Tag: fantasy

The Descendant (Guardians of the Worlds: Book 1) by Ally Capraro

The Descendant (Guardians of the Worlds Book 1) by [Capraro, Ally]

Publisher: Capraro Press

Date of Publication: March 29th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult, Action

Series: Guardians of the Worlds

The Beginning—Book 0.5

The Descendant – Book 1

The Enchantress—Book 2

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

Possessed villains. Intriguing guardians. Multiple worlds.
Ava Davenport is in the midst of her wedding preparations when her world is thrown upside down by a night visitor. He has a mind blowing message and Ava can’t keep her mind off it and… off him.

˃˃˃ The Contact
When she can no longer tell the difference between dreams and reality, she visits a shrink and a shaman. But when neither of them truly understand her, Ava gets closer with her visitor who explains why she is the most sought after person in all the worlds.

˃˃˃ The Descendant
Ava is not a regular human. She possesses abilities no other being in any world can imagine. She is the key to the evil Xemlix plan of enslaving Earth.

After being almost captured by the cruel villains, she is rescued by Meldrick Richglow, her night visitor, and she crosses the portal to the Lapo civilization, the land of milk and honey, where she is safe, but not for long.

The evil Xemlix are terrorizing Earth and can only be defeated with Ava’s supernatural abilities, which haven’t yet awakened.

˃˃˃ The Series
“The Descendant” is the first YA sci-fi/fantasy romance novel in the “Guardians of the Worlds” series. It features fast paced action, side-splitting comedy and out of this world romance.

If you are looking for the perfect pool/beach/laying in the sun on a cruise ship book, this is it.

I enjoyed reading The Descendant, even if it did annoy me in some spots. All the people, including the aliens, were gorgeous. Ava, Chloe, Victor, Barry, and Meldrick, are all good-looking. I was looking for someone who wasn’t model material in this book but didn’t find anyone. But hey, more eye candy for me to imagine.

I liked Ava’s character. She seemed a little needy and fell into Instalove easily. She was sweet and naive, and I could see us being friends. She seemed to need someone to protect her from the Barry’s in life, so I didn’t care for Chloe at first. She wasn’t there for her.

When she met Meldrick in a dream, she did what any sane person would have done and went to a shrink. When that didn’t work, she went to an alternative shrink. I was dying laughing during that scene. Whenever I see the phrase “beautiful soul,” I will forever think of Glenn Wiley.

Speaking of Meldrick Richglow. He came off as stalkerish in the beginning. Coming into a girl’s dream is weird, and it will make said girl run to a shrink.

Lord Slith is an evil alien who wants to take over Earth. To open the portal between his realm and Earth, he has to fuel it with fear. Which he has no problem getting from Earth. He is after Ava because he believes that she is the girl from the prophecy.

The ending of this story was good. I wasn’t expecting the twist that was put in there and wanted to cry. The author left it open for the next book.

I would recommend The Descendant to anyone over 16. There is no sex and some violence

If you enjoyed reading The Descendant, you will enjoy these books:

And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich

And the Trees Crept In by [Kurtagich, Dawn]

Publisher: Little, Brown Book for Young Readers

Date of publication: September 6th, 2016

Genre: Horror, Young Adult, Mystery, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction, Thriller, Supernatural, Suspense

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

Stay away from the woods…

When Silla and Nori arrive at their aunt’s home, it’s immediately clear that the manor is cursed. The endless creaking of the house at night and the eerie stillness of the woods surrounding them would be enough of a sign, but there are secrets too—questions that Silla can’t ignore: Why does it seem that, ever since they arrived, the trees have been creeping closer? Who is the beautiful boy who’s appeared from the woods? And who is the tall man with no eyes who Nori plays with in the basement at night… a man no one else can see?

I stayed up until 1 am to finish reading this book. I had to finish this book because it had such a grip on me. It scared me to death and fascinated me at the same time. It was good when I can’t sleep after finishing a book because it creeped me out.

This book is written in such a different fashion it is hard to explain. In one chapter, you are reading in 1st person, and then you could be reading in 3rd person. I don’t like it when the book jumps around like that, but it worked in this case. There were also excerpts from Silla’s diary that were creepy. I got the chills from reading it.

This book also fucks with your mind. I won’t go into it, but, baby, things are not what they seem in this book!!!

Like I said above, this book is a mind fuck. The huge twist at the end threw me for a loop. I didn’t even see it coming. Not a hint, nothing.

I would recommend And the Trees Crept In to anyone over 21. It is a clean book with no violence and mild language.

If you enjoyed And the Trees Crept In, you will enjoy these books:

Destined for a King (The Bastard Brotherhood: Book 1) by Ashlynn Macnamara

Destined for a King: The Bastard Brotherhood by [Macnamara, Ashlyn]

Publisher: Loveswept

Date of publication: September 6th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Fantasy Romance, Adult, Historical Fiction, Paranormal Romance, High Fantasy, Medieval

Series: The Bastard Brotherhood

Destined For a King—Book 1

Claimed by the Commander—Book 2

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Indigo | Kobo | Apple Books

Goodreads Synopsis:

Bestselling author Ashlyn Macnamara, hailed by Jennifer McQuiston as “a born storyteller,” introduces the strapping, audacious outlaws of the Bastard Brotherhood in this enchanting tale of forbidden love between supposedly sworn enemies.
 
Though she is intended for the king, Calista Thorne picks up a crossbow to defend her ancestral home, Blackbriar Keep, from a gang of landless knights. She even manages to sink a poison-tipped arrow into their commander, who survives long enough to conquer the Keep and claim Calista for his own. Now, with her father’s life at stake, Calista must nurse the brigand back to health, and the strangest thing happens: She finds herself fascinated by his tautly muscled body, and enthralled by his hotly whispered demands.
 
Ever since his father’s death, the fearsome warrior they call Torch has been consumed by his quest for revenge. Taking Blackbriar Keep is the first step in that plan, and—by the three gods—it won’t be the last. But after taking one look into Calista’s smoldering gray eyes, Torch discovers a passion nobler than retribution. He will fulfill his destiny and take her from the usurper king, even in his weakened state. For with Calista’s love, no man has ever felt more powerful.

I was excited about this book when I saw the synopsis. “Oh wow, Jolie, it’s a Middle Age romance, and it is going to ROCK,” I thought.

Talk about setting myself up for a huge disappointment.

Destined for a King did have a great start. The book starts when Blackbriar Keep is overtaken by Torch and his knights. Calista, Lord Thorne’s daughter, and only child, manages to shoot Torch in his leg with an arrow and wounds him.  After announcing to the keep (and her parents) that he will marry her, Torch passes out. Turns out that the arrow was tipped with kingsbane and poisoned him. Torch’s second in command orders Calista to heal Torch. He threatens her with this: If Torch doesn’t live, neither will she or her parents. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention Calista is promised to the King, Magnus Vandal. Also, Torch claims that he is the long-lost heir to the throne, Josse Vandal.

Got that. Good. Because after all that is revealed, the book gets confusing.

I was not fond of Calista at all. She was headstrong and prone to doing things that got her and others in trouble. Like sneaking out of the keep to see her old tutor, Brother Tanctrid. She asked him about what happened with the King and Torch. I still don’t understand how she did it, with the keep being as defended as it was.

Then there is Calista’s mother. She drove me nuts. Always reminding her that she was “destined for a king” but never saying why. What got me was when she told Calista, “remember why I named you,” and then NEVER WENT INTO THE REASON!!!! WTH. Why did she name Calista her name? WHY? Inquiring minds want to know over here.

Calista gets attacked by Brother Tanctrid after she wakes him from his trance. I thought he would end up being a vampire with all the talk about blood. It isn’t blood that he wants. Calista is affected by his attack, but not in the way you would think.

There is Instalove too. Calista goes from hating Torch to being in love with him within 4 days. Excuse me while I gag. I hate Instalove. At least give it a week or so to develop. The sex scenes were great and delicious.

The ending was good, too, leaving the book open for other books in the series.

I would recommend Destined for a King to anyone over 21. There is sex and mild violence.



 

Into Aether (The Trinity Key: Book 1) by L.M. Fry

Into Aether: A Teen Steampunk Novel (The Trinity Key Trilogy of the Aether Series Book 1) by [Fry, L.M.]

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Date of Publication: March 26th, 2016

Genre: Science Fiction, Steampunk, Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Series: The Trinity Key

The Obsidian Star—Book 0.5

Into Aether – Book 1

Escape Aether – Book 2 (review here)

Save Aether – Book 3 (review here)

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | IndieBound | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

Colorado teen Theodora (Theo) will do anything to find her missing mom, including travel into the hidden and mysterious Victorian subculture of Aether. She takes a ride with airship pirates to a floating island full of strange automatons and even stranger people.
After a century-old feud reignites, she uncovers the alarming truth about her family’s past. Finding her mother is more important than ever.

Ahhhhh…..steampunk!!!! Ahhhhh……Celtic mythology. Ahhhh…..a mix of both!!!

As you can see, I was pumped about reading a steampunk/Celtic mythology novel. Super duper pumped about reading this book, and it didn’t let me down.

Theodora (or Theo as she liked to be called) was the perfect heroine, and I loved her. She was the perfect combination of sass, sarcasm, angst, and innocence all rolled into one. I liked that she didn’t even blink when strange things started to happen to her. That whole cross-country flight/train ride/airship ride/floating island would have freaked me out. But not her, and I admired that.

The steampunk part of the book didn’t happen until halfway through. I was in nerd heaven after that. Automans, half machine/half human people, odd way of talking, a freaking AIRSHIP!!!

The romance aspect was cute too. Theo was hilarious in fighting her feelings for Victor, and when she gave in, well, I laughed. It was cute.

The Danu storyline was also great, along with the Order storyline. Lazarus was a creep, and he got what he deserved.

The ending was a surprise to me. It was not a cliffhanger, but it left the book open for another.

I would recommend Into Aether to anyone over 13. There is no sex, minimal violence, and mild language.

If you enjoyed reading Into Aether, you will enjoy reading these books:

Shadow Falling (The Scorpius Syndrome: Book 2) by Rebecca Zanetti

Publisher: Zebra

Date of publication: August 30th, 2016

Genre: Romance, Dystopia, Romantic Suspense, Post Apocolyptic, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Military Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Suspense

Series: Scorpius Syndrome

Scorpius Rising—Book 0.5

Mercury Striking—Book 1

Shadow Falling—Book 2

Justice Ascending—Book 3

Storm Gathering—Book 4

Blaze Erupting—Book 4.5

Winter Igniting—Book 5

Knight Awakening—Book 6

On the Hunt—In the Scorpius Syndrome Universe

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | AbeBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

Before the Scorpius Syndrome tore through North America and nearly wiped out the population, Vivienne Wellington was the FBI’s best profiler. The bacteria got her anyway. But she survived. She recovered. And when she woke up from a drug-nightmare of captivity, her trust in her fellow man had gone from shaky at best to nonexistent. Her mysterious rescuer wants to convince her he’s the exception. But no matter how tempting he is, with his angel’s eyes and devil’s tongue, Vinnie knows she shouldn’t trust him.

If the FBI were still around they would rate Raze Shadow as one of the bad guys. His military training can’t wipe out his association with the Mercenaries, the most feared gang in a thousand miles. His loyalties are compromised. He won’t even tell Vinnie his real name. But there’s no FBI in the new America of fear and firepower, only instinct and risk. And the way his arms wrap around her tells its own story. Whatever else Raze is concealing, he can’t hide his desire . . .

Oh. My. God.

I LOVED this book. Forget that it is the 2nd book in a series. Forget it. This book is that awesome.

Raze, oh, where do I start with him? He is so bad that he’s good and oozed sex appeal. What appealed to me about him was that he was 100% devoted to his family and those he considers family. Even when he got sick with the Scorpius Syndrome, he was still a badass.

Vinnie (or Vivienne) Kennedy was a mess when she was introduced. She is dealing with the aftermath of her kidnapping by the President. She was also infected with Scorpius Syndrome, and her brain was all wonky. She is seeing hallucinations of her dead schizophrenic stepmother, and she believes that she can read minds (or can she??). She doesn’t have a filter. I laughed out loud when she told Jax, Lynn, and Trace that Raze had a huge erection because she wouldn’t have sex with him.

President Atherton and Vice President Lake were creepy. I got chills when I read their scenes. I can’t wait to see them get what they are due.

The main storyline was great, but I called what would happen with it. Not that it took away from the story in any way. I liked the 2nd storyline, and the way the author wrapped that up was great. The 3rd storyline annoyed me for some reason. The Reverend was sneaky. I don’t understand why Jax didn’t shoot him the first time Vinnie told him he was up to something.  But then again, I can see why he didn’t.

