SNAGGING AN AUTHOR: BOOK REVIEW

IT IS SAID #1 (Mathias Bootmaker and the Keepers of the Sandbox) by Edward Medina

Website: http://loboed13.wix.com/author#!home/mainPage

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Mathias-Bootmaker-Keepers-Sandbox-ebook/dp/B0057OATNW/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

BOOK BLURB 

It is Said, the first book in the Mathias Bootmaker and the Keepers of the Sandbox Trilogy, is a YA dark fantasy, steampunk adventure full of mysteries, riddles and secrets.

It is the story of Mathias Bootmaker, a young man searching for the better parts of himself. His search for what he's lost begins an amazing journey through a world of extreme imagination. A world he helped to create, but a world he can't remember anything about. There's a dragon and a genius, a very scary little boy and a very gifted little girl. There's darkness and light, deadly evil and glorious good. It's the story of his life, the birth of creativity, and the true power of the energy all around us.

In this tale of redemption, in order to find what he seeks, Mathias must save a people who were once great, but are now, by their own hands, victims. He must help them face a terror that they themselves created. He must find a friend that has disappeared. Befriend a reluctant guide, and rescue a very unique group of children trapped in a cursed castle full of tragedy.

The world of It Is Said is a dream embedded within a nightmare. A maze inside a labyrinth. It reads like an adventure. It plays like a thriller. It's designed to make you question every place you go and every character you meet. It's designed to be a puzzle you must solve. It's meant to blend grand fun and fright in the tradition of Carroll and King.

Turn the pages. Follow the path. Keep an eye out for clues. Beware of traps. But most important of all... you must not fear the Darke.

REVIEW
I own an e-book copy

As part of my ‘Snagging an Author’ Reviews, I peruse the internet, secretly looking for books that deserve to have a spotlight put on them. I am not paid for these reviews and the author is unaware that I am even reading their book, until I post my reviews. That is why I am so happy to bring this book to your attention. If I can help shed some well deserved light on this dazzling piece of work, I will go to bed with a smile on my face. While reading It Is Said I embarked on a journey I will not soon forget. In fact, I even urged my eldest daughter to read this stunning gem of a book.

I have decided not to reiterate the plot in this review, but instead I want to concentrate on conveying this message: how fervently I want people to read this book. By the end of my adventure into this wondrous world, I sat back, thinking, “Wow!” How’s this for an idea: Imagine taking your imagination for a walk in its own imagination...I’ll give you a moment to let that sink in...

Now, imagine your imagination living in a world where imagination is not allowed. It’s not a tongue twister, it’s a brain twister and that’s what I absolutely loved about this book. It makes you stop and think. The scenes make you scratch your head (in a good way), as you try to figure out what is real and what isn’t. Beware, though, because once you think you have things figured out, something else creeps up to completely twist things around. This story is so out of the ordinary, it’s Alice in Wonderland stuck in Dorothy’s tornado from the Wizard of Oz, and by the end of the book, I wanted more!

What I also loved was the constant play of opposites. The scenes are whimsical and dark, the characters are wild and fun and the writing...let me say this about the writing: The chemistry of the words blend into an alchemical potion that makes the writing sing straight off the page with such lyrical sweetness. The story emanates a force that pushes the mind to read faster and faster, yet there’s an ease imposed on the words, so that you simply glide along as you read.

I have to share my absolute favorite passage:

‘A life is an amazing gift. It’s not something to be lost or wasted or forgotten about. It’s an adventure to be grasped. You must be big and bold in the choices you make. Strong in your convictions. You will gain wisdom but you must retain a child-like fascination with everything new. And you must always see beyond your limitations.’

Heck, that’s my life’s motto! I had to reread this passage quite a few times, that’s how much it resonated with me.

There is only one thing I regret with this book. That I didn’t have the chance to read it all in one sitting, as life usually tends to get in the way! There aren’t enough hours in a day, but you know what? I will reread this book, and to be able to do it in one sitting will be worth it for the ride that Edward Medina takes you while you’re reading.

And so, I take to my feet and give a standing ovation to the author for such brilliant writing, and gladly hand over 5 dazzling stars.

Natasha is on the prowl for her next book to review, as you'll see from the badge to the right of the blog. If your book intrigues her, she just might snag it! Will you be the next author to be snagged? Keep an eye on upcoming reviews!