Alora: The Wander-Jewel (Alora Series, #1)

Alora is one of those books that will draw you in right from the start. I fell in love with the characters and the story right from the beginning. Alora is an average 15 year old girl living in Montana. She has no idea she is very powerful. She was born with an unusual jewel in her belly button. Her "aunt" Lena, who passed away before the story begins, and her "uncle" Charles have raised her since her birth. One day while in the shower Alora starts having visions of some good looking boy, Kaevin. Although she has no idea who he is or how she is seeing him. She is half Stone-Clan and half Water-Clan. She begins to transport Kaevin from another realm to Montana. Alora and Kaevin soon realize they are soulmates. They have to touch at least once a day or they begin to loose their strength. If they kiss it makes them stronger and improves their powers. This does not make Charles happy at all. I really liked Beth and Wesley, Alora's friends. Wesley is fun and Beth is a go getter. Together with their friends and family they must find a way to fight Alora's father Vindrake. He is an evil villain and the leader of the Water-Clan. He wants to use find Alora for her Wander Jewel powers to gain control of all the clans in his realm. The author did such a great job with the story building and the character development. You feel like these could be your friends. Although it is a fantasy things just seem so real and fun. I liked how everyone got along really well. I really liked all the characters and enjoyed Alora and Kaevin's romance. Vindrake is the evil villain that you just love to hate. I can't wait to read the other books in this series. I highly recommend you read this fun, exciting, coming of age fantasy. You will not want to put it down, I know I didn't!

Alora was such a charming read, but don't let the word charming fool you. There is adventure and surprise around every corner. I appreciate a fantasy novel without werewolves and witches. Dearen keeps all the best features of YA literature: adventure, love, family, and hope and plays with the reader's expectations on all the standards. I truly loved it.

Fun, Well Crafted YA Fantasy! I loved getting to know Alora and becoming lost in her adventure. From discovering how her magical powers worked to meeting new friends in a mystical realm to defying parents' wishes in order to save her long lost home, this story kept me turning pages until there were no more to turn. I love the fantasy world Dearen has created! She definitely has put in a lot of time, making a world that is well crafted and consistent. I can't wait for the next book of the series--not only to find out what happens to Alora but also to learn more about this magical world! This was a very fun read.