The Pendant Path by Jane Barlow and Steve Boivie


        "Elsie's father hung his head. Of one accord, Elsie and Xan both put their arms around him, and he pulled them close. Even through the smoke and the chemicals that clung to their clothes and hair, Elsie could smell the familiar, comforting scent of her father's soap as she pushed her face into his shoulder."

        The Pendant Path by Jane Barlow Funk and Steve Boivie is a fun, young adult book that is all about the power of being nice and working together. The romance is almost non-existent, the violence is well within the PG range, and the story is a classic that's perfect for younger readers and adults who need a break from grimdark. This wasn't an especially spectacular read (and honestly I was a little bored in parts) but if I wanted something safe to recommend to someone who's tired of the more explicit novels, this would be a good go-to.

        "Like the flick of a switch, Kenji's eyes opened, transitioning from sleep to wakefulness effortlessly. A quick glance at his alarm confirmed to his internal clock that it was 5:00 am. He hadn't needed to set an alarm since he was eleven. His first instinct, honed through much practice, was to do a quick check of his surroundings as he sat up in bed. He was in a small ten by ten room that was almost completely dark."

        Kenji is the very first character that we meet, he's 17 years old and lives by himself in a tiny apartment in San Antonio that used to belong to his dad. Kenji has had an exceptionally rough home life. His mother isn't alive and his father recently passed away, so Kenji's immediate goal is to finish school without being forced into a foster home situation. If he can make it just a few months, he'll be eighteen and legally able to live on his own. It isn't until Kenji meets Hyrum that things start to get easier for him. 

        As Kenji and Hyrum start to become better friends, Kenji feels more comfortable confiding in Hyrum about his past. Kenji's father was into some very mysterious stuff that forced them to be constantly on the move and always on guard, because of this Kenji is a master fighter and survivalist. But his father is only one part of the story, Kenji's mother had a few secrets as well. 

        Hyrum is the first one to discover that the pendant can open portals through a mirror to another world and Kenji was the first to discover that they could go through it. This is where two boys from America get the chance to meet Elsie, Kisa, and Xan in an alternate reality where Brits are looked down upon, and the world isn't as advanced technologically. It's in this world that Kenji and Hyrum get roped into saving Elsie's brother Xan. 

       Overall I enjoyed this book, certain parts were a little confusing and the characters were a little one dimensional in some parts, but it didn't detract from the overall story. The writing was decent and despite the story not holding my attention 100% of the time it was still an entertaining read.

Goodreads

Where to buy:

Amazon

(This book is also part of Amazon's Kindle Unlimited program)

  

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