When I recently got a copy of one of my favorite authors, Anna L. Walls, upcoming book, I was a bit under the weather, which usually leaves me easily distracted and unable to focus. As with all her stories, I had no need to worry about that with her latest book, The Trials of the Youngest Princess. Being a huge fan of medieval history, this book was right up my alley. However you don’t have to be a medieval fan to be captivated by Princess Anella’s story. Having been a prolific reading and reviewer in the past, life can sometimes get in the way and make reading more of a challenge. This book was a breath of fresh air and hard to put down. The characters are developed so well, that you will feel you know them. Anna seamlessly blends back story in with action, without going overboard on either. She points you in the direction and lets you follow her characters and their journey as if you were riding alongside them. She gives you a lot of back story at the very beginning about her family. You may be tempted to skim past, but these are important details that help you understand who she is and why she is so willing to go to the ends of the earth to fight for her kingdom.
Her story is one of family, growing up and overcoming obstacles. The story begins and ends in the kingdom of Mayrit, but the journey in between covers many adventures and places. When I first began reading, Anella reminded me of the youngest daughter on The Game of Thrones (another favorite of mine). However, as the story develops you will discover that her tomboy ways are the only thing she has in common. Anna develops the character of Anella with many nuances and breathes life into our young heroine. Anella isn’t petulant. She has cunning and focus and uses what she learns to grow, but I get ahead myself.
Anella is not a frilly princess, she wants to do what the men and the boys do. It is not long before she begins sneaking to the training rooms in the middle of the night to play with the swords after spending time watching the men practice. She becomes quite good at recreating what she observes and of course one night she is caught by the Sword master. Although he’s afraid he may one day regret his decision, he begins to train her as long as she keeps up her studies with the ladies of the house.
One day, when the kingdom is over-thrown and her family killed before her eyes, Anella sets out on a journey to reclaim her birthright. There will be times when she runs into obstacles and times when she will stumble, but she is cunning and fierce and never gives up. In the end, winning back her kingdom, becomes only part of her goal. Saving and protecting her people is becomes her mission.
This is the perfect book to lose yourself in. It’s definitely a must read.
Guardians by Anna L Walls.
Strap on your helmet and fasten your seat belt, because Anna
is about to take you on an intergalactic ride. Shortly, into reading this book,
I discovered that the main nemesis are intelligent huge bug creatures. Being a
sci-fi geek, I was instantly reminded of all the Robert A Heinlein books I had
read in the past, specifically Starship Troopers. No, not the cheesy movies,
but the classic stories Heinlein penned.
Well, if you have ever read one of Anna’s novels, you
quickly learn that nothing is ever predictable or what it seems. This book is
no exception. Prepare to travel across space and time as a voyeur of two
generations of Guardians. What are Guardians, you ask? They are soldiers. Brave
men and women who volunteer to go into battle with the enemy to protect mankind
and the planets they colonize. But these aren’t just ordinary soldiers. These
individuals are given magical abilities and those come with a cost. They must
give up their memories and risk death to serve in a war, that makes our real war
look like child plays.
Anna, expertly weaves in all the action a video game junkie
would love with a very poignant human story. She will shock you and have you on
the edge of your seat, then you’ll turn the page and sigh at the raw emotions
her character emote. A few pages later you’ll be cheering on one character and
then growling in dismay at another. She takes you to places you don’t expect to
go and just when you think you know what will happen next, she throws in a
twist. A must read for the summer!!
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