98: The Witch's Prophecy

Rise of the Battle-Bred #2

by LoveVickyHolt

In this clean YA paranormal romance, William and Jane learn the steps to their new friendship while forces around them are converging on Deer Fjord to create a battleground of historic proportions. William and his father are under suspicion of murder and Jane is recovering from a Lochspawn attack.


Woven throughout this urban adventure is Agnes’ life story, written in her own words. Agnes is one of the First Mothers, a child of the Middle Ages and a devoted Christian. Details about the creation of the Warrior race finally come to light in her heartrending history.


98 is Book 2 in the Rise of the Battle Bred trilogy. Watch for Book 3 in mid-2015.

319 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2014

About the author

Vicky L. Holt has been writing for over two decades. An avid reader herself, she loves nothing better than appreciating a well-turned phrase. With ten books and novellas published so far, she’s been trying to turn out excellent phrases for awhile now. Her work has appeared in literary journals and websites, as well as on Amazon and store and library shelves. Ms. Holt is a mother and grandmother, and dubious owner of a wild goldendoodle puppy who eats flip flops. She rereads positive reviews and holds readers in high regard, without which, her career would be a lonely pursuit. Follow her @lovevickyholt on Twitter, lovevickyholt on Instagram, and @lovevickyholt on Facebook.

Reviews

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Your silence is more valuable to me than anything you could have said. There's something big going on and I'm going to find out, even if you don't want to tell me."
-Crady

Rating: 5/5 Rocking Stars

Please note that I received a free copy of 98 from the author in exchange for an honest review. (Thanks so much V. L. Holt!)

Have you ever tried to keep a life changing secret from your best friend? Every wonder what it would be like to never know your father? Has your boyfriend ever died and come back to life more than ninety times? Well, Jane has experience in all of these matters and so many more. Her true love is William, a Warrior who has died 97 times and only has a couple lives left to live before he runs out of chances. However, he desperately wants to cling to the time he has remaining so that he can be with Jane forever, but this is definitely not going to be easy. Evil Lochspawn are hot on his and all the other Warriors' trails at every turn, just waiting to tear them apart. A normal relationship is hard enough for two average teenagers, but for two people who live very extraordinary lives, things cannot turn out well, or can they if they choose to fight for it? This is Jane and William's story back in action and continued with just as much awesomeness as the first book in the Rise of the Battle Bred trilogy.

William and his father are backtracking to Toledo, Ohio to clear their names in the incident that previously occurred in 97. (I won't spoil it here if you haven't read it yet.) However, after realizing a fatal mistake from back home, William races back to Deer Fjord before things can turn sour. However, will he lose another one of his precious lives in the process? Depressed and already missing William after only a day, Jane is pacing and can hardly do anything but obsess over this special guy. At the same time, strange occurrences are going on elsewhere. Smitty, a college student who witnessed the horrible accident in Toledo involving the previously said characters, is figuring out what really happened that fateful night and what he should do. When a strange man shows up wanting something from him, things only get more suspicious, dangerous, and real for this innocent yet influential bystander. Smitty has the ability to clear William and his father's name, but will he be able to do just that before time runs out? Then there are the Warlochs. Are they being infiltrated? Can they be brought down finally? Strife continues to ransack their ranks, and the five men are at odds. What will happen next?

He had died for Jane just a short while ago. Now he was going to do his damnedest to live for her.

I personally felt that 98 was even better than 97! I know that some series can get monotonous after awhile, especially with the same old scenes coming up, over and over again. However, V. L. Holt was able to create not only a great sequel but also a compelling story line that was unique and different than 97. Once again, the reader was able to witness several different characters and their reactions, personal stories, thoughts, and feelings. This is something that really made me fall in love with these books. I never get bored with all of the different perspectives going on. Plus, there are thrilling events going on around them. Holt switches to a new character at just the right moment for the perfect suspenseful moments!

What makes 98 so different from 97 is the incorporation of Agnes and her story. We get to see a hefty majority of what exactly transpired in her life. Her troubles, conflicts, struggles, loves, losses, triumphs, and scarifies are laid bare for all to see. Given to the Church at a young age as a tithe from her family, her troubles began when she was quite little. I feel as though there are so many admirable qualities in just this one character that so many people will fall in love with her and what she stands for. Her life, situations, and responses to her ever unfair circumstances are honest and heartbreaking. Yet, at the same time, she is strong and willing to help others even if she has not been shown the same respect by those around her. She has really stuck with me and in my thoughts throughout the entirety of this series so far and is one of my favorite characters to read about. I don't think that it will be easy to forget about her.

Lastly, as I expressed when I was talking about Jane and William in my review for 97, I just love them to death. They're just so innocent together. Their love is undying and hard to dismiss because their connection is just so prevalent. When I read the last few lines of this book my heart just stopped. It was the sweetest thing ever! I just wish that every girl could get a William of their own. I think that the one thing that really draws me to these two characters, especially in my believing in their relationship, is how they act towards each other. It is simply so pure and warming to the heart. The two care so deeply and wholly for each other that you just can't help but root for them. They'll forever go down as two of my favorite book couples!!!!

