Sasha Soren

Book blogs: Random Magic reviews

"Completely quirky, insane, and original. Random Magic will appeal to those looking for something way out of the normal. Don't go in expecting a perfect plot, only a good time. You won't be disappointed."
- McKenzie, via: GoodReads.com

"Normally, I don't post quotes from books. This one, however, was simply too good to pass up. This passage, and the story behind it, is definitely one of my favorite quotes ever. I actually got tears in my eyes while reading this. Read this slowly, savor each sentence, and the end will be wonderful:

'Deep in the heart of a city, a woman stood alone, at the top of a golden bridge which gleamed in the sun. For once, after many, many years of sorrow, she smiled to herself. She, too, had found what she was seeking.

For what she'd asked him, in her real voice, a voice that only the heart could hear, was a simple question: Have you ever once loved another human creature so much that her life was more precious to you than your own?

And his heart had replied in words just as plain: "Yes," it said, and the power of it nearly blinded her.'
(Page 282, Random Magic, by Sasha Soren)."
- McKenzie, The Book Owl

"Random Magic is cute and quirky. I love the 'no guts, no glory' attitude of young Winnie Flapjack. Winnie is determined to see Henry through on his quest to find Alice -- no matter the obstacles. And those obstacles are many -- but funny.

Winnie and Henry's adventure is non-stop -- they move from one challenge to the next with their goal firmly in mind. Each challenge is met and overcome by Winnie using a little magic, a little daring and common sense -- well, common for the world she lives in.

I really enjoyed this world Ms. Soren created and all of the characters that occupy this world. I think Random Magic would make a wonderful family movie. I give Random Magic 4 out of 5 stars. :)"
- Michelle G., Michelle's Book Blog


"Random Magic stays true to its title, it's truly random yet magical at the same time...The world that Sasha created was amazing and totally entertaining.

Her writing style is very descriptive and quirky. Usually this type of book isn't my cup of tea but it was very interesting. It was definitely a fun-filled adventure...

Overall, a cute read -- this book would be quite intriguing if it was turned into a movie directed by Tim Burton, maybe a sequel to the actual Alice in Wonderland he's coming out with? Rating: 4.0 out of 5."
- Eleni, La Femme Readers

"Charming, interesting, and well-written. The author definitely has the skill to write something you don't want to put down (I don't think I put this book down the entire time I was reading it -- I wanted to know what happened next!)

I will heartily recommend this book to anyone looking to read something new and entertaining; it's got friendship, love, strength, wit, adventure, magic, and a red feather. You can't go wrong with those things!

I think it's a young adult book, but adults will love it, too. I know I did, and I suppose I count as an adult. ;) I'll give this 4-1/​2 out of 5 stars."
- Meri, Elbit Blog

"Random Magic is truly...random. The first chapter seems to be off the wall and hard to understand – but only at first. One must continue reading to fully grasp the quirky, eccentric, and brilliant style that is Sasha Soren(It also helps to have a dictionary handy).

I found Random Magic to be brilliantly written. At times it reminded me of Harry Potter (with the word play) and at other times it felt like something I would be reading in some philosophy class with all it’s metaphors and such. There is definitely more to this story than meets the eye. Brilliant." ***** (Five-star review)
- Allison, Well-Read Reviews

"What an adventure! Random Magic is unlike anything I've ever read. Sasha's talent, [attention to] detail, humor and wit sucked me into this fantastic story of magic, friends and folklore.

I feel like I've never read anything quite like this. It has that classic feel, intertwined with many fairy tale classic characters. Who doesn't love Captain Jack or temperamental spider chairs?

If you're looking for a fast read, this isn't for you. Charming and funny, yet thought-provoking, you will want to savor each chapter. Sasha adds a lot of emotion and personal touches to her style of writing. I can't wait to read this to my girls...

Of course, I will edit where need be, according to age, but it's a great story to share with your kids and will be a great treasure for my shelf!" ***** (Five-star review)
- Tina, Tina's Book Reviews - Willowdust Reviews

"What is that, you say? A book that can be described as Alice in Wonderland meets Harry Potter? YES, PLEASE!

Random Magic by Sasha Soren is a firecracker box crammed full of crayon-colourful, whizz-happy tricks...Random Magic is such a glorious idea. It's as if Ms. Soren was on an extreme sugar high during the 'lightbulb moment.'

It's full of whimsy and teacups -- you really have to suspend a helluva lot of disbelief to go with the flow of the story, but if you do, the magic carpet'll lift right off the ground and take you with it, whether you're ready or not."
- Aimee, My Fluttering Heart

"I don't know how better to describe it than whimsical and just plain FUN! I know I have seen that description out and about in the blogosphere when reading the other reviews about Random Magic, but I couldn't think of any other words to capture the heart of this book.

There is a bond and a friendship between the two main characters, Winnie and Henry, that just captured my heart and wouldn't let go. I couldn't help but read faster and keep the pages turning, I was so desperate to learn what happened to them. And let me tell you, there are some crazy adventures they struggle through.

One thing about Random Magic -- think back to when you were a kid, all those stories and fairy tales we used to read about, you remember those, right? Well, imagine a grand adventure where they are all true and you are Winnie Flapjack...

It truly takes you away, partly to the past and the comical adventures we read about as children (Alice in Wonderland), Sasha brings those characters to life and adds a few more interesting ones to boot, with an electrifying amount of humor -- plus the wit and sarcasm of Winnie who is brilliant, brave and powerful in her ambition and downright fearless in her conviction. She is a heroine that I want to be.

An entertaining romp...through Alice's looking glass of sorts and a mish-mosh world of creatures, imagine what you will, cause it's all there and more. The walls they hit and the characters they run into crack you up, I just wanted to be on this journey with them.

All in all, just plain fascinating characters that capture your heart, the entire time reading this I kept thinking this would make one wicked movie (a few others felt the same, see, I am not alone!!!) and started casting the characters in my head.

I knew I was in deep then, and I know I needed to spread the word on this magical delight! You want to read this book, you need to read this book! Five stars: Loved it - Couldn't put it down!" ***** (Five-star review)
- Brande, Book Junkie


"Random Magic by Sasha Soren may be the quirkiest novel I have ever read -- in a good way! It is definitely random, and I couldn't help thinking while I read this that it definitely fit the title of the blog and it did "Take Me Away"!

[The] whimsical humor found throughout this novel [caused] me to smirk at times or giggle out loud. And at times it made me stop and think to myself: "What?"...I appreciated this new type of story but it made me stop and think, and it was something I had to get used to.

In the beginning of his pursuit of Alice, Henry runs across Winnie Flapjack. He and Winnie proceed to experience adventures together and build a bond. Winnie is a funny character, but she is also a strong and independent female (a great role model!).

The author, Sasha Soren, certainly has an interesting and vivid imagination. She possesses wonderful story-telling skills full of plot movement and conversation...

I did find myself wanting to read further after each chapter, but I do recommend reading and savoring one chapter at a time to truly digest and understand everything read.

As I mentioned, it's quirky and random and may take some getting used to. But if you do, you'll find a fun and interesting adventure story."
- Jenny, Take Me Away

"I am something of a connoisseur of eccentricity...For such a connoisseur of eccentricity, this book is just about perfect.

There is a sweet spot, I think, positioned about halfway between the sublime and the ridiculous, between madcap surreality (and, well, the eponymous randomness) and underlying pattern, off of which it is really very easy to fall when attempting to write a book like this.

Fortunately for us, Sasha Soren nails it exactly...

As ripping as the plot surely is, it is the execution of it where this book really shines. The author's dry, witty, and quirkily clever writing style is a perfect match for the plot and the setting, and the main characters (the initially out-of-his-depth Henry, who develops marvelously as a character throughout the book -- and the clever, never-say-die Winnie) keep you moving on through the book.

Indeed, I lost more than a few hours of sleep due to having to read Just! One! More! Chapter! (Kept my lovely wife awake occasionally due to uncontrollable laughter, too -- this may be worth bearing in mind if you usually read books in bed.)

