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Serena Clarke is from sunny Southern Utah. She has loved writing since she was young and has taken several writing classes. She loves fantasy with a hint of romance and wishes to contribute to the genre.
Serena has a Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design and is a member of the Red Mountain Shadows Publishing team. She is passionate about learning, reading, art, and design. She enjoys designing her book covers as much as writing her books.
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
The Alliance of Isian is book 2 of Serena Clarke’s young adult epic fantasy series, The Isian Series. Gabrielle is an Isian Princess who is betrothed to a prince of the Tandori, Alec. They first met when she was 13 years old. After being presented to the Tandori royal family, Gabrielle was asked to dance by Prince Alec who was very tall and fair, and different from the Isian people Gabrielle was accustomed to meeting. She suffered through an awkward dance with him and then was relieved when he did not ask her for a second dance. When she returns to Tandori as a young woman, Gabrielle and Alec are married before the eyes of both royal families. She understands that this union is crucial to the survival of both kingdoms, but Gabrielle is still not reconciled to being married and longs to return to her own people. As a royal, she understands her obligations and her duty, but it is very hard indeed.
While The Alliance of Isian is the second book in Serena Clarke’s young adult fantasy series, the author introduces enough of the preceding volume to make this one an enjoyable reading experience. The Isian and Tandori cultures are quite different and in some surprising ways. While the Tandori Royals are more liberal in their approach to the well-being of their people, the Isian women play a larger role in Isian society. These differences serve to make the arranged marriage of Gabrielle and Alec a challenging one. I enjoyed watching the sparks fly as the two try to adapt and find a middle ground. Clarke is quite adept at introducing her characters and making them come alive as real people. Her writing is fluid and accomplished, and I soon became absorbed in the story. The Alliance of Isian is an entertaining and fast-paced epic fantasy filled with intrigue, mythological beings and feats of derring-do. It’s great fun to read and is highly recommended.
