Review: The Year of the Great Seventh by Teresa Orts

Summary: Sophie has always felt out of step—an outsider, even amongst friends in her high school with all the hype about celebrity culture. Her life in L.A. seems to have been already written for her, but when her junior year starts, it all takes a drastic turn. When she crosses paths with the school's heartthrob, Nate Werner, they fall for each other in a way neither can understand. What they don’t know is that by giving in to their desires, they are unlocking an ancient Egyptian prophecy that threatens to return Earth to the dark ages.

To undo the curse, Nate and Sophie embark on an adventure that takes them across the country. But their quest is not only to save the world as they know it. It is also a fight for their very survival. Behind the scenes, there are those that are counting on them to fail.

Kim's Review: Going into this book, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I gave it a chance because the plot seemed quite interesting and original. While it was a bit slow in the beginning, the plot quickly began to develop after the first few chapters. I really, really, really loved Sophie, the main character and narrator of the novel. Despite the strange events she was going through, I still found her relatable; in fact, she may be one of the most relatable female characters I've ever read about. Of course, I can't exactly say I've led my troubled boyfriend across the country to unlock an Egyptian prophecy before, but there were a lot of things about her personality and mindset that I could definitely relate to, and I had never seen these subtle quirks portrayed in a novel before. Sophie was also realistic - this isn't your typical, head-over-heels in love female character. Although she has her problems with Nate, she still gets her priorities straight and focuses on school as well as getting into NYU, her dream university. I loved Nate as well as Sophie's friends; none of their lives are normal, but they are also extremely different. Her two best friends are celebrities and, between shooting movies, regularly attend premieres and exclusive parties, while Sophie herself has a much more complex life. 

I would recommend The Year of the Great Seventh to anyone who love books like Veronica Roth's Divergent - books with the perfect combination of action, suspense, and romance. This is one of those books where you tell yourself "one more chapter and then I'll go to bed," but before you know it it's three in the morning and you've finished it! Orts is an great, creative writer, and I cannot wait to read more about Sophie and Nate in this book's sequel!

(Also, just a little side note - multiple times while reading I kept thinking about how this book would make a fantastic movie. Perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself, but I wouldn't mind seeing Eddie Redmayne as Nate on the big screen. :) )

Thank you so, so much to Teresa Orts for allowing me to read her book and get to know her characters. I seriously loved reading this book and following Sophie and Nate on their journey!