Review By Mamta Madhavan for Readers’ Favorite – 5 stars

The Butterfly Crest by Eva Vanrell is a fantasy filled fiction that is contemporary and exotic. Elena Vicens’ life takes a turn when she receives a letter one day regarding a deposit box belonging to her mother. This letter comes to her nineteen years after her mother’s death and the letter sends her from New Orleans to Japan. She finds herself in possession of a cursed inheritance and the story takes off from there. Readers find themselves in the midst of legends and myths, the strangeness of everyday life, a human woman who will shape the outcome of the divine war and, amid all this, Elena must choose her own destiny.

It is an intriguing, imaginative and very original story with many layers and that makes it a compelling read. It moves between the tangible and intangible, giving the story a surreal feel and keeping readers guessing about the outcome. The narration is descriptive and gives more clarity to the plot. It is an exceptional read. Elena is an interesting character that has been portrayed vividly and wonderfully. Her presence dominates the story throughout, holding the plot together. There is a mysterious vibe in the theme, enhanced by the description of Elena’s character.

The shifts in the story that occur between the two locations and the afterlife give it a new dimension and make it an even more attractive and exceptional book to read.

 

Review By Kathryn Bennett for Readers’ Favorite – 5 stars

The Butterfly Crest by Eva Vanrell takes us between the shadows of the human world where a war that is as old as time is raging. A long-told prophecy says one human woman will change the course of the divine war and one day Elena – a seemingly regular woman living a normal life – gets a letter about a deposit box in her mother’s name. This letter and the contents of the box are a cursed inheritance and send Elena on a journey that could only be considered mythical and unbelievable. She must make choices to see where destiny takes her.

This is a great story that merges two different realms almost seamlessly into one another and makes a complex story entertaining and compelling. The action was fast and the pace of the book was perfect. Elena is a fantastic character whom I found to be intelligent and strong, but who has to find her way in an impossible situation, giving her even more depth as well. Eva Vanrell has created a strong story with a beautifully strong female main character, in a world and with a story line that is imaginative and unique. I have read many fantasy style stories that offer a similar version of wars that have been going on for all time, but this has been by far one of the most well thought out and well put together plots. If you are looking for a read for the summer that will have you hooked within the first pages and hold your interest until the very end, leaving you wanting more … then this is your book.

 

Review By Lisa Jones for Readers’ Favorite – 5 stars

**SPOILER ALERT – This review contains spoilers in the first paragraph.**

The Butterfly Crest by Eva Vanrell is an intriguing yet complex novel which depicts the story of the gods. Elena’s life changes forever after she receives word from Japan and sets off on a journey to claim what she thinks is a substantial estate left to her by her late mother. This is the beginning of her realization of what her heritage actually is. She is, in fact, the heir to a cursed race and many believe her to be what the prophecies speak of. Soon she is reunited with her parents and the hand of death is by her side throughout, protecting her every move. Her feelings for death grow stronger with each passing moment and death shows himself in the form a beautiful man named Eiry. As the sands of time run out, Elena races to fulfill the prophecy and, even when all is considered doomed, her humanity is what may save her – even in death.

Eva Vanrell delivers a fascinating novel in The Butterfly Crest. I loved this novel and was totally mesmerized by the gods and the mythology of the era. Although the story was complex with many different characters, it is worth taking your time to digest each detail as it allows the reader to become submerged within the pages. The main character, Elena, showed tremendous strength and courage throughout, and the author’s love of Japan and Greek mythology became quickly apparent in the book. The story provided a wonderful insight into such subjects. Vanrell also added an air of mystery throughout, which made the ending totally unpredictable. I liked it so much because the reader was kept guessing all the way through. Although there are many beings and characters, each one of them was unique in their own way, which I found endearing. I was totally lost within the author’s imagination and would recommend this novel to all.

 

Review by Judge – 23rd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards

“A powerful story with a relatable heroine and vivid descriptive detail. Fans of paranormal fiction will be delighted with this story and look for more by Vanrell.”