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Averill #1
Chandrea - The Return of the Avatar Queen
On the day Crown Princess Chandrea Averill is born, her kingdom is attacked and her parents are brutally assassinated. To save her life and allow her to grow to maturity, several spells are cast upon the tiny newborn princess, and she is sent through a magical portal to Earth. There, she lives in secrecy until her 23rd birthday, oblivious to her true origins—or the powers laying dormant within her.
Without warning, the spell reverses itself, and Chandrea suddenly finds herself in a dark cave beneath the decimated ruins of her ancestral home. Confronted with the reality of her birth world and her true heritage, surrounded by strange magical creatures, dangerous sorcery, and treacherous political intrigue, Chandrea is overwhelmed and desperately wants to return home. But, the longer she stays, the more she realizes that she may be the only one with the power—both political and magical—to help the people of Lyrunia escape the tyrannical rule of Leilah, the Queen of Svara.
Will she be willing to give up the only life she’s ever known and remain in this alien land to fight for the people she was born to save? And, if she stays, will she ever be able to go home again?
Without warning, the spell reverses itself, and Chandrea suddenly finds herself in a dark cave beneath the decimated ruins of her ancestral home. Confronted with the reality of her birth world and her true heritage, surrounded by strange magical creatures, dangerous sorcery, and treacherous political intrigue, Chandrea is overwhelmed and desperately wants to return home. But, the longer she stays, the more she realizes that she may be the only one with the power—both political and magical—to help the people of Lyrunia escape the tyrannical rule of Leilah, the Queen of Svara.
Will she be willing to give up the only life she’s ever known and remain in this alien land to fight for the people she was born to save? And, if she stays, will she ever be able to go home again?
- GenresFantasyParanormalFiction
468 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2014
8 people are currently reading
990 people want to read
About the author
Marlene Wynn
2 books17 followersMarlene Wynn is a Utah native - fondly referred to as "Utonian" by a friend. She transplanted herself in 1992 from the majestic Rocky Mountains to the beachy shores of sunny Virginia Beach, Virginia and has been there ever since. Though she has worked in the benefits field for several years, she finally worked up the courage to chase her dream as an author.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 10, 2014
This book has just about everything that a fantasy book lover would want in a book. Queens who don;t know their Queens, magic users that need to be trained to use unpredictable magic, dragons, fairies and shrinking if you eat the wrong thing. It a wonderful adventure, full of surprises i loved every minute of the story as it unfolded on the pages. Excited to see what happens in the rest of the series.
August 25, 2014
Chandrea Averill is like any other normal college graduate getting ready for an interview that could start her life a new. While getting ready she is transported to a different world from her own. Lyrunia is a place filled with sorcery and many magical creatures. She has learned she is the long lost Queen and only she can save the people of Lyrunia.
This book is filled with adventure, mystical creatures from Fairies to dragons, Trolls to Minotaurs. I loved the journey that Chandi has to take to fulfill her destiny and save the people of Lyrunia. It is one to be read again and again and discover new and exciting things every time. The pages are filled with betrayal, love, joy, pain, and triumphs. I was most intrigued by the different characters and their Point of Views, it helped to learn the workings of Lyrunia and the neighboring lands. Also it helped the reader to understand the many events that wove together to lead to the ending. I think this book would cater to many types of readers with its adventure, magic, fairy creatures, and relationships between the characters. I certainly hope there is more to come.
* Reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock~!
This book is filled with adventure, mystical creatures from Fairies to dragons, Trolls to Minotaurs. I loved the journey that Chandi has to take to fulfill her destiny and save the people of Lyrunia. It is one to be read again and again and discover new and exciting things every time. The pages are filled with betrayal, love, joy, pain, and triumphs. I was most intrigued by the different characters and their Point of Views, it helped to learn the workings of Lyrunia and the neighboring lands. Also it helped the reader to understand the many events that wove together to lead to the ending. I think this book would cater to many types of readers with its adventure, magic, fairy creatures, and relationships between the characters. I certainly hope there is more to come.
* Reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock~!
August 25, 2014
Chandrea Averill is like any other normal college graduate getting ready for an interview that could start her life a new. While getting ready she is transported to a different world from her own. Lyrunia is a place filled with sorcery and many magical creatures. She has learned she is the long lost Queen and only she can save the people of Lyrunia.
This book is filled with adventure, mystical creatures from Fairies to dragons, Trolls to Minotaurs. I loved the journey that Chandi has to take to fulfill her destiny and save the people of Lyrunia. It is one to be read again and again and discover new and exciting things every time. The pages are filled with betrayal, love, joy, pain, and triumphs. I was most intrigued by the different characters and their Point of Views, it helped to learn the workings of Lyrunia and the neighboring lands. Also it helped the reader to understand the many events that wove together to lead to the ending. I think this book would cater to many types of readers with its adventure, magic, fairy creatures, and relationships between the characters. I certainly hope there is more to come.
* Reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock~!
This book is filled with adventure, mystical creatures from Fairies to dragons, Trolls to Minotaurs. I loved the journey that Chandi has to take to fulfill her destiny and save the people of Lyrunia. It is one to be read again and again and discover new and exciting things every time. The pages are filled with betrayal, love, joy, pain, and triumphs. I was most intrigued by the different characters and their Point of Views, it helped to learn the workings of Lyrunia and the neighboring lands. Also it helped the reader to understand the many events that wove together to lead to the ending. I think this book would cater to many types of readers with its adventure, magic, fairy creatures, and relationships between the characters. I certainly hope there is more to come.
* Reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock~!
August 21, 2014
Chani is taken away from the aftermath of her graduation as she prepares for a job interview. Instead of going for her interview, she is thrust into a world where there are no cars, electricity or even toilets. She is told that she not only has immense power but she is queen as well. Chani has no idea what to do or how to make sense of the information given to her. She has to learn the basic rules and adjust very quickly although it is not easy.
This book weaves a fascinating tale which gives you an insight into how you yourself might feel if you were taken away from all you know. Chani isn't immediately happy and ready to go. Instead she feels grief and remorse, she feels homesick and can't understand just how she got there.
This epic fantasy tale will keep you turning the pages as you become better acquainted with the characters. You get a good understanding of the world, of those that help, of those that hinder. Highly recommended for all epic fantasy fans.
This book weaves a fascinating tale which gives you an insight into how you yourself might feel if you were taken away from all you know. Chani isn't immediately happy and ready to go. Instead she feels grief and remorse, she feels homesick and can't understand just how she got there.
This epic fantasy tale will keep you turning the pages as you become better acquainted with the characters. You get a good understanding of the world, of those that help, of those that hinder. Highly recommended for all epic fantasy fans.
October 2, 2014
Chandrea has just graduated college, is preparing for a job interview, and gets her whole world (quite literally) changed in an instant. Great storyline. Fantastic characters that are very easy to relate to, with lots of depth. I enjoyed this book immensely. Large book, nice investment. It's not a one day read, at least not for me.
This book grabs your attention and keeps you interested page after page. I didn't want to put it down! It has everything... action, suspense, romance and more. With a wonderfully crafted magical world that includes many fantastical creatures and characters, this book will capture your attention and imagination. I can definitely see myself rereading this one again and again in the future! It is that good.
I'm a pretty big fan of YA/Sci-fi/ Fantasy type novels, and I loved this book! Cannot wait to continue reading this series as they come out.
Thank you to the author and Goodreads First Reads for sending me a copy to read and review!
This book grabs your attention and keeps you interested page after page. I didn't want to put it down! It has everything... action, suspense, romance and more. With a wonderfully crafted magical world that includes many fantastical creatures and characters, this book will capture your attention and imagination. I can definitely see myself rereading this one again and again in the future! It is that good.
I'm a pretty big fan of YA/Sci-fi/ Fantasy type novels, and I loved this book! Cannot wait to continue reading this series as they come out.
Thank you to the author and Goodreads First Reads for sending me a copy to read and review!
August 20, 2014
What an amazing read! I could not put this book down and I wanted to read to the next chapter and then I told myself I needed to get to the next chapter. There were so many twists and turns, with many unusual aspects that it left you wondering what was going to happen next.
What I really want to know is if all of the magical creatures in this mystical land will eventually defeat Queen Leilah and all of her evil ways. See that it's book 1 and I am expecting more from this series!
Book reviewer from Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock
What I really want to know is if all of the magical creatures in this mystical land will eventually defeat Queen Leilah and all of her evil ways. See that it's book 1 and I am expecting more from this series!
Book reviewer from Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock
gave-up-on
February 23, 2016Dislikes:
-Chandrea is in her early tweenties. But when her actions, thoughts and emotions are described, she feels much younger.
- Reminded me of Defy. I am annoyed by authors who (when can't think of nothing scary) bring up rape.
- Whenever author didn't know how to explain something, it was brushed away with simple 'it's magic'...
DNF @ 20%
-Chandrea is in her early tweenties. But when her actions, thoughts and emotions are described, she feels much younger.
- Reminded me of Defy. I am annoyed by authors who (when can't think of nothing scary) bring up rape.
- Whenever author didn't know how to explain something, it was brushed away with simple 'it's magic'...
DNF @ 20%
May 20, 2015
I was overly excited to review Marlene Wynn's The Return of the Avatar Queen when I heard what genre it fell in the New Adult world: fantasy. NOT Contemporary or Romance (or both!) like most seem to be these days. Really, the only New Adult book I've come across that's something other than Contemporary is the Everlast Trilogy by Juliana Haygert (among a few others).
The first in the Averill series is just another step towards some more diversity in the ever growing pool of New Adult books. But here are a few reasons why you should take a moment and read Marlene Wynn's debut novel:
Character Development and World Building – Here's what is probably one of the most difficult things in fantasy and paranormal novels: developing the world – the entire world, because in a fantasy book, most worlds are fictional and completely made up! Wynn has it patted down nicely enough within the book that it's not necessary to have a separate dictionary. I definitely feel as though I know enough about the world of Itova as Chandrea does, and the characters don't feel as though they're miles away from me.
It's Funny – I had the highlight of my book week while reading Wynn's novel, but whenever there are flying raccoons, I can't really help but find it hilarious. It definitely helps when Shawn becomes a major character and lightens things up. He's just a fantastic edition to the book and he seems to make the lighter side of Chandrea come out as well – I certainly hope the author won't kill him off anytime soon. Not that I actually have a say, of course.
Of course, it's definitely not as hilarious as something I saw in a NCRA magazine about a month ago, or finding out what "bae" really means in another language.
No Surprises – This is more of something I really disliked about The Return of the Avatar Queen rather than something I liked. As much as I love knowing all the side characters' history, I really think I would have enjoyed my reading experience more if there were less views. With the amount of views (which, by the way, is quite a lot), I feel as though I'm one step ahead and the author loses the element of surprise. Whatever seems likely to happen in the future to a character or two is already expected by the reader.
Last time I checked, not being surprised does not dwell well. But credit to Wynn for not making me feel like Hansel and Gretel with bread baked by Peeta, to which I turn into crumbs (the bread, not Peeta). Two facts: 1) I like surprises in books. 2) I don't necessarily like surprises in real life.
Here's a little elaboration on #2: A good friend of mine – I call him Mr. Pokey and yes, he's probably related to Lupe. AKA Miss. Pokey. – volunteered to take me to chess tournaments. A few days later, his mom said she could take both of us, but said friend told our coach that I could go without telling me about it first. As a result, I'm have been plotting his demise. Would I really do it? No, but sometimes I want to throw something at his infuriatingly overconfident face.
So here's a word of advice: Don't try to make decisions for others without telling them about it first. At least, don't make decisions for me unless you're my mom. You could regret it dearly.
Basically, you won't really regret reading The Return of the Avatar Queen. Marlene Wynn's debut novel shows a lot of promise in the future and I'm curious as to where the storyline goes from here on out.
-------------------
Review copy provided by the author for the blog tour
Original Rating: 3.5
Original review posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
The first in the Averill series is just another step towards some more diversity in the ever growing pool of New Adult books. But here are a few reasons why you should take a moment and read Marlene Wynn's debut novel:
Character Development and World Building – Here's what is probably one of the most difficult things in fantasy and paranormal novels: developing the world – the entire world, because in a fantasy book, most worlds are fictional and completely made up! Wynn has it patted down nicely enough within the book that it's not necessary to have a separate dictionary. I definitely feel as though I know enough about the world of Itova as Chandrea does, and the characters don't feel as though they're miles away from me.
It's Funny – I had the highlight of my book week while reading Wynn's novel, but whenever there are flying raccoons, I can't really help but find it hilarious. It definitely helps when Shawn becomes a major character and lightens things up. He's just a fantastic edition to the book and he seems to make the lighter side of Chandrea come out as well – I certainly hope the author won't kill him off anytime soon. Not that I actually have a say, of course.
“If you don’t, I won’t bathe, and I’ll sleep curled up right next to you, in all my stinky glory.”
Of course, it's definitely not as hilarious as something I saw in a NCRA magazine about a month ago, or finding out what "bae" really means in another language.
No Surprises – This is more of something I really disliked about The Return of the Avatar Queen rather than something I liked. As much as I love knowing all the side characters' history, I really think I would have enjoyed my reading experience more if there were less views. With the amount of views (which, by the way, is quite a lot), I feel as though I'm one step ahead and the author loses the element of surprise. Whatever seems likely to happen in the future to a character or two is already expected by the reader.
Last time I checked, not being surprised does not dwell well. But credit to Wynn for not making me feel like Hansel and Gretel with bread baked by Peeta, to which I turn into crumbs (the bread, not Peeta). Two facts: 1) I like surprises in books. 2) I don't necessarily like surprises in real life.
Here's a little elaboration on #2: A good friend of mine – I call him Mr. Pokey and yes, he's probably related to Lupe. AKA Miss. Pokey. – volunteered to take me to chess tournaments. A few days later, his mom said she could take both of us, but said friend told our coach that I could go without telling me about it first. As a result, I'm have been plotting his demise. Would I really do it? No, but sometimes I want to throw something at his infuriatingly overconfident face.
So here's a word of advice: Don't try to make decisions for others without telling them about it first. At least, don't make decisions for me unless you're my mom. You could regret it dearly.
Basically, you won't really regret reading The Return of the Avatar Queen. Marlene Wynn's debut novel shows a lot of promise in the future and I'm curious as to where the storyline goes from here on out.
-------------------
Review copy provided by the author for the blog tour
Original Rating: 3.5
Original review posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts
January 21, 2015
Get ready readers! This book is phenomenal and this series holds promise for fans of fantasy. Chandrea is everything I hoped it would be and more. It had magic, fairies, dragons, romance, scandal, action, adventure, royalty, mystery, and more. This is an epic fantasy of the highest order!
This book is about a girl named Chandrea who just graduated college. She is preparing herself for job interviews and finally becoming an adult in the world. She walks into her bathroom one morning and finds herself in another place. Chandrea finds herself in a cave with a woman named Adelaide. Adelaide explains that she sent Chandrea to another world when her mother and father were killed and her kingdom was taken over by an evil sorceress on the day of her birth. Not only is Chandrea the rightful queen, she is probably the most powerful sorceress this world has ever seen. Her powers were kept at bay while she was in our world. She now has to learn how to wield her powers while keeping her true identity a secret so they can figure out how to make things right in the world of Lyrunia.
Somehow the author makes it so believable. I was so enchanted by this story and the world of Lyrunia. Chandrea is such a great character. We get to follow Chandrea as she encounters many strange beings. She learns all about her birth world, and the plants and animals it is home to. Chandrea is believably sad about leaving the only home she has ever known. Her musings about her friends and losing the only parents she has even known was heartbreaking. As enchanting as her birth world is, she still struggles with her new reality.
It was really fun discovering things along with Chandrea. In this book Chandrea encounters so many strange beings, from dragons to fairies to trolls and mohr cats. I really liked the people Chandrea encountered in this story, too. She meets a warrior right away who introduces her to all kinds of people. There are shape-shifters, sorceresses, fairies, and svarens. Chandrea is lost in this world and the author does a great job of introducing us to everything and making us feel at home.
With all of this going on, there were somethings about this book that I spotted immediately as things that might turn readers off. Readers like me, who just made a list of all the things they think they hate in a story. Chandrea just happens to be well versed at martial arts. Like, taekwondo 3rd degree black belt. Also, we don’t get to know Chandrea’s friends on earth well enough to miss them as much as she does. I just wanted her to love Lyrunia as much as I did. Even with that, I still have to give this 5/5 stars. It managed to be a grand adventure, and the story is just magical enough to have cast a spell on me.
This book is about a girl named Chandrea who just graduated college. She is preparing herself for job interviews and finally becoming an adult in the world. She walks into her bathroom one morning and finds herself in another place. Chandrea finds herself in a cave with a woman named Adelaide. Adelaide explains that she sent Chandrea to another world when her mother and father were killed and her kingdom was taken over by an evil sorceress on the day of her birth. Not only is Chandrea the rightful queen, she is probably the most powerful sorceress this world has ever seen. Her powers were kept at bay while she was in our world. She now has to learn how to wield her powers while keeping her true identity a secret so they can figure out how to make things right in the world of Lyrunia.
Somehow the author makes it so believable. I was so enchanted by this story and the world of Lyrunia. Chandrea is such a great character. We get to follow Chandrea as she encounters many strange beings. She learns all about her birth world, and the plants and animals it is home to. Chandrea is believably sad about leaving the only home she has ever known. Her musings about her friends and losing the only parents she has even known was heartbreaking. As enchanting as her birth world is, she still struggles with her new reality.
It was really fun discovering things along with Chandrea. In this book Chandrea encounters so many strange beings, from dragons to fairies to trolls and mohr cats. I really liked the people Chandrea encountered in this story, too. She meets a warrior right away who introduces her to all kinds of people. There are shape-shifters, sorceresses, fairies, and svarens. Chandrea is lost in this world and the author does a great job of introducing us to everything and making us feel at home.
With all of this going on, there were somethings about this book that I spotted immediately as things that might turn readers off. Readers like me, who just made a list of all the things they think they hate in a story. Chandrea just happens to be well versed at martial arts. Like, taekwondo 3rd degree black belt. Also, we don’t get to know Chandrea’s friends on earth well enough to miss them as much as she does. I just wanted her to love Lyrunia as much as I did. Even with that, I still have to give this 5/5 stars. It managed to be a grand adventure, and the story is just magical enough to have cast a spell on me.
December 22, 2014
I do not normally like the urban fantasy genre (I know Amazon says Epic Fantasy, but this feels like urban fantasy to me, and I tend stick to my guns about genres). And before some of you say, "But you've reviewed and loved urban fantasy before!" I need to clarify that statement. It takes a very strong storyline and amazingly written characters for me to absolutely fall in love with this particular genre. For me, fantasy is a way of getting away from reality, and urban fantasy sometimes bothers me because of the fact that it starts out or is based in reality. Or at least the reality we know of.
Now I do have to say that this story does have a very good direction when it comes to what is going to happen throughout the book. The author obviously knows where her characters need to go and whether or not there will be detours along the way. That said, however, this book partially portrayed what I do not like about urban fantasy. Albeit I didn't mind some of the reminders of where Chandrea came from, the mirror thing was actually pretty cool, but when she kept talking about electricity and was freaking out about being in a "back-woods society" without modern medicine and amenities, it kind of annoyed me. I mean, I wasn't thinking at all that she would just immediately accept being in another world -- on the contrary, I am glad she didn't -- but her brooding kind of made me want to stop reading.
However, I am quite glad I did not. Actually it was a little more than halfway through the book when the dragons came into play that I actually started getting into the story more. Dragons fascinate me, so if an urban fantasy author can slip one or two, or even more than that, into their story, that definitely captures my interest.
All in all, I love that there are multiple points of view: that of the antagonist Queen Leilah, her "son" Ayden, Chandrea herself, and the various people that are either out to get her or help her in her given quest to save the world she was born in. Even though sometimes the points of view felt a bit muddled to me, or at least their placements in the story, it was a great way to keep track of the various characters and their particular loyalties. I also wish some things had been put in the story, such as Jeida meeting with the Dark Fairy before they began their trek into the wilderness to set the trap of the gold fog. I do wish my attention would have been grabbed from the very beginning, but I did like this first one enough that if given the opportunity to read the second one I probably would.
Now I do have to say that this story does have a very good direction when it comes to what is going to happen throughout the book. The author obviously knows where her characters need to go and whether or not there will be detours along the way. That said, however, this book partially portrayed what I do not like about urban fantasy. Albeit I didn't mind some of the reminders of where Chandrea came from, the mirror thing was actually pretty cool, but when she kept talking about electricity and was freaking out about being in a "back-woods society" without modern medicine and amenities, it kind of annoyed me. I mean, I wasn't thinking at all that she would just immediately accept being in another world -- on the contrary, I am glad she didn't -- but her brooding kind of made me want to stop reading.
However, I am quite glad I did not. Actually it was a little more than halfway through the book when the dragons came into play that I actually started getting into the story more. Dragons fascinate me, so if an urban fantasy author can slip one or two, or even more than that, into their story, that definitely captures my interest.
All in all, I love that there are multiple points of view: that of the antagonist Queen Leilah, her "son" Ayden, Chandrea herself, and the various people that are either out to get her or help her in her given quest to save the world she was born in. Even though sometimes the points of view felt a bit muddled to me, or at least their placements in the story, it was a great way to keep track of the various characters and their particular loyalties. I also wish some things had been put in the story, such as Jeida meeting with the Dark Fairy before they began their trek into the wilderness to set the trap of the gold fog. I do wish my attention would have been grabbed from the very beginning, but I did like this first one enough that if given the opportunity to read the second one I probably would.
November 5, 2014
An Awesome Adventure!
5 Stars @MWynnAuthor
First things first...I simply fell in love with this cover & had to read it! What began as a tragic tale of Chandrea attempting to succeed while working through her misfortuned past quickly turns into a fantasy lovers dreamworld throwing anything & everything at us ultimately creating an adventure you won't want to miss. There is so much I want to share, but don't want to ruin it for you. Have you watched the movie What Dreams May Come with Robin Williams & Cuba Gooding Jr.? This story made me feel like I had walked into a similar vision yet completely different. Chandrea reminded me of Chris who awoke and learned that his immediate surroundings could be controlled by his imagination & hers by powers she never believed existed, while neither are ecstatic about their new residence they both met & formed bonds with people who had huge impacts on their paths, & finally Lyrunia is described so vividly that I felt I could reach right through & touch something as if holding Chani's mirror myself. An unknown world where anything is possible, but where magic, evil queens, fairies, dragons, creepy dark powers, tyrants, shape-shifters, & so much more reigns. I'd compare this book to a Re-mix, if you will, of What Dreams May Come, The Lord of the Rings, & The Princess Bride. Marlene Wynn is wonderfully talented & I look forward to traveling to her amazing world again to see what is next to come.
If you enjoy Fantasy, Paranormal, Adventure, Battles, Suspense, Romance, Magic, & Evil Lurking around the corner then you MUST read this book!
http://jenisbookshelf.blogspot.com/20...
5 Stars @MWynnAuthor
First things first...I simply fell in love with this cover & had to read it! What began as a tragic tale of Chandrea attempting to succeed while working through her misfortuned past quickly turns into a fantasy lovers dreamworld throwing anything & everything at us ultimately creating an adventure you won't want to miss. There is so much I want to share, but don't want to ruin it for you. Have you watched the movie What Dreams May Come with Robin Williams & Cuba Gooding Jr.? This story made me feel like I had walked into a similar vision yet completely different. Chandrea reminded me of Chris who awoke and learned that his immediate surroundings could be controlled by his imagination & hers by powers she never believed existed, while neither are ecstatic about their new residence they both met & formed bonds with people who had huge impacts on their paths, & finally Lyrunia is described so vividly that I felt I could reach right through & touch something as if holding Chani's mirror myself. An unknown world where anything is possible, but where magic, evil queens, fairies, dragons, creepy dark powers, tyrants, shape-shifters, & so much more reigns. I'd compare this book to a Re-mix, if you will, of What Dreams May Come, The Lord of the Rings, & The Princess Bride. Marlene Wynn is wonderfully talented & I look forward to traveling to her amazing world again to see what is next to come.
If you enjoy Fantasy, Paranormal, Adventure, Battles, Suspense, Romance, Magic, & Evil Lurking around the corner then you MUST read this book!
http://jenisbookshelf.blogspot.com/20...
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October 16, 2014This was another book that I was looking forward to read and review, but sadly didn't worked out for me. I have received this book for quite sometime now, where I have tried to read it many times but sadly I just couldn't get into the story.
Being a Fantasy genre, I anticipated the world building as well as the pace of the book would be slow. And they were. I just wasn't expecting how monotonous this book was going to be.
The story begin with Chandrea turning 23 years old and graduating from college, then very quickly on the same day she was magically transported back to Itova- a magic world. Where she would find out that's where she was originally from, but was sent away for her safety.
For the past 23 years, Chandrea was clueless of her heritage and magic abilities, because her magics were blocked for her own protection. Now she is back in Itova, her magic will begin manifest. Not only Chandrea will need help to learn to control her magic, but she will need to begin to grasp how to become a Queen as well. Her journey will not be easy, there will be love, betrayal and pain await her.
I made it almost halfway through the book, and at that point I just couldn''t bring myself to go on. I thought the story plot was rather standard when compare to other Fantasy novels I have read before, nothing surprising.
While I was curious about the world building of Chandrea, but I had a rather difficult time to get into the book. Overall I didn't think this book was for me.
Being a Fantasy genre, I anticipated the world building as well as the pace of the book would be slow. And they were. I just wasn't expecting how monotonous this book was going to be.
The story begin with Chandrea turning 23 years old and graduating from college, then very quickly on the same day she was magically transported back to Itova- a magic world. Where she would find out that's where she was originally from, but was sent away for her safety.
For the past 23 years, Chandrea was clueless of her heritage and magic abilities, because her magics were blocked for her own protection. Now she is back in Itova, her magic will begin manifest. Not only Chandrea will need help to learn to control her magic, but she will need to begin to grasp how to become a Queen as well. Her journey will not be easy, there will be love, betrayal and pain await her.
I made it almost halfway through the book, and at that point I just couldn''t bring myself to go on. I thought the story plot was rather standard when compare to other Fantasy novels I have read before, nothing surprising.
While I was curious about the world building of Chandrea, but I had a rather difficult time to get into the book. Overall I didn't think this book was for me.
December 25, 2014
What I liked: I really liked how Chandrea was transported away for protection. Nothing like keeping a princess safe like transporting her to another dimension and letting her stay there for more than two decades! Of course, this leads to plenty of problems for Chandrea when she returns to Itova as an adult. Namely her inability to know how to control her magic and being referred to as royalty was something that made her uncomfortable. There were moments where I really enjoyed reading from the view of the antagonist of the story, it was interesting to get in their mind and see what they were both doing and how they thought. The story contained some rather interesting reveals about certain characters. Chandrea did whine a bit in the beginning, but rightfully so since she had just be ripped from the life she had known and thrust into a new world with different rules and expectations for herself.
What I didn’t like: I felt Chandrea adapted too quickly with her new world, forgetting rather easily about the world she grew up in.
Overall Review: With characters that keep you questioning about what’s going to happen and interesting twist through the story about others, Chandrea – The Return of the Avatar Queen is a very well thought out and planned novel that kept me entertained while I read it and wanting the second book as soon as I finished it.
Recommend?: Yes, definitely!
What I didn’t like: I felt Chandrea adapted too quickly with her new world, forgetting rather easily about the world she grew up in.
Overall Review: With characters that keep you questioning about what’s going to happen and interesting twist through the story about others, Chandrea – The Return of the Avatar Queen is a very well thought out and planned novel that kept me entertained while I read it and wanting the second book as soon as I finished it.
Recommend?: Yes, definitely!
October 20, 2014
Chandrea - The return of the Avatar Queen is a wonderful fantasy novel, with potential to be a great fantasy series.
It is exceptionally detailed and well developed. The story flows nicely, while the characters are evolving with an elegant manner.
The world that the author has created is meticulously described, which is one of the reasons why I give it 4 stars. I feel that it was more than enough and that all these details were a bit tiring. I can imagine that other readers may enjoy this, but it was too much for me. By this I mean, that I could easily enjoy the novel more, if I hadn’t read all these pages of describing everything in this new world. I repeat that this is my opinion, not necessarily a mistake made by the author and her team.
I also found the whole shrinking incident a bit unnecessary. It seemed like a big detour that we could have not taken.
What I loved is the story and its characters! Chandrea is wonderful and I adored her! She is a fierce young woman, with witty humour and a good heart. I also liked her companions and their interaction felt so natural! The author did a spectacular job with the characters! They all are amazing!
This novel features great writing, a fantastic story and amazing characters!!
It certainly is a great fantasy read that you will not regret!
So, Chandrea and her amazing friends receive 4 Gorgeous Stars!
It is exceptionally detailed and well developed. The story flows nicely, while the characters are evolving with an elegant manner.
The world that the author has created is meticulously described, which is one of the reasons why I give it 4 stars. I feel that it was more than enough and that all these details were a bit tiring. I can imagine that other readers may enjoy this, but it was too much for me. By this I mean, that I could easily enjoy the novel more, if I hadn’t read all these pages of describing everything in this new world. I repeat that this is my opinion, not necessarily a mistake made by the author and her team.
I also found the whole shrinking incident a bit unnecessary. It seemed like a big detour that we could have not taken.
What I loved is the story and its characters! Chandrea is wonderful and I adored her! She is a fierce young woman, with witty humour and a good heart. I also liked her companions and their interaction felt so natural! The author did a spectacular job with the characters! They all are amazing!
This novel features great writing, a fantastic story and amazing characters!!
It certainly is a great fantasy read that you will not regret!
So, Chandrea and her amazing friends receive 4 Gorgeous Stars!
January 23, 2016
CHANDREA is an ambitious fantasy about a long-lost avatar queen. A queen who will reunite the land and defeat the evil Queen Leilah, but twenty-three-year-old Chandrea has no idea the fate that awaits her. While preparing for job interviews, Chandrea is whisked through a magical portal to an alien land where she is supposed to fulfill a grand prophesy of saving the people of Lyrunia. Problem is, Chandrea has no idea who these people are or what she is supposed to do. She's angry and disoriented and what's nothing more than to just go home.
The author does a very good job of describing the different lands as Chandrea and a small band of trusted friends travel to RiMore so she can learn to control the magic within her. I did find that as I got further into the book, I cared less about all the descriptions of the landscape and animals that inhibited it and more about getting back to the action. I skipped through lots of exposition. As with so many fantasy books I've read lately, this book has no conclusion, just a big cliff hanger. I would have at least like to see one of the major problems solved, but unfortunately, this book didn't solve any of them. It's certainly not a bad book, but I don't think I'll be reading any more in the series.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The author does a very good job of describing the different lands as Chandrea and a small band of trusted friends travel to RiMore so she can learn to control the magic within her. I did find that as I got further into the book, I cared less about all the descriptions of the landscape and animals that inhibited it and more about getting back to the action. I skipped through lots of exposition. As with so many fantasy books I've read lately, this book has no conclusion, just a big cliff hanger. I would have at least like to see one of the major problems solved, but unfortunately, this book didn't solve any of them. It's certainly not a bad book, but I don't think I'll be reading any more in the series.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
December 9, 2014
From the first page I was swept away into this unique and riveting world that Marlene Wynn created. I could not set this book down for a second and ate up every bit of detail. I needed to know what would happen next, which left me reading until the middle of the night several times. This fantasy land full of intrigue, betrayal and magic kept me completely entrapped in the story line, I absolutely loved this book!!
Chandrea is on a whirl wind of adventure with one surprise after the next. She is a very strong character taking on all that is thrown her way throughout the book, making it easy to feel personally invested in her well being. She continues to overcome one obstacle after the next on her journey, while meeting amazing individuals along the way. I just love all the characters and how the story develops for each one. There is not one this I didn't enjoy about this book! I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves epic fantasy!!
Chandrea is on a whirl wind of adventure with one surprise after the next. She is a very strong character taking on all that is thrown her way throughout the book, making it easy to feel personally invested in her well being. She continues to overcome one obstacle after the next on her journey, while meeting amazing individuals along the way. I just love all the characters and how the story develops for each one. There is not one this I didn't enjoy about this book! I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves epic fantasy!!
October 21, 2014
I received this book from Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review
This is a great book for fantasy lovers! I has Dragon's,fairy's, queen's and so much more! This book was a fun adventure that kept me reading until the end. The plot was awesome! The lead was born the night her parent's were assassinated. So she was sent off so that she could survive and one day come home and be Queen. The main problem being that she was sent to our world and knows nothing of her home world or magic. Then she finds out she is the most powerful magic user of them all, but too much power can be a bad thing, when you don't know how to control it. I love these type of stories! The author created a wonderful world and compelling characters. We follow this young Queen and her companions as she tries to complete her destiny and endures many trials on the way.
This is a great book for fantasy lovers! I has Dragon's,fairy's, queen's and so much more! This book was a fun adventure that kept me reading until the end. The plot was awesome! The lead was born the night her parent's were assassinated. So she was sent off so that she could survive and one day come home and be Queen. The main problem being that she was sent to our world and knows nothing of her home world or magic. Then she finds out she is the most powerful magic user of them all, but too much power can be a bad thing, when you don't know how to control it. I love these type of stories! The author created a wonderful world and compelling characters. We follow this young Queen and her companions as she tries to complete her destiny and endures many trials on the way.
July 5, 2015
Good read
I really enjoyed this book. I needed something to help my imagination fly. This did it. Oh how I wish magic was capable, like in the story. After reading, there is no doubt that magic exists.
You will sincerely enjoy the adventures and suspense. There is even love. Such romance. Thank you Marlene Wynn for this great book. I have to get the continuation.
I really enjoyed this book. I needed something to help my imagination fly. This did it. Oh how I wish magic was capable, like in the story. After reading, there is no doubt that magic exists.
You will sincerely enjoy the adventures and suspense. There is even love. Such romance. Thank you Marlene Wynn for this great book. I have to get the continuation.
January 16, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the action. I loved the detailed descriptions - I felt like I was there with the characters and I could see them. I am def looking forward to the future books in this collection.
August 18, 2015
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. The story was OK I actually preferred the parts involving Ayden more until Chandrea met Shawn. I think Shawn was my favorite character and the fairies.
November 12, 2014
I received this book from from GoodReads First Reads program- I like the fantasy and action- it was a little violent since it talked about rape a lot.
November 8, 2014
Review Coming Soon.
*I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
*I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
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