Bound by Scars & Secrets

Realms of Magic #1

by Sienna Archer

When magic is deadly, secrets are survival. 



Seventeen-year-old Alathea has kept her sister safe and the forbidden magic in her veins controlled ever since their mothers fled. But when Alathea’s sister disappears, a mage from an enemy realm outs Alathea’s magic. On the run, Alathea receives an impossible offer from the mage: He and a terrifying sorceress will deliver Alathea to her sister if she crosses into their monster-reigned realm and accepts a magic destiny herself.



To get her sister back, Alathea will have to decide: Can she stop hiding and trust her enemies…or will the unraveling of long-held secrets lead her to an even deadlier fate?



Bound by Scars & Secrets is the first book in a Young Adult epic fantasy series with a slow burn queer love triangle, heart-pounding adventure, and unraveling family secrets. If you liked Throne of Glass, Shadow and Bone, or These Hollow Vows, you’ll love this fast-paced, coming-of-age story by Sienna Archer.

Genres: Fantasy

358 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 14, 2023

About the author

Sienna Archer believes romance should be epic, adventures magical, and the best characters are the ones who grow. She writes books featuring diverse characters and strong female leads that make readers laugh, shout, and cry.

Reviews

[KMart Vet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes:
✨Queer Love Triangle
✨LGBTQIA+ rep
✨YA Epic Fantasy
✨Slow Burn
✨Queer Throne of Glass meets the Witcher
✨Sisters story, complex family dynamics
✨Found Family

Thanks to the author and R&R for the eARC!

Caught in an oppressive society of 'truths' and watchmen, Alathea is steeped in an intense fear of the magic secreted away inside of her. She strives to protect her rebellious sister after her mothers go missing. When her sister chooses to vanish into the nearby magical kingdom, Ala's resentment toward mages comes to a head. With no other options, Ala is presented with a challenging offer by the mage and the sorceress—they will help her reunite with her sister, but she must cross into their realm and embrace a magical destiny of her own. Faced with the dilemma of trusting those she despises, Alathea grapples with her animosity and must decide whether to forge an uneasy alliance or let her resentment consume her.

This series promises a slow-burn queer love triangle and the unraveling of family secrets. At its heart, this is a story about the complex relationship between two sisters and their parental figures. I adored the exploration of complex family dynamics. The highlight for me was the 'love triangle', both of which seems to be equally compelling relationships. Both are charming and fascinating options and neither seems to blame the other for their attentions. I would love for Ala to get her cake and eat it too, though! I adored the LGBTQIA+ representation in this one!

I will note that the dialogue was sometimes clumsy, the pacing was a little challenging at times, and the world-building (while unique) was sometimes confusing. But the good FAR FAR outweighs any complaints that I had. Very enjoyable.

[Karissa Gaudette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to start by saying I think this author has a lot of potential and I plan to keep an eye on her stuff because of this. The story was interesting, different (which is big in fantasy, in my opinion) and had a lot of funny moments. I struggled with the lack of world building in what is obviously a very detailed world. There's so much missing that things don't always make sense and it makes it hard to follow at times. I have a feeling this world exists in Sienna's mind and it just needs to come to paper a little better. I would love to be able to get into it more! I also wish I found more of the characters a bit more interesting or likeable. As of right now, Dae is my favorite but I still don't know enough about him. The book was intriguing and I might pick the sequel up at some point but I'm not dying to get into the next book like I wish I was.

[Bailee · Rating 5 out of 5]

So freaking good!! This book totally sucked me in and did not let me go for the entire ride. Definitely will be reading the other books asap because I WANT MORE!!! The magic system was so fantastic, the character development was perfection, and the worldbuilding was phenomenal. Seriously. I loved it all.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a captivating YA Fantasy Romance in the
LGBTQ2+ genre. The story weaves a magical narrative filled with mystery, magic, world building, monsters, and enchantment. I really enjoyed the vivid detailed descriptions in this world. It was easy to envision and picture this world. I really enjoyed the mystery that was in the plot surrounded by Ala and Soli. Get lost in a world where, "Magic is death.. Can I just say that I love Daesen. A must-read for those craving a spellbinding blend of fantasy and romance.

