Title: Quista, Book One: Danay

Author: Aviva Bel’Harold

Publisher: EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing / EDGE-Lite

Pub. Date: 9 May, 2016

Series: Quista #1

Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Middle-Grade

I read enough YA books that I am comfortable with their literary shortcomings and can enjoy them for what they are, entertainment. Some of them even blow my mind with their complexity. I couldn’t figure out why I was disappointed in this book at first. I read it all the way through and even enjoyed it on a certain level. The characters were likable, the world was interesting.

Finally, it dawned on me that what makes this book a three star YA read, in fact, makes it a solid four or more star middle-grade book! If I were the author, I would shorten the book and recast it in that light…but I’m not. 🙂 Instead, I am just going to recommend it to my friends with kids in that age group because the characters come across as if they are no more mature than any thirteen year old, and the same goes for the convenience of the situations and the basic messaging of the story itself.

It is not a bad story or book, by any means.  This works for kids. Even with some of the more violent scenes, this is a good book for your tween/early teen’s bookshelf.

Buy it for your kids, the worlds Danay and her friends inhabit are truly magical. As she discovers her true destiny and the abilities that go along with it, she also must face her fears and a cosmic enemy that seems unbeatable, even with her friends at her side.

A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.