THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD ELISSA LEADS a solitary life. She knows nothing of her parents—only that her mother is dead. Her caretaker, Nana, keeps her...
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reviews
Dec 21, 2011
Jennifer
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Reviewed by Marta Morrison for TeensReadToo.com
After reading ELISSA'S QUEST, I am looking forward to the next installment of the PHOENIX RISING trilogy.
Elissa is thirteen years old and lives with the midwife in the village of High Crossing. Her caretaker doesn't speak to Elissa about her parentage and so Elissa grows up lonely. Her only friends are the animals around the valley, because she has the gift of understanding their language. Her best friend is Gertrude, the do More...
After reading ELISSA'S QUEST, I am looking forward to the next installment of the PHOENIX RISING trilogy.
Elissa is thirteen years old and lives with the midwife in the village of High Crossing. Her caretaker doesn't speak to Elissa about her parentage and so Elissa grows up lonely. Her only friends are the animals around the valley, because she has the gift of understanding their language. Her best friend is Gertrude, the do More...
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Aug 13, 2007
Gwen the Librarian
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Elissa has lived in the valley with the healing woman for her whole life. She does not know who her parents were and Nana has never spoken of them. Elissa has learned not to ask questions about her past, so it is shock when her father, a nobleman, turns up one evening to claim her and take her away. At first, Elissa is thrilled to finally learn who she is, but her father proves just as taciturn as Nana. Elissa soon discovers that her father has only claimed her to use her as a bargaining chi
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Dec 16, 2009
Emily
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This is a fantastic book. I didn't want to ever put it down. I'd recommend it to everyone even though it's targeted at a younger audience. I'm 16 and I enjoyed it very much. The writing is done in a way that younger children could understand it and also it'd help their vocabulary. I personally think that it should be targeted for a teen audience. It has some jokes in it that I feel younger kids wouldn't understand but older people, teens or adults, would find hilarious. The author is simply a ge
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Jul 04, 2007
Annie
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Elissa. She is a thirteen year old potential orphan. Her caretaker, the local midwife and healer and the person who raised her from infancy has only told her that her mother is dead and doesn't answer her questions about her father. Then guess who shows up? You got it. Dear old Dad. This book revolves largly around her relationship with him as he takes her to the Khan to trade her for troops to win a war. Um, what? And did I mention that she can talk to animals and may be the person who
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Jan 30, 2012
Dakota
rated it:
Verrillo is so engaging in creating Elissa's character and surroundings. She is a bit wordy and the descriptions of events sometimes go on a bit long, but the ending is fantastic and the dialogue is fun and moves along at a nice clip. I am kind of curious about the cultural/anthropological subtext behind a white girl encountering a bunch of what seemed to be inspired by Bedouins. It says in Verrillo's bio that she is a world traveler and you wonder if this was inspired by her Middle Eastern trav
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Jun 20, 2011
Cheryl
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Elissa is raised in a small mountain village by the women she knew as her grandmother. All she knew about her parents were that her mother died when she was born. Elissa is able to speak with animals. Her grandmother warns her to never let anyone know about her gift. One day a group of soldiers come into the village and Elissa learns she is a princess and she is to become the pawn in her father gaining mercenaries to battle a neighboring kingdom. Fantasy recommended for 4-6 grades
Apr 28, 2011
Amanda
rated it:
*** Irrelevant to Review: Originally I had skipped this book because my local library didnt have it and one of the librarians had ordeered it for me but it nmvr came, later I began using the colapuclib.org sit and boom found out it was nvr ordered. But now I have.
Well Elissa is raised in this small little protected 'town', she knows her mother died but was never told about her father, until the day he came too get her. This begans the story of intrigue, magic, travel and discovery. More...
Well Elissa is raised in this small little protected 'town', she knows her mother died but was never told about her father, until the day he came too get her. This begans the story of intrigue, magic, travel and discovery. More...
Jul 18, 2009
Cindy
rated it:
The characters are predictable to a T, and I found some of the topics in the book written for younger readers but over their head to a point.
I was more then halfway through the book when I realized the book wasn't going to go anywhere and I'd have to read the second one. I didn't like that if left off in such an obvious cliffhanger.
A lot of potential maybe the author grows. But I don't think this book has the crossover appeal to adults like it's looking for.
I was more then halfway through the book when I realized the book wasn't going to go anywhere and I'd have to read the second one. I didn't like that if left off in such an obvious cliffhanger.
A lot of potential maybe the author grows. But I don't think this book has the crossover appeal to adults like it's looking for.
Mar 31, 2009
Anita
rated it:
This is the first book in a trilogy. Elissa has been raised by Nana the valley's midwife, with no knowledge of her parents. When her father shows up she discovers that she is the daughter of a Prince who now wants to use her as a pawn in his political quest for power. Elissa has the ability to talk to animals and is able to use this gift to help herself out of some tight places.
I'm excited to read the next book.
I'm excited to read the next book.
Nov 27, 2008
Alyssa
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I learned a lot from this book. First, you don't have to compete with your friends to be popular. I know that in a fantasy about a girl who can talk to animals, that's not really an issue. But, Elissa always manages to get along with everybody. She's kind and forgiving. She doesn't try to get the upper hand. And, she is courageous and never tells lies. For me, she is a role model. Also, the book was a lot of fun to read.
Mar 03, 2010
Alyn
rated it:
Large type makes it seem to be for younger readers, yet this girl is facing potential marriage to a guy with tons of wives, and she's not even 14 yet. So the topics, while not graphic, seem inappropriate for younger readers.
If not for that, I'd give it 3 stars. But I'm looking for books for my 9 year old daughter.
If not for that, I'd give it 3 stars. But I'm looking for books for my 9 year old daughter.
Jun 07, 2010
Gracia
rated it:
I absolutely loved it. I liked Maya and Elissa and Gertrude and Nana. I pretty much liked all of the characters except for Kahn and the soldiers. I liked how Elissa thought her dad was some guy with a beard but he turned out to be bald without a beard.
Nov 26, 2008
Tammy
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I thought this was a great book! It was exciting and the animals were hilarious. The Blue People rocked. The prophecy was a mystery, but that's the way prophecies are supposed to be. I've told all of my friends to read it.
Jul 18, 2008
Tim
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I read Elissa's Quest a couple of months ago after it was recommended by the librarian in our local library. She said it was one of the best fantasies out there, and after reading it, I have to agree. It's not your usual fantasy. Even though it was written as a children's book, it's fairly sophisticated. Elissa has enough in the way of personal problems (with her father ... or lack of father)to make it interesting to an older audience. The descriptions of the desert were so vivid, I actually got
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Sep 06, 2009
Steffy
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I really loved this book. Great characters, great setting, great plot. The talking animals were hilarious. I think it's best for a middle school crowd. The vocabulary is a little advanced for grade school. Wonderful summer read!
Feb 02, 2009
Christina
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I was hoping for a gripping novel, but this story was pretty poorly written. Too many cliches and very poor character development. The plot was very interesting, though, which is why I finished it.
Aug 16, 2011
I t is good because it is a book.IT IS ALSO GOOD BECAUSE IT HAS A GREEN COVER AND A RED HAIR PERSON AND BECAUSE I LIKE ORANGE AND BECAUSE BLUE IS THE BEST ALSO THE SUN IS BEHIND US.IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN
Dec 23, 2010
Amber
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I LOVED IT!!! Just the kind of adventure book I was craving. Im going to the library to get the other two right now. It wasn't predictable, at least not to me. I am quite satisfied. =)
Jan 14, 2009
Cecily
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like Anna said, this author had potential, but is incredibly predictable. The original idea is also slightly cliched. I would read it, but only if you can't find another book.
Jan 04, 2009
Jenny
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Though this fantasy is predictable, the language a bit flat and features a donkey as a main character, I still really wanted to know what was going to happen in the end.
Nov 08, 2010
711sierra
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This series was very good. I like the way the author really developed the world this book is set in. I just love reading about this complicated post-crusades world.The story idea is interesting. I liked it overall.
Jan 04, 2009
Anna
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I think this author definitely has potential, but the book's plot is just kind of flat. I found most of the happenings really weird and predictable, but maybe the trilogy as a whole would work out.
Dec 26, 2008
Amy
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It was cute but not real gripping. I didn't really get the climax, it was sort of "muh". I might read the rest of the trilogy if I have time.
Jul 01, 2010
Brinlie
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I liked it, I was glad that she wasn't spoiled rotten. But I hated the King of Citadel, he sounded repulsive and nasty.
Aug 10, 2011
Ruth
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A lovely MS fantasy for girls who are intrigued with characters who discover they are not "peasants" but royalty.
Sep 04, 2010
Ina
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This series was interesting. The third book was the best. The first mostly seemed to set the stage for the other two.
Jun 01, 2011
Michelle
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I liked this book a lot, though I thought the author could've used more foreshadowing to what would happen at the end. It kind of took an odd twist
Oct 18, 2009
bcdowdy
rated it:
Poor writing in some spots, didn't keep me dying to find out what happened next, and I didn't like the plot much.
May 20, 2009
Brian
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A rather boring fantasy that never really comes together. The first in the Phoenix Rising trilogy, the book never really gots me involved in the characters' lives so that adventure and danger left me cold. What is it about some authors' writing that makes you connect with characters deeply (and quickly) so that you actually CARE about them. I never reached that with Elissa and her gang, and the final climactic battle was so underplayed and poorly described that it was over and done with befor
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