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Spirit Seeker #1
A Force of Nature
Have you ever looked death in the eye? No? Lucky you.
Unfortunately, if there’s one thing I’ve always been without in my life, it’s luck.
Nature spirits have ravaged the world with natural disasters for millennia. They're dangerous, unpredictable, and largely invisible. After eight years of living on the streets, Rika is one of few people in the world that can see the spirits. Most of the time, she keeps a fragile peace with them, but when the Erlking, a powerful storm sprite, attacks Berlin, Rika is dragged into the fight against nature.
She joins the Spirit Seekers, a group of elite soldiers trained to defend Berlin and other cities around the world against nature's wrath. Currently bereaved of their acting commander, the spirit seekers look to Rika to be their eyes. To do so, she’ll have to face the storm that promised to kill her.
Join the Spirit Seekers in their first stormy adventure and start your European journey today!
Unfortunately, if there’s one thing I’ve always been without in my life, it’s luck.
Nature spirits have ravaged the world with natural disasters for millennia. They're dangerous, unpredictable, and largely invisible. After eight years of living on the streets, Rika is one of few people in the world that can see the spirits. Most of the time, she keeps a fragile peace with them, but when the Erlking, a powerful storm sprite, attacks Berlin, Rika is dragged into the fight against nature.
She joins the Spirit Seekers, a group of elite soldiers trained to defend Berlin and other cities around the world against nature's wrath. Currently bereaved of their acting commander, the spirit seekers look to Rika to be their eyes. To do so, she’ll have to face the storm that promised to kill her.
Join the Spirit Seekers in their first stormy adventure and start your European journey today!
276 pages, Paperback
First published August 20, 2021
115 people are currently reading
529 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
May 26, 2022
Awesomely original - urban fantasy at its best!
I picked up this book because I was excited to read a book set in another city, other than London! This story takes place in Berlin. It's clear the author is very familiar with the city and the whole story is so well grounded!
The protagonist is Rika. I've never met anyone like Rika. She was torn away from her Romany family in her young teens and took refuge on the streets. She is street smart, but also endearingly vulnerable.
Rika can talk to spirits - we're not talking ghosts here but a multitude of other creatures like slyphs etc - her skills are rare. As such, the local Spirit Seekers enlist her aid when their leader goes awol. But does Rika want to capture the spirits that have kept her company through the darkness of the streets?
A fast paced read, with plenty of action. I couldn't put it down. No romance to speak of in Book 1. I can't recommend it enough!
Side note, the author is writing in her second language. Just wow. I am so bowled over by that.
Run, don't walk, to pick up this brilliant read!
I picked up this book because I was excited to read a book set in another city, other than London! This story takes place in Berlin. It's clear the author is very familiar with the city and the whole story is so well grounded!
The protagonist is Rika. I've never met anyone like Rika. She was torn away from her Romany family in her young teens and took refuge on the streets. She is street smart, but also endearingly vulnerable.
Rika can talk to spirits - we're not talking ghosts here but a multitude of other creatures like slyphs etc - her skills are rare. As such, the local Spirit Seekers enlist her aid when their leader goes awol. But does Rika want to capture the spirits that have kept her company through the darkness of the streets?
A fast paced read, with plenty of action. I couldn't put it down. No romance to speak of in Book 1. I can't recommend it enough!
Side note, the author is writing in her second language. Just wow. I am so bowled over by that.
Run, don't walk, to pick up this brilliant read!
November 10, 2022
'You don't give up before the fight. Even with the odds against you, you claw and bite until they cut you down.
Don't run. Fight!'
Now this is what I call Urban Fantasy of the best kind!
I picked up A Force of Nature after it was recommended for my 'Fantasy Books with Ladies Who Aren't Perfect Beauties' feature. I was supposed to read it, then move on to a different book from that big pile of recs. 'Supposed to' being the key word here. Because I ended up setting everything aside and binge-reading the whole series. Yep. All 5 books. One after another. In less than 5 days. Because it was THAT GOOD.
Did it make it onto my Best of List for the actual feature?
Nope. Because the MC's beauty, or lack of thereof, didn't play an important role in this series.
Did it make it onto my Best of Fantasy Series read this year list?
Hell yeah! And then some.
A Force of Nature kicks off a refreshingly stormy Urban Fantasy series set in Europe. Gripping, unpredictable and action-jam-packed from first to last page, it gives us a world ravaged by nature spirits in which a group of elite soldiers called the spirit seekers, are the only thing standing between humanity and the wrath of nature. Trained to fight the dangerous, unpredictable, and largely invisible spirits, the seekers find and trap them, defending cities all around the world. All under the leadership of the SSA - The Spirit Seeker Agency - whose main purpose is to ensure humanity's survival and put an end to the spirit attacks.
But not all spirits are easily defeated, especially when not even the seekers can see them all. And sometimes battles are almost lost even before they've begun without the advantage of sight. And this is how Rika, a 24 year old homeless young woman ends up smack down in the middle of a seeker/spirit fight in Berlin. After having lived on the streets for 8 years, Rika's appearance is, let's say, not in the least appealing. And the fact she's a Romany doesn't help first impressions at all. Well, later interactions either if we must be honest.
But Rika can so something no other seeker had even considered. She can not only see the spirits, but also talk to them. And the help she instinctively offers to the Berlin Seeker Team when they find themselves in a pickle, not only sets Rika into the sight of the SSA Berlin team, but also ensures her the top spot on The Erlking's black list. Yep. THAT Erlking. And he is glorious! In a 'Holy shit!! He's coming!! Run baby RUN!!' kind of way.
This is how Rika's tale begins. With a wild and unexpected change. And I loved every bit of her journey. From the young homeless woman wondering: 'What happens tomorrow that's worth living for?' Rika slowly transforms into a woman with a purpose.
With the gentle support of the seekers, a girl who'd been so often told that people like her are 'a burden on society, an eyesore, a problem,' turns into a woman who starts to belong.
And I swear her reactions and adjustment to the new life made me wanna cry at times. Because this author makes you not only see but also feel with Rika, the comfort even the smallest things provide. Things most of us take for granted on a daily basis. Things like a soft bathmat or a fluffy towel, a soft bed, a hot shower, or a fresh toothbrush.
The found family was hands down my favourite part of this first in series. And I'll bet it will be yours too. Because it has that touch of realness that makes it leap from the page.
Great character development goes hand in hand with a fast paced plot jam packed with edge of the seat action and adventure, complete with unpredictable twists and a nicely upped tension. The prose is excellent, while the narrative flows nice and smooth, the wordbuilding is solid and the mythology-fantasy mix used to portray the spirits absolutely fascinating, while the spirits-seekers battles are as gripping as it gets.
And everything works so well together that you can't help but get sucked into the tale. Food for thought included, which is nicely presented without being overwhelming.
This series doesn't give us fun banter and sassy charm, as one often expects from the genre. And there's no romance in it at all in this first book, so don't expect it. The romance will come later, a slow burn as slow as it gets, very low on steam and high on feeling.
But despite the above mentioned, (which are quite important for a steamy romance junkie like me :D) there's this little something that gets readers addicted to the tale. The spunk, the spark, the stormy addictive danger and heartache. That fascinating irresistible something that sets a tale apart from the rest of the genre. That little extra that makes it stand out. This series has it.
There's a little sylph that made me go 'Awww!!!' several times over, a particular seeker I wanted to occasionally slap and others I wanted to hug. There's cool magic and lots of action, fascinating creatures and a hell lot of feeling. And much much more!
A must read for fans of the genre. That's what this series is.
But get all the five books, because you're gonna want to binge.
Find this review and more over on my Book Review Blog The Magic Book Corner
Don't run. Fight!'
Now this is what I call Urban Fantasy of the best kind!
I picked up A Force of Nature after it was recommended for my 'Fantasy Books with Ladies Who Aren't Perfect Beauties' feature. I was supposed to read it, then move on to a different book from that big pile of recs. 'Supposed to' being the key word here. Because I ended up setting everything aside and binge-reading the whole series. Yep. All 5 books. One after another. In less than 5 days. Because it was THAT GOOD.
Did it make it onto my Best of List for the actual feature?
Nope. Because the MC's beauty, or lack of thereof, didn't play an important role in this series.
Did it make it onto my Best of Fantasy Series read this year list?
Hell yeah! And then some.
A Force of Nature kicks off a refreshingly stormy Urban Fantasy series set in Europe. Gripping, unpredictable and action-jam-packed from first to last page, it gives us a world ravaged by nature spirits in which a group of elite soldiers called the spirit seekers, are the only thing standing between humanity and the wrath of nature. Trained to fight the dangerous, unpredictable, and largely invisible spirits, the seekers find and trap them, defending cities all around the world. All under the leadership of the SSA - The Spirit Seeker Agency - whose main purpose is to ensure humanity's survival and put an end to the spirit attacks.
But not all spirits are easily defeated, especially when not even the seekers can see them all. And sometimes battles are almost lost even before they've begun without the advantage of sight. And this is how Rika, a 24 year old homeless young woman ends up smack down in the middle of a seeker/spirit fight in Berlin. After having lived on the streets for 8 years, Rika's appearance is, let's say, not in the least appealing. And the fact she's a Romany doesn't help first impressions at all. Well, later interactions either if we must be honest.
But Rika can so something no other seeker had even considered. She can not only see the spirits, but also talk to them. And the help she instinctively offers to the Berlin Seeker Team when they find themselves in a pickle, not only sets Rika into the sight of the SSA Berlin team, but also ensures her the top spot on The Erlking's black list. Yep. THAT Erlking. And he is glorious! In a 'Holy shit!! He's coming!! Run baby RUN!!' kind of way.
This is how Rika's tale begins. With a wild and unexpected change. And I loved every bit of her journey. From the young homeless woman wondering: 'What happens tomorrow that's worth living for?' Rika slowly transforms into a woman with a purpose.
With the gentle support of the seekers, a girl who'd been so often told that people like her are 'a burden on society, an eyesore, a problem,' turns into a woman who starts to belong.
And I swear her reactions and adjustment to the new life made me wanna cry at times. Because this author makes you not only see but also feel with Rika, the comfort even the smallest things provide. Things most of us take for granted on a daily basis. Things like a soft bathmat or a fluffy towel, a soft bed, a hot shower, or a fresh toothbrush.
The found family was hands down my favourite part of this first in series. And I'll bet it will be yours too. Because it has that touch of realness that makes it leap from the page.
Great character development goes hand in hand with a fast paced plot jam packed with edge of the seat action and adventure, complete with unpredictable twists and a nicely upped tension. The prose is excellent, while the narrative flows nice and smooth, the wordbuilding is solid and the mythology-fantasy mix used to portray the spirits absolutely fascinating, while the spirits-seekers battles are as gripping as it gets.
And everything works so well together that you can't help but get sucked into the tale. Food for thought included, which is nicely presented without being overwhelming.
This series doesn't give us fun banter and sassy charm, as one often expects from the genre. And there's no romance in it at all in this first book, so don't expect it. The romance will come later, a slow burn as slow as it gets, very low on steam and high on feeling.
But despite the above mentioned, (which are quite important for a steamy romance junkie like me :D) there's this little something that gets readers addicted to the tale. The spunk, the spark, the stormy addictive danger and heartache. That fascinating irresistible something that sets a tale apart from the rest of the genre. That little extra that makes it stand out. This series has it.
There's a little sylph that made me go 'Awww!!!' several times over, a particular seeker I wanted to occasionally slap and others I wanted to hug. There's cool magic and lots of action, fascinating creatures and a hell lot of feeling. And much much more!
A must read for fans of the genre. That's what this series is.
But get all the five books, because you're gonna want to binge.
Find this review and more over on my Book Review Blog The Magic Book Corner
August 20, 2021
A force of nature is the first part in the Spirit seekers series by Janna Ruth. Each of these books will focus on a European capital. This is how this first part takes place in Berlin.
Since childhood, Rika has lived on the streets, where she has to survive every day. This winter it is very cold, and a snow storm is coming. When the storm breaks, Rika quickly realizes that this is no ordinary storm. Too many spirits are present, and when she comes face to face with their king, Rika finds herself in an unexpected situation. Because Rika can see the spirits, she is invited to take shelter by the spirit seekers, a group of soldiers trying to stop natural disasters by capturing the spirits. But when Rika appears to be the target of multiple spirits, does she reach out to her spirit friend for more information? Who was the king of the blizzard? Why are the spirits after her?
To see the Erlking's face is to see your own death
A force of nature is a very nice start to this series. The first few chapters you have to get into, but after that the story starts to pick up pace. The story has action, magic, mystery but also emotion.
Want to keep reading? Check out my full review on my blog boekensteeg
Since childhood, Rika has lived on the streets, where she has to survive every day. This winter it is very cold, and a snow storm is coming. When the storm breaks, Rika quickly realizes that this is no ordinary storm. Too many spirits are present, and when she comes face to face with their king, Rika finds herself in an unexpected situation. Because Rika can see the spirits, she is invited to take shelter by the spirit seekers, a group of soldiers trying to stop natural disasters by capturing the spirits. But when Rika appears to be the target of multiple spirits, does she reach out to her spirit friend for more information? Who was the king of the blizzard? Why are the spirits after her?
To see the Erlking's face is to see your own death
A force of nature is a very nice start to this series. The first few chapters you have to get into, but after that the story starts to pick up pace. The story has action, magic, mystery but also emotion.
Want to keep reading? Check out my full review on my blog boekensteeg
August 23, 2021
This series is off to a great start! The storyline is gripping and exciting and just grabs you from the start. The characters are likeable and developed and I just adore Rika. This action packed story is fast paced and will leave you breathless as we meet the nature spirits who cause natural disasters around the world. This book is based in Berlin and the author has really done her research as you can easily visualise the places in the book. Can Rika face off against the powerful storm spirit Erlkin who seems hellbent on destroying Berlin? Meet the spirit seekers who battle against the spirits in this really intriguing read and find out.! Can’t wait to read book two!
August 9, 2021
Rika is a girl living on the streets of Berlin. She has a special talent: Rika can see spirits.
She helps a group of Spirit Seekers, who want to stop the destruction of Berlins Central Station (and kill many people with it) by spirits.
It seems, there is a war going on. Earth-, Air-, Fire- and Water-spirits are attacking the humans. But why, and why now? Luka, one of the Seekers, doesn’t care. He just wants to do his job. Rika sees things differently.
The spirit seekers want her to join them. Rika isn’t sure.
But then they come up against an old, powerful enemy: the Erlking himself. And he is seeking out Rika especially.
Together with Aeola, the sylph (and, eventually, the Spirit Seekers) Rika will have to find a way to stop him, or Berlin will be no more.
The book is well researched, and (beeing from Berlin myself) I especially enjoyed knowing all the places. I will definitely look at them with different eyes now (maybe I, too, can spot a sylph floating around somewhere).
The story is action packed and fast-paced, but also good fun.
I loved reading it and am looking forward to the next one!
She helps a group of Spirit Seekers, who want to stop the destruction of Berlins Central Station (and kill many people with it) by spirits.
It seems, there is a war going on. Earth-, Air-, Fire- and Water-spirits are attacking the humans. But why, and why now? Luka, one of the Seekers, doesn’t care. He just wants to do his job. Rika sees things differently.
The spirit seekers want her to join them. Rika isn’t sure.
But then they come up against an old, powerful enemy: the Erlking himself. And he is seeking out Rika especially.
Together with Aeola, the sylph (and, eventually, the Spirit Seekers) Rika will have to find a way to stop him, or Berlin will be no more.
The book is well researched, and (beeing from Berlin myself) I especially enjoyed knowing all the places. I will definitely look at them with different eyes now (maybe I, too, can spot a sylph floating around somewhere).
The story is action packed and fast-paced, but also good fun.
I loved reading it and am looking forward to the next one!
August 10, 2021
My thanks to jenna for providing me with the eArc of this book and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
There is a world where there are nature spirits. I would love that, really, to be able to see them and would be pissed if I couldn't see them. Cmon, just imagine being able to see them, I would befriend some of them, that would be so cool. My BFF would be a water or wind spirit although when I think about it, it could have been any lol.
The book was alright, the flow was natural, wąsy to follow. With characters I would expect to gain more insight to them (although I skipped some so might have missed).
There is a world where there are nature spirits. I would love that, really, to be able to see them and would be pissed if I couldn't see them. Cmon, just imagine being able to see them, I would befriend some of them, that would be so cool. My BFF would be a water or wind spirit although when I think about it, it could have been any lol.
The book was alright, the flow was natural, wąsy to follow. With characters I would expect to gain more insight to them (although I skipped some so might have missed).
July 25, 2021
This book is very well written. The story line focuses on a war against nature. Nature spirits have destroyed the world with natural disasters for over a thousand years. These Nature Spirits are dangerous, unpredictable, and largely invisible.
Rika has lived on the streets for over eight years. She has found out that she is one of few people in the world that can see spirits. Most of the time, she is able to negotiate a delicate peace with them. But now a powerful storm sprite called Erlkin attacks Berlin and Rika is drawn into the fight against Nature.
She decides to a group of elite soldiers trained to defend Berlin and other cities around the world against nature's wrath. These soldiers, called Spirit Seekers are currently deprived of their acting commander, the spirit seekers look to Rika to be their eyes. When the Erlking, hears of Rika and is coming for her. Rika needs to make a decision: side with the spirits she befriended or face the storm.
The storyline is solid and characters are fully developed. This is a book that you will want to read.
Rika has lived on the streets for over eight years. She has found out that she is one of few people in the world that can see spirits. Most of the time, she is able to negotiate a delicate peace with them. But now a powerful storm sprite called Erlkin attacks Berlin and Rika is drawn into the fight against Nature.
She decides to a group of elite soldiers trained to defend Berlin and other cities around the world against nature's wrath. These soldiers, called Spirit Seekers are currently deprived of their acting commander, the spirit seekers look to Rika to be their eyes. When the Erlking, hears of Rika and is coming for her. Rika needs to make a decision: side with the spirits she befriended or face the storm.
The storyline is solid and characters are fully developed. This is a book that you will want to read.
August 16, 2021
ARC provided by the author.
A Force of Nature is the first book in what will be a five-volume urban fantasy series around protagonist Rika and the Spirit Seekers.
Rika lives on the streets of Berlin and she sees the world a little differently from your average metropolitan. Firstly, Rika sees behind the beautiful facades of both places and people, and secondly, Rika’s exceptional attunement to nature allows her to see, and even communicate with the spirits that populate our world. Rika’s voice is both funny and endearing, and I particularly enjoyed her slightly fatalistic sense of humour.
When a powerful air spirit attacks Berlin’s central station, Rika suddenly finds herself in the middle of a fight, helping out a group of Spirit Seekers – supposedly legendary fighters trained to defend humanity against the attacks of malicious spirits – who seem entirely unable to see the enemy they are fighting against.
Rika’s help saves a lot of lives, but personally, it’s a mixed success at beast. Not only has she made a powerful enemy, but the Spirit Seekers, who try to recruit her to join their team after the fight, don’t exactly live up to their reputation of being a flawlessly functioning elite force. And what’s more, not all of them welcome her presence on the team.
The book is well-paced and it quite cleverly integrates natural desasters and folkloristic elements with its urban fantasy setting, but where it really shines is in its depiction of the tensions and relations between Rika and the Spirit Seeker team.
First, there’s Camille, the Berlin Spirit Seekers’ acting commander, who is struggling with both her past and the responsibility of command. Camille is aware of how much her team needs Rika’s talents and is so desperate to make Rika a part of the team that it makes her all but blind to the problems this decision causes.
Then, there’s Lukas, talented, ambitious, privileged, and as loud-mouthed, but considerably less self-conscious than Rika. Therefore, he’s destined to bump heads with her at every occasion. Lukas says what he thinks and usually doesn’t think too kindly of others. Lukas is pretty much an a**-hole, but he is my favorite secondary character (though I suspect I will stand alone with that opinion), and I see great potential for further character development in the books to come.
The team is completed by Leon, who, like Camille, places the trust he doesn’t have in himself in others, and Miriam, the team’s absolutely lovable technician.
Rika finds herself faced with Lukas’ prejudices against her background, with the Spirit Seekers’ bullheaded attitude towards spirits, and with constantly being compared to Wulf, the team’s seemingly flawless, legendary commander, who is currently missing in action, and an ideal that Rika feels she can never live up to.
Now, the Erlking is coming for her, and for Berlin, and if Rika and the Spirit Seekers don’t find a way to settle their differences, they don’t stand a chance against such a powerful force of nature.
This is a story about nature and magic, but it’s also story about human nature, about prejudice and friendship, and about the magic of finding your place in the world.
A Force of Nature is the first book in what will be a five-volume urban fantasy series around protagonist Rika and the Spirit Seekers.
Rika lives on the streets of Berlin and she sees the world a little differently from your average metropolitan. Firstly, Rika sees behind the beautiful facades of both places and people, and secondly, Rika’s exceptional attunement to nature allows her to see, and even communicate with the spirits that populate our world. Rika’s voice is both funny and endearing, and I particularly enjoyed her slightly fatalistic sense of humour.
When a powerful air spirit attacks Berlin’s central station, Rika suddenly finds herself in the middle of a fight, helping out a group of Spirit Seekers – supposedly legendary fighters trained to defend humanity against the attacks of malicious spirits – who seem entirely unable to see the enemy they are fighting against.
Rika’s help saves a lot of lives, but personally, it’s a mixed success at beast. Not only has she made a powerful enemy, but the Spirit Seekers, who try to recruit her to join their team after the fight, don’t exactly live up to their reputation of being a flawlessly functioning elite force. And what’s more, not all of them welcome her presence on the team.
The book is well-paced and it quite cleverly integrates natural desasters and folkloristic elements with its urban fantasy setting, but where it really shines is in its depiction of the tensions and relations between Rika and the Spirit Seeker team.
First, there’s Camille, the Berlin Spirit Seekers’ acting commander, who is struggling with both her past and the responsibility of command. Camille is aware of how much her team needs Rika’s talents and is so desperate to make Rika a part of the team that it makes her all but blind to the problems this decision causes.
Then, there’s Lukas, talented, ambitious, privileged, and as loud-mouthed, but considerably less self-conscious than Rika. Therefore, he’s destined to bump heads with her at every occasion. Lukas says what he thinks and usually doesn’t think too kindly of others. Lukas is pretty much an a**-hole, but he is my favorite secondary character (though I suspect I will stand alone with that opinion), and I see great potential for further character development in the books to come.
The team is completed by Leon, who, like Camille, places the trust he doesn’t have in himself in others, and Miriam, the team’s absolutely lovable technician.
Rika finds herself faced with Lukas’ prejudices against her background, with the Spirit Seekers’ bullheaded attitude towards spirits, and with constantly being compared to Wulf, the team’s seemingly flawless, legendary commander, who is currently missing in action, and an ideal that Rika feels she can never live up to.
Now, the Erlking is coming for her, and for Berlin, and if Rika and the Spirit Seekers don’t find a way to settle their differences, they don’t stand a chance against such a powerful force of nature.
This is a story about nature and magic, but it’s also story about human nature, about prejudice and friendship, and about the magic of finding your place in the world.
October 12, 2021
“A Force of Nature”, the first instalment in the “Spirit Seeker” series by Janna Ruth, is a welcome new breath of air into Urban Fantasy. The story takes place in Berlin, Germany, which is already a plus point in my book….. make that three 😉 because Janna Ruth really knows what she is writing about. Through Ruth’s skillful writing Berlin becomes another main character in the plot, weaving fantasy plot and reality into a highly credible story.
Rika (please don’t call her Marika 😉) is a homeless young woman living in the streets and struggling to survive in the Berlin winter, who in a particularly harsh night end up in Berlin Central Station looking for shelter only to make the acquaintance of a group of spirit seekers, an independent special force part of the EU defense department, as in this version of our world, elemental spirits are known as well as feared to the wide population. This accidental encounter has long-lasting consequences, as Rika is in fact able to see elemental spirits (which the spirit seekers cannot) and manage to save the night. Subsequently Rika finds herself in the spirit seekers HQ, warm and feed for the night at least and with a possible ‘job’ in the horizon. However, Rika is not really sure this is exactly the right thing to do, after all her relationship with the spirits in much more nuanced, than the B/W stance the spirit seekers seem to have. In Rika’s opinion, elemental spirits come in all varieties and sizes, a very different view than the ‘one-size-fits-all spirits are evil’ position the spirit seekers hold.
A great urban new urban fantasy series that offers a curated setting (Berlin); solid mythology (wait ‘till you meet the Storm King, which you might recognize as Herne the Hunter, Blind Michael, or the Erlkönig depending on your mythology); a very balanced mix between action and character development; and an excellent writing-style that drives the narrative forward, though unexpected twist and turns, to a very satisfactory conclusion 😊 not the end, because the story goes on… and I can’t hardly wait (and not this is not a cliffhanger 😉)
Rika (please don’t call her Marika 😉) is a homeless young woman living in the streets and struggling to survive in the Berlin winter, who in a particularly harsh night end up in Berlin Central Station looking for shelter only to make the acquaintance of a group of spirit seekers, an independent special force part of the EU defense department, as in this version of our world, elemental spirits are known as well as feared to the wide population. This accidental encounter has long-lasting consequences, as Rika is in fact able to see elemental spirits (which the spirit seekers cannot) and manage to save the night. Subsequently Rika finds herself in the spirit seekers HQ, warm and feed for the night at least and with a possible ‘job’ in the horizon. However, Rika is not really sure this is exactly the right thing to do, after all her relationship with the spirits in much more nuanced, than the B/W stance the spirit seekers seem to have. In Rika’s opinion, elemental spirits come in all varieties and sizes, a very different view than the ‘one-size-fits-all spirits are evil’ position the spirit seekers hold.
A great urban new urban fantasy series that offers a curated setting (Berlin); solid mythology (wait ‘till you meet the Storm King, which you might recognize as Herne the Hunter, Blind Michael, or the Erlkönig depending on your mythology); a very balanced mix between action and character development; and an excellent writing-style that drives the narrative forward, though unexpected twist and turns, to a very satisfactory conclusion 😊 not the end, because the story goes on… and I can’t hardly wait (and not this is not a cliffhanger 😉)
September 19, 2022
In A Force of Nature we follow Rika, a determined young woman who can see spirits when pretty much no one else can. Others can feel their presence or maybe see shadows of them, but Rika can talk to them–she even ends up befriending one. But can she be friends with spirits when they are the ones destroying the world? To fight the spirits and stop them from wreaking havoc, the Spirit Seekers were formed: experts in finding, battling and capturing spirits. But even they can’t see the spirits, so when Rika and a Spirit Seeker team are stuck inside with a tornado of spirits, led by the evil spirit Erlking, the spirit seekers work with Rika to take him and his fellow spirits down. Rika ends up joining forces with the Spirit Seekers, working with them and growing her skills to battle and capture spirits, and she ends up questioning their beliefs, her beliefs, and eventually making a plan to take down the Erlking.
I haven’t read many books with a homeless protagonist and I loved that this book features Rika: homeless, bold, scared sometimes and fearless others, selfish sometimes and kind, someone flawed and real and relatable and wonderful and homeless. I’d love to see more awesome protagonists like Rika. I especially enjoyed her reflection on the spirit seekers and how her opinion of them develops as she learns and grows. Initially, Rika is in awe of the seekers, like everyone else, but as she comes to understand them and their beliefs more and more, and simultaneously befriends a spirit and comes to understand the spirits more, she starts to question the inherent evilness of the spirits and whether they need to be fought at all. The book invites us to question our own initial assumptions about people (and, in this case, spirits) and how much we judge them based on their circumstances or where they come from.
The humor is witty and relatable, the pace moves well, there’s some memorable characters, and there's a lot of magic and mystery that I loved. It’s set in our own world but with these carefully crafted spirits, which I enjoyed reading about. I’m looking forward to reading book 2 soon!
I haven’t read many books with a homeless protagonist and I loved that this book features Rika: homeless, bold, scared sometimes and fearless others, selfish sometimes and kind, someone flawed and real and relatable and wonderful and homeless. I’d love to see more awesome protagonists like Rika. I especially enjoyed her reflection on the spirit seekers and how her opinion of them develops as she learns and grows. Initially, Rika is in awe of the seekers, like everyone else, but as she comes to understand them and their beliefs more and more, and simultaneously befriends a spirit and comes to understand the spirits more, she starts to question the inherent evilness of the spirits and whether they need to be fought at all. The book invites us to question our own initial assumptions about people (and, in this case, spirits) and how much we judge them based on their circumstances or where they come from.
The humor is witty and relatable, the pace moves well, there’s some memorable characters, and there's a lot of magic and mystery that I loved. It’s set in our own world but with these carefully crafted spirits, which I enjoyed reading about. I’m looking forward to reading book 2 soon!
August 20, 2021
This book was incredible. I loved how the main character so clearly doesn't get a big ego or overly confident after finding out she is special. There are so many books where the main character thinks they are normal, find out otherwise, and suddenly have all the skills and wisdom to lead armies into battle, and that is just not the case here.
The Author has done a fantastic job writing the fantasy elements in such a way that they just seem real; like of course there are vengeful nature spirits in the world causing weather and natural disaster. Her characters seem very real, and that the main character looks at everything around her from the POV of someone who has no home, who lives on the streets, really forces the reader to recognize the reality a lot of people face; one which as a whole, society tends to overlook.
I enjoyed the relationship building between the main character and the team of spirit seekers, she doesn't instantly trust them, and they aren't immediate friends which I think is fantastic and realistic to the situation they are in. Both sides have to put in the effort, and you really get to see that happening.
I am super excited for the next book in the series to see where things go and how it all works out after that new character arrival at the end!!
Overall, highly recommend this to anyone interested in a more "believable"/realistic urban fantasy.
The Author has done a fantastic job writing the fantasy elements in such a way that they just seem real; like of course there are vengeful nature spirits in the world causing weather and natural disaster. Her characters seem very real, and that the main character looks at everything around her from the POV of someone who has no home, who lives on the streets, really forces the reader to recognize the reality a lot of people face; one which as a whole, society tends to overlook.
I enjoyed the relationship building between the main character and the team of spirit seekers, she doesn't instantly trust them, and they aren't immediate friends which I think is fantastic and realistic to the situation they are in. Both sides have to put in the effort, and you really get to see that happening.
I am super excited for the next book in the series to see where things go and how it all works out after that new character arrival at the end!!
Overall, highly recommend this to anyone interested in a more "believable"/realistic urban fantasy.
August 20, 2021
In A Force of Nature, we follow Rika, a young woman living in the streets of Berlin who can see and interact with the spirits of the nature that surrounds us. Those spirits are not too happy with how Humans have been treating their environment lately and they start to fight back. Rika finds herself in the middle of that fight, but when both sides have a point, it becomes complicated, plus she really didn't ask for any of it.
Rika is the classical gifted young woman stumbling her way through becoming a hero the world needs, finding herself surrounded by newfound friends. She has a lot of growing to do, and A Force of Nature reads like that first book of all the great series in which we become invested, with characters we love to see evolve. I really loved it and I can see there the foundations of something great, with so many things to be discovered, mysteries to be solved, a world to understand. I can't wait to see where this is going!
Rika is the classical gifted young woman stumbling her way through becoming a hero the world needs, finding herself surrounded by newfound friends. She has a lot of growing to do, and A Force of Nature reads like that first book of all the great series in which we become invested, with characters we love to see evolve. I really loved it and I can see there the foundations of something great, with so many things to be discovered, mysteries to be solved, a world to understand. I can't wait to see where this is going!
December 16, 2021
A story that sees both sides
First, I love that this story is set in Berlin. It’s so nice to have an urban fantasy set somewhere other than the US, the UK, or Canada. Second, I love that this story sees both sides and is not afraid of the greys in between the black and white. I also really liked the diversity of the supporting characters. You don’t often see that either. Most of all, though, I loved the storyline and the friendships being developed. I definitely recommend this book, and can’t wait to start the next one.
In certain ways, it reminds me of Nina Kiriki Hoffman’s 2-book series, A Red Heart of Memories and Past the Size of Dreaming
First, I love that this story is set in Berlin. It’s so nice to have an urban fantasy set somewhere other than the US, the UK, or Canada. Second, I love that this story sees both sides and is not afraid of the greys in between the black and white. I also really liked the diversity of the supporting characters. You don’t often see that either. Most of all, though, I loved the storyline and the friendships being developed. I definitely recommend this book, and can’t wait to start the next one.
In certain ways, it reminds me of Nina Kiriki Hoffman’s 2-book series, A Red Heart of Memories and Past the Size of Dreaming
August 15, 2021
Rika, one of Berlin's homeless souls,
can see and communicate with the
nature spirits around her.
She runs afoul of an extremely powerful,
vindictive one and her troubles begin.
She also finds safety and friendship
with a group of people who battle these
same spirits to protect Berlin and the
citizens.
This is an excellent first book in what
promises to be an intriguing series.
Enjoy !!
I have received this free book in exchange
for an honest review.
Phyllis S.
can see and communicate with the
nature spirits around her.
She runs afoul of an extremely powerful,
vindictive one and her troubles begin.
She also finds safety and friendship
with a group of people who battle these
same spirits to protect Berlin and the
citizens.
This is an excellent first book in what
promises to be an intriguing series.
Enjoy !!
I have received this free book in exchange
for an honest review.
Phyllis S.
November 9, 2021
What a story!
This was a most unusual story. Set in Berlin, it focuses on a young woman who can see and speak with nature spirits. Her journey leads her from being homeless to working with the spirit seekers, a group of people who have an affinity for capturing them. She struggles to find a place to belong but doesn't know if it is with the seekers or the streets. Excellent tale of good versus evil, but who decides that? Loved it.
This was a most unusual story. Set in Berlin, it focuses on a young woman who can see and speak with nature spirits. Her journey leads her from being homeless to working with the spirit seekers, a group of people who have an affinity for capturing them. She struggles to find a place to belong but doesn't know if it is with the seekers or the streets. Excellent tale of good versus evil, but who decides that? Loved it.
September 26, 2022
Loved the first book to the Spirit Seeker series. Rika is such a well developed character and I love her backstory. The world created by Janna Ruth where spirits exist and are responsible for natural disasters and Spirit Seekers are the world's defenders was so original and engrossing. I particularly loved Berlin as a backdrop and being able to vicariously travel with Rika. Can't wait for more.
October 29, 2021
So this book was slow start for me before I could really get into the story. After the first couple chapters I throughly started getting anticipation on what was gonna happen next. Takes place in Berlin and the main character, Rica, can see spirits and is homeless. Must read
November 15, 2021
Good start to an urban fantasy series set in Berlin, with an appealing main character walking a fine line between two opposing forces with good and bad actors on each side. Nice balance of character focus and action.
August 15, 2021
really enjoyed Rika's journey ... excited to see where the story goes
October 21, 2021
An action-packed read with an interesting take on the forces of nature. A bit dystopian, with an intriguing storyline. Definitely leaves you wanting to read the next in series.
May 20, 2022
I enjoyed the world of the spirit seekers. It’s a nicely explained magic system with interesting characters.
added-it
June 1, 2022🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/1/2022)! 🎁
June 10, 2022
Love it!!
Oh my- I loved this book. I could not put it down. I cheered for Rika, and wanted to smack Lukas. Rika goes through so much… I loved following her journey.
Oh my- I loved this book. I could not put it down. I cheered for Rika, and wanted to smack Lukas. Rika goes through so much… I loved following her journey.
May 31, 2022
3.8 stars
A very different approach to our MC and it was done very well.
I’m intrigued to read more.
A very different approach to our MC and it was done very well.
I’m intrigued to read more.
June 4, 2022
So good! I can’t wait to start book 2.
If you’re into protecting nature and all things in it, this book is for you.
I’m excited to see where this journey takes Rika and I hope she can change how the Spirit Seekers treat the spirits.
If you’re into protecting nature and all things in it, this book is for you.
I’m excited to see where this journey takes Rika and I hope she can change how the Spirit Seekers treat the spirits.
August 3, 2022
Love it
Honestly they way the main character finds herself in a story line I wasn't quite expecting from the title it builds and grows and leaves you wanting more.
Honestly they way the main character finds herself in a story line I wasn't quite expecting from the title it builds and grows and leaves you wanting more.
June 5, 2022
Its okay
First time reading from author Janna Ruth. The story was okay it needs more direction if that makes sense the characters are okay.
First time reading from author Janna Ruth. The story was okay it needs more direction if that makes sense the characters are okay.
May 13, 2022
Spirit Seekers
A fantastic book about all the spirits you can't see and never knew about and the people who hunt them
A fantastic book about all the spirits you can't see and never knew about and the people who hunt them
August 19, 2023
Bought this from the author while at a convention in Palmerston North, New Zealand. I was hooked from the first page and can't wait to see where the other books take the main character.
At some stage I will have to start buying the other books in the Spirit Seekers series to continue this journey.
At some stage I will have to start buying the other books in the Spirit Seekers series to continue this journey.
May 5, 2025
Rika is not your run-of-the-mill heroine - she’s been surviving on the streets of Berlin for years, coexisting peacefully with the spirits that exist alongside humans.
Only not all of the spirits are good. In fact, after a nail-biting showdown in Central station, two things become clear. One, Rika is unusually gifted in seeing spirits, even more so than the local professional Spirit Seeker squad. Two, there’s a powerful spirit out there determined to rain destruction on Berlin and he’s taken a particular dislike to Rika.
The adventure that follows is intense, fascinating and absolutely just-one-more-chapter-worthy!
I have a couple of favourite things in this book.
First off, the unique perspective of Rika as a person quite literally on the outskirts of the outskirts of society. Even the local homeless community struggles with understanding Rika’s relationship with the spirits. She is truly alone and you can feel it in every word.
My favourite quote really sums up Rika’s character - simple, honest, and at her heart, hopeful. It really got me in the feels 💗
Secondly, the whole concept of humanity and spirits, as well as Spirit Seekers to keep everything in line. It’s completely fascinating and unlike anything I’ve ever come across before. Just like Karenza Grant’s Folkloric series, this is a totally different take on urban fantasy and it’s phenomenal!
Now, it’s time for me to jump into Book 2, 🌿Natural Enemies🌿 and discover what’s gonna happen after THAT surprise arrival at the end of Book 1 🤗
Only not all of the spirits are good. In fact, after a nail-biting showdown in Central station, two things become clear. One, Rika is unusually gifted in seeing spirits, even more so than the local professional Spirit Seeker squad. Two, there’s a powerful spirit out there determined to rain destruction on Berlin and he’s taken a particular dislike to Rika.
The adventure that follows is intense, fascinating and absolutely just-one-more-chapter-worthy!
I have a couple of favourite things in this book.
First off, the unique perspective of Rika as a person quite literally on the outskirts of the outskirts of society. Even the local homeless community struggles with understanding Rika’s relationship with the spirits. She is truly alone and you can feel it in every word.
My favourite quote really sums up Rika’s character - simple, honest, and at her heart, hopeful. It really got me in the feels 💗
Secondly, the whole concept of humanity and spirits, as well as Spirit Seekers to keep everything in line. It’s completely fascinating and unlike anything I’ve ever come across before. Just like Karenza Grant’s Folkloric series, this is a totally different take on urban fantasy and it’s phenomenal!
Now, it’s time for me to jump into Book 2, 🌿Natural Enemies🌿 and discover what’s gonna happen after THAT surprise arrival at the end of Book 1 🤗
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