Kaison inherited the magical halberd the day his parents were murdered. Now, he and his sister must infiltrate Sun Castle to uncover their family’s secrets. But Mortimer - an exiled knight with notorious powers - will stop at nothing to take the halberd for himself. On the night of an assassination attempt, a warning is written in the night sky, and a mysterious girl arrives at Sun Castle with magic resembling Mortimer’s. Kaison and his friends soon realize that the magic they possess can destroy their entire world, and in order to defeat their enemies, one of them must become the darkness itself.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own! Thank you to Hope and Amanda for sending it to me!
The night their parents die, Kaison and his sister inherit a magic halberd with no idea of why their parents were killed, what the halberd is, or how magic exists. When they discover that the magic they possess could destroy their entire world, how far will they go to protect it?
This book had me hooked from the prologue! There are so many times that it will switch point of view and give you a bit more information, but only enough to give you a thousand more questions, and I absolutely loved that part of it! It made me frantic to read more so I could understand what was going on and how the pieces would come together!
I adored the world that was built in this book and the way the characters' stories were unveiled. It felt like I was truly growing to know them and understand them as the story unraveled, and all the while they were in this beautiful and complex world as well! The premise was unlike anything I've ever read, which was really refreshing. It made the experience all the better and didn't feel like a cookie-cutter sort of fantasy!
Not to mention the way the plot so artfully unfolded and the fact that there were so many things that I simply did not see coming! There were times that I was very confused, but I think it is meant to be that way to an extent because the characters are also trying to navigate their confusing circumstances. The ending left my mind reeling just wanting to know what happens next and how the characters are going to react.
If you're into fantasy and want to experience a unique world that will have you simply wanting to devour it, this is the book you need in your life!
Kaison and his sister inherit a magic halberd the night their parents die, not knowing what to do with it or how to use magic in general. Mortimer, an exiled knight with devious powers, wants the halbert for himself and will stop at nothing to get it.
This was an absolutely incredible fantasy novel that reinvigorated my love for fantasy. The characters were well written and their interactions didn't feel robotic or scripted. The plot was unique and different, and it didn't stick to the normal fantasy story script.
The authors did an incredible job in their world building and creating a story that let's the audience get away for a littlewhile. .
I have really enjoyed this amazing book as an ARC reader and I could not wait to post a review. From the prologue, I have been glued to this suspenseful masterpiece all the time eager to learn what Kaison and his sister would do next. The authors demonstrate a great deal of skill in writing a story that is unpredictable leaving the reader with no choice but to read more and find out the fate of the two siblings in their quest to fulfill their father's dying wish. This entertaining piece will surely become a favorite for many.
I got this book as an ARC for an honest review. 3.75 ⭐️ the prologue hooked me! I needed to know what was going to happen next. There were times where there was just too much description and others when I found myself saying wait when did that happened? I found myself rereading pages to see if I made the mistake and missed something. But I’m really interested still about what will happen in the next book.
I don't even know what to say! This book is an amazing adventure so many twists you can't see coming. My heart is with sweet Simon forever. If you love a found family and secret identity troupes this is the book for you. Even if you dont.... Read it anyway its that good!!!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
This is a very interesting YA fantasy, with dual POV, and magic There are plot twists with an intriguing plot and lots of adventure. Designated Protector grabbed my attention early on in the book and kept it throughout. By the end of the book I could not put it down. Highly recommend to anyone who loves YA Fantasy.
First off I want to say I receive an advanced copy for an honest review and I absolutely will read and give indie authors an honest review, the good, the bad and anything in between.
The book centers on Kaison and his sister after they get a magical halberd from their father. And after their village is attacked they must go to the sun castle to get answers.
There are twists and turns and no way to know who the bad guy is and what they want. It will keep you guessing even with the change in point of view. It is a fun read because a lot of obvious plot lines you find in other YA books are tweaked so you really don’t know what to expect.
The duel POV is enjoyable to read and allows you as the reader to really get to know some of the characters.
The prologue and first few chapters were vague but I feel we can learn about the world as Kaison and his sister learn about it and there isn’t a big info dump in the first few chapters.
There were times where there was too much unimportant detail and it could drag but other times semi important things were hit too in depth. I’m hoping this was intentional and certain parts of the book will become more clear with book 2.
At about chapters 9-11 it starts to really pick up and can feel pretty heavy on the plot but again I think it will be cleared up in book 2.
I really enjoyed it and applaud the Abrom sisters in their hard work. It takes a lot to create a world and then to share it with readers.
I can’t even imagine how hard co-authoring is, but Hope and Amanda Abrom make it look effortless. This book is seamless and so well thought out. They really took the time to plan this. The prophesy plays out in interesting ways and there are a ton of foreshadowing moments that I loved them for including.
This book was such an amazing journey. The characters were so lifelike and their arcs throughout the story were so enjoyable to read. This very much reads like both a fantasy AND a mystery. Or maybe that’s just me? I’m one of those people that works to try and figure things out before the book ends. I got a few minor things, but there is no solving this one until you are smacked in the face with it.
I loved the found family aspect of the novel. This merry band of misfits is definitely one of my new favorites. The antagonist is likely one of my new most hated villains. The authors did an amazing job of making me feel ALL THE FEELS! There were moments of heartbreak, glee, despair and just when things were at their worst, they gave me hope. I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars!
I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone!!!
I love how the Abrom sisters were able to write each character with such detail and personality. Everyone will be able to relate to at least one character in one way or another because they are very relatable. I also love the dynamic between the siblings of Kaison and Theadosia. Their relationship reminded me a bit of my relationship with my older brother. We are always there for one another and will never leave each other's side. The best part is that they were not the only siblings that are in the book and each siblings had their own unique relationship with each other.
I got hooked on the story because of not only the many amazing plot twists, but also because of the amazing language used to describe each scene and the dialogue. The language used is both easy to read and powerful. I can tell that the Abrom sisters made sure to pick the right word to describe each detail with such care.
Go read this magnificent, action-packed, fanciful, engaging book!!!
Honestly I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. I’m kind of picky with what I read and this was way off of my spectrum. I enjoyed the characters and how details fit together so well. This book kept me on my toes the whole time because there was constant movement, I didn’t have to worry about it being too slow for me to be uninterested. I’m giving it 4 stars though because I think the story building was lacking a little bit in the beginning. For being a YA fantasy you normally would expect lots of story building but I kinda felt lost in the beginning. After I hit about chapter 10 was when stuff started to pick up and I really got into it. I’m pleasantly surprised with this book though and I’m super excited to read the next one!
Such a fun read!! Fantasy is my all-time favorite genre so it was a pleasure to receive an ARC of this compelling story! I was immediately drawn into the story and characters. The authors did an excellent job in not only creating dynamic and likeable characters but also a captivating and exciting storyline. I can be a harsh critic so there were times when I thought the plot was a little predictable or moved a little fast but the more I read the more intriguing and complex it became and the more I fell in love with the characters. It is an excellent choice for any age but especially for middle school fantasy lovers! Hope and Amanda's gift of writing and story telling are clearly seen and felt in every chapter. Looking forward to the sequel!
Designated Protector is a really fascinating fantasy tale. Kaison, grows up a young hunter in a rural village, far from the Sun Castle. One day, the shadow warriors overtake his land and his parents are murdered. As he dies, his father gives him a magical halberd (a type of sceptre) and instruction to return to the Sun Castle. The ensuing plot is full of fantasy, plots, and murder as Kaison discovers his birthright and the power of the halbard. There are some beautiful characters, but be warned there is also a lot of tragedy.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Hope and Amanda for sending it to me!
Overall I really enjoyed this book. Sometimes there was so much description I ended up skipping over it or became confused where I had to read the paragraph or page a couple times over to understand what was happening, but the plot was great! Really didn't see some of the twists and turns that was included and, again, I really enjoyed it overall.
I received an ARC for an honest review. 4.5 stars, I genuinely loved this book. I could barely put it down and I love the fact that we learn with the characters. Hooked from page 1 now I need to know what happens next.
The book will captivate you in a whole new world. The setting and story slip you away from reality and welcome you in a world of adventure, friendships, and mystery. Highly recommend if you love action, puzzles, or fantasy, this book is a wild ride that will keep you coming back.
I read this on Kindle, but would love a physical copy. It is a fantastic mid-high fantasy, with an interesting protagonist. That being said, I really enjoyed the plot lines and story. Definitely worth a read!
this was a really well done fantasy novel, the main characters were interesting and I enjoyed their relationship. The story was really well done and I was invested in what was going on.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
We mostly follow Kaison and his sister through their traumatic journey from their home village to the Sun Castle. There are multiple point of views and I felt it doesn't get overwhelming as they're interspersed throughout the story.
The importance of each character changes as the story progresses and I loved how the authors avoided using obvious set ups that we see so often in YA fantasy.
When almost every character has acted in a morally ambiguous way, it becomes difficult to easily anticipate who the villian is by the end. I really loved how the authors presented their actions in a certain light but then make you re-evaluate when you see it from another perspective.
The level of action, plot twists and quests teeters on the line of too much but the authors have managed to safely navigate their way through, so you as the reader come out the other side feeling a lot but without the brain shut-down that can come with heavy plots. I'm not going to lie, there were a couple of characters that didn't feel were as fleshed out as others, like Julian, we see more of him as the story unfolds and we see depth but it felt superficial.
I highly recommend this and will be eagerly awaiting book two.