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QUEST
Jemma Alder doesn’t do the outdoors. Her books might get wet. At seventeen, she’s endured more than her fair share of tragedy, and her future is uncertain, but she has her friends, her good grades, her part time job, and her devastatingly romantic daydreams set to sweeping cinematic music - even her loathsome step-father, Lord Robert Clayworth, has treated her tolerably since ‘The Change’ last Christmas.
Then, Jemma’s familiar life deviates. Her best friend falls ill with a mysterious virus; social Queen Bee, Veronika Mason, reels Jemma into her clique; and her crush, Aaron Norling, takes an unexpected interest in her social life.
But even Jemma’s wild imagination couldn’t have foreseen how these events would catapult her into another world, nor dulled the shock of finding Aaron part of the Otherworld family who take her in. Before she can make sense of what’s happened, Jemma’s worst nightmares come true and she’s coerced into joining a team of five other teens on an expedition into the wilderness. But troubles are simmering in this land. The family are keeping secrets and the tribal system is not what it seems.
Soon, a challenging quest becomes a deadly game for survival, as it seems someone does not want the team to return, let alone succeed.
"'Quest' is young adult fiction at its very best." (Amie's book Reviews)
"I don't really read a lot of fantasy, but I went into this book not knowing what to expect at all, and it just kind of unfolded into fantasy in a way that worked perfectly for me." (@welovebigbooksandwecannotlie)
"We want all you guys to read this so it can get really popular and then become a movie!" (@welovebigbooksandwecannotlie)
"'Quest is a FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC young adult novel and the beginning of what promises to be an awesome new series...this book is UN-PUT-DOWNABLE!" (@aimiesbookreviews)
Then, Jemma’s familiar life deviates. Her best friend falls ill with a mysterious virus; social Queen Bee, Veronika Mason, reels Jemma into her clique; and her crush, Aaron Norling, takes an unexpected interest in her social life.
But even Jemma’s wild imagination couldn’t have foreseen how these events would catapult her into another world, nor dulled the shock of finding Aaron part of the Otherworld family who take her in. Before she can make sense of what’s happened, Jemma’s worst nightmares come true and she’s coerced into joining a team of five other teens on an expedition into the wilderness. But troubles are simmering in this land. The family are keeping secrets and the tribal system is not what it seems.
Soon, a challenging quest becomes a deadly game for survival, as it seems someone does not want the team to return, let alone succeed.
"'Quest' is young adult fiction at its very best." (Amie's book Reviews)
"I don't really read a lot of fantasy, but I went into this book not knowing what to expect at all, and it just kind of unfolded into fantasy in a way that worked perfectly for me." (@welovebigbooksandwecannotlie)
"We want all you guys to read this so it can get really popular and then become a movie!" (@welovebigbooksandwecannotlie)
"'Quest is a FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC young adult novel and the beginning of what promises to be an awesome new series...this book is UN-PUT-DOWNABLE!" (@aimiesbookreviews)
385 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 31, 2018
2 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Lara Kellett-Smith
4 books10 followersINSTAGRAM: @larakellettsmith
Hi, I’m Lara…teacher, avid reader, and author of books for children and young adults. My stories have an adventurous element, and I’m a huge romantic so you’ll find plenty of this in my YA work.
I’m from the island of Guernsey, Channel Islands (Uh, huh...as in ‘The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society’ by Shaffer and Barrows), but also spent my childhood on the tiny Scottish island of Tanera Mhor (no roads or shops, and we had to go to school by boat), and the Scottish Highlands of Glencoe (the region where they filmed Harry Potter…and Braveheart, Rob Roy, The Highlander, and The Loch series, to name a few. Popular scenery!).
It was an adventurous upbringing with lots of freedom, spent at the beach, on boats, and in the forests and mountains (with my dog, Heidi). My love of outdoor swimming and skiing were developed from an early age; I learned to swim in a rockpool, and to ski on the rugged slopes of White Corries, Glencoe. I confess, though, that having lived in a Swiss ski resort for twenty years, I’m a bit spoilt now for long, wide pristine slopes and lots of cafes!
I spent three months of my gap year in remote parts of northern Australia, with Operation Raleigh and continued my travels with a year’s university exchange to SUNY Plattsburgh, USA - then taught in primary/elementary school in Aviemore, Scotland, and Prague, Czech Republic. I’ve been settled, as a teacher, in Switzerland for twenty years.
Fun fact: My home base for twenty-five years was Glencoe and I now live in the Swiss canton of Vaud. The father of Ian Fleming’s character, James Bond, was from Glencoe, and Bond’s mother was from the Swiss Canton of Vaud!
