Review: Sleepers by Megg Jensen

Epub: Sleepers(The Swarm #1)

Author: Megg Jensen

Publisher: DarkSide Publishing (July 20, 2011)

Genre: YA/ High Adventure Fantasy

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

From Goodreads:

An adoptee raised in a foreign land, sixteen-year-old Lianne was content with her life as handmaiden to the queen, until a spell cast on her at birth activated. Now she's filled with uncontrollable rage and access to magic she thought had been bled from her people years ago. Even her years of secret training in elite hand-to-hand combat and meditation can’t calm the fires raging inside her. 

Her heart is torn between two boys, the one she’s always loved and the one who always ignored her. But when the kingdom threatens to tear itself apart due to rumors surrounding the queen’s alleged affair, who will Lianne protect and who will she destroy? 

I was really excited to read and review Sleepers. First off, the cover is so striking. I know they say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but in the case of this book, the story is just as fantastic as the gorgeous cover. Lianne won me over very early in the book. I immediately loved her as the best-friend to the Queen who is beautiful as she is kind; her romance with swoon-worthy Kellan and the fact that she can take down any man in hand to hand combat. She is my kind a gal. I was really surprised at the connection I made with these characters in such a short time. The book is under 300 pages and yet it’s plenty of time for you to grow to care about Lianne and the people she loves.

Even though the story is on the shorter side the reader is taken on a journey that does not disappoint. Lianne has always felt a certain amount of safety even thought her adoptive family definitely took lessons from Cinderella’s step-mother and wretched step-sisters on how to treat ones family. She has a best friend and confidant in an unlikely person, Queen Mags. I like that we see an honest and flawed side of Lianne best friend. She isn’t perfect but she and Lianne find a balance in their friendship since they both technically stuck and not able to do what they want in life. Lianne’s real freedom lies with Kellan, her newly acquired boyfriend. She has been training with him and his adoptive father since she was a little girl. The real drama begins on Lianne’s 16^th birthday. Kellan tells her everything will change. Oh boy. It sure does. Lianne wakes up with an anger that is boiling and swirling inside of her. This is where things start to get really interesting, and when Bryden gains my favor. Even though a tragic accident happened to Bryden when he was younger he dismissed the limits of his legs and began honing other skill sets. While Lianne and Kellan fought and trained he read and studied, swam and learned how to be invisible (not physically, though I’d like to see that) Even though the beginning of the story was good, the action and drama doesn’t really set in until the middle of the story. Megg Jensen created a plot with plenty of twist and turns, characters whose loyalty you wouldn’t think to question and once the magic is “unleashed”, watch out. Trouble is coming from all fronts.

Sleepers, was action packed and had just the right amount of romance. The characters are likeable and I really can’t wait to see what happens in book 2.  Thank you Meg for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. It’s one that I will happy recommend to others. I only request that you don’t make me wait too much longer for book two… I need to know where this is going to go. J

Possible pairing: Graceling Kristin Cashore, Brightly Woven by Alexandra Backen