Title: Hidden Truth
Author: Naomi Skye
Publisher: XlibrisAU
ISBN: 9781984500465
Pages: 192
Genre: Fantasy
Reviewed by: Anita Lock

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Rising author Naomi Skye produces a unique good-versus-bad fantasy story in her debut novel, Hidden Truth.

Yarra White, a “volatile and unpredictable” mercenary and assassin, is released after a forty-seven-year imprisonment from the vilest of prisons in the realm of Verstra. Alongside Yarra’s notoriety, she is the last surviving family member of House White, the ancient eighth house—nowadays referred to only via myths and rumors—that once ruled over the seven houses of the Rainbow within Verstra. With each color holding absolute dominion over one facet of magic, the Rainbow became an omnipotent organization protecting the world from demons, monsters, vampires, werewolves, sirens, and “all kinds of unnatural beasts” seeking to destroy the seven families that make up the Rainbow.

Bound and heavily guarded while en route to the Rainbow, Yarra escapes not for her freedom, but risks her life to save House Green—the chief protector of all knowledge— from being attacked by werewolves. The incident is a sign that war with the Rainbow’s enemies is imminent. It doesn’t help that Royce, a House Green soldier, plots to overtake Ray, the house’s leader, and Yarra’s demise. Ray and Yarra learn of Royce’s machinations. In the meantime, Yarra comes up with tactics that will be used to overcome Rainbow’s enemies. What Ray doesn’t expect is for Yarra’s plans to succeed, she will have to divulge the Rainbow’s best-kept secret to none other than Royce.

Nineteen-year-old Australian author Naomi Skye, creates a near-believable realm in the first, hopefully, of a new fantasy series. Amid a smallish yet richly descriptive cast made up mainly of immortals, Skye unfolds a good-versus-bad tale shrouded in mystery with Yarra White, her principal character, at the center of the confusion. Unique to Yarra is her crazed identity, which she carries about her throughout the novel. An enigma at best, Yarra maintains a hardened-criminal-like persona that periodically and ever so lightly emits a tender side. Everything about her is infuriatingly unreadable, including her form of communication: “cryptic clues and ridiculous rhymes.”

Yarra White may be earmarked as the savior—the only one who has the power to save the Rainbow (and Verstra) from becoming annihilated by monsters, but her ideas are not only unorthodox but also appear to go against the realm’s sacred pledge. Of course, between Yarra’s unpredictable personality and her plot to save Verstra those around her don’t know whether to love or despise her.

While maximizing on the frustrating underlying tension between White’s erratic behavior and people’s responses, Skye throws more into the confusion with behind-the-scene rumors of treason. Skye’s writing style is crisp and readable. Chapters alternate between situations with Yarra and the underpinnings of treason amid an impending war with the element of uncertainty looming from beginning to end.

Closing on a cliffhanger, Hidden Truth will keep fantasy fans on their toes from beginning to end.