Hi, everyone! I hope you are having a good week. Today I'll be reviewing one of my new favorite books. This read was absolutely perfect for me, as it was just the type of story I love and am looking for right now. I also reached out to the author and interviewed her through the Internet, and I am so excited to add that experience to my list of interviews. A huge thank you for Tara Grayce for letting me interview her!
There may be minor spoilers as I try to give an accurate picture of the book.
(The discussion questions will have spoilers, since they are supposed to be used after reading the book.)
Title: Lost in Averell
Author: Tara Grayce
Series: This is the first in an ongoing series called the Princess By Night series.
Targeted Age Range: 12-18
Synopsis: Average high school student by day, princess by night.
Amy lives both in our world and in the fantasy world of Averell, struggling to balance homework and her duties as a fairytale princess negotiating the intricacies of unicorn-dragon politics.
When her high school crush stumbles through the portal to Averell in her family’s basement, she sets out with her shape-shifting unicorn best friend to find him before he dies or sparks a war.
Language: Some mentions of cursing. Two mythical species (dragons and unicorns) have a tense history, which leads to them making rude jokes and remarks about each other.
Violence: A long, violent war in Averell's history is mentioned. There is a fair amount of danger and mayhem, including the threat of Amy's crush being eaten. The villain of the story threatens to kill characters or cut off parts of their bodies in order to start a war. During an interrogation, the villain blows poisonous gas at Amy. In order to keep Averell a secret, the people involved stage evidence to look like Amy and her crush were kidnapped.
Romance/Sexual Stuff: Like it's hinted at in the synopsis, Amy has a crush on a high school student in her class. Some fluttery feelings are mentioned, but Amy is very sensible about not letting her emotions control how she acts. It's mentioned that her parents have ruled out dating until she's 16. Some feelings and actions that other girls may take when they have a crush are mentioned. One of her friends has apparently "fallen in love" multiple times. One guy and girl seem to be attracted to each other, which disgusts Amy.
Though not a main part of the story, it's mentioned the guy Amy likes is going through some family problems, after his dad cheated on his mom.
Spiritual Elements: None
Magic: Averell and Earth are supposed to be parallel universes. While Earth is described as being science-based, Averell is supposed to be magic-based. Magic and using magic is common in Averell, so common that there are laws for using it. There are many magical species, including unicorns, dragons, water naiads, and a couple of creatures the author has created.
Another element here is that there are appointed Guardians, ensuring that Earth and Averell don't get meshed together too much. In order to protect Earth Amy and her family have access to a portal connecting the worlds.
References: There are references to a Chevrolet car, extracurricular activities, prom, department stores, thrift stores, the TARDIS (from the BBC show Doctor Who), Oreos, California, and Las Vegas.
Other Issues: While comparing Earth and Averellian fashion, Amy mentions that her Averellian clothes can easily rip. Headaches and nausea are mentioned. A character who is dying throws up (not detailed). Amy is forced to hide parts of the truth from people in Earth and Averell due to her knowing about both worlds, and knowing how vital it is to keep them apart.
My Age Range: Due to some of the violence and the complicated storyline, I'd say this book would be enjoyed the most by ages 14 and up.
Read Aloud: Based on some of the issues above, I think this book would be perfect to read with teenagers who are able to understand the story. So much to talk about and laugh over.
My Opinion: I was looking for something new to read during quarantine, and stumbled upon this gem during a very long Amazon search for a new fairytale remake. The synopsis seemed interesting, so I decided to check it out. I'm so glad I did. The story was exactly what I'd been looking for.
Amy is a very relatable heroine, and all of the other characters became like friends to me. The story world is also very well done. Speaking from experience as a fantasy writer and lover, it's not easy to create a setting that doesn't feel like it's already been written. The "opposite problem" feels like the setting is interesting, but whoever wrote the book didn't go into enough detail. Tara Grayce not only wrote about a world that feels fresh and wonder-filled, but wrote about one that was perfect for the story. I also love how she twisted a few of the "cliches" in fantasy and made them seem humorous. One of the scenes that did that made me laugh out loud!
