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Phantom Island #1
Windchaser
High school senior Whitnee has spent six years rebuilding her identity after her father's mysterious disappearance left her with more questions than answers. With her two best friends, Morgan and Caleb, she returns as a mentor to the summer camp of her childhood. Nestled in the Texas hill country, Camp Fusion is everything Whitnee remembers-except for the haunting visions that only she can see. One fateful night, Whitnee and her friends embark on a magical voyage where unexpected adventure and heart-stopping romance collide-a journey that might unlock the dark, complicated mysteries of Whitnee's family history. But will she find the answers she is looking for?
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2009
48 people are currently reading
435 people want to read
About the author
Krissi Dallas
14 books163 followersKrissi Dallas loves pop music, mismatched socks, and Tex-Mex food. She is wife to Dr. Sam Dallas, mom to two strong-willed little boys and a couple of pups, and former junior high teacher of sixteen years. When she’s not busy serving in her church and community, Krissi is a multi-genre author with a commitment to create heart-pounding, imagination-inspiring entertainment geared for ages 12 and up. Books by Krissi Dallas DO NOT CONTAIN explicit language, gratuitous violence, or onscreen intimate scenes.
Do you love portal fantasy with a multi-generational cast of characters? An epic love triangle between two worlds? The Phantom Island series should be your first stop! For those who want to go behind the scenes of internet celebrities with an enemies-to-love adventure inside a small town setting, check out romantic comedy Wish Upon A Streaming Star. If you love a dark and twisty mystery with a cast of famous kids turned into spies and pilots on a mission to take down an evil organization, then Icarus Flight School is the series for you. Young adults and young-at-heart adults welcome!
EDUCATORS: Krissi loves doing author visits with junior high and high school. Get in touch today and download free teaching resources on her website!
Krissi is a proud screenwriter for the 100 Pages Movie project and loves nothing more than connecting with readers and writers of all ages.
Do you love portal fantasy with a multi-generational cast of characters? An epic love triangle between two worlds? The Phantom Island series should be your first stop! For those who want to go behind the scenes of internet celebrities with an enemies-to-love adventure inside a small town setting, check out romantic comedy Wish Upon A Streaming Star. If you love a dark and twisty mystery with a cast of famous kids turned into spies and pilots on a mission to take down an evil organization, then Icarus Flight School is the series for you. Young adults and young-at-heart adults welcome!
EDUCATORS: Krissi loves doing author visits with junior high and high school. Get in touch today and download free teaching resources on her website!
Krissi is a proud screenwriter for the 100 Pages Movie project and loves nothing more than connecting with readers and writers of all ages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
March 25, 2010
My church book group picked this book because Krissi Dallas is a Burleson woman and we wanted to support the home town girl. It is YA Fantasy, which is my favorite genre. My one ciriticism is that it didn't follow the 300 printed words per page format. There were a lot more words and I think it puts people off from reading it. I thought it was occasionally didactic in places. It had a lot of romance,relationship stuff in it (nothing that a middle school student couldn't read, Krissi is the wife of a baptist youth minister). I thought her dialogue was very authentic (she is a middle school teacher). I loved that she had the courage to put y'all in print. Repeatedly. I enjoyed the story very much, I couldn't stand to put the book down. I know my girl students are going to LOVE this book. I don't know how boys would respond. There was ALOT of action, but intense girl feelings as well.
March 11, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and BookBuzz for providing a copy of this book!
I'm not the target audience for this, as - imo - this book ended up falling on the younger side of YA, so please keep it in mind when reading the following.
First of all, I enjoyed reading this arc with little to no grammatical errors or typos, the form was very pleasant.
The summer camp setting is always a plus for me, as are usually every books with a small circle/restricted area setting!
Very mild spoilers from here, as it's simply impossible to point out some items without at least vaguely mentioning them
Unfortunately, I felt the pace was unbalanced : for a short book (288 pages according to GR), starting to explain the existence of magic, new characters and most of all, an entire new world at 50% doesn't leave room for absorbing the amount of new informations, or for any kind of believable development.
This book lacks time to bloom.
I understand it's a series and that things will grow afterwards, but even for a first book of a series, some parts are rushed and overall, it's not efficiently planned.
The characters are nice enough (I especially liked Morgan), but what I thought would be a slow-burn "from friends-to-lovers" romance shifted into a love triangle midcourse, and if you know me for at least 5 minutes you know how much I'm not into those...
The romance is an important part of the book too, and I was hoping for more action and a little less hormones, but that's just personal taste.
Good luck to this book anyway!
I'm not the target audience for this, as - imo - this book ended up falling on the younger side of YA, so please keep it in mind when reading the following.
First of all, I enjoyed reading this arc with little to no grammatical errors or typos, the form was very pleasant.
The summer camp setting is always a plus for me, as are usually every books with a small circle/restricted area setting!
Very mild spoilers from here, as it's simply impossible to point out some items without at least vaguely mentioning them
Unfortunately, I felt the pace was unbalanced : for a short book (288 pages according to GR), starting to explain the existence of magic, new characters and most of all, an entire new world at 50% doesn't leave room for absorbing the amount of new informations, or for any kind of believable development.
This book lacks time to bloom.
I understand it's a series and that things will grow afterwards, but even for a first book of a series, some parts are rushed and overall, it's not efficiently planned.
The characters are nice enough (I especially liked Morgan), but what I thought would be a slow-burn "from friends-to-lovers" romance shifted into a love triangle midcourse, and if you know me for at least 5 minutes you know how much I'm not into those...
The romance is an important part of the book too, and I was hoping for more action and a little less hormones, but that's just personal taste.
Good luck to this book anyway!
