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Tag Archives: YA fantasy
The Wolf Queen, By Adrian Tilling
Book Review of The Wolf Queen, By Adrian Tilling
Teen Fantasy.
3 Stars
A fun Story with a little bit of everything.
Laneyth is home to the Ozera family and an impending rebellion. To save his country, King Svetozar sends an invitation to William Starker, a young but well-known general. William strikes a friendship with Channin Ozera, heir to the throne. Together, the girl in the orchard and the boy on the battlefield will start a fire that may just consume all Laneyth.
The Wolf Queen, by Adrian Tilling was a fun, classic fantasy tale. I felt like I was reading a some side story of Morrowwind!
I enjoyed the third person multiple perspective. I hear most are not a fan of this, and I’ve found it seems to have dropped out of favor in the publishing world, but I enjoy it. It always makes the story move along smoothly, as if I’m watching it from the outside, rather than forced behind a single POV.
There were some technical problems along the way. Structural, more than grammer, etc which hitched the story a bit and brought my rating to 3 stars rather than 4. Some smoothing of the narration or something needed to be done to bring this story to the next level. Not a deal breaker, I very much enjoyed the story.
The MC, Channin, I felt, went through a weird progression. Where she starts out strong and fierce, I feel she ends at the opposite end of the spectrum. I’m curious to read a next installment to see how that might play out. Brave and idealistic, by the end, I thought she kind of turned into a sniveling brat. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this…
Overall, a fun, classic fantasy read with vampires, dragons, werewolves and strong heros.
Happy Reading 🙂
Fate of the Ashers, The Petros Chronicles Book 3, by Diana Tyler
Fate of the Ashers: The Petros Chronicles Book 3
By Diana Tyler
Young Adult. Fantasy. Mythology.
3 Stars
Seriously, the best ending EvEr
They thought the war was over, but it was only just beginning…
One month after Chloe’s victory over Mania, everything seems back to normal. Actually, it’s better than normal. For one thing, her parents are alive, tensions between she and her brother Damian have eased, more Ashers exist, and she and Ethan are more than fellow former fugitives –they’re a couple.
But things take a downward spiral when Mount Aetna, a volcano thought to be extinct, erupts in Petros’s capital. Soon, what initially seemed like nothing more than a a natural disaster proves to be a sign of an imminent supernatural threat. The Olympian gods of old, heretofore chained in Tartarus, have been freed by the sea nymph Eione, and will do everything in their limitless power to bring the Ashers down.
Chloe and Damian’s cousin Hector is a dejected high school student who, as an only child, is hopeful his eighteenth birthday will bring him a life-changing doma. When he outruns the track team’s fastest sprinter, he’s certain his days as a benchwarmer are over. Little does he know that Ares, one of the most merciless and bloodthirsty gods, has taken notice of his power, a power Hector has barely tapped into.
Kidnapped and whisked off to Mount Olympus, Hector soon finds that being an Asher isn’t so great after all. Compelled by threats from the entire pantheon, he’s forced to embark upon a mission that will destroy every Asher and ensure the gods regain their former glory.
When Athena, goddess of wisdom, informs Chloe and the others of Zeus’s plan, they plan a daring counterattack: time travel back to heaven, before Petros was created, and thwart the rebels’ revolt against the All-Powerful. It’s two Ashers against an army of ruthless, power-hungry immortals who together possess an endless arsenal of deadly superpowers. How hard can it be?
Full of twists and turns and thrilling surprises, this final book in The Petros Chronicles is a riveting fantasy adventure for lovers of Greek mythology.
As a huge fan of the first two books in this series by Diana Tyler, I was excited to receive an ARC of book three, Fate of the Ashers.
I was so curious to see what was next in store for the world of Petros and Chloe, Damien and Ethan after the “conclusion” of their previous journey. Delightedly, the Greek pantheon was back for more shenanigans, including names and faces rarely talked about like this.
I started out enjoying the difficulty Chloe was having adjusting to her new timeline, 
though I quickly found her issues confusing. She’d come so far with her faith, I was curious by her struggles, especially her struggle with forgiveness. This made the bulk of the book a bit tedious for me.
I found myself wanting more of Damien. His story was the farthest traveled. From his bona-fide boneheadedness in Book One, that he continues to harbor guilt over in this book, I just wanted more of his point-of-view. I wanted to feel his story arc as I did Chloe, and even Hector. As one-half of the Vessel, I was surprised not to get it.
For all my “complaints,” I loved this ending! The best ending ever! This twist was so clever–I was like —Oh! Whoa! This is spectacular!— It made the entire series more real and the book so worth reading!
I’m excited to start reading this series to my niece and nephews.
Happy Reading 🙂
Check out more of my reviews HERE.
Review: War of the Ashers, Book 2 of The Petros Chronicles, by Diana Tyler
Book review
War of the Ashers, Book 2 of The Petros Chronicles, by Diana Tyler
YA. Fantasy. Mythology.
5 Stars.
It’s Percy Jackson in Narnia.
A family feud of mythological proportions….
To save the present and secure the future, Chloe must return to the past, to an age when the stuff of myth is a terrifying reality.
With the Councilman’s guards hot on their trail, Chloe, Damian, and Ethan dive through a mystical portal that transports them to the ancient hills of Ourania where they swiftly learn that Petros is literally crumbling in the warpath of Mania, the powerful rogue Asher who’s hell-bent on ruling the world and erasing every trace of Duna, the true creator against whom the rebel gods are fighting.
With the lords of the Underworld on her side, a colossal chip on her shoulder, and a doma by which she commands the elements, Mania appears utterly indestructible. The only thing standing between her and global domination is the last few Ashers hiding in the hills, scrambling to devise a plan and make sense of the mysterious shapeshifter in their midst…
If Chloe and her friends don’t act quickly, Mania will be in possession of the magical ambrosia that gives the gods their immortality. And if she becomes immortal, their fate is inextricably sealed, and the future of Petros will be darker and more hopeless than ever.
In this riveting sequel to Age of the Ashers, Chloe and Damian must embrace their destiny by facing the resistance Orpheus prophesied would come. Will they band together, or will the bitterness between them make everything fall apart?
Full of twists and turns and thrilling surprises, War of the Ashers is an exciting fantasy adventure for lovers of Greek mythology.
Time travel and the bigger picture, two of my favorite story elements, are well-weaved into this tale and there’s little not to like. Continuing Chloe, Damien and Ethan’s fight for the soul of Petros, we follow them as they learn the use of their newly emerged talents while discovering trust in each other, an unlikely helper and most importantly, a creator who wishes nothing more than to be known and loved.
Well-tied-together situations were a fantastic example of story-telling throughout War of the Ashers. Details brought up in past scenes arise to get our protagonists out of trouble so I was 
left thinking how I would not have survived if it were me inside the story. My creative problem-solving abilities just wouldn’t have been up to par.
That being said, these characters are far from flawless making them extremely relatable. The entire time I was reading I was thinking how I’m getting this book for my young nephew to read. Each character finds themselves forced to make decisions based on limited information (because when do we ever know everything about something) that ultimately shows a misrepresentation of a previous situation. That they continue to stand tall, strongly facing their trial to be able to turn around these decisions is a lesson we all can take a page from (am I mixing metaphors again).
My first reaction to the ending was – Wait. That’s it. But upon reflection, I realize how perfect it really was. Another conversation I’d love to have, as adding more here will turn into spoilers (talk to me in the comments about your thoughts on the ending of War of the Ashers). I’ll just mention that the perfect symmetry of it, the excellent use of the circle of time, was most respected.
So many themes! I just loved that about this series!
- Faith.
- Trust, both in family and strangers fighting for a common cause.
- The question of doing something just because you can.
- Weighing personal want against the need of a greater whole.
- Sticking to your own sense of right in the face of great pressure.
- Redemption.
- Forgiveness, both as a personal thing and as the ultimate gift.
As I thought with Book 1, Age of the Ashers, this story is a perfect blend of ancient myth and modern culture, masterfully mixed with just enough to poke the mind about a greater scope watching over all. This Chronicle is definitely a series I’ll be recommending to all the young readers in my life, as well as many of the veterans. A story that teaches while entertains is priceless.
Happy Reading 🙂
Review: The Age of the Ashers, The Petros Chronicles Book 1, by Diana Tylor
Book Review
The Age of the Ashers (The Petros Chronicles Book 1), by Diana Tyler
Young Adult. Fantasy.
4 Stars.
A well-crafted story that brings ancient myth to the modern world.
One power. One prophecy. One chance to change the world.
Petros is a well-oiled machine of an empire that has been overrun by evil. Every individual’s life is mapped out precisely, from the day of their birth until their much-anticipated Coronation at age seventy-five, when they each become ruler of their own personal paradise.
Eighteen-year-old Chloe Zacharias is content to exist as a social outcast and virtual recluse. Orphaned at the age of eight, she and her twin brother Damian live with their aunt and uncle, who only just tolerate their unwelcome charges. When classmate Ethan Ross gives Chloe a one-day pass to a newly opened museum, she discovers there’s much more to her utopian city, and the mysterious government that runs it, than she could ever have imagined.
An ancient prophecy has plans for Chloe; plans that will catapult her into the middle of an ages-old war between beings thought belonged only to ancient mythology.
When it becomes clear to the powers of the Underworld that Chloe could uncover their secrets and dismantle their world, the rulers send cunning Hermes, devious messenger to the lords of Hades, on a mission to destroy her before she finds out who—and what—she is.
Famed poet and romantic musician, Orpheus will do anything to reunite with his beloved wife Eurydice. Manipulated by Hermes into believing he can win back Eurydice if he charms a mortal known as “the Vessel,” Orpheus takes advantage of Chloe’s naïveté and voracious curiosity, and leads her into mortal danger.
Damian can’t ignore his sister or her strange behavior any longer. He has discovered that he has an astonishing gift of his own, and Hades and Apollo are shaken by the possibility that there is not one, but possibly two, entities with the power to topple the evil world they have created.
Chloe and Damian must work together, without becoming paralyzed by fear like their ancestors before them, or the citizens of Petros will continue to believe and be ruled by the horrific lies that have corrupted their world.
Filled with magic, mystery, and sprinklings of Greek mythology, Age of the Ashers is a powerful fantasy adventure for those who love to lose themselves in the world of make-believe.
What I most loved about this book was that the main character wasn’t main. There were multiple personalities, all well crafted in their imperfections, as well as petty gods who strove for attention even as they continued to be side-swiped by what they couldn’t have prepared for. While Chloe takes the majority of the pages in Age of the Ashers, she’s by no means the only one worth paying attention to. I was eager to learn more about both Damien and Ethan, as well as to find out more about the ancestors Chloe finds herself dropping in on.
The world of Petros is equally as well crafted. Organically, we’re led to the understanding
that we’re not following the lives of those we might pass on the streets in our hometown. Petros is an entirely independent world where the subtle manipulations of the gods have rendered its people no longer true believers in their existence despite every rule and custom being created to ensure these gods receive proper tribute. The peaceful, modern lifestyle of all is only the shiny wrapping to a festering manipulation that goes on behind the scenes.
Finding out this reality, Chloe, Damian and Ethan come to terms, in their own ways, with this, as well as struggle to accept their importance in the possibility of releasing its people from the smothering dominion that’s hung over the people for two thousand years. This struggle doesn’t end all roses, either. A couple of choices left my mouth hanging, as characters redeemed themselves only to fall back again.
The book is also an excellent story in the power and importance of faith, a theme that’s well blended, especially as we read Iris’ story. This theme becomes more important in book 2, War of the Ashers and Ms. Tyler does a fantastic job laying the groundwork for that in her first installment of this chronicle.
My only “complaint” is that I felt books 1 & 2 should have been one book, but I understand. It’s just the way things are done…
Happy Reading 🙂
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Author C.M. Martens 