Stonebearer's Betrayal

Shadow Barrier Trilogy #1

by Jodi L. Milner

A secret society of immortals, tasked to protect the world.
A demon bent on revenge.
A girl brave enough to fight for her family when the two collide.

Archdemoness Wrothe stirs the ashes from a long dead war, rekindling a fire that threatens to burn the world. Only the legendary Stonebearers of the Khandashii have the power to stop her, if they catch wind of her plans in time. Katira didn’t believe the legends. She didn’t believe a person could alter the fabric of reality or live forever. She didn’t believe in the dark mirror realm or in the dangerous creatures prowling there either.

That was before the first shadow hound came for her.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

333 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 13, 2018

About the author

Jodi L. Milner is the author of the YA noble dark fantasy Stonebearer’s Betrayal as well as several short stories appearing in numerous anthologies and SQ Magazine.

In her community, she holds a leadership position in the League of Utah Writers and teaches at chapter meetings and conferences. She’s a world traveler, married a magician, studied Kenpo karate, and performed reptile shows several times a week while in college.
When not putting her characters in dire peril, Jodi can be folding the children and feeding the laundry, often in that order. She can also be found crocheting cute character sidekicks, playing lame app-based games, and reading – always reading.

Jodi is a firm believer that life is what you make it and she intends to make it a good one. She is an avid student of the interesting and obscure and has an unhealthy fascination with medical science. This path led to her working professionally in both human and animal medicine. These days she raises a pair of cranky chickens and is interested in taking up exotic animal rescue, much to her husband’s horror.

She makes her home in the mountains of Utah.

Reviews

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bias alert:
I am friends with the author, Jodi …
I am a contract editor for the publisher, Immortal Works …
I am friends with the editor, Melissa Meibos, who is a dear kindred spirit.

I think I’m pretty good at remaining disinterested even when friends are involved, but you never know.

I found this book well-plotted and well-paced; very tight. Good writing style and interesting magic system. While it leaves things open to a sequel, most things are wrapped up pretty well here. There is plenty of peril and suspense, and I genuinely feared for the characters’ lives.

There is sort of a love triangle, but it’s realistic and not the insta-lust kind you usually see. Our heroine does not suffer from Super Special Syndrome. She’s a little bit special but generally weak and powerless compared to all the magic wielders around. Also, her parents are very much involved. I totally expected them to die first thing or disappear or hang back and let her go off and be Special. This was all very refreshing.

There are some editing errors. Clean content; non-graphic violence.
Book Blog

[Sheila (sheilasbookreviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone that knows me well has figured out that my favorite genre to read is YA Fantasy. I happen to know the author of Stonebearer's Betrayal. As a reviewer, I often review my friend's books but I always give an honest review and don't give people a break just because they're my friend. Let's just say, there is no break needed here. This epic YA Fantasy was amazing! Jodi's world building was done so well and the magic system was unique and fascinating.

From the very first chapter I was totally sucked into this fantasy. I'm so glad I started it on a weekend because I basically sat down, started reading, and with only a few breaks in between I read this 300+page novel. I think I finished around 3 a.m.

The great cast of characters all stood on their own as strong, diverse people who couldn't just be lumped into a good or evil category. There were many in the gray category and I really liked that. Character growth was happening for many of them throughout the story. This really helped to integrate me into their lives and journeys. I don't want to get into any specifics at all in this review because I want you to read this book and experience it all for yourself. After you read the author interview I did with Jodi it will make you want to read this fantasy novel even more. This book took a long time to write and it shows by how well it was written. This is book one in a trilogy but it ended in a satisfying way without a huge cliff hanger. Book one certainly sets up an amazing world with brilliant characters that will draw you in making you anxious to return. I for one can't wait to read the next book in the series.

