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A review by audreychamaine
Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey
4.0
Large and somewhat unfriendly, Ellie Spencer really only has one friend, Kevin, at her new boarding school. When he enlists her help with a play he is in, a mysterious woman enters their lives and seems to hold thrall over Kevin. Ellie's crush begins to help, but he also awakens new abilities in Ellie. As she learns more about the hidden world around her, a dangerous plot is discovered, and Ellie must work to not only save her best friend, but the lives of millions.
Guardian of the Dead has a fresh feeling, because it is set in New Zealand and operates under New Zealand's cultural and mythological background, instead of the standard European-American pantheon that so many paranormal books now use. Ellie is a strong heroine, and her background in martial arts makes her butt-kicking abilities more believable than those of other flimsy female leads. I enjoyed hearing the different creation story, and fairy myths, but at a point the story seemed to shift into something altogether different. While still compelling, I think it could have been broken into smaller volumes, but it's not my call to make. Overall, Guardian of the Dead is recommended for those who like stories with dangerous fairies and magic, but have grown tired of the same old cast of characters.
Guardian of the Dead has a fresh feeling, because it is set in New Zealand and operates under New Zealand's cultural and mythological background, instead of the standard European-American pantheon that so many paranormal books now use. Ellie is a strong heroine, and her background in martial arts makes her butt-kicking abilities more believable than those of other flimsy female leads. I enjoyed hearing the different creation story, and fairy myths, but at a point the story seemed to shift into something altogether different. While still compelling, I think it could have been broken into smaller volumes, but it's not my call to make. Overall, Guardian of the Dead is recommended for those who like stories with dangerous fairies and magic, but have grown tired of the same old cast of characters.