The Lost Knight

Lost Knight #1

by Candy Atkins

#2 on GoodReads Middle Grade Novels of 2016

How am I supposed to save the world when I'm not strong, not brave, not smart, and not particularly good at most things? I ran away from home the day after my thirteenth birthday when Auntie and her weird friend attacked me. Now I'm on the run with the Grim Reaper and a scary soldier. And I'm no longer on Earth. They were expecting me to be a Knight. The savior that's supposed to stop a war and prevent the invasion to Earth. But I'm not. They grabbed the wrong girl. I just don’t know how to tell them.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fiction, Science Fiction, Contemporary, Fae

302 pages, Paperback

Published May 20, 2016

About the author

Candy Atkins is a full-time writer who lives with her husband and two kids in Orlando, Florida. She's an avid reader and lover of all things fantasy and sci-fi. Her debut novel, The Lost Knight, is volume one of the six-part Lost Knight Series.

Her life's journey has taken her from dining with the President to being on food stamps to running her own company. And since all author bios end by naming and quantifying pets…she also enjoys spending time with her boxer, Butler, and Wynona the cat.

To learn more about Candy Atkins and her books, follow @CandyAtkins on Twitter,  like her page on Facebook, contribute to her BookTube and share your booklr with her on Tumblr.

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lost Knight by Candy Atkins is a book I requested and the review is voluntary. I found this teen fantasy book a truly fun delight! Pre-teens and teens will love this! Who wouldn't want to read about a down-and-out girl, trapped virtually by foster parents, then suddenly whisked away to a new world! A world where fantasy animals are real! The stitching on your dress moves! Bird paintings on the wall can really fly! Satyrs, unicorns, and other strange creatures are real.( Even half snake people!) You are wanted and even needed in this new world! Who would not want to go there? Of course there are villians here too but it was not worse than living with the foster parents, "Auntie" and "Uncle". A great book teens will enjoy! Our gal is a bit lacking in self confidence but as the books continue, I think this will improve! Lots of adventure, intrigue, suspense, and fun.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What were you like at thirteen? Agatha was a loner, she never knew the warmth of her parents’ arms. She lives with two distant, cold and emotionally abusive guardians. Sher escape was her tiny bedroom and her painting that would take her away from the life she knew as a misfit, even at school. Let’s not forget that stupid birthday tradition her “Aunt” has of making look at a marble and tell her what she sees. Hey, the woman is whacko.

When Agatha awoke in the middle of the night with the Grim Reaper in her room, her world was about to take a sharp turn, actually her world was going to be left behind for the world of Ashra where elves, fairies, minotaurs and more have been waiting for her, because she is the last of the Knights, the only ones with the ability to find and destroy the key that would re-open the portals between Ashra and Earth. And that marble? It’s an Orb that will guide her. Follow Agatha, and her new friends, Jonah (falsely called the Grim Reaper) and Dathid, a fairy prince/warrior as they prepare Agatha to become the person she was meant to be.

Oh. My. Goodness. You want to know how a real teen would react to all of these life-changing moments? Tune in as Agatha tells her story, complete with her mental dialogue that is both charming and laughable at the same time! The Lost Knight by Candy Atkins is a heartbreaking, heartwarming and completely enchanting read about a young girl, alone, lost and starving for the attention and affection she never got, only now, she doesn’t know how to react to it now that she is being showered with it all!

I cannot recommend this tale enough! I have never seen such genuinely real characters come to life so well, all through the eyes of a young teen caught between childhood and young adulthood and ill-prepared for what she is about to undertake. Start to finish, this is well-written fantasy that shouts: READ ME to all ages, and even better? No teen romantic angst on a single page. Candy Atkins, you have a winner here! A true gem!

I received this copy from Candy Atkins in exchange for my honest review.

Series: The Lost Knight Series - Book 1)
Publisher: Monster Publishing, Inc (May 20, 2016)
Publication Date: May 20, 2016
Genre: YA Fantasy
Print Length: 243 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Non-spoiler video review:
https://youtu.be/qAwjkAF61f8

[Davor Vukovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lost Knight is thrilling story, the first in the Lost series. I really enjoyed reading it, can't wait for the next book, to join Agatha Stone in her new adventures in magical land of Ashra.
It is light but intense and filled-with-action read, very suitable for readers of any age.
It introduced me to a whole new kind of magical creatures : a guardian Grim Reaper, an attacking Pegasus Lenox that is not a kind of a flying horse you imagine when you hear word "Pegasus", a singing and talking trees, a man-sized Elven kings, damsels and warriors...
An amazing world pictured by Candy Atkins is something that you mustn't miss.

