Time Passers

by Lydia Redwine

Ilea Sukarno is cursed with immortality.

For the past three hundred years, she has been the sole protector of the world’s most powerful magical artifact: the Crown of Caelae.

When she is led into the kingdom of Perez in chains by the desert’s most notorious assassins, her Crown is taken from her and getting it back will be no easy task.
In her efforts to get her Crown back and escape Perez, Ilea sets out to free those enslaved within the dark and treacherous kingdom.

Her quest does not go as planned, however, when she crosses paths with her oldest enemy, the youngest son and daughter of the ruling family, Perez’s once most wanted criminal, her own past, and her own god Elyon, who is unleashing plagues that will leave Perez – and its people – broken forever.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

414 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2024

Reviews

[Lydia Redwine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a little biased 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Leah Noe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it when a book/story can take events and puts real people into it. Growing up in church, you learn about the plagues and it’s like oh that’s cool but it’s another thing to think about actually living through the plagues. The end of this book had me ready to throw it across the room but also cry out of happiness because my favorite ship sailed but then also cry out of sadness because wtf Lydia. I really hope the next book picks up where we left off and tells me what happened in those 20 years

[Marii · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my gosh.

I received this book as an arc (thank you so much Lydia!!) and I went into it excited to read a Egyptian themed fantasy book. I was not ready for what I read. I’ve never read anything like this at all and I was sucked in from the very first page which doesn’t happen to me very often. I loved ilea so much. I loved her personality and her thoughts and she was such a good character. I loved all the other characters and it had me so conflicted when something would happen with them. This book gave me such a magical feeling and to be completely honest this is definitely a new favorite of mine, and I really really recommend this book for fans of tog or any historical fantasy readers or just anyone in general because oh my gosh was this book amazing‼️‼️ I absolutely adored the authors writing style and it was so smooth and flowed so nicely with the story.
I can’t believe this book isn’t even out and I’m gonna go insane waiting for the second one 😭
Moral of the story, be prepared for the release date because you won’t know what hit you once you read it‼️

[C.C C.C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lydia Redwine has done it again. Her words always know how to draw me in and hook me to the story. She beautifully weaved biblical references with a fantasy twist into the plot. I absolutely loved how I fell in love with this world that she created. She did an amazing job of creating and demonstrating the kingdom of Perez. Her description of each of her characters made me able to clearly visualize them as if they were right in front of me. Overall, I grew attached to her characters and to her story. I highly recommend this book!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throne of Glass meets the Old Testament. I can't wait to read the updated edition! I read an ARC back in 2020 (the Plague Years) and love Lydia Redwine's writing.

[Justice Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lydia Redwine definitely knows how to pull you in with her storytelling. Her intricate use of biblical and historical events as a backdrop for a fantastical tale about an immortal guarding an ancient artifact is something you do not want to miss.

The characters in Time Passers were written with a lot of depth and flashbacks are utilized really well in order to tell us how they came to be in their current situations and the emotions that accompany them. It makes you really feel for the characters and what they are trying to accomplish. I really liked Ilea and reading about her going through her internal and external struggles allowed me, as a reader, to feel for her and connect with her. Ilea is also just a strongly-written character overall. She wasn't perfect and she knows it, but she is constantly trying to do what's right.

Redwine does a wonderful job of highlighting the setting and terrain of the kingdom of Perez. It was not hard to picture where our characters were and what their surroundings were in relation to them. ALSO, if you go into this book without spoiling any of the plot you are in for a pleasant surprise when you realize which stories Redwine is retelling with her book. I remember updating my Goodreads progress and being so happy about realizing what event Redwine was referring to within her story. It felt good to have everything click into place.

As this book is a prequel, I have not read Redwine's first two books in this series, however, I was not lost within the story at all. I plan on purchasing the first two books within this story because I just have to keep reading within this world that Redwine has created.

Thank you so much to Lydia for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. I am so thankful I had a chance to read this tale.