The ending was great and left open for Trace and Sami’s story. Which I can’t wait to read. I have to read the first book, and I will be all set.

I would recommend Shadow Falling to anyone over 21. There is sex, language, and violence.

If you enjoyed Shadow Falling, you will enjoy these books:

Incursion (Catalyst Moon: Book 1) by Lauren L. Garcia

Publisher: Lauren L. Garcia

Date of publication: July 15th, 2016

Series: Catalyst Moon

Incursion—Book 1

Breach—Book 2

Storm—Book 3

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Dystopia, Magic, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Epic Fantasy, Science Fiction

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&E | AbeBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mages, held captive since magic first manifested in the world, seek to break their chains. Sentinels, warriors with an unnatural immunity to magic, are oathbound to keep the magic-users prisoner – at any cost.

Kali, an atheist mage fleeing her painful past, travels to a powerful healer in Whitewater City, hoping to mend more than her broken heart. One of her sentinel escorts is Stonewall, a man left with only his faith after the death of his brother. But when monstrous bandits destroy Kali’s other escorts, the two unwitting companions must join forces to survive demonic creatures, bloodthirsty nomads, and a dangerous magic never seen before.

Meanwhile in Whitewater City, the sentinel commander struggles to keep control as the mages plan a daring escape.

Opposing worldviews collide in Catalyst Moon: Incursion, the first book a fantasy-romance series where magic is new and a mage rebellion is on the horizon.

The Catalyst Moon Saga:
Book One – Incursion
Book Two – Breach
Book Three – Storm
Book Four – Surrender (Coming 2020!)

This book was interesting for me to read. This society feared mages and kept them sequestered from other people. I was fascinated by it.

The story was great. A mage is getting transferred from an old bastillion to a new one, and her envoy gets attacked. Desperate to protect herself and the sentinels, she does magic through her bonds. She ends up transporting them far away from the scene of the battle.

It would have been boring if the author had continued writing the story from Kalinda’s perspective. Adding Gideon/Eris’s story would have completed the story. But when I got into Milo/Flint’s issues, it became confusing and dragged the story down.

I liked Kali and Stonewall’s characters. I liked that the author did a slow burn for the romance instead of Instalove. I didn’t feel them as a couple at all. Because the romance was later on in the book, and she was taken away from him before they could bump uglies. I’m not too sure if they did have sex. The scene where they were in the inn and making out didn’t say if they did or not. I went with no, but I could be wrong. It was vaguely written.

The book ended as I thought it would. There was no huge twist, and I saw what happened from a mile away. With the way the book ended, there was no doubt that there is a 2nd book coming.

I would recommend Incursion to anyone over 16. There is violence and non-graphic sex.

If you enjoyed Incursion, you will enjoy these books:

Catalyst Moon: Incursion by Lauren L. Garcia

Incursion (Catalyst Moon #1)

Publisher:

Date of publication: December 11th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Where the book can be found: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Kali, a crippled mage who longs to run from the painful memories of her deceased father, travels to Whitewater City to meet with a powerful healer. When her sentinel escort is decimated by monstrous bandits, she is left in the company of a single sentinel, Stonewall, a man with nothing left but his chosen name and his faith in the gods. Together, they must survive demonic creatures, bloodthirsty nomads, and a strange magic never seen before.

But trouble brews in Whitewater City. Sentinel Commander Talon struggles to keep the mages captive as Eris, a shape-changing mage, prepares for an escape of her own. Meanwhile, Milo, a new sentinel, must decide if the path he’s chosen is the right one after tragedy strikes his squad.

Catalyst Moon: Incursion is the first book an epic fantasy series, with notes of romance that introduces an old world where magic is new...and rebellion is on the horizon.

My review:

This book was interesting for me to read. This was  a society who feared mages and ket them sequestered from the other people. I was fascinated by it.

The story was great. A mage is getting transferred from old bastillion to a new one and her envoy gets attacked. Desperate to protect herself and the sentinels, she does magic through her bonds. She ends up transporting them far away from the scene of the battle.

If the author continued writing the story from Kalinda’s perspective, it would have been boring. Adding Gideon/Eris story would have completed the story. But when I got into Milo/Flint’s issues then it became confusing and dragged the story down.

