The Fire and the Light Book Review

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Series: Souls of Aredyrah, Book #1

In the world of Aredyrah, things are not what they seem. An ancient Purge has plunged the island into darkness, isolating its cultures by superstition and fear. Dayn lives in the northernmost region of Kirador and knows nothing of the great city-state of Tearia far to the south. All he knows is the Kiradyns are the only survivors of a god’s fiery wrath, and he looks nothing like them. Meanwhile Ruairi, a prince destined for greatness, resents his Tearian obligations, longing for a life he can never hope to have. But when tragedy takes his beauty as well as his name, he finds himself exiled by the very beliefs he once held dear. Both boys long for acceptance in societies that cling to religious ideals, but when fate throws them together, Dayn and Ruairi discover some unwelcome truths: not only are they bound by blood and prophecy, but the teachings they have been raised on are nothing more than lies. Will they reveal what they have learned, risking their lives and the security of those they love? Or will they keep silent, denying their destinies and the future enlightenment of their world?

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MY REVIEW

I was asked to review this book, here are my thoughts.

I enjoyed this book, but I could not bring myself to give it a  full 4 Fangs. 

 

Characters

The story was engaging and the characters were very well fleshed out, and you could really get a sense of who they were. I had no trouble connecting with them. (4 fangs)

 

Setting

The fantasy world the author has created is also well thought out. I had no problems wither her fantasy setting (4 Fangs)

Story
I found the story lacking in many ways that I would expect from a fantasy novel. There were few to no action or fight scenes, or magical happenings, mainly because I believe the genre is YA romance, which is very well covered in the pages of this book. The fantasy aspects do not become apparent to the very end of the novel, but they come on like a freight train. This got me very excited, and then the novel ended leaving me a bit miffed and disappointed, as it came too late in the book. (2 Fangs)

Series
OK so the book did leave me wondering what happens next. Points to the author for that , because it increases the chance I'll pick up the next book in the series. (3 Fangs)

 

OVERALL SCORE (3 Fangs)

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Tracy A. Akers is a former language arts teacher and an award-winning author. She grew up in Arlington, Texas, but currently lives in Florida with her husband, three naughty pugs, and a feisty chihuahua. She graduated with honors from the University of South Florida with a degree in Education, and has taught in both public and private schools. She currently divides her time between writing, lecturing, spending time with her family, and costuming at fantasy and science fiction conventions.
Ms. Akers has won numerous awards for her Souls of Aredyrah fantasy series for young adults. As a Florida Book Awards winner, she was acknowledged for her contribution to YA literature by the Governor of Florida during the 2008 Florida Heritage Month Awards Ceremony. Books One and Two of the Aredyrah Series are included in the Florida Department of Education’s 2008 Just Read Families Recommended Summer Reading List. In addition, Ms. Akers has been an invited guest author at major book events and writers’ conferences, a panelist at fantasy and science fiction conventions, and was on the steering committee for Celebration of the Story, a literary event held at Saint Leo University.
The Souls of Aredyrah Series is Ms. Akers’ first series of novels for young adults.
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 GIVEAWAY

$25 Amazon.com or BN.com Gift Card or Paypal Cash, Ebook/paperback giveaway Ends 03/28/2014. Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com or BN.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kisha from Indie Hoopla Services & Promotions, http://indiehoopla.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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