Review: A weird and wonderful urban fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 13, 2012
It's Hetty Locklear's big day. She's graduating from college and starting her life as an adult. But when her diploma's in her hand, nothing changes. She's still sharing an apartment with her cousins, working at a convenience store, and eating too many sweets. Her only escape is through her fantasy worlds, but that's where the surprises in her life begin. Two new members join Hetty's online role-playing game and a gorgeous man at a bakery offers to help her find a job. Her estranged parents contact her and want her to visit as they work at Renaissance fairs. If that isn't enough to drive a woman to too many donuts, a ghost stalks Hetty at the shop and sends her chilling warnings. Hetty's fantasy worlds begin to look tame compared to her real life, and she can only hope to survive the strange secret life she's being dragged into.Mary Pax's newest book is a weird and wonderful ride. It begins on a familiar note. Trying to find one's place in the world and start life as an adult is something we can all relate to. From the ordinary, we slowly spin into a tale of the extraordinary. Mysterious men, ghosts, psychics, and then we're hit with a sci-fi twist. I had wondered how everything would fit together, but Mary Pax weaves a clever tale.The biggest hook for me was Hetty Locklear herself. She's not your typical heroine. She's a real woman with flaws and too many curves. She's creative, geeky, and loyal to her friends, but insecure and way too nice. Sometimes she's far too emotional, but she's brave when she needs to be. I immediately connected to her. It was as if the story could be about me. I love reading about woman who are real. Most urban fantasy heroines I might enjoy reading about, but I can't relate to them. There needs to be more books out there with ordinary woman who rise to great challenges.