Monday, January 15, 2018

ARC Review: Destiny by A.D. Starrling

Series:     Seventeen #6
Pub Date:Jan 12, 2018
Publisher:Self-Pub
Length:401 pgs
Source:Author

I cannot believe that its been more than 2 years since I started the Seventeen series... it seems like it was just yesterday! I am such a huge fan of this series and author, and the individual books have made it onto my Top 10 list every year since I started reading them. While the end of the series is always a little bittersweet, there is good news for all of us fans and definitely lots more to come from this amazing author.  If you have not started this series, you will need to start at the beginning with Hunted, as there is a continuing story arc and you don't want to miss anything. Starrling has a fantastic attention to detail and her research and inclusion for these books is extraordinary. In fact, if I could do it all over again, I would have taken notes and created a series bible as I was reading. There is a lot to remember! (Though she does do a good job recapping things that are necessary to the next installment.)

The format of Destiny is a bit different from the earlier books. There is no sideline story involving romantic interests. Instead, Destiny joins together all of our favorite couples of the past, along with some of their children, to wrap up loose ends and battle the evil that has been following them for years. There are also some blasts from the (very far) past that show up and shake things up even more.

I knew I was going to be in trouble with this book as soon as I started it, which happened to be in the evening. The first couple chapters were so explosive that I knew I wouldn't be putting the book down until I was finished... which was around 4am. Who needs sleep anyway!?! While I liked seeing Lucas Soul in his role as husband and father... his children absolutely stole the show. Tomas and Lily were captivating and I couldn't get enough of them. They certainly acted wise beyond their years and their power was seemingly endless. The twins were a perfect mix of youthful innocence, aged wisdom and stoic calm. 

I was also stoked to spend some time with my still-favorite character, Alexa. I am happy to report that Alexa seems to have thawed as a result of her relationship with Zachary, and I found her to be somewhat humorous in this installment. It made me want to go back and read her book all over again... and then I started thinking about my fond feelings of Yonten, the warrior monk. I really loved him.

I now understand why Starrling included the prequel, Origins, as the 5th book of the series. Structuring it this way perfect, and it especially helped to have the historical details more fresh in my mind as we were wrapping things up. And given the information that we learn in Destiny, you will want to pay close attention to who is who in Origins.

I know this review was rambling, but I'm really trying not to give *any* spoilers! I  think its best to discover every aspect of these stories on your own so that your adrenaline stays pumping the entire time as you read, and you won't know what is coming next! Just trust me when I say that you NEED this series in your life. There is a reason that every single book has a 4.5+ star average on Amazon ... this author is Just. That. Good. Starrling's books are rich in detail, action, suspense, and engaging characters. I can't wait to see what she gives us next.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the author.

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