Pyxis (The Discovery (Pyxis Series)) [Kindle Edition]

Oh my god, I was so sad when I pressed `next' on my Kindle and it said `END'! It was so unexpected and I was thoroughly enjoying reading Pyxis so I was not happy to have to put it down because it is a fantastic read.

I will admit though, I wasn't sold immediately. For the first say.. 25% of the book I just felt as though everything was too rushed. The characters weren't developed enough, the plot was moving too fast with no real explanations as to why we should care about what was happening to Corinne and Angeline and I was worried that I'd have to come back and write a fairly critical review because it wasn't entirely making sense to me. But thankfully, my fears weren't to be worried about because after that part of the novel I was utterly enthralled. Little things started to be revealed, character depth was brought in by the bucketload, and the plot unravelled itself, culminating in a novel that I couldn't put down. I read the rest of Pyxis in two sittings and now I'm craving more so bad. Enough of the story is revealed to satiate your curiosity, but enough is left open to leave you absolutely pining for the next book and yes, it has the cliffhanger from hell.

Pyxis begins with a school bake sale along with some conversation between Corinne, the protagonist, and her friend Angeline and it is simply delightful. Some of the people who buy Corinne's cakes start acting very strange towards her, and herself and Angeline decide that they need to find out why. The narrative is directed from Corinne's point of view and it's very clear that she is a teenager going by the style, which is very easy to read and gives it a nice light-hearted edge. Pyxis is fun and a pleasure to read but there is also a lot of terror in there as well. The shared dreams between Corinne and Mason had me biting my nails at times, they are so.. if you've ever had a nightmare you know what I mean. It's not all fantasy and struggles, the story is interspersed with the normality of family, driving tests and dances which only makes the story feel more real. Aside from the small part that felt too rushed to me, Pyxis is fantastically written and the flow is pretty much perfect. I did panic a little when it seemed that the story was going the way of Corinne and Mason being destined to be together but the way everything ended up going fit into the story so well that it didn't bother me at all. The romance isn't "insta" and she does seem to have a choice, and she struggles with it, which definitely won me over. Corinne's friendship with Mason is so warming that I think I might be a little in love with him! He is totally swoonworthy and the relationship they have is so sweet and real.

The thing that ultimately made the story feel so very real was that everything seems to have a backstory, even the things that I may have thought clichéd at first (dream sequences, bitch girl Sophie), but they all have their purpose and by the end I absolutely took that back. I just don't know where K.C. Neal is going to take this story next and that is what makes it so thoroughly brilliant. This is a story with depth and history and the characters just come to life straight off the pages. We discover what is going on and what things are as Corinne does and she is appropriately freaked out and misbelieving of everything, it's not until she gets proof that she believes and so the title is entirely apt. This is the discovery of the pyxis. I get the feeling that these books (The Discovery, The Peril, The Battle - tentative) as a series are the beginning, middle, and end as opposed to the books themselves containing that. It's a pretty different way to write a trilogy and I like it.

And finally? At the time of writing this review, there isn't a single review on Goodreads below 3 stars. Not bad, eh? I can definitely recommend this book. If you like young adult fantasy with a little bit of romance and a unique story, then read Pyxis. Trust me, it is worth it.

This book has a great charm and the cover plays a big role in this. It's not just a beautiful image that you see, the cover has a certain kind of power that doesn't leave you indifferent and definitely catches your curiosity. And I think I can speak for everyone when I say that it's always amazing when you're so attracted to a book at first sight.

The story is interesting and original, the fact that human emotions can be manipulated by liquids of different colors with magic powers is fascinating, I just found too easy the way Corinne and her friends face the whole thing. They have questions and they constantly try to find out more that explains the situation in which they're stuck, but it seemed to me that their attitude was too superficial... Reading of teenagers acting like real ones (especially when they have to deal with love problems) has its ups and downs, it's good because it's more realistic, but it can be annoying for an adult... Anyway I have to say that under certain aspects it was a nice thing to read here, it was something in syntony with the writing style, fast, pleasurable and enjoyable.

I liked it, it was a nice reading for me (I love cliffhangers at the end of a book when I now it's gonna be a series) but I'm pretty sure younger readers will be thrilled with this book!

I can't resist a good cover. So it was when I first saw Pyxis that I knew I had to read it! I mean, isn't it gorgeous? Definitely has earned a place in my favourites.

The story, also, doesn't let the cover down at all. It's very well-written, with vivid descriptions and characters who all talk and go through life like you'd expect authentic teenagers to do. But, of course, with a few oddities as they do live in a world where paranormal activities exist. These paranormal elements of Pyxis are so original - there are magical liquids that can manipulate human emotions, prophetic dreams, and enchanted lands all perfectly blended with the more 'regular' elements of the world. Plus, I loved the strong sense of family and friendship - it adds a very human, everyday element to the story; from dealing with irritating schoolmates to helping a sick relative. And again, it all ties together perfectly.

Pyxis ends on a pretty interesting and exciting cliffhanger, which leads immediately into the next book of the series. I seriously can't wait to find out what happens in the next installment!

A fantastic book and a wonderful start to the series. If you're into young adult novels and fantasy, then don't miss this!