Review: At Water's Edge by S. McPherson

Synopsis:

When 17-year-old, Dezaray Storm drunkenly stumbles across a portal one night, her life of abuse and self-pity begins to change, mainly because she starts living someone else's life.

Accidently trading places with the most powerful sorceress of the realm Coldivor, Dezaray finds herself assuming the identity of her magical lookalike, having to convince everyone in the realm that she's the real deal.

Aside from a few minor hiccups along the way, like the fact that she is not magical nor does she know even the simplest cards trick; Dezaray soon finds herself settling in. Particularly in the arms of Milo; a blue-eyed jokester with the ability to teleport.

However, it doesn't take long for Dezaray to realise that life on the other side is far from glitz and glamour and that creatures unimaginable are hunting her. A war is brewing between the seven empires of Coldivor and those that long to take over. Dezaray's enchanted double is their only hope; their secret weapon, set to be unleashed on her eighteenth birthday when she is gifted the powers of her forefathers.

But for the enchantress to return, Dezaray has to leave, and the thought of going back to Islon fills Dezaray with dread, for more reasons than one. Torn between a reality she can't stand and a fantasy she can't keep, Dezaray is struggling to see how any choice she makes will lead to a happy ending.

About the author:

S. McPherson is a young British expat living in Dubai and working as a kindergarten teacher. When she is not at work immersed in a world of imagination and fantasy created by the children, she is immersed in her own worlds of imagination and fantasy at home, dreaming up tales and writing them down. 'At Water’s Edge' is S. McPherson’s debut novel and the first in the epic fantasy saga, 'The Water Rushes'.

Review:

*I would like to thank the author for the opportunity to read this book*

What do I have to say about this book?

Honestly?
Wow!

My expectations for this book or neither high or low, I dived into this world just like I did any other before, hoping it would be great and fearing disappointment.

I was surprised.

You don’t get into the world of ‘’At Water’s Edge’’ with difficulty, it’s very similar to ours. And Dezaray’s narration keeps the rhythm nice and flowy, making it easy to dive into this story of love and loss and coming of age to which we are sucked right in. Page after page I found myself looking forward to the scarce time I had to read.

In the first few pages we get to know Dezaray, a girl whose abusive brother mistreats. Someone that’s destined to grow as she finds herself being pulled into the world of her counterpart.

A counterpart is someone physically the same as you but from another dimension. And Dezaray’s counterpart is Lexovia, someone very special in the other dimension.

Why? Go read the book to find out!

A counterpart cannot coexist in the same world, if they do for more than 14 days they die. That’s a problem when the love of your life is your counterparts best friend (who is destined to save the world) and it’s not from your dimension.

I think that more than enjoying the action I enjoyed seeing this dynamic, between Milo and Dazaray. Dazaray is physically just like Lexovia, Milo’s best friends, but he still can tell them apart just fine and seems to find in his heart different feelings to harbour for each other.

I honestly don’t know what more to say. I just really really liked this book. And I’m dying to read the next.

The only thing negative I have to point out, it’s not really a writing thing. I’ve grown to understand that English books are more fragile than the Portuguese ones, but this one was so weird, it just got damaged so very easily that’s almost disturbing.

I think the author is self-published and I would recommend trying to print the book in another format if possible.

Also, the design of the cover seems so pretty but when you get it in your hand you understand that’s a bit unfocused, which is kind of sad I think.

Over all I think this book is one of those who deserve much more recognition than the one they are getting. And I will be keeping my eyes open to Smcperson’s works.

Once again, thank you so much Smcpherson for sending me this beautiful book so that I could lose myself in her pages.