Devastated by her father's brutal murder, seventeen-year-old Emily Bliss is determined to find his killers, even after everyone else has given up. As Emily attempts to follow their trail, she encounters a mysterious stranger at a party. Beneath his handsome looks, physical prowess, vast wealth, intimidating presence and hypnotizing eyes, she can sense that he is tormented by demons that she cannot yet fathom. Soon Emily is shocked yet thrilled to realize that she is falling uncontrollably in love with him to the point of obsession. But an early birthday gift Emily's father left for her has revealed secrets about her life, buried centuries ago, that will hurl her into a dark underworld that she never dreamed existed and point to a great destiny awaiting her, if only she can survive long enough to seize it... EXTRAORDINARILY SUSPENSEFUL, THE WELL OF MANY WORLDS IS AN EPIC TALE OF LOVE, MAGIC, DESTINY AND OBSESSION.
Hello, and thank-you for stopping by. About twenty-seven years ago I saw graffiti on a brick wall declaring that "Humpty Dumpty Was Pushed." I knew then I had found the title to the book I wanted to write; I did not know just how long it would take. In the winter of 2008, Humpty Dumpty Was Pushed arrived and ever since has been adding a little joy and laughter into the world. I hope you have a chance to read one of the 22 short stories. You'll have to decide for yourself, is Chicken Little right? Was his best friend "eggsassinated"? Feel free to drop me a line, and certainly feel free to tell a friend, a neighbour, even a stranger about Humpty Dumpty Was Pushed. You can help ensure that Humpty's death was not in vain.
This sounded such a good premise and I really wanted to enjoy this much more than I did, unfortunately I struggled with this. It’s very slow to start, I couldn’t connect with the characters and I found the pacing off. It was a struggle to finish. Not for me sadly.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
*thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this free copy in exchange for an honest review*
I wanted to like this book. I really did. The synopsis and the cover drew me in but the content just couldn’t deliver. The pacing is a bit strange and it just didn’t hold my attention.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I know at first I was confused on whether or not vampires were going to be a major part of this novel because the synopsis didn't explicitly say VAMPIRES HERE. But then again, I should have known from the description, right? That's my bad.
So this book was definitely interesting, and I'm excited to read the second one when it comes out. There were certain parts of this book that I felt moved a little too fast, where it didn't seem to flow the right way, but for me it didn't stop me from comprehending what was going on. Thank goodness, because I really did want to like this book and it didn't disappoint.
I always find it interesting when male authors write about a female protagonist. For me, it was interesting in this novel because of the way Emily decided that she was going to stop being a nice girl. It seemed so fast, and definitely not something that I would have done if I was in her shoes. She got bold real fast, almost out of spite. I feel like a 180-degree personality change was a little hard to believe, at least right away.
I really liked the concept of vampires in this novel, since they weren't just creatures that originated from our own Earth. Possible spoiler, so I won't say too much on that. It's always hard to find something unique to incorporate on a subject that became so popular that it felt like every other book was about vampires. Don't get me wrong: I love a good vampire novel, so I don't mind the tons of books out there. But when it's always the same origin story and whatnot, it can get a little redundant. This one, however, was definitely different and one I hadn't seen before now.
All in all, I liked this book. It had a lot of great potential and I can see myself reading the sequel in the future. Give it a try!
Emily is grieving her father’s death. She can’t believe that the police can’t find out who killed her father. She decides to investigate and find out for herself who killed her dad. Will she discover who killed her father? She is surprised by an imp who tells Emily that she comes from another world. Her birth world uses magic as we use technology. Her parents were forced to do a ritual to have a demon put inside her. Emily wants the demon out before she becomes a demon. The imp tells her they need to find the artifact called “well of the worlds” so she can go back to her world to get an exorcism. Will she find it? Since his death, Emily has been having dreams of an exceptionally handsome man. She has been having this dream for several nights and can’t stop thinking of him. She wishes he were real. She and her best friend go to a bar/dance place that is having a Halloween party for all ages. While her friend is dancing, Emily goes to stand by the wall. (She had decided to be a vampire with fangs.) As she walks to the wall, she sees a guy standing at the wall by himself. She discovers that he is the man in her dreams. He is dressed as a vampire. Is he a vampire? Will she tell him about her dream?
This is a novel that is much more than meets the eye. It is suspenseful, mysterious and isn’t what I expected. It’s a great first novel for this series. It has something for everyone and I enjoyed the story due to the monsters, magic, and a little romance. I enjoyed this novel and can’t wait to read the next one!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
The premise and the cover of this novel are absolutely intriguing and beautiful!
However, neither of these things delivered when it came to the story itself. While I really wanted to like Emily and Mitchell, their characters just did not resonate with me. The connection between the characters rang a bit false, and this was not helped by the awkward pacing. I loved the history that unfolded and the way in which it was presented, and it made me wish that the novel had lived up to the way these tidbits were presented.
Switching between present day and centuries past could have been executed beautifully, and I appreciate the author for attempting such an undertaking. However, the constant/too-frequent switching between time periods, paired with a story that just didn't quite hold its own, made the read less enjoyable than it should have been. If these bits of the story had been spaced out a bit more, I definitely would have been happier with this story.
Overall, this novel just felt a bit strange and uncomfortable/awkward.
This book sounded so so good and interesting that I really wanted to enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the cover. Unfortunately, the book was very slow in the beginning which, to me, is a really big deal. If the book begins really slow, I usually cannot get into it. I need something to catch my attention and nothing did here. The characters were awkward in a way that made ME feel awkward so I could not connect with them like I had hoped to. I only finished about 30% of the book before I had to put it down—I have not been able to pick it back up.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley in lieu of an honest review.
As soon as I read the blurb I knew I wanted to read this book. While the start was slow, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. After a handful of chapters, I was hooked. Emily is an "unlikable" character. Which is to say that I enjoyed how the author created her, but I wouldn't want to spend time with someone so self-absorbed. There was just something about her that made her feel like a REAL person. I debated on 4.5 stars or 5, but in the end I went with 5 because something about this story just stuck with me for days after. *copy provided via netgalley
I’m not sure why I finished this book. I suppose I was curious what will be the end but hmm...it didn’t deliver. Emily annoyed me to no end. What a stupid, shallow girl who can’t see past her so-called desire for some abs and handsome face. What was interesting was the abilities of the vampires, I really liked those but the vampires themselves not so much. I couldn’t detect any depth to any of the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.
I tried to get into this and I just couldn't. I have difficulty with men writing from the view of a woman/teenaged girl anyhow but that wasn't even my problem. It was like every sci-fi AND fantasy trope was put into one book and I just didn't get it at all. I hope you find your audience, but as someone who loves sci-fi, fantasy and romance, I'm still not that person apparently.
E-Arc provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Okay, call me shallow but I'm loving this cover so freaking much! Guess what? The cover does NOT match the content so well.
It is quite weird at the beginning and slow-paced but once I've got around page 100 and still nothing happened. The characters also lack development unfortunately
Love the cover. Love the story idea. The pace needs major improvement! For a story that delves into the ever dynamic world of fantasy with a teen as a lead character, I'll say I started reading this, was disappointed by the slow pace and set it aside and came to it later because I love to finish a story. Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
Emily Bliss can't help but recall her last moments with her father, and the argument that caused her to walk out of the house and not look back. Full of grief, she is determined to discover the truth about his murder and why he left a mysterious antique desk as a gift to her for her 18th Birthday before he died. When she begins to have strange dreams about a golden-bronze haired young man before getting attacked by a demon every night, she can't help but think there is more to this than just a reoccurring nightmare. When dangerous men who are in connection to her father's death show up at her house in search of something, nothing can prepare her more when a small green wicked imp saves her and completely turns her life upside down, introducing her into a world of magic, lies and an unwanted destiny.
