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Gemja - The Message
Resa Stone is one of the first humans to set foot on a foreign world. But ever since arriving on planet Wandelsta, the introverted teen witch can’t sleep. Visions of a mysterious jeweled forest haunt her dreams. Who is the ghostly shrouded girl who emerges from those woods? And what is the meaning of the ominous message she delivers: You are the one?
And when the unearthly messenger appears in her waking life and leads her to a mystical glowing gem, Resa learns of an ancient legend that suggests the stone may be a remnant from a crystalline paradise called Gemja and harbors great power. On a quest to discover the significance of the stone, Resa is transformed by love, betrayal, magic, and hidden secrets. And when danger befalls her, she must summon the courage to journey into her dream realm to confront the ghost for answers…
Only to discover that deciphering the message reveals a painful truth…
One that may cost Resa her life.
And when the unearthly messenger appears in her waking life and leads her to a mystical glowing gem, Resa learns of an ancient legend that suggests the stone may be a remnant from a crystalline paradise called Gemja and harbors great power. On a quest to discover the significance of the stone, Resa is transformed by love, betrayal, magic, and hidden secrets. And when danger befalls her, she must summon the courage to journey into her dream realm to confront the ghost for answers…
Only to discover that deciphering the message reveals a painful truth…
One that may cost Resa her life.
- GenresFantasy
325 pages, Paperback
Published August 26, 2023
1 person is currently reading
2273 people want to read
About the author
K.M. Messina
4 books23 followersKim is an earth and space science teacher, a dog mom, and a lover of all things mystical. Her black German shepherd Luna inspired her adorable picture book, IF YOU COULD ASK YOUR DOG ONE QUESTION, which won the Best Independent Book Award (BIBA) and the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award for best picture book for all ages. She lives on the rocky coast of Long Island, New York, where she enjoys bird watching, moon gazing, and adding to her ever-growing collection of stones and crystals.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 3, 2023
Imagine that aliens come to Earth, create a great relationship with your parents, and invite you to live on their planet. That’s exactly what happened to 17-year-old Resa Stone’s family, and while she is excited about living on another world, she has concerns about the living conditions. Especially since the air is full of a poisonous substance called “toxia.” In the first of a series, the novel “Gemja” by K.M. Messina, introduces readers to this world called Wandelsta, where Resa spends time drawing pictures about it and keeping a journal about living on this planet. She does not interact with the native alien species on this planet much. While they are her tutors, she mostly interacts with other humans living on the planet. There’s especially a strange new arrival who appears mysterious and keeps to himself, and Resa is instantly attracted to him.
One thing that struck me about the main character Resa, is that she has scoliosis. This is the very first time I have come across a character in a book, let alone a main character, with this condition. I do not know that much about it, but I think it’s great that the main character in a novel is one living with this condition. Scoliosis is not a HUGE thing throughout the story; the character only mentions it when something is affecting it. And while she carries herself well, never expecting sympathy or preferential treatment, she is hurt when another character teases her about it.
Even so, the character Resa is remarkable. She’s strong, and level-headed (even for someone who is Wiccan) and she can take care of herself. At the beginning of the story, she and her younger brother, Dakota, bicker a lot, but then they end up bonding later in the story. And even when Dakota messes up, she is the responsible big sister looking out for him.
While Resa is pretty much the “star” of the story, her brother, Dakota, plays some roles in the story too. I really like how Dakota matures in the story. He grows and evolves during the story and I wish we could have seen more of him in the middle of the book! He is such an interesting character and I love the song he wrote! I could imagine how it impacted Resa and I love how it plays such a big role for her later in the novel.
As to the tale itself, I honestly thought it was a fantasy story. It’s actually a combination of fantasy and science fiction. All good, though! I do enjoy reading both genres. There is also a bit of romance, as Resa eventually finds love.
The thing about the stone is very interesting. I love how it plays such a major role in the story. Resa has very understanding parents, but I think they should have been more upfront with her about the planet they had to live on from the very beginning.
While the family is living on Wandelsta, Resa has dreams of someone named Nitika who gives her strange messages, one of them being “You are the one.” In some ways, Resa fears these dreams and is scared of Nitika, even though, based on how she is described, Nitika does not appear threatening. Even so, Resa performs a spell to banish Nitika from her dreams. In this particular instance, I felt the spell was written well. (Resa learned Wicca from her grandmother.) I don’t know if it’s based on an actual spell, but if not, I thought the author wrote this part well. It was not overdone or sensationalized; it sounded like a very realistic ritual.
