Daughter of Chaos Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

Daughter of Chaos (Red Magic #1)
Author: Jen McConnel
Publisher: Month9Books
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Rate: 4 Stars

Synopsis:

There comes a time in every witch's life when she must choose her path. Darlena's friends have already chosen, so why is it so hard for her to make up her mind? Now, Darlena is out of time. Under pressure from Hecate, the Queen of all witches, Darlena makes a rash decision to choose Red magic, a path no witch in her right mind would dare take. As a Red witch, she will be responsible for chaos and mayhem, drawing her deep into darkness. Will the power of Red magic prove too much for Darlena, or will she learn to control it before it's too late?

DAUGHTER OF CHAOS is the first in the RED MAGIC paranormal YA trilogy.

Daughter of Chaos is the exhilarating first book in a new young adult paranormal trilogy. The book follows main character Darlena, a teenage witch, as she first chooses her path (not knowing what she was getting herself into) and as she attempts to control her new magic. When Darlena was faced with finally choosing her path as a witch - White, Green, or Black - she panicked and picked one she didn't think existed - Red. As it turns out, there is definitely a Red path - it's the magic of chaos. Now Darlena must learn to control her new powers, figure out who she can and can't trust, and how she's going to live as a Red witch.

I have a definite love for all books that deal with witches, so this was a definite must read for me. I wasn't sure what to expect - but I was greatly impressed and surprised with what the author gives us in the story. In Darlena's world, there are witches and Nons (people without magic). Darlena and her family are witches, as are all the kids who attend the private school of Trinity. When the witches are in their teens, they are expected to choose one of the three paths - the one that they will then follow for the rest of their lives. Darlena isn't ready to choose a path - and she frankly doesn't think that she should have to. I found Darlena to be a fun and realistic main character for the story. I immediately connected with her from the beginning. She's smart, a loving and devoted daughter and friend, and is full of determination once she makes up her mind about something. She definitely isn't perfect though - as we see when she gives the gods and goddesses serious attitude and when she openly defies their orders. I liked how down to earth she is, which made it even easier to identify with her throughout the book. The other characters in the book were distinct and well written with quirks, flaws, and unique personalities. They worked well in the story together with each other as well as with Darlena and the plot in general.

The plot was fantastic - it blended so many different genres together to make a truly original story. Along with the witches and their powers and history, we encounter the gods and goddesses from several different religions and cultures. I loved reading about all of the mythology surrounding them and their various characteristics. The way the author incorporates gods and goddesses with witchcraft was a very pleasant surprise that I think took the story to a whole new level. Along with the mythology and paranormal aspects of the plot, there's also tons of action, adventure, romance, and even some contemporary teen issues. All of the various parts of the plot were intertwined in a natural and effortless way that had me eagerly reading to see what was going to happen next. This is definitely a book that fans of paranormal fiction will want to get their hands on - I'm already anticipating the next installment. I also recommend it to fans of all genres as it has a bit of something for everyone.

 

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Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. Since then, her words have appeared in a variety of magazines and journals, including Sagewoman, PanGaia, and The Storyteller (where she won the people’s choice 3rd place award for her poem, “Luna”).

She is also a former reviewer for Voices of Youth Advocates (VOYA), and a proud member of SCBWI, NCWN, and SCWW.

A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. She's a graduate of Western Michigan University, and she also earned her MS in Library Science at Clarion University of Pennsylvania. 

When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches writing composition at a community college. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.

Follow Jen on Twitter @Jen_McConnel, and visit www.jenmcconnel.com to learn more.

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