Book Review: Ada, Legend of a Healer

Ada
Legend of a Healer

By:  R.A. McDonald

Publisher:  House of Lore Publishing

Publish Date:  January 2011

Format:  Paperback 250pgs, Trade size 5 1/2x 8 1/2

Genre:  Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult (healers)

Series:  1st book in Ada Healer series

Recommendation:  For Young Readers who enjoy Healers and action as well.  Also, has great ideas to talk on with others about thoughts that surface here.

Book Synopsis:
No sickness, No injuries, No pain, No limits.

If you had the power to heal, what would you do?

For fifteen-year-old Ada discovering that she can heal feels more like a curse than a gift.  When she learns of the mystery surrounding her mother's disappearance, and sees the indifference of so-called friends, she sets out for Paris to find her.

The power to heal protects her, but also has her hunted by a man who sees her as nothing more than his fountain of youth.  Ada realizes her true power is her will to survive, and that her only chance at freedom is to become the best at escaping.

First Sentence:
Usually an indoor plant will bend and twist to find the direction with the most sun, but not the plant in Ada's room.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Ada is 15 and at the Between house after getting kicked out of another foster home, like her history of being kicked out of schools or upsetting her foster parents.  She has 3 days for her Aunt Jessie to contact them before her social worker will have to send her to juvenile.  Ada can tell by felling or smelling there is something wrong with someone.  But they don't like hearing it when Ada asks or suggests health issues, hence part of her troubles with foster homes.  The others are just not nice people.  Ada's Aunt finally shows up and comes through but she travels for her own business with herbs.  Ada's Aunt tells her she knows it's been hard on her but "it was preparation for what's to come."  After learning more about herself and who might be after her if they know about her ability, Ada goes on the run and finds herself in Paris, meeting a nice young man and looking for her lost mother.

Ada is a strong young girl that has come from some harsh surroundings.  Not only has she been in homes that are not so nice, but in lovely homes she loses after she mentions something about someones health not being good, even for something small.  But all this hardens Ada to deal with the not so nice people that find out what she can do, at the same time as she finds out.  Ada is a fighter.  She is one to keep going and survive.  And even makes her own way in the world as well.  She is a strong young girl.

Ada has a strong belief about helping people.  And a big part of me believes the same as her.  But I do see the other side of the coin.  Actually both sides of extreme here with healing.  But you have to read the book to get the view as well.  To me the author has opened my mind a little more to think on the helping of others.  There are different views to each side and legitimate reasons to each.  I really liked the way the author pulled this all together and keeping each character true to their thoughts.

Ada finds clues taking her to Paris, France.  Here Ada learns more about herself and grows as well.  She starts to see another side to helping people willingly.  Ada even makes a few great friends that help her in learning many new things to protect herself.  My only hope for future books, is we get to see Daniel again.  I really liked him and his Uncle.  Very nice.  Daniel has been kind and yet challenges Ada to try and do more without pushing her.  Just him being around makes Ada want to do more and better.

This is nice story for a Young Adult or even a Young Reader.  I would definitely pass this book along to my son or a friends child with no worries at all.

I found I enjoyed this Young Reader book more than I was expecting.  And so much so I would love to read more of Ada and her journeys.


I received a copy of this book from the Publisher for an honest review.

This book qualifies for the YA Reading Challenge, and the Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by Floor to Ceiling Books.