[harli gadau · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️’s for this new fantasy ARC i received! Lydia’s writing is very beautiful and extremely well written. I did not realize it had biblical aspects when I started this, and that was very different to me. I found it just a tad bit harder to get into because of this! But overall I enjoyed the world & the FMC🤍

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time Passers is the perfect addition to your TBR if you like elements of high fantasy, a slow burn, flashbacks to the past, and a strong female lead with a destiny to fulfill. I knew before I read, that the book is highly based on stories from the old testament (the exodus story in particular); and having grown up learning about these stories/having a previous understanding I was able to make the connection. I don't think not having that prior knowledge would hinder anyone in understanding the events happening in the book though (since it reads very much so like a high fantasy book). The main female lead, Ilea, was written with so much depth. I loved getting to see the glimpses of her past through flashback scenes and how it all connected with what was happening in the present. You can really see how much thought the author has put into building the characters' world, and how she breathes life into all of her characters! There were some unanswered questions I had while reading, but seeing as this is intended to be a series, there will be future books to hopefully shed new light!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC and I was immediately interested.

I love Christian fantasy, I love that it was based on the story of Exodus, and I love that it made me excited.

The characters were wonderful. I absolutely loved them. My heart broke so many times for Ilea in this book but I just love that she persevered.

Her relationships with the other characters were so understandable. I felt what Ilea felt. I felt why she reacted the ways she did. Her backstory was incredibly written, and it made her feel more real, more human.

I loved the blending of the Bible stories and how Ilea understands her path and learns to trust Elyon more and more throughout the book.

This book was just refreshing and heartbreaking and I loved it.

[Olivia Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

What I liked:
-This book is a masterclass on how to world-build and develop character through backstory. I loved how Redwine intertwined the past and present through flashbacks.
-As someone who was raised watching The Prince of Egypt in Sunday school, this was right up by alley with the fresh spin and Biblical references. But I understand why someone who isn’t familiar with the Exodus story/Christianity in general to be really confused/not into it.

What I didn’t:
-While it’s clear Redwine is a very talented writer, I think she overuses passive voice to a degree that stuck out to me.
-Sometimes I got confused on some of the lore stuff and the characters relationships to one another.

Overall very excited for the potential of this series and will be reading book 2!

[Kaniah Dahlia · Rating 3 out of 5]

"It can take years for a dream to be ignited, to be shaped and molded. To become a person fierce and strong and brave and beautiful. It only takes a mere second for that dream to be vanquished, for that life to be taken."

To start, the premise of this book was an incredibly unique idea that would've blended elements of fantasy, history and Biblical influences. It's not completely a retelling but feels like it could be one, with similar names and references to those that most would recognize (especially people with religious background. Time Passers is based off the story of Moses and the ten plagues of Egypt but through the eyes of Ilea - an immortal girl entrusted with an artifact by her god, Elyon. Ilea has been alive since before the floods that cleansed the earth (Noah's Ark), she has lost everyone she's ever loved, been betrayed and enslaved, all in the name of protecting the Crown of Caelae and spreading the word of Elyon.

This was a beautifully told story, there was so much heartbreak at points but also so many uplifting and inspiring messages throughout. I loved the deep dives into the mental and physical impact of being alive for so long, the depictions of female rage and power, and the bisexual representation. Ilea's story was one that was often hard to read but was incredibly worth it in the end. I thoroughly enjoyed how rich and fascinating the world building was, the unique magic system bestowed by gods and demons, and the overall premise.

As much as I loved the story, the grammatical errors were so frequent that it truly kicked me out of the story. Poor sentence structure, past tense where it should've been present tense (and vice versa) are just some of the grammar issues rampant in this novel. I do wonder if it was a poor translation to digital as that's how I read it. I found the writing to be a bit jarring at times, which prevented me from really forming a connection with any of the other characters aside from Ilea or Leviathan and made the time jumps feel disjointed. Many parts of the story stuck too close with their inspiration from the Bible stories and it caused parts of the book to often feel predictable or repetitive.

Overall, Time Passers is a fascinating read if you can get past the grammatical issues. It's an incredibly entertaining story with a beautiful cover of course. I would probably recommend this to a reader who loves Egyptian inspired settings, historical/mythical retellings and fantasy stories about revenge and fighting back. This book is not just for those that follow the Bible either, there's a lot in this story for any type of person!

Tropes/What to Expect
🌿Ancient Egyptian Inspired
🌿Biblical Retelling - Exodus
🌿fated enemies
🌿Immortals & Magic

[Gen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It can take years for a dream to be ignited, to be shaped and molded. To become a person fierce and strong and brave and beautiful. It only takes a mere second for that dream to be vanquished, for that life to be taken."

4 ⭐

This was a beautifully written, unique blend of fantasy, history and Biblical influences. It isn't completely a retelling but feels like one, with names and references that most would recognise, based off the story of Moses and the ten plagues of Egypt but through the eyes of an immortal trusted by their god, Elyon. Ilea has been alive since before the floods that covered the entire Earth, she has lost everyone she has ever loved but she has been entrusted with an important task, to protect the Crown of Caelae and to spread the word of Elyon, until she is imprisoned in the Palace of the king of Perez where she learns a lot about who she is and what she must do.

This was a beautifully vivid story, it was absolutely heartbreaking at points but also filled with so many uplifting messages at the same time. I loved the dives into the psychology of being alive so long, the expressions of female rage and power, and the bisexual representation. Ilea's story is often hard to read but it is so worth it. I really enjoyed how rich and interesting the setting was described as, the well thought out magic system bestowed by gods and how this story handled the changing timelines throughout the book.

It was a bit hard to get into initially as the story felt familiar but also a bit confusing to begin with but once the idea fell into place I flew through it. Towards the last 70% I started to stall a bit again, but by the end I really liked it. I found the writing style to be a bit jarring at times and prevented me from really forming a connection with any of the other side characters aside from Ilea or Leviathan. I also found that parts of the story stuck too close with The Bible stories and therefore I found it a bit predictable at parts.

Overall, this was a really fascinating read and I was very entertained by this, plus that cover is just absolutely stunning. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves Egyptian influenced settings, historical/myth retellings (I say myth as an atheist myself, not meaning to offend anyone, just my personal opinion) and fantasy stories about revenge and liberation. Thank you to Lydia Redwine for giving me an opportunity to ARC read this book!

[Ekaterina Gennrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very imaginative novel, for which I can’t quite come up with a reference title, it is something unique. I haven’t read anything from Lydia Redwine before and started from the book 3 of Instruments of Sacrifice cycle (since it is a prequel which can be read separately), so it took me a while to sink into the world. The story opens rather slowly and would probably not suite to readers who want to be immediately hooked, but once the acquaintances are made, it’s difficult to put down.

Any fan of fable-like storytelling would enjoy this beautifully built world’s spiritual life, religions, cultures and legends. The story is partly based on several Biblical events; the references are not confusing also for those who are familiar with the Bible only formally. Moreover, exactly as a not religious person I found it extremely interesting to be plunged into these events, creatively retold from the main character Ilea’s point of view.

Ilea’s personal story is very engaging: as an immortal, she is doomed to lose people she loves, and it’s heart-breaking to feel it with her (here a shout out for Rakasi, whom I absolutely loved!). Ilea’s journey to stop running away from her past and find herself and her path is not only beautifully written (can’t help but notice since I write by myself), but also very fulfilling.

I would recommend the Time Passers to anyone searching for a fantasy with an unusual fresh voice, unusual setting (ancient Egypt!) and thought-provoking potential.

[Kara Linaburg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was super excited to read and review this complimentary book from Lydia!

So first off: I did not read the first two books and therefore was a little lost as I read the beginning of this Time Passers novel. I expected this, but quickly found myself lost in the story anyway.
I was amazed and impressed by the author's ability to take Biblical aspects and weave them into her fantasy novel. The writing is very well done, the layout professional, and the characters real. I don't know what I was expecting when I stumbled upon her series, but it met every expectation -- and surpassed them! Some of the chapters did drag, I will admit to feeling that, but I wanted to continue reading despite this because of the well-driven plot and likable characters.
I'm not normally a fan of this type of book -- with the Biblical stories a main part of the book (it's a take away from several Bible stories), because I like a fresh plot and spin-offs can feel forced, but this was is by-far a fresh story.
Lydia Redwine is an author to watch out for!
To sum up, recommend for fans of fantasy!

