I was given this book by the author in exchange for a fair review. No other gifts such as chocolate, money, or the promise to put my children through school were exchanged.
I'll start off by saying that this novel was a pretty wild ride. Ms. Halma tosses in everything but the kitchen sink, with griffins and dragons, wizards, minotaurs; you name it, it's in there. The main character, Xander (Alexander), is a teenager from Idaho, and he wonders where his life will go along with dealing with the minutia of school life, bullies, meeting girls, and so on.
Xander also has special gifts. He thinks he's either blessed or cursed, and has to find out what his role in life is. If that sounds like a trope, it is! But the author has a deft touch, and in the hands of a lesser writer, it would have come off as forced. Not here. You see, Xander can read souls. He can see the secret thoughts of those around him, and sometimes from a great distance.
I won't go through the plot of this novel--I'll leave that for the readers to discover for themselves. Ms. Halma has an offbeat sense of humor, almost wicked at times, and her characters are well rounded.
Now, there are a few formatting issues along with a few mistakes in punctuation and whatnot, but in no way did that diminish my enjoyment of the novel. It was good enough for me to round it up to five stars. I have heard there is a sequel, and this first installment lays the groundwork for more epic happenings in the universe that the author has constructed.
Recommended.