Barbara A. Mahler

What a lovely story. Even though it was well under my age group as intended readers- I got sucked into a nicely weaved fantasy story. Onto the few criticisms- the main character was a little over the top at times (with her abilities) but there was enough set backs to lessen any annoyance that could have; I wasn't quite sure what age group it was intended for- it seems fanciful enough for quite young children but there were some very adult moments- or maybe I'm just out of touch with what kids read these days. All in all, I enjoyed the story and thought the presentation was absolutely wonderful (Hardcover- nice drawings- ribbon book markers). Since its supposed to be the first in a series, I would be interested in the next parts. Nice story, nice read- but it definitely is YA.… (mehr)

Misfit teenagers, Kaela and Shawn find themselves drawn through "the Hole in the Sky" to save a kingdom from the forces of Gulig and his evil followers, discovering along the way inner strength, new friends and breaking a long standing curse to find peace.
I really enjoyed this fantasy novel for young readers.
The story presents some of the challenges faced by youth and that love and friendship can be a conquering force in the dilemmas faced in everyday life.
The language is easy to read, concepts are not too difficult to follow, and the characters are believable.
I will be giving this book to a nine year old for Christmas, with no qualms about suitability for the age, reading ability, or story line.… (mehr)

I have read this book from the time it was a raw manuscript through when it is a published book. This is a book about the inner world of a 13 year old girl, how she struggles with the loss of her mother, how she works to keep her heart open in spite of her problems in life, and (quickly in the story) gets the magical life she longs for. This story is driven by character development. There are a lot of characters, spanning 5 generations, 150 years, two worlds, magical beings, and all taking place in about 48 hours. In some books the protagonist has one or two things they have to go through during the course of the story. In this story, you want to say at some point (early in the story), "What next". It's a page-turner, and I love reading and exploring the world Barbara Mahler has created. It's a world we all visit, and the world in which we can all find our growth.… (mehr)