My Thoughts
You know what, I actually really enjoyed this book! I'm surprised because I didn't know what to expect from it. The story was captivating from the preface when Emily found herself imagining what death was like as she stared into the face of a demon, instantly we latch onto the murder of her father, the peculiar desk he left her for her 18th birthday along with strange dreams about a mysterious golden-blonze haired young man with emerald eyes and a look of hunger. Well yeah, I was hooked. It wasn't the most well written story I've read, some parts felt broken and rushed which felt like an almost finished draft, but I was still keen to read more and I felt the author had so much potential. I absolutely loved the backstories incorporated which brought us right back to dates like 1563 in England where Mitchell first became a vampire and his promise for revenge, through to 1789 where we meet more of his journey as he becomes familiar with another fellow vampire and an adventure that will lead to his torment for hundreds of years, all the way through to the current day in 2020. It's filled with beautiful scenery, realistic settings and a Versailles masquerade ball I wish I was a part of at the start of the French revolution.
'Marie Antoinette's grand masquerade balls were legendary displays of decadence. The costumes and jewels on display were amongst the most glamorous in history. The young man stared about for a moment at his surroundings, enjoying the music. Performers and acrobats in outlandish costumes were everywhere, dancing and juggling amongst the noisy revelers. Aristocats, on the balconies above threw confetti down upon the hundreds of people swirling around on the polished floor below. Dozens of immense chandeliers hung above their heads, their crystals sparkling from the flickering flames of thousands of candles.'
I really liked the characters, the author did a great job with building up each one, even briefly for some, you really got to know them well enough to judge their nature. Some more surprising than others. The story was told from both perspectives of Emily and Mitchell which really brought depth into the story, especially with Mitchell's backstory with it's glimpses over the course of his vampire life. Emily was a great protagonist, even surrounded by composed ancient vampires, she didn't feel useless or too immature for her age but you knew she was still only a teenager meddling in dangerous situations. It was a good balance. Yeah she could have had a bit more emotion regarding the *SPOILERS* 'you're not from this world, you possess powers that will soon turn you into a demon unless you find this magical artefact that has been lost for decades, oh and also you're adopted and you're actually the rightful ruler of another world' stuff, but I'm content with it. Mitchell was a great additional protagonist, you really came to grasp his personality and demeanour. He's cool and composed until it comes to discussing his life's purpose to destroy his creator and find the mysterious Well. He's rich but doesn't come off as greedy, just as a comfortable requirement for spending hundreds of lonely years on earth, he went through the effort of buying back his childhood home for the memories.. even if that home happened to be a castle. He's driven but cool and collected which was a great aspect of his personality. However brief, I enjoyed his friendship with Sylvain, he made me chuckle a few times, he was a fantastic addition.
'"Is this a new world?" the man whispered, slowly sitting up and staring at his surroundings in awe. "Yes, in a way." The man rose to his feet, casually flipping his hair back as his strength returned. "Good. I was tiring of the old one." He laughed. "My name is Sylvain DeLune." He held out his hand. "Mitchell Keats. Pleased to meet you." They shook hands and Mitchell couldn't help but smile at the man's studied air of casual arrogance.'
Overall I really liked the story, it was a fantastic read and I'm keen to explore more works from Luke Metcalf. The second instalment was due to be realised Halloween 2019 but I can't seem to locate it which is a shame, as I hope to read more into The Well of Many Worlds!
I’m not sure why I finished this book. I suppose I was curious what will be the end but hmm...it didn’t deliver. Emily annoyed me to no end. What a stupid, shallow girl who can’t see past her so-called desire for some abs and handsome face. What was interesting was the abilities of the vampires, I really liked those but the vampires themselves not so much. I couldn’t detect any depth to any of the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.
The synopsis and the cover of this book drew me in from the start. But sadly that was the only thing that I really liked about this. Ok and I’m really really sorry to say that it wasn’t for me. Sorry.