The Way of the Wielder

by Sarah J. Hoodlet

One woman’s curiosity reawakens the power of legends—and reveals her dangerous destiny.

Jaslan is a High Lady coming into her own. Always gracious, and innately curious, she’s one of the brightest Water Wielders of her age. On the eve of her eighteenth birthday, she chooses a Focus that honors her late father’s memory and allows her to follow her passion. But not everyone approves.

Meanwhile, Jack—Jaslan’s charismatic best friend, and the younger brother of her betrothed—is there, supporting her in every way. Even when he joins a secret organization, and later joins forces with the most powerful man in the kingdom, he does everything he can to keep her safe. Or so he thinks.

As Jaslan leans into her Focus, her research of a magical artifact awakens a legendary power within her. A power far stronger—and far more dangerous—than the Wielders of today have ever known.

A power that even Jack may not be able to keep her safe from.

The Way of the Wielder is the first installment of a captivating fantasy adventure infused with romance, action, and mystery. Don’t miss this exciting page-turner, where a heroine finds the strength to follow her heart—and discovers her destiny.

Contains: Adult themes

Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy Romance

532 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 26, 2024

About the author

Sarah J. Hoodlet is a fantasy writer living in a small town in Northern New England. There, in a bright green writing room with southern sun exposure, she drinks copious amounts of tea and brings magical worlds to life. She lives with her husband and two rambunctious black cats.

For more information on what Sarah’s working on, visit her website: https://sarahjhoodlet.com/

Or follow her on Mastodon: @SJHoodlet@writing.exchange

Reviews

[Anais (atrailofpages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to write a summary about this book, but I simply can’t. This book took me on a JOURNEY. So much happens that it’s impossible to put just a brief summary about this book.

This story was a journey and an experience. This is a world with elemental magic, and essentially religions that either believe in the Elemental Gods or the One True God. That in of itself is a mystery that is touched upon. There’s mystery, political intrigue, suspense, and a heart wrenching friends to lovers romance that just left me feeling so frustrated and happy at the same time.

There’s a found family that develops that I think will turn into more as the series continues, but I loved the family Jaslan gets when she moves away from her family. There’s also a lot about family relationships, with Jaslan being so close to her family versus Jack who isn’t, and how one copes with that.

There’s horrible traumatic events that occurs in this book and the start of healing from it.

There’s so much that occurs in this book you just have to experience it yourself. All I ask is for Jaslan to be the same reasonable, logical person she is, but come out stronger from all this, and for Jack to be his usual swoony, chivalrous, “burn the world down” man that he is for Jaslan, and for them to be endgame. There were hints as to what’s to come, and they made me apprehensive, but I think it will be another physical and emotional journey to experience in the next book.

I also have some suspicion about Jack and who he and his family really are, but I’ll wait and see if the next book will shed some light on those theories of mine 😏 also, I need more Kizunae!!! He intrigues me and I just know there is more to his story and after what happened, I bet he will be making more of an appearance in the next book! I loved the friendship him and Jack created. Jack needed a friend like him, like his friendship with Hanzel!

Such a wonderful story! I highly recommend this if you enjoy books that have magic, a beautiful and healthy romance, mystery and intrigue. I can hardly wait for the next book!

I received a free digital copy to read, thank you to BookSirens and the author for the gifted e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Nichole Halbmaier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily to share my honest opinion

Wow, this was an incredible piece of storytelling. I absolutely loved every bit of it! I am a huge fantasy fan and this did not disappoint at all!

The twists and turns of the plot were wild, just when you think you had it figured out a new element was added to the mix, one you might not have even considered and it opened up many more possibilities. The characters in this story are deeply relatable, deeply flawed, and all came with their own unique perspectives.

There was just the right amount of fantasy, the right amount of magic, romance, and the right amount of action/violence. Some of the violence in the story could be triggering but it was well written to not dismiss the action but show how those who feel they are entitled to something behave and the repercussions of those actions on both sides.

I wait with anticipation for the next installment of this series and have so many questions I can’t wait to have answered. This is truly an amazing book and I would highly recommend this to others who enjoy fantasy fiction! A lengthier read with lots of details to let your imagination run wild but leave you wanting so much more.

[Alejandro M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up "The Way of the Wielder" totally hyped about the elemental magic, which is absolutely my thing! but quickly realized the characters are what make this book shine. As an aspiring writer, I've always thought I was more into plot and magic systems, but this book showed me how I can truly love a good character-driven story just as much. The relationships and personal journeys were so fascinating that I found myself completely absorbed, with the magical world feeling like this amazing backdrop to the characters' experiences. You know that character you are supposed to hate? Well nobody had to convince, it was portrait so well that it felt like somebody real I could know and totally hate.
I want to give big thanks to the author because how she handled potentially dramatic moments with such nuance and hope. Not letting the easy and expected drama to dictate the narrative.
And also the magic is fascinating, I can't wait to dig deeper into not only the elemental magic, but also the rest of mysterious magic we still don't know much about.
The plot flows smoothly, never feeling like it's just killing time, and the ending? It's left me seriously excited to grab the next book in the series.
Big kudos to the author for creating something that feels both familiar and fresh, the kind of book that reminds me why I love reading in the first place <3

[Susette Remson · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved the mystery buildup!

