Escaping... One Book @ a Time: **Review Stop & Giveaway** Wings of Arian & Wings of Tavador by Devri Walls

I am sadly behind on this series but what I have read was great!

Thank you for stopping by and checking out what I have become

addicted to! Check out the rest of the tour HERE

Release Date: April 24, 2012
Published By: Stonehouse Ink
Review Format: e-book, 462 pages
Provided By: Author for honest review in tour

Buy It:
Amazon~Barnes & Noble

Kiora thought she had never heard a lie until she was sixteen. But she was wrong. Her entire existence was based on nothing but. She thought that evil did not exist. Lie. That magic was not real. Lie. And that the land of Meros was all there was. One more lie.

With Aleric telling her that evil is knocking on the door and that she is the only one who can stop them she has a choice to make. Refuse, or start the wildest most painful ride of her life.

She reluctantly dips her toe into her new existence of magic and threads, dragons and shapeshifters, and the person who wants to take control of it all: the evil Dralazar.

However, this journey was never meant to be hers alone. She will be accompanied by a Protector. To her disbelief, and utter irritation they name the hotheaded, stubborn, non -magical, (albeit gorgeous) Prince Emane. They will have to trust each other with their lives, but right now Kiora would settle for a non hostile conversation.

And now it comes down to this, If you had never heard a lie, would you know when you heard one? Is knowing good from evil innate? Kiora finds herself having to decide who lives and who dies on those very questions.

I am very much the reader that is sceptical when it comes to high fantasy reads, they are very much hit or miss for me. Wings of Arian was a novel I had seen floating around last year and despite its obvious fantasy label I knew I had to read it. Turns out this was one of the few hits and I wound up far more involved in this magical and highly developed world than I had expected. The author did a marvellous job fleshing things out without overdoing it and having the book become one giant description.

When it comes down to it the story was wonderfully paced everywhere except in the beginning. The prologue explains the prophecy and why the kingdom is in dire need of the Solus but then moves straight into having the Solus in chapter one. This is the only part that left me feeling empty because there was no true explanation as to how Kiora was located or how they knew she was the Solus, also you miss the former interaction between her and Emane which I feel is important because of their behaviour towards each other to start. Beyond this the story does roll into an easy and enjoyable pace that doesn't miss a beat and keeps things interesting. There always seems to be one thing or another that is being kept hidden but ultimately it adds to the suspense of it all.

Kiora is far from the perfect character and at times I found myself utterly annoyed with her but as things progressed and a few things became a little more clear I became more tolerant and understanding. Kiora is the Solus and is in no way prepared to do what is expected of her. Upon meeting her she is both strong and weak but I felt her weakness shone through just a little brighter to start. Though she is not a person to just cave to others wishes and did want answers. You also find out how her weakness is also kind of a strength and a huge asset to who she is and that is when I began to be a little more understanding but this doesn't come until roughly 2/3 of the way through the book. Kiora by the end of the book was a completely different girl than the start of the book and I actually find myself looking forward to her in the next read.

The romance in this one was actually kind of great. Though things did progress a little quickly, I'm not sure you can be with someone all the time and things not happen. Well I guess you could but when this person is meant to fill the voids that you have as a hero, it's bound to happen...well that or rip each other apart. Happily I can say even though there was some rough words Emane and Kiora do make a wonderful couple. Emane was a perfect contrast to Kiora but I found myself more drawn to him. He wasn't a big emotional person but then again he is a guy. He learned as he went and went out of his way to be the best he could but by no means was he perfect either, I just found myself mor forgiving of his short comings.

Wings of Arian was a great high fantasy read by my standards. Heck if I can enjoy it, it has to be. The good guys weren't perfect but you still knew where they stood and the bad guys were just flat out bad. Walls did a great job with building a striking world with diverse characters that had my attention and the real world falling away. This is a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to the next book that is in my hands now.

Release Date: November 2012
Published By: Stonehouse Ink
Review Copy: ebook, 450 pages
Provided By: Author for honest review in tour

BuyIt:
Amazon~Barnes & Noble

Kiora is rapidly learning that evil and lies come in shades of black and white and swirling greys, but nothing could have prepared her for the shock of leaving Meros.

Kiora and her protector Emane step through the pass into a world they never knew existed but were always meant to save, only to find it far worse than they could have ever imagined. Good has been forced into hiding for its own survival, while the rest of the land bows to the Shadow, a force that pushes any remaining thoughts of Dralazar from Kiora’s mind. This land is full of new creatures, each more dangerous than the last. Her visions have taken on a deadly twist, and magic, or what comes of it, was never so real. And then there is Alcander: a Tavean, their guide, and an entirely different kind of trouble.

The sceptical reader is gone when it comes to this high fantasy series. I was eager to start this book right after finishing the last one but my own rules dictate that there must be at least a week between series books so that I have time to fully digest the previous book. There were times that I found some things a little linear with the last, I found comfort in the familiar flow and rhythm that I had become comfortable with in the last book.

The start of the plot is where the linear comparison comes from. Not because it is the same in the sense that the story is the same but more so that it is the slower part of the story. I have come to realize that Devri Walls novels are quite simply wonderful because of the detail and soul that she obviously puts into them. The start is slower to start because she takes her time setting up the world and giving you an idea of where the characters stand. Once this is done it is darn near impossible to put the book down because there is so much action or things for you to think about.

The Solus (aka Kiora) is seriously growing on me. I had liked her before and I did state that there was much growth with her but by the time I finished this book my head was spinning. This girl feels every thread, every feeling and everything that she does and the consequences that her actions have. Initially I found myself irritated by her over sensitivity and inability to dispose of enemies without breaking down but as it turns out that is also what I love about her. She is like no one else in the sense that she feels not only the pain but the loss of life and morns it. She has also come to fully accept the what her destiny is and what she has to do. This girl in her weakness is quite possibly growing stronger and more likeable with every chapter I read.

The only downfall for me in this one was the romance and yet I found myself oddly at peace with it because it just seems to be something that is done now. There was a triangle added in this book. Yes you heard me right and I know that this is something that some of you will have a hard time chewing on. I was a fan of Emane in Wings of Arian so this was hard on me. Alcander was interesting in a way and I understand what happened but I also held my breath (as much as possible at least) in hopes that it just wouldn't. That being said the triangle didn't feel forced but I am enormously curious as to how Walls will resolve this problem because Emane would be the obvious choice but we all know that frequently it isn't the obvious choice that wins.

The Solus series is really becoming something that I look forward to picking up because despite the triangle and occasionally the dips in pacing, it is absolutely wonderfully written. In the last book there was a defined line between good and bad, it's still there but I think a grey area has been added. This is definitely a fantasy series that I can easily recommend to everyone but I would have to caution them if they have a low tolerance for triangles. Pick these up and simply enjoy.