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The Sunshine Chronicles: Forgotten Flare
The last thing Rayleigh expects after her sister's death is finding out she's a powerful Fae, hidden in the human world, and is being hunted by dangerous creatures who have magic of their own.Rayleigh has to navigate developing feelings for her childhood best friend, Kaleb—who asks her to prom—and getting an arrogant new lab partner, Kyler—who's annoyingly handsome—all while strange events start happening around her.After the unthinkable happens on a trip to the mall, she gets a phone call informing her that her family has been struck by a tragedy—again.Her life goes from worrying about school grades and finding a dress for prom to trying to escape deadly creatures who can stop time and manipulate the world around her.She ends up submerged in a world of magic and danger she never knew existed, discovering she has powers of her own and is from an entirely different realm.New friends emerge, and enemies reveal themselves. Can Rayleigh manage to merge her old life with her new one without losing anyone else she loves?
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Published December 15, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
June 22, 2024
Out of respect for the author, because I thought she was a nice and genuine person I gave this two stars. Then I saw the author talking about the two star that was given and saying “they must not read for fun and only to critique.” Well. Here is my review of the book. Oh and also, I do love fantasy :) just not this for the reasons below. Always remember that a reader has the right to their opinion and shouldn’t be put down because they didn’t enjoy your work.
I wanted to like this book. I’ve conversed with the author on tick tock lives and she really hyped it up however, this book struggles on several fronts. The story begins at an exceedingly slow pace, making it hard for readers to immerse themselves in the plot from the start. One of the major drawbacks is the overuse of descriptive language throughout the book. While descriptions can enhance a narrative, in this case, they overwhelm the story and slow down the progression significantly.
Character development is notably lacking. The characters remain one-dimensional, making it difficult to form any real connection or empathy towards them. This issue is compounded by the dialogue, which is heavily burdened with excessive descriptions. Simple conversations are dragged out over multiple pages due to the surrounding descriptive text, detracting from the natural flow of dialogue and making the reading experience cumbersome.
A particularly odd choice in the writing is the frequent use of the word "whispered" for dialogue tags. This is repetitive and a peculiar choice that distracts from the intended tone of the conversations.
The overall feel of the book resembles fan fiction written by a very young author. The lack of depth in both plot and characters, coupled with the clunky and over-descriptive writing style, makes it hard to engage with the story.
This book falls short in delivering a compelling narrative or relatable characters. The slow pace, excessive descriptions, and weak character development significantly hinder the book's potential, making it a challenging read.
I wanted to like this book. I’ve conversed with the author on tick tock lives and she really hyped it up however, this book struggles on several fronts. The story begins at an exceedingly slow pace, making it hard for readers to immerse themselves in the plot from the start. One of the major drawbacks is the overuse of descriptive language throughout the book. While descriptions can enhance a narrative, in this case, they overwhelm the story and slow down the progression significantly.
Character development is notably lacking. The characters remain one-dimensional, making it difficult to form any real connection or empathy towards them. This issue is compounded by the dialogue, which is heavily burdened with excessive descriptions. Simple conversations are dragged out over multiple pages due to the surrounding descriptive text, detracting from the natural flow of dialogue and making the reading experience cumbersome.
A particularly odd choice in the writing is the frequent use of the word "whispered" for dialogue tags. This is repetitive and a peculiar choice that distracts from the intended tone of the conversations.
The overall feel of the book resembles fan fiction written by a very young author. The lack of depth in both plot and characters, coupled with the clunky and over-descriptive writing style, makes it hard to engage with the story.
This book falls short in delivering a compelling narrative or relatable characters. The slow pace, excessive descriptions, and weak character development significantly hinder the book's potential, making it a challenging read.
March 29, 2024
I was lucky enough to be given an ARC copy of this book! To be completely honest it started a little slow for me. It has a high school setting with Twilight vibes in the start of the book which is a bit different than the books I’ve been reading lately. However, everything that takes place adds to the character development and it all makes sense later in the book so it’s very much needed. The story absolutely starts picking up and once I hit 50% I literally couldn’t put it down. I would try to read one quick chapter before bed and end up reading 5 or 6 instead. The plot twists that Kelsey wrote into this book are genius and the overall fantasy world is so unique which I feel like is difficult to find as a reader today. THE CLIFFHANGER/PLOT TWIST AT THE END!!! I’m absolutely dying for book two and have been left with the BIGGEST book hangover!
dnf
September 24, 2024I am NOT a fantasy OR young adult reader so I was really trying because I know the author and she is such a funny and good person. This book was picked for book club and I really wanted to try it.
HONESTLY, this book just wasn't for me. It absolutely might be for you or someone else. I do not read YA or fantasy and that is why I did not continue the book.
I know people who did enjoy this book so I encourage you to give it a try if you want or if you like YA or Fantasy.
HONESTLY, this book just wasn't for me. It absolutely might be for you or someone else. I do not read YA or fantasy and that is why I did not continue the book.
I know people who did enjoy this book so I encourage you to give it a try if you want or if you like YA or Fantasy.
March 20, 2024
This book was such a refreshing read about a world where magic and reality collide.
The story follows Rayleigh, who, after a tragedy, discovers she is a powerful Fae with magical abilities. The book follows Rayleigh through the ups and downs of teenage life and the allure of a magical realm.
All of the characters are beautifully written but Rayleigh stands out due to both her strength and vulnerability (give this girl a break 😅). I related so much to her journey of grief and self-discovery and her story was a wild emotional rollercoaster.
Personally, I was not a fan of the pop culture references throughout the book. Although they can be clever and entertaining, I found that they pulled me out of the experience of the fictional town where the story takes place. However, this is a minor point and purely a matter of personal taste.
This book has a little bit of everything: action, romance, and fantasy. It’s a story of loss and self-discovery that I think a lot of readers can resonate with.
Truly can’t wait for the next one!
The story follows Rayleigh, who, after a tragedy, discovers she is a powerful Fae with magical abilities. The book follows Rayleigh through the ups and downs of teenage life and the allure of a magical realm.
All of the characters are beautifully written but Rayleigh stands out due to both her strength and vulnerability (give this girl a break 😅). I related so much to her journey of grief and self-discovery and her story was a wild emotional rollercoaster.
Personally, I was not a fan of the pop culture references throughout the book. Although they can be clever and entertaining, I found that they pulled me out of the experience of the fictional town where the story takes place. However, this is a minor point and purely a matter of personal taste.
This book has a little bit of everything: action, romance, and fantasy. It’s a story of loss and self-discovery that I think a lot of readers can resonate with.
Truly can’t wait for the next one!
June 23, 2024
(edited to two stars from one on June 22nd)
update: I had an interesting discussion about this book and came to to conclusion that my rating was too harsh. I still stand by my original review, but I believe the rating should’ve been a little higher.
…..
I am grateful for the opportunity to read this book early and support the author truly, however I had many issues with my experience reading this book.
Firstly, I love fantasy and was excited for this book, however it was more romance heavy than I expected and was lackluster in general. The writing was simple with frequent short sentences. The fact that there was no variations in sentence structure really bothered me. I personally like purple prose and flowery language and this was quite the opposite. There was little description of scenes and the descriptions of the love interests felt cliché and shallow.
Secondly, I didn’t connect to the characters, even the main character, at all. The fact that her family kept dying (even though there might have been a reason for it, didn’t get that far) felt very poorly planned out and read like fanfictions I read when I was 12. The entire thing read like a fanfiction, which I guess I should have expected when the author is marketing the book as a “twilight” meets “the vampire diaries” crossover. I definitely think the author could benefit from some writing workshops and some creativity building exercises. Some examples to work on would be not making each sentence a new paragraph (aka formatting), dialogue, cutting unnecessary parts and scenes that don’t move or serve the plot, and character building.
I was deeply disappointed and really wanted to make a positive review, however I cannot fathom doing so. For almost two weeks I tried to push myself to finish the book and I couldn’t look past the flaws.
I wish the best for the author and her endeavors. Clearly most people like it, so if you want an easy romance read go for it.
update: I had an interesting discussion about this book and came to to conclusion that my rating was too harsh. I still stand by my original review, but I believe the rating should’ve been a little higher.
…..
I am grateful for the opportunity to read this book early and support the author truly, however I had many issues with my experience reading this book.
Firstly, I love fantasy and was excited for this book, however it was more romance heavy than I expected and was lackluster in general. The writing was simple with frequent short sentences. The fact that there was no variations in sentence structure really bothered me. I personally like purple prose and flowery language and this was quite the opposite. There was little description of scenes and the descriptions of the love interests felt cliché and shallow.
Secondly, I didn’t connect to the characters, even the main character, at all. The fact that her family kept dying (even though there might have been a reason for it, didn’t get that far) felt very poorly planned out and read like fanfictions I read when I was 12. The entire thing read like a fanfiction, which I guess I should have expected when the author is marketing the book as a “twilight” meets “the vampire diaries” crossover. I definitely think the author could benefit from some writing workshops and some creativity building exercises. Some examples to work on would be not making each sentence a new paragraph (aka formatting), dialogue, cutting unnecessary parts and scenes that don’t move or serve the plot, and character building.