December 8, 2011
What I Liked: 1) The characters. The main characters of Whitnee, Morgan, and Caleb are all well-rounded and unique characters with fully explored histories. The first thing that strikes me about Miz Dallas's writing is how real her characters become. They don't just come into being when you open the first page, they are living, breathing people with histories, quirks, personalities, and lives. It doesn't take long to start to view them as your friends, rather than characters in a book. 2) Camp Fusion. The story begins at Camp Fusion, a camp for adolescents who are struggling to deal with life-changing events with the help of their mentors. Whitnee, Morgan and Caleb met at the camp years before as campers and have now returned as mentors. The big sister in me is just raw when I read about the struggles the campers are dealing with, but at the same time I recognize the necessity of it all. A reminder that life isn't always roses, it certainly adds a level of reality to the story. 3) Humor. It's clear that Miz Dallas's sense of humor and mine are similar, because I lolled throughout the book. It's really a great mixture of the serious and the humorous. 4) The introduction of new characters. Towards the middle of the book, once you've gotten used to the relationships of Whitnee, Caleb, Morgan, Amelia, and Kevin, we're thrown another character who seems to throw everyone off balance for a while. More than a while, actually, everyone seems to be wary of him for the rest of the book. He has a mysterious quality about him that makes him very appealing to me. And Whitnee. Heh. Plus, he's a hot island boy. Who doesn't like that? 5) The Island. Referred to as Phantom Island, or the White Island. Bear with me, because I am going to have a hard time explaining what it is I like about this setting so much. My initial thought upon arriving there (a good, 150 pages into the book) is that it's like coming home. I don't live on an island, or any kind of tropical setting, but there is something about this place that Miz Dallas has created that is comforting and exciting all at the same time. There are different parts of the Island, and though we only get to explore one part of it (well, two, if you count the beach) in this book, I'm looking forward to more exploring in the rest of the series. In all honesty, if I could choose any setting from any book I've ever read, to live in, I'd want to live on the White Island. Or, I'd want to be from the White Island, and have their life source gifts. Which leads me into my next like...6) The tribes. On the Island, the people live in one of four tribes, the Aerodorians (Wind), the Geodorians (Earth), the Pyradorians (Fire) and the Hydrodorians (Water). There are many intricate details that go into these tribes, who they are, what they can do, etc. but I don't want to reveal anymore about them until you've read the book. I will tell you that I've taken Miz Dallas's test to see which tribe I belong to, and I'm a Pyra. The details really make the story great. 7) The balance between reality and fantasy. As an avid reader, I think I spend a great deal of my life balancing it somewhere between reality (work, bills, etc.) and fantasy (pretty much any book I read). Windchaser emulates that balance that I think a lot of people seek out in their lives.
What I Didn't Like: Nothing. Well, okay, this isn't really a dislike, more of a disclaimer. This book demands your focus. As I said, there are a lot of details, and a lot of things going on. One of Miz Dallas's many talents as an author is that she manages to keep things from spiraling out of control, but maintain a fastpaced story. Make sure that when you sit down to read it, you are committing to it. It's not a multi-tasking read.
Overall thoughts: Windchaser is one of my favorite books of the year. I'd live on the White Island if I could, and would definitely want to be friends with Whitnee and her companions. You know those books that you are sad when they're over? That's Windchaser for me. I didn't want to leave the Island, and I didn't want to leave my friends. Between the awesome setting and the oh-so-real characters, Windchaser is the perfect balance of reality and fantasy mixed together to form a creative and unique story that will delight many readers! Make sure you add it to your TBR list, and watch for my review of Phantom Island book 2, Windfall!
See this and other fun reviews at Fuzzy.Coffee.Books!
What I Didn't Like: Nothing. Well, okay, this isn't really a dislike, more of a disclaimer. This book demands your focus. As I said, there are a lot of details, and a lot of things going on. One of Miz Dallas's many talents as an author is that she manages to keep things from spiraling out of control, but maintain a fastpaced story. Make sure that when you sit down to read it, you are committing to it. It's not a multi-tasking read.
Overall thoughts: Windchaser is one of my favorite books of the year. I'd live on the White Island if I could, and would definitely want to be friends with Whitnee and her companions. You know those books that you are sad when they're over? That's Windchaser for me. I didn't want to leave the Island, and I didn't want to leave my friends. Between the awesome setting and the oh-so-real characters, Windchaser is the perfect balance of reality and fantasy mixed together to form a creative and unique story that will delight many readers! Make sure you add it to your TBR list, and watch for my review of Phantom Island book 2, Windfall!
See this and other fun reviews at Fuzzy.Coffee.Books!
March 6, 2021
I didn’t have much expectations going in this book. And even so i came out of it disappointed.
Ill start off with the good bits, i like the premise, i like the magic system, yes i know the elemental magic system is VERY tropey but hey done right, i’m a sucker for those types of magic systems. And it was cool to see these characters with these elemental powers. Plus world building wasn’t non-existent unlike most ya books these days that somehow only focuses on romance.
As for the characters, ehh they were boring. I wish they had more depth oh were more realistic, they were just, bland. A lot of the book felt unhappening and there was no tension, romantic or plot vise or stakes to keep me as a reader, invested in following the plot. We only reach the phantom island around what felt like the halfway mark and everything before that didn’t add to the story or move the story forward.
This also comes down to the fact that i’m not the demographic the book is intended towards, so without my personal preferences, i would give it a three stars, because at the end of the day the book wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t to my taste. And i feel like ya readers would enjoy this!
I received an ARC from Thunderfly Productions in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley
Ill start off with the good bits, i like the premise, i like the magic system, yes i know the elemental magic system is VERY tropey but hey done right, i’m a sucker for those types of magic systems. And it was cool to see these characters with these elemental powers. Plus world building wasn’t non-existent unlike most ya books these days that somehow only focuses on romance.
As for the characters, ehh they were boring. I wish they had more depth oh were more realistic, they were just, bland. A lot of the book felt unhappening and there was no tension, romantic or plot vise or stakes to keep me as a reader, invested in following the plot. We only reach the phantom island around what felt like the halfway mark and everything before that didn’t add to the story or move the story forward.
This also comes down to the fact that i’m not the demographic the book is intended towards, so without my personal preferences, i would give it a three stars, because at the end of the day the book wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t to my taste. And i feel like ya readers would enjoy this!
I received an ARC from Thunderfly Productions in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley
February 15, 2013
I was honestly surprised by how much I liked this book. Krissi is an amazing writer and I really do hope this book gets more discovered, it definitely deserves it. The story was good, entertaining, and well written. I seriously felt like these characters were real. They weren't just imagined and thrown together, like many other books' characters. Definitely worth getting. :)
Read
June 13, 2013What a fantastic read! I was turning the pages lightning fast, and didn't want it to end (which is honestly rare for me). One of those books you can't stand to put down. Now...where is the second one? Oh, yes. Right here on my Nook!! :)
October 13, 2011
A fabulous read -- incredibly creative and fun. I'm a Hydrodorian (Water tribe) all the way, baby!
March 1, 2021
(I was provided with a copy of this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own).
OOOH I was so keen to get back into some YA and I am SO GLAD this was the book I chose. It's my first read by Krissi Dallas and I would recommend to any YA fantasy lover- It's technically high fantasy but set in modern day (involving an alternate worldscape). Super appropriate for middle class reading levels but also, I am 28 and loved it.
SYNOPSIS:
Windchaser follows Whitnee- a high school senior and mentor at Camp Fusion; a camp for healing for children who have experienced trauma. Camp Fusion hold a special place for Whitnee as well as her two best friends; Caleb and Morgan. Whitnee first attended the camp when she was six, shortly after her father mysteriously disappeared off the shores of Hawaii.
As she returns to Camp Fusion as a mentor the camp is not exactly how Whitnee remembers it- She is flooded by vivid hallucinations and haunting nightmares that have one thing in common- the forbidden land on the other side of the river. Her idea to explore leads her and her band of friends in an unknown world. This book explores trauma, grief, friendship and teen romance so beautifully!
What I loved:
I LOVED Whitnee's emotions as a teenager were portrayed- I loved the complex relationships she developed between her and the other characters and I especially loved the dynamic between Whitnee, Gabriel and Caleb.
The author has built an incredible world that is original and so enticing. I want to know EVERYTHING about White Island. I was lore of the different tribes, I want fan fiction. I want it all. I am so excited for this to be a series and for us to know more about it.
What I didn't love as much:
To be honest there isn't much to critique about this book. It is well written, the dialogue flows nicely, I loved the descriptive nature of the writing. I will say that one of my book gripes is when a book seems like the ending is "unfinished." I understand it's a series and we will have questions answered in the next book but I think it's important the book still has it's own start-middle-end, and I don't think Windchaser had this. I turned the last page and was a little dumfounded to find I had reached the end.
However, this has had the positive effect of making me extremely keen to read the next book in the Phantom Island adventure!
OOOH I was so keen to get back into some YA and I am SO GLAD this was the book I chose. It's my first read by Krissi Dallas and I would recommend to any YA fantasy lover- It's technically high fantasy but set in modern day (involving an alternate worldscape). Super appropriate for middle class reading levels but also, I am 28 and loved it.
SYNOPSIS:
Windchaser follows Whitnee- a high school senior and mentor at Camp Fusion; a camp for healing for children who have experienced trauma. Camp Fusion hold a special place for Whitnee as well as her two best friends; Caleb and Morgan. Whitnee first attended the camp when she was six, shortly after her father mysteriously disappeared off the shores of Hawaii.
As she returns to Camp Fusion as a mentor the camp is not exactly how Whitnee remembers it- She is flooded by vivid hallucinations and haunting nightmares that have one thing in common- the forbidden land on the other side of the river. Her idea to explore leads her and her band of friends in an unknown world. This book explores trauma, grief, friendship and teen romance so beautifully!
What I loved:
I LOVED Whitnee's emotions as a teenager were portrayed- I loved the complex relationships she developed between her and the other characters and I especially loved the dynamic between Whitnee, Gabriel and Caleb.
The author has built an incredible world that is original and so enticing. I want to know EVERYTHING about White Island. I was lore of the different tribes, I want fan fiction. I want it all. I am so excited for this to be a series and for us to know more about it.
What I didn't love as much:
To be honest there isn't much to critique about this book. It is well written, the dialogue flows nicely, I loved the descriptive nature of the writing. I will say that one of my book gripes is when a book seems like the ending is "unfinished." I understand it's a series and we will have questions answered in the next book but I think it's important the book still has it's own start-middle-end, and I don't think Windchaser had this. I turned the last page and was a little dumfounded to find I had reached the end.
However, this has had the positive effect of making me extremely keen to read the next book in the Phantom Island adventure!
July 10, 2022
This story was so much fun to read. I love I can trust this author to provide clean, thrilling content. Some of the characters seemed a little immature for their age and a little of the romance developed too quickly for my taste. But around the 40% mark, the mystery and adventure intensified until it was impossible for me to stop reading. The world the author created is magical and captivating. At the end of book one I am just as torn as Whitnee about whose team I'm on. I purchased book 2 before finishing Windchaser and cannot wait to return to the island and continue this fantastic journey.
August 28, 2024
I love this series! Definitely one of my favorite fantasy romance suspense series. I will say though it gets better push through the first book and then you are sucked in!! I love Krissi and how she writes especially her latest books! She also taught me in middle school and will be hands down my favorite teacher ever!
January 30, 2016
Review:
This book has been on my TBR for a very long time and I finally made a spot for it right before the author comes to town. I was pleasantly pleased by this book. I was creative, original, and very enjoyable. I loved it from the beginning to the end, never a dull moment, and full of surprises. This was a story of magic and mystery.
Long Story Short:
Whitnee lost her father 6 years ago, he just disappeared and she still doesn't know if he is dead or living up somewhere without her and her mother. She was sent to a camp after her father disappeared to deal with her emotions and met her two best friends, Morgan and Caleb. They have been together ever since and now they are counselors at the famous camp that brought them together and changed their lives. The one rule that can't be broken at camp... do not cross the river. After seeing strange visions,Whitnee decides to cross the river and finds an entirely new world awaits.
My Thoughts:
This was a fantastic read. The world building was amazing, the story intriguing and mysterious, great pace and flow to the story, and wonderful characters. Everything I look for in a book.
The world building was just amazing. I love the island, the way the island works, the magical powers on the island, the beautiful scenery of the island, and of course the hottie of the island. It was an amazing journey discovering all the island held, the tribes and the mystical powers. The author did a wonderful job describing while telling the history of the island. I was lost inside the stories in the story.
The world building wasn't the only wonderful thing in this book. The setting was awesome but the story was even more awesome. I didn't want to put the book down. At times I could see where the story were headed. there are a few predictable moments but all in all its full of mystery and I still don't have it all figured out.
The characters are pretty cool too. Whitnee is pretty level headed, except when it come to Caleb. She has her stupid moments where he is concerned, but all in all she has her head on straight. Well except when it comes to crossing the river.OK so she is a little impulsive at times but at least she does things well and not just half way, like finding trouble. Morgan is pretty cool, but she is kind of in the background. She is the glue that keeps the trio together.Caleb is OK, a real toot sometimes. He doesn't know how to handle rejection and he seems a bit wishy washy, but I think he is just a normal teenage boy.
There really isn't any romance yet, there is some in the making. In this book there was just the friendships and a little bit of passion in the making. It does seem there could be a love triangle coming up but its a bit early to tell and if there is one, I am OK with it. It seems it will fit in well.
I am really anxious to see where this series leads me and can't wait to get the next installment.
In the End:
A great contemporary fantasy read. I would recommend it to almost anyone who reads.
This book has been on my TBR for a very long time and I finally made a spot for it right before the author comes to town. I was pleasantly pleased by this book. I was creative, original, and very enjoyable. I loved it from the beginning to the end, never a dull moment, and full of surprises. This was a story of magic and mystery.
Long Story Short:
Whitnee lost her father 6 years ago, he just disappeared and she still doesn't know if he is dead or living up somewhere without her and her mother. She was sent to a camp after her father disappeared to deal with her emotions and met her two best friends, Morgan and Caleb. They have been together ever since and now they are counselors at the famous camp that brought them together and changed their lives. The one rule that can't be broken at camp... do not cross the river. After seeing strange visions,Whitnee decides to cross the river and finds an entirely new world awaits.
My Thoughts:
This was a fantastic read. The world building was amazing, the story intriguing and mysterious, great pace and flow to the story, and wonderful characters. Everything I look for in a book.
The world building was just amazing. I love the island, the way the island works, the magical powers on the island, the beautiful scenery of the island, and of course the hottie of the island. It was an amazing journey discovering all the island held, the tribes and the mystical powers. The author did a wonderful job describing while telling the history of the island. I was lost inside the stories in the story.
The world building wasn't the only wonderful thing in this book. The setting was awesome but the story was even more awesome. I didn't want to put the book down. At times I could see where the story were headed. there are a few predictable moments but all in all its full of mystery and I still don't have it all figured out.
The characters are pretty cool too. Whitnee is pretty level headed, except when it come to Caleb. She has her stupid moments where he is concerned, but all in all she has her head on straight. Well except when it comes to crossing the river.OK so she is a little impulsive at times but at least she does things well and not just half way, like finding trouble. Morgan is pretty cool, but she is kind of in the background. She is the glue that keeps the trio together.Caleb is OK, a real toot sometimes. He doesn't know how to handle rejection and he seems a bit wishy washy, but I think he is just a normal teenage boy.
There really isn't any romance yet, there is some in the making. In this book there was just the friendships and a little bit of passion in the making. It does seem there could be a love triangle coming up but its a bit early to tell and if there is one, I am OK with it. It seems it will fit in well.
I am really anxious to see where this series leads me and can't wait to get the next installment.
In the End:
A great contemporary fantasy read. I would recommend it to almost anyone who reads.
November 8, 2012
Reviewed by Marta Morrison for TeensReadToo.com
I just finished reading probably one of the best books that I have read in the last few years.
Whitnee's father mysteriously disappeared six years ago. Whitnee and her mother have missed him and refuse to think he is dead.
The first summer after he went missing, Whitnee went to a summer camp, Camp Fusion, where there were counselors who dealt with emotional problems. There she met Morgan and Caleb, who become her two best friends. Now they are back at camp, but this time as mentors to other kids who need their help.
While at camp, Whitnee accidentally finds herself, along with her friends, transported to another world. There she finds that she may be the savior of their world. She develops powers over wind, fire, water, and the earth.
They meet many interesting people and find a connection between the island and her father. There are many adventures, twists, and turns. There is also a wonderful romance. She and her friends grow in many ways as they try to find their way home.
PHANTOM ISLAND: WIND was extremely well-written, which was good because it is a very long book. Ms. Dallas's characters have a lot of depth and are very real. The descriptions of the island they went to was very detailed, so that you felt that you were there with them.
There are only a few other novels where I wanted to actually be in their world. I was captured from the very first page. I am so excited to read the next installment in 2010!
I just finished reading probably one of the best books that I have read in the last few years.
Whitnee's father mysteriously disappeared six years ago. Whitnee and her mother have missed him and refuse to think he is dead.
The first summer after he went missing, Whitnee went to a summer camp, Camp Fusion, where there were counselors who dealt with emotional problems. There she met Morgan and Caleb, who become her two best friends. Now they are back at camp, but this time as mentors to other kids who need their help.
While at camp, Whitnee accidentally finds herself, along with her friends, transported to another world. There she finds that she may be the savior of their world. She develops powers over wind, fire, water, and the earth.
They meet many interesting people and find a connection between the island and her father. There are many adventures, twists, and turns. There is also a wonderful romance. She and her friends grow in many ways as they try to find their way home.
PHANTOM ISLAND: WIND was extremely well-written, which was good because it is a very long book. Ms. Dallas's characters have a lot of depth and are very real. The descriptions of the island they went to was very detailed, so that you felt that you were there with them.
There are only a few other novels where I wanted to actually be in their world. I was captured from the very first page. I am so excited to read the next installment in 2010!
May 7, 2009
Since I teach 7th grade, I love to read YAF. Sometimes this gets very stale, but Phantom Island: Wind was definitely a breath of fresh air. The writing was well-thought out, the plot was full of twist & turns and the main character was complicated without being annoying.
Whitnee Terradora has had a life full of complication since the mysterious disappearance of her father over 6 years ago. She returns to Camp Fusion, a camp for troubled kids, only this time as a counselor instead of a camper. There she meets Amelia, a spoiled camper who Whitnee can’t seem to reach. She also begins to have relationship issues with one of her close friends, Caleb. Throughout all of this emotional turmoil, Whitnee begins having nightmares about her father and then begins seeing visions of him on the other side (forbidden side!) of the Frio River. Whitnee decides to take matters into her own hands and find out why she keeps seeing her father and just what is on the other side of the river.
Phantom Island: Wind will keep you glued to the book with action sequences, twist & turns and romance. Even with the romance I still recommend this book to my male students. It’s a great book from a debut author and I’m glad I got my hands on it. Being the 1st in a series of four books, there are many more great things to come from Krissi Dallas!
Whitnee Terradora has had a life full of complication since the mysterious disappearance of her father over 6 years ago. She returns to Camp Fusion, a camp for troubled kids, only this time as a counselor instead of a camper. There she meets Amelia, a spoiled camper who Whitnee can’t seem to reach. She also begins to have relationship issues with one of her close friends, Caleb. Throughout all of this emotional turmoil, Whitnee begins having nightmares about her father and then begins seeing visions of him on the other side (forbidden side!) of the Frio River. Whitnee decides to take matters into her own hands and find out why she keeps seeing her father and just what is on the other side of the river.
Phantom Island: Wind will keep you glued to the book with action sequences, twist & turns and romance. Even with the romance I still recommend this book to my male students. It’s a great book from a debut author and I’m glad I got my hands on it. Being the 1st in a series of four books, there are many more great things to come from Krissi Dallas!
March 18, 2013
Really enjoyed reading this first book in a series. Had an opportunity to hear the author speak at Montgomery County Book Festival in Conroe, Texas. Ms Dallas is a wonderful voice in the YA Fantasy genre. She has three well developed characters in Whitnee, Morgan and Caleb who are mentors at a summer camp for troubled teens. Camp Fusion, a camp that helped them when they were younger and dealing with heartbreaking events in their young lives. Events lead Whitnee to be pulled into exploring a forbidden area in the hope of understanding strange dreams that she is having since arriving at the camp. Morgan and Caleb will not let Whitnee go on her own, then two campers insist on being allowed to tag along or they will tell. As they start off on their adventure they are pulled into another world one that causes more questions to be asked than answered. I have been pulled thoroughly into the story and can't wait to get the next book to see what happens next. If you like Madeleine L'Engle, C.S. Lewis you will enjoy the contemporary fantasy that Ms. Dallas has created.
May 7, 2013
The story was one that was unusual but had a familiar feel of sci/fi fantasy with the alternate world aspect. I enjoyed the world building of the island that most of the story took place on. I think the author did a wonderful job of describing and making the island real. The magical powers that pertain to the Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water were fun to read about as well.
The writing style was fun but also kept well with the feel of the story. The book was very fast paced and I wasn’t able to put it down. I was able to follow along with ease.
The main character was a great character. Strong, determined and loyal. She did upset me at times with the tug of war with her best friend’s heart but not enough to drive me crazy with frustration.
The cover is really pretty, I love the colors and think it fits well with the story
Overall I really liked the book as a while, the story, the characters, and the world building. It was a great read.
I'd rate it a 4/5
The writing style was fun but also kept well with the feel of the story. The book was very fast paced and I wasn’t able to put it down. I was able to follow along with ease.
The main character was a great character. Strong, determined and loyal. She did upset me at times with the tug of war with her best friend’s heart but not enough to drive me crazy with frustration.
The cover is really pretty, I love the colors and think it fits well with the story
Overall I really liked the book as a while, the story, the characters, and the world building. It was a great read.
I'd rate it a 4/5
January 29, 2012
Oh. My God. Sign me up to live on the island!! I can't wait to see what happens next in this series! This is a fantastic fantasy adventure, written by a talented author with a firm handle on all aspects of teen-dom. A marvelous debut and the first of a series that is sure to impress.
June 5, 2012
This book will hook you from the first page. If you liked Harry Potter, Twilight, The Hunger Games, or any books in those genres, you will LOVE the Phantom Island series. Krissi Dallas is a masterful author, pulling you into a world of magic, mystery, and action.
November 27, 2010
I absolutely loved it! Krissi Dallas came to our school to talk about the book. I am glad she did because I would have never read it. I so can not wait for Water!
August 17, 2011
I loved this book.
I can't wait to read the new, revised edition when Phantom Island makes it's commercial publishing debut later this year : )
So much excitement : )
I can't wait to read the new, revised edition when Phantom Island makes it's commercial publishing debut later this year : )
So much excitement : )
June 28, 2012
The best series I have ever read. Krissi has a way to get you totally involved in the story. The characters and the plot will leave you wanting to go to the island.
January 21, 2013
Loved it. Defiantly a books that needs to get its name out there. Once that happens, people will be swarming left and right to grasp a copy for themselves. :D
March 3, 2021
Whitney has come back to Camp Fusion to be a mentor. She wants to pay back Camp Fusion for the help she received at this summer camp. Six years ago, Whitney’s father disappeared, Whitnee had the help she needed to deal with her feelings. She also made friends with two others — Morgan and Caleb. They are all at Camp Fusion for the same reason — to help the kids. Something strange is happening to Whitnee which makes her wonder why is she having her illusion of seeing her dad on the other side of the river and in her dreams. She decides that she must go to the other side of the river even though it is forbidden. Why is it forbidden? Morgan and Caleb go with her as well two campers. When they reach the other side, there is a strange orange mist swirling on the ground. Whitnee disappears when the orange mist has contact with her. Where did she go? Will she be able to get back? Will she find her father?
In the novel, there are secrets to be discovered, adventures and some romance. It’s not a perfect but the magic and romance do help. I think that a book that holds my attention as this one did is fantastic. My only problem with the book was the beginning as it seemed slow. I must admit that I can’t wait to read the next book!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
In the novel, there are secrets to be discovered, adventures and some romance. It’s not a perfect but the magic and romance do help. I think that a book that holds my attention as this one did is fantastic. My only problem with the book was the beginning as it seemed slow. I must admit that I can’t wait to read the next book!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
September 13, 2020
This is an enjoyable YA fantasy novel, especially for those looking for 'clean' stories suitable for more conservative readers.
There are a few things that gave me pause, however. The first 10-20 pages were the hardest part to get into, there were several mentions of 'THAT SUMMER' which came across as very heavy handed and overwrought. Happily those stopped and the writing evened out, the rest was well done. Also, the novel ends essentially mid-sentence during the set up of the story. This is not set up as a standalone story, but as a preface of a bigger one. For comparison, I would approach this more like the first episode of a miniseries than a full movie. The biggest issue I had was the amount of objectification that the girls show towards a character, Gabriel. He's written as highly attractive, but there's a lot of talk about how hot he is, his muscles, stuff like that. While there is not nearly as much sexual content as many other fantasy stories (the fantasy genre is so bad about this issue), I still was slightly put off by it.
As a first novel, it's has some hiccups/issues, but overall Windchaser is well written and interesting. I would recommend it for fans of books like Percy Jackson or The City of Ember series, and I think the full series could be a masterpiece of YA.
There are a few things that gave me pause, however. The first 10-20 pages were the hardest part to get into, there were several mentions of 'THAT SUMMER' which came across as very heavy handed and overwrought. Happily those stopped and the writing evened out, the rest was well done. Also, the novel ends essentially mid-sentence during the set up of the story. This is not set up as a standalone story, but as a preface of a bigger one. For comparison, I would approach this more like the first episode of a miniseries than a full movie. The biggest issue I had was the amount of objectification that the girls show towards a character, Gabriel. He's written as highly attractive, but there's a lot of talk about how hot he is, his muscles, stuff like that. While there is not nearly as much sexual content as many other fantasy stories (the fantasy genre is so bad about this issue), I still was slightly put off by it.
As a first novel, it's has some hiccups/issues, but overall Windchaser is well written and interesting. I would recommend it for fans of books like Percy Jackson or The City of Ember series, and I think the full series could be a masterpiece of YA.
December 18, 2020
I actually screamed “noooo” out loud when this book ended. I was gifted it as an ebook in return for an honest review (voracious readers). It was hard to put down and almost 2 books in one due to the settings. However the characters you grow to know and care for are there throughout. It has left me wanting more abs has also given me food for thought. The concept that by just listening to someone going through a hard time can really really make a difference was a timely reminder to someone who feels they’ve done nothing if they aren’t “doing”. I digress, this is an awesome novel with characters that are so well written you never question if they are real. If you enjoy getting to know the people in your books with adventure, relationships and a smattering of suspense thrown in. Then this is a book for you
May 12, 2025
rip lego ninjago, you would have loved the island elemental tribes
I have the incredible honor of knowing this author personally (first as my junior high English teacher and now as a friend!!!!), so it is a joy to get to reread and review her books. One thing I love most about Krissi’s writing is that she has an exceptional talent for writing authentic, raw relationships and dialogue between her characters. These characters feel like they could be real people at any given moment in her books and that’s not always easily achievable and/or maintainable in fiction, especially in fantasy fiction (like this series). Windchaser is such an enchanting introduction to the main characters and the Phantom Island series in general, and I could go on and on about how much I love this series!!!!!! It is definitely one of my fave modern-day series. I highly recommend!!!!!!
I have the incredible honor of knowing this author personally (first as my junior high English teacher and now as a friend!!!!), so it is a joy to get to reread and review her books. One thing I love most about Krissi’s writing is that she has an exceptional talent for writing authentic, raw relationships and dialogue between her characters. These characters feel like they could be real people at any given moment in her books and that’s not always easily achievable and/or maintainable in fiction, especially in fantasy fiction (like this series). Windchaser is such an enchanting introduction to the main characters and the Phantom Island series in general, and I could go on and on about how much I love this series!!!!!! It is definitely one of my fave modern-day series. I highly recommend!!!!!!
