Title: The Seventh Crow
Author: Sherry D. Ramsey
Publication Date: July 25, 2015
Publisher: Dreaming Robot Press
Source: Netgalley
SYNOPSIS: (From Goodreads)
When you can’t remember most of your life, you’d better be prepared for anything. The day a talking crow meets her on the way home from school, fourteen-year-old Rosinda is plunged into a forgotten world filled with startling revelations: magic ability flows in her veins, she’s most comfortable with a sword in her hand, and the responsibility for finding a missing prince rests solely with her.
While dark forces hover in the background and four forgotten war gods from Earth’s past plot to reclaim long-lost power, Rosinda struggles with waves of slowly-returning memories as she searches for clues about her past and the true identity of her family; a search that takes her back and forth between two worlds. In a race against time to recover her memory, find the prince, and rescue her loved ones, Rosinda has only her friend Jerrell and an unusual trio of animals as companions. And as the gods prepare to bring her world to war, Rosinda is unaware that the shadow of betrayal lurks within one whom she trusts the most…
REVIEW:
**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
“One crow, sorrow; two crows, joy; three crows, a letter; four crows, a boy; five crows, silver; six crows, gold….”
The seventh crow heralds a secret that has never been told. This rhyme is told to our fourteen year old protagonist, Rosinda, by her Aunt Odder. Aunt “Odder” Oddline Dealanda is odd, but Rosinda feels that way too. She and her parents were in a car accident and she doesn’t remember anything of the past year. She is staying with Aunt Odder until her parents return from recovering in Switzerland.
As the story opens, with Rosinda, on her way home from school meets the seventh crow. His name is Traveller, he can talk, and he tells her that her Aunt has been kidnapped. This starts a wonderful journey to uncover not just one, but many, secrets and another world!
This novel is for middle-grade students (10-14 years), but as an adult I was enchanted by it. It is a Wizard of Oz type adventure fantasy, where a young girl meets friends, faces challenges, and finds out secrets about herself along the way. The magic system of Ysterad, the fae realm that Rosinda and her companion journey to is well thought out and believable.
Two gods and two goddesses from Earth’s mythology are trying to take over Ysterad and since they are all war deities (Morrigan, Gradivus/Mars, Seckhment and Tyr) they plan to fight for it. They kidnap Aunt Odder to use her for leverage to find the prince of the land and take his power. They are written in a suitably evil enough way to have the reader worry for Rosinda, but there is no over- the- top violence. There are some sad moments and some scary ones when Rosinda can’t figure out who to trust. However, in the end doing your best for those you love has its reward.
This would be an excellent book to read with your tween. I can see the adult reading a chapter and then passing it to their child being an enjoyable experience. It would also be a great bedtime story. There is a hint of romance, but it isn’t the focus of the story.
As an adult, it was like a palate cleanser. Something fresh and a bit sweet to break up all those grown up thoughts and situations we find ourselves in.
Make sure to pick up “The Seventh Crow” on July 25th when it releases. You can also check out more information about the book and author, including a sneak peek at the first chapter, by going to Dreaming Robot Press. Also add it to your TO READ list on Goodreads!
