This was a really cool YA fantasy. I would definitely recommend it for the younger crowd but there was lots in there for older adults who also enjoy YA books. Very interested to see more from this author.

I received this free eARC novel from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This has been on my TBR pile for so long, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. I really enjoyed the storyline and seeing the characters change throughout the story was a great character development. The plot was great and kept my attention. I'm glad I got the chance to read this and will be on the lookout for more in the future!

This was a great start to a teen fantasy series. The main character, Nara, and her best friend Mykel had a beautifully written friendship. The world building is what makes this story so great. The beginning was a bit slow, but soon I found myself completely captivated by the story and the characters.

Looking for Dei was an interesting read, though I'll confess that I didn't end up loving it nearly as much as I had hoped. Still, I don't regret reading it. Not even for a moment.

This was a very fun book to read. Nara is a girl with mysterious powers. Throughout the book we go on her journey as she learns what her powers mean and how she can use them to save the people she loves. I really liked this story. There were very interesting characters and beautiful world building. 4/5 stars!

I read this a while ago and I have to say that it's pretty good, but not great. I like everything in there to do with fantasy and magic. I just think the characters could have been written a little bit better. Good book. 8/10.

Looking for Dei is a well written and thoroughly enjoyable page turning YA fantasy book! I enjoyed the classic fantasy elements (in the magical sense and otherwise) that was very reminiscent of classic fantasy books for all ages.

In a world where having magical abilities is the ultimate decision factor of a person’s fate, the day of the announcement ceremony is not the most highly anticipated occasion for the young youths who must undergo this trial. But when Nara must choose between hiding her abilities or to save a life, her world turns upside down and brings her on an epic quest.

A world-building novel that draws upon the fine line between light and dark, Willson’s novel dares to explore the boundaries that many fantasy novels refuse to enter and opens up a new world like none before.

Full Review on Bookmark Your Thoughts Blog: https://bookmarkyourthoughts.blog/2018/05/24/book-review-looking-for-dei-by-david-a-willson/

Wonderful characters and great world building make for really enjoyable story.
It may be for teens but I just could not put this down.
Give me more.

Looking For Dei by David A. Wilson is an interesting new high fantasy read with a believable storyline and an impressive world-setting. I was pulled into the story right from the start and was kept engaged till I hit the middle part of the story, and that was when I kind of hit a brick wall. After about 45% I started to struggle because of the pacing, which was pretty good until that point but then suddenly slacked and the story started to feel like a drag. Fortunately, after a while, the pacing picked up again (albeit a bit slowly) and I was happy to reach the end of the story without any further pacing issues. The story picked up in the ending again and overall I was glad that I picked this read.

I was fortunate enough to get this book in both the formats – e-book from NetGalley and audiobook from Audiobookworm. I started this with the e-book but when I got the audio, obviously I listened to the entire story because that just saved me a hell of a lot of time! Also, the narration was pretty good and I loved the different variation the narrator used especially of the old crone, Ann.

I’d recommend this book to all the fantasy lovers, and even to those who rarely read fantasy and are looking for a new fantasy series to explore.

Nara Dall is a twin separated from her sister as a very small child. Raised in a small hamlet by a fatherly old monk, she knows nothing of her past nor does she understand why she is being told to hide her magical powers. She does know that if and when one's magical powers are discovered, they can mark a person as "blessed" or "cursed," and the person's fate will vary accordingly. Are these god-given gifts from Dei or do they carry the potential for evil? How does it all fit in with a prophesy about "The Twins"?

The story takes place in a fictitious world, but this is not a dystopia. Magical people face risks from those who would take advantage of their powers and capabilities, but society itself is a reasonable place. Learning more about the land and its people was interesting but did not overwhelm the story so that it was possible to concentrate on the characters. Nara, her friend, Mykel, and the old monk show their true natures over time, as do the other characters who become critical to Nara and the people she cares about.

My biggest fear was that I would be left hanging regarding Nara's expected reunion with her twin, but that did not occur. At the same time, their reunion exposes new sources of tension, and plenty of opportunity was left for a sequel. I'm not sure I would read the sequel as I have a pretty good idea what will happen, but I did enjoy this book and how believably the reunion of the sisters was portrayed.

Looking for Dei is a fantasy novel in a classic style, with a Chosen One, a loving mentor, a journey, and a quest, but it feels fresh. This is partly down to the inventive magic system, which involves a complex mix of innate talent, faith, and learning, rather than being flashy spells cast by grey-bearded wizards. The world-building is quiet and well-articulated, and the author allows the reader to learn by seeing the world in action - there are no infodumps here! The writing itself can be clumsy and overwrought in places towards the start, but gets simpler, with a better flow, as you progress through the book. The author has a lot of promise, but this feels very much like a debut novel.

Nara, Mykel, and Kayna, the younger characters of the book, are particularly well-written, and the reader often gets insights into their psychological flaws when seeing things from their viewpoints. Nara and Kayna are distinct opposites, but not in a cartoonish way - they are both nuanced individuals. Once Kayna had been introduced, I found myself racing to get back to her chapters, because I enjoyed her character so much.

This would be a great read for someone looking for a YA fantasy that tends more to the classic high fantasy tradition than the current trend for dystopia.

Nara lives in a small, poor village called Dimmitt with her adoptive father Bylo. Nara knows that she possesses strange powers but her father will not tell her anything about where she came from. Soon her best friend Mykel and herself will have to attend the announcement ceremony and be tested for magical gifts. She is terrified about what they might find in her. A gifted hasn’t been uncovered in her village for decades and when Nara discovers why, she takes it upon herself to set things right.

This is a creative storyline filled with good versus evil, gifted talents, secrets and more. Wilson crafts interesting characters in this young adult adventure. Nara is loyal to a fault and will stop at nothing to help those that she loves. Mykel is devoted and in love with Nara and will give anything to keep her safe. This well-written book is the first in what I hope continues to be a successful series.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book. The world in the book is interesting, the magic system, the religion , the politics and the world building is good . The main character Nara was so naïve at first ,which isn’t suprising because she has been sheltered in her little village all her life and everyone around her wants to protect her. But as the story progresses she grows , having a sort of subtle strength and becoming even stronger in the use of her magic, facing bitter truths and fighting for what she believes in. Many characters were introduced in this book but they weren't forgettable, I especially liked the mysterious old woman. I loved the action and the plot is intriguing though it was a little predictable and cliché. The plot got intense in the last part of the book and it ended without a cliffhanger but leaves you wanting to know what's next for Nara and see how the prophecies play out in the next book.

There is some romance in this book but it rests mostly in the background as the focus was more on the bonds between friends and family, magic and how things aren't always what they seem.

It took a while to get used to the switching point of views . It felt like I was watching a tv series where the scenes got changed abruptly at first but I realized that the different points of view were necessary to tell the story fully which would not have been possible with just Nara's point of view. The story was told from the point of view of the protagonists and antagonists revealing their back stories and motives. There were also some information dumps here and there but overall I enjoyed reading this book and i look forward to the next one and i recommend it to all lovers of young adult fantasy.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Netgalley in Exchange for a honest review.
Full review on my blog

So, this book just never did grab me at all.
I was uninterested in the characters shortly after they were introduced, the plot didn't feel very thought out to me. It's written like it's part of a series, but I didn't see any other books on the author's Goodreads page.
I was never able to really picture the world, and the magic system I personally don't think was explained very well.
This book had potential, but everything just felt a little dull to me, nothing grabbed my attention. The characters, the world, the setting, the magic system, all of was just average to me.

I found the cover on this absolutely breathtaking which is why I wanted it. I'm a sucker for beautiful covers. This book did intrigue me, but it didn't engage me as much. Not a bad book, and I am glad that I have read it. I'm felt at points that I was getting "info dumps" which could have been handled in a better way. It feels a bit flat and dragged out because of this, but this does change. I found that Dara is a likeable character and def one I'd be friends with.

Stars: 3.75

A good book.(3.5stars) it held my attention for the whole book and the storyline was good. My favourite POV was Nara and Mykel. It is good ya fantasy novel and i would read more books with these characters in it

I couldn't get into this story, I tried really hard, but it wasn't for me. I would put the story down for a while, come back, and start again, but still nothing. I couldn't connect with the characters, the writing, or the story.

Looking for Dei has a lot of great world building. Not only do we get some beautiful descriptions of the places we visit, there's an emphasis on history, religion and a strong magic system thats easy to understand. We also don't have the typical blind faith in religion that fantasy books often portray, there's doubt from some characters. Plus, some characters out right deny their faith in the god they are 'supposed' to worship. The same goes for the magic system, which is used very differently between characters. Even those with similar intentions seem to have their own nuances when using their powers. 

The problem with all this world building was that sometimes Wilson was overly descriptive. There were a few times where information was just dumped into a few paragraphs, and I wish this could have been more integrated within the story. There was also a lot of talking between characters to explain things, which is fine when done in small amounts. But sometimes it was too much in one time from one character. 

The different POV's did help bring other views to the book, outside of Nara's. This was good for a few reasons. I personally didn't like Nara, and didn't find her to be a strong character. She spent most of her time being babied and protected by male characters. When she does eventually get strong enough to protect herself and loved ones, I could argue that she was then overpowered. Which may be problematic for the next book in the series.

The POV of Vorrick was great as we got to see what the antagonist was planning to do. But he was made into a character that we are meant to feel sympathetic towards. This was difficult as later on he seems to just be an 'evil' person who only cares for power. His backstory is sad but his actions make him into the bad guy very clearly. He's not exactly a morally grey person. I did enjoy that he had insecurities and fears as the bad guy and we got to see this as a reader. 

I also found that the ended dragged on and on a bit. It was an ending, and then another ending, and then a little epilogue kind of finish. I get that it was made to wrap up some finishing plot points and to lead on to the next book, but at that point I was completely ready for the book to end. 

Overall, I think the book is a fun read, but it does have quite a few issues that you would expect from a debut. I would recommend to any fantasy fans as it's a great world, but it's a short book and couldn't be classed as a high or epic fantasy read. 

POSITIVES
+ Different POV's including antagonists

+ World building and magic system

NEGATIVES
– Ending dragged

– Poor character building

I received Looking for Dei by David A Wilson from the publisher via Netgalley. This is an unbiased and honest review

Looking for Dei by David A Wilson starts out with a childhood memory and I’m hoping that means good things are to come. But…the old man…

Mykel and Nara are best friends. Would he like more? Maybe, but he is patient young man. With his scar, he feels inferior, but she doesn’t pay any attention to it. After all, her is bigger, though hidden.

Bylo, her sort of father, loved her, raised her and helped keep her secret. He brought her to Dimmit to hide her, protect her. The announcement exposes them…I knew that would happen, but now what. Is flight the only option? Leave everyone and everything they have ever known?

Our journey has begun, and at twenty eight percent in my Kindle, I see the evil coming their way.

When I first started reading Looking for Dei by David A Wilson, I wondered why I grabbed this ARC for review. Was it just the pretty cover? lol I am a sap for a pretty cover. As I began reading, I found out why. My curiosity and desire for Nara, Mykel and Bylo’s journey made me feel better.

Betrayal won’t stop them, and sometimes things are not as they appear. People can and do change. And love…does it conquer all?

Lots of action happening on many fronts. I wonder what will happen when all the characters come together. Will the bad characters stay bad? Is there no leeway for, at least, some of them to do the right thing?

Looking for Dei by David A Wilson did not go the way I thought it would, but I did enjoy the story and the characters. Is there a happy ever after? I always want to think so. I got into the romance and magic, but I felt no sense of urgency, even when I knew danger was coming. If you are a reader of young love, magic, mystery and danger, this may be one for you.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Looking for Dei by David A Wilson.