Anyia - It Begins (Book 2)

Anyia: It Begins is about a chief's daughter who sees more for her life than training to be the future wife of a chief in another small village. She dreams of being a warrior. In this book, she is given an opportunity to do more. But is she willing to give up things she has taken for granted in order to fight for the greater good? This book starts off a little slow but soon builds to an adventure that makes you want to read more in the series.

Anyia is being groomed in her Nagoran Village to be a Yora. She spends plenty of time with her mother who trains her on how to be the best Yora for the village. Some day Anyia will marry a chief and she will need to know her duties. But for now, even after her warrior training, she is stuck in the village unaware of what’s happening outside of its walls because of the Magic Treaty. Magic has been banned to keep the piece with Empress Zarina. When her older brother returns from a trip on the outside, he informs her that things are changing and Empress Zarina, a known enemy, is wreaking havoc.

Anyia remembers a time when she was a little girl using the Travel Hut to venture out into other villages. During this time magic was allowed. Anyia now feels magic making its way through her body and out of her fingertips. Visitors have come to her village and are being greeted by her father the Chief. One is a Palon named Sana. Palon’s are pale skinned and wear elaborate beads around their bald heads. Anyia realizes her mother is not there to greet the visitors with her father.

Anyia was summoned to meet with her father, she and her brother learn that their mother and her warriors were captured by Empress Zarina. The Palon Sana stresses to the Chief that the only person who can save her is Anyia. But before that can happen Anyia must become a Palon herself. Since Anyia has magic, she will have to go without it, or the treaty will be broken, and Empress Zarina will be able to take over other villages. For her to save her mother and the others she will have to blend in as a Palon assistant. With the help of Sana’s assistant Tanya, her transformation begins. Anyia has no doubt that she is strong enough for the task. The only question is can she blend in, learn the duties of an assistant, and find her mother?

Author and illustrator Jacquitta A. McManus has created another wonderful girl power adventure. Inside these pages are beautifully illustrated images of the characters and the action of the scenes. Although it’s not quite a graphic novel, but with the vivid imagery it feels like one. The story is perfect to engage readers but is a fast read ideal for read-a-loud sessions in a classroom or at home.

When I read the first book in the series, I wondered what Anyia would be coming with in the sequel. Did not see that twist!
Our defiant princess returns and shows us just how much of a warrior she truly is. We see two different sides to Anyia - the empathetic side that truly cares for the people of her village, wants to be all 'womanly' and please her mom by taking her Yora duties seriously; and then there's the brave persistent side that has a hankering to save her village.
We see both sides uniting when she willingly surrenders her powers indefinitely. It's a hard pill to swallow, but she gladly does so in order to rescue her loved ones. Her decision to do so proves just how much of a warrior she truly is.
I am eagerly awaiting the trilogy as I'm curious about Mrs. Bulo. Something just ain't right with that woman - she's devious. Jacquitta, please get to writing. I'm drooling over here!