A pretty good book, lots of action and fast paced in the last third. The first half could be frustrating with little or no explanation for certain actions. The romance aspect was hard to get into as well. The boyfriend is barely in the book so it's hard to care about whether or not Amanda/Iris ever sees him again. Overall, I'm glad I read it and interested in the next in the series but I'm not counting down the days to the next release. The Eighth Guardian is the first book in the Annum Guard series by Meridith McCardle begins with Amanda taking her exams at the Peel school which trains young men and women to work for the government. Amanda has a bad feeling that things are not going to go as she expects them to at the graduation ceremony. When she hears her name called, a year early, for graduation she hugs her boyfriend goodbye before being rushed into a room to meet her new boss, the leader of the Annum guard, a small time traveling branch of the government. Amanda is then renamed Iris and is enveloped into a grand conspiracy to change history.Wow, the cover of this book is terrible. I almost didn't read it because it looked like a book written for twelve year old boys. Imagine my surprise when I realized it was about a seventeen year old girl who gets a job working for the federal government. I was totally sucked in once I read the first chapter. Amanda is a smart girl who is unafraid to speak up and use her skills to do what's right even if it's hard. The mythology has quite a number of holes (as any time travel book does) but if you don't think to hard it's a fun ride. I couldn't put the book down and finished it quickly.Appropriateness: There is no adult content in the book. There is some violence but it's a bit comic bookish. There isn't much romance (just the knowledge that Amanda has a boyfriend) making this a book that will appeal to teens who enjoy adventure and mystery and making it enjoyable for readers who are not fans of romance. I would recommend this book for a YA audience 13+ however it is appropriate for younger readers.Review copy provided by Amazon Vine
Finished this in one go, staying up until 4AM to do so. So, so gripping.
—jane
Interesting, Well Written & Compelling! A Fascinating Read! Loved It!
—crystaltwilight
Awesome! Love the way it keeps me hooked. Kudos to Meradith.
—jessy
Did not finish. Too much language.
—luvtwilight123
Review to come.
—john
