Titus and Atreus by Meridi Myers *Giveaway!*

Titus and Atreus by Meridi Myers
Review copy provided by Meridi Myers

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PJVs Quickie POV:  Went into this book skeptical, because I haven't been enjoying the fantasy books that I've been reading lately, in fact I've stopped the last two before 50 pages.  At page five of Titus and Atreus I was captivated.

Review:  There are two sister worlds. Typhon and Earth.  On both worlds lives the same person, or twin souls.  They look a like, they are born on the same day, they die the same day.  If one breaks his arm, the other does also at the same moment.  On Earth lives Titus, on Typhon, Atreus makes his home.  While Titus is only a normal boy, ending his high school career and dealing with the death of his parents, Artreus is a prince.  Atreus has also lost his parents and is reluctant to take up kingship...especially now that a prophecy has been told about him.  A prophecy that speaks of war and involves his twin soul.

Juno, Atreus' trusted body guard, travels to Earth and brings Titus to his destiny, on another world.  A destiny that might lead to his death.

This book did not disappoint, it was face paced and the plot was well thought out and unique.  While a fantasy novel, it was not long winded and full of hard to pronounce names and bizarre humanoid creatures. There were angels, but that was about it when it came to the paranormal creatures. One of the best things about this book are the characters.  Atreus, Juno and Nightingale are excellently developed characters and enjoyable to read.  I would have said Titus, but sometimes his actions drove me a bit crazy because he seemed to lack a mind of his own or a spine, he was surrounded by all these strong-willed characters he was very much overshadowed.

The world Ms. Myers created was easily accepted.  Typhon, from what I could tell was based at about a Middle Ages technology level, but Myers didn't dwell on descriptives or over inflated explanations of functions.  She recited what was occurring and left it to the reader to decipher the subtleties. I really liked this narrow writing style, sometimes when an author launches into broad descriptions that set the scene...I skim. Hats off to Myers for while she spun a fantastical tale of angels, twin souls and a sea battle of rival kingdoms, she wrote in a tone that made it believable.

My only "problems" with the novel are mainly within character development, which like I said were very good, but I just have to mention some things. For one, I felt so sorry for Titus, he was so over-powered and bullied. He was confined to live in Atreus' shadow, forced off his own world (not like he was doing a good job in his own life, though) to just become a carbon-copy of Atreus.  He only really stepped up to the plate at the end, and was that because of him, (don't want to spoil here) or because he was becoming more like Atreus? Then there was Atreus, and for a strong-willed princling, he sure let those women bully him. I really didn't feel that a real royal would allow his Seer to treat him as she did.  She bossed him around, and even struck him at some point. Was this showing his selflessness, or just that he would be one of those men that let women walk all over them???

Secondly, lets talk cover. As an illustrator and designer I usually don't critique covers, because well I feel I would be too critical. I nitpik design like you wouldn't believe, but only in my head (if I said it out loud I would blow my "I'm Not Really That Bitchy" cover). The only reason I want to discuss this cover is because of the reaction people had to it around me.  Now I like this cover, I like the illustrations, once I read it, I've grasped the symbolism.  But... on first glance, well what I have heard is that it looks like the boys might be lovers. A fellow reviewer questioned this, so did my husband and my mother-in-law. So I wouldn't be writing this if it wasn't a prevalent first impression. So...peeps don't judge this book by it's cover.  This is a good read, and there is no m/m involvement.

 Recommendations: Little violence, no sexuality or harsh language. Recommended for 13+, adults and teens. If you read and enjoyed books such as Eragon, Harry Potter, and Percy Jackson, you just might enjoy this one!

Contest: Win some Titus and Atreus Swag! Bookmarks, Posters and Cards!  One commenter will get some swag that the author sent over.

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