The Prophecy

Saga of the Chosen #1

by Petra Landon

Chosen have walked the earth for time immemorial – they have survived by scrupulously hiding their magic to blend in. Tasia Armstrong is a very special Chosen. Forced by circumstances to conceal her powers from her brethren, she makes a fateful decision one night to assist an injured Shape-shifter. Suddenly, Tasia finds herself forced out of the shadows, an unwitting pawn in the ongoing skirmish between rogue Shifters encroaching on Pack turf and the local Shape-shifter Pack led by a formidable and dangerous Alpha Protector. Thrown into the deep end, Tasia must learn to cohabit with the volatile and aggressive Shifters while grappling to deal with the enigmatic Alpha who holds his fractious Pack together with a ruthless hand on the reins.

Grave danger threatens their world as a powerful wizard exploits an old prophecy to make an audacious grab for power. When the Pack is asked to examine the twenty-five year old mystery, Tasia’s special brand of magic proves essential to cracking its riddle. Tasia is slowly drawn deeper into the investigation and risks raising the suspicions of the very Chosen she hides from. As danger closes in on her from all sides, Tasia must decide who to trust with the dangerous secrets she guards.

Author’s Note : The Prophecy is the first book of Saga of the Chosen. Set mostly in contemporary San Francisco in the underground world of Chosen, it introduces Tasia Armstrong, a very powerful Magick with dangerous secrets and powers that make her unique, even amongst her gifted brethren. Circumstances force Tasia to graduate from a nondescript life on the fringes of Chosen society to a central role in an investigation to decode a mysterious plot from the past that threatens her people. Along the way, she makes new friends and allies while struggling to cohabit with the local Shape-shifter Pack. Caught up in a world alien to her, Tasia must figure out the rules quickly even as danger seems to stalk ever closer to her.

The Rainmaker will be Book Two in this series.

Librarian's note: See alternate cover edition of ASIN B01NBZ8OLM here.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Vampires, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance, Magic

419 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 16, 2018

About the author

An avid reader all her life, Petra is finally dipping her toe in the water and allowing her imagination to run riot. She loves to travel and reads everything she can get her hands on. Her idea of a good read is one where the story and characters linger, long after the book has been set aside. Sometimes, when the ending of a promising book disappoints her, she imagines a different and more satisfying outcome for herself.

She strives to write fantasy with vivid characters and elements of adventure, mystery and romance juxtaposed together, since those are the tales she has enjoyed the most over the years. To share the stories swirling in her imagination is a labor of love and a lifelong dream come true for Petra.

Reviews

[Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic
Gripping
Suspenseful
Riveting
Intense
Action packed
Heart stopping

These are just but a few words that best describe The Prophecy by Petra Landon. It's an urban fantasy set within a world that has many layers that unfold beautifully. From the well developed and ever evolving characters, the back stories as well as the main story, which weaves in and out, and paced perfectly. All of these amazing points create a delicate balance, bringing about a brilliant and memorable start to a series that will no doubt continue to be captivating and exciting.



I felt compelled immediately to fall in love from the first word and held onto every breath as I devoured this wonderfully written story about Wizards, Shifters, Vampires and Ancients. It has depth and a richness that is most thoughtful to the story and mesmerising for the reader. You are drawn in and catapulted completely within thus making it impossible to stop reading. Everything about this book is beautiful and for the life of me I don't know how I'm going to survive waiting for the next instalment.

I want to thank the author for providing me with a copy of The Prophecy in exchange for my review and I also want to remark how much I appreciate every word she wrote to create such a fantastical read.

[Cheryl La Pa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in San Francisco, in a world where wizards, shape-shifters and vampires exist unknown to the human population, this is a captivating, action-packed and thrilling adventure. The supernatural world that Ms Landon has created is intriguing and I found myself totally immersed in Tasia’s journey.

Tasia has always kept a low profile, hiding in plain sight in order to guard her deadly secrets, until the night she rescues an injured shifter. She is now forced to turn to the shifter pack for protection when her good deed draws unwanted attention and danger to her.

Tasia is new to the shifter’s ways and struggles to fit in, and seems to cross the Alpha at every turn. He knows that she is keeping secrets but Tasia is reluctant to open up as it could prove to be a fatal mistake.

I instantly connected with Tasia; she is a likeable, spirited character and I felt for her struggle to survive and to find a place to belong. She is unsure who to trust and is in over her head with the politics and power plays of the supernatural clans. The plot was multi-layered and complex and the characters well developed; I enjoyed getting to know them and their world as the story unfolded.

There is so much that I loved in this strong debut novel. It is a rewarding, well-written and entertaining read. Ms Landon has introduced a great cast of characters in a fascinating world and I can’t wait to continue with this series.

[Anne Monteith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Urban Fantasy at its best; there are many types of sups in the book and this makes for an excellent start to this series. The book isn’t perfect, there’s some monotonous dialogue but, IMHO no writer is completely perfect and the story and originality makes up for mistakes that take nothing away from the enjoyment of the story itself. I received this as one of my Prime books and it lingered on my shelf for months, but I’m glad because once I read it I only had a couple of weeks to wait until book 2 was released (now I’m impatiently waiting for the next one).

This book has several main characters; Tasia a witch with powers that the vampires thought they had destroyed years ago. She is in hiding, working two dead-end jobs and flying under the radar a level two wizard where she uses her "low-level" abilitied to make extra money doing mainly magical cleaning jobs.

Raoul, the brooding, enigmatic young Alpha of the local pack who offers Tasia his protection (despite his hatred of witches) after she recues Hawk, a young dual shifter who is a pack member. Duncan is Raoul’s second who shares the secret of Raoul’s past. These are just a few of the wonderful characters that make up this saga.

