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Musicfan

Enjoyable read

Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2021

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I happened upon this book when someone mentioned it to me, so decided to pick it up. I'm glad I did. I like books with strong female characters, and Kate certainly fits that bill.

This book takes place in a small coastal town in Maine that lives off of the summer tourist crowd. For anyone who has grown up or spent time in these sorts of places in New England, you certainly get the description is done well.

You come into this book at Kate returns from a self-imposed exile. Something happened in her past to make her run from all that she had known, and you start to find out why as she searches for her grandmother and takes over the running of her grandmother's carousel ride at the Fun Country amusement park in town.

There's a lot you feel like you don't know as you go along, and you are immersed in the fantasy part as Kate deals with the problems she's been left with as she tries to find out where her grandmother has gone. In the process, you meet a lot of people in the town and you realize that this isn't your average Maine tourist location. Or maybe it is, and just you couldn't see it for yourself when you were there last. ;) But through the course of the novel you find yourself rooting for Kate and her friends as she takes up her role in the town.

I liked this book so much that party way through I got the other two to have on hand, which I also devoured. I hope that at some point that there are more books in this series to read.

Thoroughly Enjoyable!

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2014

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What a thoroughly enjoyable book! Kate is coming home to the town that she exiled herself from ten years previously. She is worried that she hasn't heard from her grandmother. She immediately finds herself embroiled in a number of natural and supernatural problems. The town wants the amusement park opened weeks early; the wards that keep some of the animals on the carousel imprisoned are weakening. Assassins are targeting Kate and the land is in need of her help.

Kate is an engaging character. She had sentenced herself to death because of her guilt about the death of a friend. She is capable of doing great magic but she knows the cost of doing so. She is reluctant to get involved in the magic again because she worries that she might not be able to control it. She is an escapee from another of the six worlds where she was the victim of an powerful and power-hungry magic user.

I enjoyed the new and tentative romance between Kate and Brogan. The romance is complicated by the rules of the fae. She isn't trusting of strangers and he seems to delight in keeping secrets. Also, it is not ideal to start a romance in the midst of battles and danger.

The story will filled with adventure and excitement. I recommend it for lovers of urban fantasy (well, maybe, small town fantasy). I found the writing engaging and compelling.

Rodney Mutchler

Great Ride

Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2015

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Without being technical, I had just sent two losers, couldn't get past the 1st chapters, to the cloud and was about to give up for the day. But needing to read, as I`m wont to do, I tapped Carousel Tides and was immediately hooked, as should happen with a skillfully written work--haven`t put it down yet. I read a book a week, every week, and have two novels published, so I can be quite the critic. If fantasy is your bag, this is the one for today, can`t wait to begin the next in the series, which I am going to do now.

Pacey1927

Very good fantasy...

Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2010

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This book was just a little more `fantasy' than my usual Urban Fantasy reads. It was also a breath of fresh air.

"Carousel Tides" is the story of Kate who once was the guardian of a piece of land called Archer's Beach. She also protected the carousel in Fun County. When Kate's grandmother disappears, Kate is forced to come back to Archer's Beach and face several different, dark aspects of her past.

In the wake of her grandmother's disappearance, it is up to Kate to get the carousel cleaned up and ready for the early tourist season, face her old friends, meet some new ones, and face a new resident who is potentially involved in some drug running on Archer's Beach.

That all seams fully set in reality. But the story is far from what it appears on first glance. The carousel has six animals who are actually bound prisoners from another world. (The story mentions 6 different worlds altogether). Gran is actually a dryad and her tree is sick, but not dead, and therefore she is missing, but probably not dead. Fae beings live and work along the pier.

I really enjoyed the story. I want a sequel now, but there isn't anything confirming one that I could find. The story is satisfyingly wrapped up but some things seem to suggest future books could be possible. Someone shows up from Kate's past at the very end and doesn't go anywhere. Kate's relationship with Borgan doesn't feel settled. And there are six different worlds, and only a couple were really touched on here.

I am giving the book four stars. Right now that goes against the `tide' as all the other reviews are five starred. My complaints are few and they are minor. I was confused in a couple points in the story and I thought things could have been explained better. I was slightly bothered by the climax with the bad guy. It was very underwhelming although there was great build up for it. Kate also had at least two dramatic events that shaped her past. I didn't think enough time was spent on them. One event was supposed to explain the reason Kate chose to leave the Beach (with dramatic consequences) and I thought the reasoning was very weak. It didn't wash for me. I loved the carousel and the idea of it. Those `animals' provided the best scenes in the book and I wanted more of them.

This book was unique and enjoyable. I suggest it to fantasy readers everywhere. I am crossing my fingers for more books set in this world.

Top reviews from other countries

Amber

A great read.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 12, 2015

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Surprisingly fantastic, exciting - with great characters and a fast-paced plot. Recommended!

A. A. Armstrong

Different and wonderful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 7, 2013

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Loved this! Brilliantly written and the pace was just perfect. Has just enough realism in there along side the 'other' and I loved the characters, young and old.

florkow

Urbane Fantasy (or rather small town fantasy) at its best

Reviewed in Germany on January 26, 2020

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All the rushing and running and threats and disasters you might wish, and yet, nice people, friendships and community, too.
A well balanced lovely story, enjoy!

Reading Reading Read

The description is significantly better than the novel

Reviewed in Australia on January 27, 2015

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A confusing mish mash of mythologies and fantasy elements. The incompetence of the main character is hard to empathize with as she is the fulcrum to her own downfall. The remaining characters are drawn directly from well used tropes and have little original flavor. A lot of potential but you will either like the characters or hate every single one of them.

GeneOj

I really enjoyed this book. I love Sharon Lee's Liadon books, and this was a different genre, but as enjoyable as her others. I

Reviewed in Canada on June 4, 2015

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I just really enjoyed this book. A little romance, coming; a bit of strife; a lovely good vs. evil book.

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