Thera doesn't know why the Elanraigh forest-mind chose her, of all the Allenholme folk, to hear its voice and to awaken her gifts of mind and spirit. The Elanraigh sends a warning dream; black sails swooping toward Allenholme from across the western sea—the Memteth, an ancient enemy, armed with blue fire that hungers to consume life. As Thera awakens to her gifts of bonding with raptor birds and reading hearts, the knowing; she also awakens to love. Will she choose Chamakin, the young Ttamarini warrior who is kindred in spirit to her, or the polished young nobleman who covets her beauty even more than her estate? Forest-mind is aware she is yet too young for such power and responsibility. It has no choice—the lives on Thera fulfilling her destiny. Can she learn what she must of gift, and heart, to survive what comes their way? "I found this novel fascinating...I would recommend this novel to those who love a good magical fantasy with a touch of romance." Readers Favourite Reviewer-P.J. Wipe-5 Stars "The most impressive feature this delightful fantasy work is the level of detail taken to populate its world with realistic and interesting characters...innovative and highly atmospheric." Readers Favourite Reviewer-K.C. Finn-5 Stars The plot is good, the setting perfect, and the world building involved fitting for a young adult novel." Readers Favourite Reviewer-Ray Simmons-5 Stars I believe my love of these characters, who absorb so much of my life, reflects itself in my writing. I hope you enjoy reading it and will look for the upcoming sequel, A Scourge of Shadows, Elanraigh: Book II. Always, I've lived at the edges of ocean and forest. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest,  on beautiful Vancouver Island."The Guardian Forest" was written over a period of six long years, in minutes (sometimes hours) stolen on a Sunday between my long hours as an airport property manager and being mom and wife.I'd dive into my office "cave" to type, pace and, no doubt, mumble to myself, lost for a while in the fantasy world of the Elanraigh, a sentient forest, and the special young woman it chose to communicate with.About me, well, I have a ready sense of humour and an over-abundance of curiosity about all kinds of things. (I think that must be a universal writers' trait--that just like crows collect shiny things, writers glean bits of trivia and store them away for the "someday" they'll find their way into a story.