The Locust: Unearthing

I’ve conflicting opinions about “Unearthing: The Locust”, it was okay but nothing more.  The writing was light and very easy to read. The synopsis had sounded was great but the book simply didn’t deliver its promise.

The Native-American ingredient of the story was attractive but in my opinion said element wasn’t exploited as much as it could have, instead of being woven and intertwined in the story, it felt thrown haphazardly here and there with just vague allusions to spirit guides and the likes.   The characters were nice but lacked depth and that spark of life to make them feel “real”. 

I liked Cotey and her journey to become a “true warrior” and I started appreciating her even more once she started to get know the other three warriors (It was nice to read how they slowly become her true family). However, Cotey’s POV sounds like a ten or eleven years old speaking instead of a seventeen years old girl. At times, I found her way too naïve, for example she’s so damn quick to trust Andy and call him friend. I get the whole guardian-spirit-mojo that’s involved but still---a bit of skepticism would have made much more sense.

Since I’m a sucker for romance I liked Cotey’s relationship with the warrior-boy. Still, the romance between the two felt rushed and – at times – ridiculously and forcefully melodramatic. Examples? He falling to his knees after the first kiss was definitely excessively dramatic and preposterous.  Moreover, while I might appreciate the will to present something “different” I still found the whole “we can’t be together, love makes us week and anger makes us strong” concept utterly appalling. Anger never makes you strong, it makes you stupid…okay, “love” too makes you stupid--But I do believe that while love is a positive emotion, anger is not.  Furthermore, the scene of Keenan’s death was so anticlimactic (and simply splattered there) that I found myself laughing instead of being heartbroken. 

To me, the real problem of the book lies in its excessive and all-encompassing simplicity that, in the end, prevented me from getting emotionally involved in the story.

I want to start by saying that I am a big fan of books with mythology of any kind. 

This was an interesting read, but I really expected it to be more complex. I wish the Native American mythology would have been focused n a bit more.

I did like the main character. She felt a bit young, but I appreciated how she really grew into a more confident person in the story.

I get that this is young adult, but I feel it was written a bit too simplistic. There needs to be layers and explanations as to why things were done the way they were.

I recieved a copy of this through Netgalley.

The imagery that this book evokes was something I got lost in(In a very positive way) however I also personally got lost at points in the storyline(I don't want to explain why/where because I feel like it would give away major plot points) and whenever I started to feel like I understood the storyline and could follow along again things changed and I became confused again. I also am confused by the mythology/world of the book because of this I don't feel comfortable with given this book a number on a scale.

I always am looking forward to reading Native American stories. Always a culture I have been fascinated in since I was a small child. This story was very interesting regarding the legend and the dark figured man. Kind of a haunting story as well. Thrown in with some paranormal makes such a fun read. I don't like to give to much away but it was a creative story.

In THE LOCUST: UNEARTHING, Cotey accidentally gets involved in a world of Native American magic and folklore after the death of her mother.

What intrigued me: I love books about mythology, especially Native American.

THE LOCUST: UNEARTHING lures with a twist on a not-so-original premise. It's a typical chosen one story, wrapped up in Native American folklore. Paired with atmospheric, very beautiful writing, this could usually just be a recipe for a fantastic book. However, I just struggled with the plot. There are simply too many convenient tropes, from special snowflake syndrome to an everyday-gal kind of characterless voice. 

I didn't find the voice very YA, lower YA if at all, and this just a major factor for me that impacts the rating. I wasn't looking for lower YA/MG when picking this up, the premise really doesn't work with a protagonist like that and overall gives THE LOCUST: UNEARTHING a vibe that just unfitting. It could've been such an elegant, magical story, and ultimately that's what disappointed me the most about it. 

Overall: Do I Recommend?  THE LOCUST: UNEARTHING wasn't my thing. It's by no means a poorly written or bad book, but just not what I was looking for when I picked this up.

How refreshing and original story on Native American lore. I think that this series has SO much potential. It's rare to see an science fiction/fantasy book that has original story line. This story blurs that line between what we believe we know is real and what we think could be a possibility. I like that Cotey has this change but she kind of knew something was up so long ago. It also reminds us that sometimes in trying to protect others we can truly hurt them. 
I can't wait to see what Cotey and the others face in the next novel. Congrats on a wonderful book. 

Full review is scheduled to be posted on my blog on Aug 10, 2016. I will add link once live.

This book was fast paced and action packed. The Native American vibe was simply stunning. Beautifully written and had a superb ending.

The locust unearthing by j l Norris is a sci-fi and fantasy and teens ya read. 
Life can change with every breath we take. Truths become lies. People we thought we knew become strangers and it is only when you stand alone do you finally see who you truly are.
Barely able to cope with the loss of her mother and never knowing her father, Cotey James is lost, lonely, and nearly broken. She is teetering on the cusp of adulthood while living in a small, desolate Kansas town with only her grandmother and Andy True, an elderly Native American neighbor to guide her. Cotey's world is about to change again as she is about to travel down a life-altering road paved with heartbreak, revelation, and the paranormal as she is thrown deep into a world of myth and Native American legend. She must accept her fate as the warrior they have been waiting for and face off against evil and the one they call the Locust.
A good read although slow it managed to read it. Good characters too. 3*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.