Xu (Xu #1)

Review by Serena Yates, Rainbow Book Reviews

http://www.rainbowbookreviews.com/book-reviews/xu-by-aj-llewellyn-at-extasy-books

This is such a fascinating book on so many levels. There is the spiritual element of a very close encounter with death and how Lindo deals with that. There is the mystery of Xu, and Lindo’s emotions as he desperately tries to reclaim some sort of a life after 3 months in a coma. It had me spellbound. Overcoming almost-death like that can’t be easy, and his struggle is told so vividly that I was involved from the very first page.

Lindo is an amazing character. A true fighter who came up from the Mexican slums, even if he is no longer fit to work as a boxer, he is in desperate need for his life to make some sort of sense again. I loved that he went for a vacation in Hawaii, which is a very spiritual place. The little details that I remember liking so much when I visited years ago were all there: how friendly people are, the colors and scents, the food, and some of the wonderful sights. It felt as if I was really there again.

The emotions as Lindo learns to return to reality and the secret of Xu is revealed are heart-wrenching. I can’t say much more without spoiling the secret, but it’s a big one. I absolutely loved this book and hope you will give it a chance – it’s truly imaginative.