I downloaded Erec Stebbins‘ Sci-Fi novel Reader (Daughter of Time) for review from the Story Cartel.

Description from Goodreads:
She was a VICTIM: enslaved after her parents’ murder. She was made a MONSTER: deformed, modified against her will. She became a MESSIAH: opening the Orbs and leading a galactic rebellion.

Share the cosmic quest of seventeen-year-old Ambra Dawn, Reader, and the most unbelievable step in the adventure – will be your own.

Review:
Reader (Daughter of Time) has an interesting premise. Poor Ambra Dawn never had a chance at a normal life but still proved herself incredibly resilient. The story is told in first person from her perspective when she is about 17. I generally dislike first-person narratives, but in this case, the reader (not Reader) is given a very clear reason that she is telling you her story, so it works.

At about (almost exactly, really) 50% her personality changes quite abruptly from passive victim to strong aggressor. This was absolutely necessary for the plot and the development of her character, but it felt very much like it came out of nowhere. Yes, something happened to instigate the change, but so very, very much had already happened to her that it almost didn’t seem like it should have affected her so much.

I especially liked that everything was tied into science in some fashion. High-level 4-dimensional space-time related science that often flew right over my head, but I appreciated it all the same. There are a lot of really good quotes too. They head the chapters, providing a clue to what is coming.

I have to admit, embarrassing as it may be, that like clapping for Tinkerbell in Peter Pan, I sent my prayer/strong thought/wish into the universe, as requested. Surely, that’s a sign of a book that has affected someone. I believe the book was written with a young adult audience in mind (so the author mentions it in the acknowledgments). Certainly, a teenager could, and probably would, enjoy the book, but it is joyously free of all of the ridiculous angst that usually accompanies YA books. As an adult, I quite enjoyed the book.