The characters slowly came to light but the intrigue continued to build to the very end. The way the author weaved magic, espionage, honor, evil and love drew me in and I found myself loving some of the characters and forming a real dislike, dare I say hate, for others. I’m ready for Book Two!

[Tim Wilbur · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story sucked me right in, and I finished it in three days. The writing is clean and smooth, as is the plot. The characters are all well written, from Jaslan and Jack to Matthew (hate that guy) to Lea, and all the characters in between. It’s a complete story on its own, with strong threads that make you eager for the next one. Well done!

[Marianne Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

It may have taken me a few chapters to learn about this fantasy world and get the gist of what was going on in it, but once I was in, I was hooked! It has a relationship I was rooting for from the start. The characters are well thought out and developed. Some you love and some you wish would die a slow painful death. The plot and storylines are so well crafted that I couldn’t believe it is the authors first book. There is a huge cliffhanger at the end and I am dying to read the next book!

[Lucia Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great characters, detailed world building

A thoroughly enjoyable fantasy story with adventure, romance and conflict. It is the first book in a series, so it ends with lots of things up in the air, but the story arc of this book is resolved enough to be satisfying on its own.

[Eli Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted this book for my birthday a couple months back by my neighbor Susan, needless to say I am incredibly impressed. First off, this book was absolutely amazing, right off the bat I knew I was going to be obsessed with this world. Secondly, the way that this story flows and the way that the emotional states of the characters contribute to this story are incredibly life changing. Third, the magic system is just so different and unlike anything I've ever read about before. Lastly the cover art is absolutely stunning as well and I commend the artist. This book deserves to be way more popular than it is and I am so exited to read the second book!!

[Nicole Hidalgo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Way of the Wielder introduces us to a world of elemental magic and rogue-ish adventures starred by Jaslan, a high noble and water Wielder, and Jack, another noble, but one who doesn't fit into the world of nobility and seeks different ways to prove his worth to himself and to the world. In this world that blends fantasy and Regency-era vibes, the fantastical elements may seem simple at first, but I enjoyed how the cute little Wysps interact with the Wielders associated with their elements—water, fire, earth, or air—and the revelations spread throughout the book. I wish we had seen a bit more of the elemental powers in action—one of my favourite chapters show an Earth and an Air Wielder competing against each other using their powers, and that left me with a “I want more!!!” taste in my mouth! I understand this might not have been the focus of this first book, which is already a chunky boy! Despite the length, though, the pacing kept a steady rhythm, and it never felt like it overstayed its welcome, which isn't an easy feat to accomplish, especially on a debut!

While I normally forge a deeper connection with female characters, for most of the book, it was Jack who captivated me—nothing wrong with Jaslan, his side of the story just had elements that I personally like more. One plot point in particular came as a surprise (I have the luck of playing writing prompt games with the author, and Sarah did a good job of avoiding the “mask topic” in her answers 👀), and it quickly became my favourite part of the book! More towards the end, Jaslan piqued my interest, and as someone who likes to write scholarly characters too, she grew on me!

There are some beautiful descriptions in the book as well, especially of gardens and flowers, which comes as no surprise knowing about Sarah's love for gardening.

Since this isn't my usual read, I struggled a bit with some parts of it, particularly at the beginning, where it took me a while to warm up to the protagonists (and again, this is an “it's not you, it's me” problem lol). In any case, this is a great book and a fantastic debut, and I'm intrigued to see where it goes from here!

[Kurt Hohmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Way of the Wielder was entertaining. I was quickly drawn in by the primary characters: Jack and Jaslan were well crafted from the beginning, and then their individual and collaborative story arcs gave them both more depth than I had anticipated.

I'm admittedly not usually a person to pick up a book with strong Romance elements, but many of my preconceived notions about that genre are being set on their heads by authors such as Ms. Hoodlet. I found the fantasy elements in the book intriguing: the world-building was nicely crafted, with a mixture that sometimes included modern sensibilities in an otherwise pre-industrial society; and magical systems that become an integral part of the plot are slowly revealed as the story continues. The scenery is described beautifully, the dialogue flows naturally, and the pages zipped past quickly as I fell into this world.

The side characters were also well-crafted and unique; I developed a strong sense for what some of them were going through even as the focus remained on the primaries. Antagonists were delightfully nasty-the roots of their nastiness is revealed in some cases, while others may have their deeper motivations exposed in book two. From a few pretty horrific scenes courtesy of the bad guys to the romantic ones of pure joy, this book was an emotional ride that kept me intrigued.

And by the way, I've added book two of this story to my TBR pile, because I now absolutely need to know what happens next. I mean, I *could* stop here, but I don't want to.

