During a month dedicated to recognizing the accomplishments of women (and girls), I’m excited to review Celeste Rowan, Find the Light by Berkley June Hutson. It’s her debut novel, and the first book in the Celeste Rowan series. Hutson is a fourteen-year-old middle school student from Alabama. She started working on this fantasy when she was twelve. It is appropriate reading for ages 8-18. Adults will enjoy it, too.
After completing her work in progress, she sought out the opinions and services of beta readers and editors before self-publishing. Hutson is also in charge of marketing and promoting her novel.
That’s a lot to take on while juggling school, volleyball, music, and time with friends.
Spoiler alert, she nailed it!
Celeste Rowan, Find the Light features a strong female protagonist in her early teens. It seamlessly blends elements of fantasy younger fans of the genre will enjoy, magic and magical creatures, alternate dimensions, good vs. evil, betrayals, and just a suggestion of romance. Best of all, it has a solid storyline with twists, turns, and relatable characters readers of all ages will enjoy.
It’s refreshing to read a book with a teenage female main character written by a teenage girl. It would have been easy for Hutson to mirror Celeste after herself. They share the same core values, but Hutson chose to dig deeper and allow Celeste to have her own interests, quirks, flaws, and personality.
Celeste lives with her mom in a small conservative town that seems to hate Celeste as much as she hates it. She’s often the target of bullies and gossips because her father abandoned the family when she was a baby… at least that’s what she’s been told.
She has few if any genuine friends, but Celeste sticks up for people being bullied whether they appreciate it or not. It’s a strange compulsion that often gets her in trouble.
On her fourteenth birthday, Celeste meets Will, a mysterious boy in blue, who reveals that she has magical powers. He claims to be on a mission to reunite her with her father who is waiting in another dimension and needs her help. Celeste thinks he’s crazy or trying to prank her, but when the portal opens, she steps inside.
She learns her parents have been kidnapped by Kilmar, an evil shadow figure, who is determined to destroy the universe. Celeste is the only one who possesses strong enough magic to rescue her parents and save the universe. How can she control powers she never knew existed? Celeste’s quest to save her parents is threatened when she discovers the supposed good guys are afraid of her and want to drain her powers.
Will, her only ally, along with his friend Edward and a young pirate might help her save the day, but who can she trust?
I’d love to talk more about her exciting adventures, but I don’t want to spoil the fun of reading this book.
Expect the unexpected. You will not be disappointed.
I predict Berkley June Hutson will have a promising future as a fantasy author, and she will be equally successful in any career she chooses.
She’s currently working on Book 2 of the series.
Her book is available in eBook, paperback, or hardback formats on Amazon, Barnes&Noble.com, Strand Books, and other bookshops.
Find out more about this author at:
https://www.berkleyjunehutson.com
Follow her on:
Instagram@authorberkley.hutson
Facebook @Author Berkley June Hutson