ODD & TRUE BY CAT WINTERS
Genre: YA, Historal Fiction, Paranormal
Source: Netgalley in return for an honest review
Publication Date: Sept. 12, 2017
Synopsis:
Trudchen grew up hearing Odette’s stories of their monster-slaying mother and a magician’s curse. But now that Tru’s older, she’s starting to wonder if her older sister’s tales were just comforting lies, especially because there’s nothing fantastic about her own life—permanently disabled and in constant pain from childhood polio.
In 1909, after a two-year absence, Od reappears with a suitcase supposedly full of weapons and a promise to rescue Tru from the monsters on their way to attack her. But it’s Od who seems haunted by something. And when the sisters’ search for their mother leads them to a face-off with the Leeds Devil, a nightmarish beast that’s wreaking havoc in the Mid-Atlantic states, Tru discovers the peculiar possibility that she and her sister—despite their dark pasts and ordinary appearances—might, indeed, have magic after all.
*I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the copy of this book in return for an honest review*
I do not know how this is my first Cat Winters book. She has been on my radar for awhile and I have only heard amazing things about her books and writing. When I saw this on netgalley I knew I had to read it. I was not disappointed. I want to state it at the beginning of my review that what really sold me on this book was the ending.
I loved the time period in which this book took place, it was absolutely perfect for the story and gave something extra to the overall atmosphere of the story. I was also greatly pleased that Winters focused on the relationship between sisters and made that the large focus. So much in YA lately there is such a huge dedication to romance. I believe there is more to life and sometimes more important relationships that should be focused on and spotlighted to let those young adults know it is not all about a love interest. The relationship between the sisters is what really what drove the story and made me love this novel.
At the beginning of the book I felt myself losing interest, it did take a little while to really get the story and characters to grab me, but it was worth it to complete to book. I felt like there was great character growth throughout the book and really enjoyed seeing it slowly take place as the story goes back and forth between present time with Tru and the past with Od. I found that Winters did a fabulous job with incorporating Tru as a disabled character. Winters showed that Tru was able to persevere and not let her limited mobility keep her from going after what she wanted. I thought it was really important that Tru never let it hinder her. It was really inspiring. The sisters were so full of life and imagination.
Overall I found the story to be heart warming and full of whimsy. It had some really important messages that Winters really drove home at the end that many people can find guidance in. Od and Tru are some pretty kickass sisters who never give up. This story was absolutely marvelous and full of monstrous creatures. I will for sure be reading Winters other works and cannot wait for this book to be published.
