I recently read The Sapphire Flute by Karen E. Hoover and it got me pondering about what makes a book good. Not just good, but what makes a book awesome?
Sometimes, you find books that you like and other times you find books that you love. Books that you like you enjoy reading, but when you finish, you finish. It sits back on your shelf or is returned to the library and forgotten. Books that you love, stick in your mind. You see a word or a name in the real world and instantly it brings you back to that world. These are the books that are lovingly read and reread.
What makes a book un-put-downable? What makes you think of it weeks after reading the last page?
In an unforgettable book, the characters are lovable. They have to be so real that as a reader, you forget they are mere words on a page. The Sapphire Flute's characters are a good example of that. Immediately, before she even has a point of view, I am curious of the main character Shandae's role and worry for her future. I feel sympathy for her and I haven't even met her yet! Then, as she makes an appearance as a point of view character, she is loveable and easy to relate to. I care for her trials, because a tight emotional connection is established early on.
Phenomenal books stand out by the details in which the author writes them. In The Sapphire Flute, the settings and the characters are described so richly that the world feels real. I can feel what the scorching of the flames and hear the sweet music from the flute. It is more than just reading a book, it's being swept into a book.
The Sapphire Flute definitely falls under my personal “love it” category. It isn't just a good book—it is an unforgettable, awesome book. Currently, it is available at Amazon, but it won't be for long. Also, it is available on smashwords as an e-book.
Also, stop by sometime next week for an interview with the author and a contest!
Happy writing!
