Welcome to my stop on the Garden of Ashes blog tour! Today I'll be sharing my review of the book with you - and don't forget to enter the giveaway! To follow the rest of the tour, click on the banner above.
Garden of Ashes (Legend of Eden #2)
Author: Kate Cowan
Genre: YA Fantasy/Dystopia
Release Date: September 1, 2014
Publisher: Anchor Group
Description:
After four years as a
prisoner in her parents' attic, hidden away from the Catchers, Eden
never dreamt the very people she was hiding from would be the beginning
of such impossible things. She's found freedom on the island like she
never imagined.
Eden is a sorcerer, with the power of the world in her fingertips. She is determined to never be helpless like she once was, and spends every minute of her spare time training to fight back. As she discovers more of her own power, she and her friends continue to uncover the secrets of the Council. Deadly secrets, hinting at something far larger than the island and the Catchers. Before they can find out exactly what the Council is hiding, Eden's magic begins to spiral out of control, and she loses it for just a second. Just half of a second, and it's enough to change everything.
Suddenly, lives are put at stake, and Eden and her friends must do something no one else has ever dared. They have to escape the island, or they have to die trying.
Eden is a sorcerer, with the power of the world in her fingertips. She is determined to never be helpless like she once was, and spends every minute of her spare time training to fight back. As she discovers more of her own power, she and her friends continue to uncover the secrets of the Council. Deadly secrets, hinting at something far larger than the island and the Catchers. Before they can find out exactly what the Council is hiding, Eden's magic begins to spiral out of control, and she loses it for just a second. Just half of a second, and it's enough to change everything.
Suddenly, lives are put at stake, and Eden and her friends must do something no one else has ever dared. They have to escape the island, or they have to die trying.
Garden of Ashes is the second book in a young adult fantasy novel that continues to follow our heroine - Eden - as she learns how to harness her magic. On top of that, Eden and her friends are determined to uncover all of the Council's secrets and to finally figure out what's really happening. Things are going seemingly well until Eden loses control of her magic for just a split second - and the consequences are devastating. With no other alternatives, Eden and her friends must do something that's never been done before - they have to escape the island. Or at least die trying.
This was a solid second installment in a fantastic YA fantasy series. Eden remains an awesome main character - especially now that she knows she has magic. I loved watching her character grow and mature as she learns to control her magic, along with learning all the dirty secrets the Council is keeping. All the twists, turns, and mysteries surrounding the Catchers, the Council, the island - all of it - continue to blindside the reader throughout the story. Just when you think you've figured something out - BAM! Giant twist in the story that throws you back to where you started. I love to attempt to figure out mysteries in books before the characters do, and I have to admit that it was hard for me to do that with this book. I see that as a sign of great writing talent and only makes me want to read more. The story was original and keeps the reader on the edge of their seats almost the entire time. You never quite know what's going on or what might happen next, so I was reading quickly just to find out the truth. I ended up flying through this book in a few hours. The writing was great - it's told in an easy and conversational tone, so it's easy for the reader to identify with the narrator. I was also able to slip right back into the world the author created from the start and I felt like I was experiencing everything that happened in the book right beside Eden. The descriptions and vivid details really helped to entwine the setting, characters, and the storyline. They all blended together naturally, which I think helped with pulling me back into the story and Eden's world. I definitely recommend this book (and series!) to fans of YA fantasy and dystopian novels - as well as those who enjoy magic and paranormal fiction.
Kate Cowan is an artist, an animation student, a black belt in karate and now, an author. She didn't discover writing until mid-high school, when she began writing an (unintentionally) hilarious novel involving a teenage girl and a magic necklace. Her current novel series, The Legend of Eden, began as a story of Arthurian magic, but quickly transformed into something much different.Kate currently lives in Ontario, Canada, in a zoo of a house. When she isn't writing, she's drawing, cooking, or browsing the Internet for new music. 
Nice review. Thanks for participating.
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