Book Review - Martin Hospitality by Abigayle Claire

   I bought a brand-new book I've never read before and zipped through the thing in under 24 hours. Which basically means something very odd is going on with Savannah's brain*. The book was in a genre I never read, but it was LOVELY. Which means I had best review it ;).

*the 'buying a book I've never read before' is terribly abnormal. I don't know what was wrong with me. But the 24 hours bit is not abnormal. Savannah is still a magic speed reader. 

4 Stars

   It probably (read: definitely) would have been rated higher by someone who is a fan of the genre. But I'm mostly a reader of speculative fiction, not realistic. And yet I still highly enjoyed Martin Hospitality. 

 The characters. Oh good gracious, Abigayle did an AH-MAZING job with the characters. There was a whole boat-load of them (read: at least 20 or so), but they were all unique enough that I could remember who was who. And I loved them. Characters can make or break a story for me, and Abi's definitely made it.


   - The Christian message. While it could come off as a tad forced sometimes, it wasn't very preachy. She did a great job with it. I've never been able to get a message across (in my stories) so smoothly, so I'm kinda impressed with what she's done with it.


   - The cover is insanely beautiful. So maybe this shouldn't count as a point of it's own, but hey, I'm a shallow little bookworm*. I'll definitely want to buy a physical copy of the book if the cover is to die for. A Martin Hospitality looks GORGEOUS sitting on my shelf. If you decide to self-publish, make sure you put effort into the cover. It does actually matter xD.

   - The world-building is great. Sure, it does take place in the same world we live in**, but it was still an awesome setting. Which means a lot, coming from me, as I normally won't like ANY story-world unless it's a very well-crafted spec. fiction story-world. But now I kind of want to go stay at a little farm in Kansas ;).  

 
*no one ever claimed that I wasn't. Some times I try to convince myself that I'm not. But I am. Covers get me every time. The end.  
** most of the books I read don't. Obviously I read fantasy books because I live in one of those other-worlds. I'm just visiting earth on vacation. I come in peace.

   - I read this book with my editor eyes on. I knew that Abi had self-published this book, and mostly done everything herself. So I was a little suspicious as to how the good the story would be, which meant that I was a little bit nit-picky until the middle of the book. I stopped mostly because I was annoying myself, partially because I couldn't find much to nit-pick. The story is just beautiful.  


   - It's ... not a fantasy book.You guys should have seen that coming. This is definitely a 'me, not you' kind of thing. My sister (who loves realistic fiction) is already begging for me to hand this book over to her*. So definitely give it a shot anyways!  I mean, I gave Martin Hospitality four stars. There has to be something to it xD.


   - Mixed name syndrome. This book definitely had it. I have the terribly tendency to see a name that starts with a 'G' (say, Ginger) and get it swapped with another characters name (say, Gemma.). I would often half to go back and figure out who was talking because my brain could not remember all the names**. Of course this got fixed by the latter half of the book, but still. Even if the Mixed Name Syndrome is something that happens only to me (it can't be), I had to mention it.       
 

*she wants to, as she says "steal it". What kind of sister is she (a lovely one, a lovely one. BUT STILL *hides all my books*). 
** I've said it once and I'll say it again. I have a  goldfish brain xD. 

   Overall, I thought it was a beautiful work of art. I was very impressed with how good it was. I usually judge self-published books a little differently - but this one didn't have that 'self-published feel' that some other books have. It totally felt like a book I would have picked up from the library and been impressed with. If I hadn't already known that this book was self-published, I would never have guessed it.

   All that aside - it was a great book that I definitely suggest you go out and get your hands on ;). 

~ Savannah Grace 

   Have you read Martin Hospitality before? What genre do you like best?