Too Many Shadows, Not Enough Light

by L.C Ainsworth

Princesses are born to defend their people.

Being the best Imperial Air Force cadet, spending time with her friends and maybe meeting a cute boy is all Princess Astrid Zainab Korsning better known as Izzy wants.

If only Yanar, her country, was not at war with Petra.

If only she wasn't forced to become regent while her mother was fighting on the front lines.

If only she had not come face to face with the unknown enemies while investigating signs of infiltration on earth by dark forces.

If only she was not in danger of falling in love with the wrong boy during her first trip to London.


Princesses are born to die for their people

The kingdom of Petra: once upon a time the best place in the galaxy for art, literature and music. That was until the war against The Alliance, a federation of planets led by the Yan empire.

Their last hope for victory, travelling to a planet of savages named Earth and attacking from the inside, their most powerful country, Yanar.

The Hendus: survivors of a dead world, desperate for a new home.

Their last hope for survival, finalising the colonisation of Earth from the shadows which they started 200 years ago.

The Backhand : Marginalised group of nature lovers, forbidden from practicing their religion by Yanar.

Their last hope for revenge, the alienation of the Members of the Tens, Yanar's aristocracy and the imperial family.

Petra, Hendu and The Backhand agree, the empire must fall.

And it starts with the death of a 17-year-old princess. The only problem, Izzy is not just a princess, she is also an Omni, a human who possesses five supernatural powers.

Trigger Warnings: Religious Affiliations, Murder, Drugs, Dysphoria, War, Anorexia, Violence and Abuse against Women, Derogatory Language, Shooting, Blood, Mass Murder, Mention of Racism, Discrimination, Unethical Medical Experimentation, Extremism, Genocide, Sexism, Bombing, Colonisation, Physical Assault, Body Shaming, Death, Glorification of Death and Slavery.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction

213 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2023

Reviews

[Iris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too Many Shadows, Too Little Light
Part: One
Author: L.C Ainsworth

ARC review:
The main character Princess Issy has the difficult task of protecting her loved ones from the war. To achieve this, she must undergo specific training in a training center surrounded by planets.
During her training mission, she meets new friends who later on play an important role in the storyline.

This book belongs to the Young Adult/Science Fiction genre. What I liked about this book was that Issy is a bad ass female character with a curvy body shape. I think that with this the author has added an innovation to the standard princess characters.

At times I faced difficulties with following the storyline, this was because the location of the scenes was often changed.

If you like Science Fiction books with fantasy and romantic elements, this is a series you should read.

Trigger warnings:
violence

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author gave me a copy in exchange for an honest review. So here we go.

To kick things off, this book needs some serious editing. I´m talking about printing the manuscript and reviewing it with a red pen. So many grammatical mistakes have been made, with no punctuation, commas or paragraphing. Poems or songs weren't formatted as such and it wasn't easy to divide the authors writing and said poems/songs. NONU should´ve been NUNO (No Uterus No Opinion) -> just an example of what kind of mistakes I'm talking about

Now to the plot, there was too much going on. With all the character introductions, different worlds/galaxies and just everything in general, 200 pages is too little to have a truly understandably written book. I forgot about the plot in the beginning as one major thing happens after another and it is hard to keep up as a reader who has no idea, what the point of the novel is.

One thing I just personally don´t like in general is 3rd person's POV, as the whole book is written in it, it was unnecessarily hard for me to get into (but this is a me problem).

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 4 out of 5]

TOO MANY SHADOWS, TOO LITTLE LIGHT is Book 1 of a YA Sci Fi Fantasy series with a wide span, from far-flung planets back to Planet Earth. The world-building is delicate and delineated, and the character cast is quite populated....including a strong young heroine, and a set of elitist sociopathic villains and their human slaves and assassins.

[Book Nerdy 2020 · Rating 4 out of 5]

TOO MANY SHADOWS, TOO LITTLE LIGHT By L.C. Ainsworth

Izzy is next in line to the throne, She is undergoing training to join the forces, when mysterious things start happening around her.