I was deeply disappointed and really wanted to make a positive review, however I cannot fathom doing so. For almost two weeks I tried to push myself to finish the book and I couldn’t look past the flaws.
I wish the best for the author and her endeavors. Clearly most people like it, so if you want an easy romance read go for it.
April 20, 2024
3.5 rounded up!
This book was one that definitely took me back to my high school reading days, standing in the lunch line buried in a book, waiting for subpar pizza. I loved the nostalgia feel to it and all of the pop-culture vibes. Although this story started off slow for me (hi I’m anxious and crave a lot of movement in books) once the action did pick up, it was go go go.
Some of the things I struggled with was the overall age of the characters and the dialogue. I haven’t read a lot of romance books in a high school setting, and that just sits different? It sounds like the older I get, the more I become a prude, but I digress. The dialogue felt too young for me as well, but again, high school settings are newer to me.
I’m a sucker for an obscure, cliffy ending, so that was the best way to wrap up this first book, imo. I look forward to seeing where the frenemies to lovers go from here 👀
This book was one that definitely took me back to my high school reading days, standing in the lunch line buried in a book, waiting for subpar pizza. I loved the nostalgia feel to it and all of the pop-culture vibes. Although this story started off slow for me (hi I’m anxious and crave a lot of movement in books) once the action did pick up, it was go go go.
Some of the things I struggled with was the overall age of the characters and the dialogue. I haven’t read a lot of romance books in a high school setting, and that just sits different? It sounds like the older I get, the more I become a prude, but I digress. The dialogue felt too young for me as well, but again, high school settings are newer to me.
I’m a sucker for an obscure, cliffy ending, so that was the best way to wrap up this first book, imo. I look forward to seeing where the frenemies to lovers go from here 👀
September 26, 2024
THIS ENDING?! I am going to need 90 business days to recover from this ending. I really enjoyed this book. The only thing that has me settling somewhere between a 4 and 5 stars is the fact they say "girlie" and the side characters. I feel like we didn't get to know some of the side characters enough for my liking. I guessed about 50% of the ending, but the final reveal definitely shook me! I can't wait to read book 2! Read this if you enjoy YA fantasy with love triangles and dragons (my two guilty pleasures).
September 14, 2024
If you are a fan of the Crave series or White Hot Kiss fan mixed in with some twilight vibes, pick this one up.
March 21, 2024
I was chosen to be an ARC reader for this book and truly cannot put into words how good this is. From the start, this book had me in a chokehold. This book truly has a little bit of everything in it and I absolutely loved every second.
I 10/10 recommend this book for anyone who loves the fantasy genre or any romtanasy type books. The witty banter and twists and turns from this story make it truly so addicting to read. I read it in 2 days!
The characters are very dynamic and I truly cannot fathom how I am going to wait for the next book to come out. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions feeling alllllll the feelings and true perfection.
I absolutely loved the idea of incorporating the Spotify playlist links to each chapter (genius) annnnnnd the most important component of them mentioned in the acknowledgments had me SHOOK to my core (IYKYK).
Overall this book is amazing and I cannot wait to see more from this author and address the major cliff hanger in the next one!
I 10/10 recommend this book for anyone who loves the fantasy genre or any romtanasy type books. The witty banter and twists and turns from this story make it truly so addicting to read. I read it in 2 days!
The characters are very dynamic and I truly cannot fathom how I am going to wait for the next book to come out. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions feeling alllllll the feelings and true perfection.
I absolutely loved the idea of incorporating the Spotify playlist links to each chapter (genius) annnnnnd the most important component of them mentioned in the acknowledgments had me SHOOK to my core (IYKYK).
Overall this book is amazing and I cannot wait to see more from this author and address the major cliff hanger in the next one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2024
I was chosen to be an ARC reader for this book and I’m soooo glad I was. This genre isn’t typically one I gravitate to but I was definitely not disappointed. I thought the banter between the main characters was fun and I love how the story built upon itself. The ending left me shocked, confused, and dying for the next book in the series. Definitely recommending to my fantasy loving friends once this book is released!
November 26, 2024
(I received an ARC of this book)I rate this 3.5 stars. I enjoyed that this book is modern fantasy and the pop culture references were great. But this book started too slow for me. The character development, dialogue, and relationship building was really good, but it took a little too long to get into the action/fantasy world. I feel like the action started about 50-60% of the way through the book. A lot happened in the last 30 pages and the twist was shocking. Overall, I wish the action started earlier in the book. I look forward to seeing how where the story goes in the next book!
