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Reviewed by Shaundale Rena for Readers' Favorite
Wayward: The Valley War by Antonio Journie is book one in the Wayward Series. Journie holds readers’ attention with great one-liners, equally dark and compelling characters, and heavy moments that add depth and symmetry to the story. I finished reading Wayward in a few days and was intrigued by the author’s use of imagery, emotion, and historical relevance. Reading about the Devlins and the Gentrys was a balanced mixture of power and persistence. The audacity of those two families was undeniably frustrating at times, but the tenderness of Lottie, Micah, and their friends was the truest test of light and dark, good and evil. Two bloodlines vie for control, and one of each of their descendants is caught in a literal crossfire.
Antonio Journie opens Wayward: The Valley War with a scene in 1872 that introduces the invisible line between Devlin property and Gentry soil. This is the beginning of the lies, the start of everything coming undone. He creates mystery and holds a steady tone of uncertainty that carries the story from beginning to end—family to family, neighbor to neighbor, even friend to friend. I like that he writes with consistency and brings the story to a point of artistic intrigue. I could see the scenes and scenarios, visually captivated by the setting, sounds of whispers, and images of creaky floors and crackling flames. Full of action and a fair measure of suspense, Journie leverages enough action to match the intensity of his characters, maintaining a steady pace to get to the end.
