Book Review: Return of the Ascendant (Ascendant #1) by Raine Thomas

Return of the Ascendant 

(Ascendant #1) 

by 

Raine Thomas 

Pub April 8th 2014 

by Iambe Books, LLC 

ARC for Review 

Summary
Expecting to enjoy another typical college night at a frat party with friends, Kyra Vaughn’s plans derail when she’s almost killed…twice. Her savior, a tall, sexy stranger who calls himself TaeDane, claims that he’s the personal bodyguard for the Ascendant of Alametria. She’s convinced he’s crazy.

Especially when he insists that she’s the Ascendant.

With dark enemies hunting her down, Kyra has no choice but to trust her supposed bodyguard. Ty vows to help her remember her past and return her safely to Alametria, but someone seems intent on interfering, challenging his abilities at every turn.

As Kyra’s memories emerge, she remembers that Ty is more to her than he’s let on…much more than he’s allowed to be. She’ll also discover that there are many things about her planet and herself that she’d rather forget. In the end, she’ll have to make a choice: cling to the life she knows, or risk it all to become the person she’s destined to be.

The Bond of Love Strengthens The Mind Beyond Measure

Gah! Return of the Ascendant was a killer read! Seriously I could not put this one down. I fought sleep in order to keep reading. This is my first book by Ms Raine but it certainly will not be the last. I will say that the beginning was eh. Though the action started off the bat I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the read. Once I got to about 30% it was like a rocket through the stars I was beyond excited about this find. I’ve always been a paranormal fan but sci-fi is still a new genre for me and thanks to Return of the Ascendant I’m liking it! The world building was just right everything the author described felt authentic and even the farfetched concepts felt genuine.

The Story, in a galaxy far from our own there is a planet of people who travel distant worlds to learn fundamental life lessons. Once the lesson is learned they return home and while memories of connections made with others are erased the core of the lesson remains. Negative emotions are eradicated while only altruistic ones remain. BORING?..Lol no trust me when I say there are plenty of remaining negative emotions on this planet. I digress…The ascendant Kyr has just finished her final lesson and is ready to ascend but her life is in constant danger. The true reason is not found out until closer to the end. Things on her planet are not what they seem and Kyr is getting ready to face her biggest challenge yet. We are given glimpses of what Kyr was like prior to her lessons on different worlds and I’m so glad she has changed since then. Having so much pressure placed on her has always been very overwhelming along with the gig she is to face she has also been fated to Ty not as a partner but he is to be her guard. They are faced with many challenges and the reader cannot help but get trapped within the pages with reckless abandon. If you are into Sci-fi even one teensy tiny bit then this is the read for you.

The Characters, I’ve mentioned Kyr but I want to talk about what a wonderful character she truly is. In the beginning of the story she is a straight A student that keeps her nose clean nothing to shocking. I mentioned I wasn’t sure about my feels right away and that was mostly because there were unexplainable things happening left and right and Kyr just didn’t seem to fit. Once she accepted what was going on she flourished in my eyes. Upon her return home, and her memories coming back we get to experience the person worthy of ascending just as was prophesized. Kyr has a pure heart and she is willing to sacrifice what may to do the right thing. NOW…Let’s talk about Ty, YOWZA! This guy is hot and his bond to Kyr is as pure and passionate as a thousand burning suns. His memories have not been altered and it is because of this that he is able to help Kyr regain hers. He is unyielding when it comes to Kyr and would destroy worlds to see her safe. Their love blooms through past memories and new moments shared. Each touch exchanged was a delight they were my favorite part of the story. I cannot wait to see how they overcome everything keeping them apart.

The End, ascension? Check. Getting there? Yikes…as I mentioned before this book is filled with action and by the end it is a no holds bar shocking beyond shocking. There was enough resolution that the reader doesn’t feel cheated but the next installment is set up nicely. Without being too obvious the reader has some idea of what is too come. Rest assured there is no cliffhanger…Whew that was a relief for me because my little ol’ heart does not do well with those. Having said that know that the end will in fact have you craving more…more answers, more Kyr & Ty, more revenge, more ascension, and more awesome! I will be counting the moments until I can squeeze the rest of this series in.

My Rating

4.5 Dorm, Party, Shadows, Guardians, Ty, Transition, Safe House, Explosion, Healing, Home, Ball, Glow, Destiny, Fated, Passionate love filled stars!!

Purchase Through

Amazon

About the Author

Raine Thomas is the award-winning author of bestselling Young Adult and New Adult fiction. Known for character-driven stories that inspire the imagination, Raine recently signed with multiple award-winning producer Chase Chenowith of Back Fence Productions to bring her popular Daughters of Saraqael trilogy to the big screen. She's a proud indie author who is living the dream.

Raine is a hopeless romantic with a background in the fields of mental health and wedding planning...two areas that intersect far more than one would think. Her years working with children and young adults with emotional and behavioral challenges inspired her to create protagonists who overcome their own conflicts. When she isn't writing or glued to e-mail or social networking sites, Raine can usually be found vacationing with her husband and daughter on one of Florida's beautiful beaches or crossing the border to visit with her Canadian friends and relatives.

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