Digital Reads Reviews

This book was such a pleasant surprise. It started slowly, building my mind and fortifying it to the rush of the oncoming onslaught of adrenaline brought on by the magic wielded by the characters. There was a definite longing in my veins to read the book and get immersed in the lives of the characters. The book cast its spell on me from the get go with its main character, the brilliant Nova.

Nova is introduced as a newcomer to the Kingdom of Sterling who has come along with her father to rescue her young cousin Asher. A kingdom ruled by the evil Queen Katrina, she even keeps her daughter Jade under tight control. Jade soon discovers magic and spells to counter the mother’s evil. Nova is kidnapped by Chael, a guard of the Kingdom, and is made to discover and channel her magic for the Queen. Chael has his own reasons. The story rolls on…

My first book my author Brittney Joy, saw me stuck to my kindle, connected to this story, basically to Nova. She was the ultimate kickass heroine, who was clear-headed and brave. She was thrown into a situation where all players wanted a piece of her for their own reasons. I loved the way she stood up against all of them. She stole the show in this book. Brittney has done a fabulous job in etching Nova, and the rest of the characters paled before her.

Being the first in the series, the book laid down the foundation of the magic, its rules, and the ways it could be channeled. I loved how the Queen used her magic to shapeshift and make her castle a cage. Jade lacked the shine, I think basically because she was just understanding herself but we would see more of her in book 2.

For me, Chael was the grey character, he proclaimed to be good and noble, but I had my doubts. Both the girls liked him, so there was a bit of a triangle (oh, I hate those) but romance was not the main factor in this book. I felt Chael played both of them.

The world of Sterling, its magic its history all captivated me. But the story also niggled me the whole time in not giving me a good backstory about the characters. So I was left a bit unsatisfied. I am hoping the authors clears it all in her next book.

On a whole, fabulous and addictive, a quick read, the fight scenes were exhilarating. I loved Nova’s magic, you have to read it to understand her powers with the animals.

I downloaded this book from kindle unlimited, and this is my journey into its pages, straight from the heart.

All my reviews can be found here

An animal lover to the core, her parents didn’t know what they were signing up for when they put her in a summer horse camp at the age of ten. She was hooked.

Horses quickly became her true passion. At twelve Brittney started working at a local stable, cleaning stalls and leading trail rides. At thirteen her parents finally broke down and bought her a horse – a spunky bay grade mare named Austie. Brittney grew up on Austie’s back and, when it came time to go to college, she packed her mare along too.

Brittney and her family now live in their own piece of heaven in the Oregon countryside. They stay busy with their menagerie of silly horses, cackling chickens, wooly sheep, and one very naughty goat. When Brittney isn’t writing, she’s riding or reading. And she wishes she could do all three at the same time.

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Princess. Royal. Prisoner. Jade is the heir to the throne, but her mother, the Queen, isn’t willing to give up her title– ever. Queen Katrina doesn’t see her daughter as her legacy, but as a threat that has to be stopped. Jade has never left the palace, and is trapped inside its boundaries… but she wonders if the walls are meant to keep her safe, or keep her imprisoned.

Peasant. Pauper. Savior. Nova left the Kingdom of Sterling before she could crawl– now that she’s returned with her father to rescue her orphaned cousin, it’s nothing short of a nightmare. Magic is used to control the people, and the monarchy is a dictatorship. Within the kingdom, Nova is hunted for a power she doesn’t even know she has… yet.

One boy will intertwine their lives– or tear them apart. Chael is the secretive and handsome royal guard that might have the answers to save both girls, but he’s hiding something dark. An ally with questionable motives, both Nova and Jade have no choice but to trust Chael… and to fall for him.

But the lengths the Queen will employ to secure her crown are unforgivable. In the Kingdom of Sterling, the only thing more powerful than betrayal is magic.

Publication date: 7th December 2016

Publisher: Brittney Joy Books

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