Dylan Dubois had always assumed her mother's 'magic' stories were just that – stories. After the fire at her family home, however, she's forced to reconsider many things regarding her mysterious, late mother. With her father gone, perished in the flames, Dylan alone is left to care for her younger sister, whose body now lies comatose in the local hospital.
Grief stricken, Dylan struggles to cope with recurring nightmares, which coincidentally also began the night of the fire. When she finds an ancient book hidden amongst her mother's belongings, Dylan becomes convinced it holds the key to her sister's salvation. The cryptic symbols within hint at a legacy that has been passed down through her family for generations – one that might be capable of unimaginable healing.
Unable to solve the riddle alone, Dylan enlists the help of a handsome, redheaded stranger, whose past also seems shrouded in secrets. Kit (as he calls himself) is unusually swift, has a sly smile and knowledge beyond his years. Though he may be her only hope at deciphering her mother's book, Kit's unsavory habit of vanishing without a trace whenever it suits him also causes Dylan to doubt his intentions.
With her sister's life hanging in the balance, Dylan has no choice but to trust her shifty, new ally. Together, she and Kit must race to solve the puzzle of the ancient book, so as to unlock the power of her family's legacy, and finally wake her sister from everlasting sleep.
The Aurora Antidote (The Aurora Anthology #1) by ELA Hugh is a solid YA fantasy with a great sense of adventure and a dash of mystery at its core. It's easy to fall into the world of the characters - both the real world and the fantastical world hidden just below the surface of what we know. The world is pretty well colorfully described. It took me a little while to find myself interested in the characters, but I was a bit more interested in reading Kit's part of the story. That said, I was still invested in Dylan's quest to solve the mystery of her family and help her sister, but not quite to the same degree. The story really takes off and reeled me in when both Dylan and Kit have to work together.
As much as I enjoyed visiting the world of The Aurora Antidote and getting to know it's characters, there are still a few shortcomings that took it down a notch or two in my mind. There are a few times throughout the novel that the dialogue and writing come across as stiff and somewhat unnatural. These moments didn't flow well and would stand out enough to take me out of the story. If you follow me you'll know that I read a lot of YA fantasy and while this novel is a good debut it didn't really stand out from the crowd. Some elements felt just a little too familiar for the genre in that it never quite had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was coming next.
Overall, ELA Hugh's The Aurora Antidote is an imaginative and adventurous YA fantasy with intriguing characters on a quest. While it's not quite a favorite of mine, I'd still recommend it to those interested in the genre and I'm still interested in seeing what's next for the characters in the forthcoming book two. I think the author's style could only be further refined and improved as she continues on. Thanks again to ELA Hugh for this opportunity!
The Aurora Antidote (The Aurora Anthology #1) by ELA Hugh will be released on August 8th, 2023. My review is also on Goodreads.
The cover sure is pretty! Sorry this didn't quite work for you, but I agree. If you're going to stand out in such a crowded field, you have to bring something new to the table.
ReplyDeleteThat's definitely true. Thanks for coming over, Tammy.
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