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Falling for Fables #1
Forged by Magic
A heartwarming, feel-good fantasy romance…with a helping of spice and only a pinch of danger.
Trapped in a tower by the emperor who conquered her homeland, Daella yearns for an escape. But as one of the few half-orcs left in the world, she knows she’ll never be free, much less find her own happily ever after.
Destiny takes an unexpected turn when the emperor offers her a deal. To earn her freedom, she must journey to the mysterious Isles of Fable and track down wielders of outlawed dragon magic. Eager to seize her chance, Daella agrees.
When a brutal storm tosses her ship off course, she washes up on the wrong island—right at the feet of Rivelin, a gruff but handsome elven blacksmith, who seems more likely to stab her than help her. To her surprise, he offers her shelter until the next ship passes through in six weeks’ time.
Daella soon realizes he’s hiding something big. It could be the very magic she’s been tasked to hunt down—the key to her long-awaited freedom. But as they bicker over the flames of his forge, her heart kindles with something she’s never felt before.
When his secrets finally come to light, Daella must decide what’s more her freedom from the wicked crown or the desires of her heart.
Forged by Magic is a complete, stand-alone fantasy romance novel set in the whimsical world of Falling for Fables.
Trapped in a tower by the emperor who conquered her homeland, Daella yearns for an escape. But as one of the few half-orcs left in the world, she knows she’ll never be free, much less find her own happily ever after.
Destiny takes an unexpected turn when the emperor offers her a deal. To earn her freedom, she must journey to the mysterious Isles of Fable and track down wielders of outlawed dragon magic. Eager to seize her chance, Daella agrees.
When a brutal storm tosses her ship off course, she washes up on the wrong island—right at the feet of Rivelin, a gruff but handsome elven blacksmith, who seems more likely to stab her than help her. To her surprise, he offers her shelter until the next ship passes through in six weeks’ time.
Daella soon realizes he’s hiding something big. It could be the very magic she’s been tasked to hunt down—the key to her long-awaited freedom. But as they bicker over the flames of his forge, her heart kindles with something she’s never felt before.
When his secrets finally come to light, Daella must decide what’s more her freedom from the wicked crown or the desires of her heart.
Forged by Magic is a complete, stand-alone fantasy romance novel set in the whimsical world of Falling for Fables.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 10, 2023
1134 people are currently reading
18415 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Wolfhart
59 books1,548 followersJenna Wolfhart spends her days dreaming up stories about swoony fae kings and rugged blacksmiths. When she's not writing, she loves to do CrossFit competitions, rewatch Game of Thrones, collect Taylor Swift vinyls, and drink far too much coffee.
Jenna has always had a passion for writing, books, and publishing. Previously, she worked for an academic publisher in New York and then completed her PhD in Librarianship, focusing on young adult fiction.
Jenna now lives in England with her husband and her two dogs.
Jenna has always had a passion for writing, books, and publishing. Previously, she worked for an academic publisher in New York and then completed her PhD in Librarianship, focusing on young adult fiction.
Jenna now lives in England with her husband and her two dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,501 reviews
July 30, 2023
5 Blown Away ✨'s
I absolutely loved every second of reading this book!!! I literally had to pace myself so I didn't finish it too fast. It had plot, world-building, steam, lovable characters, and lots of cute and cozy moments. The story follows Daella, a half-orc who has been locked away and used as a mercenary for a tyrant emperor. When he sends her on a death mission across the sea; her ship capsizes and she wakes up alone on a beach near a small village where she is taken in by Rivelin, a grumpy elf blacksmith. He agrees to let her stay with him if she becomes his assistant for the midsummer games; a contest the village holds every year where the winner will have one wish granted. While Rivelin and Daella compete to win the games, the two forge a bond that quickly turns to more; however, when interferences in the game arise, Daella and Rivelin are forced to take a step back and examine their relationship and trust in each other.
Rivelin and Daella were so sweet and charming together, I loved exploring their world and how they slowly formed a bond after a not-so-great start to their relationship. The surrounding characters and settings just made the story that much more cozy and enjoyable; anyone wanting to read a fun and lighthearted romantasy should give this story a go. Also, can we just take a moment to appreciate that cover 🙌.
~I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
I absolutely loved every second of reading this book!!! I literally had to pace myself so I didn't finish it too fast. It had plot, world-building, steam, lovable characters, and lots of cute and cozy moments. The story follows Daella, a half-orc who has been locked away and used as a mercenary for a tyrant emperor. When he sends her on a death mission across the sea; her ship capsizes and she wakes up alone on a beach near a small village where she is taken in by Rivelin, a grumpy elf blacksmith. He agrees to let her stay with him if she becomes his assistant for the midsummer games; a contest the village holds every year where the winner will have one wish granted. While Rivelin and Daella compete to win the games, the two forge a bond that quickly turns to more; however, when interferences in the game arise, Daella and Rivelin are forced to take a step back and examine their relationship and trust in each other.
Rivelin and Daella were so sweet and charming together, I loved exploring their world and how they slowly formed a bond after a not-so-great start to their relationship. The surrounding characters and settings just made the story that much more cozy and enjoyable; anyone wanting to read a fun and lighthearted romantasy should give this story a go. Also, can we just take a moment to appreciate that cover 🙌.
~I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
October 24, 2023
"my love for you is endless, so all-consuming i cannot truly breathe when you're not near. and all i want is to spend the rest of my life trying to make you smile."
this was exactly what i needed, surpassed my expectations. kept me hooked the entire time, it's so fast paced but well paced- the story developed so perfectly. such a cozy october read <3
"where you go, i go. i am with you until the end."
they're so cute, the forced proximity was done right, the sprinkle of enemies to lovers also ate- i enjoyed this more than i thought i would.
"would you like to dance with me?"
"you, dance? i thought you hated parties."
"with you, i would dance until the world ends."
April 6, 2024
I enjoyed this and it would’ve been 4🌟 were it not for the 3rd act breakup!
