12 October 2014

Crossfire by Andrea Domanski

Birthdays suck!

For her eighteenth, Mirissa Colson receives a package from the mother who abandoned her over a decade ago. The family secret it reveals transforms her life from trying on prom dresses to battling an ancient race of demons. Thanks, Mom.

Her nineteenth brings forth an even more treacherous foe—one maniacal demi-god bent on ruling the world. So much for dating. Thankfully, the years of martial arts and sharpshooter training her ex-Navy SEAL dad put her through gives her the perfect skill-set to build upon.

When she’s called on to save the world—literally—Mirissa finds she has a lot more in her arsenal than just a mean roundhouse kick. Burgeoning powers she previously thought impossible, like controlling the elements and sensory expansion, give her some confidence. But when she is propelled into a world teeming with preternatural beings—all with powers of their own—she finds herself outmatched and outgunned.

CROSSFIRE is a coming of age tale that bridges the gap between the world we think we know, and the one that lies just beneath the surface.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20937532-crossfire-young-adult-book-1?ac=1

This was a very interesting and compelling read.  I have of course heard of the legends of the fierce Amazons but I did not know too much about them.  This book takes that legend and expands on it to make a fascinating world filled with Gods, Goddesses, shape shifters, magic, demons and of course deadly Amazon warrior women.

I loved this book because the main character was a strong young woman still maturing and coming into her powers.  One of my favorite things about this book is the relationship between Mirissa and her father, Steve.  Steve knew had to raise his daughter completely alone after the disappearance of his wife and instead of being upset he throws himself into it whole heartedly.  He also uses his skills as a former Navy SEAL to make sure that she would always be able to protect herself. 

All of the love and devotion Steve pours into his daughter prepares her for the adventure that starts the day she turns 18 and claims her birthright.  I am anxiously awaiting the next book in this series so I can see how Mirissa and her abilities grow in a world that is becoming more and more dangerous.
If you took a bit of DNA from Wonder Woman, Xena, Elektra and Buffy, the result would be the Amazon warrior/Superhero Mirissa Colson. Domanski is starting off on the right foot with her first book, Crossfire. The book is well worth the read. It’s a journey fans of superheroes, action adventure and paranormal will appreciate.

The use of Greek and Amazon mythology mixed in with updated modern takes on paranormal and supernatural lore make for an appealing and interesting storyline. The addition of environmental technology and oil consumption with a malevolent character using that to control the world was creative.

 The development of Mirissa from normal teenager excited about prom to badass chosen warrior was fast paced and enjoyable to read. I was pleased with the way Domanski wrote Mirissa’s father. His acceptance and support of his wife and daughter from the get go was refreshing. He was proud of the fact that the two most important women in his life were fearsome warriors and leaders.

Domanski introduces a mix of characters with different abilities on both sides of the show down between good and evil.  We meet vampire type bad guys, werewolves, humans who can pass through solid matter, humans who can connect with animals, half-breed hydras and so many others. The assortment of characters with various abilities and backgrounds made the fight scenes more exciting without overwhelming the storyline. Domanski reveals enough to keep the reader engrossed while leaving some mystery to be revealed in future books, one of those mysteries being Greco, Mirissa’s handsome guardian who has his own story to tell and a connection with Mirissa that is hinted at being far more than just her chosen guardian.

This was one of those books that pulled me in quickly and had me staying up all night devouring every word. I had to read on. There were so many things I wanted, NEEDED to know. I wanted to know if Mirissa, Myrine and the rest of the crew were going to be able to take down the bad guys. I wanted to know more about Greco. I wanted to know just how powerful Mirissa was and what was that key about. I wanted Artemis to smack Ares across the room.  Ares really deserves that!

 I’m looking forward to the next books and for more kickass moments with Mirissa. She’s an Amazon warrior/Superhero who I wouldn’t mind gracing the pages of some comic books.

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