Tasia has been hiding her abilities for so long, moving to different cities while trying to hide in plain sight; she knew she was taking a risk when she rescued Hawk but thought it was relatively a small one. When the two weres that were holding Hawk come after her she manages to survive using abilities she isn’t suppose to possess, this puts her in danger from the people who have been searching for her and she has no choice but to accept the offer of protection the pack has offered.

While Tasia has accepted the pack’s protection she does not tell them the extent of her abilities; even after Raoul sees evidence that she killed vampires without using the usual methods he’s not sure how she did it but he helps to cover it up by staking them. He knows she hiding things, which adds to his innate distrust of her because she is a witch but he feels obligated to offer her the protection of the pack until she turns on them which he fully expects her to do.

Since I don’t want to give any more away I’ll stop now but I urge you to read this book!

5/5 STARS: **I read this novel using a selection from my Amazon Prime First Reads; the review reflects my honest opinions.**

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the synopsis on Goodreads I thought that the book sounded like something that I would like, WOW did I underestimate that. This book was everything that I look for in a fantasy. It had great plot, characters, edge of your seat action, and an element of suspense all weaving together seamlessly into one great story.

The characters are very well put together, and I just seemed to connect with each and every one of them in totally different ways. Found myself rooting for some, apprehensive of others, disliking (in a good way) a few, and laughing along with many. The characters drive this story, with extremely well done backstories that were expertly integrated into the story as to not feel like the story took a lull while telling them. The tensions the author was able to bring to life whether it be between characters, or between the different chosen was superb. I found myself hypnotized by some of the ways the author was able to bring about different emotions between the a lot characters that I don't normally feel while reading books of others.

The story had great pace, and matched the scene the author was putting forth, from action packed highly detailed fighting scenes to the tension packed private meetings between Tasia and the Alpha, to the light banter filled interactions between Tasia and Hawk, while also providing the calming influence that Duncan seemed to have over everyone. Very well done and extremely well thought out.

The plot was a great start to a series, revealing just enough to have you trying to predict what lies ahead for our wonderful characters, while keeping you totally focused and involved in a twist and turned filled first book. This is the type of writing that I lean towards, a good action packed story with a great mix of back stories and hint dropping to keep you hoping that time will speed up so that you do not have to wait for the next installment.

I would also like to thank the author for providing me a copy of "The Prophecy" in exchange for my review while also thanking the author for a fantastic story that will keep me poised to read other works that she has for us while I await the release of the next book in "The Prophecy" series.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action, mystery, suspense and intrigue all come into play with The Prophoecy with a little hint of romantic possibilities to come.

The Prophecy is a fast paced and at times action intense story. Its packed with strong characters and backed by a highly engaging plot. What I enjoyed most was the completely new take on the paranormal world.

Landon does a marvelous job at world building and creating a place you can let our imagination go.

I received this copy of The Prophecy from Petra Landon. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Sam (Rescue Dog Mom, Writer, Hugger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many wonderful characters in this story. Tasia, the main character, risks her life and anonymity to save someone she doesn't even know. Hawk is the loyal big brother type who can be counted on for comfort when needed. Sara is Hawk's sister who befriends Tasia and helps her learn the ways of the Pack despite her own discomfort around them. Sienna and Jason are working with the Pack temporarily and have also come to care about Tasia. The Pack's Alpha Raoul extended protection to Tasia the moment she rescued Hawk, one of his closest Pack members. Even when Tasia told Raoul off and turned her back on him, he didn't hesitate to rescue her when her very life was in danger.

These are characters I admire, respect, and would be grateful to have as friends. They are loyal and faithful to Tasia and she needs them more than she realizes. I believe they also need her, too. They need her help solving the mystery, they need her magic to assist in the fight, and they need her friendship. I also suspect someone wants and needs her more than a friend.

This is an enjoyable and well-written story with twists and turns and I look forward to reading more.

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

As a powerful wizard threatens the Chosen from beyond the grave, can they unravel The Prophecy in time to save their world?

Tasia is a very special Chosen. Warned to keep her distance from her brethren, she makes a fateful decision one night to assist an injured Shape-shifter. Suddenly, Tasia finds herself in the cross-hairs of Shifter mercenaries encroaching on San Francisco and their vampire allies. Forced out of the shadows, Tasia has little choice but to ally herself with the local Shifter Pack, led by a formidable and dangerous Alpha Protector. In the cut-throat world of a Shifter Pack, Tasia must fight to guard her secrets while struggling to negotiate with the enigmatic Alpha who holds his violent Pack together with a ruthless hand on its reins.
Grave danger threatens their world as a powerful wizard exploits an old prophecy to divide the Chosen. When the Pack is asked to investigate the twenty-five year old mystery, Tasia is drawn deeper into a past that risks raising the suspicions of the very Chosen she hides from. As danger closes in on her, Tasia must decide who to trust with the deadly secrets she guards.

“‘Try me, Big Eyes’ his voice was whisper soft as he resumed his sprint towards their car. ‘I might surprise you.’”

I am very grateful that Ms. Landon offered me the opportunity to read and give an honest review of her book. Naturally I was very excited to read an urban fantasy because after a month of studying for final exams I was ready to escape into a book. I was not disappointed with The Prophecy, it's storyline and characters were amazing! This book started out with a bang and I knew right away that it was going to be a hard book to set down. The first thing I would like to get out of the way is the terminology I'll be using throughout this review. Wizards poses magic that is put on a scale of “levels”. Wizards that have magic L2 and below have little to no magic and are seen as “less than” in the wizard world. Wizards with L3 and above have enough magic to weird against other chosen. The next important subset of Chosen are the Shifters. Shifters are basically werewolves but they are able to change into any animal that is specific to that shifter. A Shifter has an immense amount of strength and a huge temper that comes from their animalistic side. The next two subsets are Vampires and Ancients, which are ancient wizards that have the most power. Ms. Landon did a great job explaining the power systems and different Chosen present in the book, which makes it easy to understand and implement the knowledge throughout the book.

“It had been a long day. Rather, it had been a long week. Nope, scratch that, it had been a long three months!”

Tasia Armstrong is the strong, but also extremely realistic, female protagonist you didn't know you needed. Tasia is an extremely rare and powerful wizard that is hiding in San Francisco. To keep her powers and existence a secret she poses as a Level 2 wizard, a wizard with little to no magic. She is also extremely independent and knows how to step up to the plate when anyone she loves needs her. Tasia not only holds two normal human jobs but also takes small jobs on the side to use her magic to clean away any previous magic spent in an area. The one unique gift Tasia possesses is the ability to sense the amount of magic spent and what kind of Chosen, creature with magic, spent it. On one of her small jobs she finds herself in the sticky situation of either helping a fellow Chosen or keeping her identity hidden. Needless to say Tasia helps the Chosen because even with the many stupid situations Tasia puts herself into and the mistakes she made, she is a kind hearted person. One of my favorite aspects of this book was how even through all of the danger and intrigue Ms. Landon kept Tasia as the strong woman that also has an extremely strong heart.

“‘That girl is very special. Do you know why?’ he spat out furiously. ‘She has a Pack that will not abandon her, no matter what.’”

Our male protagonist, Raoul, also known as Alph, is the Alpha Protector of the North Californian Shifter Pack. He is the overly protective and testosterone driven male in our story. From the beginning he was shown as the one to hold loyalty over anything else but also the one that can break your neck with a stare. Alph is the kind of character that is an acquired taste. In the beginning I knew he was supposed to be the guy you hate but then halfway through learn to love him along with the female protagonist. But he was always an interesting character in my mind because he was very back and forth with his emotions, which at times did get very irritating, but in the end it all made sense. Yes, in the end I did end up liking Alph because who can resist a brooding, secretly sensitive Alpha who respects women? Not me.

“‘From what I hear, he defended you vigorously to his colleagues.’
‘Hawk’ Raoul remarked with a knowing look. ‘Why am I not surprised? Hawk behaves like a gossipy schoolgirl when it comes to you.’
‘I heard that, Alph’ Hawk’s irrepressible voice came clearly through to both Shifters.”

Hawk, my absolute favorite character in this book. Both of them are Shifters, but they aren't as temperamental or testosterone driven. Hawk is a very loving and protective character that takes a liking to Tasia when she first comes to the Pack. Hawk was the reason why Tasia was brought into the Pack in the first place. Hawk was captured by two rogue Shifters and Tasia was able to rescue him. Because of this incident Alph granted Tasia Pack protection allowing Tasia to stay at the Lair and get closer to Hawk. Hawk is basically the best friend that every person needs. He cares for and helps Tasia through the process of her becoming familiar with Shifter tradition and lifestyle. At one point he even held Tasia as she cried, and I would like to point out how most Shifters don't like physical touch or affection. Hawk. Is. The. Most. Affectionate. And. Loving. Character. And. He. Deserves. More. Than. What. He. Was. Given. That's all I have to say.

“Love is a very powerful emotion, my boy! Never underestimate it.”

One of the main things, that I touched on previously, was how the relationships developed and were portrayed. The Prophecy did not lean heavily on romantic or sexual relationships which was a really nice change. Instead it focused on the platonic relationships that helped Tasia grow to be the person she becomes at the end of the book. My favorite friendship was between Tasia and Hawk because both characters are so genuine in their love for each other. Hawk, being the only familiar face at the Lair, was the person Tasia leaned on and depended on for help. Even though Hawk was a huge “rock” for Tasia she also provided a safe space for Hawk to open up about his life and problems plaguing him. The other platonic relationship I love is between Duncan, an older British Shifter, and Raoul. Throughout all of the exchanges these two Shifters have you can tell how comfortable they are with one another. Duncan is one of the only people Raoul will open up to and he also allows him to call him by his first name instead of Alpha, which demonstrates a level of equality. Being able to read an urban fantasy that wasn't solely focused on a romantic relationship was a really nice change. The Prophecy is chock full of friendships that are both unexpected and unique in their own ways.

“Enormous gray eyes, shimmering with unshed tears gazed straight at him. An involuntary and watery hiccup followed as the gray eyes stared at him in awe…’You good, Big Eyes?’ he inquired softly. ‘Where does it hurt?’”

A small aspect of the book that I happened to not like was the use of nicknames. I have read many books where two characters have an inside joke or nicknames for each other and it comes off as cute and intimate. But, in this case, I don't think they really worked for me. Raoul calls Tasia “witchling” which I was totally okay with because it came off as natural. But then he started calling her “Big Eyes” and it just made me a little uncomfortable. Like I personally can never see anyone referring to another person as “Big Eyes”. It just doesn't roll off the tongue easily and just sounds awkward. Yes, this was a very small and insignificant aspect of the book, but when it's used over and over it starts to grate on your nerves just a little.

“For what it’s worth, my boy, I’m glad. It is time for you to stop sleepwalking through your life.”

The plot for this story was intricately thought out and all in all pretty well written. From the beginning you were aware of who was who and what the overarching problem was. This helped you figure out later on what the world's dynamic was and how or why people reacted the way they did. The beginning of this book really started out with a bang. After reading the first chapter i knew I was going to have a problem setting the book down. But after hitting around halfway through the pace of the book came to a sudden halt. Problems weren't being solved and many scenes and plot lines seemed repetitive. But after a couple chapters that were a little hard to get through the book took off. It was at the point in the story where everything was happening all at once. There was also the theme of having scenes or pieces of dialogue repeated throughout the story, which in a way made me feel like I as a reader was being underestimated. All of these scenes and pieces of dialogue had just occurred so I ended up skipping them because I felt like they were unneeded. All in all the writing is very thorough and descriptive which made for a very in depth reading experience.

“You are wrong, Tasia Armstrong. In fact, you couldn’t be more wrong. I hope that you come to see that one day.”

All in all I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved the characters’ personalities and the plot was easy to engage with. This book seemed to just have a beginning and middle so I wish we could have seen more of a definite ending to this book. With that being said I will definitely be looking forward to reading the continuation of this series and seeing what Tasia and Raoul have hidden up their sleeves. If you are into urban fantasy, fantasy, or just young adult books in general you would enjoy The Prophecy.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wizards, shifters and vampires, all power hungry, all co-existing in San Francisco, but things are about to get very dicey as secrets, both new and old force their way to the surface and either the supernaturals learn to play nice together or face the hell that threatens to break loose, possibly destroying them all. Can the vamps learn to play nice with the shifters? Can the Wizards lose a little of their paranoia long enough to survive the coming prophecy? Things that go bump in the night are caught up in a nightmare of epic proportions and it may all hinge on one powerful woman who has hidden who and what she really is just to survive.

Tasia followed her heart and that one action put her in good standing with the local were pack and its cold as steel alpha has offered her their protection…but that protection will come with a price…

Petra Landon’s THE PROPHECY is a cut above many fabulous paranormal tales with its unique blend of intelligent and multi-layered characters, its deep secrets and its ability to make fantasy feel like reality! Hang on for some humor, lots of heart and a ton of action and intrigue and you know that that means? TOTAL ENTERTAINMENT FROM START TO FINISH!

Ever wonder about the hierarchy of different paranormal groups? It’s all spelled out by Ms. Landon and I have to say, I was fascinated with the depth and personalities she brought together! Fall in love with Tasia’s feistiness, feel for her plight, then swoon over Raoul, the super-serious and powerful alpha with secrets of his own and let’s not forget the quirky Hawk, a bit of a misfit himself, but always entertaining.

Fast-paced, high on tension, both physical and emotional, a definite gem in the paranormal world without a wasted page or word!

Series: Saga of the Chosen - Book 1
Publication Date: January 27, 2017
Publisher: Petra Landon
Genre: Paranormal suspense
Print Length: 419 pages
Available from: Amazon
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[TJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very promising start to what looks like a fabulous urban fantasy series! The story is unique and extremely engaging, pulling the reader in almost immediately.

The only glitch in the story was the constant repetition of thoughts, points, extra. Readers are told something, then soon after that same point is re-told almost verbatim of the first time. Then, further on, that same point is again re-told. This happens often enough that it slows the story and gets very annoying. If the author tightened up those stop points, this book would truly be a 5 star read! The story is seriously that good!

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm so so so surprised by this book. Mainly because it has very little readers on Goodreads. I wasn't really sure what I was getting into, when Petra Landon asked me to read the book. It took me some time to get into, but I loved it! I'll tell you why.

This review was first posted on BiteIntoBooks Blog

Pros
Language choice: I truly loved the way this book was written. I learned SO MUCH new English words. It was written beautifully and described so well. The words that were used added a lot of depth to the story. There were so much words that you don't see that often in a book and it was great to read a book with a different feel to it. (So happy with my Kindle Dictionary, since English is not my native language)
Lot of mystery: The book starts with a lot of mystery and also ends with a lot of mystery. This really makes me want to read the second book, to get me some answers. The ending is great, because Tasia is at the brink of solving the mystery, but there are still a lot of questions.
Amazing worldbuilding: The Council, Shifters, Leeches, Guardians, Wizards, Humans.. YEAH! It's so well thought through. There were no loose ends in the world building what so ever. This is by far the strongest part about this book. I believed every part of it.
Characters: Can't end this list of pro's without saying something about the characters. The characters have so much depth because of the rich conversations they have together. Tasia is great, but the Alpha Protector stole my heart. He is so passionate :)

Cons
Felt slow at some points: I would understand if people think this book is a slow read. It could have had more action for me at some parts. The rescues when there was "danger" were so quick, so it never really felt like "danger". The action scenes were short and followed by long conversations. I didn't mind that much, but I would've loved a bit more muscles, fighting and magic spells.
Too much exclamation marks: I have a thing with exclamation marks. I enjoy reading sentences when those are really shouted or if someone is shocked beyond believe. From my point of view, a lot of sentences in this book did not need a exclamation mark. It's a little remark from my side, but it just annoyed me sometimes, yep sorry.

We can welcome Petra Landon to the writer's world with a big bow. Great worldbuilding and amazing characters. I truly enjoyed this book. Loved the Pride and Prejudice references. Can't wait for the second part to get me some answers.

[Grant Leishman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing I want to say about The Prophecy by Petra Landon is what a sheer joy it is to read a full-length epic fantasy novel again. Far too many of the fantasy books on the market today are just short, teasers hooking the reader into a series. That can't be said about The Prophecy, which at 418 pages on Kindle is a truly satisfying, chunky and meaty read. Yes, it is part of a series, but at least the author has not shortchanged the reader with a novelette, as so many fantasy authors these days seem wont to do.
The second thing I want to say about The Prophecy is what a stunningly enjoyable and exciting read it is. I've often said the one thing I like best about reading indie authors is that every so often you come across one that writes stuff that truly enthralls you. Fantasy, as a reader, is not generally my preferred genre, but The Prophecy overrode all my doubts about that. I found the story and the characters so compelling, I just had to keep turning the pages to find out what happened next in this book.
The basic premise of The Prophecy is that there lives amongst us a group of beings, collectively called The Chosen. The Chosen are comprised of four types; Vampires, Shapeshifters (Werewolves if you will), Wizards and The Originals. The number one tenet of these groups is that humans must never find out about their existence. Despite a loose coalition of The Chosen, there is intense rivalry and hatred between the groups. So, when Tasia, a wizard of immense and as yet, untapped powers, rescues a shapeshifter, being held captive by rebel shape-shifters, a fascinating tale of mystery, intrigue, and romance begins to develop.
I don't want to give away too much of the plot of The Prophecy. but the most fascinating dimension of the books was the interactions between Tasia and the Alpha of the Northern California shape-shifters Raoul, or simply Alph. The dynamic interplay between these two characters was beautifully written and full of tension, suspense, plus a fair degree of sardonic humour. I cannot wait to see how this relationship plays out in the next book of the series.
It appears that this is Landon's first novel and as such is worthy of considerable praise as a debut novel. It is fast-paced, always exciting and draws the reader into a world that possibly exists all around us, without us knowing it. I think Landon is a bright new talent in the urban-fantasy world and I, for one, will be waiting with baited breath for the next offering from this uber-talented, debut author.
A great job and kudos to the author. A five-star winner from this reviewer.

