  | Book Details Title: Oasis: A Novel |
Book DescriptionReview “De Becerra’s haunting supernatural thriller will stick to readers’ skin long after the final page is turned… Suspense, gore, spooky imagery, and creepy plot developments come through via bloodcurdling nightmares, group hallucinations, and uncontrollable desires and obsessions.” ―Booklist (starred review)“Readers will be engaged as Alif and the others encounter one crisis after another, and small details woven throughout the plot build to a surprise ending . . . An X-Files–worthy survival story.” ―School Library Journal“Tense, electric storytelling that makes you wonder what you would be willing to sacrifice to have your deepest longings fulfilled.” ―Rachael Craw, award-winning author of The Rift“de Becerra successfully builds a fraught tension throughout the book that mirrors the characters’ feelings as reality leaves them behind . . . well worth the payoff.” ―The Bulletin“If you’re someone who enjoys fantasy reads set in contemporary times with accurate referencing to science and technology with great suspense and mind boggling mystery, then this is the one for you!” ―The Nerd Daily“Beautifully written, with tense storytelling, lush descriptions, and vibrant, complex characters, OASIS is an eerie, mind-bending novel that you don’t want to miss!” ―Erin Cashman, author of Uncharted“Magically eerie and creepy with a side of amazingly weird.” ―Candace Robinson, author of Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault and The Bride of GlassPRAISE FOR KATYA DE BECERRA’S WHAT THE WOODS KEEP:“Blending mythology and a contemporary story of family drama, de Becerra’s debut novel is a narrative that will keep readers enthralled.” ―Booklist“Spooky atmospherics and moral ambiguity complement the blend of science and myth to create a thoughtful and compelling horror fantasy.” ― Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books“The characters in this debut novel are interesting and modern, particularly Hayden’s humorous, vibrant roommate… Adds a new angle to the “small town with a secret” genre.” ―VOYA Read more About the Author Katya de Becerra was born in Russia, studied in California, lived in Peru, and then stayed in Australia long enough to become a local. She was going to be an Egyptologist when she grew up, but instead she earned a PhD in Anthropology. Her debut novel was What the Woods Keep. Read more Customers Review: Oasis is a story that will capture your attention and intrigue you; you’ll be sitting on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out the mysterious happenings that plaque this group of friends. Oasis provides nonstop tension with a touch of the supernatural. Katya’s first book, What the Woods Keep, was a favorite of mine last year, so you can imagine my excitement at the release of her second book. Which, I will say, did not disappoint. The idea of mixing science fiction with archaeology is a wonderful and unique idea. And with those two combined, Katya brought to the table a thrilling read.When Alif and her friends join her dad on his architectural dig site, none of them expect there to be a sandstorm. None of them expect to end up so far away from the campsite that they lose their sense of direction. And none expect to find a beautiful, yet mysterious oasis in the middle of the desert. This intriguing oasis gives the group of friends a safe haven, with food and water and shade from the sun. But only a few of the friends question the surprising popup of this oasis, Alif included.Alif and Tommy, the guy Alif likes, start to notice strange happenings while they stay at the oasis: delicious fruit and salivating water and beautiful sceneries are great, but something’s not right. But then strange things start to happen: they’re water supply gets poisoned and their rescue seems to never be able to find them, even when they’re in clear site. And there’s this mysterious, yet creepy cave that holds an unknown object that intrigues this group of friends. That’s when they all start to realize that something isn’t quite right with this oasis, that something dark and possibly sinister is taking place. And then tragedy hits this group of friends, which ends up binding them all together. But what that tragedy brings is their rescue and with it, a sense of change in their world and their minds. So, that then poses the question: What really happened at the oasis and was that sandstorm a fluke or a coincidence? And what, exactly, happened at the oasis?When it comes to Katya’s writing, her writing is descriptive and provides that eerie creepy feeling she had in her first book. As the reader, I was questioning everything and trying to make sense of everything. I enjoyed how Katya de Becerra only released hints of the supernatural plot at certain times and not all at once. Her writing and story structure kept me intrigued and waiting for more.As with the characters, I was hoping for more character development from the group of friends, as I didn’t feel a true connection with any of them. However, the experience of reading this story and seeing the effects it has on each person physically and mentally did prove for an enjoyable read. There were descriptive scenes with tension and betrayal, where friends were pitied against one another. And I enjoyed how Katya depicted how each experience effected each friend differently.Overall, Oasis was an interesting and intriguing read with descriptive scenes that illustrated what supernatural traumas can do to the mind. I was pulled into the lush scenery and the mysterious oasis. This was an unique read and a great second book from Katya de Becerra, one that I would recommend to readers that are looking for their next archaeological supernatural read. | |
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