The Gate


Fiction - Fantasy - General
206 Pages
Reviewed on 09/05/2017
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by K.J. Simmill for Readers' Favorite

Harley had just discovered her girlfriend had been cheating on her. She needed space, time to collect her thoughts, time away without distractions. But with nothing to busy the mind, her thoughts turned dark. She had a gun for protection, but other considerations began to surface, unwanted thoughts. She knew how to do it, even how to overcome her own fear. That night she fell asleep to such thoughts, and when she awoke she had the headache from hell, and two bullet shells in her hand. It was only when she met Jack, a young man seeking his afterlife, that she began to wonder what had happened. Soon she discovers she's between worlds. The dark souls, hunting and preying on those searching for their gates, for some inexplicable reason can't see her, but she can see them, and not only that, she can kill them. In exchange for his help she agrees to help Jack find his gate, yet through her travels she finds so much more.

The Gate by Isabella is one of those books that will have you hooked from the start. I made the mistake of starting it before bed and found it almost impossible to put down. Part of the reason was the author’s writing style; she successfully executes an informal tone without it being too familiar,. This is something I have seen many authors attempt, but few have succeeded on this level. I also couldn’t wait to unravel what had happened, and what was going to happen. I have already hinted at the story, and don’t want to spoil anything by giving away some of the great revelations and developments, so just trust me when I say this book won’t leave you wanting. I really enjoyed reading this. I thought it was well written.

Ruffina Oserio

The Gate by Isabella is a spellbinding fantasy with exceptional characters, a story that explores supernatural themes and a setting like nothing readers have read about before. Harley is heartbroken, and while still feeling the pain of betrayal from a cheating girlfriend, a birthmark leads her to a woman who claims to know her more than she could imagine. Now, she has to accept her destiny, her Paladin mantle, but she needs proof,. Little does she know that the proof could be the cause of her own destruction. Does she know that she is the Chosen?

Dawn is the protector of the cycle of life and death, a mission she was born with, but protecting one like Harley is a task that is both exciting and intimidating, and Dawn feels irrevocably drawn towards her. Lucius, her brother, is the Lord of the Gatekeepers, a man whose thirst for power and greed transforms him into something evil. He is now out to kill the souls moving on to their next life and he wants Harley to be part of him. Even Dawn, his sister, won’t be able to stand in his way. Harley is torn between embracing her path as the Chosen and being lured into Lucius’ game of power. Can Dawn dissuade her from following the Gatekeepers?

Isabella has composed a story that is exciting, masterfully blending together the themes of romance, the conflict between good and evil, destiny, and power of the choices we make to both excite and entertain readers. The plot is strong with sudden and unexpected twists, suspenseful moments that will put readers on the edge of their seats. The writing flows gracefully and the power of the prose absorbing. The Gate is a fantasy tale that is laced with symbolism, a story that explores the climates of the soul in an engaging way, a delightful story.

Ray Simmons

I enjoyed The Gate. I like reading about strong women doing great things. I can’t think of any two women in fiction or in life who are stronger than Dawn and Harley. They are hard living, hard drinking women, who remind me of soldiers more than anything else. And yet they are sexy and attractive. They are not dumb, they know how to think, they are guilty of being impulsive more than lacking in intelligence. In a supernatural world, that might not be a bad thing. Isabella wields a deft pen in this supernatural adventure and I liked it. The only female protagonist that even comes close to these two girls is Red Sonja, the creation of Robert E. Howard. That is pretty good company to be in.

I like the plot. It is a basic good versus evil story, but with some unusual and interesting variations thrown in. This accounts for The Gate feeling a bit fresher than the typical sword and sorcery tale. I think the characters are where Isabella excels most as a writer. She knows how to add unusual quirks and twists to personalities, both male, but especially female. Even classical Greek gods get a bit of a makeover under the pen of Isabella. She writes well, but more importantly for me, she writes action well. That is why I pick up a book like The Gate. I want an exciting story. I was not disappointed and I look forward to reading more books by Isabella.