How far would you go to fit in? Another world? Fifteen-year-old Nova Hawthorne has a unique trait that sets her apart, yet she wants nothing more than to be normal and fit in. She soon finds out there’s a very real reason why she feels so out of place in this world—she’s from another one. And prophecy says she is destined to destroy them both.
Child of Prophecy
By tebradford
What I think you should know:
Child of Prophecy is a Young Adult Fantasy by T. E. Bradford. It is the first book in the Divide Series. The story centers around a 15 year old girl who finds out she is from a world that she knows nothing about, a world filled with magic.
What you might want to know
The story is a fantasy that is filled with magic including blood related magic.
What I think about the book:
As a reader I really enjoyed the story it was unique and alluring.Bradford has a terrific way of bringing the story to life for readers. Nova who always felt out of place and was bullied finds out that she is special and gifted, but she has to choose how to best use her gift. I loved Quentin and his devotion, he is the kind of friend who everyone needs. Laura was a great surprise in the book. I enjoyed the story and look forward to the next book in the series.
As a Mom of a YOUNG YA reader I would hesitate to allow him to read the book, some of the magic elements were more than I would be comfortable with him reading about, specifically the elements that revolved around blood magic. If it was an older YA reader I would allow the reader without hesitation.
I received a complimentary copy for this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
The author has crafted a story filled with imagination that soars through lands not yet explored. Her characters are vivid and stand out with mystery, magic and hope. It wasn’t hard for me to get into the story because the author is able to draw readers in right away. Nova is a young teen who is just now discovering that she has special abilities which will help her as she goes after someone who wants to harm her.
I loved went she went through the portal as I call it and there her adventure began. For a minute I thought of Alice in Wonderland as she also goes to a place where nothing is what it seems. Quentin and Laura surprised me when they went after Nova. Would you go into a strange world in order to save a friend? Quentin I could understand since he and Nova are best friends. Laura has never liked Nova and often bullies her. I think I will keep my eye on Laura just in case she tries to do something to Nova. The author has set the stage for an epic journey where only the strong may survive. Nova has a gift that others want to destroy. The question is , is she the one to fulfill a prophecy?
The author develops her characters very well and I really was intrigued with Quentin. He became ill at a young age and was angry at the world. The one person who didn’t show him pity but friendship was Nova. That is when he realized that Nova was a person would stick up for others. She would defend those who couldn’t and never back down. It helped me understand why Nova was so sought after by those in this strange land she has been delivered to. I loved this statement, “All power flows from the one true source. There is no power but through him.” With this statement I was ready to see what would happen next.
I loved reading this story and found it be very spiritual in a way if you look closely at how the author uses a character that will change the lives of everyone. Jesus did that for us. He sacrificed his life so that we could be free. Will destiny be fulfilled or will evil win in this story that cries out for a prophecy to save others?
“Death is not the end of life.”
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
As I’ve mentioned before, fantasy is low on the list of genres I read. I have always preferred historical fiction instead, so I’ve been purposely challenging myself to read more books this year to fill in the gaps of my reading repertoire. For the most part, it’s been a gratifying experience. Fantasy is still not my favorite genre, but I have enjoyed reading some of it occasionally, including this book.
T.E. Bradford does not shy away from confronting and dispelling common fantasy myths with her novel, “Child of Prophecy.” The first in The Divide series, this story is geared toward teenagers and young adults, but I enjoyed it and think that other adults will also. This is an intricate story, but its complexity does not make it difficult to read. I was quickly drawn into the story and wanted to know what happened next and how things played out. I have heard of synesthesia before and find it utterly fascinating. I can generally “read” people and pick up their emotions because of my personality type, but nothing like what Nova Hawthorne does in the story. I sympathized with Nova and how she had a difficult time standing up for herself, and I really loved that Bradford portrayed characters with disabilities. Including bullying makes this a truly timely book that young people will be able to relate to and engage with. The Christian element is subtle, with echoes of C.S. Lewis, and I would have liked to see it presented a bit more boldly, but overall I enjoyed this foray into the world of Thea.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
I honestly knew nothing about this author or her work when I started reading this book. What a delightful surprise. I am going to get a paperback copy for my book shelf now, and will definitely be keeping an eye on this author. Ms. Bradford has a way with words that I really appreciate. The way she describes Nova’s special gift is really well done—it makes me wish I could have her gift for a day or two to just enjoy the colors (without the trials of having to live with such a thing all the time lol).
I also really enjoyed the world building. The history about magic, the detailed descriptions of the unique elements in the world (i.e. Nova’s gift)…very well done. I also really enjoyed how well developed the philosophies were—such as Mr. Ames conversation with the class about Indecision. I felt like I was in a real classroom.
The author also did an amazing job of building suspense as the story progressed. I couldn’t help but keep reading because she guided me forward with so little effort, teasing me from one question to the next as the story unfolded. Each chapter ended in such a way I felt complete but wanting more.
Laura’s part in the story was also a neat surprise. I wasn’t expecting her to actually have a role other than the brief scene at the beginning. But wow…was I wrong. I really loved watching her story unfold.
Things I would have liked differently:
Not much. The only thing that really comes to mind is that the beginning took me a little while to sort out. The setting wasn’t clearly cemented in my mind. It had a decided fantasy flare, but after a while I began to suspect that I was in the modern world – or a world that resembled the modern world. I would have liked to know sooner where we were.
If you are looking for a Narnia-like story about world-hopping and magic and great characters…this story is sure to be your cup of tea. I highly recommend this book and will be waiting for the next installment.
As a homeschooling mother, I am always on the lookout for new books for our family. So when I had the opportunity to review this young adult novel, I had to take the opportunity. From the very first words on the very first page, I was hooked. I must say this book is full of interesting and well-developed characters. It is a fantasy novel, so if that is not something you like to read, you may want to skip this book. I found some coarse language that I think the book would have been better without.
Fifteen year old Nova reminds me of all the hard parts of being a teenager. All I ever wanted to do was fit in, but that is not always as easy as it sounds. I loved how Quentin, Nova’s best friend is in a wheel chair, but that fact does not define him.
I was not sure what I thought of Seth when he was introduced. I also did not care for the way he took Nova away from her mother and grandfather. Yet, I appreciated how Quentin recognized that her mother was only doing what she thought was best to keep Nova safe.
So if you like fantasy novels or are looking for one for a young person in your life, check out this book for yourself.
I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.
My Thoughts on Child of Prophecy:
I have to start out by saying I am not a huge fan of fantasy but my children really enjoy it so reading Young Adult Fantasy is a great way for me to scan the books they want to read. So I’ve learned to tolerate if not actually like some YA Fantasy.
This is an author that I have not read before so I went into this book not really knowing what to expect. I found that I did enjoy her style of writing and she did a wonderful job explaining the other worlds and gifts so that even I could understand about them and what they meant.
With that said, I think this is a good read. My young adult children ages 15 and 13 really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more like it. This is definitely an author we’re going to be checking out at the library from now on.
I loved that this book geared to YA actually was good for that age range! So often I find bad language and sexual content in books geared to even young teens these days. I am so relieved to have this book for my kids to read! Definitely going to be staying on our shelf.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.