[Elizabeth Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the time I picked The Lost Knight up, I could not put it down! I love the description Candy gives, you can close your eyes and join her world! Also this book is perfect for YA readers, there isn't a love interest or curses just a GREAT story! I can't wait to see what's next!

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a NetGalley copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the way that the author portrayed 'Mirror Worlds'. There is a magical equivalent of New York's Manhattan, called Manahata. While in Manahata, one could see the shadow of Manhattan. You could see the shape of buildings of New York, but they were insubstantial and you could walk through them.

The author populated her fantasy world with some of the usual fantasy species, such as fairies and elves, but inserted some creatures of her own creation as well as some lesser known mythological figures.

I know everyone has been saying this, but I'll add my voice to the chorus:

There is no romance.

None at all. The main character is 13 and has no love interest.

None of the side characters have any romantic subplot.

It was very refreshing.

The protagonist's relationships with the two other characters is more familial, a brother-sister relationship with one, a father-daughter sort with the other.

I thought that the main character was too quick to switch her moods. One moment, she is thrilled at her surrounding and marveling at the newness of it all, and the very next paragraph she is declaring that she hates it and wishes to return to her normal life.

Maybe these sort of mood swings are normal for 13 year olds; I don't know.

Also, she also could be a bit cowardly at times, though she always pulled through bravely.

However, all of this makes her a type of character that is not common in most middle grade lit. Also, it will allow her a lot of room to improve and grow through the series, and I look forward to seeing that.

I do want to follow up with future installments, because overall I enjoyed the characters and world, and it struck me as different from other middle-grade fantasy stories.

Note:
The only thing that I can think of that a parent may want to be aware of is that there is the mention of a very minor character, a male elf, having a husband.
It was only mentioned in passing, and the character didn't think about it and the fact was not dwelt on.

[Gordon Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a rather special take on a standard, "Teenager Who Finds Out Why She's an Outsider" plotline. Special in that, in spite of the fact that this is Fantasy, the main character is very realistic. I mean, think about it. The kind of character who is usually the hero of this sort of story is a loser, a loner and basically antisocial. Which I Agatha is, in spades. To expect this sort of person to turn around and become a hero overnight is the greatest suspension of disbelief asked of any reader. And Agatha refuses. She is unloved, insecure, and neglected, and she clings to her upbringing through all the wonderful things that happen to her when she is taken to the magical world of Ashra.
Turn her into a hero and a knight? Not likely. She's never heard of anything so ridiculous, and she isn't afraid to tell anyone. In fact, her stubborn refusal to meekly accept all the changes forced upon her is the main evidence we have that she will eventually succeed. This girl may be insecure and out of shape, but she is tough inside.

As for the other characters, well, who is her main magical sidekick? Jonah the Knight Crawler. Where does he sleep? Under her bed, of course. Did I mention a healthy dose of subtle humour that runs through this story?

Anyway, in the process of learning about her heritage and the tasks she is expected to learn, there are a whole lot of people telling her that she doesn't know enough to understand, so they can't really tell her anything yet, and that she's not in any way ready for the task ahead of her, which is probably what most teenagers hear a whole lot too much of. So I imagine the target audience for this story will empathize with her even more than I do. Which is quite a lot. Especially when to top it all off, they give her a pegasus. A carnivorous one. Which scares the heck out of her.
The rest of the novel is taken up with detailed world building and character creation. There is a certain amount of physical action (including a fight with a sea monster) but by far the most important action takes place in Agatha's head, as she gradually comes around to accepting what she will become.
Which she hasn't done by the end of Book 1. This is a serialized novel, and you'll have to move on to Book 2, "The Lost Girl," in order to find out what happens to her next.
Highly recommended for Fantasy readers with a dash of sense.

[Cranky - The Book Curmudgeon · Rating 5 out of 5]

***** 5 Cranky Stars *****

What a feast of a book! I felt physically ill when I turned the page and realised that I had reached the end of the book.



Agatha Stone is 13 and lives with her foster parents, Aunty and Uncle. The day after her 13th birthday she realises that her life as she knew it had come to an abrupt end.



