The Thrice-Gifted Child (Book Two in the Shadow Journey Series)

The Thrice-Gifted Child by Jo Allen Ash is the second entry in the Shadow Journey series and it takes off where book one ended. Sixteen-year-old desert warrior, Grace Irese, has successfully escaped from the juvenile prison together with Duncan Oaks. With Carina and Mika they face terrifying challenges and enemies, after rescuing the enigmatic child — Duncan's sister, Resa. The tyrant who has condemned Duncan and Grace to the juvenile facility is still after them but the world they navigate is equally frightening. With Resa showing strange symptoms and uncontrollable tempers and Carina risking to subdue whatever is boiling within Resa, can Grace and her companions survive the odds that await them in the unforgiving world with powerful and fierce enemies?

Jo Allen Ash is a gifted storyteller who creates characters that readers will enjoy. Grace is a fighter whose sense of responsibility for her companions grows stronger through every step they make. She also makes decisions that put them to danger, but she will go to any length to ensure they are safe. Her friendship with Duncan, the con-artist, continues to grow through every obstacle. Carina has a unique gift and it is interesting to notice how much effort she puts in to protect Resa. The world building is exceptionally accomplished. It is a planet infested with dangerous creatures and warring factions and the sense of impending doom fills the pages of this narrative and builds the suspense. The wild world beyond the prison walls is stunningly depicted and readers quickly understand that the characters traverse a landscape of the survival of the fittest. The use of the first-narrative voice is a brilliant narrative device that makes the POV strong and the narrative engrossing. The author deftly balances stellar storytelling with strong characterization to deliver a wonderful entertainment to fans of YA Fantasy. The Thrice-Gifted Child reads even better than the first book.