[BookLoversLife · Rating 5 out of 5]

One thing Tasia lives is what her father taught her.. never let them know how powerful you are. She has spent her life living below the radar, pretending to be a low level wizard, but all it takes is one night to change everything. What was supposed to be a routine magic swipe turns into a game changer for her. She can sense magic and the place she is sent to has strong magic and she knows something bad happened here. She senses someone in trouble and since she can't turn a blind eye, she sets out to see if she can help, albeit secretly. What she finds is a shifter in trouble. When she frees him, her life becomes out of her control and her identity is in jeopardy.

You guys... this book was amazing!!! It's been too long since I read a good Shifter book and I'm so glad it was this one that reminded me how much I enjoy these kind of stories. It was incredibly well written and developed and is filled with awesome characters that you can't help but love.

Usually I hate the whole "special" girl vibe in books, but Tasia is such an easy character to love and I instantly connected with her. She knows she is special, she knows she is strong but she also knows she has to hide it or else the other chosen will take advantage of her. I loved her sense of self and her humility. She isn't afraid to accept help, nor is she afraid to admit when she is wrong.

I loved the other characters too, Raoul, Hawk and the rest . The little spin on shifters the author did was awesome, I loved the idea of the different Alpha protectors and one main Alpha. I loved the different Chosen and finding out the lore on them all. I loved that this book set the scene for what seems to be an epic journey for Tasia and the Shifters!! I pretty much loved everything about this!!

In all, this was an addicting and entertaining story. It's full of magic, mystery, suspense and a hint of romance, it's a must read! This is a book that has so much character and soul that it will make you want to read it all over again. I truly can't wait to see what the author has in store for the next one!!

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 to 4 Intriguing Stars...First, I would like to thank Ms. Landon for providing me a copy of her book in exchange for my honest review...there were many aspects of this story that I thoroughly enjoyed; the storyline was complex, intriguing, and interesting; the characters were dynamic, layered, and compelling; and the utilization of varying aspects of the paranormal world created a diversity that I enjoyed immersing myself...my interests were certainly piqued regarding the direction of the story as well as it's outcome with the many possibilities it could have taken...the area that I primarily struggled was in the structure of the story; at times it felt chaotic because there were multiple POV's from one paragraph to another; this led to my own confusion and prevented me from fully experiencing the storyline...my second struggle was that, at times, the writing was repetitive in it's explanations which slowed the pacing of the overall story leading to a disconnect for me with the storyline and the characters...overall, "The Prophecy" was a fascinating and riveting read that immerses the reader into a fantastic fantasy world...thank you again to Petra Landon for sharing her work with me:)

[Melissa Bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just say, I can't wait until The Rainmaker, the second book in the series, comes out in early 2018! This book was impossible to put down. It's set in our world, but a world with wizards, shifters, and vampires called The Chosen, regular old humans don't know they exist. As the story goes on, you learn about their structured world little by little, making it a page turner. The characters are delivered in the same way, which makes them even more intriguing. You want to keep reading, just because you can't wait to see what you discover next. The story is really a mystery that some of The Chosen are trying to solve, and it's impossible for them to trust one another. You have gotta read this book, you will fall in love with the characters, and will become engrossed in this mystery. If it's not solved in time, all The Chosen are going to suffer dire circumstances. There aren't many books I will read twice, but I'll be reading this one again right before book 2 comes out. Thank you Petra for such a great read!

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG. Just finished the Prophecy and it was spectacular! I wasn't sure how I would like it at first. I find that Ms. Landon likes very long paragraphs, multiple POVs and exclamation points. But, the story! The story just drew me in. I couldn't stop reading it! I even read it while at work (shhh)! I just had to know what was going to happen. It was almost suspenseful in the sense that there's subtle hints at things (ahem, Raoul and Hawk anyone?) but nothing happens for awhile! No insta-love here, which is a nice change from so many shifter books.

I fell in love with the world building in this story. It was reminiscent of the Mageri series, but different. Magic, Shifters of different types, prejudices and politics. But there's vampires in this one. Woohoo! We have the alpha male and budding magician. There was some growth in character at the end - finally Tasia got with the program and is gonna tell the Pack, hopefully, everything! I loved all the different stories that converged. And I'm going to love the Rainmaker! I NEEDNEEDNEEDNEED to read it. NOW! The ending wasn't a cliffhanger but it kinda was. I really want to read the Rainmaker... :( I'll have tears until then!

My point: read the Prophecy! You won't be disappointed!!

[Someone's Peas]

DNF @8%
Really jarring use of exclamation marks...

[Nadene (Totally Addicted to Reading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first time reading the author's work. An interesting and unique story with likeable characters.
Review will be posted soon.

Update
Reasons for choosing to read this title.

The blurb intrigued me. The world described seemed fascinating, and I was eager to discover more.

What the story is about.

