definitely see potential for a sequel. An enjoyable read!
The reason it lost a star for me was because at times there was too much unnecessary description.
As a debut, this was an adventurous and complex piece of writing to undertake. The story included a variety of strongly drawn characters and several twists and turns along the way. It was pacy and action packed. There is no doubt other than its author has a vivid imagination, and I can definitely see potential for a sequel. An enjoyable read!
The reason it lost a star for me was because at times there was too much unnecessary description.
April 15, 2021
Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code is a fast-paced action-packed fantasy ranging across angels, fairies, witches, unicorns and police procedurals. Along the way it touches on a range of issues relevant to its young adult target audience.
It grabs the reader from the start with a scene reminiscent of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, though much eerier and shading into horror. Unlike many books, it was impossible to predict where the plot was going to lead and it held my attention through all the twists and turns. I'll be interested to read book two to find out more!
There were some typos in the version I read, but they're going to be fixed.
It grabs the reader from the start with a scene reminiscent of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, though much eerier and shading into horror. Unlike many books, it was impossible to predict where the plot was going to lead and it held my attention through all the twists and turns. I'll be interested to read book two to find out more!
There were some typos in the version I read, but they're going to be fixed.
September 10, 2020
Book 90 of my Goodreads Challenge 2020
I did find this to be a rather dark and bloody story, with the gory details mentioned of the mass murder right at the beginning. Therefore I feel it is well suited for the older readers in the #YA category.
It is hard to write anything in this review without giving something away. All I can really say is - give it a go yourself.
I did find this to be a rather dark and bloody story, with the gory details mentioned of the mass murder right at the beginning. Therefore I feel it is well suited for the older readers in the #YA category.
It is hard to write anything in this review without giving something away. All I can really say is - give it a go yourself.
October 31, 2020
Due to connecting with Carrie, I had the delightful opportunity to meet Xander Chase, Lilly Honey Star and the rest of the characters in this great story. I would highly recommend it as I was drawn straight into their world the moment I started reading. It ended way too soon and has left me wanting more. Thank you Carrie and keep up the good work.
November 25, 2020
A fast-paced tale of death and deception, angels and demons, that will leave you breathless and gagging for more. Lilly is a teenage girl drawn from her bed by strange music into a weird world of wonder… and murder. What’s worse, she’s the prime suspect! Enter the mysterious Xander who is on a mission to find the true culprit and see justice served. If paranormal mystery is your thing, this should tick all the boxes. Recommended.
March 31, 2021
Action and adventure on every page from beginning to end. The story left me breathless at a few points, especially near the end. It has unicorns, angels and even a half leprechaun. This a fantastically dark tale that is obviously part of a wider series but would work well as a stand-alone novel too.
Great read, highly recommend.
Great read, highly recommend.
October 14, 2021
Wonderful!
Xander Chase and the Unicorn Corn was unlike any book I’ve ever read. It was one wild journey. Usually unicorns are shown to be these pretty, innocent creatures, but that’s not always the case in this story.
When a mass murder shakes both the paranormal snd mortal realms, Xander Chase must work alongside a human, woman detective to find out who killed all those kids and where their bodies went. When the only survivor of the horrible event is a 16 year old girl with a bloodline of secrets, things get even more complicated.
The imagery in here is amazing. Lots of blood, lots of battles, a little love, and a great plot.
Xander Chase and the Unicorn Corn was unlike any book I’ve ever read. It was one wild journey. Usually unicorns are shown to be these pretty, innocent creatures, but that’s not always the case in this story.
When a mass murder shakes both the paranormal snd mortal realms, Xander Chase must work alongside a human, woman detective to find out who killed all those kids and where their bodies went. When the only survivor of the horrible event is a 16 year old girl with a bloodline of secrets, things get even more complicated.
The imagery in here is amazing. Lots of blood, lots of battles, a little love, and a great plot.
