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turbie's review against another edition
One of the things that pulled me into this book was the murderer that Eve was trying to escape...with that being said the murderer was hardly in, let alone even mentioned, in about half of the book.
I went into this book with a lot of expectations and just about all of those disappeared or changed. First off, the murderer as I mentioned above, I expected to be more of a main focus. Secondly, I didn't expect this to be such a fairy tail. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but just reading the description on the back of the book didn't give me that impression. Third, the main character...Eve. She has amnesia and constantly has memory lapses through out the book. I found this to be fairly interesting at first but soon it got...old? It seemed that hardly any development was happening to her. She started out as a flat character with no memory and every few chapters she reset back to her empty slate.
I went into this book with high expectations and expected this book to absorb me. However SO much differed from what I expected, the characters didn't grab my attention, and the fairy tale element sort of turned me off rather then pull me in. This was a book that I was able to put down and not touch for a few days (which happened on multiple occasions).
I wouldn't say this book was bad, but I wouldn't exactly recommend it either. Just know what you're getting into because I felt the description I read on this book was fairly misleading and oversold the story, causing me to have high expectations that the book came far from meeting.
I went into this book with a lot of expectations and just about all of those disappeared or changed. First off, the murderer as I mentioned above, I expected to be more of a main focus. Secondly, I didn't expect this to be such a fairy tail. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but just reading the description on the back of the book didn't give me that impression. Third, the main character...Eve. She has amnesia and constantly has memory lapses through out the book. I found this to be fairly interesting at first but soon it got...old? It seemed that hardly any development was happening to her. She started out as a flat character with no memory and every few chapters she reset back to her empty slate.
I went into this book with high expectations and expected this book to absorb me. However SO much differed from what I expected, the characters didn't grab my attention, and the fairy tale element sort of turned me off rather then pull me in. This was a book that I was able to put down and not touch for a few days (which happened on multiple occasions).
I wouldn't say this book was bad, but I wouldn't exactly recommend it either. Just know what you're getting into because I felt the description I read on this book was fairly misleading and oversold the story, causing me to have high expectations that the book came far from meeting.
lrnunez's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book. So much so I wish there was a sequel, although I am kind of glad there isn't, because I feel like a sequel would over kill this story. Although I loved Eve and ended up really liking Zach, I wish there had been two more side characters that Eve could have relied on. Still Eve was a amazing, to the point were I could have read an entire book just about her.
jesschaney's review against another edition
4.0
FIVE STARS! HOLY HELL FIVE STARS!!! That’s pretty much what I thought the second I finished this book. I ultimately gave this book 4.5 stars because while it did blow my mind and give me the feels it was not completely without flaws. That being said, I was severely impressed. I’m apparently on a roll with good books lately, which is awesome, but this book takes the cake, wins the race, [insert saying for being the best book I’ve read this year]. I will warn you, the book starts a little slow and occasionally the flashbacks can be a little jarring, but by the last page I had forgotten these things and was simply in awe of how much I loved what I had just read.
The central mystery revolves around three things: Eve trying to put together pieces of her past, Eve trying decipher her powers and why she suffers blackouts every time she tries to use them, and, of course, whether Eve should trust the witty and quick-talking Zachary. The blackouts are a huge device in the novel. When Eve suffers the blackouts she has recurring visions of a magician and a storyteller. While she knows these visions are important she does not know why until WitSec reveals to her that the Magician is the serial killer looking for her and only her memories can lead them to him and put him behind bars. The visions come frequently as Eve learns that accessing her memories causes her to lose days or weeks of memory . She then has to piece together the time she has lost. This does lead to a few slow moments in the book but pace is quickly picked up again, usually with some witty banter or deadpan sarcasm or life threatening situation, all of which I am a fan. Eventually Eve does regain her memories which leads to a huge confrontation and a twisty-unexpected conclusion that had me screaming “Five Stars” at my poor terrified chihuahua.
Ultimately, I loved the fast-paced back and forth conversation between the agents Malcolm and “Aunt” Nicki. I loved the building romance between Eve and Zachary.I loved the journey of self-discovery that Eve takes throughout the book as she grows both in her powers and as person. Eve starts out as a very passive character, just letting things happen to her, but by the end of the book she has taken control of her life and has transformed into a kick-butt heroine
If you read this book for no other reason, read it because the last few chapters will make you gasp and cheer and curse and experience all kinds of unexpected feels.Finally, I love a book that surprises me and that’s exactly what Conjured was able to accomplish.
In the end I give Conjured 4 stars. As I said before, at the end of this book I was ready to give it five stars. The ending is just that good. However, I do believe that the flashbacks are a bit too frequent and pull the reader out of the story. I recognize that they are used as a story-telling device and reveal important parts of Eve’s past but at the same time I think they could have been less frequent but a tad lengthier and accomplished the same thing without bringing me out of the novel. That’s why I can’t give Conjured the full five stars. But seriously guys, it is completely worth the other 4.5 stars and I will be re-reading this book several times because I loved it that much.
The central mystery revolves around three things: Eve trying to put together pieces of her past, Eve trying decipher her powers and why she suffers blackouts every time she tries to use them, and, of course, whether Eve should trust the witty and quick-talking Zachary. The blackouts are a huge device in the novel. When Eve suffers the blackouts she has recurring visions of a magician and a storyteller. While she knows these visions are important she does not know why until WitSec reveals to her that the Magician is the serial killer looking for her and only her memories can lead them to him and put him behind bars. The visions come frequently as Eve learns that accessing her memories causes her to lose days or weeks of memory . She then has to piece together the time she has lost. This does lead to a few slow moments in the book but pace is quickly picked up again, usually with some witty banter or deadpan sarcasm or life threatening situation, all of which I am a fan. Eventually Eve does regain her memories which leads to a huge confrontation and a twisty-unexpected conclusion that had me screaming “Five Stars” at my poor terrified chihuahua.
Ultimately, I loved the fast-paced back and forth conversation between the agents Malcolm and “Aunt” Nicki. I loved the building romance between Eve and Zachary.I loved the journey of self-discovery that Eve takes throughout the book as she grows both in her powers and as person. Eve starts out as a very passive character, just letting things happen to her, but by the end of the book she has taken control of her life and has transformed into a kick-butt heroine
If you read this book for no other reason, read it because the last few chapters will make you gasp and cheer and curse and experience all kinds of unexpected feels.Finally, I love a book that surprises me and that’s exactly what Conjured was able to accomplish.
In the end I give Conjured 4 stars. As I said before, at the end of this book I was ready to give it five stars. The ending is just that good. However, I do believe that the flashbacks are a bit too frequent and pull the reader out of the story. I recognize that they are used as a story-telling device and reveal important parts of Eve’s past but at the same time I think they could have been less frequent but a tad lengthier and accomplished the same thing without bringing me out of the novel. That’s why I can’t give Conjured the full five stars. But seriously guys, it is completely worth the other 4.5 stars and I will be re-reading this book several times because I loved it that much.
mmc_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not sure how to review this book, and maybe that might be a sign that it's not as amazing as I thought it was. So let me start with that while Conjured could have used a bit more polish and could have taken more risks, it is worth your time for its language and world-building. However, if you're not a fan of passive main characters, the amnesia trope, or love triangles, then I'd say skip it.
Eve is another character suffering from amnesia, and what's worse is that she is also being pursued by a serial killer who uses magic on his victims and kills them gruesomely. She's been put in a magical Witness Protection program and she's guarded by two agents named Malcolm and Nikki. They need her to remember details about the killer so that they can stop him before he kills again; however, the only way Eve can start retrieving her memories is if she uses her own magic, but when she uses magic, she always passes out. While she gains glimpses of her memories this way, she loses days and weeks in exchange. The agents try to give her a somewhat normal life by signing her up as a library assistant - enter Zach, a boy her age who is also a library assistant, and who she chooses to feel a connection to despite the obstacles in her way. Namely, the agents themselves, who at every turn are trying to manipulate Eve, and other magical teenagers, who have an ominous agenda of their own.
So unlike the last book I read where the character is an amnesiac, The Rook, Eve does not develop a single strong personality trait. She desperately wants to remember who she is, and she wants to help catch the mysterious murderer, but she struggles to have an active role in her own story. There is the horror of what happens in her visions as she witnesses the killer choosing and slaughtering various victims, and the dread she feels when she wakes up from another blackout and has to figure out what she's missed - because she doesn't merely sleep through the blackouts, she is apparently still doing things and interacting with people, but she doesn't remember doing any of those things once she truly "awakens." So the plot has things constantly happen to Eve, but she has no control over the situation. This is why I can somewhat forgive the fact that Eve doesn't really have a personality of her own - it's difficult to figure out who you are if you're constantly forgetting. However, it was really frustrating at times to watch Eve be constantly paralyzed by inaction. She just feels very empty at times; maybe this is supposed to be demonstrating the depth of her character, I don't know.
I felt like Zach was the weakest character. While it was touching at times to see how the friendship between Zach and Eve helped Eve feel human, Zach soaks up all of the personality points, and not even interesting personality points, but the most annoying, stereotypical ones of The Nerd (and not in the complimentary way). In the end, I did feel for him and I appreciated that his support of Eve became more than just, "This girl pays attention to me therefore I am loyal."
And yes, as I mentioned before, this is a love triangle - but what's different about this one is that for once, the girl isn't having it. Aiden, the other point in the triangle, is also one of the magical teens, but Eve never truly feels anything for him and there is a reason for that. It was nice to see that once she makes a connection with Zach, Eve never really lets go of that feeling, which is the much more genuine relationship. Neither the reader nor Eve buys the relationship with Aiden.
Wow, now that I've written three paragraphs of criticism, let's end this review with some praise. For one, if you can get through the first few pages, you WILL BE HOOKED. This book is truly a thriller and it does a fantastic job of keeping you glued to the page. I almost couldn't stop reading once I started - I wanted to understand what Eve was going through and figure out what was happening. The language in this book is beautiful too; the descriptive imagery really helps put the reader in the moment with the main character as you and she both go through the experience for the first time. I also really like the idea of parallel worlds, and a world with a special program like a supernatural Men in Black. Finally, there is a twist in this book that I did not see coming and it manages to be very, VERY effective.
To conclude my review: Conjured grips its readers in a thrilling tale full of suspense and dread through its imaginative setting and compelling mystery, but may lose readers due to the constraints of the young adult genre, the flaws in characterization, and some convolution in the plot. Despite some hiccups, I think it definitely deserves four stars.
Eve is another character suffering from amnesia, and what's worse is that she is also being pursued by a serial killer who uses magic on his victims and kills them gruesomely. She's been put in a magical Witness Protection program and she's guarded by two agents named Malcolm and Nikki. They need her to remember details about the killer so that they can stop him before he kills again; however, the only way Eve can start retrieving her memories is if she uses her own magic, but when she uses magic, she always passes out. While she gains glimpses of her memories this way, she loses days and weeks in exchange. The agents try to give her a somewhat normal life by signing her up as a library assistant - enter Zach, a boy her age who is also a library assistant, and who she chooses to feel a connection to despite the obstacles in her way. Namely, the agents themselves, who at every turn are trying to manipulate Eve, and other magical teenagers, who have an ominous agenda of their own.
So unlike the last book I read where the character is an amnesiac, The Rook, Eve does not develop a single strong personality trait. She desperately wants to remember who she is, and she wants to help catch the mysterious murderer, but she struggles to have an active role in her own story. There is the horror of what happens in her visions as she witnesses the killer choosing and slaughtering various victims, and the dread she feels when she wakes up from another blackout and has to figure out what she's missed - because she doesn't merely sleep through the blackouts, she is apparently still doing things and interacting with people, but she doesn't remember doing any of those things once she truly "awakens." So the plot has things constantly happen to Eve, but she has no control over the situation. This is why I can somewhat forgive the fact that Eve doesn't really have a personality of her own - it's difficult to figure out who you are if you're constantly forgetting. However, it was really frustrating at times to watch Eve be constantly paralyzed by inaction. She just feels very empty at times; maybe this is supposed to be demonstrating the depth of her character, I don't know.
I felt like Zach was the weakest character. While it was touching at times to see how the friendship between Zach and Eve helped Eve feel human, Zach soaks up all of the personality points, and not even interesting personality points, but the most annoying, stereotypical ones of The Nerd (and not in the complimentary way). In the end, I did feel for him and I appreciated that his support of Eve became more than just, "This girl pays attention to me therefore I am loyal."
And yes, as I mentioned before, this is a love triangle - but what's different about this one is that for once, the girl isn't having it. Aiden, the other point in the triangle, is also one of the magical teens, but Eve never truly feels anything for him and there is a reason for that. It was nice to see that once she makes a connection with Zach, Eve never really lets go of that feeling, which is the much more genuine relationship. Neither the reader nor Eve buys the relationship with Aiden.
Wow, now that I've written three paragraphs of criticism, let's end this review with some praise. For one, if you can get through the first few pages, you WILL BE HOOKED. This book is truly a thriller and it does a fantastic job of keeping you glued to the page. I almost couldn't stop reading once I started - I wanted to understand what Eve was going through and figure out what was happening. The language in this book is beautiful too; the descriptive imagery really helps put the reader in the moment with the main character as you and she both go through the experience for the first time. I also really like the idea of parallel worlds, and a world with a special program like a supernatural Men in Black. Finally, there is a twist in this book that I did not see coming and it manages to be very, VERY effective.
To conclude my review: Conjured grips its readers in a thrilling tale full of suspense and dread through its imaginative setting and compelling mystery, but may lose readers due to the constraints of the young adult genre, the flaws in characterization, and some convolution in the plot. Despite some hiccups, I think it definitely deserves four stars.
cstoeger's review against another edition
3.0
I honestly don't know what to day for this book. It was weird, creepy, and even after I finished it I still had questions.
maddiekellner's review against another edition
4.0
There wasn't much about the main character that I liked, she annoyed me a lot; but all of that was because her perspective was well written for someone with no memory or personality. Would recommend for young adult.
siavahda's review against another edition
5.0
W-what did I just read? What is this INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL THING?
8D
Full disclosure: I have read Enchanted Ivy, Drink Slay Love, and Vessel before Conjured. I was already fully aware that Durst's mind is an amazingly original place; each of her books just DELIGHTS in breaking my expectations and defying the cliches. But while I enjoyed each of the other books tremendously (and I really do mean that - dryads! Were-unicorns! PoCs being possessed by gods!) none of them hit me quite as hard as Conjured.
Which has gone straight to the top of my favorites pile.
If I can be a little bit blunt, Conjured feels as though Durst has finally gotten into her stride. While each of her other books were very good, this one is brilliant. The language, the imagery, the magic, the characters - I could not put it down and resented extremely anyone who tried to interrupt my reading! I was dying to find out why Eve kept losing her memories, and what the secret was behind her magic. Durst kept me glued to the page with her typical layering of stories (nothing is ever as simple as it seems, or as you expect - despite the truly wonderful magic, Durst has a talent for making her stories very real and realistic). It could easily be the first book in a series, if she so desired - but the epilogue wraps the story up beautifully, so that I will be quite content for it to remain stand-alone (and that's another thing: Conjured is a stand-alone! A beautiful stand-alone! A rare and precious jewel when you can't swing a cat these days without hitting two hundred never-ending series'!)
Just - absolutely gorgeous, beautiful, and I can't WAIT to get my hands on Durst's next book!!!
8D
Full disclosure: I have read Enchanted Ivy, Drink Slay Love, and Vessel before Conjured. I was already fully aware that Durst's mind is an amazingly original place; each of her books just DELIGHTS in breaking my expectations and defying the cliches. But while I enjoyed each of the other books tremendously (and I really do mean that - dryads! Were-unicorns! PoCs being possessed by gods!) none of them hit me quite as hard as Conjured.
Which has gone straight to the top of my favorites pile.
If I can be a little bit blunt, Conjured feels as though Durst has finally gotten into her stride. While each of her other books were very good, this one is brilliant. The language, the imagery, the magic, the characters - I could not put it down and resented extremely anyone who tried to interrupt my reading! I was dying to find out why Eve kept losing her memories, and what the secret was behind her magic. Durst kept me glued to the page with her typical layering of stories (nothing is ever as simple as it seems, or as you expect - despite the truly wonderful magic, Durst has a talent for making her stories very real and realistic). It could easily be the first book in a series, if she so desired - but the epilogue wraps the story up beautifully, so that I will be quite content for it to remain stand-alone (and that's another thing: Conjured is a stand-alone! A beautiful stand-alone! A rare and precious jewel when you can't swing a cat these days without hitting two hundred never-ending series'!)
Just - absolutely gorgeous, beautiful, and I can't WAIT to get my hands on Durst's next book!!!
lisaweyand's review against another edition
2.0
I might've give it three stars but the first third of the book was a struggle to get through and I'm still not entirely sure it was worth it.
zoealyce's review against another edition
I'm sad to say that I didn't finish this book. While some reviews praise the mysterious and dark storyline, I found it slow and painful. When I started the forth chapter I felt the story line pick up a little, but when I stopped reading to make a coffee I just didn't pick it back up.
It's probably more my state of mind that prevented me from finishing this, because the writing was quite good…
I need a book with a more objective main character, and a plot with some more action. Sorry Sarah Beth Durst.
It's probably more my state of mind that prevented me from finishing this, because the writing was quite good…
I need a book with a more objective main character, and a plot with some more action. Sorry Sarah Beth Durst.