😊What i liked -

✔ Fantasy/Sci-Fi.
✔ Okay so I have finally been reading fantasy but not Sci-Fi. I have tried sci-fi but never really warmed up to it. TMSTLL for me was giving myself another try in the world of Sci-Fi and oh i was so glad i picked this one up.
✔ I really liked Izzy's character buildup. It was great to see Izzy go from an entitled princess who is always unsure and scared to gaining strength even when she was scared and vulnerable.
✔ I loved the way the side characters were written too. They all had an impact on the storyline.
✔ The world building and the details given really helps with visualizing it all.
✔ So all in all, a fantastic storyline and gradual build up to keep you hooked to the book.

🤔What could have been better -

✔ Oh i wish the book did not end the way it did or i should say i wish i had the second part of the book in my hand immediately.


📚Who Should read :

👶Beginners
💫Fantasy Lovers
👾Sci-Fi Readers


📈My Rating : 4.5/5

Thank you L.C. Ainsworth for a copy.

[bexbooklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I had the absolute pleasure of reading the ARC of this book and it is amazing!!!! It is this great blend of fantasy and sci-fi. I love the world building in this book. It feels fully developed and is given out throughout the book as needed so you never feel like you're getting too much information at one point. Which is impressive considering that there are different worlds and groups environments that you're reading in.

Our main character Izzy is absolutely amazing. She is the heir to the throne (so technically a princess but never uses that to make herself seem above anybody else) and is fighting for not only that throne but also for her world. She is spunky and sassy full of fight and courage but also has a vulnerable side. AND SHES CURVEY!!!! It's extremely rare to find a curvy main character especially in fantasies where there's high action. But this one delivers and I love it!!

I will scream it from the rooftops that when this book comes out everyone who is a lover of high fantasy or sci-fi novels or strong and powerful women should pick this book up!!

[kimberley (thearieslibrary) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the concept of this story and for the most part, I quite enjoyed it but I am not a fan of the execution. I think there is a lot of things this book could benefit from, for example, heavy editing (there is a lot of grammatical errors, problems with abbreviations, some information could be taken out, it doesn’t flow well, narrative changes are not indicated, poems/songs not formatted as such, new chapters not on new pages and instead of saying “killed herself”, say died by suicide). A lot of these things made it hard to keep up with what was happening and I felt lost.

I was confused by a lot of things in this book, such as all the different planets and characters introduced (which I know is on par for the genre) but were too many things that were introduced to keep up with and the world building was not built up enough nor the characters fleshed out enough.

Also, Izzy and other characters would be called various names throughout this book which made me confused and I had to keep searching their names so I knew they were referring to them.

This book ends on a cliffhanger which is something I hate but as it is the first book of a series, I hope the second book picks up where this leaves off.

Thank you to the author for giving me an ARC for this book.

⚠️ TW: murder, drugs, dysphoria, war, dieting, anorexia, assassination, violence and abuse against women, derogatory language, death, sexual situations, shooting, blood, fat shaming, cheating, physical assault, beheading, profanity, fire, mass murder, mentions rape, racism, ableism, discrimination, unethical medical experimentation, extremism, drugging, Islamophobia, sexual assault, genocide, prostitution, bombing, sexism, colonisation, and slavery ⚠️

[Krysta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my usually genre of reading but I still enjoyed it

A very “coming of age” science fiction adventure. There is plenty of world building setting up this universe and the characters face multiple inner and outer battles that were relatable. The author has done an amazing job weaving in complex cultures and characters.

[Nattievflo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much for the opportunity and allowing me to read your book! My first ARC read and I absolutely loved this read.
I cannot express how amazing this book is! I could not put it down once I started reading it, especially during the second half of the book.

Our main character is Izzy and she is a badass! I absolutely adore her strength and personality. She cares so deeply about those around her. Love that fact that she’s a curvy girl! She shows strength when it’s most needed even if she’s scared herself...even with she doubts herself. She’s so humble with the right amount of sass. She has amazing friends and love interest.
“You are safe, you are loved, you are strong.”

This book is a perfect combination of sci-fi, fantasy, and romance. I’m already obsessed with the romance that occurs! There were some gasping moments that had me like 🫢. The book is very well written. You get to know all the characters and different locations pretty well. I loved that this book had a great flow and didn’t I get overloaded with information. The transitions that occur are easy to remember. The drama that happens had me needing to know what happens next.