August 25, 2015
I really wanted to love this book. I actually got to meet the author, Krissi Dallas, at a young adult literature festival my school was putting on. Her book sounded interesting, so I picked it up in the library a few weeks later.
Before I really get into it, let me say I'm a fan of the amazing book Storm, by Brigid Kemmerer, which is also about people with elemental powers. So I may have had unrealistic expectations, because that book is fantastic.
The book begins on the drive to Camp Fusion, where Whitney and her friends Caleb and Morgan will be working as counselors for the summer. We immediately meet Ben, the ever-so-mysterious owner of the camp (and I'm sure he's an elemental, too.)
The three friends meet some of the other counselors, the kids arrive, and the summer starts. Whitney and another counselor, Jackson, immediately hit it off. So do Caleb and Claire. The only problem is, Caleb and Whitney have as-yet-unexpressed feelings for each other. This leads to some conflict and awkwardness between them, but that doesn't last long....
Because he's still part of the team when Whitney decides to sneak across to the forbidden side of the river, even though she's terrified of fish (which has no plot importance, by the way) and it's at night.
Oh, and two of the campers, Amelia-the-spoiled-rich-girl and Kevin-the-cute-and-energetic-kid-who-gets-no-characterization-until-they-reach-the-island.
Whitney&Co cross the river and fall through the barrier between worlds or something and wake up on a tropical island. They are soon found by Gabriel, who was expecting Whitney but not her friends. He helps them, and it soon becomes apparent that Whitney has special powers--she can heal with water and make tornadoes. Turns out this island is populated by four tribes, each with a connection to an element. Gabriel's is fire, Whitney's is supposed to be wind...but she can also do water, which--gasp!--just doesn't happen. So she's special.
So Gabriel is going to take them to meet the Guardian, who is like the president of the island. The Guardian might be able to get them back home.
But first his element-powered cell phone gives out and they have to go to the air village for help.
Whitney starts falling in love with Gabriel, which makes him the third guy she's attracted to in a book of less than 300 pages.
Oh, and Whitney's the avatar: she can control all four elements, which has never happened before.
So, fine, okay, all of that sounds like a pretty interesting plot, what am I complaining about?
Allow me to make a list:
--The elements are always capitalized. It's not just fire; it's Fire. Whitney accidentally sets a tree on Fire. At one point they're in a dance club and she drinks a Water she got from the bar. There's no point to it, it's a bit obnoxious, and it breaks the flow of the story.
--There are four girls in Whitney's cabin. Their names are Madison, Emily, Bailey, and Amelia. Amelia ends up on the island with Whitney, and is the only one who gets characterization of any kind or a major speaking part. The only notable thing about the other three girls is that Bailey is really nice. That's it.
Actually, most of the characterization isn't very good. Whitney doesn't have a consistent personality. Gabriel just comes off as a jerk. Caleb is supposed to be logical, but keeps letting his emotions dictate what he does. Only Kevin, Amelia, and Morgan are consistent.
--The islanders don't use contractions. Okay. It's to make them sound formal and foreign. I get that. Whitney, though, is a fairly normal American girl. She should use more contractions than she does. The constant "let us" instead of "let's" and "do not" instead of "don't" breaks the flow of the story. It's just distracting and doesn't mesh.
--I don't understand the point of Kevin or Amelia being there at all. Sure, they're some of the better characters, but they don't have any plot importance at all. They're background noise to Whitney, as are Caleb and Morgan, really. At least her best friends get screen time, but she tends to ignore them a lot.
--I'd like to know why Whitney trusts Gabriel, a random dude she met on the beach. He's keeping information from her and she KNOWS it. He won't tell her anything about the Guardian. He orders her around and in the windy city, he demands a room adjoining to hers! Whitney should be more suspicious of him!
--Which brings me to the next point: Whitney is a terrible main character. She's selfish, hardly ever pays attention to her friends, seems to trust Gabriel more than she trusts them. She's inconsistent, falls in love with every guy who looks her way, and is scared of fish (which would be fine, but it has no plot importance).
And she's an idiot. It takes her forty pages or so to realize that the huge bug she scared off with her tornado was a giant dragonfly. Again, she's trusting the shady guy she met on the beach.
On page 229, Morgan calls her out on acting like a jerk. I wanted to cheer and give Morgan a high five. The reader should not feel that way toward the main character.
--At the end of the book, it's revealed that Whitney is the avatar. Okay, fair enough. But answer some questions for us, Krissi Dallas! You don't have to tell us why she's the chosen one, but at least do some worldbuilding! The windy city is good--I have a clear picture of that one (even if I wouldn't have picked lavender buildings)--but you've left the rest of the island covered in the kind of dense fog that causes traffic accidents.
As I said, I wanted to like this book.
But...
I just can't get past all the things I don't like about it.
Before I really get into it, let me say I'm a fan of the amazing book Storm, by Brigid Kemmerer, which is also about people with elemental powers. So I may have had unrealistic expectations, because that book is fantastic.
The book begins on the drive to Camp Fusion, where Whitney and her friends Caleb and Morgan will be working as counselors for the summer. We immediately meet Ben, the ever-so-mysterious owner of the camp (and I'm sure he's an elemental, too.)
The three friends meet some of the other counselors, the kids arrive, and the summer starts. Whitney and another counselor, Jackson, immediately hit it off. So do Caleb and Claire. The only problem is, Caleb and Whitney have as-yet-unexpressed feelings for each other. This leads to some conflict and awkwardness between them, but that doesn't last long....
