Book Review: Female of the Species, by Sarah McCully

I’m so excited to be able to tell you all about this new book by Sarah McCully, Female of the Species. This is Sarah’s first novel, and when I finished reading it (in one sitting!), I had to email her right away and ask if she will follow it up with a sequel. What a treat to find out that not only will there be a sequel to this one, but a companion book is due out by the end of the year as well!

Sarah McCully

Female of the Species is told in the first person point of view, which is Phoenix, a feisty young woman with a snark to match. I liked her instantly. Phoenix has made friends with a minion, Sid, who has been watching over her since she was 14 years old. When we find out why he was watching over her as well as the secret of who she really is, the adventure really begins. Armed with a baby blue Li’l Slugger baseball bat and a fair amount of boldness, Phoenix is hauled into another world, by Sid who is extremely frightened of whoever or whatever is looking for Phoenix.

As Phoenix and Sid travel in this world that is strange to her, they meet other creatures that seem to be awed by her. Phoenix has learned that she is also a Traveler, something like Sid, but there is more to her story than that. She is the only one of her kind and very powerful.

I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll stop there. Sarah McCully has created a fascinating world filled with mysterious beings that immerse you in wonder. There are also ones that inspire terror. Female of the Species is a quick read (about 240 pages) mainly because once you start reading, you won’t be able to put this book down. It moves quickly. The characters are all interesting, Sarah makes you care about each one of them,  and if you like Sookie Stackhouse, you’ll love Phoenix. I give this book 5 out of 5 baseball bats.

Sarah has also written music inspired by the book, and is available on CD. She has generously offered to provide three copies of these, personally autographing the books, to three lucky winners in out new giveaway being launched today.

How To Enter 

• Complete the entry form below;
• Be sure to use a valid email address;
• One entry per person – DUPLICATES ARE DELETED;
• Entry must be received by 11:59PM PT on Thursday, May 19th, 2011, to be eligible;
• Three (3) winners will be chosen at random from eligible entries.

Good Luck!

This contest is concluded. Congratulations to the three lucky winners, Katherine Cherry, Danielle Chiaro and Kimber Gabryszak!

I hope you will love this book as much as I did. It’s perfect for after you’ve read Dead Reckoning and you’re aching to get your hands on something else. As soon as we hear more about the sequel to Female of the Species, we’ll be sure to pass on the info!