A Girl From Nowhere

Although flawed, this is decent. The book has been a top seller on Amazon for a month or so, and there are many helpful reviews from smart readers. Since I can't add anything additional that's helpful, I'll just say that action fantasy fans will probably like this one.

Thanks very much for the review copy!!

I really enjoyed this book. It was so different from typical fantasy books I have read. The different species and terrains were a breath of fresh air compare to some same old fantasy stories told. Very adventurous and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment.

The story is very well written. What an intriguing idea. I couldn’t put the book down. Filled with magic and wonder. The characters are so dynamic and real.

I wanted to like this book. I have a broken foot from a very early childhood injury. I wanted to sympathize with the injured warrior but his fighting abilities with a mangled foot are pretty much magic. I broke 3 of the metatarsals in my left foot, the bones all healed straight, and I had corrective surgery as an older child. My foot looks normal unless you got close enough to see the old surgery scar and the slight lump running along the top. Let’s just say it doesn’t feel awesome... I just couldn’t quite buy that a character whose foot was mangled far far worse than mine, who had the crudest treatment at best, would or could become a great warrior. You just don’t move that fast when your leg might randomly go out from under you. At least he never needs to worry about cold weather aches I guess.
Aside from that the writing is adequate adventure story writing but it does very much tell you and not show you. It’s a pretty straight forward writing style. It’s not awful, it’s just not good. I was disappointed because it sounded like fun and the world does seem interesting.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! James Maxwell did a wonderful job creating a vivid and intractable world. There were new races, interesting places, and action to boot. Every page was entertaining, and I read the whole thing in two sittings. Being that it was so fast paced, I didn’t find there to be any slow areas, and I think that the second half of the novel is even more page-turning than the beginning.

My only complaint is that, throughout, I felt like I was missing something with the characters. It took me a bit to figure out what that was before I realized that it was the way the story was written. Though engaging and throughly fun, there is a lot of ‘telling’ in the book. By that I mean things like this: at one point, the female main character (Selena) says “Taimin always thought he was right”. I would have much rather had some deep POV from Taimin saying something like ‘Taimin huffed, looking at her intently. Though her Idea was sound, his harsh survival instinct had kept him alive this far. As much as he trusted her, he knew he was right.’. Something like that, throughout the book, would have given a much more intense emotional connection to the main characters. By the second half, I feel like Maxwell did dive deeper.

All in all, I really liked the book, and look forward to reading the next one!

An intriguing new addition to the fantasy-adventure genre for young adults and adults alike! This is a great introduction to this series, filled with adventure, action, and fantasy. The characters are well done and the world building is well crafted. I look forward to the next in this series.

James Maxwell delivered a good book that kept me intrigued and reading for longer than I should have. The world building is solid, characters and different races are interesting to read about. For me the issue with the writing style wasn't as bad as people made it out to be, it's an easy to read book with good action, nice plot and an ending that leads to a sequel. A sequel I will want to pick up to see what happens next. For anyone that likes a story about an underdog becoming champion set in an interesting world and with a lot of action this is a book to add to your reading list.

*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ***

While I thought the description sounded good, I could not get into this book. I did not like how main character was told that he would be useless because of a disability. I was not drawn into the story at all. I made it to about 20% and decided it wasnt for me. I did not finish the book.

I loved the story building. The firewall was such a neat idea.
The characters were great as well. It really was an awesome adventure and left me wanting more.
I think the way the author “told” me the story rather than describing in more detail, was a bit hard for me. But, other than that, I really enjoyed it.

I really liked the overall story and that one of the main characters had a physical disability.
What didn't make this a full star read though, was that the author told the story instead of showing more, and how easily some things fell into place.

As it is, it's an enjoyable story that leaves one longing for more in-depth.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book!

I very much enjoyed reading this! Very well developed world and characters. I liked the building romance without it being the total focus, and the developing friendships and bonds with other characters. I'm hoping to see more Griff in the rest of the series!! I eagerly await what comes next.

I recieved this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love fantasy so much and when I saw this cover and read the description I feel excited to beginning a new fantasy series! But then I was very disappointed so, here we go

The positive: It´s a very fast reading and the world is fascinating, all the idea about this books it´s amazing but...

