Drinking Life

Keeper of Water #1

by Kevin George

Nia Ammo only wants to win the field hockey state championship. But it's not the other team she has to worry about stopping her - it's the two soldiers in ancient battle armor who attack during the game! Nia has always been a little quicker, a little stronger, a little more agile than everyone else. She quickly learns that hand-to-hand combat is another skill she possesses...

The attack makes headlines and causes her parents to uproot the family business and move cross-country during her senior year. It's not an easy adjustment and before long she finds herself in the middle of another physical altercation, this time with the entire boy's lacrosse team. But a mysterious stranger named John Leon shows up to help and starts Nia's life on an uncontrollable spiral she never imagined...

On the night of her eighteenth birthday, she begins to dream about being another person in another life. The dreams grow increasingly frequent - and increasingly clear - and she begins to question everything about her life, from who she really is, to who she really was, to whether her parents are who they claim to be...

Nia unexpectedly finds herself falling for John but has fierce competition for his affection. Cassie is her neighbor and the daughter of her parents' business partner. She's selfish and ruthless and shallow and John seems like he can't stand her. But he also can't say no to her...

John knows something about Nia's past and the dreams she's been having but getting the information from him might turn deadly...

CHAPTER ONE

I’m the first person to see the attackers though I have plenty of reason to be focused elsewhere. I don’t know how but it’s like I sensed the danger coming and looked up just in time to see a pair of behemoths charging out of the nearby woods. In the split second I first lay eyes on them, my mind registers every minor detail: two men well above six feet tall, biceps rippling like steroid-laced professional wrestlers. One has long greasy blond hair and wields a sword almost as long as his body; the other has brown hair just as long and greasy and wields a massive axe. Their teeth are equally brown and rotted, evil sneers of blood lust plastered across their lips. There’s no doubt in my mind that they’re both ugly but I can’t see their faces behind metal helmets that cover their heads and most of their faces. Only a single slit in the helmets allows them to see, their eyes focused in my direction.

Had I not spotted the attackers right away, I surely would have heard them soon after appearing from the trees. They wear matching suits of armor that cover their chest and legs, clattering and clanging with every step they run. I can’t imagine how a normal human could walk in such bulky suits let alone run but they don’t seem slowed by them at all. For the second time in a matter of seconds, my mind surprises me with something else I can’t quite explain: somehow I know that these soldiers are from the Spanish Armada.

Logically, I think this should be some sort of ill-advised joke. This type of soldier hasn’t been seen in centuries. Others around me must have the same thought because it takes several seconds for the first scream to cry out from the large crowd. I stop staring at the soldiers once I feel a heavy smash against the back of my leg; I’d almost forgotten that I was in the middle of the most important game of my life.

Did I forget to mention that I’m in the middle of a field hockey game?

CHECK OUT THE AUTHOR'S OTHER NOVELS

KEEPER OF THE WATER TRILOGY
BOOK ONE - Drinking Life
BOOK TWO - Recruits
BOOK THREE - The Water Queens

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Ebooks, Amazon, Science Fiction Fantasy

283 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Kevin George has written over 40 books with plenty more on the way. They are as follows:

COMET CLEMENT SERIES
The Inner Circle - Book 1
Interception - Book 2
The New Space Race - Book 3
The Three Arks - Book 4
Evacuation Earth - Book 5
Final Days - Book 6
Impact - Book 7
Uninvited - Book 8
Takeover - Book 9
Mission: Survival - Book 10
Relocation - Book 11
A Second Chance - Book 12
The Compound - Book 13
A New World - Book 14
Book 15 coming soon...

THE TRAIL OF MAGIC SERIES
The Oasis War (Book 1)
The Wilderynth (Book 2)
Castle Island (Book 3)
The Floating Lands (Book 4)
The Palace (Book 5)
more books coming soon...

THE GREAT BLUE ABOVE series
The City Below (#1)
The Dome of Life (#2)
The Battle Above (#3)
Before the Nothingness (#4)
The Tunnel War (#5)
The Mountain (#6)
Above the Great Blue (#7)

CRYO-MAN series
Cryo-Man (#1)
Robotropolis (#2)
Dearborn (#3)
Beyond River City (#4)

LIFE, INC. - If you could learn the exact moment of your death, would you? If you could see a deceased loved one for one final day - at the cost of one year of your life - would you? These are the answers Life, Inc. wants to know...

KEEPER OF THE WATER series
Drinking Life (#1)
Recruits (#2)
The Water Queens (#3)

FLEA'S FIVE CHRISTMASES
The North Pole Challenge (#1)
The Rudolph Challenge (#2)
The Jack Frost Challenge (#3)
The Frostie Challenge (#4)
The South Pole Challenge (#5)

THE HINTERLAND CHRONICLES
Pigeon in the Pinewoods (#1)
The Castle Tree (#2)
The Pendant of Hinterland (#3)

Eddie and Jeremy Go to the Aquarium
Eddie and Jeremy Go to the North Pole

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

There have been so many stories and twists about The Fountain of Youth, but I've gotta say that I think this is probably one of my favorite! It was such a different story then what I've been reading lately and it was a nice change.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I. Love. It. When the girl can kick some serious butt, which Nia has no struggle with. She's pretty much awesome!

