The Sary Society is a collection of books that have the same theme of the Sary's however every book in this series so far are all able to be read as
standalone books and in any order you wish. You can see the other books in the Sary Society series below my review of Surrender The Sky.
MY REVIEW
Title: Surrender The Sky
Author: Meradeth Houston
Series: Sary Society
Publisher: Muse It Up Publishing
Release Date: May 2014
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Gabby lives by two unbreakable rules: don’t expose her kind, the Sary, and don’t fall in love—too bad some rules are made to be broken.
When Gabby’s most difficult charge accidentally shoots her in front of a class full of students, the event exposes her carefully hidden identity. She shifts from looking like a normal teen to her secret Sary form, revealing her wings and the existence of her kind—immortals who try to keep people from committing suicide. Her incident attracts the attention of the next leader of the Sary, Jassen, who offers her an impossible bargain: she can keep her wings if she makes amends with those who know the truth. Things get more complicated when a rebel Sary, intent on exposing them to the world, starts interfering with Gabby’s work. And there’s no denying her attraction to Jassen, who is torn between his duties and his heart. With threats at every turn and her immortality on the line, Gabby has to find a way to save the Sary or surrender the sky forever.
When Gabby’s most difficult charge accidentally shoots her in front of a class full of students, the event exposes her carefully hidden identity. She shifts from looking like a normal teen to her secret Sary form, revealing her wings and the existence of her kind—immortals who try to keep people from committing suicide. Her incident attracts the attention of the next leader of the Sary, Jassen, who offers her an impossible bargain: she can keep her wings if she makes amends with those who know the truth. Things get more complicated when a rebel Sary, intent on exposing them to the world, starts interfering with Gabby’s work. And there’s no denying her attraction to Jassen, who is torn between his duties and his heart. With threats at every turn and her immortality on the line, Gabby has to find a way to save the Sary or surrender the sky forever.
PURCHASE LINKS
INITIAL THOUGHTS
As I loved the other Sary Society stories I am looking forward to reading another great Sary story. What will the main character Sary in this book be like?" Will Gabby's charge be saved?
MY REVIEW
I received a review copy of this one from the author in exchange for my honest review.
The cover in my opinion really fits a section in the book when Gabby is trying to turn into her Sary form and is unable to do so, I'm not going to say the hows and whys of her situation as that would include spoilers. I think the cover really conveys how trapped and claustrophobic Gabby must have been feeling. The atmospheric effect of the dark blues of the turbulent sky also fit several scenes within the book. I'd also say that this cover fits well with the other two books set within the Sary Society.
Now to the book, this book covers a Sary called Gabby. To explain how Gabby became a Sary . . .To be truly honest I'm rather undecided as to whether I like the hows and why's of how Gabby became a Sary. That she was a baby that had never drawn breath and her choice was to become a Sary or forever wander as a spirit that could not touch or feel. A child that didn't draw breath suggests a miscarriage or a stillborn. Why would such an innocent life lost be treat like a suicide and sentenced to wander forever as a spirit? Maybe I am more sensitive on the subject having had a miscarriage/child that never drew breath. I prefer to think my child is in heaven or maybe even being something like a Sary rather than the image of a spirit with no body forever wandering and not being able to touch or feel anything.
Gabby is staying within a community, going to school to try and bring to an end a boy named Chad from taking his own life and any of the lives of the other students in his class. Sadly Gabby fails to prevent an incident occurring in the school. In her attempt to block Chad from shooting the bully of the class Bobby, she throes herself at Chad and ends up being shot herself. Being shot triggers a change within Gabby and she transforms into her Sary form in front of the whole class.
The Sary clean up team turns up to try and sort out the situation. Gabby is terrified yet accepts that her punishment for revealing her form is to be "released". Being "released" is a horrible, painful process where the Sary are stripped of their powers and their wings.
