Avira

Source: Author Website

Avira (The Phoon #0) by Corinne Foster (Self-Published, 2015, 196pp.)

In the author’s debut novel The Secret of the Phoon, Avira was the stern head mistress of Domina, an unusual school that takes in cast-aside young women and allows them to work and study in a supportive environment. In this prequel set twenty years before, Avira is little more than an unruly girl herself, wielding a sword alongside her father and brothers as a greedy warlord tries to steal their land. When the family farm is finally overtaken, her family is scattered or captured, and Avira herself wounded. When she comes to, she finds herself in the strange house of Domina, where she finds friends, a new life, and resources to rescue her relatives. Set in a vivid fantasy world, Avira has plenty of action and adventure to keep both male and female teens interested. On the downside, however, the characters lack nuanced personalities, and certain elements of the story, such as the romantic subplot, remain underdeveloped. Despite this, however, I would still recommend it for teens of any age interested in high fantasy.

Secret of the Phoon

Secret of the Phoon (The Phoon #1) by Corinne Foster (Self-Published, 2013, 169pp.)

The Unloved have lived in the ancient walls of Domina for as long as anyone can remember. Domina is a haven for spirited girls who have found their families’ patriarchal views incompatible with their own. They are watched over by Avira, their solitary leader who controls a powerful, deadly force called the Phoon. It is forbidden to mention the Phoon to outsiders, and anyone who breaks this one rule will find themselves forever shunned—and for good reason. When the careless Shastia leaves Domina to start a new life as a tradesman’s wife, she brags about the power of the Phoon to one of her husband’s chauvinistic clients. Soon, word of this mysterious force reaches two warring factions, each who desire to harness the Phoon for their own nefarious purposes. While I feel that the characters could have been a little more well-developed, it’s still an interesting read full of intricate world-building detail. Recommended for Ages 16-Up.