The ancient books were written in blood. Most are lost, their Keepers with them. A curse that befell a people; a Kingdom with no King. Life couldn’t get more harrowing for the Elfies, a blend of Elves and Fairies. Or for sixteen-year-old Jules Blaze. Or could it? For Jules, the heir of a Keeper, no less, suspects his family hides a forgotten secret. It was bad enough that his people, the Elfies of Reign, triggered a curse which reduced the entire inhabitants to a mere inch centuries before. All because of one Keeper who failed in his purpose. Even the King’s Ancient Books did not help ward off that anathema. Now, Gehzurolle, the evil lord, and his armies of Scorpents, seem bent on destroying Jules and his family. Why? When Jules’s family home is ransacked to find his mother’s Ancient Book and his mother is kidnapped, he realizes the threat is real. Gehzurolle’s agents hunt for Jules as he journeys into enemy land to find the truth, truth that could save him and his family, and possibly even reverse the age-long curse, provided Jules realizes who are friends and who otherwise, and doesn’t get himself killed first.

Although the book is listed as YA, this is a wonderful read for kids aged 10 and upward. Central to the plot and the family is Jules Blaze. There is a nice feel to his relationships with his four younger siblings, each of whom has a clearly defined character. Jules is responsible, a little over-anxious at times, but eminently likeable, with a noble heart. His strength and courage mark him as a strong leader in this quest. He faces dangers, disappointments, and betrayal with maturity. An important aspect of fantasy and sci-fi is world-building: it must be real and credible. Author Emma Right does a great job here, incorporating the magical with the mundane, and blending the mysterious with the dangerous in expert fashion. The Elfies are extremely small; hence their hazards are myriad: from aggressive birds, insects, and animals, to falling acorns, to natural elements, to the evil Lord Gehzurolle’s agents. The author weaves back history and Elfie information deftly into the plot enabling the action to race onward. There is a helpful cast list for younger readers, as well as a map to help adventurers share this epic quest. I found the ending a little abrupt, but it hints at more action to come. Highly recommended.

Jules is not your normal teenage boy. He’s the oldest of five children and he’s also an Elfie, a small half elf and half fairy. The entire race of Elfie’s as well as their enemies have been shrunk to a miniature size as a result of an ancient curse and a broken promise to a king. Ever since, they have sought to reverse the curse and return to their normal size. The task has always been beyond what Jules needed to concern himself with until the day ravens attack his family and his mother vanishes. That is the day that his entire world changes and he sets off on a journey with his family that will change the fate of the world as he knows it. Keeper of Reign by Emma Right is about this journey into the unknown.

I truly enjoyed reading all about Jules and his siblings as they raced against a fast moving clock to save the people they loved most. Jules’ parents as well as his friend’s parents have been taken and it’s hard for them to understand who to trust. There are a large number of characters but each one is developed amazingly well so it always feels like you know them and understand their motivation. It’s also easy to follow the plotline. Even though a lot is happening all the time and there is very little downtime it never feels like its rushing. The end will leave you excited to find the second book and see what’s going to happen to Jules, Tst Tst, Tippy, Ralston, Bitha, Holden, Miranda and all the others who make Emma Right's Keeper of Reign an interesting read.

Keeper of Reign: A Young Adult Adventure Fantasy, Book 1 by Emma Right is a book full of elves and faeries and everything that readers love about a fantasy realm. When books that have been written in blood and the people who keep them disappear a curse falls over the people. The Kingdom has no King, and life over all for the people of the land is a harrowing experience, Jules in particular finds things difficult. Jules is the Heir of a Keeper and he believes that his family is hiding a secret. Along with that belief and the troubles of the whole Kingdom there is Gehzurolle a dark lord who wants nothing more then to destroy Jules. Our hero however will not bend down in the face of these troubles, and will take on his journey to find the truth.

Emma Right has created an adventure story that is good for all ages. I read this one along with my Step Son for a fun family night of books and reading. The Fantasy setting along with the magic, curses and everything else within the Kingdom really brings the reader into a rich world that they can picture before their eyes as they read. The story is complex and well written without being to much at once to take in. It is an adventure that keeps on giving and no matter what your age you will enjoy the tale it has to tell. I am glad that it is Book 1 I can not wait for the next book in this series.

Jules Blaze and his siblings were chased down by ravens which were under the control of Whisperer while venturing out of their home. Ralston, Jules's younger brother was almost hurt during the attack. On top of all that, their home had been broken into and their mother was gone while they were out. His grandfather had warned him about the dangers that they, the family of Keepers, would face one day. The Ancient Book that was under his family care must be protected at all cost for the sake of their kingdom. Would the young Elfie succeed?

"Keeper of Reign" (Book 1) started with a good pace that lasted until the end, and humor, suspense, as well as sad and happy moments were in the right places. The shorter length of each chapter was a welcome feature. I never did realize that I preferred shorter chapters until I started reading this book. The characters were well-developed and dynamic. Whenever Jules was annoyed with his siblings’ antics I was annoyed as well, so Emma Right did create characters that readers can easily connect to emotionally. Jules Blaze was a lovable hero with flaws that made him believable, especially his role as a big brother and man of the house. Don’t be fooled by its young adult genre, fantasy fans of all ages will find this book an entertaining and pleasant read. The ending created curiosity and promised more adventures to come. I look forward to Book 2.