Monday, August 4, 2014

Review: Servants of the Storm by Delilah S. Dawson

Title: Servants of the Storm
Author: Delilah S. Dawson
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Simon Pulse (August 5, 2014)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Fantasy
My Rating: 2.5 Stars

Book Description:
A year ago Hurricane Josephine swept through Savannah, Georgia, leaving behind nothing but death and destruction — and taking the life of Dovey's best friend, Carly. Since that night, Dovey has been in a medicated haze, numb to everything around her. 

But recently she's started to believe she's seeing things that can't be real ... including Carly at their favorite cafe. Determined to learn the truth, Dovey stops taking her pills. And the world that opens up to her is unlike anything she could have imagined. 

As Dovey slips deeper into the shadowy corners of Savannah — where the dark and horrifying secrets lurk — she learns that the storm that destroyed her city and stole her friend was much more than a force of nature. And now the sinister beings truly responsible are out to finish what they started.

Dovey's running out of time and torn between two paths. Will she trust her childhood friend Baker, who can't see the threatening darkness but promises to never give up on Dovey and Carly? Or will she plot with the sexy stranger, Isaac, who offers all the answers — for a price? Soon Dovey realizes that the danger closing in has little to do with Carly ... and everything to do with Dovey herself.











I wasn’t sure about this one going in to it but that darn cover and synopsis drew me in and before I knew it, I had this downloaded on my kindle and ready to go. I knew it was an adventure that I needed to take simply out of curiosity if nothing more.

And my first initial reaction to it was....this is so very strange, but in a really good way strange. Like, make me think and need to reread strange because, okay, yeah, that was just weird and I liked it, strange. 

Hmmm, where do I start?

This wasn't at all what I thought it would be. This was a strange new world. A whole other dark side of Savannah and it was bizarre and eerie and completely drew you in. I had to keep turning the pages simply because I had to know what in the world was going on with Carly and her strange little town. The town that the tourists and even some of the residents didn't know existed, or at least weren't telling you about.  

The dark almost New Orleans creepy hocus pocus feel to it, I got all of that and then a little more darkness thrown in for good measure.

I really need another adjective because I keep wanting to say it was strange but that really isn't telling you enough. It was unique. It was slightly macabre feeling. It was so very enthralling that even though I wasn't loving it, I was still turning the pages. I think it put a spell on me. One that didn't let up until the book was completed. 

It was quite the wild ride into a horror house of demons and ghosts and spells and magic. One that was terrifying to behold and like a car wreck that you see on the side of the road, one you  couldn't look away from as you flew through the town.

 It was about finding answers and helping friends and loss and love and facing your problems head on and not hiding in the darkness anymore, even when it is so much easier sometimes than facing the light.

Like I mentioned before, I didn't love this read but I have to give the author credit for how imaginative it was and how it kept me guessing right up until the very end about whether anything Carly was seeing and hearing was even happening. To be honest, I am still not 100% sure that it wasn't all in her head but...it is the unsurity that kept me thinking about it long after I was done reading. 







*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

47 comments:

  1. This sounds pretty thought-provoking and deep in a very surreal way. First off, that cover is majorly creepy. It seriously is. I get goosebumps from just looking at it. Second, the mystery in this one seems to be well-done if until now you are still unsure of your conclusions. It's probably the kind of book you need to read between the lines!! :O

    Faye at The Social Potato Reviews

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    1. I think the unanswered things are what bothered me most. Never quite knowing what was real and what wasn't.

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  2. I love her steampunk series and the way she creates her stories so I get you being at a loss. I wish I had time to read this though, I do love dark tales.

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    1. I had no idea she wrote a stemapunk series but I can definitely see that after reading this one.

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  3. I've been reading some pretty mixed reviews about this book. I guess it's one of those you either love it or don't type of reads. I don't think this one is for me though.

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  4. Hm. I love that this book is unusual enough that it kept you thinking about what happened (or didn't) well after you were finished, but despite the book I posted on my blog today, creepy books usually aren't for me. I would need you to give this one at least a 4 before I think I'd work up enough courage to give it a try! Lovely review as always Ali:)

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  5. I liked that this was unique and strange as well, but something about this book didn't sit well with me for some reason. I just feel like this should have been a psychological thriller and then that ending would have been phenomenal. Strange is the only word I can think of to describe this as well.
    Great review!

