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The Order of the Twelve Tribes #3
Healers and Warriors
Spring is coming to Rylen, Ohio. Flynn Driscoll, Gwen and Alex Torrington are waiting to hear where they'll be placed for their internships.
Spring is also coming to the fey realm. Emma Novak is training to face a formidable foe.
Before the new season blooms in England, Madison Collins will travel, to meet relatives she never thought she would.
She'll end up uncovering secrets she never knew existed.
Spring is also coming to the fey realm. Emma Novak is training to face a formidable foe.
Before the new season blooms in England, Madison Collins will travel, to meet relatives she never thought she would.
She'll end up uncovering secrets she never knew existed.
176 pages, Paperback
Published June 28, 2018
About the author
Daley Downing
8 books36 followersDaley Downing is an autistic adult, stay at home parent, blogger, dance teacher, and self-professed lover of fantasy fiction and cats. She lives on a secret island, protected by Warriors cats, and rarely ventures to the mainland. When she's not writing, she's wrangling special needs children, her own furbaby, reading, and waiting for the TARDIS to show up.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 30, 2018
The Order of the Twelve Tribes series continues to subvert expectations, raise the stakes, and deliver impressive character development in its third installment. With books that avoid predictability as skillfully as Healers and Warriors, it’s always difficult to dive deep into what makes them great without divulging spoilers…but I’ll do my best.
Book 3 focuses heavily on two of my favorite characters, Madison and Avery–both of whom, by the way, are perfect examples of how autistic characters should be written. Their autism is a natural part of their characterization. It doesn’t give them deus-ex-machina superpowers, but it also isn’t sidelined or treated in a stereotypical manner.
It’s not quite accurate to say that Madison and Avery are the “main characters,” however. I’d say that Madison’s arc, and Avery’s participation in said storyline, are the most central to the plot, but the rest of Downing’s stellar cast gets plenty of “screen time” as well. The arcs established for them in previous books are built upon in believable ways. We also find out more about the captivating mythology of the Twelve Tribes universe, and we get to know some intriguing side characters better. The best part of the book, however, is how Downing handles certain developments in Madison’s arc that have been foreshadowed ever since Book 1. From the beginning of this series, I’ve talked about how it swerves away from the tiresome tropes that YA authors can’t seem to stop themselves from leaning on. Healers and Warriors continues this tradition with Madison. Her interactions with her family in the aftermath of a major plot twist early in the book are refreshing, relatable, and best of all, not whiny or annoying. The story’s finale is both heartbreaking and beautiful, tying into the series’ over-arching themes of love and family.
Let’s face it–Book Threes go wrong all the time in YA series; usually because they’re treated as the grand finale where everything has to be wrapped up in a startling yet satisfying manner. Downing wisely has chosen not to limit this series to a trilogy, giving herself the room to properly develop the characters and the world. The Order of the Twelve Tribes is one of the only YA series of truly consistent quality that I know of in today’s market. It gets better with each new release. I can’t wait to see what Daley Downing has in store for us next.
Book 3 focuses heavily on two of my favorite characters, Madison and Avery–both of whom, by the way, are perfect examples of how autistic characters should be written. Their autism is a natural part of their characterization. It doesn’t give them deus-ex-machina superpowers, but it also isn’t sidelined or treated in a stereotypical manner.
It’s not quite accurate to say that Madison and Avery are the “main characters,” however. I’d say that Madison’s arc, and Avery’s participation in said storyline, are the most central to the plot, but the rest of Downing’s stellar cast gets plenty of “screen time” as well. The arcs established for them in previous books are built upon in believable ways. We also find out more about the captivating mythology of the Twelve Tribes universe, and we get to know some intriguing side characters better. The best part of the book, however, is how Downing handles certain developments in Madison’s arc that have been foreshadowed ever since Book 1. From the beginning of this series, I’ve talked about how it swerves away from the tiresome tropes that YA authors can’t seem to stop themselves from leaning on. Healers and Warriors continues this tradition with Madison. Her interactions with her family in the aftermath of a major plot twist early in the book are refreshing, relatable, and best of all, not whiny or annoying. The story’s finale is both heartbreaking and beautiful, tying into the series’ over-arching themes of love and family.
Let’s face it–Book Threes go wrong all the time in YA series; usually because they’re treated as the grand finale where everything has to be wrapped up in a startling yet satisfying manner. Downing wisely has chosen not to limit this series to a trilogy, giving herself the room to properly develop the characters and the world. The Order of the Twelve Tribes is one of the only YA series of truly consistent quality that I know of in today’s market. It gets better with each new release. I can’t wait to see what Daley Downing has in store for us next.
July 15, 2018
In some ways, Healers and Warriors is a little darker than the first two books, but it works so well. The characters stand to lose so much and no one is able to escape the battles they face without making difficult choices along the way.
One of my favorite things in this book was how the characters have started to feel comfortable in their roles in Order life. Sophie, Flynn, and the Torrington twins, especially, have a presence on the page full of confidence that they belong to the Order and are growing accustomed to the responsibilities this life requires. Not that all is super serious, of course—there are still moments of fun and lightheartedness, and some sweet romantic moments…
I also loved the role that Emma plays in this story. She’s been through so much and she’s started to own who she is and what she’s capable of, and her story provides an interesting parallel to another story thread in this book.
I enjoyed getting to know more about Madison and her family, and seeing how she adapts to the revelation of what the Order is and what it means for her.
(Realistically though: All of the characters are so vibrant and awesome. My list of favorites is a long one!)
The story is action-packed and full of great character moments. In the battles the characters face, the stakes are high, and everyone is required to make a difficult choice in one way or another.
In all, Healers and Warriors is a solid installment full of action, twists, and great characters!
One of my favorite things in this book was how the characters have started to feel comfortable in their roles in Order life. Sophie, Flynn, and the Torrington twins, especially, have a presence on the page full of confidence that they belong to the Order and are growing accustomed to the responsibilities this life requires. Not that all is super serious, of course—there are still moments of fun and lightheartedness, and some sweet romantic moments…
I also loved the role that Emma plays in this story. She’s been through so much and she’s started to own who she is and what she’s capable of, and her story provides an interesting parallel to another story thread in this book.
I enjoyed getting to know more about Madison and her family, and seeing how she adapts to the revelation of what the Order is and what it means for her.
(Realistically though: All of the characters are so vibrant and awesome. My list of favorites is a long one!)
The story is action-packed and full of great character moments. In the battles the characters face, the stakes are high, and everyone is required to make a difficult choice in one way or another.
In all, Healers and Warriors is a solid installment full of action, twists, and great characters!
March 21, 2019
I have many mixed feelings about this volume! First of all, I missed the whimsical little notes about artifacts and random history that broke up the other two books. The first half of this book was wonderful and the twists and reveals were a LONG time coming so the first half of the book may have been my favorite section of any book in this series.
I was somehow less excited about the second half. There were a lot of decisions being made that didn't seem necessary and were actually hurtful to other people and this made me a bit frustrated. I think in general the family aspect that I have loved in the other books was much more lacking. This is understandable as this book is primarily about Avery and Madison, but I still would have liked to see more of that wholesome family response to events that we get in earlier books. I also felt like there was a lot more jumping between settings within chapters and there were a couple main points which were really confusing to me.
Though a small part of the book, the villain was very interesting and evil and the events at the end of the book sure set up an interesting scenario for everyone. DG was definitely an interesting addition to the mythos of the book, but I can't believe that absolutely nothing was explained about her!
Overall, I enjoyed it, but maybe not quite as much as the first two.
I was somehow less excited about the second half. There were a lot of decisions being made that didn't seem necessary and were actually hurtful to other people and this made me a bit frustrated. I think in general the family aspect that I have loved in the other books was much more lacking. This is understandable as this book is primarily about Avery and Madison, but I still would have liked to see more of that wholesome family response to events that we get in earlier books. I also felt like there was a lot more jumping between settings within chapters and there were a couple main points which were really confusing to me.
Though a small part of the book, the villain was very interesting and evil and the events at the end of the book sure set up an interesting scenario for everyone. DG was definitely an interesting addition to the mythos of the book, but I can't believe that absolutely nothing was explained about her!
Overall, I enjoyed it, but maybe not quite as much as the first two.
July 31, 2018
Re-read July 2020
Just re-read this delightful book and realized I never actually wrote a review the first time I read it?
Anyway, I keep loving each book in this series even more than the one before, and this re-read was delicious. I have mixed feelings about a certain death but otherwise this book is AMAZING and just such a fun suburban fantasy book (can that be a thing?). I love the fae stuff and magicalness mixed in with modern-day stuff, the family focus, and the characters are fabulous--I want more of Avery and Prince Crispin and just everyone--and it's fun, exciting, and the villain is CHILLING. It's fabulous and I loved binge-re-reading these three books just now, catching all kinds of connections I had missed before, and NEED book 4 ASAP! I just love this book world. It makes me happy. ^_^
First read July 2018
Just re-read this delightful book and realized I never actually wrote a review the first time I read it?
Anyway, I keep loving each book in this series even more than the one before, and this re-read was delicious. I have mixed feelings about a certain death but otherwise this book is AMAZING and just such a fun suburban fantasy book (can that be a thing?). I love the fae stuff and magicalness mixed in with modern-day stuff, the family focus, and the characters are fabulous--I want more of Avery and Prince Crispin and just everyone--and it's fun, exciting, and the villain is CHILLING. It's fabulous and I loved binge-re-reading these three books just now, catching all kinds of connections I had missed before, and NEED book 4 ASAP! I just love this book world. It makes me happy. ^_^
First read July 2018
May 28, 2019
I don’t know how to elaborate on this without being too spoilery for those that have yet to read this fantastic book, so I’ll try not to dive too deep.
I love how Daley picks up where she left off with Rulers and Mages (Book 2) and didn’t have a massive gap between the events of the novels. That always makes it harder for my mind to figure out what is going on and who is who.
Sequels are rarely as good as the first, but this isn’t the case in Daley Downing’s books. She is the author who continues to exceed my expectations and keeps me guessing what is going to happen on every page. None of it was predictable and I’m fairly sure I let out a few auditory gasps. I just realized I finished this book in a week’s time. This has to be the fastest I’ve read a book in a long time. I had such a hard time putting it down, I took it with me on vacation this past weekend.
I was so glad Avery McKinnon had more screen time in this book and that Daley brought Madison along for the ride as well, making her a more prominent character. I also appreciated getting to see more of Emma’s character arc as she becomes more confident in her abilities. I’d go down the list of characters but suffice to say that I feel all the characters’ arcs were handled well and that they are continuing to grow without anything feeling rushed.
Am I looking forward to the next book? You bet your bonnet I am!
So, here’s to you, Daley! Keep writing all the awesome things. I’m looking forward to reading them.
I love how Daley picks up where she left off with Rulers and Mages (Book 2) and didn’t have a massive gap between the events of the novels. That always makes it harder for my mind to figure out what is going on and who is who.
Sequels are rarely as good as the first, but this isn’t the case in Daley Downing’s books. She is the author who continues to exceed my expectations and keeps me guessing what is going to happen on every page. None of it was predictable and I’m fairly sure I let out a few auditory gasps. I just realized I finished this book in a week’s time. This has to be the fastest I’ve read a book in a long time. I had such a hard time putting it down, I took it with me on vacation this past weekend.
I was so glad Avery McKinnon had more screen time in this book and that Daley brought Madison along for the ride as well, making her a more prominent character. I also appreciated getting to see more of Emma’s character arc as she becomes more confident in her abilities. I’d go down the list of characters but suffice to say that I feel all the characters’ arcs were handled well and that they are continuing to grow without anything feeling rushed.
Am I looking forward to the next book? You bet your bonnet I am!
So, here’s to you, Daley! Keep writing all the awesome things. I’m looking forward to reading them.
June 4, 2019
While more fast-paced than its predecessors, I do not understand this book. The rational behind some of the character's decisions is beyond me.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews