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 Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
The Ties That Bind, the second installment in Susan Markloff's young adult urban fantasy saga The Human-Born Era series, is preceded by book one, the award-winning The Rise of the Raidin. The series as a whole follows Jen Monroe, where in Raiden we are introduced to the 18-year-old hybrid, part human and part dragon. Jen is training with her Zaheri protectors when enemy fighters attack her school. Through her protectors, Jen learns of a longstanding war on Tilion, and she discovers that she is the only one capable of surviving an attack from the enemy leader, Cregorous. In a climactic confrontation between Jen and Cregorous, Jen experiences an out-of-body vision with a boy and drives Cregorous away. She then sets out to locate the other Human-Borns; however, she faces numerous obstacles, including PTSD from her traumatic encounter with Cregorous, cultural barriers, personality clashes, and a worldwide journey to find those destined to help her. The Human-Borns' abilities are witnessed by humans and the enemy they are fated to encounter lies in wait. The story reaches a gripping climax when Jen and her team fight to save those they care about while risking what they hold dear.
In the interests of full disclosure, I went into The Ties That Bind not having first read The Rise of the Raidin, which I immediately went back to read when the quality of author Susan Markloff's writing became apparent. The story is almost instantly engrossing and Jen is, without question, a character who feels authentic and like someone living and breathing. Markloff's strength in world-building, character development, and storytelling all shine, and the scenes come to life in a combination of creative prose and the absolutely gorgeous artwork that begins each chapter. While I appreciated the multi-cultural and multi-ethnic cast that hails from a diversity of backgrounds, as a reader who is also an ethnic minority, sometimes they ventured dangerously close to trope territory. That said, because the novel is a thrilling and emotional ride, getting swept up in the next scene of this hero's journey balances it out. Ultimately, The Ties That Bind is a must-read for lovers of unique fantasy fiction with a young adult slant.