I liked Kali and Stonewall’s characters. I liked that the author did a slow burn for the romance instead of Instalove. I didn’t feel them as a couple, at all. Because the romance was later on in the book and she was taken away from him before they could bump uglies. I’m not too sure if they did have sex. The scene where they were in the inn and making out didn’t say if they did or not. I went with no but I could be wrong. It was vaguely written.

The book ended like I thought it would. There was no huge twist and I saw what happened from a mile away. With the way the book ended, there was no doubt that there is a 2nd book coming.

How many stars will I give Incursion? 3/3.5

Why? A wonderfully written story that was a quick read. A little predictable at times and a little vague (see above) at times. But definitely keeps you focused on the book.

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range: Teens on up

Why? Violence and maybe sex that was very vague.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Old Dark (The Last Dragon Lord: Book 1) by Michael La Ronn

Old Dark (The Last Dragon Lord Book 1) by [La Ronn, Michael]

Publisher:

Date of publication:

Genre: Fantasy, Dragons, Adult

Series: The Last Dragon Lord

Old Dark — Book 1

Old Evil—Book 2

Old Wicked—Book 3

Purchase Links: Amazon | Audible | Kobo | Google Play

Goodreads Synopsis:

Dragon Lord. Despot. Psychopath.

Old Dark is a viperous dragon lord who rules the world with an iron fist. For two hundred years he and his dragons have terrorized humans and elves, forcing them to pay tribute or die.

There’s a deadly conspiracy brewing. And if he doesn’t contain it, it will destroy him and everything he’s built.

But Dark was born to fight. There’s a reason the ancients called him Dark the Wicked…

Old Dark is the first book in the dark fantasy series The Last Dragon Lord. Readers who like the Age of Fire series and Smaug from the Lord of the Rings will enjoy this series.

This book was good.

Told from the viewpoint of Old Dark, it embraced how society perceives dragons and runs with it. Greedy, vicious leaders who won’t hesitate to destroy a village to make a point. Loved it!! Not too often that you read a book that 100% supports the bad guy.

What I loved is that the author refused to kill Old Dark. Instead, he had him cursed in an attack. That curse went wrong, and he fell asleep for 1,000 years. While he was asleep, humans, elves, and dragons coexisted peacefully. Dragons were no longer feared, and they worked with humans. Elves can use magic, and magic defines their whole society. Humans and elves can marry and have children. There was a downside. Magic was being drained from wells faster than it could replenish itself.

This is where Miri Charmwell and Lucan Grimoire were introduced. Miri is a professor in the Department of Magical Sciences. Lucan is running for governor. They get thrown together when he discovers a dragon tomb in the middle of the Ancestral Bogs. He needs her to help him discover whose tomb it was.

At first, I didn’t care for Lucan or Miri’s characters. Miri grew on me. Lucan comes across as a jerk, and the author did nothing to dissuade from that impression.

I loved the latter part of the book. Not going to give anything away, but it was great. The ending was perfect. I can’t wait to read the next book!!

I would recommend Old Dark to anyone over 16. There are some sexual situations and violence

If you enjoyed reading Old Dark, you will enjoy reading these books:

Skies (Sharani Series: Book 3) by Kevin L. Nielson

Skies (Sharani Series Book 3) by [Nielsen, Kevin L.]

Publisher: Future House Publishing

Date of Publication: August 18th, 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Series: Sharani Series

Twins—Book 0

Sands — Book 1

Storms — Book 2

Skies — Book 3

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | AbeBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

For the Rahuli people, the world has just gotten a lot bigger.

Gavin, now the leader of the displaced Rahuli, grows increasingly frustrated with the members of the so-called slave “rebellion.” The former slaves are frightened by the Rahuli’s war-filled history, but the their warrior ways might be the only thing to stop the Orinai from slaughtering them all.

Meanwhile, Lhaurel is held prisoner by the Seven Sisters, the mysterious and ruthless mages who rule the Orinai. Cut off from her magic, she is forced to travel to the Orinai capital under a threat against the Rahuli. But, despite their promises, the Sisters have no intention of letting the Rahuli live.

Their armies march toward the Rahuli once again. To defend his people, Gavin must earn the trust of the former slaves, or nobody stands a chance against the approaching horde.

Can Gavin defeat the Orinai, or have the Rahuli entered a fight they cannot win?

