Balance of the 12

by Ania

**Beverly Hills Book Awards Finalist**

The universe was created by 12 energies which turned into the 12 races on earth. Eleven of these races live in secret among mankind, coexisting in precarious harmony and dependent on the Balance between them to keep the universe alive. If one race falls, the universe falls.

With war at the door, a domino effect of events is about to begin that could bring about universal annihilation. Only Jane, a Reader, and Samuel, a human, have the power to save the threatened races and protect the Balance. Unsure of each other and what lies ahead, they have one chance to learn about the true nature of the 12 races. One chance to witness the last Great War of the 12 races. But what they uncover reveals more than they ever believed possible.

Brought together by the Balance, Jane and Samuel must choose to follow the legacy left to them, or watch as the 12 races erupt in a war that will destroy them all.

344 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2019

Reviews

[Brianna · Rating 1 out of 5]

ARC provided from NetGalley for an honest review.

I really tried to get into this book. Futuristic and sci-fi books are honestly a hit or miss for me. The concept for this book is slightly there, but it's really confusing. The beginning is hard to follow and just trying to keep up and understand what was happening made me lose interest. The characters are poorly developed in the beginning. If they become more developed after the first 20%, that just sucks because I gave up after that. The various powers that be (the balance) are quite confusing. I understand that there are various races of beings, and without one there is chaos. So there are "Readers" that keep the balance should one of these races be in chaos. But the concepts that go with that are just...off. The concept was there, but it just wasn't developed well.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a huge reader of fantasy novels but something about this book, with its distinctive cover, appealed to me, and the idea that the races of the Earth had been formed by using 12 energies, was an intriguing one. The races live in secret amongst mankind delicately keeping the balance between them intact because if one of the races fails in this endeavor then the universe is lost. Only Jane, a reader, and Samuel, a human, have the power to save the threatened races and protect the Balance.

The author is obviously passionate about her story and writes with enthusiasm, using skeins of intense imagination to bring this world into fruition. There's an interesting balance between the characters and the interaction between them works, sometimes better in some places than others, however, I admit that could just be because fantasy and imagined worlds are not really in my comfort zone, and so I may well be missing something.



The book was splendidly marketed within a package which contains a book mark, a candle and an embroidered book bag, all so beautifully produced and aimed at generating a certain ambiance before I had even started to read. Everything is beautifully produced, and the story imaginative and well considered, however, there is just a small point which I should mention and that is that the font is in a very neat script which is rather difficult to read comfortably.

Overall, Balance of the 12 is a unique fantasy novel written by an author who shows great potential in her chosen genre.

[Ian Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, this got off to a bad start: "Through the long and stormy night . . . " Too much like "It was a dark and stormy night." The first sentence has some importance, and while I can tolerate certain poor starts and I definitely do not want a ridiculous attention grabber, stormy nights really should be avoided in sentence 1. Very soon, a "one-dimensional sheet". No! A sheet has two dimensions or it isn't a sheet (length and width). One dimension is a line. Fortunately, once we get past that, things improve. The structure is rather odd. We start in modern times with characters that take no part in the story, other than to read what happened long ago to Atlantis. Basically, that starts off as a quest, and then turns into something somewhat worse: a war is coming that will annihilate humanity. The objective is to find a "creator" who will give birth to a baby that will restart humanity. Dwade, a human, is to find than protect the creator. The problem with the quest is that outcomes are decided by "the Balance". The net result is everyone who is suffering or in danger believes it is preordained and does little or nothing to avoid the danger.
It is an imaginative fantasy story, the writing is clear, there is a certain amount of magic and little or no strategy, presumably thanks to the "preordained" belief everyone has. The action is clearly described, the background is very well described. Overall, a good light read

[Lesley Hoskin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Balance of 12 was the first book I’ve read from the author Ania. It was a futuristic story that showed the balance of all “mankind” and others inhabiting our earth. The relationship between the two main characters took some twists and turns but was beautifully written and kept you wanting to read at all times. Reading the description, it sounds like Samuel and Jane are the main characters but they are only seen briefly at the beginning and the end. The main characters are Shasta and Dwade. Their adventures have them tied together throughout the whole book making you want to see if they both survive and stay together. The other characters in the book were written with great effort to portray a variety of creatures and races which made the story more plausible and enjoyable. I wasn’t happy with the ending as it seemed unfinished but it did leave it open for possibly a sequel. On the whole it was a great book that kept me reading until I had it finished. Hope to read another book from this author soon.

[Yolandie Horak · Rating 2 out of 5]

DID NOT FINISH

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was sent in a pretty cool goodie box.

The font is terrible and difficult to read. Straight off the bat, that put me off.

