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Desert Flower
All Rayla’s life, she’s always thought she was normal. She had a plan for her life. Grow up, get married, and start a family of her own. Step into her place in society just like every other girl in her small oasis village. But after it’s revealed in her coming of age ceremony that she is unable to have children, and therefore, unable to continue her family line, Rayla believes she’s been cursed by the gods.
She runs away into the desert to escape being ostracized by her village and shaming her family any more than she already has. But after a near-fatal encounter with some dust dogs, Rayla is rescued by a handsome desert pirate, his twin sister, and their guardian who are willing to help her journey across the desert to get to the City of a Thousand Lights where Rayla plans to start a new life for herself.
Along the way, as they encounter raiders and ghouls, and ghostly dragons, Rayla has to try to accept the truth of what she was told during her coming of age ceremony and discover what she is truly capable of.
Enjoy this standalone set in the Triadic Kingdoms world full of found family, healing, and sweet romance.
She runs away into the desert to escape being ostracized by her village and shaming her family any more than she already has. But after a near-fatal encounter with some dust dogs, Rayla is rescued by a handsome desert pirate, his twin sister, and their guardian who are willing to help her journey across the desert to get to the City of a Thousand Lights where Rayla plans to start a new life for herself.
Along the way, as they encounter raiders and ghouls, and ghostly dragons, Rayla has to try to accept the truth of what she was told during her coming of age ceremony and discover what she is truly capable of.
Enjoy this standalone set in the Triadic Kingdoms world full of found family, healing, and sweet romance.
- GenresFantasyChristian Fiction
360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2022
About the author
Melody Personette
39 books31 followersMelody Personette is a YA author, book dragon and follower of Jesus. She's been writing since she can remember and now tells stories about the magic of hope, light in the darkness and love conquering all and is passionate about inspiring teens and young adults with her novels. Melody lives in the home she shares with her family in Indiana where she is a college student working toward her Bachelors in general studies, is an avid reader and tea lover. You can find her on her website at www.melodypersonette.com or connect with her on her blog at www.melodypersonetteauthor.blogspot.com where she talks about everything from writing, to faith, to her latest readers. You can also connect with her on instagram @_melody_author_
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 29, 2022
If you like...
- themes of learning your worth, finding your purpose and place in the world
- anxiety and illness representation
- a vivid desert-with-steampunk-vibes setting that draws you right in
- lively characters who feel totally real
- Christian themes that don't knock you over the head
...then you will love Desert Flower!
While a line editor might have been helpful for the prose, I found it quite easy to overlook that, because I quickly became invested in Rayla's journey. I absolutely love the theme of this book - overcoming the feeling of being worthless and useless - and was glad that Rayla's healing was presented in the light of God's love and purpose for your life. (I'm still super impressed at how seamless and natural those conversations were between the characters - not preachy at all!) If you enjoy any of the aspects I mentioned, I highly recommend you give Desert Flower a read, ESPECIALLY if you're attracted to these themes.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
- themes of learning your worth, finding your purpose and place in the world
- anxiety and illness representation
- a vivid desert-with-steampunk-vibes setting that draws you right in
- lively characters who feel totally real
- Christian themes that don't knock you over the head
...then you will love Desert Flower!
While a line editor might have been helpful for the prose, I found it quite easy to overlook that, because I quickly became invested in Rayla's journey. I absolutely love the theme of this book - overcoming the feeling of being worthless and useless - and was glad that Rayla's healing was presented in the light of God's love and purpose for your life. (I'm still super impressed at how seamless and natural those conversations were between the characters - not preachy at all!) If you enjoy any of the aspects I mentioned, I highly recommend you give Desert Flower a read, ESPECIALLY if you're attracted to these themes.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 5, 2022
I received a free ARC copy of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Wow, what a magnificent world we have here and it serves the themes of the story oh so well. The thought process behind the cultures, the effects beliefs have on the people in the culture and how that impacts their viewpoint is done masterfully.
You will feel for Rayla. I wanted to jump in the book and hug her for at least 75% of the story. You see her struggle with self doubt issues but also learn and accept herself which is such a beautiful message. There are definitely Christian themes in here but they are done so much more subtly than most. It feels like it fits with the world set up and doesn’t come across as overbearing in the slightest.
Definitely check this out. But be prepared to have your heart broken and repaired several times.
Wow, what a magnificent world we have here and it serves the themes of the story oh so well. The thought process behind the cultures, the effects beliefs have on the people in the culture and how that impacts their viewpoint is done masterfully.
You will feel for Rayla. I wanted to jump in the book and hug her for at least 75% of the story. You see her struggle with self doubt issues but also learn and accept herself which is such a beautiful message. There are definitely Christian themes in here but they are done so much more subtly than most. It feels like it fits with the world set up and doesn’t come across as overbearing in the slightest.
Definitely check this out. But be prepared to have your heart broken and repaired several times.
March 29, 2022
What a beautiful, compelling story.
Rayla, the protagonist of the book, is a girl struggling with the fact that she can't have children and being shunned by her village for it. Her journey to self-acceptance was heartbreaking and hard at times, but beautiful in the end. It's a message you don't see often in YA or the world in general, and I feel like this novel handled it well.
I loved the world and the story too. The world was sort of fantasy/steampunk, two of my favorite genres. We had ghosts and magic gems and underground cities full of wonder. The plot was solid and had a good mix between action and quiet, thoughtful scenes.
Sadi and Sadek were great as well. They both were so sweet and accepting to Rayla. I wanted to be their best friend too and travel through magical kingdoms together. It's a stand-alone book, but it gives you the impression that these characters go on to many more adventures together.
Highly recommend this book. You won't regret reading it.
Rayla, the protagonist of the book, is a girl struggling with the fact that she can't have children and being shunned by her village for it. Her journey to self-acceptance was heartbreaking and hard at times, but beautiful in the end. It's a message you don't see often in YA or the world in general, and I feel like this novel handled it well.
I loved the world and the story too. The world was sort of fantasy/steampunk, two of my favorite genres. We had ghosts and magic gems and underground cities full of wonder. The plot was solid and had a good mix between action and quiet, thoughtful scenes.
Sadi and Sadek were great as well. They both were so sweet and accepting to Rayla. I wanted to be their best friend too and travel through magical kingdoms together. It's a stand-alone book, but it gives you the impression that these characters go on to many more adventures together.
Highly recommend this book. You won't regret reading it.
March 29, 2022
This book was imaginative, touching, and so, so much fun! From the start, the imagery and description completely drew me in, and I fell in love with the Badlands world and the City of a Thousand Lanterns and the wandering nomads. I loved how each character had a very developed story and personality and how Rayla grew throughout it all. Would definitely recommend!
March 26, 2022
Warning: this review is going to be rambly and messy. I have so many feelings rn.
Oh my gosh, what an amazing standalone fantasy novel!
This was my first experience with Melody Personette. I've seen her books around bookstagram, but I never felt the need to pick one up until I saw fantasy desert pirates with steampunk vibes. That's literally all I want in a book...and Melody delivered it really well.
The first thing that stood out to me with this book was the conversation it had around infertility. It was refreshing to see a book touch on the topic and say some really good things about it. The main character comes from a village where bearing children is the point of a woman's life. Getting outside of that and building a life without that was a journey our character had to take.
I also liked the faith-based conversations that were held. This is a fantasy world, but Melody's personal beliefs bled through in a beautiful way. The twins especially were two amazing characters that helped the main character grow throughout the story.
The story was just so good. It was fast-paced and exciting, exploring the world and cultures really well. I want to read more novels in this world. The twists at the end were so fun and I know that Melody is probably really good at that stuff in her other books as well.
This is definitely not going to be my last book from Personette. I want to read all of her works now.
Oh my gosh, what an amazing standalone fantasy novel!
This was my first experience with Melody Personette. I've seen her books around bookstagram, but I never felt the need to pick one up until I saw fantasy desert pirates with steampunk vibes. That's literally all I want in a book...and Melody delivered it really well.
The first thing that stood out to me with this book was the conversation it had around infertility. It was refreshing to see a book touch on the topic and say some really good things about it. The main character comes from a village where bearing children is the point of a woman's life. Getting outside of that and building a life without that was a journey our character had to take.
I also liked the faith-based conversations that were held. This is a fantasy world, but Melody's personal beliefs bled through in a beautiful way. The twins especially were two amazing characters that helped the main character grow throughout the story.
The story was just so good. It was fast-paced and exciting, exploring the world and cultures really well. I want to read more novels in this world. The twists at the end were so fun and I know that Melody is probably really good at that stuff in her other books as well.
This is definitely not going to be my last book from Personette. I want to read all of her works now.
April 30, 2022
Enjoyed
I really enjoyed this book. The feelings and battle Ray goes through was well written. The adventure and love story kept me enthralled and the world building was amazing. I rated 4 stars due to noticing a lot of typos that were somewhat distracting.
I really enjoyed this book. The feelings and battle Ray goes through was well written. The adventure and love story kept me enthralled and the world building was amazing. I rated 4 stars due to noticing a lot of typos that were somewhat distracting.
March 28, 2022
This was my first Melody Personette book and it likely won't be my last. I have been trying to read more self-published, independently-published, and small press books lately. I discovered this story on Instagram when a friend shared about it in their story and the premise piqued my interest.
I am aware that I am far from the target audience of this novel and I will not comment extensively on the topic of infertility as it is not my place to do so. However, I was curious to see how a young adult fantasy novel would tackle such a heavy topic and, to me, it seemed to be handled very well and sensitively. I got the impression just from reading that this is likely an intensely personal story.
The initial premise reminded me somewhat of some dystopian novels I have read, as the protagonist lives in a society that shuns those perceived as “different." I enjoyed the world-building and the atmosphere of the world. It was very imaginative. The steampunk/desert/magic mash-up was unique, and the world seemed to be a mixture of cultures and eras. The story became more and more magical as it progressed and it was a really enchanting world to be in.
If you are a fan of the found-family trope then this book is definitely for you! The three young main characters all developed a very sweet, lovely bond with each other that I hope to see more of.
Speaking of, I do hope there are more stories featuring these characters as I would happily read them! The ending felt a little bit sudden to me. Through the course of this story I have grown very fond of Rayla and her companions!
I would like to thank the author for sending me an ARC of her book. It was a privilege to read and I am grateful to have been given the opportunity. This review is my own independent evaluation.
I am aware that I am far from the target audience of this novel and I will not comment extensively on the topic of infertility as it is not my place to do so. However, I was curious to see how a young adult fantasy novel would tackle such a heavy topic and, to me, it seemed to be handled very well and sensitively. I got the impression just from reading that this is likely an intensely personal story.
The initial premise reminded me somewhat of some dystopian novels I have read, as the protagonist lives in a society that shuns those perceived as “different." I enjoyed the world-building and the atmosphere of the world. It was very imaginative. The steampunk/desert/magic mash-up was unique, and the world seemed to be a mixture of cultures and eras. The story became more and more magical as it progressed and it was a really enchanting world to be in.
If you are a fan of the found-family trope then this book is definitely for you! The three young main characters all developed a very sweet, lovely bond with each other that I hope to see more of.
Speaking of, I do hope there are more stories featuring these characters as I would happily read them! The ending felt a little bit sudden to me. Through the course of this story I have grown very fond of Rayla and her companions!
I would like to thank the author for sending me an ARC of her book. It was a privilege to read and I am grateful to have been given the opportunity. This review is my own independent evaluation.
August 11, 2022
This is a fun, light read for anyone wanting some heartfelt adventure and romance! Desert Flower has a strong, positive message and is perfect for younger YA audiences. My only criticism is that sometimes the novel fell a little flat. The prose didn't quite jump off the page, and while I liked all of the characters, especially Rayla, Sadi, and Sadek, none of them had the particular depth I was hoping for. Some of the details that connected the plot and the worldbuilding felt a bit retroactive, in that much of the lore wasn't set up beforehand and was presented to the reader as it was happening. Maybe it's because I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but Desert Flower is supposed to be a standalone I believe. However, I loved the desert steampunk vibes! Overall, I still enjoyed this one and appreciated that it wasn't too heavy on the fantasy because sometimes that loses me. Personette kept it simple yet effective and kept the fantasy based in familiar concepts.
July 17, 2022
A nice read, the world was interesting and the characters too.
I felt like the ending was sudden and I'm not sure what it is that doesn't feel quite wrapped up but to me it felt a little unfinished. (Idk maybe I just wanted to continue seeing more of their adventures and the places they talked about going next lol) But I still enjoyed the story, and it was a nice escape after reading some heavy stories and being tired. :) The character is dealing with some depression and identity issues throughout the story, but it never feels overbearing or exhausting.
I wasn't very fond of how fast the romance happened and some descriptions I found personally unnecessary (description of guy shirtless) everything was otherwise clean with some kissing.
I felt like the ending was sudden and I'm not sure what it is that doesn't feel quite wrapped up but to me it felt a little unfinished. (Idk maybe I just wanted to continue seeing more of their adventures and the places they talked about going next lol) But I still enjoyed the story, and it was a nice escape after reading some heavy stories and being tired. :) The character is dealing with some depression and identity issues throughout the story, but it never feels overbearing or exhausting.
I wasn't very fond of how fast the romance happened and some descriptions I found personally unnecessary (description of guy shirtless) everything was otherwise clean with some kissing.
December 8, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up for goodreads
I really enjoyed this one! It's a sweet yet strong story, and the message is a vital one. While the action and dialogue weren't always written the best, I felt the descriptions, particularly of emotions and of the surrounding world, were quite compelling! It's a hope-filled, emotional journey set in an intriguing, new world. I'd love to hear more about Sadek, Sadi, and Rayla in future stories! :)
Favorite line: “What I can’t do doesn’t get to define me. It’s what I can do that matters.”
I really enjoyed this one! It's a sweet yet strong story, and the message is a vital one. While the action and dialogue weren't always written the best, I felt the descriptions, particularly of emotions and of the surrounding world, were quite compelling! It's a hope-filled, emotional journey set in an intriguing, new world. I'd love to hear more about Sadek, Sadi, and Rayla in future stories! :)
Favorite line: “What I can’t do doesn’t get to define me. It’s what I can do that matters.”
May 6, 2026
The summary of the book caught my attention after a personal experience (you may be able to guess when you read the summary). I hesitated to read it for a while, but I finally decided to give it a try after letting time to heal pass. Before reading this I felt like I was less than a woman (especially after being told by a former partner). But after meeting someone who has been very reassuring and has been helping me heal, I finally took a chance and met the book. It was an amazing book. Not just for reading but to learn that I wasn't alone and i got a whole new view on life.
That aside, I love this book! Started Heart of Xion but I know I'll be back to reread this one!!
That aside, I love this book! Started Heart of Xion but I know I'll be back to reread this one!!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews