At Water's Edge

At Water's Edge Cover
Author(s)
Age Range
14+
Release Date
November 10, 2015
ISBN13
978-0-9933605-0-3

When 17-year-old, Dezaray Storm drunkenly stumbles across a portal one night, her life of abuse & self-pity, begins to change, mainly because she starts living someone else's life.

Accidently trading places with the most powerful sorceress of the realm Coldivor, Dezaray finds herself assuming the identity of her magical lookalike, having to convince everyone in the realm that she's the real deal.

Aside from a few minor hiccups along the way, like the fact that she is not magical nor does she know even the simplest cards trick; Dezaray soon finds herself settling in. Particularly in the arms of Milo; a blue-eyed jokester with the ability to teleport.

However, it doesn't take long for Dezaray to realise that life on the other side is far from glitz and glamour and that creatures unimaginable are hunting her. A war is brewing between the seven empires of Coldivor and those that long to take over. Dezaray's enchanted double is their only hope; their secret weapon, set to be unleashed on her eighteenth birthday when she is gifted the powers of her forefathers.

But for the enchantress to return, Dezaray has to leave, and the thought of going back to Islon fills Dezaray with dread, for more reasons than one. Torn between a reality she can't stand and a fantasy she can't keep, Dezaray is struggling to see how any choice she makes will lead to a happy ending.

When 17-year-old, Dezaray Storm drunkenly stumbles across a portal one night, her life of abuse & self-pity, begins to change, mainly because she starts living someone else's life.

Accidently trading places with the most powerful sorceress of the realm Coldivor, Dezaray finds herself assuming the identity of her magical lookalike, having to convince everyone in the realm that she's the real deal.

Aside from a few minor hiccups along the way, like the fact that she is not magical nor does she know even the simplest cards trick; Dezaray soon finds herself settling in. Particularly in the arms of Milo; a blue-eyed jokester with the ability to teleport.

However, it doesn't take long for Dezaray to realise that life on the other side is far from glitz and glamour and that creatures unimaginable are hunting her. A war is brewing between the seven empires of Coldivor and those that long to take over. Dezaray's enchanted double is their only hope; their secret weapon, set to be unleashed on her eighteenth birthday when she is gifted the powers of her forefathers.

But for the enchantress to return, Dezaray has to leave, and the thought of going back to Islon fills Dezaray with dread, for more reasons than one. Torn between a reality she can't stand and a fantasy she can't keep, Dezaray is struggling to see how any choice she makes will lead to a happy ending.

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At Water’s Edge by S. McPherson

The Story:
Dezaray leads a miserable life in the wake of her parents’ death. Her brother beats her, she’s forced to work for free in a steak house, and to top it all off, she’s seeing things. When she learns of a portal leading to the magical world of Coldivor, her life is turned upside-down, and she is drawn into an age-old battle between good and evil.

The Characters:
The journey of the main protagonist, Dezaray, is enjoyable. She is initially guilt-ridden and lacking in confidence, and we see her take large steps toward her full potential throughout the book. The relationship she forms with the love interest is a major draw, and the juxtaposition of Dezaray and her Coldivor counterpart adds something extra to the reading experience.
There are many characters that the Author juggles, and for the most part all characters maintain a presence throughout the novel—no mean feat considering there are multiple worlds. I desperately wanted to be afraid of the antagonist, the Vildacruz, and could not quite get there, however, I was emotionally invested in the fates of Dezaray, Lexovia, and Milo.

The World:
The world of Coldivor is intriguing; There are spells, different magical subjects—even a sport! The transportation between Earth and Coldivor is explained to perfection, something which is rare to find in this genre. Especially interesting was the concept of Corporeal and Coltis counterparts, whereby each person (corporeal) on Earth has a double (coltis) in the parallel world.
Though unique and exciting, I found myself wanting more ‘showing’ in the execution of the world building, in order to be fully and completely immersed in the story.

The Readability:
S. McPherson has a nice, light style that flows well. She uses changing point of view to maintain a quick pace, and this is well done—though the viewpoint perhaps changes between too many characters in the final few chapters for my taste.
While the premise of the characters, world, and story are interesting, I experienced them from the sidelines at times, particularly in the middle section of the book. Some of the scenes fell just short of their emotional potential. Never the less, the intrigue of the world is enough to spur the reader on and one scene in particular, which made me shed a few tears, shows the reader what this Author is capable of.

Final Verdict:
At Water’s edge is an intriguing start to this YA Fantasy series. I look forward to seeing what S. McPherson does with the sequel.
Suitable for ages 14 and over.

Favorite Quote:
"Every now and then I am almost sure I see a ghost of a shimmer, a faint flutter above the water that appears as if from nowhere."
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Captivating!
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4.5 Stars!

In At Water's Edge there is a parallel world called Coldivor. Coldivor is a world filled with magic and supernatural beings. The people of Coldivor are counterparts of the people to Earth.

Dezaray Strom is an ordinary 17-year-old girl living in England. Everything changes one night when she is accidentally taken across a portal into Coldivor and her counterpart; Lexovia is left behind on Earth.

Lexovia is the most powerful sorceress of Coldivor and if she were missing, It won't go unnoticed, so Dezaray assumes her identity and Lexovia assumes Dezaray's on Earth until they can cross the portal again in two weeks.

At the Waters Edge was a magical and captivating novel. It had an interesting plot and some great characters. It was filled with adventure, fun and action. I really enjoyed reading it and getting to know more about Dezaray, Lexovia, Milo and the world of Coldivor!

I would recommend this novel to fans of magic, fantasy and the Harry Potter series!
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