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.
Reviewed by Kim Anisi for Readers' Favorite
Kayla is 16 and has been to more foster homes than she can count on one hand. Strange things happen around her, some might call it a talent, some a curse. But no matter what you call it, her talents are the reason no family wants to keep her for a long time. Kayla is the main character of the fantasy thriller Eden Wakes by C.S. Harte (the first in a series) and will soon learn that going from one foster home to the next wasn't such a bad problem at all - compared to what is waiting for her. After we learn about her past, and her budding romance with her new foster brother, Kayla is abruptly taken to a special place in which nothing is as it seems. Literally. It is a world in which you can travel to any place you want - kind of like a Holodeck in Star Trek, just in a magical, a bit more complicated way. Kayla meets some interesting characters who also have special talents, and teachers who want to help her to learn how to use her talents in a controlled manner. However, there is something not quite right with this "school" for gifted kids and finding a way out proves harder than Kayla would have thought.
Eden Wakes by C.S. Harte isn't just a story for teenagers and young adults. Anyone who loves a good mix of fantasy and paranormal with interesting characters will feel right at home here. I immediately liked Kayla (and also Masa, of whom I would have loved to see a lot more - he's awesome!). She had a hard childhood and her teenage years weren't much better because she was always someone who was different from the mainstream. Kayla is a well written character who has to make some tough decisions, and who has to deal with more than someone her age should. C.S. Harte sometimes leads readers astray, and then you don't know what is real and what not (in the world of the book, obviously). It's nice to be surprised and there are some surprise in this story; some nice, some not so nice. And some might lead you to having murderous thoughts about the author, which shows that the story does get to you and involves you emotionally. If I come across the second book in this series, I'll read it for sure!
