Eyes Wide Shut

Theia's Moons Volume 1

Young Adult - Fantasy - General
295 Pages
Reviewed on 09/20/2016
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Niki is the author of the Epic Fantasy series, Theia's Moons. Today, she lives in Utah with her partner, their four children and two over sized cats, but dreams of one day living on a beach, where she can spend her days dazzling the world with her imagination.

She enjoys a whole variety of things, including reading stories that keep her on the edge of my seat, having late night talks with her handsome fireman, creating dysfunctional and funny children,all the while making sure they become functional adults, having happy/crappy time at the dinner table, playing in the dirt in hopes to create a bountiful garden and sitting quietly on her back porch, sipping coffee and watching the sun wake up the world

    Book Review

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Eyes Wide Shut is book one in the Theia's Moons series by Niki Livingston, a riveting intro into a series that is very promising for young readers. The citizens of the Moon are peaceful, having forgotten the old warring days that drastically cut down their numbers. Malkia, the chosen one, the Leader of her people, couldn’t rest until certain that they are safe. Chosen by God to lead her people, she gets signs of impending danger. Now she must protect them from very powerful enemies. This book chronicles their struggle to remain safe and alive, the frustrations involved in the journey, and the startling truths that will rock their world and perhaps the world of readers.

The opening lines – although a dream, which I never love for an opening – are mesmerizing and offer great insight into the world of the protagonist. I loved the sense of mystery already introduced from the very beginning of the story. The reader is gripped from the start, transported to a dream world, a world where they are still children, but the beauty of the tale and the powerful prose doesn’t diminish in any way. It only gets better as the characters evolve and the conflict intensifies. Niki Livingston is a gifted storyteller and it is wonderful to note that her story is told from a perspective that will appeal to young readers. Aside from the entertainment, Eyes Wide Shut teaches readers some important elements of leadership. The presence of God in this story could be symbolic of the values around which true leadership is built. Eyes Wide Shut is a thrilling read.

J. Aislynn d Merricksson

Eyes Wide Shut by Niki Livingston is the first in the Theia’s Moons YA series. Devastating war has robbed Malkia of parents, husband, child. Only her sister, Mataya, survives. Now, war threatens again. Malkia and the other villagers who withstood the ravages of bloody conflict must flee their homes or else run the risk of oppression and death. Most of this book involves the search to find a new home. Besides Damon and his 'savages’, as the tech-savvy group is called, we meet a plethora of others along the way, who help and hinder as they may. I don't want to give anything away, but I love the choices Malkia is confronted with. We all have the potential to follow the crooked path in life, especially if temptation, be it good or bad, is strong enough.

Oh, but the cover is a beauty. A marvellous palette of colour, depicting a Pegasus with wide-spread wings set against a backdrop of Esaki’s sky. I love the companion planet in the background. I know you shouldn't judge a book by the cover, but that was precisely what drew my attention first. This was an enjoyable, engaging read, and is also among one of my cub’s favourite stories now. There was nothing for it but Aspen had to have her own copy, or I'd never get my Kindle back. We also got the second in the series, with an equally beautiful cover depicting a dragon.

There's a strong theme of technology bad vs nature good to this story. Once, I would have agreed. Now, though, I am more for humanity learning to smoothly integrate technology and nature. That change in my own thinking happened when I found the key to my own world of Evalyce to chronicle. Now our current trend towards obsessing over technology is not so great a thing in my mind. I would love to see the two sides integrated, where the technological and the natural work smoothly together.

I loved the threaded storyline between Malkia and Damon. In some ways, I can relate. Things 'forbidden’ for the other side, well it's kinda like saying not to think of a pink elephant. Now where's the first place the mind goes? My cub who fell in love with this book loves Malkia's strength. Okay, and yeah, we all loved the plethora of magickal beasties. Because Dragons! And I adore that Livingston pluralised 'Pegasus’ in correct Latin 'Pegasi’.

Kevin Edward

This is the best book I have read during my office hours as I am an essay writer & I did read this book for new essay topic ideas for https://cheapestessaywritingservice.com & ended up becoming a fan of it and read other related books as well.