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[Jana Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun coming-of-age YA fantasy. It retraces some of the ground we've seen in such fantasies before: Young woman comes into power on/around her birthday and finds out her whole life is based on lies and lack of information. That familiarity brings a certain comfort in knowing what you're dealing with, but the rest of the story unfolds to show the author's unique take on that familiarity. The magic system is interesting with enough complexity to keep me asking questions but enough simplicity that I never felt lost in the narrative. I like the vast majority of the characters - or love to hate them. I really enjoy that this is a family story. So often in order to make a YA character the focus it means the grown ups in the world are either absent or rather dumb, in this case the adults are an active part of what is going on. In some ways this makes this more of a general fantasy than fulfilling the full YA expectation of the YA character being the driver of all the action, but it worked for me.

So where we lose a bit for me is in some of the character arcs which are not as well developed as I would have liked and I find the semi love triangle annoying, particularly as one of the members seems pretty useless except to stand as a reminder that our MC can't fall for new guy because old guy is out there somewhere. Old guy is kind of a jerk and doesn't make enough character motion for me to care much.

Looking forward to book two!

[Marta the Booktrovert · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, thank you so much to the writer for a free copy of this book. I always love discovering new writers and new stories.

This is the story of Katira, who decides to sneak out for an adventure in the forest during the night with his lover Elan, despite all the warnings from his father not to. When they are attacked by a monstrous beast and saved by her own father with forbidden magic, Katira will have to face a new reality and pay the consequences of this rebellious act. Everything she knew about her parents was a lie and she struggles to come to terms with this new reality of Stonebearer and mysterious relics.

I would probably describe this story as high fantasy, as it has a very complex world building of magic, which you definitely won't find anywhere. However, I could not connect with Katira at all or feel for her because you don’t see her at all. This feels more like the tale of Jarand and his quest to protect his family than anything else. Moreover, Katira didn’t strike me as a strong character, but it's simply because the reader doesn’t have the opportunity to know her more.

Unfortunately, it was not my cup of tea, but I can see how this novel can totally conquer the heart of high fantasy reader and I totally recommend it. It is brilliantly written and I loved how the writer discussed important topics such as adoptive children.

[Vickiec192 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow! This book is dangerous! You pick it up, and then it's 5 hours later and you realise you've not moved!
After finding out her life and those in it aren't everything she believed them to be, Katira is then thrown into absolute chaos as a direct result of the life she knew nothing about. Given that she has no time to process, the character development is amazing, she feels the hurt and betrayal but it doesn't define her as a character. The more deeply drawn into the events of the book she becomes, while still scared of what it means, she grows into herself. I really like this aspect and adds great depth to her character.
There are just the right amount of characters in this book. They all have a purpose and they all bring something to the plot. The plot itself is an absolute whirlwind, and quite the emotional rollercoaster. There are no "filler" pages. The book is jam packed with high tension events, add to it that the writing is absolutely beautiful and you have one highly addictive book. I can highly recommend.

[Daniel Yocom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Stonebearer’s Betrayal. This roughly 300 page adventure clearly sets up a world and a story that has more to tell.

The beginning of the book feels like it moves a little slow as the world and situation are set up. The pace increases as the story grows. Eventually the story builds to a climax that is fulfilling.

Milner is able to infuse powerful emotions that build through the story. Emotional strings are tugged strongly by the end of the book.

Stonebearer’s Betrayal is written for younger and older readers. I found nothing offensive in the work. There are no graphic scenes and the morals presented are that there is strength in doing what is right and being good to others is solid from beginning to end.

I didn’t see any indications that Stonebearer’s Betrayal was the beginning of a series but the building blocks are in place to continue the story. But don’t think you should wait to see if the story is part one, this is a story that stands on its own. There are opportunities for more, but no loose threads that demand completion. I hope to see the next installment.

Full review available at Guildmastergaming@blogspot.

[Trippentigger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

I’m liking this story so far so will he grabbing the next in line. Not a cliffhanger, but it is definitely the beginning build up into the series. Things are really just getting set to take off at the conclusion to this book. Interesting magic system that we just see touches of developing here. Worth the grab.

[William Blycker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down.

Wonderfully crafted story. I really enjoyed how the story unfolded and grew as I read. The characters were well created and brought me into the story, and made me feel all the emotions a good character does. Yes, I even shed a few tears. Well done. Can't wait for more.

[Margaret Adelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the author offered me a copy of this book to review, I was intrigued by the premise. While "young girl discovers big magical family secret" is a pretty standard beginning for a fantasy story, it wasn't in the usual way and I liked the idea of the Stonebearer's themselves. Their magic wasn't necessarily explained that in-depth, but you got the gist of what they were trying to do in the fight sequences, so I didn't mind. The world building itself was fairly vague, but definitely there. I appreciated that there was no giant block texts of explanations, that things were more explained as the characters traveled through them.

The one notable struggle I had was that the synopsis felt... well, not deceptive, but not entirely accurate. Katira is called brave (in the GR synopsis, the Amazon one differs), but she spends the majority of the book under the control of someone else and basically unaware of the big threat going on. Her outright fear and horror upon learning her parents' secret is logically explained, but doesn't feel warranted, as the superstition surrounding "wielders" is only explained in a couple lines of dialogue before the reveal. I also struggled with the fact that of the few female characters there were, they were almost always secondary to a male character, either through a relationship or literal captivity.

It was Katira's father and his Stonebearer master that really took center stage for me. Jarand has PTSD from his long life of war and Regulus is fighting literal demon possession. Honestly, I would have read an entire story focused purely on those two. Even looking back, Katira still feels like a secondary character in comparison. And her romantic relationships don't leave me feeling a whole lot either. However, I will give credit that it was not a standard love triangle, for which I am very grateful.

There were no serious issues with the book, beyond some normal pet peeves of genre conventions. Someone who is a big fantasy fan will likely love this book and I won't fault it for sticking to said genre conventions. But as someone who prefers her fantasy diverse and/or with a twist on the tropes, it was a bit too standard for me.

[Nicholas Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only a Stonebearer can safely wield the power within, and using the magic exacts a heavy toll.

Katira is a simple girl in a small village, raised by her blacksmith father, Jarand, and village healer mother, Mirelle. Or is she? Her life, as she's known it, has been a facade. When Jarand protects her from an attack by mysterious beasts using forbidden magic, Katira learns the truth of her heritage and everything she's taken for granted comes crashing down.

Stonebearer's Betrayal is a YA coming-of-age tale set in a world where people born with mystical energy utilize artifacts to channel their power. The story's POV alternates primarily between Jarand and Katira, exploring themes of loss, betrayal, fear, longing, and love. As a parent, I would feel safe letting my pre-teen children read this tale of good vs. evil.

What I liked:
The author builds a world with an elaborate magic system with limits and consequences. The landscape is described well enough for the reader to enter the Stonebearer's world in their mind. As a father of adopted children, I identified with Jarand, the foster father. Even though they were not related by blood, he made sacrifices for the protection and safety of his adopted child.

What I didn't like:
I didn't see Katira as the main character, or as a strong, young female protagonist. To me, Jarand seemed to be the primary actor. The story was told from his POV more often than Katira's. When we did see the world through her eyes, she seemed more like a reactive follower than a proactive lead.

Bottom Line:
Stonebearer's Betrayal is a good story for middle-grade to young-adult readers and will spark their imagination with its unique magic system and relatable life struggles.

[Christopher Thomasson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sometimes find it hard to be pulled into a story as that author's hook, that thing which draws the reader in and holds them, is just not there: or if it is there, it's dull and didn't sink itself deep enough into me to hold my attention. Believe me, as an author myself, I know how hard it is to sharpen that hook into something that will hold the reader to the end. We all struggle with it. However, this is NOT the case with Stonebearer's Betrayal: The hook got me on the first cast. It pulled me in immediately and didn't turn loose until the last word had been read. Milner has a descriptive force about her that, in just a few words, paints settings in your mind like a true artist. The dialogue and characterization are on point. With each passing paragraph, you can't help but feel for these characters, cheer through their triumphs, and hurt with them through their trials. If you want to feel as if you've been teleported into another world, then this book is for you.

[Amy Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magically exciting

Milner pens a grand story in Stonebearer's Betrayal. I haven't read anything from this author before, and I really enjoyed this story. The characters were interesting and very creative. There is a great chemistry between the characters, and a depth that makes them realistic and flawed. The story brings in the believable, even if almost impossible. It's a great story to follow and try to figure out what will happen next. Powers, secrets and intrigue fill this fantasy story, and Katira is one of those characters that you just root for, especially when her life seems to fall apart. I have fast become a big fan of Milner. I look forward to reading more stories by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.

[Linne Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Fantasy

Loved this. Creative magic system. The story flowed well. It would have been a five star but there were some places where pacing was off. But very creative elements. I have ao many questions about the next book. This conclusion was the perfect lead to the next book. I have a feeling that Katira is really going to come into her power. . I cannot wait for the demoness to be taken down. Also I'm super intrigued about katira and isben. Hows her dad going to feel about that???

[Magik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me a long time to read because I had trouble getting into the beginning. Idk if it was a pacing issue or something but it felt... off? Like too fast but then too slow? I didn't understand or feel Katira's reaction to her parent's revelation and I think in part because it didn't really make much sense and also because there wasn't enough of a build up of their relationship and also with society's relationship with stonebearers. But after maybe a 3rd of the way in? it seemed to find it's stride and I really enjoyed it. I'm definitely picking up the 2nd book.

[Kimberly-Dawn Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world building was wonderful, full of great descriptions and fantastical storyline.

This is one of those audiobooks that lost something because of the narration. There was very little to no emotive inflections or distinction between characters.

I would recommend you get the Kindle version or hardcopy because the writing is well worth it.

**I received a free copy of this audiobook in lieu of giving an honest review

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books that you don’t have to work to get into. You just slip into the story.

Great world building, and it left me curious to learn more about how the magic works and what it can do. Hopefully there’s more to come.

[Michael Chittum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well crafted first novel. Milner creates a coherent world and believable characters. The author addresses major human themes of good and evil, the use and misuse of power, and the responsibility to work for the good.

[Irony Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story sucked me in! I really enjoyed the characters and was pleased to be surprised multiple times. I didn't think the back cover blurb did this book justice. If you like magic, adventure, action, and an awesome love triangle than skip the blurb and read this book!

[Michelle VanDaley · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review is based on the audiobook. This is a good story. I like how it flowed naturally and enjoyed learning about the Stonebearer's and their abilities. The narration was well paced and easy to understand. I look forward to more from this author

[S.A. Krishnan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every single character especially Katira has been etched beautifully. The magic rules in the entire story was perfect and the story was built perfectly within the rules. The world building and the characters came together perfectly in the story. Enjoyed it.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was impressed with the lovely visualization and prose. It's a deep fantasy with a mature magic system that stays true to its rules. Not just a YA fantasy, it favors a strong journey for fans of Ursula LeGuin or Sarah J. Mass.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not usually my genre, but I was really drawn in by the story and the characters. The story was original and not formulaic. Can't wait for the next book in the series!

[Reading For Sanity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this review and others https://readingforsanity.blogspot.com...

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and sometimes predictable read with characters to love and characters we love to hate. Screaming at the characters doesn’t help, sorry.

[Klaus Yde · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just to primitive in the story - going from one cliffhanger to the next cliffhanger and so on. No real story or description of the characters. Read 50% and that was enough frustration for me.

[Caron · Rating 4 out of 5]

great world

I felt the story started slowly. However, the world that was created was awesome. I loved the characters. I will definitely read the next book.

[Marcy Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! From the beginning to end I was hooked. Loved the plot, and the characters were entertaining. Overall a great read. Will read again!

[Tabatha Shipley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent a review copy by the author in exchange for this honest review.