Lost in Averell is a lighthearted take on fairytales, fitting in, and everything in between. I'd recommend it for fans of fairytale mashups like Ella Enchanted and The Dragon With A Chocolate Heart, people who enjoy clean YA fiction, and for anyone who just wants to settle into a good story. I know that I'll be one of the first people waiting for the sequel.
Discussion Questions:
-Through rescuing Brett (and everything that follows because of it), Amy learns a lot about being a princess, being a leader, Brett, and herself. What do you think is the most important thing she learned, and why?
-Amy describes her internal clocks as "two realms churning through her blood." In the story, how is this description true? How does Amy feel about knowing and living in two worlds?
-Later in life, Amy and her brother Ryan must choose between living in Averell or Earth. If you were Amy or Ryan, which world would you choose? Why? Which world do you think Amy will choose to live in?
-The water naiad Nella seems to be a fan of Amy. How does Amy feel about this? If you learned you had a fangirl (or fanboy), how would this make you feel?
-Melltra is a twisted villain, and this is shown through her half-dragon appearance. What do you think caused her to become a villain the most? Why?
-Which character did you relate to the most during the book? Which character did you like the most? Are these two characters the same one, or even similar to each other? Why or why not?
Imagining Averell: An Interview With Tara Grayce
July 23, 2020
What inspired you to write Lost In Averell?
I was listening to Princess of Landover by Terry Brooks on audiobook. At the very beginning of the book, the princess, who has been studying in our world, walks through a portal to return home to her fairy tale kingdom world. While the rest of the book is all in Landover, the thought of a portal where a princess could just walk between worlds to live in both stuck with me. After all, most portal fantasy books are either/or. Either the main character lives in the fantasy world or they live in our world. They can never do both. So I decided to write a book where the main character could do both. What would it be like to split your time between a fairy tale kingdom and our world? How would you balance those responsibilities?
Did you have a favorite scene or character to write? Why or why not?
My favorite scene was writing the introduction of Trygg, Amy's shape-shifting unicorn best friend. He's hilarious and my favorite character in the book. He actually came about by accident. I was brainstorming this book with a friend of mine (my main brainstorming buddy because she always has such great ideas), and she blurted out an idea about shape-shifting unicorns. The idea just kind of stuck.
How did you get interested in writing?
I started drawing picture books with my crayons when I was 2 years old. I already had so many stories inside me that they just started pouring out, even then. By the time I was 6, I decided I was going to be a published author someday.
Lost in Averell is the first in your ongoing series, Princess By Night. Do you have any future plans for the Princess By Night series?
Yes, I actually have the first scene of the next book written, though I'm not sure when I will get back to writing it. I think the series is going to be 3-4 books long, with a possible following up book or series with Amy in college. But right now, I'm focusing on writing the Elven Alliance series.
What advice would you give to fellow writers?
Take your time and enjoy the journey where you are at. There is something special about those early pre-published writing days when you write only for the love and fun of writing. Once you're published, there are taxes and paperwork and marketing and the pressure of readers. It's all great stuff, don't get me wrong. But I would advise not rushing into publishing until you're ready. Until then, enjoy writing!
Thanks for joining me for this special review and interview! I hope that I helped you find a new book, or gave you a suggestion for a friend. I'm hoping to review the rest of the Princess By Night books on here as they come out, and recommend some of Tara Grayce's other books.
Have you read Lost in Averell already? If you did, what did you think about it? Are there any books you've read that are like this one? If so, I'd love to hear about them.
Do you have a book you want me to review? Let me know! As always, please check out my Review Policy page before posting a suggestion.
Join me next week for a look at a Christian novel featuring reality TV...
Thank you! I had fun writing it. I hope I'll be able to do more posts like this in the future!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading and commenting.