Magic
Countercharm Series
For more information visit Cherese Vines Cadet or http://cheresevinescharmingwords.wordpress.com/countercharm/
Labyrinth's Door – Anyia "Dream of a Warrior"
Labyrinth’s Door – Anyia “Dream of a Warrior”
Review by: Kristi Bernard (Kristi’s Book Nook)
What kid doesn’t challenge traditions? Without really understanding how traditions come to pass, most kids think they are cumbersome and old school. Kids feel there are too many rules and beliefs which just adds extra pressure to their existing growing pains. Anyia is no different.
Anyia is left with the burden of becoming the next Yora, just like her mother. This exciting adventure begins in the village of Nagoran. Anyia is the daughter of the Chief. She will take over her mother’s responsibilities as Yora. For Anyia this is mindless work, cooking and cleaning for the rest of her life with the other woman of the village.
The village needs warriors. The Empress Zarina and her magic will jeopardize all that they have known and loved in regards to traditions. Anyia wants to have the choice to fight and preserve the lands that belong to her people.
“I do believe in most of the traditions. And my father is to be respected…he is a man of gravitas. I just don’t know how I can be the daughter he expects while still following my own heart. My own dreams,” she said. “He only wishes me to become a Yora like my mother.”
She closed her eyes and whispered, “I am a warrior. I am a warrior. I am a warrior.”
Anyia is on a quest to find Amoonda. She is a warrior and can teach her everything she knows. With her help Anyia will be able to fight the war with her father and protect the lands and the traditions. You have to finish reading the story to see if Anyia completes her quest.
Note: Parents and Teachers
This is a wonderful adventure for girls and boys. This is a good book to bring about dialogue for family, traditions, growing up and following your heart. There are drawing instructions and puzzles in the back of the book which just add even more fun to this book.
Countercharm 2: Of Stars and Dreams
Countercharm 2: Of Stars and Dreams
by: Cherese A. Vines
ISBN: 0-7414-5602-8
Book Size: 5.5” x 8.5” , 225 pages
Sydnie Knight is reunited with her mother, but her family is incomplete. Believing her long-missing father is still alive, she relies on the stars and her dreams to find him.
After Sydnie Knight called on the stars to destroy the man who terrorized her family, everything should have returned to normal. But as dreams reveal that he may have survived, Sydnie also discovers that she must stay on guard against her mother as well.
Doubt and betrayal darken Sydnie’s heart when her mother, Antoinette, whisks her from home without an explanation. Her only hope against the evil energy threatening to consume her is to find her father.
Can Sydnie change the horrible visions of her future, or will unlimited power seduce her and destroy any hope of reuniting her family?
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Excerpt:
“Neal told me there were no such things as witches,” Sydnie whispered hoarsely.
“Witch! What does that mean? You little brat!” The old woman screeched, turning her now cold, dark eyes toward Sydnie.
The look on Sydnie’s face told the old woman more than she wanted to know.
“Dark magic? Evil?” She hissed. “That’s what you think isn’t it, Little Girl? Well, there are no such things as witches, fairies or genies. It’s not magic. It’s power! It’s the awesome power of the stars, and that’s where you’re going.”
The old woman waved her hand. The wall of light that separated her and Sydnie disappeared.
“It would have been less painful if you had just done as you were told!” The crone continued as she advanced on the girl. “You have no idea what power the stars have. The energy! Only I know how much. I didn’t underestimate you, but you underestimated me.”
Several cylinders of light came down around them. Sydnie started as the searing heat just missed her.
“The stars gave me my power,” the old woman boasted. “So calling on them to help you against me is pointless.” She smiled, causing several lines to form on her smooth skin and finally showing her age.
The girl gulped as she stumbled backward. But she never took her eyes from the shock of white light flowing from the old woman’s hair. Sweat trickled down Sydnie’s forehead and back as if she stood trapped in the cylinders of light instead of outside them. The shear number of beams brought a stifling heat that made Sydnie’s head swim. But somehow she still felt frozen to the bone as she helplessly watched the old woman approach.
Countercharm
Countercharm
by: Cherese A. Vines
ISBN: 0-7414-0708-6
Book Size: 5.5” x 8.5” , 111 pages
Countercharm is an imaginative and captivating story that spins the imagination through a fantastic journey!
Sydnie Knight never knew how much her life would change when her mother sent her to Seattle to stay with her aunt. Upon her first meeting with a strange young man named Ron Andres, she has a foreboding feeling about him. After a series of dreamlike visions, bizarre behavior, and a near-fatal drowning accident, Sydnie is sent to “talk things out” with psychologist Dr. Neal Vaughan. From the doctor, Sydnie learns frightening realizations that only get more fantastic as time goes on. Who can she trust when she finds out her mother is missing and everyone seems to think she’s gone crazy? Including herself.
