Wind Catcher Paperback – March 21, 2015

3.5 stars. This is the first book in the Chosen series and the first book I have read by these authors. I wasn't sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised by the storyline. The book can be read as a standalone, but ends in a soft cliffhanger for the next book in the series. There is violence.The book blurb adequately describes the storyline so I'm not going to repeat all of that info here. The authors did a good job of giving readers an overview of what this story and series is about. Juliet wanted to be a normal teenager but the Spirits had other plans for her. Even though the events in this book were over a short timeline, there are a lot of twists, turns, and surprises written in the storyline. I really enjoyed Chosen and the mix of an Indian culture and beliefs combined with an ancient alien civilization. I look forward to reading more of the Chosen series.

I LOVED it! It's a wonderful story about Juliet Wildfire Stone coming to terms with a destiny she doesn't really want while she's struggling to just fit in. Juliet isn't sure how to fit n at the private school... and she feels she's losing touch with her friends... and her grandfather now seems just weird. Then she is thrust into a role where she must save her people!Why is this book a MUST READ? The characters are well developed as far as Juliet knows them. We meet new people through her eyes. She is humble and fears that she is inadequate - a normal teen angst, right? We feel her fear, trepidation, anger, and even love... she is kind hearted and wants to help those who are unable to help themselves. While she suffers from being bullied, she goes into overdrive to protect the sensitive Katie. I love a heroine with a heart! Oh, Juliet does protest too much! We KNOW she loves Troy! Troy, Katie, Marlon, and Ella are great friends to have when you're in danger! The characters are so real - gotta love Marlon and his bottomless pit stomach! They have their strengths and their weaknesses; yet, despite the fear and the odds against them, they step up together.The story takes a possible supernatural twist as we are taken along to learn about Native American culture and beliefs. This is treated with great knowledge and sensitivity - and this adds to the story. While there are murders to solve, we are taken on a quest for truth... and many other twists and turns along the way. Things are not always as they seem!It's also a beautiful story about Juliet and her changing relationship with Sicheii (grandfather). We watch how she changes her feelings again and again... I loved how she grew in this aspect as well. :)I really wanted to read this story based on the synopsis - and... the fact that I have read and enjoyed another book by Jeff Altabef! Too, this is definitely a beautiful story made more so as it was written by a father/daughter team!I was given a free copy of this book, and I am happily sharing this review. I loved this story so much, I had to get one as well! Once you read this, you will know what I mean! Read it! You will fall in love with it! I can't wait to read the rest of the series!

Juliet is half native American. She worries about her acceptance at an exclusive girls’ school, but her grandfather has been trying to teach her she is so much better than any of them, that she has a vital destiny to fulfill. Troy, her long-time friend, protects her and picks on her like a brother. When Juliet is a teenager, she comes into her destiny and an astounding array of facts she was never told before. She finally realizes she really is a wind catcher, and her skills arise dramatically.These authors weave a deep story of both sci-fi and Indian lore, sweeping the reader up into the excitement. I will definitely be reading more!

I got Wind Catcher by Jeff & Erynn Altabef, as an Amazon freebie back in October of 2016, but it got lost in the shuffle. Then…I won a signed paperback copy of book two, Brink of Death, so I pulled it out, dusted it off, and wondered why I waited so long to read it.Juliet Stone is special, but she doesn’t know it. I love her feistiness and loyalty. She sticks up for her friends, even if it comes to blows. You definitely need to watch out for the strong ladies in Wind Catcher. “You’re special Juliet. You’ve been chosen.”What seemed to be a typical young adult story, you know, a ‘warrior’ girl fighting the big bad evil, has a twist with Native American mysticism that adds an extra bit of goodness for me and the battle with the Seeker tops it off.I went straight to Brink of Death, Chosen #2, by Jeff and Erynn Altabef.