What I Did Like:
-Surprising, in a good way! I love to be surprised by stories. This one went in directions I wasn’t expecting and I enjoyed the ride.
-Romance … between the parents. I wasn’t expecting that (see previous thing I liked). Typically in YA Fantasy you have an adorable side arc about romance. But I wasn’t expecting that pitter-patter and warm feelings to come from the parents. OMG they were an epic love story and I adore them.
-Magic system. I love that it’s complex enough that we feel like we’re not masters after one book. I love that it's glyph based. I love that it has consequences and drains the energy of the users. Well written magic system that drew me in!

Who Should Read This One:
-Fantasy fans who enjoy complex magic systems.
-If you want your coming of age angle but also really enjoy relationship goals couples, you’ll love this one.

My Rating: 4 Stars. Honestly the complexities of the magic system make this a fantasy story that fantasy fans will LOVE.

For Full Review (including what I didn't love): https://youtu.be/kc_ksncb7Wk

[Nikki Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

See this and other reviews at thebookdragonblog.com

Katira believes that her world is as small as the village she grew up in. But that idyllic, peaceful view is shattered when she finds out that her parents can wield magic. Scared of the truth of her birth, her parents, and her own power, Katira is kidnapped by a rogue magic-wielder before she can make sense of any of it. She must learn to control the power within her if she is to survive long enough for her parents and her village-boy love-interest, Elan, to come rescue her. Or perhaps she is strong enough to escape on her own...

A classic YA novel, Jodi L. Milner creates a magical world where the young protagonist has to learn of her power before she can save herself and the people around her. She even adds in not just one love interest, but two! It'll be interesting to see how the story progresses regarding the love birds. I'm always a sucker for the boy-next-door, but there's something exciting about a new and powerful boy thrown into the mix. 

While the premise for the story and the world built around it both highly interested me, the characters and their interactions lowered my overall rating. In the very beginning, the characters seem to have hard-set beliefs, and yet one short conversation easily changes their minds. And this happens not just once, but several times back and forth. Although this does improve later in the novel, the characters' personalities remain inconsistent, especially Katira. She's built up to be shy and unsure of herself, but plays coy and arrogant the next. Perhaps part of that is Katira faking it until she makes it, but the execution simply obscures who she actually is. Without having a solid hold on who the characters are, the plot begins to fade to the background as I struggled to make sense of them. 

Occasionally, character actions also made no sense, unless the only purpose was to drive the plot forward. A badass demoness seems to hold all power, and yet allows a young boy to escape her clutches. Why? So that he can bring us to the protagonist. A seasoned Stonebearer wastes time on small talk when he needs to shout out a warning. Why? So the demoness can gain more power and destroy more lives. But, perhaps I am being nitpicky. This is a YA novel after all, and I am a grown adult. 

Regardless of the execution, the worldbuilding and conflict were enough to keep me reading! A good start to a series, I expect that with the characters more fleshed out, the next books in the series will be even better. 

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took the opportunity over the last few weeks to listen to the audiobook edition of this novel.

In Stonebearer's Betrayal, a young girl named Katira is living a normal life in a village, awaiting her coming-of-age ceremony, spending time with the boy whom she hopes to marry. When she discovers that her Papan and Mamar—her father and mother—are immortal "wielders" with great magical abilities who adopted her and raised her as their own, her life is turned upside down. What's more, there's a demon keen on subjecting and destroying the wielders. A sinister figure working for the demon kidnaps Katira, threatening those closest to the girl. As she dives deeper into the world of those with magical abilities, everything she knows about the people around her, and herself, changes forever.

Milner's book, with its great cover art, is the first in a planned trilogy. It is a delightful fantasy adventure for young adults with themes of family, romance, loyalty, and self-discovery. The story's focus on relationships and character development is interspersed with fighting action and curious glimpses into the internalized magical mechanisms of the Stonebearer's speculative world. While the story focuses on Katira's journey, I particularly enjoyed the romance between her adoptive parents as they fought to get their daughter back, and as they sacrificed to edify and protect each other.