Review & Mini Author Interview: The Beast Call by Anne Tibbets

The Story: 

Seventeen year old Dray is no ordinary human. But possessing a magical capability to talk to animals in a land where magic is feared, is dangerous. When Dray's adventure hungry brother leaves the family farm to join a rebel militia, Dray follows him, but as Dray discovers her natural warrior capabilities, and word of her magical talents are discovered by the revel General, Dray becomes an intricate part of the revolution, and the evil King Nuro would like nothing more than to see her destroyed. - From the authors website.

My Thoughts:

I woke up one morning to a request from Anne Tibbets to review her ebook. After doing a little dance and feeling very book bloggery, I started to worry that I wouldn't like the book and therefore wouldn't be able to review it. I have a little policy of not reviewing books I dislike you see. Thankfully, I didn't have to worry. The Beast Call reminded me very much of the Tamora Pierce books I've grown up reading, complete with a strong heroine with the ability to communicate with animals.
        The pacing of The Beast Call was very quick and the plot was full of interesting twists. I loved that it was told in third person perspective from many different points of view. For me, this allowed for a certain amount of character development even though the novel was quite short.
        I really liked Dray as a heroine. She was a reluctant warrior and her loyalty to her brother above all else was admirable. Some of the creatures in the enchanted forest were a little Narnia-esque and the addition of the flirtatious centaur to the story really got my attention.
        My only issues with The Beast Call was that it was possibly too short for such an epic story and Dray didn't really have much of a connection to the beasts that she commanded even though she could control them. At times, I was a little disturbed by her lack of concern for their well being, as she persuaded them to fight and die for her cause. I would have liked to see her with at least one constant animal companion.
        Overall, The Beast Call was an enjoyable read and the writing was great. I was quite envious of some of the physical character descriptions and would recommend this book to anyone who has enjoyed Tamora Pierce and Isobelle Carmody.

Rating:

7/10

The Mini Interview:

1. As an author, where do you find your writing inspiration?

I know this might sound completely cornball, but I find my inspiration from within.  If I feel especially sensitive, it's a good day to write an emotional scene.  If I feel a bit cranky, it's a good action day.  When I'm lucky, what I'm feeling coincides with what I'm writing.  I get myself a cup of coffee, read a page or two from where I left off, and let myself ride the wave of what needs to come next.  When it works, it's wonderful.  When it doesn't, it's best to take the day and do something else, because most likely I'll end up rewriting whatever I'd written anyways.

2. What's the best advice you've ever received?

Another writer at my publisher and I were emailing back and forth lately, he gave me great advice: It's a marathon, not a sprint. So many writers and authors want to reach J.K. level on their first novel right out of the gate. So not gonna happen. In fact, it didn't happen to J.K. either. Keep writing, he said. Keep at it. Eventually, you will find your readers, or your readers will find you.  Until then, keep searching for ways to reach them. It's good advice. Thanks, Alan.

3. What's next for Anne Tibbets?

Come the end of August I am working on rewrites for a Dystopian. Then off to finish the sequel for "The Beast Call," called "The Beast Reign." It's going to get pretty busy pretty quick, but I prefer it that way.


And finally, Anne is one of those cool authors who blogs. You can find her and info on her upcoming projects here.