« You see the good in things, even when life has gifted you with nothing but cruelty »
« You see the good in things, even when life has gifted you with nothing but cruelty »
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2023
“With you, I would dance until the world ends.”
this couple was so aelin+rowan coded 😋
daella is a half-orc trapped in a tower by a cruel ice giant 🥶. (why is she half-orc idk, did i miss an info about her parents🤔) ice giant(king) sends her on a mission to hunt draugrs (who bond with dragons and channel their power) in exchange of her freedom(she's been trapped for years). her family was killed by a draugr so she hated them😔
“You are the most spectacular creature I’ve ever seen.”
rivelin is an elf who lives in an island which the king hadn't destroyed yet. his family is also killed 😐 also he has a fenrir 🐺
she's trapped in the island because of storm so she helps him win the Midsummer Games. here some enemies to lovers things happened like putting a dagger to her throat, taking care while she's hurt.... the usual delights😋
annnnnnd my one and only problem with this magical book: she forgave him so easily. i can't say i expected him to grovel because they both thought worst about each other but still it was heartbreaking to see how everyone was against her 💔 it happened around %87 and i was sure this was going to be a 5 stars😔
there was also a sweet baby dragon 🤍 she was the real hero but she was also so cuteeeee
no om/ow drama. she was a virgin, no info about him but i'm pretty sure he was celibate at least for 14 years 🤭 they do break up and it lasts a week.
this couple was so aelin+rowan coded 😋
daella is a half-orc trapped in a tower by a cruel ice giant 🥶. (why is she half-orc idk, did i miss an info about her parents🤔) ice giant(king) sends her on a mission to hunt draugrs (who bond with dragons and channel their power) in exchange of her freedom(she's been trapped for years). her family was killed by a draugr so she hated them😔
“You are the most spectacular creature I’ve ever seen.”
rivelin is an elf who lives in an island which the king hadn't destroyed yet. his family is also killed 😐 also he has a fenrir 🐺
she's trapped in the island because of storm so she helps him win the Midsummer Games. here some enemies to lovers things happened like putting a dagger to her throat, taking care while she's hurt.... the usual delights😋
annnnnnd my one and only problem with this magical book: she forgave him so easily. i can't say i expected him to grovel because they both thought worst about each other but still it was heartbreaking to see how everyone was against her 💔 it happened around %87 and i was sure this was going to be a 5 stars😔
there was also a sweet baby dragon 🤍 she was the real hero but she was also so cuteeeee
no om/ow drama. she was a virgin, no info about him but i'm pretty sure he was celibate at least for 14 years 🤭 they do break up and it lasts a week.
July 21, 2023
I had high hopes for this, as I love a cozy fantasy romance, but this one fell flat for me.
The writing style can best be described as “telling” rather than “showing”—little is left to the reader’s imagination. The plot details are explained in both the narrative and the character dialogue in such a way that nothing is left to the imagination, and everything is spoon fed to the reader very plainly. Characters state the obvious, explaining details in a way that wouldn’t flow naturally in a conversation.
Plot events happen very conveniently, so a lot of things just seems to work out on their own, giving very little gravity to the plot. A cozy fantasy doesn’t need to be devoid of stakes entirely, and it felt like that was the goal here—to take away the stakes. The competition element of the story seems almost like an afterthought—every challenge is glossed over very quickly like it doesn’t even matter at all. The FMC and MMC even blow off competition-related events in more than one occasion and no one seems to care (until the FMC is late one time and gets a stern look). The major villain of the story is basically nonexistent, the conflict is resolved very quickly and conveniently, and everything is wrapped up with a nice little bow at the end. It was a happy ending in the extreme.
The characters could have used more development, as well. Daella and Rivelin felt like cookie cutter versions of every “strong female fantasy lead” and “grumpy, broody male love interest”. They didn’t have much personality of their own, and their backstories are told to us in a quick few paragraphs and then rarely referenced again in any meaningful way.
I loved the premise of this story, and I do think there’s a good concept here, but the story and characters needed more development and as a whole the book needs some more thorough editing.
The writing style can best be described as “telling” rather than “showing”—little is left to the reader’s imagination. The plot details are explained in both the narrative and the character dialogue in such a way that nothing is left to the imagination, and everything is spoon fed to the reader very plainly. Characters state the obvious, explaining details in a way that wouldn’t flow naturally in a conversation.
Plot events happen very conveniently, so a lot of things just seems to work out on their own, giving very little gravity to the plot. A cozy fantasy doesn’t need to be devoid of stakes entirely, and it felt like that was the goal here—to take away the stakes. The competition element of the story seems almost like an afterthought—every challenge is glossed over very quickly like it doesn’t even matter at all. The FMC and MMC even blow off competition-related events in more than one occasion and no one seems to care (until the FMC is late one time and gets a stern look). The major villain of the story is basically nonexistent, the conflict is resolved very quickly and conveniently, and everything is wrapped up with a nice little bow at the end. It was a happy ending in the extreme.
The characters could have used more development, as well. Daella and Rivelin felt like cookie cutter versions of every “strong female fantasy lead” and “grumpy, broody male love interest”. They didn’t have much personality of their own, and their backstories are told to us in a quick few paragraphs and then rarely referenced again in any meaningful way.
I loved the premise of this story, and I do think there’s a good concept here, but the story and characters needed more development and as a whole the book needs some more thorough editing.
June 1, 2024
5 Salt in the Water Stars ⭐
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
I love this book so much, that I made my phone background a picture of the cover art...
Reading this feels like you're wrapped up in a warm, fluffy blanket, with oversized socks and a cup of deliciously spiced tea while you're sitting by a roaring fire, watching the rain outside. If that doesn't give you the epitome of cosy vibes, then I don't know what you find cosy.
This was also a very unexpected surprise. I wasn't sure how this book ended up on my TBR, so went in with no expectations - and I am pretty happy I did. I was blown away by the story, the plot and the characters.
This is a dual POV - Daella, a half-Orc is a captive of a brutal tyrannical emperor who forces her to do his dirty work. She is also allergic to fresh water (not in the same way as Gremlin's where she multiplies into little evil versions of herself)... Instead, she ends up in giant boils and welts. Sent on a mission to track Dragon-Magic users her ship is attacked by a vicious storm. She ends up falling overboard - don't worry, salt water is fine - and washes up on the island of Fable in a little town where a gorgeous elf with long silver hair greets her with a sword to her throat. Rivelin strikes up a deal with Daella. She can return to the mainland in six weeks after she helps him win this year's Midsummer Games by being his assistant. Rivelin needs to win the games as the winner is granted a wish - and he wants to wish for the protection of his Island and home.
It was really sweet and charming to see how these two forged a bond. (This is funny because Rivelin is a blacksmith). At the start, they are very apprehensive of each other and have both built up walls around their hearts. But as more and more time goes along, the two start opening up to each other and start falling for each other as they learn to trust one another.
Daella was the complete opposite of my perceptions of a Half-Orc. I expected brutish, quick to anger and a brain one step above a Neanderthal. While she is stubborn, she is incredibly kind-hearted. She has a traumatic past and has been pushed to her limits by the Emperor, only doing his bidding as he will kill her if she doesn't with a magic ice shard embedded into her hip. Given her guarded actions, she comes off with a resting bitchface personality but as people slowly get to know her, they realize that she is incredibly self-sacrificing, honest, noble and gentle.
Rivelin is a grumpy, lonesome blacksmith who deeply cares for his family, his village and his home. All he wants is for that to remain safe. He's self-sacrificing, noble and incredibly generous - especially towards Daella. Underneath his grumpy persona lurks a spicy little cinnamon roll.
The world-building is easy to understand. The writing is captivating and gripping causing the book to be a perfect quick little romantasy palate cleanser.
Tropes in this include:
▶ Cosy Fantasy
▶ Dual POV
▶ Forced Proximity
▶Enemies Rivals to Lovers
▶ Interracial/Multicultural Romance
▶ Found Family
▶ Dragons
▶ Who Did This To You
▶ Rolled Sleeves (and Forearms)
▶ Hold on to the...
If you are looking for a low angst fluffy read with a little bit of spice and maybe some dragons, I highly recommend this. The tropes were well executed and the characters were enjoyable and sweet.
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
I love this book so much, that I made my phone background a picture of the cover art...
Reading this feels like you're wrapped up in a warm, fluffy blanket, with oversized socks and a cup of deliciously spiced tea while you're sitting by a roaring fire, watching the rain outside. If that doesn't give you the epitome of cosy vibes, then I don't know what you find cosy.
This was also a very unexpected surprise. I wasn't sure how this book ended up on my TBR, so went in with no expectations - and I am pretty happy I did. I was blown away by the story, the plot and the characters.
This is a dual POV - Daella, a half-Orc is a captive of a brutal tyrannical emperor who forces her to do his dirty work. She is also allergic to fresh water (not in the same way as Gremlin's where she multiplies into little evil versions of herself)... Instead, she ends up in giant boils and welts. Sent on a mission to track Dragon-Magic users her ship is attacked by a vicious storm. She ends up falling overboard - don't worry, salt water is fine - and washes up on the island of Fable in a little town where a gorgeous elf with long silver hair greets her with a sword to her throat. Rivelin strikes up a deal with Daella. She can return to the mainland in six weeks after she helps him win this year's Midsummer Games by being his assistant. Rivelin needs to win the games as the winner is granted a wish - and he wants to wish for the protection of his Island and home.
It was really sweet and charming to see how these two forged a bond. (This is funny because Rivelin is a blacksmith). At the start, they are very apprehensive of each other and have both built up walls around their hearts. But as more and more time goes along, the two start opening up to each other and start falling for each other as they learn to trust one another.
Daella was the complete opposite of my perceptions of a Half-Orc. I expected brutish, quick to anger and a brain one step above a Neanderthal. While she is stubborn, she is incredibly kind-hearted. She has a traumatic past and has been pushed to her limits by the Emperor, only doing his bidding as he will kill her if she doesn't with a magic ice shard embedded into her hip. Given her guarded actions, she comes off with a resting bitchface personality but as people slowly get to know her, they realize that she is incredibly self-sacrificing, honest, noble and gentle.
Rivelin is a grumpy, lonesome blacksmith who deeply cares for his family, his village and his home. All he wants is for that to remain safe. He's self-sacrificing, noble and incredibly generous - especially towards Daella. Underneath his grumpy persona lurks a spicy little cinnamon roll.
The world-building is easy to understand. The writing is captivating and gripping causing the book to be a perfect quick little romantasy palate cleanser.
Tropes in this include:
▶ Cosy Fantasy
▶ Dual POV
▶ Forced Proximity
▶
▶ Interracial/Multicultural Romance
▶ Found Family
▶ Dragons
▶ Who Did This To You
▶ Rolled Sleeves (and Forearms)
▶ Hold on to the...
If you are looking for a low angst fluffy read with a little bit of spice and maybe some dragons, I highly recommend this. The tropes were well executed and the characters were enjoyable and sweet.
March 16, 2024
3.5⭐️
mi única crítica es que la autora y todo el mundo me lo vendió como EL LIBRO MAS COZY QUE HAY ES RE COZY COZY VIBES SUPER COZY DIGIEVOLUCIONADO EN COZYNESS.... claramente nunca se leyeron un libro cozy entonces flacas calmense un poco
pero me gusto🫶🏻
mi única crítica es que la autora y todo el mundo me lo vendió como EL LIBRO MAS COZY QUE HAY ES RE COZY COZY VIBES SUPER COZY DIGIEVOLUCIONADO EN COZYNESS.... claramente nunca se leyeron un libro cozy entonces flacas calmense un poco
pero me gusto🫶🏻
May 30, 2025
Happy to report that even though I don't usually enjoy books categorized as 'Cozy', I did end up giving this one a try because I'm a sucker for a good cover, and I had such a nice time!
September 24, 2023
4 ⭐️.
An unexpected banger of a cozy fantasy book on KU.
I started this because I was bored and wanted a cute, stand-alone fantasy and this totally delivered.
Enemies-ish to lovers.
Orcs/ elves/ dragons/ etc.
Political-ish plot line.
Annual competition/ games plot line.
HEA.
I just cannot even express in words how much I enjoyed this and I can’t even formulate a decent review, just know you HAVE to read this.
An unexpected banger of a cozy fantasy book on KU.
I started this because I was bored and wanted a cute, stand-alone fantasy and this totally delivered.
Enemies-ish to lovers.
Orcs/ elves/ dragons/ etc.
Political-ish plot line.
Annual competition/ games plot line.
HEA.
I just cannot even express in words how much I enjoyed this and I can’t even formulate a decent review, just know you HAVE to read this.
July 15, 2023
Excellent start to a new fantasy series that's magical and cozy but still has tension and some danger. The author's note at the start definitely begins this book on a strong note. The blurb mentions this is in the same world as another of the author's works, but the world building for this standalone is very good.
Daella (h) is a half-orc forced to do tasks for an ice giant emperor intent on taking over this fantasy world (and specifically rooting out any magic associated with dragons). Her most recent task is to investigate possible dragon magic on fabled islands, which the emperor has promised will earn her freedom, but her ship is wrecked not long into the voyage. Instead of dying though, she washes up on one of these island's shores where she encounters the grumpiest of grumpy blacksmiths, Rivelin (H). Rivelin's an elf whose only mission now is to protect his island and he sees Daella as a threat (her reputation precedes her, although not the fact she's forced). It's also very clear the island hold secrets.
The beginning has an enemies to lovers feel without getting too mean or dark. Rivelin ends up offering Daella a chance to stay with him until a ship is able to come to the island if she helps assist him in winning a Midsummer game that grants the winner a request from the island. He'll be able to keep a close eye on her and maybe win her over to their cause of protecting the island, she needs basic resources and can use the opportunity to investigate more. Thus we have a forced proximity, slow burn, mistrust to slow awakening of each other's true personalities to friends to lovers. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama, h is a virgin and H is not (the implication is that he hasn't been with anyone since arriving on the island 14 years ago).
Daella has a tragic past with the loss of her parents and then her kingdom being invaded by the ice giants but she fakes a bright, optimistic personality. I really liked her resilience and how genuine she was with caring for others despite her history and her forced occupation. Rivelin was also likable despite the loner grumpiness attitude. The story does have quite a bit of almost connection moments where there's thawing, then pulling back, then hoping the other character is better than initially thought. I loved the small town feel of the village and the daily details of Daella's time there from competing in the games to Rivelin showing her around to a surprising connection to her past. There are mysteries, something Rivelin is hiding as well as a saboteur for the games. Because of all the distrust, the slow burn of the romance fit this relationship very well. Neither one would just jump into bed with someone so they needed to be comfortable and care for the other. There are a couple of steamy scenes that I liked, both for the writing and the timing.
Because this is a village on an island with a small town feeling, the side characters shine. There are a couple bad apples and, like Rivelin, quite a bit of distrust and hesitancy over Daella at first. But she's quickly accepted into the community and it's also lovely to see how much Rivelin is cared for as well. I esp liked Rivelin's sister who I think is the FMC of the next book in the series, which would be amazing! Cute animal sidekicks are also present with a fenrir and other creatures ().
Villain-wise, the emperor is a threat but we don't see him on page being threatening, although we hear a lot about the awful things he's done. The other threats offer some suspense and mystery while not losing the cozy feeling. The third act conflict didn't work for me because of how the intimacy between Rivelin and Daella had been built. A feeling of betrayal is involved which is esp stark after the slow sharing of their pasts and showing each other their softness. The resolution to the conflict and the last quarter of the book also felt rushed imo, which was a little jarring to me because the first three quarters was paced so well. But there is a sweet ending with all the love, acceptance, and safety you could want. I would say this ends in a HEA, but a longer epilogue would have made this even better. I'll certainly read more in the series and I am curious about the rest of this world and what the author wrote in it.
Daella (h) is a half-orc forced to do tasks for an ice giant emperor intent on taking over this fantasy world (and specifically rooting out any magic associated with dragons). Her most recent task is to investigate possible dragon magic on fabled islands, which the emperor has promised will earn her freedom, but her ship is wrecked not long into the voyage. Instead of dying though, she washes up on one of these island's shores where she encounters the grumpiest of grumpy blacksmiths, Rivelin (H). Rivelin's an elf whose only mission now is to protect his island and he sees Daella as a threat (her reputation precedes her, although not the fact she's forced). It's also very clear the island hold secrets.
The beginning has an enemies to lovers feel without getting too mean or dark. Rivelin ends up offering Daella a chance to stay with him until a ship is able to come to the island if she helps assist him in winning a Midsummer game that grants the winner a request from the island. He'll be able to keep a close eye on her and maybe win her over to their cause of protecting the island, she needs basic resources and can use the opportunity to investigate more. Thus we have a forced proximity, slow burn, mistrust to slow awakening of each other's true personalities to friends to lovers. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama, h is a virgin and H is not (the implication is that he hasn't been with anyone since arriving on the island 14 years ago).
Daella has a tragic past with the loss of her parents and then her kingdom being invaded by the ice giants but she fakes a bright, optimistic personality. I really liked her resilience and how genuine she was with caring for others despite her history and her forced occupation. Rivelin was also likable despite the loner grumpiness attitude. The story does have quite a bit of almost connection moments where there's thawing, then pulling back, then hoping the other character is better than initially thought. I loved the small town feel of the village and the daily details of Daella's time there from competing in the games to Rivelin showing her around to a surprising connection to her past. There are mysteries, something Rivelin is hiding as well as a saboteur for the games. Because of all the distrust, the slow burn of the romance fit this relationship very well. Neither one would just jump into bed with someone so they needed to be comfortable and care for the other. There are a couple of steamy scenes that I liked, both for the writing and the timing.
Because this is a village on an island with a small town feeling, the side characters shine. There are a couple bad apples and, like Rivelin, quite a bit of distrust and hesitancy over Daella at first. But she's quickly accepted into the community and it's also lovely to see how much Rivelin is cared for as well. I esp liked Rivelin's sister who I think is the FMC of the next book in the series, which would be amazing! Cute animal sidekicks are also present with a fenrir and other creatures ().
Villain-wise, the emperor is a threat but we don't see him on page being threatening, although we hear a lot about the awful things he's done. The other threats offer some suspense and mystery while not losing the cozy feeling. The third act conflict didn't work for me because of how the intimacy between Rivelin and Daella had been built. A feeling of betrayal is involved which is esp stark after the slow sharing of their pasts and showing each other their softness. The resolution to the conflict and the last quarter of the book also felt rushed imo, which was a little jarring to me because the first three quarters was paced so well. But there is a sweet ending with all the love, acceptance, and safety you could want. I would say this ends in a HEA, but a longer epilogue would have made this even better. I'll certainly read more in the series and I am curious about the rest of this world and what the author wrote in it.
did-not-finish
July 29, 2023DNF at 17%.
I want to like this. So many of my Goodreads friends said it was cute.
But I can't get over her allergy to freshwater. It makes no sense.
And this is going too fast from enemies to "horny for each other".
Too bad. 🥺
I want to like this. So many of my Goodreads friends said it was cute.
But I can't get over her allergy to freshwater. It makes no sense.
And this is going too fast from enemies to "horny for each other".
Too bad. 🥺
July 23, 2023
Ugh, this just fell so flat, it felt like the author was just working off of a list of booktok tropes. A shame cause the cover is cute and the overall premise had potential💫
April 11, 2025
3.75 ⭐️ We were so close to greatness!!
Forged by magic è il primo volume di una serie romantasy, formata da quattro romanzi interconessi: stessa ambientazione ma personaggi e storie d’amore diverse.
Qui seguiamo Daella, un’orchessa ormai da anni prigioniera del re dei giganti di ghiaccio, per il quale è costretta a fare da mercenaria. All’inizio del romanzo il suo carceriere le fa una proposta troppo bella per essere vera: se Daella compirà per lui un’ultima uccisione, lui la libererà per sempre dall’incantesimo che la costringe a ubbidirgli. Daella ovviamente accetta, non aspettandosi di vedere il suo viaggio interrotto da una tempesta che la farà naufragare sulle spiagge di Portofelice. Qui farà conoscenza con i variegati abitanti del villaggio e troverà ospitalità in casa di Rivelin, un elfo, fabbro, particolarmente scorbutico, che ha bisogno dell’aiuto di Daella. Qual è il vero obiettivo di Rivelin? Cosa nasconde? Daella riuscirà a trovare la libertà?
C’eravamo quasi, c’eravamo quasi!!
Il romantasy è un genere complicato, bisogna ammetterlo. Ci sono lettori che vogliono più romance e meno fantasy, chi vuole un bilanciamento perfetto…ognuno ha esigenze differenti. Personalmente, se si vuole tentare di costruire una trama fantasy molto complessa, con una posta in gioco alta, preferisco che la storia d’amore sia una sottotrama (e qui si esce dal genere romantasy, a mio parere). Per questo motivo, quei libri che mantengono il worldbuilding e il sistema magico molto semplice e creano una trama tranquilla, una ambientazione confortevole, sono i miei preferiti.
Forged by magic stava per diventare uno di quei libri: non tenta di fare troppo con la trama, non crea drammi eccessivi, ma ti presenta due personaggi facili da amare, uno sviluppo graduale, un’ambientazione che ricorda i villaggi delle fiabe. E poi, alla fine, si sbrodola. Tenta di fare troppo in pochissimo tempo. Improvvisamente mancano dieci pagine e sembra diventare un fantasy politico. La posta in gioco passa dal fare dei cupcake buonissimi allo sventare un’invasione. Tesoro, stavi andando così bene! Ovviamente, il tutto si risolve troppo in fretta, con una superficialità che stride. Non tutti sanno scrivere di guerre e invasioni, e va bene così! Ma allora, a quel punto, non farlo! Chiudi questo libro carino e coccoloso in maniera carina e coccolosa. Non sto dicendo che il tono cambia improvvisamente, diventa un military fantasy o si conclude in tragedia, solo che a parere mio l’autrice decide di complicarsi la vita inutilmente. È come se in I love shopping l’ultimo capitolo fosse dedicato alla protagonista che viene chiamata all’ONU per risolvere una possibile guerra nucleare. Che poi risolve con un discorso. Non ce n’era bisogno.
Però come dicevo all’inizio, per il resto l’ho trovato un libro davvero adorabile! Ho adorato l’ambientazione di Portofelice. Solo a sentirne il nome mi sento riempire il cuore. Mi ha ricordato Fairy Oak, Portorosso del film Luca, insomma quei villaggi piccoli, caratteristici, abitati in questo caso da esseri magici di ogni tipo. Voglio vivere lì ORA.
Mi sono piaciuti molto anche Daella e Rivelin, che rischiavano di ricadere nello stereotipo, ma si sono salvati. Ho trovato il loro innamoramento realistico. Non aspettatevi un enemies to lovers, sono diffidenti all’inizio ma non enemies. Diciamo alleati riluttanti. Unica postilla, le scene spicy. A mio parere non sono scritte male, ma le ho trovate molto fuori posto rispetto al tono del libro, che è così dolce e fiabesco. C’era proprio un cambio di tono della narrazione, prendeva in maniera brusca lo stile di scrittura dei romance contemporanei. Cioè vi pare che in un posto chiamato Portofelice la gente scopi? Io me li immagino tipo i Ken, lisci là sotto. Io se avessi come dirimpettaio lo gnomo che fuma seduto su un fungo semplicemente mi riprodurrei in maniera asessuata. But maybe it’s just me.
Quindi!! Se volete iniziare con il fantasy in maniera molto leggere, o anche con il romantasy, questo l’ho trovato molto confortevole e scorrevole. Purtroppo quel finale mi ha fatto togliere un po’ di punti, ma comunque mi sento di consigliarvelo.
Forged by magic è il primo volume di una serie romantasy, formata da quattro romanzi interconessi: stessa ambientazione ma personaggi e storie d’amore diverse.
Qui seguiamo Daella, un’orchessa ormai da anni prigioniera del re dei giganti di ghiaccio, per il quale è costretta a fare da mercenaria. All’inizio del romanzo il suo carceriere le fa una proposta troppo bella per essere vera: se Daella compirà per lui un’ultima uccisione, lui la libererà per sempre dall’incantesimo che la costringe a ubbidirgli. Daella ovviamente accetta, non aspettandosi di vedere il suo viaggio interrotto da una tempesta che la farà naufragare sulle spiagge di Portofelice. Qui farà conoscenza con i variegati abitanti del villaggio e troverà ospitalità in casa di Rivelin, un elfo, fabbro, particolarmente scorbutico, che ha bisogno dell’aiuto di Daella. Qual è il vero obiettivo di Rivelin? Cosa nasconde? Daella riuscirà a trovare la libertà?
C’eravamo quasi, c’eravamo quasi!!
Il romantasy è un genere complicato, bisogna ammetterlo. Ci sono lettori che vogliono più romance e meno fantasy, chi vuole un bilanciamento perfetto…ognuno ha esigenze differenti. Personalmente, se si vuole tentare di costruire una trama fantasy molto complessa, con una posta in gioco alta, preferisco che la storia d’amore sia una sottotrama (e qui si esce dal genere romantasy, a mio parere). Per questo motivo, quei libri che mantengono il worldbuilding e il sistema magico molto semplice e creano una trama tranquilla, una ambientazione confortevole, sono i miei preferiti.
Forged by magic stava per diventare uno di quei libri: non tenta di fare troppo con la trama, non crea drammi eccessivi, ma ti presenta due personaggi facili da amare, uno sviluppo graduale, un’ambientazione che ricorda i villaggi delle fiabe. E poi, alla fine, si sbrodola. Tenta di fare troppo in pochissimo tempo. Improvvisamente mancano dieci pagine e sembra diventare un fantasy politico. La posta in gioco passa dal fare dei cupcake buonissimi allo sventare un’invasione. Tesoro, stavi andando così bene! Ovviamente, il tutto si risolve troppo in fretta, con una superficialità che stride. Non tutti sanno scrivere di guerre e invasioni, e va bene così! Ma allora, a quel punto, non farlo! Chiudi questo libro carino e coccoloso in maniera carina e coccolosa. Non sto dicendo che il tono cambia improvvisamente, diventa un military fantasy o si conclude in tragedia, solo che a parere mio l’autrice decide di complicarsi la vita inutilmente. È come se in I love shopping l’ultimo capitolo fosse dedicato alla protagonista che viene chiamata all’ONU per risolvere una possibile guerra nucleare. Che poi risolve con un discorso. Non ce n’era bisogno.
Però come dicevo all’inizio, per il resto l’ho trovato un libro davvero adorabile! Ho adorato l’ambientazione di Portofelice. Solo a sentirne il nome mi sento riempire il cuore. Mi ha ricordato Fairy Oak, Portorosso del film Luca, insomma quei villaggi piccoli, caratteristici, abitati in questo caso da esseri magici di ogni tipo. Voglio vivere lì ORA.
Mi sono piaciuti molto anche Daella e Rivelin, che rischiavano di ricadere nello stereotipo, ma si sono salvati. Ho trovato il loro innamoramento realistico. Non aspettatevi un enemies to lovers, sono diffidenti all’inizio ma non enemies. Diciamo alleati riluttanti. Unica postilla, le scene spicy. A mio parere non sono scritte male, ma le ho trovate molto fuori posto rispetto al tono del libro, che è così dolce e fiabesco. C’era proprio un cambio di tono della narrazione, prendeva in maniera brusca lo stile di scrittura dei romance contemporanei. Cioè vi pare che in un posto chiamato Portofelice la gente scopi? Io me li immagino tipo i Ken, lisci là sotto. Io se avessi come dirimpettaio lo gnomo che fuma seduto su un fungo semplicemente mi riprodurrei in maniera asessuata. But maybe it’s just me.
Quindi!! Se volete iniziare con il fantasy in maniera molto leggere, o anche con il romantasy, questo l’ho trovato molto confortevole e scorrevole. Purtroppo quel finale mi ha fatto togliere un po’ di punti, ma comunque mi sento di consigliarvelo.
March 14, 2024
I finished this yesterday and let me tell you that it was such a good read. Forged by Magic is a cozy fantasy romance that has low stakes, small-town life, a competition with trials and games, enemies to lovers, and forced proximity °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
I've slowly come to realize that maybe I can no longer read fantasy with heavy information. I get distracted or take too long to finish one. Maybe cozy fantasy is where I should stay because I always adore them and they're my type of fun fantasy that I crave reading. This is actually the perfect book for me because it has elves, orcs, dwarves, demons, all co-existing in a small town and doing normal things like selling ale, managing an inn, baking cupcakes, and stuff like that. And the big thing in this town is basically a summer competition where they have to complete 4 trials and whoever receives the most votes gets to win. Like how cute?!
In this novel, we have an enemies-to-lovers romance between a half-orc and an elf who meet under difficult circumstances because Daella has come to this island to search these people who have dragon magic in order to bring them to the emperor who has her life in his hands. If she doesn't, the ice shard she has in her hip will freeze her body and she'll die. So, in these circumstances, she has to do what the emperor tells her to do, even if she doesn't want to.
When she washes up this island's shore and Rivelin, a blacksmith elf, finds her, they don't start on the right foot, especially when he instantly knows who she is because there are not many orcs in the world. She's infamous and he knows she's the emperor's mercenary, so instantly he hates her, she's his enemy. She just wants to do her job and go back, because the emperor has promised her he'll set her free if she does this one last time.
But of course, everything doesn't go as planned so now she has to wait for like two months to set sail again. So in the meantime Rivelin agrees to give her shelter if she helps him win the summer competition going on in his town.
We have two characters who have misjudged each other so hard but are working to remedy this. While they live together and between all that forced proximity, they start to realize that all of the things they've believed are not entirely true. It was so nice to see them grow closer and get to know each other in such a deeper way. Plus whenever they needed help, the other one was there. Both of them have been so lonely for years and it was so charming and heart-warming to see them lean on someone else for the first time.
I am definitely reading the next book in this series ⋆˚✿˖°
I've slowly come to realize that maybe I can no longer read fantasy with heavy information. I get distracted or take too long to finish one. Maybe cozy fantasy is where I should stay because I always adore them and they're my type of fun fantasy that I crave reading. This is actually the perfect book for me because it has elves, orcs, dwarves, demons, all co-existing in a small town and doing normal things like selling ale, managing an inn, baking cupcakes, and stuff like that. And the big thing in this town is basically a summer competition where they have to complete 4 trials and whoever receives the most votes gets to win. Like how cute?!
In this novel, we have an enemies-to-lovers romance between a half-orc and an elf who meet under difficult circumstances because Daella has come to this island to search these people who have dragon magic in order to bring them to the emperor who has her life in his hands. If she doesn't, the ice shard she has in her hip will freeze her body and she'll die. So, in these circumstances, she has to do what the emperor tells her to do, even if she doesn't want to.
When she washes up this island's shore and Rivelin, a blacksmith elf, finds her, they don't start on the right foot, especially when he instantly knows who she is because there are not many orcs in the world. She's infamous and he knows she's the emperor's mercenary, so instantly he hates her, she's his enemy. She just wants to do her job and go back, because the emperor has promised her he'll set her free if she does this one last time.
But of course, everything doesn't go as planned so now she has to wait for like two months to set sail again. So in the meantime Rivelin agrees to give her shelter if she helps him win the summer competition going on in his town.
We have two characters who have misjudged each other so hard but are working to remedy this. While they live together and between all that forced proximity, they start to realize that all of the things they've believed are not entirely true. It was so nice to see them grow closer and get to know each other in such a deeper way. Plus whenever they needed help, the other one was there. Both of them have been so lonely for years and it was so charming and heart-warming to see them lean on someone else for the first time.
I am definitely reading the next book in this series ⋆˚✿˖°
July 17, 2023
Ehh, wild combination of cozy fantasy and attempts at being high fantasy as if the author wasn’t sure what they wanted either.
Certain elements cancel each other out (multiple races, rather large world map vs story being mostly in one village). Characters are very unlikeable and the romance is pretty much insta love (within two weeks or so) when the MMC hated the FMC upon finding her. But her ✨love for life✨ (and the booty) changes everything. Extremely cringy spice scenes that don’t fit into the story at all and the dirty talk doesn’t fit to the MMC either ("be a good girl and come for me"; praise kink is never mentioned otherwise).
There are attempts to establish some history and lore but they are just attempts and very underwhelming. I wish that the author would have made a decision which genre they wanted and would have invested more time into creating a fitting story then and not something that tries to be two things at once.
Certain elements cancel each other out (multiple races, rather large world map vs story being mostly in one village). Characters are very unlikeable and the romance is pretty much insta love (within two weeks or so) when the MMC hated the FMC upon finding her. But her ✨love for life✨ (and the booty) changes everything. Extremely cringy spice scenes that don’t fit into the story at all and the dirty talk doesn’t fit to the MMC either ("be a good girl and come for me"; praise kink is never mentioned otherwise).
There are attempts to establish some history and lore but they are just attempts and very underwhelming. I wish that the author would have made a decision which genre they wanted and would have invested more time into creating a fitting story then and not something that tries to be two things at once.
May 14, 2024
cover's cute, but it was so slow, felt like nothing was happening at all
July 18, 2023
I was SO disappointed with this book. I added it to my TBR yesterday and started reading it today that's how excited I was at first to read it!
The writing is super clunky and honestly kind of cringeworthy - it was like it was written by a 17year old. It felt like the author hadn't made up her mind what she wanted the world to be like, or its history, or even the personality of her characters.
The plot was a good idea, and I'm SO here for more orc characters - unfortunately the excecution just wasn't it.
I very rarely do this, but the writing bugged me so much I DNF'd at 5%.
The writing is super clunky and honestly kind of cringeworthy - it was like it was written by a 17year old. It felt like the author hadn't made up her mind what she wanted the world to be like, or its history, or even the personality of her characters.
The plot was a good idea, and I'm SO here for more orc characters - unfortunately the excecution just wasn't it.
I very rarely do this, but the writing bugged me so much I DNF'd at 5%.
July 19, 2023
Do I recommend this book? Absolutely 👍🏻
I enjoyed this a lot. It was cozy, heartwarming, and enough stakes to keep me interested to find out what happens next. The enemies(dislike) to allies to lovers was done really well. I love banter and this delivered. Grumpy/sunshine, and a dirty talking cinnamon roll MMC-yum. Also, this is dual pov 🤌🏻 oh, and DRAGONS!!
I actually dnf’d another book by this author, so I was a tad skeptical. I’m so glad I gave this a chance. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
I enjoyed this a lot. It was cozy, heartwarming, and enough stakes to keep me interested to find out what happens next. The enemies(dislike) to allies to lovers was done really well. I love banter and this delivered. Grumpy/sunshine, and a dirty talking cinnamon roll MMC-yum. Also, this is dual pov 🤌🏻 oh, and DRAGONS!!
I actually dnf’d another book by this author, so I was a tad skeptical. I’m so glad I gave this a chance. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
December 12, 2023
Absolutely adorable! Cozy fantasy with a sprinkle of spice and a dash of DRAGONS!
July 14, 2023
2.5-3
I gotta stop reading Wattpad books, (yes Ik this isn’t one).
The pacing of this was very weird. The plot/story was great in theory but poorly executed. Than we had these random ass sex scenes that came out of nowhere. This would of been about a hundred times better if there was no smut bc it kind of threw everything off course. Idk how to explain it, it’s like the angst was building and than they randomly do it and than the “plot”, (if u could even call it that) completely gets pushed aside.
Also the way things were worded with the syntax and imagery was very weird.
Overall, save your time and if u want a Wattpad go on Wattpad and actually read a good one.
I gotta stop reading Wattpad books, (yes Ik this isn’t one).
The pacing of this was very weird. The plot/story was great in theory but poorly executed. Than we had these random ass sex scenes that came out of nowhere. This would of been about a hundred times better if there was no smut bc it kind of threw everything off course. Idk how to explain it, it’s like the angst was building and than they randomly do it and than the “plot”, (if u could even call it that) completely gets pushed aside.
Also the way things were worded with the syntax and imagery was very weird.
Overall, save your time and if u want a Wattpad go on Wattpad and actually read a good one.
July 5, 2023
4.5⭐️
The first book to pull me in since the Fourth Wing hangover!!
Cozy & sexy with a competition AND dragons?! Fkn sign me up.
This book was devourable & I cannot wait for more in this series to come out. This is perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree & That Time I Got Drunk & Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming!!!
I had such a lovely time with this one 🫶🏼 A massive thank you to Jenna and the Nerd Fam for sending me an arc!
The first book to pull me in since the Fourth Wing hangover!!
Cozy & sexy with a competition AND dragons?! Fkn sign me up.
This book was devourable & I cannot wait for more in this series to come out. This is perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree & That Time I Got Drunk & Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming!!!
I had such a lovely time with this one 🫶🏼 A massive thank you to Jenna and the Nerd Fam for sending me an arc!
October 25, 2023
Where you go, I go. I am with you until the end.
I am such a sucker for characters like Rivelin. Like who even says that. Let me be at peace.
In Forged by Magic we follow our main character Daella, a half-orc and half-human prisoner of her kingdom, as she's tasked to track down outlawed magic. Chao ensues.
This book gets right down to business, we waste no time getting right into the thick of it. Daella meets the MMC Rivelin almost immediately after embarking on her journey and we watch as they become reluctant partners in a town wide competition.
I loved this. Face paced, funny, action packed, cozy, cute. It was honestly perfect, I loved reading every interaction between Daella and Rivelin. Fun little romp for when you're tired of reading about people dying.
And she's green. I loved that in a way I cannot explain.
July 15, 2023
Grumpy blacksmith meets reluctant mercenary. Both are secret softies that just might be the special piece in each others puzzle.
This feels like the first book in a series you are going to love, it’s not perfect but I have a feeling the next book will hit just right.
I loved the small magic town on an island. I enjoyed the competition. The villain was meh, and the third act grovel was just fine.
The cover is *chefs kiss*
🧝♂️🐉🧌💕
This feels like the first book in a series you are going to love, it’s not perfect but I have a feeling the next book will hit just right.
I loved the small magic town on an island. I enjoyed the competition. The villain was meh, and the third act grovel was just fine.
The cover is *chefs kiss*
🧝♂️🐉🧌💕
July 11, 2024
If 'cuddled up on the sofa with a blanket and a cup of tea' was a book.
This book was super adorable and fun! A perfect palate cleanser for those looking for an easy romantasy between books.
This book was super adorable and fun! A perfect palate cleanser for those looking for an easy romantasy between books.
January 16, 2026
Overall Rating: 4/5
Finished my first book of the year and this cozy romantasy didn't disappoint.
If you liked Legends & Latte's then you might like this. They're both low-stakes fantasy books with this book having a bit more action.
Daella is a half orc that is forced to be a mercenary for a kingdom of ice giants who sends her on a mission to find dangerous magic and something goes wrong which lands her to being discovered by Rivelin, a grumpy elf. Daella is something of a tragic heroine at the start as she's been forced to do things she doesn't want to do and has been kept locked up her entire life. So when she ends up on the wrong island of fable we get to see more of her true nature. She's a woman who is wary, has her walls up, but is caring in a way most people won't see until they get to know Daella and I love that about her. She's def the type of person to hate small talk and crave deeper conversations.
Her time on the island also flushes out the world-building and social/political environment around her. The author made both the world and magic system easy to understand but vibrant enough to imagine and the cozy atmosphere allowed me to focus more on the romance and character development in comparison to the... kinda silly and lack of a plot.
What I mean by that is again going back to Daella's character as we see her come out of her shell and see just how naive she is... woman has spent most of her life on missions or in a tower so seeing her experience the peaceful town where she can let her guard down and enjoy festivities was nice.
And then there's her male lead Rivelin. We don't get too much of his background... only really a few glimpses to see why he is such a loner and a grump and once I knew the reason I really didn't blame him. It also explained his personality because while he is a bit of a grump and slow to trust people he's fiercely protective and knows how to have a good time with the people he genuinely cares about. I found myself liking the banter he provided with Daella in the beginning and how it transitioned to something more.
Not to mention the "who did this to you" moment was a cherry-on-top of the book. Loved him once he really opened up.
Only reason this wasn't a 5 star was because the 3rd act breakup could've been avoided if the MMC weren't an idiot... Not to mention the climax ending felt a lil lackluster BUT overall I enjoyed it and would recommend it to people who just want to read some simple romantasy.
Finished my first book of the year and this cozy romantasy didn't disappoint.
If you liked Legends & Latte's then you might like this. They're both low-stakes fantasy books with this book having a bit more action.
Daella is a half orc that is forced to be a mercenary for a kingdom of ice giants who sends her on a mission to find dangerous magic and something goes wrong which lands her to being discovered by Rivelin, a grumpy elf. Daella is something of a tragic heroine at the start as she's been forced to do things she doesn't want to do and has been kept locked up her entire life. So when she ends up on the wrong island of fable we get to see more of her true nature. She's a woman who is wary, has her walls up, but is caring in a way most people won't see until they get to know Daella and I love that about her. She's def the type of person to hate small talk and crave deeper conversations.
Her time on the island also flushes out the world-building and social/political environment around her. The author made both the world and magic system easy to understand but vibrant enough to imagine and the cozy atmosphere allowed me to focus more on the romance and character development in comparison to the... kinda silly and lack of a plot.
What I mean by that is again going back to Daella's character as we see her come out of her shell and see just how naive she is... woman has spent most of her life on missions or in a tower so seeing her experience the peaceful town where she can let her guard down and enjoy festivities was nice.
And then there's her male lead Rivelin. We don't get too much of his background... only really a few glimpses to see why he is such a loner and a grump and once I knew the reason I really didn't blame him. It also explained his personality because while he is a bit of a grump and slow to trust people he's fiercely protective and knows how to have a good time with the people he genuinely cares about. I found myself liking the banter he provided with Daella in the beginning and how it transitioned to something more.
Not to mention the "who did this to you" moment was a cherry-on-top of the book. Loved him once he really opened up.
Only reason this wasn't a 5 star was because the 3rd act breakup could've been avoided if the MMC weren't an idiot... Not to mention the climax ending felt a lil lackluster BUT overall I enjoyed it and would recommend it to people who just want to read some simple romantasy.
July 11, 2023
“𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙤 𝙄 𝙜𝙤. 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙.”
Listen…all you need to know is dragon and dungeons x legend of vox machine vibes. Sexy elves, orcs, demons, fairies, pixies, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, cozy warm fable….and dragon riders.
I promise you. You will not regret. Now read it before I crawl up ur window and make you.
Listen…all you need to know is dragon and dungeons x legend of vox machine vibes. Sexy elves, orcs, demons, fairies, pixies, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, cozy warm fable….and dragon riders.
I promise you. You will not regret. Now read it before I crawl up ur window and make you.
June 1, 2024
Honestly the only reason I finished this was for r/fantasy bingo. This just… wasn’t it. It felt clunky and the writing in some parts was just off. I really can’t explain why this didn’t work but it didn’t.
July 9, 2023
Forged by Magic is a cozy fantasy romance in the vein of Legends & Lattes that gives us:
- small town romance vibes
- enemies to lovers romance
- a magical competition
- dragons and
- a bit of spice!
The book follows the half-orc Daella who was forced into being a mercenary for Emperor Isveig who conquered her homeland. On a mission for the Emperor, Daella's ship wrecks and she is stranded on the Isles of Fable and brought into the town of Hearthaven by the town's blacksmith, Rivelin. At Hearthaven, people have sworn to live without violence and thus despise mercenareis such as Daella. Even so, Rivelin enlists Daella to help him win a local tournament that will grant the winner any wish.
Overall, I enjoyed the cozy feel of the story and the worldbuilding which was very fairytale-esque, Dungeons and Dragons inspired. The romance between Daella and Rivelin could have used a bit more development in my opinion, but it was sweet nontheless.
What dimmed my enjoyment of the story a little was the writing. The author spoonfed you the information and characters often resorted to stating the obvious. Nothing was left for the reader to puzzle out themselves. Moreover, at times the writing was a bit clunky and the dialogue awkward. There were also some inconsistencies that bothered me - for example, right at the beginning, Daella argues with Emperor Isveig and he lefts her bargain with him despite literally holding her life in his hands. You would think that a conqueror who killed thousands of people wouldn't argue with a prisoner. It seemed like the author ignored logic at times just to make things easier for the main characters or to make them seem smarter. Overall, the antagonists seemed very one-dimensional and more like plot devices / tropes than characters. If you want a book that is pure escapism and entertainment without having to think too much - like, at all - you will probably enjoy this but I do tend to get very critical when reading.
So despite its faults, I overall enjoyed Forged by Magic and will be picking up the sequel. 3/5 stars.
- small town romance vibes
- enemies to lovers romance
- a magical competition
- dragons and
- a bit of spice!
The book follows the half-orc Daella who was forced into being a mercenary for Emperor Isveig who conquered her homeland. On a mission for the Emperor, Daella's ship wrecks and she is stranded on the Isles of Fable and brought into the town of Hearthaven by the town's blacksmith, Rivelin. At Hearthaven, people have sworn to live without violence and thus despise mercenareis such as Daella. Even so, Rivelin enlists Daella to help him win a local tournament that will grant the winner any wish.
Overall, I enjoyed the cozy feel of the story and the worldbuilding which was very fairytale-esque, Dungeons and Dragons inspired. The romance between Daella and Rivelin could have used a bit more development in my opinion, but it was sweet nontheless.
What dimmed my enjoyment of the story a little was the writing. The author spoonfed you the information and characters often resorted to stating the obvious. Nothing was left for the reader to puzzle out themselves. Moreover, at times the writing was a bit clunky and the dialogue awkward. There were also some inconsistencies that bothered me - for example, right at the beginning, Daella argues with Emperor Isveig and he lefts her bargain with him despite literally holding her life in his hands. You would think that a conqueror who killed thousands of people wouldn't argue with a prisoner. It seemed like the author ignored logic at times just to make things easier for the main characters or to make them seem smarter. Overall, the antagonists seemed very one-dimensional and more like plot devices / tropes than characters. If you want a book that is pure escapism and entertainment without having to think too much - like, at all - you will probably enjoy this but I do tend to get very critical when reading.
So despite its faults, I overall enjoyed Forged by Magic and will be picking up the sequel. 3/5 stars.
July 22, 2023
Not the cozy adventure I was hoping for
Plot 2.5 Spice 1.5
Enemies-to-lovers, grumpy elven blacksmith mmc, badass half orc fmc, small town (village), slow burn, he takes care of her when she’s injured, who did this to you
This book cover was insanely beautiful, and the world building is superb, but the plot isn’t my jam. This is way too angsty to be cozy adjacent. It just wasn’t fun to read. It dragged on & on and was so predictable. Miscommunication stresses me out, and the back & forth: we-can’t-decide-if-we’re-enemies-or-lovers and the constant suspicion was exhausting. There was so much lying and secret keeping.
Even though Riven was the perfect grump who was actually a true gentleman, just hated everyone but her, and Daella is a total badass, I just didn’t like them as a couple together. Their relationship felt forced and lackluster. The story had all the tropes, but they’re relationship was missing something. It just fell flat. A good relationship needs more than a heap of Booktok tropes. It need’s emotional connection, and this just didn’t have it. They were always back and forth, up in the air, wishy washy, never rock solid. And the spice was so cheesy. What was up with that ridiculous steam?!? I really, really wanted to love this book, but I just cannot recommend.
Plot 2.5 Spice 1.5
Enemies-to-lovers, grumpy elven blacksmith mmc, badass half orc fmc, small town (village), slow burn, he takes care of her when she’s injured, who did this to you
This book cover was insanely beautiful, and the world building is superb, but the plot isn’t my jam. This is way too angsty to be cozy adjacent. It just wasn’t fun to read. It dragged on & on and was so predictable. Miscommunication stresses me out, and the back & forth: we-can’t-decide-if-we’re-enemies-or-lovers and the constant suspicion was exhausting. There was so much lying and secret keeping.
Even though Riven was the perfect grump who was actually a true gentleman, just hated everyone but her, and Daella is a total badass, I just didn’t like them as a couple together. Their relationship felt forced and lackluster. The story had all the tropes, but they’re relationship was missing something. It just fell flat. A good relationship needs more than a heap of Booktok tropes. It need’s emotional connection, and this just didn’t have it. They were always back and forth, up in the air, wishy washy, never rock solid. And the spice was so cheesy. What was up with that ridiculous steam?!? I really, really wanted to love this book, but I just cannot recommend.
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