January 14, 2026
you’ll like this if you enjoy:
✻ YA
✻ Secret World of Magic Trope
✻ Young FMC
✻ Family Tragedy
More thoughts to come, but overall, this wasn’t for me, but I’ll have some thoughts on why this might be fun coming soon!
✻ YA
✻ Secret World of Magic Trope
✻ Young FMC
✻ Family Tragedy
More thoughts to come, but overall, this wasn’t for me, but I’ll have some thoughts on why this might be fun coming soon!
April 6, 2024
(I got an ARC of this book)
I'm not the type to finish and give a good rating on books, especially ARCs. But this one is different. It pulled me out of my reading slump. I was only gonna read one or two chapters a day but it's sooooo good I always lose track of time. It's giving Twilight and TVD but make it fae.
As a debut novel, this book is amazing. It's clear that a lot of work has been put through it. It's not perfect, but the heart is there. I started this book crying and ended it crying. The first half of the book is a bit slow but it definitely picks up.
It's so easy to read, the writing is not pretentious. It's going to hook you from the very first page.
It's the first book of a series so I was expecting it's mostly worldbuilding but I was wrong. As I learn about the characters, the more I can't stop reading. There's no smut in here but I don't think it's needed given how good the plot is already.
There were times I got frustrated with Ray because of how she's acting but when I think that she's only a high school student and that we all had that phase, I understood her.
I can't wait for this book to be released and for more people to read it. If you're a fan of fantasy that's easy to read (think Harry Potter and Percy Jackson), this is for you!
I'm not the type to finish and give a good rating on books, especially ARCs. But this one is different. It pulled me out of my reading slump. I was only gonna read one or two chapters a day but it's sooooo good I always lose track of time. It's giving Twilight and TVD but make it fae.
As a debut novel, this book is amazing. It's clear that a lot of work has been put through it. It's not perfect, but the heart is there. I started this book crying and ended it crying. The first half of the book is a bit slow but it definitely picks up.
It's so easy to read, the writing is not pretentious. It's going to hook you from the very first page.
It's the first book of a series so I was expecting it's mostly worldbuilding but I was wrong. As I learn about the characters, the more I can't stop reading. There's no smut in here but I don't think it's needed given how good the plot is already.
There were times I got frustrated with Ray because of how she's acting but when I think that she's only a high school student and that we all had that phase, I understood her.
I can't wait for this book to be released and for more people to read it. If you're a fan of fantasy that's easy to read (think Harry Potter and Percy Jackson), this is for you!
March 22, 2024
I honestly don’t know if I can do this book justice, but you need to read this book. It is so amazing. It is full of fantasy, betrayal, and so much fire. I didn’t want to put it down. Especially tonight. It is way past my bedtime for a work night but I just needed know! I am also so glad that this is a series because you will definitely be left with wanting more.
It is honestly one of the best fantasy books I have read in a long time! You will not be disappointed with this book. If fantasy is your thing, read it. If faeries and dragons are your thing, read it!
The mfc is Rayleigh and she is hit with tragedy after tragedy until she meets one of the mmc Kyler. He is seemingly a very hateful person but deep down he cares a lot for Ray, maybe even loves her. But while Ray is learning who she and her two best friends really are, she is always struggling with feelings that she has for her try sweet guy best friend Kaleb who briefly dated her twin sister…before she died. Kaleb is seemingly the guy. The perfect guy. But is he?
That’s all I’m giving out. Read the book for more!!
I already pre-ordered a hardback copy of the book which will be released in May 6th! You need to read this book. You need to add this to your library
If you want to preorder it go to the authors website site https://kelseyleign.myshopify.com. Or you can preorder through digital copy on Amazon.
It is honestly one of the best fantasy books I have read in a long time! You will not be disappointed with this book. If fantasy is your thing, read it. If faeries and dragons are your thing, read it!
The mfc is Rayleigh and she is hit with tragedy after tragedy until she meets one of the mmc Kyler. He is seemingly a very hateful person but deep down he cares a lot for Ray, maybe even loves her. But while Ray is learning who she and her two best friends really are, she is always struggling with feelings that she has for her try sweet guy best friend Kaleb who briefly dated her twin sister…before she died. Kaleb is seemingly the guy. The perfect guy. But is he?
That’s all I’m giving out. Read the book for more!!
I already pre-ordered a hardback copy of the book which will be released in May 6th! You need to read this book. You need to add this to your library
If you want to preorder it go to the authors website site https://kelseyleign.myshopify.com. Or you can preorder through digital copy on Amazon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2024
This book had me from the shocking prologue. And then the first chapter was even more shocking. I didn’t know if my heart could take more. Of course I continued. Kelsey’s writing grips you in and holds on tight.
Essentially, our FMC, Ray, goes through a couple tragic events and seems like a normal clumsy high school girl until she finds out she's a powerful fae from another realm who is being hidden in the human world for her protection. Oh, and she is being hunted by dangerous fae. This book is fantastic! The plot and characters keep you glued to your sit reading to find out what happens next. I need book two ASAP. Not joking.
Read this book if you like magic ● love triangles ● hidden powers ● witty banter ● fae ● plot twists ● secrets ● dragons ● pet names ● grumpy to sunshine ● cliffhanger and so much more!
Essentially, our FMC, Ray, goes through a couple tragic events and seems like a normal clumsy high school girl until she finds out she's a powerful fae from another realm who is being hidden in the human world for her protection. Oh, and she is being hunted by dangerous fae. This book is fantastic! The plot and characters keep you glued to your sit reading to find out what happens next. I need book two ASAP. Not joking.
Read this book if you like magic ● love triangles ● hidden powers ● witty banter ● fae ● plot twists ● secrets ● dragons ● pet names ● grumpy to sunshine ● cliffhanger and so much more!
March 18, 2024
Oh my goodness I cannot wait for more people to read this book. Immediately in the first few chapters I felt connected to the main character and my heart strings were pulled HARD. The number of times my jaw dropped while reading may have set a new record. I instantly began to love this world and I know this book will be on my mind for a long while now. I still haven’t had time to completely process the plot twist and cliffhanger of an ending…. I laughed and I cried and I felt every single emotion possible. PLEASE read this if you love fantasy set in the modern world. I immediately need the next book to come out… like YESTERDAY.
September 25, 2024
This had a really slow start for me and I was kinda over it about halfway through. It really picked up in the latter half and ended up being a really fun read. I will say a lot of it felt very familiar and was pretty predictable but I’m easily entertained so I still liked it
October 7, 2025
Immersive reading took me way longer but I don’t regret it. There is so much love put into this book from the Spotify songs as each chapter to the characters. Also just come in knowing nothing and enjoy the ride.
April 9, 2024
The writing style is very "Born in Fire" vibes by KF Briene. I think if you like kindle books that you can easily binge you will love this book! I think Raleigh has a fun character arc and her grief is well written. I don't personally love the telling vs showing ratio in this book, or when song lyrics are written out in the text, and some dialogue is a little cringey. I didn't really feel connected to any of the characters too much. However it's a fun read if you're looking for more fae-centered content!.
July 7, 2024
My only problem was that it was slow in the beginning and it made it hard to get into but wow! What a ride and that ending, WOOO. I’m so mad but can’t wait.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2025
4.5 Stars!
March 30, 2024
This book was INCREDIBLE
The perfect fantasy book in my opinion. The twists and plot and everything coming together just made it all so perfect. I cannot wait for the second book.
The perfect fantasy book in my opinion. The twists and plot and everything coming together just made it all so perfect. I cannot wait for the second book.
March 27, 2024
i absolutely adored this book! the characters are so so lovable, the world building is great, the pacing is stellar. i feel like i flew through this book but you still get so much information in the process. i just wanted to stay in this world and learn even MORE! it’s the perfect way to lay groundwork for an enticing new fantasy YA series that people are going to love! cannot recommend enough.
April 13, 2024
(I received an ARC of this book)
This was an incredible YA Romantasy read! There was a point where I literally could not put it down. I also think Rayleigh (our FMC) has the ability to become a staple in the genre as her story progresses.
In the book, Rayleigh, a teenager who has dealt with a lot of grief, finds out she has magical powers and is ultimately a stranger to the place she calls home. With the help of other likeminded magical beings and her family and friends, she learns about her power and must step up to the plate in some monumental ways to save those she loves.
The characters are super lovable and the ending will make your jaw DROP. Make sure to avoid spoilers at all costs!
Also…meet your new book boyfriend, Kyler. Then say “Thank you, Kelsey” 😂
Another fun touch to this book was the chapters having song names AND the Spotify links so you can listen on your own while not reading! You can tell music was a big influence on references made in the book, so it added such a cool vibe to the whole experience.
My only complaint was that I wished we had gotten to the “magic” elements a bit quicker, but Kelsey’s world building is VERY thorough and paints an important picture, so a lot of the things going on in act one of the story are admittedly very necessary.
I highly recommend this read to any fans of YA fantasy and Romantasy, such as Crescent City, Kingdom of the Wicked, From Blood & Ash, and Twilight (but this love triangle is better in my opinion 😉).
I’d like to thank Kelsey so much for trusting me with her book baby and allowing me to be a part of this launch.
Now GET TO WORK cause we need book 2! ❤️
This was an incredible YA Romantasy read! There was a point where I literally could not put it down. I also think Rayleigh (our FMC) has the ability to become a staple in the genre as her story progresses.
In the book, Rayleigh, a teenager who has dealt with a lot of grief, finds out she has magical powers and is ultimately a stranger to the place she calls home. With the help of other likeminded magical beings and her family and friends, she learns about her power and must step up to the plate in some monumental ways to save those she loves.
The characters are super lovable and the ending will make your jaw DROP. Make sure to avoid spoilers at all costs!
Also…meet your new book boyfriend, Kyler. Then say “Thank you, Kelsey” 😂
Another fun touch to this book was the chapters having song names AND the Spotify links so you can listen on your own while not reading! You can tell music was a big influence on references made in the book, so it added such a cool vibe to the whole experience.
My only complaint was that I wished we had gotten to the “magic” elements a bit quicker, but Kelsey’s world building is VERY thorough and paints an important picture, so a lot of the things going on in act one of the story are admittedly very necessary.
I highly recommend this read to any fans of YA fantasy and Romantasy, such as Crescent City, Kingdom of the Wicked, From Blood & Ash, and Twilight (but this love triangle is better in my opinion 😉).
I’d like to thank Kelsey so much for trusting me with her book baby and allowing me to be a part of this launch.
Now GET TO WORK cause we need book 2! ❤️
April 28, 2025
Well, well Miss Kelsey! You sure know how to leave the readers wanting more!! I had the great pleasure of coming across this author and her book on TikTok and decided to read it as a part of my indie book summer and I was not disappointed! It had me hooked from the prologue and I cannot wait to see what the rest of this series has in store for Rayleigh and crew.
The main character Rayleigh is an extremely relatable character for me. Her journey through grief in multiple forms was incredibly well written and was able to put me in her shoes with how she felt in those moments. Her entire life has been turned on its head in this book and she continues to show her strength, humor and a bit of sass which is not an easy thing to do at any stage of a grief journey. Not only was her grief portrayed in this book, but so was her anxiety. As someone who has struggled with anxiety her entire life, it is very easy to tell if an author has not experienced it themselves or done their research to do it justice. In this case, Kelsey did an amazing job of making you feel everything Ray was feeling and the panic one feels in the throes of anxiety was extremely accurate.
Toward the middle of the book, you do get bombarded with information, names and titles regarding all things fae (for this specific series) but in this story, it isn't overwhelming. I feel as though the barrage of information was meant to encourage the reader to feel what Rayleigh felt while learning all of this herself. She is being thrown into the thick of it and as the story is from her perspective, so are we. There is also a pronunciation guide if you wish to utilize it.
All in all, this book took me through all of the emotions. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to throw it across the room and at the end had to pick my jaw up off of the floor. This series is absolutely worth the read for romantasy lovers and I am so looking forward to where Kelsey takes these characters in the future!
The main character Rayleigh is an extremely relatable character for me. Her journey through grief in multiple forms was incredibly well written and was able to put me in her shoes with how she felt in those moments. Her entire life has been turned on its head in this book and she continues to show her strength, humor and a bit of sass which is not an easy thing to do at any stage of a grief journey. Not only was her grief portrayed in this book, but so was her anxiety. As someone who has struggled with anxiety her entire life, it is very easy to tell if an author has not experienced it themselves or done their research to do it justice. In this case, Kelsey did an amazing job of making you feel everything Ray was feeling and the panic one feels in the throes of anxiety was extremely accurate.
Toward the middle of the book, you do get bombarded with information, names and titles regarding all things fae (for this specific series) but in this story, it isn't overwhelming. I feel as though the barrage of information was meant to encourage the reader to feel what Rayleigh felt while learning all of this herself. She is being thrown into the thick of it and as the story is from her perspective, so are we. There is also a pronunciation guide if you wish to utilize it.
All in all, this book took me through all of the emotions. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to throw it across the room and at the end had to pick my jaw up off of the floor. This series is absolutely worth the read for romantasy lovers and I am so looking forward to where Kelsey takes these characters in the future!
April 13, 2024
I got the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this book. This book was chaotic in the best way possible. It was a great debut! This book was able to intertwine modern day world and magic in a way that was captivating. I think this is a great book for someone to dip their toes into the romantasy as I found it had more romance than fantasy.
The characters were well-rounded. Rayleigh endures tragedy after tragedy while trying to navigate being a 17 year-old girl. This book follows her self-discovery and healing. The girl definitely deserves free therapy from now until the end of time. Kyler is my favorite type of character: the asshole who is secretly the sweetest thing in the world. The banter he and Ray created much needed tension. I also just adored Theo!
The ending was one I was secretly hoping for. (What can I say? I’ll always root for the asshole. I’m more of a frenemies to lovers gal than friends to lovers.)
I look forward to reading the next book!
The characters were well-rounded. Rayleigh endures tragedy after tragedy while trying to navigate being a 17 year-old girl. This book follows her self-discovery and healing. The girl definitely deserves free therapy from now until the end of time. Kyler is my favorite type of character: the asshole who is secretly the sweetest thing in the world. The banter he and Ray created much needed tension. I also just adored Theo!
The ending was one I was secretly hoping for. (What can I say? I’ll always root for the asshole. I’m more of a frenemies to lovers gal than friends to lovers.)
I look forward to reading the next book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2025
I'm going to say the first thing that I said to Kelsey when I finished:
I. AM. UNWELL.
I am still unwell, nearly 24 hours later.
This was Kelsey's debut novel and I honestly cannot even find a word to describe it perfectly enough. It is YA romantasy filled with magic and magical creatures and love and betrayal and I have absolutely fallen in love with the world she created and *almost* every character 😉
Kelsey told this story beautifully--it was so easy to imagine even the tiniest details. I loved the touch of each chapter having it's own Spotify song--such a unique idea that really gives the reader a whole experience. Also the cliff hangers and plot twists?! I was left with wanting more at the end of every chapter! And then the plot twist at the end...let's just say I may actually be a ~little~ mad at Kelsey for doing that to us😤
I've absolutely pre-ordered a copy as well!
You can get yours here 🫶
https://kelseyleign.myshopify.com
I. AM. UNWELL.
I am still unwell, nearly 24 hours later.
This was Kelsey's debut novel and I honestly cannot even find a word to describe it perfectly enough. It is YA romantasy filled with magic and magical creatures and love and betrayal and I have absolutely fallen in love with the world she created and *almost* every character 😉
Kelsey told this story beautifully--it was so easy to imagine even the tiniest details. I loved the touch of each chapter having it's own Spotify song--such a unique idea that really gives the reader a whole experience. Also the cliff hangers and plot twists?! I was left with wanting more at the end of every chapter! And then the plot twist at the end...let's just say I may actually be a ~little~ mad at Kelsey for doing that to us😤
I've absolutely pre-ordered a copy as well!
You can get yours here 🫶
https://kelseyleign.myshopify.com
April 16, 2024
3.75 stars. I was given the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This one was a slow start for me, but once I got to about 30-40% mark, I was pretty invested. It has a high school setting with Twilight vibes in the start of the book. I felt like some of the some chapters were too fluffy and I found myself a canning the words just to get to the next part. Some elements seemed like they were taken from other fandoms and just copy/pasted, so I would’ve enjoyed to see a little more originality in those aspects, but the plot itself has a good story line and everything that happens to the FMC and her immediate circle adds to the character and story development and makes sense later in the book, giving you a since if mystery and guessing the entire time.
This book was filled with elements from Shadow Hunters, Twilight, Zodiac Academy, Harry Potter and Fourth Wing.
With Violet/Dain/Xaden vibes for the FMC’s relationships and Twilight-esque surroundings and Jessica/Angela type friends. I found myself connecting with the FMC and her feelings and struggling on who I wanted to root for.
This debut novel holds tropes of; Fantasy Elements, Elemental Magic, Fae, Dragon Shifters, loss, angst, betrayal, nicknames, witty banter, mixed romantic feelings, friendship, mystery, nightmare/panic attack scenes, and “lost princess”
I enjoyed that there were a few cute, fresh elements that I haven’t seen before:
1. each chapter has a link to Spotify for a song that embodies the mood for that chapter.
2. There are little notes that are passed, but instead of just changing the font, there were little “hand-written note” illustrations.
Overall, I think this book had a good plot and the series has great potential.
Readers beware: there is quite the cliffhanger.
This book will be released on May 8th! Preorders available for Kindle and physical copies are available on Kelsey's website.
A quick note to the author: Kelsey, thank you so much for the opportunity to be part of your ARC team. I loved being able to be a part of a new indie authors journey and wish you the best of luck in future endeavors.
This one was a slow start for me, but once I got to about 30-40% mark, I was pretty invested. It has a high school setting with Twilight vibes in the start of the book. I felt like some of the some chapters were too fluffy and I found myself a canning the words just to get to the next part. Some elements seemed like they were taken from other fandoms and just copy/pasted, so I would’ve enjoyed to see a little more originality in those aspects, but the plot itself has a good story line and everything that happens to the FMC and her immediate circle adds to the character and story development and makes sense later in the book, giving you a since if mystery and guessing the entire time.
This book was filled with elements from Shadow Hunters, Twilight, Zodiac Academy, Harry Potter and Fourth Wing.
With Violet/Dain/Xaden vibes for the FMC’s relationships and Twilight-esque surroundings and Jessica/Angela type friends. I found myself connecting with the FMC and her feelings and struggling on who I wanted to root for.
This debut novel holds tropes of; Fantasy Elements, Elemental Magic, Fae, Dragon Shifters, loss, angst, betrayal, nicknames, witty banter, mixed romantic feelings, friendship, mystery, nightmare/panic attack scenes, and “lost princess”
I enjoyed that there were a few cute, fresh elements that I haven’t seen before:
1. each chapter has a link to Spotify for a song that embodies the mood for that chapter.
2. There are little notes that are passed, but instead of just changing the font, there were little “hand-written note” illustrations.
Overall, I think this book had a good plot and the series has great potential.
Readers beware: there is quite the cliffhanger.
This book will be released on May 8th! Preorders available for Kindle and physical copies are available on Kelsey's website.
A quick note to the author: Kelsey, thank you so much for the opportunity to be part of your ARC team. I loved being able to be a part of a new indie authors journey and wish you the best of luck in future endeavors.
April 9, 2024
Rayleigh thinks she is a normal girl going through difficult times. But after a series of strange events, she discovers that she is from a different realm. Her parents hid her in the human world in an effort to keep her safe and Rayleigh must now prepare to fight and use her magic.
I really, really hate to have to write negative reviews, especially when the author seems so kind, so invested, and so excited. However, I just can't bring myself to be anything but honest. This book needed more focus. I lost track of how many fantasy tropes/powers/creatures were used here. It lacked variation in phrasing. I started keeping track of how often the words "eye/eyes" appeared, along with how often the characters whispered, or how often a character blushed- it was... a lot. I am proud of authors for taking a chance and putting their books out for the world- but I do think it is important to edit, revise, and be descriptive/creative with phrasing. It is also important to develop the characters and to make sure that their behaviors, actions and history make sense. The plot had some promise, and I can definitely see the connections to Twilight and other such books. Honestly, it reads like fan fiction you might pass around amongst friends, not necessarily a story that is developed enough to be a book. However, I see many positive reviews and others seem to be raving about the book- in the end, I am just one little negative review in a sea of positive ones. So be sure to read what others have to say!
I really, really hate to have to write negative reviews, especially when the author seems so kind, so invested, and so excited. However, I just can't bring myself to be anything but honest. This book needed more focus. I lost track of how many fantasy tropes/powers/creatures were used here. It lacked variation in phrasing. I started keeping track of how often the words "eye/eyes" appeared, along with how often the characters whispered, or how often a character blushed- it was... a lot. I am proud of authors for taking a chance and putting their books out for the world- but I do think it is important to edit, revise, and be descriptive/creative with phrasing. It is also important to develop the characters and to make sure that their behaviors, actions and history make sense. The plot had some promise, and I can definitely see the connections to Twilight and other such books. Honestly, it reads like fan fiction you might pass around amongst friends, not necessarily a story that is developed enough to be a book. However, I see many positive reviews and others seem to be raving about the book- in the end, I am just one little negative review in a sea of positive ones. So be sure to read what others have to say!
April 13, 2024
When I started reading the first chapter I thought I was reading Twilight but ohhhh was I mistaken! this story is nothing near that! The epilogue and the first couple of chapters were pulling at my heart strings and I could not stop the faucet of tears that came out. The trauma of death in the family in those first few chapters sets the stage for the chaos that follows when Raleigh, the main character finds out that she is not who she believed she was or that her family is really not her family! She meets the new hot boy (Kyler) in school and finds out that he is a total jerk, but he is always around her even when she tells him to leave her alone.
This book has a lot of my favorite tropes
close proximity
enemies to lovers
kidnapped/tortured
New found Powers
It also has some of my favorite fantasy characters; Fairies & dragons
I do not want to give to much away because those little surprises had me hooked and wanting to keep reading and reading and reading!
I cannot wait for the second book to come out because this ended in the biggest cliffhanger EVER! Literally jaw, floor!
This book has a lot of my favorite tropes
close proximity
enemies to lovers
kidnapped/tortured
New found Powers
It also has some of my favorite fantasy characters; Fairies & dragons
I do not want to give to much away because those little surprises had me hooked and wanting to keep reading and reading and reading!
I cannot wait for the second book to come out because this ended in the biggest cliffhanger EVER! Literally jaw, floor!
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