(As a side note, I should also like to mention just how refreshing I find it to read a book in which the author feels free to drop allusions -- or, really, avalanche allusions! -- to all kinds of things, from classical mythology to more recent folklore, without feeling the need to hammer them home, explain them, or otherwise treat the reader as if the entirety of human culture before, say, 1980 could reasonably be expected to be a closed book. Give me a book that assumes I have a clue, any day!)

To sum up: I have no hesitation in recommending this book superlatively. It's a charming and absolute delight to read. ***** (Five-star review)
- Alistair, Cerebrate's Contemplations

"Imagine yourself in a vivid dream. One where things are real, but dreamy, extra colorful, animated and magical. Now you are ready to enter the world of Random Magic...

All of my preconceived notions about this book were wrong. Alice is not the main character in the story as I expected. The story is so much more than a girl in Wonderland.

For me, the prologue was confusing and the first few chapters were mainly background information about how Henry, our hero, winds up in Edgeland. Now we arrive at chapter three and we meet Winnie. This is where the story really takes off.

Sasha Soren takes the reader on an incredible journey. The descriptions of the locations and beings they encounter are incredible, you can tell the author is an artist because she writes with all of her five senses. You really feel like you are there.

There are many strange and unusual characters in Random Magic. First off, this is a love story. For me, this wasn't obvious until halfway through the story.

I noticed significant character development with Henry and Winnie, and I grew more attached to the characters as the story progressed...One of the other characters I enjoyed was Professor Random, he does not play a big part, but I loved his absentmindedness.

The ending concludes Henry's adventure, for better or worse, but leaves enough room for an additional story. Actually, any number of characters in the book could have their own story..."
- Elie, Ellz Readz

"Random Magic is unlike any other book I have ever read. I almost want to call it post-modernist...Random Magic is kind of like a piece of modern art. Some people will read it and be absorbed by its exuberant and hilarious details; its twisting and digressing story. Some people will read it and think I should like this but I just don't understand it...I've come to think of this book as similar to the art of Tracey Emin (although the subject matter couldn't be any more different if it tried).

Random Magic is the story of Henry Witherspoon who gets transported into a magical world [on] the hunt for a lost Alice, who has disappeared from Wonderland. He meets an interesting and quirky companion in the form of Winnie, who is a doodle witch. I really liked Winnie. She was definitely my favourite aspect of the book. She was well characterised in an unpredictable and kooky kind of way. I like kooky...It's the fastest-paced novel I have ever read and I couldn't really keep up. It was Winnie who kept me grounded and helped me to understand the story.

Random Magic is brimming over with vivid imagery. It is a very visual book and would undoubtedly work well as a film...One of my favourite parts was when we meet the character Hyperbole -- her name says it all. Nevermore was a great character, too. The elegant description of the Garden of the Nine Muses was simply beautiful and is just one example of Soren's complete realisation of her fantasy world.

Overall, I suggest you read this if you are looking for something challenging and willing to wholeheartedly live outside your comfort zone or you are a quirky, kooky, eccentric fantasy or Alice in Wonderland-lover. At times you may be, like me, surely discombobulated, but you will also be in complete awe of Soren's imaginative powers."
- Becky, The Bookette

"The world that Sasha Soren has created in Random Magic is completely and utterly engrossing. At times I had an extremely hard time peeling my eyes away from the pages.

I was a little surprised at how much I enjoyed the story, because the randomness of Alice in Wonderland always confused me and I would soon get bored.

I had no troubles reading this novel, although it was just as random as the classic. I enjoyed the randomness, and found myself laughing out loud during some moments in the story.

While this novel is completely random and silly, it also has its moments of suspense and at times it was even sad. I loved how this novel gave me a little bit of every emotion all packed into one.

I'm really interested in reading more from Sasha Soren in the future, because by the look of it, she has quite the imagination. I would highly recommend this book to those of you out there that enjoy the story of Alice in Wonderland, and want to read a new twist on the story...I also want to point out that I absolutely love the cover of this novel." Loved it: 5/​5 ***** (Five-star review)
- Jenni, Falling Off The Shelf