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Emma's life has been hell since she moved from sunny California to a remote Alaskan town. Abandoned by her father and living with the guilt of causing her mother's death, she makes a desperate dash for freedom from her abusive stepfather. But when her car skids off the icy road, her planned escape leads to further captivity in a world beyond her imagining.
Dragged across the tundra by an evil mountain man and his enormous black wolf, she learns that love can be found in the most unexpected places. Amarok, as she's nicknamed the wolf, is a young man from the gold-rush era enslaved by an ancient shaman. Emma's gentle touch and kind heart win his love and devotion. When a vicious madman—trapped in bear form by the same Shaman—attacks the travelers and injures Amarok, Emma must find the strength to face her fears and free the wolf she's come to love. But that means she must face down the evil shaman, a Siberian mammoth hunter from the ice age, and he has no intention of giving up his power to her.
dsolter
Posted December 7, 2012
What a wonderful book! AMAROK exceeded my expectations. The story moves at a fast pace, yet it's deep enough to keep you immersed in the story. Ms. Townsend creates this micro-world deep in the Alaskan wilderness, a world with its own mysticism and ancient lore that plays well into the story. This novel is a great example of simple story telling done well with fascinating characters, a hostile environment, and great story threads that are woven together extremely well. For a book under 200 pages, AMAROK gives this particular reader more satisfaction than many Young Adult books that are twice as long.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.kendralsaunders
Posted November 19, 2012
If you enjoy romance, shape-shifting and brrrrrrr, coooolllldddd atmospheres, you'll enjoy this book. Angela Townsend creates a world with fear, mystery and intrigue as a young girl is taken from her already miserable life and sent into a spiral of increasingly more frightening situations. She's kidnapped and forced to trek across sparse countryside, and must find solace in a sort of "friendship" with a wolf. The wolf turns out to be a teenage boy, trapped in animal form, and the two characters are able to take part in an unlikely love story. This book contains some heavy themes, though, so be warned (including self-harm and domestic abuse).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.alicia6
Posted November 19, 2012
I really enjoyed Amarok it has a mixture of love story,native american beliefs, wild lands of Alaska I would recommend this book to all ages. I know she has started on 2nd book to series and can't wait for it to be published excited about her book signings coming up and already have my own signed copy. Much success to you Angela and just keep writing.....It is definatly a 5.......
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Angela Townsend shares a delightful, engaging story. Amarok is immediately gripping and escalates in action as the hero and heroine fight the force of evil. Emma's soul, so battered with guilt, reaches out to find solace in the wolf, Tok, with whom she has an undeniable connection. Their story is unique, haunting, and tinged with paranormal mystery.
Amarok is highly descriptive and exudes an imagery that takes you right to the very Alaskan wilderness in which the novel is set. It may be a cold, daunting, and remote place but the characters Townsend introduces will warm you up and melt your heart! Emma may have some unhealed emotional scars, but her care of the wolf despite her own imminent demise gives her an admirable strength. Any female lead character that forms a bond with an animal, as Emma does, is a super-heroine in my book! She really makes this novel enjoyable with her selfless actions and headstrong personality.
Beyond Amarok's eye-catching cover, the story inside is beautiful, entrancing, and mysterious. The mystery surrounding Amarok, the wolf's, entrapment is unique and fascinating. The Native mythological and historical aspects are deep and add suspense because of the rare topic. I see myself reading this story over and over and never losing love for it because it has a timeless feel to it. Amarok could never lose interest or fall out of style.
*ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Also published on Lovey Dovey Books
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.AlwaysYAatHeart1
Posted November 8, 2012
Finding herself in a desperate situation, Emma decides to make a run from her stepfather, who beats her. Since her mother's death, things have only gotten worse. Her only hope is to steal his keys and slip away during the night. Distraught, she manages to get out of the house and get the car going. The Alaskan weather is harsh, and tonight is no exception. After a combination of a distraction and the weather, Emma finds herself spiraling out of control off into the woods. Pinned in the car, Emma tries to get out, but is trapped. She hears someone and cries for help, but the voice that answers her is anything but reassuring. Suddenly Emma's world goes dark. When she awakens, she finds herself held captive by an evil man, being forced through the woods. Due to her hasty departure, she has nothing but her coat, no hat, no boots, and it is freezing. Her only consolation is the appearance of a wolf, a wolf that seems to see deep into her broken soul, one that befriends her, and gives her a reason for staying alive.
Her cruel captor is not only abusive to her, but also to the wolf, who Emma names Amarok. She doesn't understand why he doesn't run away, but notices an ivory colored charm of some sort that her captor wears around his neck. As they journey through the wilderness, far away from the hope of rescue, Emma grows to love Amarok, and Amarok grows to love Emma, and is devoted to her. Danger lurks everywhere, not only from the weather, but also from nature's creatures. Upon arrival at their destination, a rogue bear, who isn't what he seems, attacks them. Amarok is determined to protect Emma, even if it costs him his life. When Amarok is critically injured, as well as her captor, Emma must find the strength to try to save him. The events that transpire are otherworldly and Emma cannot believe what happens next, as who and what Amarok really is, is revealed. Determined to save Amarok's life, she ventures into the wilderness to a cursed land filled with danger, to face something so evil that no one has ever escaped with their life intact from before. Will she be able to save Amarok before it's to late, or will the evil that has held him captive all these years consume her also?
This was a very interesting novel, filled with adventure, danger, and magic. I loved the setting, and Angela Townsend has done a wonderful job of making that come alive. The story is fast-paced and not too long, so you can read it in one sitting easily. I liked Emma's character. She was quite the heroine, and though plagued with her only guilt and many other emotional and traumatic issues, she rose above those to save the life of another. She faces unimaginable fear, immense danger, and the elements, as she embarks upon a quest to save the one she has come to love. I loved Amarok as well, and I know anyone that reads this will also. This story is creative, entertaining, and filled with adventure and danger, with a hint of romance. I think it would really appeal to the middle-grade age group, as well as teens, and would definitely recommend it for that age-group, as well as anyone who loves a good adventure with elements of danger, the supernatural, and a little romance mixed in.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 19, 2013
This book was fantastic. I loved every min.of it.
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Overview
Emma's life has been hell since she moved from sunny California to a remote Alaskan town. Abandoned by her father and living with the guilt of causing her mother's death, she makes a desperate dash for freedom from her abusive stepfather. But when her car skids off the icy road, her planned escape leads to further captivity in a world beyond her imagining.
Dragged across the tundra by an evil mountain man and his enormous black wolf, she learns that love can be found in the most...