Words Once Spoken by Carly Drake & Purple Haze Lavender Blend Coffee

Title: Words Once Spoken
Series: Words Once Spoken, #1
Author: Carly Drake
Publisher: Escape Publishing/Harlequin Enterprises Pty Ltd, Australia
Publication date: October 1st 2013
Page Count: 143 pages
Age Rating: Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult (some violence)
How I got my hot little hands on it: Received a free ARC to review

YA meets high fantasy in this lush series debut about a girl who never quite fit in — and the reason why…

Evelyn might not love the confines of her village life, but she takes her small freedoms where she can get them. But everything changes when her parents decide it’s time for her to wed. Suddenly she loses her tunic and breeches, her bow, her horse, and gains rigid gowns, restrictive manners, and carriage rides.

The best way to escape is through her dreams, but as they become more and more real, Evelyn begins to worry that she is losing her grasp on reality. It is only when she makes two new friends that the truth is revealed: she is destined for far, far more than even she could imagine.

My Review

Words Once Spoken is the magical story of Evelyn, a young lady on the brink of adulthood, who has always been “different”. From childhood, she’s never liked the indoors, preferring to run wild and free in the forest with her horse and bow, and she’s never been able to stand the taste of anything that comes from animals, choosing instead to eat the flowers and fruits provided by nature. Since Evelyn is coming of age to be married, her mother drags her to the King’s court to be introduced into society. What Evelyn is actually introduced to is a whole new world unlike any she’s ever known before.

I was a little unsure going in since the description and opening scene gave me flashbacks to Disney’s Brave, but quickly realized this was a story unique unto itself. The plot moves along at an even clip, not fast-paced or too slow, until the end when it starts to really take off before the climax. The world-building is great, even though sometimes I felt like the main character wasn’t reacting as much as I thought she should be. I mean, this is a fantasy and there were fantastical scenes and creatures being introduced and she took it all in stride. Then again, Evie is a strong, level-headed female, a hunter in her own right, so maybe it wasn’t an odd reaction for her to have at that.

There’s a love triangle in this book, but not really (I think it’s pretty obvious that Evie prefers one over the other).  There’s also a lot of instant attraction going on, but I think it has more to do with kindred spirits recognizing each other than insta-lust or love at first sight.

Words Once Spoken ended up being one of my favorite books so far this year and one I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up and read again (I don’t give that honor to many). I would love to read, and will be on the lookout for, more books set in this universe and more books by this author.

Evelyn is different than others, and one of the ways she differs is her appetite for things like flowers, fruits, and grass. For that fresh from the garden taste I recommend Purple Haze Lavender Blend Coffee. It’s a fair-trade, certified organic coffee blend made with real lavender that relaxes and enchants with the delicate taste and smell of lavender in every sip.