The book started off fast. Action already starting within the first few pages. But towards the middle of the book it starts to slow down. Not really the action I guess... it was more the love story that slows it down. It wasn't very believable to me on some parts. And then I got soooo annoyed with the love triangle. Like seriously. I just wanted to smack all three of them. Especially Nia! I couldn't understand why she kept giving John so many chances when he would say that he really likes her then go running back to Cassie. I think there was a reason for that, but it doesn't actually really say, I have my suspicians, but no actual answers. So I guess it was probably the lack of answers when it came to the love triangle that bugged me the most. Which was why I gave it 4 stars and not 5.

If you could cancel all that out then it was an amazingly epic book! I couldn't believe how the books ends so suddenly! Then I was so excited that I at least had the first chapter of the next book to read, and then that leaves you hanging about as much as the first books ending! Definitely makes you want to go pick up the next book!

If you like mythical books, strong female characters, and some amazing action scenes then I would definitely give this book a try if I were you!

[E. Bard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a pleasant surprise! This was a very fun story with a strong female lead and plenty of characters you enjoy one second and hate the next. It is filled with historical characters and anecdotes all warped into the fiction so they blend seamlessly with the tale.

I loved how the 'myth' included in this story isn't one found all that frequently in the YA genre. Yes it is found in some YA fiction, but it really isn't as common as many others (I can think of one 'everlasting' example immediately but that is a very different kind of story).

The story is told in first person by Nia, a very athletic, take no prisoners kind of girl. When she is forced to fend off armored soldiers in the middle of a high school field hockey game, she begins to suspect that she might not be all that average after all. The soldiers were clearly from another time and their attack did seem directed at her. When strange dreams and broken memories begin to tell Nia she really is something other than an average teenager - the reader gets caught up in an action filled adventure full of mysteries and unexpected discoveries.

The writing is smooth, easy to read and has a good amount of humour. All in all, I found it very enjoyable read. I think it would appeal to YA readers who simply like a good adventure.

[Katelyn Broad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I anticipated. It kept me interested, especially the main character Nia and her love interest John. I love books with a strong female character and this was one of them-Nia was smart and strong. I did find that the book was kind of long for the story and some parts went on for too long and I also didn't like how it ended so suddenly but in the end I found this to be an enjoyable and creative read. I can't wait for a second book!
*I received this book from the author but that did not shape how I reviewed it*

[Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good book

I liked the story and the way the author kept me thinking and trying to guess the plot. He did a good job of mixing fantasy with a little fact. To make a plausible story

[Sule]

Omg its so good. Cant wait to purchase iht :)

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you loved the Hunger Games, you may like this series. Loved it!

[Fallon Shay · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book wasn’t necessary bad (like you might think by my 1 star review). Personally, I think the concept of the book is really good. There’s a bit of history throughout the book which I enjoyed and thought was a good addition. The idea of the water, the strong female characters who protect it; the fountain of youth. This could’ve been a very interesting story but it was just poorly executed.
At times the story was slow, then other times it would switch scenes and be hard to follow. It’s written in first person, which makes it so difficult to follow. Had the book been in third person I think it would’ve been a lot better. There was something off with the way everything was worded, it simply didn’t flow like a good book does. I also never want to read a bad guy referred to as a “goon” ever again because that’s all they are referred to as. (Goon/goons/goonish was used 118 times in this book).
As for the characters...the heroine, Nia, I didn’t fully connect with. Her actions didn’t always make sense and I didn’t like the loyalty she felt to Cassie. I didn’t like the loyalty Celeste felt to Cassie either. I really couldn’t stand Cassie (I know the author didn’t want us to like her but her attitude and presence in the story was just disruptive at times). I felt like Nia’s mother, I wouldn’t have wanted to be left alone with Cassie, she’s terrifying in a ridiculous way. I got frustrated with John, and the author who tried to create a very weird love-triangle. I usually like love-triangles, this one was a bit annoying.
Despite how poorly written the book is, I keep thinking about it. I’m going to read the second book, only because I’d like to power through and figure out the intended plot line. In the first book, we don’t figure out who our heroine is. Or who Cassie is.

[Ani Talwar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually read this book ages and ages ago and am adding it now I have an account so my memory may be hazy but I remember just being completely sucked in. I have this vague memory of sitting on a windowsill for hours just reading the book because I just did not realise how long it had been and I just loved it.

[Suzette Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Very engaging....I couldn’t stop reading. Can’t wait to start the next book. Hope to read many more books... with the plot line, this could go on for a while!!

[Janejellyroll · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nia is NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS. She likes sports, okay? She doesn't want to talk about makeup. If you forget she is NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS, she will promptly remind you. Her friends are boys because girls are silly. She'd rather hang out with her dad and shoot arrows than be all girly, all right? I realized that as much as I loathe this type of character coming from a woman author, it somehow feels even weirder when the author is a man.

She will NOT do the things that George believes are required for girls to make friends even though her weak-willed cousin is happy to befriend new people when they move:

"Usually we stick together the first few days before she attaches herself with the popular crowd, the ‘cool kids’ who thrive on being cruel to anyone that dared be different from them. Popular girls never like me, probably because I refuse to act the way they act, something Cassie has never had qualms about."

In case you're wondering if her being not like other girls impacts how graceful she is, don't worry:

"I’m obviously the tallest girl on the field but my mother always tells me I look the most graceful, not hunched and awkward the way other girls appear with their sticks in hand."

And, of course, she's the best:

"My coach always praised me for my focus (not to mention my speed, size and agility)."

After their team is suddenly attacked by two mysterious figures, you might think she would give in to GIRL EMOTIONS and be scared. Please don't assume she'll be like all the other girls who are cowering in fear:

"Plenty of people are still freaked out by the attack, plenty of girls from my team—some who I thought were as tough as me—cry in fear about what just happened. So many parents are hugging their kids that I feel like I’m back in pre-school instead of high school. I understand that the attack was unexpected but it’s an afterthought for me now. I don’t see the big deal for everyone else since I was the one who did all the fighting."

Is it possible that her existence is key to the survival of the universe? Gee, what do you think?

[Cat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Keeping in mind this rating is for how much I enjoyed the book, not for the writing (which probably deserves at least 2 stars), here is my review:

I liked that this book dealt with a more unusual subject (fountain of youth = drinking life). I also liked that this dealt with some history (cuz, yenno, being young forever, you see a lot of time pass). Unfortunately I couldn't connect with the main character, her situation, her personality..at all. I didn't understand why she did (or didn't) do the things she did (or didn't) and I had no idea why she continued to be a rug. All her 'instincts' told her to do, she did without question - that got annoying for me.

I also thought the other characters (minus her dad): her mom, Celeste, and Cassie were completely weird. Again, you don't really get to know why they do the things they do so it's hard to connect with them as characters.

Plot movement is really slow, and I wanted to give up reading this book multiple times. I was hoping, by sticking to it until the end, things would get better. Sadly, as 'secrets' were revealed (for the most part) I just cringed. I also thought things were set up too conveniently; I was putting together clues much faster than the characters. Lastly, I thought the 'heroine' of the book made too many stupid mistakes.

Glad this was free, though by ratings and reviews, other people clearly liked this book.

[Suzanne Toon]

While I found the level of detail put into Nia's life interesting, her storyline dragged on for far too long before we learned more of why was she was so special. And Cassie? As far as I was concerned, she was always treated as a secondary character despite a common theme throughout the book. All in all, there were a few parts I loved but mostly I felt it was dragging for most of the book and then suddenly it was over. Maybe the second book will be better, but I truly don't know if I'll read it. It's worth looking into, though, if you like Amazons and old myths remade. Happy reading, everyone!

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another YA paranormal romance that disappointed me. The concept was intriguing, but the characters were too over-the-top. I couldn't connect with them and found I didn't really care what happened. The ending wasn't satisfying and overall just felt like I wasted me time with this one.

(My feelings may be harsher due to a run of mediocre free e-books I've read from Kindle lately--I'm getting cranky and ready to find something worth my time.)

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the first novel of this series, Kevin George shows off his real talent for creating characters and pulling readers right into the action of the story. I could not stop reading this book, and I haven't been this excited for a follow-up book since I was a little kid. The anticipation is palpable. Get it, read it, and get excited for the next one.

[Tegan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I dont know what it was but something was missing from this book. I did like the characters of Nia and John and wanted to put Cassie put of misery myself. The plot was ok and the idea was fantastic but execution was a little lacking. I dont know if I will read the next book, but at this point in time its no.

[Scarlett Tiger · Rating 3 out of 5]

cassie is the worst character i read about she even worse the villans who kill for evil reason im mean serously i really wish she have not as many parts in the next book but most likely she will [*sigh]

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay story, but the typos and grammar mistakes put me off. At one time the character drove "passed" another character's house. And Cassie was totally one-note, with no redeeming value. Probably will not read the rest in the trilogy.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. You know I'm a sucker for a strong female lead and this book did not disappoint. She isn't just strong, she is an amazon warrior. That's pretty cool!! Looking forward to Book 2.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stated out good! Then it took to long to get to the point of the story. Will skip the next one.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfuly written! Kept me interested the entire time & I bought the rest or the trilogy as soon as I finished this!

[-Edamommie-]

FREE on Amazon

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

i give this book a 3.5 its a good read keeps you guessing thats what i like the most

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book, but a little long winded for my tastes. It's more sci-fi than romance. Just because it wasn't my genre of choice, it was still a great story.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started off well -- reminded me of a female Percy Jackson -- but went downhill from there.

[Beckie Rousseau Sloan · Rating 4 out of 5]

great start to a series

[kierra wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great!

Great!

it was really a great book and I cant wait to see what happens next! it was well worth my time.

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting into the book. Nothing bad ... it just didn't interest me at all in the beginning.