A Grand Wizard tries to intimidate her, Aunty was her prison guard, she meets Jonah, a Knight Krawler who resembles The Grim Reaper from popular literature. He saves her from the Grand Wizard and takes her to an alternate reality called Ashra whose inhabitants include Fairies, elves unicorns Pegusus and many other beings.



Agatha bonds with Jonah as a type of father figure and she is a typical 13 year old who battles to understand that she is considered the savior of 2 worlds. Jonah and The fairy prince Dathid accompany her on a quest of self discovery.



The author possess the ability to take a concept that is difficult to understand and put it into easy to understand and read language. I am EAGERLY awaiting the next installment in the series. This book is suited to a wide range of ages.



I am thrilled to award 5 stars to this marvelous offering

[Preeti · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY TAKE ON T L K:

My hands were hovering for past twenty minutes, over the keyboard… Why? As I wasn’t able to formulate my thoughts into words. After reading the book, there are so many thoughts whirling in my brain, simultaneously, that it is becoming difficult to hold onto one. But as I write, the clarity seeps in. One thought surpasses every other thought-

Reading this book made me feel like a teenager once again; it made me feel so young and alive.

General Overview:

A coming of age story with astounding world building. A story which is simple yet reflects the essence of being a human. A story which takes you to a world of incredible fantasy, filling your mind with awe. With a set of strong and unique characters, this story provides a perspective of striving at those times in life when one feels completely desolated.

I was once told by a dear friend, that for her ‘Courage did not mean the absence of fear but overcoming it’. I couldn’t agree with her more especially after reading this book.

Plot:

A straightforward plot of an orphan girl who is brought to an unknown land to fulfill a responsibility which can save the two worlds. On her thirteenth birthday, Agatha Stone is attacked by creatures whom she believed to be only in myth. She is saved by another mythical creature who brings her to a wondrous land of Ashra. From here onwards, she commences a journey which was left incomplete by her parents.

Characters:

Agatha Stone was a nice creation. A thirteen-year-old girl; an orphan; an average student; a meek girl, without friends, who is mocked by her classmates. Her life is more of an existence than living except only when she is painting. Her traits were clearly defined befitting a teenager. Her confusion of emotions and clashes in her thought processes is so real. The author has done an immaculate work in providing those tiny details of how a mind of a teenager works.

Jonah and Dathid were exactly as the protectors should be – reliable, encouraging and trustworthy. The best part was they allowed Agatha to take the decisions or choosing the options. The way these small things helped Agatha to be worthy of the task bestowed upon her, can be seen clearly with the advancement in the story.

Pros:

Loved the book cover :)

I was very much impressed with the author’s skill of portraying the mindset of a teenager with such clarity. The usual signs of varied emotions shown by teens are so well put. Agatha can be seen showing traces of rebellion, anger, curiosity, confusion. Sometimes she understands things being explained to her and at times she totally zones out of the discussion. She gets ready to face the difficulties and then clings to others for support. This phase of being neither an adult nor a child – just a teenager, is so marvelously put by the author.

The particular part of ‘finding your own self’ was the highlight of this book. It was so simple yet so fascinating. The way each facet of human personality was personified and dealt with, left me speechless.

The world building was unique. The fine details of the beings and the surroundings which the protagonist was dealing with, were exclusive. I absolutely loved the concept of a bouncy ocean. The concept of day and night as well as the color of the sky; palace made of trees; the transformation of bushes into comfy beds- brought a freshness to the whole world-building.

Though the mythical beings had names well known in other fantasy stories, but still they were distinct on their own. Whether it was the Knight-Crawler or the Pegasus; the Fairies or the Elves- all were carved out differently.

Cons:

A very abrupt ending… I was totally shocked when I found that I had reached the last page. The shock maybe because I was so engrossed in the story.

The starting phase gave an inkling of similarity with another famous fantasy book – with an orphan child living with his Uncle and Aunt who hate the child and mistreat him. He is visited by a giant on his birthday as well. His parents died when he was a mere child. Well known in the other world. Agatha also had such circumstances.

CONCLUSION:

Looking for a book which brings a new outlook to the fantasy genre; perfect for reading at any age… Stop right here!!!

[J.D. Estrada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I adore fantasy, I also love reading something fresh and new and in that sense, Candy Atkins has deliver something wonderfully fresh in the Lost Knight. This tale may start off like your typical YA venture with a young protagonist living in unenviable conditions, but what feels familiar is quickly dissolved when Agatha sees something in an orb… what was it? She can’t tell but she knows her aunt and a visitor show great interest in this. And that’s when a specter shows up to take Agatha to safety. The shadow’s name is Jonah and this is one magnificent character with powers and a personality that make him as likable as they come.

