The Circle of Tivedon    by Ryan Shorten Order:  USA  Can CreateSpace, 2012 (2012) Paperback, e-Book      Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto Many are weary of reading self-published books, and truthfully, the cover of The Circle of Tivedon might scare some readers off as it screams self-published. But those who do decide to give Ryan Shorten's work a chance will find one of the best self-published books of the year. Brothers Jayl and Myah are chosen to represent their city of Brealt at the prestigious school in Tivedon. Once there, they make friends from all over Tiertyn ... and some enemies, too. But Tivedon is not your average school and the students, daughters and sons of political leaders, learn more about Tiertyn then is allowable in polite society. All students are given a unique sigil to wear, but it is not until their schooling is interrupted by a great tragedy that they learn the truth behind their sigils. Soon it is up to Jayl and the other students to save Tiertyn from a threat greater than any ever imagined. Shorten has created a well-crafted world. Readers can easily find their way around, through his strong storytelling, without the need for much exposition. This really helps to get the reader immediately into the story, which is richly detailed with plenty of nuances. Like any good fantasy, we have magic, mystery and quests, with twists and turns around every corner. Yes, like many self-published novels, there are more grammatical errors than in a traditionally published book, but these are few and far between and do not detract from the story. If you like to try new YA fantasy authors, be sure to give Ryan Shorten a shot. The Circle of Tivedon, which is only book one, is an excellent start that will leave readers craving more. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews