Chosen by Casey White

WriteHive Book Club

Jas expected to hear a tale of glory and heroism. He hadn’t planned on living it. Drenwell is in trouble. The idyllic nation teeters on the brink of disaster as one trouble after another lines up before it. Crops fail. Animals flee. Earthquakes rattle the land. In the midst of it all is the mountain, rising tall over the plains and forests. Legends passed down over the years place it as the center of the kingdom’s woes, host to an ancient, looming threat. Tucked away in the countryside, Jas isn’t worried. Drenwell has a savior waiting, a man chosen by their god to defeat this evil. He knows it better than anyone, since this Chosen is his childhood friend, Darren. Jas knows that Darren will be the one to end the threat and keep them safe. But their Chosen is clever, armed with his god-given gifts and talents, and he’s no fool. He can see the truth of the mission laid in front of him, its dangers and risks. The expectations placed on him are strong, but the will to live is stronger still. When faced with his ‘heroic’ fate, he chooses an option no one expected - least of all Jas. With no way left to him but forward, Jas finds himself trapped into playing hero in Darren’s place.

Charred by Casey White

The mountain. Held as his goal for so long, it fades into the distance as Jas leaves it behind. The world is bigger than he’d ever thought, he’s rapidly coming to realize. Darren’s spell lingers, clinging to him, but he’s no longer powerless to its commands. He finally has the strength to stand against it and a new identity to call his own, both gifts of the Everburning, the goddess Shiina. His powers are still new and unfamiliar, though, and his goddess is weak from her slumber. Darren is still out there looking for his wayward once-friend, and will stop at nothing to end what he sees as a threat to Drenwell’s safety. He’ll need to learn his own limits, if he has any hope of standing against his rival. With the Chosen hot on his heels, the man who was Jas flees into foreign lands together with his new goddess. One goal unifies them - revenge. They’ll need allies to get it, but finding allies takes time. Time they’re running all too short of as Drenwell closes in.

Ascendant by Casey White

It’s time. There’s no more hiding, no negotiating truces or bargaining with half-allies. With Solune found, the last barrier to the war reaching its inevitable end has been cleared. But even with the Everdark distancing himself from the war, leaving his brother to fend off the onslaught of Shiina and Efren alone, it won’t be an easy victory. Drenwell is an old country, strong and well established, and it will fight fiercely to protect its god and people. The war cannot be fought without sacrifice - something each of them knows all too well. The fight will go beyond the battle lines as the four Ascended are locked into one city, left standing at the forefront of the conflict. They can’t all win, and they can’t all live - and even should Takio find himself victorious, the cost for fulfilling the pact he made with Shiina is steep. Win or lose, he knows his destination may well be the same. Even still, leaving things unfinished isn’t an option. With nowhere left to run, their final chance at revenge - and victory - is at hand.

Nightsworn by Casey White

After what had come to feel like an eternity, Takio has finally broken free. Ondria’s aid has been secured, along with the aid of the Wavebinder and his Tideborn. Darren’s army has been fought to a standstill, and the border belongs to the Riverguard. For once, it almost seems like things are looking up. With every second that passes, though, Drenwell and its Chosen have another opportunity to turn the tide. The race to Drenwell City is on, for the last of the Four has yet to reveal himself. The Everdark remains yet in hiding, lurking in the shadows cast by his brother, and whoever finds him first and claims his aid will tip the balance of the war in their direction. Takio and his allies have no choice but to seek out the reclusive Divine, hunting through the parts of the capital where Rellan’s light has yet to reach. That search, though, also means putting themselves within arm’s reach of the Order - and Darren. With the fight beginning to draw to a close, the deadly hunt is on.

Silvertongue by Casey White

After another long day at work, all Jon Christensen wanted was a cheap burger and some peace and quiet. When he pulled into the McDonald’s, Jon only had the usual cares on his mind. His sister. The bills. A career with seemingly nowhere to go. But after a confusing encounter at the cash register triggers a violent episode in the parking lot, he’s quickly pulled into a world he doesn’t understand. His few careless sentences - and the odd gift of languages he’s kept hidden for years - wind up thrusting him right into the middle of a chaotic magical free-for-all, a battle taking place in the shadows of society. Entangled in an increasingly complex web of violence and lies, he's left with a choice: adapt, or die. Surrounded by strangers, Jon must struggle to survive, searching out friends amidst a sea of foes. If he can get his group of strays and rejects to work together, there’s a chance they might just make it out alive. Should he fail, the consequences will be dire - not only for Jon, but also for those he loves.

Survival's Edge by Casey White

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Life was going great - right up until Tara died. She'd always expected that to be it. Death is final, after all. But when she reaches the afterlife, she's instead presented with a destiny she'd never bargained for. Instead of reincarnating to begin a new life as a human, she's been selected as a candidate for godhood. If she can claw her way to divinity, she’ll be the first new blood to stand amid the old pantheons in ages. Lucky her. Thrown into the dubious situation of establishing herself as a fledgling goddess in a cruel, skeptical world, Tara clings to the task she’s been given: Kill an aging, ancient deity, and take her place. Not everyone will be happy to see her, and not everyone will approve of her smashing through celestial society like a wrecking ball. Giving up means laying down and accepting oblivion, though - and that's something Tara refuses to do. She'll have her birthright, and she'll have her name. And then Terra will rise again. Spark of Divinity contains strong language and content that may be traumatic, with themes around death and overcoming hardship..

Unknown Horizons by Casey White

Alone and hunted, Sam is lost in the cold emptiness of space. Abducted from Earth and whisked into the depths of the Milky Way, Sam wakes up amidst a grotesque menagerie of aliens. Imprisoned by the Nalitokk, an advanced species out for information no matter the cost, Sam is shielded by one simple fact: Out of the many aliens the Nalitokk have captured, the only thing to make humans stand out is how unimpressive they are. When they come to regard their newest test subject as little more than a defective pet, Sam is all too happy to play along. As humiliating as the deception is, it’s the only way to survive. But times are changing, and every game comes to an end. When disaster strikes, Sam is faced with hard decisions about how to break free of their grasp. Decisions which change everything - from the Nalitokk’s view on humans, all the way down to Sam’s humanity itself. With the Nalitokk hot in pursuit, Sam breaks free with one singular goal - to find the way home.

The Flameweaver Saga by Casey White

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In times of trouble, heroes are called to serve. Some rise to the occasion - and others are dragged along kicking and screaming. Secluded in the sleepy village of Goldenvale, Jas expected life to continue in the same peaceful track it always had. The days would come and go, settling into a comfortable routine. The mountain changed everything. When it rumbled to life, filling the world with hastily-awoken legends of old monsters and ancient evils, Jas knew better than to be afraid. Their nation had a secret of its own: a hero, in the form of his best friend Darren. Whatever threatened Goldenvale, they’d face it together But when the day came, Darren turned - and ran. Forced to take up the mantle of hero in his place, Jas begins his journey up the mountain. But the road is long, with enemies around every corner and answers waiting at the summit that threaten to shake his world to its very foundation. And in the end, Jas realizes his enemies were closer than he ever suspected.