The Forge of Bonds: Chronicle Three in the Adventures of Jason Lex

by Wendy M Barnhart

Overview

Award of Excellence Winner - Colorado Authors League

"Wendy Barnhart delivers a dazzling next chronicle as The Forge of Bonds delves into family and friendship with tension, betrayal, and secrets while also exploring the lingering reality of trauma, and shocking twists you won't see coming." - Five Stars, Readers' Favorite

A malicious enemy threatens to tear them apart. Can two teenagers unite to defeat their murderous opponent?

Jason Lex and Sadie Callahan are together again in their hometown of Salton recovering from personal tragedies and bearing the burden of new secrets. Both are wishing for nothing but normalcy, but when Skyfish swarm and a rogue cryptid attacks, Jason and Sadie know looming danger can't be ignored.

Their friendship is challenged when a vanquished enemy returns from the dead bringing imminent threat to the lives of their friends and family. Sadie turns her back on Jason and he struggles without her to balance his upgraded Guard powers against fears of his own dark destiny, while Sadie is solely consumed on avenging her loss and defeating her adversary once and for all.

After a stunning family revelation, an agonizing betrayal exposes Jason and Sadie to their greatest enemy yet. They must find a way to fight together or suffer the loss of everything and everyone they love.

Chronicle One: The Rampart Guards

Chronicle Two - Jason: The League of Governors

Chronicle Two - Sadie: The Clan Calling

Chronicle Three (book four): The Forge of Bonds

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780998336954
Publisher:	Camashea Press
Publication date:	02/25/2020
Series:	Adventures of Jason Lex , #3
Pages:	402
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.89(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

International bestselling author Wendy Barnhart (formerly Terrien) received her first library card at age two, and a few years later started writing her own stories.Her debut novel, The Rampart Guards (February 2016), earned a Kirkus starred review and was named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2016. Next in her series are main character Jason's book two - The League of Governors (August 2017), and developing character Sadie's book two - The Clan Calling (August 2017). Both novels are award winners. Chronicle three in the series (and the fourth physical book) is The Forge of Bonds (February 2020). Wendy graduated from the University of Utah (go Utes!) and relocated to Colorado where she completed her MBA at the University of Denver. She focused her marketing expertise on the financial and technology industries until a career coach stepped in and reminded Wendy of her passion for writing. Inspired, Wendy leaped and began attending writers' conferences, workshops, and retreats, and the storytelling hasn't stopped since. She serves on the board of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and is a member of Pikes Peak Writers, the Colorado Authors League, and the Authors Guild.Wendy lives in the Denver area and is a proud dog mom. She's team dark chocolate, a fan of technology, and believes every dose of nature nurtures the soul. Wendy is also committed to promoting pet adoption from rescues or shelters as the best way to bring home a furry family member. If you're in Colorado, you may even spot her "Adopt a Shelter Pet" license plates.Learn more about Wendy by visiting her website: wendymbarnhart.com

Editorial Reviews

"Wendy Barnhart delivers a dazzling third chronicle in the series as The Forge of Bonds delves into the bonds of family and friendship with tension, betrayal, and secrets while also exploring the lingering reality of trauma and shocking twists that you won't see coming." - Five Stars, Readers' Favorite

"Exciting next chapter in the Jason Lex series...thoroughly engrossing. The undeniable strength of Barnhart's writing is not in the action scenes (although they are exhilarating and adeptly rendered), or in the plot (which is intelligently designed and skillfully executed), but in her ability to warmly express the very human nature of her characters as they stumble, grow, and triumph, always with the genuine support of one another. That is ultimately what makes this book and every Wendy Barnhart book so worth reading." - Colorado Book Review

"Adventure built on solid foundations and uncommon imagination...the author anchors the paranormal elements and invites teens and adults alike to feel part of Sadie and Jason's extended family." - Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2019-12-17
Two teenagers’ friendship becomes tested while they hone their abilities in this third installment of a paranormal fantasy series.

Fourteen-year-olds Sadie Callahan and Jason Lex have special powers. Sadie is a Yowie (the Australian cousin of America’s Bigfoot) and can shift between human and animal form. Her Yowie heritage also enables her to heal quickly and turn invisible, although she’s yet to master this. Jason is a Rampart Guard, a fire-wielding warden of the barrier that keeps cryptids (Yowies, Yetis, etc.) hidden in the human world. Both Sadie and Jason are in training; whereas he embraces the changes he’s going through, she is less keen. Sadie has been chosen to lead the Yowies, but until she’s ready to face the current leader—the nefarious Garrison Devine—she remains in hiding and can pretend to live a normal life. This head-in-the-sand approach comes unstuck when a stray Bigfoot is seen around town. Sadie and Jason track it down, but when the Bigfoot turns out to be a Yowie—the same one that killed Sadie’s grandma—and Jason refuses to kill it, their bond of friendship is threatened. Will Sadie ever forgive him? And how will she cope when her mother, who everyone thought was killed when Sadie was a baby, comes back into her life? Terrien (The Clan Calling, 2017, etc.) writes in the third person, mixing narrative descriptions and dialogue to good effect. The teens and adults all have their quirks, but readers new to the series may struggle to keep track of the relationships. There are many characters, and they’re all a bit similar (in the sense that they remain good-natured and talk through their issues even when there’s friction). The plot, likewise, is very much a continuation of previous volumes. The complicated backstory goes largely unexplained, and the progression of the big picture is minimal. But while the current installment feels almost as if it’s treading water, its true beauty lies in the protagonists’ growth and the way they deal with ordinary teen issues (of which there are many). Rather than dazzle readers with big developments, the author anchors the paranormal elements and invites teens and adults alike to feel part of Sadie and Jason’s extended family.

A safe, cozy adventure built on the solid foundations of everyday life and uncommon imagination.

Kirkus Reviews