Helm of Awe

This is the first book I have read by the author, so I am not familiar with the previous two books in the series. That being said, I enjoyed the novel very much. I love young adult fantasy, and ones that also include a lesson without knowing you are learning a lesson are even better. There were definite vibes to a similar young adult novel series (The Hunger Games) at the beginning of the book, but the author was able to differentiate it enough that it didn't feel stale. And, throughout the series, there are many lessons and growth developments that the characters (but especially the main one, Val) go through and it makes it for an extremely good read.

Vanessa Cross is back another year later and another year wiser, or at least she hopes so, but when she is the last of her teammates in the yearly Jaychund games and is confronted by the last team member on the opposing side, Vanessa experiences a surge of anger against the outsider who has barged in and taken what should have been hers, the winners circle. Vanessa is frustrated by this loss and is compounded by the needling comments her stepmother keeps making towards her loss in the games, compounded with her happy, secret boyfriend and Vanessa’s lack of one, but this just keeps Vanessa in a state of anger which pushes away all those around her, especially her best friend and her ex-boyfriend who seem to be getting closer by the day. Another thing irking her is that her boyfriend, the Balish crown prince Ferox, hasn’t spoken to her for ages and she has no idea why, so she plans on going up to the Living world early to confront him and find out why, she tries not to think about the fact that she also hasn’t spoken to him, so she decides on a plan of action and attempts to carry it out.<br /><br />Unfortunately, her superiors are having none of it and refuse her request, but Vanessa bends the rules to breaking point and ends up going anyway, but this only leads to more questions when she is briefed about her summer and it is not to Vanessa’s liking at all. This leads to arguments and in the end they have to open up to Vanessa and give her the details about the goings on in the Living world and how the dangers to her life have increased. More of the Balish people have become sick with the virus which hit the whole of the upper worlds last year, but more than that, an old enemy has returned and is seemingly a part of the family again, but this doesn’t have the desired affect on Vanessa and she still insists on going and in the end, they acquiesce to her request, but not without conditions.<br /><br />As the mission starts and her team has been assembles, the journey starts to head deep into Balish territory to fix another of the ancient seals, however, Vanessa is feeling a pull in another direction and tries her hardest to complete, even though her powers are on the fritz and she is struggling to access them. When she slips up and breaks a minor Balish rule, she ends up in another different set of games and her life just becomes more complicated as she has to battle for survival again, but will she prevail, or will this be the end of her and her team? In another action packed adventure, this fantastical journey continues with more twists, turns, danger and intrigue than ever as assassins, old enemies and the royal family combine to make this journey a treacherous one. <br />

Book three of this series starts off with Van hiding in a wooded area, taking cover while she determines her next move in the Jaychund Games.  As the Anchoress and a senior, she is the final contestant remaining in the games except for the unwanted guest, Suixsha.  <br /><br />As the author described the importance of the games, the cameras in the trees and the event being streamed for everyone to see, I truly felt a bit of a Hunger Game vibe.  Van over-analyzed the situation as usual and allowed her emotions to get the best of her.  So upon coming face to face with her opponent, Suixsha, she allowed her anger to control her and Suixsha took advantage.  <br /><br />Of course, book three could not be complete without sending Van off onto another mission, all while she tries to deal with her internalized feelings for the Balish prince, Ferox and seeing her BFF Paley, endlessly and shamelessly flirting with her ex, Brux.  Bloodline legacies, Elemental rules, a heavy hand of fate and Grigori warrior expectations are a lot for Van to shoulder on top of the fact that she remains a typical emotional and hormonal teenager.  <br /><br />I know fluffy little Wiglaf does not receive enough attention in this series, but can we all agree that having a cute little Wiglaf of your own would be incredible?<br /><br />Van experiences visions or internal discussions with the spirit, Jacynthia, who ultimately behaves like a guiding light when it comes to dealing with her feelings or questions regarding the circumstances of her life.  She provides Van with honest and true guidance without telling her specifically what she should do, allowing Van to make her own decisions.    <br /><br />The author provided us with a great delivery of imagery, plot, and character building in this book.  I truly hope she continues to write books within this series because I’m enjoying the characters and the action thus far.  Each book of this series has been page turners and captivates you from the start.  I think this is my favorite book so far although I think that after reading each one.  They continue to get better and better, if that is possible.  <br /><br />I enjoyed this book and am bummed that I finished it.  Until book number 4?  Fingers crossed.<br /><br />I give this book 5 of 5 stars!

This is the 3rd book in the Anchoress series and they just keep getting better and better. The author's growth of the characters and their relationships is really good and the reader feels like they have grown as the characters develop. The world's the author creates are magical but also seem so realistic.<br /><br />We are back with Van and her friends as they go on the missions every summer to find the sacred items of creation. This time Van needs to find the staff with the flame. However her boss has other ideas. She doesn't want Van to go off searching. She needs her to go and stop the increase in demons and figure out why the shield protecting their World seems to be failing. <br />After completing in the Jaychund Games and failing Van starts to have doubts about her abilities but when she breaks a rule in the Balish territory she finds herself placed in another round of games. How is that fair?<br />Add to this Van having to watch her friend and ex boyfriend flirting at every opportunity and her crush on the Balish Prince can Van keep her focus long enough to complete her mission and solve the mystery around the third seal. Or will the distractions prove to much and with the additional worry or a virus and enemies out to get even with her she doesn't know who she can trust and who only has her back to stab her in it.<br />

I really hope I don’t have to wait long for the next installment to come out, I haven’t been able to think about much else other than this series and Van’s world since I started reading about them last month. One of the things I love most about this series is that you never really know what’s coming next. It appears Van and her crew have sorted things out, both with their internal and external/physical struggles, and the next thing you know, there is more! Not overwhelmingly so, but the perfect amount to keep this reader on the edge of her seat. My favourite quote from this novel (without ruining anything) should be taken into consideration by all, in my opinion: “Anger incites ego. Without control of your anger, any move is premature and will bring disaster. Anger is not a source of power.”<br /><br />In this third installment, we spend a lot of time out of the groups comforts of home, or their territory, and Van quickly realizes that she is not always going to be the strongest, smartest, or most clever, and that that is okay. I love how these novels build on the idea that teamwork makes the dream work and that first impressions aren’t always the end all be all. A job well done by this author, once again, and I will be refreshing all my sources in hopes that the next adventure comes sooner rather than later. Highly recommend!<br />

5 Stars<br /><br />Helm of Awe is the third book in the Anchoress Series by D.L. Armillei. I have loved every book in this wonderful series, and this story was no exception. After enjoying the previous two books so much, I had high expectations for this story. I am happy to say that Ms. Armillei didn’t let me down, delivering everything I could have hoped for, and more. That’s not to say there weren’t a few tense moments that had me a bit worried though. <br />As with the previous two books, this is a young adult fantasy- another adventure full of magic, demons, past enemies, a deadly plague, royal politics/agendas, assassins, set ups, threats, mystical beings/creatures, witches and wizards, dramatic developments, obstacles, good vs evil, mystery, and more.<br />Van’s quest finds her seemingly up against impossible odds. How can she succeed when fate seems so intent on throwing her one curve ball after another. Making things even more daunting is the fact that her powers are a bit unreliable. What happens makes for another captivating adventure.<br />I can’t wait to see where we go from here. What does Ms. Armillei have in store for us next? It’s sure to be fantastic!!!<br />Happy Reading !<br /><br />Thank You, D.L. Armillei!<br />

This was an amazing read! I really bonded well with these characters! I fell in love over and over again, the characters were easy to love. As well, the plot was beyond anything I would have expected. I had not read the previous books in the series, but was able to follow, but will for sure be reading them now though!<br /><br />The story was written with very much intelligence. I enjoyed the author and how they wrote and created the story. I was swept into the task at hand. Val was great, you could tell she came a long way it seemed since from the beginning. I loved her courageous side, and she was the one who never gave up, despite anything going on. The other characters surrounding her were just as amazing. i loved how they seemed to all be one another's rock. I loved how the story progressed , as well as a lot of time I did not know what to expect. The suspense was kept up well. I really enjoyed this book, in fact, I loved it!<br /><br />Highly recommend this book. It was very well written, and the author knew how to keep the reader interested. I loved the writing style of the author as well. This is a must read!

Being the third book in the series, I don’t want to give too much away with any more of a synopsis than the author gives. I had quickly made my way through the first two books and was eager to continue the journey with Van into her third year of missions. This third installment did not disappoint with all the depth and growth as the first two.<br /><br />D.L. Armellei does a fantastic job at balancing out the narrative so, as a reader, you can enjoy this book as a standalone or as the continuation of the series. I appreciate that even into the third book, there is more world-building that occurs so it doesn’t just feel like a lot of repeating. As a lover of the YA and Fantasy genre, this entire series fits in perfectly alongside some of the better-known series (eg. Hunger Games, Divergent, Percy Jackson, etc.) without feeling like another stereotypical teen drama.<br /><br />I would highly recommend this book as a standalone for anyone wanting to dip their toes in the YA Fantasy genre. I’d recommend the entire series to anyone who already enjoys YA and Fantasy, and is ready to step into a whole new world that tickles your senses as somehow familiar and entirely new.<br />

Helm of Awe is a heart-pounding Book 3 that throws Van and her team into danger from all sides. Van struggles to come to terms with Suixsha, the girl who out-maneuvered her in the Jaychund games, and continues to baffle and irritate her. Suixsha is a woman of few words, but her inner calm and startling prowess in battle leave Van feeling insecure and annoyed. However, the Alignment waits for no one, so Van tries to focus on her mission, and not her rival, or her long-distance boyfriend, or the curse that awaits her in adulthood. Once again, she must quiet her inner demons, release fears that aren't serving her, and act with integrity and compassion for all people. Her spiritual/psychological transformations in these books are well thought-out, and accompanied with exciting plot developments.<br /><br />The scene in the cave was so well done, with so much coming at our heroine at once. I also really liked the parts with the family of animals she rescued. Great book, great series, great fantasy!

Helm of Awe (Anchoress Series Book 3) by D.L. Armillei. This is an amazing series and I loved this book as much if not more than the other 2. I highly suggest reading the first two book to get a better understanding of the characters and plot. We meet Vanessa Cross again and she's a year older and a little wiser. She has come in last in the Jaychund games and is highly frustrated with that. She is also struggling to get her powers to work correctly. The next mission is ready to head out and she's not on the team but you know Van she doesn't let that stop her. She is gone before they know it and this mission is taking them deep into Balish territory. She is also secretly dating the Balish Crown Prince Ferox and he has been ghosting her. She is determined to find out why Ferox is avoiding her, get her powers under control and get them out of this mission alive. This book is full of romance, mystery ad fantasy.