REVIEW: A Story Of Giants By Scarlett Ripley

 

What if I told you that we are not alone, that our world is but one of many, and that Giants walk among us?

Book 1 of the debut fantasy series, A Story of Giants.

Leanna Salinger won't open her heart to anyone beyond her younger sister Violet. Everyone else she loves is gone. But when their internal abilities awaken, the young women discover the truth behind their beloved grandmother’s stories. We are not alone. Our world is but one of many on an infinite string. Those among us called to guard the realms are called Giants.

Join Leanna as she enters their ranks and trains to travel the realm. Leanna is a Warrior Giant, measured not by physical size but by the power of her gifts. Giants, under the supervision of the Council, keep watch over the worlds guided by principles of humility and compassion. Leanna is asked to train with three other newly-emerged Giants under the surly and watchful eye of celebrated Warrior Lieutenant Gyan. As Leanna and her compatriots embark on a multi-world quest to stop insurgent Giants from overthrowing the Council, Leanna must overcome a tragic past which has come to define her and open her heart to the man who loves he

This was a very interesting world to explore and I love the imagination and possibilities that the author presented. There is a lot of world building and idea exploration in this book.

Overall, I enjoyed A Story of Giants. We get introduced to some interesting characters and see some pretty neat worlds. I did struggle with the pace of the book. Sometimes a lot happens, and I want more of the details, but then sometimes the book focuses for a long time on pieces that seem less important to the overall storyline. It makes the book overall feel a little slow to me.

I didn't really connect with any of the characters either. I enjoyed meeting them and I hope the book explores them further. There are quite a few that are intriguing. I also hope that we get a bit more Leanna...I feel her character needs a little more development to help her be consistent.

I enjoyed this well-written fantasy romance! The book is definitely of the young adult variety with some sweet romance mixed in. Leanna makes a fine main character. She is strong yet reserved; loves deeply but trusts few.

I love Nan as a character, too, and wished she had stuck around longer. Truthfully, the first part of the book where Leanna and Violet were young is my favorite. The “strange things” that happen around Leanna are fascinating, as are Nan’s explanations.

4 stars

Scarlett Ripley's series "A Story of Giants" is a fantasy series based on string theory. She loves to blend fantasy, science fiction, adventure, romance, and psychological study in her writing, given her stories a broad appeal beyond traditional fantasy-genre books. All of her writing features strong female protagonists.

In addition to the continuing "A Story of Giants" series, Scarlett is working on a modern-day gothic romance, "Death Knows," among other projects.

Scarlett lives in London, England. Scarlett loves to hear from readers and encourages them to get in touch with her via her website, www.scarlettripley.com.