It turns out that there are two world coexisting and the only person who can help connect both worlds if she wishes it, is Agatha. What ensues is an adventure where we see full reimaginings of elves, faeries, and countless other creatures.

One of the moments when Atkins truly excels is when she takes her time with a subject and character development. Some people may make a case that Agatha is too stroppy, but being a teenager, I think the angst is appropriate and if it annoys, by all means remember how “cool” you were at thirteen. On the other hand, characters like Jonah, Albína, Dathid, and the lovable Lenox all have wonderful developments and variety. Another is with her locations, I won’t ruin the discovery of them but there are places where she truly takes her time to flesh things out and this is always a good thing. When I lost touch a bit with the story is in instances when it feels like the story was rushed and situations resolved in a paragraph. It’s not something that always happens, but when it does and you compare it to those lush, gorgeous scenes in caves, and the ocean, when she really unleashes that imagination, you can’t help but wish those few parts that were rushed got the same treatment. The ocean scene in particular I think should be mandatory reading for all teens due to the craft as much as the message.

The only other critique I could offer the work is that it ends a bit abruptly and I feel we could have gotten a couple of more chapters even if we didn’t get the whole thing. It felt cut short and true I was left wanting to read more, but instead of hungry it was more like ugh, I wanted more before I wanted more.

Still, this is a wonderful addition to the collection of any lovers of fantastical worlds who are eager to find the Lost Knight.

Happy reading.

[Veilsnekmna · Rating 5 out of 5]

My sister kept talking about how much she loved The Lost Knight series and insisted I read it. I'm glad she did because I really liked it too. Agatha is real. She's not a superhero. She's just an average girl from Queens, who's overwhelmed and scared.
The world building is expertly done. I have a vivid image of Ashra and its creatures but I never once read paragraphs of description. My favorite characters are the trees, followed closely by the pegasus named Lenox.
Some parts of the novel remind me of Lord if the Rings. The author takes her time developing the main characters: Agatha a 13-year-old girl who might be The Lost Knight. Jonah, the Grim Reaper who's like a dad to her. And Dathid, the 6-foot-tall faerie prince.
Even though this book was the set up for the series it’s well paced with tension in ever chapter. I had trouble putting it down. I'm glad I already have Book 2, The Lost Girl because I had to know what happens next.

[Scott Carlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of other people already left really detailed reviews, so I'll just list the reasons why I like it:

-Atypical heroine; I love that Agatha isn't the hero anyone wanted, but she is still the hero they need. She herself doesn't think she is worthy of the "hero" title, and the inner conflict that creates is refreshing.

-Beautiful scenery; The picture the Author paints of the world, from the colors to the natural phenomena of the world, is vivid and captivating. This is probably what I loved most about the book. In the quiet moments when I am reading, I can imagine Ashra and all of its wonder, and to me the ability to "see" the world the story takes place in is important.

-Relate-able characters; Pretty self-explanatory.

Highly recommended read!

[Deborah Harnden · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible journey into an exciting new world. Excellent character depiction, plot lines that encourage you to enter this new arena with the heroine, and plenty of excitement. Teenagers will love this book and want to read the entire series. I loved it and can't wait for the next one to be published.

[Felicia [Felicia's Ink(t)] · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 stars, Review coming soon!!

[Raymond Mathiesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lost Knight

The adventure of turning 13…

What if there was a doorway to another parallel world? What if that world was filled with tree dwelling fairies, castle dwelling elves, pegasus' and unicorns, and other strange creatures? What if magic was true? If you are intrigued by these questions this book is for you.

Agatha lives with faster parents in New York. She doesn't have much of anything and isn't exactly a social success. Nothing much of anything has happened in her quiet life. On her thirteenth birthday, though, things are about to take a very different track. Agatha wakes up and sees a strange creature in her bedroom. Could that really have been The Grimm Reaper that she saw and, if so, why wasn't she afraid of him?

Candy Atkins takes us on an epic adventure reminiscent of the novels of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Agatha and her new friends wander over the land of Ashra in a quest to save it from the evil plans of Stratagor Ziras. Agatha seems to hold the key to defeating the enemy, but she must first decide if she is up to the cause and also learn something of this strange new land. As I say, this story is an epic, stretching over six volumes, so don't expect a complete story in this book: this is only the very beginning.