[Trey richardson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another Damsel in Distress

This book in my opinion failed at multiple levels. 1) it’s not actually about Jaslon the majority the book is from jacks perspective. This is absolutely not about a powerful heroine but a weak damsel in distress that never gets fleshed out.
2) Despite the name you hardly learn or see anything relating to the wielder magic system. It’s mostly spent with Jack doing his thing and the MC swooning over some guy in One way or another.
Books like this not only perpetuate the idea of a weak women but should also be held liable for misrepresentation when they don’t align with their description. A better synopsis is: A weak romance minded women who is going to have great magic power that she never thinks to use for her own defense or protection and won’t me touched on until 70% through the book. That is with the real main character Jack who is actually written decently. Do not read this if you want to read a strong female lead.

[Thom Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know that I am absolutely not a member of the target market for this book, but I do read out of my “comfort” genres from time to time. When reading things that I normally don’t, I have a few requirements: quality writing and quality storytelling.

This book delivered both from start to finish. I was traveling today and had the opportunity to consume the final two-thirds of it in a go. I will admit that I probably blushed a bit in the airport and on the plane when I read some of the spicier scenes that I know the members of the target market are looking for but those scenes were not overwhelming or too frequent. The narrative also did not feel forced to arrive at them, which I appreciated; they fell naturally into line with the story.

The compelling urgency of the storytelling and the consistent quality of the writing made me glad I read The Way of the Wielder, and those things leave me looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

[Ashtyn Areal · Rating 5 out of 5]

To put it simply: I loved this book. It's easily already become a Top 10 for me.

The world building was very good and I'm looking forward to learning more about this world and how the societal issues and differences came to be in the next books.

The characters were fantastic. I connected with Jaslan so quickly. She is smart, independent, and has a curious mind; Jaslan is a character who acknowledges her flaws and weaknesses and I appreciate that. Jack is just wonderful and I could really connect with his need to feel useful. I love how interacted with other characters and respected how he stood up for others.

I don't want to give away any spoilers but I will say that I will be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

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

[Harriet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This was a very interesting read. I was intrigued by the blurb as soon as I read it. After reading the first chapter within the book I was intrigued to see where the story would go next. Jaslan was a very interesting character from the very start. She developed throughout the book which was very intriguing and made me want to continue the book. The other main character Jack was an interesting character. He seemed to be needing to go through many challenges within this book. As the storyline and plotline developed very nicely through the book. There were many twists and turns in which occurred throughout the duration of the book. And with how the book ended I was surprised as I definitely didn't expect it. I enjoyed the authors writing style and would love to read another book by her.

[Jason Frisvold · Rating 5 out of 5]

For her first self published release, Sarah has woven a magical world to get lost in. Her characters come to life as you follow them through their individual journeys, teasing at what's to come. A mysterious past, palace intrigue, yearning for a lost one, traumatic encounters, this book has everything you can want and more.

I absolutely devoured this book in two days, unable to put it down because I wanted to know what happened next. This book reads like it was written by a seasoned writer. A writer who has created a world in her head that she needs to get down on paper. A world worth sharing with others. And after this magnificent debut, I'm eager to see what comes next.

[Jamie Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy smokes this was excellent!!! Absolutely 5 ⭐. Ugh I can't say enough good about this one. Excellent plot and fantastic writing!! Dialogue is spot on! Character development is strong AND the male characters are fucking superb. Jack might be one of my top 3 favorite MMC ever. Charming, sexy, fierce... Mmmm delicious. Also huge round of applause on the names in this book, very well chosen. I'm looking forward to book 2. I have a library book from Libby that magically became ready mid through this one 🤦🏽‍♀️ so I gotta read that real quick. Book 3 isn't out until July 😭 Sarah J. Hoodlet, Author 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 kudos!!! This was perfection.

[Caryn Schierbeek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw the ratings for this book and was expecting a 5 star read. I almost DNFd this several times. Due to the ratings, I kept pushing through thinking everyone else must have seen something I didn’t.

This book is probably more for readers who like “cozy” reads. Lots of world building (which wasn’t very good) and details (not all necessary). For me this was slow-moving, verbose without payoff and lacked real character development.

I will not be continuing this series.

[Carol Darling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engagement Broken

Having lost her father in a car accident a couple years ago this magic wielded was betrothed to the eldest son of the governor but as she gets close to her eighteenth birthday he has been getting meaner and more and more controlling. She wants to honor her father's wishes but it's getting hard to believe her dad would want her married to such a man.
Good Adult Read.

[W. Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dissonant anachronisms and repetitive dialogue tags aside, the need to know where this romantic fantasy was heading kept me going; the diverse cast, the familiar but well-explored magic system, an intriguing larger mythology, and a real bitch of an antagonist provided sufficient cause to keep turning the pages.

Full review of Books 1-3 here.

[Anne V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patient readers will enjoy

This book has an interesting magic system, good world building, and likeable characters. I’m sure patient readers will delight in exploring the details. Unfortunately as a less patient reader I found myself skipping pages and then chapters looking for something, anything, to happen and the plot to develop.

[Diane Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful Engaging Story

Great story and good character development. Looking forward to more of this series. One negative: Too much use of the f word.

[Zehra · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0/5 stars

if Avatar the Last Airbender took place in 1800s England. beautiful friends to lovers. such vibes.