The Gift Stone by Bianca Rowena is the first book in The Gifted Series. Rita is an ordinary Temple Girl until one night she sees the leader of the Ruling Order, Takano Rynn, and his army heading for the Temple she calls home. After she defeats Takano in a fight, she flees to a nearby city where she ends up in the middle of the Opposition's battle against the Order. As she tries to blend into her new surroundings, she makes friends with a charming robot named Beeps and discovers a startling secret about her past. She's drawn to Takano in a way she can't explain, and is surprised to find that he may not be what she thought. He says he needs her help to defeat a greater evil, but after all the stories she's heard can she trust him? Can she trust the connection between them?

Rita's world is flipped upside down when Takano and his army arrive at her Temple, which takes her away from a fairly sheltered life and thrusts her into the grittiness of the city. She doesn't understand a lot of her new surroundings, and is pretty naive about the world. The Gift Stone is her coming of age journey as she searches for her destiny and the role she plays in the battle between good and evil, while also coming to turns with the power she has. Rita has a strong arc as she settles into her destiny and has to learn how to use her power. Bianca Rowena blends science fiction and magic in this dark world, fitting the two perfectly together with flying ships, robots, and magical abilities.

The world is dark and dangerous, but there's also a sense of hope in the darkness, seen primarily in Rita's positive outlook on the world, finding the good in evil. She sees through the stories and the evil that Takano has done, making him a compelling and potentially redeemable character. Her friendship with Beeps is the most charming part of her journey as the two form a strong bond and the robot provides a lot of the humor. The Gift Stone is an exciting adventure and a journey of self-discovery with heart, humor, action, and an adorable robot you'll wish was your friend.

Rita is running one morning when she sees soldiers of the Ruling Order headed for the Temple she calls home. She hides in the trees and does what she can to distract the soldiers, even fighting Takano Rynn himself. She defeats the leader of the Ruling Order and flees, leaving him to die. Central City becomes a refuge for Rita as she leaves the Temple behind. Murderers aren’t welcome in the Temples. Two kind strangers, Parrin and Star, help Rita through her first day in the city, but unexpected danger separates Rita and Beeps the robot from the others. The Ruling Order knows Rita is Gifted, even though she doesn’t, and is determined to capture her. The Opposition is just as determined to recruit her into their ranks. Only one of them can find her first.

My first impression of The Gift Stone is that it appears to be inspired by Star Wars: The Force Awakens. There are several subtle similarities, enough to evoke a sense of familiarity and nostalgia, but the grander scale of the plot and characters is entirely Bianca Rowena. The Gift Stone is an engrossing adventure that was so much fun to read. Rita is a realistic, well-rounded character and Beeps is a charming sidekick. The affection between the two transforms this odd team-up of convenience into an endearing friendship. Expect the unexpected with the plot of The Gift Stone as Rowena twists the classic hero’s journey to produce a unique tale of self-discovery and redemption.

“The Gift Stone” Book One, by Bianca Rowena was a very enjoyable read. This fantasy had me hooked by the second chapter and it became harder to put the book down. Science fiction also prevails, leading you into the future when a galaxy of many planets were colonised leaving various planets to become hiding places. As a result, flying a spaceship was as common for everyone as driving a car. Each chapter is shadowed by a unique little girl robot who is so compassionate that you can’t help but want to own a special little robot just like Beeps. Though the two main characters begin as enemies, the book takes a turn when the sparks of romance develop between Rita and Takano after they discover that they share the same gifted powers. This book contains good language content and is an excellent read for junior and high school students. As a parent I found this story enjoyable and a well written book that kept you in suspense wondering what would happen next.

I gave this book to my young teenage girl for Christmas. My daughter just finished the book and asked me to purchase her Book Two. My daughter loves the story of two foes finding a possible love followed by saving the world. This is a good book for YA. I hope to find the second in the series soon.