The Prophecy, the first book in the Saga of the Chosen, is an Urban Fantasy about, witches, wizards, shifters and vampires. In this new series, readers are introduced to Tasia. She is a special Chosen pretending to be a low-level witch. She has the unique ability to sense blood magic inherent in other Chosens. However, she needed to keep her abilities hidden, as exposure would prove dangerous. She has been doing a good job of keeping her identity hidden until that fateful night when she decided to come to the rescue of an injured shifter. Her altruism placed her in a precarious position resulting in her receiving protection from the Alpha of the local shifter pack. She faced further danger when a powerful wizard manipulated an old prophecy in a quest for power. She would find herself embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. A game, which has the potential to reveal the secrets, she so desperately tries to hide.

Faced with the risks of her secrets being exposed she now has to decide whom she can trust to keep her safe.


The World
This is the first book by Petra London I have read and I would read more from this author. With an interesting and unique story line, Ms. London pulled me into the world she created. In this world, supernatural beings are called Chosen and in each species, some are more powerful than the other. They believed themselves superior to humans who were not aware of their existence and rules were in place to ensure it remained this way. The various species which includes witches/wizards, vampires and shifters, do not play well together. However, witches/wizards and shifters will work together albeit reluctantly to help solve a 25-year-old mystery.

The Story
The story started out with a bang, which made me eager to discover how events would unfold. However, things hit a snag, and the story slowed down with events heating up in the last forty percent. The story, which was narrated from the key players POV, was well written. The detailed and descriptive writing made for an enriching reading experience.

The Characters
I enjoyed spending time with the characters. As with every story there are characters you love, those you love to hate, and The Prophecy was no exception. The key players were quite fascinating, and I eagerly turned the pages so I could learn more about them. The shifters were one of the many intriguing aspects of the story. There were shifters who had different beasts within them. The alpha protector was not only a shifter but also a wizard although he abandoned that part of his heritage. I was curious to know his reason for leaving that part of his life behind. The author gave insight, but it was not enough to satisfy my curiosity.

Romance
If you are looking for romance, then you would be disappointed. The author focused on development of friendships as well However, based on how the plot was developed romance is brewing on the horizon between some key players. I have my ideas who would likely end up being a couple, but I will have to wait until the next book to discover if I am right in my assumptions.

Issues
The book was lengthy. This is not usually an issue for me, but in this case it was due to the inclusion of unnecessary scenes. There were several repetitions. The scenes repeated were memories of what transpired earlier on in the book. I found it confusing, and I skipped these scenes.

The pacing was not befitting of the genre. It moved slowly for my tastes. There were action scenes but few and when they occurred, it was over within the blink of an eye. For a story, which involves magic, I was expecting to see a few scenes featuring this element, but this was not the case.

Conclusion/Recommendation
Overall, this was not a bad book. It has great potential, but there were a few misses, which prevented me from giving it a higher rating. There are a lot of loose ends, but seeing that this is the first book in the series it came as no surprise. I am eager to see how the 25-year-old mystery will unfold and I eagerly await the release of the next book in the series.

Fans of urban fantasy would enjoy visiting this magical world. This is a good start to the series.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give The Prophecy (book 1 in the Saga of the Chosen series) by Petra Landon 5 stars.
The Prophecy is a wonderful fantasy novel the likes of which I haven’t seen in a long time!

Tasia has been hiding for a long time. This is what her father taught her from a young age. Don’t let them know who you really are or just how much power you wield. So she is hiding in a new city as a low level magic user. Sure, it doesn’t pay well and she lives in the slums, but this is all the better to hide.

Little does she know, one night can change everything. She is scheduled on a call one evening to clean up some magic blood. This sounds like a routine job. But while there, she is aware of someone in trouble. But she can’t reveal was she is, so she does her job and goes home. Her conscious though, has different plans and she goes back in the middle of the night to help. She ends up rescuing a shifter. This on good deed puts not only her identity, but her own life in danger.

She is forced to accept help from the shifters, they can protect and hide her. Along the way, she realizes how much more is going on. Low level female magic user are being taken. The people supposed to be protecting these people may not be as good as they seem. And there are much more evil forces at hand, including ones thought long dead.

What is really going on? Just who can Tasia trust? And what role does she play in this?

I loved this book. It is much longer than I have been used to lately, but don’t let that daunt you. It is written wonderfully and you will be drawn into the story immediately. There so much going on, you will not be bored. The characters are quite engaging. You will not even disappointed in his wonderful book.

[Nerdy Werewolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

The start of the story had me wondering if I'd missed a prologue somewhere, but after a few chapters, I was freaking hooked.

Tasia is a heroine that is realistic-she's not the baddest bitch in the room, but she's not a doormat, either. She believes in herself and has to come to terms with accepting any kind of help-even if she really does need it. She messes up and she fails sometimes. She feels bad and then she gets up and tries again. I found her character to be extremely relatable and down-to-earth.

We are frequently given the thoughts of all the characters in the room. I found this to be refreshing. I was worried the first few times it happened that I would mix up who was thinking what, but I never did and it never felt like I was getting too much info-it was just kind of cool.

The romance was totally my bag...a slow build where you're pretty sure the people who hate each other won't hate each other forever. I love it. If you're into shifters and pack politics, you'll appreciate this book just as much as I did. I'm very much looking forward to the next installment!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I voluntarily reviewed this book, which I received graciously from the author. All opinions are my own.

So definitely a longer book than I was expecting. It kind of started a little slow in the beginning which was a little hard to swallow due to the fact that it looked like this book was going to go on forever, but all of a sudden you started making connections with all of the characters and for me, especially connections with Tasia and Raoul and all of a sudden I was invested and could not stop reading it.

There were other great characters, Hawk, Duncan, Jason and Sienna among others. For me though, I was all about Tasia and Raoul and how they were going to get through it....and if there is any chemistry between the two (which I'm pulling for!). I loved the little hidden curveballs that Landon would throw in there and the surprises that would seemingly come out of nowhere! I can't wait to find out more and get more immersed in this story, I feel like it's going to be a hell of a ride.