A very special thanks to the author and RR Book tours for the gifted copy.

[The_bookish_cave_of_wonders · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨️Bound by Scars & Secrets (Realms of Magic #1)
✨️Publications Date: August 16, 2023
✨️Genre: YA Fantasy Romance/ LGBTQ2+

Tropes

✨Queer Throne of Glass meets The Witcher
✨Found Family
✨Sister Story
✨Slow Burn
✨Unique Magic & World
✨Epic Fantasy
✨Queer Love Triangle

SMALL REVIEW

This story predominently follows the complex relationship between two sisters and really highlights challenging family dynamics. The world building in this story was quite unique, which kept me engaged and intrigued throughout the novel. There is a love triangle in this story, which isn't my favourite Trope, but it was actually done quite well in this book, and you find yourself rooting for the whole dynamic. There are great reps for LGBTQ+ in this story, which was brilliant. The story will have your emotions on a rollercoast from the slow burn romance to the heartwarming moments between the sisters.

I would recommend this to lovers of YA and unique magical/ world building.

[Verv · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Bound by Scars & Secrets’ by Sienna Archer is a captivating foray into a world brimming with magic, intrigue, and complex relationships. The story of Alathea, a rule-abiding truth-carver from Elektos, unfolds with an intensity that grips your imagination and doesn't let go. Thrust into a realm she has been taught to fear, Alathea's journey is a mesmerizing blend of forbidden magic, familial bonds, and a slow-burn queer love triangle that keeps the pages turning.

Archer's world-building is wonderfully done, painting the realms of Elektos and Memoria with vivid strokes that immerse you completely. The narrative weaves through the intricacies of Alathea's life, unraveling family secrets and challenging long-held beliefs with a finesse that is both thrilling and thought-provoking. The relationship dynamics, especially between Alathea and her sister, are beautifully explored, adding depth and emotional resonance to the story.

While the book is filled with action and adventure, it’s the character development that truly stands out. Alathea’s evolution from a cautious rule-follower to a powerful magic wielder is compelling, showcasing Archer's skill in character portrayal. The love triangle adds an extra layer of intrigue to the plot. The novel excels in creating a balance between fast-paced action and introspective moments.

Ending on a cliffhanger, ‘Bound by Scars & Secrets’ sets the stage for a series that promises even more excitement and magical twists. Sienna Archer has crafted a world that is both enchanting and daunting, making this book a must-read for fans of fantasy and magical adventures.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really captivating. There’s fantasy, adventure and magic. Sienna has done a great job with putting all these aspects together. I will admit it did take me a little while to get into this book but once I did, I throughly enjoyed it.
I really liked how close Alathea and her sister are. They do go through some turmoil and it was a little heartbreaking to read through it. She doesn’t want to believe what the Mage has to tell her about her sister. She doesn’t trust magic and believes that it’s no good.
But her sister suddenly disappears and she has to work with people whom she never has wanted to. She’s going to have to go through unknown territory, learning more about her family along the way.
There comes a love triangle and reading how it all comes together was a very interesting read. It’s beautifully written. I really enjoyed all the adventure that goes on within the book. If you love fantasy you’ll want to read this book! I cannot wait for book two.

Thank you @rrbooktours for allowing me to review this beautiful book.


@siennaarcherauthor @rrbooktours
#rrbooktours #rrbtboundbyscarsandsecrets #boundbyscarsandsecrets #sapphicromance #realmsofmagic #yafantasyromance #fantasyromance #queerfantasy #yabookstagram #queerbookstagram
 
Book tour organized by @rrbooktours

[Katharina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bound by Scars & Secrets is the first book in the Realms of Magic Series by Sienna Archer. In this book we follow Alathea, who was taught to fear magic, as she enters a magical realm to save her sister. She finds out that she herself has magic and has to find a way to activate it in order to save the realms. But the two people that can help her are as infuriating as attractive. Will she be able to save the realms? And who will she choose?