[Frankie D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was beautifully written, and Lydia is an incredibly talented writer. I found myself quite entranced within the world she had crafted, feeling as though I could physically see what was happening. I loved the world-building and you can tell Lydia cares a lot about the story she has written and the characters have depth and appeal. I think this book primarily is 4 stars for me because at times the story was a bit slower than I would have liked.

I did not know going in that this book had biblical references, though, as someone who is not religious, I would not have otherwise known if I didn't see other reviews mentioning it. It was not something I noticed while doing my read through, though others who are more familiar might.

I think Lydia is clearly a very talented author who has amazing potential for even more great books in future. I would read more by her!

[Sara Mcfadden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to thank the author for this amazing opportunity! There is a loose release time set for spring summer 2024!

This was a very imaginative read with hints of Prince of Egypt and Exodus. I was ensnared from the first paragraph. The story ebbed and flowed beautifully. The characters are fleshed out and memorable. The plot was easy to follow while also being twisty and turny. The world building was superb. Like I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent reading this book. I am excited to see where the author goes with this series

[Alaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful read, blending familiar mythology and fantasy with a fresh twist! Ilea and her world were so lovingly painted for the reader to fall in love with, and I'm definitely intrigued and want to continue with the rest of the series!

I know the Biblical elements here were hit or miss for some readers, but I (as someone who was raised Christian but no longer considers myself Christian) really enjoyed them.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Michael Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotionally devastating, yet fantastically epic. There is no better way to describe the journey set before Ilea Sukarno and ultimately the readers' emotions who endured the tragic tale to the end.
The world and characters that Lydia Redwine has conjured from the depths of her imagination along with the Biblical ties are nothing short of amazing and inspiring.
Although not my usual genre of choice for reading, that will not stop me from recommending it to everyone I know and meet.
On to book two!

[Claire]

A sweeping tale of prophecies and betrayals set in an Egyptian-inspired world. Think Throne of Glass meets the Old Testament with a diverse cast of characters and a world so detailed it comes to life on the pages. It's impossible not to like Ilea and her character development over her extremely long life (and she's bisexual! yay!). Although the story is inspired by biblical events, you don't have to be Christian to read it; it's just a good story. I will read everything Lydia Redwine writes.

[Casey Montalvo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Lydia for the ARC!

I am giving this book 3.5 stars. I loved Lydia’s writing style and the characters in this book. The reason for my rating was I found myself wanting to read more about the present than the past/memories. The book was a little slow for me, but definitely picked up in the last 100 pages. I was also confused with the dynamic of Ilea and Leviathan.

[S. Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's so good. Heavy themes with emotionally daunting moments. It's beautiful and haunting and completely unexpected even with the biblical themes that I've grown up knowing.

The story will leave you wanting answers beyond the last page.

[Kaylee’s Easily Entertained · Rating 5 out of 5]

(I didn’t realize never marked this as read 🫣)
When I found Lydia’s tiktok saying this was based off of the story exodus and the movie the prince of Egypt I immediately needed it and she did not disappoint

[Falthedeer · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.9⭐️ DID I FINISH THE BOOK?? OR DID THE BOOK FINISH ME😖😫

I feel so honored to have read this book- This was such an experience, it’s is truly unlike anything I’ve read, the heartache I felt reading this, the way I was on the edge of my seat anytime my two favorite characters would interact- and the deep journey into Ilea’s life. Her story is so beautifully told, and as a person who is religious, I found ilea’s faith to be so unique to read about in a fantasy book and so interesting and lovely.

This book took me like 5 months to read because I was so stunned by the writing- I reread the prologue like 5 times because it is literally such a masterclass in how to write a prologue. And then as I kept reading I began to dread finishing this book, I had found myself getting so attached to Ilea, her life and all she had gone through, I didn’t want to finish this book- (also the fact that I am very jealous of how gorgeous the writing is) but now I’ve finally finished it and oh my gosh I need book 2. July needs to come QUICKLY.

