Michelle Warren

Review also published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.com
eBook received from author for review.

In the much-awaited second installment of the Seraphina Parrish trilogy, we get both the perfect story and not nearly enough! See, Michelle Warren has a knack for telling a story that hooks you and draws you in, and while the book itself is this perfectly spun story, it leaves you wanting so much more.

Protecting Truth opens a few months after the end of Wander Dust, just as summer is ending and show more the new school year about to begin for Sera and her cronies. Unable to stand the separation from Bishop any longer, Sera wanders to England for a surprise visit -- setting in motion a chain of events that rocks the Academy. And so Sera's second year at the Academy begins on a stressful note, made worse by the ever-increasing tension between Bishop and Turner - his fraternal twin, and Sera's secret collaborator. See, Turner has been making defense training holograms for Sera, and she can now kick some major tail on her own - which would make Bishop feel inadequate and unwanted, since, you know, he's her Protector. Crazy stuff. Plus, Cece and the Academy's enemies are back in full-force, and the stakes just keep getting raised higher and higher.

The tension and story and all the ... truths ... that are revealed in Protecting Truth are making writing the review tricky. I don't want to give anything up, because this is a story you've got to really experience for yourself. So I'll tease you a little: the tension between Turner and Bishop? It's more than just twin-rivalry. All the secrets that Sera thought she figured out last year? They barely even scratch the surface. And the ending. Oh. My. Word. There are no words. Except "wow" and "where's the rest of the story, Michelle?!?!?!" Seriously. I need the rest of this story. The characters, the drama, the amazingness of wandering (who doesn't want to be able to wander, by the way?). Yup, Michelle Warren has officially created one awesome world. And left me hanging. show less

Okay...I think this story has a really interesting premise. And I liked the way the author handled some of the time travel details (some things happen earlier in the story that are explained later when the main character jumps back in time). Sera has just come into her abilities as a "Wanderer." She lives with her emotionally distant father who is more interested in his giggly girlfriend than in his daughter. Sera's mother died and Sera has bounced around with her father for years, never show more really developing any roots. After an incident at her birthday party and then again at school (ability related) Sera is shipped off to Chicago to live with her Aunt Mona...her mother's sister. This is where she learns what all the strange things that have been happening to her mean...she learns about her abilities and the abilities of her classmates. The whole idea of "wandering" and the teams of three and the connections between the members were all really interesting and well executed, but there were some things... The main character seemed to contradict herself. Her motivations for doing things didn't seem to go with her life experience...some of it just didn't make sense to me. And then there's the "insta-love" - with just a picture at first. I really wanted to love this. But it was only okay. Some parts of it were very good, but a lot of it was only okay. I like a novel I have a hard time putting down. This was just not that novel for me. I did finish it. And the ending dragged a bit, but there were enough unanswered questions to justify a sequel. Since there were some shining moments in this novel, I may give the sequel a chance. show less

Review originally published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.com
eARC provided by author for review

Whew. Michelle Warren has done it again, you guys. Picking up not long after Protecting Truth leaves off, we find Sera and her team (Bishop and Sam) once again living dangerously. As she continues to push back against the Society, Sera discovers more about what's "behind the scenes". What she discovers isn't pretty, and her fierce independence (those in authority might call it rebellion) prompts show more her to join in the covert fight to right the wrongs and end the secretive power of the Society. Wandering to places and times she has no "legitimate business" being, Sera - and her team - realize just how deep the corruption and web of deception go. But even as she fights to end the way of life she and her fellow Wanderers are trapped in, Sera wonders what will happen if she succeeds.

Mixed in all this, there's still a lot of intense emotion from the whole Turner-Bishop fiasco, and the raw grief that broke all our hearts in Protecting Truth is a very present factor. I love this element, even as it made me sad -- it makes Sera seem real, human. She's a pretty gifted and fierce Wanderer (or dun-dun-duh: Watcher, and that's all the spoiler you get, mwuahaha!), and it's easy to forget she's just a teenager. She's still a kid, really, and her heart is warring to be heard. So watching her sort through all the tangled emotions, fighting to discern whether what she feels is truly her heart or merely her Society-programmed destiny? It's good. It adds a lovely dimension to an already incredible story. And of course, Bishop is amazing. Because he always is, even when he's angry and hurting. The characters are incredibly vibrant and integral to making this complex fantasy work, and Michelle has created people who I don't want to forget. show less

((Review originally published at my blog AWordsWorth.blogspot.com))
((Review copy of book provided by author))

Going into the reading, I had a basic idea of the story, but had no idea how 'edgy' of a read I was getting. It's intense, emotional, involving. Sera has lived her life with one concept of reality, only to have it turned on-end on her sixteenth birthday. Suddenly she's having weird 'moments' or 'visions' that combine to make her question her sanity. Once she learns she is a Wanderer show more (one who can 'wander' through Time), Sera is enrolled in the Academy, where she will learn to navigate her reality and 'new' identity. At this point, the story takes turn after turn after turn.

Before getting into too many details, let me make a quick 'detour' to say that Michelle has definitely created a well-rounded world. With any story, but especially with fantasies, I always appreciate when authors take the time to really think about the world they're creating: fleshing it out, giving it background and context, rather than just scribbling down a setting because it makes their story work. Wander Dust takes place in 'the real world,' but it also features a whole other world as well - and that world is carefully orchestrated, with a history, a mythology, and an uncertain future. It's real. And as we are discovering this mysterious 'second world,' so is Sera. I really appreciated getting to discover the hidden secrets through the eyes and experiences of Sera - it helped add an authenticity to the story, and is a great way to introduce strange concepts (time travel!) without coming across as a manual description or etc.

There's a host of characters, and nobody is quite as they seem. Even with mysteries appearing and being solved constantly, Sera is never sure what exactly is going on - and neither was I, as reader. With every new revelation, my internal reader was rethinking all my assumptions. The reading-journey was so much fun, that I'm hesitant to give away too much in my review. If you have too many 'teasers,' it could mess with your brain while reading, and truly: taking every step and misstep along with Sera and Co. is definitely a big part of what makes this such a great read. It's safe to say this one kept me guessing until the end. show less