Muse by Susie M. Hanley

By: Anonymous on Sunday, February 24, 2013

Title:  Muse

Author:  Susie M. Hanley

Published:   September 12th 2012 by Pocket Kitten Productions (first published September 6th 2012)

Page Count:  338

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Shelf:  Review Copy

Rating:  ★★★★

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In a world not unlike ours, Muses and their Guardians have walked alongside humankind since the beginning of time. From birth Muses assume they are just like everyone else. Not until their twenty-fifth birthdays do they discover their talents have a special purpose, and that Guardians, with their superhuman abilities, will help them in that purpose whether they want that help or not.

Shelby has worked hard to make a life for herself. Her parents died when she was young, and her husband left her with two kids. When her ex-husband comes back to town, he has more to say than just ?I?m sorry?: he's a Guardian, and his new assignment is her. She is a Muse now, one coming into her own no matter how hard she fights it, and trouble stalks her wherever she goes. Her ex-husband can't keep up and, with their history, she doesn't want him to. To complicate matters, there?s another Guardian around when she needs help, and they are falling for each other. He has a dark past that?s trying to reclaim him, and Shelby is in the way. But she has to accept her Museness and figure out fast what being a Muse really means if she is to keep herself and her children alive.

My Review:

Ok, so this book is not listed as part of a series, but I feel that it has to be. Mostly, because this can’t be the end. I need to have more time with these characters. I need to know how their story unfolds. There is so much told yet left untold in this novel that I’m captivated beyond belief.

Although on the surface this novel is, for lack of a better term, a bunch of supernatural fluff (you know, the stuff that doesn’t happen in the real world but is super cool), it really makes you stop and think. Hanley lays the story out in such a way that you find yourself wondering what you would do if you had the abilities that the characters do. If you could make a difference, would you? Or would you try to just amass power?

Not only is this a supernatural story that makes you think, it is also quite well written. You find yourself so completely immersed in the action, via the author’s brilliant descriptions and narrative, that the story comes alive before your eyes. She combines clarity for the reader with the ability to keep you in suspense, wondering what will happen next and how it all will end. It is the perfect balance.

The characters in this novel are also quite intriguing. They are all very well developed and all extremely different. No two individuals share personal characteristics. You can always understand where a character is coming from but don’t necessarily agree with the actions or reactions that they exhibit. This is the mark of brilliant character development.

As a whole, this novel was extremely unique and very captivating. It was almost impossible to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Buy your copy online here today!