Book Review: Rival by Arwen Paris

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Title: Rival
Series: Fate of the Stars #2
Author: Arwen Paris
Publication Date: November 1, 2018
Genres: Science Fiction, Dark Fantasy, Young Adult

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Purchase Links:
Barnes & Noble // Kobo // Amazon

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Rival
Fate of the Stars #2
Arwen Paris
Legendary Prose, November 2018
ISBN 978-1-947334-04-5
Trade Paperback

From the author—

It’s a role she didn’t want…

One deadly week has passed since seventeen year old Allison Delaney realized she must save Earth from the parasitic race of Ma’tiok. But the task is even more complicated than Allison feared, and she’s being set up to fail. Blamed for a fatal blow to the Alliance fleet that killed dozens of soldiers, Allison must face judgment for their deaths. The High Priestess Kiobaan is Allison’s only hope. Kiobaan sees the warrior spirit in Allison, along with her potential both politically and physically and agrees to train her.

And a game she can’t afford to lose.

Meanwhile, though Allison is the human host of Eenoki, protector of life, she’s not yet ready to harness their combined energy. Their bond is unpredictable at best—volatile at worst. Time is running out for Eenoki and Allison to trust each other—all or nothing—or she’ll never gain the power she needs to defeat the Ma’tiok and save Earth. When Allison is marked for death by an unknown enemy, the High Priestess Kiobaan must step-up and fight. But in return Kiobaan extracts a pledge from Allison, one that will compromise her new status and make her a target.

Just one week after the alien invasions started, there’s little left of the California beach town that was Allison’s home and her life has literally changed dramatically. Now host to an alien, she communicates through thought with Eenoki and has become the link between races, potentially the only possible salvation for Earth.

In a tone that’s reminiscent of the cultural and racial divides we’re surrounded by these days, the distrust and hostility between humans and aliens is palpable, even when they share common goals. The humans need the “good” aliens if there’s to be any hope of defending Earth from the Ma’tiok but, as you might expect, these same humans are resistant to being led by any of the invaders.

Allison and, within her, Eenoki are meant to be the liaison between the races but they face a few difficulties. First, Allison is a 17-year-old and, second, she doesn’t look quite human anymore. Getting the humans and two races of alien warriors to accept that they all need to work together is a very tall order.

Once again, Ms. Paris has given us a story full of action as well as a thought-provoking look at the suspicions and resentment that can endanger a society past hope. Well done, Ms. Paris!

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, November 2018.

About the Author

Arwen Paris is the author of young adult fiction. Her debut YA Sci-fi Urban Fantasy novel FATE OF THE STARS released September 1, 2017. The actions packed pages of her novels are filled with characters that are forced to face fears they never expected. When she’s not writing, you can see posts of her (too many) vacations that keep her sane. Arwen lives in Washington, has a big crazy family & after the day job, she writes Fiction For the Fearless – #F3Fanatic

Author links:
Website // BookBub // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

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