Strange Luck by Amie Irene Winters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Strange Luck is a fabulous, fantastical mix of magic and imagination, exploration and uncertainty. There are lots of great YA elements – first love, first time traveling, self-discovery – but what I loved the most was the seriously enjoyable visitation to childhood wonderment. What better way to get to a magical paradise than by digging through a pile of bigger and bigger toys? Through the main character, Daisy Daring, we get to meet a wizard, become a fairy, have a discussion with a talking duck, and far more. The book was told in first-person POV, and I felt like I got to experience all of these things first-hand.
The concept of a world where an evil entity only known as him steals happy memories so that he can find the perfect one is very original. The deeper reason behind this theft is even more of a fascinating concept. Imagine if you had to avoid thinking of good memories while trapped in a dangerous place that you’re told you cannot escape, and every time you do remember them, you forget and don’t even realize it. The effects of that are far reaching. Without knowing what made you who you are, how can you remain the same person? Your personality would start to erode along with everything that makes you you.
At first I thought the ending was going to be pat, but it took a sudden turn for something surprising and clever. I can’t wait to visit the antique store, Strange Luck, in the next book in this series and see what lies ahead.