Thank you Petra for allowing me and bringing this to my attention, definitely was a GREAT book.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! After having read 100s of books every year for 50+ years, there's very few that surprise me, but this one certainly did! From the plot and the potential romances, I was on the edge of my seat! I loved the main characters and the secondary ones were just as interesting! Unfortunately the next book won't be out until 2018!

[Boundless Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was asked to read and review The Prophecy and give it an honest review.  Urban Fantasy is one of my favorite genres, so of course, I grabbed a copy.  
In The Prophecy, Landon has created a world around wizards, shifters, and vampires that is entirely her own.  I love it when authors reinvent their own mythos and legends around known characters of fantasy and make them uniquely new.  That is what you get with The Prophecy.  

Tasia has been hiding her entire life because of her type of powers, but when she helps a shifter in need, she finds herself thrust back into that world.  The shifters come to her aid, and she is forced to strike a bargain with the Alpha Protector, Raoul.  Raoul is then asked to help solve a mystery for the High Wizard.  With Tasia’s brand of magic it soon becomes apparent that Raoul will need her in his quest, yet at the same time protect her from everyone who would try to take advantage of her power.   The stakes are high, not only to solve the mystery that they were sent upon, but also to keep Tasia safe.
 
The mystery, action, and suspense of the story kept me reading late into the night.  I was only disappointed that the next book wasn’t published yet because I NEED to know what happens next.  On a side note be prepared for some interesting grammar.  I am lucky I read this on my Kindle because I had never heard such words as; amorphous, moue, spate, bulwark, and vouchsafing, this is just naming a few.  I know some would find this difficult to read whereas I enjoy expanding my vocabulary.  

The Prophecy is an excellent mystery in an Urban Fantasy setting that takes the ready for an extraordinary adventure that you won't be able to put down.  

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[Danielle Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prophecy by Petra Landon is an urban fantasy readers don't want to miss. I found myself deeply engaged page after page. The plot is intriguing. It has action, adventure, and romance. Inside, readers will find charcaters that vary from vampires to shape shifters. There's a great cast of paranormal beings to love. The mystery was well-done. Kept me on my toes constantly.

Petra Landon has phenomenal skills. Her characters dragged me out of this world and straight into theirs. I loved it. The Prophecy is the first novel to this new series. I can't wait to read the next book. Here, there's a prophecy that will divide the main character's people apart. This prophecy, causes competition among the paranormal beings for power. A wizard informs Tasia Armstrong of it. It's up to her to solve this 25-year-old mystery before things get worse. Deadly secrets and a fantasy that will keep readers entertained. I couldn't stop reading it. The beginning is a tad bit slow but other than that it speed up quickly. Overall, I recommend The Prophecy to readers worldwide.

[Kathy Rouchelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing read, not only because of the wonderfully written storyline, but because of the well thought out and well defined characters.

This story doesn’t just carry one type of shifter, nor does it carry one type of paranormal character. This book carries shifters of many kinds as well as dual shifters. It also carries witches, wizards and vampires. It isn’t what you would first think of when reading a book that has an Alpha male (in this case an Alpha Protector of a pack of shifters), and a female witch. Many books have had the lead male alpha drawn to the female lead as his mate (in this case as it is a shifter male). This book however does not do this as an “in your face” type of relationship. It is much more subtle. The attraction is there but neither recognize it in themselves. But of course there are more pressing issues at hand with Tasia, the “witchling” as Rouge calls her, as she’s been hiding a secret for her entire life and now that secret is in jeopardy of coming to the forefront of her life. Things slowly begin to take on a snowball effect as one problem begets another problem, only to beget another as Tasia, who is under the pack’s protection after saving a pack member, becomes involved in an investigation into another powerful witch and an explosion that took her life as well as several Guardians, other chosen and civilians twenty-four years in the past. Things really heat up as the “team” realize that the “Prophecy” which was foretold, may in fact be coming to fruition and if this does occur, the storm that it will cause will be detrimental to all of the chosen.

If you are waiting for heated love scenes in this book, you will be disappointed, however there is quite a bit of hidden angst, all you have to do is read carefully and you will see it, even if the characters do not recognize it. There are many mysteries to solve, many questions to be asked and answered and many trust issues to be resolved. The intrigue and excitement, the fear and the unknown will have you turning page after page to reach your destination. This book will leave you hurrying to jump into the next book to see what happens.

I highly recommend this book!

[Sheena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bewitching...

What a bewitching paranormal story this turned out to be..this new to me author is a very accomplished storyteller… creating a wonderfully described alternative universe inhabited by a multitude of mythical and mystical beings ……

There are so many interesting characters residing in this book; agents for good and evil and at the heart is Tasia a courageous and gifted young wizard who is forced to hide her prestigious magical talents from those who would wish to manipulate them…. The shifters are a sexy bunch in particular Raoul, the Alpha Protector so strong and enigmatic… I am a romantic at heart and sincerely hope love will eventually be in the air between him and Tasia, the chemistry is certainly there but only time will tell..and then there is a special place in my heart for Hawk who is the first of the pack to meet Tasia..

I really was entranced by this book but in the interests of ethical feedback I did find a couple of detractions. …firstly the narrative follows events from both Tasia’s and Raoul’s worlds and at times the switch between the two concurrent timelines mid chapter was confusing and in my opinion affected the pace of the storytelling..in addition there were a couple of places in the book where there was a jump in the action which I thought led to a disjointed timeline …

War is declared..lines are being drawn and our indomitable and powerful heroine has just started out on her journey… I can honestly say that I loved this thrilling, action packed and original book with it’s fantastical cast and I look forward to reading more by this author and more in this series…….This book was reviewed for Summer's Eve Reads.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great escapist read. Landon's characters are rich in internal dialog in a unique and delightful way. She creates a world overlaid on San Francisco in which shapeshifter, vampires and spell casters form alliances and compete for power. The book follows one fundamental mystery through winding paths, but along the way we meet a great group of characters and are privy to their shifting feelings for each other. Looking forward to Book 2!

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is too YA for me

I mean, they bleeped out the f*--*ing swear words for f**ks sakes! Also I really didn't enjoy how descriptive everything was. Its like constantly being told about something happening, rather than immersing yourself and really experiencing it. There is certainly potential here but for me this fell short. I felt like I was reading somebody's school paper on create your own story day. I think this author would be a great Christian YA writer, but for adult fantasy this is a no for me.

[Katyana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was really disappointing, because at the core, there was an interesting story. Interesting enough that part of me wants to read onward, even though this book annoyed the absolute shit out of me. So that's why I'm going to give it two stars.

This author desperately needs an editor. With some polish, I think I'd love her books.

Instead, this book just comes across as very juvenile / amateur. As if it is a 16 year old trying to sound grown up, if that makes sense - there was, at times, a really forced formality to the narrative. I mean, look, I'm a huge reader with a strong vocabulary - I don't remember the last time I had to look up the definition of a word, prior to this book, where I had to twice. The FMC feels like a teenager (though she's supposed to be ... 24, I think?), with all the YA angst and stupidity you'd typically get in a teenaged FMC, and the narrative is at that same level, until it tosses in a word like "cynosure" ... not just once, but like, that word was probably used 6 times in this book. I've never seen it before, and honestly thought it was a typo until it kept coming up. Not to harp on a single word, it's not about that - I am happy to expand my vocabulary. It's about the disjointed nature of the narrative, how it was mostly stream-of-teenage-thought (and HUGELY repetitve) but then would drop in a word like it wanted extra points for using the word-of-the-day calendar.

The narrative was also super repetitive, and I do mean super. I mean, it was like the author thought all her readers are morons and so she had to repeat things constantly, spoon feeding us so we'd get it. There were whole sections of the book that were in-italics repeats of a previous section of this book. I'm not even joking. I would sort of get it if this were book 4 and she wanted to call to mind something from book 1, but like, yo, I just read that chapter an hour ago. I don't need the replay, thanks.

The other thing that could have used some polish was the derivative world building. To be clear, I'm not saying she is copying other authors - we're all inspired by someone, and this was more like that...but with too thin a window dressing, so I could clearly see where the inspiration came from. For example, in this world, the Shifters are all under the authority of an elusive man who lives in the northern mountain wilderness - the Alpha who is the ultimate head of all packs - and he has a special title: The Marrok Faoladh Also, there was a super jarring beat where one character - out of nowhere - started calling the MMC the Beast Lord ... totally randomly, around the 75% mark for like 4 pages. Like, what?

The reason I don't think she's copying other authors, but rather just inspired by, is that the core plot is all her own and it is an interesting one. She just threaded together elements of other UF worlds to be part of (not even the entirety of) the framework of her world building. The result is that it sort of felt like fan fiction, particularly because of the unpolished narrative.

Other problems I had with this book:

There was a real problem with telling and not showing.
There were 3 times in this book where we started a chapter with the FMC in sudden jeopardy - she had been kidnapped in the space between chapters, something we don't see, but rather are just informed happened, and now we're dealing with the aftermath (generally, her rescue by the MMC ... which is another problem, see below). When found, she's generally unconscious and near death. Only once did we get to see how THAT happened (we didn't see the altercation that led to the abduction, but rather started with her regaining consciousness in a locked room...and then saw her assault by the abductors in that room which left her bleeding out when MMC arrived) - the first two times, we just find her when the MMC does, injured and near death.

The FMC sucks.
For so, so many reasons.
She feels like a brainless teenager, though we're told she is 24. She makes so many TSTL choices that it is stunning. Also, we're TOLD that she's some magical powerhouse, but - as I noted in a highlight - I don't even believe it because she displays about the same power level as a wet piece of toilet paper. She does one single bit of magic early on that is - we're told - really impressive. And nearly dies doing it. And that's it. Otherwise, it's a constant chain of her being dumb, getting kidnapped, and nearly dying. I don't understand why the Alpha (MMC) allows her out without a child leash superglued to her, honestly.

The MMC is an OTT caricature.
Like, the most OTT fanfiction version of a moody Alpha hero that you can imagine. I mean, really, dial that shit up to 11, I promise you're not going beyond the ridiculousness of his characterization. He has moments of lovely, well done nuance ... but that's like 2% of the time we see him. Most of the time he is a shouting, snarling, way over-the-top unreasonable dickhead. (Also, as an aside: there are constant exclamation points in the narrative that I also found jarring ... because it made the tone of voice weird and overly shouty. Not just with the MMC, but across the board.)

The bummer is that despite all that, I found the story compelling - I want to know what Lady Bethesda's plan is, who the real bad guys are, what will happen with the sisters, etc. That's why like 20% of me wants to read on.

But I just can't, y'all. This shit was painful.

[Lorie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointed

I wanted to like this book but it was not as captivating as the cover. The storyline drag a bit. Too much descriptions and self dialogues. Confusing plot. No romance at all. The storyline was a bit disjointed. The focus was supposed to be about prophecy being the main topics but it ended up as solving a mystery of a bad powerful mage whereabouts and the h learning pack life. Ended up flipping the pages. The summary of the book was better than the actual book.

[Jenni · Rating 1 out of 5]

Censored her own writing

Dnf'd- author censored her own writing. Sorry, if swearing offends you that much don't have the character swear. you literally are in control of what they say. Between that and the choppy writing style where whole sections of action are missed and relayed after the fact was just to much to try and push through.