Looking for Dei
David A. Willson
Publication date: March 23rd 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

MY REVIEW

Looking for Dei by David A Wilson starts out with a childhood memory and I’m hoping that means good things are to come. But…the old man…

Mykel and Nara are best friends. Would he like more? Maybe, but he is patient young man. With his scar, he feels inferior, but she doesn’t pay any attention to it. After all, her is bigger, though hidden.

Bylo, her sort of father, loved her, raised her and helped keep her secret. He brought her to Dimmit to hide her, protect her. The announcement exposes them…I knew that would happen, but now what. Is flight the only option? Leave everyone and everything they have ever known?

Our journey has begun, and at twenty eight percent in my Kindle, I see the evil coming their way.

When I first started reading Looking for Dei by David A Wilson, I wondered why I grabbed this ARC for review. Was it just the pretty cover? lol I am a sap for a pretty cover. As I began reading, I found out why. My curiosity and desire for Nara, Mykel and Bylo’s journey made me feel better.

Betrayal won’t stop them, and sometimes things are not as they appear. People can and do change. And love…does it conquer all?

Lots of action happening on many fronts. I wonder what will happen when all the characters come together. Will the bad characters stay bad? Is there no leeway for, at least, some of them to do the right thing?

Looking for Dei by David A Wilson did not go the way I thought it would, but I did enjoy the story and the characters. Is there a happy ever after? I always want to think so. I got into the romance and magic, but I felt no sense of urgency, even when I knew danger was coming. If you are a reader of young love, magic, mystery and danger, this may be one for you.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Looking for Dei by David A Wilson.

  3 Stars

ABOUT THE BOOK

Fifteen-year-old Nara Dall has never liked secrets. Yet it seems that her life has been filled with them, from the ugly scar on her back to the strange powers she possesses. Her mysterious father refuses to say anything about her origins, and soon, she and her best friend must attend the announcement ceremony, in which youths are tested for a magical gift.

A gifted youth has not been announced in the poor village of Dimmitt for decades. When Nara uncovers the reason, she uses her own powers to make things right. The decision sets her on a path of danger, discovery, and a search for the divine. In the process, she learns the truth about herself and uncovers the biggest secret of all: the power of broken people.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Smashwords

Are you a book blogger or reviewer? Join the blog tour here!

—

EXCERPT:

PROLOGUE

Southside Orphanage

Fairmont – Capital of the Great Land 652PB (Post-Breshi)

The toddler blew at the dandelion bloom until its seeds broke free and floated away on a breeze that gusted past the man watching her from the bushes. His breath hitched as his burdens were lifted and briefly forgotten.

It had taken ten years to locate her. A life of study, prayer, and service to Dei in a monastery had not prepared him for so many years on the run, hiding under false names while he searched for the one he feared he might never find. His grizzled, greying goatee and unkempt hair might have labeled him a beggar or a desperate criminal, but the hope in his eyes told a different story.

Oblivious to the nearby threat, the girl dropped the crumpled dandelion stem and stumbled clumsily near a pile of stones. No more than two years old, she waddled across the overgrown orphanage courtyard, her cloth diaper askew. She plucked more flowers, her red hair dancing as she hopped after the seeds. She seemed to favor the world as her playmate, ignoring the twenty other children in the courtyard. She bumped into a small boy, fell down, and hopped back up with a baby-tooth grin before trotting off.

When she fell, a glimpse of her back jolted the man to his task. It was the blemish that beckoned him here—an ugly red scar stretching from upper back to waist, announcing her identity as the prophetic treasure he had sought for so long. The weight of the manuscript in his backpack grounded his thoughts, and he glanced around the area. There were no fences, plenty of bushes for cover, and a single matron leisurely surveying the yard. The woman sat on the aging building’s back steps, watching the little ones as they ran about. She wore a dress and would be unable to chase him. How long would it take for her to alert the authorities?

As he surveyed the grounds to plan his escape, the girl waggled her hand at a passing butterfly and giggled as it flew away. Fortune favored his plans when she ran to a group of dandelions just a few feet from his hiding place. Squatting, she grabbed several stems, preparing to blow and release the seeds.

The man looked over to the matron, who had turned away to manage a quarrel between two other children. Knowing this might be his only chance, he burst forward and scooped the babe up in one arm, then raced back through the bushes behind the orphanage. He ran as fast as he could, unable to avoid jostling the child in his arms. She began to cry at the shock of her abduction, still gripping the dandelion stems in one tiny fist.

Back at the orphanage, the matron in the dress looked toward the back of the yard. The only evidence of a disturbance was a cloud of dandelion seeds that drifted upon the air, scattering in the light breeze. She turned to the many children she cared for, oblivious to the crime that had just been perpetrated under her watch.

Author Bio:

David A. Willson has worked as a restauranteur, peace officer, and now, author. Taught by his mother to read at a young age, he spent his childhood exploring magic, spaceships, and other dimensions. In his writing, he strives to bring those worlds to his readers.
Much of his material is inspired by the “Great Land” of Alaska, which he has called home for over 30 years. He lives there with his wife, five children, and 2 dogs. He is passionate about technology, faith, and fiction—not necessarily in that order.

Looking for Dei is Willson’s debut novel, set in a land where many more adventures will take place. Stay up to date with his ongoing efforts through the Looking for Dei Facebook page or visiting the website at davidawillson.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

• You can see my Giveaways HERE.
• You can see my Reviews HERE.
• If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
• Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
• Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
• Thanks for visiting fundinmental!