Finding Destiny

by Katrina Hart

When eighteen year old Alex’s little sister’s pony goes missing, he sets out to look for her and finds himself in a strange gypsy camp in the middle of a forest. The pony is being cared for by a young girl called Faith. When Alex accepts a drink from Faith’s grandmother, he wakes up later to find himself transported into 2038 to a technologically-advanced, very colourful world inhabited by humans and robots. Alex soon discovers that he is now twenty, married and has a magical little baby girl. A magic he only seems to notice. He soon finds out that he will have to defend his little girl from the half-breeds with everything he has. He travels back through the magic pages of books to try and save her before it is too late and she is lost from him forever.

Genres: Time Travel, Fantasy

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 26, 2015

About the author

About Me.

My name is Katrina but I was always called Katie. I live in the East of England with my family and Holly, Smokey my two cats as well as Jessie our dog, they are a nutty bunch but I love them all the same.

I have always had a passion for reading. I could easily spend a whole lifetime engrossed in a good book. In my twenties I joined an online writing class, where I fell in love with writing my own stories. Since I started writing I have discovered a new love for quotes, a quote that really inspired was from Toni Morrison. Toni said “If there’s a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet,then you must write it.” I came across this quote whilst I was studying, this is one of the many things that inspired me to begin my first novel.

Reviews

[Matt Abraham · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Finding Destiny we follow our protagonist Alex on a quest into the not so distant future where we encounter a cacophony of characters as rich and varied as any other work of fiction. Some are helpful, others sinister, but despite their personalities they will all play a pivotal role in the ensuing adventure.

Now, there are numerous qualities in this story that are worth mentioning however the most impressive in my opinion is the various genres and concepts Ms. Hart brings together. There’s time travel, soft science fiction, and fantasy, and while these almost always clash in the same tale somehow they’re blended seamlessly within Finding Destiny. This is no small task. To jump from time travel to robots to half-breed owls to witchly powers and back takes a lot of talent, something that is evident on every page.

I was also particularly impressed with the pacing of the story. Alex moves through the plot at a brisk pace, despite the many characters and settings we encounter, and at no point does the book feel slow. Fantasy, and often sci-fi, often fall into this trap. I think it has something to do with the challenges of world building, however there’s none of this quagmire here.

And finally I really enjoyed the general whimsy of the book. While there are a lot of tense moments I never felt the lack of ‘this is still an adventure,’ even at the low points. Proof positive are the names of the characters and places like: Fumble the robot, Missy Talk a lot the living doll, Snapper’s Garden, Blessed House, Quill City, and Madam Moonfighter. Each one a triumph within themselves, but really are nothing compared to the chapter titles which should win this book an award on their own.

So I definitely recommend this story to younger and older readers alike who are looking for a unique reading experience. You will not be disappointed.

[Dermot Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no idea what it would to do the mind to wake up twenty years into the future but that's exactly what happens to 18 year old Alex. Once over the shock (and the initial thought that it was all a dream), I imagine the mind would have some catching up to do, not just with learning the new technology (which would be mind boggling) but also the way that people in the future think and communicate. Not only does Alex have all this to cope with but he also discovers that he is married - and has a child, an adorable baby girl that has special qualities. I'm glad that the author didn't spend too much time describing the future world but let us discover it at the same time that Alex does. And what a future world it is! I might be able to get used to the robots and eating food in capsules but definitely not those scary half-bred owls which are a serious threat to my baby girl. Wildly imaginative with prose that reads like poetry, it's a book to get lost in.

[Sara Claridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Destiny is a fantasy that transports the reader (and the hero) to 2038 where food is in capsules, books bring a new meaning to the word interactive and you’ll never look at owls the same way again.

The book is written through the eyes of Alex. Waking up finding himself older, married and a father, might have thrown a lesser man, but Alex takes it all in his stride.

A story about love, a quest to rescue a daughter and an adventure through a strange world, Finding Destiny is a thoroughly enjoyable story full of twists and turns.

[Lune Spark · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if you go to sleep as an eighteen year old and wake up as someone much older who is married and a father! And not in quite the Kafkaesque manner!

Finding Destiny is where time travel meets fantasy, the hope meets the unexpected, the discovery meets the reality, and The Metamorphosis meets Alice in Wonderland! It is the story of the modern Alice, Alex, and his journey through a modern wonderland! Each of the characters that Alex comes across is a trip in itself!

This book is very highly recommended for anyone who is looking for an intelligent and subtle fusion of time travel, fantasy, mystery, and science fiction genres. The author deserves a hi-five for such beautiful creation that hooks the readers immediately and engages them till the end!

[Veronica Purcell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Did not see that coming. Sorry for the lame review but I'm still savoring this story's splendor. Highly, imaginative, well crafted story.

I love the names: Quill City, Barb's Drinking Hole..

There are also some memorable lines. I enjoyed the character Sadie :)

Hope it's not an offense to say I felt this story was in the same quality as one of Phillip Pullman's. It certainly grabbed my mind in the same fashion.

[E.R. Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought Finding Destiny was astonishing. The energy of the author sears through the pages, and the sheer input of imagination is almost bewildering. I rather liked the hero because he's very young, and very human. There's really nothing super-heroic about Alex, and yet his niceness and ability to survive through harrowing ordeals shines through. I won't add any spoilers, particularly with reference to owls, but I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

[Dorothy Garino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I was anticipating a run of the mill fantasy story, but this went places I never expected. Some characters were launched far into the future for instance, nothing like I’ve ever read. I really enjoyed the different experiences of these characters and the imaginative magic in this world.

[Valicity Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Destiny takes a very simple story and turns it into a mess of wonder. That’s a compliment! Before anyone starts shaking their heads.

The story starts off with a young boy in search of his little sister’s pony, how adorable right? In the midst of his search he finds a heck of a lot more than he bargained for. He’s actually transported to the future where the world is inhabited by humans and—get this—robots!

I’m not usually a fan of time travel, actually I marked it as off limits on my review guidelines, but I made an exception for this one. Why? Because it was awesome.
I could leave my review at that, I could end it here because that’s all that really needs to be said but Finding Destiny isn’t the kind of book to be described in one measly paragraph. It’s not a piece that a simple few sentences can explain and portray the true essence of awesome that is Finding Destiny.

Let me take you on a journey of awesome.

So we have half-breed owls, which is a crazy awesome concept on its own—I mean that in a good way!—and we have the lovely protagonist, Alex, doing everything his gentle heart can do to keep a little girl safe. That’s one of the things I loved most about this book. The characters were so easy to love, so easy to root for. I found myself yelling at my iPhone like an idiot when the emotion got intense—which it absolutely did.
I love being emotionally attached to a book. Hart has a way of sucking you into not just her book but her actual imagination when she writes. With her vivid descriptions and clever use of detail, I think I saw in my head the exact image Hart wanted to portray in this book. She truly has the hands of a writer.

Alex is someone I couldn’t help but love. His voice is very real. I really can’t imagine how I’d handle being shot into the future, but Hart makes everything about her fantasy novel seem very realistic. I didn’t have a hard time believing every word or thought that was portrayed through the protagonist. I liked that the story was told from his point of view, rather than 3rd person. It made this surprisingly emotional book that much easier to dive into.

Hart does a good job at setting the pace for Finding Destiny. Fantasy can get very long, very quickly. There’s world building, character development, plot unfolding, but Hart encompasses all of it very easily and very smoothly. The chapters were short but to the point, the characters were perfectly balanced and I was guided through the story with speed but I still grabbed every detail and understood every twist and turn. While I was reading, I kept thinking, this could be real, if only time travel were possible! That’s how wonderfully written this book was.
Speaking of well-written, I didn’t find any grammatical errors—not that the intriguing plot allowed me to pay attention to anything like that. It was easy to see the love and the thought put into this piece, when something like passion is relayed to the reader through the words on the page—that’s a sign of not just a good story but a great author.

There’s one particular detail about Finding Destiny that’s eating me up. The food! In the future we will be eating pills instead of actual food. Hart incorporated things like ‘meat capsules’ which I thought were hilariously creative. Almost more creative than the owl concept! It was really funny to see things like ‘squawk’ instead of ‘said’. I had to adjust to it because, well, there were owls in the story. But it was definitely a good way to exercise my imagination.

Aside from the owls and the food capsules, Hart has also thought of something I never imagined. She somehow transformed people’s lives and worlds into stories. I can’t go too much into detail without spoiling it for many people but one of the more emotional parts of the book involved this concept. Here’s one of my favorite lines;

“I heard the screams of the characters as their world began to die, taking their families and friends down with every burnt page. The fire simmered out.”

I distinctly remember grabbing at my heart when I read that line. It was one of the more emotional scenes. Death plays a part in this book, while its not blood and gore, rip your guts out, type of death. It’s there and it’s moving. Hart does each scene justice by putting in enough details to drive the emotion without overwhelming the reader. I appreciated that, as someone who hates crying over lost characters!

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, time travel, or loving friendships and emotion. It’s a must read for the young and old. You can expect to have your mind blown from beginning to end.

[Iffix Santaph · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was recently gifted a copy of Finding Destiny by its author. I really hoped I could give a very positive review, as the blurb hints at a wonderful story. However, it is my responsibility to be frank in my review efforts. I wish to apologize for any ill feelings this may inspire.

(Disclaimer: As an independent author, I have trained myself to have a highly tuned internal editor. And to be honest, at times I wish I could turn the blasted thing off, in order to enjoy a story like this more fully. That said, many of the issues I may have had with this story may not be concerns for others.)

First, I wish the descriptions had been a little more fleshed out. Before I had any real idea who the protagonist was, a horse disappeared, and was found by a gypsy woman who hoped to keep it. Though we are told very little of the woman besides that she is elderly, suddenly the protagonist, who was in a fighting mood on meeting her, trusted the woman he didn't know enough to down a peculiar drink that made him pass out. (I hope I understood that right.)

I really hoped for a smarter protagonist. Let's speak briefly about him. Hart opted to write with a first-person male voice, though I'm not certain that was a good idea. (As one who has written plenty of characters of the opposite gender, I believe firmly that taking on a first person voice of the opposite gender would be one of the most difficult undertakings a writer could aspire toward. I, therefore, applaud her boldness if not her execution.)

This story certainly has as a corner-stone plenty of wonderful imagination. Some of the characters are well written, though I wish the pacing had been a little slower. (Some have argued that her fast pacing is what drew them into the book, so I will, I suppose, discount this.)

The story does blend concepts of different genres well, being parts sci-fi, time-travel, and fantasy, though I believe fleshing out these concepts a little more might have aided the story's suspension of disbelief.

While the characters wind up in 2038, it would have been nice to have a clearer point of reference to start from. I was under the impression that the introduction was probably from the early 1900's given the commonality of horses, in which case I am not so certain the protagonist would have so easily identified robotic computers.

I feel this book has plenty of its own merits going for it. While I cannot highly recommend it at this time, I respect its vision, and it is my hope that Katrina Hart will continue to grow as a writer as much as she is presently a visionary. At that time, no doubt, I will be ever more eager to delve into her creative mind.

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Katrina Hart for allowing me to experience her writing craft in exchange for an honest review.

[Chantelle Atkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enchanting and endearing fairytale, which takes the reader on a breathless and colourful journey. Alex goes searching for his sister's pony and finds himself transported to the future via a gypsy camp. In the future he has a wife and baby girl, people eat capsules rather than food, robots serve them and enemies come in the form of owls. This story is a page turner, with each chapter tumbling at full pelt into the next. I had to stop to catch my breath every now and again! The story is complex, and becomes increasingly so, as further characters are added throughout Alex's journey. I liked the character of Alex, and his narration was witty and enjoyable. I felt immersed in this adventure and found the author's writing to be incredibly engaging. A vibrant tale of fairies, robots, half-breeds, time travel and magic. Great fun.

[Mr. Bohemian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nurse911: I had made my first interaction with the patient in our waiting room. There I had spotted the cutest little owl perched on top of the receptionist's desk, glaring at me with darkened, red eyes. Against the Doctor's "NO PETS" policy, I guided the little critter into the office for a clinical diagnosis. Finding Destiny is a story about Alex, a boy-turned-man who was launched involuntarily into a future of fantasy and technological advancement. He is tasked with defending his new daughter, wife, and home of Quill City from a horde of enchanted owls and "half breeds" who wish to overthrow all of humanity. His daughter is the key, but Alex must utilize a series of magic books to understand exactly HOW he can defeat the beasts' leader: Dragonstar. The patient does have some detours that were not fruitful for the plot. Then there were moments of thick confusion. I had to go back and reread some sentences just to make sure I understood what was happening in this "Wonderland". It was a pleasant piece that deserved a mark for a clean bill of health.