THOUGH I WILL SAY THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR THE WEAK. RUN, SAVE YOURSELF. (read it immediately.)


‼️Update 11/10/25- I have increased my rating from a 4.5 to a 4.9 because it’s been almost a year and I genuinely think about this book every single day, my mom is probably sick and tired of me screaming about this book so often☺️ and going through and updating my personal criteria to give a book a 5, it meets almost all of it to get a full 5, and I love it a whole lot more than quite a few other books I rated 4.5- so the 4.5 just didn’t feel right anymore…honestly I love it more than a few books that do actually have 5 star ratings lol✋😭 also my reason for it not getting a 5 is still mostly about the ending/amaziah (which is kind of a stupid and petty reason but alas) the characters are still 7/5⭐️ characters to meeee)

🤧

💫Ok now I’m gonna yap about Ilea and Leviathan so be warned.

The bond between ilea and leviathan was truly my favorite characters dynamic I have maybe EVER read- these two see and know each other in such a way that I can’t actually even put it into words. Not even necessarily in a romantic way- (Although I do ship them unlike I’ve shipped any ship ever before) They have such an intimate thing that only they understand. OH HOW MY HEART ACHES OVER THEM. the way they notice and know each other, the nonverbal communication between them- I truly think no two characters will ever have me so attached as these two. I love it when characters are so clearly soulmates without it being explicitly stated like these two. ITS THEM. Everything is gonna remind me of them. I’ll see them in everything😩😩 they are the tear that hangs inside my soul forever😔

PLEASE LYDIA, LET THEM BE HAPPY AND MY LIFE IS YOURS(eventually, bc I can’t lie, I do love the angst🤭)

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⬇️⚠️‼️SPOILER WARNING‼️ ⚠️ ⬇️

💫💫💫💫💫

And a more light hearted note- I actually NEEEEEEEED Leviathan so bad like what is going on- anytime he was mentioned I was practically licking the page.

When he said “come, look at me” I was doing backflips. It may have been a small line to some but I actually think about that line every single day. (I think I read that scene sometime in July and its December now and I think about it literally all the time)

And his letter-
“You enjoy the stars? Tell me what they say of us. Will we rule the world? The varhira already believe you to be a queen, even while I am nothing.
Ilea.”
UMMMMMMMM what kinda crack is this?!?!?! You expect me to ever recover from this?!?!

They just- when ilea said there was no “us” for her, and that she was always alone in the end it made me think of the fact that because of leviathan there is an “us” they have each other. OH THEY RIPPED MY HEART OUT.

And their goodbye- whyyyy would you do that to me!! THEY BETTER REUNITE. Honestly I am praying and begging on my hands and knees that Leviathan is for Ilea bc I actually feel sick thinking about them being apart. Someone hold me I can’t do this.

💫💫💫💫💫
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⚠️Criticisms: (light hearted)
There were a couple typos or just missing letters but it really didn’t bug me that much and I could still tell what it was meant to say.

I think my biggest problem with this book is Amaziah😭😭 (I have one sided beef with him) when he and Ilea kissed I actually literally cried from annoyance if I’m being honest. I think it was because we spent so much time with Leviathan,(💋💋) and I became so emotionally attached, and with the time spent learning of all of ilea’s past lovers/relationships I was so emotionally attached to them as well, but with Amaziah I just never felt that attachment😭 and I didn’t ever feel the chemistry between him and Ilea (although maybe that’s how I’m supposed to feel about him) but I was confused as to why some of the chapters were in his point of view because I just had no interest😔

The reason I didn’t give this a full 5 stars is bc near the end I was in so much distress that I just started getting confused😭 maybe I’ll go back and reread the ending tomorrow bc it’s 5 am rn and I haven’t slept LOL. Tbh though if we are basing the star rating off of how attached I am to Leviathan and Ilea (as individual characters) this is like a 7/5

[Isabel Jarnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
ARC read