I am always on the lookout for books that my daughters and I would all enjoy. Since they are teens and young adults--we don't read "together" anymore--but, do like to share a book series from time to time! I recently discovered The 8th Island Trilogy by Alexis Marie Chute--and I thought a blend of coming of age/fantasy adventure would appeal to all of our interests. Today, I am sharing my thoughts on Above the Star, book one of The 8th Island Trilogy--and will have reviews of the other books in the series coming up soon! Check out my review, learn about the series and enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.
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About the Series
The 8th Island Trilogy includes Above the Star, Below the Moon, and Inside the Sun. Over the three books, we follow the adventures of a quirky family, the Wellsleys. The main characters are frumpy senior citizen Archie, his daughter-in-law, Tessa, and his ill fourteen-year-old granddaughter Ella.
Archie, searching for his missing son, accidentally transports his family—and a cruise ship full of people—to a magical planet. There, they uncover the truth: all worlds are dying. Yet hope is not lost. A way to restore all that will soon be destroyed is revealed, along with the realization that Ella will play a role no one could have imagined—especially not her.
On the mysterious island of Jarr-Wya, many races of creatures battle for dominion and magic lurks around every corner. When the world falls dark, that is when bravery must shine the brightest, and the Wellsleys will reveal the strength they never knew they possessed—as well as the power of love to save the day.
About the Book
Book Title: Above the Star by Alexis Marie Chute
Category: Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 368 pages
Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, young adult
Publisher: SparkPress.
Release dates: Jun 2018
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.
Category: Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 368 pages
Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, young adult
Publisher: SparkPress.
Release dates: Jun 2018
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.
When frumpy senior citizen Archie goes in search of his missing son in the Spanish Canary Islands, he stumbles upon a higher mission: locating a magical cure for his ailing fourteen-year-old granddaughter, Ella. Using a portal-jumping device called the Tillastrion, Archie and a stone-headed creature named Zeno are transported to Jarr-Wya, a magnificent yet terrifying island in a connected realm―along with Ella and her strong-willed mother, Tessa, who accidentally stow away on this not-so-secret quest.
What they find on Jarr-Wya is an island tortured by a wicked Star anchored in the sea, and a raging three-way battle for dominion between the stone-wielding Bangols, the fiery Olearons, and the evil Millia sands. Ella’s wit and resourcefulness emerge in this new world, while Tessa is forced to confront her long-buried secrets and a confusing new love triangle. When Ella is captured, Tessa and Archie―with the help of a company of peculiar allies―set out to save her and unravel the terrible mystery of her cure. A mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night adventure of three unlikely heroes, Above the Star reminds us that even the smallest act of bravery can transform our lives and the fates of the worlds around us.
My Review
Above the Star Sets the Stage for the 8th Island Trilogy. The author develops quite a vivid fantasy world for readers in this first novel. The author gives us very detailed settings, unique human characters, and fantasy characters too. She combines these with a fast-paced, action-packed storyline that twists to provide us with even more glimpses into the author's fictional world. Readers will not find much resolution to the plot and subplots in this first novel--but it certainly creates a visual world for the trilogy to unfold.
Readers Should Expect Action--and Death in this Book. While the writing style leans toward young adult readers--the book is relatively violent and dark. The violence isn't necessarily graphic--it just seemed to be "violence for the sake of violence" without always being necessary or furthering the plot. The action does keep the storyline moving, and the author does weave more of her imaginary world into the story as the scenes unfold. I think the PG rating is fine for the book--but it may not be the "cup of tea" of every young adult reader.
Would I Recommend Above the Star by Alexis Marie Chute? This book builds a solid base for an action-packed fantasy adventure series for young adults. Readers should expect to read the trilogy to help develop the growing plot pieces as there isn't a lot of resolution in this first book. While it is a bit dark at times, fans of fantasy adventures should enjoy the world and the growing storyline. I am looking forward to watching the characters' stories grow and unfold and seeing more twists and turns from the author in this series.
Buy the Book
Amazon ~ Amazon Ca
B&N ~ Chapters Indigo ~ Target
Book Depository ~ Google Play
Add to Goodreads
B&N ~ Chapters Indigo ~ Target
Book Depository ~ Google Play
Add to Goodreads
Other Books in the Series
Book Title: Below the Moon by Alexis Marie Chute
Category: Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 448 pages
Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher: SparkPress.
Release dates: Oct 2019
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.
Category: Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 448 pages
Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher: SparkPress.
Release dates: Oct 2019
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.
Caught in a web of betrayal, mistaken identities, secrets, and love triangles, Ella, Tessa, and Archie must overcome their troubled pasts to ensure a future for all worlds. On this journey―armed with unearthly abilities and unexpected allies―each member of the Wellsley family will learn the power of love in the face of their greatest fears.
Buy the Book
About the Book
Book Title: Inside the Sun by Alexis Marie Chute
Category: Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 384 pages
Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher: SparkPress.
Release dates: April 2020
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.
Category: Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 384 pages
Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult
Publisher: SparkPress.
Release dates: April 2020
Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.
All worlds are dying, and it’s up to one broken and dysfunctional family from Earth―the Wellsleys―to save the day.
Cancer-ridden Ella celebrates her fifteenth birthday beneath an enchanted mountain, but it is what lies even farther below―the mysterious Star in the sea―that demands she grow up quickly. While Ella grapples with the sacrifice she must make and the lies she is forced to tell, her mother, Tessa, is hell-bent on protecting her.
Through bizarre encounters, love-sick Tessa realizes that she is not the lonely orphan she believes. Her husband, Arden, and father-in-law, Archie, are not the only ones with magical bloodlines. This revelation changes everything. As Archie chooses to embody his unexpected ancestry, he learns that leading the charge in the ultimate battle against evil won’t be as easy as he thought. He’ll need his family―and the strange allies he has gained―by his side to give Ella enough time to set things right.
Can they defeat the unstoppable Millia sands―and another unexpected foe―before everything they hold dear is destroyed? Or will their adventure tear them apart for good? The finale to The 8th Island Trilogy will hold you spellbound until the final page, and long after.
Buy the Book
Amazon ~ Amazon Ca
B&N ~ Bookshop ~ Target
Book Depository ~ Google Play
Add to Goodreads
B&N ~ Bookshop ~ Target
Book Depository ~ Google Play
Add to Goodreads
Meet the Author
Alexis Marie Chute is an award-winning author, artist, photographer, art curator, filmmaker, and public speaker. She has received over 40 noteworthy distinctions for her visual and literary work. Her award-winning fantasy series The 8th Island Trilogy includes, Above the Star, Below the Moon, and Inside the Sun. The series has been described as “A WRINKLE IN TIME meets THE PRINCESS BRIDE” by The Perpetual You magazine, and “Fast and bizarre… never a dull moment” by Forward Reviews. The 8th Island Trilogy “weaves STAR WARS-like characters with a WONDER-like message to form an enrapturing read for blooklovers of all ages” – US Review of Books. Chute’s bestselling memoir, Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing and Pregnancy After Loss, was a top Kirkus title of 2017 and received a plethora of other literary distinctions. The memoir was accompanied by the feature documentary of the same name, which has screened internationally for the last three years. Chute received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and Design from the University of Alberta, Canada, and studied at Media Design school in Auckland, New Zealand. She graduated valedictorian with her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, USA. Chute is a highly regarded public speaker. She has presented on art, writing, bereavement, and the healing capacities of creativity around the world. Contact the Author/Artist for bookings info@alexismariechute.com When not in her art/photo studio or at her computer, Chute loves to spend quality time with her family, read fiction and non-fiction, watch reality TV, paddleboard, and canoe. She is not a winter person but lives in frosty Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with her husband and their three living children.
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