Book Review: The Reclaimed Kingdom by Dana Claire

The Reclaimed Kingdom

Blurb:

Under the cruel ministrations of its Queen, the Kingdom of D’Land is in peril. With King Harrison away in foreign lands and neighboring Kingdoms unwilling to intervene, there is no one to protect the people from poverty, harsh punishment, and unreasonable rules of law—except for the Band of Brothers. Struggling with the death of her mother and the legendary syphon powers she inherited, seventeen-year-old Dru wants nothing more than to escape her old life. Disguised as a lad, she joins the motley crew of good-hearted ruffians, pilfering from the rich to feed the poor and pay their taxes, and she becomes an integral ally—and friend. When her true nature is discovered, nothing changes among the lads—except for the way her close friend Hawkin begins treating her, protective and attentive, raising uncertainty and confusion within her. But Dru’s new world is overturned when she and the Brothers seize the treasures of a Prince who unknowingly threatens to reveal her identity. Together, Dru and her chosen family must find a way to reclaim her destiny and bring balance to the Kingdom through Dru’s powerful gift. If not, there may be no hope left for anyone and her power lost forever.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I must say this book brings back memories of my family and me watching Xena the Warrior Princess in the mid 90s. This book is a great, short medieval fantasy read and I love how the author developed the main character, Dru. She is young but very bold and powerful, and someone who has a mysterious past which is never revealed in the beginning of the story. Although you can guess there is more to this 17-year-old girl. The plot development is easy to follow and some parts of the book are filled with plot twists which will take you by surprise, especially if you are a fan of medieval fantasy books and think that you could guess the plot of this book. Some other parts are rather predictable, especially the one on love triangle between Dru and two men. What is interesting is how Princess Andrua a.k.a Dru has to hide her gender and identity to join the Band of Brothers and that keeps the readers hooked to the story as tension rises when they finally get to know she is a female! I do think that the author has done a great job weaving an interesting story that keeps readers entertained throughout the read.

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Book Review: The Connection by Dana Claire

The Connection by Dana Claire

Blurb:

Beatrice Walker thought she lived in a normal world—that is until she learned she’s a living hostel for an alien energy source, and apparently the answer to preventing extinction. Bea has no memory of her last moments with her mother. The week they’d gone missing is a complete mystery. Suddenly moved back to her hometown with her father, Bea has rekindled her friendship with her two best friends—and seems to have caught the attention of an arrogant, yet gorgeous boy named Cash Kingston. But there’s more to Cash than his annoying attitude and good looks. Cash isn’t human, and he’s now in charge of protecting Bea from those who know what she keeps safe inside her: the energy source that once belonged to his murdered girlfriend. Tensions mount as Bea learns her energy source must be paired with the one Cash holds to protect both their planets from an imminent threat. But what Bea doesn’t realize is there’s more to her than being a human host, that her feelings for Cash are not just a prophetic plan that will save their planets, and that the fate of everything lies in her choices.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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This book is a short and easy read, with about 280 pages and well-spaced text lines, making it a pleasant experience reading it. This book may seem like a regular YA novel, but the alien science fiction and dystopian love gives you a unique reading pleasure. You may also think that you will be able to figure out what will happen in the book but at many instances, the plot twists will take you by surprise and as the book ends with a cliffhanger, it leaves you wanting to know more!

The story is about a high-school student by the name of Bea, who thinks that she is just like everyone else, a normal human being but she learns that she is not. She is the host for an alien energy source and holds the key to prevent its extinction. Then enters Cash Kingston in her life to protect her and the alien energy source that she is hosting. But what’s interesting is the fact that Cash was told to protect Bea by Bea’s late mother and the message was conveyed through his girlfriend as she was breathing her last. What happened in the past and how Cash deciphers the puzzle that Bea’s mom presented to them is what the rest of the story is all about.

The book contains swear languages and the plot also moves fast, which can be confusing for some readers but nevertheless, it does not come across as a major problem.

With the cliffhanger, one can expect the answers to a lot of puzzles to be revealed in the next book. An enjoyable read. 

Dana Claire
Dana Claire

When author Dana Claire had several poems published as an elementary school student, she was hooked and writing became her passion. A shared dream of hers and her mother’s, she promised her dying mother that she would become a published author and that dream has been realized with The Connection.

Dana believes that a good story is made through strong character development; when readers become attached to the characters’ emotional state and are invested in their objectives. She believes that the beauty of reading is that one can live a hundred lives within the stories of books. Her own stories come to her in her dreams, and she wakes up with book ideas.

Dana’s family is very supportive of her writing and the creativity and sentiment driving it. Enjoying bicoastal living between Los Angeles and New York, Dana says she “lives the best romance in the world being married to the most amazing man she could ever ask for.” The Connection is her debut YA novel, the first volume in a planned trilogy.