Book Review: Any Witch Way by Annastaysia Savage

Book Review For:
Any Witch Way by Annastaysia Savage
Publish Date: April 8, 2011
Publisher: JournalStone
Book Format: Paperback, pp 186

Enduring the teasing and ridicule of her school mates, Sadie struggles through life as a pre-teen on the eve of her 13th birthday. Three years ago, a car crash took her mother, but Sadie never saw her body. She refuses to believe her mother is really gone. Holding fast to that feeling earns her the nickname "Crazy Sadie."

Despite her one wish to be normal, Sadie only finds solace with a small group of unusual characters. These unlikely friends give her a “semi-normal” life outside of school in a bookstore where strange and mystical things seem to happen. In fact, if Sadie entertains her deepest suspicions, her friends are a little mystical.

When her birthday arrives however, Sadie finds herself whisked into a magical world that swirls just under the surface of normal, everyday life. Not only does she learn she’ll soon become a witch, but she also discovers she must battle The Syndicate to save her new world.

Faced with fantastical encounters, unexplainable transformations, and startling fears, Sadie struggles against an unknown evil – all while searching for her real identity.

*Taken from Goodreads

I would genuinely like to thank Christopher C. Payne over at JournalStone for the opportunity to read this book in advance. It was a very fun, mystical, quest from the moment I started reading it and a delight. I suggest you pick up a copy of it for yourself, if you haven’t yet.

First of all, the cover of this book is just so incredibly pretty and has a very whimsical feel to it. It’s sure to draw an eye or two. Plus, it’s just pretty and so much fun and shows you right away that the book is sure to be filled with some pretty off-the-wall funny and fantastical characters. This is definitely a book that will not let the reader down.

The main character, Sadie, is an orphaned girl about to turn thirteen on Halloween, trying as best she can to find her own sense of “normal.” From the beginning reader’s see that she is picked on and sort of bullied in school, that she’s grappling with losing her mother at such a young age, and having to deal with being shuffled from foster home to foster home never really feeling as if she fits in quite as well as she hopes to.

It is an easy read to get through and the main character herself is quite relatable. Often times, I found myself identifying with her need to fit in, just be as normal as she can, and find her place - that niche where she belongs and can be herself. The lessons in self-confidence interwoven subtly into the storyline, is one that I think most young adults as well as younger kids themselves would benefit from paying attention to.

I ached for Sadie; wanting her mom back because that’s what anyone would want who had experienced a loss that great in their young life. It was nice to see her relationship with Mrs. Felis become so meaningful and important to her and to also see how the older woman in turn, cared deeply about her and her well being.

I found it to be engaging and interesting, watching Sadie find out that she was going to become a witch and the greater epic battle between good vs. evil that she would have to be involved with. The Syndicate arc was very well written and developed and the villains were both entertaining and believable at best. Plus those two gnomes were just absolutely hilarious and quite possibly my favorite character’s from the book, with Grimm being a close second.

I would definitely encourage younger kids and tweens to pick up a copy of this book, as it is a very fun and light easy read. The mystical creatures are both well developed and endearing, the main character is easily relatable, and the story itself is just nothing short of whimsical and fun. The book possesses this sort of aura that kind of transports you back to your own childhood, if you let it.

Sometimes it’s fun to just the moment sweep you away and get caught up in the story between the pages. So, I have no problem giving this book four stars easily.

Go on, go out and get your own copy. You will not be disappointed.

#001: Follow Me Friday & Book Blogger Hop

F.O.L.L.O.W. M.E. F.R.I.D.A.Y.
This week's spotlight is on:



I was turned onto to her blog, through Parajunkee and Embrace Your Oddities and let me tell you, her blog is super fantastic. No, really. It is and you should check it out. And so, to honor how awesomely fierce her blog is, from one super fierce lady to the next here's Britney with a song.



Of course this amazing concept of meeting new people, making new friends, and finding more awesome blogs to follow is brought to you by the ultra-fabulous and incredibly talented Rachel via PARAJUNKEE VIEW.