The fact that the family spent time living on another planet was fascinating. All this takes place after first contact, so the realization of other aliens out there in space has had time to sink in for everyone on Earth. It’s great that Resa drew pictures of it and kept a journal while she was there. She adjusts to going back home to Earth surprisingly well. She seems to have the right people in her life to look out for her and help her out with everything that happens after she returns to Earth.
The author is very good at writing descriptions of characters. I especially liked how she describes one character:
She was pretty and petite, with big almond-shaped eyes that were outlined by wispy gray lashes. Her skin was the color of Alaskan glacial ice, crystal-turquoise with a shimmer of iridescence. Her white hair was drawn into a tight, sleek ponytail that grazed her waistline, and her short bangs looked like needle-thin icicles dangling on her forehead.
That and a lot more captivatingly descriptive writing awaits the reader of this book!
“Gemja” by K.M. Messina is a powerful, intriguing story that is hard to put down. I really enjoyed reading this novel. I felt as though it came to life as I read it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading science fiction and fantasy. It’s a truly unique, out-of-this-world story that is hard to walk away from even after the last chapter!
One thing that struck me about the main character Resa, is that she has scoliosis. This is the very first time I have come across a character in a book, let alone a main character, with this condition. I do not know that much about it, but I think it’s great that the main character in a novel is one living with this condition. Scoliosis is not a HUGE thing throughout the story; the character only mentions it when something is affecting it. And while she carries herself well, never expecting sympathy or preferential treatment, she is hurt when another character teases her about it.
Even so, the character Resa is remarkable. She’s strong, and level-headed (even for someone who is Wiccan) and she can take care of herself. At the beginning of the story, she and her younger brother, Dakota, bicker a lot, but then they end up bonding later in the story. And even when Dakota messes up, she is the responsible big sister looking out for him.
While Resa is pretty much the “star” of the story, her brother, Dakota, plays some roles in the story too. I really like how Dakota matures in the story. He grows and evolves during the story and I wish we could have seen more of him in the middle of the book! He is such an interesting character and I love the song he wrote! I could imagine how it impacted Resa and I love how it plays such a big role for her later in the novel.
As to the tale itself, I honestly thought it was a fantasy story. It’s actually a combination of fantasy and science fiction. All good, though! I do enjoy reading both genres. There is also a bit of romance, as Resa eventually finds love.
The thing about the stone is very interesting. I love how it plays such a major role in the story. Resa has very understanding parents, but I think they should have been more upfront with her about the planet they had to live on from the very beginning.
While the family is living on Wandelsta, Resa has dreams of someone named Nitika who gives her strange messages, one of them being “You are the one.” In some ways, Resa fears these dreams and is scared of Nitika, even though, based on how she is described, Nitika does not appear threatening. Even so, Resa performs a spell to banish Nitika from her dreams. In this particular instance, I felt the spell was written well. (Resa learned Wicca from her grandmother.) I don’t know if it’s based on an actual spell, but if not, I thought the author wrote this part well. It was not overdone or sensationalized; it sounded like a very realistic ritual.
The fact that the family spent time living on another planet was fascinating. All this takes place after first contact, so the realization of other aliens out there in space has had time to sink in for everyone on Earth. It’s great that Resa drew pictures of it and kept a journal while she was there. She adjusts to going back home to Earth surprisingly well. She seems to have the right people in her life to look out for her and help her out with everything that happens after she returns to Earth.
The author is very good at writing descriptions of characters. I especially liked how she describes one character:
She was pretty and petite, with big almond-shaped eyes that were outlined by wispy gray lashes. Her skin was the color of Alaskan glacial ice, crystal-turquoise with a shimmer of iridescence. Her white hair was drawn into a tight, sleek ponytail that grazed her waistline, and her short bangs looked like needle-thin icicles dangling on her forehead.
That and a lot more captivatingly descriptive writing awaits the reader of this book!
“Gemja” by K.M. Messina is a powerful, intriguing story that is hard to put down. I really enjoyed reading this novel. I felt as though it came to life as I read it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading science fiction and fantasy. It’s a truly unique, out-of-this-world story that is hard to walk away from even after the last chapter!
October 3, 2023
Gemja is an interplanetary fantasy/sci-fi adventure with some mystical ideas sprinkled in. I will assume this is just the first book in what will be a multi-book series and will treat it accordingly. Because if this is all there is, well it ends just as it is getting really good.
