Review of Manifesting Destiny

Blurb: Sixteen-year-old Cee Klinger is destined for heartbreak and she knows it. She's helplessly in love with Marcus, her childhood best friend. But soon they will change, transforming for the first time into whichever animal Clan they belong to, and once they join those Clans, they may never see one another again.

Cee is desperate to make the most of their remaining time, but after Marcus's brother leaves to join the Aerie, Marcus begins pulling away. And then Cee discovers she's harboring a dragon named Livian within herself, and the situation rapidly becomes volatile. Dragons are thought to be extinct, but Livian is very real. Powerful. Demanding. And potentially dangerous. Marcus begs her to have him removed by the ruling Magi Clan, but Cee begins to wonder whether it's worth losing a part of herself for a crush who can never return her love.

Review: Cee Klinger is in love with her best friend Marcus, but he can't love her back in the way she wants. Yet when it becomes clear that what they may become might be mortal enemies, neither of them wants to let go. As they come of age, they start to transform and will be placed with their animal clans. Yet Cee is a dragon, something thought to be extinct, and Marcus is a Magi, who killed all the dragons. Not ready to lose themselves, they flee into the forest. Dangerous people hunt them, but will they kill one another before they're found?

This is the first book in the well-written YA fantasy romance series, Changers. The world building is incredible. We get little quotes at the beginning of each chapter for flavor, and we're not bogged down by pages of history. The reader quickly feels like a natural part of the world through Cee's narration. I loved the blend of the various political and mystical aspects. There is a great weight in the history you can feel, but we don't delve into it yet as Cee isn't one for history.

This world has shifters, and not in the way one typically sees in YA books. There are normal creatures like eagles, foxes, and deer, but there are mythical ones too. I really enjoy Cee's dragon, Livian, and her friend Rand's mysterious Kornyx. I suspect there will be more unusual ones, and I'm eager for it.

Cee, Marcus, and two friends, who are all on the verge of transformation, run away from town. They receive help, but it's questionable if it's honest. This leads to wondering just who is being truthful and who might betray them. I think everyone has their own agenda and few people are genuinely wanting to help. Lots of politics and mystery, and so much more of the world to discover. As this is just the first book in the series, it very much feels like the introduction. The start of an epic coming-of-age journey which I could easily see stretching across several books. Also the kind of story YA audiences adore. Lots of teen angst along with the world changing stakes.

Cee and Marcus' relationship is complex. She is crushing on Marcus, but he doesn't see her that way because he isn't into girls. Yet his Magi personality does like her, and she's swayed by him. Livian, who is inside Cee, is male, and wants to just eat everyone else! Which, when there are moments when Cee is so conflicted, I feel Livian's solution may be the easiest way to resolve it. Cee is innocent and naive in a world that wants to destroy her, but she stubbornly refuses to leave Marcus. The problem is that he will eventually not exist anymore as he becomes his Magi personality. That isn't the case for Cee, but you can see how this makes it so wonderfully twisted.

I'm not usually a fan of YA books, especially of the teen angst, but I can't wait for the next book in this series. Highly recommended.

You can find Amanda Innes on her site and buy the book here.