Review: Spirits of Glory

One morning the people in the North woke up and the people in the South were gone . . .

That's the first thing every child learns on the colony world of Jigsaw. But for one girl, knowing about The Disappearance is not enough. Hawkeye wants to know why.

That's why she spent half her life researching The Disappearance. And that's also why eight Neighbors show up on her doorstep, demanding that she accompany them into the Forbidden Cities ruled by the Southern gods to speak with the Spirits of Glory. Everyone thinks Hawkeye is an expert on Neighbors, these almost-humans who move, talk, and think as if they were born inside one of the Time Fractures. But she can't imagine what they want to ask the ghosts of their ancestors, or why they need her to go along. The Southern gods caused every human inhabitant of the Southern cities to disappear overnight -- what else might they do?

But the Northern gods say Hawkeye should go and her curiosity won't let her refuse, even though she's going into more danger than she can imagine. Pain and puzzlement wait along the broken interstate, along with scavengers who want to kill them all. Hawkeye's questions only generate more questions as they move farther and farther into the South, right into the heart of the Disappearance, until Hawkeye's questions have all been answered.

Even the ones she was afraid to ask.

Nancy's Review:

I wasn't sure what to expect from Spirits of Glory, this being the first fully science fiction young adult novel I've read. I was pleasantly surprised at just how much I enjoyed the book! The plot was intricate enough to make you really think about the characters and the story as it progressed. I found that attention to detail was very important while reading this book, as every sentence has significance. I really liked the main character Hawkeye (whose real name is Amber), she was a great protagonist. She was such a strong character, without ever needing to "dumb" herself down. Her knowledge was what made her strong and such an essential part of the plot. It was refreshing to see this in a young adult novel, as many other YA books don't emphasize how important it really is to be smart and intellectual and often end up focusing solely on beauty. I was also impressed with how unique the story was, I don't think I have ever read a book remotely close to what this one was about. I will totally recommend this book if you want something fun that will take you completely out of this world! (You can find it on Smashwords.com and Amazon.com)

9/10

David's Review:

In the Spirits of Glory, mysteries are around every corner on the planet known as Jigsaw. Amber "Hawkeye" Rodriguez has been studying one puzzle in  particular since she was a little girl, what occurred that made the people of the South vanish? Following this one question she is set on a path with beings known as Neighbors and ominous messages from Gods.

Spirits of Glory written by Emily Devenport, is not something I would typically read due to the fact that I'm all about magic, attractive men, and super powered humans. After reading it though, I can say it didn't need that to keep me entertained. Mostly.

The Good

1. Time Fractures. I had never actually read a book where time could slow down, speed up, and stop completely.
2. A heroine who did not let her disability over power her. She owned it, with a little help.
3. Genetically enhanced animals, Wolfy and Brat. Loved them.
4. Bad guys you will love to hate.
5. Decent plot line.

The Bad

1. Connecting with characters other then Hawkeye, Wolfy, and Brat was somewhat of a challenge due to lack of communication between them. Other then the bad guys that is.
2. I had a hard time believing that Hawkeye actually had a strenuous journey. Wolfy, Brat, or the Neighbors were continuously by her side throughout the story. She wasn't left on her own until the end, and overcame that fairly easily.

8/10

Thank you Emily for providing us with copies to review!
For more about Emily Devenport and her books please visit her blog by clicking here :)