The Legend of the Raie’Chaelia Book 1 & 2 {#Book Review}

The Raie’Chaelia…When Chalice sets off for Branbury in the middle of the night with her grandfather’s instructions, she has no idea of the dangers that await her.  The King’s men have destroyed her home village of Canton and she is suddenly thrown into a Terravailian world that she does not know.  Lost and alone, she is hard pressed to evade the iron grasp of the madman who rules the land.  With thehelp of a friendly Chinuk, an old man, and a book that she discovers along the way, not only does she find true friends and true love, but she also finds her true self and what it means to be the Raie’Chaelia.

The story of Chalice, a young girl quickly becoming a woman as she leads her people in a battle for their lives and their world. Along the way, we are all enchanted by the domed cities, the wise little furry creatures and the wisdom of these people whose lives are both ancient and post-modern.

GET THE BOOK… Smashwords | Barnes & Noble

The Firelight of Maalda…Chalice and her group leave Barenthren to travel to Portalis.  There she and her friends discover the beautiful city, its people, its history, and its secret that has been kept hidden for thousands of years.  During their stay, they learn that Dar’Maalda has thefirestone and that he plans to use it.

What is the firestone and what does Dar’Maalda plan to do with it?  What are the Naezzi?  What does the title, The Firelight ofMaalda, really mean?  And … what is the secret of Portalis, the secret that has been guarded so jealously for so long – so jealously, that many have given their lives to protect it?

In The Firelight of Maalda, the second novel of the trilogy, The Legend of the Raie’Chaelia, you find out.  It is a tale of intrigue and wonder where two opposite worlds collide in an explosive journey that leads Chalice and her friends to the dark islands lurking just beyond the horizon of Ielieria, where the Firelight of Maalda sits … and waits.

GET THE BOOK… Barnes & Noble

Be sure to grab the two novella prequels, The Vanishing and The Journey Begins, which are currently free on Smashwords for you to download, whichever format you need.

• The Vanishing, the hero’s story before the beginning of the trilogy is here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/75235
• The Journey Begins, the heroine’s story before the beginning of the trilogy is here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/73993

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Melissa Douthit grew up in North County of San Diego, California. After graduating with a Computer Science degree in Southern California, and working for a summer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in New Mexico, she moved to the Bay Area to work at NASA Ames Research Center for a year and then at Lawrence Livermore National Lab for another four years.

From there, she moved to Monterey, California, to work at the Naval Postgraduate School on a government project for two years. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, working with the Army Corps of Engineers on another government project. Since high school, she has been a voracious reader of books of all genres, with an emphasis in fantasy and science fiction. Her literary work is strongly influenced by her professional experience and includes many elements of her scientific background.

You can find out more about Melissa on her website: http://melissadouthit.com

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS… I don’t normally read a lot of young adult fiction. Frustration usually comes into play for me because I feel as if I can’t connect well with the characters. However, with this particular young adult fantasy that was not an issue at all and glad I got the opportunity to read it. If I didn’t feel as if I was Chalice, I definitely felt as if I was a close friend with her in the story. At times it almost felt like I was even playing an RPG game (yes I’m a nerd…haha) wandering around on a quest through village, forest, and mountains. I loved Chalice’s curiosity, bravery, and strength, and I felt like I was questioning and learning things as she was along the way. Definitely looking forward to the 3rd book in the trilogy, The Return, to see how it turns out. For those who enjoy a fun fantasy adventure that isn’t too over the top, I think they’d enjoy this trilogy as well.