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Book Review: The Raie’ Chaelia by Melissa Douthit

August 10, 2011 by Darlene



The Raie’ Chaelia by Melissa Douthit is a fun fantasy/adventure novel. It’s not my normal genre to read but once in a while I like to change things up and I’m sure glad I did for Melissa’s novel. This is a young adult novel but as an adult I really enjoyed it as well. It’s a very clean and well written story that takes you on a journey into another world.

The novel opens with Chalice, a girl just about to turn eighteen, heading for Branbury at the insistence of her grandfather as her village of Canton has been destroyed by the King’s men. This is the only home Chalice has ever known but her grandfather has sent her on a mission and she will follow his wishes. At one time the world Chalice lives in was ruled by a good King but now is ruled by a very evil King.

Chalice has been trained from young to be a warrior and she can definitely hold her own in any battle. When she arrives in Branbury though, she is dumbfounded. The village is totally deserted but everything is in it’s place. She arrives at the friend’s farm that her grandfather wanted her to go and it’s deserted too. All of a sudden though she senses a presence of someone else in the house. It turns out to be Jeremiah, a friend that Chalice has known since a young girl. Unfortunately for Jeremiah, sneaking up on Chalice doesn’t end up being a good idea as he gets tossed about some.

Both Chalice and Jeremiah know that something bad had to have happened for the families to have deserted the area and they intend to find out where their families have been taken. Before they can even plan anything properly they realize that the King’s men have landed on the island and they rush to escape through a hidden passage built by Jeremiah’s father. The two face many obstacles on their journey through the Terravailian world. Along the way they meet the cutest little creature called a Chinuk that helps them and an old man who appears to know much more about Chalice’s past than she does. However, with the good comes the bad and they also encounter pure evil to the point where they are on the verge of losing their lives.

I enjoyed this coming of age story of Chalice. She is a great character – very strong and brave. She wants more than anything to save her people and help them to build a better and safer world for themselves. This journey not only finds her experiencing her first love but it is also teaching her who she really is and what who she is means to the world she lives in.

I found the beginning of the novel a bit slow to start but it takes off quickly enough and sucks you right into the adventure. I found at times a little overwhelmed by all the new information being introduced but I can’t say that this took away from enjoying the story really – I just had to pay better attention. I loved how the author built this exciting world that the characters journey through. Melissa’s writing is very vivid and creative. I had no trouble imagining this world and it was almost like watching a movie. I found it very inventive and entertaining. This is the first in a trilogy and I’m looking forward to reading the next one and continuing on in Chalice’s journey.

I read The Raie’ Chaelia by Melissa Douthit for her book tour with Premier Virtual Author Book Tours. Be sure to check out what others are thinking about this book here. You can purchase your own eBook copy of The Raie’ Chaelia for your Kindle or Nook or you can pop by Peeking Between the Pages tomorrow to check out Melissa’s guest post and enter to win an eBook copy.

© 2010, Darlene of Peeking Between the Pages. All Rights Reserved. If you’re reading this on a site other than Peeking Between the Pages or Darlene’s Feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.



My eBook copy of The Raie’ Chaelia by Melissa Douthit was received for review from Premier Virtual Author Book Tours and the Author.

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Filed Under: 2011 Challenges, 2011•100 Books or More Challenge, 2011•ARC Tracking Challenge, 2011•eBook Tracking Challenge, Premier Virtual Author Book Tours

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Veens says

    August 10, 2011 at 7:05 am

    Wow, this sounds really good. I am sure I will enjoy this and what a fun cover.

  2. Melissa Douthit says

    August 10, 2011 at 7:51 am

    Thank you, Darlene! That picture of Buddy to the right, is so cute! What a sweetheart he must have been!

  3. TheBookGirl says

    August 10, 2011 at 12:07 pm

    I don't read much fantasy, and even less YA, but there's something about the cover on this one that catches my eye. I like to see strong female characters in books targeted for a younger audience and its refreshing not to have a paranormal element involved.

  4. Melissa Douthit says

    August 10, 2011 at 12:07 pm

    And Sammy, too!

  5. Zibilee says

    August 10, 2011 at 2:01 pm

    I am going to be reading this one as well, and am pretty excited about it. It sounds like a great story and I hope that I enjoy it as much as you did. Great review, Dar!

  6. Blodeuedd says

    August 10, 2011 at 2:35 pm

    Sounds goo enough and the cover is just teh cutest

  7. Serena says

    August 10, 2011 at 9:06 pm

    Sounds like a good story…thanks for the review. cute cover.

  8. Staci says

    August 11, 2011 at 2:03 am

    I like stepping outside my comfort zone every now and again too. I find that with fantasy books I really need to pay attention!!! Sounds like a good start to a series!

  9. Melissa Douthit says

    August 11, 2011 at 3:22 am

    Hi Darlene,

    Just in case my email doesn't go through right away. Yes, the contest for the e-reader is international. =o) Good luck to everyone! The drawing is in September.

    Melissa

  10. Teddy Rose says

    August 11, 2011 at 4:55 am

    Wonderful review Dar. I love strong female characters.

  11. samantha.1020 says

    August 12, 2011 at 12:39 am

    Sounds like an enjoyable read! Great review!

  12. Alice Teh says

    August 20, 2011 at 7:35 am

    Fantasy/Adventure is exactly my type of books and this one sounds interesting! It's been a while since I read a book of this genre.

  13. Jenny Girl says

    August 20, 2011 at 11:21 pm

    Kudos for going outside your comfort zone. This sounds like a fun and enjoyable tale. Thanks for the recommendation.

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