I will start this review by saying you must read Sands and Storms first. Skies is not a standalone book. I made the mistake of not reading Sands and Storms before reading Skies, and I was so confused that I ended up stopping reading Skies, buying Sands and Storms, reading them, and then restarting Skies. This is why I didn’t have my review ready when it was released.

Lhaurel’s character progressed from the first 2 books, and I felt awful that she was shut off from her powers. I also felt bad that she was held captive by those creepy Sisters. When I think of Sisters, I think of kind little nuns in their habits. From what I gleaned about these Sisters, they are the opposite. They wear tight-fitting clothes, filed their teeth to points, and were generally badass bitches that no one wanted to mess with. I loved it. I did like Talha. She seemed the most easy-going out of all the Sisters.

The other storyline focused on Gavin and his band of Rahuli. Gavin is having a hard time being the ruler and trying to keep the peace with the head of the village. Brisson kept reminding Gavin of the hardship the Rahuli are putting on his people, and Gavin keeps reminding Brisson that his people could help. It’s a stalemate until Gavin decides he has had enough and forces Brisson to accept him as an equal.

Not going to go too much into that storyline, but I was impressed with how it ended up, and I loved the twist at the end. Absolutely freaking loved it. There were hints pointing to the twist, but I was still surprised when it came.

Lhaurel’s storyline was a little more complicated but just as enthralling. I liked the waking dreams, and the end of her story was not what I expected. I honestly thought that it would go another way.

The author did leave it open for a 4th book. But no cliffhangers. He wrapped up each storyline so that it closed the door to that story and opened a new door for the next story.

I would recommend Skies to anyone over 16. There is violence but otherwise is a clean book.

If you enjoyed reading Skies, you will enjoy reading these books:

The Dream Protocol (Descent: Book 1) by Adara Quick

The Dream Protocol: Descent (Book I) by [Quick, Adara]

Publisher:

Date of publication: April 20th, 2016

Series: Descent

The Dream Protocol—Book 1

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction, Romance

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | IndieBound | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T GET OLD.

In fiery young Deirdre Callaghan’s home of Skellig City, no one has dreamt their own dream in over a thousand years. Dreams are produced by the Dream Makers and sold by the Ministry, the tyrannical rulers of the city. In Skellig City, years of life are awarded equally and the ruined are cast away beneath the city on their 35th birthday.

Unbeknownst to the Ministry, Deirdre’s handsome friend Flynn Brennan is afflicted with a terrible disease – a disease that accelerates the aging process. Knowing his fate if the Ministry should ever discover his illness, Flynn has lived his whole life hiding from their watchful eyes. When Flynn’s secret is finally discovered, Deirdre is determined to free him from the Ministry’s grasp. But to save him, she will have to reveal herself to a shadowy enemy…one that none of them even knew existed.

This was an interesting book. A society of people lives in an underground city called Skellig City. These people have never dreamed their own dreams. They pay for dreams that are made by the Dream Makers. These dreams are sold by the Ministry, the ruling government of Skellig City.

The book starts when Deirdre Callaghan is late to the attendance of her friend’s Descent. In this society, you are considered ruined at 35. Then you are sent through a tube to Tir Na nOg, their version of an afterlife. Her mother is due to have her Descent next week, and Deirdre is sick at the thought of her mother leaving her.

While that is going on, Deirdre is fighting to keep Flynn from being discovered by the Ministry. Flynn’s aging disease makes him seem much older than his 15 years. Because of this, he has been hiding from the Ministry and their Drones.

One day, Flynn is found out and captured, and Deirdre is forced to take action to help him. The series of events that happens afterward blows Deirdre’s mind.

Interestingly, the author chose 35 as the age for being ruined. Not interesting bad, but interesting good, if that makes sense. The comments about the ruined are very interesting too. “They are a drain on our society” was one quote that stood out in my mind.

The wannabe romance between Flynn and Deirdre was cute. The touches and glances were enough to convey how they felt about each other. It made me go “Awww” and get a sappy grin.

I liked that the author included the roots of Skellig City. It was interesting to read, and I hope she continues it in the 2nd book.

The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, but I figured that much when I saw “#1” after the series name. The cliffhanger wasn’t that bad, but it made me “Grrrr” when it ended.

I would recommend The Dream Protocol to anyone over 16. There is no sex, no language, and mild violence.