Book Review and Giveaway ~ Sydney West by R. McKinsey ~ 5/5! ~ Ends 12/23

I am pleased to say that I am taking part in the above Pump Up Your Book blog tour!  You can click on the picture to go find out more details about the book, the author, and other tour stops.

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.*

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And now, for the review:

Title:  "Sydney West"

Series:  Sydney West Book #1

Author:  R. McKinsey
Publisher:  Booklocker.com, Inc.
Publication Date:  2/15/2012

Pages:  216

Buy From Amazon:  HERE

Book Description:

After a tall, pale stranger collapses in the middle of a busy coffee shop, a college town is inspired with paranoia that isn't completely unwarranted. The man wakes as an amnesiac but for impressive observation and memory skills, with an eccentricity to match. Inconsistencies build around him as he tries to piece together his history, teaching others about the real world in the process.

My Overall Feeling of the Book:

Right after I finished reading this book, I wrote a quick note on Goodreads concerning it.  The note read: 

"I can't decide if this book was amazingly strange or strangely amazing. Either way amazing is in there! "

Now, a few days after reading the book, I feel the very same way.

I love when  book grabs a hold of me and makes me think about long after I turn the last page.  I found myself driving down the road thinking about this book and that is why I know that my rating holds true.  At least for me.

Main Characters:


Sydney West:  What a strange character!  Sydney seems strange even to himself.  He has no memory of who he is yet finds clues all about him.  He is compared to Sherlock Holmes in the book and it is such an accurate description!  I could see and hear his voice plain as day.  The author did an excellent job with his character.

Jacob Walton:  Jacob is a college student who has the (mis)fortune of standing behind Sydney as he passes out.  As time goes on it becomes a mystery as to if it was an accident that Jacob was there.

 

My Favorite Scene(s):

My favorite scenes are when Sydney and Jacob interact.  It is hilarious, confusing, intriguing and entertaining all at once.


A Brief Excerpt:

Had Sydney found something in whatever he was looking at?  A camera?  Microphone?  Jacob had to rein in his imagination.  Sydney seemed more able to cope with welling paranoia, but Jacob didn't want to give himself the chance to break under the same pressure.

Page 160

The Cover:

The cover of the book suits it perfectly.  It reminds me of the winter weather, the cold, the blanks in Sydney's memory as well as a faint light of piecing it together.  It is very mysterious and "X-File-y" .  Just perfect!
Other Notes:

-I would recommend this book to anyone without pause!
-The second book "Lorem Ipsum" apparently was released in November 2012.  I hope to get my hands on it soon!
Rating

5/5

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Now, for the giveaway!

To enter for a chance to win my review copy of this book:

*Mandatory- Please leave a comment telling me what you like the most about books that include a mystery or something random about Sherlock Holmes or the X-Files :)

*Extra- Follow my blog and leave a comment telling me you do :)

The giveaway will run until December 23, 2012 at 11:59pm. The winner will be announced on December 24th.

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On to the next book,