To get in on the fun, all you have to do is follow this link by clicking on the button below:



And viola! Easy as pie. :)

Now onto the goods. This week's question is:

How did you come up with your blog name?

Sometimes, I have so much to say that I just can't find the words to really say what I'm feeling or thinking, or well maybe more like find the "right" words to convey my thoughts because they're too personal or life stuff is way too painful to want to say it out loud. So, a soul unsung, is like something that I feel like I carry around with me a lot. I mean, it's not always so easy for me to just put myself out there, sometimes. So, I keep things to myself, I harbor deep thought provoking feelings that I just can't say. Not that I don't want to, but can't because my soul feels burdened and even though taking some of the weight off of it would help, I still can't find myself doing that. And besides, if I can't say it perfectly the way that I want to, then maybe it doesn't really need to be spoken aloud.

Happy Birthday, Book Blogger!
Happy Happy Birthday to you,
To you.



Little sidenote before we start, I kinda love that I chose to celebrate my first time Book Hopping with it's one year anniversary. How awesome is that?! TOO MUCH! :D

And the question of the week hails all the way from Somer over @ A Bird's Eye View.

Do you read only one book at a time, or do you have several going at once?

This is hilarious, because I was just asking my mom the other day "how do you read more than one book at a time?" Because, this I just cannot comprehend. It's just too hard for me to concentrate and yet, here I am a virtual contradictory of what I just said. Because, a.) I'm currently some pages into a review read Any Witch Way (won't be released officially until April 8, 2011) and also Beautiful Creatures and I am already getting super duper confused. lol.

So, yeah...go figure. lol.

And so now that I've done my part and shared with you, it's your turn. Share please?! :)

#001: Thoughtful Thursday Nights

Behind the books, lies the heart of a geek. For anyone who knows me, knows this is pretty much true facts. I'm tired tonight and it's late and I've been extremely un-productive as far as keeping this blog up and reading goes.

Or well, that may not be entirely true at all. I did start reading Beautiful Creatures late last night and I have managed to read about 25 pages on Any Witch Way by Annastaysia Savage. So far, it's really cute and totally geared for the younger "younger adults," but Sadie (the main character) is really sort of relatable. I will be posting the review for it on April 8th, since that's the day that it's being released. So, if you have younger kids or any nieces/nephews and they enjoy reading, this is definitely the book for them.

And I still have to read Chris Tusa's, Dirty Little Angels and review it. I finally received an email from him with the coupon for the e-book. Sometime within the next month, I will busy myself with doing and writing up the review. I've heard a mixed bag of things about it and glimpsed a few various different reviews, but I still think I'm gonna go into it with optimism and give it a chance to impress me.

It's just really been a blergh day. Didn't start out good at all, because I missed General Hospital (18 years and I've NEVER missed an episode of that show) and today I missed it in the middle of all the big stuff going down, because some worker crew was out my way and accidentally cut the cable line. So, yep, you guessed it. No cable and no internet, since I get my internet through my cable provider and it didn't come back until 3p, which is after General Hospital which comes on at 2p.

Guess it'll be me and Hulu, when I get the chance to catch up.

Oh and I wanted to say welcome to the new followers out there and let you know how wonderful I think you guys all are. I've been fortunate to meet some really awesome people and have them follow me, as I follow them. So, yeah...welcome and it's been a pleasure getting to know you, oh and thanks for all off the feedback and the wonderful comments. At some point, I'd like to hold a giveaway, but it will be when I can actually afford it. Like maybe in a few months, when I reach a milestone my number of followers or something like that.

So, anyone have any ideas on stuff I could give away? Like, ya know $10 gift cards (Barnes&Noble, Amazon, etc.), types of journals, notebooks, pens, a booklight, bookmarks, a book of sorts (young adult genre of course). I would love all the suggestions/feedback I could get, as I'm just starting out and trying to get my blog off the ground.

And there you have it, straight from the trailer geek's trashy mouth.

Stay tuned for more "thoughtful thursday night's," next week. :)

xoxo,
a soulunsung