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    1. I know, it is really hard to put your fingers on isn't it?

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  6. I'm sorry this didn't work very well for you. Twisted and different sounds great to me, it's exactly my cup of tea. I've been waiting very long to read it, but who knows, perhaps I'll end up disappointed in it.
    Anyway, Wonderful review as always. :)

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    1. I hope you end up liking it more than I did Maja!

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  7. I love that cover! And though I like unique and strange, I know when that might just get a bit out of hands and perhaps that's what happened with this book.

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    1. I think maybe so. Just a little too much. :)

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  8. I finished this one a few days ago and I really enjoyed it so I'm sorry it wasn't for you...

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    1. It is okay, it happens but I am so glad you really liked it. :)

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  9. That's too bad that it wasn't what you expected...but that's good that it turned out to be an imaginative story. Thanks for your honest thoughts!

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  10. Actually, everything you wrote in your post says *me* LOL. You had me at "This was a strange new world. A whole other dark side of Savannah and it was bizarre and eerie and completely drew you in." I'm wondering if the open ended, not sure what was reality ending, put a damper on the reading experience? I have a hard time with that was well, but I like everything else you mentioned. Thanks for the thoughtful review, Ali :)

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  11. I have yet to read a good review for this one. Everyone was so excited when the cover came out and I love stuff set in the south but I resisted because I have burned by too many cool covers and I feel like a dodged a bad book with this one. Thanks for making me feel better about skipping this one.

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    1. I don't think you are missing out at all Heidi by skipping this one. ;)

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  12. You just have to love that cover. I can't even look at it too much because I'm afraid it'll move.

    Anyway, I am still not sure whether I'd pick this up for not. But I love books that stay with me long after I finish it and it really seems pretty intriguing so I'd keep this in mind in case I need a strange, imaginative novel. Fantastic review!

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    1. LOL, it is a rather creepy looking cover for sure. ;)

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  13. It does sound intriguing, but I'm not really sure what I would think of this one. I'm glad it kept your interest overall, but your final score has me unsure.

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  14. You put it nicer than I did. I revised the draft I sent you and tried to soften it more. So ... you know how I feel. lol

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    1. Yes but you have more reason to be upset than I do. ;)

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  15. I am slightly worried about reading this now! I haven't been hearing as many good things as I would have liked, but I do have to say that I'm still quite curious. I like odd, strange ideas and feels to a book, so I'm looking forward to seeing what makes this one unique. Sorry it wasn't more impressive for you though. Thanks for the honest thoughts!

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    1. Hopefully you end up liking ti more than I did Sam.

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  16. Thanks Kindlemom for your honest opinion. The cover would have drawn me in too. Do you think it's too dark to be a YA?

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    1. No not too dark for YA but still very strange.

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  17. I just realized this was written by Dawson-she's one of my favorite authors! But yeah-her writing is a bit odd, and I think you'll either love it, or hate it lol. I

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    1. I do want to try something else buy her to see if I like her more.

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  18. This looked weird and I think it's not my kind of read but you seem to find it many qualities and it seems like a page-turner. Still, I think I'll pass but nice review! :)

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  19. I liked this more than you did..while it didn't wow me it felt like a trip in Burton's world ..LOL

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    1. Now that you say that, I can totally see Burton. ;)

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  20. I've been wondering about this one, it just looks so CREEPY! I'm not sure it's for me but I'm glad you didn't hate it!

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  21. dang :(...but that cover is FANTASTIC!

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  22. I'm sorry this didn't work out for you.The story sounds like something I'd wouldn't usually be drawn to but then I see the cover and the author is so nice, and I'm intrigued. Fantastic review, as always!

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  23. I like stories that have an atmosphere to them, and keep me guessing. This sounds like a cool read, and I'm happy to hear it kept you so engaged even if it wasn't total book love. Lovely review!

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    1. Thanks Lauren, you might like this one more than I did. ;)

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  24. Thanks for the honest review. I don't think I will be reading this one. We have the same taste in books.

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    1. Yeah you probably wouldn't enjoy this one Ellen.

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