Review by Rabia Tanveer

5 Stars – Congratulations on your 5-star review! 

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers’ Favorite

Artima’s Travels – Part II: Ella is the second novel in the All about Artima’s Travels series by E. A. Dustin. The story follows the 17-year-old Ella, an old soul very much like her mother Arty Ressols. Growing up with her mother by her side was good enough for her, but things turned upside down when she found out that her estranged father had passed away. Ella learned of a half-brother named Colton, and she wanted to meet him. Ella did what any headstrong teenager would do, and ran away to California to form a relationship with her brother. At first, the siblings connected, but Ella couldn’t help but wonder whether something was wrong with Colton. What she discovered would shock her to the core and make her question many things about her family. As she and Colton dig deeper, they realize their ancestors had a dark past and that may be the reason why Colton was different. What is it that they discover and how does it put Colton and Ella in danger?

A fast-paced, adrenaline-inducing, action-packed novel, Artima’s Travels – Part II had me hooked from the beginning. At first, I dismissed Ella as your typical teenage character, ready to torment her mother just for the sake of it. As the story progressed, I realized how wrong I had been. Ella was far too smart for her own good. She was intelligent, and so was Colton. The combination of the siblings and their chemistry was outstanding. They handled the mystery of their family’s past with an intensity and ease that surprised me. Their development was so natural that I didn’t even realize it until I reached the crescendo of the story. E. A. Dustin did plenty of research to bring readers something new about WWII and how it impacted the lives of people stuck in the concentration camps. The narrative style is perfectly smooth and flows fluidly. This is a brilliant young adult novel that is free of unwanted romance, swords, and knights in shining armor!