I cannot wait for the second book to come out! Give this book a read. I promise you will not be disappointed.

[Morgan Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars
The description has a lot in it. We are given a look at our main character, talks of other races/peoples and political plots. Mostly showing all sides are going to be turned against our main character. Starting the book to the first few chapters I feel like went okay but then there were just things sticking out.
Before getting into the issues though I want to say some good. The world being created is very interesting. We are getting: magical elemental powers, space technology and travel, peoples from other worlds; it is just an epic scale. While most of the books take place on Earth (possibly at the current year) it has had an alternate history than what we know. This makes even the normal peoples of Earth has such a rich diversity and representation. There is light shown on so many cultures and religions in this series.
Okay now the harsh part. The pacing of the story was very fast but more of a the main character can't sit still type of way. She was bouncing from place to place, in one scene really with no need to be there because she only said two lines then flew back home. After reading the second book I can say that this did get a good bit better.
The main story line. After what we were given in the description I wasn't sure what to actually expect. We didn't get well pretty much any of the things mentioned in the description except in passing besides following Izzy around though. There is a lot that goes on in this book of other issues though.
If we could have stayed with Izzy at the flight academy and dealing with the mysterious "suicides" introducing more elements of the wider world as she uncovered plots it would have flown better. Instead we are given Izzy at the academy, then jumping into another mission, back to school. Oh wait then she is flying off for a meeting but she has to meet this group here right after getting back with her academy room mate. This makes it feel like the book lost its story line down a rabbit hole of side quests. Then end of the book just kind of happened. With a cryptic ending prophecy too.
Izzy is a 17 year old warrior princess in training. While she does possess magic it is only ever mentioned at the beginning of the book. Izzy is being highly trained sure but still only a teenager. The structure of their government means that while her mother is at the front line of the war she is the acting regent. This leads to her going off on her own a lot to handle things instead of asking for help from any adult, that is not good leadership. Overall she acts like a teenage girl so it is true to character I suppose.
I think that the author is creating something interesting in the large scale. On the book to book of the series there does need to be more done to keep the story on track and things logically make sense though.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

First thing first, I’m not a sci-fi lover. This was the first sci-fi book I’ve ever read, so I had no knowledge of the genre, no other books to compare it with, and if I was confused in some points, it’s probably more to blame on me than the book itself.
Still, I must admit that aside for some initial confusion, I didn’t mind all the references to alien technology, they were rather interesting and the author had some good ideas there!
The book starts with Izzy joining her class to train with the Air Force. The training was interesting (the song Woman Up even reminded me of Mulan’s I’ll Make a Man Out of You), I would have liked to see more of it, of the cadets’ everyday life and their friendships too!
The murders added an interesting dose of mystery to the plot, but I would have appreciated it more if the investigation on them was better developed (maybe with Izzy looking for more clues on the responsible during her training?). Anyway, the reasons behind them were well-thought and satisfying enough!
What confused me most was the distinction between Spartans, Vikings and Masani. While the other alien races each had peculiar characteristics and lived on their planets (the idea behind the Petronians’ skin was really cool!!), I wasn’t able to understand wether Yanar was on Earth or a planet. And Izzy sometimes spoke as if she considered herself human, but she also didn’t considered herself a Masani (which is own humans living on Earth were called) and she had powers (even though they were mentioned at the start but I never saw them put to use during the book). I would have preferred it if this distinction was better explain and if it was said more about the Spartan and Viking cultures.
The writing was also very quick, it made for a pleasantly fast read. I usually prefer much longer books, but as I said I don’t know what are the standards for sci-fi, and anyway the page count is really a subjective matter!
Finally, I found it original that Izzy was a princess who didn’t want privileges over the other cadets, but at the same time she would complain about the spartan conditions she had to live in while undertaking training because of course she was used to another standard of comfort! But still she tried to accepted it because she wanted to be like any other cadet.
Thank you so much to the author for giving me a free copy!

[Tara · Rating 1 out of 5]

My review seems to have disappeared so reposting:

Disclosure, the author reached out to me to do an honest review, but unfortunately I became busier than expected and wasn’t able to read it until it was already on Kindle Unlimited.

The honest review is that while there are some interesting ideas here (nations made of more ancient religions like Norse, Celtic, etc alongside modern day countries; a big plot to overtake a ruling Alliance, some ultra-feminist things like “No Uterus No Opinion which is confusingly called NONU instead of NUNO?) this book is in desperate need of a proofreader with a fully inked red pen. Getting into it was a struggle with: no paragraph indents, missing periods and punctuation quite often (including any time Izzy had internal italicized thoughts, so, often), flips from past to present tense, and the first mention of Charmed Honey, a Magical Item, spoken as, “Charmed, honey.”

For 200 pages in a first book in a series there was just too much going on and I still don’t know if the people of Petra are lizard folks of regular beautiful people- each one mentioned has long black hair and thrive in wet environments, after all. On top of that, this is a very ‘show AND tell’ sort of book where the plot stops to tell the reader about a person or sci-fi item (that may never be mentioned again like Charmed Honey) — suddenly in writing this review I remembered some weirdness with a clock and the importance of the main character being able to use all magic elements although that too never came up again after the big intro.

And lastly, if a character is singing a song, the whole lyrics do not need to be included— no less than five times.

I think this book, billed as the first in the series, would have benefited from taking place only in the academy and exploring more about the powers, and maybe even have Izzy grow into being more likable due to the experiences of getting to know people who weren’t as high ranked as her. I appreciated the sapphic things, both pining and established couple, though the one (non-sapphic fyi) sex scene was forced and unnecessary.

[Odette · Rating 2 out of 5]

For those who like:
✔️ Sci-fi fantasy
✔️ Female main characters
✔️ Military elements

I was given this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

I am not a big fan of prologues in general, I don't think they accomplish anything that cannot be alluded to in the main body of the text. But this is just personal preference. The second chapter of prologue amused me, as reminded me of Henry VIII taking Hampton Court palace. I am unsure if this was the author's inspiration but below is what gave me that vibe, so you can make decide for yourself.

"And now the Queen’s sister occupied his place, and there was nothing
he could do to change that."

I was initially confused when the main story began as the main character is introduced by two names.

"The wind was blowing so strongly that Izzy’s hat flew away; Astrid
Zainab Korsning, the heir to the throne, shivered"

This is the same person but as their names were so different I had to reread in order to realise this was about the same person. Izzy, our main character, is a member of the armed forces and the princess of the realm. I enjoyed reading her thoughts because I found some of them quite funny, my favourite being:

"Note to self: never go on a mission without biscuits"

I think this is quite good advice from Izzy which I will definitely be following.

I found the concept of the book interesting, particularly the different powers but this wasn't developed on past the explanation which felt like a wasted opportunity. I don't remember any moments where the main characters used her powers but this might be something developed on in later books.

I was somewhat unclear about all the different realms however I enjoyed reading their descriptions. The characters have very detailed descriptions of their outfits which I enjoyed.

The main thing that jumped out at me was the writing itself. Within chapters there are a lot of time jumps, that are often integrated in the rest of the text making it difficult to tell when this happens.

[Lianne Scheepers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the idea of combining sci-fi with fantasy, I think it could work. I really wanted to like this book too because I hate writing negative reviews. I’m not an unkind person and I’m all for supporting Indie authors, but I do need to stay honest.

I think this story has too much of everything, there is this super high-tech sci-fi world, earth (but not exactly as we know it I suppose), Norse mythology, Greek mythology, the army, the navy, airforce, war, a group of “NUNO” (no uterus, no opinion).

There are a whole lot of new terms we have to learn in order to understand the story, some are explained while others are not. There was a lot of hopping from location A to B, then back to A, all of a sudden to C. It was very chaotic to me, there was just too much going on.

There are so many characters introduced (seriously, how many cousins can a person have?), and neither of them really has a backstory or much of a personality. Too make things more confusing, the characters are named by their title a lot, and just their title. I had to look back to previous pages to find out wich character is talking or being killed.

This was a very messy and confusing read for me, wich is a shame really, because if you would take this story apart there is the potential for at least 3 totally different stories that might work.

As a result, the story didn’t draw me in. The characters didn’t live rent-free in my head, and I had no trouble putting it down.

[Smiley_Kylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A spunky princess in line for the throne is in training to be a fighter pilot in space until strange occurrences force her to investigate to keep her people safe.

The premise and basic plot of this story are intriguing, though I felt the telling to be a little disjointed. To me, it feels like two different stories pushed together: Part 1 - flight school, teenager drama, pilot training (which is rarely used later), and special powers introduced (which is never mentioned later); Part 2 - spying, murder investigations, random side character romances, a quick battle scene, and an abrupt ending.

I would have liked more detail for the pivotal battle/fight scenes and major plot points, rather than detailed descriptions of numerous characters we only meet once or twice in the story. I think this might have helped the battle at the end feel like more of a conclusion to the book.

I am, of course, keeping in mind that this is the first in a series, so I'm sure readers will get more information about unanswered questions and things will come together in later installments. This definitely has potential to be a great story and would be a good read for beginners wanting to dip their toes in the YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre.

⚠️ Talk of suicide and rape; fade to black romance

Thank you to the author for an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Callie Woodridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

My experience with "Too Many Shadows, Not Enough Light" by L.C. Ainsworth is awesome and took me longer to read than I thought it would, but this wasn't because of the book's quality. Despite external factors affecting my reading pace, I found myself thoroughly engrossed in this book. As someone who appreciates a mix of science fiction and fantasy in both literature and TV, I was excited to read this.

From the very beginning, the world building drew me in and the attention to detail in the is exceptional. Despite the complexity of introducing multiple environments and cultures, she seamlessly introduces this information into the narrative, ensuring that readers are never overwhelmed.

At the heart of the story is Izzy, a protagonist whose strength, courage, and vulnerability show a well rounded character. As the heir to the throne, Izzy struggles not only with her personal issues but also with the weight of her kingdom's future. Her journey is a blend of action, drama, and romance put together to create a story that keeps us eagerly turning the pages.

The romance subplot adds depth to the story without overshadowing its central themes, and has well-developed character arcs. While the review focuses primarily on Izzy, it's worth noting that other characters are also add to the narrative. All in all, I recommend this and I want to see what is next!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
*non-spoiler review*
In Yanar, women are the rulers and strategists. Although the Army and Navy include both men and women, the Imperial Air Force is strictly female (a highly praised position). Throughout the story, I thought the author did an incredible job of world-building and has an impressive imagination when it comes to alien tech and gadgets.
Since Izzy is 17, she comes off as childish and naïve in the beginning. She also seems a bit stuck up, but her friends aren't afraid to tell her when she's in the wrong. The author also introduces her as having multiple powers, but they are never introduced in the story, as Izzy resorts to using technology and weapons(on par with her training in the airforce and lack of magical experience)

However, as Izzy tries to solve one mystery after another, you can really see her character develop. Throughout the last half of the book, I felt I could relate to Izzy’s compassion, strength, and fears. Not only is she not afraid to put herself in harm's way for those she cares about, but Izzy starts to become the leader her people have prayed for. Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to get introduced to sci-fi.
⚠️This story ends on a cliffhanger!⚠️

[Hillary · Rating 3 out of 5]

🖤 Too Many Shadows, Too Little Light ARC Review 🖤

Thank you so much to LC Ainsworth for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Too Many Shadows, Too Little Light is a YA sci-fi novel featuring Izzy, next in line to the throne yet still grounded and down-to earth. In a time of war, she finds herself regent in her mother’s place and finds herself having to make difficult decisions to keep her people safe

While I enjoyed the premise of the story overall, I really struggled with the pacing and world building in some places. The third person perspective and location jumps between chapters was a little difficult for me to follow and I had a hard time knowing what was going on. But that aside, this was a fun sci-fi YA read with an interesting premise. I did enjoy the references to Norse mythology throughout

Overall this was a 3 star read for me. This book had a strong female MC and an interesting story. There were some romance aspects, so one flame for spice

If you’re interested in YA sci-fi with a strong female MC with intriguing world building, this one is for you!

