Genre

Young Adult, Fantasy

Audience

Teens

Author’s Worldview

Catholic

Year Published

2022

Themes

Identity, Friendship, Adventure, Good and Evil, Birthright

 

Reviewed by

Tiffany Buck

The peaceful land of Bonvida is threatened when the wicked warrior Luvanasis escapes the dark realm of Calsirv. Luvanasis brings his hideous army of Arcods with plans to rule over the land. Only one person can defeat Luvanasis: Atticus. He is the grandson of the great Desmond who once wielded the sword that protected Bonvida from the darkness.

Atticus is unaware of his legacy and the battle that awaits him. He and his mother were brought to Bonvida from Calsirv by good warriors as an infant, after the death of his father. Atticus grew up on a farm with his adoptive parents and sister. Meanwhile, his mother lives in exile watching over the sword of Desmond. On his eighteenth birthday, Atticus finds his mother, Lavender. She tells him his destiny and gives him the sword. Before Atticus battles Luvanasis, he must gather the shards that give the sword its power.  

On his own, Atticus feels the weight of his destiny holding the sword of Desmond. Like any teen, he craves adventure, but the task he’s been given seems impossible. Bonvida is being torn apart by the Arcods. Not to mention he has no idea where to find the shards. Thankfully, he finds others who believe in the mission and agree to travel with him. The first one to join him is his adoptive sister, Daria. Joining her is Prince Victor of El-Valr, Barlos, an army commander, Lena from a sea colony, Meg, the youngest in the group, and Zane, a scholar. Similar to The Lord of the Rings, the travelers trek across the dangerous terrain of Bonvida in search of the shards. Each traveler has a unique talent that advances the quest.

By far the most intriguing traveler is Zane. He has studied all the prophesies. He is the only one that knows where all the shards are hidden. Always at Atticus’ side, he tells Atticus something quite unsettling. Luvanasis has a descendant who opened the gate to Bonvida for him.

Author C.D. Smith has created an adventurous fast-paced fairytale for teens about the importance of identity with a raging battle of good and evil in the backdrop. Atticus finds his true identity a lot to take in. Does he have what it takes? This makes him remarkably like each of us created by God. How many of us ponder the fact that we are sons and daughters of the king made for greatness.

A sequel to Bonvida’s Adventure is forthcoming The sequel titled Bonvida’s Quest for Light was released Friday September 15th. I am hopeful the author will give the readers a bit more detail on Bonvida and Calsirv. In the story, there are a few creatures/beings the adventurers come across traveling through the regions of Bonvida. They are named but never described. Who and what are they? Of course, any reader would be most curious about the dark descendant. Who is he? Is he one of the travelers? 

I recommend this book to all teen fantasy lovers. Readers will find the characters quite enjoyable. Atticus is overwhelmed by his destiny and yet he perseveres. His adoptive sister, Daria is a young woman of virtue as well as a good fighter. Prince Victor leaves everything behind to follow Atticus. These characters and their values shine through the pages. A prince and a sibling could be quite jealous over Atticus being the chosen one. They aren’t though. They believe in him and help him every step of the way.

September Books to Pray With: For the Cry of the Earth

Let us pray that each of us listen with our hearts to the cry of the Earth and of the victims of
environmental disasters and the climate crisis, making a personal commitment to care for the world
we inhabit.

PANIC! (unSPARKed #3) by Corinna Turner

It’s a three hour drive unSPARKed, and for city-folk, anything might cause PANIC!

Roland West Loner by Theresa Linden

When his evil brothers lock Roland up in a dungeon he finds a locked box hiding a mysterious treasure.

Siren Spell by Karina Fabian

Immortal dragon Vern can handle anything—until a curse turns him human…

Nun of My Business by Karina Fabian

When a nun hires Vern to prove that a new pop song is evil, the dragon suspects his new client might be hiding something.

Battle for his Soul by Theresa Linden

Bereft of a mother & betrayed by his twin, Jarret fights for a place to call home, unaware a supernatural war threatening to damn him to hell itself.

Nephilim Corruption by Ann Margaret Lewis

Jedi Adventure meets Christian Epic

Rosaline’s Curse by Katherine Campbell

If Sleeping Beauty woke in 2017 and Prince Un-Charming was still after her… Sometimes it takes 800 years to find true love.

Good to the Last Drop by Declan Finn

Marco thought his problems were over when he took on the vampire council, until he gets bit by a werewolf. Will this ruin things with his vampire girlfriend?

Where to begin with J. R. R. Tolkien?

Beyond the adventure, the way to read The Lord of the Rings is not as an allegory but as a meditation on the human Story we are each caught up in, and in which we each have our part to play, our temptations to resist, and our task to accomplish.

Infernal Affairs by Declan Finn

St. Tommy finally comes face-to-face with the warlock that has been behind the events of the previous two books while fighting off hordes of everything from gangsters to vampires.

Julia’s Gifts by Ellen Gable

A story of love and God’s providence in times of war.

Hidden: Don’t Fear the Unseen by Verity Lucia

Clare Thomson wasn’t sure she believed in angels and demons – until she could see them.

Anna Lucia: Book 2, The Casa Bella Chronicles By Liz Galvano

Can Lucinda heal from her past and learn to love again?

Blink and We’ll Miss It by Ginny Kochis

Back amongst her estranged best friends and former love, Mae tries to hide her time-hopping secret.

Arrow in Flight by Jane Lebak

If you want a gorgeous read delving into the world of angels that reflects actual accepted beliefs about them then this is the book for you.

The Lucky Diamond By Valinora Troy

An exciting Middle Grade magical fantasy quest, full of monsters, witches, and adventure

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson

Discover the far deeper, more salvific tale that Disney turned into romantic fluff.

From the Shadows by Jacqueline Brown

In a broken world, Bria tries to unite a family even as she struggles to keep hope alive.

August Books To Pray With: For Political Leaders

A book list to fuel your prayers for the world’s political leaders and grow your Catholic empathetic imagination.