The Portal Prophecies Volume I by C.A. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Portal Prophecies Series by C.A King is a Y.A fantasy/paranormal adventure that is full of action, magic, self-discovery and drama. The author tells tales full of mystical wonder; the book incorporates her re-imagining of many of our myths, legends, tall-tales and unexplained phenomena- which is incredibly original and clever.

This volume contains the first three books in the series:
*A Keeper’s Destiny Book #1
*A Halloween’s Curse Book #2
*Frost Bitten Book #3

Willow is an orphan who has grown up in a magical place, not knowing what really happened to her parents, and doesn’t really understand the world she lives in. Everyone in her world has ‘abilities’, powers that they gained as they matured. Most people gain their powers/magical ability by the time they reach their sixteenth cycle. No one ever really knew what their ability would be, some abilities were incredibly useful or entertaining; while others were pretty much useless. Willow hasn’t got hers yet, she really hopes when she does, that they would make her special or would help better her position within the society.
When her world comes under threat, Willow and a group of her friends set out on a quest to save all of existence. She discovers more than she could ever have imagined; not just about herself, but about her world and that of all existence. We learn along with her of the ancients, the guardians, the portals, the different realms, an evil king, a whole lot of different races and beings- and all the predictions contained in a book called The Portal Prophecies that can help them in their quest. The prophecies are the key to their success and survival; which they will need to decipher before it’s too late. Each book has its own prophecy to figure out, which results in a new and exciting adventure.
This story is quite fast paced, very detailed and descriptive- with a very complex and multi-layered plot. A lot was going on, especially in book one, where to begin with I had a little trouble ‘getting into the story’ because there was so much to keep track of while the foundations to the book and series were laid out. But after a while, I settled into the story more and began to really enjoy it.
I liked the characters and enjoyed watching them develop and grow in confidence as the story progressed. I did like seeing that Willow grew a lot throughout the series. She really was on a journey of discovery- not just about the quest and prophecies, but about herself and her own strengths and limitations. She also has an increase in her confidence, as her powers and abilities manifest and increase- she also discovers that she is capable of so much more than she ever imagined. All the characters were really well thought out, beautifully crafted, and are unique and memorable.
If you enjoy young adult fantasy, action and adventure- with quirky characters that you can’t help but root for, love real value for money (3 books in one purchase price), and a captivating storyline….. then you really should grab this book and dive in, you’ll be entertained for hours!

Thank you, Ms. King!

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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