I usually don’t read much YA, only because lately my interests are in the realm of poetry and science-fiction, but reading this was no effort at all.  Ambrosia Chronicles is one of those high fantasy young adult novels that seem to be really popular these days.  I’d heard some really good buzz about this and I wasn’t disappointed.  If you’ve ever been a fan of Greek mythology, this is certainly the kind of series you want to read.  While Percy Jackson is all well and good, Simos is a Greek author herself and that background filters heavily into the story.  She has a way of immersing the reader in this fantasy realm that’s just beside our own.

Simos, in The Discovery, doesn’t toss the reader unnecessarily into some incomprehensible events.  What I really enjoyed about the first book was that Simos took the time to develop the characters we would grow attached to.  She brought us in gradually – the same way the main character, Alex, is brought into some very strange events later on in the story.  The relationship between Alex and Ian is developed rather nicely in the first novel.  Ian is Alex’s childhood crush, and when they run into each other again, Alex is suddenly brought into a secret world.  There are secret organizations and mythical ties and Simos does a great job of making it reality-adjacent.  The element of fantasy is there but it’s not so far away that I wasn’t able to imagine the world Simos painted.

In The Initiation Simos’ lead, Alex, is suddenly on the run after she’s accepted the role she’s been given.  The fantasy element is much more present now that Alex is enveloped in an adventure she doesn’t have a lot of control over.  The second novel is fast-paced and the writing is brilliant, particularly for a YA novel.  Alex becomes even more complex, and the questions she starts to face are many.  

Simos has done an excellent job with this series so far – and having read an advance copy of the third novel, The Curse, I can tell you that Simos is going to take her readers on a breathtaking adventure to rival the most popular YA out there.  What I enjoyed was that Alex didn’t fit into a trope, she didn’t fit into a box that often YA characters get drawn into.  She was multi-layered and realistic, dimensional and intelligent.  There wasn’t a time where I wasn’t able to see Alex as a real person.  Simos has a way of writing her characters on multiple levels that is sometimes subtle and really refreshing.I enjoyed this series quite a lot.  

Simos is an excellent author and this is a thrilling debut for her as a YA author.

Book 1 Review

WOW!! Ambrosia Chronicles: The Discovery is an absolute must have for the fantasy lover. There is a hint of romance, magic, mystery, suspense and intrigue. It is the story of Alex who is going to school in Birmingham to be a lawyer. One day she runs into a classmate from grade school, Ian. He introduces her to his roommate Shan. One day she feels as though she has upset Shan and follows him to apologize when he is attacked. He hands her a pouch and tells her to stay hidden. What happens next will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. I highly recommend Ambrosia Chronicles, I absolutely loved the book!

Book 2 Review

Double Wow!!! This is the second book to the Ambrosia Chronicles. As soon as you start reading it, it will be like you never even put down the first, it flows right into it. In The Initiation we are introduced to Regina the evil one who gave Lucas his powers and her assistant Anna. Emma and Alex are both brought to Mytholia where they can train and become much stronger with their powers. Alex discovers she has many powers and cannot yet control them, so they must be filtered at first. Alex and Emma both learn of their past and their families. The Initiation is a whole lot of gripping thrills and suspense and possibly a bit more growing romance. It can be read as a stand alone, but so much better after having read the first book of the series. The Initiation will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. I absolutely loved the book. I personally hope it is made into a movie. What a great movie it would make!!!

Book 3 Review

This is the third and last book in the Ambrosia Chronicles, it does not disappoint the reader at all. This book will keep the reader on the edge of your seat until the very last page. It is very exciting. I absolutely loved all three of them and highly recommend them for the fantasy lover's personal library.

In this book, it comes to the battle between good and evil. The full amount of powers of Alex and Emma are revealed. The battle is in the land of Mytholia and on the grounds of the school. The students who do not have their full powers or haven't trained enough are evacuated and the others stay there to battle the Rogues and Regina. The battle is so exciting you will not be able to put it down until the very last page. If you love the Harry Potter series, you will love the Ambrosia Chronicles.