Betrayed by the man she once worshipped, Mirana Pinal must finish the quest for Jasal’s Keep with the help of an enemy. As she races to save her people, the Fal'kin infiltrate the Dark Trine's stronghold to discover the warlord's plans for conquest. For Teague Beltran, however, the mission is much more personal. His mother has been captured by the Ken’nar, and he will stop at nothing to rescue her. If Mirana gives the Dark Trine the key to the Keep’s power, she can save Kinderra from destruction but would put her homeland into the hands of a tyrant. If she finds a way to unleash the Keep’s power herself, she can defeat the Dark Trine, but she must sacrifice her beloved Teague — and far more. At last, her destiny is upon her.
While other kids read comic books under the covers with a flashlight at bedtime, C.K. DONNELLY wrote Star Wars like fan fiction and fantasy stories.
She used her love of writing to pursue a career in journalism and was honored with several press awards. She continued to follow her dreams of writing a novel — a journey that was "uphill, both ways" — and every day she promised she would quit. Just as soon as she finished the next chapter. After 20 years, the self-described “Unsuccessful Quitter” self-published her first YA Fantasy novel.
"'Unsuccessful quitting' really means persevering, and allowing yourself the chance to catch your breath, try a new direction, even fail epically, but trying again and moving forward," C.K. says.
C.K. resides in Arizona with her oh-so-patient husband and her little black dog (who is equally patient). She no longer writes under the covers by flashlight. Usually.
(Photo Credit: Mike Harvey/Peak Image Photography)
This amazing fantasy series continues with Mirana trying to complete her mission and encountering an unusual guide along the way. I adored that part of the storyline as there was a lot of introspection on what makes a person good or bad. Nature vs nuture, intention vs deed, absolutes vs choices, light vs dark. There was also an undeniable chemistry between them that added an interesting twist to her fate.
Meanwhile, we continue to get multiple points of view that add layers to the plot and I found myself consulting the maps to get a sense of where the action was taking place. There is a character list and glossary in the back that was helpful as well. The writing flows smoothly and the settings are so well described that I could easily imagine the scenery, weather, and other details that played out like a movie in my mind.
This incredible realm that the author created is really quite astounding and I was completely captivated while reading. Time no longer existed outside of Kinderra, until it did, and I had to blink myself back into this world. I was so happy to see that there will be a book four, Trine Guardian, coming along and I can't wait to revisit this fantastic world.
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.