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Available for purchase at:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
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Excerpt:
They started across to the next street. A few moments later Ron stopped in front of a big house overgrown with weeds. No one seemed to have lived there for years. The green paint was chipped everywhere, and the porch could barely be seen through overgrown vines. Sydnie thought she saw something black scurry across the weeded yard.
“Ron, why did you stop here?” Sydnie asked, squeezing his arm a bit. “What’s here?”
“Let’s go in, Sydnie,” Ron said, his eyes never leaving the house’s dark frame.
“Why do you want to go in there? It’s . . . let’s go Ron.” Sydnie tried to pull him away from the barely visible path leading to the porch. The sky was turning purple, and it would be dark soon. She had to be home.
“Come on Sydnie,” he said turning to look into her brown eyes, as if into her soul. “It won’t take long.”
“But . . . Ron. . . .” Sydnie’s voice trailed off.
She couldn’t think. She felt like she was floating. Slowly, she let Ron lead her down the ragged, weedy path to the house. They made it to the door. Its white paint was chipped with cracks, and it hung on one hinge. Ron touched the doorknob, and the door opened to a beautifully lit hallway. As they stepped into the house the light brightened.
“Ron, where are we?” Sydnie asked tentatively.
Ron only smiled at her as he led her down the dazzling hallway. Sydnie then found herself in a large, brightly lit room. There were many people talking and laughing and dancing. A strange, soft music permeated the room. It was felt more than heard. To Sydnie, it felt like the vibration made from someone humming a lullaby.
The air was warm inside the vast place where candles, blue and green, surrounded the walls on every mantel and wall hangings and on every table. Several large chandeliers hung low from the ceiling, each one made with silver bowls to catch the melting blue wax caused by the large candles they supported. Even though it was warm, the light radiating from the candles was a cold blue flame.
As they neared the center of the great room, Sydnie began to feel warmer and reached to pull off her jacket. Then, for the first time, she noticed that she wore long, brilliantly blue gloves. She also no longer wore khaki pants, but a blue dress that brushed at her ankles as she walked. Looking around, Sydnie found that the people around her were similarly dressed in extravagant blue, turquoise, purple, and black dresses and suits and tuxedoes. Many of the people seemed to blend into the sea-colored walls. Again and again, they disappeared and reappeared with the only things distinguishable being their brown faces.
Sydnie looked back to Ron, only to find that now a woman was leading her by the hand. The woman’s back was to her, but Sydnie noticed something familiar about the way she moved. She wore a blue dress similar to the color Sydnie wore. Her long curly black hair moved against the high neck of the dress. She was slightly taller than Sydnie and seemed to know where they were going, making their movement through the crowd graceful and smooth. Several people spoke to the woman, but, when she answered, Sydnie couldn’t catch what she said. Finally, Sydnie reached up with her free hand and touched the woman’s shoulder. She glanced back at Sydnie.
“Enjoying yourself, Sydnie?” Antoinette smiled.
Sydnie stopped, causing her mother to stop and face her.
“Mama.” Sydnie stared in disbelief at her mother, concentrating on her face, but Antoinette’s image seemed to move in and out of focus.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Antoinette laughed and grabbed Sydnie’s other hand, walking backward through the moving crowd.
“Where are we?” Sydnie demanded. She again felt as if she was about to float away as faces moved around her quickly. Mother and daughter moved toward the center of the room, but the distance seemed a long way to Sydnie.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Antoinette asked again. Sydnie tried to focus on her, but her mother’s face appeared far away, although Sydnie could still feel her leading her by the hands through the people.
“We can be together. I promise,” Antoinette cooed. “Just go to Ronaldis.”
Antoinette suddenly released Sydnie’s hands and was swallowed into the crowd.
“Mama!” Sydnie cried, her eyes darting to every face. She recognized none.
“I’ll take you to her,” Sydnie heard whispered into her ear.
She spun around quickly to see Ron holding his hand out to her. He was dressed in a long-waisted black coat that buttoned to his chin and black pants. In the pocket of his coat was a blue lily. His face looked as if it were glowing blue in the room’s light.
“Where is she?” Sydnie questioned, tense. She looked around again.
“First, dance with me.” Ron pulled Sydnie into his embrace, cupping her palm around one hand and pressing her back with the other.
“I need to find her.” Sydnie looked up at Ron-into his eyes. The swirling depths were there. Soon all thoughts of her mother fled, and she followed his lead around the room. Her eyes became heavy as she and Ron twirled around the floor. Soon her eyes closed, and Sydnie felt herself floating to the hum of a lullaby.
