'East' & 'West' by Edith Pattou - Book Review by LAWonder10!

About Book 1:
Title: EAST (East #1)  Author: Edith Pattou
Pub. Date: May 1, 2005 | Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, audiobook
Pages: 507
Synopsis:
Rose has always been different.
      Since the day she was born, it was clear she had a special fate. Her superstitious mother keeps the unusual circumstances of Rose's birth a secret, hoping to prevent her adventurous daughter from leaving home... but she can't suppress Rose's true nature forever. So when an enormous white bear shows up one cold autumn evening and asks teenage Rose to come away with it--in exchange for health and prosperity for her ailing family--she readily
agrees.
Rose travels on the bear's broad back to a distant and empty castle, where she is nightly joined by a mysterious stranger. In discovering his identity, she loses her heart-- and finds her purpose--and realizes her journey has only just begun.
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REVIEW by LAWonder10:
 Rose was her parents best kept secret, although her father felt it very wrong.
East tells of her mother's many superstitions and how she planned the final steps in each pregnancy.
All her mother's clever plans changed at the unusual a sudden appearance of a White Bear and his demands for her daughter, Rose.
This is  a new fantasy series, loaded with much action and intrigue. The beginning seems a little awkward at first, while setting up the foundation, but then captivates the reader's interest.
Although it is a series, the ending was slightly weak, after a huge "build up". It also, could have been shortened a little, by less repeat and other extended scenes.
The characters were very well developed and seemed real. The scenes wee easily visualized.
It is recommended for YA but I feel Adults would enjoy it just as much, if not more.
I did look forward to reading the next book of the series.I offer a Four Stars rating.
*This book was sent to me with no request for a positive review. This is my honest review.

About The Book:
Title: WEST (East #2)  Author: Edith Pattou
Pub. Date: October 23, 2018 | Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook | Pages: 528
Synopsis:
        In the sequel to the beloved high fantasy East, Rose sets off on a perilous journey to find her true love when he goes missing in a thrilling tale of danger, magic, adventure, and revenge.
        When Rose first met Charles, he was trapped in the form of a white bear. To rescue him, Rose traveled to the land that lay east of the sun and west of the moon to defeat the evil Troll Queen. Now Rose has found her happily-ever-after with Charles—until a sudden storm destroys his ship and he is presumed dead. But Rose doesn’t believe the shipwreck was an act of nature, nor does she believe Charles is truly dead. Something much more sinister is at work. With mysterious and unstoppable forces threatening the lives of the people she loves, Rose must once again set off on a perilous journey. And this time, the fate of the entire world is at stake.
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Audible,  B&N, iBooks, TBD

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REVIEW by LAWonder10:
Rose heart is broken, she thought she had found total bliss in her "White Bear". Although it was wonderful while it lasted, word has come that the ship he was on was destroyed. Rose cannot accept it. She and her beloved brother, Neddy, along with her newly acquired friend, SIb, began a journey of discovery.
The familiar characters from the first book,'East', a joined with some fascinating new characters as Rose searches for her beloved, "White Bear". She feels certain he isn't dead... Or is he?
The adventure and suspense continues in this second book  in this new fantasy series.
The character, once again, come to life, and as the scenes unfold, the reader feels he/she is there. The suspense remains until the very end. 
The ending is slightly stronger in this second book but still feels slightly weak after the huge "build up".
This is a little bit "wordy" but keeps the reader's interest.
The Book Cover and Title are okay but not great. They do depict the tale, though
I offer a Four and a Half Stars rating.
*This book was sent to me with no persuasion for a positive review. This is my honest review.

About Edith:
        Edith Pattou is the author of Ghosting, a contemporary novel for young adults, told in free verse. She also wrote three award-winning fantasy novels for young adults – East, a retelling of the Norwegian folk tale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," and the two Songs of Eirren, Hero’s Song and Fire Arrow. She is also the author of the New York Times bestselling picture book, Mrs. Spitzer’s Garden.
       She was born in Evanston, Illinois, grew up in Winnetka, and was a teenager in the city of Chicago where she attended Francis W. Parker School. She completed her B.A. at Scripps College in Claremont, California where she won the Crombie Allen Award for creative writing.
        She later completed a Masters degree in English Literature at Claremont Graduate School, followed by a Masters of Library and Information Science at UCLA.
       She has worked for a medical association, a clothing boutique, a recording studio, the Playboy Foundation, a public television station, a school library, two public libraries, two advertising agencies, and two bookstores.
        She has lived in Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, Durham, NC, Cambridge, England, Stockholm,
Sweden, and currently resides with her husband, Charles, in Columbus, Ohio.
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