This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite
Growing Up: A Prologue is the second novel in The Ventures of Captain Xavior series by J.R. Leilies. The fate of the Xavior family is still under question. While The Federation aims at conquering as much of the galaxy as possible, Valhalla is the only place the outlaws can live freely. Reine Xavior, daughter of Zaul, lived under the care of a nanny, with her mother no longer in the picture and her father disinterested. However, the moment she turned seven, Zaul was ready to pay attention to her. But that came with a price. He placed her in a secret training facility that trained young children for a pirate game where children learned to survive in modern war. However, things were not as easy as they seemed. Reine learned that someone wanted her dead, and they would not stop until they achieved their goal. Reine had to learn to survive, stay one step ahead of the people wanting her dead, find out more about her mother, and fit into the team of children in the facility.
I loved the blurb and had high hopes that Growing Up would be entertaining. I am very happy that the author not only lived up to my expectations but even raised the bar for the next novel in the series. While I haven’t read the first novels, I had zero issues with catching up and forming a connection with the leading cast of characters. I have to be honest; I didn’t understand Zaul at first, but as the story progressed, I understood his intention behind everything he did. Reine was a star in the making. She was a natural leader, and her skills were further highlighted as she slowly but surely made a place for herself in the training program. The narrative kept the momentum of the story, the action was alive, and the pace was fast. Author J. R. Leilies has succeeded in writing a young adult science fiction novel that gives exceptional story writing, relatable characters, and fantastic execution.
