The Lucky Diamond by Valinora Troy is book 1 in a Middle Grade magical fantasy quest series. It delivers fast paced, unpredictable action, complete with monsters, an evil witch, and the stunning, magical land of Nivram wrought with danger.
About The Lucky Diamond
The story centers around five orphaned children who eke out an existence, surviving in hiding from the authorities in Lowdar. Outside the gates of Lowdar is the threat of the Great Forest, where monsters lurk, ready to kill. The oldest of the orphans is Yvonne, who does her best to keep her younger siblings, Susan, Vicky, Cathy and Alan, safe. Each child cherishes a gift left to them by their parents, except for Alan, who not only lost his gift but can’t recall what it is.
The Lucky Diamond opens as dusk settles on Lowdar. Cathy’s twin brother plays a game with the other boys in the street. The last through the gate is a colonel from the Nivram National Army. The bell tolls, and the gate clangs shut, signaling that curfew is about to start. Cathy worries as she waits for her sister, Vicky. The authorities take her brother into custody with threats of being thrown into the Great Forest.
This day changes the lives of all five siblings when Cathy finds a three-inch diamond on the way home. But it is no ordinary diamond. It’s a shape-changing species who introduces itself as Princess of the Ancient Order of Diamonds—Lucky.
The children escape Lowdar to return Lucky to her home.
Along the way they meet challenges at every turn, and the adventure becomes one
of self-discovery for each of them. During the journey, the five children are unaccompanied by
adults, meet magical creatures, and learn valuable lessons. But the story is
totally different.In many ways, this story has a Chroniclesof Narnia feel but also reminds me of the Hogwart's at times.
@donnasundblad Book Review The Lucky Diamonds #luckydiamond, #books #booktok #bookworm #booksforkids #bookrecommendations #bookreview ♬ original sound Donna Sundblad
Book Review: The Lucky Diamond
The Lucky Diamond is a fast paced imaginative read and a perfect choice for Middle School readers who enjoy fantasy with plenty of action. Though I must give parents a heads up that the story is charming, but does have some scary characters, so if you have a child troubled by monsters, they might not be ready for this book. I also recommend this entertaining read to older readers who appreciate magical fantasy like Harry Potter or the Chronicles of Narnia. I had one unresolved question, but I’m about to start reading Revenge of Queen Rose (The Lucky Diamond series book 2), and hope to have it answered there. While the world building depicted a believable world, I thought the plot felt rushed at times and could be more developed. However, with that said, the story flowed well, never stalled, and held my interest. I am starting book 2 and looking forward to it.
* * *
As BookHookup, I am a long-time book reviewer and received a free review copy of this book in collaboration with Blackberry Book Tours. I have not been compensated for reviewing or recommending it. Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites.
About Author Valinora Troy
Valinora Troy has been writing since she could read, if not earlier. Her first book, started at the age of six, featured a girl finding a magic diamond. It took her all summer to write the first few pages. Since then, she has written many stories, both short and full length novels. THE LUCKY DIAMOND, her first full length middle grade children's fantasy, was published November 2021.
