Some darkness exists that not even the sun can illuminate.In a future deeply divided between two magical sects, seventeen-year-old Lilah Crowne prepares for what ought to be a surefire win in the annual competition for warriors—until an unexpected encounter sends her world reeling. Narrowly escaping death, Lilah must find a power strong enough to stop Alessandra Hilt, a revolutionary feared for … feared for her prowess. In order to defeat Alessandra, though, Lilah must hone her growing abilities and learn to control them. But when she discovers the unsettling truth behind the woman’s hunt, Lilah embarks down a spiraling and alluring path of darkness. Will Lilah not only lose herself but everything she holds dear or will her new and unlikely allies keep her on the right path?
Premonition, the first book of The Anima Trilogy, is a coming of age tale with enough dagger-filled adventure, betrayal, and magical trickery to keep your pulse racing beyond the turning of the last page. For teen or adult fans of the Harry Potter and Hunger Games series.
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Since page one this book had me hooked. The storyline is amazing. The characters are described so well that I could envision them. It’s a fast read but it is so worth it. I can’t wait to read more books by this awesome author.
Premonition takes us through Lilah’s journey of finding herself and learning who she is, even if it’s not what she wants. I ultimately enjoyed this book and the characters and thought the storytelling was captivating. Some parts of the story felt familiar, giving off vibes of Harry Potter and the Hunger Games, but a lot of story elements were unique and made it very interesting. I have to say, I had a hard time following in some spots, especially the beginning. The author wants to keep you guessing, keep you reading, and teases so much in so many places throughout the book that I eventually gave up trying to fully understand. The plot is well thought out and complex, I just feel the reader is too often kept in the dark and could have been given a little bit more explanation. I expected more answers at the end of the book, but I guess I’ll find those in book two.
The book picks up after the first couple of chapters and I was enraptured in this world of Lux and Nox and Lilah’s journey. I absolutely enjoyed reading and at the end, I wanted more. Rachael Krotec is an incredibly talented writer and definitely knows how to craft a story.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lilah definitely has been thrown into a new version of her life that is full of betrayal, loyalty and special powers coming to light. I was hooked from the start and just kept reading. I couldn’t figure out at first who was good and who was bad. Although not to share any spoilers I think one of the Hilt sisters is bad but the other one was good in a backwards way. This novel was action packed and I could follow along perfectly. Never a dull moment! I recommend picking this up and giving it a try! You may be surprised!
Premonition: A Sign of Great Things to Come
Rachael Krotec has somehow made it look easy to expand and infuse new life into a genre many feel overused. Premonition, the first book of The Anima Trilogy, throws readers into a twisted tale of fantastical betrayal and loyalty, hope and fear, treachery and forgiveness. But first and foremost, it critiques the idea of destiny: what is the true meaning of any prophecy?
Now back to that comment about genre. Premonition begins with its main character, Lilah, attending a magic school. I know what you’re thinking—oh great, another Harry Potter clone—yet in fact, Krotec blends Lilah’s life as a magic student seamlessly into a world of wonder, intrigue, and unknown unknowns.
Unfortunately, Krotec doesn’t establish the setting as effectively as she could have. By the end of the tale, I’m left with a few questions that would have made it easier for me to comprehend the monumental events of Lilah’s life as they unfolded. For instance, I’m still unsure who “The Order” is, what the governmental relationships are between the Nox and the Lux. Or, what’s up with this mysterious land across the ocean? I would have appreciated a map to help ground the story.
Though I will emphasize, my interest in the setting illustrates the power of the plot crafted by Krotec. She’s made me want to know more about her world, which is a hard task for any author.
I encourage everyone who enjoys stories like Harry Potter to check out Premonition, but similarly anyone who enjoys the destiny-filled plots of Star Wars will similarly appreciate the conflict woven into the pages of this book. The stakes for each character rise with every turn as Krotec reveals yet another unexpected connection.
While on its own, Premonition tells a good story, will emphasize that you will finish it wanting more, and expecting answers to questions you didn’t know you were going to ask. This is a blessing and a curse. Krotec has incentivized readers to wait for her second book, but hopefully it doesn’t leave readers dissatisfied.
Writing: 6/10. Unfortunately, the writing itself was the weakest part of Premonition. And it’s not due to errors; every so often, the tale significantly breaks POV, injecting a few too many info-dumps in parts of the story that could have done without such detail.
Characters: 7/10. This story is rich with many unique and interesting characters, each with their own special set of abilities. However, I do wish there weren’t as many POV characters. Sometimes, it got confusing and difficult to know whose eyes I was following.
Setting: 7/10. As emphasized above, the setting felt unique, but I didn’t feel like I received enough information to grasp the “place,” though there were a few locales in particular that stand out in my mind, such as Waterstone Academy.
Plot: 9/10. Krotec throws you from page to page, injecting conflict after conflict, but it never feels overwhelming. Every fight makes sense, and characters, especially Lilah, experience the full weight of their actions, something that often does not happen in these fantastical, violent, magic-wielding stories.
Overall: 7.25/10. Receiving four stars, I urge everyone to consider Krotec for one of their next fantasy reads. The book deserves every star!