Nettie Lonesome lives in a land of hard people and hard ground dusted with sand. She's a half-breed who dresses like a boy, raised by folks who don't call her a slave but use her like one. She knows of nothing else. That is, until the day a stranger attacks her. When nothing, not even a sickle to the eye can stop him, Nettie stabs him through the heart with a chunk of wood, and he turns into black sand.
And just like that, Nettie can see.
But her newfound sight is a blessing and a curse. Even if she doesn't understand what's under her own skin, she can sense what everyone else is hiding -- at least physically. The world is full of evil, and now she knows the source of all the sand in the desert. Haunted by the spirits, Nettie has no choice but to set out on a quest that might lead to her true kin... if the monsters along the way don't kill her first.
My thoughts:
At first I wondered whether this was fantasy or not, but nope, it is a western with lots of paranormal in it.
Nettie is half black, half Indian. She lives with mom and pap, but let's be honest, she is their slave. She longs to be somewhere else. Like tame broncos on the nearby farm. To be a man and not confined by society's view on women.
And as this a paranormal western then something will happen and her worldview will be changed. There are many things out in the desert, in towns, everywhere. Good and bad, and dangright evil.
I enjoyed the setting, it was different, even so different that is did not really feel like a western. More as a fantasy with a western setting. All those beings...
I guess it's YA, or not. Honestly even if YA, it could go either way. It never feels like it is one thing, and she is no normal teen either. She has been worked hard all her life. She just wants to live.
Conclusion:
An interesting story.
Cover
meh
Kindle Edition, 320 pages
Published October 27th 2015 by Orbit
The Shadow #1
Western paranormal
NG
the setting sounds nice, a bit different so it's always interesting
ReplyDeleteIt was cool :)
DeleteProbably going to have a hard time reading something like this. With a teen being used as a slave. :/
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, they would have worked their own child just as much, as many did back then
DeleteIt was such a nice twist
ReplyDeleteI have this one and book 2, need to start it soon!!
ReplyDeleteYay
DeleteOkay, now this is a western I'd probably like! :) But then you did say paranormal so you know you had me there. :)
ReplyDeleteLOL, aye that hit the spot
DeleteHuh... this sounds so different that it would be good. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteI had a good time with this one, and you know I just love fantasy westerns!
ReplyDelete~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum
That are really cool :D
DeleteI've seen a few fantasy westerns recently - I guess it's a thing now lol
ReplyDeleteKaren @For What It's Worth
They do seem to be a thing
Delete*waves*
ReplyDeleteFriday :D
DeleteWow paranormal western...interesting :)
ReplyDeleteDifferent combination! Yes, meh on the cover.
ReplyDeleteSo meh
DeleteSo, good or not? :-)
ReplyDeleteGood
DeleteIs the ending hanging? Because I am interested to read this but I'm afraid it would be hanging that I would end up knowing more. I am not in the mood to read the second book, yet.
ReplyDeleteWell...sure in a way it was hanging. But in another way we got an answer and it was the end
DeleteI would think that this was a fantasy too, from that cover. It does sound like an interesting book. I don't normally do westerns, but a paranormal western, maybe. Great review.
ReplyDeleteMelanie @ Hot Listens & Rabid Reads
PNR western is sure more fun than normal western, lol
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