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Cozy Fantasies of Illyria #1
Sorcery & Scones
“Let’s go somewhere. As long as it leads back here.”
All Neda wants is the gentle kiss of sunshine on her skin. And all Urza wants is to create beautiful sculptures instead of swords and armor.
Urza is just a stranger to Neda—a she-orc she met in prison who just happens to have a knack for knowing when Neda needs another fur swathed around her shoulders. Together they flee down south to Sunfall, a river town dotted with fragrant, blooming trees that’s far from the front lines of the Centuries’ War and the eternal winter that plagues it.
What comes next? Minding a glass shop for a centaur-turned-cat, practicing magic on moonlit nights, and spending evenings together sipping tea in the local cafe, chatting with neighbors beside a freshly kindled fire.
A missing moonstone threatens to derail their hard-won peace, but Neda’s acceptance of her new nature brings her strength and healing. And in the chaos that follows, Neda and Urza discover how much they truly mean to their adopted town.
And to each other.
Author's Note: This is a full length cozy fantasy novel with a low stakes adventure and a sweet romance. Get cozy and escape to the world of Illyria where contentment is key and coziness is a must!
All Neda wants is the gentle kiss of sunshine on her skin. And all Urza wants is to create beautiful sculptures instead of swords and armor.
Urza is just a stranger to Neda—a she-orc she met in prison who just happens to have a knack for knowing when Neda needs another fur swathed around her shoulders. Together they flee down south to Sunfall, a river town dotted with fragrant, blooming trees that’s far from the front lines of the Centuries’ War and the eternal winter that plagues it.
What comes next? Minding a glass shop for a centaur-turned-cat, practicing magic on moonlit nights, and spending evenings together sipping tea in the local cafe, chatting with neighbors beside a freshly kindled fire.
A missing moonstone threatens to derail their hard-won peace, but Neda’s acceptance of her new nature brings her strength and healing. And in the chaos that follows, Neda and Urza discover how much they truly mean to their adopted town.
And to each other.
Author's Note: This is a full length cozy fantasy novel with a low stakes adventure and a sweet romance. Get cozy and escape to the world of Illyria where contentment is key and coziness is a must!
189 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2023
71 people are currently reading
826 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 19, 2023
Kindle Unlimited. I had thought this was a sequel to Legends & Lattes but it's actually a completely different author, and a whole unique tale; just similarly themed!
I love this new trend of cozy fantasy stories, where it's fairly low stakes, and full of lovely inclusive representation, and the overall goal is just to have you rooting for characters and enjoying the ride. We definitely need more of this, especially in the queer realm! I desperately want to see more queer fantasy creatures, getting their well-deserved happily ever afters!
I love the characters here of Neda a former wood nymph who has been turned into a ghoul. Urza is a strong, talented and artistic Orc. Both were imprisoned for refusing to fight in a war that is dessimating the land. There's a lot of prejudice against both women and what they are, with people distrusting Ghouls and Orc's alike, using vile stereotypes. They escape to freedom, and set off across the land to find a place to call home.
They find it in an eccentric town, with ornery and oddball folk, but there's still distrust. There's mystery and conspiracy afoot, and secrets hidden in the town, that soon come to light.
It's a good story with a strong sense of justice and found family vibes. So I'd highly recommend it, if you're into these kinds of stories.
ON KU.
I love this new trend of cozy fantasy stories, where it's fairly low stakes, and full of lovely inclusive representation, and the overall goal is just to have you rooting for characters and enjoying the ride. We definitely need more of this, especially in the queer realm! I desperately want to see more queer fantasy creatures, getting their well-deserved happily ever afters!
I love the characters here of Neda a former wood nymph who has been turned into a ghoul. Urza is a strong, talented and artistic Orc. Both were imprisoned for refusing to fight in a war that is dessimating the land. There's a lot of prejudice against both women and what they are, with people distrusting Ghouls and Orc's alike, using vile stereotypes. They escape to freedom, and set off across the land to find a place to call home.
They find it in an eccentric town, with ornery and oddball folk, but there's still distrust. There's mystery and conspiracy afoot, and secrets hidden in the town, that soon come to light.
It's a good story with a strong sense of justice and found family vibes. So I'd highly recommend it, if you're into these kinds of stories.
ON KU.
February 17, 2023
A sweet read from debut author Meadows featuring an unlikely pairing of Urza and Neda, two prison escapees. Peacenik Urza is an Orc who wants to make sculptures instead of weapons. Neda was once a tree nymph with magic before treachery turned her into a ghoul. She feeds on small animal prey but everyone is afraid of her. She loves life and longs for warmth. A daring escape from prison leads to the duo joining forces. Well truthfully the Orc protects the ghoul. By land and sea and through tribulation they journey south to Sunfall and a diverse population of sprites, elves, wizards and more. Along the way, we meet Tan the pirate, a bumbling wizard Fredrick, Kal a centaur mistakenly turned into a cat, Merellen a sprite, a baby giant and much more. Suspicions and deceit must be dealt with before Urza and Neda are accepted in their new home town.
I read slowly, the world building is quite interesting and layered as are the many side characters. I liked the glass blowing and metal sculpture aspects, magical library and touches of humor.
The storyline is intriguing - the missing moonstone central to the plot. Another journey lies ahead for Urza and Neda and their new friends.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout. My review is voluntary.
I read slowly, the world building is quite interesting and layered as are the many side characters. I liked the glass blowing and metal sculpture aspects, magical library and touches of humor.
The storyline is intriguing - the missing moonstone central to the plot. Another journey lies ahead for Urza and Neda and their new friends.
I rec'd a copy through Booksprout. My review is voluntary.
April 5, 2023
The romance could have used more development and I didn't feel the presence/energy of the town and people as much as I wanted to but overall I enjoyed it.
Would love to see more of this world as the author builds on it with each book:). The characters were fun and easy to root for.
*read for free with Kindle Unlimited *
3.45 stars 🌟
Would love to see more of this world as the author builds on it with each book:). The characters were fun and easy to root for.
*read for free with Kindle Unlimited *
3.45 stars 🌟
February 3, 2024
Absolutely trying to capitalize on the popularity of “Legends and Lattes,” and I don’t think a single scone shows up in this whole book.
I had low expectations for an obvious knockoff, but it was better than expected. Worldbuilding was interesting, but was sparse and maybe had a hole or two. Beginning of the book was very forced to get the two MC’s together and little to no explanation for the motivations of one of the main characters to fall for the other. Felt like they were trying to hit the beats of a cozy fantasy without the character building to really sell it.
I had low expectations for an obvious knockoff, but it was better than expected. Worldbuilding was interesting, but was sparse and maybe had a hole or two. Beginning of the book was very forced to get the two MC’s together and little to no explanation for the motivations of one of the main characters to fall for the other. Felt like they were trying to hit the beats of a cozy fantasy without the character building to really sell it.
April 11, 2023
Plenty of found family! Lacking scones.
April 18, 2023
When I step back and would think on it, it was a good story. For whatever reason I kept forgetting I was reading it and it therefore took me forever to finish.
March 20, 2023
The title and cover art are misleading but the book description is accurate. So just keep that in mind. There are no scones and our leading ladies do not serve tea/coffee.
March 12, 2023
Fair story, poor formatting/editing
As this is an independent author, I tend to be kinder in my reviews. Especially, when it's the first book. That being said, this was a engaging and enjoyable read.
Most of the characters were likeable, the pacing was fairly smooth, and many of the loose plot/story points were dealt with at the end.
Unfortunately, there were more than a few issues working against the reader. The largest issue being the chapter numbering. This book had two numbering systems for chapters and it looks like the author just never removed the second one when editing this into a novel-- it was increasingly annoying. I don't know about any alpha or beta readers or if there was a failure in proofreading, but this book suffered because of it.
The title also does not convey any meaning to the story. While there is magic (sorcery) there is no baking. One character owns a cafe that serves tea. That's it. No mentions of scones anywhere, aside from the title. And neither of the main characters bake or work at the cafe. Admittedly, this is a minor nitpick, but one I feel justified in making.
Lastly, the author seems to have issues with transitions between scenes and thoughts within chapters. Early on, one character reminisces to herself after waking up in a warm bed for the first time in a while, going over the events of the previous evening. This was fine, but at the end of a one-sentence paragraph the scene changes back to the present and the other MC says the need to leave. The abrupt transition was jarring.
If you are looking to support independent authors, this wasn't bad and can be enjoyable. But there are also better stories out there.
As this is an independent author, I tend to be kinder in my reviews. Especially, when it's the first book. That being said, this was a engaging and enjoyable read.
Most of the characters were likeable, the pacing was fairly smooth, and many of the loose plot/story points were dealt with at the end.
Unfortunately, there were more than a few issues working against the reader. The largest issue being the chapter numbering. This book had two numbering systems for chapters and it looks like the author just never removed the second one when editing this into a novel-- it was increasingly annoying. I don't know about any alpha or beta readers or if there was a failure in proofreading, but this book suffered because of it.
The title also does not convey any meaning to the story. While there is magic (sorcery) there is no baking. One character owns a cafe that serves tea. That's it. No mentions of scones anywhere, aside from the title. And neither of the main characters bake or work at the cafe. Admittedly, this is a minor nitpick, but one I feel justified in making.
Lastly, the author seems to have issues with transitions between scenes and thoughts within chapters. Early on, one character reminisces to herself after waking up in a warm bed for the first time in a while, going over the events of the previous evening. This was fine, but at the end of a one-sentence paragraph the scene changes back to the present and the other MC says the need to leave. The abrupt transition was jarring.
If you are looking to support independent authors, this wasn't bad and can be enjoyable. But there are also better stories out there.
April 23, 2023
This book is billed as a supernatural cozy. I can see where the sorcery comes in but the scones, not so much. The two main characters are a ghoul and an orc. You can also find a wizard, an ogre, numerous elves, a centaur turned into a cat, good guys, bad guys, mysterious powerful stones and a mishandled sword. There was friendship but no romance until all of a sudden there it was. No romantic tension involved. All in all, a mixed bag. I enjoyed it but it could have been better.
March 12, 2023
This book was the perfect light and cozy read!
Since it was a shorter book, many of the aspects of the story felt a bit underdeveloped. I didn't feel all that connected to either Neda or Urza, although I really enjoyed their connection. The plot was easy to follow and included a zany cast. The world felt whimsical and inviting. The caste system between species of elves, orcs, sprites, wizards, and ghouls was effective and provided most of the interpersonal conflict. Although none of these aspects were clearly defined, their roles made sense and served the story nicely.
I really liked how the romance between the leads was developed. It began as a tentative friendship and developed into a deep connection that ultimately skewed romantically. It never felt as if romance was the end goal, it was moreso the natural evolution of the friendship.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and whimsical, both of the necessary ingredients for a cozy fantasy.
Since it was a shorter book, many of the aspects of the story felt a bit underdeveloped. I didn't feel all that connected to either Neda or Urza, although I really enjoyed their connection. The plot was easy to follow and included a zany cast. The world felt whimsical and inviting. The caste system between species of elves, orcs, sprites, wizards, and ghouls was effective and provided most of the interpersonal conflict. Although none of these aspects were clearly defined, their roles made sense and served the story nicely.
I really liked how the romance between the leads was developed. It began as a tentative friendship and developed into a deep connection that ultimately skewed romantically. It never felt as if romance was the end goal, it was moreso the natural evolution of the friendship.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and whimsical, both of the necessary ingredients for a cozy fantasy.
June 8, 2024
It was kind of unique in its own way at the beginning and exciting, making you want to know what happens next, and then it turned into a cosy small town mystery that was quite nice, but unfortunately dragged on too long for me.
The ending was as expected. So no big surprise. Some little twists were quite nice, but as I said, no big surprise.
The beginning read away very quickly, but just after the halfway point it unfortunately took too long for me to get to the end, hence only 3 out of 5 stars. Nevertheless, if you fancy orcs, elves and small town vibes and you like cats, you should read it.
The ending was as expected. So no big surprise. Some little twists were quite nice, but as I said, no big surprise.
The beginning read away very quickly, but just after the halfway point it unfortunately took too long for me to get to the end, hence only 3 out of 5 stars. Nevertheless, if you fancy orcs, elves and small town vibes and you like cats, you should read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2023
3 stars. Despite that cursed ass cover this was actually really cute. I’m loving this genre of cozy fantasy as it really just gives me just what I want. I think the writing was decent but you can definitely tell this was a first book by this author. That’s not an insult or anything just an observation. The characters are likable if not a bit one dimensional but this is less than 200 pages so I get it. It was still a lot of fun and I would recommend it if you want something cozy and light.
April 30, 2023
Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I'm looking forward to reading more set in this world. I think the romance between the characters could have been set up better, because as it stands I felt they were best friends with no spice between them. It didn't need to try and have that romance either, or it could have developed in later books. The side characters are set up well for their own future books, which I appreciated.
November 12, 2023
This was a weird one because I feel like the title and cover are for an entirely different book than what this actually was. I was expecting a cosy Legends & Lattes-esque book but it just wasn't that at all.
Poor worldbuilding, poor editing/formatting, and just overall not very fleshed out.
Sometimes I think L&L was just a fluke for me and I don't like cosy fantasy outside of that book.
Poor worldbuilding, poor editing/formatting, and just overall not very fleshed out.
Sometimes I think L&L was just a fluke for me and I don't like cosy fantasy outside of that book.
February 23, 2023
This is a cute, light read with a fun adventure. The romance isn't very prominent in the storyline but I liked the alternate universe here and it was a nice distraction after reading Dani. I liked these two MCs and hope to see more of them in the sequel.
March 27, 2023
Definitely a cozy book that seems like its main focus is redemption for two fantasy species that are prejudiced against and disliked. (Yes, that's a messy sentence). It was a quick read that I enjoyed once but probably wouldn't reread. Lots of plot twists.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2023
Cozy read! I enjoyed it. I also thought it was a sequel to another book, but it's completely different. It was a lovely read, I've been ready some pretty heavy reading lately. I look forward to this writer coming out with more books.
April 8, 2023
Slow start but interesting
Good read. Loved the suspense. Adventure and some action. Hated the chapters numbered wrong. It jumped from chapter 14 to 20 something then back to 16. At the end of 16 was chapter 30 but turn the page and it chapter 17! 🤦🏾♀️😂
Good read. Loved the suspense. Adventure and some action. Hated the chapters numbered wrong. It jumped from chapter 14 to 20 something then back to 16. At the end of 16 was chapter 30 but turn the page and it chapter 17! 🤦🏾♀️😂
April 23, 2023
Charming story of friendship and love
Two prisoners of war escape and work to build a new life for themselves in a town where they seem to find acceptance…until a crime is committed and they become the main suspects.
Two prisoners of war escape and work to build a new life for themselves in a town where they seem to find acceptance…until a crime is committed and they become the main suspects.
Read
April 27, 2023Short but sweet
Urza and Neda are both outcasts from their own people. Urza being an orc because she would rather create art than weapons. Neda who was a woodnymp until who she thought was her best friend betrayed her and caused her to be turned into a ghoul.
Urza and Neda are both outcasts from their own people. Urza being an orc because she would rather create art than weapons. Neda who was a woodnymp until who she thought was her best friend betrayed her and caused her to be turned into a ghoul.
Read
October 4, 2023A light, cosy read.
Touches on some serious topics like war and betrayal and internment and bigotry, but never with a heavy hand.
I enjoyed it but it did leave some unfulfilled potential by the wayside.
Touches on some serious topics like war and betrayal and internment and bigotry, but never with a heavy hand.
I enjoyed it but it did leave some unfulfilled potential by the wayside.
March 9, 2023
I mean it was ok
March 29, 2023
Interesting and enjoyable. I would recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2023
Does anyone know what happened to this book? I can’t find it on Kindle Unlimited or anywhere to buy. The author also doesn’t have any socials that I can find to ask them.
November 29, 2023
This is not a "cozy fantasy". It is a fantasy love story full of drama and pacing problems. Both the title and the cover image are misleading.
March 3, 2023
It felt lacking. Not in story but in world building. It’s the first in a series (noted by “book 1” in the title), so hopefully as the world gets built out more we’ll learn more.
The story was a good story. Full of mishaps, a few maybe needed an extra stretch of the mind, and a few decisions I think that weren’t totally sound. But it was a good story. I’d read the next one. And I’d recommend this one to anyone that wanted a cozy read that didn’t have too much mayhem.
The story was a good story. Full of mishaps, a few maybe needed an extra stretch of the mind, and a few decisions I think that weren’t totally sound. But it was a good story. I’d read the next one. And I’d recommend this one to anyone that wanted a cozy read that didn’t have too much mayhem.
June 1, 2023
A bit too high stakes to be a cozy read. Also the title and cover is weirdly misleading.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews