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Custodian Novel #1
The Amulet
To Faedra, faeries were nothing more than the figurines she collected and displayed in her curio cabinet. Or so she thought... Faeries control nature. With a book, no less. But Faedra doesn't know that...yet. She is next in line to protect an ancient fae amulet that controls weather. And she's blissfully unaware of that fact, too. She also doesn't know that the book has been stolen and now the thief is after the amulet and willing to kill for it. Ignorance is bliss, and then you turn 18.
214 pages, Paperback
First published August 31, 2009
142 people are currently reading
2518 people want to read
About the author
Alison Pensy
10 books122 followers I was born and raised in England. I grew up near a medieval city, which is where much of the inspiration for my books comes from. Moving to the States in 2001, I eventually settled near a small town in mid Missouri with my menagerie of animals.
I also run a tax and accounting business. I started writing when I became so fed up with the real world, I decided to create my own.
I also run a tax and accounting business. I started writing when I became so fed up with the real world, I decided to create my own.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
December 15, 2009
5.0 out of 5 stars The Amulet, October 19, 2009
By Cypherman - Amazon Customer review
I just finished "The Amulet" by Alison Pensy this week and boy what a good read! She has woven a tale of graceful faeries and mighty monsters that will keep you in suspense. Faedra, a normal teenager, comes of age to find out the family secrets and is thrown into a whole new world of exciting action. The cast of characters are put together in such a way that you feel as though you know them and walk through this wonderland of adventure by their side. The author seems to be a master of description and paints a vivid view of the land of faeries for us to see. I would recommend this book to all, but be prepared to stay up late, because you'll find it hard to put it down. I can't wait to lay my hands on Alison's next one!
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Book!!!, September 27, 2009
By Book Owl - Amazon Customer Review
A superbly written book with characters having such admirable attributes they would make ideal friends! Although the book is fictitious it blends the supernatural world with our own seamlessly, where scenes move from world-renown landmarks to quaint country villages to a world far different than our own. The main character, Faedra, is the type of person you can relate to and fall in love with in the very first chapter. She has a knack at bringing you along on her adventure with a narrative that gives a delicious description of the worlds in which she finds herself. Faedra will take you in, quite literally, and at times the tears will flow. The book is packed with adventure, chivalrous romance and a mystery surrounding her life...disrupted by an ominous collision course with evil entities. Being one of the most intriguing books I've ever read, I look forward to the next book in this series by its author, Alison Pensy.
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read !, September 25, 2009
By Farm gal "Andi" - Amazon Customer Review
This story holds you all the way through. I could not put it down and can't wait for the next one. All ages will enjoy this story.
By Cypherman - Amazon Customer review
I just finished "The Amulet" by Alison Pensy this week and boy what a good read! She has woven a tale of graceful faeries and mighty monsters that will keep you in suspense. Faedra, a normal teenager, comes of age to find out the family secrets and is thrown into a whole new world of exciting action. The cast of characters are put together in such a way that you feel as though you know them and walk through this wonderland of adventure by their side. The author seems to be a master of description and paints a vivid view of the land of faeries for us to see. I would recommend this book to all, but be prepared to stay up late, because you'll find it hard to put it down. I can't wait to lay my hands on Alison's next one!
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Book!!!, September 27, 2009
By Book Owl - Amazon Customer Review
A superbly written book with characters having such admirable attributes they would make ideal friends! Although the book is fictitious it blends the supernatural world with our own seamlessly, where scenes move from world-renown landmarks to quaint country villages to a world far different than our own. The main character, Faedra, is the type of person you can relate to and fall in love with in the very first chapter. She has a knack at bringing you along on her adventure with a narrative that gives a delicious description of the worlds in which she finds herself. Faedra will take you in, quite literally, and at times the tears will flow. The book is packed with adventure, chivalrous romance and a mystery surrounding her life...disrupted by an ominous collision course with evil entities. Being one of the most intriguing books I've ever read, I look forward to the next book in this series by its author, Alison Pensy.
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read !, September 25, 2009
By Farm gal "Andi" - Amazon Customer Review
This story holds you all the way through. I could not put it down and can't wait for the next one. All ages will enjoy this story.
September 12, 2011
After this book I realized I'm not a big fan of fairies. Don't get me wrong I adore the little, funky fairies, with great sense of humour and maybe too much confidence, but the full-sized ones...well not so much. I find them, kind of wrong. Don't know why...:P
Anyways, this book was about Faedra, a Custodian of a fae amulet. When she turns 18 her powers are turned on and all bad things start to happen. She is being chased by uglie Redcaps, her dog turns into a handsome fairy and the worlds vegetation strats getting destroyed.
She soon has to travel to the fae realm to find out what is causing the world's destruction and face the ones responsibles.
The book was simply boring until the time Faedra went to the fae realm, and that was half way through it. After that the story started to get better, but there were no major surprises and I could figure out some things that were left unsaid for the next book, which I will read in hopes of being like the second half of this one.
Anyways, this book was about Faedra, a Custodian of a fae amulet. When she turns 18 her powers are turned on and all bad things start to happen. She is being chased by uglie Redcaps, her dog turns into a handsome fairy and the worlds vegetation strats getting destroyed.
She soon has to travel to the fae realm to find out what is causing the world's destruction and face the ones responsibles.
The book was simply boring until the time Faedra went to the fae realm, and that was half way through it. After that the story started to get better, but there were no major surprises and I could figure out some things that were left unsaid for the next book, which I will read in hopes of being like the second half of this one.
January 29, 2011
I really liked this book!!!!!!!
the story follows Faedra a fiery yet sweet redhead from England who lost her mother when she was a child. For the most part she lived an ordinary life until the day she turned 18 from then the s**t hit the fan!!! Her beloved dog tuns into a complete gorgeous guy she is one of 2 people that hold half of a sacred and powerful artifact that controls the weather for the entire world, she is attacked by evil fey red caps and that is just her birthday!!! from there the whole worlds weather goes into disarray and it is up to Faedra and Faen her hunky man to fix it! I wont say much more because honestly i think you should read it!
the story follows Faedra a fiery yet sweet redhead from England who lost her mother when she was a child. For the most part she lived an ordinary life until the day she turned 18 from then the s**t hit the fan!!! Her beloved dog tuns into a complete gorgeous guy she is one of 2 people that hold half of a sacred and powerful artifact that controls the weather for the entire world, she is attacked by evil fey red caps and that is just her birthday!!! from there the whole worlds weather goes into disarray and it is up to Faedra and Faen her hunky man to fix it! I wont say much more because honestly i think you should read it!
December 17, 2009
First a confession, I don’t generally like books about fairies and the supernatural world. A friend told me this book would change my mind and I was floored when I found that I just could not put this book down. It’s a great story about Faedra and her ever faithful dog. Faedra is 100% teenager but finds out she’s also part of the supernatural world, not of her own choosing. And, that ever-faithful dog turns out to be much more than a dog! Faedra’s adventures make this book a quick read because you just have to get to the end. And, then you want even more. I will never say I don’t like this type of book again. This is a must-read for children and adults alike. I highly recommend it.
June 12, 2011
Very much enjoyed this book and the character development. I am so involved I jumped right into the next book in theseries. So far, it is as good as this one!
December 4, 2009
The Amulet is an example of the common strand in YA fantasy in which a teenager discovers that he or she possesses a special heritage, accompanied by extraordinary powers, dangers, or responsibilities. As is often the case in these stories, the parent who could have explained the heritage or protected the protagonist is absent, leaving the young person to discover, explore, and struggle without adult supervision.
When Faedra turns 18 it is revealed to her that her long-dead mother was the Custodian of a powerful Faery amulet and that it is now her duty to protect the Amulet. Aside from the early loss of her mother Faedra's life to this point seems to have been pretty idyllic: loving and indulgent father, loyal dog, fun friends, pretty historic cottage, even a pony. A ward has protected her until she came of age so the evil forces which slew her mother could not harm her. She also has a special guardian assigned by the Faery king, although for some reason the faeries chose to not tell her anything or train her powers until the ward expired.
At this point one might expect some hair-raising adventures, but in fact the action is pretty tame. Except for one incident with Redcaps, our heroine never seems particularly frightened and there doesn't seem to be much sense of urgency even about Impending Doom. Really, the emotional content of the book is pretty muted. The characters' personalities are not very developed and things seem to happen too easily (Faedra masters her powers quickly, learns to fence in minutes, heals overnight).
This a quick and easy light read. I would recommend this book for middle grade girls, who may get more mileage out of the dresses, ponies, and faery castles. I think Pensy is still finding her feet as an author and will check the next book in this series to see how she develops.
When Faedra turns 18 it is revealed to her that her long-dead mother was the Custodian of a powerful Faery amulet and that it is now her duty to protect the Amulet. Aside from the early loss of her mother Faedra's life to this point seems to have been pretty idyllic: loving and indulgent father, loyal dog, fun friends, pretty historic cottage, even a pony. A ward has protected her until she came of age so the evil forces which slew her mother could not harm her. She also has a special guardian assigned by the Faery king, although for some reason the faeries chose to not tell her anything or train her powers until the ward expired.
At this point one might expect some hair-raising adventures, but in fact the action is pretty tame. Except for one incident with Redcaps, our heroine never seems particularly frightened and there doesn't seem to be much sense of urgency even about Impending Doom. Really, the emotional content of the book is pretty muted. The characters' personalities are not very developed and things seem to happen too easily (Faedra masters her powers quickly, learns to fence in minutes, heals overnight).
This a quick and easy light read. I would recommend this book for middle grade girls, who may get more mileage out of the dresses, ponies, and faery castles. I think Pensy is still finding her feet as an author and will check the next book in this series to see how she develops.
January 17, 2010
I'm a huge fan of books with fairies in them and love that type of story even though I don't normally read the genre everyday. The Amulet by Alison Pensy is an excellent story as it really does feel like you can slip into the tale. An excellent quality in any book that I read and one that is hard to come by.
I loved Faedra's character. She's wonderfully written and I didn't feel like I was reading a teenager who could have been any other teenage character who suddenly finds themselves in this brand new adventure. She felt and was written totally to feel real to the reader.
Now, maybe the plot essentially has been used by other YA authors but that's not to say that how this plot is written won't draw in readers who have read other YA books. It drew me in and I'm actually hard to draw into YA books these days.
I can recommend this title to any reader looking for an escape from reality for a few hours or more.
I loved Faedra's character. She's wonderfully written and I didn't feel like I was reading a teenager who could have been any other teenage character who suddenly finds themselves in this brand new adventure. She felt and was written totally to feel real to the reader.
Now, maybe the plot essentially has been used by other YA authors but that's not to say that how this plot is written won't draw in readers who have read other YA books. It drew me in and I'm actually hard to draw into YA books these days.
I can recommend this title to any reader looking for an escape from reality for a few hours or more.
December 20, 2009
I think "The Amulet" is a wonderful debut fantasy from Alison Pensy. It is the kind of book I would have loved to be stranded home alone with on a rainy day when I was in middle school. Is it written on the same scale as Harry Potter or Percy Jakson? No. But I enjoyed it immensely and could not have given the book any less than 5 stars.
The author's writing style is so beautifully visual, you feel enveloped in a book from the moment you start reading. All the right characters are easy to love and hate, plus it has a few surprises along the way, just when you think you are getting comfortable with a plot.
If you buy this book for a girl age 10-14, who loves to read fantasy, she is guaranteed a good time.
My favorite parts about the book: a touch of romance and great visual descriptions.
The author's writing style is so beautifully visual, you feel enveloped in a book from the moment you start reading. All the right characters are easy to love and hate, plus it has a few surprises along the way, just when you think you are getting comfortable with a plot.
If you buy this book for a girl age 10-14, who loves to read fantasy, she is guaranteed a good time.
My favorite parts about the book: a touch of romance and great visual descriptions.
July 13, 2011
As an adult, I didn't find the story at all enjoyable. The writer uses almost no description whatsoever and when she does, it's always cliched. The story has no feeling of originality to it.
