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“There's never a dull moment in this well-imagined fantasy adventure. Highly recommended!” The Wishing Shelf

REVIEW
I very much enjoyed this Young Adult, possibly Adult novel from the pen of talented writer, L J Evias. I happen to be a fan of fantasy, particularly when the hero is a strong-minded girl/woman. And that is very much the case here as the reader gets to follow young Torvia as she attempts to earn her place in the royal guard. However, despite her superb archery skills and her powerful magic (she's not so good with a sword), nothing is going as planned. So she must find another, possibly more dangerous path, if she's to get to where she wants to be...
Overall, this is a solid novel. The protagonist, Torvia, is likeable and has all the hero characteristics you'd expect – brave, determined, honest – and loyal to Prince Ademir who needs her to protect him. I also enjoyed the writing style, the author juggling descriptive prose with strong, well-written dialogue and plenty of drama. Finally, I felt the novel offered a lot of suspense, particularly in the second half.
In terms of what needs work, not a lot. It's generally a well-written novel. In fact, apart from a few of the secondary characters being rather stereotypical, and I did find it difficult to visualise all of the different settings, it was an engrossing read. The pacing is also strong, with never a dull moment. I was never bored anyway!
So, all you fantasy fans out there who enjoy strong pacing, brave and determined female protagonists, and unpredictable plots, I'm happy to recommend this novel to you. Personally, I suspect it'd go down best with older YA, but adults might enjoy it too. But I think most readers, young and old, will enjoy following Torvia on her journey and rooting for her to be everything she wants to be. And, if the last sentence is anything to go by – The kingdom was counting on her – this won't be the last we see of this daring protagonist.

A 'Wishing Shelf' Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk