In The Seven Stones, prehistoric-era siblings Kadya and Ruark are thrown into a desperate struggle for survival. The teens’ once peaceful world crumbles as violence and greed consume their village. They are left searching for answers and their missing family. With only whispers of an ancient legend to guide them, they embark on a perilous journey through the wilderness, where a mysterious gemstone holds the key to their fate.

Kadya and Ruark’s quest includes many exciting adventures that are accessible to young readers. Their foraging for food, finding shelter, and navigating an unforgiving landscape rife with hostile invaders will keep young readers turning pages. However, the lack of character development, the generic wilderness setting, and a weak thematic core might leave parents and teachers wanting a bit more.

The story is filled with death-defying climbs, harrowing kidnappings, and encounters with the mystical. However, the author turns the audience’s attention elsewhere when the action becomes intense or a character seems on the verge of a meaningful transformation. While the author does bring the plot to a satisfying conclusion, several other elements of the story feel a bit unfinished. I recommend this book for readers 12 and up who enjoy an easy-to-read action adventure.

"The Seven Stones" is a pre-historic adventure featuring siblings Kadya and Ruark as they embark on a quest to find their missing family. Guided by mysterious gemstones, they navigate treacherous landscapes and face numerous challenges. The premise of ancient secrets and the symbolism of each stone add an intriguing layer to the story.

While the concept is promising, the execution falls short. The narrative can be difficult to follow due to abrupt shifts in perspective and a lack of emotional depth. The adventure elements are present, but the storytelling feels rushed and doesn't fully capture the tension and excitement. Overall, "The Seven Stones" has potential but needs more refinement to truly shine.

The Seven stones by Kimberly is a fictional book thst portrays ones resilience, coming of age and hope.This is portrayed by the protagonists Ruark and kadrya who have come to find that everything that is home has been destroyed. But they still keep their hopes up which pays dividend as they find that not all is lost.
The author was able to take us through the emotions of each character without it being forced.The book's length was efficient as the author was able to pass her intended message fully.
There were no negatives for me.
I would recommend it to anyone who will be interested

Seven stones have been scattered through the land and now Roark and Kadya are looking for them.
This book was intended for a middle grade or younger teen, however it is really hard to read. It feels like it needed another read through edit. I liked the idea of this story, but it just didn’t come together in a way that made sense.
First of all we have no idea whey they are even looking for the stones and other than it adds a bit of adventure to the story the stones didn’t play a big part in the story. You could take that part out and the story would never change.
The writing is stiff and shifts from one person to another in a very jarring way making it hard to follow and hard to connect to the characters. Everything is brushed over in a very fast way so that even the action scenes are boring with no emotion and no tension.
I really wanted to like this story, but it just didn’t work for me.

The Seven Stones by Kimberley Ashley is an early middle grade novel set in the distant past. After an attack that destroys their village and separates their family, our main characters must find a way to survive and reunite. They are guided on this quest by seven ancient stones, each standing for a noble quality such as peace, empathy, and courage. The story serves as a good reminder to all of us about what's still important in our own lives centuries later.

Filled with likable characters, adventure, and a family that will do anything to reunite; this book would appeal to young readers just delving into the world of chapter books. The plot is not complicated or completely flushed out, but in light of the message it's trying to get across, that's okay.

Bottom line: if you enjoy a book with a strong moral compass or that teaches a lesson, and you like reading about ancient people and the way they lived with a slight bit of magic or fantasy thrown in; The Seven Stones might be a book for you.