Crossroads and the Dominion of Four

(Book #2)

Young Adult - Fantasy - General
340 Pages
Reviewed on 12/31/2017
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

C. Toni Graham is a master storyteller and uses this gift to inspire others. After graduating from college, she pursued a corporate career where she earned positive recognition and continuous advancements. As Senior Vice President, for a California health care provider, she had record breaking success and opportunities to continue advancing. In 2012, at the peak of her career, she surprised the CEO by resigning to pursue her passion for writing. It didn’t take long before she published her first book; Gabby Giggles; the delightful illustrated children’s tale was well received. Soon after, she followed her yearning to write YA fantasy and published Crossroads and the Himalayan Crystals, the first installment to the epic fantasy series. In 2015, C. Toni Graham received Readers’ Favorite International Silver Book Award for Excellence in Writing and was awarded the Los Angeles Book Festival Honorable Mention Award for Young Adult Fiction. The teen centered fantasy saga has been followed up with the second installment, Crossroads and the Dominion of Four. Five-Star ratings have been posted along with high praise for the novel.

C. Toni Graham lives in the Bay Area surrounded by family, an oversized golden retriever and a few fairies.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

Crossroads and the Dominion of Four by C. Toni Graham is a delightful story that will appeal to both young and adult readers with a love for fantasy and stories with magic. We are introduced to four young characters who are destined to defend the “Otherworld” and rise as the Dominion of Four spoken of in the prophecies. They have to overcome untold challenges and fight deadly enemies and magical creatures to fulfill their destiny. But one powerful druid and her underlings could impede their mission to battle evil and restore harmony to the magical world. The future looks grim, but Jake, Conner, Seneca, and Shayna must rely on their magical gifts and the power of teamwork if they hope to defeat what stands against them and fulfill their destiny.

I was blown away by this story and I loved how the author makes readers develop a great liking for the characters. I love it when characters have to be tested in ways they never expected, and then there is this sense of uncertainty that permeates the narrative, making readers feel like something awful could happen at any moment. C. Toni Graham has successfully created a sense of urgency and uncertainty in the story and they are great elements that enhance the suspense. Crossroads and the Dominion of Four is character-driven and skillfully plotted, a story that also showcases the theme of teamwork in a brilliant way. It is balanced and deft, beautifully paced, and filled with elements that give readers superb entertainment. A great story!

Liz Konkel

Crossroads and the Dominion of Four by C. Toni Graham is the sequel to Crossroads and the Himalayan Crystals. Once they were normal teenagers with ordinary lives, then they discovered the lies their parents had told. Shayna, Seneca, Jake, and Conner continue their journey in the Otherworld, embracing their destinies and their powers in order to stop the rising forces of the powerful druid Brigara. Turning to their new dragon mentor, Rileau, and an elf named Wren to train them, the four must rely on each other and gain control over their abilities before it's too late.

An intriguing character introduced is Rileau, who swoops in to save them. He's got the presence of a mysterious guide who's serious and dedicated, using his wisdom to set them on the right path while seemingly going out of his way to help them. His inside information about dragons is a fun twist on the typical dragon lore, specifically flipping around how fire works. As usual with dragons, Rileau also has a great deal of charm. He instantly wins them over, except for Jake with whom he has many conflicts because Jake doesn't trust Rileau from the start and casts a lot of suspicion on him. They eventually end up with another mentor in Wren, who has a lot of wisdom and a little more of a feisty quality about her.

The four teens have formed a strong relationship, one that's slightly bickering and teasing yet is full of heart. They have a lot of love and loyalty toward each other, which gives them the strength to fulfill their destinies as a team. As they continue on their coming of age journey, they're also embracing their whole powers while making discoveries about themselves. C. Toni Graham writes characters that have a lot of spark and an adventure that is filled with magic and action. Crossroads and the Dominion of Four is a coming of age story about destiny, friendship, and strength.

K.J. Simmill

In a desperate attempt to stop Brigara—a powerful druid cast out from the Otherworld—from returning to the mortal realm through a portal, the four teen heroes, Jake, Shayna, Conner and Senegal known as the Dominion of Four, had taken drastic measures, sealing the portal between the worlds to keep Brigara trapped. There was, however, a drawback. The price of sealing her had meant they too were trapped in a world that was not their own. But these four teens had been long awaited; it was said they would bring harmony back to Otherworld. They are destined for greatness, but when they don't know who can be trusted, or what secrets are being kept from them, how can they hope to succeed, especially when Brigara's influence is extensive, and it seems they will never be safe from her reach. Unravel the prophesies and unlock the truth in C. Toni Graham's Crossroads and the Dominion of Four.

Crossroads and the Dominion of Four is a young adult high fantasy tale. Readers are drawn instantly into a world of magic and magical beings as our young heroes make their way through the Otherworld in order to undertake the training they will need to become the heroes of prophecy. All the time, in the mortal realm, Brigara puts a new plan into motion. The impression of this magical world is continued in small details, such as natural remedies, leaf compresses, everyday things aligned to the natural and magical world. This unlikely group of friends forms a team to be reckoned with, and you'll witness the growth and development of their skills, friendship, and characters throughout their whimsical, action-packed, and danger-filled journey. This is a fantastic and magical read for lovers of everything that is fantasy, well deserving of five stars.

Rabia Tanveer

Crossroads and the Dominion of Four by C. Toni Graham is the story of four teenagers who know the world is not what it seems to be. Everything that everyone else thinks to be false is true. When they mistakenly enter the Otherworld, they have no idea that the portal will close up behind them and they will be stuck in a place where everything they thought was fable is very true. Stuck in the Otherworld, Jake, Seneca, Conner and Shayna have accepted their new abilities and now they must master these before it is too late.

They are now the defenders of this magical world where its people are in danger of a war that has the potential to destroy the whole realm. They have the potential to become the Dominion of Four, but to become that they will have to fight a very powerful being and its minions who will do anything to stop these four teenagers. As Jake and his friends try to master their skills and become more proficient, they have to fight for their survival and the survival of everyone else in Otherworld. Can they do it? Can they truly become the prophesied Dominion of Four?

Intense, action-packed and fast-paced, Crossroads and the Dominion of Four by C. Toni Graham is an entertaining novel that held my attention from the get go. The four teenagers are very mature, which is very fitting for them, considering that they are from a different world and stuck in a realm where they have to fight for their survival. I enjoyed the camaraderie between these teenagers and how they stuck together, even when they were getting on each other’s nerves. The wit and the humor meshed well with the fantasy and the action, which took my experience to the next level. I loved it! An entertaining and very enjoyable read!