Once I finished, put it down for a couple of days and had a good think about it, however, I realized that I might feel this way because the book isn't geared toward adults. Someone younger with less literary experience wouldn't yet be as accustomed to the overuse of cliche and the story itself wasn't bad at all.
I'd say have a read if you're twelve and under and want a more grownup fairy story than most kids' stories.
Once I finished, put it down for a couple of days and had a good think about it, however, I realized that I might feel this way because the book isn't geared toward adults. Someone younger with less literary experience wouldn't yet be as accustomed to the overuse of cliche and the story itself wasn't bad at all.
I'd say have a read if you're twelve and under and want a more grownup fairy story than most kids' stories.
March 31, 2015
When I initially began reading this book. I was worried that I would be disenchanted with a book about fairies. I was also worried about being turned off by the British style of writing. But I experienced nothing of the sort. Instead, I found a young girl named Faedra, and her family all as very likable characters with a strong family bond.
Something I did notice is that the book does go a little slow. The book doesn't seem to get interesting until after Faedra’s eighteenth birthday and that doesn't arrive until page 57. In my opinion the book should have started at this point. Everything before her eighteenth birthday is back-story that could be shared in small details throughout the book at a later time.
The whole, “Surprise I’m part Fae!” and the shape shifting that’s limited to just one animal not of your choosing, reminds me of True Blood. Oh, and did I mention that these fairies use glamour on humans, and Faedra can generate balls of light from her hands?
Even though all of the above powers mentioned are the same powers displayed in the Sookie Stackhouse novels, I am just going to go with it. I’m not very familiar with Fairies so perhaps these powers are just generalized powers that are spoken on within most Fae legends.
Now, let’s get to Faedra’s Guardian/Dog. I sure do love me some Faen with his old worldly charm. The author did an impressive job bringing him to life. Not only is he handsome and well-spoken, but he's also a bit funny. Faedra and Faen’s first kiss was so adorable. I can't even believe I'm falling for a freaking fairy, but I can’t help it. He’s just so perfect.
Overall, the book was written quite nice and I am a bit intrigued to see where the part 2 will take us. I’m pretty sure that I have the twist figured out though and I’m absolutely confident that I know how Faedra and Vivianna are connected. Especially when Faen hinted to her by saying, “It is not the dress that makes you a princess.” Yes! Suspicions confirmed!
Something I did notice is that the book does go a little slow. The book doesn't seem to get interesting until after Faedra’s eighteenth birthday and that doesn't arrive until page 57. In my opinion the book should have started at this point. Everything before her eighteenth birthday is back-story that could be shared in small details throughout the book at a later time.
The whole, “Surprise I’m part Fae!” and the shape shifting that’s limited to just one animal not of your choosing, reminds me of True Blood. Oh, and did I mention that these fairies use glamour on humans, and Faedra can generate balls of light from her hands?
Even though all of the above powers mentioned are the same powers displayed in the Sookie Stackhouse novels, I am just going to go with it. I’m not very familiar with Fairies so perhaps these powers are just generalized powers that are spoken on within most Fae legends.
Now, let’s get to Faedra’s Guardian/Dog. I sure do love me some Faen with his old worldly charm. The author did an impressive job bringing him to life. Not only is he handsome and well-spoken, but he's also a bit funny. Faedra and Faen’s first kiss was so adorable. I can't even believe I'm falling for a freaking fairy, but I can’t help it. He’s just so perfect.
Overall, the book was written quite nice and I am a bit intrigued to see where the part 2 will take us. I’m pretty sure that I have the twist figured out though and I’m absolutely confident that I know how Faedra and Vivianna are connected. Especially when Faen hinted to her by saying, “It is not the dress that makes you a princess.” Yes! Suspicions confirmed!