[Kshitij · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all like adventure and dream to be in places, where everything is magical and where you can meet interesting people with extraordinary powers. Finding destiny is more than a book, it’s an adventure of life that we all long to have but can’t. Though our protagonist, Alex is lucky in that regard as he finds himself being transported to year 2038. And the next thing he knows that he has a wife and a darling little daughter to take care of. As a reader, you’re as much in the world of Alex as he himself is, seeing the pages of the book coming to reality and taking you in wonderland,with each story has something new to offer and deserves a place in this special book.
The world inside these pages is vivid and immersing. Not only it has super advance computer robots but also it is full of typical fantasy players: owls, witches, fairies, talking dolls. The author has created her characters with great care; each has his/her equally interesting back story and unique talking style and motivation to be a part of Alex’s quest as he goes on the journey to save his wife and daughter from the claws of evil half-breeds. Alex, being new to this world, discovers the story with the readers, and is always present in the background learning about his friends in a new world and relating to them. Whereas the plot takes place in the progressive future, it’s cocktailed with fantasy, a blend that works perfectly, giving Finding Destiny an edge over hundreds of other book in the same genre. This is discovery writing at its best.
Although pack into layers of author’s brilliant imagination, the story has a very simple message told in style- good always triumphs over evil. There is something for readers of every taste. The story of Alex and Faith is quite romantic, as we initially wonder if anything would develop between the two as they were accidental husband and wife. I’ve to say that Finding Destiny is one grand magic book; it tries to do so many things at one time, and delivers each of them in perfection. This is one of those books that would stay with you for long time; remind me of the stories I used to read in childhood before going to sleep and then dream about actually being in them.
I’d gladly recommend this book to readers of all ages, but particularly to those who like to indulge in classic tale of hero, heroine and villain.

[Barry West · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Finding Destiny we follow our protagonist Alex on a quest into the not so distant future where we encounter a cacophony of characters as rich and varied as any other work of fiction. Some are helpful, others sinister, but despite their personalities they will all play a pivotal role in the ensuing adventure.

Now, there are numerous qualities in this story that are worth mentioning however the most impressive in my opinion is the various genres and concepts Ms. Hart brings together. There’s time travel, soft science fiction, and fantasy, and while these almost always clash in the same tale somehow they’re blended seamlessly within Finding Destiny. This is no small task. To jump from time travel to robots to half-breed owls to witchly powers and back takes a lot of talent, something that is evident on every page.

I was also particularly impressed with the pacing of the story. Alex moves through the plot at a brisk pace, despite the many characters and settings we encounter, and at no point does the book feel slow. Fantasy, and often sci-fi, often fall into this trap. I think it has something to do with the challenges of world building, however there’s none of this quagmire here.

And finally I really enjoyed the general whimsy of the book. While there are a lot of tense moments I never felt the lack of ‘this is still an adventure,’ even at the low points. Proof positive are the names of the characters and places like: Fumble the robot, Missy Talk a lot the living doll, Snapper’s Garden, Blessed House, Quill City, and Madam Moonfighter. Each one a triumph within themselves, but really are nothing compared to the chapter titles which should win this book an award on their own.

So I definitely recommend this story to younger and older readers alike who are looking for a unique reading experience. You will not be disappointed.

[Danielle Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is also posted on my blog: http://danielletaraevans.blogspot.com...

My rating for this book is 4.5 stars, but I'm rounding it up to 5 because I love the cover so much! The cover and all the great reviews were what led me to read this, despite it being outside the genre I normally read. I don't read a lot of fantasy, but once I let myself get lost in the world that Katrina Hart created, I found it to be quite an adventure!

A young man named Alex travels to the future after taking a drink from a gypsy. In this futuristic and magical world, he is now married with a baby girl. That's quite an adjustment! But it becomes even more complicated because his daughter is no ordinary baby. And there is nothing ordinary about this world either.

This book moves along very fast, and it will keep you on your toes! Dragonstar, the main villain, who is part human, part owl, is nothing short of evil. There are quite a few unique characters in this book. I particularly liked Fumble, one of the robots, who had a very sad backstory.

Despite Alex getting thrown into a terrible situation where he has to try to save his daughter and the entire town, he really steps up to the plate. He's simply a good guy, who is easy to root for. There is even a nice love story, which I was happy about.

This is a very imaginative world where you can literally travel through reading books and where magic is a part of everyday life. It was enjoyable to go on this journey with Alex as he learned more about his own past while he tried to figure out how to defeat Dragonstar. There were also quite a few twists and turns, especially towards the end!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading stories where anything is possible.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magical adventure that will leave you wanting more!

“I stared at the life-like book and turned it over to see the bumpy inscription that my thumb traced. ‘When the protector of the magic child is chosen the white spotted owl’s feather will appear.’ I blinked at the words I was reading. Could this story be about Destiny? No! I reassured myself, stories are just not real.” Page 9 of Finding Destiny

The world and characters Katrina Hart creates within these pages are so vividly described as to make readers think they might be real after all. And you’ll love them so much you’ll want them to be. Hart takes her readers on a magical adventure as they follow Alex into the year 2038 where food comes in capsules, robots help humans with everything from changing clothes to saving lives, and baby girls must be saved from evil half breed owls. A beautifully told story that resonates well beyond the genre of fantasy and will leave you wanting more.

[Anne Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

When 18 year old Alex chases his sister's pony into a forest encampment, he meets an old gypsy woman who gives him a potion to drink - and he wakes up in the year 2038 with a wife and baby daughter. The world he finds himself in is part human, part owl and is filled with story-book magic. Alex must utilise this time-travelling magic to save the souls of his new family - and, indeed, the whole human world.

Katrina Hart has created an engaging and imaginative world that will appeal both to established fantasy fans and those new, like me, to the genre. I was hooked by both the characters and the quirky situations Alex finds himself in. Finding Destiny is a novel for young adults and adults alike - it will tease your imagination and stay with you. Watch out for the forthcoming (sort-of) 'sequel' The Lost Town of Man's Crossing - I've been lucky enough to see it pre-publication!

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author's writing takes on a whole new meaning... the ability to transform fantasy into a feel of realization is pretty amazing. The way the story was wrote was even better. These really is not my norm when it comes to reading but yet I enjoyed reading this book! Enjoyed the works that placed into making this a book.

*Received for an honest review*

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was pretty good considering the number of books I have picked up and put down recently. It is refreshing to come in contact with an author that knows how to piece together a decent story. I'd say it's strength was in imagination. There was definitely a sense of wonder about it.

[Romancing the Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Robin
Book provided by the author

I just want to say that this book is way out of the norm for me. I am not much of a Sci-Fi/Time Traveler reader. I was however in intrigued with the whole gypsy/magical aspect though. Having said that; I did like the overall concept for the story but... Yes, there is a but, for me it was a little over the top. My interest or rather curiosity was piqued with the whys of chasing a pony.

I have to admit that the character Alex in particular was likable as he jumped from the pages of the magical book to save first the pony then his daughter who was a magical human. I had a hard time with grasping some of the characters they just didn’t quite have it for me and fell a little flat. There was a robot that I related to which is odd but I think it was because he was real at one time. He was transformed into a robot and had always worried about whether his mom missed him and what had happened to him.

Alex on the other hand found as he goes into the future that he has an instant wife and child who is magical. Not having remembered any of this happening. Strange… well maybe. But it soon worked. He found out he was to save his daughter by going back and forth in the pages of a magical book. He could also rewrite the pages and save others along the way. I need one of those.

The jumping from pages along with the back and forth of scenes had me a little loopy at times. The story line was a bit dizzying at times also but overall it was a sound story once I put it all together. I tended to overthink with this story for some reason.

Ms. Hart combined a lot of different aspects in her story. While they didn’t seem to blend at first she did seem to make it work. I was able to figure out the place for each human, robot, owl and half-breed. I even was able to grasp the significance of the pony.

I have to admit I was rather surprised and found that this wasn’t that bad of a story. I think that most would be surprised by it and find that they might enjoy it also.  Settle in for a very entertaining read.