Talisman Of El (Talisman of El #1) by Alecia Stone

Charlie Blake keeps having nightmares, one so brutal it involved murder. He has been having them for four years. He has no clue what is going on and just wants a normal life. Soon he begins to find out and a normal life doesn't seem possible. He and his new friends are about to embark on an adventure only heard of in urban legends.

The story is original a cross between time-travel/fantasy/sci-fi. The characters are well developed. Charlie is very likable as well as his friends. There is action, adventure, thrills and suspense. Overall I found Talisman Of El enjoyable and recommend to Young adult as well as adult readers. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. The story is interesting and it’s easy to read. I love author’s writing style. The only problem I have with this book is about characters development. Charlie is kid with a lot of problem and somehow, he’s pretty mature. It may be because of all the problems, but it’s just hard to believe. Alex is great in the beginning but later she become jealous teen and that’s annoying but great because it’s easier to believe. I would love to learn something more about Darkein. His character is great but there are some missing pieces. The same is with Richmond, he’s fun and interesting but I would like to know more about his background. Arcadian characters are much better developed, not because we have more information on them or something like that, but because we know about them what we need to know and nothing more or less.
As I said, I have some minor problems with this book but they can be all solved in sequels. And I can’t wait to read them. ( )

A little while back, I entered a contest to win an ARC of this book, and to my surprise, two weeks later, I received the email that I had won one. I was very excited, as I never win contests and giveaways, so I was pleasantly surprised to get this one. Then, I was worried. What if I don’t like it? What if it is hard for me to get into and read? I have never read an ARC before, so what do I do if there are glaring editing errors that I cannot get past?

As I sat down to read, my fears were quickly allayed. The Talisman of El is an interesting, plot filled story that probably fits well into the category of coming-of-age, young adult fantasy fiction.

I was instantly drawn to the main character of Charlie, an orphaned boy whose whole life changes in the blink of an eye, and he embarks on an adventure and a journey of self-discovery unlike any other. In a sense, it is a story that most, if not all, teens can relate to: Feeling like you don’t fit into the world around you. The caveat, of course, is that in Charlie’s case, that is entirely true.

As you journey with the characters, you see what they see, hear what they hear, and experience what they experience. Alecia Stone does an excellent job of showing us what the characters are going through. Many authors make the mistake of TELLING us what the character is feeling/seeing/hearing/doing. That was not the case in this delightful novel.

While I personally felt that there were a few gaps in the plot at the end, and some parts seemed like they might have been a little disjointed, I still felt that the story was enjoyable, realistic and relatable. I definitely look forward to more to come from this up and coming author, and cannot wait to see what happens next to Charlie and his friends in the next installment. Hey, Ms. Stone, there is going to be another installment, right? ( )

A little while back, I entered a contest to win an ARC of this book, and to my surprise, two weeks later, I received the email that I had won one. I was very excited, as I never win contests and giveaways, so I was pleasantly surprised to get this one. Then, I was worried. What if I don’t like it? What if it is hard for me to get into and read? I have never read an ARC before, so what do I do if there are glaring editing errors that I cannot get past?

As I sat down to read, my fears were quickly allayed. The Talisman of El is an interesting, plot filled story that probably fits well into the category of coming-of-age, young adult fantasy fiction.

I was instantly drawn to the main character of Charlie, an orphaned boy whose whole life changes in the blink of an eye, and he embarks on an adventure and a journey of self-discovery unlike any other. In a sense, it is a story that most, if not all, teens can relate to: Feeling like you don’t fit into the world around you. The caveat, of course, is that in Charlie’s case, that is entirely true.

As you journey with the characters, you see what they see, hear what they hear, and experience what they experience. Alecia Stone does an excellent job of showing us what the characters are going through. Many authors make the mistake of TELLING us what the character is feeling/seeing/hearing/doing. That was not the case in this delightful novel.

While I personally felt that there were a few gaps in the plot at the end, and some parts seemed like they might have been a little disjointed, I still felt that the story was enjoyable, realistic and relatable. I definitely look forward to more to come from this up and coming author, and cannot wait to see what happens next to Charlie and his friends in the next installment. Hey, Ms. Stone, there is going to be another installment, right? ( )

Take a talisman with the four elements: earth, wind, water, and fire. Add Arcadia, believed to be another world in the center of the Earth. Add a boy and friends searching for answers. And you have suspense, mystery, monsters, and people that are not what they seem.

Author Alecia Stone’s YA fantasy novel, TALISMAN OF EL: BOOK ONE, opens with a boy named Derkein’s father placing a talisman around his son’s neck and then vanishing. The story flashes to another boy, fourteen-year-old Charlie Blake. Charlie, an orphan, lives with Jacob, his guardian, who Charlie hopes will adopt him. That is until weird things start happening, and Charlie discovers the real Jacob. The author has woven mystery, adventure, surprises, and danger into a story that will keep you guessing what happens next.

Charlie, along with Derkein (still wearing the talisman), and other friends are soon on a search to find the entrance to the Garden of Eden that some believe lies at the center of the Earth in another world called Arcadia. Charlie has a lot of questions. What does the talisman have to do with him? Does Arcadia actually exist? If so, can they find it? What then?

Will Charlie find the answers?
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