As You Wish Reviews: Release Event | The Jewel of Nirel by Ann Snizek

Book Title: The Jewel of Nirel
Author: Ann Snizek
Release Date: July 27, 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Length: Over 86,000 Words
Publisher: Snow Flower Enterprises
Presented by: As You Wish Tours

BLURB

For the people of Tunuftol, and other countries on the planet Nyssa, names found them starting at twelve months old… at the earliest. Along with the names came certain skills or powers. Depending on what you did with your powers determined what type of person you were, and sometimes affected future names. Therefore, names had great importance in Tunuftol, and Krissa had more than a few… nine to be exact. Her full name was Krissa Lysandra Rue Alverna Harley Mya Magryta Freya Wittek, which is quite a mouthful.

The dangers haven't ended for our friends yet. The weather is starting to warm and the war started last fall is under way. Journey with Krissa and the crew as they struggle to keep their world safe and find their place in it.

EXCERPT

Krissa stepped out into the rooftop garden. Early mornings seemed the best time to enjoy the peace of her surroundings. After a grueling winter, Krissa both reveled in and dreaded the onset of warmer weather. She brushed a particularly irritating clump of brown hair from her face as she sat on a bench. In the last eight months her hair had grown long once more and fell wherever it liked -- while the early morning sunshine poured over the first sprouts and hints of flowers.

The war that had started last year would continue now that the weather had cleared enough for travel. The twins -- Pin and Khevin-- invited her and her brother, Micah, to stay at the Fortress with their other friends. It made preparing to leave for battle easier, but she already missed her quiet little home with Grandma Athey… even though it was only about fifteen minutes away.

Krissa closed her eyes as she thought about the upcoming struggles. She'd locked the gateway out of Tunuftol in time to prevent their enemies' use of it, but last fall had only given them a taste of the destruction Tunuftol could face. Hume and Marc had shown themselves to be as caustic as their fathers, Count Zayd Rankin and Duke Tomás Hillard.

"I thought I'd find you here, Magryta," a handsome young man with blonde hair said as he approached her.

Krissa loved it when Khevin used this name. She had so many names now, but the meaning behind it and his voice when he said it made her smile every time. Last year he unintentionally revealed that he'd liked her since they were small by calling to her with a new name. Magryta meant desired and had become his special name for her. He usually only called her Magryta in the privacy of their minds, since both of them were telepathic, but occasionally spoke it aloud. When she revealed that she cared for him also, Khevin responded in a way to make her feel that he would do anything for her, despite his obvious position of authority as king.

AUTHOR BIO
I grew up in Vermont mostly and now live in Virginia with my family (those still at home). My husband and I have a blended family of seven kids. My childhood was spent moving around a lot. (non-military) About five years ago, we started home-schooling our youngest children. Now there are only two remaining in home-school. I have tried to nurture the love of books in our children and now our grandchildren -- always nurturing their imaginations. Recently, I have become active in our community with literacy, starting a local (and online) creative writing club and volunteer tutoring at the Adult Learning Center.

I struggle with Fibromyalgia and PTSD. So, have to be careful not to overdo things... I don't always listen to my own advice. I have a dry, sarcastic and corny sense of humor and always try to look at things optimistically. (again not always successful) However, I feel that if I don't give up -- for long -- then things will work out for the best eventually.