[Helen Garraway · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good start to this coming of age science fiction adventure, following the charismatic Izzy on her journey. There is plenty of worldbuilding at the beginning, introducing the various antagonists in the story and the multiple worlds and cultures all about to go to war, so there is a lot of information to rationalise which makes it a little slow to start, but that is not unusual in such a complex universe. And wow, does this author manage a complex universe of cultures and characters.

It's nice to see a character battling her inner demons to overcome her anxiety and succeeding. Izzy may be the Yerima but she is also a young girl trying to fit in and make friends.

There are elements that could be enhanced to help make this story great. A little less telling, we want to experience what Izzy is going through, and see how she overcomes her obstacles instead of being told she did it. But with that being said, an amazing adventure, an enjoyable read, and Izzy was a standout character for me.

[Shofie · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review:

I don’t normally read fantasy but thought this story sounded interesting. I appreciate the opportunity of receiving an ARC of Too Many Shadows, Two Little Light.

Izzy was an enjoyable character to follow. I liked hearing her thoughts and knowing that despite her fears, she showed bravery in all the obstacles she faced. I also liked that even though she is heir to the throne she is also a normal teenager who is down to earth. I didn’t expect to get wrapped up in this book but I found myself wanting to know what came next. I was really impressed by the world building and was never overwhelmed by the information. I also didn’t expect there to be romance in the book but found it exciting. There were a lot of characters and quite a few different locations where the story took place. However, the story flowed well and kept me interested. I’m glad I got out of my comfort zone and read this book.

[Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review

It is a YA fantasy book, which really isn't my usual kind of read! However....what a wonderful journey this was to go on.

The story follows the war for power and territory between several different races.

Told mostly through the experience of the princess of one of the races, this explores the personalities, relationships, and journeys of some wonderful characters. What I liked about the main character was her differences to 'normal' princess characters. She was short, curvy, lacking in self-esteem, and tough as old boots!

The imagination shown in this writing is rich and wonderful. The characters are beautifully described, the settings are different and interesting, and the story as a whole was a really enjoyable read 🌟

The reason for only 3 stars is that there is some grammatical attention needed and a few tweaks in certain places, but once sorted, this will be great!

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gone was the fear she felt earlier; it was now replaced by rage and survival instinct.

Too many shadows not enough light by L.C Ainsworth is an amazing book that I read as if it was the last book on earth, very fast and as if I was longing to see what would happen next. Which I very much was.

This book has some amazing quotes!

“Not as long as we are alive,” retorted the second in command. Aabroo smiled at her. “Yes, not as long as we are alive. Prophecies be damned.”

I can't wait to read book two!
Note for the author <\b>
Thank you for allowing me to give my critique 1×1. I really hope you appreciated everything about it. I can't wait to read the next book, and the next book, and the next one!

[BuJowithBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

💀Too Many Shadows, Too Little Light💀

I was gifted an arc of this ebook for an honest review. It is the first book in the Dark Passengers series.

The story centres around Izzy, who is the heir to the throne of Yanar. When unexplained circumstances threaten, Izzy has to step up to survive and save the world.

Too Many Shadows, Too Little Light is a mix of fantasy and sci-fi, two genres I love. The world building is intricate and it shows the vastness of the universe around Izzy. Izzy starts out as a meek young adult, but as the story progresses, we see her grow in strength and character. The other characters are well incorporated into the story, and the slow burn romance adds a nice touch to the story. Of course it ends on a cliffhanger, but definitely one that makes you want to know more!!!

If you love fantasy and sci-fi, then this one is for you 🤍🤍🤍

[Sabina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: These books were kindly offered to me by the author, for an honest review.
This is the first book in a sci-fi series, and the sequel.
I did enjoy the strong female characters, the great character development, and the story premise was very interesting. The book ends in a cliffhanger, and I am definitely interested in reading the next books coming out. I did enjoy the different worlds/planets/realms and the descriptions. Also, I love the titles!
I did find, however, that the story, even though it is very past paced, lacks info at some points, and on some other points, it offers info that is not relevant to the story ever again(at least, so far). It is also a bit hard to keep track of places, people and names, but that might be a 'me' problem. Also, the story jumps sometimes, and it is quite unclear what is going on at times.

[Aicha Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. Izzy is a part Fula, part Viking Yan princess who is left in charge of their Empire while her mother is fighting a Galactic war. At first, she is part of the fighting as a member of the Air Force but is then sent back home to continue her training. She meet her new armed forces comrades and started building a life for herself outside the Palace.
Circumstances force her to travel to the UK where she is to make contact with the Empire operatives on the ground but things don't go according to plan.
I don't know what to say, between a strong female protagonist, great characters, and a sci-fi/fantasy I have been waiting forever to enjoy, I don't know what's my favourite part.
I loved everything and I will be digging into book 2.
I never leave reviews but I had to for this book because I LOVED it.

[Jenna&#x1f987; · Rating 1 out of 5]

✨Arc Review ✨ this books ideas have potential, but I think it needs some more work. a couple reasons I struggled with this book was the flow, between the characters communicating with each other to jumping from one scene to the next, it seems very choppy and doesn’t flow seamlessly. Some of the wording could be different and it needs some heavy editing. “1 billion 200 million” “sparkly silver hair and silver eyes” are an example of this. There also seems to be an abundance of detail in one area that really doesn’t need it and not enough in another, where you desperately need it. There are so many characters in such little time, it’s hard to keep up with who is who and why we are seeing this. Essentially has too much going on.

[JT · Rating 3 out of 5]

A princess who is the heir to the throne has to fight for her people. She has to undergo training in order to prepare for her role. But as the story unfolds she is confronted with several difficulties. 


The character of the protagonist is extremely well developed and likable. She has the qualities to become a good queen to her people. Her journey of self-growth is described nicely.


The world -building in the book is impressive and quite elaborate. The descriptions are vivid and can be easily visualized. The different kingdoms are described  quite distinctly with individual features and characteristics. 

It is an engaging read which keeps you hooked till the end and leaves you waiting to read the next part asap. A must read for sci-fi fantasy fans. 


TW: Death,violence,murder  

[Chey Carter · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has a lot of potential, but in its current state it needs a lot of work. First, I felt like there wasn’t enough world building, and it was a lot of “telling” rather than “showing”. There also wasn’t much of a good flow, which made it hard to follow at times because it seemed to jump around a lot. There’s also a lot of typos and editing to be done.

However, I have it two stars because there is potential in the story. The premise is good, it just wasn’t executed well enough in my opinion. There were a lot of characters to follow, which is normal for the genre, but I feel like some of them were just flat.

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good start to a young adult, lgbtq+ friendly, space, distant future, mythical gods, female empowerment series. I'm typically a cozy mystery fan but do enjoy the occasional science fiction. This one reminded me of Marissa Meyer's Lunar series. A few more detailed romance moments that tip toed the line of turning the book erotic but not enough that it would be classified as romance either. I skipped those paragraphs, not my interest. My only other complaint is that the setting/events jumped around too quickly, made it a bit disjointed sometimes. Over all, lots of potential building with this book/series.

[Lee Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a great book. I enjoyed reading something different.
I loved getting to know Izzy as a character and her sassiness. Her go-getter attitude and I'm not giving up attitude.

However, three stars because I did have a hard time following the storyline.
Some of the happenings in the book at times seemed to jump from one idea to the next. Without any detail to tell you things were changing. Sometimes, there was too much detail somewhere and not enough detail in other parts. Left me asking questions and confused.

Overall, it was a good book. It's fun to read. I'd definitely read the second one to find out what happens to the princess/queen and does she save her people. And that man William that she was getting to know. Lets not forget Hogan. Man that guy is slick. Makes my blood boil. So, ill have to read the next one to find out.

[Geneva.Bookdiary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many shadows, too little light

Fantasy & sci-fri not really what I’m use to reading but I was given this arc before it was released & it was enjoyable if you like YA sci-fi with fantasy & a hint of romance

It was difficult to follow due to location always changing & the random names were throwing me off. A mix of gods, Princesses, & a lot of fighting action scenes.

The ending is a cliffhanger so if you don’t like unfinished endings then pass or wait for the next book to be out in February.