Revisiting this post exactly 2 years from the original date it was posted! Wow.
Reposted on 07/02/2019
It is amazing how fast time flies by. So much has transpired since I've written this book review. I came back to this post because it was one of my first thorough book reviews and I indicated that I would write more. I must say that I did not keep that promise and I had no idea I was revisiting the post exactly 2 years from the original post date.
I indicated that I would review more books often and post to Goodreads. Well...I did keep one end of the promise, I have written more book reviews but I have not posted them to Goodreads. I have reviewed and posted on Amazon, Audible, and other sites. But this year, I will have more time to keep the other end of my promise and post my reviews on Goodreads & to this new Alina Blog Site. Goodreads post is very important to me because it is an avenue for writers and true readers who absolutely love to read.
So, since there are no coincidences in the world, and I just happened to stumble upon this post exactly 2 years from the date of the original post, it simply means that I need to honor my original thoughts and give praise to the work and achievement of the many excellent authors in the world today!
Originally posted in March 17, 2017
Escape from Asylum. This is not a typical book for me to read. In fact, this would be the first “ghost like” story and my first YA book that I’ve read. I’m writing this as an extended blog posts because I just had to cover other details that go outside the realm of the story. This review not only evaluates the written words but the artistic features as well. Indulge me!
Why did I choose this book in the first place? It was the cover. I had run across the book several times in my search on Amazon, Goodreads, etc. while looking for my next mystery or legal thriller. The Asylum cover taunted me. I made a mental note and said I would revisit later. Well, while strolling through Wal-Mart, I stumbled upon the book section. There it was, staring at me – Escape from Asylum. I thought to myself, Nice.
I picked it up, gently brushed my hands across the front and back of the cover – as I always do with books. I love the feel, the smell, and the sound of the pages flipping. Once I opened the book, I was overwhelmed with excitement. OMG, look at the inside…Gorgeous, I said. Brilliant, I thought, still looking mesmerized. I had to buy it and then I simply had to read it.
The Cover Art & Inside Features Nice. Beautiful and creatively manicured. The cover is subtle but memorable and packs a punch. The artistic features on the inside are great. I like how the title and the author’s name on the interior pages’ kind of fade into the background with the light lime green color. I’m sure that wasn’t intentional but it fit. The Asylum series definitely stands out from the rest of the books in this genre. The series seems particularly crafted for this author; and the pictures are thoughtfully displayed to give more substance to the story and add a uniqueness to the books. Superb assembly! Great job Roux and HarperCollins.
The Story I have mixed reviews about the book. The story takes off a bit slow. A little too slow for me but I already had high expectations and I was still enthralled over the cover and interior art, so I was eager to continue. Finally, by Chapter 9, the book takes off. Even though it was moving slow up until this point, the details were still relevant. I love how Roux introduces the characters. The introductions were smooth, right on time, and I see now, the pace was important to the flow of the book. I like how she flowed into each character’s personality/trait. And you could almost feel Kay’s presence as she interacted with the main character, Ricky. Each time the characters interacted with one another, you could tell who was speaking and actually feel their emotion.
The age of the main character, Ricky, comes alive in the narration. You can tell a “smug, arrogant…” teenager is telling the story. But the more Ricky stayed at the Asylum, the more delusional he became. It was almost like they put something in that unusual food that was turning Ricky. Warden Crawford…what can I say about that creepy guy! Wow. Well, Roux, his character was unforgettable. His behavior could be visualized and it was unnerving. You really did a great job bringing his character to life. Close to the end, you just couldn’t help falling for Ricky and Kay. Touching…and their sense of humor was right on time and welcomed.
Overall: slow beginning, intriguing middle, but then a slow ending. It took a little too long to reach the ending and by page 270 or so, I was trying to get through the rest. Still, it held my interest and I just had to know – What was Crawford up to and why the intriguing interest in Ricky and why Nurse Ash was behaving that way. I kept reading because I simply had to know.
I rated the book 4 stars for the cover, interior and the story.
Would I recommend: Yes
Would I read another book from Asylum series: Yes
For more reviews, visit my Goodreads Author Page.