Swords & Cell Phones

Honor and her brother, Jalen, have grown up like most kids until the day they realize that their father, Christif, is from another realm and in hiding. When Jalen turns eighteen, evil beings from other realms become aware of his existence. Trill and Loathel arrive in Universe to help bring Christif to safety, but in the middle of a wizard’s tantrum, their youngest child, Travon, is captured by Maldonus, the one who seeks to punish Christif for past wrongs. The group must travel to another realm to save the child while avoiding arranged marriages, violent enemies, and dying cell phones.

The writing style and word choice denote a read for older audiences, with several uncommon words used that are completely unnecessary. The speech used by the characters to signify their other-world status comes off as clunky. Honor is too independent to fall for the misogynistic customs and control of her father’s world, so her capitulation seems ridiculous, and her cell phone just seems like a statement about teens and technology. Too many repetitions of someone being “so hot” and a blatant information dump allude to a work that lacks creativity. Pass on this one.