The negative: I was a little boring while I am reading this book, like a said the idea and the world was amazing but the developing was boring, this is my personal opinion!

This book is more telling than showing BUT don´t get me wrong! This is only a warning for people who wants to read a book more showing than telling because for me it´s not a problem, my favorite books are like that (The Hobbit, Dune, IT, etc...)

About the characters I don´t feel very attached to them, maybe Selena was my favorites but I am very sure I forget her in the next months. It was more fantasy than sci-fi but maybe it’ll turn into sci-fi in the later books? And Taimin was very disappointed for me, I understand he feels bad because he is a cripple and all his life her aunt says he es weak and can´t survived alone so she take the responsibility to train him... I sincerely hoped that he could evolve during the story but clearly his condition was an impediment, and I think it is not a good example for any reader who goes through the same.

So... that´s all.

The blurb drew me in but I struggled to connect to the story and characters. I found the story itself interesting but the style of writing didn’t work for me. I felt like I was told what was happening rather than shown, and it kept me distanced from connecting with the book. Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. I usually enjoy these kinds of books but I couldn’t get past the constant telling situations and it distracted me.

This started out with a lot of promise and fresh ideas that combined sci-fi and fantasy in some fun ways. However, the rest of the book focused on some cheesy relationships and contradictory attitudes that left the characters feeling insincere and dull. I love the world building and the promises left at the ending, but there were so many holes that kept distracting me from the main plot.

"Self-Acceptance is the process of being where we are long enough to appreciate where we have been and where we are headed."- Dr. Christina Hibbert

James Maxwell is a fantasy author and has found inspiration for his books in multiple exotic locations. His fantasy novels have sold over a million copies. His other series include "The Evermen Saga" and "The Shifting Tides."

A Girl from Nowhere tells of a time where the land is barren, and water is rare. Different species along with humans inhabit this land, species such as wyverns, wherries, skalens, etc. The author does a great job of describing a fantasy land. The story follows Taimin and Selena on their search for the White City.

The author creates a fantasy land and has done a great job. As he introduces the reader to new species, he has taken efforts to describe them in detail. It is easy for the reader to associate with the world that the author creates, and this is the highlight of the author's writing style.

The plot is well-paced, and the author keeps the reader engaged. Taimin's life story is touching, and his pain is raw. Most of the readers will be able to relate to Selena's struggle with self -acceptance, and belonging. The crux of the book is about politics dividing people based on their physical characteristics and their way of living. We are not unaware of similar circumstances in the world we live in. The author does utilize real-world problems in the book, and I appreciate the author's style of writing.

It is the first in a trilogy, and I am excited to read the next two books. The author ended the first book on a note that has left me wanting for more. If you like fantasy, the book is for you. I give the book 4/5.

The world-building in the story is wonderful. This world, this wasteland, is completely surrounded by fire. Nobody knows why. It's a very arid desert-like place where survival, water, food, and supplies are all mixed together. Which is why everybody is in search of this White City.

There's also an introduction to the mystic system, which I quite enjoyed. And later in the
story, a gladiatorial arena was introduced and this is when things really took off for me. I struggled at the beginning to really get into the story. There was a lot of telling instead of showing. You had characters explaining other characters but we never really got to see what they were telling us about.

The story was told by the perspective of these two main characters Taimin and Selena but at the weirdest times, we'd suddenly switch perspectives to some of the minor characters. These transitions feel weird and this ended up leading to the relationship development in this story, even between some of the minor character friendships, not feeling authentic. Some of these connections felt like they were forced there to move the plot along or because there needed to be a romance. It didn't seem necessary. The connection between the two main characters could have been built up a little bit more. This story had the feel of an epic journey but with the number of pages we got and how much of the story that was told, we lost a lot of that development and that build. So the connection, as a reader, to these characters dropped.

I did really enjoy the story that was being told and the different creatures and races. It seemed like it could have been fleshed out more. Mainly because you were introduced to a lot of politics and characters with these backstories, quickly thrown at you that could have been something of weight and story all of their own. I wanted to see more of that from this story.

Some of the creatures in this world were so fascinating. Griff is by far the one who stole the
story. Griff and Taimin, I just think that dynamic there, if there was more of that in this book, I would have loved it so much more.

Another superb offering from this amazing author. I have been a fan of James Maxwell for some time now and I am very excited that another book series is upon us. Would absolutely recommend this book and cannot wait to read book 2.

A GIRL FROM NOWHERE is the first installment of a planned trilogy focused on a young man Taimin, who is crippled from an accident in childhood, which makes his dangerous world even more dangerous to survive in. The other main character is a somewhat mysterious girl named Selena, who has a power called "farcasting," which is a cross between astral projection, telepathy, and mind control. They and other companions live on a scorched planet with two suns and very limited resources, and there are a number of other humanoid races for the humans to battle with for those precious resources.
In this first book, we are introduced to the main and secondary characters, as well as the various life forms - both intelligent and animal - all trying to survive by attacking and killing other creatures different than themselves. And most of the planet is much too hot and devastated to support any life, so the habitable area is surrounded by a strange wall of fire to keep inhabitants inside the wall from venturing outside. Taimin and Selena and friends are trying to get to a mythical white city which is supposedly full of water and food, and provides secure protection for all who can make it inside the city's walls.
While the writing is assured, it is written in a way that suggests it is most appropriate for teens and young adults (no sex, swearing, or graphic violence). In an apparent effort to allow the main characters to grow through the series, in this first book, Taimin and Selena seem a little under-developed and bland. Also, while the world-building has promise of surprises and revelations throughout, it suffers from relying too heavily on verbal expositions from the characters, although the book is written in the third person.

This book has enough interesting ideas to warrant following up with the next book in the series, but sophisticated sci-fi/fantasy readers may find the book a little simplistic and the characters a little two-dimensional. A qualified recommendation for younger readers.

ARC from NetGalley

4.5 stars

I quite enjoyed this one. It's very Mad Max. The world is a bit of a hellscape with 2 suns baking everything to a crisp and only the must hardy creatures and vegetation surviving. Humans are one of several sentient races, and with this, of course, we have interspecies misunderstandings and mistrust which breed fear and conflict.

Taimin must overcome his physical disability in addition to the years of fear and mistrust that have been drilled into his head while growing up in this desolate and unforgiving world. He and his compatriots must overcome adversity and find light in the darkest of places. In order to do that, they will need to work together and rely on each other, a frightening prospect in a world such as this.

This was a good read. It was hard to put it down. Despite the setting being mostly monochromatic and repetitive, I never grew bored of it or felt that it was too dreary. There was never a bit that I had to re-read. I was never confused. I never rolled my eyes. I never hated anyone who didn't deserve to be hated. This book was well-written and well-paced. I like it when a first book ends and I don't feel cheated out of a solid ending but at the same time am given reason to be excited for what's to come. Well done, Mr. Maxwell. I'm eager to see what you bring to the table in the next instalment.

I’m still not 100% on whether I enjoyed this or not. The concept was good and I really liked the writing style. However I found the world building a little lacking and I couldn’t really connect to the characters as much as I usually like to. Also I really don’t like books that tell you what’s happening rather than describing the action as it happens. I feel this really takes you out of the story and that’s where you lose me a bit. The ending was quite strong though and so I may continue on pure curiosity. I gave this 2.5 ⭐️ but have rounded up to 3⭐️.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is so different from fantasy books that I have read in a long time. It was so good and very adventurous! I hope they write more about these characters in the future.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Took me awhile to get into it but didnt hate it

I really enjoyed this book. The title is a mysterious one and I loved being sent on this journey.

I loved the writing and the characters as well as the dynamics between them. The world is well-developed and I just couldn't stop reading.

The first book in this James Maxwell series was a little slow to get going but then it was hard to put down. There hasn't been a series I haven't loved by this author but almost feared this would be the one. I was wrong. So wrong. I now can't wait for the rest of the series to be released so I can continue on with the main characters as they complete their journey.

It was a nice reading.
I like the characters and the plot was quite nice.
Bonus point for the cover and the title.

I went into this with an open and curious mind, not high expetations but interest nontheless.
I ended up really enjoying it, the start was somewhat slow but it was interesting and filled with action in the right place.