Strange Gods by Alison Kimble
A YA Fantasy Novel published by Immortal Works (07/20/21)
Summary:
Spooky is at a summer camp for troubled teens. She’s waiting for The Change – a big moment that starts the rest of her life. Maybe sneaking out for her first kiss will be The Change. Instead, she gets pulled into another dimension and confronted with a trickster God. Either she tells him stories for the rest of her life or she finds a way to appease him and supply him with endless stories. After a few hours, she’s already hoarse. Can she talk her way out of her predicament?
Keywords:
Weird Mythology, Portal, Lessons Learned, Summer Camp, Troubled Teens, Bargain, Travel, Journey, Strange Gods
My Review:
What an extraordinary out-of-the-ordinary book that I didn’t even know I needed in my life! I absolutely adore well-written strange and creative books and this one is no exception. The characters – especially Spooky – were given depth, personality, and realism. I wanted to know what made Spooky tick. The fact that she’s at a camp that exploits the campers’ biggest fears added another dimension. What motivates Spooky to conform to her parent’s expectations? Why is everyone else in this camp? This camp is both a terrible place and a terribly fascinating place (to those not currently stuck there that is). The world-building drew me in immediately and the way the author slowly unraveled the mystery of this camp and some of the other campers’ backstories was expertly done.
It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel because it’s so well written and well edited. It’s fast-paced and has a definitive story arc. There are setbacks and obstacles. The main character has to learn her lesson along the journey. There are high stakes. Though the main plot is highly fantastical, the logic and the journey are very realistically written. The characters eat and never forget their bruises or their snark.
If you enjoy a book that isn’t totally mainstream but a little creepy and strange, you’ll love this YA novel.
This novel was published by Immortal Works on 07/20/2021 and is available on Amazon here.
TL;DR Star Rating: 5.0
Links for more information:
Goodreads
Allison Kimble’s Website
Strange Gods by Alison Kimble
Rachel Author Barnard 