Description
Domenic believes he’s bound to be a Chosen One, but doesn’t act like it.
Ellery fears she will be a Chosen One, but not why everyone thinks.
In a land that fears the perils of winter, and the beasts it brings, Alderland is waiting for their next Chosen One, who will bond with a Living Wand of Summer and save everyone. Domenic and Ellery both attend a magic school to hone their magic. When Domenic bonds with Valmordion, one of the oldest and well-known Living Wands, everyone is surprised. He’s not a great student, lacking in motivation and scholarly achievements. However, everyone, especially the Council, is stunned when Ellery not only wields Winter magic, but creates the first Winter Living Wand, Iskarius. Now with a cataclysm of winter about to descend, it is up to the Chosen Two to end the encroaching cold and save Alderland.
Dense with detail and told through alternating viewpoints, the combination of teenage angst with Summer versus Winter magic was enough to push through. Characters fell a little flat, but with an ending like that, the sequel should be a worthy read. Not a best of 2025 but a decent, if long, read nonetheless.
