The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
stacylmoll's review against another edition
5.0
S. Usher Evans has to be my new favorite author, after reading the first two books in her Madion War Trilogy, I also read Empath and was blown away. This story is Wizard of Oz meets The Lord of the Rings/Hobbit. I was especially impressed with the main character, and how the story ends. Thank you Evans for giving us a great and thankfully not typical ending.
marobbins's review
4.0
I love how this is a fantasy story framed by instances in the real world, which seemed almost a little bit too real for me at times! The best way I can describe it is Rogue from the X-Men meets a modern-day fantasy story in which the heroine ultimately saves herself. It takes some typical romance and fairy tale tropes and re-writes them, which I can truly appreciate. I would not have known about this book if it weren't for the Dragoncon YA Literature track, so mad props to Dragoncon! I'm a bit of an "empath" myself, so I can appreciate the balance Lauren had to strike between healing others and taking time to address her own inner dragons. I can relate to the story on a personal level, and I'm glad the book addresses real life issues: anxiety, depressive episodes, the pressure for young southern women to get married by a certain age (without it always mattering to whom), trying to find a vocation you truly love and that fits you, I could go on! I almost wasn't sure I could finish the book because it almost seemed a little bit too real for me, but I'm really glad I did. Really, I'd give it 4 1/2 stars if I could, as I really enjoyed going on this journey.
apow1071's review against another edition
5.0
On the surface, Empath is a book about a girl transported into another world, her difficulty adjusting to a different way of life, and her struggles to get back home. Below the surface, this is a story about transitions, heartbreak, and difficult choices. Readers will be able to identify with Lauren and how she tries to move forward once everything she knew about her life changed. This is a well-written book and the author truly conveys the pain that Lauren is going through, so well that this reader physically and emotionally connected with Lauren and felt her pain. Once you pick up this book, you will not want to put it down.
thechaoshour's review against another edition
5.0
What I Loved
This book surprised me. In all the best ways. I was expecting an epic fantasy but I wasn't expecting the story hidden underneath that one. I wasn't expecting this story to be about someone struggling with their mental health. I think that was my favourite part. There was so much I wasn't expecting and that made the story so much better to read!
I'm not usually one to read about mental illness or mental disorders. It's not something I've been able to relate to or really enjoyed reading. I could really relate to our main character here though. I wouldn't say she had any mental disorders but she had a mental barrier she had to get over. She needed to learn who she was without a guy which I think is something a lot of girls have gone through before. I just found that while she was explaining her situation all I could think was "same, girl". (I actually have that in my notes.) A story is much easier to follow when you share the same feelings as the main character!
What I Didn't Love
I didn't really have anything wrong with this book. The only difference between a 4 and 5 star for me is personal preference. I loved this book but it didn't fully blow me away. (Though it came SO close.) This is actually the first book I gave a 4.5 rating but I couldn't help it!
Who I'd Recommend To
I would recommend this book especially for those going through a break up. After I finished reading this I had to sit down and think for a minute. It's a book for those who like to really feel something after they're done reading.
See the full review on Books for Thought
This book surprised me. In all the best ways. I was expecting an epic fantasy but I wasn't expecting the story hidden underneath that one. I wasn't expecting this story to be about someone struggling with their mental health. I think that was my favourite part. There was so much I wasn't expecting and that made the story so much better to read!
I'm not usually one to read about mental illness or mental disorders. It's not something I've been able to relate to or really enjoyed reading. I could really relate to our main character here though. I wouldn't say she had any mental disorders but she had a mental barrier she had to get over. She needed to learn who she was without a guy which I think is something a lot of girls have gone through before. I just found that while she was explaining her situation all I could think was "same, girl". (I actually have that in my notes.) A story is much easier to follow when you share the same feelings as the main character!
What I Didn't Love
I didn't really have anything wrong with this book. The only difference between a 4 and 5 star for me is personal preference. I loved this book but it didn't fully blow me away. (Though it came SO close.) This is actually the first book I gave a 4.5 rating but I couldn't help it!
Who I'd Recommend To
I would recommend this book especially for those going through a break up. After I finished reading this I had to sit down and think for a minute. It's a book for those who like to really feel something after they're done reading.
See the full review on Books for Thought
elizafiedler's review against another edition
5.0
A brilliant allegory, (the subtle kind, not the hit-you-over-the-head kind), but also just a fantastic story. The world of the story is built simply but vividly. The real highlight of the book is the complex main character who has a very vivid inner life - Evans' strongest skill is in her characters.
cryingscarf's review against another edition
4.0
As someone who faces anxiety on a daily basis, this book spoke to me. I found Lauren relatable and I greatly enjoyed her interaction with the people she meets in this foreign world she is thrown into.
thesaltybibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
Evans' plot & character development is not quite 5 stars, but the context of this book and the idea behind it is FANTASTIC. An interesting metaphor for how anxiety and mental illness effects the day to day life, and how escape can be oh so tempting at times. The Anxiety Dragon is an excellent light but heavy read for those who can and for those who can't relate.
katepotts's review
5.0
Lauren is everything I want to be.
I read this book after my six year relationship ended, I was lost. I didn't know how to define myself without my significant other, I didn't think I could handle it.
Lauren went through similar struggles, but she was more bad ass than I had ever been. I love how S. Usher Evans doesn't characterize her female characters as dependent, little girls who thrive off a mans attention, thus "bringing out the best in them", especially with how a part at the end turned out.
Laurens adventure started off with me kind of hating her for how she was acting, but the more I read, I realized that I had followed some of the same thought processes, and it helped me in a way as a person.