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 8, 2019
THE QUEST is a FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC young adult novel and the beginning of what promises to be an awesome new series.
The official description of this book just does not do it justice. Although the beginning takes place in the real world, it is a small part of the overall tale.
With exquisite prose, an epic journey, adventure, a battle between good and evil, a budding romance, magic, shapeshifters, and a beautifully described new world, this book is not to be missed.
What reader hasn't dreamed of being swept up, away from their everyday lives and into the adventure of a lifetime? One of the reasons the fantasy genre is so popular is our desire to live vicariously through the characters in a book. THE QUEST embodies this desire perfectly.
QUEST begins in present day Yorkshire, England, but soon moves to a parallel world with almost nothing in common with the modern world. At Jemma's "home" in England, it is winter, however, when she arrives in the strange, new land of Terran, she realizes the seasons have changed in an instant. It is now spring (or maybe summer - at first she is unsure.) The landscape is completely different as well. Gone are the fields of Yorkshire. In their place, is a lush valley with mountains in the distance.
Jemma is a character that most teens (as well as most adults) can relate to.
Jemma somehow fits in beautifully with Aaron Norling's family, and they take her into their home, and eventually, into their hearts. The clan of which Aaron and his family are part of are the Loukyn Clan - shapeshifters who turn into wolves. Jemma does not discover their magic for some time, but once she is finally able to wrap her mind around the fact that shapeshifters are real, and that they are a reality in Terran, she learns more and more about her adoptive land and it's inhabitants.
She discovers that there are many different clans and that each clan shapeshifts into a unique animal. There is a Bear clan, an Eagle clan, a horse clan, etc. Jemma soon learns that racism and classism are rampant in Terran and that exile is the punishment for falling in love and mating with a member of a different clan. This bothers her immensely and rightly so.
However, trying to change their culture is secondary to the fact that she is to take part in a dangerous quest to retrieve a special plant from high up on a glacier.
THE QUEST is the story of their travels and all the obstacles that the six Questers must overcome. To make their journey even more difficult, it seems that someone, or something, is doing its best to ensure the failure of their task even if that means they all must die.
The story moves at a pulse-pounding rate and readers cannot stop themselves from becoming engrossed in the story. In fact, this book is UN-PUT-DOWNABLE!!!
Add in the fact that Jemma and Aaron are drawn to each other by an inescapable attraction and a mutual respect that causes their feelings of friendship and admiration to turn into so much more. But, this budding romance faces challenges at every turn, some of which might be impossible to overcome.
I hope I have intrigued potential readers to pick up a copy of this Indie authored Young Adult Fantasy novel. It will not disappoint you. This author has a true gift for characterization, world building as well as an intuitive sense for pacing.
I rate THE QUEST as 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am eagerly awaiting the second and third books in this series and I now a dedicated Lara Kellett-Smith fan.
.
****Thank you very much to Author Lara Kellett-Smith for providing me with a free copy of this amazing, new, Young Adult Fiction novel.****
To read more of my reviews as well as to learn more about the above series, visit my blog at http://Amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
Follow me on Instagram
@Amiesbookreviews
The official description of this book just does not do it justice. Although the beginning takes place in the real world, it is a small part of the overall tale.
With exquisite prose, an epic journey, adventure, a battle between good and evil, a budding romance, magic, shapeshifters, and a beautifully described new world, this book is not to be missed.
What reader hasn't dreamed of being swept up, away from their everyday lives and into the adventure of a lifetime? One of the reasons the fantasy genre is so popular is our desire to live vicariously through the characters in a book. THE QUEST embodies this desire perfectly.
QUEST begins in present day Yorkshire, England, but soon moves to a parallel world with almost nothing in common with the modern world. At Jemma's "home" in England, it is winter, however, when she arrives in the strange, new land of Terran, she realizes the seasons have changed in an instant. It is now spring (or maybe summer - at first she is unsure.) The landscape is completely different as well. Gone are the fields of Yorkshire. In their place, is a lush valley with mountains in the distance.
Jemma is a character that most teens (as well as most adults) can relate to.
Jemma somehow fits in beautifully with Aaron Norling's family, and they take her into their home, and eventually, into their hearts. The clan of which Aaron and his family are part of are the Loukyn Clan - shapeshifters who turn into wolves. Jemma does not discover their magic for some time, but once she is finally able to wrap her mind around the fact that shapeshifters are real, and that they are a reality in Terran, she learns more and more about her adoptive land and it's inhabitants.
