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.

Shadows: Visible and Invisible By Catholic Teens Books

Bringing the holy back to All Hallows, these short stories entertain & remind us of the mercy we all rely upon.

Why Reading Fiction Made Me a Better Catholic

How reading fiction became a crucial step in my conversion to the Catholic Church.

Cinderella by Charles Perrault

The true story of the Catholic saint who inspired the myth of Cinderella

The Wolf, the Lamb, and the Air Balloon by Corinna Turner

A wolf, a lamb, an air balloon—what could go wrong?

God’s Sparrows By Kathleen Vincenz

Rose didn’t expect to babysit six children, but God had other plans.

May Books to Pray With: For the Formation of Religious & Seminarians

A list of books to deepen your prayers for the formation of religious vocations in the church. Grow your imagination and empathy through the power of story.

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.

Why Flannery O’Connor is Too Dangerous for Catholic Book Stores (And why I love them both for it)

Why the promotion of religious fiction is just as important as the promotion of nonfiction and Apologetics.

The Grace Crasher by Mara Faro

The Grace Crasher is the ecumenical romantic dramedy that everyone who has ever had family members in split churches needs to read.

The Boy Who Knew (Friends in High Places: Carlo Acutis) by Corinna Turner

Faced with his death, a fifteen-year-old learns how to live through the wisdom of Blessed Carlo Acutis.

Doctors, Assassins, and Other Tyrants by Katherine Campbell

Kidnapped princes, delusional assassins, and a dim-witted unicorn. What could possibly go wrong?

For Eden’s Sake by T.M. Gaouette

Life is precious whether it’s planned or not.

August & September New Book Releases

Step into Fall with a Good Book

680 Miles Away By Tara J. Stone

Will Evie run away for good, or will she fight for Finn?

The Phantom Phoenix

A humble phoenix rises from the ashes to clean up corrupt, 1920s Chicago in this thrilling superhero comic

Will Wilder and the Relic of Perilous Falls

Follow Will Wilder as he discovers a hidden world, fights demons and rescues a hidden treasure!

Christmas Spirits by Karina Fabian

A dragon PI and a Faerie nun try to save a businessman from the Ghosts of Christmas.

Finnian and the Seven Mountains (Vol.2) By, Philip Kosloski and Michael Lavoy

Can one map be the key to stopping the Viking Invasion?

Where to Begin with C.S. Lewis

When he was four years old, C. S. Lewis renamed himself Jack and refused to answer to Clive Staples. For the rest of his life, he was Jack to his friends.

The Wish Thief by C.D. Verhoff

Glory steals an unusual gem to save her family but winds up threatening an entire world.