4 out of 4 stars
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Ever been visited by aliens? In Denna Holm’s Soul of a Warrior, Kimi Wicker is visited multiple times in the span of one night. These aren't your typical sci-fi aliens, however. They’re dark and powerful strangers, and one of them claims that he’s Kimi’s soulmate! Before Kimi can fully comprehend the situation she’s in, she’s whisked away by an enemy of her mate, and left for stranded on a completely different planet.
Thankfully, Kimi isn’t alone. She was teleported along with her best friend, Mandy, and her coworker Keith. On the alien planet, they meet a variety of new creatures, both friendly and, well, not-so-friendly. Together the three search for a way home, all while Kimi’s mate is frantically searching throughout an entire galaxy to find her.
Soul of a Warrior is a novel that refuses to be bound to one genre. In its pages you can find fantasy, science fiction, romance, adventure, and a tiny bit of a horror. As I was reading, I was able to fully immerse myself in the storyline. In the beginning of the novel I was just as clueless as Kimi, but as the novel picked up pace I was learning about this new and dangerous world along with the characters. Holm’s creative writing style allowed me to feel awe, disgust, and fear as if I had teleported alongside Kimi and her friends.
To be honest, I was not sure whether I would be able to relate to the characters or not. Kimi and her friends all have strong personalities, and I was not sure how realistic their reactions would be to finding themselves on a completely different planet. To my surprise, the characters were what made Soul of a Warrior so enjoyable. The descriptive writing style and creative sci-fi aspects were a great plus, but the characters were truly what satisfied me. They are smart, funny, and above all a perfect fit for the roles they play.
My only complaint is that the romance was a little lacking throughout the novel. Kimi’s mate, Neyvarre, rudely introduces himself to Kimi while they are on Earth, and before they can even get to know each other she’s whisked right out of his arms. Obviously they have no contact while he is searching for her, but by the time they meet again she is ready to walk right into his arms. I would have liked to see more scenes of them building their relationship, rather than rushing to a happy ending. Soul of a Warrior is the first in a series yet to be published, but it could stand by itself fairly well if Kimi and Neyvarre had more time to bond.
Overall, I believe Soul of a Warrior has earned 4 out of 4 stars. I was truly enchanted by the new world Kimi and her friends found themselves in, although I wouldn’t want to find myself stranded there! I would recommend this book to fantasy and science fiction lovers, as the romance aspect is more of an afterthought. There are a few racy scenes, so I believe it is suited more for mature readers.
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Soul of a Warrior
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Still, it seems like a very enjoyable book. Great job on the review. Congratulations to Denna Holm on such a glowing review.