She discovers that there are many different clans and that each clan shapeshifts into a unique animal. There is a Bear clan, an Eagle clan, a horse clan, etc. Jemma soon learns that racism and classism are rampant in Terran and that exile is the punishment for falling in love and mating with a member of a different clan. This bothers her immensely and rightly so.
However, trying to change their culture is secondary to the fact that she is to take part in a dangerous quest to retrieve a special plant from high up on a glacier.
THE QUEST is the story of their travels and all the obstacles that the six Questers must overcome. To make their journey even more difficult, it seems that someone, or something, is doing its best to ensure the failure of their task even if that means they all must die.
The story moves at a pulse-pounding rate and readers cannot stop themselves from becoming engrossed in the story. In fact, this book is UN-PUT-DOWNABLE!!!
Add in the fact that Jemma and Aaron are drawn to each other by an inescapable attraction and a mutual respect that causes their feelings of friendship and admiration to turn into so much more. But, this budding romance faces challenges at every turn, some of which might be impossible to overcome.
I hope I have intrigued potential readers to pick up a copy of this Indie authored Young Adult Fantasy novel. It will not disappoint you. This author has a true gift for characterization, world building as well as an intuitive sense for pacing.
I rate THE QUEST as 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am eagerly awaiting the second and third books in this series and I now a dedicated Lara Kellett-Smith fan.
.
****Thank you very much to Author Lara Kellett-Smith for providing me with a free copy of this amazing, new, Young Adult Fiction novel.****
To read more of my reviews as well as to learn more about the above series, visit my blog at http://Amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
Follow me on Instagram
@Amiesbookreviews
October 8, 2019
THE QUEST is a FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC young adult novel and the beginning of what promises to be an awesome new series.
The official description of this book just does not do it justice. Although the beginning takes place in the real world, it is a small part of the overall tale.
With exquisite prose, an epic journey, adventure, a battle between good and evil, a budding romance, magic, shapeshifters, and a beautifully described new world, this book is not to be missed.
What reader hasn't dreamed of being swept up, away from their everyday lives and into the adventure of a lifetime? One of the reasons the fantasy genre is so popular is our desire to live vicariously through the characters in a book. THE QUEST embodies this desire perfectly.
QUEST begins in present day Yorkshire, England, but soon moves to a parallel world with almost nothing in common with the modern world. At Jemma's "home" in England, it is winter, however, when she arrives in the strange, new land of Terran, she realizes the seasons have changed in an instant. It is now spring (or maybe summer - at first she is unsure.) The landscape is completely different as well. Gone are the fields of Yorkshire. In their place, is a lush valley with mountains in the distance.
Jemma is a character that most teens (as well as most adults) can relate to.
Jemma somehow fits in beautifully with Aaron Norling's family, and they take her into their home, and eventually, into their hearts. The clan of which Aaron and his family are part of are the Loukyn Clan - shapeshifters who turn into wolves. Jemma does not discover their magic for some time, but once she is finally able to wrap her mind around the fact that shapeshifters are real, and that they are a reality in Terran, she learns more and more about her adoptive land and it's inhabitants.
She discovers that there are many different clans and that each clan shapeshifts into a unique animal. There is a Bear clan, an Eagle clan, a horse clan, etc. Jemma soon learns that racism and classism are rampant in Terran and that exile is the punishment for falling in love and mating with a member of a different clan. This bothers her immensely and rightly so.
However, trying to change their culture is secondary to the fact that she is to take part in a dangerous quest to retrieve a special plant from high up on a glacier.
THE QUEST is the story of their travels and all the obstacles that the six Questers must overcome. To make their journey even more difficult, it seems that someone, or something, is doing its best to ensure the failure of their task even if that means they all must die.
The story moves at a pulse-pounding rate and readers cannot stop themselves from becoming engrossed in the story. In fact, this book is UN-PUT-DOWNABLE!!!
Add in the fact that Jemma and Aaron are drawn to each other by an inescapable attraction and a mutual respect that causes their feelings of friendship and admiration to turn into so much more. But, this budding romance faces challenges at every turn, some of which might be impossible to overcome.
I hope I have intrigued potential readers to pick up a copy of this Indie authored Young Adult Fantasy novel. It will not disappoint you. This author has a true gift for characterization, world building as well as an intuitive sense for pacing.
I rate THE QUEST as 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am eagerly awaiting the second and third books in this series and I now a dedicated Lara Kellett-Smith fan.
.
****Thank you very much to Author Lara Kellett-Smith for providing me with a free copy of this amazing, new, Young Adult Fiction novel.****
The official description of this book just does not do it justice. Although the beginning takes place in the real world, it is a small part of the overall tale.
With exquisite prose, an epic journey, adventure, a battle between good and evil, a budding romance, magic, shapeshifters, and a beautifully described new world, this book is not to be missed.