You spend two chapters sort of getting to know a pair of characters and are then plunged into the past and a different character's point of view altogether. More than the font, the viewpoints are what ruined the story for me. It's a mix between omniscient and a kind of limited third, but is written in an either/or style that is confusing and difficult to get into.

I really wanted to love this one because I have a soft spot for indie authors, but unfortunately, this isn't the book for me.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this not knowing what to expect other than what the summary provided. At first it was a bit slow going, but then it picked up and I just couldn't put it down. While the summary only mentions Jane and Samuel, who are technically the main characters, most of the book is set in the past. Jane and Samuel are shown through the past what they have to do and who they can trust. In the past, the story revolves around Shasta and Dwade, a Reader and a human as well, who are going through a similar crisis: they have to retrieve a Creator who is pregnant with a baby that will restart the human race if they go instinct. However, it is revealed that the Chancellor they trusted and a travel companion they relied on, were corrupted and wanted to use the child as a pawn in their war. The story seemingly ends fine, with Jane and Samuel coming back to reality and being sent off to complete their quest, trusting no on but each other.
I really liked the development of Shasta and Dwade's characters, although I would love to know more about Shasta's past with Han and the backstory of Violen. I would also love to know more about Jade and Samuel, who are barely in the book at all.
Hopefully there will be a sequel or novella released later to clear up questions and tie up loose ends.
I hope this book does well, because I really enjoyed it.

[Anthony Philosophos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting tale about the twelve races of earth. I could not get completely into the plot. The characters in the story were not all that believable.

[Suzy Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for my fair and honest review.*

The Balance of 12 by Ania is an all new immersive, fantasy/science fiction take on the world. You will be introduced to an imaginative place unlike one you could ever dream up. This novel is a very original and actually a bit of a trippy read. But I felt the story was left unfinished in important parts that left it feeling a empty to me.

The Balance of 12 is a tale the centers around the idea that the universe was created by 12 energies which turned into 12 races on Earth. 11 of these races live in secret among mankind, coexisting in harmony and dependent on the Balance between them to keep the universe alive. If one race falls, the universe falls. With war at the door, a domino effect of events is about to begin that could bring about universal annihilation. Only Jane, a Reader- the people who have the power to help keep the Balance, and Samuel, a human, have the power to save the threatened races and to protect the Balance.

The Balance of 12 is a refreshing fantasy idea that doesn't follow hardly any of the normal tropes of the genre. Though it was a bit hard to get into at first, once I was able to wrap my head around the logistics of this new Earth, it was a fairly fast read.
Though Samuel and Jane are the only 2 characters talked about in the synopsis, Shasta and Wade are pretty much the main characters, with Samuel and Jane only really making significant appearances at the beginning and the end of the book. The story of Shasta and Wade is really the heart of the novel and they are fairly interesting characters that you can become invested in and interested to see what happens to them next. I do wish there was more character development. I felt that was lacking and I would have felt more connected to the characters if there was quite a bit more characterization. This is key for me with any novel.
Also, I thought the world building was severely insufficient. The author created a whole new world that operates on a whole new set of dynamics. The sky is really the limit when it comes to world building in this scenario. I felt the author missed a great chance to build on her fantastic idea. It's there, but the author missed an incredible opportunity that would have put this book on a whole other level.

The Balance of 12 by Ania is a unique idea, a concept that has tremendous potential. It has a ton of room for growth and I wish the author would have taken advantage of what she had created. Such a rare story, but I felt a lack of emotion and depth. I gave this a 3 due to the originality. If it wasn't for that, my rating would have been lower unfortunately.

[Melissa Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a mix of emotions throughout the book.

First and foremost, the synopsis is nothing like what you're going to read. I always thought the synopsis was essentially a summary of some sort, or at least, the hook to bring you in. I thought I was going to read about the two characters mentioned in the synopsis, and they were barely mentioned in the book. Of course, why they were barely mentioned made sense once you read the whole thing, but it was a bit of a disappointment at first. I felt like I was lied to here.

To the story as a whole, the first ~40% of the story, I was a bit bored. We see the characters introduced and then a whole new set of characters introduced, but it wasn't anything to grab you or to want you to care about them at first. It took a long time for me to care about the main characters. And it essentially took a while to build up to the overall plot. It didn't feel worth reading until passed halfway through the story. It finally got good. And once you hit the climax, you're nearly done and wondering how it's all going to come together. It felt rushed, at times, towards the end because of it. And we didn't even get enough information about the 12. They were introduced, but some were never mentioned again after. Why are all of them so important to maintain a balance? You don't really get to know the why.

The storyline as a whole is a bit predictable. You know what's going to happen, and the characters acknowledge it. But really, the whole point to the story is how do you go about knowing what's already going to happen. How exactly can you fight it even if you can or what do you do to ensure you fight for the good no matter what. That's sort of what I got out of it, which I thought was pretty interesting. The fantasy was fantasy and was predictable. Nothing really exciting or thrilling that will last in your mind.

Overall, it's sort of a 3.5, but I left it at a 3 because of its flaws and how I felt after finishing. I really wanted more out of the story. I really did. The concept is really interesting, but I only wish it was fleshed out more and better.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 3 out of 5]

The world was created by twelve energies which turned into the twelve races on Earth. Eleven races live in hiding from the twelfth, humans. This world is maintained by balance and when things are out of balance there is a risk of one race dying and the world ending. When this happens a human and a reader are selected to find the creator to give birth to a baby that will restart humanity.

Enter Jane and Samuel, a couple that knows they are very important but not what they are supposed to do. They are taken and shown what happened the last time war threatened on Atlantis. Jane and Samuel follow along with Shasta and Wade on their quest for the creator.

I will admit that this book was not what I was expecting. The reader knows about as much as Jane and Samuel as they start on their adventure. I was a touch frustrated with this since I’m thrown into the story and completely lost. I couldn’t really relate to the characters and was confused about the whole thing.

This is an interesting world that is very creative and unique from any other story that I have read. If you stick with the book long enough it starts making more sense and I was curious at how the story was going to end. I don’t know if this is the first in a series or a standalone book because the ending and some questions that don’t really get explained.

This is an interesting and very creative story. I don’t think this is a bad book, just one that I couldn’t get into. I loved the goodies that came in a beautiful box which made this book stand out. I think this is one of those books you should try, you never know, you may find your new favorite story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

[Karyn H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stylishly Captivating !!

First of all, I must commend the design of this book. The cover was totally different from all other books I’ve come across. The cover design creates a feeling of mysticism . Reading this book was fun for me. The stylish fonts make you feel you’re reading something from out of space. I’m definitely sure this was the impression the author was trying to create. When I first picked up this book, I never knew it would turn out an interesting and enjoyable book.
The Author Ania Bo tried in creating a universe of her own by bringing in a lot of descriptive scenes and elements to make this book unique in many ways. This book brings us into a whole new fantasy idea of creation, this time it tells us of the universe itself. This book expanded my imagination and got it running very wild. I always love it when a novel gives me the opportunity to explore my own imaginations and this book really gave me something to imagine about.
I will definitely be reading this book over and over again to fully understand all the hidden ideas the author Ania has placed in the pages of this beautiful novel.

[Brian Aird · Rating 5 out of 5]

May The Balance Be With You

Balance of the 12 by Ania Bo is an entertaining and imaginative fictional novel that is sure to draw the reader into this compelling adventure that unfolds.

The premise of the book is the existence of 12 races that co-exist on the planet. The balance between the human race and the 11 other races is fragile; so fragile that if war breaks out and one race is destroyed, it will affect the other 11 races to the point of the entire extinction of all races.

Fortunately, there are those who are gifted among the races. Some of those gifted individuals are called Visionaries, some are Readers and some are protectors.

Under the leadership of the Chancellor of Atlantis, Liz, the forces to combat the winds of war that are blowing are brought together in hopes of stemming the destruction of the 12 races and maintain the needed balance of life.

Balance of the 12 by Ania Bo is an exciting adventure that will powerfully draw the reader into the excitement, suspense and intrigue of the novel's quest to prevent the annihilation of the 12 races.

Ania Bo is a creative writer with a vivid imagination that spills over onto the pages of this nicely developed written work of action, character development and an engaging story.

Added to the mix is the parallel of this story and the reality of this world as it relates to seizing opportunities of learning and co-existing with others despite our differences.

[Lel Budge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Balance of 12 by Ania is a thoughtful fantasy tale.

The premise is that the universe was created by 12 energies which became 12 races on Earth ( 6 year old Amy explains it much better than I can – string theory of 12 dimensions and not 4). These races live in hiding amongst humans, with everyone relying on the balance of the 12 to keep the universe safe.

But, a War is coming that could wipe out all existence. Can Jane, the visionary Reader and her Protector, Samuel, along with Shasta and Wade save the threatened races and so prevent annihilation…..?

This is not your usual sword and sorcery fantasy, it seems to have a wisdom about a balance to humanity itself. It has many little sayings that bring a sense of hope to the story….’A storm always leads to a sunny day’ and ‘live today, fight tomorrow’.

Will the Balance be restored? Will the universe and Earth survive?

I found this to be an immersive read, with interesting and likeable characters. I love the font too, which gave this the feel of a manuscript.

My only bugbear is the spine of the Book, on a bookshelf the 12 makes it look like it’s number 12 of a series and not part of the title…(a tiny flaw and my opinion only).

Thank you so much to Ben Cameron of Cameron Publicity and Marketing for a copy of the book. This is my honest and unbiased review.

[Jenny (ofproseandspells) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Balance of the 12 by Ania is an interesting tale about the 12 races living on Earth. The fall of one race would result in the destruction of the universe. To prevent this from happening, the hope and power lay in the hands of a Reader and a Protector. They have to protect the threatened race to restore the Balance.

Reading the premise makes me want to read this book as soon as possible. Also, I received this book with cool swags such as a bookish candle and a necklace bookmark. The book cover is gorgeous as well. The overall feel of the physical book made my heart so happy. However, I didn’t love it as much as I wanted to. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate the book. It was an okay read for me. There are good points that I commend the author, but there are also things that need to be polished more. Writing a book, especially in a Sci-Fi and fantasy genre requires a lot of thinking and creativity. The author already has it, and I think her writing techniques will improve more.

FULL REVIEW LINK: https://levicorpvsblog.wordpress.com/...

[William Bentrim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Balance 12 by Ania
This was an interesting book for a variety of reasons. The marketing of it is excellent. It comes in a cool box and with a necklace bookmark. You are predisposed to like it. The story is of 12 races and their impact on each other that must be kept in balance.
The plot is worthwhile. The idea of balance is laudable. My first reaction on starting to read the book was not good. I hate the font. I seldom if ever use the word hate in a review but I HATE the font. It makes the book a struggle to read. H and W are not easily identifiable. I think the font was a marketing idea and I have to say it bombed for me.
The book feel is good. The cover feels different than any book I own. The story was okay. It didn’t captivate me and it felt like it was YA focused. If that is the case then good focusing, if not then maybe a miss. I really wanted to like this book and yet found myself luke-warm about it.
There were good characterizations and lots of innovative ideas but, for me it wasn’t a grabber.

[Pegboard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ania Bo begins Balance of the 12 with an aura of mystique and intrigue. Professor Brown is discouraged by an unmistakable war is about to embark on earth and the damage it will do to his adopted daughters. Their destiny is chosen and the role they play in the survival of the races is crucial. That does not change the fear and questions Prof. Brown, Jane, and Amy have. They are just a small piece of a much larger picture, as you will see.
 
This is a unique novel that will relieve you it is only fiction. Balance of the 12 places the earth and eleven other races at a disadvantage when they have to rely on each other to keep their race alive. Ania Bo makes an impressive mark with this science fiction as it holds a mysterious plot and interesting characters. This fantasy is well written and enjoyable with an urgency to protect and secure the races. The birth from a regenerator is more than a celebration; it is a promise of a people.   

[Jimmy Jefferson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sci-fi thriller

Balance of 12 is a sci-fi thriller that takes a world balanced very carefully by the 12 races on earth living quietly together to preserve the planet. Each race requires the others for life to continue on earth. When things begin to take a bad turn, only a reader and a human can protect the balance by working together towards their destiny. This one was a good read with a unique storyline. I found the characters to be developed and the story kept my attention. I enjoyed the read and the fresh spin on a sci-fi storyline. Check this one out and let me know what you think.

[Selenity Jade (Coffee Addicts Book Reviews) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a DNF for me. I really tried to get into it, but I just couldn't. It was confusing and too many paragraphs telling me stuff, but not enough feeling to get me interested in the characters enough to get going. You're told something is coming and Jane is to leave, and her father is very worried, but you don't feel it. There's an air of mystery, but its more confusion instead of suspenseful.

I tried, but this one wasn't for me. I've got to connect with the characters and not feel like I'm reading a report.

[Raisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the world building aspects and the author has a great imagination. Despite that I did not finish this book, or even pass from the first chapters, because the writing style was kind of weird and didn’t make me connect to the story. I honestly didn’t read much of this book to get to know the characters or the plot that much, it just didn't draw me to continue.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love how this author balances a variety of themes— it deals with identity and purpose but also conflicts of loyalty and betrayal. At times, it really made me think about the world and my place in in. It is has elements of fantasy and feels magical but also feels futuristic, so there is a little something for every type of reader. Overall, a unique and fun read!

[Anita Kearney · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT IS REALLY Happening!!!

Ania like so many before has made the idea that we are an experiment to be catalogued and observed both refreshing and knew. The concept is plausible and the story was entirely believable... If you want to stretch your imagination and take a seat as an observer this is a book that will make you question your previous notions

[Katherine Hebert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing Premise

Balance of the 12 finds 12 entities that the universe created all on the planet Earth trying to balance together as a united unit.