“CREATURA”
by Nely Cab
REVIEWED
BY: Books4Tomorrow
OVERVIEW
When seventeen year-old
Isis Martin is having trouble sleeping due to perturbing dreams of a horrific
growling beast, she decides to confront her fear. But what Isis discovers is
something other than a menacing entity.
The human-like creature offers Isis assurance that he is not a figment
of her imagination. Unwilling to accept his avowal, Isis sets his words to
contest by asking the entity to prove himself - a dare, he readily welcomes.
It is in her dreams that Isis innocently stumbles upon the silent
existence of the divine lineage of those that man has long forgotten.
In a quaint town, deep in south Texas, this story leads Isis onto the
path of impermissible love and captivating life-changing truths. Isis Martin's
journey is sure to leave any reader ravenous for more.
REVIEW
This
is probably not the best way to start a review, but I can sum up my impression
of “Creatura” in one word – WOW!! I kept envisioning what a blockbuster movie
this book will make!
Since
I received this book for review, I’ve been looking forward to reading it. I had
such high expectations for it, and I can tell you now I wasn’t disappointed in
the least bit. “Creatura” surpassed all my expectations, delighted and
pleasantly surprised me. It is so delectably different and unique. No vampires,
werewolves, demons, angels, faeries, or any of the usual suspects, but
something entirely different which stretches the imagination beyond its limits.
An
imaginative, engaging plotline; loveable, down-to-earth characters (and tons of
hot guys); catchy dialogue and charming, witty banter between the characters
are only a few of the elements which make this book such an unforgettable read.
Unexpected twists and turns throughout the story keeps the reader captivated,
but best of all? The author gets her
point across without the use of profanity or having the characters boink the
daylights out of each other.
The
romance between the main characters, Isis and David, is what fairytales are
made of, but instead of Isis throwing herself into David’s arms in the first few chapters of the book, the author cleverly prolongs and builds up the
reader’s expectations for a love between these two characters that is worth the
wait. It was refreshing to read a book with a strong female lead for a change;
one who makes the object of her affection work for her love instead of just
giving it to him from the get go (as is the tendency with most young adult
books).
Excerpt:
“He needs to learn to
fight a battle without weapons. The struggle will teach him to value and
respect you. That is a lesson that must be learned on one’s own.”
Another
exceptional and enjoyable element of this book is reading the poetry and love
letters written by David to Isis, which is, to say the least, swoon-worthy! It
was pleasantly surprising to find that the author also has a knack for writing verse
that plasters a grin on your face. It’s just so sweet – and I don’t even like poetry.
“Creatura”
is an easy-reading, enjoyable young adult novel suitable for readers of all
ages. It’s an overall feel-good book. It’s the sort of book you’ll proudly
display on your bookshelf as a constant reminder to be read again within the
next six months. Fellow bookworms, keep an eye on Nely Cab. She’s heading
straight to the top of the bestseller’s list!
READ more REVIEWS
“Creatura”
by Nely Cab has 42 reviews on GoodReads. View it here – http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12039534-creatura
PURCHASE
LINKS
Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Creatura-Nely-Cab/dp/1463406231/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327098742&sr=1-1
Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/books-bestselling-books/379003057/
INTERVIEW
with
author NELY
CAB
Q: What inspired you to write “Creatura”?
A: A promise to myself,
a bucket list and boredom.
When I was ten and quite naïve, I submitted a manuscript to a
well-known publishing company. They rejected the manuscript because I was
un-agented. That’s when I placed that dream on a list of things I should do
before I died. Much later, I found out those were called Bucket Lists.
After I resigned from my job as a social worker and trying to
find things to keep myself occupied, I realized that I had run out of crafting
ideas. I wasn’t inspired to paint or draw, and I discovered crotching wasn’t my
thing. So I took to reading, and I ran across some books with which I fell in
love. I observed the author’s style of writing and thought to myself, “I can do
that.” Then, I remembered that promise I had made to myself and the item that I
hadn’t yet scratched off.
I started writing short stories, but was writing for no one,
except myself. I decided I’d write a short story with an audience in mind – my
sister. After my sister read the first ten pages and pressured me for more
material, the spark in my hidden writer’s heart ignited. She had sincerely
liked it. I knew I had found my new hobby. Little did I know that this short
story would result in the birth of my first book.
Q: How did you come up with the title?
A: The name of the book
has to do with a being that is mentioned in the story. When I was looking for a
name to call this being, all I could think of calling it was a creature, but
that seemed rather boring. I began to think of what language was used by the deities
in the book, and went straight to Google. From there, I unconvered the Latin
translation, Creatura. The word was intriguing to me.
Q: Who designed the cover and how much input did you have
regarding the design?
A: I personally designed
the cover of the book. The image of the tree is my own artwork. I have a lot of
information regarding the design. I’ll explain what it means:
The tree depicts not one, but two trees that weave together,
forming the infinity symbol. The fruit that the branches hold are pomegranates,
which were the forbidden fruit that Hades used to trick Persephone into eating
so that she would never leave the Underworld,
You’ll notice that the trees have sprouted only a few leaves,
representing new and young life. In essence, the tree tells the story of two
young lovers struggling to be united for infinity, but surrounded by conflicts – the fruit – that impedes their eternal love.
Q: Which of your characters in
“Creatura” are your favorite?
A: My favorite character
in the story is a secondary character named Galen. Galen is one of the Main
Character’s brothers. I like his personality because he’s very assesnine, yet
funny. You never know what to expect him to say.
My other favorite character is David, the hero, because he’s
chivalrous and dreamy. I won’t go into
detail about David, but I will tell that I’ve dreamt of this personality since
I was ten years old.
Q: Is “Creatura” your first book?
A: Yes, “Creatura” is my
first book, but I am currently working on a second book, which is part of the
“Creatura” series.
Q: What was the hardest part of writing “Creatura”?
A: The hardest part of
writing “Creatura” was developing twists in the plotline that would keep me
interested and motivated enough to continue writing. I figured if the story was
boring to me, then my sister – she was my main and only audience – wouldn’t read it.
Q: Did you learn anything from writing “Creatura” and what
was it?
A: I learned that
writing a book takes a lot of time and dedication, and that you can’t hurry a
story that doesn’t want to end.
Q: If you had to do it all over again, would you change
anything in “Creatura”?
A: As my own worst
critic, yes, absolutely. I would reword, edit and refine it, but that would
take another lifetime to do because I’ve realized that writers are never fully
satisfied with their own works.
Q: If “Creatura” had to be made into a major motion picture, who
would you choose for the roles of Isis and David?
A:
I would choose new actors that aren’t in
the mainstream because I’d like faces that the public has never seen to
represent my characters. Isis would be a simple, yet rare beauty with big,
green eyes and David would have to be gorgeous and have a strong, intriguing
stare.
Q: What are your current projects?
A: Currently I’m working
on book two of the “Creatura” Series, entitled “Vivus.”
Q: Can you share a little of your current work with us?
A: Here’s an excerpt
from my work in progress:
“My merciless teeth tore open her thin, frail
throat. The crunch of her oesophagus between my jaws made her body jerk. I
could taste the iron in her warm blood as it trickled down the side of my mouth
and over my chin. I felt the desperation in her as she struggled to fend for
her life, gasping for air and clawing her fingers into my arms. Finally, her
eyes fell back into her lids, and her body became a limp piece of meat that no
longer held my interest.
The passengers’ screams reminded me I was not
alone. I raised my head in search of new prey.
The terror that filled their eyes, delivered me into the open arms of
euphoria. Feeling the bliss of satiation, it was then I realized I liked to
kill. “ – Vivus by Nely Cab
Q: Do you have any advice for other writers?
A: Don’t
be afraid to write down ideas, no matter how crazy they may seem. There will
always be someone that will be interested in a fresh, new story.
MORE about NELY
Nely
Cab was born on December 9, 1974, in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. She has
lived and resided in Texas most of her life. In 2001, the author relocated to
Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, where she dedicated time to the study of
culinary arts and the art of oil painting.
After
her return to the U.S., she resumed her employment in banking and later
transitioned to the field of Social Work.
Today,
Nely Cab writes from the comfort of her home in South Texas, where she lives
with her husband and son. Currently, Ms. Cab is working on the second
installment in her debut series "Creatura".
CONNECT
with
author NELY
CAB
2 comments:
Great review and interview...I have put Creature on my to read list :)
dawnhagan18@yahoo.com
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