OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Bell Sound Everlasting" by J.Z.N. McCauley.]

With the death of her parents ever-present in her mind, Evelyn Bell struggles with feeling and understanding true happiness. Even with a loving brother, a kind sister-in-law-to-be, and her compelling music, her parents’ death is something that has become a burden in Evelyn's life. Her coping mechanism of developed obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and the distraction of music doesn’t seem to be enough. Then one day, an odd time ripple occurs and the vision of a man appears. Confused and dazed, Evelyn is thrown into a different reality that is both strange and yet satisfying.

In the meantime, young and strong warrior Ailis faces struggles beyond what she is ready for. She, along with her clansmen, must fight for their freedom from those who desire to take it away from them. With themes of family, love, healing, and time, come follow these two strong women in J.Z.N. McCauley’s young adult fantasy, A Bell Sound Everlasting.

Alternating between the two female roles, along with two other characters, was done well and was one of my favorite aspects of the novel. It was simple to keep track of the characters and their respective storylines, as well as, their connection with each other. The two women were skillfully developed and could be sympathized with, and I became equally excited to read each perspective to see the characters' progression. Even with less background and growth, the secondary characters had a clear purpose throughout, as well. Aside from Ailis' point-of-view where there were those trying to take away her clan's freedom, there was not a single character I disliked.

Both the steady and fast-paced scenes were a pleasure to read, while a few of the slower-paced ones became a bit tedious. One particular instance of a slower-paced sequence would be toward the end. There was a moment when Evelyn contemplated a wrinkle she had on her dress and attempted to hide the wrinkle from everyone. This type of description, that was found throughout, was unpleasant to read and didn't add to the storyline, especially since at this point her OCD was improving.

I also found some points in the story a bit confusing and vague. For instance, twenty-three-year-old Evelyn is a pianist and she performs in concerts, but I couldn’t tell if it was with an orchestra, if it was part of a play, or what the real purpose was. Also, when Evelyn had a therapy session, no progress was made and it ended so abruptly that I questioned the point of including this session at all. These bits were interesting in general, but since they felt so disconnected to the overall plot and climax, I felt there was a better way to incorporate these points into the story.

With its innocence and a bit of clean romance, young adults and those who like low fantasies will enjoy A Bell Sound Everlasting, as I have because I truly did enjoy it despite its minor flows. Considering the vagueness, a bit of plot flow issues, and a few minor errors, I give this read a 3 out of 4 stars.

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A Bell Sound Everlasting
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Despite the issues with the few plot aspects, it sounds like an interesting story. I love the fantasy aspect as well as incorporating the character with OCD. Sounds quite intriguing. Thanks for another great review!

Thank you, kandscreeley! It was a very interesting read, and I love that the author included a character with OCD because it brought a reality to it though there are some fantasy elements, too. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!

Even as an adult, I still can't imagine loosing my parents. Evelyn's courage is inspiring.

Thank you for sharing your comment, Mercy Bolo. I agree, I can't imagine losing both parents, especially in one fell swoop. Poor Evelyn. Her brother was awesome and supportive here, which was great to read about their relationship, though.

I'm interested in this book having two female leads as well as the incorporation of OCD, but the vagueness of the plot just doesn't do it for me. Thanks for this review.

Thank you for your thoughts, inaramid! I agree, the two leads and the OCD definitely added to the plot while its vagueness could have been better. Thanks again!

If there is a reason for me to pick up this book, it would be for the OCD angle. I would definitely be very interested to see how this disorder is addressed.

I really liked how the main character had OCD, although I will say that only toward the beginning was it really explored. It kind faded as the story went along. Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts!

Another great review! I don't read too many books in this genre, but a story with a character who has OCD sounds interesting. It's too bad about the inconsistent pacing and the vague, sometimes unnecessary parts. Glad you enjoyed the book overall.

Thank you, bookowlie! The OCD aspect was interesting; I would have liked it to be better explored, but I did like that it was included. The pacing could have been better, but overall an enjoyable read.

I think that I will skip it as it does not belong to my choice of genre. Thanks for your insightful review.

Thank you, Anjum! I completely understand. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!

The cover of this book is really eye catching! I think I would prefer something a little more mystical, but I appreciate your review!

This read was fairly enjoyable. I really liked how the author had strong female leads, character who had OCD, and how all the characters were likeable band had clear purpose.