Typical of many 13 year old girls Agatha is emotional and talkative, and not quite sure of herself. We like her precisely because she is not the hero type: we can relate to her as a person. Despite her shortcomings, Agatha manages to pull through. Despite her fear, she shows courage.

This book is indeed about facing fear. If you have ever moved to a new school or a new neighbourhood you will understand the story well. It can be quite scary to leave the familiar behind and move into the complete unknown. The Lost Knight is also about discovering who you really are and who you will be: your talents and skills, what you will do with your life. At 13 these questions can seem almost fantasy, though they are very real. Teenagers are no longer children, but not quite adults either. The fantasy of what if becomes the reality of adult life.

This is definitely a girl's story, but there is plenty in it that imaginative boys will understand and like. I read mostly boy's books, but every so often I pick up a girl's book to expand my perspective. As you see this is one of them and I can honestly say that I enjoyed The Lost Knight and that it is worth five stars.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I received a review copy of this book via Xpresso Book Tours in return for an honest review. This in no way influences my opinion.

I’ve read some pretty positive reviews about this book – so when I saw that it was up for review on Xpresso, I had to grab a copy and give it a try. This book was definitely used to set up the series in terms of the characters, the settings etc. but I loved it! It was all so real and our MC has already come a long way from who she was at the beginning!

Our MC has always had to deal with a lot of negativity in her life concerning herself and the way she was treated. It was easy to see why she was so disheartened at the beginning of the book and why she always found it difficult throughout the book to believe the new people in her life telling her something different! I actually felt really sorry for her, but at the same time, I’m glad she managed to toughen up a little bit and she began to believe in herself! There was one crucial scene (which I obviously don’t really want to go into for spoiling it!) that I feel was absolutely crucial to her change in heart and change as a character. It was definitely an extra insight into Agatha’s character and I am glad that she managed to resolve some of the feelings that she was having and she got a little stronger from the experience. I definitely think that she is going to change a to more throughout this series and I cannot wait to see what the author does with her!

What I also loved about this book was the parallel worlds. I loved the fact that the creatures in the other world were basically reflections of the creatures that we know and love within story telling in our world – but they were inherently different! The author turned it to make it sound like the human versions of the characters and the stories that got told were twisted over time… therefore the creatures, like elves, faeries etc, are the same, but they’re not the same! I loved learning about them and I really wish they were real because *cough* I currently have a new book boyfriend in the form of Dathid! I wasn’t actually too sure how I felt about Dathid at the beginning of the book and whether or not I liked him because he was a pretty broody prince with some secrets. Broody he still can be and secrets he still has – so I am most definitely looking forward to seeing more of him later on in the series!

The world building was AMAZING! I felt like I could have been there, bouncing on the ocean and what not! I wanted to be there, it all sounds so beautiful! The explanations and the descriptions were rich and I cannot wait to explore more of this world as our characters continue on their journey!

I will admit that, whilst I know that this book was used mostly to set up the series, I felt like it was a little bit too slow. There could have been moments with more action etc. just to give that little bit more of an edge, because most of the book consists of our characters travelling and our MC figuring stuff out! I wanted a little bit more oomph, which I expect I will be getting later on in the series!

All in all, I really enjoyed this book despite its sometimes slow bits. I cannot wait to see where our characters go from here! I gave this book 4/5 stars!

Have you read this book? Did you enjoy it? Feel free to drop me comments!

[Eugene Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Lost Knight. I’m glad I stopped where I did before going on. I paused around page ninety because how busy I wsd, and it was at a good spot right before Agatha went to the other world. After I went back reading the book I flew through the rest of it. There is always one aspect I enjoy when I read any book not just fantasy, I get a glimpse of someone's imagination. Not necessarily how they perceive the world but the world they create and can enjoy. I love the world Candy created. There is always something new, it lets the young audience enjoy the world with her, which in turn maybe help the reader open their own world of imagination and create something of their own.
I'm going to give my copy to my niece's for them to enjoy.
I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I also like some of the ask the author questions that were added at the end of the book.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I'm not scared. And because I'm not scared, I'm worried. I'm not a brave person. This monster should be terrifying me out of my mind, but instead, I'm overcome with relief."



Agatha is a 13-year-old who comes from a very unloving home where she lives with her Aunt and Uncle. This all changes when Jonah shows up in her life and things start to go crazy. Not only does she find out who she is, but she also finds out that she is far more important than she ever thought she would be.

"Finding out about one's heritage should be finding out your great uncle was a drinker or fought in a war. Not that there are two worlds and monsters are real."

Jonah while slightly terrifying to picture at times, is also the new fatherly figure in Agatha's life as he helps her navigate through a whole new world she never even knew existed.
A world that at times was rather difficult to understand because of how amazing the creatures seem to be and how exactly all of the new worlds work in contrast to the "real world" that she's always known. (I feel like we will get a better understanding as the series goes on.)

Then we have Dathid who is probably my favorite fairy that I've read about so far. Not only is he protective of Agatha in a brotherly way he is also one that seems to have a lot of secrets and I can't wait to get to know him more as the series goes on.

"Good, we contain a little Hope and a tiny bit of Trust, some Curiosity and a lot of Doubt and Fear."

While we have a whole other slew of characters that are very important to the story as well, I can't talk about them because I feel like it will take away from the experience. I will say this though, while this book is fantasy it's full of a 13-year-old girl who is very realistic and it was so refreshing to see a main character who doesn't have a lot of skills and is scared of things, yet tries to put on a brave face to do what she has to.

The ending of this book left me wanting to know what happens next and I can't wait to read the next one.

Thank you to the author for contacting me and sending me an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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[Jumman Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I was given an ARC of this novel in return for an honest review.

I read The Lost Knight and immediately read The Lost Girl. I wish The Lost World was out already because these books are meant to be devoured.

Agatha Stone is a 13-year-old girl with a rough past who must leave the planet and save the world. She has no special skills nor does she get any.

Her only skill is reading a map that will lead to the key that will open the portals between Earth and Ashra.

Her abusive past makes her full of self-doubt and in one of my favorite scenes we see that she has no self-worth and little confidence. But she's a Knight so she has a lot of courage and fight. Unfortunately, she fights with the people who are trying to help her.

Agatha is realistically written and so are her two mentors/protectors. There's the Grim Reaper character, Jonah, who is creepy and kind and the Faerie Prince Dathid, a brooding soldier and a bit of a mystery. He is much older than her and not a love interest.Her pet pegasus Lenox is unique and comical.

I was surprised by Agatha's sense of humor. Her inner-dialog is full of angst and doubt but she's also very funny. Sometimes intentionally so and other times it’s just the circumstances she gets herself into. The Grim Reaper also has some comical lines.

The realistic nature of the characters transfers to the world building seamlessly. The author never asks the reader to suspend belief. The mix of myths and fairytales with new worlds and creatures is so well done it could be real. Ashra and all of its inhabitants are fully believable.

[☘Tara Sheehan☘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can walk on the ocean, interact with Pegasus, Unicorns, Faeries, and Elves, or have Disney like adventures. Candy Atkins provides everything in this book except thankfully another yet overused romance plot. It’s about time a YA author managed to write a beautifully enchanting adventure without requiring her female character to meet, fall in love and need a man.

Even though this is a fantasy, Atkins manages to write so realistically you almost believe this world and these people she has created can exist. In here we get a female character females can actually be glad to spend their time with instead of an embarrassing stereotype.

Her character development manages to bring to life some genuine characters you want to root for particularly as her main character tries to get a handle on her life while going through that oh so fun time when you’re no longer a kid but not quite an adult. Atkins managed to capture teen angst at its best.

She takes you on an incredible journey through descriptive settings and attention holding plot lines into a brand new world that teenagers and adults can love. The only thing better is that this is the first in a new series so the greatness will continue.

Thank you to Netgalley and Monster Publishing for allowing me to review this book.

*synopsis and pic from amazon.com

[Carol Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a young adult fantasy that is full of humor. The main character is a 13 year old girl and the author nails it! The character’s thoughts and actions are just what you would expect from a 13 year old girl. Agatha lost her parents at a young age. She was raised by what she thought was an aunt and uncle. She wondered why they never showed her any love. Then shortly after her 13th birthday she was abducted by a Knight Crawler that looked like the Grim Reaper. Then the adventure begins. This is a great, clean read. I highly recommend it. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

[Book Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lost Knight is a trendsetter in YA Fantasy/Fiction. The hero Agatha is not typical at all. She is chosen to save both Earth and Ashra but does not believe she is up to the task. She often only goes along with her friends Jonah and Dathid on the journey through because her life on Earth was so cruddy.