So when Jassen, the deputy leader of the Sary turns up she fully expects to be released, and is somewhat shocked and confused when he tells her that he is their to help the clean up team and put things right,. not release her. Jassen is also there to help Gabby develop a very special gift she doesn't quite know she has and how to use it too. As the gift is so rare, at first Gabby denies it, until Jassen begins to teach her how to use it. Gabby is so embarassed by her mess up and kind of mortified that Jassen is staying at her lowly flat. Gabby has always found Jassen attractive, and she she learns more about the next leader of the Sary she begins to love him even more, but he couldn't possibly ever reciprocate her feelings could he?
It's considered a Sary law that they do not have relationships with mortals or each others.
So when one of the clean up team and Gabby's old room mate from her training days Nathan, ends up in a relationship with her best mortal friend Bea, it is frowned upon but surprisingly allowed. Could things be changing within the Sary Society? The fact that Bea and Nathan's relationship is allowed to continue gives Gabby hopes for the future, but it's a fragile hope that maybe she could have some sort of relationship with Jassen.
We also meet Jassen's twin, Leon in this book who wishes for the Sary to take over and rule the world, and to walk around in their true forms, wings and all. Can the Sary from the Island prevent Leon and his plans for the Sary?
So what I have said above is just a small part of the book there's so much more to the book and it's story. I also think it teaches the reader that though suicides are usually viewed to be a selfish way out of life, that in most cases there is so much more going on around a suicide, such as in this book Chad being bullied. We also learn the reason why Bobby is such a bully at school too. The characters have plenty of drama and ups and downs that you can empathise with as well as ample of secrets to be discovered about the Sary.
The descriptions of the different Sary's wings actually reflect some of that Sary's qualities. The book certainly makes you visualize the many scenes in the book. I think these books would make an outstanding TV Series along the lines of the "Highway To Heaven series I remember from years ago.
So did I enjoy the book? Yes, I really enjoyed the book. Would I recommend the book? Yes, I would, specifically to fans of Mary Ting's Crossroads Saga. Would I read another book about the Sary Society? Oh yes please. I'd love to know more about the other Sary we met in this book as well as catching up with Ari, Tom, Bea and Nathan. I'd also like to read more about Gabby and Jassen, perhaps a book set on the Island of the Sary. Would I read other titles by Meradeth Houston? I would certainly take a serious look at anything written by this author. I really take pleasure in Meradeth's writing style, it flows so easily and truly enjoy reading her books.
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MORE SARY SOCIETY BOOKS
Author: Meradeth Houston
Series: Sary Society
Publisher: Muse It Up Publishing
Release Date: May 2012
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Julia has a secret: she killed the guy she loved. It was an accident—sort of.
Julia is a Sary, the soul of a child who died before taking her first breath. Without this 'breath of life' she and others like her must help those on the verge of suicide. It's a job Julia used to enjoy, until the accident that claimed her boyfriend’s life—an accident she knows was her fault. If living with the guilt weren't enough, she's now assigned to help a girl dealing with the loss of her mother, something Julia's not exactly the best role model for. If she can't figure out a way to help her, Julia's going to lose her position in the Sary, something she swore to her boyfriend would never happen.
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Author: Meradeth Houston
Series: Sary Society
Publisher: Muse It Up Publishing
Release Date: April 2013
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“They are everywhere, can be anyone, and are always the last person you’d expect.” When Tom stumbles across his grandfather’s journal, he’s convinced the old man was crazier than he thought. The book contains references to beings called the Sary, immortals who are assigned to save humans on the verge of suicide. They certainly aren’t allowed to fall in love with mortals. Which the journal claims Tom’s grandfather did, resulting in his expulsion from the Sary. As strange as the journal seems, Tom can’t get the stories out of his head; especially when he finds the photo of his grandfather’s wings.
Tom’s only distraction is Ari, the girl he studies with for their chemistry class.
Ari has one goal when she arrives in town: see how much Tom knows about the Sary and neutralize the situation. This isn’t a normal job, but protecting the secrecy of the Sary is vital. If Tom is a threat to exposing the Sary to the public, fate has a way of taking care of the situation, usually ending with the mortal’s death. While Ari spends time with Tom, he becomes more than just an assignment, but how far can a relationship go when she can’t tell him who she really is? When she finds out just how much Tom actually knows about the Sary, Ari is forced to choose between her wings, and her heart.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
>I'm a California girl. This generally means I talk too fast and use "like" a lot.
>I have my doctorate in molecular anthropology. Translation: I sequence dead people's DNA and spend a whole lot of time in a lab, which I love.
>I've been writing since I was 11 years old. It's my hobby, my passion, and I'm so happy to get to share my work!
>My other passion is teaching. There's nothing more fun than getting a classroom of college kids fired up about anthropology!
>If I could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because
I'm terrified of heights.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?
--Hi! My name is Meradeth Houston. I was born in Sacramento, California and spent most of my life there until moving for work to the wilds of Montana J. Okay, so maybe not so “wild” but it’s a very different place for me! And it snows…lots!
When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"?
--I first considered myself that, really, honestly, when I got my first book deal. I’d been writing for a very long time before then, but it wasn’t until that email came through with my publisher saying they wanted my book that I felt like what was a “hobby” wasn’t that anymore. I was going to really be a writer. Silly, maybe (probably), but true!
Did it take a long time to get your first book published?
--Oh yeah! I queried two other books before the first one sold. So, a lot of work, research, writing, and some serious tears in there too before I got my first deal.
Do you work another job as well as your writing work?
--I do! And I love it. I’m an anthropology professor at the University of Montana. I love teaching, and I have the most awesome subject in the world. But, I may be a bit biased!
Do you have a "lucky charm" or "lucky routine" you follow when waiting for your book to be accepted by a publisher?
--Hmm, I don’t actually! But I kind of wish I did. Does anyone want to loan me theirs? J
What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
--I have a sci-fi release coming out in November, currently titled An Absence of Light, which I’m really looking forward to. It’s a very different world than my Sary books, but was also a blast to write (in a very creepy way!). I’m also working on a New Adult book about coincidences, which I honestly love more than anything I’ve ever written.
Do you have a favourite character from your books? And why are they your favourite?
--Actually three of my favorite characters of all time are in Surrender the Sky. They’re some of the first characters that I ever wrote about and they definitely have a piece of my heart. Jassen—for all his dark good looks and hidden sense of fun. Gabby—for her heart and tenacity. And Bea for sure—because she’s the best friend every girl wishes they had!
What is your favourite book and Why? Have you read it more than once?
--My all-time favorite book is A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L’Engle. I just love it. The world, the characters, Meg, and the depth of the story. I’ve heard they’re making a film of it, which both delights me and scares me to death. It could be amazing or just horrible. I’m really hoping for the former!
If you could invite three favourite writers to dinner, who would you invite and enjoy chatting with?
--Hmm, narrowing it down to three is terribly hard! I’d have to go with Madeline L’Engle, for obvious reasons, JK Rowling because I think she’d be incredibly funny to chat with, and Maggie Steifvater, because I love her posts online and find her hilarious and utterly brilliant!
AUTHOR LINKS
Blog: meradethhouston.blogspot.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MeradethHouston
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5321667.Meradeth_Houston
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeradethHouston
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/115267905673348540313/posts
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Meradeth-Houston/e/B0083U5AH2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/meradethhouston
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/merbear95695/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/meradethhouston
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/meradethhouston
Instagram: http://instagram.com/merhouston
Other: www.MeradethHouston.com
Thank you SO much for hosting me, and for your lovely review!! Appreciated more than I can say!! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of Meradeth's writing as well! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great review! I love the Sary series too! Meradeth is such a talented author and I get sucked right into her stories. I look forward to reading more books by her.
ReplyDeleteI have always been a huge Wrinkle in Time fan and it's nice to meet someone else who was enchanted by it. :)
Best of luck to Meradeth!
~Jess