Bound by Scars & Secrets is a wonderful book with an interesting story and great characters! I really like the magic system and the different realms in this book. The slow-burn queer love triangle is fantastic, I absolutely loved to watch their relationship unfold. All in all I really enjoyed reading this book and I'm super excited for the next one in the series!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[NinaInkdawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow wow and more wow...When is the second book coming out??? *____* Sienna has created this world that is so real, at times scary but at times frightening but which you absolutely cannot do without. There are 3 aspects that made me love this fantasy... and that is the slow burn, the triangle love between the three main characters, but every time Dae appeared I said to myself... I want a Dae too.
the relationship between Alathea and her sister Soli is something that makes you melt but it also made me shed a few tears. Unique. This book is full of tests to overcome and difficulties that one cannot get bored of, at all. Good thing the second book only comes out in February because I still need all of them *___*.Rate 4.5

[Jenn Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic fantasy, queer love triangle, slow burn, and found family.. sign me up! Im so glad i got the chance to read this book its a 5 star for me and i can not wait for the next one!

[Sarah 🌺 Books in Their Natural Habitat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn in at first by Bound by Scars and Secrets’ cover and I’m so glad it caught my eye because I have a new series to love!

This book isn’t a straightforward good versus evil and I love it for that. Alathea has been taught to fear magic and does everything in her power to protect her sister… until she can’t anymore. Shes backed in a corner and despite her gut feeling, decides to take a chance on a sorceress and a mage. She struggles so much with having any openness to the idea that what she’s been taught her whole life has some falsehoods to it.

The internal tug of war, frequent action, and unwavering sisterly love won me over. And now, I will impatiently wait a few weeks for the second book!

A big thank you to RR Book Tours @rrbooktours for organizing this tour. The review expresses my own personal opinions.

[Cirsce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family Secrets, Forbidden Magic, Fantastical Realms, and Slow Burn Romance

How far would you go to protect your only sister?

Ala is most comfortable when following the rules and avoiding the terrible dangers of magic. Until she's thrust out of her quiet, unremarkable life in Elektos that Ala promised her Mother she'd lead as a child. In order to save the only family Ala has left, her sister.

Forced to work with magic wielding enemies she despises from the neighboring realm of Memoria, Ala unravels her family's hidden secrets during her journey across the realms. Pushed to evolve from the rule following truth carver of Elektos, even if Ala can accept her destiny and unlock the power she's buried for years; in the face of the evil creeping across Fides, it still may not be enough to save everything and everyone she loves.

100% recommend this fantasy adventure! Prepare to fall in love with the world of Fides, Ala, and the complex characters she meets along her journey.

[Pheonex · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you do when you're fed only lies, and taught to fear what's in you. Alathea must overcome her past and move into the future, learn to trust who she is. Action, adventure, a little romance.

[Betwixt the Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.25/5 Penguins (rounded down)
Quick Reasons: entertaining, magical, fascinating; the prose is richly purple; heavy world building; realistic character arcs; a story you'll want to swim through

HUGE thanks to Sienna Archer and BookSirens for the title! My review is voluntarily written and in no way altered or impacted by this gesture.

I whisper, "They taught me to not see this."

"TRUTH-carver," Lidja says, scoffing. "This is the real truth: The words they keep from us and the ones they give us--those are the greatest weapons in all of Fides."

This was an entertaining, fascinating, magical read. The prose is richly purple and filled with world-building. The world itself leaps to life from the pages, surrounding readers with finely-crafted details. It is almost like a quilt--from afar, it is pleasing to look at. Patterns are distinguishable. But UP CLOSE?! It's a whole different vibe entirely. Intricate weaves leap before the eyes. Gorgeous detailing makes up the scenery. Stepping into this world, I was first struck by the boisterous characters, the flaws and entrappings and stories being awoken. The longer I stayed, the more this world came to glorious life before my minds-eye.

Sienna Archer wove an intricate, detailed look at topics like religion, grief, coming-of-age, finding yourself/your purpose, finding a reason to fight the status quo, blood vs found families... There is SO MUCH happening in this story, it is hard to put it all into words. Some of it is obvious--a turn of phrase that puts everything into crystal clarity. Some of it is more subtle--a feeling, a mood, a mere flick of the eye inward to something MORE. In all regards, Sienna Archer knows how to keep a reader on the edge of their seats, seeking deeper, bigger, greater things. As the first book in this series, I was NOT disappointed.

"I remember what it was like, the next morning, when I woke up and my mother was truly gone."

The ship rocks, fast and shushing. "I thought you were coming to tell me it will be all right."

"I won't lie to you, Ala. Not now, not ever." Carefully, slowly, like I'm made of fine glass, he wraps an arm around my back. His warmth seeps through my clothes. "With who we've lost, we will never be all right. We can only be different."

I definitely recommend this read to lovers of fantastical worlds, magical beasts, and stories that have the same sense of "other" as those like Peter Pan, Narnia, and LOTR. If you're a fan of reads with heavy topics, characters you'll want to punch and caress in turn, and books that will leave you wanting....this is for you. Look closer at the scars, Penguins...there just may be secrets in the bindings.

[Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alathea lives in Elektos, where she carves truths all day. Magic is death. That’s the most important truth.

Years ago, Ala’s mothers disappeared, leaving Ala and her sister, Soli, to fend for themselves. But maybe their mothers didn’t just leave. Maybe there is more to the story.

When Soli runs off, Ala breaks all the rules to follow to protect her. She’s transported into a new realm and realizes maybe magic isn’t death after all.

First, the good:

SIBLING RELATIONSHIP
I really enjoyed how protective Ala was of Soli, but I liked that it wasn’t a traditional sibling relationship. Soli teaches Ala and guides her to Ala’s true potential.

INTERNAL TURMOIL
I liked the war that went on inside Ala. She’s been thrust into a new world and forced to accept her own magic. It felt very real that she was constantly questioning everything instead of blindly accepting new “truths.”

DYNAMIC
I loved the dynamic between Daesen and Lidja. Daesen provides the comedy while Lidja is the sharp edge. It worked really well.

Now, for the parts I didn’t love:

PACING
This book felt really rushed to me. I would have loved to have slowed down and taken more time to understand the world and the characters. I understand that the characters are on a crunch timeline, but it all went so quickly I didn’t get to understand a lot of important points.

WORLDBUILDING
Because of the speedy pacing, I didn’t really understand the different kingdoms or who ruled what. I don’t even quite understand the magic or the system of leadership. I really wanted to know more.

CHARACTERS
I had a hard time liking Ala. I felt like she was very one-dimensional. I would have loved to get inside her head more, but I don’t feel like we got much interiority.

Overall, I really struggled to get through this book, but it had some good elements.

[Mysticbookgirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

💫 𝙱𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚂𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 💫

𝘕𝘰 s𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴!

First of all thank you @siennaarcherauthor for sending me ARCS of both of these books for me to review. I honestly had no idea what to expect when I started this, but I’m so glad to have found this series and have been given the chance to read it.

If you like:

✨Magic
✨Realms
✨Political intrigue
✨Found family
✨Sisterhood
✨Love triangle
✨LGBTQ representation

Then I suggest you check this series out!

💭 ℳ𝓎 𝓉𝒽ℴ𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈 💭

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

At first, I will admit I struggled to really get into the flow of this book. This is a super complex world, with new and strange creatures, magic and political intrigue. The main character, Alathea, discovers her whole world and life has been an utter lie, shattering every truth she has ever known. 💔

As the reader, you discover everything from the same perspective she does, making the plot at first sometimes confusing and making Alathea, somewhat annoying for the first part of this story, as she refuses to accept this new reality of hers. 🙄

However, don’t let this put you off! Once you understand the different elements to this mysterious world, you come to appreciate just how great, complex and well put together this story is. The adventures and perils that these characters must go on to save their world had me on the edge of my seat. 🤭

As for Alathea, her being so stubborn and somewhat unlikeable in the first part of the story just makes for the most amazing character arc as the story goes on. The way she evolves from a scared girl to a strong woman was so well done, so realistic and close to the truth, it just made me love her character so much more by the end.

So, I’ll be back soon with my review of the second book in this series, but until then, if you want to check this out, then you can now get books 1 & 2, out now!

[evenromanceisnerdy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes:
💫 YA Epic Fantasy
💫 Adventure
💫 Magic, mages, sorceresses
💫 Queer love triangle
💫 LGBTQIA+ rep
💫 Slow burn romance
💫 Sister story
💫 Found family

“I am magic. I am death to anyone who hurts my family. I am me. “ALATHEA.”

While Alathea was raised to fear magic including the magic she possesses, she’s forced to work with a charming mage, Daesen, and a fierce sorceress, Lidja, as they may be her only chance to finding her missing sister, Soli. On a mission to find her sister, Ala is also on a path to self discovery where she finds strength and confidence in herself and her magic, unravels family secrets, fights through magical realms and explores her sexuality.

I loved how adventurous this book was. It really takes you on an epic fantasy journey with the MC. Seeing how strong of a bond Ala has with her sister and the trials they overcome and continue to have to overcome makes them so relatable to me. I couldn’t help but think of my own sister. I also loved her relationship with Dae and Lidja. It was so real to read through Ala’s emotions as she explores her sexuality and tries to figure out what she wants and then be confident with what she wants. It was heartwarming how supportive the side characters were with Ala in this area. The LGBTQIA+ representation was admirable! The world building and magic system were unique and interesting. Overall, this is a great start to the series and I look forward to reading what happens next in book 2! I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a YA epic fantasy romance 🤍

A big thank you to the author and R&R Book Tours for an eARC! 🫶🏼

[Robin.Bookish.Escape · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 /5

“Daesen says Lidja is all blade and bite, like the edge of autumn as it cuts into winter.”

Magic that is forbidden and dangerous, a family with secrets, action, adventure, and a love triangle that will have your head spinning (in a good way)… what more could you want!?

Raised to fear the magic she has, Alathea is a rule follower who is perfectly content keeping it that way. That is until her sister, the only family she has left goes missing. A mage she comes in contact with on the hunt to find her sister offers to find and deliver her sister to her… in exchange, she will have to cross his realm riddled with monsters and accept her own magic and the destiny that comes with it.

What a beautifully original fantastical story that is fast passed with characters that are relatable, and keep you entertained and enthralled. It was very difficult to put this book down!

If you like the writings of Sarah J. Maas and Lexi Ryan, then this book was made for you!!!

[Brenda Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sisters Alathea and Soli have been taught to fear magic their whole lives; magic is death. But when rebellious Soli disappears into a nearby kingdom, Alathea must face her own powerful abilities and join forces with their enemies to save her sister.

The exploration of family dynamics and how secrets can tear them apart was beautifully woven throughout this fast paced fantasy. Archer’s world building is vivid and I felt completely immersed in this unique world. The slow burn queer love triangle is both intriguing and emotional and I can’t wait to see how it evolves for Alathea.

This is the first in the series and ends in a thrilling cliffhanger (thank goodness book two comes out next month)! It was so enchanting and left me excited for the next adventure.

Thank you Sienna Archer for the gorgeous copy and RR Book Tours for the opportunity to be on this tour.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Family. Love. Trust. Self.
These are the main themes guiding Alathea's journey in the first novel of this fantasy series. First her bond with her sister, the person she cherishes above all else, the one she will protect above everything and everyone else and the one thing she can't bear lose. Then her bond with her mothers (yes there are lesbians in this fantasy novel, so many queer characters it's amazing), learning how to trust again, how to recover from her abandonment issues.These are the first things you learn about Alathea, and as the plot unfurls and she faces magic, monsters and herself. She learns to love, to trust others and finally to define herself. (I am still floored by her incredible character growth).
I recommend this queer fantasy novel to readers who enjoyed the Grishaverse.

[imogen thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to the author and Book Sirens for this ARC!

So I’m rating this a solid 3.75, I enjoyed it but there were a few moments that stuck out as slightly bizarre in terms of pacing/character development/confusion in general. That being said. This world was very intriguing and I will be continuing on reading this series (I don’t necessarily think it NEEDED to be a series but I think it will be fun to see where it goes from here especially with the somewhat cliffhanger we were left on). The characters and options for romance were definitely what kept me going, along with a pretty cut throat villain with depth. I’m definitely going to read the villain’s novella I think I will love nothing more.

[Ridley Zarate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to r & r book tours for the opportunity to check this book out!

Two sisters that would go to the end of the earth for each other, Soli and Alathea have been told their whole life that magic is death. Their mothers disappeared 2 years prior, leaving them to fend for themselves. Alathea hides her magic abilities from Soli in an attempt to protect her, but when her sister disappears, she is forced to tell the truth. They're soon confronted with truths about what happened to their mothers, and they enter a new realm, finding out secrets they never expected.
This was a fun read, lighthearted and mysterious.

[Briela · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

The book was filled with action and adventure, so if you enjoy something constantly happening you’ll enjoy this book. Overall I enjoyed the storyline, and that there were not a lot of fillers between events. The only thing that made this a 3.5/5 instead of a 4/5 is that I found it difficult to connect to the characters. I wish there was more background information given on them, or a way to make them more relatable. Other than that, I enjoyed the story, and how it ended on a cliffhanger to easily lead into the next book.

[Chelsea (thatbookishteach) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a unique world and Sienna has really done a fabulous job of weaving so many intricacies together and creating this vivid but sometimes scary world. I loved the triangle between 3 of our main characters (I'm partial to Dae and his cockiness what can I say).
The relationship between Ala and her sister Soli is so special but they experience so much turmoil and things designed to tear them apart throughout this story and it was emotional for me! The cliffhanger has me so ready for book 2 and I'm thankful I only have to wait a few more weeks for its release!

[Riss 🫶🏻☕️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bound by Scars & Secrets is a YA fantasy romance with forbidden magic and characters that will have you turning the pages quickly to find out what is happening. Alathea is our main character keeping her sister safe and making decisions that could change her future forever. I loved the fantasy and romance in this, it was a great slow-burn read. I enjoyed the fast-paced nature of the story and love that this is a series. Readers who are fans of ACOTAR and These Hollow Vows will definitely love this one.

[Marie-Claude Carrière · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young adult
Epic fantasy
Magic
Secret/hidden identity
Strong relative relationship (sisters)
LGBTQ

Pros:

The relationship between the characters. I loved the sisterly love dynamic between Ala & Soli. I also enjoyed the love triangle and the growing affection between Ala & Dae and between Ala & Lidja.

The idea was unique, I enjoyed the world and the war.

Cons:

The pacing, it felt rushed at times.

The world building was lacking which resulted in me never getting fully absorbed in the story and in the FMC.

[Books.withCats · Rating 5 out of 5]

This, this was the book to take me out of my reading slump, after starting and not being able to finish 4 books in a row!
*enter happy dance*
What an amazing captivating story, a well build world - it was a bit confusing at the beginning but then everything fell into place - character that have depth, trauma, and development! And the romance, ah the LGBTQ+ rep was so well done, and the slow burn, a chef's kiss.

And this was the author's debut? What an amazing start. Now off, to read part 2!

*** I received this book as an ARC and and I am leaving this review voluntarily.***

[ᯓ★raquel · Rating 5 out of 5]

— 5⭐

Me ha encantado por muchísimas cosas, la primera siendo que para mí ha sido una mezcla de Caraval y El Príncipe Cruel. Ha habido mucho slow burn, una relación muy especial entre hermanas y una acción brutal.

Algo "negativo" es que no conocemos mucho de los personajes antes de toda esta aventura y que no es fácil verse reflejados en ellos, pero es normal teniendo en cuenta que es fantasía.

Me lo he pasado muy bien leyendo y ojalá ir descubriendo más de la autora.

[Abbie Riddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action and adventure - lots of action. Filled with family secrets and forbidden magic and relationships that are forged through it all. This book is worth the read and can easily be done in one weekend. Readers will enjoy the action, adventure, and twists. I do wish that some characters were developed more - only because I wanted to know more about them.

Over all an enjoyable read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lois Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a little slow for me to get into but once I did it was good. I do think there could have been a little more world building at the beginning but over all I understood the world by the end of the book. I liked the idea of a triad and how magic gets passed down. Ala was a great character with complex emotions and she really grows in this book. it ended on a small cliff hangar and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book