What reader hasn't dreamed of being swept up, away from their everyday lives and into the adventure of a lifetime? One of the reasons the fantasy genre is so popular is our desire to live vicariously through the characters in a book. THE QUEST embodies this desire perfectly.
QUEST begins in present day Yorkshire, England, but soon moves to a parallel world with almost nothing in common with the modern world. At Jemma's "home" in England, it is winter, however, when she arrives in the strange, new land of Terran, she realizes the seasons have changed in an instant. It is now spring (or maybe summer - at first she is unsure.) The landscape is completely different as well. Gone are the fields of Yorkshire. In their place, is a lush valley with mountains in the distance.
Jemma is a character that most teens (as well as most adults) can relate to.
Jemma somehow fits in beautifully with Aaron Norling's family, and they take her into their home, and eventually, into their hearts. The clan of which Aaron and his family are part of are the Loukyn Clan - shapeshifters who turn into wolves. Jemma does not discover their magic for some time, but once she is finally able to wrap her mind around the fact that shapeshifters are real, and that they are a reality in Terran, she learns more and more about her adoptive land and it's inhabitants.
She discovers that there are many different clans and that each clan shapeshifts into a unique animal. There is a Bear clan, an Eagle clan, a horse clan, etc. Jemma soon learns that racism and classism are rampant in Terran and that exile is the punishment for falling in love and mating with a member of a different clan. This bothers her immensely and rightly so.
However, trying to change their culture is secondary to the fact that she is to take part in a dangerous quest to retrieve a special plant from high up on a glacier.
THE QUEST is the story of their travels and all the obstacles that the six Questers must overcome. To make their journey even more difficult, it seems that someone, or something, is doing its best to ensure the failure of their task even if that means they all must die.
The story moves at a pulse-pounding rate and readers cannot stop themselves from becoming engrossed in the story. In fact, this book is UN-PUT-DOWNABLE!!!
Add in the fact that Jemma and Aaron are drawn to each other by an inescapable attraction and a mutual respect that causes their feelings of friendship and admiration to turn into so much more. But, this budding romance faces challenges at every turn, some of which might be impossible to overcome.
I hope I have intrigued potential readers to pick up a copy of this Indie authored Young Adult Fantasy novel. It will not disappoint you. This author has a true gift for characterization, world building as well as an intuitive sense for pacing.
I rate THE QUEST as 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am eagerly awaiting the second and third books in this series and I now a dedicated Lara Kellett-Smith fan.
.
****Thank you very much to Author Lara Kellett-Smith for providing me with a free copy of this amazing, new, Young Adult Fiction novel.****
February 27, 2019
Dealing with a fantastic world, a budding romance and a new family, Jemma, the protagonist, has to learn to survive.
A world described thoroughly with lacy details, I couldn't help but imagine myself walking in the forests, sailing on the lakes and swimming in the seas Jemma had the chance to experience. Relating to a character has honestly never been easier for me and as a 16 year old passionate about fantasy, this is one of the few worlds I could actually imagine myself living in.
Incredibly immersive with characters you fall in love with, slowly, naturally and effortlessly. Action that will keep you on the edge of your seat. In spite of a slow start (most needed to understand the relationships and tensions that develop among the main characters), the story's pacing can only be described as a summer thunderstorm season. Despite short, intense flashes of terror, warmth and positivity dominate throughout.
Definitely worth the read and a great start to what I hope will be a memorable trilogy.
A world described thoroughly with lacy details, I couldn't help but imagine myself walking in the forests, sailing on the lakes and swimming in the seas Jemma had the chance to experience. Relating to a character has honestly never been easier for me and as a 16 year old passionate about fantasy, this is one of the few worlds I could actually imagine myself living in.
Incredibly immersive with characters you fall in love with, slowly, naturally and effortlessly. Action that will keep you on the edge of your seat. In spite of a slow start (most needed to understand the relationships and tensions that develop among the main characters), the story's pacing can only be described as a summer thunderstorm season. Despite short, intense flashes of terror, warmth and positivity dominate throughout.
Definitely worth the read and a great start to what I hope will be a memorable trilogy.
February 24, 2019
I read Quest for the first time as a Beta reader and was so impressed with the story that I asked to be told when it was released so I could read the final version and leave a review for it. So here I am.
What can I say about Quest? It’s riveting and full of characters that you spend enough time with and learn so much about that you feel connected to them. This applies to not only the main characters, Aaron and Jemma, but secondary characters like Yari, Bree, and Penny...and that’s just naming a small amount.
The character development is great. We see Jemma change into a more confident (more than in the beginning) woman that finally finds her place in the world that just so happens to not end up being her own.
I’m excited to see where the story goes from here and I honestly can’t wait to find out what new adventures Jemma and Aaron will find themselves part of based on how the book ends!
What can I say about Quest? It’s riveting and full of characters that you spend enough time with and learn so much about that you feel connected to them. This applies to not only the main characters, Aaron and Jemma, but secondary characters like Yari, Bree, and Penny...and that’s just naming a small amount.
The character development is great. We see Jemma change into a more confident (more than in the beginning) woman that finally finds her place in the world that just so happens to not end up being her own.
I’m excited to see where the story goes from here and I honestly can’t wait to find out what new adventures Jemma and Aaron will find themselves part of based on how the book ends!
November 16, 2019
What if Twilight had been a portal fantasy featuring a world populated by shifters and, oh I don't know, the main characters were actually reasonably well-balanced people? In it's slow, sometimes meandering way, this book strives to fill that void in the teenage paranormal romance market. If that sounds like your kind of thing, you will love this series starter.
We start off in Yorkshire, England, where Jemma Alder is just another school kid being picked on by the mean girls and ignored by her crush. Ever self conscious about her fuller figure she tries to avoid people in favour of books and a few quiet BFFs, even at the expense of not being noticed by her #crush Aaron Norling. Then out of the blue, queen bee Veronika is asking her to a pre-party makeover, shoving a ring on her finger and then- Boom. An alternate world that's quite different from the modern day. There's no tech, no plastics, very little machinery. It's filled with clans of farmers and hunters living off the land, following strange traditions Jemma doesn't quite understand. One of there is known as the Quest, where a group of teens must prove themselves out in the wilds by performing a task. Somehow, despite not being of their world, Jemma's on the team. And so is pretty boy Aaron...
It's quite a lot to take in. It is a very slow to progress story, and the titular Quest is more of a backdrop than a source of thrills and spills. There are an absolute ton of characters, a lot of inter-clan political intrigues, mythology, and general teenage worrying that stays just the right side of all-out angst.
Jemma and Aaron are surprisingly normal for a YA romance couple; they do have the feels for each other, but it's not over the top hormonal angst or breathy panting. There is a bit of Edward Cullen about Aaron, but his slightly stalkerish tendencies aren't quite at the level of personal brand of heroin obsession. Jemma herself is, I'd guess, a relatable teenager who worries constantly about how others see her. It's a bit disappointing her weight is mainly seen as an obstacle for her to be seen as "smokin' hot", and how often she goes on about it can get a little grating (maybe even triggering considering her jubilation on losing weight - something that's only seen as a physical attractiveness issue until right near the end despite reassurances from literally everyone that she's fine whatever).
There are so many side characters I got them confused often. Aaron's adoptive family is huge, and then there are the other clan members, other clan's members... There are a lot of names. I think the the inventive Yari stood out the most (Bree sort of did, but faded into the background towards the end). The bad guys didn't get to do much really and were mostly lurking in the wings.
Now I must say this: the story is sprawling and slow. There's a lot of getting to know you time early on. The Quest doesn't even take place until after the 50% mark, and when it does the pace skips about. It did feel a bit anti-climactic to me in the end, in that the action took second billing to the usual romance-through-adversity tropes.
Then my other niggle: world building. Terra, the other world, is a bit odd. At first it seemed modern but without computing technology. Everyone wore t-shirts and jeans, and took showers even if they were living in log cabins. But later on, other characters wear leather jerkins or dress like Highlander extras. The reasoning behind the Quest business is pretty weird too, entrusting a very important task that will impact their whole society to a group of teens. While I liked the mythology and rigidly caste system to highlight the stupidity of prejudice, I didn't always understand all the political ramifications of the clans v outcasts/clans v Novilatians/outlanders. Back on Earth, Yorkshire "high school" life seems strangely Americanised.
I wished we'd gotten more from the conspiracy plot line from these 400 or so pages. While the book isn't in any way badly written, it's not my obvious cup of tea. I kept reading because I wanted some answers about the bad guys manipulating things between the two worlds. Unfortunately, that looks like a tale for another time. The bombshell dropped at the end was actually a question I had forgotten needed answering... And I'd forgotten why it was as big a bombshell as it was.
So TL;DR: It's not my personal favourite genre, so my feelings are mixed. It's a clean teen paranormal romance which has got a brain as well as a fated-mates story at it's heart. It might be a bit cliched for older readers, but I'd say youngsters would lap up this story of finding love and belonging.
We start off in Yorkshire, England, where Jemma Alder is just another school kid being picked on by the mean girls and ignored by her crush. Ever self conscious about her fuller figure she tries to avoid people in favour of books and a few quiet BFFs, even at the expense of not being noticed by her #crush Aaron Norling. Then out of the blue, queen bee Veronika is asking her to a pre-party makeover, shoving a ring on her finger and then- Boom. An alternate world that's quite different from the modern day. There's no tech, no plastics, very little machinery. It's filled with clans of farmers and hunters living off the land, following strange traditions Jemma doesn't quite understand. One of there is known as the Quest, where a group of teens must prove themselves out in the wilds by performing a task. Somehow, despite not being of their world, Jemma's on the team. And so is pretty boy Aaron...
It's quite a lot to take in. It is a very slow to progress story, and the titular Quest is more of a backdrop than a source of thrills and spills. There are an absolute ton of characters, a lot of inter-clan political intrigues, mythology, and general teenage worrying that stays just the right side of all-out angst.
Jemma and Aaron are surprisingly normal for a YA romance couple; they do have the feels for each other, but it's not over the top hormonal angst or breathy panting. There is a bit of Edward Cullen about Aaron, but his slightly stalkerish tendencies aren't quite at the level of personal brand of heroin obsession. Jemma herself is, I'd guess, a relatable teenager who worries constantly about how others see her. It's a bit disappointing her weight is mainly seen as an obstacle for her to be seen as "smokin' hot", and how often she goes on about it can get a little grating (maybe even triggering considering her jubilation on losing weight - something that's only seen as a physical attractiveness issue until right near the end despite reassurances from literally everyone that she's fine whatever).
There are so many side characters I got them confused often. Aaron's adoptive family is huge, and then there are the other clan members, other clan's members... There are a lot of names. I think the the inventive Yari stood out the most (Bree sort of did, but faded into the background towards the end). The bad guys didn't get to do much really and were mostly lurking in the wings.
Now I must say this: the story is sprawling and slow. There's a lot of getting to know you time early on. The Quest doesn't even take place until after the 50% mark, and when it does the pace skips about. It did feel a bit anti-climactic to me in the end, in that the action took second billing to the usual romance-through-adversity tropes.
Then my other niggle: world building. Terra, the other world, is a bit odd. At first it seemed modern but without computing technology. Everyone wore t-shirts and jeans, and took showers even if they were living in log cabins. But later on, other characters wear leather jerkins or dress like Highlander extras. The reasoning behind the Quest business is pretty weird too, entrusting a very important task that will impact their whole society to a group of teens. While I liked the mythology and rigidly caste system to highlight the stupidity of prejudice, I didn't always understand all the political ramifications of the clans v outcasts/clans v Novilatians/outlanders. Back on Earth, Yorkshire "high school" life seems strangely Americanised.
I wished we'd gotten more from the conspiracy plot line from these 400 or so pages. While the book isn't in any way badly written, it's not my obvious cup of tea. I kept reading because I wanted some answers about the bad guys manipulating things between the two worlds. Unfortunately, that looks like a tale for another time. The bombshell dropped at the end was actually a question I had forgotten needed answering... And I'd forgotten why it was as big a bombshell as it was.
So TL;DR: It's not my personal favourite genre, so my feelings are mixed. It's a clean teen paranormal romance which has got a brain as well as a fated-mates story at it's heart. It might be a bit cliched for older readers, but I'd say youngsters would lap up this story of finding love and belonging.
February 23, 2019
Enthralling read
I couldn't put this down - it's unlike anything I'd read before, with completely original and unpredictable plot twists and storylines. I feel like I've been living in another world through the rich and vivid descriptions of people and places! Cannot wait for the next one.
I couldn't put this down - it's unlike anything I'd read before, with completely original and unpredictable plot twists and storylines. I feel like I've been living in another world through the rich and vivid descriptions of people and places! Cannot wait for the next one.
February 23, 2019
Quest is incredibly well written with a fascinating story, it's a must read!
November 12, 2019
You guys, this book Quest, I need to start off by saying I LOVE THIS BOOK!!❤️
No seriously, I enjoyed reading this, the entire time! AND I didn’t want the story to stop! I don’t really read a lot of fantasy, but I went into this book not knowing what to expect at all, and it just kind of unfolded into fantasy, in a way that worked perfectly for me!! 👏🏼
This book gave me twilight vibes - without the vampires- but the right level of adventure. I love all of the characters, I need to be friends with everyone in this book! I don’t want to give a lot away, because I read this not knowing anything about it and I enjoyed the way the author slowly revealed information. 💕
Thank you @larakellettsmith for gifting us a copy of your book!
*Alyssa and I want you guys to all read this, so it can get really popular and then become a movie!!
No seriously, I enjoyed reading this, the entire time! AND I didn’t want the story to stop! I don’t really read a lot of fantasy, but I went into this book not knowing what to expect at all, and it just kind of unfolded into fantasy, in a way that worked perfectly for me!! 👏🏼
This book gave me twilight vibes - without the vampires- but the right level of adventure. I love all of the characters, I need to be friends with everyone in this book! I don’t want to give a lot away, because I read this not knowing anything about it and I enjoyed the way the author slowly revealed information. 💕
Thank you @larakellettsmith for gifting us a copy of your book!
*Alyssa and I want you guys to all read this, so it can get really popular and then become a movie!!
January 9, 2021
Book Rating: ★★★☆☆ (2.75 / 5 stars)
Jemma is a seemingly normal teenager: a bit of an outcast, she has spent most of her life fantasizing over her crush like a woman out of a Jane Austen novel. But when popular and beautiful Veronika coerces Jemma into her clique, it leads to something Jemma never thought possible: a ring transports her to a world parallel to hers…and her crush, Aaron, is also from there. Suddenly, she finds herself having to train for a quest, all while trying to understand this new world, Aaron, and the foes afoot.
Let me start by saying that if you enjoy YA Fantasy Romance, you will enjoy this book. I might have enjoyed it about ten-to-twelve years ago as well, to be honest. But, by the time I got 40% into the book, I knew it wasn’t for me, but I hung on due to some of the good in the story.
I’ll start with the good: Lara Kellett-Smith is a fantastic writer. You get wrapped in Jemma’s insecurities, and understand her feelings for Aaron, as well as her conflicts over him. Kellett-Smith has also spent a good amount of time foreshadowing, wrapping little details in seemingly insignificant events, and building up a world with rules and a hierarchical structure that is often difficult to do in Fantasy. On a fundamental level, it’s a good book.
But it wasn’t my cup of tea.
In a way, there was something reminiscent of Twilight in this book. Now, this goes back to what I said above: when I was thirteen, I loved Twilight. Now, I don’t. So I am sure that I would have enjoyed this book when I was younger.
From this point onwards, I’d like to provide a spoiler warning as in order to discuss what I don’t like, I may have delve a bit more into the plot.
I will say though, please don’t let my review stop you from reading this book, especially if you like YA Fantasy-Romance! I think you’ll love a lot of this if that is your cup-of-tea.
It just didn’t work for me.
Jemma is a seemingly normal teenager: a bit of an outcast, she has spent most of her life fantasizing over her crush like a woman out of a Jane Austen novel. But when popular and beautiful Veronika coerces Jemma into her clique, it leads to something Jemma never thought possible: a ring transports her to a world parallel to hers…and her crush, Aaron, is also from there. Suddenly, she finds herself having to train for a quest, all while trying to understand this new world, Aaron, and the foes afoot.
Let me start by saying that if you enjoy YA Fantasy Romance, you will enjoy this book. I might have enjoyed it about ten-to-twelve years ago as well, to be honest. But, by the time I got 40% into the book, I knew it wasn’t for me, but I hung on due to some of the good in the story.
I’ll start with the good: Lara Kellett-Smith is a fantastic writer. You get wrapped in Jemma’s insecurities, and understand her feelings for Aaron, as well as her conflicts over him. Kellett-Smith has also spent a good amount of time foreshadowing, wrapping little details in seemingly insignificant events, and building up a world with rules and a hierarchical structure that is often difficult to do in Fantasy. On a fundamental level, it’s a good book.
But it wasn’t my cup of tea.
In a way, there was something reminiscent of Twilight in this book. Now, this goes back to what I said above: when I was thirteen, I loved Twilight. Now, I don’t. So I am sure that I would have enjoyed this book when I was younger.
From this point onwards, I’d like to provide a spoiler warning as in order to discuss what I don’t like, I may have delve a bit more into the plot.
I will say though, please don’t let my review stop you from reading this book, especially if you like YA Fantasy-Romance! I think you’ll love a lot of this if that is your cup-of-tea.
It just didn’t work for me.
November 13, 2020
Quest was one of the longest book I’ve ever read... actually the longest LOL. For Book 1, it was pretty long! But I couldn’t put it down anyway, and I enjoyed Jemma’s point of view, and just the way she talked in my mind. The story is interesting. It got a bit slow in some parts, but not enough reason to not like this book! Also, the book cover is GOLD!!
October 27, 2020
DNF @ 25%
This starts with Jemma at school, disappointed that her friend is sick and isn't there to keep her company through the day. Instead the rich (mean) girls of her school take notice of her and ask her to join them at lunch. Jemma is wary but goes with them. Fast forward a week or so and she's at the Darkening Ball (I think that's its name anyway) where the rich farmer families get together to celebrate the days getting shorter (or something like that) and is bullied into wearing a ring by the bitchy Veronika, which ends up transporting her to another dimension/world.
This book was almost 400 pages on my kindle. As I've mentioned in previous reviews, long books are not my favourite unless I get pulled into the story. And I really didn't with this one. It was very... slow. I get the world building and getting to know some of the characters but I'll be brutally honest: I was bored. The description made it sound rather intriguing but the pace of it all was dragging along at it's own sweet pace. It was taking way too long for anything to happen and in the end, I just gave up at 25%.
Up to that point, there had been very little romance in the story. Jemma had a crush on Aaron - and had done for a while - but Aaron hadn't really shown any particular feelings for Jemma (yet). As a romance reader, I did feel like it was lacking in that respect.
One thing I feel I should be cheering was that it was set in Yorkshire. Woo! Think this is the first book I've read that's been set in my lovely county.
This starts with Jemma at school, disappointed that her friend is sick and isn't there to keep her company through the day. Instead the rich (mean) girls of her school take notice of her and ask her to join them at lunch. Jemma is wary but goes with them. Fast forward a week or so and she's at the Darkening Ball (I think that's its name anyway) where the rich farmer families get together to celebrate the days getting shorter (or something like that) and is bullied into wearing a ring by the bitchy Veronika, which ends up transporting her to another dimension/world.
This book was almost 400 pages on my kindle. As I've mentioned in previous reviews, long books are not my favourite unless I get pulled into the story. And I really didn't with this one. It was very... slow. I get the world building and getting to know some of the characters but I'll be brutally honest: I was bored. The description made it sound rather intriguing but the pace of it all was dragging along at it's own sweet pace. It was taking way too long for anything to happen and in the end, I just gave up at 25%.
Up to that point, there had been very little romance in the story. Jemma had a crush on Aaron - and had done for a while - but Aaron hadn't really shown any particular feelings for Jemma (yet). As a romance reader, I did feel like it was lacking in that respect.
One thing I feel I should be cheering was that it was set in Yorkshire. Woo! Think this is the first book I've read that's been set in my lovely county.
September 5, 2020
A brilliant, epic beginning to a series! Quest is an exciting, thrilling, captivating Teen/Young Adult fantasy story.
The story is a little slow and there is a lot of information given to you in the beginning which can be a little tedious but it is necessary the story needs it or you will miss the little tidbits of information given.
Now when you get to the part of the story where things start happening, it doesn't really let up. You are thrown into the brand new world, where everything isn't as it first seems. The twists and turns of this story was so exciting I could not put it down!
The world building and character development in this story is amazing! There are so many interesting characters and people to remember. The authors writing really paints a vivid picture of the world around you.
There is some teen romance that of course comes with the teenage angst and insecurities which I feel the author captures well. The romance is clean but I feel is firmly in the older teen category.. sex is mentioned and discussed so for that I would recommend 16+ age group.
Overall I loved the book and I am a sucker for a good fantasy novel, this one definitely did not disappoint. If you were a fan of The Divergent series, Hunger Games and Twilight stories this is a book you should read.
I can not wait to see what happens next!!
The story is a little slow and there is a lot of information given to you in the beginning which can be a little tedious but it is necessary the story needs it or you will miss the little tidbits of information given.
Now when you get to the part of the story where things start happening, it doesn't really let up. You are thrown into the brand new world, where everything isn't as it first seems. The twists and turns of this story was so exciting I could not put it down!
The world building and character development in this story is amazing! There are so many interesting characters and people to remember. The authors writing really paints a vivid picture of the world around you.
There is some teen romance that of course comes with the teenage angst and insecurities which I feel the author captures well. The romance is clean but I feel is firmly in the older teen category.. sex is mentioned and discussed so for that I would recommend 16+ age group.
Overall I loved the book and I am a sucker for a good fantasy novel, this one definitely did not disappoint. If you were a fan of The Divergent series, Hunger Games and Twilight stories this is a book you should read.
I can not wait to see what happens next!!
July 4, 2020
I LOVED QUEST. Such a fun read. There was surprise after surprise and even though there was a slow build up I was always on the edge of my seat. I LOVE Jemma she is so relatable and funny. And Aaron is so cool and their relationship is sweet and I just love everything about it. There are a lot of side characters that add depth to the story, too, and I thoroughly enjoy reading about them, as well. I would definitely recommend this book!
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