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Royal Guard #1
Guardian
What you are looking for is not out there, it's in you...
Stass had told her the story a thousand times.
She was ten years old when he found her, lost and alone in the harsh wilderness of the northern Cascades with no memory of who she was. For the past eight years, Amber has lived with him above his martial arts studio in Seattle, slowly losing hope that her family will ever come for her.
Everything changes the day Stass is murdered.
Alone and hunted, with no idea where to turn or who to trust, Amber finds herself connecting with Raven, a young woman, who claims to know her history. The kicker: according to Raven, Amber is an alien princess exiled to Earth by a civil war that claimed the lives of her entire family. To regain her past and go home, she needs to find a relic hidden somewhere in the very mountains Stass claimed to have rescued her from.
With the help of a former member of the Royal Guard and her distractingly attractive trainee, Amber and Raven race to find answers.
But not everyone is who they claim to be, and a betrayal in a critical moment will put everything on the line.
Can a girl without a past win the fight for her future?
ROYAL GUARD SERIES
Book 1 - Guardian
Book 2 - Paladin
Book 3 - Sentinel
Stass had told her the story a thousand times.
She was ten years old when he found her, lost and alone in the harsh wilderness of the northern Cascades with no memory of who she was. For the past eight years, Amber has lived with him above his martial arts studio in Seattle, slowly losing hope that her family will ever come for her.
Everything changes the day Stass is murdered.
Alone and hunted, with no idea where to turn or who to trust, Amber finds herself connecting with Raven, a young woman, who claims to know her history. The kicker: according to Raven, Amber is an alien princess exiled to Earth by a civil war that claimed the lives of her entire family. To regain her past and go home, she needs to find a relic hidden somewhere in the very mountains Stass claimed to have rescued her from.
With the help of a former member of the Royal Guard and her distractingly attractive trainee, Amber and Raven race to find answers.
But not everyone is who they claim to be, and a betrayal in a critical moment will put everything on the line.
Can a girl without a past win the fight for her future?
ROYAL GUARD SERIES
Book 1 - Guardian
Book 2 - Paladin
Book 3 - Sentinel
204 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 25, 2021
276 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
About the author
W.J. May
237 books1,186 followers Wanita May grew up in the fruit belt of Ontario - St.Catharines. Crazy-happy childhood, she always has had a vivid imagination and loads of energy.
The youngest of six -- four older brothers, and a sister -- taught her at a young age to be competitive in all aspects of life.
At sixteen, she began competing in athletics (track and field) and before she turned seventeen, she was representing Canada in high jump. She continued to compete, breaking Canada's JR High Jump record (1.92m - 6' 3 1/2" for those metric-ly challenged). She attented University of Toronto, and Kansas State University - winning CIAU's and becoming All-American 6x - NCAA Indoors Runner Up + more.
But you're not interested in her athletic career - unless of course you're curious to know she stands 1.70m (5'7") and has jumped 20cm over her head on more than one occassion. She's represented Canada at the World Championships, World Jrs., won Francophone Games, and loved every minute of every competition. From the grueling workouts, the crazy weights she lifted on her back, the days she thought her lungs were going to spit out of her mouth for lack of oxygen, the travelling around the world and the opportunity to read - her favourite past time.
Life continued with her husband (a distance runner from Liverpool, UK, who she met at KSU) and then their first, then second and finally third child. Their house became full of more imagination and stories.
Wanita and her husband run an online business, dealing in antiques and collectables - particularly jewelry and porcelain (one of the business' website: www.wadeincanada.com ).
After her father passed away in 2009, from a six-year battle with cancer (which she still believes he won the fight against), she began to write again. A passion she'd loved for years, but realized life was too short to keep putting it off.
Her first book, Rae of Hope - from the Chronicles of Kerrigan - will be available October 2011 by kNight Romance Publishing.
She is currently represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency. Wanita is a writer of Young Adult, Fantasy Fiction and where ever else her little muses take her.
The youngest of six -- four older brothers, and a sister -- taught her at a young age to be competitive in all aspects of life.
At sixteen, she began competing in athletics (track and field) and before she turned seventeen, she was representing Canada in high jump. She continued to compete, breaking Canada's JR High Jump record (1.92m - 6' 3 1/2" for those metric-ly challenged). She attented University of Toronto, and Kansas State University - winning CIAU's and becoming All-American 6x - NCAA Indoors Runner Up + more.
But you're not interested in her athletic career - unless of course you're curious to know she stands 1.70m (5'7") and has jumped 20cm over her head on more than one occassion. She's represented Canada at the World Championships, World Jrs., won Francophone Games, and loved every minute of every competition. From the grueling workouts, the crazy weights she lifted on her back, the days she thought her lungs were going to spit out of her mouth for lack of oxygen, the travelling around the world and the opportunity to read - her favourite past time.
Life continued with her husband (a distance runner from Liverpool, UK, who she met at KSU) and then their first, then second and finally third child. Their house became full of more imagination and stories.
Wanita and her husband run an online business, dealing in antiques and collectables - particularly jewelry and porcelain (one of the business' website: www.wadeincanada.com ).
After her father passed away in 2009, from a six-year battle with cancer (which she still believes he won the fight against), she began to write again. A passion she'd loved for years, but realized life was too short to keep putting it off.
Her first book, Rae of Hope - from the Chronicles of Kerrigan - will be available October 2011 by kNight Romance Publishing.
She is currently represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency. Wanita is a writer of Young Adult, Fantasy Fiction and where ever else her little muses take her.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 16, 2022
With action, secrets, alien royalty, and tons of danger, this is the kind of read to pick-up and simply enjoy.
Amber was found abandoned in the forest when she was young and can't remember anything before that day. But that doesn't matter, since she's found a very good home with a replacement father, who happens to be a martial arts trainer. Now, that Amber is about to turn eighteen, she'd love to head off to college, but he's not thrilled. When she returns home one evening to find him murdered on the apartment floor, her world falls apart. But before she can even begin to mourn, a stranger shows up at the hospital, claiming he was her father's best friend...but she's never heard of him let alone met him. Soon, more people come out of the woodwork, all claiming they want to protect her and the others are trying to use her before killing her. Amber has no clue who to trust, let alone why everyone suddenly finds her important. But it soon becomes clear that they are more than willing to fight to the death to get their hands on her...and she has no clue how she'll survive.
This one starts with two feet grounded in everyday life with a very normal teen girl and her healthy relationship with a very wonderful father. She might have trained with him since he found her, but it's nothing over the top and fits right in with the surroundings. She's kind, determined, and would never do anything to disappoint her father. So, she's an easy character to connect with and root for.
There is quite a bit of action in these pages, but none of the fight scenes are extreme, either. Even when it's clear that aliens are involved, super powers or amazing tech is no where to be seen. Secrets and intrigue power this tale, throwing in one character after the other so that's it's hard to know who to trust. Each one has just enough personality and depth to add to the confusion and keep the reader guessing for the most part. Some clues were a bit obvious, while others hit with complete surprise. Even at the end, it's not sure who is really telling the truth or not. Book two could bring a complete flip...so that keeps things interesting.
The writing flows with ease and a nice natural atmosphere. There are logic holes dribbled here and there, which didn't have to happen, but for the most part, it slides together well. I didn't have any trouble reading this in one sitting and was engaged until the end. The romance is a bit too instant for my taste (especially with everything Amber has to process), but the hero is sweet and restrained. There are some crumbs, which leave big hints at several things, which might happen in book two. And book one does leave on a cliff-hanger, making this a series, which appears to have to be read all the way through to get a satisfying end. It's a fun, easy ride, which doesn't disappoint on the quick-paced end of things. I'm giving this a 3.5 and rounding up to 4.
Amber was found abandoned in the forest when she was young and can't remember anything before that day. But that doesn't matter, since she's found a very good home with a replacement father, who happens to be a martial arts trainer. Now, that Amber is about to turn eighteen, she'd love to head off to college, but he's not thrilled. When she returns home one evening to find him murdered on the apartment floor, her world falls apart. But before she can even begin to mourn, a stranger shows up at the hospital, claiming he was her father's best friend...but she's never heard of him let alone met him. Soon, more people come out of the woodwork, all claiming they want to protect her and the others are trying to use her before killing her. Amber has no clue who to trust, let alone why everyone suddenly finds her important. But it soon becomes clear that they are more than willing to fight to the death to get their hands on her...and she has no clue how she'll survive.
This one starts with two feet grounded in everyday life with a very normal teen girl and her healthy relationship with a very wonderful father. She might have trained with him since he found her, but it's nothing over the top and fits right in with the surroundings. She's kind, determined, and would never do anything to disappoint her father. So, she's an easy character to connect with and root for.
There is quite a bit of action in these pages, but none of the fight scenes are extreme, either. Even when it's clear that aliens are involved, super powers or amazing tech is no where to be seen. Secrets and intrigue power this tale, throwing in one character after the other so that's it's hard to know who to trust. Each one has just enough personality and depth to add to the confusion and keep the reader guessing for the most part. Some clues were a bit obvious, while others hit with complete surprise. Even at the end, it's not sure who is really telling the truth or not. Book two could bring a complete flip...so that keeps things interesting.
The writing flows with ease and a nice natural atmosphere. There are logic holes dribbled here and there, which didn't have to happen, but for the most part, it slides together well. I didn't have any trouble reading this in one sitting and was engaged until the end. The romance is a bit too instant for my taste (especially with everything Amber has to process), but the hero is sweet and restrained. There are some crumbs, which leave big hints at several things, which might happen in book two. And book one does leave on a cliff-hanger, making this a series, which appears to have to be read all the way through to get a satisfying end. It's a fun, easy ride, which doesn't disappoint on the quick-paced end of things. I'm giving this a 3.5 and rounding up to 4.
December 1, 2023
Not bad.
December 5, 2024
This is a solid YA sci-fi adventure that closely follows the Star Wars plot. The characters are well developed and the minor romance is very teen-crush sappy. This is the first in a trilogy, but I wish the plot had advanced a bit further.
If you like YA and scifi, you should enjoy this. If I was younger, I might give it 4-stars.
If you like YA and scifi, you should enjoy this. If I was younger, I might give it 4-stars.
August 13, 2024
WHEW! This is an action-packed novel with twists and turns and 'what-ifs' that leaves for a gripping page-turner. The book ends suddenly; a bit too suddenly, almost leaving a few plot lines unanswered. The book started with a bang and fizzled out in the end. It almost seems as though the author got bored writing or the manuscript deadline was suddenly due. Either way, the ending was weird and the book felt unfinished. It was not 'best-selling author' quality.
Also, the cover has nothing to do with the story. The girl works with swords and knives. Never once does she touch a gun! Man did the designers get that wrong. Completely off in left field. Nope. They didn't even make it to the ball park.
Also, the cover has nothing to do with the story. The girl works with swords and knives. Never once does she touch a gun! Man did the designers get that wrong. Completely off in left field. Nope. They didn't even make it to the ball park.
April 27, 2024
I was looking for a free book to read and saw the cover and decided to give it a shot. I was immediately hooked on the book within the first few chapters. I’m usually not a sci-fi reader, but this one was amazing. The plot twist that Ambrose (main character) is really an alien and doesn’t live on earth got my attention fast. It seemed so ordinary like the life of a regular teenager I never would have thought different. Guardian is one of three books. There are many more plot twists but I won’t spoil that much. I finished the first one in 2 days. I was completely hooked. The ending leaves you on a cliff hanger NEEDING to read more. I struggled to find the next 2, but eventually found them. Such a good book, highly recommend. It does contain some language as damn and badass often, but no major cuss words. So just something to keep in mind if you are strict with a child or yourself reading this series. Hope this helped a little bit. Enjoy reading it!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2021
It was alright. The character does her best when thrown into an unclear situation.
How many books have I read with a similar plot? This is yet another in a long string of royalty that doesn't know they are the last of the royal family is raised on Earth and then, surprise, surprise, they need to deal with it.
This character was not all that interesting. The pseudo romance thing didn't add much to the story either.
The book isn't horrible, it is just a been there, done that production.
How many books have I read with a similar plot? This is yet another in a long string of royalty that doesn't know they are the last of the royal family is raised on Earth and then, surprise, surprise, they need to deal with it.
This character was not all that interesting. The pseudo romance thing didn't add much to the story either.
The book isn't horrible, it is just a been there, done that production.
January 4, 2022
This is the first book by W. J. May and I am glad that I found her.
This was a super fun and fast read. It was a bit different than what I was expecting but in a good way. I did not expect the sci-fi aspect of the book. What I read was great and I look forward to the next in the series! The only issue that I had was at times some of the dialog and points that were important in the book seemed a bit rushed. I believe a better description or more information would have mad this a 5 star read for me. Otherwise, I give this one 4 stars but will continue with the series.
This was a super fun and fast read. It was a bit different than what I was expecting but in a good way. I did not expect the sci-fi aspect of the book. What I read was great and I look forward to the next in the series! The only issue that I had was at times some of the dialog and points that were important in the book seemed a bit rushed. I believe a better description or more information would have mad this a 5 star read for me. Otherwise, I give this one 4 stars but will continue with the series.
November 25, 2023
I didn't expect a lot from the random free book that was suggested to me when I set up my new kindle. The twists were mostly expected, but it didn't detract from the read for me, and I enjoyed meeting Amber. The only thing that frustrated me was the trust given to [redacted] when it was so clearly not deserved. But it was a good start to a YA series, and I think I'll probably pick up the next one the next time I have some kindle credits. I'd recommend it if you liked Cinder but are okay with something a lot less techy.
December 19, 2023
standard YA fare (SPOILERS)
It’s written with teenage girls in mind, first-person heroine meets perfect, sexy young man, falls hard. Her ultimate goal -regain a throne. Not for any reason, other than loyalty to her family and to restore peace. There’s no science. Aliens are physically identical to humans and speak English as their native language.
On the good side, the “good” characters are sympathetic and the action kept the pages turning for me. If you like this genre, I think you’ll enjoy this.
It’s written with teenage girls in mind, first-person heroine meets perfect, sexy young man, falls hard. Her ultimate goal -regain a throne. Not for any reason, other than loyalty to her family and to restore peace. There’s no science. Aliens are physically identical to humans and speak English as their native language.
On the good side, the “good” characters are sympathetic and the action kept the pages turning for me. If you like this genre, I think you’ll enjoy this.
December 25, 2023
This was a “no” for me, and a disappointing one at that. I probably should have expected as much from the synopsis, but I got it sometime last year, so I’m not sure what I was thinking at the time. I did give it an open mind as I read it, but I wanted to be done with it sooner rather than later. I mainly had an issue with Amber (I don’t really like her as the FL), but the story overall was underwhelming. Even though it is only the first in its series, nothing from the book intrigued me enough to want to continue.
March 9, 2022
Head spinning adventure 💗
This book was such fun to read. It had adventure, heartbreak, intrigue, and one determined FMC who will do anything to find out what happened to the man who raised her and where the heck she actually came from. Not knowing who is friend or foe this isn't exactly an easy thing to do. Get ready for the thrilling, rollercoaster of emotions and adrenaline laced pages that will keep you guessing all along the way. I'm already looking forward to book two!
This book was such fun to read. It had adventure, heartbreak, intrigue, and one determined FMC who will do anything to find out what happened to the man who raised her and where the heck she actually came from. Not knowing who is friend or foe this isn't exactly an easy thing to do. Get ready for the thrilling, rollercoaster of emotions and adrenaline laced pages that will keep you guessing all along the way. I'm already looking forward to book two!
August 27, 2022
It didn’t take me long to breeze through this exciting, intriguing book 1 in the series; only about a day. After the man was killed who loved and raised Amber, after finding her in the Cascade Mountains with no memory at age 10, she doesn’t know who to trust. After making a big mistake, she doesn’t have much confidence, but others are looking to her to become who they hope she can be. Now, with people looking for her, what will be her next step? I can’t wait to find out.
September 4, 2023
It's ok.
I wish it was more. To me it was obvious which person could not be trusted. The "romance" was instant and convenient. Her memories did NOT come back as suggested and it was a total cliffhanger ending with nothing resolved. I was disappointed as I have read others by this author with more enjoyment.
I wish it was more. To me it was obvious which person could not be trusted. The "romance" was instant and convenient. Her memories did NOT come back as suggested and it was a total cliffhanger ending with nothing resolved. I was disappointed as I have read others by this author with more enjoyment.
December 30, 2023
Guardian
The book is about a lost princess who is protected by a royal guard. She has no memory of her past at 17 yrs old. The book has a lot of twists, action, humor, and sadness. A really good read.
The book is about a lost princess who is protected by a royal guard. She has no memory of her past at 17 yrs old. The book has a lot of twists, action, humor, and sadness. A really good read.
July 25, 2022
Review
Selected this book on an impulse, so, yeah, it's a bit....meh. Pity....Was prepared to go be impressed, guess it's meant for a younger 'audience'.
Selected this book on an impulse, so, yeah, it's a bit....meh. Pity....Was prepared to go be impressed, guess it's meant for a younger 'audience'.
September 11, 2022
Really good
Alk books write y this author are not disappointed. They are really good. I read several of hee series and many of her books. I like all
Alk books write y this author are not disappointed. They are really good. I read several of hee series and many of her books. I like all
June 18, 2023
Young adult story, so while not my thing…
it was well constructed,
with characters easy to imagine and relate too,
in a story that played out at a good pace.
it was well constructed,
with characters easy to imagine and relate too,
in a story that played out at a good pace.
November 24, 2023
Wait l’m What
Interesting book that follows a young girls life and unexpected Tutankhamen of events. It’s a real page turner worth the read. Big D
Interesting book that follows a young girls life and unexpected Tutankhamen of events. It’s a real page turner worth the read. Big D
December 1, 2023
mental morass
For anyone over 21 or with any maturity. This is a redundant refrain of angst and frustration right up to the last redeeming sentence.
For anyone over 21 or with any maturity. This is a redundant refrain of angst and frustration right up to the last redeeming sentence.
January 6, 2024
I enjoyed the twists in the story - Who really are the goodies?
August 8, 2025
Some trivial YA moments that made me roll my eyes, but overall it was a blast and fast paced.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews