Official Review: Unbalanced by Courtney Shepard
Posted: 10 Jun 2017, 14:46
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Unbalanced" by Courtney Shepard.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Unbalanced by Courtney Shepard follows four orphans, Asha, Ivy, Mere and Avia, as they are united for the first time since their birth decades ago. The four women, though seemingly normal, are anything but. They each possess a unique power to harness one of the natural elements: fire, earth, water and air. Throughout time, there have been female quadruplets with the same powers who have been hunted by the mysterious ‘Order’ and sacrificed to ‘The Four.’ Unaware of their fate, the four women, with the help of four powerful male counterparts, will battle against the Order to save their lives and learn about their history.
The plot of Unbalanced is straightforward and fun to read. The narrative carries the reader along as the author introduces one sister and then another. If anything, there were times the book moved a little too fast. For example, it would have been enjoyable to read more about the sisters lives before finding one another. Similarly, the global settings they travel to, like Egypt, Japan, Italy and Switzerland, are only mentioned in passing and given little description. But overall, the author sufficiently moves the story along, adding in a few twists to keep the reader guessing about the motivations of certain characters.
The four women, Asha, Ivy, Mere and Avia, are all uniquely written and skillfully developed. As the story progresses, the author touches upon the lives of the four girls before they were united. Their stories are similar enough to develop a connection amongst them, yet different enough that one woman can easily be distinguished from the others. Their appearances, personalities and actions reflect four very different girls experiencing similar hardships. In addition, although the characters’ actions never seem unrealistic, the characters are each unpredictable at times, making the women memorable and exciting in their own way.
There is no doubt that there is a lot to like about this book; the characters are enjoyable and the story easily holds your attention. However, there isn’t a great deal of depth to the world the author has created. To be fair, this is the first book in the series and it is likely that plenty will be revealed in later installments. Nevertheless, the bad guys in this book are just bad; they are mysterious and evil, and not much is known about them. The romantic element is, at times, predictable. And the main characters’ outcomes are not always shocking.
Despite the relatively shallow plotting, this book is an entertaining, light read. The four sisters are unmistakable and intriguing, the plot is somewhat unique, and the pacing makes this book a true page turner. Though I am not dying with anticipation for the second novel, I will happily read it when it comes out. For its many positive attributes, Unbalanced earns 4 out of 4 stars; this book will surely appeal to fans of light fantasy novels with mild familial and romantic themes.
******
Unbalanced
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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4 out of 4 stars
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Unbalanced by Courtney Shepard follows four orphans, Asha, Ivy, Mere and Avia, as they are united for the first time since their birth decades ago. The four women, though seemingly normal, are anything but. They each possess a unique power to harness one of the natural elements: fire, earth, water and air. Throughout time, there have been female quadruplets with the same powers who have been hunted by the mysterious ‘Order’ and sacrificed to ‘The Four.’ Unaware of their fate, the four women, with the help of four powerful male counterparts, will battle against the Order to save their lives and learn about their history.
The plot of Unbalanced is straightforward and fun to read. The narrative carries the reader along as the author introduces one sister and then another. If anything, there were times the book moved a little too fast. For example, it would have been enjoyable to read more about the sisters lives before finding one another. Similarly, the global settings they travel to, like Egypt, Japan, Italy and Switzerland, are only mentioned in passing and given little description. But overall, the author sufficiently moves the story along, adding in a few twists to keep the reader guessing about the motivations of certain characters.
The four women, Asha, Ivy, Mere and Avia, are all uniquely written and skillfully developed. As the story progresses, the author touches upon the lives of the four girls before they were united. Their stories are similar enough to develop a connection amongst them, yet different enough that one woman can easily be distinguished from the others. Their appearances, personalities and actions reflect four very different girls experiencing similar hardships. In addition, although the characters’ actions never seem unrealistic, the characters are each unpredictable at times, making the women memorable and exciting in their own way.
There is no doubt that there is a lot to like about this book; the characters are enjoyable and the story easily holds your attention. However, there isn’t a great deal of depth to the world the author has created. To be fair, this is the first book in the series and it is likely that plenty will be revealed in later installments. Nevertheless, the bad guys in this book are just bad; they are mysterious and evil, and not much is known about them. The romantic element is, at times, predictable. And the main characters’ outcomes are not always shocking.
Despite the relatively shallow plotting, this book is an entertaining, light read. The four sisters are unmistakable and intriguing, the plot is somewhat unique, and the pacing makes this book a true page turner. Though I am not dying with anticipation for the second novel, I will happily read it when it comes out. For its many positive attributes, Unbalanced earns 4 out of 4 stars; this book will surely appeal to fans of light fantasy novels with mild familial and romantic themes.
******
Unbalanced
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like MarisaRose's review? Post a comment saying so!
