Review: EMERALD CITY by Alicia K. Leppert

Emerald City is a tale about a young girl going through tough times, but was saved by a stranger.

Olivia Tate is haunted by a past she couldn’t escape. Sad and despaired, she takes one pill too many and is saved by her neighbor, Jude. When she comes home, she decides to pick up her life, with some help from Jude, of course. Jude seems elusive at first but as time grows, they both find themselves opening to each other. Soon, the two falls deeply for each other and Olivia seems be healthier. However, Jude’s sudden disappearance and appearance leaves Oliver wondering about their relationship and who Jude really is.

Leppert’s new fantasy tale takes a spin on mythology and the romance between young people.

I absolutely love the characters! Oliver is so sad and bleak at the beginning of the novel, having dealt with (I suspect) depression. That is a feeling most of us can relate to, one way or another. She grows and matures more than the other female and male lead characters I’d came across. It’s amazing to watch her blossom and come out of her cocoon. In the end, she is the youngster she’s supposed to be, vibrating with life and hopeful, and most important, she’s finally able to take a chance on love. Jude on the other hand, is an enigmatic person, though he is secretive about his past and not very open about his true feelings. He too blossomed into a very fine young man. He is also fiercely protective of Olivia, and I was constantly surprised by the sensitive side of Jude. There wasn’t much extra character except for Hal, a beggar and a provider for Jude. Confusing, I know, but you’ll understand if you read the story. The other characters are relatively minor.

Emerald City is told in Olivia’s view but sometimes in an omnipresent view when Jude is doing stuff not known by Olivia. This is not something new as I read this before in The Pledge(my review here) but not as often in my reading range. Olivia’s voice leapt out of the page and Jude’s view really provides some (minimal) insight.

What’s interesting about Emerald City is its take on the usual mythology. I can’t say much without revealing the surprise, all I can say is you wouldn’t expect it at all. Leppert keep you guessing until the very end. Really! Just when I thought I know what was happening, she threw in another element to throw me off the scent. So it was an intriguing read right from the start.

However, there were some minor complaints. I think Jude is a little preachy sometimes, a few of his explanation too long at times. I would like to see the romance part tone down a little and the actual actions vamped up.

 If you want something fresh, don’t miss Emerald City. I have a feeling that this is going to be the first of a successful series.

Absolutely loved the cover! So simple and dark and atmospheric. Not many cover can rock the green!

Ratings: 4 stars

Here are the links for the author interview and the giveaway.

Alicia's website
Alicia's Facebook
Alicia on Goodreads

Pre-order Emerald City on Amazon

Cedar Fort Blog
Cedar Fort Facebook
Cedar Fort Twitter
Cedar Fort on Goodreads

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway