The Secrets of Elimeare

Wielder of Light

Young Adult - Fantasy - General
346 Pages
Reviewed on 09/07/2019
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

I am a wife and mother of six wonderful children. We live happily in Arizona enjoying blazing hot summers and blissfully mild winters. My favorite pastime is hanging out with my family.

The inspiration for my book came from raising children with anxiety. I wanted to write a story that showed that it is possible to overcome that anxiety when we realize who we are and the power we have within ourselves to overcome any obstacle that we face.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

The Secrets of Elimeare: Wielder of Light by Suzy Rosenow is a beautiful fantasy that begins with a very strong premise. Sixteen-year-old Shelby had always known that her parents never got along, but it had never crossed her mind that it would get to the point of divorce. And when they come into her room to let her know of the decision to divorce, it sounds like an announcement and she knows there is nothing she can do about it. But this is just the beginning of troubles. She learns that there is more to her best friend than she lets on. The surprising thing is that Shelby is even more than what she’s grown up believing she is. She is a gifted human being, possessing very strong powers. Now she sets out to unveil her true identity and to unravel the mystery about her family. When the life of everyone she loves is threatened, her powers might be the last hope of salvation.

This is a beautiful narrative with very strong characters. After Shelby, Ashley the shapeshifter was my favorite. The author peels away the characters, layer after layer, allowing each depth in the development to come out as the story becomes more complicated. Suzy Rosenow has a great gift for narrative and she creates prose that is crisp, with paragraphs that are measured, with timely breaks and sentences that are designed to make for an enjoyable reading experience. The handling of conflict is great and I found it interesting to navigate Shelby’s world as she struggles to understand who she is and her gift. The Secrets of Elimeare: Wielder of Light is well-plotted, fast-paced, and features compelling characters.

Tiffany Ferrell

In The Secrets Of Elimeare: Wielder Of Light we meet Shelby, a normal sixteen-year-old girl who just found out her parents are getting a divorce. On top of this, she finds out that her best friend Ashley is actually a shapeshifter, who was sent to be her guardian. Traveling down a magical path, they wind up in New York with a serious mission at hand. On the way they meet a boy named Jack who just found out his own best friend Mia was a shapeshifter who turned into a bird a week ago and flew off, never returning. The odd thing is that Shelby looks so much like his friend Mia that it seems uncanny. Ashley takes Shelby and Jack to another place where they meet an old friend named Sam. Sam reveals to them that they are looking for Mia, who has possibly gone into hiding. Shelby is confused by all of this but is particularly shocked when she finds out that she’s actually a princess from another world and that Mia is actually her sister...

I found The Secrets Of Elimeare: Wielder Of Light a very enjoyable read. It has the adventure aspect, the mystery, as well as a bit of teenage crush romance in the mix. I love how Suzy Rosenow created the world of Elimeare which is different yet at the same time feels like it has Earth's qualities. There are so many unique gifts and powers found among the people and that makes this book fascinating. Then we have the evil uncle who just intensified the storyline mainly because this wasn’t just some random bad guy trying to attack the kingdom. The plot is reminiscent of the old feuding royal families of the past (minus the awesome powers). It’s definitely a book I would recommend for someone who loves adventure and royalty and a bit of romance that blends harmoniously in with the storyline.

Maureen Dangarembizi

The Secrets of Elimeare: Wielder of Light by Suzy Rosenow is a YA fantasy novel. The land of Elimeare is a world that exists on a parallel plane to Earth. Long ago, Alomar decided that he wanted the throne of Elimeare but his plans were thwarted. In the present day, Alomar is still bent on taking over and that fates of both Earth and Elimeare hang in the balance. On the day Shelby learns that her parents are divorcing, she also learns that she’s the long-lost princess of Elimeare and that her sister has been taken by Alomar. It’s up to Shelby and her group of friends to battle Alomar and save both worlds.

Suzy Rosenow blends fantasy, romance, and magic in this coming of age tale. Between the real world and the magical world of Elimeare, the reader is taken through an amazing discovery of inner strength and the ability of light to overcome darkness. Tales of the multiverse have always intrigued me and The Secrets of Elimeare does not disappoint in the diversity of character and world-building. Shelby was a great protagonist, never whining about her changed circumstances but actually drawing strength from her true identity. That makes it a book adults can also enjoy without too much teenage angst or pettiness. Each character had a great role and even the chief villain Alomar leaves an impression. Even better is the fact that the story is not yet over and we’ll enjoy more tales about Shelby and the land of Elimeare. Fans of Percy Jackson will enjoy this one.

Mamta Madhavan

Shelby's life had changed forever. She was upset because her parents were going to get divorced and at the age of sixteen she was not even sure where she would be living two months from now. Her friend Ashley was texting her again and again and wanted to meet her in the park. When she finally met Ashley, she realized that her friend was not actually the person she thought she was. Ashley told Shelby that she was her shapeshifter and protector. Shelby noticed that she was not in Arizona anymore; instead, she was in Central Park in New York City. The people she got to meet after that tell Shelby that she was not from Earth, but from another world. They told her about her past in the other world and who she was. Shelby understood that she had secret powers that protected her from the enemy. She also learned about her origins and her family from them.

The Secrets of Elimeare: Wielder of Light by Susan Rosenow takes readers into another realm and there is an element of mysticism that runs through the plot that makes it fascinating yet insightful. The plot is intriguing and leaves readers with a sense of curiosity and urgency to turn the pages and find out what is happening. The story will make readers ponder and contemplate about spirituality and the other dimensions that exist in the Universe. All the characters are well sketched and will be memorable to readers. The author's writing style is neat, elegant, and simple and she manages to handle the many characters in the plot deftly without losing a grip on their roles in the story. The fluidity in expression gives the story a good pace and movement, making it an entertaining read.

Rabia Tanveer

The Secrets of Elimeare: Wielder of Light by Suzy Rosenow is the story of a young girl who is trying to find out who she is and where she belongs. Shelby was happy in her life, she had a friend that she could count on and had a family that she thought was forever. However, she very soon realizes that she is living an illusion and everything is not what she thought it was. She thought her parents were happy with each other but they are divorcing. She thought her best friend of eleven years would be with her forever, but she is not who she seemed all these years. Now Shelby is wondering if anything in her life is real. She embarks on a journey to find her roots and herself, to see if she can find where she belongs and how can she make it work. She knows in her heart that there are people she can trust, but first she has to find them.

This young adult fantasy novel has some pretty big lessons to teach. I love how Shelby is a character that people of all ages can find themselves in. She is broken yet she is so strong; she is ready to do whatever it takes to find a place for herself where she belongs and answer some questions that she is desperate for. Her determination is humbling because her quest is very big. I enjoyed how fast the pace was, yet it took cues from the story to slow down or speed up. From intelligent dialogues to an amazing narrative, this novel seems to have everything. This is a very good storyline and is a must-read for YA fantasy fans.