I know I'm making this sound like it's a self-help book, but I honestly just think this is a very well-written adventure that has a lot of meaning behind it for someone who can relate and inspire you that you can be independent and BE OKAY!!
Not only was Lauren fighting off a dragon and trying to find her way back home, there was a psychological growing throughout the story for Lauren and the back plot of that is just amazing.
This is actually my first fantasy book! I adored this book so much, that I've explored other fantasy books and I'm hooked! I really think this is a great book to get started into fantasy, smoothly. It was easy to follow, and a fast read(more like a page turner).
I also adored the romance sub-plot of the story as it was very believable and had it's own complications.
<3
I read this book after my six year relationship ended, I was lost. I didn't know how to define myself without my significant other, I didn't think I could handle it.
Lauren went through similar struggles, but she was more bad ass than I had ever been. I love how S. Usher Evans doesn't characterize her female characters as dependent, little girls who thrive off a mans attention, thus "bringing out the best in them", especially with how a part at the end turned out.
Laurens adventure started off with me kind of hating her for how she was acting, but the more I read, I realized that I had followed some of the same thought processes, and it helped me in a way as a person.
I know I'm making this sound like it's a self-help book, but I honestly just think this is a very well-written adventure that has a lot of meaning behind it for someone who can relate and inspire you that you can be independent and BE OKAY!!
Not only was Lauren fighting off a dragon and trying to find her way back home, there was a psychological growing throughout the story for Lauren and the back plot of that is just amazing.
This is actually my first fantasy book! I adored this book so much, that I've explored other fantasy books and I'm hooked! I really think this is a great book to get started into fantasy, smoothly. It was easy to follow, and a fast read(more like a page turner).
I also adored the romance sub-plot of the story as it was very believable and had it's own complications.
<3
mcb's review against another edition
4.0
This review was originally posted on Blame It On The Books
Lauren Dailey has been having a rough couple of months. She has ended things with her boyfriend after realizing that he wasn't interested in marrying her. She is stuck in a boring, dead-end job. She keeps replaying her breakup in her head, wondering why she couldn't make it work. And worst of all, it seems that everyone around her is happily in love and rubbing it in her face. She feels like she has hit rock bottom...until she is transported to a different world with no running water and a dragon hiding in the mountains. Oh, and she's also an empath.
Anyone who has been through a breakup knows that it usually feels like the end of the world. And in a small sense, it is; it is the end of a big part of your life and it often comes as a shock to the system. Not quite as much of a shock as being transported to a new world and becoming an empath, however, as Lauren quickly learns. She has spent months after her breakup burying her feelings and pretending that she is ok. But now, suddenly, she cannot touch another living thing without being overwhelmed by an onslaught of emotion.
It took me a little while to connect to the characters in Empath, but I eventually grew to care about all of them. Sometimes I was so frustrated that Lauren wouldn't share her true feelings with people, but I understood her anxiety and was able to relate to her thought process. I have been there before - not giving people a chance to grow to love the real me because I assumed they wouldn't like me. I loved that Lauren was able to encounter other characters with the same fears, so she could learn that numerous people, no matter what walk of life or world they live in, struggle with the same worries and anxieties.
Empath was written as a response to a time in S. Usher Evans' life when she felt a lot like Lauren. The story comes across as very personal, but not like a diary entry. You can easily get lost in the adventure and dragon fighting, but you are still left with a wonderful and personal message. Anyone who has lived with anxiety or depression (whether related to a breakup or not) can empathize with Lauren's story. It is a lovely lesson in learning that sometimes you can admit that you aren't ok - and that is ok.
Empath is the sixth S. Usher Evans book that I have read. While I have truly enjoyed them all, Empath has now become my favorite. I hope you will give it a try and enjoy it as much as I did.
Lauren Dailey has been having a rough couple of months. She has ended things with her boyfriend after realizing that he wasn't interested in marrying her. She is stuck in a boring, dead-end job. She keeps replaying her breakup in her head, wondering why she couldn't make it work. And worst of all, it seems that everyone around her is happily in love and rubbing it in her face. She feels like she has hit rock bottom...until she is transported to a different world with no running water and a dragon hiding in the mountains. Oh, and she's also an empath.
Anyone who has been through a breakup knows that it usually feels like the end of the world. And in a small sense, it is; it is the end of a big part of your life and it often comes as a shock to the system. Not quite as much of a shock as being transported to a new world and becoming an empath, however, as Lauren quickly learns. She has spent months after her breakup burying her feelings and pretending that she is ok. But now, suddenly, she cannot touch another living thing without being overwhelmed by an onslaught of emotion.
It took me a little while to connect to the characters in Empath, but I eventually grew to care about all of them. Sometimes I was so frustrated that Lauren wouldn't share her true feelings with people, but I understood her anxiety and was able to relate to her thought process. I have been there before - not giving people a chance to grow to love the real me because I assumed they wouldn't like me. I loved that Lauren was able to encounter other characters with the same fears, so she could learn that numerous people, no matter what walk of life or world they live in, struggle with the same worries and anxieties.
Empath was written as a response to a time in S. Usher Evans' life when she felt a lot like Lauren. The story comes across as very personal, but not like a diary entry. You can easily get lost in the adventure and dragon fighting, but you are still left with a wonderful and personal message. Anyone who has lived with anxiety or depression (whether related to a breakup or not) can empathize with Lauren's story. It is a lovely lesson in learning that sometimes you can admit that you aren't ok - and that is ok.
Empath is the sixth S. Usher Evans book that I have read. While I have truly enjoyed them all, Empath has now become my favorite. I hope you will give it a try and enjoy it as much as I did.