Welcome to my review stop on the RELIC blog tour, hosted by Rockstar Book Tours!
Title: RELIC
Author: Renee Collins
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: August 27th 2013
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Pages: 400
Blurb:
After a raging fire consumes her town and kills her parents, Maggie Davis is on her own to protect her younger sister and survive best she can in the Colorado town of Burning Mesa. In Maggie’s world, the bones of long-extinct magical creatures such as dragons and sirens are mined and traded for their residual magical elements, and harnessing these relics’ powers allows the user to wield fire, turn invisible, or heal even the worst of injuries.
Working in a local saloon, Maggie befriends the spirited showgirl Adelaide and falls for the roguish cowboy Landon. But when she proves to have a particular skill at harnessing the relics’ powers, Maggie is whisked away to the glamorous hacienda of Álvar Castilla, the wealthy young relic baron who runs Burning Mesa. Though his intentions aren’t always clear, Álvar trains Maggie in the world of relic magic. But when the mysterious fires reappear in their neighboring towns, Maggie must discover who is channeling relic magic for evil before it’s too late.
Relic is a thrilling adventure set in a wholly unique world, and a spell-binding story of love, trust, and the power of good.
Working in a local saloon, Maggie befriends the spirited showgirl Adelaide and falls for the roguish cowboy Landon. But when she proves to have a particular skill at harnessing the relics’ powers, Maggie is whisked away to the glamorous hacienda of Álvar Castilla, the wealthy young relic baron who runs Burning Mesa. Though his intentions aren’t always clear, Álvar trains Maggie in the world of relic magic. But when the mysterious fires reappear in their neighboring towns, Maggie must discover who is channeling relic magic for evil before it’s too late.
Relic is a thrilling adventure set in a wholly unique world, and a spell-binding story of love, trust, and the power of good.
***MY REVIEW***
Oh my goodness, where do I start? Well, I was truly and utterly captivated by RELIC. This book truly had it all. A smart and fierce heroine, a sexy cowboy, a mysterious Apache boy, magic, mystery, and intrigue! All thrown into in a brilliantly imagined world, set in an alternate Wild West where anything can happen, and magic comes from the bones of some of our favorote paranormal creatures!
The book takes off with a tension filled scene. Our heroine Maggie Davis's entire town, including her parents, is razed to the ground by a raging fire. She is then forced to find a way to support herself and her young sister Ella. This is not an easy thing to do for a sixteen year old girl in the 1800's Wild West! What she must do for them to survive catapults her into a world of danger and mystery, all surrounding the coveted "relics".
The charaters in this story were extremely well written. Love them or hate them, you definitely FEEL something for every single character in RELIC. There was not one important character in this book that I was not heavily invested in. I truly love when an author writes characters that evoke true emotion(whatever that emotion may be) in me while reading them, and this was definitely the case here.
The plot and pacing were spot-on! Every part of the story was perfectly developed, without causing any part of the story to drag whatsoever. I always felt that urgent need to keep flipping pages, well at the same time wanting to savor every word and moment.
The relationship between Landon(the cowbow) and Maggie was perfectly written. I don't want to give anything away, so I will just say that there is PLENTY of romance in Relic. I also loved the friendship between Maggie and Adelaide(the showgirl). Adelaide has such a hard life in the story, but she is also super funny and I really enjoyed reading the scenes she appeared in.
The writing is lush, descriptive, thrilling, and fit perfectly with the time period. Since this book is written in a first-person POV, not only the dialogue, but the writing as a whole has to sound like someone from the 1800's Wild West would speak. This is where I find that some writers of historical fantasy flop, but Renee Collins got it just right.
I am so glad that I got the chance to read an early copy of this book. It was magical in every sense of the word. You will be amazed by the way Collins creates a wholly new and exciting world of fantasy. Though I would LOVE a sequel or companion to RELIC, I will most definitely be picking up whatever Renee Collins writes next!
***MY RATING***
5/5 STARS
Purchase Links:
(Please note that these are my affiliate links. This means that I receive a very small percentage from book purchases using these links, which I use to help fund giveaways on the blog.)
(Please note that these are my affiliate links. This means that I receive a very small percentage from book purchases using these links, which I use to help fund giveaways on the blog.)
About the Author:
***Giveaway***
A signed copy of RELIC and a printed signed set of RELIC almanac pages. (U.S. ONLY)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tour Schedule:
8/30/2013- Notebook Sisters- Guest Post
Thanks so much for the review! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! :)
ReplyDeleteI loved the blurb and the review! This book looks exciting! Going on my TBL! kbinmich@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThis sounds pretty cool, I've always been fascinated by the Wild West and I love Weird West stories, too.
ReplyDeleteOooh, this book sounds fabulous! I love when history and magic blend together. Definitely on my TBR now! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway chance!
Woah, I'm glad to see that you liked this one so much! The Wild West is very intriguing. I can't wait to finally read this book. It sounds so amazing! Thanks for the great giveaway. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book, old western with a fantasy element, I will definitely read it!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds really good to me. I like both the setting and the characters, I'd love to win a copy. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good story. The colors of the cover are nice, too.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this!! Hope to win so i don't have to buy itXD
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great giveaway!! Good luck to everyone<3
I read this book and it was brilliant. I would love to have a copy to place on my bookshelf.
ReplyDeleteAwesome review this magical book looks and sounds like an amazing book thank you so much for the great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read Relic Renee, Congrats on your first book!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read. Thanks for the review and giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI have been super duper excited for this one! :D
ReplyDeleteLove books that surprise you and have it all! Excited to read this book! Thanks for sharing it and the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteLove your enthusiastic review!! Relic sounds like a unique mix of Wild West and magic with some great world building. Looking forward to checking it out. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI kind of went gaga over this book back when the cover was revealed, and proclaimed it my new most-anticipated read of the year...and I'm SO GLAD to hear that you loved it!! I just instinctively KNEW upon reading the synopsis that this book was basically written. for. me. (Thanks, Renee!! ;-)) I cannot wait to read it, and you can imagine how thrilled I was when I saw this post on your blog this morning. EEP!! Can you just tell everyone else now that they might as well not enter because I NEED this book?! No?? Is that too much?! ;D Thanks for the awesome review, I'm more excited than before for the book -- which I didn't think possible!!
ReplyDeleteWOO HOOO!!! I can't wait for this book!!!! a hot cowboy--- that's all I need haha. Great Review!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so good! Different and unique and I cannot wait to read it. Your review makes me even more excited for this one. And that cover is gorgeous! I love it!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Renee on the new release! Sounds awesome ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing with us. It is becoming clear to me that the more I read about Relic, the more I want to read it.
ReplyDeleteI love stories that take place in the wild west and this alternative version sounds really good!
ReplyDelete-Jen Haile
This sounds really great. And the cover is beautiful! I love the colors.
ReplyDeleteGreat review - I'm glad you loved it! This one has been on my TBR wishlist for a LONG time - I can't wait to read it! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the awesome giveaway!
Congrats to Renee Collins on the upcoming release of RELIC!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a good read. And I really like the cover.
Thanks for hosting the giveaway.
Thanks
ReplyDeleteIm looking forward to reading this!
ReplyDeleteWow this book sounds different but based on your review it sounds like it is really good so I will give it a try. Thanks for the review
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds really interesting! Definitely want to read it :)
ReplyDelete