Emily's House

Book 1: The Akasha Chronicles

Children - Preteen
335 Pages
Reviewed on 05/07/2014
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Gary W. Stout for Readers' Favorite

The Akasha Chronicles, Book 1, Emily's House by Natalie Wright is an epic coming-of-age novel that throws fourteen-year-old Emily into the Sacred Grove, a world she never knew existed. She initially wants no part of it, but she exits from it as a very different woman. Along the way, she must discover her inner strengths and learn that not all she sees around her might be as it appears. Reminiscent of the trials of Hercules, she must overcome many challenges to prepare for her ultimate conflict with Dughall, the antagonist, as he conquers fairies, magic, and dragons to penetrate the Sacred Grove's defenses in his quest for the Golden Torc, the key to the Netherworld. Will Emily be up to the challenge?

Start out with a teen, add a pinch of angst, stir in equal parts fantasy and science fiction, add challenges and adventure to taste, let it brew, then turn up the heat and you have the recipe for The Akasha Chronicles, Emily's House. Wright’s novel is suitable for preteens and older who enjoy good escapism, as the plot, characters, dialog, and descriptions all have something for almost every age. It is an easy read with a smattering of more challenging words to increase a young reader’s vocabulary. From the first chapter on, Wright grabs your attention and leads you willingly to follow the young protagonist’s trials with plenty of action, cliffhangers, and wonderful imagery. I found it very entertaining and look forward to the other books in the trilogy.