January 29, 2010
I actually was pleasantly surprised with this book. For a first novel, I think the author did a pretty good job. It did have characters that were easy to like. I also enjoy the fairies and the ability they had to shapeshift. I loved the realm of the fae. I thought that some parts did drag a bit and some others were rushed, but I was drawn to the story regardless. Faedra did go through a change, like a lot of other characters on YA fantasy, but I think that the story was genuine and stand on its own. I was left with a lot of questions and I'm hoping that Alison does not take too long writing the sequel. I did like the fact that the romance between Faedra and Faen wasn't too "smoochy"; I think it was balanced quite well. A couple things that did annoyed me were the fact that Faedra could recover so fast using something that I thought was too simple,after using so much energy;I would not say more, though, I'm trying not to spoil the read for anyone. Also for some reason, even when the author it's from England and the story is set on an English countryside, I had a hard time with the voice of the characters, to me they were too American; maybe I just haven't spend enough time around British people, and they do talk just like us? And for a while, the way that she could handle her changes a so fast, and was not freaking out about how to deal with them, was bugging me, but I think after finishing the book,there is a reason for her to react like that, and I'm hoping that on the next book I found my theory is right, otherwise it would start annoying me again. I must admit the book was a bit lacking on action, there are about two scenes were the main character is in danger, but it didn't bother me. Overall, I think this is a good fantasy YA novel, that boys and girls 10 and older can enjoy!!!
May 15, 2011
This was a decent entry into the "coming-of-age-as-a-magical-being" sub-genre of YA fantasy books. I always enjoyed these types of books when I was young and I still like them occasionally as quick reads in between meatier books. Faedra finds out she is custodian of a magical amulet and that her family were once Fae but renounced it to live with humans. She has a guardian who spent her childhood disguised as her pet dog but turns out to be a sexy, young fairy. Along with his sister, Jocelyn, the three of them save the world--for the time being anyway. The book had a good ending but the bad guy got away so there is certainly more to come. The writing was fairly simplistic but entertaining; the only groaner was Faedra answering her cell phone in the middle of a battle to the death--I though that was just stupid. There were a number of editing errors, which is annoying. Overall though, I liked the book enough to buy the next one which just came out. The first one was free for the Kindle and the second is only $2.99.
July 8, 2013
This modern fairy story by Alison Pensy is adorable! Faedra Bennett, who lives with her father in an English cottage, discovers something life-changing about herself on her eighteenth birthday, including the fact that her best friend--a dog that arrived during her mother's wake eleven years ago--is not an ordinary dog! He's her shape-shifting guardian, Faen. And yes, he's sexy, strong, and honorable and already knows Faedra inside and out by the time he reveals himself to her. Now it's her turn to get to know him and her new role as custodian to an important object that is the key to saving her world and Faen's.
I loved every minute of it and can't wait to read the next book in the series!
I loved every minute of it and can't wait to read the next book in the series!
January 11, 2011
Over all a 3.5 star rating
I think this was a very good first book. Building up the history and characters personalities is never my fav part. But this book is written in a very easy way to follow.
Sometimes it felt like it was racing throu and others it was dragging a bit. But over all I liked the story but most of all Faen!
I can imagine the way he looks so magnificent with his wings. What I liked most about him was that eventhou he was Faedras guardian he didnt let that get in the way of his feelings towards her. I hope their relationship develops more in book two.
I think this was a very good first book. Building up the history and characters personalities is never my fav part. But this book is written in a very easy way to follow.
Sometimes it felt like it was racing throu and others it was dragging a bit. But over all I liked the story but most of all Faen!
I can imagine the way he looks so magnificent with his wings. What I liked most about him was that eventhou he was Faedras guardian he didnt let that get in the way of his feelings towards her. I hope their relationship develops more in book two.
May 17, 2011
I enjoyed this quick easy read into the world of the Fae (especially since I picked it up free on the Kindle!). I've read a lot of Fae books that tend to get on my nerves so I was hesitant to pick this one up. I liked that the Fairies are portrayed positively and have other powers/interests in things other than their beautiful selves. There is nothing earth shattering about this novel, some parts I read did not flow well but all in all I enjoyed the story.
May 22, 2011
What a beautiful story. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. The characters were very well developed & you get lost in the world that is created. I just loved it. I can't wait to read the next book!
May 16, 2011
This was a delightful read. It's a perfect book for any middle school girl, although as an adult I very much enjoyed the book. It very much reminded me of a Disney movie and I do adore Disney movies! :)
Want to read
January 30, 2011omg i'm excited i can download this on my ipod touch :D next time i get a itunes card i'll be buying this :P
Want to read
May 12, 2011You can download this ebook for FREE in Kindle edition at amazon.com here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002...
Be quick! I don't know how long it lasts!
Be quick! I don't know how long it lasts!
January 28, 2020
I really fell in love with this series. I happened upon it one day when I was looking for a free book download on my nook and this caught my eye. How glad I am that it did. Such a creative and magical world. The authors style of writing is nice and smooth, easy to follow but very enticing. I've now gone on to read everything of hers I can find and have been please with all of her publications. Great series, great characters, highly recommend you give it a read!
July 3, 2020
This story is a fantasy novel with a mix of magic, faeries, romance, beauty and imagination. Faedra lost her mum when she was 6 years old but when she turns 18 she discovers her mum has left her a strange amulet. And then her dog turns into this handsome faerie who tells her she hold a vital link with the faerie world. An interesting start to a new series, I will be interested to see where it leads.
May 2, 2018
This is not amazing literature, and the writing could be better. But I fell for the plot and the characters enough to reread this one a few times. I never continued on with the series because I got this one for free but every time I reread this, I nearly bought the second book. It is very light, fast-paced, and I recommend it if you like urban fantasy.
May 31, 2017
Fantastic! Love this book to bits!
AND FAEN. *SQUEEE!*
BEST FREE BOOK EVER - PROBABLY.
AND FAEN. *SQUEEE!*
BEST FREE BOOK EVER - PROBABLY.
May 9, 2018
A quick and nice read about the fae.
March 10, 2019
I really tried to get into this book, stopped at 44% just couldn't get into it
April 6, 2022
Sweet coming of age fairy story
This book was just lovely. The descriptions of the people, places, foods, and costumes were lovely, and the book was squeaky clean.m
This book was just lovely. The descriptions of the people, places, foods, and costumes were lovely, and the book was squeaky clean.m
July 1, 2023
I understand this was the author's first book, nobodies' first book is perfect.
August 16, 2023
Absolutely loved!
As an avid lover of mythology and the fae, this book was absolutely amazing in my opinion and I can't wait to continue the series!
As an avid lover of mythology and the fae, this book was absolutely amazing in my opinion and I can't wait to continue the series!
May 11, 2016
People who have read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - soon to be a motion picture - may know a little about Red Caps. As Faedra Bennett approaches age 17, it becomes urgent that she learn a lot more. Unknown to her until her 18th birthday, she has already been in peril more than once from the evil little creatures whose eyes glow yellow in the dark, and who (she learns later) never feel quite like themselves without a fresh coat of somebody else's blood on their caps. They're coming after her because, although she hardly knows it, she is descended from a line of humans who used to be fae, or fairies, and like her late mother, she is the custodian of an amulet that in the wrong hands could destroy our world, and other worlds besides.
About that "other worlds" bit - there are others, you know. They are linked by a series of portals, like the one near the church in Faedra's hometown, which leads to Azran, the world of fairies. Almost the moment she learns fairies are real, she also discovers that one of them has been sleeping by her side since the day of her mother's funeral 10 years ago. Her faithful Great Pyrenees dog named Faen is, in fact, a gorgeous, 200-ish young man named Faen. He actually has wings but is too shy to show them to her. He also has a sister who, when she isn't in the form of a border collie, is a lovely winged girl who guards the portal to Azran.
When autumn comes early everywhere, and all the plant life in the world suddenly starts to die, these three young (or young-looking) heroes travel to Azran to find out what's up. What's up is, someone has kidnapped the fairy king's daughter Vivianna and stolen the Book of Ahnos, which goes with Faedra's amulet and can be used to control the weather. They have to get it back before everything goes wrong. But to do that, they must survive a Red Cap trap at Faedra's birthday party (Surprise! Now die!), solve a prophetic riddle set by the forest god Kernunnos, and win a battle against superior numbers and (in Faedra's case) sword-fighting skills, against an enemy who has a mysterious, personal grudge against her.
It all goes very quickly. Faedra's discovery of her magical destiny is enough to make your head whirl, and though much of the fantasy takes place in the real world, it includes the interesting possibility of future adventures across several different worlds. Azran is interestingly depicted as a wonderful place that we first see on one of its worst days ever; you experience scenes of devastation and loss with a simultaneous sense of spectacular beauty and magical possibilities. There is a nice, juicy romance to enjoy, as well as some exciting combat action, a glimpse at the dietary problems that can come of developing a kick-ass magical power, and horseback scenes that actually show signs of being written by someone who has riding experience. All in all it is a well-paced and enjoyable adventure.
This is the first novel of the Faedra Bennett/Custodian quartet, whose other titles include The Emerald Staff, The Cypher Wheel, and The Ice Diamond Cuff. Their English-born author, who also writes adult romance novels such as A Summer Down Under under the pen-name Adrianna Blakely, lives just outside the small Missouri town where I live; in fact, I recently interviewed her for a newspaper story about the little farm she shares with her American-born husband. I don't know if it makes the world seem smaller, or my little community seem bigger, when I get to chat in person with an author who can write knowledgeably about both England and Australia (where she worked as a jilleroo, or girl ranch-hand, in her youth). She even prepared my tax returns for me this year, really a multi-talented lady! And while, like pretty much every self-published book I have read to-date, this book could benefit from the advice of a book editor (mainly on minor issues like punctuation and hyphenation), I think she has the concept of a fantasy novel pretty well sewn up. I bought the whole quartet as a "boxed set" on Kindle, so I plan to read them all.
About that "other worlds" bit - there are others, you know. They are linked by a series of portals, like the one near the church in Faedra's hometown, which leads to Azran, the world of fairies. Almost the moment she learns fairies are real, she also discovers that one of them has been sleeping by her side since the day of her mother's funeral 10 years ago. Her faithful Great Pyrenees dog named Faen is, in fact, a gorgeous, 200-ish young man named Faen. He actually has wings but is too shy to show them to her. He also has a sister who, when she isn't in the form of a border collie, is a lovely winged girl who guards the portal to Azran.
When autumn comes early everywhere, and all the plant life in the world suddenly starts to die, these three young (or young-looking) heroes travel to Azran to find out what's up. What's up is, someone has kidnapped the fairy king's daughter Vivianna and stolen the Book of Ahnos, which goes with Faedra's amulet and can be used to control the weather. They have to get it back before everything goes wrong. But to do that, they must survive a Red Cap trap at Faedra's birthday party (Surprise! Now die!), solve a prophetic riddle set by the forest god Kernunnos, and win a battle against superior numbers and (in Faedra's case) sword-fighting skills, against an enemy who has a mysterious, personal grudge against her.
It all goes very quickly. Faedra's discovery of her magical destiny is enough to make your head whirl, and though much of the fantasy takes place in the real world, it includes the interesting possibility of future adventures across several different worlds. Azran is interestingly depicted as a wonderful place that we first see on one of its worst days ever; you experience scenes of devastation and loss with a simultaneous sense of spectacular beauty and magical possibilities. There is a nice, juicy romance to enjoy, as well as some exciting combat action, a glimpse at the dietary problems that can come of developing a kick-ass magical power, and horseback scenes that actually show signs of being written by someone who has riding experience. All in all it is a well-paced and enjoyable adventure.
This is the first novel of the Faedra Bennett/Custodian quartet, whose other titles include The Emerald Staff, The Cypher Wheel, and The Ice Diamond Cuff. Their English-born author, who also writes adult romance novels such as A Summer Down Under under the pen-name Adrianna Blakely, lives just outside the small Missouri town where I live; in fact, I recently interviewed her for a newspaper story about the little farm she shares with her American-born husband. I don't know if it makes the world seem smaller, or my little community seem bigger, when I get to chat in person with an author who can write knowledgeably about both England and Australia (where she worked as a jilleroo, or girl ranch-hand, in her youth). She even prepared my tax returns for me this year, really a multi-talented lady! And while, like pretty much every self-published book I have read to-date, this book could benefit from the advice of a book editor (mainly on minor issues like punctuation and hyphenation), I think she has the concept of a fantasy novel pretty well sewn up. I bought the whole quartet as a "boxed set" on Kindle, so I plan to read them all.
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