The world building is amazing and the main characters actually have a genuine human relationship that does not involve any romance or sexual tension. A real bonus in a YA novel!

A page turning read that left me wanting for more. Kudos to Candy Atkins for a brilliant read

[Karen Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book that is filled with creativity and imagination. I absolutely loved it! The main character, Agatha, is a 13 year old that finds she is the long awaited ‘Knight’. She is introduced to a new world, where she is expected to find the ‘key’ and destroy it before it can be used by those wanting to do harm. She must learn not only about the peoples, places and customs in this new world, but also herself. I won this book on Goodreads.

[Epiphany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a well written book with a 13 year old heroine that is on a mystical and magical adventure. She meets many magical creatures and visits places that fairy tales could have come from. I recommend this book for all ages, it just might bring back your vivid imagination from you youth. I voluntarily reviewed this book.

[Jo Penn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been wanting to read this book, The Lost Knight, and a few others but had not as yet had the opportunity. I'm glad I took the time as wow, what a vivid story! The characters were intriguing, there was angst and wonder, adventure and heart. I very much enjoyed this!

[Megan Miller]

Fantastic the heroine made me laugh out loud through the entire book. The plot was a fantasy yet believable. The characters were all well developed and made you feel what they were feeling/thinking. I would definitely recommend this book to other fantasy fans.

[Savannah Jackowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book and am so excited for the rest of the series to come out , for my full review check out the video at https://youtu.be/vks6k0W_lco

[Yana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free ebook review copy of this book but was under no obligation to post a positive review
The Lost Knight is the first book in a 6 books series that follows 13-year-old Agatha Stone.
When we meet Agatha she lives with her foster parents in a very crowded and small New York apartment. Agatha likes to paint- her only joy and outlet in a very sheltered and neglected life. She also likes to listen to the beautiful songs and melodies she hears around her, which it seems only she is able to hear.
One night Agatha is woken up to find a hooded figure, very similar to the Grim Reaper, standing in her bedroom. At first, Agatha is desperate to believe it was all part of her dreams and imagination, but from that moment on, a series of strange events start to unfold. First, her foster mother starts to show great concern and affection towards her, then she is sure she hears the trees talk about her and to her on her way to school and in class. Lastly, when she comes home the very crowded apartment she left that morning is transformed into a very neat and tidy one, and in it, she finds a strange man she never saw before that doesn't want to let her go.
When Agatha is rescued by the very same Grim Reaper that started all of this, she discovered that she was kidnapped as a baby from her parents that were protectors of a secret second world called Ashra. Ashra is the home of mythical creatures such as faeries, pegasi, unicorns and what makes it even more unique- it doesn't have time.
Apparently, Agatha is a legend in Ashra that is supposed to save them all from the very same person who kidnapped her all those years ago. She is the Lost Knight, the only one who can find a key that can open and close the portals between Earth and Ashra and by destroying that key she will also save Ashra from being ruined.
As the first book to a series, it was a good one. There is a lot of potential storylines that can be developed in the following books. The world building was very detailed and beautiful and still left many things to be learned as we go on. Ashra was painted as a marvelous world with lots of secrets and magic- a place I would have loved to visit if only it were real.
There was one thing that bothered me a lot while reading the story. For most of the book, Agatha never knew where she was being led to or why she went there. We discovered the final goal of her journey pretty quickly- finding and destroying the key- but the steps and pitstops to get there were never really explained or revealed until she got to one. This made most of the book, that described the journeys to those places, a bit frustrating to me since I couldn't understand why these journeys were necessary- the main question that floated through my mind was- what is the point to all of this?
Also, the complete trust that Agatha showed towards her companions from the start was kind of strange for me. She always followed their lead and went where she was told without questioning it aloud. There were a few times she tried to gain answers and information but was almost always answered with questions and not answers, and even though she wasn't satisfied with it, she never insisted and pressed the matter further. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I was bothered by the way she was treated by the people who called themselves her friends. While most of the time they showed they cared for her, the times when they treated her like an object and not a person stood out and I couldn't ignore it.
Because of these issues, I can't rate the book higher than 3 stars. But I might still continue on reading the series in order to find out more about Agatha, her friends and their journey to save Ashra.
After all, The Lost Knight is a promising start to a magical and wonderful story set in a place I wish existed in real life.

I would like to thank Kathy from ebooksforreview for providing me with a copy of the book to review.

[Helen Drake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful read. I have always loved fairy tales and tales from special worlds such as The Lord of the Rings. I received a free copy of it as a book available to be reviewed. I am voluntarily reviewing it. It’s not a book I would have discovered on my own, which would have been my loss.

This is a story of a lonely 13 year old from Queens named Agatha who has never known her parents, who lives in a messy tenement with two people she thinks are her aunt and uncle and never knows when she is going to eat. She has no friends and is an outcast at school. Her only pleasure is the painting she is doing on the walls of her room, with no actual paints.

Shortly after her 13th birthday she is frightened by the demands a man who she is unaware is a wizard and runs away from home. She is rescued by a knight, Jonah, who had entered her bedroom the night before and had been chased away by her aunt. He takes her briefly to a place of refuge in the subway system.

She is then taken to the land of Ashra which is a land through a portal between earth where she first meets Fairies. She also learns that she is the person many people of Ashra have been seeking. She is the keeper of an orb she took from her aunt who is supposed to contain the map to the Key which will allow the portals between earth and Ashra to be closed for good.

With Jonah and Dathid, a prince of the fairies, and a pegasus, Lenox, she was given as a gift from the king of the fairies, she sets out on a journey to determine if she can do what they all want her to do. She has been warned that it will be a dangerous quest that could kill her and did kill her mother. On this journey she is forced to spend some time by herself to try to come to terms with who she is. She literally has to face Fear, Confidence, Reason, Doubt, Hope, Trust and other parts of herself.

The journey takes her to the land of the elves where she will be trained as a Knight and that she is the last knight from earth and the lost knight, thus the title. She also learns that she is wealthy and has property. She meets several of her trainers which are very different from anything she has experienced from Queens. She feels lost in this new land of the elves. To make things worse, Jonah and the Dathid, her main supporters in this realm, have to leave her for her training. Then the story ends.

This book is part of a larger story that I can’t wait to read. I was just a bit surprised at how abruptly this story ended. Agatha reminds me of how Alice must have felt when she first came to Wonderful.

I enjoyed getting to know Agatha, Jonah, the fairy prince and her pegasus, Lenox. I’m sure I will get to know more about the other characters in the next part of the series.

[iamnotabookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this from ebooksforreview.com but I first knew of this book through one of many cover reveals I joined in. I am thankful that this got featured by Kathy of ebooksforreview.com. Now, I have the chance to read the book.

I love stories about knights. I have always been fascinated by the King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, the Three Musketeers and the Knights of the Templars. Everything about knights always caught my fancy. So, it's no wonder why I wanted to read this book.

Unlike any other stories about knights, this one will surely shock you. I was, when I realized that unlike any knights I knew, this one happens to be a girl. Yes, a teenage girl. What in the world? You may ask. How could a girl be a knight? Well, this one is and she is the last one of her kind. Agatha Stone is the last knight.

Agatha is a foster child and bullied in school. Then, one night, a stranger came into her room telling her she is being rescued. Why does she needs rescuing? Is she a prisoner then? How can that be? All these questions were racing through Agatha's head but time is of the essence. Either she trusts and go with this stranger or get trapped in this room for the rest of her life. Does she have a choice? She went with the stranger who looked liked Grim Reaper yet being with him makes her safe and comfortable.

This is a coming of age story for an orphan whose existence has been so limited and inconsequential to other people. She doesn't matter to anyone except to an alternate world awaiting her return. A world where she is the only hope to save it. All of a sudden, Agatha turns from a nobody to a hero that everyone has been waiting. Will she be able to step up to the challenges and expectations? So little time and too much to learn.

I give this book 4/5 pegasus. I really enjoyed this story. It is a very enticing start to a very interesting and captivating adventure. The heart-stopping and cliffhanger ending is just so unexpected. I thought, Agatha's life would be safer now that she is where she's supposed to be but that is not true. Dangers are everywhere. Her presence and existence threatens someone. All I have are more questions. They make me want to go and grab the next book so I could continue my adventures with Agatha.


Dyslexia is like having legs that can run a thousand miles, but not learning how to walk until you're thirty. It's a superpower. A very hard-to-control superpower.
- Candy Atkins, The Lost Knight -


Thank you, Kathy of ebooksforreview.com, for the copy. Sorry for the delayed posting of the review.