Review of Rider: Spirals of Destiny by Jim Bernheimer

Rider (Spirals of Destiny) was recommended to me and at first glance, I was more than wary. Unicorns, really? Now, I was as big a fan of unicorns as any five-year old girl, but well, it's been a while since I was five years old. However, these are not your fairy-dust and rainbow unicorns; these are battle-scarred, killer unicorns, trained in magic and war. Definitely more of my sort of book.

The book opens with a bundle of mysteries. The unicorn, Majherri, should not even be alive after he lost his original rider in a battle he cannot remember. Instead of withering away like other unicorns who have lost their rider, he manages to create a second magical bond with a girl, Kayleigh, who is years older than the other girls and had no idea that she had any magical abilities. Throw in the fact that Kayleigh is far more powerful than any other girl in the academy, but has no control over her magic, and I was hooked.

Now, I definitely saw some of the twists and turns coming from far off, but others had me guessing until the very end. Unlike Bernheimer's other book, Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman, I could relate to the main characters as they struggled to be accepted. I will be eagerly awaiting the sequel to this book, which should be out later this year.

I highly recommend Rider (Spirals of Destiny) for anyone searching for a magical adventure with unicorns, mystery, and fiery battles.