REVIEW: Orison By Brandon Grey

Shunned by the other dryads, Aurianna lives unloved and alone. When a beautiful human named Branson King crashes into a tree and kills her grandmother, the dryads force Aurianna to take an oath that she will find and kill Branson—or die herself. But instead of finding a hardened human heart, Aurianna discovers friendship, affection, and sparks of passion—along with a deadly secret. As her relationship with Branson grows, Aurianna is confronted with a harsh reality: in order to live, she must kill the only person that might ever love her.

This was a unique and intriguing sci-fi fantasy type novel. I really enjoyed this author and his unique take on this amazing world he creates.

A must read if you are into sci-fi, fantasy, or anything different from the normal.

I love when a fantasy novelist can build scenes so real you can feel, smell, and taste as well as see and hear everything. This novel covers all the senses. I also love a novel that leaves no loose ends--happily, everything was tied together well, with enough intrigue left for book two to make me say , "When is it coming out??" Bravo, Brandon Gray!

 I expected that the first few chapters would be a bit of a struggle to read. I was pleasantly surprised to be quickly drawn in by the interesting characters and world the author has created. He also tackled the sensitive topic of young adult attraction and intimate relationships in a way that makes his moral stance very clear without being preachy or overbearing. This book will appeal to all ages, but is an especially important read for older teens and young adults who may be struggling with these same issues. The author is very clear about the feelings and circumstances the two main characters face without becoming uncomfortably explicit. This book is especially important for high school and public libraries.

There is no way for me to decide what character I like  best, the two main characters are both equally amazing.

5 stars

Brandon Gray is the pen name of Braden Bell (Brandon writes YA fiction; Braden writes for middle grades). Braden holds a Ph.D. from New York University. He and his family live on a quiet, wooded lot in Tennessee, where he teaches middle school theatre and music. An experienced performer, Braden enjoys reading, gardening, and long summer afternoons writing in his hammock. His most notable skill is being able to eat a full rack of BBQ ribs with one hand on long drives. If you like middle grade fiction, check out his other Amazon page: amazon.com/author/www.bradenbell.com