Najee: A Glimmer of Hope

by Sarah Y. Westmoreland

An ancient necklace and a scrap of a blanket are all that were left to Akinia when she was abandoned at the orphanage as an infant... Even her heritage, her very name, disappeared with the mysterious stranger that left her there. Now, at fourteen years old, she has no time to ponder the mystery of her origins, for a far more important puzzle awaits her... With the arrival of Najee Master Ko-Pau Klie, and his handsome Apprentice, Nath, Akinia's simple life is turned upside-down. She finds herself suddenly thrust into the middle of the galactic war that has raged since before her birth, shocked with the knowledge that only she holds the power to end the struggle. But, is her arrival the glimmer of hope that the Empire has long been awaiting, or will it signal victory for the enemy nation, Sigadia? When she is captured by the leader of the Sigidian troops, Jade Enbrilth, her courage will be put to the ultimate test as she is forced to choose between her own survival and her loyalty to the Najee warriors who trained her... and who seem to have abandoned her to die.

354 pages, Paperback

First published July 13, 2014

About the author

Sarah Y. Westmoreland has always loved writing. At thirteen years of age, she wrote the five-star novel Najee: A Glimmer of Hope and plans to release a whole series, as well as several other separate books. Besides writing, her interests include singing, playing the piano, and composing music that accompany her books. She is a Christian and lives in North Carolina with her family and bossy Chihuahua.

Reviews

[K.J. Simmill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Akinia was obsessed with learning, in fact, she had learnt to hack in order to expand the material she had access to. One thing she never discovered though was why she had been left as a nearly new-born baby at the orphanage, nor why the necklace, her only possession aside from a plain blanket, protested anyone's touch but hers. She never thought herself destined for greatness, so the sudden arrival of the Najee to adopt her came as a surprise. In the blink of an eye she had become a warrior, one who needed training, but a warrior none-the-less, but never could she have imagined the future about to be laid before her. She is the one they have been waiting for, now they must ensure she is ready for the task ahead.

Fans of Star Wars are bounds to love Sarah Y Westmoreland's Najee: A Glimmer of Hope. As I was reading I saw a heavy influence, it put me in very much in mind of this popular science fiction. The Najee are much like Jedi in the sense they have their own special weapons, training, and a similar master-apprentice hierarchy. Akinia is a strong female protagonist, and despite being only 14, is very mature, reflective, and adaptive. She, along with other main characters, shows great growth and affinity. Allies and friendships form, trust and alliances build, but there is always the threat of something a little darker. Well-written and perfectly paced, this is one story that will keep you hanging on to the very end. Action, adventure, thrills, and chills from start to finish make this an amazing start to what looks to be a gripping and promising series.