Today I am featuring a new YA Fantasy author. I've become particularly addicted to YA books in the last three years because they tend to push the boundaries of cross-genre writing more frequently than adult books. I also love the drama. :)
The
book I'm reviewing here is the first book in a trilogy by Charity
Santiago. The good news is she already has the other two books out--Regret and Redemption, so you don't have to wait for them. So, if you like this one, you can get all three right away.
I love authors who are clever and title their books similarly, yet stay with the theme. I also LOVE the cover of Return. The heroine looks like someone who can definitely kick-butt on her own. :)
BLURB
For the last three years, eighteen-year-old Ashlyn Li has
been running from her destiny. A free-spirited ninja, Ashlyn would rather loot
an abandoned city or challenge a fiend to battle than assume leadership of Toryn,
her father's kingdom. However, when a series of attacks reunites Ashlyn with
the friends who helped her save the sun three years ago, she discovers that her
kingdom is at war and her father has presumed her dead.
Suddenly Ashlyn is faced with not only
fulfilling her birthright, but also making sense of her feelings towards two
very different men- Drake Lockhart, the enigmatic vampire who captured her
heart three years ago, and Vargo, the charismatic assassin who was once
Ashlyn's sworn enemy.
Will Ashlyn ascend the pagoda and become Lady of
Toryn?
EXCERPT:
Ashlyn frowned, trying hard to
focus. "I only asked you to start thinking of yourself as a man, Drake, instead of a
monster. That's hardly the same thing."
"I'm asking you to think
of yourself as a leader," he said. "You've spent so long running from
responsibility that you think yourself incapable of fulfilling your
birthright."
"We haven't seen each
other in three years. You don't know what I'm capable of-- I don't even
know what I'm capable of."
He grabbed her hand, abruptly,
and brought it up to his chest. Through the cloth of his shirt, his skin was
warm to the touch, and Ashlyn let him press her hand against the solidness of
his shoulder, confused as to what he was doing.
"This," he said, his
voice low, "is where I was struck by Devlyn's sword."
After a moment, he slid her
hand lower, until it was resting directly above his heart. Ashlyn paused,
entranced by the lack of a pulse beneath her fingers, the scent of him filling
her senses and enveloping her like the rain against the roof.
"This," Drake said.
"This is where I would have been struck, if you had not deflected the
blow."
She met his gaze, breathing so
hard that she felt light-headed. His eyes bored into hers, piercing her
straight to her soul.
"I know what you are
capable of, Ashlyn," he said. "I know better than anyone."
My Review
First, I have to say that Ashlyn Li is a great character. I loved that she wasn't the typical girl--she's Asian and a ninja. Second I loved her combination of snark and caring. It's pretty hard to write that type of character, and I think Ms. Santiago pulls it off.
For the most part I enjoyed this book. In the beginning, I had a love/hate relationship. I was drawn in by Ashlyn, the heroine of the story, and her immediate willingness to take responsibility for a war that started in her self-imposed absence. I liked her lets-go-get-them-and-make-things-right attitude. I also really loved Skye's down-to-earth and often profuond advice. On the other hand, I was frustrated with the two setups of the story that were too pat: 1) She didn't pursue a relationship with Drake because of a perceived slight when he smiled at another girl three years ago; and 2) Accepting responsibility for a war that occurred when she was gone--as if she had any control over that. Also, in the first 20 pages or so I had some problems with the passive voice, a lot of telling to bring the reader up to speed on the background, and some missed editing.
However, after those first 20 pages or so, the character of Ashlyn made me forget those things as her combination of wit, caring, and youthful exuberance propelled her forward to right all wrongs. Like many young people, Ashlyn is very focused and when it comes to saving her kingdom, she is not going to stop until she's accomplished that. Being a ninja has always been her calling. Not only is she proud of it, but she is very good at fighting and killing if need be. It was her three year absence from her kingdom that set up the situation where it was taken over by the bad guy.
Once the reader is brought up to speed on the background, the book becomes non-stop action. There’s a definite love triangle with Drake and Vargo. I won't tell you who I like best, it is up to you to choose. Personally, I would have liked a little more relationship development but I can't complain about the page turning action. I am definitely going to pick up the next two books in the series so I can see what happens to Ashlyn and her friends.
This book is available for only 99 cents at Amazon.
If
the blurb, excerpt, and review sound good to you, run and take
advantage of such a good deal. The other two books are $2.99. So still a
nice price.
AUTHOR INFORMATION
In February 2011, Charity Santiago's 7-month old
son was admitted to the hospital with severe respiratory issues. While Charity
stayed at his bedside, she kept them both entertained by downloading several
books on her new Kindle and reading them out loud. It was during this time that
Charity learned about Kindle's self-publishing program, and realized that she
had an opportunity to share her writings with the world.
Charity is a native of southeastern Arizona, and
a writer since childhood. She wrote her first manuscript, Guinea Pig
Code!, at age nine. When she’s not writing books, Charity spends her
time wrangling children, watching Sylvester Stallone movies and pursuing a
degree in Education.
* * * Giveaway * * *
Charity will be awarding one $10 Amazon gift card for a random commenter. She is also awarding a Grand Prize: winner's choice of any mini gift basket from GourmetGiftBaskets.com (a $24.99 value). All I can say is Yum Yum!!!
Follow the Rest of the Tour
Remember, the more you comment on other blogs on the tour the better your chances of winning the prize. Here are all the stops. Check out the one's before me and after me to learn more about Charity and her trilogy.
