Reviewed by Aimee Carol Dixon for Readers' Favorite

Kaslon is a world of natural beauty, its wilderness left largely to its own intentions, its people uniquely at one with their surroundings. For there is something particularly special about Kaslonians: upon reaching maturity a youth will Change and take up their second life in their animal form. With a duality like that, how could Kaslon be anything but a paradise? On the night of her Change ceremony, Siray discovers a darkness lurking within her society that shatters her innocence and threatens to consume her. It is only through an inner strength she did not know she had, and an unlikely ally, that Siray makes it out of her city with her mind unbroken. On the run and desperate to learn enough to survive, Siray’s journey takes her through a swath of Kaslon. Change of Chaos introduces a whole new world and culture with breathtaking clarity. The first novel in Jacinta Jade’s The Change Series gives me high hopes for the next installment.

Jade’s storytelling and pacing are without a doubt par excellence. Never does a scene or plot point feel rushed or too drawn out. Jade is not afraid to linger over gritty details and often intersperses the narrative with little spots of beauty. Kaslon is an idyllic, gorgeous world and the fact that Jade never lets the wonder of nature’s darkness and light fade does her credit. So much of Siray’s character is woven into Kaslon’s wilderness that to let it fall entirely by the wayside would be doing her a great disservice. I truly admired the way Jade let Siray be herself. Intelligent, naïve, good, stubborn, willful… it deepened Change of Chaos’ resonance for me to take the journey with a protagonist whose traits and worldview were both alike and entirely unlike my own. I will definitely be picking up the second book, and I recommend Change of Chaos for any who favor strong characters, well thought out action, and a world that truly feels alive.