If you haven't read 97, you really need to. The backstory and lore behind the whole thing is really amazing and creative. The entire idea is alluring, and if you have already read 97 and are deciding to pick up the next book in the series, the answer is a no brainer. You have to read 98. While it may be easy for me to like a book, I loved this one. Holt created a wonderful world, backstory, and a series that I cherish so much. Oh, and you know what? Before you know it, it'll be Christmas soon, and you know what that means! Presents!!!! So, if you're looking for a great YA book to get someone or even a nice little gift for yourself, the Rise of the Battle Bred series is a great way to go. Also, your birthday is sometime during the year. Just say it's an early birthday gift for yourself. It's okay to be spoiled a little! I can also eagerly say that I can't wait for the last book in this trilogy to come out! I don't know if my heart can take it!!!

You can see reviews like this one and more at http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.com/.
(http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.c...)

[Virginia Madrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOOOOOO!!!! The book can't end like that!! Where is 99?!?!?!?! I NEEEEEEEED 99!!!!! So well written! The author gives just the right amount of detail and information to keep you guessing and reading, and guessing and reading! I finished 97 this morning, picked up 98 and could NOT put it down!!! Wow, just wow! One of the next big hits to be turned into a movie for sure!!

[Julie Kuhn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now, he has 98 lives of 99 gone! He will gladly give all 99 to save her.

book #2 in The Rise of the Battle Bred (trilogy, I believe). I liked this sequel. and yes, you should read them in order. the author writes well and the book is edited nicely. this is one of those books that flips character and scenes with each new chapter; she does a nice job with it and it even flips between time periods. it's the way the author has picked to feed us info from the past a little at a time and it works. the basic premise is a group of evil warlochs, power hungry to rule the world, created superhuman battle warriors infused with special abilities, the most important being... the capability to regenerate from death time after time, in fact 99 lives total. all the warriors wanted was their freedom and went AWOL one day during a battle centuries ago.
the story skips between: 1) the warlorchs and their actions to kill off any warrior descendants, as well as interplay and strife between the 5 warochs, 2) the little town where the pair-a father & son of warrior descendants have moved and meet local Jane and her friends, especially her crazy and funny bff-Crady, 3) the monster-Xex, and lastly, 4) Agnes-one of the birthing mothers for the battle warriors (we get to hear her personal story before the warlochs and during her imprisonment. her story is very heartfelt and sad, yet courageous with surprising elements).
can William-battle warrior descendant, keep Jane safe from the monsters and warlorchs without perishing in his final 99th life? can the father/son duo come up with a plan to save themselves as well as the rest of the descendants? can the father/son escape repercussions from what happened in Toledo,Ohio right before they moved to this last little town?
There are definite surprises in this book which is only one of the reasons you need to read the books in sequence. but do read it. hurry Ms. Volt; anxiously awaiting book #3!

[CARLA · Rating 4 out of 5]

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This book definitely raised questions that need to be answered in the third book. It’s been so long since I read the first one that I was a bit confused reading it. But I caught up pretty quickly.

Not a lot of action in this book, actually, almost no action. This book gives us loads of flashbacks and backstory. I gotta say the backstory was exceptionally interesting to me. I loved the way it was told through Agnes journal. She had a third eye when it came to people and could see right into their hearts. She was guarded but not afraid, headstrong but not foolish. By far my favorite character to date in this series.

Jane and Williams relationship seems to stagnate a bit in this book since they don’t really see much of each other, so the romance suffered in my eyes.

We do get to see more of the Z guys as I like to call them. Whether or not they are the big bad isn’t really made clear to us, at least to me it wasn’t. It was clear they had an alterior agenda but we didn’t really see them being straight up evil. It’s all implied at this point.

I am anticipating the third installment in this series. I do need to say I think this book ended rather abruptly and with no real closure for me, but from what I remember, the first book was like that as well.

[Hal Kowalski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe the numerous slaps to the back of my head, by the lightning quick hands of Sister Mary Raymond I received as a wisecracking twelve-year-old, is to blame. I mean, seriously, who starts reading a trilogy with book two.

Ignoring logical progression, I dropped right into the fray between Warlochs, Warriors, and Lochspawn, all vying for supremacy. Sure, reading 97 Rise of the Battle Bred first makes sense, but Holt scatters enough breadcrumbs you can pick-up on what had transpired in book one without too much effort.

98 The Witch’s Prophecy revolves around two story lines. The first, deals with the on-going relationship between Jane and William. Jane is just coming to grips with a world she never knew existed, as well as, her feelings for William. William, also infatuated with Jane, juggles being her protector, leading the fight against the Warlochs, and beating a murder rap. The second storyline follows Agnes and her involvement with both Warlochs and Warriors.

In 98, Holt doesn’t just step on the accelerator she stomps on it, rarely, if ever, applying the brake. Chapters race by, often leaving the reader breathless; each told through the perspective of one of the book’s diverse characters. She handles them with the deftness of a Formula One driver tearing through the curves of Monaco. 98 is sure to keep the YA crowd pleased with its fast pace, originality and lore, and ample supply of drama and teen angst.

In my opinion, Holt is at her best when writing in the voice of Agnes (a/k/a Hildegard). Agnes’s poignant, often heart-wrenching history, steals the show, giving the reader a front row seat to how a girl “tithe(d)…to the church” is forced into maturity at a young age and morphs into a heroine not soon forgotten. The genius of Holt’s characterization of Agnes is in witnessing Agnes’s transformation. She doesn’t face life’s unfairness and sinister happenings with untamed brashness or by the end of the sword, but rather a quiet humility that is striking in its depth.

Unfortunately, not all the chapters contain Agnes. Even when told through the eyes of the story’s other two heroes, Jane and William, there are times the action or scenes feel staged with two-dimensional characters and uneven, at times, silly, dialogue. While the overall story doesn’t suffer from these instances, I find myself wishing Holt’s brilliant fleshing of Agnes and the telling of the Warriors birth, would have carried into the present day exploits.

Overall, 98 is a great read, with plenty of wickedness, anxiety, and inventive mythology. Sign me up for a pre-order of 99.

First, though, I think I’ll read 97!

[Hildegard · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoyed reading "97" by V. L. Holt, you won't be disappointed by "98: The Witches Prophecy."

The second picks up where the first left off. The story is told from many different PoVs, that are skillfully used to help flesh out and develop the overall story.

As in the first book, woven in between the chapters set in the present, is the story of the origin of the battle-breed. It is basically the same story, but this time told from Agnes PoV. It was interesting to see how different Agnes saw her interactions with Zarastrid compared to the same story told from Zarastrid's PoV in 97.

One thing that bugged me was that the Warlochs' were apparently able to take over, and keep under their dictatorship multiple kingdoms with nothing more than 25 Warriors.
No matter how superior their fighting prowess - there are still only 25 of them - and they can hardly be everywhere at once.

So, either they had to develop a secondary (human) force that would take over as an occupational force once the warriors conquered a kingdom (in which case their dictatorship shouldn't have instantly collapsed upon those 25 deserting) - or they would have had to have bred up many more warriors as soon as it looked like their attempt was a success (which seems the more likely explanation - though I don't remember seeing any support for that theory).

Another thing that had me puzzled was James story. It was not clear to me if he had been a prisoner of the Warlochs ever since Zainel made him forget his wife and leave with him, or only for the last few years. And if the latter - were had he been before then?

Overall, I enjoyed reading "98," but found myself wishing that the book was longer. I would have liked to see more of the interaction between William and his father, as well as a more in depth look into the other warriors and their lives and personalities. And then there were all the questions raised by James introduction into the story.

Hopefully book three will pull all the different threads in this story together into a cohesive tapestry.

[Amanda Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I reviewed 97 I was positively gushing and could not wait to get into 98. Now? Now I am irritated and disappointed. The writing is good, the story is great. The execution is ridiculous. There is never a need for ten different points of view, ever. Honestly, that's my low-ball estimate here. I should not need a character map to read a book. I'm sorry, but it's the honest truth. Even if you are going to introduce five gazillion POVs (okay, that's a high estimate) you definitely should not be dragging in a new one at ninety-something percent in the book! I mean, yes we knew of the character...ish. I had to sit there and figure out who she was, whose side she was on, and how she fit in.

My husband's elated that I finally finished this one because so many times he caught me yelling at my Kindle, and tossing it aside when the story abruptly switched POV...again. He was as over this book as I am and he didn't even read it. The problem with the three page chapters and constant switching is that I couldn't connect to anyone. Even the characters I had already connected to in the first book. There was too much going on, too many switches, it was too hard to keep up.

Obviously I am sorely disappointed in this one. My expectations were high because of how much I loved the first one. I really think she just tried to do too much here all at once and it got too muddled to work. I'm giving it three stars because the writing, save for the constant POV changes, is amazing and the story in itself carries its weight well. It's a well thought out, if poorly executed idea.

Honestly, the story idea here is strong enough that even though I was irritated, made lewd hand gestures at my Kindle, yelled at an author who couldn't hear me, and had to walk away multiple times, I still want to read the last one! That's a huge compliment.

[Ines Bautista-yao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better than book one!

This book was just awesome. It surpassed the first book in so many ways - although I really liked the first book too - but this one was just so good. It takes you deeper into the backstory of the Warlochs and Warriors but best of all, it focuses on the story of Agnes.

There's more magic in this one and even more heart. When the book was ending, I didn't want to accept it. I wanted and still want more.

I also really liked that the chapters were short. It kept the action moving along very nicely. There was a point where I had to backtrack to remember who Connor was (thank goodness for the search feature on my kindle!) and I wanted to know what was going on in Zarastrid's head again like in book one, but that just shows how attached I am to the characters!

I cannot wait for the next book. This was truly a thrill of a ride and I'm worried any book I pick up now will pale in comparison. Haha!

[Vivian (Vivi) McCormack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, i couldn't put this book down. I know this author she attens my church and who would've guessed that she was the V.L. Holt, and I wouldn't thought she would have turned inyo my fav author

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good continuation of the story, but it definitely feels like a second act. I want to read the next one!