October 2, 2021
Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code by Carrie Weston is an amazing feat of imagination with a strong plot. It has a vivid description and insights into characters thought process, I really enjoyed reading this pretty short book with memorable characters and fantastic storyline filled with thrill and unexpected twists and turns of events, many magical beings like Witches, Fae, Angels and Unicorn entered this story realm. It's a tale of revenge, ambition & love. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I must say Carrie's writing style is amazing, the way she created human world surrounded by magical realm is commendable also I highlighted many passages as they're so beautifully written. Imo, the cover doesn't do the justice to the story inside as the story is really captivating & full of shocking revelation, good world building accompanied by well written characters. Xander Chase stole my heart as soon as he made his first appearance & I liked siblings bond, brothers sweet rivalry. Also, Lily is a very believable character, just 15 yo & caught up within the webs of lies & half known truths she truly kept the story alive. I mostly enjoyed Xander's investigation of the mass murder whereas Stacy also did a great job. In a nutshell, it's a short (196 pages) magical read.
January 26, 2021
This book has an amazing start – I was both intrigued by the story and hooked by the writing style of the author as Lilly is captivated by nearby music and must follow it, potentially to her doom.
The story pivots around young Lilly, the sole survivor of a mass murder who is suspected of being the culprit, and Xander, a death angel who must protect Lilly from both the police in the human world and more sinister powers in other realms, such as his own Father, Death himself.
As Lilly tries to figure out what’s happened, she’ll slowly learn to rely upon Xander, who will start as a reluctant, dubious saviour but grow fond of Lilly as the story unfolds.
Xander is a well-written character who has much conflict about his purpose – on one hand he wants to please his father and surrender to the status quo but on the other, knows their relationship is estranged at best. If anything, his father wants him ‘out of the way’ and deep down, he’s aware of this. His relationships with humans are equally complex.
I enjoyed the investigation by Stacy, another central character who wants to get to the truth about what happened. Another key character is Blaze, Lilly’s biological mother who was always doomed to become a monster it seems. You can’t help but wonder if Lilly will face the same risk of becoming corrupted later in life – though you hope that won’t happen. There’s a big reveal about Lilly that I won’t mention but I thought it was great ‘slight of hand’ by the writer, well-plotted and nicely pulled-off. Let’s just say there’s more to her than what meets the eye.
The ending has a lovely twist that’s well-played. I wish the author foreshadowed it earlier in the book so it wasn’t a surprise – however it came across as both clever and plausible. There’s nothing worse than the climax of a story not making sense or coming across as unbelievable. I really enjoyed how it was handled and cheered Xander on. It was pleasing to see rules being established in the story that even the most powerful of antagonists had to abide by.
In terms of lore, e.g. unicorns, leprechauns etc. I’m no expert but there were no howlers or things that stood out for the wrong reasons. The concept of the ‘Doublicorns’ was new to me, though I now know they exist in fantasy RPGs. I thought background for the concept in the story was deftly handled – plenty of context rather than throwing more character types into the mix unexpectedly.
The only criticisms are minor – I’d like to have seen both Blaze and Stacy get more time in the book – they were intriguing for different reasons. However Xandar and Lilly really are the duel protagonists so it’s hard to give every character arc the time you’d like in a story. I also struggled to understand the motivation for a minor character confronting Blaze – the ending of that encounter was true-to-type for Blaze but hard to understand what would motivate the confrontation in the first place. These are small things that didn’t detract from the pleasure provided by the story.
While the immediate loose ends are all wrapped up by the end of the story (very important - another thing done right) there’s much more you will ponder - I suspect this is the writer’s way of leaving things open for a sequel one day. I enjoyed this story and if you like interesting character-driven fantasy fiction set in well-imagined places, I think you will too.
The story pivots around young Lilly, the sole survivor of a mass murder who is suspected of being the culprit, and Xander, a death angel who must protect Lilly from both the police in the human world and more sinister powers in other realms, such as his own Father, Death himself.
As Lilly tries to figure out what’s happened, she’ll slowly learn to rely upon Xander, who will start as a reluctant, dubious saviour but grow fond of Lilly as the story unfolds.
Xander is a well-written character who has much conflict about his purpose – on one hand he wants to please his father and surrender to the status quo but on the other, knows their relationship is estranged at best. If anything, his father wants him ‘out of the way’ and deep down, he’s aware of this. His relationships with humans are equally complex.
I enjoyed the investigation by Stacy, another central character who wants to get to the truth about what happened. Another key character is Blaze, Lilly’s biological mother who was always doomed to become a monster it seems. You can’t help but wonder if Lilly will face the same risk of becoming corrupted later in life – though you hope that won’t happen. There’s a big reveal about Lilly that I won’t mention but I thought it was great ‘slight of hand’ by the writer, well-plotted and nicely pulled-off. Let’s just say there’s more to her than what meets the eye.
The ending has a lovely twist that’s well-played. I wish the author foreshadowed it earlier in the book so it wasn’t a surprise – however it came across as both clever and plausible. There’s nothing worse than the climax of a story not making sense or coming across as unbelievable. I really enjoyed how it was handled and cheered Xander on. It was pleasing to see rules being established in the story that even the most powerful of antagonists had to abide by.
In terms of lore, e.g. unicorns, leprechauns etc. I’m no expert but there were no howlers or things that stood out for the wrong reasons. The concept of the ‘Doublicorns’ was new to me, though I now know they exist in fantasy RPGs. I thought background for the concept in the story was deftly handled – plenty of context rather than throwing more character types into the mix unexpectedly.
The only criticisms are minor – I’d like to have seen both Blaze and Stacy get more time in the book – they were intriguing for different reasons. However Xandar and Lilly really are the duel protagonists so it’s hard to give every character arc the time you’d like in a story. I also struggled to understand the motivation for a minor character confronting Blaze – the ending of that encounter was true-to-type for Blaze but hard to understand what would motivate the confrontation in the first place. These are small things that didn’t detract from the pleasure provided by the story.
While the immediate loose ends are all wrapped up by the end of the story (very important - another thing done right) there’s much more you will ponder - I suspect this is the writer’s way of leaving things open for a sequel one day. I enjoyed this story and if you like interesting character-driven fantasy fiction set in well-imagined places, I think you will too.
October 20, 2019
A journey that begins in the human world will sweep you into the Heavens, carry you to the realm of the Fae, and plunge you into the depths of Death himself. Author, Carrie Weston, skillfully weaves the threads of parallel stories into a single tapestry revealing the inner workings of the dimensions that lay just beyond the veil through which only we mere mortals cannot see.
Lilly Honey Star is a simple, innocent girl whose life is turned upside down when she answers the siren call of a beautiful midnight melody. In the days and weeks that follow she learns that her life is not what she has thought it to be, and that the world around her is so much bigger, and scarier, then she ever could have imagined.
Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code is Fantasy Mystery reading at its best. It is a thrilling, fast paced who-done-it filled with interesting and believable characters, set in fascinating and imaginative scenery. I would recommend this book to any reader who enjoys either a good mystery, or a world of fantasy. If you are like me, and you enjoy both then this is a must have for your library. And Carrie Weston is definitely an author to follow. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
Lilly Honey Star is a simple, innocent girl whose life is turned upside down when she answers the siren call of a beautiful midnight melody. In the days and weeks that follow she learns that her life is not what she has thought it to be, and that the world around her is so much bigger, and scarier, then she ever could have imagined.
Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code is Fantasy Mystery reading at its best. It is a thrilling, fast paced who-done-it filled with interesting and believable characters, set in fascinating and imaginative scenery. I would recommend this book to any reader who enjoys either a good mystery, or a world of fantasy. If you are like me, and you enjoy both then this is a must have for your library. And Carrie Weston is definitely an author to follow. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
April 23, 2020
Lilly Honey, the lone survivor of mass murder, turned suspect is the focal point of this story, along with Detective Stacy and Xander Chase. Xander Chase is on a mission to make his father, Death, proud. Through the eyes of these 3 characters, the story seamlessly crosses from the "real" world to the supernatural to figure out who the perpetrator of the mass murdered was.
The story grabbed my attention early on and kept it with the twists and turns that occurred as the plot developed. Heaven. Hell. Fae. Angels There was so much to take in. Weston did a good job with character building and plot development. The story moved along at a fast pace and was flooded with descriptive imagery that helped Weston skillfully create this world of dark fantasy and mystery. If there was one drawback for me, it would be that in an effort to completely immerse you in this world, the descriptions got a bit wordy. All in all, this was a good read that I would recommend.
The story grabbed my attention early on and kept it with the twists and turns that occurred as the plot developed. Heaven. Hell. Fae. Angels There was so much to take in. Weston did a good job with character building and plot development. The story moved along at a fast pace and was flooded with descriptive imagery that helped Weston skillfully create this world of dark fantasy and mystery. If there was one drawback for me, it would be that in an effort to completely immerse you in this world, the descriptions got a bit wordy. All in all, this was a good read that I would recommend.
May 23, 2020
I want to say upfront that I enjoyed this book. It is worth reading, the mix of fae, angels, and our modern world is fascinating. The tale of a teenager discovering she is not what she seems and the world is larger then she could know is ground that many a book as covered but it feels fresh enough that the story is not stale.
Yet, there are issues with the text. It feels like it could do with another edit and the whole book needs reformatting. The text doesn’t flow right, with inconsistent use of white space.
An example where an edit is needed was there were too many sentences that started with the same word in a row. In one paragraph, I must have counted six sentences that all started with she, I found that distracting.
If you can look through these issues then there is a good core of a story to be found, I think you do need to know just what you are getting into before reading it. This won’t be for everyone for lots of reasons, but that said, I did enjoy it.
Yet, there are issues with the text. It feels like it could do with another edit and the whole book needs reformatting. The text doesn’t flow right, with inconsistent use of white space.
An example where an edit is needed was there were too many sentences that started with the same word in a row. In one paragraph, I must have counted six sentences that all started with she, I found that distracting.
If you can look through these issues then there is a good core of a story to be found, I think you do need to know just what you are getting into before reading it. This won’t be for everyone for lots of reasons, but that said, I did enjoy it.
June 9, 2019
Overall, Xander Chase and the Unicorn by Carrie Weston was a fun and entertaining story. The plot was well developed as were the characters. Starting from the beginning of the story when we are introduced to one of the main characters Lilly we see that all is not what it appears to be. The plot immediately gets underway with a mass massacre of people with both the police and another main character Xander investigation. During the investigation of what should have been a simple murder investigation, the investigation turns to be anything but. From the beginning of the story to the end where Xander does find some redemption the reader is constantly being surprised with new information and not for sure knowing how the plot is going until the end is a sure good way to keep a reader interested through and through. Great book by Carrie Weston and I would definitely recommend a read.
June 22, 2019
Well that was bloody good.
Have read many kinds of books, but this one has made me keep wanting to turn the page.
Death is such a mean old bastard.
Each character held their piece of the book, wanting you to turn the page to see what happens to them.
Some pieces are very sad, others you see the internal struggle with their own demons.
Can’t wait for the next instalment.
Have read many kinds of books, but this one has made me keep wanting to turn the page.
Death is such a mean old bastard.
Each character held their piece of the book, wanting you to turn the page to see what happens to them.
Some pieces are very sad, others you see the internal struggle with their own demons.
Can’t wait for the next instalment.
January 4, 2019
Enjoyable read looking forward to the next
I read this because the author is local to me and I love fantasy fiction. This certainly did not disappoint! I will be looking out for the next instalment!
I read this because the author is local to me and I love fantasy fiction. This certainly did not disappoint! I will be looking out for the next instalment!
December 21, 2019
Fantastic crime thriller with lots of twists and turns. Not all is what it seems as you open your eyes to the realms beyond what you can see. Very much enjoyed this book, a must read for all fantasy fiction fans!
February 22, 2019
Great book..... Intriguing read with lots of unexpected twists and turns.
Fantastic characters and uniquely written.
Looking forward to the next book ♥️
Fantastic characters and uniquely written.
Looking forward to the next book ♥️
November 1, 2019
Great read, I loved following xanders adventure. Cant wait for the next one
August 3, 2021
A very good fantasy crime fiction featuring angels, unicorns and the realm of the fae.
October 27, 2024
Thank you to Carrie Weston for the Free Copy.
Plot 4/5
Characters 4.5/5
Ending 4/5
Interest 4/5
Overall 4/5
-This was a very solid 4. Nothing too extraordinary happened for it to be high but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The pacing was quite fast, kept things moving enough and the book was long enough to have intrigue and introduce everything but short enough for it not to drag on too much. I enjoyed the mystery aspect although I wish that there was more to it or just more things involved and more explanations.
-I quite liked the characters. Xander was definitely interesting from an Angel of death to a fallen one. Lilly was also quite sweet although I didn’t feel like she was flushed out enough. Stacy was nice enough but also not flushed out enough. Blaze was probably the most interesting character. She was very villanised but it made her perspective quite fun to read.
-In a way this could be a sort of standalone if it wanted it to be. The last chapter does open it up for a sequel and even though it doesn’t end perfectly well for very character it could have ended there. Although, with the openings, I would like to see them developed in the sequels.
Plot 4/5
Characters 4.5/5
Ending 4/5
Interest 4/5
Overall 4/5
-This was a very solid 4. Nothing too extraordinary happened for it to be high but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The pacing was quite fast, kept things moving enough and the book was long enough to have intrigue and introduce everything but short enough for it not to drag on too much. I enjoyed the mystery aspect although I wish that there was more to it or just more things involved and more explanations.
-I quite liked the characters. Xander was definitely interesting from an Angel of death to a fallen one. Lilly was also quite sweet although I didn’t feel like she was flushed out enough. Stacy was nice enough but also not flushed out enough. Blaze was probably the most interesting character. She was very villanised but it made her perspective quite fun to read.
-In a way this could be a sort of standalone if it wanted it to be. The last chapter does open it up for a sequel and even though it doesn’t end perfectly well for very character it could have ended there. Although, with the openings, I would like to see them developed in the sequels.
October 30, 2024
An Intriguing Supernatural Read - When Lilly wakes up from a strange dream where she is enthralled by a strange man playing a Viking horn, she wakes up in the middle of a bloody and brutal murder scene. Over 20 people have been killed and she is the only survivor making her the prime suspect. However this sudden murder of 20 souls attracts the angels attention and one of them, Xander, begrudgingly accepts to investigate it. Lilly’s life soon spirals out of control as she descends into a world of angels, witches, fairies and unicorns and she discovers things about herself that is too awesome to comprehend. This is rather enjoyable and exciting read perfect for young and older adults alike. After the ending I am eager to read more about Xander’s exploits.
January 8, 2019
What can I say …. this is the first book published by a very talented writer and im sure wont be the last. This book is amazing, I was gripped from the first chapter. It keeps the excitement going throughout the book leaving you guessing who is who, and what they are, lots of unexpected surprises and leaving you unable to put the book down. The main character Xander Chase is seriously cool and likeable. I, for one cannot wait to see what he is up to in the next book.
So people, if you are looking for a good read pick up a copy of this book and enjoy meeting Xander Chase.
Review written by Andrea Bufton
So people, if you are looking for a good read pick up a copy of this book and enjoy meeting Xander Chase.
Review written by Andrea Bufton
September 11, 2022
This was such a unique story that really had me eager to turn the page.
I can tell that even though this idea was original, that the Author has done ample research into different folk lores and fantasy creatures to build a fantastic world and story.
Witches. Fae. Unicorns. Angels. Humans.
I really enjoyed how everything tied in together and twisted around in the story until we finally saw the full picture.
The only thing I wanted more of, was there were some relationships in this that I think needed exploring more so that I could really invest in their side story.
But the ending has left me excited for book 2 which I cannot wait to start!
I can tell that even though this idea was original, that the Author has done ample research into different folk lores and fantasy creatures to build a fantastic world and story.
Witches. Fae. Unicorns. Angels. Humans.
I really enjoyed how everything tied in together and twisted around in the story until we finally saw the full picture.
The only thing I wanted more of, was there were some relationships in this that I think needed exploring more so that I could really invest in their side story.
But the ending has left me excited for book 2 which I cannot wait to start!
February 29, 2020
Carrie Weston creates both a fantastical and a crime atmosphere in Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code. She literally fly’s you with her heart’s open widening wings to unimaginable places, adventures and creatures you would never expect. The story has an amazing and thrilling start that involves your mind in a fast paced mix of genres, and full of many interesting characters. Inevitably captures your attention since page one; and if you want to find out which part of the story is your favorite, you have to read it now! It’ll leave you wondering and hoping if there will be a second installment.
December 4, 2021
Xander Chase and the Unicorn Code
This book has been on my to be read list for awhile now and it did not disappoint. I loved this book! Lily is 15 and the suspect for a mass murder, but she didn’t do it and even she is not sure what really happened she was just following along like the other children. The detectives all think she is guilty all except detective Stacy. They aren’t the only ones looking into the case so is Xander Chase, Angel of death, he’s supposed to be showing his father, death, that he is ready to take his place. What happens when these lives collide?
This book has been on my to be read list for awhile now and it did not disappoint. I loved this book! Lily is 15 and the suspect for a mass murder, but she didn’t do it and even she is not sure what really happened she was just following along like the other children. The detectives all think she is guilty all except detective Stacy. They aren’t the only ones looking into the case so is Xander Chase, Angel of death, he’s supposed to be showing his father, death, that he is ready to take his place. What happens when these lives collide?
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