Early Review: Amarok by Angela Townsend Book Review

Title: Amarok
Author: Angela J. Townsend
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Pub Date: November 20, 2012
Pages: 181-my copy
My Copy: ARC received from Publisher for review

Book Synopsis:

Emma’s life has been hell since she moved from sunny California to a remote Alaskan town. Abandoned by her father and living with the guilt of causing her mother’s death, she makes a desperate dash for freedom from her abusive stepfather. But when her car skids off the icy road, her planned escape leads to further captivity in a world beyond her imagining.

Dragged across the tundra by an evil mountain man and his enormous black wolf, she learns that love can be found in the most unexpected places. Amarok, as she’s nicknamed the wolf, is a young man from the gold-rush era enslaved by an ancient shaman. Emma’s gentle touch and kind heart win his love and devotion. When a vicious madman-trapped in bear form by the same Shaman-attacks the travelers and injures Amarok, Emma must find the strength to face her fears and free the wolf she’s come to love. But that means she must face down the evil shaman, a Siberian mammoth hunter from the ice age, and he has no intention of giving up his power to her.

Book Review:

A beautifully descriptive book that sucks you in and never lets you go. Right from the start, the way Angela J. Townsend writes the scenes is so descriptive. Very image minded, you feel like you are a part of Emma and Amarok’s world. Also love the metaphors that are used in the book.

Immediately I really enjoyed Emma’s character and what she was going through a lot of women can identify with. Her character feels like she is out of options and missing her mother. These make her seem very human and not whiny like most teenagers are. She is stronger than she knows, but Emma is very scared when the book begins.

Amarok sees in Emma a kindred sprit. These are two souls who have been damaged in some way. Amarok is a man who has been cursed to live as a wolf because of circumstances beyond his control. Emma feels as though everyone in her life has abandoned her or been abusive like her stepfather. The way that their lives intersect is really interesting and really keeps you interested in the characters. 

Also the fact that Emma and Amarok learn how to speak to one another and I really found it interesting that it was telepathic.  They start to get to know each other as people. I really like that the two characters got to know one another and had more in common than they thought they did. Even though Amarok is a beast, he was a man. There was an interesting twist as their was a native american mythology to it.  This added an element of mythology to it, that made the book even more special.  The Mythology of Native American explains s lot about the curse that Amarok breaks thanks to Emma and what she goes through. Also explains what Amarok believes and how the curse works.

A lot of this book action really belongs to Emma and I really loved how she grew from a scared young girl to a brave young woman and learns from what she goes through in helping Amarok and herself at the same time. She helps Amarok break the curse. I wish that the book had been a bit longer. Also would have loved to see Amarok and Emma meet each other as human. Really found that it had a Beauty and The Beast kind of vibe. Through Emma’s strength and bravery she finds a new way to live.

This book really was great. I just wish that Emma and Amarok had a very different understand. I understand why the book ended the way. It was a very different happily ever after than I thought it would. The letter he wrote was very tender and sweet to her in the ending, and made me think that there might be a second book. One can hope.

Rating: