Emily Ann Ward

As I started off the book I really liked it. The charcters were amazing, funny, and smart and I couldn't help but love them. The romance throughout the book was very cute and I really liked how each character seemed to deal with it. The adventure in the book was just the right amount, so I had no problems with that. The only think I really really did not like was the ending. I really wanted it to be different and I was very dissapointed. Even though I did not like the ending which kind of show more ruined the book for me, I would still read another book of the author's because her writting skills are very good and I believe the storylines she creates are very interesting and hook you from the start. show less

Sashe and her sister were raised with shape changers in a kingdom where shape changers are coming under attack. She is falling for a new shapeshifting boy who has moved near their home. The danger is increasing and Sashe and her sister have to decide if they should stay with the shapeshifters.

I enjoyed the world the author has created. The shapeshifters are interesting and the villains frightening. I don't want to ruin the ending for anyone. Suffice it to say the ending is not the happy show more fairytale ending one might expect from of book of this genre. Some readers may be disappointed in this. show less

I received Promising Light through the Librarything Member Giveaway Program, in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The characters were well formed, interesting, and likable. The storyline kept me intrigued. The writing style was decent, although my copy had many errors. (such as, "Dar grabbed his face in her hands and then kissed her." Just took me out of the story for a second while my mind had to reverse the pronouns)
The love story between Dar and Grace show more is sweet. I found myself rooting for them all the way through. There was plenty of adventure and magic. For me magic is always a plus. I thought that all the characters had personality, and had me hoping that things worked out for all of them.
I can not wait to read book two in this series. I need to know where Grace, Dar, Sierra, Evan and even William go from here. show less

Promising Light was a book that I simply could not put down, not because it was overly suspenseful or dramatic, but because everything seemed so real that I was honestly curious as to how it would all end. There are two major elements that are true through the story, one being a love triangle, the other being a combination of magic, adventure and politics, the whole of which makes for some very good storytelling.

The characters were honest, living beings with emotion and life to them. I found show more that reading the pages their feelings were touching me in a way that I could understand, especially in regard to finding out that the man you have fallen in love with is going to call it off with you because he's "no good" for you. What do you do? Well, when someone else makes advances, you go to them, begin a possible relationship, but still that previous love lingers. What becomes interesting is when the three people begin to find themselves entangled within the plot together.

The politics of throwing down punishment on someone because of something they can do is also touched on. One group will use a person for their best interests, another will come and do the same. This isn't ground in to you as if being pounded in by a stone, this is dealt with by simple discussion, interaction and personal exchange. I was quite surprised when I realized just how much of the structure of expectations I had understood and how I had taken it away as the concept of being political, though it never felt that it felt that title at all.

Overall, if you take an adventure, blend it with a magical curse, and sprinkle it with just a hint of love potion, you'll have one book that you will honestly enjoy.

Note: Though this book was a free gift from the author, the content of my review was in no way influenced by the gifting. The book speaks for itself and my review would have been worded just this way even if I'd gone out and bought it. I also give bonus points for Text To Speech enabling on Kindle format.... but that also wasn't a factor in the above review. show less