Because he's still part of the team when Whitney decides to sneak across to the forbidden side of the river, even though she's terrified of fish (which has no plot importance, by the way) and it's at night.
Oh, and two of the campers, Amelia-the-spoiled-rich-girl and Kevin-the-cute-and-energetic-kid-who-gets-no-characterization-until-they-reach-the-island.
Whitney&Co cross the river and fall through the barrier between worlds or something and wake up on a tropical island. They are soon found by Gabriel, who was expecting Whitney but not her friends. He helps them, and it soon becomes apparent that Whitney has special powers--she can heal with water and make tornadoes. Turns out this island is populated by four tribes, each with a connection to an element. Gabriel's is fire, Whitney's is supposed to be wind...but she can also do water, which--gasp!--just doesn't happen. So she's special.
So Gabriel is going to take them to meet the Guardian, who is like the president of the island. The Guardian might be able to get them back home.
But first his element-powered cell phone gives out and they have to go to the air village for help.
Whitney starts falling in love with Gabriel, which makes him the third guy she's attracted to in a book of less than 300 pages.
Oh, and Whitney's the avatar: she can control all four elements, which has never happened before.
So, fine, okay, all of that sounds like a pretty interesting plot, what am I complaining about?
Allow me to make a list:
--The elements are always capitalized. It's not just fire; it's Fire. Whitney accidentally sets a tree on Fire. At one point they're in a dance club and she drinks a Water she got from the bar. There's no point to it, it's a bit obnoxious, and it breaks the flow of the story.
--There are four girls in Whitney's cabin. Their names are Madison, Emily, Bailey, and Amelia. Amelia ends up on the island with Whitney, and is the only one who gets characterization of any kind or a major speaking part. The only notable thing about the other three girls is that Bailey is really nice. That's it.
Actually, most of the characterization isn't very good. Whitney doesn't have a consistent personality. Gabriel just comes off as a jerk. Caleb is supposed to be logical, but keeps letting his emotions dictate what he does. Only Kevin, Amelia, and Morgan are consistent.
--The islanders don't use contractions. Okay. It's to make them sound formal and foreign. I get that. Whitney, though, is a fairly normal American girl. She should use more contractions than she does. The constant "let us" instead of "let's" and "do not" instead of "don't" breaks the flow of the story. It's just distracting and doesn't mesh.
--I don't understand the point of Kevin or Amelia being there at all. Sure, they're some of the better characters, but they don't have any plot importance at all. They're background noise to Whitney, as are Caleb and Morgan, really. At least her best friends get screen time, but she tends to ignore them a lot.
--I'd like to know why Whitney trusts Gabriel, a random dude she met on the beach. He's keeping information from her and she KNOWS it. He won't tell her anything about the Guardian. He orders her around and in the windy city, he demands a room adjoining to hers! Whitney should be more suspicious of him!
--Which brings me to the next point: Whitney is a terrible main character. She's selfish, hardly ever pays attention to her friends, seems to trust Gabriel more than she trusts them. She's inconsistent, falls in love with every guy who looks her way, and is scared of fish (which would be fine, but it has no plot importance).
And she's an idiot. It takes her forty pages or so to realize that the huge bug she scared off with her tornado was a giant dragonfly. Again, she's trusting the shady guy she met on the beach.
On page 229, Morgan calls her out on acting like a jerk. I wanted to cheer and give Morgan a high five. The reader should not feel that way toward the main character.
--At the end of the book, it's revealed that Whitney is the avatar. Okay, fair enough. But answer some questions for us, Krissi Dallas! You don't have to tell us why she's the chosen one, but at least do some worldbuilding! The windy city is good--I have a clear picture of that one (even if I wouldn't have picked lavender buildings)--but you've left the rest of the island covered in the kind of dense fog that causes traffic accidents.
As I said, I wanted to like this book.
But...
I just can't get past all the things I don't like about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2021
In this exciting novel we follow Whitnee and her friends to Camp Fusion, a camp for troubled kids who suffer from life changing events. They once met there and are now back as mentors. There they not only find teen love and heartbreak but as well mysterious incidents.
Theo story is told in a very exciting way and I was well entertained. The characters with they background stories and the relationships between them are also entertaining and captivating. A great mix of interactions between people and they mysterious setting and events make this book a great read and reader want for sure more.
Theo story is told in a very exciting way and I was well entertained. The characters with they background stories and the relationships between them are also entertaining and captivating. A great mix of interactions between people and they mysterious setting and events make this book a great read and reader want for sure more.
April 28, 2023
Book 1 Review
Loving this trope and storyline. Definitely a good read. Only giving 4 stars because it ends abruptly in an awkward part. Kinda wish there wasn’t so much wasted time at camp in the beginning and the initial love interests. We could have gotten to the good parts sooner and ended with an big reveal and plot twist. Hopefully the rest of the series has complete storylines.
Loving this trope and storyline. Definitely a good read. Only giving 4 stars because it ends abruptly in an awkward part. Kinda wish there wasn’t so much wasted time at camp in the beginning and the initial love interests. We could have gotten to the good parts sooner and ended with an big reveal and plot twist. Hopefully the rest of the series has complete storylines.
December 19, 2020
I really enjoyed this story! It was great fun and gave me Percy Jackson vibes which is another series I love! Kind of annoyed at that little cliffhanger we’re left on, but that just means I need to read the rest which I can’t say I’m mad about! Excited to see what happens in the rest of the series.
July 16, 2021
Switching it up a little bit with Windchaser, we have a book from an author unknown to me until now, about teens at a camp who stumble upon something more than a good vacation.
Check out my full review here!
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Check out my full review here!
https://radioactivebookreviews.wordpr...
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