Broken Aro

From Goodreads:

"Open your eyes to darkness. What do you see? Does the darkness frighten you? Now imagine the darkness being the cargo hold of a slave ship. Your city has fallen. Your family is most likely dead. You don't know anyone around you, and some of them aren't even human. Giving up would be so easy to do, but not for Arowyn Mason. Not after being raised in a military family with seven brothers. Every great story should begin with a plan. Aro's was to escape and to survive.

Escape comes, but at a price. As they reach the shore, Aro and the other survivors learn that freedom doesn't mean safety. The slavers want their property back and will do anything to get it. The party uses every ounce of their brute strength, a hearty helping of cunning, and even ancient magics to keep themselves alive. Sickness, danger, and even love surprise them at every turn. Dealing with danger becomes their way of life, but none of them ever considered that nothing can be quite as dangerous as a prophecy. Running turns into another race altogether as her world falls to pieces again and again."


Do you know how many books have been published since time began? Me either. So I should quit being astonished when I run across another stellar writer whose name is unfamiliar to me. Maybe I should start running in different circles--I need better gossip on up and coming authors!

Anyway, in helping out with a launch party last month, I found that one of the giveaway prizes was a free copy of Broken Aro. I was intrigued by the synopsis on Goodreads, so I went and bought it. NO REGRETS. I loved this book! There was excellent tension as the main character, Arowyn Mason (Aro), navigated through the fall of her city, being held on a slave ship, and escaping in a terrible storm to an unknown land. And through it all, being protected by and protective of the men surrounding her--her seven brothers, then the men she befriends on the ship. They all become great characters as the story unfolds, and I really want to know what happened to Aro's brothers. There are a few plot twists I didn't see coming either, somewhat driven by the appearance of Damon the Dragos. Add that to the realistic portrayal of Aro's cross-country journey, something that I haven't felt as captured by since reading David Eddings' Belgariad, and I declare the entire book very well done. I cannot wait to read the rest!

Gentle Reader Alert: I didn't note anything of concern, but there are things hinted at that I would not want to have to explain to my daughters. I expect it would go over their heads, really.