Book Review Reflection: Thorn of the White Rose (Records of the Ohanzee, #3) by Rachel R. Smith

Reflection: 

Thorn of the White Rose 

(Records of the Ohanzee, #3) 

by 

Rachel R. Smith 

Published May 29th 2016

GoodReads 

Summary
Beware of the spirit that guards the book in the cave.

After fending off an ambush by Senka operatives, Nerissa and her Ohanzee companions seek refuge in the mountain province of Rhea. With the drawbridges raised and the borders secure, they have left the Senka behind for now, but they may have traded one perilous situation for another. Although the third book is in Rhea, it has been hidden deep within an abandoned mine where it is protected by a cunning trap. Retrieving the book means facing both natural and supernatural threats, and Nerissa will learn that crystals hold power far greater than she ever imagined. Meanwhile, Desta, daughter of the renowned seer Shea, reveals that she has begun to have prophetic dreams of her own—and she is not the only member of the group with an awakening talent.

Reflection: Thorn of the White Rose is Book 3 of 4 in the Records of the Ohanzee series, which is written in a serialized style with a story line that flows continuously between books.

Out of the Ashes Rises the Phoenix

We are moving along quite nicely and things are looking more and more interesting. I have been following this series for a while now…I had some pretty difficult things happen in my life so I took a long break from reading. I’m back now and I’m happy to say Nerissa and her band of hero’s were a lovely read. Other than being a little rusty with the review writing my imagination is soaring again and these characters jumped off the pages. Rumor has it there is one more book coming out and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. I will be rushing to get it in my collection once it’s out.

The Story, watch out folks! Things are about to get intense! The prophecy pieces are starting to fall into place and the action is kicking off with a bang. Though not all secrets have been revealed things are getting closer to being resolved. Nerissa is still guarding her identity for the good of her people. She will do what it takes to fulfill the prophecy and restore order to her land. She discovers that aside from being the one to restore order but she also has a special gift…A gift she must learn to use in order to effect change. She isn’t alone Raysel can also yeild this gift; together they will use it to finally put a stop to the tyranny that her land is infected with.

The Characters, as you know Nerissa is my favorite. What you may not know is I’m a sap…like to the max! I loooooooove sugary, sappy, sappy, happy, happy. There seemed to be some blossoming romance but nothing that will knock your socks off or anything like that. The relationship is in the works and I’m only slightly disappointed that it’s not more highlighted. The storyline isn’t about love though; the underlining themes are bravery, honor, discovery and perseverance. I don’t want to spoil who the “guy” is but I’m happy with it. I know his role will be great and I have a feeling the next installment will really show just how amazing he is. We are also introduced to some new characters that I feel will play a vital role in the ultimate show down that’s bound to take place in the final book.

The End, nothing cliffy but it has a nice smooth set up for the next book. Nerissa is working on her craft and on what her feelings mean. Certain possible bad guys have revealed themselves to be good. There are those that hold their cards close so we don’t quite know where they stand but all and all things seem to be coming to a close. I’m very excited about what’s to come. I hope we get a full background of what happened to their people explaining what lead to the fall of civilization and I hope Smith delves into the history. There are several storylines that are going to connect and I can’t wait to see what happens when they do. I know this series isn’t about romance but I sure hope we get some more in the next installment.

My Rating
4.5 There’s nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Answer’s will be revealed and oh my goodness I cannot wait filled stars!

Purchase Through
Amazon 

About the Author 

Rachel R. Smith lives near Cinc

innati, Ohio with her husband and the cutest dog in the world, Sumo. When not writing, she plots to fill the interior of their home with books and mineral specimens and to cover the exterior with roses. Stay up to date on the series and learn more about Rachel by visiting her blog at http://www.recordsoftheohanzee.com or by following Records of the Ohanzee on Facebook.

Book Review: Reflection Harbinger of the Phoenix (Records of the Ohanzee, #2) by Rachel R. Smith

Reflection: 

Harbinger of the Phoenix 

(Records of the Ohanzee, #2) 

Pub September 28th 2015 

ARC for Review 

Summary
The masquerade is over and the masks have been removed. But not everyone’s true face has been revealed…

King Casimer of Marise has assassinated the Royal Family of Chiyo and usurped the throne. He doesn’t know that the Heiress of Chiyo, Nerissa, is still alive and has joined the Ohanzee, a group of guardians who have secretly protected the country for generations. Disguising herself as a young man, Nerissa seeks a way to depose Casimer and restore her country’s independence. An uncanny stroke of luck leads her to the mysterious seer Shae, who has discovered a fragment of an ancient prophecy warning of events that will bring about the end of civilization. And Casimer has already set some of those events into motion.

With the future of not only Chiyo, but all of Renatus at stake, Nerissa and her six Ohanzee companions set out on a journey in search of the remaining fragments, where they will find unlikely allies and uncover new enemies.

Reflection: Harbinger of the Phoenix is Book 2 in the Records of the Ohanzee series, which is written in a serialized style with a story line that flows continuously between books.

There is Something Special in the Heir

Well as you know from my last post regarding the first book in this series. I had already jumped on to the next. Smith stars to really lay out the story in this installment. The characters connect with a very important person that will set everything into motion. The journey is up the cards are dealt and the reader is taken through a wonderful read where we learn more about the pieces of the puzzle. There are more snip-its of a possible romance but nothing concrete. I feel committed to this story and these characters. I look forward to following what happens next yo! This series has played out like a movie in my head and I can’t wait for the next episode.

The Story, Nerissa is still hiding her identity from everyone for the benefit of the kingdom. Although the leaders of her guard want her to be safe in hiding everyone understands the importance of her direct involvement. She is the one the prophecy is speaking of and she is the only one who can discern the authenticity of the clues acquiring all of the books. There are six in total and carefully hidden all throughout the kingdom. Several portions of the prophecy have come to fruition. Some inspire perseverance while others foretell terrible events. One thing is absolutely certain this prophecy is true and Nerissa must do everything she can to ensure the safety of her people. In order to do this she will have to fulfill the prophecy.

The Characters, Nerissa is definitely a girl. Though she dresses like a man and speaks with a man’s voice all of her mannerisms point to her femininity. As I mentioned before there isn’t any romance but there are two candidates that would absolutely be a good choice and one of them has shown a spark of interest. I hope this isn’t spoilery but, Nerissa doesn’t remember the night of the attack but there are hints of the evening at the edges of her memory. She and the crew of guardians that travel together have become great friends. As I said I have an idea of who she is going to end up with but wouldn't be upset if it was someone else.

The End, everything is underway Nerissa and her motley crew are much closer to their goal. They have faced betrayal and close calls together they will find all of the missing pieces and save the kingdom. This didn’t end in a cliffhanger but it does set the next book up quite nicely. Nerissa has always been very special and I look forward to seeing what her full potential holds. Come on NEXT INSTALLMENT!!

My Rating

4.0 This quest is fully underway and soon all the pieces will fall together full Stars!

Purchase Through

Amazon

About the Author

Rachel R. Smith lives near Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and the cutest dog in the world, Sumo. When not writing, she plots to fill the interior of their home with books and mineral specimens and to cover the exterior with roses. Her latest book, Reflection: Harbinger of the Phoenix (Records of the Ohanzee Book 2) is now available. You can stay up to date on the series and learn more about Rachel by visiting her blog at http://www.recordsoftheohanzee.com or by following Records of the Ohanzee on Facebook.