Friday 19 December 2014

Review ~ The Last Protector by Stephanie Keyes.



Title: The Last Protector (The Star Child companion novella).
Author: Stephanie Keyes.
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing.
Genre: Fantasy.
Publication Date: December 15, 2014.
Source: Review copy.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Purchase: Amazon UK | Amazon US | B&N | Kobo

Gabriel Stewart helped his best friend Kellen St. James save the world from The Scourge in the Battle of Dublin. But before that? Gabe was just an ordinary guy who kept having dreams about a little boy with black hair and green eyes—a boy he hadn’t even met yet.

And even weirder? Gabe’s mind kept replaying these images on loop of things he’d never seen. He heard voices in his head when no one was around. And he actually blew off hot Valerie Gibbons to chase after the black-haired kid in the park. What was up with that?

As Gabe searches for the truth, fate continually puts him in Kellen’s path, but will he be able to stop the Children of Danu from stealing Kellen before the battle begins? What will it take for Gabe to become The Last Protector?


*The Last Protector is a companion novella--intended to be read after the other books in the series.





Creeping along, I slipped through the gates before they closed. The exterior lights shut off. The glow from inside the mansion threw shadows across the courtyard, making everything around me creepier. If that was even possible. At least these people hadn’t invested in motion lights.

I needed to get to the window on the second floor. And how the heck did I know that? Like everything else about this trip, I just did. A tall trellis swamped with vines ran up one side of the house. That could be the ticket. I inched closer.

I'd just about made it when a raspy voice reached my ears.

"The boy is alone. You've done well by me.”

Shivers ran up and down my arms as I swallowed and turned. No one. It must've come from inside the house. Ahead, a small window, one of those decorative deals, stood open. Taking slow steps, I moved toward it.

"Thank you," said a second voice, crisp, sort of fancy…British, maybe?

"We can take him now. Use his power to harness what I need,” Spooky Voice said.

“As you wish.

Go, go, go. A voice or maybe my own thoughts echoed inside my brain. I didn’t have time to think.

Go, go, go. The voice came back. I had to get to the second floor. Now.

The wood trellis scratched my hands when I grabbed hold. Splinters pierced my skin as I scaled the wall. I had to get to the boy.

"This is crazy, Gabe." I muttered the words. “This could actually be the stupidest thing you've ever done."

I climbed to the window way faster than I thought I could. This one part of me wanted to glance back, to see if Val noticed me. I ignored it though—I needed to get to the top.

To the kid with green eyes.

---




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I’ve followed the entire The Star Child series by Stephanie Keyes, who has brought me some pretty immense fantasy novels with great world-building and strong characters. My favourite character along the way has been Gabe and so I was very excited to see him as the main character in The Last Protector. Stephanie Keyes never lets me down and The Last Protector provided the opportunity to hold on to this wonderful series for a little bit longer – and it did not disappoint. I’m not a huge fan of companion novels and novellas but I think Gabe’s character was one of the most deserving to be in one, and a chance to read more about Gabe was never going to be a bad thing. The Last Protector is another entertaining instalment to a fantastic series.

The book takes us briefly through the stages of Gabe’s life, when he’s learning more about who he is and being drawn to the mysterious Kellen St James. If you’re a fan of Gabe from the previous books, I think it’s impossible you won’t be a fan of this novella. It’s Gabe at his finest – with his sharp wit and his humour alongside that caring, loyal personality he has too. I loved learning a bit more about his background and the way this book is set out makes sure we get all the important stuff told in an easy-to-devour style. The Last Protector only made me love Gabe even more and though I thought the format of this book worked brilliantly, I also felt like I could just read about him for a lot longer. It was a joy to be able to discover more about him.

I love the journey this book takes us on and it doesn’t repeat or waste time going over things we already know – we’re simply allowed to explore the adventure Gabe goes on in more detail and it was told extremely well, as usual. The Last Protector is insightful and fascinating and another top piece of writing - I’ve called Stephanie Keyes my go-to fantasy author a few times before and she again hasn’t let me down. I was eager to see Gabe in his own book, and not only did she deliver that but in a companion novella which actually worked. Now as my last request, please can this series go on forever?!




Review also posted on Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US




Stephanie Keyes grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and spent years traveling and working as a Corporate Trainer before she made the decision to pen her first novel. As a teen, her family always accused her of having an “overactive imagination.” Now, she’s encouraged to keep her head in the clouds and share her world with readers.

Keyes is the author of the YA Fantasy series, The Star Child, which currently includes The Star Child, After Faerie, The Fallen Stars, and The Star Catcher, all from by Inkspell Publishing. The Fallen Stars was a 2013 semi-finalist in the Kindle Book Awards. The Star Child has topped the Amazon best-seller list several times since its 2012 release. Steph writes YA novels because she’s a hopeless romantic who lives to believe that Magick truly does exist. She is hard at work on a new YA novel.

*Author photos courtesy of Kristina Serafini Photo

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3 comments:

  1. What a fabulous review, Steph. Well done you! Sophie always soaks up every detail of a book and writes wonderful reviews that give you a good feel for the story and the author. I love that she's highlighted how well you've handled the backstory. Brilliant. Thanks for sharing, Sophie! :) xx

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  2. Aw, thank you Stephanie! I am so, so pleased you wrote The Last Protector and it's been a wonderful series :)

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