Author: Mitchell Charles
Publisher: Butterhorse Media
Release Date: November 27, 2015
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewer: Jessica Higgins
A beautiful tale set on a beautiful island that makes for a fun and exciting read.
Sixteen-year-old Prince Ailani has always been in his brother’s shadow and feels that he is where he is destined to be. They live on the island of Hawaii, where there is adventure, surfing, shark taming, fire walking, and even a thousand-year-old curse that they are about to unleash on their paradise. The boys discover an ancient tiki mask at a forbidden burial ground. Then without knowing it, they set about a chain of events that will send the islands of Oceana out of control. Prince Ailani must get in touch with his inner strength, and his ancestral spirit animal in order to overcome the obstacles they are about to face.
It pains me to say that I have had this on the shelf for a while and just now picked it up. This was a fun adventure that is rich in history and full of fun. Mitchell Charles did a great job of creating a wonderful tale showing sibling rivalry at its most intense, magic, love and so much more. While reading, I felt like I was on the islands, and wished I was there experiencing the beauty. That’s the great thing about a well written book, it can transport you to a magical place you might never be able go to in real life. The mythical elements were fun to read. I particularly enjoyed the playful banter between Ailani and the Kahula. It had just enough humor to keep me smiling but not so much that it took away from the suspense and mystery of the story.
Since I have finished I keep looking and hoping for a second book to come out and continue the story, fingers crossed it will still happen. I think this could be considered a great YA read, especially with the length, not too long to intimidate younger readers but enough to fully flesh out the story. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy a good thrill set in a beautiful and magical place.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.
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