Our MC, Resa, is a witch currently living on another planet. She is tasked with writing a journal and creating artwork to later be published of her experiences. But she keeps dreaming about something more and keeps being told she's the one. I liked how the character experienced a lot of inner growth and development in this book. She starts with being afraid of her dreams and running away, to fully embracing what her destiny is to be.
I enjoyed the descriptive writing style especially about the world building of the other planets and their species. Though, sometimes it felt like the details were glossed over to move the story on. I wanted a little more understanding about each group and their motivations. There are a lot of secrets being kept, but over time we understand why and what it all means.
The bet part of this story? Wow those illustrations! Almost every chapter starts with a beautiful drawing that gives a glimpse into the next chapter, or the one that just completed. The drawings were so elegant that it took the book up a whole level of enjoyment. I wished for more of them. Why can't more grown up books have illustrations - art is not just for children!
My favorite part of the book would have to be Resa's conversation with her Grandma, because of all that lead up to that being possible and what happened after. It was a huge turning point for Resa's character, too.
The romance, well it was both instant and slow burn. I want to know more about why these two are pulled together as if by electricity, and what this boy has to do with the search for Gemja.
Again, this book ends as Resa opens herself to her density and I definitely would be interested in reading the next installment (assuming there is one) of how she handles what comes for her next.
I received this book for free from Provided as part of book tour in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
August 25, 2023
Gemja: The Message is what I hope is only the beginning. It is such a great book, well written and so many wonderful characters.
Resa is a witch. She casts spells and is all about crystals and all things that are included in being a witch. She lives with her parents and her brother Dakota. They are from Maine but are currently living on a planet called Wandelsta. Her dad is a leader in the IPPL. She spends most of her time hanging out in the dunes and trying to talk to the mysterious teenage boy that no one knows about. Resa keeps having dreams about a ghost and a jeweled forest. While on Wandelsta she finds a mystical glowing gem. She sets out to find out what it all means.
This is only the beginning of what is such a wonderful story. The author takes the main characters to other places and the story just keeps getting better and better. We get to meet so many different and unique characters throughout the story including Willie, Matthew, Sarah and a blue girl who is a mind reader. There are so many others that I liked but you will have to read the book to find out about all of them. There is action, suspense, romance and so much more. I kept wondering why the author was taking Resa from one location to another but when the ending came it all made sense. I didn't want the book to end. This is the first book in what I hope is going to become a series. I loved it and can't wait to find out what happens next with Resa, her friends and family. If you enjoy a good fantasy book you will want to read this one! This e-arc was provided to me for review. This did not affect my review in any way.
Resa is a witch. She casts spells and is all about crystals and all things that are included in being a witch. She lives with her parents and her brother Dakota. They are from Maine but are currently living on a planet called Wandelsta. Her dad is a leader in the IPPL. She spends most of her time hanging out in the dunes and trying to talk to the mysterious teenage boy that no one knows about. Resa keeps having dreams about a ghost and a jeweled forest. While on Wandelsta she finds a mystical glowing gem. She sets out to find out what it all means.
This is only the beginning of what is such a wonderful story. The author takes the main characters to other places and the story just keeps getting better and better. We get to meet so many different and unique characters throughout the story including Willie, Matthew, Sarah and a blue girl who is a mind reader. There are so many others that I liked but you will have to read the book to find out about all of them. There is action, suspense, romance and so much more. I kept wondering why the author was taking Resa from one location to another but when the ending came it all made sense. I didn't want the book to end. This is the first book in what I hope is going to become a series. I loved it and can't wait to find out what happens next with Resa, her friends and family. If you enjoy a good fantasy book you will want to read this one! This e-arc was provided to me for review. This did not affect my review in any way.
September 7, 2024
The book ignited my imagination. The descriptions the author used for the settings and the main character, Resa's, emotions helped me feel like I was in her world with her. The otherworldly settings were rich and vibrant. The message of peace the book was centered around was very relatable and I think young people would really enjoy the concepts involved. I think it would be mainly geared for older teens and young adults but I did enjoy it as well. Overall it was a very immersive read. The only issues I would say I had was that it moved kind of slowly but it wasn't enough to make me want to stop or get frustrated. It also felt like it ended very abruptly but I'm guessing it's going to be turned into a series.
June 28, 2024
We are proud to announce that GEMJA - The Message by K.M. Messina has been honored with the B.R.A.G. Medallion (Book Readers Appreciation Group). It now joins the very select award-winning, reader-recommended books at indieBRAG.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews