Destiny Unbound

Oh wow. I am a little at a loss for words. This was such a wonderful book to read. I was so engrossed in it, I didn't want to go to bed or stop for any reason. The beginning really captivated me and I LOOOOVE that the dragon Darya saw was wintergreen instead of the traditional black, blue, or red that we tend to see in fantasy novels. By chapter 14 I was so engrossed in the Darya and Edwin's story; thankfully my husband was home, so he made dinner! I found this book to be so mystical, and extraordinary, I want more. No, I think I need more. The whole book is filled with adventure and intrigue and then the end was just the perfect blend of emotional and playfulness. I don't think I could sing my praises for this novel enough and wish more people knew about Destiny Unbound as well as C.A Hollister. I think anyone who loves a good fantasy novel would devour this book as quickly as I did. I know I will be recommending it to my fellow book lovers in a few groups. I think it would be good for a variety of age groups, young adult, new adult, and um..seasoned adult readers. It has everything I crave in a fantasy novel and then some. Kudos to C.A. Hollister for creating such a phenomenal book.

Darya's life has been turned upside down in a matter of seconds. One moment she is living a simple, low key life in the present era, then in the blink of an eye she becomes a fugitive. This chaotic series of events all starts when her roommate, Annie, is shockingly killed by an otherworldly hitman, and Annie's boyfriend believes that Darya is somehow involved in the crime. What seems like a twisted series of unconnected events is revealed to be something more diabolical in the making. In actuality, Darya is being hunted by dangerous beings that reside in an alternate timeline. Good fortune, though fleeting, seems to be smiling upon Darya. She is gifted tickets to another country by her boss. Unfortunately, evil follows her wherever she goes. In due time, other supernatural beings--Edwind, Ronwen, Horsa, Gita and Saebbi etc-- come to her aid. Slowly but surely, she and Edwind (a dragon shape shifter), pursue a romantic relationship. They share an intense and passionate connection. Edwind vows to protect her with every fiber of his being and she envisions a long, blissful life by his side. But as strong as their love may be, there is always a menacing evil that lurks a few paces behind them..... This evil mastermind seeks to end Darya's life to fulfill his own wicked agenda. This malicious entity, Cernunnos, has spread unimaginable fear in the hearts of many. But Darya is believed to be the chosen one predestined to ultimately destroy him in the end. Darya soon discovers her true heritage--she is both a druidae (a being with a strong connection to nature), and a goddess. She was once rejected by her mother, because of what she represented. Now, she may very well be the only force powerful enough to irrevocably stop Cernunnos. But is she ordained to fight an unwinnable battle, or will she emerge victorious? ''Destiny Unbound'' is undeniably a must-read. The novel hooks you right from the very start. This evenly-paced novel contains an elegant blend of fantasy, suspense, drama, paranormal romance and adventure. The novel presents deep character connections that makes it an outstanding read for fantasy and romance lovers everywhere. The world-building is on a level of its own! Hollister is able to present a compact, yet impactful description of the world within the novel. She succeeds in maintaining a steady momentum throughout the storyline. I love the way that each scene unfolds immaculately, while immersing readers into the novel's setting, thereby creating a vivid sense of the novel's environment. All in all, this novel effortlessly earns a five-star rating. Happy reading.

This breath-taking romance fantasy follows the tale of Darya Pless, a 21st century woman, who is transported to ancient times to defeat an evil god, Cernunnos. Darya's thrilling journey commences when she discovers that her roommate was brutally murdered. To make matters worse, her roommate's lover suspects that she is responsible for his girlfriend's death and he is determined to exact revenge. To be fair, he's under the influence of an evil being who wants Darya dead. Darya leaves the country and heads to a small, far away village called Broughied, for a fresh start. But she is still being pursued. Horsa and Ronwen, two beings from an ancient world, transport Darya to their world for her own protection. But Cernunnos and his henchmen seek to kill her because she is prophesied to lead to Cernunnos' demise. It is in this foreign, magical world that she discovers she is actually a druidae with an incredible, but dangerous, destiny that lies ahead of her. Along the way, Darya falls in love with Horsa's son, Edwind (both Horsa and Edwind are dragon shape-shifters). With her newfound allies, Darya is prepared to confront Cernunnos once and for all. There is a lot at stake, including her future with Edwind. Will she fulfill her destiny, or is she doomed to lose everything, and everyone she loves? Read your copy today to find out! I've grown fond of Darya and Edwind's relationship through the course of the novel. They are the original Rose and Jack (from the Titanic movie). It's a breath of fresh air to read a novel where the main character is a strong female lead. I was happy to follow Darya's character development. She has grown from a somewhat timid person into a woman of incredible boldness and strength. I love the beautiful, heart-felt ending. I grade this novel five stars and more. If you're a fan of romance fantasy novels, then get this book asap. It's worth the read!

''Destiny Unbound'' tells the alluring tale of Darya, a modern-woman with a deep connection to nature, the earth and animals. One evening, Darya finds her roommate, Annie, dead in their apartment. Annie was killed by an unknown assailant. Darya isn't responsible for her roommate’s death, however, Mark, her roommate's boyfriend, holds her completely responsible for Annie's death. Darya leaves the apartment to get away from it all, only to be stalked by Mark. Through a series of intriguing events, Darya is sent through a portal to a medieval time, and to an unknown land, where dragons and magic exists. There, she crosses paths with the tyrannical Cernunnos, who sees her as a threat. But why exactly? The answer lies in Darya's lineage....as you may have guessed by now....Darya isn't your average human woman. If she isn't human, then what is she? The answer may amaze you. But it will fully explain why she has a deep connection to nature, and why Cernunnos views her as a threat. ''Destiny Unbound'' isn't your typical action-fantasy novel. It also comprises of a steamy, slow-burn romance between Darya and Edwind--a dragon shape shifter who she forms a deep bond with. Their love is another central theme in the book, because it serves as a powerful driving force for these two iconic characters. C.A. Hollister does an amazing job of bringing her characters to life. Overall, the plot, world-building and character development are well-demonstrated throughout the storyline. The only element I find a little confusing is the time travel aspect of the book. I think I have to re-read a few chapters to understand it better. Maybe there are some key details I missed along the way. Nonetheless, I give this exceptional novel 4-stars. It is action-packed and full of splendor and adventure. I'm fairly certain that most fantasy-fiction fans will fall in love with it immediately.

"There were worse things in life than death. Being cursed to an eternity as a slave to a sadistic deity was close to the top of the list". So, there is a princess with dreams of dragons, "adverse childhood experiences" from her peers and the mother, a deep scar, and a memory of a remote commune. That is not all. A sadistic god is after the life of the princess, Darya. Obviously, the god keeps sending his "flying monkeys". Those "flying monkeys", include a succubus too. The storytelling involves "dark fantasy" elements like a gothic atmosphere, twisted reality, and shady characters. However, the curses are of another level. Darya's direct blood connection to "the horned one" and romance with a "death dragon" amplifies her demi-god personality and attitude. The author skillfully describes realm transfers and time travels with supporting elements (nausea, changes in surroundings, and other physical difficulties). However, I do not understand why Darya never suspects "a change in time" while in Didean. Of course, Didean has a remote commune with pagan attributes similar to Darya's commune. But, a 1000-year time gap can be noticed in expressions, tools, and lifestyle. I love the way shores and seagulls add melancholic elements, and the garden pokes Darya's memories. Ironically, Mark and Cernunnos face the same curse of losing their soulmates and take evil paths (hopelessly) to bring them back. The "West Coast of Wales", "Dragon's Rest", Horsa, and medical architecture signify the back-and-forth voyages in time. I enjoy 72-year-old "big dumb dragon" Edwind's jealousy and his sister Gita's priestess attributes. Edwind-Naven fight, the board game romance, Druidae's power, the one-eyed hawk, Solstice celebration, sigils, Eron and Lerin's selfish acts, vivid otherworldly dreams, Polly's sad story, and Varic are great connecting dots. However, in Varic's place, Darya-Edwind romance descriptions in a single night seem forced and unnecessary. Lerin's self-absorbed theory of love conflicts with Darya's compassionate nature, introducing entertaining ego battles. I expect more twists in Gaia's temple. But, "back-to-1982" (too much) romance is odd. Darya's pregnancy is a good example of poetic justice with the explanation of "god-blood". Flidais is such a wise goddess-granny, but the final battle is not that fun. It can be more twisted with forest magic and memory spells. Nevertheless, Celtic influences on names, knot-rings, and culture are fun to explore. Overall, an entertaining read. I recommend this for fantasy lovers.

Destiny unbound by C.A Hollister is a captivating dark fantansy novel which involves betrayal, magic and also Romance, A book I will love to read again and again nonstop. The book centres on a girl called Darya,an outcast who love animals so much. Darya dreams of having a beautiful marriage and family amidst her work life where she serves under the leadership of Janine. Darya worked with Janine opens up doors for her being offered a trip to Broughied. However something happens that same day when Darya gets home and gets warned by her neighbours dog Dash that someone broke into her apartment. Entering into the shower and coming out darya slips in blood and realise her friend Annie is killed by the intruder. The stranger gets killed by her neighbours dog Dash and darya manages to escape. The story unfolds as Annie’s boyfriend mark, becomes pissed holding darya responsible for the death of annie , mark follows darya to Broughied but unfortunately Darya gets sent by two strangers into a portal, which makes Darya memory of the past event wiped and make her wonder who abducted her. What I love about this novel is its simplicity and movie like nature. I felt like I was watching a movie when reading it. The novel was full of adventure magic, Anger and betrayal. I seldom had anything to dislike about the narrative as it was also well detailed and descriptive. For this reason I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and recommend to people who like fantasy and magic.

I was totally into Darya's journey cheering her on every step. The relationships between Darya, Edwind, Horsa, and Hengist are truly interesting. Frankly speaking, Darya with her animal-talking superpower, brought this whole new level of cool stuff to the characters. However, Edwind's desperate attempt to reach his wife during the chaos was a moment that amazed me too. In my opinion, I would say that you clearly described everything as expected. I could practically feel the rain and hear the leaves rustling as they dashed through the forest. Those action scenes were also Heart-pounding as well. One of the memorable moments between Darya and Edwind was when he whispered, "I know Cernunnos will never stop until you kill him. To do that, we need to get you to the temple and reach the destiny that waits for you there." This highlighted the importance of their quest and the sacrifices they were willing to do for one another. While reading this book through out, I could not put it down, always wanting to know what happens next till the end. And the mix of action and those sweet moments of love are perfect. This book is a fantasy romance full of love and destiny. If you are looking for a captivating escape, I would totally recommend it.

“Destiny Unbound" is a fantasy and romance novel by C.A Hollister. The book details the narrative of a woman called Darya who finds herself transported from the modern world to year 982.Facing the reality of a world unknown and a lost memory, she struggles to piece back the fragments of her past and get a proper understanding of her new world. Through the narrative she meets Edwind, a dragon from Darya's dreams who becomes a reality in the past, Gita the ardent supporter and guide, Tiernen whom I call the speedster and many others. All through the narrative we see darya’s emotion and psychology conflict as she is confronted with the struggle for survival and need to find acceptance and love in a world of her own. This book’s storyline is filled with themes of mysticism and magic helping reader’s engage more with the relationship between characters and the family bond they share. Looking at the diverse characters this narrative provides, Hollister is really good at crafting multidimensional characters that are very relatable to the audience. Darya’s journey of self-discovery and resilience is particularly well articulated. I could barely find any character development flaws by the author. I loved Horsa’s character shift from being a potential antagonist to one that plays more protective role in Darya’s life.it becomes clear enough in the narrative that he has a deeper understanding of darya and has her best interest at heart. I found Darya’s strained relationship with her mother a tragic aspect of her family life and the narrative but I understand tragic events are often used in narratives to challenge characters, propel the plot, and provoke emotional responses from the reader, and it appears that this story utilizes such events to shape the journey of its protagonist and supporting characters. I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars for its adventurous and suspense filled tone as well as its lack of typo errors throughout. I recommend this book to readers interested in fantasy narratives filled with mythical creatures and magic.

One moment that really stood out to me was when Darya had a vision of her mother's past. That scene is clearly described. When Darya also witnesses her mother's resilience in the face of tragedy, it is incredibly moving. You have actually built an amazing world. The beach scenes, the hidden mysteries, and everything else felt so clear and well thought out. Also, in the quote where Ronwen reassures Polly, "No longer do you need to fear Cernunnos. The child that now grows inside you will bring forth the fate he so desperately fights to escape," really stuck with me. Another place that got my attention in this book of yours is when Horsa said, "Fate is fate. It will come to pass one way or another." That line really sets the tone for the whole story and got me thinking about destiny and all that good stuff as well. The characters are so real, and the way they interact keeps the whole thing masterful. Horsa and Darya's story is full of romance, suspense, and a bit of magic. It is just like a movie playing in my head. Then, there is also Ronwen's line about sacrificing too much to let things derail. That also impressed me. Speaking from experience, I would say that the writing is professional and the whole thing is just a fun escape. For those looking for a great read, this book is for you.

Destiny Unbound by C. A. Hollister is a paranormal work of fiction crafted in a setting that travels the timeline of existence of Darya, the protagonist of the story. The story centers on notable themes of destiny and purpose, time travel, fated love and romance, vengeance and the sour repercussion of its consumption. The book begins with the normal life of Darya, a druidae with special abilities to communicate with animals, one she tries hard to keep secret. Tragedy unfolds when she's tracked down by unknown enemies determined to kill her but unfortunately claims the life of her innocent roommate and friend. This plunges her into the life she has been protected from all along and sends her back in time to begin the fulfillment of her destiny. Other notable characters such as Edwind, Gita, Horsa -all dragons fated to live a long life and aid Darya in fulfilling her destiny- as well as Cernunnos, the villain of the story all add fervour to the story. This book no doubt is a masterpiece in paranormal romance diving deeply into the world of dragons and gods in such a thrilling and exciting fashion leaving readers gasping for more as they flip through the pages. The author is very descriptive and brings to life every scene in the book with avid descriptions and a complete engrossing narration. That the time shift was appropriately conveyed without any form of confusion and obvious gap in narration speaks clearly to a well thought out plot and the profound storytelling ability which the author possesses. The lessons richly translated from this story no doubt is apt and lucid enough for every reader to grasp and relate to. While the praise of the book is endless, there is need to warn readers about the lucidity with which the author describes sexual acts in the book. Readers who may find it uncomfortable should be advised to approach with caution. Notwithstanding, it'll be unpleasant for anyone to miss out on such gold mine of entertainment because of this inconvenience. I'll wholeheartedly recommend this book to lovers of paranormal fiction, romance fiction, and a good book that borders on destiny. I rate this book 3 stars.