Bound by M.J. Stevens
(The Guardians #1)
Publication date: January 21st 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Mellea Wendorn hasn’t exactly had a normal life. Misfortune seems to follow her, and her family, wherever she goes.
However, when Mellea stops to assist a mysterious young man suddenly her prior hardships seem trivial.
His name is Leo. He is a Successor, a child of the Guardians of Selestia.
He is royalty.
He is handsome.
And he wants Mellea completely to himself.
Unable to escape the Guardian's laws, Mellea must learn the ways of the royals. She is convinced her life can’t get much worse. But when a timeworn Guardian enemy arises from the shadows, Mellea must make a choice that will change her destiny forever.
GOODREADS . AMAZON
Review: As I was reading through other reviews on Goodreads for Bound, I could not help but to be a little bit annoyed. I am not sure when a negative stereotype began for self published authors, but it is frustrating for me. I am here to tell you, books can be pretty darn good when they are self published, too. I do not feel like this is something that should even come into play when we are deciding how we like books. Also, it should not matter if the book is a debut or not. Sure, everyone improves with practice and experience, but some debut books are amazing, much like Bound by M.J. Stevens.
Alright, rant over.
I say all of that just to state that I really did enjoy this book very much. I am a big science fiction fan, at least when it comes to Young Adult novels. It always fun to see the technology and adaptions that authors create when it comes to writing in this genre. I love that there was also romance in this book, too. Sure, I would always love a bit more romance, but I can understand why it was not the main focus of this specific book. There were so many other things going on, and I can understand not exactly being thrilled when you're forced into a marriage to someone you don't know, and have been told bad things about all through childhood.
Mellea is a wonderful lead character; she says what is on her mind and is very likeable, though she is vulnerable as well; just like your average teenage girl. She is a bit innocent, having been so heavily protected by her parents growing up. She is also thrown into a situation that is unlike one she would ever want to be. Her father has been telling her horrible things about the Guardians growing, and now that she is surrounded by them, she has to decide what is true. Of course, it is never that simple; black and white. Throughout the novel Mellea learns a lot of secrets that she then has to figure out how to believe and deal with. It's certainly not an easy situation for a young girl.
Leo was a bit difficult to like at first, but I do believe that he was meant to be that way. He has never really fit in completely with his family, but he can also be a pain in the butt. Still, when we begin to see past those things, he becomes a very likeable character, and I do like the connection that the two main characters have with one another. After all, sometimes love is difficult to explain and everyone says that opposites attract. Ultimately, the two are dealing with their own issues of self discovery and love throughout the book.
I say bravo to M.J. Stevens for writing a very enjoyable book for young adults and adults a like. I believe that it is a wonderful read for anyone that enjoys science fiction with some romance thrown into the mix. I certainly enjoyed it very much and cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
For a long time, words were never her best friend. However she has always had a creative spirit and writing became the lead way that she could share her ideas with the world. Today, it is her number one passion in life.
“I wish I could say that I was one of those kids that read insane amounts of books and that’s why I was inspired to write, like a lot of authors. But I actually found the joy on people’s faces [when they talk about stories they love] more inspiring and wanted to create something of my own that will give young readers that same excited expression.”
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I agree I've read some pretty great gems that were self pubbed books! I'm glad you liked this one it sounds like a great read and I love the sounds of Mellea already! She's definitely the kind of realistic MC I could easily root for. Wonderful review, Tiffany!
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