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Memory’s Wake – The Re-readening
Memory’s Wake – The Re-readening
It’s been years since I last read my Memory’s Wake trilogy myself. But since it’s the tenth anniversary (of book one, at least), I felt like it was time to jump back into that world and see how it stands from my current perspective.
Would it hold up? Would it be cringe? I was actually fairly surprised by my reading experience …
It has been long enough since I’d read, that I’d forgotten some of the details of these books. I generally knew what was going to happen next, but sometimes had forgotten how it got to that stage, how the current scene got resolved, things like that. For example, I knew Eloryn was going to save Roen from the bounty hunters, but I’d forgotten how she did it.
Book one, Memory’s Wake, I was most worried about when I started reading. It was my first novel, after all. But it still drew me in and wasn’t too clunky. If anything, the prose was maybe a bit overworked, but it still held up pretty well, which I’d account for by just how much time I spent writing and revising it. It has even had some minor updates over the years as well which I think kept it a bit fresher. Solid first book effort, past self!
Book two, Hope’s Reign, actually ended up being my favourite to read, which was a huge surprise. Being the middle book in the series, I had sort of relegated it in my mind as the “filler” book, the soggy middle. It’s more political and inter-personal drama than action and adventure (although it still has some). But of all three books, it held my attention the most. The growth and depth of the characters in Hope’s Reign really drew me back in, really had me caring about them again, especially all the torture I put poor Mem through. I loved getting to finally see flash-backs of Mem and Will’s life in the other world. Also, I think it had some of Mem’s very best one-liners. This is the book where she is really becoming herself. Her old and new selves are in conflict, trying to find a balance on her path to self discovery, and it’s HARD for her, but I love who she becomes through out that struggle and into the third book.
Book three, Providence Unveiled, was the biggest disappointment to me, honestly. As I had relegated Hope’s Reign, I think I had overinflated ideas about how the trilogy finished in this book. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still proud of how the story ends. I think it’s a pretty epic and powerful ending, but the prose lets it down at some points. I’m not sure if I was keen to get the book/series finished, or I used a different editor, but a lot of the prose wasn’t as polished as I’d like it to be. If I were to do any revisions of the series, this book is where I would start.
GIVEAWAY – Ended
Congratulations to Tania, the winner of the competition below!
Which is your favourite book of the series, and why? Do you have a favourite quote, or illustration? Let me know in the comments below, and I will select one commenter to receive a free copy of the official Memory’s Wake colouring book (line art or grayscale, winner’s choice!).
Haven’t read the series yet? You can still have a chance to enter, just comment about one of my other books, fiction or colouring, or painting, or whatever that’s your favourite and why!
One week from now on the 15th July, I will announce the winner here with an update on this post, and contact the winner by the email they use for their comment.
Fine Print Stuff – The contest is open to anyone 18 and older, worldwide, where law allows. If you’re younger, ask your guardian to enter for you. No cost to enter, but any duty/import taxes if applicable (unlikely), are the responsibility of the winner. Game of skill/judges choice winner. Good luck everyone!
32 thoughts on “Memory’s Wake – The Re-readening”
I haven’t yet gotten to read your books yet but hopefully soon! I love your coloring books (have Unicorns and Dragons, Fairy Tales and Dark Fantasy). I love them equally and especially that you include two of each image so that we can try different interpretations of coloring each piece!
I love your mermaid coloring books. They are so beautiful and my daughter and I love spending time together coloring them.
I love all your coloring books because they have so much detail and I love that there a 2 sets in each coloring book.
My favorite right now has to be Fairy Companions. I just love the romance, dragons (my favorites) and the fairy pets.
I ev read the first one few times I’m at the end of the book can’t wait to read part two big fan
I have just finished the two excellent Beshadowed books and am starting the first book in the Memory’s Wake series today. I can not wait!!!! The illustrations of the characters already appeal to me enormously!
I absolutely love the memories wake series. I couldn’t put the books down so beautifully written. It was the first books I read by you which made me read hope’s reign as well.
I like all your illustrations, fantasy is my favourite genre, but my favourite colouring book by you is actually Australian Animals and Wildflowers; not only because you have drawn the animals and plants with a lot of love, but also because this was for an effort to support the rescue of the helpless creatures after the devastating wildfires. Well done!
I actually love Memory’s Wake the most from the series because it’s an action-packed adventure from page one. I was swept up in the story immediately and loved going on the adventures with the characters.
My favourite illustration is of Mina and Will leaning against the tree in chapter sixteen 🙂
I have your coloring book of Fairy companions and it is my favorite fantasy themed coloring book. Your dragons and fairys are the best for coloring!
Oh and faedorables of course 🥰
Please let me win another one of your books! 💛💛💛
The faedorables are my favorite coloring books. They are incredibly cute, very well drawn, and (like always) there are two of each picture. I love that I can color different ways still in the book rather than having to make copies.
