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House of Fear and Freedom is the first book in The Wyrd Sequence series by Kimberley J. Ward. House of Fear and Freedom was published on the 31st of October 2018. A Hallowe’en/Oidhche Shamhna Publish!
Ever found an abandoned village with a crow that chases you into a dark hole? Even better, have you then been pulled through a mirror to another dimension? No? Well, Nessa has, and now her boring life might end if she doesn’t escape her captor’s prison.
In the first instalment of The Wyrd Sequence, Nessa is ripped from her own world and into another. Finding an unlikely friend in her fellow hostage, Hunter, the two try to escape and evade the King’s two most powerful Dragon Riders.
Will they escape? Can Nessa trust Hunter? Will she ever get home?
EVALUATION
Genre
House of Fear and Freedom embodies the YA Fantasy genre with a strong lead female. It is a well-done addition to the plethora of YA Fantasy books. It’s mainly High Fantasy, but there is a bit of Urban Fantasy at the start.
It reminded me of a mix of Alice In Wonderland and The Wizard Of Oz. The landscape gave me The Wizard of Oz vibes. While the story gives off Alice In Wonderland vibes, from the strange animal acting strange to going underground and being whisked away to another dimension. It does lean more towards the Alice vibe, but with your typical YA High Fantasy worlds.
Characters
I enjoyed the characters. I really couldn’t find anything to complain about them.
Nessa was complex enough that she felt real, plus she had a strong personality that she could hold her own.
Hunter was just as complex but mixed with bits of chaos that made him entertaining to read about.
As for the villains, they were good, with depth. Questions arose about what was happening and what their motives were. What is special about Nessa, and why her?
Overall, the characters were well-written with depth.
Plot & Theme
The plot was intriguing. Many questions but not many answers. It did well at helping the story progress while also setting up anticipation for the second book.
The mystery surrounding around a lot of things pulls the reader along, making them beg for more. I constantly wanted to return to the book, the story and characters clinging to my thoughts, so I can say the plot was good. Constant questions swirled in my mind as I begged for answers.
Pacing
The pacing was good. There were rarely any slow points that I felt like I had to drag myself through. I was happy with the pacing. Each chapter happily explored the world more.
The parts where it got a bit slow weren’t slow, but some could have been shorter, which may have helped speed the pace back up.
Prose
Nothing pulled me out of the story, which is good.
Impact of story
Upon finishing the book, my primary emotion was knowing what would happen next. The book ends on a cliffhanger, so I was dying to know what happened next, but luckily I have the second one so that I could move on quickly.
RECOMMENDATION
I would recommend this book. I think it sets up a strong start to what could be a fantastic series. Hopefully, the story continues to go as strong as House of Fear and Freedom has set itself up to be.
Information & Rating
Rating: 7/7
Book: House of Fear and Freedom
Author(s): Kimberley J. Ward
Series Name: The Wyrd Sequence
Pages: 479
Genres: Fantasy,
Format: Kindle
ISBN/ASIN: B09CRQNV9K
Publication Date: 31st of October 2018
Publisher: Kimberley J. Ward
Everyone should do their own thorough research to determine if the media they or someone in their care will be okay with the topics and themes covered in them, including the speech and manner in which they are mentioned.
Reading Speeds
(Based on Kindle/How Long To Read)
Average Estimated Reading Speed: 5 hours and 34 minutes
Based on Kindle
My Estimated Reading Speed: 11 hours and 3 minutes
Based on Kindle estimations
Goodreads Blurb
The truth beckons… Her destiny awaits…
Stolen from the world she thought was her home, Nessa finds herself trapped in a beautiful and perilous realm where magic is real and danger lurks around every corner, where the spires of castles pierce the sky and dark creatures roam the land.
As Nessa races to find a way back home, sinister forces gather around her, stalking her, threatening to destroy everything Nessa thought she had ever known, pushing her closer to uncovering powerful secrets that could change the fate of the entire world…
Secrets that may be the answer as to why she was stolen in the first place…
Shocking revelations will be uncovered… Impossible choices must be made… Loyalties shall be tested…
