Memories are a powerful thing and to a certain degree our greatest treasures. Think about it, what is life but an accumulation of experiences. That first kiss, that warm summer day where everything flowed perfectly, that candy that takes you directly to the brightest spot in your trail in this life.

Within the pages of the book of the same title, Strange Luck is a lovely antique shop of oddities that gives home to a variety of haunted (or at least reportedly haunted) pieces to entice people who want to invite a little oddity and a little bit of luck into their lives, even if it is of the strange kind. Wallace is the owner of the store and Daisy is his daughter. She dreams of traveling and writing although her immediate future has her inheriting Strange Luck, which isn't exactly the most wonderful outcome in her books.

Among the countless fascinating objects within the store, there is a particular envelope that brings much attention... especially since it was supposed to be given to a Mr. Farnsworth and has been passing from generation to generation for the last century... until an odd looking man comes claiming said letter as his own.

That's when things start getting interesting and where Strange Luck takes you headfirst into an adventure that feels a bit like the Neverending Story and Alice in Wonderland while exploring a lot of new territory in the Nameless, a world sold as Utopia and which is far from it. As beautiful as it is frightening a concept, the idea does tantalize the mind.

Amie Irene Winters does a wonderful job of keeping you interested in seeing what happens next until the book is over, and you're wondering if you didn't just lose a memory along the way. Daisy is a likable character as well as Roger, her best friend, but where this book shines is in the details, the could have beens, the side stories, and the rich foundation of a place called the Nameless. I felt myself standing in an area that was the fantasy equivalent of the vast caverns in Journey to the Center of the Earth.

It is a beautiful book that made me smile and often surprised me with so many wonderful premises I can't help but wonder what a collection of side stories would be like. What are fairies really like?

Definitely recommend this book to any and all who love a good slice of fiction that leaves you wondering what if, over and over again, which is the sign of a story that sticks with you and would no doubt be a memory worth being stolen.

Captivating read! This is the kind of story that will draw readers in quickly. Absolutely love the characters and their intriguing personalities that they possess. Daisy is a very compelling teen who I absolutely adore. If you love female protagonists as much as I do, you will love the imagination behind her world of supernatural surprises. She faces challenges that only the mind can conquer, and she does it skillfully.

I always hate giving any specifics or details in my reviews that may spoil the reader, so I'll just say this: Strange Luck is a faced paced adventure that pulls you into a world of pure imagination with twists and turns to keep you on the end of your seat. A blend of Alice in Wonderland meets Narnia in this delightful read. You'll be wondering what is real and what isn't. The mind is a wonderful tool, but can be treacherous if we abuse it. If memories are what keep us from losing the best of our past - to lose them would be a haunting future.

This has everything you would want in a fantasy book and more. Strange Luck is both whimsical and thrilling behind its creative and descriptive imagery. I read this book with my 12 year old son, and even he thought it was one of the most creative and original books yet. This kid reads a lot. I give Strange Luck 5 amazing stars. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Strange Luck is a delightful morality tale with those age-old themes of the grass is always greener on the other side and you don't know what you have until it's gone, all wrapped up in a Wizard of Oz-like story but on a much smaller scale.

Strange Luck is a Young Adult Fantasy, but the main characters, Daisy and Roger, are in their late teens and on the verge of adult life and faced with adult choices. Their budding romance isn't mushy and doesn't overshadow the main themes and action of the story.

The most interesting aspect of Strange Luck (for me, at least) is the idea of memories. The villain of the story steals people's most prized memories because he doesn't have any good ones of his own. Our memories are valuable and must be cherished and savored and kept safe. But sometimes those memories are stolen from us through the greedy villain called illness or accident or Farnsworth.

This fun little story stopped me in my tracks and caused me to think of my own most prized memories. While we often think of the monumental moments as our best memories, we mustn't allow that villain to steal the memories of those mundane moments that are oh so beautiful and precious.

And let's not forget about making those fake memories. It's called daydreaming, and I do it all the time!

***
"How can something be so wonderful yet so terrible at the same time?" ~ chapter 13

"Most people don't realize what it is that matters most to them until it's gone." ~ chapter 15

"Our memories are all that we have in life. We are our memories." ~ chapter 22

Strange Luck is a great book for those looking for something different or just a well written fantasy that strays from the mushy romance and unruly angst that seems to plague most young teen books nowadays. The premise feels a little like Oz and Wonderland, which is great since they are my favorite kind of books. I absolutely fell in love with the characters and was very happy to get it for an honest review. I recommend this to those looking for a wonderful adventure into a world that gets better and more fantastic with every page!!

Strange Luck is a fabulous, fantastical mix of magic and imagination, exploration and uncertainty. There are lots of great YA elements - first love, first time traveling, self-discovery - but what I loved the most was the seriously enjoyable visitation to childhood wonderment. What better way to get to a magical paradise than by digging through a pile of bigger and bigger toys? Through the main character, Daisy Daring, we get to meet a wizard, become a fairy, have a discussion with a talking duck, and far more. The book was told in first-person POV, and I felt like I got to experience all of these things first-hand.

The concept of a world where an evil entity only known as "him" steals happy memories so that he can find the perfect one is very original. The deeper reason behind this theft is even more of a fascinating concept. Imagine if you had to avoid thinking of good memories while trapped in a dangerous place that you're told you cannot escape, and every time you do remember them, you forget and don't even realize it. The effects of that are far reaching. Without knowing what made you who you are, how can you remain the same person? Your personality would start to erode along with everything that makes you you.

At first I thought the ending was going to be pat, but it took a sudden turn for something surprising and clever. I can't wait to visit the antique store, Strange Luck, in the next book in this series and see what lies ahead.

Daisy is not happy. What she wants more than anything it to travel the world and be a writer. Instead, due to her father’s failing health, she must take over the family business, a curio shop for strange, haunted and paranormal items. Not only would she rather be anywhere else, but she just doesn't believe in the supernatural. She must test that disbelief when she comes across an old map of a Utopian paradise that may lead to cure for her father. She and her best friend, Roger, set out to find it. Getting there is just the beginning. For all of its beauty and wonder, they quickly realize it is a trap, a prison where memories are stolen and going home again isn’t an option, even if you remember that there is home to go home to. Though they meet the occasional friendly denizen, and many not so friendly, along the way, their only real ally in this fantastical realm is a wizard from childhood stories.

I had heard so many wonderful things about this book from reviewers on Goodreads and was excited to be asked to review it myself. I was not disappointed. This book has all the fun stuff, fairy creatures, wizards, magic and the power of imagination. The curio shop sounds as if it belongs in its own reality tv show. It would be a fun place to work, I think. Utopia is a truly wondrous scary kind of place with many strange creatures. It me think that Alice’s Wonderland meets wizard of Oz. I loved how the relationship between Daisy and Roger grew, in spite of the twist. I also enjoy the message that she doesn’t have to give up her dreams just because life has thrown up a few obstacles. Life also doesn’t to be lucky, but it helps. I seriously enjoyed this book.

If you like to imagine how it would be to live for a few hours in a world that is full of magic, fantasy, surprising creatures, whimsical natural environments, love in the air and mystery that seems impossible to be solved, then Strange Luck is the right book for you! It is not only very entertaining, but it gives your mind a break from this ordinary life to enter in a complete parallel world where you are a witness of two very enthusiastic and energetic friends that will invite you to live the most fantastic and adventurous journey.
Strange Luck is the kind of book that once you start reading it, you have to tell yourself to stop so you still have more to read the next day. The author was very skillful in creating the right amount of mystery to be solved so you don't feel lost on what the main characters are looking for and trying to accomplish. You also learn a very important life lesson from its story: save your memories because they are your real treasures in life! If you are a fan of Harry Potter, you will not be disappointed by this fun, eloquent, and fantastic story. Read it and be taken away!

Amazing story development...with shades of "Wizard of Oz", through the "Looking Glass", the "Hobbit", and a number of other excellent fantasies all artfully blended with excellent metaphorical/symbolic situations. Easy, fast read.