Review by Rosemary Wright -- Unbalanced by Courtney Shepard

[Rosemary Wright]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Unbalanced" by Courtney Shepard.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Unbalanced by Courtney Shepard conveys the tale of a secret faith called the “Order.” Headed by “The Four,” four gods, who claim that they maintain balance and harmony in the earth, this secret society fulfills its purpose through a grand master, two masters, and members. The four immortal creatures are threatened by the existence of a set of female quadruplets born every generation with special gifts and therefore hunt the girls to sacrifice them. Together, the quadruplets are easily located, but apart, they can’t be discovered. So, to protect Asha, Ivy, Mere, and Avia, someone in the “Order” separated them shortly after birth, and equipped with elemental powers, they grew up in different parts of the world with Catholic priests as their guardians.

Heroically, these young women manipulate the elements of fire, earth, water, and wind. They are never easy prey for whatever adversaries, and incognizant of what hounds them, they live comfortable lives until certain people try to kill them. Thenceforth their lives revolve around fear, escape, and fighting. Eventually, they come together to seek the reason they are wanted dead. Meeting enemies that later become allies, learning the truth, experiencing the passion of love, and getting separated again, can these sisters be able to face the inevitable battles presented by their destinies?

Having the themes of the power of love and the outcome of betrayal, this fantasy adventure novel mixed with romance is well written and easy to read. Evidently, the plot is fast paced, suspenseful, and unpredictable. Full of high-octane actions, secrets and mysteries, I couldn't resist turning to the next page while I was reading the book. There were some pulse-pounding scenes that made me have goosebumps.

Featuring magic, spells, gun battles, and without unnecessary details, the narrative flows smoothly. Indisputably, the characters of the book are interesting, well developed, and easy to connect with. They have exceptional personalities and physical features. Being described vividly, the four sisters are attractive and likable. Asha, the one with the ability to invoke and control fire, is the focal character of the story. She is brave, resilient, quick-tempered, and dynamic. Even though the details given about the secondary characters are limited, they are sufficient for a reader to understand and relate with the personae. My best character is Mere, the one that commands water. She is as strong and courageous as her sisters, but she is warm, sweet, and understanding.

Asha and her sisters met four brothers, who have similar powers to theirs and were trained exclusively to eliminate them. Ironically, she and one of the brothers fell in love with each other, and a hot love affair commenced. The romantic aspect of the narration was shallow. I guess the author should have added more details about the relationship because I saw physical attractions mostly. Though the book ended on a cliffhanger, it was a satisfactory read, and being the first installment of the Unbalanced series, this plot device will make readers anxious for the next novel. Inescapably, I detected a couple of grammatical errors, which are not obvious. I found them because I was looking out for them.

In conclusion, since this novel is captivating and professionally edited, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars and hence recommend it for adults who enjoy reading fantasy adventures involving romance, magic, and gunfights.

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Unbalanced
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Like Rosemary Wright's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Ashiyya Tariq]

The story of this novel is so strange. Well, every thing is possible in fiction. Thanks for your critical review.

[CommMayo]

This sounds like an really intriguing read. I'm wondering if their will be four books in this series...one for each sibling to pair off?