'TELESA" The Covenant Keeper

I really enjoyed this book. I'm samoan, born and raised in California, but lucky for me, my parents brought SAMOA into our home in the states. I'm greatful for the heritage and culture I know and cherish for life.
So the book was a great read! I loved how I was so familiar with everything that Mrs. Young was describing and I couldn't help but feel at home with this book being that everything was set in Samoa, how good is that! I love, love, love me some DANIEL..He's one of those samoan boys that still holds true to the traditions and unwritten rules in Samoa. Its very safe to say that DANIEL is one CHUNK HUNK and very old fashioned which is fine with me YES! I love his character how he RESPECTS his elders and respects girls.
Leila is from the states and is not accustomed to the Samoan way of life! She is in for a culture shock in a good way. She doesn't hit it off right away with DANIEL, as a matter of fact, they get into a class debate and they are on opposing sides and get into it, something fierce..She makes some friends at school SIMONE ( a shim= she+ him= SHIM) He becomes a very good friend of Leila and helps her with the ins and outs of the samoan life and expectations on the island and in school.
TELESA speaks of women who have an affinity of powers of the earth elements AIR, WATER, FIRE and Leila not knowing is one of them. Leila was born to a palagi (white) man and a samoan telesa lady. Her mothers name is Nafanua. Her father took her away from SAMOA where she was born when she was 4 months. Her father didn't speak much of her mother but requested that she never go back to SAMOA. Leila loved her father and it was just her and him against the world. Her father was a "FOLGER" a man born into the Lawyer family business and a family with no financial hardhsips, well off in that area. Her father was in the Peace Corp in Samoa and met Nafanua, fell in love and they had Leila Folger. Leila's father meant the world to her and she didn't quite fit into the prestige world of the FOLGERS.  She was made fun of in school as the brown girl with thick hair. She found herself getting into fights and not fitting in when school kids would tease her about not having a mother. So tough in a teens life when you don't have any info on your mother..Leilas father died due to a brain tunor and Leila's life was in shambles, absolutely devastated her world. What would she do now that her father has passed away?. Her grandmother Mrs.Folger of course would take care of her, but she felt such a void in her life without her father to lead and direct her life. She turns 18 and decided to go against her fathers wishes, she sells her car and purchases a ticket to SAMOA in search of her family roots, to find out about her mother and what she was like. This is where the story begins her, trip to Samoa..
I loved the love story in the book as well as the legends of the TELESA.I loved how Mrs. Young described the lush gardens and delicious foods in Samoa. I must say after reading this book, I was already in love with DANIEL and planning a trip to the motherland..There's alot of action that takes place in the book which caught my attention right off the back, so it doesn't disappoint at all.If you haven't read this book, you ought to..I highly recommend the book to readers..
Thank you for a good read Mrs. Lani Wendt- Young..I thoroughly enjoyed myself..LOVE IS BEING ABLE TO DO AND DEFEAT ANYTHING TOGETHER...