YA Book Review: Windfall

About the Book:

"‘It is not time for you to go home yet, Whitnee,’ he told me, and I felt the annoyance bubble up inside of me again.

‘Who are you to decide that?’

‘And who are you to reject all that is ancient and sacred to our culture?’ he spat back. ’You think you just stumbled onto some other place and you can leave as you please. But we are real people with a real history. We have waited for generations for a prophecy to come true, and you act as if it is nothing!’

Transported along with four friends onto a mysterious and magical Island, Whitnee Terradora wants nothing more than to return home safely—until she starts performing supernatural feats such as cyclones, healing, and communicating with the plant she accidentally set on Fire.

Suddenly, finding the Island seems like more than just a coincidence. When an ancient prophecy causes a controversy among the leaders of the White Island, Whitnee questions who is looking out for her interests, and who is interested only in gaining power. Even Gabriel, her one ally on the Island, has secrets that both confuse and allure her.

Who can Whitnee really trust to find out the truth about herself and her missing father? Could Whitnee really be the answer to the White Island’s problems and if so, is it worth the danger of never returning home?"

Amber's Review:

Picking up right where Windchaser left off, Windfall drops the reader onto the White Island and straight into the unanswered questions still swirling around Whitnee and her friends. The new day brings even more questions as Whitnee becomes the center of the islanders' attention and discovers that she might be a possible key to their future - a development that muddles Whitnee's self-identity and sets events in motion for an exciting and dangerous adventure.

Whitnee, Caleb, Morgan, and their two campers, Amelia and Kevin - led by the fiery Gabriel, fun-loving Eden, and mysterious Thomas, as well as guards for added protection - get a grand tour of the island and a chance to meet some of its diverse people groups. The settings are inviting and intriguing, and the story alternates between the pleasures of the journey and the distrust that shadows their every move. Who should the Camp Fusion group believe? When should they call it quits and head home? And why is Whitnee seeing and hearing her long-lost father in this magical place?

This second installment of the "Phantom Island" series is a fast-paced read, with the romantic tension and the stakes heating up considerably. Windchaser and Windfall are two halves of one story, so the premise of Windfall would most likely be rather disorienting if read before the first book. But put these two together and you've got one beautiful and dynamic YA/fantasy story! There's a lot to learn at Camp Fusion and on the White Island about understanding and forgiveness, as well as cooperation and camaraderie.

Windchaser and Windfall are enjoyable and satisfying reads - but thankfully Windfall is not the end of the story! It's awesome to know that the Phantom Island adventures aren't over yet, and Watercrossing (the soon-to-be-released third book in the series) can't get here soon enough for this new fan!!

*With special thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

About the Author:

"Krissi Dallas is a gray-eyed Aerodorian who lives in Texas with her husband, Sam, and their two Yorkies. Krissi teaches junior high Advanced English and enjoys working with and serving alongside the teenagers at Fusion Student Ministries. Read about the beginning of Whitnee's adventures in Windchaser, the first book of the Phantom Island series."

Extras!

• Visit Krissi's website and blog!

• Follow Krissi on Twitter or Facebook!

• Buy Windchaser, the first book in the series, in paperback or Kindle format!

• Buy Windfall in paperback or Kindle format!

• Enter the Watercrossing (third book in the series) contest!

• Take the quiz to find out which Phantom Island tribe you belong to! (Click on the image below.)