4Great plot, intriguing - add a tocuh of the supernatural/paranormal!

ByMaxine (Booklover Catlady)on October 10, 2014

Format: Kindle Edition

This book had so many surprises in it for the reader, from where it began to where it ended up was a journey indeed. Very interesting plot that I was not expecting from the blurb about this book. It's one you need to read with an open mind and no expectations in my opinion. Don't decide you know what it's about.

The book starts with the story of Jessie, from her difficult birth through her younger years, these are written as timeline flashbacks for the most part. Jessie's younger years are shadowed with cruelty and rejection from just about everywhere and she does not know why (really). She suffers the most awful bullying at school and callous cruelty from her own siblings and family. It's pretty dark for poor Jessie, I felt immensely sorry for her.

In the present day Jessie wakes up out of a coma and has to piece back together herself, her body and her mind. Things she is scrambling to remember, she is not being told just yet what has happened to her, the staff at the care hospital not feeling she is ready. One thing that she can remember from being younger is what she calls the "terrors" awful nightmares where she can't escape. She is reminded by the kind doctor in the home of how she can use an image of walking through a door to escape them. She is still terrified of the "terrors" getting her. I would be too. She has a friend on the other side of this dream door "Dean" who plays an important role in her safety.

I don't want to share too much of the story because beyond this the book really takes twists and turns that you must read for yourself. The book starts to weave in some supernatural elements that I did not see coming AT ALL for the first half of the book. It's really surprising when it comes along. I enjoyed some aspects of this, but found other aspects confusing, it was not hugely clear what was going on. But it was enjoyable reading and I was keen to see what the outcome was.

We follow Jessie as she begins her new life, she has a new found love of nature and a very special connection with the animals that live in the trees around her new home. I really liked the animal connection element of the book, whilst a tad unusual, I really liked it.

Jessie forms a friendship with a young autistic boy that she helps one day who in non-verbal, she is able to bring out the best in him and also becomes friendly with the boys mother, these are really her only new friends in her new life. Her family have turned away from her and she's kind of alone at this point.

THEN the whole supernatural, paranormal aspect of things really kicks in and got my head in a spin, it's not obvious where it's heading through the book, there are snippets of things she sees at certain times but no indicator of what they mean, the author does a good job of keeping the reader in the dark, it's almost impossible to guess the outcome of this book no matter how hard you try.

I liked the supernatural element of the story at the end but found I was a touch confused and had to read over a few paragraphs more than once to get clarity on what was going on. This is really my only criticism of the entire book. It's very well written, the characters are well done, the plot is interesting and well paced, it's a good, enjoyable read. I just wish the whole element around the "other realms" aspect was a touch more crystal clear for me as a reader.

3.5 stars from me for this great and unusual book, if you like a book that surprises you, this will certainly do that. If you like a book that merges with some supernatural and paranormal elements, this will give you that. Very interesting reading.

I received a copy of this book thanks to the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. Many thanks.