Memory’s Wake is the first ebook I got from Miss Fenech. I was already in love coloring books and freebie art pages, my kids adore the coloring books as well, and I tried the ebook because why not. I admit it took a bit to draw me in but I like the story and character development. I haven’t read the rest of the series as of yet. It is on my to be read list though.
Of the series, I enjoyed Memory’s Wake the best, mostly for the plot twist 😉
As for images I adore the “My Sweet Pet” from the grayscale version of the colouring book while ” Happily Ever After” and “Fairy Encounter” are tied for second place lol.
I just lovd how beautiful the coloring books are after coloring the pages.
It was a very long time ago that I read this series now, but I’m reasonably sure I liked book one the most. It was great to discover the world, and quite useful to do so from the perspective of someone for whom it was all new. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the story and the partly urban take on an otherwise classic feeling fantasy. My favourite illustration is the new cover for the first book (when I read them they still had the original covers).
I am a big fan of your mermaids coloring book, as well as the dark fantasy and fairy tales books. Thanks for the great giveaway!
I am a big fan of all your mermaid coloring books.
I really loved Memory’s Wake and I think it is time for a reread of it. I also love your artwork and have several of your designs as cross stitch charts, though I haven’t started stitching any of them yet.
My favourite book you’ve done has to be deathless from the heartsblood series. At the end quoting ‘Laughter swelled all around us, and that was how we were married, in a long column of golden sunshine with laughter spilling from our mouths, with our hands joined and hearts entwined.’ It shows that even through stormy and rough weather there is always light, love, laughter and hope at the end of every rainbow.
I haven’t read any of your books yet but I have one of your colouring books (unicorns and dragons) and I love it so definitly going to buy more in the future. It is so good quality and I live that every page is white on the back so if you like to colour with markers the next image don’t get ruined.
I haven’t read your books because I have several books in my library that I must read first. 🙁 But, I am patiently waiting to have the chance to explore the worlds you have created with words because I feel they will be just as grand as the ones you create when you draw and paint.
As for your coloring books, I don’t believe I can pick a favorite among them. I have so many interests and you seem to cater to many of them. 😀 I enjoy being able to purchase your books or going to your store and purchasing just the pages I want now.
I was extremely tickled when you started adding variety of body sizes and gender details in your drawings. I am plus-sized, and it just made me smile even more to see representation among your artworks.
Thank you for sharing your beauty with all of us. It has enriched many lives and I am grateful for your visions.
Loved the coloring books for a while now. I find it odd that I’m only recently finding out about books, guess I don’t pay that close attention to the newsletter. I’m always so happy to read honest thoughts of what an author thinks of their books, what they would change and why. I just got Emotionally Scarred and can’t wait to read it.
This looks so intriguing,I want to read this series.
I have almost ALL of your coloring books and I honestly can’t choose a favorite between them because they are all my favorites. Your drawings are beautiful and tug at a chord in me. Especially the darker fantasy drawings. My daughter of course loves your Mermaid coloring books. I’d love to have the memory’s wake coloring book, but I will just say good luck to everyone entering for it, as I have never won anything in my 40 yrs. Good luck all.
I haven’t read any of your books but have made a list of ones that I want to read. I do however have almost all of your colouring books. I am a huge fan of your art work. Your colouring books have so much detail and the fact that you make your colouring books with 2 copies is awesome. Having the second copy let’s you colour them same pic again but with different colouring mediums.
I came to know you via your coloring books. I have Memory’s Wake in my reading queue.
I love each of your coloring books. I’m currently working on Enchanted Magical Forest. I’m loving the coloring book!
I’m a fan of much of your artwork. My best treat to myself was a copy of your Grayscale Minis Fantasy coloring book.
I love your books and colouring books. They remind me of my childhood and what a carefree time it was. It’s what I do to destress at anytime in the day when I feel a little overwhelmed. I really am a big kid at heart. 😊
Congratulations Tania! I have chosen your comment as the winner for the colouring book giveaway! I’m emailing you now to arrange your prize 🙂
It’s been so long since I read these that I think I need to do a refresher reread too. If I’m remembering right, Hope’s Reign was my favorite of them, but I really enjoyed the whole series. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have finished them. I don’t care how much I want to know how something is resolved. If I’m not enjoying a reading experience, the book gets dropped and forgotten. These were neither dropped nor forgotten. I may be back with some favorite quotes after rereading them.
I haven’t yet gotten to read your books yet but hopefully soon! I love your coloring books.
I am so happy to have found you and your blog
Mum and I both loved reading this series. I’ve been a fan of your art for many years now and I’m not a fan of your novels.
You are an extraordinary talent Selina.