Sunday, November 27, 2011

Book Review: Candlewax by C. Bailey Sims


Candlewax
Author: C. Bailey Sims
Publisher: Terabyte Press
Category: Juvenile Fiction - Action & Adventure
Publication Date: April 3, 2012

 An Ancient Prophecy. A Powerful Relic. An Insatiable Evil. When all three converge, the fate of every living thing will be in peril.

All her life Catherine had hoped to see a fairrier cat. No book, no scroll provided to her by her tutors had ever mentioned this legend, much to her frustration, and now-at the worst possible time-she was getting her wish. Only, in her wish the cat wasn't about to kill her.
A 732-year-old fairrier cat the size of a horse has killed his fair share of hunters. Driven to the brink of extinction for the supernatural powers of his coat, is he indeed the last of his kind?
Sheltered, 16-year-old Catherine is about to find out. Unwitting heir to the Ancient Onyxes, she flees an arranged marriage only to stumble upon the cat's secrets, the force of the ancient relic she wears, and the dangerous mission they must undertake.
Hidden under a desert that was once a fertile land, millions of predators are waiting to feast again. Catherine must discover the secret of the Ancient Onyxes and stop the creatures known as trodliks before they consume everything in their path. A whispered prophecy becomes her only guide and a rejected suitor just might be the one warrior she desperately needs.

Review
Catherine is a sixteen year old princess from the land of Lackanay who is dreading an arranged marriage.  That is, until she decides to escape her castle in search of a life that suits her better.  Little does she know the tangled web she will find herself a part of sooner than she knows.  Catherine quickly realizes her plans of a more normal life are far from her grasp when she meets a supposedly mythical fairrier cat named Spelopekos (Pokos for short).

Catherine soon finds that in the neighboring lands of Lackanay and Candlewax nothing is as it seems.  Pokos is her guide throughout her journey in discovering the truth about her grandmother (Catherine’s namesake) and her role in saving her world from trodliks- creatures that are not supposed to exist.  With a powerful amulet passed down to her from her grandmother, a demanding fairrier cat, and others she meets along the way, Catherine soon discovers there is much more to her family history and the history of Lackanay than she ever knew.  She is faced with sorting through family secrets and ancient prophecies, in her quest to save Lackanay- because she is the only one who can.

Candlewax is a medieval fantasy that serves as a coming-of-age story of young Catherine, who discovers who she is and her place in her world throughout the story.  While at times a bit slow and overly descriptive, Sims has given us an enjoyable and exciting addition to the YA Fantasy genre.  For the adult reader, it may be a bit predictable.  However, for the younger reader for which it is intended, Candlewax is sure to be an entertaining read, and serves up a strong and courageous heroine with Catherine.  The ending ties up well, but leaves it easily open for the next installment of what is intended to be the Candlewax trilogy.  

Find this book on Goodreads!


The Book Diva's received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley and Terabyte Press. All opinions are that of the reviewer. We are dedicated to providing our HONEST opinion about books, products, whatever the case may be. We were not compensated for this review.

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